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Top story
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Halton wants ‘swift’ start to Mersey Gateway
Work on the long-awaited £431m Mersey Gateway project, which would see the construction of a second bridge between Runcorn and Widnes, could start as early next year providing the government rubber stamps an £86m investment in tomorrow’s comprehensive spending review.
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Deals
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Character DPM expands operations
Character DPM Group, based in Aintree, has bought three commercial printing operations in Merseyside and Cheshire in a move that could increase profits ten-fold. The company, which offers mailing and direct marketing services, has acquired Tech Litho, Tudor Print & Design and APG Visual Colour.
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Blue Sky secures EFG loan
Wirral training provider Blue Sky People Solutions has secured an undisclosed six-figure loan through the enterprise finance guarantee (EFG) scheme. The business now hopes to add another seven staff to its ranks.
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Business
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Train 2000 forges Shanghai links
Merseyside women’s enterprise and employment organisation Train 2000 has joined forces with the Shanghai Women’s Federation (SWF) – an organisation with more than ten million members.
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Manchester and Liverpool climb sustainable rankings
Manchester and Liverpool have each moved up one place in the annual list of most sustainable cities in the UK, climbing to 13th and 14th respectively. The rankings, produced by Forum for the Future, judges the 20 biggest cities in the UK in terms of environmental performance, quality of life and how well they are planning for the future by addressing such problems as air quality and climate change.
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Industrial disputes could hurt recovery
Economic recovery in the UK could be stifled by the growing number of industrial disputes, according to new research by law firm DLA Piper. The firm's Economics of Employee Relations study has found that 95 per cent of senior North West decision makers anticipate increased industrial action in the coming months, while 67 per cent said it would hurt the recovery.
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PwC: AIM bouncing back
The AIM market is showing signs of recovery, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The firm said it must secure more domestic businesses to remain successful, however.
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Food Northwest bids to survive funding cuts
Food Northwest, the support agency for the region's food and drink industry, is the latest publicly-funded organisation set to commercialise its activities in a bid to survive the spending cuts. Chief executive Pat Foreman told Insider its budget has been slashed in the current financial year, but a range of initiatives, including the planned Northwest Food Distribution Hub, would enable it to remain in operation.
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Property
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Pugh & Co on the move to Haydock
Preston-based property auctioneer Pugh & Co is to relocate from Preston to a new office at The Parks, Haydock, at junction 23 of the M6. It is a location it described as better connected for its growing programme of auctions across the north.
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Community
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In Focus: The plan for Total Fitness
The new ownership of Total Fitness shows that turnaround structures can work to save jobs, but there are losers too. Michael Taylor takes a look.
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Talking Point: Roadmap for recovery
 In this week's Talking Point, CBI North West chief Damian Waters examines the spending review and outlines what support the government must provide to the private sector following the upcoming cuts.
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Advice
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