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The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is expected to tell the House of Commons today that it still wants an open-market sale of the 540-strong estate belonging to state-owned pool betting organisation The Tote, one of Wigan's largest employers. It is reported that the government's adviser, Goldman Sachs, has given a valuation of £280m, some way short of the £400m LDC-backed bid rejected a year ago. But the expected bidders, Warrington-headquartered Betfred and Gala Coral, could yet be disappointed should the government delay the sale yet again when Parliament returns in September. 
Nelson-based telecoms provider Daisy Communications has shrugged off the doom and gloom to post an increase in operating profits of 110 per cent in the year to April 2008. The business, headed by serial award winner Matthew Riley, has doubled its customer base to 30,000 in the last year and announced revenue up 40 per cent to £33.1m. It said that the upward trend has continued since April. Commercial director Tony Dixon said: "The progress has been driven by continued organic growth, four customer base acquisitions and the full-year effect of a large acquisition completed in 2006."
Antler signs up with Bury company Bury-based Global Telecoms and Technology has completed its third contract in 15 years with luggage manufacturer Antler, enabling the group's nationwide rollout of retail outlets. David Knight, Antler's technical manager, said: "The system will not only greatly increase our efficiency, but will also significantly cut financial costs. We will be able to pick up the phone across any of our outlets and not incur costs for those calls between outlets."
Fletcher leads the way Scott Fletcher, chairman of ANS Group, the Manchester Science Park-based IT services provider, has been named entrepreneur of the year in the North West section of the National Business Awards, held in Liverpool last week. He will go on to the national finals in November. Other regional winners included Bardsley Construction, Cattles Invoice Finance and Style Counsel Interiors.
JJB set to field tough questions JJB Sports is to hold its annual shareholders meeting on Thursday, with the parlous state of the retail market sure to dominate proceedings. The Wigan-headquartered retailer's sales for the 13 weeks to 17 April were down by 8.3 per cent, with the like-for-like figure 5.4 per cent lower.
Public sector needs to pay up, says Broomhead As small and medium-sized businesses battle to survive the credit crunch, the public sector is being called on to help private enterprises survive. At an event hosted by Private Sector Partners NW last week, Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the Northwest Regional Development Agency, promised to contact all public sector partners in the region and urge them to ensure businesses are not hampered by slow payment from the public sector. "Businesses need to keep a tight ship and rely on prompt payments so they can continue at a solid pace without interruption," he said.
Lancaster leads world-changing project Lancaster University is leading a £2.5m scientific UK/Malaysian research project on the biosphere and its interactions with the atmosphere and the Earth's climate. The Natural Environment Research Council Consortium is funding the project, which is based in Danum Valley, one of the largest and most important protected areas of pristine lowland rainforests in South East Asia. The three-year project aims to achieve a better understanding of how forests control the composition and chemistry of the atmosphere and what their impact is on climate.
The proposals to open a new coach station at the Mayfield station site next to Manchester Piccadilly, which form part of Manchester’s transport proposals, meet with the approval of the area’s key landholder. Patrick Franks, director of Wrather Group, which in a joint venture with Panamint owns over 90 per cent of the 30-acre site, told Insider: “Our proposals are flexible enough to incorporate all the options and maximise synergies between adjoining owners. We remain committed to the realisation of a comprehensive regeneration of the area maximising the benefits of the public transport hub around Piccadilly Station.”
My goodness my Guinness Colliers CRE has let a 37,464 sq ft distribution unit at Guinness Circle in Trafford Park to Global Logistics, on behalf of Canada Life. The company will pay £5.50 per sq ft on a ten-year lease. Guinness Circle's other building is another self-contained unit, comprising 18,646 sq ft.
A sure thing for Gladman Gladman Developments has disposed of a further 4,500 sq ft of office space at Howarth Court, its £8.5m, 55,000 sq ft speculative office development on Oldham's Broadway Business Park. Local companies Sure Connect Systems and Spectroserve have each acquired 2,250 sq ft units at £337,500 on 999-year leases.
Worktech 08 North Conference takes place on Wednesday and Thursday at The Lowry in Salford Quays and this year is exploring creative places, new media and the future of work to examine trends that will change the nature of how and where work takes place. KPMG’s latest Private Equity Forum takes place in Manchester on Wednesday, while the city’s Young Entrepreneurs in Property are holding their summer barbecue at Dukes 92 on Thursday. Prepare to don your gardening gloves and grab a pair of shears, because it’s the tenth anniversary of the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park this week, starting on Wednesday, and the corporate entertainment crews are out in force. And, if you’re looking for a laugh, on Tuesday evening Timperley Cricket Ground sees an Insider XI take on Pinsent Masons in a Twenty 20 match.
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