Exclusive: Focus £1bn debt burden revealed

Beleaguered hardware chain Focus DIY owed more than £1bn to businesses, shareholders and funders when it entered administration last month, a new report from joint administrators at Ernst & Young has revealed. Hundreds of trade creditors from across the UK are expected to be about £60m out of pocket, while HM Revenue & Customs will take a £7m hit.   READ MORE...

OFT clears Peel's £96m takeover of Pinewood Shepperton

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has ruled that Peel Group's planned acquisition of Pinewood Shepperton, the film studio behind the James Bond franchise, does not breach competition laws.   Read More...

AstraZeneca sells Swedish division

Drugs giant AstraZeneca, which employs about 4,000 people in the region, has agreed to sell its Sweden-headquartered Astra Tech business to Dentsply for approximately £1.1bn ($1.8bn) in cash.   Read More...

Funding boost just the ticket for Huyton Travel

Merseyside bus and coach operator Huyton Travel has invested £800,000 to purchase eight fuel efficient vehicles after securing funding from NatWest and Lombard, the bank's asset finance arm.   Read More...

Administrators to close Life & Style stores

Life & Style, the homeware and fashion retailer born out of the ashes of Ethel Austin, is to close 22 of its 150 stores and make 274 people redundant as administrator RSM Tenon continues to search for a potential buyer.   Read More...

HS2 benefits 'uncertain', MPs told

A "degree of uncertainty" surrounds the financial benefits of the proposed £32bn HS2 high-speed railway line planned to connect London with the Midlands and the north, MPs have been told.   Read More...

Anderson 'confident' over Liverpool's cruise bid

A decision on Liverpool's plans for a fully-serviced turnaround cruise terminal is nearing, according to Liverpool City Council leader Joe Anderson. He said he expects the government to make a decision by the end of the week and is "pretty confident" it will go in Liverpool's favour.   Read More...

Insider launches International Trade Awards

Insider is pleased to announce the launch of its International Trade Awards, which have been developed in response to the growing importance of import and export to businesses in the North West.   Read More...

JLL confirms North West leadership

Following its merger with King Sturge, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) has confirmed the leadership of the company's Scottish, Welsh and English regional offices.   Read More...

Soapworks hits landmark

The Boilerhouse at the Soapworks in Salford Quays has reached the topping out stage ahead of completion in July. The 20,000 sq ft office scheme is the first phase of the redevelopment of the former Colgate factory by Nikal, Carlyle and Abstract.   Read More...

St Modwen and Jones progress Newton project

Developer St Modwen has completed the latest phase of infrastructure work at its £100m urban village development in Newton-le-Willows.   Read More...

Waggledance scores world cup work

Growth Hub launched in Manchester

Record turnover boost at Denizen

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