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Taylor Shaw, a Warrington-based partnership providing contract catering services to the education and corporate sectors, has merged with Watford-based Caterplus Services to create one of the UK's largest privately-owned contract catering organisations. The deal, structured and project managed by BTG McInnes Corporate Finance, funded by Yorkshire Bank and supported by existing Caterplus investors led by YFM Private Equity, was completed simultaneously with the acquisition of Newcastle-based Hospitality Catering Services, immediately establishing a nationwide presence for the new group, which will have a £35m turnover and cover 350 locations. Taylor Shaw managing partner Peter Taylor will join the Caterplus group executive management team. 
Huws asking North Wales builder's merchant Huws Gray has made its fifth acquisition of the year, advised by law firm Mace & Jones. The Anglesey business has now picked up Bolton-based Bradshaw Builders Merchants, Burscough Building Supplies, Chesworth Building Services in Gwynedd, Telford's Wrekin Building Supplies and Shrewsbury business Monkmoor Building Supplies, taking its total number of locations to 27. The combined business has a turnover of £61m.
Resource Team demonstrates the power of click Lancashire-based Resource Team, which runs the established Review Centre user-generated review website, has been acquired in a management buy-in. The £9.25m deal sees Ingenious Media Active Capital, a Guernsey-registered closed-end investment company listed on AIM, partner with a new management team led by online marketing experts Nick Hynes as non-executive chairman and Glen Collins as chief executive. Resource Team, which was set up in 1999 and creates revenue from pay-per-click advertising, was advised by Hammonds and Rickitt Mitchell. Future plans for the business include international expansion and bolt-on acquisitions.
Liverpool law firm Hill Dickinson has reported a 6.9 per cent rise in fee income for the latest financial year, a figure that reflects growth in key areas such as employment law, construction, healthcare and insurance. Its Manchester office was one of the strongest performers in the five-strong office network with a 20 per cent rise in fee income, while the Liverpool and London practices enjoyed growth of 3 per cent and Chester maintained its income from that reported a year ago. These unaudited annual results are the first that fully account for the merger with Hill Taylor Dickinson in November 2006.
Brooks backs nuclear for a green future One of the region's top academics has thrown his weight behind regional nuclear development in an effort to realise the potential of the North West's universities and generate debate on future energy needs. Vice-chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University and Northwest Regional Development Agency big hitter John Brooks told Insider it's not possible to be green and not support nuclear development. "Some of the cities - Manchester, for example - have a âno nuclear' policy, which is a political decision. But I think it defies an economic judgement really, which needs to be played out," he said. "The University of Manchester and Lancaster University have both got considerable strengths in nuclear design and physics - and one proposal is to secure the academy for nuclear reprocessing in Cumbria." His comments come at a time when the region remains split on the future of nuclear infrastructure development.
Plant Impact confident of commercial growth Preston-based Plant Impact, developer of plant stress management technologies, this morning announced a fall in turnover and profits that reflects efforts to grow the AIM-listed company's market share. Sales for the year to 31 March fell from £377,000 to £285,000, which Plant Impact said is due to a focus on larger distributors, with increased geographical penetration, and increasing activity on its licensing and partnering strategy. The pre-tax loss rose slightly, a reflection of spending on people, marketing and travel as the company moves to commercialise its product range.
Business start-ups buoyant Despite wobbly economic conditions, business start-ups are still on the up, according to the latest figures from Barclays. The bank estimates 13,000 businesses opened their doors in the North West first quarter of 2008, with business and financial services being the most popular sector in the region, followed by construction. There were 98,000 new start-ups in England and Wales, the highest level in the last three quarters.
Southport housebuilder York Homes has started construction on a £14m residential scheme in Formby, after securing funding from The Royal Bank of Scotland's property finance team in Liverpool. The Cable Street scheme is being built on a former mushroom farm and will comprise 37 houses, one of the largest schemes to be built in the area for some years. The first phase, of 25 homes, is due for completion in November 2008.
Tchenguiz buys in as Braemar goes rural Property investor Vincent Tchenguiz has invested in Braemar UK Agricultural Land, a fund set up by Hale-based investment specialist Braemar, which is diversifying as returns from property dwindle - last week, the AIM-listed group reported losses of £450,000 as revenues dropped from £2.36m to £1.26m. The group, which closed its Armchair Property Investor arm earlier this year, now has 1,000-plus acres of farmland under offer through the new fund. Chief executive Marc Duschenes said: "This is a huge growth area in the current climate and, with food and oil prices increasing rapidly, there is every reason to believe that the demand for UK land for both food and bio-fuel crops will continue to remain high for many years to come. Following this investment we will be actively pursuing a flotation of this simple, yet exciting business."
If you're seeking a business event that reflects the current green mood of the economy, look no further than the Northwest Business Environment Awards 2008 on Thursday, an event that celebrates environmental and business excellence, hosted by the Northwest Regional Development Agency and the Mersey Basin Campaign. Insider's Lisa Miles is shortlisted in the media champions category and other companies in the running for a range of awards include Jaguar at Halewood and Liverpool-based FRC Group. And Wednesday morning sees the Institute of Directors (IoD) North West holding a discussion breakfast hosted by IoD senior economist and head of transport and energy policy Peter Patterson, at Room in Manchester.
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