Peel Holdings and its consortium partners have dropped a £640m proposed bid for Forth Ports, the UK’s last independently listed port operator, blaming economic uncertainty. The Northstream consortium, which also includes fund manager Arcus and transportation infrastructure investor RREEF, had been given a deadline of 1 June to make a firm offer for the business after its third approach in late April was turned down. However, last night it confirmed that it would not be increasing its latest offer due to “the current economic uncertainty” and the difficulty of valuing Forth Ports’ property assets.

Cubic Motion, a provider of animation services to the video game, TV and film markets, is the latest business to secure cash from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) as part of the Grant for Research and Development scheme. The company, based at the Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, has been awarded £100,000 to research new technology that would change how facial animation is created within the digital media industry. The scheme has been funded by £1.1m from the European Regional Development Fund and £1.2m from the NWDA.

Liverpool-based production company Lime Pictures has secured a deal with US children’s TV channel Nickelodeon. The business will team up with Belgian entertainment firm Studio 100 to adapt the company’s children’s drama The House of Anubis for the US market. The series will be filmed entirely on location in Liverpool and is expected to air in October. Tony Wood, creative director at Lime Pictures, said the deal was “a real landmark moment” and could open up further opportunities in the US. Lime has also been commissioned to make a “real-life soap opera” for ITV2.

The University of Liverpool has celebrated the fourth anniversary of its joint venture with Xi’an Jiaotong University in Suzhou, China. Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool (XJTLU) now has 2,500 students registered on 14 different programmes in the fields of science, engineering and management. Students study at the Suzhou Industrial Park campus for two years and then have the option of completing their degree in Liverpool. Professor Youmin Xi, executive president of XJTLU, said the institution has already gained a high profile across China.

Safety switch manufacturer Mechan Controls is on the hunt for acquisitions after reporting a “quantum leap” in earnings for the year to 31 December. The Skelmersdale company, which makes electronic switches for machinery, posted a pre-tax profit of £421,400 for the period, up from £259,700 a year earlier. Revenues increased 13 per cent to £2.5m. Mechan bought Nirvana Engineering (Stafford) in 2008 and chairman Wilf Boardman said the company is now seeking further bolt-on acquisitions to boost sales.

Visit Chester & Cheshire (VCC) has launched a new national advertising campaign in conjunction with Virgin Trains. The Eventful Escapes campaign is designed to showcase the region’s summer of events. “Our campaign aims to attract extra overnight visitors and grow the destination’s visitor economy,” said Nicola Said, head of marketing at VCC. “It brings Chester and Cheshire’s major events to a national stage.”

Caterer Pickled Walnut expects to serve more than 72,000 canapés at tennis tournaments this summer. The Merseyside business has won hospitality contracts for the Liverpool International Tennis Tournament, Manchester Masters and Nottingham Masters from Northern Vision. It has expanded its team to deal with the demand, including hiring events manager Hannah Vose from Sefton Park Palm House to coordinate the events and make sure the huge canapé orders are matched.

A full line-up of speakers has been confirmed for Insider’s Invest in North Staffordshire Breakfast, to be held in Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on 16 June 2010. The event gives Manchester businesses chance to learn about the opportunities investing in the region could provide. The confirmed speakers are: Catherine Raines, North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership; Tony Neill, Navman Wireless; Mike Smith, Genr8 Developments; and Greg Pepper, Greenway Pepper. For more information email Helen Attrill or call 0161 907 9704.

Colliers International has been instructed to sell a 78,000 sq ft warehouse and production facility in St Helens. Global steel giant Arcelor Mittal has occupied the building since it was constructed in 1996, but the company is now relocating the operation to other facilities within the group. The building is expected to fetch offers of approximately £2.5m.

Liverpool can’t get enough of Marco Pierre White these days, it seems. Not only is the celebrity chef due to open a steakhouse in the new Hotel Indigo, a gas barbecue endorsed by the fiery Yorkshireman has flown off the shelves onto the patios, according to Liverpool home store Taskers. Helped by a giveaway of a free bandana, the barbie concerned has seen sales rocket by 136 per cent. We reckon it’s the bandana effect really, who doesn’t enjoy cooking while looking like Hulk Hogan?

Perhaps it was for the best Insider wasn’t asked to blow the dust off its driver for jeweller David M Robinson’s golf day at Royal Birkdale. With Next Big Thing Rory McIlroy, a brand ambassador for posh watchmaker Audemars Piguet, on the course along with big business hitters like George Downing and Mike McComb, things could have got embarrassing. McIlroy said: “Royal Birkdale is one of the greatest courses in the world and it was such a rare pleasure to play it with nothing at stake.”

Warrington-based Opal, part of TalkTalk, has completed its Give Something Back Week, which involved staff from its eight UK offices giving up a day to raise money for 27 different charities. Possibly the millionth press release this year to use the phrase “Apprentice-style showdown” the efforts of the team in the Store Wars challenge, shifting stock at British Red Cross shops like there’s no tomorrow, should nevertheless be applauded long and hard. As should the efforts of the group’s own staff.