BUSINESS
ECHO
★★★★
Wolf man who is ahead of the pack PAGES4&5
Start Survive Thrive
PC repair firm is ECHO top trader PAGE6
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THE call has gone out to Merseyside firms to enter the 2011 Business in the Community Awards for Excellence which reward innovation and inspiration. The awards comprise 14 national and four north west categories. The north west winners will be revealed on June 9. For more information and to download an application pack go to www.bitc.org. uk/NWawards
Growth of ‘green’ specialist A BOOTLE-based renewable energy specialist is undertaking a nationwide expansion as part of ambitious growth plans. Eco- Environments has opened an office in Darlington weeks after similar openings in Manchester, Penrith and Tamworth, taking staffing up to 20. The company, which provides homes and businesses with renewable energy solutions, has grown sales from £100,000 in its first year three years ago to a forecast £1.8m this financial year. Director David Hunt said: “We have a very clear business plan which will see us establish ourselves as the leading business of its kind in the north of England and then across the UK.”
AIRPORT GROUP, ● a collaboration of northern housing
associations including St Helens-based Helena Partnerships, Wirral Partnership Homes and Sefton’s One Vision Housing, won two honours for its efforts in getting people back into work and training at the Northern Housing Consortium Silver Screen Awards held at York Racecourse.
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ENERGISED: Eco-Environments directors, from left, Mike Clarke, Mark Buchanan and David Hunt
TRAINING FIRM IN RAIL JOBS SCHEME by NEIL HODGSON
Industry Reporter A TRAINING centre to deliver young talent for the rail industry has been created as part of developer Peel Group’s £4.5bn Wirral Waters scheme. Haydock-based Silver Track Training has started the recruitment process for 100 apprenticeship places for 16-24-year-olds, paying up to £60 a week,on its new programme in Birkenhead’s Faraday House. Silver Track’s £115,000 investment will also create eight full-time jobs. A disused railway line running along the southern boundary of the docks will
Wirral Waters link will provide apprenticeships
be used for the training site which also includes indoor track, points and crossings for apprentices to work on. Silver Track says the rail industry employs more than 159,000 staff, but a large portion of these are aged over 45 which increases the need to develop a rail industry workforce of the future.
Bidston councillor Harry Smith said: “Silver Track’s apprenticeship is an excellent scheme aimed at helping individuals to gain the qualifications required for long-term jobs in the rail industry. “I was very pleased to enable them to meet relevant Wirral Council officers and also Peel staff to get the project up and running.” Silver Track managing director Mark Argent added: “These young adults need to be able to take advantage of projects such as this, as it will help them to realise that a rewarding career is still a possibility for them. “Many of our apprentices are now in employment with leading rail companies as a direct result of their
training. They are earning as much as £11 an hour as well as taking the first steps to a long career in railway engineering.” Peel Group development manager Richard Mawdsley said: “When we launched Wirral Waters four years ago we recognised the need to help raise skill levels in and around the docks and to provide opportunities for young adults. “We’ve been told at various public events we’ve hosted that ‘skills improvement’ is important to the people of Birkenhead – it also helps Peel to attract new employers to the area. Wirral Waters is all about trying to create new job opportunities that local people can access.”
JIMMY Tyrer has been appointed director of finance at Gingerbread Pre-School and Day Nursery Group on Liverpool’s Derby Road. The chartered accountant will head up the existing finance team and assist the new operational management team in their development plans.
ST HELENS-based ● Burtonwood Generator and
Switchgear Services has joined the SAFEcontractor scheme which helps industry improve its safety record through industry specific and tailored health and safety assessments for all professions and sectors. Managing director Keith Littler said: “I am confident that this award will demonstrate and reinforce our already high standards.”
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LIVERPOOL property group Ascot is offering a 25-year operating licence for a new wine bar/ restaurant alongside its Shorrocks Hill nightclub in Formby, which is now under new management of local operator Paul Garton.
2 NEWS
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
★★★★
BUSINESS ST HELENS FIRM IN OVERSEAS EXPANSION
HI-TECH St Helens company Rainford EMC Systems is celebrating overseas success after multi-million pound sales in India and China and major orders in three other Asia-Pacific markets. The company designs, manufactures and installs a range of shielded enclosures to test products for electromagnetic emissions and was helped in its overseas trade mission by government export facilitator UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) after initial talks with a potential Indian partner in 2007. The contracts success has helped the firm weather a downturn in trade in its UK and European markets. Company managing director John Noonan said: “A key element was developing a strategic alliance with a suitable partner with complementary products and existing access to, and infrastructure in, Asian markets. “This has helped us to more than double turnover and we have secured major orders in India for government and civilian applications and generated significant business in China.” He added: “We have 18 agents across the world now and are about to add another four.” Julian Birchett, of UKTI, helped the firm with its strategies.
TAX ADVICE ON XMAS STAFF
HM REVENUE & Customs is advising bosses over temporary student staff on Christmas holiday contracts. It says if students do no other paid work in term time, they do not have to pay tax if their annual earnings are less than this year’s personal allowance of £6,475. “Before you pay any student they will have to sign a P38(S) form confirming they are students and are only working during the holidays.”
SMALL
BUSINESS of the Week
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LOVING memento from Liverpool will inspire home thoughts from abroad for Britain’s brave frontline heroes in a new venture by brother and sister Darren and Allison Dixon. Their Recollections business will offer servicemen and women stationed in military hotspots a personal pendant, keyring or cufflinks bearing the fingerprints, footprints or personal messages of partners or children as a reminder of their love and support. Darren, a corporal who is close to completing almost 13 years of service in engineering regiments in places like Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan, explained: “During time away I carried pictures of family and loved ones which inevitably became worn, torn and occasionally misplaced.” Sister Allison and her husband Peter Wafer had set up Recollections in 2008 and Darren, who married in 2003, realised just how much a more permanent memento would mean. “We had deployed and when we were eating dust and missing home I asked everyone what they thought about having a personal Recollection and it was an outstanding 100%, with the younger soldiers and the more mature of us.” The family keeps a sterling silver version while their loved one will take a harder-wearing stainless steel version with them. Negotiations are now taking place to set up a chain of distributors among service personnel families to offer the Recollection range, with a percentage of profits donated to a charity of each regiment’s choice. Allison said: “There’s a strong family sense of community when servicemen are away. Families have social gatherings when parents and kids get together.” She revealed it was family pressure that persuaded Darren to consider pastures new: “He had done a couple of tours of Afghanistan and his family were concerned that he was not going to come back .” Darren completed his last tour on July 28 and will leave the Army at the end of January. With the six months’ leave he has accrued he is now working on offering Recollections to the services. He said: “I knew what Allison was doing but didn’t get involved in it. I had my life and Allison had hers.” But now he is immersed in the business, having suggested offering Recollections to the services, and is taking a LEAD course aimed at improving management skills. “ It helps you bounce ideas off each
Reinforcing loved ones’ links over a worldwide divide Neil Hodgson talks to a brother and sister helping to reinforce family bonds other and I am getting lots of ideas and help. They say because of my leadership skills from the military they are learning a hell of a lot from me, and I am learning a lot from them in terms of business.” Allison and Peter originally set up a retail business selling Recollections through Selfridges and Debenhams and their Warrington art shop, Gallery 33. Then a Co-op Funeral Home customer enquired about a piece of
their jewellery, which led to a pilot earlier this year in 140 branches and the possibility of a national roll-out covering 800 branches next year. Allison, who was the first pupil in Knowsley to achieve eight straight GCSE A’s, had trained as a lawyer and qualified as a chartered accountant with Coopers and Lybrand. She said: “I have always been creative. But it’s one of those things if you come from a poor background, it was always drummed into you that
you need a good education to get on in the world.” She and Peter have so far invested £90,000 in the business, which also attracted a £40,000 grant from support agency Stepclever. Alongside their current negotiations with the services they are keen to broaden their retail base and are in talks with the buyers of a range of big high street retailers. Since the business began trading two years ago it has achieved retail sales of £250,000 and Allison is forecasting that by the end of next year their total retail turnover could hit £750,000. Darren acknowledges that it will probably take another two to three years for Recollections to become firmly established in the retailing world and among British service personnel, but beyond that he has even more ambitious plans: “I am hoping to
Entrepreneurial spirit alive and well in north west NEARLY a third (29%) of people in the north west want to set up their own business, which contrasts starkly with the north east where less than one in five (19%) plan to. The figures came in a recent YouGov survey for business support group Intuit UK. When asked about the
barriers to setting up a business 53% nationally felt finding the money was the key barrier, compared with 50% of northerners. However, 31% of northern respondents said they did not know where to start to set up a business, compared with 25% in the UK as a whole. Intuit UK managing
director Pernille BruunJensen said: “It is clear that providing better advice and support, including applying for finance and managing cashflow, is needed to give them the courage to take the plunge. “As such, it will be very interesting to compare this year’s findings with next
year’s, to see if the measures being proposed by government and banks to restore confidence in this sector and inspire men and women across the country to start their own small businesses prove successful.” She added: “With nearly five million small businesses in the UK, Britain is still very
much an entrepreneurial country. However, although many people plan to set up their own business, this year’s survey, like last, found a large number still remain cautious. “Most people cite ‘finding the money’ as a key barrier and think banks cutting loan interest would help start ups the most.”
★★★★
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
SIBLING SUCCESS: Brother and sister Allison and Darren Dixon
Picture: GAVIN TRAFFORD
Do you want to be our Business of the Week? Contact Neil Hodgson 0151 472 2451 or email neil.hodgson @liverpool.com
approach the US military. I have a couple of contacts over there.” The family sources all its hall-marked materials from a Shrewsbury silver mill: “All our suppliers are UK-based,” said Allison. “We work in sterling silver, 9 carat gold or platinum.” The manufacturing process takes place at their Liverpool workshops. Allison explained: “We take a fingerprint or pawprint and produce an exact replica within a piece of jewellery using our bespoke software that replicates the exact curvature of the print to give something like a 3D image.” Recollections is currently producing about 1,200 items for retail each month: “We get peaks for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and will probably get peaks that will coincide with a military tour of duty.” And as the retail and military side of the business grows she said they hope to increase their current six-strong workforce to 20 by the end of 2011. But her ultimate ambition, she revealed, is to help others realise their own business dreams. “I am hoping that the business becomes successful so that I can offer my services as a mentor. I have had help from several people who have helped me avoid pitfalls and I would like to do the same. If the business is successful it means I could offer my services free of charge.”
HANDY: An example of products sold by Liverpool business, Recollections
NEWS 3
WORK SET TO START ON DOBBIES
WORK will soon begin on an £8m garden centre planned for south Liverpool that will create around 120 jobs. City planners have given the green light to the scheme put forward by Dobbies Garden Centres. Following finalisation of the planning process through the Government Office for the North West, Dobbies will confirm dates for construction to begin on site. It is aiming to open its doors to the public during the 2011/2012 financial year. The Garden World scheme will be constructed from sustainably-sourced timber and other natural construction materials and will include a range of environmentally friendly features including energy-efficient lighting systems and rainwater recycling. It will be built on a 8.78 acre gateway site off Speke Boulevard, near to Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Dobbies has purchased the site from Peel Land and Property.
POLICE THANKS TO BUS BOSS
MERSEYSIDE police have recognised the crime reduction efforts of transport group Arriva’s Rick Halsall with a special commendation. Mr Halsall introduced a range of measures over the past six years such as 'spit kits' and the Trojan Bus – a groundbreaking initiative which has seen the problem of smashed bus windows reduced by more than 60%. Rick, who recently moved to Arriva Manchester, said: "Both the police and I received a great deal of co-operation from the Merseyside drivers who reported incidents and completed the paperwork if they had any trouble.” He was presented with the special commendation, which is seldom awarded to a civilian, by Superintendent Steve McNaughton.
4 NEWS
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
★★★★
BUSINESS
BIG
INTERVIEW
Alistair Houghton talks to Simon Rhodes, founder of Liverpool design agency Smiling Wolf
S
IMON Rhodes and his pack can be forgiven for howling with success after a decade in design. Simon founded Smiling Wolf in 2000 and has worked with clients from cultural institutions such as National Museums Liverpool to musicians like Stone Roses legend Ian Brown and Merseyside architectural practices including Union North. And along the way it has won awards aplenty, for projects including its work with Liverpool architects BCA Landscape on a scheme to regenerate the centre of Burscough, West Lancashire. Simon also co-founded Design Symposium North, the annual showcase for Merseyside’s design industry. The creative sector was hit hard by the recession, but Simon says he is now seeing signs that the economy is recovering. “In the last six to eight weeks, we’ve found there’s been a lot of opportunities,” he said. “Last year, and the start of this year, it was just quiet. Everybody said the same. Even inquiries were down, let alone jobs. “But there have been a lot of things in the pipeline. And there are some great things lined up for next year as well.” Simon was born in South London but grew up in Wiltshire. He came to Liverpool to study in 1990 and has been here ever since. He moved into the design world, ending up at well-known Liverpool agency Nonconform, but in 2000 decided the time was right to strike out on his own and move beyond traditional graphic design. He said: “I thought it would be really exciting to bring together different disciplines, to continue to do that branding and print-based digital work, but also move into the digital sphere – not only the web side of things, but also animation and experimenting with digital experiences as well. “We got a name quite quickly for being innovative in that area. Simon founded Smiling Wolf with a business partner who soon left the company. The name came from one of Simon’s previous projects, featuring three little pigs and a smiling wolf. His early clients included Liverpool’s Foundation for Art and Creative Technology, FACT, which remains a customer to this day. Its website for FACT’s Culture Castles exhibition won it a London International Design Award. Smiling Wolf has also branched out into the music industry. “We worked with The Kooks, and that brought a raft of music industry work,” said Simon.
Wolfpack all smiles after a decade in design HAPPY WOLF: Simon Rhodes at Smiling Wolf ’s base in Elevator Studios, Liverpool
Picture: PAUL HEAPS
“We’ve worked with The Maccabees, and we did a website campaign for Ian Brown, which I’m told he thought was great.” Simon was particularly excited by the Fairytale of Burscough Bridge project, which saw BCA Landscape and Smiling Wolf come together to revitalise the town centre. But instead of simply sprucing up pavements and lampposts, the project saw the agencies look into Burscough’s past to design unique signs and decorative paving. The sculptures and carvings focus on subjects including the medieval Burscough Abbey and the
Lancashire tradition of street dancing called “pace-egging”. “It’s a tradition that has been a little bit lost in Burscough,” said Simon. “It’s reinventing a tradition that had started to wane, but giving it… I don’t want to say the words ‘a contemporary twist’, but that makes sense.” Smiling Wolf ’s work in Burscough will be visible for years to come – something that is unusual in the fast-moving world of design. “It’s fantastic to see things with such permanence,” said Simon. “It’s quite a rarity for a design studio to be able to do that. “The centrepiece is a carved
‘There are some great things lined up for next year’
stone with a tree in the middle. That piece weighs about 150 tonnes. It’s made in China, and the craftsmanship on it is extraordinary.” Smiling Wolf recently created a new brand for Liverpool law firm Heaney Watson. And it won its first client in the food and drink sector, designing a new brand for healthy fruit drink Evoid. It created a new font and a set of brand guidelines, making sure the product’s ingredients – and lack of e-numbers – are clearly visible on the packaging. The product is aimed at the schools market and Simon says that before Smiling Wolf ’s work Evoid’s brand identity was unclear. “We did some workshops in schools,” said Simon. “There was a real yearning from the kids that they wanted something that made them fell a bit grown-up. “They felt a bit patronised by a
lot of juices and ‘healthy drinks’. “So we created something a lot more edgier and grown-up. “Since we began the project with Evoid, their sales have increased 1,000% over two years.” A year ago, Smiling Wolf moved to Elevator Studios – a Victorian warehouse in Parliament Street that today houses many digital and creative companies. The company has a pack of seven staff, and Simon says he tries to have a relaxed management style. “We try to be like a family, or a band – everybody has a say,” he said. “But there are deadlines and there is a structure to get projects through. Some people think it’s always relaxed, but there’s plenty to do.” Simon organises Design Symposium North with fellow Liverpool design agency bosses, Alex Frech of Black & Ginger and
★★★★
NEWS 5
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
IT’S THE
LAW with
Q
THE recent weather has been driving me mad. First I have staff claiming they can’t make it in, then those staff who do turn up complain it is too cold to work. How can I be firm and fair without getting into trouble with the law?
A
MUSIC WORLD: Smiling Wolf has designed websites for artists including Ian Brown, above Picture: David Munn
Nick Howe of Uniform. “The first took place in 2008,” he said. “Someone called me from Design Week magazine and asked me how I felt about the lack of design events in Capital of Culture year. I said it was disgraceful, and I moaned about it to Alex and Nick and asked what we could do collectively. “It’s been really well-received. It’s really inspiring. It fires your imagination. You really do feel revitalised. The event was known as Liverpool Design Symposium, but has been rebranded so it can include a Manchester event in Spring. The team picture that illustrated this interview was taken by Simon’s three-year-old twins, Tom and Eva. “We set it up in the viewfinder and showed them how to do it,” smiled Simon. “That’s their first project for Smiling Wolf.”
DESIGN TEAM: Simon Rhodes’ three-year-old twins Tom and Eva took this picture of the team at Smiling Wolf, from left, Simon Rhodes, Trevor Green, John Wai, Andy Syson, Leon Russell, Jason Wood and Heather Almond
THE first issue is making it into the office in the first place, and on this the law is perfectly clear. Staff who aren’t ill and don’t make it into work have no right to be paid. As an employer, you have a number of options, but most employers agree to pay staff who have made every attempt to get into work and cannot work from home. Those who don’t try to get to work can take time off either as holiday or unpaid leave. The problem for most employers this year is actually taking an inconsistent approach. Earlier this year, many employers saw what was described as a once-in-a-generation problem and decided to be lenient with those staff who couldn’t – or at least, didn’t – make it to work. What they now find is that with this winter’s early cold snap, and with forecasts for more snow this week, they are bound to a certain extent by the precedents they set in January and February. Staff who can’t make it in and are not paid this winter, when they were last, could cite that precedent and use it to bring a legal case against their employers for unlawful deduction of wages. To avoid that, all employers should decide what their policy is now and alert all staff to it before problems arise again, amending contracts to incorporate it if necessary. Unlike many other parts of the country in November, the north west recently suffered
Peter Mooney plunging temperatures without too much problematic snow – and this brings with it other problems. Once staff do make it in, they have a right to expect their workplace will be warm enough for them to do their jobs. In legal terms, that means it must be at least 16C, and the guidance is that the temperature should be up to this level within the first working hour of the day. While this is comfortably below the temperature of most offices, the limit is there and so employers who think there is any risk that the temperature of their workplace may drop this low at any point should have a policy in place to ensure they are always compliant. Of course, this is not always possible for all workplaces and so there is some flexibility in the legislation. For those workplaces where the temperature cannot be guaranteed, or cannot be above 16C for operational reasons, employers must allow staff regular breaks to make hot drinks or leave the workplace and stay warm. This column was brought to you by Peter Mooney, head of consultancy at employment law specialist ELAS, Employment Law Advisory Services. For more information, please call the ELAS advice team on 0161-785 2000 or send an email to info@employmentlaw.uk.com
6 NEWS
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
★★★★
BUSINESS
TOPTRADERS
We reveal the region’s best traders and small companies
A
COMPUTER repair specialist from Formby has been named Merseyside’s Trader of the Year. The ECHO teamed up with one of the UK’s fastest growing online business directories – www.LocalMole.co.uk – to find and celebrate the very best local traders in Merseyside. We urged people to tell us about their favourite traders – and we received entries from around the region across the four categories. The overall winner – and winner of the Local Retailers category – was ACRC Computer Repair Centre of Formby. ● The winner of the Home Services category was Stuart Henry Kitchens, of Bromborough. ● The winner of the Entertainment and Leisure category was the So Talented Academy of Music and Performing Arts, of Southport. ● And the winner of the Health and Beauty category was Jaz Hair Salon, of Waterloo. ACRC – also known as the AA Computer Repair Centre – is based in Piercefield Road, Formby. It won the award thanks to the volume and quality of the nominations it received. One nomination read: “This company goes that extra mile – and more!” Another called it “A family-run outfit that takes a real pride in providing excellent value for money and a first-class service. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone. Gem has been a real ‘gem’ to me on more than one occasion!” And another said: ACRC have always been quick and efficient in repairing our computer and are always happy to help with any questions we have if we don’t understand what we are doing. “They are always on the other end of the phone or by email should we need any questions answering.” Last night, Gem Watson, who founded the company with her husband Chris, said she was thrilled at her win. She said: “Firstly Chris and I would like to thank our amazing customers from the bottom of our hearts for their nominations and more importantly the kind words they took the time to write about our business. “It is made even more special as we have just experienced our most difficult year following unexpected relocation from Bootle to Formby, it’s been so reassuring to hear Customers say things like ‘Why would be go elsewhere, we know we can trust you and you do a thorough job and don’t charge the earth’. “AA Computer Repair Centre is a family run business established
SONG AND DANCE: The So Academy of Southport won the Entertainment and Leisure Category of the Trader of the Year Awards. Some of its students are pictured here at a fundraising event in March for the victims of the Haiti earthquake
WINNER: Gem Watson of AA Computer Repair Centre
STYLE: Jaz Hair Salon won the Health and Beauty category
DESIGN: One of the rooms created by Stuart Henry Kitchens
back in the 1990s by me and my husband. “Winning this award means so much as we really do live and die by good customer service. “Repairing or servicing computers is a delicate business. “We are extremely conscious that we are not only handling an incredibly personal possession in terms of value and data – this piece of equipment wether it be a PC, Laptop Or Apple Mac, really is a lifeline to all people whether they
be home or business users. “Thank you all once again – have a wonderful Christmas and we can’t wait to serve you all in 2011.” In the Home Services category, family-run Stuart Henry Kitchens has over 20 years’ experience in kitchen design. Owners Russell and Diane Buckley said: “What fantastic news – we are very proud to win this award. “We would like to thank all of our customers for not only nominating
us but for wanting to nominate us. “We are a small family kitchen retailer that offers high quality kitchens at affordable prices with our ethos being excellent customer service throughout the whole process. “Our aim is to make our customers feel relaxed and at ease whilst we focus on their kitchen design and lifestyle requirements using our unrivalled advice and expertise.” The So Talented academy is
based in the Wayfarers Arcade, Southport. The company said: “So Talented combines high quality teaching with lots of performance opportunities and most importantly, fun. “If you are looking for piano or keyboard lessons, guitar lessons, drum lessons, singing lessons, dance lessons, drama and acting lessons, with a professional and qualified teacher to teach and guide you, then visit So Talented.” Kim Stevenson is the owner of Jaz and opened the business six years ago. She’s won a number of competitions and has won a National Hairdressing Federation award for wedding hair – a specialist area for Jaz. She said: “It's brilliant to win this award after all the hard work that's one into the salon building it up from nothing over the last six years. “We’re only a small business but it just goes to show what a great loyal customer base we’ve got which is so nice. “I want to thank the team here at Jaz. The girls have been with me for a while now and the team’s at the strongest it's ever been.”
North west’s 200 leading firms THE north west’s 200 largest firms will be revealed tomorrow in our sister publication, the LDP Business magazine. The companies on the list, compiled by the University of Liverpool Management School, each have a turnover in excess of £100m and collectively employ more than 400,000 people. Some of the most recognisable names on the high street are alongside giants of the chemicals, manufacturing and property sectors. LDP Business editor Bill Gleeson said: “The majority of the biggest firms in our region continued to grow, despite the recent recession. That might come as a surprise, but if you stop to examine the table, you will see that many of the businesses in our patch are, in fact, recession-proof. “We seem to have many firms that have shown resilience.”
The region’s Top 200 firms will be revealed
MONEYMATTERS MORTGAGE lending looks set to fall to its lowest level for more than three decades during 2011 with first-time buyers particularly hard hit, a trade body warned today. Net lending, which strips out redemptions and repayments, is expected to total just £6bn next year, down from an estimated £9bn this year and £110bn in 2006, before the credit crunch struck, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. The group said the figure would be the lowest annual total since 1980, when the mortgage market was much smaller, while it would represent the most subdued growth since 1968. The fall in lending levels is being driven by the ongoing shortage and cost of funds, as well as muted consumer demand. The situation is being exacerbated by the fact banks will have to repay the remaining £130bn they borrowed through the Government’s Special Liquidity Scheme by the end of next year. The CML added that the Financial Services Authority’s ongoing mortgage market review continued to be a “major and unhelpful source of uncertainty” for the industry, as lenders did not know when it would issue firm rules, or whether it would modify its current
“excessively risk-averse approach”. The CML said: “Over the short to medium term, lenders will need to manage some large-scale re-financing of wholesale funding. “From April next year onwards, lenders will begin to have to re-pay the funding advanced through official support schemes. “This is likely to limit the availability of credit to support mortgage lending next year, and beyond.” The group warned that with funding in short supply, the availability of mortgages for first-time buyers would remain
NEWS 7
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
★★★★
FURTHER FALLS AT MERSEY PORT
THE Port of Liverpool has continued to suffer from subdued levels of trade with the latest official data showing further falls. Owners Peel Ports Mersey described the Department for Transport (DfT) figures as “slightly disappointing”. The third-quarter figures from the DfT ports report, which cover July to September, showed Liverpool handled 7.33m tonnes. That was down 0.8% on the same period in 2009 and is the lowest figure for the quarter since 2002. Nationally there was an 8% year-on-year improvement in tonnage, as inward traffic rose 10% and outward traffic grew by 5%. Six of the nine major UK ports handled increased tonnage in the third quarter, with only Tees and Hartlepool, and Dover also showing falls. Liverpool – the UK’s seventh-largest trade port – has handled 21.25m tonnes in the first nine months of the year. This is down 5% on last year,
Third quarter figures show an 0.8% drop by PETER ELSON Business Reporter
and its lowest nine-month performance for more than a decade. But its sluggish first half performance has been blamed on the temporary closure of Stanlow oil refinery. However, Liverpool has increased the number of units it handles. This has risen to 299,000, the third-quarter performance is up 5% on last year and the best like-for-like performance in three years. Stephen Carr, Peel Ports Mersey head of business
development, said: “It’s fair to say that our tonnage figures for Q3 2010 were slightly disappointing. “The main drivers behind the drop were that coal volumes going through the port were down throughout the quarter, while recycled metal volumes were also low in September. “That said, there was strong activity in unitised trade during Q3 and in this quarter – indeed Q4 is looking strong overall. The underlying trends continue to look good for the Port of Liverpool in support of our growth strategy.” Mr Carr added that the unitised trade created plenty of activity as it was moved around the dock estate. However, as these units were often partially empty, their tonnage weights did not register in the DfT figures. Meantime, the operation to clean up a heavy fuel oil spillage into Langton Dock, Bootle, is now ahead of schedule. The bulk of the 250 tonnes oil could be cleared by Sunday. The initial estimate was two weeks for removal.
with NICKY BURRIDGE, personal finance correspondent
“limited”, as lenders were likely to continue to have only a “modest appetite” for lending to people with only small deposits. The remortgage market is expected to remain subdued next year, as low interest rates mean people on their lenders’ standard variable rate have little incentive to take out a new deal. Property sales are expected to remain broadly flat at just 860,000, down from levels of 1.6m before the credit crunch struck – a rate that suggests the average home will change hands only once every 20 years. The CML said there was likely to be a “modest boost” in sales towards the end of 2011, in the run up to the current stamp duty exemption for first-time buyers purchasing a home for up to £250,000 coming to an end. But the group, which based its forecasts on the UK avoiding a double dip recession, said public sector spending cuts suggested there would be a difficult jobs market in coming years, and households were also likely to focus on reducing debt, suggesting demand for mortgages would be subdued for some time.
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8 NEWS
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
★★★★
Business to Business
BUSINESS
HIGH HOPES FOR TOM’S TOMSART
Commercial Premises
Taxis/Cab & Plate
LIVER CABS
T J THOMAS 0151 708 6544 ERSKINE ST close to City centre Business units, 850sqft With int Office Space £106 + vat. Modern Ind unit, Knowsley Business Pk 2600sqft £13k p.a. www.tjthomas.co.uk
REQUIRES HACKNEY CAB DRIVERS Full Data System. Returning Liverpool fares Back to Liverpool Taxi Drivers. Call Alan 709 5959 or 07795 417333 UNLEASH THE FORCE!
Business For Sale BUSY HAIR NAIL & BEAUTY SALON On Allerton Rd. Fully fitted, Regular customers. Contact 07745 977093
E2A CABS DRIVERS WANTED Settles from £10pw. Join a Liverpool owned HACKNEY ONLY taxi co. Call 0151 229 1066
Business For Rent
AVON FLEET CARS LTD quality cars available in excellent condition £165pw inc insurance. 05 − 07 plates. 07943 754640
HAIRDRESSERS FOR RENT Seaforth Area £150pw 07780 009537
PRIVATE HIRE Lpool plate 06 on Rent from £140pw 1st wk 1/2 price. 07523 976108
Business Opportunities
SETTLE CARS Liverpool plate from £130pw, 1st wk half price 07747 526770
WINE BAR/RESTAURANT T O L E T Prime Location on Aigburth Rd. L17. Newly refurbished and fully stocked. Fantastic Investment Opportunity. Ingoing: £25k. Rent: £1500pcm Call: 0151 9209999/ 07900424441
Building Trade
IRISH TURF FOR SALE Available in bulk. 2 tonne bags & 25kg bags. Agents Wanted. Large Quantities available. For more details. email: aidan@hartepeat.com Aidan 00353 872827504
FRAMELINE TRADE SUPPLY COMPOSITE DOORS UPVC
WINDOWS, DOORS, CONSERVATORIES. 5 Day Turnaround Tel 0151 546 5577 Fax 0151 546 5588 ACCREDITED WITH BS7412 & BS7950
2 BARBERS SHOPS TO LET, CROSBY L23 Equipped with barbers chairs / Mirrors / Stations. etc. £650pcm Call: 0151 920 9999/ 07900 424 441
Industrial Property
KITCHEN & BEDROOM FITTINGS from a hinge to a full kitchen/bedroom. 3D plans now available. Showroom & Trade Counter at 3 Rockley Street, Kirkdale, L4 0151−207 0008. www.brosna.co.uk
UNITS TO LET Bootle Area 5,000−15,000 sqft. Flexible terms 0151 486 0004
Accountancy / Bookkeeping
Loans
TAX RETURN DEADLINE APPROACHING need help or advice from an experienced chartered accountant. Call Gavin on 0151 493 9700
CASH LOANS Secured against your car. Loans for any purpose. 0 1 5 1 2 2 0 4 4 8 8 www.mobilemoney.co.uk
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DREAM ON: Claire Chang, of Dream High, with artist Tom Donohue and a selection of his Beatles-themed work
by NEIL HODGSON Industry Reporter LIVERPOOL entrepreneur Tom Donohue has realised his childhood dream by setting up his own business to display and sell his artwork. Tom was helped by enterprise support group Dream High in establishing his business ‘Tomsart’. He now has work displayed at a range of exhibitions including the Biennial exhibition, Penny Lane Development Trust and the Bridge House Arts in Kent.
Entrepreneur’s passion for art and design Dream High assisted the established artist expand and develop his work and improve his marketing and networking skills. Tom supplies his artwork of fine pencil, Indian ink and colour portrait artwork to regular private clients and has limited edition prints displayed at
numerous exhibitions in large public galleries, independent art studios and cultural outlets. He is also creating illustrations for an independent magazine called ‘Object of Dreams’, while his pictures are also displayed on T-shirts. He said: “I have always had a passion for art since childhood and throughout my life. “Recently, I decided to be more serious and focused about my ambition to follow my passion and become a serious and dedicated artist.” Tom used the support of Dream High to realise his ambitions, adding: “Dream High has given
me the support and contacts to help me have my own business. “They have put me in touch with invaluable contacts like David Parrish, who displayed my artwork on his T-shirts.” He said the Dream High panel of mentors and businesses impressed him immediately with its professionalism, dedication and support. Dream High enterprise facilitator Claire Chang said: “Tom has so much passion about art and lots of determination and a positive outlook on life, which is why I believe he deserves to succeed. I am so happy his new business is thriving.”
Haydock Plant Hire UK in £10m JCB deal HAYDOCK-based Plant Hire UK has invested £10m in its fleet with the purchase of 250 new JCB models during 2010. The order covers a wide variety of JCB models and marks a significant milestone in the relationship between the two companies as the total number of JCB
Loadalls purchased has now hit 500 since Plant Hire UK was established five years ago. Its managing director, Graham Jones, said: “We have used JCB since we started. Nothing has changed in our eyes, as these huge milestones demonstrate. “The ongoing update
of our fleet is part of our commitment to provide customers with the latest and safest equipment in excellent condition, ensuring no machine is more than two years old.” He added: “The JCB models continue to be popular and these new machines are already all
out on hire. Customers like the brand and our engineers know the products well.” The company provides a round-the-clock cover service through its team of engineers which ensures all breakdowns receive assistance within four hours. Mr Jones said: “The
sheer volume and variety of equipment we have taken from JCB reflects our continued and ambitious growth.” Plant Hire UK delivers general plant hire services nationwide, offering equipment from leading manufacturers following a major investment programme.
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