LDP
In association with
rensburgsheppards.co.uk
www.ldpbusiness.co.uk
FTSE-100
5762.71 ▼ 23.38 THE three-day bounce back on London’s FTSE 100 Index came to an end yesterday as weak economic news on both sides of the Atlantic hit world markets. A double-dose of worse than expected figures in the UK painted a bleak picture of the economy on the eve of Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget. The Footsie closed 23.4 points lower at 5762.7, halting a recent rally that saw it recoup many of the losses suffered after Japan’s earthquake and nuclear crisis.
MARKET REPORT: PAGE 13
Everton development faces year-long delay EXCLUSIVE by Alex Turner
LDP BUSINESS STAFF
alex.turner@liverpool.com
EVERTON FC’S retail and office development has been delayed by a year after getting caught in “a legal quagmire”. Last month the club expected the £9m scheme, which was launched in August and received planning permission in November, to be completed by this autumn. The four-storey building will house a 10,000 sq ft shop, museum, café, corporate hospitality and offices. The Club Everton marquee, which had been on the Park End car park, was removed before Christmas and the
Dixie Dean statue was moved in preparation for building work to begin. But the project, which is being funded by club partners Kitbag and Sodexo, has been hit by a major delay, which has put back the expected completion date to summer 2012. Everton FC chief executive Robert Elstone hinted at potential obstacles in a blog on the club’s website, evertonfc.com, four weeks ago. “We expect to start work soon as we wade through some complex legal matters,” he said. At that stage, though, the project was still expected to be delivered on time, and the club’s retail partner, Kitbag, was pressing ahead with its plans to maximise revenues from the expanded retail space.
inside
Those plans have now been pulled back with a source blaming “a legal quagmire” for the delay. The club has decided that if a pre-Christmas opening is not possible, there is little benefit from opening the development in the second half of the 2011-12 season. Everton FC spokesman Ian Ross said: “This has been the acknowledged target date for some time as operationally it would have been difficult to open it mid-season. All of our partners are happy with the current timetable. “This is a complex project involving several partners which when completed will deliver a prestigous multi-use building, one which will unquestionably benefit both club and supporters.”
The delay will come as a blow to the club, which was forced into a robust defence of its financial position when it published its accounts last month. They showed debt levels at Goodison had risen to £45m and Mr Elstone admitted the club was “walking a financial tightrope”. With a new stadium off the agenda until the club can find a “viable funding model”, it is looking to grow existing revenue streams, especially merchandise and corporate sales. It is also continuing its search for a major investor – and one who can “accept that a big part of the return will be the profile and excitement of owning a football club”, according to Mr Elstone.
David Hunt, director of Eco Environments, with one his his recent solar installations
Mersey pubs may be sold by Punch MOST of the Merseyside estate belonging to pubs operator Punch could be put up for sale under plans to split the group and offload 2,200 sites. PAGE 2
Eco firm slams solar cut proposal
A LEADING Merseyside renewable energy company has branded the colatition Government’s clampdown on solar power projects “a joke” which threatens to damage job creation and economic growth. The Government has announced that incentives for solar power projects are to be slashed with subsidies for mid-sized facilities being cut by half. David Hunt, a director with Liverpool-based renewable energy installer, Eco Environments, said: “The Government’s claim to be the greenest ever is in tatters. “While we accept that solar farm scale projects of 1MW plus do warrant review, reducing the tariff significantly for installations of just over 50kWp is farcical.”
Shore results INVESTMENT bank Shore Capital announced a “strong performance” in 2010 despite the volatility that affected the markets. PAGE 4
Budget day BUSINESS leaders in Merseyside and across the UK will today look towards Chancellor George Osborne to stimulate growth as he unveils his Budget. PAGE 10
BUSINESS EDITOR: BILL GLEESON 0151 472 2319
DEPUTY BUSINESS EDITOR: TONY McDONOUGH 0151 330 4918
BUSINESS REPORTER: NEIL HODGSON 0151 472 2451
BUSINESS REPORTER: ALISTAIR HOUGHTON 0151 472 2449
BUSINESS REPORTER: ALEX TURNER 0151 472 2321
BUSINESS REPORTER: PETER ELSON 0151 472 2502
2
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk
news
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
LDP CREATIVE
LATEST NEWS
The latest from the creative and digital industries
Updates throughout the day
‘Complex and vast global economy is beyond the control of any government’
www.ldpcreative.co.uk
ldpbusiness.co.uk
blogs.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/ businessbeat/
TONY McDONOUGH’S BUSINESS BEAT
TOP FIVE 1 Sony delays game launch 2 Way clear for Stanlow deal 3 Cable’s war on red tape 4 Embassy to be extended 5 Sorsky in administration
Log on to www.ldpbusiness.co.uk
Innov8 reports surge in turnover MERSEYSIDE construction safety firm Innov8 Safety Solutions is reporting a turnover growth of 40% for 2010. The firm, which launched in 2007 and also has an office in Manchester, took on two new members of staff – increasing the roster to six full time employees – and has announced plans to double turnover in 2011 from £325,000 to £650,000. Innov8 offers bespoke construction design management (CDM), site safety and management, and specialist training. CDM is a legal requirement for any construction project that goes beyond 30 days. Over the past year client wins have included Peel Ports, Manchester Grammar School, Neptune Developments, Waitrose and Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust. Innov8 managing director Alan Robson said: “We are delighted to see such strong sales. As firms become more aware of the health and safety laws there is a growing need for our services.”
LDP
MOBILE
For News, Sport and Business on your phone
Text LDP to 67800
Punch puts For Sale signs on swathe of leased sites by Neil Hodgson
LDP BUSINESS STAFF
neil.hodgson@liverpool.com
MOST of the Merseyside estate belonging to pubs operator Punch could be put up for sale under plans to split the group and offload 2,200 sites. Chief executive Ian Dyson revealed the results of his review of the debt-laden group which amounts to a major restructuring of the UK’s biggest pubs company. He intends to split Punch in two, with the managed business behind brands such as Fayre & Square and Flaming Grill and known as Spirit run as a separate company. The remaining tenanted division has just under 6,000 pubs. Punch will switch 550 of these to the managed business as it looks to create a core estate of 3,000 “high-quality” pubs over the next three to five years. There are just eight managed houses included in about 200 Punch pubs across the Merseyside region. The demerger could be completed by the end of the summer and it is expected to offload pubs at the rate of 500 a year, over the next five years. However, a group spokeswoman said that while it is too early to talk about numbers and locations for sale, “at least three quarters of pubs sold will remain as pubs”. Punch has made a series of high profile investments in its Merseyside estate, including major refurbishments of city centre sites such as The Railway on Tithebarn Street, the Cross Keys in Earle Street and more recently, a £170,000 revamp of The Excelsior on Dale Street. Mr Dyson has been considering a number of options for the firm since joining Punch from Marks & Spencer in September. He said the demerger of the 800-strong Spirit business from the leasehold pubs would allow the two operations to pursue their different strategies.
The Excelsior, on Dale Street, which recently reopened after a £170,000 refurbishment by Punch The review found that the long-term decline in drinking out in pubs will continue and the group expects this market to decline by 3.1% a year over the next five years. In contrast, long term growth in eating out in pubs will continue, it says, particularly in the managed sector. The group expects 3.5% growth in eat-
ing out in pubs over the next five years. Mr Dyson said: “We believe that there is a significant value creation opportunity at Punch, with immediate upside in managed and longer term upside in leased. He added: “Spirit will be positioned to deliver market leading sales and
profit growth and to expand with the aim of becoming the UK’s leading managed pub operator. “Punch will be positioned to drive long term value by downsizing to a core estate of around 3,000 pubs with the aim of becoming the UK’s highest quality and most trusted leased operator.”
Daresbury firms enjoy growth
NWAA join-up
BUSINESSES operating at Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus saw a 40% growth in sales during 2010 and 49%increase over the past four years. The figures were revealed in a survey of companies at
THE North West Aerospace Alliance has signed up eight new members to its ranks, swelling its number to more than 370. The latest group of new members to join the aerospace cluster organisation include engineering companies from as far afield as Reading, Essex and West Yorkshire, along with two creative agencies.
the site in Cheshire. Three-year business survival rates for Campus companies were 89%, significantly higher than the UK average of approximately 70%. Between them, the 85 companies surveyed secured more
than £10m worth of new investment in 2010, creating 45 new jobs and developing a total of 153 new products and services. Indications show that there will be a further increase in the jobs created during 2011.
3
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
profile
Nursing company to health is a half-marathon, not a sprint Alistair Houghton meets NIGEL RAWLINGS, chief executive of Assura in Warrington FROM his office at the heart of the former Greenalls empire, Nigel Rawlings is brewing up plans for growth. Rawlings took charge of Assura a year ago this month after the Warrington group restructured to focus on its core activities – building and running medical centres and pharmacies. Since then Rawlings, a keen half-marathon runner who has been with the company since it was founded in 2003, has nursed it back to health. It has seen improved financial results, with shareholders set to receive dividends for the first time since 2008. In January Assura announced it was buying AH Medical Properties (AHMP) for £28.3m, adding another 52 medical centres to its portfolio. It now has a portfolio of 165 such centres, valued at £500m, with another seven in development. Assura operates 34 pharmacies, bringing in annual revenues of more than £30m. And it invests in six NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) companies, the public-private bodies charged with developing new healthcare facilities in their areas. It is among the investors in the Liverpool and Sefton Health Partnership. Private involvement in the NHS, the sacred cow of the public sector, is always controversial. But Rawlings is quietly adamant that without the backing of private firms such as Assura, the NHS would have seen much less investment in new facilities in recent years. He said: “It’s important that premises provision, which is very capital-intensive, involves the private sector rather than the public purse because of the high cost involved. “When we develop medical centres, we raise the money from either our shareholders or banks, but we’re investing that money in facilities for the NHS to treat patients in the community. “The money has to be found from somewhere – we can raise it from our banks and shareholders. We have continued to develop medical centres through the credit crunch.” Rawlings trained as an accountant with Price Waterhouse, working in Manchester, London and Singapore. In 1987 he became finance director of listed property and contracting group Rowlinson Securities, before moving to property investor Barlows in 1996. In 2002, Rawlings became chief financial officer of investor Westbury Property Fund. “I didn’t set out to be a property expert,” he said, “but my first role after Price Waterhouse was in property, and that’s just continued.” It was at Westbury that property investor Peter Dickson approached him and Richard Burrell about a portfolio of medical centres that was up for sale. Rawlings said: “The three of us realised that was a good opportunity to launch a specialist fund rather than just include them in a commercial property fund.”
That led to the creation of the Medical Property Fund (MPF) in 2003 – the company that later changed its name to Assura. Rawlings became chief financial officer of MPF, which was based in Chester, and continued in his role at Westbury. “For a while, I was looking after two public companies,” he smiled. Westbury’s investments included Weston Point docks in Runcorn. The group also began working with Widnes-based freight handling firm O’Connors to develop a rail freight handling terminal at the Mersey Multimodal Gateway site in Widnes. But the Westbury name disappeared in 2007 with one of the most high-profile deals in the North West’s recent business history. Westbury bought road haulier Eddie Stobart for £138m, and bought O’Connors for £23m, to create the Stobart Group. Stobart was to drive ahead with logistics and property developments, leaving Assura to focus on the medical sector. Assura’s core business remains building medical centres, which house GPs and other outpatient healthcare services. In 2005, Assura expanded into the pharmacy business. Its pharmacies include one in Ropewalks, Liverpool, and another in West Everton. As well as its investment in LSHP in Merseyside, Assura invests in LIFTs in London, the West Midlands, Hampshire and Essex. Each “LIFTCo” is 40% owned by the NHS and 60% owned by private investors. The other investors in Liverpool are building services group Bilfinger Berger and developers Galliford Try and Sapphire Primary Care. LSHP owns 10 buildings, nine of which it developed. Its first project was the Ainsdale Centre for Health, while its other projects include Litherland Town Hall Health Centre and the Southport Centre for Health and Wellbeing. Four more medical centres are under construction, including an £8m centre at Childwall Fiveways. The next development for Assura was Assura Medical, which provided healthcare services in partnership with GPs. But that business proved a drain on Assura’s resources. Last year Sir Richard Branson’s
q&a Age: 54 Highest educational qualification: Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Proudest achievement: Last year I completed 13 half-marathons in 12 months. Up to the previous year, I’d never done any running Best advice: Do the basic things right Still to achieve: I’d like to see Assura continue to grow and continue to support its shareholders with steady profit and dividend growth, and to continue to develop modern purpose-built medical centres around the country
Nigel Rawlings ran 13 half-marathons last year
Virgin group bought 75.1% of the business, leaving Assura with 24.9%. “We were diverting resources into what was a complicated business,” said Rawlings. “It was fast-growing. There were 30 joint ventures with GPs around the country, serving a population of 3m people registered with those GPs. “But it needed the backing of a bigger partner who could take a long-term view. “We have been able to reduce our overhead costs considerably as a result of that. Unfortunately, there were some redundancies. “Assura Medical is continuing to grow. But it is continuing to be loss-making and will take time before it is profitable.” With the sale of Assura Medical, Rawlings took over from Burrell as group chief executive. The smaller group then moved from Daresbury to its current home in Warrington. At its heart is an open-plan office carved out of the former Greenalls brewery, whose bare brick walls and exposed steelwork give it the feel of a trendy New York loft conversion. But rather than hiding themselves in trendy brick-lined offices, Rawlings and his directors sit at the banks of desks alongside their staff.
Today Assura employs 360 people, with 300 at its pharmacy chain, 25 in a Birmingham office and the remainder in Warrington. Rawlings is bullish about Assura’s prospects. The company, he says, remains an attractive investment. He said: “GPs have their rent reimbursed in the NHS budget – 87% of our rents come from the NHS. The rental covenant is strong. “The average lease length on our portfolio is 17 years. That’s quite unusual – a normal commercial property portfolio will have an average lease length of half that. “That all means we are attractive to lenders even in a credit crunch.” Rawlings also credits Assura’s “very supportive shareholders” – citing their support for the AHMP deal. “Our fundraising was oversubscribed,” he said. “There were some new shareholders, as well as existing ones, who came in for the fundraising.” With the NHS sheltered from the worst of the public sector cuts, Rawlings hopes that there will still be a demand for new medical centres such as those provided by Assura or by LIFTs. He also hopes Assura will benefit if the Government succeeds in its bid
to devolve more power to GP. But Rawlings said any delay over reforming the NHS could see private investors shy away. “We’ve got a good pipeline of medical properties coming through,” he said. “It’s helpful because there will be a hiatus while PCTs are abolished. “One thing we are concerned about is how long the uncertainty prevails for. The sooner the NHS settles down and the Health Bill is fully enacted and actioned, the better. “The private sector cannot invest in a background of uncertainty.” Once out of his open plan office, Rawlings loves nothing better than getting in training for his exhausting hobby – running half marathons. He completed 13 races in 2010 – an amazing achievement for someone who had never run a road race until 2009. Asked why he decided to start such an ambitious racing regime, he simply smiled: “I just met some runners. “I found it’s like being a kid again. You go off running, and then have a few drinks afterwards in the bar. It’s just good, clean, healthy business – apart from the rehydration after. “I’m not fanatical – I don’t do them fast.”
4
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Shore Capital rides the market waves profitably by Alex Turner
LDP BUSINESS STAFF
alex.turner@liverpool.com
INVESTMENT bank Shore Capital announced a “strong performance” in 2010 despite the volatility that affected the markets. Pre-tax profits were down 30%, to £8.7m, although the fall was largely due to a revaluation of its interest in Puma Hotels and a restatement of its 2009 balance sheet holdings. Operationally, profits were down 4% to £10.6m on revenues which fell 5% to £37.3m. “The operating businesses performed very well,” said Howard Shore, founder and executive chairman of Shore Capital. “Following a year of recovery by securities markets in 2009 from which we benefited strongly, 2010 saw a return to volatile markets. Investor sentiment became more negative during much of the year, including the hiatus period of the election in the UK and sovereign debt crisis in Europe.”
He also highlighted the unsettling effects of the geopolitical situation on markets. “One finds that difficult to predict on an ongoing basis,” he added. “We think we have got a good track record of dealing with volatility. “It doesn’t phase us – we have to expect the unexpected.” Shore Capital has five offices in the UK and Germany, including Liverpool, where it employs about 25 people. The group also announced that Graham Shore will step down from the group board and his position as managing director at the end of this month, although he will continue to have a range of responsibilities. Howard Shore acknowleged his “enormous effort and focus in helping to build up the group” since he joined in 1990, although ruled out appointing a replacement. He said: “I have got a good group of people around me, I don’t think with our corporate structure that we need to appoint someone to replace Graham.”
Independent Financial Advisers in your area Anglesey Security Financial Services
Ty Llwyd, Llanfaelog,Ty Croes, Anglesey LL63 5TY Contact: Richard Jones Email richard@security-financial.co.uk Phone: 01407 811268 Mobile: 07710 468970
Denbighshire Vale Financial Services
info@valefinancialservices.com Studio One,Town Hall, Crown Lane, Denbigh LL16 3TB Tel: 01745 814962 Fax: 01745 814446 Contact: Glyn B. Jones info@valefinancialservices.com
Liverpool Rensburg Sheppards Investment Management
The Plaza, 100 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9AB. Tel: 0151 227 2030. Fax: 0151 227 2444 Email: chris.aitken@rensburgsheppards.co.uk Website: www.rensburgsheppards.co.uk Contact: Chris Aitken
Why choose an independent financial adviser
Because it pays to take an unbiased view
Those listed above are either an appointed representative of a network or national which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority or are directly authorised and regulated
Advertising Feature
Howard Shore says market volatility returned in 2010
news
NSG sees future in offshore contracts DEESIDE scaffolder and industrial services firm NSG is seeking more offshore work after a successful six months on unmanned platforms for energy provider Centrica. The firm has been working on offshore platforms in Morecambe Bay providing maintenance like painting, blasting, access and thermal insulation. NSG UK managing director Mike Carr said: “Offshore is a fantastic opportunity for us. It really is a niche area – we have worked hard to get it right and now we are seeing the benefits of investing our time and efforts into the offshore sector. “We are engaging with other firms and are looking forward to seeing where this leads.”
Independent financial advice
Take note of changes when making plans PAUL Brokenshar of Rensburg Sheppards says the Government has confirmed that it is making some important revisions to pension legislation over the forthcoming year. Comments Paul: “They have made some changes which could have an immediate impact on your retirement planning.” In a summary of the proposals, he says there will be no requirement to take benefits from a pension fund at any age. The age 75 ceiling will be removed for taking tax-free cash; nevertheless, in view of the punitive tax charges which would be applied to pension funds in the event of death after age 75, it would not make any sense to defer taking your tax- free cash sum beyond this age. He reports that Unsecured Pension, ie one method of drawing an income from your pension fund (also known as income drawdown), will be
Paul Brokenshar split into Capped drawdown, which will be broadly similar to current drawdown rules, albeit with amendments to the amount of income which can be taken, and Flexible drawdown, where individuals will be able to draw unlimited amounts from their pension fund
subject to them satisfying a Minimum Income Requirement of £20,000 gross pa. Paul says a uniform tax charge of 55% will apply to lump sum death benefits paid from pensions in drawdown, and also to benefits that have not been put into drawdown where
an individual is over age 75. He reports: “This will replace the 35% tax charge currently applied to drawdown lump sum benefits payable in the event of death pre-age 75 and the potential 82% tax charge which is currently applied to drawdown funds on death post 75. “This payment will also be free from Inheritance Tax where ‘trustee discretion’ applies, even for deaths after age 75.” The Government has also published its outline of the new regime for tax relief on pension contributions. Summarising, Paul says the Annual Allowance (AA) is to be reduced from £255,000 to £50,000 from April 2011, which is a significant reduction in the amounts someone can contribute to their pension. Nevertheless, under the new regime, any unused annual allowance from the previous three tax years
could be carried forward to enable a contribution of up to £200,000 to be made in the 2011/2012 tax year, subject to earnings. He says tax relief on contributions will still be at the individual’s highest marginal rate, and tax relief at a rate of up to 60% is available in some cases. This is, however, under review. Paul adds: “The Lifetime Allowance, ie the amount one can accumulate within their pension fund, is also being reduced from £1.8m to £1.5m with effect from April 2012. “Other changes are also being implemented, and consequently it is vital that people review their pension and drawdown arrangements.” Paul Brokenshar is a Chartered Financial Planner and an Associate of the Personal Finance Society. ■ Rensburg Sheppards is authorised by the Financial Services Authority.
5
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk
news
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
JLR chief emphasises city region’s expert strengths A CAMPAIGN to promote awareness of Liverpool’s knowledge economy was unveiled at the city’s Anglican Cathedral last night. Inward investment body The Mersey Partnership (TMP) hosted the event and a Range Rover Evoque took centre stage to highlight the region’s engineering expertise. Currently being built at Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) Halewood plant towards a July launch the Evoque is one of the car maker’s most advanced models and JLR chief executive Dr Ralf Speth was guest of honour at the dinner. He told guests: “Since I came to JLR little more than a year ago I quickly realised that while our headquarters are in the Midlands, the people of Liverpool, and of course Halewood in particular, are hugely important to our business.” TMP chief executive Lorraine Rogers added: “The launch of the Evoque will be an opportunity to remind a global audience of our strengths. Great cars, made in Liverpool City Region, on sale all over the world.”
Potential of cities’ evening economy THE value of the night time economy to major UK cities is to be investigated, including a meeting in Liverpool of the Association of Town Centre Management (ATCM). The ATCM says the contribution the evening and night time businesses make to economic health is being, perhaps for the first time, fully realised. ATCM chief executive Martin Blackwell said: “Town and city centres are active, vibrant places 24/7 and that needs managing, and those that manage it effectively can reap major rewards for their local economy.” It has formed a new ‘after dark’ membership which will meet in Soho on April 13, with further meetings planned for Liverpool and Glasgow.
Lorraine Rogers and Dr Ralf Speth with the new Evoque at the Anglican Cathedral last night
Flotation plan for Pnu Power by Alistair Houghton LDP BUSINESS STAFF
alistair.houghton@liverpool.com
GREEN technology company Energetix could spin out another of its businesses into a standalone listed company. The Capenhurst company, itself listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), has already spun out VPhase to take its energy-saving devices to market. Now Energetix is considering splitting its Pnu Power arm into another AIM-listed business. Energetix designs energy-saving technologies and takes them to stage where they are ready for mass production. VPhase has created a device designed to help householders save money by regulating the voltage of the electricity supply that goes into their homes. It was spun out in 2007 and is now working closely with social housing companies and utilities companies as it bids to take the product to the mass market. Pnu Power has developed technology that uses compressed air-powered turbines to protect electrical installations from power cuts. It has trial units working in National Grid substations around the country, including one in Capenhurst, and Energetix operations director Neil Bright is confident that will lead to more deals. He told LDP Business that splitting off Pnu Power into a separate listed company was “a distinct possibility”, adding: “We might follow the Energetic model à la VPhase, where we get a whole new team in.” Energetix chief executive Adrian Hutchings
said: “At Energetix, we start at concept and take it to the trial stage. “If you look at VPhase with chairman Vanda Murray and the team, with the sales and TV advertising campaigns they now have, that’s a different skillset. “We can put those sort of people in at Pnu Power and create the value for the platform we’ve put together. “ It’s worked with VPhase – it’s yielded a great asset. Pnu Power has got to a similar stage. It’s going to be completing its trial phase this year. “We’re currently recruiting for senior leadership sales and marketing people for Pnu Power. I would like to see that transition into value sales over the next 12 to 18 months.” In its annual results for 2010, issued yesterday, Energetix saw losses from continuing operations before tax widen from £3m to £3.5m thanks to a fall in sales and a write-off in the value of its assets. The company remains loss-making as its products are in the development stage. Chairman Alan Aubrey hailed the success of Pnu Power and the group’s other technology, Genlec. Energetix produces boilers, using Genlec technology, that generate power for the home while they work. VPhase issued its annual results yesterday, showing sales rose to £217,000 from £53,000 in 2009. Losses before tax widened from £981,000 to £1.7m, in line with expectations, thanks to increased sales and marketing spend. Ms Murray, who joined VPhase in July, said: “We are still burning cash. But as a business we now have product sales coming through to offset that. If all goes well we will continue to grow.”
congratulations! The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment congratulates the first 121 members from Liverpool who have successfully qualified to become personally Chartered. Chartered membership signifies reaching the pinnacle of professionalism and demonstrates an individual’s commitment to the highest standards of integrity and excellence.
Chartered Fellows
Roy Adams Royal Liver Assurance Ian Bakewell Rensburg Sheppards Kevin Baxter Close David Brister UBS Simon Callow Midas Capital Partners Darren Carr Rathbones Christopher Clay Rensburg Sheppards Mark Couch Border Asset Management Carl Cross Rensburg Sheppards Lindsey Cross Rensburg Sheppards Andrew Diakou Quilter Rathbones Alan Dixon Lorraine Dodd Rathbones Rensburg Sheppards Paul Doughty Darin Durkin Rathbones Mark Esner Barclays Wealth Peter Fenney Rathbones Anthony Fontes Rensburg Sheppards Derek Gawne Charles Stanley Helen Gerrard Rathbones Susan Griffiths Rathbones Philip Hebson Derek Huish Nicholas Jackson Rathbones Joanna Jones Blankstone Sington Bernard Kenny Rathbones James Lang Mercater Bryan Lee Rensburg Sheppards WHI Michael Lee Deutsche Bank Alison Leighton David Lowe Quilter Nigel Marsh Rensburg Sheppards Jonathan McCall Quilter Rathbones Andrew Morris Stephen Nickson Rathbones William Price Deutsche Bank Kathleen Randles Redmayne Bentley Philip Rennie Rathbones Ioan Roberts Surrenda-link Jonathan Seal Rensburg Sheppards Gerard Seddon Deutsche Bank
professionalism
Mark Seddon Redmayne Bentley Nicholas Shaw Rathbones Robin Smith Close Roger St George Hedley Rathbones Ivan Teare Rathbones Mark Thomas Barclays Wealth Timos Timotheou Quilter Bethan Toale Rathbones Peter Tod Quilter Stephen Trowbridge Rensburg Sheppards Cheryl Vickers Downing Simon Walker Deutsche Bank Eric Warren Rathbones Matthew Webber The Co-operative Asset Management Antony Webster Rathbones Seamus Wild Charles Stanley Bruce Williams Rensburg Sheppards Neil Wong Cazenove
Chartered Members
Dawn Armour Rathbones Roger Bennett Rathbones Rathbones Tracey Blackhall Paul Byrne Rathbones Kelvin Clough Rathbones Peter Cowden Close Angela Cruise Rensburg Sheppards Gareth Davies Rensburg Sheppards Patrick Doran Rathbones Blankstone Sington Glyn Edwards Andrew Fox Close Richard France Rensburg Sheppards Deborah Gascoigne Rensburg Sheppards Deutsche Bank Andrew Gidman Charles Gray Brewin Dolphin Andrew Grimes Rensburg Sheppards Sarah Heyes Blankstone Sington Michael Hill Rathbones Paul Hill Rensburg Sheppards
integrity
excellence
Pershing Christopher Hornsby Karen Hughes Close Rathbones Thomas Hunt Suzanne Jacobs Rathbones Janet Johnson Rathbones Aled Jones Rensburg Sheppards David Keig Rathbones Natan Levy James Brearley & Sons David Littler Rensburg Sheppards Rensburg Sheppards Danielle Lloyd Paul Loughlin Rathbones Adrian Maxwell Rathbones James Mcdermott Rathbones Joseph Mcloughlin Rathbones Sarah Milton Rathbones Catherine Morris Deutsche Bank Ann Mosey Rensburg Sheppards Marion Mulcahy Rensburg Sheppards David Munro Close John Murphy Rathbones Mark Nicklin Cazenove Christopher Payne Redmayne Bentley Jennifer Peacock Rensburg Sheppards Andrew Quirk Rensburg Sheppards Matthew Rainbird Hargreave Hale Rathbones Lesley-Anne Richards Rensburg Sheppards Stephen Rigby Debra Rimmer Rensburg Sheppards Colin Roberts William Roberts Charles Stanley John Sawbridge Rensburg Sheppards Alexander Shield Deutsche Bank Pershing Mark Sims Elaine Smith Midas Capital Partners Helen Standish Rathbones Robert Thompson Nicola Vaughan Rathbones Jon Walker Rensburg Sheppards Vincent Walker Rathbones Mark Waring Rathbones Tom Whitehurst Deutsche Bank John Wibberley Rathbones John Willis Quilter
cisi.org
6
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk How to enter the 2011 Awards THE awards are open to any business operating in the Daily Post circulation area of Merseyside, West Lancashire and North West Cheshire. This year the awards ceremony is being held on
Thursday, June 23, at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, and entries are now open for businesses. The closing date for entries is Wednesday, April 13. To enter one or more of our award
categories, please get in touch with the Daily Post’s events department for an application form by telephoning 0151 472 2570 or download an application form online at www.regionalbusiness awards.co.uk
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
news
Awarding the bright and best
ADVERTORIAL
Networking for business knowledge
Tech-X’s Jonathan Smith with the 2010 Knowledge Award
by Alex Turner
LDP BUSINESS STAFF
alex.turner@liverpool.com
By Leigh Taylor
AREA DIRECTOR fOR LLOyDS TSB COmmERCIAL IN ThE NORTh WEST Finding time to network can often be a real challenge when you’re running a small business. However, for the smaller business which can’t afford to employ in-house experts or consultants to address key challenges such as environmental issues, making time for networking can offer insight and knowledge that could create new business opportunities for next to nothing. Taking advantage of networking events in your region can be doubly effective – giving you access to local experts as well as the opportunity to chat with other business owners about the issues you face and ways to tackle them. As part of our ongoing support for firms, we are holding 96 business seminars across the UK before August, with a number in the north West. These seminars aim to provide support and guidance on a range of subjects that we know are at the heart of business owners’ agendas and where we feel we can help drive their success. They’ll cover subjects such as employment and business finance, as well as providing local economic updates and helping you explore alternative finance solutions. A key focus will also be on demonstrating how businesses can unlock the commercial benefits of becoming more sustainable. Focusing on your sustainability policy can be a real competitive advantage as many tenders and contract renewal processes now expect companies to be able to demonstrate their environmental credentials. So, as part of the bank’s wider commitment to help businesses get to grips with sustainability, we launched a business and environment manager programme – a training scheme developed with Cambridge University – which has given over 300 of our employees an in-depth understanding of the relevance and importance of sustainability for SMEs. Several of these managers will be available at events in the north West. Our new website also includes a free tool
Encouraging businesses to embrace sustainability: Lloyds TSB Commerical’s Leigh Taylor designed to help you reflect on your business practices and create your own business sustainability policy. But it isn’t just about how other people see your business – there are other tangible benefits to being more sustainable. On average, 30 per cent of energy that businesses buy is wasted. Cutting down on waste could save UK businesses an estimated £3billion*. Modern businesses cannot afford to ignore these opportunities, with studies showing firms which have adopted sustainable practices driving up business value by up to 80 per cent**. networking with local business professionals and experts can help you gain more of this kind of insight and keep up to date with topical issues that could affect your business.
To register to attend a seminar, find your nearest business and environment manager or to generate your own sustainability policy visit: www.supportingbusinesses.co.uk/ lloyds/seminars * Source: www.carbontrust.co.uk ** Source: Carbon Trust & McKinsey Report: “Climate Change: a business revolution?” 2008 Lloyds TSB Commercial is a trading name of Lloyds TSB Bank plc and Lloyds TSB Scotland plc and serves customers with an annual turnover of up to £15M. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
CUTTING-EDGE thinking and that almost undefinable extra something are common ingredients in successful, dynamic businesses. The Liverpool Daily Post’s Regional Business Awards have two categories that seek to recognise exactly that. The Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) Knowledge Business of the Year category is open to any business engaged in the commercialisation of research and development of intellectual property, including pure sciences, technology, software or professional know-how, irrespective of size or stage of development. The judges will be looking for evidence of, or at least the clear potential for, profitable trading in the knowledge sector, as well as a beneficial economic impact to the region. An LJMU spokesperson said: “We are at the heart of the knowledge economy and understand what it takes for businesses to be successful in this sector. “As well as providing entrepreneurship training for more than 2,000 students, each year LJMU identifies 35 students as Enterprise Fellows – students with winning business ideas which the
University then supports to success and then launches into the marketplace. “We are actively involved with establishing new companies and has an interest in 53 businesses with a combined turnover of £9.5m and employing approximately 170 staff. “Through establishing Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, providing training and Continuing Professional Development and contributing positively to tomorrow’s workforce, the University demonstrates its commitment to supporting business, locally, nationally and internationally.” The O2 Judges’ Choice – the only award which has no entry criteria – will be given to a company, or person, who has demonstrated commitment, determination and dedication to their business and entry into the awards. An O2 spokesperson said: “O2 is a big-brand business with a strong, local heart. “We are regular supporters of the Regional Business Awards and through this sponsorship we aim to create deeper and more emotional connections with our customers and neighbours. “Winning is a thrill but being nominated makes you feel pretty special, too. Be inspired to enter and we look forward to celebrating the best of business across Merseyside and Cheshire.”
Shop Direct honoured SPEKE-based catalogues and online retailer Shop Direct was named Non-Store Retailer of the Year at the recent Oracle Retail Week Awards 2011, dubbed the ‘high street Oscars’. Customers are able to shop across all 11 brands and, in response to changing consumer habits, Shop Direct Group has developed a successful and growing home-working programme – the first in the UK – employing at peak 600 people to answer cus-
tomer queries and take orders. With more than five million active customer accounts and an average of 204 million unique visitors a year, Shop Direct Group has enjoyed increased sales growth during 2010 with around 70% of all transactions taking place online. Liverpool-born former Tesco chief executive, Sir Terry Leahy, was also awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Retail honour at the industry awards in London.
7
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk
news
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
How to make a difference to a budding entrepreneur overseas
Matt Johnson HOW DO you begin to quantify the impact of the Internet? It has transformed the way we live and work, of that there is no doubt.
It has created countless new opportunities for millions of people from entrepreneurs to civil rights campaigners. It has allowed some people to make money, others to lose it. As we have seen recently, it has also facilitated popular protest movements that overthrow unpopular dictatorships. Further down the list of things made possible by the Internet, come the very specific, almost personal, opportunities presented by technology that literally connects the world. Great efforts are being made, and rightly so, to connect some of the poorest regions of the poorest countries to the web. Connectivity can
improve education; health and welfare. Just as it allows bankers and traders to make their millions, so to it can allow those in countries where the national output may not be much more than a Canary Wharf or Wall Street banker’s bonus, to make their mark and a livelihood. The ease with which individuals can use the Internet to help each other really is transforming lives. And these are changes that go beyond basic communication. For instance, go to kiva.org or
globalgiving.com and spend a few minutes to take in what you find. In particular, check out some of the individual cases featured on these sites. They are powerful and underline the mark the Internet has made on the way charities and other organisations seeking to help the less fortunate. They make giving and helping easy and accessible to those who may be fearful that anything they give may go to prop up a corrupt state or to aid bureaucracy. At kiva.org you can select an indi-
‘Internet shows it is able to transform our lives’
vidual to receive a personal loan to help their business. In a typical week, visitors to kiva make loans every 13 seconds. Repayment rates average in excess of 98% and around 3,700 entrepreneurs are assisted. That’s impressive output by any standard. And because those choosing to make their loans are in complete control of the process and choosing their recipient, its appeal is growing all the time and has become a textbook example of how the Internet is transforming lives. ■ Matt Johnson is chief executive of Mando Group
Helicopter charter firm opens its doors to the public A HELICOPTER charter and training firm is to throw open its doors to the public to raise awareness of its services. Helicentre Liverpool, based at Liverpool John Lennon Aiport, is holding a couple of open days on Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2. The firm was established more than 15 years ago and has two main activities – charter flights and pilot training. It currently has six aircraft available and is planning to grow its fleet. As well as the site at JLA it also operates from Manchester Barton Airport and Caernarfon Airport. In 2009, the company was taken over by a group of private individuals. Operations manager John King said: “There has been a downturn in business during the recession – there is little doubt about that. “However, we are starting to see things picking up again and we are starting to get a lot more enquiries, particularly about training. “A helicopter is the fastest way of travelling door-to-door.”
One of the aircraft used by Helicentre Liverpool out of John Lennon Airport
Colloids buys Kirkby HQ with £1m Barclays funds by Neil Hodgson
LDP BUSINESS STAFF
neil.hodgson@liverpool.com
A CHEMICAL and pigment manufacturer has been able to buy its Knowsley base after a £1m funding boost from Barclays Corporate. Speciality compounds maker Colloids will use the £1m commercial mortgage to buy its Kirkby Bank Road premises in Knowsley Industrial Park. Colloids finance director Jim Ashelby said: “Our business has delivered significant growth in revenue and profit over recent years on
the back of strong organic growth and selective acquisitions.” He praised the bank’s support in the current economic conditions, adding: “We have been very impressed with the holistic approach from Barclays, their appetite to do business in the current financial climate, and by the professional manner in which the Barclays Corporate team delivered the deal.” The funding facility was arranged by Barclays Corporate relationship director Steve Berry who said: “I am delighted to have been able to provide a solution to a new client that enables
them to, both have a long-term asset on their balance sheet and reduce their cash outflows. “Moreover, by working closely with Barclays Capital, we have been able to protect the client against adverse interest rate movements for the next five years.” Colloids is part of the Tosaf group of companies and has grown both organically and through acquisitions to become one of the plastic industry’s leading multinational suppliers of masterbatch/concentrates. Masterbatches are concentrates of coloured plastics used to colour pro-
duction of batches of plastics. The company offers its products to a variety of automotive and engineering sectors and retailers and wholesalers. With a global reach, more than 75% of Colloids’ production is exported. In its last annual report for the year to December 2009, the company revealed that diversification away from its core automotive and construction markets, so badly affected by the credit crunch, helped it stay in the black. Turnover for the firm fell 11% to £16.2m, but pre tax profits rose 28% to £257,000.
private business 2020 JV pays out dividend JOINT venture 2020 Liverpool has returned £100,000 each to its two owners after a year which saw it improve its operational efficiency. The joint venture, between outsourcing giant Mouchel Group and Liverpool City Council, operates key services for the council, including planning and project management. 2020 Liverpool also works with other Mouchel joint ventures, including its subsidiary 2020 Knowsley, and it has also carried out consultancy work in the Middle East. Turnover was down 5%, to £18.7m, in the year to March, 2010, but Liverpool City Council’s contribution was reduced by £1.5m to £15.5m. Mouchel’s contribution increased by £190,000, to £1.3m, and 2020 Knowsley increased by £250,000 to £650,000. 2020 Liverpool trimmed its average staff level, by 11 to 286, but reduced its staff costs by £710,000 to £10.0m. Its operating profit improved by more than £100,000, but it suffered a fall of a similar magnitude in the bank interest received, which was down to £23,000. That resulted in a 10% rise in pre-tax profits, to £96,000. The joint venture’s model is set up to create a “nominal level of profitability” as the council requires the services to be delivered “at the lowest unit cost”.
8
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk Bill Gleeson Chancellor’s big chance to boost British enterprise HAVE YOU noticed how in the run up to today’s Budget over the past couple of weeks the subject has struggled to occupy its usual prominent place in the running order of newspaper and television news lists? Of course there are one or two obvious reasons for this: Japan’s multitude of disasters and military action in Libya are bigger stories. But there is another reason: the Budget is unlikely to be all that interesting. Indeed its been a few years now since we could look forward to one. It goes without saying that today’s speech is no different. The nation’s finances are so tight that we will not be seeing any grand gestures to cut tax rates for individuals or companies for some years to come. We know already that there will be some tinkering round the edges with personal allowances and thresholds, but ultimately the Chancellor’s room for manoeuvre is highly restricted. We will get the usual predictions about economic growth, which in the past have tended to be over optimistic. This time round, the predictions will be supplied by the politically independent Office for Budget Responsibility, so they should be more credible. But given all other economic forecasters have been revising down their growth expectations, I wouldn’t anticipate any pleasant surprises there. If we are not to get any substantive measures, how is the Chancellor going to make the most of his political opportunity? Much hype and spin will centre on the idea of growth. George Osborne has, after all, described it as the Budget for Growth. One would hope, with little else open to him. Mr Osborne will take the chance to announce measures to stimulate enterprise in Britain. There are plenty of relatively cost-free measures
available to him, such as cutting red tape. In common with most other countries, we are going to have to wait a few more years before any real progress can be made with the public purse. Whatever happens tomorrow, we should be grateful that we are not in the same boat as nations like Ireland, Portugal and Greece. Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling may not have been as prudent as they were claiming when they were making Budget speeches, and Britain has certainly been through a high degree of boom and bust, but at least they didn’t mismanage our national affairs as badly as some finance ministers elsewhere did. While it will be interesting to hear the latest progress report about deficit reduction, don’t expect today’s speech to be anything more than a bit of a yawn. EVERTON was due to start construction work on its new office and retail development at the Park End within the next few weeks. It was a badly-needed scheme. The current management offices in the roof space of the Park End stand are not suitable. The idea is management would clear out and the space would be made available for matchday corporate entertainment. Now it appears nothing will happen for a year. Everton haven’t disclosed the cause of the delay, a bit of secrecy that will lead to speculate about the true cause. Has a legal dispute erupted at the last moment or could it be that Everton’s financial position is the cause? Whatever the reason, it doesn’t bode well for any future plans to build a stadium if we can’t get a relatively simple and cheap development off the drawing board. I guess though, most Everton fans have little faith left in the club’s ability to organise its off the pitch affairs.
City’s moment Liverpool has avoided the worst in unmployment rises but can it last, asks Alex Turner
LIVERPOOL is the major city that has been least affected by rising unemployment in England throughout the downturn. Analysis by LDP Business shows that of England’s eight largest city economies outside London – which together form the Core Cities Group – Liverpool saw both the smallest percentage increase in the number of people claiming jobseeker’s allowance from January, 2008, to the peak, and still has the lowest total increase from that start point. Unemployment is described by economists as a lagging indicator, which means it takes several months from when the economy first weakens to show in rising jobless numbers. So although the UK entered recession in the second quarter of 2008, it was only from October that unemployment began to rise markedly. As unemployment climbed across the country, Liverpool remained at least partially insulated, with the effects of the investment ahead of the city’s year as European Capital of Culture, its large public sector workforce and the boost provided by the newly-opened Liverpool One all credited with keeping the local economy relatively buoyant. There was also the fear that several of these factors would be short-lived, with sharp increases to come later. But monthly data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that it hasn’t happened. Not yet, at least. Liverpool peaked in January, 2010, with a claimant count 48% higher than January, 2008, and which last month was 40% higher than the base point. Bristol – the worst affected of the core cities – saw its claimant count soar 132% to July, 2009, and despite a temporary improvement, is now back up to almost the same level. The core cities as a whole peaked at 74%, a year ago, and is 64% higher now. Liverpool has also shown more resilience among the places with long-standing high rates of unemployment. At the end of 2008, Liverpool had the second-highest unemployment rate in Great Britain alongside Birmingham, of 7.1%, behind only Hull. As the jobless numbers increased, Liverpool slowly slipped down the table and now has the eighth-highest claimant rate. Neighbouring authority Knowsley has also seen a similar relative improvement, first getting out of the bottom 10 and is now on the verge of climbing out of the bottom 20. Economist Peter Stoney, director of the Liverpool Research Group in Macroeconomics, points to a wide range of factors in Liverpool’s relatively good performance. “Liverpool has fared better so far because of the effects of Liverpool One, and other retail developments, and because the carmakers, Jaguar Land Rover and General Motors have done well,” he said. “There has also been growth in the city’s knowledge and tourism economies.” However, the latest ONS data high-
Sophy Krajewska lights the fragility of the jobs market across Liverpool city region, with the claimant count rising and the number of vacancies falling. At the same time the spectre of unemployment hangs over Liverpool because of its heavy reliance on public sector workers. The much-discussed public spending cuts have only recently begun to translate into significant job losses and it will only be in the coming months that it will become clear whether, or to what extent, the private sector can absorb the departing public sector workers. So far, nationally, the private sector has been able to absorb the fall in the public sector workforce. During 2010, private sector employment increased by 428,000, to 23.0m people, while the public sector reduced by 132,000, to 6.2m. Sophy Krajewska, Liverpool Vision’s director of corporate policy and strategy, said: “All the projections show that Liverpool and the wider city region has considerable potential for growth and not just in the four transformational priority areas – superport, knowledge, visitor and low carbon economies, but also in the city centre and Peel Waters. “But most of these involve quite a long timescale before the jobs will come on stream – perhaps with the exception of the visitor economy and the city centre schemes which are currently underway. “The impact of public sector job losses and indeed of shrinking public sector purchasing and investment power is already starting to be felt and that includes the impact on the private sector, particularly business services.” However the number of people leaving public sector has been gathering pace. Public sector employment, which peaked at 6.33m in the final quarter of 2009 (due in part to the effects of employees of taxpayer-owned banks becoming classed as public sector workers), has fallen in each of the following four quarters – by 24,000, 27,000, 36,000, then 45,000 people. Public sector employment in the North West is also falling slightly faster than the national average – down 2.6% year-on-year compared with 2.1% nationally, which accounts for 4,000 of the 19,000 jobs lost across the region. “The challenge for the city is how to stimulate and support business growth
‘Impact of cuts is already starting to be felt’
now and over the next three to four years,” added Ms Krajewska. “The key is in helping those small and medium sized firms with the ambition and potential to expand.” She believes that Liverpool’s steady improvement over more than a decade means that it is in a position where it can be far more resilient than it was able to in the aftermath of previous recessions. She said: “Liverpool is on a steady trajectory to close the gap with the UK. Since 1999, it has moved up from 85 to 95 on the national productivity index. “It has consistently outpaced other bigger cities in recent years. “Public investment has helped to create the conditions for that growth but in fact much of the dynamism has been the result of substantial private investment. “That investment has equipped the city with some first class infrastructure. It has increased its resilience and strengthened external and investor perceptions. “The conditions are in place for Liverpool to maintain the momentum – albeit in some of the most difficult national economic conditions imaginable.”
9
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 IN ASSOCIATION WITH
the big feature
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
tum is just the job Although unemployment did not reach the expected highs during the recession, public sector job cuts mean it may not have peaked yet
Apprentice told ‘You’re hired’ A TELEPHONE call from Connexions was all it took to set Knowsley youngster Neil Webster on his desired career path in the IT sector. “I had been looking for vacancies in the IT industry but was unable to find anything when one day I had a call from Connexions telling me about the Knowsley Apprentice scheme,” he said. “I started on the helpdesk at QVC and after 18 months was offered a permanent
Former apprentice Neil Webster, right position in their IT department, which was a big step for me. “Hopefully now I can keep learning and progressing and start to work my way up the ladder.” Mr Webster related his experience at the
launch of the Liverpool City Region Apprentice strategy on Monday, which aims to provide 10,000 apprenticeships, following on from the 300 people helped by the Knowsley scheme.
Graduate tailor-made for job FORMER St Ambrose Barlow Catholic College student Leanne Grant thought she had tailored her job prospects perfectly. She graduated from the University of Salford with a first-class degree in Design Futures with fashion and then completed a four-month placement in Hollywood, Los Angeles. But her career plans started to become unstitched when she returned, spending months unable to find work.
Ms Grant joined the graduate routeway programme run by business support agency Blue Orchid last May. The Graduate Talent Programme provides structured support for unemployed graduates to help make them “work ready”. It also finds work placements in firms which are looking to recruit. Ms Grant was put on a placement through the programme, as an intern at the Plaza Collection
Leanne Grant Fashion House in Manchester, who could see she was cut from the right cloth and offered her a full-time job.
Jack Stopforth: City better placed than ever to meet economic challenges TO UNDERSTAND how an economy ticks you can’t just study it. You need to be in it and part of it. When your car is stuck in a traffic jam because of a 10,000-plus crowd at the Echo Arena; or delayed by the construction work that is going on around you; when you sample the new restaurants that are springing up on every cornerand book oversubscribed events into the city’s brand new hotels, then you get a commonsense perspective of what’s happening and not just an academic one. After a while you find you are too busy to look enviously down the M62 or across to Leeds because there is work to get on with.
So – Liverpool was the best-performing core city in terms of smallest increase in claimant count from January, 2008? Could that have something to do with the construction and launch of a new retail development covering 45 acres of the city centre, or the new Arena and Conference Centre with years of advance bookings, or the construction and refurbishment of 3m sq ft of office and commercial space in the city centre, or the additional spending power generated by 30 cruise ships a year calling into the city centre? Or maybe European Capital of Culture 2008 actually benefited the area after all?
My point is this – we should believe the evidence of our own eyes. Liverpool is no longer the basket case beloved of academics and politicians but, rather, a city with renewed confidence and ample evidence of growth. “Real world” economic activity takes time to surface in the official statistics and the danger of relying on lagging indicators to inform your policy making is that you are condemned to always fight the last war. You fail to capitalise on the energy that is actually inside the economy in the
good times and it dissipates. Given the advances we saw in 2007-08 it is absolutely no surprise that Liverpool and Knowsley have improved their position in the league table of authorities with the highest claimant counts. But neither is it therefore a “given” that we are an “unstoppable upward trajectory” as Lord Heseltine recently claimed. “Upward trajectory”, yes: “unstoppable”, no. In fact it is eminently “stoppable” because of the dependence on threatened public sector jobs,
especially in the city centre which is where so much of the impetus has come from. Approximately 40% of jobs in Liverpool city centre are public sector and, by definition, threatened by the spectre of cuts. Depending on where and how those cuts materialise, the impact on consumer spending will be more or less severe and if it goes unchecked, will impact on the renewals of leases – especially as some of the “sweetheart” deals in commercial remises fall due to be renegotiated. So the period between now and the end of 2012 may see some disappointing economic results locally in respect of employment
growth and youth unemployment in particular. Will the private sector absorb the job losses and stimulate growth? That depends on several factors such as the length and severity of the cuts, the seniority of the public sector jobs and their GVA [gross value added] relative to the private sector jobs that will be generated, exchange rates, the availability of credit insurance to sustain the growth in exports and our ability to attract and retain talent through higher education to name but a few. But the progress since 2005-06 means we are better placed than ever before to meet these challenges.
10
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk briefing
Energy group
reports surge in 2010 profits
CAIRN ENERGY reported underlying profits of £672m for 2010, up from £32m in 2009 after notching up record revenues. The Edinburgh-based group also raised hopes that the long-awaited sale of its Indian arm to Vedanta Resources will be cleared.
Promotion at Santander SPANISH-OWNED banking giant Santander has promoted corporate and commercial boss Steve Pateman to the UK board and handed him additional responsibility for all of its UK small business operations. The group added that Alison Brittain, head of retail distribution and intermediaries, is to leave in September.
Dignity win SMART metering firm Bglobal has won work for funeral services group Dignity following a successful pilot. The Blackburn group will supply, install and service its latest generation of smart electricity meters to Dignity sites throughout the UK.
Profits down STRUCTURAL steelwork supplier Severfield-Rowen reported a plunge in underlying pre-tax profits to £15.3m in 2010 from £50.8m in 2009 after being hit by government spending cuts and rising steel prices. But the North Yorkshire-based group, which is supplying steel for London’s Shard of Glass skyscraper, said it had a “very respectable” order book worth £226m.
BUSINESS to BUSINESS
Building Trade FRAMELINE COMPOSITE DOORS
TRADE, UPVC WINDOWS DOORS, CONSERVATORIES. 5 Day Turnaround
Tel: 0151 546 5577 Fax: 0151 546 5588 Accredited with BS7412 & BS7950
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
news
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
Business leaders seeking a ‘Budget for growth’ by Tony McDonough
LDP DEPUTY BUSINESS EDITOR tony.mcdonough@liverpool.com
BUSINESS leaders in Merseyside and across the UK will today look towards Chancellor George Osborne to stimulate growth as he unveils his Budget. The private sector has been broadly supportive of the Government’s austerity drive with many believing the bloated public sector needed to be cut back. However, there has been concern that there has been too much emphasis on cuts and not enough of a credible plan for growth. The Chancellor was dealt an unexpected pre-Budget blow yesterday as Government borrowing last month came in higher than City expectations. Public sector net borrowing for February, excluding financial interventions such as bank bailouts, was £11.8bn, compared to £9.5bn a year earlier, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. This was nearly double the £6.9bn forecast by economists and a record for the month of February. Borrowing for the year to date now stands at £123.5bn after the Government recorded its weakest tax haul since January last year. The worse-than-expected performance will cast doubt on hopes that the Government is on course to beat its £148.5bn target for the financial year. Economists had been earmarking a potential £10bn windfall for the Chancellor ahead of the borrowing figures, although experts warned that next year’s tough borrowing target of £116bn would give the Government little room for manoeuvre in the Budget. Jonathan Loynes, chief European economist at Capital Economics, said the figures, combined with higher-than-expected inflation of 4.4% revealed yesterday, gave a “grim Budget backdrop” though total borrowing for the year should still undershoot the Government target. He said: “February’s public finances and consumer prices numbers present a distinctly unfavourable backdrop to tomorrow’s Budget.” He went on: “Barring a disaster in March, this still points to an undershoot of the full year forecast of £148.5bn, but that undershoot may be closer to £5bn than the £10bn to £15 billion previously hoped. Total tax receipts fell by nearly 1% in February to £43.1bn, the ONS said, the first decrease since January last year. Meanwhile, Government spending increased by nearly 5% to £49.3bn. Within this figure, interest paid on borrowing increased by 11.2% to £4 bn. A survey released by KPMG this week revealed that North West businesses remain positive about about growth but are looking to the Government to create an environment to drive future expansion, according to a survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of KPMG. In the the survey, carried out by YouGov on behalf of KPMG, 72 % of organisations said the opportunity for growth exists for their business despite austerity measures, but businesses indicated a general consensus that the government could be doing
Chancellor George Osborne has little ‘wiggle room’ in today’s Budget, analysts claim
KPMG’s Ian Goalen says the Budget must promote growth more to encourage prosperity. Furthermore, 60% were concerned about the impact of the Budget upon their company and 52% of businesses stated that over-complex rules and regulations were the greatest obstacle to growth. Ian Goalen, senior partner for KPMG in Liverpool, said: “This survey highlights the innovation and resilience of local businesses as they continue to seek out new opportunities. “However, there is a general consensus that the government could be doing more to encourage growth. “As a result, as we move towards Budget Day, all eyes will be on the Chancellor’s plans to put growth at the heart of the government’s agenda.
“Businesses need assurance that relief will be coming their way to minimise red tape and provide the necessary support to help businesses to drive the regional economy to sustainable growth.” John Cridland, director-general of the CBI, also said th Government must do more to help UK firms. He added: “The Chancellor must do all he can to create the right conditions for businesses to flourish and create much-needed employment. “We want an all-action Budget that will boost exports, unleash investment and remove barriers for high-growth firms. “That means improving export finance for fast-growing smaller firms,
tackling delays in the planning system and making the UK a more attractive place to invest by enhancing the competitiveness of the tax system. “The Government should also apply the mantra think small first when shaping employment law, because if it gets it right for the smallest firms, it gets it right for all businesses.” Leading economist Howard Archer, of Global Insight, said the borrowing figures would give the Chancellor little “wiggle room” today but added there was still scope for a business-friendly Budget. “The best hope is that the Government manages to put together a raft of reform measures that may be relatively small individually but in their totality are perceived by businesses as a decent package that show the government is seriously pro-business for the long-term,” he said. “ This could be backed up by promises of further measures as the budgetary situation improves. “This would then be liable to provide an environment in which businesses are more prepared to engage in longer-term investment and employment plans and commit to boost employees' skills.” ■ OPINION: Page 15 (main paper) ■ Eight-page Budget special in tomorrow’s Daily Post ■ LDP Business will today provide full coverage of the Budget including a Live Blog which begins at 12.15pm – log onto www. ldpbusiness.co.uk
11
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Forth Ports’ largest shareholder to take firm private THE UK’s only listed ports company is to be taken into private hands after agreeing to a £760m takeover from its largest shareholder. Tilbury Docks owner Forth Ports has given its backing to a 1630p-a-share offer from Arcus European Infrastructure Fund, which already owns 22.8% of the company as well as continental Europe’s
second biggest dry bulk port operator Euroports. Arcus has pledged to keep Forth’s headquarters in Scotland and said it wants to “support and grow” the group’s core ports business. David Richardson, chairman of Forth Ports, said: “The Arcus offer gives Forth Ports shareholders the opportunity to realise their investment for
cash at a fair price. “It is also pleasing that this successful Scottish company will continue to be run from Scotland.” Details of the takeover come as Forth also posted a 10% rise in annual underlying pre-tax profits to £36.6m. Edinburgh-based Forth Ports has eight port sites including Tilbury in London,
Scotland’s largest container port at Grangemouth, and Leith in Edinburgh. The bid from Arcus – an investment firm formed by the management buyout of part of Babcock & Brown’s European infrastructure business in July 2009 – is its second within a year after a 1400p a share proposal from a consortium headed by the
group – worth £640m – was rejected in April. It latest offer includes a commitment to pay a 20p a share dividend, with the total value representing an 8% premium to the closing price of Forth’s shares before it confirmed the approach, and a 14% premium to the value of shares before takeover rumours sent the stock higher.
Further rise in inflation put pressure on the MPC by Alex Turner
LDP BUSINESS STAFF
alex.turner@liverpool.com
INFLATION rose to its highest level for more than two years yesterday, heaping further pressure on the Bank of England to raise interest rates. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation rose to 4.4% in February from 4% in January, driven by increases in the price of fuel, food and clothing, said the Office for National Statistics. Economists had expected a rise of 4.3%. The CPI figure, the highest rate since October 2008, is now more than double the Bank’s 2% target, and is likely to throw weight behind the argument for hiking interest rates from a historic low of 0.5%. The Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation, which includes mortgage payments, rose to 5.5% from 5.1% in January, its highest level for 20 years, and also ahead of expectations of 5.3%. Stubbornly high inflation in recent months has prompted calls for a hike in the interest rate, which last month was held for the 24th month in a row. But weaker than expected economic growth figures revealing a shock 0.6% decline in GDP in the final quarter of 2010 dampened this prospect. The number of policymakers at the Bank who voted in favour of an interest rate rise increased last month but the majority of the Monetary
Policy Committee (MPC) were minded to wait to see how the economy has fared in the first quarter of this year before taking any action. Petrol and diesel prices hit new records of £1.29 per litre and £1.34 per litre respectively in February, driven by a rise in oil prices made worse by the recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, the ONS said. Transport bills, which were up 0.8% since January, were the biggest single factor pushing up CPI, the ONS added. Utility bills were up 3.1% on the previous year after showing their biggest surge since 2009. The price of clothing and footwear rose 3.6% in February, a record monthly increase, as retailers brought in bigger than normal hikes following the January sales. There was some downward pressure on inflation, as alcohol and tobacco became cheaper. The core rate of CPI, which strips out volatile elements such as oil and food, hit 3.4% – its highest level since records began in 1997. James Knightley, an economist at ING, said: “With higher fuel costs set to continue adding upward pressure, we see inflation pushing on to 5% in the next few months, which will increase the pressure on the Bank of England to be ’seen to be doing something’ on inflation.” Askedwhether the high level of inflation might prompt the Bank of England to increase interest rates, Prime Minister David Cameron’s offi-
Rising petrol prices are helping to push up UK inflation cial spokesman told reporters: “Monetary policy is a matter for the Bank of England. “One of the reasons that we are seeing high inflation at the moment is because of what is happening to global commodity prices. “The Governor said... that he expected to see inflation above target this year, but then fall back next year.” The spokesman said “it goes
without saying” that Mervyn King retains the Prime Minister’s confidence as Governor. For Labour, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Angela Eagle said: “These are a very disappointing and worrying set of figures. People across the country are really facing the squeeze from rising prices, which has been made worse by the Tory VAT rise.”
Rock sale will raise funds for loans
FSA u-turn
NATIONALISED Northern Rock is to bundle up its mortgages for sale in money markets for the first time since its collapse into public hands. The taxpayer-owned bank has said it will
THE City watchdog may ease the tough affordability criteria lenders must use for mortgages. The FSA was intending to force lenders to assess whether borrowers could afford a mortgage based on a 25-year repayment loan, but now may backtrack on that.
package together some of its “high quality” home loans to offload as part of a so-called mortgage securitisation as it seeks to boost funds for lending. The move is a further
sign Northern Rock is getting back to “business as usual” ahead of a potential sale back into the private sector. New lending at the bank has been predominantly funded only by
retail savings after its bail-out at the height of the credit crisis. Securitisation markets have only recently started reopening after shutting down amid the credit squeeze.
news
Ofcom unveils auction for 4G TELECOMS regulator Ofcom has announced plans to auction off licences for fourth-generation (4G) mobile phone services. The 4G spectrum is expected to deliver the speed and convenience of home and office broadband connections to users of smartphones, laptops and tablet computers. The auction of 3G licences in 2000 raised a remarkable £22.5bn for the Government from phone companies, though Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards declined to speculate on whether similar sums could be expected when the new spectrum is sold next year. The auction will be held in the first quarter of 2012 and 4G services should be available from 2013, he said. Mr Richards added: “It is the latest generation of mobile technology. It will offer services which offer more capacity and better coverage of mobile broadband services. “That is what we expect this spectrum to be used for, but we are preparing an auction that will offer it on a neutral basis. “It offers much better data services and therefore all the kind of things you can get on your broadband at home or in your office and that you aspire to do through your smartphone or tablet computer, that is exactly what 4G services will enable. This is fantastically important spectrum for the future of our economy.”
LDP CREATIVE For the latest news from the creative sector
www. ldpcreative. co.uk
12
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk
location
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Best thing Government can do for the property sector is cut red tape
view point
by Chris Johnson, senior partner at property firm Smith & Sons TODAY the Budget is unveiled and while we all scour for change that will affect our industry in a positive
Agents market Link Six THE Industrial Agency teams at GVA and CB Richard Ellis have been jointly appointed to let 145,000 sq ft at Link Six 56 Warrington, part of the Stretton Distribution Centre. The facility is located within a mile of the M6/M56 interchange. Paul Cook, associate director of industrial agency at CBRE North West, said: “We expect Link Six 56 will see a high level of interest from potential occupiers, particularly due to the limited availability of modern high facilities of this size and with its location an additional selling point being immediately adjacent to the M56 and M6 motorways and within five miles of the M62 motorway which are important for distribution, storage and logistics companies.”
BUSINESS to BUSINESS
Industrial Property UNITS TO LET Bootle Area 5,000−15,000 sqft. Flexible terms 0151 486 0004
Commercial Premises FOR SALE
51-53 MERTON ROAD, BOOTLE L20 Period office building with substantial car parking Approx 7000 sq.ft Suitable for other uses (STP) SUTTON KERSH COMMERCIAL TEL. 0151 207 9339 INDUSTRIAL UNITS To Let. South L’pool 500 to 4000 sqft, monthly tenancy, competitive rents. From £50pw Tel: 0151 427 5051
way, there is little evidence to suggest that new or modified policies will have any major impact on the commercial property sector. The Chancellor’s hands are tied, it seems, and change must come from the private sector in order to have any significant impact. Any improvement in economic activity can not be created purely by economic policies. The co-operation of the major banks is critical by providing finance on sensible terms and instilling some much-needed confidence not only in the property market but in the economy as a whole.
The Government can help industry in other ways by limiting the bureaucracy and red tape that is time-consuming, none-productive and prevents us from focusing on the job at hand, namely generating income and reviving the property market. While I recognise the need to comply with health and safety, money laundering regulation etc, a cull on things like form-filling would be welcomed by the property industry as a whole, I believe.
There have been mixed reviews to the proposed plans surrounding the conversion of vacant commercial properties into residential units without the need for formal planning permission. While the British Property Federation claims it makes huge sense and would provide a welcome boost to the residential market, there is a scepticism and lack of belief that people want to live in a converted office building that doesn’t form part of a wider community and
‘Let us try to rebuild fractured property industry’
lacks a garden and one’s own front door. VAT cuts on both home and office refurbishments and amendments to the tax system aim to make residential and commercial property a more attractive proposition for buyers. However, this will make few waves whilst there is a continued shortage of available finance. We accept the Chancellor has limited room for maneuvere. But please, no more regulation, no more property taxation and let’s try to rebuild our fractured property industry.
Report maps out strategy for city’s retail offering by Tony McDonough
LDP DEPUTY BUSINESS EDITOR tony.mcdonough@liverpool.com
A REPORT has been published laying out a strategy for Liverpool city centre’s retail area for the next 10-15 years. The partnership, which includes Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Vision, City Central BID, Grosvenor, Land Securities and Merseytravel, commissioned Drivers Jonas Deloitte to carry out the study. It recommends prioritising development in the north and east of the city centre. It also identifies the need for improvements to public realm and pedestrian access routes and stronger delivery of city centre management, maintenance, branding and promotion. The city’s main retail area (MRA) encompasses Grosvenor’s Liverpool One and the City Central Business Improvement District (BID) incorporating Whitechapel, Metquarter, Cavern Quarter, Williamson Square, St John’s Centre, Clayton Square and Bold Street areas as well as the Renshaw Street and Lime Street corridor. The partnership will have responsibility for delivering the outcomes of the strategy. Various multi-million pound investments from the private and public sectors is expected to deliver many of the strategy’s recommendations in addition to current ongoing work to improve the Renshaw Street and Lime Street area as well as Merepark’s investment in its Central Village scheme. Drivers Jonas Deloitte, which acted as planning consultants on Liverpool One, says that a key focus of the MRA’s future development is its role as a hub to connect other areas of the city centre, particularly with the city’s growing Knowledge Quarter. The report makes a number of other specific recommendations in the report including the need to promote a greater independent retail offering across the MRA, and to reduce traffic on key footfall routes. These include extending the existing traffic regulation order at the bottom of Bold Street to cover the entire street.
Since it opened in 2008, Liverpool One has greatly increased footfall in the city centre The report’s action plans, which are mapped out over the next 15 years, also suggest supporting the new £200m leisure-led anchor scheme in Central Village. It also suggests improving the quality of the Cavern Quarter to support the night-time economy. Drivers Jonas Deloitte, which assembled a team to deliver the project that included designers BDP and retail consultants Lunson Mitchenhall, was
commissioned by the council-led partnership to establish a strategy for the second phase of the city’s regeneration following the launch of Liverpool One. Since it opened in 2008, the £1bn scheme has helped the city climb Experian’s national league table of shopping destinations from 15th to 5th as well as attracting more than 60 retailers to Liverpool. The city has also made similar progress in attracting international vis-
itors and as a conference venue jumping from 16th to 6th in the UK and 245th to 86th globally respectively. Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, from Liverpool City Council, said : “The work undertaken by Drivers Jonas Deloitte is a very important component of our strategy for the economic growth of Liverpool city centre over the next 10-15 years. “It is vital that we build on the successes of the past 10 years.”
13
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
Logistics firm takes space at Knowsley’s Big Rack by Tony McDonough LDP DEPUTY BUSINESS EDITOR
tony.mcdonough@liverpool.com
DEVELOPER Highcross has let 130,000 sq ft at its Big Rack distribution warehouse in Knowsley. The accommodation, located in Deacon Park, Merseyside, has been let to logistics and storage company, Allen Logistics. The Northern Ireland firm is moving its Liverpool depot to Deacon Park following expansion. Allen also has depots in Leicester and Dublin as well as its head office in Moira, Northern Ireland. Highcross has let the space to Allen on a 10-year lease. The 450,000 sq ft Big Rack building provides fully refurbished industrial, distribution and warehouse space, with on-site parking
and 24-hour security. Roger Allen, director of Allen Logistics, said: “We were looking for premises in the Merseyside area and The Big Rack offered space to meet our current requirements and plans for future expansion.” Highcross’s Deacon Park scheme also includes a range of office space and smaller industrial warehouse/workshop units. Deacon Park is located on Knowsley Industrial and Business Park. Highcross asset manager, Iain Taylor, said: “The Big Rack is a flexible, cost effective industrial/distribution facility, with excellent motorway access and space available from 50,000 sq ft. This is a significant letting at the scheme, accounting for around 30% of the space available.” Agents for The Big Rack are Jones Lang LaSalle, DTZ and CB Richard Ellis.
The Big Rack in Deacon Park offers a total of 450,000 sq ft
To Let Industrial units from 4,295 - 6,273 sq ft
location
Auctions taking place in April TWO Merseyside property auction houses will hold their next events in early April. Sutton Kersh will hold its next auction at the Marriott Hotel in Liverpool city centre on April 5 and the following day Venmore will hold its event at the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool One. The Kersh auction will be its biggest since October 2008, offering 94 lots. At its first auction of 2011 Venmore sold 66% of the 42 lots on offer, generating receipts of more than £1.4m. Its April event will offer a mix of lots including residential, commercial and many development opportunities for landlords and investors. One of the commercial lots is a former restaurant and bar in Hoylake.
To Let 4,550 – 9,000 sq ft
Lumina Wirral International Business Park, Bromborough
Wirral International Business Park, Bromborough
Hal rent f price i first n your yea (sub r ject to T&C s)
www.langtreegroupplc.co.uk/luminabusinesspark
For more information on these sites please contact us on 01925 273000 or visit our website www.langtreegroupplc.co.uk
www.langtreegroupplc.co.uk/apexcourt
14
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk Aerospace & Defence
31634 25138 Forgn & C 32334 206
Index 3231.38 ▼ 34.26 250
79
Avon Rbbr
21712xd +112
30378
23114xd
+1
38134 29434 BAE Systems 32012
-458
3663 2598 Chemring
3444
-55
27578 19214 Cobham
22338
-314
Fixed Line Telecoms
38078
26134
Meggitt
33334xd
-214
Index 2304.19 ▼ 5.31
665
535
Rolls-Royce
59412
-4
14058
+34
15912 10012 Senior
Automobiles & Parts
38318 25538 Barclays 946
610
18134
93
6012 Cble&W Wwide6212
-138
6112
28812xd
-1 -978
27614
-134
395
35414
-314
45438 37712 Tesco
379
-538
125
8512
+14
31278
74
Sainsbury
Thorntons
62618xd -734
16478 2212 Ireland
2478
-118
Food Producers
7758 5012 Lloyds Banking 6118
+38
Index 4834.20 ▼ 67.36
3758 Ryl Scotland
1959 1525 Stan Chart
+38
4134
1604xd -18
Beverages Index 8815.28 ▼ 31.04 1304 900 518
Barr (AG)
36412 Britvic
1258 1025 Diageo 2306 1827 SABMiller
1104
+4
393
-3
1137xd -13 2020
+12
Chemicals
Croda
Feb 28 - Mar 4
96312
-512
68212 435
Carrs Mill
64812
+1
90712 784
Cranswick
820
-3
42478 33934 Dairy Crest
35812
7534 4134 Nth Foods
7234
3278 16
+114
+38
Premier Foods 2738
59912 40918 Tate Lyle
538
-912
1995 1688 Unilever
1810
-29
2614 434
618
Uniq
Mar 7 - Mar 11
75
2344 1868 Next
1937
2820 1724 Signet Jwlrs
2697
523
45214
39814 WH Smith
9312 4814 ITV
8434
-13
1105 864
1076
-5
-718
59012 46058 Reed Elsevier 51512
-3
-7
Health Care Equip & Serv Index 3829.22 ▼ 7.88 742
53712 Smith Nph
68312
-212
Household Goods
138
74
Aga Rngmstr 124
+4
13734 70
Barratt Dev
10614
+18
-31 -114
2100 1460 Johnsn Mat
1835
-49
General Financial
809
511
Bellway
685
-6
Construction & Materials
Index 5892.60 ▼ 24.58
23334 114
McBride
137
+2
-58
265
-5
242
134412xd-734
1383 88612 Kier Group
1270xd
+6
6312 2834 Low Bonar
5714
+34
120
115
+12
7834 Marshalls
3655 3015 Reckitt Benck 3036xd -29 340
35714 22934 Balfour Beatty 34218
189418 101512 CRH
25178
88812 664
3i
29712
-212
Close Bros
860
-512
57012 34158 ICAP 933
544
51212
1257
76212
44
1177
-24
1740
+4
General Industrials Index 3205.98 ▼ 41.24
32538
85312 567
754 34878
98512 578
975
420
32614 Drax Gp
40934
-534
Cooksn Gp
66212
44858
28412
31038
-258
1258 478
Coral Prod
1214
45
812
Cosalt
418
1232xd
-3
37538 29038 Rexam
Electronic & Electrical
226
Index 2915.17 ▼ 18.28 Domino Ptg
338
108
363
Smith DS
1429 1008 Smiths Gp
632 xd
-7
20258
-14
1307
-26
705
37734
179
9834 Laird
14418
-534
316
16712 Morgn Cru
30012
+78
736
256
Oxford Inst
645 xd +734
25
377
101
Volex Gp
252
31114 21712 Brown (N) Gp 27834
+2
Equity Inv Instruments Index 5806.94 ▼ 22.49
General Retailers
1214 Ashley L
Index 2566.38 ▲ 5.24
48018 Utd Business 59612
151
106
2314 +458
BBA Aviation 20334
+18
JD Sports
1112 JJB Sports
-1638
915
-4912
29 24238
3437 2254 Anglo Amer
Lgl & Gen
34012
-112
62712 471
485
-10
59412 433
53612
BSkyB
82812
D Mail Tst
51112
4 AEA Technology 241 Albany Inv Tst 764 AMEC 2012 Anglesey Mining 22934 Balfour Beatty 29 Beale
594
49258 Compass Gp
1258
478 Coral Prod
4
-18
27312 1139 8478
12
49612 -2
-3 -334
+25
-58 +1114
30
-14
1214
-1
9112
12
33338 easyJet 57 IS Pharma
96412
603 JD Sports Fashion
250
1112 JJB Sports
3512
1534 Johnson Serv
495
344 Nichols
33414 88
- 12
915 -4912 29
-414
+18
+9 +412
12112 36 1257
76 NWF 1812 Park Gp 76212 Rathbone
3038 43712 113
Vernalis
-18
-12
-24
-112
1127 709
96612
-2812
2101
-13
Travis & P
2261 1223 Wolseley
Tech Hardware & Equip Index 702.92 ▼ 5.92 651
22838 ARM Hldgs
51312
-212
43
1934 BATM
1934
-3 4
10012 7134 Psion
9112
16014 10234 Spirent Comms 14314xd
284812
-6 -1
3934
Index 27233.73 ▲ 2.97 2521 1959 Br Am Tob
2346xd
2069 1753 Imperial Tob
1901
Index 4558.04 ▼ 23.48 3153 2037 Carnival
-78
49258 Compass Gp 54112
-1
33414
+114
41258 323
32934
-234
1485 1042 Go-Ahead Gp 1381
-24
49138 37614 Greene King
-214
240
285
44718
Holidaybreak 340
+7
Intercontl Htls 1272
21278 Intl Cons Airlns 22178
12814xd -112
11718 8978 Marston’s
9514
-114
Punch Taverns 7514
-14
Index 1958.11
147
9434 Rank Gp
-2
2919 2157 Daejan Hldgs 2581 40118
28012
Gt Portland
38134
6655 4425 Randgold Res 4510
+20
773
545
Land Secs
721 xd
-4
32058
+12
4712 2812 Rio Tinto
401312xd -44
5912 3234 UK Coal
4234
+114
32878 25014 SEGRO
+334
559
+2 -9 -434
+134 +1712
224
16034 Stagecoach
272
16678 Thomas Cook 17234xd -114
30838 190
20514
TUI Travel
1887 1266 Whitbread
-412
1644
-7
34618 26412 Centrica
326 110212
1975 1271 Autonomy
1594
+12
4112
+114
663
48414 National Grid 58512
18234 12912 Vodafone Gp 17412
-112
36414 23014 Invensys
35038
-234
650
48278 Pennon Gp
12612 85
94
+138
1513 1086 Severn
1420
-17
62812 507
58012
+1
Nonlife Insurance Index 1569.58 ▼ 0.73 1753 1238 Admiral Grp 1080 728
1572
-3
Brit Insurance 1070
+5
179014
65538
30278
BG
150512
BP
46358xd
Cairn Energy
428
13018
+18
302
26812
+78
22234 Sage
AEA Tech
Utd Utils
1912
4
-18
7
1514 612
API Gp
1638
Armour Gp
658
1519
-25
498
19012 Cape
47514
20612 77
18818
-234
812
2
2
CDU
492
36014 Berendsen
47514
-1 4
134
78
Crimson Tide 112
783
658
72312
-412
212
112
Dawson Intl
134
-1
826
63512
+4
734
414
Eckoh
714
+814
984
54912 De La Rue
+24
Bunzl Capita
756 78812
-1112
-334
86
3034 Man Brnze
4812
-112
2251 1554 Ryl D Shell B 218612xd+812
819
75812
-1
12
4
1058
-1 4
1493 99112 Tullow Oil
28234 23734 G4S
25378
550
355
452
343
+1114
262
+134
1388
+11
1251 764
14312
AMEC
1139
-3
218
Experian
Hyder Cons
29634 18312 Interserve
9712 Redrow 11434 RSA Insurance
4014 1112 Scapa Gp
-812
3234
-1 2
47934
+734
148
115
Swallowfield
13312
31112
+158
670
510
Young A
59114
-214
£ ABROAD
Var 5Day
Country
Currency
Tourist
Buy
Sell
-114
+834
Australia
dollars
1.53
1.618
1.623
13258 xd
+38
+1
Canada
dollars
1.52
1.603
1.605
Denmark
krone
8.13
8.594
8.604
55
3912
+114
+234
39
2312 Telme Gp
3438
5912
3234 UK Coal
4234
- 14 +114
1 34
+214 +1 4
+1
1995
1688 Unilever
1810
-29
+7
+57
62812
507 Utd Utils
58012
+1
+16
0.36
129.10
0.72
Spec Sits
-
1943.00
0.61
Sth East Asia
-
712.00
0.16
GARTMORE FUND MANAGERS Euro Sel Opps
-
857.10
1.19
Income
-
205.60
3.73
European Union
euro
Japan
yen
New Zealand
dollars
-151.92
162.71 4.55
GUARDIAN Index-Linked Acc
-496.83
522.98
-
International Acc
-974.73
1026.03
-
Intnl. Initial
-
-420.20
442.30
North American Initial -237.40
249.90
-
Pacific Acc
-242.21
254.95
-
Pacific Initial
-134.00
141.00
-
Property Bonds
-1977.70 2060.10
-
HSBC INVESTMENT FUNDS (UK) Balanced
-
British
102.70
-258.90
Gilt & FI
-
Gilt & Fixed
62.93
-210.60 -
1.03
258.90 3.18 3.50
210.60 3.28
128.60
3.42
HENDERSON HORIZON FUND European Smllr Cos A Sterling Bd Unit Tst
990.10
- 53.37 -
-
55.76 4.30
428.80
3.12
UK Advantage Inc
-
258.80
-306.34
1.10
318.60 1.10
European
-
780.00
0.70
Far East
-
527.20
1.80
Inc & Gwth
-
200.60
3.30
International
-
410.60
0.40
North Amer Acc
-
448.60
0.10
-
210.62
0.40
In order to give a greater range of Unit Trust information, covering a larger number of trusts, the list of funds changes each day as follows: UNIT TRUST MANAGERS DAYS PUBLISHED A to Com ................................................... Tuesday F to Inv....................................................Wednesday JP to Pru...................................................Thursday Roy to T .........................................................Friday
FUNDS High Consols
Low Funds
Price
£90932
£741516 Cons 4% .................£7734
£582732
£49116 Cons 212% ................ £50
Var
Conversions
£8134
£69 Cnv 312%.................£7212 -132
Treasury
12558
+1 2
232.60
-
£11012 £1021932 Cnv 9% 11 ......... £1021932
Price
3534
Ultima
72
15214 Northgate
2712
78
Portmeirion P 510 Redhall Gp
33734 Menzies J
1914 Speedy Hire
2
17312 72
320
3614
Sportech
-314
Metalrax
510
▼ 1.20%
Low
-
Jpan Spec Sits
-1 8
-4
572
Japan
+14
3512 1534 Johnson Serv 3038
266
-6
1.20 4.42
INVESCO FUND MANAGERS
27912 20214 Electrocmps
1990
319.00 191.00
Sing ASEAN
1685 1154 Aggreko Ashtead Gp
-
Index 893.92 ▼ 4.62
Index 4394.17 ▼ 35.50 2312 4
+712
62012xd -412
AIM
Support Services
-738
14312 11434 RSA Insurance 13258xd +38
1524 984
14778 10134 Logica
Gwth & Inc Income Plus
Capital
5314 3012 Emblaze
Kewill
Dee Valley
-134
+612
Inmarsat
0.32
Index 4541.87 ▲ 5.90
59012
575
598.20 1810.00
HILL SAMUEL UNIT TST MGRS
110712 86712
821
-
UK Equity Inc A
Utilities
Yield
American
+14
22814
Offer
Price Gross
FIDELITY INVESTMENT SERVS
Monthly Inc
31078 20814 Restaurant Gp 305
Software & Comp Servs Index 707.49 ▲ 1.67
+658
147
Price
Amer Spec Sits
-7 8
16234 12234 Ladbrokes
Mitchells&Btlrs 30178
58512 41814 Brit Land
-878
13914 8438 Enterprise Inns 9418 FirstGroup
Bid
Terms
Pratical Inv
2452
58
35314 28438 Big Yellow Gp 33338
-15
Cancel Fund
+8
Travel & Leisure
274
-30
-1 2
Tobacco
101
-18
-158 +2712
2712
361
+3 +1614
3512 xd 1177
3385 2772 AstraZeneca
+6
78
-878
3614 1914 Speedy Hire
360
UNIT TRUSTS
Smiths News 81
1435 982
1623
12
+712
34218
54112
12
Pharma & Biotechnology
1370
Kazakhmys
2113 1355 Lonmin
79
Real Estate
Index 24295.10 ▼ 109.50 -412
32514xd -258
26512 PZ Cussons
1671 965
DAILY POST REGIONAL INDEX 1172.10 down 14.24 High Price Var 5Day High Low Price Var 5Day wdff x 1102 Adv Medical 81 + +1 1107 867 Dee Valley 151 14
1353
-1 4
126
-5
Oil Equipment & Services
Index 4211.91 ▼ 36.51
409
-19
1455
2140 1085 Premier
-158
1119
1682 76312 Fresnillo
283
Standard Life 20534xd +18
1203 61212 Burberry Gp
2275xd -2912
49314 366
+418
Index 18884.12 ▼ 300.80
2616 168412 BHP Billiton
73312 +1012
Media
42712 32638 M & S
12
Antofagasta
-518
8934
49612 33338 easyJet
Personal Goods
6214 31
305612
28178
13812 8414 Rentokil
594
131812 1095 GlaxoSmthKln 1153xd
Index 8552.01 ▲ 37.92
83312
Mothercare
-14
Index 4433.68 ▲ 15.34
24434 173
+3
757
Index 24947.98 ▼ 225.76
1634 761
To assist in the analysis of the market two figures are given for each sector. Firstly an index (set at 100 on January 1 1992) to give a comparison in the performance of various market sectors. Secondly an indication of the percentage change in the price of all the securities within a sector since the previous close.
130
WPP
30834 20838 Prem Farnell
Those securities which have increased in value since the previous close are shown in bold type.
Index 8483.36 ▼ 22.53
Oil & Gas Producers
32858 21114 Resolution
34978
UTV
-8
Life Insurance
-318
23718 Inchcape
608
Trinity Mirror
187938 1256 Marsh McL
192
27114 19812 Kingfisher
4112
Industrial Transportation
48914 Prudential
-18
35714
-24
749
142
92
1684
Weir Gp
-158
250
1251
1861 846
36658
35778 Halfords
96412 603
28712
+13
Dixons Retail
550
+34
2312
1920
23
+38
-15
3612
2025 1344 Spirax Srco
11334
Candover Inv 620
8134
-34
7214
870
Low
Renold
3612
12234
22712 17118 Dunedin IncGth 21634
-78
16912
-18
1534
414
-1012
MS Intl
1612
3612
-14
42814
-1012
10712
-378
129 xd
High
725
Index 3980.02 ▼ 31.96
44678
Br Assets
Edin Invst
-14
-178
47778 29414 Aviva
14012 105
46714 366
+12
4614
Mobile Telecoms
-1
29518 18812 Home Retail
13278
17712 115
-358
5958
53
+14
66012 53012 Edin US Trkr Tst621
153
4614
-1312
Debenhams
79
35014
10034 Dunedin Sml
IMI
4312 Molins
24034 175
Index 1575.32 ▼ 16.37
37778 29312 Alliance
577
-178
Charter
38634 18314 Fenner
70312
Intl Power
-1012
-38
33038 18212 Bodycote
108 36738
-114
Index 6740.47 ▼ 52.56
-212
Rathbone
12558
2214 Taylor Wimpey 4078
Industrial Engineering
-17
963
1922 1154 Schroders
Electricity
15178 9712 Redrow
+5
London Stk Ex 83112
1033 72812 Provident
Index 7587.41 ▼ 28.51
1258 1010 Scot&Sthrn
5214 STV Group
Mining
15814
Index 4211.76 ▲ 5.61
Pearson
17018
84612
1593
-6
2997.22 ▼ 0.42%
-178
153
Index 6006.85 ▼ 53.87
559
Mar 22, 2011
Sep 22, 2010
Index 6021.19 ▼ 64.63 36758 Mondi
M T W T F
90
Forestry & Paper
571
FT ALL-SHARE down 12.51
s............ dealing suspended xd.............price ex-dividend xs ......... price ex-scrip issue xr ........ price ex-rights issue xc ..... ex-capital distribution xa................................ ex-all £......price value in £ sterling
Share price (pence)
FTSE-Rebased
15958 5434 Elementis
18512 Costain
Mar 14 - Mar 18
PUNCH TAVERNS 45
AB Foods
Index 6706.99 ▼ 134.61 1649 901
5570
60
1182 918
5863.82 ▼ 0.20%
KEY
105
30614 25758 Morrison W
5762.71 ▼ 0.40%
20 DAY MOVING AVERAGE down 11.70
5700
SPOTLIGHT
Index 4516.40 ▼ 54.72
Bco Santander 73412
5960
Food & Drug Retailers
73078 59614 HSBC
58
+38 -118
Banks Index 4623.73 ▼ 35.84
20-Day Moving Average
FTSE-100
4438 Cble&W Comm 4938
KCOM
6090
FT-SE 100 INDEX down 23.38
5830
148
-738
18918
49134xd -118
19118 10978 BT Gp
6512 41
Index 4421.28 ▼ 173.02 23718 10914 GKN
40978 Witan
Closing Indices
FTSE 100 INDEX
+2
36278 27314 Law Debenture 33814xd +134
522
Keep track of all the major share moves of the day with our live FTSE ticker at www.ldpbusiness.co.uk
-214
Hend Smllr Cos 298
25034 18614 Scot Am
LondonStockMarketatClose
£61
£50 Tr 212% .................. £50916
£1171516 £1102332 Tr 9% 12.................. £112 £10738 £1031516 Tr 5% 12............. £1031516
-332
£121516 £116932 Tr 8% 13.............. £116716
-732
£114332 £109532 Tr 5% 14.............. £110116
-516
1.09
1.153
1.154
125.84
132.540
132.640
2.05
2.208
2.213
£112
£320116 £2992732 Tr 212% IL 16 ....... £320116
Norway
krone
8.63
9.123
9.124
Poland
zlotys
4.06
4.646
4.654
Sweden
krona
9.74
10.319
10.329
Switzerland
francs
1.41
1.478
1.479
Turkey
new lira
2.42
2.558
2.568
United States
dollars
1.56
1.637
1.638
£105732 Tr 734% 12-15........£10614
£142316 £1322132 Tr 834% 17 .......... £1343132 £147132
£13358 Tr 8% 21................£13738
+12 -12 -1116
War
£8334
£6712 War Ln 312%.............. £72
Last night the pound was worth: $1.6376 (up 0.0069 ) .......... 1.1531 euros (up 0.0059) .......... 132.9500 yen (down 0.73 ..........Its trade weighted index was 80.70 (up 0.50 ) Metals in $ per troy ounce: Gold 1426 (down 6)......................... Silver 35.95 (down 0.21) ........................ Platinum 1736 (down 5) ........................ UK base lending rate 0.5%
15
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk London market THE FTSE-100’s three-day bounce back came to an end yesterday as weak economic news on both sides of the Atlantic hit world markets. A double-dose of worse than expected figures in the UK painted a bleak picture on the eve of Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget. In the US, house prices fell for the third month in a row. The FTSE closed 23.4 points lower at 5762.7, halting a recent rally that saw it recoup many of the losses suffered after Japan’s crisis. London stocks were knocked after the Office for National Statistics revealed inflation hit a 28-month high at 4.4% in February and said public finances plunged further into the red by £11.8bn last month. Both sets of data were worse than expected and overshadowed a more upbeat outlook after the CBI revealed factory orders hit their highest level for three years. The inflation hike further increases the chances of an imminent interest rate rise, which sent the pound higher up 0.4% to $1.64 and 0.6% to euro1.15. Yesterday’s market falls came despite an improved session in Japan, where the market clawed back losses seen after this month’s earthquake, amid signs that the Fukushima nuclear plant has been stabilised. However traders were still concerned by the fighting in Libya. The biggest Footsie risers were Essar Energy up 9p to 449.4p, Cairn Energy ahead 8.3p to 428p, BG Group up 24p to 1505.5p and Resolution up 4.1p to 283p. The biggest Footsie fallers were GKN down 7.4p to 189.1p, Carnival off 78p to 2452p, Johnson Matthey down 49p to 1835p and ITV down 1.9p to 84.7p.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
market comment
Aratehike nowwould bekickinga manwhen heisdown
THE MONETARY Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in March, marked the two year anniversary of when rates were cut to a record low of 0.5% and the central bank embarked upon a policy of quantitative easing. Interest rates have been on hold ever since, although recent rhetoric from the MPC and market expectations are such that a rate rise appears ever closer in the coming months. The MPC has been rattled by the recent increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which rose to 4% in January, exactly double the MPCs’ 2% target. It rose further to 4.4% yesterday, substantially ahead of forecast, and is likely to remain elevated for much of the year. There are three key reasons for the increase in CPI. The first is the global phenomenon of surging commodity prices, which have increased by approximately 50% since the middle of last year alone. A second contributing factor to rising inflation is the 2.5% increase in VAT at the turn of the year, which forms part of the government’s austerity programme. The third and final culprit is the 20% fall in trade-weighted Sterling since 2007, resulting in higher import costs for UK producers and consumers alike. It is easy to sympathise with the MPC’s position. It appears to have been backed into a corner by its policy remit and its credibility has come into question. CPI inflation has been at or above the acceptable threshold of 3% for 14 of the last 24 months.
However, there is little evidence to suggest that current inflation levels are feeding through into higher inflation expectations and wages. Indeed, given persistent spare capacity in the economy, ‘second-round’ inflation effects are expected to remain muted and inflation should decline in the policy sensitive medium term. Many believe that it is the MPC’s policy remit which is the real problem. This remit, imposed by the Labour Government in 1997, is to focus solely on an inflation target. As such, it risks being too narrow, ignoring wider issues facing the economy. Advocates for a broader MPC remit cite the example of the Federal Reserve in the US, which has a dual mandate to achieve maximum sustainable employment as well as price stability. Even within the bounds of the current remit, it has been argued that the CPI target itself is flawed. The CPI measure of prices includes both food and energy components, which, together with government taxes, have contributed profoundly to the recent spike in inflation. They are highly volatile by nature
Japan’s earthquake and power supply disruption adds to worries and largely determined by dynamics outside of the MPC’s control. Compared to a 4% CPI reading in January, ‘core’ CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, was 3.0% and the measure of CPI at constant tax rates (CPI-CT) was very close to the MPC’s target at 2.3% in the same month. The 0.6% contraction in GDP at the end of the last quarter, the up and coming £130bn austerity squeeze and recent events in Japan are further reasons for the MPC to perhaps hold fire on rates.
A rate hike now for the sake of credibility could have a feeling of panic and amount to ‘kicking a man when he is down’ in terms of its impact on the economy. We are still living in uncertain times, with considerable challenges ahead for our economy. Bold and exceptional measures, including a potential overhaul of what can be seen as a flawed policy remit, deserve serious consideration. John Haynes Head of Research Rensburg Sheppards
For twice-daily FTSE updates from Rensburg Sheppards, log on to www.ldpbusiness.co.uk
business diary Thursday, March 24 Liverpool Twestival – a Twitter Festival – will be held at Pan-Am, Albert Dock. To find out more, visit liverpool.twestival.com or @TwestivalLiv Thursday, March 24 DLA Piper is holding a seminar that will deal
with the difficult issue of negotiating “without prejudice” exits from a business, providing commercial guidance on how to apply the law. It starts at 8.15am. To attend, contact Amy Mallett on 0151 237 4718 or e-mail amy.mallett@dlapiper.com.
Thursday, March 24 Jamie Peate, insight director at McCann Manchester, will look at the importance of choice editors in brand communicationsat a CIM Merseyside seminar. The event is at Liverpool Management School. Registration begins at 6pm and is free to CIM members, £25 for non-members. To book, visit
www.cim.co.uk. Thursday, March 24 A half-day seminar presented by experts from HM Revenue and Customs is an opportunity to learn about trading with countries outside the EU. It costs £15 for Liverpool Chamber of Commerce members and £25 for non-members. Book online at www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk
Tuesday, March 29 Professional Liverpool is to hold a half-day conference addressing the issue of how businesses can access funding in the current economic climate. Topics to be discussed include private equity, venture capital industry and successor funds for the Merseyside area. It starts at 7.45am at the Partnership for Learn-
ing, South Road, Liverpool and costs £10. To book, contact Trisha Evans on 0151 795 0125. Thursday, March 31 The Mexigo Grill on Bold Street will host this month’s Fish! Networking Event. The event is free and is from 5.30pm-8pm. RSVP to joel@ubiquitypr.co.uk or text Ubiquity PR 07710 436125 for guest list.
Thursday, March 31 The NHS is seeking companies with innovative products and services to treat heart disease, cancer or other long-term conditions as part of its Smart Solutions for Healthcare programme.The half-day event runs from 9am to 1pm. For details see www.smartsolutionsforhc.co.uk.
16
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LDP business .co.uk trading gossip ■
IT appears round one between Liverpool City Council and the Government has gone to the authority's Labour leader, Joe “bruiser” Anderson, below. He put the city firmly in the spotlight after pulling out as one of the Government’s four Big Society pilot zones, claiming the severity of Government cuts undermined the authority’s ability to support voluntary and charity organisations at the heart of delivering Prime Minister David Cameron’s model of Big Society. Seeing as Liverpool was chosen to launch the strategy, hosting Cameron and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and no political lightweight – Eric Pickles, Cllr Anderson's move was guaranteed high pro-
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
LIVERPOOL’S INVESTMENT SPECIALISTS
the back page
Exporting information aids economic growth
working day
Clive Drinkwater is the international trade director for UK Trade and Investment North West. This was his working day.
5.45am: Alarm goes off but I’m awake already. Make tea, shower and get ready for work. 6.20am: Leave for the office. At this time of day the M6 is at least tolerable and with a clear run I can do the journey in 40 minutes. Wonder when my journey will be in the light – note to self to check sunrise charts.
file national media coverage. The slap in the face resulted in a piqued response from the Prime Minister, stoking the row, claiming Liverpool's cuts were “politically motivated”. However, peace appears to have broken out after recent talks between Cllr Anderson and the Government in London when Eric Pickles made an unscheduled half hour visit for a face-to-face with his Liverpool nemesis. After a “robust” 20-minute exchange, Mr Pickles came as close as a politician could to admitting he had come off second best, offering: “Joe, my old mate, it’s very good to see a master craftsman at work”.
■
IF SHOUTING the loudest gets results then the team at Southport Conferences are assured success. The team, whose job it is to drum up conference business, took part in a loudest shout Guinness World Record attempt along with around 750 other exhibitors at a UK trade show. Although, the world record was not beaten, Southport was rated the loudest destination in the North measuring 117.8 decibels.
7am: Arrive at office in Warrington. I’ve been in London since Sunday afternoon and only got back last night. Lots to catch up on. 8am: Meet with Mike Eccleshall, who is the deputy regional director for UKTI North West, and we go through the potential impact of the Government’s white paper on trade and investment and how we can get the message out about the new Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) products announced in it. They will have a very positive effect on the ability of firms to finance their international trade. Also review progress on a number of performance measures in readiness for our operations meeting later. 9am: Team meeting. I keep the team informed about the white paper but also about the senior leadership conference I’ve been to in London and some work I’ve been doing with CILT, the organisation that promotes the use of languages in business. We discuss accommodation issues and where we will locate UKTI North West after the end of the year when our offices close and I am also able to provide some more detail about the Foreign Secretary’s policy on commercial diplomacy. It’s about getting all of Government behind the UK’s export drive and should help us. 10.30am: Open operations meeting. Our delivery team assembles in Warrington and we go through the performance of the team so far. We really need to get more firms to export, as companies that do are much more productive, resilient, innovative and competitive. We discuss the characteristics of high growth firms and how we can get the exporting message over to them as
Getting the message out about the benefits of exporting is a key part of Clive Drinkwater’s role they in particular are best placed to benefit from international business. 11.15am: I have to leave the meeting to drive to N&W Lancashire Chamber where I meet its chief executive, Babs Murphy, and Mick Mayor, the non-executive chairman of the North West international board. I’ve agreed to give an after lunch speech to 40 businesses on the benefits of exporting and I’m then driven to the venue. 12.15pm: Lunch is at Haighton Manor, a very picturesque location. After lunch I speak about the opportunities that now exist for British business
thanks to the competitive pound. I highlight new and emerging markets such as Indonesia and Mexico and sectors that continue to do well such as environmental technologies, energy and aerospace. I speak for about 45 minutes and take questions for 15 minutes. There is a good buzz in the room. 2pm: After the formal part of the event I have a line of people wanting to talk to me about international trade. I hope that means that my talk went well. I discuss how to help a business get into Algeria, arrange a meeting for one company in Hong Kong, and dis-
cuss export credit insurance with another. 3pm: I head off back to the office where I catch up on some emails and take a call from a company having potentially substantial problems in France, and I agree to talk to the British Ambassador to get him to take up the matter on their behalf. 5pm: Head off back home where dinner is a hastily-cooked jacket potato eaten in time to greet the photographer that my daughter has selected for her forthcoming wedding. Then it’s a couple of glasses of wine before bed at 10pm.