Monthly Archives: October 2014



Business Rates Bounty could fund ‘Northern Powerhouse’ Proposal

Posted on 23 October, 2014 by Kirsten Kennedy under Business News

Chancellor George Osborne is rumoured to be considering a business rates reform which would see local authorities in cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds keep a greater proportion of revenue raised for use in local enterprise... Read More

Landmark Development planned for Former Yorkshire Post Site

Posted on by Cliff Goodwin under Commercial Developments

Three landmark office blocks are among plans being considered for the former site of one of Britain’s oldest daily newspapers. In February, 2012, it was announced that printing of The Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post would be switched from... Read More

Staffordshire’s Creepy Castles

Posted on by Kirsten Kennedy under Misc

Those with a little experience in the field of the supernatural will know that castles tend to attract more than their fair share of ghosts, and Tamworth Castle is no different in this respect. The 800 year old medieval building has seen centuries of horror... Read More

Home Retail Group announces Homebase Closures

Posted on 22 October, 2014 by Kirsten Kennedy under Business News

Home Retail Group has made the decision to implement a programme of store closures in its Homebase chain. A review of the chain’s store portfolio earlier this year found that a number of the 323 outlets currently operating in the UK are... Read More

Silverstone to manage North East Car Dealership Expansion

Posted on by Cliff Goodwin under Business News, Commercial Developments

A North-East car dealership has kept its expansion plans local by commissioning Newcastle-based Silverstone Building Consultancy to oversee a series of construction projects. The four-showroom Pulman Group — which has two sites in Durham and two in... Read More

Lloyds names Shortlisted Bidders for £1.5bn Irish Portfolio

Posted on by Cliff Goodwin under Commercial Sales and Lets

Lloyds Bank has confirmed it is considering three final bidders for a €2bn (£1.5b) Irish commercial buy-to-let portfolio it is selling. The three global contenders are Californian-based Oaktree Capital Management, investment bank Goldman Sachs working with... Read More

Retail footfall hit by unseasonable September

Posted on by Kirsten Kennedy under Business News, Economy

Unseasonably warm weather has taken its toll on retailers, with the milder than expected temperatures putting something of a dampener on the launch of autumn and winter collections, and adversely affecting footfall levels throughout the... Read More

Glasgow enjoys Games Hotel boost while Edinburgh gets an Urban Villa

Posted on by Kirsten Kennedy under Business News, Commercial Developments

The Commonwealth Games gave Glasgow the opportunity to showcase true Scottish hospitality, with a number of different areas of business benefiting hugely from the influx of guests to the city. One of the major beneficiaries of the Games was the hotel sector... Read More

A Nantwich Nightmare

Posted on by Kirsten Kennedy under Misc

As a town known for having a pivotal role in the English Civil War, one could expect Nantwich to appear in a number of “most haunted” lists. Therefore, paranormal enthusiasts will not be disappointed by a visit to this market town as it is not only the... Read More

Whitbread sets sights on expansion following strong First Half Sales

Posted on 21 October, 2014 by Kirsten Kennedy under Business News

Whitbread has slowly transformed itself into one of the leisure sector’s strongest competitors. In part, this is due to its commitment to investing in its subsidiary chains, with consumer demand for both Costa Coffee and Premier Inn pushing up the group’s... Read More