BUSINESS
ECHO
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A magnet for UK thrillseekers
Start Survive Thrive
Not only property, but also people
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BOOTLE promotional goods provider Wild Thang has landed three contracts, including Mathew Street Festival merchandise for Liverpool council, promotional goods for the Charity Mines Advisory Group, and a merchandise framework for the Merseyside Collaborative group which covers six local authorities and transport authority Merseytravel and could be worth more than £200,000. The business has also installed £50,000 worth of digital printing equipment to keep pace with increasing workloads.
‘Becky’ adds fizz to launch KATHERINE Kelly, TV soap Coronation Street’s brazen barmaid Becky McDonald, provided the tonic to open a £250,000 third production line at the Warrington gin and vodka distillery of G&J Greenall. Chief executive Christian Rose said: “We are proud to launch the third production line. It represents the true growth and development we have achieved over the past 250 years.”
THE Southport ● office of north west accountancy group
CHEERS: Christian Rose and Katherine Kelly toast the new production line
WORK CENTRES TO CUT JOBLESS RATES by NEIL HODGSON
Industry Reporter UP TO three warehouse-sized training centres will be created on Merseyside to get long-term unemployed back into work if a training provider gets the go-ahead from the Government. Welfare-to-work provider FourstaR Employment & Skills, a Dutch-US venture, is bidding to operate the north west programme for the Government’s back-to-work initiative. It says it is unique compared with
Warehouses will offer hands-on job experience
rivals in offering hands-on work experience at its Employment Training Centres (ETCs) which can include fully functional commercial kitchens, professionally equipped gyms, manufacturing floors and office
simulation areas with real work activities from local employers. The company currently runs two ETCs in the midlands and managing director Aaron Henricksen said: “Our achievements in Birmingham and Solihull has proved that our unique approach and business model works in the UK market and we feel we can make a real difference to the lives of the unemployed in the north west.” Each centre costs £1m to set up and will employ about 50: “We will employ several hundred staff should we be successful for the north west.” ETCs would be located in areas with
available warehousing units and high jobless counts and Birkenhead and Everton have initially been identified as possible sites. Mr Henricksen said they would be an “evolution and improvement” of the midlands model and he expects more than 40% of clients to find jobs. If the bid is successful in March he said facilities could be up and running in Merseyside by July next year. He denied employer involvement could reduce vacancies: “There’s always been a work experience element of welfare-to-work. We’re not talking large numbers, just additionality.”
Champion has recruited Jonathan Comber, 22, of Burscough, as a new trainee to its expanding audit and accounts department.
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ACTUARIES and consultants Barnett Waddingham is staging a free breakfast seminar at its Liverpool office on the changing market conditions of 2010 and how it could impact on the way pensions are reported within accounts. It starts at 8.15am next Thursday, December 16. Contact Melanie Shelley on 0207776 0520 for details.
SIX new jobs have ● been created with the opening of a Costa
Coffee outlet in London Road in the former Seldons Amusements site. It is the 10th Costa to be opened under licence by Liverpoolbased firm Optimum Coffee which now employs 103 staff.
RENT FREE offices and 20%OFF meeting rooms* 0151 600 5353
bruntwood.co.uk/lpooloffer
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2 NEWS
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
★★★★
BUSINESS FIRMS SEE RISE IN ORDERS AND INFLATION
ORDERS have increased, but profitability has slipped, according to the latest survey by small firms’ lobby group the Forum of Private Business. It shows 30% of its members reported bigger order books and better turnover last month, while only 16% suffered a decrease. But many business owners also reported a sharp drop in profitability as increases in fuel costs, energy prices and raw materials hit home. At 46%, almost half of the firms surveyed said they had seen a recent increase in the cost of doing business, with only 1% reporting that costs had fallen. FPB spokesman Phil McCabe said: “This inflationary pressure is a real concern – it basically means more money is being sucked out of small firms and transferred overseas, or over to multinational businesses in the utility and oil industries. “It’s something the government really needs to tackle if it wants smaller businesses to drive economic growth and create jobs in the months and years ahead.” Other key findings from the latest survey showed that businesses confidence is slightly higher than it was in October, while employment among small firms is expected to increase by around 3% in 2011.
BANK HONOUR FOR GEMMA
BANKING group Santander has honoured Liverpool worker Gemma Quine as its best fund raiser in a national awards voted for by colleagues. Gemma, who works at Santander’s Bootle banking head office, received a special edition plaque, £100 in vouchers and £1,000 to donate to her chosen charity. She was recognised for her efforts in helping local charity and community initiatives.
SMALL
BUSINESS of the Week
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BUSINESS proposal that local authorities shunned as having had its day is now an international success and attracting its second generation of enthusiasts. Rampworx Skatepark in Aintree is the creation of BMXing kids-at-heart Ian Robinson, 43, and Rob Godfrey, 50, who wanted to carry on “living the dream” and allow others to share their passion. In 1995 they approached the council about setting up a small skatepark. Ian said: “There was a lack of provision, but there were older guys like us who were still into what we had done at a younger age. “The council didn’t want to get involved and said ‘hasn’t that happened and gone?’” So Ian, a retail manager, and Rob, a bakery manager with Asda, raised a £15,000 personal loan and set up in Hartley Avenue, Aintree in 1997. In 18 months it was so busy kids from across the north west were queueing to get in: “We thought if we didn’t move to a bigger site someone will see what we have done and steal our model.” So in 1999 they opened a skateboard, rollerblade and BMX park in Leckwith Road after raising £50,000. Again, the local authorities turned down funding requests, but NatWest’s Paul Norman was highly impressed by their business plan. He was unsure how to categorise the loan because nothing like it had been done, so could only offer half the funding, but put Ian and Rob in touch with the embryonic Merseyside Special Investment Fund who made up the balance. “We were quite conservative with our figures because we had paid off our £15,000 loan within 12 months, so we knew the model worked. But 12 years ago £50,000 was a lot of money and we had to put our own houses up as capital.” In 2003 Rampworx was granted charitable status. Ian explained: “It was never meant to be anything other than a hobby.” However, a shrewd business plan has seen turnover treble in the past three years to £350,000 and a recently launched e-commerce site is expected to generate annual sales of £200,000 within two years to underpin the park, and much, much more. “We don’t want to stand still as an organisation, but we know what we are. We are a skatepark in a dilapidated industrial estate in the middle of nowhere, but our draw is national.”
Rampworx providing more than just thrills and spills Neil Hodgson hears how extreme sports help point kids to the right path Rampworx now caters for about 1,000 customers a week, but can host 1,000 for a single event, many of which are televised around the world. During the week 60% are from within a six-mile radius, but at weekends 70% come from as far as Birmingham, London and Edinburgh. Its website also highlights up and coming young talent: “We have a host of national and international riders who have come out of Rampworx, like
BMXer Harry Maine from Bootle, who is 19 and who now rides for the International Nike team, has just done a TV advert with Ashley Cole and Paula Radcliffe, and is now earning a living out of BMX.” Ian attributes their success to the passion of the Rampworx team and a host of volunteers from among their youngsters who also form a young persons’ steering group that the trustees consult on their plans.
Ironically, Rampworx is now working with local authorities to set up sister sites in Wirral and St Helens, because the organisation is now so much more than an extreme sports venue. Its profits pay for an outreach programme around Merseyside which provides bikes and coaching for youngsters. Ian explained: “We’re marketing ourselves to the next generation, but we’re also giving kids a focus and getting them off the streets.” Wirral Crime Prevention Panel has been taking youngsters to Rampworx for four years and is a big supporter of its aim to open a centre in Bidston in the next three years. Development funding is obviously an issue, but Rampworx hopes Pulse Regeneration, which has been involved with Vauxhall’s Eldonians, will be able to identify opportunities.
New care organisation will create 40 Knowsley jobs FORTY new jobs are being created at a social enterprise being set up in Knowsley. CASA – Care and Share Associates – is a homecare organisation which already operates in four locations across the north and is now opening a branch in Huyton. Knowsley Housing Trust (KHT) is funding the new
venture through the Working Neighbourhoods Fund, which it manages on behalf of the local strategic partnership. The company, which is owned by its 500 employees, is establishing Knowsley Home Care Associates in the new year. It has already been awarded a contract with Knowsley council within
Knowsley Health and Wellbeing services. CASA business development director Dr Guy Turnbull said: “We are thrilled to be setting up our new unit in Knowsley and to extend our way of working to the Knowsley community. “Our CASA values are pretty simple, we believe in
putting people before profit. Therefore, CASA and all of its franchise units are employeeowned social enterprises.” He added: “We put our success down to one thing, a strong focus on people. “We refuse to cut corners and the welfare of our clients and staff are at the heart of our mission because they
actually own the company.” KHT chief executive Bob Taylor said: “Social enterprises are an incredibly important tool in helping communities work themselves out of the economic downturn. “This is the time for social enterprises and housing associations to come into their own to build the “big society”.
★★★★
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
NEWS 3
ENTERPRISE CELEBRATION FOR LEADERS
Do you want to be our Business of the Week? Contact Neil Hodgson 0151 472 2451 or email neil.hodgson @liverpool.com UP THE WALL: A skateboarder in action at Rampworx, Aintree
Among many other programmes Rampworx offers are education projects on healthy eating, drugs and alcohol, and sexual health, while the police offer guidance on gun and knife crime. Profits also pay for equipment to encourage young talent: “Upstairs we do tuition in IT, video arts and photography. We have a pool of young people who have a raw talent, but no access to equipment or facilities.” And Rampworx offers closed-group sessions for girls: “Almost 90% of our customers are male, but we encourage females because, post-16, 80% of females drop out of sports. “We are effectively a youth service, but we’re not, if you see what I mean.” For a venture that the councils believed had had its day, the business is going from strength to strength, with customers ranging from five years of age to more than 50 years old. “One of our customers, Brigitte Schulz is 54. Her kids came from a very early age and have all flown the nest and gone to university, but Brigitte has now taken up rollerblading. “She’s very good and a very ballsy lady, even when she falls. “Also, the kids who were 16 in 1997 now have their own kids who they bring along. So we have two generations now.” He admits their hobby has exceeded all expectations, but is by no means immune to business pressures: “We haven’t escaped hard times – but we just concertina our business model during those times.”
BUSINESS leaders who have spent the year working to promote enterprise celebrated their achievements last night. More than 90 business people met at the Village Hotel in Warrington to mark their work for Enterprise UK. They were tasked with raising the profile of young entrepreneurs, as well as focusing on women, the over-50s and people from ethnic minority communities. One enterprise ambassador who attended last night was Chris Arnold, founder of Liverpool travel companies Smaller Earth and Camp Leaders. Mr Arnold created global enterprise competition Your Big Year, the finals of which were held in Liverpool last month. Other Merseyside entrepreneurs who attended last night included Nola Baldwin, founder of oven glove firm Gloven, and BEEcycle founder Kenneth Cheung. BEEcycle designs green waste solutions for homes and businesses. Pamela Hargreaves of Enterprise UK said: “The sheer diversity of north west ambassadors has proven that there is huge untapped talent of enterprising individuals and plenty of creative energy in the region.”
JOANNE NAMED TOP EMPLOYEE
REACHING OUT: The Rampworx team, from left, Rob Godfrey, Ian Robinson and Paul Hunter
A WIRRAL garden centre manager has been named employee of the year at a national awards final. Joanne Massam, floristry manager of Gordale Garden Centre at Burton, near Neston, was nominated by her colleagues in the category that recognises staff who have “gone the extra mile” to contribute to the success of the business. The final of the Garden Retail Awards, in London’s Grosvenor Hotel last month, saw Joanne triumph ahead of four contenders.
4 NEWS
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
★★★★
BUSINESS
BIG Retaining skills is at T the heart of a vision to invigorate threatened economies INTERVIEW Alex Turner meets SOG chairman Dr Peter Cook at The Heath
EN years ago, the future for the ICI headquarters in Runcorn was bleak. The chemicals giant had put the site up for sale and property consultants were recommending it should be knocked down. Dr Peter Cook had worked for ICI for 35 years after leaving university and had risen to lead the firm’s Site Operations Group (SOG). He said: “When we realised the writing was on the wall for the site, we realised that the people we were responsible for would be joining the dole queue. “We thought the site had a lot going for it. There were a lot of positives, such as the skills base that had been built up over generations in the Halton area. “I did believe we could retain the skill base that I was responsible for. I felt – and so did some of my colleagues – that we wanted the opportunity to do something.” The plan was to take over the site, which was a mix of laboratory and office space, in an area with a heritage of a scientific workforce, and attract firms to create a hub of innovation and commerciality. After a struggle the management group succeeded in taking ownership. The idea has since proven to be so successful – 1,900 people are employed at the site, more than in ICI’s heyday – that Dr Cook is now leading a project, called Fusion, to replicate The Heath across the country. To be clear, the idea is not to create hubs of scientific expertise as such, but to retain the skills and facilities that had been in the ownership of a large company that is planning to leave. He said: “Fusion has a four stage process. We start with a quick, sharp scouting study to look at what options are viable. “From that we can identify a preferred option and move on to a feasibility study of that. “Third is the planning stage, where we work up a business plan in great detail with the client. Then the final stage is the implementation stage.” Dr Cook and his team are in talks with “six or seven organisations” around the country which are subject to confidentiality clauses. But one scheme, the Sanofi-Aventis site in Dagenham, has gone public. “We have just completed stage three with Sanofi and we are awaiting their final decision as to whether they want to implement it,” he said. “That’s very significant, it’s a 100-acre site, nearly twice as big as The Heath. “The solution there is likely to be a polyclinic, that will be the core. That’s a nice synergy as Sanofi manufactured cancer medicine on that site.
“It builds on their heritage. The idea is there would be pharamceutical businesses. “It’s about retaining the skills and the facilities rather than looking at it as just real estate.” Fusion doesn’t just work when companies want to pull out, but also when they are looking to downsize.
He said: “Fusion can come along and provide a solution to a partially closed site. That can help the main core business. “You can keep a source of support skills and make sure they have a sufficient critical mass of business so it supports the original downsized business.
‘We thought the site at The Heath had a lot going for it’
He is also passionate about the use of public money, which is often funnelled into developing greenfield sites rather than utilising existing sites. Dr Cook said: “There’s little point in putting public money into new science facilities when excellent facilities already exist in the hands of private companies. “We are talking about facilities that today would be extremely costly to develop but actually already exist in the private sector. “If private companies are downsizing or even closing sites,
surely it is sensible to make use of these existing facilities, and the skilled personnel that run them, and make them available to support the wider scientific community. “The skills and facilities can then be cross-linked across the UK to develop a network to support science research and development. “I believe this is a sensible and cost-effective solution which is at the very heart of our Fusion concept – but it would require government support to achieve it. “We have been working hard to convince the Government that
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Wednesday, December 8, 2010
NEWS 5
ICAEW CHIEF IN PLEA FOR SUPPORT
OFFICIAL VISITS: Prime Minister Tony Blair, right, with Peter Cook, centre, and Chancellor Gordon Brown on a visit to The Heath in 2005
ACCOUNTANTS have a duty of care to help encourage the business recovery, says an industry leader. Gerald Russell, president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales, said during a visit to Liverpool: “One of the areas that has suffered as a result of the financial crisis is that of business support. In my view, chartered accountants should be there to fill the gap. “We must be there to provide support, advice and guidance to individuals and businesses who are looking to take advantage of the economic recovery as well as to those who are struggling to stay afloat.” Mr Russell’s links with Liverpool date back to Colonel Sir James Philip Reynolds, his grandfather, who was a successful cotton broker in the late 1800s and early 1900s. During his visit he met with younger members at an event held at Ernst & Young and attended the Liverpool Society of Chartered Accountants’ annual dinner. The society’s president Jan McDermott said: “Gerald is an inspiration to our members.”
RETAILERS’ LINK FOR CYBERTILL
ENTHUSIASM: Dr Peter Cook is excited by the potential for Fusion Fusion needs to be promoted so that large companies and even government organisations are made fully aware of this regeneration option when considering future plans for their sites and staff.” The focus that Fusion demands saw Dr Cook step up to chairman earlier this year with marketing director John Lewis becoming chief executive. While he is hands-off on the day-to-day running of SOG – which includes The Heath and a site at Blackley, Manchester – he retains great enthusiasm for the
entrepreneurs that fill the laboratories and offices. “I think we need to encourage more young people to start their own businesses,” he said “Natalie Beard at Love Frocks has combined her passion with her skills and set up this business, which is great. “The Heath has got the science stuff, which is tremendously valuable, but we have the everyday stuff – accountants, lawyers, Love Frocks, Halton Chamber. “That’s one of our strengths – there’s a business community.”
FLAMING BRILLIANT: Paul Le Pinnet, left, with Dr Peter Cook. centre, and North West Euro MP Sajjad Karim
CYBERTILL, the Knowsley electronic point of sales (EPoS) provider, has become a preferred partner of sports and outdoor buying group Intersport UK. Cybertill will be recommended to buying group members and other Intersport partners. Intersport general manager Barry Mellis said: “Cybertill is a unique EPoS solution which is well proven in the sports and outdoor retail sector and with our own members. Cybertill helps sports retailers manage their business more efficiently and reduces stockholding. It is this added advantage of business control and ease of use that we want to offer our members.”
6 NEWS
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
★★★★
BUSINESS
TIMEFORFAST
Alex Turner on how the fast food sector is faring while the heat is on
FOCUS W . . . on fast food
ITH a little bit of effort it is possible to remember a time when takeaway pizza didn’t immediately conjure up one brand name. Domino’s Pizza has set out to be dominant since arriving in the UK in 1985. It took 10 years to get to 100 stores, another 10 years to reach 400 and now, in its 25th year, has 650 across the country. The forerunner for the domination by franchise model, McDonald’s, is still going strong. The burger giant has been busy reinventing itself, which has seen £110m spent on refurbishing its stores – £8m of which has been spent in Merseyside – to accompany its evolving menu that has seen it promote its salads, coffee and porridge. For independent, often family-run, takeaways, the competition from Domino’s multi-million pound marketing budget and McDonald’s massive investment programme is just one threat. They are also under pressure from a range of other factors, from the decline in discretionary spending to the increase in attention being paid to healthy eating. Steve’s Fish Bar has been providing fish and chips to Anfield residents and football supporters for 40 years from its Breck Road location. The family-owned business has been passed down and is now run by husband-and-wife team Terry and Fitoulla Paraskeva. Terry shrugged off the competition from global chains. “We don’t compete really,” he said. “We are a family business, and against big brands such as McDonald’s, or Domino’s, we are a mere minnow in the market. “We are also greatly affected by supermarkets being built up the road.” Hard work and giving the customer what they want are the ingredients they use in their business recipe. He said: “We aim to make the customers feel very welcome and feel very happy to get our food. “Every morning, the
DINNER IS SERVED: Terry Paraskeva from Steve's Fish Bar in Breck Road, Anfield food is cooked fresh – I am preparing food, every day, from 7.30am. “Because a lot of us are affected from recession, even myself, I have lowered the prices of the most popular foods – our large pie dinners were £3.50, but now they are £2.” Customer service is also important at Khaja, an Indian
takeaway in Woolton. Its owner, Jay Miah, always asks customers for honest feedback, so if there is anything negative, he can improve it as much as he can. Jay said: “I’ve been very thoughtful towards the customers, and asked them if they have any allergies before I processed their orders. “I’ve not had any complaints – that’s good! “My award for excellent customer service proves that.” He has been open for a year and attributes Khaja’s popularity to its open kitchen, which enables customers to watch the food getting cooked while they wait. Jay Miah is optimistic he can continue to thrive despite the economic climate. “Competition keeps me on my toes,” he said. “Without the
customers coming, I would not be in the position I am. “Recession has obviously affected everyone, and not just those with businesses, but as long as I provide quality to the highest standards in my food, I will be fine.” Although McDonald’s is a global phenomenom, it is still dependent on the endeavours of local business people. Paul Griffiths has just invested £190,000 in the refurbishment of his Birkenhead restaurant, following £530,000 spent on his Bromborough and Wallasey restaurants last year. Paul said: “Since refurbishing my other two restaurants in the Wirral in 2009, we’ve increased our customer base by around 10%. “The new-look restaurants have benefitted both our loyal and new customers, as well as improving facilities for my staff. “This final refurbishment for my trio of restaurants is set to create at least five new jobs straight away and possibly more in the future, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to invest in the local community.”
Picture: PAUL HEAPS
Planning to takeaway? THE healthy eating agenda has taken on momentum in recent years, aided by celebrity chef and food campaigner Jamie Oliver, among others. It increases the pressure on fast food outlets which have often been the target of campaigners’ ire. In June a London school succeeded in blocking the opening of a takeaway because the council’s planning committee had failed to take into account how close the school was to the proposed site. Three months later, at the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Showcase in Liverpool, a leading health boss called for councils to have
FOOD
MONEY MATTERS MANY UK pensioners are being forced to abandon their dream of retiring abroad because of the weakness of sterling, research has indicated. Specialist currency broker currencies.co.uk said it had seen a 28% jump in the number of retired expats who were selling up and returning to the UK during the past 12 months. The group blamed the situation on a combination
NEWS 7
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
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of the weakness of sterling, in which most retired expats still receive their pension, and rising inflation. It said during the past five years the value of sterling had fluctuated by up to 67% against the currencies in popular retirement destinations, having a dramatic impact on the
with NICKY BURRIDGE, personal finance correspondent
amount of money people had to live off each month. For people who have retired in eurozone countries, such as France and Spain, exchange rates on a typical monthly transfer of £1,175 have varied by 49% during the past five years,
varying from a high of 1,793 euros to a low of just 589 euros. Pensioners in the US have seen a 53% swing in the number of dollars they get for the same amount, while those in Australia have been the hardest hit, seeing the number of Australian dollars £1,175 buys vary by 67%, ranging from 3,112 Australian dollars to just 1,247 Australian dollars.
ADVERTORIAL
BUSINESS SUPPORT WHEN YOU NEED IT BY LEIGH TAYLOR Area director for Lloyds TSB Commercial in the North West
NICE AND SPICY: Jay Miah outside his Khasa Indian Takeaway in Woolton
CAMPAIGN: Jamie Oliver is promoting healthy eating more power to block takeaways opening. Robin Ireland, chief executive of Heart Of Mersey said: “It is a very complicated area and our planning laws will have to change, but councils need to
have the power to say ‘we have too many takeaways here, that is enough’ and be able to refuse planning permission. “We should also be looking at the quality of fast food and what is going into it.”
EvEn the most successful businesses can face difficult periods of financial uncertainty, particularly in an economic downturn. In the Lloyds TSB ‘Business in Britain’ July 2010 survey, late payments, loss of client contracts and weak UK demand were all cited as threats to business performance. In fact, over half (58 per cent) of businesses in the north West indicated that pressure on their cashflow had been caused by late payments from customers. A further 53 per cent of respondents said that they had suffered as a result of weak UK demand. At Lloyds TSB our aim is to work in partnership with businesses, helping to implement key strategies before financial difficulties are encountered. But we also realise that sometimes problems are unavoidable and can rapidly occur. In these cases we utilise all our expertise to support our customers to overcome these challenging periods. Our relationship managers can put business owners in touch with a wide range of locally based specialist teams who offer guidance and support to help combat the challenges faced by businesses today. With solutions ranging from invoice financing, which releases some of the cash tied up in invoices, to international services that could make exporting easier and potentially more profitable. Although exporting still seems a daunting step for many businesses, our international business managers are dedicated to sharing their expertise to help businesses take advantage of opportu-
SUPPORTING LOcAL BUSINESSES: Lloyds TSB commercial’s Leigh Taylor nities that trading abroad can offer. In the second half of 2009 27 per cent of British companies that export said they had seen levels increase, in the first half of 2010 this had risen to 40 per cent* – showing that there really is a world of opportunity out there. For those customers who find themselves in need of additional support, we also have dedicated local ‘turnaround teams’ who look at the unique challenges being faced by every business they deal with. Using their expertise they could help restructure operations and commitments, helping a return back to profitable
trading. These specialist teams have already been successful in helping a number of businesses across the UK. As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting local businesses, we are hosting 200 business seminars a year nationwide between 2010 and 2012. At these seminars business owners can network and speak to many of our specialist teams on a wide range of business issues including managing finance and exploring international opportunities. For more information please call your relationship manager. Alternatively visit
our website www.lloydstsb. com/businessguidance where you can also register for a seminar in your area. *Business in Britain Survey July 2010. 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 under numbers 119278 and 191240 respectively. Introductions will be made to specific companies within the Lloyds Banking Group.
8 NEWS
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
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Business to Business
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Industry Reporter LIVERPOOL brewer Cains has clinched its first transatlantic export order in a deal with Boston-based Win-It-Too. Two shipments of the Toxteth brewery’s Cains Export Lager, Cains Bitter and Cains Mild have been despatched in a bid to establish a footing in America’s growing market for quality premium lagers and beers. The order follows a successful presentation by Cains, owned by brothers Sudarghara and Ajmail Dusanj, at the National Beer Wholesales Association trade show in Las Vegas earlier this year. The company undertook its
Brewer in link with Boston trade partner “big sell” stateside with the support of government export facilitator UK Trade and Investment, Food Northwest and the British Beer and Pub Association. Joint managing director Sudarghara Dusanj and Win-It-Too’s Steven Villani and Cliff Lusso celebrated their business partnership with a visit to the chain’s Doctor Duncan’s pub in Liverpool city centre. Mr Dusanj said: “Craft beers
are becoming increasingly popular in the American market, and we’re hopeful that our awardwinning beers and lagers will be a hit with US customers. “We’re delighted that Cains can join the auspicious list of other Liverpool exports that have made it to America – now we’re just crossing our fingers that we can make it as big at The Beatles!” Steven Villani, president of Win-It-Too, said: “After a successful spell as the official beer of Liverpool’s Capital of Culture Year in 2008, this is another landmark development for Cains that emphasises the brewery’s strong links with its Liverpool roots to the rest of the world.” He added: “We’ve worked with Cains to bring over the equivalent of 104,930 bottles for US beer
lovers to enjoy, and we’re confident that the range of craft beers will go down extremely well.” Cains is already a big hit with one particularly famous American, the legendary film director Quentin Tarantino, who sampled Cains Export Lager while in Liverpool recently. He said his “taste of Liverpool in a pint” was “awesome”. The brewery has embarked on a concerted export drive since its return from administration in September, 2008, when it was bought back by the Dusanj brothers. Since then they have managed to clinch several export orders for their range of beers in China, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland.
New support scheme for entrepreneurs CONFIRMATION of a £114,000 grant has secured a new project to increase the number of businesses setting up in north Liverpool. Business support group Stepclever has provided the financial backing for the Stepclever Business Mentoring project which aims to create a network
of 60 business leaders and experts to act as mentors for entrepreneurs. Mentors and mentees will be matched by a database system when they register through the Stepclever website www.stepclever.co.uk The project, which is led by EverybodyOnline, a digital social enterprise
run by Liverpool-based housing association the Plus Dane Group, hopes to help up to 80 young entrepreneurs. It will also contribute to the Beautiful North project, a partnership established by Liverpool council and led by a small team of councillors and city officers to tackle
government spending cuts. Plus Dane enterprise consultant for EverybodyOnline, Lucy Campbell, said: “Having developed a social enterprise myself I cannot stress enough the benefits of being surrounded by positive, successful people who can
assist you in some of the most vital business decisions you can make. “The mentoring project will provide this sort of invaluable support to so many budding entrepreneurs and I am looking forward to unveiling many business successes as a result of this project.”
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T O L E T N E T H E R L E Y Industrial/Workshop Units 506− 1,023 sq ft Rents from £62pw Wheathills Ind Estate. Whittle Jones 01257 238666
Accountancy / Bookkeeping
Loans
PULLING POWER: From left, Cliff Lusso of Win-It-Too, Cains joint MD Sudarghara Dusanj and Steven Villani of Win-It-Too
Commercial Property
LIVER CABS
REQUIRES HACKNEY CAB DRIVERS Full Data System. Returning Liverpool fares Back to Liverpool Taxi Drivers. Call Alan 709 5959 or 07795 417333 UNLEASH THE FORCE!
TAXI SETTLE CARS Reliable, Economical cars. Weekly pay, available NOW with or without insurance. Contact Alan anytime for details. 07809 237499
D A Y C O L L A R Stockbridge Village L28 or Croxteth Park. 07734 903 649 P R I V A T E H I R E Liverpool plate. Rent £150pw 1st wk 1/2 price. 07523 976108
IRISH TURF FOR SALE Available in bulk. 2 tonne bags & 25kg bags. Agents Wanted. Large Quantities available. For more details. email: aidan@hartepeat.com Aidan 00353 872827504
E L I T E Settle Cars from £140pw, incl ins. Tel: 0151 207 4450 or 07894 448777
2 BARBERS SHOPS TO LET, CROSBY L23 Equipped with barbers chairs / Mirrors / Stations. etc. £650pcm Call: 0151 920 9999/ 07900 424 441
DAY COLLAR TX4, Automatic £165pw 07706 151746
Business Services SIMPLE VAN SIGNS bring extra business in. 2 sides & rear incl FREE Logo design, small van fr £100, Medium fr £130, large fr £160. 521 7344 Dave
ACCOUNTS/TAX tradesmen from £170. 0151 287 7725
Website Design WEBSITE DESIGN up to 5 pages £60. On line 4 Xmas CALL NOW 07583 029646
Agriculture P U P P I E S Westies £300, Border Collie £130, Tel 01678 540563 or 07881 745691
LIVERPOOL CAB & PLATE W Reg, pass till May. Offers 0151 482 5101.
CITY CAB Long Collar 07809 464860 TXI CITY LONG COLLAR Days/Nights 077151 72487
Building Trade FRAMELINE TRADE SUPPLY COMPOSITE DOORS UPVC
WINDOWS, DOORS, CONSERVATORIES. 5 Day Turnaround Tel 0151 546 5577 Fax 0151 546 5588 ACCREDITED WITH BS7412 & BS7950
KITCHEN & BEDROOM FITTINGS from a hinge to a full kitchen/bedroom. 3D plans now available. Showroom & Trade Counter at 3 Rockley Street, Kirkdale, L4 0151−207 0008. www.brosna.co.uk
BUSINESS TO BUSINESS Appears every day in your
A-F TEL: 0151 472 2746 G-M TEL: 0151 472 2573 N-Z TEL:0151 472 2377