Daily Post

Service Specialist Takes Dubai Research Trip Before Checking in at Chester

A HOSPITALITY specialist who worked on a White Paper on skills gaps in the tourism industry has been appointed to a key role at Doubletree by Hilton Chester. Jane Stoneman has joined the hotel, which completed a pounds 27.5m refurbishment earlier this year, as food and beverage manager.

Debt Collection Group Plans to Axe 247 Jobs ; Liverpool Head Office to Bear the Brunt As Firm Cuts Back After Rollercoaster Year

THE Liverpool office of debt collection agency Intrum Justitia will see staff numbers cut "substantially" after the company announced it was scaling back its UK business. The Swedish group yesterday said it was looking to axe 247 jobs in its UK arm.

Inside

WICED centre moves closer THE developers of Liverpool's proposed pounds 5.3m women's enterprise centre unveil the first images of the scheme. PAGE 2 Green shoots WIRRAL farmer Andrew Pimbley backs Daily Post and Business Link campaign.

Skype Stake Sold

INTERNET auction site eBay has announced plans to sell a 65% stake in its online phone business Skype for around pounds 1.2bn. A group of private equity investors has agreed to buy the controlling shareholding in Skype, which allows people to make free or cheap voice and video calls on computers and mobile phones.

Executives Snap Up Top Uk Jobs

EXECUTIVE jobs in the UK are being snapped up twice as fast as those in the rest of Europe, with vacancies being filled within a month, new research has shown. Senior jobs in finance, the public sector and the media were among those being filled much quicker than a year ago, according to executive jobs website Experteer.

Progress On Global Centre for Women's Enterprise ; First Images of Pioneering Development

LIVERPOOL women's enterprise centre, Train 2000, has unveiled the first images of its proposed pounds 5.3m Women's International Centre for Economic Development (WICED). The organisation aims to unveil the new development in the city centre next year within the Baltic Triangle area, on the corner of St James Street and Norfolk Street.

New Poll Suggests End of Recession

BUSINESS confidence levels among North West professionals have shown a record rise. The latest Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Business Confidence Monitor (BCM) revealed a huge swing in confidence from -23.4 to +7.1 - the biggest quarterly improvement shown by the BCM and the first time the region has shown a positive response for two years.

Firm's 'Clever Chemicals' at the Heart of Modern Technology ; Alistair Houghton Meets Barry Leese, President of Bromborough Firm Safc Hitech

ALL entrepreneurs need to master the detail of their business - but Barry Leese has mastered his down to the last atom. Leese is president of SAFC Hitech, in Bromborough, which supplies "clever chemicals" to electronics manufacturers from Intel to Samsung.

Telent Signs Up with Merseyrail

TECHNOLOGY services company Telent has been awarded a contract by Merseyrail for the maintenance of its Station Information and Surveillance Systems (SISS) across 66 stations. The contract, which lasts for five years, will see Telent supporting all SISS assets across the network, including Public Help Points (PHPs), CCTV cameras, PA speakers, Customer Information Systems (CIS) and clocks.

Serco Clinches Government Deal Aimed at Reducing Jobless Levels

MERSEYRAIL joint operator Serco has clinched three new deals with the Government, worth up to pounds 500m. The international services provider will deliver the Government's Flexible New Deal initiative to support jobseekers in returning to and remaining in work.

How to Get Help

BUSINESS Link recognises that businesses don't just operate from nine-to-five. Its service can be accessed by telephone and email from 8am-8pm, Monday to Friday, as well as from 8am-2pm at weekends and Bank Holidays.

Farm Dreams Realised As Diversity Pays Dividends ; Business Link Broker 'Worth Weight in Gold'

FARMERS understand better than most the truth in the motto "reap what you sow", and Andrew Pimbley, of Claremont Farm Shop and Claremont Kitchen, in Wirral, is seeing the benefits of his hard work. The 250-acre farm in Bebington has been with his family for four generations but, in the last few years, Mr Pimbley has diversified the farm's output.

Chemical Skills

Developer Wins Approval for Boutique Hotel

PLANS to refurbish Hope Street's Hahnemann Building into a boutique hotel have been approved by Liverpool City Council. Maghull Developments, the developer behind the proposed pounds 80m investment in Liverpool's Hope Street, now has planning consent to convert the Hahnemann Building at 42 Hope Street and its neighbour, 58 Hope Street, into a four star 50-bedroom boutique hotel with bar, restaurant and day-spa.

Nichols Finance Director to Depart

VIMTO maker Nichols has announced the departure of its group finance director, Taylor Purkis. The Newton-le-Willows-based soft drinks firm announced that Mr Purkis will leave on September 7. Chief executive and former group finance director Brendan Hynes will step into the role until a replacement can be appointed.

Royal Liver Cuts Jobs and Slips Into Deficit ; Financial Group Hit by Recession

LIVERPOOL financial services group Royal Liver Assurance is axing jobs in a restructuring exercise that has already seen the departure of chief executive Steve Bur nett. Mr Burnett left the Pier Headbased firm last week, after seven years modernising the company.

Firm Rides to Success On the Back of Derek the Donkey

MEXICAN restaurant business Barburrito is planning to spend more than pounds 2.5m on an expansion plan that will see it open seven new stores. The company, which opened an outlet in Liverpool One last year, plans to open the new outlets within two years.

Smes Get Time to Pay Their Tax

RECORD numbers of small businesses in the North West are using a pioneering scheme to ease their tax burden in the recession, according to accountants and business advisors Beever and Struthers. In the past six months, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has secured almost 18,000 agreements with businesses throughout the region, worth some pounds 300m, for the time to pay arrangement scheme in its Business Payment Support Service.

Construction Giant Acquires Liverpool Firm ; We Can Move Up to Next Level, Says Rand Chief

INTERNATIONAL construction and building materials firm Aggregate Industries has completed the acquisition of a Liverpool-based company. Aggregate has bought civil engineering and road surfacing specialist, Rand Road Surfacing, for an undisclosed sum.

Tower Contract for Miko

COMMERCIAL coffee supplier Miko Northern has added tourist attraction Blackpool Tower to its growing client list. The Leigh-based enterprise has a threeyear agreement to supply coffee, tea and vending equipment to the North West landmark.