News & Features

Jul 2 2010

Public sector agencies and private firms in Bolton have been discussing the town's future, while reaffirming what they believe to be a strong base for education and manufacturing in the Northwest...

Jul 2 2010

Waves of applause have greeted news that a new Range Rover will create 1,000 new jobs at the marque's Merseyside plant in Halewood. The new Evoque, dubbed as the "greenest" Range...

Jul 1 2010

Workers at AstraZeneca's Wilmslow and Macclesfield facilities have been buoyed by the news that the firm's shares have surged to their highest level since 2006 following a multi-billion dollar court...

Jul 1 2010

A Northwest wireless internet provider is expecting to turn an annual profit for the first time after doubling revenues last year. Warrington-based Airangel has seen sales continuing to rise this ...

Jun 30 2010

Northwest-based company Byotrol has agreed a deal with US supermarket giant Wal-Mart to stock its anti-bacterial products. Byotrol's US subsidiary, Tink's, has received an order worth £92,000...

Jun 30 2010

A Northwest composting specialist has revealed a sharp rise in revenues as it begins to target fresh expansion in the second half of the year. TEG Group, based in Chorley, Lancashire, said that...

Jun 29 2010

UK Co-operatives have bucked the economic trend by boosting combined turnover by nearly 16% while the economy at large shrunk by 4.9%. Manchester-based Co-operative Group, which has a...

Jun 29 2010

Northwest retail giant Matalan has reaped the rewards of an ambitious investment programme which has helped operating profits increase by nearly a third over the past 12 months. The discount fashion...

Jun 29 2010

A Manchester-based data centre provider is to invest £2 million in expanding its overall site capacity. UK Grid, which also has a centre in London, has already started to expand its Science Park in...

Jun 29 2010

Liverpool's world famous docks have generated £150 million of inward investment over the past seven years, a leading maritime organisation said. Steady investment in the region from...

Jun 25 2010

Winning new contracts and launching a new range of products will help Northwest internet service provider Zen increase sales by almost 10% this year. The Rochdale-based company is...

Jun 25 2010

After securing a deal to partner an engineering company in Latvia, Northwest green power firm ENER-G has expanded its presence in Eastern Europe. Vega 1 is the latest addition to its Cogen...

Jun 24 2010

The Northwest will receive £8.1 million to help the growth of the region's food and drink sector. Around £4 million will come from the Northwest Regional Development Agency and private...

Jun 24 2010

Manchester-based gift and card retailer GettingPersonal has secured a £4 million private equity investment to bolster its expansion strategy. It has sold a minority stake to ISIS Equity Partners...

Jun 23 2010

The team behind Manchester Central Convention Complex is celebrating after being honoured with a top award. The centre was named UK Venue of the Year at the Association of Event ...

Jun 23 2010

A Manchester-based web hosting company is planning to launch interactive internet TV in the next 18 months, it said. UKFast will invest "several million" in the venture, founder Lawrence...

Jun 22 2010

A Northwest paper manufacturer has experienced a near 200% rise in profits boosted by strong expansion in its specialist papers division. Kendal-based James Cropper saw pre-tax profits jump...

Jun 22 2010

Manchester's Internet connectivity is now independent of London after Level 3 Communications invested in the city's connection. Level 3 supplies around 45 markets in Europe and can now seamlessly...

Jun 21 2010

Northwest organic composting business TEG Group has signed an £800,000 contract to handle food waste for a Welsh local authority. The Chorley firm said its TEG Environmental subsidiary has signed the deal with May Gurney...

Jun 21 2010

Businesses in the Northwest are preparing for a boost in trade as more visitors seem to be planning trips to the region this year, a tourism specialist has revealed. Enquiries about trips and activities have seen a 48% rise in the...

Jun 18 2010

A Northwest research school has been handed a key role in the global fight against infectious tropical diseases such as malaria. The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) has been...

Jun 18 2010

The battle for the £400 million contract to replace the Royal Liverpool University Hospital has begun, with some of the biggest players in the construction industry getting involved. Balfour Beatty...

Jun 17 2010

Six fund managers have been handed control of a £185 million funding pot for Northwest businesses. The Northwest Fund, previously known as the Venture Capital and Loan Fund, is the...

Jun 17 2010

Manchester-based Co-operative Group has announced its biggest ever payout to its members following a bumper performance in 2009. The group said it had ramped up dividend payments...

Jun 17 2010

Liverpool ONE has been awarded a prestigious environmental award for recycling 12 tonnes of oil from the centre's restaurants to fuel its fleet of estate vehicles. The shopping centre, one of the...

Jun 16 2010

The video games industry in the Northwest has received a boost after a £2 million contribution to a staff training scheme at Sony's game division from the Northwest Regional Development Agency...

Jun 16 2010

A major funding boost may be awarded to the commercial district in Liverpool after plans to create a Business Improvement District (BID) were revealed. The Liverpool Commercial District Partnership...

Jun 15 2010

A Northwest firm has developed a self publishing 'app' for the Apple iPad. The app, developed by YUDU Media in Clitheroe, enables publishers to reproduce their printed content on the iPad and...

Jun 15 2010

A Preston firm which specialises in ecologically sound plant fertilisers has enjoyed a year of growth fuelled by license agreement payments and strong sales. Bamber Bridge-based Plant...

Jun 15 2010

The Northwest outperformed the rest of England in May, despite a national slowdown in economic growth, according to figures commissioned by the country's regional development agencies...

Jun 11 2010

Northwest-based biotechnology company Gentronix has raised £610,000 with a rights issue in an effort to speed up its growth. The firm, which supplies kits to the pharmaceutical industry, has made...

Jun 11 2010

A Salford construction company which has defied the recession by taking on more employees is on course to increase its turnover this year, bosses have said. Manchester & Cheshire Construction...

Jun 10 2010

Manchester University spin-out company Nanoco has agreed a deal to supply special film used in solar panels to a Japanese manufacturer. The contract is Nanoco's first commercial deal in...

Jun 10 2010

JD Sports Fashion has unveiled another strong set of sales figures with demand for World Cup merchandise boosting the retail chain's performance. The group revealed a 5.1% rise in like-for-like...

Jun 9 2010

Latest figures on the Grants for Business Investment (GBI) scheme in the Northwest have shown that 61 companies in the region benefited from major funding last year. The data from the...

Jun 9 2010

The former chief executive of the Manchester Investment Development Agency Service (MIDAS) has told the city's business leaders that the area is "best placed" to maximise future...

Jun 8 2010

Northwest-based car manufacturer Bentley has reported a slight increase in UK sales during May, after registering five consecutive months of double-digit increases. The Crewe-based firm sold 73...

Jun 8 2010

X Factor winner Leona Lewis has announced this year's Mobo Awards will be held in Liverpool. The awards will be held on October 20 at the Liverpool Echo Arena...

Jun 7 2010

A new study has revealed "buoyant" trading conditions among manufacturers, with firms in the Northwest among those benefiting from a rising demand in overseas and UK markets. According to the Engineering Employers Federation...

Jun 7 2010

Eight high-tech companies have set up offices at the Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus in the last two months, it has been revealed. The firms range from local start-ups to multinationals and come from a number...

Jun 4 2010

University Hospital South Manchester (UHSM) is to receive a prestigious Carbon Trust award which makes it one of the most environmentally-friendly hospitals in the UK. Health chiefs are to take...

Jun 4 2010

Two Northwest-based companies have been awarded bronze medals for manufacturing excellence at a prestigious awards ceremony in the US. Organisers of the annual Shingo conference said BAE Systems...

Jun 3 2010

Chester's economy will be boosted by at least £1 million with a planned 350-seat open air theatre, according to Cheshire West and Chester Council. The council, which has invested £100,000...

Jun 3 2010

Liverpool-based Real Good Food Company remains confident for the year ahead, buoyed by improved sales and profits. The food supplier - which operates Renshaw Napier and dessert maker...

Jun 2 2010

A Northwest pharmaceutical group has enjoyed a 30% hike in profits over the past year as it continues its European expansion plans. Chester-based IS Pharma revealed a 17% rise in revenues to £14.2 million for the year to the end...

Jun 2 2010

The Northwest is second only to London when it comes to attracting foreign investment, statistics have shown. Ernst & Young's latest European Attractiveness Survey found that the region had drawn in 38 new projects...

Jun 1 2010

Inward investment body Invest Wirral has helped timber wholesaler Finsa set up its first UK shop which sells direct to the public. The Spain-based group transports material into Birkenhead's Vittoria Dock...

Jun 1 2010

A £12 million development at Lancashire County Cricket Club's Old Trafford ground can attract corporate business events from all over the UK when it opens in three weeks' time, its sales manager...

May 29 2010

Manchester Business School has won two national awards after joining with NHS officials for a project that helped save a health trust more than £1 million. Researchers from the school helped reduce...

May 28 2010

The part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland has announced it will open another office at its Hardman Boulevard site in...

May 28 2010

Northwest company Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has bucked the economic downturn to post profits of £32 million, marking a remarkable comeback from this time last year. The results were...

May 28 2010

A Northwest business tourism award has been won by convention and conference venue Manchester Central. The result was announced by Manchester actor and comedian John Thomson...

May 28 2010

The part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland has announced it will open another office at its Hardman Boulevard site in Spinningfields, Manchester. The new centre will support the RBS Group's...

May 27 2010

Manchester inward investment agency MIDAS shattered its own record for job creation last year, figures have revealed, directly contributing to 3,600 new positions. Despite stormy trading...

May 27 2010

PZ Cussons opened its £6 million global headquarters by Manchester Airport by inviting more than 100 civic dignitaries and top business people to its new office. The firm, which has relocated from Stockport...

May 26 2010

Land Rover workers in Merseyside are celebrating as the 200,000th Freelander 2 rolls off the production line at its Halewood plant near Liverpool. Production of the vehicles began at the site in...

May 26 2010

A Manchester telecoms firm which provides business-to-business communication products has witnessed an 11.8% rise in profits. Unicom operations director Chris Earle said profits are expected to...

May 25 2010

The Liverpool One retail outlet has sold more than £2.2 billion of goods in the past 12 months, it has been revealed. Centre owners said that visitor numbers had also increased from 20 million in 2008...

May 25 2010

Blackburn-based education technology firm Promethean has agreed a £40 million credit facility with Lloyds TSB Corporate Market as an aid to its future growth. Promethean - which was floated...

May 24 2010

The first stage of a new project to promote Manchester via digital channels has been launched, in the form of a website offering information to tourists. Visitmanchester.com will provide...

May 24 2010

Blackpool's promotion to the Barclays Premier League will provide a spin-off benefit for the seaside resort's economy, business chiefs have said. The football club will receive an income boost of...

May 21 2010

A science centre in Manchester is to receive more than £3 million of funding from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)...

May 20 2010

An independent report evaluating the impact of a Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) trade initiative has labelled it a resounding success. In its report, DTZ found that the NWDA's...

May 20 2010

Parcel2Go, a delivery firm based in Bolton, has said its annual turnover has increased by 40% because of increased internet shopping and last year's strikes by postal workers. The firm said sales reached...

May 19 2010

An increase in demand has led to a doubling in capacity of the Peel Ports container barge which runs between Liverpool and Manchester, according to business publication Crain's. For the first time...

May 19 2010

The Manchester-based Co-operative Bank has announced it is to invest hundreds of millions of pounds this year in renewable energy. It will lend £200 million to companies in the renewable...

May 18 2010

Sales for Trafford Park-based tool and equipment supplier HSS Hire have risen by 11% to £41.9 million in the first quarter of 2010, it has been announced. The same period last year saw a 20% fall and the company...

May 18 2010

A two-wheel drive version of the new compact Range Rover is to be produced by 4x4 manufacturer Land Rover. The company - which has a vehicle production plant at Halewood in Merseyside...

May 18 2010

The future of a Northwest call centre has been secured after an outsourcing company purchased the facility which employs 600 staff. Vodafone's Warrington call centre will be owned and run by...

May 17 2010

Manchester's reputation as being an attractive inward investment location has been reinforced by a study ranking it as the most competitive city for business in Europe. The Northwest city is ranked...

May 14 2010

BAE Systems will use a plant in the Northwest to carry out some of the work included in a five-year £150 million deal it has agreed with Eurofighter. The company's plant in Warton, near Preston, will help provide...

May 14 2010

A bid to secure control of a £50 million spending pot for regeneration projects across the Northwest has been launched by a consortium led by local authorities in Greater Manchester. The EU funding is part of the Northwest's...

May 13 2010

A major Northwest bakery which started life in a two-room terraced house more than 60 years ago has created 100 new jobs following a £2 million expansion project. GH Sheldon, better known by supermarket shoppers as the baker...

May 13 2010

Trinity Mirror's £7.4 million deal to buy the Manchester Evening News and a number of sister titles has generated £6 million in revenue since it went ahead in March. The company, which also owns the Daily Mirror, the People...

May 12 2010

Listed property developer Development Securities has secured a deal worth more than £62 million to purchase the Manchester Evening News Arena. The 20,000-seat venue was on the market for 10 months before regional landlord...

May 12 2010

Tight cost controls and new contract wins are behind a 53% rise in annual profits at Northwest transport giant Stobart, the company has announced. The group bucked the economic difficulties to increase profits from...

May 11 2010

Northwest car dealership and parts supplier Lookers has enjoyed great success this financial year and expects its six-month figures to surpass its own forecasts. The Manchester-based group described its performance so far this financial year...

May 11 2010

A development which will regenerate New Brighton's Promenade on Merseyside in has received a £24 million funding boost for the commercial area of the scheme. Neptune Wirral Limited, founded and chaired by Peter Hynd...

May 10 2010

Output and employment growth rose in the Northwest last month, figures have revealed, with the region easily outperforming the rest of the country. Financial information company Markit said its PMI figures showed that while...

May 10 2010

A £50 million sportswear distribution centre the size of 11 football pitches is set to bring 200 jobs to Greater Manchester. Retailer JD Sports Fashion will house its new 616,000sq ft centre on Rochdale's Kingsway Business Park...

May 7 2010

ITV has seen its group revenues increase by £25 million in the first three months of the year. Group revenues at the broadcaster were up 6% year-on-year to £450 million, while broadcasting and online revenue also grew...

May 7 2010

Entrepreneurs and businesses are being offered the chance to get their ideas developed through a project run by the University of Salford's business department. Innovation Bazaar is designed to promote new ways of...

May 6 2010

Exchange Chambers, a barristers' group based in the Northwest, has reported a record £21.7 million turnover for 2009-10. The results were £3.7 million up on its target for the year and exceeded the previous year's turnover of £18.8 million...

May 5 2010

Private jet firm NetJets Europe has revealed a surge in business at Manchester Airport has helped the company increase volumes by 20% so far this year. The airport, already the company's busiest hub outside...

May 5 2010

The developing Media City UK at Salford Quays, which will become Europe's largest purpose-built media centre upon completion, has become home to a radio and TV content producer. Made in Manchester has moved from its...

May 4 2010

Manchester-based law firm DLA Piper has revealed it recorded more than £1 billion-worth of transactions in the first quarter of the year. Bosses at the firm said the work carried out included...

May 4 2010

Manchester has been recognised as one of the best places to live and work in the country. A study shows the city is one of the top three places to do business in the UK, while its residents are also some of the happiest...

Apr 30 2010

Manchester is in the running for a new European call centre for Middle East airline Etihad. The city is up against Dublin and Brussels for the centre, which would create 200 jobs...

Apr 30 2010

A new survey has revealed that franchise businesses delivered a £1.3 billion boost to the Northwest's economy last year. What's more, 11% of the UK's franchises are now situated in the Northwest...

Apr 29 2010

A Lancashire firm that provides fitted bedrooms and kitchens is expanding as it aims to achieve a £25m turnover this year.Betta Living, whose biggest showroom is in Stockport, Manchester...

Apr 29 2010

An Eccles-based waste management firm is ploughing £3m into a new division aimed at creating "green" fuel. White Group, owned by former Manchester City player David White, will spend the cash on a site to convert commercial...

Apr 28 2010

Manchester has started a month-long promotion of British carmaker Jaguar by temporarily renaming its Spinningfields business development 'Jaguarfields' throughout May.Members of the public will be able sit in the manufacturer's flagship XJ saloon model...

Apr 28 2010

Northwest-based engineering group Engenda has bought two companies as part of its ongoing expansion plans. The firm, the latest venture from Les O'Hare, the previous owner of O'Hare Engineering...

Apr 27 2010

Strengthening property market recovery has led Flintshire-based housebuilder Redrow to predict a return to profit for the first time in three years. The group predicts an increase in sales in 2010...

Apr 27 2010

The planned redevelopment of public spaces and buildings at a number of significant sites across Manchester has been a key component in allowing the city to break free from the grip of recession, a survey has found...

Apr 26 2010

TV viewers in Thailand and Taiwan will be able to catch up with Coronation Street antics after ITV announced plans to increase its Asian distribution. Northwest-based broadcaster ITV Studios Global Entertainment said Granada TV...

Apr 26 2010

The top 10 wealthiest people in the Northwest are worth a mind-boggling £13.48 billion, but half of this mountain of cash is held by just one man, the Sunday Times Rich List has revealed. The Duke of Westminster, who is based at Eaton Hall...

Apr 23 2010

Crewe car manufacturer Bentley is designing two new models especially for the Chinese market in a bid to drive up sales in the Far East. Based in the Northwest, which accounts for 12% of the UK's car output...

Apr 23 2010

BBC Director-General Mark Thompson has visited Salford Quays' MediaCityUK and revealed that BBC Radio 5 Live's move to the Northwest is on budget and on schedule...

Apr 22 2010

AMEC's nuclear division, based in the Northwest, has secured a support contract for four new EDF-built power stations.The 11-year deal, the value of which was not disclosed, will see the Knutsford arm of the company carry out project,...

Apr 22 2010

Organisers of Liverpool's exhibition at the World Expo in Shanghai say they are all set for next week's launch.The city, the only in the UK with a dedicated pavilion at the showcase, spent £1.1 million on the drive, which aims to "shine a...

Apr 21 2010

The work of three Northwest companies has been recognised by the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2010.Applied Language Solutions in Oldham, Prism Ideas in Nantwich and Dunphy Combustion in Rochdale all scooped awards which celebrate...

Apr 21 2010

The Northwest has a key role to play in convincing FIFA chiefs that England is the right place to host the 2018 World Cup, the leader of the bid committee has said.Oldham-born Andy Anson, who is running the bid, said Manchester and...

Apr 20 2010

A Northwest-based industrial seals business has been acquired by a US engineering group for £35 million.The New York Stock Exchange-listed company Idex Corporation bought Seals, based in Blackburn, which has a turnover of £21m. Seals will...

Apr 20 2010

Manchester-based public relations companies Euro RScG Biss Lancaster (ERBL) and PAPR have won prestigious contracts with inward investment agency Midas.The deal will see PARP look after the organisation's property interests, while ERBL...

Apr 19 2010

Northwest-based tile and shower maker Norcros is preparing for a full-year loss, but expects to beat analysts' forecasts after its UK operations held up well.The company, which owns the Triton shower brand and Johnson Tiles, expects a...

Apr 19 2010

Revenues at the Manchester-based Individual Restaurant Company (IRC) climbed 1.3% last year, well above expectations during a difficult trading period, the firm said.While profits fell from £1.8 million in 2008 to £1.3 million, finance...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester plans to reduce carbon emissions by 41 per cent by 2020 to help fight climate change, the city council has announced. The carbon cuts were revealed in a new public plan, entitled Manchester: A Certain Future, which was...

Apr 19 2010

The first views of Manchester's proposed 'green' housing complex around Piccadilly Station were revealed this week. The development includes zero-carbon 'green' housing for 5,000 civil servants from across the city and those...

Apr 19 2010

Plans to build a Royal Opera House at Manchester's Palace Theatre are one step closer after 'a very positive meeting' among council and cultural chiefs of Manchester and Salford. Bosses at the city's existing arts and performing...

Apr 19 2010

Fast-track electrification of a high speed rail link between Liverpool, Manchester and Preston was given the go ahead by chancellor Alistair Darling in Wednesday's pre-Budget report. Transport secretary Lord Adonis is expected to...

Apr 19 2010

Plans for Manchester's new MediaCity are expanding to include a £1 million centre for the video game industry, the government announced. The government will back the new 'centre of excellence', which it said will stimulate the...

Apr 19 2010

Stagecoach Manchester will spend a total of £8.5 million to upgrade and 'green' its fleet of coaches. Stagecoach is spending £5.7 million of company money to buy 30 double-decker hybrid busses, which it said will cut harmful...

Apr 19 2010

Plans for a new Kirkby town centre are back on the table after original designs for an Everton stadium, giant Tesco store and retail park were aborted last month. Phil Woolas, the northwest minister, met with Knowsley council...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester city council is calling for a "high speed rail revolution" to increase efficiency and reduce CO2 pollution throughout the UK. On the first day of the Copenhagen climate summit, France, Spain and Germany joined HSR\\UK, a...

Apr 19 2010

In the run up to Wednesday's pre-Budget report, northwest business leaders have called on Alistair Darling to help ease the tax burden on small businesses. The Cheshire-based Forum of Private Business (FPB) said the government should...

Apr 19 2010

The UK division of Danish maritime safety firm, Viking, is opening a Liverpool branch to service the waterfront city's maritime clients. The new office will provide a range of maritime products to Liverpool customers including life...

Apr 19 2010

Businesses and residents of MediaCityUK will have access to a state-of-the-art high speed communications network when the first phase of the £500 million complex opens in 2011. A £15 million, five-year contract was awarded today...

Apr 19 2010

Schoolchildren crossed a new bridge this morning reconnecting the Cumbrian town of Workington after floods washed away its Northside Bridge last month. Workington's Barker Crossing was named in honour of local policeman PC Bill...

Apr 19 2010

The Manchester Fort Shopping Park has a new owner today following a £101 million deal managed by Henderson Global Investors on behalf of its UK retail Warehouse Fund. The retail park was previously owned by Liverpool-based...

Apr 19 2010

Dalton Nuclear Institute is getting a government cash infusion as the UK looks to secure a future of civil nuclearenergy. Business secretary Lord Mandelson and chancellor Alistair Darling announced the University of Manchester...

Apr 19 2010

Business telecoms provider Elite Telecom announced the acquisition of Dorset-based firm Can Networks in a deal expected to deliver an additional £8.5m in revenue over the next five years. Merseyside company Elite provides telecom...

Apr 19 2010

The inaugural Liverpool Boat Show won't kick off until spring 2011 but organisers and city officials are already tallying up how much revenue the city can expect. Rob Mackenzie, the managing director of Marine Industry Events...

Apr 19 2010

New supermarket chain Asco will open the first of its 11 planned stores across the northwest on Saturday. The 11,000 sq ft store in Warrington sits in the former Woolworths building and has created 65 jobs for the area. Asco head...

Apr 19 2010

The ICE NW believes plans to harness energy from the River Mersey can 'significantly' help the UK meet strict environmental targets, according to the Liverpool Echo. Port of Liverpool owner Peel Holdings has joined with the...

Apr 19 2010

After being hit by devastating floods in November, Cumbria's tourism board wants potential visitors to know that the region is back open for business. NWDA offered a £1 million Flood Recovery Grants package to help small businesses...

Apr 19 2010

A software firm based in Cheshire is set to make record profits this year after completing a major move to new headquarters, the Manchester Evening News reports today (December 1st). Version One recently relocated a short distance...

Apr 19 2010

Enterprises across the UK, including those in the northwest, are more confident about the state of the economy than they have been at any point in the past two years. That is according to the latest Business in Britain report...

Apr 19 2010

Rail passengers in the northwest will benefit from greener, more comfortable and reliable journeys, transport secretary Lord Adonis has said. Lord Adonis announced details of the £200 million plan that will electrify three major rail...

Apr 19 2010

Property developers Peel Group has announced what it calls the largest planning application in the UK as part of its £4.5 billion Wirral Waters development scheme in Merseyside. The East Float development incorporates 1.4 million sq...

Apr 19 2010

Northwest businesses remained optimistic over the last three months about the future of the economy, the UK Business Confidence Monitor released by the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW) showed. Companies are starting to look...

Apr 12 2010

Hicks and Gillett would each reduce their shareholding in the club to 30% if they accept the deal

Apr 19 2010

Manchester's Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) have pledged to work together to help deliver "much-needed" new housing during the economic downturn. Instead of local...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool merchants got an early Christmas gift last week as consumers flooded into shopping centres and high street retailers. The Liverpool One shopping centre had its best-ever week in the seven days to Sunday, reported the...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester-based private equity firm Zeus is reportedly mulling plans to sell London telecoms firm XLN after receiving several offers for the business. A source told Crains Manchester Business that the firm had been approached a...

Apr 19 2010

Cumbria is open for business once again following November's floods, according to business secretary Lord Mandelson. The politician is visiting the northwest county to see how businesses are coping in the wake of the natural...

Apr 19 2010

Cumbria's nuclear industry is to be given another boost when engineering firm James Fisher Nuclear Services builds a new test centre in the county. The company has hired local group Kier Construction to design and build the £1.5...

Apr 19 2010

Plans have been unveiled to make Liverpool city centre a safe and vibrant place for people to live, work and visit. Building on the city's recent successes, the five-year strategy will bring together the city council, local police,...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester has moved up into the top 20 for the first time in the IBM global business investment league. The northwest city is ranked 15th in the world for investment activity, beating the likes of Frankfurt and Chicago. According...

Apr 19 2010

A new virtual engineering centre is to be built at Daresbury Laboratory, near Warrington, bringing a substantial boost to the region's economy. The £5.3 million institute will be led by the University of Liverpool and will support...

Apr 19 2010

A new project offering super-fast broadband to homes and businesses is to be launched in Manchester. Geo has been appointed to build the network, which will be examined closely by the government as it looks to deploy...

Apr 19 2010

William Hague has said that the Conservative Party would support a high speed rail link shortening journey times between London and the northwest. The former Tory leader told the Manchester Evening News that the plans, outlined last...

Apr 19 2010

A Manchester-based firm has won a government contract to build systems for the Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. Tyco will provide fixed fire fighting systems for the ships, which will form the cornerstone of...

Apr 19 2010

Scientists from the University of Manchester have been carrying out clinical trials into the effectiveness of two new psoriasis drugs. The prescription medicines are designed to treat patients with moderate to severe forms of the...

Apr 19 2010

Proposals have been unveiled for the development of Carlisle's historic centre, with new footpaths and artistic seating forming part of the plans. Cumbria County Council said the scheme will improve pedestrian access and attract more...

Apr 19 2010

The development of a fibre optic broadband network in Manchester has been hailed as a "significant move by the city". Dan Grabham, editor of TechRadar.com, said it is also a clever decision, as it will attract inward investment to...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool's commercial district is to undergo a series of improvements to its roads and footpaths thanks to a £4 million investment. The city council said work would start on the areas around Old Hall Street and Dale Street in March...

Apr 19 2010

Lancaster University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) to collaborate on a number of areas relating to environmental sciences. Under the deal, the two institutions will work to...

Apr 12 2010

The Atlantic Gateway strategy aims to create 250,000 jobs in Manchester, Liverpool and the surrounding region

Apr 19 2010

Manchester has become the first city in the north of England to win a safe night life award from the Association of Town Centre Management (ATCM). The Purple Flag accolade recognises Manchester's efforts in ensuring that visitors...

Apr 19 2010

A company in Cumbria has made a breakthrough in insulation technology with the development of a new method to produce insulation blocks for buildings. Using waste carpet wool, Second Nature, from Dacre near Penrith, has been able to...

Apr 19 2010

A researcher from the University of Manchester has been chosen to act as the government's new dementia tsar. The Department of Health said Professor Alistair Burns will become national clinical director for dementia, promoting better...

Apr 19 2010

The Arndale Market in Manchester has been named one of the best markets in the UK alongside those in London and Belfast. Citing its high quality retail outlets and its extensive food hall offering, the Guardian travel guide puts it in...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool will be helping to deliver training, volunteer and employment opportunities in sport after securing a grant from Sport England. The £80,000 sum will be used to fund the Step for Sport project, helping individuals and...

Apr 19 2010

Businesses and members of the public are being invited to submit their views on new plans to develop a city centre campus for civil servants in Manchester. As part of the city's ambition to bring 24,000 civil service posts to the...

Apr 19 2010

A marine company from Cumbria has made a multi-million pound acquisition that will allow it to continue its geographic expansion into the Asia Pacific region. James Fisher and Sons, which is based in Barrow-in-Furness, said its...

Apr 19 2010

A retail park in Carlisle may be revamped soon if plans are given the go ahead by city councillors this week. According to the News and Star, a multi-million pound redevelopment of St Nicholas Gate is being put forward to breathe new...

Apr 19 2010

The planned route for a new bridge across the River Derwent in Cumbria has been revealed by the local council. Northside Bridge in Workington collapsed when the county was hit by devastating floods in November 2009. Cumbria County...

Apr 19 2010

Researchers from the University of Manchester are taking part in a new European Union (EU) project aimed at boosting support for HIV sufferers in southern Africa. The programme is being led by a consortium of institutions and...

Apr 19 2010

Scientists from the University of Liverpool have made a significant breakthrough in the treatment of diarrhoea caused by rotavirus in the developing world. They have discovered that by using a rotavirus vaccine developed...

Apr 19 2010

A company specialising in the recycling of electronic goods is relocating to the northwest and opening an industrial plant near Salford next month. According to Crain's Manchester Business, Nulife Glass will be using the site to...

Apr 19 2010

An international design competition has been launched to redevelop St Peter's Square in Manchester and transform it into an attractive public space. Organised by Manchester City Council, it is open to design teams with a strong track...

Apr 19 2010

A £6 million scheme is being launched to revamp Liverpool's Mount Pleasant corridor and attract visitors to the area. Due to begin in March, the project will deliver a series of improvements to roads and public footpaths and create a...

Apr 19 2010

The northwest is outperforming other UK regions in terms of exports, according to new figures from NatWest and the Royal Bank of Scotland. They show that the value of exports by northwest firms rose by 14 per cent between the second...

Apr 19 2010

Inspectors have finished examining Cumbria's bridges following the flooding that affected the county in November. According to the BBC, more than 1,200 bridges have been checked over to make sure their structures have not been...

Apr 19 2010

A property developer is hoping to build a major business park in south Cumbria, bringing jobs and new business opportunities to the region. According to the Westmorland Gazette, John Asplin from Time and Tide wants to create a green...

Apr 19 2010

Plans for a £100 million hospital in west Cumbria have been submitted the Copeland Borough Council after years in the making. According to the News and Star, the proposed site sits next to the existing West Cumberland Hospital in...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester's efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions have been praised by the government, which has chosen the northwest city to pioneer and test new local carbon frameworks. It will join eight other local authorities across the...

Apr 19 2010

Councillors in Liverpool have published a new plan for future development in the northwest city. The Core Strategy, which is up for public consultation, sets out Liverpool City Council's vision over the next 15 years. It includes...

Apr 19 2010

Scientists from the University of Manchester have made a new discovery that could aid the development of cancer treatments in the future. Dr Joerg Hartkamp and Dr Stefan Roberts found that an enzyme called HtrA2 can be used to clean...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester's Science Festival has been praised by science and innovation minister Lord Drayson, who said the event helps to bring the subject to a wider audience. The 2009 festival was named the most popular event of its kind in the...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester has been named as the destination for the 2011 census operations site, which will be the largest data scanning centre in Europe. Up to 1,300 new jobs are expected to be created at the site in Trafford, where figures from...

Apr 19 2010

Scientists from the University of Liverpool have made a medical breakthrough with a treatment for sufferers of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). The team, from the Pain Research Institute, found that by treating the immune...

Apr 19 2010

Despite the economic downturn, demand for commercial property in Manchester has held up in the last year. According to figures from CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), take up of city centre office space was 830,000 square feet in 2009. This...

Apr 19 2010

A company based in Cumbria has been awarded a contract by the Australian Navy to supply LED lighting for its Collins Class submarine. Oxley Developments said the £270,000 deal helps to boost its expansion strategy, providing lighting...

Apr 19 2010

A TV advertising campaign aimed at boosting Lake District tourism has been launched by the Lakes Hospitality Association and Windermere Lakes Cruises. According to the Westmorland Gazette, the ads will be shown in the Yorkshire and...

Apr 19 2010

Scientists at Lancaster University have teamed up with television producers from the BBC to share their knowledge of crop production. The broadcaster has been working on a spin-off series of the reality TV programme Jimmy's Farm,...

Apr 19 2010

The government has approved £4.6 million in funding to pay for a new road bridge across the River Derwent in Cumbria. Transport minister Sadiq Khan said the crossing should be open by May this year and will replace the bridge...

Apr 19 2010

Shoppers in the Lake District are offered a better deal than many other rural communities, according to a new survey. The Lake District National Park (LDNP) said that thanks to the region's successful tourism industry, residents enjoy...

Apr 19 2010

Shadow chancellor George Osborne has praised businesses in the northwest, claiming they are vital to a thriving UK economy. According to the Westmorland Gazette, the Conservative politician visited Cumbria to take a tour of the...

Apr 19 2010

Scientists from the University of Manchester have made an important discovery that could help meet the need for renewable energy resources in the future. They have identified two genes that make plants grow outwards as well as...

Apr 19 2010

A medical supplies and research company from the US has opened a new £4 million facility in the northwest. According to TheBusinessDesk, Thermo Fisher Scientific has created a centre of excellence near Runcorn in Cheshire, creating...

Apr 19 2010

Scientists from the University of Lancaster are working to develop a blood test that will detect the onset of Parkinson's Disease. Led by Dr Penny Foulds, the team are falling on local residents who have recently been diagnosed with...

Apr 19 2010

Scientists from the University of Manchester are set to make an important contribution to greener transport with a new project. A team of eight academics, led by Professor George Thompson from the School of Materials, are developing a...

Apr 19 2010

The northwest's reputation as a location for businesses to flourish has been enhanced by the number of budding entrepreneurs taking advantage of a business support agency. According to the Liverpool Daily Post, nearly 2,500...

Apr 19 2010

Scientists from the University of Manchester have found a way to degrade plastics used in furniture, shoe soles and cable insulation on compost heaps. Dr Geoff Robinson and his team at the Faculty of Life Sciences discovered that a...

Apr 19 2010

A new £16 million centre is to be built in Manchester to support the growth of the northwest's nuclearenergy industry. Funded in part by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, the Centre for NuclearEnergy Technology will help to...

Apr 19 2010

The University of Manchester is leading a new project that aims to develop green manufacturing methods for the chemical industry. Led by Professor Nick Turner, the team will work with microbiologists, enzymologists, chemists and...

Apr 19 2010

Two new regeneration projects are set to get underway in the northwest following backing from Salford City Council. Both schemes are set to take place in Eccles town centre, with PBN Holdings wanting to rejuvenate its West One...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester's telecommunications sector has received a boost after Unicom announced new expansion plans. The Northenden-based company is planning to create 200 new positions, 30 of which will be based at its northwest...

Apr 19 2010

The northwest is set to receive an engineering jobs boost thanks to a new wave of funding from the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA). BCW Engineering, based in Burnley, has received a £75,000 grant from the organisation, which will...

Apr 19 2010

Businesses from across the UK could be encouraged to host exhibitions and conferences at Liverpool's BT Convention Centre thanks to a new interactive display. Design communications company Splinter, which is based in the northwest...

Apr 19 2010

The potential of the northwest as a retail hub has been realised thanks to the success of Liverpool One, which is almost fully occupied. According to the Liverpool Daily Post, the £1 billion development is now 97 per cent full, a...

Apr 19 2010

Business minister Lord Young has praised the apprenticeship programmes and graduate opportunities being offered by employers in the northwest. During a visit to the business premises of Marl International in Ulverston, the politician...

Apr 19 2010

A global transportation company has highlighted the commercial opportunities available in Liverpool by choosing to expand its operations in the city. NYK, which operates more than 770 cargo ships worldwide, is doubling the number of...

Apr 19 2010

The University of Manchester has been awarded an innovation grant of almost £16,000 to carry out research into Parkinson's disease. Dr Shaheen Hamdy and his team will use the cash, from the Parkinson's Disease Society, to investigate...

Apr 19 2010

One of the UK's biggest manufacturers is showing off its latest technologies at an international conference in India. BAE Systems, which is the world's second largest defence contractor and has facilities at Samlesbury in Lancashire,...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool University will be one of the key members of the knowledge sector at the World Expo 2010, which is to take place in Shanghai, China, from May to October. The event will see the institution join forces with others from...

Apr 12 2010

Preston-based TEG Group has one of its 'most successful' years in 2009 as it saw turnover increase 21% to £15.4m

Apr 19 2010

Cities in the northwest will soon enjoy improved rail services under new plans unveiled by Network Rail. Manchester and Liverpool will both benefit from better stations and quicker, more efficient services under the £530 million...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester's residents will come out in force to celebrate the city this summer in what will be the first event of its kind.The city's council has organised Manchester Day for June 20th. Based on New York's world famous Thanksgiving Day...

Apr 19 2010

The regeneration of an area of Liverpool city centre received a boost yesterday after planning permission was granted by Liverpool Council.Developers Merepark had been seeking permission for the final part of the £160 million Central...

Apr 19 2010

Apr 19 2010

Jobs at Vauxhall's main UK production plant are safe, the car manufacturer's owner General Motors has announced. The company is also planning to increase production at the plant, which currently assembles the Vauxhall Astra model,...

Apr 19 2010

Danish meat company Tulip is set to build a new factory in the Wirral after it secured a grant from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), the Liverpool Daily Post reports. The new production facility, which will be located...

Apr 19 2010

Work has officially begun on the development of a new £40 million retail centre in the east of Manchester. The project will see a 250,000-sq-ft retail district built in the heart of Openshaw, with the development set to create...

Apr 19 2010

Corporate meeting and conferencing venues in Cheshire have benefitted from investment totalling some £85 million over the course of 2009, it has been revealed. According to newly-released figures from Visit Chester & Cheshire, the...

Apr 19 2010

The UK's self-proclaimed 'fastest-growing' technology company the Daisy Group has announced plans for the further expansion of its operations in the northwest of England. The communications firm, which has already acquired three...

Apr 19 2010

Hundreds of new jobs look set to be created in the east of Lancashire as interest in the northwest's newest business park heats up. With work on the £68 million Burnley Bridge park, located just off the M65 in Hapton, coming to an...

Apr 19 2010

The northwest could be the future site of nuclear power plants after a survey revealed nearly two-thirds of people in the region support it. A YouGov poll, commissioned by French energy giants EDF, showed support for nuclear...

Apr 19 2010

Lancaster University has been credited as number one in the north of England for graduate jobs by the latest Sunday Times University Guide. The guide ranked the university 13th overall with 81.5 per cent of Lancaster graduates...

Apr 19 2010

A new centre for health science has been officially opened by the University of Manchester. The Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC) will conduct research into a wide range of health issues with the aim of becoming "a...

Apr 19 2010

Plans to carry out the most ambitious regeneration project ever seen in the UK will not be affected by the current recession, it has been claimed. Under the proposals due to be submitted for planning permission by Peel Holdings, the...

Apr 19 2010

Cheshire boasts one of the highest concentrations of high-growth businesses in the whole of the UK, a new report has concluded. According to research carried out by Winning Pitch, six per cent of small-to-medium-sized enterprises...

Apr 19 2010

Businesses in the northwest of England are coping with the national downturn in the commercial property sector better than the rest of the UK, newly-released figures suggest. According to research carried out for the latest CBI/GVA...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool's profile as a centre for leading scientific research has been further boosted with the news that Sir David King has been appointed as the new chancellor of the city's main university. Sir David will assume the role on the...

Apr 19 2010

Teenagers aged between 14 and 19 years-old have been urged to take part in a new survey that could help plan future development of the northwest. Phil Woolas, minister for the region, is calling on its young people to take part in...

Apr 19 2010

One of the northwest's leading sandwich chains says it wants to create hundreds of new jobs in Greater Manchester over the coming years. Baguette Express is aiming to fill 750 additional positions over the next five years, Crain's...

Apr 19 2010

A new nuclear power station could be built near Heysham in Lancashire as the government seeks to implement alternative energy sources. Lord Hunt, minister for energy and climate change, said that Britain needs to...

Apr 19 2010

The number of destinations within reach of Liverpool John Lennon Airport is set to increase next summer. This is thanks to low-cost airline easyJet, which is launching a new route to Malta on June 13th. Two flights a week will operate...

Apr 19 2010

A Salford Quays-based mobile telecommunications company has issued a positive outlook after revealing that its pre-tax profits before impairment charges increased by 11 per cent. In the 12 months to August 31st, 2ergo Group saw its...

Apr 19 2010

Business rates are set to drop for 60 per cent of businesses in the north-west following a revaluation, the government has announced. There will also be a £2 billion relief scheme put in place to ease the cost for those businesses...

Apr 19 2010

Labour will make a pledge to build a multi-billion pound high-speed rail link between London and the north in its election manifesto, the Independent has reported. Although it is not yet clear which cities the new line will stop in,...

Apr 19 2010

The annual exhibition and conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has been hailed as a success after being held in Manchester for the first time. The event, which has been organised annually by the...

Apr 19 2010

A National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering been given government backing and could be built in the northwest, the transport secretary has announced. Andrew Adonis said that the Department for Transport (DfT) would work...

Apr 19 2010

The northwest's student accommodation market is attracting increased levels of investment from institutional investors. This is according to Mark Allan, chief executive of Unite, who said in a trading update that investors were...

Apr 19 2010

The owner of northwest-based New Football Pools has said it wants to expand the business following talks with financiers. Sportech, which has its headquarters in Walton, wants to capitalise on international growth opportunities, the...

Apr 19 2010

Property development company Lovell has been appointed to build a new £3.5 million housing scheme in the Egremont region of Wirral. Cosmopolitan Housing Association chose the firm for the development, which involves delivery of 34...

Apr 19 2010

Northwest digital producers and agencies are being sought after by the BBC to create new content for the broadcaster. The corporation is looking for new and existing digital talent in the region to link up with when it moves some of...

Apr 19 2010

A Cheshire-based company is enjoying worldwide success on the back of a life-saving product it has developed. Medtrade, based in Crewe, are the inventors of Celox, which can be used to stop bleeding in life threatening...

Apr 19 2010

A prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize has been awarded to Lancaster University in recognition of its world-class research. Lancaster won the prize, for the third time in its history, for its development of water saving techniques...

Apr 19 2010

Two northwest cities have been praised for their efforts in improving their environmental sustainability. Manchester and Liverpool both made Forum for the Future's top 20 Sustainable Cities Index, coming in 14th and 15th...

Apr 12 2010

Manchester-based group The Co-operative has revealed revenues rose 31% to £13.7 billion last year.

Apr 19 2010

Manchester will become the new home of the National Football Museum after a decision was made to move the museum by its trustees. The world-famous gallery, which includes such artefacts as the 1966 World Cup final ball, will be housed...

Apr 19 2010

A new science lab worth millions of pounds will be built by the University of Liverpool after plans were approved yesterday (November 17th). Liverpool Council's planning committee has given the go-ahead for work to begin on the £90...

Apr 19 2010

A research and development (R&D) plant in Wirral is to receive £3.5 million of investment. US pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb will invest the money in an expansion of its lab in Moreton which currently employs around 100...

Apr 19 2010

Two experts at Manchester University have won funding to lead research into the world's rising economic powers. The grants are part of an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) programme which aims to research the social,...

Apr 19 2010

A number of train stations across the northwest are to be upgraded as part of a £50 million government programme. Transport secretary Andrew Adonis said ten key stations would be offered funding to improve facilities for...

Apr 19 2010

The Ellesmere Port car plant in Cheshire is a front runner to build Vauxhall's new electric car, the Liverpool Daily Post has reported. The president of Vauxhall's parent company General Motors (GM) told the newspaper that the...

Apr 19 2010

A team from the University of Manchester have been awarded funding to research the impact of swine flu on those most at risk from the virus. It is hoped that the study will improve understanding of the needs, behaviour and concerns...

Apr 19 2010

A life-science firm from Liverpool has revealed that that its Fruitflow anti-thrombotic functional food technology is performing well in human trials. Provexis' new product was designed as a dietary supplement capable of preventing...

Apr 19 2010

A construction company from Cumbria has celebrated its 75th birthday by securing a major new partnership with Enterprise Inns. The pub chain could be looking to expand in the region and views T Glendinning & Co as an ideal partner,...

Apr 19 2010

The new civic quarter will offer a significant opportunity for the city of Manchester to attract further investment to the area, it has been claimed. Speaking to members of pro.manchester, a group that represents Greater Manchester's...

Apr 19 2010

Cumbrian businesses are real UK success stories, according to shadow chancellor George Osborne. Speaking at the CN Group Business Awards in Penrith last night (October 30th), he said that he was hugely impressed by the dynamism of...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool City Council has named the contractor for a major new redevelopment of the city's central library. The £50 million project will see Inspire Partnership restore Grade II listed parts of the building to their former glory,...

Apr 19 2010

A new deal has been signed between Peel Leisure and the InterContinental Hotels Group to build a new hotel on the MediaCityUK site in Manchester. Opening under the Holiday Inn brand, the building will have over 200 rooms and is due...

Apr 19 2010

A new computer language has been developed by scientists at Manchester University that could revolutionise the way information is held on the internet. OWL 2 is a programming language similar to HTML that will allow computers to...

Apr 19 2010

Five leading enterprises have been shortlisted for the chance to lead the development currently taking place at Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus (SIC) in Cheshire, it has been revealed. British Land, Goodmans, Iglo, Langtree...

Apr 19 2010

A programme to deliver £3 million of grants to food and drink producers in Cumbria has been praised for leaving a positive legacy for businesses in the county. Distinctly Cumbrian was set up by the Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency...

Apr 12 2010

Manchester-based group The Co-operative has revealed revenues rose 31% to £13.7 billion last year.

Apr 19 2010

A research team from the University of Liverpool's School of Tropical Medicine have unveiled a new method for ensuring that doses of anti-malarial drugs are used correctly in developing countries. Medication against malaria needs to...

Apr 19 2010

An international delegation from Shanghai has praised Liverpool and highlighted the extent of the beneficial changes that have transformed the northwest city over the past ten years. The Liverpool Daily Post reports that the officials...

Apr 19 2010

Quantity surveying company Baqus has said the northwest will be at the heart of its expansion plans as it looks to make new acquisitions. According to the Liverpool Daily Post, the firm said fears of a slowdown in public sector...

Apr 19 2010

Cumbria is now one step closer to seeing the development of a new nuclear power station near Sellafield. A consortium of energy companies has paid £70 million for 470 acres of land north of the existing plant and intends to apply...

Apr 19 2010

Businesses in the leisure and retail industry could soon be offered new opportunities to invest in the northwest. According to the Manchester Evening News, commercial property firm Segro is looking to turn parts of Trafford Park into...

Apr 19 2010

The funding needed to build a National Indoor BMX Centre in Manchester has now been secured after the Northwest Regional Development Agency invested the final £8 million. A similar figure has already been pledged by Manchester...

Apr 19 2010

Business confidence among enterprises in the northwest of England has reached its highest level for 18 months, new research by professional services firm KPMG has found. More than half of executives interviewed by the company said...

Apr 19 2010

Tata Motors, the owner of luxury car brand Jaguar Land Rover, has posted strong financial figures for the three months ending September 30th, 2009. In the second quarter of the current financial year, the Indian company, which has...

Apr 19 2010

The University of Liverpool has unveiled a new centre for teaching Chinese and promoting the country's culture. Opened last week (October 23rd) by Lin Wenyi, a representative of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference,...

Apr 19 2010

The 2009 Manchester Science Festival got off to a good start when it opened on Saturday October 24th at venues across the city. To start off the week-long programme of events highlighting the northwest's scientific expertise, the...

Apr 19 2010

Funding of £5.2 million has been set aside for the building of a new business hub in Liverpool's Creative Quarter. The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Regional Development Fund are providing the...

Apr 19 2010

Britain's Energy Coast, the £2 billion scheme that will establish the west coast of Cumbria as a centre of excellence for nuclear and renewable energy generation, has been praised by a leading energy analyst. According to the...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool is preparing to host the 2009 Core Cities Summit, which will be attended by a range of political and business figures. The event will be held at the BT Convention Centre on November 3rd and 4th and will be hosted by Jon...

Apr 19 2010

The director of Carlisle Airport has said that passenger flights could be introduced at the Cumbrian hub as soon as next year. According to the Westmorland Gazette, Andy Judge said the airport may soon be able to welcome passengers on...

Apr 19 2010

A drinks company based in Liverpool has revealed that it is close to signing a major export deal with several US companies. Brewer Cains has managed to attract a large amount of interest in the country following a trade mission it...

Apr 19 2010

Ten Greater Manchester local authorities are preparing to sign a new deal with the government today (Friday December 18th) that will see the region become a low-carbon economic area. As a result of the move, Greater Manchester will be...

Apr 12 2010

Meridian carries out card auditing services for both Visa and Mastercard

Apr 12 2010

The new Travelodge hotel on Liverpool's waterfront will be close to the Liver Building

Apr 19 2010

Manchester is an "unrivalled" business tourism destination, according to James Berresford, the chief executive of VisitEngland. According to the Manchester Evening News, he told tourism chiefs from across the UK that for business...

Apr 19 2010

A major energy company has been granted planning permission to build a gas production site at Ellesmere Port in Merseyside. IGas Energy is hoping to harvest energy from methane gas beneath the ground and believes there is enough...

Apr 19 2010

Trafford in Greater Manchester will benefit from new investment worth £290 million after Spanish firm SAICA announced that it will build a world-class recycled paper mill in the town, creating up to 200 new jobs. The new plant will...

Apr 19 2010

Skelmersdale-based retailer Matalan has announced a growth in sales revenue over the Christmas period. Its festive trading was strong, with like-for-like sales up by 13.7 per cent in the five weeks to January 2nd. In the thirteen...

Apr 19 2010

Home shopping retailer N Brown has recorded significant growth in its like-for-like sales, announcing a 4.9 per cent increase in sales revenue. The firm, which is based in Manchester, saw its online sales grow by 13 per cent during...

Apr 19 2010

Tourism in Liverpool is still benefiting from the city's designation as European Capital of Culture in 2008, according to new research by Liverpool City Council. The city's tourism sector is on track to be worth £2 billion a year by...

Apr 19 2010

Hundreds of jobseekers in Greater Manchester have found work after the creation of new positions through a government scheme, according to the Commission for the New Economy. The Future Jobs Fund, a government initiative which forms...

Apr 19 2010

Furniture and office stationery supplier Heatons, which is based in Birkenhead, has announced results showing significant growth, the Liverpool Daily Post reports today (January 11th). The positive results were led by the firm's print...

Apr 19 2010

England's northwest is set for a positive economic outlook in the coming years with recovery and growth being predicted for the region. The Northwest Economic Forecasting Panel has published its short-term forecast for the three...

Apr 19 2010

Broadcaster ITV has begun negotiations on a potential move to the MediaCityUK in Salford, the Guardian reports today (January 11th). As well as relocating ITV's Manchester offices to the new development, the move could see the set of...

Apr 19 2010

Blackpool's tourism industry could benefit from the creation of a multi-million pound snow dome featuring ski slopes, shops, bars and a hotel. Plans for the attraction have been put forward by developer Greenbank Partnerships and are...

Apr 19 2010

A team from Lancaster University have won this year's prestigious Times Higher Research Project of the Year award for work on plant biology which could help solving the challenge of feeding humankind. Distinguished Professor Bill...

Apr 19 2010

A scheme to promote entrepreneurship and help students turn their ideas into successful firms has been backed by business secretary Lord Mandelson. Lancaster University's 'Create' initiative provides small grants alongside advice and...

Apr 19 2010

Accountancy firm Grant Thornton has moved into new offices in Liverpool's iconic Royal Liver Building following expansion of its operations in the north west region. The company, which has 15,000 corporate and institutional...

Apr 19 2010

The Highways Agency is starting work on improvements to the M6 motorway costing £6 million, meaning that commuters, business travellers and other road users can look forward to safer and faster journeys. A section of the road used by...

Apr 19 2010

Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port factory is set to produce the latest Astra model, guaranteeing its future for a generation, it was announced yesterday (October 14th). Plant bosses have been told by Canadian firm Magna, which is in...

Apr 19 2010

The BBC has been handed the keys to the first of its brand new buildings in Manchester ahead of schedule and will now begin kitting it out with state-of-the-art broadcasting technology. Currently called 'building C', the edifice is...

Apr 19 2010

The stock exchange in Liverpool should be re-opened to attract investment to the northwest and provide a boost to the UK's financial sector. This is the view of northwest minister Phil Woolas, who said there is no reason why the city...

Apr 19 2010

Two northwest universities have been offered a grant of £16.4 million to advance their research into accelerator science and technology. The Cockcroft Institute, which is a partnership between Liverpool, Lancaster and Manchester...

Apr 19 2010

The Liverpool One shopping centre and leisure complex has been given good odds to win the Stirling Prize 2009 from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Six schemes have been named as potential winners, all of which...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool could be set to benefit from 5,000 new jobs as it has been described as a "leading contender" for a major relocation of government jobs from London, the Liverpool Echo reported today (October 12th). A site on Pall Mall and...

Apr 19 2010

The continuing success of the University of Manchester and Lancaster University has been recognised as they both climbed up the Times Higher Education-QS world university rankings this week. Manchester is ranked the 26th best...

Apr 19 2010

Five consortiums are set to bid on a £1.5 billion contract to build a nuclear waste processing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria. The project, which is part of the government's nuclear decommissioning programme, is due to start next...

Apr 19 2010

Around £16 million in economic benefit has been generated for Manchester and the surrounding area by the Conservative Party Conference. This is the conclusion of the city council, which claims the four-day meeting allowed Manchester...

Apr 19 2010

Cumbria-based brewer Jennings has won two awards in a global competition involving 30 expert tasters from around the world. According to the News and Star newspaper, the Cockermouth firm picked up a gold prize for its Snecklifter...

Apr 19 2010

A biotechnology company is set to relocate to Merseyside creating up to 60 new jobs in the region. New Horizons Global, which moves to the region from its former base in Northern Ireland produces omega-vie, a natural alternative...

Apr 19 2010

Jaguar Land Rover has secured a £175 million loan from the State Bank of India, the car manufacturer announced today (October 8th). One of its major production plans is located in Halewood, Merseyside, where the Jaguar X-Type and the...

Apr 19 2010

A £4 million convention centre boasting a number of eco-friendly features is to be built in the Cumbrian town of Windermere. The 600-seater venue is being planned at the Low Wood Hotel and will be heated using geothermal energy from...

Apr 19 2010

Businesses across many parts of Cumbria will benefit from a reduction in business rates next year following the latest revaluation. According of the News and Star, the value of many business premises in the county has fallen in the...

Apr 19 2010

A new electrical research unit has opened within the University of Manchester's School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The National Grid Power Systems Research Centre will help to develop green technology and could help to...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool's tourist industry is expected to make a major contribution to the city's economic success over the coming years. In a new report, the Mersey Partnership said the visitor economy has the potential to create an extra 14,000...

Apr 19 2010

A leading car care products firm has invested over £1 million in a brand new production line at its Bury manufacturing site. Tetrosyl Group said that its new high-speed filling line for trigger bottles will enable it to implement a...

Apr 19 2010

A leading northwest brewer has invested in a new plant in Cumbria which will allow it to expand its operations. Thomas Hardy Holdings has bought an £800,000 freehold from Scottish & Newcastle, a deal that has been funded by...

Apr 19 2010

A city centre development will result in the opening of a new hotel in Liverpool next summer. Western Heritable, a Glaswegian investment company, has thrown its weight behind a £14 million project at the site of ex-printing firm Seel...

Apr 19 2010

The northwest's financial services sector has received a boost from the merger of two regional accountancy firms. Beever and Struthers, which is based in Manchester, has merged with Blackburn's Waterworths. The combined company will...

Apr 19 2010

Plans for a new £23 million state-of-the-art stadium in Cumbria have been unveiled, with the team behind the plans confident that the development will help to further boost the northwest's international sporting credentials. Having...

Apr 19 2010

Plans have been submitted for a children's health park in Liverpool housing radiology units, operating theatres and research facilities. According to the BBC, work on the £288 million facility at Alder Hey hospital could start in...

Apr 19 2010

Online marketing and web design company Rippleffect, which is owned by Trinity Mirror, has relocated to the centre of Liverpool. The firm has opened a new office in City Tower on Old Hall Street which is substantially larger than its...

Apr 19 2010

Work is underway on a multi-million pound regeneration project in the Cumbrian town of Barrow-in-Furness. The town centre scheme will bring environmental and landscape improvements and forms part of a wider regeneration effort. It...

Apr 19 2010

A new tourism chief has been appointed by Liverpool City Council to promote the Merseyside metropolis and build on its success as European Capital of Culture. Alison McRae, who has 17 years of entrepreneurial experience in tourism...

Apr 19 2010

Merseyside's motor manufacturing industry has been given a boost after Jaguar Land Rover announced plans to go ahead with the production of a new baby Range Rover model in the region. The new vehicle will be a smaller version of the...

Apr 19 2010

A leading aerospace company has handed a major boost to Cumbria after it hired 126 young people. BAE Systems has taken on 64 graduate trainees, 56 craft apprentices and six school leavers in the county after receiving over...

Apr 19 2010

Oilfield service company Expro has handed a boost to the northwest by opening its new Subsea Excellence Centre in Ulverston. Highlighting the strength of the northwest's manufacturing industry, the £12 million site will consolidate...

Apr 19 2010

Some of Britain's leading business and political leaders will be descending on Liverpool this year to discuss economic and social issues facing UK cities. The Core Cities summit will be held at the BT Convention Centre on November...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester City Council is setting an example to other organisations in Britain by signing up the 10:10 project, a carbon emissions reductions scheme. By doing so, the council has become the largest local authority in the UK pledging...

Apr 19 2010

One of the northwest's leading utility companies has enjoyed a successful six months of business in the region. United Utilities, which supplies water to seven million northwest customers, has revealed in a trading update that...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool will be the only UK city to have a presence at World Expo Shanghai 2010 after London pulled out of the event. The northwest city is "fully committed" to the six-month World Expo, which looks likely to attract new business to...

Apr 19 2010

BAE Systems, the defence, security and aerospace company that has locations throughout the northwest, has won a new contract from the US Navy. The company will supply missile launching canisters as part of the $41.1 million (£25...

Apr 19 2010

AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company that has a number of offices across Cheshire, has signed a new licensing deal with a US biopharmaceutical firm. The deal, with Nektar Therapeutics, relates to two drug development programmes...

Apr 19 2010

An office development in Liverpool has attracted a multi-million pound investment from Hong Kong-based company Mordril Estates. The business has ploughed £2.5 million into the refurbishment of the city's former Pearl Assurance House,...

Apr 19 2010

The Warrington-based commercial arm of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has been sold to Babcock International, an energy support services company. This has been confirmed by business secretary Lord Mandelson, who described the...

Apr 19 2010

Airbus expects global demand for planes to reach 25,000 over the next 25 years, its latest long-term forecast has revealed. In total, the aircraft manufacturer predicts that the value of orders will total £1.9 trillion between 2009...

Apr 19 2010

Dutch-owned company BAM construction has won a building contract involving the delivery of the Co-operative Group's head office in Manchester. Construction of the state-of-the-art office is due to begin next May, with preparatory...

Apr 19 2010

Manchester-based Mazars has revealed that it is to merge with Chadwick LLP to create one of the northwest's largest accountancy firms. Mazars expects the acquisition of the Liverpool-based firm to increase the size of its operations...

Apr 19 2010

An observation satellite using equipment developed by the University of Manchester has sent back its first images of space. Planck will spend the next 15 months mapping the structure of radiation from the Cosmic Microwave Background...

Apr 19 2010

A northwest food company has begun exporting its products around the world, it has been reported. According to the Manchester Evening News, Holland's Pies is now shipping out 18 tonnes of produce from its Baxenden Accrington factory...

Apr 19 2010

International businesses from the US could be more attracted to the northwest - and Manchester in particular - following the announcement of a new transport link. American Airlines has confirmed that it will be launching a non-stop...

Apr 19 2010

Fears over a resurgence in the number of swine flu cases affecting the UK have prompted an increase in sales of a superbug technology developed by Byotrol. The global pharmaceutical company, which has operations in Collyhurst, has...

Apr 19 2010

Bentley, the Crewe-based manufacturer of luxury British cars, could soon be ramping up global production. That is to be inferred from a report by the BBC, in which the maker's parent company Volkswagen revealed that it intends to...

Apr 19 2010

A swine flu vaccine developed by global pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca's MedImmune subsidiary has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The vaccine is one of four that were given the backing of the organisation for...

Apr 19 2010

Local authorities in and around Liverpool have been given the power to create the UK's largest low-carbon economy in Merseyside. According to housing and planning minister John Healey, the government will green light a number of...

Apr 19 2010

An annual science fair is to take place in Manchester that seeks to highlight the skilled employment opportunities that exist in the northwest region. The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair will allow businesses to...

Apr 19 2010

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council is working with BAE Systems to identify ways to attract future investment to a local site due to close in 2012. The aerospace and defence company is to stop operations at its Woodford facility...

Apr 19 2010

Robotic Technology Systems (RTS) is using its involvement in the world's largest DNA databanking project to increase its global profile. The Manchester-based company currently has clients based all over the world, from US to Israel,...

Apr 19 2010

A Manchester-based company is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the launch of its global combined heat and power (CHP) business. With an increasing focus being placed upon emerging green energy technologies by...

Apr 19 2010

Planning permission has been granted to the Co-operative for the construction of new head offices in Manchester. The retail and financial services group intends to build a 325,000 sq ft open-plan central headquarters that will be...

Apr 19 2010

The film industry in Liverpool is making a major contribution to the city's economy, according to new figures. Industry experts said movie-making in Merseyside is likely to generate £14 million for the region this year, the Liverpool...

Apr 19 2010

Westinghouse Electric Company is in talks with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority over a possible long-term lease for a site in the northwest. The company's contract on its fuel site at Springfields near Preston is due to expire in...

Apr 19 2010

A number of destinations across the northwest are in the running to win the first ever City of Culture title in 2013. Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw said 29 cities and local areas in the UK have put themselves forward as candidates in...

Apr 19 2010

A new road linking two major areas of Liverpool has now been opened and is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the city. According to the Liverpool Daily Post, Innovation Boulevard will improve access to a new science...

Apr 19 2010

An Irish energy company is looking to expand into the UK and has chosen the northwest as the location for its new headquarters. According to the Liverpool Daily Post, FMC-Tech will open a new base in Capenhurst in Cheshire, creating...

Apr 19 2010

A state-of-the-art facility is to be built at the University of Manchester for the School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science. The £30 million building will house a number of teaching laboratories and research facilities...

Apr 19 2010

A power company based in Manchester has enjoyed a successful first year in business thanks to assistance from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). Integrated Power Solutions (IPS), which was founded in 2008, reported a seven-figure...

Apr 19 2010

Salford in Greater Manchester is proving to be something of a draw to tourists, who are visiting the city in ever greater numbers. According to the Manchester Evening News, attractions such as the Lowry arts centre and the Imperial...

Apr 19 2010

A diagnostics firm based in the northwest has attracted £1.7 million worth of venture capital investment in a fourth round of fundraising. Myconostica, which was spun out of the University of Manchester in 2006, develops products...

Apr 19 2010

John West, the canned fish producer based in Merseyside, has reported a strong set of results for its latest financial year. The company, which is headquartered in Liverpool, unveiled a pre-tax profit of £1.3 million for the year to...

Apr 19 2010

A £12 million expansion plan that could boost business in the northwest has been unveiled by Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The Merseyside hub said it would be increasing the size of its security facilities and doubling its retail...

Apr 19 2010

A Cheshire technology firm has won a £14 million contract from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide parts for new aircraft carriers. Marine Systems Technology (MST), which is based in Winsford, will build water-tight fire doors...

Apr 19 2010

Liverpool has been named as one of the top three UK destinations for a city break by readers of Conde Nast Traveller magazine. The northwest metropolis ranked only behind London and Edinburgh in the list, rising from seventh place in...

Apr 19 2010

Almost half of small companies in the Merseyside area are planning to expand over the next year, according to a new survey. Some 49 per cent of respondents to the Barclays Have Your Say survey of local firms said they were looking to...

Apr 19 2010

Pharmaceuticals firm Novartis, whose UK vaccines and diagnostics centre is based in the northwest, has reported encouraging results from its swine flu vaccine trials. Pilot tests on the H1N1 treatment, called Celtura, were carried...

Apr 19 2010

Confidence among firms in the northwest has moved into positive territory for the first time in two years, suggesting that economic conditions are improving. This is the conclusion of a new report from the Institute of Chartered...

Apr 19 2010

The managers of Manchester United and Manchester City football clubs have given their backing to the city's bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022 if England's bid is successful. Sir Alex Ferguson and Mark Hughes said that...

Apr 19 2010

The University of Liverpool has applied for planning permission to build a number of state-of-the-art teaching laboratories. A total of £25 million will be invested in the project, which will deliver top-class facilities for science...

Apr 19 2010

Investment in a new high speed railway linking London to the northwest will have major benefits for businesses in the region. Network Rail said the 200mph line would cut journey times substantially, allowing travellers to get from...

Apr 16 2010

The international cosmetics firm MAC has revealed that it is expanding its operations in the northwest. After seeing great success in Liverpool, it is to lease a 1,924 square feet store in the city's MetQuarter in order to allow it...

Apr 16 2010

A software provider has announced that it is moving its head office to Manchester. PremierEnvoy - which makes data processing programs for public sector companies - has bought 1,520 square feet of office space at One Central Park,...

Apr 16 2010

An engineering graduate from the University of Manchester has created equipment that he believes could help to alleviate water shortages in Sierra Leone. Dale Barnes has made a hydraulic ram pump system out of easily obtainable...

Apr 16 2010

The Peel Group has announced that it has acquired more land at Liverpool International Business Park, allowing it to provide more warehouse space for companies looking to invest there. It will now be able to sell or lease an extra...

Apr 16 2010

A scientist who works for the government has claimed that the world's population is set to rise dramatically between now and 2030. John Beddington, the UK's chief scientific adviser, told the BBC that the number of people will...

Apr 16 2010

The executive chairman of marine services firm James Fisher and Sons has said that he has no plans to move away from the northwest because it is a great place to do business. Tim Fisher told the Lancashire Evening Post that being...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Cheshire has announced that it is to join forces with European chemicals company INEOS ChlorVinyls in order to develop commercially viable hydrogen fuel cells. AFC Energy said it is to work with the firm in Runcorn...

Apr 16 2010

Scientists at the University of Manchester have discovered a chemical that interacts with cancer cells, stopping them from developing uncontrollably. Dr Ian Hampson and Dr Lynne Hampson found that kinase inhibitors seem to open up...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Manchester has become the leader in its field after posting excellent profits. Shred-It Manchester, which offers document destruction services for businesses, said sales had increased by £3.1 million...

Apr 16 2010

The Stobart Group has revealed an optimistic outlook for the remainder of 2009 and for the future. A statement from the company, which has its base in Cumbria, said that good business strategies and new contract wins should lead to a...

Apr 16 2010

Burnley is set to benefit from a state-of-the-art knowledge centre comprising offices and space for new start-ups, it has been revealed. According to reports in the Lancashire Telegraph, the knowledge quarter will be built next to...

Apr 16 2010

A new scheme has been introduced in Manchester that is designed to help companies that want to invest in innovation. The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) is to provide a total of £600,000 to 150...

Apr 16 2010

New data compiled by BDO Stoy Hayward for Crain's has shown that companies in Greater Manchester and Cheshire are performing better in the stocks index than the FTSE 100's all-share index companies. The Quoted Company Index for the...

Apr 16 2010

A Chester-based firm that is championing green technology in the electricity industry has been praised by government ministers. EA Technology created its Energy Innovation Centre in order to generate new technologies that could help...

Apr 16 2010

The European Commission has announced that it is to provide funding for a project which aims to develop new drugs to treat malaria. It is to donate £433,000 to the initiative - led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM)...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Middleton believes it may have developed a product that could wipe out swine flu in the UK. Techtex has developed a multi-surface antibacterial wipe called Clinitex, according to the Manchester Evening News. In...

Apr 16 2010

A new appointment at the Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is to increase interaction between the NHS, academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies. Dr Penny Johnson, formerly of Intercytex, is to work as...

Apr 16 2010

An international engineering firm is said to be looking for a new headquarters in the northwest as it continues to attract more business. Jacobs Engineering is considering the possibility of a move into Manchester city centre when...

Apr 16 2010

A grant from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) will allow a company based in the northwest to develop techniques which could give it a significant edge over its competitors. Aerotech Design Consultants, which operates...

Apr 16 2010

It has been announced that one of Japan's leading electronics companies is to collaborate with the University of Manchester in the field of nanotechnology. Murata Manufacturing has decided to work with Professor Paul O'Brien at the...

Apr 16 2010

Air Livery, an aircraft refinishing company based in Norfolk, has announced that it is opening a major new facility at Manchester Airport. The company, whose clients include Emirates and Virgin Atlantic, will move to a former British...

Apr 16 2010

A record number of people are booking holidays in Cumbria through its official tourism website instead of going abroad, it has been revealed. Cumbria Tourism said that bookings for July this year were up by 20 per cent on the same...

Apr 16 2010

James Fisher and Sons has announced that it has strengthened its nuclear and aerospace industries in the northwest through the acquisition of another firm. The company has bought the MB Faber group of companies in order to gain...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Lancashire has announced that it is expanding its business by taking on the assets of another firm. Daisy Group, a telecommunications provider, said this week that it has bought the telecoms division of Redstone PLC...

Apr 16 2010

It has been announced that funding has been secured to cover the third phase of development on St Paul's Square in Liverpool. The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is to invest £4.2 million into the project, while an...

Apr 16 2010

It has been announced that ConstructionSkills has secured funding that should help young apprentices in the construction trade back into work. Some £1 million has come from the National Apprenticeship Service that will pay for the...

Apr 16 2010

An award-winning professor is to come to Cumbria University as part of a visiting professor scheme. Dr Neil Cox, who has won two national research prizes in the field of dermatology, will work at the institution in order to enrich...

Apr 16 2010

A new scheme has been announced that could help more young broadcast graduates get into media jobs. The b.Tween TV Platforms Scheme has been developed by Northwest Vision and Media, Skillset and Just-b Productions in order to promote...

Apr 16 2010

Two farms in Cumbria are among five in the northwest that have been chosen to investigate new ways of improving productivity. Hesket Farm in Dacre and Fellside House Farm in Caldbeck are to become part of the Monitor Farm Business...

Apr 16 2010

The Labour party has announced that it is to make the northwest the base for its conferences for the next three years and beyond. It was announced this week that the event will be held in Manchester in 2010, 2012 and 2014, as well as...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Bootle is hoping to capitalise on the increasing emphasis on renewable technology by investing in a new geothermic drilling rig. CC Geotechnical has purchased the £70,000 mounted drilling equipment that will allow...

Apr 16 2010

Bakery chain Greggs has credited the positive effects of its new manufacturing plant in Openshaw with a rise in profits. The firm has announced a 7.3 per cent increase in profits to £16.5 million, with sales improving by 4.4 per cent...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester has scored highly in a new poll designed to find the most desirable British city to live in and invest in. The YouGov Place Index of 10,000 people ranked 60 cities on factors like accessibility to public transport, shops,...

Apr 16 2010

East Lancashire has been given a jobs boost thanks to £4.5 million in funding from the government's Future Jobs Fund. The northwest region applied for finance in order to prevent young people from falling into joblessness as a result...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has announced that it has approved the second phase of funding for a new centre of waste recycling in the region. Some £3.8 million will be provided by the organisation, as well...

Apr 16 2010

A new £10 million building that will incorporate the performing arts section of Lancaster University has been given the go-ahead. It is to provide performance space for the Lancaster Institute for Contemporary Arts (LICA) and will be...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Stockport has said that it hopes to increase its turnover in the coming years through new contracts. Romec, which makes a variety of items including post boxes and National Lottery machines, told the Manchester...

Apr 16 2010

The owners of Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus (SIC) have announced that they intend to seek out a partner company to further develop the campus. The Science and Technology Facilities Council, the Northwest Regional...

Apr 16 2010

Thousands more visitors could flock to Liverpool next year in order to see a special exhibition being held at the city's Tate gallery. The venue is to host a major display of the works of Pablo Picasso, which will not be seen in...

Apr 16 2010

Some of the most powerful wind turbines in the world are to be built in the seas off Barrow after a deal was reached between stakeholders. Repower Systems will bring 30 turbines to the new wind farm, which will have a combined output...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Cumbria is celebrating being one of the fastest growing in the UK, despite only having been established five years ago. Westlakes Engineering (WEL), an engineering firm based in Whitehaven, was honoured at a...

Apr 16 2010

Despite the ongoing economic problems in the UK, northwest-based drinks manufacturer Vimto has announced excellent profits for the first half of 2009. Nichols, the company behind the brand, said pre-tax profits had risen by 13.4 per...

Apr 16 2010

A £600 million lifeline has been given to Jaguar Land Rover, securing hundreds of jobs in Liverpool. According to the firm's latest accounts figures, it has secured the multi-million pound banking facility after negotiations, a...

Apr 16 2010

Burnley has seen an increase in enquiries from companies looking to relocate there in recent months, it has been revealed. Reports in the Lancashire Telegraph suggest that over 25 companies are interested in relocating to the town,...

Apr 16 2010

A proposed plan to redevelop a former colliery in Leigh has been given the go-ahead by the Homes and Communities Agency. The £19.14 million plan will see Bickershaw Colliery turned into a new space, which will feature up to 650...

Apr 16 2010

A new £15 million hotel has opened in Manchester's Northern Quarter, offering guests the chance to stay in luxury apartments. Called The Light, it is aimed at the corporate market and has 42 separate apartments, as well as meeting...

Apr 16 2010

Bolton-based company Warburtons has announced that it increased its profits by 20 per cent over the past year. The family-owned firm, which is the largest bakery in the UK and one of Britain's best known brands, said that profits went...

Apr 16 2010

An international conference that took place recently at Cumbria University has been hailed a great success by its organisers. Some 150 academics from all over the world attended the International Visual Sociology Association (IVSA)...

Apr 16 2010

BAE Systems has said that it expects to achieve good growth over 2009 as a whole, despite the poor economic conditions. It posted details of its first six months' trade, which showed sales to be up by 28 per cent on the same period...

Apr 16 2010

A new report has shown that Liverpool may be one of the best places in the country to relocate to thanks to its favourable occupancy rates. The research, carried out by CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), said that occupancy costs had fallen by...

Apr 16 2010

A new business park that is to create 40 new jobs is to open in the Cumbrian town of Maryport this November, it has been revealed. The £1.9 million development, funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, the European...

Apr 16 2010

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pass through the gates of Manchester Airport this weekend as the city prepares itself for its peak season. As many as 350,000 people will travel via the airport this weekend, travelling...

Apr 16 2010

The Rugby League International Federation has announced that a major rugby competition is to be held in the UK. The 2013 Rugby League World Cup is coming to Britain, with matches to be held throughout the country, which could hold...

Apr 16 2010

Liverpool is to host the prestigious UK Corporate Games event in 2010, it has been revealed. The former European Capital of Culture will welcome thousands of competitors for the event, which will be based at the city's Arena and...

Apr 16 2010

Aircraft engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has announced that it is to invest in northwest manufacturing as part of a £300 million plan to facilitate the development of new engineering technologies. Four sites in the UK are to benefit...

Apr 16 2010

A flaming June helped to generate a significant increase in sales for one firm based in Cumbria, it has been revealed. Northern Foods, which produces ready meals and other pre-packaged products for supermarkets at its manufacturing...

Apr 16 2010

The Trafford area of Manchester now has business links with China following an agreement signed by delegates recently. Trafford Borough Council and representatives from the Nanning province have agreed to a Memorandum of Economic...

Apr 16 2010

Liverpool has begun its campaign to become a host city should England be chosen as the venue for the 2018 World Cup tournament. The city has submitted a bid that highlights the profile of football in the city, as well as Liverpool's...

Apr 16 2010

Hilton is to create 210 jobs in Liverpool in time for the opening of its new hotel in the city this autumn. The chain has said that it will target those who are unemployed or facing redundancy first in a bid to provide help during...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in east Lancashire has designed a school blazer that could cut the number of accidents on Britain's roads. Paul Scates, manager of Graham Winterbottom Schoolwear in Accrington, has begun selling the Reflazer jacket,...

Apr 16 2010

A group of scientists from Manchester University are attempting to make a breakthrough in the treatment of osteoarthritis, which could benefit people all over the world. Dr Susan Kimber and her team from the Faculty of Life Sciences...

Apr 16 2010

A firm based in Salford has secured its biggest ever contract with a £10 million housing maintenance deal. DLP Services Northern has announced that it has won the contract with Arena Housing Group, which will last for three years and...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has been voted best in the northwest when it comes to producing new businesses. It achieved this accolade following a survey carried out by the Higher Education - Business and Community...

Apr 16 2010

Following yesterday's news that the Stobart Group has won a multi-million pound contract with Tesco, the company is now reported to be set to buy a number of derelict railway sites in Cumbria and elsewhere. The haulage company, famed...

Apr 16 2010

A firm based on Merseyside has secured a prestigious contract with a company in the Middle East. Speedy Hire, which is based in Newton-le-Willows, announced the deal with Al Futtaim Carillion this week and said it is likely to lead...

Apr 16 2010

Logistics firm Eddie Stobart has secured a £25 million contract with supermarket giant Tesco. The company, based in Warrington, will now transport non-food goods to Tesco distribution deports and supermarkets throughout Britain, a...

Apr 16 2010

One of the UK's top brands has announced plans to invest in the seaside town of Morecambe. Travelodge is to build a 60-room hotel adjacent to the Arndale Shopping Centre, which will see the creation of 20 full-time jobs, as well as...

Apr 16 2010

A £350 million retail development in Bury has been hailed by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) as an example of how British high streets could beat the recession. The Rock - which will feature 62 shops, a cinema, a bowling...

Apr 16 2010

A researcher based at Liverpool University has secured a top award for his research into drug addiction. Dr Matt Field from the Department of Psychology has carried out in-depth investigations into substance abuse and his study was...

Apr 16 2010

Almost 200 academics and researchers are to descend on Cumbria University's Fusehill Campus as part of an international conference in July. The institution is to host the annual International Visual Sociology Association (IVSA)...

Apr 16 2010

A new scheme that will see a £400 million port constructed in Salford has been given the go-ahead. The facility, which will provide five container berths for cargo ships, is likely to create as many as 2,000 jobs and will reduce the...

Apr 16 2010

Cumbria has been praised by the government for its efforts in working towards a greater use of renewable energy. The county's Energy Coast initiative, managed by West Lakes Renaissance and Cumbria Vision, was singled out thanks to...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has announced that its Small Loans for Business (SLB) programme has achieved phenomenal success during its two years in operation. Since it began in 2007, more than 150 business owners...

Apr 16 2010

Four companies based in the northwest have been chosen to manufacture a new fighter plane. Hyde Aero Products of Dukinfield, RLC Group from Lancashire, John Huddleston Engineering of Blackpool and Thyssenkrupp from Preston will all...

Apr 16 2010

The northwest could become a pioneer in the shift towards low carbon living, it has been claimed. Energy minister Lord Hunt said that it already has more renewable energy sites than any other location in the UK and that this could be...

Apr 16 2010

A Cumbrian company that sells camper vans is benefiting from the growing trend of 'staycations'. Ben Hodgson Cars of Dalston has seen a rise in sales of the vehicles as people seek to save money by travelling in the UK...

Apr 16 2010

In good news for business owners in the northwest, the region's business sector has been named as the best performing in the UK for the month of June. According to statistics published by Markit, seven out of 12 UK regions saw a rise...

Apr 16 2010

A firm in Manchester is beating the recession by coming up with innovative products that can be used in the event of continuing sunny weather in the UK. Linco Care has developed a unique system that allows consumers to measure...

Apr 16 2010

Entrepreneurs from a number of top companies in Australia have visited Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus (SIC) to investigate potential investment opportunities. The businesspeople headed to the site - which is near Warrington...

Apr 16 2010

Plans have been put forward that would see the area around Chetham's Music School in Greater Manchester become part of a Medieval quarter. According to a report by Locum Consulting, providing tours of the prestigious school to the...

Apr 16 2010

Three chemists from the University of Liverpool have been given prestigious awards from the Royal Society of Chemistry, it has been revealed. Professors Andy Cooper, Andrew Evans and Matt Rosseinsky were all given recognition from...

Apr 16 2010

A firm in Cumbria is celebrating after discovering that one of its products is the fifth best selling variety of its kind in the UK. The Lake District Cheese Company found that its extra mature cheddar, launched 18 months ago, has...

Apr 16 2010

A firm based in the northwest has secured £300,000 in funding in order to buy a new piece of equipment. Maxilead Metals of Tyldesley purchased a baling machine that can turn even large sections of metal into small cubes in seconds,...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has announced the appointment of a new chairman to take over from Bryan Gray. Robert Hough - who is currently non-executive deputy chairman of Peel Holdings and has been an NWDA board...

Apr 16 2010

Liverpool could become a major hub in the computer games industry if plans to build a new facility go ahead. According to the Liverpool Daily Post (LDP), city stakeholders want to establish a £5 million National Games Academy in order...

Apr 16 2010

Construction firm Costain has won a prestigious contract to engineer, build, procure and inactively commission one of the largest nuclear projects in the UK. The company is to be responsible for Evaporator D at Sellafield, a facility...

Apr 16 2010

In what could be good news for business people in the northwest, tickets for the eagerly awaited Shanghai Expo are now on sale. Ticket outlets across China and the rest of the world have now begun stocking passes for the event, which...

Apr 16 2010

A new electricity generating power plant that is also environmentally-friendly has been given the go-ahead for the northwest town of Barrow-in-Furness. The £20 million base-load facility will be a wood burning combined heat and power...

Apr 16 2010

Plans have been put forward that would see a Cumbrian waterway be put into use as a leisure facility. According to the North-West Evening Mail, the Ulverston Partnership wants to restore Ulverston Canal to its former glory and then...

Apr 16 2010

A company that provides services in the northwest has received a national award for its good business practice. United Utilities, which supplies water for seven million customers in the region, was presented with the Business in the...

Apr 16 2010

A town in Cumbria has been revealed as Britain's most affordable seaside location, in what could be good news for people planning to make a business investment in the northwest. Whitehaven, situated on the west coast of Cumbria, came...

Apr 16 2010

The regeneration projects carried out in Manchester are helping it to beat the recession. This is according to a new report published by the Work Foundation, cited by Crain's Manchester Business, which named the city as one of the...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Central Lancashire's (UCLan) Business School has been awarded funding from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) in order to help it better link up with small businesses in the region. Some £750,000 has...

Apr 16 2010

Work has begun on a regeneration scheme that should see increased investment into the Newton Heath area of Manchester. The £1 million makeover, funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and Manchester city council,...

Apr 16 2010

A group of companies from the northwest have visited the Olympic Park in order to see first-hand how the 2012 games could benefit them directly. The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) took the companies - which included...

Apr 16 2010

A business park based in Burnley is seeing considerable success after only opening six months ago. Empire Business Park, situated on Liverpool Road, has already seen companies fill every one of its 2,000 square foot units and...

Apr 16 2010

Personal care products manufacturer PZ Cussons is to open its new manufacturing and research centre in the northwest today (July 1st). Despite opinions that it might choose an overseas location, the company opted for Salford as the...

Apr 16 2010

A firm based in Liverpool has secured £100,000 in funding towards its development in the field of internet security services. Aimes Grid Services, which was set up in 2003 and also has operations in China, is to receive the money...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Manchester, Manchester Business School and Corridor Manchester have secured £500,000 in funding to improve their business skills training and to help boost employment in the region. According to Crain's Manchester...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has announced a £15 million package that is designed to help businesses in the northwest that have been struggling to gain credit. Together with the European Regional Development Fund,...

Apr 16 2010

A new building has opened on Liverpool's prestigious science park. The innovation centre - called ic2 - was funded using investments from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and European Objective One and is to provide...

Apr 16 2010

Over 1,000 jobs have been secured at Sellafield's Thorp reprocessing plant, it has been revealed. According to the News and Star, the site's owners have stated that its current multi-million order book will be completed, meaning that...

Apr 16 2010

Plans for a £187 million leisure and public services complex in Wigan have been given the go-ahead, it was reported this weekend. The Wigan Life Centre is to contain council and housing offices - as well as a 25-metre swimming pool...

Apr 16 2010

An energy company has proposed increasing the size of planned wind turbines in order to maximise the renewable energy generated. Permission was given to Flimby Wind Energy to build three turbines and a sub-station at Flimby Hall...

Apr 16 2010

The northwest could have the UK's biggest manufacturing sector by 2010 after it pulls out of the recession, it has been claimed. Dr Andrew McLaughlin, chief of the Regional Economic Forecasting Panel, said that the area could again...

Apr 16 2010

A trade-only firm based on the outskirts of Manchester has created 30 new jobs thanks to the opening of new premises. Stax Trade Centres completed the new 100,000 square foot, £11 million store this week with a view to having it...

Apr 16 2010

In news that may interest business owners keen to invest in green technology, Liverpool is to host a conference on the subject later this year. The first Green Power Forum (GPF) will be held at the BT Convention Centre on October...

Apr 16 2010

The Trafford Centre could be set to get its own Legoland Discovery Centre if plans are given the go-ahead. Official blueprints are to be unveiled next week, but it is thought that the centre will be similar to those already seen in...

Apr 16 2010

Cumbria University has revealed that it is to focus on courses relating to engineering and business management at its new facilities in the Energus centre. The £20 million building was opened in Workington in Cumbria this week and...

Apr 16 2010

Some post-graduate students who choose to study in the northwest are to be given bursaries by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). Together with the Northwest Universities Association, the organisation has launched a...

Apr 16 2010

In news that may interest those considering a business investment in the northwest, a survey has found that confidence among executives in the region has increased. According to accountancy firm KPMG's National Business...

Apr 16 2010

The head of a multinational firm based in Kendal has said that if a new green business park was to be located in South Lakeland, he would be interested in relocating there. Prospective plans have been put forward that would see a...

Apr 16 2010

Two professors from Lancaster University have been rated among the world's top thinkers by a magazine. Cary Cooper and Paul Sparrow came sixth and 14th respectively in HR magazine's Top 20 HR Thinkers in the World poll, making...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester United Football Club has signed a deal with a Chinese electronics firm that will see its name appear on merchandise worldwide. The club announced the five-year partnership with Aigo this weekend, although it did not...

Apr 16 2010

A new facility designed to provide vocational skills in nuclear and other renewable energy sectors has been completed in Cumbria. Situated in Workington - a large town and port at the mouth of the River Derwent - the £20 million...

Apr 16 2010

A ceremony has taken place in Liverpool to celebrate the attractions and places to stay that are performing particularly well when it comes to visitor numbers. Hosted by the Mersey Partnership last night (June 18th) at the city's BT...

Apr 16 2010

The northwest has been revealed as the leading region in the UK outside the southeast when it comes to foreign direct investment (FDI). According to figures released this week by UK Trade and Investment, there were 176 inward...

Apr 16 2010

The Shanghai Expo next year could deliver more benefits to Liverpool than its 2008 status as European Capital of Culture. This is the opinion of Liverpool city council leader Warren Bradley, who told the Liverpool Daily Press...

Apr 16 2010

A Liverpool company has reports profits that went beyond market expectations. WS Atkins, a design and engineering consultancy with a regional base in Warrington, has had a 12 per cent increase in its pre-tax profits. The value is...

Apr 16 2010

An aerospace firm has received a £100,000 grant from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). The investment, which came from the Grant for Business Investment scheme, will be used by Aerotech Design to get a new laser...

Apr 16 2010

A company in Didsbury has secured a multi-million pound Euro 2012 deal. Thomson Sport is the official accommodation agency for the football tournament. The Manchester-based firm has its offices in Didsbury and is a division of TUI...

Apr 16 2010

An enterprise centre organisation for young people in the northwest has won a government award. East Lancashire's No Limits was named the most enterprising place in the northwest in the Enterprising Britain Awards. Mark Hughes,...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Bolton has organised a programme of lectures and seminars to encourage young entrepreneurship in the northwest. Entrepreneur and IT specialist Scott Fletcher and Mike Perls, chief executive of marketing firm MC2,...

Apr 16 2010

A northwest organisation has been granted a total of £2.7 million by the European Union (EU) to fund its future plans, including a move from Oxford Road to Salford Quays. Northwest Vision and Media (NWVM) is responsible for...

Apr 16 2010

At a time when the financial services industry in some areas of the country is suffering, Stockport-based Churchwood is creating new jobs, it has emerged. The financial services provider is creating 150 positions at its Stockport...

Apr 16 2010

The Food Northwest Awards nominees have been announced, with a number of Merseyside food producers in the running for an accolade, reports the Liverpool Echo. Newton-le-Willows-based Vimto Soft Drinks is in the running for the Food...

Apr 16 2010

A major international forestry conference is to be held in Liverpool, it has been revealed. The PPI Transport Symposium, which takes place biennially, traditionally alternates between US and European cities, reports LDP...

Apr 16 2010

A physicist from Liverpool University has taken part in a press conference to explain the fact behind the fiction in the new film Angels and Demons. Dr Tara Shears was chosen for the appearance alongside Tom Hanks and director Ron...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester has come out top in the UK in a survey of the best cities to live in, which could be good news for business hoping to relocate there. The Economist Intelligence Unit's Liveability Survey ranked the northwest city as 46th...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has approved an investment of £4.35 million into the North West Coalfield Communities Regeneration Programme. Its funding will go towards the second phase of the initiative, which aims...

Apr 16 2010

Anyone interested in making an investment in the northwest town of Burnley should be advised that now could be a good time to do so. Council representative Gordon Birtwistle told the Lancashire Telegraph that the new university...

Apr 16 2010

The northwest division of a recruitment agency is celebrating excellent profits, despite the economic downturn. NES, based in Altrincham, said that its pre-tax earnings had risen from £4.4 million last year to £5.2 million for the six...

Apr 16 2010

A shortlist of more than 30 businesses in the northwest has been revealed ahead of the seventh annual Northwest Business Environment Awards. Set to be hosted on June 25th by the Mersey Basin Campaign and the Northwest Regional...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Manchester is to be the location for a new X-ray imaging facility, it has been revealed. Funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and...

Apr 16 2010

A new award secured by three businesses in Cumbria could encourage investment in the region. Wayside Hotel near Bootle, Newstead House at Silecroft and Bank House Farm at Hallthwaites all received a four-star rating from VisitBritain...

Apr 16 2010

A new research centre for radiation science and decommissioning is planned for the Westlakes Science and Technology Park, it has been announced. The Dalton Cumbria facility will employ two professors and 30 graduates - as well as...

Apr 16 2010

In potentially good news for those considering a business investment in the northwest, research has revealed that the region has returned to growth. The Royal Bank of Scotland's Purchasing Managers' Index survey discovered that the...

Apr 16 2010

Physicists at Lancaster University have created a formula which they believe could help them uncover some of the ecological mysteries of the past. Professor Peter McClintock and Dr Dmitri Luchinsky, in collaboration with their...

Apr 16 2010

A bed and breakfast based in the northwest has been praised for its investments in tourism. Harrop Fold Farm in Macclesfield, run by Sue and David Stevenson, won the northwest prize in the Family Affair Awards by Barclays. The awards...

Apr 16 2010

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased in the northwest last year, despite the global economic crisis. This is according to Ernst & Young's Country Attractiveness Survey, which found that there were 51 FDI projects in the...

Apr 16 2010

Cumbria's Lakes Alive programme got off to a great start over the May half-term holiday, with thousands of people heading to the Lake District to witness the exciting spectacles on offer. Kendal Arts International (KAI), which...

Apr 16 2010

Investment into Manchester's infrastructure by its city council will create thousands of jobs for skilled workers, it has been claimed. Manchester City Council has said that it is to spend some £700 million over the next two years on...

Apr 16 2010

A visit from representatives of China's premier science parks could lead to increasing levels of foreign investment in the northwest. Zhongguancun Science Park (Z-Park), is China's equivalent to Silicon Valley and generates some £60...

Apr 16 2010

A holiday company based in Cumbria has received global recognition for the work it does to help local communities abroad. Community Action Treks (CAT) of Keswick was the runner-up in the Community Benefit category of the 2009 World...

Apr 16 2010

An engineer based in the northwest believes he has developed a product that could wipe out superbugs in hospitals and other at-risk places. Peter Wilson from Southport has created the Handle Hygiene, which consists of silicone...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has announced a new £4.4 million fund to support small businesses that want to invest in green technology. Focusing mainly in biomass, the Improving Your Resource Efficiency fund will...

Apr 16 2010

Most of the digital and creative industry in the northwest, particularly in Lancashire, is avoiding the recession, according to a new report. A Business Link Northwest study cited by the Lancashire Telegraph shows that more than...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Manchester has predicted that its turnover will double this year after seeing continued growth despite the credit crunch. In good news for people considering investing in internet marketing in the northwest, search...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester is set to become a major hub in the field of stem cell research and robotics in the biggest evolution of the economy since the Industrial Revolution. This is the prediction of a new report published by HSBC, which claims...

Apr 16 2010

An estate agent in Cumbria has suggested that the market in the northwestern region may be in recovery after it saw its property sales double. Nick Elgey, managing director of Cumberland Estate Agents, told the News and Star that the...

Apr 16 2010

A professor at Lancaster University has received an award which will allow him to continue his work into the development of superior computer memory. Dr Manus Hayne was presented with a Brian Mercer Feasibility Award at the annual...

Apr 16 2010

East Manchester is to acquire multi-million development funding, it has been revealed. The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has announced that it has awarded New East Manchester £3.6 million. The regeneration firm is...

Apr 16 2010

The events that were held in Manchester as part of Manchester World Sport 08 generated over £23 million for the city and for the northwest as a whole. This is according to research conducted on behalf of Manchester City Council,...

Apr 16 2010

In news that may interest those looking to make a business investment in Cumbria, the region has been voted as one of the best places in the country when it comes to offering a good place for older people to live. After a survey of...

Apr 16 2010

A financial services firm based in Wilmslow has announced excellent profits, despite having only been trading just over a year. Perspective Financial Group made a profit of £450,000 during its first nine months of trading after...

Apr 16 2010

A firm based in Ireland has chosen to locate its new premises in the northwest, a move that could see the creation of dozens of jobs for the region. Enersol, an electrical engineering firm, will build its new international base at...

Apr 16 2010

A Cumbrian man has been revealed as the winner of an award for business leadership. Kevin Devlin, a manager at Westport Manufacturing in Maryport, was credited at the Excellence in Cumbria Awards for his ability to positively...

Apr 16 2010

Chester could be turned into one of Europe's most desired destinations thanks to a £1.5 billion regeneration plan that is to be implemented over the next ten years. According to the Liverpool Daily Press, while the £460...

Apr 16 2010

Cumbria's council is to invest more than £250,000 in festivals and events around the county this year in order to boost tourism and the northwest region's economy. Some 17 projects will benefit from the funding after an...

Apr 16 2010

Thousands of jobs have been secured in Lancashire after it was announced that the RAF is to buy a third batch of the Eurofighter Typhoon jets. According to the Ministry of Defence, 5,000 jobs will be sustained at BAE Systems, with...

Apr 16 2010

The Co-operative Group has expressed its faith in Manchester as a business location by investing in a new office building. If plans are approved, the 16-storey tower is to be built on Miller Street opposite the CIS Tower using space...

Apr 16 2010

A conference centre in Liverpool has been ranked as one of the best in the world by a prestigious organisation. The city's Arena and Convention Centre at King's Dock was named as a desirable place for delegates to hold a business...

Apr 16 2010

In what may be interesting news for people considering investing in retail in the Manchester area, one shopping centre is defying the downturn by posting an increase in visitors. Salford Quays' Lowry Outlet Mall saw four million...

Apr 16 2010

A Cumbrian engineering firm is celebrating after signing a deal with a company based in Colorado. CCH Engineering, based in Carlisle, recently came to a business agreement with Stolle Machinery that will see it become the company's...

Apr 16 2010

Over £2 million has been invested in Liverpool University in order to create a hub for genetic research in the northwest. The money is to come from the Medical Research Council and the Northwest Regional Development Agency and will...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in the northwest is expecting £50 million in sales this year after Tesco increased its investment in its products. Duerr's, which makes jam, marmalade, peanut butter and honey, now supplies over 20,000 units a week to...

Apr 16 2010

In what could be good news for those considering investing in a food business in the northwest, one Cumbrian company in the same sector has exceed its own expectations. Cumbrian Seafoods employed 100 people when it opened in...

Apr 16 2010

A scheme has been launched that will see people who travel to Liverpool for business benefit from a number of perks. The Liverpool Delegate Card was launched this week by the Arena and Convention Centre (ACC) Liverpool and the...

Apr 16 2010

An event is to be held at Manchester Airport that could significantly increase its profile and that of the northwest city in general to potential business investors. The international convention will take place on June 17th and...

Apr 16 2010

A professor from Lancaster University has told journalists from the BBC how her work could affect the future of pollution studies. Professor Barbara Maher, who lectures and researches at the university's Environment Centre, has been...

Apr 16 2010

A poll commissioned by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has revealed optimism for Greater Manchester as a business location. The survey showed that the region is perceived to be important in terms of inward...

Apr 16 2010

An awards ceremony has taken place in Manchester to celebrate the ongoing success of the northwest's chemical industry. Hosted at the Hilton Hotel in the city, the Chemicals Northwest Awards aimed to showcase the sector's success...

Apr 16 2010

The science and innovation centre at Daresbury has been awarded funding that will see it link northwest universities with local small to medium-sized enterprises. Some £385,000 will come from the European Regional Development Fund,...

Apr 16 2010

A museum is to move from its current location in Cumbria to a better site in the same region, a relocation that it tipped to benefit the northwest's tourist industry. The Lakeland Motor Museum, currently situated at Holker Hall, is...

Apr 16 2010

A businessman from Cumbria has had a new piece of gym equipment endorsed by celebrities and sports experts. Karani Alkarani recently opened fitness firm Buzz Studios in Carlisle and his main attraction was the Power Plate, which...

Apr 16 2010

The UK's first government-funded music rehearsal space has been opened in Liverpool. Officially launched by culture secretary Andy Burnham and former Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey, the creative centre is situated at the Knotty...

Apr 16 2010

Telecommunications provider BT has signed a deal with the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) that is designed to develop super-fast broadband in the area for both residents and companies. The two organisations are to work...

Apr 16 2010

A firm with a branch in Cumbria has announced that it plans to double its workforce as a result of expansion plans in the region. Neuro Partners, which specialises in treating people with brain injuries and provides services from...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has put forward plans for a £16 million sports centre that would benefit both students and the general public. It would house new state-of-the-art facilities and equipment and would...

Apr 16 2010

Even though it is to be held in Rome, the UEFA Champions League Final will boost the economy of Manchester by at least £6 million, a new report has estimated. According to solicitors Grant Thornton, the match between Manchester...

Apr 16 2010

A power plant that would be fuelled by farm slurry could generate up to £1.2 million a year if it were to go ahead in Cumbria. Ten famers are backing the scheme in Silloth, which is being proposed by Community Renewable Energy North...

Apr 16 2010

Liverpool-based financial services firm RSA - formerly Royal & Sun Alliance - has announced that it has maintained a strong performance within the industry after revealing its quarterly results. Statistics form the firm showed an...

Apr 16 2010

A northwest firm providing forensic services is to receive a grant of £65,000 from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) in order to allow it improve its current facilities. Key Forensic Services, based in Warrington, will...

Apr 16 2010

Lancaster University has been ranked top in the northwest and among the top ten in the UK in league tables compiled by the Independent. According to the newspaper's Complete University Guide 2010, which looked at factors such as...

Apr 16 2010

A healthcare company based in Cheshire has outlined plans for an ambitious growth in turnover in the coming years. Assura, whose headquarters are located in Warrington, recently became the fastest growing pharmacy chain in the country...

Apr 16 2010

A businesswoman who set up a company producing healthy biscuits is to have her product sold as far afield as Dubai after it was a hit at an international food fair. Irma Vitoriano set up Vitoriano's Cookies ten years ago and...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is to invest £4.7 million in a new facility designed to boost the northwest's aerospace industry. Its funding will go towards the £8.2 million facility, located at the University of...

Apr 16 2010

A ceremony took place this week in Cumbria to celebrate the best in the region's tourism industry. The Castle Green Hotel in Kendal was the host for the 2009 Cumbria Tourism Awards, which saw hundreds of industry professionals...

Apr 16 2010

A grant has been awarded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) to a successful firm looking to expand in Haydock. Kapak Foods provides packaging and product development to the food industry and has a turnover of £2.8...

Apr 16 2010

A major tennis match in the Davis Cup is to be held in Liverpool, it has been revealed. Great Britain's (GB) tie against Poland will take place at the Echo Arena from September 18th to 20th, marking the first time that the event has...

Apr 16 2010

Plans have been proposed that would see a state-of-the-art health campus located in west Cumbria, benefiting both residents and those training in medical professions. The blueprints were compiled after representatives from...

Apr 16 2010

A firm based in Blackburn is moving to larger premises in a bid to increase production in the face of strong orders. Prestige Medical is to relocate to Shadsworth Business Park after outgrowing its former home in Roe Lee, the...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester is to pilot the first roll-out of national identity cards, it has been announced. Residents of the northwestern city will be able to apply for a card as of this autumn, which will contain a photograph and the same details...

Apr 16 2010

A Canadian-owned customer services firm is to relocate its UK premises to south Manchester after outgrowing its previous location. Neptune Innovations will create up to 130 jobs when it moves from Glasgow and Basingstoke to Towers...

Apr 16 2010

A company from Cheshire has releases figures showing a strong performance over the winter. NWF, which distributes groceries, animal feed and fuel oil, said it had performed well in all divisions, despite the tougher...

Apr 16 2010

People living in Cumbria may benefit from the creation of a planned £800 million global data hub in Lockerbie. The News & Star reported that the potential development could attract some £2 billion in foreign investment and create...

Apr 16 2010

Plans to redevelop the Mayfield railway station in Manchester city centre could allow for office space to house more than 5,000 civil service workers that is being described as Whitehall of the North. Funding for a feasibility study...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has revealed that it is to provide funding towards a number of initiatives designed to reduce carbon emissions in the region. A total of £30 million has been pledged in total, with £10...

Apr 16 2010

A new coach service has been launched in Liverpool that will allow technology professionals to access conferences all over the UK. Set up by Kisky Media and the International Centre for Digital Content (ICDC), the Tech Bus Tours...

Apr 16 2010

A Merseyside-based company has launched a £20 million short-term loan fund designed to help businesses have better access to credit during the economic downturn. Bridging Finance (NW), set up in 2005 by Steve Barber, will offer firms...

Apr 16 2010

Ulverston - situated just north of Morecambe Bay in Cumbria - is the subject of a £12 million investment by a US-based oilfields firm, it has emerged. Tronic, which is part of the Expro Group, provides services and products design to...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester has been chosen as the first city in the UK to host a FabLab, a community inventors' workshop where new products can be built by both businesses and individuals. To be funded by the Manufacturing Institute, New East...

Apr 16 2010

The Energy Coast Masterplan - designed to establish Cumbria as a centre of excellence for nuclear and other energy technologies - will help to transform western Cumbria into a high-tech economy based on local expertise. This is...

Apr 16 2010

The MEN Arena in Manchester has opened a new venue designed to appeal to businesses looking for a conference facility in the city. Overlooking the seating concourse, The View has a glass-fronted balcony and seating for up to 200...

Apr 16 2010

Financial services provider the Royal Liver Group has announced that its annual results for 2008 were excellent, despite the recession. Chief executive Steve Burnett said that the company had achieved a group surplus of £4.6 million,...

Apr 16 2010

A fire control centre designed to streamline resources and better serve people involved in emergencies has opened in Cheshire. Part of a new FireControl network, the Warrington-based facility should be operational by 2011 and will...

Apr 16 2010

A car dealership from Cumbria is bucking the downward trend in the car manufacturing industry, it has been reported. GK Group, which has showrooms in Carlisle, Penrith and Workington, has just secured a deal to supply £120,000 worth...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Liverpool has outlined ambitious expansion plans after seeing thousands of customers since its opening last year. Brew, situated in St Paul's Square, offers an alternative to the traditional coffee shop in that it...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has agreed to a £9.5 million investment in Manchester's Biomedical Research Centre, exactly a year after it helped to establish the facility with an initial investment. The funding will...

Apr 16 2010

Two venues in Cumbria have been honoured at the Enjoy England awards, held in York last night (April 23rd). The Rheged Centre in Penrith was named as Best Business Tourism Venue, while the Augill Castle was given the award for Bed...

Apr 16 2010

A variety of cheese manufactured in Cumbria is to be launched nationwide after achieving remarkable success with its products. The Lake District Cheese range, manufactured at the Aspatria creamery using milk from local cows, will be...

Apr 16 2010

Business travellers departing from Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) will be able to benefit from a brand new executive lounge that has been opened at the hub this month. The Halewood International Lounge, provided by Servisair,...

Apr 16 2010

A Blackburn-based sports nutrition firm has secured a deal with three of the UK's top cycling teams, it has been reported. Science in Sport, which produces hydration drinks, gels and bars for people taking part in sports, has signed a...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Cumbria is to have state-of-the-art X-ray equipment installed at its Fusehill Street and Lancaster campuses, it has been revealed. Funded by the North West Strategic Health Authority and the university itself, £2...

Apr 16 2010

A northwest company which manufactures products for the science industry has picked up a prestigious award. M&I Materials, based in Trafford, was acclaimed for its export sales at the International Trade Awards after seeing...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester Airport is to play host to a summit on climate change next month, it has been revealed. The northwestern hub will see more than 200 business leaders gather in its conference centre on May 1st for the third May Day Summit...

Apr 16 2010

Four small companies in Lancaster are achieving success with their products abroad, even though one of them has just a single member of staff. Crowberry Consulting, Cognoscenti Compliance, Stopford Projects and BEEcycle are all based...

Apr 16 2010

A family-run company based in St Helens is celebrating its biggest ever deal after being awarded an £8.5 million contract by housing firm the Regenda Group. M&Y Joinery has been given a five-year maintenance deal, which will see it...

Apr 16 2010

The amount of wealth generated in the northwest by the nuclear sector could double in the next ten years, one expert has said. Professor Paul Howarth of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at the Manchester University told the Manchester...

Apr 16 2010

The first signals to come from a super radio telescope known as e-Merlin have been received by the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Observatory. According to staff at the facility, the first contact came today (April 20th)...

Apr 16 2010

A clothing brand based in Liverpool has received a boost after organising a collaboration with girl group The Saturdays. Rare, which is sold in Topshop branches throughout the UK, is to work with the pop group to produce ten dresses,...

Apr 16 2010

A fund designed to provide finance to community-based carbon reduction projects has been launched in the northwest. Foundation has been set up with an initial £1.6 million investment from the Northwest Regional Development Agency and...

Apr 16 2010

A summit designed to raise the profile of small businesses in south Lakeland is taking place today (April 16th) in Kendal. According to the Westmorland Gazette, shadow cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell will pay a visit to the Cumbrian...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester has been found to be the best place to host conferences in Europe in terms of value. The northwest city came top in the poll by conference specialist Oxford International, which looked at a number of other destinations,...

Apr 16 2010

The number of new business start-ups in Manchester increased in 2008, despite the credit crunch. This is according to new figures released by Barclays, which show that there were ten per cent more fledgling companies begun in...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Cumbria has received £1,371,800 from the Economic Challenge Investment Fund to help its students and graduates have the best chance of finding a job amid the current economic climate. It is one of 70 institutions to...

Apr 16 2010

Three sites in Cumbria and one in Lancashire are among the 11 possible locations for future nuclear power station sites, the government has revealed. Braystones, Kirksanton and Sellafield in Cumbria, as well as Heysham in Lancashire,...

Apr 16 2010

Final year students from the University of Cumbria have had their talents recognised at a recent awards ceremony. The event saw students from the institution scoop Best Animation and Best Drama at the Royal Television Society North...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and 4NW have submitted a report to the government on how best to allocate spending for the region in the years ahead. Covering the years up to 2019, the Northwest Regional...

Apr 16 2010

A scientist at the University of Cumbria has confirmed a link between the diet a person eats and their mental performance. Following a review of the subject's literature, Fiona Cassells, senior lecturer in mental health nursing at the...

Apr 16 2010

A man who spotted a gap in the market while working as a window cleaner has launched a company which he says could save other northwest businesses hundreds of pounds at a time. Geoff Harney told the Cumberland Business Gazette that...

Apr 16 2010

An event which could raise the sporting profile of the Lancaster area's biggest such venue is to take place this week. According to the Lancaster Guardian, the Salt Ayre Sports Centre is to host the Northern England Strongest Man...

Apr 16 2010

Music industry executives are set to take part in an upcoming conference in Liverpool in May. According to Liverpool Vision's director of investment and enterprise, Mike Taylor, the Liverpool Sound City event - which includes a music...

Apr 16 2010

A new regional campus for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) could open in Manchester, it has been reported. The organisation is said to be keen to consolidate some of its offices and other departments into one regional centre and...

Apr 16 2010

The first awards ceremony to celebrate high performance in the northwest chemicals sector is to take place in Manchester this May. Chemicals North West (CNW) will host the event at the Hilton Hotel in Deansgate in May 14th with...

Apr 16 2010

An action plan designed to regenerate Carlisle has been given the go-ahead by the city's council. The Carlisle Renaissance Action Plan was developed by the city council, Cumbria county council, the Northwest Regional...

Apr 16 2010

A new programme likened to a 'try before you buy' process has been implemented in Lancaster in order to help people find jobs that they are best suited to. According to the Lancaster Guardian, the Work Trials programme, set up by...

Apr 16 2010

An initiative designed to devote time to improving children's progress in reading has demonstrated great success, only ten weeks after it was first implemented. The Read to Succeed campaign gives funding to provide 30 extra teaching...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Cumbria is waiting to hear the outcome of a campaign that aims to see the institution awarded with Fairtrade status. BBC News presenter George Alagiah recently visited the university in order to support the...

Apr 16 2010

An international hotel group is to open two new hotels in the northwest city of Liverpool, creating more than 360 new rooms. The establishments will be built in Liverpool's Central Village development and will be aimed at corporate...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester-based supermarket the Co-op has moved into the grocery premiership, according to its chief executive. Peter Marks was speaking to the Manchester Evening News after the group completed its acquisition of Somerfield. An...

Apr 16 2010

A Manchester-based business has received a huge boost after it signed a deal on collaboration with a global pharmaceutical firm. Biotechnology and research services firm Epistem has revealed a major agreement with Novartis that will...

Apr 16 2010

Investment and growth of businesses in the north-west could be bolstered by the creation of more apprenticeships schemes to train young people, it has been claimed. Minister for the north-west, Beverley Hughes, told delegates at...

Apr 16 2010

New figures released this week have shown that more people than ever were visiting Liverpool's tourist attractions last year. The city's reign as European Capital of Culture helped to draw in 67 per cent more people to the Tate...

Apr 16 2010

Regus, a company which provides temporary offices for businesses, has announced the opening of a new business centre in Manchester. Located within walking distance of both Salford and Deansgate train stations, the fully-furnished...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in White Cross, Lancaster has been given a grant of £185,000 from the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) in order to support its future expansion. G-T-P Group - which produces consumer gift cards, as well...

Apr 16 2010

Warrington-based haulage company Eddie Stobart is celebrating after being named among the world's best brands in a business to business survey. According to the research, carried out by the Centre for Brand Analysis, the firm came...

Apr 16 2010

The establishment of the UK headquarters of Chinese firm Galanz in Manchester is "a real coup for the region", according to the director of business relations at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NRDA). Sarah Kemp added that...

Apr 16 2010

Energy firm RWE npower has secured the right to purchase land at two locations near the Sellafield nuclear site. According to the Financial Times, the purchase is a signal that the energy firm has "stepped up its campaign" to develop...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is to spend £2 million on promoting the region as a destination for business tourism. Its investment was announced yesterday (February 24th) and will aim to encourage businesses to...

Apr 16 2010

A business loan scheme that was created in East Lancashire by Michelin has given out more than £1.2 million in loans since it began in 2003. The Michelin Development Business Loan Scheme has also created over 500 jobs in Burnley,...

Apr 16 2010

Farmers and other small rural businesses in Cumbria are to benefit from an £8 million cash grant, it was announced yesterday (February 23rd). The money will come as part of the Cumbria Fells and Dales Rural Development Programme,...

Apr 16 2010

A database that could contribute to research on ageing has been developed by scientists at Liverpool University. The resource, which is open to both professionals and the general public, details aspects such as average lifespan,...

Apr 16 2010

Seven businesses from the northwest are among those shortlisted to win an award from Visit Britain and Enjoy England for their services to tourism. This is the highest number from any region and the nominees will now take part in a...

Apr 16 2010

Cumbria is in a good position to become a national leader in the generation of renewable, sustainable energy. This is according to Lord Peter Mandelson, who spoke at a summit involving 250 delegates at Sellafield Visitor Centre...

Apr 16 2010

The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) will host a conference on the importance of talent management in Manchester today (February 23rd). Claire McCartney, who will present the organisation's new research into...

Apr 16 2010

A new £70 million university campus could be built in Hulme after proposals were submitted by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). The institution is working alongside Manchester City Council in the hope of delivering the new...

Apr 16 2010

Master classes on business skills are to be delivered to entrepreneurs in Cheshire by experts from the animation giant Disney. The corporation has agreed to visit the northwest on March 18th and 19th in order to deliver talks at...

Apr 16 2010

A professor from the University of Salford has been asked to take part in the national celebrations for Comic Relief by designing an experiment based on funny sounds. Trevor Cox, 42, is an expert on acoustics and the day's...

Apr 16 2010

A £3.2 million grant is to be given to Blackburn College in order to help create a new University Centre. The funding will be provided by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and will go towards the construction of the...

Apr 16 2010

Figures released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service have shown that applications to the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) for 2009 have increased by 15 per cent. This places the institution in the top 20 most...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Central Lancashire has been given a grant of £300,000 which could solve some of the mysteries of the formation of the Universe. Only one in six institutions that apply are given funding from the Science and...

Apr 16 2010

The Cumbria Economic Summit is to hear this week the proposals of a new action plan designed to boost investment in the region. Lord Mandelson will be the keynote speaker at the event, which will be held on Friday (February...

Apr 16 2010

A new phase of regeneration for Miles Platting in East Manchester has been given the go ahead by government communities secretary Hazel Blears. According to Crain's Manchester Business, the minister has approved a compulsory purchase...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Manchester's School of Computer Sciences has launched a competition to showcase the talent of young animators in the northwest. As part of animation09, participants between the ages of seven and 19 are invited to...

Apr 16 2010

Tourists visiting Liverpool will be able to benefit from a new guidebook published to showcase the best the city has to offer. The 124-page book, produced by the Mersey Partnership and the Northwest Regional Development...

Apr 16 2010

A journalism degree course at the University of Cumbria has been voted as one of the best in the country in terms of the credentials it offers to people seeking jobs in the profession after graduation. The BA (Hons) Journalism scheme...

Apr 16 2010

It has been revealed that the water company United Utilities is to invest £300,000 into projects which aim to increase environmental credentials in the northwest. The company told Crain's Manchester Business that the investment will...

Apr 16 2010

A new state-of-the-art BMX cycling arena is to be built in Manchester, it has emerged. Plans for the £20 million centre have been agreed upon this week, with the facility to be built in the car park of the Velodrome that was...

Apr 16 2010

Prospective students of Salford University Law School who are unable to attend scheduled open days may benefit from a new system introduced by the institution. The university claims to be the first to bring in the online open day,...

Apr 16 2010

It has been revealed that two companies in the northwest are behind innovative technology designed to encourage motorists to drive safely. Earlier this week, GreenRoad and Admiral said they have introduced a pay as you drive scheme...

Apr 16 2010

Lancaster University is helping to carry out a government-funded project that will help the town of Slavutych in the Ukraine to advance technologically. Slavutych was built to house residents of Chernobyl who were evacuated after the...

Apr 16 2010

An institution for research into some of the world's most dangerous infections has opened in Liverpool. The Biomedical Research Centre was opened on Tuesday (February 10th) by Health Protection Agency chairman Sir...

Apr 16 2010

New facilities at an entertainment venue in Cumbria could help to attract more students to the region. Carlisle city council has announced that it is to consider proposals for a sports centre at The Sands which would include...

Apr 16 2010

A firm of solicitors in Lancashire has secured a prestigious accolade at the Insider Dealmakers Awards 2009. For the second year running, Forbes Solicitors was names as Corporate Law Firm of the Year for the Lancashire region,...

Apr 12 2010

Cash Generator which can buy and sell a wide range of products, including electrical goods, has reported record profits

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has announced that it is to invest £3.8 million of funding into regenerating an area in Bury that is currently classed as a brownfield site. Waterdale and Drinkwater Park is to be...

Apr 16 2010

Liverpool is not suffering in the same way as much of the UK when it comes to businesses failing, it has emerged. According to new statistics released by Experian, 77 companies became insolvent during the last quarter of 2008, fewer...

Apr 16 2010

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have developed software that could help companies to save thousands of pounds each month. A team from the computing sciences department have designed PowerDown, which automatically shuts...

Apr 16 2010

The city of Liverpool is aiming to become an Academic Health Science Centre after putting in a bid with the scheme's organisers. A shortlist will be created by the government in March, but few will be created nationally, so Liverpool...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Blackburn has been given an award after successfully achieving large amounts of revenue in China. Tensar International, which produces soil reinforcement products for civil engineering, was presented with the...

Apr 16 2010

A Cumbrian initiative designed to help small businesses has received a national planning award. The Cumbria Rural Planning Facilitation Service (RPFS), provided by the Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency, was given the accolade by...

Apr 16 2010

A pair of projects in Salford and Liverpool have been honoured at a Royal Town Planning Institute (RPTI) awards ceremony. The Liverpool One regeneration project, as well as the Media City UK development in Salford, were presented with...

Apr 16 2010

An international shipping company has announced that it is relocating to Liverpool from its current London premises. Maersk Line UK & Ireland said that it had made the decision after recognising that the northwest city offers...

Apr 16 2010

A new scheme to support small to medium-sized enterprises in the northwest of England has been set up by Natwest and RBS. The two banks have teamed up to make some £250 million in funding available to lend to small firms in the...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has given a grant of £100,000 to the University of Cumbria in order to launch a programme which will see it work closely with businesses in the area. A pilot of the Shorter Knowledge...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in the northwest has secured a prestigious contract with one of Britain's biggest household brands. Professional Chauffer Services (PCS), which specialises in transport services for companies and individual clients,...

Apr 16 2010

Apprentices in Cumbria and their employers have been urged to participate in a scheme that aims to recognise the achievements of people who are working towards vocational qualifications. The Learning and Skills Council recently...

Apr 16 2010

Over 200 jobs are set to be created in Greater Manchester after the sports brand Umbro decided to invest in the northwest. The firm had considered locating its new premises elsewhere in the UK, but presentations by the Northwest...

Apr 16 2010

A construction company that operates nationwide has made a high-profile move to Heywood in Rochdale after considering the area to be the best for its business. Peakway Construction Group is to amalgamate all its branches in...

Apr 16 2010

A firm based in Carlisle has been given a prestigious award from the government after creating a revolutionary new secure website for the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Commerce Media developed a system called Celo, which lets users log...

Apr 16 2010

East Lancashire may do better than many regions during the economic downturn because of the nature of its industry and businesses, it has been claimed. Writing for the Lancashire Telegraph, Mike Damms, East Lancashire Chamber of...

Apr 16 2010

A number of jobs are to be created in Manchester following an announcement by the animation firm Cosgrove Hall. The company, which is famous for programmes such as Danger Mouse, Count Duckula and Chorlton and the Wheelies, recently...

Apr 16 2010

A firm that manufactures mobility scooters has moved to bigger premises in Carlisle and has said the change of location has already offered benefits to its business. Cumbria Mobility will be officially reopened in March by...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has ranked highly in a survey carried out by the Times Higher Education supplement in which students could rate their experience on campus. It was positioned among the top three modern...

Apr 16 2010

A new gas-fired power station to be built in Carrington will offer a number of benefits to the northwest region as a whole, it has been claimed. John McSweeney, manager of the Electricity Supply Board (ESBI) that is building the £500...

Apr 16 2010

Although Britain is now officially in recession, Cumbrian businesses will avoid the worst of it. This is according to Stuart Barker and Martin Bryson of HSBC's Carlisle headquarters, who told the Business Gazette that the region's...

Apr 16 2010

One of the UK's biggest broadcasters has announced that it is to create new jobs in Greater Manchester as a result of greater customer uptake in digital and high definition television. BSkyB said it has seen a 31 per cent increase in...

Apr 16 2010

Work is to begin this week on a £6.5 million centre for music and performing arts called the Cornerstone at Liverpool Hope University. Set to be completed in November this year, the building will feature three music studios and music...

Apr 16 2010

A food event held in Cheshire last year has been hailed as a great success after generating £153,000 in firm orders, with the potential of making £750,000 worth more. Food and Drink Meet the Buyer was hosted by UK Trade and...

Apr 16 2010

Lancaster University has been ranked as the top academic institution in the northwest in terms of Master of Business Administration (MBA) achievements. The university's management school came 27th in the world in the Financial Times'...

Apr 16 2010

Companies in Cumbria that are looking to improve their environmental credentials are being offered funding by the region's tourist board. According to the Westmoreland Gazette, ten businesses will each receive a cash sum from Cumbria...

Apr 16 2010

The winners of the second annual Northwest Women in Business Awards have been announced this week. Presented at a special ceremony in Warrington, the event was hosted by the Northwest Women's Enterprise Forum with support from...

Apr 16 2010

The city of Chester is to put in a bid to become an official World Heritage site, it has emerged. Should the status be agreed by the government and then Unesco next month, Chester will be on a protected list that also includes...

Apr 16 2010

Bolton-based publishing company Big Spark has announced that it is to launch a newspaper covering local news for Macclesfield, Alderley Edge, Prestbury and Wilmslow. Cheshire Independent will be free and will be available from...

Apr 16 2010

A new initiative focusing on outdoor dance and performance will aim to put Cumbria on the map as a world class centre for the arts. Lakes Alive 2009 will be launched in May and is sponsored by the Northwest Regional Development...

Apr 16 2010

A company from the northwest is resisting the recession by investing in new media offerings and expanding its portfolio. Ten Alps, which employs more than 200 people in Manchester and Macclesfield, announced this week that it will...

Apr 16 2010

A woman who runs her own business in Cumbria has received an award as part of the Business Innovation Project (BIP) from the University of Cumbria. Maria Whitehead received the award and a £1,000 prize for being South Lakeland...

Apr 16 2010

Two men in Carlisle have launched a business that they believe will help local companies needing IT services. Adam Robinson and Ken Bosley now run Robinson Computer and Sign Service, which offers computer repairs, as well as sign...

Apr 16 2010

The Return to Work programme being run by the Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency (CREA) and funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency is having a positive impact in terms of helping people to get back into employment, it has been...

Apr 16 2010

The finalists for a prestigious business award in the Northwest have been announced. The Financial Director of the Year Awards were set up by Sharp Consultancy and seek to reward professionals who have influenced the direction of...

Apr 16 2010

Salford University is to open a new state-of the-art higher education centre at the MediaCityUK development in Salford Quays, it has been revealed. The building's departments will focus on employer-led and postgraduate training in...

Apr 16 2010

Businesses in Cumbria and the surrounding area have been encouraged to join a cluster group for information technology. Mike Wilson, digital and creative sector team leader at Business Link Northwest, pointed out that companies which...

Apr 16 2010

A company in Manchester has deployed technology which will allow business and consumers to use high speed broadband without the need for telephone lines. A first for the UK, Eye WiMAX has been launched in Old Trafford and has around...

Apr 16 2010

St Helens Chamber of Commerce has relocated to purpose-built premises in the town centre. The new building will enable the organisation to launch a training and conference centre, as well as 31 units for small businesses. Funded...

Apr 16 2010

More than £8 million in investment for Lancashire's rural businesses will soon become available thanks to money from the Rural Development Programme England (RDPE). According to the Burnley Express, this may include both capital...

Apr 16 2010

Lancaster University has ranked among the tope ten universities in the UK in terms of research quality and relevance. According to the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, 92 per cent of the institution's research was highlighted as...

Apr 16 2010

A new office to be opened by the Inland Revenue is to create 350 jobs in Cumbria, it has been revealed. Situated on the Lillyhall Business Park, the new call centre will open on January 26th and local MPs said that the move will...

Apr 16 2010

Digital design agency McCann Erickson has announced that it is to open new offices in Manchester's Northern Quarter. The firm described the new venture as the "latest stage in its investment in integrated digital communications" and...

Apr 16 2010

A new managing director has been announced for Cumbria's Sellafield nuclear site. Bill Poulson will take the helm from Bob Pedde - who had to step down due to health problems - to become chief of the site's new parent body...

Apr 16 2010

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have been given a prestigious award for developing a new instrument aimed at improving dental hygiene in the UK. The Inspektor TC device is the same size as a toothbrush and is designed to be...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has welcomed government measures announced this week which aim to help small businesses that may be feeling pressure from the current economic conditions. Many companies have reported...

Apr 16 2010

A £1.9 million business centre is to be built in the Cumbria town of Maryport in order to provide office space for a number of small and medium-sized enterprises. The centre is to be built on a plot of land which once held a factory...

Apr 16 2010

Five tourism organisations in the northwest are to share a £20 million cash injection from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), it has been announced. Marketing Manchester, Cumbria Tourism, the Lancashire and...

Apr 16 2010

A £12 million project to redevelop the Old Trafford headquarters of Lancashire County Cricket Club is to begin next month, it has been announced. According to the Manchester Evening News, planning permission has been approved for the...

Apr 16 2010

A spokesperson for a regeneration company has promised that significant sums of investment will be coming into east Manchester during this year. New East Manchester chief executive Eddie Smith highlighted a number of forthcoming...

Apr 16 2010

A programme director is to be appointed to oversee a new public sector-led board that aims to regenerate coastal areas of west Cumbria. West Cumbria Vision is to launch a £2 billion project that will create 16,000 jobs and intends to...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has received a boost in the field of science after signing a deal with the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL). The collaboration will see the two organisations work together to research...

Apr 16 2010

Warrington Business Park has undergone a £200,000 refurbishment as part of a project designed to retain its appeal to small and start-up businesses. The site, which is owned by Warrington Training Trust, provides a base for 60...

Apr 16 2010

Some 968 companies have benefited from the University of Cumbria's School of Business and Enterprise since it was set up in 2006, it has emerged. The Lancaster Guardian cites a report from the faculty, which shows that it has created...

Apr 16 2010

Five independent games companies have secured funding to develop their ideas to pitch to Sony. Bollingon-based The Game Creators, UCAN TV of Manchester and Liverpool companies Catalyst, Citrus Suite and Onteca all secured £10,000...

Apr 16 2010

Companies thinking of starting up in the Northwest received £35m of good news from the UK business minister today. Speaking to enterprise leaders at the Lowry Arts Centre in Salford, Peter Mandelson announced support for 12,700 new...

Apr 16 2010

An engineering company which provides services to many of the Northwest's growth industries has been taken over by a market leader. Gravatom Engineering Systems, based within the region's nuclear hub in Workington, Cumbria, has...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest is the hottest place to film outside London, with movies like Sherlock Holmes helping to generate £45 million for the region. Scenes from Guy Ritchie's creation, based on the life of the pipe-smoking detective, were...

Apr 16 2010

University technologists are working on a new detection experts that could help resolve the gas pipeline problem in eastern Europe. Debate is raging over supplies in the region, as Russia reduced gas to several countries including...

Apr 16 2010

A Manchester entrepreneur has seen success with a new invention designed to fool burglars – Fake TV – despite being initially turned down for investment. Samantha Gore-Lyons' idea was rejected by a panel of investors on the...

Apr 16 2010

Plans to develop a plant to convert commercial food waste into energy have been given the go ahead. Fairfield Bio, which is a joint-venture between social enterprise Fairfield AD and renewable energy business the Bio Group, was given...

Apr 16 2010

A multi-media enterprise that offers interactive home gaming has upped the stakes with a £1 million acquisition. Lancaster-based NetPlay TV, which also has offices in London and Spain, has bought two mobile and skill gaming...

Apr 16 2010

An energy recruitment company has moved into new offices to better tap into the growing industry in the Northwest. Recruiter Air Resources has signed up for 7,000 sq ft of space in an Exchange development in Manchester's New York...

Apr 16 2010

Companies have been invited to take part in the Northwest Business Environment Awards 2009 – a year touted as boom time for green industry. Prime minister Gordon Brown foresees growth in eco-business with the region leading the way...

Apr 16 2010

Prime minister Gordon Brown is scheduled to visit Liverpool to highlight innovations in the region on Thursday. The Merseyside city is one of the stops for the third away-day cabinet meeting and is expected to discuss key issues in...

Apr 16 2010

The University of Cumbria plans drive small businesses forward in the new year after supporting almost 1,000 enterprises over the past two years. Its School of Business and Enterprise claims to have increased local business' sales by...

Apr 16 2010

Liverpool has entered a new era following its spell as the European Capital of Culture, a media outlet has said. According to the Liverpool Echo, the northwest city has been "born again" as a result of the events and developments it...

Apr 16 2010

A recent event has helped small businesses in Cumbria learn how to go about researching and developing potential new products. The Finance for Business Innovation course was hosted by the University of Cumbria and explained grants,...

Apr 16 2010

Communities secretary Hazel Blears has outlined proposals designed to convert empty shops into useful spaces for communities in the northwest. At a seminar in Stockport, the minister has suggested temporarily altering the windows of...

Apr 16 2010

The European Investment Bank has this week approved a £340 million loan for the car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover. Funding is to go towards the creation of new diesel-electric hybrid technology for greener vehicles, but the support...

Apr 16 2010

Additional funding has been granted in order to extend a project designed to improve the northwest's heritage tourism attractions. The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is to invest £500,000 to keep the Heritage Tourism...

Apr 16 2010

A van manufacturer based in the northwest is beating the credit crunch thanks to a strategy of diversification. Supertrucks of St Helens, which provides fittings for vans and trucks to be converted into sheet glass carriers,...

Apr 16 2010

A grant of £4.7 million is to be invested in the northwest's food industry, it has emerged. The money will support a new Enterprise Delivery Hub which will allow rural businesses in Cheshire to access resources and...

Apr 16 2010

Greater Manchester has been hailed as a region that could rival London for economic strength by the authors of a new report. According to the Financial Times, the Manchester Independent Economic Review reported that the northwest...

Apr 16 2010

Plans for a new holiday complex and incorporated business park have been submitted for Penrith, it has been revealed. A proposal has been lodged with Eden council by Lyon Property Investments, which would see facilities for 172 static...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency has approved funding of almost £5 million to support a new project designed to improve the infrastructure of the region's biohealth sector. Northwest e-Health will be made up of health...

Apr 16 2010

The Co-operative Financial Services arm has credited a sensible business model based on cautious lending as the reason for the firm's rise in profits. In the year to January 10th, profits increased from £50.4 million to £85.6...

Apr 16 2010

Research carried out in collaboration with the University of Manchester has revealed that storing carbon dioxide underground in water-filled gas fields could have important implications for reducing climate change. Previously,...

Apr 16 2010

An engineering firm based in the northwest has secured an order worth £17.7 million from the Department of Defense in the US, it has emerged. WFEL, based in Stockport, is to supply eight more military bridge systems to be used after...

Apr 16 2010

A building society based in east Lancashire has announced a good business year, despite the economic turbulence. Marsden Building Society, based in Nelson, said that group assets increased by £11 million to almost £367 million last...

Apr 16 2010

Northwest Vision and Media (NWV&M) is to benefit from £3 million in funding from the Northwest Regional Development Agency after being announced as the official organisation that will promote the media sector in the region. The...

Apr 16 2010

A Cumbrian company which specialises in shower products in seeing orders pour in from the Middle East after promoting its products there. Kudos Shower Products, which employs 84 people in Holme, contacted UK Trade and Investment...

Apr 16 2010

Carlisle city council has given the green light to plans which will see Carlisle Airport undergo a £25 million redevelopment. After consent was formally released at the end of last week, the Stobart Group can now purchase the airfield...

Apr 12 2010

A Northwest wine and spirits company is investing £1 million in new equipment as part of a planned expansion, it has been revealed...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has announced that it is to provide £1.25 million in funding to support Liverpool at the Shanghai Expo 2010. Held between May 1st and October 31st next year, the event - often referred...

Apr 16 2010

A company which delivers organic fruit to people's doors in the northwest is planning to expand after seeing a rapid growth in sales during the first part of 2009. The Farmshed, based in Wigan, saw sales rise by 50 per cent...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has welcomed new research that has shown the economic value of the UK's nine regional development agencies (RDAs). An impact of spending report published by the Department...

Apr 16 2010

A grant of ten million euros (£9.2 million) has been given to scientists at the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, it has emerged. The money is to come from the European Commission and will go towards...

Apr 16 2010

Northwest drinks manufacturer Nichols has posted profits of £10 million for 2008, ahead of market expectations. The firm, which produces Vimto, saw pre-tax earnings rise by 11.1 per cent, with a 16.1 per cent growth in UK sales of...

Apr 16 2010

Carlisle is to become the site for the UK's first green housing estate, it has been revealed. According to the Cumberland News, 42 luxury and environmentally-friendly new homes are proposed for Carlisle Racecourse in a development to...

Apr 16 2010

A £30 million Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry (KCMC) has been launched in the northwest, supported by funding from the Northwest Regional Development Agency. The centre, located on the region's Daresbury laboratories...

Apr 16 2010

Hot on the heels of his recent visit to Brazil, Prince Charles is set to visit Cumbria this week in order to see how rural businesses are adapting to the current economic climate. He will head to Penrith and Kendal to meet northwest...

Apr 16 2010

A lighting company based in Chorley has said it is aiming for £1 million in turnover after securing two grants. According to reports in the Lancashire Telegraph, Lumenata Lighting Design recently secured funding from the Northwest...

Apr 16 2010

Staff from Castlemere Community Centre in Rochdale have expressed their delight at a recent award for contributions to the local community. The Black Minority Ethnic (BME) Northwest Business Awards were held at Manchester United's...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester University and the Cumbria-based National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) have signed an agreement designed to share skills and invest in the future of nuclear science. The university will have access to NNL facilities and...

Apr 16 2010

Scientists at Liverpool University have been involved in a project designed to investigate how energy could be generated renewably around the northwest. Funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, it looked at how best to...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester-based insurance firm Swinton has announced that it made record profits in 2008, despite the credit crunch. The company said it had recorded profits of £50.1 million last year, up by four per cent in 2007, while the number...

Apr 16 2010

Liverpool city council is to spend half a million pounds promoting the city to potential investors, visitors and students in Shanghai. The Shanghai Expo 2010 - often referred to as the business Olympics - offers the council the...

Apr 16 2010

An online spin-off of the popular TV series Dragons' Den is to be created entirely in Manchester, it has emerged. According to How-Do, the new version will launch on Monday (March 30th), with would-be entrepreneurs able to make their...

Apr 16 2010

Selected areas in Greater Manchester are to be among the first to benefit from the installation of super-fast broadband, it has been announced. As part of its plan to ensure that 40 per cent of people in the UK have access to this...

Apr 16 2010

A law firm based in Cumbria is celebrating a decade in business this year. Baines Wilson of Carlisle was launched in 1999 and has a reputation for dealing with some of the biggest cases in the country in the field of corporate and...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has announced that it is to provide £8 million in funding to create a new wetland area for wildlife on a former brownfield site. Expected to be a major visitor attraction upon its...

Apr 16 2010

The electronics giant Siemens has announced 'bumper' sales from its north west operations last year. According to the Manchester Evening News, the firm's sales in the region increased to £500 million in 2008, an increase of...

Apr 16 2010

Government funding has been approved which is expected to give the south Lakeland region of Cumbria an economic boost. According to the North West Evening Mail, £261,000 will be provided by the government's Local Authorities Business...

Apr 16 2010

An area of the northwest seaside resort of Blackpool is set to undergo a £220 million facelift after a deal was signed by the council and developers. The plans involve new offices, a supermarket, new hotels, shops and restaurants...

Apr 16 2010

A northwest company specialising in products which help wounds to heal faster has announced that its profits have risen by more than half. Advanced Medical Solutions (AMS), based in Winsford, reported that its profits increased by 54...

Apr 16 2010

A new accessory designed to increase exercise through the Nintendo Wii has been developed by a company based in the northwest. The jOG, produced by the Liverpool-based firm New Concept Gaming, uses the existing Nunchuck and can sense...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Kirkby Lonsdale that manufactures safety devices for lorries is seeing its turnover go from strength to strength after reviewing its exports strategy. Business Lines produces safety indicators which fit onto a...

Apr 16 2010

Plans have been announced that will see £2.9 million invested in a new state-of-the-art sports venue in East Lancashire. The upgrade of Blackburn's Witton Park will see the construction of a covered area for spectators, a new running...

Apr 16 2010

The small town of Barnoldswick in east Lancashire could become a connectivity hotspot used by both residents and business people under new plans by the council to introduce Wi-Fi for the whole population. Town councillor Martin Bell...

Apr 16 2010

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has approved a £1.5 million investment in the future of the automotive industry in the northwest. Its money will go towards enlarging the current Coaching and Leadership Solutions...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester Science Park (MSP), which celebrates its 25th birthday this year, is going to beat the recession thanks to its emphasis on good quality research and jobs. This is according to its chief executive Jane Davies, who told...

Apr 16 2010

A conference centre in Cumbria has been nominated for a national award thanks to its business facilities. Rheged's Discovery Centre, which is situated in Penrith, has been named alongside the Excel Centre in London and...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in Oldham is expected to achieve more than £100 million in turnover during 2009 after already notching up record growth. Ultimate Products, which sources products for companies including major supermarket chains, has...

Apr 16 2010

A company based in the northwest has said that it plans to double its revenue to £10 million during 2009, despite the ongoing economic problems. Shred Easy, which is based in Trafford Park, was set up in 1999 and shreds waste and...

Apr 16 2010

A web design company based in Liverpool has seen the profile of its business increase after securing work from an American law firm. Webrevolve, which was established last year, has already secured £250,000 in outsourcing work from...

Apr 12 2010

A £220 million regeneration scheme in Blackpool has been given the go-ahead

Apr 16 2010

The Manchester-based biotechnology firm Epistem has reported a 30 per cent increase in profits. According to new figures released by the company, sales for the six months up to December 31st increased from £1.1 million to...

Apr 16 2010

A new £20 million agreement between a quarry company, Network Rail and Cumbria county council is set to boost the local economy by providing 150 jobs and bringing in £1.5 million a year. According to the Whitehaven News, over 150,000...

Apr 16 2010

Manchester University, Salford University and Manchester Metropolitan University have collectively launched an initiative which aims to provide ten students with the chance to study for a vocational masters degree for free. According...

Apr 16 2010

Two sites that are being considered by RWE Npower for nuclear power stations in Cumbria have strong potential for such a purpose. This is according to Dave Gardner, head of nuclear projects at the organisation, who said that both...

Apr 16 2010

A theme park based in the northwest of the UK is to implement a multi-million pound investment in order to secure its future and continue to attract visitors during the recession. The family-run Gulliver's Kingdom, based in...

Apr 16 2010

Northwich-based online retailer The Hut Group has revealed it raised £14 million in a major fundraising effort over the last six months.The group, which was set up in 2004, carried out its second phase of money raising programmes ahead of...

Apr 16 2010

Outline planning permission has been granted for a new construction project in the Northwest which will see the Royal Liverpool University Hospital replaced.Firms have been invited to bid for the 30-year contract as part of a £400 million...

Apr 16 2010

Easy empire founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou has announced plans to open an easyOffice site in Manchester - the first outside London.The entrepreneur, best know for his easyJet airline, signed a management agreement to run Devonshire House, a...

Apr 15 2010

Manchester-based IT security firm NCC group is "well ahead" on results posted last year, a company trading statement has claimed.NCC said it was on course to hit growth and profitability targets even though the economic forecast remained...

Apr 14 2010

Growing Northwest retail group JD Sports Fashion has beaten City forecasts by announcing a 26% increase in underlying profits.The company, which has its headquarters in Bury, made underlying profits of £67.4m in the year to January 30,...

Apr 14 2010

An extra 140,000 passenger were flown out Liverpool's John Lennon Airport in the first quarter of 2010, compared with the same period last year.Airlines have been putting on more flights, which has contributed to the 15% increase, and...

Apr 13 2010

A social housing group is helping to fight fuel poverty among the vulnerable and elderly after it was awarded a contract to install solar panels on properties in Preston and Salford.

Apr 13 2010

Building firm Sir Robert McAlpine has been given the contract to build a new Chetham's School of Music in Manchester.

Apr 12 2010

A partnership between logistics businesses and local authorities in Cumbria is aimed at boosting the area's economy.

Apr 12 2010

Manchester Metropolitan University is proving popular with postgraduates thanks to £7 million of investment in biomedical science and engineering.

Apr 12 2010

Grand National bosses are hoping an improving economy will see the event defy the odds and become an even bigger success than last year's race.

Apr 12 2010

Northwest businesses should embrace innovation to stay ahead of their competitors, a business leader has said. Dr Moneeb Awan, president of the Greater Manchester Chamber and owner of mobile technology company Esay Solutions...

Apr 12 2010

Sales at Lancashire polymer company Victrex increased by 52% in the first half of the year, the firm has announced.The FTSE 250-listed company, based in Thornton Cleveleys, said it had sold 1,170 tonnes up to March 31 - a significant...

Apr 12 2010

Sir Richard Branson has announced that Manchester Airport has secured a service to Las Vegas with his airline Virgin Atlantic.Boeing 747 jumbo jets will be used for the service, which will boast 14 upper-class suites. These will provide...

Apr 12 2010

The sale of a major property asset is set to boost the position of the Northwest transport group Stobart.The company is hoping to raise up to £62.5 million from the sale and at the heart of the plan is the site of a new 528,000 sq ft...

Apr 12 2010

A new study has been launched in Cumbria to explore the potential for tidal energy generation in the Duddon Estuary.Consultants will examine a number of technologies, including fences, tidal barriers and reefs, to test their...

Apr 12 2010

General Motors has announced it is to provide investment into its European car making operations, which takes place under the Vauxhall brand at Ellesmere Port in Merseyside.The US giant revealed it is to spend 1.9 billion euro (£1.7...

Apr 12 2010

Interest in the bidding process to carry out building and management of the new Alder Hey Children's Health Park has been described as "amazing".Five consortia, involving more than 30 companies, placed bids to carry out the £288 million...

Apr 12 2010

Blackburn-based education technology firm Promethean has announced a huge increase in pre-tax profits for 2009.The company, which aims to be listed on the stock market, saw a 180% increase to £15.4 million for the year.In 2008, Promethean...

Apr 12 2010

Milk, the digital media agency, has set up a new office in Manchester, it has announced.The agency, which already has offices in London and Barcelona, plans to recruit up to 15 staff for its Northwest base at 111 Piccadilly.The...

Apr 12 2010

A Liverpool-based manufacturing company has won a prestigious UK Trade & Investment award for embracing international business.E-Tech Components, which makes cable accessories, has increased its turnover by 60% since March 2008 after...

Apr 12 2010

Plans to build an incinerator in Lostock near Northwich that will burn waste to create energy have been submitted for Government approval.Giant chemicals firm Brunner Mond and E.ON want to build the incinerator on the site of Brunner's...

Apr 12 2010

Buoyed by positive economic results and an increased demand for its TV and broadband services, BSkyB is set to announce the creation of 500 jobs in Stockport.It is thought the positions will be based at a call centre in St Peter's Square,...

Apr 12 2010

Shares in one of the UK's largest port operators have surged by around 25% after a consortium, including a company which has interests in the Northwest, made a takeover approach.

Apr 12 2010

Fourteen of the 100 best companies to work for in the UK are based in the Northwest, a survey has revealed.

Apr 12 2010

Stem cell company Epistem is considering a programme of expansion after reporting a leap in turnover of 90% to £2.76 million in the last six months of 2009.

Apr 12 2010

Manchester-based car dealership and distribution company Lookers has defied the economic downturn and problems in the motoring industry to post record pre-exceptional profits of £28.3 million - almost double last year's figure.

Apr 12 2010

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard praised the contribution sports science had made to football when he opened a cutting-edge £25.5 million science facility in Merseyside.

Apr 12 2010

Latest figures on air passenger numbers have shown that John Lennon Airport in Liverpool was the only airport in the UK to see an increase during January.

Apr 12 2010

Plans are being made to install a Discovery Centre at Jodrell Bank Observatory to showcase cutting-edge research, it has been revealed.

Apr 12 2010

A 227-berth marina is to open on farmland in South Cheshire at the end of March.

Apr 12 2010

A development deal has been agreed to turn the area around the City of Manchester Stadium into an sport and leisure complex

Apr 12 2010

Tafford Council has approved plans to redevelop Lancashire's Old Trafford ground

Apr 12 2010

Union leaders have hailed the Government's £270 million loan to General Motors which will secure hundred of jobs at Ellesmere Port

Apr 12 2010

Salford University's pro-vice-chancellor for research and innovation, Professor Ghassan Aouad, has been appointed vice president of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The professor will become president of the organisation in 2013.

Apr 12 2010

Proposals to radically develop the Manchester Central convention complex have been announced at international property conference MIPIM

Apr 12 2010

Chester-based pharmaceutical company IS Pharma is celebrating after selling two of its treatments for a combined total of £1.4 million.

Apr 12 2010

Riverford Organic is to offer a delivery service in Manchester city centre, pictured

Apr 12 2010

Inventors in the Northwest have been encouraged to bring their ideas to life after a "hi-tech community mini-factory" was launched in Manchester.

Apr 12 2010

Nothwest-based haulage giant Stobart has announced plans for a £30 million investment in the renewable energy sector.

Apr 12 2010

Barrow-in-Furness docks may soon have a power station which will burn 216 tonnes of wood every day

Apr 12 2010

A Vimto advertising campaign has boosted revenues

Apr 12 2010

A £300 million contract to build two Astute attack submarines in Cumbria has been announced by defence secretary Bob Ainsworth.Weapons manufacturer BAE Systems will build one of the vehicles at Barrow-in-Furness and start the procurement...

Apr 12 2010

A Sandbach-based flooring manufacturer has been recognised at a prestigious awards ceremony.Flowcrete UK was awarded first place at the annual High Sheriff's Award for Enterprise.The company specialises in laying flooring in factories,...

Apr 12 2010

Two funding agreements worth a combined total of £84 million are set to kick-start a programme of housing regeneration across Lancashire.

Apr 12 2010

The Northwest is set to benefit from a £75 million funding bonanza from central Government.

Apr 12 2010

Manchester will host the two-day INTERREG IVB Northwest Europe conference in December, it has been confirmed.

Apr 12 2010

All ten councils in the Greater Manchester area have backed the super authority plan

Apr 12 2010

A multimillion-pound revamp will make Blackpool "the most exciting resort in Europe" a minister has claimed.

Apr 12 2010

Liverpool is celebrating after being named the UK's biggest wealth management centre outside London.

Apr 9 2010

The world's largest passenger plane is set to take to the skies in the Northwest region. The Airbus A380 superjumbo will operate from Manchester airport thanks to Dubai-based airline Emirates...

Apr 9 2010

Matalan has had a £525m financial reorganisation following a recent decision not to sell its Skelmersdale business.

Apr 9 2010

The fashion firm that owns Manchester brand Bench says its ventures into new markets have paid off as it reported satisfactory performances last year. Americana International has increased its number of UK stores and expanded into Germany.

Apr 9 2010

The area connecting Manchester's 'medieval quarter' and Salford's riverside has received £4.8 million investment from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

Apr 9 2010

A leading German engineering company has established a UK presence at the Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, near Warrington.P3 engineering collaboration (P3ec), a wholly owned subsidiary of the P3 Group, was drawn to the region...

Apr 9 2010

Carlisle-based transport group Stobart has announced plans to offer cheap flights from its airport in Essex.Chief executive Andrew Tinkler told the Financial Times that European airlines had shown significant interest in the idea, which...

Dec 17 2009

The northern branch of 'big four' accountancy firm KPMG outperformed the rest of its UK operations in the year to September 30th, 2009. The firm's northern practice, which has offices in Liverpool, Manchester and Preston, saw flat...

Dec 17 2009

A total of £100 million in funds will go towards financing urban development projects across the northwest of England, a consortium of groups announced. The NWDA, European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Investment...

Dec 17 2009

Merseyside's economy has improved for the ninth straight year according to reports from the Office of National Statistics. The gross value added (GVA) per head, the economic output of each person, rose by 4.8 per cent in 2007 to...

Dec 17 2009

A £230,000 Grant for Business Investment (GBI) has helped to save 22 jobs and secure 19 more in Greater Manchester. The money, made available by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), was delivered to Dresser Mouldings of...

Dec 17 2009

A £500,000 fund has been made available to farmers in Cumbria as they continue with recovery efforts following the recent floods. Highlighting the economic potential of the region, the government has made the money available so that...

Dec 17 2009

The Manchester area will be among nine regions to receive the London-style 'smart card' travel system by 2015. Transport secretary Lord Adonis said the nine regions, which also include Merseyside, Nottingham, West Midlands and...

Dec 17 2009

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Dec 1 2009

The city centre of Chester is set to undergo a transformation after receiving more than £600,000 in funding from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). A building which used to form a police headquarters will be...

Apr 14 2009

Visitors to Hampton Court Palace will be able to enjoy looking at a piece of history thanks to pioneering work carried out by scientists in the northwest. Professor Chris Carr, Dr Huw Owens and Ruth Perkins from...

Mar 11 2009

A £2.65 million investment from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) could help to bring Test Match cricket back to the northwest by 2013. Lancashire County Cricket Club has received the money in order to build a new...