April 2017



Far East Consortium to deliver £1bn Northern Gateway

Far East Consortium International Limited (FEC) said it has been selected to work with the Manchester City Council to deliver the “Northern Gateway” — possibly the largest residential regeneration project ever…


N Brown profit falls to £58m on £901m revenue

Manchester-based specialist fit fashion retailer N Brown Group — whose brands include JD Williams, Simply Be and Jacamo — said its group revenue rose 4% to £900.7 million in the 53 weeks…


Boohoo.com revenue soars 51% to £294.6m

Manchester-based online fashion retailer boohoo.com said its revenue rose 51% to £294.6 million and profit before tax soared 97% to £30.9 million in the year to February 28,…



Virgin Money credit card balances up to £2.7bn

Newcastle and Edinburgh-based challenger bank Virgin Money insisted it had maintained a “strong focus on asset quality” as its credit card balances grew about 8% to £2.7 billion in the…



Leeds gets £173m transport funding package

Leeds is set to benefit from a £173.5 million UK government funding package that will provide high frequency busways, improved park and ride facilities and better stops…













Leeds’ Dart Group lifts profit expectations

Leeds-based leisure and logistics firm Dart Group, owner of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said in a trading update it expects underlying profit before taxation for the year ended March 31, 2017, to…


Utilitywise shares hit amid loss, chairman move

Shares of Newcastle-based utility consultancy Utilitywise fell more than 11% after it said executive chairman and founder Geoff Thompson would become non-executive chairman with immediate effect and…


NCC installs exec chairman amid upheaval

Manchester-based cyber security company NCC Group said on Monday it appointed Chris Stone as executive chairman with effect from April 6, 2017. “It is intended that he will…



Drax succeeds in $35m Louisiana Pellets bid

Selby, North Yorkshire-based power company Drax Group said that following the conclusion of an auction, Drax had been “provisionally successful” in its bid to acquire the assets of Louisiana…