News

Govt. no longer biggest Lloyds shareholder

The UK government said its has now recovered more than £18 billion of the £20.3 billion that taxpayers injected into the Lloyds Banking Group — owner of the Halifax,…


Styles&Wood buys GDM

Sale-based property services firm Styles&Wood Group plc said it acquired Kent-based specialist mechanical, electrical and environmental consultancy The GDM Group Limited for an initial payment of £4 million in cash and…


Endless buys IT storage firm MTI Europe

Leeds-based private equity firm Endless LLP said that Endless Fund IV acquired IT storage infrastructure firm MTI Europe BV from US-based private equity fund Garnett and Helfrich…


£36m to build 1,381 housing association homes

Manchester-based housing association Great Places Housing Group and its partners said they secured £36.2 million of government funding to build 1,381 affordable homes across the…


Bruntwood secures £115m Aviva loan

Manchester-based commercial property company Bruntwood said it secured a new £115.5 million, 15-year debt facility with Aviva Investors Real Estate Finance. Family-owned Bruntwood said the new loan “creates…


JCB wins $142m US Army order

Staffordshire-based JCB said it has won one of the biggest orders in the company’s 71-year history –a $142 million deal to supply the United States Army with a…


Gear4music sales up 55% to £24.4m

Shares of York-based Gear4music, the online international retailer of musical instruments and equipment, rose almost 4% after it revealed its sales soared 55% to £24.4 million in the four…


£335m for 3,000 housing association homes

Northern England housing association consortium JV North said it will invest £335.5 million to build nearly 3,000 homes over the next four years. The consortium of…


Glenbrook targets ‘last remaining’ quay site

Property developer Glenbrook said it submitted a planning application to Salford City Council to build 270 private rented apartments on the last remaining undeveloped site overlooking Erie Basin…



Radrizzani buys 50% stake in Leeds Utd

Leeds United Football Club confirmed that sports media executive Andrea Radrizzani’s Aser Group Holding, through it’s acquisition vehicle Greenfield Investment, has bought 50% of the club’s share capital. Leeds…



NCC sells Open Registry group for €3.75m

Manchester-based cyber security and risk mitigation firm NCC Group said it sold the Open Registry group of companies for about €3.75 million. The Open Registry group of companies comprises…



Harworth buys Preston’s Four Oaks for £13.5m

Harworth Group, the brownfield regeneration and property investment company, said it acquired Four Oaks Business Park in Preston, Lancashire for £13.5 million as part of its strategy…


Bradford Bulls ceases trading

The Rugby Football League (RFL) confirmed on January 3 that the administrator of Bradford Bulls (Northern) Limited has confirmed that the club has ceased trading. “While…


Boohoo completes £3.3m PrettyLittleThing deal

Manchester-based online fashion retailer boohoo.com plc said it completed the acquisition of 66% of 21 Three Clothing Company Ltd — known as PrettyLittleThing — for £3.3 million in cash….




BAE Systems surpasses 2,000 apprentices

BAE Systems said its need for a continuous supply of skilled employees — in particular for submarine programmes at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria — has led to the company currently training a…


Duffy to leave Entrepreneurial Spark

Jim Duffy, co-founder of business incubator network Entrepreneurial Spark, announced he will leave the company in the summer of 2017. Duffy said Entrepreneurial Spark will…


£7.2m digital business growth fund launched

The Derby Derbyshire Nottingham Nottinghamshire (D2N2) Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) will launch a £7.2 million fund in January aimed at helping 850 small and medium-sized enterprises…


Daisy seals £184m Alternative Networks deal

Nelson, Lancashire-based IT infrastructure and communications firm Daisy Group said it completed its acquisition of rival firm Alternative Networks plc. Daisy Group said the deal values Alternative Networks…



Russell Group universities seek new boss

The Russell Group of 24 leading UK universities — which includes Manchester, Newcastle, Durham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Nottingham, York and Leeds — is looking for a new director…



Boohoo offers to buy Nasty Gal assets for $20m

Manchester-based online fashion retailer boohoo.com plc said it has made an offer to acquire “certain intellectual property assets” from US retailer Nasty Gal Inc for $20…


Sports Direct to sell $137m Dunlop brand

Sports Direct International said it agreed sell its rights to the Dunlop brand and related wholesale and licensing businesses to Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) for $137.5 million in…


Tritax in £102m Howden warehouse investment

Tritax Big Box REIT, a real estate investment trust, said it exchanged contracts — conditional on receiving planning consent — to provide forward funding for two large distribution warehouses at Warth…



Dart Group to buy $384m Boeing planes

Leeds-based Dart Group, owner of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said it agreed to buy a further four new Boeing 737-800NG aircraft in addition to the acquisition of 30 aircraft announced in…



Onex to buy Parkdean Resorts for £1.35bn

Canadian private equity firm Onex Corporation agreed to acquire Newcastle and Hemel Hempstead-based caravan holiday park operator Parkdean Resorts for £1.35 billion from Epiris, another…


Glencore chooses Teesport for northern hub

PD Ports agreed a three-year deal with soya bean and oilseed rape crusher Glencore Agriculture UK to use Teesport as its northern distribution hub. Glencore’s new…



Deutsche, Credit Suisse In $12bn Settlements

Deutsche Bank said it reached a settlement in principle with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) regarding civil claims in connection with the bank’s issuance and underwriting…



Alstom to buy Newcastle’s Nomad Digital

French transport giant Alstom has signed an agreement for the acquisition of Newcastle-based train wi-fi pioneer Nomad Digital from Amadeus Capital Partners, SEB Venture Capital and Deutsche…