Monday, September 10, 2018PAGE 22

BUSINESS

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‘We’reopen forbusiness inKirklees’“We’re Kirklees and we’reopen for business.”

That’s the message fromKirklees Council’s leader,Shabir Pandor, as he flies outto China in the hope of cre-ating a multi-billion poundpartnership with the world’ssecond-largest economy.

Clr Pandor joins col-leagues from the Universityof Huddersfield and partnercouncils from across WestYorkshire on the six-day tripto meet high-profile Chinesebusiness leaders.

And he hopes to returnto Huddersfield havingstrengthened bilateral coop-eration and trade betweenChina and the UK.

Tweeting prior to flyingout from Leeds Bradford Air-port he wrote: “Huddersfieldalone has highest growth inWest Yorks – £7.4bn – We’reKirklees and we’re open forbusiness.”

His social media commentunderlined a bullish stancein which he said the foun-dations for a flourishing re-lationship with China “arealready in place”.

MarketshareboostforPrimeILKLEY company Compos-ite Prime’s market sharehas soared following a tie-upwith a new high-profile dis-tributor.

Taylor Maxwell hasteamed up as distributors ofComposite Prime’s decking,supplying timber and build-ers’ merchants with stocknationwide, leading to an in-crease in new business.

Taylor Maxwell’s manag-ing director Tony Hammondsaid: “This is a great deal forboth enterprises, and verytimely.”

MARKETS suffered heavy losses lastweek for a variety of reasons. WallStreet witnessed a major sell-off intechnology stocks early in the weekand continued to suffer as trade warfears reignited.Emerging markets also sufferedfollowing news that South Africa hadfallen into recession, whilst the UKstock market was not helped by astronger Pound following news thatthe UK and Germany had madeprogress towards a Brexit deal. Inearly Friday trading the FTSE 100slipped below the 7300 level for thefirst time since April.According to the latest PurchasingManagers’ Index (PMI) figures the UKservices sector grew more strongly

than expected in August. The sector,which includes everything fromrestaurants to banking, makes up80% of the UK economy and sawmany companies working at fullcapacity in the month.This was in contrast to themanufacturing sector where growthfell to a 25-month low, due to a sharpdownturn in exports.The PMI forecast that the UKeconomy will grow at 0.4 per cent inthe third quarter of the year, in linewith the second quarter.Inflation in the Eurozone remainsabove the European Central Bank’s(ECB) target, coming in at 2 per centin August, slightly below the 2.1 per

cent figure recorded in July.The ECB’s target inflation rate is justunder 2 per cent, but runawayinflation is unlikely to be a concernas core inflation, which strips out theeffects of rising energy costs,remained weak at just 1 per cent.Meanwhile, separate figures showedthat unemployment in the regionremained steady at 8.2 per cent, itslowest rate since November 2008.The share price of Leeds-basedmarketing services providerCommunisis has suffered badly inthe year to date, but recovered somelost ground in August following thepublication of its interim results.The group reported a 9 per cent rise

ShareS by Joel Dungate, of reDmayne-bentley StockbrokerS

in total sales for the six months tothe end of June, leading to anadjusted pre-tax profit of £6.5m, upfrom £6.4m in the first half of 2017.The group said it had a strong orderbook and won two significantcontracts, giving it strong visibilityfor the second half of the year.Consequently, its full-yearexpectations remain unchanged.Investments can fall as well as rise invalue and your capital is at riskThis communication does notconstitute a recommendation to buyor sell the investments mentioned.Past performance and forecasts arenot reliable indicators of futureresults or performance.

Firmcreatesnew£300mdivision

ILKLEY-based NG BAILEY hascreated a new £300m Servicesdivision to bring together itsFacilities Engineering Servicesand IT Services businesses,alongside the recently-acquiredFreedom Group.The move, which fits the overallbusiness strategy and long-termgoals of responsible and reliableearnings, will combine thecompany’s national capabilitiesin facilities engineering services,IT, fabric and projectmanagement services with itspower engineering services andland management capabilities.Peter Jones (pictured),previously managing director forIT Services and the newly-acquired Freedom group,extends his remit as managingdirector for the combined NGBailey Services division,reporting into chief executiveDavid Hurcomb.Together with a new leadershipteam, the division will focus onkey market sectors.

‘Gastropub’takenoverAN award-winning Michelin-starred chef and his wifehave agreed a deal to takeover what is widely regardedas the original Dales ‘gastro-pub.’

Michael Wignall and hiswife Johanna, in partnershipwith James and Jo Wellock,are to take over the Angel atHetton.

The partners plan to runthe Angel as it is until the endof the year before closing foran extensive refurbishmentin the new year.

The Angel was made fa-mous by the late chef DenisWatkins and his wife Julietin the 1980s.

AirportplanstobedebatedMORE details about LeedsBradford Airport’sredevelopment plans will begiven at an event.The airport (LBA) is holding apublic consultation in theBramhope Suite of the BritanniaHotel, on Leeds Road,Bramhope, from 3.30pm to8.30pm on Thursday,September 27. Informationabout LBA’s proposals for a newArrivals Hall will be provided.

More Business news @ telegraphandargus.co.uk

Kirkgateboss isbackingtheBID

SUPPORT: Catherine Riley is among those backing the Business Improvement District plan for Bradford

Shopping centremanager says cityneeds to speak with‘one strong voice’

THE manager of Bradford’s Kirkgateshopping centre says the planned Busi-ness Improvement District is “an op-portunity the city can’t afford to miss.”

Catherine Riley, who has been cen-tre manager at Kirkgate Shopping formore than 24 years, says the BID is abrilliant way to rally the city’s busi-ness voices to get the best for Bradford.

“It’s essential that we work togetherbecause we all want the same thing,

which is the best for Bradford,” shesaid. “We make our livelihoods from it,all the people that work in the centre ofBradford make their livelihoods fromit, and we deserve the best for it.”

Voting papers for the month-longpostal ballot for the BID project, whichwould deliver £2.5 million of improve-ments over five years, go out on Sep-tember 13. More than 630 businessesand other city-centre based organisa-tions will be asked to vote on a propos-al for a levy of up to 1.25 per cent ontheir business rates. The proceedswould be spent on four key “pillars”– Safe, Clean, Alive and Promoted – toimprove the safety, cleanliness, vital-ity and marketing of Bradford’s retailheart.

Ms Riley said the BID is a chance tounite those who believe in the city witha single voice.

“The BID is an opportunity for Brad-ford businesses to speak with one voiceand for the voice of businesses to be

heard,” she said. “We’re going to bespeaking up about all sorts of things,including the four pillars.

“Everybody is concerned about howwe remain safe in the city, how cleanthe city is and - probably more impor-tantly for me because I’m involved withthose issues every day - I’m interestedin how we promote the city, shout abouthow great the city is, all the fabulousthings that are going on, and the wayeverybody is working together.

“And that comes back to having onevoice. It’s important we’re all sayingthe same thing, in order to be heard.”

The city had undergone a lot ofchanges over the last 10 years, especial-ly in the retail environment, which hadmade it very challenging.

“But I think the BID can help Brad-ford grow through those challenges,”said Ms Riley. “I think things are on theupturn. While footfall around the coun-try is declining, ours is stable. “

ByWill Kilner01274 705401

will.kilner@telegraphandargus.co.uk