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Rock replaced officially
Sunday 5 February 2012 6:00
Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Money now occupies the former Northern Rock headquarters at Gosforth, following its absorption of the former North East mortgage bank in a £747m purchase. It begins the bank’s new era with a £14bn mortgage book and retail deposits of £16bn. It immediately unveiled new savings accounts which best-buy website Moneyfacts described as being among the most competitive in the market.
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Forum relocates
Sunday 5 February 2012 6:00
The Entrepreneurs’ Forum has relocated to 2nd Floor, Anson House, Fleming Business Centre, Burdon Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle, NE2 3AE. The new phone number is and the fax . The website and email addresses remain the same.
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Tech breakthrough
Sunday 5 February 2012 6:00
New software – designed by learning and skills professionals for learning and skills professionals – will enable colleges and training providers to spend more time educating and less time on paperwork.
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Collectables grows
Sunday 5 February 2012 6:00
Family owned Collectables is expanding its furniture retailing with the launch of what it believes is the largest bed store in the North East. Its new Sleeping Giant outlet occupies 20,000sq ft on Portrack Lane, Stockton.
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Driving forward
Sunday 5 February 2012 5:00
The serial motor dealership grower Vertu made its first purchase of 2012 a £2m deal for a Vauxhall specialist in Northampton. Bought from Grose Northampton Ltd, the firm has a turnover of some £20m. This gives the AIM-listed Gateshead company 83 outlets.
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Northstar stays put
Sunday 5 February 2012 0:00
Northstar Ventures is to stay independently-owned and based in the North East. Its parent firm, NF Holdings Ltd, had been exploring options regarding its ownership but has now decided to remain under its current ownership.
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Nissan sets the pace
Sunday 5 February 2012 0:00
Nissan’s Sunderland plant in 2011 signed off its 25th anniversary year turning out more cars than any other UK car factory has ever built in 12 months.
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Legal name disappears
Sunday 5 February 2012 0:00
Bigger investment in North East legal operations is expected with the merger and incorporation of Newcastle firm Crutes into national business law firm DWF. As the Crutes name known since 1907 now disappears, DWF’s offerings will be bolstered across insurance, healthcare, transport, technology and the public sector which Crutes has excelled in.
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Chemicals deal
Sunday 5 February 2012 0:00
Ian Stark and Martyn Bainbridge have led a management buyout of Chemoxy International Ltd, the Dow Chemical Company’s custom processing facilities at Middlesbrough and Billingham, Chemoxy is one of Europe’s largest providers of custom manufacturing services to blue chip petrochemical and speciality chemical companies.
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Registration opens
Sunday 5 February 2012 0:00
Registration is open for the first national event at Northern Design Centre in Gateshead. Opening its doors to its first tenants in February, the new building will welcome 150 people to the second annual Design Means Business conference on March 20 and 21. Organised by Design Network North – a project managed by RTC North – the event will feature speakers from Intercontinental Hotels and Elmwood Design, welcoming back also experts from Aston Martin, Procter & Gamble and Herman Miller. www.designmeansbusiness.org.uk
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Surgo surge
Sunday 5 February 2012 0:00
Surgo Construction has a £1.8m contract to expand part of Durham University’s Queen’s Campus in Stockton. In 2010, the Newcastle firm completed work on the sports centre and other projects there. The new building will support research into medicine, health and wellbeing.
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Cable firm expands
Sunday 5 February 2012 0:00
A cable supply company, showing £7m sales in its maiden year, expects to double turnover in 2012. Expert Cables of Hartlepool supplies electrical wholesalers. Managing director Andrew McKenna has a staff of seven.