Welcome to the latest TFI, bringing you news and views of what is happening across the Liverpool city region. Plans to redevelop a landmark building in the city centre have been shelved; Downtown is getting ready to launch in another North West city; and our Business of the Week, Paver Smith, have published some impressive results this week. News of all this, plus all our usual features to perk you up on a miserable January afternoon, including details of DLIB’s first ‘sexy networking’ event of 2010. Read on, enjoy, have a great weekend, and don’t do anything Frank wouldn’t do...

Liverpool City Council and developer Downing are set to abandon plans to create a major new hotel in a derelict city landmark.

It had been hoped Downing would reopen the former Scandinavian Hotel in time for the city’s 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations.

But now the council and the company are set to agree to tear up the development agreement, and there is no time scale for when the site might be brought back into use.

The local authority will take back the key site in Chinatown which it won the right to compulsorily purchase in 2005.

The Downtown Chairman urges the Conservative Party to rethink their plans on planning. READ BLOG

Hear Frank on City Talk 105.9FM every Friday morning at 7.45am and on his weekly programme City Talks Business, Sunday’s 7am-8am, repeated at 8pm.

The Downtown brand, established in Liverpool in 2004, Preston in 2007 and Lancaster last year, is heading to Manchester. The ‘business club with attitude’ will launch it’s new venture in March. Downtown Chairman Frank McKenna said: “We are really excited about Manchester. It is a city that has enjoyed unprecedented success for over twenty years now, with an excellent local authority and a vibrant business community. We can’t wait to get involved.” For further details about DMIB contact alan.townley@downtowninbusiness.com or visit www.downtownmanchester.co.uk

Following a deal to acquire part of Lloyds Banking Group’s private fund management business in October, private bank Rathbone Brothers announced it has received consent from 60 per cent of former Bank of Scotland Portfolio Management Services clients to move their investments across. Plans to move across private client portfolios from Lloyds TSB Private Banking are also at an advance stage, it said. Although the acquisition could be worth up to £35.4m, Rathbone said last year the final sale price would depend on the percentage of clients that agreed to transfer.

Liverpool’s leading sales and lettings agent Venmore has unveiled 47 exclusive rental apartments located on the top three floors above the city’s stunning new Hilton hotel.

The apartments offer panoramic views of the iconic Liverpool skyline, including The Albert Dock, and are located in the heart of the city’s Liverpool ONE scheme and Chavasse Park.

With a choice of furnished or unfurnished, prices range from £750 to £1100 pcm and also include membership for the state-of-the-art gym.

Nick Dawson, Venmore’s Area and Divisional Manager proclaimed:  “These apartments represent elegance and quality. This is a jewel in the crown for reaffirming Venmore’s position at the forefront of the Liverpool property market.”

To book a viewing contact Darren Kay on 0151 236 4400

Liverpool-headquartered PR agency Paver Smith has announced a 36 per cent increase in turnover for 2009. Income rose from £1.7m to just under £2.4m, with a net gain of 17 new clients, including the National Lottery, Grosvenor and webuyanycar.com.  The agency took headcount to 38, launched an in-house training academy and opened its Deansgate office in Manchester. “I don’t think we’ve ever worked as hard in our lives,” said managing director Dougal Paver, who predicted 10 per cent growth in 2010.

In a week that Liverpool supporters would rather forget following the clubs shock F.A. Cup defeat at the hands of Reading, better news off the field, where the impressive Ian Ayre has been given a more prominent role in the clubs affairs as he takes a seat on the board.

Change Everything

There is a major business event taking place in the North West on January 20th.

www.raw2010.com

Roger Jonas reviews two of the cities restaurants. (bang goes the New Year resolutions hey Rog?)

Merchants Restaurant

The James Monro

To celebrate the start of 2010 in style we are hosting New Year soiree on Tuesday 26th January at the BT Convention Centre.
 
This informal event begins with a drinks reception at 5.30pm, after which guests will have the opportunity to take a relaxed tour around the venue or just relax and mingle with the crowd, the evening closes at 7pm.

Drinks and supper canapés will be provided by our caterers, Heathcotes, who will also be on hand to answer any questions. The evening is also an opportunity to talk to the Sales and Events Teams about your event requirements in the future.
 
Don’t miss out on this very special New Year celebration - Please RSVP your acceptance to Rachel.moore@accliverpool.com or call 0151 703 7294 to be on the guest list.

No grit for the roads, but plenty for business!
Join us at the Sir Thomas Hotel for our first Sexy Networking event of 2010
Thursday 21st January
6.30pm-9.00pm

REGISTER HERE

You could own a piece of history……

Framed Liverpool and Everton home shirts signed by all of the first team squads.

You have until Friday 29th January 2010 to enter your bid. The highest bid entered by 4.00pm for either shirt, wins.

CLICK HERE to place your bid

Grant Thornton will discuss how you can prepare for the upturn and look at the areas which need to be focused on in order to improve cash flow.

Dougal Paver from Paver Smith looks at cost effective marketing solutions designed to maximize the effect of marketing strategies for 2010.

REGISTER HERE

Name: Judith O’Brien

Company: IT Answers UK Ltd

Position: Managing Director

Red or Blue: Blue

Brown or Cameron: Brown as a lesser of two evils!!!

Favourite Liverpool Bar/Restaurant: Restaurant Bar and Grill although very happy that San Carlos is now here

What’s your Tipple: Latest one is a Mojito

Favourite Liverpool Band: Lightning Seeds

Top Tune: The Fear, Lily Allen

Favourite Book: Eat, Love, Pray – Elizabeth Gilbert

Favourite Movie: Mamma Mia

Who would play you in a film: Catwoman

Favourite TV Programme: I’m a Celebrity / Flashforward

Most visited website: Wikipedia

Celebrity Crush: Jake Gyllenhall

Interesting Fact about you: My dream career in life was to be a dancer.

Why Downtown: The best business network in the City