Bell Pottinger North buys Leeds PR company

PUBLIC relations group Bell Pottinger North has expanded into Yorkshire after buying part of the failed Ptarmigan business.

Macclesfield-based Bell Pottinger North, which is part of Britain’s top ranking public relations group, has bought part of the business and certain assets of Leeds-based Ptarmigan from administrators F A Sims and Partners for an undisclosed fee.

Ptarmigan went into administration on Friday following the ill-health of its founder and managing director Gordon Forbes. The company, which will continue to trade as Ptarmigan, is to move into the Calls Wharf development in Leeds from its base in Kirkstall.

All of its staff were made redundant following the move into administration on Friday but job offers have been made to certain people, Bell Pottinger North’s managing director Chris Warham said.

Mr Warham said: “We have been interested in building our presence in the north by getting involved in the Leeds based marketplace.

“Ptarmigan has a great reputation for delivering creative and results-driven campaigns and the team’s strengths in consumer campaigns and sports and sponsorship are complementary to our current industry expertise.

“By combining Ptarmigan’s skill sets with the strength and industry expertise of the Bell Pottinger Group, we have a remarkably strong and broad client offer to deliver in Leeds, Yorkshire and, indeed, the North East.

Although Ptarmigan’s public relations consultants will be based in Leeds city centre, administrative functions will be handled from Bell Pottinger North’s Macclesfield office.

Gordon Forbes, founder of Ptarmigan, said: “With the realisation that my health issues meant that I had to leave the business, came a focus on identifying a strong brand that could build on Ptarmigan’s heritage.

“Bell Pottinger’s credentials are first class and our talks emphasised that we share a business philosophy based on consultancy accountability and client satisfaction.”

Mr Forbes will continue to work with Bell Pottinger on a part-time consultancy basis.

Bell Pottinger North had been in discussions with Ptarmigan before the administration.