North West business briefs: Metrolink; Manchester United; BBF; Jolie; PX Training
After 22 years of operation, the Metrolink Eccles line is set to close on several occasions this year for essential maintenance of the tracks. A full closure of the line will take place for eight days over the February half term, between the 19 and 27 February. Further partial closures of the line are planned for the Easter and summer school holidays to minimise disruption to passengers.
The Eccles line was originally opened in 1999 and has supported millions of journeys since then. But now, after more than two decades, some of the track needs to be replaced. Passengers will be able to visit a dedicated travel advice page to find information on alternative travel options to help plan their journey in advance. Metrolink staff will also be around at key locations, at busier times to help you to make your journey.
Danny Vaughan, head of Metrolink at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “In the past 10 years alone the Eccles line has supported 40 million journeys – providing a real alternative to using the car, helping people get around the region, reducing congestion and helping to cut air pollution.
“The Eccles Line, and the MediaCity spur, which was opened in 2010, have supported the local economy and been instrumental in the regeneration of the Quays area. It is, therefore, very important that we do these works now in order to help the area continue to grow and prosper.
“We know it’s going to cause some inconvenience for passengers, so we are limiting the work to less busy times. Many passengers will be able to catch trams on the Trafford Park Line, and we will provide good alternatives to those who can’t.”
More details are available on the TfGM website and passengers are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.
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Manchester United has struck a landmark multi-year partnership which will see Tezos, one of the world’s most advanced and sustainable blockchains, featured on the club’s range of men’s and women’s training kits.
Tezos-branded training kit was worn by the first team squad for the first time prior to the weekend match against Southampton, introducing Manchester United fans to the partnership and Web3 technology through the Tezos blockchain.
Victoria Timpson, Manchester United’s CEO of alliances and partnerships, said: “This is a hugely exciting partnership for Manchester United because it aligns us with one of the most advanced, reliable and sustainable blockchains in an area of technology which promises to truly revolutionise the way that everyone, including the club and our fans, can interact.
“We are especially pleased to be partnering with one of the most eco-friendly blockchains, using technology that is energy-efficient, limits carbon emissions and lowers costs, consistent with the club’s wider efforts to promote environmental sustainability. Partnerships are at the core of our strength as a club, supporting the drive for success on the pitch.”
Edward Adlard, head of adoption and business development, Tezos Ecosystem, said: “Throughout its history, Manchester United has constantly evolved, with the support of its huge and diverse global community of fans and partners. Tezos will enable Manchester United to use blockchain and Web3 to transform fan, player, team, and partner engagement.”
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Sunny Singh and Cheryl Charnley
BBF, the cake and dessert manufacturer with a plant in Blackburn, has appointed Stafforce to manage its recruitment of production personnel.
The manufacturer has appointed Stafforce to provide a volume labour solution across its five UK bakeries based in Hull, Blackburn, Bradford and Doncaster.
A team of Stafforce recruitment professionals will be based on-site to liaise with production managers to assess daily needs, which continuously change according to seasonal fluctuations and customer demand. While production personnel engaged through Stafforce for BBF are temporary workers, most have contracts with Stafforce that provide them with a range of benefits which help to ensure loyalty and job security.
Sunny Singh, Stafforce sales director, said: “Over the last two years, we’ve had to think outside the box to find innovative ways to ensure we can meet demand for clients across all sectors, in particular the food industry, that has been severely impacted by the effects of Brexit and the pandemic. This has included a mix of traditional recruitment methods as well as new approaches such as social media campaigns and local initiatives where we’re out and about in communities speaking to people about jobs in the area.”
Cheryl Charnley, head of HR at BBF, said: “The consultative approach and close working relationships we have developed with the Stafforce team working on-site has resulted in a true partnership.”
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Jolie Studio team. Franky Rousell front left
Manchester-based commercial interior design studio Jolie has doubled annual turnover during the pandemic – and now has its sights on London and New York.
The Northern Quarter design studio has turned over a total of £1.2m since it was founded in 2017, and has been nominated in several globally-recognised design awards. Over the past 12 months, Jolie has won two contracts with Hong Kong development firm Far East Consortium, as well as three contracts with UK developer Salboy to create commercial and amenity spaces in Manchester. Jolie is currently working on four major office schemes in the city.
Founder and chief designer, Franky Rousell, said: “The pandemic has disconnected us socially; we’re existing on social media. The world has gone grey and we’re here to wake it up – stirring emotional responses, reviving the senses, and reconnecting us with ourselves, our emotions, and each other.”
Now, Jolie has its sights set on bringing its experience and sensory-led design to other global cities, starting with London and New York in the next three years. Franky said: “Manchester will always be our home and central hub, and we have our sights on spinning the talent base we’ve established here worldwide.
“Developers come to us because we understand their customers so deeply, they see tangible results from the spaces we create. That’s the legacy we want to go global.”
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Briony Fawcett
North West training provider PHX Training has secured additional funding from Adult Learning Cumbria County Council to help adults learn basic skills to help them find work and get online for the first time.
PHX Training, which has offices across the region, will help more local people to improve numeracy and literary skills by providing functional skills and basic IT courses.
Government figures show more than 12,000 people in Cumbria have no academic or vocational qualifications such as English and maths qualifications, but PHX Training’s courses are aimed to help people receive their first qualifications in the basic functional skills which can help them find work or improve their quality of life.
The training provider will also deliver basic IT courses for people in the region who have little or no knowledge or confidence in essential skills such as searching the web, sending emails or using spreadsheets. A recent UK Consumer Digital Skills Index found that as many as one in five people in the North West are classed as digitally excluded and unable to do seven essential digital skills such as using a mouse or keyboard, connecting to Wi-Fi or changing font sizes. The number is even higher in rural areas.
Briony Fawcett, managing director at PHX Training, said: “This work will allow us to continue to skill up people in Cumbria so that we can increase their chances of finding work or simply improving their quality of life. For essential digital skills such as accessing email, these skills are more important than ever before, whether it is for applying for jobs, accessing Universal Credit or even just keeping in touch with family.”
