North West business briefs: Danny C’s; Applied Nutrition; AO; Innovation Chain North; TIGA; UK Container Maintenance

A new Tikeasy is opening on Liverpool’s Seel Street, in the former Super Megabite site.

Created by hospitality veteran Daniel Cunningham, the new bar, named Danny C’s, will specialise in classic cocktails as well as new creations put together by Danny himself, inspired by his extensive travels around the world. Danny, 36, is originally from Derry, Ireland, but moved to Liverpool in 2009 to study interior architecture, specialising in bar design.

Making the decision to work in a bar while he studied, Danny believed that being in a bar setting would help him to understand the process better. His first hospitality job was as a barback at Alma de Cuba where he quickly progressed to bar manager in 14 months. He then became part of the opening team for Salt Dog Slims and 81 Ltd, which served as the foundation to his career in hospitality.

From there the experienced bartender became an independent beverage consultant, which took Danny all over the world and presented opportunities in the Maldives, USA, Barbados, Venezuela, Oslo, Dubai, Cayman Islands and Thailand. Following his globe trotting to help other brands, Danny set about opening his own bar in Singapore.

Over the next few years he pursued his passion in distilling his own spirits and creating his own beverage brand. He learned the trade of brewing and distilling on the job while consulting on the opening of several rum distilleries in the Caribbean. Arriving back in Liverpool following the pandemic, Danny has continued working in the hospitality industry in the North West but now is embarking on opening his own Tikeasy.

Danny C’s will open this autumn with 35 seats, a combination of a speakeasy and tiki bar. He said: “Danny C’s will reflect my personal experience from travelling around the world, experiencing the beauty of many different styles of hospitality. Every country has its own approach depending on its culture and diversity and each location has great ideas that can be implemented to compliment each other.”

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Claire Stancliffe

Liverpool sports nutrition brand, Applied Nutrition, has stepped in to support the England Deaf Woman’s Football squad at this year World Cup in Malaysia, which kicks off on September 23.

The team was let down by a major sports drink brand and when former British boxing champion, Paul Smith, heard, he approached Applied Nutrition to ask for help to support the squad. Applied Nutrition will supply free nutrition products including proteins, BCAA’s, water bottles and it’s well known ‘BODYFUEL’ hydration drink to help the squad perform at their best levels on the pitch.

The support from the company follows the recent donations made by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and other notable footballing celebrities such as Gary Neville, Gary Lineker and Conor Coady. The squad is now fully self-funded following the Football Association decision to no longer back the football squad and, instead, divert funding to the deaf futsal team.

However, following the exploits of the Lionesses, the squad was determined to make it to this year’s world cup and is hoping to capitalise on that and achieve similar success, if not better at this year’s tournament. Claire Stancliffe, from England Deaf Women’s Football said: “Hydration and nutrition will be key, especially in the climate the team will be playing in. All of the products supplied by Applied Nutrition are Informed Sport tested so players can rest assured that they are being fuelled by the cleanest nutrition and hydration products.”

Steven Granite, chief operating officer for Applied Nutrition, said: “After the Lionesses’ success, how can the Football Association not support the squad at this year’s World Cup? We are all for inclusion in sports and the team deserve the best nutrition to go and perform at their best abilities on behalf of the country.”

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Nick Cooper

AO, the Bolton-based electricals retailer, has donated some much-needed appliances to a homeless kitchen, where employees have also been volunteering.

Staff on AO’s fast track management development ‘STAR programme’ who are based at the AO Logistics HQ in Crewe have been raising money for local charity Chance Changing Lives over the summer – so far managing to collect thousands of pounds, as well as delivering food parcels to Chance’s community pantry in Coronation Crescent. People from the team have also been volunteering at the charity’s homeless kitchen, in Jubilee House, every Saturday.

After hearing the charity needed a multi-cooker and a soup maker to help run budget-friendly cookery classes, AO agreed to donate them. Nick Cooper, who works as a quality analyst at AO and one of the STAR programme trainees, has been organising fundraising activities for Chance Changing Lives and giving up his weekends to help out at the homeless kitchen.

He said: “We picked Chance Changing Lives because they’re local to us and we really wanted to make a big difference to a small charity. After meeting with the team, it just reaffirmed our decision as we could see how much they care about the work that they’re doing.”

Michele Park, general manager at Chance Changing Lives, said: “We sometimes struggle for help over the summer as our regular volunteers take a well-earned break, but AO have really stepped up with energetic and non-judgemental values that align with our charity’s ethos. They have donated food and key items for our new cooking classes, starting in September, for people struggling to make ends meet.”

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Great Places’ Watermill Gardens scheme, Prestwich

Building contractors, construction services consultants and clients working in new build housing in the North of England can find out more about the soon to be issued tender for the renewal of the Innovation Chain North (ICN) framework at an event on Wednesday, September 13, 10.00-11.30am, arrivals from 09.30am, held at the Great Places HQ at 2A Derwent Avenue, Manchester, M21 7QP.

The framework tender will include the following consultant lots: Employers Agent, Structural Engineer, Building Surveying, Architectural Services, Principal Designer, Clerk of Works, Purchasers Agent, Health & Safety Advisor, Planning Consultancy, Site Investigation Services, Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Engineering and Retrofit Consultants.

The building contractor lots will include: High and low value bands, apartment specialists and MMC (Modern Methods of Construction) wraparound construction services. The total framework value of the new framework is estimated to be in the region of £1.5bn over four years. New and existing suppliers and clients will be able to hear first-hand about the plans for the new framework, ask questions and get advice on how to apply. Homes England will also be providing an overview of their continued support for the delivery of affordable housing and regeneration projects across the North.

Innovation Chain North (ICN) was founded by Great Places Housing Group in 2012 and is a framework for construction and associated professional services procured under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. It is Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) compliant.

In the past three years the framework has: Supported 33 client organisations with their development programmes; procured around £581m of build contracts, which deliver circa 4,800 new homes; generated consultant fee income of £14m; generated social value pledges of £22m which will benefit local residents and communities.

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Sniper Elite

The North West is the third biggest region of employment in the UK video games development sector, according to new research published by TIGA, the trade association representing the games industry.

The report demonstrates that games industry talent is dispersed across diverse regions throughout the country, with the sector contributing strongly to the UK’s Levelling Up agenda. Almost 80% of those working in the UK games industry are not based in London. In the period from December 2021 to April 2023, the headcount of staff working in video games in the North West grew by some 18.4%. The region accounts for 12% of the UK games development workforce in total, equivalent to 2,825 people.

Games companies in the area include Rebellion (Sniper Elite series) and Airship Interactive (award-winning game art studio).

The findings come from TIGA’s definitive report on the state of the UK video games industry Making Games in the UK 2023 (TIGA, 2023), which shows that overall employment in the UK’s games development sector has surged by 11.4%, while studio numbers have increased by almost 18%.

Jason Kingsley, TIGA chairman and CEO and creative director at Rebellion, said: “TIGA’s research illustrates the video games industry’s strong potential to drive regional economic growth. My personal experience at Rebellion Developments further reinforces this notion, as our studios actively contribute to the economic expansion of cities such as Liverpool, Oxford, Warwick, and Yorkshire.”

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Claire Capper

Container repair and refurbishment specialist, UK Container Maintenance (UKCM), is celebrating as it secures a two-year contract with Cardiff Council, with an option to extend for a further 12 months.

The Cheshire-based company will support the local authority to achieve significant cost savings with the provision of both mobile and factory-based refurbishment and repairs for its four-wheel waste and recycling containers. UKCM will maintain Cardiff Council’s existing assets, increasing the lifespan with restoration and repair work, in addition to ensuring that all containers are safe for use and compliant.

Claire Capper, production director at UKCM, said: “There are extensive opportunities afforded by recycling otherwise redundant containers back into service, and our dedicated team will be on hand to offer their technical support and services.”

Sarah McGeever, UKCM sales manager, said: “At UKCM we already work with a significant number of local authorities across the UK and are very much looking forward to extending our expertise to support Cardiff Council.

“Working closely with the team over the next two years we will explore and identify innovative ways to refurbish their waste containers, protecting and future-proofing their investments.”