NW business briefs: Network Rail; Superdrug; Peel Ports; Wyre Council; Manchester Storm; Boost
Rail journeys between Wigan and Bolton will be disrupted later this month while work continues to electrify and improve the railway in the North West.
As part of the work to future-proof the track, Network Rail will install overhead line equipment and improve signalling between Wigan North Western station and Lostock junction in Bolton. The £100m investment will make sure the track is ready for Northern’s longer, electric trains when they are introduced along the route.
The project is progressing well, and engineers are preparing to install the electric overhead line equipment, which will power the greener, quieter trains in future. So engineers can carry out the work safely, there will be no trains running between Wigan and Bolton from Saturday, August 31, to Monday, September 9.
To keep passengers on the move, replacement buses will be in place between Wigan North Western, Westhoughton, Daisy Hill, Ince and Lostock.
Sarah Bull, sponsor at Network Rail, said: “This 10-day rail closure is a major milestone in our work to electrify the line between Wigan and Bolton. We’ll be installing overhead equipment and improving signalling, readying the route for electric trains when they are introduced. I’d like to thank passengers for their continued patience during this project.”
Craig Harrop, regional director for Northern, said: “I’d like to thank customers for their patience whilst this infrastructure improvement work takes place. We will have a fleet of rail replacement buses to get people where they want to be between Wigan North Western, Westhoughton, Daisy Hill, Ince and Lostock – but journey times are likely to be longer and so customers should plan accordingly.”
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Superdrug opened the doors to a new store in Bootle in Strand Shopping Centre, yesterday (August 19), following the closure of the former store on The Esplanade.
The relocation is part of the Strand redevelopment works and all existing team members from the former store will transfer to the new store.
The new 2,434 sq ft store forms part of the retailer’s continued plan to expand its bricks-and-mortar retail footprint, with plans to open 25 new stores in 2024, as it celebrates its 60th year on the British high street.
The new store will feature a Beauty Studio area where shoppers can access professional treatments without having to make an appointment. Within Beauty Studio, customers will have access to threading and piercing services.
Nigel Duxbury, Property Director at Superdrug, said: “We are confident that local customers will love and welcome the new store, as it offers a wide range of popular health and beauty brands, a luxury fragrance counter as well as our professional Beauty Studio.”
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Peel Ports has welcomed the first call of a new direct container service connecting the UK’s North West with the Far East this week. MSC’s new Britannia Service creates a unique corridor between the two markets and significantly opens up export and import opportunities for businesses looking to utilise the Port of Liverpool’s unique proximity to the heart of the UK.
The new service follows an increased demand from retailers and importers looking to diversify their supply chain, improve resiliency and reduce total road miles by ensuring goods arrive closer to their end destination. The first sailing for the service saw the MSC Tokyo arrive in Liverpool from Vietnam, after leaving China.
Michael Collins, Commercial Director at MSC UK, said: “Building on our extensive UK port network and established services between the Far East and UK, the Britannia Service allows customers in the North-West of the UK to bring their cargo closer to its final destination.”
David Huck, Chief Operating Officer at Peel Ports Group, said: “The new Britannia service is a significant benefit for Liverpool, and indeed the North. In collaboration with MSC, we are delighted to be able to provide businesses with a smarter and more sustainable solution to goods reaching the major distribution hubs of the UK.
“We’ve always invested for the long term in our facilities and this shows the benefit of that approach. With so much pressure currently on the supply chain, the economy and the environment, this announcement positions a more balanced UK supply chain, bringing with it job creation and much needed levelling up approach for the North”
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Wyre Council is calling on local businesses to seek their views on what they would like to see in a new Economic Development and Visitor Economy strategy. They can get involved by visiting the Have your Say pages on the Wyre Council website and completing a short form. The consultation closes on Monday, September 2.
This Strategy is crucial to delivering one of the four priorities in its new Council Plan, which is to ensure a “thriving local economy and town centres”. It will set out what Wyre Council aims to achieve over 10 to 15 years to help drive forward economic development and visitor growth.
Initial work has looked at the context for the strategy and some of the “big issues” to be explored such as business premises and employment land, skills gaps, rural businesses, new industries, the cultural offer, overnight stays, and local transport. To ensure the strategy works for all, Wyre Council wants to understand what people who live, work, visit, learn, invest or run a business want, what challenges or opportunities they foresee and what support they need.
In addition to the online survey, Council officers are holding a range of consultation sessions over summer and early autumn to make sure that as many people have a chance to input into its development. Informal discussions, workshops. email surveys and phone interviews are already under way with a range of stakeholders including Town and Parish Councils, tour operators, market traders and members of the Council’s Wyred Up and tourism networks to gain a range of feedback.
The draft strategy will also be published online for public comment at the end of the year prior to going to full council for approval in spring 2025.
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Manchester Storm and hotel staff
Manchester Storm, which plays in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), has forged a new partnership with Best Western Cresta Court Hotel, in the heart of Altrincham as its official hotel partner for the upcoming season.
Ryan Finnerty, Manchester Storm general manager, said: “This partnership will provide our fans, players, and visiting teams with exceptional hospitality.”
Jack Beardmore, general manager of Best Western Cresta Court Hotel, said: “I’m thrilled that we can once again deliver a high level of local accommodation and warm hospitality to local and visiting fans. We look forward to the forthcoming season.”
Fans can expect to see exclusive Cresta Court Hotel promotions and giveaways throughout the season.
Best Western Cresta Court is owned and managed by Vine Hotels, a UK-based hotel management and development company. Positioned at the heart of Altrincham, south Manchester, just a 10-minute walk from Planet Ice, it showcases a blend of contemporary design and relaxed comfort, providing 148 bedrooms.
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Chris Greenhalgh
Boost; Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub is offering five businesses a place on a limited partnership cohort of its fully-funded Scale to Thrive scaleup programme with independent law firm Brabners, which is due to start in September.
The programme is designed for fast-growing Lancashire businesses and will include targeted business support which is available as part of Scale to Thrive alongside legal advice from Brabners’ experts on key business growth issues. This will include areas of law such as Intellectual Property, employment law and gaining finance.
The partnership is the fifth cohort of Boost’s Scale to Thrive programme since it was launched in November 2023. It will bring together five eligible Lancashire businesses with five businesses from Brabners’ client base who will benefit from masterclass sessions, growth coaching as well as learning and networking opportunities with each other. Businesses can apply via the online form on Boost’s website.
Chris Greenhalgh, head of strategic development, GC Business said: “When businesses scale, there are often specific legal issues that naturally arise. By partnering with one of the most respected law firms in the North, Brabners, we will be able to offer the business leaders on our Scale to Thrive programme high quality business support to help them scale, alongside the vital legal advice on issues which go hand-in-hand with that growth.”
Nikki Whittle, partner, Brabners, said: “We already work closely with Boost and Lancashire County Council, including hosting a current Scale to Thrive cohort at our Lancashire office and this unique partnership is a strengthening of that relationship.”
