North West business briefs: Network Rail; Propello Cloud; The Firepit; BGEN; LookFantastic; Vetch

Passengers are being advised to plan ahead this festive period as vital engineering work will be taking place to improve journeys on the West Coast main line.

Timetables for train services running over the festive period have now started to go live. Passengers wishing to travel during the festive period can plan their journeys by visiting National Rail Enquiries or the train operator’s website.

While most of the improvements will happen during the traditional railway shutdown from the end of service on Christmas Eve until the railway fully reopens on December 27, Network Rail engineers will be completing several upgrades across the West Coast main line between December 23, and January 4, including: Resignalling work on the railway traffic lights in the Crewe area between Wednesday December 25, and Thursday January 2. No trains will pass through Crewe Station until Friday, December 27. From Saturday, December 28, there will be various restrictions on rail traffic to both the north and the south of Crewe Station, while signalling  works continue; Installing a bridge and completing overhead line improvement work at Greek Street roundabout in Stockport while the railway is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day; Overnight on New Year’s Eve, tamping is taking place near Birmingham New Street station, which means a later start to services on New Year’s Day, with longer journey times and rail replacement buses; Track drainage improvements near Milton Keynes will mean buses replace all trains from Milton Keynes to both Northampton and Rugby on New Year’s Day; Track upgrades between Watford and Milton Keynes will affect some services between Watford and Milton Keynes between Wednesday, January 1, to Saturday, January 4.

Additionally, major rail upgrades taking place over Christmas and New Year affecting journeys into both London Paddington and London St Pancras  will mean trains to and from London Euston station are extremely busy. For a more comfortable journey to or from London Euston, passengers should consider travelling before Tuesday, December 24, or from Thursday, January 2.

Christian Irwin, Network Rail’s North West & Central Capital Delivery director, said: “It’s really important to us that passengers reach their destinations safely and timely for the festive period so we urge people to plan ahead for their journeys. With fewer people travelling by train, Christmas provides a unique opportunity for us to complete vital work to improve the reliability and safety of the railway.”

Elsewhere on Network Rail’s North West & Central region: Between December 23-27, track renewal is taking place between Washwood Heath and Bordesley, which means longer journeys and rail replacement buses onDecember 23 and 24; HS2 is continuing work to build ‘Small Dean Viaduct’ spanning the existing railway in Wendover, Buckinghamshire which will affect journeys between Aylesbury and Amersham between December 21-22, December 25-30, and on January 1. Passengers should plan their journeys in advance and check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk

::

Preston-based loyalty marketing firm, Propello Cloud has secured a £250,000 loan from NatWest using its intellectual property (IP) as collateral.

The platform allows business-to-business and business-to-consumer client companies to easily build their own fully branded, yet quick to implement ‘plug-and-play’ rewards and partnership programmes. This adds value for the clients’ end-customers and reduces churn. Users include retailers, financial services providers, insurers, telecoms companies, utilities, health and fitness operators, and membership bodies.

The business was founded by CEO Mark Camp and COO George Charlesworth as a spin-out from integrated marketing agency Workhouse in 2020.

Mark said: “In the last year, we’ve really seen significant growth and working with global clients such as JD Sports, Lebara Mobile, and HelloFresh is testament to the effectiveness of our solution. However, working with large clients like these requires investment.”

The company expects to recruit five new staff, increasing total headcount to more than 20. Neil Bellamy, Head of Technology, Media, Telecoms & Services (TMT) at NatWest, said: “Today’s high growth companies, like Propello Cloud, simply don’t have the kind of tangible assets that traditional bank lending is still focused on. Instead, they have IP and intangibles which have until now been difficult for banks to take into account.”

::

A steak restaurant which promises ‘a unique eating experience’ will open at The Rock Shopping and Leisure Centre in Bury this autumn. 

The Firepit will open in at The Rock this month, creating 25 jobs in the town. The restaurant, which also has branches in neighbouring Rawtenstall and Blackburn, will open in the former Frankie and Benny’s unit at the centre.

Founded in Rawtenstall in 2014, The Firepit’s signature dish is steak-on-a-stone cooked at the table on a 350-degree lava rock, which holds its temperature to ensure it is done exactly to the customer’s liking. The menu also includes burgers, hanging kebabs, vegetarian options, fish, salads and more.

Peter Novak, founder of The Firepit, said: “Opening a restaurant in Bury town centre has been an ambition of ours for a number of years and we are so excited to now be making that a reality. The Firepit is a firm favourite amongst many diners in Rawtenstall and Blackburn, and we are looking forward to bringing that same dining experience to the people of Bury.”

Arnold Wilcox-Wood, Centre Director at The Rock, said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming The Firepit to our exciting tenant mix. We know the group’s other restaurants in the region are very popular and we are sure that The Firepit will be a huge hit with our visitors.”

::

Glyn Shawcross

Warrington-based engineering company, BGEN, has expanded its presence in Barrow-in-Furness by opening a second office in the town as the business eyes growth opportunities with BAE Systems as well as supporting customers across industries including energy, manufacturing and nuclear.

BGEN engineering and design director Glyn Shawcross, said: “We’re expanding our operations in Barrow-in-Furness to help service a number of client requests. As we expand in the area, we have a firm commitment to recruit locally, and we will also expand our support of schools, colleges and community initiatives.”

The new office, located on Trinity Enterprise Centre in Barrow, will be dedicated to engineering, design and project management, and will add to the skills set of the existing office which specialises in electrical, installation and instrumentation works. 

The expanded presence in the area will see BGEN extend its support of schools, colleges and community initiatives in the area. 

BGEN is also looking to partner with important local initiatives such as charities and food banks as the company looks to deliver an effective ESG plan in the area.

::

LookFantastic, the THG #1 online pure-play prestige beauty retailer, has opened its first ‘bricks-and-mortar’ concept store in the heart of Altrincham’s Stamford Quarter.

Building on the success of its popular events and pop-ups, its concept store joins a mix of independent and national brands at the Stamford Quarter, and James Tootle, Head of Retail & Leisure at property group Bruntwood, said: “The opening of LookFantastic marks a new milestone for the Stamford Quarter. Welcoming the brand’s first ‘In Real Life’ store showcases just how popular the area has become.”

Lucy Gorman, CEO of THG Beauty, said: “This innovative retail space goes beyond products, offering a unique and immersive beauty destination. It perfectly complements our omnichannel strategy, bridging the gap between our established online community and the success of our pop-up events.”

Cllr Liz Patel, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration at Trafford Council, said: “It’s a real testament to the power of regeneration projects that LookFantastic have chosen Altrincham to launch their first ever physical store.

“Altrincham town centre continues to establish itself as a destination for people across the region and beyond, and this addition to the Stamford Quarter, joining other big name brands, will only serve to increase footfall and boost the local economy for residents and businesses alike.”

::

Vetch. Credit @ianjonesnet

Following the successful launch of Vetch earlier this spring, recognition has already begun to materialise for the central Liverpool eatery, with the restaurant being awarded two AA rosettes for culinary excellence.

The brainchild of Liverpool-born chef-over Dan McGeorge, Vetch is a 26-cover fine-dining restaurant located on Hope Street, serving up a range of seasonally inspired menus, showcasing modern British cooking interspersed with Nordic and Asian flavour influences.

Each dish the team of chefs create is underpinned by the very best ingredients from small-scale artisan producers based across the North West. They take what is at its best and cook it in the most sympathetic way to showcase the potential of every element of the produce they use.

Each year the AA’s inspectors hit the road tasting their way around the UK before announcing their Rosette recommendations, ordinarily announced twice annually in January and September. The Double Rosette award is only presented by the AA’s inspectors to restaurants that are achieving exceptionally high standards, with a particular focus on the selection of quality ingredients, while demonstrating consistency and precision in their cookery.

Dan McGeorge said: ”We’re all really happy about being presented with two rosettes and we hope it’s the start of what will be a hugely rewarding journey for the entire team at Vetch. I’d like to say a big thank you to them all for going on this journey with me.”