Revealed: Our top ten best read stories of 2015
THE stories that have most captured our readers’ attention in 2015 are, as ever, a disparate selection but reflect the concerns and interests of the West Midlands business community.
The interests of many are closely linked with the fortunes of our local football clubs and this it was no surprise that the tenth best read story was a major development in the West Bromwich Albion takeover story while at number six was a tale about Aston Villa being linked to a takeover bid.
We were told back in July that Albion could be under new ownership by the end of the month.
The club’s chairman Jeremy Peace said the Premier League club had granted exclusivity to a single party interested in buying the club.
The identity of the bidder was not disclosed but it was suggested by some that it might be be an unnamed Chinese consortium.
It was in May that Villa were supposedly the target of a £150m takeover bid.
It was suggested that that a group of investors led by former Chelsea business director Paul Smith was behind the bid.
Frustratingly for fans of both clubs, neither deal came to fruition.
At number nine in the best read stories list was the news announced back in February that the then communities & local government secretary Eric Pickles has blocked the development of the Gateway scheme near Coventry Airport.
He turned down the scheme – which it had been suggested could create 10,000 jobs – despite it having received approval from Coventry City Council and Warwick District Council and being backed by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
At number eight was the revelation in late November that the Government was to axe the Manufacturing Advisory Service, and the Growth Accelerator programme as part of spending cuts.
The initiatives are part of the Business Growth Service, a national programme offering support to businesses with the potential to improve and expand.
Leaked documents sent to third party contractors which deliver the services regonally on behalf of the Department for Business, said: “As part of the Spending Review settlement the government has decided to wind down the national delivery of the Business Growth Service.”
Seventh best read story of the year was the news in March that manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover had confirmed it was planning to put into full production a convertible version of its best-selling Range Rover Evoque.
The move had been expected for some time after versions of the vehicle had been seen testing.
JLR – which almost always features in our best read stories list – said the new model would become the world’s first premium compact SUV convertible when it goes on sale in 2016.
Into the top five and at five was news from last month that would affect many commuters and shoppers: the start date of the Midland Metro tram extension.
It was announced trams would return to the streets of Birmingham for the first time in more than 60 years on December 6 (and so they did).
Passengers are now taken directly to a new stop in Bull Street as the first step in the opening of the £128m city centre tram extension.
Centro also announced a scaling back of tram works in the run up to Christmas.
The decision has been taken in order to minimise disruption in the crucial festive trading period.
Our fourth best read story of the year was positive news announced back in April.
Black Country-based Millennium Assemblies, which was founded in 2014 to look for opportunities to work alongside Millennium Pressed Metal’s established business, had purchased JJ Engineering from the administrators.
More good news at number three from back in March. In a huge inward investment win for Birmingham, banking giant HSBC announced it was to relocate 1,000 jobs to the city.
It revealed it was to set up a new base at the Arena Central scheme which – at 210,000 sq ft – would be the largest property deal in Birmingham since 2002.
HSBC announced it will be locating the national head office of its ring-fenced bank, which will serve its personal and business customers, in Birmingham city centre.
The move will involve relocating some 1,000 roles currently based in London to Birmingham.
Second best read story of the year was of great interest to the professional services community in central Birmingham.
In May it was announced that two of Birmingham’s best known law firms, Shakespeares and SGH Martineau, had confirmed they were to merge.
Speculation the deal was near completion had been rife for some time and a statement confirmed they would complete the merger on June 15.
The deal created a new firm – Shakespeare Martineau – employing 900 people with a combined annual turnover of £75m.
The best read story of 2015 was a sad one, unfortunately.
Back in June it was revealed David Bucknall OBE, one of the best-known figures in the region’s property and construction sectors, had died aged 76.
He collapsed whilst out cycling in rural Warwickshire. He was training for a forthcoming Ironman triathlon.
David Bucknall was a founder and former chairman of the Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) property consultancy business which is based in Birmingham.
Ann Bentley, global director at Rider Levett Bucknall, said on behalf of the company: “It was with great sadness that we learned of David’s untimely death.
“There have been a handful of personalities within the property and construction industry that have inspired change and innovation but none as influential, pioneering and dynamic as David Bucknall.
“It was an honour and a privilege to work with him both on a professional and personal basis.”
