In Brief: Crawshaw; New Asda, Trade agreement; Helmsley in Business

CRAWSHAW, the butcher’s shop chain, today said that it has enjoyed strong trading during the first 12 weeks of its current financial year.
 
The Rotherham-based group operates around 20 shops and two meat distribution centres covering Yorkshire and the Humber, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

Chairman Richard Rose will tell shareholders at its AGM today: “At the end of April this year I stated that I was encouraged by trading over the first 12 weeks of the current year. I’m delighted to report that since then our performance has strengthened further and that I’m particularly pleased with the progress being made for the current year thus far.”
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LEEDS City Council has given the green light  for a new Asda supermarket, set to create up to 140 new jobs.

A spokesperson for Asda, which is building its new site in Beeston, West Yorkshire, said: “It’s great news that Leeds City Council has approved the proposal to build a new and improved supermarket on Old Lane, Beeston.

“Our plans represent a significant investment in this area and will generate substantial levels of local employment.”

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HELMSLEY in Business is celebrating its first year.

Organisations in the market town took the decision to form the independent Helmsley in Business group last spring, in a bid to encourage local residents to support the town and to promote the benefits of the area to day-trippers and holidaymakers.

Chairman, Chris Garnett, said: “It’s certainly been a tough few years in terms of the economy and also the very poor weather has hit tourism hard. But we are all confident, as a community, about what Helmsley has to offer – we just need to make sure everyone else knows about it too.”

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A FUTURE trade agreement between the EU and the US would deliver a “major boost” to the Yorkshire and Humber economy.

According to Kenneth Clarke, Minister without Portfolio and the Prime Minister’s trade envoy, a successful deal would break down barriers to trade between the economies of the European Union and the United States, save exporters millions of pounds, generate new jobs, and create a massive new marketplace representing 47% of the world’s output.

Negotiations are expected to begin this summer, with President Obama hoping to conclude a deal within two years.

Clarke’s comments come as new figures published by HM Revenue and Customs showed that total exports were worth more than £4.21bn to businesses across Yorkshire and the Humber between January and March 2013.

Wetherby-based ABF, an office equipment company that specialises in smart technology and agile workplace solutions, has a dedicated US operation run from premises in Pennsylvania, and is driving growth through several different states.

Darren Buttle, managing director of ABF Europe, said: “The USA is a key growth market for us – in my view, it is the most important and influential place to do business with in the world, and anything that opens up this market to more EU traders is a good thing.”