In Brief: Diamonds & Pearls saved; Yorkshire Bank hunt; BoE message; Watson Buckle
SEVEN stores in Yorkshire have been sold to the new owners of Diamonds & Pearls, the high street fashion jewellery retailer, which has been bought out of administration.
Of the eight Yorkshire stores, those in Leeds, Scarbrough, Castleford, Doncaster, Grimsby, Huddersfield and Hull have been sold to Diamonds and Pearls 2009, while the Keighley store has closed.
The sale preserves over 300 jobs and 73 stores.
Myles Halley and Richard Philpott from KPMG were appointed administrators to Diamonds & Pearls on March 2.
The company originally operated 91 high street stores with the head office based in Bedford and employing more than 400 people.
The administrators were forced to close 18 stores, making some people redundant, to preserve the remaining viable business.
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THE hunt is on in Leeds for historical Yorkshire Bank items and stories to be featured in a new exhibition.
Yorkshire bank will turn 150 on May 1 and to mark the event, is launching an appeal for memorabilia from the last century and a half.
The bank, which operates branches across the region, is urging people to dig out their Yorkshire Penny Bank books and dust off old photos.
As well as requests for historical artefacts, the bank is also appealing for memories and interesting stories about its proud heritage.
Budding collectors should contact memories@finncomms.com or write to Memories, Round Foundry Media Centre, Foundry Street, Leeds, LS11 5QP before April 10. The memorabilia will be displayed in a commemorative public exhibition to mark the bank’s 150 year anniversary milestone.
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THE UK requires access to credit to stimulate the economy – that was the key message from the Bank of England at a Sheffield Chamber of Commerce lunch event.
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member Professor Tim Besley addressed representatives from Chamber members including Sheffield Hallam University, Champion Hire, Sheffield United Football Club, Kier Sheffield, Bond Bryan and Gems Hygiene at the lunch chaired by Chamber President Hermann Beck.
The two primary responsibilities of the MPC are setting interest rates in order meet the Government’s inflation target and maintain
confidence in the pound, as well as to contribute to the financial stability through detecting and reducing threats to the financial system.
At the lunch, held at the Chamber President’s Holiday Inn Royal Victoria venue, Prof Besley talked about the problems facing businesses in accessing credit and the view that international and global regulatory standards to help safeguard against future financial meltdown and protect monetary and fiscal policy may become necessary.
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BRADFORD accountants Watson Buckle has launched a new version of its website, including a secure documents exchange facility to give clients peace of mind when sharing sensitive data.
The website, at www.watsonbuckle.co.uk, has been redesigned to make it even more attractive and user-friendly with new features including the secure document exchange.
Managing partner Chris Padgett said: “We’re very much aware of the need for complete confidentiality of our clients’ sensitive data, particularly in the light of high breaches of information security at government level.
“The secure exchange facility puts clients in control of the exchange of their own information, by allowing them to upload or download items including accounts, payroll and tax returns.
“The on-line process keeps information secure and makes easy for us to exchange data at the fast pace that the modern business world demands.”
The new Watson Buckle website also features online resources such as tax calculators and HM Revenue & Customs and Companies House forms in downloadable format.
