Birmingham Post

Business Events Diary

NOVEMBER 1-2 - Communecate, Trinity Park, Birmingham, run by the National B2B Centre in association with BT 2 IoD, joint seminar with ICAEW and McKinsey & Co, IoD hub, 1 Victoria Square, Birmingham, details 0121 632 2300.

Appointments: Smoking Ban Proving to Be a Fiery Issue for Tony Blair

The subject of smoking in public areas is proving to be a fiery issue as Tony Blair fails to put out the flames of a Cabinet row over how a smoking ban should be operated. Although a Bill proposing the ban is still being progressed, it appears that exemptions will be agreed later.

Appointments: Manager Boasts 27 Years in Hotels

A new manager brings over 20 years of industry experience to his new post at the MACDONALD SHAKESPEARE HOTEL in Stratford. Keith Waterhousejoins after a career spanning 27 years that has seen him work in four and five star hotels across the country.

Business Profile: Simon Topman: I Whistle While I Work ; Simon Topman, the Owner and Manager of Acme Whistles, Wants to Make a Big Noise During a Year As President of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, He Tells John Revill

"I know my lawyer is not going to like this, and I probably shouldn't say this, but I don't care," said Simon Topman. Sitting in what seems to be a museum to the history of the humble whistle, I was totally intrigued.

Personal Finance: Safe Haven for Tax Purposes

The world of finance can be a confusing minefield - and for many the concept of 'domicile' is an especially grey legal area. The standard dictionary definition of domicile is 'a dwelling place' or 'home'. But in legal terms, it is a different concept from residence and it is not always the same as nationality.

Personal Finance: Soaring Cost of a Breakdown

West Midland motorists without breakdown cover face an average bill of more than pounds 75 each time they are stranded at the roadside by relying on local garages to rescue them. A survey by Tesco Car Breakdown taking in 128 garages in 11 regions this week revealed that the cost can be more than double the annual subscription to its own breakdown service.

Personal Finance: Mortgage Advice Without the Jargon

City regulator the Financial Services Authority (FSA) this week launched a new website for consumers to provide impartial, jargon- free information about mortgages. At the same time, it said research had shown that more than half (56 per cent) of first time buyers and mortgage-holders did not know what the initials APR stood for.

Personal Finance: Security in Bricks and Mortar ; the Over-60s Are Changing Their Attitude to Debt As More of Them Unlock Equity From Their Homes. Jeremy Gates Reports

Squeezed by fast-rising council taxes and heating bills and mind- boggling petrol prices, Britain's over-60s are undergoing a dramatic change of heart after years of cautious, careful budgeting. A generation which grew up hating the idea of debt is beginning to see the attractions. Over-60s have pounds 1.03 trillion locked up in the value of bricks and mortar - and many are cashing in at the peak of the market.

New Boss at Assa Abloy

Assa Abloy, the world's biggest lock maker which employs about 1,000 people in the West Midlands, yesterday ousted its chief executive and appointed a Danish turnaround specialist that the group said would generate increased growth. The company named Johan Molin to replace Bo Dankis, who had only been in charge since April 2003, saying it needed a leader with a "different profile".

Smc Buys Dtr Uk in Pounds 1.2m Deal

DTR UK - the Manchester-based architectural and design firm with offices in Birmingham, Liverpool and Leeds - was snapped up by rival SMC in a deal worth a minimum of pounds 1.2 million. SMC said it was making a cash payment of pounds 900,000 and issuing 412,089 shares at a price of 72.8p.

Talks Spark Hopes of Longbridge Production Restart

The Chinese owner of the former MG Rover plant at Longbridge is in talks with prospective partners about restarting production on the site. Nanjing Automobile, which bought what remained of the last British-owned volume carmaker from administrators in July for pounds 53 million in July, is in talks with three partners and remains open to further approaches, vice-president Wang Qiu Jing said in an interview yesterday .

Quartz Sparkles in Buy-to-Let Market

Nearly two thirds of the apartments at a landmark residential development in Birmingham's historic Jewellery Quarter have been snapped up in a series of bulk investment deals. Property firm Knight Frank says it is no surprise that the 202- apartment Quartz development - the largest single scheme in the quarter to date - has proved to be a "must have" buy-to-let investment.

Rumours Boost de Vere Shares

De Vere, the hotel group that manages the Belfry (right), saw shares surge five per cent yesterday amid speculation about a possible takeover bid for the company. It is thought that two private equity firms have expressed their interest in De Vere, which is valued at more than pounds 460 million and runs hotels such as The Cavendish in central London and Cameron House on Loch Lomond.

The Week's Review

Monday A surge in the value of oil and mining stocks helped propel the FTSE 100 Index back above the key 5200 barrier as the week began. Strong gains by the likes of BP and Anglo American contributed to the Footsie lifting 65.5 points to 5207.6 - recovering much of the ground lost in recent weeks.

Barclays Ventures Help in Pounds 21m Mbo of Hall & Kay

Barclays Ventures has backed a pounds 21 million management buy- out of fire protection specialist Hall & Kay. The company, which has more than 270 permanent staff, covers the whole country from offices in Birmingham, where it employs 52 people, Glasgow, Portsmouth, Manchester, Warrington, Ware and Windsor.

Nissan Hit by 5.5pc Fall in Profits

Nissan, Japan's second-biggest car, reported a worse than expected 5.5 per cent fall in quarterly operating profits yesterday . The figures took the shine off buoyant US sales and meant that Nissan, which makes Micra and Primera models at Washington, Tyne & Wear, was forced to predict only flat full-year earnings, despite a weakening yen.

Rhm Cake Sales Are Not Exceedingly Good Despite Investment

Food producer RHM was yesterday facing a battle to revive sales at Mr Kipling after consumers cut cakes out of their diets over the summer. The UK's biggest cake maker conceded that the pounds 8 million spent on a fresh start for Mr Kipling since January had been unable to generate long-term momentum for sales.

Gus Sells Dutch Retail Arm

GUS increased the focus of its retail arm on Argos and Homebase yesterday by agreeing to sell a business it has owned for more than 40 years. The disposal of Dutch home shopping operation Wehkamp for pounds 265 million follows the end of its ownership of South African retailer Lewis and comes ahead of the company's planned sale of its 66 per cent stake in fashion chain Burberry.

Good Breeding Doubles the Size of Genus

The UK breeder that claims ownership of "the best bull in the world" is hoping to repeat its success with shrimps and pigs following a pounds 187 million deal yesterday. Genus said the takeover of Sygen International would lower the risks of relying solely on its herd of bulls, which includes the number-one ranked Picots Shuttle.

High Oil Prices Boost Abb

Industrial engineering company ABB is set to meet or beat its full-year profitability target after third-quarter net earnings almost doubled, as high oil prices boosted investment spending in the energy sector. The electrical equipment and automation systems specialist, which has a number of subsidiaries in the West Midlands, yesterday reported net income of $188 million(pounds 105.6 million), up 92 per cent, on rising demand from Asia and the United States, where a new energy bill is expecte...