30/05/2008 by admin.

Entrepreneurs and small business owners are proving resilient in the face of tough economic conditions, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The UK’s biggest business organisation, which represents over 215,000 small firms, said that its members are finding new ways to turn a profit, despite a shrinking credit market and record fuel costs.

Mike Cherry, FSB Financial Affairs Chairman, said: “Small businesses are under severe pressure financially. Credit is drying up, big companies are taking longer to pay their bills and fuel costs are having a massive impact on the bottom lines of businesses in almost every sector.

“But small business owners are made of tough stuff and the size of their operations allows them to be far more flexible and adapt to changing market conditions quickly. Agile entrepreneurs are finding new ways of targeting customers, changing the focus of their output or breaking into new markets altogether.

“Yes the credit crunch is a worry, but it is great to see that small business owners can still find ways of making the best of a tough economic climate.”

Mariana Robinson, Mariana-Art Gallery, Gloucestershire: “People are much more cautious about using their credit cards to buy original paintings and that’s having an impact on my bottom line. But I’m focusing on the teaching side of my business and that is growing steadily.

“Since the local shop and Post Office closed, I’ve diversified somewhat as well and the gallery now sells stamps and sweets to fill the gap in the market.”

Karoly Nunhofer, Ieko Natural Paints and Finishes, East Sussex: “One of the first things people do when they move is redecorate. But the slowdown in the housing market meant that we were getting fewer of the large, whole-house orders.

“We’ve changed the focus of our marketing to emphasize the benefits of sprucing up your existing house. Now we’re targeting homeowners who are looking to make affordable improvements to what they’ve got rather than move house.”

Richard Phillips, The Soap Kitchen, North Devon: “Ever increasing prices for raw materials and a consumer slowdown have made it a difficult month or two for us.

“But we’ve launched several online sales promotions and email campaigns to encourage our customers to buy now and that has kept the money coming in.”

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30/05/2008 by admin.

A web designer from Wrexham featured in this weeks ‘Biz Bureau’ in the Daily Mirror. Jane Redfern Jones who owns www.wrexhamwebdesign.com offers businesses the chance to subscribe to a service offering a professional website design service for a monthly subscription fee. WrexhamWebDesign.com is part of the Wrexham Media network of websites which includes the Wrexham Business Blog and Wrexham Business Directory.

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30/05/2008 by admin.

A construction company has been fined £30,000 after a worker fell into an excavation suffering multiple injuries.

Groundsman David Farrow, of Stockport, was working at Pickering Court, Rhostyllen, in 2006 when he plunged into the hole.

Mold Crown Court heard that he suffered seven fractures to his pelvis and a broken foot and had been unable to work since the accident.

Winnington Construction Ltd of Newcastle-under-Lyme, admitted breaching health and safety regulations, at Wrexham Magistrates Court in Februaary. Last week the company was fined £18,000 with £12,000 costs.

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30/05/2008 by admin.

Hauliers across North Wales are struggling to survive due to the relentless rise in the cost of fuel. Earlier this week the Prime Minister and Chancellor met leaders of the oil industry to discuss incresed production in the North Sea in an attempt to drive petrol prices back down. Read more about the current crisis in this Daily Post article.

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28/05/2008 by admin.

Wrexham MP Ian Lucas has praised a local business for its work with young people.

Mr Lucas was invited to the Silly Barts Play Centre in Wrexham to officially open its Laser Storm attraction.

The new Laser Storm centre at the site runs an evening session for older children each Friday night. These sessions have been created to try and provide local youngsters with something to do and are attended by Council support workers and local police officers.

Mr Lucas said: “I was very pleased to go along to see the work being done and I must say the Laser Storm attraction did look very enjoyable.

”I am pleased that local businesses are doing things like this to help provide youngsters with something to do.

”All those who work at the centre should be commended for their work.”

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22/05/2008 by admin.

Employers’ attitudes towards disabled people in Wrexham need to change, the town’s MP has warned.

Wrexham MP Ian Lucas highlighted the attitude of some Wrexham employers towards people with disabilities during questions in the House of Commons yesterday.

He told Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy: “The centre for disability studies at Wrexham’s new university has identified that the biggest challenge facing individuals who are not in work is the attitude of some employers towards people with disabilities.

“What more can the Government do to encourage employers in areas with powerful local economies, such as Wrexham, to do more to recognise the abilities of disabled people and to give them more opportunities to work?”

In reply, Mr. Murphy said: “I accept my hon. Friend’s point and we are committed to taking steps to help people with health problems and disabilities. I greatly welcome the work of the North East Wales Institute in that regard.

“Let me tell my hon. Friend and the House that in his constituency, in comparison with August 1999 and last year, there was a 9 per cent. reduction of claims for incapacity benefits.

“Many of those were disabled people who actually wanted to work and to get into the workplace; in an area like north-east Wales, which is thriving, they want to be able to add their contribution to society.”

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22/05/2008 by admin.

Wrexham chemical plant Flexsys is to close with the loss of more than 150 jobs. Cheap Far Eastern imports are being blamed for the closure.

The company has produced rubber chemicals for more than a century at Cefn Mawr. Its closure will be a big blow to the community which has also recently suffered job losses due to the closure of nearby Dennis Ruabon tile makers.

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20/05/2008 by admin.

The deal brokered by the Government to give agency workers similar employment rights as full-time staff after a mere 12 weeks of employment would be disastrous for small businesses, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned today.

Tina Sommer, FSB EU and International Affairs Chairman, said: “This is a disastrous deal for small businesses, which rely on the flexibility provided by agency workers.

“Agency fees and high hourly rates mean temporary workers, far from being seen as cheap labour, are already a costly but useful way of responding to fluctuations in demand. If that flexibility is lost, many small businesses will stop using temporary employees.

“Part of the reason for the UK’s relative economic success in the past decade has been the flexibility of its workforce. This deal could put all that at risk at the worst possible time.

“After month-on-month increases in unemployment and with economic growth at its lowest point since the last recession, this is the last thing small businesses need.”

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19/05/2008 by admin.

An organisation that has worked for many years in the Wrexham and Chester area providing low cost and free therapies has branched out into the corporate world and will be celebrating this with a public event.

When Gay Jacobsen established Rainbow Therapies in 1998, there was very little in the way of Community Therapy services for the local population. With the emphasis on helping people to gain control of their own health, Rainbow Therapies have over the past 10 years delivered thousands of therapy sessions to appreciative members of the public.

The core team has grown to over 20 highly qualified therapists, and will be delivering stress reduction packages in hotels, at company events and fairs, wherever they are needed. They specialise delivering holistic stress reducing therapies with beauty and spa treatments in workplace venues. They can also design days to remember for a special occasion, such as “Pamper Packages” for weddings, “Healthy Schools” in Wrexham, Stress awareness days, and events for Wrexham County Borough Council.
The Rainbow Spa team are now offering The Rainbow Desk Top Massage in Hotels, Banks and Venues across Wrexham and Chester.

Rainbow Therapies will be commemorating the past 10 years and celebrating the future with a public event in association with Rossett Hall Hotel 1st June 2008 1pm -6pm, everyone being welcome to come relax and enjoy a special experience.

Some of the therapies on offer are: Indian Head Massage, Reflexology, Seated Chair Massage, Desk Top Massage, Reiki Healing, Iridology, Herbal Prescription, Allergy Testing, Cholesterol and Blood Sugar Testing and for your entertainment and enjoyment Manicures, for adults and children, organic make up, Veggie fair sampling of brownies and yummy food, gifts, local cards and art, amber jewellery,…

At Rossett Hall Hotel, Rossett June 1st, 1pm - 6pm. For ages 5 to 90. Contact Gabrielle Jacobsen on 01978 263204 or Email thejacobsens@bigfoot.com. Ticket Price: £2.50.

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19/05/2008 by admin.

The new road around the Eagles Meadow development will be closed to through traffic for four days from today. Wilson Bowden Ltd are dismantling one of the large cranes that they have been using since early on in the construction of the site.

If you are travelling into Wrexham along the A525 Salop Road you will be diverted along St Giles Way and around the A5152 inner ring road. There will still be access to Caia Road, Rivulet Road and Mount Street at all times.

The road will not close until after 9.30am this morning and will re-open on Thursday.

Delays are expected especially at peak traffic periods. Contact Geraint Jones on 01978 296015 if you have any enquiries regarding the traffic management.

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