NEws in brief: No job losses at care homes (From The Northern Echo)

NEws in brief: No job losses at care homes

8:20am Friday 10th July 2009 in

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NO jobs are expected to be affected if a care homes group is sold.

Four Seasons Health Care, which employs 200 people at offices in Lingfield Point, Darlington, could be put on the market next week. It follows a deadline for its backers to accept restructuring proposals for its £1.5bn debt passing without agreement.

Last night a spokesman said: “Neither a sale process nor a restructuring would be expected to have any impact on our business, employees, our customers or suppliers.

The Group continues to perform very well in day-today operations believes that in the event of a sale, prospective purchasers will wish to preserve the value of the underlying business. All of the group’s discussions with lenders are focused on resolving its capital structure and to support either a sale process or a restructuring being concluded without any negative effect on our business operations, our customers, employees or trade creditors.”

SALES JUMP: Fashion chain Primark has bucked the high street gloom by reporting a jump in sales of just over 20 per cent. The store, which is known for converting catwalk trends into purse-friendly pieces within weeks, reported a 21 per cent growth in the last 16 weeks. Associated British Foods, which also owns the brands Twinings, Kingsmill and Silver Spoon, said Primark’s improvement in the 40 weeks to June 20 reflected excellent growth in like-for-like sales. It opened a distribution centre in Thrapston, Northamptonshire, and has plans for a store in Bristol.

TOP ACCOLADE: Builder McCarthy and Stone has been named as the only builder in Britain to achieve a double five-star rating in the Home Builders Federation survey of customer satisfaction. The firm has specialised in building properties for older people for more than 30 years, and has developed projects in the North-East including Camsell Court, in Durham, and Fairweather Court, in Darlington.

DIRECTOR APPOINTED: A director has been appointed to the company which has been formed as a result of Darlington Football Club’s administration. David Harrison, a colleague of former chairman George Houghton, takes up the post according to Companies House. Mr Houghton owns the new company, Darlington Football Club 2009 Limited, which will take the club out of administration. A deal for him to sell the club to former vice-chairman Raj Singh is reaching the final stages.