A COST management company has expanded after agreeing a deal with a restaurant franchise owner.

Great Annual Savings Group, in Seaham, County Durham, is working with Dublin-based Press Up Entertainment Group.

Press Up, which operates Japanese food purveyor Wagamama, says its two-year deal will help save £83,600 in running costs.

Bradley Groves, Great Annual Savings Group’s chairman and chief executive, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with one of Ireland’s most distinguished leisure and hospitality operators.

“During a review of their business, we discovered some of the contracts had elapsed and, as a result, many sites were paying above-market, out-of-contract rates.

“We’ve now been able to address this and are now undertaking an audit of individual sites to see where we can make further savings.”

Alexandra Handzlewicz, Press Up group cost controller, added: “We were looking to save money on running costs but didn’t want the hassle of re-negotiating contracts with our individual suppliers.

“Great Annual Savings has taken that job out of our hands.”

Earlier this year, Great Annual Savings, which helps businesses reduce costs across areas such as energy, fire safety, telecoms and insurance, unveiled plans to double its 150-strong workforce to expand across the UK.

The company, based on Seaham’s Spectrum Business Park, has a customer base of nearly 1,600, with previous deals including a contract with Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club, near Durham City, which bosses expect will cut costs by £250,000.