Downtown Manchester celebrated the recruitment of our 100th member company this week with the sign up of RSM Tenon. DMIB also hosted a breakfast event with the Chief Executive of Manchester City Council. See what Sir Howard Bernstein had to say in Frank McKenna’s latest blog. Absolute Invoice Finance are ‘Business of the Week’; Charlie Cornish is ’Man of the Week’ and John Gillibrand reveals more than he should in ‘Who Are Yer?' Read on, enjoy, have a great weekend, and don’t do anything Frank wouldn’t do...

Manchester-based commercial property company Bruntwood has secured four new customers across its three office buildings in Sale, in deals totalling 45,235 sq ft.

Telemarketing company TBO Services Ltd has taken 4,600 sq ft at Marsland House; salon and spa software firm Shortcuts has taken 3,150 sq ft at Dalton House; and at Sale Point, debt management company Harrington Brooks has taken 16,375 sq ft and Trafford Housing Trust has taken 21,110 sq ft.

Andrew Butterworth, sales director at Bruntwood, said: “All of these customers came to Bruntwood with very specific requirements, but all were looking for value. These deals highlight the variety of space we have on offer throughout Sale.”

Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, has said he is looking forward to the opportunity for public sector services to be revolutionised on a community level once the emergency budget is announced on Wednesday...

Irwin Mitchell has expanded its Manchester office space at the 50,900 sq ft Bauhaus building in Spinningfields. The law firm has taken a further 6,000 sq ft, bringing its total occupancy to 30,000 sq ft over five floors in the building. Bauhaus letting agents Will Lewis of OBI Property and Will Kennon of CBRE think the implementation of a new marketing and leasing strategy, with a quoting rent of £21.50 per sq ft, should lead to additional take up of the remaining two floors.

Manchester and Sheffield architects Michael Hyde and Associates have reinforced their reputation as one of the leading firms for Conservation and Regeneration by walking off with three major prizes for their projects.

Michael Hyde and Associates celebrated winning both the Regeneration award and Project of the Year award in the RICS 2010 awards West Midlands for their design of the West Midlands Regional Food Academy at Harper Adams University College Newport. This was followed by winning the Building Conservation award in the 2010 RICS Awards Wales for Villa Marina Llandudno.

For more information on Michael Hyde and Associates Architects please contact Clive Anderton/Ian Thorp in Manchester on 0161 834 1018 or David Mirfin in Sheffield on 0114 275 9666 and visit our website at www.MHAarchitects.com.

The Community Foundation for Greater Manchester has won one of the most prestigious accolades to be awarded in the charity sector at last nights Charity Awards 2010.  The charity, which raises money from the private and public sectors and channels it down to grass-root community groups in the most disadvantaged areas of Greater Manchester, picked up the coveted Grantmaking Award at a glittering award ceremony in London.   

The star-studded awards ceremony was hosted by comedienne Jo Brand and was attended by celebrities including Greta Scacchi, Lynda Bellingham, Jon Snow and Peter Bowles. 

The Charity Awards judges recognised The Community Foundation for Greater Manchester for its collaboration with Irwell Valley Housing Association helping to create a community investment programme for local individuals and communities.

Absolute Invoice Finance (“Absolute”) has appointed Matt Hardern and Ben Day as regional sales managers in the North West, as the specialist financier continues a period of rapid expansion following its acquisition by Aldermore, the newest name in British banking.

Matt joins Absolute from Positive Cashflow Finance, where he spent a year as a regional business development manager. Ben spent two years as sales manager at Regency Factors before joining Absolute.

In their new roles, Matt and Ben will work closely with entrepreneurial businesses in the North West to deliver tailored funding solutions to enable them to grow and effectively manage cash flow.

Charlie Cornish is to become the new Chief Executive of Manchester Airports Group.

Mr Cornish said: “I'm delighted to have been offered this opportunity to join such a successful team at MAG and look forward to meeting my new colleagues soon. MAG has made tremendous progress under Geoff Muirhead's leadership and I look forward to working with colleagues and stakeholders to continue building on its great reputation for customer service and innovation.”

If you haven’t heard of Moonpig.com then you obviously don’t watch a lot of ITV during Coronation Street. With their annoyingly catchy “moooooonpig.commmm” jingle, it takes you until at least the end of the commercial break to get it out of your head.

All that being said, it really is a good website. Allowing you to personalise a huge selection of cards, then post them to your desired address.

All this just in time for Father’s Day, now isn’t that a coincidence?

The Manchester Masters
The Northern Lawn Tennis Club
23rd -26th June 2010.

Resurrecting The Wimbledon of the North

Featuring Wimbledon Champions Martina Hingis and Richard Krajicek, The Manchester Masters is a 4 day legends round robin event at The Northern Lawn Tennis Club. World class players, including Mansour Bahrami and Jeremy Bates, will come to Manchester. With high quality and entertaining tennis, this is an event not to be missed this summer.

For more information please call: 0151 227 5940 or e-mail: admin@northern-vision.co.uk or visit: http://www.manchestertennis.co.uk/

Stuart Anderson, Editor of EN magazine will chair a significant panel, including John Gillibrand, Corporate Financial Director for RSM Tenon, John O’Mahoney, Tax Expert for RSM Tenon, Scott Fletcher, Chairman for ANS Group and Downtown in Business Chairman, Frank McKenna.

The panel will analyse the new coalition budget and discuss the impact of the budget on the business community.

Date: Tuesday 29th June
Time: 8.30am - 10.00am
Venue: Restaurant Bar & Grill

The aim of the PA of the Year Awards is to accentuate all PA’s from across Greater Manchester, looking for the finest talent in 2010. A champagne reception will await guest’s arrival at 7pm in the lobby of the prestigious Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Peter Street, Manchester on Thursday 7th October 2010.

Name: John Gillibrand

Company: RSM Tenon

Position: Director of Corporate Finance

Red or Blue: Blue!

Labour, Liberal or Tory: Labour

Favourite Bar/Restaurant: Sams Chop House

What’s Your Tipple: Leffe

Favourite Band: Oasis

Top Tune: Half The World Away by Oasis

Favourite Book: Looking for the light through the pouring rain – Kevin Cummins

Favourite Movie: 24 Hour Party People

Who Would Play You In A Film: George Clooney

Favourite TV Programme: Coronation Street

Most Visited Website: MCFC!

Celebrity Crush: Angelina Jolie 
 
Interesting Fact About You: I am an ex bell ringer!

Why Downtown: Why not?