Jeremy Cole of Manchester corporate finance outfit Cole Associates led a deal to arrange a £4m funding package for a secondary MBO at Warrington-based Jade Communications. Elia Montorio, of solicitors DLA, provided legal advice. Jade employs 100 people and counts Debenhams, Homebase, HSBC, Tesco and Manchester Metropolitan University amongst its clients. Other professionals involved in … Continued

Kitchen and bathroom distributor PJH Group has been sold to management in a £33m deal. Andrew Yates led the buyout by members of the existing management team with backing from private equity firm Lloyds TSB Development Capital. The Manchester office of LDC invested £10m for a majority shareholding. HSBC – led by Noel Jones, Director … Continued

Greater Manchester debt advisory firm All Clear Finance has secured a deal which values the business at about £15m. The Timperley based company, which helps people who are struggling with credit and store card bills, has enjoyed a huge rise in turnover, from just £400,000 in 2000 to £3.7m in 2003. Founders Nick Holmes and … Continued

Plans unveiled to expand ship repair business in Birkenhead Merseyside’s best-known and most historic shipyard has been taken over by its former managers. Wirral ship repair group Northwestern Shiprepairers and Shipbuilders has gained control of the Birkenhead yard from the A&P Group. The deal announced yesterday means that the yard is back in the hands … Continued

The pressure has been immense to sell LFC. Bill Gleeson gets an expert’s view after the final win. Liverpool’s Champions League success means the club no longer needs to be sold. That is the opinion of one of the region’s leading football finance experts. Liverpool have been in talks for more than year now with … Continued

By Andy Kelly Chief reporter Andy Kelly examines how Liverpool’s Champions League run ups the stakes in the battle for control of the club Liverpool’s stunning run to the 2005 Champions League final has offered the club “breathing space” in its search for a major financial investor, it was claimed last night. Some sources believe … Continued

Two bosses of kitchen and bathroom distributor PJH have cashed in their chips, scooping a fortune of over £7m each, after selling the business in a £33m deal. Former chief executive David Riley and finance director Gerry Godlington both owned 25 per cent of the Bolton-based firm, which has been sold to private equity firm … Continued

Merseyside Special Investment Fund (MSIF) has backed a £4m package to help a Cheshire company relocate into Merseyside. Warrington-based Jade Communications, which installs IT equipment, wireless systems and other technologies, will move to St Helens in the next few months. MSIF’s Venture fund, set up to help regeneration and job creation in Merseyside, has contributed … Continued