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RETAILER Blacks Leisure plunged into the red after problems at its boardwear business offset steady trading from its camping and outdoor clothing shops.

The company said it made losses of £6.8m before exceptional items in the year to February 28 compared with profits of £300,000 a year earlier. Read

The Pink Link’s Vicki Davenport named director of the year in MAN Everywoman in Transport Awards

AN award for women working in the “man’s world” of transport has been won by Huddersfield’s Vicki Davenport. Read

Plumb Center owner Wolseley braced for further tough times

HEATING and plumbing merchant Wolseley warned of further job cuts as profits tumbled by almost 90%. Read

Booker credits new-look branches and catering service for 30% rise in profits

CASH-AND-CARRY chain Booker said new-look branches and a drive into the catering market helped it deliver a 30% rise in annual profits. Read

Profits sour for sugar group Tate & Lyle

SUGAR and ingredients group Tate & Lyle said prospects were “difficult to predict with confidence” as it unveiled an 18% fall in underlying profits. Read

Sports Direct sells its 4.8% stake in rival JJB Sports

RETAILER Sports Direct International has offloaded its 4.8% directly-owned stake in beleaguered rival JJB Sports, it has been revealed. Read

A CAMERA retailer with a shop in Huddersfield has warned that it is planning a new round of job cuts.

Staff at the Jessops branch in Queen Street are among hundreds of employees waiting to hear details of redundancies planned as part of a massive shake-up of the debt-laden business. Read

Investors take the flexible approach

A HUDDERSFIELD architectural design and building firm is among Yorkshire firms recognised at the launch of a flexible new approach to Investors in People. Read

Grange Mor firm on the highway to success

A COMPANY helping draw up plans for new roads and drainage schemes has won a business award. Read

Partner takes up a new role

A PROPERTY expert has taken up a new role with estate agency Bramleys in Huddersfield. Read

Business appointments

Steve Fearnehough, managing director of Elland-based Crossway Scaffolding, has been elected chairman of the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation’s northern region. Read

Kirkdale Industrial Training Services stages annual awards night

STUDENTS in engineering and motor vehicle repair received their awards at a ceremony in Huddersfield. Read

British Airways slump to record £401m losses

TWO senior bosses at British Airways will work one month for no pay after the airline revealed record losses of £401m. Read

ROYAL Bank of Scotland has appointed Sir Sandy Crombie as senior independent director.

Standard Life’s chief executive will take the role from next month. Read

Poor weather and price cuts boost footfall for John Lewis

DEPARTMENT store chain John Lewis said unsettled weather and another round of high street price cuts helped boost footfall last week. Read

MUSIC group Chrysalis said it had emerged from recent woes in good shape as it reported better than expected half-year figures.

The company, which sold off radio stations Heart and Galaxy to become a focused music and distribution group, posted interim pre-tax losses of £2.6m against a deficit of £13.1m for the same period last year. Read

Pubs owner Marston’s encouraged by recent trading

PUBS and brewing group Marston’s unveiled lower half-year profits – but reported signs of a “modest improvement” in trading since mid-February. Read

Households strapped for cash

HOUSEHOLD spending sank to its lowest level since 1980 in the first quarter of this year – as UK workers suffered a record fall in pay. Read

JJB reveals slump in store revenues

RETAILER JJB Sports ruled out any hopes of a quick fix to its trading problems after revealing like-for-like store sales had slumped by more than a quarter. Read

Clothing sales boost retail sales for April, says ONS

IMPROVED takings for clothing and department stores helped lift retail sales volumes in April. Read