CONTENTS 22 The Big Interview
The Covid pandemic changed the world of work for many people – for Derry Green it was ‘a total reset’ and the start of a remarkable journey that saw him become a social media sensation, wow the Dragons’ Den TV show judges, find love and build a luxury glamping business on course for a £5m turnover this year and further growth.
ISSUE 121 MARCH/APRIL 2025
Regulars
The Lancashire Business view
In View
Barometer Dealmakers LBV Hub
Appointments Interviews
The Big Interview: Derry Green
Lancashire Leaders: Dave Fishwick
Special Features Doing The Deal
Sub36 Energy Sector
Women in Business Red Rose Awards
Finalists Festival of Business
In Depth
Hotspots: Rossendale
Advice Legal View
The Guide to...
Pensions and Retirement 63 Debate Skills and
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Apprenticeships Planning for Growth
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Women in Business Who are the most influential women in the county’s business world? That was the question we posed to our readers. The result is a powerful list of impressive leaders drawn from a wide range of sectors who are making a real difference, not only in Lancashire but further afield.
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Hotspots The latest stage of our Lancashire Hotspots tour took us to Rossendale. Leaders from business, local government and education came together at the council offices in Bacup, with the spotlight firmly on the transport challenges that are facing the valley and the regeneration taking place.
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Festival of Business We bring you extended coverage of the 2025 Festival of Business, which saw powerful contributions from some of the county’s leading lights, including the chair of the combined authority’s new business board Mo Isap, who told delegates it was time for Lancashire to seize devolution and ‘aim big’.
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In View Mayors and leaders came to the Convention of the North in Preston to share how they will work together with devolved powers to drive economic growth and improve people’s lives across the region. They also heard Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner’s devolution rallying cry.
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Doing the deal Franchising is big business. It contributes £19.1bn to the UK economy and employs more than 770,000 people. We brought together franchising experts and Lancashire businesses that have taken that specific route to growth to examine the strength of the sector in the county.
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Lancashire Leaders Dave Fishwick is used to the red- carpet treatment, whether in his native Lancashire or Tinseltown. The entrepreneur was at the Oscars and earlier in the year took centre stage as Burnley hosted its second world film premiere, a movie based loosely on his campaign against pay day lenders.
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Property The grand opening of the new £45m Animate cinema and leisure complex in Preston by Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park has been seen as proof that the city has finally cast off the shadow of the failed Tithebarn scheme after taking a very different approach to its regeneration.
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Skills and apprenticeships We brought businesses and education providers together at Burnley manufacturer Veka to discuss how the training and skills landscape is set to change with a new administration now at work in Westminster and how best to navigate those changes. A wide range of opinions emerged.
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Energy sector Nuclear is back on the nation’s energy agenda and was just one of the topics we examined in our sector focus. The need to cut red tape and how to energise skills also came under the microscope with businesses in the county eager to take part in the green energy transition.
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