4


That’s three businesses making strategic decisions that don’t include a future for many of their current Lancashire workforces. Our hope must be that this is not the start of a trend that sees companies shrinking rather than growing their operations here.


Miranda Barker, chief executive of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, has said what many may be thinking. She talks of the pressures on business through changes to taxation and employment law. Pressures leading to decisions not to push for growth but to rationalise.


We agree with her when she says that the government needs to support businesses to grow, thrive and put money into the national economy. It must do better.


It is to be hoped that chancellor Rachel Reeves is listening. There is talk of raising the VAT threshold for small businesses to £100,000 as part of attempts to boost productivity. That would help. Lowering it, as some have suggested might happen, would not.


Lancashire also needs to sell itself harder to attract more inward investment. Devolution can play its part here. Look at the impact an elected mayor can have.


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We have been here before. Big-name employers announcing strategic decisions that put hundreds of Lancashire jobs at risk.


In a matter of weeks online retailer Debenhams, forecourt giant EG Group and Navigator Tissue have revealed their plans to move large parts of their operations out of the county.


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Debenhams is planning to close its site in Burnley and transfer its operations to Sheffield early next year. More than 1,250 people are employed in the town – making it one of the single biggest employers in the area.


The company talks of a “strategic review” and the transferring of its distribution operation across the Pennines to offer “greater capacity and efficiencies”.


In another hard-to-take blow, global retail giant EG Group has announced it is moving its headquarters across the Atlantic from Blackburn to Charlotte in North Carolina.


Richard Slater chairman richard@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk t: 01254 295584


Ged Henderson editor editor@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk t: 01254 295585


Abbey Coates operations and events director abbey@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk t: 01254 295585


Anna King


senior administrator anna@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk t: 01254 295582


Paula Walsh finance assistant paula@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk t: 01254 297870


The group’s European Share Service Centre is also being moved – down the road to Bolton in Greater Manchester. Again, the talk is all about ‘driving growth’.


Before those announcements, Navigator Tissue UK – which bought Blackburn-based Accrol in a £130m deal last year – revealed that it is set to make redundancies in the town.


Andy Burnham has been busy this summer. A Japanese manufacturer announced a £100m investment in its Greater Manchester operations following the mayor’s visit to the Far East.


That’s just one example of the Burnham effect. Think what Lancashire could achieve with our own high-profile mayor – selling the county, its workers and its sense of enterprise.


Our hope must be that this is not the start


of a trend that sees companies shrinking rather than growing their operations here


It is looking to consolidate its UK manufacturing operations, which includes potential changes to two of its four Blackburn sites.


Joanne Hindley sales director joanne@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk t: 01254 295585


Rob Kelly multimedia journalist rob@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk t: 01254 297870


Olivia McCaughran client engagement manager olivia@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk t: 01254 295587


Adam Varnom graphic designer adam@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk t: 01254 295585


We might be talking about a major business moving into the county, rather than heading for the exit.


Lancashire Business View is written, designed and produced in Lancashire by Northpoint Publishing.


Lancashire Business View and LBV are registered trademarks.


The views expressed by our columnists are not necessarily shared by Lancashire Business View.


Photography: Clive Lawrence, Paul Adams, Liz Henson Photography and Adam Varnom.


Printers: Peter Scott Printers, Burnley


Northpoint Publishing East Park Lodge, East Park Road, Blackburn BB1 8DW


t: 01254 297870 ISSN: 1757-479X


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