Business gazetteer: Handbags and lunch boxes

Published on Monday 5 May 2008 21:13

ENETERPRISING MINDS

HANDBAGS made from acacia wood and Japanese-style lunch boxes were among the business proposals submitted to Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce's "Local Legends" competition.

Ten entries have been chosen from a field of 40 to compete for a share of 30,000. Winners will be chosen in three categories: best young business; best new business and best innovative business idea.

The ten finalists will have the chance to pitch their ideas to Iain Graham, of Graham Technology, Steve Clark, of Clark Contracts, John McGlynn, from the Airlink Group, and John McGuire, of the Phoenix Car Company. The competition was open to entrepreneurs from Renfrewshire aged between 18 and 35 and the winners will be announced at a gala dinner at Mar Hall, in Bishopton, near Glasgow, on 28 May.

As well as the handbags and Bento Boxes (boxes of lunch to be taken to offices), another finalist came up with the idea of a new airline to link Scotland with Europe's major cities – now there's ambition for you.

The competition was funded by Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, Renfrewshire Council and Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire.

FACT OF THE DAY

NZ$665m

NEW Zealand's Labour government is buying back the rail and ferry operations that were privatised in the 1990s for NZ$665 million (264m).

The government decided re-nationalisation from Toll New Zealand was the best way to increase investment in the industry. The publicly-owned national rail network was sold to the private sector in 1993 for NZ$400m.

KILLER QUOTE

"WE'RE in a recession. But this is an awfully pale recession at the moment. The declines in employment have not been as big as you'd expect to see."

Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the US Federal Reserve, commenting on the state of the US economy.

GOOD DAY

Brodies

THE Royal Town Planning Institute has ranked Brodies as the top law firm in Scotland for planning advice. Neil Collar, the firm's head of planning, was also named as Scotland's No 1 planning adviser in the survey, which canvassed 660 legal experts.

BAD DAY

Would-be home buyers

GRAHAM Beale, Nationwide's chief executive, has warned 100 per cent loan-to-value mortgages won't be returning in the short term – or even in the medium term. The head of the UK's second-largest mortgage lender warned buyers with no cash deposit would find it tough.