MARKETING and creative agency dragonphly -- a subsidiary of azurri Computer Systems at Wingates, Westhoughton -- is providing launch campaign services for the Futti fashion range produced by St Helens-based Rosco Clothing.

Keoghs getting bigger

BOLTON law firm Keoghs has moved its Coventry office to larger premises which will give it the capacity to expand its growing commercial litigation practice.

Marketing contract

MARKETING agency dragonphly -- a subsidiary of azurri Computer Systems at Wingates, Bolton -- has secured a contract to provide telemarketing services to Cheshire-based ALG Software.

Hotel group on the up

MACDONALD Hotels, which owns the Last Drop Village at Bromley Cross, has reported profits before tax up by 17 per cent to £16.1 million.

Following recent acquisitions, Macdonald Hotels is now the UK's 8th largest hotel and leisure group.

Shredder boom for Staples

OFFICE supplies retailer Staples says an upsurge in sales of shredders shows that householders are increasingly keen to prevent items such as credit card receipts falling into criminal hands.

Good time to be an 'angel'

THE North West Development Agency's TEChINVEST service says that stock market uncertainty makes it a good time to become a business "angel" and invest in start-up and growing businesses.

Tel: 01925 400301/2/3 or e-mail: techinvest@nwda.co.uk

Doing the leg-work

BUSY executives in Manchester can pay a monthly membership fee to a company called Legwork and let it become their handyman, personal assistant and lifestyle manager.

It sorts out chores such as cleaning, flat-sitting, dog-walking, chauffering, IT support, tailoring and stress management.

Hard to credit

RESEARCH by Sainsbury's Bank reveals that an estimated £11.6 billion will be spent this Christmas on credit cards alone -- a 25 per cent increase compared to last December.

The average credit card holder intends to spend £406, it is claimed.

Great sports

A SPORTSMAN'S dinner organised by Leigh-based Avonside Plumbing and Heating North West at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton raised a record £9,500 for MacMillan Cancer Relief.

It was attended by 300 customers, suppliers, manufacturers and employees.

In fear of attack

RETAIL union Usdaw has produced a report -- part of its Freedom from Fear campaign -- which shows that thousands of UK shopworkers are living in fear of physical attacks and verbal abuse.

More details are available on the union's website -- www.usdaw.org.uk

Granada report

A MANCHESTER Business School report -- "The Impact of Granada on the North West" -- finds that the television company contributed around £150 million to the region's economy in 2001.

Granada Television, which was founded 46 years ago, employs 1,122 staff directly and supports a further 2,900 indirectly.

Virus defence

MANCHESTER area research for accountancy firm Hacker Young found that 70 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises quizzed have invested in defensive software to protect their computers from virus attack.

IT expert Nick Hay said: "SMEs are most vulnerable to cyber-terrorism because larger corporations are able to employ whole IT departments which are more vigilant to new threats."

Hi-tech virus alert

RESEARCH conducted by McAfee Security with members of the Federation of Small Businesses showed that the next big computer virus attack in the UK could cost small and medium-sized enterprises £2.1 billion and 2.2 million office days lost in downtime.

Car price reverse

THE Alliance & Leicester Car Price Index, produced in association with What Car?, shows that the average price of a new car in the UK is now £12,894 compared with £13,170 a year ago and £15,209 when the Index started in June, 1998.

DIY chain urges worker rethink

DIY chain B&Q, which is well-known for employing older workers, says changes in demographics mean companies will need to rethink their policies on older employees.

It points out that a slowdown in the birth rate has led to a dramatic decrease in the number of younger people in the workforce, with a corresponding increase in the number of those over 50.

Oven ready

MK Technologies at Worsley has secured a contract with Swindon-based Clares Retail Equipment to strip and refurbish supermarket and store shelves using an environmentally friendly system involving heat from giant ovens.

£225m utilities deal

BRITISH Gas has awarded United Utilities a flagship contract worth £225 million over five years to provide metering services to more than five million customers across the North-west, North-east and North Wales.

The company will install, maintain and repair domestic gas and electricity meters through its subsidiary, United Utilities Networks.

The work was previously carried out by Transco and local electricity distribution companies.