All entries located in North West (United Kingdom), newest first. tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:en:en/regions/north-west 2026-09-23T06:00:00Z Eurotrack tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:73bd8fc3:en 2026-09-23T06:00:00Z

The UK's Co-operative Group confirmed job cuts on 23 Sep 2026 as part of the £200m cost-saving programme it launched this year, without saying how many of its roughly 54,000 staff are affected. Underlying pre-tax losses widened to £92m in the first half (to 4 Jul 2026); the business is still dealing with the fallout of the April 2025 cyber attack and a leadership overhaul (Irish News/PA, 23 Sep 2026). — Source: https://www.irishnews.com/news/uk/co-operative-reveals-jobs-being-cut-under-turnaround-as-losses-widen-W6QKDNFWCZNXTGOZ4X3LVLXT6M/

tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:82d596f3:en 2026-09-01T06:00:00Z

US investment firm Veritas Capital agreed on 1 September 2026 with the board of UK thermal-processing specialist Bodycote plc on a recommended cash offer of 940 pence per share (equity value approx. £1.65bn, enterprise value approx. £1.85bn). Bodycote operates around 130 facilities in 22 countries providing heat-treatment/thermal-processing services to aerospace, automotive, energy and industrial customers; Veritas prevailed over rival bidders Apollo and CVC (Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance/Reuters, 1 September 2026). (Bloomberg, 1 September 2026; Yahoo Finance/Reuters.) — Sources: https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/bodycote-backs-1-65-billion-063100871.html · https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-01/veritas-capital-agrees-to-buy-uk-s-bodycote-for-1-65-billion

tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:3b4e91aa:en 2026-08-06T06:00:00Z

Family-run demolition contractor Forshaw Demolition of Bolton has passed into the hands of administrators from KBL Advisory Limited. Its latest accounts show 25 staff; the source does not say how many are affected, so the figure field is left empty. No reasons for the collapse and no date of entry into administration are given either — only the date of the report is documented. — Source: https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2026/08/06/forshaw-demolition-goes-into-administration/

tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:7b11cbac:en 2026-07-31T06:00:00Z

Bookmaker Betfred opened a consultation on 31 July 2026 on closing 132 betting shops and cutting more than 600 roles from September 2026, affecting more than a tenth of its estate and leaving it with around 1,100 shops. Chief executive Joanne Whittaker said the decision was taken with 'deep regret' and pointed to a combination of cost pressures: remote gaming duty rose from 21% to 40% on 1 April 2026, and a separate 25% rate on remote betting follows on 1 April 2027. The move follows comparable shop closures by rivals Entain (Ladbrokes) and Evoke (William Hill). — Source: https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/betfred-shut-132-shops-axe-114228472.html

tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:1b13f062:en 2026-07-30T06:00:00Z

The UK Competition and Markets Authority formally launched its phase 1 merger inquiry on 30 July 2026 into the already completed acquisition of The Southern Co-operative by the Co-operative Group. The deadline for the phase 1 decision runs to 28 September 2026. It was preceded by an invitation to comment on 4 June 2026 and an initial enforcement order on 23 July 2026 barring further integration until the inquiry concludes. The Co-operative Group runs more than 2,300 stores; the Southern Co-operative operates around 173 stores, Starbucks outlets and a funeral business in the south of England. Update (15 Sep 2026): On 15 September 2026 the CMA published its phase 1 decision: the merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition — in convenience grocery retail in nine local areas where the two societies overlap, and in funeral services (pre-paid and at-need) in one further area. The parties have until 22 September 2026 to offer undertakings in lieu; if none are offered, or the CMA finds them insufficient, it will refer the merger for an in-depth phase 2 investigation (Talking Retail, 15 Sep 2026). Update (29.09.2026): The CMA provisionally considers the undertakings offered by the Co-op Group – the sale of 15 convenience stores and two funeral homes – suitable to resolve its concerns; after consultation and a review of the buyers, the deal could be cleared without a phase 2 investigation (Talking Retail, 29.09.2026). — Sources: https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/co-operative-group-slash-southern-co-operative-merger-inquiry · https://www.talkingretail.com/featured/cma-provisionally-accepts-package-for-co-op-southern-co-op-deal-29-09-2026/

tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:13a0046c:en 2026-07-13T06:00:00Z

AGC Chemicals Europe has launched a consultation (at least 45 days) on closing its fluorochemicals plant in the Hillhouse Technology Enterprise Zone; 190 employees plus 18 agency workers are affected. The plant has been loss-making for four years, production could end at the end of 2026, and a final decision is still pending. Update (14 September 2026): AGC confirmed the closure after the consultation; manufacturing at Hillhouse will end by 31 December 2026, after which the site will be wound down, with further redundancies in 2027. Affected staff have been promised enhanced redundancy packages and job-search support (AGC Chemicals Europe announcement, 14 September 2026). — Sources: https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/industrynews/news/55390505/agc-chemicals-europe-proposes-uk-plant-closure-by-year-end · https://agcce.com/announcement-from-agc-chemicals-europe-ltd-closure-of-agc-chemicals-europe-hillhouse-manufacturing-site-confirmed/

tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:7d2a444d:en 2026-07-10T06:00:00Z

BT is closing its office at The Plaza in Liverpool city centre with 601 staff (BT Business, Openreach, outsourced 999 call handlers). Staff were informed on 30 June, public confirmation followed on 10 July; formal consultation starts 20 July 2026. Relocation to Manchester and Leeds is offered but BT admits it is 'not practical' for many, so many face redundancy. Update (29 Jul 2026): Opposition to the closure has turned political. Staff protested outside the Plaza building with backing from the CWU union; Liverpool council leader Liam Robinson, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and MPs Ian Byrne and Peter Dowd called on BT to pause the plans. BT pointed to higher lease costs and is sticking to the closure. — Source: https://lbndaily.co.uk/601-jobs-at-risk-as-bt-announces-liverpool-closure/

tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:13cb8b42:en 2026-01-15T06:00:00Z

Network Rail and its main contractor Skanska have replaced the Clifton rail bridge near Penrith in a £60 million (about €69 million) investment to make the West Coast Main Line fit for the future. On 10 January 2026 the new 130 m structure was put in place over the M6 at Clifton in Cumbria; the motorway, used by around 48,000 vehicles a day, reopened 13 hours ahead of schedule after two closures of 60 hours each. Track laying and the reconnection of overhead lines and signalling were to follow, and on the morning of 15 January 2026 the West Coast Main Line fully reopened (LOK Report, 13 Jan 2026; Penrith & Tweed News, 15 Jan 2026). — Sources: https://www.lok-report.de/news/europa/grossbritannien/64332-grossbritannien-die-autobahn-m6-wird-nach-erfolgreicher-installation-der-neuen-clifton-eisenbahnbruecke-einen-halben-tag-frueher-als-geplant-wieder-freigegeben.html · https://penrith.town/news/first-trains-run-across-the-new-60m-clifton-railway-bridge-as-west-coast-main-line-r

tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:d129a293:en 2025-11-20T06:00:00Z

The Swedish studio Avalanche (known for Just Cause, Mad Max) is closing its site in Liverpool; this affects around 50 employees. Update (19 November 2025): Avalanche Studios has closed its Liverpool studio; 31 employees lose their jobs. (Insider Gaming, 19 November 2025) — Sources: https://www.games.ch/9731-avalanche-studios/news/liverpool-schliessung-mBhb/ · https://insider-gaming.com/avalanche-studios-official-closes-liverpool-office/

tag:eurotrack.ai,2026:be6f4e06:en 2025-07-26T06:00:00Z

The 6.5-mile (about 10.5 km) line between Wigan and Bolton was electrified for £100 million, with the overhead lines entering service overnight on 26 July 2025. Since construction began in 2022 the scheme delivered 21 km of overhead line equipment and 414 stanchions, rebuilt six bridges, modified 17 further bridges and two level crossings, and extended platforms at Westhoughton, Hindley and Ince stations. It was funded by the Department for Transport and delivered by Network Rail. — Source: https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/a-greener-railway-now-gbp-100m-wigan-to-bolton-electrification-is-complete