Welcome to the first edition of Downtown Lancaster’s monthly business bulletin, bringing you a smattering of news and views from across the city, and the wider North West region. This month, we have details of DLIB’s next event; our Chairman Frank McKenna looks at what the future holds for the NWDA; Anne Rothwell tells us more than she should in our ‘Who Are Yer?’ feature, we want YOUR views on the Heysham M6 link and Garrets Insurance are named as ‘Business of the Month’. Please read on and enjoy…

A second Public Inquiry will be held into the planned £139 million Heysham-M6 link. The Inquiry is likely to take place in Lancaster in June. The scheme has been supported by the private sector led Vision Board, but has met with 18 statutory objections. Objectors include Lancaster & Morecambe College, Holiday Inn and McDonald’s.

DLIB Chairman Frank McKenna suggests that the future of the Northwest Development Agency may not be as gloomy as it once seemed. CLICK HERE to read more.

Downtown sponsors Moore & Smalley has boosted its tax and financial planning teams with two new appointments. Anne Donker has joined as a tax consultant, and will operate out of the Lancaster office, while Dave Gleeson has joined the finance planning team in Preston.

Premier Lancashire business magazine Lancashire Business View has produced an impressive feature on Lancaster in its first issue of 2010. Visit www.lancashirebusinessview.co.uk to learn more about the county’s leading business publication.

Downtown is delighted to welcome Phil Griffiths as our latest recruit. Phil will be working as our Business Development Manager in Lancaster and Preston, and took up his new post on 1st February. To contact Phil e mail phil.griffiths@downtowninbusiness.com

A Lancashire family, which has traded as insurance brokers for more than 130 years, is launching a brand new office in Lancaster as part of its ongoing growth strategy.

Garratts Insurance Brokers, founded by the Garratt family, has opened an office on Castle Hill, near to the city’s castle, to provide a full range of corporate insurance and risk management services to clients in Lancaster, North Lancashire and Cumbria.

The family-run firm, which is on target to increase income by at least 30 per cent in 2010, is looking to invest in new staff and recruit experienced commercial brokers to its new offices.

Co-directors and insurance brokers Richard Garratt and John Grindley, who have more than 60 years combined industry experience, will head the operation – which will be one of only a handful of true independent brokers based in the city.

Do you support the Heysham - M6 link development?

CLICK HERE to vote

Downtown Lancaster in Business opens its 2010 programme of events with a presentation from the regions Bank of England Deputy Agent Simon Caunt who will provide delegates with the latest intelligence on the UK economy, offering an insight into the monetary policy committee view on the economy and prospects for growth and inflation.

To register for this event please CLICK HERE

Name: Anne Rothwell

Company: Charter Solutions

Football Team: I hate football

Brown or Cameron: At a push, Cameron

Favourite Bar/Restaurant: The Sun Pub, and the Gatehouse

What’s your Tipple: Marks & Spencer’s Ebenezer & Seppeltsfield Shiraz

Favourite Band: Coldplay

Top Tune: Eternal Flame, the Bangles

Favourite Book: Anything by Lee Child

Favourite Movie: The original Dr Shavargo

Who would play you in a film: Meryl Streep, (as in the Devil Wears Prada)

Favourite TV Programme: How to Look Good Naked

Most visited website: www.faith.co.uk (nothing to do with religion - I have a passion for shoes)

Celebrity Crush: Andy Garcia in his younger days

Interesting Fact about you: I once drove a 9,000 mile round trip to Romania.