Tag: featured

Two New Appointments At Lumley Castle Hotel

By on 30th September 2015in Local Biz, What's New?

One of the North East’s leading luxury hotels has strengthened its team with two new appointments.

Lumley Castle Hotel, Chester-le-Street, has welcomed Ashley Small to the position of Meeting and Events Manager, and Adele Lockey to the role of Meetings and Events Coordinator.

Ashley, 30, from Gosforth, Newcastle, brings more than 10 years experience in the hotel and event industries to the role, having held key sales positions with both Marriott and Holiday Inn.

She joins four-star Lumley Castle Hotel from Newcastle-based hotel booking agency Accommodations UK, where she looked after the Conference and Exhibition departments.

As well as consolidating 73-bedroom Lumley Castle Hotel’s reputation as one of the region’s favourite wedding and event venues, Ashley will be tasked with raising its profile within the business and leisure communities both regionally and nationally.

She will be supported in her role by Adele, 31, from Consett, who also has strong sales background having worked at De Vere Slaley Hall Hotel and, latterly, at Allout Adventures; an activity centre based in the Hexham hotel’s grounds.

“I am delighted to welcome both Ashley and Adele to the Lumley Castle Hotel team,” said General Manager, Christine Gott

“The hotel is unique in terms of the style and variety of its event spaces, which is why it is such a popular destination for everything from weddings and parties to conferences, gala dinners and meetings.

“I am confident that, not only will Ashley and Adele be able to consolidate its existing client base, but also expand it, by introducing the hotel to a whole new audience.”

For more information call 0191 389 1111 or visit www.lumleycastle.com.

Grandslam Madness: Suggs Spills The Beans

By on 16th September 2015in Entertainment, Music, What's New?

Gavin Martin catches up with Suggs, who says he and the band are very excited about the forthcoming tour…

 

GM: The summer is pretty well mapped out for you. Grandslam Madness is an outdoor tour, the likes of which have never been seen on these islands. How will you keep yourself match fit?

S: It’s like preparing for war. A war of fun, y’know? A war of fun and frolics but, unlike the Romans, we are going to unleash heaven. I have a suspicion that if I didn’t have a few tequila shots before I went onstage I wouldn’t be quite as lubricated in the joints. Tequila and orange juice is the secret of keeping those limbs loose! I suppose our rituals are now so ingrained that I don’t notice what the rest of the band are doing!

Plus, we can change the setlist nightly if we wish. The main thing is to keep it exciting for yourself. That’s the way to ensure the audience is kept excited too.

GM: How do you keep the feeling of it being fresh?

S: Traditionally, we don’t tour for months and months. We gave up on America, and they probably gave up on us. Touring for years on end is what drains the lifeblood out of a lot of acts that I see. Each tour we do, we try to make unique and special. This one’s special because no one has ever done something like this – as big as this – at sporting venues like this. It’s a Madness madcap idea and we know people will respond to it.

 

GM: I guess in the early days of travelling with Madness, the greeting wasn’t always warm, and as a band you must have felt rivalry similar to your football days.

S: There was few incidents. It was a very tribal time. Because there was seven of us and a few of our mates in a van, we would turn up to a town, word would go around, and all the local chaps would turn up thinking you were like something from football. We had a few incidents being chased – or indeed chasing – other people up and down the road outside venues.

GM: Are you looking forward to this tour?

S: Of course! It’s great to do something new. Something not done before. It really feels like a tour of the people in places where they can have fun – where we can have fun.

Get more Madness news on their official site.

Risk-Free Fundraising? Local Artist Has A Suggestion…

By on 10th September 2015in What's New?

Charities have been in the news a lot recently, though often for less-than savoury fundraising campaigns which bully old and vulnerable people out of their savings. So, I was pleased to hear about an arthritic 89-year-old pensioner by the name of David Hughes, who has come up with a novel way for charities to raise money whilst also giving something useful to the donor…

Jak Inc: Introducing Our £500 Small Business Grants

By on 8th September 2015in Local Biz, What's New?

 

According to the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills, as many as two million sole-traders and small companies missed out on £1.5bn sales in a single weekend last year. But yet, online retailers had their best year ever, as consumers spent £1 in every £4 online.

Jak Inc want to redress this balance by helping SMEs start selling online. We’re pledging £50,000 of web development grants for up to one hundred North East startups and small businesses.

To applicants, we’re offering a free one hour consultation, and a £500 grant towards the development of a Jak Inc e-commerce web shop. Only 100 places are available, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

Managing Director Andy Knowles says:

“We’re offering the Small Business Grant because we want to give small businesses an opportunity to globalise their brands. We’ve always championed the benefits of taking business online, and now we’re able to make those benefits achievable for everybody.

From our wealth of experience in digital marketing, we know just how big a difference an effective digital presence can make, so we’re keen to share that knowledge. It’ll be amazing to tell the stories of how we helped some really fantastic businesses reach their full potential.

I always sign off my own blog posts with the phrase ‘anything is possible’, and with the introduction of our Small Business Grant, it’s truer now than ever before.”

So if you’d like to take part in our Digital Revolution, book your consultation today! For more information, send an email to hello@jakinc.uk, or call us on 0191 3882 698.

Our Ts and Cs are as simple as can be:

  • Grant can only be used towards a Jak Inc e-commerce shop, or a website using an e-commerce element.
  • Maximum amount that can be attained is £500.
  • Maximum of one grant per customer.
  • Managing Director’s decision is final.
  • Grant offer may be withdrawn at any time without notice.

For more info on the exciting products, services, and opportunities that Jak Inc offer, subscribe to their blog!

You’ll get all of their latest news direct to your inbox, plus industry insider tips and tricks for everything marketing, design, and social media.

Plus, they’re on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Follow them!

 

ADVERTISERS