Latest news with #EllesmerePort
The Sun
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Little-known outlet shops from retailers like M&S and Dunelm where you can get up to 70% off
SPLASHING your hard-earned cash on designer brands can be pricey, but there is a way to get your hands on expensive goods for less. Heading to an outlet shopping centre is an easy way to do this. 1 There are over 30 of these retail outlets across the UK, the biggest being Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet in Ellesmere Port. While high street stores offer limited sales, at an outlet there are typically deals and offers all year round. You can expect to find discounted deals on items that could be excess or clearance stock from past seasons. Some items may also be specifically made for the outlet shoppers. Brands like Dunelm and even M&S run these types of discount stores, let's take a look at what you may be able to find on offer. M&S The beloved retailer has over 20 outlet stores across popular shopping centres in the UK. That includes locations across Wembley, Swindon and Manchester. It can be a great place to pick up discounts on its stylish furniture and clothing. M&S outlet stores also host sales on items that are already cheaper than what you find in one of its regular high street stores. For example, its branch at Dalton Park outlet shopping centre is currently running a 50% off sale on clothing. Shoppers can pick up summer trousers and shorts for £15. Shoppers race to M&S as one of their best selling items which is a mum-essential viral are scanning for just 63 PENCE You can find your nearest outlet by visiting Clarks The popular shoe brand has a number of outlet stores across the UK, which can help you save on prices. And better yet, the brand also has an online outlet store where you can shop discounts over the web. Clarks is currently running an online offer where items are up to 60% off. That includes a pair of children's sandals, which are scanning for just £14 down from £24. You can also shop a pair of women's sandals for £55 down from £22. Nike Nike is a great place to pick up gym gear and trainers, but when you pay full price this can cost well over £100. Luckily, the US brand has a number of outlet stores across the UK to help shoppers bag a bargain. Currently, its branch in London 's 02 outlet shopping centre is running a 30% end of summer sale on items in store. In the past, shoppers have also spotted Mid Runner 2 trainers for £38.46, Air Span IIs for £62.96 and Air Max Bliss kicks for 50% cheaper at £46.47. Dunelm The popular store has up to six outlet sites across the UK, including Bradford, Fenton and Rochdale. Bargains that are considered "as new" are reduced by 30%, and items that are slightly damaged will be marked as 50% off. And DIY fans who fancy an upcycling project can shop products that are up to 70% off. Products on sale can be either goods that customers have returned that are still in good condition or they may be slightly damaged. In the past, shoppers have managed to get their hands on a sofa for just £49.90 instead of £499 by shopping in one of these branches. How to bag a bargain SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain… Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with. Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks. Sales are when you can pick up a real steal. Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on. Sign up to mailing lists and you'll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use and are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer. Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping. Bargain hunters can also use B&M's scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out. And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you'll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
Telegraph
08-07-2025
- Telegraph
The Post Office victims driven to suicide by the Horizon scandal
The Post Office scandal has been repeatedly described as one of the ' UK's biggest miscarriages of justice in history '. On Tuesday, Sir Wyn Williams' report explicitly links five suicides to wrongful accusations of theft - a figure which underlines the extent of devastation for some victims and their families. In total, 59 people told the inquiry they had contemplated suicide at various points, of whom 10 attempted to take their own lives. Writing in his report, the inquiry chair said: 'I should stress that whilst I cannot make a definitive finding that there is a causal connection between the deaths... I do not rule it out as a real possibility.' Sir Wyn also suggested it is possible that there are more suicides linked to the scandal which 'have not been reported to the Post Office or the inquiry.' The names of only two sub-postmasters who took their own lives - Michael Mann and Martin Griffiths - were made public in evidence given to the inquiry. However, while other victims remained unnamed, reports of suicides linked to the scandal have previously been reported in the media. Martin Griffiths Martin Griffiths took his own life in 2013 aged 59 after being falsely accused of stealing £100,000 from his Ellesmere Port branch. During the inquiry, it was heard that the Post Office sought to 'hush up' the case of Mr Griffiths, a father-of-two, by 'drip feeding' compensation payments of £140,000 to his widow, Gina, getting her to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and lining up a media lawyer to protect its reputation. Mr Griffiths's sister has blamed the Post Office saying that officials have 'blood on their hands'. A letter from the sub-postmaster's daughter was also presented as evidence in which she said she 'solely' blamed the Post Office for her father's death. Mr Griffith's sister, Jayne Caveen, 61, said last year: 'I hope those responsible at the Post Office and Fujitsu are finally prosecuted, as they truly have blood on their hands. I can't move on with my life without these bitter feelings and deep sadness until they are behind bars.' Her brother had run his branch successfully in Great Sutton, Cheshire, for 14 years before the faulty Horizon IT system appeared to show cash going missing in 2009. Over the next four years, he put £100,000 of his own money into the system to balance the books as his mental health deteriorated. In September 2013 he left home early, leaving a note apologising to his family, and took his own life at the age of 59. Ms Caveen claimed that her brother's wife, Gina, was pressured into signing a settlement deal and an NDA with a payout that prevented the full story from emerging until 2022. She said: 'The more weight the story gets, the better, however painful it is for my family to endure. True justice will only be served when those responsible for the cover-up and the subsequent years of torment are held to account. It is they who should have to see what the inside of a prison cell feels like.' Speaking to Panorama on BBC 1 in 2022, Gina Griffiths said: 'They hounded him, they persecuted him, there didn't seem to be any end to it at the time. Martin hit rock bottom. The worst thing was our children seeing their dad die. It was surely down to the Post Office, nobody else, so I blame them.' Michael Mann Former Post Office manager Michael Mann took his own life after being interviewed by the company's internal investigators on suspicion of fraud in 2013. Stephen Bradshaw and Helen Rose, former Post Office investigators, were interviewed as part of an internal probe into his death, and all Post Office employees involved in audit and investigations were later found to have behaved professionally. Peter Huxham Devon-based postmaster Peter Huxham's body was discovered by police in July 2020. Mr Huxham had been a postmaster for 25 years but served a prison term in 2010 after pleading guilty to fraud by misrepresentation over a £16,000 alleged shortfall - on the advice of his lawyers. His 22-year marriage reportedly disintegrated due to his ordeal and he also struggled with alcoholism and mental health issues in the years that followed. Jayakanthan Sivasubramaniam Father-of-two Jayakanthan Sivasubramaniam took his life hours after Post Office investigators raided his branch in Putney, south west London His branch in Putney came under investigation after the Post Office alleged that £179,000 went missing from the cash machine and the safe. According to the account given to the MPs' business committee by his widow, two Post Office investigators raided the store, took files and locked the couple out, just a few hours before he took his own life on March 4, 2005. His wife Gowri, who had been at a family birthday party with their two young children, returned home to find his body in the attic of their home in New Malden. 'My poor husband was not given the chance to prove his side, and took his own life,' his widow, Gowri, told The Times. In the weeks that followed Mr Sivasubramaniam's death, the Post Office continued to send letters chasing her for the 'missing' money, according to her account. She was forced to take out bank loans, remortgage their £350,000 home, and sell a property abroad and £14,000 worth of jewellery to keep the family afloat. Her account was sent to the House of Commons business committee, in formal evidence, in 2020. The Post Office refused to pay Mrs Sivasubramaniam a penny under the flagship compensation scheme despite admitting that the audit resulted in his suicide. The panel that decides claims, which is independent of both the Post Office and government, said that while it was 'sympathetic' to the widow 'regarding the state of affairs that transpired after the audit and untimely death of Mr Jayakanthan in March 2005' it added: 'In light of the panel's conclusions that the discrepancies identified at the audit were not Horizon shortfalls, the panel has concluded that none of the above losses can be considered to have arisen as a result of Horizon shortfalls.' Louise Mann Louise Mann, the wife of a postmaster in Moretonhampstead, Devon, took her own life in 2012 over the shame of being labelled a thief. Her husband Charles, a father-of-one, from Buckfastleigh, Devon, previously told the Mail: 'I lost my job. Then I lost my wife.'
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Krystals packaging company enters administration
Independent packaging manufacturer Krystals has entered into administration and ceased trading, resulting in the loss of approximately 80 jobs. Printweek reported that the company, based in Lincoln and Ellesmere Port in the UK, was acquired by its most recent owners in 2008. Krystals operated a blow moulding plant for pharmaceutical containers, which it described as one of the most environmentally friendly in Europe, producing millions of units weekly. The company also served the corrugated packaging sector, offering products ranging from multicolour digitally printed shelf-ready corrugated boxes to heavy-duty double-wall stitched transit cases. Gareth Harris and Chris Ratten of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory were appointed joint administrators of A, R & S Shingdia, trading as Krystals. The company operated under an unlimited partnership structure with trading names Krystals, Krystals Premier, and Krystals Packaging. RSM UK, in a statement, said: 'Following their appointment the joint administrators completed a sale of plant and machinery relating to the bottling plant located at the Lincoln site. 'The remaining plant and machinery at the Lincoln site remains available and the administrators are seeking to sell this via auction. 'The administrators continue to explore options for the Ellesmere Port site with parties interested in purchasing the remaining business and assets welcomed to make enquiries.' The administrators confirmed that all roughly 80 employees were made redundant, and operations ceased on 23 May 2025, with no outstanding contracts in place. "Krystals packaging company enters administration" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Bird brains! Moment man is surrounded by police and arrested after feeding pigeons in town centre
This is the shocking moment a man was surrounded by police officers for feeding pigeons. The incredible footage includes the man, wearing a beanie, being handcuffed and being pushed against a police car door as three officers surround him. A large bag of birdseed can be seen next to him on the kerbside. The nicked bird feeder can be heard saying to officers 'I feed birds that's my religion' whilst shoppers watch on. Footage later shows the distressed man hunched over and being led into the back of the police van where the door is shut and an officer can be heard saying he is 'under arrest'. The incident happened in Ellesmere Port town centre, in Cheshire, on Friday last week. Tony Gath who witnessed the incident said he was 'disturbed' by what he had seen. Tony said: 'It was disgusting behaviour, all they had to do was educate the man on where he can and can't feed the birds, then send him on his way. 'I'm disturbed that they felt that level of intimidation and power was acceptable at all, not just in public.' According to Wirral Council's official website there are 'no laws' that the council can effectively use to stop people feeding wild birds. But Environmental Health may be able to 'take action in significant and excessive cases' where rotten food waste is accumulating or the bird feeding can be shown to be the cause of an infestation of rats or mice. Cheshire Police said the council had previously reported to the police that feeding of the birds in the area was causing an 'increase in vermin'. They also said officers only arrested the man who was feeding birds after be became 'verbally and physically aggressive' towards an officer. A spokesperson for the force said: 'At around 2.15pm on Friday 27th June, officers on patrol in Ellesmere Port town centre spoke to a man who was feeding birds in the area. 'The council had previously reported to police that the feeding of the birds was causing an increase in vermin in the area and that they needed the details of the male to speak to him. 'An officer attempted to engage with the man, but he became verbally and physically aggressive towards the officer. 'He was then arrested for a public order offence - the man subsequently calmed down and was de-arrested.'
Auto Car
28-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
How Ellesmere Port was saved: inside the old Astra factory's revival
Close Diane Miller, Stellantis's top UK car manufacturing executive and winner of Autocar's 2025 Editors' Award, has loved cars all her adult life – preferably in very large numbers – and can vividly remember the day the obsession began. From a post-graduate job at Ford's then mighty Ford Fiesta plant in Dagenham, Essex, Miller has spent the past 30-odd years mastering ever more responsible automotive jobs around the world – for Ford, Aston Martin, GM and most recently Stellantis, in the UK, Europe and the US. Miller is decisive but modest and as a result reluctant to identify any particular secret of success. But if you converse with her long enough, she will eventually admit to one asset: 'Finding a way to get on with people.' It is for this that she is known and loved by the people who have worked for her. Having discovered its effectiveness early on, she has deployed her liking for people in every car job she has had, and she has become famous for it. Miller's most spectacular achievement to date has been the 18-month conversion of the former Vauxhall Astra plant at Ellesmere Port, near Liverpool, to the manufacture of battery-powered delivery vans for five Stellantis marques: Vauxhall, Opel, Citroën, Peugeot and Fiat. It has been a vital move in rescuing volume vehicle manufacturing in this country. Now that this EV factory conversion has been achieved, Miller is turning her hand to running Stellantis's massive new national parts distribution centre, located just down the road from the van plant at Ellesmere, where the company is spending £500 million to expand and improve the way it delivers components to its customers in the UK and Ireland. The parts centre project has required another wholesale reorganisation, entailing both the redeployment of car-making people and the importation of new workers into a business that, despite its size and scale, has to be very labour-intensive. It is a perfect place for a unique character like Miller, a highly experienced engineer who discovered early how to get on with people. 'I went to an all-girls convent grammar school in Northern Ireland,' she explains, 'and three of us opted for A-level physics. Our teacher loved engineering, and the upshot was all three of us chose engineering at university: mechanical and production engineering for me; civil and aeronautical for the others. 'My degree was from Liverpool John Moores University, and as part of a 'jobs milk-round' for graduates I was invited to Ford's Dagenham plant to see how it was run. I was instantly amazed and intrigued that they could build 60 cars an hour, and the experience had a lasting effect on me. Even after more than 30 years in the business, I still find it amazing.' Miller joined Ford, moved to Dagenham and stayed five years. She achieved rapid promotions, first to senior process engineer and then to a manager's job in the paint engineering area, launching new technology in Ford plants across Europe. Paint doesn't suit everyone, but Miller earned an early reputation for being willing to try anything and work anywhere. 'Crossing the Irish Sea to go to university was the big move,' she says. 'After that, anything was okay.' Pretty soon Miller was heading to Chicago on a two-year paint unit training scheme that extended to four. 'It was a situation that occurs in many companies,' she says. 'You go on a training scheme and the money runs out, so they get you to do the job anyway. It was great training because no one else knew about paint, so I had to make the decisions. It worked out okay.' Miller's career progressed more rapidly than most young engineers her age, but she's careful not to give herself much credit. 'I had very good mentors,' she says. 'And there were so few women in the industry in those days that people probably noticed you more. Mind you, even today I'm very sad that there aren't more women in these engineering jobs. There are great careers here for those who want to try it.' Women can succeed in a male-dominated arena like car-making just by being who they are, says Miller. They tend to humanise the place, she says: 'Right from the start, I'd go to a factory, talk to the operators and ask how their job should be done. It was a bit different from some managers who arrive and think, well, 'I've got the degree, so I know how things should be run'. But people on the floor can work smart better than anyone, and if they trust you, they'll tell you how.' When the Chicago gig ended, Ford wanted Miller to go back into central engineering at Dagenham, but she wanted to stay in a plant and felt that would have been a waste of her paint know-how. So she worked happily for several years at the Ford Transit plant in Southampton, leaving before it closed in 2013 because its manager was heading for Aston Martin (then a Ford company) and asked her to join him, bringing her paint expertise. It made sense, because her husband, an American, was already a paint supplier there. Aston Martin paint is quite different from Ford Transit paint, she found: 'I started off thinking five jobs an hour would be easier than 60 jobs an hour, but that was completely wrong. True, Aston paint was very different – many more coats and lots of polishing – but the big difference was the fact that the operators had so much to remember. The Transit takt (process) time was around five minutes, explains Miller, whereas at Aston it was more like 25 minutes. People had to remember 25 minutes' work rather thanfive, which is clearly much more difficult. Still, Miller thrived there for six years – until Ford sold Aston Martin and suggested, once again, that she return to central engineering. Just in time a GM headhunter arrived with an offer to move to Ellesmere Port where Vauxhall was about to launch the Astra D2, but there were big problems with the paint shop. Miller, uniquely qualified to take hold of the process and fix it, was perfect for the job. Aston was small by comparison, and Miller liked the Liverpool area where she had been at university. 'We decided to make the move, and I joined the company at a high enough level to make the changes needed,' she says. 'Our Astra launch was the best in the company's history, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. From that I was asked to take over general assembly, another progression. I had enjoyed paint, but there are many more people in general assembly, and I guess that's where my skills are. We made some good progress; people felt able to tell me about their difficulties. ' They knew if there was a problem and I could fix it, I'd do it right away.' Astra production ended in April 2022 – with quality levels higher than they had ever been. Then came the bombshell decision to start making Stellantis electric vans. 'It was a funny time,' says Miller. 'The whole of Europe thought this plant would never reopen, but we already knew [then Stellantis boss] Mr Tavares had decided to keep it going because he'd discovered – from the first time he visited us – that there was an ethos among Ellesmere people that we'd find a way to do whatever was needed to keep the place open. ' In order to make the changes, the factory was shut for 18 months. Staff who couldn't make cars helped move robots and build new rest areas. Managers went to Madrid, where changes planned for Ellesmere had already been made, to see exactly what was needed. Everyone adapted, in no small part because Miller's can-do culture had spread throughout the place. By September 2023 electric vans were flowing down the lines. The success isn't complete. For Miller and Stellantis, the current 20,000-unit annual output isn't nearly enough, mostly because they believe the government's re-adoption of 2035 as an ICE cut-off date has hurt demand for Ellesmere's all-EV output. As a stopgap, they have begun building bodies for an ICE van plant in Algeria (boosting output to 50,000 units), and production will soon be further augmented by the arrival of a range of larger, Vivaro-sized electric vans for the five Stellantis marques. Ultimately, demand will be much higher – perhaps as high as the plant's 100,000-a-year, seven-day, three-shift capacity. Ellesmere Port is ready. Miller, meanwhile, is several months into her demanding new project – and she will be happy with more after that. She has spent most of her three-plus decades in automotive providing a great role model for other people, not just women, but she says the lessons she has learned have been important in her own personal development, too. 'I'll never forget how those early days at Dagenham flipped my mind,' she says. 'They taught me that if you think clearly, you can do anything. I started applying those principles to my own life and found that there's nearly always a way you can make things happen. This industry has been a great teacher.' Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you'll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here. Next Prev In partnership with
