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Jon Griffin

Jon Griffin

Zinc sold in £1.5m deal

A POWERFUL new restaurant empire was created in Birmingham today after Bank bought Zinc Bar and Grill for £1.5 million. Read

Kettles market hots up

A 100-YEAR-OLD Birmingham firm is proving a piping hot success in America - with its distinctive brand of copper kettles. Read

Blackpool tipped to beat Brum to casino

BLACKPOOL has been tipped to win the UK battle for a super casino - leaving the NEC and Birmingham City FC out in the cold. Read

Brum's the best bet for casino - MP

A GREAT deal of anger will be caused if Birmingham is denied a huge super-casino by Blackpool, city MP Roger Godsiff said today. Read

Major Villa investor set to sell shares

ASTON Villa's second biggest shareholder, property mogul Jack Petchey, is set to offload his 20 per cent stake this week, it was claimed today. Read

Creditors agree on Longbridge payout

THE Government could claim back cash from administrator PricewaterhouseCoopers after creditors agreed a £6.6 million payout for its work on the collapse of Longbridge. Read

Nanjing reveal Longbridge plans

NANJING has launched talks with new potential partners to resume volume car production at Longbridge, it was revealed today. Read

Hopes for 450 jobs at factory

A MIDLAND automotive parts business is to set up home at Longbridge's North Works creating up to 450 new jobs. Read

Bid to be top of the tower

A MYSTERY buyer has lodged a £2.5 million bid for Birmingham's best room with a view. Read

We've been left in lurch - Rover workers

DOZENS of redundant MG Rover workers completed South Birmingham College courses - only to be told their qualifications were unacceptable. Read

100,000 Peugeots recalled

PEUGEOT today recalled nearly 100,000 cars after its award-winning 307 burst into flames when salt seeped into the system. Read

Staff booted out over porn emails

MORE than 10 British Gas workers in the Midlands accused of sending pornographic emails to colleagues have been sacked - including a disabled single mother. Read

City firm blamed for naked 'horror'

A BIRMINGHAM telecoms firm is at the centre of a pornography row after a woman was charged for an "horrific" unsolicited image of a naked male. Read

Chinese backed to restart car production

FORMER Powertrain bosses planning the rebirth of Longbridge said today: "The Chinese are definitely here for the long haul." Read

Chinese offer Longbridge jobs hope

NANJING today broke its silence over the future of Longbridge - with a boardroom pledge to create at least 1,200 jobs and make 100,000 cars a year. Read

Conference teenager conquers her nerves

THE Birmingham schoolgirl who spoke in front of more than 1,000 delegates at the Labour Party conference said today: "I got through it on adrenaline." Read

Praise for Mail's Rover campaign

THE Evening Mail's campaign to get Nanjing to lay its cards on the table over Longbridge was today highlighted at the Labour Party Conference, by a 17-year-old schoolgirl. Read

Nanjing appeal for UK Longbridge aid

LONGBRIDGE owners Nanjing plan to go cap in hand to the Government for millions of pounds of state aid to resume production at the Birmingham car plant. Read

Airport staff sacked for sleeping

TWO long-serving runway staff at Birmingham International Airport have been sacked after being accused of sleeping on the job. Read

The real cost of Rover's collapse

THE full horrific toll of the MG Rover crisis emerged today - with nearly £500 million a year wiped out from the West Midlands economy. Read

Author Profile

Jon Griffin has been Business Editor of the Birmingham Mail since 1998. He began his career at the Peterborough Evening Telegraph in 1975 then worked from 1978-79 for the Birmingham Evening Mail. He later joined the Coventry Evening Telegraph as a trainee sub-editor then the Wolverhampton Express and Star from 1980 before rejoining the Mail in April 1996.

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