A chauffeur service for pampered tycoons has opened in Pickering and will operate within a 25-mile radius of York.

Peter Lovering and his stepson, Jon Darlson, have started a franchise of Pinnacle Chauffeur Transport, offering use of a fleet of eight Chrysler Voyager people carriers equipped with satellite navigation, top technology DVD and CD systems, fridge/minibar, leather interior and privacy glass.

The vehicles, converted to run on liquid petroleum gas, are being supported by John Gill Ltd, the Chrysler dealer at Monks Cross, Huntington.

The service is aimed largely at the business community for airport transfers, meetings, or client entertainment, but it is also available for weddings, sporting functions and other uses.

Mr Lovering said: "We've already had plenty of interest from people looking to make their Christmas party or function that little bit extra special."

York IT centre's need for speed

YORK Science Park has drafted in a computer company to speed up its £5.5 million IT centre.

York Data Services, an InTechnology partner, has been appointed by the University of York to provide the centre with the high-performance connectivity needed to become a centre of excellence for business and academic collaboration.

The IT Centre at the Science Park provides the facilities and technical infrastructure for 30,000 sq ft of office accommodation.

York Data Services will implement InTechnology's LANnet National Ethernet Network at the centre. This will enable businesses to benefit from high-speed fibre-optic based technology.

"Once the companies in the IT Centre are connected to LANnet, they have full scope for high speed, low-cost internet connectivity, large-scale managed services, data backup and replication and Voice over IP," said Tim Parkinson, InTechnology's director of managed services.

Matalan warns of poor sales figures

Discount clothing retailer Matalan said early second half trading had worsened and annual pre-tax profits would fall "materially short of market expectations".

Matalan, which has a store at Clifton Moor, York, said shoppers buying fewer higher priced goods had caused a sharp fall in sales during the last three months, which it was unlikely to recover in the rest of the financial year.

The group, based in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, said total sales in the first five weeks of the second half grew 16.2 per cent, with like-for-like sales up by 5.7 per cent.

But it said trading conditions had deteriorated since then, with total retail sales growing just 2.4 per cent in the 14 weeks to December 6 and like-for-like sales dropping seven per cent.

Matalan said the full year result would depend on remaining Christmas trading and the critical end-of-season sale, starting on Boxing Day.

But it said it was unlikely to recover the sales shortfall to date in the rest of the financial year.

Mortgage deal

worth £1.4 billion

Former building society Bradford & Bingley today said it had enhanced its prospects for 2004 with a deal to add a mortgage book worth £1.4 billion.

The agreement with the lending arm of General Motors increases B&B's managed assets by up to 4.8 per cent and follows a similar GM deal worth £2 billion this year.

B&B announced the proposed acquisition at the same time as it forecast that annual profits were likely to meet expectations.

Analysts have pencilled in profits in the region of £249 million and £266 million. The figure last year was £240.6 million.

Paws for thought

Supermarket giant Asda has launched insurance for pooches. pet insurance could ease the pain of costly vets bills, according to Asda. Research shows a dog's broken paw could cost its owner £701 while cat flu can cost as much as £351 to treat.

Customers in the York area cannot get pet insurance in store yet but they can get a personalised quote for their pet by calling 0845 300 5774.

Updated: 11:45 Friday, December 12, 2003