A LEISURE group which went into administration last week has been put up for sale.

Acting on behalf of administrators Begbies Traynor, Christie and Co has been appointed to sell Absolute Leisure Limited, the Newcastle-based pub, restaurant, nightclub and hotel operator. The group operates the Lounge pub and nightclub and the Coco’mos Restaurant, in Newcastle, the New Angel Hotel, in Whitby, and the Tuxedo Princess – a nightclub on a boat, which has not been used since it was moved from Gateshead Quayside last year. David Lee, director at Christie + Co’s Newcastle office, said: “We believe the mix of properties and operations will be of particular interest to established local operators and local entrepreneurs in the licensed and retail sectors.”

WAGE RATE: Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Labour MP Ashok Kumar has welcomed the increase in the national minimum wage.

From October, the minimum wage for workers over 22 will increase from £5.73 to £5.80 an hour, the rate for 18 to 21- year-olds increases from £4.77 to £4.83 and the rate for 16 and 17-year-olds will increase to £3.57 an hour from £3.53. Mr Kumar said 55,000 workers in the North- East would benefit and said he was also glad the Government would name and shame firms who deliberately underpaid their staff.

BACK TO WORK: Parents in the North-East who want to get back into work could benefit from a £75m initiative by the Learning and Skills Council to provide them with childcare support while they learn. The Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work Scheme will pay up to £175 a week per child, for childcare and travel costs. More details are available at directgov.uk/ freechildcareforlearning or from the learner support helpline on 0800-121-8989.

DIARY DATE: Darlingtonbased Southern Cross Healthcare, the UK’s largest care home operator, is sponsoring one of the care sector’s leading conferences, the National Care Home Congress, at the Clarendon Suites, Birmingham, on June 24 and 25. Senior managers will share the latest thinking, best practice and experiences.