DEPARTMENT stores group Beatties posted a sharp fall in annual profits after seeing sales slide in its West Midlands heartland.

With the impact of the new Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham in September 2003 still being felt, Beatties said group profits fell by £1m to £4.2m in the year to January 31.

Sales in its core stores in the region - in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield - fell 3.7 per cent in the period and were only partly offset by a 2.3 per cent improvement from its six sites outside the region.

Beatties said trading conditions across the sector remained challenging, with total sales down 2.3 per cent in February and March.

Beatties, which is listed on the stock market under the name of its founder James Beattie, began life as a draper's shop in Wolverhampton.

It has a site in Deansway, Worcester.

£70,000 training contract

A DROITWICH training company has signed a £70,000 contract with business security firm The Corps of Commissionaires.

Train 4 Security, which is based in Droitwich, will provide the training to supplement the Corps' own in-house programme.

The programme, which will cover courses in static security, door supervisor and conflict management training, has already begun.

The corps - a member of the British Security Industry Association - was founded in 1859.

A provider of security and business support services to a range of industries from telecommunications and property management to the financial and professional sectors, its work ranges from remote monitoring to providing security personnel and facilities services to organisations nationwide.

"We are delighted to be working with such an exceptional organisation," said Phil Ruggiero, managing director of Train 4 Security.

"A major player in the security industry, the corps is committed to continually improving standards in the security industry and our training programme matches this ethos."