Business Generation

BOSTON – Massachusetts No. 2 and No. 3 health insurers – Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan and Tufts Health Plan – have called off their plans to merge, according to the Boston Globe. The plan, revealed in January, would have created a more robust competitor to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the state’s dominant health insurer, with a combined 1.75 million members, compared with Blue Cross’s 3 million members.

The insurers have been negotiating since January, and, according to the Globe, “have now determined that we are stronger as individual competitors than one company,” the newspaper quoted Eric Schultz, president of Harvard Pilgrim, as saying.

James

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The operator of one of the most famous hotels in Sussex is the preferred bidder for a multi-million pound development.

De Vere Village Hotels wants to turn the derelict Patcham Court Farm, Brighton, into a 128-bedroom four-star hotel complex.

The firm, which is an offshoot of the company which owns The Grand on Brighton seafront, proposes to transform the 3.6 acre site into a health and fitness centre, with a restaurant and some office space.

The bid has the backing of Brighton and Hove City Council which agreed to hand over the local authority land last week.

De Vere Village Hotels would manage the site, which is near the junction of the A27 and A23, on a long lease of 125 years.

About 250 jobs are expected to be created at the hotel with a further 25 in the newly-created offices.

A planning application is expected to be submitted by the end of the year.

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“Apps” are today’s buzzword, with everyone from Whole Foods to Facebook and even your local neighborhood Realtor asking you to download their mobile app for your iPhone, Blackberry, and Droid. With all this talk about apps, what is happening with mobile websites?

A mobile website is not a downloadable app, but rather a very abbreviated version of your actual website on a mobile domain. It usually looks like m.your-domain.com. These mobile websites are designed specifically for mobile smartphones like Blackberry, Droid, or iPhone users who prefer not to download more apps.

Why should you build and publish a mobile domain? The simple reason is that you want your online presence to be accessible to anyone at any time. Your small business website may have elements like Flash, Java, and large photos or images that may not be interpreted well by a mobile browser. By de

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One of the easiest ways to turn the average customer into a very happy customer is to offer them the ultimate in convenience – and that means offering them convenience when it comes to payment method. Whether you’re running a small clothing boutique, a large restaurant, or an even larger chain of hotels, making sure things run smoothly in the realm of payment is one of the most important things you can do to make sure your customers keep coming back.

Think of it this way. When your customer enters your boutique/restaurant/hotel, they’re there for an escape of some sort. If they didn’t need an escape, they’d be at home, wearing their old clothes, making their own dinner, lounging on their own couches – but they’ve come to you to get away. Should someth

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LITTLE COMPTON – In an effort to sell the 35-year-old Sakonnet Vineyards, its owners have reduced its price to $8.9 million and launched a national marketing campaign.

Vineyard owner Earl Samson told Providence Business News he and his wife, Susan, have decided it is time to retire after 23 years of running the business they purchased in 1987.

The couple, in their 70s, initially listed the business, vineyard and adjoining coastal land in May 2010 for $10.5 million, hoping to sell the 170-acre property quietly.

But Samson said no buyer emerged and the owners decided to reduce the price and step up advertising. On Friday, an advertisement for the vineyard appeared in the Wall Street Journal.

Samson said the couple is ready to retire.

“I doubt we’ll ever leave Little Compton but we’ve been at this for almost 25 years and it’s time for new energy, a new approach,” Samson said.

A buyer, Samson said, would have limited options for the vineyard part of the land, which covers about 100 acres. The local c

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The £18 million redevelopment of Brighton’s Open Market is to go ahead.

Five years after the idea was first raised, plans to convert the run-down area have been finally agreed by Brighton and Hove City Council.

The historic trading area, which is classed as vital to the regeneration of the London Road shopping area, will be transformed into a modern shopping hub with 87 affordable homes.

The six-storey redevelopment for the site will take two years to complete and include 12 workshops and artistic performing areas.

There were fears the plans could be scrapped as work must begin by March 15 if Hyde, the housing association behind the plans, is to receive £4.5 million in funding from the Homes and Communities Agency for the project.