Spring puts back opening

Training and services company Spring Group has had its plans to open an IT centre in the Midlands halted, following an embarrassing glitch.

Gareth Denley, services division managing director, had announced the planned opening of a #2.4 million services centre, complete with 10 mobile training coaches, in Birmingham.

But a last-minute hitch over signing the lease on the premises threw the launch into confusion and panicked public relations staff into ringing media outlets to say 'stop the press'.

A representative told PC Dealer the lease for the Birmingham centre, also to be used as a base for sales staff, had not been signed as planned and it was not clear when the deal would be completed.

Meanwhile, Denley had said: 'This investment is designed to ensure ...

growth rates are maintained and that the highest quality training and services are available to our customers nationally.'

A source close to the company said there was no doubt the lease would be signed.

Spring, formerly CRT Group, will add the Birmingham centre to two in London and a recently opened Leeds office.

It is part of the company's planned expansion of training centres across the country.