News roundup--Former Farepak directors face disqualification, Ironmongery Direct posts growth

Nine former directors of collapsed hampers business Farepak are facing disqualification from acting as directors after the Insolvency Service lodged an application in the High Court on behalf of Business Secretary Vince Cable, reports the Independent. The paper names Sir Clive Thompson, Blacks Leisure's chief executive Neil Gillis, Farepak’s managing director Nicholas Gilodi-Johnson, former European Home Retail chief executive William Rollason, and former finance director Stevan Fowler. If successful, the disqualifications could run for as long as 15 years.

Ironmongery Direct has achieved its sixth year of consecutive growth, with turnover up 25 percent to £12.5 million in 2010. Pretax profits doubled to £1 million during the period. Ironmongery Direct saw online sales surge 40 percent during the period, now accounting for more than a third of turnover.

The Manchester Evening News interviews George Buchan the new owner of wedding-supplies business Confetti, which he bought from administration in August.

Kitchenware retailer/cataloguer Lakeland has released an iPad app that allows customers to browse the Lakeland catalogue before it’s mailed to customers. For purchases, users click through to the main Lakeland website.

Nordstrom, the US-based department-store retailer, has announced it is to buy secret-sales website HauteLook for $180 million (£111.4 million) in stock.