MEDIA & LEISURE Dundee Waterfront set for wave of hotel investment DUNDEE is to get its first five-star hotel as part of a wave of hospitality development that will create more than 200 jobs in the city. The former Customs House and Harbour Chambers will be transformed into a world-class hotel with 38 bedrooms under the plans, which form part of the £1 billion Dundee Waterfront masterplan (Scotsman). Goals Soccer Centres scores 3% rise in profits East Kilbride Goals Soccer Centres has reported a 3% rise in annual profits in a “challenging economic climate”.The company made pre-tax profits of £9.5m and sales were up 7% to £32.5m Goals, which runs 43 centres in the UK and one in Los Angeles, said events such as the London Olympics and the Jubilee had disrupted business (BBC). Read all today’s media and leisure news from scotsman.com INDUSTRY Builders gain from efforts to boost available loans TWO of the UK’s largest housebuilders have reported strong growth in full-year profits as the industry benefits from government schemes to help people get on the housing ladder. Persimmon, said underlying pre-tax profits in the year to December jumped 52 per cent to £225.1 million, on revenues 12 per cent higher at £1.7 billion. Rival Bovis Homes posted a pre-tax profit of £54.1m for 2012 (Scotsman). North American investors drive ‘big box’ demand DEMAND for “big box” warehouses across Scotland is predicted to grow strongly this year as North American investors broaden their horizons, according to property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). The firm said demand for grade-A industrial property during the second half of 2012 was twice as high as the first six months of the year, and firms from Canada and the US were poised to buy up more units on this side of the Atlantic (Scotsman). Read all today’s industry news from scotsman.com TECHNOLOGY Edinburgh Instruments in £1.9m sale EDINBURGH Instruments (EI), the first spin-out company from Heriot-Watt University, is being sold to Hong Kong-listed Techcomp in a £1.9 million deal. Techcomp has already bought a 66 per cent stake in the company from founder Professor Des Smith, Japan-based Hammatsu Photonics and Scottish Enterprise (Scotsman). Read all today’s technology news from scotsman.com TRANSPORT £10m boost for airport ahead of 2014 Games GLASGOW Airport is bringing forward £10 million of investment which will see its international arrivals hall revamped ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The expansion and improvement of the international hall forms part of a general terminal overhaul to ensure the site is ready to deal with the athletes and spectators expected for the sporting event (Herald). Read all today’s transport news from scotsman.com