ANN Summers' chief executive Jacqueline Gold is urging north west entrepreneurs to `keep positive' to get through tough trading conditions.

The lingerie chain boss, speaking at the Business Show in Bolton, said: "I know times are very hard for small businesses in particular, but the north west has a reputation for buoyancy and this show proves it."

She felt the government could help SMEs by reducing corporation tax, but she advised business people to help themselves by `keeping on doing what you're good at and don't worry about the opposition'.

Then she told a 140-strong audience that Ann Summers, which has 132 outlets in the UK, plans to expand into Europe in the next five years.

Ms Gold is head of one of the UK's most profitable private companies with an annual turnover of more than £150m.

She had no formal business training.