BDO welcomes more than 50 trainees in the Midlands

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BDO welcomes more than 50 trainees in the Midlands
Accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO is welcoming 55 trainees across the Midlands this week in roles across audit, advisory and tax. The trainees will be a combination of school leaver apprentices and university graduates, with forty-two based in the firm’s Birmingham office and 13 out of its office in Nottingham. As part of their training programme, the majority of the new joiners will also have opportunity to undertake a level-7 apprenticeship programme, resulting in a qualification equivalent to a master’s degree. The firm has also hired over 90 industrial placement students to join BDO for 12 months between their second and third year of university, as well as more than 80 summer interns. BDO is also now in its third year of its targeted virtual insight programmes, delivered as part of its commitment to increasing diversity in the profession. More than 20 students from years 11-13 across the UK, took part in the firm’s Explore BDO programme, targeting students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, whilst 14 students from various universities took part in BDO’s Black heritage programme. Applications for the firm’s 2024 graduate and school leaver apprentice programmes will open later this month, with more than 700 positions available. More than 500 of this group will join the firm’s audit practice. Kyla Bellingall, regional managing partner at BDO, said: “The Midlands is home to some of the country’s brightest talent and we’re investing significantly as a firm to provide the career opportunities and pathways that enable young people from all walks of life to access a vibrant and exciting profession, such as accountancy. “The last few years has seen so much uncertainty as businesses and individuals alike have navigated many challenges. We know that many of these new joiners will have felt the disruptive impact of the last few years, and they should be incredibly proud of their achievements and resilience throughout these difficult circumstances. “Having joined the accountancy profession as an apprentice myself, straight from school, I’m really pleased to be welcoming a number of school leaver apprentices to the firm. I look forward to supporting all of our new trainees to kickstart their careers and watching them succeed here at BDO.”

B&M to acquire 50 wilko properties in £13m deal

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B&M to acquire 50 wilko properties in £13m deal
B&M has entered into an agreement with the joint administrators of wilko to acquire up to 51 properties for up to £13m. The consideration is fully funded from existing cash reserves and the acquisition is not expected to be conditional on any regulatory clearances. The discount retailer has been one of wilko’s main competitors. It is not yet known whether the shops’ staff will retain their jobs. Meanwhile, HMV owner, Doug Putman, is understood to still be in talks with administrators, PwC, over a deal, with initial plans to buy around 300 stores hit by difficulties. The news follows PwC confirming a raft of redundancies. Wilko collapsed into administration last month (August), putting 12,000 jobs on the line. The retailer opened its first store in Leicester 93 years ago, and has hosted its HQ in Nottinghamshire for the past half a century.

New MD appointed at Alfreton-based PermaGroup

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New MD appointed at Alfreton-based PermaGroup
Building products company, PermaGroup has appointed Duncan Kirkwood as its new Managing Director to spearhead the organisation’s ambitious growth plans.  
Collaborating alongside long-standing director, Adrian Buttress, Duncan brings with him more than 30 years of experience in the roofing and building products industry, having held senior positions at the likes of Marley Building Materials, Icopal Limited and most recently as MD of Carlisle Construction Materials.  
Duncan said: “I’ve known of PermaGroup for many years and have always admired the business and Adrian’s vision for it. For me, now is the perfect time to take on this new challenge at a business that I really believe in. “I just love roofing and have been passionate about it my entire career, but I’m equally excited to expand my knowledge to the other areas of the business including modular builds and fencing – I can see real opportunities to grow the group as a whole.”  
Duncan added: “With me being based in the south, I’ve got fantastic connections that can further expand PermaGroup’s presence down here and into London. Adrian and I already have ambitious plans that we can’t wait to action but for me, it starts internally.  
“Company culture is hugely important, and I’m eager to implement things that improve on what Adrian has already established across the group. Of course, no company growth can happen unless the employees and clients are brought on the journey too.” 
Duncan will take on much of the day-to-day activities working with Adrian on the strategic development plans.  
Adrian said: “Welcoming Duncan to the team is exactly the right move for us to take the next steps as a business. We both have the best interests of PermaGroup in mind, not just for the investors but for our team and clients too and we’re excited to unlock the business’s full potential. “It’s fantastic to have Duncan’s expertise and a fresh pair of eyes on the PermaGroup, ready to drive it forward and I’m eager for us to start working together.” 

Nottingham Venues make finals of MIA Awards

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Nottingham Venues make finals of MIA Awards

Nottingham Venues’ sales and marketing team has been named as a finalist in this year’s Meeting Industry Association Awards – the MIAList 2023.

The MIAList 2023 is organised by the Meeting Industry Association and celebrates the achievements of individuals and businesses within the sector, which brings in £31.2 billion to the UK economy each year.

Nottingham Venues operates a collection of independent venues specialising in meetings and events, set within the grounds of the University of Nottingham campus. These include the East Midlands Conference Centre, the Jubilee Hotel and Conferences venue, Campus Venues and the 4* Orchard Eco Hotel. It provides meeting space from 5 to 1000 delegates, with over 40 meeting rooms, 2000 sq ft of exhibition space and 300 bedrooms at the Orchard Hotel and Jubilee Hotel combined.

It is one year since the Nottingham Venues brand was born and it has been a successful first twelve months. The creation of the new brand, website, social media channels and a significant increase in revenue have led to the sales and marketing team being shortlisted in the Team of the Year category.

Voting is now open, and Nottingham Venues is encouraging the local business community and its clients to vote for them in the awards by visiting the MIA Website. Voting closes on Friday 8 September.

Stephanie Moss-Pearce, director of marketing at Nottingham Venues, says: “The MIAList is one of the leading awards within our industry, so we are delighted to have made the finals. It has been a very busy 12 months for us all at Nottingham Venues since the re-launch and re-brand, so it is great to see that our efforts are being recognised by our industry peers. I just hope that we are successful on the night!”

East Midlands-based synthetic turf maintenance expert wins seven-year contract in the South West

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East Midlands-based synthetic turf maintenance expert wins seven-year contract in the South West
East Midlands-based synthetic turf maintenance expert Replay Maintenance is celebrating after winning a seven-year, multiple-site contract in the South West to service a range of military sports facilities.

The long-term deal with landscape construction company, Gavin Jones, now part of the nationwide green services provider, Nurture Group, means Replay Maintenance will take care of a variety of artificial sports surfaces at 13 sites.

Predominantly at Naval and Royal Marine bases, with a variety of sports surfaces including sand-dressed hockey pitches, athletics tracks and 3G football surfaces, the sites include Bickleigh Barracks, RMB Chivenor and HMS Excellent in the Plymouth area, HMS Collingwood in Fareham, Hampshire, RNAS Culdrose on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, Britannia Royal Naval College near Dartmouth in Devon, Royal Marine Commando Training Centre at Lympstone in Devon, HMS Rayleigh at Torpoint in Cornwall, RNAS Yeovilton near Yeovil in Somerset, and Norton Manor Camp near Taunton in Somerset.

Replay Maintenance will be drawing on the company’s 20 plus years’ knowledge and expertise to ensure that the sports facilities are in the best condition for His Majesty’s military personnel.

Nick Harris, Replay Maintenance MD, said: “We are delighted to have secured the contract to maintain the synthetic surfaces on these sites. Our teams have worked diligently to undertake ad hoc, specialist maintenance on behalf of Gavin Jones.

“The quality of works done has clearly been favourable in the decision to award the contract to Replay Maintenance for such a lengthy period. With a number of recent strategic partnerships in the South West including The Pitchmark Group, Wiltshire FA and Somerset FA, we look forward to building on our national reputation as the leading synthetic sports turf maintenance specialist.”

Introductions between the two companies were made when Replay Maintenance was contracted by Gavin Jones to undertake a one-off athletics track clean in 2015, using Replay’s trademark Aquatrax process.

Since then, Replay Maintenance has continued to build relationships with the team, gradually increasing the ad-hoc processes and being introduced to new facilities. Through these works, Gavin Jones has now entrusted the artificial sports surface maintenance of these 13 sites to Replay Maintenance, with talks for further sites ongoing.

Andy Mighall, Gavin Jones’ Regional Manager, said: “In awarding this contract to Replay Maintenance, we are confident that our customers will receive the exceptional quality service that they have come to expect from a Gavin Jones maintained site.

“We have worked with Replay Maintenance since 2015 and have found the works that they completed have always been delivered to a very high standard. I look forward to working with the team over the coming years in continuing to deliver outstanding service to our customers.”

£1.3m council loan could kick start transformation of Derby city centre properties

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£1.3m council loan could kick start transformation of Derby city centre properties
A £1.3 million loan by Derby City Council could kick start £11 million of private investment to bring neglected city centre properties back into use. A proposed scheme by private developers would see buildings bought and refurbished to provide residential units, office space, retail and hospitality units in a location where regeneration is already under way nearby. The properties are in a priority area for the Council and the project will help meet a number of objectives in Derby’s City Centre Ambition. The Council would be working in partnership with the private sector in its ambition to bring vibrancy back to the city centre by boosting the local economy, improving the street scene, increasing foot flow during the day and night, and connecting key landmark buildings with improved street scenes. Details of the properties and company involved cannot be disclosed at this stage for commercial reasons, but the company behind the proposed scheme involves property investors with a track record for delivering commercial and residential properties, both locally and nationally. The loan is subject to Cabinet approval at its next meeting. The properties, once completed and occupied, would be expected to generate an additional £100,000 a year in business rates alone for the Council, with further income from Council Tax payments by the new residents. Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Culture and Tourism, said: “We’re committed to working with our partners to enable fresh and exciting ideas to put the heart back into our city centre. “The Council’s financial position means we need to make sensible, strategic decisions to support partnership investment in order to fulfill our vision for Derby City Centre. “This scheme has the potential to create new business opportunities, make the area more attractive and generate income for the Council in the long term. We are excited to support such key investment in our High Street.”

New boutique hotel makes progress in Chesterfield town centre

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New boutique hotel makes progress in Chesterfield town centre
The development of a new boutique hotel in Chesterfield has achieved another milestone, having received the green light from planning officers. Voeberg has taken on the project to develop the Holywell Hotel, next to the town’s well-known Holywell Cross or ‘Donut’ roundabout in the heart of Chesterfield. The Grade II listed building is set to undergo more than £1 million of refurbishment, sensitively converting it into one two-bedroom and eight one-bedroom apartments for use as short-stay accommodation. Emily Smith, property investor and mentor at Voeberg, said: “We’re really excited to have the support for the project from the council and all the stakeholders involved in granting planning permission. “We’re working through some of the final building control requirements, but are expecting to start the renovation imminently. We’re looking forward to enhancing the character of the Grade II listed building while bringing it into a new use.” Once work is completed, the premises will operate as a ‘smart hotel’ with self-check-ins, keyless entry and a digital portal which will provide guests with relevant information about their stay. Work will also take place to repair the buildings, including restoring the sash windows, renovating the doors and conserving all the listed features. Emily added: “The hotel is going to offer a different accommodation option for Chesterfield’s visitors – whether leisure or business. The location serves the town centre as well as the train station so it’s ideal for people travelling and conducting business in the area. “It’ll complement other hospitality and retail businesses’ offerings in the town and we’re looking forward to partnering with many local businesses through the development and then the running of the hotel.”

Nottingham businesses urged to consider cash grants of up to £25,000 for green transport schemes

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Nottingham businesses urged to consider cash grants of up to £25,000 for green transport schemes
Nottingham businesses are being urged to consider cash grants of up to £25,000 for green transport schemes before a deadline at the end of the year. The money can be applied for through Nottingham City Council’s Workplace Travel Service. So far, the scheme, funded by the government’s Transforming Cities Fund, has distributed more than half a million pounds locally to help Nottingham businesses go greener. In order to qualify, a business or organisation needs to be based within the Nottingham City boundary. Businesses contribute 25 per cent towards the costs of any scheme, but public-sector, voluntary or charitable groups are fully funded. The deadline for applications is 31 December this year. Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and Planning, Councillor Angela Kandola, said: “Calling local businesses, public-sector organisations, voluntary or faith groups, we can help you to future-proof your workplace by adding electric vehicle charging points and facilities to make cycling to work easier. “We really want local groups and businesses to take advantage of this scheme before it ends so we can help as many people as possible. It’s all done for you from end to end – all you have to do is fill in a simple application form with around seven questions and our helpful team are there to support you.” LAC Conveyer Systems benefitted from a grant of £5,000. Lauren Cassidy, Head of Business Support, said: “The Workplace Travel Service team helped LAC Conveyor Systems discover available options and provided expert advice that proved invaluable in our decision to foster a greener, more responsible business model. “Thanks to the grant, we were able to install several EV chargers at our workplace, which has enabled us to take another step towards sustainability. We are charging the way to a greener future, one charge at a time.”

Revenue and profit down at Eurocell

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Revenue and profit down at Eurocell

Revenue and profit have slipped at Eurocell, the manufacturer, distributor and recycler of window, door and roofline PVC products, according to half year results for the six months ending 30 June 2023.

Against a “challenging market backdrop, with particularly severe decline in new build housing,” first half profits were down “as expected.” Reported profit before tax sat at £3.5m, dropping from £15.7m in the first half of 2022.

Meanwhile the firm posted revenue of £184.4m, declining from £188.8m.

With further deterioration in market conditions, Eurocell’s full year performance is now anticipated to be below previous expectations.

Darren Waters, Chief Executive of Eurocell plc, said: “Market conditions in H1 2023 became more challenging than we had anticipated, on the back of a sluggish new build housing market and lower RMI activity, with the CPA July update forecasting declines of 19% and 11% respectively in these sectors. Against this backdrop and an exceptionally strong comparative period, we delivered some resilience in the Group’s sales performance in the first half, with volumes down 6%, and improved cash flow.

“As expected, H1 profits were down on the prior period. Lower market volumes have resulted in an increasingly competitive environment and margin pressure in the branch network. First half profits were further impacted by recycling feedstock prices, which were significantly higher than H1 2022.

“With the decline in market volumes and a tough outlook for the balance of 2023 and 2024, we acted quickly to lower operating costs and focused on efficient working capital management. In addition, we continue to seek operational efficiencies, for profit and cash flow improvement, the benefits of which we should start to see next year.

“We anticipate that profits in H2 will benefit from lower input prices as well as the operational cost savings already secured. However, with another base rate increase implemented and the prospect of more to come further impacting upon consumer confidence, market conditions have deteriorated since the beginning of August, meaning that we now anticipate full year performance will be below our previous expectations.

“On becoming CEO in May, I initiated a review of our strategy, including the future size and shape of the branch network, customer proposition and other business structures, and I expect this will identify more opportunities for growth and efficiencies. In addition, our pipeline for new fabricator account wins remains positive, supported by a net reduction in UK capacity following the announcement that Duraflex intends to exit the market in September.

“Looking further ahead, the UK construction market continues to have attractive medium and long-term growth prospects, driven by the structural deficit in new build housing and an ageing housing stock that requires increased repair and maintenance. Overall, I believe the actions we are now taking leave the business well positioned to benefit from a recovery in our markets which will, over the medium-term, drive sustainable growth in shareholder value.”

Derby social enterprise shortlisted for national award

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Derby social enterprise shortlisted for national award
Derby-based Nimbus Disability is a finalist in the UK Social Enterprise Awards, recognising it as one of the country’s most innovative and impactful businesses. Social enterprises are mission-led businesses that reinvest or donate their profits for social purposes. Nimbus Disability is a social enterprise that is run by disabled people for disabled people. Its work to improve the lives of disabled people includes the development of the Access Card, which has been recognised with The Queen’s Award for Innovation, and is held by hundreds of thousands of people in the UK and beyond who register their accessibility requirements. The Access Card is the first accessible scheme of its type in the world; offering a universal and consistent way of disabled people evidencing and communicating their access requirements to providers quickly and discreetly. Powered by ‘NOS’, a bespoke software, the system translates its holder’s disability/impairment or access requirements into symbols, which ultimately means that, when booking online, it informs providers quickly and discreetly about the access requirements that individuals need. It has realised a simplistic way for disabled people to book online and protect those reasonable adjustments for those who require them. The scheme has become a lifetime of opportunity for disabled people and a digital bridge to customers for business internationally – widely recognised at the majority of the UK’s leisure and tourism venues such as Buckingham Palace, the O2 Arena and Alton Towers as well as venues in the USA, Europe and New Zealand. Nimbus Disability beat stiff competition to make the shortlist for the UK Social Enterprise Awards this year, which attracted more than 400 entries from all over the country. Awards recognise sector-leading excellence and innovation across a diverse range of criteria, and Nimbus Disability is a finalist in the Tech for Good: Technology Social Enterprise of the Year category. Martin Austin MBE is Managing Director of Nimbus Disability. He said: “We are delighted that our work has been recognised in this way. “Our innovative Access Card scheme is improving the lives of thousands of disabled people across the UK and across the globe – opening up the opportunity for them to visit and engage with events and destinations and enabling them to play a more participative role in society.” Nimbus Disability will join other finalists and VIP guests at a prestigious awards ceremony in London’s iconic Roundhouse on Thursday 30 November, when the winners will be revealed.
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