Local contractor and developer, Stirlin, has completed a new phase of employment space on their development in Lincoln: Kirk’s Yard.
Kirk’s Yard is a commercial business park located just outside the village of Branston, approximately 4 miles from Lincoln City Centre.
Stirlin completed the first two phases of the development back in March 2019, with all units occupied by a variety of established local businesses, including Gateway Automation, Lincolnshire Radiators Direct and TL Electrical Engineering.
Following the success of these phases, Stirlin has now delivered a third phase, to provide 10 industrial units suitable for a variety of business uses, ranging in size from 1,500 to 2,000 sq ft.
Sustainable elements of the scheme include energy efficient lighting, bike racks to encourage the cycle to work scheme and the recycling of existing topsoil from the land, which has been used for the landscaped areas around the site. Stirlin also offer buyers the option to include a renewable energy solar system on the units.
Managing Director of Stirlin, Tony Lawton, says: “Our Kirk’s Yard site has proven very popular, particularly due to its location, so it’s great to provide further employment space to meet the demand and facilitate business growth in the area.
“In addition to this scheme, we have several other projects in the pipeline for 2023. We are also open to contractual work, and we encourage people to get in touch to discuss their requirements.”
With the completion of the third phase, Stirlin have transformed 2.2 acres of vacant land on Mere Road into over 33,000 sq ft of new employment space.
At this year’s UKReiiF (UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum) event in Leeds from 16-18 May 2023, Invest in Leicester will brief potential investors about recent successes from businesses including major residential and industrial developers, Segro and Harworth Group, and from the director who led the £17 million development of an historic department store in the centre of Leicester into the upmarket Gresham Aparthotel.
The Invest in Leicester events at UKReiiF will focus on how the organisations are thriving in the region, highlighting the ingredients for success.
The session will be chaired by Mike Denby, Director of Inward Investment and Place Marketing at Leicester City Council.
Mike said: “The transformation of Leicester and Leicestershire has been significant over recent years, thanks to a strong public and private collaboration. We are delighted to be attending UKREiiF again this year, as a platform to further raising the profile of the city and county, showcasing the investment and development opportunities across the area and the strength of the collaboration between the public and private sector.”
David Cockroft, Regional Director for the Midlands at Harworth Group plc, said: “Invest in Leicester has been a trusted and valued long-term partner for Harworth. Its support has been critical to the delivery of our 2,000-home south east Coalville new community and Bardon Hill industrial and logistics scheme in the area. We look forward to working with the council at UKREiiF to showcase the huge potential of the area and the future opportunities that this will bring.”
The team will also promote its digital land and property prospectus, which highlights 40 key investment opportunities spanning the length and breadth of the city and county and ultimately, that Leicester and Leicestershire are open for business.
Attendees at UKReiiF can see Invest in Leicester at the following events: Designing a Thriving and Sustainable Future in Leicester & Leicestershire (Tuesday 16 May 2023 from 9:30-10:30am, Cinema of War Room, Royal Armouries Museum), Digital Sites Prospectus Launch (Thursday 18 May 2023 from 1-2.15pm, Pavilion 7 in the Pavilion Square).
Wavensmere Homes has struck a deal with The Fulton Partnership, which will see one of the pepperpot buildings at the £175m Nightingale Quarter Scheme in Derby City Centre transformed into a café, bar, and restaurant.
Located off London Road, close to the Derbion shopping centre, ‘The Pepperpot’ is scheduled to open in August 2023, creating a new dining experience for the city. The venue will be open seven days a week, serving gastro-style food with locally sourced ingredients.
The Pepperpot restaurant will be situated at the front of the former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary redevelopment, where restoration and construction work is currently in progress. A bijou cocktail bar and cafe will feature within the historic building conversion, with an air-conditioned glass box extension housing the main restaurant to the rear. Wavensmere Homes and The Fulton Partnership are collectively investing more than £1m in the project.
The Pepperpot will be The Fulton Partnership’s sixth venue in the Midlands. The group is best known for The Butchers Bar and The Westgate Suites Wedding Venue, which are both in Long Eaton. Stables Hotel and The Bowling Green Inn are located adjacent to each other in Ashbourne, while The Saracens Head Steakhouse is in Meir, Stoke on Trent.
Graeme Fulton, owner of The Fulton Partnership, said: “The Pepperpot will be our first ever city centre venue, which we’ve been on the lookout for for some time. At Nightingale Quarter, we will have the rare combination of; a stunning historic building; well over 1,000 residents living in the same development; and a superb location, only a short walk from the Derbion shopping centre and Derby train station.
“Ahead of the August opening, we have appointed Matthew Guy as the head chef, and he is currently sourcing the best ingredients from local suppliers for our extensive breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. The menus have a strong emphasis on quality and choice. We’ll be recruiting and training local people to work with us and look forward to getting to know all the neighbours already living here.”
Remediation and construction work commenced at The Nightingale Quarter in late 2020. During the past three years, over 80% of the 925 homes have been matched with buyers. Five phases of the project are currently under construction by Wavensmere Homes, enabling 486 of the homes to be completed this year.
The 18.5-acre site is one of the UK’s most significant city centre regeneration projects and includes the restoration of several landmark buildings and monuments from the 130-year-old former hospital.
James Dickens, Managing Director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “The synergy we have with The Fulton Partnership is very strong and we are thrilled they have chosen to replicate our Nightingale Quarter branding for The Pepperpot restaurant. The interior design has a cool art deco feel, which will create a place that everyone will enjoy spending time in. This venue will become the heart and soul of the community here.”
Pepperpot restaurant CGI
Newark-based Kast Concrete Basins has been acquired by US company Kohler, becoming part of the Kohler Luxury Brands Division.
Kohler continues to grow its global leadership in the design, innovation, and manufacture of kitchen and bath products with the boutique designer and manufacturer of contemporary concrete basins and sinks.
Kast specialises in bathroom basins within the premium market and is a design-led brand known for its bold colours.
The 12-year-old company was founded by Tim Bayes, who will now serve as Kast’s Managing Director/head of creative.
“Kohler pioneered vibrant, colourful products to great acclaim as far back as 1927, and has progressively introduced innovative designs, materials, and finishes that help customers make a design statement in their spaces,” said Bonnie Choruby, president – Luxury Brands at Kohler.
“Kast shares that same mindset and is a perfect fit for our Luxury Brands division. Not only does the brand bring a new material to our portfolio – concrete – but also the colour and refinement expertise that is evident in the unique shapes and forms of its beautiful basins.”
“We are thrilled to join the Kohler organization, a highly admired multinational company that has achieved 150 years of unparalleled innovation and growth,” said Bayes.
“Everyone at Kast Concrete Basins also has the passion to innovate relentlessly, and we couldn’t be more pleased to now be a part of the Luxury Brands division that includes like-minded brands and the resourcing to accelerate global expansion.”
The Peak District National Park Authority has confirmed that an internal workforce consultation process has begun after Members of the Authority approved a series of formal proposals as part of an organisational restructure at the Authority.
Staff at the Authority were informed of the proposals in a series of face-to-face meetings on Wednesday 3 May.
Among the proposals to be consulted upon is a change in the way the Authority engages visitors with the potential closing or repurposing of four visitor centres operated by the Authority at Bakewell, Castleton, Edale and Fairholmes in the Upper Derwent Valley.
Authority Members will approve any final proposals for implementation on 28 July.
Further proposals include reducing current senior management levels by more than half, along with the merging of some administrative services and potential outsourcing of some professional services.
Up to 65 people are at risk of redundancy with the creation of 31 new posts, however the Authority says it hopes to retain the skills and experience of as many staff as possible. Overall, the Authority anticipates a net reduction in its workforce of around 7%. Smaller changes to some other existing posts include role title differences or the moving of teams to alternative departments.
The announcement comes as the Authority says it has faced a ‘real terms’ cut in its annual Defra government grant of around 40% over the last decade; with the Authority receiving around the same grant now as it did in 2012, with no increases in line with inflation.
A recent one-off grant of £440,000 made available to all ten English national parks – representing less than 10% of the Authority’s annual baseline budget – will be used to help fund the transition towards a more sustainable operating model.
Major drivers for the proposed organisational change, alongside budget cuts, include the need to meet an increased demand in planning work and the changing way in which visitors now source information about their potential visit. The Authority’s four visitor centres currently host 400,000 people per year, around 1 in 30 of the Peak District’s estimated 13 million annual visitors.
In recent years in particular, digital and online reach has seen a dramatic increase at the Authority with its website now attracting around 2.5 million visits annually and a range of social media channels gathering a following of some 150,000. This in turn has led to wider audience contact that means around 750,000 people a year are now engaging with Facebook content generated by the Authority alone, with further audiences on channels such as Instagram.
Future ways in which the Authority engages with its millions of visitors are expected to take into account aspects such as online information, existing and new welcoming volunteer roles offering advice and guidance, publications such as an annual Welcome Guide, along with national park rangers and potential information points in high profile locations. Impacts on accessibility and diverse audiences will also be considered as part of any visitor provision should centres close.
In some locations such as Fairholmes, ranger and volunteer interactions across the wider site may help to support direct engagement, in contrast to the relatively limited numbers of people currently using the visitor centre.
Changes to the pay structure within the National Park Authority have also been highlighted within the proposals, with salaries in departments including planning and development routinely found to be lower than many similar organisations according to independent analysis.
This is thought to be a prominent factor behind a continued recruitment challenge for the Authority leading to additional, unsustainable demands on existing teams in the workforce. New proposed pay modelling aims to redress this balance and both ease pressures on staff and improve services received by the public.
Overall, a number of roles within the Authority will see pay scales changed as the organisation seeks to achieve parity with similar posts in comparable organisations by January 2024.
Chief Executive Phil Mulligan said: “Any decisions that affect our workforce and colleagues are among the hardest to make. However, making these difficult choices now means that we can work towards a sustainable future for our organisation as a whole, where we have the ability to deliver well in the areas that are so crucial to the Peak District and our nation like the protection of our heritage, nature’s recovery and climate change.
“Of course, providing a public service for our visitors to ensure their time with us is safe, enjoyable and responsible – whatever their needs or background – is still crucial, but we also have to embrace new and dynamic ways to achieve this without some of the costs we have seen in recent years.
“I want to recognise the passion and energy that our front-facing staff bring to their role in welcoming visitors and that the tough decisions being proposed do not reflect these teams’ commitment, but are as a result of factors in the wider financial landscape.
“I also completely understand that proposed changes to the pay of other colleagues in the Authority may be hard to rationalise, however we also have our statutory obligations as a national park authority and these must be met; which is especially hard when we are unable to be competitive as an employer.
“The changes proposed will ultimately see us becoming a more affordable and resilient organisation in the face of ongoing financial uncertainty, and safeguard our critical role in caring for the Peak District.”
The Authority confirmed that all visitor operations are continuing to operate as normal.
One of the UK’s largest independent family run frozen food wholesalers, Hopwells has acquired one of its competitors, Windsor Foodservice.
The move will support Hopwell’s strategic plan to expand its service offering and geographical reach.
Hopwells was established in 1975 and is headquartered in Nottingham. The wholeslaer operates a fleet of over 110 vehicles from six distribution depots throughout England and offers its customer base a comprehensive range of frozen food products and chilled goods, including premium fresh meat and poultry from various branded manufacturers and suppliers.
Windsor Foodservice, which is also a family run business, was set up in 1989 and is headquartered in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The business employs over 70 staff and supplies over 3,000 catering customers.
In 2013 the business created Pete’s Patisseries – a top of the range luxury dessert range; and in 2017 launched Windsor Fresh Meat which offered top quality meat products at competitive prices.
Browne Jacobson corporate lawyer, Sam Sharp and associate Ruairi O’Grady advised on the deal.
Sam Sharp, who leads the firm’s UK & Ireland food and drink practice, said: “Both Hopwells and Windsor are well respected in their markets, are built on strong family values, and have excellent reputations for providing quality service to their longstanding customer base, so it was a pleasure to have been involved in the merger of these two similar businesses.
“This move will enable the newly merged business group to further develop and grow its product portfolio and position itself as a major player in the food wholesaler sector.”
Tristan Hopwell, Managing Director of Hopwells, added: “Hopwells is an independent family business which prides itself on its traditional family values. Windsor is also a family business, and we both celebrate the successes our family ethos brings to our customers.
“Hopwells and Windsor Foodservice have both grown our businesses from the ground up, we’re both excited to bring together our joint experiences to form a leading position within wholesale.”
Chesterfield-based independent drinks business, Global Brands, has broken records for their financial year ending 30 September 2022.
Global Brands, owners of a portfolio including Franklin & Sons, Hooch, VK, and more has reported double-digit turnover growth for financial year 2022, driven by record international growth, successful NPD launches including Lustre liqueurs, and canned cocktail and RTD sales.
The company has reported a 26.6% increase in turnover, rising to £84.4 million, versus sales of £66.6 million in the 20/21 financial year.
The company is now the biggest supplier of branded canned cocktails to the UK off trade, and the biggest supplier of ready to drink products into the UK on premises across their portfolio. The company’s portfolio of drinks brands includes VK, Hooch, Franklin & Sons, All Shook Up, Shake Baby Shake, Corky’s, Beviamo, Kick Energy, Lustre, and Amigos Tequila Beer.
Global Brands also reported a 50% increase in international business. Having launched Franklin & Sons in the USA in 2019, just as the pandemic struck, the international arm of the business is now seeing significant growth, reaching £5 million in turnover for the first time in the history of the business.
Profitability increased, with an operating of £6.9 million compared to £6.1 million in the previous financial year.
Steve Perez, founder and chairman at Global Brands, said: “Global Brands, the UK’s leading independent drinks business, has had another fantastic year. 21/22 has been our sixth successive year of growth, almost doubling our turnover in the last five years.
“We’ve recently purchased the trademarks for Hooch, Hooper’s, and Reef from Molson Coors, and have lots of exciting new products in the pipeline. We’re now the biggest supplier of branded canned cocktails in the UK off trade, and the biggest supplier of RTDs into the on trade.
“Franklin & Sons is now the second biggest premium tonic in the UK on trade, and we’ve seen fantastic growth for the brand in the UK and especially internationally, in markets in Asia, through Europe, and from our newly opened office in the USA.
“We’re unique in that we create everything in-house, from design, marketing, and NPD through to the distribution of our brands from here in Chesterfield and Clay Cross – areas where we’ve invested just under £3 million in the last year. From our base in Derbyshire, we employ almost 200 people, and our success is down to the fantastic teams that drive these brands forward.
“While economic conditions have been challenging in the six months since we’ve published our accounts, especially in regard to energy and raw material costs, we’re confident going forward that the company will continue its momentum in the next financial year.”
Global Brands has started financial year 22/23 in a strong position. Late last year saw the hard launch of premium tonics, sodas, and soft drinks brand Franklin & Sons into the USA, to further capitalise on international growth, while the company acquired the trademarks for Hooch, Hooper’s, and Reef from Molson Coors, investing in the brands with the security of owning the equity.
Alongside this, Global Brands has launched an all-new VK & SODA extension for their no.1 RTD for students eight years running, VK. The new range delivers on demand for zero sugar and lower calorie drinks, while retaining the flavourful and tasty essence of the original VK range, engaging with RTD consumers, and attracting the segment of consumers that opt for beverages with fewer calories than typical RTDs.
A £2 million expansion of the Global Brands Distribution Centre was also recently completed, increasing capacity from 30 million to 40 million products stored.
Over 190 people attended the Furnley House Foundation Summer Ball on Saturday 6 May at Winstanley House, Leicester, raising over £40,000 for charity.
Hosted by comedian Patrick Monahan, guests enjoyed a drinks reception, a three-course meal, entertainment from a live band and a fire dancer. Attendees also had the opportunity to take home some amazing items in both live and silent auctions.
The Furnley House Foundation was born out of local financial adviser and mortgage broker Furnley House’s ambition to create opportunities and improve the lives of the local community. The Foundation holds a number of events each year to help bring the community together.
The headline charity partner for this year’s ball was Falcon Support Services. Funds raised on the evening will also be donated to Bodie Hodges Foundation, Hope For Hunger, Leicestershire Action for Mental Health Project (LAMP) and Leicestershire Cares.
Falcon Support Services have helped the homeless and those in need across Leicestershire find independence through housing and community support for 20 years. They were chosen as headliner after winning the Charity of the Year category at the Furnley House Foundation’s Leicestershire Community Champions Awards in November last year.
Simon Winfield, chairman of the Furnley House Foundation, said: “It was great to get so much support for our Summer Ball from the Leicestershire community, which has enabled us to raise so much for five richly deserving charities.
“This helps us to achieve our mission of improving and saving lives in Leicester and Leicestershire. Thank you to everyone for their support and we look forward to our next event, the Leicestershire Community Champions Awards, later in the year.”
Founded as a market stall in 2021 by Liz Telford-Sides, The Little Ark toy shop has fledged into an independent store at Vicar Lane Shopping Centre in Chesterfield.
During maternity leave Liz began investigating eco-friendly alternatives to plastic in children’s toys and started sourcing more sustainable alternatives.
She said: “We are incredibly excited to move to Vicar Lane Shopping Centre. The mix of independent shops alongside big high street brands such as H&M and New Look is great and we are so proud to be part of this.
“There are two main reasons we love being in Chesterfield; one is our customers and the other is the local independent businesses. We have received wonderful support from both our customers and the other indie businesses.
“People are now wanting to see the products they are purchasing, and I would definitely say I’m one of those people. When people see our products in-person, they often comment on the quality of the items and the longevity they can get out of them. This is transferable across independent businesses; they are providing quality items and provide an exceptional level of service that you just can’t get online.
“Businesses such as ours are willing to take a risk on providing Chesterfield with something it doesn’t have, but it will only be successful if people shop with us. Independent businesses can often be hidden away from the main thoroughfares but if people look that little bit harder they will find some absolute hidden gems.”
Liz also added that the success of the business wouldn’t have been possible without the support of her father, Gary Telford, who helps to run the shop on a daily basis.
Shaun Brown, Centre Manager at Vicar Lane said: “We’re thrilled to be able to support yet another local business in the heart of Chesterfield, especially one with such sustainable values. We’re very excited to see the range of toys and baby products on offer at The Little Ark.’’
Vicar Lane Shopping Centre supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Businesses in North Derbyshire are being urged to seek the royal seal of approval for their own achievements by entering the King’s Awards for Enterprise 2024.
East Midlands Chamber is encouraging companies to enter the scheme, billed as the UK’s most prestigious business awards, and which opened for entries over the coronation weekend.
They will recognise organisations for their achievements across innovation, international development, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility.
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “Our region is full of fantastic companies that are breaking new ground in their sectors, delivering goods and services across the world, and demonstrating how business can be a force for good – which is why we are so keen to talk about the East Midlands being a Centre of Trading Excellence.
“Now, it’s time to start spreading the word about just how great we are on a global stage and we would encourage businesses to shout about their achievements far and wide.
“The King’s coronation was a tremendous occasion that brought the best of our country together, so what better time to use this as an opportunity to showcase the best of our region’s business community by entering the King’s Awards for Enterprise.
“It was exciting to see eight companies with links to our region – including six Chamber members – recognised in the 2023 awards but it would be great to grow this number in 2024 and really put the East Midlands on the map.”
The King’s Awards for Enterprise 2024 are free to enter and the deadline is midday on 12 September 2023. Applicants can enter multiple categories via an online process.
Shortlisted organisations will be notified in October and winners notified in March 2024, with unsuccessful organisations receiving feedback on their applications around the same time.
The list of winners is officially announced in the London Gazette on 6 May 2024 and representatives will be invited to attend a royal reception next summer.
Awards recipients are permitted to fly the King’s Awards for Enterprise flag at their main office and use the emblem in marketing materials for five years.
They will also receive an official certificate known as a grant of appointment and a commemorative crystal trophy.
For more information about eligibility criteria and to apply for the King’s Awards for Enterprise 2024, visit www.gov.uk/kings-awards-for-enterprise.
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