With just one week remaining until nominations close for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, ensure to submit your entries for the 10th annual celebration of the property and construction industry by Friday 15th August. The Bricks shine a light on the outstanding work of those shaping the landscape of our region, recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the East Midlands – from offices, industrial and residential, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools. We also highlight the work of architects, agencies and those behind large schemes. Take this chance to showcase exceptional new commercial and residential developments, those demonstrating a leading position in sustainability and design excellence; gain recognition as prestige developers, architects, contractors, and agents, as well as for significant deals; and ensure efforts in corporate social responsibility are rewarded, from eco initiatives to charity work, to social value schemes. It’s completely free to enter and making the top three finalists in your category also wins you free tickets to the awards ceremony.

To make a nomination for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, please click here, or on the category headings below.

Categories include:

• Contractor of the Year
• Developer of the Year
• Architects of the Year
• Most Active Agent
• Deal of the Year
• Residential Development of the Year
• Sustainable Development of the Year
• Commercial Development of the Year
• Excellence in Design
• Responsible Business of the Year
• Overall Winner

All finalists will have the chance to take home the Overall Winner award, which this year comes with a grand prize of a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000, with the opportunity to split or gift the marketing to a charity of your choice.

Nominations will close on Friday 15th August.

A glittering awards ceremony revealing winners will take place on Thursday 2nd October (4.30pm – 7.30pm) in the Derek Randall Suite at the famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, also offering the perfect opportunity to forge new contacts with property and construction professionals from across the region. The event will additionally feature Councillor Nadine Peatfield – Leader of Derby City Council, Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, and Deputy Mayor of the East Midlands, as keynote speaker. Robert Maxey, partner at heb Surveyors, last year’s Deal of the Year winner, said: “It was an honour to take home the Deal of the Year award at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024, especially because the other nominees in the category were so strong! It was extremely pleasing to see recognition of our team’s efforts and the event provided a great boost to morale. Celebrating excellence in our region’s property and construction sector, and offering a great chance to catch up with local professionals, I’d encourage other businesses to get involved with an entry, to showcase your business and the impact it is making in the industry.” Tickets can now be booked for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, click here to secure yours. Connect with local decision makers over nibbles and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region. New for this year, all entrants will also have the opportunity to be featured on our dedicated nominee showcase on the East Midlands Business Link website, providing space for marketing your achievements.

The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025

What: The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025 When: Thursday 2nd October (4.30pm – 7.30pm) Where: Derek Randall Suite, Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham Keynote speaker: Councillor Nadine Peatfield – Leader of Derby City Council, Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, and Deputy Mayor of the East Midlands Tickets: Available here Dress code: Standard business attire Thanks to our sponsors:                                                                        

To be held at:

 

The East Midlands Chamber has launched an Export Accelerator initiative, aimed at helping businesses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire explore international markets. The project, which has already seen 227 companies register since its spring debut, is designed to assist businesses in overcoming the complexities of global trade, from research to product launches abroad.

Funded by a £454,000 contribution from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the programme provides expert consultancy, training, and grants for businesses. The initiative includes up to £8,000 in grant funding to cover the cost of services like specialist consultancy, attending overseas trade shows, and equipment. Additionally, businesses can apply for a £2,000 bursary to attend international trade training courses, including the BCC-Accredited International Trade Operations and Procedures qualification.

Participants also gain access to the newly formed East Midlands International Trade Network, offering bi-monthly forums, expert support, and opportunities for businesses to collaborate and share insights. The first two forums will take place in Nottingham and Bolsover in late September.

The initiative comes at a time when overseas trade is facing increasing challenges, with a reported 10% decrease in overseas sales and a 3% drop in orders, according to the Chamber’s latest economic survey. As trade costs and paperwork escalate, the Export Accelerator offers crucial support to businesses looking to expand beyond the UK.

To sign up, businesses can complete a Registration Form and receive guidance from an Export Accelerator adviser. The Chamber also lists its international trade training courses on its website, where eligible businesses can apply for funding to attend.

The Bank of England’s recent decision to reduce interest rates by 0.25% to 4% is unlikely to significantly ease the challenges faced by businesses, according to the East Midlands Chamber. The ongoing pressure of high operational costs, staffing expenses due to increased National Insurance contributions, and inflation persist as major obstacles for many companies.

Despite the interest rate reduction providing some relief for businesses seeking to borrow, many in the region remain concerned about future tax hikes. A significant number of businesses have indicated in the East Midlands Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey that they expect declining profitability in the near future. Additionally, almost 40% of companies anticipate raising their prices to manage the increasing cost burdens.

The Chamber notes that while some government initiatives, such as the strategy addressing late supplier payments, are positive, broader concerns like corporate tax rates and inflation require further action. With the Autumn Budget approaching, the need for greater government support and clarity on tax policies has become more urgent for businesses striving to remain competitive.

The UK construction industry experienced its sharpest contraction in over five years during July, marking a continued decline across all major sectors. The S&P Global UK construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) dropped to 44.3 from 48.8 in June, signalling a significant slowdown in activity. Any reading below 50 indicates a contraction in the sector.

The downturn was driven by a slump in housebuilding, which had briefly shown signs of recovery in June, as well as weaker performance across civil engineering and commercial construction. The survey highlighted that civil engineering experienced the largest decline, particularly with public-sector projects seeing reduced activity.

Firms across the industry faced delays on job sites, lower volumes of new work, and a lack of confidence from consumers. The latest figures also revealed a continued decrease in employment, marking the seventh consecutive month of job losses. Many construction businesses are now freezing recruitment and cutting back on material purchases as they prepare for a difficult outlook.

Despite these challenges, analysts expect some recovery in the coming months. Potential interest rate cuts from the Bank of England could ease borrowing costs, and government investments are expected to help stabilise the market.

North Northamptonshire Council has launched a new initiative to help local businesses understand and reduce their energy use and environmental impact. Funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), the programme will support organisations to design their own decarbonisation plans and access grants that will help them shift to more sustainable practices and save money. North Northamptonshire Council has appointed Urban Foresight, a strategic innovation consultancy, to deliver the programme. Participating organisations will receive free access to a user-friendly platform to measure their carbon footprint and develop a Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP). The programme aims to support 50 businesses and 25 community groups to complete carbon footprint assessments, and 20 businesses and 15 community groups to progress to CRPs aligned with the latest public procurement requirements, enhancing their ability to compete for private and public sector contracts and providing a pathway to decarbonisation. A structured series of workshops will also be delivered to build capacity and ensure that CRPs are not only developed but are also actionable. Cllr Ken Harrington, the council’s executive member for assets, waste and environmental services, said: “With more and more businesses looking at carbon reduction measures, it is important that we use the funds available to us to support them. “Schemes like this encourage businesses to look to the future, think about their carbon footprint and complements wider environmental work in North Northants.”