Regatta Way works to start in January 2022
Works are set to begin in January on a new cycle and footpath on Regatta Way in West Bridgford.
Once complete, pedestrians, cyclists and other footway users will benefit from an upgraded two-way route which will run from A6011 Radcliffe Road to Adbolton Lane, where it will join with the existing shared cycle and footway.
Works on the new route, which will connect residential areas to facilities at Holme Pierrepont Country Park, will include the creation of a cycle track that is segregated from both the pavement and the road.
Via East Midlands, who manage Nottinghamshire’s highways on behalf of the county council, will begin works on-site on Monday 10 January 2022.
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Transport and Environment Committee, said: “It is great to hear that works on this scheme will be starting early in the New Year.
“I was pleased to hear that this scheme had strong local support and it is our hope that the creation of this new cycle and footway will help to embed walking and cycling into daily lives.
“The scheme will cost around £1.24m to construct and will be funded from the £2.178m that the county council successfully secured from the Government’s Active Travel Fund.
“There are so many benefits to walking and cycling, including cleaner air and less congested roads, and we are delighted to be delivering a scheme which will help local people to enjoy both of these safely.
“We know that news of works on the highway may cause concern about possible disruption, but we and our colleagues at Via East Midlands will endeavour to keep communities up-to-date while aiming to keep disruption to a minimum.”
“I hope these efforts will result in a great facility and I am confident that road users will be pleased with the final result.”
More information about the Active Travel Fund and schemes in Nottinghamshire can be found at: Active Travel Fund – Tranche 2 | Nottinghamshire County Council
TTK Confectionery appoints new commercial director
Nottingham-based food gifting company TTK Confectionery have appointed Katie Gilbert as their new commercial director.
The commercial director role is new and has been created as the result of a sustained period of significant growth at the company. Katie will be the second female director on the board and at only twenty-six will be their youngest ever appointment.
TTK Confectionery create food gifting solutions for major retailers across the UK such as Sainsburys, Morrisons, Matalan, Urban Outfitters and WH Smith. They also sell to over twenty-one countries worldwide as far afield as Canada and Australia.
Katie has been with the company since its creation. She first joined the company on a university internship steering the creative direction of the business. With the guidance and support of the board she developed skills in a number of areas showing a natural gift for leadership and strategic thinking. She now heads a team of eight and plays an integral part in the running of the company, managing multimillion pound budgets across several departments.
Speaking about the new appointment Katie said: “I’m extraordinarily proud that I’ve managed to reach this pivotal point of TTK’s growth journey and that I get to help shape our future. It’s a pleasure to be able to have such an influence over our strategy and I owe it all to the belief that our directors had in me from the very beginning.”
CEO Martin Barnett said: “Katie is a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication. Her team are inspired by her journey at TTK and we are delighted that she is now taking her place as a member of the board. We are so proud of all she has achieved both within the business and personally.”
Anglian Water discovers Britain’s largest ‘Sea Dragon’ in UK’s smallest county
The fossilised remains of Britain’s largest ichthyosaur, colloquially known as a ‘Sea Dragon’, has been discovered at the Rutland Water Nature Reserve, owned and run by Anglian Water. It is the biggest and most complete skeleton of its kind found to date in the UK and is also thought to be the first ichthyosaur of its species (called Temnodontosaurus trigonodon) found in the country.
The remains were fully excavated earlier this year and will feature on BBC Two’s Digging for Britain, on Tuesday 11th January at 8pm, before being made available on BBC iPlayer.
The ichthyosaur was discovered by Joe Davis, Conservation Team Leader at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, who operates the nature reserve in partnership with the water company, during the routine draining of a lagoon island for re-landscaping at Rutland Water in February 2021.
Joe Davis said: “The find has been absolutely fascinating and a real career highlight, it’s great to learn so much from the discovery and to think that this amazing creature was once swimming in seas above us, and now once again Rutland Water is a haven for wetland wildlife albeit on a smaller scale!”
The ichthyosaur is approximately 180 million years old and, with a skeleton measuring around 10 metres in length and a skull weighing approximately one tonne, it is the most complete large ichthyosaur ever found in Britain.
Ichthyosaurs first appeared around 250 million years ago and went extinct 90 million years ago. They were an extraordinary group of marine reptiles that varied in size from 1 to more than 25 metres in length, and resembled dolphins in general body shape.
The fragile remains of the huge skeleton were carefully excavated in August and September 2021 by a team of expert palaeontologists assembled from around the UK, in partnership with Anglian Water, Rutland County Council and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. The excavation was led by world ichthyosaur expert Dr Dean Lomax and specialist palaeontological conservator Nigel Larkin, along with marine reptile specialist Dr Mark Evans, Dr Emma Nicholls from the Horniman Museum and volunteers with experience of excavating fossilised marine reptiles.
The discovery is not the first at the Anglian Water reservoir, with two incomplete and much smaller ichthyosaurs found during the initial construction of Rutland Water in the 1970s. It is however the first complete skeleton to be discovered there.
CEO for Anglian Water, Peter Simpson said: “Rutland Water has a long list of previous, fascinating archaeological and palaeontological discoveries, but none more exciting than this.
“As a water company we have a role to bring environmental and social prosperity to our region. Which is why the correct preservation and conservation of something so scientifically valuable and part of our history, is as important to us as ensuring our pipes and pumps are fit and resilient for the future.
We also recognise the significance a find like this will have for the local community in Rutland. Our focus now is to secure the right funding to guarantee it’s legacy will last into the future.”
In order to preserve the precious remains, Anglian Water is seeking heritage funding. This will also ensure that it can remain in Rutland where its legacy can be shared with the general public.
Dr Dean Lomax, a palaeontologist and a Visiting Scientist affiliated with the University of Manchester, who has studied thousands of ichthyosaurs and named five new species in the process, said: “It was an honour to lead the excavation. Britain is the birthplace of ichthyosaurs – their fossils have been unearthed here for over 200 years, with the first scientific dating back to Mary Anning and her discoveries along the Jurassic Coast. Despite the many ichthyosaur fossils found in Britain, it is remarkable to think that the Rutland ichthyosaur is the largest skeleton ever found in the UK. It is a truly unprecedented discovery and one of the greatest finds in British palaeontological history.”
Dr Mark Evans of the British Antarctic Survey and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Leicester said: “I’ve been studying the Jurassic fossil reptiles of Rutland and Leicestershire for over twenty years. When I first saw the initial exposure of the specimen with Joe Davis I could tell that it was the largest ichthyosaur known from either county. However, it was only after our exploratory dig that we realised that it was practically complete to the tip of the tail. Rutland’s motto, “Multum in Parvo”, translates as “Much in Little” so it is fitting that we’ve found Britain’s largest ichthyosaur skeleton in England’s smallest county. It’s a highly significant discovery both nationally and internationally but also of huge importance to the people of Rutland and the surrounding area.”
Nigel Larkin, specialist palaeontological conservator and Visiting Research Fellow at Reading University, said “The block containing the massive 2m-long skull weighs just under a tonne (comprising the fossil, the Jurassic clay in which it lies, and the encasing plaster of paris and wooden splints). The block containing the body section weighs about a tonne and a half. It’s not often you are responsible for safely lifting a very important but very fragile fossil weighing that much. It is a responsibility, but I love a challenge. It was a very complex operation to uncover, record, and collect this important specimen safely.”
The team of palaeontologists will continue to work on the research and conservation of this significant scientific discovery, with academic papers to be published in the future.
For more information visit: www.anglianwater.co.uk/rutlandseadragon
Woodhead Construction to expand team to meet growing demand
Robert Woodhead Limited, part of the Edwinstowe based Woodhead Group has recently been appointed to several key projects in the East Midlands, including the newly announced Sherwood Observatory.
Off the back of these projects and the continued long-term partnerships, the contractor is looking to add more members to its team, both on site and at its Edwinstowe headquarters.
Janine Borderick, People Development Director at Robert Woodhead Ltd, part of the Woodhead Group said: “In what has been a tough climate for regional contractors over the last couple of years, Robert Woodhead Ltd has been able to retain a very strong presence across the East Midlands and beyond with major projects for long-term clients across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire
“We are incredibly proud of our Nottinghamshire roots and this plays out through the work we do. All of our projects have a strong focus on community and social value – over the last two years, we have created £113m of social value across all our projects.”
The company’s strong pipeline of work has meant that they are looking to add further experience to their roster of Project Managers, Site Managers, Groundworkers and Quantity Surveyors to Own It, Achieve It and Improve It!
Janine said: “With diverse and exciting projects on the horizon, we’re keen to hear from Project Managers, Site Managers, Groundworkers and Quantity Surveyors who are looking for a new opportunity. One of the key benefits of working for the Woodhead Group is that we maintain the ethos of a family business. Our teams all genuinely care for each other and the work that they do, especially as – for many of them – the sites we operate on are local to them.”
The company also has a rare opening for a Lead Bid Manager, working as part of a dynamic business development and pre-construction team to manage and write competitive bids to secure future work.
In addition, the Woodhead Group is also looking to fill several roles at its headquarters, including a catering assistant – a position with some unique benefits.
Janine said: “Having taken our catering in-house, we are looking for assistants that will be able to help feed our colleagues from the 40 other businesses that work at Edwinstowe House. While there is no shortage of roles such as this one, what sets this apart is the family-friendly working – the role is only within traditional office hours and doesn’t involve any shift work.”
Closed Hallaton village pub seeks new owner through Christie & Co
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co is currently marketing the closed Bewicke Arms, an attractive and historical 16th Century traditional pub with additional letting rooms, located in the picturesque South Leicestershire village of Hallaton – the home of the traditional ‘Hallaton Bottle Kicking and Hare Pie Scramble’.
The building, which maintains many of its original features including stone façade, oak beams and traditional fireplaces throughout and is in a highly sought-after position in the heart of Hallaton and offers an incoming owner a fantastic opportunity to build on its past success.
Prior to closing, this awarding winning freehold was a popular modern take on a traditional English pub, renowned locally as a high-quality destination for food, drinks and accommodation. Along with the freehouse, which offers a main bar, secondary bar, sparate restaurant, spacious kitchen and first-floor multi-functional space, the property also features three spacious letting rooms and a harmonious barn conversion retail space in a separate building. To the rear of the buildings is a covered outside trading area, with stunning views across the rolling Leicestershire countryside.
The business has been successfully owned by Simon & Claire Tait since 2006 “We have absolutely loved our time at The Bewicke. It and has been a pleasure to be part of such an enchanting, historical place, being one of the oldest and most well known traditional inns in country.”
The village of Hallaton plays host to the annual ‘Bottle Kicking and Hare Pie Scramble’, an ancient Leicestershire custom to race barrels across a local stream, claimed to be one of the country’s oldest sports and is thought to be the inspiration for Rugby Union, that takes place each year on Easter Monday.
Overall the property offers substantial growth potential with multiple revenue streams including extensive internal trade areas, outside trade areas, letting bedrooms and additional retail space. Utilising the spacious dining areas and versatile function spaces, a new owner has the potential to increase the events and function side of the business.
James Buist-Brealey, Business Agent in Christie & Co’s Hospitality team is handling the sale and comments, “The Bewicke Arms is a much-loved pub with many traditional features, which sits pride of place in the beautiful village of Hallaton. This is a rare opportunity to own such an attractive freehold pub which offers exciting potential to a new operator.”
The Bewicke Arms is on the market on a freehold basis and invites offers over £700,000.
Anglian Water announces its largest apprenticeship recruitment drive for the East of England
Anglian Water is launching 54 new Level 3 and 4 operational apprenticeship positions encouraging people to consider working within the utilities industry. This is the largest number of positions the water company has opened up and provides the perfect route for budding engineers and technicians into this vital area of work.
Never before has access to water been so important for health and hygiene. As key workers, the Anglian Water workforce play a vital role in keeping taps running, toilets flushing and drains draining. Applying for an apprenticeship with Anglian Water is a great option for anyone considering their next move.
The water company, which has a big requirement for science and engineering skills in its workforce, offers apprentices an opportunity to work and learn simultaneously in operational, maintenance and engineering roles across the region, guaranteeing a permanent role at the end of the course, along with a nationally recognised qualification.
Grant Duller, Network Technician Apprentice at Anglian Water said, “I joined the apprenticeship scheme last year applying at the beginning of the year and haven’t looked back.
“Anglian Water apprentices are an important part of the business and I have felt incredibly valued. The company invest a lot in our training and development to help us gain valuable and practical skills as well as achieving a nationally recognised qualification. With the Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard I will gain it will give a great start to my career that will enable me to ultimately progress within Anglian Water.”
Courses can last between 18 months and four years, depending on the type of role, and is often a mixture of classroom and practical hands-on learning supporting the team, across the region.
The apprenticeship opportunities will be open for applications until 13th February, with successful applicants set to start their roles in August/September 2022.
To find out more and apply, visit the Anglian Water careers website and visit the Apprentice page.
2021 sees return to growth following COVID-hit year at CloudCall
CloudCall, the Leicester cloud-based software business, has returned to growth following a COVID-impacted 2020, according to a trading update for the year to 31 December 2021.
The business said that total reported revenues rose to £13.6m from £11.8m in 2020, while customer numbers are up 12% to 1,658 (FY 2020: 1,480).
The update follows news in December that CloudCall’s directors had unanimously recommended an all cash offer for the business to shareholders, valuing the company at £39.9 million.
The firm had reached an agreement with Xplorer Capital Growth I, LLC (Xplorer Capital), a newly formed company owned by funds managed and advised by Xplorer Capital Management LLC.
Simon Cleaver, CEO, said: “2021 marked a return to growth following a COVID-impacted 2020. I was delighted to see strong performances from new business sales, existing business upsell, and customer retention combine to drive our annualised revenue growth back over 25% as we enter 2022.
“Whilst our team have delivered well in 2021 and I’m immensely proud of what they’ve achieved, I’m also conscious that we are operating in a marketplace where many of our key competitors are materially larger and better capitalised than we are.
“In the coming few months, if we remain as a listed company, we will need to raise significant further capital to fund the group through to our targeted monthly EBITDA breakeven in 2023.
“I remain passionate about CloudCall and our team, but, given the conflicting sentiment between shareholders that prefer growth vs those that prefer us to push for break-even, I believe a future capital raise from the public markets may be challenging. In addition to this, the quantum of any fundraise will not go far to redress this imbalance between us and certain of our competition.
“Against this background and after careful consideration, as noted in the announcement of the offer by Xplorer Capital, the CloudCall Board have determined that the offer by Xplorer Capital is in the best interests of CloudCall shareholders and staff.”
2022 Business Predictions: Daniel Collins, Director at PolkeyCollins
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Daniel Collins, Director at PolkeyCollins, the architectural practice.
2021 has been a testing year for the property and construction sector but specifically for the professional side of our industry, meaning it’s been difficult to advise clients with certainty, which is being felt across the board.
However, the changeable times have given us the chance to take perspective on many things and if anything, the long-term strategy of our practice has somewhat been validated with our approach to working with a select group of key clients across multi sectors and picking up feature projects too.
For us and many in the industry, the first quarter of 2021 was challenging as projects came to an end and new ones got cancelled because of the knock-on effects of the pandemic. But despite that shaky start, there is lots of positivity and we have never been more optimistic.
Hence, we further expanded our team this year, as planned, worked with existing and new clients and have a strong, exciting pipeline in place for 2022.
The new year is looking buoyant in terms of activity and opportunity, but I do believe the construction industry will continue its struggle with inflating materials costs, which is squeezing viability figures.
The government statement regarding ‘levelling up’ should help the economy outside of the M25 but how much of this comes to fruition we will need to wait and see.
For Polkey Collins, we have impressive projects on the horizon and keep looking forward and innovating in our outlook and approach and take each month as it comes. We are on target in terms of our strategy and have a skilled team which puts us in a strong position moving into the new year.
Gateley snaps up firm of patent and trade mark attorneys in £2.5m deal
Gateley, the legal and professional services group, has acquired Adamson Jones Holdings Limited for a total consideration of £2.5 million.
Adamson Jones provides intellectual property (IP) services encompassing patent, design and trade mark protection advice in the UK, Europe and around the world.
Adamson Jones is the eleventh business Gateley has acquired since its IPO in June 2015 and is the group’s first Business Services Platform acquisition.
Business Services is one of Gateley’s four Platforms, the others being Corporate, People, and Property. These are market-facing structures on which the group clusters complementary legal, and consultancy services.
The Business Services Platform supports clients in dealing with their commercial agreements, managing risk, protecting assets, and resolving disputes. It also includes the group’s multi-jurisdictional forensics and business intelligence services, through Gateley Omega.
Adamson Jones complements the group’s existing legal services in IP and technology, brand and reputation management, media, and privacy.
Adamson Jones was founded in 2000 and acts for clients from large multinational and national organisations, to universities and SMEs. The Adamson Jones team has 25 staff headed by directors Simon Cooper and Nicholas Ferrar and the business has offices in Nottingham, Leicester and London. Both directors will continue to work as part of the management team post acquisition.
In the year ending 31 March 2021, Adamson Jones generated revenue of c. £3.6 million.
Rod Waldie, Chief Executive Officer of Gateley, said: “I am delighted to welcome Adamson Jones to the group as our first acquisition on to our Business Services Platform. Gateley Legal already has an existing and strong relationship with Adamson Jones with whom we have worked previously to support clients on their patent and trade mark applications and protection requirements.
“We see great growth opportunities in our combined offering, with a focus on assisting our clients in protecting and commercialising their IP assets being a key element of the ongoing development of our Business Services Platform.
“This is a strategic acquisition directly aligned to our Platform strategy. The successful completion of the acquisition means that the group has now acquired consultancy businesses, complementary to its legal services, on all four Platforms.
“This strategy continues to differentiate Gateley, to widen our breadth of services and enhance our appeal to both existing and potential clients. We are actively appraising opportunities to further grow each Platform both organically and by acquisition.”
Record quarter for Leicester online electrical retailer
Marks Electrical, the Leicester-based online electrical retailer, has hailed continued strong trading momentum with record sales performance in a trading update for its third quarter ended 31 December 2021.
The record trading period saw 27.4% revenue growth to £22.3m (Q3-21 £17.5m), including a strong performance during the seasonally important Black Friday and Christmas trading events.
The firm further reported year to date (YTD) revenue growth of 55% to £59.8m (2021 YTD: £38.6m), keeping the business on track to deliver its 2022 revenue target.
Mark Smithson, Chief Executive Officer, said: “I am delighted by our performance in the third quarter of this year, with year on year growth of 27.4%, and continued trading momentum against particularly strong comparatives. This high growth rate allowed us to continue to gain market share.
“In order to improve brand awareness, we continued our investment in TV campaigns, leading to increased website traffic and promoting the Marks Electrical brand. This, combined with our revised approach to digital marketing, helped attract new customers to our site.
“We’ve continued to work closely with all our suppliers in order to maintain inventory levels during the period, and have successfully coped with the continued surge in demand for our products, achieving record delivery numbers and ensuring we maximise the value on each vehicle. In a market with supply issues, this demonstrates the strength of our relationships with our suppliers and the agility of our business model to cope with peak demand.
“I am particularly proud of our further improvement on Trustpilot from 4.7 to 4.8, recognising the market-leading customer service that we provide. Our team has delivered a record quarter, handling increased throughput in our warehouse and via our expertly trained team of delivery drivers. Our call volumes have increased materially and our team have stepped up to deliver during the busiest time of the year, demonstrating the agility of our colleagues and business model to adapt quickly when volumes increase.
“Our momentum has continued into January and we look forward to maintaining our performance management discipline on revenue, profit and cash in the final months of the year.”
Care services firm purchases modern office property
Commercial property agents, Rushton Hickman Ltd, has just sold a 1,350 sq ft (125.42 sq m) two storey modern office property on behalf of private investment clients to Bluebird Care Services.
The property is located in the rural setting of the Lancaster Park Development at Needwood, on the outskirts of Burton upon Trent. The development comprises a mixture of modern industrial/warehouse, business and office units.
The new office location at 9 Lancaster Park, Newborough Road, Needwood, Burton-on-Trent will house a fully functional training facility to support their care team, along with a carers lounge, open plan office for management staff and several meeting rooms.
Bluebird Care provides a range of home and live in care services in the local community, which includes, reablement care, night sitting services, respite care, dementia care, learning disabilities support, and end of life care.
Operating across East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire, Bluebird Care provides homecare to their customers living in Burton, Uttoxeter, Marchington, Doveridge, Rocester, Swadlincote, Hatton, Tutbury, Barton and surrounding areas.
Rick Parekh, director of Bluebird Care, said: “It’s exciting times at Bluebird Care as we move into our new office in Needwood, Burton-upon-Trent.
“We have seen a continual growth for our services, providing high quality care to our customers in the comfort of their own homes and our new office will support us to increase our capacity of care. We hope to recruit 30 new care staff allowing us to provide further care and support in the local community and create new job opportunities.”
Vicki Jones, care manager at Bluebird Care, said: “Our dedicated team are proud to deliver a homecare service that we would be happy for our own family and loved ones to receive. We have a fantastic team whose passion is to always provide great quality homecare and the new office move will provide our care team with better support, including a learning and training facility, not to mention, their own dedicated carers lounge!”
Rushton Hickman commercial property agent, Simon Walker, said: “We are pleased to have recently concluded the sale of this property to Bluebird Care. As the property benefits from an excellent road network and is ideally located for Bluebird Care to provide services across the East Staffordshire/South Derbyshire regions, it was therefore an obvious choice to be considered for purchase.”
Mark Richardson, director of Rushton Hickman, added: “It’s great for us to have helped such a worthwhile business as Bluebird Care find a new home.
“The fantastic office premises they occupy with their flexible space and open plan layout are a perfect example of the type of facility many businesses are now looking for as a hub with a team who combine both home and office-based working. We see this as being the way the office market is going as we move into 2022 and beyond.”
Property firm’s latest acquisition could become home for care provider
A family-run property firm has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of a block which could become an office space for a care provider.
The Nottingham-based Younas Family have purchased Unit 2 Pelham Court, in Pelham Road, off the city’s Sherwood Rise, for a six-figure sum.
It is just a stone’s throw away from two of the family’s other properties – Clarendon Park, which is Unit 1 Pelham Court, and the nearby Lancaster House.
The Younas’ latest acquisition – which brings the total of their commercial acquisitions in the NG5 postcode alone to £4m – consists of 2,000 sq ft of office space.
It had previously been owned by a counselling service, which has shifted to working online amid the pandemic.
Company director Shamraiz Younas said: “We are delighted to have been able to add this unit to our portfolio, which is next door to our other unit.
“I bought it off-market and spoke to the vendor directly. To have care providers interested is fantastic – we are very aware of the sterling work carers do.”
Discussions began six months ago, when Mr Younas initially approached the vendor. The deal was struck recently, with Mr Younas praising the swift transaction process.
The unit formerly comprised a large business facility over three floors, with a meeting room, boardroom and smaller rooms for counsellors.
There are seven off-road parking spaces, a modern fit-out, kitchens, bathrooms and LED lighting, and the developers are hoping to install electric charging points for vehicles.
“Our plans are to fully renovate the building and work will start shortly – our in-house construction team will be doing the renovations,” he added.
The company will be transforming the building into self-contained office space, to be let out.
Two care providers have already shown interest, with a view to taking on a long-term lease.
The Younas family are not fazed by the current trend of home-working taking precedence.
Mr Younas said: “We have more than 35,000 sq ft of acquisitions in the area and we have managed to fill it all.
“I think there is still a demand for offices. People will work from home, but many companies prefer to work from offices, particularly new businesses.”
Renovations are hoping to be completed by February 1.
The Younas family have their sights on an even more successful 2022 and are looking to grow bigger and faster in terms of commercial space, with a number of deals set to be complete in the first quarter. The firm is actively looking for acquisitions.
Over 7,000ft² of offices sold on Clarendon Business Park
FHP Property Consultants have completed on the sale of two self-contained office buildings on Clarendon Business Park in Nottingham.
Acquired by a rapidly expanding education provider, 2.1 and 2.3 provide just over 7,000ft² of accommodation with substantial car parking provision close to the city.
Thomas Szymkiw, of FHP’s Office Department, said: “I have been in touch with the purchaser of both properties for a number of years and was well aware of their desire to acquire a good quality self-contained office building in Nottingham.
“The right freehold option had been hard to find – however knowing the nature of their requirements I knew instantly that two, self-contained buildings situated in close proximity to each other on Clarendon Business Park would present the perfect opportunity to enable them to expand their educational services in the city.”
Metal recycling specialist awarded gold standard in FORS accreditation for fleet safety and emissions
Midlands-based metal recycling and waste management specialist, Ward, has been awarded FORS Gold accreditation for its fleet safety, driver training and overall transport operations.
The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is a voluntary accreditation scheme for transport businesses which aims to raise the level of quality in operations. It recognises teams who are achieving exemplary levels of best practice in safety, efficiency and environmental protection.
Gold accreditation is only awarded to exceptional operators who have met exacting targets and is the top level of accreditation available. It enables the Ward team to promote its exemplary practice to customers, stakeholders and its supply chain partners.
Min Bawa, senior transport manager at Ward, said: “This is an incredible achievement and we are so proud of our team for being awarded FORS Gold status. We’re one of only a few recycling companies that hold the ISO 9001, 14001 and 18001 quality standards as well as retaining Investors in People accreditation and this additional recognition of best practice cements our commitment to quality even further.”
To achieve the accreditation the metal and waste management specialist had to evidence best practice across several areas including driver wellbeing, fuel efficiency, noise reduction and modal shift.
Min added: “Our fleet is under constant review. As part of our sustainability road map to 2030 we are committed to having a fleet that is 100% Euro 6 specification. By replacing older vehicles when the time comes and continually investing in the latest technology, we aim to reduce emissions, improve fuel efficiency and equipment safety, as well as supporting our drivers’ wellbeing with training and wider benefits.”
Operations director, Donald Ward, added: “We want people to know that when they choose Ward as their supplier they are guaranteed a low carbon footprint, high standards of sustainability, safety and great level of service. FORS Gold is recognition that we consistently achieve that.”
APSS to give away a free office design in celebration of its 25th year in business
Lincolnshire commercial office design and refurbishment company APSS is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year by giving away a free office design to one East Midlands business.
Established in Lincoln in 1997 by Chairman Darren Crookes, the company has naturally evolved from a partitions and storage solution company to provide a full design and fit out service. It includes its own in-house joinery department to speed up delivery time on projects and decrease overall costs for the customer.
Stuart Marsland, sales director for APSS, said: “To reach 25 years in business is a huge milestone for any company. To celebrate, we’re giving businesses in the East Midlands the chance to win a free office design. We know many companies have had to shift to a more flexible, hybrid way of working due to the COVID pandemic. However, many have not had the ability to change the office environment to reflect this new way of working.
“This has meant many offices have wasted space that could be put to better use. For example, changing banks of desks for alternative collaboration space, creating more group meeting rooms or individual rooms specifically designed to provide a quiet space for virtual meetings.
“We want to help companies see the potential its current office space has when designed specifically for the way the business now works.”
To enter the competition, businesses need to submit an online form before February 7th, 2022 and answer four questions about what both they and their staff want included in their office environment. The winner will be chosen by a panel of judges and will receive computer-generated images and a video walkthrough of the design to show the potential the office has.
In the last 25 years, APSS has completed over 10,000 orders for customers across the country. The company’s first-ever customer was Siemens. Since then, it has designed and refurbished offices and retail spaces for Wren Kitchens, Slimming World, Octopus Energy, Loughborough University, University of Sheffield and Bakkavor to name just a few.
For all terms and conditions of the competition, please visit the APSS website.
Graduate job vacancies 20% higher than pre-pandemic, reports Institute of Student Employers
The graduate jobs market has recovered with the number of vacancies now 20% higher than in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, reports Institute of Student Employers (ISE).
Companies responding to ISE’s Vacancy Survey 2022 represent the UK’s largest graduate employers. They reported that job vacancies for graduates will increase by more than a fifth (22%) in 2022 compared to 2021.
Sectors with the biggest jobs growth this year are the built environment (48% growth), energy, engineering and industry (41% growth), and health and pharmaceuticals (37% growth).
The charity and public sector is the only industry to reduce the number of graduate jobs in 2022. However, even with the 11% reduction in vacancies this year, the sector is above pre-pandemic levels.
ISE’s Vacancy Survey shows the pandemic’s impact on the graduate labour market. For example, compared to 2019, graduate vacancies have risen by 67% in the built environment, 42% in digital and IT, and 24% in health and pharmaceuticals.
All sectors have returned to pre-pandemic levels of hiring with the exception of jobs in retail and FMCG. While this sector is currently recruiting 3% fewer graduates than in 2019, it has increased vacancies by 20% from 2021 to 2022.
Meanwhile, school leaver jobs in retail and FMCG have increased by 55% since last year.
Overall school and college leaver vacancies did not dip during the pandemic and have grown by 17% compared to 2021. As well as retail and FMCG experiencing strong growth, finance and professional services has grown by 37%, and the built environment sector by 30%.
There is evidence that recruitment has returned to a student-driven market. While competition for graduate jobs reached a record high in 2021, nearly half (48%) of graduate employers reported that they had received fewer applicants than this time last year. This is due to more graduate vacancies and difficulties engaging students with online careers events now they have returned to campus.
Nearly one in five employers (18%) noted that the quality of graduate applicants had dropped. They stress that to be successful, students need to focus on career planning and application readiness.
Stephen Isherwood, chief executive of ISE, said: “The number of graduate jobs has slowly increased but this is the first time we’ve seen hiring back to pre-pandemic levels. It demonstrates business confidence and how much employers continue to value a degree.
“This is great news for those job hunting. The hike in vacancies means a return to a student-driven market. However, with a significant number of employers noting a drop in the quality of applicants, students should be aware of resting on their laurels.
“The graduate labour market is and always has been competitive. While students should feel confident about their prospects, they need to apply themselves rigorously to their job search and make every application count.”
Six-year high for private equity-backed buyouts in the East Midlands
The value of private equity-backed deals in the East Midlands was at its highest level for six-years in 2021, according to provisional data from CMBOR, the Centre for Private Equity and MBO Research.
There were 13 deals in the East Midlands in the year with a combined value just shy of £1bn – at £989m, significantly up from the total value of £152m in 2020 and the highest since 2015 (which stood at £1.56bn and was dominated by one major deal).
Whilst the number of deals in the East Midlands was in line with the average for the past ten-years (13), the total value for the year was above the annual average of nearly £708m, according to the data in CMBOR’s first full-year announcement since its re-establishment within Nottingham University Business School with the support of Equistone Partners Europe.
Five deals were recorded in the first quarter of the year, four in the second quarter and two in each of the last two quarters of 2021.
In the neighbouring West Midlands, 16 deals were completed in the year with a combined value of £4.7bn which was in part driven by two landmark deals – Aggreko’s delisting from the London Stock Exchange following its £2.3bn acquisition by private equity firms TDR Capital and I Squared Capital, and Blackstone’s acquisition of warehouse and house builder St Modwen in a deal valued at nearly £1.7bn.
CMBOR’s year-end report also showed that private equity activity across the whole of the UK reached levels not seen since before the global financial crisis. At £45.8bn, the cumulative value of the 235 buyouts of UK-based companies in 2021 represented the biggest headline figure in the 35-year history of CMBOR, surpassed on an inflation-adjusted basis only by the £44.1bn recorded in 2007.
Will Copeland, from Equistone’s Midlands office, said: “With the exception of 2015, the deal value of buyouts in the East Midlands is the highest it has been for over 10 years. The region has built-on the resilience shown in the second half of 2020 and continued to be an attractive region for investment capital.
“Average deal value in the East Midlands rose significantly from £14m in 2020 to £76m in 2021, well above the average for the last ten years of £53m, with sector-focus predominately being in business services and technology companies,” said Copeland.
“For the year ahead, there are several interesting opportunities emerging in the Midlands, both from a platform investment and bolt-on investment perspective. There is some anticipation that the latter may arise from more distressed situations.
“Meanwhile, we will continue to focus not only on finding new investment opportunities but also realising value for our investors. I suspect we’re not the only general partner in this segment that has returned more capital to investors than we invested in 2021,” he said.
Across the UK, record levels of capital deployment were accompanied by strong exit activity, as private equity firms realised 124 investments in the UK at an aggregate value of £27.9bn – the largest such figures since 2018 and 2017, respectively. Floatations were a significant contributor, accounting for the largest single exit (Blackstone and CVC’s relisting of Paysafe via sale to a Special Purpose Acquisition Company) and reaching their highest volume since 2017 and cumulative value since 2015.
These seven UK listings, totalling £11.3bn, showed private equity firms also steering investee companies back towards public markets following a successful hold period.
Dr Kevin Amess, Associate Professor in Industrial Economics at Nottingham University Business School and Fellow of CMBOR, said: “We’ve seen an extremely buoyant UK buyout market in 2021, indicating that the industry has mounted a near full recovery from the impact of Covid.
“What is interesting is how part of that recovery has involved private equity taking an ever-greater role in funding high-growth companies in those sectors such as technology and healthcare that will be the fundamental building blocks of the UK economy post-pandemic.”
2022 Business Predictions: Natalie Bamford, Managing Director of Colleague Box
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Natalie Bamford, Managing Director of Derby-based personalised gift box business Colleague Box.
Following the lockdown in 2020, 2021 was the year that everyone got used to working from home.
This was a huge opportunity to enable firms to demonstrate to their workers that they were thinking of them.
For Colleague Box, as a business created during the pandemic specifically for delivering happiness to those working remotely or furloughed, we saw a huge increase in demand as organisations adjusted to the massive change. Businesses wanted to repay the faith which their employees had in them, and I think that we all became more empathetic as we tried to find that perfect work-life balance.
In 2022 – and with the Government once again advising people to, if they can, work from home – this looks set to continue. Companies are now more aware of the needs of their staff, more in-tune to their wellbeing and the loneliness which can come from working remotely.
We have seen Christmas parties cancelled and, as a result, Colleague Box HQ has had its busiest year to date in response to this; businesses still want to thank their employees for their continued hard work and a Colleague Box is the perfect way to do that.
Next year looks set to be another year of growth for Colleague Box and fellow online delivery services. I think we are all more in-tune now when it comes to wellbeing and that is reflected in the new range of products we are launching; our latest addition is a collaboration with Rebecca Smith of Derby-based Peachy Mind which aims to create a mindful experience for companies to purchase for their teams.
Rebecca, who is a qualified psychotherapist and mental wellbeing consultant, has pre-recorded workshops where she talks through the contents in each wellness box, explaining the meaning behind each item, creating a practical and enjoyable experience with notes to takeaway.
It will help with continuing the mindful journey as, in 2022, many more businesses and organisations take action on mental wellbeing in the workplace.
Insurance broker acquires Leicestershire firm
Aston Lark, the insurance broker currently backed by Goldman Sachs but soon to become part of Howden, has acquired Phoenix Healthcare (UK).
Phoenix Healthcare was established in 1996 in Oadby, Leicestershire and is a leading independent UK broker and adviser specialising in all aspects of corporate healthcare provision.
Peter Blanc, Aston Lark Group CEO, said: “When I first met Paul and Lee, it was clear that they share the same client service ethos as Aston Lark. We’re becoming a real powerhouse in Private Medical Insurance, and I’m delighted to welcome Paul, Lee and their team to the Aston Lark family.”
Paul Wright, founding director of Phoenix Healthcare, said: “Both Lee Shorter and I have over 35 years’ experience in the industry, and are delighted to choose Aston Lark as the long-term partner for our business. We firmly believe that they will be a great home for our staff and share our client-first approach to corporate healthcare broking.”
Lee Shorter, founding director of Phoenix Healthcare, added: “Becoming part of Aston Lark and having access to their resources and products will provide great opportunity for further helping our clients.”
Former department store purchased for new civic hub
Mansfield’s former Beales department store has been purchased to provide a new multi-agency civic hub as part of the Mansfield District Council’s long term town centre regeneration plans.
The scheme – “Mansfield Connect” – will be the new headquarters for the council and is expected to house a variety of other public, educational, enterprise and health and wellbeing services, alongside spaces for private sector occupiers such as food and drink outlets.
Mansfield District Council has taken the initiative and purchased the premises to enhance the bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF) to help re-invigorate the town centre.
Mansfield Connect will form a central part of the bid and would see the council relocating from the Civic Centre, with that site being made available for redevelopment.
To date, the Department for Work and Pensions, Nottinghamshire County Council, Vision West Nottinghamshire College, Nottingham Trent University, NHS health partners, and volunteering co-ordinator the CVS have all expressed interest in being involved in the new hub.
As well as improving the delivery of public services by providing a range of agencies accessible under one roof, it is envisaged that the new hub would generate extra footfall in the town centre which would benefit existing retailers and help drive regeneration, with the hub being a catalyst to stimulate private sector investment in both the day and night time economy in the town centre.
The scheme forms part of the council’s wider ambitions for the town, demonstrated by the emerging Town Centre Masterplan and broader Mansfield District Council strategies promoting Growth, Aspiration, Wellbeing and Place.
Executive Mayor Andy Abrahams said: “We believe repurposing this redundant retail space in Mansfield town centre fulfils all the ambitions of the Government’s Levelling Up Fund and by purchasing the building now, we believe this will strengthen the council’s bid.
“Consolidating public services in one town centre space makes so much sense, for both the delivery of those services to our community, and the wider economic benefits for the town centre. We are doing everything within our power to satisfy the requirements of the LUF bid criteria so we can move forward at pace when we are, hopefully, successful.
“Mansfield really needs this kind of ambitious re-imagining of its shopping streets to a mixed-use town centre if it is to build a bright future and encourage inward investment. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our town’s fortunes and prospects for the better.”
The council can submit one MP-backed bid to the LUF either for an individual project or a package of measures, focusing on capital investment in local infrastructure and building on existing Local Growth Fund and Towns Fund supported programmes.
Under the first round of the LUF, local authorities could seek up to £20m of funding, with the support of the local MP, seeing funding targeted towards places with the most significant needs in terms of economic recovery, regeneration and growth and improved transport and connectivity.
Mansfield has been ranked at level one out of three by the Government, putting it amongst those areas with the greatest need.
The council has qualified for £125,000 in funding to help draw up its LUF bid and improve its chances of success in the anticipated next round of bids, an announcement about which is expected in the spring from the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities.
A Mansfield Connect Steering Group is guiding the project and the council has engaged project management specialists ARC Partnership to support its initial development, feasibility, costings and design options.
Additional support in building a business case for the scheme and for the LUF bid has been secured from Partnering Regeneration Development Ltd.
The work will see a close collaboration with consultants Allies & Morrison who are working with the council on the emerging Town Centre Masterplan and Severn Trent’s Green Recovery Flood Resilience Project.
