Three neighbourhood parades fully let after flurry of interest
Three LCP-owned and managed retail convenience parades are now fully let after a successful period of marketing.
No.18 Coffee and Eatery has agreed a five-year lease for unit 6 at Kimberley Shopping Centre, in Kimberley, Nottingham. It will join 12 other retailers at the scheme, including Greggs, Card Factory, Wilko and Heron Foods.
The 760 sq ft unit is undergoing fit out and is expected to open in April.
At St Wilfrid’s Square Shopping Centre, in Calverton, Nottingham, will be divided into a Barber shop on the ground floor and Vape Shop on the first floor. They have agreed a seven-year lease for no.17, a 1,425 sq ft unit. This popular open-air parade has 16 retail units, including Sainsburys, Greggs and Boots. It is expected to open in April.
The final letting is at Forge Corner, Blaby, Leicestershire, where Huntsmen Barbers has signed a five-year lease for unit 4, a 811 sq ft shop. Fit out is under way , with an anticipated opening of April. It will join nine other occupiers at the parade, including McColls, Nationwide, Age UK and Your Move.
Barry Flint, Asset Manager of LCP, said: “Signing three new tenants in quick succession shows that the local convenience sector is thriving, and local, independent operators are keen to grow their businesses within their communities. We’re looking forward to welcoming them to our parades.”
FHP work closely with leading commercial property and investment company LCP, acting as agents for their East Midlands property portfolio and Oliver Marshall, Associate Director at FHP is clearly delighted about the deals.
Oliver told Business Link: “It has been great working with LCP on these instructions and concluding matters swiftly. LCP have properties across the UK and we are pleased to be their agents across the East Midlands. These lettings show a snapshot of where we are in the market, where there is still very strong retail demand particularly in town and suburb locations especially within neighbourhood retail parades. We continue to see demand from new businesses and growing independent and regional businesses who are looking to secure prominent retail positions.
The schemes mentioned all have excellent parking facilities onsite or close by and are well shopped serving the local communities.
We work hard to identify and target uses and operators who are not present in order to deliver the best result and improve the tenant mix in each scheme.”
£25m Staveley Town Deal funding confirmed
Over £25m worth of projects have been given the official go ahead, after Government approved the package of all eleven projects within the Staveley Town Deal Programme.
It is a significant milestone for the range of projects that will receive funding through the Towns Fund, which are being delivered by a variety of organisations including Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council, Staveley Town Council, Barrow Hill Community Trust, Chesterfield Canal Trust, Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club and Tawnywood Ltd.
Together the projects offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to improve the quality of life for residents, create new employment opportunities with higher level skills, ensure it is a place where everyone can be proud to live and guarantee that the town and its residents have a bright future ahead – supporting Staveley as a place to start, stay and grow.
Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board and Managing Director of Staveley based MSE Hiller, said: “The projects that are being funded through the Town Deal are designed to complement one another and have been developed in response to the challenges and opportunities in Staveley. The project sponsors have worked hard to get to this point but we are now moving into delivering these projects and ensuring that they can benefit everyone in Staveley.”
Chesterfield Borough Council is the accountable programme lead but will also be delivering three projects using Town Deal funding.
Project#808 create UK business first with the launch of their first Innovation Lab
Pioneering Tech Firm, Project#808 has launched its ground-breaking business – bringing together investment, innovation and the opportunity for sector collaboration and growth.
The firm have stormed onto the UK business and tech scene with ambitions to transform industries and invest in the future of whole industry sectors.
At its core, Project#808 is an investment and transformation business that takes shared industry problems and turns them into universal solutions.
Working with businesses that want to drive innovation within their sector collaboratively, Project#808 formulate innovation labs that solve collective issues and create future opportunities, both for the sector to grow and evolve, and as an investment opportunity in a high-growth tech start-up.
“Rivalling traditional investment methods, Project#808 offers a fresh, creative investment model that provides access to industry improvements as well as additional revenue streams,” says founder of Project#808, Paul Billington, who set out with an intrinsic desire to do things differently and has created a business like no other.
There are three key phases to Project#808’s collaborative process; the discovery phase where they identify the issues holding the sector back, the validation phase where they validate with the sector that the proposed solution will work, and the final launch phase which sees the product developed as a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and subsequently sold to the sector. The brilliance of Project#808 is that at this final stage when a new start-up is born, there is already high and guaranteed demand for it, given the sector’s involvement in developing the solution.
Every spinout is majority-owned by early investors within the industry, who not only benefit from the transformative solution for their businesses but also have equity in the tech start-up selling the solution. The solution is continually developed into market leading solutions, which can then be sold to other sectors and into other territories to achieve widespread growth.
Paul Billington, founder and CEO of Project#808, said: “Having worked within the digital sector for over 25 years helping to support rapid tech start-ups, I experienced the landscape becoming somewhat stale and in many ways overpowered by the big players.
“Sector challenges are increasingly arising and standing in the way of businesses evolving. Unless they are one of the large corporate industry leaders, they just don’t have the means or income power to tackle the issues.
“Hence, I wanted to build a platform that will collaboratively support these business communities whilst in tandem build for the future of the industry, enabling them to be part of something that will achieve true high-growth potential.”
Project#808 achieves this – creating disruptive, market-defining products together, which together can dramatically reduce the cost and risk of innovation. Any business has the opportunity to collaborate across their sector so it’s accessible to all, and the beauty of it is that businesses not only benefit from the sector solution but they have the ability to be part of something new, and possibly even bigger.
Paul added: “We have already created our first Innovation Lab, and there are more underway in the North-West and nation-wide.”
The first of Project#808’s Labs is ‘The Pharmacy Innovation Lab’, designed to instil innovation and unity to a highly fragmented 800-year old community pharmacy industry in danger of being dominated by a few key players. By levelling the playing field and creating this lab, Project#808 has made it possible for 7,000 SME sized pharmacies to thrive within the sector.
This is a true joint venture between Project#808 and the pharmacy sector – over 50% of the Lab is owned by the industry itself.
Tohidul Islam, founder of The Pharmacist Cooperative and multiple business owner, said: “This has been truly revolutionary to be a part of. Bringing about change, implementing innovative solutions and investing in modern systems seemed an impossible dream, not for lack of drive but given the hefty investment costs associated with this – community pharmacies simply don’t have as deep pockets as the big corporates.
“So, naturally having the accessibility of the platform along with the chance to work and invest with likeminded people who care and know so much about the sector felt like an unmissable opportunity. Effectively, I could create and own a share of the future.
“Project#808 paves the way for change and growth. I’m overwhelmed by the progress we’ve already made in such a short space of time – The Pharmacy Innovation Lab is now in full swing and it’s only been a few months. It’s a truly exciting time for us investors, as well as the industry as a whole.”
From zero to hero in just five months – Testament to the success of Project#808, one of the original investors in ‘The Pharmacy Innovation Lab’, which came to fruition in just five months, has traded their equity at twice its original value.
Project#808 is a UK based company in the process of forming a further four innovation labs – more information to be released soon.
North West Leicestershire District Council secures Investors in People silver
Investors in People (IIP) has this week awarded North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) with the We invest in people, silver accreditation.
Silver is a fantastic achievement and something only 15% of the organisations IIP assess achieve.
It means that the right principles are in place but more than that, it means people and leaders are making active efforts to make sure that there’s real consistency and everyone in the organisation is feeling the effects!
NWLDC was first accredited with Investors in People status in 2019. Since then it has focussed on improving communication with staff, increasing learning and development opportunities and providing advice and opportunity around positive health and wellbeing.
The council has moved into hybrid working, with the majority of non-front line staff able to work flexibly, whilst maintaining customer standards and achieving its priorities – all against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Paul Devoy, CEO of Investors in People, said: “We’d like to congratulate North West Leicestershire District Council. Silver accreditation on We invest in people is a remarkable effort for any organisation, and places NWLDC in fine company with a host of organisations that understand the value of people.”
Commenting on the award, NWLDC Chief Executive Bev Smith said: “This is something we’ve worked towards since achieving initial IIP status in 2019 and I’m so proud of the whole council for this fantastic achievement.
“It’s great to know that staff feel valued, empowered and supported, as this is the culture that I’ve really wanted to encourage during my time here.”
£270,000 project begins to improve traffic flow around retail park in Chesterfield
A new £270,000 project to improve traffic flow, road safety and access for cyclists, pedestrians and buses has started at the A619/Park Road junction in Chesterfield.
New low-energy, intelligent traffic lights will be installed to automatically monitor and adjust timings to minimise delays at the busy junction which provides access to the popular Ravenside Retail Park.
To help encourage cycling and walking, a new Toucan crossing will be installed at the crossing on Park Road, with wider footways to provide space for pedestrians and cyclists. The Toucan crossing will automatically detect cyclists and alert the traffic lights to change to reduce waiting times.
As part of the scheme, any local buses running late will be automatically prioritised with a green light to make up lost time, increasing the convenience of travelling by bus.
New LED (light emitting diode) streetlights will also be installed on the approaches to the junction to reduce energy costs and improve visibility for all road users.
To help reduce delays as far as possible during the works, engineers are trialling the use of a new high-tech temporary traffic light system, which is being used for the first time in the county. The system mirrors the way the junction’s permanent lights normally work to keep disruption to a minimum.
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal said:“We are using the very latest technology to bring state-of-the-art traffic solutions to this busy junction in Chesterfield.
“The new traffic lights and pedestrian crossings we install will interact with each other to maximise traffic flow for all road users, improving road safety and reducing delays and greenhouse gas emissions.
“We recognise the improvements will lead to some short-term delays while the works are being carried out which is why we are trialling the new high-tech temporary traffic lights to try to keep these delays to a minimum.
“I’d like to thank local road users for their patience during these improvements which are one part of our £50m package to make Derbyshire a safer, more connected county for everyone.”
Site preparation works will start on Monday 28 March, with the construction works beginning on Wednesday 30 March. The roadworks will be in place from 8am to 4pm. Local road users are encouraged to allow extra time for their journeys.
Marks and Spencer confirms expansion into larger Chesterfield store
Retail giant Marks and Spencer has committed further to its future in Chesterfield, by announcing plans to expand into a larger premises in the town.
The company has officially announced it will be moving to the former Debenhams store on the Ravenside Retail Park, which is a purpose built unit. It means M&S will be expanding its range of food, clothing and homeware to shoppers in Chesterfield.
Craig Baldock, Regional Manager for M&S said: “We’re excited to announce our plans to open a brand new, larger M&S store at Ravenside Retail Park, which will offer local customers in Chesterfield a much bigger range of M&S products across our Foodhall and Clothing & Home departments. The new store will be finished and open to customers later this year.
“We believe this is the right decision to ensure we can deliver the very best M&S offer for customers in Chesterfield and the wider local area. We will keep the community updated as the works progress.
“Shopping habits are changing, so we’re rotating our store estate and this investment in Chesterfield is part of our work to ensure we have the right stores to offer our customers a brilliant shopping experience.”
Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Marks and Spencer moving to Ravenside Retail Park represents a significant investment in our borough, creating more jobs and demonstrating confidence in the growth of the local economy. A new, expanded M&S store will mean they can offer a wider range of products and have a modern store that is fit for the future.
“Whilst the move is disappointing for our high street, we are making significant investments in this area to ensure we can create a modern, vibrant visitor destination which builds confidence in the town – including our ambitious town centre regeneration plans which are moving forward after we secured nearly £20m from the Government’s levelling up fund.
“The council does not own the building currently occupied by Marks and Spencer but we will work with them and the landlord to explore alternative uses for this key town centre building.”
The move is the latest in a line of new openings and expansions into the town, such as Rebel Menswear, Boba Shack and Pizza Pi.
Historic Skegness Town Hall goes on the market
Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has been instructed to sell Skegness Town Hall, a Grade II listed office building, and The Lodge, a separate residential dwelling, by East Lindsey District Council.
The Town Hall was designed by William Henry Ansell and originally built in 1926 as a convalescent home, before being repurposed as the Town Hall in 1964. It benefits from close proximity to the town’s seafront and main tourist areas and would suit a variety of alternative uses.
Andrew France, Associate Director – Agency & Development, at LSH commented:“Located in one of the UK’s most popular tourist resorts, these are prominent buildings with significant redevelopment opportunity for a variety of alternative uses, and the chance to bring something really exciting to Skegness. I’m delighted to be working with East Lindsey District Council to find a buyer that will secure the future of this historic building.”
Councillor Richard Fry, Portfolio Holder for Finance at East Lindsey District Council, said:
“With the development of a new home for the Council at the Horncastle Hub, Skegness Town Hall is now being offered to the market for sale. The Town Hall is now all but empty and is now surplus to the Council’s operational requirements. Best and final offers are being invited with interested parties needing to submit their proposals and offers to Andrew France no later than noon on 29 April 2022. The Council hopes to see the building put into really productive use with the listing itself protecting its magnificence.”
Cash a crucial part of payments mix, say small firms
Responding to the launch of RSA and LINK’s ‘The Cash Consensus’, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) National Chair Martin McTague, who sits on the Community Access to Cash Pilots board, said:
“One in four small high street businesses say cash is still the most popular payment method among customers.
“The pandemic has accelerated the move to contactless, but notes and coins remain important to the daily lives of millions.
“This new report rightly suggests a combination of innovation in the free access to cash space and investment in digital capability as the way forward.
“Through our Access to Cash Pilots, we’re increasingly identifying shared banking hubs alongside enhanced connectivity as integral to financial inclusion and increased productivity over the years ahead.
“Cashback without purchase holds a lot of promise too, provided the incentives in place for small firms that take on the admin, cost and risk of providing it are sufficient.
“By protecting access to cash infrastructure for as long as people want and need it, whilst increasing connectivity and keeping contactless card charges down for small firms, we can create a diverse payments market which is both inclusive as well as resilient when online systems fail.”
Hot Topic – CEO Stuart Law of Assetz Capital comments on the Chancellors Spring Statement
In a series of interviews following the Chancellors Spring Statement, Business Link catches up with Stuart Law, the CEO and co-founder of Assetz Capital, for his response to the measures announced.
“While we welcome the Chancellor’s interventions to support households with the increasing cost of living, including decreasing fuel duty, removing VAT on measures to make homes more energy efficient and increasing the National Insurance threshold later this year, the ONS has announced that house prices grew nearly 10% over the year to January 2022.
With the Bank of England raising rates again to combat inflation, the cost of housing – by far people’s biggest monthly outgoing – is getting more expensive at the worst possible time.
We face an immediate crisis with the cost of energy, we also need to address longer-standing structural, economic and policy issues that are supporting ongoing house price growth. Price growth isn’t just about a knee-jerk response to the pandemic or lingering issues to do with post-Brexit trade, although of course both continue to impact the market.
How we want to live is fundamentally supporting high demand, while an onerous planning system, labour and materials shortages and high land prices continue to hamper construction output. We urgently need to see the content of the much-delayed Planning Bill to understand how this might unlock development by bringing down build costs, and as a result temper price growth to make housing more affordable for all.
Ultimately, balancing supply and demand is the only sustainable way to ensure reasonable levels of house price growth and accessibility to housing for people of all incomes. We are determined to play our part in building a fairer housing market, which is why we’ve recently announced a major extension to our partnership with Aros Kapital to bring £1 billion of funding into the UK. Much of this will be targeted at supporting SME housebuilders. We need a market that better supports SME housebuilders and unlocks development, and as a result lowers the cost of housing, improving access to quality living accommodation for all, but especially those that need additional support; first time buyers, people on low incomes, people fleeing abuse, coping with addiction or living with mental or physical disabilities.
We need a policy focus on these issues, as well as inflation and the cost of energy, if we truly want to make a substantial impact in tackling the cost of living crisis.”
Buyers have keen appetite for food & drink manufacturing
The Food & Drink Manufacturing sector has bounced back after a ‘tumultuous’ year, as consumer demand continues to drive growth in alternative markets, according to accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO LLP.
The UK market saw a ‘prosperous’ return to form with M&A activity up by 20% in 2021 – only 10% lower than pre-pandemic levels. The BDO Food & Drink Manufacturing Review 2022 has revealed that deals increased in plant-based, free-from, low sugar and alcohol alternative subsectors during the last 12 months. This included the cross-border acquisition of vegan and free-from brand Gosh! by Portugal-based Sonae for £64 million.
Roger Buckley, M&A partner at BDO, said: “The rise in M&A activity in 2021 can be attributed to a number of factors, including improving market sentiment, strategic positioning, pent-up demand following an uncertain year, and also rumoured changes to capital gains tax, driving deal completions.
“Whilst plant-based, free-from and sustainable food and drink have been upward trending for the past few years, it’s clear that this subsector is now entering a new stage of growth with volumes of M&A transactions rocketing in 2021.
“The issue of sustainability remains a priority for businesses, consumers and governments. Demand for British produce and environmentally friendly goods is on the rise and the emerging agritech subsector is at the forefront of delivering new technologies.”
The M&A report reveals that agritech is ‘booming’, with new investment into the global market soaring in 2021, with a record $10.5 billion injected into the subsector, representing a 42% CAGR since 2010. The UK continues to lead the European region, with the 2021 AgriFoodTech Investment Report reporting $1.1bn of investment and 164 deals recorded in 2020.
The Food & Drink Manufacturing Review 2022 also shows a dramatic increase in private equity investment in the market, representing 31% of the deal volume last year – up from 19% in 2018. Private equity outfought international acquirers with cross border deals declining from a high of 52% of transactions in 2020 to 45% last year.
Buckley added: “Despite the promising turnaround of the market in 2021, the year ahead will throw up a significant amount of uncertainty and challenges, marked deeply by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We expect rising input prices across energy, labour and materials to be one of the major issues of 2022. Global transport problems and labour shortages will also continue to be disruptive to the industry, despite the Home Office increasing the foreign worker visa to six months for seasonal workers. Full custom controls introduced for goods moving between the EU and UK is also causing headaches for food and drink importers.
“However, challenges aside, we expect the M&A market to remain active, and investors to be increasingly attracted to this resilient industry, as producers and manufacturers continue to re-engage with M&A and re-focus on implementing their growth strategies.”
Confidence falls but outlook remains positive for East Midlands firms
Business confidence in the East Midlands dropped 12 points during March to 22%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.
Companies in the region reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down 17 points at 30%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, down nine points to 14%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 22%.
Despite the fall in confidence, businesses reported plans to target new growth opportunities in the next six months, including evolving products and services offers (43%), utilising new technology to improve operations (29%) and investing in training and development for staff (24%).
The Business Barometer, which questions 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.
A net balance of 13% of businesses in the region expect to increase staff levels over the next year, down seven points on last month.
Overall UK business confidence dropped 11 points during March, from 44% to 33%. Firms’ outlook on their future trading prospects (down from 45% to 34%) and optimism in the economy (down from 43% to 32%) both fell by 11 points on February’s reading. The net balance of businesses planning to create new jobs decreased by six points to 32%.
Every UK region and nation reported positive confidence readings in March, with the exception of Wales which saw confidence drop from 29% to -5%. Only London (up 13 points to 60%), Yorkshire and the Humber (up six points to 57%) and the North West (up one point to 45%) reported a higher reading than last month, with London now the most optimistic region overall.
Dave Atkinson, regional director for the East Midlands at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “East Midlands businesses haven’t been immune to the ongoing challenges arising from surging prices and the war in Ukraine, both of which sadly show no signs of resolution in the near future. All companies across the region will now be looking to steady the ship ready to deal with the challenges ahead.
“We’ll work with local businesses to make sure they can look to the future with more optimism and give them the support they need to tap into these growth opportunities.”
From a sector perspective the impact of the war in Ukraine appears to have had the greatest impact on manufacturing and retail firms. Both sectors saw drops in confidence of 19% from February’s highs (to 35% and 28% respectively). From a manufacturing perspective confidence levels are now at their lowest since last summer, while retail has fallen to a one-year low.
In the other sectors, services dropped by six points (32%) while construction dropped eight points to 43%, but remained higher than at the start of the year.
Hann-Ju Ho, senior economist for Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “March’s data shows UK businesses are facing significant challenges from the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in increasing economic uncertainty and ongoing inflationary pressures. Following encouraging improvements at the start of the year, March’s fall in confidence is therefore disappointing, but not surprising.
“There are positives with the fact that confidence remains above the long-term average and it appears for now that growth will moderate. But it is difficult to gauge what the full impact will be and therefore businesses have become more cautious.”
April “flashpoint” threatens small business futures as eviction protection and sick pay rebate end
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is warning that the futures of thousands of small businesses and sole traders are at risk as a raft of new admin requirements and cost pressures hit over the coming days.
Its intervention follows Office for National Statistics figures showing that Covid infection rates are soaring, and close to one in seven (14%) businesses are not currently fully trading. Research by the body published earlier this month indicated that 5% of businesses, the equivalent of more than 250,000 firms, fear imminent collapse.
Protection from eviction for commercial tenants came to an end last week, the day after an SSP rebate scheme for small businesses closed a week ago today.
Changes taking effect for small businesses imminently include:
- The requirement to pay all VAT deferred in the period to June 2020 under Covid reliefs in full (Today, 31 March)
- An end to the 12.5% VAT rate for the hospitality sector; the requirement to make all VAT returns MTD compliant; an increase in the National Living Wage rate for over 23s to £9.50; a reduction to the 66% business rates discount for high street businesses and first payment of new rates bills (Tomorrow, 1 April)
- An increase in the weekly SSP rate to £99.35 (Sunday, 3 April)
- A 1.25 percentage point increase in NICs rates for employers, employees and sole traders as well as dividend taxation (Wednesday, 6 April)
Historic Nottingham farm submits plans to open its doors as community hub
An historic farm in Nottingham is proposing to open its doors as a community hub which will help keep the area’s history alive.
Greasley Castle Farm has submitted plans to open a museum dedicated to the history of the site and local area, a tearoom, function room and a number of workshops for local businesses.
A planning application has been submitted to Broxtowe Borough Council by property consultancy Fisher German on behalf of the farm.
The site itself is steeped in history, comprising of a Grade II listed farmhouse, castle remains and font, all set within a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The plans would see the ground floor of the farmhouse converted into an interactive tearoom which would not only serve local produce but invite young people to learn more about the ‘farm to fork’ concept and develop their skills in baking.
The existing barns would be converted into a museum which will display historic information and artefacts about the site and the local area, a function room and four workshops available to small businesses.
Visitors would also have access to the grounds of the arable farm which includes almost 1,000 acres of land including fields, woods, and lakes.
The plans are the vision of farm owner Malcolm Hodgkinson who has lived in the area for all of his life but did not learn about its history until he was in his 40s.
He said: “When I was a boy, me and my sister didn’t know that Greasley Castle even existed and there are young people growing up today in this very same position.
“There is a lot of forgotten history in the area and I want to help revive this and keep it alive for generations to come.
“If plans are approved, people will be able to find out about how the site originally housed a medieval manor house before the castle was built in the 1340s.
“Visitors will be able to learn about significant inhabitants of the site and take a look at some of the incredible local artefacts which have been recovered. These will be on display alongside some of the old equipment from the farm showing the agricultural importance of the site.
“The proposed plans also include a tearoom, but I wanted to create something interactive and different to give young people the chance to learn about the ingredients and take pride in making their own cakes and bread for their families.
“It will be fantastic to welcome small local businesses to the workshops which would be suitable for those making and selling things on site such as blacksmiths, jewellery makers, framers – anything that would thrive in a rural setting.
“The farm is already a big part of the local community and has been home to a local Scouts group for more than 30 years, Castle Greasley Archery Club and a local donkey and pony rescue organisation.
“These plans will make the farm into even more of a community hub which will help educate people about incredibly important topics and offer a completely new experience in the area.”
Scott O’Dell, of Fisher German, added: “Malcolm has a fantastic vision to create a valuable community asset which will benefit generations of local people.
“It is an important site historically, so we have worked hard to ensure the proposals involve minimal changes to the existing buildings to ensure they are preserved with little intervention. We are also keeping any new buildings to a minimum.
“It is a really positive application which has a strong focus on the area’s local heritage and agriculture.”
Experienced charity leader and FMCG specialist strengthens FRAME Board of Trustees
FRAME, the Nottingham-based medical research charity committed to reducing the number of animals used in scientific testing, has appointed former charity leader, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) specialist and veganism advocate George Gill to its Board of Trustees.
As founder of VeganFMCG, a company that supports FMCG SMEs in scaling up their business and brand, George also held an 11-year tenure at The Vegan Society, initially as head of business development and then as its CEO. Prior to this, George was CEO of Beyond Animal, a digital platform accelerating the growth of the vegan economy, and previously spent 20 years in sales and business development in FMCG, with a strong background in brand licensing and new product development.
At The Vegan Society, George was responsible for raising income revenue from £300k to £5m, leading the organisation’s promotion of the Vegan Trademark, and executing major campaigns such as the Grow Green Conference and Plate up for the Planet. He also played a key role in policy and advocacy initiatives such as the Ethical Vegan Protection (Equality Act) and the formation of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vegetarianism and Veganism.
FRAME is committed to replacing the use of animals in scientific experiments, and is dedicated to the development of new and scientifically valid methods that will replace the need for laboratory animals in medical and scientific research, education, and testing. The charity provides an annual donation to support the work of the FRAME Laboratory in Nottingham where scientists research and develop human-based alternatives to animal models.
FRAME’s Board of Trustees provides strategic direction and governance and works alongside the charity’s team that is led by CEO Celean Camp. George joins FRAME Trustees Sara Carbone, Dr Lesley Gilmour, Dr Anja Petrie, and Chair of Trustees, Dr Carol Treasure.
Of his appointment, George says: “In recent years, my career has focused on increasing animal-free ingredients and animal-free testing for products across alternative food protein, skincare, toiletries, detergents, fashion, and research medicine, with the goal of promoting veganism and plant-based living as a positive lifestyle choice rather than a fad. As a result, products have been developed from new synthetic ingredients, algae, and cell-cultured seafood by businesses across the world.
“There are many synergies with my work and FRAME’s vision and values, and I’m excited to use my experience to help influence crucial changes in policy, increase awareness of alternative, non-animal testing methods, generate funds for cutting-edge research, and support work on industry partnerships.”
FRAME CEO Celean Camp says: “George’s personal ethos, extensive experience in corporate outreach, and focus on promoting both animal welfare and ethical consumerism strongly align with FRAME’s vision of a world where non-animal research methods are accepted as scientific best practice.
“He brings in-depth charity leadership, governance knowledge and problem-solving skills to our Board of Trustees, which will be invaluable as we expand our education and outreach work and continue to grow and develop FRAME’s public and corporate support.”
New associate director for Mather Jamie
Specialist land development and property consultancy company Mather Jamie has appointed Karla Williams as a new associate director specialising in land acquisitions and disposals.
Having started her career in land buying during a sandwich placement, Karla has spent the last decade working for volume house builders including Countryside Properties and Avant Homes where she was responsible for acquiring sites of various sizes for a mixture of tenures.
Commenting on her appointment, Karla said: “Mather Jamie is a very reputable property consultancy and after many years working for volume housebuilders I thought the opportunity to work on the other side of land transactions would be an exciting challenge.”
Karla graduated with First Class Honours in Planning and Development from Nottingham Trent University in 2014 and enjoys returning as a guest lecturer to support the next generation of graduates. In her spare time Karla enjoys visiting new places and has previously explored Vietnam by motorbike. Originally from Nottingham, Karla now lives in Derby with her husband, two children and an affectionate rescue cat.
Introduction of new Community Foundation injects over £23,000 into local charities
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society has launched a new Community Foundation, giving local charities the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £5,000.
Working in partnership with the Leicestershire & Rutland Community Foundation, the Society’s new fund has been launched as a result of a successful financial year in 2021, presenting the Society with a greater opportunity than ever before to invest its profits back into the community.
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society’s Chief Executive, Colin Fyfe, said: “We’re very pleased to be introducing our Community Foundation because it enables us to provide an unprecedented level of support to charities in the local communities in which the business sits.
“As a mutual organisation, the Society feels very strongly about encouraging projects at grassroots level and we see the launch of the Foundation as a firm statement about our commitment to the community and look forward to getting to know the charities and being a supportive partner.”
The charities which have been successful in receiving funding this year are: Leicestershire-based Feed the Need Coalville, Helping Hands Community Trust and Hospice Hope, and Warwickshire-based charities Nuneaton Men and Women in Sheds, Volunteer Friends and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. The total amount received by the charities is £23,450.
The charities chosen to receive funding through the Foundation this year were voted for by Society staff. From next year, Society members will be involved in this decision.
Charities which would like to be considered for a grant can do so by sending a short email to: grants@llrcommuntiyfoundation.org.uk.
Medieval street character to be restored as new homes approved in Newark
Multi-disciplinary design practice, rg+p has secured planning permission for new homes and co-working space on Stodman Street, Newark, reinstating the town centre’s medieval character.
rg+p’s design, for Newark & Sherwood District Council, will see the creation of 29 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 475m² of co-working space together with car parking, cycle storage, a communal roof terrace and new public realm. The scheme will regenerate the former Marks & Spencer department store, retaining its 1930’s art deco frontage while re-establishing the medieval St Marks Lane.
Ben Walton, rg+p’s design director, says: “Our brief for the redevelopment at Stodman Street was to preserve and enhance its historic character whilst providing modern homes and places of work.
“Through extensive analysis of the townscape, we identified an opportunity to improve the public realm by reinstating St Marks Lane, a medieval lane and natural wayfinding route that connects Stodman Street with Lombard Street.
“Our design introduces pedestrianised upper and lower walkways along here, together with new commercial units which will help reactivate the street frontage.
“By studying the neighbouring architectural context, we established a series of ‘push and pull’ frontages, with the commercial units creating activity along the street and the residential apartments recessed.
“The massing was devised in close consultation with the local authority conservation team to ensure an appropriate sense of scale while the material palette features rhomboid grey zinc shingles, beige stone to complement the retained art deco frontage, red brick with dark and light mortar variations, lime wash/white painted brick and metal balustrading.
“The approved scheme will restore Newark’s historic layout and we look forward to progressing the project.”
Each of the new homes has private amenity space and the majority are dual aspect to help with natural ventilation. Further sustainable design aspects include rooftop PV panels, electric vehicle charging points, and green roofing along the façade facing the newly restored St Marks Lane.
Councillor David Lloyd, leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council and co-chair of Newark Towns Fund Board, said: “These approved plans will provide an excellent opportunity to breathe life back into this vacant space with an interesting and imaginative design that is sympathetic to the surrounding heritage buildings in Newark town centre and materially enhance the quality of the public realm.
“In addition, by creating new high-quality homes, retail space and job opportunities, this redevelopment will benefit our town and its residents in the long term.”
The redevelopment at Stodman Street is one of nine priority projects outlined in Newark’s Town Investment Plan (TIP), developed by the Newark Towns Fund Board. The new homes are expected to be available for residents by 2024.
Global payment services provider reveals office refit as part of vision to create new jobs
Global payment services provider, Worldline has announced a complete transformation of its Beeston site as part of its strategic vision to continue attracting and retaining the best people. The new space will create at least 50 new jobs for Nottingham and an all East Midlands team of contractors has been appointed to carry out the refurbishments.
Globally, Worldline design and operate digital payment and transactional solutions across multiple sectors, primarily working across transport, retail & hospitality and financial services. The teams based at Beeston primarily support the UK rail network delivering rail operations and rail retail services.
Worldline have been based at Beeston since 2009, delivering the technology that is the backbone of the UK rail system. The company currently has over 5,000 vacancies globally and will shortly bring in a new cohort of 50 apprentices who will be inducted through the Beeston site.
Worldline has been working with Leicester-based workplace consultants and commercial fit-out specialists Blueprint Interiors, and Derby-based workplace tech and audio-visual solutions provider TecInteractive.
The project will involve the transformation of 14,000 sq ft of office space that was previously configured as rows and rows of desks into a space which places the needs of the people using the space at the forefront of design. At the heart of the transformation is a learning and invention suite, where Worldline will host industry colleagues and customers in a state-of-the-art immersive experience.
Commenting on the investment, James Bain, CEO of Worldline UK&I, said: “Our people are the most important part of our business, it is fundamental for us that we provide our people with the best possible environment to work in.
“Our approach embodies the future culture of our business supporting our Dynamic Working principles in a post-COVID environment.
“The investment we are making in our Beeston office is not a refurbishment but a complete transformation that we hope will inspire and motivate our people, enabling them to collaborate, invent and work to the best of their abilities.”
Lee Jones, project manager from Worldline, added: “We have worked closely with Blueprint Interiors and TecInteractive who have been brilliant and their advice has been inspirational. They have helped us to truly get under the skin of what our people need from their workplace. We are really excited to commence works and look forward to welcoming our people to use the refurbished spaces when the project is completed in June.”
Chloe Sproston, creative & commercial director from Blueprint Interiors, added: “The new office will provide range of flexible hybrid working solutions that can be adapted according to the needs of its people. Whether this involves collaborative sessions, focused work, or social interactions – the new space, the furniture and the workplace collaborative tech chosen can be easily reconfigured to suit all future needs. On top of this, Worldline are totally committed to ensuring their people feel safe returning to work.”
Tom Bamford from TecInteractive added: “The new office will provide the latest in presentation and collaborative tech across all meeting spaces. As so many meetings are now video calls, we have designed the spaces to be a great experience for all participants, whether they are in a meeting room or connecting in from home.
“This helps everyone feel part of the discussion and get the most from every collaborative session. The learning and invention suite along with the immersive room will provide a space focused on telling the Worldline story to customers as well as being a high-end space for training and presenting products in a futuristic and impactful way.”
As the first industry player to contribute to the carbon neutrality of its activities in the payment industry, sustainability is central to Worldline’s business model. To meet this commitment Worldline has donated all old furniture to CollectEco who will repurpose or recycle it to charities, schools, community groups, NHS trusts and other not for profit good causes.
Children First Derby Charity Spring Ball raises over £8,000
Local charity Children First Derby celebrated the successful return of its annual Charity Spring Ball, held on 26th March 2022 at Morley Hayes Derby, which raised over £8,000 to help support local vulnerable children, young people, and families.
The sold-out Charity Spring Ball 2022, sponsored by East Midlands law firm, Smith Partnership, was well attended by prominent local business leaders – many of whom donated generous prizes for the live and silent fundraising auctions which were held during the event.
“We’re delighted to see the return of our popular Charity Spring Ball and to have received such fantastic support from the local business community,” said Children First Derby CEO, Irshad Baqui.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce that this year’s ball has raised an incredible £8,000 and we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone here for your support this evening, and to all those who have generously donated auction prizes to help support this event.
“Your efforts are greatly appreciated, enabling us to provide continued support to local vulnerable children, young people and families.”
The event saw guest speaker, Joshua Ryan, chair of Children First Derby Youth Forum, deliver an inspirational speech about his previous struggles with mental health, and the challenges he continues to face.
In the heartfelt speech, Joshua detailed how the charity’s ongoing support had proved instrumental in helping him move forward positively with his life and how valuable the support continues to be.
As part of the event, guests enjoyed a three-course evening meal, served in Morley Haye’s Pavilion Suite, and were treated to entertainment from award winning magicians Ian Barradell, and Bernie Pedley.
Long-standing supporter of Children First Derby, and director of Merchant’s Jewellers, Karim Merchant, proved to be an excellent auctioneer for the charity’s live auction. Supported by fellow director, Tanita, the dynamic duo enthused guests, helping to drive auction prizes up and increasing the total amount of funds raised.
In addition to the live and silent auction prizes available on the evening, the charity had previously secured some signed Derby County Football items as auction prizes, including a pair of custom-made signed football boots from England and Manchester United record goal scorer, and current manager of Derby County Football Club, Wayne Rooney.
Some of these coveted, signed Derby County items were auctioned via the charity’s eBay account in the lead up to the Spring Ball – with Rooney’s boots fetching a winning bid of £620. And the total amount raised by the DCFC items amassed £2,000 towards the overall fundraising initiative.
The event concluded with live music performed by 5-piece Band, The Soul Council.
IoD appoints Craig Bentley as Leicestershire vice-chair
The Institute of Directors (IoD) has appointed Craig Bentley as vice-chair for Leicestershire and South East Midlands.
Craig is director of specialist management consulting firm Bentley Management and Consulting. He is also co-founder of Swotly, an ed-tech business which uses voice technology to improve parental engagement with children’s learning.
Prior to setting up his consulting business Craig led commercial and operations teams for global companies in manufacturing, logistics and supply chain management.
He succeeds Dr Shamir Ghumra as vice-chair and will remain as the branch ambassador for policy and governance.
As vice-chair, Craig will work closely alongside branch chair Sarah Canning and a team of specialist ambassadors to provide connections, professional development opportunities and an influential lobbying voice for all directors.
Craig said: “I am delighted to take on this role. We want to support local directors to deal with the challenges facing their organisations but also to provide them with the tools they need to prosper. I will be using my experience in helping clients to manage change and think through better ways of working.”
Sarah Canning, chair of IoD Leicester and South East Midlands, added: “I’d like to thank Shamir for his excellent work as vice-chair and welcome Craig as our new vice-chair. As someone with a passion for helping SMEs to achieve their full potential, I am delighted that Craig has agreed to take on this additional role. We are a community of individual members made stronger through the strength of our network – helping each other grow and succeed.”
