New PM must restore business confidence says BCC
Reacting to the announcement of the new Prime Minister, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: “We would like to congratulate Rishi Sunak on his appointment as Prime Minister.
“The political and economic uncertainty of the past few months has been hugely damaging to British business confidence and must now come to an end.
“The new Prime Minister must be a steady hand on the tiller to see the economy through the challenging conditions ahead.
“This means setting out fully costed plans to deal with the big issues facing businesses; soaring energy bills, labour shortages, spiralling inflation, and climbing interest rates.
“We cannot afford to see any more flip-flopping on policies – the UK’s businesses need a sustainable, long-term economic plan they can believe in.
“The BCC is writing to the Prime Minister to set out the action needed to tackle the main challenges facing business. It is vital we see progress made in these areas to keep doors open and promote investment.
“Firstly, the Government must provide more certainty on the energy support package for businesses and quickly communicate how the system will work from April. Firms need to know what support to expect in the medium and long term.
“Secondly, they must fix the extremely tight labour market. Without the skilled people to do the jobs businesses need, the economy will stagnate.
“Thirdly, to grow the economy, Government must set out a strategy to boost our international trade and exports.
“People run businesses and businesses rely on people. The new administration must grasp that the cost of living and cost of doing business crises are two sides of the same coin.
“We need a clear long-term vision of how the new Prime Minister will deal with the challenges ahead and create the business conditions that allow firms, and the communities that rely on them, to thrive.”
Northamptonshire environmental consultancy falls into administration
Ensafe Consultants, the Northamptonshire-headquartered environmental and health and safety and training company, has fallen into administration.
The news comes just a year after the acquisition of geo-environmental consultancy Pam Brown Associates and the opening of their new office in Burton-on-Trent.
The firm, which was established some 27-years ago employed over 175 people across 7 regional offices. The company boasted a number of blue chip clients including: Carlsberg, Shell, Tesco, GE Healthcare, Royal Mail, Engie and the University of Nottingham.
Greg Palfrey of Evelyn Partners LLP and William Turner of Verulam Advisory Ltd have been appointed joint administrators of the company.
Pendragon bucks trend with £14.7m pre-tax profit in 3rd quarter
Nottingham-headquartered car retailer Pendragon has delivered a strong trading performance in Q3 2022 with robust margins and impressive new car sales, despite new vehicle volumes elsewhere continuing to be impacted by reduced supply.
Pendragon appears to have outperformed the market with new units up 14.2% in the quarter and new margins also remaining strong, with gross profit per unit (“GPU”) of £2,597 up £743 compared to Q3 FY21.
In airport to the London Stock Exchange, the listed company reported that aftersales revenue and gross margin were both higher than in the prior year, with revenue up 5.0%, margin rate up to 51.7% (Q3 FY21: 50.3%) and gross profit up 7.8% as a result. The strong performance in new cars and aftersales broadly offset the lower used car volume and anticipated decline in used car margins.
Overall, underlying profit before tax was £14.7m (Q3 FY21: £25.1m).
Bill Berman, Chief Executive of Pendragon PLC, comments: “We are pleased with the performance in Q3 FY22 and remain confident in delivering progress towards our long term goals. While we continue to expect both new and used vehicle supply shortfalls for the last quarter of FY22 and into 2023, the new car order bank remains well above historic normal levels at over 20,000 at the end of September. The economic backdrop remains challenging, however we continue to expect to deliver group underlying profit before tax in line with Board expectations for the current financial year.
“We are encouraged that the momentum we saw going into the second half has continued throughout the third quarter. Our agile and diversified business model positions the business well to respond to the uncertain environment, as demonstrated by the outperformance in new vehicles and the strong margin profile of the broader UK Motor division.
“While supply chain challenges and other market pressures are set to persist, we are confident we have the right strategy in place to deliver for our customers and partners, and to meet our expectations for the full year.”
Boots to recruit over 10,000 workers
Boots is recruiting for over 10,000 seasonal roles in its stores, warehouses and operations this festive period.
The roles will be available across a wide variety of areas to cater to all job-seekers keen to find work in the run up to the holidays, and will include:
- Over 6,500 Christmas Customer Assistant roles, where team members will be responsible for helping customers to find the items they need and ensuring shoppers receive the excellent customer experience that they expect from Boots.
- Up to 3,000 roles at the Boots Beeston and Burton-on-Trent distribution centres, including Warehouse Operatives and Picker Packers who play a crucial part in keeping the gears turning smoothly for in-store and boots.com orders.
- 2,000 roles for in-store Customer Operations Assistants – with team members helping to pick and pack deliveries as well as supporting day-to-day store operations – acting as the important link between the shop floor and distribution of Boots deliveries.
Leicester footwear giant sees revenues soar
Leicester footwear retailer giant, Shoe Zone, seem resilient in the face of a mixed year with a revenue leap of 31.2% despite the closure of 63 stores.
The listed firm has reported group revenue increases, from £119.1m in 2021 to £156.2m translating into pre-tax profits of some £11m.
Chief Executive Update, Anthony Smith says: “I am pleased to announce that Shoe Zone had a positive year that included a full 52 weeks trade post pandemic. We continue our strategy to expand our Hybrid and Big Box formats via refits and relocations. Shoe Zone continues to show how resilient it is, with a proven track record of delivering robust results during times of economic uncertainty.
We look forward to updating shareholders in more detail at the time of our final results on 10 January 2023.
I would like to thank all of our teams for their continued commitment and hard work that have produced these great results.”
Wyvern House sells for £1.45m
E.ON’s former premises on Phoenix Business Park has been sold to a national church group for £1.45m.
Acting on behalf of private clients, FHP have concluded the sale of Wyvern House on Phoenix Business Park, a detached 12,000 sq ft office building which was previously occupied by Eon prior to their rationalisation on the park. The property has been sold to The Winners Chapel, a church group, predominately for office and administrative functions of the organisation which operates nationwide with ten branches in the UK to date.
The property was sold at a price of £1,450,000 and will now undergo a substantial refurbishment to provide modern office spaces and an open congregational hall area on part of the ground floor.
Mark Tomlinson, Director at FHP, who concluded the sale on behalf of the sellers commented:
“We are very pleased to have completed this sale which will hopefully breathe new life into this part of Phoenix Business Park which had suffered from reduced occupancy levels since the Coronavirus Pandemic.
We are delighted to see that many of the occupiers within Phoenix Place are now returning to the office and this deal, alongside other projects we are working on in the business park will bring Phoenix Place back to full occupancy, which is very pleasing to see.”
Savills were joint selling agents on the deal.
Nottingham property specialist secures off-market double deal in city centre
Commercial property specialists NG Chartered Surveyors have scored a double deal on the same property in an off-market deal in Nottingham city centre.
Acting on behalf of the vendor, NG has sold 3-7 Middle Pavement in Nottingham to new owner, DGH of FHP, while at the same time acting on behalf of the new owner to lease the ground floor of the same building to Mint Duck Clothing.
3-7 Middle Pavement is made up of the former Whistles clothing outlet on the ground floor, which will now be occupied by new tenant Mint Duck. Meanwhile, the upper floors consist of office space. The whole building totals some 5,880 sq ft.
Charlotte Steggles secured the deal on behalf of the vendor. She said: “Middle Pavement is one of Nottingham’s prime locations, and with the rejuvenation of Bridlesmith Gate ongoing just around the corner, this property is in an ideal location for both the new owner and tenant.
“This was also a great deal for our client, who is looking to realign their portfolio and leave it in safe hands for the future. An off-market deal in the city centre is always particularly satisfying, and it demonstrates, once again, NG’s knowledge of the local and regional property market.”
Entries open for annual Medilink Midlands Business Awards
Entries are now open for the 2023 Medilink Midlands Business Awards – the annual event celebrating the achievements, innovations, and breakthroughs of life sciences companies across the East and West Midlands.
Medilink Midlands is the Midlands life sciences industry association with a vision to stimulate the growth of the Midlands life science sector by helping companies establish, develop, and grow.
Its annual Business Awards will once again showcase the very best collaborations between industry, academia, and the NHS across the Midlands.
Sponsored by the University of Birmingham and the Precision Health Technologies Accelerator (PHTA), the 2023 Awards have seven free-to-enter categories including Start-up, Delivering Innovation in Health and Care, Innovation, Outstanding Achievement, Advances in Digital Healthcare, Export Achievement, and Partnership between Academia and Business.
In addition, Medilink Midlands’ independent judging panel will be invited to nominate businesses that show great growth potential for the One to Watch award.
Winners will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony and dinner at the Great Hall, University of Birmingham on Thursday 16 March 2023. All winning organisations will be automatically entered in to the Medilink UK National Awards, part of the Med Tech Innovation Conference & Expo (MTI), taking place on the 7 and 8 June 2023.
Simon Himsworth, Chief Executive of Medilink Midlands, said: “Our annual Business Awards recognise and showcase the excellence that Midlands companies are achieving at the leading edge of the healthcare sector. The event is also a fantastic opportunity for the Midlands life science community to come together, network and celebrate their successes.
“All life sciences businesses in the East and West Midlands are invited to enter, with our regional winners set to go forward to the national Medilink UK Business Awards, which will celebrate the country’s top life sciences companies.”
Richard Fox, Strategic Business Engagement Partner for Life Sciences, University of Birmingham, added: “The University of Birmingham and the Precision Health Technologies Accelerator are proud to be sponsoring the Medilink Midlands Business Awards 2023. These awards shine a light on the businesses at the forefront of healthcare innovation and the thriving life sciences community in the region.
“The Precision Heath Technologies Accelerator, based at the Birmingham Health Innovation Campus, will further accelerate the adoption of healthcare innovations in the region and beyond, creating opportunities for transformative collaborations between businesses, the university and NHS partners. And who knows, some of the winners of the Medilink Midlands Business Awards may become PHTA residents and collaborators of the future!”
Chris Barker, who is CEO at Spirit Healthcare, winners of the 2022 award for Advances in Digital Healthcare, said: “The trophy is one of the first things you see when you enter Spirit House. It not only serves as a reminder to the whole team of all the incredible work we have done so far, but also spurs us on to do even more to support our patients and partners.”
Henry Brothers Midlands stages official opening of new offices after expansion into larger premises
Construction contractor Henry Brothers Midlands has staged an official opening of its new premises after moving into larger offices as part of continued growth.
Northern Ireland-based company Henry Brothers established a Midlands division in Nottingham in 2015 – operating from an office in Beeston.
Led by Henry Brothers Midlands Managing Director Ian Taylor, the company quickly cemented itself as a key operator in the East Midlands construction sector.
Now the company has relocated to a much bigger office in Eldon Road, Beeston, with its team of almost 60.
Members of the Henry Brothers main board attended the official opening event, including Chairman Emeritus Jim Henry, his sons Group Managing Director David Henry and Group Director Ian Henry, his daughter HR Director Julie McKeown, Commercial Director Alan Mitchell and Financial Director Allen Reid.
Henry Brothers Chairman Emeritus Jim Henry said: “This is a proud day, as we open new, much larger offices for our Midlands team. It’s been very pleasing for me to see how the Midlands division of Henry Brothers has grown and flourished in a relatively short space of time and I congratulate all those involved in the success.
“I am delighted to cut the ribbon to officially open the new offices and signal the next stage of development for Henry Brothers Midlands.”
Key personnel from the Henry Brothers Midlands team at the event included Midlands Managing Director Ian Taylor, Commercial Director John Fielding, Design and Planning Director John Sowter and Construction Director Justin Hicklin.
Ian Taylor added: “Henry Brothers Midlands has experienced continued and sustained growth since being launched in 2015. In seven years we have grown to become a division with an annual turnover of £60m.
“We have built up strong relationships with a number of clients in the Midlands and beyond, including Nottingham Trent University, Loughborough University, Lincoln University, Staffordshire University and Derbyshire County Council.
“We are proud to have delivered first class schemes for the education sector, the blue light sector, the defence sector and others – providing both new-build and refurbishment services to our clients.
“Moving to a new office opens the next chapter for Henry Brothers Midlands, allowing us to maintain our growth in the Midlands and further afield. Our aim is to continue to offer clients an exceptional service, working in partnership to support them with their development plans.”
The new two-storey office in Beeston includes modern, flexible working spaces and more than doubles the space of the company’s previous Midlands headquarters.
Henry Brothers Midlands has delivered a number of significant projects since being launched in 2015 including the £30m refurbishment of the W & S buildings at Loughborough University, the new joint headquarters for Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service at Sherwood Lodge, and a new Alfreton Park School in Derbyshire.
The company has also delivered multiple schemes for Nottingham Trent University including the £9m Dryden Enterprise Centre, the new £23m Engineering building, the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF), and the £15m Health and Allied Professions Centre – working to improve facilities on both the Clifton Campus and the Nottingham City Centre Campus.
Its current projects include the £9m SportPark Pavilion 4 Passivhaus scheme and a £3m Energy and Data Hub at Loughborough University, along with two projects at RAF Waddington and a £12m refurbishment of the Chemistry Building at The University of Manchester.
Henry Brothers Midlands is currently on eight frameworks, including Crown Commercial Service’s Construction works and associated services 2/Procure23 (P23) Framework alliance to provide design and construction services to NHS capital projects in the East and West Midlands, and the Department for Education’s (DfE) 2021 Construction Framework for projects from £6m to £12m for the East of England.
Timms wills and probate team wins national recognition
Timms Solicitors, which has offices in Derby, Burton, Ashby and Swadlincote, have been hailed the Midlands Solicitor Firm of the Year in the British Wills and Probate Awards.
The Wills and Probate team from Timms were presented with the prestigious award at the 5th annual gala event in Birmingham in recognition of all round excellence, client engagement, technology transformation, commitment to staff development and providing an outstanding service to the local community.
Managing Partner Fiona Moffat said: “We are delighted that the Wills and Probate team have been recognised with this prestigious award.
“We have been serving our community and clients from our High Street bases for more than 130 years and, under the leadership of Jo Robinson, our established team has gone from strength to strength.
“ We are committed to investing in all of our staff and as a result we are able to provide an exceptional service to our clients.”
Head of Department Jo Robinson added: “I am particularly delighted that the award has highlighted how the team has gone above and beyond to support clients and our wider local communities.
“We are often asked to host informal sessions to raise awareness and highlight the importance of planning for later life or the unexpected.
“The judges were also particularly complimentary about our commitment to embracing new technologies to improve internal and external communications and processes as well as our efforts to assist other solicitor firms and accountants by sharing best practice.
“Our focus moving forwards is to continue to develop and grow the department, maintain our current high standard of work, and for each fee earner to develop their own specialism. We seek to broaden our contentious probate department as this is a rapidly growing area of work.”
