Nottingham Venues to make £1m investment in Orchard Hotel and Bramley’s Restaurant
Nottingham Venues’ Orchard Hotel and Bramley’s Restaurant, located within the University of Nottingham campus, is being transformed, with a significant refurbishment project currently underway.
The Orchard Hotel’s lobby, mezzanine, bar area and Bramley’s restaurant is being re-designed to create a new layout and environment to enhance the guest experience for both corporate and leisure guests.
The £1 million project will transform the ground floor of the hotel, creating a stylish space where guests can gather for coffee, drinks and dinner. The bar will be repositioned and expanded, and the guest check-in area will be relocated to the front of the lobby, ensuring a more seamless arrival experience. Work is expected to be completed in April 2025.
The hotel’s restaurant, Bramley’s, is also undergoing a full reimagination to create a welcoming environment for both corporate and leisure guests.
With a vision to establish Bramley’s as a premier dining destination in Nottingham, Nottingham Venues has appointed David Cartwright as Head Chef. Cartwright, formerly the Head Chef at the renowned fine dining restaurant World Service, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to elevate the restaurant’s culinary offering.
The bar will also be enhanced, with a newly appointed Bar Manager overseeing an expanded cocktail menu and a selection of small plates and casual dining options will be available throughout the day.
The refurbishment project is currently underway and is being carefully managed to ensure The Orchard Hotel remained open, with the team working diligently to minimise disruption to guests.
Tom Waldron-Lynch, CEO of Nottingham Venues, said: “This refurbishment marks a significant step forward in our commitment to providing outstanding hospitality. We want to create an enhanced space where all guests will want to spend time in, particularly our corporate guests who want to unwind and socialise following meetings or conferences at the adjacent East Midlands Conference Centre.
“Our Bramley’s restaurant is a huge focus for us, and I am looking forward to seeing the restaurant develop in the coming months. We want to put the restaurant on the food map in Nottingham and create a high-quality restaurant that people in Nottingham want to visit, along with our corporate guests.
“The new environment will help this, but we are also refining our food and beverage offering, with a real focus on sustainable sourcing of quality produce. The new menu David is creating will help us to showcase this produce to create a memorable experience for our guests.”
Lincolnshire offers free business advice to struggling farmers
Lincolnshire County Council funds business advice sessions to support farmers facing financial and regulatory challenges. The initiative, part of the Lincolnshire Farm Support Programme, follows a £50,000 funding boost in December to help farming businesses plan for the future.
Farmers can access one-on-one advice or group workshops on business planning, cash flow management, diversification, and succession planning. Savills delivers the sessions, which are coordinated by the Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub.
The council cited concerns over rising costs from National Living Wage and National Insurance increases and the sudden closure of the government’s Sustainable Farming Initiative, which previously provided guaranteed income for environmental land management.
Lincoln council expansion plan to be debated amid local government shake-up
Lincoln City Council is set to discuss a proposal to expand its boundaries, merging with parts of West Lindsey and North Kesteven to form a new “Greater Lincoln” authority. The plan will be reviewed in emergency meetings this week ahead of the government’s deadline for local government reform proposals.
The proposed authority would incorporate Lincoln alongside several neighbouring wards, aligning with urban interests rather than the surrounding rural areas. The council argues this would preserve Lincoln’s historical self-governance while creating efficiencies.
The government is encouraging councils to consolidate into larger single-tier authorities, with a suggested population target of 500,000. Lincoln’s proposal, which includes three separate authorities for the region, would not meet this threshold but is projected to save between £4 million and £26 million annually, with an estimated one-off transition cost of £15 million.
The council will submit its initial proposal to the government this week, with final plans due in November.
Bank of England holds interest rates at 4.5%
The Bank of England has held interest rates at 4.5%, in line with expectations.
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which sets monetary policy to meet the 2% inflation target, voted by a majority of 8–1 to maintain Bank Rate at 4.5%. One member preferred to reduce Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 4.25%.
Alpesh Paleja, Deputy Chief Economist, CBI, said: “Today’s announcement was in line with the ‘cut/hold’ tempo on interest rates that we expect for the rest of this year.
“This understandable caution largely reflects a growing trade-off facing the Monetary Policy Committee in setting borrowing costs. Activity remains weak, but this doesn’t seem to be having much of an impact on inflationary pressure yet. Indeed, our own surveys show that pricing intentions have picked up again, at least in part reflecting businesses reacting to higher employment costs.
“The MPC have also become more split on whether the persistence in inflationary pressure is driven by a deterioration in the economy’s supply capacity, which means that weaker demand may not have much of an impact in taking the heat out of pricing and wage intentions. The upshot of all this uncertainty is that while interest rates are likely to be cut further this year, the path down will remain gradual.”
Nottinghamshire rum brand appoints former Diageo executive as new CEO
DropWorks, the Nottinghamshire-based rum brand, has appointed Graham Appleyard as its new Chief Executive Officer as the brand continues to strengthen and attract industry talent.
With a career spanning over two decades in the drinks industry, including key marketing leadership roles at global drinks giant Diageo, Appleyard’s expertise will be instrumental in continuing to drive the company’s ambitious growth strategy.
Since it was founded by rum expert Lewis Hayes in April 2023, DropWorks has been at the forefront of the British rum category, producing small-batch distillations from its 17,000 sq ft distillery in Nottinghamshire’s Sherwood Forest.
Appleyard, who also co-founded Flintlock Brand Marketing Consultancy, has an enviable track record of revitalising global brands and driving commercial success.
His work with Diageo spearheading brand strategies for Guinness, Baileys and Pimm’s, among others, and leading the joint venture with Moët Hennessy, demonstrates his ability to blend strategic vision with practical execution.
At DropWorks, Appleyard is focused on guiding the brand’s next phase of growth from start-up to scale-up, and working to establish it as the number one British-distilled rum brand.
Commenting on his appointment, Appleyard said: “I’m incredibly excited to join DropWorks at such a pivotal moment. The brand is already challenging the status quo and redefining the rum category by producing premium British-distilled rum – not just rum bottled in Britain, but truly crafted here by a team of passionate experts.
“My goal is to drive wider appreciation for premium British rum, elevate quality standards across the entire category, and ultimately make DropWorks a household name.”
As Appleyard steps into his new role, Lewis Hayes continues his role as Founder & Master Distiller. Hayes will focus on overseeing the production of innovative small-batch rums at the distillery, leveraging his extensive networks to expand the brand’s reach and share his passion for exceptional rum with a growing customer base.
“Bringing Graham on board is a game changer for DropWorks and is testament to the quality of our products and team,” said Hayes. “His deep understanding of brand strategy and ability to drive growth will be invaluable as we enter our next phase. This transition allows me to dedicate more time to what I love most – crafting exceptional rum and connecting with our community.”
Leicester mayor proposes boundary expansion to support housing growth
Leicester Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has proposed expanding the city’s boundaries to include parts of neighbouring councils, increasing the population from 372,000 to 623,000 by 2028. The plan aims to address land shortages for housing development.
The proposal would merge areas from Charnwood, Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, and Blaby councils into a new unitary authority. Soulsby argues Leicester’s current boundaries are too restrictive for growth and must be revised.
Meanwhile, Leicestershire County Council has proposed an alternative plan to create a single unitary authority for the entire county, while district councils favour splitting the area into three separate authorities.
Both proposals are open for public consultation, with final recommendations due by 28 November 2025. Further public engagement is expected in the summer.
Superdrug to open 25 UK stores in 2025, creating 600 jobs
Superdrug plans to open 25 new stores across the UK in 2025, creating around 600 jobs. The health and beauty retailer will also refurbish 65 existing locations and expand several stores, including Luton and Dundee.
The company focuses on larger-format stores in high-footfall shopping centres and retail parks. The new locations will feature expanded beauty treatment services, including manicures, eyebrow threading, ear piercing, and a wider range of luxury fragrances.
Superdrug has seen a 25% increase in sales from investments in its largest stores. Recent openings include Leeds Briggate, with upcoming launches in Guernsey, Cribbs Causeway (Bristol), and a significant expansion at Meadowhall (Sheffield).
The retailer aims to enhance in-store experiences as part of its bricks-and-mortar growth strategy.
Phoenix Brickwork supports HMP Bullingdon expansion
Derbyshire-based Phoenix Brickwork provides brickwork and scaffolding services to expand HMP Bullingdon in Oxfordshire. The project includes a new fully electric, four-storey T60 houseblock, increasing the prison’s capacity by 247 places.
The expansion is part of the UK’s Accelerated Houseblocks Development Programme (AHDP), which aims to add 20,000 prison places across six sites. The initiative will create over 2,000 construction jobs and 750 roles within the new facilities.
The T60 houseblock, built using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), features off-site manufactured components to reduce carbon emissions. The design improves visibility and access to rehabilitation services while aligning with the Ministry of Justice’s sustainability goals.
Phoenix Brickwork’s subsidiary, BMH Scaffolding, is also supporting the project. The expansion includes additional facilities such as a workshop, a programme building, and an extended recreation area.
Eurocell hails “resilient” year
Eurocell, the Alfreton-based manufacturer, distributor and recycler of window, door and roofline products, has hailed a “resilient” year amidst weak macroeconomic conditions and declining consumer confidence.
According to preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2024, pre-tax profits reached £13.8m, growing from £11.7m in 2023. Meanwhile, with “demand more subdued than expected,” revenue came in 2% below 2023, at £357.9m. The results follow Eurocell’s acquisition of Alunet in a £29m deal, announced in March 2025.Darren Waters, Chief Executive of Eurocell plc, said: “Our financial performance in 2024 was resilient, in the context of trading conditions that remained challenging.
“We delivered an increase of 32% in adjusted profit before tax, as we continued to proactively manage gross margin and benefited from a reduction in input cost pricing. Our cash generation was solid and our financial position remains strong, following completion of a £15 million share buyback programme.
“We invested to generate momentum with our strategy, and I am pleased with the good early progress we have made across a broad range of initiatives.
“The recent acquisition of Alunet is a compelling strategic fit for Eurocell: it addresses a growing trend towards aluminium fabrication across the fenestration sector, significantly strengthens our position in composite doors, and adds aluminium garage doors to our home improvement product portfolio.
“Demand in our core RMI market remains sluggish. We have seen some early signs of an improving picture in new build housing, albeit from a very low base. We will therefore continue to focus on cost reduction and operational improvements to drive efficiencies, to mitigate against the impact of a slower market recovery.
“We are confident in delivering another year of good progress in 2025, as we continue to execute on our growth strategy. The medium and long-term growth prospects for the UK construction market remain attractive and we are well positioned to drive sustainable growth in shareholder value.”
Derbyshire pharmacy sold to online clinic
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has sold Omega Pharmacy in Derbyshire.
Omega Pharmacy is a standard-hours community pharmacy that dispenses an average of 3,000 items per month. It is located opposite a large modern medical centre on St Thomas Road, a densely populated residential area two miles south of Derby.
The pharmacy was owned by husband-and-wife, Manny and Poonam Rai, who, after a short period of ownership, decided to sell to focus on their other pharmacy in Coventry.
Following a confidential sales process with Carl Steer at Christie & Co, it has been sold to an online clinic and prescription service based in the East Midlands.
Carl Steer, Director – Pharmacy at Christie & Co, said: “From offer to completion, this sale took just 18 working days which is not only my fastest ever sale in 20 years with Christie & Co, but is also four to six months quicker than a typical sale and we achieved over the guide price.
“Since marketing commenced, we saw good levels of interest from first-time buyers, distance-selling contractors, and some existing pharmacy operators. This shows that even if you have a pharmacy with quite low dispensing numbers, the market is active and it will be a perfect buy for someone.”
Omega Pharmacy was sold for an undisclosed price.
