New hub to bring history to life following rapid transaction
A commercial deal completed by Chartered Surveyors and Property Consultancy Wells McFarlane in just 17 days has secured a new hub in Melton Mowbray for historical re-enactment company, UP AN’ AT ‘EM! HISTORY.
Specialists in providing history days, character portrayals and accurately dressed models for schools, museums, photoshoots, film and TV work, UP AN’ AT ‘EM! HISTORY has taken a 1,159 sq ft unit on the town’s popular Rotherhill Business Park. After experiencing significant expansion in the last 12 months, UP AN’ AT ‘EM! HISTORY’S owner and director, Jed Jaggard urgently needed a centralised base.
“Covid gave us a unique opportunity to step back and reassess goals, and our planning in that time resulted in a year of rapid expansion,” explains Jed. “What this meant, however, was that we were operating from three containers, a workshop and space at home, which was not ideal so we either had the choice to standstill or take the next step and secure a dedicated premises.
“Melton is my home town, and many of our clients are local so it made sense to start the search there. When we realised there was a unit at Rotherhill Business Park, it was the obvious choice. Well connected, it has excellent transport links, plus is fully managed and secure. We contacted Wells McFarlane to arrange a viewing and they responded superbly to the urgency of our situation, ably helping us complete the letting in just 17 days, which was an incredible achievement.”
UP AN’ AT ‘EM! HISTORY will now use Rotherhill Business Park as its main operating base, encompassing office space, a You Tube studio, training area, plus storage for props, costumes and equipment including an 1840’s horse drawn fire engine and a 1930’s auxiliary fire service trailer pump.
Jed continues: “The new premises has allowed us to implement proper operational/delivery procedures while also providing adequate space to train casual and seasonal workers as required. I can focus more on client account management and business development, so it’s put us in a healthy position to achieve our five-year growth plan.”
Wells McFarlane’s director, Jason Hercock negotiated the deal, commenting: “The speed of this transaction was really remarkable and demonstrates what can be achieved when all parties are highly motivated and work seamlessly together. The legal team on this deal, led by Abe Mee of Bird Duckworth Mee Solicitors was also exceptional, acting swiftly throughout to enable such a positive outcome. We look forward to seeing UP AN’ AT ‘EM! HISTORY’s continued success and growth.”
Green light for housebuilder’s Darley Dale plans
Planning consultants Planning & Design Practice has secured permission for a new development by Chevin Homes.
On behalf of the housebuilder, the firm achieved the green light from Derbyshire Dales District Council’s planning committee for the 18-home development on land off Normanhurst Park, in Darley Dale.
According to Planning & Design, the sensitive scheme makes efficient use of land in terms of maximising the number and size of units deliverable on site, while minimising the potential impacts on the countryside and the occupants of neighbouring properties.
Chevin Homes is an award-winning Derby housebuilder, which has delivered homes across Derbyshire and the wider East Midlands.
In a statement, Planning & Design Practice said: “We work with developers of all sizes, from small companies working on one property at a time to large housebuilders and commercial organisations where multi-million pound schemes are the norm.
“We are well versed in researching and understanding local council’s policies and housing positions to ensure the best possible case is put forward for our clients.”
Lancaster Park welcomes security and fire experts
Rushton Hickman have completed the letting of a 2,409 sq ft warehouse unit to SAFE Security and Fire Experts Ltd at the Lancaster Park development in Needwood, Burton on Trent.
The modern unit is fitted to a high specification throughout and was extremely popular. It is situated in a prestigious business park within the rural setting of Needwood within close proximity of St George’s Park.
Agency surveyor Taylor Millington, who concluded the deal, said: “The letting to SAFE was a very great deal for our client as it brought a well-established business to the area.
“SAFE’s head office is based in Manchester with further offices in Kent, Salisbury and Derby.
“It’s great to see them expand their professional services into Burton on Trent. The team at Rushton Hickman wish them well in their new premises.”
Free Growth Hub conference will help businesses navigate ‘choppy waters’
Support for local businesses will be the focus of a one-day conference to be hosted by LLEP Board Members Glynis Wright MBE and Sonia Baigent next month.
The duo – both Directors at the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) Board – will lead a day-long focus on navigating the ‘cost of doing business’ crisis.
The event is aimed at small and medium-sized businesses in Leicester and Leicestershire looking for practical tools, tips, and information as we head into the new financial year.
Delegates will be able to build networks and gain business support advice at the event, being staged in Leicester by the Business Gateway Growth Hub.
And the hosts are keen to ensure it covers a number of topics, including coping with rising energy costs, recruitment and leadership challenges.
Glynis, who built and sold her own successful business, said: “Rarely has there been a time when businesses have been navigating such choppy waters.
“We’ve had the Pandemic, there’s the ongoing war in Ukraine, Brexit, an energy price crisis, the escalation of inflation – there is so much to contend with.
“Sonia and I, along with the Growth Hub team, want to bring together people who can offer nuggets of knowledge which help businesses continue to grow and develop strategies to get through these tough times.”
The purpose of the conference is to signpost business owners to available support, whilst also providing them with useful tools and tips to help them manage the current situation.
Glynis added: “We have a wide range of speakers, all of whom I am looking forward to hearing. These are people I want to hear from and will learn from.
“We know that, for a small business, a day is a lot of time to set aside – that’s why we will ensure that it is a valuable event.
“Sonia and I want everyone to leave with two or three really helpful insights into how to navigate these uncertain times.
“Hopefully coming together will motivate business owners and help them see they are not alone and the challenges they face are also faced by others.”
Businesses can register now to attend the free one-day conference, which takes place at the Morningside Arena from 8am to 3.30pm on Tuesday 18 April.
Gulliver’s Kingdom agrees delicious deal with Matlock ice cream maker
A sweet partnership between Gulliver’s Kingdom and a neighbouring dairy farm will see legendary local ice cream served to guests at the theme park resort.
Gulliver’s Kingdom, in Matlock Bath, has reached an agreement to sell Matlock Meadows ice cream at its hotel restaurant.
Matlock Meadows is based on the working dairy farm Masson Farm – a stone’s throw from Gulliver’s Kingdom – which has been in the Dakin family since the 1930’s.
After being inspired on a trip to Lake Garda, Italy, 12 years ago, the family began producing their famously-delicious artisan Italian-style gelato.
Following a “cow to cone” philosophy, Matlock Meadows’ ice cream is made onsite with the finest ingredients, including quality “farm assured” milk from their own dairy herd.
The farm supplies ice cream to restaurants, cafés and tourist attractions across Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. It has an ice cream parlour and coffee shop open Fridays 11am to 4.30pm (during termtime) for an end of week treat.
The partnership came about after Hannah Marsden, resort manager at Gulliver’s Kingdom, reconnected with Josh Dakin, who runs Matlock Meadows with his parents and brother. Hannah and Josh both grew up in Matlock and attended All Saints Primary School and Highfields (secondary) School.
Hannah, 34, who started as a ride operator with Gulliver’s in 2009 and has worked her way up to resort manager, said: “I visited the farm to have a chat with Josh and he gave me a full tour along with some samples to take away. I was hooked. It really is the best ice cream in town!
“It’s extremely important for local businesses to support one another and ice cream and theme parks fit perfectly together, particularly as we are both family businesses founded in this area. We’re thrilled to have Matlock Meadows ice cream at Gulliver’s Kingdom and we’re sure our guests will be too.”
Josh, 32, said: “I’m really proud to supply local places and Gulliver’s Kingdom is right on our doorstep. From where the cows graze at the top of our hill, Gulliver’s Kingdom is literally over the other side. The ice cream guests will be eating is made less than a mile away.
“It’s fantastic for me to have Matlock Meadows ice cream at Gulliver’s Kingdom and great for them to offer guests a truly local product.
“The main reason for making ice cream was to make some money out of milk and keep the farm going. We’ve had some really hard times but it’s at the point now where the ice cream is paying the wages on the farm and some of the bills and every year we’re expanding. My little lad’s eight and he’s already decided he’s going to make ice cream!”
OMS: celebrations for 25 years of being in business
OMS recently celebrated their silver jubilee in style with a luncheon hosted by founder and MD Clive Ormerod. Invited to the lunch were guests from the past and present, people who’ve had a positive impact on the success of OMS, family members and of course the OMS team.
25 years ago, OMS started life as a consultancy business where Clive offered the skills he had acquired in the engineering and construction sectors to businesses who needed to access his level of expertise.
Now a quarter of a century later OMS had a phenomenal birthday party allowing Clive to say ‘thank you’ to the team, clients, suppliers, and strategic partners in the room. During his speech Clive highlighted: “Going back to February 1998 it was all about me, over the years things have changed and it’s not about me anymore because we’ve built up a fantastic team. On behalf of OMS I would like to thank everyone who came along to celebrate with us.”
During their lunch celebration, people from strategic partnerships, valued suppliers, their very first OMS client and many customers attended. Here’s what some of them had to say about celebrating with OMS.
“Having trusted partners to deliver the NEBOSH training courses is paramount, OMS have long been one such partner. The team at OMS have always focused on putting the customer first and this is proven with 25 successful years in business. Happy birthday OMS,” said Ian Cooke Head of Corporate & Consumer Services – NEBOSH.
Managing Director of TMS Consultancy & Non-Executive Director – Xrail Group, John Jenkins says: “From little acorns – Clive and I first met in London Underground around 1995 and we forged a good friendship that lasts today. Together we implemented a competency-based ISO 9001 quality system for a team of engineers undertaking very complex safety critical work. It was the first of its type in London Underground and we achieved certification upon first assessment.
“The MD of Lloyds Register at the time personally congratulated us at the time and asked if we could discuss the detail with him as he wanted to implement something similar for Lloyds. A great start. I am very pleased that Clive has very successfully grown OMS from a one-person focus, through a family concern and into the internationally recognised and award-winning company it is today. This is all down to Clive and Allison’s drive, focus and life balance (something we all forget when success beckons).”
Carol Baker of ECA, Excellence in Electrotechnical and Engineering Services, says: “We send our Midlands based members to OMS for training and there is always positive feedback from every attendee for every course they go on. It was wonderful to celebrate 25 years of the business today and I enjoyed our lunch!”
“OMS have been our preferred Health and Safety consultants and HR advisor for over 15 years and continue to support our employees with advice and training. We are especially grateful for the support and innovation during the pandemic, to ensure that the MMS business could continue to work safely, whilst supporting our employees at work throughout lockdown. This support has been fundamental to the overall success of MMS since 2005 and I would have no hesitation in recommending their services,” said Andrew Pitchford, Managing Director of Midland Management Services Ltd.
Definitely a way to celebrate 25 years in business as everyone looks forward to the next 25 years and the impact that has on the ways of delivering training to businesses across the Midlands and further afield.
New energy park proposed for Lincolnshire
A new renewable energy park, which could provide power to more than 190,000 homes is being planned for North Kesteven.
The proposed Beacon Fen Energy Park will be made up of solar and energy storage and is proposed for land east of Sleaford, between the villages of Heckington and Helpringham.
Renewable Energy Company Low Carbon said, if given permission, Beacon Fen Energy Park would generate an estimated 600MW of electricity a year while also avoiding 120,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions annually.
James Hartley-Bond, director at Low Carbon, said: “We are looking forward to speaking directly with local communities about our plans to hear their views first-hand.
“We are currently planning an early engagement consultation so we can ensure residents’ feedback links into the proposals, before holding a statutory consultation which is planned for later this year.
“The UK Government has made clear its plans for the country to reach Net Zero by 2050. Its aim is to increase the nation’s solar capacity fivefold by 2035. If given permission, Beacon Fen Energy Park will be a significant step forward towards reaching this vital goal and securing sustainable energy for the country.”
The project includes building the infrastructure needed to export the electricity the energy park would generate onto the national grid. It is planned this would be via an existing connection point at nearby Bicker Fen.
Mr Hartley-Bond said: “For more than a decade, Low Carbon has been at the centre of the UK’s journey to Net Zero. Through working with local communities, we deliver renewables projects which bring about real change to ensure a cleaner and greener energy industry for all.
“The amount of electricity Beacon Fen Energy Park could generate exceeds 50MW and is therefore classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). This requires us to submit an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to the Planning Inspectorate.
“We anticipate the development process for the project through to DCO submission and then examination will take between two and three years. Subject to achieving consent, construction would start no earlier than 2026.”
He added: “We look forward to speaking to residents within the coming weeks and introducing them to our proposals.”
Forterra secures £170m sustainability linked loan in multi-bank deal
Northampton-headquartered brick and concrete manufacturer, Forterra plc, has secured a £170m Sustainability Linked Loan (SLL) coordinated by HSBC UK and funded by a syndicate of five banks.
The new facility refinances Forterra’s existing bank loan as an SLL, which has been jointly funded by HSBC UK, NatWest, Bank of Ireland, Virgin Money and Banco de Sabadell.
Forterra has secured an SLL to better align its financing with its long-term sustainability strategy. The SLL contains specific Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets, which include: the reduction of CO2 emissions in Forterra’s clay brick business; increasing the percentage of employees in “earn and learn” positions, where employees combine study with practical experience to gain the knowledge and skills required to pursue their career; and a commitment to reducing the group’s overall plastic consumption.
Ben Guyatt, CFO at Forterra, said: “We have an ambitious, long-term sustainability strategy in place and this new facility is a very positive step for us in support of our goals. By securing a Sustainability Linked Loan, we have greater liquidity to reinvest in our sustainability initiatives over time, as we focus on reducing our carbon impact and plastic consumption whilst positively benefiting our employees.”
Richard Bacon, relationship director at HSBC UK, said: “Forterra operates as a market-leader in an industry that relies heavily on energy consumption to deliver its products. This new deal will help Forterra reduce its environmental impact whilst creating new, positive opportunities for its employees.
“Sustainability has become a strategic priority across the construction industry, with many businesses firmly focused on building a more sustainable future. We expect to see greater adoption within the industry as leading construction businesses invest in their sustainability strategies.”
Forterra launched its sustainability pillars of “People, Planet and Product” in 2019 to guide the business’s future decision making. These include a commitment to becoming net zero carbon by 2050, improving the environmental impact of Forterra products and providing greater opportunities to employees.
Chris Dowling, head of Industrials at Bank of Ireland, added: “Bank of Ireland is delighted to continue its support for Forterra with a new Sustainability Linked Loan. The SLL helps strengthen Forterra’s ability to invest in and focus on the delivery of its ambitious long-term sustainability strategy.”
Paul Mitchell, relationship director at NatWest, said: “We are really proud and excited to have been able to support Forterra with this new credit facility. This transaction is an example of NatWest’s commitment to supporting companies such as Forterra on their sustainability journey.”
James Oliver, senior director at Virgin Money, said: “Virgin Money is thrilled to support Forterra with its ongoing growth ambitions though support with the multi banked Sustainability Linked Loan. The ESG metrics that the Group are putting in place are similarly aligned to own values and Purpose which we believe are central to everyone’s role and responsibility.”
Gary Casey, senior banker at Banco de Sabadell, said: “We are very happy to support Forterra plc in the next stage of its development. We understand and fully support the Group’s wider sustainability strategy and look forward to supporting them as they progress these important goals in the medium term.”
Further affordable homes proposed for Derby
Plans for new affordable homes in Derby at the site of the former Warwick House care home and The Knoll, Village Street will go to Cabinet in April.
This comes after plans to build more affordable homes on the little-used Drewry Lane car park were approved at March’s Cabinet meeting.
Providing new council homes is a key priority for the Council to address the large numbers waiting for suitable properties. Over 6,000 applicants were actively looking for affordable homes through Derby Homefinder as of December 2022, with particularly high demand for 2-bed properties.
A lack of suitable and available land is one of the reasons for the shortage, therefore the Council is reviewing its underutilised assets to assess their potential for redevelopment.
Warwick House care home, at Bonsall Avenue/Repton Avenue, was closed in 2021, and the now-demolished site has been identified as one for redevelopment. The proposals would deliver 22 new affordable homes on the site; a combination of one-, two- and 4-bedroom houses, all owned by the Council and managed by Derby Homes.
The Knoll is currently a brownfield site on the corner of Stenson Road and Village Street, but the proposed redevelopment would see 18 properties, a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom houses, built on the site. The area is currently overgrown and surrounded by mature trees, and ecology surveys are taking place to avoid and mitigate any impact on wildlife.
All the proposed new homes would be built with accessibility and adaptability in mind, with sufficient space to be adapted for residents as and when required.
They are also expected to meet the Future Homes Standard by reducing day-to-day carbon emissions by 75-80% and will include electric vehicle charging points as standard, contributing to Derby City Council’s target to be net zero by 2035.
A spokesperson for Derby City Council said: “Derby needs new council homes. There are over 6,000 applicants actively looking for an affordable home through Derby Homefinder and we are working hard to increase the supply in the city to ensure that everyone has access to a suitable home.
“By identifying underutilised Council assets for redevelopment, we can overcome the shortage of suitable land.
“These developments are another example of us working to achieve our goal to build or acquire around 100 new homes per year over the next 30 years.”
Both proposals will go to Cabinet in April for approval, subject to successful planning applications. Should consent be issued, work is expected to begin on site in Autumn 2023 with residents moving in by Summer 2025.
Loughborough insulation manufacturer doubles turnover and adds to board
The appointment of two new board directors has been announced at external wall insulation (EWI) and specialist render system designers, manufacturers, and suppliers, PermaRock, which operates nationally out of Loughborough.
Both longstanding employees, Nigel Watson and Kieran Loftus join the board bringing a combined three decades of experience as the company looks to double its turnover to £12 million this year. The appointments recognise the capabilities of the new board directors, who have both progressed through the business to operate within senior management roles at PermaRock.
Nigel Watson becomes operations director following a quarter century with the business. Joining the business in 1996, Nigel has held several key operational roles at PermaRock, building up targeted commercial insight to help drive the company forward.
Meanwhile, Kieran Loftus becomes logistics director, having originally joined the business more than 15 years ago. Throughout that time, he has used his extensive experience from across the textiles and waste sectors, playing an instrumental role in the growth of the business over recent years.
Sean Waldrum, Managing Director at PermaRock, who has also been with the business for 34 years, said: “Our business philosophy brings performance and experience together with quality and innovation, and this is really reflected in Nigel and Kieran’s appointments to the board. They both bring incredible strengths that help us improve and expand our services and develop our systems even further.
“It’s an exciting time for us, and we’re incredibly pleased to be able to provide the room for growth for our staff. The whole board is now made up of people who have progressed up through the business, setting us up to continue business the ‘PermaRock way’, making sure that we continually improve, while continuing to offer and exceed the levels of service our customers have come to expect from us.”
PermaRock owner Derek Horrocks said: “Having longstanding staff with the strengths to help us both improve and expand our services, while continuing to develop our systems will be central to our continued success as a business as we look to grow even further in the coming years.
“We know that our people are completely instrumental to the success we are seeing as the demands for energy efficiency measures are skyrocketing across all markets. It’s really important to us to continually reinvest in our people, whether it’s the recent refurbishment of our office to enhance the working environment further or providing people with growth opportunities – like Nigel and Kieran.”
