Manufacturer of specialist adhesive tapes takes next step in growth journey, securing large debt investment
Advance Tapes, a manufacturer of specialist adhesive tapes, has taken the next step in its growth journey, securing a large debt investment from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II.
The independent manufacturer has secured a £500,000 debt investment facilitated by the fund’s appointed fund manager for the East and South East Midlands, Maven Capital Partners (Maven).
Maven previously backed Advance Tapes in 2019, providing £600,000 of funding through the first Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF I), which enabled the business to expand its client base and invest in further product development.
Established in Leicester 60 years ago, Advanced Tapes continues to grow both nationally, in the UK, and internationally, across parts of Europe. This new funding through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II will provide further working capital for the business, as well as help it expand into new sectors.
The funding will also support the growth of its own branded and white-label specialist adhesive tapes and create new jobs at its manufacturing sites in Leicester.
The Specialty Tapes Market was valued at over $55 billion in 2023 and is estimated to register a CAGR of over 6.5% between 2024 and 2032 (Source: GM Insights).
The £400 million Midlands Engine Investment Fund II was launched in February 2024 and covers the entire Midlands region, providing debt finance from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
Kym Ellington, Finance Director at Advance Tapes, said: “Myself and my fellow directors at Advance Tapes are delighted to have gained repeated investment from the British Business Bank’s Midlands Engine Investment Fund.
“I would like to thank Sajid Sabir and the rest of the team at Maven for their hard work and first-class support during this process. The realisation of this working capital will allow us to continue to embed the brand both at home and internationally and provide a platform for growth.”
Sajid Sabir, Investment Manager at Maven, said: “Since we first invested in the business in 2019, Advance Tapes have experienced significant growth, winning a number of key contracts with clients both in the UK and globally.
“We are delighted to be able to support them with additional funding through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II to help it capitalise on market tailwinds and scale further.”
Housebuilder acquires land for 65 new homes in Leicestershire village
Housebuilder Allison Homes East Midlands has acquired land for 65 new homes in the Leicestershire village of Rearsby.
This is the fourth site secured by the developer’s newest region, which is based in Castle Donington and operating across the whole East Midlands area.
The upcoming development is located on Gaddesby Lane and spans just over eight acres. Allison Homes East Midlands will be delivering a total of 65 new energy efficient homes, which have been crafted to meet the aspirations of future homeowners and designed based on in-depth research into their priorities and values. 39 properties will be available through open market sale and 26 will be affordable homes.
As part of its commitment to Leicestershire and the Rearsby community, the housebuilder will be making contributions worth over £190,000, which will go towards improving local health care, education services, libraries, outdoor sports facilities, allotments and public transport services.
Construction work is due to commence in summer 2025. The site will be built alongside recently acquired schemes in Shepshed, Anstey and Stanton-under-Bardon, taking the total number of homes Allison Homes East Midlands will be providing in Leicestershire to over 200.
Karl Edwards, Operations Director at Allison Homes East Midlands, said: “I am immensely proud of the East Midlands team for securing our fourth site in Leicestershire. This will be a fantastic development, delivering high specification homes, community benefits and a variety of employment and training opportunities.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Clarendon Land and Fisher German on this acquisition, and now we cannot wait to introduce ourselves to the Rearsby community.”
Caffè Nero buys Nottingham’s 200 Degrees
Premium coffee house brand Caffè Nero has purchased Nottingham-based coffee brand 200 Degrees.
Founded in 2012 in Nottingham by Rob Darby and Tom Vincent, 200 Degrees has grown into a 21-store Midlands-based coffee brand. In addition to stores, the business has its own roastery and operates an online e-commerce channel selling directly to customers at home, including a subscription offering. 200 Degrees also operates a wholesale arm, serving over 500 wholesale customers.
200 Degrees joins The Nero Group and will sit alongside the Group’s other brands: Caffè Nero, Coffee#1, Harris+Hoole and Aroma, making it the fifth brand in the Group. The Nero Group aims to expand the 200 Degrees brand as part of its growth strategy in the UK.
The Nero Group Founder and Group CEO Gerry Ford said: “I’m delighted to welcome 200 Degrees into the Caffè Nero family. It is a fantastic brand with an emphasis on great coffee and service combined with a local community-based feel which matches perfectly the ethos of The Nero Group.
“200 Degrees has a solid, loyal customer base and has developed a strong regional position. Our intention is to support 200 Degrees to continue its growth journey and allow the brand to operate separately alongside the other brands in The Nero Group.”
200 Degrees’ Managing Director Stephen Fern said: “We are thrilled that the strong market position and growth potential of 200 Degrees has been recognised within the sector, and we are excited to see where our brand can go now that we have become part of The Nero Group family.
“The Nero Group is a great partner for us with its commitment to premium coffee and its strong values as a family-owned company. 200 Degrees itself is a premium brand with a commitment to delivering great experiences.
“The four pillars of our business – our shops, wholesale, e-commerce platform and barista schools – have been bringing better coffee to millions of people across the UK for the last 12 years, delivering excellent customer service and a commitment to breaking down the barriers within speciality coffee.
“With this new partnership, we look forward to introducing even more people to our beans, our people and our passion for creating experiences to remember.”
Long Eaton-headquartered nursery group acquired
Storal has acquired Long Eaton-headquartered Children 1st group.
Founded in 1988 by Margaret Mason OBE, Children 1st operates 24 nurseries and a training centre in the Midlands and South Yorkshire.
Margaret has been one of the leading lights in Early Years education for more than three decades – earning an OBE for her commitment to raising standards in Early-years education. She will continue her work with children through her charity, The Margaret Mason Children 1st Trust, which supports children and families in her local community.
Speaking about her decision to sell to Storal, Margaret said: “I can’t imagine it in better hands. It’s been my focus for so many years and I’m delighted that it will continue to flourish under Storal’s management.
“I’m so proud of the amazing and experienced team who have built Children 1st alongside me for so long, and I’m confident that Sarah is the right person to lead them and the business into the future, with her experience and long-term commitment to delivering quality provision and team wellbeing.
“I also know from our discussions that Storal share our core values, and has the backing and resources to move what we’ve built at Children 1st forward.”
Of the acquisition, which will see 23 of the Children 1st nurseries join Storal, Sarah Mackenzie, Chief Executive of Storal, said: “I’ve been following Children 1st for many years. Throughout my career, I’ve looked to Children 1st as one of the great pioneers of high-quality early-years education in the sector.
“I have enormous admiration for everything Margaret has built and believe she has created an everlasting legacy – both at Children 1st and in the wider sector. After 36 years, she is now handing the reins to us, and this isn’t a responsibility we take lightly.
“We want to create more milestones in their Magic Story and continue her pioneering work in the sector, supporting and fighting for the teams of educators around the UK who deliver such vital work, and the families, children and communities we serve.”
With the addition of Children 1st’s nurseries, Storal’s enlarged group will become one of the largest nursery groups in the sector, offering over 5,000 places across 56 Ofsted registered settings which they operate as 53 nurseries.
Landscape works commence to create new £7.3m National Trust wetland nature reserve on Lincolnshire coast
Landscape works have commenced to transform a former golf course into a wetland nature reserve in Lincolnshire.
Located at Sandilands, near Sutton-on-Sea, the National Trust’s 62-acre site will see open water and islands, grasslands and sand-dunes, as well as reedbeds and ponds, complete with walkways and boardwalks.
A new visitor centre and café, designed by local practice Jonathan Hendry Architects, will help fund the conservation of the wetland when the project completes in Spring 2026.
Sandilands sits on the ‘east coast flyway’ migration route and the new reserve will be a vital resting and refuelling stop for birds as well as a habitat for hundreds of species of wildlife and flora.
Newark-based Influence Landscape Planning & Design was appointed by the National Trust to deliver Stage 4 technical design services, and Stages 5-7 landscape architecture services for onsite monitoring for the implementation of the works.
Shona Hatton, director at Influence Landscape Planning & Design, said: “We are very proud to be assisting the National Trust in the delivery of its first nature reserve in the county. The land formation for the wetland creation to the south of the site is well under way, and it’s already possible to get a real sense of what the final site will look like.
“The Lincolnshire Coast is rich in biodiversity and the National Trust is working hard to protect and enhance the natural world here, creating new habitats for migrating birds and many other species. Our designs give nature a place to flourish, and inclusive, accessible spaces for people to enjoy it.”
Kirsty James, general manager for Sandilands, said: “A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes and we are excited now to see work begin on the physical changes at Sandilands.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the area transform to not only create a haven for wildlife, but also provide a peaceful and calm space for people to walk, spend time with friends and family, and simply enjoy the beauty of nature and the outdoors.”
Warehouse rent boost for ESR Europe
Commercial property consultancy Kirkby Diamond has completed a rent review on behalf of one of Europe’s leading real estate investment managers, leading to a 24% increase in rent at a logistics warehouse in Northamptonshire.
Kirkby Diamond’s lease advisory team was instructed to advise ESR Europe on a rent review on a 45,000 sq ft warehouse unit at the Brackmills Industrial Estate in Northampton, utilising the market connections within the firm’s Industrial and Logistics team, headed by Eamon Kennedy.
Mark Hannam, partner and head of lease advisory and asset management at Kirkby Diamond, said: “We were very pleased to act for ESR Europe on this rent review, dealing with an asset within the prime industrial location in Northampton.
“Utilising our extensive experience and local market knowledge, we successfully completed the rent review, achieving a 24% increase in rent which is a truly excellent result for our client and illustrates the rental growth opportunities within the town.
“As part of the review, we also helped futureproof ESR Europe’s investment by working with both landlord and tenant to help arrange for works to be undertaken to improve the EPC credentials. This instruction clearly demonstrates Kirkby Diamond’s ability to add and protect value for our local, regional, national and international clients.”
Jordan Stockle, associate in asset management at ESR Europe, said: “This represents a deal mutually beneficial to both tenant and landlord. Improving the asset through ESG initiatives protects both the tenant’s occupancy and operational performance, but also the landlord’s investment.”
Further merger for fast-growing Streets Chartered Accountants
Lincoln’s Streets Chartered Accountants, a top 40 UK professional service firm, has established Streets Spenser Wilson Chartered Accountants.
The announcement follows the merger of the Halifax firm, Spenser Wilson with the fast-growing multi regional practice, Streets Chartered Accountants. This latest merger is one of more than five completed by Streets in the last six months and has seen the practice grow, now with more than 27 offices and fee income over £39 million.
When asked about the merger, Chris Yewdall, Partner at Spenser Wilson Chartered Accountants, said: “Myself and fellow Partners Andrea Kennedy, Liz Short and Sally Shacklock are delighted to announce our merger with Streets and excited about the future for our team and our clients as we move forwards as part of the wider Streets team.
“The firm was founded in 1919 and over the years has grown into one of the leading accountancy firms in the town and wider region thanks to our strong reputation and excellent partner led service.
“As with any business we cannot stand still and to move Spenser Wilson forward and provide our clients with a greater level of service we looked for some time to find a perfect partner to support us and one with whom we share mutual values.
“We chose Streets because of the shared philosophy of providing a valuable, personal, and partner led service for clients covering all areas of expertise. In addition, we wished to retain some independence and investment in the existing business, providing for the continued longevity of the practice for our clients, our team and the town of Halifax.
“Now that Spenser Wilson is part of a larger practice, we can confidently promise greater continuity of service to our clients and improved career prospects for our team, as well as our ability to attract new recruits.
“We also believe that our clients, existing and new, will benefit in that the combined firm will be able to offer a wider range of services, some of which we previously sourced externally.
“These include specialist corporate and private client tax planning, banking and finance, grants, R&D tax reliefs, international advice and personal financial planning. Being able to offer this breadth of service all under ‘one roof’ means we can provide greater value for our clients.
“The merger should enhance our position in Halifax and beyond Calderdale and into West Yorkshire and help to form a strong Northern presence within Streets coupled with the existing Wakefield, Hull, Preston and Burnley offices along with any other firms joining us in the future.”
Looking at what the merger means to Streets, the firm’s Managing Partner, Paul Tutin, said: “In line with our strategy to become a truly UK practice we are looking at and working with a number of firms looking to become part of Streets.
“The merger of Spenser Wilson Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers is the latest in line with our plans to expand our geographical coverage and provides us a stronger presence across Yorkshire, following the recent merger of the Wakefield practice of Andrew Wright & Co and our long-standing office in Hull.
“We are really looking forward to working with Chris, Liz, Andrea and Sally to grow the practice and to further establish it as a pre-eminent accountancy, business and tax advisory firm servicing the needs of businesses and individuals across Yorkshire.
“Looking ahead with a number of further mergers and acquisitions in the pipeline, which include a number of practices across the UK, we are on track to achieve our target revenue of £40m by the end of the year.
“The profession is going through significant consolidation with heightened levels of merger and acquisition. In contrast to many, our approach seeks to build on the success of merging firms, ensuring we retain and build on their winning approach – an approach we believe is particularly liked by many of those looking to exit routes, the challenge of growing their practice or facing increased competition and the need to widen their service offering.”
Streets Law, the firm’s dedicated corporate and commercial law offering led by Managing Director and Solicitor, Adam Aisthorpe, undertook the legal work on behalf of Streets for the merger, including drafting the sale and purchase agreement and dealing with the due diligence process in collaboration with internal colleagues in the tax and audit teams at Streets.
Vistry Group secures site to build 228 new homes in Sileby
Vistry Group, the provider of affordable mixed-tenure homes, has exchanged contracts on a 28.5-acre site on Barnards Drive in Sileby. The land, with a GDV of £63.2m, is being developed to build 228 family homes to help combat the need for housing in the area.
Situated just beyond Barnards Drive on the eastern edge of Sileby, the new development will be made up of both affordable and open market homes.
The new development will integrate with the Leicestershire community with a mix of one- bedroom maisonettes, and two-, three-, four-bedroom homes.
All the houses will be constructed using modern methods of construction, with timber frame panels produced at the local Vistry Works factory in Bardon, Leicestershire. This will improve the sustainability and speed of the construction process, as well as reducing disruption for the local community.
Each home built using these panels emits 14,460kg CO2e less than a traditional brick-and-block house.
Andy Reynolds, Managing Director of Vistry South East Midlands, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing much-needed mixed-tenure homes for the area demonstrating our commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable homes in a sustainable manner to enhance communities and meet the diverse housing needs in the area.
“We know that people from all walks of life will relish the opportunity to live in modern family homes and to be part of a vibrant and well-connected community here in Leicestershire.”
The site has outline planning permission with Reserved Matters before the end of the year with a view to starting work in 2025.
TUC Midlands joins supporters of Midlands Rail Hub
The TUC Midlands has joined supporters of the Midlands Rail Hub project, news that has been welcomed by Midlands Connect.
Maria Machancoses, CEO at Midlands Connect said: “It is fantastic news the TUC in the Midlands has signed up as a supporter of the Midlands Rail Hub. The Rail Hub is our flagship project at Midlands Connect and the support of the TUC is a welcome one. We know that their members in transport, health and other unions are closely aligned to the government’s missions and we hope they can see, like we do, the Rail Hub will help deliver on these.”
Rob Johnston, interim Regional Secretary at TUC Midlands said: “The Midlands Rail Hub is a vital infrastructure project for the Midlands. Delivery is vital if we are to maximise economic growth in our region and to drive the inclusive growth that will provide the good jobs and opportunities that we want for our communities.
“We look forward to working with Midlands Connect and all other regional stakeholders to make the case for the delivery of this vital project as quickly as possible.”
Delivered in full, the proposals would provide a massive uplift in capacity in the railway network in the Midlands, with up to 100 extra trains into Birmingham each day and many more services each day between our biggest cities in the West and East Midlands.
New analysis has shown that 12,750 new jobs are expected to become available thanks to the Midlands Rail Hub project. The Rail Hub is the region’s biggest rail improvement scheme and will serve more than 50 stations, covering 7 million people. Work is expected to run from 2025 until 2033 and will see the building of two ‘chords’ as well as further engineering interventions throughout the region.
Derby commercial vehicle service providers makes acquisition
Derby-based Motus Vehicle Solutions, commercial vehicle service providers and a part of Motus Group (UK), has acquired Aftercare Response, an autonomous division of the Bevan Group.
Aftercare Response is a nationwide provider of breakdown assistance, tail lift maintenance, and emergency repairs.
This acquisition marks the latest in Motus Vehicle Solutions’ ongoing expansion strategy, as the group continues to strengthen its portfolio of specialist services and extend its customer offering.
Peter Glover, Managing Director of Motus Vehicle Solutions, said: “We are delighted to welcome Aftercare Response into the Motus Vehicle Solutions family. Their expertise in rapid response services and customer support aligns perfectly with our mission to provide the best possible service to our customers.
“Our plan for Aftercare Response is to build on their position by further strengthening its operations and ensuring they benefit from the resources of the wider group. This acquisition not only broadens our service capabilities, but also ensures customers experience improved efficiency and reduced downtime across their fleets.”
Aftercare Response’s existing team and services will remain in place, ensuring continuity for customers, while benefiting from the enhanced resources and support of the Motus Vehicle Solutions group.
