Skegness Town Hall has been offered for sale since February, and within that time it has been showcased by Lambert Smith Hampton as the vendor’s sole agents, where final offers for the Grade II Listed property ended on Friday 29 April 2022.
Local businessman Taj Bola is the successful bidder in respect of the Town Hall.
Taj Bola, owner of The Royal Hotel Skegness, said: “I am very pleased with the acquisition of this important piece of Skegness History. I am unable to disclose too much at this stage, other than to say that this forms part of my long-term strategy of developing visitor attractions and experiences along the entire length of the sea front, from North Parade all the way to Princes Parade.
“Skegness is a great resort and has great potential for the future. East Lindsey District Council have shown great commitment to Skegness with the modernisation and development of key amenities, it is now up to businesses to show the same vision and commitment.”
Councillor Richard Fry, portfolio holder for finance at East Lindsey District Council, said: “We are pleased the Town Hall has received a successful bid, it is an extraordinary building with a fantastic coastal location. We look forward to seeing the property in full use again and wish Mr Bola well in his future endeavours.”
Stockyard unveiled as new home for food and drink producers in the Rural Capital of Food
A new go-to destination for food and drink producers to manufacture and sell their artisan products has been unveiled in the Rural Capital of Food, with the launch of the Stockyard in Melton Mowbray.
Situated at Melton Mowbray Market, the Stockyard offers producers a unique space in which to manufacture and sell their food and drink in the heart of the Rural Capital of Food.
The agri-chic environment – which for decades has hosted markets and other events – has long been a destination for food lovers.
Now part of it has been given a new identity and new investment to attract more artisan manufacturers and traders to the site and build on the heritage of the market…opening the next chapter in its history.
Hugh Brown, CEO of Gillstream Markets Ltd, which operates the site, said: “I am delighted to launch the Stockyard, recognising Melton Mowbray’s heritage and future as a key food and drink manufacturing centre and a destination for food and drink lovers nationwide.
“We already have a number of artisan food and drink manufacturers and retailers on site, but there is tremendous scope at the Stockyard to create an eclectic mix of producers in this unique agri-chic environment. It provides the perfect opportunity for new and expanding enterprises to have a place in the heart of the Rural Capital of Food and we look forward to additional food and drink businesses joining us over the coming months.”
Already on site at the Stockyard are a growing number of artisan food and drink manufacturers and retailers including the multi award-winning Round Corner Brewing, the Melton Premium Craft Distillers, and Simply Chocolate, alongside butchers, bakers and pork pie makers. Smoked food specialist Feast and the Furious will also be relocating to the site during 2022.
Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire is the home of the pork pie and Stilton cheese. And for hundreds of years, Melton Mowbray Market in its various guises has played a key role in the ‘farm to fork’ story.
Today it has markets on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, plus many special events and festivals.
These strong foundations have been built on to create the Stockyard, as one part of Melton Mowbray’s food and drink experience. It is further bolstered by the weekly street markets, the Rural Catering Centre at SMB College and the many artisan and historic food producers in and around the town that have contributed to the town being named the Rural Capital of Food.
Stockyard Melton Mowbray, working in conjunction with Melton Borough Council, is part of the wider Food Enterprise Centre in the borough, building on the rich food heritage of the local area.
Now, with an increasing number of people interested in local food and the provenance of their food and drink, the Stockyard is offering the opportunity for producers to take space in the agri-chic surroundings of the Melton Mowbray Market site.
“The Stockyard hosts a range of markets alongside exciting and interesting events, including food and beer festivals, weddings, conferences and the like,” explained Hugh Brown.
“The Stockyard encompasses many of the existing values and heritage of the site, retaining close links to our local farmers and our weekly livestock sales. There really is nowhere more ‘farm to fork’ and helps to provide a unique market atmosphere, while establishing the Stockyard in its own right.”
The Stockyard is the new brand for the southern part of Melton Mowbray Market, which is the largest town centre livestock market in the country. The Market predates the Domesday Book and moved from its various locations in the central streets of town to its current site in 1869 as part of the Melton Mowbray Cattle Market Act.
As standards continued to rise through the 20th Century, the livestock moved into modern purpose-built sheds and the older buildings were repurposed for weekly markets and events. It’s some of these buildings which have been converted into spaces for food and drink businesses.
The former chicken shed is now the Fur & Feather bar, adjoining the distillery operated by Melton Premium Craft Distillers which makes Brentingby Gin, while opposite is the brewery and taproom for Round Corner Brewing.
Combie Cryan, co-founder of Round Corner Brewing, said: “We are delighted to be an anchor tenant of the Stockyard. In the four years since our opening, we have played a key role in raising the profile of the market and drawing weekend visitors. We have created the perfect place for our brewery and taproom and, alongside our many amazing neighbours, we are looking forward to playing a key role in the future of this exciting newly branded Stockyard, which builds on the history of Melton Mowbray’s long links to agriculture and the food and drink sector.”
Jon Oakes, of smoked food specialist Feast and the Furious, said: “We are really excited to be locating our new smokehouse down at the Stockyard amongst some really passionate award winning food and drink businesses such as Round Corner and Brentingby Gin (Fur & Feather Bar).
“We are looking forward to enhancing the great food and drink offering at the Stockyard and can’t wait to help create an exciting destination for people near and far to visit for a food and drink experience.
“We will be expanding our current offering of cold and hot smoked products with new, bigger smokers, bringing out new products whilst also allowing us to be able to get back to our roots of our hot smoked food (such as smoked beef brisket and pulled pork etc) that we served from our food truck down at the Stockyard on many occasions in the past.
“We are looking to open a shop area to sell a range of our cold smoked products and eventually even have a seating area for people to enjoy our hot food offering too.”
In collaboration with the Melton Mowbray Food Partnership, Stockyard aims to be home to a growing number of innovative and award-winning independent producers.
Hugh Brown added: “Many industrial buildings have been imaginatively repurposed to create interesting spaces but what we have done at the Stockyard is repurpose buildings with an agricultural heritage to give them a new role in the future of the food and drink sector. Here, production is visible and proud. Producers can demonstrate their trade and expertise and customers can see what they are buying. We’re excited for the future of the Stockyard and are looking forward to welcoming more artisan manufacturers to our unique site.”
Build contacts at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022
Taking place on Thursday 15 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, the highly anticipated East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022 will celebrate the region’s property and construction industry while providing a prime opportunity to connect with local decision makers.
The event will also feature John Forkin MBE DL, Managing Director at award-winning investment promotion agency Marketing Derby, as keynote speaker, as well as award-winning mind reader, magician, and professional mentalist Looch, who will bewilder and astonish guests during the evening’s networking.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Tickets can now be booked for the awards event – click here to secure yours.
With nominations OPEN for East Midlands Business Link’s annual Bricks Awards, it’s time to submit your entries for the prestigious event – showcase your business, team and projects. Award categories include: most active estate agent, commercial development of the year, responsible business of the year, residential development of the year, developer of the year, deal of the year, architects of the year, excellence in design, sustainable development of the year, contractor of the year, and overall winner. To submit a business or development please click on a category link below or visit this page.- Most active estate agent
- Commercial development of the year
- Responsible business of the year
- Residential development of the year
- Developer of the year
- Deal of the year
- Architects of the year
- Excellence in design
- Sustainable development of the year
- Contractor of the year
- Overall winner (this award cannot be entered, the winner will be selected from those nominated)
William Crooks, Managing Director of Cawarden, reflected on winning an award in 2021: “After being named Contractor of the Year at the British Demolition Awards at the start of September, we were absolutely thrilled to win the same accolade from the East Midlands Bricks Awards a few weeks later. The event is a real showcase for the regional property and construction sector and we are proud to be recognised for our project and service delivery expertise as a leading specialist contractor.
“It was a great night and provided an opportunity to catch up with some familiar faces as well as meeting new with the wonderful Trent Bridge Cricket Ground as a backdrop. Well done to the Cawarden team for continuously going above and beyond and maintaining high standards for our valued clients. Congratulations must also go to all the other awards finalists and award winners on the night.”
To be held at:
Lancashire fire safety specialist snaps up Leicestershire firm
Lancashire-headquartered fire safety specialist Walker Fire has acquired Leicestershire-based Detector Alarms Limited as part of its continued expansion in the fire detection and security sector.
It comes alongside the acquisition of Hampshire-based Southern Fire Protection Limited.
Detector Alarms Limited, which trades as Detector Fire and Security, operates across Leicestershire and the Midlands, specialising in the installation and servicing of security and fire safety systems.
The deal enables an exit for Detector Fire and Security’s shareholders Carlos Mendez, Scott Thompson and David Loomes. However, Carlos Mendez will continue working with the business and all staff members have been retained. Steven Mather of Nexa Law acted for the sellers.
Walker Fire is part of the Moyne Roberts Group. Based at Roman Way Industrial Estate, the business has 238 staff and offers services in the installation and servicing of fire alarms, fire suppression systems and other fire safety equipment, as well as fire risk assessment and fire safety training services.
Walker Fire was advised on the transactions by the corporate finance, property and employment teams at law firm Harrison Drury solicitors. Stuart Hinnigan, partner at Scott & Wilkinson accountants, advised on the financial aspects of the deal.
David Cosgrove, Managing Director of Walker Fire, said: “Our goal is to become one of the UK’s foremost providers of fire safety and building security services. The two businesses we have acquired have operational capabilities and values that are very aligned with our own and further strengthen our service offering and national footprint.”
The advisory team at Harrison Drury was led by Jack Stephenson and Kerry Southworth in the corporate team, supported by Laura Bradley from the commercial property team, and Sarah Astley and Olivia Bailey from the employment law team.
Jack Stephenson, associate solicitor in the corporate team at Harrison Drury, said: “We’re proud to have supported Walker Fire’s growth strategy by advising them on a significant number of transactions over the last few years.
“These latest strategic acquisitions help Walker Fire grow its capabilities and geographical coverage and we’re pleased to have played our role in making this possible.”
Sarah Astley, associate solicitor in the employment team, added: “We’re pleased to be working alongside the team at Walker Fire, supporting them with the employment aspects of these acquisitions and ensuring a smooth transition for all staff, clients and stakeholders.”
Tight labour market drives bonuses up but wider wage squeeze deepens
A tightening labour market and an increasingly mobile workforce is driving up bonuses to hire and retain staff, but the wage squeeze for the wider workforce continues to deepen off the back of rising inflation, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to the latest labour market statistics.
The UK labour market continues to tighten, with unemployment falling to 3.7 per cent (the lowest since 1974) and the number of vacancies rising to almost 1.3 million, taking vacancy numbers above unemployment levels for the time ever.
Workers are taking advantage of this tight labour market by moving jobs – almost a million did so in the first three months of the year. There are signs firms are using bonuses to respond to the hiring and retention challenges posed by this mass movement, with total pay including bonuses rising 7 per cent. Bonuses are up 30 per cent on last year, but remain concentrated in finance and business sectors which account for almost 60 per cent of all bonuses.
There is less good news for those not receiving bonuses, with regular pay not responding to rising inflation. Real regular pay growth has fallen sharply by 1.2 per cent – the fastest rate in almost a decade. The Foundation notes that the true scale of Britain’s real wage squeeze is likely to be even deeper as the headline rate is flattered by the effects of last year’s furlough.
Finally, the Foundation notes that the UK labour market remains smaller than it was pre-pandemic.
While long-term unemployment is falling, there are no signs that the pandemic-induced rise in inactivity is reversing, with half a million people – largely older workers – having completely disengaged from work. As a result, we are working 10 million fewer hours a month than before the pandemic, which will lead to a smaller economy overall.
Hannah Slaughter, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “The UK labour market continues to tighten, with the number of unemployed people having fallen below the number of job vacancies for the first time ever. People are taking advantage of these conditions to move jobs, and employers are responding by paying bonuses to hire or retain key staff.
“But for the vast majority of the workforce, the labour market may feel far less hot. There is little sign of wider pay pressures building and real wages are getting squeezed even tighter.
“With inflation having shot up in recent months, the scale of Britain’s wage squeeze is going to get far worse.”
Design duo team up to raise almost £2,000 for Ukraine appeal
Two graphic designers have raised £1,927.75 for the Ukraine crisis appeal by teaming up and using their skills to solve a common business branding issue.
Trudie Avery of Avery Creative – who is often referred to as the Logo Lady – partnered with illustrator and graphic designer Dave Officer, of Doodle Juice Design, to ‘fix’ business logos in return for donations to Ukraine Crisis Charities.
Despite never having met in person, the pair decided to work together on the special project and put out to their LinkedIn connections a one-time offer to create a vector version of company logos – one that is scalable and can be used at any size without losing quality and that can be put on any background without having a white box around it.
More than 30 companies took Trudie and Dave up on their offer, each donating £25 or more to the worthy cause. One business pledged a whopping £1,000 for the service.
Trudie, who has been working in graphic design and branding for 25 years, said: “We wanted to use our skills to raise some money for the Ukraine. Dave is a fabulous designer/illustrator and came to me with this idea and I jumped at the chance to do something so worthwhile.
“Many company logos are jpeg files, which are essentially an image file on a white background. If you use it on a dark background it will have a white box around it and it doesn’t scale up well.
“We turned the jpeg files into vector files which are much more useful for scalability and useability and raised almost £2,000 in the process.
“What is going on in the Ukraine is so tragic and I was glad to be able to do something to help in this awful situation.”
Dave added: “We’ve all sat in absolute horror watching the events in the Ukraine unfold. The feeling of sadness and helplessness is a little overwhelming, but I was keen to do a little something to help. Although the gesture of fixing logos is tiny in the grand scheme of things, I am delighted that the money we’ve raised will make some difference, however small.”
165,000 sq ft Deichmann UK warehouse opens it’s doors at Centrix Business Park, Corby
European shoe retailer Deichmann opened the doors of a new warehouse at Centrix Business Park on Phoenix Parkway in Corby earlier this month. The new warehouse is around 165,000 square foot in size, making it larger than Trafalgar Square in London.
The new warehouse will create 50 new jobs in the region and support Deichmann’s ongoing growth by improving service levels across the business, as well as giving the brand full autonomy to manage its inventory and logistics.
Samuel Deichmann, executive board member at Deichmann SE and chairman of the board of directors at Deichmann-UK Shoes Limited, said: “We are thrilled to open our brand new Corby warehouse. Deichmann is experiencing strong success both in our online growth and expansion of UK stores, the new warehouse will allow us to enhance our service and ensure we can keep pace.”
The company chose Corby as the site for the brand’s new UK distribution facility as a central location to the network of 120 UK stores and its proximity to the Deichmann head office, which is located in nearby Market Harborough.
The former brownfield site, owned and developed by Clowes Developments, provides the ideal home for the footwear retailer. Clowes Developments managed the development of the site which has been built on a former quarry which was later used as landfill for the steelworks. The land has been vacant since tipping on the site ended. Planning conditions meant the developers had to properly manage the heavily contaminated land by adhering to strict conditions to ensure it was safe to build on.
Deichmann have invested around £3 million into the facility, which took just under a year to complete and has the capacity to hold just over one million pairs of shoes. The building construction was led by Winvic Construction, the industrial ‘shed’ specialist.
Midlands businesses decline to work with clients over ESG credentials
Business leaders in the Midlands are voting with their feet and declining to work with clients because of their ESG credentials, according to new research from accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO.
BDO’s ‘Rethinking the Economy’ survey found that 42% of businesses in the region are declining or discontinuing to work with clients or customers as a direct result of their ESG performance.
When asked which factors business leaders considered most important when selecting or renewing contracts with customers or suppliers, 33% selected ED&I performance. The second most important consideration from 23% of businesses is the reputation of potential customers or suppliers with external stakeholders, including the media. Personal relationships ranked as the third most important, which was cited by 20% of companies.
In regard to diversity and inclusion, improving social mobility and socio-economic diversity is a key priority for more than a quarter of businesses. The same proportion are focusing on diversity and inclusion relating to ethnicity and 28% are focused on gender diversity and inclusion. This mirrors the 27% of companies that are focusing on environmental commitments.
Tim Foster, partner at BDO, said: “Business leaders are facing pressure from every angle at the moment, whether it’s the cost-of-living crisis, the lingering effects of a global pandemic, or geopolitical uncertainty. Despite this, businesses are clearly voting with their feet when it comes to weighing up commercial relationships and the ESG agenda.
“With almost half of businesses revealing that they are already declining to work with clients due to poor ESG performance, all businesses will need to be prioritising ESG no matter what their size or sector.”
He added: “It is positive to see such a high percentage prioritising diversity and inclusion around social mobility and ethnicity within their leadership teams and workforces. Improving social mobility in the Midlands is key to the future success of the region, and businesses will play a vital role in driving that agenda forward to create more equal opportunities across the board.”
Transformational plans revealed for Carlton-in-Lindrick site
Bassetlaw District Council has revealed an “inspirational plan” to transform the Wimpy Estate in Carlton-in-Lindrick.
An initial two-phase approach to build new council houses and create an informal play space with landscaping is being presented to residents as part of a six-week consultation on the Carlton Wimpy Masterplan.
The consultation, which was launched on Friday 13 May, will also gather the views of residents on topics including opportunities to improve movement around the estate, address anti-social behaviour issues and increase parking, among other ideas.
The Masterplan has been developed in response to concerns and issues raised by residents about the estate over a number of years and will act as a catalyst for improving the appearance of the estate and quality of life for residents living there.
Cllr Steve Scotthorne, cabinet member for housing at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “We have listened to residents’ concerns over time and as a result of these discussions have developed the initial phases of the Masterplan.
“This is an ambitious project that will transform the estate, address many of the issues that have been raised and make this part of Carlton a more pleasant and appealing area to live in.
“To make this project a success, we need residents to tell us what they think of the plans, put forward their priorities and be a central part of the project from the outset.”
Funding of around £3m has been made available for the first two phases of the Masterplan and consultation will initially take place on Phases 1 and 2 of the project which, if successful, could lead to more ambitious proposals.
Proposals as part of Phases 1 and 2 of the Masterplan include:
- Demolishing the underused community centre and building new homes
- Redeveloping some of the existing open spaces, including the paved area off Willow Avenue.
- Creating a new informal play area and introducing softer landscaping at the heart of the estate.
- There is also the potential to create start up units for local business, retail opportunities, or new community facilities.
Lincs law firm launches litigation funding with DBA option
For the first time, Lincoln law firm Shakespeare Martineau is to offer damages-based agreements (DBAs) as part of its portfolio of litigation funding options called ‘FeeManage’.
DBAs – a fairly new addition to English law – are contingency-based agreements where legal fees are payable as a percentage out of the damages received in the event a case is successful. Shakespeare Martineau is proud to be in a position to offer DBAs as part of its FeeManage proposition.
If a DBA is entered into and the pre-determined success criteria is achieved but the recovery from the losing party is relatively low, the DBA percentage fee from recovered monies may be a sum significantly less than that which would have been payable by the client on a normal retainer basis or pursuant to a conditional fee arrangement (CFA) – meaning an increased shared risk between client and legal advisors.
In addition to DBAs, the firm is working with a variety of funders to offer third-party funding (TPF) and after the event (ATE) insurance in combination with CFAs as potential options. Unlike competitors, Shakespeare Martineau is not tied to a single funding provider in order to flex requirements and offer full or part funding for litigation claims.
Barry Jervis, partner and litigation expert at Shakespeare Martineau, said: “Too often businesses are put off from pursuing debts and assets that are rightfully theirs due to the associated costs, impact on the balance sheet and risk.
“Litigation was buoyant across the country before the pandemic and, as we emerge into a post-pandemic economy, we can expect disputes to increase further. However, the costs of litigation are climbing sharply, alongside increasing numbers of businesses experiencing cash flow issues as a fall out from the pandemic.
“Our new ‘FeeManage’ service helps to reduce the financial risk of litigation. Every individual and every business is unique and while traditional CFAs might work for one client, third party funding might be more appropriate for another. Whatever the size or complexity of the litigation, we have an option that will suit.
“We’re really proud to be taking a different approach to litigation funding. We’re not fixed to a single provider and we’re giving our clients every option available for funding their claim.”
Bid successful on Skegness Town Hall
East Lindsey District Council has announced that Skegness Town Hall has had a successful bid, which has now been accepted.
