National card retailer Cardzone has acquired a store in Lincoln.
Occupying a prime location at 304 High Street, the property is in the heart of Lincoln’s city centre amongst numerous national retailers.
Tom Wragg, associate director at FHP, who acted for long standing clients Cardzone, said: “The property had been occupied by Paperchase until their insolvency in early 2023 creating an excellent opportunity for Cardzone to trade their fantastic new Mooch concept.
“I am proud to have played a part in identifying this opportunity and negotiating a new lease on behalf of my client.”
Peter Drewitt of Cardzone added: “I am pleased to have worked with FHP to secure this property, which will be an exciting additional to our new Mooch brand that is being rolled out in selected locations nationwide.”
The Property Management department of Rushton Hickman has landed a major new management instruction after being asked to undertake the management of Barton Hall in Church Broughton.
Barton Hall is an exquisite Grade II* listed building with early 15th century origins and is situated on a site of approximately 168 acres of land.
In addition to the main residence there are four cottages, racing stables, a bungalow, yard area and acres of farm and grazing land, all of which Rushton Hickman have been instructed solely to deal with the management of.
Richard Fairey, director of the Property Management section at Rushton Hickman, said: “The setting of Barton Hall is second to none and our local knowledge and experience of similar settings such as this ensures that our client is in the right hands.”
Jade Martin, property manager at Rushton Hickman, added: “We are absolutely thrilled to be involved with such a prestigious property and we look forward to working with the new owners and tenants on the management of the site.”
Futures Housing Group, a not-for-profit housing association in the East Midlands, is working with United Living Group to build 38 affordable homes in Northampton.
Futures has awarded United Living a £9.2 million contract to build the new development on Central Avenue, Northampton.
The site will be made up of 20 social rent and 18 shared ownership properties, including one bed flats and two and three bed homes. The project is expected to take 18 months to complete.
Lindsey Williams, Group Chief Executive of Futures, said: “I’m really pleased Futures is working together with United Living to build much needed homes for people in Northamptonshire. There’s an annual shortfall in the number of homes being built across our region and nationwide, so developments like this are very much a part of our core purpose here at Futures.”
Caroline Lewis, Managing Director of United Living, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded this contract. Northampton is experiencing a social housing shortage, and we are pleased to be able to create accessible, safe and comfortable accommodations to help address these local needs.”
Lindsey added: “Building new, affordable homes is a key priority for Futures as we continually strive to support the community with more housing. I look forward to seeing the homes developed with United Living over the next few years.”
As negotiations around a UK-India Free Trade Agreement draw closer to completion, new research from Grant Thornton UK LLP’s Business Outlook Tracker finds that India is a core focus international growth market for the East Midlands mid-market.
The firm’s Business Outlook Tracker, which surveyed mid-sized businesses in the East Midlands, finds that almost half (49%) of business leaders are planning to invest more in growing internationally in the next six months. Many of these businesses have their sights set on India, with 76% of respondents identifying the country as a focus international growth market.
The East Midlands mid-market is already very familiar with doing business in India, with over three quarters (76%) of the businesses surveyed already having an established presence there. Of these, almost all (92%) have plans to expand their presence, with the majority having plans to do so within the next two years.
The opportunities that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) would offer are also evident to the region’s business leaders. As negotiations continue, 80% of respondents agree that an FTA with India is likely to encourage their business to explore more opportunities there.
As India’s economy continues to grow in strength, the mid-market sees many benefits to establishing a business presence in this market. The top three benefits identified by the research are: a fast growing and stable economy, ease of doing business, a large working age population.
However, while establishing a business presence in an international market can offer numerous opportunities, it also presents challenges. The biggest barriers for the mid-market to building a business presence in India identified by the research are: high tariffs and protectionist policies, infrastructure, safeguarding intellectual property.
James Brown, practice leader for Grant Thornton UK LLP in the Central and East region, said:“India is now the fifth largest economy in the world and is predicted to become the third largest by 2030. It therefore presents a huge opportunity for growth for businesses in the East Midlands.“As the country is only set to continue to grow, it is an excellent time for both those with an existing presence, and those looking to India for the first time, to be exploring potential opportunities in this market.
“With the uncertain geopolitical situation at the moment, India offers a stable and certain economic environment for investors and businesses, with, not only a fast-growing economy, but also a large working age and consumer population.
“The anticipated UK-India Free Trade Agreement should also help propel the relationship between the two countries further and provide an excellent platform for further investment. “An FTA should reduce tariffs and duties to allow for a more level playing field for overseas businesses and give greater access to a large and fast-growing market. It should also allow for the relaxation of certain regulations and help improve the ease with which businesses in the UK can look to do business with, or within, India.
“While our research has identified the biggest challenges many businesses face when setting up in India – as there are challenges looking to grow internationally anywhere in the world – there is support available. “The Department for Business and Trade provides support to those seeking to trade or invest in India, while firms, such as ours, can also provide tailored support for businesses exploring new markets.”
Clumber Consultancy, the specialist Pensions and ERA Service provider for the UK insolvency market, is expanding, with Prameela Tamber joining as client director.
This key strategic hire will now see the Nottinghamshire firm become better able to target their niche offering into the South-East.
Prameela will be based in London and has been brought on board to strengthen the fast-growing company’s ERA (Employment Rights Act) team.
Prameela brings with her 13 years of ERA experience, having previously worked at a boutique insolvency practice in the capital.
Clumber Consultancy is led by Managing Director Darren Toms. He said: “We’re delighted that Prameela will be spearheading our growth in the south east of England and of course in the capital and the heart of the financial sector.
“Prameela will give our ERA team presence in the South-East, whilst the rest of the team covers the rest of the UK from their Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire bases.
“Prameela’s primary focus is to work on ERA assignments in the South-East region but she will also be operating in a Business Development role, servicing existing and new clients in and around London.”
Clumber Consultancy’s primary focus is compliance and ensuring that employees receive what they are entitled to, following redundancy in an insolvency appointment.
On Thursday 28 September, East Midlands Business Link’s prestigious Bricks Awards will take place at the famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, celebrating the region’s property and construction industry.
The annual event recognises development projects and people in commercial and public building across the region – from office, industrial and residential schemes, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools.
With nominations closing on Thursday 31 August, 10 categories are available to enter. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to showcase your projects and team, reward their hard work, and boost morale.
Amongst this year’s categories is Responsible Business of the Year, which can be entered here.
The winner of this award will have demonstrated corporate responsibility in their field, working in harmony and for the betterment of the local community in which it operates and setting a shining example for the rest of the supply chain.
Last year the award was won by Cawarden. On winning two awards at the 2022 event, William Crooks, Managing Director of Cawarden, said: “It was fantastic for Cawarden to be presented with not one but two prestigious awards at this year’s Bricks Awards. We received the Contractor of the Year title for the second year in a row, which is absolutely fantastic to be recognised again for our project and service delivery expertise.
“Despite the challenging landscape, we’ve had an exceptional year, achieving sustainable growth whilst delivering a diverse range of projects for some of the UK’s leading clients. To then pick up the Responsible Business of the Year title was the icing on the cake. We’re committed to improving the image of the industry, and we strive to raise the bar for our people, the planet, and the community.
“To receive an award for our recent achievements is wonderful. A big thank you to the judges and congratulations must also go to all the other award finalists and winners. The event was a real showcase for the regional property and construction sector, and we are more than proud to be part of it!”
Other finalists for the category were Arc Partnership and Phoenix Brickwork.
This year’s Responsible Business of the Year award will once again be sponsored by Press for Attention PR. Speaking with Business Link, Greg Simpson, founder, said: “We have proudly sponsored this category for many years now because we think that it is crucial that companies that proactively demonstrate that corporate responsibility is an important part of their culture should be recognised.
“Without being too political, the past weeks have brought further attention to the impact that we as individuals and companies can have on our planet. Change is in the air and that is being welcomed and embraced by employer and employee alike and will play an increasing role in purchasing, hiring and procurement decisions. CSR is not (or certainly should not be) a box-ticking exercise, it is part of being a responsible organisation and I look forward to learning more from our finalists.”
Submit your nominations for Responsible Business of the Year herebefore entries close on Thursday 31 August.
Winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 28 September,at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground– an evening also offering an opportunity to establish new connections with property and construction professionals from across the region.
Other award categories open for entry include: Commercial Development of the Year, Contractor of the Year, Architects of the Year, Residential Development of the Year, Developer of the Year, Deal of the Year, Most Active Estate Agent, Excellence in Design, and Sustainable Development of the Year. All entry forms can be accessed here.
The Overall Winner award will also be presented at the event. This award cannot be entered, with the winner selected from those nominated. The Overall Winner of the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 will also receive a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000.
Book your tickets now
Tickets can now be booked for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 – click here to secure yours.
The special awards evening and networking event will be held on Thursday 28 September 2023 in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground from 4:30pm – 7:30pm.
Connect with local decision makers over canapés and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region, and hear from Mike Denby, Director of Inward Investment and Place Marketing at Leicester City Council, our keynote speaker.
Dress code is standard business attire.
Thanks to our sponsors:To be held at:
Committing its future to regional improvement, independent multi-disciplinary consultancy Pick Everard has been appointed to a new framework deal with Leicester City Council.
Operating on an initial two-year term, with options to extend for a further two, the framework will see Pick Everard flex its range of consultancy services, working closely with the council’s Estates and Building Services (EBS) department to drive city-wide improvement programmes.
Pick Everard will lead ‘Lot A’ on the Project Construction Professional Services Framework, providing multi-disciplinary consultancy across the entirety of the council’s estate, including schools and education, transport, art galleries and museums, leased premises, public and office buildings, and housing.
Matt Hall, national director at Pick Everard, said: “This appointment marks a significant period for our business and Leicester City Council, which like all local authorities across the country is working hard to deliver and maintain a building stock fit for current and future sustainability standards.
“As sole multi-disciplinary supplier, our aim is to deliver real value to the city, building on our previous work across a broad and varied estate, that will deliver the best possible outcomes, with high quality assets that will positively impact this generation and the next.”
Pick Everard will cover a range of projects under the framework agreement, including new builds, extensions, refurbishments and housing builds.
In total, it will provide more than 30 multi-disciplinary services, tying into a council-led vision to provide Leicester with a high quality, efficient, effective, and sustainable built environment.
Alastair Hamilton, partner at Pick Everard, said: “Our philosophy at Pick Everard is to deliver better together, and with this major appointment, we look to the next phase of enhancing the city we have so rightly called home since 1866.
“It is an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy through a programme of works that combines industry leading expertise under one central collaborative relationship.
“We’re proud to continue our ongoing work with Leicester City Council and to partner them in this onward journey.”
Matt Wallace, director of estates and building services at Leicester City Council, said: “Having undertaken a robust procurement exercise to provide essential construction professional services and support to the council, we are delighted to be working with a successful, Leicester-based company like Pick Everard, that has such a strong and proven track record in local development.
“Having access to its supply chain, along with their shared passion for improving the quality of life for people living and working in Leicester, will be invaluable to us as we deliver the council’s vision to sustainably develop the city and support Leicester’s economic growth and future prosperity.”
An entrepreneur who found sanctuary in the East Midlands after fleeing a brutal overseas regime has been honoured by the University of Leicester.
Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL came to Leicester as a child refugee with his family in 1972 to escape Idi Amin’s reign of terror in Uganda, with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a few suitcases.
From those humble beginnings, Dr Kotecha built up a hugely successful career, founding Morningside Pharmaceuticals, and then becoming a major philanthropist as founder of the Randal Charitable Foundation, making international contribution to pharmaceuticals, life sciences and innovation.
Yesterday (Thursday 20 July), the University of Leicester formally recognised Dr Kotecha’s contribution to society, by awarding him an Honorary Doctorate of Science during a graduation ceremony, held at De Montfort Hall.
Speaking after the ceremony, Dr Kotecha, who grew up in Leicester, before basing his international pharmaceuticals business in Loughborough, said: “I’m truly honoured and humbled to receive this honorary degree from the University of Leicester.
“As a young man and throughout my academic and entrepreneurial journey, I’ve long been an admirer of the University’s commitment to supporting and developing young people.
“I hope my story helps inspire the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs to work hard and follow their dreams of making a positive difference to the world.
“My advice to all graduating students is: as you step out into the world armed with your degrees, please remember that you possess a power, to positively shape our world.
“You have the potential to ignite change, to challenge conventional wisdom, and to make a lasting positive impact on the lives of others. The world needs your ideas, your innovation, and your passion to tackle the pressing issues of our time.”
After arriving in the UK, Dr Kotecha worked hard during his school years in Leicester to achieve a Leicestershire council grant, which enabled him to start his further education in Newcastle.
He later went on to study for a PhD under the supervision of Professor Steven Ley FRS at Imperial College London, and further doctorate work at the University of Cambridge. His areas of research included drug discovery of molecules to treat type II diabetes and infection, which led to work into big pharma.
Inspired by his childhood experiences, Dr Kotecha later established generic medicines manufacturer and supplier, Morningside Pharmaceuticals, with a mission to provide high quality affordable and accessible medicines to the world. This mission led to the business becoming one of the leading UK suppliers of a wide range of medical supplies to International Aid Organisations, having exported to more than 120 countries globally since inception.
Dr Kotecha would lead the company for more than 30 years and to great international success, before divesting of the business in 2022. During his stewardship of the Top 100 Leicestershire company, the business invested heavily in research and development, which led to the launch of many innovations to help patients take their medicine.
Dr Kotecha has previously supported the establishment of the university’s Leicester Medical School. He has also worked closely with the university to help nurture innovation through its Innovation Hub; and more widely in the Midlands through his work as Chair of the Leicester & Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership’s (LLEP) Innovation Board.
In 2017 Dr Kotecha and his wife Moni founded the Randal Charitable Foundation with the aim to directly save a million lives and significantly improve the quality of life for those in need in the UK and around the world. As well as providing grants, one of many projects supported by the Foundation is driving national policy change to reduce the reoffending rate amongst ex-prisoners by helping them find employment.
A further project led to a step-change of over £1billion in funding from the UK Government in support for those affected by addiction, whilst another is spotlighting the challenge of loneliness and isolation in our society.
President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, Professor Nishan Canagarajah, said: “Nik has reaped exceptional achievements academically, in business and through his contributions of charity and philanthropy.
“For over 30 years he has utilised his passion for drug discovery, international trade and providing quality, affordable healthcare to forge a highly successful career, where he has drawn on this experience to be a strong voice and ambassador for business, charitable organisations and establishing a charity that saves and improves lives.
“Nik is an impressive role model to our graduates and the wider University community.”
Every year, environmental and safety legislation is changing and the technologies available are evolving.
The need for experienced and curious design consultants, to discover environmentally led solutions for ever more complex buildings, is the reason GBE was formed. GBE provide their clients with the clarity, logic, and the promotion of good practices needed to build the best spaces for people to use.
GBE are a collective of engineers, consultants, and project managers, experienced in Mechanical Electrical and Public Health (MEP), Fire and Sustainability design. Delivering technical construction documentation and BIM (Building Information Modelling) packages for architects, developers, and self-builders by creating clear descriptions of complex engineering systems. The division is separated into two engineering disciplines: MEP Engineering and Sustainability & Energy.
MEP Engineering (aka Building Services) is a discipline of the RIBA construction design process. It requires trained and qualified engineers to provide consultancy, strategy and deliver engineering documentation for architects, developers, and self-builders to formulate the full picture of what services are required for a project. GBE have adopted Autodesk Revit as a digital platform for designing MEP services and production of technical documentation. You can expect enhanced collaboration, improved visualisation, and improved clarity of technical information from the team.
Sam Travis-Cavell
“Our division have a passion for designing spaces for the end-user; the people that will live, work, and play in the building. We want to create spaces that have an atmosphere, are inherently easy to use and do not cost the earth to run,” said Sam Travis-Cavell, Head of Global Building Environments.
Secondly, the Sustainability & Energy services involve the production of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), which are legally required on all properties in the UK. This is becoming increasingly important as there are annual changes to Part L, legislation and grants due to the government’s climate change objectives, which will affect all property owners in the next decade. On construction projects, GBE work with the architects and developers to ensure that the Draft and As Built EPCs are compliant with Part L of the building regulations. Working with house-owners, landlords, social housing platforms and estate agents, GBE develop the domestic and non-domestic EPCs required for sale or let of buildings.
Most importantly, GBE have joined the Global Group family, an organisation that have specialized in fire safety for over 20 years. Working directly alongside Global Technical Services (GTS), the fire engineering consultancy of the group, GBE coordinate MEP Engineering designs, façade details and construction details directly with the GTS team to ensure all systems are incorporated, coordinated, safe and thermally sound.
Sam Travis-Cavell is Head of the new division. With over eight years of experience in the construction industry as an MEP design engineer, sustainability consultant, contractor, and business owner, he is a certified Energy Assessor for both domestic and non-domestic projects and is a member of CIBSE and CIOB. He is currently undertaking his engineering chartership application to obtain his MCIOB chartership qualification.
GBE aim to reduce the carbon impact of the construction industry, create value on their projects and design for the people who will live, work and play in those spaces.
To find out more information about Global Building Environments, click here.
Streets Chartered Accountants covers the success of its Charity Golf Day, inheritance tax reliefs applicable to farmland, National Insurance Contributions, and more in its new news roundup.
Streets was delighted to host its tenth annual Charity Golf Day on Friday 7th July, raising a record amount of more than £8,000 for the Air Ambulance. The total amount fundraised will be divided between three regional charities; East Anglian Air Ambulance, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance and Yorkshire Air Ambulance. The winning team on the day was Varley Orthopaedics with Civil Recovery Solutions coming in second and The One Group in third place. The winners of the Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin competitions were Adam Aisthorpe and Paul Ward respectively…
Agricultural Schemes and IHT Reliefs
There are two main reliefs for inheritance tax that can apply to farmland. These are Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR). APR applies to the agricultural value of the land and applies where it is occupied for the purpose of agriculture. The length of ownership and occupation required depends on who occupies the land; if it is occupied by the owner or a company they have a controlling holding in then the period is 2 years, if occupied by another, e.g. a tenant, then the period is 7 years…
Retrospective Voluntary National Insurance Contributions
The UK government has announced a further extension to the deadline for making retrospective voluntary NICs covering the period from April 2006 onwards. If there have been gaps in your National Insurance Contributions, there is a possibility that you may not meet the qualifying year requirement to receive the full state pension (dependent on the size of the gap and how close you are to state pension age). Retrospective contributions can fill these gaps and ensure the full state pension is received…
Could you and your business get greater value from your Year-End?
Not to be confused with the tax year-end which is 5th April each year, the year-end date for your business is specific to you. The largest proportions of businesses tend to opt for either a 31st December or 31st March year-end. Typically, most businesses, when it comes to their year-end will focus primarily on finance and financial reporting, with Directors, owners and shareholders keen to know the financial outcome…
Streets Summer Newsletter 2023
It is looking as if the only respite we will get from ongoing economic challenges this year is warmer weather. Hopefully, readers of Streets’ newsletter will find something of interest that will help ease the burdens of rising fuel, food and other energy prices and provide business readers with ideas to meet their current challenges. As always, if you would like more information regarding any of the issues Streets has flagged in this summer edition, please pick up the phone…
SmartMoney – July/August 2023
SmartMoney is the bi-monthly magazine from Streets Financial Consulting plc, Streets Chartered Accountants’ independent financial planning arm, full of news and helpful information on personal financial planning…
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
Winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 28 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening also offering an opportunity to establish new connections with property and construction professionals from across the region.
Other award categories open for entry include: Commercial Development of the Year, Contractor of the Year, Architects of the Year, Residential Development of the Year, Developer of the Year, Deal of the Year, Most Active Estate Agent, Excellence in Design, and Sustainable Development of the Year. All entry forms can be accessed here.
The Overall Winner award will also be presented at the event. This award cannot be entered, with the winner selected from those nominated. The Overall Winner of the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 will also receive a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000.
To be held at:
Most importantly, GBE have joined the Global Group family, an organisation that have specialized in fire safety for over 20 years. Working directly alongside Global Technical Services (GTS), the fire engineering consultancy of the group, GBE coordinate MEP Engineering designs, façade details and construction details directly with the GTS team to ensure all systems are incorporated, coordinated, safe and thermally sound.
Sam Travis-Cavell is Head of the new division. With over eight years of experience in the construction industry as an MEP design engineer, sustainability consultant, contractor, and business owner, he is a certified Energy Assessor for both domestic and non-domestic projects and is a member of CIBSE and CIOB. He is currently undertaking his engineering chartership application to obtain his MCIOB chartership qualification.
GBE aim to reduce the carbon impact of the construction industry, create value on their projects and design for the people who will live, work and play in those spaces.
To find out more information about Global Building Environments, click here.
