- An outdoor market and events space
- High-quality street furniture including seating, bins, bollards and information panels
- Raised planting
- Feature LED lighting
- Granite paving
- Introduction of a one-way traffic system
- Limited vehicle access to the northern part of the square.
Marlborough Square redesign to start as contract signed
Work to redesign Marlborough Square in Coalville will start soon, after North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) signed contracts for the work to be completed.
After a number of set-backs and complications due to the nature of the space, building company Stepnell will start the work to transform the area in September, turning a car park and cut-through road into a pedestrianised public square that will be used for outdoor markets and other events.
The redesign has been on the cards since 2018 as part of NWLDC’s commitment to helping Coalville be a vibrant and family-friendly town.
The £2.7 million redesign promises to rejuvenate the area, with an outdoor market to compliment the indoor market at Newmarket and other events throughout the year. The design includes:
Cawarden awarded place on transformative £8bn Procure Partnerships Framework deal
Derby-based specialist contractor Cawarden has won a place on an £8 billion framework deal.
Procure Partnerships Framework has appointed 87 contractors to its second-generation National Framework.
The body has been operating and delivering a successful national contractor framework across England for the past four years, supporting the delivery of over 150 projects year on year.
35 contractors were reappointed on the next iteration of the framework, which is set to be the biggest framework ever awarded across the UK, structured across 9 sub-regional lots covering 5 value bands starting at 50K and going up to 50M+.
65% of contractors within the lots up to £15m are small to medium enterprises.
The successful bidders will now cover four disciplines: Construction, Decarbonisation and Retrofit, Demolition and Site Preparation, and Infrastructure.
Procure Partnerships Framework will start to support the procurement of projects from 1st November, and successful bidders will lend to its success for the next 4 years until 2027.
Faye Dolan, Head of National Frameworks, said: “It was of paramount importance to Procure Partnerships Framework that the new framework addresses the growing needs of the industry, whilst ensuring clients have access to specialist contractors for their projects.
“As a result, we are delighted to have some new faces on the framework which will bring invaluable expertise to our clients and their projects. The new iteration of the framework is set to transform public and private sector procurement and we look forward to seeing what Cawarden achieves over the next four years.”
Oliver Crooks, Commercial Director, said: “We are excited to have earned a spot on the Procure Partnerships Framework. Our goal is to work together to secure new opportunities and provide our demolition and site preparation expertise to deliver quality projects.”
Contractor appointed on £13.3m business hub scheme
Contractor Henry Brothers Construction has been appointed to deliver a new £13.3m business hub in Leicester city centre.
The scheme involves renovating a cluster of heritage buildings in King Street to create a modern home for creative businesses in support of around 250 new jobs.
Five separate but interconnected buildings at Pilot House will be transformed into 60,000 sq ft of high quality accommodation, including a central, glass-fronted communal courtyard and atrium.
Leicester City Council awarded the construction contract to Henry Brothers, and work has now just started on site.
Managing Director of Henry Brothers Construction, Ian Taylor, said: “We are very excited to have been appointed to this renovation project which will breathe new life into the historic Pilot House and help to boost Leicester’s economy and growth.
“It’s a superb development which includes the retention of existing industrial features, including parquet flooring and exposed brick and beams.
“Henry Brothers has significant experience of working on heritage and renovation projects and we are very pleased to have now started on site with our team and alongside our partners who are working on this key development.”
Other members of the construction team include architects RG+P and structural engineer M-EC.
Pilot House was a factory built in around 1900. The sensitive redevelopment will transform the building into a business zone for technical and digital companies, complete with a co-working lounge and a central courtyard and atrium for shared use.
The aim is for it to be a permanent base for businesses of varying sizes, from start-ups to established companies, once the development has been completed in early 2025.
The scheme forms part of a wider regeneration of the Belvoir Street, Market Street and New Walk areas in Leicester and will be managed by the city council creative hub, LCB Depot.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “This project will transform a group of architecturally significant heritage buildings into a creative hub for start-up and growing businesses and a landmark destination that will become a source of pride for Leicester.
“Not only will it contribute to the wider regeneration of the Belvoir Street, Market Street and New Walk areas, and complement developments like the Gresham Building, it will also create hundreds of high quality new jobs – including more of the skilled roles that will encourage graduates from Leicester’s two universities to remain in the city when their studies are over.
“It’s great news that this scheme is now under way. Backed by the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, it will give a huge boost to the city’s growth and economic recovery.”
The regeneration project received £8.6m from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, with the city council committing a further £4.7m towards the development.
Light Science Technologies acquires Tomtech
Light Science Technologies Holdings (LSTH), the Derbyshire-based controlled environment agriculture (CEA) technology and contract electronics manufacturing (CEM) group, has acquired Spalding-based Tomtech in a £500,000 deal.
Tomtech designs, manufactures and installs monitoring and control systems for commercial greenhouses and polytunnels and currently has over 160 live customers – including commercial growers in agriculture, horticulture and floriculture segments as well as universities and public authorities.
It has traded profitably for the last four years. For the year ended 31 December 2022, Tomtech reported unaudited profits before tax of £79,000 on sales of £680,000, of which £49,000 was recurring revenue. As at 31 December 2022, Tomtech had net assets of £145,000, including £141,000 in cash.
Simon Deacon, Chief Executive Officer of LSTH, said: “We are delighted to have completed our first acquisition since joining AIM. Tomtech has an excellent team and reputation with its clients and we believe their range of products and technology know-how will further enhance our industry reach and standing.
“Bringing Tomtech’s 35 years of experience into the Group’s CEA division enables us to provide an important turnkey solution to our customers, providing the technology they need to control the cost of growing, increasing yields and growing all year round.
“Acquiring Tomtech enhances our ability as a group to take our products worldwide, offering a full range of products, which sets us apart from our competitors in this very important time for the CEA market where we are seeing extreme weather patterns worldwide affecting our food security.
“Bringing Tomtech into the Group will further strengthen our position. The team’s added understanding of the requirements of growers in all areas of the Industry from glasshouses and polytunnels to hybrid growing environments in vertical growing, will be a big asset to the enlarged Group.
“We are looking forward to working with the team to strengthen our CEA division not just in revenue terms, but also the additional support to grow our partnerships around the world and to broaden our reach.”
All Tomtech employees will continue to be employed by the group following the acquisition.
52 wilko shops to close as more than 1,300 made redundant
52 wilko store closures have been confirmed as administrators continue to explore the structure, implications and viability of offers received for all or parts of the group.
PwC shared: “It has become clear from these discussions that some stores do not form part of any ongoing interest in the wilko store portfolio.”
The closure of the 52 shops will lead to the redundancies of 1,016 staff. Meanwhile a further 299 redundancies are to be made at two distribution centres in Worksop and Newport.
The final day of trading for the stores will be Tuesday 12 September and Thursday 14 September. For those employed at the distribution centres, redundancy will be effective from close of business on Thursday 7 September.
The news follows an agreement to provide B&M with the option to acquire up to 51 properties, after the administration trading period concludes at those sites.
Edward Williams, joint administrator, said: “In the absence of viable offers for the whole business, very sadly store closures and redundancies of team members from those stores are now necessary, in addition to the already announced redundancies at the support centre and distribution centres.
“We know this has been a deeply unsettling time for everyone concerned and would like to express our gratitude to all wilko team members for the dedication and support they have continued to give the business in the most trying of circumstances.”
Stores closing in the Midlands include:
- Walsall – 30 employees – 14th Sept
- Stafford – 20 employees – 12th Sept
- Brownhills – 15 employees – 12th Sept
- Uttoxeter – 9 employees – 14th Sep
Gateley sees another year of growth
Gateley, the professional services group, has continued its unbroken record of year-on-year revenue and underlying profit growth.
In audited results for the year ended 30 April 2023 (FY23), the firm hailed a “strong financial performance…through its diversified and resilient business model, benefitting from a full year’s contribution from the prior year’s acquisitions, Adamson Jones Limited and Gateley Smithers Purslow Limited.”
Underlying group revenue hit £162.7m, growing from £137.2m in the year prior, while group underlying profit before tax reached £25.1m, increasing from £21.6m.
Reported group profit before tax however slipped to £16.2m from £26.8m as a result of the IFRS 3 related acquisition accounting treatments.
Rod Waldie, CEO of Gateley, said: “I am very pleased to report another year of growth for Gateley. This is a strong performance, set against a challenging macro-economic backdrop throughout the second half. It is the result of the hard work and dedication of our people allied to a long-term commitment and adherence to the successful execution of our growth through our diversification strategy, building in resilience through design.
“During the year under review, both our legal services teams and consultancy teams performed strongly and we have made further progress in adding breadth and strength to our group, expanding the patent and trade mark attorney offer on our Business Services Platform through the acquisition of Symbiosis.
“Post-Period end, we have added legal services lateral hires to strategically broaden our Business Services Platform dispute resolution teams and have further enhanced our Property Platform with the acquisition of RJA Consultants. Our M&A pipeline for FY24 is encouraging and we will seek to strengthen our Platforms further as opportunities arise.
“Looking forward, we are mindful of ongoing macro-uncertainty and it is difficult to predict market conditions for the rest of FY24. However, our diverse and resilient business model, combined with our proven and consistent track record of delivering strong growth across all economic cycles, means that we have entered FY24 with a positive mindset and cautious optimism.”
Celebrate with the region’s property and construction leaders at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023
Taking place on Thursday 28 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023, a highlight in the business calendar, will celebrate the region’s property and construction industry while providing a brilliant opportunity to connect with local decision makers over canapés and complimentary drinks.
The prestigious event, taking place from 4:30pm – 7:30pm, will also feature Mike Denby, Director of Inward Investment and Place Marketing at Leicester City Council, as keynote speaker.
To be held at:
Tickets can be booked for the glittering awards event here.
Attend to see who takes home 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. The overall winner of the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 will also be awarded a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000. After winning deal of the year at last year’s event, Richard Foxon, Managing Director at Newton LDP, said: “My colleague Sam Jones and I thoroughly enjoyed the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022. The event was well attended, with some prestigious awards up for grabs. The evening offered a great opportunity to network with like-minded property folk, whilst enjoying the backdrop of Trent Bridge Cricket Ground. Many thanks to all the organisers and sponsors.”
Find out who last year’s winners were here.
East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023
When: Thursday 28 September 2023, 4:30pm – 7:30pm
Where: The Derek Randall Suite, Trent Bridge Cricket Ground
Keynote speaker: Mike Denby, Director of Inward Investment and Place Marketing at Leicester City Council
Dress code: Standard business attire
Tickets: Available here
Thanks to our sponsors:
To be held at:
East Midlands accountancy firm snapped up by expanding group
Dains Accountants has acquired HSKSG in a move that propels them towards becoming one of the Top 30 firms in the UK.
An accountancy firm in the East Midlands, HSKSG has offices in Nottingham, Derby and Uttoxeter. The business has grown consistently in recent years, buoyed by a commitment to the use of technology, alongside high-quality personal and tailored relationships.
Richard McNeilly, CEO of Dains, said: “We have followed the progress of HSKSG for several years and it became increasingly clear that their approach to client delivery and people development closely aligned with ours. As a long-established firm in the East Midlands, we believe they are ideal partners to support our continued growth in the Midlands.”
Colin Peacock, Managing Director of HSKSG believes the transaction provides the business with an improved client proposition and potential for growth and said: “We have continued to invest in our target markets and our team in recent years and we have always been determined to deliver the best possible service to our loyal clients.
“By joining the Dains Group, our ability to deliver an even broader range of services is enhanced and we look forward to joining the Dains team on this incredibly exciting journey.”
Luke Kingston, partner at Horizon Capital, said: “We are delighted to have supported Richard and Dains on their fifth acquisition and welcome the fantastic team at HSKSG into the Group. This is another exciting addition to the Group which has more than doubled since we first invested, and we look forward to this strong momentum continuing.”
Dains were advised by Dow Schofield Watts and Forward Corporate Finance (Financial Due Diligence), and CMS (Legal). HSKSG were advised by Actons Solicitors.
Thorn Baker grows with new appointments
Thorn Baker, a provider of Construction, Industrial and FM recruitment services, has made three significant new hires.
These appointments are due to an ambitious growth trajectory plan that will help Nottingham-headquartered Thorn Baker strengthen its teams and create a robust infrastructure for the expanding business.
Laura Kirby joins as head of marketing, Scott Ingham as branch manager for Thorn Baker’s new Industrial branch in Mansfield and Laura Ball as business development executive.
As head of marketing, Laura Kirby will be responsible for overseeing all marketing activities including brand strategy, digital marketing and lead generation. She will work closely with the Board of Directors to develop and execute innovative marketing initiates that align with the company’s values and objectives.
Mansfield branch manager, Scott Ingham joins Thorn Baker’s Industrial recruitment team to strengthen its presence in the North Nottinghamshire region and expand its branch network. This strategic move allows for convenient access to its staffing services, ensuring that both clients and candidates in the area can benefit from Scott and his team’s expertise.
Laura Ball joins as business development executive for Thorn Baker’s FM and Industrial teams to expand their portfolios and support the business in its plans. Laura brings with her a wealth of industry experience to enhance its existing business development function.
Paul Jackman, Chief Executive at Thorn Baker, said: “I am delighted to announce our new appointments which I hope demonstrate Thorn Baker’s commitment to excellence and our ongoing efforts to drive growth.
“I am confident that our new hires will be instrumental in achieving our vision and ensuring we have the right infrastructure in place to broaden our service offering and fully meet the needs of our clients and candidates.”
East Midlands manufacturer hails record turnover with £5m increase in sales
Mansfield-based Deanestor, the furniture and fitout specialists, has hailed a strong financial performance with a 35 per cent increase in turnover to £19m and a return to pre-pandemic profit levels, according to its latest accounts which have now been released.
Turnover increased by £5m in the financial year ending 31st December 2022 and operating profit rose to £750,000. Sales of £17.5m have already been secured so far in 2023 with a strong order pipeline which extends into 2025.
Deanestor’s financial performance is now one of the strongest in the FF&E (furniture and fitout) sector and the business has continued to grow across each of its target markets –student accommodation, build-to-rent, healthcare, and education. Its turnover in Scotland increased by 75 per cent since 2021 to over £7m last year.
William Tonkinson, Managing Director of Deanestor, said: “I am pleased to report that we had a solid performance last year and are on target with our growth forecast for 2023.
“We operate in diverse sectors which all remain buoyant despite the economic challenges, and we have maintained high levels of repeat business with some of the UK’s leading contractors and residential developers. This is testament to the hard work and commitment of our teams in Mansfield, Scotland and on site across the country.
“We have a strong foundation on which to grow and are continuing to invest in our people, in new cutting edge manufacturing technology, and in our production facilities and capacity.
“We have continued to grow our business in Scotland, particularly in the school building sector and following our acquisition of the Havelock brands in 2019. This has contributed to a very significant increase in sales in the past year and we have already secured over £6m of orders for Scottish projects so far this year.”
Deanestor has recently expanded its storage facilities to 200,000 sq ft with the addition of two new units in Mansfield.
An additional CNC cutting machine will be installed at its manufacturing centre in Mansfield this autumn to further increase capabilities, which is another significant investment. Twenty new jobs have been created in design, production planning, installation management, production and despatch to support Deanestor’s growth.
New projects include the manufacture and installation of fitted bedroom furniture and kitchens for seven three-storey buildings which are under construction by EQUANS for the University of Birmingham, and a contract worth more than £3m for Robertson Group to fitout a new secondary school campus in Dundee.
Three healthcare projects have recently been completed – a new research centre for cancer care at The Royal Marsden in London, a new mental health facility for South London and Maudsley Hospital, and a £1.5m furniture and fitout contract with Laing O’Rourke for the first phase of the £485m Brighton 3Ts redevelopment of Royal Sussex County Hospital.
