Its three manufacturing giants – Alstom, Rolls-Royce and Toyota – all of whom employ several thousand Rams fans – have added their support to those battling to save the club.
Last week, Team Derby, which includes Marketing Derby, Derby City Council and local MPs, was established with the aim of working with Quantuma – the club’s administrators – and the English Football League (EFL) to find a solution to the Rams crisis. There are now just days left before the club faces expulsion from the league if it cannot prove to the EFL it has the funds to complete the season. Team Derby have been in contact with the EFL and Quantuma today to discuss this and other issues. In the meantime, Councillor Chris Poulter, leader of the city council, has welcomed the messages of support from the city’s employers. He said: “It’s just as unthinkable to imagine our city without Derby County as it would to be without our major companies – they are all massive contributors to the heartbeat of the city and our communities. It’s so great to see that our iconic employers are supporting the campaign to save the Rams.” Efforts to save the club have so far received overwhelming support, both locally and nationally, with a petition calling on the Sports Minister to intervene recently exceeding 60,000 signatures. Backing those efforts, in a statement, Rolls-Royce said: “Rolls-Royce has been based in Derby for more than a century and generations of our employees have passionately supported Derby County Football Club. “Today, we share the concern of all fans over the fate of Derby County and support efforts to ensure its survival. We are continuing to follow developments and Team Derby’s work to ensure the club can continue to be a cornerstone of our community.” In its statement, Alstom, which has its train-building site in Litchurch Lane, said: “Derby County is of huge importance to the city and to many of us personally at Alstom. We support all efforts to ensure the club has a bright future.” And in a statement, Toyota said: “Toyota has been proud to be a Derby County sponsor over the past 30 years. We are incredibly supportive of the team and all the personnel that work there to make each match a fantastic event. “We realise that Derby County is extremely important to our members and the city as a whole and that they are a keystone within the local community, not only through the club but also through the community work that they carry out. “We sincerely hope that the current situation can be resolved quickly and that their focus can get back onto the field.” These messages join a chorus of support, which also includes famous fans, such as One Direction star Niall Horan and actors Robert Lindsay and Jack O’Connell. Big names in the world of football have also called for Derby County to be saved, including high-profile pundits such as Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Gary Neville. The campaign to save the club has also received support from politicians – and not just local MPs. The matter was raised in Parliament last week and the political momentum could be set to continue this week in the House of Lords, with Lord Ravensdale seeking to raise a question about Derby’s plight. This week is a critical week in terms of the future of the club and progress needs to be made on the preferred bidder in the next few days. Administrators have been set a deadline of 1 February to prove it has the funds in place to complete the season. The club is up for sale, with three serious bids on the table. The EFL has called for “urgent clarification” from the administrators as to the identity of its preferred bidder. And the EFL also wants to know how the Rams intend to deal with claims made against the club by Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers, which is one of the factors holding up the takeover. Last week, Team Derby had separate meetings with Quantuma and the EFL to establish their positions – and how the city could help bring about a solution. Today, the group will discuss with Quantuma how it intends to respond to the EFL’s demands. John Forkin, Managing Director of Marketing Derby, said: “Since the campaign was launched last week, the future of Derby County has become a national story attracting tremendous support from across the UK. “This week, we focus on the solutions. Team Derby will continue to put pressure on all the key players, including the administrators and the EFL, to find a solution and we will hope to meet the preferred bidders to give them confidence that investing in the club and in the wider community will be one of the most exciting deals they will ever have done.”Manufacturing giants back city’s efforts to save Derby County
Derby’s major employers have given their backing to efforts by the city to ensure the survival of Derby County.
National Awards the Next Stop for High-Flying Grantham Business
Staff at leading Lincolnshire sign manufacturer Viking Signs will find out on January 27 if theirs is the UK’s best small manufacturing business.
The Grantham-based firm won a place at the national Make UK Manufacturing Awards when it was named Make UK Midlands & East SME of the Year in October last year.
Managing Director Darren Joint will be at the awards dinner at East Wintergarden, London on Thursday to find out if Viking Signs has won the national award, along with his parents and company founders Simon and Michele Joint.
“Winning the Midlands and East Manufacturing SME of the Year was a fantastic achievement for the whole Viking Signs team,” he said.
“To be considered as a national winner of this prestigious Make UK award is a huge endorsement of all the hard work my team has put in over the last few years and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of them!
“We believe that our manufacturing on demand model offers huge advantages in terms of speed, service, choice and contribution to achieving net zero. If being shortlisted and maybe even winning this award gives us a platform to share these advantages with our UK manufacturing peers then it’s a double win for us.”
Since he became MD in 2007 Darren has grown Viking Signs 20-fold and the business now offers the UK’s largest range of safety signs, manufacturing more than 50,000 signs and labels every month on demand, for free next day delivery.
Viking Signs, a pioneer in lean, on-demand manufacturing, is also a supplier of sign, label and engraved components to many other local Lincolnshire and national manufacturers with a website specifically designed for these customers: https://www.vikingmanufacturing.co.uk/
Make UK is the manufacturers’ organisation for the UK. To find out more about the national awards visit https://www.makeuk.org/news-and-events/awards-and-competitions/manufacturing-awards.
Watch the video here and follow the awards on social media using the hashtag #MakeUKAwards.
Pandemic has cost some East Midlands cities more than half a year’s worth of high street sales
Covid-19 has cost some city and large town centres in the East Midlands more than half a year’s worth of potential takings since March 2020. This is according to Cities Outlook 2022 – Centre for Cities’ annual economic assessment of the UK’s largest urban areas.
Central Nottingham is worst affected, losing 40 weeks of sales between the first lockdown and Omicron’s onset. Businesses in Leicester and Derby city centres are also among the worst hit.
Northampton city centre lost the fewest weeks of sales (12 weeks) in the East Midlands during the pandemic.
Nationally, Covid-19 has cost businesses in city and large town centres more than a third (35%) of their potential takings since March 2020, with central London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Cardiff worst affected. Across the 52 city and town centres studied, 2,426 commercial units have become vacant during the pandemic, against 1,374 between 2018 and 2020.
High streets in economically weaker places have been less impacted by Covid-19. Meanwhile in economically stronger places, business closures increased during the pandemic.
This suggests that the Government’s Covid-19 support successfully stalled the decline of many struggling high streets but was less effective in economically stronger places due to higher rents and a lack of custom from office workers.
That said, while stronger city centres have borne the economic brunt of the pandemic, their higher levels of affluence mean that, if restrictions end and office workers return, they will likely recover quickly.
Meanwhile, while government support has sheltered weaker places, it may have simply stored up pain for the future. The report warns that many less prosperous places in the East Midlands face a wave of new business closures this year.
To avoid permanently levelling down prosperous places, policy makers should run campaigns to encourage leisure visitors back when safe to do so and provide part-time season tickets to encourage workers back to the office.
For struggling places, policy makers drafting the Levelling Up White Paper should focus on dealing with struggling places’ fundamental economic problems to address high street decline. This means investing in skills and ways to strengthen the wider local economy to increase money in shoppers’ pockets, rather than on ‘cosmetic’ quick fixes such as hanging baskets and painting shop fronts.
Andrew Carter, Chief Executive of Centre for Cities, said: “While the pandemic has been a tough time for all high streets it has levelled down more prosperous cities and towns in the East Midlands. Despite this, the strength of their wider local economies means they are well placed to recover quickly from the past two years.
“The bigger concern is for economically weaker places – primarily in the North and Midlands – where Covid-19 has actually paused their long-term decline. To help them avoid a wave of high street closures this year the Government must set out how it plans to increase peoples’ skills and pay to give them the income needed to sustain a thriving high street. Many of these places are in the so-called Red Wall so there is a political imperative for the Government to act fast, as well as an economic one.”
| Where have city and town centre businesses lost the most potential sales during the pandemic? | |||
| Rank (Regional) | Rank (National – out of 62) | Place | Weeks of lost sales |
| 1 | 9 | Nottingham | -40 |
| 2 | 18 | Leicester | -36 |
| 3 | 23 | Derby | -32 |
| 4 | 57 | Mansfield | -13 |
| 5 | 58 | Northampton | -12 |
| Where have city and town centre vacancy rates changed the most during the pandemic? | |||
| Rank (Regional) | Rank (National – out of 52) | Place | Percentage point change |
| 1 | 4 | Northampton | 6.2 |
| 2 | 16 | Leicester | 4.0 |
| 3 | 17 | Derby | 3.9 |
| 4 | 23 | Nottingham | 3.2 |
| 5 | 42 | Mansfield | 1.0 |
| Where had the highest and lowest shares of vacant city centre units after June 2021 | |||
| Rank (Regional) | Rank (National – out of 52) | Place | Percentage of city centre units vacant |
| 1 | 8 | Northampton | 24.5 |
| 2 | 11 | Derby | 23.3 |
| 3 | 17 | Leicester | 21.6 |
| 4 | 26 | Mansfield | 18.8 |
| 5 | 33 | Nottingham | 17.4 |
Land secured to deliver new Daventry neighbourhood with more than 1,000 homes
A major new neighbourhood of up to 1,100 homes, a primary school and community & retail space is coming to Daventry, after the site was acquired by Spitfire Homes in partnership with Crest Nicholson.
Located on the western edge of Daventry, the 50-hectare development already has outline planning permission for up to 1,100 new homes, a quarter of which will be affordable. The scheme will also incorporate more than 20 hectares of public open space, a new primary school, nursery and community centre, alongside food and retail units.
Spitfire Homes will partner with Crest Nicholson to deliver these new homes and bring the vision of this new community to life once detailed planning permission has been secured.
Ben Leather, Managing Director at Spitfire Homes, said: “This is a significant acquisition for Spitfire Homes, one that further supports our vision for expansion into new markets across the Midlands.
“Daventry is a growing market with high demand for new homes as strong transport links and employment opportunities make the area particularly attractive to new home buyers. Our vision for this scheme is to create a new address of choice within Daventry – a varied and vibrant community that people will be proud to call home.
“Partnering with Crest Nicholson will enable us to realise this vision and we look forward to working together to develop this exciting new community.”
Mike Little, Director in Charge at Crest Nicholson, Midlands, said: “This latest acquisition builds upon our already strong portfolio of homes in Daventry and our continued growth within the Midlands division.
“We are proud to be working alongside Spitfire Homes to deliver this brand-new community, which will provide high quality homes and a host of local amenities on the doorstep. The new partnership reinforces our commitment to create future-proof, sustainable communities that will benefit residents and the local area for decades to come.”
Notts PR firm boosts digital credentials
Former journalist Simon Ford has joined Nottinghamshire public relations agency Arch Communications – becoming the third ex-BBC man at the award-winning company.
Simon’s arrival signals a further strengthening of the Arch team – raising its combined experienced across journalism and PR to more than 120 years.
Based in the Rushcliffe village of East Leake, the company was set up in 2011 by Matt Youdale, himself a former BBC correspondent. Matt said: “Simon has a fantastic track record in journalism, digital technology and training. We’re excited about seeing those skills benefit both our clients and Arch Communications.”
Simon Ford is a specialist in creating text, video and audio for the web and social media. After working for BBC local radio news in Leeds, Nottingham and Leicester, he helped to train a new generation of digital journalists at the BBC College of Journalism and BBC Academy.
His expertise in bitesize learning then led to roles at BP, NHS England, and National Geographic. Simon also lectures part-time in digital media and journalism and writes and presents a series of true-crime podcasts.
Simon said: “Words and pictures are my passion. I’ve been fascinated by wordcraft and storytelling for as long as I can remember.
“Arch Communications has a powerful reputation for quality, creativity and integrity. I know I’m joining a great team and I look forward to playing my part in the company’s continuing success.”
Simon and Matt both worked for the BBC in Nottingham alongside Marcus Alton, who joined Arch as Head of PR last year.
Arch, which works across the public, private and charitable sectors, has won a number of top awards – most recently for delivering the best education PR campaign in the Midlands over the past two years.
The business operates on social enterprise principles, investing profit for community benefit. In a decade of trading, the agency has contributed more than £150,000 to local good causes through donations and pro bono work.
Services include publicity, copywriting, communications strategy, social media activity, crisis handling, media training and marketing support.
Mather Jamie strengthens commercial property and rural estates team
Loughborough-based specialist land development and property consultancy Mather Jamie has strengthened its commercial property and rural estates team following the appointment of Amber Forster as a rural estates assistant and Oriel Sufrini as a commercial management surveyor.
Amber, who lives in Shepshed, Leicestershire has a BA(Hons) History from Manchester Metropolitan University and previously worked as an office/accommodation manager in student accommodation in Loughborough. Prior to this she was a pensions administrator. In her new role she will be helping with the day-to-day management of residential and agricultural properties across a number of rural estates in the East Midlands.
Oriel Sufrini, who lives in Ruddington, Nottingham previously worked as a facilities and health and safety manager for a global aerospace company. She holds a LLB (Hons) law degree from Nottingham Trent University and Diploma in Occupational Safety, Health (DipOSH).
In her new role, Oriel will assist with the day-to-day management of Mather Jamie’s commercial management portfolio. She said: “The commercial management role at MJ really appealed to me as I really enjoy facilities management and liaising with clients, tenants and contractors.”
Commenting on her new role, Amber said: “Working in the rural estates team looked really interesting as I grew up locally so I am familiar with the area and some of the estates already. I really enjoy face to face interactions with customers and I am looking forward to building relationships with landlords and tenants. I also enjoy constantly learning new things and the role offers lots of variety.”
MHA MacIntyre Hudson becomes new patron of East Midlands Chamber
MHA MacIntyre Hudson has strengthened its relationship with East Midlands Chamber by becoming a new patron.
As well as its patronage, MHA MacIntyre Hudson becomes the latest partner of Generation Next, the Chamber’s network for young professionals and future business leaders in the East Midlands.
Neil Berry¸ Tax Partner at MHA MacIntyre Hudson’s Leicester office said: “East Midlands Chamber works actively in our region to support the wide range of growing businesses and entrepreneurs, representing members and the wider business community on local, regional, national and international issues.
“MHA MacIntyre Hudson echoes this throughout its own organisation. We recognise the value this brings in truly connecting with our clients and influencing their business growth.
“We became a patron of the Chamber to increase the contribution we are able to make to other Chamber members and the East Midlands business community by providing greater access to our business services.”
MHA MacIntyre Hudson prides itself in working in partnership with clients ranging from solo entrepreneurs to multinational corporations.
The pandemic has created new opportunities for it to work with clients virtually, which the firm says has enabled it to devote care and attention to their needs while saving time and resources.
Neil added: “Our primary concern is our clients’ satisfaction. To achieve this, our culture is one of listening and responding to their needs, and seeking to exceed expectations. Looking after their interests involves combining our knowledge of your business with our professional skills and abilities.”
MHA MacIntyre Hudson has also supported its employees over the past couple of years while working from home by deploying a team of mental health first aiders, who aim to spot the signs of mental ill-health. Staff are offered free counselling and virtual GP services via an app.
All new employees to the firm can take part in a unique tree-planting programme that acts as a symbol of growth for their wellbeing and development.
East Midlands Chamber Chief Executive Scott Knowles said: “Bringing on board a firm with the heritage and stature of MHA MacIntyre Hudson as a patron is a fantastic coup for the Chamber.
We believe members of both the Chamber and our Generation Next network, which continues to go from strength to strength, will greatly benefit from the accountancy and business advisory expertise it has to offer.”
2022 Business Predictions: Ann Bhatti, head of Connect Derby
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Ann Bhatti, head of the Connect Derby managed workspace scheme.
2021 was another challenging year for businesses, with the pandemic still having a significant impact on employers and employees. After the two lockdowns earlier in the year, many businesses returned to their workplaces in some form, which brought back a sense of normality.
I believe the managed workspace sector will continue to thrive and expect many businesses to maintain a hybrid working model throughout 2022. Hybrid working offers people more balance and control over the quality of their personal and professional life, which I hope will result in a happier and potentially more productive staff.
We are about to launch a new hybrid office offer at Connect Derby workspaces, which will enable business to have an office base for up to three days a week.
Although hybrid working is definitely here to stay, I believe the need for traditional offices will always exist and we have seen a continued demand for these spaces during the pandemic.
For the period from April – December 2021 Connect Derby let 24 offices to new businesses and a further 12 offices are under negotiation. Six existing tenants have relocated to larger offices.
The pandemic has been a catalyst for new innovations, forcing businesses to think and work smarter and develop new products and services to meet the changing needs of their customers.
Businesses are starting to realise the reason they had offices in the first place was to have their team all physically in one place to bounce ideas off each other, meet other likeminded businesses, improve communication and productivity. It is only a matter of time before they start to miss this and venture back out.
In the coming year, businesses will need to increase their efforts to monitor the health and welling of staff, especially those who have worked remotely for a significant period.
2022 Business Predictions: Chris Lowe, Managing Director at Kimberley – The Caravan and Motorhome People
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Chris Lowe, Managing Director at Kimberley – The Caravan and Motorhome People.
During the past 12 months the pandemic has definitely brought to light the holiday opportunities and escapism offered by caravans and motorhomes. The alternatives to foreign travel has amplified the necessity for the holiday industry to offer up extra camping and caravanning opportunities in and around the UK, with pop-up campsites in particular becoming a go to for young families needing an affordable getaway.
With the ability to explore the outdoors and get back to leisure activities, bookings for outdoor holidays have increased by as much as 273 per cent compared to two years ago.
The new market size for leisure vehicles has grown significantly since the UK lockdown ended. The current prediction is around 16,000 new units produced, up from 14,000 18 months ago, which is a 15 per cent increase. However, without the current supply chain issues and manufacturer production capabilities, it is expected that this figure would have been even higher.
With a new variant of the coronavirus at the fore, many consumers will be considering what this means for spring-time pursuits, whether they are retirees looking to travel, or parents hoping to entertain the kids during half-term and Easter.
Therefore, my first prediction is that the ability ‘self-contained’ caravanning units bring will continue to be ever pertinent in 2022 for both the older generation (who have been especially cautious due to the increased risk that the virus poses to them) and for families hesitant that they no longer wish to travel overseas and potentially lose money if more restrictions could be enforced early on in the year.
Likewise, a motorhome symbolises retirement with the freedom to go wherever you like, whenever you like. The coronavirus has pushed forward many people’s desire to retire, and we expect an increase in the desire for one vehicle such as a motorhome or campervan rather than a car and caravan combination because they are easier to drive and quicker to move from a pitch.
With a planned retirement pot of 25 per cent allowed to be taken tax-free once you’re 55 years old and current interest rates being so low, this has provided a good sum for people to consider investing into a vehicle that will provide years freedom to explore areas of the UK and Europe that may previously have been out of reach.
Social media is amplifying the freedom and cost savings that DIY van conversions are bringing, while younger generations and couples have been attracted to compact vehicles that bring a community feel. A smaller vehicle also means these are most financially viable as they can be used as commuters for the everyday trips we make. You only need to look at Instagram to see the small camping communities forming. There are over 286,000 posts tagged with #camperconversion alone, and I predict this will continue to rise in 2022.
Finally, there is no question that relaxation through hobbies and vacation will better support our mental health. Google’s ‘A Year in Trends’ recently reported that ‘how to maintain mental health’ was searched more globally than ever before and often a van conversion or any compact motorhome can facilitate the ability to getaway for our own mental wellbeing. With this in mind, it is predicted that more buyers will choose these types of vacations moving during 2022 as it will benefit their agenda to explore new surroundings and presents the opportunity to experience new lifestyles, such as rambling, golf, fishing and cycling much more easily.
Student accommodation manager acquires Nottingham development site
Unite Students, the owner, manager and developer of student accommodation, has acquired a consented 270-bed development site in Nottingham city centre.
Total development costs for the scheme, which will open for the 2024/25 academic year, are estimated to be £34 million.
Unite already owns and manages c.1,900 student accommodation beds in Nottingham with a further 970 beds to be added in the city across the new city centre site and the company’s 700-bed consented development at Derby Road, due for delivery in 2023.
The development will increase Unite’s presence in Nottingham city centre, adding to Curzon House, which was acquired as part of the Liberty Living portfolio in 2019.
The newly acquired site is on Lower Parliament Street in the heart of the city centre, close to Nottingham Trent University’s campus as well as the University of Nottingham’s planned city centre campus development for final-year and postgraduate students.
Nick Hayes, group property director of Unite Students, said: “Through this opportunity we are able to cater for the increased number of students wanting to attend the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University, both located in a growing regional city.
“This commitment increases our secured pipeline to over £800 million, its highest ever level, and we continue to see opportunities to add further schemes in London and prime regional markets at attractive returns.”
