New images provide a first look at how the inside of the refurbished Derby Market Hall will look once complete.
The historic venue is being given a new lease of life to transform this heritage asset into an attractive retail and leisure destination fit for the future. The new images give a glimpse of the retail space, make and trade units and new dining area.
In all, the transformed market will offer:
A mix of traditional and themed stalls, including quality fresh produce
Make and trade stalls and creative spaces
A cosmopolitan food court and bars
Events and pop-up activity
Image credit: Derby City Council
Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council, said: “The transformation of Derby Market Hall is a reflection of our collective ambition to create a city that everyone can take pride in, and while people can see the improvements we’ve made externally, many people may still be wondering what the building will look like inside.
“These new images will give the public the first idea of what the venue will look like as we make this irreplaceable heritage building fit for the future.
“This project is not just about transforming the Market Hall; it’s about bringing the people of Derby together to create a space we can all be proud of. We invite traders, entrepreneurs and businesses from across the region to join the vibrant community we are building.”
Image credit: Derby City Council
The £35.1m project is partly funded with £9.43m from the Governments Future High Streets Fund (FHSF). The second phase of the transformation is well underway, focusing on refurbishing the interior and developing the public space outside at Osnabruck Square.
Located at the heart of the city centre, linking Derbion and St Peter’s Quarter with the Cathedral Quarter and Becketwell, the new Market Hall will play a key role in widening the diversity of the city centre and generate £3.64m for the local economy every year.
Businesses throughout the region are invited to register their interest in operating from the refurbished Market Hall, which will bring together the best of the region’s independent shopping, eating, drinking and entertainment when it reopens in Spring 2025.
Image credit: Derby City Council
With the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024 set to take place next week (Thursday 3rd October), there’s not long left to secure your seat at the prestigious event.
The awards recognise and celebrate those behind the changing landscape of our region – the very best companies, teams, individuals and projects.
They also present a prime opportunity to network with property and construction leaders from across the East Midlands over nibbles and complimentary drinks.
Attend the glittering awards ceremony at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground to see who takes home the title of Contractor of the Year, Developer of the Year, Commercial Development of the Year, Residential Development of the Year, Sustainable Development of the Year, Deal of the Year, Most Active Agents of the Year, Architects of the Year, Excellence in Design, Responsible Business and of course Overall Winner.
The event, which will begin at 4:30pm and continue until 7:30pm, will also feature Paul Southby as keynote speaker.
Paul is a partner at Geldards LLP, chair of the Advisory Board to Nottingham Business School, chair of Broadway independent cinema in Nottingham’s Lace Market, and a longstanding trustee of environmental charity Clean Rivers Trust. He is chair of Nottingham Partners, a group of businesses that supports the work of the local inward investment agency, Invest in Nottingham, and a board member and past chair of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Limited. Paul is also a former High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire (2022/23).
Shortlist for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024
Architects of the Year – sponsored by Mather Jamie
IMA Architects
Design Haus Architecture
Matthew Montague Architects
Commercial Development of the Year – sponsored by Global HSE Group
Brackley Property Developments – The Dock Extension, Leicester
Pick Everard – Nottingham Central Library
G F Tomlinson – The Air and Space Institute, Newark
Contractor of the Year – sponsored by EMEC Ecology
Cawarden
Clegg Construction
Winvic
Deal of the Year – sponsored by Tutum Consulting
heb Surveyors – The Oaks, Mansfield
FI Real Estate Management – The Quad, Chesterfield
Freeths – Former Boots factory site, Beeston
Developer of the Year – sponsored by IMA Architects
Vistry Group East Midlands
Indurent
Wavensmere Homes
Excellence in Design – sponsored by Cawarden
G F Tomlinson – The Air and Space Institute, Newark
Design Haus – Musters Road
Distinctive Developments – Woodwell and Meadow Barn
Most Active Agent – sponsored by Roy Geddes Bricks
Rigby & Co
FHP Property Consultants
Salloway Property Consultants
Residential Development of the Year – sponsored by Devello
Distinctive Developments – Woodwell and Meadow Barn
Phoenix Brickwork UK LTD – IQ Nelson Court
Chevin Homes – Chevin Close
Responsible Business – sponsored by Press for Attention PR
Stepnell Ltd
Cawarden
Cora
Sustainable Development of the Year – sponsored by Viridis Building Services Ltd
CPMG – Sir Peter Rubin Centre for Veterinary Education
Henry Brothers Construction Ltd – Alfreton Park School
Keepmoat – Gedling Green
The Overall Winner,sponsored by Blueprint Interiors, will also be announced at the ceremony, who will be awarded a year of marketing/publicity with Business Link worth £20,000.
East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024When: Thursday 3rd October 2024, 4:30pm – 7:30pm
Where: The Derek Randall Suite, Trent Bridge Cricket Ground
Keynote speaker: Paul Southby, chair of Nottingham Partners, board member of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, partner at Geldards LLP, chair of the Advisory Board to Nottingham Business School, chair of Broadway independent cinema, trustee of Clean Rivers Trust, and former High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
Dress code: Standard business attire
Tickets: Available at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/east-midlands-bricks-awards-2024-tickets-902294566337?aff=oddtdtcreatorThanks to our sponsors:
Derby-based outsourced IT and telecoms specialist Link ICT has moved to new offices on Royal Scot Road in Pride Park, Derby. The company is also about to celebrate its 20th anniversary having been founded in 2004 by current Company Director Mark Fryers.
Until recently, the company which now employs 17 people was based at St Peters House on Mansfield Road in Derby. The move is as a result of significant growth in the needs of the education sector and local businesses wanting to improve their ICT services and security.
The new two storey offices comprise of 1,950 square feet of space. The offices have been fitted out to provide dedicated working areas for network managers, technicians and office staff as well as meeting rooms, kitchen facilities and bathroom facilities for team members who run or cycle to work.
In addition, brand-new electric vehicle charging stations have been installed for both staff and company-owned vehicles to further support continued efforts to encourage more environmentally friendly living and lessen pollution.
Commenting on the move, Company Director Mark Fryers said: “Over the last year we have won several new contracts as well as projects related to the Government Connect the Classroom initiative.
“We also pride ourselves on our ability to build relationships with schools and businesses as their outsourced ICT partner which also helps them plan their long term IT strategies.
“Whilst most technicians will be working out on site, we recognised the need to ensure our office base reflected the culture of our organisation and has capacity for the additional team members we need to support this growth.”
He added: “Pride Park is an excellent location as we will be surrounded by other likeminded business owners which should also help us to expand the services we provide to the SME sector.”
Also based at the new offices will be School Transition Limited, a division of Link ICT founded five years ago which offers a range of unique GDPR-compliant data transition portals for the education sector.
A Little Eaton industrial unit has new owners.
The 10,000 sq ft industrial unit on Duffield Road Industrial Estate in Little Eaton was home to Amanda Strong’s printing business for a number of years.
Salloway Property Consultants were appointed by Amanda to assist with selling the property with vacant possession. The premises, which comprised of two adjoining industrial units with associated two storey offices, had been adapted to suit Amanda’s use but provided suitable accommodation for a wide variety of occupiers.
“I am delighted that the sale has now completed,” says William Speed of Salloway. “Knowing that Amanda used to operate her business from the building, it felt right to sell the property on to an occupier who will carry on utilising the space for their own business uses.
“Despite a high number of enquiries when the property came onto the market, it wasn’t a quick or straightforward process, but it’s great to reach a satisfying conclusion for Amanda and it’s great to see her get on so well with the new property owner, Chris.”
Chris Massey, the new owner, is looking forward to getting settled into the premises.
Chris said: “We had been looking for the perfect property for some time, with a preference not to be in Derby itself. The property at The Sidings provides us with the perfect opportunity to grow our business from and I have real belief that can happen knowing Amanda built such a successful business from the same property.”
Amanda Strong, the previous owner, was happy to see the property go to such an enthusiastic owner. Amanda said: “I’m delighted Salloway secured such an enthusiastic and pro-active purchaser, their service throughout was outstanding.”
A new programme aims to help businesses in the manufacturing and engineering sector upskill their staff and bring new people into the sector.
Manufacturing Futures is a new STEM skills programme that will help increase capacity to support more work-based learning programmes including T-levels, apprenticeships, work experience and internships to ensure there is a future pipeline of talent to work in the sector.
Funded by Chesterfield Borough Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund the programme will lead to the creation of new classroom facilities at local business United Cast Bar and will provide mentoring to around 30 people already employed in the sector.
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and cabinet member for economic development, said: “Chesterfield has a proud tradition of engineering and manufacturing, but we need to ensure this sector can continue to grow and provide new opportunities for our residents.
“I’m pleased that we have been able to fund this programme as it will help people advance their careers and support our residents to take up roles in this sector in the future.
“Working in partnership with businesses and education providers is key to ensuring this programme is effective and provides the support the sector needs.”
Chesterfield College has been appointed to deliver the training elements included within the programme.
James Lund, Head of Stakeholder Engagement and Business Growth at Chesterfield College Group, said: “Chesterfield College are really excited to be involved in the delivery of this project in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield Manufacturing Forum and United Cast Bar UK Limited.
“This will be a real catalyst to increasing the engagement with young people in the local area, to support the future staffing needs of the manufacturing sector. It will create a positive legacy that can be built on for many years to come.”
The programme has been introduced following discussions with the Chesterfield Manufacturing Forum, which is co-ordinated by Destination Chesterfield, and as well as technical training it will include practical sessions with local employers.
James Brand, Managing Director (Foundries) at United Cast Bar and Chair of the Chesterfield Manufacturing Forum, said: “We are really excited to be able to put this facility in place. It will give us the perfect location to provide upskilling to both our workforce and other businesses in the Manufacturing community.
“The space will also provide a place of learning for T Level and apprenticeship qualifications, allowing UCB to work even more closely with the College and local schools is fantastic.”
Law firm Flint Bishop has welcomed a highly regarded and seasoned partner to its Litigation practice, marking a significant and strategic addition to the firm’s growing national footprint in the commercial litigation arena.
Sarah Burton, who brings over 20 years of extensive experience in commercial litigation—including a proven track record of managing complex, high-value cases—joins Flint Bishop from the national law firm Knights.
Throughout her distinguished career, she has developed a deep expertise in commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on resolving property-related disputes.
Burton also possesses a wealth of international experience, having spent 12 years offshore handling cross-border cases involving partnership disputes, shareholder disagreements, and professional negligence claims.
Notable cases include representing a client from the UAE in a US$45 million breach of contract claim, managing multi-party litigation involving 54 shareholders in a share sale dispute, and representing a client in High Court proceedings for €3.5 million related to a contract for goods purchased from Hungary.
Qamer Ghafoor, Chief Executive at Flint Bishop, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sarah to the Commercial Litigation team. Her vast experience in both UK and offshore markets, coupled with her leadership in significant cases, will be a tremendous asset as we continue to expand our services. Sarah’s addition to the team further enhances Flint Bishop’s ability to provide top-tier legal expertise and supports the firm’s ongoing growth in the commercial litigation arena.
“This significant appointment follows a series of recent senior hires as the firm continues its commitment to delivering outstanding results for our clients and fits perfectly with our mission of providing high-quality legal support across all sectors.”
The appointment follows Flint Bishop’s recent acquisition of the Banking Litigation and Recoveries division from Walker Morris, as well as the opening of the firm’s new offices in Leeds earlier this month.
A pre-pack administration sale has been completed for a Leicester-based trio of science themed businesses – Sublime Science Ltd, Science Boffins Ltd and Hatton Science Communication Ltd, trading as Letterbox Labs.
Quantuma’s Richard Easterby and Michael Kiely were appointed as Joint Administrators and have completed the business and asset sale to Launchpad Publishing.
Alongside its children’s science magazine Whizz Pop Bang, this new acquisition will solidify Launchpad Publishing’s position as a leading provider of engaging, hands-on science experiences for children.
Founded in 2008, Sublime Science Ltd, Science Boffins Ltd and Hatton Science Communication Ltd specialised in bringing fun science to children via parties, hands-on school workshops and a postal science kit subscription service.
The business generated annual turnover of over £1m, but recently fell into difficulty, due to its debt-burden, despite a strong underlying business.
The companies employed a total of eight staff – seven of whom have been transferred to the purchaser under TUPE regulations.
Richard Easterby, Joint Administrator and a director at Quantuma, said: “I am delighted to have achieved such a positive outcome. The sale secures the continued trading operation of Sublime Science, Science Boffins and Hatton Science Communication and the purchaser is a great fit for the business.
“Our involvement sees the majority of jobs saved, the rescue of a well-established brand and an uninterrupted service for customers.”
Jenny Inglis, CEO of Launchpad Publishing, said: “We are thrilled to bring these incredible brands together under one roof. Together, we will continue to spark curiosity and inspire a love of science in children across the UK, empowering them to explore, experiment and learn in a fun and engaging way.”
ENSEK, the Nottingham-based retail energy SaaS software provider, has acquired Zoa in a deal which will see it significantly expand the technology capabilities it can provide to the sector.
ENSEK provides its mission critical operating platform to energy suppliers to deliver better customer experience and improved cost-to-serve, supporting new product innovation and the net zero transition through its digital platform.
Zoa’s AI-powered home energy management platform will complement ENSEK’s Ignition retail operating platform, creating a suite of technological solutions that will support both its customers’ increasing need to digitise, and help accelerate the energy transition.
As part of the deal, Zoa’s team of more than 45 employees will become part of ENSEK, taking the company to 550 employees.
Jon Slade, Chief Executive Officer at ENSEK, said: “The acquisition of Zoa is an important next step in realising our strategic vision to deliver a secure and sustainable energy system of the future.
“Bringing together our two businesses means we will be able to provide customers with an expanded offering, creating a unique platform for a new era of energy. This is an extremely exciting milestone not just for ENSEK and Zoa, but for our current and future customers.”
Zoa was formed following UK energy supplier Bulb going into administration. Over the past two years, it has built an innovative SaaS platform for electrification, enabling energy companies to use intelligent technology to drive and manage the rapid expansion of smart renewable energy devices.
Sara Brooks and Tom Fraine, Zoa’s Co-CEOs, said: “We are incredibly proud of the platform and business we have built at Zoa over the last two years. We recognise the need to move faster to meet the urgency of the energy transition, and joining forces with ENSEK strengthens our capabilities and supercharges our impact and will help millions of homes in the UK and beyond to decarbonise.”
Loughborough-based business management software provider, The Access Group, has acquired QikServe, the digital commerce platform, content management system (CMS), kiosk and mobile order & pay provider to the hospitality sector.
QikServe will become part of the group’s Hospitality division, which provides IT solutions for all aspects of the hospitality business, from guest booking, EPoS, table management and marketing to procurement, facilities management, training and hotel PMS.
QikServe, founded in 2011 by entrepreneurs Daniel Rodgers and Ronnie Forbes, developed a patented business-to-business cloud platform for the hospitality sector. The platform allows customers to order and pay for items from a smartphone, tablet or self-service terminal.
Digital ordering has seen an explosion in growth as hospitality operators realise the benefits of digital on both operations and on sales. Self Service Kiosks deliver 32% higher transaction values while freeing up staff to focus on delivery and customer satisfaction.
QikServe’s technology is deployed in over 8,000 outlets in over 40 countries and processes hundreds of millions of transactions, delivering over £3bn digital sales for hospitality operators.
Access Hospitality’s managing director Champa Magesh said: “QikServe brings us new capabilities and a strong customer base in cafés, quick-service restaurants, hotels, casinos and resorts, which complements our existing UK operations and helps us further our international expansion plans.
“Our goal is to build an integrated hospitality suite of solutions, on a single platform, which helps operators deliver the best guest experience, makes them more effective and ultimately more profitable. The acquisition of QikServe is an important step in bringing this vision to life through its innovative CMS, kiosk solution, connectivity and data orchestration capabilities.”
Daniel Rodgers, founder and president of QikServe, said: “We are very excited to be joining forces with Access. We are immensely thankful and proud of the QikServe team, whose passion, tireless dedication, and hard work have driven our success, delivering technology for some of the most inspirational hospitality brands worldwide.
“Without them, none of this would be possible. Being part of The Access Group unlocks huge potential for both businesses, and we can’t wait to get started.”
Tony Murphy, CEO of QikServe, said: “QikServe and Access have been working together for over five years, delivering best-in-class integrated Food and Beverage digital ordering solutions for hospitality. This exciting new chapter for QikServe opens new opportunities for digital transformation across our combined customer base.”
West Northamptonshire Council is set to partner with national placemaker, ECF – a joint venture between Legal & General, Homes England, and Muse – to deliver the regeneration of Greyfriars in Northampton Town Centre.
ECF works with local authorities across the country to deliver high-quality schemes which provide diverse facilities for local communities.
The agreement would enable the partnership to explore and shape planning, delivery, and funding for the largest brownfield regeneration opportunity within West Northamptonshire. Once established, the proposal would be subject to further approvals from both ECF and the Council, expected to be in summer 2025.
Greyfriars includes the former Greyfriars Bus Station, which was demolished in 2015, as well as the Mayorhold and Victoria Street Car Parks, Corn Exchange, Belgrave House, and East and West Island totalling over 14 acres.
The vision, which has been developed by West Northamptonshire Council and Studio Egret West with support from Homes England, seeks to re-imagine several derelict buildings with exciting new uses.
The Corn Exchange could form an arts and culture hub, whilst Belgrave House provides opportunities for an innovative workplace and business incubator. The regeneration could also include a new outdoor Amphitheatre to anchor landmark new public spaces.
New homes would support a vibrant new neighbourhood, alongside shops, cafes, and restaurants as part of a dynamic new place.
New residents and visitors are expected to spend an additional £21m in Northampton which will help drive the economy of the entire town centre, with as many as 7,000 full time equivalent jobs created during construction, generating £1 billion in economic value.
Cllr Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture and Leisure, said: “Transformational change is already underway across Northampton town centre with the redevelopment of the Market Square, and rejuvenation of Abington and Fish Street.
“As well as development plans on brownfield land at Four Waterside and Marefair which demonstrates the Council’s ambition but also commitment to delivering better public spaces. This partnership is an exciting step forward in our vision to regenerate the Greyfriars site into a vibrant neighbourhood which is set to amplify this part of town and turn this into a reality.
“ECF obtain a wide breadth of skills and knowledge which they will be bringing to West Northamptonshire as part of a long-term relationship to bring forward a viable and sustainable scheme.”
Sir Michael Lyons, Chair at ECF, said: “West Northamptonshire Council has developed an ambitious and exciting vision for Greyfriars, as part of a bold approach to the wider regeneration of Northampton Town Centre.
“Working in partnership with the local authority, ECF will support the development of a delivery model which aligns with the Greyfriars vision and supports long-term regeneration.
“Greyfriars has the potential to drive significant social and economic value and working together we can unlock the opportunity. Having expanded in size to £400m, ECF stands ready to collaborate with ambitious partners to deliver transformative regeneration.”
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