Major plans for redevelopment of Billing Aquadrome

April Lara
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Major plans for redevelopment of Billing Aquadrome

West Northamptonshire Council has received a multi-phase planning application for the extensive redevelopment of Billing Aquadrome in Northampton. The proposals outline a reduction in static caravans from 3,104 to 2,245 units and include demolition, new construction, and infrastructure upgrades across the site.

Phase One covers the demolition of several single-storey buildings, a toilet block, and existing plant equipment, alongside internal and external alterations to guest and maintenance facilities. The plan also includes the construction of new residential, holiday sales, and reception buildings, stationing 110 static caravans for permanent use, and upgrades to roads, footpaths, parking, drainage, flood mitigation, and landscaping.

The remainder of the site is proposed for 886 static residential caravans, 1,223 holiday units, 26 floating lodges, and areas for touring caravans and tents. Outline plans cover additional reconfigurations, including raised pontoon access for boats, new lake infrastructure, and refurbishment of family entertainment facilities with restaurant and outdoor seating. Extensions to the swimming pool are also included.

The proposals represent a major investment in site reconfiguration, residential and holiday accommodation expansion, and improved leisure and infrastructure facilities.

University of Northampton secures Small Business Charter accreditation

April Lara
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University of Northampton secures Small Business Charter accreditation

The Faculty of Business and Law at the University of Northampton has been awarded the Small Business Charter accreditation for three years. The recognition highlights the Faculty’s contribution to supporting entrepreneurship and small business growth in Northamptonshire and the surrounding region.

Assessment for the accreditation focused on impact within the local business community, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and initiatives that deliver real-world benefits for SMEs. In 2023/24, the university contributed £366 million in gross value added to the regional economy and supported more than 5,400 jobs.

The Small Business Charter, overseen by small business leaders and the Chartered Association of Business Schools, identifies business schools that demonstrate excellence in student enterprise, entrepreneurship, and local economic engagement. There are currently 68 accredited business schools across the UK and Ireland.

Henry Brothers

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Henry Brothers
Henry Brothers was founded in 1976 when Jim Henry set up a small construction business called H&K construction in Northern Ireland. Trading under this name for 10 years, in 1986 the business became known as Henry Brothers. Recognised as a leading construction company with offices in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Henry Brothers established its Midlands office in Nottingham in 2015. The Midlands team delivers projects up to £30m in value, working in partnership with clients across a range of sectors including education, defence, bluelight, health, custodial and commercial. It offers a personable, lean and flexible approach that sets it apart from its competitors.
Leicester City Council – Canopy
Due to a reputation for high quality and complete customer satisfaction, the Midlands business has expanded across the country and in September 2022, a Northern office was opened in Central Manchester, with the business later being renamed as Henry Brothers Construction Ltd. Henry Brothers Construction has gone from strength to strength, with a turnover now approaching £50m. Henry Brothers is making a real impact on the region, delivering projects such as the new Canopy workspace development in Leicester, created from a cluster of heritage buildings, and on site with the new Broad Marsh Community Diagnostic Centre in Nottingham and Global Conservation Centre at Twycross Zoo, amongst many others.
Derbyshire County Council – Alfreton Park SEN School
Henry Brothers has been appointed to a range of well-established national and regional public sector frameworks including Crown Commercial Service, Ministry of Justice, Pagabo, Procure 23, and Department for Education. The Henry Brothers ethos is to work hard and get the job done. This practical approach ensures integrity, reliability, quality, innovation and sustainability for all partners and projects. Henry Brothers further seeks out opportunities where it can add value and offer something different to clients, this approach has led to the development of a specialism in complex schemes such as high security Ministry of Defence and bluelight projects, heavily serviced laboratory developments and exemplar sustainable schemes.
Loughborough University – SportPark Pavilion 4
Henry Brothers has a target of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and to be carbon free by 2050 in line with Government requirements. A ‘Journey to Net Zero Strategy’ has been produced as a guidance document to outline its action plan to achieve Net Zero targets. This long-term strategic plan focusses on elimination of emissions as a priority; and to only offset once all other avenues are exhausted. At a project level, the Midlands team has vast experience of highly sustainable projects, including the successful delivery of a Passivhaus office extension for Loughborough University, one of only a handful of certified Passivhaus office buildings in the UK. In 2024, Henry Brothers was honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development, praised for its exemplary approach which resulted in significant benefits for the business, the environment and the wider construction sector.
Nottingham Trent University HAP Centre
This commitment to responsible business is further evident in the recent sponsorship of Switch Up in Nottingham, which provides life-changing support to vulnerable young people. This three-year partnership will provide the charity with much-needed funding to continue its positive employability programme as well as offering invaluable work placement opportunities to deliver long-term impact for the city’s disadvantaged young people.   To learn more about Henry Brothers, please visit https://henrybrothers.co.uk/

KPMG Midlands team steps up to raise £25,000 for FareShare

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KPMG Midlands team steps up to raise £25,000 for FareShare
More than 400 KPMG UK colleagues from across the Midlands took part in the firm’s ‘Big Walk’ initiative last month, raising £25,000 in support of charity partner FareShare. FareShare helps to fight hunger by saving food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributing it to communities across the country. The charity reaches nearly a million people in need each year through its network of over 8,000 local charities. It was announced as KPMG UK’s new national charity partner in October 2024, as voted for by the firm’s colleagues. The Midlands-based Big Walk, through which colleagues could choose to walk 2km, 10km or 20km, took place at Foremark Reservoir in Derbyshire and is just one of 10 events organised by KPMG taking place across the UK from Aberdeen to Cornwall. Every £1 raised by KPMG could allow FareShare to redistribute the equivalent of five meals to a person in need. By the end of the three-year partnership, KPMG has pledged to raise £1.5 million to support FareShare’s work, as well as providing crucial pro bono support and volunteering hours. Andy Bostock, Midlands office senior partner at KPMG, said: “Our Big Walk at Foremark Reservoir in Derbyshire’s National Forest was a fantastic opportunity to raise much needed funds for a very worthy charity. “As one in seven people in the UK go hungry, we want to help FareShare in its efforts to make sure everyone gets access to a good meal and prevent unnecessary food waste at the same time. It’s been terrific to join forces with so many colleagues from across the region and our event alone means more than 125,000 meals will go to people facing hunger in our local communities.” Kirsty Ford, head of fundraising at FareShare, said: “We are hugely grateful to all the KPMG colleagues who took on this challenge in support of FareShare. The money raised will go a long way to supporting our work to get good-to-eat surplus food, which might otherwise go to waste, to people who need it. “Every penny donated by KPMG will help FareShare power the redistribution of surplus food to over 8,000 charities across the UK. The food we supply helps support community services that promote wellbeing, tackle isolation, and change lives.”

Navigator Tissue UK reveals Leicester relocation plans

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Navigator Tissue UK reveals Leicester relocation plans
Navigator Tissue UK has revealed plans to relocate its existing Leicester operations to a larger facility at Optimus Point, as part of a wider proposal to consolidate its UK rolls manufacturing. The move will see the company’s current site in Thurmaston, along with its external warehouse operations, transition to a new site nearby offering increased capacity and improved infrastructure. In addition, the company’s rolls manufacturing division, currently based across two sites in Blackburn, will be consolidated into Navigator Tissue UK’s Leyland site and the new Leicester facility. Consultation has begun with employees at the Leicester and Blackburn sites. The company said it aims to preserve as many roles as possible and is committed to supporting any affected colleagues through the transition. Navigator Tissue UK is part of The Navigator Company, a global pulp and paper manufacturer. Listed in Portugal, the group reported revenues of €2.088 billion in its most recent financial year and continues to expand its global presence through organic growth and targeted acquisitions. These changes form part of a wider strategy to future-proof the company’s global presence. The group is also planning further investment in its Leicester and Leyland sites over the next five years.  Simon Nelson, operations director at Navigator Tissue UK, said: “This is a significant step forward for our operations in Leicester. Relocating to a larger, and more modern facility allows us to strengthen our manufacturing base, create greater resilience, and invest in the long-term future of our Midlands capabilities. “We are committed to supporting our colleagues and working closely with them through the consultation process, and remain fully focused on maintaining continuity for our customers and partners throughout this transition.”

Just two days to go until nominations close for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025!

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Just two days to go until nominations close for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025!
With nominations closing in just two days for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, ensure to submit your entries for the 10th annual celebration of the property and construction industry by Friday 15th August. The Bricks shine a light on the outstanding work of those shaping the landscape of our region, recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the East Midlands – from offices, industrial and residential, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools. We also highlight the work of architects, agencies and those behind large schemes. Take this chance to showcase exceptional new commercial and residential developments, those demonstrating a leading position in sustainability and design excellence; gain recognition as outstanding developers, architects, contractors, and agents, as well as for significant deals; and ensure efforts in corporate social responsibility are rewarded, from eco initiatives to charity work, to social value schemes. A highlight in the business calendar, winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 2nd October (4:30pm – 7:30pm) in the Derek Randall Suite at the famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening that will also provide plenty of chances to forge new contacts with property and construction professionals from across the region. The event will additionally feature Councillor Nadine Peatfield – Leader of Derby City Council, Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, and Deputy Mayor of the East Midlands, as keynote speaker. It’s completely free to enter and making the top three finalists in your category also wins you free tickets to the awards ceremony.

To make a nomination for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, please click here, or on the category headings below.

Categories include: All finalists will have the chance to take home the Overall Winner award, which this year comes with a grand prize of a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000, with the opportunity to split or gift the marketing to a charity of your choice.

Nominations will close on Friday 15th August.

Matthew Montague Architects, winner of Architects of the Year at last year’s event, shared: “Winning a Bricks Award was a real highlight for our team. It’s a great feeling to have your work recognised by others in the industry — and the event itself is such a positive celebration of what’s being achieved across the region. We’d absolutely encourage others to put themselves forward.”
Tickets can now be booked for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, click here to secure yours. Connect with local decision makers over nibbles and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region. New for this year, all entrants will also have the opportunity to be featured on our dedicated nominee showcase on the East Midlands Business Link website, providing space for marketing your achievements.

The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025

What: The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025 When: Thursday 2nd October (4.30pm – 7.30pm) Where: Derek Randall Suite, Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham Keynote speaker: Councillor Nadine Peatfield – Leader of Derby City Council, Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, and Deputy Mayor of the East Midlands Tickets: Available here Dress code: Standard business attire Thanks to our sponsors:                                                                              

To be held at:

 

Alstom Derby-based operations see profits plunge as turnover and orders fall

April Lara
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Alstom Derby-based operations see profits plunge as turnover and orders fall

Alstom’s Derby-based business reported a significant drop in pre-tax profit to £21.9 million for the year ending 31 March 2025, down from £121 million the previous year. Revenue declined to £555.4 million from £672.8 million, reversing earlier growth trends.

Order intake fell to £164.4 million from £181.9 million, while dividend payouts were sharply reduced from £210 million to £30 million.

As a major supplier to the UK and Irish rail sectors, Alstom manufactures trains at several sites including Derby, Widnes, Crewe, Ilford, and Plymouth. The company is responsible for about 40% of the UK mainline train fleet and supplies complete fleets for London Underground and Dublin Luas. Key customers include Avanti West Coast and Greater Anglia.

The broader Alstom group recorded global sales of €18.5 billion and EBIT of €1.1 billion during the same period.

The financial results were affected by revised contract profitability assessments and changes to assumptions about the length of long-term maintenance contracts. Alstom noted that order volumes naturally vary year-on-year due to the size and duration of its contracts.

These results come after Alstom announced plans in March 2024 to launch its own passenger rail service in the UK.

Shoe Zone halves profit expectations

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Shoe Zone halves profit expectations

Shoe Zone has cut its profit expectations for the year amidst “challenging trading conditions.”

It comes as the company announced that in June and July (2025) it experienced a further weakening in consumer confidence – which has continued following the Government’s October 2024 budget announcement. The firm has also seen less discretionary spend, with the continued impact of inflation, interest rates and higher savings rates.

All of these have decreased footfall, with a reduction in revenue and profit as a result.

Shoe Zone now expects adjusted profit before tax for the financial year ended 27 September 2025 to be approximately £2.5m, down from previous expectations of £5m. In addition the company is withdrawing its current dividend policy.

Management, however, said they remain confident with the underlying strategy, with the 200th new format store opening this month. The company remains debt free and confident in its cash management, with cash levels currently higher than the same period last year.

Nottingham learning tech company acquires employee hub

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Nottingham learning tech company acquires employee hub
Thrive, the Nottingham-based learning technology company, has acquired Huler, the next-gen employee hub, to build a fully integrated learning, mentoring and employee experience platform. The acquisition of Huler, a smart intranet with AI-powered search and personalisation, is Thrive’s second this month, following its deal with Guider, the mentoring and coaching platform. CEO and founder of Thrive, Sean Reddington, said: “We’re in the AI era now, and it’s time workplace tools caught up. “With Thrive, Guider and Huler, we’re building tools that are actually fit for how people think, learn and work today. They’re fast, intuitive, and built to bring together human connection and AI – the way work should be.” The acquisition of Huler extends Thrive’s reach into the internal comms and employee experience market. Huler CEO Richard Urwin said: “We set out to change the world of work and make workplace tools feel as intuitive and accessible as the apps people love outside of work. We’ve always had bold ambitions and a different way of doing things, so teaming up with Thrive made perfect sense. “With their momentum, vision and standout tech stack, we’re not just building tools for the AI era – we’re delivering them to customers who are ready to lead now.” ‍Huler will continue to operate as a standalone brand.

Nottingham Panthers extend partnership with Nottingham Trent University

April Lara
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Nottingham Panthers extend partnership with Nottingham Trent University

Nottingham Panthers have renewed their collaboration with Nottingham Trent University for a second consecutive season. Under this arrangement, Panthers players will continue to pursue postgraduate degrees at Nottingham Business School (NBS), part of the university.

NBS is among a select group of business schools worldwide to hold triple accreditation from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA, a distinction earned by fewer than one percent of business schools globally. The school focuses on experiential learning and tailored education in business, management, and economics, aiming to combine academic excellence with societal and business impact.

The business school maintains strong engagement with the business sector, public institutions, and non-profits. It also holds the status of PRME Champion, recognised by the United Nations for leadership in responsible management education.

This ongoing partnership aims to support elite athletes in developing skills beyond their sports careers by providing access to high-quality academic programmes and resources. The collaboration strengthens ties between the sports and academic communities in Nottingham, offering Panthers players an opportunity to enhance both their professional and educational development.

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