Former rough sleepers in Nottingham are about to make their home in new accommodation named in honour of local businessmen whose vision provided the funds to make the building possible.

At a ceremony on Monday 22 April the block of eight purpose-built flats in Hyson Green was officially named Akins House after George and Sean Akins – the directors of Nottingham-based live music promoter DHP Family.

Beginning in 2018 they masterminded the development of Beat The Streets – the annual one-day music festival dedicated to raising funds to support work with local rough sleepers by the charity Framework. Funds raised from tickets, bar sales and merchandising at each festival have been used in a variety of ways to house and support rough sleepers.

The £89,500 raised at Beat The Streets in January 2023 was essential in enabling the £1.4m building project to go ahead: the money completed the funding required for the project at a time when prices were rising steeply. It was the first time that Beat The Streets funds had been used to support a capital project.

Work began on the building last summer and has recently been completed. The flats will be occupied in the coming days, offering a permanent home with personalised support to help each resident live independently. This includes access to drug, alcohol and mental health support and employment guidance.

In addition to DHP’s support with the building cost, Framework corporate supporters at local Tesco stores have fundraised to contribute welcome packs to make each resident feel more at home.

Framework’s Deputy Chief Executive Claire McGonigle said: “The contribution of DHP Family to our work with rough sleepers in Nottingham since 2018 has been remarkable, vital and unprecedented.

“Never before has a private business supported our work in this way or to this extent. Nearly £500,000 has been raised through DHP’s award-winning music festival Beat The Streets. These funds have been used in a variety of ways and have helped to change hundreds of lives for the better.

“The Streets festival ensured that we had all the funds in place to proceed with the project for eight flats for former rough sleepers at Birkin Avenue. Without these funds the project could not have gone ahead.

“It is therefore fitting that the name of the new premises should celebrate the vision of DHP directors George and Sean Akins in creating Beat The Streets.

“In naming our new accommodation Akins House we are also paying tribute to the thousands of people who have bought into George and Sean’s vision for Beat The Streets over the years and played a part in making each year’s event such a special occasion – the staff at DHP; the hundreds of bands, solo artists, technicians, stewards and administrators who so generously give their time and talent; and the large and enthusiastic audiences who come along each year. Thank you to all of them.

“We are also most grateful for the core capital funding from the government’s Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and for Nottingham City Council’s support for the project overall.”

Managing Director of DHP Family, George Akins, said: “Everyone at DHP is proud of the funds we have raised for Framework since starting Beat The Streets in 2018. Contributing towards permanent accommodation is a great achievement, and we’re very pleased to see the tangible difference the festival is making to the lives of local homeless people.

“With our total raised almost at £500,000 now, we look forward to continuing to support Framework’s important work. Thank you to all the artists, attendees and staff who have contributed time, effort, and money to make our fundraising so successful.”

In the five years since the first Beat The Streets festival in 2018 nearly £500,000 has been raised in total. In 2022 Beat The Streets received national recognition by winning the Sarah Nulty Community Impact Award at the UK Festival Awards.

Several hundred homeless people have received support which has been fully or partly funded through Beat The Streets. This has ranged from providing emergency shelter, urgent health assessments and periods in specialist supported housing, through to resettlement plans and permanent homes with personalised support.

This integrated approach aims to set people up for success and prevent them from falling back into the cycle of repeat homelessness.

Commenting on Tesco’s continued support, Darren Print, Store Manager at Tesco Toton Extra, said: “Stores across Nottingham and Derbyshire wanted to come together to support a single cause and the work of Framework really stood out to us.

“Through a series of fundraising activities and the hard work of colleagues and our generous customers we’ve been able to provide vital support for the great work Framework does. We’re incredibly proud to have helped and hope this will go some way towards making a difference to people’s lives.”

Nearly two thirds of East Midlands and over a third of West Midlands construction firms are concerned they won’t be able to trade into 2025, according to a new report from business advisory firm FRP.

Of the senior decision makers surveyed across the Midlands construction sector, 64% of East Midlands firms and 38% of West Midlands firms aren’t confident that they will be able to trade through the next 12 months. The East Midlands are the most pessimistic part of the UK surveyed when it came to construction businesses’ prospects.

FRP’s data found that the regions’ businesses were finding it increasingly difficult to access funding, with a split field across the Midlands. While nearly two thirds (64%) of East Midlands businesses say they found it more difficult to secure necessary backing last year than the year before, only 38% of businesses in the West Midlands say the same.

Tax burdens were also a concern for businesses in both the East and West Midlands, with nearly half (48%) and half (50%) of firms, respectively, admitting they will struggle to pay their tax liabilities or any outstanding tax in full this year.

Meanwhile, 76% of East Midlands and 62% of West Midlands firms flag that political uncertainty in an election year is either causing them to delay investments or prompting clients to postpone commissioning new work.

East Midlands firms surveyed also say that factors such as supply chain disruption (18%) and the insolvency of sub-contractors or customers (18%) are likely to damage their prospects, while West Midlands firms cite factors like high interest rates (20%) and weak end-consumer demand (18%).

In response to the headwinds they face, a focus of East Midlands businesses will be renegotiating existing contracts (28% vs. 16% of West Midlands firms), while West Midlands firms will be looking to change suppliers to cheaper alternatives (36% vs. 22% of East Midlands firms).

Another split field across the Midlands was seen in revenue and profitability expectations. One in six (16%) East Midlands firms expect profitability to increase over the coming year, compared to last year, against 36% of West Midlands businesses that feel the same.

Similarly, just over one in nine (12%) East Midlands businesses expect to see revenue increase year-on-year, compared to 42% of their counterparts in the West.

Nathan Jones, Restructuring Advisory Partner at FRP in Leicester, said: “The results across the Midlands are concerning, but particularly so in the East.

“It’s possible that what we’re seeing here in terms of splits in trading optimism, and revenue and profitability expectations are the knock-on effects of the decision to cancel the eastern leg of HS2, which was particularly poorly received in the region.

“There are certainly a growing number of reasons for optimism, with green shoots beginning to show in the form of easing inflation and predicted interest rates cuts. Businesses in the region remain acutely aware of the threat of further supply chain disruption, however.

“Steps such as renegotiating contracts and shoring up local supply chains will be key for those looking to weather future headwinds.”

Across the UK, an average of 36% of firms surveyed say they lack confidence in their ability to trade over the next 12 months.

The North West (24%) follows the South West (20%) as the second-most optimistic construction sector, although still hosts a sizeable proportion of businesses fearing for their future, while the North East (45%) follows the East Midlands (64%) in reporting the largest proportion of firms pessimistic about their prospects.

The first two units have been placed under offer and a planning application has now been submitted for Foundry Business Park, a new development of industrial/warehouse units in Pinxton, Derbyshire. The development will provide 10 units totalling some 50,000ft², all available on a freehold basis. The units range in size from 4,232ft² to approximately 20,000ft². Darran Severn, Director at FHP Property Consultants, says: “We are pleased to confirm that the first two units have been placed under offer on a build to suit basis, which is excellent news. In addition, a planning application has now been submitted for the first phase of units which will be available around Q2 2025. “There is a continued shortage of freehold industrial/warehouse units across the region, and as a result we are in discussions with a number of local occupiers who have expressed an interest in the site. Once the units start to take shape I would expect to see even more interest and further sales being agreed.”

Modern Milkman, the online grocery service, has expanded its East Midlands operations with a new storage and distribution hub. The fast-growing company has taken a lease on Unit A at Charnwood Business Park in Loughborough in a deal completed on behalf of a private landlord by Thomas Szymkiw, Head of Agency at NG Chartered Surveyors. Modern Milkman, which was founded in 2018, delivers milk and soft drinks in reusable glass bottles, as well as eggs, baked goods and more, connecting thousands of households to local farmers and suppliers in their community. In March, the fast-growing company expanded into the US with an acquisition. Thomas said: “Modern Milkman is a refreshingly modern company offering a traditional service – and we wish them well as they expand their business in the East Midlands. “Our landlord client has an excellent tenant in a company that is really going places. This is a win-win for everyone involved.”

Construction has started at Leicestershire’s first Garden Village, Broadnook. Announcing the launch of construction, the developers have unveiled a new roadside billboard as well as the installation of Hollywood-style 9ft lettering made from corten steel. Raising a glass of locally grown Rothley sparkling wine was the Mayor of Charnwood, Councillor Margaret Smidowicz, alongside James Wilson, Managing Director of Davidsons Homes, and Steve Keenan, Construction Director at Cora Homes. The creation of the new Garden Village includes plans for car-free zones, cycle paths, village square, community nursery and primary school, enterprise zones, allotments and open green spaces that will connect residents to the local landscape. The project is backed by an investment of £32.6 million – of which over £17 million is being invested into local schools – creating more than 1,900 homes ranging from one to five bedrooms. Mayor of Charnwood, Councillor Margaret Smidowicz said: “The launch of Broadnook Garden Village is a defining moment for the Borough of Charnwood as it celebrates its 50^th anniversary. “This thoughtful, innovative design offers a sense of ‘place’, encapsulating the heritage of the surrounding area but considers the long-term future for the new community as it develops. “I recall the many consultation meetings and I am genuinely delighted and privileged to be part of this special occasion, which will prove to be an investment that provides more than simply houses.” James Wilson, Managing Director of Davidsons Homes, said: “It is a privilege to be here, today, to officially launch the construction of Broadnook Garden Village – Leicestershire’s first Garden Village. Broadnook aims to bring the very best elements from all your favourite Charnwood villages into one purpose-built community.” Luke Simmons, Managing Director of Cora Homes, added: “We’re proud to be co-creating Broadnook Garden Village and in doing so establishing a modern, connected community that will offer residents exceptional homes set among landscaped green areas with open walkways to exercise and immerse in nature. “Broadnook will create local infrastructure, enterprise zones, community hubs and flexible working spaces – designed to meet the long-term needs of homeowners from today into the future. At Cora, we call it Creating Amazing Places.” Taking its name from a local ancient spinney that runs through the site, Broadnook promises tree lined walks, parks, allotments, wildflower meadows, play areas, landscaped garden spaces and sports pitches. More than 50 per cent of Broadnook Garden Village will be devoted to green spaces. Iain Pickering, Design Director at Davidsons Homes – and mastermind behind the reinvention of the Broadnook Garden Village concept – said: “We are creating Broadnook Garden Village without losing sight of how we all want to live: as part of a thriving community that feels modern and connected, yet firmly rooted in the beautiful nature that we are lucky enough to enjoy in Charnwood. “As a local resident myself, it was important that we not only took inspiration from the history of Charnwood’s villages, but also looked to the future.” He adds: “We have taken many of our design cues from the local Leicestershire landscape: our street signs take inspiration from our neighbours at Great Central Railway; our architecture takes careful reference from the beautiful, period house styles seen in Rothley, Quorn and Barrow upon Soar. “Our tree lined walk, which is an integral element of our design, passes a nod to Leicester’s historic New Walk. Broadnook is firmly – and proudly – Leicestershire born and bred.” Broadnook Garden Village will offer modern amenities, including plans for a community primary school, retail shops, care facilities and a new GP surgery. The village centre and amenities will, it is hoped, minimise the need for unnecessary use of a car within the Broadnook village. It is expected that the Garden Village’s first residents will be welcomed in autumn 2024.