Nottingham immigration law firm looks North

Tess Egginton
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Nottingham immigration law firm looks North

Nottingham’s OTB Legal, a UK immigration law firm, is expanding with a new Manchester base. The firm will be based at Bloc on Marble Street.

OTB Legal has grown consistently from its Chase Park headquarters just outside Nottingham. However, with demand increasing for immigration services in the region, OTB Legal’s Marcus Worthington says the time is right to expand the offering north: “Expanding our leading immigration team into Manchester is a strategic move aimed at better serving our clients in the area.

“Manchester’s vibrant and diverse community provides an excellent backdrop for us to deepen our connections with individuals and businesses navigating complex immigration laws.

“Our expansion into Manchester aligns with the city’s role as a magnet for talent and investment, positioning us to provide crucial guidance and advice as clients navigate the evolving landscape of immigration regulations and pursue their business and personal goals.”

The Manchester office will act as a northern hub for OTB Legal’s growing team.

Hannah Bowers, OTB Legal’s marketing manager, says: “We have a thriving and growing team and have plans for further growth in terms of expansion across the UK. I am based here at Bloc and the space is fantastic. It has a vibrancy to it that I know our team will love and I can’t wait to welcome them here.”

Real estate investor adds 315,000 sq ft of retail parks to portfolio

Tess Egginton
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Real estate investor adds 315,000 sq ft of retail parks to portfolio

Columbia Threadneedle Real Estate, the real estate investment and asset management specialist of Columbia Threadneedle Investments, has acquired Phase 2 and 3 of Merry Hill Retail Park in Brierley Hill and Phoenix Retail Park in Corby on behalf of separate client funds for undisclosed sums.

These recent acquisitions follow the purchase of Parkgate Shopping Park in Yorkshire earlier this year and reinforce Columbia Threadneedle Real Estate’s position as one of the largest retail park owners in the UK.

Phases 2 and 3 of Merry Hill Retail Park comprise a combined circa 197,000 square feet of retail warehouse and restaurant space on a site that extends to almost 15 acres with approximately 600 free parking spaces. Anchor tenants include The Range, Currys, Wren Kitchens, DFS and Pets at Home trading from a range of retail formats from 1,900 square feet to circa 52,000 square feet.

Phoenix Retail Park is the dominant retail park in Corby, offering 118,200 sq ft of retail warehouse accommodation with anchor tenants including M&S Foodhall, Matalan, The Range, Currys, Next and The Food Warehouse.

Its occupier mix is complementary to the demographics of the local catchment with a focus on food, discount and convenience-led retailing. It adjoins a 95,000 sq ft Asda superstore, which adds further critical mass, and the town of Corby has recorded significant population growth over the last decade, with further growth on the existing 203,000-strong catchment forecast thanks to a residential development pipeline of more than 12,000 new homes.

Tom Elviss, Fund Manager at Columbia Threadneedle Real Estate, said: “The simultaneous acquisition of both Phases 2 and 3 at Merry Hill Retail Park from two separate vendors constitutes a majority holding at one of the UK’s dominant retail warehouse clusters in the West Midlands. This presents a significant opportunity to maximise the assets’ potential under single ownership.

“Phoenix Retail Park is set to benefit from Corby’s sizeable residential development pipeline, which brings with it a catchment growth proposition that will allow us to enhance the tenant mix further.

“At both locations, we intend to draw on our strong retailer relationships and scale in the retail warehouse market as we seek to proactively asset manage the holdings to deliver strong returns for our investors.”

For the Merry Hill transaction, Harvey Spack Field acted for the purchaser and Morgan Williams represented the vendors, while Savills advised the purchaser on the Phoenix Retail Park acquisition and Knight Frank represented the vendor.

YMD Boon extends Midlands footprint

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YMD Boon extends Midlands footprint
YMD Boon, a team of architects, building surveyors and health & safety professionals, has opened its new office in Birmingham, marking a pivotal moment in the business’s growth strategy to extend its footprint across the Midlands. Over the past 18 months, YMD Boon has made significant strides by expanding into new sectors, securing positions on various procurement frameworks, broadening its client-base and boosting its employee headcount by approximately 30%. With established offices in Market Harborough, Nottingham and Lincoln, the expanding firm aims to replicate the successes achieved in these regions with a renewed focus on the West Midlands and surrounding areas. Located just off the M6 at the iconic Fort Dunlop, the new office will be headed up by Jonathan King, Associate Director of Building Surveying, and Shari Setayesh, Director of Architecture.  Jonathan King, Associate Director of Building Surveying, said: “We are really excited at the prospect of working with more organisations in and around the Birmingham area, expanding our network in the process. The move to this new office space strengthens our capabilities within Birmingham at a time when the region is experiencing remarkable investment prospects.” Shari Setayesh, Director of Architecture, said: “With established relationships with clients in the West Midlands and ongoing projects in the area, it was a natural progression for us to establish a presence here for our growing team. We look forward to continuing to grow our presence in Birmingham and surrounding areas!”

Watches of Switzerland hails “strong” finish to financial year

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Watches of Switzerland hails “strong” finish to financial year

Leicester-based Watches of Switzerland Group has finished its financial year “strongly,” with sales in the final quarter in line with guidance and ahead of consensus.

According to a trading update for the 13 weeks (Q4 FY24) to 28 April 2024, group revenue reached £380 million, a 4% increase on Q4 FY23.

It puts group revenue for the year at over £1.5 billion.

Brian Duffy, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We finished the year strongly, with Q4 sales in line with guidance and ahead of consensus. Particularly pleasing was the performance in the US, with sales up 14% in the period.

“We are confident that our strategy, exceptional client service and strong brand relationships enables us to continue to drive growth and gain market share. We have seen growth in our Registration of Interest lists for sought after products, and exceptionally strong performance of pre-owned, particularly Rolex Certified Pre-Owned.

“Our acquisition of Roberto Coin Inc. (the exclusive North American distributor of Roberto Coin) dramatically accelerates our luxury branded jewellery strategy, and we see enormous potential in bringing together this iconic brand with our retailing expertise. 

“We enter FY25 with cautious optimism. We have a terrific programme of showroom developments on both sides of the Atlantic with the Rolex flagship boutique on Old Bond Street, London; a 3,000 sq ft Rolex boutique replacing the Mayors multi-brand in Atlanta, Georgia; and our first Rolex showroom in Texas in Plano.

“We are also looking forward to the Audemars Piguet Town House and the Mappin & Webb luxury jewellery showroom both in Manchester, and the expanded Patek Philippe space in Greenwich, Connecticut. 

“The inherent strength of the categories we operate in, coupled with our superior business model and retail expertise continues to set us apart. We remain focused on executing our Long Range Plan and are committed to the targets to more than double sales and Adjusted EBIT by the end of FY28.”

Shareholders back £2.5bn Barratt and Redrow merger

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Shareholders back £2.5bn Barratt and Redrow merger
The shareholders of house builders Barratt and Redrow have approved the businesses’ proposed merger. In the more than £2.5bn deal, Redrow shareholders will hold approximately 32.8 per cent of the combined group and Barratt shareholders will hold approximately 67.2 per cent of the combined group. The merger is subject to clearance by the Competition and Markets Authority, which has launched a preliminary investigation into whether the deal would result in a substantial lessening of competition. Leicestershire-based Barratt and Flintshire-based Redrow generated aggregate revenue of £7.4bn in FY 2023, delivering total completions of 22,642. The combined group would be renamed Barratt Redrow plc.

YMD Boon strengthens leadership team with internal associate director appointments

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YMD Boon strengthens leadership team with internal associate director appointments
YMD Boon have announced the internal appointment of two associate directors. These promotions reflect the company’s expansion efforts, including the establishment of a new office in Birmingham. Jonathan King has been promoted to the role of Associate Director – Building Surveying. In his new role, Jonathan will spearhead the development of the Birmingham office while continuing to oversee the Building Surveying team in Nottingham. He will also coordinate operational procedures and drive business growth across various sectors and locations. Jonathan King joined YMD Boon as a Senior Building Surveyor and quickly progressed to undertaking a role as an Associate. His proactive leadership has significantly expanded the building surveying division’s portfolio. Simone Fearn has been promoted to the role of Associate Director – Finance and Operations. Simone will take on a more hands-on role in managing project finances to ensure efficiency and oversee internal company operations, including quality assurance, marketing, and tendering processes. Simone’s journey with YMD Boon began 5 years ago when joining the company as HR, Office & Finance Manager and has excelled in the role ever since. These appointments enhance the senior management team and recognize Jonathan and Simone’s contributions to the company’s success and commitment to exceeding customer expectations. Jonathan Warren, Director at YMD Boon, said: “YMD Boon prides itself on being a progressive company with a commitment to future talent and both Jonathan and Simone epitomise all the values we look for and we are delighted to acknowledge this with their promotions to associate director.” Shari Setayesh, Director at YMD Boon, added: “We are pleased to announce Jonathan & Simone’s appointments at such a pivotal time for the company. Both their drive and expertise will be instrumental in continuing the growth of YMD Boon.”

Derby Book Festival looks to business community for new trustees

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Derby Book Festival looks to business community for new trustees

Derby Book Festival, which stages events across the city to inspire a love of reading, is looking to recruit new trustees and a treasurer to help write the next chapter of the organisation.

The festival, which is a registered charity and receives funding from the Arts Council and the National Lottery for its Shared Reading community project, has sold more than 30,000 tickets to more than 570 events since its inception in 2015.

It also has a packed year-round community programme, working with almost all of Derby’s primary and secondary schools, Derby College and the University of Derby offering opportunities to meet authors, explore new books and create their own stories and illustrations.

Its Shared Reading community project enables people in care homes, hospital, prisons, libraries and community centres to listen to and share their thoughts about poetry, lyrics, letters and diaries at weekly and fortnightly sessions.

Its Summer Festival (30 May – 5 June) is about to get underway with authors including James O’Brien, Alison Weir, Polly Toynbee, Patrick Grant and Dan Cruickshank, as well as debut historical novelists Sarah Marsh and Elizabeth O’Connor. There will also be a special event on 29 July with BBC presenter and reporter Clive Myrie at Derby Theatre.

Festival director Sian Hoyle said: “Our board of trustees play a critical role in governing our charity and providing strategic direction on how we are managed and run. We have a committed team of trustees who volunteer their time and are proud of the role they play in our essential work, but we do have vacancies and an urgent need for a new treasurer.

“Recruiting the right trustees is essential for our book festival to grow and inspire future generations of readers and writers.”

The festival is organised in partnership with all the major arts and cultural partners in the city with funding from the Arts Council England, the University of Derby and several businesses and individuals across the city.

Festival chair, Professor Keith McLay, said: “We are looking for people who will bring knowledge and experience of their own, who will offer a fresh perspective on our work, and possess the wisdom and integrity necessary to be trusted with the festival’s leadership, resources, reputation, and future.

“Trusteeship is a great way of contributing to causes you care about and developing strategic and leadership skills at the same time. I am enormously proud to be the charity’s Chair and am appealing to others to get in touch and find out how they can help and play a part in our future.”

To apply, send an Expression of Interest explaining why either of these voluntary roles interest you, what you feel you could offer Derby Book Festival as either a Trustee or Treasurer Trustee, and a copy of your CV to DBF Chair, Professor Keith McLay, k.mclay@derby.ac.uk.

Businesswomen join Star Trust Board

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Businesswomen join Star Trust Board
Two notable regional businesswomen have joined the Board of East Midlands charity, Star Trust – The Charitable Entrepreneurs. They are Derbyshire-based Rachel Hayward, Managing Director of procurement consultancy Ask the Chameleon, and Anna Wooster-Mann, the founder and Managing Director of Greenio in Newark which is a national renewable energy hub. They join a Board of business people from across the East Midlands who oversee the Star Trust charity which, over the past ten years, has organised fund raising events and donated to £852,642 for 114 charities – benefiting more than 71,000 people across the East Midlands. Rachel Hayward specialises in producing funding and commercial procurement applications and business award submissions for ambitious East Midlands micro, small businesses, and Third sector organisations – securing a total of £117m for her clients. Named the FSB East Midlands self employed/freelancer of the year Rachel has also reached the national final of The Small Awards 2024 which are a nationwide search for the smallest and greatest firms in the UK, across all sectors. Having chaired Annabel’s Angels, a small charitable trust for the relief of cancer patients across Derbyshire, Rachel explained she was committed to ensuring continued support for smaller charities who had the greatest impact on local people’s lives. “I am looking forward to bringing my experience in bid writing and the SME and voluntary sectors to Star Trust and being on the ‘other side of the fence’ to ensure the money raised and donated through the charity goes to the organisations in most need and who provide maximum benefits to some of the most vulnerable people in our local communities.” Anna Wooster-Mann founded Greenio in 2013 with a vision to educate and help homeowners and businesses reduce their carbon footprint with tailored electrical and heating alternatives including solar panel installation, EV chargers, air source and ground source heat pumps, LED lighting and biomass boiler service and maintenance.
Anna Wooster-Mann, founder and Managing Director of Greenio
She said: “My business is deep rooted in supporting local people and businesses to make ethical and cost-saving choices that help save the planet. “This reflects my own ethos that we must do everything we can to protect and support services that improve the health and wellbeing of our local communities. “Star Trust is an incredible charitable organisation that brings together like-minded entrepreneurs who share that commitment to improving the lives of local people and I am delighted to be joining the Board.” Star Trust founder Steve Hampson concluded: “We are fortunate to be supported by a committed group of business people to steer our charity and by those whose generosity means that we can support smaller charities across the East Midlands who do such an amazing job in their local communities. “We are delighted to have Rachel and Anna on board and look forward to the contribution that they will make to Star Trust in so many different ways.”

Chamber partners with Loates Workplace Wellbeing for mental health training

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Chamber partners with Loates Workplace Wellbeing for mental health training
East Midlands Chamber has partnered with Loates Workplace Wellbeing to provide mental health courses accredited by MHFA England. The collaboration is being launched during Mental Health Awareness Week and will provide Chamber members with access to mental health first-aider training, either in person or online. The courses help delegates gain the knowledge and skills to spot signs of people experiencing poor mental health, be confident enough to start a conversation and signpost a person to appropriate support. The initiative reinforces East Midlands Chamber’s CSR commitment, as courses are provided in partnership with regional charities across the East Midlands. Since 2022, Loates Workplace Wellbeing has provided complimentary MHFA training for Derby County Community Trust, Nottinghamshire Hospice, and, from 2024, Rainbows Hospice in Leicestershire. Annie Litchfield from Loates Workplace Wellbeing said: “The charity partnerships foster a culture of wellbeing in the workplace while raising awareness of the valuable work and vital services each charity undertakes.” Hollie Anderson, Communications & Marketing Manager at Nottinghamshire Hospice, said: “The collaboration with Loates Workplace Wellbeing has enabled us to raise the profile of Nottinghamshire Hospice among a wider group of organisations. “By offering their Mental Health First Aid courses in our training room, we provide essential training to our team and showcase the hospice’s vital work to a broader audience.” Vicki Thompson, Head of Leadership & Training Programmes at East Midlands Chamber, said: “We see this as a natural extension to the broad training programme we already offer. The mental health first aider courses can also be booked by businesses as an in-house course.”

How to conduct a workplace risk assessment

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How to conduct a workplace risk assessment
There are hazards in every workplace, and these can lead to accidents that harm employees and the reputation of a business. According to HSE, the current rate of non-fatal injuries at work in the UK reached 561,000 in 2022/23. Conducting risk assessments is a primary management tool that can mitigate accidents at work. A risk assessment is a rigorous process of systematically identifying hazards, the associated risks and how measures can be employed to mitigate them. These should be employed regularly and ingrained into standard business procedures.  What is usually involved in a risk assessment?  Risk assessments consider all the aspects of a workplace and generally follow some simple steps. Employers should: 
  • List the risks to health and safety present in the workplace
  • Evaluate who might be harmed and how 
  • Assess whether current precautions are effective 
  • Revise protective measures and implement more if necessary 
Identifying Risks  Many hazards pose a risk to staff and business operations, however some are industry-specific. Some common types of risk assessments include:  Fire risks  Fire safety procedures are required to be established in workplaces by law. A sufficient fire risk assessment involves taking an organised look at what activities could cause harm to people from fire. Having emergency incident markers and lighting installed, as well as the safe storage of specialist electrical tools are solutions to mitigate fire risks.  Manual handling  Every year, around 300,000 workers suffer an injury from manual handling incidents. This type of risk assessment should be conducted in any environment where employees are at risk of ill health when lifting or moving loads. High-quality tutorial support and training materials on proper manual handling techniques should be provided. Display Screen Equipment (DSE)  Computers, laptops and other device screens can pose a risk to employee health. DSE assessments evaluate every workstation and provide recommendations to alleviate common problems such as screen glare, bad posture and body pain.  Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)  For workplaces that store and handle hazardous materials and chemicals, a COSHH risk assessment should be carried out. Workplaces should provide training and equipment that mitigates risk and injury. Why is it important?  Compliance  Some industries require a risk management plan to stay compliant with legal requirements and avoid penalties. Employers have a responsibility by law to protect their staff and take all necessary precautions to mitigate threats. Risk assessments reduce a business’s legal liability.  Protection and preparation  Risk assessments are a company’s first line of defence against accidents. By looking at potential hazards ahead of time, a business can take proactive steps to reduce harm and be better equipped in the event of an incident.  Smart decision making  Risk management plans make business decisions more streamlined, especially during a crisis. A step-by-step plan allows operations to function under pressure and to allocate the required resources. 
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