To reserve your place at this event please email Ped Briggs at fba@wilorg.com
Lincolnshire Social Housing provider plans new move
Next spring social landlord Lincolnshire Housing Partnership will move its Grimsby base to Cartergate House, on Chantry Lane in the town.
The housing association previously announced the end of its lease on Westgate House, and its search for a new North East Lincolnshire home. Changes will reflect the feedback the organisation received from customers and stakeholders in the preparation for its 2022-2027 Corporate Strategy, Building Better Communities Together. Customers particularly highlighted their desire to see LHP teams in their communities, rather than having to visit an office environment.
The ground floor office suite, extending to just under 5,000 square feet has been empty since the building was built by North East Lincolnshire Council and occupied mainly by Wilkin Chapman Solicitors.
Murray Macdonald, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Housing Partnership said: “We have recently launched our 2022-2027 Corporate Plan, Great Homes…Strong Communities, which outlines our commitment to a more sustainable future, and working more closely with our customers in their neighbourhoods.
“As an organisation we are embracing modern ways of working and providing our colleagues with both flexibility and the most appropriate facilities for them to undertake their role.
“We have also seen our customers’ habits change, as well as moving away from the traditional habits of attending a local office, there has been a call for more ways to contact LHP through digital channels.
“We work best when we are engaging with customers and other agencies to deliver housing solutions. Such engagements can work better in the community and, sometimes, in people’s homes.
“Having a large office with rows of desks is not particularly efficient and so we have taken the view that a smaller office base and increased technology and flexibility will enable us to invest further into the business.”
LHP has been advised by Scott’s Property LLP, whose Lawrence Brown said: “We worked with LHP to help shape and create their brief. The proposal is to fit out the premises in a modern staff focused way rather than straightforward corporate office. Cartergate House met a number of criteria including flexibility of accommodation, proximity to other services together with sustainable issues such as public transport links and energy efficiency.”
The premises are currently in a shell state and contractors will spend the next few months fitting out the premises with occupation anticipated to take place in spring next year.
Multi-let industrial estate, Falcon Works, acquired in Loughborough
The dedicated real estate investment arm of Quilvest Capital Partners (Quilvest or QCP), QCP Real Estate, working with operating partner Arax Properties Limited, has acquired Falcon Works, a multi-let industrial estate in Loughborough.
The 53-acre property, strategically located in the heart of the Midlands’ ‘Golden Triangle’ logistics and industrial area, has strong upside potential with scope for increased occupancy rates and rental income.
The property also offers great potential for the development of unused land and the redevelopment of obsolete space into new, grade-A space with a more efficient vehicle circulation plan and with significantly improved ESG characteristics. Quilvest intends to invest significantly in this redevelopment to support the growth of SME businesses in the Loughborough area.
Patrick Laroche, principal at Quilvest Capital Partners, said: “We are delighted to have completed this acquisition which maintains QCP Real Estate’s strong legacy investing in multi-let industrial assets globally.
“This is a highly attractive property, due to its favourable location and good accessibility, with significant scope for value add through development and commercial initiatives. This transaction is aligned with our strategic commitment to this segment, where we have significant UK experience via previous investments.”
Streets Chartered Accountants supports Family Business Forum event
As specialist family business and owner managed business accountants, Streets Chartered Accountants are supporting the ‘Family Business Forum – Leadership’ event on Wednesday 12 October at The Carriage Hall, Nottingham.
Leaders face challenges on a daily basis. But in a family-run business, these challenges can be complicated – and on occasion, multiplied by needing to manage team-members who are also family. The Family Business panel includes speakers from leading family businesses, including Lindum Construction. The panel will be co-hosted by Streets partner James Pinchbeck and Annabel Jackson Prow from the Wilson organisation.
Human Alchemy understand the challenges of family businesses and have been working with CEOs, MDs and their leadership teams in a wide variety of organisations and sectors for the last two decades. Through their programmes and research, they have found that the leaders who exhibit what they call the ‘6 Extraordinary Leadership Traits’ are the most successful, innovative and get the job done. During the Forum, you’ll have the opportunity to examine the traits, mindset and skillsets of extraordinary leaders for yourself and discuss how sharpening these might make a difference in your family business.
Listening to the theory is great but hearing from family businesses that have faced their own leadership challenges is just as interesting. The panel members include David Chambers, chairman of Lindum Group founded in 1956, who will share their experiences and insights with the audience and join the Q&A.
This is an invitation only event with a buffet lunch served on arrival. There’ll be a short break following the Human Alchemy session, after which you’ll hear from the family business panel members before the Q&A.
Derbyshire pub group acquired by investment manager
Investment manager Downing LLP has acquired The Pub People Group of companies and committed to further funding for expansion.
Downing has acquired Pub People, based in Alfreton, Derbyshire from its management team – Andrew Crawford and Kevin Sammons – and merged it with its existing investment in Autumn Pubs Limited, which has been managed under contract by Pub People since 2012.
Funds managed by Downing will be the majority shareholder in the combined business. The group includes 49 managed pubs and Downing has committed further funding to help the group expand through acquisitions.
Kevin Sammons has headed Pub People for over 28 years and has established it as one of the top independent pub companies in the Midlands, with a quality estate and a well-resourced central function. Its estate of high-quality food and drink pubs is based in and around Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield, and Lincoln.
Following the acquisition, Kevin Sammons will transition into a non-executive role, while Andrew Crawford will move into the role of Managing Director.
Kevin Sammons said: “I am proud to have led and built this successful company, along with the many loyal and exceptional employees who have been important contributors to that success. They can now continue the Pub People journey along with Downing and fulfil their and the group’s potential. I am extremely grateful for the support Downing has given us over the last 10 years. It is now time for me to step back and hand over to a worthy and capable successor and his team.”
Andrew Crawford said: “Kevin and I have worked very well together as a management team for over 20 years. We have together built a company we can be truly proud of, but now there are new chapters to be written. While there are numerous economic challenges on the horizon, we have a strong team and with support from Downing the group can continue to invest and grow its high-quality pub estate.”
Nick Carter, associate director at Downing, said: “Kevin and Andy have been trusted and respected partners of ours for more than a decade. We wish Kevin well and we are excited to take the group to the next stage under Andy’s direction.”
The Downing team on the deal is Colin Corbally, Gautam Chhabra and Nick Carter. Downing has been advised by Michelmores, HMT and K3 Advisory.
Pub People has been advised by Browne Jacobsen and BHP.
Derby Sales and Information Centre to move to Guildhall Theatre
Derby City Council’s Sales and Information Centre is on the move. After being situated in Riverside Chambers since June 2019, following the full closure of the Assembly Rooms site, the centre is relocating to the Guildhall Theatre.
From Monday 10 October, all current Visit Derby tourist information services, along with sales and bookings for Derby LIVE and Derby Active, will be offered from the ground floor foyer of the Guildhall Theatre. The Guildhall Theatre is located on the Market Place and will be open to customers between 9am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday.
This means the Sales and Information Centre’s last day at its current home in Riverside Chambers will be Friday 7 October. During this day there may be some slight disruption to normal service as the team prepare for the move. Online booking services will not be impacted.
The Sales and Information Centre will be the only service to operate from the Guildhall Theatre and the ground floor foyer will be the only accessible point for customers. The Council is continuing to progress plans to bring the Guildhall Theatre back into use.
Growth snowballs for gritting business
Loughborough-based gritting business Weatherwise Services has seen a whopping 157% increase in turnover in the last four years of trading. It started in 2017 with just two vehicles covering 36 sites and now has 14 vehicles over 250 sites. You could say that growth has been rapid for directors, Tim Grainger and Andrew Martin. As it reaches its fifth anniversary the business is transforming both digitally and operationally to combat rising costs, improve efficiency and continue growing.
Tim hadn’t set out to run his own business. Originally from a sales and recruitment background, a chance meeting in a pub introduced him to the gritting business. He decided to become a driver at the same time as having a full-time job in facilities. Then in July 2017, Tim officially took over the business and set up Weatherwise Services with his partner Andrew.
Weatherwise provide a personalised winter gritting and snow clearance service to private customers. It works with partners to cover sites for the likes of PepsiCo and DHL, as well as independently for Leicester City Football Club, The Langdale Group and many others. During the winter months, Tim gets surface temperature forecasts, by postcode, from the Met Office. This is emailed out to clients and if the site reaches its trigger point for that night, they go out and grit.
Geographically the business covers sites from Sheffield down to Northampton with a focus on the Midlands. During the season Tim and Andrew are available 24/7 managing a team of 18 contractors with vehicles holding loads from 3,500 to 26,000 tonnes. Tim is in the office now managing sales, finance and marketing while Andrew looks after operations including organising the vehicles, drivers, loading and dealing with breakdowns.
Tim was introduced to the Business Gateway Growth Hub and Adviser Joanna Moore following a networking event. He explains: “I needed support on how to manage the growth and stop pulling my hair out! Time is the biggest thing I didn’t have. A lot of this was down to software. Computerisation was a big issue for me, but just talking to Jo and going through things helped; it’s one area I’ve worked on this year. We’ve now got a new CRM that integrates with our website, email and enquiries and this has made life easier.
“We’re also nearly there with a new operating system which allows us to schedule daily. Scheduling driver routes normally takes me about three hours a day but with the new system, it will take about ten minutes. I’ve been looking at this before, but it was all down to Jo that we identified this area would create more time.”
When the season ends things don’t stop for the business. Tim is still working 7 days a week, apart from a few weeks off for family holidays. Summer is a time for developing new clients, overhauling equipment, replacing wagons and refurbishing.
This year Tim has been working on digital marketing to communicate with new and existing customers. He’s also switched from a manual to an online accounting package. He continued: “I’d say one of our greatest strengths is communication and keeping in touch with our clients. But as our portfolio expands, I’m not convinced I’ll have the same amount of time to do that or develop new clients. These are some of my drivers for going digital. Getting it out of my head and off bits of paper so anyone could do it was what I need.”
Weatherwise had a difficult 21/22 season with fuel prices soaring and the price of salt going from £56/tonne to £99/tonne mid-season. So, time management, becoming more efficient and going digital has been key to their future success. And despite the challenges, it was their best year yet!
Tim continues: “The support from the Business Gateway has allowed me to see a broader picture and understand what I need to do to control the issues concerning me. The biggest thing is clarity, which has been invaluable – clarity of thought and action. I’ve never had a business plan since we started, we have one now and that’s down to support from Jo. She’s been incredibly helpful.”
International Sustainability Award Nomination for Lincoln Graduate
A Lincoln graduate is vying for a major international award after being recognised for driving forwards the sustainability agenda.
Matt Hucker, a graduate of the University of Lincoln, UK’s 2020 Business Management BA class, has been shortlisted in the Future Leader category at the World Sustainability Awards, which spotlight the individuals, teams, and organisations across the globe that are driving positive change in corporate and social sustainability.
Matt, who now works as a Continuous Improvement Specialist for retail pharmacy giant Walgreens Boots Alliance in Nottingham, has been recognised for the work he undertakes as Chair of the company’s Environmental Sustainability Business Resource Group.
The group is a voluntary community of like-minded individuals who are all looking to learn about how to lead more sustainable lives, hear what the business is doing and challenge the business to do more.
Under Matt’s stewardship the group has now grown to over 300 members from across the organisation. Matt has also defined a strategy to deliver an educational event and activity roadmap to deliver the group’s objectives across the coming years.
Speaking about the nomination, Matt said: “I am truly honoured to have been nominated let alone shortlisted for this award. The recognition I have received staggers me because this is something that I truly enjoy doing and is also something I deliver on the side of my day job. I am also on my development journey with sustainability, I am no eco worrier, but leading the Environmental Sustainability Business Resource Group has taught me a huge amount.
“It’s a privilege to be able to lead such a passionate group of like-minded people who join optionally. We have the opportunity to work with some incredible people from our ESG teams and external businesses to deliver some truly amazing events and initiatives that all help drive our business forward towards a more sustainable future.”
Winners will be revealed at the World Sustainability Congress in Munich next month, where major companies including Diageo, Colgate-Palmolive, and many more will also be looking to take home an award whilst also discussing how to reach the big climate goals of 2030.
East Midlands agency secures double high street letting
A Midlands-based property consultancy has proved that reports of the death of the high street are premature after completing lettings to two companies.
FHP has secured the double letting in Daventry town centre on behalf of local landlord and established family business, BW Male & Sons.
The largest of the lettings has seen print services company, Rapido Print Solutions, agree a five-year lease on a 3,385 sq ft retail unit on 35 High Street, Daventry. The deal commits the company’s future to the town, where it has been based for almost twenty years.
Local start-up business, Smokey Joes Vapes Co is expanding from its Rugby base into a new 556 sq ft premises at 15 Market Square and has also agreed a five-year lease.
FHP says it is receiving “strong interest” in several other vacant retail properties in Daventry and believes that the spate of recent lettings demonstrates demand is still high for good quality town centre retail and leisure accommodation.
Ben Clinton of FHP said: “The town centre market was strong pre-pandemic and following Covid-19, it is certainly showing real signs of recovery now. BW Male & Sons is passionate about attracting occupiers to complement the existing offering and we’re seeing a real diversity in the types of businesses that are interested in coming to the town.
“Typically, our high streets have been dominated by takeaways and supermarket chains, but there are operators such as health clinics, yoga studios and veterinary surgeries appearing in the market. We are marketing several properties on behalf of the landlord in Daventry, including two former high street banks, which combined would make a great restaurant space next to the recently developed Arc Cinema.”
Christopher Male, Director at BW Male & Sons, said: “It’s so important to work with reliable partners like FHP who understand the local market and can identify the potential Daventry has as a location for ambitious businesses. We have maintained a presence in the town for many years and are keen to see the area thrive. We wish Rapido Print Solutions and Smokey Joes every success in their new premises.”
Prescient Group donates 10% of profits to Prostate Cancer UK
Recruitment consultancy Prescient Group has donated 10% of their August proceeds to Prostate Cancer UK, which is a cause close to their hearts.
The specialist firm, which has offices in Nottingham, Manchester and London, has also fundraised throughout the year with events such as a sponsored marathon run.
Prostate Cancer UK was founded in 1996 and its top priority is funding research to stop prostate cancer killing men – approximately one in eight men, in the UK, will get this form of cancer in their lifetime. It invests millions to find better treatments and tests than can spot fast-growing cancers early and could be used in a screening programme to save thousands of lives.
Over the last two decades Prostate Cancer UK has funded and accelerated some of the biggest breakthroughs in prostate cancer care – from the use of multiparametric MRI to improve diagnosis, to the world’s first precision medicine for prostate cancer.
Charlotte Churm, founder and director of Prescient Group, said: “Collectively we chose Prostate Cancer UK as our charity, as I unfortunately lost my father to the disease in 1997. My father was only 49 years old, so this cause is very close to my heart.
“During August, we donated 10% of all our permanent role profits, towards the charity as we believe this is the least we can do.
“In addition to this, we sponsored my brother Nick Churm £500 to complete the London Landmark’s Half Marathon this year which he successfully finished.
“Prostate Cancer UK is a charity that provides incredible work to raise awareness of the disease and help those who are suffering and their families. Our donation will help the charity, as well as highlight to our network the importance of getting checked.”
The charity hosts a variety of fundraising events, every year, from 5K, 10K runs and obstacle races to half marathons and full marathons, as well as campaigning and educating people, across the country, around who could be at risk and identifying how to detect early signs or symptoms.
Alongside Charlotte, founders and directors of Prescient Group Joel Fletcher and Ed Robinson will be gearing up to complete a sponsored three peaks challenge in 2023, with all proceeds going to the charity.
East Midlands business confidence falls again
Business confidence in the East Midlands fell two points during September to 9%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking – conducted between 1st-15th September, before the Chancellor’s min-budget on Friday 23rd September.
Companies in the region reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down four points at 15%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up one point to 3%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 9%.
Despite another dip in overall confidence, East Midlands businesses identified their top target areas for growth in the next six months as evolving their offering (38%), diversifying into new markets (37%) and investing in their teams (36%). The Business Barometer, which questions 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide. A net balance of 9% of businesses in the region expect to increase staff levels over the next year, down 24 points on last month. Overall UK business confidence stayed the same as in August during September at 16%. Despite the net balance of businesses planning to create new jobs increasing by one point to 17%, firms’ outlook on their future trading prospects dropped one point to 25%, and their optimism in the wider economy also fell by one point to 5%. Three UK regions and nations recorded a month-on-month increase in optimism in September. London (up 12 points to 33%), the South East (up 15 points to 15%) and Scotland (up 10 points to 15%) all reported higher confidence readings with London now the most optimistic region overall. Only Wales (down five points to -4%) recorded a negative overall confidence reading in the last month. Dave Atkinson, regional director for the East Midlands at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “Despite the drop in confidence among businesses here in the East Midlands, it’s testament to the resilience of the region’s firms that it still remains in the positive territory.
“Whatever their sector, companies must keep a close eye on working capital to ensure they have the capability to capitalise on any opportunities for growth that do arise. The array of financial products available to them, such as asset-based lending and invoice finance, can help them mitigate fluctuations in costs and demand.”
Hann-Ju Ho, senior economist for Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “It is encouraging to see business confidence stabilising after a three-month decline. Firms’ assessment of their own trading prospects also remained steady and continues to show some resilience during turbulent times. Yet, cost pressures remain, as more businesses look to raise prices to help protect their margins while wage pressures show little sign of abating at this stage. With the recent volatility in financial markets as well as the Government’s Growth Plan and energy cap announcements, it will be interesting to see how these measures affect business confidence.”
Business confidence rose by two points in both the retail and service sectors (15% and 17% respectively), however both these figures are close to 12-month lows. Manufacturing and construction firms saw their lowest levels of business confidence this year, down two points in manufacturing to 14% and down 16 points to 10% in construction. This was driven by overall falling optimism in the economy.
