- Artcore – £250,000 – Derbyshire – is an international centre for contemporary art and creativity based in Derby. It has a gallery, studios, workspaces, shop and café and is a hub for commissioning, production, presentation and debate, working with a diverse range of communities, creative industries, community, education, health and regeneration sectors. This will support them to improve the environmental sustainability of the building and offer better audience experience by installing solar panels, improved access, LED lighting, sustainable technologies and environmental monitoring systems.
- Blackfriars Arts Centre – £150,000 – Lincolnshire – in Boston hosts a varied programme of professional stage productions and is home to two local amateur dramatic and operatic groups. As the town’s cultural centre, they offer a youth theatre company, art gallery and community space. This funding will allow them to install more energy efficient lighting and sound equipment to improve sustainability and running costs, and to upgrade visual and hearing loop equipment to ensure a more accessible experience for visitors.
- Chesterfield Borough Council – £695,000 – Derbyshire – Stephenson Memorial Hall is a Grade II listed building which houses the Pomegranate Theatre and Chesterfield Museum, which tells the story of Chesterfield, from the establishment of a Roman Fort, the expansion of the market and the Industrial Revolution, which brought the ‘Father of the Railways’ George Stephenson to the town. Currently the building is undergoing a major refurbishment to create a modern visitor attraction. This funding will allow them to install a ventilation system into the auditorium of the Pomegranate Theatre, and a fully accessible Changing Places toilet.
- Connect Culture: Nottingham City Libraries Inclusive, Immersive, Innovative – £185,900 – Nottinghamshire – will adjust and recreate space within two Nottingham libraries – Strelley Road Library and St Ann’s Valley Library – including building a three-screen interactive cine digital system. It will increase digital provision at the two libraries, allowing them to purchase hardware and software for remote access, scheduling and live streaming, a 360 camera and software and IP licences for digital cultural content.
- The National Holocaust Centre and Museum – £460,000 – Nottinghamshire – offers ways for people to explore the history and implications of the Holocaust. There is a memorial garden alongside two permanent exhibitions – The Holocaust Exhibition, suitable for secondary school children and adults and The Journey, a text free and tactile exhibition built with younger children in mind. This funding will allow them to enhance existing buildings, gardens and equipment, so they can create new digital content, an auditorium and broadcast suite in the Memorial Hall and improve visitor experience.
- Metro Boulot Dodo (MBD) – £119,991 – Leicestershire – create storytelling experiences using virtual reality, augmented reality and large scale projection, blending traditional arts expertise and technological innovation to bring stories to life. This project will allow them to set up a professional immersive digital production studio, including a facility for collaborative working, an artist development space, a production space and a resource for learning and participation opportunities.
- Serendipity – £128,500 – Leicestershire – is Leicester’s Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, bringing perspectives from the African and African Caribbean diaspora to its programmes including the flagship dance festival, Let’s Dance International Frontiers, Black History Month Leicester and the Annual Windrush Day Lecture. This will allow their offices – and home to the Black Cultural Archive – to have an appropriate IT infrastructure and equipment suitable for all access needs.
Seven East Midlands cultural organisations receive £1.9m for post-pandemic transformation
Arts Council England has announced a total investment of £1,989,391 has been awarded to seven organisations in the East Midlands to help them transform their buildings and equipment so they can operate safely post-pandemic, improve access, seize technological opportunities and reduce environmental impact.
From Boston to Leicester, the organisations receiving funding share a vision to build a fit for the future cultural sector, that will benefit communities for years to come. This place-based approach demonstrates the Arts Council’s commitment to helping level up the country through investment in culture and creativity.
Projects in the East Midlands:
UK inflation index reaches record high as manufacturing businesses face growing pressures
The BDO Inflation Index has reached an all-time high as April saw a stark rise in commodity and energy prices, according to the latest Business Trends report from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP.
The Inflation Index experienced the largest month-on-month increase in its ten-year history, jumping 4.29 points to 115.26. The last time the Index saw a jump comparable to this was in October 2016, with a monthly uptick of 3.93 points in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum. The index now sits well above 100 points, which denotes the average rate of growth.
April saw a sharp rise across both the Input and Consumer Inflation subindices, driven predominantly by skyrocketing prices for energy and commodities. This is fuelling considerable cost pressures for manufacturing businesses as the price of key materials and commodities continues to climb.
Elsewhere in the report, BDO’s Output Index fell 7.30 points to 103.66 in April. This fall took the Output Index to its lowest level since March 2021, driven by ongoing supply chain disruption and a decline in consumer spending as inflation soars.
The manufacturing sector has been particularly impacted by these constraints, leading to a drop of 1.93 points in the Manufacturing Output subindex, slipping below its long-term trend level to 98.14 following three consecutive months of decline.
As businesses face these economic headwinds, the labour market looks set to suffer. April saw the weakest month-on-month increase since September 2021, reflecting the slowing of jobs growth over the past month. This decline is expected to continue throughout 2022 as the unemployment rate is predicted to rise.
Commenting on the results, Kaley Crossthwaite, partner at BDO LLP, said: “Businesses are feeling the full force of rising costs, more of which will be passed onto customers in the coming months with consumer inflation set to intensify.
“The resulting squeeze on households’ disposable incomes is beginning to hurt our post pandemic economic recovery – and the very real risk of prolonged stagflation continues to haunt businesses and consumers across the country.”
Demolition work starts ahead of phase two of £200m Becketwell scheme
Demolition work has begun on phase two of the £200m Becketwell regeneration scheme to make way for Derby’s new 3,500 capacity Performance Venue.
Derby-based Cawarden have been appointed demolition contractors for the project and have started preparing for the structural demolition work on the site of the former Pink Coconut nightclub, NCP car park, Padley House, and Dubrek Studios.
Demolition of the former Debenhams store, which occupies part of the Becketwell site, was completed by Cawarden in Summer 2020, followed by the former Central United Reformed Church and properties on Victoria Street in March 2021.
A soft strip of the interior of the Pink Coconut is currently underway to segregate the building’s contents. It is anticipated that as much as 95% of the fixtures and fittings will be recycled.
Scaffolding is set to be erected shortly, followed by the commencement of the robotic demolition of the first three stories, which will be taken down floor by floor.
Cawarden’s specialist high-reach demolition machine will arrive on site in June/July to start the structural demolition of the existing buildings, including the Pink Coconut which was an iconic venue in the 1980s and 1990s.
Asbestos removal works are also taking place. Strict noise, dust and vibration monitoring and environmental controls will be in place to minimise the impact of the works on surrounding properties and businesses.
Final clearance of the site including erection of the perimeter hoarding for redevelopment is set to finish in the Autumn.
This latest phase of demolition will clear the way for the most significant development project in Derby city centre since the Westfield Centre in 2007.
Work on phase one of the scheme is currently underway, with the construction of 259 one and two-bedroom apartments on the site of the former Debenhams store on Victoria Street. The centrepiece of the development will be a multi-purpose public square, which will also be delivered as part of the first phase, with completion scheduled for Spring 2023.
The performance venue, which will be delivered as part of phase two of the scheme, will be owned by Derby City Council and managed by ASM Global, who are the world’s leading venue management and services company.
The venue is expected to add a much-needed new venue to Derby’s cultural offer. The purpose-built venue will be a fully flexible, scalable space capable of staging a range of concerts, stand-up comedy, family shows, musical theatre, conferences, and exhibitions.
The main auditorium will have a maximum capacity of 3,500 and offer a range of different event configurations including a fully seated layout for up to 2,100. Along with a busy concert and entertainment programme, the venue will also host a wide range of business events.
The venue is set to host more than 200 cultural and commercial events each year and attract an additional 250,000 visitors to Derby. It is also expected to create 200 new local jobs, generate more than £10m per year for the area and provide the impetus to kick-start further investment in surrounding areas of the city centre.
Construction on the performance venue is set to commence in January 2023, with completion and handover to the operator in late 2024.
Commenting on the start of demolition work for phase two, Dan Murray, construction director at St James Securities, said: “It’s great to see work start on phase two of the Becketwell regeneration scheme, which is set to create an exciting and vibrant city centre, where people will want to live, work and enjoy their leisure time.
“Cawarden is a well-known local specialist contractor whose team are familiar with the site, having already demolished the former Debenhams store and Central United Reformed Church.
“Our programme currently remains on track, with construction work on the performance venue set to commence in January 2023, with completion and handover to ASM Global in late 2024.”
William Crooks, Managing Director of Cawarden, added: “We have already successfully completed the demolition of the former Debenhams building and the church next door and look forward to delivering another key milestone in preparing the site for the much-needed Becketwell regeneration scheme.
“Given the proximity to other structures and live areas, we will be putting robust environmental controls and strict monitoring measures into place. This includes the use of our high-reach dust suppression system, that captures dust at source, preventing any significant nuisance.
“As a local specialist contractor, we’re proud to be helping to bring these exciting regeneration plans for our home city to life and playing a part in the Becketwell regeneration scheme.”
Future planned phases of the scheme include the potential for a range of other complementary uses of the site including new grade A offices and commercial space, a hotel and a multi-storey car park and purpose-built student residential.
Funding for the Becketwell project includes £8 million in Local Growth Fund investment from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, the private sector-led partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers and community and voluntary services which works to promote economic and jobs growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire.
£6.5m investment delivers new and improved facilities for Lincolnshire special school pupils
A new £6.5m extension to Willoughby Academy in Bourne is set to be officially opened on Friday 6 May
The new building incorporates classrooms and hygiene suites, together with a dining hall and nurse and physio spaces. In addition, pupils can enjoy extensively remodelled outdoor play areas, while the school’s car park has also been extended under the Lincolnshire County Council project.
Cllr Mrs Patricia Bradwell OBE, executive member for children’s services, said:
“The council wants to ensure that all children can access high-quality education, as near to their family and local community as possible. To achieve that, we’re investing £86m in improving our special schools, meaning more pupils with SEND can attend a local school rather than having to travel large distances for their education.
“I’m delighted to see the improvements at Willoughby Academy completed, and I’m sure they will be of immense benefit to both current pupils and those of the future.”
Howard Gee, Chair of The Priory Federation of Academies Trust to which Willoughby Academy belongs, said:
“We are deeply grateful for the council funding which has created such positive and beneficial new facilities for our pupils. They have further enhanced the strengths of the school and will make a big difference to children’s lives for many years to come.”
The construction was carried out by Wilmott Dixon.
Quantuma continues to grow UK presence with new director hire in Nottingham
Business advisory firm, Quantuma, has appointed Lee Brocklehurst as director at its Nottingham office.
Lee is the latest in a series of appointments by Quantuma, as part of its ongoing growth plans. Earlier this year the firm announced a series of Managing Director appointments including Tim Sloggett, in Bristol, and Robert Beat and Dina Devalia joined the firm’s London office.
Joining from RSM, Lee has over 25 years’ experience in restructuring and insolvency, working across a diverse range of accountancy practices and insolvency boutiques. As well as advising SMEs and large corporates, Lee has extensive experience advising individuals facing personal financial issues.
Lee has led assignments for businesses in sectors which includes engineering, hospitality, and business services, including an accelerated merger and acquisition process in administration of a substantial PR firm and the administration of an engineering business.
Lee also volunteers as a mentor for young professionals looking to break into the advisory community. He acts as a professional mentor at Birmingham City University, giving industry insight to graduates. In February 2022, he joined the ACCA’s Leicestershire Members Network Panel to help ACCA create member communities, build connections, and promote the accountancy profession across all sectors and regions of the UK.
Adam Hill to be next Chief Executive Officer of Mansfield District Council
Mansfield District Council’s Personnel Committee will be recommending the appointment of Adam Hill as the authority’s new CEO at the meeting of the Full Council on 17 May.
Adam has an impressive and well established 33 years of experience in the public, private and third sectors.
He is currently Deputy Chief Executive at Swansea Council – the second largest unitary authority in Wales – but is no stranger to Nottinghamshire.
He studied at Nottingham Business School, worked at Ashfield District Council and held senior positions at Broxtowe and Stafford councils before continuing his career in the West Midlands and Wales.
With an impressive portfolio, including transformational change, regeneration, leisure, culture and legal and democratic services, Adam has substantial experience of working with councillors, stakeholders and in corporate planning and governance.
Speaking about his appointment, he said: “I am delighted and really proud to be given the opportunity to be Chief Executive at Mansfield District Council, returning back to where my career started.
“The Mansfield district is a fantastic area and I am looking forward to helping build on its very successful reputation of delivering quality services and putting the community at the heart of all it does.
“A priority for me will showing strong and visible leadership and working closely with the mayor, getting to know local communities and businesses, councillors and, of course, the staff delivering the services, giving local people a great place to live, learn, work and invest.”
Executive mayor Andy Abrahams said: “I look forward to welcoming Adam to the authority in the summer following the ratification at Full Council.
“As a member of the interview panel I can say we were impressed with the broad depth of experience and his passion for transformational service delivery.
“I am sure he will be an asset to the council and we very much welcome the start of an exciting venture to make Mansfield a clean, green and healthy district, a place we are proud to call home and a place for investment and opportunity.
“I’d like to thank our interim Co-Chief Executive Officers, Mariam Amos and Michael Robinson, for their support and leadership since the resignation of Hayley Barsby last year. They have given tremendous stability and confidence to the workforce and elected members.”
It is anticipated that Adam will take up the post of Chief Executive in August.
Administrators provide update on Derby County deal as “small number of outstanding matters” left to be agreed
The joint administrators of Derby County Football Club, have released an update on the state of the club’s acquisition.
Just a small number of outstanding matters remain to be agreed with the EFL and in relation to the club’s stadium at Pride Park, according to Quantuma, which it believes can be resolved in a short period of time.
The deal would take Derby County out of administration and under the ownership of preferred bidder, American businessman Chris Kirchner.
Quantuma said: “The joint administrators are conscious of the heightening anxiety and levels of interest in respect of the ongoing potential acquisition of Derby County Football Club by our preferred bidder, Chris Kirchner.
“There were a substantial number of issues which have been needed to be dealt with since naming Mr. Kirchner as preferred bidder in respect of the various stakeholders within the administration and the appropriate levels of submissions to the English Football League.
“Since announcing Mr. Kirchner as preferred bidder we have progressed through most of the outstanding issues with the preferred bidder and there are now just a small number of outstanding matters to be agreed with the EFL and in relation to the club’s stadium at Pride Park. We consider that matters can be resolved in a short period of time and are grateful for the assistance of all stakeholders relating to the stadium.
“It should be noted that the company that owns the stadium is not in administration and therefore out of our control. We have therefore extended the period of exclusivity to midnight on Saturday 14 May.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. Morris has been fully co-operative throughout the administration and has not changed his stance on the disposal of the stadium. He shares everyone’s desire that the successful acquirer will take the club forward and understands that the acquirer will want the stadium matter resolved as soon as possible.
“It is clear that a successful outcome is dependent on Mr. Morris’ assistance in terms of writing off substantial sums owed to him personally, and also in dealing with other issues relating to the stadium to include charge-holder interests, the existing lease and some historic lease arrears which have to be addressed. It is therefore not helpful for Mr. Morris to be receiving personal threats against himself of members of his family, which have caused him and his family substantial anguish and could result in a very unnecessary and serious distraction.
“We should be grateful if supporters and other parties could refrain from passing comments of such nature and any such threats reported to the administrators will be taken very seriously. We can confirm that the preferred bidder is supportive of this position.
“Finally, the price for the stadium has been a constant and we are seeking to quickly resolve the ancillary issues relating to the stadium with all parties concerned.”
Chambers of Commerce calls for immediate emergency Budget
The British Chambers of Commerce is calling for an immediate emergency budget to deal with the costs crises facing businesses and people throughout the country.
It has developed a three-point action plan that would allow firms to keep a lid on rising prices, boost productivity and ease cost pressures.
The proposals include:
- Ease upfront costs of doing business by reversing the recently introduced National Insurance increase until at least 2023/24.
- Help firms manage the impact of rising energy prices by cutting VAT on their energy bills from 20% to 5% for a minimum of one year.
- Address labour shortages by reinstating free Covid tests for companies to ease the strain on productivity caused by persistent high absences
The measures in more detail:
Postponing the rise in National Insurance Contributions would not only ease the immediate pressure on companies’ balance sheets but it would also put money back into the pockets of people – boosting consumer confidence. When supply chain disruption has unwound and global factors influencing inflation have receded the economy will then be in a much stronger position to bear the increase.
Cutting VAT on business energy bills to 5%, for all businesses, would provide another quick release valve on soaring costs for firms. For example: a small business which has an energy bill of £10,000 and currently pays the standard 20% rate would pay £2,000 VAT. Our proposal would see that cut to £500. This measure could be adjusted over time to take account of those sectors most in need.
Many businesses in the UK are still seeing above average absence rates as Covid continues to impact the workforce. Around two thirds of more than 1,100 firms surveyed in April by the BCC reported staff absences due to Covid symptoms or self-isolation.
Bringing back free testing would allow firms to limit the disease’s spread among employees. With wider structural staff shortages continuing to limit productivity this would be a key measure to keep the economic recovery on track. New sub-variants of Omicron are reportedly leading to rising infection rates in the US and South Africa.
Lincolnshire company signs solar power deal with Devon tourist attraction
Kirmington-based sustainable energy provider British Power Group is to provide and install 100Kw of solar power capability at the Big Sheep Farm and Theme Park in Devon next month.
The Big Sheep’s directors had been looking at ways in which its popular family attraction can improve carbon footprint as part of its wider existing and future sustainability plans. The site has the space and infrastructure to support the introduction of solar power, making the installation of solar panels a viable, cost-effective and planet-friendly proposition for 2022 and cementing the park’s pledge to be one of the greenest of its kind in the country.
British Power Group supplies fully-funded solar PV installation and monitoring agreements across the UK at zero capital cost.
It’s expected that the installation will reduce emissions by around 25 tonnes annually, amounting to 500 tonnes over the next 20 years. In addition to the CO2 savings it will also provide The Big Sheep with huge financial savings.
The agreement with The Big Sheep will also include a monitoring system whereby schoolchildren and visitors to the site will be able to see the savings live in the reception area as a key educational feature. It is hoped this will also help drive awareness into greener technology and its many tangible benefits.
Steven Cullum, Director of British Power Group told Business Link Magazine: “This is an exciting time for British Power Group as we are busier than even with our solar PV installation and are seeing requests from across the country from businesses who are realising the multi-faceted benefits of going solar.
“We are thrilled to be working with The Big Sheep. It’s a terrific site that lends itself perfectly to benefiting from solar energy and, having discussed their wider greener plans, it makes perfect sense for them to embrace this technology. It is also great that in addition to the clear CO2 and cost savings they will make, the team at The Big Sheep are going to include their solar energy as an educational feature, which we applaud them for.
“We hope to have the solar panels installed in June so that they can benefit from the sunshine already this summer.”
New owners at Lincoln recruitment company
Two young local entrepreneurs, Peter Quittenton and Christian Salter, have bought specialist recruitment agency, Driver Hire Lincoln.
Peter (24) and Christian (24) already know the business well because they both worked for the previous owner.
“Over the last few years, at our appraisals, our boss asked us about our long-term plans,” says Peter. “We always said, when he decided to sell, we’d love to make the business ours. And now our dream’s come true.”
Before joining the Driver Hire Lincoln team, Peter, having successfully completed an Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Level 4 diploma, was working on a farm and doing evening work in a bar. Christian joined Driver Hire in 2014 as a school leaver apprentice. Over the past eight years he’s learnt the recruitment business from bottom to top and is now eagerly looking forward to using that knowledge to take Driver Hire Lincoln to new heights.
“Our respective skill sets work really well together,” Peter continues. “We’ve got away to a flying start and there’s definitely more scope for us to develop the business further. We both love working for Driver Hire and now the business is ours it’s even more rewarding.”
