< PreviousFINANCE NEWSEast Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk10LDC takesstake in AspinLDC has completed aninvestment to take a minority stakein a £25m transaction to supportthe continued growth ofinfrastructure company AspinGroup, which has offices in Derbyand Mansfield.Aspin has a current annualrevenue approaching £35m.Growth has come on the back ofcontinuing strong investment in theUK rail sector, as well as expansionof Aspin’s range of products andservices and the end markets itserves, which include waterways, highways and power distribution. Aspin’scustomer base comprises many of the UK's leading names in rail, construction andrelated industries such as Network Rail, Carillion, Skanska and Balfour Beatty.As part of the transaction, Keith Ludeman has joined the business as non-executive chairman. Keith brings a wealth of experience in the rail and widertransport and infrastructure sectors. He was a main board director of Network Railuntil July last year, serves as a non-executive director of Interserve PLC as well aschairing Bristol Water and Eversholt Rail Group. He was also CEO of Go AheadGroup PLC from 2006 to 2011.The deal was transacted by LDC’s Nottingham team, led by Investment director,John Green with support from Andy Grove. They will both join the board withimmediate effect.Green said: “With Aspin, we are backing a highly experienced managementteam that has led the business through multiple phases of organic and acquisitivegrowth over recent years."There are record levels of investment being made in rail electrification over thecoming years, and Aspin is well placed to further accelerate its growth andexpansion plans. Our support will provide the team with additional financial andstrategic firepower to fully capitalise on this.”The transaction was supported by a number of Midlands-based advisers,including Browne Jacobson, PwC, Smith Cooper, Geldards, Flint Bishop andFreeths.Sinfonia Viva appeal winsbusiness supportEast Midlands regional orchestra Sinfonia Viva has wonsupport from regional business owners to kick-start its fundraising campaign to take classical music further afield acrossthe East Midlands.Viva has already secured a £179,585 grant from ArtsCouncil England’s National Lottery-funded Capital programmetowards the £211,000 investment programme to buy a largeinflatable stage and auditorium seating up to 250 people.Having secured the Arts Council funding, the Orchestra haslaunched a campaign to raise match funding of just over£30,000 to bring the project to fruition which is being headedby Classic FM radio presenter Anne-Marie Minhall.Fund raising efforts include a £2,500 online Crowdfundingappeal which enables people to pledge online in return for arange of benefits including dinner with principal conductorDuncan Ward.As part of the Crowdfunding appeal, members of the publicand the 1000 delegates at the recent VentureFest EastMidlands business and innovation conference in Nottinghamwere invited to support a range of causes. Viva received themost pledges, which will be matched by VentureFest,resulting in £970 being donated to the appeal so far.Viva head of development Simone Lennox-Gordon said:“We were delighted to be part of VentureFest and even moreso when we won the Crowdfunder competition. As winnerswe receive match-funding that will increase the pledgesplaced during the competition period by 50% per cent, whichis great news for the project and those people who are giftingto something they believe in.“Our mobile inflatable venue has really grabbed people’sattention and the competition has been a wonderfulopportunity to promote our project further and buildrelationships with a wider audience. Our crowdfundingcampaign is still open, so there is still chance to pledgesupport and receive great rewards as a thank you.”The Orchestra is also purchasing lighting and soundequipment, including an enhanced hearing system withheadsets for people with hearing impairments.FINANCE NEWSwww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 11Autogyro receives £300,000 from DEGFA company that re-located to Derby to build the next generation of Autogyro aircraft has won agrant and loan package from Derby Enterprise Growth Fund.BJJR has been set up by former Army helicopter pilots Barry Jones and James Robb. They havedesigned the new high-tech aircraft which is the first of its kind to be built in the UK for decades.A prototype of the Autogyro, called the Bulldog, was unveiled at the recent Aero 15 show inGermany. Testing is now scheduled to take place at Tatenhill airfield near Burton-on-Trent and thefirst models will be produced by the end of the year.BJJR has teamed up with advanced composites company epm:technology in Raynesway wherethe Bulldog will be built - creating 30 new production, design engineering, sales and marketing andmanagement jobs.The company has received a £200,000 loan and £95,000 grant from DEGF which is run by DerbyCity Council and supported by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund. It aims to provide acatalyst for growth and job creation in businesses in the city and surrounding area through a mix ofloans and grants.BJJR Managing Director Barry Jones explained: “The support from DEGF and epm:technologyhas enabled us to establish the business here in Derby and bring the Bulldog to market.“We were keen to set up in Derby to take advantage of the fantastic engineering skills base in thecity and are embracing the advanced composites expertise at epm:technology in the design andmanufacturing.”Autogyros were first designed in the 1920s by Spanish engineer Juan de la Cierva anddeveloped in the UK. They incorporate an engine-powered propeller to provide thrust and anunpowered rotor overhead to lift the craft into the air.Cambridge & Counties reportsstrong growthCambridge & CountiesBank has announced astrong increase in businessfor the year ended 31December 2014.The challenger bank,which provides lending anddeposit products for smalland medium sizedbusinesses (SMEs), saw itsloan book grow by 126 percent to reach £253m, and thevalue of deposits heldreached £388 million, a riseof 87 per cent on 2013.The bank is predicting continued strong growth, and this will be partly fuelled byits successful application to the Funding for Lending Scheme, which was accepted atthe start of 2015.The bank, which is owned jointly by the University of Cambridge’s Trinity Hall andCambridgeshire Local Government Pension Fund, reported that on 31st December2014, its capital position remained strong at 15.2 per cent for total capital, and 10.1%for Core Tier 1.Overall, the bank declared a Profit Before Tax of £4.1m for the year ended 31stDecember 2014, which represents a turnaround for last year’s small start-up loss of£99,000.Cambridge & Counties Bank, headquartered in Leicester, has grown by focusing onits heartlands of East Midlands and East Anglia but it has also expanded across theUK through its national broker coverage. To help support this, in 2014 it opened twonew offices – one in Bristol and the other in Sheffield - to add to its existing locationsin Cambridge and Leicester.Mike Kirsopp, chief executive at Cambridge & Counties Bank, said: “Tradingconditions during 2014 continued to improve, and whilst a number of newcompetitors entered into the SME deposit and lending arenas, our strong propositionenabled us to exceed all of our growth targets.“The quality of our lending business continues to meet our credit appetite, and wecontinue to lend against assets providing good yield and strong cash flow.”Good signs for Hawesas it secures £2mfundingNorthampton-based sign company, Hawes Signs, hassecured a £2m invoice finance facility from Secure TrustBank Commercial Finance.Hawes specialises in the production of corporatesigns and images. The business reported revenues of£22m in 2014, and employs 163 staff.Hawes says new funding will enable the business tomanage its cashflow as it looks to achieve its growthplans. Following its takeover by HLD Group earlier in theyear, Hawes is looking to extend its client base as theHLD Group targets a £500m turnover in the next fiveyears.Demis Ohandjanian, CEO of the HLD Group, theparent company of Hawes, said: “For an SME, accessingfinance is often a significant barrier to maximisinggrowth, and this finance facility enables businesses likeours to adopt more expansive strategies and looktowards the future with optimism.“Secure Trust Bank understood our requirements andCashflow MasterclassWorkshop9th June 2015 companies and those who just get by or fail? company can run out of cash, so how you manage your cash-fails. It’s the most critical skill a business owner can master.control of it for good.Get results in your business fastDuring our half day interactive, practical and jargon free workshop, everything you’ll learn is highly practical and you’ll be able to go back to your business straight away business. your business.build your business on.What people are saying investments we have ever made. If you want to set up and a little planning our business was transformed.”“I had a fantastic day's training with Serena to new business.”accessible without dumbing it down, and leaves you with insights and tools that can your business.”“For me the course was business life changing and I would encourage all business owners, MD’s & CEO’s to attend the F word (love the name).”controlling us.”Tickets are limited so book now to guarantee your placewww.fwordtraining.com/eventsWhen - Where - At Antenna, Nottingham City Centre How much - The price for this masterclass is just £195 + vat per delegateHow to book - Head on over to www.fwordtraining.com/events to book your ticketWe’re a Growth Accelerator training provider so you tNay be able to get 50% funding towards your trainingThe F Wordwww.fwordtraining.com - 0115 984 6344events@fwordtraining.com About The F Wordstumbling around in the dark.JLL hires trio of new faces JLL's Nottingham office has taken on three new staff after thecommercial property agent reported a "stellar year for investment inthe East Midlands".Ravinder Chemma, who first came to JLL whilst studying for aMasters Degree in Planning and Development, was supposed to dojust a four week internship and ended up joining JLL's graduatescheme.Matthew Smith, lead director of the Nottingham office said: "Ravreally impressed us from the start. He's very switched on,understands the East Midlands market and is clearly an individualkeen to make his mark in the industry. Anyone on Twitter will seehe's already embraced JLL's proactive approach to social media,but what really struck a chord with us, was his commitment tocompleting a masters degree yet still giving 100 per cent to hiswork at JLL."Rav now works within the agency and development team andis responsible for securing and managing a range of disposal,acquisition and consultancy instructions across the EastMidlands, predominantly within the office and industrial sectorsbut also encompassing residential land.Christopher Johnson is another graduate who has joined theBuilding Consultancy team. He graduated from Sheffield HallamUniversity and worked in the residential sector for several yearsas a project officer delivering improvement works beforeapplying to join JLL's graduate scheme.He said: "JLL offers great employee training to qualify as aChartered Surveyor and as one of the largest commercial realestate firms it has a very strong reputation. Whilst work in theBuilding Consultancy team ranges in size and ispredominately local, the scope to work with large corporatesattracted by JLL's global presence is very appealing."Stephanie Latham has joined JLL's Professional Advisoryteam as a newly qualified surveyor. She previously trained atSavills and will be undertaking a broad spectrum of workacross the commercial, industrial and residential markets,valuing for an extensive range of lending institutions, fundsand private clients of the firm.Smith added: "Matthew Smith added: "We are extremelyfortunate at JLL to be able to attract top talent in the regionsuch as Rav, Christopher and Stephanie."Whilst we may work in Nottingham, our eye is always onthe bigger picture and with a strengthened team we are noweven better placed to attract new opportunities to the region,drawing on our extensive national and global contacts."APPOINTMENT NEWSEast Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk14PwC appoints cyberspecialistChristian Toon has joined PwCin the Midlands as a seniormanager in the firm’stechnology risk team,specialising in cyber security. Toon joins PwC frominformation management andstorage company, IronMountain, where he spentalmost eight years leading thefirm’s information riskprogrammes across the UK, EUand India. His focus was on advisingbusinesses in the public and privatesectors on their information securityresponsibilities. Prior to joining Iron Mountain, Toon had an operationalcompliance role at Next.He said: "“I’m really excited to be joining PwC in the Midlands and ateam that already provides a full range of technology risk services to helpbusinesses with their exposure and response to cyber security risk. I’mlooking forward to growing our cyber security practice and bringing myexperience to further help businesses understand their exposure to cybersecurity threats, improve their defences and respond more effectively tocyber security incidents.”Gore joins MarronsMarrons Planning, part of law firm Shakespeares, has appointed AndrewGore as a principal planner.Gore joins Marrons Planning having spent four years at Pegasus Group.Gore said: “I’m looking forward to joining an established and successfulpractice at such an important time for the planning team. The long-termgrowth plans across the East Midlands are encouraging and being a part ofthe ambitious future plans for the firm is really exciting.”David Prichard, partner and head of Marrons Planning, said: “Andrewshares our ambition to create a planning powerhouse in the region and webelieve that he has the drive and experience to help us achieve this. We haveno doubt that he will be integral to the planning team and the future successof the business.”Rothera Dowson adds to Wills teamNottingham law firm Rothera Dowson has strengthened itswills, probate and trusts department with the arrival of EleanorRobinson.A member of the Law Society Private Client Section andLeicestershire Law Society Junior Solicitor of the Year 2012,Eleanor graduated from the University of Leicester beforegoing on to gain her LPC at De Montfort, Leicester.Robinson, who is based at Rothera Dowson’s Lace Marketoffice, said: “I’m really excited to be moving to RotheraDowson. The firm has a very strong reputation within the legalprofession and with the public, built on years of strong serviceto clients by competent, committed staff. Everyone has beenvery welcoming and, judging by the calibre of my newcolleagues, I am certain this will be a great place to develop.”Jayne Smith, partner at Rothera Dowson, said: “We areconstantly looking to strengthen our team and heightenservice levels. Eleanor has the skills set and enthusiasmnecessary to improve the Rothera Dowson offering. She is anexcellent addition to our staff. I hope she enjoys a long andprosperous career with us.Hunt races in to Mather JamieLoughborough-basedchartered surveyor MatherJamie has hired James Huntas a commercialmanagement surveyor.Hunt, who qualified as achartered surveyor in October2014, has joined Mather Jamie'scommercial team to assist withvaluations, lease renewals andinspections.Alex Reid, director, said: “Jamesis an ideal addition to Mather Jamieand we are delighted to have him onboard as part of our commercialteam."Streets appointsnew VAT directorStreets Chartered Accountants, whichhas offices in Lincoln andNottinghamshire, has appointed PhilJeffrey as its new VAT director.Jeffrey started out as a VAT inspectorat HM Customs and Excise, where hetrained as a specialist accountancyofficer by The Institute of CharteredAccountants of Scotland (ICAS) andprior to joining Streets he was a VATPartner at Baker Tilly.Jeffrey said: “I am delighted to bejoining Streets in an exciting phase oftheir progression as the leading firmof Chartered Accountants in the EastMidlands. I am looking forward toproviding proactive support for ourclient base and also bringing in newbusiness.”Rubie set toshine atWynbrookA buoyant order book and a threeyear pipeline of new schemes has ledto the appointment of RubieParkinson as an office administratorby Nottingham builders, Wynbrook.Rubie (19) is a former pupil atRushcliffe Comprehensive and livesin Edwalton. She studied A-Levelsin Business, English and Sociologyat NCN High Pavement Collegeand joins Wynbrook from astaffing agency which focused onthe recruitment of care homepersonnel.Wynbrook director SteveDay, said: “Rubie’sappointment will furtherenhance our ability to projectmanage everything involvedin our constructionschemes. Rubie will help usoperate internal processesso that we can co-ordinate works on sitemore efficiently.”www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 15APPOINTMENT NEWSFormer Kegworth pub romps toauction saleYe Olde Flying Horse, a former Kegworth pub has sold for £319,000 at an Eddisons sale atLeeds United’s Elland Road stadium, making it the best performing lot of the day.Robert Limbert, associate director and Auctioneer at Eddisons said: "This was the very first lot tobe offered and meant the sale got off to a flying start."The building enjoys a central position within the village and could suit a variety of alternative uses,subject to planning."In total Eddisons sold 29 of the 37 lots offered generating proceeds of nearly £3m.COMMERCIAL PROPERTY17Mansfield industrialscheme gets greenlightPlans for 21 light industrial units in MansfieldWoodhouse has been given the green light by the localauthority. Strawsons Property, whose head office is located inRetford, applied for consent to build approximately40,000 sq ft of industrial space at their Old Mill LaneEstate in response to a lack of supply in the area.It is expected that the units, which will form part of theexisting industrial estate, will be ready for occupation inOctober this year and will provide high quality lightindustrial / warehouse units of between 1,100 and 8,000sq ft.Stuart Waite, associate director at Innes England, actsas joint agent on the existing scheme with Nigel Carnallat WA Barnes, believes this decision is a real boost forthe area and indicative of an improving market.He said: “I believe this is the first speculativedevelopment of small industrial and warehouse unitsin the area post economic downturn, which is a realindicator of how confidence is returning to the marketin the East Midlands.“The existing estate is now fully let, which hasgiven the owners the assurance that there isappetite for this type of accommodation, and theyhave taken the decision to build speculatively tocater for pent up demand.“There are very few smaller unit schemes inthe area and developing new product presentsviability challenges but we are confident inthe location – this is great news for newstart-ups and SMEs who so oftenstruggle to find appropriate space.”Property prices in WestBridgford 'remarkable'Property prices in central West Bridgford have risen by up to 20 per centon some roads over the last 18 months – a remarkable increase according toa local estate agents.Associate director at FHP Living Ian Marriott has been working in the WestBridgford market for nearly 20 years and believes this is the most buoyant themarket has ever been in the popular suburb.He said: “The area surrounding Bridgford Park has long been popular withbuyers, but over the past 18 months in particular we have seen prices rocketon certain streets – sometimes up to 20 per cent.“This is a really sharp increase, and has been driven by the establishmentof West Bridgford as the aspirational place to live in Nottinghamshire.Everyone from young professionals to families is looking to locate there, andthat is really being reflected in the house prices we are seeing.”In recent years the café culture in West Bridgford has become established,with FHP leading the way with a number of high profile commercial lettings including Central Avenue’s latest addition Cote – something Ian believes ishelping to drive prices in the town.“West Bridgford is a vibrant place to live and has everything you could want on your doorstep,” added Marriot. “There is now a fantastic range ofrestaurants, bars and cafés in the central area, which make it a hugely attractive place to locate.“The arrival of the likes of Cote, Carluccio’s and Yumacha has helped to stimulate property prices which, twinned with the lack of stock to cope withever-increasing demand, makes this an attractive time to consider selling your property.”www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link New distribution hubcould bring thousands ofjobs to NottsIM Properties has unveiled proposals for Nottingham 26, a new business park close tothe M1 motorway in Nottinghamshire that it says could bring 2,000 jobs to the area.Nottingham 26 will see four large industrial units built on a site off the A610 at Eastwood,only a mile from Junction 26 of the M1. They include a 460,000sq ft distribution centre.In total, IM Properties is proposing to build more than 800,000 sq ft of space, that willhave a value in excess of £60m.The project will be delivered on IM Properties' behalf by First Industrial, a specialist inlarge-scale industrial development projects. Simon Jenkins, development director at FirstIndustrial, said: "Nottingham 26 is a site that has enormous potential and the fact thatthere is an experienced team behind it means that it is more likely that potential will befulfilled. IM Properties is one of the most well-known names in this sector, while theteam at First Industrial is one of the most experienced in the market."IM Properties is a major player in the market for distribution warehouses, with aportfolio worth £1bn. Kevin Ashfield, senior development director at the company,said: "Despite our scale, we have a small management team which allows us to movequickly when we see opportunities. We have been refining our plans at Nottingham26 for some months but believe that now is the time to proceed.""We have started on the infrastructure at the site, which should be a sign topotential occupiers of our commitment. We think we are going to get at least onesizeable occupier at Nottingham 26, because it is accessible and has a goodcatchment for employment. In the long-term it is not difficult to envisage 1500-2000 jobs on the site."He added: "I think we will see the first prelet on the site later this year,enabling us to start construction next year."The development is being marketed by John Proctor, a director of theNottingham property consultancy FHP."Nottingham 26 will enjoy similar advantages to these already-occupied sites. It will have its own access to the A610 and itsproximity to the M1 means that is hooked in to vast regional andnational markets, with connections to the A38 and the M42 only ashort distance away."A strategic location is crucial to the operators of majordistribution centres, but the buildings on Nottingham 26 willbe in a range of sizes designed to suit both nationaloperators and expanding local businesses."Besides the 460,000 sq ft distribution centre, thesite will also feature a 182,000 sq ft buildingand two smaller properties of 88,000 and82,000 sq ft.PROPERTY NEWSEast Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk18Gleeds appointedto 24m CastleredevelopmentNottingham-based property andconstruction consultancy, Gleeds, has beenappointed to cost manage the £24mredevelopment of Nottingham Castle.The scheme involves the construction of anew welcome and ticketing foyer,refurbishment of the ‘castle experience’centre and art gallery, installation of new liftsfrom the castle caves and minor repairs tothe castle itself.Anthony Cork, Director for GleedsNottingham, said: “It’s a real honour to beworking on a project of such historical andlocal significance. It is investments like thisthat are really forging Nottingham’s positionas a destination for culture and tourism, bothof which will help draw inward investmentand further regeneration to the city.”The firm has previously delivered heritageschemes including the redevelopment ofNottingham’s Railway Station and Playhouse,as well as the iconic Café Royal and StPancras Renaissance hotels in London.Heronlands atformerpubHeron Foods isthe first retailerto open at aformer pub inChaddesdenfollowing a dealcompleted bycommercialpropertyconsultancyInnes England.The firm, which has offices in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham, is marketingthe former Blue Boy public house in Wiltshire Road on behalf of a developerfollowing its conversion into three retail units and residential.The food retailer is now trading from the 4,100 sq ft unit following a pre-letsecured by Innes England.Ben Taylor, head of retail agency at the firm, handled the deal. He said: “Weworked closely with the client to identify this opportunity due to its potential forconversion into a mixed residential and retail scheme.“Its location in Wiltshire Road is one of the main spine roads throughChaddesden and lies at the heart of the area’s local centre which already has agreat retail mix of independent and multiple retailers including Nisa and Coral.“The key to unlocking the development was the anchor pre-let to Heron Foods,which will further enhance the options available to people living in the local area.“There are two additional units available – one at just over 1,500 sq ft and anotherat 800 sq ft which can be taken individually or combined, which are suitable for a rangeof retail, leisure, community and food uses.”Heron Foods is a discount retailer with 250 shops in the North and Midlands regions. Italready has shops in Allenton and Derby.Jonathan Laverack, estates director at Heron Foods, said: “We’re really pleased with theconversion, the shop is trading well and hopefully we’ve given the people of Chaddesdenmore choice for their food shopping.”St Modwen reveals plans fornext stage of Albion GatewaySt Modwen has submitted a planning application for 12 morewarehousing and trade counter units at its Albion Gateway scheme.The regeneration specialist has submitted plans to EastStaffordshire Borough Council for 44,000 sq ft of additional space atthe Derby Road scheme. It has received several enquiries fromnational and local firms looking for prominent trade counter andbusiness space in the Burton area. Once given the go-ahead, the new units could be completed byMarch 2016. Construction on the initial phase of the scheme hasjust got underway – meaning the first 11 units will be open forbusiness by this September, with occupiers due to be revealedshortly.St Modwen has outline planning permission for a total 130,000sq ft of warehousing and trade counter units at Albion Gateway,and more than 450 jobs will be created when fully occupied.Ian Romano, senior development surveyor at St Modwensaid: “High levels of interest have given us the confidence toprogress with the next phase of Albion Gateway. Businessesare attracted by the Derby Road frontage, close proximity tomajor transport links and prime quality of our units.“These latest plans further demonstrate ourcommitment to the Burton area; generating hundreds ofnew jobs for local people.”Albion Gateway is a 10 acre mixed-use project thatwill be made up of trade counter and warehouseunits, restaurants, a public house and hotel.PROPERTY NEWSwww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 19Butterley Engineering site upfor saleA historic industrial site which employed hundreds of people formore than 200 years is being sold by property consultants FHP.The former Butterley Engineering works between Ripley and Alfretonhas been given a price tag of £1.65m and could be suitable for eitherfurther industrial use or residential development.It has a history stretching back more than 200 years, when BenjaminOutram founded a company which went on to supply the iron works forprojects which ranged from St Pancras Station to the D-Day MulberryHarbours.Butterley Engineering closed in 2009, leaving behind two listedbuildings and scheduled ancient monuments in the form of a blastfurnace and an underground canal tunnel which was originally used totake the iron works off site.The rest of the 13 acre site has been cleared, and David Hargreaves, one of the founding directors of FHP,says its size and location means it is probably best suited to residential development. He commented: “Thisis a site with a fascinating history stretching back to the industrial revolution and its scale means that it couldstill be returned to business use. However, expert planning advice suggests it will be a prime location forresidential development, and there is a clear need for more housing in the area.”Next >