Yorkshire law firm Gordons advises Warburton’s on 65,850 sq ft distribution centre pre-let
Law firm Gordons has advised Britain’s largest bakery brand on the pre-letting of a new, bespoke 65,847 sq ft distribution centre to be developed in Biggleswade, near Bedford.
Warburtons has agreed to take a 25-year lease of the distribution and office facility at developer Tritax Symmetry’s Phase 3 of the 150-acre Symmetry Park Biggleswade scheme.
The highly sustainable building, with on-site EV charging and solar PV arrays, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025.
A team led by Gordons commercial property partner, Sarah Ratcliffe, advised Warburtons on the deal.
Commenting on the support from the Gordons’ team, Jim Norton, head of distribution network transformation at Warburtons, said: “As the largest bakery brand in the UK, we have a responsibility to lead and constantly innovate. That’s not only true with our products but also with the facilities in which we bake and distribute.
“The practical commercial advice provided by Sarah and the team at Gordons played a pivotal role in enabling us to secure the pre-let of our new depot.”
Bolton-headquartered Warburtons currently produces more than two million products every day at its 11 bakeries, including one in Wakefield. It delivers fresh to 18,500 stores across the UK every morning from the company’s 18 depots.
Gordons’ Sarah Ratcliffe added: “It was a pleasure to advise Warburtons on the pre-let deal.
“The new facility will only serve to further strengthen Warburtons’ business. We look forward to seeing the state-of-the-art highly sustainable building coming to fruition now that the deal has been agreed.”
Wykeland adds Leeds office building to growing property portfolio
Leading Yorkshire property development and investment company Wykeland Group has acquired an office building in a prime location in Leeds city centre.
Elizabeth House is situated just off Wellington Place in the heart of the city centre and is a short walk from Leeds Station.
Wykeland has acquired the building from an institutional investor, which had owned it since 2014. The building comprises 25,000 sq ft across five storeys and includes 15 car parking spaces.
Elizabeth House is let to Clarion Solicitors, which was recently recognised as one of the fastest-growing law firms in Europe.
Wykeland Property Director David Donkin said: “We’re delighted to have acquired this property in a prime location in the centre of Leeds, the commercial capital of Yorkshire.
“It adds to our growing portfolio of buildings in key town and city centre locations in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
“We’re continuing to actively explore opportunities to acquire properties that are in attractive locations and add value to our asset base.”
Sheffield renewable energy installer acquired
Hometree, the residential energy services company, has acquired Sheffield-based renewable energy installer IMS Heat Pumps.
Founded in 2015, Hometree has become a challenger brand in residential energy services. With an initial focus on home emergency breakdown and insurance, Hometree has since expanded into renewable installations and financing.
With demand set to surge for renewable energy installations, Hometree is in a prime position to accelerate the change from gas boilers to heat pumps and other renewable forms of technology across the UK.
With targets set to have 600,000 heat pumps installed by 2028, Hometree is capitalising on this switch to renewables by acquiring IMS Heat Pumps, which has pioneered heat pump installations across England and Scotland since 1997.
IMS Heat Pumps will gain access to Hometree’s customer base, its suite of financing products and insurance services.
Meanwhile, the acquisition will enable Hometree to bolster its engineering force and re-train more of its 5,000 engineers to be able to install, repair and maintain renewables.
Hometree founder & CEO Simon Phelan said: “I’m incredibly excited to be partnering with Emma Bohan and the IMS team and look forward to helping them scale the company significantly.
“If the UK is to achieve its net zero ambition, we will need an army of installers right across the country and we’re committed to bringing together these skills, supported by financing and in-life repair and maintenance services, to make Hometree the first choice for homeowners who want to do the right thing by the planet.”
Emma Bohan, Managing Director of IMS Heat Pumps, said: “We’ve been installing heat pumps for over 25 years and we’ve watched the renewable home energy industry grow and grow in that time.
“By partnering with Hometree, we can bring our specialist expertise to many more homeowners and look forward to working closely with the Hometree team to drive uptake of sustainable heating solutions across the country.”
HACS Group steps up as music festival sponsor
Independent building and construction services contractor the HACS Group has been named as sponsor of the Harrogate Music Festival, which started at the weekend and runs until Thursday.
Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said: “We’re delighted to announce that the Harrogate Music Festival has its very first title sponsor in The HACS Group, the leading independent building and construction services contractor.
“Arts sponsorship is vital to our work as a charity and we are thrilled that HACS have come on board with their support, and we look forward to building our Festival together in the future!”
Mark Smith, founder and MD of The HACS Group, said: “We are extremely proud of our association with Harrogate International Festivals which goes back many years.
“The Festivals’ team does an incredible job bringing world class music and culture to Harrogate and that is why we are delighted to become Harrogate Music Festival’s title sponsor.”
With experience ranging from roads and utility infrastructure projects to industrial, commercial and residential development, the reputation and growth of the HACS Group have been underpinned by their ability to provide the skills and services needed to complete, often complex projects, to the very highest standards.
This year’s Music Festival, which runs from June 8 to July 13, features an array of spectacular musical talent with artists from the worlds of classical, jazz, soul and dance music taking to the stage in Harrogate.
Former Leeds school site to be transformed into sports hub
A former school site in Leeds is set to be transformed into a state-of-the-art community sports hub.
Proposals for the new development – on land in Holbeck once occupied by Matthew Murray High School – were approved at a meeting of Leeds City Council’s south and west plans panel.
Work is now expected to start next year on the council-led project, which will include three full-size artificial grass football pitches, two multi-use games areas and a two-storey building with facilities such as changing rooms, a gym and a café.
The building will also be home to a GP surgery and pharmacy, with these services contributing to the wide-ranging health and wellbeing benefits that the development as a whole will bring for local residents.
Other elements of the scheme will include the creation of a children’s play area and improvements to a portion of existing green space at the site, which covers 6.3 hectares and sits off Brown Lane East and Ingram Road.
Outdoor seating areas, footpaths and a segregated cycle route are also planned, along with a 267-space car park and dozens of bike storage bays.
The scheme is one of three new sports hubs planned for Leeds as part of the national Parklife programme, which aims to deliver improved facilities for grassroots football using funding from the Football Association, the Premier League, Sport England, the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and the Football Foundation charity.
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “This is a key milestone for a scheme that underlines our commitment to the health and wellbeing of everyone living in Leeds.
“The new hub will be a significant asset, not just for residents in Holbeck but also those in surrounding areas and indeed the whole of south Leeds.
“Crucially, its facilities will be affordable and accessible for all, providing more opportunities for the kind of physical activity and exercise that has really important health benefits.
“It will also have a positive social impact by bringing people together, whether that’s through participating in sport or simply spending time in its attractive outdoor spaces.
“I look forward to seeing the development taking shape and eventually making a lasting difference to Holbeck and Leeds.”
Funding for the scheme will be provided from a range of sources, with the bulk coming via external grant support.
Once built, the new hub will be leased on a long-term basis to a not-for-profit trust and managed by an outside operator.
Profits generated will be invested back into improving other community football facilities across Leeds, where there is currently a shortfall of full-size artificial pitches.
Over the last three years alone, around 5,000 football matches in the city have had to be postponed due to natural turf pitches being left waterlogged or otherwise unusable.
Parklife hubs are also planned for Thorpe Park in east Leeds and Woodhall Playing Fields near Pudsey, with another already up-and-running at Bodington Playing Fields in Adel.
Charity’s new web page offers firms guidance on supporting unpaid carers
Charity the Sheffield Carers Centre has launched a new business support webpage offering free advice for firms wanting to support unpaid carers, pulling together advice, information, and support.
A spokesman for the charity said: “Most businesses know they employ some unpaid carers, but there may be others they don’t know about. Many businesses support those carers but may want to look at other ways they can help. However, some businesses may not be sure how to start supporting their employees.
“Across the UK more than 600 people quit work to look after older and disabled relatives every day. We understand the challenges of recruiting and retaining staff as well as the difficulties carers in your workforce may face.”
It’s estimated there are over 10 million unpaid carers in the UK, and that 2.5 million of these are also in employment. The contribution these unpaid carers make to the person they care for (and to their local communities in general) is invaluable, says the charity.
Thirsk-based company switches to employee ownership
Thirsk-based wholesale distributor Crofter’s Foods has become the latest company to transfer its entire shareholding to an Employee Ownership Trust, with more than 10 staff becoming part-owners of the artisan food and drink business.
Founder Grahame Armitage is remaining within the business as director with Dave Wood as MD. Grahame said: “Transferring ownership into an EOT ensures the special culture and values of Crofter’s Foods live on for next chapter of the company.
“It is a just reward for the hard work and talent of our loyal team who have helped make the business such a success over the past 19 years.
“The move to employee ownership will provide a platform for further growth of the business and continuity of service for our valued customers under the people who know it best and are most committed to its future – its employees.”
Founded in 2005 by Grahame and Jane Armitage, the specialist company works with small suppliers to distribute chilled, frozen and ambient products wholesale throughout Yorkshire and the North East. It began as a small operation, collecting products from regional Yorkshire suppliers and delivering on a regular journey plan.
It has evolved through organic growth to become a long-term supplier to leading independent retailers, hospitality venues and supermarkets with more than 250 customers.
Accountancy Azets in Yorkshire provided deal and tax advisory services. Corporate finance partner Tariq Javaid said: “Crofter’s is a great Yorkshire business, promoting and selling great Yorkshire produce.
“With its family culture, values and quality of people, the company is well suited to employee ownership. It was a privilege to work with Grahame in assisting with the transition, and the business can look forward to the future with confidence under its new ownership structure.”
EOTs have been growing in popularity since they were introduced by the government in 2014. An EOT structure enables a company to become owned by its employees through the creation of a trust which becomes the majority owner of the business.
Drax wins Transatlantic award for carbon capture plans
Drax Group has been announced as the winner of a BritishAmerican Business Transatlantic Growth Award in the Midsize Growth and Investments category for its plans to deploy and develop the large-scale carbon removal technology bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in the US.
In the UK, Drax currently generates around 8% of the UK’s renewable power and has played a crucial role in decarbonising the country’s energy system through converting North Yorkshire’s Drax Power Station to biomass generation. The company also plans to install two BECCS units at the Selby site.
BAB is a trade association that incorporates the British-American Chamber of Commerce in the US and the American Chamber of Commerce in the UK.
The organisation’s Transatlantic Growth Awards are an annual event, held to highlight the stories of businesses of all sizes that underpin the trade and investment relationship between the UK and the USA.
In 2024, Drax announced it would establish a new independent business unit which is focused on becoming the global leader in carbon removals. The new business will be headquartered in the Texas city of Houston, and will oversee the development and construction of new-build BECCS plants.
Duncan Edwards OBE, BritishAmerican Business’ CEO, said: “The strength of the US-UK trade and investment relationship is underpinned by organisations like Drax, who look across the Atlantic as a source of innovation, stability, and prosperity. We are pleased to recognise their commitment to investing in the future of carbon capture and sustainable energy in the United States.”
Hull business Spencer Group to create dock gate for historic vessel’s new home
Leading engineering specialist Spencer Group is to create a new dock gate as part of a £1.9m project to preserve an historic vessel.
The project to improve and repair Hull’s North End Shipyard is part of a wider £32m cultural regeneration project led by Hull City Council to celebrate the city’s rich maritime heritage.
The North End Shipyard is set to become the new home for the country’s last remaining sidewinder trawler, the Arctic Corsair, which will form a new visitor attraction when in place.
The city council has appointed Hull Esteem Consortium LEP as principal contractor for the shipyard project, with Spencer Group designing and delivering the vital lock gate element for the dry dock.
Spencer Group will remove the existing gate, before installing the new 15m by 6m, 50 tonne steel replacement from the River Hull following berthing of the vessel. The gate will then be sealed in place by forming a reinforced concrete wall, providing a permanent home for the Arctic Corsair.
Hull-based Spencer Group has already completed work to create a new home for another iconic vessel, the Spurn Lightship, as part of the Hull Maritime project.
The company created a new wet berth for the lightship in Hull Marina earlier this year which is set to become another local maritime visitor attraction in the coming months.
Neil Hewitt, Pre-Construction Project Manager for Spencer Group, said: “This is a really important project for us.
“The Arctic Corsair is one of the flagship vessels of the city’s maritime history and we’re extremely proud to be playing our part in preserving it for future generations. Having previously been involved in constructing her berthing outside the Streetlife Museum over 20 years ago, the business is proud to play its part in settling her into her new home.
“It means a lot to everyone at Spencer Group to deliver projects like this, particularly in our home city of Hull.”
Spencer Group’s multi-disciplinary skillset makes it the ideal company to deliver the complex project, which is expected to be completed in the coming months.
Mr Hewitt added: “We’ve completed the design and the new dock gate is currently being fabricated.
“We will soon be undertaking the on-site works to accommodate the new gate and the preparatory works to accommodate the Arctic Corsair and with her in place, compete the final works to create her new permanent home and allow the people of Hull to enjoy her once again.”
Spencer Group worked alongside principal contractor Hull Esteem Consortium LEP, and partners including the Environment Agency and other key stakeholders, throughout the design phase and will now move forward with plans for the delivery plan and execution of the phased approach.
Gavin Barley, General Manager for Hull Esteem said: “This is a new and challenging scheme in many ways, but a great opportunity for Hull Esteem and Spencer Group to work in partnership to regenerate one of Hull’s most important maritime treasures.
“We’re looking forward to being able to play our part in the much wider programme of works currently under development to create an exciting new maritime route that will guide visitors through the heart of the city.”
Gillian Osgerby, Programme Director at Hull City Council, added: “The North End Shipyard is steeped in maritime history. This area will be revitalised as part of the exciting plans to create a new visitor attraction for our residents and visitors to the city.
“To become the new home of the Arctic Corsair, a piece of technical work is needed to remove and replace the lock gate that connects the dry dock to the river Hull.
“We are looking forward to working with Hull Esteem Limited and the Spencer Group over the coming months to deliver this critical element of work.”
Matthew breaks new academic ground as Level 7 apprentice at Lindum Group
Law graduate Matthew Lill has become the first Lindum Group employee to achieve a Level 7 qualification, the highest level of apprenticeship available and equivalent to a master’s degree – whilst also doing a full-time job..
He spent a year working as a paralegal and two as an apprentice solicitor while completing his training and passing his Solicitors Qualifying Exam.
Matthew, who grew up in Lincoln and attended Priory City of Lincoln Academy before studying law at Nottingham Trent University, said: “After leaving school, I studied for an LLB Hons in Law, but to legally be able to refer to myself and practise as a solicitor, I needed to complete two years’ qualifying work experience and sit the SQE.
“When I joined Lindum in 2021, the promise of training was part of my contract and I’m grateful for the support I’ve received with my studies.
“I’ve learned so much on the job, too. I manage my own caseload of projects up to £20 million in value and get exposed to some great quality work by advising on a variety of different projects as well as assisting in defending and pursuing claims.”
During his course, Matthew worked under the guidance of Lindum’s Legal Services Manager Clifford Fearnley and our Apprentice Manager John Levey.
Lindum is currently supporting 30 apprentices and trainees through a variety of courses, including site-based skills such and bricklaying and joinery as well as office-based roles, such as quantity surveying and business administration.
Lindum Co-Chairman Freddie Chambers said: “I would like to congratulate Matt on completing his apprenticeship. It’s not easy to balance studying and full-time work but this is proof that it can be done if you have the right attitude and the right support.
“Lindum is well known for its construction work, but this is a reminder that our industry includes so many different career paths. Not only do we employ people in practical and technical roles, but our business includes experts in law, finance, marketing, HR and more.
“We are really pleased for Matt, whose hard work and commitment has paid off, and we’re delighted he is part of the Lindum team.”
