KFC ramps up UK expansion with £1.5bn investment

April Lara
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KFC ramps up UK expansion with £1.5bn investment

KFC is committing £1.5 billion to expand and modernise its operations across the UK and Ireland over the next decade, targeting long-term growth in the quick-service restaurant sector.

The investment includes plans to open 500 new restaurants, adding to the 1,000 outlets already in operation across the region. The fast food chain, which currently employs around 30,000 people, aims to create an additional 7,000 jobs as part of this expansion.

Alongside new openings, KFC will upgrade 200 existing restaurants with refreshed designs and enhanced digital capabilities, reflecting the changing expectations of consumers regarding in-store experiences and mobile ordering.

The move is part of a broader growth strategy amid rising demand for fast food, with the UK fried chicken market now estimated to be worth £3.1 billion. Yorkshire is among the areas identified for new openings, presenting supply chain and franchise opportunities for regional operators.

KFC’s investment aligns with a trend of major QSR brands re-evaluating physical footprint strategies to balance convenience, digital innovation, and evolving customer preferences.

Hospice restructures as rising costs bite

April Lara
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Hospice restructures as rising costs bite

Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield has implemented significant cutbacks in response to sustained financial pressure. To stabilise operations, it has reduced its inpatient capacity by 25% and cut nearly 30 roles.

The charity, which provides palliative care across Kirklees, will now serve approximately 1,300 patients annually, down from over 2,000, following a cost-saving drive aimed at offsetting £1.7 million in budget shortfalls. The hospice’s inpatient unit has been downsized from 16 to 12 beds, while community-based services will continue at reduced capacity.

With staffing costs consuming the bulk of its £11 million annual budget, Kirkwood cited inflationary pressures and increased employer National Insurance contributions as key drivers behind the restructuring. Only a quarter of its funding is publicly sourced, leaving the hospice heavily reliant on fundraising and donations.

The workforce adjustment includes 19 redundancies, nine staff shifting to part-time contracts, and additional early retirements. Leadership said the changes are designed to preserve core clinical services while prioritising patients with the most complex needs.

Kirkwood’s move reflects growing pressure on third-sector healthcare providers, many grappling with rising costs, constrained public funding, and volatile donor income.

TL Dallas strengthens sustainability ties through Swinton Estate initiative

April Lara
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TL Dallas strengthens sustainability ties through Swinton Estate initiative

Insurance broker TL Dallas has joined Nourish, a corporate sustainability programme led by the Swinton Estate in North Yorkshire. The programme aims to help businesses develop environmental resilience and carbon reduction strategies.

The partnership gives TL Dallas access to the Swinton Estate’s environmental initiatives, including its Carbon Plus credit scheme and a suite of local investment opportunities for biodiversity, conservation, and community development.

Through the estate’s Climate Action Academy, the firm’s teams will participate in hands-on, nature-based training to support employee well-being and carbon literacy. The academy also runs forums featuring expert-led environmental learning tailored to SMEs.

New consumer law tightens rules for online businesses

April Lara
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New consumer law tightens rules for online businesses

Leeds-based businesses trading online are urged to review their sales practices after introducing the UK’s new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The legislation significantly expands consumer protection laws, particularly targeting misleading pricing tactics and inauthentic online reviews.

The new Act replaces the 2008 Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations and introduces clear requirements for digital commerce. It explicitly bans practices such as ‘drip pricing’—where fees are added late in the purchase process—and the use or facilitation of fake or incentivised reviews. Businesses must now display full pricing upfront, including mandatory charges like booking or membership fees.

The Act outlines 32 specific unfair practices, with regulatory enforcement under the Competition and Markets Authority. Firms that fail to comply could face fines of up to £300,000 or 10% of global turnover, whichever is higher.

The CMA expects businesses to establish transparent review policies, assess risk regularly, and proactively address manipulation. These changes apply to businesses of all sizes, including SMEs, and reflect a broader effort to ensure trust and fairness in the digital marketplace.

Commercial legal experts are advising businesses to review their policies and digital practices immediately to avoid potential penalties.

Partnership with Holtec to help grow nuclear workforce in South Yorkshire

Tess Egginton
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Partnership with Holtec to help grow nuclear workforce in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire’s mayor, Oliver Coppard, has welcomed a cooperation, skills and supply chain agreement signed between South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Holtec Britain. The announcement paves the way to help train and grow the nuclear workforce within the region. This partnership comes after South Yorkshire was announced as the home of Holtec’s new planned Small Modular Reactor (SMR factory) in 2024. The factory represents a major £1.5bn investment and is set to create thousands of highly skilled jobs. The intention and purpose of the agreement is to establish a framework for collaboration in support of Holtec’s manufacturing facility plans. Through the agreement, SYMCA and Holtec will collaborate in the following key areas:
  • Skills, planning and workforce development: SYMCA’s skills team will work with Holtec, partnering with colleges and other educational institutions to ensure the regional workforce is equipped with the skills required
  • South Yorkshire Energy: This partnership will contribute to the growth and direction of South Yorkshire Energy
  • Investment Zone funding: Should the chosen site of Holtec’s proposed manufacturing facility be located in a designated Investment Zone, both parties will work collaboratively to unlock access to a share of the potential £80m funding available
  • Alignment with SYMCA’s Economic Strategy: The collaboration will align with SYMCA’s broader economic strategy, which prioritises the growth of nuclear expertise, infrastructure and supply chain capabilities
  • Supply chain opportunities: SYMCA and Holtec will work together to help develop understanding and awareness of the opportunities of Holtec’s SMR programme from a South Yorkshire perspective.
South Yorkshire’s mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “In South Yorkshire, we’re building on hundreds of years of innovation and engineering heritage to create world leading facilities, skills and expertise; assets that will power the clean energy transition in the UK and beyond. “We’re right at the cutting edge of the new nuclear, hydrogen and sustainable aviation sectors, and proud to be home to the largest clean tech sector in the UK. This partnership with Holtec means we’ll be working together to help train and grow the new nuclear workforce our region, and our country, needs. “It’s another step in our mission to make South Yorkshire a leader in clean, green energy, creating thousands of new jobs and opportunities and giving our communities the skills and opportunities to stay near and go far.” Gareth Thomas, director of Holtec Britain, said: “Holtec has been working in the UK’s nuclear ecosystem for over 25 years. Today – together with South Yorkshire – we intend to cement our UK footprint – creating high-quality local jobs, supply chain opportunities and partnerships that will help the region and the nation grow and decarbonise. “South Yorkshire’s proud industrial heritage, skilled workforce, and commitment to clean-tech and innovation make it an ideal home for a Holtec advanced manufacturing facility to supply the nuclear and defence sectors. Holtec is working to finalize its factory business plan to support its Final Investment Decision, based on its UK and international order book. “Together, we will further strengthen the UK, and South Yorkshire’s, position at the forefront of clean energy technology – create thousands of skilled, highly-paid engineering local jobs while supporting thousands more in the UK’s wider manufacturing supply chains.”

Carter Towler secures White Rose Park property management instruction

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Carter Towler secures White Rose Park property management instruction
Carter Towler, the independent chartered surveyors, has been appointed by Munroe K Luxembourg SA to oversee the management of White Rose Park. Spanning 565,000 sq ft and situated next to the White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds, the business and education campus is the largest single asset now under Carter Towler’s management. Commenting on the appointment, director James Skirrow said: “We are immensely proud to have been chosen to support the future development of White Rose Park. This is a significant addition to our portfolio, and we are excited to contribute to the ongoing success of such an innovative business and education hub.” Spanning 26 acres, White Rose Park comprises nine buildings ranging from 10,000 to 250,000 sq ft. Key office tenants include CAPITA, NHS Shared Business Services, NG Bailey, Hisense, NHS LCH, O2, DAZN and Samsung together with 2 higher educational colleges (Broomfield SILC & Elliott Hudson College), a creche and HUB restaurant/Starbucks. David Aspin, CEO of Munroe K, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Carter Towler at such a pivotal stage in the park’s evolution. We have worked tirelessly to create a unique environment and community, and having their expert property management team on board will help take things to the next level. “We are redefining the concept of a business park by integrating business, wellbeing and academia to develop an ESG-focused talent and knowledge hub. Our aim is to foster an environment where innovation and commerce intersect, inspiring a community of forward-thinkers and industry disruptors.” Carter Towler’s 30-strong property management team will be responsible for a range of services, including tenant relations, rent collection, service charge management, contractor supervision, energy and insurance procurement, and health and safety compliance.

Sheffield semiconductor start-up raises £2.5m

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Sheffield semiconductor start-up raises £2.5m
A start-up that aims to win the race to develop the world’s first ‘memory safe’ computer chip has raised £2.5m in a funding round led by Mercia Ventures. The investment was from NPIF II – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), and also angel investors from the UK and Silicon Valley. SCI Semiconductor, which brings together leading industry figures, has already signed up a number of key customers including Google Research. The funding will enable it to build a team of engineers in Sheffield and bring its product to market. SCI aims to resolve the problem of ‘memory safety’ which is the key factor in around 70% of cyber attacks. Traditional programming languages – on which Microsoft’s Windows and many industrial operating systems are based – allow memory to be freely accessed, which provides flexibility for software developers but also creates vulnerabilities. Coding errors or flaws can be exploited by hackers or bring down the entire system – as in the 2024 CrowdStrike event when a faulty software update affected companies worldwide. Current attempts to achieve memory safety, such as transitioning to more modern languages or introducing stricter development methods, are often too costly or impractical. SCI’s chip will enforce security by dividing memory into compartments and tightly controlling how it is accessed. The product, which would be used in conjunction with open source software and development tools, would reduce cybersecurity costs and remove the need for constant patching. SCI Semiconductor was founded in 2022 by Haydn Povey and Krishna Anne. Haydn has over 30 years’ experience in the semiconductor industry, including 10 years at ARM, and is the founder of Secure Thingz which was sold to IAR Systems Group for £30m in 2018. Krishna, who is based in Palo Alto, has held senior roles in tech companies including Secure Thingz, and is the founder of DataTrails. They have been joined by Dr David Jackson and Prof John Goodacre from the University of Manchester, and Dr David Chisnall from the University of Cambridge who are renowned as leaders in chip technology. The company, which has secured over £1m in government grants to help develop the technology, currently has a team of over 20. It now plans to set up a base in Sheffield and recruit a further 20 engineers. Haydn Povey, CEO, said: “Cybersecurity is second only to global conflict in terms of factors affecting the economy. Memory safe chips have been shown to prevent 70% of all attacks and would enable organisations to continue using existing software with complete peace of mind. “Developing a new generation of chips here in the UK will also help to ensure supply chain security and restore the country’s position as a leader in semiconductor technology.” Will Schaffer, investment director at Mercia Ventures, added: “Memory safety has been a problem for years but until now has been a secondary priority. However with the world becoming more dangerous, government and industry have woken up to the dangers. “Despite collaboration between the big tech companies, no one has yet managed to build a silicon chip that addresses the issue. The funding will help SCI to win the race for memory safety and deliver next generation security.”

Smailes Goldie walks the extra mile for Yorkshire Cancer Research

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Smailes Goldie walks the extra mile for Yorkshire Cancer Research
Smailes Goldie, a chartered accountancy firm, is supporting Yorkshire Cancer Research by taking part in the We Walk for Yorkshire challenge this May. Throughout the month, team members across all five of the business’s Yorkshire offices will be collectively walking 1,000 miles with the goal of raising at least £1,000 to fund lifesaving cancer research. Leading the charge are colleagues from the Hull office: Rachel Underwood (business development manager), Matt Fox (partner), Rachel May (head of audit and compliance), Jayne Hussey (personal tax manager), and Darren Sanderson (consultant). Trainee accountants Eve Shelton and Ben Watkins are representing the firm from the Scarborough office, while fellow trainee Isabella Fink and accounts assistant Andrea Holliday will represent the Selby office. Erin Allsopp, a manager based at the Pickering office, will also be taking part, joined by Alison Dodgson (accounts manager) and Sally Sleightholme (accounts senior) from the Kirkbymoorside office. Rachel Underwood, business development manager at Smailes Goldie, said: “As a Yorkshire-based firm, we are committed to giving back and having a positive impact on our community. “Someone in Yorkshire is diagnosed with cancer every 17 minutes, so this is a cause very close to our hearts. “We are thrilled to have team members from all five of our Yorkshire offices taking on the We Walk for Yorkshire challenge. Together, we can help fund research, improve treatments, and save lives across the region.” Yorkshire has some of the highest cancer rates in England, with residents more likely to be diagnosed with, and die from, the disease than in most other parts of the country. Yorkshire Cancer Research funds vital research and pioneers lifesaving treatment for the benefit of people in Yorkshire. To sponsor the team, visit the Yorkshire Cancer Research website.

Steel and agriculture secure boost from UK trade deals

April Lara
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Steel and agriculture secure boost from UK trade deals

Greater Lincolnshire’s manufacturing and farming sectors are set to benefit from recent UK trade agreements with the US, EU, and India, which will deliver a more stable trade environment and improved market access.

Around 39,000 manufacturing jobs in the region and 2,700 in Scunthorpe’s steelworks stand to gain from removing the 25% US tariff on UK steel exports. The UK exported £343 million worth of steel products to the US in 2024, and this new agreement protects a significant portion of the industry’s national workforce.

The revised agreement with the EU is expected to ease customs procedures and reduce checks in agriculture and food production, providing simpler access to the UK’s largest export market. Lower trade friction and greater continuity could benefit approximately 100,000 people in Lincolnshire’s food sector.

The UK-India deal includes provisions for reduced prices and increased availability of imported goods such as clothing and food. It also maintains UK standards in agriculture and protects local producers from being undercut.

The government says the combined impact of these deals is expected to drive inward investment and improve business confidence across the region. The changes align with broader plans to stimulate economic growth across the UK’s regions, emphasizing job retention, trade stability, and supply chain resilience.

Agri-food sector to receive £2.5m in skills infrastructure boost

April Lara
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Agri-food sector to receive £2.5m in skills infrastructure boost

Greater Lincolnshire is investing £2.5 million to upgrade training infrastructure across six educational institutions to strengthen the region’s agri-food workforce. The funding is part of the area’s wider devolution deal, which enables local control over development priorities through a newly established combined authority. The UK Food Valley programme, now managed by Lincolnshire County Council, is distributing the grants as part of a broader effort to modernise training, attract investment, and support regional growth.

The funding will support a mix of capital projects to expand capacity, modernize teaching facilities, and align training with the latest industry standards. Riseholme College will create a Centre for Plant and Soil Science, equipping it with agricultural machinery and expanded teaching space to support further and higher education qualifications. DN Colleges Group plans to develop advanced laboratories to support a new food science degree and technical training in microbiology and food automation. Boston College is building a modular Agrifood Hub, complete with a hydroponics unit and digital suite, in partnership with Hydrogarden Ltd and the University of Lincoln, to address emerging skills gaps in sustainable food production.

Lincoln College is establishing an AgriLinc Training Hub focused on HGV and forklift driver qualifications, operating in collaboration with Branston Ltd., to address acute logistics shortages in the food supply chain. The Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology is transforming part of its Riseholme campus into a dedicated laboratory for soil, crop, and food analysis to upskill agronomists and growers. Meanwhile, the National Centre for Food Manufacturing at Holbeach will develop a STEM Digital Hub offering digital and engineering skills training to meet evolving workforce demands.

The funding represents a strategic push to build long-term capability in a sector critical to local employment and national food security. Investing in cutting-edge facilities and tailored training, the region aims to reinforce its status as a significant UK agri-food cluster.

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