Huddersfield development company purchases land at West Yorkshire farm
Huddersfield development company, John Radcliffe & Sons has purchased land at Yew Tree Farm in Farnley Tyas, West Yorkshire. Radcliffe Developments Farnley has already developed 31 houses in Farnley Tyas on two other farms.
The latest farm is 1.5 acres of derelict agricultural buildings, some of which are listed. The development comprises nine individually designed houses and eight refurbished cottages. It contains four Grade II* listed buildings, which are to be sensitively retained and converted. The remaining derelict farm buildings are to be demolished to clear space for nine new homes.
John Radcliffe said: “We are delighted to have approval for our latest proposals for Yew Tree Farm. We have worked closely with Kirklees planners to produce a quality scheme in a Conservation Area that appreciates the important historic interest of Farnley Tyas and the character of this special village. We hope to be on site in the Spring, with the first houses available for occupation next summer.
“Our development will regenerate Yew Tree Farm by demolishing those agricultural buildings that are no longer fit for purpose, retaining the listed buildings on site for sympathetic conversion, and providing high-quality new homes with appropriate landscaping to create a harmonious scheme within the heart of Farnley Tyas.
“We are looking forward to working with our buyers to create their new homes. Our agent, Paul Keighley at Bramleys in Huddersfield, has already had many enquiries, and our marketing is about to start in earnest.”
Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP advised John Radcliffe & Sons on the land purchase.
Chris Waterhouse, real estate & property partner at Andrew Jackson Solicitors, added: “Having worked with John and his team for over 30 years, I wish them every success with Yew Tree Farm. They are an impressive team and have shown their commitment to providing a development that will become an integral part of village life for the future.”
336-acre sustainable urban extension scheme in Skegness gains approval
Plans to transform part of the East Lincolnshire coast have taken an important step forward, following unilateral approval of the 336-acre sustainable urban extension scheme in Skegness.
The news, delivered Wednesday 20 March at an executive meeting of East Lindsey District Council in Horncastle, means the town is on the cusp of receiving more than £300 million in economic benefits, delivering hundreds of local jobs.
Projections undertaken by the Gateway team showcase the scheme will deliver employment benefits of £289.7 million, £20.5 million and £16 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) measurability for commercial, industrial and retail sector jobs.
The proposed Local Development Order is seeking to expedite the delivery of up to 1,000 new homes and more than 49 acres of combined business, industrial and community space.
Situated to the west of the town, on land principally owned by Croftmarsh, with additional areas owned by the Scarbrough family, the Skegness Gateway scheme is set to breathe new life into an area of the Lincolnshire coast that drastically needs change in order to secure its future, boosting the local economy and providing the education and jobs for local people that will encourage them to stay in the area.
Sue Bowser of Croftmarsh said: “This is a milestone moment for the people of Skegness and an important step in revitalising our town and community. It is a pathway for people to carve a real future in the town, with employment, skills and learning opportunities all situated within one site, connected by an ambition to restore Skegness at the heart of East Midlands economic investment.
“Having farmed the land at Croftmarsh for 30 years, it was always hoped that it could eventually be used for development. Now, it’s a chance for prospective consultants, developers and investors to look more closely at our plans and be a part of transforming Skegness’ future. It will become a new home for thousands of families, a place of ambition and prosperity, with a lasting legacy for generations to come.”
As part of the proposals, the Skegness Gateway site also includes provision for a new crematorium, 78 acres of green open space, supported living options and a new local centre.
The scheme has garnered wide stakeholder and public support since its launch three years ago, following a series of engagement sessions and appearances at local community events.
Last November, it was described by Matt Warman, MP for Boston and Skegness as a catalyst to ‘allow people to gain the skills and knowledge they need to get the jobs they want.’ The scheme was also mentioned in the House of Commons as offering a ‘significant boon to local NHS services.’
Enabling works on the new Skegness TEC college, which is situated on the Skegness Gateway site, is already underway, following planning permission being granted in February last year.
Adrian Clarke, group vice principal for corporate services at TEC Partnership, said: “The new campus will provide fantastic opportunities for the local community to undertake courses in further and higher education and develop the skills the area needs for its future.”
Chris Baron, chair at Connected Coast, said: “We are seeing unprecedented investment in Skegness which is supporting the delivery of aspirational and transformational projects.
“The Skegness Gateway represents a further and significant opportunity to create much-needed facilities for the area and enhance Skegness for people who live and visit here.
“Together the opportunities, interventions, and investment – which includes the Towns Fund and the recently announced Long Term Plan for Towns – will bring long-term, sustainable benefits for Skegness which will be felt for generations to come.”
Councillor Steve Kirk, East Lindsey District Council portfolio holder for coastal economy, said: “I am delighted to see another positive step taken towards delivering this transformational piece of investment to Skegness and East Lindsey as a whole.
“By supporting these plans, we are helping to create new jobs, new education and skills development options, new homes and new opportunities for businesses and the local economy. This is yet another example that shows Skegness is a great place to live, work, play and invest.
“Alongside our ongoing Towns Fund and Levelling Up projects, the positive impact of these developments will be felt for generations to come, and I look forward to continuing to see them become a reality in the months and years ahead.”
South Yorkshire’s Mayor becomes first Northern Mayor to sign UK steel charter
Oliver Coppard has become the first Metro Mayor in the North to sign up to the UK Steel Charter.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor signed the charter at Sheffield Forgemasters on Tuesday 19 March, alongside the South Yorkshire Business Advisory Board, in a move to promote UK-made steel in the region and help bring growth to South Yorkshire.
As Mayor for a region with Sheffield’s ‘Steel City’ at its core Mayor Coppard said that it was his priority to bring growth to the region and that there were “huge opportunities” for South Yorkshire.
South Yorkshire’s newly established Business Advisory Board is committed to growing the local economy and driving business growth. It is made up of some of region’s brightest and best business leaders, who work together with the Mayor to challenge, champion success, and ensure the business voice is heard loud and clear.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “South Yorkshire is the spiritual home of the steel industry. We were the first place to mass produce steel, we powered the first industrial revolution, and we’re now home to the world’s first advanced manufacturing district.
“Now, as the Mayor of South Yorkshire, I’m determined to restore the pride, purpose and prosperity of South Yorkshire. By signing the UK’s Steel Charter we are not just recognising our heritage, we are committing to bringing high-quality, good jobs and growth to our region, right across our region.
“Advanced manufacturing, making the materials and the machines that will power our country forward, is South Yorkshire’s lodestar, the future of our communities and our economy. That’s why it’s not just important but vital that we commit to the UK’s Steel Charter.
“It’s all the better to do so here at Sheffield Forgemasters, a company that is so central to that brighter future for both steel and South Yorkshire that we all want to see.”
The Steel Charter, first set up in 2019, supports the UK steel industry in its efforts to change the way it procures steel to include more domestic products.
Tariq Shah, Co-Chair of the Business Advisory Board, said: “Signing the UK Steel Charter underlines the Mayor’s and the Business Advisory Board’s commitment to growing South Yorkshire’s economy and supporting local businesses and supply chains.
“Our mission is to play a pivotal role in capitalising on the positive momentum in South Yorkshire, driving business success nationally and internationally. Today’s meeting with Sheffield Forgemasters and UK Steel has highlighted the huge importance of South Yorkshire steel to the local and national economy and to wider supply chains.”
The charter encourages signatories – government administrations, local authorities and private sector – to publicly signal their commitment to using UK steel in major projects.
UK steelmakers could supply industries such as energy, transport, and construction, with steel worth up to £3.8billion a year by 2030. The UK’s steel sector employs 39,800 people directly and supports a further 50,000 in supply chains.
UK Steel Director General, Gareth Stace, said: “This is a triple boost of support as Mayor Coppard, the South Yorkshire Business Advisory Board and the Combined Authority join the UK Steel Charter.
“Today’s support is even more poignant as the Charter is signed in Sheffield, the historical home of the UK steel industry.
“With major support from these business leaders, the economy and thousands of jobs in South Yorkshire and throughout the UK will reap benefits from purchasing steel that is made, processed, and delivered here in Britain.
“Why expose your project to the whims of unpredictable global supply chains, when you have the option of a reliable local business to partner with, throughout the lifetime of your project. Using UK steel is quite simply a win-win for everyone.”
Sheffield Forgemasters Chief Executive Officer, Gary Nutter, said: “The UK Steel Charter signing at Sheffield Forgemasters is timely, as we progress with substantial recapitalisation of our site to secure defence supply for decades to come.
“This company is testament to the importance of British steel production and our skills base is unique, which is why the business was acquired by the Ministry of Defence in 2021.
“As global instability shows itself through energy challenges, it is critical that we reflect on the security of domestic manufacturing capabilities.”
The UK Steel Charter is a commitment that shows how the South Yorkshire Mayor, Combined Authority and Business Advisory Board aim to change procurement processes to include more UK-made steel and support the economy.
The Charter enables government departments, devolved administrations, local authorities, and private organisations, to publicly signal their commitment to using UK steel in major projects.
Slime company grows into larger Barnsley premises
A specialist toy slime manufacturer has upsized its operations in South Yorkshire with a move to larger premises in Barnsley, with plans to increase its workforce by two thirds. Novelty sensory putty retailer Slime Party UK has taken 14,291 sq ft of industrial and warehousing space at Unit 19 Redbrook Business Park in Barnsley.The expanding business had outgrown its existing unit on Industry Road in Carlton, Barnsley, and is now using its new base to manufacture and distribute its range of 16 collectible sensory putties. Agents Knight Frank, acting for landlord Industrials, secured the new unit for Slime Party UK, which was started in the town in 2018 by Ruby Sheldon, and has since manufactured more than 800,000 pots of putty to customers worldwide.Ruby Sheldon said: “I set up Slime Party UK after the craze hit the UK in 2017 and my kids were trying to make it. I then devised a special compound for our products which means there’s the fun of slime, without the mess. “Since then our business has grown. In 2022 there were three staff, now its 16 and the move will bring 10 new jobs later this summer.“Our former unit in Carlton had become too small and this new base offers racking space, the offices we need, further recruitment plans and allows easy access for distribution.”Slime Party UK supplies toy shops and stores across the world including Fenwicks, British Garden Centres and Toytown with the most distant clients being 13 toy megastores in The Lebanon.Kitty Hendrick, surveyor in the Knight Frank Sheffield office, said: ‘We are delighted to have let Unit 19 Redbrook Business Park to Slime Party UK. This is a positive story, where a local Barnsley business is expanding into bigger premises, and great for the local economy. “It highlights again the sustained and strong demand for small to mid-sized industrial units in Barnsley and across South Yorkshire, underpinned by the lack of supply in the region.”Councillor Robin Franklin, Cabinet spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, said: “It’s amazing news that Slime Party have expanded into larger premises within Barnsley.“This is a fantastic story of a local entrepreneur finding success on an international scale with a unique product that children around the world have enjoyed hours of fun with.“We’re proud that our award-winning Enterprising Barnsley team have played a part in helping along the way. We’ll remain on hand to provide any additional support they need.“We wish Ruby and everyone at Slime Party the best moving forward.”The Mayor of Barnsley Cllr James Stowe will officially open the new Slime Party UK base in April.
Energy from waste plant marks tenth operational anniversary
Ten years into a 25-year contract with operators FCC Environment, Lincolnshire’s Energy from Waste facility in North Hykeham near Lincoln has cut the amount of the county’s waste going to landfill by around 93 percent, converting it into enough energy to power 27,000 homes across the county.
The plant’s General Manager Juergen Schaper said: “We are extremely proud to have reached this very significant milestone. Ten years diverting waste from landfill and converting to energy is a real achievement for Lincolnshire. We are focused on continuing to exceed performance expectations in our successful partnership with the Council as we carry on creating valuable electricity, jobs and community support for the county.”
Andy Gutherson, the council’s Executive Director of Place said: “We look forward to our future as we process more waste and generate more energy for the benefit of the local community.
“The presence of the facility in the county has a number of positive implications: reducing non-recyclable waste being sent to landfill by around 93 percent and producing power to supply 27,000 homes. These environmentally-friendly and cost-saving results make a real difference for the people of Lincolnshire.”
Lincolnshire County Council and FCC Environment work with the seven district councils across Lincolnshire, which make the initial collection of both recyclable and non-recyclable waste from the county’s homes and businesses, diverting only the non-recyclable waste from landfill to the EfW plant for processing.
The site is equipped to treat up to 190,000 tonnes of residual waste each year, converting it into 13.1 MW of electricity. The EfW plant has now processed 1.780 million tonnes of waste, producing 830,000 MWh of energy for the National Grid to provide essential power for more than 27,000 homes throughout the county.
In addition to the energy produced, the waste treatment process has also produced around 215,000 tonnes of incinerator bottom ash. This material contains metal which can be extracted and aggregate which can be used in the construction of roads.
As well as the environmental benefits for Lincolnshire, the North Hykeham plant is expected to save the county council about £30m over the lifetime of the contract by drastically cutting the waste which would have otherwise gone to landfill from 180,000 tonnes per annum to only 12,000 tonnes.
Harrogate needs joint approach to boost prosperity, say business owners
Business owners and tourism leaders have said a joint approach to boosting economic growth and the visitor economy will be vital to the future of Harrogate.
It’s a key focus of North Yorkshire Council’s economic development and tourism teams, who want to take advantage of the benefits of initiatives such as the recently created York and North Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership and the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Corporate director of community development is Nic Harne, who said: “Harrogate is recognised across the country and beyond as a jewel in North Yorkshire’s crown, a place not only to do business, but a base to experience the best in events and festivals.
“Thanks to the hard work of those who work in business and the visitor economy, allied to the knowhow of our economic development and tourism teams, the town is well-placed to exploit future opportunities.”
Figures from Visit North Yorkshire, the region’s destination management organisation, show that hotel occupancy in 2023 was up 10 per cent to 78.7 per cent when compared with the previous year, and revenue per room up 15 per cent to £73.55.
One of the people at the heart of the visitor economy is the chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, Sharon Canavar. She said: “Last year the arts charity delivered 100 events which attracted more than 90,000 people. Tourism and live events are incredibly important to Harrogate.
“From Spiegeltent, a unique pop-up, mirrored venue to the world-renowned Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, Carnival to community events, there is a host of live events that drive footfall to our town, booking hotel rooms and spending in the local economy.
“We buy over 1,500 hotel bedrooms in the town from the Harrogate International Festivals office alone for this event, with many more of our visitors booking independently into a host of bed and breakfasts and private accommodation. “The spend for this event alone is huge; bars, restaurants and shops are full and the feedback we receive from retail is incredibly positive.”The Harrogate Chamber of Commerce works closely with businesses across the town to help them to thrive and boost their opportunities.
Its chief executive, Martin Mann, said: “The Chamber benefits hugely from the optimism of and professionalism of those around us in Harrogate.
“From the arts and culture brought to us by the Harrogate Theatre and Harrogate International Festivals to the conferences hosted in the Convention Centre, Harrogate has plenty to be proud of.”
Shorts appoints financial advisor to its wealth management team
Financial services specialist Shorts has appointed Joseph Tighe to its Wealth Management Team as Financial Adviser.
Partner Simon Hollin said: “Joseph’s appointment marks a welcome addition to our advisory team, enabling us to continue our business development and expansion over the coming years.”
Joseph added: “Shorts have a long established and proven reputation for excellence, and I am very excited to join their talented Wealth Management team. I look forward to developing the role and playing a part in Shorts’ continued growth.”
Established in 1890 and with offices in Sheffield and Chesterfield, Shorts provides financial services, whilst also offering accountancy and taxation services through Shorts Chartered Accountants.
Uniper and Phillips 66 sign agreement for green hydrogen production at Killingholme
Uniper and Phillips 66 Limited have agreed to work together on a project to produce electrolytic hydrogen at its Killingholme site by 2029.
The Humber H2ub® (Green) project includes plans for an initial electrolytic hydrogen production capacity of up to 120 MW, with the potential for future expansion. The green hydrogen production facility would be developed as part of Uniper’s wider aspirations for the Killingholme Energy Transformation Hub. Uniper and Phillips 66 Limited have signed a collaboration agreement to work together towards a supply of green hydrogen from the Humber H2ub® (Green) project to Phillips 66 Limited’s Humber Refinery from 2029. The hydrogen would be used to replace refinery fuel gas in industrial-scale fired heaters, as part of Phillips 66 Limited’s plans to reduce the Humber Refinery’s scope 1 operational emissions. Hydrogen production is a key pillar of Uniper’s strategy, and our aim is to build more than 1 GW of electrolyser capacity across the business by 2030. The Humber H2ub® (Green) project development and the supply agreement with Phillips 66 Limited are subject to financial investment approval from Uniper’s and Phillips 66 Limited’s management, and several pre-conditions that would have to be satisfied; including securing the necessary planning consents and environmental permit, agreement on terms for the hydrogen offtake and a Low Carbon Hydrogen Agreement with the UK Government. Guy Phillips, Team Lead, Business Development Hydrogen, UK for Uniper, said: “The Humber H2ub® (Green) project is a key part of Uniper’s hydrogen ambitions in the UK and we’re pleased to be collaborating on it with Phillips 66 Limited. The Humber region is recognised as the UK’s most carbon intensive industrial region and hydrogen will be vital in decarbonising and securing the region’s economy. The Humber H2ub® (Green) project could make an important contribution to kick starting the hydrogen economy in the Humber region. “Our Killingholme site is ideally placed with excellent utilities infrastructure. It has the potential to support the UK’s hydrogen and decarbonisation ambitions, creating new high-skilled employment opportunities and ensuring the site continues to make a valuable contribution to the regional economy.” Duncan Hammond, Humber’s Decarbonisation Projects Manager at Phillips 66 Limited, shared: “We are excited to collaborate with Uniper on their low carbon hydrogen project. Hydrogen refuelling will be a big step in lowering the refinery’s emissions as we evolve with the energy transition. Energy security is vital for the UK.Utilising technologies such as low carbon hydrogen produced by electrolysis and also carbon capture will enable us to continue to produce essential products for the transport sector and supply chain, some of which are used in the production of electric vehicle batteries, wind turbine blades, pharmaceuticals and much more. We believe hydrogen will attract new industry, protect jobs, and develop the local economy.”CPI reduction should be built on to get economy back into gear, says FSB
Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair, Federation of Small Businesses says any easing in inflation brings relief to small firms, and the reported drop is a step towards reducing interest rates by the summer.
But she added it was important not to discount the cumulative damage done to small businesses’ margins and cash reserves by inflation having been so high for so long.
“With the fall reported today driven largely by falling food prices for consumers, the hope is that this will ease some of the pressures on household budgets, to the eventual benefit of small firms in consumer-facing sectors.
“Small firms ended last year with a decrease in confidence levels, indicating that this first quarter would be tricky in many respects. However, many of the key economic indicators published so far have been a slight improvement compared with 2023, giving rise to a feeling of cautious optimism.
“In order for any optimism to be nurtured, the promising start signalled by the increase in the VAT threshold to £90,000, the announcement on apprenticeships from the start of the week, and the business rate relief for small firms in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors should be built on.
“What unites these growth-promoting measures is that they are targeted where they will have the most impact: on small firms, who are the ones with the potential to expand and kick the economic recovery into a higher gear.
“Measures to ensure employment levels are maintained and improved are also needed. Wage inflation has eroded the Employment Allowance’s relative value, underlining the need for it to be uprated, especially with the impending rise in the National Living Wage. This will help small employers keep people in work, and to grow their workforce.
“Politicians and policymakers should remember that small firms have been the driving force behind our recovery from past recessions, and this time around it’ll be no different, if they are given the right conditions to start up, scale up, and prosper.”
Full planning application submitted for new stadium for Sheffield FC and Sheffield Eagles Rugby League Club
Sheffield FC, The World’s First football club, and Sheffield Eagles, the city’s professional rugby league club, have submitted a full planning application to Sheffield City Council outlining plans for a 5,000-capacity inclusive community stadium.
The new stadium, which will be based at the former Sheffield Transport Sports Club site at Meadowhead, will see a partnership forged between Sheffield Eagles and Sheffield FC.
The ambitious community stadium will encompass professional football and rugby league facilities as well as a cricket pavilion, multi-use artificial sports pitches, a football museum and an indoor community sports hall.
It is planned that the stadium development scheme will be a fully inclusive community destination for sport and physical activity. Long-term commercial viability will be achieved by maximising public access and community use through health and well-being activities, educational programmes, social and other community events. In addition, park-and-ride facilities will be available within the development.
The proposed 5,000-capacity stadium will meet the highest standards for both Football and Rugby League, adhering to both Football League and Super League criteria.
The destination will enable Sheffield Eagles and Sheffield FC to consolidate their full range of sporting, educational, community and cultural activities on the purpose-built site. In addition to both club’s men’s and women’s teams, Sheffield Eagles Wheelchair, Learning Disability and Physical Disability teams will all be based at the complex, which will allow the club to further develop homegrown talent and provide a base for both clubs’ extensive community programmes. The development will also generate highway improvements and cycleways in the local area.
Chairman of Sheffield FC Richard Tims said: “This development will not be just another shared rugby and football ground. It will be a new destination for Sheffield Eagles and ‘The World’s First Football Club’ Sheffield FC.
“Whilst the site will be grounded firmly in the unique history and heritage of both clubs, including Sheffield’s status as the ‘Home of Football’, it will also be an exciting destination for sport, physical activity, business, educational, cultural, and other events that will attract local, regional, national, and international audiences.
“We plan on creating a vibrant destination on both the days when Sheffield Eagles and Sheffield FC teams are playing in the stadium, as well as on non-match days through a busy diary of community, social and other activities such as conferences and meetings, functions and cultural activities.
“We want to create a destination that attracts and grows the supporter bases of both Sheffield Eagles and Sheffield FC, as well as drawing local communities and visitors to the various events and activities throughout the year.
“The stadium has the potential to generate positive economic development, social, and community impacts for the visitor economy of Sheffield and the wider City Region by attracting additional expenditure as well as raising the profile of sport in Sheffield in the UK and internationally.”
Sheffield Eagles Director of Rugby Mark Aston said: “We’re very excited to have reached the milestone of submitting our planning permission application for the development of the Meadowhead site which will give us the facilities we need to not only achieve our ambitions to return to Super League, but also to give us a base from which to grow our already extensive community programme.
“The feedback from both sets of fans and networks of sponsors has been overwhelmingly positive and everyone sees the potential of both clubs being unlocked with the facilities which are being planned for, which will be world-class.
“We have also had very positive feedback from our governing body, the Rugby Football League, who are supportive of our plans and see how the development can benefit both the Rugby League in Sheffield and on a national basis.
“It’s a great piece of news to kick off our 40th Anniversary Year with and we look forward to continuing our work with Sheffield FC on the next stage of the project.”
About turn after 24 hours: HMRC halts plans for on line DIY tax advice
Changes to HM Revenue and Customs’ helpline services announced only yesterday are being halted after a wave of negative feedback.
HMRC wants to encourage people to get tax advice online, but is now halting its plans in response to the feedback while it engages with its stakeholders about how to ensure all taxpayers’ needs – including small businesses – are met.
HMRC Chief Executive Jim Harra said the pace of change needed to match the public appetite for managing tax affairs on line. He said: “We’ve listened to the feedback and we’re halting the helpline changes as we recognise more needs to be done to ensure all taxpayers’ needs are met, whilst also encouraging them to transition to online services.”
The changes to the Self Assessment, VAT and PAYE helplines announced by HMRC will all be halted while HMRC engages with stakeholders. This means the phone lines will remain open between April and September.
HMRC will continue encouraging customers to self-serve where possible and access the information they need more quickly and easily by going online or to the HMRC app, which is available 24/7.
Leeds-based Endless completes sale of educational resources supplier to leader in European B2B ecommerce
Endless has successfully exited its investment in educational resources supplier Findel to Paris-headquartered leader in European B2B ecommerce Manutan.
Endless originally acquired Findel in April 2021 from Studio Retail Group plc.
Headquartered in Hyde, Greater Manchester, Findel also has a distribution centre and offices in Nottingham and employs around 300 people. Today, the company’s brands and websites offer more than 32,000 products to educators and parents based in the UK and overseas with the business exporting to 130 countries.
Commenting on the sale, Findel Chief Executive, Chris Mahady, said: “It’s been a remarkable three years with the Endless team, where we have transformed the business from an unloved and non-core division of a plc to the digital leader in our sector with ESG at the heart of our operations and culture.
“We’ve invested in our family of brands, giving them each a distinct identity that matches their customers wants and needs. We’ve invested in our operations and systems to ensure we can, and are, giving our customers the best experience we can with most orders delivered within 24 hours.
“Endless also encouraged us to be brave with our ESG commitments and we completed a refinancing with a Sustainability Linked Loan. This has impactful ESG-related covenants and we made further public commitments by joining the Science Based Targets Initiative.
“As a business, we had always done a lot in the communities in which we operate and we then launched the Findel Foundation as the umbrella for all of our charitable and social work supporting children and education.
“It was as a result of this sustainable, in every sense, business transformation that we were then able to attract a fantastic business like Manutan to become our new long-term owner.”
Manutan, which has a specialism in educational supplies, employs 2,200 people and operates 28 subsidiaries across 17 European countries, including the UK. The business offers in excess of 800,000 products to its customers and has a turnover of €946m. The company’s mission is ‘enterprising for a better world.’
Endless investment partner, Andy Ross, added: “It has been an absolute pleasure working closely with Chris and the entire team at Findel. Working with a team who cares so passionately about what they do and, importantly, how they do it, was a real privilege. Our role in this partnership was to provide guidance and support to the management team to help them unlock the huge latent potential in the business.
“At Endless, we are only ever a temporary custodian of a business, but I’m incredibly proud of what our teams have achieved over the last three years and look forward to see what they can do as part of the Manutan Group in the future.”
Owner and chairman of Manutan Group, Xavier Guichard, said: “Following on from our strong growth in recent years, we’re delighted to be acquiring Findel, whose culture, focus on people, performance and shared values, is totally aligned with our own principles.
“We also share the same business model, which combines the strengths of digital technology (our e-commerce solutions) with a strong focus on sustainability, providing service excellence to customers and suppliers.”
The investment in Findel was managed by Andy Ross and David Isaacs from Endless. Endless was advised on the sale by Rob Burden and his team at Clearwater (corporate finance) and Debbie Jackson and her team at Walker Morris (legal). Due diligence support was provided by CIL (commercial), KPMG (financial and tax), Anthesis (ESG) and Intechnica (digital). All values relating to the acquisition are undisclosed.
Nicholas Associates Group steps up to support local communities with ’50 for £50 Challenge’
Nicholas Associates Group (NAG), a provider of workforce solutions, has announced its recent initiative to support local community food banks through the ’50 for £50 Challenge’.
Throughout February, the company challenged its teams across the UK to walk 50 miles in return for a donation from NAG to enable the team to buy £50 of groceries for a local food bank. Sixteen teams took part, collectively raising £800.
In Sheffield, three teams completed the challenge from the NAG head office in Rotherham and £150 in groceries was delivered to the Archer Project, which helps homeless and vulnerable people.
NAG Group CEO, Paul Smith said: “Community support has always been a core value at Nicholas Associates Group, and we are constantly seeking innovative ways to give back.”
He continued: “The ’50 for £50 Challenge’ provided an excellent opportunity for our teams to come together, not only to support local food banks but also to prioritise their own wellness by getting outdoors, engaging in physical activity, and fostering meaningful connections with their colleagues.”
The challenge received an overwhelmingly positive response from employees across the company. Teams enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to make a difference in their communities while also prioritising their own well-being.
Paul emphasised: “This is just the beginning of our commitment to community engagement. We are excited to introduce our latest initiative, the ‘March on in March’ challenge.
“Building on the success of our ’50 for £50′ challenge, teams will continue to walk for a cause. For every 10 miles exceeded beyond the initial 50, an additional £10 will be donated to support local communities. We’re eager to see the impact we can make together.”
Bird flu controls strengthened with new poultry sector registration rules
New measures to better protect the poultry sector from future avian influenza outbreaks have been set out by the government.
Under the changes announced there will be new requirements for all bird keepers – regardless of the size of their flock – to officially register their birds. Currently only those who keep 50 or more poultry must do so, limiting the effectiveness of our national disease control measures.
By registering their birds, keepers will ensure they receive important updates relevant to them, such as on any local avian disease outbreaks and information on biosecurity rules to help protect their flocks.
This will help to manage potential disease outbreaks, such as avian influenza and Newcastle disease, and limit any spread.
The information on the register will also be used to identify all bird keepers in disease control zones, allowing for more effective surveillance, so that zones can be lifted at the earliest possible opportunity and trade can resume more quickly following an outbreak of avian disease in Great Britain.
The changes come following the UK’s worst ever outbreak of avian influenza, with more than 360 cases across Great Britain since late October 2021, including in a significant number of backyard flocks.
Christine Middlemiss, UK Chief Veterinary Officer said: “These new rules will enable us to have a full picture of the number and location of birds kept across Great Britain, making it easier to track and manage the spread of avian disease.
“This information will be vital in helping to inform future risk assessments and maintain our commitment to continually building our extensive avian influenza research portfolio.”
Inflation comes in lower than expected for February
Inflation came in lower than expected for February, heading back in the right direction.
Annualised inflation stood at 3.4% in February, measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), down from the 4% reported in January and below the 3.5% forecast.
The largest downward contributions to the monthly change came from food, and restaurants and cafes, while the largest upward contributions came from housing and household services, and motor fuels.
Meanwhile, core inflation, which takes out volatile factors like energy, food, alcohol and tobacco to give a clear picture of underlying trends, was 4.5% in the 12 months to February 2024, declining from 5.1% in January.
Alpesh Paleja, Lead Economist, CBI, said: “Inflation is heading in the right direction, and should fall below the Bank of England’s 2% target sometime in the Spring. However, the path beyond this is likely to be bumpy: shifting base effects mean that it will likely rise back above 2% later in the year, before settling down more sustainably.
“While the Bank of England are likely to look through these ups and downs, they will still want to see more definitive movement on domestic price pressures before committing to cutting interest rates.”
HMRC adopts DIY measures with revision to service access
HMRC is changing the way its services are available its services as it continues encouraging customers to get the information they need and carry out their transactions online where possible.
Changes to helpline services to encourage people to go online first have been trialled over the last year and are being rolled out to become a permanent feature of the way HMRC supports customers from 8 April 2024.
The changes are:
- between April and September, the Self Assessment helpline will be closed and customers will be directed to self-serve through HMRC’s highly-rated online services
- between October and March the Self Assessment helpline will be open to deal with priority queries – customers with queries that can be quickly and easily resolved online will be directed to HMRC’s online services
- the VAT helpline will be open for five days every month ahead of the deadline for filing VAT returns – outside of this time, customers will be directed to use HMRC’s online services
- the PAYE helpline will no longer take calls from customers relating to refunds – customers will be directed to use HMRC’s online services
- HMRC advisers will continue to always be available during normal office opening hours to support customers who cannot use online services or who have health or personal circumstances that mean they need extra support
- all other helplines will continue to operate as they do currently
“We must maximise every pound of taxpayers‘ money. Embracing online self-service allows us to help more customers and improve our customer service levels without spending additional public money.”
Northern Trains to advertise 300 jobs in the coming months
Northern Trains is looking to recruit more than 300 inexperienced drivers and conductors across the North of England this year including in Hull, Leeds, York, and Sheffield.
The train operator says the roles are part of a normal, on-going process to recruit as and when existing staff members retire, earn promotions or join another company.
It is looking to hire 108 train drivers and 198 conductors, and actively encouraging people with no rail industry experience to apply.
New recruits will have to complete paid apprenticeships at one of Northern’s training academies in Leeds or Manchester.
The train driver roles, which will be advertised in the coming months come with a starting salary of £23,000 a year rising to £54,500 after the recruits complete a 64-week training course.
The conductor roles set to be advertised in Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn, Blackpool, Buxton, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle Skipton, Workington and York come with salaries starting of £22,000, rising to £29,000 once they complete a 16-week training course.
A small number of roles open to qualified drivers will also be available in Darlington, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle.
Tricia Williams, COO at Northern, said: “We have a range of rewarding roles for anyone who wants to become part of a dedicated team that runs more than 2,500 services a day to over 500 destinations.
“We are looking for customer-focused people with excellent communication skills who thrive in a dynamic environment and may not have considered a career in rail before. Successful applicants will demonstrate a high level of responsibility, a strong work ethic and a commitment to maintaining safety standards.”
Helen promoted to estate agency’s sales manager role in her home town
Otley-born Helen Jackson’s been promoted to sales manager at the town’s Bondgate office of Dacre, Son & Hartley.
Helen joined the company as a sales negotiator three years ago and brought more than a decade’s worth of property experience to the role, having worked for several other estate agents in the Wharfe Valley.
She said: “As an independent and longstanding Yorkshire based business, we have an unrivalled reputation in Otley and always recognise that every property buyer and seller is unique, with their own individual requirements, which is key to our success.
“We’re also fortunate to work in a vibrant and very popular town with a thriving property market. In recent years we’ve seen an influx of buyers from outside the area, including several buyers relocating from the south of England, and few people move out of Otley once they’re here!
“The market is gaining momentum as we head into spring and we’re currently preparing to launch a variety of properties, across all price bands, in the coming weeks. Ultimately well-presented properties that are accurately priced will sell and that’s where an estate agent with strong local knowledge will really add value.”
Director Tim Usherwood, who heads up Dacres’ Otley office, said: “Helen has lived in Otley her whole life and knows the area inside out. This knowledge combined with her ability to always go the extra mile for clients, makes her a very good estate agent and she thoroughly deserves this promotion.”
Kirkstall Brewery to make The Tetley a hub for great beer
Kirkstall Brewery is taking on the lease of The Tetley, with plans to make it a hub for great beer from Leeds and renew its status as a “landmark of Yorkshire beer culture.”
The Tetley building is the former brewing headquarters of Tetley’s Brewery, built in the Art Deco style in 1931. In the 1980s, Tetley’s Brewery became the largest producer of cask ale in the world, and the site has remained an icon of Leeds beer history, even after its closure in 2011.
The building, which now sits at the heart of Leeds’ newest mixed-use district, Aire Park, then operated as a contemporary art gallery from 2013 until 2023, when its lease ended.
From May, Kirkstall will be operating The Tetley as a showcase of the very best of brewing in Leeds. It will feature beers from other breweries in the area, alongside brands from Kirkstall Brewery, Leeds Brewery and Holt’s most recent acquisition, North. Kirkstall also plans to host a number of events at the historic building.
“It’s a tremendous privilege to bring Leeds’ most iconic brewery building into the Kirkstall fold,” said Steve Holt, Kirkstall Brewery’s owner and founder. “As a brewery that pays a great deal of respect to the history of brewing in the city, we believe we are the ideal custodians for the next chapter of this legendary building.”
Michael Cronin, Head of Portfolio at Vastint UK, the developer behind Aire Park and owners of The Tetley building, said: “Last year we outlined our ambitions to safeguard this iconic building for the next 100 years and have now submitted our plans to the council.
“Since we became custodians of the building, it was always our intention to keep it open until the restoration work got underway to bring this fantastic building up to 21st century standards.
“So, we’re thrilled to be welcoming Kirkstall Brewery to Aire Park and to be bringing one of the current generations of Leeds and Yorkshire breweries to a site which has played such a pivotal role in the history of beer making in the region.
“The Tetley will form the centre piece of Aire Park, alongside the eight-acre public park and this collaboration will hopefully give the people of Leeds a small taster of what’s to come in the very near future.”
Holt added: “It really is the crown jewel of brewing history in Leeds, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to make it a landmark of Yorkshire beer culture once again.”
The Tetley is expected to reopen under Kirkstall’s management in May.
Government steps in with tighter regulation of the business of running football’s elite clubs
Historic legislation to reform the the way men’s elite football is governed in England has been introduced in Parliament.
The Football Governance Bill will see the introduction of an ‘Independent Football Regulator’ to be enshrined in law that will give fans a greater voice in the running of their clubs; promotion of financial sustainability, with the ability to fine clubs up to 10% of turnover for non-compliance; blocking of breakaway closed-shop competitions such as the European Super League; and strengthened owners’ and directors’ tests with powers to impose a ‘new deal’ on financial distributions
The Bill is said to come at a critical juncture for English football, following the attempted breakaway European Super League, and a series of high profile cases of clubs being financially mismanaged or collapsing entirely.
The legislation establishes a new ‘Independent Football Regulator’ as a standalone body – independent of both Government and the football authorities. It will be equipped with robust powers revolving around improving clubs’ financial sustainability, ensuring financial resilience across the leagues, and safeguarding the heritage of English football.
Owners and directors will face stronger tests to stop clubs falling into the wrong hands, and face the possibility of being removed and struck off from owning football clubs if they are found to be unsuitable.
The Bill also includes new backstop powers around financial distributions between the Premier League, the English Football League and National League. These powers mean that if the leagues fail to agree on a new deal on financial distributions, then the backstop can be triggered to ensure a settlement is reached.
For the first time, clubs from the National League all the way to the Premier League will be licensed to compete in men’s elite football competitions in England. The proposed licensing regime will be proportionate to any problems, size and circumstances and involve a system of provisional and full licences, to give clubs time to transition.
It follows a number of issues in recent years including financial mismanagement, breakaway plans for the European Super League, and changes to club names, badges and colours against the wishes of fans.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “Football is nothing without its fans. We are determined to put them back at the heart of the game, and ensure clubs as vital community assets continue to thrive.
“The new Independent Regulator of Football will set the game on a sustainable footing, strengthening clubs and the entire football pyramid for generations.”
Chief Executive of the Football Supporters Association Kevin Miles said: “The FSA warmly welcomes the tabling of the Football Governance Bill arising from the 2021 Fan Led Review, and particularly its central proposal to introduce statutory independent regulation of the game.“The regulator provides a means to intervene and stop clubs being run into the ground, protect the heritage of clubs, give supporters a much bigger voice in the running of the game, and prevent any chance of domestic clubs joining a breakaway European Super League.
“The regulator must be given the power to impose a financial settlement in the interests of the sustainability of the game as a whole. It is far too important to be left to the squabbling between the vested interests of the richest club owners.”
