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.”
The Sheffield College extends footprint at Pennine Five
The Sheffield College has extended its footprint at Pennine Five, adding another 3,692 sq ft to its current agreement to accommodate its growing education and training provision for adult learners.
The latest addition means that the college, which educates and trains around 13,000 young people and adults a year across all of its campuses, now occupies six floors at Pennine Five – totalling over 22,000 sq ft of space.
Pennine Five is home to the college’s adult learning centre, which provides courses including English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), maths, digital and employability courses.
Andrew Hartley, Deputy Chief Executive at The Sheffield College, said: “Pennine 5 offers high quality modern teaching facilities which enhance students’ learning experience and inspire them to progress and go further in their education and careers.
“We have built a strong community at Pennine Five and are pleased to extend our facilities there in partnership with RBH Properties. We also look forward to the plaza opening, which will provide an additional attractive outdoor space for our staff and students.”
Jeremy Hughes, Director at RBH Properties, said: “We are delighted that The Sheffield College has extended its footprint at Pennine Five. It is a clear reflection that Pennine Five is working well for them.
“This announcement represents a strong period for us. Interest and enquiries are high currently and we still have plenty of space available to add to our growing portfolio of tenants.
“We have created a modern, attractive business campus that includes EV charging points, outdoor event space, natural light and flexible leasing options. I can’t wait to see the site thriving once all the works are finished and the campus is full.”
The Sheffield College is one of a number of tenants to have moved into Pennine Five over the last two years, including serviced office operator, Spaces (part of the IWG group), Aztec Construction and First Intuition.
Looking further into 2024, Pennine Five’s £1.5 million outdoor central plaza is nearing completion and will be opening in the coming weeks.
Keyland appoints land & planning manager
Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has appointed Mike Powell as land & planning manager to further strengthen its Land and Planning Team.
Mike joins from Peacock and Smith where he was a senior associate.
Mike joins the team with a focus on further growing Keyland’s successful Planning Promotional Agreements (PPA) initiative, which is designed to enable private landowners to maximise the development potential from their land risk free.
Additionally, Mike will be working to unlock public sector opportunities via the company’s role as the only land broker on Land Solve 2, the forward-thinking public sector land delivery framework.
Mike brings a wealth of strategic expertise from both the private and public sectors, having started his career in local government in Northumberland, before moving to private practice in Yorkshire with roles across local and national planning consultancies. Prior to Peacock and Smith, Mike worked as senior planner at Hallam Land Management Ltd.
Luke Axe, land & planning director, Keyland Developments Ltd, said: “We are delighted to bring Mike into the Keyland team at an exciting time for the business.
“Mike’s extensive experience in the industry, and in particular his strong track record of strategic land promotion, adds even greater depth to our Land & Planning Team at a time when we are rapidly growing our PPA offer, as well as seeking to unlock public sector opportunities.”
Mike Powell said: “I am looking forward to supporting Keyland’s growth as a leading land promoter for both private and public sector clients. I am excited to use my skills and experience to help Keyland deliver its innovative Six Capitals approach to land promotion on some of the largest and most complex commercial and residential opportunities across the region.”
Yorkshire and the Humber achieves lowest level of insolvency-related activity in England in February
Yorkshire and the Humber put in a stalwart performance in February recording the lowest level of insolvency-related activity of all the English regions since the previous month according to the latest research from the UK’s insolvency and restructuring trade body, R3.
Last month, insolvency-related activity affected 263 businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber, up from 236 in January. This 11.4% rise was the second lowest seen across all 12 nations and regions, with only Scotland outperforming the region with a 7.5% month-on-month rise.
The research from R3, which is based on an analysis of data provided by CreditSafe, also showed that the South West with a 15.7% increase in this type of activity (which includes liquidator and administrator appointments and creditors’ meetings) and the North East (up by 19.4%) performed relatively strongly in February compared with the previous month.
Looking at month-on-month changes to the number of start-ups, another indicator of economic health, the picture in Yorkshire and the Humber was less encouraging with the region seeing no increase in the level of new businesses since January.
In February, there were 5,386 new businesses in the region compared with 5,405 the previous month. However, only Scotland put in a stronger performance (up by 5.6%).
“With the news last month that the UK economy had technically slipped into recession in the last quarter of 2023, potentially just months ahead of a general election, there are very real worries that we will only see sluggish growth at best this year,” explains Eleanor Temple, chair of R3 in Yorkshire and a barrister at Kings Chambers in Leeds.
“A number of factors, such as the curb in consumer spending and the doctors’ strikes, are continuing to act as a drug on growth, and so prospects are far from rosy.
“In this difficult climate it is positive to see our region performing relatively well last month with levels of insolvency-related activity here among the lowest across the UK compared with January. However, the low levels of start-ups in February across the majority of regions and nations is a cause for concern, again revealing poor business confidence.
“While some commentators are claiming that the economy has now ‘turned the corner’, with an imminent interest rate cut unlikely, there may well still be tough times ahead for many businesses. As ever, it’s vital that directors keep a sharp eye on their finances and seek professional advice as early as possible to avoid problems from spiralling out of control.”
Historic Hull firm acquired by marine fuel specialists
Whitaker Tankers, a long standing, family owned shipping business based in Hull, has been acquired by marine fuel specialists Lindsay Blee.
Whitakers is an internationally renowned fuel transportation company, operating a fleet of sea going tankers and specialising in ship bunkering services.
Mark Whitaker, managing director, whose family has owned the business for 144 years, said: “The success of the Whitaker business has only been achieved through the incredible hard work and professionalism of our staff ashore and afloat – and as there will be no changes in this regard we are confident that there will be a smooth transition to the new owners, of whom we wish the very best in their new venture.”
James Hills, managing director of Lindsay Blee, added: “We are thrilled and very proud to be adding Whitaker Tankers to our organisation. We look forward with excitement to working together with the Whitaker team and building upon their well established success and reputation for quality and service.”
The Whitaker family were represented by a legal team from Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP led by Philip Ashworth (Corporate) and including Nicole Waldron (Corporate), Rob Hill (Property), Fiona Phillips (Tax), Dominic Ward and Rebecca Forder (Shipping).
Philip Ashworth, corporate partner, said: “It is particularly poignant to represent the Whitaker family on its exit from the Tankers business after so many years having personally been associated with three generations of the family since 1981.
“The family strongly believe this is a positive change, providing clarity on the succession of the business to its staff and customers.
“I am sure the business will go from strength to strength and it is a delight to see Mark and his family move forward to their next chapter.”
Whitakers was provided with accountancy support from Steve Bramhall at Smailes Goldie in Hull. Linday Blee was represented by a legal team at Gosschalks, comprising Nigel Beckwith and Emma Orris, together with financial advice from Majors in Hull provided by Stewart McGregor.
Hopkins Solicitors expands their legal support into Derbyshire
Hopkins Solicitors Ltd has announced the acquisition of Miles & Cash Solicitors.
This strategic acquisition marks a significant milestone in the growth and expansion of Hopkins Solicitors Ltd’s footprint into Derbyshire’s legal community. By joining forces with Miles & Cash, Hopkins Solicitors Ltd strengthens its position as a provider of legal services, offering an expanded range of expertise and resources to Heanor’s local residents and small businesses.
Miles & Cash’s Managing Partner, Chris Sedgwick, said: “Our search for a law firm to transform the business was easy, having known a number of the Hopkins staff personally, we knew they held the same values and high levels of quality service.
“In addition, we knew that during their previous acquisitions of other local law firms they ensured that existing clients knew that the business was still there to support them, and that the employees felt secure and supported on their future career growth.”
“We are excited about the opportunities that this acquisition presents for our clients and our team,” said Chris.
“Joining Hopkins Solicitors Ltd allows us to continue providing the highest level of service to our clients while offering expanded resources and expertise across a wider spectrum of legal areas. We look forward to a seamless integration and continued success as part of the Hopkins Solicitors family.”
Miles & Cash Solicitors has built a solid reputation for its expertise in Children and Care Law, serving a diverse client base with integrity and professionalism. This team including solicitors Chris Sedgwick (Partner) and Lucy Fisher (Associate) have stayed onboard further expanding Hopkins’ already extensive and reputable Children Law and Care Team.
Martyn Knox, Managing Director of Hopkins Solicitors, said: “We look forward to getting to know and support the members of Heanor’s local community, both as clients and as future employees. We believe that our local expertise and our honest commitment to high standards is what allows us to provide a personal approach to our clients, and truly make a difference in improving people’s lives.”
In March 2024 interior and exterior renovations began on the existing Miles & Cash office which is located in Heanor’s town centre just north of Derby, between Ripley and Ilkeston.
Once complete, the office will be expanding and housing at least 8 solicitors offering a full range of legal support services including private family law, children & care law, residential conveyancing, wills & probate, civil litigation, personal injury & medical negligence, employment law, company commercial and commercial property law.
The acquisition of Miles & Cash Solicitors underscores Hopkins Solicitors Ltd’s commitment to growth, innovation, and delivering exceptional results for its clients.
Late payments cause fears of reduced growth for SMEs, says FSB
Small firms are hampered by late payments and have dampened growth expectations for 2024, according to the Small Business Index for Q4 2023, says the Federation of Small Businesses.
The report is said to be a temperature check of small firms’ sentiment and experiences at the end of last year, and analysis of the figures related to investment and growth aspirations, late payment, and finance use finds that small businesses have lost some optimism amid difficult trading conditions.
FSB National Chair Martin McTague said: “When we look at how small businesses fared towards the end of 2023, it’s hardly surprising that the overall economy also stuttered, with Q4’s poor performance officially dragging the UK into a recession. Now the question is how we rekindle growth – and looking at how to kickstart investment and expansion will be a big part of the answer.
“One major barrier to investment among small firms is the imposition of personal guarantees for even relatively small amounts, which is why we raised a super-complaint with the Financial Conduct Authority about the practice. We think lenders should take a more holistic view of borrowers, and should recognise that demanding personal guarantees is having an overall chilling effect on growth and investment.
“We were relieved to see Government funding for the Recovery Loan Scheme, now renamed the Growth Guarantee Scheme, extended in the recent Budget. This will support the expansion plans of thousands of small firms.
“Another threat to small firms’ financing options looms with the planned removal by the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority of the SME Supporting Factor, which allows lenders to hold lower levels of capital to counterbalance loans to SMEs. If it is abolished, banks will have one more reason not to lend to smaller firms, which we believe will reduce the availability of finance overall, and push up rates.
“Unless matters change, the holding pattern seen in the SBI results looks set to carry on, with the impact felt more keenly in some sectors than others. It’s striking just how downbeat the hospitality industry is, according to our figures, and the news that one in eight expect to close this year is deeply alarming.
“Late payment is a scourge, and one that shouldn’t exist – there’s no excuse, with modern business banking methods, for large companies to hold onto money due to small suppliers. Overdue invoices cause uncountable amounts of stress and harm to small business owners, leading to sleepless nights and lost productivity. Large companies should make their payment performance a board-level issue, and include it in annual reports, to improve accountability and transparency.
“Small firms contain the dynamism and the ambition to grow that will get the economy up and running, if they are given the right conditions to flourish, invest, and make their mark.”
The differences between sectors on this topic were especially pronounced. Information and communication firms were notably optimistic, with a healthy 56.0% predicting they would grow over the next 12 months, and only 9.4% expecting they would downsize or consolidate the business, sell or hand it on, or close down entirely. Manufacturing firms were similarly confident about future growth, with 54.8% forecasting growth ahead, and 7.9% expecting to shrink, as were professional, scientific and technical firms, at 52.5% looking to grow and 9.8% predicting they would contract.
Retail and wholesale firms were less optimistic than the average, but were still within touching distance of the all-sector scores, with 47.3% predicting growth, and 18.6% predicting contraction.
The hospitality sector was far more downbeat about its future prospects. Just three in ten accommodation and food service sector businesses (31.6%) believe they are on course to expand, while a greater proportion – 35.5% – predict that they will contract. Among that latter figure, a shocking one in eight firms in the hospitality sector – 12.6% – expect to close entirely in the next 12 months, nearly four times the rate for all businesses (3.4%).
The share of small firms experiencing late payments rose from three in five in Q3 (60.8%) to nearly two in three in Q4 (65.8%). The proportion of small firms whose late payments worsened over the quarter, meanwhile, rose from over one in four in Q3 (27.9%) to over a third in Q4 (34.9%).
Small firms’ views of the availability and affordability of new credit remained notably negative, with only around one in seven small businesses (14.5%) rating it as quite good or very good, while over half (52.0%) rated it as quite poor or very poor.
Among those small firms whose applications for new credit were successful over the quarter, a third (33.4%) were offered a rate higher than 11%, a new record for the SBI.
South Yorkshire industrial unit acquired by Network Space
Network Space Investments has acquired a manufacturing and distribution unit adjacent to junction 35 of the M1 near Sheffield for an undisclosed sum.
The 25-year sale and leaseback deal sees the investment company acquire a high specification, modern 27,452 sq ft unit. Green energy solutions manufacturer, Powerstar is the long-term occupier on an index-lined 25-year lease.
Network Space Investments is an active value-add investor with an established industrial portfolio of almost 1 million sq ft across the north of England.
Tom Dawson, Investment Director at Network Space, explains: “We remain a pro-active investor in the industrial market, where we see potential for capital and rental growth through strong occupational demand and pro-active asset management. Our focus is on good quality modern and sustainable real estate, particularly in established locations which offer market resilience.
“The acquisition helps Network Space bolster its single-let portfolio. This unit offers a prime location at the heart of the country, coupled with a long-term, strong covenant tenant operating in the vital and fast-growing renewable energy technology sector.”
Built in 2008 on a 1.4-acre site, the two-storey industrial unit with integral offices space has been occupied by Powerstar since 2012 and operates as its UK headquarters.
Network Space Investments were advised by Knight Frank and Taylor Rose. CBRE was responsible for the sale and leaseback on behalf of the occupier.
Nick Wales, Partner at Knight Frank, added: “This high-quality unit was identified as a perfect fit for Network Space Investments’ growing portfolio, with the acquisition underlining their conviction to the industrial sector.”
