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Rushbond adds landmark Harrogate office building to growing commercial portfolio
Yorkshire-based property company Rushbond PLC has acquired The Exchange in Harrogate, a landmark ten-storey office building located in a prime location above the town’s train station.
The acquisition is part of Rushbond’s strategic plan to grow its portfolio of well-located, best in class commercial assets in Yorkshire, having also recently purchased the iconic Bank House in Leeds – the former home of the Bank of England.
The Exchange building, which dominates the town centre skyline, is one of the few Grade A office developments in the town centre.
The building is currently home to a wide range of businesses from software development companies to law firms and architecture practices, and also features two retail units on the ground floor.
Rushbond will now undertake a programme of renovations to the building and the few remaining vacant suites – which range between 765 sq ft to 5,300 sq ft – with a focus on upgrading the specification of the interiors and improving energy efficiency.
This is the second recent major investment in the town for the property company, which recently announced work starting on site to transform Harrogate’s Herald Buildings – the former headquarters of the Harrogate Advertiser – into a new retail and apartment scheme.
Richard Baker from Rushbond said: “The Exchange building represents an incredible asset management opportunity for Rushbond. There is no better address for businesses wanting to locate in central Harrogate, with stunning views across this beautiful spa town and countryside beyond.
“The transport links are second to none and there are substantial onsite car and cycle parking provisions. We believe the planned programme of works will reinforce The Exchange’s attraction to a range of future occupiers who see the benefits of locating here in one of the most attractive towns to work and live in the UK.”
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Manningham Housing Association appoints Vice Chair
Cym D’Souza has been appointed Vice Chair of Manningham Housing Association (MHA).
She previously served as Chief Executive of Manchester-based Arawak Walton Housing Association, stepping down last autumn after almost 25 years in the post.
Ms D’Souza is a well-known figure in UK housing having served from 2012-23 as Chair of BME National, the umbrella body for black and minority ethnic (BME) housing associations.
A qualified chartered accountant, she has been a member of numerous boards in the commercial and housing sectors and was recently appointed Vice Chair of Church Housing Association, established by the Church of England following the publication of a groundbreaking report by the Archbishops’ Commission on Housing, Church and Community.
Founded in 1986, MHA manages more than 1,400 homes for over 6,000 residents in Bradford and Keighley.
It is the first housing association in the country to be officially accredited for its work in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and the only housing association in the world to achieve the global Standard for Diversity and Inclusion in HR Management.
Cym D’Souza said: “I am excited to join the MHA Board. It has established a well-earned reputation as one of the leading BME housing associations in the country, which not only provides high quality homes for residents but strives to improve the life experiences of the wider communities which surround them.
“I know that exciting plans are in place to build on the progress MHA has made in recent years. I look forward to playing my part in delivering them.”
Rupert Pometsey, MHA Chair, said: “It is a delight to welcome Cym as our new Vice Chair. She is one of the most respected individuals in housing and brings an unrivalled breadth of experience to the boardroom. Cym is also a prominent champion of BME communities which makes her the perfect fit for MHA.”
Lee Bloomfield, MHA Chief Executive, said: “I have worked alongside Cym on the Executive Group of BME National for many years. Her CV speaks volumes about her achievements and absolute commitment to the task in hand. She is a great addition to our Board.”
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- the environment, innovation and climate change resilience
- health and wellbeing
- an inclusive economy
- identity/distinctiveness, taking into consideration culture and heritage.
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Mayor plans to sell benefits of South Yorkshire at UK Real Estate summit
Specialist construction company makes three senior appointments
Specialist construction company, Henley Group has started 2024 on the front foot as it makes three senior appointments to its growing team.
Jessica Cowling joins as Director of Business Development and Marketing, Robert Gettings as Project Director for the new HZS Stainless Steel division, whilst Tom Cardoe, formerly Head of Restoration, has been promoted to Managing Director of Restoration.
As Director of Business Development and Marketing, Jessica will be responsible for the growth of the Henley Group brand, focusing on identifying new opportunities, building strategic partnerships, and heading up internal strategies and marketing communications for the full group.
Jessica has worked across a range of sectors as a media and marketing expert and brings vast experience in business development. Commenting on her move, Jessica said: “I’m so excited to be bringing my expertise on brand positioning to Henley Group.
“It’s such an exciting time for the company with the newly launched HZS Stainless Steel division, and we have a number of new business announcements to make soon. Henley Group will continue to evolve and I’m looking forward to working with the team to achieve significant growth and I’m confident we will reach more magnificent milestones this year.”
Henley Group has recently expanded its offering for clients within the construction industry by launching a new division, HZS Stainless Steel, and has appointed Robert Gettings as Project Director to head up the new proposition. Robert will be leading the stainless-steel business which will include running an experienced team to deliver manufactured components to sites across the UK.
Robert brings a wealth of experience in the construction industry, including 14 years in the steel industry. As part of his previous role, Robert delivered stainless steel components for the Barking Riverside Project, which at the time, was one of the largest regeneration sites in Europe.
Commenting on his new role, Robert said: “I’m honoured to be heading up the new HZS division and I’m looking forward to transferring my knowledge and expertise into the new role. It’s fantastic to be a part of a business that is delivering some of the most exciting GRC and stone masonry projects in the UK and overseas, and by expanding its portfolio, we are now able to offer greater efficiencies and quality guarantees to customers.
“As part of the new division, we have acquired a factory in Ossett that will enable us to provide jobs to local tradesmen and teach them the high-quality skills and craftmanship that is vital in the construction industry. It’s a fantastic feeling working for a company like Henley Group who want to contribute to the local community and values training the next generation of construction workers.”
Tom Cardoe, Henley Group’s former Head of Restoration, has recently been promoted to Managing Director of Restoration. Under Tom’s leadership, Henley Restoration and Remedials grew to become a multi-million-pound division.
Tom has led a wide variety of regeneration projects since joining the business including the restoration of the 19th century Grade II listed textile mill, Rutland Mills, in Wakefield, which had been in a state of disrepair for two decades. The space is set to become the largest creative hub outside of Tileyard North and has been hailed as the Battersea Power Station of the North. Other notable projects include the historic Grosvenor Gardens in Westminster, Manchester Piccadilly Warehouse, and Manchester Town Hall.
Speaking on the promotion, Tom said: “I am thrilled to be acting as Managing Director of Restoration and hope to continue to develop and grow the Henley Group’s stature in this field, as well as building on our reputation as a distinguished heritage restoration company that is committed to preserving and revitalising historic and listed structures.
“With a deep respect for architectural heritage, we are driven to safeguard the legacy of historic and important buildings for the future and will continue to offer clients a professionally delivered experience from initial assessment right through to project completion.”
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Project Manager Martin nominated for national award
Hull-based Sewell Construction project manager Martin Standley has been shortlisted for a national award in recognition of his positive contribution towards the construction community.
He has been chosen as one of the finalists in the Construction Manager of the Year category at this year’s Chartered Institute of Building’s CIOB Awards. He has been shortlisted following his work project managing the construction of Hull’s brand new Broadacre Primary School. Martin joined Sewell Construction in 1985, where he served a four-year bricklaying apprenticeship, before becoming a Project Manager in 1994 and working on Sewell Construction’s first £10m-plus project at Orchard Park Health Centre. Now, his projects have a combined value of around £100m and he has worked on several of Hull’s cutting-edge facilities, such as Thomas Ferens Academy and the refurbishment of the former Endeavour School. Broadacre Primary School is Hull’s first purpose-built base for young children with autism spectrum condition and aims to create an inclusive learning area that enables the pupils to be able to access mainstream education with the necessary additional support. Martin championed the involvement of the site staff in social value projects during the build, helping to raise awareness on inclusion and diversity within the Sewell team, and even doing further research on autism spectrum conditions in order to broaden his own understanding. It is because of his enthusiasm and passion for this project that he was nominated for the award. Martin will find out if he has been chosen as the winner at the glittering CIOB Awards ceremony in London in April.LCF Law pledges to raise thousands for leading cancer charity
LCF Law has announced it will be fundraising for Yorkshire Cancer Research, its nominated charity for 2024, with a packed calendar of activities to raise thousands of pounds for the charity.
The law firm employs 145 people across its four offices in Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and Ilkley. Each year its team members are invited to give a presentation on a charity that they would like to nominate for the firm’s annual fundraising efforts, before all their colleagues vote which charity to back.
Last year LCF Law raised £10,000 for the Bone Cancer Trust and following a presentation from Sarah McCann from the firm’s conveyancing team, Yorkshire Cancer Research was chosen for 2024. One of the fundraising activities planned will see 13 members of the team taking part in the Leeds Half Marathon on 13th May.
Members of the firm are also taking part in a sponsored ‘Tour De LCF Law’ cycle challenge and have collaborated with PureGym to set up static bikes in the offices. They hope to cover the distance from Yorkshire to the Tour De France finishing point in Nice, which is 1,064 miles. Anyone cycling on the static bikes in the offices, as well as any miles completed outside of the office cycling, running, walking, or rowing will be included.
Sarah said: “Cancer is a horrible disease, and everyone will know someone close to them who has or is fighting a fight against it. I have a close friend who was shockingly diagnosed with breast cancer last year at the age of 39. She completed her chemotherapy treatment and has undergone surgery but devastatingly she’s now been told her cancer is incurable.
“I nominated Yorkshire Cancer Research because it does the most amazing job of funding research to help prevent cancer. The number of people surviving cancer has doubled in the last 40 years and research is continuing to change what it means to have cancer. Everything we raise this year will help leading researchers in Yorkshire, along with experts across the UK and throughout the world, to improve cancer survival.
“Our main fundraiser is the half marathon, which my friend will also be taking part in, which goes to show you what a determined person she is and that anything is possible, even with a life-limiting disease.
“The genuine interest and positive feedback from my colleagues at LCF Law is heartening, and throughout the year we’ll continually be raising money for the charity. LCF Law also match funds everything we raise, doubling our total, which is fabulous.”
Yorkshire Cancer Research has been funding research and saving lives since 1925. Today the charity is the biggest funder of cancer research study places in Yorkshire, bringing vital world leading research and expertise to the region. Money raised by LCF Law will be used to support research into new ways to prevent or manage cancer, help find cancer sooner when it’s often easier to treat, and also improve cancer treatment and pioneer new services.
Business Shows Group celebrate 25 years of Network Exhibitions
Yorkshire business confidence dips in February
Business confidence in Yorkshire and the Humber fell 13 points during February to 31%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.
Companies in Yorkshire and the Humber reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down 17 points to 37%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, down nine points to 25%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 31% (vs. 44% in January).
However, a net balance of 39% of businesses in the region expected to increase staff levels over the next year, up 10 points on last month.
Yorkshire and the Humber businesses identified their top target areas for growth in the next six months as investing in their team (43%), introducing new technology (31%), and investing in environmental sustainability measures (27%).
The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.
National picture
Overall, UK business confidence dipped two points in February to 42%, driven by softening confidence from firms in both their own trading prospects (49% vs. 51% in January) and the wider economy (34% vs. 37% in January).
Companies’ hiring intentions increased to the highest level since May 2022, with 36% of firms intending to increase staff levels over the next 12 months, up three points on the month before.
Sector InsightsThere was a mixed picture for sectors this month. Confidence fell in manufacturing (nine points to 40%) and construction (seven points to 38%) respectively, although results remain higher than the same time last year. In contrast, the dominant services sector was unchanged compared to January at 45%, exceeding all months of 2023 except for November. Retail confidence was broadly steady, dipping one point to 41%.
Steve Harris, regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “While business confidence fell slightly in February, this data paints a clear picture of a region looking ahead with optimism.
“It’s particularly good to see a growing number of businesses planning to hire. This shows firms are gearing up for future growth or are looking to staff newly secured contracts, and it’s a move that will benefit local communities and the regional economy, not just firms themselves.
“Meanwhile, it’s encouraging to see sustainability as a top business focus area. This aligns with Yorkshire and the Humber’s reputation as a national powerhouse for the UK’s green economy – reflected in the announcement of planning permission for a major new carbon capture project in East Yorkshire last week that promises the creation of thousands more jobs for the county.”
Hann-Ju Ho, Senior Economist, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “This month’s data still reflects a positive mood among businesses despite a marginal fall in overall confidence. Firms appear to be upbeat about their prospects and the economy, supporting their positive staffing expectations.
“Looking at the sectors, there is a mixed picture. There was a slight fall in confidence reported in the manufacturing and construction sectors, while retail and services stood their ground – remaining unchanged compared to January’s figures. But despite the manufacturing and construction fall, businesses are still showing high levels of confidence.
“The split across the regions also provides reason to view the dip in confidence at the broader UK level cautiously. Six regions have reported an increase in confidence while the other six have reported a decrease. So, scratching the surface, we see a story that continues to show a more positive outlook for the year ahead.”
PPE firm secures 16,000 sq ft unit in Doncaster
Northern Gritstone and Deeptech Labs form unique partnership
Northern Gritstone, the investment company focused on science and technology-enabled businesses in the North of England, and Deeptech Labs, the expert in turning breakthrough scientific advances into category defining companies, have formed a unique partnership.
The partnership – NG Studios powered by Deeptech Labs – will accelerate the creation of deeptech spinouts. Working closely with the universities of Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield, each university will identify early-stage spinouts to participate in a ten-week programme delivered by the new partnership.
The programme will provide bespoke venture-building activities covering strategy, operations, and capital-raising. It will also bring founders into the Deeptech Labs’ global ecosystem of technology entrepreneurs and investors to complement the universities’ own support and communities.
Duncan Johnson, CEO of Northern Gritstone, said: “Northern Gritstone’s three founding universities are highly regarded for nurturing technical talent and commercializing intellectual property through spinouts to create tomorrow’s world-class businesses.
“Innovation thrives when it is part of a collaborative and supportive ecosystem of talent and capital. NG Studios powered by Deeptech Labs will help accelerate the process by broadening access to the innovation ecosystem and helping academics test and develop their business strategies. We are delighted to partner with Deeptech Labs given their deeptech expertise”
Miles Kirby, CEO of Deeptech Labs, said: “We are delighted to partner with Northern Gritstone to support the commercialisation of the world-class research from the universities of Leeds, Manchester, and Sheffield.
“It represents a strategic expansion for Deeptech Labs to deliver on our goal of enabling breakthrough science to be commercialised at scale and to catalyse the deeptech ecosystem across the UK and Europe.”
Sheffield network encryption specialist raises further £5m in seed funding
Examine issues surrounding the safe handling and storage of bulk materials in ports and on the sea during short course
The full list of courses for 2024 and their content is available here.
All courses are available in-company so if the dates don’t suit operations, or you have a large number of attendees, please contact The Wolfson Centre for details.
wolfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk www.bulksolids.com +44 20 8331 8646 Barnsley family business merges with Welsh producer
Dacres strengthens lettings business with two new hires
