Croda named as top chemical company for sixth successive year
Saith-based chemical company Croda International Plc has been named as the UK’s top chemical business in the annual Britain’s Most Admired Companies study for the sixth year running.
Winning its sector across 12 of the 13 key criteria companies were rated on, Croda also placed 14th overall, from the 259 leading British companies across 28 sectors taking part in the study.
Established in 1990, Britain’s Most Admired Companies is the UK’s longest running annual survey of corporate reputation. The competition is unique in that the winners are voted by board representatives, analysts and City commentators. The awards recognise factors critical to business success across categories, including sustainability, quality of products and services, inspirational leadership, ability to attract, develop, and retain top talent and capacity to innovate.
Steve Foots, Chief Exec of Croda said: “Being voted top of the UK chemicals sector for the sixth time is an amazing achievement. I am always extremely proud to win this award as it is voted for by our peers and organisations that we admire.
This award really is thanks to every one of our employees at Croda, their hard work and dedication in bringing our Purpose to life thorough sustainability and innovation.”
Housing Partnership wins RoSPA silver award
Lincolnshire Housing Partnership has been awarded the RoSPA Silver Award for our excellent health and safety performance throughout 2022.
Will Buxton is Health and Safety Manager at LHP, which owns and manages 12,500 and has 400 employees. He said: “We are thrilled to have received the RoSPA Silver Award for our health and safety performance in 2022.
“This is a significant achievement for us, and it shows that we are working to an incredibly high standard.
“I would like to thank all our colleagues for their support throughout the submission process, and I am proud of the work our Health and Safety Team has done to make this possible. We will continue to strive for excellence in health and safety, making LHP a safe and healthy place to work for all.”
Alex Dixon, LHP’s Executive Director of Property added: “Winning the RoSPA Silver Award for our exceptional health and safety performance throughout 2022 is a true testament to our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety in the workplace.
“We are proud of our Health and Safety Team, and all our colleagues at LHP, for their dedication to creating a culture of safety and making LHP a safe and healthy place to work for all.”
Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said:
“Accidents at work and work-related ill health don’t just have huge financial implications or cause major disruption – they significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. That’s why good safety performance deserves to be recognised and rewarded.
“We are thrilled that Lincolnshire Housing Partnership has won a RoSPA Award and would like to congratulate them on showing an unwavering commitment to keeping their employees, clients and customers safe from accidental harm and injury.”
Sponsored by Croner-i, the RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, and receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for the health and safety industry.
LHP would like to thank all our teams for their commitment to working safely and promoting a strong health and safety culture. This award is a fantastic recognition of LHP’s ongoing efforts to maintain the highest standards of health and safety in the workplace.
Excellence Awards recognise business successes in Goole
Businesses from across the area have been recognised at the 2023 Goole and Howdenshire Business Excellence Awards which were held at Goole Academy.
This year’s ceremony was hosted by Blair Jacobs who paid a poignant tribute to his predecessor Harry Gration, who had been a stalwart of the event from the start and who presented last year’s awards shortly before his untimely death.
Blair, who had worked with Harry at the BBC, said Harry was “the consummate professional who was admired greatly by all who knew and worked with him.” This year, the Business Of The Year Award was renamed in his honour, and the judging panel chose Goole Sports Therapy as the recipient of the Harry Gration Business Of The Year Awardwhich was sponsored by PA Media and presented by Gareth Brammall.
The other big winner of the night was popular local butcher Philip Parkin, who was chosen by the organising committee to receive the Tim Richardson Lifetime Achievement Award. Philip, who runs Parkin Family Butchers, is a stalwart of Howden’s Market Place, and well known for his cheerful banter with customers, entertaining posts on social media and charity fundraising activities. Philip took over the family run business from his parents, Roy and Sylvia, and received a standing ovation as he made his way to the stage to receive his award.
The independent panel of judges waded through around 60 entries before coming up with their final shortlist and then choosing a winner for each of the award categories. The winners were:
Rising Star Of The Year Award – sponsored by Grotech Production and presented by Martin Usher: Natalie Holliday of PA Media (TV Metadata)
Small Business Of The Year Award – sponsored by MNA Group and presented by Mark Newman: E-Flooring
Large Business Of The Year Award – sponsored by Chronicle Publications and presented by Emily Collins: Repair and Restore Body Shop
Hugh Walton Community Champion Award – sponsored by H. Walton and presented by Charlie Walton: M. Dairies
Marketing Excellence Award – sponsored by Filstorage and presented by Paul Taylor: Goole Sports Therapy
Charity Of The Year Award – sponsored by Jos. Richardson & Son and presented by Joseph Richardson: A Shining Light
Training And Development Award – sponsored by Drax and presented by Jane Breach: FMG Repair Services
Self-employed/Micro Business of the Year Award – Siemens, presented by Jo Cox: AB Coaching
New Business Of The Year – sponsored by Danbrit, presented by Peter Aarosin: Accountancy Tuition Academy
Team Of The Year – sponsored by Fisher Security, presented by Steve Davies: Goddards Care
Garrey Haase, Chair of the organising committee, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who entered and attended the awards evening, as well as all of our sponsors and supporters. We couldn’t do it without you all! Well done to all of our shortlisted finalists and huge congratulations to our very deserving winners!”
Reward makes key promotion
SME funding provider Reward Finance Group has strengthened its client relationship operations across Yorkshire, by promoting Chris Ibbetson to head it up.
With Reward providing tailored business finance loans and asset based solutions to SMEs across the UK, Chris will now lead the client relationship team in Yorkshire and also have responsibility for London, the North East and Scotland.
Chris has been with Reward for over four years, having joined from Yorkshire Bank where he spent eight years within corporate and private banking.
These key changes form part of the lender’s increased investment in people internally, its commitment to supporting SMEs through every step of their finance journey and to support the growth of its regional offices, particularly those in their relative infancy.
Reward is fast closing in on 500 clients, with that number having almost doubled over the last three years with its newer offices in Birmingham, London and Scotland contributing significantly to that pace of growth. These changes embrace the shifting nature of the business and transition to a truly national lender.
Gemma Wright, Managing Director for Reward in Yorkshire and the North East, said: “We’ve achieved outstanding growth across Yorkshire so it felt the right time to put this new structure in place and invest in our client relationship team.
“Chris is well placed to drive this area of the business forward in the region, he has a proven track record and a strong client-centric approach to providing commercial finance which meets SME’s business needs. I am looking forward to seeing the continued growth of the team under Chris’ guidance.”
Chris Ibbetson, regional operations manager for Reward, said: “Our growth has always been underpinned by solid client relationships and guiding the SME through every stage of the lending process.
“Getting under the skin of the client’s business requirements and finding a common sense solution doesn’t just stop when the deal is done, with ongoing collaboration between lender, broker and borrower a hallmark of our success.”
Levelling Up grant to bring Hull’s West Street Arcade back into use
A Levelling Up Funding grant has been awarded by Hull City Council to an exciting retail opportunity.
The council has provided £205,000 worth of funding to bring back into use West Street Arcade in Hull city centre.
The total cost of the project is £450,000 and creation of 10 shops will bring further employment to the city centre.
The dilapidated building has received planning permission after MMR Investment Limited applied for a full building restoration in 2021, as well as a rear extension last year.
The grant award will go towards these plans which will see 450 sq m over two floors of retail space created and the building split into 10 smaller units.
Renovation will include a full rewire of the building, installation of fixtures and fittings and all of the windows to be replaced.
Garry Taylor, Hull City Council’s assistant director for major projects, culture and place, said: “I am delighted the council is able to award this funding to MMR Investment Limited.
“It will help to bring back into use vacant units, in turn providing local jobs, and is another great example of excellent regeneration work done in the city centre.”
Yorkshire Dales hotel sold to luxury holiday home operator
The Burgoyne hotel in the Yorkshire Dales has been sold to luxury holiday home operator, Maison Parfaite.
Set within the Swaledale Valley, in the village of Reeth, this Grade II listed hotel has 11 bedrooms, a guest lounge and the 1783 Restaurant, which holds an AA Rosette. The building sits prominently in the village, overlooking the green, with stunning fell views from both the front and the rear.
Previous owner, Ian Hewitt is a Yorkshire born-and-bred, semi-retired oil executive, who now resides on the south coast of England. From here, he managed to oversee the hotel’s refurbishment, which transformed it into a very popular and highly profitable hospitality business.
Ian says: “During a ‘coast to coast’ walk in 2017, I stayed for a night in The Burgoyne and was attracted by the charm of the building and potential it had as a business. I felt that with the right level of investment, both structurally and operationally, it could be one of the best boutique hotels in the county. I was aware that it was available for sale and so I returned shortly after my walk, approached the seller and a deal was struck.”
Commenting on his decision to sell, Ian adds: “After a few years of driving the business forward, largely from afar, I decided that the time had come to let someone else take the reins and to capitalise on the investments I had made. Mark Worley of Christie & Co, had been advising me for a while, with regards to the state of the post-covid market and so I engaged him and Christie & Co to help find me a buyer.”
The new owners, husband and wife team, Sarah and Sean McDermott are the founders of Yorkshire-based hospitality company, Maison Parfaite which operates luxury holiday homes across the North East.
Sarah says: “My husband, Sean and I are absolutely thrilled with our new acquisition. We first stayed at The Burgoyne a few years back, when we were renovating our very first holiday home in Aysgarth, just in the next Dale!
“We instantly fell in love with The Burgoyne, so when it came up for sale, we just had to add her to our portfolio of fabulous holiday homes in our Maison Parfaite portfolio. We are very grateful to Ian and for all at Christie & Co, for allowing us the opportunity to purchase this wonderful, iconic building and we’ll be sure to do her justice with a fabulous renovation coming soon.”
Mark Worley, director and hospitality agent with Christie & Co, who brokered the deal, says: “The Burgoyne is a superbly presented hotel which generates excellent profits and boasts an idyllic location in a National Park. It therefore ticks three very important boxes on the list of current buyer requirements.
“We are very pleased that Sarah and Sean have bought the business, with the intention to continue to provide high quality accommodation for the Yorkshire tourist and leisure economy.
“This sale demonstrates that the current hotel market remains buoyant and the demand for hospitality businesses continues despite the challenges around operating costs.”
connective3 acquires Leeds Paid Media Performance agency Made Greater
Leeds-headquartered performance marketing agency connective3 have completed the acquisition of Paid Media Performance agency Made Greater, also based in Leeds, for an undisclosed sum.
connective3’s paid media offering has grown significantly across the last year as they achieved Google Premier Partner Status and were rated Top 3 in the UK for Google Ads Growth. Key client wins including Q Hotels and Ocado have further motivated the need to expand the team head count and expertise in this department.
Made Greater’s roots lie within the digital publishing space. Their approach to media buying techniques, and creative-led thinking is founded in the opportunities offered through leveraging a network of owned websites, and the full spectrum of paid social channels for traffic acquisition and conversion. Their unique approach and the expertise of their team are why they were chosen to add to the connective3 paid media offering.
Tim Grice, CEO at connective3, said: “The acquisition has enabled us to bring a huge amount of talent into the business and a wealth of experience in the paid social space. We’re going through a strong period of growth, but particularly in the paid media space winning accounts in the UK and internationally. The whole business is looking forward to working with the Made Greater team and excited about the opportunities it will create as we continue to build one of the strongest digital performance agencies in the UK.”
James Maisey, MD, Made Greater, said: “This is a hugely exciting time to become a part of connective3’s expanding team. Our philosophy at Made Greater has always been to prioritise innovative thinking and strategic dexterity in a fast-changing digital landscape – their ambitions and values match our own. This acquisition is a natural step that enables us to continue to nurture our existing brand relationships, whilst also providing an opportunity for us to support the growth of an already excellent paid media team, offering and client portfolio.”
New jobs to be created as almost 17 acres of North Lincolnshire land and property bought by Rainham Steel Company
Major investment is to lead to the creation of up to 60 new jobs following a deal in which independent international steel stockholder and distributor Rainham Steel Company has bought almost 17 acres of commercial land and properties in North Lincolnshire.
The business, which already services the UK, European and world markets from a 70 acre site and distribution facility in Scunthorpe, is to use the Althorpe Wharf site, in Station Road, Keadby, as a base for manufacturing reinforcement bar products.
The sale of the land, which was owned by RMS Trent Ports Limited, included open storage land and a number of industrial warehousing facilities, with a deal close to asking price agreed.
Rainham Steel Company is now to invest around £3.5m into developing the site over the coming year, installing plants and machinery in the existing facilities on site. Longer term plans are to build a dedicated new building on site.
The company supplies major steel fabricators, stockholders, construction companies, civil engineers and builders’ merchants, employing more than 180 members of staff. It already has four other sites in Scunthorpe.
The land had previously been used by RMS Trent Ports Limited to stock a variety of mainly bulk and steel based imports and exports.
The company, which handles all types from cargo through the Humber ports, turned to Hull-based commercial property specialists Garness Jones to sell the site after it became surplus to their business requirements.
Francis Micallef, operations director at Rainham Steel, said: “This is a really exciting announcement as we are going to be making a significant investment into this site to transform it into a northern reinforcement bar manufacturing site, adding to a similar one we have down south.
“We’ll initially be creating around 20 new jobs at the site, and we expect that number to increase to around 60 new jobs over the course of the year, as the site becomes fully operational.
“We’d actually looked around the site a few years ago as we’ve always enjoyed a good working relationship with RMS Trent Ports through their importing of steel. It wasn’t quite the right time then, but when we saw it on the market recently it was the perfect time and opportunity for us to add this new manufacturing facility.
“It’s obviously very pleasing to be able to put this large site into good use, expanding our operations and creating new employment in the region. We also have plans to reopen the Wharf on site in the future too.”
Chris Hyam, senior surveyor at Garness Jones, handled the deal and said: “We are delighted to have secured this sale for our client RMS Trent Ports Limited, as the site had become surplus to requirements for them.
“Following a short period of marketing we had strong levels of interest from developers and owner occupiers.
“It is an excellent acquisition for Rainham Steel, as they have secured a large site which can meet their expanding manufacturing and storage needs.
“The existing buildings allow for immediate expansion of their manufacturing processes and the surplus land allows for potential future development. It is a great deal for the local economy given it is leading to further significant investment and new jobs.”
Acquisitive pub chain sets sights on Yorkshire & Lincolnshire venues
A Derbyshire-headquartered independent pub company has revealed ambitious plans for the growth of its estate following new investment.
The Pub People Company is targeting the acquisition of up to 60 freehold venues across the East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.
The move is being financed by investment manager, Downing LLP, which has committed to expansion having acquired the business last year.Commercial property agent, FHP, has been appointed to source suitable properties to add to the Group’s estate, and is exploring opportunities with both independent pub owners and groups keen to sell.Formed in 1993, The Pub People Company has developed a reputation for cask ale and good value fresh food, underpinned by a quality estate and well-resourced central function. Its managed pubs includes an existing portfolio of 40 properties, which are based in and around Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield, and Lincoln. Andy Crawford, Managing director of The Pub People Company, said: “The Pub People Company is keen to invest in further venues in the East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire areas. We’ve got a great following in our current estate of 40 pubs and we would like to expand on those.“The pub sector continues to have its challenges but with a long established business, strong backing and well invested properties in the area, we’re keen to add to our estate. We are looking to acquire freehold pubs in community and town locations across the region and are keen to speak to individual pub owners and groups who may be looking to sell, so please do get in touch with our agents at FHP.”Doug Tweedie of FHP said: “This is an exciting time of expansion for The Pub People Company and we’re delighted to be helping them to find new freehold pub sites.“We’ve formed a strong team between the two parties, which means we are able to appraise and make decisions on new acquisitions quickly and efficiently. We’re looking forward to speaking to like-minded individual owners and pub groups about new opportunities.”
Businesses perceived as not doing enough on sustainable packaging
Consumer perception is that businesses are not doing enough when it comes to the issue of sustainability, a new study has found.
According to a study by accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO LLP, almost 60% of consumers surveyed believed that companies needed to do more to address sustainability.
Particular criticism was levelled at the electronics, home appliance, and fashion & beauty sectors for their use of packaging, with 60% of respondents stating that too much packaging material was used in these sectors. This compares to 40% and 50% in healthcare and groceries, respectively.
Daniel Guttmann, BDO Strategy & Commercial Due Diligence’s lead partner for industrial products, technology and services, said: “Sustainability continues to be a top issue for consumers and, therefore, has to be a key priority for corporates – packaging, in particular, is an important area which is also very visible to consumers.
“There is a popular consensus that companies use more packaging than is necessary and that they should take more responsibility for addressing this. That includes absorbing potentially higher costs, which is a real issue for many companies, but critical for their image and improving public perception.”
The UK-wide representative study, which surveyed 500 people between the ages of 16 and 25 and 35+ across all income brackets, showed that over 90% of consumers believe that businesses should carry the cost of improving the sustainability of their packaging. Additionally, more than half (51%) of respondents said they were not prepared to pay higher prices for the use of more sustainable materials. There was however a much higher willingness from younger consumers (<35 years) to shoulder some of the cost – heralding a potential step change in driving the ESG agenda.
Guttmann said: “A large gap remains between consumers’ concern for the environment and their willingness to recycle compared to their understanding of sustainable packaging materials, and crucially their willingness to pay a higher price for more sustainable packaging.
“For many years, consumers have been demanding more sustainable practices from businesses. Unfortunately, they have, and still are on the whole, unwilling to carry some of the costs associated with achieving these goals.
“What’s clear from our study, is that younger generations are more concerned, more engaged, and more likely to recycle than the general population. Critically, they are increasingly prepared to take on some of the financial burden of making more sustainable packaging a reality.”
The study highlighted that while an overwhelming number of consumers are concerned about the impact of packaging on the environment, with 96% admitting that recycling and reuse is important, more than a quarter of respondents have only limited understanding of which materials are more or less sustainable than others.
BDO’s recent Packaging Sector Insights report detailed a number of areas driving sustainability in the packaging sector, including Government regulations, taxes and incentives, such as the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), the availability of collection and recycling infrastructure, and corporate investment in R&D to reduce waste, maximise the use of recyclates, and develop new materials.
Guttmann concluded: “What is clear is that significant work is already being done by industry professionals to address the issue of sustainability in packaging – whether it’s innovative ways to drive improved usage and processes for existing materials (such as downgauging) or the development of new methods and substrates.
“However, investment in recycling infrastructure and technologies is absolutely necessary if we are to move to a truly circular economy. Consumer willingness is there and growing and materials are improving, but collection, separation and treatment are not quite where they need to be.”
Hull firm plans £10m investment in R&D facility
Ideal Heating has submitted plans for a new £10m research and development facility at its UK headquarters in Hull, which it intends will play a key role in developing and testing low carbon heating solutions, such as air source heat pumps.
The state-of-the-art facility is planned for Ideal Heating’s site at National Avenue in Hull, where 70 people are currently employed in research and development roles. The investment in industry-leading R&D facilities will enable that number to rise to 100 and underpin long-term employment at the site where 800 staff are based. Ideal Heating is the UK leader in both the domestic and commercial heating markets and is investing heavily in low carbon innovation and product development. The business is part of Groupe Atlantic, a global leader in thermal comfort. A detailed planning application for the UK Technology Centre has been submitted to Hull City Council, with designs produced by Hull-based architects and civil/structural engineers GGP Consult. Dependent on planning approval, construction is expected to begin this autumn, with the facility due to open in mid-2024. The proposed facility forms part of a wider £60m investment programme by Ideal Heating, supported by Groupe Atlantic, across the National Avenue site to increase manufacturing and distribution capacity and accommodate heat pump production and warehousing. The centre will help to develop the solutions needed to decarbonise UK homes and supports the Government’s ambitious targets for head pump deployment, including for 600,000 heat pumps to be installed in domestic properties annually by 2028. Phil Kent, R&D Director for Combustion at Ideal Heating, said: “Domestic and commercial heating providers have a vital role to play in reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change. “As the market leader, we’re serious about playing our full part in meeting the challenge the UK faces in accelerating the adoption of heat pumps and other low carbon solutions. “There is no single solution to the challenge and it’s clear that a mix of products and technologies will be needed. “Our new UK Technology Centre will be a state-of-the-art, UK-leading facility which will enable us to develop and deliver future heating solutions and make big strides forward in our net zero journey.” The UK Technology Centre will provide a purpose-designed new home for Ideal Heating’s expert R&D team, which has an increasing range of engineering roles related to design, development, electronics, simulation and product testing disciplines. Laboratory facilities within the 38,000 sq ft (3,500 sq m), two-storey building will enable Ideal Heating’s R&D team to simulate a range of scenarios and conditions to test new innovations and advancements. Among other facilities, the new R&D centre will house test equipment and environmental chambers, simulating the range and extremes of climatic conditions to develop heat pumps for future manufacture at Ideal Heating’s Hull factory. These facilities can also be used to stress-test components and products, simulating lifespan in the space of just a few months. The new R&D centre will also include significant equipment to continue Ideal Heating’s pursuit of best-in-class performance and reliability, including chambers to verify noise and vibration levels and extreme condition testing. Helen Villamuera, Ideal Heating’s Engineering Director, is coordinating the investment and development programme at National Avenue. She said: “Since being acquired by Groupe Atlantic in 2015, Ideal Heating has remained a UK-leading manufacturer based in Hull and with other sites across the country. “The huge investment being delivered across our main site at National Avenue, including in the new UK Technology Centre, underpins our position as a leader in the domestic and commercial heating markets and puts us at the forefront of the industry’s net zero transition. “Our roots in Hull date back over 100 years and we’re investing now to position the business to thrive for generations to come. “The new R&D centre is a key element of our development and growth strategy, in what is a rapidly-evolving heating industry.” Formerly known as Ideal Boilers, the company was founded in 1906 and has operated continuously at the National Avenue site as one of Hull’s leading employers. Ideal Heating is also investing in a new National Training & Technology Centre at Bridgehead business park in East Yorkshire, with a focus on low-carbon heating and up-skilling thousands of boiler installers across the UK to supply heat pumps to customers.Council plans series of energy-saving workshops
North Yorkshire Council is planning a series of workshops to help shape a programme to bring savings to energy bills and help cut carbon dioxide emissions.
he Council is working with the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership to deliver a programme to help tackle climate change and reduce harmful emissions as part of the North Yorkshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The council has allocated £780,000 for three strands of work to create a programme to support and build capacity for community climate action as well as business-based decarbonisation programmes to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions.
The programmes could include grant funding for feasibility studies and low carbon measures as well as consultancy support, energy and resource audits and capital grants for adaptations.
Executive member for climate change, Cllr Greg White, said: “If we are to mitigate its scale and impact, climate change requires an urgent and effective response from all of us. These workshops aim to involve local community groups, businesses and stakeholders to get an overarching view on how the work should progress – what is required to reach net zero and the types of support that will be needed.”
The sessions, which take place in Skipton, Selby and Scarborough, are:
Developing Business Net Zero programmes:
- May 16: 9.30am to 12pm, SELFA, Skipton.
- May 18: 9am to 11.30am, Brayton Community Centre, Selby.
- May 30: 3pm to 5pm, Sea View Conference room, Scarborough Town Hall.
Developing a Community Climate Action Programme:
- May 16: 1pm to 3pm, SELFA, Skipton.
- May 18: 1pm to 3pm, Brayton Community Centre, Selby.
- May 30: 9.30am to 12pm, Sea View room, Scarborough Town Hall.
College invests £500k to enhance region’s manufacturing skills
East Riding College has invested nearly £500,000 in new manufacturing and engineering machinery to improve skills in the region.
The college is inviting business and industry leaders to a free breakfast event this month to find out more and learn how this could help to upskill their workforce. The money has been spent on four specialist pieces of equipment – a six-axis measuring machine, metallurgy testing machine, robotic arm programming machine and a 360 degree camera research kit – and ERC is offering bespoke courses around this new technology to help businesses upskill their workforces and improve employability in the region. Richard Sellick, Vice Principal at ERC, said: “The government has identified a national skills shortage in engineering and associated trades and has awarded us this money to help us rectify this. “The wider strategy of growing manufacturing and engineering capabilities and addressing the skills the next generation of engineers will need to have, as well as the needs of the local market, influenced the decisions we made in what machinery to get – the money was wisely spent.” Courses built around the new machines can be matched to the specific needs of a business or tailored specifically to a level of expertise or workforce sector. Chris Dodsworth, Head of Faculty (Automotive, Construction and Engineering) at ERC, said: “We’d like to put ERC on the map for these types of courses, many people aren’t aware of what we offer. Every business has their own needs which is why we’re offering bespoke packages. “To do our provision justice you really need to see the machinery in the flesh – come and see what we can do.” The Upskill@ERC event will be held on Thursday 27 April, 9-11.30am, and is aimed at engineering and manufacturing industries including those involved in CNC machinery, tool making and fabrication. It is for businesses who feel their employees could benefit from the courses on offer and enhance their existing roles. They are suitable for staff from apprentices to senior managers. Chris said: “Employers who invest in their staff and their continuing development are likely to retain more staff as well as futureproof their business. “We’d like to invite any individuals who are responsible for an organisation’s outputs or those who make decision on what the future training needs of a business are to come along.” As well as launching the new machinery, the event will include a tour and equipment demonstrations plus a guest speaker. Richard added: “We also want employers to feedback to us at the Upskill event about what other aspects of training skills are needed so we are ready for any future funding bid opportunities.” To book a free place at the event please visit the East Riding College Eventbrite page/click here or call 01482 332258.Clare promoted to new role at Taylor Bracewell
Taylor Bracewell Law Limited has promoted Clare Wyett to a new role as its Head of Wills, Probate & Trusts.
Lauren Smith, Partner of the firm, says: “Clare is a real asset to the firm and we couldn’t be happier to give her this well-deserved promotion.”
Clare started working in Probate in 1990, for Midland Bank in their Trust Company department where she dealt with the full admin of estates. She then moved to work for a firm of Solicitors in 2014 and returned to her roots to deal with Probate matters again and to include Wills, LPAs, Court of Protection and Asset Protection.
Clare said: “The reason I got into law is I feel that this area of Law is a very personal one and deals with sad and difficult aspects. You are often dealing with families at a time when they are going through a stressful time when someone has passed away or they are dealing with a family member living with dementia. I feel it is a privilege to be able to help and support them at these times and be able to take away some of the pressure.”
Liz joins North Residential to create presence in Northallerton
Yorkshire estate agency North Residential has appointed Liz Dennison to its management team to grow market share in and around Northallerton.
Liz brings over 30 years’ experience in the Yorkshire residential property market and was previously head of the country homes team at Strutt & Parker before going independent as Liz Dennison Property Consultancy for the last four years.
She will be working alongside Daniel Rigg, Head of Country Estates at North Residential, with whom she has worked in the past. She takes a particular focus on Northallerton where she has earned a reputation as the ‘go to’ consultant when selling or buying prime real estate.
Daniel Rigg said: “Having Liz as part of the senior team is a real coup for us at North Residential and I am personally delighted to be working alongside her again. Her expertise and established reputation provides an instant foothold to expand our offering in and around Northallerton, and indeed across the rest of Yorkshire.
“As an independent practice, with no external debt or funding, and full autonomy to pursue ambitious growth plans, we are very excited to be able to expand through recruiting an experienced and motivated team that is highly regarded in the residential property sector.”
Liz said: “There is an interesting dynamic in the North Residential team and its individual approach that is new and exciting and this has given me great confidence in aligning my own reputation with its future. I look forward to flying the North Residential flag within the great community of Northallerton and beyond.”
North Residential has previously announced ambitious expansion plans with the opening of at least three new UK locations a year, and a targeted growth of around 60% year on year.
The Harrogate-based practice, which rebranded away from Knight Frank after 15 years, has already opened a second branch in Pocklington, East Yorkshire and is scheduled to open offices in Leeds and York as well Northallerton.
Bird flu control measures are lifted from midnight tonight
Mandatory housing measures for poultry and captive birds, which were introduced across England and Wales to help stop the spread of bird flu, will be lifted from 00:01 tomorrow morning, the Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed today.
Following ongoing monitoring using the latest scientific evidence and a robust risk assessment, bird flu risk levels have been reduced meaning poultry and other captive birds will no longer need to be housed and can be kept outside, unless they are in a Protection Zone. The decision means that from 18 April, eggs laid by hens with access to outside range areas can return to being marketed as ‘Free-Range’ eggs.
The scale of avian influenza outbreaks across the UK and Europe have been unprecedented with over 330 cases confirmed across the country since late October 2021. While the risk of bird flu has been reduced to ‘medium’ for premises with poor biosecurity, the enhanced biosecurity requirements that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) will remain in force as infection may still be circulating in the environment for several more weeks. The risk of bird flu remains assessed as low where good biosecurity is applied.
Those who intend to allow their birds outside are advised to use the upcoming days to prepare their outside areas for the release of their birds. This will include cleansing and disinfection of hard surfaces, fencing off ponds or standing water and reintroduction of wild bird deterrents.
Dr Christine Middlemiss, the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, said: “Whilst the lifting of the mandatory housing measures will be welcome news to bird keepers, scrupulous biosecurity remains the most critical form of defence to help keep your birds safe.
“It is thanks to the hard work of all bird keepers and vets who have played their part in keeping flocks safe this winter that we are in a position to take this action. However, the unprecedented nature of this outbreak has proven it’s more important than ever for bird keepers to remain vigilant for signs of disease and maintain stringent standards of biosecurity.”
Scrupulous biosecurity is the most effective method of disease control available and all bird keepers should apply enhanced measures at all times to prevent the risk of future outbreaks.
Poultry and captive bird keepers must:
- cleanse and disinfect clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds – if practical, use disposable protective clothing
- reduce the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products, and use effective vermin control
- thoroughly cleanse and disinfect housing on a continuous basis
- keep fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all farm and bird housing entry and exit points
- minimise direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds
- be vigilant for any signs of disease in their birds and any wild birds, and seek prompt advice from their vet if they have any concerns.
CBRE hires head of flex for the North
CBRE has appointed Jordan Saleh as head of flex for the North to drive growth within this fast paced and evolving sector. This strategic, new role further bolsters CBRE’s investment across all areas of flex, acting for and advising occupiers, operators and investors.
Jordan joins from WeWork where he spent 5 years as sales director covering the northern region and brings a wide breadth of knowledge, expertise and client-base to provide CBRE with insight across the whole flex ecosystem.
Working nationally within CBRE’s super region structure, Jordan’s business development/occupier flex role will focus on developing, co-ordinating and managing opportunities throughout the UK. Jordan will work closely with Michael Glynn’s London Flex team to ‘supercharge’ the geographies flex offering and provide best in class advice to flex clients.
Tasked with building new relationships with fast growth and start up businesses across sectors, Jordan will help to drive revenue for the Northern business.
Joe Rigby, CBRE’s head of office agency – North, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jordan to the team in this new role as we see rising demand in the UK flexible office space market.
“The managed workspace market has seen a huge amount of change in recent years with more entrants to the sector such as Industrious, Huckletree, Orega, X+Why and Gilbanks all taking space in 2022. Jordan has an excellent understanding of the flex market, as well as established relationships within the sector which can be leveraged.”
Michael Glynn, head of flexible office solutions, CBRE London, said: “The Flex market continues to grow and evolve across all formats. The exciting hire of Jordan is another clear sign of CBRE’s continued investment into the sector, strengthening our occupier advisory expertise in this increasing dynamic market.”
Work starts to repurpose derelict South Yorkshire grammar school
Contractor Clegg Construction has started work on a £5.9m renovation scheme to repurpose the derelict Maltby Grammar School near Rotherham into a community resource and education facility.
The company has pledged to support a range of local health and wellbeing projects and employment and skills development opportunities during the contract, and it is estimated that up to £1.25m will be pumped into the local economy after Clegg Construction committed to use as many local sub-contractors, suppliers and enterprises as possible.
Pre-construction director, Ross Crowcroft, said: “Maltby Grammar School has played a pivotal role in the local community over many decades and the team at Clegg Construction is very pleased to be breathing new life into this historic building and giving it a future.
“This project will provide significant new facilities for the area in terms of learning and development. We have pledged to support the local community in a number of ways during the duration of this project as part of our commitment to the communities that we work in.
“We are pleased to have now made a start on site and look forward to the renovation project progressing over the coming months. We have wide experience of working both within the heritage sector and the education sector, so this scheme is a perfect fit for our expertise at Clegg Construction.”
Built in the early 1930s, the school closed in 2012 and had fallen into a state of disrepair after being mothballed.
Maltby Learning Trust is now bringing the historic building back into use with plans which include the creation of incubator space for training and apprenticeships, bookable workspaces and serviced hot-desking, and start-up support for the leisure and hospitality sectors.
The re-purposed building – known for its impressive clock tower – will also extend Maltby Learning Trust’s Post 16 specialist facilities for students who attend Maltby Academy and Sir Thomas Wharton Academy sixth form provision.
Clegg Construction has just started work on site to refurbish the building and also to build a new steel frame extension in the existing courtyard to provide space for an exhibition hall.
The company is also exploring opportunities to work with the school’s estates team to create outdoor space for tree and flower planting, along with bee and butterfly corridors.
David Sutton, Chief Executive Officer of Maltby Learning Trust, said: We are absolutely delighted to announce that work has now started on redeveloping the old Maltby Grammar School.
“The works will see the old Grammar School building repurposed and will create a community resource that accommodates local services, supports wellbeing, employment and enterprise, and provides substantial learning opportunities for the Maltby community.
“This is an exciting time for Maltby Learning Trust and this project will see us taking a building that hasn’t been occupied for nearly a decade and create an inclusive multi-functional space that will host a series of community events and learning activities.”
The redevelopment project was part of a winning bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund secured by Rotherham Council, which focused on boosting the leisure and hospitality sectors in the area. The Levelling Up Fund will provide £4.5m towards the project.
The renovation is due to be completed at the end of this year. Other members of the team working alongside Clegg Construction include Self Architects, engineer GCA Ltd and employer’s agent and project manager Cube.
Largest Build to Rent funding deal to date secured for Leeds City Centre
Legal & General (L&G) and Glenbrook have announced the funding of a £140m residential development in Whitehall Riverside in Leeds, committing to the delivery of 500 new homes.
This marks the third scheme funded by L&G in the city and, upon practical completion, will bring the number of new rental homes it has delivered in Leeds to over 1,000. Glenbrook is leading the development of the Whitehill Riverside scheme, with completion expected in April 2026.
The Whitehall Riverside development will be made up of residential apartments, all designed for rental occupancy. The development consists of a mix 1, 2, and 3-bed flats and includes resident facilities such as a concierge, lobby, gym, podium gardens and terraces. The project resides on the banks of the river Aire and includes ground floor retail and 60 parking spaces.
The development sits within a new residential and business district in Leeds City Centre. As part of the wider masterplan for Whitehall Riverside, the development will act as a catalyst for the creation of a new mixed-use riverside destination – aiming to cement its position as the leading place to live and work in Leeds City Centre.
The investment follows L&G’s acquisition of Mustard Wharf BTR site in 2017 and Tower Works in 2021 – both of which sit within Legal & General Investment Management’s (LGIM) Build to Rent Fund.
L&G were advised by Savills and Glenbrook were advised by CBRE.
Adam Burney, head of annuity BTR at Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets, said: “The BTR sector has continued to see substantial and sustained growth in recent years, as investors continue to be attracted by burgeoning demand for high quality rental property in the UK. We’re pleased the asset class has proven resilient through recent macro-economic pressures – this latest scheme reaffirms our confidence in the market, as well as the growth prospects of city centres like Leeds.
“The Whitehall Riverside development has been designed with a focus on lifestyle and resident satisfaction, aiming to ensure quality, operational efficiency, and long-term environmental sustainability that meet the needs and aspirations of residents. As a major investor in UK real estate, we remain committed to levelling up the UK by ensuring communities across the country have adequate access to employment, infrastructure and housing, seeking to make policy objectives a reality.”
Ian Sherry, director at Glenbrook, said: “To have secured the largest funding deal Leeds has seen, against such challenging economic conditions, demonstrates the strength of the investment proposition we have created here at Whitehall Riverside. This will be a best-in-class residential scheme on one of the most prominent sites and locations in the city.
“Working with our trusted partners, Glenbrook is at the forefront of the UK’s BTR drive, delivering exceptional schemes which meet residents’ evolving needs. L&G’s continued commitment to both Leeds and to Whitehall Riverside is a further demonstration of their belief in the quality of the scheme, the City’s residential market and acknowledges the clear demand for well-managed, highly sustainable, purpose-built accommodation.”
Andrew Kail, CEO of Legal & General Retirement Institutional, said: “Today’s announcement showcases our commitment to deliver positive social outcomes across the UK. By investing in the growth of residential areas, such as the Whitehall Riverside development in Leeds, we are supporting a truly vibrant city that hosts key economic and employment sectors such as healthcare, life sciences, digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, as well as financial and professional services. This investment has a powerful intergenerational aspect – an example of how we are using pension savings to create productive assets for future generations.”
Levelling up funding could create 300 new jobs in centre of Hull
Almost 300 jobs could be created at Hull city centre’s House of Hammonds building, thanks to a Government grant awarded to ResQ by the council.
The second floor of House of Hammonds will be renovated and brought back into use by the call centre company which currently occupies the first floor.
A Levelling Up grant of £750,000 has been awarded to ResQ Limited who will expand their current operations.
The funding will be used to refurbish the second floor including the creation of office and reception areas with new doors, walls, handrails and fob controlled entry/exits, as well as the installation of new electrics, plumbing and heating and decoration throughout. The total project cost is just over £2million.
Garry Taylor, assistant director major projects, culture & place, said: “This project shows real commitment from Res Q Limited to a key city centre heritage building, with the creation of almost 300 jobs a huge benefit to the city.
“The Levelling Up Funding scheme continues to benefit many buildings and businesses in the city and this is another great example of this.”
