Two East Yorkshire dental practices – Hedon Dental Practice and Edward House Dental Studio – have been sold to Dentex.
Hedon Dental Practice is a four-surgery, mixed income practice situated in a prominent high street location in the market town of Hedon in East Riding. Edward House Dental Studio is a predominantly private practice with four surgeries and a fifth in development. It occupies an attractive period property and enjoys a prominent central location in the market and minster town of Beverley, also in East Riding.
The two practices were owned by Principals Dr Jason Spence and Dr Claire Shipley who relocated to Claire’s hometown of Beverley to live and work. In 2000, they set up East Yorkshire Dental Studios.
Following the sale of their other practices which were in partnership with Dr Christopher Maher, Brough Dental Studio and Grimsby Dental Studio, to Dentex last year, they decided to market their remaining two.
Hedon Dental Practice and Edward House Dental Studio have now also joined Dentex in a partnership that brings the group to four practices within the Dentex group.
Chris Lekkas, partnership & acquisition manager at Dentex, says: “In September 2021, we were delighted to welcome two outstanding practices from the East Yorkshire Dental Studios (EYDS) group into Dentex.
“Our ambition was to create an environment where both the principal owners and their teams felt supported in every way by Dentex, so they could continue delivering excellent patient care.
“Over the last year, Dentex have delivered on its promise and, after creating a successful working relationship together, we have agreed to acquire the two remaining practices of the EYDS group. Having now completed on Edward House Dental Studios and The Hedon Dental Practice, this completes the EYDS journey and reunites all four practices.
“Dentex have enjoyed a productive experience working with the teams at Brough Dental Studio and Grimsby Dental Studio over this last year, and we are now looking forward to also collaborating with the teams at the two new locations that have recently joined.”
Tom Morley, associate director – Dental at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, says: “It has been an absolute pleasure to act for Jason and Claire in this successful sale and to have completed the circle of all four sites.
“Many congratulations to them both for their excellent work over the years and to Dentex, too, for completing on the entire EYDS portfolio. I would also like to thank Chris Lekkas and Tom Laybourn at Dentex for their hard work in reaching a successful conclusion and Jonathan Tyson and his team at Knights who expertly acted for the sellers.”
Hedon Dental Practice and Edward House Dental Studio were sold for an undisclosed price.
Sheffield Forgemasters has recruited 15 apprentices for its latest intake, all of whom will get fully-funded training, working towards a professional qualification whilst getting paid.
The positions, across a wide range of disciplines, were filled during the summer and include roles ranging from Accounts, Project Management, Moulder/Coremaking, Patternmaking, Steel Production, Machining, Metallurgy (Degree Apprenticeship) and Mechatronics, but earlier this month was the first time they have been assembled on site after terms at college.
Rick Franckeiss, learning and development manager at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “This is very positive time in the company and it offers significant career development for our apprentices as we adopt the latest technologies and shift to Industry 4.0 manufacturing to deliver one of the country’s most advanced manufacturing businesses.”
Sheffield Forgemasters is a major employer in the Sheffield City Region, with 600 employees and an apprenticeships programme which makes up around ten per cent of its workforce at any one time.
Rick added: “Most of our apprentices remain with the company and many go on to further education after initial training, due to our continued investment in the development of our people.
“We consider apprentices to be the future leaders of the business and can proudly boast that our chief operating officer and board director, Gareth Barker, started out at Sheffield Forgemasters as an apprentice and worked his way up through the company to one of the most senior positions.”
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead. It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.Here we speak to Luke Gidney, Managing Director at Leeds estate agent HOP.HOP is predicting a slowdown in the housing market in 2023, rather than a crash, and expects property values to fall by approximately 8% due to increased interest rates, which follows several years of high price growth.The company also manages one of West Yorkshire’s largest rentals portfolios, worth more than £245 million, and expects rents to increase by 7% in 2023, slightly lower than the 10% year on year increases over the last few years.
Rising interest rates have disrupted the property market in recent months and although further increases are likely, we don’t expect them to go as high as some forecasts. We predict interest rates will peak at around 4% in 2023.
The property market is very much linked to confidence in the economy, as well as employment, interest rates and the supply of housing stock. Employment rates are high with more job adverts than workers available, and there’s still a shortage of property available for sale, which will help to support prices.
Although the cost of fixed price mortgages soared following the mini-budget, they are now falling again and should stabilise early next year as more products become available, which will give borrowers a greater degree of certainty. Borrowing costs will still be higher than what we’ve become used to over the last 15 years or so, and with 300,000 fixed term mortgages coming up for renewal each quarter, it will be an anxious time for those who are re-mortgaging.
Therefore, after several years of rapid house price growth, it’s likely that this spring, sold prices will be approximately 8% lower than they were at the same point 12 months ago, but it will be a slowdown in the market, rather than a full-blown crash. There will be a small drop in transaction volumes and this will mean a slight reduction in asking prices, down around 5% in 2023.
The growth we’ve seen in recent years will give sellers more room to negotiate on their asking price though and we will see a shift to an environment that favours buyers. This could be good news for some, including cash buyers and first timers, especially now that the Help to Buy scheme has come to an end.
Ultimately, things will be calmer, and the market will level out in 2023, making the role of an experienced estate agent, with strong local knowledge and accurate marketing advice, more important than ever for sellers looking to negotiate an evolving market.
Christeyns UK, the Bradford-based cleaning and hygiene specialist, has completed the acquisition of Gannon Chemicals based in Claremorris, County Mayo, Ireland.
Already a key player in the Irish marketplace, this acquisition provides a firm footing to further build Christeyns’ Irish business and forms part of the company’s strategic plans to become the supplier of choice in all markets in which they operate.
Dave Aveyard, who takes up the position of Managing Director for Christeyns Operations in Ireland, said: “We are delighted to conclude this strategically important acquisition, of Gannon Chemicals.
“Christeyns already has a strong presence in Ireland with business in the Food and Beverage, Commercial Laundry, Hospitality and Construction sectors and this acquisition will provide us with a manufacturing and warehouse base as well as increasing our share of the cleaning and hygiene market. Our goal is to become the dominant player within Ireland and this acquisition is a key step in achieving this ambition.”
Gannon Chemicals was founded in 1972 and has a proud tradition of supplying hygiene products to businesses across a number of sectors with an established reputation in the hospitality and food and beverage sectors.
A family run business headed up by Paul Gannon, the firm is an expert producer of sustainable cleaning solutions and performance measurement systems using evidence-based approaches in its design and manufacture of cleaning chemicals.
With sustainability a key element of Christeyns operating practices, both in its chemical manufacturing and its water and energy saving technology, Gannon Chemicals is a natural fit and sits well in the portfolio of sister companies under the Christeyns UK umbrella.
Paul Gannon, Managing Director of Gannon, said: “The coming together of Christeyns and Gannon is great news for our customers and employees. The combined strength of our heritage and the huge portfolio and technical expertise Christeyns possesses will position the newly combined business as the supplier of choice.”
Neil Jones, Managing Director for Christeyns U.K. & Ireland, said: “We are thrilled to conclude this acquisition which demonstrates our commitment to growth and investment in Ireland which we believe will bring benefits for our customers, our partner distributors and our employees.”
Paul Gannon will transfer with the business and continue his leadership role.
Companies from Doncaster and Wakefield have worked with the Environment Agency to ‘reset’ a stretch of the River Witham above Grantham to capture of more than 100 tonnes of carbon, help drought and reduce flood risk downstream.
Breheny Civil Engineering, which has a base in Doncaster, and Ebsford Environmental from Wakefield have worked with a landowner and the Environment `agency own the scheme.
The restoration is in a rural river valley where there are no properties or roads within the confined valley floor that can be impacted by the wetter landscape.
The project involved infilling the river channel with soil to allow water to spill out and choose the direction it takes. This will create wetlands and smaller streams. Fallen timber has been added to slow the flow of the water leaving the site.
The wetlands act like a sponge, they encourage water to spill out onto the flood plain during wet periods but also release water back into the river in low flow periods. This means the wetlands will help support wildlife during drought as well as reducing flood risk downstream. The wetlands will also help to trap nutrients and fine sediment resulting in cleaner river water downstream, benefitting fish and other animals.
The works have already raised groundwater levels across the site by 1.5 metres, creating a wetter environment that may not have existed for 2,500 years. This work has combated the historical drainage that took place for land drainage and milling purposes.
Project Manager Katie Murphy from the Environment Agency, said: `”These works link to other projects across the UK and the US where this technique was developed. The project also links to a wider catchment-based floodplain restoration approach led by East Mercia Rivers Trust and the Wild Trout Trust. They have been instrumental in supporting delivery of projects on the Upper Witham.
“It will be fascinating to watch the site, river and wetlands develop and evolve over time. This is especially true now that the river has the freedom to choose its own shape and form without human interference.”
Boroughbridge-based temperature-controlled storage and distribution business Reed Boardall has promoted Norman Hartley to transport operations director.
Previously head of transport operations, Norman joined the business in 2006 and has progressed through various positions including operations shift manager and planning manager.
In his new role, he will be responsible for reviewing and developing processes to drive efficiency and achieve organisational growth.
Chiefg Exec Marcus Boardall said: “Norman is a confident leader who has constantly demonstrated his ability to manage, motivate and develop teams to deliver operational excellence.
“He’s a fantastic example of one of our many long-serving colleagues who, through hard work and talent, has built a career with us. This latest promotion is well-deserved recognition of his commitment to the company and we believe he will make a valuable contribution in his new role.”
Norman said: “Reed Boardall is a great family-based business to work for and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last 16 years here. I’m looking forward to this exciting and challenging new role and the opportunity to use my knowledge and experience to help drive the company forward to continued future success.”
Reed Boardall is one of the largest temperature-controlled food distribution businesses in the UK, storing and delivering frozen food from manufacturers across Britain, Europe and further afield to all the UK’s best-known supermarkets. It operates round the clock seven days a week, and has 200-strong fleet of vehicles moving an average of 12,000 pallets a day. It employs more than 800 staff.
East Lindsey District Council has appointed Lindum Group to build its £8.5m Campus for Future Living in Mablethorpe.
The signing of the build contract is a significant milestone for the Council, marking the first council-led Town Deal project moving to the delivery stage in 2023.
The flagship project for the Lincolnshire coast and wider East Lindsey has received £8.5m from the Mablethorpe Town Deal funding from the Government’s Levelling Up agenda, supported by the Connected Coast Board.
Work will now begin on site in January with turf cutting scheduled for early February. The build is scheduled for completion and handover to the Council in 2024.
Led by a coalition of local, regional, and national partners, the Campus for Future Living offers significant potential in reducing health inequalities in Mablethorpe as well as across the district.
It presents an opportunity to put Mablethorpe at the forefront of medical technology and innovation, offering a centre for health and care related teaching, training, research and development.
Accommodation, a coffee hub and parking facilities are also part of the scheme.
Cllr William Gray, Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing at East Lindsey District Council, said: “The signing of the construction contract is a milestone for the Campus for Future Living and I am delighted the council has Lindum Group on board.
“The possibilities the Campus of Future Living offers residents and the opportunities it will bring to people in Mablethorpe and our communities are truly exciting.”
Lindum Group MD Freddie Chambers said: “This is a great project for Lindum to be involved in, not just because it’s the area’s first Towns Fund scheme but also because it should have a positive impact on local health care, which as a large employer of Lincolnshire people, is important to us too.
“We have been working closely with the council to develop the design of the building which also has many ‘green’ credentials. Using BREEAM Excellence guidelines as a benchmark, it will incorporate air source heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage systems. There will also be electric charging stations for mobility scooters and lots of natural ventilation. All these elements will help to reduce the running costs and operational carbon impact of the finished building.
Julian Free, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Lincoln said: “We are very excited about the Campus for Future Living and are confident it will have a positive impact on the people of Mablethorpe and beyond.
“It is fantastic to have the Campus for Future Living construction contract with Lindum signed. We are now firmly advancing to the delivery of what will be a transformative project in Mablethorpe driving better health and social care outcomes for the local community. The University is pleased to have played its part in getting to this stage and looks forward to being an active participant in the completed Centre.”
Grimsby-headquartered HSH Cold Stores, part of Constellation Cold Logistics and a provider of temperature-controlled storage and distribution solutions across the UK, has reached agreement to acquire fellow Grimsby firm Associated Cold Stores & Transport Limited (ACS&T), a subsidiary of Camellia.
The transaction is expected to close on 10 January 2023.
The acquisition of ACS&T will expand HSH’s strategic presence across the UK, increasing the company’s storage capacity to include ACS&T’s facilities in Grimsby, Tewkesbury, and Wolverhampton, and grow the company’s storage offering to around 140,000 pallet positions.
In addition, the acquisition will boost HSH’s offering of temperature-controlled distribution services, which grows to 75 LGV lorries when including HSH and ACS&T’s existing fleets.
Anthony Howard, Managing Director at HSH, noted the strategic benefits of HSH’s acquisition of ACS&T: “We are enormously proud and excited to welcome ACS&T to the HSH family, the acquisition will provide a unique opportunity for HSH to expand its storage and distribution services for our new and existing customers.
“Having co-founded HSH nearly 20 years ago, I am extremely proud to see how our company has grown over the years and would like to extend my gratitude to our team on reaching this milestone. I look forward to collaborating with the team at ACS&T to accelerate our growth and develop new high quality cold chain solutions.”
As the government confirms that 45,000 visas will be made available for horticultural businesses next year, NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw warns of the importance of timely decision making to enable growth in the sector.
Defra has confirmed that 45,000 visas for seasonal workers will be available for horticultural businesses in 2023, as part of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Scheme. The announcement also includes the potential to increase this figure by a further 10,000 if necessary.
Responding to Defra’s announcement, NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw said: “This increase in visas is a positive step forward and will be a relief for many growers who are currently struggling to find the skilled workforce needed to continue producing the nation’s fruit, vegetables and ornamentals.
“For some growers, this announcement will have come too late with some already having made the difficult decision to reduce production in the coming season.
“Growers have faced a really tough year with soaring energy and fertiliser costs only adding to the pressure caused by significant workforce shortages, which resulted in £60 million of fruit and vegetables being wasted in the first half of 2022 alone. And we expect the coming 2023 season to be equally challenging.”
Through the Seasonal Worker visa route, businesses can recruit foreign workers to come to the UK for up to six months.
Defra has confirmed that the first 4,000 visas will be made available to operators in time to ensure that daffodil growers have the labour available for their harvest at the start of 2023.
Striking new images show how Doncaster’s iconic and historic Corn Exchange will be restored to its former glory in a multi-million pound makeover, following a successful funding bid to the Levelling Up Fund.
Artists impressions have been released by Market Asset Management (MAM) and Doncaster Council to show how they intend to the enhance the iconic Grade II* Listed Corn Exchange, as part of ambitious plans to transform the city centre after an £18.6 million cash injection from the Government’s Levelling Up fund.
The Levelling Up Fund presented a once in a generation opportunity to breathe fresh life into the historic Corn Exchange, undertaking physical works to make it fit for modern trading and restoring the heritage features of the building. The scheme will create modern, attractive trading units on the ground floor creating a space where market traders can thrive.
Credit: Group Ginger.
The Corn Exchange will continue to be home to a variety of trading units, creative spaces, studios for artists, makers businesses and pop-up traders, supporting a wide range of businesses with customers able to browse, watch artisans at work and make purchases directly from skilled makers.
Market operators MAM have now given the public a glimpse at the intended multi-million make over to repair and revitalise the building to retain its heritage but also support Doncaster Council’s ambition to evolve and diversify Doncaster Marketplace for the 21st century with The Enterprise Markets remaining at the heart of future city centre plans.
The plans were unveiled after the Corn Exchange was temporarily closed for refurbishment, with traders relocated to either Goose Hill (next to Doncaster Fish Market) or the International Food Hall, where they are now trading successfully and welcoming customers old and new.
Councillor Phil Cole, Cabinet Member for Finance and Trading Services, said: “We are immensely proud of Doncaster Market, its tremendous character, excellent market traders and a diverse, high quality food and retail offer.
“Following our successful bid for Levelling Up funding, we welcome this opportunity to enhance the Corn Exchange as a vibrant retail environment, attractive to residents and visitors alike and further supporting our local traders to thrive.
“The restoration work will enhance the beauty and scale of our striking 19th century Corn Exchange, a building that is grand enough to occupy the heart of any English city centre. This is just one of a number of steps in our Urban Centre Masterplan to revitalise Doncaster, and we are grateful for the help and support of our many partners.”
Credit: Group Ginger.
Hayden Ferriby, commercial director at MAM, said: “We are incredibly excited at the plans for the Corn Exchange as part of our ongoing work and commitment to increase and diversify what the award-winning Doncaster Market offers.
“Visitors want to visit unique destinations that give them an experience to remember and somewhere they want to visit again – these plans will not only help preserve an iconic building but ensure Doncaster Markets plays its role in building on Doncaster’s continued rejuvenation and recently awarded city status.”
Built in 1870 the Corn Exchange is famous for its barrel vaulted roof and Victorian classical architecture is now part of Doncaster Market.
It has a rich history from Elgar conducting the London Symphony Orchestra and a young Winston Churchill speaking about his experiences during the Boer War.
Samantha Mooney, project architect, said: “The proposals, developed by Group Ginger Architects, focus on removing the former central mezzanine to open up the space, revealing heritage features and providing a flexible, open space to host a diverse range of events including pop up markets.
“A new timber clad feature staircase connects the ground floor to the International Food Market and first floor galleries, reinstating a sense of grandeur in the space. Lift access is introduced to the first floor balconies to improve the accessibility and inclusion of the space, encouraging new users and uses. Roller shuttered shopfronts are replaced with a contemporary interpretation of a traditional Victorian bay shopfront, with an openable sliding sash frontage in keeping with traditional ‘trade-over’ market stalls.”
Credit: Group Ginger.
The plans in more detail include:
● Removal of central mezzanine to create open event / pop up trading space
● Creation of modern retail units in keeping with the heritage status of the building
● Accessibility to all levels within the Corn Exchange
● Connectivity with International Food Hall and Market Square
● New trader and event toilet facilities
● Sensitive refurbishment of the iconic Corn Exchange building – the oldest building within the Market Estate.
The plans for the Corn Exchange are part of a Doncaster Council blueprint to transform the city centre and come after it was awarded £18.6m Levelling Up funding last November.
The images released come amid an exciting time for Doncaster Market.
The market, operated by Market Asset Management (MAM), is host to an array of independent traders offering global cuisine, fresh local produce and a range of retail goods and services.
The Wool Market continues to grow as a popular place for people to socialise, shop, eat and enjoy events and entertainment. A new entertainment zone has recently opened to complement the Wool Market’s excellent independent street food traders – attracting new customers and encouraging visitors to stay longer. A brand-new main stage area has also opened, and new furniture has been installed, comfy chairs, couches, and tables – plus some greenery to brighten up customers’ days.
Doncaster Market impressed Great British Market Awards judges earlier this year and awarded Doncaster Fish Market the Best Small Food Market title.
Judges praised the historic market’s ‘distinct charm’ and called it ‘the future of the town’ and were impressed with its quality, affordability, and market managers’ commitment to supporting new businesses.
The transformation of a former bank in Bradford into apartments and a commercial space has been completed with a final contract value of £620,000.
Priestley Construction, the Leeds-based contractor which specialises in the refurbishment of historic buildings, has delivered the project with the developer IP Properties. The 6,322 square foot building was acquired in March 2017 and has now been fully completed.
12 Piccadilly is now comprised of 14 apartments which occupy the second and third floors of the three-story former bank. The ground floor will offer self-contained commercial space for businesses to rent.
Although the building has been modernised inside, as this site was a Grade-II listed building, Priestley Construction combined original features with new, high specification details.
Bob Priestley, head of construction, said: “It was great to work on another project in Bradford. Although we had some access and parking restrictions initially, we overcame these by having a strong team with excellent logistical and planning skills.
“We have created further apartments in the city and although this contract is not as large as Conditioning House, it brings another historic building of value to life and creates more city living in Bradford.”
Located in Bradford city centre, the apartments are being retained by the developer for the rental market, aimed at young professionals in particular.
Long-established packaging and stationery business, Scarborough-based Duraweld, is expanding across the sector with the acquisition of Prima in Bradford which also provides creative packaging solutions.
With over 20 years’ experience, Prima has established a reputation as a leading designer and manufacturer of quality folding card and PVC high frequency welded products. Its products range from printed and plain folding cartons, corrugated cartons and point-of-sale folders and pockets, through to ring binders, PVC pockets and paper over-board boxes and folders. Its clients include retailers, educational institutions, councils and the NHS.Founded in 1959, Duraweld designs and manufactures a wide range of packaging and stationery products for customers from the NHS to the FA, working across sectors such as healthcare and retail. Led by Managing Director Mark Yeung, it has a purpose-built factory which includes in-house screen printing, digital printing, inline paper over board wrapping, high-frequency welding, sonic welding, digital and hydraulic cutting, foil-blocking and embossing. The company employs around 50 people.Duraweld has acquired the business and assets of Prima for an undisclosed sum. Advisers to Duraweld on the deal included Tony Berry and Isabelle Hammond of Clarion in Leeds who provided legal advice; with Jack Tennant of Wilsons Solicitors in Bradford acting for Prima.
Mark Yeung, Managing Director of Duraweld, said: “As a market leader in customised stationery and packaging, Prima further extends our range of products, enabling us to continue to expand the business. In such a competitive sector, it’s vital to keep looking to the future and planning for growth – the acquisition of Prima will make a significant contribution to our business, adding to our skilled team and building on the solid foundations we have established.”Isabelle Hammond of Clarion added: “This is the first time we’ve worked with Duraweld and we were pleased to have been able to complete the deal in just three weeks. It’s great to be supporting such an ambitious, forward-looking business.”
Seven Search and Selection Ltd has signed a deal to transfer full ownership across to its employees.
“With it being Seven’s 20th birthday this year, this has made us reflect and consider the future, in particular the future ownership of the business,” says Gabby Rosenberg, co-owning director and one of the original employees at Seven Search and Selection.
“Selling the business in full (100%) to its employees in the form of an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) was a no brainer for us and means that Seven continues to retain the collective values, expertise and commitment of the people in it.”
Rosenberg explained how other ownership transfer strategies were likely to cause disruption and damage the brand that has been built around its core values over the last 20 years. An EOT means all Seven colleagues will be working for each other with a common goal of sharing in the growth and success of the company.
“The team at Seven are a very loyal bunch who all live and breathe our values of honesty, understanding, commitment and passion. The EOT means we can reward those who form the bedrock of the company, and the people that make Seven what it is are now an even more integral part of its future. This move was the only one that made sense to us, it means we are passing the baton on to those who truly understand our business, culture, and values.”
Having ownership of the company means that all employees are now personally invested in the success of Seven.
Kieran Robb, managing consultant and employee of Seven for over eight years, said: “I feel lucky to be part of a business that truly puts people at the heart of its strategy. Seven has been a big part of my professional life, and for me to now have an ownership stake in the company is very exciting. I feel even more empowered to continue driving Seven forwards.”
Gabby, along with the other Seven owning directors Liam Stokey and Stewart Wilson, have circa 60 years combined employment at Seven between them and they will all continue to form the leadership team at the recruitment firm that specialises in the FMCG and consumer goods sector. With clients such as Hovis, Aldi, Ocado, Ferrero and General Mills, amongst others, Seven is one of the longest standing, sector-specific consumer recruitment firms in the UK.
The team at Seven were supported by Andy Francey and Brad Adams (Freeths LLP) and Ian Meek (Buckle Barton Chartered Accountants) in the Employee Ownership Trust sale.
York Handmade Brick Company has played a pivotal role in the construction of a new-build housing development in Easingwold.
York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold, supplied tens of thousands of bricks for the Pastures in Stillington Road, a development of nine new quality houses.
The development was completed this autumn and all nine houses have been sold.
The contract was worth £59,000.
Dan Warrington, the developer of The Pastures, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the stunning success of The Pastures. There’s no doubt that our buyers have been impressed by the exceptional build quality, which makes these houses stand out.
“We wanted our houses to be special, which is why we chose York Handmade’s bricks. The quality of the bricks and their appearance are magnificent. We are so pleased with the finished product. We wanted to fit in with the Vale of York vernacular and create a bespoke product which complemented and enhanced the village and I think we have achieved that.
“All nine houses have been sold already and I am sure their attractive appearance, enhanced by York Handmade’s bricks, played an importance part in this.”
Alun Nixon of York Handmade Brick said: “It makes us incredibly proud to hear these words from a successful developer like Dan and it was a privilege to play a part in creating some special family homes in Easingwold. This is a very attractive development, which is providing much-needed local housing and enhancing the community. It is no surprise that it has been a resounding success.
“While we have recently completed some stunning commissions for residential and commercial developments in London and other UK cities, it is vitally important that we continue to provide our bricks to more local Yorkshire developers and for self-builders.
“It is especially gratifying to see how our bricks blend in seamlessly with the quintessentially rural landscapes of a North Yorkshire town. We are deeply committed to North Yorkshire and the Vale of York, where we have been manufacturing bricks for the past 34 years, and it is a real pleasure to see our work being represented locally.”
David Armitage, the chairman of York Handmade, explained that this has been a significant year for York Handmade in the new-build residential sector.
“We have just been highly commended in the Individual Housing category of the 2022 Brick Awards for Green Acres, a stunning new detached house in Effingham in Surrey. The competition at the Brick Awards, the Oscars of the brick industry, is always incredibly tough and we are very proud of this achievement.”
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead. It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.Here we speak to Edward Ziff, chairman and Chief Executive of Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS).
Following the good work of the last two years, I am excited by TCS’ diversified portfolio and the potential of our strong development pipeline. I believe these show we have a sound business that is well placed for the future and can only benefit as more and more people return to normal city life.
However, it is hard to be completely optimistic. Businesses have been through a tough time during the pandemic, and it is a shame to be faced with more turmoil in our world. The Russia/Ukraine conflict and the unpredictability resulting from the situation has led to inflationary and other economic pressures not only on our business, but also those of our tenants including changes to consumer spending, increased property and other expenses, interest rate rises, a weakening sterling exchange rate, increased construction costs and rent affordability.
We remain focused on enhancing value for our shareholders and will continue to look at opportunistic disposals and acquisitions offering significant opportunities once there is further stability in the real estate sector and wider economy.
Considering the balance of the underlying progress we are making in resetting and reinvigorating our business and these macro-economic and geopolitical challenges, I remain encouraged about the many opportunities for TCS and committed to delivering on our accelerated four-pillar strategy and continuing to deliver value for all our stakeholders.
Once again as we take further steps towards returning to normal life, I wish everyone the very best for 2023.
Yorkshire Building Society has been ranked tenth in The Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers List 2022/23 in recognition of its continued dedication to workplace diversity.
The mutual climbed six places from last year’s ranking after building on inclusive initiatives such as new colleague networks, a development programme specifically for black, Asian and ethnically diverse colleagues and rolling out strength-based assessments for more inclusive recruitment.
Baljit Singh, talent resourcing and inclusion lead at Yorkshire Building Society, said:”This award reflects another great year of progressing our inclusion and diversity ambitions and we’re all really pleased and very proud that the Society’s commitment to inclusion, equality and diversity continues to be recognised externally.
“We’re committed to building a more inclusive and welcoming place for all to work. I’m looking forward to seeing what more we can achieve with the plans we have in place for next year and beyond, but for now, we celebrate how far we’ve come to make the Society a better workplace.”
Compiled by Inclusive Companies, the UK list acknowledges and ranks businesses which are most consistent throughout the whole tenure of their organisations and encompass all types of diversity. Now in its seventh year, it has become the definitive cross-industry index harnessing both best practice and innovation with the goal of driving inclusion for all.
The Olde Barn Hotel in Grantham has been sold out of administration, seeing all jobs saved.
The sale to an unnamed buyer comes after the hotel fell into administration for the third time.
It had previously been rescued by Shepherd Cox Hotels (Grantham) Limited in 2020, part of the Shepherd Cox Hotel Group.
The Olde Barn Hotel has over 100 bedrooms, a leisure club, restaurant and function facilities.
Nicholas Barnett, administrator at Libertas Insolvency Practitioners, said: “I can confirm that following an extensive marketing campaign (that took place prior to my appointment), a sale of the business and assets took place shortly after my appointment as administrator of the company.
“I am pleased to report that all employees were transferred to the purchaser and as such there will be no redundancies.
“Furthermore, the purchaser is honouring all pre-paid future bookings, so the hotel continues to trade and customers will not be affected.”
Two nuclear industry leaders have joined the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre executive team to help more UK manufacturers win work in the sector.
Liz Gregory has been appointed to the new role of Supply Chain & Skills Director following a key role in delivering the nuclear sector deal, while Tom Purnell joins as Business Development Director from Frazer-Nash Consultancy.
“I am really excited to have Liz and Tom join my team,” says Andrew Storer, CEO. “The Nuclear AMRC has been central to so many key subjects for the sector, and now is the right time to strengthen the lead team so we can provide the increased support needed to ensure UK companies win work.
“Liz and Tom have a huge amount of relevant experience and will be great assets to the organisation, which we have already started to benefit from. I really look forward to working with them.”
The Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre helps UK manufacturers win work across the nuclear sector, in new build, operations and decommissioning.
Two in five small firms don’t want to see a move towards a cashless society, according to new research from iwoca, one of Europe’s largest small business lenders,.
The analysis finds that around half (46%) of small firms use cash each month, while a third use it every week.
While three in ten small businesses have reduced their use of cash since the start of the pandemic, the majority are using it to the same extent, with some even seeing greater demand from customers. Over half of SMEs say their use of notes and coins has remained stable despite the increase of contactless and online payments being rolled out during the pandemic, with more than one in ten companies seeing an increase.
SMEs still use cash for a variety of reasons, with flexibility for customers coming out on top. Nearly six in ten businesses back cash to promote consumer choice (57%), while a quarter are concerned that card payment costs remain too high (24%).
While the use of cash has declined among many small businesses, iwoca says SMEs are evenly split on whether cash should be phased out in future. Two-fifths say that they want to keep using coins and notes with their customers, while the same proportion wants to stop using them entirely.
Colin Goldstein, Commercial Director at iwoca, said: “For hundreds of thousands of small businesses, access to physical money is still essential for the day-to-day running of their company. Yes – the pandemic has moved more businesses towards contactless payments, but the real story here is the strong resilience of cash. From coffee shops to hair salons, restaurants to construction sites, it seems that SMEs want to continue using coins and notes long into the future.”
A Yorkshire entrepreneur has rescued The Garden Trading Company (a subsidiary of Market Harborough-based Joules Group PLC) from administration, saving all 53 jobs.
Under the undisclosed deal, TIM Group Holdings (TGH) will work with the current management team to continue to deliver “exceptional quality” home and garden products.
TGH, founded by Yorkshire entrepreneur Tim Whitworth, is a private equity house that uses independent capital to invest in and partner with businesses of varying sizes.
Tim Whitworth, managing partner, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with a business with such great history and provenance, along with an unrivalled product range. We are extremely impressed by the management team and have great confidence in supporting and investing in their future.”
Ryan Grant and Will Wright from Interpath Advisory were appointed joint administrators to The Garden Trading Company on 16 November 2022.
Founded in 1994, The Garden Trading Company takes inspiration from both the British countryside and city lifestyle trends to develop products for consumers and some of the world’s leading retailers.
Laurie Houghton, Managing Director of The Garden Trading Company, said: “I’m delighted that TIM Group Holdings shares our vision and commitment to both our customers and our team to support our ambitious plans in growing both the brand and product range in the future.”
Ryan Grant, Managing Director at Interpath Advisory and joint administrator, said: “The Garden Trading Company had grown rapidly to become a leading retailer of distinctive garden and homewares, so we’re pleased to have achieved this outcome which ensures the business will continue to trade, and which safeguards over 50 jobs. We wish the management team and TGH all the very best for the future.”
The Garden Trading Company was advised on the legal aspects of the deal by Eversheds Sutherland. The buyer, TGH was advised by Freeths LLP.
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