Schofield Sweeney names new apprentices and trainees
Law firm Schofield Sweeney, which operates in Leeds, Bradford, and Huddersfield, has welcomed a new cohort of solicitor apprentices and trainees.
The firm advocates social mobility, ensuring its workforce is diverse and inclusive and offers an excellent environment for development and progress. It is also a member of the West Yorkshire Fair Work Charter.
Four new apprentices, chosen from over 140 applicants, are now embarking on a Level 6 apprenticeship programme with BPP, which they will complete in six years’ time.
Simon Glazebrook, partner and apprenticeship principal, said: “These aspiring lawyers have all excelled through the recruitment process and we are really excited to have them on board. They will benefit from the considerable support provided through our structured programme as well as from working closely with experts specialising in different legal disciplines. The firm has already successfully brought solicitors through to, and beyond, qualification through this route and we are committed to, and passionate about, identifying and developing young talent in this way.”
For the first two years of the apprenticeship, Anna Hall will join environmental and regulatory in Leeds, Lucy Sheehan will join real estate in Bradford, Harriet Simon will join contentious probate in Huddersfield, and Florence Wharton will join property litigation in Leeds.
This brings the total number of apprentices across the firm to 13, including apprenticeships in business administration and IT.
Meanwhile, Emily Brown graduated from Northumbria University in 2020 and has been working in-house as a paralegal in the corporate and commercial team at Jet2 for the past two years. She is joining the real estate team in Huddersfield.
Holly Goldsborough-Pike graduated from Newcastle University in 2022 before studying her LPC there. Her first seat will be in the dispute resolution team in Leeds.
Emma Davies has been with Schofield Sweeney since November 2022 as a paralegal in the corporate team in Bradford, through the firm’s ‘foot in the door’ internal recruitment process, she has commenced a training contract in the same team.
Leo Jones-Rowe, partner and training principal, said: “Each of the trainees and solicitor apprentices has already achieved so much to secure their place. I’d like to congratulate them on taking this significant step in their career and welcome them to the firm. We invest a lot of resources to nurture these individuals to become our future partners, and we can’t wait to see them grow and achieve their ambitions with us”.
Dearne Playhouse reopens following extensive refurbishment
The Dearne Playhouse is reopening its doors after being transformed into a modern, accessible cultural hub offering more creative opportunities to the community.
The theatre has benefitted from significant investment from the UK Government’s Towns Fund to modernise and upgrade its facilities.
The 101-year-old Playhouse, formerly the Miners’ Welfare Hall, is a cultural cornerstone of the Dearne and its restoration will ensure it continues to be a focal point for the community for generations to come.
Creative groups have already begun using the renewed facilities and a traditional pantomime, Snow White, will be staged in December.
The large-scale refurbishment is part of a £3 million project also benefitting neighbouring Welfare Park.
Work began last year with the replacement of the theatre’s roof and installation of new lighting and technical equipment.
A second phase launched in February and now completed includes:
- Transformation of the basement from a storage space into rehearsal rooms and a modern, soundproof music rehearsal studio.
- Redecoration of the auditorium, bar and public areas, including sensitive repainting of the Playhouse’s distinctive gold detailing.
- Installation of a new stage floor and updates to dressing rooms and backstage areas.
- Fitting of energy-efficient LED lighting and a new boiler to reduce running costs.
- CCTV funded by the Office of the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner for enhanced security and monitoring by South Yorkshire Police.
- Restoration of stonework by professional masons to preserve the building’s historic character.
- Installation of a new basement entrance and walkway to ensure the facility is fully accessible.
Leeds Beckett University project with Aggregate Industries reducing injury risk in construction materials industry
A project completed by Leeds Beckett University and Aggregate Industries UK (AIUK) is reducing the risk of injuries and increasing productivity and profitability for AIUK – as well as informing best practice around safety in the UK construction materials industry.
The Safety Voice project was a two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project, part-funded by the Government through Innovate UK. The project aimed to reduce transport-related risk across AIUK’s sites, using an innovative, proactive approach.
The team – including Leeds Beckett psychology experts and a full-time KTP Associate – have created a dynamic toolkit to reduce future incidents and fatalities. This is now being rolled out across the organisation worldwide and creating a safer and healthier place for employees.
AIUK has more than 200 sites and around 3,700 employees across the UK. They are part of the Holcim Group, a global leader in building materials and solutions, operating across 70 countries worldwide.
The project was led by Dr Jim Morgan, Principal Lecturer and Leader of the Psychology Applied to Safety and Health (PASH) research group at Leeds Beckett. Dr Morgan explained: “We have designed and implemented a toolkit, using academic theory and models, which proactively identifies safe and unsafe behaviours within the business.
“This includes a step-by-step process for developing work system redesign – the way work is planned and conducted – and behaviour change programmes. This means AIUK can fully understand the underlying factors that influence their workplace safety and are putting in place strategies to prevent fatalities and reduce future incidents.”
AIUK estimate that – as a direct result of the KTP – they will increase their profits by £8million within the next three years. This is based on predicted cost savings from reduced fatalities and injuries, increased productivity due to work system redesign and reduced injury-related employee absence, and an increase in the number of bids won for new work.
The KTP has now been graded ‘Outstanding’ by independent assessors at Innovate UK – this is the highest possible rating awarded to projects.
A key element of the KTP’s success was Laura Jackson – the full-time Associate recruited to manage the project as a member of the AIUK team, with the support of the Leeds Beckett academic experts. Laura led four research studies, including questionnaires and interviews involving more than 280 drivers, and a highly innovative eye tracking and sleep study.
The Safety Voice Toolkit supports AIUK’s long-term aim to be the safest company in the industry, and to achieve ‘zero harm’ in its workplaces. It will be shared across the UK construction materials industry to inform best practice.
Following the success of the KTP, Laura Jackson has secured a newly-created role at AIUK as Behavioural Safety Business Partner – leading AIUK in their journey to improve behavioural safety across the whole organisation. Laura is also continuing to study for her Masters by Research (MRes) degree at Leeds Beckett University.
Laura said: “To achieve AIUK’s ambitions, they needed the psychological expertise relating to safety and health in the workplace at Leeds Beckett. The targeted and tailored safety behaviour change interventions that we have developed are not something that could be achieved by off-the-shelf consultancy services.
“The KTP has had a significant impact on safety culture at AIUK. I worked hard to gain trust with colleagues, and tactfully engaged stakeholders, to successfully instil core values, foster collaboration, and promote accountability. This has been a genuine ‘bottom up’ approach to zero harm strategy – and is the first step in a long-term shift in how we manage and prioritise safety in the workplace.
“I am now enhancing our strategic safety plan for 2024 onwards, which includes a structured approach to identifying, addressing and preventing unsafe behaviours and conditions.”
Jo Griffiths, Head of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships at Leeds Beckett University, added: “To have achieved an Outstanding grading for the project is testament to the success of this collaboration between Laura, our academic team, and AIUK.
“We are thrilled with the impact this is creating across the international Holcim Group – and look forward to continuing to make lasting impact for the extensive range of businesses, public sector and third sector organisations we work with through our KTP programme.”
Fare cuts of 20% designed to get more people on the trains
Fares on TransPennine Express and Northern trains from Hull to both Scarborough and Selby have been cut until Saturday 21 December to try and increase the number of customers using the line.
All return tickets are being reduced by 20% across the board – and single tickets will never cost more than 60% of the price of a return.
Season tickets will also be chopped by 20% in an attempt to attract customers to switch their commute from road to rail for the long term.
Kerry Peters, regional director for Northern, said: “We have the capacity on our trains to move many more people about the region than we currently are – and this temporary price reduction is important to see if we can convince people to make the switch from road to rail. By slashing the price of tickets across the board, we hope it’ll prove a ‘catch-all’ whatever the purpose of people’s journeys.”
Northern services between Hull and Selby call at Hessle, Ferriby, Brough, Broomfleet, Gilberdyke, Eastrington, Howden and Wressle. Their services between Scarborough and Hull call at Seamer, Hunmanby, Bempton, Bridlington, Nafferton, Driffield, Hutton Cranswick, Arram, Beverley and Cottingham.
TransPennine Express services between Hull and Selby call at Brough and Howden.
Darren Higgins, commercial director at TransPennine Express, said: “We hope these affordable prices will encourage more people to use rail for their commute or travel for leisure.”
The price reduction has been welcomed by Hull City Council and follows regular meetings between the authority and the two operators, as well as motions to Full Council, aimed at increasing the use of rail as a way of helping tackle congestion in the city.
Hull company scoops Concorde coup with seat restoration project
The Hull-based Leather Repair Company has started work on restoring the seats on Concorde, which attracts thousands of visitors every year to the Runway Visitor Park at Manchester Airport.
Richard and Carolynne Hutchins from Withernsea are also polishing their skills to meet the needs of other aviation clients as the first business in Europe to be trained and accredited to the international standard of the Aviation Detailing Association.
The Concorde coup came about after the couple found themselves with time to kill while waiting for a delayed flight from Manchester to the United States. They went to the Runway Visitor Park and decided to offer their services.
Richard said: “We didn’t know the Runway Visitor Park was there, never mind Concorde, but we did the tour and we were fascinated by the stories about the plane and her passengers.”
Queen Elizabeth II flew on G-BOAC Concorde many times as did countless celebrities including George Michael, whose “Patience” album featured a white leather sofa which last year took centre stage in Richard’s and Carolynne’s Hull workshop while they restored its gleaming original look.
While admiring Concorde they met John Hepple from the Runway Visitor Park and heard how the iconic jet is considered the star of the collection and is housed in her own hangar, which doubles as an event space accommodating up to 750 guests with full catering services.
John said: “Once the choice of business leaders, celebrities, and the public for trips of a lifetime, Concorde’s legendary flight experience continues to captivate visitors over 20 years after her retirement.
“Interest in Concorde remains high, with tour experiences available throughout the year. In her airline service, Concorde operated approximately five flights per week, each carrying up to 100 passengers. Our tours attract as many as 400 visitors each weekend, with events drawing more than 200 attendees. We utilise only 40 seats in the front cabin, leading to increased wear over time, despite the durability of the Terence Conran design.”
Richard and Carolynne took two seats for testing at their premises in Argyle Industrial Estate in Hull and, after successful trials, are now restoring the rest in batches.
Richard said: “It will be a very sympathetic restoration – we need to make sure the seats still look old but are well cared for. We were immediately struck by how light they are. The backs are carbon fibre and it’s no effort at all to lift them.
“Sitting in the cockpit we found ourselves cocooned in a very small space surrounded by an immense amount of buttons and dials. Just seeing the plane reminded me of my time growing up in the south when we would hear Concorde flying high above.
“We found a few things stuffed down the side of the seats. US and UK coins, card from some Varda Chocolatier miniature bon bons from Elizabeth, New Jersey, and some toothpicks, fortunately still wrapped so not damaging the seats or the visitors!”
New campaign aims to boost restaurant footfall in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire diners in the Selby area are being given the chance to find new culinary experiences through a major campaign aimed at boosting North Yorkshire’s hospitality trade.
The new Restaurant Week is set to take place across the Selby, Tadcaster, and Sherburn-in-Elmet area for the first time from October 21 to 27.
Businesses are being encouraged to sign up for the campaign and offer special set-price menus to customers who visit their restaurants and quote the offer during the dedicated week.
Restaurant Week offers businesses in the food and hospitality industry the opportunity to increase awareness of their enterprise, attract new customers and create regular repeat customers, during a typically quieter time of the season.
Visitors to the establishments taking part in Restaurant Week can try new places, new menus, and even new dishes.
The campaign, which has already been staged in Harrogate, is being overseen by Visit North Yorkshire, our destination marketing and management service.
The MD of The Drovers Arms Restaurant and Country Pub in Skipwith, Graham Usher, welcomed the new campaign to highlight the wealth of restaurants in the area. He said: “We are delighted to be taking part and supporting the first Restaurant Week in Selby and the surrounding area.
“There is such an amazing choice of restaurants and eateries in the local vicinity and this is a great opportunity to bring them all together and showcase for a week to local residents what is available on their doorstep.
“At The Drovers Arms, we will be showcasing the wonderful produce that is available to us locally with a great value fixed price menu for lunch and dinner.”
Firms to be offered free advice about how to write the best bids
Free expert advice about writing bids for businesses is on offer at two workshops organised by Invest East Yorkshire and led by a team of bid-writing specialists.
Kate Skillman and Nigel Denison of Gimlet Associates, who have spent 16 years helping businesses of all sizes navigate and win competitive tenders, will give those taking part in the workshops an insight into the bidding process, equipping them with the knowledge and skills that they need to succeed.
Kate explained: “We understand that for small and medium-sized businesses the bid process can feel overwhelming. Through our workshops, we guide them through the essential steps, from bid preparation and selection to question analysis and deconstruction. Participants often find this last section especially valuable as it provides a useful strategy to make response writing easier, improve response content and score higher marks.
“We aim to demystify the bid process and show businesses that, with proper preparation and a strategic approach, they can compete for tenders and stand a much better chance of winning the contracts. We’ve had the pleasure of seeing several businesses we’ve worked with go on to win important contracts after attending our workshops.”
Nigel added: “Our workshops offer new perspectives and practical solutions for businesses that haven’t enjoyed the success that they desire. We equip them with the tools to decide whether a tender is right for their business, and how to efficiently allocate their resources. Ultimately, our workshops empower small businesses to produce high-quality bids, without the need for a specialised team.”
Those who have taken part in the workshops run by Kate and Nigel previously have given them a resounding thumbs-up. Vicki Hone of Hornsea Nursery said: “I would highly recommend this to anyone dipping their toe into the world of tendering. I will now look at the tender portals recommended on the course to identify opportunities to apply for funding.”
The first workshop, entitled Winning More work Through Tenders, will take place on 10 October, from 9.30am to 12 noon at RaisE Business Centre on Tom Pudding Way in Goole. This will be followed by a Practical Bid Writing Skills workshop on 12 November, from 10am to 11.15am, which will take place online.
West Yorkshire-based Inspectas puts six into new roles
Compliance specialist Inspectas has made six new appointments from trainee to board level, bolstering its team’s property expertise.
The West Yorkshire-based business, which moved into larger premises and marked its tenth anniversary last year, has brought in fire, equipment, lab, asbestos and business development professionals taking its multi-disciplinary team to 56.
Management Board Director Andy Walker joins to support the company’s strategic growth, Business Development Manager Jason Smith has been appointed to boost client support and new business streams, Irene Tom joins as Assistant Laboratory Manager, Darren Tubb as Senior Consultant (Fire), Kristian Bailey joins as Senior Asbestos and Framework Manager and Alex Robinson joins as a Trainee Analyst Surveyor.
The new appointments bring a further eight decades of compliance expertise into the business, which has a portfolio of more than 150 clients in sectors including education, healthcare, retail, construction and industrial.
Inspectas Director and co-founder Matthew Fahy said: “We are experiencing a rapid period of growth thanks to a series of new contracts in specialist housing, education, local government and the energy sector.
“Legislative requirements for building compliance is non-negotiable but can be a minefield for businesses to navigate. Many organisations are looking for external expertise and as our client base increases, we are investing in the very best practitioners to help deliver our specialist services and provide advice, guidance and a safe pair of hands from fire risk assessments to asbestos management.”
He added: “We’re delighted to welcome Andy, Jason, Irene, Darren, Kristian and Alex into the Inspectas family. It’s fantastic to provide opportunities for new starters in our industry while also attracting seasoned professionals who bring the technical knowledge to strengthen our offering even more. We’re looking forward to sharing best practice and growing the business together.”
Inspectas specialises in making and keeping properties safe. It was formed in 2013 by asbestos management professionals Craig Candlish and Matthew Fahy who combined their decades of expertise to launch a compliance business which covers all major occupational management specialisms including asbestos management and removal, health and safety, CDM and fire safety.
ABP names new Head of Group Financial Planning and Analysis.
Port operator ABP has appointed Bianca Simeone as Head of Group Financial Planning and Analysis.
During her time at ABP, Ms Simeone has supported the senior management team to set and deliver the Group’s business plan by enabling the right insights to drive business and financial decisions. She has also played a key role in developing financial reporting, planning and analysis across the business.
Mani Atwal, ABP Deputy CFO, said: “I would like to congratulate Bianca on her promotion and look forward to continuing to work together in this strategically important role for ABP, which forms a key part of the finance function’s leadership team and provides expertise to our Group planning, reporting and business partnering to other functions.”
“Especially with the launch of our twin missions of Keeping Britain Trading and Enabling the Energy Transition, we need a laser-sharp focus on our goals to stay on track and navigate external challenges in an effective manner in order to achieve sustained business growth.”
Bianca said: “I feel privileged to have witnessed how, over the past decade, ABP has transformed from a traditional port operator, focused on Keeping Britain Trading, into a business that is committed to Enabling the Energy Transition. I’m excited to see what comes next.
“There are many talented colleagues I have worked with in my time at ABP and I look forward to continuing to lead financial planning and analysis so that we can build a future we can all be proud of.”
Before joining ABP, Bianca held a number of roles across mining, transport and other industries, including at Anglo American and Heathrow.
Bus and coach firms instructed to make journeys more accessible for the disabled
From today bus and coach companies must ensure their vehicles display and announce route information for passengers with hearing and sight impairments.
The Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 require operators of bus and coach services to provide information on the route, direction of travel and each upcoming stop.
It’s said the regulations will boost confidence for travelling passengers, including those with sight and hearing impairments because route information will be clearly displayed and announced.
Vehicles first used on local services since 1 October 2019 must now be compliant. There is a staggered deadline for older vehicles through to 2026, with partially-compliant status vehicles needing to be compliant by 2031.
Leeds consulting engineers secure four more care-related contracts
Leeds-based Dudleys Consulting Engineers has secured four more contracts with Torsion Projects to provide structural and civil engineering support for new care homes in Bradford, Chesterfield, Durham, and Worksop.
The new contracts follow similar care home and retirement living projects for Torsion Care in Shipley, Bingley, Brighouse, Sleaford, Lincoln, and York for which Dudleys provided full engineering consultancy support.
In Bradford Torsion is redeveloping a brownfield site at Eccleshill to build a new 72-bedroom care home with associated ancillary services. Dudleys is providing engineering solutions to raise the site level by approximately 3 metres to provide a level plateau.
Torsion Care is also poised to deliver a new 72-bedroom care home in Chesterfield after securing planning consent subject to conditions. Dudleys is supporting the redevelopment of the former Walton Works, including Grade II listed mill buildings for the care home alongside new housing.
Works are also due to commence on site next month in Worksop where Torsion is building a new 70-bed care home within the expanding development at Gatefold Toll Bar in Worksop. Dudleys is delivering full civil and structural engineering support, working alongside Watson Batty Architects which is designing the scheme.
John Currie, MD at Torsion Projects, said: “It is a pleasure to appoint Dudleys on our next roll out of schemes. Their support and expertise from inception through to completion on multiply projects at the same time allow Torsion Projects to maintain its growth plan and deliver exceptional schemes on programme.”
Paul Brownlow, Director at Dudleys, said: “Our team is highly skilled in working with challenging brownfield sites that need varying levels of remediation from historic use or local environmental impact and we admire Torsions commitment to rejuvenating often difficult sites to provide much needed new community focused facilities.”
Torsion Care is a part of Torsion Group, a privately owned independent company focused on developing residential, student living, care homes and retirement living apartments. With a pipeline of more than 5,000 units in the UK, Torsion Care delivers modern care homes, assisted living, and extra care facilities for operators across the UK. Torsion Care offers a complete turn of key service from finding land, obtaining planning permission, and constructing care facilities in a partnering approach with operators and investors.Australian company chooses West Yorkshire for digital property pilot
Australian property company Pexa has chosen West Yorkshire as the base for a pilot working group initiative to streamline property sales.
The Future Property Transactions Group brings together stakeholders from across the market to accelerate the transformation and improvement of the UK home buying and selling process.
The Group wants to drive collaboration between key property market stakeholders in the region, including Leeds Building Society, Legal & General, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Mortgage Advice Bureau, and Arch Law, as well as the Open Property Data Association to help make the property transaction process more efficient and seamless for all.
Hosting its inaugural meeting as part of Leeds Digital Festival, the initiative seeks to draw the best from the region’s key strengths in the financial, legal and property sectors, promising to enhance efficiency, reduce cost, save time, and cut the risk of fraud.
Joe Pepper, PEXA UK CEO, said: “PEXA’s mission is to help address the current issues within the property market. Transactions are often inefficient because of the siloed nature of each stage of the journey and, with an overarching view of the process and the proven ability to develop and implement technology to help drive change, we are in a prime position to help bring all stakeholders together and enable better collaboration to ease the issues being faced across the board. The launch of the Future Property Transaction Group supports this aim and we are excited to see the results it delivers for all.”
Richard Fearon, Chief Exec of Leeds Building Society, said:“Our purpose is to put home ownership within reach of more people. We welcome the launch of this group and look forward to working closely with others to create a quicker and simpler process that our members could benefit from.”
Electric vehicle charging company gears up for growth with Finance Yorkshire investment
West Yorkshire-based We Power Your Car (WPYC) is expanding with £750,000 from Finance Yorkshire’s growth fund.
The company is using the investment to scale its operations and attract more domestic and commercial customers across the UK.
WPYC employs more than 50 people including 25 engineers who install the electric vehicle charging points at customers’ premises. The company also has several strategic partners, carrying out installations for their customers.
WPYC has ambitions to become one of the country’s leading national home installation providers having grown sales to £2.66 million last year.
Government legislation requires that 22% of all new vehicle registrations must be electric by 2024, increasing year on year until 2030.
Chief executive Kai Arter said: “We saw the potential to grow the business and vital to that was having our own team of engineers rather than sub-contracting work to installers.
“This enables us to be very focussed on the customer journey and we have scaled up our internal team based in Bingley to provide the highest standards of customer service and support the installers in the field.”
Kai has a longstanding relationship with Finance Yorkshire having received previous investment for his successful cosmetics business Badgequo. “It was an easy decision to return to partnering with Finance Yorkshire having enjoyed a previous strong and successful working relationship,” said Kai.
Finance Yorkshire chief executive Alex McWhirter said: “Kai is a seasoned businessman who has seen the potential in the electric vehicle charging market to grow WPYC. Our investment is supporting the company’s growth as it seeks to scale up its operations and sales and create new jobs in Yorkshire.”
Luceco acquires Rotheram wiring accessories manufacturer
Luceco, the supplier of wiring accessories, EV chargers, LED lighting, and portable power products, has acquired CMD Limited, the manufacturer of wiring accessories for the workplace, through the acquisition of its ultimate parent company, Baltic Topco Limited, from Rubicon Partners and management for cash consideration of £30m.
CMD, founded in 1984, designs and manufactures a comprehensive range of wiring accessories for commercial premises. Products include under-floor and under-desk power distribution solutions, on-desk and in-desk sockets, and a range of ergonomic products including the award-winning Miro monitor support arm.
CMD has an experienced senior management team which will remain with the business, continuing to operate from its headquarters in Rotherham.
For the audited 12-month period ended 31 December 2023 CMD reported revenue of £23.1m and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of £4m.
John Hornby, Chief Executive Officer of Luceco, said: “Luceco has a well-established position as a leading supplier of wiring accessories to the residential market in the UK so CMD, with its leading position in the commercial wiring accessories market, is a very natural fit.
“The Group’s expertise in product development, manufacturing and sourcing will enable us to accelerate range innovation and improve margins for CMD. We also see an opportunity to offer Luceco’s professional lighting range to CMD’s customer base of specifiers and contractors. The acquisition is in line with our M&A strategy and follows the successful acquisition of D-Line earlier in the year.”
Jon Holding, Managing Director of CMD, said: “CMD has been successful over many years thanks to its hard-won reputation for consistently delivering excellent customer service. The management team and I are excited for the next chapter and look forward to growing the business with Luceco behind us.”
Work gets underway on hundreds of new homes in Leeds
Work is underway on the latest phase of the East Leeds Extension – one of the region’s largest infrastructure projects that could see up to 5,000 new homes built.
Housebuilder Persimmon was joined by Councillor Jessica Lennox, Executive Member for Housing at Leeds City Council to formally welcome start of work on the site. Persimmon’s Wellington Mount development located next to Red Hall Lane, forms part of the 233 hectare East Leeds Extension stretching around the edge of Red Hall, Swarcliffe, Whinmoor and Crossgates. 407 new homes will be delivered on this site with a mix of both 1 and 2-bedroom apartments and 2, 3 and 4-bedroom houses. All of the new homes will be equipped with Air Source Heat Pumps and electric vehicle chargers. Councillor Jessica Lennox, Executive Member for Housing at Leeds City Council, said: “It’s good to see work beginning on these new homes after a long period of planning and consultation with the East Leeds community and us local councillors. I’m looking forward to seeing this new, green, well-connected neighbourhood develop.” Christopher Hull, Managing Director of Persimmon West Yorkshire, said: “We’re delighted to be on site and selling homes at Wellington Mount. “The East Leeds Extension is a truly exciting project and we’re proud to be working with the Council to provide much needed new homes for local people, set amongst outstanding green and open spaces. “There’s a wide range of homes to choose from, so would encourage any local homebuyers to come visit our on-site sales suite to find the right property for you.”Pressure Technologies sells PT Precision Machined Components to Indian manufacturer
Pressure Technologies, the Sheffield-based specialist engineering group, has exchanged contracts and agreed the sale of PT Precision Machined Components (PMC) to Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools, a manufacturer of precision engineered components based in India.
The deal is for an initial enterprise value of £6.2 million with the potential to increase to £7.7 million dependent on the future performance of the division.
PMC manufactures highly specialised components for use in safety-critical subsea and surface flow control applications, serving global oil and gas OEM customers through its Al-Met, Roota Engineering and Martract operations in the UK.
PMC was identified as non-core by Pressure Technologies, with a shift in strategic focus to the development and growth of the Group’s principal division, Chesterfield Special Cylinders (CSC).
The sale simplifies the corporate structure of the Group and leaves CSC as its only operating business. The Board is now focused strategically on the development and growth of CSC in defence and hydrogen energy markets and in through-life Integrity Management services.
Chris Walters, Chief Executive of Pressure Technologies plc, said: “We are delighted to announce the sale of PMC to Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools and look forward to seeing the continued progress of the business under its new ownership, where plans for strategic development and growth present exciting opportunities for the combined businesses, their global customers and their employees.
“The completion of this strategic divestment will allow us to focus our resources on the development and growth of Chesterfield Special Cylinders in defence and hydrogen energy markets and in the provision of through-life inspection, testing and recertification services over the medium and longer term.”
Vamsi Vikas Ganesula, Managing Director of Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools, said: “We are delighted with the strategic acquisition of the PMC business from Pressure Technologies. The respected brands of Al-Met, Roota Engineering and Martract will complement our existing engineering businesses and deliver strong operational and commercial synergies as we continue to expand our international footprint.
“We are very excited by the opportunities presented in the global oil and gas market with the blue chip customer base of PMC and will now work closely with our new colleagues in the UK to develop the long-term manufacturing capability and reach of our combined businesses.”
Merger sees TC Group strengthen Lincolnshire presence
TC Group, the firm of accountants and tax advisers, has completed a merger with Lincolnshire-based accountancy practice, Brooks & Partners, to form ‘TC Brooks & Partners’.
This deal continues TC Group’s M&A Strategy and enhances the firm’s more than 30 locations across the UK.
Brooks & Partners provide a full range of accountancy services. Their team in Stamford possess extensive expertise across various tax domains and business sectors, enabling them to provide comprehensive services to a diverse clientele, ranging from individuals and small enterprises to large corporate organisations.
Fay Brooks and Kate Howitt, Partners at Brooks & Partners, said: “We are thrilled to join TC Group, marking an exciting chapter in our journey. This partnership will help us work more closely with our clients, offering even better services and support. Our team is eager to meet and collaborate with the new team, building strong relationships and continuing to grow for the benefit of our clients.”
TC Group Partner, Keir Warwick said: “We are delighted to merge with Brooks & Partners, Stamford has always been an area in our sights and Brooks has a great reputation. As a result of this merger we now have a really strong presence in the town and I cannot wait to get started and grow it further with Kate and Fay.”
Hydrogen power unit builder secures £22m for expansion plans
Hydrogen power unit producer GeoPura, with hubs in Sheffield, Matlock, Nottingham and Newcastle, has raised £22 million to accelerate its expansion plans.
This announcement builds on momentum from a £56m investment round in February 2024 and a £36m Series A funding round in February 2023, welcoming investment from Siemens Energy, General Motors Ventures, Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital, Swen Capital Partners, and the UK Infrastructure Bank. This brings total capital raised to £114m over the last two years.
Derek Bulmer, CFO of GeoPura, said: “Securing this debt funding is a pivotal milestone in our journey to build a global fleet of over 3,600 HPUs, which will require over £2.5 billion in capital over the next decade.
“This funding will not only accelerate our expansion but also drive significant reductions in carbon emissions and improve local air quality while contributing directly to the UK’s net zero targets. Partnering with world-class debt funders like BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, Close Brothers, HSBC UK and Siemens Financial Services is critical to delivering this vision and achieving these goals.
“This milestone supports our commitment to a cleaner, healthier future and underpins the vital role of sustainable finance in advancing global environmental goals.”
Spencer Group opens the way for development of new North Yorkshire commercial park
Construction and engineering specialist Spencer Group has delivered the access road and supporting infrastructure to open up major new mixed-use industrial, commercial and retail park in North Yorkshire.
Spencer Building and Civil Engineering has created the route onto Harrogate 47 at the intersection of the A59, which runs alongside the A1(M) at Junction 47. The low carbon development by Opus North and Bridges Fund Management at the 45-acre site will include offices, industrial and warehouse units, high-tech hybrid units and roadside retail and amenities.
Harrogate 47 is expected to support up to 2,000 jobs when it’s finished. The first phase of the development involved the creation of the access road and supporting infrastructure for the site so that offices and units can be built. This, in turn, will open up the site to further development as the scheme progresses.
Darren Kilvington, MD at Spencer Building and Civil Engineering, said: “We’ve had challenges to overcome, but we’ve managed those really well and the project has been delivered as planned.
“Spencer Group were certainly the right people for the job, and we’ve had some great input from our highly experienced Civils team to overcome some of the challenges posed by the ground conditions on the site.
“Our Build and Civils teams have been able to work together, delivering the whole project in-house.”
Beetroot growers given access to American market
Britain’s beetroot growers are to have access to the US market after extensive talks between the two Governments and trade representatives.
The move will open new opportunities for British farmers by increasing export opportunities and raising the profile of British beetroot in international markets – and is a springboard to grow the economy and expand UK trade relationships post-Brexit.
For the US, this will allow their processors to satisfy demand for high-quality beetroot outside the US growing season, giving American consumers to access beetroot all year round from world-leading producers in the UK.
Industry estimates this new access will be worth approximately £150,000 per year in increased exports, with groups such as the NFU recently voicing their desire for the barrier to be resolved to allow British producers to benefit from the enormous potential of the US market, building on the recent successes of UK lamb in the US.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “It is great news that after many years of campaigning, British beetroot growers will have access to the market in the United States for the first time. Being able to access the US market, supplementing local production, will help to meet rising consumer demand for this healthy, nutritional crop, creating genuine growth opportunities for farmers and growers in the UK.
“I am especially delighted that this announcement comes days after we returned from the US where we were able to make the case for UK beetroot directly to government officials. Industry collaboration with government and especially with the UK’s agri-food attaché based in Washington has been key to resolving this issue.
“It shows the type of wins we’re able to achieve with the UK’s expanded network of agriculture attachés following a number of years of campaigning by the NFU for the creation of these positions. Long may the collaboration continue so British farmers and growers can expand into further markets and increase sales of great British food overseas.”
