Work completes on West Yorkshire heritage railway’s new visitor attraction
A new visitor centre has been opened inside what is believed to be the last-functioning water tower of its kind in the UK, on the historic Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.
Work started last year on the tower at the northern terminus of Keighley Station, as part of the £100,000 project funded by Keighley Towns Fund, with an additional £42,000 from The Railway Heritage Trust.
The tower was originally constructed by the Midland Railway Company in 1883 to provide water for locomotives arriving in and departing from places such as Bradford, Carlisle, Halifax, Leeds, Morecambe and Scotland, and it is still used today to refresh the KWVR’s fleet of historic steam engines.
KWVR is one of England’s leading heritage railways, and the tank that tops the building holds 30,000 gallons of water and can supply up to 10,000 gallons a day for the railway’s major events.
The bottom half of the building used to house a pump engine that moved water up from the River Worth, which flows just below the station to the tank. However, following the introduction of main water supplies to the area, the space fell into disuse.
Keighley Assistant Station Master James Crossley, who led the visitors’ information and interpretation element of the Water Tower project for the KWVR, explained: “Work to convert the vacant space into a visitor centre started in September 2023. The floor level has been raised to that of Platform Four, where the Water Tower is situated, and one of the key features we have introduced is a glass panel over the original well.
“If you add in under-floor heating and a heat-pump system, a new electric system as well as a new door, the painting and decorating and fitting out; it has been a major undertaking for the railway. The space is now open daily for people to explore, and admission is free.”
The KWVR’s own volunteer workforce kitted out the centre with interactive features, including the history of the railway and its connections to the Midland Railway, a model of how the Water Tower works, and elements of the railway’s vast archive of pictures.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Transport and Planning, said: “This historic water tower is such an important structure and part of Keighley’s proud rail heritage. It has been incredible to see the process of restoring the former pump-house to create an accessible centre for passengers and visitors, without compromising the operational function of the water tower itself.”
Chair of the Keighley Town Board Tim Rogers added: “The KWVR is one of the leading educational, heritage and tourist attractions across the district, and indeed the country. It draws so many people to the area and strengthens our local economy. We’re pleased to have been able to support this contemporary visitor centre with a significant amount of funding, so it can continue to delight passengers and visitors for many years to come.”
Boost for health technology sector as West Yorkshire signs historic trade and investment pact with Nashville
The city regions of West Yorkshire and Nashville, Tennessee, will work together to turbocharge their health technology sectors.
The landmark agreement, signed this week [Monday 7 October] by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, will help encourage the flow of trade, investment and knowledge sharing between the two regions.
The announcement came on the eve of the first meeting of the Council of the Nations and Regions [Friday 11 October], which will see the Prime Minister Keir Starmer convene the UK’s leaders to discuss growth and investment, and kickstart a new era of “genuine, meaningful, and focused partnership to change the way we do business, redefine our position on the world’s stage, and unlock the whole of the UK’s untapped potential to make everyone, everywhere better off.”
Mayor Brabin will miss the meeting in Scotland to carry out the final days of her US trade mission in Boston, Massachusetts, before returning on Monday 14 October for the Government’s inaugural International Investment Summit in London, where boosting trade and investment with the USA will be a key focus.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “This groundbreaking new partnership with Nashville will deliver real results at home – new jobs, more investment, and better care for patients.
“It’s a major vote of confidence in West Yorkshire, and a testament to the strength of our healthtech sector, the talent in our universities, and the innovation of our businesses.
“By working together, our great regions will reignite growth and transform the lives of patients worldwide, as we work to build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”
Freddie O’Connell, Mayor of Nashville, said: “I am excited to collaborate with West Yorkshire in a way that will improve health outcomes for residents of both cities.
“Nashville has a strong history of work and innovation in the health care sector, and a partnership with excellent minds overseas ensures that will continue to flourish.”
According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the Mayors plan to establish a “Healthtech Bridge” connecting both sides of the Atlantic. In practice, this would mean greater partnership working between the two regions’ businesses, universities, chambers of commerce and regional government authorities.
It will see the UK and USA working together to overcome shared healthcare challenges through the use of technology. In West Yorkshire, healthtech firms have pioneered new products to support cancer patients during chemotherapy [Paxman Scalp Cooling], new software to speed up response times for paramedics [Dedalus], and new blood tests that use AI to predict the likelihood of a patient having cancer as a percentage [PinPoint Data Science].
In addition to supporting patients in the NHS and worldwide, investing in healthtech also presents a significant economic opportunity for the region. West Yorkshire’s Investment Zone will see the Mayor work collaboratively with the region’s universities in Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield, to drive investment, growth, and solutions to real world problems. Over the next five years, the West Yorkshire Healthtech and Digital Tech Investment Zone could create more than 2,500 new jobs, and unlock over £220 million of private investment.
The transatlantic Healthtech Bridge, which the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce helped to broker following multiple trips to West Yorkshire, will help to turbocharge this regional growth through a brand new exchange programme. The scheme will support knowledge sharing between the two regions’ businesses and universities, including the world-leading Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Lori Odom, Senior Vice President of Economic Development at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to facilitate international partnerships that bolster long-term regional growth. The Healthtech Bridge with West Yorkshire strengthens our global ties and cements Nashville’s role as a leader in innovation and international business.
“This collaboration enhances our health technology sector, creates jobs, and elevates Nashville’s standing in transatlantic business relationships.”
As the home of NHS England, the Department for Health and Social Care, and the largest teaching hospital in Europe, West Yorkshire is a global magnet for health innovation. The region is home to more than 300 healthtech companies, with Leeds ranking as the third most attractive city in the world for healthtech businesses which are ready to launch or looking to move.
Nashville, which has almost doubled its number of health and life sciences professionals since 2000, has been identified by the Mayor as a prime trading partner for West Yorkshire. Overall, the state of Tennessee ranks third in the USA for the export of medical supplies and equipment, worth over $4 billion.
The historic Healthtech Bridge was announced by Mayor Brabin to an audience of global health innovators at the NCQA Health Innovation Summit in Nashville, as part of a week-long trade mission to create opportunities for West Yorkshire businesses in the USA. The partnership was welcomed by UK and US-based firms, including Paxman Scalp Cooling, which manufactures and exports scalp cooling systems to minimise patients’ hair loss during chemotherapy, and Womble Bond Dickinson, which supports healthtech firms to export and scale to international markets.
John Scannapieco, Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson and Honorary Consul from Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Tennessee, said: “The healthcare challenges we face here in Nashville are similar to the ones seen in West Yorkshire, and in many communities around the world. Healthcare providers must address such issues as caring for an aging population, allocating limited resources, and dealing with staffing shortages.
“Since these challenges are global, our approach to finding solutions needs to be global, too. Both of our communities are hubs of health technology innovation, and by working together and sharing knowledge and ideas via the Health Tech Bridge, the people of Nashville and West Yorkshire will both benefit.”
Richard Paxman OBE, CEO of Paxman Scalp Cooling, said: “I am proud to join this US Trade Mission to shine a spotlight on the incredible strength and enormous opportunities present within the transatlantic marketplace.
“For Paxman, the US presents our biggest current opportunity and remains our primary focus, accounting for over 50% of Group revenues. Paxman US, Inc. operates from offices in Houston, Texas, with over 600 cancer centres across more than 40 states utilising Paxman Scalp Cooling Systems to help cancer patients mitigate the side effect of chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
“Alongside the further advancement of scalp cooling, since early 2019 Paxman has been developing a portable compression and cooling product. The product aims to prevent chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which causes chronic, permanent nerve damage in hands and feet. A multi-centre, randomised efficacy study across 25 sites in the United States, using this device, is ongoing.”
AES Engineering acquires controlling stake in US firm
AES Engineering Ltd has further increased its reliability services and product offering in North America by acquiring a controlling stake in the global marine propulsion shaft sealing company PSS Seal LLC, for an undisclosed sum.
The group also owns AESSEAL, in Rotherham, the world’s largest homogeneous designer and manufacturer of mechanical seals. This latest expansion in the global market follows acquisitions in the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and USA. PSS Seal LLC (PSS), headquartered in Seattle, Washington is a recognised global leader in the reliability and sealing technology sector for marine vessel propulsion systems. The company has over four decades of engineering and manufacturing expertise with an extensive direct and indirect marine channel to market. The acquisition will allow the existing customers of PSS to benefit from a wider product and service offering from AESSEAL, and the products and services of all other companies owned by AES Engineering Ltd. Chris Rea, Group Managing Director of AES Engineering Ltd, said: “The acquisition of PSS supports our strategic decision to globalise our sealing technology marine business and further strengthens our customer reliability offering for this important market. “Shaft sealing technology is the critical application in this sector and our business can now provide a one stop shop for sealing and reliability products and services.” PSS founder and CEO Frederic Laffitte said: “The culture, and global reach of AES Engineering Ltd, together with the extensive product range of AESSEAL makes this a complimentary match for the PSS marine shaft seal product range. “Many of our customers have been calling for an increased product offering for the marine sector balance of plant, and we can now deliver on this request.” PSS President Kevin Woody said: “The selection of AES Engineering Ltd as our partner was an easy decision due to their product technology, similar dedication to customer service and reliability focus. “This partnership allows us to immediately meet the demand from customers for an expanded product range as well as opening new opportunities in other markets.”Lincoln BIG achieves national recognition for high standards
Lincoln Business Improvement District has received a national accreditation for Business Improvement Districts in recognition of its standards of transparency and responsible governance, following an independent review process.
Lee Roberts, Head of Operations, Lincoln BIG said: “This accreditation affirms that Lincoln BIG is operating in an open and transparent way that aligns with national standards.
“The accreditation confirms our commitment to openness and transparency, and we continually strive to ensure that we operate in an open and transparent way and that this is applied in all projects that the BID delivers
“It is important to have this accreditation as a formal, independently-assessed recognition of the work we do on behalf of our members, especially as we begin the ballot process leading to vote of our city centre businesses in November that will determine whether we receive support for a fifth BID term of five years covering the period 2025 to 2030, we felt it was important to demonstrate to member businesses that we follow recommended best practices and standards.”
The BID Foundation, a group of over 75 Business Improvement Districts, has developed the Industry Standards for all BIDs with input from UK government and other national bodies. The Standards highlight information and documentation that should be made publicly accessible and easily identifiable by every BID and are independently accredited by the Institute of Place Management.
Lincoln BIG has passed the Industry Standards accreditation by demonstrating the high standards of aspects including its business plan, governance mechanisms and reporting, Directors and personal interests, and detail on ballot results.
British Ports Association Conference returns to North Lincolnshire
Industry leaders from across the maritime sector will converge on North Lincolnshire next week for the British Ports Association Conference 2025, hosted by Associated British Ports and Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises Ltd.
Simon Bird, Regional Director of the Humber ports said: “The combination of the Humber’s ports leading roles in both trade and the energy transition make it an ideal location for this prestigious industry event.”
Andrew Dawes, Regional Director Designate of the Humber ports added: “Portsmouth delivered a fantastic event and we’re keen to build on that for next year in the Humber. We’re looking forward to hosting it alongside Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises and welcoming everyone to the region for what will be an impressive showcase.”
Martyn Boyers, Chief Executive of Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises Ltd, and chair of the BPA Fishing Ports Working Group, said: “As a long-standing member of the BPA and attendee at the Conferences, I am delighted that we can present a joint ‘BPA Humber Conference 2025’ with our friends at Associated British Ports.
“I am pleased that Grimsby Fish Dock and ABP have secured Forest Pines Hotel again as the single venue. We look forward to show casing the Humber and the incredible changes that have taken place in the Humber Ports since then.”
Richard Ballantyne, Chief Executive of the BPA said: “We are particularly excited that our members are uniting to highlight the importance of the Humber to both the maritime sector and the country as whole. As the UK’s largest port complex, the ports on the Humber are involved in a rich mix of activities including freight, passengers, offshore wind and fishing and we are pleased that the occasion will provide the opportunity to showcase its important role. Our Annual Conference is a national event which brings the ports sector together once a year in a different location and we look forward to seeing everyone there.”
The event will be held at the Forest Pines Hotel near Brigg from Wednesday 15th to Thursday 16th October.
Paloma kicks off £1.25m refurb project at York North
Paloma Capital has started a £1.25m refurbishment of part of York North on the outskirts of the city.
Leeds-based JP Wild Ltd has been appointed to carry out the work to include an internal strip out and full refurbishment of the warehouse space, offices and kitchen/WC areas. Full mechanical and electrical services replacement is also being undertaken as well as external works to the building’s façade, roof, yard space, fencing, and drainage. Practical completion is expected by the beginning of November.
The works are part of a site-wide refurbishment plan by Paloma Capital. Since acquiring the site in 2022 the London-based investor has made a considerable investment to upgrade accommodation as well as deliver new purpose-designed trade units. It recently secured planning consent for four new industrial/warehouse units totalling 34,400 sq ft. The scheme is now offering design and build opportunities for units ranging from 4,000 sq ft up to 15,400 sq ft.
Jeremy Thiagarajah, Director for Asset Management and Investment at Paloma Capital said: “We are pleased to start works to refurbish a large part of the estate to deliver more modern state of the art space for prospective occupiers. York North is already well recognised for its locational benefits and our sustainable approach to repurposing existing space will certainly deliver against undersupply for industrial and warehousing space in this area.”
UK economy returns to growth
Following a stagnant July, the UK economy showed growth in August.
According to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), GDP (gross domestic product), a key measure of economy growth, grew 0.2% month-on-month in August, in line with expectations.
It reflects growth across all three key sectors, as services output increased 0.1% month-on-month, construction output rose 0.4% month-on-month, and production output grew 0.5% month-on-month.
Ben Jones, Lead Economist, CBI, said: “There are some encouraging signs in the latest GDP data, particularly the ongoing recovery in retail, but growth remains uneven across sectors and momentum in the economy is a little weaker than was expected a few months ago.
“Our surveys suggest that businesses may have tapped the brakes again in September amid speculation over potential Budget announcements.
“Anecdotally it’s clear that some firms have paused hiring and investment decisions pending more clarity over the direction of the new government’s economic policies.
“With the Chancellor’s first Budget only weeks away, the government has an opportunity to build momentum behind the economic recovery by demonstrating it has a credible plan for boosting the country’s growth trajectory.
“This should include measures to support productivity and business investment, such as adding flexibility to Apprenticeship Levy funded courses and outlining an ambitious Net Zero Investment Plan that includes green tax incentives.
“It must also make the UK’s business environment more attractive to firms at home and abroad by providing them with certainty and clarity via a Business Tax Roadmap.”
South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation names new Chief Exec
Martin Singer has been appointed as Chief Exec of South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation, and takes over the role in spring next year on the retirement of current CEO Ruth Willis.
Martin joins from his role as CEO at South Yorkshire Charity Mentors. He is also an independent consultant for the voluntary sector and small businesses, and formerly a Commercial Director in the private sector.
Martin held senior roles and led large teams at the John Lewis Partnership, Debenhams and Waitrose. He is also a Director and a Trustee at Sheffield Museums and Age UK Rotherham, as well as a Director at Sheffield Cathedral Enterprises. He was a founding member of Sheffield Business Together.
SYCF is the region’s largest local grant giving charity and last year awarded more than £1.7m to more than 400 community groups and organisations.
Chris Booth-Mayblin, chair of the Foundation, said: “Martin is a hugely experienced leader with a strong background in building successful teams, creating strategies and leading change, innovation and transformation.
“He has a proven track record of delivering results through collaborative working, combined with outstanding skills in delivering strategic solutions to challenging business wide issues and a deep purpose and passion for the not-for-profit sector.
“We’re confident he will be instrumental in driving us forward to achieve even greater things as we look to build on the solid foundations and success delivered by our outgoing CEO, Ruth Willis, who has given tremendous service to the Community Foundation over the last 12 years.”
Martin Singer said: “I am honoured to have been appointed as CEO of South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation and looking forward to leading the team as we enter an exciting new era.
“Under Ruth’s leadership, SYCF has significantly expanded and grown into the incredible organisation it is it today. For almost four decades, it has played a pivotal role in building stronger communities and enriching lives by awarding grants, which help tackle the critical issues affecting local people.
“SYCF’s mission to support community groups throughout the region and help people facing hardship and disadvantage aligns with my own visions and values developed during a career dedicated to the voluntary sector.
“I look forward to working with the fantastic team of SYCF staff, volunteers, trustees, partners and donors as we strive to act as a catalyst for even bigger and greater change in South Yorkshire, building on the incredible work already delivered during Ruth’s tenure.”
Employment reforms must work for business, says BCC
The huge changes announced in employment law in decades can’t work unless businesses are engaged and supported on them every step of the way, according to the British Chambers of Commerce..
Says the organisation’s Jane Gratton: “If the right balance is struck then we have the potential to get more people into work and boost economic growth. But if the process is mishandled there is a danger these changes could have the opposite effect.
“It is important to stress that the legislation we are seeing today is a starting point. It is setting out a framework, and the detail and the mechanics of how this will operate will still need much further consultation.
“Many of these changes are going to need secondary legislation and it’s unlikely we’ll see major changes to business practices until 2026.
“But firms will want to see more detail on the timeline for these reforms and guarantees that there will be no surprises.
“We all recognise that a thriving workforce is more productive and that drives growth. We will continue to work with Government and the unions to ensure that a balance is reached. One that encourages businesses to recruit and has the right support for employees.”
Green Growth Zone proposal to create conditions for thousands of jobs
North Lincolnshire Council is spearheading an ambitious proposal to establish a Green Growth Zone and create thousands of green engineering jobs.
The proposal focuses on further enhancing the renewable energy sector, fast-tracking advanced manufacturing and driving innovation to create more high-skilled jobs and secure the long-term prosperity of the region.
The Green Growth Zone will further position North Lincolnshire at the heart of the UK’s renewable energy revolution, driving development across Greater Lincolnshire and the Humber region by building upon the region’s strategic assets, including major renewable resources such as offshore wind, an established industrial base, and strong links to international markets via major ports.
Cllr Rob Waltham, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, emphasised the importance of the proposal for the future of the region.
He said: “This is about more than just infrastructure; it’s about creating a better future for communities. The Green Growth Zone is an ambitious plan to deliver high-quality jobs, drive innovation, and secure new opportunities for residents.
“While we are still at the proposal stage, the ambition is clear – North Lincolnshire will be a place where green energy and advanced manufacturing lead the way, offering sustainable futures for generations to come.
“We have a unique opportunity to capitalise on the region’s existing strengths in energy and industry, while investing in new technologies and sustainable practices.”
The Green Growth Zone is underpinned by key themes, including:
- Innovation and research in hydrogen-injected blast furnace steel production
- Investments in the South Humber Bank Quay and broader Strategic Employment Site Allocation
- Development of advanced manufacturing to support game-changing sectors in energy
- Creating a circular economy to sustain green energy and manufacturing industries
