£4m project restoring buildings on historic Eldon Street in Barnsley
Visitors to Barnsley town centre may have spotted scaffolding as work is underway to restore buildings on Eldon Street, between Regent Street and the junction of Market Hill.
The Eldon Street High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) is a four-year project between Barnsley Council and Historic England which aims to bring back to life historic buildings through restoration work and cultural activity.
By the end of March, the project will have seen almost £4m of investment go into the historic street. It includes an ambitious community and schools’ engagement programme promoting creative careers and opening up possibilities within the town centre. Helping to connect the town’s heritage to the new development, The Glass Works.
The final stage of the project is about to begin and will see conservation works completed to 58 Eldon Street (Leslie Frances Hairdressing Academy), 60 Eldon Street (Globe Holidays) and 70-72 Eldon Street (Best Kebab & Pizza).
The project, delivered by Barnsley Museums, with support from other local partners, has uncovered more about the fascinating heritage of Eldon Street and hidden stories behind the historic facades.
58 Eldon Street is one of the oldest surviving buildings on the street and was originally built as a linen warehouse. It later became an adult education school in the 1870s, before it became Anne Porter’s and Sons, one of Barnsley’s first department stores to cater specifically for women.
60 Eldon Street also has a fascinating history and has been used for many things over the years. It was originally built as a furniture shop and warehouse. Then in the 1880s it was a music warehouse selling instruments and sheet music. After that, Roebuck’s furniture emporium.
In more recent years, the building has been used for a series of fast food restaurants before becoming Globe Holidays.
Next door, the Parkway Cinema is also due to have its original canopy restored as part of the street’s regeneration. The site has a long fascinating history but the current building was well known as the Odeon Cinema in the 1960s. Now as the Parkway Cinema, it is one of only a handful of cinemas in the UK to still use 70mm film.
Dr Tegwen Roberts, Heritage Action Zone Project Officer, said: “There’s so much history hidden within these buildings. To be able to uncover so much of it and to share that with local communities has been incredible.”
In this phase of restoration work, the buildings will undergo cosmetic work to restore their frontages and repair windows and other historic features. This will ensure their look and feel is in keeping with their historic façades, and compliments the work already undertaken elsewhere on the street.
As part of a £95m government-funded scheme, the HAZ’s aim nationally is to fuel economic, social and cultural recovery, while restoring previously neglected historic buildings to maintain them for generations to come.
Tegwen added: “The whole project will have a huge positive impact on Eldon Street as we connect historical areas with the exciting new developments in the town centre.
“The HAZ is not only restoring elements from the past, maintaining buildings and stories for generations to come, but it provides these buildings with a new lease of life so they can continue to have purpose now – and in the future – as part of a modern town centre.”
Eldon Street is the key missing element of the town’s current regeneration. Improving the appearance of the buildings and bringing activity back to the street will make a significant difference to the town centre as a whole.
Over the past five years, Barnsley’s town centre has transformed. Together the completion of its £200m development, The Glass Works, with its championing of its Victorian Arcade and the restoration to many buildings on its historic Eldon Street, footfall is being encouraged right across its centre.
Footfall on Cheapside in Barnsley town centre was up 5.7% in 2023 compared to 2022, and events also proved a hit in 2023. During Barnsley’s Bright Nights Festival that spanned across the town centre back in November, footfall was recorded at a significant 27.5% increase over the same event the previous year.
Cllr Robin Franklin, Cabinet Spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture at Barnsley Council, said: “The Eldon Street HAZ project is breathing life into an important historic street, which also happens to be many people’s gateway into Barnsley town centre.
“Eldon Street is a very special place with a fascinating history so we are delighted that the works taking place will restore the façades, bringing our historic buildings back to life while also encouraging experiences along the street.
“Not to mention, for the businesses that reside inside these buildings right now, it is hoped that, after surviving so much disruption throughout the pandemic and more recently the cost of living crisis, the completion of this final phase of work will beckon a time of celebration for them too.”
Nicola Brown, from Historic England, said: “It has been a joy to watch the regeneration of Eldon Street over the past few years through the High Street Heritage Action Zone programme. This latest phase of works on this historic street will cement its role as one of the most vibrant and attractive parts of the town centre.”
Lincolnshire SMEs eligible to receive fully funded Net Zero support
Business Lincolnshire has announced a series of tailored workshops for businesses wanting to shift to sustainability.
The UK has set an ambitious goal of becoming Net Zero by 2050, and many large businesses have pledged to bring their target forward to 2030.
Whilst there is guidance for larger organisations, the national objective requires the involvement of all sectors, including small businesses, which constitute 99% of the UK’s enterprises and employ 60% of the workforce.
Yet, many smaller businesses are finding themselves at a crossroads, unsure of how to navigate the path towards sustainability without incurring excessive costs or disrupting their existing practices.
Low Carbon Lincolnshire is a programme designed to help small-medium businesses (SMEs) in Greater Lincolnshire and Rutland begin or continue their journey to Net Zero.
Working on behalf of Business Lincolnshire, a series of fully funded, bespoke workshops and supporting materials will be delivered by the business support team at PECT (an environmental charity based in Peterborough), who already work with over 300 organisations on sustainability and decarbonisation projects.
The team has a solid understanding of the current trends and challenges in the field of sustainability and low carbon, as well as practical ways to implement them.
Says Councillor Davie, Executive Councillor for Economy & Place at Lincolnshire County Council: “Business Lincolnshire’s Low Carbon Lincolnshire programme offers vital support to our local SMEs.
“These fully funded workshops are a gateway for small businesses in Greater Lincolnshire and Rutland to embrace sustainability and contribute to the broader Net Zero mission. A crucial initiative for a greener and more resilient business landscape in our region.”
Each business will undergo an onboarding process at the beginning of their journey to confirm eligibility and ensure that the workshops can be tailored to suit those attending.
Introductory webinars:
- Energy Management – Wednesday 21st February 2024, 1pm-2pm
- Supply Chains – Thursday 29th February 2024, 9am-10am
With many more webinars to follow, find out more about what is available and register your attendance on the Business Lincolnshire website.
Please note: Geographical restrictions may apply to certain programmes. Interested businesses are encouraged to verify their eligibility before applying. Three-year project aims to protect infrastructure from cyber attack
The University of Sheffield Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Centre at Rotherham is leading a new international project to protect critical infrastructure such as power stations and water systems from cyber attack.
The three-year project, called Troci (Towards Resilient Operation of Critical Infrastructure), focuses on protecting the monitoring and control systems which make or inform operational decisions about infrastructure based on data from a large number of sensors.
The project consortium includes experts from across Europe who will bring their unique capabilities to different areas of the challenge. The University of Vienna brings its expertise in sensor networks and distributed computing to lead the development of the C&I infrastructure. University College Dublin brings interdisciplinary expertise in civil engineering and computer science, and will focus on applications in the water sector. And Holisun, a Romanian software company specialising in machine learning and cybersecurity, will lead software platform development.
With increasingly complex and autonomous control systems, cyber attacks on the sensors can have serious consequences. At the least, operators can lose reliable data on the state of the system – at worst, decisions are made on false data, with potentially disastrous consequences.
Infrastructure systems can be attacked deliberately, or by autonomous software which seeks out vulnerabilities. One of the first major cyberweapons, Stuxnet, was designed to attack control systems in Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities but went on to infect other industrial and energy systems.
Dr Hafiz Ahmed, head of controls & instrumentation at the Nuclear AMRC, said: “Cybersecurity infringements which target instrumentation and control systems of critical infrastructure can severely disrupt our modern way of life, which relies on direct and continuous access to water and energy systems around the clock. The nuclear sector is undergoing a digital transformation, introducing additional cybersecurity challenges alongside existing physical security concerns.”
National Park farmers offered advice about different sources of income
This month farmers in the Yorkshire Dales National Park are being invited to one of five meetings being held at what’s said to be the ‘crux moment’ of the government’s seven-year agricultural transition in England.
Advisers from the National Park Authority’s farm conservation team will be on hand in Hawes, Reeth, Orton, Sedbergh and Settle to explain how this summer farmers will be able, for the first time, to submit a combined application for Countryside Stewardship and the Sustainable Farming Incentive, the government’s post-Brexit farm payment schemes.
Farmers in the uplands will be eligible for new payments for moorland management, as well as for keeping up dry stone walls and a greatly increased payment rate for managing grassland as species-rich hay meadow.
Member Champion for the Natural Environment at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Mark Corner said: “As well as being at its mid-point, the Government’s seven-year agricultural transition has reached its crux moment. The Basic Payment Scheme is now closed, while the new combined Sustainable Farming Incentive /Countryside Stewardship offer is about to open for all. This means that in the next few months people farming in the National Park may have some big decisions to make on how they wish to farm, and which options and payments they wish to pursue, in order to sustain a viable business.
“We are particularly keen to support people to get the new payment for species rich traditional hay meadows. Now there will be a more appropriate payment – of £646 per hectare, plus a £187 per hectare hay making supplement – to reflect the increased management needed to nurture an upland hay meadows.
“Our farm conservation team is likely to be in demand during this period, so booking a place at one of the free meetings is highly recommended.”
The evening meetings are scheduled as follows:
- Mon 5 Feb, 7-9pm Hawes Market House,
- Weds 7 Feb, 7-9pm Reeth Memorial Hall
- Mon 12 Feb, 7-9pm Orton Market Hall, CA10 3RU
- Fri 16 Feb, 7-9pm Sedbergh Peoples Hall
- Tue 27 Feb, 7-9pm North Ribblesdale Rugby Club, Settle
ABP film wins recognition in ‘best animation’ category of national competition
A sustainability film created by ABP in collaboration with creative agency, Polar Media, has won Bronze in the ‘Best Animation’ category at London’s prestigious Lens Awards.
Created by ABP, the UK’s largest port operator, the film helps tell the story of ABP’s sustainability journey and celebrates the launch of the company’s first ever sustainability strategy ‘Ready for Tomorrow’. With a female protagonist, the film invites audiences to see the world through the eyes of a woman who progresses through different stages of her life and maritime career, whilst witnessing and helping deliver various green energy infrastructure projects enabled by ABP’s ports.
She travels from Immingham up on the Humber, where she sees the growth of green hydrogen and carbon capture and storage to Port Talbot in Wales, where the exciting floating offshore wind industry is in bloom. Along the way, she meets different animals from a seal to kittiwakes, all serving as a reminder that industrial progress needs to go hand in hand with protecting biodiversity to create a sustainable future.
An original scored soundtrack was created especially for the project as well as a voiceover delivered by a woman in her 50s, in an effort to address the noticeable absence of these types of voices in the majority of B2B corporate videos.
Max Harris, ABP Head of Strategy and Sustainability, said: “We are very proud of what we have achieved with the ‘The Voyage’. We see it as a tool to highlight the important role ports are playing in decarbonising the UK. It was a very rewarding project and I would like to thank our team and Polar Media who helped bring this vision to life.
“We hope the film is accessible for people from all ages and backgrounds who may be unfamiliar with what we do in the ports industry. The low-poly animated style also set the creative for the other assets in our ‘Ready for Tomorrow’ sustainability strategy campaign, including school competition posters, documents and more.”
Hull solar firm secures investment to back nationwide expansion
Backed by an eight-figure finance package arranged with Angel Invest and DF Capital Hull-based HDM Solar has set its sights on having sixty sites throughout the UK, with fiver operational by the end of this year.
It will use the investment and working capital facility to accelerate the rollout of a nationwide network of branches which will generate new jobs and provide local support to installers, businesses and consumers in every corner of the country.
This funding is another significant step in the development of the company and its ambition to be the UK’s leading renewable energy equipment wholesaler. The Hull based business is at the forefront of championing affordable energy solutions and making it simpler for millions of homes and businesses to embark on a journey towards net zero.
Adam Firth, HDM Solar’s MD, said: “We have carefully and strategically planned our UK wholesale network expansion. This funding will help us increase our number of branches so we can provide even better service and support to our customers across the country, it’s a really exciting and rewarding time for everyone at HDM Solar as we continue to offer a new proposition to the market.”
The investment from Angel Invest and working capital facility from DF Capital illustrates their shared confidence in the profitability, longevity and management of the business.
John von Berenberg-Consbruch, Partner at Angel Invest said: “Daniel, Adam and the team at HDM Solar have demonstrated an exemplary level of professionalism and growth planning. The HDM Solar business is growing quickly by offering best-in-class products and exceptional service. Our investment will help accelerate their expansion and plan to become a leading industry player”.
Garry Frew, Chief Commercial Officer at DF Capital added: “We’re delighted to provide this facility to HDM Solar during this significant period of growth. Daniel and Adam have demonstrated tremendous industry knowledge and a robust, exciting plan for the future development of the business which we are delighted to support.”
Over a third of mid-sized businesses in UK unable to recruit apprentices
Over a third of mid-sized businesses in the UK would like to hire apprentices but do not have sufficient resources or guidance to do so, according to new data from accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO.
BDO’s bi-monthly survey of more than 500 mid-sized businesses reveals that almost a third (32%) of respondents want to hire more apprentices but the costs associated are too high, with the same number wanting more guidance on how to go about it.
The same number of respondents (32%) most want to see support from a future government to resolve staff or skills shortages including reform to the apprenticeship levy. This came as a higher priority than tax breaks and regulatory changes, demonstrating its importance to the businesses that sit at the heart of the UK’s economy.
Less than one in five respondents claim to regularly hire apprentices through the Apprenticeship Levy, with high costs (32%) and a lack of guidance (32%) cited as the main barriers to doing so.
Yet desire remains strong amongst businesses – a quarter of respondents said they would increase their hiring habits if they could work more closely with local schools and colleges in order to shape an apprenticeship programme.
Apprenticeship hiring levels vary significantly across the UK’s mid-market. Nearly double the number of respondents in the North West (33%) said they needed support with the skills gap, compared to their counterparts in London.
Other areas with a high number of businesses requiring additional funding and guidance to start hiring include the South West (42%) and East Midlands (40%), suggesting there remains some regional imbalance in opportunities to access training programmes.
Skills shortages remain a challenge for mid-sized businesses across the board, with almost a quarter (24%) citing that they cannot find people with the right skills because of the region they work in. This jumps to almost a third of businesses in the North West (33%) and the North East (31%).
In addition to regional cold spots, certain industries record significantly lower levels of understanding when it comes to the process of apprenticeship hiring. Almost two in five (38%) mid-market real estate companies claimed they would hire apprentices if they had more guidance on how to start a programme and 43% of technology and media companies, both high growth areas of the economy.
Richard Austin, partner at BDO, said: “As we celebrate National Apprenticeship week, the importance of apprentices to the economic growth of this country is not lost on anyone, least of all the businesses at the heart of our economy.
“These businesses are responsible for more than 8 million jobs, the equivalent of one in four across the UK and with the right level of targeted support, together we can help these businesses kick start their hiring; boosting the number of high quality opportunities on offer to our younger generations and providing the skills the UK so desperately needs.”
Colleges’ web site secures national award for East Riding designers
A new website created by Bluestorm Design and Marketing for East Yorkshire’s Bishop Burton College and Lincolnshire’s Riseholme College has won a Gold award at the FE First Awards.
Organised annually by the College Marketing Association, the awards reflect the best of further education marketing, comms and digital communications across the UK. The new websites have performed beyond expectation, with the colleges seeing a significant increase in both those using the website, especially on the University Centre and Business and Employer sections of the website, and an increase in those applying for courses at the two campuses. Dan Murphy, Digital Director at Bluestorm, which is based at Melton in the East Riding, said: “We’re thrilled to have received this award, which highlights the great results we achieved for Bishop Burton and Riseholme. “This award also cements the great reputation Bluestorm has garnered for expertise and achieving strong results in the further education sector with our websites, as well as marketing and design.”Interest rate ‘hold’ gives businesses some respite, says BCC
The Bank of England’s decision to hold to hold the interest rate at 5.25% will give some respite for businesses, though it’s still a source of concern for SMEs, says the British Chambers of Commerce.
David Bharier, Head of Research at the BCC, said: “Our surveys have showed that around four in ten SMEs say they are directly negatively impacted by the current rate, mainly through higher borrowing costs. Smaller firms and those in sectors such as hospitality and retail are disproportionately impacted.
“The Bank has outlined that inflation is likely to remain volatile for the foreseeable future. Alongside this, UK firms face significant uncertainties with geopolitical conflicts, new trade barriers with the EU, and ongoing skills shortages. The Red Sea crisis has already seen spikes in shipping container and insurance costs which could feed into a renewed wave of inflation.
“With a General Election fast approaching, political parties will need to set out a clear plan for the economy. The BCC is setting out it’s priorities for the next Government across a series of reports, starting with ‘Green Innovation Challenge’ report, released this week.“
