Leeds catering group gobbles up Nottingham firm

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Leeds catering group gobbles up Nottingham firm
Nottingham-based Walker Catering has been acquired by Leeds-headquartered catering group, Northern Catering Equipment Group. Walker Catering was established in 1990, offering catering supply services to customers in Nottingham, the East Midlands and across the UK. Hilton Smythe advised Walker Catering on their successful sale. Prior to acquisition, it had 250 active clients, a 90% repeat business record, and approximately £240k cash in the business. In addition to Walker Catering, NCE Group operates three other businesses in Leeds and Swansea and has been shortlisted for several industry awards. Mo Romanowicz, Managing Director of NCE Group, said: “We’re delighted to have invested in Walker Catering. It has not only brought additional revenue, but also experienced and capable staff who will help us go from strength to strength. “The team at Hilton Smythe has been invaluable in terms of providing a clear action plan and supporting us every step of the way with clear communication. We’re already discussing further opportunities for growth through acquisition for our next stage of development.” Jacob Lord, senior deal executive at Hilton Smythe, said: “NCE Group has a clear growth strategy through acquisition, and the addition of Walker Catering to its portfolio supports its long-term aims and objectives. “From our first meeting to completion, Hilton Smythe has been working hand in glove with NCE Group to ensure that Mo and the team were kept up to date with any developments and that the deal ran smoothly.”

Whitby distiller paves way to prime Abbey location

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Whitby distiller paves way to prime Abbey location
The dream of a Yorkshire gin-maker to move into brand-new premises in the shadow of Whitby Abbey is now becoming a reality. Work is beginning this autumn on Whitby Distillery’s £1.8 million project to renovate two derelict barns on Abbey Lands on the south-west corner of the Abbey grounds. The build programme, which has been partly funded by the Whitby Distillers Founders Club, is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year. It will feature a unique pathway, engraved with the names of friends and supporters of the distillery. Whitby Distillery, makers of Whitby Gin, was founded in 2017 by Jessica Slater and Luke Pentith who have grown their business from a passion project to one whose gin stocked in more than 500 outlets across the UK. The move will enable the distillery to become one of the most iconic distillery visitor experiences in England, providing high-quality leisure and function space for the local community to enjoy. Luke Pentith said: “This move is a gamechanger for us. Whilst we have been very happy in our current premises in Botany Way in Whitby, our new home will take Whitby Distillery to the next level, stepping up production and giving visitors the opportunity to see us distilling and bottling through the week with our tour experiences. “It is an honour and a privilege to be restoring these derelict buildings on such a world-famous site. For us, this is all about launching an amazing adventure on the atmospheric North Sea coastline, with tremendous knock-on effects for the local economy.” Jessica said: “Our new distillery is a serious commitment to Whitby. We are making a significant investment into the local community and the future of the town. In the longer term, we anticipate up to 25 employees. “As well as the distillery, our plans include a visitor centre, which will showcase our production process and our various spirits, as well as paying homage to the amazing cultural heritage of Whitby and providing an educational and corporate business space. “Whitby Distillery aims to offer an educational and enchanting visitor experience which can be accessed all year round, as an out-of-season and wet weather destination. The visitor experience venue and exhibition/hire space build on the strong links Whitby distillery has with the adjacent English Heritage attraction.” “The site has these incredible views of the Abbey, the town, the moors and the sea and no-one gets to see it as the area is closed off at the moment. We want to use the area for people to be able to take tours and also host small events up there,” she added. Luke added: “The renovation work is partly be funded by Whitby Distillery’s Founders Club, which gives members to chance to become part of the Whitby Distillery success story. “We have chosen to work with Native Architects who are the experts when it comes to sustainable redevelopment of heritage buildings. They value the qualities of traditionally crafted buildings but adapt and convert in a way that sets the reduction of CO2 emissions as a priority. “Whitby Distillery is designed to be an inspirational building that has minimal environmental impact. We are taking a ‘fabric first’ approach to refurbishment to improve the energy efficiency. Wastewater from the distilling process will be used where possible to irrigate plants and the vegetated roof. “The heat extracted from this water will be used to warm the building. Green roofs will be planted with wildflowers to nurture the natural plants and wildlife. Hidden roof solar PV panels will generate electricity on site. Building materials can have high carbon footprints so materials have been selected that have low levels of embodied carbon.”

Rotherham firm to enter administration

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Rotherham firm to enter administration
The directors of Consumer Choices Limited have filed a Notice of Intention to appoint Gareth Harris and Lee Lockwood of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP as joint administrators. Consumer Choices was established as a stand-alone entity in 2020 when it was spun out of Origin Broadband, where it had helped that business acquire digital leads and through outbound calls convert those leads to customers. For the last three years it has continued to provide those services to a range of blue chip broadband suppliers. It operated from an office in Rotherham, but had a large number of home workers, and an outsourced operation in South Africa, employing 99 staff directly. The decision to appoint administrators was made by directors after a material deterioration in market conditions which left the company unviable. Unfortunately, there was insufficient time to seek a buyer for the business and it has therefore been closed down; and almost all employees will be made redundant once the administrators are formally appointed. RSM was advised by Matthew Brown and Niall Crossley at Gateley LLP. Gareth Harris, partner at RSM and joint administrator, said: “This has been a very fast-moving situation but due to circumstances outside their control, and without a viable solution the directors have had no choice but to shut the business down at short notice. “Employees have been paid up to 4 August, but sadly all of them will have to be made redundant once the company is formally placed into administration.”

Reward expands Leeds headquarters in major office move

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Reward expands Leeds headquarters in major office move

Following 12 years of continuous growth and in preparation to support future expansion plans, alternative finance lender Reward Finance Group has moved its national headquarters to new Grade A office space in the heart of Leeds’ business district.

Previously housed in Central House, Reward has relocated to the recently refurbished 12 King Street, where the team in Leeds now occupies 4,000 sq ft on the 1st floor. The landmark building underwent an £11m investment last year, to introduce a futuristic workspace with enhanced features such as a cycle spa, roof terraces and a sky lounge.

Reward’s group managing director, Nick Smith said: “We had a tremendous journey in our latest Leeds office for more than eight years. At Reward, we’re always looking towards the future, so this move is a major milestone in our expansion plans. The transition into state-of-the-art offices represents 12 years of continuous growth in Leeds and it sets the stage for our plans to further expand the team in the coming months.

“We outgrew our previous space due to rapid business growth across the UK, therefore the new office ticks every box. We also place a high priority on the wellbeing of all our teams, so the availability of breakout spaces, improved facilities and enhanced sustainability credentials allows us to provide the ideal environment for all our staff.

“Ben Johnson did a fantastic job with the interior design and fit out of the new space, we’re delighted to call 12 King Street our new Leeds home and very much looking forward to the next chapter for our business.”

Clarion adds to growing property litigation team

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Clarion adds to growing property litigation team

Kate Joss, Jessica Wager and Emily Brownsword are the latest recruits to join the seven-strong dedicated property litigation team within Clarion’s expanding real estate practice. All three join Clarion from international law firms.

Kate joins as a senior associate and has substantial experience of dealing with complex commercial and residential property disputes for a wide range of clients, including public sector clients, developers, social housing providers, portfolio managers and individuals.

Associate Jess has acted for a wide range of private and public sector landlords and tenants, advising on matters related to commercial and residential property including lease renewals, dilapidations, termination and possession, breach of covenant and rent/service charge arrears.

As a paralegal in the team, Emily will assist with a broad range of contentious matters covering all aspects of estate management.

The team has already seen expansion this year with the appointments of experienced legal director Lisa Stratford as well as Emily Hartley as a paralegal.

“Since founding the property litigation team six years ago, we’ve seen tremendous demand for our services and have established a reputation as one of the leading specialist teams in the region. We have experienced significant growth in the last year and are seeing that reflected in the quality of work a bigger team allows us to undertake,” says Sophie Morley, partner and head of the property litigation team. “We’re seeing an increasing number of referrals from all sorts of different types of work from clients ranging from national retailers to local authorities and residential and commercial developers. 

“It’s fantastic to further boost the team with new talent as our workload increases alongside the continued growth of Clarion’s real estate practice. Kate and Jess bring a wealth of experience in all areas of property litigation, and Emily (Brownsword) provides further resource as our workload continues to increase. All of our new team members share Clarion’s values and have been attracted by the type of challenging national work we undertake.”

Kate says: “I am excited to be part of Clarion’s growth. I am looking forward to adding to the expertise of an already experienced and influential team with an outstanding reputation in the region.” 

Jess Wager adds: “Clarion’s exceptional reputation for client service and its expertise has always stood out to me and I am pleased to be joining such a talented team, particularly given the continued growth and expansion of the firm. I’m really looking forward to forging strong relationships with our clients whilst working alongside such a well-respected, experienced team.”

Emily Brownsword adds: “I am excited to be working with such an ambitious and fast-growing specialist property litigation practice. It’s a fantastic opportunity to expand my legal knowledge and experience.”

Dacres appoints new office principal in York

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Dacres appoints new office principal in York

An experienced property professional has joined Yorkshire estate agent, Dacre, Son & Hartley’s York office.

Claire Tiplady has been appointed as office principal. She has worked as a sales negotiator and sales manager at two leading Yorkshire firms over the last 13 years.

Claire said: “I was keen to join Dacres as it’s such a respected company with a great team. The office opened just over a year ago in York and the firm has made good inroads into the market, but I plan to grow the market share and bring a wide range of city centre properties onto the market, as well as those from the surrounding villages.

“With 42 estate agents operating in York, competition is fierce, but Dacres really does stand out from the crowd as one of the best, with a long history and offices across North and West Yorkshire.

“The firm sells everything from modern city centre apartments through to grand historic homes in York’s rural suburbs. My plan is to continue building up stock levels and appeal to all those buyers keen to live in the heart of York or within easy reach of this incredibly popular city.”

Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential at Dacre, Son & Hartley, said: “Claire is well known and respected in the marketplace and it’s a real coup to have her join our York team. We are hugely committed to the city and plan to expand and recruit further as we grow the business in York.”

Lupton Fawcett appoints new associate to employment team

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Lupton Fawcett appoints new associate to employment team
Law firm Lupton Fawcett LLP has expanded its employment team with the appointment of a new associate. Liam Kenealy’s background includes more than 15 years with law firms across Sheffield, Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. His employment law experience ranges from clients with 10,000+ staff to micro businesses across all areas of employment law, and he has also acted for individuals involved in employment disputes with their employer. He joins Lupton Fawcett’s well-established team of 10 employment specialists, bringing the number based in the firm’s Sheffield office to four. The team provides legal advice and strategies across all aspects of employment law, from day-to-day HR advice provided through its fixed-fee retainer service, Augment, to support with acquisitions and business organisations, discrimination and whistleblowing cases and employment tribunals and litigation. Andrew Gilchrist, partner and head of employment, said: “I am delighted to welcome Liam to Lupton Fawcett. His expertise in the sector will be of great benefit to our award-winning employment team as well as to our clients, who include some of the region’s best-known businesses.” Liam said: “I was looking for a new role with an established firm known for its employment offering and Lupton Fawcett ticks both boxes. “The employment team is a great size with plenty of experienced individuals so I’m looking forward to the opportunities to learn from them and share my knowledge too. “Lupton Fawcett also has a really good calibre of clients across the whole of Yorkshire and beyond and I was impressed by its commitment to customer service.”

Mortgage network to be snapped up in £12.9m deal

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Mortgage network to be snapped up in £12.9m deal
LSL, a provider of financial services, surveying and valuation and estate agency services, has agreed to acquire TenetLime Limited from Tenet Limited, a subsidiary of Leeds-based Tenet Group, subject to FCA approval. TenetLime operates a network providing services to 231 mortgage and protection advisers, operating within 133 appointed representative firms. Its advisers arranged c.£3.9bn of mortgages in 2022. The transaction also includes consideration for the recruitment by TenetLime of 47 mortgage and protection advisers operating within 24 appointed representative firms, that are currently members of TenetConnect Ltd and TenetConnect Services Ltd, that are expected to transfer to TenetLime prior to completion. The consideration payable is expected to be up to £12.9m. David Stewart, Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “I’m delighted we have been able to complete this transaction and I look forward to welcoming TenetLime’s advisers to our PRIMIS Network. “The increase in membership will help us to further invest in our service offering to member firms as well as delivering scale economics to support further growth. “The acquisition also underpins our leading position in the mortgage and protection network market and is fully aligned with our Group strategy to develop our Financial Services Network business.”

Closure of Young’s Seafood factory in Grimsby confirmed

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Closure of Young’s Seafood factory in Grimsby confirmed
Over 200 jobs are set to be lost after Young’s Seafood confirmed the closure of a Grimsby factory. Plans were revealed in June to stop production at its Marsden Road site and move what remains to its other Grimsby factory on Humberstone Road and a Scottish site. At the time the owner of Young’s, Sofina Foods Europe, said the factory was “no longer financially sustainable,” according to BBC reports. Staff and unions were set to be consulted before a formal decision on the closure. Now, however, the business has said it has been unable to find a viable solution. Production at the site will be scaled back and cease in late October 2023. Some new roles are expected to be created at the Humberstone Road site in Grimsby and in Scotland at Fraserburgh.

£2.7m training centre to increase safety for rail workers

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£2.7m training centre to increase safety for rail workers
The first purpose-built rail safety centre of its kind in the North of England, has been officially opened by the Minister for Rail Huw Merriman MP in Huddersfield, as part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). Everyone working on the major rail upgrade between Manchester and York will undertake a one-day interactive training programme, which uses actors to place participants at the heart of a hard-hitting narrative, witnessing the actions, decisions and events which could lead to a fatal incident on the rail tracks. Attendees at the TRUST centre participate in a series of interactive, facilitated workshops and engage with the characters in real-world scenarios, including in their home, a police interview and work canteen, learning the communications skills they can put into practice to improve safety in the workplace. They are then encouraged to apply these as they are transported back into the story. Training at the TRUST centre will appeal to all three sensory learning styles: visual, auditory and kinaesthetic. High-quality production values and industry-leading technology are said to deliver a powerful, immersive experience shown to strengthen learning, memory and positively impact on subsequent behaviour. Rail Minister, Huw Merriman said: “This is a major milestone for the Transpennine Route Upgrade. Not only is the programme creating greener and more reliable services across the North, but it’s now taking vital steps to create a well-trained and highly skilled workforce. “Safety remains at the heart of our railways and this centre will ensure it’s in the mind of every member of staff working on the project too.” Neil Holm, Managing Director of Transpennine Route Upgrade, said: “The opening of the ground-breaking TRUST centre embodies the ethos that safety sits at the heart of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade. “We want to ensure that everybody gets home safe every day. As we work to bring cleaner, faster and better journeys between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York, the safety of our teams has never been more important. “TRUST centre training will be undertaken by everyone working on our programme, both working in offices and on the frontline. It’s important that colleagues from planning, design, delivery and all of our functions understand how the decisions we all make are crucial when it comes to safety. Taking an immersive approach allows workers to absorb and remember their training more clearly and for longer.” Councillor Cathy Scott, Acting Leader of Kirklees Council, says: “One of the great assets for our economy here in Kirklees is our connectivity, and the Transpennine Route Upgrade will massively enhance this. “But as well as providing a boost to our economy in the future, this huge project is providing work and opportunities for local people right now – and that’s only set to increase as work on the TRU ramps up over the coming years. “Investment like this is about long-term benefit, but long before we reach the end point of the upgrade we’ll see economic benefits and a skilled workforce for Kirklees. “It’s fantastic to see that those delivering the TRU are being trained and upskilled using the latest technologies and, frankly, great creativity – and that the Minister of State for Transport is showing such a keen interest in this work, how it will affect our local area and local people.”
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