Firms don’t understand what ‘net zero’ means for them, BCC survey finds

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Firms don’t understand what ‘net zero’ means for them, BCC survey finds
Nine out of 10 businesses don’t fully understand what the Government’s target of making the UK Net Zero by 2050 means for them. But there is a substantial divide in terms of understanding and progress between firms with more than 50 employees and those with fewer than 50, says the British Chambers of Commerce. A total of 56% of the bigger firms have a ‘complete’ or ‘some understanding’ of the Net Zero target, compared to just 35% of the smaller ones. Almost twice as many firms with more than 50 employees have developed a plan for reaching Net Zero compared to those with fewer than 50. The research also showed that planning for the future skills needed to help businesses make the transition to greener and more sustainable operations has taken a backseat. Fewer than one in 20 firms (4%) have carried out a written assessment of the green jobs or skills they will need in-house over the next 10 years. One in five businesses also think that, on balance, green technology will decrease the productivity of their company, whereas 10% think it will provide a boost.  Firms with a negative view of making improvements said they were worried about the extra costs or time required in adopting green technology. The research showed that:
  • More than two thirds of SMEs (69%) have installed LED lighting 
  • More than a third (34%) are investing in greener vehicles
  • Just under a third (30%) are using solar panels
  • Almost half (46%) are using recycling and waste management strategies
  • Over a quarter (28%) use renewable energy providers or tariffs
  • Two out of five SMEs (42%) thinking about Net Zero will speak to Chambers of Commerce and almost a fifth (19%) to their banks, lawyers or accountants.
In response to the findings, the BCC and Lloyds Bank plan to bring together businesses from across the country to identify the most effective ways to target support and raise awareness. Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said: “The cost-of-living crisis means many smaller firms are focussed on keeping their heads above water. So, it is perhaps no surprise that researching and planning for Net Zero has slipped down the list of strategic priorities. “But if the UK is to stand a chance of hitting its 2050 Net Zero target, then businesses must be put at the heart of the strategy to do that. They will provide one of the biggest dents in CO2 emissions by making the transition.  “Yet, there is a real danger that smaller businesses will get left behind unless politicians, banks and business leaders come together to galvanise action.   “Many chambers are working with their members to help them develop their plans to become carbon neutral. And this research shows that businesses are turning to Chambers and their banks for advice. “We have a position of responsibility here and it is up to us to use our influence to improve awareness of the benefits of becoming more energy efficient and how to do it.  “Clarity and certainty will drive confidence to invest. As it stands, it is alarming that a sizeable number of firms think investing in green tech will damage their productivity. “Our work with Lloyds Bank will help pinpoint the main drag factors holding companies back and then set out in clear terms what business and the financial sector can do to change the dynamics.”

Doncaster’s Lakeside Shopping Village reports best-ever January trading

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Doncaster’s Lakeside Shopping Village reports best-ever January trading
Lakeside Village Outlet Shopping in Doncaster has reported its bestever January, with sales up by more than 19 percent across the centre, year-on-year. Footfall was also up 1.3% at the site, which reached full occupancy at the end of 2022 following the addition of Benson’s for Beds Outlet, Charnwood Entertainments, and Calendar Club. January saw particular sales spikes at Baggage Factory, Skopes Menswear and Bonmarche – with all three seeing a big double-digit increase year-on-year. Di Mellis, Centre Manager at Lakeside Village, said: “It’s wonderful to have had such a strong start to the year. There is no doubt that times are hard in retail, but we seem to have bucked the trend in 2023 so far, and had our best January ever. “It’s encouraging to see stores such as Baggage Factory seeing a rise in sales as people get holiday-ready again with new luggage, and Skopes too – where we’ve seen a real rush of people preparing for wedding season. “Additionally, Bonmarche’s Lorraine Kelly Loves range and the Dash range have performed really well, along with the store’s spring package. “We’d like to thank all of our loyal customers who’ve helped us have a great start to the year, as well as our hard-working team who make visiting Lakeside Village a fantastic experience for all.”

Government gives bus firms money to cap fares at £2 until June

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Government gives bus firms money to cap fares at £2 until June
The government has announced plans to provide up to £75 million more for bus operators to cap single bus fares outside of London at £2 until the end of June, saving passengers money and encouraging more people back on the bus. With the average single local bus ticket costing £2.80, passengers can save almost a third of the ticket price. Bus operators that are continuing the £2 fare cap scheme will be confirmed in due course. During the pandemic, bus usage dropped as low as 10% of pre-pandemic levels, and the government has provided financial support totalling more than £2 billion since March 2020. With people using buses still at around 85 to 90% of pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) levels, there are a number of ongoing challenges for bus operators. The government is working closely with the sector on the challenges they face with changing travel patterns since the pandemic and will continue to work on delivering the National Bus Strategy. The government’s existing £60 million investment to cap single bus fares has already shown early signs of increased bus use, with an independent survey of 1,000 people from passenger watchdog Transport Focus showing 7% of people saying they are using the bus more. During these difficult economic times, these trends already indicate that the government’s support to cap fares is a welcome intervention, helping families, commuters and all passengers to ease the cost of living. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Travelling by bus remains the most popular option for commuters and families across the country, but the sector is still trying to recover after the end of the pandemic.

“We’re providing a total of £155 million to help passengers save money on fares, get more people on the bus and protect vital bus routes – helping with the cost of living and enabling people to get where they need to in an affordable and convenient way.”

New South Yorkshire project aims to aid safer nuclear decommissioning

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
New South Yorkshire project aims to aid safer nuclear decommissioning
The Nuclear AMRC is working with Sheffield-based software company BOW to develop robotic systems for the safe decommissioning of legacy nuclear sites using its single software solution that can control any robot. BOW, formerly known as Cyberselves, has secured funding to develop systems for tackling the safety requirements and specialist needs of nuclear decommissioning tasks which are potentially hazardous to human operators. The company is a spin out from the Sheffield Robotics collaboration between the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, has also secured funding for a related project to adapt the same technology for assessing a patient’s injuries on the battlefield or other hazardous environments and providing first-aid treatment. The two contracts are together worth £550,000 and were awarded through the Defence & Security Accelerator, with funding from the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory and the NDA. The TEL-ND project involves telexistence technology, which uses cameras, sensors, and other equipment to provide feedback to the system’s operator, so that they feel like they are actually there in the remote location. “We are taking human expertise and transporting it into a robot in real time to make the experience safer for people, building on work we’ve already led on in explosives disposal in hazardous underwater environments,” said Daniel Camilleri, founder and chief executive of BOW. “Our software can control many different types of hardware, which means we can use off-the-shelf components for these systems, making them easier to replace and keeping costs down.” Nuclear AMRC researchers will work closely with BOW and other project partners to ensure that the technology is meeting the needs of decommissioning clients. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has set out its ambition to move humans away from harm. This will include the remote decommissioning of contaminated gloveboxes – specialist equipment used to inspect, handle or repackage nuclear materials – by 2025. “The Nuclear AMRC has extensive knowledge in the nuclear decommissioning industry, and we have previously worked with NDA’s subsidiaries on projects related to the glovebox applications,” said technical lead Benjamin Rae. “We’re pleased to have this opportunity to work with our partners to develop a telexistence platform for removing the possible contamination hazard to the human operator. “The higher technology readiness level system will demonstrate the safer, secure environment for decommissioning operation, while improving productivity.”

Leeds-based digital marketing agency acquires web dev, SEO and paid media specialist

Tess Egginton
-
0
Leeds-based digital marketing agency acquires web dev, SEO and paid media specialist
Creode, the Leeds and London-based digital marketing agency, has acquired Blue Digital, a digital agency specialising in website design and development, SEO and Paid Search management. This is a strategic acquisition which allows Creode to strengthen its broader digital offering and better serve its clients by incorporating Blue Digital’s expertise in digital marketing into its robust suite of services. The terms of the deal are undisclosed, but both Creode and Blue Digital are confident that the merger will bring significant benefits to both companies, as well as to their clients. The acquisition will allow Creode to provide its clients with a wider range of services and help the agency achieve its ambitious business goals after a period of organic growth in the last 6 months. “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Blue Digital to the Creode family,” said Guy Weston, CEO of Creode. “Their expertise in specific areas of digital marketing will be a valuable asset and will help us implement our continuous improvement approach to the greater benefit of our clients.” Blue Digital commercial director, Mark Ambler, said: “Joining forces with Creode will allow us to better serve our clients and take our digital marketing efforts to the next level in terms of the wider range of expertise we can offer. We are excited to be a part of such a dynamic and driven agency.”

Ringrose Law makes key equality & discrimination hire

Tess Egginton
-
0
Ringrose Law makes key equality & discrimination hire
Ringrose Law has announced the recent appointment of Carrie Clewes, Specialist Equality & Disability Rights Lawyer and also Head of the firm’s new Equality & Discrimination Department. Discrimination can take place in many forms including disability, race, religion or belief, age, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, sex and sexual orientation under the Equality Act 2010. Carrie, who has worked in Discrimination Law for over 4 years, will be acting for clients who have suffered discrimination at the hands of service providers in shops and venues, by Local Authorities, healthcare providers, railways, Universities and more. Carrie has acted against private companies and public bodies alike and is committed to making positive change to accessibility and inclusion across the board, as well as supporting clients to receive compensation. Carrie has worked on a wide variety of discrimination cases including discrimination due to disability, sex, pregnancy, gender reassignment, race and age. Examples of her previous work include representing clients with claims against Centre Parcs and Southern Rail and Carrie was instrumental in the campaign against the Government during COVID-19 when failing to provide sign language interpreters during key national announcements delivered by Boris Johnson. Carrie is delighted to join the team at Ringrose Law and believes this area of Law will only grow as people become more aware that they can get support and help. “Since I started working in Law over 10 years ago, it has been really interesting to see how organisations respond to claims and the positive change it can make. I am extremely passionate about the work I do and representing clients who may otherwise not have a voice to get help. “I am excited to join Ringrose Law, who have a great ethos around supporting their clients but also their staff wellbeing and engagement. I look forward to promoting my work within the firm but also to clients locally and nationally.” Carrie also works closely with a number of disability rights Charities including Doncaster Deaf Trust, Enable Unity and DeafBlind implementing and assisting with change and support. John Knight, Senior Partner, says: “We are delighted to welcome Carrie to the firm and the formation of our new Discrimination & Equality Department. We believe that the work Carrie does fits extremely well within our firm, promoting change, compassion and support to our clients. “Her appointment also compliments the work that Ringrose Law already do to assist vulnerable clients and brings insight and awareness into a new area of law.” For more information on Carrie and Ringrose Law’s services please visit https://www.ringroselaw.co.uk/personal-law/discrimination/ or contact wecanhelp@ringroselaw.co.uk

Leeds hotel sold for £53m

Tess Egginton
-
0
Leeds hotel sold for £53m
Pandox, an owner of hotel properties in Northern Europe, has acquired The Queens Hotel in Leeds. The £53m acquisition includes both the hotel property and the hotel operations. The hotel has 232 rooms and will be operated as an independent brand under a new management agreement with Axiom Hospitality. Liia Nõu, CEO of Pandox, said: “We are pleased to acquire the iconic and market leading The Queens Hotel in central Leeds. The hotel is located next to the city’s largest square and the central station, attracting both leisure and business travellers. “The hotel product is in very good condition after a newly completed renovation. The transaction is made at an attractive yield, and we see good potential to further increase the hotel’s return over time through active measures in operation, organization and product offering.” In recent years, The Queens Hotel has undergone a substantial renovation and upgrade of all rooms, public areas, restaurant and bar, and the hotel is in a strong position in its market. The hotel was sold by Aprirose.

Student accommodation plans submitted for latest phase of SOYO Leeds development

Tess Egginton
-
0
Student accommodation plans submitted for latest phase of SOYO Leeds development
The latest plans for Caddick’s SOYO Development at the heart of Leeds’ cultural quarter have now been submitted to Leeds City Council. The proposal for Block D seeks to bring high-quality student residential accommodation to SOYO, comprised of 291 beds. Designed by Leeds-based Fuse Architects, the accommodation will include a mix of studio and cluster flats. Residents will benefit from a range of amenities, such as; 24hr gym and wellness initiatives, keyfob secure entry, dedicated study and collaboration spaces, and roof-top gardens. The development will also complete a further section of the wider landscaping scheme, including a feature pocket park zone. Alistair Smith, associate director at Caddick Developments, said: “SOYO is a landmark development for Leeds and we’re proud to have brought forward these latest plans for the neighbourhood. We’ve worked closely with partners and local residents to deliver a project that further enhances the area, bringing additional footfall to the cultural quarter and creating a great place to live and work.” The first phase of SOYO, Moda New York Square, opened in autumn last year. Phase two, a development of 331 build to rent (BTR) apartments is currently under construction for Hestia. Once finished SOYO Leeds will create over 1 million square feet of development, incorporating new shops and restaurants, and including some of the largest landscaped spaces in the city. The application has been managed by ID Planning.

Trio of Todmorden projects receive go ahead for investment

Tess Egginton
-
0
Trio of Todmorden projects receive go ahead for investment
The final three projects proposed in Todmorden Town Deal Board’s Town Investment Plan have now received the go ahead for investment from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, meaning the full £17.5million Town Deal programme of eight projects is fully approved for delivery. The news follows approval of the first phase of five projects by Government in December 2022. The programme aims to develop the local economy and realise the potential of Todmorden as a unique and attractive 21st century market town, bringing opportunities for enterprise development, health and wellbeing, learning, arts and culture and for improving the town’s park, heritage and green spaces. The three projects include: The Enterprise Centre, Calder Valley Community Land Trust A new town centre building will house 21st century businesses, supporting existing businesses to grow and attracting new enterprises to Todmorden. The Enterprise Centre will offer modern, professional facilities for small and start-up businesses, as well as more established enterprises in energy-efficient and affordable workspace, linking with schools and Tod College to offer opportunities for the town’s young people to develop their skills and experience in professional sectors. Riverside Centre, Upper Calder Valley Renaissance This project will transform a beautifully located but underused recreation and green space in Walsden into a hub of leisure and activity for the wider community, including those with disabilities, to improve their health and wellbeing. Riverside will be home to local team and individual sports including kayaking, cycling and junior football, providing quality outdoor facilities with modern amenities. Active Todmorden, Calderdale Council This project aims to make Todmorden more accessible and easier to move around for pedestrians and cyclists, improving opportunities for better health and wellbeing as well as making the town more attractive. In particular, pedestrian access and links between the rail station and the town centre will be improved. Pam Warhurst, chair, Todmorden Town Deal Board, said: “This once in a generation chance for Todmorden to realise its potential as a 21st century market town is now a reality. I am thrilled that the hard work of our skilled Board of local people who invested many hours to achieve this extraordinary milestone in our town’s future, in the middle of a pandemic, has paid off. “After years of consultations, the contributions and ambitions of Todmorden communities are finally being rewarded, enabling us to capitalise on our unique landscape, heritage and enterprising spirit. Todmorden people deserve better opportunities for health and wellbeing, skills development and jobs, alongside a revitalised town centre which will encourage people to spend more time in Todmorden supporting our wonderful local businesses and markets.” Calderdale Council is the Accountable Body for the community-led Board and for the Todmorden Town Investment Programme as a whole. Cllr Sarah Courtney, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Towns, Engagement and Public Health, said: “This is a really proud moment for Todmorden and everyone who has worked together on the impressive plans for the town’s transformation. “Through years of hard graft, commitment and enthusiasm, we’ve seen Calderdale’s talent, enterprise and kindness shine through. These qualities, combined with the distinctive features of Todmorden that we cherish, will drive forward the next chapter for the area. “This important regeneration programme contributes to all three of the Council’s priorities, helping to develop thriving towns and places, reducing inequalities and taking climate action.” The funding announcement follows three years of planning and development by Todmorden Town Deal Board, made up of private, community and Calderdale Council partners. The eight approved projects will now move forward to undertake further detailed planning, including public consultation, environmental and planning permission processes as required. Completion of the Town Deal programme is expected by the end of 2025. Pam Warhurst added: “Whilst we celebrate this great news, both the Board and our project partners are not complacent. We know the real work starts here if we are to achieve and maximise the positive impacts in the Town Investment Plan. There are challenges ahead in delivering a major programme of such complexity, and we will be setting out a programme of opportunities to continue the conversation with local people in due course.”

Fish farm targets Yorkshire expansion

Tess Egginton
-
0
Fish farm targets Yorkshire expansion
One of the oldest fish farms in the UK has expanded with a third site after securing a 15-year lease with the Environment Agency. The lease has enabled Costa Spring Hatchery Limited, a trout farm based in Dunsop Bridge, Lancashire, and Sinnington, North Yorkshire, to open a third farm in Pickering, North Yorkshire, and the business is already eyeing a fourth site to help it meet demand from the industry. The three trout farms rear live trout that are supplied to recreational fishing lakes across the country as well as fingerlings supplied to other commercial trout farms. It’s original Dunsop Bridge trout farm, which supplies brown and rainbow trout, was established in 1926. Now one of the largest trout farm businesses in the UK, Costa Spring Hatchery supplies over 20 million fingerlings each year to support trout fishing in the UK. Philip Mart, a director of Costa Spring Hatchery, said: “Recreational fishing remains the most popular sport in the country in participation terms and the demand for our trout is very high, so we’re delighted to have secured the lease with the Environment Agency for our third site. “We have now set our sights on another location in Yorkshire to further expand the business and we continue to seek and recruit people interested in a career in trout farming because there is certainly plenty of work for them.” Harrison Drury provided legal advice to Costa Spring Hatchery’s owners Philip Mart and David Jones in attaining the 15-year lease at Pickering. The team had initially advised the pair on a management buyout of the business from the Birtwistle family in 2011. Wendy Newbury, commercial property solicitor at Harrison Drury’s Clitheroe office, said: “It’s always a pleasure when a client returns to us for further advice when they are growing a business. Phil and Dave have a long history of trout farming in the region and their knowledge is unsurpassed. It’s no surprise their business continues to thrive.” The new Pickering site is now the largest for the business and employs four full time staff and one part time worker.
1...622623624...942Page 623 of 942