Andrew Mitchell, Director-General Exports and UK Trade for the Department for International Trade, is to be the guest speaker at a new event being launched by Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce.
Trading internationally, local exporters and exploring new markets are at the heart of the event, taking place on 16th November from 6.30pm until 10.30pm at The Drill in Lincoln’s Free School Lane.
The event will celebrate several export markets across the world, showcase a twist on country-specific food, as well as entertaining guests with themed music.
Simon Beardsley, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is a brand new event in our calendar, one we want to make an annual occasion which has been brought to life to raise awareness among Lincolnshire businesses of the world of opportunities available when trading internationally.
“In 2021 we processed over 3,000 export documentation amounting to over £160 million worth of goods and those stats alone show what huge opportunities we have here in Lincolnshire and to showcase those at this event will be fantastic.”
The event is being supported by our strategic partner and premium sponsor, LV Logistics, an international logistics provider with office and warehousing facilities in Immingham, North-East Lincolnshire.
Company Ambassador at LV Logistics, Matthew Ord, said: “As a company providing logistics globally, we know that expanding your business overseas provides huge opportunities and it is great to be part of the conversation to promote this across Lincolnshire.”
Tickets are available to book with single tickets and tables of 10 available to purchase. For more information visit the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce website here.
Greater Lincolnshire LEP begins search for new Chair
The Greater Lincolnshire LEP has begun its search for a new Chair to replace Pat Doody when his term of office ends next year.
The new Chair will be a private-sector appointment and the successful candidate will, along with CEO Ruth Carver, lead the organisation through the next phase of development.
She said: “Since it was formed a decade ago the LEP has established a first-class public / private partnership that approaches business growth and local regeneration in a positive and commercial manner.
“The new Chair will embrace this approach. Their fresh ideas will help us to navigate the current period of change as the Government focuses on delivering the levelling up agenda and devolution deals.
“We need a Chair with strong business acumen and political astuteness who will be happy and comfortable representing the Greater Lincolnshire LEP at a range of events, including discussions with Government ministers, ensuring that Lincolnshire’s issues are understood in Whitehall.”
Since 2010, as well as unlocking £500 million for transformational schemes in the region the LEP has created more than 3,500 jobs and 800 new businesses, delivered 75 major growth projects and programmes, supported over 8,500 learners and apprentices, and more than 100 Enterprise Advisers from across business and industry are supporting students in their career choices.
For more information about the role, email ruth.carver@lincolnshire.gov.uk. A full candidate information pack is available here. Closing date for applications is 2nd December and interviews will take place between 9th and 20th January next year.
Council plans market expansion with artisan input
A partnership between Bradford Council and RSH Artisan Markets will see Bingley Market expand by over 20 new stalls every Saturday, except the first Saturday of the month when the Town Council’s monthly Farmers’ Market takes place.
The long-standing stallholders on the Saturday market are set to be joined by stalls offering a wide range of homemade, locally sourced and artisan produce.
The new stalls will include fresh wood-fire baked sourdough breads, vegan beauty products, fresh fruit and veg, fudge, cakes, candles, jewellery, eco refill food, handmade dogs coats and dog accessories, healing crystals, mead, gin, cider and stout, handmade crafts and even fresh homemade lasagne. There will also be hot food including Greek street-food, donuts, savoury snacks and hot chocolate.
The new artisan traders will be trading on the Market Square in the centre of Bingley from Saturday 8 October between 9am and 4pm.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration,
Planning and Transport, said: “We are always looking for new ways to improve our markets across the district and we’re delighted to be working in partnership with RSH Artisan Markets to bring these new traders to Bingley.”
Richard Feather from RSH Artisan Markets said: “We bring together high quality traders with fresh, handmade and artisan produce for markets across Yorkshire and Lancashire and we’re really looking forward to working with Bradford Council to bring them to Bingley.”
Dacres put down roots as part of sustainability drive
Yorkshire estate agent Dacre Son & Hartley (Dacres) is aiming to offset more than 100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions after undertaking a carbon audit and joining forces with a deciduous tree planting scheme in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire.
Following an in-depth assessment of Dacre Son & Hartley’s carbon impact by Mark Shayler from consultants APE, which works with companies to understand and reduce their environmental impact, Mark produced a detailed carbon report covering the estate agency’s direct and indirect activities, right down to the impact of employee travel, purchased goods and services, before making recommendations to offset existing emission levels and setting reduction targets.
Dacres has subsequently engaged with Make it Wild, a woodland management group which has been establishing new nature reserves and permanent woodland for wildlife in North Yorkshire for more than a decade. The company has already planted over 55,000 trees as part of the new, permanent native broad leaf woodlands, which Make it Wild is managing and preserving for the benefit of nature and the carbon, which the timber will retain.
Dacres is planting native trees to offset the 111 tons of CO2 that the independent audit found the company produced each year across its 21 Yorkshire offices.
Make it Wild care for the trees, enhancing biodiversity and creating a habitat where UK flora and fauna can thrive. It is estimated that each tree will absorb more than 3.5 tons of CO2 over a 40-year period.
Head of residential at Dacre Son & Hartley, Patrick McCutcheon, said: “Climate change is incredibly important and represents one of the greatest challenges of all time. At Dacres we wish to play our part in helping to protect both the planet and our environment for future generations and recognise that the current initiative is just a small step on our sustainability path.”
Other initiatives at Dacres include ensuring that all of the electricity used throughout the company’s office network is certified as 100% renewable from wind, solar and hydro sources. The company is also moving to hybrid and electric vehicles within its office pool fleet.
Management buy-in for Yorkshire box manufacturer following multi-million pound investment
Bradford-based box manufacturer ASC Cartons has received a £2.1million investment from Frontier Development Capital (FDC) to part fund a management buy-in (MBI) of the firm.
The MBI will see GIL Investments and chairman of Sandland Packaging Limited, Robin Welch, take the helm of the bespoke box manufacturer. Celia McKrieth-Deane moves into the role of commercial director and Ashley Power joins the board as operations director. Both Andrew Woodhead and Karl Wilson remain with the business in advisory roles.
ASC Cartons was established over 40 years ago and specialises in the creation of high-quality corrugated boxes for a wide range of applications across the UK. The firm operates from a 50,000 sq ft site.
Robin Welch, chairman, said: “This MBI starts an exciting new chapter for ASC Cartons and we’re thrilled to be getting involved at such a pivotal time for the business. We are planning to continue developing the business alongside the current management team and hone in on the growing appeal of cardboard as a sustainable packaging option.
“The debt funding provided by Frontier Development Capital helped us to realise our aims and coordinate a smooth deal. We look forward to bringing our combined experience together and help continue to grow and seize the opportunities ahead.”
Simon Kelsall, investment director at Frontier Development Capital, said: “ASC Cartons has a proud history and strong track record, with the success of its online presence and well-established customer base offering robust platforms for further growth.
“FDC prides itself on providing flexible debt funding to ambitious mid-market SMEs across the country and supporting this MBI reflects this commitment. We look forward to continuing our partnership with ASC Cartons as it looks to seize upcoming growth opportunities afforded by the changing consumer spending habits.”
FDC supports mid-market SME businesses across the country with debt funding between £1million and £20million.
Advisors that also worked on the transaction were Scofield Sweeny (Legal) & Naylor Wintersgill (Accountancy), as well as Lucy Freeman (Wilkes), Graham Spalding (Lodders) and Pippa Hawkes (BSN).
Thistle Group deal brings four new food brands to Rotherham’s Forge Island
Four new food brands have signed lease contracts on Rotherham’s Forge Island development, bringing a taste of the exotic to the town centre.
Urban regeneration developers, Muse, has struck a triple-header deal with Thistle Group which will transform the area into a vibrant food destination for the whole community to enjoy.
First up is Casa Peri Peri, which will bring its own style of Portuguese and Southern African flare, created by Masterchef star, Bobby Geetha.
Estabulo Rodizio / Sakku Samba is a dual-branded concept honouring the Gaucho style of cooking while at the same time celebrating a fusion of Japanese-Brazilian cuisine. It will be the first time that the two concepts are brought together under one roof.
Caffé Noor completes the pack and is a revolutionary luxury coffee shop with a fundamental difference as 50% of all profits will be donated to local community organisations to support vulnerable people.
With boutique cinema operator, The Arc, and national hotel chain, Travelodge, already signed up to anchor Forge Island, excitement is building with construction expected to start on site this October.
The new Forge Island will be set within an attractive public square with a new pedestrian bridge connecting the scheme to the wider town centre to create a real sense of place.
Raife Gale, senior development manager at Muse, said: “At Muse, we’re all about bringing choice and social purpose to the towns and cities we work in. Bringing these four brands to Forge Island demonstrates what we’re looking to achieve here, and we can’t wait to get on site in October.
“Working closely with the council, we’re creating a brand-new restaurant and leisure offer for Rotherham. Together, we’re driving inward investment and growth to support the local economy, providing opportunities for local people which will hopefully kickstart further investment and development in the town.”
Rotherham Council’s cabinet member for jobs and the local economy, Cllr Denise Lelliott, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming these new food establishments to the flagship Forge Island development which will provide a unique and exciting experience for residents and visitors. It is an exciting time for Rotherham as we see our regeneration works begin to take shape.”
West Yorkshire Colleges secure £2.6m investment for green skills
The West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges (WYCC) will be part of the Government’s plans to boost the nation’s skills and make sure more people can secure good, well-paid jobs that are closer to where they live.
The Department for Education has announced that it will invest £2.6 million in West Yorkshire’s colleges through the Strategic Development Fund. This will allow the educators to increase specialist equipment to deliver electric vehicle and retrofit training, grow and embed green knowledge within the curriculum and improve links with businesses to develop and enhance their green skills.
The Strategic Development Fund was launched in 2021 to help colleges and further education providers to transform their facilities and offer high quality technical training that better meet the needs of local employers and boost job opportunities for their communities.
This would mean that local businesses have access to the home-grown talent they need for the jobs of tomorrow and more people don’t need to leave their hometowns to get a good job.
Project director of the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges, Joanne Patrickson said: “This funding will make a big difference to our colleges and in turn, the businesses and communities in West Yorkshire. Part of the funding will be a capital investment into equipment and machinery to allow our colleges to train the workforce in electric vehicle maintenance and retrofitting buildings.
“All seven of our partner colleges and Notre Dame Sixth Form College will also benefit from internal training and development in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They will work collaboratively to embed Global Goals set out by world leaders within their college, both from a business perspective and within the curriculum.
“Colleges will be employing dedicated teams to work closely with businesses in the region to understand what help they need to become more sustainable, and the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges will launch The Green Skills Service to help employers access the training and resources they need to take action.”
Leeds College of Building and Calderdale and Wakefield Colleges are set to receive £800K in capital and revenue investment to enhance their courses in retrofit. This will allow the colleges to develop the right skills for the future of the construction industry.
Leeds City College, Kirklees, Bradford, Wakefield and Calderdale Colleges will be receiving £1.8m to invest in electric vehicle equipment to improve the student experience and offer hands-on training in the future of the mechanical industry.
The £2.6 million is contracted to be spent by 31 March 2023, but this initial investment will allow these new initiatives to establish and offer training that will prepare the workforce for a sustainable future.
The initiatives include:
- The Green Skills Service, a dedicated service to inspire and offer support and training to businesses in the uptake of green skills,
- Led by Shipley College, ongoing and structured collaboration and learning activity across the colleges to embed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into college operations and curriculum, and
- 25 new training courses will launch utilising the new equipment in retrofit and electric vehicle to prepare the workforce for the changing practices in the industry.
Topping out for Sheffield hotel development
Sheffield City Centre’s flagship Radisson Blu development celebrated an important milestone this week with the topping out of the building.
Work on the Radisson Blu development site, which forms part of Sheffield City Council and Strategic Development Partner Queensberry’s Heart of the City programme, has been gathering momentum in recent months and now the building’s steel frame has reached its pinnacle – eight-storeys from the ground.
To celebrate Heart of the City’s latest milestone, McLaughlin & Harvey’s site team welcomed key representatives from Radisson Hotel Group, Sheffield City Council, Queensberry, HLM Architects and Turner & Townsend for a tour of the site, along with an official topping-out ceremony.
Pat Cussen, regional director UK & Ireland at Radisson Hotel Group, said: “We’re thrilled to be at the forefront of the Heart of the City programme and to see the hotel taking shape. Having presence in such a great city and adding this new property to our portfolio of Radisson Blu hotels across the UK is a fantastic achievement.”
Councillor Mazher Iqbal, executive member for city futures: development, culture and regeneration at Sheffield City Council, said: “We are excited to see construction work on the Radisson Blu site progressing well. The view from the top floor over the Peace Gardens is spectacular and we can’t wait for the hotel’s guests and visitors to see it for themselves soon. Radisson Blu is a key part of the Heart of the City jigsaw and I’m positive it will be a huge success.”
Mike Norris, senior development manager at Queensberry, added: “It’s great to celebrate this important milestone for the scheme today. The Radisson Blu development really epitomises what we are trying to achieve with Heart of the City – attracting some of the very best brands in the business and breathing new life into the city of Sheffield.”
Conor McKenna, senior project manager at McLaughlin & Harvey, said: “We’re delighted to have reached this key milestone and look forward to continuing with the delivery of the project, with the focus now on the external envelope and roofing works.”
Business owners invited to apply for grants to restore historic shop fronts
Shop owners in the Wakefield district are being given the chance to restore their centuries old shop fronts to their former glory.
Wakefield Council is offering grants of up to £10,000 to landlords and businesses in Ossett and Horbury Conservation Areas, to permanently enhance the traditional features of the shops and to help businesses to thrive by attracting people to these areas.
These grants will fund external works to shop fronts in eligible town centre streets – repairing or improving features, windows, upper floors and even painting walls in historic colours.
Cllr Denise Jeffery, leader of Wakefield Council, said: “I am thrilled to announce this scheme as it will create a lasting legacy of investment into the area by preserving traditional buildings where people feel welcome and are excited to come, to look and shop.
“Having the new and improved shop fronts also makes the town centres more appealing and encourages visitors to come into the district.
“Ossett and Horbury are investment priorities for the Council to champion to become destinations. This fantastic scheme will contribute towards helping local economies grow and creating more employment opportunities.”
Businesses can also apply for grants to pay for smaller changes to their shops such as replacing modern signs with traditional signage that is in keeping with the historic character of the area.
The Council’s Town Centre Regeneration Capital Programme (TCRCP) is providing the funding for these grants.
The TCRCP was approved by Cabinet, in March 2020, for a new programme of investment to benefit towns outside Wakefield city centre.
Applications for grants open on 30 September for Horbury and 7 October for Ossett.
Business spending on high-reward R&D in Yorkshire & Humber falls 11%
Spending on the most valuable forms of innovation by Yorkshire & Humber businesses fell by 10.6% to £1.5bn during the pandemic, according to government statistics published yesterday.
Despite the fall in spending, the number of tax relief claims for high-reward research and development (R&D) projects made by Yorkshire & Humber businesses increased in 2020/21, rising 9.2% from 6,070 claims to 6,630, analysis by innovation funding specialist Catax shows.
The data is captured by HMRC and is based on claims made for R&D tax credits, which reward businesses for qualifying activity. R&D tax relief was introduced in 2000 and results in either a reduction in a limited company’s corporation tax bill or a cash lump sum for businesses seeking to resolve a scientific or technological uncertainty.
R&D projects carried out by UK businesses introduce new products and services to the marketplace which play a critical role in economic growth, as they attract investment, boost exports and lead to the creation of more skilled jobs.
Figures released by HMRC show that in Yorkshire & the Humber, spending on qualifying R&D fell by 10.6% from £1.6bn in 2019/20 to £1.5bn in 2020/21.
UK-wide innovation spending that qualifies for tax relief fell 11% to £38.1bn in 2020/21 — down from £42.8bn in 2019/20.
Mark Tighe, CEO of innovation funding specialist Catax, says: “The pandemic has caused a setback for innovation spending in Yorkshire & the Humber, but it is encouraging to see that more businesses are making claims for this type of high-reward R&D activity.
“This kind of innovation is of vital importance to local economies, as it helps businesses grow and creates even more skilled jobs.
“Businesses are already bouncing back from the pandemic and are innovating in earnest, which will kick-start an acceleration in R&D spend.”
