Wilkin Chapman strengthens commercial property team
Sarah Diak has joined the Beverley branch of Wilkin Chapman as a member of the commercial property team.
Born in Hull, Mrs Diak went to St Mary’s College before studying law at Northumbria University where she graduated with first class honours. She carved out her specialism while training and starting her career at a law firm in Hull.
“I’m a self-confessed property nerd and I find property law to be very interesting and varied,” she said.
Sarah, who has a young son, said she was attracted to Wilkin Chapman due to its regional reach and flexible working ethos.
“It was time for the next stage of my career and I am very happy to have joined a firm that has such an excellent reputation for its work and its employee relations. I have been made to feel very welcome.”
Sarah will be involved in day-to-day landlord and tenant work, along with commercial property sales, purchases and refinances. She will also be assisting the wider firm, in particular on property-related insolvency matters.
Also joining Sarah in the Beverley office is commercial property executive, Brian Gray.
With 17 years’ experience in local government, Brian will be working directly with high-profile clients assisting on major projects relating to development which will benefit the community.
“I’m passionate about delivering a great service to my clients. I believe everyone should have access to the law and strive to ensure clients are satisfied with what we can do for them as a firm,” Brian said.
Brian, who is also a published author, is looking forward to working locally, helping the people of Beverley and surrounding areas.
Wilkin Chapman, which reported record-breaking turnover for its services provided to businesses and individuals during the last financial year, recently appointed two partners to its growing team of 47 people in Beverley.
The practice as a whole has nearly 400 partners and staff working across five offices and is the largest law firm in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
In early July, Wilkin Chapman announced that it was paying every member of staff a one-off bonus of £1,000 to help with the cost of living crisis.
It also has an extensive Employee Assistance Programme which includes a range of wellbeing initiatives, a comprehensive healthcare scheme, and other benefits aimed at contributing to a happy and healthy workforce.
E-Factor Group spearheads The Great Big Small Business Festival – an innovative week-long event to celebrate and support Northern Lincolnshire’s business community
A revolutionary event is coming to Northern Lincolnshire. A celebration of just how BIG our region’s SME’s businesses are. E-Factor Group presents, The Great Big Small Business Festival.
The first event of its kind in the area, The Great Big Small Business Festival is here to sound the drum, ring the bell, fly the flag for the strength, diversity, and growth of businesses across our region. From the heart of Scunthorpe, Brigg and Barton, across Immingham, through the centre of Grimsby and beyond to the coastline of Cleethorpes, this event has been created to showcase exactly why the business community in Northern Lincolnshire is flourishing.
Taking place from 30th September until the 7th October 2022, this event promises to be the highlight of this year’s business calendar. Recognising the immense contribution businesses makes to the wellbeing of our communities, this event will also be the perfect opportunity to highlight the strengths of our local people, reinforce the need for us to work collaboratively and outline how our outstanding supply chain services set our regional businesses apart.
Small is big business, in fact small businesses – even despite the pandemic – still account for 99.2% of the UK’s business population. In our region alone there are more than 9,000 small businesses, with 90% of those being locally owned.
This is a unique opportunity for us to display the potential and promise that lies ahead for every business and employee in the area. The Great Big Small Business Festival will be showcasing new ideas and exciting innovations at the centre of the week’s agenda too.
Mark Webb, Managing Director at E-Factor Group, said: “We are delighted to be able to launch this festival and demonstrate to everyone the huge business talent that exists across the south bank of the Humber. With so much attention on the area right now, it is time we put our best foot forward and make a noise about the diversity and strength of our local business community.
“From the army of self-employed entrepreneurs to the sea of well-established and brand-new local businesses, the wealth of talent and innovation that exists in the area is outstanding. This is a chance to show that off to our employees, our community, and the rest of the country.
“We may be a small pocket of Lincolnshire, the UK even, but we know that big business more often than not doesn’t equal big numbers. To us, BIG equals, big talent, big drive, big determination and big heart. And our small business community has that by the bucket load.”
Throughout the week, a creative, diverse and exciting schedule of free events has been planned for you to book onto. From ‘TikTok for Businesses’ and ‘Photography for Businesses’, to ‘Business Branding and Messaging Workshops’. There will be opportunities to attend masterclasses hosted by national and international speakers – with the keynote speaker at Business Hive Live on Tuesday 4th October coming from none other than Innocent Drinks. There will be displays and exhibitions of new technology, while new ideas and new tools will be curated to show you exactly how innovation will be supporting your business in the years ahead, helping you to build on your knowledge and add further strings to your skillset.
This event will also deliver opportunities for you to celebrate the present and expand your immediate horizons by networking – catching up with old friends and prospective new customers.
“We want this to be a week shared by the whole of the business community,” Mark added. “And we encourage businesses to put forward an event of their own that will be included in the extensive promotion plans for the week. The only condition is that it must be free to attend, and that people should learn something new that will benefit their business.”
To start the Festival off in style, the week begins with the brand-new North Lincolnshire Great Big Small Awards on Friday 30th September. Being hosted in Scunthorpe at Walcot Hall, this glittering evening awards ceremony will pay tribute and deliver hard-earned recognition to some of the best local business in the area.
As for the finale, well we’re thrilled to say the North East Lincolnshire Great Big Small Awards, taking place at Grimsby Town Hall and sponsored by Fortis Therapy & Training, returns for its highly anticipated second year. Taking place on Friday 7th October, if last year’s ceremony was anything to go by, this night promises to be full of cheers, tears and plenty of glasses raised.
With something for every business and every entrepreneur, don’t miss your chance to meet up with likeminded people and potential customers at The Great Big Small Business Festival.
Construction company fined £600k after death of seven-year-old
A civil engineering firm has been fined £600,000 for safety breaches after a seven-year-old child became trapped and suffocated on a construction site.
Seven-year-old Conley Thompson went missing from home on the morning of 26 July 2015 and was found the next morning by workers at the construction site at Bank End Road, Worsborough, in South Yorkshire.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Conley had become trapped in a drainage pipe, which had been fixed into the ground in preparation for the installation of fencing posts. Tragically, he had suffocated before being found the next morning when work restarted on site.
Howard Civil Engineering Ltd of Howard House Limewood Approach Leeds pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 13(4)(b) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay £42,952.88 in costs at Sheffield Crown Court.
The construction site was a new-build housing development next to an existing housing estate and adjacent to busy pedestrian footpaths and roads. HSE found that there was insufficient fencing in place to prevent unauthorised persons from accessing the construction site due to a combination of poor planning, management and monitoring of the site and its perimeter.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Paul Yeadon said: “Conley should never have been able to be on that site. He should have been kept out.
“The construction industry should be aware of the dangers of construction sites to members of the public and any other unauthorised persons.
“The dangers to children gaining access to construction sites and treating them like a playground is an ongoing problem which must be addressed at all types of sites no matter what their complexity or size.
“The industry must do all it can to ensure children can’t access construction sites and be exposed to the inherent risks they present to prevent further tragedies like this from occurring.”
Investment plans move forward for trio of town centres
The progress and next steps of major investment work to revitalise three towns in Calderdale are being presented for consideration by Calderdale Council’s Cabinet.
Investment as part of the Future High Streets Fund in Halifax and Elland and Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) funding in Sowerby Bridge represent significant opportunities to revitalise these towns and support the borough’s wider economic recovery from the pandemic.
Work is moving forward on all three schemes and at the meeting of Calderdale Council’s Cabinet on Monday 8 August, Members will note the progress of each of the projects to date and consider the next steps.
In December 2020, the Council was awarded funding of £18 million from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities as part of the Future High Streets Fund, to support town centre improvements in Halifax and Elland (£11.7 million and £6.3 million respectively). Significant work has been taking place since the funding announcement and these projects are now progressing through the detailed design stages.
In Halifax, the work is focused on delivering key priorities including supporting the revitalisation of key historic buildings, developing connectivity through the town, improving public spaces and increasing opportunities to live in the town centre. The funding is also directed to areas in the town centre that have seen limited funding recently.
The project scopes include major improvements to Halifax Borough Market and the Victoria Theatre, as well as investment in George Square and the historic alleyways, linking to the top of the town. These projects will encourage visitors and residents to move around the town, rather than visiting just one area.
In Elland, projects include the pedestrianisation of the Southgate area to make it feel safer, look more attractive and encourage new business and increased footfall. Funding has also been allocated to improve Market Square and following strong support as part of public consultation, refurbishment work is planned for the local community asset building, the Cartwheel Club.
The provision of seating, places to shelter and green space would increase time spent in the town, and plans are also in place to reconfigure road layouts and introduce new and widened pavements.
Funding of £1.8 million was secured from Historic England in 2020 for the Sowerby Bridge High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) programme. The programme has been progressing since this time and has included work on the Fire & Water complex (the former Council offices, swimming pool and fire station) and the Old Town Hall. A further scheme to improve the junction of Hollins Mill Lane and Town Hall Street is due to complete over the coming months.
Remaining elements of the HAZ programme concentrate on grant allocations to small businesses on the high street to enable improvements to shopfronts and further community engagement.
It’s recommended that Cabinet approve the work programme for each project and formally accept the associated grant funding, taking into account strict government guidelines for its spend.
Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for towns, engagement and public health, Cllr Sarah Courtney, said: “Investment in strong and resilient towns is one of the Council’s three corporate priorities which support the delivery of our Vision 2024 for Calderdale.
“As many of the projects or proposals for the FHSF and HAZ schemes reach key milestones, it’s important that we’re able to assess the progress to date and ensure that the next steps fully support our vision for the future of these key towns.
“All of the projects associated with this funding support the revitalisation of our town centres, with much of the work focused on our historic buildings and community spaces. At the Cabinet meeting, we’ll discuss the significant opportunities offered by this major investment and ensure the many benefits can be successfully realised.”
Work starts on Sheffield’s largest-ever private investment deal
Work on the largest single largest private investment deal in Sheffield City Centre has begun, with a JV called Legal & General and Urbo (West Bar) Limited kicking off the first phase of the development on site.
The JV involves Urbo Regeneration and Peveril Securities – part of the Bowmer + Kirkland Group, together with partners Sheffield City Council, and the project is a £300 million mixed-use scheme in Sheffield City Centre.
Legal & General has committed £160 million of forward funding to developers Urbo (West Bar) Ltd to deliver the first phase of development, the culmination of several years’ work in the assembly and ground preparation for comprehensive area-wide regeneration.
Sheffield West Bar is a cutting-edge mixed-use project which will deliver much needed new grade A office accommodation, housing, and green public spaces on the gateway site and has potential to create up to 8,000 new jobs. When complete in 2024, this first phase of West Bar will deliver:
- No. 1 West Bar Square – will consist of a new 100,000 sq ft Grade A office building with retail accommodation on the ground floor and roof terrace offering panoramic views. It will be an impressive and sustainable gateway building to the wider West Bar regeneration project.
- Soho Yard – a £78 million development consisting of 368 build to rent apartments owned and operated by Legal & General.
- Car Park – A 450-space multi-storey car park with around 300 cycle storage spaces and electric car charging points.
- West Bar Square – a major new business address and landscaped public space for Sheffield and focal point for the West Bar area
Base rate increase piles pressure on small firms, says FSB
Following the decision by the Bank of England to increase the base rate from 1.25% to 1.75%, Federation of Small Businesses National Chair Martin McTague said: “The need to get a grip on inflation is clear, with costs at a record high for 89% of small businesses according to FSB’s latest Small Business Index – driven by fuel, utilities, inputs, labour and tax hikes.
“Moving interest rates is not without consequences: it’s removing steam from the economy at a time of meagre growth. Small businesses already face grave uncertainty as they try to recover from the impact of Covid, while contending with the cost of doing business crisis.
“First, many commercial, personal and professional loans that small businesses and sole traders hold are not protected by fixed rates and will move in line with the increase today. In a situation where inflation is already putting many small firms in extremely difficult conditions, there is now further concern that these businesses will face higher costs in paying back their loans.
“Second, attempts to get back to a functioning commercial lending market will be hampered as new products will become more expensive – and so small firms will find it harder to access affordable credit. The British Business Bank’s Recovery Loan Scheme is coming back later this month, and this could not happen soon enough. If the economy slows in autumn, it will be even more important for the scheme to be operational and in place, so it can be flexed up.
“Hard-working individual business owners are also already fighting an uphill battle with supply chain disruption, increasing utility bills and surging fuel prices. Action must therefore be taken on other challenges that small businesses face.
“Many members are reporting mushrooming energy bills multiplying by four or five times in recent months. Small business energy customers don’t benefit from consumer protections, nor do they have the negotiating power of their larger counterparts, making utility bill inflation especially tricky to handle. Struggling micro-businesses should be offered help on energy costs to match that being given to households.
“The Government should also be looking at other measures to ease soaring costs of doing business, such as a reversal of the hike in National Insurance, cutting VAT and fuel duty, and introducing new reliefs on business rates.
“The cost of living crisis can’t be solved without at the same time solving the cost of doing business crisis; we must bring down inflation, but the negative aspects of today’s hike make the case stronger for small business support as thousands upon thousands of small firms will have less financial room to manoeuvre.”
ABP appoints artist in residence at Port of Grimsby
Associated British Ports has welcomed its first artist in residence to the Port of Grimsby.
Dale Mackie is a renowned local artist who has exhibited around the region and whose paintings are housed in private collections nationally. Born in Cleethorpes, he has recently taken a unit in the port’s Kasbah area.
Famed for painting local scenes, including the town’s maritime history, this first for the port will see an exhibition being held at the end of the residency.
Simon Bird, Regional Director for the Humber ports said: “Dale is a fine artist who is well known for his artwork, and we’re delighted to offer him the role as Artist in Residence. This is a first for us as a port operator and we’re keen to see what he produces.
“The port is a dynamic place and Grimsby has moved forward from its fishing heritage, but still offers great opportunity for capturing its essence. We’re now seeing artists and cultural activities working side by side with fish processors and renewable operators, and this is fantastic.”
Dale Mackie said: “I feel honoured and privileged to become the first artist in residence to take part in painting the Port of Grimsby. My aim is to capture the future, as well as the past of this great port of ours.
“As a local lad I know how important it is for Grimsby’s heritage and for the people of Grimsby who are working or have worked on the docks over the years. I would like to thank Sam Delaney of The Great Escape, and Steve Ridlington of WE1, and of course ABP for giving me this chance to paint the Port of Grimsby.”
Steve Ridlington, Director of WE1 Group Heritage said: “We are delighted to host Dale Mackie to record the history and the changes that are happening at the Port of Grimsby. Sam Delaney from The Great Escape and WE1 Group Heritage have donated a studio for Dale at our arts quarter on Grimsby Docks to enable him to capture the past and future changes through his incredible art.”
65,000 sq ft unit acquired in £11.4m deal
A 65,000 sq ft building at Wakefield Hub has been acquired by Aberdeen Standard Investments in a £11.4m deal with property developer, HBD.
Wakefield Hub is a 200-acre strategic industrial and logistics development being delivered by Newmarket Lane Ltd; a joint venture partnership between HBD and Yorkcourt. A nationally important logistics site, it is capable of accommodating more than 1.5m sq ft.
HBD forward funded the build of the unit to BREEAM Very Good standard, which includes 80 car parking spaces and 24 lorry bays.
Simon Ross, senior development surveyor at HBD, said: “It’s great to get this deal across the line – it is an excellent investment prospect given its quality and location, specification and strong covenants. Wakefield is a key destination for logistics occupiers and the shortage of Grade A industrial and logistics units will mean that demand for space will remain robust.”
Wakefield Hub has attracted a series of large occupiers, including Kitwave, which moved into its purpose-built unit earlier this year.
NorthCap advised HBD on the sale. JLL advised the purchaser.
Wilton secures planning for 2.26m sq ft at Doncaster North
Wilton Developments has secured detailed planning consent for the first phase of Doncaster North, with works due to start on site later this year.
The first phase of detailed planning is for 2.26m sq ft of development immediately adjacent to J6 of the M18 at Thorne. This includes a unique opportunity in the UK to develop a single unit of 1.15m sq ft. The scheme will create around 8,500 jobs for the region.
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council has approved the scheme which forms part of Wilton Developments’ wider 180 acre, 3.52m sq ft, industrial and logistics site, within one junction of the M62/M18 interchange. The first phase of delivery will extend to more than 700,000 sq ft across 6 buildings, ranging in size between 21,750 sq ft to 284,000 sq ft.
The site, which will be delivered to a BREEAM Excellent rating, will address the trend towards larger units, responding to supply and demand with first buildings due to be delivered by 2023.
CBRE and Knight Frank are appointed agents to market the Doncaster North scheme.
Jason Stowe, Managing Director of Wilton Developments, says: “A huge effort between ourselves, DMBC and our wider stakeholder partners has ensured that we are able to bring forward the first phase of this regionally significant Northern Powerhouse Logistics and Employment site.
“We are looking forward to getting on-site, delivering much needed industrial and logistics space with all of the positive socio-economic benefits that the construction and occupation of new buildings bring. The site’s enviable location close to the axis of both the M62/M18 and M18/M180 means it is well positioned to serve large swathes of the UK via the east coast ports and the national motorway network.”
Glyn Jones, Doncaster Council portfolio holder for business and housing, stated: “It is excellent that this exciting industrial scheme is coming to fruition with support from Doncaster Council. We look forward to the site bringing forward a range of new employment opportunities to the north of Doncaster.”
Chris Dungworth, head of Business Doncaster, added: “We have been supporting Wilton Developments for a long time on this development and look forward to working with them and the retained property agents to help attract quality businesses into these units.”
Mike Baugh, executive director, CBRE Leeds, said: “This is splendid news for the region, which is currently suffering with a lack of good quality, well located stock. Doncaster North is also hugely significant for the national logistics market as it is currently the only site in the UK with detailed consent for a single 1m sq ft + unit.
“We are seeing a continued trend towards larger scale distribution units, particularly from the online retail and 3PL sectors, this is creating a lot of interest in Doncaster North, particularly the 1.15m sq ft opportunity.”
Rebecca Schofield, partner at Knight Frank, added: “We are delighted to be advising Wilton Developments on this flagship new development for the region. Doncaster North will offer a unique opportunity for occupiers looking for flexibility of scale, strategic connectivity, and best-in-class specification, coupled with the latest ESG credentials to satisfy occupiers’ growing need for sustainable buildings.
“Consecutive record-breaking industrial take-up figures achieved over the past two years have left the region with a dearth of available stock; Doncaster North will help to address this supply/demand imbalance by providing occupiers with desperately needed space.”
National operator buys first Yorkshire day nursery setting
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has sold Tots ‘n’ Tykes Nursery in Pudsey, Yorkshire.
Established in 1990, Tots ‘n’ Tykes Nursery is a reputable, high occupancy setting which cares for up to 47 children aged zero to five years. The business is located in the small Yorkshire market town of Pudsey which is easily accessible to Leeds and Bradford with good motorway links.
The setting was previously owned by Chris and Lesley Maughan, who decided to sell to pursue a well-earned retirement.
Following a confidential sales process through Christie & Co, Tots ‘n’ Tykes Nursery has been sold to national operator, Thrive Childcare and Education, which now has 49 settings across England and Scotland. This marks the group’s first setting in Yorkshire and shows its appetite for further expansion.
Chris and Lesley Maughan said: “Originally in partnership, we acquired the setting in 1991 when it was registered for 36 children. By 2001, we had expanded into the next door building to make it a 47-place setting.
“We bought the Partners out in 2008, and the setting has since gone from strength to strength, gaining an enviable reputation in the local community. We have invested heavily both financially and emotionally and we are happy to hand the reins over to Thrive to support the setting through the next phase of its development. They have the same ethos and values as us so I know it will be in good hands.”
Cary Rankin, Chief Executive Officer at Thrive Childcare and Education, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Lesley and Chris. They clearly care deeply about their nursery team and are passionate and incredibly knowledgeable about Early Years education and care. With the support of Thrive, we are confident the nursery team will excel, maintaining the high standards the former owners set, whilst keeping their standing in the local area and continuing their own individual progression.”
Vicky Marsland, associate director – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, said: “Lesley and Chris have put so much into the nursery over the years and have created a truly wonderful place for children to grow, with an excellent reputation locally and a fantastic team of staff.
“It’s been a pleasure working with them and I’m very pleased to have been able to assist them with the sale so they can now both spend a well-deserved retirement enjoying their second home overseas. After running a confidential marketing process, having introduced a number of interested parties, it was thought Thrive Childcare were a great fit in taking the business forward.”
Legal advice was provided to the sellers by John Howe & Co Solicitors in Pudsey, and to the buyers by TLT LLP in Manchester.
Tots ‘n’ Tykes Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.
