Businesses in Doncaster are facing unprecedented economic pressures, according to a recent study that was carried out by the South Yorkshire Chambers of Commerce. Andy Morley, President of Doncaster Chamber, said: “With rising costs for things like fuel, raw materials and labour — alongside skyrocketing inflation and an ongoing supply chain crisis — these latest Quarterly Economic Survey results are not in the least surprising. “We have heard the message loud and clear today from the business community. They urgently need more support from the government, as cost pressures will inevitably scupper their plans for increasing investment and price increases are effectively guaranteed, with no relief in sight. “Looking at things on a more local level, firms across Doncaster, Sheffield and Barnsley & Rotherham have overwhelmingly indicated that they are planning to raise their prices in the next three months, and that inflation needs to be tackled as a matter of urgency. This has contributed to a weakened feeling of business confidence in the region, with the percentage of firms expecting to be profitable now at the lowest it’s been for over a year. “It is imperative that the government takes action to restore economic confidence and to alleviate some of these pressures, otherwise many businesses will not survive these turbulent times. We need an emergency budget now and serious taxation reform to help those that have kept the wheels of commerce turning over the past few years. “On a more optimistic note, the South Yorkshire QES responses did give us hope that domestic sales are picking back up after a slump earlier in the year, and that workforces are also growing. Having said that, many respondents told us that they are actually encountering recruitment difficulties right now and cannot fill their vacancies. “In the long term, the new South Yorkshire People & Skills manifesto should help to address this, by setting out a range of practical recommendations that the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority can implement to better meet the needs of employers.”The Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) is the nation’s largest independent review of business sentiment, with accredited chambers all over the country getting their members to fill it in. The results from these questionnaires provide detailed insights into how companies are coping financially, what their biggest challenges are right now, and what additional support they would like to see from national government. Each iteration of the QES asks a few standardised questions, but individual regions have their own unique themes as well.  The most recent survey— which canvassed the opinions of over 5,700 firms during the second quarter of 2022 — was focused on the ever-increasing cost of doing business and the impact that it is having on different industries. In South Yorkshire specifically, there was an extra question about what the new Metro Mayor, Oliver Coppard, should be treating as the top priority for his first 100 days in office. The newly-announced results for the QES paint an austere picture of the economic climate. Nearly every single indicator has deteriorated since the last survey in March, with waning confidence in business performance and overall profitability (dropping from a national average of 50% to 43%). Meanwhile, fewer firms than before are reporting a growth in their domestic sales, investment intentions are much lower than they were previously, and only 54% of companies in the UK are expecting a turnover increase during the next twelve months (down from 63%). Inflation predictably remains a pressing issue for most businesses nationwide, with the vast majority of QES respondents citing it as their top concern. This was also true on a regional level, with a historic 62% of firms in South Yorkshire saying that it has become a bigger worry for them than it was just three months ago. For context, that same figure was only at 21% this time last year. The latest survey included a question about what businesses think Oliver Coppard should be prioritising in his new role as elected Mayor. The most pressing concern (by a majority of 57%) here was the development of a future economic strategy, to help invest in local people and firms. Mr Morley said: “Our business community highlighted a range of issues that they want Oliver to focus on, such as improving workplace skills, education and public transport. However, the general consensus was that, above all else, we need to have a robust economic strategy in place to help us secure a stable future. I look forward to seeing how Oliver rises to this challenge, and pledge that he will have the full support of Doncaster Chamber in doing so.”

One of Lincoln’s most striking and well-known hotels, The White Hart has been acquired by Coleby-based Chartered Surveyor and businessman, Andrew Long. Andrew Long, Principal Director of Travel Sector Property Limited (TSPL), said: “We are delighted to have acquired this historic 50-bedroom hotel in its unique Uphill location. “We are proud to own this property, located within the imposing presence of the iconic Lincoln Cathedral and a few steps away from the city’s Norman Castle. We look forward to progressing our proposals for significant capital investment to upgrade and improve the existing facilities.” Taking ownership of the Hotel and Garages on the city’s popular Bailgate, Andrew has acquired The White Hart as a going concern, by way of an ‘off market’ transaction negotiated directly with Ambar Paul, Principal of Contemporary Hotels. The current General Manager Ian Robinson and all employees will be retained under the new ownership. Former owner, Ambar Paul, said: “We are pleased to have completed the transaction with Andrew and his companies, knowing he will successfully invest in the long term future of the hotel”. TSPL has also entered into a Management Agreement with Luxury Hotel Management Limited (LHM), owned by Nigel Chapman and colleagues who are well-established and highly experienced hoteliers. Andrew and his team also bought the Hotel Polurrian on The Lizard, Cornwall earlier in the year. The Polurrian is a 41-bedroom hotel and spa set in 12 acres of grounds with spectacular sea views, which also came with ownership of the Polurrian Cove beach. Andrew added: “The White Hart first opened more than 600 years ago as a Coaching Inn and has been one of Lincoln’s premier hotels since being substantially rebuilt and extended in the early 1800s. “We see the property as being an exceptional redevelopment opportunity. In particular, the garage and car parking areas at 2 Bailgate and off nearby St Paul’s Lane. “The Eastgate Suite (Orangery) has a well-established reputation as a popular wedding and function venue, which also includes the former King Richard Restaurant. We are committing substantial resources to create a prestigious and welcoming upgraded hotel. “Our intentions are to invest in an excellent restaurant, cocktail bar, function suite and leisure facilities, restoring the hotel to its rightful status as a premium leisure and business destination at the heart of Lincoln’s popular historic Uphill area.” Nigel Chapman, Principal of LHM, said “We are pleased to be working with Andrew, having got to know him and his professional team very well. Lincoln is a fantastic city and the White Hart Hotel occupies a unique location with strong trading attributes for leisure and business use, along with significantly enhanced food and beverage facilities to serve the local area.” Andrew is a Co-founder of the Extra Motorway Service Area Property Investment Group, where he continues to be CEO and an ongoing investor. He has some 40 years of property and operational experience in the Hospitality and Roadside sectors He has strong links with the city, having originally worked in Lincoln as a Commercial Property Chartered Surveyor & Partner of Earl & Lawrence, together with Banks, Long & Co. Andrew retired from General Practice in May 2000 to focus on the expansion of Extra MSA Group, having initially trained in Lincoln with A Jackson & Son back in 1980.

Lincoln-based HIT Energy Services has won national acclaim by being ranked as one of the top green companies in the UK in the recently released EnviroTech 50 list. Out of hundreds of eligible businesses, HIT Energy not only made the list of 50 companies, but breached the top ten, coming in as the sixth most green company in the United Kingdom. “This is amazing news,” Simon Hopkins of HIT Energy Services says. “We started as a small Lincolnshire company, but to be recognised nationally like this illustrates how much we have grown. When we set out on our journey only a few years ago, we wanted to make solar a reliable, green and viable form of energy for everyone. Our reach has grown massively in a short space of time, and we believe there are exciting times ahead for our innovations and services. To have this recognised by being placed in the top 10 of the EnviroTech 50 list is incredible and shows what a bright future solar has.” HIT Energy Services offers include free health checks of Solar PV – where their engineers will get the systems generating to their full potential. When they carry this out, they can also evaluate export tariffs, and advise the system owners how much income they could generate from excess energy. Through their “HIT Energy Guard” they can also monitor performance 24/7, meaning if any of the solar systems or panels ever drop performance, even for a short time, they can identify and fix it – this has saved some owners thousands of pounds a month. HIT’s work has been recognised with a string of accolades – at Lamma 2020, the UK’s leading agricultural machinery show – they scooped the online innovation award, whilst also beating hundreds of other products to be ranked seventh in the Midlands Tech 50 list.