Employee buys one of Ilkley’s oldest retailers

Tess Egginton
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Employee buys one of Ilkley’s oldest retailers
A longstanding Ilkley retailer that is renowned for its huge product range, which includes tens of thousands of hardware, home, ironmongery, kitchen and gardening products, has been bought by a loyal staff member, who has worked there for 44 years, and his wife. David and Sharron Jowett are the new owners of Mortens, which opened in 1937. Mortens currently employs a team of nine, and David joined the business when he was just 16. A familiar face at Mortens, he will remain in the shop leading the team, advising and serving customers, as well as dealing with orders from commercial clients which include local tradespeople, schools, nursing homes, hotels and all other types of business. Sharron, who brings more than 25 years’ worth of retail experience to her new position, will deal with the accounts and administration. The pair have bought the business from previous owners, Stephen and Anna Senior, following Stephen’s retirement, and they were advised on the acquisition by the corporate team at LCF Law. Mortens was originally founded by Ralph Morten, and his wife Barbara ran the business during the war after he went to serve his country. In the 1970s the couple sold the shop to Brian Senior and Keith Hart, who were both long-term employees, before Brian’s son Stephen took over in 1995. David said: “When I joined Mortens as a Saturday boy in 1980, I never imagined that one day I’d own it, but when this opportunity arose, it was a natural decision to make. We’re fortunate to have many local customers who have remained very loyal to Mortens over the years, including lots of local tradespeople. The store continues to evolve with the times, having recently started building our social media following and selling plants alongside our garden supplies. “Mortens’ reputation has always been ‘if Mortens doesn’t sell it, you can’t get it.’ Even if we don’t stock something, we will always endeavour to source items for our customers and it’s this level of personal service that always sets up apart from our competitors.” Sharron added: “Mortens is a great business that’s been part of the fabric of Ilkley’s high street for generations. Crucially, we have a very knowledgeable and experienced team to advise customers and guide them towards products that match their exact requirements, which means our customer service is second to none. Ultimately, this is the foundation of Mortens’ success because it’s something that no online business can replicate.” Patricia Obawole, from LCF Law’s corporate team, added: “It’s been a genuine privilege to guide David and Sharron through this acquisition. As well as making good business sense and being good for Mortens’ team, the shop’s customers and Ilkley as a whole, they both already have a huge amount of passion for the business, which made it a particularly rewarding deal to work on. “There’s no doubt they’ll continue to develop the superb reputation that Mortens has worked so hard to build for so long and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for them.”

Lease agreement could lead to building of children’s health research and technology centre

Stuart Pearcey
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Lease agreement could lead to building of children’s health research and technology centre
A world-class children’s health research and technology centre could be built at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park if the City Council approves an agreement for a lease on the Council-owned site. Members of the Finance Policy Committee are due to vote on the recommendation of an agreement between the Council and Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust so land at the park can be transformed into the National Centre for Child Health Technology. Should the agreement for a lease be approved, the new centre will help create a healthier future for children and young people through innovation, technology and outstanding care. It will have all the dedicated spaces and facilities needed to design, create and test new child health technologies. This will include a state-of-the-art gait and motion laboratory including a Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN), and a Creative Manufacturing Zone with 3D printing, robotics, laser cutting and other technology tools to develop prototypes. There will also be an Intelligent Home and Intelligent Ward which will create simulated real-life environments for testing technologies. Cllr Zahira Naz, chair of the Finance Policy Committee, said: “This is a crucial step in the process of bringing the National Centre for Child Health Technology to life. Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is one of three dedicated children’s hospital trusts in the UK and this National Centre will take their work to the next level. “The new Centre also forms a crucial part of our regeneration of Attercliffe, alongside the Waterside project which will see around 1,000 new homes built, and the transformation of the former Adelphi Cinema and it builds on the success we’ve already seen at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.” Sheffield City Council successfully applied for £9million from the Government’s Local Government Fund to help Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust with the project with a further £6million grant coming from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and £2million from The Children’s Hospital Charity. John Williams, Deputy Chief Executive of Sheffield Children’s NHS Trust, said: “It’s great to be working in partnership with the Council on this inspiring project that will help create a healthier future for children and young people locally, regionally and nationally. The Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park is a really unique space that we hope will be a fantastic home to progress innovation and technology in children’s healthcare.” Members of Sheffield City Council’s Finance Policy Committee are due to meet on Friday 19 July and will vote on the recommendation to approve the land lease with Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

Reuseabox invents new ways to help cardboard boxes go further

Stuart Pearcey
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Reuseabox invents new ways to help cardboard boxes go further
Cardboard box recyclers Reuseabox has made significant investments in automating their Reuse Impact Reports, which outline the environmental benefits of reusing cardboard boxes. They’re a leading B Corp certified circular economy packaging company based at Dry Doddington near Newark, and help businesses reuse cardboard boxes, and have developed  newly-automated Reuse Impact Reports to make it easier to see how they’ve helped the planet by keeping cardboard boxes in use for longer. With these newly automated reports, detailed insights are provided following every collection or order. The reports outline the environmental benefits achieved, including the number of cardboard units diverted for reuse, total weight saved, and tree, carbon, energy, and water savings. Equivalencies are also included to provide a tangible representation of contributions. Additionally, the reports include the number of trees helped to plant by joining the Reuseabox community. Reuseabox is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, a global network of businesses, individuals, and environmental organisations committed to tackling urgent environmental issues. As a member, Reuseabox donates 1% of its revenue directly to Eden. The data is calculated using the Reuseabox Environmental Calculator Tool, which measures the environmental savings achieved by reusing cardboard instead of disposing of it through traditional waste disposal routes such as recycling. The calculations in the tool follow a ‘life-cycle’ principle, including the impact of materials, transport, storage at Reuseabox’s facility, and final disposal (recycling). The tool has been developed in line with standards such as the GHG Protocol and PAS2050. The information relating to the number of trees was developed in collaboration with the University of Lincoln in 2019. Additionally, this third-party environmental impact data is updated every 12 months, most recently in January 2024 by Giraffe Innovation, to ensure it remains accurate. Jack Good, Founder of Reuseabox, said: “We are incredibly proud to introduce our automated Reuse Impact Reports. This innovation not only enhances the transparency of our environmental impact but also empowers our partners and customers with the data they need to see the real difference they are making when it comes to their packaging.”

Healthcare search platform generates £1m investment to give professionals more time with patients

Stuart Pearcey
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Healthcare search platform generates £1m investment to give professionals more time with patients
Digital health and AI business Medwise.ai has secured a £1m investment from Finance Yorkshire and other investors. Medwise.ai is a search platform for medical professionals and healthcare organisations which significantly reduces the time clinicians spend looking up information during consultations, enabling them to see more patients and improve care quality. With a growing NHS vacancy list and reports of clinician burn-out, there is an urgent need to support healthcare professionals and improve productivity. Founded in 2019, Medwise.ai has seven employees and is headquartered in Leeds, from where it plans to strengthen its operations in the Yorkshire region. Finance Yorkshire is investing £800,000 from its Seedcorn Fund and led the overall funding round of more than £1m, with participation from health-tech investors StartUp Health and CalmStorm VC and deep-tech accelerator and venture capital fund Deeptech Labs. Medwise.ai also has the backing of clinician investors Dr Michelle Tempest at Candesic and Dr Chris Kelly at Google Health. SFC Capital has made a follow-on investment after leading a previous round of funding for Medwise.ai. The company will use the investment to scale up operations and strengthen its sales and marketing activities in the UK. Stephen Cardwell, of Finance Yorkshire, will join the Medwise.ai board. The Medwise.ai search platform uses natural language processing and artificial intelligence technology to help clinicians quickly find concise and actionable answers at the point of care. It aggregates results and integrates with information sources such as national guidance websites and local guidelines documents. Dr Keith Tsui, chief executive and co-founder of Medwise.ai, said: “I am thrilled to have secured our seed funding and excited to accelerate our mission to empower clinicians with AI and search technologies. “Our product provides clinicians with one search for clinical knowledge and local guidelines. Instead of Googling or going through outdated local websites or intranets, Medwise.ai enables clinicians to find the information they need to make decisions for patients rapidly at the point of care.” Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “Medwise.ai will empower clinicians to be more efficient, make better decisions and spend more time with their patients. We are pleased to lead this funding round and look forward to working with the Medwise.ai team as they scale up their operations and provide a further boost to the burgeoning healthcare technology sector in our region.” Finance Yorkshire was advised by Jonathan Priestley at 3volution. Ray Levy of Ray Levy Law acted for Medwise.ai. The company previously raised more than £500,000 in a 2021 funding round from SFC Capital, Wayra (Telefónica’s open innovation arm), SyndicateRoom’s Access EIS fund and angels including Stephen Bullock. Finance Yorkshire’s Seedcorn Fund is part of a wider regional business fund which is expected to provide more than £50m to SMEs over five years. Investment is also available from its Growth and Business Loans Funds.

Fresh acquisition for Leeds insurance brokers

Tess Egginton
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Fresh acquisition for Leeds insurance brokers

Kent-based Howe Maxted has become the latest addition to Leeds insurance brokers JMG Group. 

The general business insurance division of the Howe Maxted Group was acquired by JMG in a deal that will see the firm sit alongside JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers’ 12 offices across the UK.

Run by directors Graham Smith and John Maxted, Howe Maxted’s insurance business has been helping clients identify risks and minimise the impact on their business and private lives for over a century. Under its new ownership, all the firm’s 14 staff will continue to operate from its Sidcup headquarters, headed by the existing leadership team. 

Director Graham Smith says the move will provide continuity for clients and the Howe Maxted team, and that it was a ‘people first’ approach that set JMG Group apart when they were looking for a new home for the business: “We know the numbers need to work to run a successful business, but I believe that people are the top priority.

“The numbers will work when your people are happy, which is why there has always been a ‘people first’ approach at the heart of our business. From our earliest discussions with JMG Group I felt we were on the same page, and that they were the people to help look after the team and clients, some of whom I have worked with for more than 30 years.” 

Director John Maxted says that joining JMG Group will free up valuable time for the leadership team to focus on the next stage of the firm’s journey: “We were looking for someone who could ‘take away the noise’ and free up more of our time to focus on running and growing our business, rather than on regulatory matters.

“I’m happy to say that we’ve found that partner in JMG Group, and I’m looking forward to starting our next chapter with their backing.” 

JMG Group CEO Nick Houghton adds: “I am delighted to welcome Graham, John and the team to the group. Their business has a rich history and they’ve built an enviable reputation and a loyal customer base by putting their clients and their team first.

“Howe Maxted is exactly the kind of business we are keen to bring into the group, and I look forward to seeing the firm continue to thrive.” 

Transformational plans for Sheffield’s former Cannon Brewery tipped for approval

Tess Egginton
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Transformational plans for Sheffield’s former Cannon Brewery tipped for approval

Transformational plans for Sheffield’s former Cannon Brewery, set to create a new city neighbourhood, have been recommended to get the green light.

Sheffield City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee is set to meet next week (23 July), with planning officers recommending approval for Capital&Centric’s planned overhaul of the Neepsend plot. Approval would pave the way for the brownfield site’s next chapter following more than a quarter of a century of dereliction.

The social impact developer’s proposals aim to breathe new life into the long-dormant spot, where beer was brewed until the 1990s. They include retention and repurposing of the most interesting buildings from the former brewery alongside contemporary new builds to deliver over 500 homes, work and cultural spaces.

A lush urban park and a new public square with shops, cafés and spaces for pop-up events is also on the cards. It’s all part of a bid to grow the city in a considered way, with Capital&Centric pushing to attract some £200 million of investment into the city across several regeneration sites.

At Cannon Brewery the team is working with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and Sheffield City Council to make the blueprint a reality. The combined authority awarded an £11.67 million grant to kick-start the regeneration earlier this year.

Tom Wilmot, joint managing director of Capital&Centric, said: “Neepsend will play a major role in Sheffield’s future. As the city’s popularity sky rockets, it’s important that the districts not only deliver growth but have a real sense of character and personality. Cannon Brewery has that in spades. Our plan is all about creating a diverse and interesting neighbourhood, with genuine community spirit, on a massive brownfield site that’s been derelict for decades.

“The recommendation for approval is another welcome milestone in the Cannon Brewery story. We hope councillors see the scale of opportunity and give our vision the thumbs up. It’ll allow us to getting going on site this summer to prep the site for its overhaul.”

Should the plans be approved, demolition and remediation will start as soon as possible, in preparation for redevelopment of the site.

King’s speech falls short on challenge to kickstart growth, says FSB

Stuart Pearcey
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King’s speech falls short on challenge to kickstart growth, says FSB
The King’s Speech announcements fell short on the central challenge – getting growth back into the economy and ensuring wealth creation in every local community, according to officials at the Federation of Small Businesses. FSB Policy Chair Tina McKenzie said: “Small businesses and the self-employed expected more on these, with their key issues instead overlooked. The Government’s 105-page briefing document doesn’t mention ‘small business’ once – suggesting Labour may not keep its promises to drive growth in the real economy. “Apart from ambitious-sounding planning reform, there was no sign of delivery of the small business plan promised by Labour in opposition. “The lack of promised legislation to tackle late payments and poor payment practices by bigger businesses to their small business suppliers is the most serious omission for our community and will hold back economic growth. This scourge hampers cashflow and stifles investment, and we call on the Government to look again and deliver on the promise it made. “The move from an Apprenticeship Levy to a Growth and Skills Levy will risk small business apprenticeships unless the Government quickly follows up with its promised unequivocal commitment to protect Government co-investment for apprenticeships at small employers. “Similarly, the Industrial Strategy Council commitment omits mentioning the need for a small business voice, to prevent it being dominated by large corporate incumbent interests. “At the same time, small businesses are increasingly worried about the developing employment rights package. More than nine out of ten small employers say they are concerned about the prospect of increased costs and risks when they employ people, and there were no commitments within this to look after small employers who will struggle the most. “It is small businesses which take on those furthest from work and who must be the solution to labour market participation. Small firms must be given the right platform to recruit those out of work, create new jobs, and expand. There was nothing on this today, which suggests early signs of complacency on the need to back small businesses to resolve economic inactivity. “The Government has before pledged to consult widely and openly on measures it has announced, and FSB will be working intensely on this over the coming months, and helping our community to deal with the more difficult challenges. “As we look towards the Autumn, today’s speech piles pressure onto the Chancellor and Business Secretary for the Budget where progress must be made to achieve economic recovery and growth. Small businesses and the self-employed can drive this, but only if the right conditions are there.”

Hull firm progresses Birmingham rail depot project

Stuart Pearcey
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Hull firm progresses Birmingham rail depot project
Hull-based Spencer Group has finished the first phase of a £36m enhancement project at the Tyseley rail maintenance depot in Birmingham. A significant section of existing track has been moved to make way a 30m extension to the existing Underframe Cleaning building. Upon completion of the building, a new track layout was built, including a large section of embedded track to allow emergency vehicle access. The next phase of the project has started, and will see mechanical and electrical works to the existing depot buildings including ventilation, shore supplies and mobile gantry cranes. The final phase is the most extensive, and will involve a 100m extension to the existing depot building, providing four car stabling of trains on two roads. This package includes new pits to both roads 11 and 12, along with mechanical and electrical services. Tony Wells, Pre-construction Project Director at Spencer Group, said: “We’re delighted to be delivering this project following a successful tendering process and it’s a really collaborative development which we’re excited to be working on. “Before we got to this stage, we worked hand-in-hand with the client to develop the scheme through a period of early contractor involvement (ECI), which allowed the project to be fully developed and costed.” Richard Watson, Project Director at Spencer Group, added: “Tyseley is a busy depot, particularly at night, which is why the extension is needed to accommodate longer trains. “We have a fantastic, experienced team working on the project. Having worked with West Midlands Trains before, we’re building on our already strong relationship with them. “We constructed a storage building on the same site about three years ago and completed fuelling aprons on the carriage sidings on tracks 13, 14 and 15. This included new canopies, pits and a new fuelling system, providing a covered area to refuel the trains.”

Further funding from Finance Yorkshire boosts Sheffield data tech startup

Stuart Pearcey
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Further funding from Finance Yorkshire boosts Sheffield data tech startup
Data technology start-up TUBR is set for growth with investment from Finance Yorkshire. Founded by entrepreneur Dash Tabor, the company provides a machine learning platform which enables businesses to turn data into informed actions quickly. The technology can be used across many sectors where it can predict likely future events, for example in retail, forecasting customer demand patterns as an aid to stock and staff planning or in environmental control, predicting pollution patterns from data collected through sensors. Based at Sheffield Technology Parks, TUBR has attracted considerable interest with a previous funding round in 2022 which included US based venture fund BlueWing VC. The company has now raised a total of £473,000 following a second funding round of £220,000 including £100,000 from Finance Yorkshire’s Seedcorn Fund alongside existing and other new investors. Dash’s career has been spent in technology data product management, monetising data solutions. She said: “I started building the TUBR technology understanding that companies would need machine learning and AI to compete post pandemic. The solution can be used to predict demand and improve operations. “The investment from Finance Yorkshire and other investors will help us advance the technology and the speed of implementing it so we can start growing our customer base.” Dash has relocated the TUBR business to Sheffield Technology Parks from London. “I was attracted to South Yorkshire because of the support available to start-ups and that I can tap into the ecosystem at the technology park and gain knowledge from its network to help build the business.” Finance Yorkshire chief exec Alex McWhirter said: “Our seedcorn fund is perfect for supporting start-ups to scale up just like TUBR. Data technology is progressing at considerable pace and Dash’s vision and ambition for her solution is to be applauded. We are pleased to support the company and Dash’s entrepreneurialism.” Tom Wolfenden, CEO of Sheffield Technology Parks, said: “TUBR is an exciting company and a great example of a London-founded start-up that has relocated to Sheffield owing to our City’s unique set of advantages for both business and lifestyle. “I look forward to seeing the TUBR team grow and their technology develop. Dash is a determined and resilient founder with big ambitions – we’re happy to be part of her journey at Sheffield Technology Parks.” Finance Yorkshire’s seedcorn fund is part of a wider regional business fund which is expected to provide more than £50m to SMEs over five years. Investment is also available from its growth and business loans funds.

Yorkshire and the Humber sees drop in levels of insolvency-related activity as business confidence rallies

Tess Egginton
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Yorkshire and the Humber sees drop in levels of insolvency-related activity as business confidence rallies
After a worrying trend of increasing levels of insolvency-related activity across much of the UK between April and May 2024, the economic picture in June compared with the previous month was more cheering with a welcome fall in two thirds of the nations and regions, including Yorkshire and the Humber, according to the UK’s insolvency and restructuring trade body, R3. In June 2024, just 233 businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber were affected by this type of activity (which includes liquidator and administrator appointments and creditors’ meetings), 63 less than in May – this represents a month-on-month decrease of 21.3%. Based on an analysis of data provided by CreditSafe, the research from R3 revealed that only three of the 12 regions and nations surveyed performed more strongly. These were Northern Ireland with a fall of 54.5%, followed by Wales (down by 28.4%) and the South East (down by 25.9%). Only four nations and regions experienced a rise in insolvency-related activity compared with the previous month. The North East saw the most stark rise, up by 48.3%, while East Anglia increased by 3.2%, the South West by 2.9% and Scotland by 2.5%. The number of new businesses launching across the UK also showed a more positive picture than in recent months with all but one of the nations and regions seeing a rise since May. While start-ups in Scotland fell by 13.1%, numbers rose everywhere else with Northern Ireland seeing the biggest increase of 14.4%, the North East up by 8.7% and Greater London up by 7%. In Yorkshire and the Humber, there was a slight rise of 0.4%. “Following the shallow downturn in the second half of last year amid the challenges of the cost of living crisis and higher interest rates, the UK has seen some growth and these latest figures show encouraging signs of a resurgence of economic confidence,” says Dave Broadbent, chair of R3 in Yorkshire and partner at Begbies Traynor in York and Teesside. “With the General Election now firmly behind us, it is hoped that many companies which had put orders and projects on pause ahead of the outcome, will now push forward in a more stable environment. “It is good not only to see a fall in insolvency-related activity across most of the UK, together with a rise in business start-ups, but also that our region is continuing to demonstrate Yorkshire grit by performing relatively strongly. “However, given global uncertainty with a number of conflicts and elections around the world, we advise business owners to remain cautious – always keep a close eye on your financial statements and seek advice from an expert insolvency adviser at the first signs of trouble.”
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