Dan Smith, Partner and Head of Yorkshire at LDC, added: “The 55 Group is a great example of a fast growing Yorkshire business led by a hugely ambitious team. It represents LDC’s third investment in the region in just under 12 months, underlining our commitment to supporting the best businesses in Yorkshire.
“It is also another example of the strength of our leading software and data credentials in the built environment space, where we continue to see a shift towards more digital ways of working and an increased focus on ESG.”
Will Scales, Investment Director, added: “We are delighted that Simon and team have chosen LDC as their partner to support the delivery of The 55 Group’s next phase of growth.
“The quality of The 55 Group’s offering and technology in supporting sustainable and compliant practices is unique and we are excited about what the future holds for the business as it continues to invest in its people, products and services.”
The 55 Group was advised by Rothschild (Stephen Griffiths), Addleshaw Goddard (Richard Hunt and Peter Wood), Graph Strategy (James Tetherton) and KPMG FDD. Management were advised by Park Place (Richard Firth).
LDC was advised by KPMG (Ben Taylor), Squire Patton Boggs (Paul Mann and David Milne), DSW FDD (Jonathan Steed), PMSI (David Crout), Better Faster Growth and Catalysis.
HSBC, advised by DLA Piper, provided financing and working capital facilities to support the transaction.
Historic England funding to spur on multi-million-pound redevelopment of Rutland Mills
Wakefield Council has welcomed funding from Historic England to repair an historic mill as part of the multi-million-pound redevelopment of Rutland Mills.
Historic England has awarded £625,000 to help breathe new life into Phoenix Mill, a former textile mill in Wakefield.
Phoenix Mill forms part of phase two of the multi-million pound redevelopment of the Rutland Mills complex in Wakefield. The waterside area is being transformed into Tileyard North, a creative industries hub housing state-of-art recording studios, creative workspaces and events venues.
Cllr Michael Graham, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth at Wakefield Council, said: “We’re investing alongside Historic England and City and Provincial Properties so that the former mill buildings can be transformed into vibrant spaces for creativity. They will provide world class facilities to artists and creatives based right across the north of England.
“This is part our wider regeneration plans for Wakefield. Our programme is attracting external investment from across the public and private sector, making a positive impact as we position our district as a great place to do business.”
Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s Chief Executive, said: “After lying derelict for many years, it’s wonderful to see that Phoenix Mill is now rising from the ashes and will soon be given new life as an integral part of the fantastic Tileyard North.
“I applaud the bold vision of City and Provincial Properties who have rescued an important part of Wakefield’s industrial heritage and reshaped it into an engine of the town’s future prosperity.”
Paul Kempe from City and Provincial Properties said: “We extend our thanks to Historic England for the awarding of this invaluable grant, igniting the transformation of Phoenix Mill. With their generous support, we eagerly anticipate breathing new life into this historic gem, creating more space for our creative industries hub to grow.”
Wakefield Council has enabled the project from inception, with funding also provided by the Government’s Levelling Up Programme (LUF) and City and Provincial Properties.
This is seeing the refurbishment of Phoenix Mill along with the demolition of a second mill and construction of a new building alongside, called Gradient Mill. Further office space along with bars and a restaurant will be created.
Historic England’s £625,000 grant will fund work to the outside of the building including roof, drainage and wall repairs, as well as new windows. This will secure the building’s structure, enabling its future redevelopment as part of Tileyard North.
Phase one of the scheme saw the restoration of five mill buildings. It has created space for creative industries, music studios, outdoor events space, indoor events, space for festivals and concerts, a hotel, gin distillery, restaurant and bar. Utility corporation acquires Sheffield waste management business
Beauparc has acquired independent recycling and waste management company Fletchers Waste Management, expanding its UK footprint.
With over 40 years’ experience, Fletchers has built a robust reputation for providing regional and national waste management solutions for commercial and residential customers from their South Yorkshire base.
The acquisition expands Beauparc’s portfolio of 10 other well-known brands in the UK. The Group, which has UK coverage across Yorkshire, Merseyside, Manchester, Scotland and East and West Midlands operate a fleet of 400 vehicles, manage 2.0M tonnes of waste annually from 50k customers and are further developing the current network of 26 sites which focus on extracting valuable resources from waste to return to the circular economy via material recycling facilities.
Beauparc Chief Executive Brian McCabe said: “We’re delighted to welcome Fletchers to the Beauparc group of companies. As we continue our growth strategy, Fletchers is a significant geographical connection for our existing UK infrastructure.
“As part of the wider group, existing customers will experience tangible benefits such as a more expansive service offering, greater coverage, share in the developed ESG/Safety programmes and have the support from the wider Beauparc management team.”
Sheffield manufacturer acquires new site
A long-standing, family-owned Sheffield manufacturing business is set to expand following the purchase of a new site.
Tufcot, which is based on Coleford Road in Darnall, has purchased a neighbouring site on Catley Road. The acquisition will enable the business to separate its manufacturing facility from its engineering facility, to further grow the company.
Cathy Thomas, solicitor and owner of Mason Thomas Law who advised Tufcot on the purchase, said: “I am delighted at the successful outcome of the site purchase for Tufcot. Being able to assist them with their plans to expand the business further in Sheffield was wonderful to be involved in.”
Tufcot, a specialist manufacturer of composite materials and global distributor, will move the manufacturing division of the business to the new site following the demolition of an existing building. On the site, Tufcot will construct a new purpose-built, carbon-neutral facility.
Demolition of the Catley Road building is expected to commence next year ahead of construction of the new site.
Once completed, the new site will increase capacity at Tufcot by 50%, enabling the business to grow its workforce by 10% over the next three years.
Greg Majchrzak, Managing Director of Tufcot, said: “It has been a nail-biting 12 months securing the new site, but now that we have it, we can forge forward with our plans for business growth.
“Since the business was established 42 years ago, we have grown year-on-year, reinvesting heavily in both equipment and people. The new site takes Tufcot to another level. I am really excited by the projected growth of the company over the next five years.”
Tufcot was established in Sheffield in 1981 by three former employees of British Steel. From just one machine and operating out of a garage, the company now has 120 machines and employs more than 50 people.
Greg added: “We are a very proud Sheffield business. This is where we were founded and will continue to be based.”
Dunelm takes 20,400 sq ft logistics space in Barnsley
Harworth Group has let 20,400 sq ft of Grade A space at Gateway 36 in Barnsley, a major hub for logistics and manufacturing in Yorkshire totalling 127 acres.
Harworth has signed a 10-year lease with FTSE 250 retailer Dunelm, which will be used as a site to support the business’s Home Delivery Network, improving the 2-man delivery service for its customers. The unit is part of a total of 110,000 sq ft of new logistics space constructed in 2023 as part of the development’s second phase and has been built in line with Harworth’s commercial building specification, achieving a rating of BREEAM “Very Good” and benefitting from the installation of solar PV panels. The wider scheme includes 20 EV charging points, rainwater harvesting and a sustainable heating and cooling system, as well as a building envelope design that is sympathetic to the surrounding environment. With this letting now complete, only one 50,255 sq ft unit remains available for occupation within Phase 2. Phase 3 is also in the pipeline following the receipt of planning last year for a further 138,800 sq ft unit together with a further 429,000 sq ft envisaged across three more buildings. Gateway 36, which is located adjacent to Junction 36 of the M1, has benefited from significant infrastructure funding from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and last year became part of the UK’s first Investment Zone, focused on advanced manufacturing. Jonathan Haigh, Chief Investment Officer, Harworth Group plc, said: “We are seeing strong demand for our newly developed industrial & logistics space across our regional areas of operation, including Yorkshire, where the supply of high-specification more sustainable space remains constrained. “Our development at Gateway36 is progressing well and we are delighted to welcome Dunelm to the scheme which aligns with our strategy announced in 2021 to progressively transition our Investment Portfolio to entirely modern Grade A space.” Harworth was advised by GV&Co and Knight Frank.Cathy named as Director to lead company’s regeneration activities
Leeds-based construction consultancy Walker Sime has appointed Cathy Palmer as Director of Regeneration Delivery to lead a newly-launched Region delivery Service.
Cathy joins from the role of Head of Regeneration Delivery at Wirral Council where she led Birkenhead’s once-in-a-generation transformation programme.
He department will offer a range of support including project mobilisation, investment plans, business case development, delivery strategies, governance, grant funding advice, bid support, procurement strategy, project planning and risk management, making it a significant offer in the industry.
She said the launch of the dedicated service had come in response to the increasing demands for regeneration initiatives, driven by government funding for Levelling Up, Long Term Plan for Towns, Future High Street and Sustainable Transport Settlement Funds. “I am excited to lead the Regen Delivery service at Walker Sime and look forward to collaborating with Private Developers and Local Authorities to bring about positive transformative change in communities.
“We are already seeing significant interest from several authorities and developers, and I am confident that our expertise and comprehensive approach will help drive successful regeneration initiatives in our communities,” she added.Carbon emission take a battering at eco-friendly Barnsley chippie
Barnsley chippie owner Craig Butcher has used a low carbon grant to revolutionise the way he prepares one of the nation’s favourite dishes.
He’s just finished the Net Zero Barnsley programme for his Two Gates Fisheries shop, delivered by The Business Village, in partnership with Barnsley Council.
That’s meant a review every aspect of the way he serves fish and chips to save energy, minimise waste and reduce food miles, and used his Low Carbon Grant of £12,499 to invest in a new £56,000 state-of-the-art electric frying range.
Craig, who runs the fisheries with partner Sarah Thompson, said: “Joining Net Zero Barnsley has really helped me look at my business differently and develop it in ways that are good for the planet and for our bottom-line.
“We want to invest in our future and the Low Carbon Grant is a great help. The new range is a huge initial outlay for us but if you’re buying the Ferrari of all chip shop ranges it’s going to be expensive.
“This range is engineered to be the quickest, safest and best insulated ever; and once it’s fired up the heat retention is phenomenal. When you need your range on eight hours a day, six days a week that’s absolutely core to the business.
Energy consumption analysis shows the new range should reduce Craig’s energy bills by £3,537 a year and reduce carbon emissions by 160.8 tonnes of CO2 during its 20-year life.
Net Zero Barnsley business development manager Kevin Steel said: “Two Gates Fisheries has embraced all the opportunities presented by the government’s legal requirement for UK businesses to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 – and Barnsley Council’s earlier target of 2045.
“Craig must be running one of the most forward-thinking fish and chip shops in the country and we hope his example will give others food for thought.”
First two plots sold on West Lindsey enterprise park
The first two plots at the new Enterprise West Lindsey business park on the A57 in Saxilby have been sold, with sales of further plots expected to complete in the coming weeks.
Enterprise West Lindsey is described as a ‘next generation business park’, on its 20-acre site adjacent to the A57 west of Lincoln.
Plots range in size from 1 acre to 2.5 acres and the first two plots sold are 3.81 and 2.1 acres. In total, there are seven plots of land being marketed by Eddisons, and has outline consent for a number of industrial and office commercial uses.
William Wall, Director, Eddisons Lincoln, incorporating Banks Long & Co, which is part of the JV company involved with the site, said: “The JV partners’ commitment to Enterprise West Lindsey sees a level of multi-million investment in infrastructure raise the profile the developable plots in appealing to land & property investors who share the developer’s and contractor’s vision for the overall development.”
Theakston’s Brewery welcomes sixth generation to the business
Independent Yorkshire brewery, T&R Theakston, has appointed William Theakston as channel development manager. William is the eldest son of the company’s chairman, Simon Theakston, becoming the sixth generation of the Theakston family to become part of the business.
He joins the family brewery following a career as an officer in the British Army, where he completed two operational tours in Afghanistan and held a role in the Ministry of Defence.
Since leaving the military in 2016, he has held a number of roles in the drinks and hospitality industry, working with Fullers, Smith & Turner, Marston’s and most recently Charles Edge London, a company specialising in the development of brands, where he was export and UK sales manager.
William’s new role as channel development manager at T&R Theakston will see him develop the brewery’s on-trade sales force, with a particular focus on customers in the Southern half of England and Wales. He will work with wholesale partners, national pub companies and key account groups to grow the Theakston footprint outside of its traditional Northern heartland, as it looks to capitalise on consumer demand for quality British beer.
Managing Director of Theakston’s Brewery, Richard Bradbury said: “William’s appointment is the latest stage of a long-term growth strategy. Over the last four years, we have been steadily strengthening all aspects of our organisation in Head Office functions and front-line sales to support our ambitions.
“The investment in our organisation has been careful and measured to deliver commercial and financial return alongside our steady growth in market share. In parallel, we have worked hard to ensure our beers remain affordable to consumers and customers despite inflationary pressures.
“As we look forward to celebrating our bi-centenary in 2027, we seek to demonstrate that a business doesn’t survive for 200 years by ever standing still. Our focus is on building our business strength to support a successful third century, with William’s appointment forming a key part of that growth journey.”
William said: “I’m hugely proud and thrilled to be joining the family business and carrying on the work of growing our customer and consumer base in a very important area of the market. In past decades, we established a great track record of sales in the south of England and so I look forward to building on this proud heritage in the months and years ahead.”
£6m to be approved to drive economic growth through West Yorkshire’s creative industries
Over £6 million is set to be approved by regional leaders today (14 March) to help drive economic growth through West Yorkshire’s creative industries.
The majority of the investment (£5.7 million) will contribute to the delivery of Bradford UK City of Culture 2025 – a landmark year of cultural events, festivals and celebrations to showcase the vibrant communities of Bradford, and West Yorkshire’s dynamic creative industries, to the world.
Previous cities with the prestigious title, including Coventry and Hull, have benefited from a surge of local and global visitors as well as significant economic growth. Next year’s cultural celebrations are expected to have a similar, major impact for Bradford and the wider region.
Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said: “West Yorkshire is the place to be for culture and creativity – more so now than ever, with the epic Bradford UK City of Culture 2025 just months away.
“This will give us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to grow our economy and show the world what we’ve got – from our vibrant, heritage-rich hotspots, to our gold standard creative talent.
“Investing in culture is a key part of building a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”
To further boost tourism in the region, £500,000 is also set to be approved to drive forward initiatives for West Yorkshire’s newly established Local Visitor Economy Partnership.
The partnership, approved by VisitEngland in July, aims to capitalise on the upcoming cultural opportunities for the region whilst increasing the awareness of West Yorkshire as a top destination for tourists, businesses and people to visit, live and work.
Supporting the development of events, transport and accommodation, the new investment is expected to boost visitor numbers, grow the economy, and support new skills and jobs.
The proposed £6.2 million investment supports the Mayor’s pledge to deliver a ‘Creative New Deal’ for West Yorkshire, and follows the launch of her flagship ‘You Can Make It Here’ programme – designed to support businesses and freelancers, and make the industry more accessible for all.
