Dean Clough rides wave of interest with seven new independents moving in

Stuart Pearcey
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Dean Clough rides wave of interest with seven new independents moving in

Dean Clough in Halifax is to be the home of seven new independent operators together having taken almost 5,000 sq ft on the historic 22-acre site.

The former mill complex has been transformed as a place for work rest and play for about 3,000 people, and continues redevelopment to provide unique spaces.

K Jones Interiors has secured a new space within the recently renovated Bowling Mill Courtyard to provide residential and commercial interior design consultations. Session stylist Dawn Walsh has also taken space for a new hair salon, whilst beautician, Alina Balika has relocated her studio to be at Dean Clough.

Dot The Jewellers, which has been designing unique, custom jewellery for over 20 years has relocated to occupy one of the new retail units following recent redevelopment of the historic D Mill Courtyard.

Piece by Piece Physiotherapy has set up a clinic to offer expert help for back pain, osteoarthritis, sports injuries, concussions, and vertigo. This complements existing wellbeing services.

Northpark Pictures has also secured a lease for a new studio at Dean Clough. The multi award winning film production company produces video and content for brands including McDonalds, Virgin Atlantic, Enterprise and Oxo.

The Engine Room, a firm favourite café at Dean Clough for the last ten years, has secured a new lease on its 1,130 sq ft premises following new ownership.

Jeremy Hall, Chairman and MD at Dean Clough Ltd, said: “Independent businesses are the life blood of our high street, and we are always keen to offer flexible lease structures to support them. We warmly welcome them into the Dean Clough family which continues to provide choice, innovation, diversity, and authenticity for our audiences.

“We are progressing apace to expand the provision of high quality, Grade A workspaces for large and small businesses and we are unique in terms of the doorstep provision which includes considerable cultural experiences.”

Dean Clough is located on the edge of Halifax town centre, between Leeds and Manchester, and just 15 minutes from the M62 with direct train links to Leeds, Manchester, and London.

Lincolnshire horticultural experts secure multi-million-pound refinancing package

Tess Egginton
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Lincolnshire horticultural experts secure multi-million-pound refinancing package
Lincolnshire horticultural experts, Bridge Farm Group, is set to enter a new phase of growth after securing a multi-million-pound refinancing package. Bridge Farm, based in Spalding, produces ornamental plants and cut flowers. The business grows more than 70 million plants and flowers each year in 60-acres of low-carbon, water-efficient and biomass-heated glasshouses. The business sells to UK-wide supermarket and DIY retailers. In addition to its horticultural operations, Bridge Farm’s specialist bioscience division is a leader in plant research and development. The business’s team of experts are focused on the identification, cultivation, and extraction of high value functional and active molecules from plants. Established in 1988, Bridge Farm has an annual turnover of £30 million and has a workforce of 160 employees. To support Bridge Farm’s growth ambitions, the FRP Corporate Finance Debt Advisory team, led by partner Tom Cox and manager Rory Denison, ran a competitive debt raising process to identify a financing partner to support the next phase of its growth plans having recently completed investment in a new Bioscience facility. Having secured two fully credit backed offers to refinance the group, FRP subsequently supported management in the detailed negotiation of terms to completion of the financing. The multi-million-pound refinancing package will support Bridge Farm’s ongoing expansion and enable it to continue to consistently produce its range of plants and cut flowers at scale while also penetrating the market for plant-derived extracts and molecules. Tom Cox, partner at FRP Corporate Finance, said: “This refinancing facility provides much greater flexibility to Bridge Farm in its new financing arrangements and has reduced its cost of capital. “The transaction successfully delivers more favourable terms to the business, whilst also providing the group with additional capital to help deliver the ambitious growth plans within its bioscience operations.” Louise Motala, Managing Director at Bridge Farm Group, said: “This deal represents another key milestone for Bridge Farm as we continue to expand and build value in the business. “It is essential that we continue to invest to maintain our expertise in both horticulture and bioscience and this new facility affords us greater flexibility to explore wider routes to growth. “The advice and support we received from FRP’s Debt Advisory team was outstanding and their expertise ensured a smooth transaction from start to finish.”

Farmers flock to Immingham to export UK grain surplus

Stuart Pearcey
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Farmers flock to Immingham to export UK grain surplus
The Port of Immingham has handled over 137,000 tonnes of grain since investing in a new grain handling system, and is preparing itself for a busy season of grain handling. With farmers exporting the last of the large domestic surplus of grain to make way for the 2023 harvest, port owners ABP are targeting those in central and eastern England to use the port for their business. The largest port operator invested significantly in grain handling operations earlier this year at the east coast port, with two metal plate bunds which can be set up on any quay on any surface. They can also be sanitised between vessel discharges meaning grain for human consumption can be handled, and a specific standard of cleanliness is met. Using the new Liebherr 420 mobile harbour cranes means faster and more time efficient handling operations. Located nearby is a weighbridge, essential in ensuring what quantity of grain is being loaded onto the ship. In 2022, 81,000 tonnes of grain passed through the Humber ports’ quays. Simon Bird, Regional Director of the Humber ports said: “This is a great achievement in support of our customers. It’s a cost-effective method of ensuring we can load on to any quay in inner dock. It’s a developed and proven capability for operations to receive and load human consumption grains, which is part of our key competitiveness.” The Humber plays a strategic role in relation to export markets and our continued investment into infrastructure and equipment maintains our agility and resilience in keeping Britain trading.” Since the beginning of this year, operators have already handled over 137,000 tonnes of grain, arriving on a daily average pf 250 lorries direct from the farm to the vessel, and the grain is directly loaded thus saving on storage costs. Earlier this year the UK arable sector had a large domestic surplus of grain and to make way for the 2023 harvest, stores will need clearing to make way for the new crop, which is seeing a bumper market in agribulks. The Port of Immingham’s grain handling facility is open to deep water vessels and can operate around the clock. There is a weighbridge close to the berths, and access points for sampling the cargo adjacent to the quays.

Chiropractic clinic gets £40k loan from the British Business Bank

Stuart Pearcey
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Chiropractic clinic gets £40k loan from the British Business Bank

A chiropractic clinic in Leeds has been given a £40,000 loan to set up a standalone premises and buy equipment to offer patients a range of wellbeing services.

The Spine Guy, based in Moortown, Leeds, received the Start Up Loan from the British Business Bank, delivered through its dedicated fund manager, Business Enterprise Fund. The investment has helped launch the business into a physical practice after growing a following on Facebook during the pandemic.

Founded by husband and wife duo Jeff and Laura Ben Mayor, the clinic specialises in using chiropractic care and posture correction, as a regular, preventative wellbeing measure rather than just problem solving for pain.

Neither Jeff nor Laura were unable to work in their normal roles during lockdown, so to support people who were now spending more time at home, Jeff created a Facebook group to share tips on how to sit properly, how to set up a laptop ergonomically and effective exercises to improve posture.

He said: “Setting up the Facebook group demonstrated a gap in the market for educating people on the effects of bad posture on long term health conditions. Back pain is often the first thing that comes to mind but the spine is an integral part of the nervous system.

“More recently, I’d been keen to set up a solo practice and Laura was also looking for a career change. We spoke to Start Up West Yorkshire and were recommended the Business Enterprise Fund who have been fantastic. They clearly understood our vision and the entire process was straightforward, taking the stress out of launching a brand new business.”

Laura, co-director and practice manager at The Spine Guy, adds: “The Business Enterprise Fund has been a huge help in us getting started, with the loan helping on everything from signage to equipment and we’ve so appreciated their ongoing professional advice. We’ve seen a whole variety of patients so far from those taking charge of their preventative care or couples who want to look and feel good in their wedding photos.

“Before we launched, Jeff often commented that people will regularly go and get their eyes or teeth checked, yet they don’t think about arguably the most vital support structure in our bodies – the spine – until it’s already in pain. Regular checks can prevent a whole host of debilitating problems, and it’s been heartening to see our patients beginning to understand this.”

Tim Burt, senior investment manager at the Business Enterprise Fund, said: “The Spine Guy is exactly the type of business we’re looking for when it comes to the Start Up Loan Programme – they’re problem solving, committed to a vision and bringing a much-needed service to a local community.

“In the last few years especially, people have taken note of their health and preventative steps they can take to look after themselves. With the wellness industry increasing in the UK, focusing on both home and work life, we anticipate great continued success for Jeff and Laura.”

Hull care home appoints new manager

Stuart Pearcey
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Hull care home appoints new manager

Hull’s Wilton House Care Home has appointed Joycelyn Tsekpo as its new manager, who brings to the role 15 years’ experience in the NHS and the social care sector.

During her career, Joycelyn, above, has progressed through various positions, including senior care assistant and deputy manager. Most recently, Joycelyn was the manager of Alderson House Care Home in Bridlington. With her extensive experience and expertise, Joycelyn complements the existing care team at Wilton Lodge and provision of high quality, person-centred care.

Terry Peel, CEO of HICA Group, which owns and manages Wilton Lodge, said: “We are thrilled to have Joycelyn join us as the new manager at Wilton Lodge.Her extensive background in the social care sector, combined with her passion for making a difference in people’s lives, makes her an invaluable addition to our team.

“With her leadership, we are confident that Wilton Lodge will continue to thrive and provide exceptional care to our residents.”

Wilton Lodge is a 48-bed care home providing specialist residential care services for older people and those living with dementia.

Joycelyn Tsekpo, who has lived in Hull for 20 years, said: “I chose to come to Wilton Lodge because of the genuine passion shown by the team and the organisation as a whole. HICA Group’s commitment to valuing people over profit aligns with my own beliefs, and I am eager to contribute to an organisation that strives to make a real difference in people’s lives.

“It’s not just a job here; it feels like working with family, and I am proud to be part of such a dedicated and talented team.”

Dudleys prepare to assess last two Sunny Bank buildings for redevelopment

Stuart Pearcey
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Dudleys prepare to assess last two Sunny Bank buildings for redevelopment

Dudleys Consulting Engineers will assess the last two remaining buildings for redevelopment at the Sunny Bank Mills regeneration site in the Farsley area of Leeds.

The company will advise on the Structural and Civil design plans to support the redevelopment of the former 3,000 sq ft Dye House and the 2,500 sq ft Boiler House to enable refurbishment into modern, mixed-use accommodation.

Sunny Bank Mills is a collection of historic buildings, forming the community heart of Farsley town in Leeds. The site was founded in 1829 by a group of weavers to become one of the world’s most important fine worsted mills. Over the last ten years, considerable investment has been made by sixth generation family owners William and John Gaunt to regenerate the site to become a modern mixed-use complex and cultural hub where over 350 sustainable jobs have been created so far.  As well as flexible space for businesses, it includes a heritage museum, art gallery and spaces for events and exhibitions. Sunny Bank Mills prominence as a cultural hub continues to grow further having featured in numerous film, TV and radio events.

Dudleys has been retained as consulting engineers for the duration of redevelopment spanning over ten years, during which time numerous buildings have been refurbished on the 4.5-hectare site.

Peter Dixon, Director at Dudleys, said: “The site is of considerable heritage value and so we must always seek to maximise the potential to retain as much of the old as well as incorporating the new.

“For all of the once-derelict and dilapidated buildings we have managed to safely retain the substantial core as well as the historic buildings’ fabric to preserve the industrial setting within more contemporary elements to deliver some characterful spaces that are now thriving.”

John Gaunt of Sunny Bank Mills, said: “The story of Sunny Bank Mills is of considerable note, not just for Leeds but for the UK as the world leader in textile manufacturing.  Since the value of weaving was lost, we have worked tirelessly to sympathetically regenerate the site for modern day use and maintain its employment potential.”

“We have worked with Dudleys for the entire redevelopment process, and they have proved to be an invaluable partner throughout. We are delighted to appoint the team to advise us on the potential of our last remaining buildings.”

UKREiiF sees £12m boost for Leeds economy

Tess Egginton
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UKREiiF sees £12m boost for Leeds economy
In May UKREiiF was hosted in Leeds for the second year running – bringing over 7,500 people from across the UK and internationally to the city region, and a new report by ARUP has revealed it gave a £12.1m boost to the local Leeds City Region economy. The event, which brings together investors, developers, local authorities and the wider real estate and infrastructure sectors looks to facilitate and connect businesses to drive sustainable and inclusive regeneration – but outside of the major deals and projects which take place from the conversations at UKREiiF there is also a huge benefit to the region with the event bringing fresh eyes to the city. ARUP calculated the figure by working closely with event organisers UKREiiF to use data sources on delegates, location of travel, nights in the city region and more, in addition to data from Visit Britain, Visit Leeds and the STEAM Tourism Economic Impact model. The direct economic impact looks at organiser spend, visitor spend and fringe event organisation spend, with visitor spend looking at areas such as accommodation, food and drink, shopping, local travel, evening events and entertainment, sightseeing and more. The Deloitte and Oxford Economics Multiplier Model was then utilised to capture the proportion of money then injected back into the local economy. Some of the key highlights from the report include: 1. 75% of event delegates enjoyed at least one overnight stay in the region, with 55% spending at least two overnight stays. 2. This lead to 11,663 bed nights being taken in local hotels 3. £4.5m in visitor spend including food/drink, accommodation, shopping and entertainment 4. £7,177,040 of direct economic impact 5. £12,078,958 total wider economic impact 6. Huge increase on the £5,500,000 generated in the inaugural year meaning UKREiiF has generated £17,600,000 for the local economy in the space of two years Speaking of the announcement Keith Griffiths, Chief Executive Officer at UKREiiF, said: “UKREiiF created a real buzz across the city region with hotel occupancy at 100% and bars and restaurants seeing a huge increase on usual midweek trade, and this year the local businesses really got behind the event which saw bars and restaurants open later and really help to amplify the total from £5,500,000 in the first year to over £12,000,000 in the second. “We also worked closely with the likes of Leeds City Council to showcase the city region in advance which has helped boost visit stays with some staying for more than 5 days in the region to add tourist days either side, and we’re looking forward to working even more with the Council and the Business Improvement District to build on this for 2024. “And it’s worth saying that this economic impact just looks at the local level of visitors and spend – UKREiiF showcases over £100bn of investment opportunities across the UK and the deals and projects which are secured and signed from UKREiiF mean the event has become a real staple in the industry diary and one which is set to have an even bigger economic impact across the wider country.”

And the winner goes to… Charlotte Burns, OceanBlue Logistics: Everywoman Awards 2023

Tess Egginton
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And the winner goes to… Charlotte Burns, OceanBlue Logistics: Everywoman Awards 2023
On Wednesday 28 June, the stage was set, with 500+ people in attendance and the sun shining in the heart of London for the 2023 everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards. The venue was the Londoner hotel in Leicester Square and Charlotte Burns, operations manager, at OceanBlue Logistics took home the Above and Beyond Supply Chain Award. Unipart Rail was the sponsor for the category which saw four worthy ladies compete for the award, which goes to women who are innovating and excelling in their role within the supply chain environment. On behalf of OceanBlue, 10 team members attended the event and were very impressed with the success of the occasion and the dedication to females in the logistics sector. Charlotte thanked her team afterwards and mentioned she’d like to thank again her judges, brigadier Jo Chestnutt CBE – head of defence supply chain operations and movements of Ministry of Defence, and Kevin Orton, business development director UK and Ireland Unipart Rail.

£185m Leeds Urban Village takes step forward

Tess Egginton
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£185m Leeds Urban Village takes step forward
Joint venture partners Cole Waterhouse and Tonia Investments have secured a significant amended planning consent for Leeds Urban Village, a £185 million mixed-use, residential led scheme in the East of Leeds city centre. The partnership acquired the 3.8-acre site in May 2022 with full detailed planning permission for 1,012 apartments across five towers with commercial space on the ground floor. Following the purchase, Leeds-based DLG Architects and landscape specialists Exterior Architects were appointed to review the scheme design with a focus on enhanced placemaking and a significant review of its wind mitigation features. Having worked closely with a range of stakeholders through the summer including Leeds City Council, a Section 73 Minor Material Amendment Application was submitted in December 2023. The planning approval will mean there are wholesale changes to the building’s elevational and public realm design. Wind mitigation measures have also been substantially improved through changes to the towers’ form and massing. Leeds Urban Village will deliver 1,012 residential apartments across five towers ranging from 13-23 storeys and will include 478 BTR apartments. The ground floor spaces will accommodate retail, food and beverage as well as a considered range of resident amenities such as a shared pantry, cinema, gym and a ‘library of things’ – appliances and useful equipment for people to borrow. The public realm, designed by Exterior Architecture, includes features such as a climbing wall and spaces for active play, whilst a large central hub offers opportunities for events, markets and gatherings. The development is targeting Fitwel rating – the world’s leading healthy building design accreditor – and has considered occupant wellbeing and health from the outset of design. In addition, a new cycle hub within the public realm is proposed with direct platform lift access to basement parking and a range of high-quality cycle welfare facilities. Speaking about the scheme, George Smith, planning manager at Cole Waterhouse, said: “These design enhancements will ensure that Leeds Urban Village is a desirable new urban neighbourhood and a cultural destination in itself, designed to meet and exceed people’s expectations now and in the future. “Located in the heart of Leeds city centre with both the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Great Northern Ballet nearby, we have looked at how we best build on the surrounding cultural offer to deliver a vibrant and meaningful placemaking strategy to strengthen further our engagement with the cultural and creative community in Leeds as our vision for the site develops.” George continued: “We have been working with Colliers to secure development funding and also working on the appointment of a main contractor. We are aiming to start on site in Q2 2024 to deliver the first phases of much needed Built-to-Rent homes for the city of Leeds.”

Boston solar park to power Arla’s operations

Tess Egginton
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Boston solar park to power Arla’s operations
Arla, the dairy cooperative, in partnership with ENGIE and Infinis, has announced the signing of two new solar parks – including one in Lincolnshire – under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), which will supply around 20% of the energy needed to power Arla’s entire UK operation from renewable sources. The new solar parks will be operational from Boston (Lincolnshire) and Offham (Kent) during 2024. Together the sites are set to generate around 23,000 MWh of energy and create savings of approximately 4,439t of CO2 a year. Both solar parks are being created on sites previously used as landfill, which forms part of an initiative to generate more clean energy and make a positive impact on the environment. Fran Ball, VP of production at Arla, said: “At Arla, we’re committed to working with our farmer owners to provide natural, nutritious dairy, that is made in the best possible way, and are proud to be committing to two new solar parks to help power our UK operations. “We are on a journey to climate net zero by 2050, which means that we are taking steps to reduce CO2e emissions on our farms, as well as focussing on other areas, including our production and logistics operations. “As part of our Climate Action Roadmap, we will be switching to 100% renewable electricity across production sites by the end of 2025, which will contribute 58% of the emissions reductions we need to make in production by 2030. “Additionally, 100% recyclable packaging will be used across branded products by end of 2025 and will be helping our farmers to adapt more sustainable feed production practices.” Graham Leith, chief operating officer at ENGIE Energy Supply UK, said: “ENGIE globally is committed to accelerated growth in renewables with a firm commitment to be Net Zero Carbon by 2045, for us and for our customers. We seek to understand the needs of our customers and working together with partners to create a solution that supports their ambitions in a timely manner.” James Milne, chief commercial officer at Infinis, said: “We’re proud to be working with Engie and Arla to deliver clean renewable power and support their net zero commitment. Partnerships like this help to protect higher grade agricultural land from development – supporting both food security and energy security – and we hope will pave the way for many more such projects. “Corporate PPAs combined with the CfD play a vital role in delivering subsidy-free solar power and achieving national net zero targets.” Arla has also recently completed the installation of roof mounted solar panels on its Oswestry site, which during peak power can generate 800KW. This means it can generate 12% of the site’s annual electricity usage, which would remove 137,920kg of carbon emissions.
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