Arctic Monkeys’ two huge hometown gigs brought an estimated £4.1million economic benefit to b businesses in the city, new figures from Sheffield City Council reveal. The gigs saw 74,000 people visit Hillsborough Park for two nights of shows from the band, which became Sheffield music royalty after releasing five albums. Money spent on hotels, food and drink, and transport contributed to a boost for Hillsborough and Sheffield as people travelled from across the world to visit the city for the gigs. Councillor Martin Smith, Economic Development and Skills Committee Chair, said: “It was fantastic to welcome Arctic Monkeys home for two gigs at Hillsborough Park earlier in June. “The boost for local businesses is huge, with an estimated £4.1 million pumped into the city over the weekend. Businesses in Hillsborough, particularly food and drink venues, benefitted from fans enjoying the day and in the city centre, and we saw an uplift in hotel bookings and footfall during the weekend. “These events go to show how beneficial large-scale shows can be for Sheffield, bringing both entertainment and economic benefits to the city. It was brilliant to have the band back in the city and we’re looking forward to Tramlines at Hillsborough Park next month.” Janine Lawson from the Hillsborough Tap and the business group Hillsborough Together, said: “The recent concerts in the park were a great boost for us at Hillsborough Tap during what is historically a quiet period in the Hillsborough area. It’s great to see so many new visitors to the area and it allows us to showcase what an amazing area Hillsborough is. The feedback we received from visitors was fantastic and it was great that so many people loved our little business as much as we do! We hope that this will create repeat business for us in a time that is very difficult for independent businesses like ours.”

Innovate UK has backed a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Sheffield Hallam and the charity Tempus Novo, with six-figure funding to continue the work of the charity working with serving prisoners and ex-offenders looking to change their lives by breaking the cycle of crime through employment. Tempus Novo is a charity based in Leeds set up to support ex-offenders into jobs after their release to reduce re-offending rates. The charity, founded in 2014 by two former senior prison officers at HMP Leeds with a combined experience of almost 60 years, mentors prisoners in the run up to their release and help to secure roles, and to date have secured jobs for 800 ex-offenders. This is the first Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme where Sheffield Hallam University has partnered with a charity or social enterprise. Sheffield Hallam’s contribution in this project is to embed financial modelling expertise and behavioural economics methodology to design and implement a novel revenue model supported by a scalable business model to help Tempus Novo achieve financial sustainability and successfully expand. Jia Liu, academic lead on the Tempus Novo partnership, said: “I think this project is necessary because of the massive societal benefits of Tempus Novo’s work. Scaling up Tempus Novo’s work (placing more ex-offenders into sustainable employment) leads to more savings on prison cost, less benefit payments, more national insurance contribution, more tax collected, safer streets, positive impacts on ex-offenders and their families. This project fits perfectly well with Sheffield Hallam’s civic agenda. “I’m keen to work with Tempus Novo because I share their view that people deserve a second chance, especially those who have never had a first real chance in life. Tempus Novo has achieved remarkable successes in a challenging area. We hope to build on the success and take it to the next level. There is a huge potential for Tempus Novo to grow to do more good.” Tempus Novo are the only prison officer-led charity in the UK, and the only charity that fills the void by focusing on employment working with both service users and employers simultaneously. Over 70% of service users placed into work with Tempus Novo retain that job for over a year and do not re-offend, and of the 800 service users placed so far, only 33 have been returned to custody (4%). Steve Freer, co-founder of Tempus Novo, says: “We are confident the KTP programme will assist with the growth of Tempus Novo, and this has the potential to unlock so many more opportunities both here in the UK and beyond.

“We hope to have a lasting relationship with Sheffield Hallam and see this as the first step of a journey that will create many more life-changing opportunities for many disadvantaged people. Using the power of good quality jobs is a successful model that reduces crime, creates safer streets and more prosperous communities.”

Entrepreneurs across the region will benefit from a new multimillion-pound fund to help them launch services and products made in West Yorkshire to sell to the world. As part of the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s £6 million fund for entrepreneurs, a third round of support has been launched. The programme aims to find the best and the brightest minds in the region, nurture their entrepreneurial skills, and turn their ideas into global businesses. With access to nine months of tailored support, coaching and mentoring, 75 creative minds will develop fresh business ideas and grow the skills they need to become successful entrepreneurs. Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, said: “I’m committed to providing opportunities for everyone in West Yorkshire to pursue their goals, whatever their circumstances. “We have already helped thousands giving them the skills they need to start and run their own successful business. “Now, we will focus on best and the brightest minds in the region, catapulting them to the next level and turning their entrepreneurial ideas into the global businesses of the future. “Our talented entrepreneurs are absolutely central to our vision for a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire.” Cllr Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Business, Economy and Innovation Committee, said: “I’m delighted we’re able to provide support of this quality to individuals and businesses who have the potential to drive forward their innovative ideas. “Equipping the entrepreneurs of West Yorkshire with the skills they need to succeed will not just improve their personal circumstances. It will boost our regional economy through the creation of more high-skilled jobs and greater inward investment. “We’re building a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire where everyone can reach their full potential, and that includes our brilliant entrepreneurs with local solutions to global challenges.” This support from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, will be delivered in partnership by a twelve member-strong group of businesses and learning organisations from across the region. Of these, Nexus and the University of Leeds will head the group, using their world-class facilities and expertise to incubate the next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs. Together, they will focus on tackling the regional, national and global challenges of the future. The programme builds on the success of the previous two support packages, which helped over 2,000 people to develop and pursue their ideas. The first supported people to turn their ideas and hobbies into fully fledged businesses, and the second helped entrepreneurs to focus on scaling up their start-ups. Of these cohorts, 58% were women, 38% were of an ethnic minority, and 10% identified as having a disability. The Mayor is now looking to find entrepreneurs with ambitions for rapid growth, to help bolster their resilience, boost their skills, and build businesses that could change the world. Dr Martin Stow, Pro Vice-Chancellor: Business Engagement and Enterprise at the University of Leeds, said: “We’re thrilled to be launching this programme, an initiative that demonstrates our firm commitment to making a positive difference to our region. “The programme is a fantastic opportunity for entrepreneurs seeking to accelerate the start of their innovation-based, purpose-driven new ventures by drawing upon the wealth of knowledge and experience of successful entrepreneurs and enterprises. “We’re excited to be working with local communities and their leaders to ensure this initiative is accessible to as broad a range of people as possible and are keen to work with more as we move forward. “Nexus and the University of Leeds are immensely proud to be leading this consortium, inspiring entrepreneurs to achieve their business ambitions and build a better tomorrow.”

A new survey by Barnsley & Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield Chambers of Commerce suggests that financial pressures are easing for businesses. In a joint statement about the survey’s findings, the CEOs of the Chambers have issued a joint statement. They say: “Our survey results show promising, albeit tentative, signs that financial pressures are beginning to ease for businesses, though this still remains a pressing issue across all sectors. “It’s encouraging to see that, for the third consecutive quarter, expectations of both improved turnover and profitably have increased, suggesting that there is a broader feeling of optimism for the months ahead. Better still, we are pleased to report that 93% of firms that were polled agree that South Yorkshire is a fundamentally good place to do business. This suggests that businesses feel that there are opportunities available to them locally and that organisations are doing what they can to promote a positive business environment. There is, of course, always room for improvement. “While some key areas are stronger than they have been in recent quarters — such as those relating to cash flow positions, price increases and capacity — it is worth stressing that indicators of financial pressure do remain. “Concerns about inflation might be lower than they have been since the end of 2021, but that’s only a relative drop from a historic high. Meanwhile, subdued economic activity continues in South Yorkshire, with weak growth being reported in terms of both domestic sales and overseas orders. “Not to mention, hiring conditions are still proving to be a massive challenge for businesses. A staggering 94% of firms told us that they have experienced recruitment difficulties this quarter, which is a worrying jump from the 87% that was recorded this same time last year. In particular, businesses are struggling to attract skilled manual & technical workers, as well as professional & managerial talent. Of course, the tight market is, in and of itself, a significant contributor to the runaway inflation that is presently bedeviling the economy. “As for how South Yorkshire employers are being affected by The Cost of Living Crisis, we learned that the vast majority have discussed the prices of either utilities (85%), food (76%) or petrol (61%) with their staff in the last six months. In an effort to try and support employees with these strains, 70% of businesses said that they have increased wages, and nearly half are now offering mental health support. This acts as yet another reminder of the civic and social commitments exhibited by our employer communities. “All in all, this latest QES highlights positivity in some areas, and persisting concerns in others. As Chambers, we will of course be advocating for any measures that might help to restore business confidence —  whether that’s a rethinking of business rates or the campaign to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport. We have also been working closely with employers, training providers and other key stakeholders on a Local Skills Improvement Plan for the region, which will help address those recruitment difficulties that so many firms are encountering right now.”