Settle launches free twice-monthly business advice sessions
Business owners in Settle are invited to a new series of free drop in business advice at sessions at the Langcliffe Quarry Enterprise Centre, taking place on the first and third Wednesday of the month.
Led by Alison Laws, a Business Relationship Manager from the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, these sessions begin on June 21st and aim to provide support and guidance to local businesses, helping them thrive in a competitive market.
Running from 9:30am to 1:30pm the sessions are open to all firms in the region. As drop-in sessions eliminate the need for pre-booking, providing a convenient avenue for business owners to seek professional advice.
Alison said: “Owners and managers are invited to call in to discuss all things business over a brew. We can cover whatever they need to start, thrive or survive.”
For entrepreneurs who find it difficult to attend the Wednesday drop-in sessions, separate appointments can be arranged to ensure they still have access to the invaluable expertise on offer. By contacting the Growth Hub, business owners can schedule personalised consultations at a time and location that suits them best.
These drop-in sessions are a direct result of the Langcliffe Quarry Enterprise Centre Project. Supported by the European Regional Development Fund and the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, this project was aimed at establishing purpose-built workspaces and providing comprehensive support to local businesses. The provision of free business advice in Settle is a testament to the success of this initiative, empowering entrepreneurs and contributing to the growth and prosperity of the local business community.
Work begins to demolish Leeds tower blocks paving way for future development
Demolition of the Highways tower blocks and maisonettes in Killingbeck has begun, marking the first step towards the development of new social housing on the site.
Following positive engagement work with the few remaining tenants on site, the flats and maisonettes are now vacant allowing for the demolition work to start.
Connell Brothers Ltd have been appointed to carry out the demolition programme and are expected to remain on site until May 2024.
Demolition will take place on site during the set hours of 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 1.00pm on Saturday.
Utilising high reach demolition equipment, the contractors will remove each floor of the tower blocks until the buildings are low enough for demolition by traditional excavators.
Extensive measures have been put in place by the contractors and council to ensure that any disruption will be minimised for local residents.
The redevelopment of the Highways tower block site will allow the council to deliver high density modern, energy efficient social housing more suited to meeting the city’s housing needs, with final details of the future development on site to be confirmed once demolition is complete.
Having explored all options for the 132 homes currently located on the site the council concluded that the two tower blocks and attached maisonettes should be replaced due to the current housing stock on site exceeding its design life and refurbishment of the homes to the required standard was not possible.
Speaking on site, Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said: “It is good to see the demolition underway on site, the removal of the blocks and maisonettes will allow a clear site for the development of new energy efficient social housing in the future.
“I would like to reassure local residents that we will do everything we can to ensure we reduce disruption and thank them for their understanding.”
Mark Riley, Connell Brothers’ commercial manager, said: “We are very pleased to be spearheading the development of the Highways site. As a contractor which specialises in tower block demolition projects, we look forward to fulfilling the role of Principal Contractor for the demolition phase of this exciting project for Leeds City Council that aims to deliver new social housing for the Killingbeck area.”
Yorkshire & Humber business activity growth slows in May, falling further behind UK average
The headline NatWest Yorkshire & Humber PMI® Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – dipped to 50.6 in May, from 52.5 in April, signalling a growth slowdown midway through the second quarter.
Of the 12 monitored parts of the UK, only Wales recorded a worse monthly performance in business activity, with Yorkshire & Humber growth lagging behind the UK average by a considerable margin.
The volume of incoming new business dipped during May, marking the first contraction in demand since January. Weaker conditions in the markets key customers operate in reportedly weighed on new order inflows.
Of the 12 monitored parts of the UK, Yorkshire & Humber was one of three where new business fell. Although the drop in demand across the region was marginal, it was stronger than those seen elsewhere.
Private sector businesses in Yorkshire & Humber remained strongly optimistic towards the 12-month outlook for activity in May. Increased investment, new product launches and entry into new markets, as well as hopes of stronger sales performances underpinned growth forecasts. That said, the level of confidence dipped to a five-month low.
The level of employment across the Yorkshire & Humber private sector rose again in May, marking a fifth consecutive expansion in staffing capacity across the region. According to surveyed firms, extra workers were hired to fill vacancies, reduce the strain on existing staff and prepare for future growth. The rate of jobs growth slowed and was modest, but broadly matched that seen for the UK as a whole.
For a third month running, private sector companies across Yorkshire & Humber recorded a drop in the volume of outstanding work during May. The pace of decline was solid and unchanged from April’s four-month record. According to survey respondents, the catch-up of incomplete orders was enabled by falling intakes of new business.
Another sharp increase in operating expenses was registered by surveyed companies in Yorkshire & Humber midway through the second quarter, although the rate of inflation eased to a 28-month low.
That being said, trends diverged significantly by sector as a fall in input prices at manufacturers compared with a softer, but still steep rise in costs at service providers. While lower prices for raw materials and energy helped bring factory input costs down, wage pressures were behind the sharp rise in service sector expenses.
The seasonally adjusted Prices Charged Index remained well above the no-change mark of 50.0 in May, signalling a further sharp rise in prices charged for goods and services across Yorkshire & Humber. Firms that raised their fees commented on efforts to pass on higher costs to clients.
That said, selling prices were raised to the weakest extent since February 2021 as companies, particularly in the manufacturing sector, offered more competitive prices amid falls in their costs and difficulty securing new work.
Malcolm Buchanan, chair of the NatWest North Regional Board, said: “The NatWest Regional PMI data suggests Yorkshire & Humber faced a challenging period during May. Not only did growth slow to a marginal pace, but compared to its peers, this part of the UK was one of the worst performers. The region saw demand conditions weaken over the course of the month, affecting the rate of growth and impacting business confidence in some sectors.
“The latest report does offer grounds for optimism. Encouragement can be gleaned from sustained employment growth, which suggests that companies are filling vacancies and preparing themselves for future opportunities. Falling inflationary pressures also bodes well, and we’ve already seen reports of firms making their prices more competitive.
“That said, underlying data shows that price pressures are driven by services, with firms in these industries reporting higher wage costs. Therefore, the risk of inflation staying stubborn remains elevated for the time being.”
Yorkshire finance firm boss jailed for seven years over £20m fraud
A Yorkshire-based finance boss has been found guilty of a £20m fraud and sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment at Leeds Crown Court.
The Insolvency Service found Liam Francis Wainwright, 61, from Leeds, had falsified documents to mislead investors and spend their money on ventures including a racehorse syndicate and his own failed private businesses.
These investors were victims of a classic Ponzi scheme, whereby the returns paid to them were funded by the capital injections from later investors.
Wainwright, who had been a director of Rawdon Asset Finance Ltd, was disqualified for 11 years in November 2020 after investigators at the Insolvency Service found he had falsified around £12 million worth of entries in the company’s loan book in the two years before the company entered administration in 2019.
After a further criminal investigation, the Insolvency Service brought the director to court on counts of false accounting, fraud, forgery, and acting as a director while bankrupt.
Julie Barnes, Chief Investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: “Liam Wainwright’s greed and selfish actions had a devastating effect on the people who had put their trust in him and his business.
“His victims included elderly and vulnerable people. Many investors lost most or all of the money they had entrusted to him, and some lost their life savings.
“His sentencing shows that the Insolvency Service will seek the toughest penalties for those who break the law, to help ensure that the UK is a safe place for investors and for businesses.”
The court heard that Wainwright had enjoyed a lavish lifestyle as a result of his offending, and that his actions had had a devastating impact on individuals and families who had invested money into the business. Wainwright told investors and shareholders that Rawdon Asset Finance was lending money to businesses with security on property, land or plant and equipment, but was in fact using the cash to pay returns to other creditors, buy into a racehorse syndicate and to fund other companies, including a Lincolnshire-based property development and a redevelopment company in West Yorkshire, both linked to himself. By the time the company went into liquidation, Rawdon Asset Finance’s creditors were owed more than £20 million. Liquidators have so far recovered £750,630. Wainwright admitted that he began to falsify accounts from around 2017, to hide the company’s true financial position from his co-directors and investors. He also admitted he had earlier forged a mortgagor’s signature on a legal charge to mislead investors and had – between April 2010 and April 2011 – breached the terms of a previous bankruptcy by acting as a director of the company the court’s permission. The court also heard that Wainwright had lied about the company’s accounts and the destination of funds in order to elicit £100,000 from one investor only weeks before the business collapsed, in the full knowledge that investors would not get their money back.Doncaster’s Grand Theatre gets green light to re-open, though funding and repair works needed
A feasibility study looking into the future of the Grand Theatre in Doncaster has found that the building could partly re-open over the next few years once repair works are completed.
The working group – made up of officers from City of Doncaster Council, Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust, local elected members, the Theatres Trust, the Friends of Doncaster Grand and building owners, The Frenchgate – commissioned the feasibility study in September 2022.
The study – looking into the future of the theatre – found that it would be economically beneficial for the city to work towards re-opening the Theatre but this must be done as a phased approach and urgent funding and repair works are needed first. The report also added that the theatre must add to the overall vitality of the city centre offer and complement existing city venues.
The study further determined that the building needed to avoid more deterioration to the building fabric and that certain works must be undertaken before opening in any capacity – with external funding needed to get the theatre back to full working use.
It is however suggested that the Theatre could get back to some small-scale performances, such as music gigs, comedy and business events, without the full amount of investment needed, but repair works to the parapet, valley gutters, interiors and downpipes are needed to avoid further decay and ensure public safety. These works are to be undertaken in the very near future once consents have been acquired. Exploration is now underway into bringing a special purpose organisation into the theatre, which would help take this to the next stage.
Capacity – without the full external investment needed – would be fairly limited, with developments around the theatre and limited escape routes reducing the theatre to a capacity of around 450-500.
The study concluded with a recommendation that a phased approach for the theatre be put in place, with funding helping the theatre re-open to small scale use first, such as business networking events, shining the spotlight on the theatre for higher levels of funding, to compliment rather than compete with, any other performance venues.
Cabinet member for Public Health, Communities, Leisure and Culture at City of Doncaster Council, Cllr Nigel Ball, said: “This is still relatively early days in this new journey for the Grand Theatre, but I am delighted that this study, which has involved lots of work and resulted in a very large and comprehensive report, has found that there is an opportunity for the Grand Theatre to be brought back to life, albeit in a safe and phased manner.
“The Grand Theatre is not a council building and the funding needed for the full restoration of this theatre is vast and given the above will need external support to help with this. I am confident however, and hopeful, that work can be progressed with the owners Frenchgate, to bring some of the building at least back into some form of use, in the near future.”
Ken Waight, Chair of the Friends of Doncaster Grand Theatre, said: “After so many years of inactivity, this report and its findings is very welcome, particularly that the Grand can be brought back into some use, relatively soon, leading eventually to full reopening. We accept that there is a lot of work needed and substantial funding to be found, but hopefully a proper plan for modern use of the theatre will now be established and that can only be good for all in our city.”
Siân Eagar, Theatres at Risk Adviser, at the Theatres Trust, said: “Theatres Trust welcomes the collaborative approach that is being taken to reviving Doncaster Grand, which has been on our Theatres at Risk Register since 2006 when we started the list. We believe the Grand has real potential to be restored and returned to cultural use but recognise that a phased approach will be the best way of securing its future. It will be a long journey, but it will be worth the investment to revitalise this wonderful building for the people of Doncaster.”
Law firm rradar appoints head of business development
Specialist legal enterprise and digital innovator rradar has appointed David Walsh as head of business development, a newly created role which is part of the firm’s strategic vision for further expansion.
This is a key appointment for rradar that will support its growth of services which transform how businesses access legal and other relevant expertise to proactively manage the risks they face.
rradar is a fast-growing national law firm, with offices now in Hull, Leeds, Birmingham, Leicester, Glasgow and Manchester.
David, who will report directly to rradar’s Chief Commercial Officer Davina Gillyon, will be responsible for driving forward and delivering rradar’s strategic business development programme.
This is closely aligned to the overarching commercial priorities that underpin rradar’s ambitious growth strategy over the next five years.
David will also scale rradar’s relationship-driven sales and business development strategy and proven model, maximising existing opportunities and identifying new ones for its products and services, working closely with key client partners and strategic brokers to achieve its revenue growth targets.
Davina said: “David has been operating in the financial, insurance and legal sectors for almost 30 years and joins us from Markel International, where he held a number of senior business development positions including head of new business (partnerships) and head of development (legal expenses).
“David is known for his abilities to drive a business forward through pro-active commercial development strategies which positively engage both his peers and his clientele. His experience has honed an impeccable skillset in building and nurturing strong partnerships to identify and deliver on new opportunities within new markets.
“He is especially proficient in sourcing and delivering large tender opportunities, featuring double and triple-digit business growth and high performance. We recognise that this is a critical role within our business, as we enter our next growth phase.”
Before joining Markel, David was operating in various management roles across some of the leading names in the national and international insurance, financial and brokerage markets, where he was responsible for managing large broker networks and teams of highly motivated sales executives and account managers.
David said: “I’m delighted to have joined rradar in such a pivotal role in the delivery of its vision and five-year business strategy. My priority is to expand our existing and well-regarded sales and business development team and enhance our customer engagement and client relationship framework and support our legal teams in driving forward private fee opportunities alongside our existing insurance business.
“Throughout my career, I have always advocated for the necessity of strong market intelligence, which I will drive forward in partnership with rradar’s senior leadership team, as part of our exciting growth strategies in new and existing markets.”
Summers-Inman’s specialist team secures £14m Knaresborough housing scheme
The specialist housing team at the Leeds office of construction and property consultants, Summers-Inman, has won a framework appointment by Yorkshire Housing to provide Employer’s Agent and Cost Consultancy services on a new housing scheme in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
The £14 million development comprising a range of 64 two, three and four-bedroom affordable family homes is being built by Yorkshire Housing in partnership with Countryside Partnerships, which only recently merged with Vistry Partnerships at the end of 2022.
Following planning consent in late 2022, the new homes, which will be available across a mix of tenures including social rent, shared ownership and affordable rent, will be built on the former Trelleborg Factory site on Halfpenny Lane, which closed in 2016.
Work started on site in January this year and if all goes according to plan, the scheme will complete in October 2024.
This is just one of several recent appointments secured by Summers-Inman and it follows hard on the heels of places won on further frameworks in the North of England and Scotland, including those of Wakefield District Housing, Thirteen Group, Tyne Housing Group, Bridge Homes and the Wheatley Group in Edinburgh.
Speaking about the consultancy’s recent spate of success, Summers-Inman director and specialist housing lead, David Blakey, said: “We have worked hard to secure places on many frameworks up and down the country in the capacity of Employers Agent, Quantity Surveyor, Project Manager and Principal Designer – all of which are familiar territory for our team. At the present time, the value of the schemes in which we are involved in one or more of these services is in excess of £170m.
“We are delighted with these appointments, many of which promise well for future work. It is a very active sector at a time when the need for affordable housing has never been more keenly felt and we are pleased to be working with Yorkshire Housing and Countryside Partnerships to be able to bring these houses to market.
“The existing Trelleborg factory was demolished some time ago and the new scheme is designed to create a community feel where residents will be proud to call home.”
Director of development, Yorkshire Housing, Sian Webster added: “It’s great to be teaming up with Countryside and Summers-Inman to deliver high-quality homes that over 60 families will be proud of. We’re committed to creating affordable and sustainable homes with cost effective heating and power at a time when it’s needed more than ever. The scheme also brings us closer to achieving our target of building 8,000 new homes across Yorkshire.”
Andy Poyner, Managing Director, Yorkshire, Countryside Partnerships, said: “Through our partnerships model we look to reuse land wherever possible, focusing on high quality mixed-tenure developments that deliver positive social impact for those communities with placemaking at the heart of what we do. We’re delighted to be partnering with Yorkshire Housing on this inclusive residential development, which will give local people the opportunity to buy the house of their dreams.”
Scunthorpe to host Women In Manufacturing and Engineering event
The Women into Manufacturing and Engineering careers event takes place at the Baths Hall in Scunthorpe on Wednesday June 21st between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.
The free-to-attend event happens shortly before the International Women in Engineering Day, annually on June 23rd.
Kirsty Clode, Chair of WiME, explains: “By meeting women working in manufacturing or engineering roles, we’re providing access to role models with a unique insight to offer to both aspiring young women and those who may be heading back to work after a break, or women who are considering a career change.
“At our WiME events, people of all ages and backgrounds can find out what industry jobs are really like from the women who do them, as well as the different routes there are into these careers – from on-the-job training to apprenticeships and degrees.”
With great pay, a high number of vacancies and attractive prospects, careers in manufacturing and engineering present a wide variety of interesting and exciting roles, which play an important part in the Humber’s economy.
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “We are thrilled to be hosting this event in Scunthorpe, supporting women into the manufacturing and engineering industry.
“Across the region millions of pounds of investment is creating well-paid, highly skilled jobs in these growth sectors – we are all passionate about ensuring these fantastic opportunities are available to everyone in our communities.
“I encourage women and girls across the area to come to The Baths Hall and see first-hand how they can benefit from the rewarding careers in industry on their doorstep.”
Kirklees Council’s Radisson RED plans for historic George Hotel get green light
Plans for a £20m refurbishment of the historic George Hotel in Huddersfield have been given the go ahead by Kirklees Council’s Planning Committee, with the hotel set to be operated by Radisson RED.
The approved plans for the 91-room boutique hotel form part of the wider Huddersfield Blueprint, a ten-year vision to create a thriving town centre boasting a diverse and exciting offer.
An important landmark adjacent to the Huddersfield Railway Station, The George Hotel was the first building on St George’s Square in 1851.
In March 2020, Kirklees Council purchased the Grade II* Listed building so it could secure its future and incorporate it within its long-term regeneration programme.
The new-look hotel promises a fashionable feel and will incorporate a basement, ground floor and four upper levels. Radisson RED, known for their stylish interiors and vibrant bars, will operate the premises.
As part of the refurbishment, the original building, which has a prominent location facing St George’s Square, will be refurbished almost entirely in its current state. The hotel’s historic façade will also be preserved along John William Street, but with a new structure replacing the existing internal structures behind.
A historically unimportant three-storey block, which faces towards the train station, is in poor condition and requires dismantling. It will be replaced by a similar sized and more sympathetic block using quality materials and a similar colour palette to the rest of the structure.
As part of remodelling, the ground floor will house the hotel’s reception lobby, lounge and a 70-seat restaurant and bar. There will also be a large conference-style room for hire and the lower ground floor will provide a 100-cover banqueting suite for business events, receptions and weddings.
Leader of Kirklees Council, Councillor Shabir Pandor, said: “Today is a significant milestone for the George Hotel and we’re delighted to have secured an exciting and long-term future for it. Huddersfield town centre has long needed a high-quality hotel and Radisson RED is a stand-out international hotel brand known for its eye-catching style and excellent customer service.
“Alongside our wider Huddersfield Blueprint plans and Our Cultural Heart, the George will act as an impressive gateway to the town centre and continue to grow our profile as an attractive destination for tourism and business.”
Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, added: “Our goal from the outset has been to do this historic building justice, not just as a key part of Huddersfield’s heritage but also as a major economic driver in the town. I’m thrilled that our plans have been approved.
“This is a hugely exciting project. We’ve gone to great lengths to make sure that, in delivering these plans, we’ll now be working with the best possible range of contractors to achieve our vision – reopening the hotel as an amazing new establishment with international hotel operators Radisson RED.”
Adela Cristea, Vice President, Business Development UK & Ireland at Radisson Hotel Group, said: “We’re proud to build on the success of Radisson RED and continue its UK expansion with this impressive project. We’re delighted to partner with Kirklees Council and bring a new chapter to one of Huddersfield’s most iconic buildings by introducing the bold and vibrant brand to the town.”
Kirklees Council have now appointed Morgan Sindall in a Pre-Contract Service Agreement, and they will be working on further designs for the building work over the coming months.
The council have also now appointed Queensberry as the project’s development manager, and Bowman Riley are the architect and heritage advisor.
Ben Hall, Yorkshire area director for Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “We’re thrilled to have been appointed to work on what will be a significant new addition to the town. Our business has strong local connections with Huddersfield having completed many projects here over the years, and we look forward to helping to grow the local economy and bring a skills boost to the area through our work on this fabulous new hotel.”
Andrew Davison, Project Director at Queensberry, added: “We are extremely pleased with today’s positive outcome. The building has significant history and this sympathetic redevelopment will secure its long-term future, whilst also acting as a catalyst for wider investment and regeneration in the great town of Huddersfield. The Raddison brand is a very fitting custodian to maintain this wonderful asset and we’re sure both locals and visitors to Huddersfield will enjoy it.”
Data consultancy raises £500,000 to support growth
A Yorkshire data consultancy that has more than doubled in size in the past two years has raised £500,000 from NPIF – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, to support its further growth.
Oakland Group Services has increased staff numbers from 33 to 80 since 2021 and plans to create 20 more jobs this year to meet the demand from customers. Oakland provides a full range of data services including strategy and governance, data analytics and insights and cloud-based platforms.
The Leeds-based company works with major brands including Vodafone, Blenheim Palace and Network Rail. It has recently completed a data platform for London-based Femtech company Elvie, which makes smart devices such as breast pumps. It is currently working on a large data programme with Yorkshire Water to help with customer engagement, leak management and other improvements, following a number of successful previous projects.
Oakland was founded by professor John Oakland from Bradford Management School, who is the current chair and who has over 35 years’ experience providing consultancy services to help companies with quality management and process improvements. Since 2019, the business has focused on data consultancy and demand has grown steadily.
Richard Corderoy, Managing Director, said: “We hear a lot about the value of data but unless companies can access it in the right way, they will never feel the benefits. At Oakland we can help them to bring their data together in one place, ensure it is good quality and analyse it to provide insights to improve customer engagement and efficiency. This funding will enable us to help more companies and create more jobs.”
David Wright, investment manager with Mercia, added: “Businesses now recognise that harnessing the power of data is key to their success because it provides the insights they need to adapt and thrive in the changing marketplace. Data platforms are becoming a ‘must have’ for many firms, but few have the ability to create them themselves.
“Not surprisingly, Oakland’s services are in growing demand. We are pleased to be able to support Richard and the team by providing additional working capital to help them take on new and larger contracts as they continue to grow the business.”
