Network Rail moves into £26m former college building in Doncaster
Network Rail has signed a 25-year contract to move into the £26m former National College For Advanced Transport & Infrastructure promises in Doncaster, which closed in 2023.
It will be developed into a bespoke training facility that offers a range of different apprenticeship and trainee opportunities.
In its original form, NCATI was envisioned as a specialist institution that would provide the skills required to help deliver HS2.
However, the college’s narrow remit was eventually expanded to try and improve enrolment, with it becoming the less niche NCATI when the University of Birmingham took over in 2021. Despite this broadening of scope, the institution continued to suffer from low student numbers and was ultimately forced to close its doors just two years later; winding down all of its education programmes in the process.
Dan Fell, Chief Exec of Doncaster Chamber, said: “While not a fatal blow for our economy, the closure of NCATI in 2023 was certainly bruising for Doncaster. After all, the college had state-of-the-art facilities, an excellent faculty and a very exciting offer for students. Yet, thanks in no small part to Government indecision regarding HS2, it was sadly hobbled for the start and never allowed to reach its full potential.
“As such, the announcement that a significant industry player, in the form of Network Rail, has signed a 25-year lease to be the new tenants of this building is extremely heartening. Not only does it signal that the outside world does indeed have faith in Doncaster — and in our well-earned reputation as both a historic rail city — but it also means that we will be able to draw upon even more expertise in this area than we already have.
“Meanwhile, the fact that we will be getting another specialist, post-16 education provider on our doorstep will only serve to enhance our exemplary skills offer. While many of the operational details still need to be ironed out, it’s safe to say that our residents, businesses and economy are all set to reap the benefits of this.”
South Africa poultry deal could be worth £160m to UK producers
British poultry producers now have access to South Africa after the UK secured market access worth up to £160m to the industry over the next five years.
The development will allow UK traders to export poultry to South Africa for the first time in eight years, after restrictions were placed on UK imports following outbreaks of avian influenza in the UK. The UK was declared free from avian influenza earlier this year.
Lowering this trade barrier has been one of the UK’s priorities for agricultural trade, and its resolution marks a significant step forward, benefiting South African consumers with access to high-quality and securely supplied poultry meat.
Food Security Minister Daniel Zeichner met South African ministers, Deputy Minister Rosemary Capa (Agriculture) and Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield (Trade), last week to finalise the deal. This access will provide further opportunities to grow the UK economy and strengthen the trading relationship between both countries.
Daniel Zeichner said: “This deal not only opens new opportunities for UK poultry traders, but grants a new avenue through which to grow the UK economy.
“We’re one step further on our journey to securing better trade deals for UK farmers, improving industry resilience and kickstarting our food exports.”
South Africa has historically been an important market for UK poultry, with exports of poultry worth over £37 million to South Africa in 2016. Teams from across government have worked in combination with their counterparts in South Africa for many years to regain market access. International Meat Trade Association CEO Katie Doherty said: “The reopening of South Africa for UK poultry meat exports is fantastic news for UK producers and exporters – prior to the ban, it was a vital market for UK exporters.“It is testament to all the hard work by Defra’s market access team and the agricultural attachés and other officials who have supported this crucial work over many years, for which we are very grateful.”
1,000 jobs lost as TGI Fridays goes into administration
More than 1,000 people lost their jobs yesterday as the owners of TGI Fridays went into administration.
As Thursdays UK Limited, operating under the brand ‘TGI Fridays UK’, entered administration 51 off its sites were sold, securing for now almost 2,400 jobs, but 35 sites have been closed, resulting in 1,012 redundancies.
Chief Exec Julie McEwan said: “We are doing everything possible to retain our team and support those impacted.” Buyers Breal Capital and Calveton UK already own restaurant chains Byron Burgers and Vinoteca as well as restaurant group D&D London.
The Government has stepped in to help resolve issues around payment of wages and tips.
Sheffield Forgemasters help with restart of world’s oldest working nuclear reactor
Work done by Sheffield Forgemasters has allowed the restarting of a nuclear reactor in Switzerland that has been offline for two years.
Unit 1 of the Beznau nuclear power plant is the world’s oldest nuclear power plant still in commercial operation, having been commissioned in September 1969. It was taken offline for two years until confirmed to be safe by the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate.
As an engineering consultant for the project, Sheffield Forgemasters was responsible for the entire process of recreating a section of the reactor, conducting materials testing and establishing a root cause analysis.
Using the same techniques employed in the original manufacturing in the 1960s, Sheffield Forgemasters as faithfully as possible produced a large cylindrical forging almost identical to the original. Ultrasonic testing was conducted on the full-scale replica and similar ultrasonic indications were discovered.
A spokesman for Forgemasters said: “The work carried out by Sheffield Forgemasters gave significant support to the overall safety case and allowed the reactor to be restarted after a significantly costly two year hiatus. It has also provided information which will help to assess the current and ongoing safety of the RPV and ensure the operation requirements of the whole power plant are met for the future of the reactors life.”
East Lindsey businesses warned about new ‘licence expiry’ scam
Businesses in the East Lindsey area of Lincolnshire are being alerted to a new scam being attempted in the area, where fraudsters posing as Council officials claim alcohol licences are about to expire.
A spokesman for the Licensing Officers of South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership said: “The scam involves individuals falsely claiming that your Alcohol Premises Licence is running out or expiring. This is incorrect, as alcohol licences do not expire or run out. Any annual licence fees due will be handled by the Council through the usual annual invoice/reminder process.
“These fraudsters can seem very convincing, sometimes having accurate information such as the fee amount or the names of real Council staff. If you’re ever in doubt about someone claiming to be from the Council, contact your local council directly to verify their identity.
“We are committed to protecting our local businesses from fraudulent activities. Please remain vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to ensure the safety and integrity of our community.”
If you believe you’ve been targeted by this scam or have any relevant information, please report the incident to the Licensing Team at your local council, Lincolnshire Police on 101, and Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
National Grid put under pressure to ‘come clean’ over costs in pylon plan
National Grid is being pressured by Lincolnshire County Council’s legal department to share the data used to justify its claim that 400 pylons running through Lincolnshire are cheaper than seabed cabling.
The council believes the costing for the Grid’s proposal for pylons and substations across 80 miles of productive farmland between Grimsby and Walpole are fundamentally flawed.
Officers have already requested official costings twice and have been ignored by the Grid, which has cited commercial sensitivities.
The council, which is supportive of the need to route offshore renewables to UK communities to achieve net zero, believes the Grid’s ‘value for money’ claims may be flawed on the following grounds:
- They are deliberately using out of date costings to justify pylons over seabed cabling.
- They are ignoring indirect costs like the compensation they would need to pay to land and property owners, the extra infrastructure needed to allow for the maintenance of the network and the compensation that councils would claim for loss of tourism.
- They have not considered other alternatives like investing in existing pylon networks to boost their capacity.
College takes almost 13,000-foot space at Dean Clough
Calderdale College has taken on a 12,834 sq for space at Dean Clough in Halifax for a digital creative skills hub.
‘Mill Studios’ now serves students aged 16+ with high-tech facilities for studies in film and TV production, design and editing, esports and games design. The centre has dedicated learning studios with the very latest equipment and software for games design and filming as well as collaborative spaces for events, exhibitions and engagement with employers.
The new facility was made possible by funding from the Local Skills Improvement Fund and the College’s own capital investment. LSIF aims to tackle skill shortages by responding to employers’ needs and giving young people the skills to get good jobs and increase their prospects.
David Malone, Principal and Chief Executive at Calderdale College, said: “We are incredibly fortunate to have partnered with Dean Clough, whose spacious and professional venue provides the ideal environment for our students to thrive and excel in these fast-growing industries. I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Jeremy and everyone at Dean Clough for their unwavering support throughout this project. Their collaboration has been instrumental in bringing Mill Studios to life, and I am confident that this partnership will open new doors for both our students and the broader creative community in Calderdale.
“This is just the beginning, and I look forward to seeing how our students and staff make full use of this incredible facility as we continue to innovate and expand our curriculum to meet the demands of the future.”
East Yorkshire to share in £500m bus bonanza
Up to 500 UK manufacturing jobs could be supported because of the decision by bus operator Go Ahead to invest £500m investment to decarbonise its fleet, which operates in areas including East Yorkshire.
The investment is set to fund Northern Ireland manufacturer Wrightbus building up to 1,200 new zero emission buses over the next three years for operator Go Ahead.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh is to create a new UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel, bringing together industry experts and local leaders to explore ways to ensure the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing, help local authorities deliver on their transport ambitions, and begin to seize opportunities to embrace zero emission transport technologies.
She said: “This announcement will see communities across the country benefit from brand new, state of the art green buses – which will deliver cleaner air and better journeys.
“We’re creating the right conditions for businesses to flourish, so we can support jobs and accelerate towards decarbonising the transport sector.”The Transport Secretary will also announce plans to create a new UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel. This panel will bring together industry experts and local leaders to explore ways to ensure the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing, help local authorities to deliver on their transport ambitions, and begin to seize opportunities to embrace zero emission transport technologies.
Go-Ahead Bus CEO Matt Carney said: “This multi-million pound investment and partnership with WrightBus will accelerate the transition to zero-emission fleet across the UK.
“We are proud to be working in partnership with the UK Government and local authorities to deliver transformational environmental change for communities, while supporting UK jobs and the growth of the country’s supply chain.”
Pickard Properties appoints construction partner for next stage of £40m Spinning Acres development
Pickard Properties, the Leeds-based property development, management and letting specialist, has appointed C & A.J. Marshall Builders Ltd as the construction partner for the next stage of its £40 million Spinning Acres development in Far Headingley, Leeds.
The appointment will see Weetwood-based C & A.J. Marshall Builders deliver the sensitive regeneration of Moor Grange, a historically significant Victorian villa, into eight self-contained apartments.
Located in the heart of the Far Headingley Conservation Area, Spinning Acres has transformed a former Leeds University estate into a residential community.
The development has taken inspiration from the area’s rich textile heritage, and the latest phase continues this tradition by preserving and enhancing the character of Moor Grange.
The villa, which dates back to the 19th century, will undergo careful conversion to retain its original architectural charm while introducing modern comforts.
The project will see the restoration of key features, including the sensitive replacement of the villa’s windows with heritage timber frames and ultra-thin double glazing. The interior design will also reflect Victorian styling, paying homage to the building’s historic past.
Moor Grange has a rich history, having once been home to notable figures such as Professor Arthur Mayo-Robson, a pioneering surgeon and former Professor of Surgery at the Yorkshire College, the precursor to Leeds University.
Later, the villa became part of Leeds University’s estate and was incorporated into Tetley Hall.
Simon Pickard, Director of Pickard Properties, said: “We’re excited to begin this next phase of Spinning Acres with the restoration of Moor Grange. This building is a key part of the area’s heritage, and we are committed to preserving its historic features while creating beautiful, modern apartments.
“We are pleased to be working with C & A.J. Marshall Builders, which has a track record for high end luxury housing and shares our vision for maintaining the architectural integrity of Moor Grange while delivering a project of the highest quality.”
Simon added: “Spinning Acres is more than just a housing development; it’s about creating a community that people are proud to call home. We’re excited to see Moor Grange take shape and become part of this thriving neighbourhood.”
Andrew Barrett, Commercial Manager for C & A.J. Marshall Builders, added: “We are delighted to be appointed as the construction partner for Moor Grange. Our team is committed to delivering a project that respects the heritage of this iconic building while providing high-quality new homes that complement the existing Spinning Acres community.”
Private equity investor sets sights on Leeds’ Assured Data Protection
Private equity investor Oakley Capital’s Oakley Capital Fund V is investing in Assured Data Protection, a Leeds-based Managed Services Provider (MSP) focused on Backup, Disaster Recovery and Cyber Resiliency as a Service.
Founded in 2016 by serial tech entrepreneur Simon Chappell and four co-founders, Assured uses Rubrik software and Assured’s own proprietary software platform to provide mission-critical backup and disaster recovery services for companies globally.
Assured enhances its customers’ cyber resilience by protecting their data and ensuring business continuity, with near-zero server recovery time in the event of a significant IT failure or cyber-attack.
Assured operates in a high growth segment of the disaster recovery space which is expected to expand almost 5x over the next five years, as companies’ data architecture becomes more complex and as the prevalence and severity of cyber threats grows.
Oakley will support Assured’s management team to capitalise on strong growth in its underlying markets including the US, with a focus on providing the required capital and organisational structures to enable sustained organic growth.
Given Assured’s significant hosting infrastructure, this is also an opportunity to leverage Oakley’s extensive hosting experience. The five co-founders including Simon Chappell will remain invested in Assured and will continue to manage the business.
This will be Oakley’s seventh new investment announced or completed in 2024.
Peter Dubens, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Oakley Capital, said: “This is a rare opportunity to invest behind a proven team that has built a business that will benefit from several structural tailwinds and has an attractive business model that is differentiated and scalable.
“Assured is an IT services business with strong organic growth and recurring revenues, genuine IP, and led by exceptional founders. We’re pleased to be partnering with Simon and his team as they leverage the significant opportunities in a fast-growing market.”
