Fast-growing staycation destination developer Actually Group has announced it is investing £4m to create an exclusive new luxury retreat in North Yorkshire. Actually Group’s ambition is to raise the bar for high-end staycation experiences and will showcase a new concept in luxury lodge holidays with the launch of Keld Spring Lodge Retreat. Keld Spring is a flagship development of premium quality, low-carbon lodges, blending architect-led design with contemporary elegance. Keld Spring occupies a picturesque nine-acre site enjoying panoramic views near the village of Wombleton in Ryedale, in the heart of the North Yorkshire countryside. The development will feature 30 lodges, offering five-star luxury in one of the UK’s most desirable holiday locations, on the edge of the North Yorks Moors National Park and the Howardian Hills. Landscaping is well advanced on site, with the first lodges due to be in place by the end of May. An innovative and ambitious new force in the buoyant UK staycation market, Actually Group offers a complete end-to-end package, from land acquisition and development, to lodge design and manufacturing, and destination management and marketing. Specialising in low-carbon and environmentally sensitive developments, Actually Group has a growing portfolio of high-end developments in many of the UK’s most sought-after holiday locations. People aspiring to own a luxury holiday home in a prime location or investors seeking a high-yielding investment opportunity are being urged to register to attend the launch event for Keld Spring, which is being held on site over the Easter bank holiday weekend, from Thursday, April 14, to Easter Monday, April 18. Andy Sutton, CEO of Actually Group, said: “Keld Spring will offer innovative, luxurious living accommodation that offers the ideal recreational space inside and out, in a stunning location with so much to do and great places to visit nearby. “It lays down a new marker for high-quality, sustainable holiday lodges on a site that complements its scenic setting and showcases the quality of staycation destinations we’re creating in many of the UK’s most beautiful regions.” Rhodri Andrews, Marketing Director of Actually Group, said: “Keld Spring offers both a compelling lifestyle opportunity and a rewarding investment proposition. “Owners of lodges at Keld Spring can enjoy luxury living while investing wisely in the lucrative UK holiday market which is forecast to continue to see long-term growth.”

CityFibre, the independent full fibre platform, has awarded a £21m contract to Trust Utility Management Ltd. to deliver its network rollout in Lincoln, a project which has sparked the creation of more than 80 local jobs.

Lincoln has been chosen as one of the latest cities to benefit from CityFibre’s £4bn Gigabit City Investment Programme, which will bring next generation, gigabit-speed broadband to nearly every home and business in the city, and to up to 8 million premises nationwide.

The latest milestone has incited a recruitment drive with new workers needed to support throughout the build process.

Works commenced in Lincoln in March and real progress is already being made. The rollout is progressing into new areas with construction underway in Abbey Ward while work in areas such as Glebe Ward is set to start in the near future. Once the city-wide rollout reaches completion in 2024, almost every home and business locally will have access to full fibre services from a choice of internet service providers.

Neal Wright, city manager for Lincoln, said: “CityFibre is investing £21m in a full fibre roll out which will benefit residents and businesses across the city with broadband of up to 900mb. In Trust Utility Management Ltd, we have found a partner that recognises the importance of this project, knows what is needed to deliver for the people of Lincoln and can grow with us as we move into new areas of the city.

“In addition to future-proofing Lincoln’s digital capabilities, this project is providing a welcome boost to the jobs market. It has sparked the creation of 83 new roles, with local talent needed to help us carry out this important project.”

Liam Coyne, commercial director, Trust Utility Management Ltd., said: “We are pleased to have been appointed by CityFibre to construct full fibre networks in Lincoln and support its wider plans of transforming the digital infrastructure of cities and towns across the UK.

“We are certain that with our vast utility contract management experience and the high calibre team that we are building, this project will prove to be a success for Trust Utility Management Ltd. and our client, CityFibre.”

In Lincoln, the team is using a range of construction methods while working in close partnership with Lincoln City and the County Council and local communities to deliver a fast rollout while managing potential disruption.

A new report reveals the cost of Covid-19 to small businesses now sits at £109.6 billion, two years on from the UK’s first national lockdown – with one in six believing they will never recover financially from the pandemic. The study by small business insurance specialist Simply Business reveals that 87% of small business owners have lost money over the last two years, averaging £20,981 each in total, with many still suffering financially. With one in six small business owners believing they will never financially recover from the pandemic, this represents almost one million UK small businesses in total. While others are more confident of eventually recovering financially, the outlook remains bleak, with 43% of owners saying it will take at least another year. What’s more, one in five (21%) don’t expect to ever return to pre-pandemic trading levels. Despite one in six (16%) believing that their business is now better prepared for the future following the events of the last two years, small business owners are now facing a unique set of challenges as we continue to emerge from the pandemic. While Boris Johnson’s lifting of Covid restrictions earlier this year was predicted to give business a boost, 31% believe things have in fact got harder since the restrictions ended – with 63% believing that the government hasn’t offered enough financial support, consultation or communication in the period since. Furthermore, as Covid cases rise again in the UK, two in five (38%) small business owners are concerned about another lockdown and tighter restrictions, which would impact trade exponentially for a third consecutive year.  Two fifths (40%) say they are ‘not at all confident’ about their preparedness for a further lockdown or tightening of restrictions, and what’s more, a worrying 42% predict the temporary or permanent closure of their business should the UK enter another lockdown. There is however, a glimmer of hope amongst nearly a quarter (23%) of SMEs who have strong faith in their ability to weather another lockdown.  Alan Thomas, UK CEO at Simply Business, said: “Two years on from the UK’s first national lockdown, the continued impact of Covid-19 on small businesses is clearer than ever. With owners losing almost £21,000 each on average, one in six believe they will never recover financially from the pandemic. “For small businesses, there’s no doubt that it’s been a period of incredible difficulty. But it’s also been a period of resilience, innovation, and creativity, where the unique spirit of the UK’s self-employed community has once again been clear to see. “Accounting for over 99% of all UK businesses and contributing trillions of pounds in turnover every year, small businesses sit at the heart of our communities and are vital to our economy. As the types of challenges facing small businesses evolve, it’s essential that we all play a role in supporting their revival over the coming months and years. “From local bakeries and greengrocers to contractors and tradespeople, if the UK is to recover from the effects of the pandemic, we need small businesses to bounce back.”

The UK’s largest business group has laid bare the impact of spiralling utility and fuel bills on small businesses ahead of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement this week. The dramatic movement in cost has coincided with petrol and diesel prices hitting all-time highs in the first few months of this year, according to RAC’s Fuel Watch. FSB National Chair Martin McTague said: “Now is the moment for the Chancellor to deliver on his pledge to create a low-tax economy and new culture of enterprise. “Unless the Government intervenes, soaring fuel and utility bills will spell the end for many of the quarter of a million firms that say they are on the brink of collapse. “When small businesses go under, that sends shockwaves through local communities in the form of lost jobs, reduced investment and damaged consumer confidence. “Whether it’s the care home bracing for an even higher tax bill because of the so-called health and social care levy, the electrician facing higher and higher charges to fill up to complete urgent jobs, or the restaurant which, after two years of trading restrictions, is trying to rebound as energy and food prices rocket, small firms right across the piece are in urgent need of support. “As things stand, firms have no choice but to raise prices to cover overheads – by tackling the cost-of-doing-business crisis, the Chancellor can help end the cost-of-living crisis. He can’t control the wholesale cost of gas and oil, but he can control tax policy. “Cutting fuel duty, assisting micro-businesses with energy bills, increasing the Employment Allowance to £5,000 and reforming business rates to take more small firms out of the system in levelling up target areas – all are measures that would help small businesses to keep their heads above water, and support the millions they employ.”