June was a strong month for UK trade, with goods exports to the EU experiencing a double-digit rise. Services growth was steady for the month, and throughout the last quarter.
William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The data reflects the strengths of the UK’s export portfolio in professional, travel, financial and business services as well as manufacturing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and transport goods.
“To keep up this momentum, we want to work with the Government on its forthcoming Trade Strategy. It must ensure the UK has the right framework in place to increase exports and improve the efficiency and security of its supply chains.
“This must include a focus on improving trading terms with the EU, to cut the costs of doing trade and sustain June’s welcome sales growth in our largest export market.”
The owner of a Spalding shop has been given a 13-month suspended sentence for selling illegal cigarettes in what the judge labelled a ‘vile trade’.
Ali Idris Khader, 52, of Ewetree Drive, Leicester, has pleaded guilty to offences relating to proceeds of crime, tobacco regulation offences, and trademark offences.
At Lincoln Magistrates Court he was sentenced to 13 months custody, suspended for 12 months; 25 hours of rehabilitation activity, and a curfew between 8pm and 6am daily for four months.
Officers from Lincolnshire Trading Standards had carried out test purchases at the store on Sheep Market in Spalding in February 2023. After being sold counterfeit illegal cigarettes, officers returned to raid the premises and seize the illegal products a few days later.
A second test purchase in May and further raid in June 2023 lead to the service applying for a closure order on the store in June 2023, shuttering the premises for three months.
Senior Lincolnshire Trading Standards officer Kimberley Marshall said: “We are committed to tackling the sale and supply of illicit tobacco. Some people may not fully realise the seriousness of this crime, and that these products are often unsafe knockoffs, made in unhygienic conditions, and can pose a real fire safety risk. The illicit tobacco trade can also fund other organised crime.
“People in Lincolnshire have died in house fires caused by these types of cigarettes, and shops selling threaten the livelihoods of legitimate law-abiding businesses.
“These are not shops that sell a few cigarettes or vapes ‘on the side’. Instead, they exist solely to supply illegal goods. The shops are operated by criminals and out-of-county organised crime groups.
“We will continue to work with Lincolnshire Police and other partner agencies to combat this illegal trade of counterfeit, unsafe products.”
In prosecuting, the judge noted that Mr Khader was knowingly selling the goods in a ‘vile trade’ that presented an increased risk of fire and risk to life. He said: “If you run a business that sells goods to the public it is your responsibility to make sure they are legitimate and fit for consumption. You were sourcing goods that were clearly not legit, and arranging for them to be sold as if they were.”
Scunthorpe-based Clugston Distribution is celebrating 100 years’ service as a supplier to the town’s steel industry.
The company celebrated its own 100 years of being in business in 2022, in partnership between them and the steelworks for almost all the time they have been in business.
The name ‘Clugston’ has been more of a constant than the name of the steelmaking operation in the town, which has gone through numerous incarnations and owners from around the world.
Andrew Dawes is to take over as ABP’s Regional Director, Humber, when Simon Bird leaves the company at the end of October.
Andrew has 30 years’ experience in the global ports and terminals industry with companies such as DP World, APM Terminals and ICTSI. Alongside his strong leadership credentials, he brings with him a wealth of experience in safety, operations and commercial activities. His experience also includes MD roles with P&L accountability for terminals plus wider regional portfolio responsibility.
He said: “This is an incredible time to be joining ABP as the next five-year business strategy is launched. The Humber Region which has some really exciting projects and growth opportunities. It plays a key role in delivering ABP’s twin missions of Keeping Britain Trading as well as Enabling the Energy Transition here in the UK.
“I am very much looking forward to meeting and working with my Humber colleagues, customers and wider stakeholders and to bringing my family to live in this fantastic region.”
Andrew will join ABP on 1st October, allowing a period of handover with the outgoing Regional Director, Simon Bird, who will be stepping down from the role at the end of the month.
A car dealer has been fined £1,000 by York magistrates after selling a car so unroadworthy that it was potentially dangerous to who was driving, as well as pedestrians and other road users.
Junaid Ahmed Majeed and his company Dealonwheelz Ltd pleaded guilty to selling an unroadworthy Toyota Aygo to a Kirkbymoorside resident, and misleading a Thirsk resident about the service history, warranty and MOT history of a Vauxhall Corsa.
Majeed and the company also admitted telling both customers that the cars were ‘sold as seen’ to try to prevent them from asking for a refund or repair when things went wrong, and of failing to tell the Kirkbymoorside resident that she had a right to cancel her contract with the company.
York Magistrates heard that a consultant engineer who examined the Toyota found that it had been “repaired” in a totally inappropriate manner, with defects covered by filler and underbody sealant presenting a serious defect of the structure of the vehicle’s bodyshell.
The defect created the potential for the car to be badly damaged if it was involved in a collision, putting the occupants at greater risk.
The engineer’s report concluded: “I consider that the vehicle was in an unroadworthy condition, in that its use on a road would involve a danger of injury to any person within or other road users and pedestrians, due to the potential catastrophic failure of structural components.”
Majeed, of Hawke Avenue, Heckmondwike in West Yorkshire, and Dealzonwheels Ltd of Commercial Street in Leeds, each pleaded guilty to five offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
Majeed was ordered to pay fines totalling £500 and compensation of £2,000.
The company must pay fines totalling £500 and £200 towards prosecution costs.
Plans to transform Wakefield’s former market hall into a new events space have taken a major step forward.
Wakefield Exchange is welcoming applications from creative and digital business, and from independent food and drinks businesses in Wakefield and across the wider West Yorkshire area, to be part of the new venue, that is due to be launched this winter.
The launch will be part of Wakefield Council’s 366-day programme of cultural and creative activity, Our Year 2024.
Cllr Hannah Appleyard, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport, said: “The Wakefield Exchange will offer residents a fantastic experience with an exciting programme of events and activities in a landmark venue.
“It will provide opportunities for creative and digital businesses and independent food and drinks businesses.
“We have listened to feedback from residents and we’re pleased that we’re now at this stage, as we look forward to launching the venue later this year.”
The Wakefield Exchange will provide new events space to attract visitors into the city centre on a permanent basis.
The venue will create jobs in the catering sector and there will also be business spaces on offer to small and medium digital and creative businesses, enabling Wakefield Exchange to play its part in the regeneration of the city centre.
The £7.7 million transformation, which is being supported by funding from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, will also provide skills training opportunities for local residents and workspace to attract new creative businesses into the city centre.
Leeds City Council has confirmed details of the positive and proactive steps it is taking to safeguard the future of key heritage assets on a landmark local street.
The council’s plans for a row of run-down properties towards the lower end of Kirkgate will, it is hoped, lead to their full restoration, refurbishment and reuse – but, crucially, should also facilitate the reopening of the currently-closed road.
A section of Kirkgate has been closed to traffic since one of the historic privately-owned buildings – number 85 – suffered a partial collapse in April this year.
The appearance of number 85 and its neighbours had already become a long-standing issue during a period when grants provided through the council’s Lower Kirkgate Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) scheme have driven a huge amount of regeneration activity elsewhere on the city centre street.
The council has been unable to formally agree terms with the owner of the dilapidated buildings – a company called City Fusion – for the award of THI grant support for improvement work on these properties.
Now, mindful of the negative impact that the current situation is having on the area, the council is intending to take two separate courses of action. These are:
The issuing of an urgent works notice – by the council in its capacity as the local planning authority for Leeds – in relation to the City Fusion properties on Kirkgate that are most at risk of collapse or further serious deterioration. The notice would give the council the right to carry out emergency structural work before recovering the cost of doing so from City Fusion. Once this work has taken place, then the traffic restrictions on Kirkgate would be lifted.
The proposed market-value acquisition by the council of seven City Fusion properties so they could, in the longer term, be restored and refurbished for uses that would maximise their potential as heritage assets and complement the other improvements on Kirkgate that have been made through the THI scheme.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, said: “Kirkgate has undergone a huge transformation over the last decade and we’re proud of the part we have played in making it a vibrant hub for independent businesses.
“We also recognise, however, that the poor condition of a number of local buildings – as well as the current road closure – is having a detrimental impact on the area and our ambitions for its comprehensive regeneration.
“It is our hope that, by stepping in and taking ownership of the situation, we will be able to facilitate the reopening of the road and, separately, give these problem properties a new lease of life.
“We thank businesses and residents for their patience and would like to assure them that the steps now being taken are a sign of our steadfast commitment to the ongoing success of Kirkgate.
“This is a street with real historical significance, and our efforts to ensure it has an equally bright future are the perfect illustration of the vital role that heritage plays in regeneration activity.”
The Lower Kirkgate THI scheme was launched in 2013 to drive heritage-led regeneration in the area, using funding from the council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund as well as leveraged private sector investment.
Subsequent improvement work has seen a number of properties restored, including the Grade II-listed First White Cloth Hall. The street has also been fundamentally redesigned, with the widening of footpaths and the planting of trees creating an attractive setting for businesses and other buildings.
The changes on Kirkgate complement substantial recent investments in public realm and highways infrastructure across an area known as the Corn Exchange Gateway, which includes roads such as Call Lane, Bridge End, Lower Briggate, New Market Street and Duncan Street.
City of York Council is sharing revised ideas for new public space in one of York’s most historic and important areas – and wants to hear from residents and businesses.
Updated concept designs from landscape architects BDP imagine how the Castle and Eye of York area could meet residents’ ambitions for the public space to replace Castle Car Park, as well as how it can become greener and more accessible.
In November 2023, the council’s Executive asked for the scheme to be reviewed to deliver flexible green space with children’s play provision, retain blue badge parking numbers, and reduce capital and management costs.
The ideas residents and businesses will be asked to feedback on include more planting and green spaces, improved pedestrian facilities, options for retained blue badge parking, and connections to the river with a riverside path and boardwalk to the rear of the Castle Museum which would link to the proposed new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Foss.
Image credit: City of York Council
An engagement period will run until 20 September 2024.
Councillor Katie Lomas, Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion at City of York Council, said: “The Castle Gateway plans have been shaped by a real desire to improve this important part of the city.
“Over recent years the council has been listening to a range of ideas which have shaped an open brief and masterplan for the area to create a place where all our residents want to spend time and enjoy.
“We want to get on with delivering these improvements. The key changes that we are asking for views on respond to our core commitments as a council to equalities and climate as well as the recently approved ‘Our City Centre’ vision’.
“Also, following unsuccessful levelling up funding bids in previous years, we need to adapt the scheme to make it affordable and deliverable for the city, all while achieving the improvements to the area that people are demanding of us.
“Your thoughts and feedback are vital in helping shape the scheme design before a revised planning application is submitted, so please take a look at the updated concept designs and have your say.”
The scheme will now be brought forward in phases due to the funding available, focusing on the Castle Car Park and the boardwalk in the first phase. However, the original planning application, which was submitted in February 2022, will be revised so that a comprehensive scheme is developed for the whole area, which can then be implemented when funding becomes available.
The feedback gathered will allow detailed proposals to be developed, with a revised planning application expected to be submitted in early 2025.
York-basedAbingdon Health, a lateral flow contract research (CRO) and contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), has completed the acquisition of the CS Lifesciences group (Compliance Solutions).
The business announced the £3.2 million deal earlier this year, as well as a placing to raise £5.2 million.
Compliance Solutions is a consultancy business which specialises in meeting compliance (Quality/ Regulatory/ Clinical) requirements in international In Vitro Diagnostic and medical device markets.
The news follows Abingdon Health’s acquisition of IVDeology.
Chris Yates, CEO, Abingdon Health, said: “We are delighted to welcome Edwin Lindsay and all the Compliance Solutions team to the Abingdon Health group.
“The acquisition of Compliance Solutions deepens and broadens Abingdon’s regulatory service offering allowing us to fully support our customers in bringing their products from idea to commercial success.”
Edwin Lindsay, Managing Director of Compliance Solutions, said: “We are delighted to join the Abingdon group and we look forward to working with the Abingdon team to support our growing customer base across the In Vitro Diagnostic and Medical Device Market.
“The regulatory landscape is going through a period of significant change and the enlarged group is well placed to support customers in navigating this complexity to achieve and maintain successful product registrations.”
Acting on behalf of parcel distribution business, EVRi, Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has acquired two new sites to support the ongoing expansion of the firm’s logistics network.
EVRi has taken a 10-year lease on 132,977 sq ft at Newhall 130 in Sheffield. The scheme is strategically situated near Junction 34 of the M1 Motorway and on the fringes of Sheffield City Centre, and was recently developed speculatively by Newsholme Developments, on behalf of Urban Logistics REIT.
EVRi has also taken a further 113,573 sq ft of space on a 10-year lease at Central Approach, Avonmouth. This self-contained unit was speculatively built by Trebor Developments and sits within a well-established distribution park.
James Polson, head of industrial & logistics at LSH, said: “These two sites are strategic acquisitions which further strengthen EVRi’s logistics network and capabilities.
“Sourcing these deals was a collective effort across LSH’s national office network and our expanded regional knowledge has delivered the optimal outcome for our client.”
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