Leeds Museums add almost £42m to city’s economy

Stuart Pearcey
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Leeds Museums add almost £42m to city’s economy
Council-run museums and galleries in Leeds have generated almost £42m for the local economy in the last year, a new report has revealed. Compiled by Leeds Museums and Galleries, the impressive economic impact report shows the popular visitor attractions have also given a big boost to local jobs as well as supporting businesses and schools.
The stats show the service welcomed just under a million visitors in the last financial year, with more than 47,000 school pupils and 109,312 children taking part in activities and viewing some of the incredible 1.3 million objects which make up the city’s unique collection. Innovative work to engage visitors online has also seen the service’s website amass an 3.9 million page views this past year, and grant funding applications have attracted £2,365,364 in external funding to Leeds. Brought together by Leeds Museums and Galleries to assess the positive impact of their sites on the city and the region, the figures include factors such as overall spend on and off sites, employment impacts and spend on local goods and services. Among the country’s largest services of its kind, Leeds Museums and Galleries operates eight sites: Leeds Art Gallery, Leeds City Museum, Temple Newsam House, Lotherton Hall, Abbey House Museum, Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds Industrial Museum and the Leeds Discovery Centre . With an annual budget of around £5m, the new figures demonstrate that the service also generates around £8 for every £1 invested in it, and costs just £4.88 each year for every person in Leeds. Councillor Salma Arif, said: “It’s well known that our museums and galleries give hundreds of thousands of visitors and families each year an unforgettable visitor experience and help raise the positive profile of our city as a cultural destination both regionally and internationally. “But it’s also important to recognise the huge contribution museums, arts and culture make to the local economy, attracting not only visitors to the city, but inward investment, job creation and education and training opportunities. “Add to that the positive impact these sites have on residents’ wellbeing in Leeds, through volunteering opportunities and a programme of free, community-based activities, and the wider benefits of having such a thriving and innovative museums and galleries service simply cannot be overstated.”

Environment Agency offers advice to landowners about dumping waste

Stuart Pearcey
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Environment Agency offers advice to landowners about dumping waste
The Environment Agency is warning property and landowners to be vigilant and secure premises against criminals who target their land and buildings to dump illegally collected waste – which costs the UK £1billion a year. The Agency says networks of organised criminal gangs operating across the country are targeting privately owned property and land, particularly in rural locations, to dump rubbish collected through illegal means. In 2023, the Environment Agency’s National Waste Crime Survey found 85% of the landowners and farmers who took part reported being affected by small-scale fly-tipping and 20% by large-scale fly tipping. This June, research conducted by the NFU also revealed 85% of respondents felt the problem of fly-tipping in their area had either not changed or become worse in the last five years. If waste is dumped on privately-owned land, it is the responsibility of the property or landowner to clean it up at their own expense. Those affected can face costs of more than £200,000 to clear illegally dumped waste from their premises. Waste crime costs the economy in England an estimated £1 billion a year through evaded tax, environmental and social harm, and lost legitimate business, with enough waste managed illegally across the country to fill 4 million skips annually – about 34 million tonnes. The Environment Agency is taking action against these criminals, conducting site inspections and prosecuting guilty parties to the full extent of the law. But it’s essential that everyone affected works together to tackle this issue, which is why we are running an awareness campaign to educate, promote behaviour change and drive action amongst society to stop waste criminals for good. Property and landowners are urged to follow these simple steps to protect themselves against waste criminals trespassing on their premises:
  1. Check any empty land and property regularly and make sure it is secure.
  2. Carry out rigorous checks on prospective and new tenants. Property and landowners are responsible for ensuring anyone leasing their property and land complies with regulations. They are committing an offence by allowing waste to be stored on land or property without the relevant permissions. This could leave them liable to prosecution.
  3. Be vigilant and report any suspected illegal waste activity to the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline: 0800 80 70 60.
Steve Molyneux, Environment Agency Deputy Director of Waste Regulation, said: “Our environment is a precious resource and one we need to guard now and for the next generation, but there are networks of criminal gangs operating across the country just waiting to spoil it for everyone. “They may offer owners cash to store waste at their property or on their land, promising to remove it later. They won’t. Some don’t ask. They break in, dump waste they’ve illegally collected, and disappear.

“Waste criminals need access to places to dump the rubbish they illegally collect – but your vigilance can stop them. Shutting them out of property and land is just one tactic to scupper these rogues.”

Country Land and Business Association President Victoria Vyvyan said: “Fly-tipping is a crime that is blighting rural communities. Farmers and landowners bear the cost of removing rubbish and they pay on average £1,000 to remove waste. This is not a victimless crime – in some cases they have paid up to £100,000 to clear up other people’s mess or risk facing prosecution themselves.

“It’s not just litter blotting the landscape, but tonnes of household and commercial waste which can often be hazardous – even including asbestos and chemicals – endangering farmers, wildlife, livestock, crops and the environment.”

Yorkshire Water volunteers create activity area for children

Stuart Pearcey
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Yorkshire Water volunteers create activity area for children
Volunteers from Yorkshire Water have created an activity area for children at Rockwell Community Centre in Bradford including a tyre balance beam, new benches, several new allotment vegetable beds and a mud play pit. The Rockwell Centre is a local community centre for Thorpe Edge and surrounding areas. They offer different activities daily, including mental health groups, a singing group, tai chi, Bloomin’ Buds Theatre Company and a youth club. The work, undertaken with Participate Projects, has provided the community with an outdoor area, particularly for children to play and learn to grow their own vegetables and herbs. Katie Mahon, founder of Bloomin’ Buds Theatre Company, said: “It was incredible to see the centre as a hive of activity. We were very lucky to have 22 volunteers to help clear up our outside space. “As a charitable organisation that is always short on funding and manpower, our outdoor space is often last to be sorted out, so this helped us massively!” The volunteering comes as part of a wider partnership between Yorkshire Water and Participate Projects, a non-profit that aims to co-ordinate and increase delivery of colleague volunteering in communities across the county. Anne Reed, social value and education advisor at Yorkshire Water, said: “Our colleagues are passionate about helping out in local communities and providing value beyond our water and wastewater services. “Our partnership with Participate Projects is already increasing the frequency of our volunteering events and is providing meaningful support to organisations and people across Yorkshire.” The partnership has already seen Yorkshire Water colleagues embarking on a range of volunteering projects, from decorating community spaces to building outdoor play areas for children, with more plans still over the next few months. Anthony Waddington, CEO at Participate Projects, added: “We are really excited to see Yorkshire Water colleagues’ time and skills make a real impact in the communities where they operate. The passion and enthusiasm we have seen from them in supporting the people and places around them is a great match to the values and mission of Participate.”

Leeds property developer opens 6,000 sq ft office in Sheffield regeneration hotspot

Tess Egginton
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Leeds property developer opens 6,000 sq ft office in Sheffield regeneration hotspot
Leeds-based Torsion Group – a developer and contractor of student accommodation and build-to-rent residential schemes – has taken over the first floor of Velocity Village at 2 Tenter Street, joining the likes of DLP Planning, Anytime Fitness, Ministry of Justice and Wake Smith Solicitors. Torsion Group is working on a number of flagship projects across the UK, including Sky Gardens in Leeds and Hollis Croft in Sheffield. The under-construction Hollis Croft – a 17-storey tower with 234 build-to-rent apartments – is located just a stone’s throw from Torsion’s new Sheffield base. The development also sits directly next to True Sheffield – a 27-storey student-residential tower that is currently being delivered by Aztec Construction. Like Torsion Group, Aztec Construction has also opened a new office in the area and now occupies over 10,000 sq ft of space at the nearby Pennine Five campus, which has undergone a multi-million-pound refurbishment over recent years. Both Velocity Village and Pennine Five are owned by RBH Properties. Jeremy Hughes, Director at RBH Properties, said: “We are delighted to welcome Torsion Group to 2 Tenter Street and are looking forward to seeing them join the evolving business community in the area. “Much like Aztec Construction over at our Pennine Five campus, Torsion has realised the huge potential of this area of Sheffield City Centre, basing themselves here while simultaneously developing a new residential scheme just metres away. “We believe our own investment into the area has provided real confidence and acted as a catalyst for further growth. It’s incredibly exciting to see several new residential developments underway and new businesses moving in, helping to cement the area’s promising future.”

Work gets underway to renovate new retail spaces at Leeds Corn Exchange

Tess Egginton
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Work gets underway to renovate new retail spaces at Leeds Corn Exchange
Work is underway to renovate a series of new retail spaces on the piazza level of Leeds Corn Exchange, offering more retailers an opportunity to locate at this historic building. Ten spaces are being created ranging from 80 sq ft kiosk spaces to 870 sq ft retail units. A kitchen and restaurant space – which includes the original central courtyard – is also being refurbished. The works are the latest in an ongoing programme of improvements by Yorkshire-based property investment company and heritage restoration specialists, Rushbond, which has owned the building since 2017 and carried out careful repairs and renovations to preserve and enhance this much-loved gem. The new spaces will offer more retailers and makers the chance to put down roots in this landmark Grade I listed building, joining more than 30 independently minded businesses offering everything from fashion and food to hand-crafted homeware and contemporary art. Richard Baker from Rushbond said: “This is the culmination of our strategic campaign in recent years to attract like-minded tenants who bring something special to this much-loved building. “We have had an increase in interest from businesses looking for smaller retail spaces with flexible leases, and we’re responding to that demand by progressing the release of additional spaces. “As custodians of this incredible place, we work hard to preserve its history whilst enhancing its amenities to create spaces where modern retailers can thrive, and we look forward to welcoming the next chapter of tenants who will become part of its story.”

Aon’s Leeds team raises funds for Zarach charity

Tess Egginton
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Aon’s Leeds team raises funds for Zarach charity
Colleagues from Aon’s Leeds office have raised £2,400 for Zarach, a Leeds-based charity on a mission to lift children out of child poverty. Following the refurbishment of its Number One Embankment office, global professional services firm Aon sold the office furniture and donated the funds raised to the charity, which aims to support the 894,000 children in the UK without a proper bed. The donation is one of a number of initiatives that the Aon team has undertaken to support the charity over the past three years. The funds will enable Zarach to provide 16 children and young people with a bed and bedding. By selling the furniture and giving it a second life, Aon has also ensured that the items have not ended up in landfill and avoided the associated carbon emissions. Ellie McGrath, Fundraising and Communications Manager at Zarach, said: “This initiative from Aon is such a brilliant way to see more children lifted out of bed poverty. Zarach works closely with local schools to take referrals and our family engagement team is in touch with families within 48 hours. Support like this from Aon gives us confidence that we can keep operating at this pace, meeting the need and growing our national presence. Thank you!” Suzanne Gott, at Aon in Leeds, said: “The rise in the cost of living has exacerbated child poverty, causing families to prioritise food, heating and other essentials over buying a bed. Zarach’s aim is to support these families by ensuring children and young people have a comfortable bed, providing them with a good night’s sleep, and helping them to perform better in education as well as improving their physical and mental health. “Aon is committed to making a positive difference in the communities it serves and, as part of our ESG strategy, to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, through pursuing sustainable business solutions. “By selling the furniture we have both reduced our carbon emissions and helped Zarach to continue helping vulnerable children and families living in poverty.”

Source expands with head of digital PR

Tess Egginton
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0
Source expands with head of digital PR
Performance-led marketing communications agency, Source, has further expanded its team with a new senior recruit. The Leeds-based business, which works across PR, SEO, paid digital and social media, has appointed Hayley Stansfield as head of digital PR. Hayley, former head of content marketing at XLMedia PLC, brings 12 years’ experience to the Source team and will play a key role in improving the online visibility and authority of its clients by creating a robust Digital PR strategy for the business. Commenting on her appointment, Hayley said: “I am thrilled to be joining an agency with such a great reputation and a versatile client portfolio. This creates the opportunity to produce some really exciting online PR campaigns and can’t wait to get stuck in. “A key part of my role will also include defining clients’ digital PR goals and creating a robust reporting strategy to show the true value of the links and coverage earned for clients.” Chris Hughes, director at Source, adds: “Now is an exciting time to have Hayley join the business following new client wins. To elevate the agency and become more digitally minded, it is essential we onboard the right people and create a knowledgeable team to help grow the business. Hayley joins as part of the agency’s ambition to grow and diversify our service offerings.”

Parking and transport payment systems firm snapped up

Tess Egginton
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0
Parking and transport payment systems firm snapped up
Modaxo, a global technology organisation, has acquired CAMMAX, a Castleford-based provider of self-service Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs), Parking Payment machines, and associated services. CAMMAX brings a wealth of expertise and a proven track record in delivering innovative payment systems for public transportation and car parks. The company’s solution portfolio includes a wide range of TVMs for rail, tram, and bus journeys, as well as off-street parking payment systems for Pay on Exit, Pay on Entry, and Hybrid car parks. “We are delighted to welcome CAMMAX and its employees and customers to the Modaxo family,” said Laurent Eskenazi, Head of EMEA, UK, and Asia at Modaxo. “CAMMAX’s impressive track record in simplifying travel and parking payments aligns with our vision of creating seamless mobility experiences for all.” “Joining the Modaxo family is an exciting milestone for CAMMAX,” said Julian Rooney, Managing Director, CAMMAX. “We share a common vision of transforming the transportation and parking experience through technology. Now with Modaxo we feel we can deliver even more value to our customers and drive the industry forward.” CAMMAX will maintain its unique brand identity and autonomy while benefiting from investment, support, coaching, best practices, and peer learning made available by Modaxo. Julian Rooney continues to lead the business along with the management team.

Leeds Trinity University signs agreements with employers

Tess Egginton
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0
Leeds Trinity University signs agreements with employers

Leeds Trinity University has signed the first Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with three organisations as part of a new project to enrich student education and opportunities.

Leeds-based digital services company Hippo, Liberty Shared Services (part of Liberty Global, which has offices in Bradford and London), and UST – a Digital Transformation Solutions Company which provides services on a global scale – have signed the MOUs as part of the University’s employer partnership agreements. The opportunities that will be provided to Leeds Trinity students through the enhanced partnerships include a mix of work placements, certification pathways and mentoring. In return, employer partner organisations will benefit from access to a pool of skilled and well-prepared graduates, fostering innovation and growth within their companies. With a particular focus on businesses in the tech and law industries initially, the University’s Employer Partnership project is intended to strengthen opportunities for Leeds Trinity students to work with employers in Leeds as it establishes itself as a key education provider and partner for the sectors. Professor Catherine O’Connor, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education and Experience) at Leeds Trinity University, said: “We have long-standing and embedded ways of working with employers with regards to placements. These new partnership agreements give us the opportunity to reinforce our approach to working with businesses to support our students in developing their skills, understanding and pathways to their future careers. We’re delighted at the commitment from employers to being involved with the curriculum to enrich student education and opportunities. “Along with the opening of our second campus in the heart of Leeds City Centre, this work cements our commitment to supporting growth and the demand for skills across the city and region.” Commenting on the MOU signing, Liz Whitefield, Founder and Executive Director of Hippo, said: “Being part of the great digital and tech community in Leeds is something Hippo is proud of, but we have always known the part we must (and love to) play in helping to close the digital skills gap and engaging with educational institutions like Leeds Trinity is vital to that. “We have had a longstanding relationship with Leeds Trinity and this MOU takes that to another level, showing the joint commitment between education and industry. The active role our digital professionals play in supporting the initiatives brings real world delivery experience closer to the students.” Chloe Wood, Chief of Staff at Liberty Financial Services, said: “I am excited about this partnership with Leeds Trinity University, which acknowledges our joint commitment to nurturing talent, fostering innovation, and bridging the gap between academia and industry. “The partnership provides students with invaluable industry experience, enhancing their career readiness whilst shaping the future of our industry. This partnership allows us to develop graduate courses that are aligned with real-world demands and emerging trends, ensuring that the next generation of graduates is well-equipped to lead and innovate.” Praveen Prabhakaran, UK Managing Director and Global Chief Delivery Officer at UST, said: “Our focus has been around transforming lives by designing engagements that can have a meaningful impact for the communities. “Our Leeds Digital Development centre was designed to promote digital talent from the local community, and we are delighted to be an official employer partner of Leeds Trinity University and to be able to provide opportunity to support their students throughout their studies and future careers. “Our partnership will revolve around how we can deliver skills and solutions in the Generative AI, Cyber Security, Data Science and Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) space, providing learning for students and tangible benefits for the University.”

Industrial site in Yorkshire Dales comes onto the market

Stuart Pearcey
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Industrial site in Yorkshire Dales comes onto the market
One of the only vacant large-scale industrial units in the South Yorkshire Dales is for sale for about £1.25m and could be redeveloped for a variety of uses, subject to securing relevant planning consents. Langcliffe Mill, on Stainforth Road, is about a mile away from the market town of Settle and offers more than 21,000 sq ft of industrial accommodation spread across three buildings. The whole site covers more than 3.6 acres, including a large concrete yard. The site is being marketed by our Leeds-based commercial property agent, Dacres Commercial, which is seeking offers in the region of £1.25million. The vendor would also consider letting the site with an initial rent in the region of £130,000 per annum. Hedley Steel, from Dacres Commercial, said: “Industrial sites within the Yorkshire Dales National Park are very rare so we’re anticipating high levels of interest in Langcliffe Mill.”
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