New cohort of small firms aim to be ‘North Yorkshire Stars’
The York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub and Lifted Ventures has launched the new cohort for its ‘North Yorkshire Stars’ Investment Readiness Programme, aiming to support and prepare a fresh group of regional start-ups and early-stage businesses for investment opportunities.
The North Yorkshire Stars Programme is a fully-funded 12-hour support initiative that offers a blend of in-person and virtual workshops. It is open to businesses across all sectors. The course is designed to be inclusive and supportive of diverse founders, helping them refine their business models, access funding, and pitch effectively to investors.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, expressed his enthusiasm for the new cohort. He said, “The North Yorkshire Stars Programme has proven to be a vital resource for our entrepreneurs. It not only equips them with the necessary skills and knowledge to attract investment but also fosters a spirit of innovation and inclusivity. I am confident that this new cohort will continue to build on the success of the previous one and further strengthen our local economy.”
Lifted Ventures, co-founded by Helen Oldham and Jordan Dargue, continues to play a pivotal role in the programme. Their mission to increase early-stage capital for diverse founders outside London aligns perfectly with the goals of the Growth Hub. Mr Dargue said: “After the fundamental success of the first North Yorkshire Stars Access to Finance programme, we are delighted to be supporting the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub for a second time. The programme aims to support all businesses across the region, guiding participants through the process of making their businesses investment ready.
The comprehensive support provided by the programme has been lauded by past participants. One testimonial said: “The Lifted Ventures North Yorkshire Stars programme has been instrumental in our journey, providing unwavering support, valuable introductions, and the opportunity to meet so many other great founders and advisors. Jordan and Helen’s dedication has been pivotal to our progress and success.”
The programme schedule includes a series of workshops and events starting from 23rd September 2024. It will focus on developing business plans, exploring funding options, financial forecasting, legal requirements, and crafting effective pitch decks. The course will culminate in a pitch event on 3rd December 2024, where participants will present their investment opportunities to a panel of seasoned investors from the North Yorkshire Angel Network.
This project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The funding was allocated by North Yorkshire Council and is available exclusively to businesses registered in the North Yorkshire Council area.
Trio of Yorkshire garden centres acquired
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co has brokered the sale of Langlands Garden Centres to British Garden Centres, the family owned garden centre group. The acquisition includes three garden centres in Shiptonthorpe, Whinmoor and Loxley.
The purchase of these three established sites brings British Garden Centres’ (BGC) total portfolio to 65 locations across the UK. The new stores will benefit from BGC’s extensive buying power, allowing them to offer customers a wider selection of plants, garden care products, and homeware at competitive prices.
Similar to other BGC centres, the Loxley and Whinmoor stores will adopt local names and rebrand as Sheffield and Leeds to better reflect their areas. Langlands in Shiptonthorpe will keep its current name, due to its rich heritage and history within the community.
Charles Stubbs, Founder and Director of British Garden Centres, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the Langlands Garden Centre team and loyal customers to the British Garden Centres family. Langlands has a long-standing reputation for quality products, expert advice, and a dedication to the communities they serve, values that perfectly align with our own.”
James Ducker, Director of Langlands, adds: “I’m delighted that the centres and nursery are becoming part of the British Garden Centres family. We have been working with the BGC team for a few months now to ensure the transition is smooth for both the Langlands team members and our customers.
“My Grandad moved from Bingley to the site in Shiptonthorpe 60 years ago and the business has grown from there. I would like to pay tribute to my Mum and Dad who have worked so hard to make Langlands the success it is.
“We have the most amazing team and I’m sure that Langlands joining BGC will create huge opportunities for them. I’m pleased to be joining the British Garden Centres team and having a part in the future development of an amazing business.”
Tom Glanvill, Director – Garden Centres at Christie & Co, says: “This transaction is one of the largest in the garden centre market in recent years and is a great strategic acquisition for British Garden Centres, who will no doubt carry on the excellent work of the Ducker Family, along with their loyal workforce by adding three fantastic sites to their portfolio.”
Yorkshire brewery wins gold at brewers’ competition
Wold Newton-based Wold Top Brewery’s Landmark Lager and Headland Red have won gold awards and new beer Sun Drench won a silver award at the Society of Independent Brewers North East Regional Keg Awards in Sheffield.
Landmark Lager won the Session Lager Category, Headland Red won the Amber, Brown, and Red Ale Category, and Sun Drench was the runner-up in the Pale Ale Category. In a result described by judges as ‘an incredible and rare achievement to receive two overall awards in one competition,’ Headland Red was awarded a second gold medal for being the overall winner, and Landmark Lager was the runner-up. As North East category winners, Headland Red and Landmark Lager will now go forward to the national SIBA competition at BeerX in March 2025.
Director Alex Balchin said: “Our team are committed to developing and brewing great beers using Yorkshire-grown cereals and water from our farm’s borehole, so it’s really rewarding when brewers and industry experts judge our beer as award-winning.
“In changing economic times, it’s more important than ever to support our region’s independent manufacturers and retailers, and we’re grateful to SIBA for helping to facilitate this.”
The SIBA Independent Beer Awards, run across SIBA’s eight geographical regions, represent the very best beer from the UK’s independent brewers. They are judged by fellow brewers and industry experts, making these awards the “Brewers’ Choice” awards in the UK.
Wold Top Brewery was founded in 2003 and is located on the Mellor family farm at Hunmanby Grange near Filey. The team uses home-grown barley and water from the farm’s borehole to produce a range of cask, keg, and bottled beers that are available throughout Yorkshire and nationwide.
SMEs get only a fifth of public sector procurement spend, says report
Only 20% of direct procurement spend from the wider public sector (including central government) went to SMEs in 2023, according to the latest report by the British Chambers of Commerce and data provider Tussell.
The BCC’s SME Procurement Tracker powered by Tussell – now in its second year – is the market’s benchmark source for reporting on how well the government is supporting small businesses by doing business with them.
The report reveals that while absolute public spending directly with SMEs has grown over the past 6 years, SMEs only make up a fifth of overall spending last year. It was the same as 2023 (20%) and only slightly up on 2018 (18%).
Based on open procurement expenditure data published by public bodies for transparency purposes and then analysed by Tussell, the value of reported procurement expenditure by the UK Government in 2023, was £194.8bn.
Local government had the highest procurement spend directly with SMEs last year, both as a share of total procurement spend (34%) and in absolute terms (£24.1bn). The figure for the NHS was 20% of total spend and £8bn in absolute terms, while for central government 11% (£5.8bn).
Public sector spend with SMEs varies across different sectors. The Health and Social Care sector earned £11.9bn in direct public sector revenue in 2023. This accounts for 34% of total public spend in the sector, up from 29% in 2018. £4.0bn was spent on public sector spending with SMEs in education, training and recruitment.
Within central government, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport spent the highest proportion of its procurement spend directly with SMEs in 2023. DCMS spent 29% of its procurement total (equivalent to £256m). The Department for Education spent the highest absolute amount directly with SMEs, amounting to £2.0bn in 2023, or 25% of its total procurement spend.
Jonny Haseldine, Policy Manager at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “While it’s welcome the value of SME procurement contracts is continuing to increase, government deals remain out of reach for too many businesses.
“It is vital that public bodies always consider SMEs when tendering contracts. Central government can learn lessons from local authorities who are consistently spending more on SMEs deals. We’d welcome further devolution of decision making to allow more procurement contracts to be awarded at a local level.
“The Procurement Act coming into force at the end of October has the potential to make the system simpler and more transparent for businesses. In addition, it’s crucial we hear more from the new government on their pledge to give SMEs greater access to contracts.
“Businesses up and down the country want to see a reformed process in which they can properly compete.”
Gus Tugendhat, Founder of Tussell said: “We’re delighted to partner with the British Chamber of Commerce to produce the market’s reference statistics on how much the government purchases directly from small businesses.
“Our joint SME Procurement Tracker uncovers how well the government is delivering against its objective of supporting SMEs by doing business with more of them, highlighting significant trends and data-led opportunities for improvement.
“We hope that our findings will help policy-makers across all parts of government to support local communities by reducing the official obstacles to awarding public contracts to small businesses.”
Hobson & Porter wins contract to build two schools
Two new 210-place primary schools in North East Lincolnshire will be built by Hull-based contractor Hobson & Porter.
The schools, close to Matthew Telford Way in Scartho and on land off Sunningdale in Waltham, have been commissioned by North East Lincolnshire Council working in partnership with EQUANS and will be run by Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust.
Joe Booth, Business Development Director for Hobson & Porter said: “Winning these two contracts is testament to both our experience working in the education sector and our continued growth across Lincolnshire, where we have established a strong and diverse local supply chain.
“We’ve recently started work on the new £12m Skegness Learning Campus for the TEC Partnership and we also currently delivering the pioneering Grimsby Youth Zone project in the town centre.
“These two new primary schools in Grimsby are also very similar to one we are due to handover to North Yorkshire County Council in Northallerton this summer. We’ll be utilising all this experience on these two latest education projects and we’re looking forward to starting work on site soon.”
Martin Brown, CEO of Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust, appointed to run free schools Waltham Gateway Academy and Scartho Gateway Academy, said: “We’re delighted the council has appointed contractors and look forward to the builds quickly taking shape.
“We’re excited about working with partners to create dynamic learning and teaching environments and look forward to welcoming our first children at both academies in September, 2025.”
FSB offers counter-riot advice to small firms
The Federation of Small Businesses’ Insurance Service is offering guidance to firms affected by recent rioting around the country, as wells business continuity plans for any forms concerned that they could become affected if the disorder continues.
Insurance Cover: Some policies will provide cover for malicious damage, riot and/or civil commotion. However, all policies are different so your Insurer/Broker should always be your first port of call to check what your insurance covers. Government compensation following civil disturbances is covered by The Riot Compensation Act 2016 (RCA) but, not all instances of damage or loss that occur during a period of civil disturbance will meet the criteria for compensation under the RCA. A brief guide can be found on the Government’s website.
Precautions: If you have a Business Continuity Plan in place, perhaps now is the time to review it. Make sure that entry and access points are secure, including loading bays and car parks.
Risk Check: Look at your safety plans. It goes without saying to make sure that your staff are not exposed to danger. Think about extra security you might need in the event of a major incident.
Business Interruption: Think about how problems could affect your ability to continue trading. Insurance might help if you lose money because you can’t work due to damage or having to close.
Following Damage: Notify your Insurer as quickly as possible. Take reasonable steps to limit damage, for example boarding doors and windows.
Talking to Customers: Keep your customers up to date if there are problems with your services. Clear messages can help keep trust and manage what people expect.
Following Rules: Make sure you follow any new rules or advice from local authorities.
Bishops Trade Park letting brings new sport to Lincolnshire
Sports company Vida del Padel is bringing padel – the fastest growing sporting pursuit – to Lincolnshire for the first time in formal courts in a dedicated unit after a search for the right premises and county location that has lasted over a year.
The company has chosen a 10,000-foot unit at Bishops Trade Park on Lincoln’s Outer Circle Road, scored well with Vida del padel in fulfilling a number of the operator’s criteria.
Director Ross Carlin said: “In location terms, Lincoln holds a demographic attraction. Not only does it have a vibrant retail and leisure scene in the city centre, boosted by a university cohort, but there is an advantageous reach of population within a 30 to 45 minute drive.
“While Unit C at Bishops Trade Park scored in terms of customer accessibility and parking too, internally, the layout of the unit also offered us carte blanche to have the padel court layouts we want.
“Our unit has a really good eaves height for clearance. Padel is, conventionally a sport played by doubles and so the size of the new premises lends itself to us having two full sized padel courts and, in addition, what will be the UK’s first singles padel court.”
William Wall, Director, Eddisons incorporating Banks Long & Co, said: “In taking its place at Bishops Trade Park alongside high profile trade counter and retail brands such as MKM, Screwfix and Toolstation, Vida del padel certainly brings a different kind of occupier offering.
“As Lincolnshire’s first, dedicated, formal padel courts, it’s an exciting offer and we’ve been pleased to play our part in putting padel on the local map.”
Charity plugs into historic connection with MS3 to tackle digital poverty among disadvantaged families
Disadvantaged families of seafarers will receive expert help to overcome the impact of digital poverty as a result of a new charity partnership.
The Sailors’ Children’s Society will also upgrade its own tech capabilities after being appointed as charity of the year by tech business MS3, which in addition will generate cash to support member families nationwide.
At the heart of the collaboration is the historic connection between the Society and MS3 Chief Operating Officer Tony Jopling.
Tony said: “My grandparents were very close to the Society. They used to have the children over for tea and my parents made friends with them. Those who didn’t go home to their families during holidays, or who didn’t have families, used to stay with my grandparents.
“I went to the Society’s bonfire night every year. I had swimming lessons in the pool and I was at secondary school with friends who lived with the Society. For a time we had a little job locking up the swimming pool at night.”
Natasha Barley, Chief Executive of the Society, said: “The benefits from the partnership for the business and the charity are mutual and it is such a collaborative approach.
“It’s a win-win because there are so many different ways that we can work together. It’s about partnering with like-minded organisations. We can see this is a good, ethical company which is doing some great work in our area.”
The Society, which was formed in Hull 203 years ago, now works to support disadvantaged children across the country from the Royal Navy, merchant navy, offshore wind industry, fishing fleets and inland waterways.
Hull-based MS3 operates an ultrafast full fibre network across East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire and areas of South Yorkshire.
Under the partnership, MS3 will use its expertise to improve online connectivity for the Society’s families in the region.
It will also become the main sponsor of the Society’s Sportsman’s Lunch, an event which has taken place every October for more than 30 years and last year raised £75,000.
The 140-strong team at MS3 has set up a committee to drive the fundraising campaign. Among other activities, they will donate gifts as part of the Society’s letter to Santa initiative. Zachary Whitelam, a technical support adviser at MS3, will next month join a corporate cycle ride of more than 200 miles from the Severn Bridge to the Humber Bridge.
Liz Owen-Dyce, Talent and Brand Partner at MS3, said: “We sought a unique charity partner to enhance our impact, and partnering with the Sailors Children’s Society achieves that goal. The Society recognises our capabilities and is open to receiving input from everyone. This partnership is fostering a strong sense of identity and purpose within our organisation, as we engage in volunteering, promote digital inclusion, and support fundraising efforts.
“Our internal committee, comprised of team members from various departments, will collaborate closely with the Society’s team to ensure mutual understanding and alignment of charitable goals. We are truly excited to be working with Natasha and her team!”
Natasha said: “Technology can present all sorts of challenges for our families – children absolutely need access to the internet to do their school work. MS3 use a lot of equipment which can be passed on to our families once they no longer need it.
“They will also provide support for us as a team. Part of my work is to modernise the charity and this partnership will help us upskill our team. The whole package will make an important difference for the families we are supporting from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
Tony added: “Nobody should be disadvantaged when it comes to the internet because it has become the most important utility. Education is driven by it. Your entire home environment is built around the internet so why should anybody be without that?
“We can provide support by ensuring that the children and families within the Society are connected. We will work with the Society and the families to understand what they need. It might be connectivity, training and support around using the internet, getting access to the internet or to equipment, guidance around security.”
Leeds office building acquired for ‘megachurch’ transformation
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Christ Church City of Mercy, has acquired the office building at 11 New Princess Street, Holbeck, Leeds, from property experts Towngate Plc. The purchase, which was completed for an undisclosed sum, follows the recent award of Planning Permission to convert the space into a new place of worship.
The newly acquired property, previously occupied by ICT service provider GCI (now Nasstar), features 4,338 sq ft of self-contained accommodation spread across the ground and first floor levels, as well as generous ceiling heights on the first floor, ample parking facilities, and a private car park to the rear.
The building’s strategic location on the southern edge of Leeds City Centre, situated next to the M621 motorway, offers excellent transport links to support access for the community.
The RCCG plans to utilise the ground floor space for administrative functions related to the church’s operations, while the first floor will be modified to accommodate a larger room for congregational worship.
Badmus Olanrewajuat, pastor at the RCCG, said: “We are thrilled to have finalised this purchase and are eager to start transforming the space. This new location will significantly enhance our ability to serve and engage with the community. We look forward to welcoming everyone to our new home and expanding our outreach efforts.”
The RCCG is a holiness Pentecostal megachurch and denomination headquartered in Nigeria. Founded in 1952, RCCG operates globally. The church already has several locations in Leeds.
Tom Lamb, property manager at Towngate Plc, said: “We are delighted to have been able to assist the RCCG in their plight to acquire the perfect building for their latest church. The building’s prime location and modern features will provide a significant boost to its transformation efforts, offering a substantial ‘step up’ in their ability to serve and engage with the community. We wish them every success and hope they will be welcoming their new congregation soon.”
Richard Fraser of Carter Towler, who represented Towngate Plc, added: “The successful acquisition of this prominent property represents the growing demand for significant community spaces in Leeds and surrounding areas. The location’s visibility and accessibility will enhance RCCG’s outreach efforts, and we are proud to have played a role in facilitating this important project.”
Rotherham engineering group continues global expansion with acquisition
Rotherham-based engineering and reliability group, AES Engineering Ltd, has further increased its reliability services and product offering in North America by acquiring a controlling stake in the reliability company, Condition Monitoring Services (CMS), for an undisclosed sum.
The group also owns AESSEAL, in Rotherham, the homogeneous designer and manufacturer of mechanical seals. This latest expansion in the global market follows acquisitions in the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and USA. CMS, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada focuses on the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah & Colorado with a specialised skill set in the power generation & municipal sectors. The acquisition will allow the existing customers of CMS to benefit from a wider product and service offering from the AES Reliability Group of companies owned by AES Engineering Ltd. CMS President Kirk Cormany said: “The selection of AES Engineering Ltd as our partner was an easy decision due to their product technology, similar dedication to customer service and reliability focus. This partnership allows us to immediately meet the demand from customers for an expanded product range as well as opening new opportunities in other markets.” Chris Rea, Group Managing Director of AES Engineering Ltd, said: “The acquisition of CMS supports our strategic decision to globalise our reliability focused businesses and further strengthens our customer reliability offering in the important North American market.”