Derelict mill demolition paves way for new college building in Bradford
Newly-appointed contractor Morgan Sindall Construction is demolishing a derelict mill on Bradford’s Thornton Road, making way for Bradford College’s purpose-built Future Technologies Centre.
The demolition of Junction Mills marks the start of construction on the state-of-the-art four-storey building, which will become the home of modern automotive and digital engineering training at Bradford College.
Once opened, the facility will offer students skills in new technologies, such as electric/hybrid vehicles and advanced manufacturing. The Centre will be vital in supporting the growth of technology and low-carbon skills capability within West Yorkshire.
The project was made possible thanks to £15 million funding from the Department for Education’s Further Education Capital Transformation Fund , secured in October 2022, and boosted by a £2 million College contribution.
Christopher Malish, Bradford College’s Vice Principal of Finance & Corporate Services, said: “We’re thrilled to see work scaling up after years of logistics and planning and are delighted to be working with Morgan Sindall. We have an exciting time ahead as we develop sector-leading facilities. This is a huge boost for the College but also a transformative investment in Bradford city centre, that also supports the wider city centre development.
“This multi-million-pound investment will create a cutting-edge learning environment for the local community, allowing the College to deliver on its mission of transforming lives. These new facilities are designed to address big societal challenges, enrich our local workforce, and showcase a range of inspiring careers.”
Northern Trains bids for slice of ‘traincation’ action, seen as the next big thing in holidays
‘Traincations’ could be the next big tourism trend and the North of England should aim for ‘as big a slice of the pie as possible’, says train operator Northern.
The concept is seen as a natural development of the ‘staycation’ and the train operator is now working with travel influencers such as @CheapHolidayExp Chelsea Dickenson to promote the idea with consumers, and raise awareness of the benefits of train travel with tour operators and group travel organisers.
If it takes off, package deals including train tickets rather than coach travel or domestic flights could become commonplace.
Mark Powles, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: “Staycations have become part and parcel of the leisure industry and the rail industry needs to ‘get in’ on the action.
“The North of England has an amazing tourism offer and businesses should be working together to ensure the region gets as big a slice of the ‘traincation’ pie as possible.”
According to VisitBritain, there were 117.3m domestic overnight trips in Great Britain during 2023. In total, they generated £30.9bn in visitor spend.
The train operator put its theory to the test with a pop-up travel agency in Trinity Leeds shopping centre, offering sample mini breaks in towns and cities across the North, including Blackpool, Buxton, Chester, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.
And now, Northern – who already works with tourist boards and local visitor economy partnerships across its network – says it is looking to work closer with tour operators and group travel organisers to develop the idea.
Leeds-based storage equipment supplier acquired by Cheshire firm
Leeds-based Yorkshire Storage has been acquired by Cheshire-based Palletower, which has also bought WP Group and Astirvant, making it a dominant player in the North West racking market.
All three of the acquired companies have been market players in the North West for more than three decades, and have built up a loyal customer base. Therefore, Palletower will not only benefit from strengthening its product and service offering but will also amplify its customers
Palletower MD Matthew Palmer said: “This multi-acquisition provides Palletower with the opportunity of offering its customers a full end-to-end storage equipment solution. Customers will be able to come to us for storage planning all the way through to purchasing storage and logistics solutions, and will no longer need to source multiple suppliers.
“As such we are delighted in supporting further growth with Astirvant, Yorkshire Storage and WP Group under the Palletower Group and are looking forward to providing an optimised product and service solution to our customers.”
Solicitor moves on from firm started by her grandfather
A solicitor who took her first steps in the legal profession with the practice founded by her grandfather has made the move to join the property department at Rollits.
Georgina Gibbon joins Rollits from BG Solicitors, a firm which traces its roots back to 1944, founded by Tom Beetenson and her grandfather Lawrence Gibbon, and at which her father Richard was also a partner for many years.
Georgina Gibbon, who comes from Grimsby, graduated from Northumbria University in 2013 and qualified as a solicitor two years later.
She specialised in property for nearly 10 years with BG Solicitors and worked across Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire, she became Partner in charge of the firm’s property department in 2022.
At Rollits, Georgina is undertaking all aspects of residential property law. She specialises in the right of first refusal and handles other work including all matters around sales, purchases and leases of land.
Georgina said: “For many years, I have focused on providing exceptional legal services to residential property clients, and I am confident that my experience in conveyancing matters and in particular property trust deeds, deeds of easement, overages and option agreements, will seamlessly integrate with the team’s existing strengths.”
Yasper takes on media and content brief for 24 Seven Cloud
Leeds-based Yasper has been appointed by 24 Seven Cloud to deliver a media and content brief aimed at driving awareness amongst its target audiences.
Yasper will initially be supporting the business telecoms provider with strategic B2B media relations support, as well as the production of web and social media content to promote the firm’s independent network and connectivity products — Pod and Jump, as well as a range of other smart bespoke telecoms solutions for businesses and telecoms resellers.
Julian Pearce, Founder and MD of Yasper, said: “I’ve known the team at 24 Seven Cloud for almost a decade and I’ve seen first-hand the smart way they approach business telecoms. Working with David and the team, we’ll look to reinitiate their profile within the business telecoms landscape and produce content that generates cut-through.
“Working with businesses like 24 Seven Cloud demonstrates Yasper’s ability to get under the skin of complex industries, understanding nuance and technical detail to ensure we can communicate difference.”
David Samuel, Founder and MD of 24 Seven Cloud, added: “Working with Yasper, we’ll be looking to raise the profile of 24 Seven Cloud’s products, services and ideas to a business and reseller audience. We were impressed by their knowledge of the sector and their insight-led approach, engaging with our team to fully understand the brief and our requirements.”
Founded in 2018, 24 Seven Cloud was launched to provide its channel partners and resellers with next generation technology via its own independent and fully resilient network. It has provided a range of connectivity solutions for thousands of clients to date, including those in construction, property, travel, and healthcare as well as the emergency services.
New flagship store opens at Trinity Leeds this week
Zara will launch its new flagship store at Trinity Leeds this week at the former Topshop unit on Briggate.
The move will see the brand upsize and relocate into the shopping centre from its current location on Briggate, and is part of an optimisation plan from Zara’s parent group Inditex.
Steven Foster, Centre Director at Trinity Leeds, said: “It’s been years in the making but the new Zara store is most definitely worth the wait. A huge amount of work has been going on behind the scenes to get to this point, and we’re sure guests will be impressed with this incredible new addition to Trinity Leeds.
“Zara is a huge name in retail and it speaks volumes that they’ve chosen to snap up a prime spot in such an iconic retail location in the heart of the city centre.”
Zara follows a number of brands that have recently joined the line-up at Trinity Leeds, including Nike: Rise, Jack & Jones, Five Guys and Knoops.
FSB sets out plans to revive high streets and their traders
The Federation of Small Businesses has unveiled a package of new measures to help transform life on the high street for the millions of small firms
Supporting pop-ups and temporary use initiatives for new businesses, creating mobile phone-based loyalty programmes, and showcasing local high streets in major tourism campaigns are some of the recommendations set out to revive the UK’s village, town and city centres, in a landmark new report by the FSB.
Tina McKenzie, Policy and Advocacy Chair at the FSB, said: “Our small businesses are an integral part of the high street and will be central in leading the transformation of their local economies. By providing the infrastructure, flexibility and digital connectivity that modern businesses demand, high streets will have the resources available to become resilient, dynamic hubs ready for the future.
“As well as core recommendations targeting fundamental issues for small firms on the high street, including business rates, transport and parking, this report also lays out innovative asks to ensure these businesses can survive into the future and ultimately help revive our town centres.
“High streets must be helped to evolve to keep pace with changes in consumer behaviour as well as how small firms want to work. One example of this is introducing loyalty schemes for high streets to encourage local businesses to collaborate and incentivise consumers to shop, eat, and drink locally.
“It’s been exciting to hear from many online small firms that want to take steps to open up in a bricks and mortar premises on the high street. These businesses need support to make that change – and should be given the flexibility to access pop-up and temporary units.
“Before the General Election, we were pleased to see Labour’s emphasis on improving life on the high street for small firms. It’s now time for the new Government as well as local authorities to put these plans into action and ensure that small firms on our high streets are fully supported.”
The Future of the High Street report calls for a specialised fund to be created to support pop-ups, markets, and temporary use initiatives for first-time businesses to encourage new ventures and help them set up on the high street. With more than a third of high street small businesses saying the availability of affordable commercial space is important for the future of an area, ensuring temporary spaces are available will not only fill vacant sites but also provide opportunities for small firms eager to launch in a physical premises.
The report also suggests a specialised fund to support a mobile phone-based loyalty programme for high street firms, and launching community-specific online marketplaces to showcase local shops and services.
To bring in visitors and increase footfall, local high streets should be featured in domestic and international tourism campaigns. FSB is encouraging tourism groups like VisitBritain, VisitEngland and Local Visitor Economy Partnerships to showcase the unique character and offerings of local high streets across the UK in promotions and coordination of campaigns.
The research also found:
- Plummeting consumer spending (70%), falling footfall (47%) and crime or anti-social behaviour (47%) are the biggest risks to high streets according to the small firms based on them.
- Over half of local businesses (57%) say a diverse range of independent businesses is one of the most important features for the long-term sustainability and future of their local high street.
- Good transport links are also key for the future of the high street, according to almost half (43%) of small businesses based on them.
- Around half (49%) of high street small businesses say parking facilities are managed poorly on their local high street.
- Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, most local businesses saw a range of closures on their local high street, including: retail stores (72%), hospitality (69%), banks (58%), post offices (28%), and entertainment venues (20%).
Private equity firm reveals sale of pet specialists’ retail division
Leeds-based private equity firm Endless LLP has announced the sale of Kennelpak’s retail business, Pets & Friends, to family-owned PSR Trading Ltd (PSR), owner of retail chain Just for Pets.
This strategic move allows Kennelpak, the pet specialist wholesaler, brand owner and distributor, to accelerate the growth of its Wholesale & Distribution division.
Following initial investment in July 2017, Endless has supported the Kennelpak management team in transforming Pets & Friends into a successful service-led retail proposition offering pet parents an array of pet care services underpinned with a carefully curated range of products and accessories, to satisfy all pet needs.
Pets & Friends includes 19 stores, 17 grooming salons, a website and subscriptions service, a dog training centre and The Grooming Academy with locations predominantly across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Pets & Friends will continue under its existing trading name, operating alongside Just for Pets. All Pets & Friends store and salon colleagues will transfer to PSR ensuring that the expertise that Pets & Friends stands for remains.
James Woolley, Endless Partner, said: “Pets & Friends has grown exponentially during our period of ownership and, after investing in a high-quality management team led by CEO Claire Bayliss, we have worked with them to reposition and transform the retail business at every level, creating a platform for growth which we are proud of. We extend our best wishes to the team at PSR Trading as they take Pets & Friends into the future.”
Claire Bayliss, Chief Executive Officer, Kennelpak, said: “Under our management and the investment from Endless, Pets & Friends has undergone a significant transformation at every level, evolving from a Midlands-based retailer to a much-loved multichannel pet specialist brand with national reach.
“I am immensely proud of the market-leading brand we have built together, and the exceptional service that our colleagues deliver to customers. Their hard work and dedication have been crucial in making Pets & Friends the success it is today, and I thank them all for being part of our transformation journey.
“Our Wholesale & Distribution division has been the cornerstone of Kennelpak’s heritage for the past 50 years. Our aim is to strengthen its position as the trusted pet specialist, with an even greater emphasis on supporting our distributor partners’ plans for growth and continuing to deliver exceptional service for our customers.
“We wish the team at PSR Trading all the very best for the continued growth of the Pets & Friends brand.”
Business gets a new voice through network going live today
A new organisation to champion the collective local business voice and meet the priorities of the increasing number of business boards in councils and Mayoral Combined Authorities goes live today.
The Business Board Network will independently support business and economic growth boards with their plans to drive local growth and build local economies, and to ensure that the voice of local business is heard and acted on, forging a collective single minded approach to achieve that aim.
Mark Bretton, Chair of the Business Board Network, said:“Our mission is simple – connecting local growth and building local economies. The new Business Board Network goes live just as we start working with the new government on their core priorities.
“The bread-and-butter work of business boards, and of the Business Board Network in supporting them, is to help deliver Local Growth Plans, applying a modern industrial strategy and infrastructure strategy to the benefit of local regions, and achieving local net zero ambitions. We’ll also be supporting the valuable Growth Hub network as the “go to service” for local small businesses, and working with other Business Representative Organisations and the British Business Bank, especially in overcoming the biggest barrier for growth to SMEs – access to finance.”
Following the transition of LEP functions to MCAs and councils, a letter from government to local council chairs in April 2024 laid the foundations:
“The government supports the principle of maintaining a network that continues to represent the local business voice to help strengthen the aims of devolution and economic growth – and to that end hope you will support the evolving Business Board Network.”
Government guidance to local authorities delivering business representation and local economic functions set out the value and role that business boards will play in local growth and devolution:
- Acting as strong independent business voice embedded in decision-making – an eligibility requirement for some HMG programmes.
- Strengthening local economic strategies and interventions.
- Being a strong vehicle for leveraging match funding for public sector programmes and developing effective partnership to support growth.
- Providing challenge and insight on business impact of public sector initiatives.
- Adding delivery expertise, pace and market credibility.
- Shaping business, trade and investment support around local business needs.
Merger for North Yorkshire property business
Three years after joining forces with two property professionals that specialise in commercial and rural property, residential property search agency, The Search Partnership, has merged with The Commercial Partnership and The Land Management Partnership to form one company – The Property Partnership Group.
The merger coincides with the appointment of Emma Hynd and Kathryn Wallace and the company’s 10-year anniversary, as well as the launch of a new website.
The Property Partnership Group now has four divisions specialising in property search, commercial property, rural consultancy and investment.
Toby Milbank, from The Property Partnership Group, said: “Over the past decade, Tom Robinson and I have helped hundreds of clients find and buy country houses, townhouses, sporting estates and farms, as well as finding forestry and investment property opportunities across Yorkshire and the North of England.
“For the last three years we have worked alongside Edgar Seligman and Blair Wallace from our base in Boroughbridge. However, over time we have been working more closely together, often providing multiple services to the same client. We therefore felt the time was right to operate as one business, re-brand and launch a new website. We feel together we have a powerful and compelling offering.”
Fellow director, Blair Wallace, who runs the rural consultancy side of the business said: “We are all proud of the small businesses that we have run successfully. Pooling our knowledge base and experience in a more coherent way will allow us to grow the business together.
“We have also recently appointed Kathryn Wallace, who is a Chartered Surveyor and a Fellow of the Association of Agricultural Valuers, to support the work we do and Emma Hynd also joins us in rural consultancy, in an administration and operational role.”
Director, Edgar Seligman, who runs the commercial side of the business, continued: “We provide bespoke and professional advice to our clients and can now take a truly multi-disciplined approach as The Property Partnership Group.
“Toby, Tom, Blair and I are all RICS qualified, experienced, highly professional and discreet. These qualities form the pillars of our business, and acting with integrity at all times is also critical to our approach. We are delighted to welcome Kathryn and Emma to the team, as we celebrate the 10-year anniversary and plan for future growth.”
