Yorkshire law firm acquired by Castle Donnington counterpart
A Yorkshire law firm has been acquired by a Castle Donnington-based counterpart, creating a 60 plus-strong workforce and paving the way for future expansion.
WLR Law has purchased commercial, media, and sports law expert Front Row Legal (FRL) for an undisclosed fee.
Claire Dibb, WLR group CFO – who has worked with several legal firms in Yorkshire and across the UK, providing commercial financial management & CFO leadership to both SME & corporate clients – will be part of the Board of Directors, to help drive future growth.
Richard Cramer, FRL Managing Director, says: “This seamless integration of our expertise and resources is a remarkable opportunity to elevate our client offerings and tap into WLR Law’s vast resources.
“I’m thrilled to embark on this journey which will set new benchmarks for legal services in our focused sectors – further refining our approach to meet the evolving needs of our clients with even greater precision and care.”
Richard adds: “The new combined workforce will be around 60 – greatly enhancing the scope of services we can offer. We’re always looking to recruit quality professionals, and I’m confident this acquisition is just the start of an ongoing expansion plan to create additional jobs in the coming years.”
Martin Collins, WLR Law principal MD and board director, says: “This merger is a celebration of shared values and our unwavering commitment to client success. Together we’re perfectly poised to drive further innovation in the way legal advice is delivered, improving the impact and accessibility for our clients.”
FSB urges Ofgem to act over soaring standing changes for energy
The Federation of Small Businesses has called for energy regulator Ofgem to take action on the standing charges paid by small businesses, many of whom have seen soaring daily fixed prices.
The Federation is backing up requests from Ministers to Ofgem chief exec Jonathan Brearley that he ensures energy bills are fair an affordable, and has told him he must recognise the “specific, negative impact standing charges are having on small firms”.
FSB’s Policy Chair Tina McKenzie said: “We want Ofgem to do a thorough review of standing charges for businesses as well as consumers, for better transparency and to discern whether energy companies are behaving fairly towards their small firm clients.
“Small business energy customers behave in a way more akin to consumers than big businesses, lacking the resources, the expertise and the buying power necessary to get the best possible deal out of their energy suppliers. However, they do not benefit from anything like the same level of protection as that rightly available to households, leaving them caught between two stools.
“Many small businesses could be forgiven for suspecting that they have been seen as something of a soft target for price hikes in their standing charges, and they do not have a full picture of where the money they pay on a daily basis is going – something that needs to change.
“Small firms were put through the wringer by the energy price crisis, which sadly spelled the end for many otherwise viable businesses who saw their utility bills become completely unmanageable.
“The price increases which led to the crisis have thankfully eased off to an extent, but many thousands of small firms are now stuck on tariffs which are far higher than before, which is a leading driver of cost increases.
“While it’s possible for most firms to cut their energy use – something which many did in response to spiralling bills – the standing charge must be paid day in, day out, so ensuring that small firms aren’t being fleeced is absolutely vital.
“We’re very keen to hear what Ofgem’s next steps in this area will be, to ensure that small firms pay standing charges that are fair and transparent, no matter where they’re based.”
One small firm whose owner got in touch with FSB reported an increase in the business’s daily standing charge from 70.94p per day in July 2021 to 969.64p per day in September 2023 – over 13 times higher.
Standing charges are used to fund network infrastructure, operating costs, and policy costs for schemes such as the Warm Home Discount, but this can be difficult for small firms to comprehend. Business customers are not covered by the energy price cap for consumers and many small firms suspect that their costs have been hiked as a result.
Silence shocks tenants of soon-to-be-sold workshops in Leeds
Leeds City Council is shocked that tenants of the city’s Aire Street Workshops didn’t find out about plans to sell the premises until last week, in spite of discussions with the building’s leaseholder LCVS Enterprises last September.
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “The council recognises that the proposed sale of Aire Street Workshops is a subject of significant concern for businesses based there.
“Given their concerns and the wider level of public interest in the building’s future, we feel it is important to set out the full facts regarding this matter. Above all, we are determined to support the site’s tenants and help as many of them as possible find new premises within Leeds.
“They and their predecessors have made Aire Street Workshops a hub for cultural and creative activity. However, it is also an ageing building that needs major repairs and improvements.
“We estimate that, for its present use to continue, the building would require a seven-figure investment to ensure it meets regulatory and energy performance standards. The unprecedented budget pressures facing the council mean we are unfortunately not able to fund that level of investment.
“Furthermore, even if the necessary funds were to be found and the work carried out, we anticipate that the improvements to the building would have to be reflected by rent rises that would place an unfair burden on the current tenants.
“A meeting was therefore held between the council and the building’s leaseholder, LCVS Enterprises, in September last year. That’s when LCVS were made aware that the site had been identified as a likely asset for sale and that a commercial property firm had been engaged to prepare a valuation report.
“It was our expectation that LCVS, as leaseholder, would pass this news on to their individual tenants as soon as possible. The council is the site’s freehold owner and it has no formal relationship with the tenants of LCVS. As such, it is LCVS’s responsibility to liaise with them on matters such as a potential sale of the building.
“At September’s meeting, we also agreed to a request from LCVS for their current lease to be extended through to January 2025 so that their tenants had more time to find alternative accommodation prior to any sale.
“However, it appears that the tenants were not informed of the plans for the site until last week. This is clearly regrettable but we would once again stress that LCVS have known about our likely intentions since September.
“Indeed, it is hard to reconcile any suggestion of LCVS being unaware of the council’s intentions with their request for a lease extension that they linked to the need for tenants to find new premises.
“The council began discussions with LCVS as long ago as 2016 regarding the poor condition of the building and how it could impact its future operation.
“A letter was also sent to LCVS on February 19 this year confirming that the property was now scheduled for disposal during the 2024/25 financial year. This letter further confirmed that vacant possession would be required when the extended lease came to an end.
“At no point in the last seven months have LCVS given us any indication that tenants were not being kept fully informed of developments. As a council, we have been clear that, in light of our financial challenges, difficult decisions are having to be made across many service areas.
“We are keenly aware of the contribution made to life in Leeds by small businesses of the kind found in Aire Street Workshops.
“Our business support team will develop a targeted package of support for affected tenants over the coming weeks which, it is hoped, will help that contribution to continue and grow.
“The council can also confirm that, as part of the sale and bidder selection process, it will be willing to receive a range of offers, including ones that could allow the building to operate as a form of managed workspace.
“This approach reflects our wider ongoing commitment to culture and creativity in Leeds at a time when the council – like many other businesses and organisations across the city – is dealing with an extremely serious budget position.”
Manufacturers to be compelled to introduce tougher anti-hacking protection
From today manufacturers will be legally required to protect consumers from hackers and cyber criminals from accessing devices with internet or network connectivity – from smartphones to games consoles and connected fridges – as the UK becomes the first country in the world to introduce stronger consumer protection laws.
Under the new regime, manufacturers will be banned from having weak, easily guessable default passwords like ‘admin’ or ‘12345’ and if there is a common password the user will be promoted to change it on start-up. This will help prevent threats like the damaging Mirai attack in 2016 which saw 300,000 smart products compromised due to weak security features and used to attack major internet platforms and services, leaving much of the US East Coast without internet. Since then, similar attacks have occurred on UK banks including Lloyds and RBS leading to disruption to customers.
The move is said to mark a significant step towards boosting the UK’s resilience towards cyber-crime, as recent figures show 99% of UK adults own at least one smart device and UK households own an average of nine connected devices. The new regime will also help give customers confidence in buying and using products, which will in turn help grow businesses and the economy.
An investigation conducted by Which? showed that a home filled with smart devices could be exposed to more than 12,000 hacking attacks from across the world in a single week, with a total of 2,684 attempts to guess weak default passwords on just five devices.
Data and Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez said: “Today marks a new era where consumers can have greater confidence that their smart devices, such as phones and broadband routers, are shielded from cyber threats, and the integrity of personal privacy, data and finances better protected.”
Special planning meeting will discuss British Steel’s furnace plans
A special planning meeting to discuss British Steel’s application to build an electric arc furnace on its Scunthorpe site will take place next Tuesday.
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council said: “
Harrogate BID launches further round of match funding for shop front enhancements
Harrogate BID has announced the launch of a further round of match funding grants worth up to £750 to support members to improve shop fronts and accessibility.
Every year, the BID provides the match funding to levy paying businesses for support with improvement work. This helps to create a great first impression for any visitors to the town – and allows residents and business owners in Harrogate to take pride in their town – tying into one of the BID’s term 2 objectives.
The BID will provide match funding up to £750 towards these improvement works. All members within the Harrogate BID area are eligible to apply for the grant – which is available on a first come first served basis.
The aim is to offer investment into repairs and redecorations of business entrances and streets, refurbishment or replacement of graphics and signage and improvements on accessibility including the installation of ramps, handraild and automatic doors.
Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID Manager, said: “Harrogate is always championed as the jewel in Yorkshires crown and we know that first impressions really do count.
“This is why we are proud to once again launch the Shop Front Match Funding Grant to support our members and this worthy representation.”
Businesses unite to inspire next generation
Employers across the region are being encouraged to back a new Pride of Place campaign aimed at inspiring young people and ensuring they fulfil their potential.
Pride of Place, a group established by Business in the Community and made up of leaders from the public, private and voluntary sectors, is partnering with Sheffield City Council’s See it Be it in Sheffield campaign.
The aim is to increase employer engagement in schools, colleges and other educational settings across the city to help raise the attainment, aspirations and work-readiness of local young people.
Over 60 businesses came together at Meadowhead Secondary School this week to hear directly from the school, young people and Pride of Place businesses Aviva and Henry Boot about how time spent with employers can significantly help shape a young person’s future.
Kam Grewal-Joy, Headteacher at the school, said: “Meadowhead’s mission is to make a difference, we are here to help young people increase their chances in their next steps. Some of our pupil population have strong links to the world of work through their own networks but many don’t. Being part of this campaign will really help every young person in our school to achieve their full potential.”
Young people who had recently undertaken work experience placements were able to speak about how these activities had helped shape their future career plans. Interactions with employers had helped to teach them the skills they need in the workplace.
Pride of Place members, including Aviva, Henry Boot, Mott Macdonald, the NHS, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, and Sheffield City Council, as well as Voluntary Action Sheffield and SADACCA, are asking local businesses to join them in helping to inspire the next generation.
The campaign will be run in 25 secondary schools and will see business leaders and employees meet young people. Primary school children will also get the chance to be inspired about the world of work.
Tim Roberts, Chair of the Pride of Place campaign and CEO at Henry Boot, said: “All our young people deserve the opportunity to fulfil their potential regardless of their background. We were delighted to launch the campaign at Meadowhead School, this week.
“There will be a wide range of opportunities available for employers and employees to get involved in the campaign across a range of settings. All we’re asking for is a small time investment to get involved in mock interviews, give an informal career talk, offer workplace visits or provide 1-2-1 mentoring.”
Research suggests that four or more encounters with employers can significantly improve the life outcomes for young people, strengthen the link between education and employment, and drive a more inclusive and productive local economy.
In addition to outreach in Sheffield schools, the Pride of Place campaign also aims to support the development of technical and vocational pathways for young people aged 16-18 though a new Post 16: Careers Made in Sheffield campaign.
Tim Roberts added: “With your help we can ensure more young people in Sheffield are inspired about employment and their future – we have the opportunity to make a difference to young people in this city which can set them up for a lifetime.”
Contractor chosen to restore former National Picture Theatre
Local contractor, Hobson and Porter, has been appointed to restore and preserve the last remaining WW2 civilian ruin in the UK, National Picture Theatre, on Hull’s Beverley Road.
Thanks to funding from Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the façade will be restored to its former period style, including its iconic windows and signage.
Structural elements, including the two large concrete beams, which saved the lives of the 150 people inside the theatre on the night it was bombed, will also be preserved.
Set to become a flexible space for community events and education, it will also become a place of reflection for the 1,200 Hull civilians that died during WW2.
Hobson and Porter has delivered other heritage projects within the city and work on this historical site will get underway in the coming weeks.
Gillian Osgerby, Programme Director at Hull City Council, said: “It is great to reach this key milestone in restoring this iconic site and tell its remarkable story. It’s a reminder of how civilians on the home front were affected by the Blitz.
“After London, Hull was the UK’s most bombed city during World War 2 and thanks to National Lottery players, we can now remember and recognise the sacrifice that was made.”
The former National Picture Theatre was designed by architects Runton and Barry for the De-Luxe Theatre Company and was constructed in 1914.
The building was badly damaged during a Luftwaffe air raid on 18 March 1941, although none of the 150 people inside the cinema at the time were killed or seriously injured.
The former National Picture Theatre gained Grade II listed status in 2007 due to its significance as a rare surviving bomb-damaged building from the Blitz of the Second World War.
Air raids on Hull went on longer than on any other British city and, out of Hull’s 91,660 houses, only 5,945 survived the air raids undamaged.
Remedial work to stabilise the building took place in 2020 and now the major works are scheduled to begin in the coming weeks.
It is expected to be complete in the autumn.
Leeds wealth management and stockbroking firm to acquire client assets of collapsed business
Leeds wealth management and stockbroking firm Redmayne Bentley has confirmed that, subject to final regulatory and court approval, it is acquiring the private client business of Blankstone Sington Limited.
Leonard Curtis was appointed as the special administrator for the Liverpool-based wealth manager and stockbroker Blankstone Sington Limited on Friday 13 October, securing all clients’ assets and safeguarding the company’s systems.
Leonard Curtis have deemed the most favourable solution for Blankstone Sington clients is for a transfer of their money and assets to a single broker which is also regulated by the FCA. Having undertaken a thorough process with a number of parties, Redmayne Bentley was selected as the preferred candidate.
The transfer will enable clients to be reunited with their assets and provides them with a secure home for the long term at one of the largest independent private client wealth management and stockbroking firms in the UK.
Stuart Davis, Chief Executive, Redmayne Bentley, said: “We are delighted Leonard Curtis selected Redmayne Bentley. Being a privately owned business of 150 years standing, we look forward to providing these clients with some stability and certainty going forward. Our service proposition, and the high levels of client service that we have always strived to deliver, provide a natural fit for Blankstone Sington clients.
“We are entering the final stages of regulatory and legal approvals but have passed key milestones such as signing of the Sale and Purchase Agreement and submitting Migration Plans to the regulator. We continue to work with other external parties to ensure a smooth transition for clients.
“We are excited to be able to provide these clients with our personal investment management, financial planning and traditional stockbroking services, as we continue to grow and invest in the business for our long-term future.”
Redmayne Bentley has previously successfully onboarded large scale transfers of clients from other firms including Havelock Hunter, Fyshe Horton Finney, and SP Angel.
Half million pound bike auction set for North Lincolnshire
High end cycles, parts and specialist cycling kit valued at close to half a million pounds are to go under the hammer in a spectacular auction in North Lincolnshire next week following the collapse of what was claimed to be one of the region’s best bike shops.
The auction includes Italian racing machines that retailed for as much as three and a half thousand pounds a time, children’s cycles that cost over £600 and even balance bikes for toddlers that had price tags of £180.
The mountain of parts going under the hammer covers everything from brake blocks (£45 a pair in the case of some Swiss productions) through to carbon frames that were priced at two and a half thousand.
The sell-off follows the liquidation of LC Leeds Bike Shop Ltd, a Yorkshire company that operated a large showroom, bike fitting studio and what was described as one of the country’s biggest cycle workshops.
The firm closed the doors at its premises in the Bramley area of Leeds at the beginning of February and the insolvency team of business advisers Quantuma that is handling the winding up of the business has now instructed industrial auctioneers Eddisons to dispose of the stock.
Everything has been removed to the firm’s Scunthorpe Auction Centre where it will go under the hammer in the online sale next Tuesday (30th April).
Eddisons director Paul Cooper said: “The thirty bikes in the auction include a number of handmade Italian Basso road racing bikes that usually carry price tags ranging from £2049 through to what’s expected to be the star of the show, a Basso Astra Ultegra that had a recommended retail price of £3,499.
“Meanwhile the company’s repair and servicing department handled work for cyclists all over the region – and indeed further afield – a business that involved carrying a huge stock of parts and accessories. The auction saleroom is currently an absolute sea of saddles, handlebars, wheels, tyres, cranks and all the other stuff that the serious cyclist needs to keep a mount, in absolutely tip-top condition.
“And there’s also a vast quantity of specialist clothing, we reckon over £25,000 worth of gear, from lightweight jackets with price tags up to £170, through to shoes that, in the case of Bont, sell for as much as £300 a pair.”
Paul added: “The good news for the area’s cyclists is that we have lotted the online auction with them in mind. They have just as good a chance to get involved in the bidding as trade buyers. Furthermore everything is being sold without reserve, so despite the jaw-dropping price tags that much of this equipment once bore, on Tuesday it will go for what it goes for. There could be some bargains.”
The full catalogue is available at www.eddisons.com. Viewing is 10am-4pm on Monday 29th April at the Eddisons Auction Centre on Dunlop Way in Scunthorpe. The online auction is scheduled to end at 1pm on Tuesday (April 30th).
