Plans lodged to transform Goole’s historic Market Hall
Plans have been lodged seeking approval to transform Goole’s historic Market Hall into a food, drink and events venue.
One of the eight strategic projects allocated a share of Goole’s Town Deal funding, the refurbishment of the Market Hall is seen as an ‘anchor’ project that will significantly increase footfall and spend in the town centre.
It’s hoped that it can also become a central part of what’s considered to be Goole’s ‘cultural quarter’ by collaborating with Junction Goole and Goole Museum.
As well a resident food and drink offering, the refurbished Market Hall would also provide flexible space for local creative and craft businesses and host events of both a commercial and community nature. A boxing event held there recently was just one example of the many different types of activities that the venue could host in the future.
Subject to planning permission being granted, a third party operator will be appointed to run the site and manage the resident operators, as well as any pop-up stalls and events.
The reinvention of the Market Hall has been made possible by a Goole Town Deal grant funding award of £3.6 million, some of which has already been spent on work aimed at making the building usable in the short-term. This involved repairing the leaking roof, levelling the floor and upgrading the electrics.
£2.3m support package for West Yorkshire’s creative sector rolled out
A new initiative has been launched to help venues and event organisers in West Yorkshire become more accessible to disabled artists and audiences.
It will be the first scheme to be rolled out as part of Mayor Tracy Brabin’s £2.3 million ‘You Can Make It Here’ programme, which aims to support and grow the region’s creative sector through a range of training and investment opportunities.
Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said: “We’re on a mission to make sure that West Yorkshire’s world class culture offer is accessible to all.
“This first investment is just the beginning. Everything we’re rolling out over the coming months is going to give our creative businesses, freelancers, venues and beyond the support they need to unleash their potential.
“Thanks to devolution giving us the freedom to play to our strengths, we’re building a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”
More ‘You Can Make It Here’ initiatives are set to be launched over the coming months, including business and skills training to support freelancers, help for creative businesses to increase their exports, and a music sector network to boost activity in the region.
Opportunities for young people from disadvantaged groups to break down the barriers and secure employment in television and film production roles will also be introduced, through an extension of support for the Mayor’s Screen Diversity Programme, run by Screen Yorkshire.
Delivered by Wakefield-based disabled-led organisation, Unlimited, the inaugural accessibility session took place in Halifax, where attendees learnt the basics of disability equality, how to make venues and events accessible, and how to support disabled artists and audiences.
The new resource offers a one-stop shop for support and guidance, with grants of up to £10,000 also available to help make cultural venues more accessible.
Jo Verrent, Director at Unlimited, said: “We’re excited to be bringing this bespoke programme of training, advice and guidance, along with small-scale capital grants that will support and empower arts organisations and those who programme arts events across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield.
“We exist to support, and commission disabled artists and create change across the sector. So, I’m thrilled this work is happening in the North, our home, so we can really catalyse change that makes a lasting impact for disabled artists and disabled led work.”
The ‘You Can Make It Here’ programme – approved by leaders in July – cements the Mayor’s pledge to deliver a ‘Creative New Deal’ for the region.
Work starts on expansion of £10m Leeds Private Hospital
Work has now started on site for a 10,000 sq ft extension to the Leeds Private Hospital at the 17th Century Red Hall House estate.
Consultant Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr Fas Arshad and his wife Ms Sommiya bought the historic estate, by the East Leeds Orbital Route (ELOR) close to Roundhay Park, from the Rugby Football League in 2021.
The couple self-funded £3m of Phase One of the development, which was completed in 2022 when Leeds Private Hospital became fully operational.
Phase Two of the development will comprise an additional two state-of-the-art operation theatres, anaesthetic facilities, nursing ward, patient overnight rooms as well as outpatient consulting rooms.
Dr Arshad said: “Since we bought Red Hall House in 2021, Leeds Private Hospital has gone from strength to Strength. We have almost doubled our staff and we are employing local NHS consultant surgeons and consultant anaesthetists to come and work with us to provide high standard surgical services. Our ultimate aim is to be able to process higher volumes of work to ease the heavy burden on the over-run NHS in the Yorkshire region.”
The chosen contractor for the building works is Brookes Development Ltd, with Phase 2 of the project set to be completed next summer.
Jonathan Erkulis, director of the Yorkshire-based E3 Architecture, is working closely with Dr Arshad on the transformation of the Red Hall House estate.
He explained: “Our detailed plans have secured the restoration, sustainability and longevity of this important Grade II Listed Building, while creating sensitive and high-quality designed additions to create a prestigious state-of the-art medical facility.
“It has been a pleasure working with Dr Arshad to secure the stunning redevelopment of Red Hall House itself and of the 10,000 sq ft extension. The project is an example of where conservation and commercial aspirations can work together through major investment.”
Small businesses get new champion in Shirley
Entrepreneur Shirley Cooper has taken up a key role to promote the needs of small businesses to government and ensure suppliers seize the benefits of the Procurement Act.
She will lead on the overall relationship between the government and small businesses, making sure the government gets best value from SMEs, and that they in turn have the best possible opportunity to work with the government.
She said: “I look forward to working with colleagues across Government to make sure small businesses can seize the fantastic opportunities available to them in the public procurement process.”
She will also support the commitment to, and delivery of, increasing central government spend on SMEs. This spend has risen every year since 2016/17, and stood at a record £21billion worth of work in 2021/2022. The Government spends around £300billion every year on procurement.
Ms Cooper is a former chair and president of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, and met Parliamentary Secretary Alex Burghart for the first time as Crown Representative for small businesses earlier this month.
They discussed priorities for the next 12 months, with a focus on the implementation of the Procurement Act in October, which will see further benefits for start-ups and small businesses wishing to work with the government. These include simpler processes, greater transparency and access to opportunities, as well as strengthened payment terms which will maximise value for money and innovation in the government market.
Manufacturing Festival starts on Thursday in Leeds
The seventh Leeds Manufacturing Festival starts on Thursday designed to raise the profile of the industry in the city, promoting the wide range of careers on offer, and building relationships between employers and schools and colleges.
Dozens of big-name manufacturing and engineering businesses are involved in this year’s festival, which has become a cornerstone of many firms’ new talent recruitment strategy.
Ben Wilson, director of Leeds fibreglass moulding manufacturer MPM and festival chair, said: “Last year’s festival was a runaway success. A really engaging programme of events made a tremendous impact in boosting young people’s awareness of the vast range of career options that our vibrant manufacturing industry offers, and we now have more employers, schools and colleges taking part than ever before.
“Building on the momentum we have created, this year our programme will be even bigger and better. With a focus on best practice, skills development initiatives, careers advice and apprenticeships, we’re aiming to go even further towards addressing the issue of recruitment and future skills which remains the primary challenge for manufacturing employers.”
West Yorkshire is home to around 5,600 manufacturing firms employing over 104,000 people and Leeds is the UK’s third largest manufacturing centre by local authority area. Leeds city region boasts the UK’s largest manufacturing employment base, generating £8.26 billion a year, 14% of the region’s economic output.
This year’s festival will start at Leeds City College’s Printworks Campus on 22 February. High-profile keynote speakers, Steve Burnell MD of Boeing Defence UK, which employs over 2,000 people across its sites in the UK, and Fiona McGarry from manufacturers’ organisation Make UK, will top the bill at the event, with contributions from both employers and younger people working in manufacturing.
Goole and Howdenshire Business Award judges select their finalists
Judges of the Hull and Humber Chamber’s Goole and Howdenshire Business Excellence Awards have chosen their shortlist of finalists from almost 80 entries.
As in previous years, the independent judging panel was also tasked with selecting the recipient of the Overall Business of the Year Award, which is sponsored by Siemens, from the shortlisted finalists. Meanwhile, the organising committee has chosen an individual to receive the Tim Richardson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Garrey Haase, Chair of the organising committee, said: “We received almost 80 entries, which is one of the highest numbers ever, and we’re very grateful to our judges for giving up their time to consider them for us.
“It’s great to see so many businesses of all sizes and from such a broad mix of different sectors entering the awards, which are now in their 13th year and continue to go from strength to strength.”
Winners from this shortlist will be announced at an event at Goole Academy in April 5th.
Charity of the Year Award (sponsored by Jos Richardson & Son):
- Goole Amateur Boxing Club.
- Open Source Healing Initiative Community Interest Company.
- Families In Goole.
- KRL Group Limited.
- William’s Den
- Biffa Waste Services.
- FMG Repair Services.
- Ideal Removals.
- Accountancy Tuition Academy Limited.
- Yorkshire Financial Planning Limited.
- Circular Renewables Limited.
- Fullers Quality Bakers.
- Fisher Security Limited.
- Drewton’s Farm Shop.
- First Avenue Training Limited.
- 2357 (Goole) RAF Air Cadets.
- Eastrington Sports Club.
- Phoenix Community Radio, Goole.
- Badger & Bean Limited.
- Sign With Sarah-Jade.
- Feast 78 Limited.
- Ginger’s Ice Cream Parlour.
- First Avenue Training Limited.
- Extra Space Developments Limited.
- Accountancy Tuition Academy Limited.
- FMG Repair Services.
- Betty’s Cleaning Services/Quick Response Yorkshire.
- And Marketing Limited.
- Sign With Sarah-Jade.
- The E-Safety Office.
- Drewton’s Farm Shop.
- DCB Plumbing & Heating.
- Footballerz Limited.
- The Step Up Pre-School.
- Phoenix Community Radio, Goole.
- First Avenue Training Limited.
- Our Goole.
- Ideal Removals.
- Footballerz Limited.
Five-year industry-led project seeks to boost planning authority skills
The British Chambers of Commerce and founding partner Aviva are establishing a £3m five-year industry-led programme to increase skills and capacity in Local Planning Authorities.
The programme will pay for at least 100 undergraduate and masters’ level qualifications for people entering the planning industry, and for people already working in LPAs who need to develop skills for more senior planning roles. It will pay for the learner’s training and will aim to facilitate work experience and jobs within LPAs. In return, at the end of their course of study, the learner must commit to work in a council planning role for at least two years.
The BCC is asking businesses from all sectors to contribute to the programme’s fund with the aim of raising at least £3 million. Aviva is contributing £500,000 as the first UK firm to support the scheme.
The BCC says members of all sizes are clear that limited resources and specialist skills within the planning system are delaying important investment that would promote growth across the UK. The programme aims to address this by increasing the pipeline of talent into the sector and expertise among existing planners.
Whilst the programme is industry-led, ahead of the Spring Budget, the BCC is calling on the Government to commit to matching the £3 million contribution to ensure that LPAs can employ newly qualified graduates for at least two years . The Government is being urged to introduce a mechanism for those LPAs in greatest need of additional planning skills and resources to access dedicated funding.
Baroness Martha Lane Fox, President of the British Chambers of Commerce said: “The UK’s economy is being held back by a slow planning system, and we must address the lack of resource by giving local planning authorities some hope of support.
“The Chamber’s membership is consistently telling us a slow planning system due to limited resource is blocking much-needed investment and halting growth. We want to work in in partnership with government to take concrete steps to support them to help unlock our planning system.
“Investing in Talent, Building Communities is a five-year programme led by the BCC, with founding partner Aviva, to help local councils with endless delays in the planning system,get on with driving the British economy forward. It is vital that businesses of all shapes and sizes across the country contribute to this initiative. The Spring Budget offers the Chancellor an opportunity to match the industry’s commitment to unblocking Britain’s planning problem, he must seize it.”
Amanda Blanc, Group Chief Executive of Aviva said: “Greater planning capacity is key to supporting more investment in UK housing, regeneration and infrastructure. More planners and more specialist planning skills will allow businesses to invest with more certainty and greater speed, boosting economic growth and make a meaningful difference to communities across the UK.”
Further £2.5m promises to create more skilled workers for vital sectors
A further £2.5m from the second phase of the HigherTechnical Education Skills Injection fund promises to help the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology support learners across Lincolnshire to achieve highly-valued qualifications within priority sectors, such as engineering, construction, manufacturing, health, science, agriculture and environmental technologies.
Partners that are set to benefit from the funding include Boston College, Grantham College & University Centre, Lincoln College, Riseholme College, University Campus North Lincolnshire, and University Centre Grimsby.
£1.5m of capital investment will go towards state-of-the-art equipment, which will ensure that students and employers have access to the latest technologies.
The remaining £1m of resource funding will be invested in ensuring that LIoT partners can meet future employer and student expectations, including upskilling delivery staff in upcoming industry techniques.
Mick Lochran, Director at Lincolnshire Institute of Technology, said: ”This additional funding couldn’t be more valuable to us. If Greater Lincolnshire is to tackle the county’s long-term productivity gap and train the highly skilled professionals modern industry needs, education providers must be able to invest in the latest technologies.
“That being said, our work can only continue to succeed if more employers are investing in their workforce to build the higher level skills of the future. We’d urge all firms within these industries to upskill and develop their employees.
“I’m very excited to see what the next few years hold for all of the partners of Lincolnshire Institute of Technology – it’s fantastic to be a driving force in upskilling our area.”.
Stand by to watch chocolate prices rise, warns Lincolnshire manufacturer
Poor weather and activity by speculators have combined to push up the price of cocoa, and that’s going to have a knock-on effect on the price of our favourite sweet treats, according to a Lincolnshire manufacturer.
Carol Oldbury, director of Skegness-based Hames Chocolates, says cocoa is trading a whopping 150% higher than it was 12 months ago, with prices having been climbing steadily over the last 12 months. “Given that cocoa accounts for up to 70% of your favourite chocolate treats, it’s going to be having a big impact on retail prices over the coming months.”
She says warm and wet weather in cocoa-growing regions except Cameroon pose a significant threat to cocoa trees, which require specific climatic conditions to thrive. “The result is impaired cocoa yields and quality, while excessive rainfall can cause disease outbreaks and damage crops.
“A shortage of cocoa beans will lead to a shortage of grindings, which will likely lead to a deficit of cocoa available for this current season. When global cocoa production falls short of demand, prices are driven upwards by the resulting supply-demand imbalance.”
She goes on to say that since cocoa is a traded commodity, financial markets have a significant role in cocoa price volatility and trading amplifies price fluctuations. “Twelve months ago cocoa was trading at less than $2,500 per tonne; today this has broken through the $6,000 ceiling, meaning that the main ingredient in chocolate will have increased by more than 150% in one year.”
The result, says Oldbury, is that manufacturers worldwide are going to have to pass on the cost to consumers. “We’ve left no stone unturned looking for efficiencies in the business but the large increased cost of cocoa means that we’re going to have to pass the increases on.”
“We remain committed to trading fairly and sustainably and having a positive impact on all the lives of the people we work with.” says Oldbury. Consumers too are likely to gravitate towards brands who prioritise ethical and sustainable practices.
She predicts a challenging time for the global chocolate industry. ”We believe private label product innovation and investment in efficiency and sustainability are the way through. We’ve recently invested in Solar for our factory. Not only is the energy renewable, but it is expected to provide more than 50% of our electricity usage.”
Yorkshire & North East administrations dominated by three core sectors as cases rise
Companies from building & construction, industrial manufacturing and retail sectors dominated Yorkshire & the North East administrations in 2023 as cases rose by 15%, according to figures from Interpath Advisory.
Analysis of notices in The Gazette by Interpath shows that there were 178 administrations in 2023 across the region representing a 15% increase from the 155 cases seen in 2022. The most impacted sectors were building & construction (31 cases), industrial manufacturing (29 cases) and retail (21 cases), covering just under half (46%) of cases.
The figures reflect the overall national trend with administrations rising 25% over 2023 to 1,307, up from 1,049 in 2022 as sluggish growth, persistent high interest rates, and fragile consumer sentiment continued to impact British businesses.
The analysis also shows that the region accounted for nearly 15% of total administrations across the UK in the first month of the year, with 11 cases recorded in January 2024.
James Clark, Managing Director and Head of the Yorkshire team at Interpath Advisory, said: “The number of administrations continues to rise as the financial challenges of recent years take their toll on businesses.
“For many companies in Yorkshire, 2023 was difficult, despite signs towards the latter end of the year that some of the prevailing economic headwinds might be starting to lessen. We’ve seen a steady and incremental uplift of insolvency activity over the course of the past 12 months and the start of 2024 hasn’t provided much cheer for management teams in the region.”
Looking ahead to the outlook for the rest of 2024, James Clark concluded: “With the confirmation that the UK has tipped into recession, the outlook for businesses remains precarious. But it’s not all doom and gloom out there.
“Inflation is proving sticky but didn’t rise as many had expected, we have a resilient domestic labour market and there’s a lot of liquidity in the debt market, which means borrowers continue to have plenty of options. Nevertheless, 2024 will likely remain a period of elevated interest rates by historic standards, and weak consumer confidence will continue to impact those sectors already feeling the pinch.
“To navigate this, Yorkshire businesses should look to recognise warning signs and cash pinch points early and seek appropriate advice. The more time that is available to deal with the issues at hand, the more options and levers are available to pull.”
