JV partnership plans to create student accommodation in Leeds city centre

Stuart Pearcey
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JV partnership plans to create student accommodation in Leeds city centre
A joint venture partnership between Asset Capital and Prescient Capital has secured funding to redevelop a pair of vacant landmark buildings into student accommodation and a pub in Leeds city centre. Established senior debt facilitator BLG Development Finance has committed funds for the redevelopment of 26 Great George Street, the Grade II listed former Victoria Commercial & Family Hotel and Shenanigans pub next door, which closed at the start of the pandemic. Built in 1865 The Victoria Hotel was a well-regarded ale house with 28 bedrooms situated above, whilst Shenanigans pub occupied the former Masonic Hall and Central Tower. Last month Stirling Prescient secured full planning consent from Leeds City Council to redevelop the site into purpose-built student accommodation on the upper levels whilst retaining the ground floor pub and leisure provision. The team behind Kirkstall Brewery and Whitelock’s Ale House have pledged to restore the pub to its former glory, whilst the partnership will deliver 54 studio student bedrooms with modern facilities including a concierge, communal lounges, a gym, bin store, TV room and laundry. The redevelopment involves partial demolition of the existing buildings with a four-storey extension at the back. Daniel Newett of Asset Capital said: “Our plans will help to preserve this historic pub for future generations whilst also making best use of the wider plot for much needed new student accommodation. The JV team is local to the area with considerable understanding and expertise in the long-term viability of commercial estate development and an extensive portfolio of successful student led schemes.” Established in 2003, BLG is a principal lender specialising in residential development finance. Its dedicated team has more than 300 years’ combined management expertise in real estate banking, investment houses and financing companies. BLG provides development finance, bridging loads and RLS funding, supported by the British Business Bank, to house builders and developments with projects across the UK. headoffice3, a specialist in office to residential conversions, has been appointed to dothe redevelopment, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2024.

Progeny appoints new Chief Financial Officer

Tess Egginton
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Progeny appoints new Chief Financial Officer

Progeny has appointed Tom Wood to the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Tom brings significant experience to the position, gained throughout his 25-year executive career in regulated financial services and banking.

He has led transformational change and growth in complex, private equity-backed businesses, generating significant shareholder value.

Tom’s breadth of experience in strategy development and execution, M&A and capital markets will enable Progeny to advance its ambitious agenda.

His appointment will strengthen the executive team as Progeny prepares for the next phase of growth and positions itself as a global business.

His executive career includes the role of Chief Restructuring and Financial Officer of the Co-Operative Bank plc (2017-2019), having co-advised on its third recapitalisation.

Prior to this, Tom was Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Shawbrook Group plc, where he led the business through its successful Initial Public Offering (IPO) and entry into the FTSE 250.

Tom is also an experienced adviser, investor and Independent Non-Executive Director.

Tom said: “I’m delighted to join Neil and the team at this exciting and energising time for Progeny. Progeny is a unique business well positioned to extend its scale and reach. I look forward to contributing to our future success.”

Neil Moles, Chief Executive Officer of Progeny, said: “We’re very happy to welcome Tom to Progeny. Having spent time inside the business in an advisory capacity, he’s seen first-hand our ambition and what we’re seeking to achieve and has decided he wants to be a part of it.

“From a CFO of his pedigree and experience, I couldn’t think of a greater accolade for our business.

“Tom’s CV speaks for itself in that he is a highly skilled and strategic operator at this level with a demonstrable track record of success and we’re very excited about what he’ll contribute to Progeny.”

New group to support ethnic minority women in tech launches in Leeds

Tess Egginton
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New group to support ethnic minority women in tech launches in Leeds

The inaugural West Yorkshire Ethnic Minority Women in Tech roundtable has been held at the recently refurbished Leeds Media Centre in Chapeltown.

Hosted by Unity Enterprise in collaboration with partners Cognizant, Leeds City Council, AD:VENTURE, WiLD Digital, Digital Enterprise and the Yorkshire Asian Business Association (YABA), the gathering brought together women from numerous professional backgrounds to exchange ideas, network and share good practice.

Attendees heard short speeches from Unity Enterprise Chair and YABA Director Sharon Jandu OBE, Leeds City Council Chief Officer for Culture and Economy Eve Roodhouse, and Cognizant Senior Director / WiLD Digital founder Sarah Tulip, before taking part a wide-ranging group discussion. 

Sharon Jandu said: “The West Yorkshire Ethnic Minority Women in Tech initiative provides women with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the realm of technology, facilitating the exchange of knowledge among various industry experts.

“The first meeting was incredibly useful. We intend to gather again at the end of February with an even larger attendance expected.

“I am grateful to all of our partner organisations for supporting this exciting new venture and would particularly like to thank Eve Roodhouse for joining us to give the concept her personal seal of approval.”  

Sarah Tulip said: “Over the last five years, WiLD Digital and I have been striving to support Leeds and West Yorkshire in becoming the most diverse region. 

“Through collaboration on interventions like this, we are able to support under-represented communities to have a voice and create fairer opportunities for all.

“This first session brought together so many diverse voices with shared passion, I can’t wait to progress the work.”

Established in 2000, Unity Enterprise is the not-for-profit subsidiary company of BME housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise which operates three business centres in Leeds. 

Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise Chief Executive, said: “We were privileged to host the first West Yorkshire Ethnic Minority Women in Tech roundtable at Leeds Media Centre and look forward to many more. 

“It was a wonderfully diverse gathering and, despite everyone living busy lives, it is always important to take time out to share thoughts, offer encouragement and make new contacts.

“This new forum offers all of these things and, under Sharon’s guidance, I have no doubt that the initiative will go from strength to strength.”  

Proposed new settlement to be removed from planning blueprint for Selby area

Tess Egginton
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Proposed new settlement to be removed from planning blueprint for Selby area
A proposed new settlement looks set to be removed from proposals for a wide-ranging planning document covering the Selby area. Heronby, which was earmarked for land near Stillingfleet, had been a key development to deliver long-term housing growth needs for the area up to 2040. But North Yorkshire Council executive members were told yesterday (Tuesday, 6 February) that due to concerns raised about the highways impact of the new settlement which cannot be fully resolved at this stage, the proposals should be removed from the plan and that further consultation is undertaken. Members of the executive also recommended to full council that four new sites are added in Eggborough, Hambleton, North Duffield and Hensall for a total of 301 homes. Executive member for open for business, Cllr Derek Bastiman, said: “The revised plan recommends removing the Heronby settlement proposal and adding in new allocations for housing in the villages of Hambleton, North Duffield, Hensall and Eggborough. “In addition to these alterations, a number of changes have been made to the wording of the policy to address issues raised at the previous consultation. If approved by full council, these will all now be considered as part of the consultation process before coming back before councillors for final approval.” The Local Plan sets out where development will take place across the former Selby area. It will also set out policies and strategies that planning applications will be considered against. If approved, the consultation for proposals for the Selby area will run for six weeks from March 8 to April 19.

Sheffield names lead contractor for Event Central project

Stuart Pearcey
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Sheffield names lead contractor for Event Central project
Willmott Dixon has been appointed as the lead contractor to create Event Central, turning a building in Sheffield city centre into a mixed-use cultural community hub. Event Central is a regeneration project commissioned by Sheffield City Council and funded through the Future High Street Fund, which will see the refurbishment of the existing vacant building at 20-26 Fargate. Once the work has been completed, the venue will create a useful community and commercial space – showcasing Sheffield’s diverse talent with events, shows, exhibitions, workshops and talks all under one roof. Event Central is funded in part by the Government’s Future High Streets Fund with the Council securing £15.8million for the project. Pre-construction activity has already started on the project with contractors expected to be on site in January 2025, once activity on the adjacent public realm works on Fargate has been completed. Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Committee said: “Event Central is going to be a fantastic and vibrant cultural hub for Sheffield and will offer a truly unique space for the city. We know that Sheffield is packed with talent, and this will be the perfect place to showcase it, attracting thousands of visitors a year. “The transformation will also be a crucial part of our vision for Fargate, which is currently undergoing a transformation as part of a huge regeneration of the city centre. With work due to start on site in January next year, with the hub is expected to be ready for opening in early 2026.

York event celebrates success of women in business

Stuart Pearcey
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York event celebrates success of women in business

York’s businesses are being invited to celebrate the achievements of women in business at an event aimed at supporting female entrepreneurship in the city.

This Empowering and Inspiring Women in Business in York event, run in partnership with NatWest, will build on a successful series that has taken place over the past three years. The event takes place on Tuesday 5th March at the Priory Street Centre during the week of International Women’s Day, which this year is focused on the theme of ‘Inspiring Inclusion’. The theme urges individuals, communities, businesses and organisations to forge a more inclusive, tolerant world, and promotes belonging, relevance and empowerment for women and girls everywhere. Keynote speaker Louise Toal will reflect on this theme in her talk, ‘If the shoe fits’, which will explore her journey as a female leader in the male-dominated world of tech. Louise will share lessons from her own career, having risen in just five years from Project Mananger at award-winning app agency The Distance to become its MD. Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, said: “Our Council Plan for the next four years is committed to building a fair and inclusive economy that works for everyone – and part of achieving this is by supporting York’s amazing female-led businesses to succeed. “Having run my own company, I understand many of the barriers that women face when breaking into the world of business, and I know events like this provide vital opportunities to access networks and support. “This promises to be a really inspiring and impactful event, and I’d encourage both women and men in York’s business community to come along, whether they’re already leading an established business or thinking of starting one.”

Lincolnshire Co-op makes two senior appointments

Stuart Pearcey
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Lincolnshire Co-op makes two senior appointments
Lincolnshire Co-op has appointed a new Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer to take post in March, when Paul Howard will become CFO and and Steve Leach will become COO. Paul has experience across both private and listed retail businesses, both in the UK and overseas. He joins from international fashion retailer boohoo group plc, where he has been Head of Supply Chain Finance for the past two years. He progressed through the ranks at Wilko, where he held senior finance roles across commercial finance, treasury, financial control and strategic planning, as well as a two-year stint in Hong Kong as Finance Director for the group’s sourcing office. Steve has a breadth of retail leadership experience gained in M&S, Sainsbury’s, Boots, Vodafone, Co-op Group/Nisa and was most recently interim COO at Vets Now. He started his career in store management and then progressed into retail operations. His sector experience includes general merchandise, health and beauty, telecomms, food, delivered wholesale and veterinary healthcare. Paul said: “Lincolnshire Co-op has a strong purpose that resonates with my values – integrity, commitment and making a positive contribution. The breadth of the consumer proposition brings exciting challenges and lots of growth potential. “I’m excited to join a business that’s rich in history and heritage and look forward to adding value from my experience in strategic financial planning.” Steve said: “I’m enthusiastic about the opportunities that the team are currently working on and transferring my leadership experience to continue this momentum into sustainable long-term success.”

Apprentices urged to check they’re being paid the correct hourly rate

Stuart Pearcey
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Apprentices urged to check they’re being paid the correct hourly rate
During National Apprenticeship Week HM Revenue and Customs is encouraging apprentices to make sure they’re being paid the correct hourly rate – since apprentices are the workers most likely to be underpaid according to The Low Pay Commission. Most workers are legally entitled to the National Minimum Wage, but minimum rates of pay differ, depending on your age and what year of your apprenticeship you’re in.
  • 16 to 18 years old and in an apprenticeship = £5.28 per hour
  • 19 and over, first year apprentice = £5.28 per hour
  • 19 or over and have completed the first year of an apprenticeship? Entitled to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage rate for their age.
  • Rates change on 1 April each year. Search ‘national minimum wage rates’ on GOV.UK.
Common mistakes made by employers include not paying apprentices for the time they spend training, or for all the time worked; and not increasing the hourly rate after the annual increase, or when the apprentice has completed their first year. Those who think they are not receiving the correct minimum wage:
  • Speak with your employer or tutor if you are happy to do so.
  • If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, raise the issue with HMRC online at https://www.gov.uk/minimum-wage-complaint. This can be done any time – day or night.
  • Call Acas on 0300 123 1100 for confidential advice or the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland on 03300 555 300. Translation services are available.

Leeds-based private equity house invests in property services provider

Tess Egginton
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Leeds-based private equity house invests in property services provider
Leeds-based private equity house Key Capital Partners has completed a £9.1m investment in SJA Group, an integrated property services provider. The deal sees Key acquire a significant minority stake in the business. SJA was established by Adrian Deane and Sam Prett in 2010, based in Sidcup, Kent. SJA’s core services include interior and exterior cleaning and front-of-house concierge services to commercial landlords and tenants. The Group’s vertically integrated proposition was established through the acquisition of Regency Real Estate in 2020, enabling the group to provide managing agent services to property owners. The subsequent inception of Enecto in 2021 broadened the Group’s offering into hard facilities management, including mechanical, electrical and building services. Through the vertically integrated model, the Group provides an end-to-end property management service to its clients. Key were advised by Addleshaw Goddard (Legal), HMT (Financial and Tax), RPL (Commercial), Evolve (Technology), AON (Insurance) and Stratton HR (Management). SJA’s shareholders were advised by Azets (Corporate Finance and Tax), and DWF (Legal). Partner James Excell said: “We are excited to partner with SJA. The team have built a highly competitive end-to-end service offering to meet the increasing demands from commercial property clients. The market in which the Group operates in is large and possesses credible growth opportunities, which were key considerations for our investment.” The highly experienced management team, led by Adrian Deane (co-founder), Sam Prett (co-founder), Phil Dale (CEO of Regency), Sam Stokes (COO of Regency), Alan Sillince (Enecto operations director) and James Lyons (SJA operations director) will remain in the business and be supported by incoming non-executive chair, Colin Dobell, who formerly founded the Care & Custody division within Mitie plc. Co-founder, Sam Prett said: “On behalf of the SJA Board, we are delighted to be partnering with Key. Their understanding of SJA’s business model and strong cultural fit with the team were important considerations when choosing them as our investment partner. “Key share our passion for providing high-quality services and their track record of supporting high-growth SMEs leaves SJA Group well positioned to capitalise on future growth opportunities.” This is the sixth Investment from KCP IX and the third in integrated property services, following previous investments in Total Integrated Solutions and Smarter Services. Key Capital invests between £4 – 20 million in UK based SMEs, supporting founders and owner-managers grow their businesses.

Ambitious Mia becomes first woman to drive Immingham’s ship-to-shore cranes

Stuart Pearcey
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Ambitious Mia becomes first woman to drive Immingham’s ship-to-shore cranes
Mia Allen is the first female ship to shore crane operator operator at Immingham, where she’ll work 110 feet above the ground. She already drives the tugs and rubber-tyred gantry cranes,  and is also looking to train in toplifts, also known as reachstackers at Immingham Container Terminal. Simon Bird, Regional Director said: “This is great news for ABP on the Humber. All credit to Mia who is very ambitious and wants to progress in her career with us. We’re proud that she has achieved this milestone and look forward to more to come. “We want to increase the number of women in the ports industry and are committed to promoting diversity and fostering inclusivity. We have initiatives aimed at improving recruitment to demystify what has been traditionally seen as a male operated world and have been the first port operator to introduce women’s PPE. Our message is clear – there are roles at the ports for women.” Mia, who has worked for ABP for over a year after leaving a job in a fish and chip shop, said: “I wanted to train on the ship to shore as there’s so much to learn about the crane and ship. The biggest challenge was the swing on the crane and going over the water, but it doesn’t scare me. “You must focus and look out for the ship’s crew and the deck tally, and it involves clear communication. It’s a heavy bit of kit and you must be prepared for the ship moving. I’ve thrown myself into this as I want to progress. I enjoy the fact I can do a few hours on the crane and a stint on the tugs.” She credits her father Mark, who has worked at the port for 20 years and trained Mia on how to use the crane, though another tester was brought in for the examination. Mia added “It was my dad’s dream that one day he’d train me, and I’d be working here alongside him. I always told him it would be too boring, but it’s not. I love it as I’ve got a great gang around me, and we all get on well. Dad was really delighted when I passed the test. I just want to keep growing and accomplish more things.”
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