Grant Thornton makes Leeds move

Tess Egginton
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Grant Thornton makes Leeds move
Business and financial advisor Grant Thornton UK is taking 9,974 sq ft of prime office space at developer MRP’s City Square House in Leeds. The high-profile office deal brokered by Knight Frank sees Grant Thornton relocate from Whitehall Riverside in Leeds. City Square House is a 140,000 sq ft development fronting City Square in the heart of the city. It is now almost full, with the second floor under offer, and only 6,000 sq ft on the ground floor still available. Dan Dickinson, partner and practice leader for Yorkshire at Grant Thornton UK, said: “We’re very excited to have agreed this exceptional new space in the heart of Leeds city centre. The building’s sustainability credentials, substantial amenities and modern design will provide our people with a great base from which to support our clients in the region.” Grant Thornton will be joining Liberty Global, Barnett Waddingham, DLA Piper and Markel in the building. Eamon Fox, partner and head of the Leeds office of Knight Frank, said: “We are delighted to welcome a company with such an excellent reputation as Grant Thornton to City Square House. This latest signing means the development is now 96% occupied, 12 months from completion of the building. “Securing this prestigious deal is a very significant and positive statement of intent in the long-term future prosperity of office space in Leeds and, indeed, in urban centres throughout the UK. We expect this strong demand for some of very best workspace in the city will continue.” Alex Hailey, at the Leeds office of property consultancy CBRE, advised Grant Thornton.

Leeds law firm merges with Teesside’s The Endeavour Partnership

Tess Egginton
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Leeds law firm merges with Teesside’s The Endeavour Partnership
Law firm Ward Hadaway has merged with The Endeavour Partnership LLP, a Teesside commercial law firm. Now operating under the Ward Hadaway name and identity, all of the existing team from The Endeavour Partnership will continue to operate from offices on Teesdale Business Park near Stockton. Clients will benefit from legal expertise across a broader range of practice areas, including succession planning, matrimonial advice, construction and tax, as well as having access to the extended networks and opportunities of the wider firm. Meanwhile, The Endeavour Partnership team will benefit from the resource and business services support of Ward Hadaway, whose combined headcount will now stand at nearly 600. Lee Bramley, The Endeavour Partnership’s managing partner, will become executive partner of the Teesside office. The addition of a Teesside office will mean Ward Hadaway now has five regional centres, after the firm recently announced the opening of a Birmingham office in June to add to its established offices in Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle. Steven Petrie, Ward Hadaway’s managing partner, said: “I am delighted that The Endeavour Partnership decided to merge with Ward Hadaway. The move is part of our strategic plans to grow revenue by 100% over the next 10 years. I’ve been clear about our ambitious growth plans since I became Managing Partner in 2024, and I’m proud to see our strategy coming to life. “The alignment between our two firms has been obvious from those very first conversations. The Endeavour Partnership’s commitment to client service excellence and to its people, close attachment to the Teesside region, and straightforward, commercial approach mirrors our own vision and values. “We have worked closely together for many years, and so it was a natural progression to merge, adding additional services and support to the clients of Teesside and beyond.” Lee Bramley added: “We are delighted to be joining forces with Ward Hadaway. We have worked extremely hard over the past 25 years to create a firm trusted by valued clients and colleagues. The merger gives us an opportunity to build on that, adding scale and further expertise to our offering as part of Ward Hadaway.”

Yorkshire holiday park unveils £4.1m transformation following devastating fire

Tess Egginton
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Yorkshire holiday park unveils £4.1m transformation following devastating fire
A Yorkshire holiday park has unveiled a £4.1m transformation of its Country Club, following a devastating fire that destroyed its leisure and hospitality facilities. The new-look Country Club represents the biggest single investment in the 41-year history of Patrington Haven Leisure Park in East Yorkshire. In April last year fire ripped through the Country Club late at night, destroying the restaurant and bar and leaving much of the rest of the building with extensive smoke and water damage. The pool was also severely damaged, partly because fire crews had to pump water from it to douse the flames. A full-scale rebuild of the Country Club has now taken place, with the original structure completely stripped back and replaced. The new interior draws its design inspiration from luxury hospitality brands such as The Ivy and Celebrity Cruises. Managing director Guy Sparkes said: “This was never just about repairing the damage. We decided to turn it into an opportunity to start afresh and invest in a very big way to create a special place for our holiday home owners and the wider community to use and enjoy. “We wanted to raise the bar for leisure facilities in a holiday park and I think we’ve done that. We’re incredibly proud of what’s been achieved. “The Country Club offers a high-quality environment, where people can unwind, recharge and enjoy time together.” The refurbished venue includes a bar and restaurant, coffee lounge, completely rebuilt pool and health suites, and more. The spa and gym have also been revamped. Patrington Haven Leisure Park worked with local and regional contractors to deliver the Country Club rebuild, including main contractor Havercroft Construction, based in Brigg, North Lincolnshire; TPM Plumbing & Heating, of Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire; Yorkshire Pools from Driffield, East Yorkshire; and PJD Electrical, located just a few miles away in Burstwick, East Yorkshire. The project has strengthened the park’s sustainability credentials, with a 20,000 sq ft rooftop solar array generating 285 kWh of clean electricity, and a 32 kW air source heat pump replacing the previous gas supply.

FirstGroup acquires Leeds-based coach and bus operator

Tess Egginton
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FirstGroup acquires Leeds-based coach and bus operator
FirstGroup has acquired Tetley’s Motor Services Limited (Tetley’s Coaches), a Leeds-based coach and bus operator in operation for over 75 years. Tetley’s Coaches operates from a large depot which it owns in Central Leeds, adjacent to the existing First Bus Hunslet Park depot. It has a fleet of 55 coaches and buses and a diverse portfolio of contracts for schools, universities, workplace shuttles and private hire in Central Leeds and throughout the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Area. For the 12 months to 31 March 2024, Tetley’s reported revenues of £5.3m and EBIT of £1.4m. Managing director Ian Tetley will remain with the business as a director while it is integrated into First Bus. Graham Sutherland, FirstGroup CEO, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Tetley’s Coaches to the Group. This is a well-established, profitable business with its own large, centrally located depot and a strong contract base. “As we work to grow our adjacent services market share, this strategic acquisition will complement our York Pullman and Lakeside businesses and expand our operational footprint and contract portfolio in one of our key markets.”

AtkinsRéalis secures £1 billion deal to support Anglian Water’s £11 billion investment programme

April Lara
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AtkinsRéalis secures £1 billion deal to support Anglian Water’s £11 billion investment programme

AtkinsRéalis has been appointed Programme Delivery Partner (PDP) by Anglian Water Services as part of a joint venture with Mace and Turner & Townsend. The collaboration will help deliver Anglian Water’s £11 billion capital investment plan, which spans from April 2023 to 2030, marking the beginning of the largest business plan in the company’s history.

The £1 billion agreement extends through to 2040 and covers a comprehensive range of major infrastructure projects, including the construction of two new reservoirs in the Fens and Lincolnshire. This partnership represents one of the largest contracts of its kind within the water industry and provides an opportunity to support Anglian Water’s significant infrastructure transformation.

As Programme Delivery Partner, AtkinsRéalis, alongside its joint venture partners, will assist in managing the full capital investment programme, focusing on efficient, collaborative delivery to meet the needs of Anglian Water’s customers and environmental goals. The companies aim to drive innovation and record levels of investment to secure a reliable, resilient water supply for millions of customers across the region.

Coveris invests £1m to boost capacity at its linerless labelling centre

April Lara
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Coveris invests £1m to boost capacity at its linerless labelling centre

Coveris has committed an additional £1 million to its Linerless Labelling Centre of Excellence in Spalding, UK, bringing the total investment at the site to £2.5 million. The company is focused on expanding its linerless labelling capabilities, which have grown significantly since the programme’s launch in late 2022.

The Spalding facility is the only dedicated linerless label manufacturing site in the UK, producing over a billion labels annually for the UK and European FMCG sectors. This latest investment has funded the installation of a new ten-colour MPS flexographic press, which went live in June 2025. The press, capable of printing on both paper and filmic substrates, will help meet increasing demand in markets like ready meals and food-on-the-go.

This new equipment supports Coveris’ commitment to sustainable labelling by reducing waste and enabling faster set-up times. It also offers 100% web inspection to enhance quality and cold foil embellishment for high-impact finishes. The investment is designed to meet growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions across various applications, including Slidewrap and punnet labels.

Cura Terrae swoops for Scottish environmental consultancy

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Cura Terrae swoops for Scottish environmental consultancy
Sheffield-headquartered environmental group Cura Terrae has acquired EnviroCentre, a Scotland-based multi-disciplinary environmental consultancy of over 75 professionals. The business will become part of Cura Terrae’s Land and Nature division, bringing expertise in geo-environmental services and water management and engineering, as well as enhanced capabilities in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and ecology. This acquisition marks Cura Terrae’s fifth since its formation in 2022 and is the group’s largest transaction to date. Nick Dilworth, Cura Terrae CEO, said: “We’re proud to welcome EnviroCentre into the Cura Terrae group. From the outset, it was clear that we shared not only technical goals, but a common purpose. This acquisition brings complementary expertise and geographic reach to the group, while adding a team of people whose values closely align with our own. “The addition of EnviroCentre to the Cura Terrae group will provide fantastic opportunities for our people to flourish with clients benefiting from a greater depth and breadth of services.” EnviroCentre will provide a boost to Cura Terrae’s presence in Scotland, bringing the total number of professionals in the Land and Nature business to over 175 across the UK and the broader Cura Terrae group to around 400. Duar Fleming, MD of EnviroCentre, said: “Joining Cura Terrae is an exciting step for our team. In order to grow the impact of our work we wanted to find a partner who understood our culture, respected our people, and shared our long-term goal to enhance the environment.”
Cura Terrae were advised by Hill Dickinson and Forvis Mazars LLP. Bellweather Green, Robertson Craig, and consultant Kevin Windram advised the shareholders of EnviroCentre. The transaction was supported by Cura Terrae’s major shareholder Palatine Private Equity through their Impact Fund and funded via committed facilities from existing banking partner Shawbrook bank.

Aldi boosts renewable energy in Yorkshire with solar panel rollout

April Lara
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Aldi boosts renewable energy in Yorkshire with solar panel rollout

Aldi is investing £7.7 million in its renewable energy programme, with a significant focus on its Yorkshire stores. As part of this investment, solar panels will be installed at several locations, including Todmorden, Selby, Askern, Goldthorpe, and Ecclesfield. The initiative will see 41 stores across the UK, including those in Yorkshire, equipped with advanced 144 kWp solar systems by the end of 2025, with an additional 49 stores set to follow in 2026.

The new installations are expected to generate an average of 100,000 kWh annually per store, helping Aldi increase its use of on-site renewable energy. This move aligns with the supermarket’s strategy to enhance its energy resilience and reduce its carbon footprint. Additionally, new Aldi stores will be fitted with solar systems as part of the company’s ongoing store openings programme, further solidifying its commitment to sustainability.

£200 million regeneration project begins in Middlesbrough

April Lara
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£200 million regeneration project begins in Middlesbrough

Work has started on a £200 million regeneration project in the heart of Middlesbrough. The Crown Square development is set to revitalise a previously derelict site in the Gresham area, with plans to include a new Fairfield by Marriott hotel, student accommodation, and housing for young professionals.

Lead contractor Wates has begun phase one of the project, which includes preparatory groundworks and the installation of hoardings. This initial phase will also deliver build-to-rent properties and one of the first Fairfield by Marriott hotels in the UK.

The development is a collaboration between iMpeC, Buccleuch Property, and the Middlesbrough Development Corporation. The plan aims to create 1,500 new homes and 4,000 jobs, designed to attract and retain local talent.

The regeneration project represents the town’s largest development in generations. Additional works include scaffolding The Crown building and reopening the adjacent footpath for pedestrians. The Development Corporation Board will make decisions regarding The Crown building’s future.

Small businesses adopting AI to drive growth and efficiency

April Lara
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Small businesses adopting AI to drive growth and efficiency

A growing number of small businesses in the UK are integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools into their operations, with 62% now using the technology to enhance efficiency. The shift is largely driven by a strong demand for AI skills training, particularly in marketing, operations, and customer service.

A recent initiative by BT and Small Business Britain introduced an ‘AI for Small Business’ training programme, helping bridge the skills gap for 500 small business owners. The programme offered expert-led webinars and a follow-up course on AI tools, aimed at enabling entrepreneurs to leverage AI for greater efficiency. The course highlighted how small businesses can utilise AI for tasks such as content creation, data analysis, and automation, even without prior technical expertise.

Business owners are increasingly recognising the need for hands-on support, with over half (51%) reporting that they need assistance to effectively implement AI. The training programme is designed to give practical advice on integrating AI into business operations, helping companies focus on growth and innovation.

AI tools are becoming a key asset for small businesses, not just in improving day-to-day operations, but also in helping them stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

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