Work completes on major student accommodation scheme in York

Tess Egginton
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Work completes on major student accommodation scheme in York
A brand-new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme in York has been completed, before 303 students move in at the end of summer. It follows the collaborative efforts of local property company, S Harrison and GMI Construction Group. Located on James Street, the development – named Raffles Hall – comprises 195 cluster apartments and 108 studios across a three to five storey building. Residents will have access to a range of amenities, including an external communal area, study areas, a games room, cinema, lounge, gym and laundry facilities. The development also features a south-facing public pocket park offering over 200 square metres of green space. Construction of Raffles Hall began in June 2023 and the property is owned by Singapore-based investor, SB PBSA Pte Ltd (Soilbuild). The completed development will be managed by the Prestige Student Living brand of Homes for Students with the first residents expected to move in ahead of the start of the new academic year this September. Andrew Wharton, from S Harrison, said: “This is a transformational scheme for both James Street and Lawrence Street, which is a primary route into the city, that has seen a former industrial unit replaced with a striking and modern building that complements the local streetscape. “It’s also within easy walking distance of York city centre and close to both the University of York and York St John University, which will make it popular with the city’s students who want to live in high-quality homes with first class amenities.” Lim Han Feng, from SB PBSA Pte Ltd (Soilbuild), said: “We’re very excited to see work complete on Raffles Hall. It’s a superb development that offers everything you could want from luxury student accommodation in York and will elevate the university experience of everyone who lives there to the next level, which completely justifies our decision to invest in the city.” Ed Weston, regional director at GMI Construction Group, added: “This is a high quality and well-designed scheme in a popular location, which makes it a fantastic addition to the extensive portfolio of PBSA schemes that we have successfully delivered throughout the UK. It’s also been a pleasure to extend our relationship with S Harrison, after previously completing two other successful PBSA schemes for the company in York and Leeds.”

Administrators appointed to Leeds-based alternative milk brand

Tess Egginton
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Administrators appointed to Leeds-based alternative milk brand
Watkins Drinks Limited, trading as Mighty Drinks, the alternative milk brand, has entered administration. Based in Leeds, Mighty Drinks is one of the UK’s fastest growing dairy alternative brands, with its specialist range of pea protein and oat milks. Its products are sold nationwide from supermarkets and health stores. In common with a number of other companies across the plant-based food sector, the company had faced trading headwinds in recent years, including rising costs and the impact of fragile consumer confidence which impacted its ability to scale and ultimately, achieve profitability. In response to these challenges, the directors of the company sought to explore the investment options available to them, but when it became clear that a solvent outcome was not possible, they took steps to file for the appointment of administrators. James Clark and Howard Smith from Interpath were appointed joint administrators on 17 June 2025. Tom Swiers, food and drink sector lead at Interpath, said: “There has been an increasing focus on profitability within all aspects of the ‘alt’ category, following the investment boom of a few years ago. It is no longer simply a case of, ‘growth as number one priority’. “The Mighty team has created a great product, with an exciting kids-milk range set to launch with retailers given the allergen free benefits of pea-protein, and a path to profitability from improved margins and increased volumes. “Unfortunately, however, this has come at a point in the Company’s cycle where it required further investment which was not forthcoming from typical investors in this space, nor was it attractive to typical ‘special situations’ investors given the relatively early stage of the company’s development.” James Clark, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, said: “We will now work with the Company’s stakeholders to explore the options available, including seeking offers for the business and its assets, including the Mighty brand and related intellectual property. We would invite any parties who may be interested in acquiring the business to make contact with us as soon as possible.”

Employers weigh job cuts as national insurance costs bite

April Lara
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Employers weigh job cuts as national insurance costs bite

A growing number of businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber are planning job cuts in response to higher employer national insurance contributions introduced in April, according to a new survey of mid-to-large firms.

The report, conducted by accountancy and advisory firm S&W, found that 33% of the 500 UK business owners surveyed said they are preparing to reduce headcount, citing increased labour costs linked to the NIC hike. Around 20% have already taken this step.

The recent rise saw employer NICs increase from 13.8% to 15%, alongside a raised earnings threshold. The change coincided with higher national living wage requirements and reduced business rates relief for certain sectors, compounding the pressure on employers’ cost bases.

In response, 46% of respondents said they intend to increase prices, 35% plan to cut staff hours, and 29% expect to freeze pay. Many also pointed to broader challenges including elevated energy and commodity prices and ongoing economic volatility.

The findings reflect mounting concern among businesses with turnovers of £5 million and above, as they balance rising payroll liabilities with the need to maintain competitiveness.

ITM Power secures role in UK hydrogen projects

April Lara
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ITM Power secures role in UK hydrogen projects

ITM Power has been selected as the electrolyser supplier for two upcoming green hydrogen projects in the UK. One of these is a major project backed by the government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round 2 (HAR2), and the other is a smaller UK-based development. Both projects are awaiting final investment decisions.

The Sheffield-based firm will deploy its Poseidon electrolysis module across both sites. This latest selection follows its recent involvement in Uniper’s 120MW hydrogen project at the Humber, reinforcing ITM Power’s growing position in the UK’s emerging hydrogen market.

Certification body sets sights on growth following £500,000 investment

Tess Egginton
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Certification body sets sights on growth following £500,000 investment
West Yorkshire-based Supply Chain In-sites is growing annual revenues and creating jobs following a £500,000 investment from Finance Yorkshire. The certification body specialises in auditing and verifying product supply chains, ensuring suppliers across the globe comply with the requirements of retailers and accreditation bodies. CEO Rob Chester has 25 years’ experience in the grocery sector with major brands including Tesco and Walmart. He founded the company in 2021 with four other founders. They have achieved 50% annual revenue growth to reach £1.3 million turnover in 2024. Rob’s ambition is to grow turnover to £10 million by 2029 and expand his team from 12 to 50 employees during that period. Clients include Aldi, WHSmith, Grown in Britain, RSPCA Assured and Plant Healthy. Rob said: “We have created a great team because we all have experience working on both sides of the table. As a customer of certification bodies as well a certification provider. This experience has informed our approach to building SCI as both a trusted certification partner and a disruptive innovator in supply chain risk management.” Finance Yorkshire’s £500,000 investment from its growth fund will support SCI’s technological innovation including the use of AI, staff growth and training. The investment has already enabled SCI to make strategic hires in the US and Asia to better serve international clients. Rob added: “Finance Yorkshire is a hands-on investment partner and understands our model and vision. The partnership has also delivered potential synergies and partnerships with other Finance Yorkshire investee companies.” Finance Yorkshire CEO Alex McWhirter said: “SCI is to be congratulated on its achievements to date and its commitment to a substantial growth trajectory. The drive to increase its turnover significantly will add to the region’s wealth as well as creating jobs in Yorkshire in the future. “Finance Yorkshire is pleased to support SCI in its ambition to move towards real-time risk assurance, harnessing the use of AI and predictive analytics.”

Barnsley industrial investment sold

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Barnsley industrial investment sold
Property developer and asset manager, Rotherhill, has sold an industrial investment at Spring Hill Road, Barnsley. Having recently secured a new, unbroken, 10-year lease agreement with Ambipar Response Limited, who have occupied the unit since 2015, the sale sees ownership of the investment transfer to Glenstone REIT Plc. The unit, which extends to 16,558 sq ft, includes a 7.1 metre eaves height, two level access doors, a service yard with a depth of 30 meters and a separate parking area. The unit also benefits from an EPC rating of B which futureproofs the building against upcoming changes to the minimum energy efficiency regulations. Ed Jeffrey, director at Rotherhill, said: “The recent lease renewal with Ambipar created a long-term, secure, investment. Smaller industrial unit investments let to high quality tenants on long leases are scarce and we were confident that this opportunity would present well. “We are pleased to have sold the unit ahead of formal marketing to Glenstone who were excellent to work with throughout. “Our thanks go to Ross Cuthbert of Skylark RE and Dan Walker of GV & Co who advised us on the sale, and to Andy Price of AP Investment who represented Glenstone.” Ross Cuthbert, co-founder and director of Skylark Real Estate, said: “This is a fantastic deal to have been involved in from start to finish and a great result for the team. “The proposed project plan was delivered through the renewal of the lease to create a well-let, secure investment opportunity. The property was sold prior to formal marketing and a special thanks to Glenstone and Andy Price of AP Investments for running a seamless transaction.” Dan Walker, director of GV & Co, said: “We were pleased to have advised Rotherhill on this transaction with our agency, lease advisory and investment teams coming together, jointly with Skylark RE, to achieve a great result for our client. We wish Glenstone all the best on taking this asset forward.”

Entrepreneurs secure funding for new venture reshaping hospitality recruitment

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Entrepreneurs secure funding for new venture reshaping hospitality recruitment
The entrepreneurs behind two hospitality tech businesses, Sam Brown and Nick Holroyd-Doveton, have joined forces to launch a new venture that aims to reshape hospitality recruitment, raising £785,000 to further develop their matchmaking platform, Candid Hospitality. The funding came from NPIF II – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia Ventures and part of the Northern Powerhouse Fund II (NPIF II), Haatch and an angel investor, and marks the first NPIF II equity investment in Hull. Sam Brown was previously a director of Airship Services, which was also backed by Mercia and the first Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund and was sold to Zonal in 2022, while Nick Holroyd-Doveton co-founded Omnifi, which was sold to Access Group in 2021. Launched in February this year, the new platform has already attracted over 3,000 candidates and 100 brands including Big Table Group, Loungers, Honest Burgers, Turtle Bay, Punch Pubs, Flight Club and The Alchemist, and resulted in over 700 matches. The company plans to double the size of its team from seven to 14 in the next two years. Nick Holroyd-Doveton, Candid co-founder, said: “Having spent years in hospitality, both Sam and I know the challenges of recruitment. Candidates are often afraid to look for a better job in case their current boss finds out, while employers spend huge sums on new hires only to find they are the wrong fit. We felt the process must be ripe for change. “Using our industry contacts, we spoke to 60 operators and over 100 candidates and developed Candid based on their feedback. It uses the 3Cs – culture, competencies and compensation – which are key to successful hires. “The anonymity protects candidates and removes subconscious bias, and enables employers to access ‘passive hires’ who may not be active job seekers but may be interested if the right role came along.” Will Schaffer, investment director with Mercia Ventures, added: “Having worked with Sam previously during his time at Airship, we are pleased to back him and Nick in their latest venture. “Candid offers an innovative solution to the challenges of hospitality recruitment and has gained rapid traction. The funding will enable the team to build on its initial success and to drive further growth.” Jonathan Keeling, partner at Haatch, said: “We’ve backed over 150 startups at Haatch, and it’s rare to see this level of product–market fit so early on. “Sam and Nick are proven founders with deep hospitality experience, and Candid is already delivering results for some of the UK’s most respected operators. We believe this business can redefine how hospitality recruitment is done, putting culture and competence at the heart of hiring.”

Inflation holds steady in May

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Inflation holds steady in May
Inflation held steady in May, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), inflation came in at 3.4%, compared with 3.5% in April – a figure the ONS has since said was overstated by 0.1% due to a mistake in car taxes. This puts inflation in line with the Bank of England’s May forecast and slightly above market forecasts of 3.3%. The largest downward contribution to the figure came from transport; the largest, partially offsetting, upward contributions came from food, and furniture and household goods. Furthermore, with recent increases in energy prices arising from conflict in the Middle East, renewed price pressures are anticipated. Core inflation, meanwhile, which takes out volatile factors like energy, food, alcohol and tobacco to give a clear picture of underlying trends, came in at 3.5% in May, down from 3.8% in April, and lower than forecast.

Theme park cuts off-peak hours amid mounting business costs

April Lara
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Theme park cuts off-peak hours amid mounting business costs

Fantasy Island, a major tourist attraction in Ingoldmells near Skegness, is scaling back its operations during off-peak periods due to mounting operational costs and economic pressures. While the theme park will remain open daily throughout the summer, it will now close on Mondays and Tuesdays during quieter seasons.

The business cited rising wage obligations, higher electricity bills, and shifting consumer spending habits as key drivers behind the decision. The timing coincides with recent changes to employer national insurance contributions introduced in April, which many coastal and tourism-related businesses say have intensified financial strain.

This move reflects broader concerns in the UK tourism and hospitality sector, particularly for seasonal businesses in coastal areas. Local operators have reported reduced staffing levels, a drop in visitor spending, and an increase in closures and sales of hospitality properties.

Industry leaders are calling for targeted government support to protect jobs and maintain the viability of coastal attractions, which are vital to regional employment and economic activity.

Grimsby ice rink secures £150k for essential infrastructure upgrade

April Lara
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Grimsby ice rink secures £150k for essential infrastructure upgrade

Grimsby Ice Rink is undergoing a major refurbishment thanks to a £150,000 investment secured by the community group managing the facility. The funds, raised through a combination of local fundraising efforts and financial reserves, will cover critical infrastructure upgrades to keep the 50-year-old venue operational.

The refurbishment project, due to begin on 31 July and expected to last around a month, includes a full replacement of the rink’s ageing barrier system and the installation of a more energy-efficient chiller unit. The work aims to extend the lifespan of the facility, ensuring continued access to ice sports in the region.

The project is led by Grimsby Ice Rink Community Group, which took over operations in 2017 after the site faced closure. In addition to structural repairs and general maintenance, the group has ambitions to eventually develop a new ice rink, thereby future-proofing skating and ice sports locally.

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