Endless agrees to sell Hovis to Kingsmill owner
Sheffield hotel acquired with plans for multi-million-pound investment
Sheffield transport company ordered to pay over £167,000 for dumping waste in Lincolnshire
A transport company must pay £167,587.13 for delivering controlled waste to an illegal site in Long Bennington, Lincolnshire.
North Yorkshire firm to acquire French pet food company
North Yorkshire-based Inspired Pet Nutrition (IPN) has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Eurazeo SE for the acquisition of Ultra Premium Direct (UPD), a French direct-to-consumer pet food company.
The transaction, subject to customary clearances and closing conditions, will mark IPN’s second acquisition in France, having announced the acquisition of Sopral last month. UPD’s factory-to-consumer model, powered by a data-driven e-commerce platform and subscription service, enables direct delivery of grain-free, natural pet food tailored to carnivorous diets. Complementing its digital success, UPD has expanded into a profitable mono-brand store network, accelerating its reach to offline customers and supporting its European growth ambitions. Arthur van Benthem, CEO of IPN, said: “UPD has delivered impressive growth in both sales and profitability and represents a strong strategic addition to IPN. It brings with it a sophisticated, proven e-commerce platform with significant international growth potential, a rapidly expanding mono-brand store network, and another outstanding brand to our portfolio. “The business is highly complementary to both IPN and Sopral. By combining UPD’s direct-to-consumer strengths with Sopral’s extensive manufacturing capabilities and IPN’s broader network and customer base, we unlock powerful opportunities to accelerate our ambitious growth plans across Europe. We look forward to working with our expanding team to realise this potential.” Sophie Wincker, CEO of Ultra Premium Direct, said: “We are delighted to be joining forces with the IPN team. In recent years, we have built a unique platform that successfully combines product finishing and packing operations, logistics and ecommerce capabilities to build a loyal customer base across France. “We have a clear roadmap to build on these successes to diversify and grow our business. IPN’s expertise, strength and capabilities, including Sopral’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in France, will allow us all to accelerate these plans.”Leeds among key hubs in UK data centre expansion
The UK is preparing for a major increase in data centre capacity, with almost 100 new facilities planned over the next decade. Existing figures estimate 477 centres nationwide, with growth largely driven by demand for artificial intelligence processing.
Leeds is set to host two of Microsoft’s planned four UK data centres, part of a £330 million investment targeting completion between 2027 and 2029. Other regions, including London and surrounding counties, Wales, Scotland, and Greater Manchester, will also see development. Google is developing two sites totalling £450 million in north-east London, while Blackstone plans a £10 billion AI facility in Blyth covering 540,000 square metres, with construction starting in 2031.
Rising energy and water demands are a concern. The National Electricity System Operator projects that data centres could add up to 71 TWh of electricity demand over 25 years. Water infrastructure is also under review, with £104 billion in investment and ten new reservoirs under construction to support the sector.
Leeds Building Society opens rate switching for limited company BTLs
Leeds Building Society has introduced rate-switching for buy-to-let mortgages held through limited companies. Borrowers can move to a new rate when their current product ends.
The service is available via the Mortgage Extra platform, powered by Finova, providing brokers with access to guidance and support from the society’s lending team.
Limited company buy-to-let activity continues to grow. In 2024, more than 61,500 landlords registered limited companies, marking a 24% increase from the previous year.
The new rate-switching option aims to simplify the process for brokers and their clients, offering additional flexibility in managing existing limited company mortgages.
Yorkshire food supplier changes hands after trading pressures
Holmesterne Foods, a supplier of meat and vegetable products in Richmond, North Yorkshire, has been sold to Troy Foods, a Leeds-based manufacturer of salads and sauces. Holmesterne operates two sites and employs 140 staff, supplying retailers, food manufacturers, and food service businesses.
The company experienced reduced margins due to rising costs across ingredients, packaging, and factory operations, along with higher employment taxes. To address operational challenges, Holmesterne engaged Interpath to review investment and sale options.
Troy Foods, which employs 240 people, has acquired the business to expand its product portfolio and diversify operations. The transaction aims to stabilise Holmesterne’s operations while creating potential efficiencies in production and distribution across both companies’ customer networks.
The acquisition secures employment at Holmesterne and maintains supply continuity for existing clients. Interpath led the deal, highlighting the consolidation of two established Yorkshire food businesses as a measure to strengthen regional food industry capacity.
Large supermarkets face cost pressures from business rates changes
The UK government’s planned increase in business rates for high-value properties will put significant financial pressure on major supermarket chains. Stores with rateable values above £500,000 are most exposed, creating potential losses across large-format estates.
Sainsbury’s and Tesco are expected to absorb the impact more easily due to previous strong profits, though multiple stores in both portfolios could see margins shrink. Morrisons and Asda face broader exposure, with a substantial proportion of stores likely to experience higher property costs. Discount grocers such as Aldi and Lidl are mostly unaffected because of smaller property footprints.
Industry analysts predict the changes may influence store operations, investment decisions, and expansion strategies, while potentially shifting competitive advantage toward smaller retailers and convenience formats. Property specialists highlight that the reform could reshape location strategies for large chains and prompt efficiency reviews to offset rising overheads.
The Treasury describes the adjustments as part of a wider plan to reduce rates for smaller retailers and hospitality outlets while maintaining long-term investment incentives for the high street.
Council welcomes Expressions of Interest for delivery of Hull Housing Growth Plan
Leeds Bradford Airport makes appointment to support sustainable growth for Yorkshire aviation
