Screwfix nails deal at brand-new York business park

Screwfix is moving into MX Park, a brand-new industrial/trade counter park in the heart of Monks Cross in York. Screwfix is taking two units at the 30,000 sq ft MX Park, which has just been completed. The park features 11 hi-spec units, ranging from 1,925 sq ft to 3,550 sq ft in size. Following strong interest six more units are under offer leaving only three still available. The development by Guildford-based Tonsley Investments, will create 40 new and sustainable jobs. James Dodwell of Tonsley Investments said: “We are delighted to welcome a retailer of the calibre of Screwfix. This letting is a testament of the pulling power of our park, both in terms of the quality of the units and its location. We hope MX Park will be the first in a pipeline of industrial developments for us, as it represents an exciting addition to our existing portfolio.” Richard Flanagan of York property consultancy Flanagan James and Dan Hodge of Leeds-based Ryden, who are advising Tonsley Investments, said: “The outstanding success of MX Park at Monks Cross comes as no surprise. There is a shortage in York of well-located, high-quality, industrial/warehouse units such as those being provided at Tonsley’s new business park. “Monks Cross has been one of the most successful out-of-town developments in North Yorkshire over the past 20 years, with a superb mix of office, industrial, retail and leisure facilities, including the brand-new LNER Community Stadium and the prestigious Monks Cross Retail Park. “It is a proven location and economic hub, situated adjacent to Monks Cross Drive off the A1237 York Outer Ring Road, which provides direct access to the A64 and the excellent regional motorway network. The park is also less than three miles away from the historic city of York,” said Mr Flanagan. The main contractors were Stainforth Construction of Baildon in West Yorkshire.

Bradford crowned UK City of Culture 2025

Bradford has been crowned UK City of Culture 2025, taking on the prestigious title from Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. The winner was approved by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries based on independent advice from a panel of experts led by TV writer-producer Sir Phil Redmond. The experts visited each of the four shortlisted places, which also included County Durham, Southampton and Wrexham County Borough, to learn more about the bids before making their final recommendation. Bradford will now receive £275,000 in initial seed funding to make sure the city can hit the ground running and get the wheels in motion early as it develops its plans for 2025. This grant will help pave the way for a year of unforgettable cultural activities and events. For the first time in the history of the UK City of Culture competition, each of the runners up will also receive a grant of £125,000 to support the bidding team in taking forward some of the most exciting elements of the bid. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: Congratulations to Bradford, which is a worthy winner of UK City of Culture 2025. Art and culture should be accessible to everyone and this prestigious title will help Bradford deliver unforgettable events for communities on their doorstep. There was stiff competition and I thank County Durham, Southampton and Wrexham County Borough for their excellent bids.

Coventry has shown us how powerful the UK City of Culture title is at boosting investment, attracting visitors and leaving a lasting legacy for local people.

Bradford is a young and vibrant city with a rich heritage and its impressive bid drew upon its wide-range of local cultural assets including the Bronte Parsonage, Saltaire UNESCO World Heritage Site and the National Science and Media Museum. The city is also investing in its future cultural assets having successfully secured £20 million from the Levelling Up fund to invest in the Squire Lane Wellbeing and Enterprise Centre, and is using another £4 million DCMS grant to redevelop the Bradford Odeon into a 4,000 seat live music and entertainment venue: ‘Bradford Live’. The judges were impressed by the ambition of Bradford’s bid which, at its centre, celebrates the place where people live, the power of diversity and aims to create new opportunities for everyone.  The bid encouraged strong local engagement with artists and residents, focused on creating a sense of local pride. Sir Phil Redmond, Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel, said: The selection is never about whether one bid is better than another, it is more that one bid has the potential to make a bigger and deliverable impact. For 2021 we asked Coventry to raise the bar previously set by Derry-Londonderry 2013 and then raised by Hull 2017. Challenged by the pandemic, Coventry have certainly done that and I am looking forward to seeing how far the cultural bar can be raised in BD25. Winning the title can have a hugely positive impact on the place – attracting millions of pounds of investment, bringing in thousands of visitors and engaging the local community. Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 used the title to transform the city through a spectacular year-long cultural programme, engaging an audience of over one million through more than 700 ticketed, unticketed and online events. Martin Sutherland, Chief Executive, Coventry City of Culture Trust said: Congratulations to Bradford on winning the UK City of Culture title for 2025. Everyone in Coventry wishes you the best of luck for your own fantastic and impactful year. This will be a truly remarkable time for your city and we look forward to supporting you as you prepare to celebrate all that is special about Bradford in 2025. Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 has shown that the title has the power to engage people from across the whole community, including by training 1,515 City Hosts who contributed almost 36,000 volunteering hours. The title also helped attract £172 million in inward investment. Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: We are delighted that Bradford has been given the prestigious title of City of Culture 2025. We are looking forward to working with Bradford to make their programme an amazing success and to help share its fascinating heritage on a worldwide stage.

Thanks to National Lottery players, we’ve been able to fund large-scale projects at past City of Culture award holders, Hull and Coventry. We have witnessed first-hand the transformational effects that this title can bring, creating a deeper sense of place, pride and identity.  We look forward to the exciting opportunities it will bring to the people of Bradford now and into the future. Congratulations Bradford!

As part of its status as UK City of Culture 2025, Bradford will be eligible for a £3 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and now has three years to prepare for a year of groundbreaking cultural activities. Lord Mendoza, the Commissioner for Cultural Recovery & Renewal, said: I am confident that Bradford will prove an outstanding City of Culture. I am fortunate enough to have visited Bradford over the last two years. The city’s political, business and cultural leaders have a passionate commitment to creative innovation. Together they demonstrate that culture has the power to increase a place’s vibrancy and civic pride. Coventry’s success has shown that culture also has the power to drive major inward investment. Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said: Being named UK City of Culture is awe-inspiring and life-enhancing, creating happier lives for residents and visitors alike.

Creativity is all about telling stories and this title unlocks a whole new narrative for a city. We saw it in Hull, we’ve seen it again in Coventry.  As Bradford takes over, I’m excited to see how this great city will soar to new creative heights between now and the end of 2025 thanks to the work of brilliant artists, performers, creators and curators.

Skinder Hundal, Director Arts, British Council, said: A massive Congratulations to Bradford for being selected as the next City of Culture 2025. This year-long celebration will showcase Bradford’s unique qualities and open its cultural life to the rest of the world, the UK and local communities. The British Council look forward to supporting Bradford’s international ambitions and seeing the city’s culture, creativity and artistic excellence put firmly on the map. Ruth Hollis, Chief Executive, Spirit of 2012 said: Spirit of 2012 is proud to have supported the UK City of Culture Programme for many years, investing in Hull 2017 and Coventry 2021. It’s not an exaggeration to say that major events like this have the power to transform people and places, building community pride, inspiring volunteering and creating opportunities for everyone to take part. And, it’s not just Bradford who wins today. We’re looking forward to working with some of the long and shortlisted places to ensure that their bid is a spark for volunteering programmes that build empathy, pride and connection, the key ingredients for the wellbeing of people and their places.

X-Press Legal Services join LegalTech Association

Leading property search provider, X-Press Legal Services North and West Yorkshire has recently become a member of the LegalTech Association for the UK (UKLTA) as it seeks to collaborate in helping to shape the future delivery of legal services through technology. The UKLTA is bringing together legal professionals, technology providers and consumers of legal services to promote and innovate digital services in the legal sector. X-Press Legal Services North and West Yorkshire is part of a national franchise network of 27 offices, which form the largest independent property search company. The office is owned by local couple, Robert and Janet Moore who have an in-depth knowledge of Yorkshire. They provide a wraparound service including residential & commercial searches, pre & post completion services, cyber security and compliance products. The firm has invested heavily in technology and security and also has its own in-house IT development team that continually tracks and evaluates the latest innovations, all of which is providing much needed security and speed of services for the conveyancing sector. On becoming a member of UKLTA, Robert Moore owner of X-Press North and West Yorkshire said: “We are looking forward to collaborating with the UKLTA in their aim to improve access to technology across the legal sector.  It’s a perfect fit for X-Press and will lend itself to our journey.  I know our team is excited about the wider topics and hearing from like-minded professionals within the legal sector.”

West Yorkshire retail motoring business secures seven figure funding deal

Wakefield based RJTK Investments Limited today announced it has received a seven figure funding package from Barclays to support their expansion plans with the refinance of existing term and working capital facilities alongside funding to help finance the group’s growth strategy. RJTK Investments is the Parent Company of a group of Motor Retail Companies operating across the North West and East Midlands areas of England. The group was established in 1998 as an independent, family run business with a single Vauxhall site and has since grown to 10 sites in locations including: Bolton, Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Louth, Boston and Grantham, with another 2 locations due to go live between now and the end of 2023. The group currently represents a range of leading brands including Vauxhall, Kia, Suzuki and Maxus. Tom Wilson, Commercial Director, RJTK Group, said: “Through our initial discussions with Joe and his team, it immediately became clear that Barclays would be the perfect partner for the group as they were aligned with and supportive of our future growth strategy. The motor industry has experienced rapid change over the last two years and our agile structure has meant we have been able to adapt quickly whilst growing the business with existing and new manufacturer partners. Our new relationship with Barclays will allow us to continue this growth and capitalise on opportunities that fit within our business model.” RJTK Group employs over 330 people across the North West and East Midlands, with turnover for the business expected to exceed £140million for the current year and further growth expected in 2023. Joe Reid, Barclays Business Development Director, and Jag Singh, Barclays Relationship Director put together funding for the deal and said: “RJTK is an excellent business, underpinned by an experienced, established management team that have grown the business to be one of the region’s top performers. We have been impressed with the market knowledge and ambition of the business since our first meeting and are delighted to have been able to support Tom and the Management Teams’ exciting growth plans. We look forward to a long and successful relationship supporting their continued success.”

York & North Yorkshire LEP look to commission research agency for important skills programme evaluation

York & North Yorkshire LEP are looking to recruit a research agency to work with them on evaluating a ground breaking skills programme.

York & North Yorkshire LEP look to commission research agency for important skills programme evaluation York & North Yorkshire LEP is about to launch a ground breaking programme of Skills Bootcamps across the area. Working with a range of specialist providers and leading employers, they will be delivering over the next 10 months up to 25 Bootcamps to support over 1000 local residents aged 19 + develop higher level skills across a range of specialisms including in advanced manufacturing, electronics, digital, green construction and natural protection, logistics and business analysis. The programme will be a unique opportunity to trigger a step change in delivering the higher-level skills needed to transition to a dynamic low carbon economy and to improve the region’s productivity and growth. The LEP is now inviting organisations with an in-depth understanding of the Y&NY business and skills landscape and a track record of research in these areas to express their interest in undertaking a local evaluation of our Bootcamp programme for 22-23. The evaluation will be critical in helping shape the LEP’s plans for future Bootcamp or similar successor higher level skills provision in York and North Yorkshire. Interested organisations should e-mail shaun.withers@ynlep.com for a copy of the full Specification and application, stating in the e-mail in no more than 150 words why this opportunity may be of interest. The closing date for submitting an expression of interest is midnight on Wednesday 15 June 22 and for returning applications midnight on Sunday 19 June 22. The LEP intends awarding a contract up to a maximum value of £25,000 net of VAT for the evaluation activity to start no later than 1 August 2022. To find out more about the national Bootcamp programme, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/find-a-skills-bootcamp/list-of-skills-bootcamps To find out more about existing skills support in the region, visit Skills – Y&NY Growth Hub (ynygrowthhub.com) 

US giant snaps up Leeds-based AI company

Leeds-based AI company Crisp has been acquired by US tech firm Kroll, the leading provider of data, technology and insights related to risk, governance and growth. Founded by Adam Hildreth in 2005, Crisp is a Real-time Risk Intelligence company that protects brands, assets and people from reputational damage, security threats and online harms. This acquisition will accelerate Kroll’s digital service capabilities with the leading expert in fast, actionable risk intelligence. Crisp’s AI technology has been trained over 16 years to discover and track the risk signals embedded within digital chatter. Its comprehensive suite of intelligence solutions serves the global enterprise needs of communications, digital marketing, trust and safety, security and compliance clients across the globe. Following the acquisition, Crisp’s Founder and CEO Adam Hildreth, and Crisp’s Executive Chairman Andrew Burke, will become a part of Kroll’s digital services leadership team. “Digital chatter is an essential source of risk intelligence for protecting the global enterprise. In recent years, risks originating from or becoming amplified by digital chatter across the open, deep and dark web have reached an unprecedented scale. It’s now a board-level issue and C-suite responsibility,” said Andrew Burke, Executive Chairman of Crisp. “Joining the Kroll team strengthens our client promise to provide fast, actionable risk intelligence that delivers peace of mind, 24/7/365. By combining our AI technology and real-time alerts with Kroll’s world-class risk advisory expertise, and Resolver’s cutting-edge customer-focused SaaS interface and analytics machine, we see a huge potential to expand Kroll’s client solutions.” This announcement follows the recent acquisition of Resolver, Inc., a leading Risk Intelligence technology firm, to the Kroll digital services portfolio. “The ethos of our business has long centered around risk, governance and value creation. This acquisition helps us reinforce our growing position as a tech-enabled firm that marries data and technology with global professional services. I am thrilled to welcome Crisp to the Kroll family,” said Jake Silverman, Chief Executive Officer of Kroll. “We now have the opportunity to combine our recently acquired Resolver platform with the capabilities of Crisp to create the most unique Risk Intelligence platform in the world. Our clients need partners and technology that can anticipate their needs across their entire enterprise, and the addition of the Crisp team to our business is a strategic extension of our investment in expanding our risk intelligence solutions.” About Kroll Kroll provides proprietary data, technology and insights to help our clients stay ahead of complex demands related to risk, governance and growth. Our solutions deliver a powerful competitive advantage, enabling faster, smarter and more sustainable decisions. With 5,000 experts around the world, we create value and impact for our clients and communities. To learn more, visit www.kroll.com. Crisp is a Real-time Risk Intelligence company that protects brands, assets and people from reputational damage, security threats and online harms. Our AI technology has been trained over 16 years to discover and track the risk signals embedded within digital chatter to be the leading expert in fast, actionable risk intelligence. Today we protect over $6.5 trillion in combined market capitalization for over 1,000 brands. Our customers are always first to know and first to act. Learn more at www.crispthinking.com.

£1.4bn fund launched to support SMEs across Yorkshire

HSBC UK has launched a £15bn lending fund today for small and medium sized businesses, with £1.4bn ring-fenced to support local economies, employment opportunities and drive growth across Yorkshire. Whilst concerns about the broader market remain, HSBC’s customers are thinking about growth via investment, acquisitions and capital expenditure. Businesses have told us that they are ready to invest for growth and are confident about the prospects for their own businesses. They point to the biggest areas of opportunity are in sustainability (12%) and digitisation (11%). The Fund is a key part of HSBC’s commitment to help British businesses to innovate, thrive and grow in the UK and internationally. SMEs are vital to the UK economy and account for three fifths of the employment and around half of turnover in the UK private sector according to the FSB. The Fund, which includes specific regional and locally focussed allocations, will seek to ensure that companies throughout the country can benefit. This year’s fund also includes ring-fenced funding for businesses trading internationally (£2 billion), in the agriculture sector (£1.2 billion) the tech sector (£500m) and franchise businesses (£500m). It is also aligned with the Green SME Fund (£500m) for businesses of all sizes to transition and thrive in a low carbon economy and the new Growth Lending Fund (£250m) for high growth tech businesses to support well-equitised, high growth, loss-making scale ups early in their growth journey. Since launching the SME Fund in 2014, HSBC has lent more than £90 billion helping businesses to make the most of their money, now and into the future and opening up a world of opportunity for our customers. In 2021, the HSBC UK SME Fund supported Little Eaton car and van repair centre, Panel Match, with a five-figure package. The support allowed the company to open a new unit, which has increased operating space by 50 per cent and enabled the company to meet increasing customer demand for its body repair and paint services. Small Business Minister, Paul Scully said: “This new fund puts HSBC on course to have lent more than £100 billion to UK small businesses within a decade, which is a great milestone for HSBC and even better for the communities across the country being helped to thrive. “This extra funding builds on the support available through government schemes like Help to Grow and Start Up Loans to help small businesses grow and reach their full potential.” Small Business Commissioner, Liz Barclay, said: “The challenges facing small businesses are beyond imagination. The problems caused by poor payment practices such as late or delayed payments, and extended payment terms pile pressure on cash flow. Small firms are the lifeblood of the economy, and they must be paid fast and fair, and if they are to have the confidence to invest and build the resilience, they’ll need to weather the storms ahead and they will need the support of funds like this more than ever”. Peter McIntyre, Head of Business Banking at HSBC UK, said: “SMEs are vital to the UK economy, and our customers have told us they are ready to invest for growth.  The £15 billion fund will help businesses to expand internationally, as well as here in the UK, supporting key sectors and driving investment across the regions. “We want to make a significant contribution to economies across the country, driving employment, local wealth and growth by providing funding, when and where it’s needed most. We know our customers are innovating and adapting at pace and British businesses need their bank to be flexible, supporting future growth opportunities.”

£1.7m awarded to Leeds chemical engineering business to lead charge to net zero

Leeds based C-Capture, a spin-out company from the School of Chemistry at the University of Leeds and developers of world-leading chemical processes for carbon dioxide removal, has secured £1.7m in funding from the BEIS £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). The funding is part of the £20 million Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) Innovation 2.0 programme aimed at accelerating the deployment of next-generation CCUS technology in the UK.

C-Capture will use the funding to finance a major, national £2.7m project as a critical step in the race to net zero.

The multi-industry, multi-million-pound project will see C-Capture’s unique, next-generation carbon capture technology deployed on numerous sites across the country, within industries that are particularly difficult to decarbonise. Demonstrating that a low-cost, carbon capture technology is a credible solution in the fight against climate change.

The compatibility of C-Capture’s unique, solvent-based technology will be trialled and assessed with real-world flue gas across three hard-to-abate sectors – at sites owned by project partners Hanson Cement, part of the Heidelberg Group, Bioenergy Infrastructure Group (BIG), Glass Futures and one of their member sites Pilkington UK Ltd – in conjunction with leading consulting and engineering company, Wood.

The project ‘XLR8 CCS – accelerating the deployment of a low-cost carbon capture solution for hard-to- abate industries’ will deliver feasibility studies and deploy carbon capture solvent compatibility units (CCSCUs) across the cement and Energy from Waste (EfW) and – in a world first – the glass industry.

Glass and cement industries are essential to the economy but also major carbon dioxide (CO2)contributors. Concrete is the most consumed material by weight globally after water and one of its key ingredients is cement. The cement industry is valued at approximately £1bn and produces approximately 7.5 million tonnes of CO2 in the UK each year. The UK’s glass industry contributes around £2bn every year to the economy and emits over 2 million tonnes of CO2 annually in the UK. EfW plants offer a solution to residual waste, whilst helping to meet the demand for low-carbon energy by converting waste that would otherwise be sent to landfill, into power for homes. Incorporating carbon capture into the process could further lower emissions of the sector and, in cases where waste wood material is used as fuel, allow it to become negative emissions.

All three of these industries are also particularly challenging to decarbonise due to the level and type of impurities in their flue gas emissions. The success of the XLR8 CCS project will benefit UK industry by making a credible, low-cost technology a reality in the route to decarbonisation within these sectors.

CCUS has been identified as an essential component in the route to decarbonisation but barriers to adopting CCUS technology currently exist – such as technology maturity, flue gas compatibility in multiple industries, and cost. XLR8 CCS aims to alleviate these barriers, demonstrating the robust performance of C-Capture’s innovative technology in removing CO2 within hard-to-abate industries. The project will demonstrate that a credible, low-cost carbon capture solution is a reality for difficult-to-decarbonise industries in the race to net zero.

Zonegreen updates safety at historic rail depot

Rail safety specialists at Sheffield-based Zonegreen have installed the latest version of their flagship depot protection system at one of the first facilities to ever invest in the technology. Staff at Brighton’s Lovers Walk Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot are now using RFID tags, instead of padlocks, to protect against train movements. A total of 11 roads at the historic East Sussex depot are equipped with Zonegreen’s state-of-the-art Depot Personnel Protection System (DPPS). It uses radio frequency-controlled road end panels to allow staff to activate Network Rail approved derailers, preventing vehicle movements in the areas they are working. The firm has also updated warning beacons and klaxons with long-life LED technology. Brighton is the second in a series of DPPS installations Zonegreen is carrying out for depot operators, Govia Thameslink Railway, to replace obsolete protective technology. The system was first installed at the facility in 2005, as part of a series of updates undertaken at the time. The new, dynamic version of DPPS is futureproofed with modern electronics and offers greater functionality than its predecessor, along with remote diagnostics and reduced cabling, making it easier to set up and more resilient. Its innovative software design allows for depot upgrades, whilst diagnostics features expand the lifespan of the product. Christian Fletcher, Zonegreen’s technical director, said: “We are continually developing DPPS and the system has come a long way since it was first installed at Lovers Walk 17 years ago. The latest version is easier to use, modify, expand and maintain, giving GTR far greater flexibility in how they develop operations at the depot. Feedback from staff has been unanimously positive and we are confident they will see improved safety and efficiency for years to come.” The full DPPS (hardware and software) has been independently certified to meet the performance requirements of SIL 2 – a reliability assessment of the relative risk reduction provided by a safety system. It is being used in Brighton in conjunction with Zonegreen’s Depot Manager supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, which provides a visual overview, records all aspects of depot protection and depicts the status of interlocked plant and equipment.

360 announce Hull FC sponsorship

360 Chartered Accountants is excited to announce its sponsorship of Hull FC. The deal involves a range of support including sponsoring rugby league legend Gareth Ellis for the 2022 season.  The former Hull FC captain and England international led the black and whites to victory two years running in the 2016 and 2017 Challenge Cup finals.  He is now a key member of the coaching staff since his retirement from the sport two years ago. Meanwhile, 360 is also sponsoring Hull FC’s Player Performance Manager Richard Tate in his capacity as Head Coach for the England universities Rugby League team. In addition, the award-winning firm is sponsoring the Players Playlist, voted for by the fans and played on the PA system ahead of every home fixture and will be the Official Matchball Sponsor for two games this season. Andy Steele, Founder and Director of 360, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Hull FC this year.  We are great believers in the power of sport for good and as a proud Hull-based company we want to work with and support our local teams, from grassroots right up to the top divisions.  It also means we can get our charity, the 360 Foundation, in front of many more local businesses.” Nick Derbyshire, Commercial Manager for Hull FC, who are currently in fifth position in the Super League, said: “We are delighted to welcome 360 Chartered Accountants on board as a sponsor and look forward to working with them throughout the 2022 season. We hope our partnership will also help raise the profile of their fantastic new charity which supports young people within our local community to access grassroots sports.“