Marquee company invests in new premises at Potter Space Ripon
A North Yorkshire-based marquee hire company, which specialises in providing bespoke structures for weddings, parties and corporate events across the UK, has expanded its operations after signing the lease on a new warehouse and offices at Potter Space Ripon.
The English Marquee Company (EMC), based at Hampsthwaite near Harrogate, has seen demand for its services grow significantly in the last two years, with the business experiencing a strong bounce-back from the initial disruption of the pandemic.
In moving into the 17,500 sq ft Unit 53 at the Potter Space Ripon business park, located close to junction 50 of the A1M at Melmerby, EMC will have more space available for stockholding, which in turn will enable it to grow and create new jobs. In addition to more than 16,000 sq ft of warehousing and storage space, the new home for EMC gives the team 1,000 sq ft of office space and plenty of outdoor space across the one acre plot.
The unit’s design and build is in line with other new units at the business park, including the adjacent Unit 52, which was Potter Space’s first carbon neutral building.
EMC’s events director Tor Peters said: “Moving to our new base at Potter Space Ripon is fantastic as it enables us to grow in every way possible and take our business forward as a marquee and event hire company that’s a ‘structure specialist’. We have taken on more stock, expanded our team and have the capacity to deliver more events with ever more creative solutions.
“It’s an exciting new chapter for EMC and we look forward to Potter Space Ripon being the place where we can build a long-term sustainable future for our growing team. We’d like to thank the Potter Space team and agents Fox Lloyd Jones and Gent Visick for helping us make our vision a reality and their amazing support during what is a huge moment for the business.”
Jason Rockett, Managing Director at Potter Space, added: “We’re delighted that the English Marquee Company has chosen Potter Space Ripon to take its business to the next level and fulfil its growth ambitions. It has been a pleasure to work closely with EMC, which is something we like to do with all our customers in order to best meet their needs.”
Nick Salkeld, director at Fox Lloyd Jones, said: “It’s always rewarding to see that Grade A industrial and warehouse space such as unit 53 at Ripon can provide the springboard for SME size businesses to accelerate growth. The high quality unit, and Potter Space Ripon as a whole, seem a perfect fit for EMC to serve a growing UK-wide client base and I wish the team every success as it begins this next exciting chapter.”
Plans in for 417,570 sq ft speculative logistics development at Doncaster Sheffield Airport
Panattoni, the industrial real estate developer, has submitted a planning application for one of the largest speculative logistics facilities in South Yorkshire.
The application is for a 417,570 sq ft facility, called Panattoni Doncaster 420, next to Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Panattoni acquired the 18.4-acre site with outline planning consent from Peel L&P in March.
Panattoni Doncaster 420 will be built to BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC ‘A’ ratings with many sustainability features, such as electric vehicle charging points and 15% roof lights. It also will benefit from 15m clear internal height, 34 dock doors, three level access doors, a 50m yard with parking for 74 HGVs and up to 1.5 MVa of power. Panattoni is aiming to start construction later this year with completion in the third quarter of 2023.
Dan Burn, development director at Panattoni, said: “This is a superb logistics site with direct access to local, regional and global markets. Our planning application has been submitted just six weeks after we acquired the site, which reflects our desire and ability to bring much needed speculative development forward as quickly as possible.”
CPP and Colliers International have been appointed as letting agents alongside Burbage Realty.
Half of firms now more likely to invest in carbon reduction measures
New data from the Institute of Directors shows that, as a result of rising energy costs, half of businesses are now more likely to invest in carbon reduction measures.
In a survey of nearly 600 business leaders, 16% also agreed that rising energy costs would make them more likely to invest in carbon reduction measures in the short term, 28% in the medium term and 22% in the long term.
Alex (Alexandra) Hall-Chen, senior policy advisor at the Institute of Directors, said: “With rocketing energy prices, many businesses are increasingly looking at investing in carbon reduction measures to ensure that they are more resilient to the impacts of energy price volatility in the short, medium and longer term.
“However, businesses also need clear signals from government to encourage long-term planning to move towards net zero. That is why we have called on government to introduce a lower corporation tax rate for companies that achieve net zero.”
In its recent policy paper, ‘The Green Incentive: how to put net zero at the heart of business planning’, the IoD has put forward proposals to provide businesses, and particularly SMEs, with an effective incentive to play their part in decarbonising the economy.
New hub to empower Yorkshire entrepreneurs
The University of York will launch a new business hub to help support the region’s entrepreneurial community with dedicated facilities and expertise.
Enterprise Works will offer a range of business services, including office space; conference facilities; shared workspaces; training and networking events.
Members of the Enterprise Works team will be based at the newly-renovated Guildhall, which has just been acquired by the University on a 15-year lease following a multi-million pound renovation.
The facility will be available for entrepreneurs from the Yorkshire region, as well as building on existing services offered to University staff and students.
Professor Kiran Trehan, pro-vice-chancellor for partnerships and engagement, said: “Enterprise Works will support the region’s entrepreneurs and businesses, but more than that, enhance the power of enterprise and entrepreneurship to support communities, economies, and lives.
“We want to ensure that everyone who wants to be enterprising is supported to do so, whatever their background, and to make enterprise everybody’s business.”
Enterprise Works will also help to develop small business training and offer funding opportunities to entrepreneurs across York and the wider region. It will deliver a wide-range of events to bring together thought leaders, business owners, policy makers and researchers to work on crucial social and business issues, as well as create a new community allowing entrepreneurs to access expertise and peer support.
Director of Enterprise Works, Sam Gardner, said: “Community is at the heart of Enterprise Works, and we are thankful for the generosity we have seen from our alumni and the local business community for this initiative so far.
“We are excited to support local businesses at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey and to work with them to shape this community in the future.”
Enterprise Works will run social innovation projects to improve access to entrepreneurship support for all communities and work with the entrepreneurial community, researchers and policy makers to influence government policy.
Helen Simpson, chair of York and North Yorkshire LEP, said: “The next generation of entrepreneurs will grow some great new businesses, which will support the development and expansion of our regional economy.
“We’re delighted to see the University’s commitment to entrepreneurship and to developing our talent base. We look forward to continuing to work with the University in the development of partnerships across the city and the region to ensure holistic, connected support for our start-ups.”
Enterprise Works will be officially launched at an event on the 24 June 2022.
Bank services company sets up shop and creates jobs in Leeds
Banking services company LHV today opened for business in Leeds, its second UK location after London.
The new office in the Willington Place business hub will be home to the Company’s engineering and development teams, tasked with building a proprietary online customer portal specifically tailored for the Company’s B2B fintech clients.
LHV chose Leeds as its second UK office location because of the city’s well-established fintech ecosystem and the wider region’s highly skilled workforce. In addition, LHV UK is currently pursuing a UK banking licence as part of parent LHV Group’s plans to separate the business operations of its retail bank, LHV Bank, from those of the London headquartered fintech focussed LHV UK – since 2018, the Company has operated in the UK as LHV Bank’s UK branch. This move will allow better compliance with regulatory and supervisory requirements and enable LHV UK to highlight its value proposition and the profitability of its operations to new investors. As the complete separation will also include staffing and technology, management decided to establish a strong presence in Leeds.
Macs Dickinson, Lead Engineering Manager at LHV UK, said: “If London is the undisputed fintech capital of Europe, then Leeds is the fintech capital of the North. Last year, Leeds was named one of the fastest-growing tech cities according to Digital Economy Council, and the city is already home to more than 30 national and international banks. As the city is a location for the first fintech accelerator outside of London, it is an ideal second base for LHV UK.”
Rebecca Wright, Chief People Officer of LHV UK, said: “I’m thrilled to be helping a highly specialised international fintech focussed bank establish a base and build a team in my home county. Thanks to LHV UK being wholly owned by the established LHV Group, successful candidates can look forward to the prospect of joining an entirely new team that will work on an entirely new product without the risk of joining a startup.
“The pandemic has changed how people work. Together with LHV UK’s flexible approach, I view the office as a facilitator for collaboration. When I’m not in London, I often work from our Leeds office and so could many other potential employees, not only in the engineering and development teams, but also from elsewhere in the Company. By establishing a regional base, LHV UK has expanded the talent pool for potential hires.”
LHV UK currently provides banking services to more than 200 leading crypto and fintech companies, such as Paysafe, Blockchain, Currencyclud, Coinbase, Trustly, Monese and Wise. Since establishing a presence in Leeds at the beginning of the year, the Company has recruited more than half of the 20 positions it currently looks to fill in the coming months. The office has enough capacity for 30 desks, with options to scale up its presence in the Wellington Place business hub in the future if required.
LHV UK’s banking licence is subject to regulatory approval by the Prudential Regulatory Authority and Financial Conduct Authority.
Doncaster security specialist unlocks key to growth
A Doncaster business security specialist is planning for significant future growth after securing support from the South Yorkshire Business Productivity Programme.
OLS Limited is hoping to double its workforce from 15 members of staff to 30 within the next three years after the match-funded grant programme helped it to revolutionise its sales processes.
Headquartered at Avro Park, OLS Limited provides a range of access control, CCTV systems and bespoke security integrations, helping its customers to embrace cloud-based technology to keep their physical sites secure. The company currently supports a diverse range of businesses ranging from food manufacturers and logistics operators to gym chains, serviced offices and even schools amongst its growing client base, which spans the UK and Europe.
When COVID-19 forced many businesses to encourage members of staff to work from home, company founder Ollie Law saw demand for the company’s services boom as businesses sought to keep their unoccupied premises secure.
Despite receiving a healthy number of orders throughout the pandemic, Ollie was shocked to discover that his website failed to generate a single new business lead and realised that the sales processes that the company had relied upon for many years were no longer fit for purpose. Unsure of how to capitalise upon the market opportunities, Ollie decided to reach out to Business Doncaster for advice.
Working with key account manager Sharon Finch, the company decided to implement a number of new measures to improve its sales processes. Ollie identified that the company’s website required significant investment, and through discussions with Sharon, his business decided to apply for a Business Productivity Grant: a match funded grant designed to help businesses based in South Yorkshire to overcome barriers to growth.
With funding in place, OLS engaged with the services of a local marketing company, which successfully redesigned the company’s website, whilst Ollie and his senior management team began implementing new measures within the business to track the sales journey of its customers, helping the business to communicate more effectively with both existing and potential clients.
Since successfully completing the work, OLS has seen orders boom. It has achieved record growth in the UK, as well as expanding its client base in Germany, Belgium, Spain and the Republic of Ireland. The measures implemented through the Business Productivity Grant have been such a success that the company has recently seen its turnover hit the million-pound milestone, and the company is already planning for further growth and expansion.
Ollie Law, Managing Director, OLS Limited, said: “Having the right security systems in place is vital for almost every business. In recent years, we’ve helped a wide range of businesses to protect themselves by developing security solutions that meet their needs, but I also felt that we were missing out on chances to grow and develop the business further because our sales processes were not fit for purpose.
“When lockdown forced businesses to work from home it was essential that business owners could be assured that sites not in use could remain safe and secure. We felt there would be a high demand for security, something borne out by the number of visitors we received to our website. However, we realised very few of the visits were converting into sales.
“We knew this meant we were potentially missing out on new leads, so we decided to contact Sharon to see if our business may be eligible to receive help. She advised us to apply to the Business Productivity Programme. The funding we’ve received has transformed our business. It’s only been a few weeks since we launched our new website, but it’s already generated more orders in the time it’s been live than our previous site did in a decade.
“It’s also helped us to put into place systems to help us understand our customers’ needs more effectively and to improve the way we communicate with them. The support we’ve received has enabled us to focus upon scaling up our business further, and we’re confident that the measures we’ve put in place will help us to lay the foundations for significant future growth, enabling us to create new skilled jobs, both in Doncaster and across the UK.”
Sharon Finch, key account manager, Business Doncaster, said: “OLS has come a long way over the past decade, and despite enjoying year-on-year growth since the company was founded, Oliver knew that for the business to continue growing, it was vital to spend time looking at the barriers to growth. For OLS, this meant changing their sales processes.
“The Business Productivity Grant has helped them to access specialist support to upgrade their web presence by investing in a marketing team, which is already reaping dividends in terms of business growth.
“The success OLS has achieved isn’t just great news for the business, it’s great news for Doncaster and South Yorkshire, enabling the company to embrace new opportunities, as well as helping it create and retain skilled jobs within the local economy.”
OLS Limited was founded by security specialist Ollie Law in 2009 after being made redundant from his job as a security engineer. Using his redundancy money and his life savings, he has grown the business from being ‘a man with a van’ to a company that has achieved a seven-figure turnover and employs 15 people.
Low Carbon to present updated plans for Gate Burton Energy Park this summer
Low Carbon has confirmed that a formal six-week consultation on detailed proposals for Gate Burton Energy Park – the new solar and energy storage park it is proposing to build near Gate Burton, close to Gainsborough – will launch on 22 June and run until 5 August.
The consultation will give nearby communities and interested parties the opportunity to find out more about detailed proposals for the proposed renewable energy development and provide their feedback, ahead of Low Carbon submitting its application for development consent to the Planning Inspectorate.
Comments will be invited on a number of areas including the masterplan, visual impact considerations and the electrical connection into the national grid at Cottam substation. Low Carbon will also be asking people for their views on the initiatives it is considering to directly benefit those local communities in proximity of the scheme.
Mike Rutgers, Low Carbon Development Director said: “After carrying out an initial stage of consultation earlier this year we’ve continued to shape and refine our proposals for Gate Burton Energy Park in light of the issues raised as well as the findings from ongoing surveys and studies we’re undertaking.
“This stage of formal ‘statutory’ consultation will give people the chance to have their say on the finer detail for the project including where we’re proposing to locate equipment and deliver a connection into the national grid, as well as the measures we’re putting in place to minimise the impact of the project.”
The extent of the land available to deliver the Gate Burton Energy Park is in the West Lindsey District near Gate Burton, Knaith Park and Willingham-by-Stow. The renewable electricity the solar energy park generates would then be exported into the national grid via a connection into the existing substation at Cottam Power Station in Nottinghamshire.
With an anticipated generation capacity of 500 megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity, the scheme could provide enough clean energy to power over 160,000 homes and avoid more than 100,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.
“We want to encourage as many people as possible to take part in this second stage of consultation and provide us with their views”, Rutgers continues. “Continued engagement with the local community has a critical role to play in helping us deliver a renewable energy scheme that contributes to the country’s future energy needs while also being considerate to the needs of neighbouring communities.”
Consultation starts on 22 June and runs until 5 August 2022 during which time a series of in-person and online events will be held so people can meet the project team and learn more about the proposals.
All feedback received during this consultation, together with the findings from the environmental and technical studies, will be used to finalise the proposals ahead of the submitting an application for development consent to the Planning Inspectorate.
In advance of the consultation starting, people can register online via the website to receive project updates directly. Further information on how to participate in the consultation will be available on the website and will also be sent to around 7,500 homes and businesses when the consultation launches.
Redevelopment of dementia day care facility in Huddersfield approved
Planning permission has been granted to redevelop much needed dementia day care facilities in Huddersfield.
The Homestead in Almondbury, will be demolished and replaced with a single storey, modern facility that meets the needs of people living with dementia and their carers. This is part of plans to invest £11m in dementia day care facilities across Kirklees.
Frank Shaw Associates are designing the new 30 place facility. The facility will include a wellbeing zone, activity zone, a home therapy zone and a sensory garden. Each zone will also incorporate the latest assistive technology including sensory lighting and sound systems. The space will be flexible to accommodate the physical disability, sensory and mobility needs of the people who use these services.
Councillor Musarrat Khan, cabinet member for health and social care, said: “I am delighted that plans are progressing to better enable our residents to live well with dementia. The facilities will help the people who use these services to maintain their independence as much as possible. They will also provide much needed respite for their carers.
“We have already implemented trailblazing dementia design principles in other council facilities through our unique collaboration with the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre. These new facilities will be another step forward in our plans to make Kirklees an inclusive place to live for residents living with dementia.”
The existing building is set for demolition in the winter of 2022.
Restoration of nine-acre brownfield site almost complete for new Bradford enterprise zone
Bradford Council has announced that the restoration of a nine-acre brownfield site is almost complete and is now being marketed for sale.
The Parry Lane Enterprise Zone site offers a single site or smaller plots which are well located for the M606.
Significant site improvements have been carried out that will boost investment and increase jobs in the area.
Despite the impact of coronavirus lock downs leading to sub-contractor and material shortages, the work has been completed on time and within budget by the contractor, Balfour Beatty.
The project is the first in the district to deliver off site environmental improvements which will be required under the latest Environment Act.
Planting trees, shrubs and wildflowers on a site at Douglas Road will offset the loss of biodiversity within the development site.
The green additions will improve an unmanaged area of land, provide a better environment for local residents, improve air quality, help reduce potential for flooding, muffle noise pollution and soak up carbon to reverse climate change.
The Council will use Douglas Road as a demonstration project to show developers how to follow new legal requirements to improve the environment in new developments.
The old Yorkshire Electricity Board depot was ear-marked as an Enterprise Zone in 2016 and West Yorkshire Combined Authority provided £8.5m in funding from its Growth Deal and Getting Building Fund.
The site is being marketed by joint agents Sanderson Weatherall and Eddisons.
Cllr Alex Ross Shaw said: “We are delighted this new Enterprise Zone has been completed and is ready for market, especially given the challenges presented by the difficult operating conditions caused by COVID-19.
“The Parry Lane Enterprise Zone will provide much needed space for firms to invest and expand, and will boost local job opportunities.
“This is a great example of how brownfield sites can be redeveloped in a green and sustainable way, unleashing the potential of land which has remained vacant for many years.”
Tracy Brabin, the mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “It’s fantastic to see how funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority has helped to bring this vacant brownfield site back into use bringing investment, jobs and opportunities to Bradford.
“As we work towards a net zero carbon West Yorkshire by 2038, this project demonstrates how effective measures to absorb harmful emissions and offset any potential damage to biodiversity can be.”
Endless makes four director appointments
Endless LLP has appointed four directors nationwide, including the appointment of Jon Duffy in the Leeds Office.
Since joining Endless in February 2015 Jon has worked across a number of investments including Amscan and bathroom retailer Victoria Plum.
The further director appointments are James Warburton in Manchester, and John Stevens and Tom Callaghan in Endless’ London office. Luke Wolf has also been promoted to associate director in the Enact investment team in the Endless Leeds office.
The promotions fall in a year of strong activity for Endless which has included the record breaking exit of BSW Timber in January 2022, delivering the highest ever return from an Endless investment, together with the exit of Adare SEC and the acquisition of YPM.
Garry Wilson, managing partner, said: “We’re delighted to congratulate James, Jon, Tom, John and Luke on their well deserved promotions. These are great milestones in their careers and reflects the fantastic contribution each has made to our business across all of our offices.”
