The national award-winning Derby City Lab will soon have a new home in the redeveloped Derby Market Hall, following an announcement made at Marketing Derby’s Annual Business Event.
The new move will see the City Lab continue its role as a hub for community engagement and innovation from the Market Hall which is due to open in spring this year after undergoing a major transformation.
Derby City Lab was created in 2022 and was based in St James’s St at the heart of the city’s regeneration frontline and in 2024, it moved to a new location in the Derbion shopping centre.
The Lab is a hub for engaging the community in better understanding the evolution of the city. Visitors can find out about how the city centre is changing, explore the City Living Room which showcases Derby’s 300-year history of innovation, and view a range of exhibitions focused on ideas to regenerate Derby, including the University of Derby’s futuristic Derby Urban Sustainable Transition (DUST) vision.
Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council, said: “Derby City Lab has been integral in helping citizens and stakeholders to understand and shape the city centre’s transformation. I’m delighted to see that it will be moving into Derby Market Hall. It is central to our regeneration plans – reimagining our city centre with culture at its heart and making a better-connected, sustainable city for the future.
“Derby City Lab will continue to provide a space where residents and visitors can learn more about the city centre’s ongoing regeneration and share their views on future plans. We are committed to engaging with residents in innovative ways and the Lab plays a big part in that. I am so excited for the opening of Derby Market Hall and am thrilled to welcome Derby City Lab to their new home.”
John Forkin, Managing Director of Marketing Derby, said: “The Derby City Lab is a unique innovation in the UK – a genuine attempt to engage local people in the shaping of their city. Last week, we welcomed our 15,000th visitor and are excited to become part of the rediscovery of the wonderful Derby Market Hall.”
The Derby Market Hall redevelopment is a £31.5m project part funded with £9.43m from the Government’s Future High Street Fund (FHSF). It is in the second phase of the transformation, focusing on refurbishing the interior and developing the public space outside at Osnabruck Square.
Located at the heart of the city centre, linking Derbion and St Peter’s Quarter with the Cathedral Quarter and Becketwell, the new Market Hall will play a key role in widening the diversity of the city centre and will generate £3.64m for the local economy every year.
Based on concepts in Shanghai and Amsterdam, the Derby City Lab is an initiative of Marketing Derby, the Queen’s Award-winning inward investment agency for Derby, together with partners including Clowes Developments, Derbion, Lathams, the University of Derby and Derby City Council. The Lab won the Estates Gazette award as the Best Public-Private Partnership in the UK.
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140-bed student accommodation scheme planned for Nottingham
Plans for new student accommodation on Nottingham’s Castle Boulevard have been submitted to the city council, helping serve the new University of Nottingham Castle
Meadow Campus.
The development site is bound by Fishpond Drive to the north, an unoccupied commercial building to the west and car-parking to the east. The site is currently occupied by Zoo Interiors, a showroom selling home furniture.
Castle Park View Ltd are behind the plans, designed by Franklin Ellis Architects, which will see the construction of purpose built student accommodation through the demolition of the
existing showroom with retention of the original facade of Dominion House to Castle Boulevard, 49 and 51 Fishpond Drive.
The proposed development consists of three elements: purpose built student accommodation, providing a total of 137 new student accommodation beds (122
cluster beds and 15 studio beds), the retention of the existing house 49/51 Fishpond Drive, providing a total of 4 beds, and two ground floor commercial units
Amenity areas are also planned for residents to socialise and study. Bike and refuse storage, laundry, toilets and plant rooms are situated in the centre of the development.
2025 Business Predictions: Marc Brough, CEO of Cubo
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Marc Brough, CEO of flex office provider Cubo.
As we move into 2025, the East Midlands economy is poised for cautious yet steady growth, underpinned by on-going investments in infrastructure, innovation, and regional collaboration.
The East Midlands offers substantial untapped potential for the flex office market. With hybrid working now firmly established as the norm, companies in the region are increasingly investing in high-quality, flexible workspaces that will meet their evolving needs and attract and retain top talent.
Over the past 12 months we have seen more corporates pivot towards decentralisation to improve accessibility and work-life balance for employees. We see this trend continuing in 2025, with the demand for vibrant, collaborative environments also remaining strong amongst the regional offices of larger firms, high-growth startups and growing SMEs.
Nationally, the flex office sector will continue to evolve in 2025, with demand driven by businesses prioritising flexibility, scalability, and premium amenities. Economic uncertainty has reinforced the need for flexibility in property strategies, prompting businesses to move away from long-term leases in favour of flexible, cost-effective solutions.
This trend is expected to accelerate, with companies seeking to optimise space utilisation while providing employees with inspiring environments that support productivity and well-being.
Sustainability will remain a priority. Occupiers are increasingly drawn to workspaces that align with their ESG commitments, favouring energy-efficient buildings with sustainable design and operations.
Cubo’s commitment to sustainable practices and high-quality design ensures we remain ahead of the curve in delivering the spaces that not only meet but exceed client expectations.
Cubo members benefit from access to co-working spaces at all Cubo locations nationwide. This flexibility enables them to conduct business more efficiently and makes their work lives more convenient and hassle-free.
Looking ahead, innovation will also play a key role in the flex office market, with smart building features and enhanced connectivity all enabling occupiers to create smarter, more efficient workplaces.
As Cubo expands its footprint across the UK, our focus will remain on creating dynamic environments that foster collaboration, creativity, community and growth.
By continuing to anticipate market trends and adapt to evolving client needs, Cubo is uniquely positioned to lead the charge into this exciting new era of work.
Watling instructed to sell former Ryedale caravan site for £1.7m
The site formerly occupied by a struggling Leicestershire caravan and leisure business has been placed on the market for £1.7 million by Watling Real Estate.
Dean Nelson and Brett Barton of PKF Smith Cooper have instructed Watling Real Estate to sell the freehold 1.83 acre site in Shepshed previously occupied by Ryedale Caravan & Leisure Ltd.
Toby O’Sullivan, director in the Midlands office of Watling Real Estate, said: “Ryedale Caravan & Leisure Ltd is sadly another victim of the reduction in demand in the caravan and leisure sector.
“The site benefits from a strategic, highly visible roadside location on the key arterial A512 Ashby Road and offers excellent asset management, extension, and redevelopment potential, subject to planning.
“The property may be of particular interest to dealership, trade counter, and convenience retail/food store occupiers, given it has previously benefitted from A1 and A3/A5 planning use consent.”
The site is well located being less than ½ mile from J23 of the M1, and 7 miles from J13 of the A42/M42. The immediate area comprises a mix of light industrial, dealership and warehouse property. Local occupiers include Aldi, Screwfix, Shepshed Ford, Parker Meggitt, and Manheim Commercial Auctions.
The Leicestershire instruction follows the successful sale late last year by the Midlands office of Watling Real Estate of the 1.85 acre site formerly occupied by Broad Lane Leisure caravan business in Alcester, Warwickshire.
Venture capital investment in the Midlands increases 78% in Q4
A total of £69.8 million worth of venture capital (VC) investment was raised by Midlands businesses between October and December 2024, up 78% from the £39.3 million raised in Q3, according to KPMG’s latest Venture Pulse report.
22 transactions were completed across the region, up from 18 in the previous quarter. Deals were spread evenly across the region, with the highest volumes taking place in Birmingham.
£48.2 million, the majority of the total regional figure, was generated by VC investment into Quanta Dialysis, a Warwick-based medical device manufacturer that improves the dialysis experiences of patients undergoing kidney care.
More broadly, the IT sector, specifically software companies, saw the highest investment volume in the Midlands, with £16.5 million invested into a total of eight companies, spanning financial, network management and communications software.
This latest data follows KPMG’s recent KPE Barometer, which revealed that at least one in five (23%) of the Midlands’ private business owners see venture capital as a means to finance business diversification this year.
Andy Bostock, Birmingham Office Senior Partner at KPMG, said: “It’s great to see Midlands firms continuing to attract significant VC interest during Q4, which is testament to the region’s thriving private business ecosystem.
“And while the massive increase in investment values has been shaped by one major deal, the underlying figures suggest good levels of investment across the board.
“The quality of scaling businesses in the region remains as strong as ever, with investors remaining supportive and standing ready to inject capital into the most innovative companies.”
Employing ex-offenders could help fill East Midlands vacancies says Chamber
East Midlands Chamber is advising businesses in the region looking to recruit in 2025 to consider ex-offenders, as HMP Sudbury holds an employment fair to highlight skills valuable to employers.
HMP Sudbury’s Employment Advisory Board will host a careers fair on 31st January that aims to bring employers together with prisoners reaching the end of a sentence to explore scope for recruitment. HMP Fosse Way ran a similar event last Autumn.
The Chamber supports the UK Fair Chance Business Alliance which encourages employers to open recruitment and career progression to people that have previously offended by promoting the benefits to businesses.
East Midlands Chamber Director of Resources Lucy Robinson said: “Recruiters need applicants that can hit the ground running and all too often finding the right person is a challenge, as our own Quarterly Economic Survey demonstrated, where 7 out of 10 East Midlands businesses that tried to recruit said they’d struggled to get the right candidate.
“There’s a vast talent pool among ex-offenders, many of whom have longstanding skills from previous employment, while the skills programmes that exist in many of the region’s prisons are excellent. These could be ideal for a wide range of sectors like digital, logistics, manufacturing, engineering, construction, administration and transport.
“I’d certainly urge businesses eager to recruit to take full advantage of employment fairs when they occur, as they’re an excellent opportunity to see for yourself the range of skills.”
Grantham Industries secures £500,000 facility to support Rutland waste site acquisition
Lincolnshire-based waste management, earthmoving and demolition company Grantham Industries has secured a £500,000 finance facility from Paragon Bank’s SME Lending division to support the purchase of a commercial waste site in Rutland.
The £500,000 funding will also enable Grantham Industries to renovate the site, building the existing waste transfer station into a waste and recycling centre offering a broader package of services to the local area. The new site in Rutland has expanded the company’s geographical presence, building on its existing operations in Louth, Lincoln and Doncaster.
In addition to the funding facility, Paragon has also recently supported Grantham Industries with a £198,000 asset finance package to purchase a Volvo Wheel Loader for use on one of its current waste transfer sites, expanding its fleet of vehicles.
Grantham Industries offers a range of services under its GBM Demolition, GBM Plant Services and GBM Waste Management brands. The company was started in 2001 by Managing Director Simon Grantham and his brother Andrew Grantham.
The company employs over 90 people and operates across the country.
This deal has been led on behalf of Paragon’s SME Lending division by Henry Oakes, Business Development Manager in the Vendor team, headed by Terry Lloyd.
Grantham Industries Finance Director Leanne Fairburn said: “We had a very specific requirement to purchase a waste site and were looking for a lender to support this transaction. We were delighted that Paragon could support us with a funding facility, building on our existing relationship with the bank after purchasing equipment previously.
“Purchasing the site in Rutland will be a new opportunity for us to expand our footprint and proposition, and we’re grateful to Henry and the Paragon team for all their help in making this a smooth process.”
Business Development Manager Henry Oakes added: “It’s been a pleasure to help Grantham Industries expand its business and purchase the site which will undoubtedly bring about new opportunities for them.
“At Paragon we strive to support clients with their business goals through various financing options, so we were thrilled to be able to arrange a funding facility for Grantham Industries.”
East Midlands business confidence sees slight rise in January
Business confidence in the East Midlands rose one point during January to 39%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds.
Companies in the East Midlands reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up 14 points at 53%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, down 11 points to 25%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 39% (vs. 38% in December 2024).
Looking ahead to the next six months, East Midlands businesses identified their top target areas for growth as evolving their offering, for example by introducing new products or services (51%), investing in their team, for example through training (38%) and introducing new technology such as AI or automation (29%).
The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly and which has been running since 2002, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.
National picture
Overall, UK business confidence fell two points in January to 37%.
While firms’ optimism in their own trading prospects strengthened four points to 51%, their confidence in the wider economy dropped seven points to 24%.
For the third month in a row, London was the most confident UK nation or region in January (55%), with the West Midlands following behind (51%).
Sector insights
There were similar falls in manufacturing, construction and retail this month, with a slight increase in services. Confidence fell to 38% in manufacturing (down 4 points), 36% in construction (down 5 points), and 40% in retail (down 3 points). However, confidence in services increased by 3 points to 38%.
These results come within a general trend of larger confidence declines in retail and services in recent months. Within the services sector, confidence has notably fallen in hospitality but has remained more stable in business services and health-related services.
Dave Atkinson, regional director for the East Midlands at Lloyds, said: “The resilience and ambition of businesses in the East Midlands is evident in this month’s results. And it’s particularly encouraging to see businesses prioritising steps that will support their long-term growth, such as investments in their team and technology.
“As firms kick-off their 2025 plans, we’ll continue to be their side to help them make the most of every opportunity ahead.”
Council to sell eight care homes
Eight residential care homes that are owned and operated by Derbyshire County Council are to be put up for sale as going concerns. Business and commercial property sales agent Ernest Wilson has been appointed to sell the homes.
The eight nursing and residential care homes that are being put up for sale are Castle Court in Swadlincote, Thomas College House in Bolsover, The Grange in Eckington, Briar Close in Borrowash, New Bassett House in Shirebrook near Mansfield, Rowthorne Home in Alfreton, the Leys in Ashbourne and Nottingham’s Lacemaker Court in Long Eaton.
Registered for 260 residents in total, the eight care homes are being offered for sale individually, in packages or as a whole group, with the condition that buyers must have a track record in running care homes to a standard certified as Good or Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
No guide prices will be suggested and Ernest Wilson will market the properties until 16 March, by which date expressions of interest and offers must reach its offices to be considered.
Mark Czajka, director at Ernest Wilson, said: “Residents and their families were naturally concerned about the threat of closure for these eight care homes.
“By selling them as going concerns to experienced and outstanding care home operators, the council is firmly placing the emphasis on the continued and uninterrupted excellent care of the current and future residents.”
Profits and revenue slide at Van Elle
Profits and revenue have slid at Van Elle, the Nottinghamshire-based ground engineering contractor.
According to unaudited interim results for the six months ended 31 October 2024, profit before tax dipped to £1.9m from £2.5m in the same period of the year prior.
Meanwhile, revenue of £65.2m marked a decrease of 4% compared to last year (£68.2m).
The business noted that a “strong performance” in Specialist Piling and Rail was offset by weaker volumes in General Piling and Ground Engineering Services.
Market conditions in each of the firm’s end markets are expected to remain challenging for the remainder of the current financial year. However, Van Elle is said to have “continued to secure a solid pipeline of future work, including several targeted key contract wins, and has a strong order book for delivery in the final quarter of the financial year.”
Mark Cutler, Chief Executive, said: “The Group has faced another challenging period, however, it has continued to make significant strategic progress, positioning Van Elle in attractive end markets and strengthening its core offering to deliver for clients. We have been focussed on driving operational efficiencies and have a right-sized cost base, appropriate to the current levels of demand.
“The acquisition of Albion Drilling has accelerated our expansion into both Scotland and the Energy sector and broadened our specialist capabilities, while Specialist Piling activity levels notably increased in the Period. The Group as a whole has continued to secure a solid pipeline of future work, including several targeted key contract wins.
“Alongside the increase in volumes experienced in our Housing Division, our other key markets are expected to continue improving over the coming months, and coupled with a strong order book, we remain confident in delivering a full year performance in line with market expectations.”
