Bounty – the taste of PRadise: By Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR
Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, recaps some PR magic.
Admit it, we’ve all been there.
The last knockings of the chocolate box over Christmas (anytime in December in my house) are being prodded listlessly as you attempt to “force” down just one more sweet treat.
The Purple one has vanished, the Green Triangle has found its inner Bermuda and disappeared.
Then lo, underneath all the detritus that litters the bottom of the tin, a few stragglers strive to break the surface, their little shiny wrappers glinting in the sunlight as they make a break for it.
It feels tropical, you can almost smell the…oh no…the Coconut! However, what’s this? It appears that for many* hope is kindled…they’ve only gone and BANNED the Bounty one!
This SHOCK omission made headlines for days with global media outlets featuring the story with huge enthusiasm and fun, knowing full well that they were giving invaluable column inches, clicks and airtime to a superbrand with enough marketing budgets to PAY for this.
Why? Simples…engagement.
Let’s recap what happened here.
The maker of Celebrations chocolates let it be known that they would be removing Bounty bars from SOME tubs after finding 40% of people HATE the coconut-flavoured treat.
They confirmed that they will supply a limited run of “No Bounty” tubs which would be available at 40 Tesco stores in the run-up to Christmas.
This isn’t the first time these guys have leveraged the Love/Hate angle either. Last year they announced a Bounty Return Scheme allowing a swap with Maltesers. Genius!
What is even cleverer is that they have caused more outrage by limiting the availability.
People are now annoyed about not being able to access the Bounty-free tins if they don’t live in the chosen areas. The scarcity message is so clever. Fans will flock and even non-fans will have a little look when comparing which choc tubs to buy.
So they are now moaning on Twitter and fuelling the PR fire beautifully.
“Wispa” it…but my money is on the Bounty-free tins being far more widely available due to consumer demand pretty sharpish (EC column deadlines dictate that I cannot say for sure).
That will give them ANOTHER great PR opportunity. Hats off to the team behind this!
Even if they don’t roll this out, Bounty WILL be available to pretty much everyone across the UK (whether they like it or not!).
Meanwhile, Piers Morgan (no stranger to me after I appeared on the same bill as him a year or so ago) labelled it as a “diabolical decision” to his 8 million followers, whilst Lorraine Kelly expressed her indignation to her huge national TV following.
PR GOLD! The secret sauce here is being talked about.
That is basically what PR is. If you are planning something like this, you have to take yourself OUT of the conversation as a marketer and metaphorically stand on the edge of the group.
Ask yourself; “Will this get our audience talking about us?” – in a good way that is.
That is what journalists think all the time too. “Will this story inform, entertain, stir, move, annoy, enlighten” our readers/viewers?
In basic terms, will this raise eyebrows and sell copies and clicks?
Christmas is coming and only time will tell whether there will be a mutiny on the Bounty. Either way, PR celebrations are in order!
*This is the key, not EVERYONE has to agree. In fact, ideally, this is what you want. You want a fight. Or as the media will term it, ‘engagement’.
A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008.
He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective.
See this article in the December edition of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.
2023 Business Predictions: Parm Bhangal of Bhangals Construction Consultants
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 Parm Bhangal of Bhangals Construction Consultants.
With the interest rates continuing to increase, I expect the construction market will start to slow down in 2023 as people are forced to tighten their belts.
It’s a tricky landscape to navigate currently, especially on top of what has been a testing time for the sector with all the previous challenges of Brexit and the pandemic. We have already been hit with a crippling skills shortage and long, unavoidable materials delays.
The coming year will be about managing customer expectations, planning ahead and staying up to date with industry trends.
Modern methods of construction and artificial intelligence seem to be slowly infiltrating the sector, and no doubt there is more to come in the coming months.
Although historically, the construction industry has relied upon traditional skilled tradesmen, the workforce is now making room for the introduction of robotics, automation and computerised design to aid development and efficiency.
I believe 2023 will see large developers using more robotic technology and prefabricated off-site building, especially for new house builds with repetitive structures, that can be much more systemised.
But this shouldn’t concern those who provide bespoke, tailored, skilled services, which very much still have their own place.
What is vital for the coming year is strategic planning. Construction firms should be looking 6 months, 12 months and 3 years ahead to forecast how their business might evolve and focus on the training and investment that is needed, ensuring you adapt to stay strong in the market.
“Challenging year” sees pre-tax loss and revenue dip for X-ray business
2022 has been a “challenging year” for Image Scan, according to its chairman, Tim Jackson, balancing lower booking levels with cost increases whilst maintaining research and development investment to lay the foundations for a stronger 2023.
The X-ray screening systems manufacturer has today announced preliminary results for the year ended 30 September 2022, in which the firm has slipped to a pre-tax loss and revenues have dropped.
The Leicestershire-based group generated revenues of £2m, down 31% from £2.9m in the year prior, and produced a loss before tax of £0.35m, decreasing from a profit of £0.19m.
It is said this performance was a result of the slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in certain key markets and Government procurement cycles, coupled with some delays with component sourcing.
Tim Jackson said: “On behalf of the Board and management of Image Scan, I would like to thank all of our colleagues and customers for their contribution to our business during 2022, without whom we would not be in the position we are today.
“The trading performance was below expectations as government procurement continued to be held back following the pandemic challenges that remain in some of our key markets. Our balance sheet provides us with a strong operational and financial platform from which to deliver growth.
“We have made an encouraging start to 2023 and are confident in meeting our expectations for the full year. Whilst there are still macroeconomic uncertainties and challenges and the domestic economic outlook looks weak, the Board of Directors is confident in the group’s prospects in the medium to long term as we continue to seek to capitalise on our extended product range and global sales channels.”
Bill Mawer, the former chairman and CEO, stepped down as CEO in January 2022 and retired from the Board in June 2022.
Image Scan’s Chief Executive, Vince Deery, said: “Following the organisational changes completed during the year, I would like to thank Bill Mawer for his leadership and contribution over the last eight years.
“Furthermore, I would also like to express my appreciation to the new chairman Tim Jackson and the entire Board for their support in this transitional period. Both myself and the Board take this opportunity to commend the staff for their valued contribution during a challenging year. Our goal is to build upon Bill’s legacy while focusing on the expansion of our higher margin portable product line which we believe is our route to returning to profit in 2023.”
Support for more Derbyshire businesses to reduce energy use and cut carbon
More Derbyshire businesses and organisations will be eligible for help to reduce their energy costs and cut carbon emissions as part of Derbyshire County Council’s Green Entrepreneurs Fund programme.
More than £715,000 has already been awarded to businesses and organisations through the grants programme which is being run in collaboration with the University of Derby as part of the council’s drive to help the county reach net zero by 2050 or sooner.
But now changes made to the eligibility criteria for the programme’s Small Grants Fund mean even more businesses and organisations will be able to access funding to help implement green energy plans to reduce their energy costs.
Small grants from £6,000 up to a maximum of £20,000 can be applied for towards projects such as, but not limited to:
- installing solar panels
- replacing old heating systems with air/ground source heat pumps
- retrofitting old boilers to make them more energy efficient
- fitting electric vehicle charging points at their premises
- installing energy efficient LED lighting
- improving the insulation in their premises to help prevent heat escaping
- funding to replace equipment and machinery with energy-saving alternatives
- battery storage for solar generated energy.
New Northampton logistics hub creating 7,500 jobs reaches key milestones
The development of a new state-of-the-art multi-modal logistics hub in the Midlands, which is expected to create around 7,500 new jobs, has achieved a number of key milestones this year and remains on schedule.
Main contractor Winvic Construction Ltd commenced construction work at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton, a five million square feet modern, warehousing and logistics hub alongside a dedicated 35-acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange, in early 2020.
This year, work has completed on the intermodal and HGV slabs, along with the terminal buildings at the 450-acre site, which is located adjacent to Junction 15 on the M1, four miles outside Northampton. The final slab on the rail terminal has been poured, meaning the programme for the rail terminal is on schedule.
The strategic rail freight interchange will connect to the West Coast Mainline via the Northampton loop line and will encourage the increase of sustainable movement of freight by rail. On-site rail works will continue through the winter period and Network Rail will be working on-site to connect the Northampton loop to the mainline. The rail terminal is planned to be fully operational by Easter 2024.
As part of SEGRO’s commitment to investing over £200 million into local infrastructure, improvement works have now been completed to the M1 Junction 15 upgrade, the A508 and the A45, which have improved access and traffic flow. The overall infrastructure scheme, being delivered in partnership with National Highways, Network Rail and local authorities, is anticipated to be fully complete at the beginning of 2024.
The development comprises seven large warehouse units, ranging in size from 530,000 square feet to 1.2 million square feet. Over 50% of the development plateaus have been prepared this year and the remaining plateaus will be available by the end of 2023.
The site will include over 80 acres of parkland and amenity grassland, 18km of footpaths, 20km of hedgerows and the planting of 60,000 new trees.
Andrew Pilsworth, Managing Director, National Logistics at SEGRO, said: “Developments such as SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton represent critical pieces of national infrastructure in the heart of the UK, playing an invaluable role in storing and transporting goods and services all over the country in an efficient and sustainable way.
“We are making excellent progress and are pleased to be able to continue development at pace despite the current economic uncertainty.”
Rob Cook, head of Civils and Infrastructure at Winvic Construction, said: “This multi-modal logistics hub is crucial for meeting the demands of distribution in a sustainable, future-proofed way. Our one-team approach to the complex programming for earthworks, rail, a covered tunnel structure and significant highways reconfiguration works has enabled us to meet all the key milestones and we look forward to continuing our partnership with SEGRO to a successful handover and beyond.”
SEGRO has been working alongside local council and community partners to deliver an employment and skills programme that provides training and employment opportunities for members of the local community. This forms part of SEGRO’s newly launched Community Investment Plan for the Northampton area.
Last month, a community environmental project completed at The Racehorse Park, which involved reinvigorating outdoor community space and enhancing biodiversity and wellbeing.
People with bright ideas invited to create their own businesses with expert support and £75k prize fund
People with ideas for change are being invited to turn them into exciting new businesses, with the help of university experts.
Budding entrepreneurs can submit their ideas to the Ingenuity Programme, a business creation competition, where they will be supported to develop and progress their initial idea with the help of experts from the UK’s top universities, charities and businesses. This year’s prize fund available to winners totals £75,000.
The Ingenuity Programme, run by Nottingham University Business School, supports start-ups to directly address the UK’s social and environmental challenges to drive change in local communities. By entering the Programme, entrepreneurs will receive one-on-one support from specialist mentors to develop their idea into a business plan and be in with a chance of receiving significant investment and support.
Entrepreneurs will also have access to online learning materials and tutorials from industry and academic experts. The programme brings together a network of 30 partner universities, charities, and businesses across the UK to support ideas that promote sustainable ways of living.
The 2023 programme has been designed alongside Nuffield Health, the programme’s key supporter, with the focus aligned to Nuffield Health’s purpose to build a healthier nation. The programme is looking for ideas that focus on building stronger communities, improve health and address health inequalities, and promote environmental sustainability.
“At Ingenuity, we are committed to making the UK’s start-up landscape more inclusive, diverse and accessible. You don’t need any prior business experience to take part, and we will provide you with all the support you need to turn your ideas into a reality,” said Elizabeth Smith, director of the Ingenuity Programme at the Haydn Green Institute at Nottingham University Business School.
Elizabeth continued: “Being able to collaborate and design the programme with charities like Nuffield Health has allowed us to support more people than ever before. We are proud to have delivered more than £750,000 of social benefit through last year’s programme, and look forward to working with the next generation of changemakers this year to tackle issues such as the cost of living crisis, climate change and widening health inequalities.”
“We are really excited for the launch of Ingenuity 2023. The themes this year continue to align closely with our purpose to build a healthier nation – not only through health and wellbeing, but by shining a light on protecting our environment and sustainable living,” said Brendan Street, head of Charity at Nuffield Health.
Brendan continued: “We are also proud to have the opportunity to work with, and support, people from under-served groups to help bring their ideas to life and make meaningful impact in the communities in which they live. It’s inspiring to see the impact the winners from last year have already made within their communities, and I look forward to seeing this year’s innovative programmes building more sustainable and healthier communities.”
Keasha Kellam was awarded the 2022 Impact Entrepreneur of the Year title. Powered by her own lived experience, Keasha Kellam founded ‘Honour Thy Woman’, a community support group that helps domestic abuse survivors in the local area.
After recognising a gap in the support available to domestic abuse survivors, she formed the idea and began assembling a group of volunteers. Keasha later joined the Ingenuity Programme and was supported to turn the volunteer-led group into a financially sustainable social enterprise with a business model and a five-year business plan.
During the programme, Keasha was also able to further develop another idea for providing safe accommodation for women and incorporate this into her business plan. Keasha benefited from the help of a host of academic and business experts, who provided advice on Intellectual Property, developing a Unique Selling Point for the business, pricing structure, and pitching to investors.
The funding Keasha received after winning the national prize has enabled her to employ a Research and Developer to build a programme so that the business can work with international partners.
Keasha Kellam said: “I’m a domestic abuse survivor, but my whole team has experienced domestic abuse so it’s by the community, for the community.
“The Programme did even more for me than I imagined and I was delighted to win the national award. Since winning, so many more opportunities have opened up to me as a result. The authenticity of winning an award has helped me to network with potential collaborators and investors, and I have been able to successfully attract more funding.”
The programme’s learning platform, accessible to all entrants, includes a step-by-step process to help entrepreneurs to think through the finance, marketing, impact measurement, copyright, and organisational development of their solution.
By the end of the programme, each start-up will submit their finished business plans to be assessed by industry experts. The most scalable and impactful ideas from each region will be announced as Regional Finalists. From there, winners will be chosen.
The Ingenuity Programme supports social mobility by providing seed grants and mentorship to innovators looking to start new enterprises, aiming to engage innovators from under-represented and underserved groups across the UK.
To date, Ingenuity has supported more than 3,000 innovators and delivered over £1million in seed funding, including to The Anxiety Map Programme, which created a network of venues trained in anxiety accessibility for people living with anxiety or mental ill health. IMA Architects unveil ‘UK first’ technology
IMA Architects (IMA) has unveiled a successful test prototype of a new technology that will create an exact digital replica of a building. Known as ‘The Digital Twin’, the technology will help companies gain more data about a building’s performance in real time, helping them to save money by monitoring and reducing a building’s energy use.
The company has transformed two former shipping containers at its head office in Blaby, Leicestershire into the ‘IMA Digital Pods’. The two structures are now a staff gym and a coffee bar – but with a difference. The pods have been equipped with a wide range of sensors to create a ‘Digital Twin’. Believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, IMA’s ‘Digital Twin’ prototype has been designed – and successfully tested – to accurately represent a physical space within a virtual model. In this instance, the staff gym and coffee area are replicated exactly, digitally. Linked to Building Information Modelling (BIM), sensors in the physical building feed data back to the virtual model, showing how even the slightest change could impact performance in the real world. This grants the building owner or manager access to real-time data with an in-depth analysis of a building’s performance. This is significant as it means that simulations can also be run in the virtual space, allowing users to gain information on important metrics such as energy consumption to carbon emissions, informing decisions that are made in the real world. The IMA Digital Pods use Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to collect real-time data from the relevant spaces and feed it back “through a cloud platform” into a 3D model that has accurate information about the pods’ structure and assets installed within. This data is then analysed and visualised virtually within the Digital Model and can be stored in the cloud for further analysis. Commands can also be sent from the Digital Model to activate or deactivate devices in the Pods as well as monitoring performance. Anthony Day, Managing Director of IMA Architects, says: “The creation of the IMA Digital Pods has enabled us to develop our knowledge within this emerging area. We are putting the theory into practice so that we can implement this technology on our client projects. “We believe that the successful use of BIM and the ‘Digital Twin’ is the future of building design, and having more buildings with this level of information and intelligence will play a huge part in helping the UK meet its Net Zero targets, reducing costs for businesses along the way. “Amongst other things, it has the potential to lower construction costs by 33%, increase delivery speed by 50%, and lower emissions by 50%, the latter of which is incredibly important as the Government continues to set out plans to decarbonise all sectors of the UK economy. And with increasing energy costs, the Digital Twin will be an incredibly valuable cost-saving tool, leading the way to a better, greener, future.” IMA unveiled the Digital Pods at a launch event with staff and clients at its Blaby HQ on Friday 2 December 2022.Construction gets underway on 51,000 sq ft speculative unit at Mercia Park
A new 51,000 sq ft speculative unit is being constructed at IM Properties’ Mercia Park scheme, junction 11, M42, completing Q3, 2023.
Targeting a rich seam of logistics providers and manufacturers in NW Leicestershire, Mercia 51 sits alongside some of the Midlands leading businesses including Jaguar Land Rover and DSV.
The state-of-the-art logistics destination has sustainability at its core. IM Properties has worked in partnership with the main contractor, Winvic Construction Ltd, to achieve Net Zero in Construction on the site overall, including the buildings recently constructed for Jaguar Land Rover.
Mercia 51 will also be Net Zero Ready and target BREEAM Excellent, an EPC A rating and as part of its sustainable transport strategy have 10 active EV charging spaces, with passive infrastructure for another 40 and storage for up to 12 cycles.
Harry Goodman, development director for IM Properties, said creating future-proofed, high specification warehousing was no longer just about the construction but the environment in which it sits.
“Business is becoming more accountable for its commitment towards a sustainable future and the logistics sector is more focussed than ever on transparency around its operations.
“This is driven not only by societal shifts but by businesses, their customers and supply chain who have their own targets and ambitions.
“Mercia Park represents our line in the sand, as the first of our large-scale development schemes to achieve Net Zero in Construction. Mercia 51 raises the bar further to also be Net Zero Ready. This means the building is optimised so the occupier can achieve Net Zero in Operation.”
Goodman added: “Mercia 51 is being created to a level of specification which sits within our Sustainable Future’s framework and aligns with the Green Building Councils (UKGBC)’s recommendations.
“Mercia Park has already contributed to many local grassroots projects through a £350,000 community fund and our contractor, Winvic Construction Ltd, has partnered with us to promote employment and skills, creating an onsite training centre and a Sustainability and Innovation Hub.”
People and employee wellbeing are also part of IM Properties commitment on the scheme. Mercia 51 will sit amidst 12 hectares of woodland and 4k of amenity paths within Mercia Park, giving future occupiers access to green outdoor areas, cycle paths and footways.
Goodman continues: “Mercia 51 offers the full package to modern occupiers. The strength of the location and its connectivity is reflected by the businesses already in operation on the scheme.
“The added layer of sustainability and social responsibility creates a narrative around Mercia Park which is equally attractive for occupiers to buy into.
“We’ve come to see that this no longer as an aspiration but a priority for future viability if we are all to remain relevant in today’s world.”
Gedling Borough Council secures £2.9m to invest in local communities
Gedling Borough Council has secured funding to improve the borough using an allocation of £2.9 million through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund over the next three years.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is the successor to the European Structural Fund and Gedling Borough Council will receive £368,000 in the first year followed by £696,000 in year two and a final instalment of £1.8 million in year three.
The council’s bid included a detailed investment plan that showed how it will spend the money in order to meet the government’s funding criteria and what the benefits to the local community will be. The fund identifies three local priorities; communities and place, support for local businesses and people and skills.
The council will be looking at a range of ideas to spend the money including improving town centres, green spaces, encouraging visitors and improving community engagement programmes. Projects in the first year include plans to refurbish Lambley Lane sports pavilion, expand CCTV in crime hotspots in areas including Calverton, provide community grants to local charities and groups and the council will also use the funding to install new Changing Places public toilets at King George V Playing Fields in Arnold Town Centre.
As part of the submission, the council consulted with local community groups, businesses and partners to establish what they think the money should be used for. The consultation results were included in the plan and helped shape some of the key priorities for the fund. The bid was also formally backed by Nottinghamshire County Council.
Deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, councillor Michael Payne, said: “This is good news for Gedling. We are very pleased to have secured this much needed funding to help support our local communities across Gedling Borough.
“We put together a robust investment plan and worked with local communities to help identify the best places for this funding to be used. As the funding is over three years, we have a limited allocation in the first year but we will start work on improving sports and recreation in key areas of the borough, specifically a refurbishment of the sports pavilion on Lambley Lane in Gedling and the installation of a new Changing Places toilet in King George V Park in Arnold.
“We now look forward to the Government approving our £50 million Levelling Up Fund bid to further improve our local community.”
Cabinet member for growth and regeneration, councillor Jenny Hollingsworth said: “This money will be used to support communities all across the borough including areas in Gedling, Calverton and Mapperley.
“I am very pleased that the Lambley Lane sports pavilion in Gedling will be one of the first places to benefit from this funding. The refurbished pavilion will ensure grassroots sports are back in the area and help improve the health and wellbeing of local residents and families.”
Green jobs in the East Midlands double in the last 12 months
The second edition of PwC’s Green Jobs Barometer has found that the number of green jobs advertised in the East Midlands has almost doubled in the last year, providing encouragement that the economy is becoming greener.
There were 20,432 green opportunities advertised in the region in 2022, compared to just 8,752 in 2021. Green jobs accounted for 2.17%% of total overall roles in the region in 2022, compared to just 1% in 2021, with an absolute increase of almost 134%.
The Green Jobs Barometer, which first launched in November 2021, tracks movements in green job creation, job loss, carbon intensity of employment, and worker sentiment across regions and sectors.
In the year to June 2022, every region of the UK saw green jobs accounting for a greater share of the job market, and the number of green jobs at least double in absolute terms.
Green jobs are growing around four times the rate of the overall UK employment market, with 2.2% of all new jobs classed as green. However more than one-third of these roles are now based in London and the South East, with a dominance of professional and scientific roles.
Matthew Hammond, PwC UK Midlands Regional Market Leader & Birmingham Senior Partner, said: “The East Midlands has seen a surge in green jobs in the last 12 months and it is encouraging to see the region becoming greener.
“When we launched the green jobs barometer in November 2021, green jobs in the East Midlands accounted for just over 1% of total opportunities. This has now more than doubled, illustrating how the region is developing to become greener and more sustainable.
“That said, London and the South East continue to dominate with more green professional and scientific roles. Employers in the East Midlands have an opportunity to innovate and consider how their operations can become greener, particularly in the manufacturing sector that represents a high proportion of the East Midlands economy.
“Embracing new, greener technologies and investing in skills will provide benefits for business operations and more employment opportunities in the region, as well as making a difference to the environment.”
Nottingham heritage consultancy merges with planning, design and development consultancy
Nottingham-based heritage consultancy Locus is merging with Midlands, London and South West-based planning, design and development consultancy Marrons – adding a new service line to its portfolio.
Taking on the Marrons brand, the team of four have more than 40 years’ combined experience in planning with all aspects of the historic environment.
Joining Marrons is heritage partner Adam Partington, principal heritage planner Tom Street, senior heritage planner Robert Templar and assistant heritage planner Brixie Payne.
Leading the team, Adam Partington has more than 18 years’ experience gained in private practice and local authority. Working closely with local authorities, developers, private individuals and charities, Adam is a skilled mediator and has significant experience in taking strategic, creative and commercial approaches to planning with heritage assets.
With more than 14 years’ experience, Tom Street previously worked as a local authority conservation officer and has an in-depth understanding of architectural history, historic building maintenance, heritage legislation and grant-funded schemes. A member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), Tom is an advocate for environmental sustainability and heritage-led regeneration.
Robert Templar has more than 12 years’ experience working in the archaeological sector, including seven years in consultancy. Robert evaluates the archaeological potential of development sites and supports the role it can have in place shaping.
Brixie Payne supports the team in preparing detailed heritage statements, archival research and assisting with site analysis, having previously studied at both Durham University and the University of Leicester’s School of Museum Studies. She also took a lead role in a national eLearning programme for Historic England due to be launched early 2023.
Adam said: “Our historic environment plays an important role in shaping distinctive places. Taking positive development-led approaches to planning with heritage assets is key to reconciling agendas of growth and conservation effectively.
“We are really excited to be joining our colleagues at Marrons. The merger will augment the design and planning service already offered by Marrons, to create a multi-disciplinary team that offers our clients a truly integrated service when planning with heritage assets.”
Newark & Sherwood District Council allocated £3.28m to support communities and accelerate economic growth
Newark and Sherwood District Council has successfully secured £3.28 million from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to diversify communities and town centres, enhance local skills, improve infrastructure and help to accelerate economic growth across the district.
The funding comes from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) which is part of the government’s Levelling Up agenda, providing £2.6 billion of new funding for local authorities to apply for and invest in their districts and boroughs by March 2025. Earlier this year, Newark and Sherwood District Council engaged with key partners to submit an Investment Plan for the district to receive an allocation from the fund of £3.28 million to spend over the next three years.
The District Council’s Investment Plan identified a range of projects and activities that could benefit from the funding in-line with the three priorities set out by central government: supporting communities and place, local businesses and people and skills. The delivery will run in synergy to Newark Towns Fund projects and those outlined as part of the Levelling Up initiatives.
UKSPF will create the opportunity for investment in a number of selected projects and programmes, enabling those that are existing to grow and diversify as well as the delivery of a range of new and innovating activities. Organisations will be able to apply for funding in the coming weeks to support the delivery of district projects between April 2023 – March 2025 that align to the UKSPF aims and objectives and support localised challenges and opportunities.
Councillor David Lloyd, leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have been successful in securing £3.28 million of funding through UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This funding will go a long way in accelerating growth in our area through several projects that will support local businesses and communities within the district.
“We’ve been incredibly successful recently in securing substantial pots of funding to enhance our district through a series of transformative projects, however they have often been area specific i.e., Newark Towns Fund. This exciting new opportunity however benefits the wider district, residents and business.”
The Investment Plan was submitted to government earlier this year and endorsed by Newark and Sherwood Place Board.
East Midlands manufacturers see tough year ahead
Manufacturers in the East Midlands are looking at a tough twelve months ahead with the sector likely to contract in the face of a deteriorating economic outlook at home and abroad according to a survey published today by Make UK and business advisory firm BDO.
The forecast was made in the Make UK/BDO Q4 Manufacturing Outlook survey which shows manufacturing contracting by -3.2% in 2023. This comes on the back of a forecast -4.4% contraction this year, although Make UK stressed the number for this year is relative to a very strong 2021 which reflected the pandemic bounceback.
However, given Make UK has consistently been revising down its forecasts for manufacturing growth in 2022 throughout this year from 3% in March to 1.7% in July, 0.6% in September and now, a contraction of -4.4% (1), it highlights the extent to which conditions for the sector have weakened significantly, especially in the final quarter of the year.
In the last quarter, output in the East Midlands held up in line with the national picture at a balance of +12%, although total orders in the last quarter dropped substantially to a balance of -12%, which is likely to feed through into depressed output in the future. Despite this recruitment intentions remain strong in the East Midlands given labour shortages and the scramble to attract and retain talent.
As well as downgrading its forecasts for manufacturing Make UK is forecasting GDP growth of +4.4% this year but, a contraction next year of -0.9%.
In response, Make UK warned of the danger of policymakers sleepwalking into an acceptance of little or no growth as a normal economic scenario. It re-iterated its call for Government to develop a wide-ranging industrial strategy with a long-term vision at national and regional level.
Furthermore, while the Chancellor took some welcome measures in the Autumn Statement to help ease the short-term pressures on business, Make UK said more measures will be needed if economic prospects continue to weaken. These should include:
- Alleviating labour shortages with temporary easements to the migration system and ensure manufacturers have the funds to train and retrain employees by expanding the tax exemption for work related training into a wider Training Investment Allowance.
- Tackling the increased cost to business by extending business rates reliefs for retail hospitality and leisure to manufacturing
- Spurring on much needed immediate investment by allowing first year allowances
- Re-thinking recent decisions on the R&D tax relief for small businesses to ensure manufacturers are not deterred from investing in critical innovations
Charlotte Horobin, region director for Make UK in the Midlands, said: “There is simply no sugar-coating the outlook for next year and possibly beyond. Even for a sector as resilient as manufacturing these are remarkably challenging times which are testing even the best and most successful of companies to the limit.
“As a result, while the Chancellor has already brought in some welcome measures to help ease the cost pressure on companies in the short term, it may not be too long before we see him having to bring more firepower to ease cost pressures.
“However, the bigger issue is that the UK risks sleepwalking into an acceptance that little or no growth is the norm. Government needs to work with industry as a matter of urgency to deliver a long-term industrial strategy that has growth at national and regional levels at its heart.”
Jon Gilpin, head of Manufacturing at BDO in the Midlands, said: “The new government recently put forward welcome measures to assist the sector in the short term. However, the government needs to provide a plan on how they intend to support the sector in the long term. Businesses need to be able to plan their future with confidence that the government will support them.
“Without adequate government assistance, businesses will be inclined to hold onto their funds to keep the doors of their business open, rather than investing in technologies and capabilities which will make them competitive in the longer-term. For instance, manufacturers may delay investing in automation technology and green initiatives, thus impacting the future competitiveness of the sector.”
SME Flotec to upgrade entire fleet of trains for Northern
As the second largest train operator in the UK, it is of upmost importance that Northern maintains its fleet of trains to the very highest of standards.
Northern plays a vital role in the north of England by connecting tens of thousands of people to work, leisure, education and more every day.
The Northern engineering team were aware that much could be done to improve the efficiency and reliability to its fleet of legacy diesel trains and approached potential suppliers to develop an appropriate engineering solution.
Loughborough-based Flotec was successful in its proposal and through a rigorous tender process, has recently been awarded a multi-million-pound contract to modify the complete fleet of Northern 15x class trains.
This substantial investment highlights the Northern commitment to offering a best-in-class service to the passengers who rely on its network.
The award win is also a major commercial success story for SME Flotec.
The modification focuses on the engine cooling system, primarily the fitment of the award winning, reverse pitch fan and electronic fan control, solely distributed in the UK by Flotec and developed to maintain the efficiency of the radiators by periodically reversing the air flow through the radiator to remove contaminants collected during its cooling cycle. This becomes a particular problem during the spring pollen season on many Northern routes.
The fleet modification also consists of a complete hose replacement with the introduction of the Bluestripe EPDM coolant hose and PowerGrip clamp solution. This product has proven to eliminate premature coolant hose failures, which creates many traffic RTI’s during regular service.
All hydrostatic hoses are to be replaced with the new Railtec market leading hose and MegaCrimp couplings, which will also eliminate Hydro leaks and premature failures during service.
A 4-year trial with Northern and several successful fleet installations, with other operators, provided the confidence for the Northern reliability team to commit to this product and the benefits it will bring to the existing DMU fleet.
The fleet upgrades will be completed before the end of 2023 and will support Northern in reducing downtime, increasing vehicle efficiency, and delivering environmental benefits.
To find out more about Flotec’s latest rail innovations, call the team on +44 (0) 1509 230 100 or email rail@floteconline.com
Alternatively, head to www.flotecindustrial.co.uk/rail
2023 Business Predictions: James Pinchbeck, partner, Streets Chartered Accountants
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 James Pinchbeck, partner at Streets Chartered Accountants.
Looking to the new year ahead often comes with a mix of excitement and in trepidation as to what the next 12 months might have in store. Perhaps though in doing so it is useful to reflect on what one predicted for the last 12 months. Therein lies the rub, all too often and not least in a Vuca world (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) the predictions we have at the beginning of a period of time invariably don’t always turn out to be exactly as we thought. The one thing we have seen in recent years is there is little in the way of certainty.
This aside, looking ahead to 2023, there is a real sense that the challenges around staffing and skills shortages will play an ever-important role on business performance and sadly customer experience and satisfaction. It is not unreasonable to think we will face further industrial action within the public sector, but also, we should be prepared for further workforce challenges within the private sector. This may be around not just pay, but also working arrangements along with mental health and wellbeing.
In the belief that with adversity comes opportunity, we should more optimistically see greater heightened levels of innovation and enterprise. Certainly, as we all get to grips with the cost-of-living crisis we are likely to see the launch of new products and services that are born out of the problems and challenges we face. We should also expect to see much more in the news of start up and scale up businesses engaged in realising the potential of technology to improve productivity and people’s lives, whether this is using artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, the internet of things, or the metaverse.
As we continue to reflect on the pandemic and growing concerns about the impact of climate change, 2023 should see a greater appreciation of and focus on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) by not just corporate enterprises but also more and more businesses.
Finally, 2023 is the Chinese zodiac year of the rabbit or to be precise the water rabbit. The sign of the Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture. 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope. People born in a year of the Rabbit are called “Rabbits” and are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded, and ingenious. Certainly such characteristics would be a real attribute for the year ahead.
East Midlands businesses ramp up video marketing in 2022
Glowfrog has a ThreeBestRated® award, recognising it as one of the very best video production services across Derby, Nottingham and the Midlands.
Major framework win for Aggregate Industries
Aggregate Industries has been selected as part of a multi-million framework to construct, repair and maintain Edinburgh’s roads.
The construction materials supplier, which has its headquarters at Coalville in Leicestershire, was successful in tendering on the City of Edinburgh Council’s Roads and Transport Infrastructure Construction Framework 2022-26.
The framework, which is valued at £101.76 million, is to provide major carriageway and footway maintenance and renewal to the city.
Aggregate Industries was successful on two lots for schemes where the estimated value of works which will be delivered across both lots is £6.6m per annum or £26.4m.
The services within this contract will include planing, road surfacing, minor civils, street lighting, pedestrian crossings, road markings and traffic management.
Aggregate Industries is one of a number of contractors to be appointed to the framework.
John Mackenzie, Scotland regional director for Aggregate Industries, said: “We’re really excited to be appointed to this framework covering Edinburgh’s roads and pavements.
“It demonstrates Aggregate Industries is a key player in this market both in terms of quality and customer service.
“We have a strong established capability in Scotland and a history of delivering on major projects across the country.”
Bolsover councillors vote against Combined County Authority proposals
At a recent Bolsover District Council meeting, councillors overwhelmingly agreed to write to the local MP and the ‘Levelling Up’ Minister voicing their opposition to the proposed East Midlands Combined County Authority.
The proposal would see an election take place for an Elected Mayor in May 2024 and they would represent more than two million people across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, with the new authority having strategic powers in areas such as transport and economic policy. Something which the Council has voted against four times now.
Councillor Duncan McGregor raised the issue and asked for the Council Leader to express the Council’s views on the proposal, which is of huge local significance.
Council Leader, Councillor Steve Fritchley said: “This is the fourth time we have debated this issue and every time we have voted against it. There is a lot of objection to the proposal, not only here in Bolsover District, but across Derbyshire as well, as it will have a real, significant effect on democracy in Great Britain.
“I have been asked to write to our local MP and urge him to vote against the Bill that is going through Parliament – which is what I will now do as councillors have voted and agreed to it.”
Councillor McGregor moved the proposal and Councillor Ray Heffer seconded it.
Nottingham secures £10m of Government prosperity funding
Nottingham City Council has secured over £10m from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund which aims to support local residents, businesses, and communities.
The £10,454,325 allocation announced for Nottingham by the Government will be used to fund activity that builds pride in place, supports high quality skills training, supports pay, employment and productivity growth and increases life chances in Nottingham.
This funding is available until 2024/25 with an element being used this financial year, delivering local benefits straight away.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UK SPF) is the successor programme to the previous European Structural Investment Fund driving economic prosperity across regions. In Nottingham it will be used to deliver support across four investment priorities:
- Communities and Place
- Supporting Local Business
- People & Skills
- Multiply Adult Numeracy.
Burton Company Undertakes national environmental awareness survey as enquiries for its solar panels soar
A survey released today by Burton-based solar panel retailer and installer, Project Solar UK, shows the real impact of the COP 27 summit on Brits behaviour.
Following the coming together of nations to progress climate change initiatives, Brits were asked for their opinions and understanding of what happened at the recent get together in Sharm El-Sheikh
While 62% of those surveyed correctly said that it was a climate conference, 4% thought COP 27 was a TikTok channel, 5% thought it was a car model, 4% thought it was a famous landmark, 5% said it was a TV model and most worryingly, 20% admitted to not knowing what it was.
In the aftermath of the highly publicised environmental event, the survey revealed some encouraging statistics:
68% stated that their household now takes steps to reduce waste
56% stated that their household now takes steps to reduce emissions
69% stated that their household now takes steps to reduce electricity usage
Trying to reduce how much expensive electricity we power through each day is clearly high on the agenda for two thirds of Brits. Project Solar UK, the country’s leading installer of solar panels, which convert the natural resource of the sun into energy, has seen enquiries rise by over 180% in the past 6 months from those who are keen to find alternative ways to heat and light homes and run domestic appliances. The company, with a base in Lancaster Business Park in Burton on Trent, is the leading retailer and installer of solar panels, and is managing installations across the country.
Simon Peat, CEO of Project Solar UK, says, “Our survey shows that COP27 has piqued the interest of many people who are looking at real alternatives to burning fossil fuels for their energy. People are taking practical steps to reduce their energy usage, emissions and waste and COP 27 has had a massive part to play in keeping these issues at the forefront of peoples thinking. Installing solar power in the home is a way we can each address climate issues in a practical sense and we are here to offer free information and advice to anyone considering making the change.”
