- Secure capital investment in the existing and new facilities
- Encourage increased participation in golf
- Work with Derby Golf Club with the joint aim of promoting golf for the enjoyment and benefit of all
- Encourage additional community outreach programmes
- Ensure the maintenance of the non-golfing areas of the property to protect and conserve the natural environment and ecological character of the land.
New operator of Sinfin Golf Course revealed
A new operator has taken over the running of Sinfin Golf Course, with Derby City Council appointing Link Golf UK to manage and operate the facility.
The course was previously run by Sheffield City Trust (SCT), under a lease agreement with the Council. SCT indicated it wished to surrender the lease this year, so the Council launched a process to find a new operator.
They were looking for an operator who met the Council’s objectives to:
Nottingham nursery sold
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has sold Bright Stars Childcare in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.
Bright Stars Childcare is a ‘Good’ rated day nursery originally founded by Karen and Peter Quinton as a childminding business in 2004 which traded from their home. The business transitioned to childcare on domestic premises in 2012 and, in 2022, was re-registered to Childcare on Non-Domestic premises as the pair moved out of the residential part of the property and converted this to additional nursery space to now offer 73 places.
Karen and Peter recently decided to sell the nursery after 20 years and have recognised their deeply fulfilling journey. Following a confidential sales process with David Eaves at Christie & Co, it has been purchased by Storal, taking the group to 33 registered settings across England, which they operate as 30 nurseries.
Karen and Peter Quinton, former owners of Bright Stars Childcare, say: “When we first opened the doors to the nursery, our goal was to create a safe, nurturing, and joyful environment where children could grow, learn, and flourish and with our teams and families support this vision became a reality.
“We are confident that Storal’s vision and commitment will ensure the continued success and growth of the nursery. They are enthusiastic about engaging with the community and building strong relationships with each family.”
Sarah Mackenzie, CEO at Storal, says: “We’re delighted to welcome Bright Stars Childcare which shares Storal’s passion and ethos around early childhood education. We were attracted to the nursery due to its emphasis on ensuring children’s experiences at the nursery are memorable and educational, its positive local reputation, not just with parents but with local agencies and local schools too, and its high-quality facilities.
“As with all of our acquisitions, we look forward to blending Bright Star Childcare’s strengths with Storal’s values and strong support structure whilst embracing its uniqueness and individual story.”
David Eaves, Director – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, says: “It was a pleasure to support Karen and Peter in the sale of their wonderful nursery. Since first meeting Karen and Peter over two years ago we have navigated the change of use from Childcare on Domestic Premises to Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, the change of planning to increase the capacity to 73 places, and the relative merits of a leasehold vs freehold sale.
“Having overcome these hurdles, we were delighted to introduce Storal and I’m sure Sarah and the team will build on the fantastic legacy Karen and Peter leave behind. This is a further example of the continued high levels of demand for good opportunities across the East Midlands and beyond.”
Bright Stars Childcare was sold for an undisclosed price.
Charterpoint names new director of acquisitions
Developer Charterpoint has strengthened its team with the appointment of Miles Howard as director of acquisitions.
The new position has been created as part of the continued expansion of the Charterpoint Group, which specialises in developing senior living accommodation, sustainable mixed-use and housing developments, and primary care premises.
Miles brings with him 30 years of experience in the land market, having worked within the residential sector and the senior living sector.
His new role at Nottingham-based Charterpoint is a nationwide role which will support the developer as it continues to identify and acquire sites for development across the country.
CEO at Charterpoint Adrian Goose said: “We are pleased to welcome Miles to our growing team at Charterpoint. He has a fantastic track record on acquisitions within the sectors that we specialise in and I envisage that his insight and expertise will play a key role as we continue to expand.”
Miles has previously held positions as land director at a number of well-known companies within the senior living and residential development sectors.
He said: “I am delighted to be joining Charterpoint – a respected developer that I have had the pleasure of dealing with in the past. I look forward to taking on this new role as director of acquisitions and supporting the business as it continues to expand across the country.
“My role is to identify and locate suitable sites that Charterpoint can consider for development – helping the company to widen its portfolio of excellent senior living schemes, neighbourhood centres, mixed-use developments and other projects.”
77 homes for later living set for Edwalton
Vistry Group, the provider of affordable mixed-tenure homes, has announced a £19 million deal to bring 77 affordable apartments to Edwalton in partnership with Anchor, the not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people in later life.
Work to build these facilities will start imminently. There is huge demand for housing for later living that the partnership with Anchor is aiming to meet, both here, and at other sites.
This new development, built on brownfield land, will consist of one and two-bedroom apartments and is located to the south of Nottingham and the River Trent.
Andy Reynolds, Managing Director of Vistry South East Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be working with Anchor to build beautifully designed assisted living apartments for the affordable market.
“We’re excited to be leading the way in meeting the requirements of those needing this type of accommodation when housing is in such high demand. These much-needed new homes will be built to an exceptional standard to create a thriving and sustainable community.”
Victoria Mager, Director of Development Delivery at Anchor, said: “The development at Edwalton will offer residents the opportunity to be part of an open, inviting, and warm community. We’re looking forward to work starting in the next month and offering the opportunity for people to enjoy living in later life.
“This new community will deliver much-needed accommodation for older people in the local area. We anticipate delivering an average of at least 500 homes a year over a rolling ten-year period. This is in addition to growing the number of homes we provide in residential care.”
Derelict Nottingham shopping centre site undergoes green transformation
The vision for Nottingham’s new ‘Green Heart’ is being realised as the former Broadmarsh Shopping Centre site is transformed into green space. Expected to be open to the public in August 2024, the newly landscaped site will provide a meeting space surrounded by trees in the centre of the city.
ATV Contract Services, an RSK company, is working on the landscaping element of the project for Willmott Dixon on behalf of Nottingham City Council; 34 mature trees are being introduced to the public open space, including two Metasequoia (giant redwood) and one super mature English oak tree, which is the focal point of the site. Several thousand wetland plugs, such as marsh marigold, specimen shrubs and perennial flowers will cover an acre of the site, which has been derelict following the closure of the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre.
ATV Contract Services Director Ben Hensman said: “The landscaping of this site, which covers around one acre, will have a transformational impact for Nottingham, creating a new and inviting green space right at the centre of the city. Over the last two months, the team has worked to realise the ‘Green Heart’ vision and has planted beautiful specimen trees, shrubs and wild flower lawns across an acre of reclaimed public space.
“The oak tree planted on-site came with a particular challenge because of restrictions on supply and delivery due to the presence of oak processionary moth (OPM) in the UK. The solution was to import a tree that was grown from seed in southern Ireland, which falls outside of the current OPM zone, ensuring the project was undertaking its duty for the responsible movement of trees and keeping up to date with the current legislation.”
Crowders Nurseries, a sister company within the RSK Group, has supplied most of the plants for the greening project. Overseeing the project at Crowders, Danny Green said: “The plant list for this project was very diverse, ensuring it provided suitable wildlife benefits while creating a modern green space that is accessible to the public. Three trees hand chosen by the client are the focal point of the development.
“The underplants, which complement these trees, consist of mature shrubs, such as dogwoods and witch hazels, flowing down to wild flower poppies and primulas, offering interest through all the seasons. There is also a diverse wetland area, encouraging further biodiversity into a busy urban area.”
Pathed walkways through the planting will connect the redeveloped Nottingham Central Library and Broadmarsh Bus Station building with pedestrian routes to the Old Market Square and Nottingham Castle. Nine oak benches will also be installed around the site, and a 180 m³ space is being excavated in the centre for a pond.
Ben said: “The wetland area, which includes a pond and rain garden, will create an important refuge for nature by providing a valuable habitat. The design will encourage urban wildlife including insects, pollinators and birds with the introduction of oxygenating water plants to increasingly grow the biodiversity of the area.”
Northamptonshire entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses thanks to new programme
A group of entrepreneurs from Northamptonshire have graduated from the first cohort of an incubation programme facilitated by the team at Vulcan Works.
The inaugural Vulcan Creatives, a six-month programme funded by West Northamptonshire Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), commenced in January and saw 10 businesses work with business growth manager Darren Smith to either turn an idea into a viable business or grow their fledgling enterprise.
The entrepreneurs who took part in the programme were selected from tens of applications with a preference given to those working in the creative or digital sector – emerging industries in the county that Vulcan Works was created to support.
Those who completed the programme attended a Vulcan Creatives Showcase event to mark their graduation. During the event, each participant gave a presentation about their journey to the specially invited guests.
Nabil Abbas, who has developed a decentralised instant messaging app, found the programme “really helpful and really useful,” saying that the sales training provided helped him to find developers in the same way he would find customers and Darren introduced him to people in his own network. He was also able to work on his networking and presenting skills, with Vulcan Works loaning him space to hold his own networking events too.
He said: “I would really recommend this programme, regardless of the industry you are in. The biggest challenge I had was finding the right people. The technology I am developing is really new and that limits my talent pool in terms of other developers I can work with and my options in moving the business forward.
“I’m happy to report that I now have a small team of developers and we are working together on some really exciting projects that are going to be integral to what I want to build. Being surrounded by other like-minded entrepreneurs gave me the chance to bounce ideas off people who weren’t in my tech bubble and Darren really has gone above and beyond to help me.”
Emma Colton, a brand photographer who works with female business owners, had never done networking or presenting before and has now delivered workshops, including a branding workshop for her fellow Vulcan Creatives. In doing this, she realised her background in graphic design was of huge added value to potential clients and has added this to her service offering and developed logos and branding for some of her Vulcan Creatives counterparts.
She said: “I didn’t expect there to be so much camaraderie and for us to build such a strong network between us. I have come away from this with friends, which I didn’t expect to happen.”
Chelsea Henry joined Vulcan Creatives as an experienced interior designer who had been made redundant from a role working in show homes. She didn’t have a business when she started the programme in January and launched Knook Interiors in May.
She said: “I joined Vulcan Creatives with nothing. I didn’t have a name, logo or business plan, just a vision to empower people through interior design and make it attainable for all. Through Vulcan Creatives, I have been able to collaborate with some amazing people. Emma did my branding, I have designed a space for Vulcan Works and Roddy has done my photography. Having Darren to go to – a person I can trust for business advice – has been invaluable.”
Musician Matt Lewis wanted to develop his band, Party Beats, into a collective, ‘Pick and Mix’ option that enables clients to create their own band from a group of musicians for events.
He said: “I had been operating as a business for six months and got to a point where I was getting frustrated and didn’t know what the next step was. Then, through luck or the universe, I found Vulcan Creatives. I have learned a lot and had tons of breakthrough moments. Our four-piece band is now a collective with more musicians on board and we can do more than one event on the same night under the band name.
“The workshops have been fantastic and the help from Darren has been mindblowing. I started thinking about my cash flow after a workshop with Natwest and realised I had made a fatal mistake of not planning ahead in what, it turns out, is a seasonal business. I had a breakthrough in the sales workshop too and realised I had been approaching it all wrong. I feel I know so much more about sales funnels, branding and marketing, which is great.”
Roddy-Lloyd Jones, a retired teacher who created a portable photography studio in a decommissioned ambulance, had a similar experience. He said: “I was a teacher for 37 years and it has been amazing to collaborate and work with other people that help you to learn continually. I launched LJPhotostop in October.
“Workshops from Barclays and Natwest have provided me with so many insights that, coming from the world of education, I just had no experience of. Like Matt, I noticed the seasonal element to my business and have started doing property photography and weddings. Rather than a jack-of-all-trades photographer, I now own a business in photography.”
Gary Morgan created Enable AI, an artificial intelligence assistant, weeks before being accepted onto Vulcan Creatives. He said: “I arrived at Vulcan Creatives with an idea. Emma has helped with my branding. I have a website about to be launched and I just want to say thank you to Vulcan Creatives.”
Gavin Prior runs Pixli, a business that produces virtual reality and augmented reality apps. He said: “Pixli was essentially an idea in my head in January and I came to Vulcan Creatives to see how I could turn that into a business. I’ve met a really good network of people and everyone has just helped each other, which I didn’t realise I also needed.”
Tamara Holland, founder of Dot & Stripe, already had a successful marketing consultancy but wanted to niche down and specifically work with children’s activities providers. She said: “Vulcan Creatives gave me the confidence to push the imposter syndrome to one side and go ‘all-in’ with targeting my niche of children’s activities providers.
“This year I have had a huge boost in revenue and some incredible opportunities to host training and workshops to my ideal customers. With the support of my fellow cohorts, Darren and the additional training and support, I have been able to smash my goals.”
Hairdresser Aprille Russell and make-up artist Aveline Rust run Glam-Start, a hair and beauty academy. Aprille ran a hair salon from home and Aveline also ran a permanent make up and beauty clinic from home. Both felt there was a demand for a course in the industry that taught you how to run a beauty business, rather than just training in the various beauty and hairdressing qualifications.
Since joining Vulcan Creatives, the duo have run taster days of their courses, launched a website and have taken on workspace in Vulcan Works that they are in the process of moving into, ready to commence their courses in September.
Aprille said: “Since January, we have dedicated every Wednesday to coming into Vulcan Works to work on the business and meet with Darren. He has been a huge help to us – the contacts he has, the information he has given us – we just can’t thank him enough. The taster days also led to sales, which we wouldn’t have had if Vulcan Works hadn’t lent us the space to host them.”
Darren said: “Vulcan Creatives was a brand new idea and has been helped by so many individuals and businesses who have put on clinics, workshops and masterclasses which has been appreciated.
“We wanted to guide entrepreneurs with an idea through a process to create a business and make use of the great facilities at Vulcan Works and it has been great to see the success stories of those who have taken part. I’m also really proud of the fact that we have been able to help these businesses with grant applications too, resulting in all of them being awarded a £1,000 grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
“One thing that has been key and a great part of this programme has been the way that everyone has collaborated together. Some have even been each other’s first customer.”
Vulcan Creatives is now open for pre-applications for the next cohort, which begins in September.
Pest control company acquires Nottingham-based garden care product manufacturer
Knaresborough pest control manufacturer and supplier Pelsis Group has acquired Nottingham-based garden care product manufacturer, Doff Portland, strengthening the group’s portfolio of retail, agricultural and professional brands.
Established in 1946, Doff Portland manufactures a number of leading brands and private label products for major retailers in the UK and EU. These brands include Doff, Portland Garden, Power Up and Green Fingers.
Speaking about the acquisition, Pelsis Group CEO Alex Ashmore said: “In Doff we have found a strong partner to complement our own well known retail brands and channels. The combined strengths of Pelsis’ distribution network and Doff’s product portfolio in the UK and Europe will make a powerful combination of brands and channels for our customers,” he said. “We are excited to welcome the Doff team to the Pelsis family.”
Doff Portland becomes a wholly owned subsidiary with its 85 employees, customers and suppliers welcomed into the Pelsis Group.
The deal follows Pelsis’ acquisitions of Brandenburg (2022) and Sanitrade (2021) which focused on the Professional Pest Control categories. Doff Portland provides a good balance to Pelsis’ portfolio, with its well-known retail brands and commitment to offering sustainable and environmentally responsible products and solutions to pest management issues, ahead of increasingly stringent global regulatory requirements.
Commenting on the sale, Doff CEO Ben Shapiro said: “This acquisition presents a phenomenal opportunity for Doff. There is a great fit in terms of our vision and values. Both businesses have been focused on investing in their portfolios of environmentally responsible products for amateur and professional users.
“This will continue and the combination will hugely benefit our employees and our customers as we find new opportunities for growth.”
Pelsis was advised by Alvarez & Marsal and DLA Piper. Doff Portland was advised by Hill Dickinson and Cavendish.
Clowes Developments employee to run Robin Hood Half Marathon in support of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance
A Clowes Developments employee is to run the Robin Hood Half Marathon in support of Fairham’s charity partner, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance (LNAA).
Last year, representatives from Homes England and Clowes Developments, the delivery partners bringing forward Nottinghamshire’s brand-new 606-acre neighbourhood, Fairham, committed to raise funds for Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance.
To boost fundraising efforts Lucy Bloor, Marketing Assistant at Clowes Developments, who is involved in the marketing of Fairham, has pledged to lace up her running shoes and take on the challenging Robin Hood Half Marathon in September 2024.
Lucy said: “I’m thrilled to be taking part in the Robin Hood Half Marathon as part of #teamhelimed29 supporting Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance, one of the UK’s leading Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) charities, funded purely by the generosity of people within the community.
“They are not part of the NHS and are not funded by the Government. Instead, they rely on the generous support of the community to fund the £13m need to keep the charity operational this year. Having visited their headquarters and hearing first-hand from the crew the amazing work they carry out every day, I will be wearing the Lincs & Notts t-shirt with pride throughout the event, and I hope to raise as much as I can for them.”
LNAA Corporate Partnerships Manager, Joe Harper is delighted that Lucy has chosen to raise vital funds for the air ambulance charity and said: “Every year we are called to more emergencies and with an average mission costing £4,000, it is only through the generosity and goodwill of supporters like Lucy that our crews can be by the side of patients when they need us most.”
The Robin Hood Half Marathon is one of the longest established and most popular city centre road events in the UK. It is also the largest charity fundraising event in the city, raising over £330,000 for charity in 2019. Taking place on Sunday 29th September, the event starts and finishes at Victoria Embankment. The undulating 13.1-mile loop sees runners pass famous landmarks such as Nottingham Castle and Wollaton Park.
Fairham is in the process of becoming a whole new neighbourhood for Nottingham with 3,000 new homes, one million sq ft of employment space and 200 acres of open green space. There will also be a neighbourhood centre and new educational, community, sports and leisure facilities.
Due to Fairham’s locality and the vast amount of construction work taking place on site to deliver this new neighbourhood, it became apparent that in the event of an emergency, it would likely be the LNAA that would play a vital role in saving someone’s life. HSE reported that in 2022 to 2023 out of 135 workplace fatal injuries, 45 happened within the construction industry.
The LNAA offers a vital life-saving service providing pre-hospital emergency treatments to seriously ill or injured patients at the scene of an incident. Whatever the time of day, they are at the side of patients when they are most in need.
Additionally, its Leonardo AW169 helicopter is one of the most modern helicopters flying today and can reach a top speed of 216mph and has a cruising speed of 180mph; three times faster than a land ambulance, which means its team of highly skilled clinicians can reach anywhere in the counties of Lincs and Notts, including Fairham within 20 minutes.
Fairham delivery partners, Clowes Developments and Homes England, selected the local charity to benefit from any funds raised at the development during the 10–15-year lifespan as they deliver the brand-new neighbourhood. Lead infrastructure contractors, O’Brien Contractors Ltd contacted Clowes Developments about supporting a local charity with a generous donation of £2,000 which Clowes will be matching, bringing the total donated so far, to £4,000.
LNAA brings the equivalent of a hospital emergency department to patients at the scene, giving those with the most severe injuries and medical conditions the very best chance of survival when minutes matter.
Its iconic yellow helicopter is a top of the range (HEMS) aircraft offering head to toe access to patients in flight. Crew also carry blood on board, allowing them to deliver potentially life-saving blood transfusions at the scene. A typical call out costs around £4,000.
To support Lucy and Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance you can donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/lucy-bloor-1720173839869?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Flucy-bloor-1720173839869&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share
Nottingham pet specialists’ retail division sold
Private equity firm Endless LLP has announced the sale of Kennelpak’s retail business, Pets & Friends, to family-owned PSR Trading Ltd (PSR), owner of retail chain Just for Pets.
This strategic move allows Kennelpak, the pet specialist wholesaler, brand owner and distributor, to accelerate the growth of its Wholesale & Distribution division.
Following initial investment in July 2017, Endless has supported the Kennelpak management team in transforming Pets & Friends into a successful service-led retail proposition offering pet parents an array of pet care services underpinned with a carefully curated range of products and accessories, to satisfy all pet needs.
Pets & Friends includes 19 stores, 17 grooming salons, a website and subscriptions service, a dog training centre and The Grooming Academy with locations predominantly across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Pets & Friends will continue under its existing trading name, operating alongside Just for Pets. All Pets & Friends store and salon colleagues will transfer to PSR ensuring that the expertise that Pets & Friends stands for remains.
James Woolley, Endless Partner, said: “Pets & Friends has grown exponentially during our period of ownership and, after investing in a high-quality management team led by CEO Claire Bayliss, we have worked with them to reposition and transform the retail business at every level, creating a platform for growth which we are proud of. We extend our best wishes to the team at PSR Trading as they take Pets & Friends into the future.”
Claire Bayliss, Chief Executive Officer, Kennelpak, said: “Under our management and the investment from Endless, Pets & Friends has undergone a significant transformation at every level, evolving from a Midlands-based retailer to a much-loved multichannel pet specialist brand with national reach.
“I am immensely proud of the market-leading brand we have built together, and the exceptional service that our colleagues deliver to customers. Their hard work and dedication have been crucial in making Pets & Friends the success it is today, and I thank them all for being part of our transformation journey.
“Our Wholesale & Distribution division has been the cornerstone of Kennelpak’s heritage for the past 50 years. Our aim is to strengthen its position as the trusted pet specialist, with an even greater emphasis on supporting our distributor partners’ plans for growth and continuing to deliver exceptional service for our customers.
“We wish the team at PSR Trading all the very best for the continued growth of the Pets & Friends brand.”
Administrators appointed to Midlands engineering business
New Engineering, an engineering business which operates sites in Worcester, Derby and Kidderminster, with around 120 employees across the three sites, has entered administration.
The company was formed in March 2023 following the acquisition out of administration of the business and assets of Neos Superform Limited and Neos Composite Solutions Limited.
Mike Denny and Mark Firmin of professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal Europe were appointed as Joint Administrators of New Engineering on 1 August 2024.
Mike Denny, Joint Administrator, said: “New Engineering has been experiencing significant cash pressures in recent months, exacerbated by project delays, cost inflation and limited availability of trade credit.
“As Joint Administrators, our priority is to explore all the available options for the business at pace, and we encourage any interested parties to contact us as soon as possible.”
