£880,000 set for Grantham town centre upgrades

April Lara
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£880,000 set for Grantham town centre upgrades

Grantham town centre is set to benefit from £880,000 in improvements, following approval of seven key projects by South Kesteven District Council. The funding, secured through a successful bid to the government’s Future High Streets Fund in April 2021, aims to revitalise the town centre and support local businesses.

The projects include installing power supplies to Market Place and Westgate and improving infrastructure, such as new planters, benches, cycle parking, and direction signs for key transport links like the railway and bus stations. Further developments will see the addition of removable bollards around the Conduit Lane car park and enhancements to the cultural quarter and Grantham Market, supporting their growth.

Cllr Ashley Baxter, leader of South Kesteven District Council, highlighted that these projects would be funded from an underspend in previous works, including improvements to Market Place and Station Approach. The upgrades are part of the council’s wider investment programme, which includes resurfacing, better pedestrian access, and traffic signal improvements. The council is committed to completing all new projects by March 31, 2026, with contracts due to be finalised by March 31, 2025.

Wren Sterling makes trio of acquisitions

Tess Egginton
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Wren Sterling makes trio of acquisitions
Nottingham financial planning firm Wren Sterling has welcomed around 520 clients through a trio of acquisitions, as it continues its strategy of acquiring profitable firms that are geographically well-positioned to support its growth. JLS Associates near Perth will join Wren Sterling’s Glasgow team, Investment Choices, a Kent-based business, will expand Wren Sterling’s growing presence in the South-East, and Broadway Financial Planning, located in the Cotswolds, will help expand Wren Sterling’s Oxford-based team. Together, the three deals bring in over £300m of assets under management, taking Wren Sterling’s total assets to around £9bn. James Twining, Chief Executive Officer at Wren Sterling, said: “Wren Sterling had a strong year for acquisitions in 2024 and it’s great to get 2025 underway so decisively. Through these deals we are able to improve our client offering for both new and existing clients and bring hugely talented people into the Group for the benefit of all. “Our dedicated integration team has the skills and experience to ensure that client and staff disruption is minimised and that advisers are given a stronger platform with which to serve their clients. “We expect to complete more transactions throughout 2025 and beyond and, with our financing in place, remain eager to partner with firms that share our client first values and entrepreneurial culture.”

Milligan appointed strategic asset manager at Chesterfield’s Pavements shopping centre

Tess Egginton
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Milligan appointed strategic asset manager at Chesterfield’s Pavements shopping centre
Chesterfield Borough Council has appointed Milligan as the strategic asset manager for The Pavements shopping centre, applying its experience in town centre regeneration, strategic leasing, asset management and repositioning to play a key role in unlocking The Pavements’ full potential as a cornerstone of Chesterfield’s regeneration. The Pavements is owned by Chesterfield Borough Council and strategically positioned between the town’s historic market and bus station. Now, with the support of Milligan’s expertise, the Council will review The Pavement’s role in Chesterfield’s town centre as public realm improvements progress. It’s current occupiers include Tesco, WHSmith, Boots, other national retailers and a selection of independent businesses. Working in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council, Milligan will develop a strategic action plan for The Pavements, ensuring it meets the needs of the community while supporting Chesterfield’s regeneration. The plan will focus on maximising the shopping centre’s value to its occupiers, enhancing its appeal to Chesterfield’s growing catchment, and integrating it seamlessly with the town’s ongoing transformation. Alex Hyams, Head of Asset Management at Milligan, said: “Milligan has a long history of successfully delivering strategic asset management interventions to unlock performance for challenged schemes. “We’ve worked across the country with mixed-use and retail-led destinations and bring a very experienced team. As the role of town centres evolves, shopping centres like The Pavements must adapt to meet the changing needs of their communities. “Chesterfield is a location we know very well, it brings a unique blend historic character, walkability, good infrastructure which supports the growing tourism appeal of town and the surrounding Peak District. We’re excited to be working with such a forward-thinking Council, where important public realm works are already underway. “Alongside this, The Pavements has the potential to become a cornerstone of Chesterfield’s regeneration and visitor experience and sustainable offer for the local community.” Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Milligan to the team as we work to enhance The Pavements as part of Chesterfield’s town centre transformation. “Milligan’s impressive track record of revitalising retail-led destinations, combined with their understanding of Chesterfield, makes them the ideal partner to help realise our vision. “The Pavements will play a vital role in delivering a stronger, more vibrant town centre that benefits our residents, businesses, and visitors.”

2024 “a highly successful year for Nottingham Building Society”

Tess Egginton
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2024 “a highly successful year for Nottingham Building Society”
Nottingham Building Society has hailed a “strong financial performance” in 2024, driven by a 37% growth in new mortgage lending. Results for the year ended 31 December 2024 show £1.2bn gross new lending, representing an increase of £328m on 2023, while the Society is now its largest in asset terms, with £4.2bn in total mortgage assets and £5.2bn in total assets.

The Society saw 9,166 new mortgage customers in the year, an increase of 32% on 2023.

Meanwhile, £154.6m in total interest was paid to savers, an increase of £62.8m on the prior year. The business saw pre-tax profits rise to £13.9m, representing an increase of £5.6m on 2023.

Sue Hayes, Chief Executive Officer, said: “2024 was a highly successful year for Nottingham Building Society – and the Society is now its largest in asset terms than at any time in its 175-year history – we have reached a record level of £4.2bn in mortgage assets and £5.2bn in total assets.

“Our strong set of results for 2024 are driven by a 37% increase in gross new mortgage lending, an uplift in new business margins and continued strong customer service feedback.

“We helped 32% more customers own their own home by taking out a mortgage with us for the first time or moving to a new mortgage.

“Most importantly our strategy of supporting those who find it more difficult to get a mortgage in the first place has started to be evidenced and we are establishing our Society as a specialist residential lender. In 2024, we launched a new proposition aimed at foreign nationals living in the UK, supporting those entering the country to support our valued service sector to own their own home.

“Our mortgage balances increased by 18.6% compared with the previous year, whilst overall lending in the UK mortgage market has fallen. Our total mortgage assets have grown by 40 per cent since we began our transformation journey in 2022.

“We were delighted to welcome more savings customers to the Society via our online savings app as well continuing our commitment to passbooks for our branch customers – leading to an increase of 22% in our savings balances. As interest rates remained high throughout the year, we focused on paying savers the best rates we can whilst investing to strengthen the Society. In total, we paid £154.6m in interest to savers in 2024.

“We maintained our Trustpilot score of 4.9 reflecting our exceptional service that we know is highly valued by our customers.

“We are proud that we have seen an increase in statutory profit enabling us to invest for our members and make good progress in delivering our strategy. We invested in our technology, our brand and in developing our propositions to ensure our Society is well placed for the future.

“We took the decision to provide voluntary financial support to those members impacted by Philips Trust Corporation.

“Looking ahead, we believe it is important to enable a market where saving is encouraged and incentivised and alongside other Societies, we advocate for the current cash ISA regulations to be maintained. 

“I am proud of the results we are sharing today and would like to thank our members for their continued trust and support to the Society. In 2025, the sector celebrates 250 years of building societies and we are more committed than ever to the mutual values that we know are fundamentally important and highly valued by our members.”

Digital marketers find recipe for teamwork as they serve up lunch for YMCA

Tess Egginton
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Digital marketers find recipe for teamwork as they serve up lunch for YMCA
Digital marketers swapped their computers for chopping boards when they volunteered to cook lunch for dozens of people at the YMCA Derbyshire. Five members of staff from JDR Group gave up their morning to prepare a two-course lunch on Friday as part of the YMCA’s monthly community meal, which it offers in partnership with the Head High mental health organisation. The chefs – John Skidmore, Ashlesha Wargantiwar, Sophie Teece, Emma Ablewhite and Rhys Laven – planned and prepared the meal from scratch, serving up a meat and vegetarian chilli with jacket potatoes, followed by fruit crumble with custard. The community meals have become a popular event at the YMCA, with a different local company volunteering to cook them each month. It was the first time that JDR Group, which served around 80 people last Friday, has taken part in the event and John, who is head of client development at the firm, which is based in Stephenson’s Way, on the Wyvern Business Park said everyone enjoyed the experience. He said: “We’re a big team at JDR Group, so it’s good to see how our staff get on and co-operate in a different environment, as well as to meet people in the community who we wouldn’t normally come into contact in our working lives. “Our team have done really well, helped by the fact that Rhys is an ex-professional chef. It’s been great to see him step into a leadership role, and the food has gone down extremely well too.” Debs Powell, YMCA Derbyshire’s Head of Marketing and Communications, said: “The community meal is all about giving members of our community the chance to have a free warm meal and a chat. “We’re incredibly grateful to the JDR Group team for getting involved and cooking a delicious meal. The generosity of local businesses and organisations allows us to continue to provide support to people that need it most.”

North Notts businesswomen expand scope of BID board

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North Notts businesswomen expand scope of BID board
North Notts BID has appointed three new board directors, expanding its representation of female leaders from across the district. Falling ahead of International Women’s Day (8 March), North Notts BID has welcomed to its board Katy Bradford, deputy chief executive officer at Outwood Grange Academies Trust, Abi Priestley, owner of Oakrange Engineering and Torworth Lakes, and Katy Jarvis-Morgan, STEP site stakeholder manager for UK Industrial Fusion Solutions. The new appointments will sit alongside five other female board members, including chief executive Sally Gillborn MBE. George Buchanan, chair of the North Notts BID board, said: “As a business-led and managed improvement district, these appointments will build upon the success of our board in ensuring the BID maximises its value for levy payers. “The BID should be representative of all types of businesses and the people behind them, and it is fantastic to welcome three female leaders who bring a variety of experience across different industries, including education, industrial, leisure and STEM. “As headline sponsor of the upcoming North Notts Business Women Awards, we are committed to celebrating the contributions of women to business growth in the district. Our aim is to champion the value of local businesses, enabling their input to help shape the future of the services provided by North Notts BID for the benefit of our towns.” Katy Bradford, deputy chief executive officer at Outwood Grange Academies Trust, said: “As an education trust with our Outwood Academy Portland, Outwood Academy Valley and Outwood Post 16 Centre Worksop in the district, we recognise the importance of North Notts BID not just for businesses and the local community, but also students and families who engage with businesses and events that the BID supports. “I am excited at the opportunities for Outwood Grange Academies Trust and how it can contribute to North Notts BID to grow the connection between business and education, particularly regarding skills development and employment opportunities.” Abi Priestley, owner of Oakrange Engineering and Torworth Lakes, said: “Operating two businesses in North Notts spanning industrial and leisure, I aim to bring different perspectives on what services and benefits really matter to our local businesses, helping the BID to build upon the fantastic services it provides, from security measures to employee training opportunities.” Katy Jarvis-Morgan, STEP site stakeholder manager for UK Industrial Fusion Solutions, said: “STEP Fusion will have an enormously transformative impact on the local community, supporting long-term job creation and growth in North Notts. “By joining the North Notts BID board, I hope to build the connection between our new base in West Burton and the wider towns in our district, developing a local understanding of what the project will deliver and supporting the BID to achieve our shared goals.”

New ‘gas free’ affordable homes set for Northamptonshire village

Tess Egginton
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New ‘gas free’ affordable homes set for Northamptonshire village
A redundant and often only partially occupied sheltered housing building has been demolished to make way for 27 new energy efficient homes in a village in Northamptonshire. Housing association Futures Housing Group is in partnership with GEDA Construction Company and Homes England to build a mixture of houses and apartments on Station Court, Woodford Halse. These low energy usage homes are for people on the housing register in West Northamptonshire and are expected to be ready from spring 2026. James Dial, Head of Sustainability & Asset Maximisation at Futures, said: “We know this is a big change for the community as the demolished building had been there since the 1980’s. However, it was made up of dated one-bedroom flats and studios that were hard to let and it’s clear the demand for bigger properties suitable for couples and families is much higher in this area.” All homes will be built to the Government’s emerging Future Homes Standard which requires all new homes to be built with energy efficiency and decarbonisation at the forefront. The properties will feature air source heat pumps, high-heat retention radiators and solar panels to help reduce energy bills and make them more comfortable and affordable to heat. All homes will also have access to an electric car charging point and off-street parking, and bat boxes and bee bricks will be dotted around the scheme to help support local nature recovery. James added: “It’s exciting that we’re not only bringing much-needed family homes to Woodford Halse, but we’re bringing homes that are fit for the future. These well insulated properties make the most of energy efficient measures, that can help lower energy bills and lower our carbon footprint. “Futures is aiming for all of its homes to be net carbon zero by 2050, so it’s great to be working with GEDA Construction Company to help us on our journey to achieve our goal.” Colm McVeigh, Build GB Director at GEDA, said: “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Futures on this project. These homes will be energy efficient, relieving the tenants of rising energy bills in today’s market. “This investment in upgrading their housing stock, reinforces Futures’ commitment to provide energy efficient homes for their tenants and also matches our own sustainability strategy at GEDA. We are really looking forward to seeing the progression of this scheme and seeing the positive impact it will have on the local community.”

Government plans to end windfall tax on oil and gas profits by 2030

April Lara
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Government plans to end windfall tax on oil and gas profits by 2030

The UK Government has confirmed plans to end the Energy Profits Levy (EPL), also known as the windfall tax, on oil and gas profits by 2030. This follows the launch of a consultation on the future of the North Sea energy sector, which aims to explore the transition towards a more sustainable energy mix, including hydrogen, carbon capture, storage, and renewables.

For two months, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will consult with various stakeholders, including businesses, unions, and green groups, to plan this transition. The consultation will focus on utilising existing North Sea infrastructure and assets to support new technologies while ensuring continued extraction from current fields.

The Government also affirmed that, in line with its climate commitments, it will not issue new licenses for offshore oil and gas exploration. However, it will allow companies to extend or transfer existing licenses and maintain licences for carbon storage, gas storage, and methane drainage.

This move aims to provide long-term fiscal stability and encourage investment in the sector, while also assuring workers and trade unions that measures will be taken to protect jobs, pay, and conditions.

Service sector faces rising job cuts as costs mount ahead of tax hikes

April Lara
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Service sector faces rising job cuts as costs mount ahead of tax hikes

UK service sector companies cut jobs at the fastest pace since 2020 in February, driven by weak demand and rising costs. The S&P Global UK Services PMI survey recorded a reading of 51, up slightly from January’s 50.8. While a score above 50 indicates growth, the February result was below the forecasted 51.1.

Businesses are facing mounting pressures from rising costs, with the minimum wage and employer taxes set to increase in April. Tim Moore, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, noted that companies have experienced a loss of growth momentum since last autumn.

The survey also revealed a decline in business optimism, contributing to the fifth consecutive month of job cuts across the sector. Aside from the pandemic, this marks the longest period of falling employment since early 2011.

Power Tan secures future with management buyout

April Lara
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Power Tan secures future with management buyout

Leighton Buzzard-based Power Tan, a leading manufacturer and distributor of indoor tanning products, has completed a management buyout (MBO), ensuring business continuity and future expansion.

Founder Gary Banks, who established the company in 1987 as World Suncare Products, is exiting the business to retire. Former management team members will now take over operations, aiming to drive growth and expand Power Tan’s international presence.

Watersheds facilitated the deal, with partner William Senior leading the process. He highlighted the benefits of MBOs for both exiting owners and management teams seeking greater control and business expansion.

Banks praised Watersheds for its role in structuring the deal, ensuring a smooth transition while allowing him to focus on business operations during the process.

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