Triple hire set to boost local visitor economy growth
Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire has announced the appointment of three new business advisers to support the recovery and growth of the local visitor economy.
The area’s official destination management organisation has appointed Alison Duckworth, Caroline Sanger-Davies and John Roberts to help deliver support to local tourism and hospitality businesses through the East Midlands Accelerator project.
The project has received £5.27 million from the Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund and is being delivered in designated areas across the East Midlands, including in the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak.
Led by East Midlands Chamber in partnership with, among others, Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, the University of Derby and The Food and Drink Forum, the project aims to breathe new life into local communities as part of the Government’s commitment to ‘levelling up the nation’ and achieving net-zero carbon emissions.
With extensive experience in the tourism and hospitality sector, MPDD’s advisers will provide one-to-one support to help visitor economy businesses access funding, training and specialist advice through the Derbyshire strand of the East Midlands Accelerator project.
Through the project, businesses in the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales can apply for specialist consultancy and training support through growth vouchers of up to £2,000.
Flexible grant funding of up to £8,000 (at an 80% intervention rate) is also available to help businesses invest in green solutions and digital technology, as well as providing access to wage subsidies.
Businesses can access support to reduce their carbon footprint (such as funding for the installation of electric vehicle charging points); receive help on how to improve their online presence (such as the implementation of an online booking system); and secure one-to-one mentoring to encourage business growth.
PropertyFace2Face networking group launches in Leicester
PropertyFace2Face, a networking group for East Midlands property and construction professionals, is to launch its Curry Club events in Leicester.
The first in a series of bi-monthly Curry Club lunches will be held on Friday 6th May 2022, 12.00pm-2.30pm at Indian fine dining restaurant Mem-Saab, 96 Vaughan Way, Leicester.
A speech will be given by event sponsor, Adam Horton, CEO of Hortons estate agency based in Leicestershire, providing an overview of the East Midlands property market. Other sponsors include local businesses, Nelsons Solicitors and Allica Bank.
PropertyFace2Face founder, David Stewart, said: “With the challenges we have all felt during the pandemic, it was the right time to launch our popular Curry Club in Leicester, a top performing East Midlands city.
“Our aim is to help local property professionals to build new relationships with like-minded people. There are a lot of people that are keen to meet face-to-face right now, so we think the timing for this new group is right.”
All Curry Club events combine a warm welcome with great food in a relaxed setting to help property peers generate new business. There are no membership fees, just the cost of the three-course fine dining Indian lunch for £29.50 per person.
PropertyFace2Face was founded by estates management specialist, David Stewart 14 years ago, having found a ‘gap’ in the market for dedicated networking for property professionals. It has since become one of the most successful property and construction networking groups in Nottingham, regularly attracting over 60 guests to its Curry Club events.
Leicester Business Consultant and Curry Club regular, Ian Guyler said: “I’ve enjoyed PropertyFace2Face for many years, they have a great reputation for delivering quality events that attract the ‘movers and shakers’ – a great addition to Leicester’s property networking scene.”
Each Curry Club offers exclusive property industry networking, attracting anyone from senior decision makers to fresh young talent. Guests come from all areas of the industry including developers, surveyors, architects, planners and lawyers to property insurance brokers and many more.
For further information visit www.pf2f.co.uk
All change at business support agency with new board chair and headquarters move
Major changes have taken place at enterprise agency Erewash Partnership – with a new chair of the board of directors and a move of headquarters to state-of-the-art offices.
Vice-chair Richard Ledger has stepped up to be chair in a role reversal with Bev Crighton who became the first woman chair in 2020 and has steered the organisation through the COVID pandemic.
Richard is Managing Director of Draycott-based Millitec, which designs and manufactures machinery for the food industry and exports across the world.
He is also chair of Long Eaton Town Deal Board, which won £24.8m of Government funding for projects to breathe new life into the town and take it forward over the next decade.
Richard is thrilled at becoming chair. “These are exciting times and Erewash is a fabulous place full of opportunity,” he said.
“The Partnership is all about people working together to make the most of those opportunities and the team can give real tangible help to all businesses, from those just setting out on their journey in self employment to the more established businesses looking for investment and growth.”
Partnership Chief Executive Ian Viles said: “Richard is very enthusiastic about the area. He was educated in the area at Trent College, Long Eaton. He’s very passionate about manufacturing and training and skills.
“Bev has proved a steady hand as chair, especially through the difficult challenges of the COVID pandemic period when we had to re-think, adapt and even boost support for businesses, including new members attracted by what we do. The board is grateful for her leadership.
“Among her new roles Bev has taken up a position with Derby County Community Trust and one of her first acts was to introduce the trust to the Partnership and recruit them as members.”
Bev, who became a director in 2015, is a senior lecturer at the University of Derby and employability lead at Derby County Community Trust.
She is also a trustee of Derbyshire Voluntary Association, part of the fundraising committee of Derby Quad and holds a number of other voluntary roles in the third sector. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
“I have enjoyed my time as chair of the partnership and am excited to now take on the role of vice-chair,” said Bev.
“Richard and I have always worked closely to ensure that we divided the work of chair and vice-chair to play to our skills for the benefit of the partnership.
“During COVID lockdowns and the difficult last two years we have jointly used our expertise to support the team.
“This ‘swap’ in roles will help to steer the partnership and the team on its journey going forward, and I look forward to working alongside Richard and Ian to support the growth of the partnership.”
The Partnership has moved its headquarters from Bridge House, Derby Road, Long Eaton, where it has been based since autumn 2014, to Toll Bar House, close to White Lion Square, Ilkeston.
The newly-opened premises, with 27 offices, are managed by the Partnership on behalf of Erewash Borough Council.
The authority invested £425,000 in refurbishing and breathing new life into the building. This was matched by D2N2, the Local Enterprise Partnership.
A further £126,000 was secured by contractor J Tomlinson from a Government scheme aimed at helping local authorities with projects designed to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon output and lower energy bills. This took the total transformation cost to £976,000.
The Partnership was based at Toll Bar House for several years from 1994. “The move is to provide better facilities for face-to-face meetings with clients, including people with disabilities,” said Ian.
Project D teams up with property consultants for nationwide shop search
Property consultants, Box Property, have signed with Project D, to acquire suitable retail outlets for the roll out of its latest phase of growth.
With extensive expertise in retail, leisure and hospitality, working with growing brands including 200 Degrees, Pho, Gong Cha and Loakes, Box Property has embarked on a nationwide search to find Project D permanent bricks and mortar venues in major city locations.
Frankie Labbate, co-founder of Box Property, said: “Since its launch, Project D has evolved from selling at local markets and pop-up shops to build a strong, recognisable brand with significant online sales and huge potential for future growth.
“They are now looking for physical retail space to set up a permanent presence in several high footfall locations. This is hugely exciting for us and as part of the ongoing property search, we’re already in discussions about a number of potential units up to 750 sq ft.”
Started by three friends on a global search for the perfect doughnut in 2018, the idea for Project D was initially a labour of love to create the world’s best doughnut. The trio bought the equipment they needed and, with help of a craft baker, started making doughnuts.
Initially selling at markets and pop-up venues as part of bigger events, the team reinvested their earnings to grow the business. Soon after, the online shop was launched and in October 2022 the team bought a new bakery in Spondon and signed a lease on a unit in Leeds, enabling them to bake, box and deliver doughnuts 24 hours a day to customers nationwide.
Project D co-owner Max Poynton said: “We’ve seen some phenomenal growth over the last few years and as part of our future plans we feel like now is the right time to start rolling out stores nationwide, giving us a permanent shopfront in city high streets up and down the country. The Box Property team has the know-how, contacts and advice to help us achieve that and we’re looking forward to seeing what they can find for us.”
£2 billion of recent and planned investment in Leicester highlighted in video
Major schemes that make up more than £2 billion of private and public sector investment already made, or proposed in Leicester, can be seen in a new video.
The video – which uses computer generated images to take the viewer on a fly-through of the city – is being used to promote development opportunities to potential investors.
It highlights a wide range of regeneration schemes recently completed in Leicester, as well as some of those proposed or in the planning stage.
Ongoing and completed projects referenced include the City Mayor’s Connecting Leicester scheme, which has seen the transformation of the city centre thanks to improved connectivity and high-quality public realm improvements.
The regeneration of Leicester Waterside including the development of two new hotels, high- spec offices, the restoration of Grand Central Station and a new public square – carried out by Charles Street Buildings in partnership with the city council – is also shown.
Other schemes featured are The University of Leicester’s development of Freemen’s Common and Leicester Space Park; Mattioli Woods’ office on New Walk Place and Aimrock Holding’s nearby Gresham aparthotel developments; the joint housing venture between Keepmoat Homes and the city council next to the Grand Union Canal; and the Leicester Tiger’s Brooklyn Hotel on Aylestone Road.
Planned new schemes include the development of Leicester’s railway station and surrounding area, and new high quality manufacturing spaces and light industrial units at Pioneer Park and Blackbird Road.
The proposed expansion of Leicester City Football Club’s King Power Stadium is also featured.
Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “This video demonstrates very clearly the success of public and private sector partnerships in the city, and what can be achieved with a shared vision and aims.
“It also shows the success Leicester and the council have had in attracting funding from a wide range of sources including the Government’s Levelling up Fund, and the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund.
“Economic growth in a city is vital for job creation and the prosperity of its residents. Leicester still has huge potential for further growth that others can be part of, and this will be an important tool to help us make the most of that potential.”
The full video can be viewed here.
Nottingham Legal Advice Centre scoops Law Firm of the Year award
A University law firm which has recovered more than £5.5m for its clients has been named Law Firm of the Year.
Up against five private UK firms in the Lexis Nexis Legal Awards 2022, Nottingham Law School Legal Advice Centre received the top accolade for its commitment to supporting members of the local community with free and affordable legal advice.
The multi award-winning teaching law firm sees Nottingham Law School students work on cases under the supervision of a small team of experienced lawyers.
It offers support on a range of legal areas, including employment, family, business and commercial, insolvency, county court litigation, intellectual property, Special Educational Needs and Disability and welfare benefits.
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, during the last three years the Centre has expanded its services, including the launch of a new housing service; provision of online resources relating to furlough, accessed more than 380 times; the introduction of a new service for victims of crime, offering advice in relation to criminal investigations and Victim’s Right to Review Scheme; and public legal education sessions.
Head of the Legal Advice Centre, Laura Pinkney, said: “I’m very proud of our team and the student volunteers and practitioner academics who help us to assist more than 150 clients per year.
“All our new initiatives have been introduced or developed to address an unmet legal need in the community. It is a sad fact that, even where legal aid may be available, there may not be a provider with the capacity to take on the case. We are therefore addressing the issue of legal advice deserts within the local area, helping to plug the gap left by the decimation of legal aid.”
Executive Dean of Nottingham Law School, Jenny Chapman, added: “It is a remarkable achievement for a not-for-profit law firm to receive this accolade among such prestigious company. The team at the Centre deliver outstanding levels of client service and thoroughly deserve the recognition. Their proactive approach to tackling access to justice means they have a demonstrable positive and life-changing impact on their clients.”
As a not-for-profit teaching law firm with charitable status, the Centre was the UK’s first law firm fully integrated into a law school when it obtained an ABS (Alternative Business Structure) licence in 2015.
The Lexis Nexis Legal Awards celebrate the many achievements of the legal industry and the vital role that it plays in society. This award is the latest in a string of team and individual awards, including most recently Best Contribution by a Law School at the LawWorks and Attorney General Student Pro Bono Awards 2021; Best Contribution by a Small or Medium Firm at the LawWorks Pro Bono Awards 2021; the Contribution to the Community Award 2020 from the Nottinghamshire Law Society; and ABS of the Year in the Modern Law Awards 2020.
A ‘mixed picture’ for East Midlands economy amid rising inflation and uncertainty over Ukraine-Russia crisis
Sky-high inflation, energy price hikes and the war in Ukraine are creating “new unknowns” for businesses and creating a mixed picture for the East Midlands economy, new research reveals.
East Midlands Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey (QES), which gauges the health of the region’s economy, reported improvements across most indicators in Q1 2022 compared to the final quarter of last year when there was a drop in business confidence due to the Omicron surge.
Despite this, growth remains weak and there are warning signs for what may lie ahead as cashflow dropped into negative territory for the first time in more than a year and investment intentions are restrained.
Chris Hobson, director of policy and external affairs at East Midlands Chamber, said: “The latest QES presents a mixed picture for our region’s economy, as the wave of optimism that encountered the lifting of all COVID-19 restrictions has been diluted somewhat by other factors that are weighing down on businesses’ ability to trade effectively.
“After spending much of 2021 trying to figure out two major ‘unknowns’ – the impact of both the pandemic and the UK leaving the EU – it had felt at the start of this year that we were now equipped to plan for and deal with these.
“Unfortunately, just as we were getting into the swing of 2022, new unknowns have arrived in the form of the terrible events in Ukraine, which has thrown a spanner in the works when it comes to understanding where inflationary pressures and energy prices will top out – not to mention the supply chain disruption this causes across Europe, which is felt in the East Midlands.”
East Midlands Chamber QES Q1 2022 data
More than 350 businesses across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire took part in the Q1 2022 survey between 14 February and 9 March. Key findings from the survey for the East Midlands included:- No movement in UK sales between Q4 2021 and Q1 2022, with a net 27% of businesses reporting these increased in both periods, although there was an 8% rise in advanced orders between the quarters
- Overseas sales and orders were up by 7% and 10% respectively
- A net 20% of businesses increased their workforce in Q1 and a net 36% expect to do so in the next three months, representing a 3% and 1% growth respectively on the previous quarter’s findings
- More than six in 10 (63%) of businesses attempted to recruit but, of this cohort, four in five (80%) encountered problems with filling vacancies
- 30% of firms reported cashflow fell, compared to it improving for 27% – marking the first time it has fallen into negative territory for more than a year
- Two-thirds (66%) of businesses expect prices to rise in the next three months, a 4% increase on the previous quarter
- A lack of room at the margins means investment intentions in machinery are down by 2% compared to the end of last year, while there is only a 1% increase in intentions for investing in training between the two quarters
- Despite this, there was a 4% improvement in the proportion of businesses expecting turnover to increase (a net 62% of Q1 2022 respondents believe it will, versus a net 58% in Q4 2021) and a 3% rise for profitability (a net 31% of organisations now believe it will improve)
Waste food oil-powered bin lorries take to the roads
Waste food oil now powers bin collections and street cleaning in North West Leicestershire.
Diesel is no longer the fuel of choice for North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) vehicles after the authority swapped it for hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a by-product from the food industry.
The move to the lower-emission fuel is part of NWLDC’s Zero Carbon plan to be carbon neutral by 2030.
The council’s entire fleet of 109 vehicles will now either run on waste food oil or battery electricity by 2024.
The council uses a mix of refuse collection vehicles, housing maintenance vehicles, medium sized panel vans and smaller vehicles alongside more specialist equipment, such as sweepers and mowers.
Residents and people driving the vehicles won’t notice a difference, but the move will reduce the authority’s emissions and achieve an estimated carbon saving of 1,221 tonnes of CO² over the vehicles’ lifetime. HVO reduces CO² emissions by up to 90% compared to diesel.
The council’s waste and recycling depot in Coalville will now be the filling up point for all the authority’s HVO-powered vehicles.
Petrol-powered cars in the fleet will be replaced with battery electric vehicles (BEVs), with charging points installed at key council locations to add to the 20 already installed in public car parks across the district.
Councillor Andrew Woodman, Portfolio Holder for Community Services at NWLDC said: “Removing diesel from our fleet is a great step on our Zero Carbon journey and allows us to quickly reduce our carbon footprint.
“We’re investing in zero or low emission vehicles and fuel for the future to lead the way across the district. It’s great to see our changing fleet take to the roads.”
Three neighbourhood parades fully let after flurry of interest
Three LCP-owned and managed retail convenience parades are now fully let after a successful period of marketing.
No.18 Coffee and Eatery has agreed a five-year lease for unit 6 at Kimberley Shopping Centre, in Kimberley, Nottingham. It will join 12 other retailers at the scheme, including Greggs, Card Factory, Wilko and Heron Foods.
The 760 sq ft unit is undergoing fit out and is expected to open in April.
At St Wilfrid’s Square Shopping Centre, in Calverton, Nottingham, will be divided into a Barber shop on the ground floor and Vape Shop on the first floor. They have agreed a seven-year lease for no.17, a 1,425 sq ft unit. This popular open-air parade has 16 retail units, including Sainsburys, Greggs and Boots. It is expected to open in April.
The final letting is at Forge Corner, Blaby, Leicestershire, where Huntsmen Barbers has signed a five-year lease for unit 4, a 811 sq ft shop. Fit out is under way , with an anticipated opening of April. It will join nine other occupiers at the parade, including McColls, Nationwide, Age UK and Your Move.
Barry Flint, Asset Manager of LCP, said: “Signing three new tenants in quick succession shows that the local convenience sector is thriving, and local, independent operators are keen to grow their businesses within their communities. We’re looking forward to welcoming them to our parades.”
FHP work closely with leading commercial property and investment company LCP, acting as agents for their East Midlands property portfolio and Oliver Marshall, Associate Director at FHP is clearly delighted about the deals.
Oliver told Business Link: “It has been great working with LCP on these instructions and concluding matters swiftly. LCP have properties across the UK and we are pleased to be their agents across the East Midlands. These lettings show a snapshot of where we are in the market, where there is still very strong retail demand particularly in town and suburb locations especially within neighbourhood retail parades. We continue to see demand from new businesses and growing independent and regional businesses who are looking to secure prominent retail positions.
The schemes mentioned all have excellent parking facilities onsite or close by and are well shopped serving the local communities.
We work hard to identify and target uses and operators who are not present in order to deliver the best result and improve the tenant mix in each scheme.”
£25m Staveley Town Deal funding confirmed
Over £25m worth of projects have been given the official go ahead, after Government approved the package of all eleven projects within the Staveley Town Deal Programme.
It is a significant milestone for the range of projects that will receive funding through the Towns Fund, which are being delivered by a variety of organisations including Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council, Staveley Town Council, Barrow Hill Community Trust, Chesterfield Canal Trust, Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club and Tawnywood Ltd.
Together the projects offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to improve the quality of life for residents, create new employment opportunities with higher level skills, ensure it is a place where everyone can be proud to live and guarantee that the town and its residents have a bright future ahead – supporting Staveley as a place to start, stay and grow.
Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board and Managing Director of Staveley based MSE Hiller, said: “The projects that are being funded through the Town Deal are designed to complement one another and have been developed in response to the challenges and opportunities in Staveley. The project sponsors have worked hard to get to this point but we are now moving into delivering these projects and ensuring that they can benefit everyone in Staveley.”
Chesterfield Borough Council is the accountable programme lead but will also be delivering three projects using Town Deal funding.
