- ICS’s client base now extends beyond the East Midlands, and they can serve clients throughout the UK
- They have an additional office space in Nottingham, meaning based on their location, clients have the option of meeting with ICS either in the Nottingham office or in the Leicestershire office
- They have increased the team to 6 electricians, and plan to hire 5 more electricians over the next three months, reducing wait times
- As a TFS partner, they can provide access to other services such as security gates, rolling shutter doors, HVAC, fire suppression, sanitisation and building fabric
ICS Electrical Contractors announces new partnership with TFS Facilities Services
ICS Electrical Contractors is pleased to announce a new partnership with TFS Facilities Services (TFS), a leading Facilities Management company based in the Midlands, with clients such as Odeon and CBRE.
As part of thenew partnership with TFS, ICS will be providing M&E services nationwide to their established client base, including public and private sector clients.
So, what does this mean for ICS’s clients?
2022 Business Predictions: Karl Viner, co-owner, Fitness Options
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 Karl Viner, co-owner, Fitness Options.
Perhaps we might be forgiven for having to dust off the old crystal kettlebell because frankly who knows what will happen but as with any other business, we’ve learned to adapt to the challenges and to embrace the business word of the pandemic era…’pivot’.
As an independent retailer, we’ve faced huge challenges and opportunities.
Our retail clients typically have their own home gym, are seeking to create one or have a hybrid space, like a garage, so the challenges gyms have faced has been a huge boon to us – try finding a set of dumbbells online this summer!
However, whilst we have one of the largest fitness stores in the UK, a lot of our customers are used to popping in to get to grips with the equipment we have. So whilst there have been windows of opportunity and a major upturn in footfall as soon as we re-opened, we’ve also invested heavily in a new ecommerce site which has helped us reach a wider audience and expand our offering.
We’ve also seen a major upsurge in enquiries from our commercial clients, with hotels and independent gyms upgrading their facilities but the interesting one has been the demand from businesses seeking to create “wellness” facilities for their staff. Some are creating small space for workouts, whilst others are commissioning us to help design and build entire fitness facilities for their teams.
We anticipate this trend will continue, as forward thinking firms see the opportunity to not only invest in their employees’ health and wellbeing but also seek to create an attractive working environment that aids retention, recruitment and the return to the office.
Nottinghamshire Council to slash carbon emissions with new ‘plan’
A detailed carbon reduction plan will be drawn up by the council as a way of slashing emissions from its activities and services.
The plan will be delivered, and implemented, this year and will be an important lever in helping the council achieve its ambitious carbon neutral target by 2030.
The carbon reduction plan will be based on evidence gathered from the council’s recently published greenhouse gas report which set out where its emissions are most prevalent.
The report showed that 54% of the council’s emissions are from its electricity use; both in buildings and from highway equipment and lighting, with 18% due to heating, 13% from running of fleet vehicles, the reminder caused by staff business travel and transmission losses.
The county council’s Environment Ambassador, Cllr Mike Adams, has welcomed the creation of a carbon reduction plan describing it as a “game-changer.”
Cllr Adams said: “It is good news that we are now in the process of drawing up a carbon reduction plan; it is going to be a game-changer in our ambition to become net zero in all of our activities by 2030.
“Producing our greenhouse gas report was the first step to getting our plan up-and-running – we couldn’t go into this important project without getting the facts right about the origins of our emissions.
“We are already ahead of time with some of the elements likely to be in this plan, for example, we have switched the majority of our highways lighting to LEDs and we are now moving our electricity supply to a green tariff.
“We are serious about doing our bit to mitigate the effects of climate change in Nottinghamshire and our carbon reduction plan will be an important blueprint for our work.”
Nottinghamshire County Council committed to become carbon neutral by 2030 after it declared a climate emergency last May.
Derby City Council funds expert advice to help small businesses go digital
High street businesses in Derby are being offered a helping hand to step into the 21st century with a package of free support to implement modern forms of trading.
Up to 100 retail, hospitality and leisure organisations can benefit from access to expert advice via the Derby Business Resilience Programme, which is funded by Derby City Council and delivered in partnership with East Midlands Chamber.
Advisers can assist in establishing an online business strategy and, depending on requirements, the creation of a fully search engine-optimised e-commerce website with 12 months’ free web hosting provided by Derbyshire-based digital marketing agency Purpose Media.
Grants to cover bespoke consultancy support are available to some eligible businesses, while aspects of the support scheme are also open to companies in the transport industry supply chain.
East Midlands Chamber Head of Enterprise Paul Stuart said: “Purchasing habits have changed as a result of Covid-19, with fewer in-store visitors and a move towards online transactions. We expect this to be a long-term shift, so it’s vital that businesses ensure they see this as an opportunity, rather than a threat.
“By engaging with the Derby Business Resilience Programme, small businesses can benefit from expert support to equip themselves with the right mix of tools needed for the online world – something that will complement their existing services, attract new customers and, ultimately, future-proof their organisations.”
Derby City Council has provided £200,000 in funding towards the programme, with East Midlands Chamber contributing £42,000.
It is aimed at independent micro or small businesses based within the city council’s area that can demonstrate the adverse impact of Covid-19 on their trade.
The fully-funded support includes a dedicated business resilience adviser with specific digital or business support skills, who can work alongside a company to help develop an online business plan.
This involves reviewing current marketing and social media activities, setting up a Google listing or even signing up a company to its first social media account.
By setting up e-commerce websites with features such as click and collect or other delivery options, businesses can increase their profile and use their virtual shop window to drive greater footfall to both their physical and online store.
One year’s membership of the Chamber is also provided – giving them access to business protection services in HR, health and safety, tax and legal issues, as well as discounts on member products and services – while they will be able to attend regular events and webinars to increase their digital know-how.
Cllr Steve Hassall, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Decarbonisation, Strategic Planning and Transport at Derby City Council, said: “The last couple of years have been incredibly tough for all business, and our local retail, hospitality and leisure businesses have been hit especially hard.
“We want to do all we can to offer practical support to independent retail and leisure firms across Derby and help drive our recovery from the pandemic. I’d encourage businesses to apply quickly to take advantage of this scheme.”
Award-winning, full-service marketing agency Purpose Media has been approved to deliver digital marketing advice, and to design and build websites for those businesses that are eligible.
The company, based in South Normanton, has previously worked alongside the Chamber in delivering the Chesterfield Digital High Street project, which has offered similar support to more than 30 businesses – ranging from gin shops and cafés to hairdressers and butchers.
Purpose Media business development manager Grace Golden said: “Through our work in the Chesterfield Digital High Street project, we have helped businesses learn new ways to engage with customers, attract business and increase profitability.
“By implementing new activity online such as posting videos or using Facebook advertising, they have renewed optimism for their future and have confidence in their ability to marketing their business.
“We believe the Derby Business Resilience Programme can be equally successful for independent businesses in the Derby City Council area. It intends to help businesses attract new customers, drive footfall to retail stores, establish an e-commerce website and improve visibility online.”
An information session about the Derby Business Resilience Programme will be held at Derby Enterprise Centre on Thursday 20 January. Businesses can apply on the East Midlands Chamber website by 31 March. String of office deals completed at The Atrium in Nottingham
Acting on behalf of Truelove Pension Fund, FHP have completed a number of office lettings within The Atrium, a multi occupied city centre office building, following increased deal activity within the sector.
FHP were instructed to market The Atrium at the start of 2021, at which point the building had some 20,000 sq ft of vacancy, with various tenants having decided to vacate spaces as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Since then, the landlords, Truelove Pension Fund, have undertaken various refurbishments within the building and alongside FHP’s marketing efforts have now concluded the lettings of five suites within the building totalling 18,000 sq ft.
Mark Tomlinson of FHP, who acted on behalf of the landlords, said: “Much has been made of the changes within the office sector, but these lettings prove that the office market is still very much alive and kicking for the right quality of spaces.
“We have seen many occupiers reconsider their requirements and adopting a more flexible working strategy and seeking to improve the overall quality of their office accommodation to enhance working environments going forwards.
“There remains a lack of supply of good quality spaces within the sector and we expect to see deal activity to improve during 2022, once occupiers put their new office strategies into place.”
Kate Truelove of Truelove Pension Fund said: “We are delighted to have secured a number of lettings in The Atrium in a short space of time during the middle of a pandemic. It shows office-based working is here to stay going forward and we would like to thank FHP for their hard work in securing a strong set of tenants throughout the building on long term leases.”
Nottinghamshire manufacturer wins 12th contract for Morrison Construction with £1.8m education project
Morrison Construction has awarded a £1.8m furniture and fitout contract to Mansfield-based Deanestor for a new £60m multi-school campus in West Lothian, Scotland. The project is Deanestor’s 12th contract for Morrison.
Deanestor will fit out over 340 rooms across the new Winchburgh campus near Edinburgh, manufacturing bespoke furniture in a light maple wood finish. The contract includes the provision of over 300 base cabinets, 940m of white laminate worktops, over 1km of adjustable shelving, 16 teaching walls, 215 resource storage units, as well as write-on teaching aids, shoebox storage units, and wall cupboards.
Due for completion in 2022, the campus is being delivered by Hub South East Scotland for West Lothian Council and will provide two new secondary schools, a primary school with an early years facility, and a sports and wellbeing hub.
William Tonkinson, Managing Director of Deanestor, said: “We are delighted to have secured our 12th project for Morrison Construction. This latest Scottish education project reaffirms our market-leading position in the education sector and our specialist capabilities – from school furniture design and manufacture to project management, logistics, procurement, and installation.”
David Wright, construction manager at Morrison Construction, said: “Deanestor has successfully delivered a number of education contracts for Morrison, including the award-winning Barony Campus in Cumnock, East Ayrshire and more recently at Calderwood Primary School, which like Winchburgh, was for West Lothian Council.
“Their team has an impressive track record in fitting out complex multi-school campus projects and a good level of technical competence in the design, manufacture and installation of furniture for large-scale education schemes.”
The centralised teaching aids for each classroom will incorporate tall resource storage cabinets at either side and a central interactive LED panel. Deanestor’s contract also includes the procurement of chairs, classroom tables, modular seating for breakout areas, lockers, noticeboards, whiteboards, and dining seating solutions across the campus.
The four campus buildings will be individually distinct but share a common thread of materials, natural light, and ventilation, and will create inspirational learning environments as well as a focus for the rapidly growing community of Winchburgh.
Designed by Ryder Architecture, the secondary schools – Winchburgh and Sinclair Academies – will initially serve up to 660 non-denominational and denominational pupils respectively. Facilities include art zones and studios, breakout spaces, dance and drama halls, exhibition areas, general classrooms, science laboratories, assembly halls, hub rooms, offices, library, meeting rooms, outdoor learning areas, and sports centre.
The interior of Winchburgh Academy will have a contemporary design with a master palette based on shades of green, grey, and light wood furniture, and four other colour themes reflected in soft furnishings for different parts of the school.
JM Architects are designing the new Holy Family Primary School and nursery. The primary facilities will have flexible play and learning spaces, reception, dining/assembly hall, courtyard, and multi-use games area for outside play.
Streets cover customs declarations on imports from the EU, the reintroduction of the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme and more in latest business support update
In its latest Business Support Update, Streets Chartered Accountants dives into customs declarations on imports from the EU, the reintroduction of the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme, Self Assessment Tax Returns, and more.
Customs Declarations on imports from the EU – have you got to grips with changes from 1st January 2022?
HMRC has warned businesses that Customs Declarations on imports from the EU will change once again at the start of 2022. From the 1st January 2022, businesses will no longer be able to delay making import customs declarations under the Staged Customs Control rules that have applied during 2021. Most businesses will have to make declarations and pay relevant tariffs at the point of import.
Streets ranked in the Top 10 in Business Weekly’s New Year Honours
In Business Weekly, Streets has been acclaimed and recognised as one of the region’s leading financial advisory firms: “Streets has had a fabulously successful 12 months and expanded its area of expertise in the region through shrewd acquisition and sound planning.”
Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme reintroduced for small businesses
The Government has stated that the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Rebate Scheme will be reintroduced allowing for businesses with fewer than 250 employees, who had a PAYE payroll scheme open on or before 28 February 2020, to recover money from the government to pay statutory sick pay to employees affected by Covid-19. Although claims were to be made before 31 December 2021, the scheme is being re-introduced in mid-January 2022.
Podcast – Self-Assessment Tax Returns with Kelly Goodchild
In this session, Streets Tax Manager Kelly Goodchild explores how the impact of the pandemic and the financial measures introduced by the Government to support individuals and businesses could affect your Self Assessment Tax Return due to be completed by 31 January 2022. The deadline looms.
Peace of mind in 2022 – we are concerned that you are not currently protected
With the self-assessment deadline for filing returns and making payments looming, tax matters are probably very much on the minds of many. Perhaps less so is the potential impact that a tax enquiry or investigation might have on us as an individual or on our business. Whilst we all want to ensure our affairs are in the best order, there is a real risk that the Revenue can instigate an investigation or enquiry.
Well-deserved New Year’s honour for Streets client Paul Holt
Services to International Trade, education and the UK’s PPE Supply Chain earn a well-deserved New Year’s Honour for Streets client Paul Holt, Managing Director of 3D printing specialists Photocentric. Paul has been recognised by the Queen with the award of an MBE for his contribution to international trade as well as his commitment to education.
Digital marketing duo join V Formation
Nottingham marketing and PR agency V Formation has kicked off 2022 by strengthening its growing team with two experienced recruits in new roles.
Rachel Axten joins the team as digital marketing manager to provide strategic digital advice and support to V Formation’s clients as well as the team, and David Shindler joins as senior marketing executive and will focus on delivering on and offline marketing campaigns for clients.
With a wealth of experience in planning, executing, and analysing both digital and traditional marketing and PR campaigns across a wide variety of industries, Rachel is well versed in understanding, meeting, and delivering clients’ digital marketing needs as well as managing and supporting internal marketing activity.
Prior to joining V Formation, Rachel honed her management and digital capabilities as client marketing manager for CCM Group, an agency based in Sutton-in-Ashfield, and has over eight years’ experience within the marketing sector.
Rachel said: “I’ve always had such a passion for both creativity and strategy, which is why marketing has always been the career for me. The industry is ever-changing which keeps it fast paced and exciting! I’m thrilled to be taking this next step in my career, and I can’t wait to support V Formation as it continues to grow and strengthen its digital offering.”
With six years’ professional experience in the marketing sector and a degree in graphic and media design, David joins V Formation from Stratford-upon-Avon-based optical products distributor Thomas Jack Limited, where he was marketing co-ordinator and focused on producing artwork and content for digital and print.
On joining V Formation, David says: “Having come from a graphic design background, I feel passionately about helping people to solve their visual communication problems, and I’m keen to use my skills across broader areas of the marketing space. This new role at V Formation gives me the opportunity to do exactly that. I’m looking forward to being part of the team as the business continues to grow.”
Sue Carr, V Formation director, adds: “We’re thrilled to welcome Rachel and David to the V Formation team as we continue on our growth trajectory. They are both highly skilled, experienced marketeers, who together will add real value to our growing roster of fantastic clients.”
“Now is all about investing in the future,” says Hilary Campton, V Formation director. “Our pace of growth has accelerated in the last couple of years, particularly in recent months, and our annual revenues have risen again, with figures for the first half of this financial year up 25% on the same time last year.
“As we look ambitiously to the future, Rachel and David’s skills will support the ongoing development of our integrated marketing offering, the team and our client portfolio, with them each having complimentary knowledge that is the perfect fit for our expanding service offering and client portfolio.”
Helping Leicestershire’s creative and digital agencies find cash
Creative and digital agencies based in Leicestershire can get support finding the money they need to grow, by attending a free webinar from the Business Gateway tomorrow (20 January).
Finance and funding expert, Lawrie Chandler, founder of the company Edale, will share information and advice on how to find and secure the funding available specifically for creative and digital companies.
Mr Chandler is highly experienced and has delivered several webinars for the Business Gateway, all of which have been very well attended by Leicestershire businesses during the past year.
Discussing his track record in supporting creative and digital businesses, Mr Chandler said: “Edale has assisted numerous creative professionals who have set up on their own, by putting a simple funding plan together as they start out on freelancing; then we’ve helped them secure funds to invest in hardware and software to get started.
“A few thousand pounds in the early days is a real help and we know that that help is available. We’ve helped creative people at different stages of their journey too; we helped a graduate to secure match-funding for a digital app as he graduated. For an established creative agency, we supported them to secure funding to develop a new product to complement the design side of their business.”
Any creative or digital agency in Leicestershire is welcome to join the webinar which runs tomorrow, Thursday 10am – 11.30pm. To book your place, visit the Business Gateway website here: http://bity.ly/3JGIZHr or search in www.bizgateway.org.uk/events
Loughborough to play key role in new programme putting the Midlands at forefront of hydrogen innovation
Loughborough University experts are part of a new programme designed to support, foster, and accelerate the hydrogen economy in the Midlands.
The Hydrogen Development and Knowledge Exchange (HyDEX) programme brings together the university partners in the Energy Research Accelerator (ERA), with multinational businesses, SMEs and other partners, in order to accelerate innovation in hydrogen, build markets and the supply chain, and support the skills needed for the emerging hydrogen economy.
The aim of HyDEX is to address the challenge of building a thriving new business, industrial and manufacturing sector in hydrogen, where very little currently exists. The programme will allow businesses to accelerate the development and viability of new hydrogen products and associated intellectual property, while supporting the transition from declining industrial sectors and enabling the training and re-skilling required.
The £4.99m three-year programme is being funded via the Research England Development (RED) Fund scheme, which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). It will see the ERA university partners making available their £111m worth of hydrogen facilities, large scale demonstration programmes, and research capabilities to businesses.
This will be supported by the expertise of leading industrial partners in transport, heating and manufacturing technologies, who are also involved in HyDEX. These include Worcester-Bosch and Cadent (hydrogen boilers and gas networks); Intelligent Energy (fuel cells); Toyota (hydrogen vehicles); FAUN Zoeller (heavy vehicles); Cenex, ENGIE (Hydrogen Networks); Progressive Energy, ITM Motive (hydrogen generation and transport respectively); Siemens and ENGIE (hydrogen production and storage).
Loughborough’s involvement in the HyDEX programme is being led by Professor Upul Wijayantha from the Department of Chemistry. Professor Wijayantha is also leading the overall Demonstrator Programme for HyDEX.
Speaking about the project, he said: “This is an exciting opportunity for Loughborough University, ERA partners and the Midlands region, as it will put us in a globally leading position in hydrogen technology innovation. The HyDEX programme is a perfect opportunity to achieve some important objectives that we identified last year when we worked with the Midlands Engine to formulate the 10 points Green Growth Plan for Midlands region.”
Loughborough’s Dr Kathryn North, who leads the Skills programme within the project, added: “HyDEX will work closely with industry and university partners to provide skills training and development opportunities for researchers and industry colleagues. This is a really important aspect to develop alongside the industrial links and technologies and provides strong alignment with the existing ERA Skills programme and the Centre for Postdoctoral Development in Infrastructure Cities and Energy, both also led by Loughborough University.”
The other universities involved in the programme are Keele (project lead), Aston, Birmingham, Cranfield, Nottingham and Warwick.
Civic partners such as the Midlands Engine, LEPs, local government and local authorities, will also add their weight to support the creation of a market for low-carbon hydrogen solutions as part of the net-zero transition.
There is also an international dimension to HyDEX, which will facilitate links with growing international markets in countries such as China, Australia and South Korea, where ERA partners have strong connections, in order to build commercial opportunities that reach beyond the Midlands and the UK.
