- Recruitment of lateral hires and experienced staff across multiple practice areas
- Expansion of the firm’s national presence and market recognition
- Diversification of client base and service offerings
Flint Bishop gears up for ambitous growth strategy
Law firm Flint Bishop has announced its incorporation from Flint Bishop LLP to Flint Bishop Limited. This strategic move comes on the heels of the firm’s most successful financial year to date and is designed to support its ambitious growth plans in the coming months.
For the fiscal year ending 30 April 2024, Flint Bishop achieved record-breaking results with annual turnover climbing to over £21m. The firm’s workforce has also expanded significantly, surpassing 250 employees for the first time in its history.
Commenting on the firm’s transformation, Qamer Ghafoor, Chief Executive of Flint Bishop, said: “Our incorporation marks a pivotal moment in Flint Bishop’s journey. This change in structure will enable us to pursue our aggressive growth strategy more effectively, including planned organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. We are immensely proud of our staff, our culture, and the clients we are working with.”
Ghafoor further elaborated on the firm’s strategic focus: “As we move forward, we will concentrate on five key areas: profitable growth, financial performance, development of our clients and people, management of risk, and enhancing our brand and reputation. Our new corporate group structure will allow us to develop brands and non-legal services, building scale without compromising our culture.”
The firm has already begun implementing its growth plans, with several key initiatives underway:
Entrepreneurial appetite returns to East Midlands after change in government, but economic backdrop remains mixed
The number of new businesses set up in the East Midlands has begun to rise once more, after a steep and sustained fall in May following the announcement of the General Election.
This is according to the Midlands branch of national insolvency and restructuring trade body R3 and is based on a monthly analysis of regional start-up data from business intelligence provider Creditsafe.
R3’s figures indicate there were 2,249 companies set up in the East Midlands in July, which is a rise of 5.04% in comparison with the June figure, and 8.33% higher than the 2,076 start-ups in May.
R3’s data also show some improvement in the wider local economy as debts owed by East Midlands businesses in liquidation decreased by 10.95% last month against the previous month, and by 37.11% compared to January.
The broader economic picture remains unpredictable, however, as the number of East Midlands companies with late payments on their books has risen steadily since the start of the year, reaching 23,917 last month compared to 23,194 in January.
R3 Midlands chair Stephen Rome, a partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper in the region, said: “It’s encouraging to see entrepreneurs becoming more confident and willing to push ahead with their new business plans. Lower inflation and the prospect of greater sales opportunities appear to be having some effect.
“However, we have yet to see the full impact of the General Election on the economy and purchasing decisions, and many directors of potential start-ups – and existing businesses – are concerned about customer demand, staff turnover and meeting regulatory requirements.
“With economic instability a driving factor, the new Government has committed to a number of policies designed to boost our local business community. The pledge to reform business rates to be fairer may benefit many East Midlands companies, particularly those in the retail and hospitality sector.
“Plans to introduce legislation to tackle late payments, if effective, will improve cashflow for local businesses – especially valuable for vulnerable start-ups – and could free up resources to allow firms to focus on investment and growth rather than chasing up overdue invoices.
“Such measures will, undoubtedly, take time to introduce. Therefore, R3’s advice to any directors worried about the viability of their company, start-up or otherwise, is to seek professional help and to do it as soon as possible. Many R3 Midlands members offer a free initial consultation to those who wish to explore their options.”
Derby investment fraudster gets 15-year bankruptcy restrictions
A former investment firm director from Derby has become subject to stringent bankruptcy restrictions after duping people into handing over money in an investment fraud.
Andrew Paul Bird, 60, from Church Road, Quarndon, was handed the maximum 15-year restriction after the Official Receiver discovered he had knowingly misled investors and exposed them to the risk of losing money for his personal gain.
Robin Dury, Official Receiver at the Insolvency Service, said: “Andrew Bird purposely deceived people who trusted him into handing over money for what they believed to be secure investments.
“We are pleased that these lengthy Bankruptcy Restrictions will prevent him causing further harm to people, by curtailing his business activities for a long time.”
Bankruptcy Restrictions prevent Bird acting as a company director without the court’s permission, or borrowing more than £500 without declaring that he is subject to the restrictions. They also prevent him taking up certain roles in public organisations. Bird was first made bankrupt in November 2016, and later became subject to a five-year interim Bankruptcy Restrictions Order, which was imposed by the courts in January 2018 to prevent him causing further harm while he awaited a criminal trial for his fraudulent actions. The interim order was made on application by the Official Receiver following an investigation into Bird’s affairs as a bankrupt. The investment scheme purported to use money from investors to trade on a trading platform and return a profit on their investments. But between 1 January 2011 and 31 August 2016 Bird knowingly gave false information to investors for his own personal gain, and received an eight-year jail sentence at Nottingham Crown Court on 1 August 2024. The Official Receiver secured a signed undertaking by Bird, in which he agreed to be bound by the bankruptcy restrictions until 24 January 2033 – extending them for a full 15 years, from the date of the interim order in January 2018. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted the undertaking on 15 July 2024. Bird did not dispute that he had acted dishonestly by misleading 13 different parties – including both individuals and couples – to invest in a scheme which exposed them to potential losses. His actions were a breach of the Fraud Act 2006.Corby looks for volunteers to boost Towns Deal Board.
North Northamptonshire Council are seeking new members for the Corby Towns Deal Board.
The Council would like to continue the success of the Corby Town Deal Board, which meets every six weeks via Teams, and is looking for voluntary representatives to join the Board and bring their skills and local knowledge to assist with the development and completion of the Town Fund projects.
It is seeking individuals who can reflect and represent different sectors across Corby such as communities, business, charity, culture, educational and heritage interests of the area and can make a meaningful contribution to the Board.
Cariad Babi wins Derbion ‘new store’ contest
Derbion will be welcoming a new independent brand after announcing baby and children’s retailer Cariad Babi as the winner of its Hatch competition.
Hatch offers small business owners the opportunity to take their brand to the next level and open a store within the centre. The prize includes a rent-free store in Derbion for six weeks.
Established by Derbyshire-based entrepreneur Kia Roberts in 2019, Cariad Babi specialises in providing rear facing car seats and baby carriers that exceed safety standards.
Kia said: “Our vision is to build a community of parents that support, and feel supported by, other parents of Derbyshire.
“Being able to open a store within Derbion will help us take the next step up, as well as help grow our brand and network across the region.”
Beth McDonald, MD at Derbion, said: “For five years, our renowned Hatch competition has provided entrepreneurs from across the East Midlands with the chance to take the next step and open a physical store in a shopping centre.
“Cariad Babi impressed the judges with its commitment to excellent and dedication to supporting the needs of the local community, and we are confident that the brand will be a hit with our shoppers.”
Chamber outlines planning asks for East Midlands as government holds public consultation
Speeding up planning permission and bringing in the private sector to support local authorities are among asks set out by East Midlands Chamber as the government holds an open consultation on national planning.
Government proposals include the building of 1.5 million new homes across the UK, broadening the definition of brownfield land and support for renewable energy. Respondents have until 24th September to express their views via an online portal.
East Midlands Chamber Chief Executive Scott Knowles said: “The planning system has needed significant reform for years. Development takes far too long in the East Midlands, it costs too much and that’s a barrier to businesses unlocking growth, investing, creating new jobs and to the UK’s transition to net zero, as infrastructure projects get delayed.
“Whatever the findings of the government’s consultation nationally, we’ve clearly laid out the planning reform needed for this region in our Manifesto for Growth 2024. Staffing issues at councils can be helped by the private sector stepping in; access to the National Grid needs to be easier for renewable energy production and local plans need to reflect the reality of how people live, work and move.”
National vision correction provider moves into Grade A premises in Nottingham
A top national vision correction provider has moved into new Grade A premises in Nottingham.
Optegra Eye Health Care, which has its head office in London, has expanded onto Apex Court in Wilford, Nottingham after taking a lease on the ground floor of Building C at the business park. The brand-new clinic will provide NHS cataract surgery to local people.
Darren Whitelaw, Head of Property and Asset Management for Optegra, said: “We have opened 11 new NHS clinics around the country over the past two years, as we work to support the NHS and deliver timely cataract surgery. Each build has been unique and had its own challenges, while delivering an Optegra-style hospital for patients.
“In Nottingham our challenge was to split a two-floor property into two separate units, and then create the hospital on the ground floor. NG have been a pleasure to work with, and very helpful throughout this process. We are delighted with the result and are confident our patients will be too.”
Charlotte Steggles, Associate Director at NG, brokered the deal for Optegra’s new premises on behalf of a private landlord client.
She said: “It’s fantastic that we’re able to help Optegra with their expansion plans at Apex Court, which continues to be extremely popular given its excellent transport links to not only Nottingham city centre, but the rest of the UK. Our landlord tenant now has a very high calibre client which is growing across the country – and Optegra has some stunning new premises from which to operate.
“However, this was a real team effort from my colleagues at NG and the deal only enhances our reputation as a quality full-service agency.”
NG Director Jude Weston manages the building on behalf of the landlord, while fellow building consultancy director Paul Rogers procured the Cat A works to split the property and oversaw the tenant’s work.
“It’s great to be working closely with our property management and agency colleagues to provide a cohesive and complete property solution to our client,” said Paul.
He added: “Our primary focus was to ensure the Cat A works were completed on time, to design and to budget. We were familiar with the property having previously completed insurance reinstatement cost assessments and dilapidation services when the former tenant exited. We have worked closely with the tenant’s representative to approve and monitor the Cat B works.”
Leicester and Leicestershire’s visitor economy sees strong growth
New figures have revealed that the economic impact of the tourism sector in Leicester and Leicestershire is now worth £2.391 billion. This figure relates to activity in 2023 and is up by 15.5% on the 2022 figure of £2.070 billion.
Over 31.28 million people visited the city and county in 2023, an increase of 2.46% on the previous year’s figure of 30.53 million. Of these numbers, the county welcomed 21.04 million visitors whilst 10.24 million visited the city. The number of visitor days rose to 38.53 million, up 2.34% on the 2022 figure of 37.65 million – with 24.62 million visitor days in the county and 13.91 million in the city during 2023.
The new figures also show that the number of tourism-related jobs is on the rise, with more than 22,923 people now employed in the visitor economy sector across the city and the county – an increase of 8.96% on 2022.
In the 2019 (pre-pandemic) figures, visitor numbers for the city and county totalled 35.37 million, the economic impact was £1.962 billion and 22,714 people were employed in the sector.
The tourism figures for Leicester and Leicestershire are taken from the 2023 Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor (STEAM) survey.
The positive tourism results have been welcomed by City Mayor Peter Soulsby and County Council Acting Leader, Deborah Taylor.
Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “The economic value of tourism in Leicester continues to grow which is excellent news. The growth we’ve seen in tourism-related jobs gives a huge boost to our economy, as do the millions of visitors who come here and spend their money with local businesses.
“These figures show that our investment in making the city centre an attractive place that’s easy to get around has been well worth it. They also reflect the hard work of everyone involved in the tourism and hospitality sector in our city.”
Leicestershire County Council acting leader, Deborah Taylor, said: “This is great news and shows that the city and county are on the up. Whether it’s discovering history, tasting world-famous cuisine or trying more active escapes such as kayaking, we are a top visitor destination.
“And with 21 million people visiting the county last year, spending money in hotels, restaurants, attractions and local shops, enabling businesses to grow and more jobs to be created, it’s an important boost for our local economy.
“Leicestershire is an excellent place to live, invest and visit and I’m pleased that more people are enjoying the wealth of attractions on our doorstep.”
Erika Hardy, Chair of the Tourism Advisory Board for Leicester and Leicestershire, said: “We welcome this new data which is further evidence to prove that we have a thriving and vibrant tourism and hospitality sector locally, full of people passionate about our city and county.
“The campaigns run over recent years to promote Leicester and Leicestershire as a fantastic destination for visitors have really highlighted the huge number of reasons to visit.”
Growth and new jobs on the horizon in ‘creative powerhouse’ merger
DPS Digital has merged with sister-firm Intervino to create a new brand – IV Creative, headquartered in Nottingham – amid plans to expand into the international market.
Launched in 2012, print specialists DPS Digital has rapidly grown, providing services for major brands including Moonpig.
Formed 18 years ago, Intervino boasts clients including Doritos, Coca-Cola, and Diageo – for whom the company has provided personalised packaging, gifting and fulfillment services.
IV Creative’s Chief Operating Officer Helen Smith hopes the merger will help the business fulfil its “immense potential.”
“Both DPS Digital and Intervino are success stories, and I believe this merger will only lead to more success and growth,” she said.
“Our long-term goal for IV Creative is to expand further into the international market and offer our services globally, and we hope that growth could bring about new employment opportunities for the area.
“IV Creative has immense potential and this merger will help us to unleash it.”
Having started above a shop with a team of just three, DPS Digital currently employs almost 100 staff at the firm’s base in Sleaford Business Park.
The merger will bolster the firm’s diverse leadership team, which is split equally between males and females.
Among the key appointments is Amy Lennox, who previously served as Intervino’s Chief Executive Officer and is a recently nominated finalist in the National Business Women’s Awards.
She will now take on the role of IV Creative’s Group CEO following the rebrand. This will see technology, staff, and processes integrated as part of a streamlined approach that will ultimately lead to more financial benefits – and more services.
“With both companies providing complementary services, the merger made perfect sense to us and it is just the latest stage of the incredible transformation in this business during the last few years.
“We’ve developed an enviable workplace culture and invested heavily in training, safety and technology – such as state-of-the-art printing equipment – so that we remain at the industry’s forefront.
“We plan to dominate the global personalisation, print, and gifting space by continuing to partner with some of the biggest brands and businesses in the World. We want to attract top talent to work in our dynamic, fast-paced and exciting business.”
‘FoMO’ is a key risk factor for mental health and burnout at work, say University of Nottingham researchers
Fear of missing out (FoMO) is a key risk factor for employee mental health and, along with information overload, may increase burnout, according to new research.
Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s Schools of Psychology and Medicine analysed survey data from 142 employees to investigate the ‘dark side’ of digital working and found that employees who are worried about missing out on information and are overloaded by it are more likely to suffer stress and burnout. The results have been published in SAGE Open.
Elizabeth Marsh, PhD student from the School of Psychology, said: “The digital workplace is now recognised as a key strategic asset in organisations that enables worker productivity and flexibility in context of hybrid working. However, the potential downsides in terms of worker well-being also need to be considered, especially given the proliferation of digital communication channels and tools since Covid.”
This new study connects to previous work which revealed that employees who are more mindful in the digital workplace are better protected against stress, anxiety and overload.
In this research FoMO is defined as anxiety about missing out on both important information and updates, as well as opportunities for relationships and interactions. FoMO has long been a term used in relation to social media, and now this new research shows it is an effect that is being felt in the workplace.
The participants in the study were surveyed about their experiences of the dark side effects of the digital workplace which were identified as; stress, overload, anxiety and fear of missing out and how these affected their wellbeing.
The results showed that among the dark side effects, those relating to information – both feeling overloaded by it and fearing missing out on it – proved particularly detrimental for well-being both directly and by elevating overall stress related to digital working.
Elizabeth adds: “The glut of information flowing through channels such as email, intranets or collaboration tools can lead workers to worry about missing out on it as well as succumbing to overload as they strive to keep up. To help people cope with information overwhelm, serious and sustained attention should be given to both optimising information management and supporting information literacy.”
The research makes some practical suggestions for employers which include investing in practices to optimise the amount and flow of information to employees. The findings could also be used by HR departments to consider policy and training options that would support the end-users of the digital workplace to better access, manage and consume information in a way that is conducive to well-being as well as productivity.
Professor Alexa Spence, School of Psychology, said: “Consideration of the digital workplace in work and job design is essential to not only employee productivity but also well-being in modern organisations. Where this is lacking, elevated stress and burnout as well as poorer mental health may result. Our findings indicate the information ecosystem as an important area for attention both inside organisations and among the research community.”
The research was funded by ESRC-MGS (Economic and Social Research Council – Midland Graduate School). 