Anthony James acquires local Nottingham broker
Insurance broker, Anthony James, is expanding again after acquiring a Nottingham counterpart to deepen the community footprint.
Anthony James, which is based in Loughborough, has aligned with Bale Insurance Brokers, in a deal which will bring a wider range of services for the clients of both firms.
Bale Insurance Brokers is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022 and the decision to team up with Anthony James has been described as “hugely exciting” by Managing Director Jeff Bale.
He said: “We’re delighted to seal this partnership with such a highly-respected firm as Anthony James. The deal will result in a wider range of services for our clients, including access to more insurance markets and an in-house claims management team.
“Being part of the Anthony James Insurance Brokers group of companies will bring forward access to resource and a dynamic range of solutions for all of our clients’ changing insurance requirements.”
Jeff will have a senior role within Anthony James and maintain client and colleague relationships. A key part of the deal is that Bale will keep its Nottingham office open as usual and all contact details will stay the same.
Steve Boorman, Anthony James Insurance Brokers’ Managing Director, said: “We’re excited to announce this expansion and look forward to welcoming Jeff and his colleagues as part of the team. Bale is a recognised name in the local insurance brokerage world and we’re delighted that their loyal clients will now have access to a wider range of insurance support.”
The last year has been one of major growth for the brokers, with additional businesses brought into the group including Impaqt. This brings together Health & Safety and HR support, to provide its customers with a dovetailed risk management program that runs alongside the commercial insurance arrangements, providing 360 protection.
“For Anthony James, this is the next step in our strategic growth plan,” concludes Boorman. “The integration of Jeff and his team has already begun and we look forward to helping Bale’s clients get the very best insurance advice available.”
Business Gateway welcomes Good Growth result with plans to help small business build on it
The Business Gateway for Leicester and Leicestershire has welcomed the findings published today by Demos-PwC as part of their Good Growth for Cities Index.
The Index saw Leicester achieving the highest ranking of any East Midlands city at 14th out of 50. The index uses indicators such as environment, transport, jobs, high street and shops, skills and new businesses.
Business Gateway manager, Rachel York, said: “It’s very heartening to see the city and county recognised as a great place to start and grow a business. It’s our job to make sure that this potential is realised – particularly in such challenging times globally.
“We’re interested to see that manufacturing is 16% of Leicester’s economy, wholesale and retail is 11.4% and real estate is nearly 12%. This situation means that we have a slightly below average overall rate of economic growth in the region and that’s what we’ll continue to address in the new financial year. We will continue to focus on supporting microbusinesses and very small businesses because they bring variety to our economy and, with the right support, can grow quickly.
“It’s also good to see that the environment and work-life balance are becoming more highly valued. We have offered programmes in Going Green throughout the year and they have proven very popular with our clients, along with our Zellar carbon reduction programme. This focus will continue in our new programme of events to be published soon.”
Mrs York concluded: “We completely agree with Ali Breadon of PwC’s comments that local government, employers and leaders all have a part to play in providing opportunities to grow businesses, careers, and skills. This of course is why the Business Gateway exists – to support growth, at start-up and for many years after.”
The Demos PwC Report can be found here: Good growth – Government & public sector – PwC UK
113,000 sq ft unit sold at Derbyshire logistics development
St Francis Group and ALMCOR have completed on the pre-sale of a 113,872 sq ft prime industrial unit at Horizon 29 to PCT Healthcare Ltd.
The development located adjacent to Junction 29A of the M1 and Markham Vale is being delivered by Bolsover Land Ltd, the second joint venture partnership between St Frances Group and ALMCOR (formerly known as iSec).
This quickly follows the recent sale by the JV of 80 acres of land at Horizon 29 to Bentallgreenoak for the speculative development of 1.2 million sq ft of warehouse and logistics space.
When complete the park will comprise eight industrial/warehouse units from 73,174 sq ft to 250,000 sq ft.
The opportunity to purchase the site in Bolsover allows PCT Healthcare (trading as Peak Pharmacy) to consolidate their depots into a purpose-built unit.
Horizon 29 was acquired by Bolsover Land as a brownfield site in need of extensive remediation and with the help of public sector funding support from North East Derbyshire District Council, Bolsover District Council, Derbyshire County Council and the D2N2 LEP, the developers recently completed extensive infrastructure works to regenerate the site and create 4 development ready plots ready for immediate development.
Gareth Williams, development director at St Francis Group, part of the Joint Venture and who oversaw negotiations, said: “Large regeneration projects have a long lead-in time and Horizon29 was no exception, so securing the first occupier is an exciting milestone.
“On behalf of the Joint Venture, I’m delighted to have reached agreement with PCT Healthcare and look forward to working with them on this part of their next chapter. Work on site will begin in June and the new unit will be handed over in April next year.”
CBRE and Knight Frank acted for the Joint Venture.
Mike Baugh, senior director, CBRE Industrial team Leeds, said: “It was great working with our clients Bolsover Land Ltd on this project and to advise on the first unit to be built at Horizon29, a scheme that will quickly become an exciting new business location. PCT and their acquisition team at WT Gunson were a pleasure to deal with.”
Joe Cattee of PCT said: “I’m delighted to have managed to get this acquisition over the line. The possibility of relocation to this site completely revolutionizes how Peak Pharmacy operate.
“The pressures on the business over the last 18 months have been extreme to say the least, and by having the ability to locate all our supply depots into one location, and free up capacity across our Pharmacy network, our colleagues and patients should see these pressures reduced and a better service, and atmosphere for both should follow.
“I’m very thankful to our legal representation CMP Legal, based in Chesterfield, and our Consultants team, WT Gunson, based in Manchester for their continued support in the development of our business.”
Jack McCabe, senior consultant at WT Gunson, acted for PCT Healthcare Limited.
New report spotlights lack of women at top levels in Midlands businesses
Women in business leadership across the Midlands is the focus of the Midlands Engine Quarterly Economic Briefing tomorrow – an opportunity to celebrate women in leadership positions across the region, and spotlight areas where barriers to female leadership exist and how they can be addressed.
The briefing follows the release on International Women’s Day of a revealing new Midlands Engine partnership report – Women in Business Leadership in the Midlands. The research was conducted in conjunction with the University of Wolverhampton and highlights the lack of women in business leadership positions in the region, including the low percentage of women running small businesses, and details the barriers women currently face.
The report’s findings include:
- Amongst the top 350 Midlands companies, there are 169 companies with male-only boards. This means 48% of the largest 350 companies by turnover in the Midlands do not have a woman on their board.
- Women hold 15.8% of directorships in the top 350 public and private companies in the Midlands, which is lower than the UK’s large public companies.
- This falls to 7.8% of executive directorships in the Midlands’ top 350 companies, compared to 13.7% and 11.3% in FTSE100 and FTSE250 companies respectively.
- Companies with female executive directors are less prevalent in Midlands100 at only 12%, compared to 27% of UK FTSE100 companies.
New research finds Leicester best positioned city for economic growth in the East Midlands
Leicester has placed as the highest ranked East Midlands city in the the Demos-PwC Good Growth for Cities Index, which ranks 50 of the UK’s largest towns and cities (plus the London boroughs as a whole), based on people’s assessment of 12 key economic wellbeing factors.
It achieved a ranking of 14th out of 50 and is followed by Derby (ranked 23rd), Nottingham (ranked 34th) and Lincoln (ranked 35th).
The index uses a series of indicators including safety, income distribution, income, health, work-life balance, environment, transport, jobs, high street & shops, housing, skills and new businesses.
Each indicator is weighted relative to how important it is considered by the 1,000 people surveyed as part of the study. In comparison to last year’s report, the importance given to these indicators by the members of the public who have been polled has shifted considerably.
Jobs and skills, two of the most important variables last year, see significant decreases in their importance in the updated Index. In contrast, the environment and income distribution have seen significant increases. For the first time, two new indicators – safety and high street and shops – have been added to the index.
The index found that Leicester ranked above average for work-life balance, income distribution and safety, and was around average for indicators including jobs, health, new business, house prices to earnings, homeowner occupation rate, transport and environment.
The average annual economic growth rate as measured by Gross Value Added (GVA) on cities in the Midlands region is 6.9% in 2021 – below the UK average rate of 7.3% in 2021. Data shows that across the East Midlands, manufacturing, wholesale & retail, and real estate make up the highest proportions of cities’ economies.
For example, 23.8% of Derby’s economy is attributed to the manufacturing sector, which is among the highest in the country. Research indicates that this partly drove lower than average estimated growth rates in 2021, as manufacturing, like many other sectors, faced challenges through the pandemic such as supply chain and logistical issues and reduced workforce capacities.
Elsewhere in the region, manufacturing makes up 16.1% of Leicester’s overall economy, 14.8% in Lincoln and 12.2% in Nottingham. Wholesale and retail comprises 12.4% in Derby, 11.4% in Leicester, 12.7% in Lincoln and 13.2% in Nottingham. Finally, real estate accounts for 11% in Derby, 11.9% in Leicester, 12.2% in Lincoln and 11.2% in Nottingham.
Ali Breadon, senior partner for PwC in the East Midlands, said: “We’re emerging from the pandemic with a new set of priorities, largely focused around fairness, the environment and work-life balance. In concert with the vision set out in the Levelling Up White Paper, local government, employers and leaders all have a part to play in providing opportunities for people to grow their businesses, careers, and skills in cities, towns, and communities right across the East Midlands.
“We see a clear theme across Midlands cities of manufacturing, retail and real estate accounting for larger sections of our regional economies. As the research suggests, this contributes to a slightly below average overall rate of economic growth in the region. That in itself presents both challenges and opportunities for the local business community with the identification of growth opportunities.”
How the Midlands fares on priorities for good growth
As a whole, cities in the Midlands performed well on safety, where six out of eleven cities (Derby, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent, and Wolverhampton & Walsall) scored above average. Transport sees four cities (Derby, Lincoln, Northampton and Peterborough) score above the national average. Four cities (Leicester, Lincoln, Peterborough, and Wolverhampton & Walsall) scored above the index average on the income distribution indicator, with the other cities at around average.
However, this positive performance is also coupled with lower scores in jobs, with five cities (Birmingham, Northampton, Nottingham, Peterborough, and Wolverhampton & Walsall) coming below the national average.
Mortgage broker makes new home at Friar Gate Studios
A specialist mortgage broker has made its fourth move within the Connect Derby portfolio of managed workspaces.
Create Finance, which was founded in 2015 by mortgage broker Gindy Mathoon, has taken advantage of the relaxation of rules allowing non-creatives to take office space at Friar Gate Studios and moved his 23 strong team of brokers to the headquarters of the Connect Derby scheme.
The company started life at Riverside Chambers on Full Street, which was the subject of a £2m refurbishment in 2015. Over the next three years it achieved significant growth – expanding from one to two offices and employing more than 15 mortgage brokers and 11 admin staff.
In June 2018, the company expanded still further taking over the historic Shot Tower building on the Morledge – with the creation of twelve new jobs.
The advent of the pandemic prompted a rethink of the company’s accommodation strategy and the decision to adopt a hybrid working approach, resulting in a move away from the three storey Shot Tower building to offices at Friar Gate Studios.
This will enable staff to make better use of their time, working from home, but able to come into the office for meetings and training.
Create Finance works with a range of customers – from the self-employed, contractors and professionals to people with adverse credit ratings.
Commenting on the move to Friar Gate Studios, director Gindy Mathoon, said: “What we like about being with Connect Derby is the flexibility. This is our fourth office at Connect Derby, and we wouldn’t consider going anywhere else.
“Over the years, we have developed a tremendous working relationship with Ann and her team. In fact, when we told Ann we needed a bigger space at Friar Gate Studios than was available, she gave us her own office!
“We like the managed office space and the flexible tenancy agreement. Services like health and safety around the building are taken care of. If there are any issues, we just report it and it’s taken care of by the building manager, allowing us to focus on our day-to-day business.
“Previously we had a team of brokers working across the UK supported by local admin staff. When the pandemic hit, everyone reverted to working from home, so we no longer needed all the space at Shot Tower.
“Staff morale remains key, though, so maintaining an office will enable our admin team and brokers to touch base on a regular basis.”
Ann Bhatti, head of Connect Derby, added: “We’re delighted to have been able to facilitate Create Finance’s expansion and changes within the business over the past seven years and are delighted they have found a new home at Friar Gate Studios.
“The relaxation of rules which enable non-creatives from the supply chain to the creative industries to take space at Friar Gate Studios and Sadler Bridge Studios has proved very popular and resulted in a dynamic and diverse community of tenants at both workspaces.”
150 jobs boost for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire manufacturers
Nearly 150 manufacturing jobs have been created or safeguarded in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire over the last twelve months thanks to the backing of a specialist business support programme.
The Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and designed and delivered by Oxford Innovation Advice, has delivered more than eighty strategic reviews to firms in the region – despite being in the midst of the pandemic.
Specialist assistance from dedicated Manufacturing Growth Managers has helped companies to improve quality performance, access new markets, develop new products and address environmental concerns.
In a deal agreed with D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, more than £130,000 of grants have been given out and this has been matched with £260,000 of private sector investment as manufacturing SMEs begin to bounce back from the effects of COVID-19.
Encouragingly, management teams still have until December 2022 to tap into MGP and make the most of a further £360,000 of support.
“Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire manufacturers are extremely resilient, especially with what has been thrown at them over the last two years,” explained David Caddle, regional manager of the Manufacturing Growth Programme.
“Despite the pandemic, companies are still looking to grow sales and achieve competitive advantage and that’s where our team come in, using the GROWTHMapper benchmarking tool to identify pain points within the business.
“We can then use this to inform the specialist support they need, delivering grants that can help with a third of the total cost of an improvement project up to a maximum of £10,000.”
He went on to add: “There are still grants available to support the industrial bounce back and to help companies overcome the widespread supply chain and inflationary pressures we are seeing.”
Retford-based Trans-Sport.tv (also known as Trans-Sport Limited) is one of the companies that has tapped into the Manufacturing Growth Programme so far.
The media and broadcasting events contractor, which designs, makes and supplies structures, sets and rigging to broadcast industry clients, has made several operational improvements as well as designing a new diversification strategy to help it offset quieter periods of activity.
It is an approach that is already paying off, with the firm supplying bespoke safety screens for workplaces and manufacturing stages for new clients.
New installation contracts have also been won for Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win, game show Quizness and an extension to support the BBC Antiques Roadshow.
Helen Cope, director of Trans-Sport Limited, stated: “The Manufacturing Growth Programme has been so helpful, and the process is very straightforward. If your business has a genuine desire for manufacturing growth, then go for it!
“We did it and we are now trading above pre-pandemic levels and have taken on an extra four new staff to cope with demand.”
East Midlands manufacturer wins £3.1m furniture contract for major residential scheme
Mansfield-based Deanestor, the furniture and fitout specialists, has been awarded a £3.1m contract by Robertson Group to manufacture and install bespoke kitchens and wardrobes for a new £80m build-to-rent scheme in Glasgow developed by Moda Living.
Holland Park is Deanestor’s first build-to-rent contract in Scotland. It follows its successful delivery of multiple fitout projects for private rental schemes in other parts of the UK, and the company’s long track record of providing furniture solutions for major new developments across Scotland.
Deanestor will provide 433 contemporary kitchens and 599 wardrobe sets for the high-tech studios and apartments in Holland Park. Set around a new public courtyard, the development will provide 433 homes for rent in four buildings up to 22 storeys, creating a community of around 900 people.
Deanestor is manufacturing L-shaped and linear kitchens in 18 different configurations for the 1, 2 and 3-bed apartments. These will have a dark grey woodgrain finish for the base cabinets and matt arctic grey wall units with contrasting white quartz worktops and splashbacks.
William Tonkinson, Managing Director of Deanestor, said: “We engaged with Robertson, the main contractor at the early planning stages of this project and so were able to develop the furniture solutions to meet Moda Living’s stringent design, cost, quality, and programme requirements. We look forward to starting on site, and to completing the furniture and fitout works by Spring 2023.
“Demand for our kitchen and fitted bedroom furniture solutions continues to rise in the fast-growing UK build-to-rent sector. We are delighted to be involved in this exciting new city living scheme for Moda in Scotland.”
The kitchen cabinets will have integral formed handles and integrated appliances including extractor fan, ceramic or induction hob, combi or dual fan oven, dishwasher, built-in fridge/freezer or under-counter fridge, microwave, and washer/dryer fitted in a specially designed utility cabinet.
The bespoke, full height fitted wardrobes for Holland Park will have a woodgrain finish and will be installed with mirrors, shelving, and hanging rails.
Deanestor’s sister company, Offsite Solutions, is also working on the Holland Park project, manufacturing bathroom pods in its third contract for Moda Living.
£200,000 grant to help create business hubs at Lincoln and Spalding libraries
A £200,000 government grant will help create business hubs at Lincoln and Spalding libraries.
The funding will create two ‘Business Bubbles’ for small businesses, providing confidential workspaces equipped with modern technology.
Lincolnshire County Council has been awarded £211,200 for the project, by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports, delivered by Arts Council England.
At Lincoln and Spalding library, drop-in workspaces will be created for small businesses and start-ups. Kitted out with acoustic booths and modern technology, these will offer flexible and confidential space to work from as and when they need to.
Businesses using the bubbles will also be able to use the libraries as a registered business address, and a ‘poste restante’ service will be available.
In Lincoln, an open plan business lounge located next to the Business Bubble will provide space for client meetings.
At Spalding Library, the Business Bubble will also provide more opportunities to work with local education providers to address employability and digital skills shortages in the area.
The funding is part of the Government’s £48m Cultural Investment Fund (CIF), which has provided grants to more than 60 galleries, museums, libraries and cultural venues across the country to improve access to the arts, safeguard cultural assets for future generations, and power economic growth through culture.
Cllr Lindsey Cawrey, executive member for culture and heritage at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “We’re always looking at ways to develop the range of services and facilities offered by the library service to ensure we’re meeting the needs of our residents.
“By transforming areas of our Lincoln and Spalding Libraries in this way, we’re enhancing the value and role of the library service, extending the benefits of local libraries to small business and supporting them at a time when Lincolnshire is emerging from the pandemic into a new economic landscape.”
Finch Consulting makes trio of promotions
Leicestershire-based health and safety engineering risk management experts, Finch Consulting, are promoting three of their senior consultants to principal consultants.
Rob Migliaccio, Dr Steve Cowley and Melvin Sandell have all been with the business for at least three years and have made great progress in their personal development as well as being instrumental in driving Finch forwards.
Rob Migliaccio, a Chartered Electrical Engineer, provides expertise to the industry and provides the tools and expertise necessary to minimise the potential dangers of machinery in the workplace, helping businesses to avoid costly and unfortunate mishaps, and meet legal requirements and conformance of machine safety standards.
Dr Steve Cowley is a Chartered Occupational Hygienist, providing his expertise in a range of Expert Witness cases including confined space incidents, musculo-skeletal injury claims and asbestos-related claims.
Melvin Sandell’s main areas of expertise are health and safety in the entertainment and leisure sector, giving expert advice on civil and criminal Expert Witness matters in H&S management structures, the agriculture industry and leisure industry.
Commenting on the promotions, Dom Barraclough, Managing Director at Finch, said: “All three have made great progress in their roles, and have proven to continue to be great assets to Finch hence why the decision was made to promote them to principal consultants. Not only are they professional individuals, but they also embody the Finch ethos of teamwork and putting the client first.”
