Marketing agency invests £450k on building purchase

Tess Egginton
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Marketing agency invests £450k on building purchase

Full service marketing agency, Purpose Media has invested £450,000 in purchasing the office buildings it has previously been leasing.

Based in The Village Business Park on Maisies Way, South Normanton, Purpose Media already owned unit 14 and had been leasing units 16 and 18 for the last four years. The combined space now comprises 5,000 sq ft and incorporates a variety of collaborative workspaces, meeting rooms and recreational areas for staff.

As part of an ongoing strategy to create more inherent value, the purchase was originally planned to complete two years ago, but the initial uncertainty caused by COVID-19 outbreak meant the purchase was placed on the back burner. Business confidence, driven by the high demand for digital marketing expertise during, and since the pandemic, enabled the deal to be resurrected at the end of 2021 and it finally completed in February 2022.

Funding was provided through a commercial mortgage from NatWest bank arranged by Darren Wilkinson and legal advice was provided to Purpose Media shareholders Matt Wheatcroft and Tim Lenton by Ellis Fermor & Negus. Rob Spencer from FHP acted on behalf of the vendor, Gary Dutton from EIRP who was given legal advice by Brownejacobson.

Commenting on the purchase, Matt Wheatcroft said: “At a time when most businesses are downsizing office space we have invested in our future and in providing our staff and clients an attractive environment to meet and collaborate. Now that we own all the buildings, we plan to invest further by re-designing and fitting out the space to enable more hybrid styles of working and accommodate further growth in our team.”

Claudio Davanzo, creative director, added: “The world of design and marketing will continue to be exciting and evolutionary and I think Purpose Media will remain at the forefront of leading change. Having an attractive work place means we can retain and attract the best talent and offer a work balance that enables people to adapt their work style according to how they work best.”

Prominent Coalville building to be restored thanks to council purchase

Tess Egginton
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Prominent Coalville building to be restored thanks to council purchase
An historic building in the heart of Coalville will be given a new lease of life after being bought by North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC). The row of terraced properties on the corner of Marlborough Square and Belvoir Road will receive a full renovation, creating 10 new first floor apartments and improving the business units on the ground floor. The council is investing £4.5 million to bring the building up to date, complementing work to Marlborough Square. The building has detracted from the area for some time, with peeling paint and vegetation growing from its masonry. With the cost of repair and refurbishment, it is unlikely that a private investor would take on such a project. As it has done in the past with the former Pick and Shovel pub on High Street, which is now an attractive apartment building, and the former police station site, which is now a good quality housing development, the council is intervening to support Coalville in being a vibrant town. The renovation will see:
  • Repairs to the building structure, including the roof
  • Restoration of the original Victorian frontage
  • Replacement of the shop fronts to Marlborough Square and Belvoir Road with traditional frontages
  • Conversion of first and second floor accommodation to 10 quality one and two bedroom apartments, which will be offered for sale once complete
  • Zero Carbon improvements – insulation to walls, floors, roof and ceilings, replacement doors and double glazing, LED lighting, water efficient fittings, energy efficient appliances, energy efficient heating systems.
The project is planned to cost the council almost £4.5 million, although the sales of the apartments will likely bring this down to £3 million. The council will also take on landlord responsibilities for the existing business tenants and will continue to lease the ground floor units to keep the area vibrant and attractive for shoppers and visitors. The sale of the building was finalised on 11 February 2022. Now the council will tender for contractors to carry out the renovation. The work itself is expected to start within the next few months and it is planned to take around 12 months, with the apartments being ready for sale in 2023. Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of NWLDC, said: “Marlborough Square has previously been a real heart for Coalville, and it’s great that we are able to step in, take on an eyesore in a prominent place and turn it into something people can be proud of. “We did it with the Pick and Shovel, which stood empty for over a decade before it was transformed into an attractive building on a busy corner. This is the same principle. In this case, we’re sensitively upgrading the building to be a great asset to this part of Coalville. And the added bonus is that we’ll create much needed good quality homes in the process. It’s another positive for Coalville and I’m excited to see it develop.”

£4m funding boost extends business support hub until next summer

Tess Egginton
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£4m funding boost extends business support hub until next summer
Close to £4m of additional funding has been secured to support small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) across Nottingham and the wider area. The D2N2 Growth Hub has received the money from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which will see it extended from 1 April this year to 30 June 2023. Working across the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (D2N2) region, and funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the Growth Hub:
  • Employs 16 business advisers to offer SMEs a regular and comprehensive events programme
  • Provides impartial business information and diagnostics
  • Offers brokerage services to other established local business support organisations.
This funding award, due to be formally accepted at Executive Board on Tuesday, includes £3m to enable the continuation of Growth Hub services to ensure SMEs can find the right support for their needs, and £900,000 of additional Business Investment Fund (BIF) money. This provides smaller grants of between £3,000 and £30,000 to local firms. On top of £2.1m already committed, this will bring the total BIF support to £3m since April 2019. The Growth Hub has worked with more than 10,000 businesses across the D2N2 area in the past five years, of which around 2,500 have been in Nottingham. The City Council is the accountable body for the project. Councillor Rebecca Langton, Portfolio Holder for Skills, Growth and Economic Development, said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve secured this additional money from the Government and that we can commit to a further 15 months of dedicated support to small and medium-sized businesses across Nottingham. “The Growth Hub provides cash grants to help local firms to grow and expand, as well as providing specialist advice and guidance to business owners. This is invaluable and is a key factor in supporting the local economy. “I’d urge people to take a look at the hub website to discover more about how we can offer bespoke support to their businesses.” Christopher Pook, D2N2 Growth Hub Manager, said: “The extension of the Growth Hub to June 2023 is great news for the economy of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire as we can continue to support SMEs to grow their business. Alongside the core advisory services and grant funding through our Business Investment Fund to improve productivity, it also provides dedicated advisory resource to support SMEs on their journey towards net-zero.”

Derby City Council careers scheme welcomes new chair from University of Derby

Tess Egginton
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Derby City Council careers scheme welcomes new chair from University of Derby

A careers initiative which has helped thousands of secondary school pupils across Derby has welcomed a new chair.

Enterprise for Education (E4E) has appointed Louise Pigden, Deputy Dean of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Derby, to the role. She replaces Mike Copestake, who has been involved with the Derby City Council-backed scheme since it was launched in 2014.

E4E was created in a bid to link employers with secondary schools and students in the city. The public-private sector organisation offers mock interviews, CV workshops and mentoring, with employees from organisations in Derby – including Rolls-Royce, Alstrom, Toyota and the University – all volunteering their time.

Louise said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed chair of E4E – and I have some big boots to fill; Mike has done a brilliant job for the past eight years and he was the person who suggested I join the board at E4E because of my background in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

“I have a keen interest in outreach work and do a lot of that for the University. The core mission of E4E has always been to inspire the school children of Derby to achieve great things, open their eyes to opportunities, and to do this by introducing them to fantastic volunteers from Derby’s employers.

“And, as a volunteer, I have witnessed first-hand how impactful it can be; it is a joy to talk to young people about their aspirations, to positively influence them, give them ideas or a little bit of practice by taking part in mock interviews or CV Workshops.

“I’m looking forward to taking on this position, which aligns to the University’s wider civic agenda, helping to transform people’s lives and creative positive impact.”

During March 2019 to March 2020, just before COVID-19 arrived, E4E delivered to 15,709 young people in Derby, the highest in any 12-month period. This represents impressive numbers of employer volunteers and volunteering activity.

Throughout lockdown, delivery was massively affected. However, E4E switched to online delivery and still made an impact on 3,384 students.

E4E is bouncing back now and during 2021/22 is on course to deliver to 8,241 students.

Louise says that she will use her connections – and those of the University of Derby – to help E4E reach those students.

“Our Vice Chancellor, Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, chairs the Derby Opportunity Area and there are several inter-relationships between the University and Opportunity Area, plus Derby City Council,” said Louise.

“There are lots of overlapping agendas and objectives, so it’s really good to think of ways in which we can all work together productively.

“Recent partnerships and collaborations that E4E has been involved with include the Derby School Debate competition, where we worked with the Derby & District Law Society and University of Derby, Laptops for Students (E4E, Rolls-Royce, Derby City Council and Derby County Community Trust) and the Derby Festival of Discovery, which saw us work alongside Learn By Design, Rolls-Royce, University of Derby, Toyota and many more local employers.

“The E4E mission is to help raise aspirations and bridge the gap in educational attainment. I’m honoured to have been appointed chair and I am looking forward to continuing the good work.”

A super deduction successor could trigger £40bn-a-year boost for UK business investment

Tess Egginton
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A super deduction successor could trigger £40bn-a-year boost for UK business investment
Introducing a new permanent investment deduction to succeed the Government’s super deduction could boost UK business investment by up to £40bn a year by 2026, according to a new CBI survey. Data compiled from 325 firms – of all sizes and sectors of the economy – suggests the super deduction has spurred investment and that a permanent incentive could trigger an annual 17% uplift in capital spending. This could turbo-charge growth ambitions, helping raise productivity and improve living standards across all UK nations and regions. The CBI survey reveals more than half of respondents took advantage of the super deduction – or plan to do so – to increase or accelerate capital investment plans. However, with the scheme set to end in 2023, there is a risk business investment could tail off at a crucial time, when the OBR is projecting post-recovery economic growth levelling out at a modest 1.3-1.7%. The recent Bank of England forecast is more pessimistic still, expecting growth of only 1.0% in 2024. In the CBI’s own economic forecast, business investment is expected to fall in spring 2023, once the super deduction ends. The business group is urging Government to create a permanent 100% tax deduction for capital spending in the year of expenditure at this year’s Spring Statement, helping to sustain business investment throughout 2023 and ushering in a 17% rise in business investment over the medium-term. If the super deduction expires without a successor, the CBI forecasts the UK will remain the lowest in the G7 for business investment by 2026. Implementing a permanent investment deduction would lift us off the bottom, fuelling higher growth and productivity across the UK. Longer term, increasing productivity is the only sustainable way to pay down debt and meet rising spending pressures. Tony Danker, CBI Director-General, said: “The Chancellor’s super deduction exemplified the boldness in public policy that we need to inspire investment and get the economy moving. Going by our survey results, it looks to be a real success. It’s started the job but cannot be a one-hit wonder. Evolving the policy from short-term fix into long-term strategy will give firms confidence that Government and industry are aligned. “The UK is facing the highest tax burden in decades. But by rewarding firms who put money into their operations, we can unleash new innovation and productivity – the ingredients we need to escape the low-growth trap and build a stronger, sustainable and more equitable economic future.” Key survey results: Impact of the Super Deduction:
  • More than half of firms (53%) plan to claim the super deduction.
  • A fifth of qualifying capital spend is only taking place because of the opportunity presented by the super deduction.
  • Some 19% of qualifying capital spend was as a result of accelerated investment plans due to the super deduction.
  • And 2% of qualifying capital spending is being invested in the UK – rather than elsewhere – because of the super deduction.
  • In total, 41% of planned qualifying capital investment in 2021-23 is due to the super deduction – more than half of which would not otherwise have taken place in the UK.
Projected impact of a permanent equivalent relief:
  • 50% of respondents indicated they would revise investment plans as a result.
  • 24% said they would make additional capital investments in the UK.
  • 13% would make additional investments – and bring forward investment timescales.
  • A further 13% would accelerate UK investments already planned.
  • Survey respondents revealed plans for £1.3billion of capital projects and said a new investment deduction of the type proposed would see £169million of that spending accelerated – and a further £224million of projects added.
  • Extrapolating these findings to a medium-term projection of business investment shows this could increase spending by 17% by 2026, compared to existing projections.
  • This is equivalent to additional investment worth £40billion per year by 2026.
  • Expanding the assets that qualify for a permanent investment incentive – to include, for example, second-hand, leased and rented assets – and expanding the relief to unincorporated businesses could raise investment further, with potential for an additional boost of 4% over current projections, or another £10billion of investment per year by 2026.

Forge new connections at the Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo

Tess Egginton
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Forge new connections at the Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo
Offering all that you require for a great day of networking and business generation, attend The Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo to forge new connections. A well targeted, free to attend event aimed at the Construction, Property, Business, Investment, Finance, Professional Services and related B2B markets, for which Business Link is a proud partner, the expo will take place on Wednesday 27 April 2022 at The Bentley Hotel, Lincoln. Opening at 9am, as the exhibition closes (circa 2pm), it will roll directly into an informal network lunch – tickets are just £25 plus vat and can be ordered and paid for directly online. Meet more potential clients in one amazing cost effective day, than it would take months out on the road. To attend the event, register for free here. To generate opportunities by exhibiting at the event, click here. Purchase tickets to the networking lunch here.

APSS Celebrates 25 years of creating Amazing Workspaces

Eleonora Gallina
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APSS Celebrates 25 years of creating Amazing Workspaces
Experts in office design, fit out and refurbishment, APSS is celebrating 25 years of supporting businesses across the country to create inspirational and impressive workspaces. Founded in 1997, Darren Crookes started out on his own with two fitters to install office partitions and storage solutions for local businesses in the Lincoln area. Laurence Barrass, Managing Director for APSS said: “We now employ over 35 people and still work in partnership with our very first customer, Siemens. It’s incredible to think we have now completed over 10,000 different projects for our customers which span from Cornwall to Aberdeen. “Since the start, we have always helped smaller businesses as they remember the quality of service they receive from us, they grow as a company, then they turn into some of our biggest customers over the years. The partnership and bond we have with them is fantastic. It’s where we want to be – recognised as the company you can trust.” APSS has naturally evolved from a partitions and storage solution company to provide a full design and fit out service across a range of sectors. It has adapted to include its own in-house joinery department to speed up delivery time on projects and decrease overall costs for customers. Recently, the company has seen a change at the helm as Laurence Barrass became the new Managing Director, taking over from Darren who took a step back from the day to day running of the company, but remains as Chairman. “To reach 25 years in business is a huge milestone for any company,” Laurence said. “We have survived recessions and a pandemic which no one could have prepared for. There was a worrying time when offices nationally were closed to workers and this being key to our business. But thanks to the knowledgeable skill of our staff and the flexibility it allows for, as a company we were able to adapt to better support our customers who were going through exactly the same challenges we were facing. “We helped businesses which sold online to adapt their warehouse to cope with the additional stock levels required. Many of our key customers, like Wren Kitchens, used the down time in the offices to create a better and safer working environment ready for the post pandemic return to the office. “It’s been a bumpy ride, but an exciting one. We know many companies have had to shift to a more flexible, hybrid way of working thanks to the pandemic. It has been great to support so many in transforming their current office space to better suit that style of working.” When the company was first founded, it was all about trying to get the message out. The location in the Yellow Pages was an important consideration. Everything was faxed and drawings were all done by hand. To build up the business founder Darren Crookes knocked on every door he could find to obtain local clients. Many of which we are still working with. However, after a while, customers started saying ‘you know you’re doing that, well can you get carpets, and can you get furniture?’ It was a natural progression from the partitions, racking and storage the company originally provided – and still does. It opened up the marketplace and APSS began to offer more of a service driven product. “During the recession, APSS helped businesses to utilise their existing workspaces, similar to now after the pandemic. The only difference back then was it was about how we could squeeze as much in to the space as possible. Now it’s more about how to create a flexible working environment with space for people to move around the office without being crowded,” Explained Laurence. APSS works with a wide range of companies across the UK including Wren Kitchens, Slimming World, Octopus Energy, Siemens, University of Lincoln and Bakkavor to name just a few. “Over the years we have installed all sorts of different and quirky things from hidden bathrooms to Google inspired slides. As fun and different as these things are, our primary focus has always been ensuring our customers have a productive, efficient workspace that leaves a great impression.”

Multi-million pound expansion ‘All Packaged Up’ for Notts Firm

Eleonora Gallina
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Multi-million pound expansion ‘All Packaged Up’ for Notts Firm

An award-winning packaging firm which works with some of the UK’s best-known food producers and supermarkets is set for a multi-million-pound expansion of its headquarters.

The family-run Wilkins Group, based on Colwick Industrial Estate, in Nottinghamshire, will create extra jobs with this extension, which aims to increase capacity in production of food packaging.

It will make the site one of the biggest family-run factories in the sector.

Bosses at the firm, which employs 300 staff at its head office, say the 50,000 sq ft extension will increase turnover – currently on course for £45m this year, up by 20 per cent year on year.

The three-acre addition to the site will also bring an investment in around multiple new machines.

The Wilkins family said: “By investing in this extension, we will extend the production facility at our headquarters, and this could eventually mean the creation of a significant number of new jobs for the local area.

“There currently isn’t the capacity to cope with demand in the food packaging sector and this extension will assist in the shortage in capacity.

“It’s going to be one of the single biggest production plants in the UK and will easily be the biggest family-run packaging facility in the sector.

“It will also give us some extra capacity to assist in the environmental push towards cardboard packaging and away from plastic.”

The firm said it was determined to build on the success of a very productive 12 months.

“During the pandemic, we haven’t stopped as a business,” said the Wilkins family.

“We are very lucky to be in that position and feel very sorry for sectors and businesses which have not survived.”

The firm, which won the International Trade Award at the Midlands Family Business Awards and also has hubs in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and China, was granted planning permission in September last year and is now in full swing of the development project.

The development will include the demolition of some existing units. The construction, at the rear of the current HQ, on Private Road Number 1, will be carried out by Lincolnshire-based Lindum Group, and demolition works will be completed by Total Reclaims Demolition.

Lindum construction manager Mark Leason said that Lindum had been working with Wilkins Group for more than two years to bring the project forward, having first been introduced by a mutual contact prior to the Covid outbreak.

“As a family-run, practical business, Wilkins Group shares many of the same principles as Lindum Group and we quickly developed a very positive working relationship,” said Mark.

“Our construction experts have worked alongside their team to help develop the design of the new building. As the pandemic went on, and Wilkins Group’s requirements evolved, we’ve been able to offer informed advice to make the best use of their space and their budget.

“We are very pleased to now be on site and to be seeing good progress on the construction work.”

Work is underway and is expected to be complete by late summer 2022.

Light Science Technologies awarded £503,000 Innovate UK funding

Tess Egginton
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Light Science Technologies awarded £503,000 Innovate UK funding
Light Science Technologies (LST) has been awarded a £503,000 grant to develop a lighting and sensor technology system for indoor farming. Awarded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, the grant is part of its Farming Initiative Pathway (FIP) consortium for more sustainable and efficient plant growth in the UK agricultural sector and will leverage LST’s expertise in sensor and lighting technology for indoor growing. LST’s turnkey, intelligent LED grow-lighting product is expected to be the first retrofittable, all-in-one solution designed for polytunnels and glasshouses – bringing sustainable, controlled environment technology to growers. It will extend the growing season, enabling farmers to grow a wider variety of produce all year round, while providing a potential solution to ongoing labour shortages and reduce reliance on food imports. The initial potential UK market includes over 4,000 industrial growers, producing over 300 types of field-scale and protected vegetable and salad crops, and tree and berry fruits covering over 10 million m2. The solution is being developed as part of a consortium between LST, Zenith Nurseries and Morrish Engineering Ltd, which began in November 2021, with a potential value of up to £13.84 million. In October 2021, LST announced its flotation on the London Stock Exchange, raising gross proceeds of £5.2 million with the company’s market capitalisation on admission at £17.4 million. Established in 2019, the firm currently employs 16 staff at its Derbyshire-based HQ with inbuilt lab facilities and is set on global expansion as demand for growing fresh produce using more sustainable farming methods soars, including vertical farming, polytunnels and glasshouses. Simon Deacon, CEO and founder of Light Science Technologies, said: “Due to the shorter growing seasons, unpredictable climatic conditions and heavy reliance on manual labour processes, the UK struggles to produce enough food to meet demand. We are delighted to have been selected for funding by Innovate UK, which is testament to the potential value of our product in alleviating both these national issues and extending our routes to market. We look forward to keeping the market informed with developments as we capitalise on our growing number of routes to market.” The total market size for polytunnel in Europe is worth a potential £2.96 billion in 2022 with a predicted CAGR of 9.6% from 2021-28.

Business support means a new chapter for Willoughby Book Club

Tess Egginton
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Business support means a new chapter for Willoughby Book Club
No one said it would be easy taking over a business. But the challenges of the last two years were never meant to be part of the story for the Willoughby Book Club. Director Marianne Chala faced a fire that destroyed the premises then a global pandemic. The latter also led to discovering some hidden weaknesses in the business causing further plot twists. Willoughby Book Club began in 2012 as a family business operating from a kitchen table in the south Leicestershire village of Willoughby Waterleys. Today, it is a leading bespoke book subscription service, based in Blaby, that caters to all reading tastes and ages with around 5,000 subscribers. Marianne, who has a background in book retail, took over the business in 2019 with friend Danielle Rowley. Danielle was an employee at that time. However, just before taking over, the new owners faced their first major challenge when a fire broke out at their premises making the business ‘homeless’. The fire was a huge blow, but they managed to secure premises with a neighbouring business, M3 Create Print, where they remain to this day. However, no sooner were they back on their feet and beginning to get to grips with the organisation, the pandemic hit. Marianne said: “With many people having more time on their hands during lockdown, there was a surge in interest which was fantastic, but we were struggling with all the same issues as everyone else. We had to change everything about the way we worked and there was one month when no books went out at all. “The pandemic struck just as we reached our first anniversary. Although it was a period of financial success it showed up every weakness in the company and gave us visibility on what needed to change.” Marianne reached out to the Business Gateway Growth Hub before the pandemic and had already started working with adviser, Joanna Moore on developing growth strategies. However, during the pandemic, a different kind of support was needed as the focus shifted from growth to survival once again. “Joanna gave us just what we needed at the time. During the COVID-19 crisis, I was regularly advised on the furlough scheme. I was supported with helping staff return to work, arranging a socially distanced workplace, flexible hours and working from home options.” During the lockdown, the business donated books to local care homes and schools to help where they could. Support from the Business Gateway continued after the initial distress and upset of the pandemic as new challenges began to present themselves. Marianne continued: “We didn’t have any business experience and Joanna provided that continual voice of sanity in the madness. It’s taken a long time to get through just learning about the day-to-day survival to now having more confidence and thinking strategically. “We’re working more efficiently now too, half the team of 10 work from home successfully and we’ve cut our costs. There were some cultural and workforce issues within the organisation and an understandable nervousness about the COVID situation. With Joanna’s help, we’ve improved communication and implemented better HR practices. “There’s also been concrete support on putting together financial and business plans. She’s made me focus on the stuff I don’t really like, or know, but is necessary. That gentle accountability was very good for me.” The next major challenge for the business is around sustainability and reducing their carbon footprint, as well as delivering on their commitment to being a socially responsible organisation. They already have a long-standing partnership with Book Aid International which means a book is donated to the charity with every subscription sold. As a result, Marianne has taken advantage of other Business Gateway services including the Peer Networks programme and has joined the Zellar sustainability platform pilot. She has also attended many online courses to grow her business skills. She adds: “Some of these things I would never have known about or got involved with had it not been for the process we have gone through. We are a different organisation, in a good way, to the one we were a few years ago. We are more professional operationally and staff wise. I also personally feel like I’ve transformed from having an employee to a leadership mindset.” Joanna Moore added: “The initial aims we identified were to help the business grow through sales and profits and become sustainable. We spent time on what was happening in the organisation and the way they worked so we could really understand the challenges and barriers to growth and identify solutions. “As well as general discussions on running a business we revisited some areas in much more depth like putting a marketing plan together and human resources. They’ve also made changes to their website because of our funded digital marketing support. “It’s very rewarding to see their hard work has led to increases in productivity, different ways of working and a more harmonious workplace. I’m delighted to have been part of their growth story.”
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