Royal Mail commits to 71,000 sq ft Notts warehouse
Clearbell UK Strategic Trust (CST), a fund advised by Clearbell Capital, has agreed a lease with Royal Mail on a 71,612 sq ft warehouse on the Manton Wood Business Park in North Nottinghamshire.
The letting was facilitated by property consultants Commercial Property Partners (CPP).
Royal Mail has agreed a five-year lease at Manton Wood, which has recently undergone a programme of refurbishment and improvement works.
The Manton Wood Business Park is located in Worksop, North Nottinghamshire, situated adjacent to the A1 with good road connections to both the north and south of the UK.
Other occupiers in the vicinity include DHL, B&Q and Wilko’s national distribution centres, as well as national food manufacturing operators Cargill, Greencore and Samworth Brothers.
The deal will bring employment to the area as Royal Mail prepares for the organisation’s peak period in the build up to Christmas. The unit will continue to support the company’s Sheffield Mail Centre all year round, which serves customers across South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
Adam James, asset management director at Clearbell Capital, said: “The demand for logistics space in well-located central areas continues to soar. We are experiencing strong levels of interest in assets such as Manton Wood as companies like Royal Mail aim to shore up their distribution networks in the run up to Christmas.”
Stuart Waite, director at CPP, said: “We are delighted to have secured a tenant within six months of acquiring the building for our client, who’s decision to immediately refurbish and improve the building has paid off.
“There continues to be significant demand for well-located logistics space across the region and we are delighted to have secured a commitment from Royal Mail on behalf of our client.”
Leading PLC bank takes 7,000 sq ft office near East Midlands Airport
OMEETO, set up last year by commercial property agent Chris Wright, has secured its largest deal so far with the off-market letting of a 7,000 sq ft office near East Midlands Airport to a leading PLC bank.
The deal was on behalf of Futures Housing Group which has moved its head office operations from Ripley to a new 20,000 sq ft freehold office on Pegasus Business Park, Castle Donington.
Working closely with Futures’ acquisition agent, Jody Lauder of LPS Commercial, regarding the intention to let the first floor of the new HQ building, Chris Wright introduced a requirement circulated by global commercial real estate services firm Avison Young.
He was subsequently retained by Futures to broker the deal with Avison Young who were acting on behalf of a leading PLC bank.
Chris Wright of OMEETO explained: “Having established a good working relationship with Jody and Futures, I was able to match the surplus accommodation in the new headquarters building with the requirements of Avison Young’s client before it was officially advertised.
“This is a fantastic way of celebrating our first year in business and puts OMEETO firmly on the region’s commercial property map – proving that taking a proactive and customer-focused approach reaps rewards for all concerned.”
Futures Housing Group operates more than 10,000 affordable homes extending from Derbyshire down to the Daventry area and beyond and has ambitious plans to build more homes across the region by 2023.
The organisation also helps customers through a range of services designed to help them live well and independently. This includes offering money and employment advice and providing extra support to older customers and those with special needs.
Head of people services, Halinka Hepworth, explained: “Having established a positive working environment and culture for our organisation at these new premises, we are delighted that OMEETO have secured the lease of the first floor to such a prestigious company.
“Both organisations will now benefit from this premium central location with unrivalled communications links and high quality facilities.”
Ideagen appoints first chief people officer
Ideagen Plc, the supplier of software solutions to companies operating in highly regulated industries, has appointed its first chief people officer, Louise Tommasi.
Louise is an experienced chief people officer and has worked with large, complex companies, including Speedo and Incora.
CEO of Ideagen, Ben Dorks, said: “Ideagen has grown rapidly in the last few years, and we intend to keep growing the business and expanding our workforce in the years to come.
“It is important to us that we approach the recruitment, retention, and development of our fantastic team of people in the best way possible and so we felt the time was right to appoint a Chief People Officer to help us on our journey.
“Louise is a fantastic person with a wealth of knowledge in this field. I am really delighted that she has joined us and I look forward to her contribution to making Ideagen the number one employer in Nottingham and a sought after place to work worldwide.”
Louise said: “I am very excited to be joining a company that genuinely puts people at the top of its agenda. To deliver on Ideagen’s growth plans we need to be able to attract and retain the best people possible and that is where I will be focusing my efforts initially.
“In the post-pandemic world of work, people are making different choices and for different reasons. We need to be as innovative in our working practices as we are in our product development to attract the best talent and I am looking forward to driving change and making a real impact on the future success of this very exciting business.”
Louise will be based primarily in the Nottingham HQ, but will be spending time at Ideagen’s other centres around the globe. She is married with two children and a dog and spends her free time keeping fit and being a ‘spectator and taxi mum’.
BDO Midlands strengthens audit team with former Holland & Barrett CFO
Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP has appointed former Holland & Barrett’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Greg Watts, as audit partner.
Greg, who will be based in the Midlands, previously spent 30 years at KPMG, working across audit, transaction services and internal audit, latterly leading the Markets team in the Midlands. He has considerable experience working alongside FTSE and private equity businesses in the region, with particular expertise in retail/consumer and automotive sectors.
At BDO, he will utilise that experience and expertise by supporting large, corporate, and listed businesses on a national and regional basis.
Richard Rose, partner at BDO and Head of the Midlands, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Greg to the BDO team. He brings considerable experience in the audit field, having worked alongside a large number of listed and private businesses across multiple industries and geographies.
“With significant expertise in supporting and advising some of the region’s most prominent businesses, he is perfectly positioned to help strengthen our proposition across our audit team.”
Greg’s appointment follows the promotion of more than 100 people across its team in the region, including one promotion to partner. Last month, the firm also welcomed Michelle Wilson to the Midlands team as tax partner. She will be responsible for leading the firm’s tax accounting and tax audit offering in the UK.
In his spare time, Greg is Chairman of his former rugby club, Dixonians RFC, and coaches the under-9s team. He said: “Having spent 15 months as CFO, helping to lead the successful turnaround of Holland & Barrett through a business-wide transformation project, I’m delighted to be back in practice, joining a dynamic and talented audit team.
“I’m eager to harness my experience working alongside senior international executive groups and boards of directors, as BDO increasingly looks to work with large UK corporates across the audit spectrum.”
Building starts on first phase of £100m residential development in Clipstone
Construction work has started on the first phase of a new housing development in Clipstone, Mansfield, by developer Sherwood Oak Homes.
The Oaks will bring 313 properties to the market in 2022.
On Clipstone Road East, the first phase of the development will consist of 30 new homes; 10 three-bedroom and 19 four-bedroom properties and a single five-bedroom home.
Local contractor Henry Boot Construction has been chosen to deliver the project and selling agent Pygott & Crone to market the properties.
The development has been designed to encourage and attract wildlife and for its residents to enjoy the outdoors. Across the site, there will be a number of green spaces and children’s playgrounds, and bird and bat boxes will be installed.
In keeping with the Oak tree playing a major part in neighbouring Sherwood Forest and the name of the development, Oak trees are being planted throughout the site.
The s106 agreement for the development outlines plans to make improvements to local Rights of Way to encourage walking and cycling as well as investments in Spa Ponds and Vicars Water – two nature reserves local to The Oaks.
Peter Roope, development director at Sherwood Oak Homes, said: “We’re very pleased to be able to start construction on this new community of high-quality homes in such a fantastic area.
“The development is ideally located in a well-connected part of Nottinghamshire where residents will be able to enjoy the space and countryside around them whilst being just a short distance away from both Mansfield and Nottingham.
“To deliver the very best new homes, we are working with impressive local businesses Henry Boot Construction – who will bring their wealth of knowledge of the surrounding area to the project – and Pygott and Crone estate agents.
“What’s important to myself and the team at Sherwood Oak Homes is to create homes that provide the space and quality that homeowners demand and deserve and to create peaceful new communities with access to nature. It’s very exciting to be moving forward with The Oaks.”
Gary Holmes, senior contracts manager at Henry Boot Construction, said: “We are delighted to get underway on this exciting housing development by Sherwood Oak Homes. Our team have significant experience building high-quality residential schemes and we are now looking forward to delivering these modern homes for the local community.”
‘Prodigal son’ returns to boost Nielsen McAllister leadership team
Derby-based public relations and communications specialist Nielsen McAllister has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of a new account director – and he’s a familiar face to the agency.
Simon Kinnear started his PR career at Nielsen McAllister, working as account executive, and then account manager, between 2002 and 2011. Leaving to gain more experience in full-service marketing, Simon has since worked at two of the Midlands’ biggest marketing agencies: McConnells in Derby, and Wyatt International in Birmingham.
During that time, Simon has honed his skills in marketing strategy, account direction and multi-channel campaign activation for major international names in manufacturing and construction. He is therefore well-placed to help Nielsen McAllister at a particularly exciting time.
Simon will help company directors Bob Bushby and Simon Wildash on-board a number of recent client wins and to drive new business. He will also explore new opportunities with existing clients in PR, social media, SEO, brand strategy and thought leadership.
“It’s great to be back!” said Simon. “Nielsen McAllister is bigger and better than it was a decade ago – and hopefully, so am I. I can’t wait to reconnect with old customers, meet new ones and build upon the great work that Bob, Simon and the team are already doing.”
Bob Bushby added: “I first employed Simon nearly 20 years ago, and I’m proud of what he has achieved, both within and outside of Nielsen McAllister. His expert knowledge of B2B communications has grown deeper over the past decade and I’m delighted to welcome him back.”
Plans lodged for low carbon residential scheme in Nottingham
Plans for a new, low carbon, garden neighbourhood in Nottingham have been submitted to the city council by Blueprint.
The 66-home development, consisting of a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom houses, would be constructed at the former Elms Primary School on Cranmer Street.
The existing school buildings would be demolished.
A design statement reads: “The Elms will be a distinctive, low carbon, garden neighbourhood that recognises Nottingham’s past and which thrives into the future. The Elms will be constructed and inhabited in ways which promote our environmental well-being, supporting an holistic approach to sustainable living.
“The development blurs the boundaries between living, working, play and nature, aiming to foster an engaged and healthy community. The design and specification will be carbon responsible with homes that are comfortable and green, inside and out.
“It will be a distinctive place which promotes positive well-being by providing accessible spaces within a supportive community. The Elms will be a garden city neighbourhood of the 21st Century, addressing different needs and wants to create a diverse and connected community close to the heart of Nottingham’s centre.”
Intensive support available for North Northamptonshire firms affected by Covid
In-depth business support, including grant funding, is now available to SMEs recovering from Covid-19 in the North Northamptonshire area, delivered by SEMLEP’s Growth Hub on behalf of North Northamptonshire Council.
Starting immediately, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within North Northamptonshire who have been trading for at least 1 year and have been impacted by the pandemic will be able to receive in-depth support over a six-month period to aid their recovery and give them access to specialist expertise.
SMEs who join the programme can expect to receive three in-depth sessions with a SEMLEP Growth Hub business adviser. These will consist of:
- An in-depth assessment of the business’s current health at the start of the programme, their challenges and their aspirations, formulating an action plan to be monitored and achieved over the six-month programme
- A mid-point assessment to review the action plan and achievements so far and to identify priority actions for the remaining part of the programme
- A final review, identifying ongoing support opportunities and an action plan for the next twelve months.
UK consumers prepare to spend £21 billion this festive season
One in four consumers in the UK intend to spend more this festive season, with an average £428 spend per person up from £384 last year, according to PwC’s festive predictions research. The increase, which is seen across all age ranges and regions, means a total spend of £21 billion on presents and celebrations, a 12% increase on 2020.
The increased spend is driven in part by more people planning to spend Christmas with extended family, leading to more gifting opportunities, more celebratory food and drink and more Christmas socialising. Meanwhile, recent price inflation means people expect they will need to spend more.
Following an unsurprising but significant shift towards online shopping in the past year, online will be the big winner again this Christmas. Millennials remain the most active online shopping age group and over 55% of consumers in the Midlands also say they plan to buy online. The convenience of click and collect services, as more workers return to the office, has also driven online spend.
Overall two thirds, 67%, of Christmas spending in the UK will be online, edging closer to the 83% online spend over Black Friday, an event that has been predominantly an online phenomenon in the UK in recent years. This shift has been exacerbated by famous high street brands closing high street stores and embracing an online presence.
The first two weeks of December will again be the busiest for Christmas shopping but up to a quarter of Midlands consumers (16% in the East Midlands and 25% in the West Midlands) will have bought most of their presents by the end of November, earlier than we have seen in previous years. Concerns over stock levels, delivery times and further impacts of Covid are forcing consumers to shop earlier than usual to avoid disappointment.
Black Friday
After waning in popularity over the past five years Black Friday is back on this year with an estimated £9 billion to be spent during the shopping event. A quarter of Midlands consumers are definitely going to buy in this year’s Black Friday sales, while the vast majority are interested or may buy, showing a marked resurgence ahead of 2019 levels.
Interestingly, Black Friday sales are not driven by early Christmas shopping with consumers instead buying for themselves, especially men, where 74% will buy for themselves. The majority of shoppers will buy less than a quarter of Christmas presents during Black Friday, with a mere 3% using the event to buy all their gifts.
Sarah Phillips, Midlands Consumer Markets Leader at PwC, said: “Christmas this year may not be completely back to normal but consumers are determined to make it a good one and many are prepared to spend up to 20% more than last year. Spending habits will be more traditional with a focus on food and drink, Christmas dinner and stocking fillers as opposed to homewares and toys. Concerns over stock availability is also driving a desire to shop early this festive period.
“Black Friday is back with a bang and it’s clear that there has been a resurgence in the number of people looking to participate in the event, with men spending more and hoping to grab a bargain. Retailers will want to take advantage of the renewed interest in the event, but they will look to balance delighting customers with good value, stock availability and profitability ahead of the important Christmas trading period.
“We know consumers are looking to spend significantly online – for both Christmas and Black Friday – so retailers need to think about how they can get the best from that scenario. Early shopping offers retailers the opportunity to reduce delivery costs and pressures, manage demand to reduce the cost of seasonal workers, control pricing to protect margins, and offer certainty of delivery to consumers.”
Loram UK lands multi-million-pound deal with Network Rail
Loram UK, the Derby-based rail and rolling stock maintenance specialists, has secured a multi-million-pound deal with Network Rail to repurpose at least 250 side tipper ballast wagons.
The work will involve removing the tipper element of the wagons to create reusable and far more versatile non-tipping static containers.
Loram UK and Network Rail have worked together on maintenance and infrastructure programmes before, and Andrew Watson, Loram UK’s International Business Development Director, said the programme would further strengthen that relationship.
He said: “The availability of wagons generally is an issue so to be able to repurpose 250 provides much greater flexibility for Network Rail. It’s a project we’re very excited to be involved in and allows us to expand our horizons.
“We are always looking at diversifying and this allows us to not only carry out the work, but manage the logistics regards collecting the wagons, the processes around the repurposing and sending them back to Network Rail.”
The two-year repurposing programme will be done in Derby, where Loram has its UK base, and will help secure around 35 jobs for the duration, along with 20 others across the supply chain.
The design of the new ballast boxes, integration and modifications are being carried out by global testing and certification company TUV Rheinland Risktec Solutions, which has a UK base on Pride Park in Derby.
Laura May, business development manager, said: “We are especially excited about this project because of the local, collaborative opportunity it presents working with Loram, who are a stone’s throw away from our offices in Derby.
“We support the mission behind the project of repurposing the wagons and improving the renewal of the infrastructure of our railway. People of all levels of skillset will be utilised in supporting this project from our apprentice to our principle consultant, so there is great opportunity across the board.”
