‘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.”
East Midlands businesses face serious funding problems unless RLS and CBILS rules amended warns banking expert
Many East Midlands businesses could face major refinancing problems in the latter half of 2022 if the Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) is not extended beyond the summer and banks continue to refuse to transfer outstanding CBILS when companies refinance, a banking expert is warning.
Mark Huddlestone, banking & finance director with Azets, is calling upon the Government and British Business Bank to extend the RLS further to the end of 2022 and to insist that lenders accept CBILS transferred under the RLS scheme.
RLS is scheduled to end on 30 June 2022 whilst the CBILS scheme ceased in March 2021. Many banks currently require any outstanding CBILS to be repaid before they will consider refinancing applications.
“The current arrangements mean that it is going to be extremely difficult for businesses with outstanding CBILS or RLS funding to secure continued financial support into the second half of 2022 if not before,” said Mark Huddlestone.
“Businesses funding requirements can change quickly, and lenders appetite for risk and funding strategies also change, so the market for refinancing needs to be as accessible as possible.
“The CBILS and RLS schemes helped protect countless businesses and jobs, but there is a risk that these rigid rules could start creating extensive problems for those same businesses saved by the schemes.
“Fortunately, a handful of lenders are now considering using the RLS to replace a CBILS facility, but that is only of any value if the RLS scheme is extended for a significant period, ideally to the end of 2022.”
Mark Huddlestone concluded by encouraging businesses concerned about their CBILS and RLS arrangements to seek early advice.
“The recent Budget announcement of an RLS extension to 30 June 2022 is not enough. Hopefully the government and British Business Bank will see the merit of a solid extension to the end of 2022 and insist that CBILS can be rolled over with any refinancing.”
Recognition for Sills & Betteridge Litigator
Head of Clinical Negligence Louise Bush has recently been accepted as a Senior Litigator of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). This highly respected accreditation is awarded to practitioners who demonstrate a range of key competencies and a real desire to always achieve the very best outcomes for their clients. Stephen Wilson the firm’s Senior Partner and APIL Fellow, says “Louise should be very proud to have achieved this accreditation. She works tirelessly to help her clients, many of whom have been through extremely distressing circumstances. Her passion, tenacity and technical excellence are second to none”. Louise says “I am delighted to have been awarded this accreditation by APIL, having been a member and supporter of their values on behalf of injured people for almost 25 years. The accreditation reinforces my commitment, passion and empathy to help anyone that finds themselves requiring assistance, often in tragic and life-changing circumstances.” Louise qualified as a Solicitor in 1998 in Manchester and relocated to Lincolnshire in 2002. Although she has always worked on behalf of injured people, in 2009 she began to specialise exclusively in Claimant Clinical Negligence work. Louise joined Sills & Betteridge in January 2016 as a Partner and Head of the department. She handles cases for Claimants in all aspects of Clinical Negligence, working hard to assist both adults and children, as well as with families who have lost relatives due to Fatal Medical Accidents. This often includes liaising with HM Coroner to include assisting with Inquest representation.
Developer acquires historic Derby site for new industrial units
Morgan Industrial Properties Limited (MIP) have acquired the former Ewart Chain site in Shaftesbury Street, Derby with plans to undertake a significant redevelopment of the five-acre employment site, creating new industrial units and jobs for the city.
MIP are a property development company based in Alfreton Road, Derby specialising in the development of commercial property in the industrial and office sectors. They have developed numerous strategic sites in Derbyshire including the Northedge Business Park in Alfreton Road and Outrams Wharf Business Park in Little Eaton.
The former Ewart Chain site comprises some five-acres of employment land accessed off Shaftesbury Street, an established location close to the Sir Francis Ley industrial estate. The site is situated just off the arterial Osmaston Road (A515) with a quick connection to the outer ring road (A5111). The site also has the benefit of connection to the railway.
The site will provide some 90,000 sq ft of new-build industrial floor space to the market available on a leasehold basis. A single unit of 90,000 sq ft with a railway connection can be provided; or smaller units will be available starting at 2,500 sq ft. Each unit will have the benefit of car parking, overhead tracked loading door access and three-phase electricity.
David Powell, commercial property manager at MIP, says: “We are delighted to have acquired another strategic employment site in Derby in an established industrial location. The site will create a significant number of jobs and provide more high-quality industrial units to the market for local and national businesses.”
David Brown, director at David Brown Commercial, says: “The site could provide a range of different sized units for business, industrial and storage users.
“The quality of MIP’s units is consistently high and I anticipate strong levels of interest from businesses wanting to upgrade, grow or relocate. I am delighted that this redevelopment means that the former Ewart Chain site will continue to provide employment opportunities for the city of Derby.”
Derby payroll firm acquires pensions bureau
A Derby payroll firm has acquired an award winning pensions bureau.
Pride Park-based RollPay have completed the successful acquisition of Tailored Auto Enrolment in Devon for an undisclosed sum.
The acquisition will create several new jobs including apprenticeships in the company’s own payroll academy supporting local academics looking for a career in payroll and accounting.
Matthew Duro, Managing Director of RollPay, said: “RollPay have been offering a very strong payroll and auto enrolment service for many years now. We have a very diverse customer base servicing thousands of clients all over the UK. We’re keen to continue our expansion by adding new financial solutions that add value to our loyal client base.
“Tailored Auto Enrolment share our passion for dedicated customer service and delivering excellence so were a perfect fit. Existing and new clients alike can take advantage of having more services all under one roof with a single point of contact following the same vision.
“I’m excited to welcome Tailored Auto Enrolment and the team to the group and look forward to working with them.”
SureScreen Diagnostics named Derbyshire Business of the Year
SureScreen Diagnostics, which has supplied millions of Covid-19 lateral flow tests to British people during the pandemic, has been crowned the Derbyshire Business of the Year by East Midlands Chamber.
The Derby-based company picked up four awards in total at the Derbyshire Business Awards on Friday 12 November, also including Excellence in International Trade, Excellence in Innovation and the Outstanding Growth Award.
It has grown from a workforce of 50 employees to 450 over the past 18 months as it has scaled up production of its rapid antigen tests, which diagnose whether an individual has Covid-19 with 98% accuracy.
These have been shipped to about 40 countries and the UK Government ordered 22 million units, while antibody tests have also been supplied to 53 countries – leading to SureScreen planning to build extra manufacturing capacity that could create another 1,000 jobs in future.
The Derbyshire Business Awards, held in partnership with headline sponsor Mazars, recognised winners across 13 categories, ranging from Business Improvement Through Technology and Environmental Impact Award within an organisation to individual honours for Entrepreneur of the Year and Apprentice of the Year. There were new categories this year for Collaboration Project of the Year and Excellence in Innovation.
Finalists, chosen by a judging panel of the Chamber’s senior leadership and board of directors, as well as sponsors, discovered their fate during a gala dinner attended by 350 people at Derbyshire County Cricket Club – marking a return for face-to-face celebrations after being held virtually last year.
Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “There has been so much to celebrate within our business community despite a challenging 18 months and these awards have showcased some of the incredible companies that call our region home.
“As the economic recovery continues, and new opportunities present themselves in a new era of global trade and sustainable business, these are just the kinds of organisations we should be highlighting when we’re shouting about everything the East Midlands has to offer. We know it’s a great place to do business and these are living proof.
“We received so many high-calibre applications, which demonstrated how the pandemic hasn’t been a period in which we have just stood still. Instead, the time afforded for reflection has led to many companies seeking out new opportunities, innovating and driving themselves forward.
“While last year offered us a different kind of experience in a virtual awards ceremony, it was great to be back holding such a landmark event for the Derbyshire business calendar in person once more. Once again, we are so thankful to our sponsors for making this event so successful.”
The Derbyshire Business Awards – one of three awards hosted by the Chamber, with others in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to follow – were hosted by British-Gambian broadcast journalist Haddy Ndure and featured entertainment by Turner and McHugh, a female duo who joined forces after featuring on BBC singing competition The Voice.
A raffle was held to raise funds for East Midlands Chamber president Eileen Richards MBE’s three chosen charities this year – Chesterfield Samaritans, Help the Homeless Leicester and Nottinghamshire Hospice.
Eileen, who owns Leicester-based ER Recruitment, gave a speech in which she highlighted the national importance of the new Museum of Making, regeneration projects like the Becketwell scheme currently underway, and the potential impacts of Derby being selected as a UK Capital of Culture for 2025 and the home of Great British Railways.
Commenting on the awards, she added: “During my year as president, I’ve been privileged to witness some of the amazing success stories that don’t always receive the wider recognition they ought to, so I’m thrilled to see some of these come to the fore at the Chamber’s Business Awards.
“The Derbyshire Business Awards has shone the spotlight on some well-deserving winners but I’d also like to congratulate the finalists for their outstanding entries too as we had some really strong competition across many categories this year.
“SureScreen Diagnostics is a very worthy winner of the Derbyshire Business of the Year and I’ve been in awe of the growth it has experienced over the past 18 months while also playing a pivotal role in the fight against Covid-19 both in the UK and overseas.”
