TopicUK June 2023 Edition

Ramsdens

OUR PARTNERS

• LEXUS

• PHILLIP STONER JEWELLERS

• AESTHETICS ACCOUNTANTS

• Yorkshire sculpture park

• Community Foundation Calderdale

• BACKSTAGE ACADEMY

• Ramsdens Solicitors

• Chadwick Lawrence

• Wakefield Council

• Ad:Venture

• Eaton Smith Solicitors

• Stafflex

• Scriba PR

• Kirklees College

• University of Law

• Avenue hq/Barclays Eagle Lab

• BeVic

• Fantastic Media

• Halifax Bid

• HALSTON MARKETING

• DAKOTA HOTEL LEEDS

• CRAGGS ENERGY

• youbee Media

Editors notes

By group editor Gill Laidler

Welcome to this edition of TopicUK and the arrival of summer, forecasters are predicting another hot one, which is great news, always seems to bring people out and puts a smile on faces.

Our sister publication Yorkshire Businesswoman has announced their inaugural awards taking place at the Marriott Hotel Leeds on 8th March 2024, celebrating International Women’s Day. What a response they have received with sponsorship packages selling fast. The headline sponsor package has already been snapped up by TopicUK long standing partners Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors. Head over to the website www.yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk for more details.

I was surprised and delighted to see that Mason’s Gin are celebrating their tenth anniversary. It seems only two minutes ago that I headed north to Bedale to meet with the founders Karl and Kathy who told me how the brand started and their plans. You can read about what they are up to now on page 27.

Our cover story features Sarah Loftus, managing director of Visit York. I first met Sarah when she worked for Wakefield Council before heading across the Pennines to join Trafford Council. Read about Sarah and her plans for York on page 70.

As more and more businesses are

looking to reduce their carbon footprint and become more sustainable, it’s interesting to see a local printer expanding and investing in the future. Dominion Print are investing in new equipment to carry their business further. I would be interested to know what you think about print versus digital and what you see for the future of your business. Do you still print brochures and literature, or have you taken everything online?

Our next edition is out at the end of July, please do send us your news.

Until next time, enjoy the Summer.

Gill

Theakston brewing for further growth with new starters

The appointments mark the second expansion of the T&R Theakston’s sales team this year, with the brewery announcing in January that it had recruited a new national account executive and sales

Joint managing director, Simon Theakston, said: “We started 2023 with the announcement of growth within our team and, following a busy first quarter, we’re pleased to be further expanding as we look to deliver on our growth ambitions for this year and beyond. It’s wonderful to welcome both Cameron and Zak to our T&R Theakston family at such an exciting time for the business, as we prepare to launch more seasonal beers, announce new partnerships, and continue to look toward to our tions in 2027.”

T&R Theakston is continuing its growth story in 2023 with new additions at the family-run brewery.

The Masham-based business has added two to its head count: Cameron Bell and Zak Spence have joined the business as sales development managers, focused on key northern cities and the brewery's North Yorkshire heartland respectively.

Cameron brings a wealth of experience in the hospitality and drinks industries, having spent time as the general manager of a cocktail bar in central Manchester, as well as having worked in a variety of sales and ambassador roles for both an independent gin brand and a rum company. This

experience on both sides of the bar will see Cameron work with key city centre venues to raise awareness of the brewery’s range of cask and keg beers, especially amongst a younger demographic.

Zak joins the business following almost a decade with the police, working for both Northumbria Police and the North Yorkshire Police force. He takes over as the Theakston representative for the North Yorkshire, Yorkshire Dales, Harrogate and Ripon area from Barry Gibb, who recently retired. He will be responsible for continuing to work with existing and new customers in the area where the brewery already enjoys a strong presence.

Zak added: “As a proud North Yorkshireman, I’m delighted to be working for such a well-known business which combines a strong heritage with exciting future focused plans. Taking over from Barry means I have some big shoes to fill but I am looking forward to working with our customers to continue to deepen the strong relationships that he fostered.”

Cameron said: “I’m looking forward to working for Theakston and helping to drive forward its growth plans. There are plenty of exciting developments in the pipeline this year, which provide the perfect opportunity to increase awareness and availability of the brewery’s beer range across Northern cities and introduce our diverse range of products to new consumers.”

(L-R) Cameron Bell and Zak Spence

Bathroom firm set to scale-up with Finance Yorkshire investment

A specialist bathroom installer for people with limited mobility has secured a £150,000 investment from Finance Yorkshire.

The Walk in Bath Company was established in 2018 by husbandand-wife Jules and Kirsty Allen. Jules has 18 years’ experience in the mob ility industry.

The Shipley-based business provides UK-manufactured walkin showers and bathrooms for customers with disabilities or limited mobility. Design features include a low threshold to make it easier to get in and out of the bath, secure locking and saf ety grab rails.

The investment, from Finance Yorkshire’s Business Loans Fund, will enable The Walk in Bath Company to recruit new field and service team members, while adding more firepower to its marketing.

Since the investment, the company has seen its sales increase by 20% on the first quarter of 2023. The

number of installations it has carried out is up 50 % on last year.

Jules said: “I set up the business after hearing too many horror stories about people selling

This investment from Finance Yorkshire will support the next stage of our growth with a mobile-friendly website, brand new TV campaign and the addition of fully employed installers...

products with little care for customer service. There was a gap in the market for someone who puts care and attention to detail first.

“It is not just about selling people a bath or shower. We get

to know customers and advise them throughout the process, finding the right option for their mob ility and home.

“This investment from Finance Yorkshire will support the next stage of our growth with a mobilefriendly website, brand new TV campaign and the addition of fully employe d installers.”

Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “Within a few years, Jules and Kirsty have established themselves as one of the UK’s fastest growing suppliers of walk-in baths and showers. Their commitment to customer service is well received by customers and we look forward to seeing the business sca le-up further.”

Finance Yorkshire’s Business Loans Fund is part of a wider regional business fund which is expected to provide more than £50m to SMEs over five years. Investment is also available from its Growth and Seedcorn Funds.

National trade body celebrates Elland suppliers

A national trade body is celebrating suppliers in Elland, West Yorkshire who go the extra mile to support the building materials industry.

The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF), together with Builders’ Merchants News (BMN), have joined forces to identify the Top 100 Supplier Influencers across the sector and shine a light on their success.

Three members of the team at Marshalls in Elland, were nominated after meeting key criteria including involvement, presence, charity and community work as well as commitment to the industry.

Using social media, the BMF will highlight the work of each influencer ahead of a celebration Gala Dinner later this year.

Martyn Coffey is chief executive officer at Marshalls and was named as one of the Top 100 Supplier Influencers. Martyn said: “I am very pleased to be nominated as a Supplier Influencer. I would like to thank my executive team, and all staff at Marshalls for their continued hard work and drive and determination.”

The second Influencer is managing director, Nick Sharpe. He added: “It’s a real honour to have been nominated as a Top 100 Supplier Influencer.

“I am delighted and very proud to be nominated as a supplier influencer in this fantastic sector.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported both me and Marshalls.”

The final shortlisted member of staff is Victoria Fiddies, national sales manager. She said: “I am delighted to learn that I have been selected as one of the Top 100 Supplier Influencers.

“I started my career on a Management Trainee Scheme with a Builders’ Merchant over 20 years ago, and I’m pleased to say I’m still enjoying the industry, working alongside great people, some of whom have become lifelong friends.”

The initiative follows last year’s Top 100 Merchant Influencers which recognised

merchants who stepped up to support their communities.

John Newcomb, Chief Executive of the BMF, said: “The BMF is proud to represent merchants and their suppliers in the building materials industry and to partner with Builder Merchants News to celebrate the achievements of those going above and beyond in our sector.

“This new accolade reflects the positive influence these people have on those around them and on the wider industry and we’re delighted to shine a light on the work they do.”

The suppliers included on the list will feature in a commemorative brochure and be invited to a Gala Dinner celebration and networking event at the Belfry.

The BMF represents more than 870 merchant and supplier companies that collectively employ more than 230,000 people in the building materials industry, performing an essential national function in distributing construction materials and home improvement products across the UK.

Nick Sharpe

Martyn Coffey

Victoria Fiddies

Caddick appoints new operations director

Caddick Construction is continuing its team’s strategic growth with the appointment of Steve Bell as operations director, becoming the latest in a line of senior hires as the business eyes expansion across the north.

Steve will fulfil a remit to oversee the business’ portfolio in the North East and Yorkshire, ensuring consistently high standards across all aspects of pro ject delivery.

Based in Knottingley, Steve will lead Caddick’s operational delivery, including health and safety, supply chain partners, client relations and build quality across the business’ core markets in the public and pr ivate sectors.

Steve becomes the latest new recruit at Caddick following the appointment of Sue Currey as HR business partner and Neil

Trubshaw

Recent team changes also include the promotion of Adam Tucker and Andrew Clarkson as design director and construction director respectively, both for Caddick Construction in Yorkshire and the North East.

Steve commented: “Caddick has an excellent reputation across the north, and I see my appointment as a chance to be part of the exceptional standards set by my colleagues. I’m really excited to get under the skin of Caddick, to understand what makes the business such a success and to be part of making sure we retain those successful elements as we scale our business and expand across the region.”

Paul Dodsworth, construction group managing director, commented: “I

have worked with Steve for over 20 years and know the level of quality he strives for; Steve has a perfect balance between supporting his colleagues, working towards the very best quality and always looking at ways to improve and innovate. This combination is absolutely vital as we grow our business, making sure we hold on to what makes our business special while we keep a keen eye on our sustainable future growth.”

A plasterer by trade, Steve’s experience in the construction industry includes eight years at Wates Construction as Operations director.

as construction group commercial director.

Caddick has an excellent reputation across the north, and I see my appointment as a chance to be part of the exceptional standards set by my colleague..

Aldwark Manor Estate tees up for golf

that golfers will be searching for that 19th hole, and our brand-new sports bar and restaurant, Bunkers, which will be ready to welcome thirsty golfers and friends. Bunkers is already open to the public and offers multiple TV screens showing live sports events.”

To celebrate the upcoming launch, Aldwark Manor Estate is offering an exclusive 200-member subscription, which will provide golfers with unlimited golf for 12 months, along with free use of the England Golf and BRS apps for tee time bookings, competitions, general play scorecard entry and more.

Aldwark Manor Estate is renowned for its luxurious North Yorkshire stays and experiences, and this summer will delight golfers with the launch of its renovated course following the estate’s £15m investment.

Bringing 15 new jobs to the area, the course, which will launch on the 1st of June, includes an 18-hole golf course, golf shop, luxury golfing accommodation featuring 11 bedrooms, and a sports bar and restaurant aptly named Bunkers.

Set within over 200 acres of countryside in the idyllic village of Aldwark, the new golf offering is among several exciting introductions to the Estate, and a further £22m investment including a fine dining addition which is currently underway and to open early 2024, a state-of-theart spa, leisure club, conference centre and 40 additional bedrooms extension starting early 2024 to be completed in the summer of 2025.

Winding along the picturesque River Ure, the par 70 course will include a challenging 5,922 yards for golfers

of all levels and will ensure rounds are competitive thanks to its expertly crafted water hazards, downhills and demanding forestry layout.

Chris Lawton, golf manager said: “Our new golf offering has been eagerly anticipated, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to be launching our new course which offers 18 challenging holes. In true Aldwark style, the new offering is no ordinary golf course, and we look forward to surprising golfers with some difficult yet incredibly enjoyable holes.

“After taking on the course we know

Christophe Gitton, estate director commented on the Manor’s renovation: “Never a place to do things by halves, the team have worked tirelessly to create a new golf experience that well and truly demonstrates the Aldwark difference.

“While respecting Aldwark’s incredible past and beautiful present, we’re looking forward to creating an even greater future with further Estate additions. This will include a sensational fine-dining establishment, a state-of-the-art spa, leisure club, conference centre and 40 additional bedroom extension, water sport activities, additional lodges just to name a few, which will continue to bring that extra touch of luxury and experiences we offer with every Aldwark Manor Estate stay.”

Azets appoints new director to boost Restructuring and Insolvency team

Azets, the UK Top Ten Accountancy Firm, has appointed Richard Oddy, as a director in its restructuring and insolvency tea m in Yorkshire.

Harrogate-headquartered Synthotech Group has secured new export partnerships in India and Singapore. It builds on existing relationships in China, Australia, Colombia, and Europe.

The innovative company has invested over £1.2m to develop robots that detect and fix leaks in water and gas pipelines. The company has successfully diversified into the gas, water, and telecommunications sectors to increase revenues for its robots and engineering products.

It is also driving technology partnerships with the utility sector and academic institutions through its innovation division, Synovate,

which works with a range of utility companies, academic institutions and funding bodies to accelerate the development and roll-out of new technology.

The Synthotech Group employs 38 people in the UK and has partnerships worldwide to deploy its technology and resell engineering products. It hit a milestone of £5m in revenue in 2022.

Commenting on the growth, Mark Tindley, managing director said: “Innovation is in our DNA, and it’s driving our expansion in the UK and around the world. Our technology is helping utility companies work more efficiently to protect the environment

and make significant cost savings. While our work in helping to pilot the use of hydrogen to domestic homes positions Synthotech at the forefront of an emerging industry.”

The company is currently trialling robots that can spray sealant while moving along a pipe to prevent or remediate leaks.

Synthotech’s engineers design and build a wide range of products that are distributed globally. It is a leading supplier of live access CCTV and survey systems to the energy industry. While gas engineers use its maintenance products in domestic and industrial environments.

In the UK, Synthotech works with a range of gas distribution networks, including Northern Gas Networks, Wales & West Utilities and SGN.

South Yorkshire business awarded prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise

It has been announced that The Green Estate Community Interest Company has been recognised by the King for its work in Sustainable Development.

Originally set up as a heritage and environmental regeneration project, The Green Estate and its 70 strong team together with 40 volunteers and partners have turned 42 hectares of derelict land and heritage buildings in a disadvantaged urban area of Sheffield into a unique, beautiful, and sustainable landscape

where people and nature can thrive together.

The Green Estate has also become a nationally acclaimed expert in delivering adaptive and resilient urban landscapes including sustainable drainage systems, rain gardens and green roofs and its

unique Pictorial Meadow seed mix and turf is sold across the UK and Europe.

Local achievements include the ‘Green Flag’ Award-winning Manor Fields Park, the Sheffield Manor Lodge ancient monument and visitor attraction, and the stunning Manor Oaks wedding and corporate events venue. The company also has a green recycling team who produce peat free soils and is an incubator for community enterprises growing food and flowers and making costumes, furniture and jewellery.

Delighted by this significant award, CEO Roz Davies, said: “Together with our partners we’ve been investing into our local green spaces and creating innovative and resilient landscapes since 2003 and there’s no better way to mark our 20th anniversary. Whether it’s providing the meadow seeds that are planted in the Tower of London Moat, collecting green waste from across Sheffield or preserving the heritage of a medieval deer park and ancient monument in the heart of

The Manor and Castle estate, we’re deeply rooted in our community and this incredible award reflects two decades of hard work.”

“Sheffield is a tale of two cities with the communities like ours on the East side of the city often not having the same life opportunities as the West. The King personally approved our award and that is recognition of how far we’ve come and what can be achieved with the right resources and determination. Together we’ve shown the art of the possible in growing engaging, adaptive and resilient urban places in more disadvantaged areas and we believe that every community deserves and needs to have access to good quality green spaces and sustainable enterprise opportunities like ours. We all know how good they are for people and for nature.”

The Green Estate will be able to fly The King’s Award for Enterprise Flag above its premises and use the esteemed Emblem for five years in recognition of the achievement.

A representative from The Green Estate will visit Buckingham Palace for a summer garden party and The King’s representative in South Yorkshire, the Lord-Lieutenant, will present staff and volunteers with a trophy at a special party at Manor Oaks.

Knight Frank appoints Ben Hill to drive growth of shopping centres

centre management capabilities and bolster the shopping centre portfolio.

Ben, who has twenty years’ experience in the commercial property sector working with Europe’s largest and most complex retail assets, joins Knight Frank from British Land where he was a Director and member of the retail property management senior leadership team.

At British Land, Ben was responsible for the management of approximately £1bn worth of assets in Sheffield including Meadowhall Shopping Centre and surrounding sites. Earlier in his career Hill spent twelve years working as a Director of Property Management at Smith Young Partnership in Sheffield.

Based between Knight Frank’s Leeds and Sheffield offices, Ben’s newly created role will have national coverage and his appointment as Partner will strengthen Knight Frank’s shopping

Michael Lewis, Head of Property & Asset Management, Knight Frank said: “Ben has a proven record as one of the leading property management experts across UK retail space and will have a key role to play in our expansion of our shopping centre team in Leeds. Shopping centres are an integral part of our retail capability. Servicing a range of REITs, institutions, property companies and local authorities, our experience in the core market of strong regional centres is unrivalled. Hill brings with him an in-depth knowledge of one of the UK’s most complex and well-known retail assets and we are delighted to have him on board.”

Knight Frank’s total assets under management in the UK reached £68 million in 2022. Knight Frank’s Property Asset Management team manages 3,113 properties across the UK and the team is over 325 people strong, delivering excellent results and advice for clients.

Together with our partners we’ve been investing into our local green spaces and creating innovative and resilient landscapes since 2003 and there’s no better way to mark our 20th anniversary...

Knight Frank, the global property consultancy, has appointed Ben Hill as a partner in its Commercial Property Asset Management team in Leeds.

Technology investment due at North Yorkshire family timber firm

A Leeming Bar-based family-run timber business has received a six figure loan to invest in technology and help fulfil growing customer demand.

Fall Timber Ltd, which was founded more than 45 years ago and managed by its second generation owner, Helen Fall and her husband, Matt, received the loan from NPIF – BEF & FFE Microfinance, which is managed by BEF and FFE, and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

Supplying timber for national building projects as well as agricultural clients, self-builders and gardeners, Fall Timber moved to its current site in Leeming Bar Industrial Estate during the pandemic, and offers a drive-through warehouse.

Helen, who has a background in operations working for brands such as Rolls Royce, Deloitte and Credit Suisse, said: “The loan from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund is going to play a vital role in keeping up with customer demand. The need for timber isn’t going away and with the additional funds, we’re planning on investing in cutting technology to improve productivity, which may require some research and development. Traditional methods of cutting timber are incredibly labour intensive so with the support of

technology, we’ll be able to supply customers much quicker.

“We’ll also be launching an ecommerce website so that we can continue to serve our customers efficiently, while giving them the option to browse and pre-purchase our stock prior to pick up or delivery. This will be especially useful for our self-build and gardening customers who are in the midst of projects.”

Fall Timber, which has a team of eleven employees, originally operated from the family farm on the outskirts of Bedale. Of the move, Helen, who took over the business from her father 10 years ago said: “We’d outgrown our

operations on the farm, so around three years ago we moved to our current premises. Since then, we’ve been on a journey of growth and overcoming the setbacks the pandemic brought.

“The loan came at a great time for us and the process was so simple. We’re excited to bring these plans to life this year and give the business space to develop. Both Matt and I had vastly different careers to the world of timber before this, but it feels important to my family heritage to keep the craft going. There are few independent timber merchants left and we love being able to offer our customers the best service and product.”

Lee Vickers, investment manager at BEF, commented: “With its longstanding history, Fall Timber already has a successful model as a timber merchant. Helen and Matt have great aptitude for the business and using the loan to invest in technology to improve efficiency and keep up with customer demand will help them compete with larger companies while remaining true to their roots. We’re looking forward to seeing what the rest of this year has in store for them.”

Keira Shepperson, director at the British Business Bank said: “It is heartening to see a family-run business investing in cutting-edge technology to meet the growing demands of their customers, and to expand their business in a sustainable way.”

“The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund recognises the vital role that small businesses play in the UK economy, and we are committed to supporting them to reach their growth ambitions. By providing access to finance and investment, businesses like Fall Timber Ltd have the springboard to expand, innovate and create new opportunities.”

Leeds agency launches new data division

A Leeds digital agency has launched a new division to help companies unlock the potential of their data. Tribus has appointed Chris Smith to lead and grow the new team.

Chris joins the agency from Asda, where he managed data analytics to help the retailer improve corporate decision-making.

Tribus helps companies accelerate digital transformation through web and mobile applications, websites, and content.

Delivering

Commenting on the expansion, Adam Spry, director said: “Data has the power to help companies make more informed decisions with an accurate view of today and, through predictive analytics, tomorrow. The new team is already working with our existing clients to develop analytics tools that better understand real-time data.”

The UK has one of the world’s strongest and most developed data analytics sectors, and it’s expected to grow by 177% in the next five years to around 650,000 big data users.

The industry is worth an estimated £7bn to the UK economy.

Tribus works with clients across various industry sectors delivering digital solutions for businesses, including Willmott Dixon, John Adams, SIG plc (Sheffield Insulation Group) and Christians Against Poverty.

The company’s rapid growth has been recognised in the FT 1000: the annual list of Europe’s fastestgrowing companies. The FT 1000, compiled with Statista, lists the European companies with the highest compound annual growth rate in revenue.

Chris said: “We’ve had a hugely positive response to the launch. It’s clear that companies understand the need to track, analyse and use data in real-time. As the economy faces headwinds, it’s important that every business is equipped to make fast and accurate decisions.”

Shoe repair specialist set for growth

Shipley-based Yorkshire Sole is expanding into new premises with investment from Finance Yorkshire.

The business specialises in the repair and restoration of footwear. Owner Dean Westmoreland – who appears on the BBC’s The Repair Shop – is opening a second shop which will see him start to make his own bespoke shoes.

A £25,000 investment from Finance

Yorkshire’s micro loan fund is enabling Dean to fit out his new space at Sunny Bank Mills, Farsley, and equip it with stitching, pressing and finishing equipment used in the repair of shoes and boots.

Dean, 38, launched his business in 2017 after spending 15 years working in the cobbler trade. He plans to keep his Shipley store open to serve the local community while his new 500 sq ft unit will be known as Yorkshire Sole Shoemakers and Restorers.

Dean said: “Cobbling is the original recycling and it’s really important that the trade is protected. It is a craft and I’m still learning all the time.

“I needed more space to do repairs and move into making shoes under my own name. The investment from Finance Yorkshire is huge – it’s the first time I’ve had new machinery. It has changed my life and the life of the business and where I can positively take it.”

Yorkshire Sole is an authorised repairer for the brand Redwing. Dean plans to sell its shoes and those of the Loake brand at Sunny Bank Mills. “I want it to be a destination which promotes the shoemaking and repair trade and where people can experience the craft of cobbling,” said Dean.

Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “Dean is passionate about his craft and its heritage. He has already demonstrated his expertise to a wide audience, and he now has the opportunity to showcase the skills involved at his new premises.

“Finance Yorkshire’s financial investments support companies across Yorkshire and the Humber to grow and realise their ambitions. We are pleased to support Dean and his business as he expands and continues to promote the art of cobbling.”

Finance Yorkshire’s micro loan fund is part of its wider regional business fund which is expected to provide more than £50m to SMEs over the next five years. Investment is also available from its business loan, growth and seedcorn funds.

Photo caption: Left to right, Dean Westmoreland, Yorkshire Sole; Anthony Cope and Alex McWhirter, Finance Yorkshire.

House builder appoints new commercial director

Avant Homes has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of a commercial director to further enable the housebuilder’s regional expansion.

Kyle Danton has been promoted from his role of head of commercial for the firm which h as its offices in Wakefield. He joined Avant Homes as a commercial manager 17 years ago and has progressed his career with the company since then.

As commercial director, Kyle will work closely with the North Yorkshire senior management team to deliver robust financial planning and budgeting whilst ensuring the

effective performance of staff, suppliers and contractors.

Commenting on his appointment,

Kyle said: “Throughout my career with the company, Avant Homes has always provided me with opportunities to develop both professionally and personally.

“This has enabled me to continuously improve my commercial capabilities, so I am very pleased to now be in a position to use them within one of our newest ope rating regions.

“The North Yorkshire team is fully focused on growing the business by delivering a great product in popular locations supported by excellent customer care. I am looking forward to helping drive the region forward with them.” Welcoming Kyle to the business, North Yorkshire managing director, Matt Oldfield, said: “With our growth plans well underway, it’s a great time to welcome Kyle to our regional business.“He is an excellent commercial operator and is the ideal person to help us deliver our expansion strategy at pace. I have every confidence he will play a pivotal role in our continued evolution.”

#BradfordBID

Azets acquires Naylor Wintersgill

Azets, UK accountancy group, has acquired Naylor Wintersgill, the £4m+ independent firm of chartered accountants, business and tax advisors, headquartered in Bradford.

Naylor Wintersgill, which will rebrand as Azets with immediate effect, delivers accounting, audit, corporate finance, tax, payroll, and HR advisory services to SMEs, private clients, and not-for-profit organisations across the Yorkshire region.

The acquisition sees Azets expand its presence and deepen its advisory expertise in Yorkshire, adding two offices to its UK network which now totals 90.

Naylor Wintersgill’s clients will benefit from access to further specialist expertise and a greater breadth of services, both in the UK and internationally, as well as Azets’ investment in technology, with digital platforms including Azets Cozone delivering an advisory-rich service, focusing on helping SMEs ensure compliance, grow their business, and

provide tools and information to enable real-time advice.

Acquiring Naylor Wintersgill adds 67 people into the Azets team, including eight Partners.

Managing director Victoria Wainwright, who started her accountancy career as Naylor Wintersgill’s first apprentice in 1991, will continue to lead the team as office managing partner.

She said: “The team are thrilled to be joining Azets. This is a brilliant opportunity to strengthen our services offering to SMEs and owner-managed businesses in Yorkshire. It is also an opportunity for our team to be part of a much larger ecosystem, creating even more value for our clients.”

“We will continue to build on the achievements, delivering the same

high-quality level of service, with the advantage of being able to offer more specialist advice and be part of a growing group that offers new and exciting opportunities for our clients and our people.

Russell Turner, regional managing partner with Azets in Yorkshire, said: “This acquisition is a wonderful opportunity to expand our geographical presence in Bradford and enhance our specialist offering to SME clients right across the Yorkshire region. We are delighted to be working with Victoria and her team.”

Peter Gallanagh, Regional CEO for Azets’ UK North region, added: “I’d like to offer a warm welcome to our new colleagues and clients from Naylor Wintersgill as we embark on this exciting journey together. This acquisition offers a platform for Azets to keep building its regional presence in Yorkshire and leverage shared skills in support of our SME clients.

Navigating uncertainty: Forecasting in a stricken economy

By Mark Stanton Director, Head of Parsons York

In these uncertain economic times, forecasting has never been more critical for businesses.Many firms have traditionally relied on historic performance to predict future outcomes, assuming that next year will be much like the last. However, with interest rates, inflation, and cost of living increases becoming much less predictable, relying solely on historical data is not viable.

action is taken and no issues or ri sks are missed.

Also, remember that simple CF statements may be sufficient for a quick sense check, but they will not be adequate for something more complex, such as a funding application. In these cases, it's advisable to involve an accountant from the start to ensure the layout and numbers are sufficient for presenting to lenders for a swift decision.

Sof tware solutions

Gain cl arity by using alternati ve forecasting techniques

A 3-way forecast uses a balance sheet (BS), profit and loss (P&L) statement and cash flow (CF) statement. The BS shows assets, liabilities, and equity; the P&L details revenue and expenses and the CF statement reflects the actual cash inflows and outflows over a period. Together, they provide a comprehensive view of a company's financial health to support accurate forecasting. In a stricken economy, scenario planning is a critical addition to this.

Mitigate uncertainty by scenario planning

Businesses need to be able to adapt their forecasting models to gauge

the impact of, and also mitigate risks arising from variables such as interest rates, inflation, staff shortages, cost of living, price volatility lead by worldwide shortages (e.g., microchips) and price decreases in certain sectors due to mar ket saturation (e.g., textiles). Responses to address issues and protect cashflow might include recruiting, managing redundancy co sts, acquiring new plant and downsizing office space to transition to a hybrid or work-f rom-home model.

Combining 3-way

forecasting

with scenario pla nning requires us to make assumptions. It's important to ask an unbiased expert to review these alongside the numbers to ensure the right

Microsoft Excel can support forecasting but it can be timeconsuming and complex to flex for scenario planning. Specialist software can streamline the process, making it faster and more accurate. The best software for your business will depend on a number of factors and the accounting platform you use. One package that works well with cloud applications such as Xero is Futrli by Sage, this powerful tool can provide ongoing cashflow insights when supported by y our accountant.

Parsons can support accurate forecasting and insights to help you navigate the unpredictable economic landscape ahead. Call us on 01924 699 500 or 01904 925 300

New partner promotions at Endless

Mid-market Private Equity Investor, Endless LLP, is pleased to announce the promotions of five of its team,including two new partners, following another highly successful year for the firm.

The financial year to 31 March 2023 included the acquisitions of KTC Edibles Limited, a market-leading supplier of edible oils, by Endless Fund V and PAL International, which provides hygiene solutions and infection control across numerous sectors, by the Endless Enact Fund. The portfolio of investments was also active in completing numerous bolt-on acquisitions, notably by Wonder Group, Findel Education and Realise.

In late 2022, the Firm also raised it’s latest Enact fund, Enact III, at £100

million to enable investment in the UK lower mid-market. Following this, Enact III completed its first investment into Sea Transport Limited in November 2022.

Chris Lewis and Paul Denvers have been promoted to partner, recognising their outstanding contribution to the Firm over a sustained period. Chris joined Endless in 2015 and is the Firm’s chief financial officer with responsibility for the finance team at Endless, as well as being involved in investor relations, regulatory compliance and day to day

operations. Paul has been a part of Endless since 2014, playing an important role in the development of the Enact fund, and in particular deal generation in the Yorkshire region. Paul has played a pivotal role in many successful Enact investments and his current portfolio includes Realise, an awardwinning provider of apprenticeships headquartered in South Yorkshire.

In addition, the Firm’s continued commitment to creating opportunities for career progression has seen a further three promotions this year, including Sian Williams and Kiran Reddy being promoted to associate director and Sophie Ingman to executive assistant.

Aidan Robson, partner at Endless, says: “We have just completed another exciting year at Endless, which included strong growth across all of our funds and continued investment into our growing team. We are delighted to congratulate Chris, Paul, Sian, Kiran and Sophie on their well-deserved promotions, which are in recognition of their outstanding work .over the years.

Paul Denvers and Chris Lewis

Kiran-Reddy Sophie-Ingman Sian-Banton

Skipton owned tech business appoints new CEO

The Skipton Group has appointed a new chief executive for its tech business, Jade Software. Jade has around 280 staff, based across the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia.

Justin Mercer has been appointed CEO of the company, which helps its clients accelerate growth using technology as an enabler.

Jade designs, builds and supports world-class enterprise solutions, enables customers to maximise the value from their core systems and to create engaging digital experiences for its customers. Jade also has a strong presence in regulated environments through its anti-money laundering solution, Jade ThirdEye.

Jade is fully owned by United Kingdom-based Skipton Group. This includes Skipton Building Society,

Skipton International, Skipton Business Finance, Connells Group and Jade, which combined delivered a £298.8m profit in 2022.

Justin has been interim CEO since the departure of previous CEO Charlotte Walshe in February. He has been with Jade for more than 10 years, and his former role was director of customer.

Jade Chair Person Sue Suckling says that Justin’s appointment was fully endorsed by the board and is effective immediately.

“Justin has played a significant part in Jade’s own digital transformation

journey and has been a strong voice of the customer for many years, ensuring we are fully focused on innovation and delivering costeffective solutions that provide exceptional value. This, coupled with a strong commercial focus and acumen, means we are confident Justin is the right person for this role,” Sue Suckling says.

Before becoming director of customer, Justin was general manager Jade Australia and has spent 11 years with Jade working with customers and partners globally.

“I am delighted to become the next CEO,” Justin says. “Charlotte has provided a strong foundation for the next stage of our evolution and I am looking forward to working with our people, partners and customers to deliver further innovation and value.”

Synthotech expands partnershipstechnology

Harrogate-based Synthotech has extended its partnership with the University of Sheffield to develop the next generation of industrial robots.

As part of the Pipebots initiative, Synthotech will work with leading UK water companies to conduct a research and feasibility study into using robots for mains inspection.

The project will run for 10 months and aims to accelerate the development of in-pipe condition assessment and rehabilitation technologies to meet water industry needs.

The Pipebots team will work with Synthotech to test the robots on iron pipework using accelerometers,

ultrasonic probes and electromagnetic (EM) induction sensors. The sensors are attached the Synthotech’s LeakVISION robots to help gather data.

Awarded

Professor Kirill Horoshenkov, programme director at the University of Sheffield, said: “The Pipebots partnership brings together leading innovators from industry and academia to accelerate the development and adoption of the latest robot technology in the UK’s pipeline networks. The

benefits of pipeline robots include fewer roadworks for motorists and communities, alongside significant efficiency improvements for utility companies.”

Pipebots was awarded £15K as part of a research and feasibility study funded by the OFWAT innovation fund and committed a further £30k as an in-kind contribution towards this project as a part of their EPSRC Grant EP/S016813/1.

Innovate

Synthotech develops advanced robots that can detect leaks and fix pipes. The robots can be deployed remotely for long distances, which speeds up the investigation process to aid safety and reduce environmental impact. The robotics are designed, developed and manufactured in the UK

The engineering business has spent over £1.2 million to create advanced robots to find and repair water and gas pipe leaks.

Simon Langdale, engineering director said: “Our partnership with Pipebots allows us to work in close partnership with leading academic institutions to fast-track the advancement and adoption of this technology. As Synthotech continues to go from strength to strength in the UK and overseas, it’s important that we continue to innovate and meet the needs of our customers. “Over the last year, we’ve invested to build an extensive testing site that replicates underground utilities. It allows innovators to test and evaluate the cutting-edge technologies generated in Academia. The unique site and capability allow us and utility networks to get to grips with using advanced technology in real-world scenarios, without impacting water supplies and homeowners.”

Greenarc electrifies service offering with latest acquisition of Lancashire Based company Elektec

Greenarc Limited, a nationwide fuel and clean energy services business is delighted to announce its latest acquisition of Lancashirebased company Elektec.

The purchase of electrical contractor Elektec represents Greenarc’s third venture in less than nine months with the investment in Oxfordshirebased Heat Engineer Software Ltd in April and the acquisition of the recently rebranded vehicle leasing and rental business Greenarc Vehicles completed in November.

Chris Bingham, chairman and CEO at Greenarc comments: “This recent acquisition is one of many investments from Greenarc in the past twelve months and we are thrilled to welcome Carl and Charlotte to the business to support our goal of transitioning our customers to a clean energy future.

With Elektec’s focus on EV charging points, battery storage, LED lighting,

electrical compliance and more recently solar we have further increased our lowcarbon service offering. This acquisition represents another important pillar of our decarbonisation proposition to individuals, businesses, and the public sector across the UK.”

Charlotte Knowles, director at Elektec said: “This acquisition allows us to continue to offer our electrical services locally but also provides Elektec with the expertise and funding to grow our services to customers. Not only this, but we now have access to a range of other renewable energy solutions to support our customers to decarbonise their entire energy infrastructure.

Greenarc’s honest and informative approach to clean energy fits in well with what we do at Elektec, we are thrilled to be joining the Greenarc team and I’m excited about the future work we will be achieving together.”

Greenarc Limited ranked number fourteen on The Times 100 list

of Britain’s fastest-growing companies. They provide commercial, residential, and public sector customers with a wide range of services in both the fuel and green energy sectors such as electric vehicle supply, heating technology, renewable diesel and most recently elect rical services.

The multi-award winning Elektec was established in 2017 and was recently named a National Success Story for The Prince’s Trust and were personally invited to meet with King Charles II I in July 2022.

This acquisition was facilitated by Clarion Solicitors. Tax advice was provided by BHP Chartered Accountants and funding by Barclays Bank.

Seeing Red

The Leeds textile firm behind iconic Coronation scarlet cloth

The iconic scarlet cloth produced by AW Hainsworth - the heritage Yorkshire mill and Royal Warrant holder that produces fabrics to clothe royalty and furnish royal interiors, palaces and the House of Lords - took centre stage at the King’s Coronation ceremony, where it was used in 1000s of the uniforms worn during the weekend’s processions.

As the nation celebrated the coronation of King Charles III, in a spectacular ceremony steeped in tradition and pageantry, in keeping with previous Royal ceremonies, the colour red plays a leading role. And where you saw red, you saw the craftsmanship of Yorkshirebased textile mill, AW Hainsworth. When the Royal Grenadier Guards stepped out for the King's Coronation procession, they were wearing their famous coats made with Yorkshire scarlet cloth.

It’s not the first time Hainsworth red cloth has played a central role in a monarch’s Coronation. 1953 saw

the Coronation of our late Queen Elizabeth II and Hainsworth was chosen to produce a special cloth in regimental colours to mark the occasion. In fact, Hainsworth fabric has clothed royalty and the military for full-dress ceremonial occasions, including the scarlet uniforms of the Battle of Waterloo and Royal weddings for centuries.

“The scarlet fabric of the ceremonial parade is made from wool and finished with a melton finish, skillfully woven at the Hainsworth mill in West Yorkshire for generations, using the finest wool fibres. All the pageantry and spectacle of the

King’s Coronation celebrations were enhanced with the Hainsworth red cloth - known for its luxurious feel, rich colour, and durability,” says Diane Simpson, commercial director.

“Ceremony is something that is a huge part of British national pride, and The King’s Coronation event truly represents the heart of the nation, so we were honoured to again be part of such a celebration. With more than 6,000 uniformed officers taking part, the cloth woven for the uniforms is the very highest specification - a testament to the quality and craftsmanship of our product,” adds Diane.

Hainsworth has provided many different fabrics for the King’s Coronation event, which include the scarlet and dark blue cloths worn by the Guards.

ENJOY OUTDOOR DINING THIS SUMMER AT THE WESTON

RESTAURANT | GALLERY |

Enjoy a delicious menu of locally and sustainably sourced produce, with stunning views across the landscape of Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Open Tuesday to Sunday and Bank Holidays, 9.00–17.00.

Go to ysp.org.uk/book-the-weston or phone 01924 930004 to make a reservation.

Free entry to The Weston restaurant, gallery and shop. To visit the rest of YSP, please book a ticket at ysp.org.uk

Kirklees College Celebrates ‘Good’ Ofsted Rating

Kirklees College been awarded a ‘Good’ rating following their inspection in early March. This was the college’s first full inspection since 2012 and strengthens the college’s position as one of the best providers of Further Education in the region.

The college’s strategy focuses on the needs, wellbeing and future prospects of its students and apprentices. The college champions diversity, with staff promoting a culture where individual difference is celebrated, and diversity is understood as a valuable component to a harmonious society.

The report highlighted some of the inspector’s most positive comments about the college.

As the only general education provider

in the area, the college works effectively with a range of stakeholders to ensure students and apprentices develop the skills and behaviours to gain and sustain employment.

Palvinder Singh, Principal of Kirklees College commented: “I am so proud of the whole Kirklees College community. Our values of kindness, unity and excellence are at the forefront of our college in creating opportunities and changing lives. Our ‘Good’ rating demonstrates that we are at the heart of shaping a better future for all in our community and I would like to thank all our staff for their ongoing commitment to our students.”

Photo © David Lindsay. Courtesy of YSP, registered charity 1067908.

SHOP

The Weston, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Huddersfield Road, Haigh, Barnsley, S75 4BX | 0.75 miles from M1 J38

Celebrating ten years with Masons

Ten years ago, Karl and Cathy Mason set up a Facebook page about one of their favourite topics: gin.

Posting reviews of their favourite finds, followers followed, and soon 10k people were on the page. It started to take up a lot of time and they had the lightbulb moment: what if we did this all the time? And Masons of Yorkshire was born. And in June 2023 the company, now employing 24 people, celebrates ten years in the business, based in beautiful Bedale, and exports all over the world. The original distillery was destroyed by a fire in 2019, but the brand has grown back bigger and stronger.

This year sees the first foray into Tropical - a London Dry infused with mango, pineapple has been massively

well received all over the country. With big brands such as Strongbow and Sierra Tequila coming through with great new products with tropical flavours, this is the summer to go full-on feel-good flavour.

This month also heralds a collaboration with Magic Rock Brewery: the Botanicalist Gin & Tonic IPA.

Launched just in time for Beer Day Britain on 15 June and Father's Day on 18 June these two Northern English powerhouses Masons of Yorkshire and Magic Rock Brewery have paired up to launch Botanicalist, a zesty Gin

& Tonic IPA, packed to the brim with juniper and hops, all brewed and canned in Yorkshire. Combining state-of-the-art distilling with cuttingedge brewing techniques, this is a delicious mix of eight different botanicals made into a clean and crisp classic IPA.

Masons of Yorkshire also creates outstanding vodkas. Masons has just launched a delicious twist on the negroni at the Henrietta Hotel in Covent Garden, London. Out of the Night is their version of a Negroni but made with Mason's Espresso Vodka, Punt e Mes, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and garnished with a cherry. It is the perfect drink for a pick-me-up and the end of the night, or a postdinner cocktail, but with the crispness

of the Espresso Vodka and the cherry flavours we're seeing people enjoy them in the summer sunshine too. A deliciously indulgent drink that can be enjoyed all day. It is so popular they ran out of our vodka the other day, and someone had to run to an independent down the road and top up stocks. I visited last week - such a great spot to go if you're in town with exceptional staff - and drinks!

B2B wise, Karl says: "This year we're making sure we're attending as many trade shows as possible. It's been incredible for us to get back out on the road and meet customers face to face again and letting them taste

our products. As the big retailers only do range reviews twice a year, it is imperative us to keep the momentum going with our small independents as they are the backbone of our business. We've just attended the Harrogate

Flower Show, about to go to the Lichfield Food Festival, RHS Flower Show, Hampton Court Palace Food Festival, and many more - it's going to be a busy summer. Come and say hello if you're around."

JCT600 wins Mercedes-Benz Retailer of the Year Award

be recognised in these prestigious awards which celebrate the very best of Mercedes-Benz’s partners thro ughout the UK.

Northern-based family business JCT600 has been named as Retailer of the Year for 2022 by Mercedes-Benz as it recognises its best performing dealerships across the UK.

With dealerships in Sheffield, Doncaster, Harrogate, York and Chesterfield, JCT600 won the coveted award based on its ‘outstanding performance in every area of the business, including new car sales, customer service, approved used car sales, workshop retail hours and customer retention’.

Gary Savage, chief executive and

managing director, Mercedes-Benz Cars UK, said: “JCT600 performed consistently strongly across all areas of the business and the team’s collaboration was nothing short of outstanding, with remarkable engagement a nd positivity.”

Michelle Caveney, Mercedes-Benz brand director for JCT600 said, “It is a fantastic achievement to

“This accolade is testament to the hard work and passion of the 200-plus strong team across our five Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and North Yorkshire, demonstrating their customer-centric approach and continued ability to deliver exceptional service. Ensuring that customers have the very best experience when they visit us is at the heart of what we do – our thanks go to all of our colleagues who make this possible.”JCT600 has grown from a single dealership into one of the largest privately owned businesses in Yorkshire. With over 50 dealerships from Yorkshire and the North East to Derbyshire and Lincolnshire, the group represents 23 of the world’s leading car marques and has a team of 2, 300 colleagues.

Bridging the digital divide: Virgin Money and Good Things Foundation roll out the National Databank

Virgin Money is increasing the support available to people living in digital poverty by rolling out the National Databank into more of its stores across the UK, including nine in Yorkshire.

The National Databank, founded by Virgin Media O2 and leading digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation, is like a foodbank but provides free mobile data, texts, and calls for people in need.

Following a six-month pilot*, which took place in 16 of its stores across the UK, including Leeds, Rotherham and Sheffield, Virgin Money has now increased the number of stores taking part in the National Databank to 33. Nine of these new locations are in Yorkshire, with Barnsley, Bradford, Castleford, Doncaster, Hull, and Middlesbrough now benefitting from the programme.

Through the National Databank, people that suffer from digital poverty and live in these areas can request a voucher from a local community support organisation registered with Good Things

Foundation, take it to a participating Virgin Money store and pick up a Virgin Media O2 sim card loaded with 20GB of free data – enough for around 220 hours of internet browsing per month. The free data allowance renews every month for six months. Specially-trained Virgin Money hosts will help users to

register their sim cards, show them how to get online and offer tips on how to stay safe when browsing.

To support people who are impacted by digital poverty but living outside of these areas, Virgin Money has also worked closely with Good Things Foundation to provide specialist training for its customer care team to help people identify and contact alternative National Databank sites nearby, whether it is a Virgin Money store or not.

Expanding its partnership with Good Things Foundation further, Virgin Money has also provided funding for c. 150 refurbished smartphones and tablets as part of the charity’s National Device Bank programme, which works alongside the National Databank programme to provide free smart devices to people who are unable to afford them.

Lyn Rose, head of customer care and stores at Virgin Money, said: “Many of us take for granted how easy it is to use digital tools to complete everyday tasks such as paying bills, comparing insurance premiums and even chatting with friends and family online. However, for people living in digital poverty, getting online isn’t quite as straightforward or affordable and we want to change that. Over the past six months we have seen firsthand the positive difference that free monthly data can have on people in need, and driven by our purpose of making you happier about money, we are expanding our work with Good Things Foundation and Virgin Media O2 to help more people get online and out of digital poverty.”

Helen Milner OBE, Group Chief Executive, Good Things Foundation, said: “Having enough data in our increasingly digital society is not a nice to have, it’s an absolute essential. If you’re not online you can’t save money on products and services, help your children participate in home-learning, or apply for jobs. There are 2 million households struggling to afford internet access in the UK today, and 10 million adults lack the most basic digital skills. We’re delighted to work with Virgin Money to more than double the number of Virgin Money stores taking part in the UK National Databank. Together we can help fix the digital divide.”

IoD celebrates entrepreneurial transcendence at House of Lords dinner

The Institute of Directors (IoD) is staging a special Eid Dinner in the magnificent setting of the House of Lords to celebrate entrepreneurial transcendence in the business community.

Being staged on Thursday 15 June, the event will shine a spotlight on the contribution made by minority groups to the richness of the cultural landscape of the UK, from media and sport to politics and business.

It will also provide an opportunity to connect with business leaders and to hear from high profile dignitaries including businessman Lord Rami Ranger and former diversity advisor to former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Lord Qurban Hussain.

The IoD’s mission is to develop, support and represent skilled, knowledgeable and responsible leaders for the benefit of the economy and society at large. Through its membership of company directors, the IoD works to be at the forefront of equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives and achievements to make the UK cultural landscape inclusive.

IoD director general Jon Geldart said: “The IoD celebrates its 120th anniversary this year and we are committed to representing and supporting businesses and directors from all communities across the UK. This latest event is open to members and non-members and provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate Eid and the UK’s multicultural achievements in a glorious setting.”

The evening will also mark the launch of a new Special Interest Group for the Institute: British Asian Business Community, which sets out to better connect, represent and advance IoD members of Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) origin. The group will be chaired by Abid Khan, IoD branch chair for Coventry & Warwickshire.

Tickets are £96 members and £130 fo r non-members.

Reduced market value homes scheme proves success

Bellway Homes says its scheme to sell Reduced Market Value Homes at its Millstone Park development in Swallownest has proved a huge success –with all seven selling out rapidly.

The Reduced Market Value homes were exclusively available to first time buyers aged between 23 and 40, with a combined annual household income capped at £80K, or any current or former serving members of the armed forces.

The homes were sold at 20 per cent less than market value, with the 20 per cent held in perpetuity by Rotherham Council, and when the house is sold on, the new buyers will also need to meet the criteria helping first-time buyers in the future.

Melanie Smith, Yorkshire’s sales director, said: “The Reduced Market Value Homes concept couldn’t have come at a better time for those looking to buy their first home. Saving to buy a house is a difficult thing to do, and even more so for first time buyers.”

“To be able to offer them one of our fantastic properties at a reduced price, is not only rewarding, but gives them a big helping hand getting onto the property ladder.”

“I hope that the success of the scheme at the Millstone Park development will lead to similar properties being incorporated into more of our new developments across the region.”

The scheme offered threebedroom terraced Shoemaker’s that are constructed in line with Bellway’s highest standards. These homes reflect the reasons why Bellway has been awarded a fivestar builder status by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) for six consecutive years.

First-time buyers settled into their Reduced Market Value home

Joseph Shemeld, a marketing manager for a social housing company and his partner

Abigail Middleton, a nursery practitioner took advantage of the programme and purchased one of the three-bedroom mid terraced houses in December 2022.

Abigail moved from the next village Beighton, and Joseph from further afield in Doncaster, and have both settled into their new home.

The couple, both under 30, had their choices broadened to consider a new build house by the Reduced Market Value scheme.

Joseph said: “We weren’t initially looking for a new build when we made the decision to buy our first home but saw the marketing brochure and loved the modern look of the Bellway development. The sales advisor, Helena was so helpful in advising us which properties were within our price range, and quickly helped us to realise that we qualify for the Reduced Market Value Homes.

We weren’t initially looking for a new build when we made the decision to buy our first home but saw the marketing brochure and loved the modern look of the Bellway development...

Key questions for employers to ask candidates at a job interview

By Brian Stahlin MD Stafflex Recruitement

The lack of availability for temporary staff is proving to be a big hinderance on the growth potential of the region. Employers are cautious about their recruitment plans during this current economic climate opting to focus on short term instead of permanent hires.

A job interview is one of the most nervewracking experiences that most of us go through in our working lives.

But it can be no less daunting for the employer or manager conducting the interview – and there is probably just as much, if not more, at stake.

While a candidate can simply move onto the next interview if it doesn’t go well, the employer needs to ensure they ask all the right questions in order to make the right appointment for their business.

Making a wrong decision can prove costly, especially for a small business with only a few members of staff where teamwork is so important to success.

Interviewing is a skill and it takes knowledge and practice. It’s about putting the interviewee at ease and getting them to relax and open up. It’s easier said than done, of course, but the skill is to probe beneath the formal front we all present at interview and reveal more about the real person underneath.

With proper preparation the interview scenario doesn’t need to be a scary

proposition on either side. In fact it can even be an enjoyable process!

When recruiting, employers will want to determine in a fair way whether the candidate has the hard and soft skills to make a valuable contribution. That is, whether they have the necessary ‘hard’ skills and knowledge to do the job and whether they have the social skills, or ‘soft’ skills, to fit into the team and wider workplace culture.

‘Hard’ skills tend to be more knowledge and experience based such as being able to use Outlook or Excel, for example, having the appropriate and relevant qualifications, a proven sales ability and so on.

The ‘soft’ skills to look out for include reliability, honesty, stability, being a team player, having an interest in learning, the ability to listen. Then there’s communication, teamwork, resourcefulness, time management and organisational ability.

So how do you assess whether a

candidate has the necessary hard and soft skills? By asking the right questions!

Asking ‘for instance’ questions is a good way to tease out an applicant’s knowledge, experience, motivation and ambition. These answers will help determine whether the individual will be a good fit for your company, will make the required contribution and, importantly, will stay and thrive in their new role.

Here’s our list of the kind of questions you need to ask a candidate at interview:

• What hobbies/activities do you enjoy and why?

• Give me an example of when you made a mistake in a job, how you recognised it and what you did to correct it.

• Did you/do you take part in any sport and what benefit do you get from doing it?

• What do you consider your

greatest achievement in both your personal and working life?

• Have you ever felt demoralised and how did you deal with that?

• What have you enjoyed most in your career to date?

• What is it about this job that interests you?

• How do you react to criticism?

• Give me an example where you have influenced others to come round to your way of thinking.

• How would you deal with a colleague who has an irritating habit?

• What is the most complicated formulae you have had to put together for a spreadsheet?

• What software did you use when you were doing payroll, how many were on it and was it wee kly or monthly?

• What has motivated you to leave yo ur current job?

• Why did you choose to go to university and why did you choose that particular course?

• What has been the greatest challenge in your life and how did yo u deal with it?

• What do your parents/family do for their work?

• This list of questions is not exhaustive, of course, and not all will be relevant to every interview but hopefully they will provide a basis for your own inter view questions.

All the questions are designed to help you determine that the person you are considering is stable, capable, willing to learn and will fit into your organisation and contribute.

It’s all about minimising the chances of making a wrong decision and increasing the probability of a good return on y our investment.

Good luck with your next interview. You never know, you might even enjoy it!

Shredding firm ploughs £250,000 investment into UK test centre

Industrial shredding specialist UNTHA UK has boldly kickstarted its new financial year, with a £250,000 investment in its North Yorkshire test centre.

The team has refurbished its on-site trials facility and procured four new demonstration machines, allowing organisations from across the country to see what the shredders are capable of, and test them with their own materials.

20 stock shredders — the RS30, RS40, RS60, RS100, LRK1400, PS1300 and S25 models — are also available for immediate dispatch on a rolling stock basis, as the UK’s environmental progress shows no sign of slowing. In addition to enquiries from waste contractors, recycling specialists and energy firms, UNTHA UK has also experienced rising demand from manufacturers, engineering companies, retailers, and other producers of waste who have previously passed their materials onto a third party to be managed. However, now realising the circular — and economic — value of the ‘waste’, they are seeking to bring their processes in-house.

More than 2,000 product lines of consignment parts are also now

available for immediate dispatch, from UNTHA UK’s Boroughbridge HQ.

The £250,000-figure investment comes in response to the market’s desire for greater flexibility, says UNTHA UK’s managing director, Marcus Brew.

“While we read dozens of daily headlines about the economic squeeze, we must remember that environmental pressures are mounting too,” he explained. “As a society, we’re producing more waste than ever before, yet our climate change conscience is also getting stronger. Our industry is therefore working hard to transform ‘waste’ materials into valuable resources that can be reused, recycled,

and utilised for energy recovery. We’re pushing new boundaries — with the help of engineering innovations — and that whets people’s appetite as to what more could be done.

“People come to our test centre, wondering — is this possible? When they see that it is, they don’t want to wait for their shredding technology to be manufactured. They’re hungry to act now. This is challenging when it comes to bespoke machinery. However, some of our models are highly configurable, therefore having a number of those in stock, means we can react faster to customers’ needs.”

UNTHA UK’s investment in spare and wear parts means customers can also keep their assets in perfect working order, with minimal operational disruption.

“Everything revolves around us delivering the highest standard of service to our customers,” Marcus continued. “Because that’s what enhances their throughputs, flexibility and margins.”

A passionate advocate of processing ‘waste’ for reuse, recycling, and energy recovery, UNTHA UK – part of the global UNTHA shredding brand –achieved a 38% revenue uplift in 2022. Turnover exceeded £16m — the firm’s highest-performing year to date — as the team continued to expand, and an equivalent target of £20m has now been set 2023.

Having recently achieved ISO9001, 14001, and 45001 re-certification – for quality, environmental standards, and health and safety respectively – UNTHA UK was also listed as a leading light (top 10) in the Digital Enterprise Top 100 rankings, last year.

Marcus concluded: “It’s taken years of effort to get us to the point where we can rely on the processes, technology, and automation we’ve implemented, to scale at pace, and adapt to market changes with agility.

“That’s why we set bold growth targets for this year, but it’s the people in the team who have delivered on those. We don’t recruit for the sake of it, but now, as we push ahead with our 2023 plans, we know the additional colleagues we’ll welcome into the team will ensure our ongoing success.”

UNTHA UK’s current vacancy is for a parts and maintenance administrator.

There are more than 13,000 UNTHA shredders installed over six continents worldwide, with over 500in operation in the UK. There are currently 27 people in the UNTHA UK team.

Work begins on second phase of landmark city centre scheme

Works have begun on the next stage of Aire Park, a new district being built by Vastint UK in the heart of Leeds’ South Bank.

The latest phase will see the construction of a new seven-storey, commercial building, boasting 75,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, and almost 7,000 sq ft of flexible ground floor retail and leisure space.

Located on the corner of Waterloo Street and Hunslet Road, the new landmark building will act as a gateway to Aire Park on the approach from Leeds train station and the city centre.

Designed by architects Cartwright Pickard, the building has sustainable construction and occupier wellbeing at its heart, in line with

Vastint UK’s development ethos of creating a welcoming, inclusive and vibrant community.

Simon Schofield, head of development at Vastint UK, said: “With works beginning on our third commercial building, Aire Park is truly becoming a reality. Leeds’ reputation as a fantastic place to live and work has been widely documented, and we’re pleased to be playing our part in this by not only driving further inward investment, but creating a brand-new urban district specifically designed to prioritise healthy lifestyles and active participation in nature.

“As a long-term developer, we’re looking forward to seeing the development thrive over the coming years, and to working with a number of key stakeholders including Leeds City Council to improve connectivity, develop sustainable transport links, and overall help an unrealised area of the city centre to reach its full potential.”

Alongside a target BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification, the building, which is due for completion in early 2025, has been pre-certified for a WiredScore Gold accreditation and a WELL Building Gold certificate. Peter Cartwright, director at Cartwright Pickard, added: “This is a new generation of office building for Leeds, designed to enhance wellbeing

and productivity, as well as to strengthen a sense of place. Providing sweeping views across the city and a strong visual connection to the greenery of Aire Park, it seamlessly combines modern methods of construction with details which reflect the heritage and craft found historically in Leeds.

“Once complete, the latest phase of the development will make a valuable contribution to the townscape by shaping a key entrance into Aire Park from the city centre, while bringing the public realm at Tetley Triangle to life.”

The news follows the successful structural completion of the first 200,000 sq ft of commercial and

20,000 sq ft of retail space at the site in February of this year.

Projected to be fully complete in 2032, Aire Park will span 24 acres of the city’s South Bank and will create a vibrant new district which will be home to over 11,000 workers and up to 3,000 residents. Centred around an expansive, eight-acre public park, Aire Park will also provide one of the largest new city centre green spaces in the country.

The site, which will include the city’s newest commercial district with over 1 million sq ft of grade A, sustainable office space, as well as a 200-bed hotel, will reconnect the former industrial site with the city centre.

Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “It’s exciting to see the progress being made at Aire Park, with the plans for its latest building being a great example of the bold thinking that is driving both Vastint’s work on this new urban district and the regeneration of the wider South Bank.

“The ongoing development of Aire Park complements wider transformative work spearheaded by the council near the site, including the installation of the new David Oluwale Bridge, improvements to Crown Point Road and the creation of additional green space at Meadow Lane.

“We want Leeds to be the best possible place to live, work and visit, and projects like Aire Park will help us achieve that aim by supporting inclusive growth through the provision of new homes, jobs and opportunities for all.

“It’s also heartening to see the importance that has been attached to the use of sustainable construction methods in a building that promises to be another fine addition to the Leeds skyline.”

Bradford printer invests over half a million in new facilities

Bradford-based printer, Dominion Print, has further enhanced its manufacturing facilities with a £500,000 investment in additional printing and production technology.

The company has just commissioned a new Vutek Q5r super-wide reel-to-reel printer along with a fully automatic rolling machine and its second Zund G3 XL cutting system. With true resolution up to 1200 dpi, the Vutek Q5r will double Dominion’s output speeds to 672m2 per hour.

Verity Fox, director said: “Back in 1997 my father, Dominic Clark, invested in the Vutek UltraVu 5300 which, at the time, was state-of-the-art wide-format digital technology. Twenty-six years later, we’ve come full circle. Dad taught me from being knee high that in print you need to invest to stay ahead of the competition. We shared many double espressos discussing the various machine options and viewing samples prior to deciding on the Vutek Q5r and signing on the dotted line! With the extraordinary speed and quality, it seemed the right fit to be going back to Vutek after all this time. The installation and commissioning of the machine was bitter-sweet, as Dad passed away earlier this year and never got to see the machine in situ. Nevertheless, I’m excited to be adding the Vutek Q5r to our plant list and I intend to carry on his legacy of success through

investment. The Vutek Q5r takes Dominion’s strength in large and super-large formats to the next level, raising the bar even further for our ability to provide highend printing at lightning speeds. The machine provides UltraDrop Technology for high-definition image quality, outstanding smoothness in shadows, gradients, and transitions, as well as superb text quality and more clarity in all print modes.

“Just prior to the Vutek’s arrival we also invested in a second Zund G3 XL to ensure that our cutting

and finishing capabilities were in step with our increased printing capacity. With its modular tool concept, no other cutting or routing machine is as flexible or adaptable. The machine will operate alongside our original Zund G3 XL and our other finishing equipment which includes a precision cutter for aluminium profiles and a Blackman & White blade and laser CAD system which gives us the largest single bed cutting facility in Europe.”

Dominion is one of a select number of printers with the ability to provide truly super-large solutions and super-wide digital applications. The latest investment follows a recent £1m investment in a Durst Rho 2500 modular UV flatbed printer along with an additional in-line welding and eyeleting machine and further in-line, fully automatic sewing machines. The company is preparing to target further growth in its core markets, including entertainment, retail, events and construction.

Dominion is one of a select number of printers with the ability to provide truly super-large solutions and super-wide digital applications...

From yard man to managing director

In 2012, Ian became a shareholder and soon afterwards was promoted to the position of operations manager and started looking for new premises for the expanding business. Now based at the 3.5 acre site in Walton near Leeds with 31,000 sq ft of onsite warehouse storage.

So, what changes has Ian seen during his years in the industry?

When Ian Ellis started stacking shelves in the workshop of GreenTek’s Leeds base in 2000, little did he know that 23 years later he’d be driving the business forward at the helm as managing director.

And now with expansion into new overseas markets, and new product developments underway, he’s certainly got exciting aspirations for the company’s future.

Ian, who started his career in the interior landscape business supplying plants to offices says: “We’re aiming to double our turnover in the next six years, we’re expanding into new markets including the US, and have some exciting new products in development.”

But whilst looking ahead to the future, Ian never forgets his roots within the business.

He fondly remembers: “I joined the company in 2000 as a yard man and

spent most of my time loading and unloading forklift trucks and stacking pallets in the workshop. I remember the whole site was on a slope which made stacking shelves in any sort of order quite a challenge!”

“I believe greenkeepers have become a lot more analytical,” he says. “Previously, they carried out tasks at particular times of the year because it was the thing to do, but now they stop and ask themselves why they’re doing things, what are they achieving, and is there a better way of doing things?”

Talking to Ian leaves you in no doubt about his passion for the job at GreenTek,

He comments: “I absolutely love my job which has given me great opportunities to expand my product knowledge and share this with customers through face-to-face product demonstrations.

“I’m extremely honoured and privileged to be offered the position of managing director and look forward to continuing to build on the legacy of innovation at GreenTek to grow the company in the future.

“We’ve got exciting plans for new product development – both enhancements to existing machinery and completely new products – and we’re looking forward to expanding into new markets.”

I absolutely love my job which has given me great opportunities to expand my product knowledge and share this with customers through face-to-face product demonstrations...

Scriba PR launches new strategic comms service

Scriba PR — the Huddersfieldheadquartered B2B communications agency with clients across four continents — has launched a new proposition as demand for the firm’s strategic expertise continues to rise.

The ‘Marketing Director as a Service’ (MDaaS) offering represents the company’s ability to become a truly bolt-on comms department for clients’ businesses, regardless of location.

Remaining true to the agency’s specialism in the written word, the service sees the team devise, oversee, and in some instances partially or entirely execute clients’ marketing strategies, including the management of budgets and C-suite reporting. Where

complementary marketing services are required, Scriba will draw upon its decade-long partner network, or take care of the tender process for a new third party, as required.

With a number of clients already using Scriba’s MDaaS support — even before the proposition was launched — the latest business to tap into such expertise is healthtech firm, Mizaic. With ambitious scale-up plans, the NHS software specialist — whose technology houses more than 1 billion patient images — sought to build a best-inclass marketing team at pace. Scriba has already overseen the strategic renaming and rebranding of the business — with the support of brand specialist The Engine Room and creative integrated agency The Bigger Boat. Now all eyes

are on the client’s objective to attract and secure contracts with a further 20 NHS Trusts over the next three years.

Scriba’s B2B technical focus has seen the agency’s turnover and net profits figures both rise by 80%, over the last three years. And with clients across various complex sectors — including technology, recycling, engineering, architecture and manufacturing, to name just a few — the goal is to pursue further growth by concentrating on this niche.

“When Scriba was first established, the goal was to support organisations who believed their stories were too complex to tell,” explained founding managing director, Katie Mallinson. “As our reputation has grown, so too has

the number of businesses we’ve been able to help — including those who don’t even speak English as their first language. Yet our focus has remained the same — making sense of these often tricky businesses and ensuring our words have an impact.

“Now, as we approach our tenth anniversary, we’re marking Scriba’s next chapter by formalising the breadth and depth of the strategic support we offer. Anything that treads beyond the written word will be managed by us but delivered via a partner, giving clients the peace of mind that the right support is being delivered by the right people, at the right time.

“That’s not to say every client will need such a comprehensive suite of services,

so we’ll still provide everything from ad hoc copywriting assistance up to multiday-per month retainers, and more. But for clients without any internal marketing resource — or organisations that need to bolster the return on investment from their existing activities — the MDaaS proposition allows them to scale their marketing efforts, quickly, and strategically. It’s a fantastic opportunity for colleagues within the Scriba team too.”

The MDaaS launch coincides with the recent appointment of account director Grace Lenihan — a strategic marketer with an integrated agency background. She will bolster the team’s senior skillset and ability to cultivate multichannel communications plans, while leading on partner collaborations to augment Scriba’s own offering.

Senior hire for Leeds tech firm with eyes on £100m turnover

Alice Kelly — who has been with the business for three years — has been promoted to the new position of international communications manager, reflecting Scriba’s growing overseas client base. Account manager Bethany Lunt has also returned following a short time with a Manchester agency, and Philippa Ogden has joined the agency as a copywriter, from Leeds firm One Nine Nine. Plans are now underway to finalise the appointment of an additional account manager and PR administrator, this month.

Scriba marks its 10th anniversary in June. The company has helped around 200 B2B organisations to date, and employs 16 people.

Transformational technology specialist CloudCoCo Group PLC has appointed a new head of cloud and innovation — Lee Thatcher — as the Leeds-headquartered business eyes an ambitious £100m revenue target.

With 140 employees and over 1,000 customers throughout the country — typically organisations with 251500 employe es — CloudCoCo is currently a £25m revenue IT services and communication company, specialising in network connectivity, cloud, collaboration tech and cyber.

But Lee’s appointment — in the month that marks the group’s

fifth anniversary — also signals CloudCoCo’s evolution into a multi-cloud player. This means that, having long been a Microsoft Gold Partner, the company is now cloud agnostic — one of many transitions that opens up a wealth of growth potential for the established brand.

CloudCoCo’s core network seamlessly connects over 35 of the industry’s

main data centres. This stepchange — to now put that network at the heart of multi-cloud transformations

— has also been fuelled by two new industry collaborations. An exclusive partnership h as been agreed with large-scale digital innovation specialist Abstract Tech, similarly based in Leeds, plus CloudCoco has also entered into a strategic agreement wit h Ingram Micro UK for the supply of Microsoft Azure and other cl oud services.

“Our strapline as a business has always been — the future starts now,” said founder and CEO Mark Halpin. “Our foresight means we break new boundaries with tech, but our people ensure that this tech makes a difference — that it is success fully adopted, and adds rea l value inside our clients’ organisations, as they navigate their cloud journey.

Company of the Month

Calderdale School holiday provider presented with award at House of Commons

throughout each day during the school holidays.

Jess Heald, Healthy Holidays Programme Coordinator from Calderdale Council explained, “We are all so proud of Kirilea winning this accolade. She is so dedicated and the families absolutely love her. We are delivering a variety of good quality schemes in Calderdale, and it’s rewarding to see that out of all the providers in Yorkshire and Humber, it was someone from a Calderdale scheme who won the Regional Champion.”

Kirilea Whitehead from Nurturing Creativity CIC was presented with the Award for being the HAF Regional Champion for Yorkshire and Humber at a National Awards Ceremony (HAF 2023 Awards) at the House of Commons on Thursday 18th May 2023.

The HAF (Holiday Activities and Food Programme) provides enriching activities and healthy meals for 6,000 children eligible for benefits related free school meals during the school holidays. There are over 30 providers

across Calderdale giving children opportunities to take part in everything from sports, dance, craft, bush skills, canoeing, rifle shooting, abseiling and much more. Plus, they also receive a warm, nutritious meal and snacks

We are so proud of Kirilea from Nurturing Creativity CIC, who is one of our providers for being awarded the HAF Regional Champion for Yorkshire and Humber. Well done! Kirilea Whitehead and Anne Keighley from Nuturing Creativity CIC outside the Houses of Parliament.

Kirilea Whitehead and Anne Keighley from Nuturing Creativity CIC outside the Houses of Parliament.

New smart EV charger and free app from Yorkshire brand ivie

Electric vehicle (EV) drivers can automatically charge their cars when it is cheapest or greenest with the launch of a new home EV charger and free smart charging app from North Yorkshire-based smart energy brand ivie, boasting both home-based and public chargi ng capabilities

Electric vehicle (EV) drivers can automatically charge their cars when it is cheapest or greenest with the launch of a new home EV charger and free smart charging app from North Yorkshire-based smart energy brand ivie, boasting both home-based and public charging capabilities.

This power pairing allows for ultimate charging flexibility to enable valuable savings on home energy bills, help in reducing carbon emissions, while also offering support in the ongoing rollout of public charging capabilities.

The ivie EV Charger and the ivie Charge app deliver smart home charging

features, such as the opportunity to set your own charging schedule, with the soon-to-launch addition of public charging functionality at over 9,000 public charge points nationally.

These new products from ivie, part of smart energy technology leaders Chameleon Technology’s family of brands, form part of its ongoing commitment to reducing the environmental impacts from inefficient and wasteful energy use, as well as offering support to help the UK meet its Net Zero target by 2050.

Chameleon Technology is working closely with the UK Government to help improve accessibility to EVs through funding grants and other initiatives.

Rural areas are still lagging behind big cities when it comes to the number of available EV charging points. It is feared that many county areas could be left behind the cities – just as they were for years with superfast broadband.

In a bid to tackle rural charging limitations across North Yorkshire, the Council is exploring a new EV strategy which could see the installation of 70 new charge points across the county.

£2.2million of funding has already been secured for the initiative, but the Council is predicting 724 chargers are required by 2025, and 3,161 by 2030.

Mike Woodhall, CEO of Chameleon Technology, the smart energy pioneers behind ivie, commented: “Adoption of EV technology is a major component in helping to drastically cut carbon emissions, supporting the UK’s goal of transitioning to more sustainable motoring by 2030. However, ongoing

frustrations around infrastructure and reliability remain and we are aiming to address these with a ‘truly smart’ app alongside our EV charger to encourage faster adoption amongst motorists.”

The ivie Charge app’s stand-out home charging feature is the ability to identify the times to charge an EV when the UK’s energy supply is greenest.

For users on single rate tariffs, the ivie EV Charger and ivie Charge app work together to automatically charge at the greenest times, easing pressure on the grid by using the maximum amount of renewable energy. If the user has a dual-rate tariff which already encourages energy use at greener times via a cheaper off-peak period, the app allows these users to make considerable savings as they recharge.

The 7kW ivie EV Charger and app also give users the ability to set a personalised charging schedule, specifying a time that they would like the car to be fully charged by. All of this can be effortlessly controlled remotely via the ivie Charge app. If plans change, a handy Boost function gives the ability to turn on instant

charging to kickstart charging and override any scheduled settings.

The upcoming roaming features of the ivie Charge App will become freely available to all EV drivers in the coming months, rolling out initially to ivie EV Charger customers.

For motorists needing to recharge on the move, the ivie Charge App will display accurate updates of a public charge point’s status before arrival. These can be filtered by type, speed of charging and customer reviews, avoiding the likelihood of a wasted journey due to a faulty or currently busy charger.

The ivie Charge app delivers seamless charging and payment at over 9,000 UK charging points with one simple, flexible app linked to a preferred payment option, meaning users don't need multiple apps and RFIDs as with other charging apps, and no need for prepayment.

Mike Woodhall continues: “Convenience is one of the key features of the ivie EV Charger and the ivie Charge app, helping EV drivers to easily overcome the frustrations around home and public charging and battery range. We’ve integrated charging features built around consumer needs with the ability to set and forget, fitting in perfectly with busy lifestyles combined with easy public charging and simple payment methods. We’re making it much easier to ensure that the EV is always ready to go.”

The ivie EV Charger comes with an industry-leading five-year warranty, together with a comprehensive customer support package. The ivie Charge App is available to download for free for Apple and Android phones, with public charging features to be available to the general public in the coming months.

Mike Woodhall, CEO of Chameleon Technology

Sport shoes opens £2.5m creative and tech hub

bleacher seating that leads to a social space called Park Life.

Unit 2 also incorporates quiet working pods, a showroom, meeting rooms, boardroom, photography studio, kitchen and café.

Externally, the building features stealth lighting and new windows that floods the internal mezzanine with natural light to help reduce energy demands.

Managing director, Brett Bannister, said: “It was our vision to have a creative and tech hub that provides the very best environment for our people and brand partners to collaborate and enjoy.

The online running shoes, clothing and outdoor gear retailer has opened its 10,750 sq ft creative and tech hub adjacent to its Bradford head office and wareho use facilities.

The £2.5m investment is part of the retailer’s ongoing strategic growth plan.

Established in 1982, the firm offers customers more than 17,000 products from 150 global running and outdoor brands. From a running perspective these include Asics, Nike, Adidas, Hoka and New Balance whilst in terms of outdoor they include Haglöfs, Montane, Rab and Patagonia.

Called Unit 2, the hub is a refurbished manufacturing warehouse building which can accommodate 100 people over two floors. The site houses the company’s digital, marketing, commercial and management teams.

The interior concept is based on the

run, gym and hike elements of the business. Running is represented by a racetrack and trainer tree for display, gym is recognised by climbing ladder references in reception and hiking by

“The completion comes shortly after we celebrated our 40th anniversary, and we’re excited to see how it will help drive us forward over the coming years to enable our continued expansion.”

As a converted warehouse building, Unit 2 has a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to a newly built site. In addition, the building features solar panels on its roof enabling the generation of its own power.

Both these initiatives form part of the firm’s stated intention of becoming the world’s most sustainable running equipment retailer by 2025. The company recently announced that it has offset all the carbon emissions it has directly generated since it was founded.

Bradford-based Peter Howell Facilities undertook the fit out whilst Cartner Property Solutions, also based in the city provided project management services.

I absolutely love my job which has given me great opportunities to expand my product knowledge and share this with customers through face-to-face product demonstrations...

A new AD:VENTURE: Practical support for new business owners in West Yorkshire

By Daneile Moore

Eligibility criteria:

• The business is trading, and has been trading less than 3 years

• You aim to achieve VAT threshold (currently £85,000 per annum) level of turnover within 2 years

• You have ambitions to recruit and build the team within 12 months

Since its launch in early 2017 the AD:VENTURE business support programme has helped an incredible 4,112 businesses and 1,989 individuals, delivered a programme of over 1000 events and awarded 709 grants, supporting resilience and growth worth over £3.6 million. The support has also created 890 additional jobs in our region.

At AD:VENTURE we are passionate about helping new business owners to achieve their full potential for growth, and we are delighted to share that the programme has secured new funding to allow us to continue delivering this much valued support to new business owners in West Yorkshire.

Are you ready for a new AD:VENTURE?

Read on to find more about the new AD:VENTURE offer, and how you can access high quality and fully funded* business support.

The new programme will offer a variety of services that business owners can access on a flexible basis, something we found worked well for our clients as the demands of starting and running a new business will often mean owners are juggling multiple priorities and will prefer to access support as and when they need it.

The services available will include one to one support from an AD:VENTURE business manager and demand led workshops, both online and face to face, on a range of key topics crucial to growth, productivity and sustainability, networking and peer to peer events to help you build your connections and learn from people who are going through the same journey. You can also access Start Up Loans through our partner the Business Enterprise Fund, and the opportunity to apply for AD:VENTURE growth grant, of between £1,000 and £10,000*

How can you sign up for

the new programme?

We’ll be starting the new programme in July 2023, and we are taking expressions of interest right now. Eligibility criteria does apply, so make sure to check the list below before you submit your expression of interest to avoid disappointment.

• The business is based in West Yorkshire (Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Wakefield and Leeds).

• The business is an SME (Less than 250 employees)

• The business is trading B2B, or B2C with more than 50% of turnover coming from customers outside of the West Yorkshire geography

To express interest in the new AD:VENTURE programme, visit our website at www.ad-venture.org.uk *Fully funded, which means to cost to you the business owner, subject to the business meeting the eligibility criteria for the programme.

** Subject to meeting growth criteria and requirements for match funding (50% of grant award)

Business Productivity funding helps Rotherham engineering specialist fabricate bright future

A longstanding design engineering company has ignited its ambitious growth plans after securing funds from the South Yorkshire Business Productivity grant scheme, by helping them to save a staggering half a day per employee, per week in lost working time.

Rotherham-based Philford Design Engineering, which is headquartered at Aldwarke Business Park designs, manufactures and installs the vital equipment relied upon by the quarrying, mining, recycling and energy sectors, including conveyor belts, crushers and automated metal detection equipment.

Over the past twelve months the company has seen its workforce increase by 25% and with a growing order book, Philford’s senior management team began exploring ways of improving the way in which the business operated. A key challenge the business faced was that it was reliant upon a dedicated

welding bays, which often meant moving large structures around the factory during the manufacturing process. Realising they were in a unique position to overcome the challenges the company was facing, Daniel Beckett decided to reach out to RiDO for advice.

Help came in the form of key account manager John Fox, who advised the company that it may be eligible to receive support through the South Yorkshire Business Productivity grant scheme: a match-funded ERDF grant scheme, specifically developed to help businesses overcome growth barriers. The successful grant application enabled Philford Design Engineering

to invest in new mobile welding and ventilation equipment, allowing crucial fabrication work to be undertaken without the need to move the large structures around the factory.

The funding secured proved to be transformational and as a result of the changes the company has implemented it is hoping to add another five new recruits to its workforce, as well as helping to pass on the skills and knowledge within the business to the next generation through its apprenticeship programme.

With the costs of the project matchfunded through the grant, the company was also able to set aside additional funds to commission a new argon gas line, reducing the reliance on individual bottles, which needed to be replaced regularly throughout the working week. Since implementing the changes, the company has not only

reduced lost working time, but the new welding equipment purchased has helped it to reduce spatter –formed when droplets of molten materials land on surfaces near to the area being welded.

Daniel Beckett, management accountant, Philford Design Engineering, said: “We’ve seen demand for our services increase significantly over the past 18 months, resulting in a 25% growth in our workforce. As a relatively small business, we knew that the key to creating sustainable growth wasn’t simply about recruiting new members of staff, but also overcoming the barriers that were impacting upon our capacity. This meant re-thinking the way in which we operated as a business.

We knew that the limitations of our welding bay were holding the business back. I explained the problems we were facing to John Fox, and he recommended that we should apply to the Business Productivity Programme for help. The match-funded grant we received has helped us to purchase new portable welding equipment, which

means that rather than spending time moving large steel structures around the factory, the welding equipment can be moved to where it’s needed.

The match-funded grant also meant that funds which would have been set aside to invest in the welding equipment could also be reinvested back into the business and as a result we were able to bring forward our plans to commission a new argon gas line, which eliminated overnight the time spent changing individual gas bottles.

Productivity

The measures we have introduced have proved to be transformational for our business. Not only have they reduced the need to move the large structures we’re working on around the factory, but the new equipment has helped us to create a better quality of weld; the reduction in spatter being created also means less time grinding and cleaning too. It all adds up to quite a large time saving.

Until the work was completed, we didn’t quite appreciate just how much time was being lost. We didn’t realise

how transformative to our business the funds would prove to be, resulting not only in increased productivity, reduced lost working time, but also contributing towards the creation of five additional new jobs in the business this year.”

John Fox, said: “SME businesses like Philford Design Engineering are the lifeblood of the local and regional economy, but in many cases the challenges they face can stifle their growth. The South Yorkshire Business Productivity Grant scheme was launched specifically to help businesses across the region unlock the barriers to growth they face.

Philford Design Engineering recognised that simply recruiting new members of staff would not solve the problems they were facing; instead, they needed to re-think the way a key element of their production process was undertaken – something that required significant investment - and I feel confident that the Business Productivity Grant funding the company has received will help them to lay the foundations to create new skilled jobs and enjoy a period of growth and expansion.”

Senior team completesmanagement buyout

a graduate programme. We have begun the process of becoming an accredited Investors in People organisation and are actively investing in the latest and most advanced software systems to better manage the business and that will attract young talent, which will help secure Fenton Packaging Solutions’ future.”

Sustainable packaging solutions

Leeds-based Fenton Packaging Solutions has been sold by way of a Management Buyout (MBO). Ownership of the company has passed from former managing director Bob Clarke to: sales development director Chris Warren; supply chain director David Wilson; and finance director Sharon Dakin – who are now joint managing partners.

“Over the last 18 months, Bob Clarke had very much stepped back from the day to day running of the company with a view to considering a number of options regarding the sale of the business and to plan for his semiretirement,” says Sharon Dakin. “After considering a number of selling options, the MBO option was viewed by Bob as the preferred route for his exit from the company.

“As an MBO team we are very pleased to assume responsibility and ownership of the company as we feel that our continued involvement provides both a balanced and stable management platform to support the business moving forward. We are also a known, committed and visible management team and as such have been able to

positively contribute to the improvement of the company over the last two years.”

Investing in people and systems for growth

Last year, the company relocated to a 65,000sq.ft. site at Kinetic 45 in Newmarket Lane, Leeds, and rebranded as Fenton Packaging Solutions. The company had invested over £1 million to streamline its operations and put a new fleet on the road. A year later, the company has continued to expand and is now investing in the future.

“We recognise that the most important element of any business is its people,” says David Wilson. “We currently employ just over 40 full-time staff members and we are now introducing

For many years, Fenton Packaging Solutions has offered the most sustainable packaging available, but beyond that the business has pursued a number of initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. The new fleet of trucks meets all government standards in terms of emissions, and electric charging points have been installed at the new premises. In another move, the whole operation is now paperless. Around half of the company’s product lines are made from highly-recyclable metal and it is actively migrating customers to PCR Plastic Containers which contain a minimum of 30% recycled content.

“We are putting a lot of emphasis on bag-in-box packaging solutions,” says Chris Warren. “The weight- and spacesaving is an obvious advantage, but the fact that the whole packaging can be recycled where facilities exist is also hugely important.

“We continue to offer a consultative approach and, through innovation, help to steer our customers towards using the most sustainable packaging options for their businesses. Our latest investment in systems not only improves the customer experience, but also delivers major gains in carbon footprint reduction for our business and our clients.

“As we further invest in innovation and more sustainable packaging solutions, we are also planning to expand into international markets.

York Minster up for prestigious town planning award

York Minster has been shortlisted in this year’s Royal Town Planning Institute (RPTI) Awards for Planning Excellence.

The Minster is one of the finalists in the Yorkshire Excellence in Plan Making Practice category, in recognition of its pioneering Neighbourhood Plan, which was formally adopted by City of York Council in June last year.

The Neighbourhood Plan sets out an ambitious 15-year route map to secure a sustainable future for both York Minster and its seven-hectare estate. Its adoption marked the first time that a Neighbourhood Plan has been used to map the future care of a cathedral or a heritage estate.

The Awards for Planning Excellence are widely regarded as the UK’s leading planning awards. The Excellence in Plan Making category recognises submissions that demonstrate excellent

practice in plan making, including how the adopted plans will make a positive impact on the local economy, community and environment.

Designed with sustainability at its heart, recent developments forming part of the wider Neighbourhood Plan include the Minster receiving permission to install 199 photovoltaic panels on the roof of its South Quire, and the creation of a Centre of Excellence for heritage craft skills, on which construction will begin shortly.

The Royal Town Planning Institute is a leading membership organisation and a Chartered Institute responsible for maintaining professional standards in planning and the built environment.

Alex McCallion, director of works and precinct at York Minster said:

“The Neighbourhood Plan was developed through four years of hard work, and involved largescale collaboration with the York Minster Neighbourhood Forum, the York Minster Fund, City of York Council and the local community. It is a truly community-led plan which roots itself in heritage, while at the same time embracing the future through the use of cutting-edge technology and providing a policy route map to decarbonising the Minster and its Precinct.

“We are delighted to have been recognised for our pioneering approach to heritage conservation, particularly given the strength of the competition and the status of these awards for our industry.”

Shelborn launches eco-friendly Leeds offices as part of

The Leeds office market has been boosted by the launch of ‘much-needed’ sustainable workspace following completion of a major phase of investment by Shelborn Asset Management.

As the first phase in the refurbishment of Millshaw Court, 20,000 sq. ft. of eco-friendly office accommodation has been launched, complete with its own gym, showers, café and outdoor meeting areas.

In 2021 Shelborn acquired the property which had previously been home to Barclays Bank for 25 years. The property has been rebranded as South Central and earlier this year it was confirmed that fleet tracking software and business solutions provider Inseego will be taking 5,000 sq. ft of space this summer in a deal brokered by joint letting agents Knight Frank and CBRE.

The new-look building, which features

22 EV charging points with capacity for more in the future, also boasts state-of-the-art network technology to improve connectivity for occupiers.

An Energy Performance Certificate

A rating is the result of a package of measures that includes sustainably sourced building materials used during the refurbishment phase and energy efficient heating, cooling and ventilation systems. New

cycle facilities, onsite greenery to encourage local nature, rainwater harvesting and eco-friendly wash and shower rooms are also available.

Laura McGrath, sustainability & community director said securing an A energy rating for an existing building that has been retrofitted is a great achievement. She added: “The pandemic has certainly changed the way that many organisations are using their office space but the main impact is that going forward, modern offices need to provide much more in the way of services and amenities to improve the overall experience for staff.

“The amenities available for staff working at South Central, together with the building’s exceptional energy performance credentials, make it a compelling option for anyone looking for office space in and around Leeds.”

Simon Hepple, director of office investor project management at CBRE, said: “CBRE is delighted to have been involved from the inception of this very exciting project to reposition South Central as an ESG focused, accessible, destination office experience. We have created an exceptional community and social experience with large biodiverse gardens and landscaping with a mix of formal and informal meeting and breakout spaces.

“Energy costs have been significantly reduced for occupiers and electricity is supplied from renewable sources. Smart technology and lighting systems have been installed together with water saving installations. We are delighted to be following a BREEAM in-use pathway and look forward to attaining BREEAM certification soon to further demonstrate South Central’s commitment to environment, health and wellbeing.”

£7m transformation

State-of-the-art simulated hospital ward unveiled at Sheffield Hallam University

Sheffield Hallam University has expanded its healthcare training facilities with a new state-of-the-art simulated hospital ward to help prepare nursing and allied health profession (AHP) students for practice.

The Collegiate Wing, a 12-bed ward based at Sheffield Hallam’s Collegiate Campus, replicates a clinical setting and provides a safe environment for students to better develop their expertise, critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills.

The facility bridges the gap between on-campus and in-practice learning and will help students build confidence and skills in dealing with situations they may not come across often in practice. Using simulated clinical settings also relieves some of the strain on healthcare settings providing placements.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council requires nursing students to

complete 2,300 hours of clinical learning during their course, a quarter (600 hours) of which can be within a simulated environment.

As a large provider of health and social care education in the UK, hundreds of Sheffield Hallam students will benefit from the new facility and gain significant experience of cross-discipline working practices.

Third-year nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and diagnostic imaging students are amongst the first to use the ward as part of their course.

Final year nursing student Terri Pollitt said: “The new mock ward has greatly benefited students in helping us to meet our proficiencies and competencies in nursing. It provides a safe, collaborative, and supportive learning environment FF

Being supported by the University to develop a new ‘real world’ simulated space is such an exciting development...

for us to practice and refine our clinical skills, develop our professionalism and ethical decision-making, and undergo assessments for continuous improvement. I think simulated learning experiences will help better prepare student nurses for the challenges of real-world clinical practice and contribute to our success as competent and proficient nurses.”

The simulated ward is the latest development as part of Sheffield Hallam’s commitment to help boost the NHS workforce, integrate research and innovation with local health services and collaborate with local communities to tackle health inequalities.

Professor Toni Schwarz, Dean of the College of Health Wellbeing and Life Sciences at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “Being supported by the University to develop a new ‘real world’ simulated space is such an exciting development. It will enable our students to immerse themselves in an environment which models realistic practice experiences. What this allows us to then experiment with is the rehearsal of activities and decisionmaking situations in a completely safe space.

“As we can make this a realistic experience, we can encourage the student to challenge their decision making and stretch their learning therefore creating an environment where they can grow in confidence. This is such a good grounding for preparing them for the myriad of practice experiences they will have during their course. That growth in confidence is something that our practice partners have positively commented on.”

York Handmade plays pivotal role in Liverpool student accommodation

The award-winning York Handmade Brick Company has played a significant role in a new and prestigious Liverpool student housing development.

The Easingwold-based firm, one of the leading independent brick-makers in the country, has supplied specially manufactured bricks for the stunning Renshaw Hall development.

Altogether York Handmade provided bricks 200,000 bricks, worth £160,000, for the site, which is located on the edge of the Rodney Street Conservation Area in Liverpool city centre, close to two universities.

Mark Laksevics of York Handmade commented: “This was a very significant commission for us and we are absolutely delighted with the result. Although we are based in Yorkshire, we have a strong

track record across the Pennines and Renshaw Hall is an important addition to our work in the North West, which includes all the bricks for Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester.

“As Renshaw Hall is in a conservation area, the challenge was to produce a brick which was sympathetic to its surroundings. We created a rough and aged red Thirkleby Blend brick which has fitted in seamlessly with the adjacent red brick Georgian townhouses and squares.

“We were part of a great team with superb architectural work from Falconer Chester Hall and construction by the

Claritas Group. The result is that Renshaw Hall has been entered for the prestigious Brick Awards, the Oscars of the brick industry, which take place in London this autumn.”

Renshaw Hall comprises 404 student bedrooms, all of which have excellent views over the Liverpool skyline. The scheme features a cinema, games room, gym and social spaces, including private dining and a sky lounge. To provide a balance, quiet study areas and meeting facilities are incorporated into the communal spaces.

Quentin Keohane, Director at Falconer Chester Hall commented: “We looked at various Material options and settled on York Handmade’s Thirkleby blend, manufactured at their North Yorkshire brick factory from their own reserves of Triassic Mudstone Clay.

“It was crucially important that York Handmade’s red brick correctly matched the adjacent brickwork, whilst offering the texture and roughness to provide interest over large elevational areas. The result is superb.

“It was also important for us that York Handmade were members of the Brickmakers Quality Charter, ensuring the highest standards of ethical and sustainable brick manufacturing were closely adhered to in its production.

“York Handmade Brick delivers many benefits beyond the obvious aesthetic, including a robust finish that stands the test of time, ageing well and with no maintenance. The thermal mass of the brick helps to control the temperature of the building and it offers excellent fire and acoustic properties. Complementing the pigmented zinc to the upper levels allows the building to form an attractive, modern, addition to the Liverpool skyline.”

“As a business, we are committed to recognising and rewarding our own talent and Clare’s promotion is testament to that. It also shows our succession plans are working and that

colleagues can thrive and succeed in their careers with us.

“Moving forward we have exciting plans across the Group, including a continued com mitment to the net zero agenda and making a positive impact in everything we do. Both Jonathan and Clare’s wealth of experience across the business will ensure we remain at the forefront of the industry.”

Speaking about his new role, Jonathan said: “NG Bailey continues to be a leader within its field, and I am excited about the opportunity this role presents to deliver important work that further enhances our market leading position and supports our people – the lifeblood of the business.

“I look forward to developing further in this new role and making a positive contribution to our ongoing success.”

In her new role Clare joins the Group Operating Executive. Clare will manage the financial integrity and day-to-day performance of the business to support and build on the company’s solid financial position.

Moving forward we have exciting plans across the Group, including a commitmentcontinued to the net zero agenda and making a positive impact in everything we do...

New managing director for Burton Roofing Group

The Group’s former managing director Paul Hattee has been appointed as vice-chairman and will be responsible for merger and acquisition activity and strengthening relationships with key customers and suppliers.

Javier Fernandez, chief executive officer of the CUPA Group, the owner of Burton Roofing Group, commented on the appointments. He said: “Paul is an impeccable professional with a great working spirit and strategic vision. He has made the development and modernisation of the business possible, generating organic growth and successfully implementing our organic growth strategy; and by integrating into the Group companies like Brian Gow, Discount Roofing and Rinus Roofing, we have extended our distribution business to cover almost the entire UK territory.

“I’m delighted to appoint Ian Leigh as the new managing director. When there is a vacancy to fill within our Group, the first thing I do is to look

in-house. In this case, it has been clear that Ian was the right person to take on this important responsibility.”

Ian Leigh was formerly the managing director of Rinus Roofing, and under his management, he doubled the number of branches in seven years from 12 to 24, combining growth with profitability. When Burton Roofing Merchants acquired Rinus Roofing in 2021, Ian was made chief operating officer of the enlarged business.

Ian Leigh added: “I’m privileged to be appointed as the business’ new managing director and look forward to working with Paul and my colleagues to build the company in the coming years. We have an excellent senior management in place to do that,

supported by our dedicated team across our branch network to make our business one of the leaders in its field.”

Paul Hattee concluded: “I’m extremely proud of what’s been achieved at Burton Roofing Group. The business has gone from strength-to-strength and I’m looking forward to work with Ian and the senior leadership team in executing a merger and acquisition programme, that will ensure the business’ longevity.”

Burton Roofing Group, which trades under the Burton Roofing Merchants, Rinus Roofing Supplies and Discount Roofing and Building Supplies, operates 38 branches across the UK and employs 450 people.

The Group’s annual turnover is approximately £170 million, and it is part of the multinational Cupa Group, which comprises 75 businesses with subsidiaries in nine countries and 25 quarries.

ACS further strengthens award winning team

Leeds-based ACS Stainless Steel Limited (ACS) has welcomed ten new colleagues to its growing team which now stands at 120 key appointments at the awardwinning manufacturing business include William Bishop and Nick Backhouse as business development directors in addition to Jessica Jeram as HR manager.

The external recruitment and investment into these pivotal roles demonstrate ACS’s commitment to continued growth and its marketleading position as a designer of structural building components. ACS provides patented innovative solutions, including masonry support and brick panel solutionsessential construction components used in construction of the largest modern-day proje cts in the UK.

Cambridge Mathematics graduate,

William brings over ten years of industry experience to his new London-based business development director role, having held business development manager and sales director positions since gaining his FirstClass MSE degree. Joining him on

the team is Nick who will oversee the business’ Northern market opportunities. Nick, who began his career with ACS in 2016 has re-joined the company following various technical and specification positions acr oss the region.

De Montfort University graduate Jessica brings a wealth of HR experience spanning an impressive 21+ year career, having worked within the private sector across various industries, including financial services, retail and technology.

Whilst the promotion of Paul Hewson, from warehouse manager to regional director this month signals the business’ recognition of high-quality internal candidates who are excelling in delivering outstanding results and contributing to ACS’ comm ercial success.

Other new appointments which have been made to further strengthen

Nick Backhouse

William Bishop

Jessica Jeram

Moving forward we have exciting plans across the Group, including a commitmentcontinued to the net zero agenda and making a positive impact in everything we do...

ACS’ team of experts, include to provide business support - Rachel Flannery as accounts administrator and Luke Moss as key account manager.New appointments providing project support across the UK are Luke Appleyard as project manager, Michael Smith as project manager, and Caitlyn Hedge and Emily Cholerton as regional suppor t coordinators.

Passionate

ACS also welcomes Harrison Nicholls as an apprentice technical engineer, again showing its investment in providing opportunities for younger people wishing to enter the sector and supporting the wider industry by providing valuable skills training.

Other internal promotions this month include Marna Van Der Merwe as a technician and Ethan Vickers as a technical team leader.

Speaking about the recruitment of new talent and the deserving promotion of existing people within the business, ACS commercial director Gareth Twohey said: “From people who are looking to begin their career within this industry, which includes over 10 new apprentices we’re currently in the process of recruiting, to those who join us with well-established experience and credentials, we are passionate about offering all colleagues the very best opportunities. We place great value on the people who form the business – they are central to our progressive culture and o verall success.

“On behalf of all colleagues, I’d like to welcome the new starters and congratulate all who have been recently promoted as a testament to their hard work which we appreciate.”

Leeds-based performance-led marketing communications agency, Source has been appointed to handle PR, social media and internal communications for one of the world’s leading pulp and paper sales companies, Lindenmeyr International.

Leeds-based performance-led marketing communications agency, Source has been appointed to handle PR, social media and internal communications for one of the world’s leading pulp and paper sales companies, Lindenmeyr International.

Lindenmeyr offers a wide range of paper, packaging, and print solutions for a large roster of growing commercial clients. The company is a subsidiary of Central National Gottesman Inc. (CNG) and has set its sights on rapid global growth outside of North America, following investment and a business restructure.

Source will provide strategic advice and execute targeted communication plans to strengthen Lindenmeyr International’s reputation across its

core business sectors, which include retail, print and publishing. In addition, the team will handle all internal comms at a time when the business is experiencing rapid growth.

Daniel Kennedy, director said: “We’re delighted to have won this multifaceted instruction from Lindenmeyr International and are relishing the challenge of handling comms, both internally and externally, at such an exciting time for the business.

Stewart Clough, commercial director added: “We’re excited to appoint Source to elevate our brand through strategic public relations and social media, and mirror these messages to our ever growing team across the UK and beyond.”

Lindenmeyr find a reliable ‘source’ for multi-faceted comms needs

Helmsley Group demonstrates further high street commitment

Taking place on Saturday 17th June, the Big Tent Ideas Festival invites political representatives and prominent names in media, business, and academia to take part in a wide range of discussions on subjects including devolution, social equality and sustainability.

Helmsley Group is one of the event sponsors, alongside the likes of City of York Council, York Minster and the York BID, and its involvement will include Ed Harrowsmith, Helmsley’s investment director, taking part in a panel discussion entitled: “How can we revive our flagging high streets?”.

Helmsley Group has already made a commitment to regenerating York’s high streets through its Coney Street Riverside masterplan, with a planning application set to be determined later this year.

If approved, it will offer a once-in-alifetime opportunity to restore Coney Street and its adjoining riverfront to its former glory through enhanced connectivity, increased public realm and the establishment of a riverside walkway.

As part of the Big Tent festival, representatives from Helmsley will be taking policy makers and influencers on a walking tour of Coney Street, showcasing their ambitious development plans as a template for reviving high streets elsewhere in the country.

Ed Harrowsmith, investment director said: “The Big Tent Ideas Festival is committed to improving inequality within society and better understanding how we can work together to create

lasting change, regeneration and renewal. It perfectly aligns with our vision for Coney Street Riverside, which seeks to create a vibrant, welcoming community that offers opportunities for all.

“We’re really excited to be taking part in the festival and share ideas with a number of leading industry figures as to how we can create societies that work to empower those most in need, both in York and across the UK.”

Ben Rich, CEO of Radix, which organises the Big Tent Festival, added: “Big Tent is all about providing a platform for innovators and original thinkers in York to influence national public policy for the better. Helmsley's plans for York’s riverside are an excellent example of the creative thinking that has the potential to revive not just Coney Street, but other high streets up and down the country.

Property investment and development specialist, Helmsley Group, has announced its support of the Big Tent Ideas Fe stival in York.

EU law in the UK: will it be retained?

Article by Kelly Stevens, Tutor & Dr Clare Young, Campus Manager

EU law in the UK: will it be retained?

During the UK’s 46 years as a member of the European Union (EU), the UK passed hundreds of laws which derived from EU law in some way. The percentage of current UK legislation that originates from EU law is unclear, with estimates ranging from 7% to 75% (no surprise that the higher estimate was from Nigel Farage). The House of Commons Library has confirmed the actual percentage is (probably unsurprisingly) most likely a number between the two figures.

During the negotiations for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, there were fears that completely cutting ties with EU law altogether could cause serious legal repercussions and uncertainty. The EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 was intended to help quell these concerns, preserving EU law already incorporated into our legislation as ‘retained law’.

The future of retained EU law

The future of retained EU law has been something of a political football. The original plan, spearheaded by Jacob Rees-Mogg, had been for the majority of EU retained law to ‘sunset’, or expire, on 31 December 2023. The main justification given for this approach was the express aim of ensuring abolition of EU supremacy over UK law.

However, it appears concerns about the enormity of the task, and fears that important laws may simply disappear

unless specifically retained or replaced, have led to a government U-turn. Rather than the original ‘bonfire’ of over 4,000 laws at the end of the year, it will now be a smaller pile of 600 that are revoked. The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill will contain a list of the laws to be revoked on 31 December, with anything not set out on the list remaining in force.

Retained law that survives to next year will be assessed and consulted on in due course.

What could this mean for you and your business?

So which laws will disappear at the end of the year?

The recent announcement regarding the change in government direction highlights that it is intended to cut burdensome red tape and hopefully save employers £1billion per year. The laws to be revoked are wide ranging, including EU Orders and various regulations dealing with topics such

as air pollution, fisheries and flood risks. On 1 January 2024 there will no longer be any reference to the supremacy of EU law or EU legal principles.

Depending on your industry sector there may be changes that are relevant to you. An area where wide changes were expected was employment law, of relevance to most businesses. However, come the new year, we will only be missing two sets of Regulations related to Posted Workers, and the Community Drivers’ Hours and Working Time (Road Tankers) (Temporary Exception) (Amendment) Regulations 2006. The impact of this loss for you may be minimal.

However, the government will continue with the mammoth task of reviewing all EU retained law. The express intention is to reduce the burden on business, to streamline regulation, and to constrain action by regulators to ensure it is only taken when needed and that is proportionate. How these aims are translated into a new streamlined set of UK legislation remains to be seen.

2023, The rise of the Enterprise Management incentive scheme

In this article, Sarah Hemmings in our Corporate and Commercial department provides an insight into EMI schemes and why they are becoming increasingly popular with employers.

UK Businesses have identified that there is a talent shortage throughout each sector. Companies are looking for new ways to attract and retain key staff to help their future growth. Many companies are using Enterprise Management Incentive schemes (EMI) as a way of providing differentiation. EMI’s have grown in popularity with the financial and non-financial incentives proving too rewarding to turn down.

What exactly is an EMI scheme?

An Enterprise Management Incentive Scheme is a share option scheme backed by HMRC, designed for employees or directors working for more than 25 hours per week (or 75% of their time) in a business. Provided that certain requirements are met (for both the employee and the company itself) an EMI is recognised as one of the most tax efficient and favourable HMRC approved share incentive schemes available for businesses and employees alike.

EMI schemes are inherently flexible, allowing for an employee to acquire

shares under their option upon the passage of time; or upon certain targets being met (whether individual or linked to company performance); or only on an exit (sale) of the business. Depending upon the employer’s intentions, there is significant scope to mould the scheme to fit requirements.

There is recognised a key psychological benefit for employees in having “skin in the game” in terms of their commitment and performance within a business that has granted EMI options. EMIs are seen as having mutual commercial benefit for both the employee and employer.

This scheme is intended to help smaller independent businesses realise their potential by attracting and retaining the best employees.

What are the benefits of an EMI

scheme to my company?

There are numerous significant tax advantages for both employee and employer. There is no income tax or national insurance to pay when the EMI option is granted or when the option is exercised provided certain conditions are satisfied. When the shares are sold, again subject to certain requirements being met, the employee will pay only 10% capital gains tax on any profit.

Other significant advantages include:

Attracting talent: Offering a rewarding option scheme can attract the best talent in the jobs market.

Talent retention: Employees who have been rewarded with options will wish to stay to see their shares grow and realise the potential of the company in order to receive the most benefit out of their shares.

Reward employees: EMI options can be offered as a hugely tax friendly part of a rewards package for meeting individual or company targets. Creating an incentive for staff to go the extra mile whilst creating tax benefits for both employers and employees.

How do I know if my company qualifies for an EMI scheme?

Qualifying companies:

• An EMI scheme is available to companies with gross assets of £30m or less.

• In a group structure, EMI share options must be granted over shares in the parent company, and at least one of the trading subsidiaries must carry on a qualifying trade.

• There must be fewer than 250 employees at the date the EMI options are granted.

• The company must be a trading company (i.e. not an investment company).

How do I know if my employees qualify under the EMI scheme?

To be eligible for an Enterprise Management Scheme, the employee must be:

• a legal employee of the business

• The person must work a minimum of 25 hours per week or 75% of their time as an employee or director of the company

• The person cannot hold more than 30% of all company shares

What kind of shares qualify under the EMI scheme?

• The market value of the shares must not exceed £250,0 00 per employee

• The share options under the scheme must be granted within 90 days of H MRC’s valuation

• The options must be able to be exercised within 10 years o f being granted

• The shares must be no n-transferrable

• All terms and conditions for your options scheme must be placed in writing. Our expert solicitors at Chadwick Lawrence LLP can tailor all other terms, depending on what terms your c ompany wishes.

Alternatives to the EMI scheme?

Whilst EMI schemes are currently limited to SME’s and other companies/ employees meeting the relevant requirements, some alternatives may still suit larger or other organisations that for whatever reason do not qualify for EMI. These alternatives (which are not exhaustive) include:

Non-tax-advantaged share options: Unlike tax-advantaged arrangements, they are not subject to statutory rules regarding the types of shares that can be used, the individuals that can participate, or the form and terms of awards.

Phantom share schemes: A type of employee share scheme that allows companies to offer incentives to employees to help the company achieve share price growth in return for a cash bonus instead of becoming shareholders.

Share growth schemes: Where shares are issued to employees but the value of the shares is linked only to growth in the business between the date of issue and the date upon which the business is sold.

We can help

If your company is interested in pursuing an EMI scheme or the alternatives listed above, or if you simply want to discuss what your options may be, our expert Corporate and Commercial team can help in a wide variety of ways to help set up a scheme that suits your business, ensuring a rewarding outcome for both you and your employees.

For further advice or information about what we can offer, please contact:

sarahhemmings@chadlaw.co.uk

What is the employment (allocation of tips) act 2023

Ramsdens Solicitors

The government has announced that the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill received royal assent on 2 May 2023 formally becoming the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023. It is estimated that the new laws on Tipping will result in workers to receiving up to £200 million in tips that would have otherwise been deducted from wages.

Plans to reform the laws on Tipping were first introduced in 2018 however this has been the first significant proposal for change that we have seen in recent years. The new legislation is estimated to impact around 2 million workers across hospitality, leisure and service sectors who often rely

on this extra income to boost their take home pay.

The intention behind the new legislation is to prevent employers from retaining all or part of the tips paid, as is the current practice by some businesses. According to statistics, deductions of between

3-5% is common amongst employers within the hospitality industry.

The Act will create new obligations for employers including the following:

• Employers will be required to fairly allocate tips and pay these to workers in full within one month of payment being made by the customer;

• Employers will need to implement written policies to set out how tips will be distributed in their businesses

• Employers are to maintain a record of tips received and how they are allocated and this record is to be kept for three years. Employees will also have the right to request access to these records if needed.

To coincide with the introduction of the new laws, the government are also proposing to issue a statutory code of practice which will set out the fair and transparent procedure to be followed by employers when

distributing tips amongst workers. A failure to comply with this code will be admissible in evidence in any Employment Tribunal claim.

If a worker believes they have not been treated in accordance with these new rules, they will be allowed to issue a claim in the Employment Tribunal within twelve months of the employer’s breach of its obligations.

Given the rising cost of living, there has been mounting pressure on the

Law and artificial intelligence- a match made in heaven?

Headlines featuring artificial intelligence (“AI”) are now becoming a daily occurrence- an interesting and fascinating evolution of technology, given that AI was once regarded as nothing more than fiction or light years away. We now find ourselves in a world where AI is capable of driving us home or assisting us in settling cases, but are we ready to embrace this technology?

It was recently reported by the Law Society Gazette that a lawyer and mediator had facilitated the first online dispute to be settled by a computer algorithm in England and Wales. The algorithm claims to learn bidding tactics of both parties, giving a reward to the party which makes more effort to settle. It is unclear what this reward would involve but this is an interesting merging of technology and Law

In other sectors, reports of AI that are able to produce convincing and readable articles using simply a few words and phrases are emerging. A positive aspect of this that has been cited is the possibility of AI speed reading text and summarising

them for us, however unregulated use of such technology may lead to inaccurate or fake articles being spread via social media. Worse yet, spam emails may actually become

government to address this issue and it seems this is a positive step in the right direction to allow workers to claim all monies which they have rightfully earned and for customers to be reassured that their gratuities are going to w ho they intend.

The proposed code of practice will be subject to formal consultation later this year and it is expected that the new Act will be bought into for ce by May 2024.

convincing and could even be made to appear as though it had come from you and unfortunately catch your friends or family out

While the leap into AI may be in the pipeline, there is plenty of growth opportunities and development for legal professionals within the sector. AI may be used to increase productivity and efficiency within the profession. It also touches all aspects of law, from Road Traffic Accidents, to Equality, Litigation, Data Protection and Intellectual Property to name a few.

As a growing and expanding firm with 12 practice areas, Ramsdens remains ready to be at the forefront of the developments into the law and technology.

Heat Recovery business saves Harrogate food hall cash and carbon

The installation was completed after consultations with Mr Watson to ascertain the demand for hot water in minimum and maximum case scenarios. "Calculations also included sizing the capacity of the storage tank for accumulation of heat overnight and a steady rate of regeneration during the day. The target was to have ondemand water, at minimum hand hot, at all times and the capability of raising the temperature to 65C for a regular legionella kill," says DK Heat Recovery's Engineering Manager, David Haughton, who overs aw the project.

A Yorkshire-based Heat Recovery business has saved a Harrogate food hall, bar and kitchen over £29,000 and reduced its carbon emissions by 80 tonnes per annum.

A three-way partnership between DK Heat Recovery, Creative Retail Solutions and Seckers Refrigeration Engineering resulted in the installation of a 1500 litre vessel with 72kW of BS EN 1717 compliant twin wall internal heat exchangers at Crimple in Harrogate. The system is capable of heating 1300 litres of water p er hour to 50C.

Crimple owner, Graham Watson is delighted with the savings: "As we invested in a major expansion from a garden centre to a multi-outlet site comprising a large food hall and a Bar and Kitchen, we were looking for ways to offset the carbon footprint of the development. We

concluded that the use of heat recovery to recycle waste heat from the food hall and butchery chill cabinets and eliminate the use of carbon fuels to heat water was a no-brainer."

"This is a very repeatable project, either in the design phase or as a retrofit, and in some circumstances can be designed for upgrading at a later stage if additional demand is required. This is a useful capability for future-proofing the customer's investment," conclude s Mr Houghton.

Based in Beverley, East Yorkshire with a satellite office in Peterborough, DK Heat Recovery is the sole UK agent of DK Kaelteanlagen GmbH's heat recovery systems and is supported by a network of installers and refrigeration engineers nationwide.

DK Heat Recovery's systems are suitable for use in any business that has refrigeration plant and a requirement for hot water or space heating and have been installed in numerous food factories, supermarkets, farm shops, butchers and garden centres over t he last decade.

This is a very repeatable project, either in the design phase or as a retrofit, and in some circumstances can be designed for upgrading at a later stage...

Global executive search company promotes principal to divisional manager

International executive search agency Spencer Riley has promoted Adam Dowson to divisional manager as it continues to invest in its team and expand its leading specialist cold chain and life science logistics division.

Adam joined Spencer Riley in 2017 as a trainee and has progressed through the ranks to executive, senior executive search consultant and then principal search consultant before his latest promotion to divisional manager.

Adam has established himself as an experienced global consultant in the highly regulated cold chain and life science logistics sector. Spencer Riley continues to invest and grow this and other specialist teams.

His clients comprise market-leading couriers, temperature-controlled packaging solutions innovators and major integrators providing complete supply chain solutions across Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America.

Established in 2015, Leeds-based Spencer Riley executive search is an international recruitment partner which works with businesses to develop their leadership and executive teams, enabling firms to achieve their business goals and add significant value fo r shareholders.

Invaluable

Adam Dowson said: “It is great to have my role recognised with this latest promotion. My ambition now is to build my team further and to expand into niche areas within the life science logistics and pack aging sectors.”

Managing director Scott Ellam said: “Congratulations to Adam on his

latest well-deserved promotion which recognises his drive and commitment as well as his consistently exceptional performance on behalf of clients and candidates.

“Adam has been with me from near the beginning and is a key member of our team. Adam’s skill set and experience is invaluable to us as we continue our journey. We’ve had a great 12 months in terms of growth, and I look forward to supporting Adam as he builds his team and expands his portfolio offering.

“Adam’s clients, candidates and colleagues will know how much their successes matter to him and his character is reflected in the relationships he builds both within the company and with our partners. I look forward to seeing him developing the future generations of trainees as we increase hiring through 2023.”

Share of funds for nine Yorkshire churches

One of the churches is St Wilfrid’s in Ripon which received £4000 to ensure that restoration work of the three altars at eastern end of its nave and aisles can get underway.

This impressive Grade II* listed church was built in 1862 and houses an original ornate reredos designed by Edward Pugin. Today, St Wilfrid’s is recognised as one of the finest Catholic parish churches in England.

The congregation and local community have rallied behind this much-loved church to help with the fundraising effort, taking part in an abseiling challenge and holding a concert and craft exhibition, among many other initiatives.

Barry Price from St Wilfrid’s said: “We were delighted to receive this grant from the YHCT. The church opened its doors over 160 years ago and continues to be a special place for all who visit. Preserving this Yorkshire jewel for future generations is a daunting task, but with the help and support from organisations like to the YHCT, and the fundraising efforts of the local community, we can undertake the much-needed restoration works.”

Tom Ramsden, chairman of the YHCT said: “As well as being a place of worship, many of Yorkshire’s churches and chapels provide much needed support services to the local community. Many parishes face severe challenges in keeping their buildings open and in good repair, but thanks to the generosity of our

friends and donors, we are delighted to be able to help preserve these wonderful historic buildings and help secure their future”.

In 2022 the YHCT were able to award £93,000 to 24 places of worship across Yorkshire. Grants continue to be available for urgent repairs, restoration and maintenance to churches of any Christian denomination, including feasibility studies to help churches develop longer term projects.

As well as providing funding, the YHCT is keen to help places of

worship showcase the history and heritage found inside their buildings. They are running Yorkshire Churches Day on Saturday 16 September, and hope as many churches as possible will throw open their doors to visitors, even if they have never stepped foot inside a church before, so they can see the variety, beauty, history and sheer wonder of Yorkshire’s churches, chapels and places of worship.

Check out the website www.yhct.org. uk to find out more about Yorkshire Churches Day and how you can support the work of the Trust.

thePutting City of York on the map

Credit: Gareth Buddo

TopicUK editor Gill Laidler first met Sarah Loftus when Sarah worked at Wakefield Council. After leaving, she headed over the Pennines to work for Trafford Council then onto Lincoln before returning to Yorkshire and becoming managing director of Visit York.Here Sarah tells us a little about her successful career to date.

Sarah attended not one, but three universities. Humberside Polytechnic (now Lincoln University) gaining a BA (Hons) in Social Science, University College London, gaining MPhil Town Planning and London School of Economics coming away with a PhD in Social Policy.

Business was always in Sarah’s blood. Her first job was selling buckets and spades on Skegness Beach when she was just 14 years old. “It was great fun, but I only got paid if I sold something,” she laughed. “Back then I had ambitions to be a deep-sea diver, I love swimming and water and thought it would have been a really challenging and rewarding job. However, my first ‘proper’ job after leaving University was as a community safety researcher on the Gipsyville Estate in Hull.” A western suburb of the city, Gipsyville was established at the beginning of the 20th century as a housing and factory development and derives its name from a black lead product ‘gipsy black metal polish’ that was produced locally at the Hargreaves & Bros company works. During the interwar period, a large council estate of over 1000 dwellings was built to the north of the original development. “It was a fantastic job and I even got to meet the Queen when she visited the estate to see the work we had achieved.”

Fast forward to today and Sarah joined Visit York as managing director in November 2022. “My ambition at the time of joining was to ensure the city of York returned

strong as a UK destination after Covid and residents and visitors were able to enjoy all the city had to offer. I also wanted to bring back some of the amazing events such

as the ice trail and create some new events like York Life. A key priority was, and still is, developing the fabulous Shambles Market and keeping it the Best Outdoor Market in the UK.”

So how did the pandemic affect York? “It was an extremely difficult time. I worked through it and as a non-

FACT FILE: Husband / partner name: Carl Children (if any) names and ages: Henri, Susanna and Liam What car do you drive? BMW 1 series such a lovely car. What do you do in your leisure time? Run, Walk, Travel

Where is your favourite restaurant? Too many to choose from in York, but I really like Thai and love a good Spag Bol!

What is your favourite food and drink? Chi Tea Latte and all chocolate.

Where is your favourite holiday destination? Vietnam

Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire? York

What is your favourite gadget? Fitbit – love it!

What couldn’t you live without? Books

for-profit organisation, had to ensure that team members were safe and had employment to come back to, whilst providing services and leadership to our members, at the same time, planning for recovery,” Sarah told us. “I had three vulnerable people to support, it was an emotionally and physically challenging time for everyone. I do think though it has made me more resilient and allowed me to embrace change quickly.

“I do love my job. I like the fact it allows me to be creative and tell the amazing history of York. The city has so many hidden gems, fantastic businesses, attractions, and places to enjoy, and I get the opportunity to promote all that as well as enjoy it myself,” she enthused. Working with some fabulous people and organisations who share the same ambitions for the city is a highlight of my role.”

We all know York is an amazing place to visit and work, so what are the downsides? “That will be the lack of funding,” she continued. “We really need some major Government funding so we can improve the infrastructure and public spaces that the residents and visitors to the city deserve. I would like to improve some of the public spaces and encourage people to regard the hospitality sector as a good career choice to increase its value.”

So, what is a typical day like for Sarah? “Challenging and surprising as every day is different. I can be talking about a Snooks trail, Christmas markets, international marketing campaigns and visitor experiences one day to budgets, health & safety and public safety another day. My role is so diverse,” she explained. “I don’t have any regrets in my career, I have enjoyed the journey so far and I’m happy with the mistakes I have made as I learned from them. I am totally happy where I am now.

We really need some major Government funding so we can improve the infrastructure and public spaces that the residents and visitors to the city deserve...

Credit: Gareth Buddo

Housebuilder appoints former Avant Homes board member as non-exec chairman

experience as a senior corporate finance partner with PwC and Deloitte and holds non-executive positions with several businesses.

He served on Avant Homes’ board for a period of six years before the company was sold to its current owners in April 2021.

Sheffield-based housebuilder Honey has announced the appointment of a former Avant Homes board member to the position of non-executive chairman.

Gerry Loftus has more than 25 years’

Honey was launched last October by former Avant Homes chief executive officer, Mark Mitchell, who worked alongside Gerry throughout his time at the company.

The business recently submitted plans to deliver its first two schemes. These comprise a £14m development in South Normanton, Derbyshire, and a £23.5m development in Barnsley.

Aceso grows Leeds-based group risk division

Growing employee benefits provider Aceso Health and Group Risk has made a new appointment in its group risk division, based at the firm’s Lee ds head office.

Carole Lennon joins as a group risk account handler and has more than 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry.

Aceso, which is headquartered in Leeds, is part of the Attis Insurance Group, which now has six offices, employing more than 100 people across the north of England.

Risk director Paul Collin said: “I’m really excited to welcome Carole to our team. As always, we continue to focus on building a team that reflects our fresh approach and innovative customer-focused ethos.”

Commenting on his appointment, Gerry said: “Mark has a clear vison for Honey based on delivering an excellent product for homebuyers that combines style, substance, and sustainability. “He is a highly capable operator, and I am enjoying working with him again to help firmly establish Honey as a recognised and respected housebuilding brand.”

Mark added: “I have a huge amount of respect for Gerry having experienced at first hand the wise counsel and strategic direction he provides.

“His appointment is a key element of our controlled growth strategy and will further enable us to quickly establish Honey within the residential development sector in the north and midlands.”

He added: “Group risk is something that increasing numbers of employers are looking to provide, to protect both employees and their business. It covers death in service, as well as helping with costs involved if someone if severely ill or off work sick for a long period.

“With the current problems that all sectors are experiencing in terms of recruitment and retaining valued and skilled talent, these kinds of benefits are becoming more relevant than ever for employers and can make a huge difference to employees.”

Aceso has grown from two employees in 2020 to a team of nine, with further hires planned over the coming months.

Digital agency Spike, goes from strength to strength

Digital marketing agency, Spike has been appointed by leading sports nutrition company KBF Enterprises following a competitive pitch process.

The Leeds-based agency will be providing SEO services for its bestselling Warrior and Bodybuilding Warehouse brands, to help drive online sales both in the UK and i nternationally.

Spike’s previous work for KBF Enterprises has involved delivering a very successful PPC strategy and cohort analysis project which has helped drive new customer sales. It was the quality of this work and the strong returns that led KBF to invite Spike to pitch for the available SEO work. The KBF team was said to be particularly impressed with the agency’s technical expertise and collaborative approach to working.

Speaking about the partnership, Adam Aubrey, head of e-commerce at KBF Enterprises offered these comments: “2023 is a big year

for us as we continue our rapid growth plans for our Warrior and Bodybuilding Warehouse sports nu trition brands.

“We needed an agency partner with a proven track record in implementing bespoke SEO strategies as well as managing complex webs ite migrations.

Thrilled

“Spike not only impressed us with their technical SEO knowledge, but the way they’ve immersed themselves in our brand to become an extension of our in-house team. We’re looking forward to working towards our shared goal of making our bestselling range of sports nutrition products available to more customers throughout the world tha n ever before.”

Spike’s director, Rob Powell, echoed these positive sentiments, commenting: “We’re absolutely thrilled to get this opportunity to not only continue our working relationship with KBF and its brands, but to provide them with more means of marketing their protein bar products on a global scale through SEO. We can’t wait to get more involved with KBF’s in-house teams to create some exciting opportuni ties together.”

This latest client win for Spike comes off the back of a period of strong growth for the agency, which has included a number of hires across its Analytics, Outreach and Data teams. Similarly, KBF has enjoyed its own successes in recent months, including expanding the sale of its Warrior products in Peru, a record 227% growth in sales for its Warrior range in 2022 and winning the ‘Growth Award’ at the 2023 Manchester Evening News Business Awards

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Iconic Rowntree’s factory enters new era with launch of first show home at the cocoa works

30 per cent of the homes at the famous site will be available to buy through affordable means

Property hunters sweet on a slice of York history will be able to experience a new era for the city’s iconic Rowntree’s Factory – as new residential development ‘The Cocoa Works’ opens its f irst show home.

The famous site, which was established in 1890 and played home to some of the nation’s most loved confectionery brands including KitKat, Aero, Smarties and Milkybar, is being faithfully redeveloped by Latimer, the development arm of Clarion Housing Group.

The opening of the show home is the first time the public will be able to see first-hand how the famous

factory is being transformed into v ital new homes.

As well as breathing new life into one of York’s most famous

institutions, the development will also be notable for the high proportion of affordable homes – 30 per cent – which it will brin g to the city.

Richard Cook group development director at Clarion Housing Group, said: “The Rowntree’s Factory is a truly iconic part of York’s history and it is a privilege to work on a project which will breathe new life into one of the city’s most famou s institutions.

“The factory has an important legacy around social values –reflected in Joseph Rowntree’s

philanthropy and the investments he made to provide school classrooms, gardens, dining halls, a gymnasium and even a lecture hall fo r his workers.

“As we usher in a new era at The Cocoa Works, we are committed to honouring this legacy and making sure it endures. Part of our ethos at Latimer is to deliver more for the communities in which we work – and that’s exactly what we are doing here by delivering fantastic new apartments while ensuring that a significant number of these are available to people through aff ordable means.”

Statistics show that that between 2019 and 2021 only 61 homes were available in York through lowcost home ownership. Through The Cocoa Works, 84 apartments will be available through shared ownership this year alone –providing prospective buyers with a route to homeownership at one of

the city’s most famous locations with prices starting from £70,875

for a 35% share of a one-bedroom apartment of £202,500 full price –and a deposit of just £3,550.

According to mortgage broker Metro Finance, the average deposit for a home in Yorkshire is £23,000, and the average income of someone buying an average priced house in the county is £46,214. That exceeds the average the average salary living in York (£37,800) as well as many other part s of Yorkshire.

Opportunity

Jon Lord, managing director at Metro Finance, said: "If we look at average salaries for the Yorkshire region, compared to average house prices, it’s fairly clear the average person can’t purchase the average home – unless they have a huge deposit.

“That’s why shared ownership has such an important role to play in helping people buy their own home. It can make the initial deposit required much more attainable while offering people the

opportunity to staircase to higher levels of owner ship over time.

“The average share of ownership taken on by buyers in Yorkshire is 44 per cent but the key thing about shared ownership is the choice it offers. Buyers at The Cocoa Works can choose between taking between a 35 per cent to 75 per cent share initially before increasing their owners hip over time.

“Shared ownership’s flexibility is its winning trick – it’s like the yoga of affordable home products.”

The Cocoa Works will provide 279 new homes in total, with the first residents expected to move in this summer.

Work has also begun at Cocoa Gardens, an adjacent development also being delivered by Latimer, which is located within the grounds of the former Rowntree’s Factory and will deliver a further 302 homes. 56 of these homes will be available through shared ownership and 54 through af fordable rent.

Data company set for global expansion

data sets and company financials. The platform is designed to help users make discoveries quickly and easily.

The company is a leader in mapping the UK's emerging economy. It is used by researchers, policymakers, and investors to access real-time data on dynamic sectors and the companies operating within them.

Commenting on the expansion, Alex Craven, CEO of The Data City, said: "We are building a new and more accurate way to understand our economy and the companies that operate within it. As a result, leading companies, think tanks and government departments are turning to The Data City as their insight partner of choice.

A scale-up data company is set for global expansion following a year of strong growth. Leeds-based The Data City will see revenues double to £1.6m this year following a series of highprofile contract wins.

The Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) company has secured over £600,000 in contracts in the last quarter, which is double the same period last year. The contract wins are the result of the improved capabilities of the company’s data and technology.

The Data City has secured new projects with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the Government Office for Science and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), which will see them deliver key data and insights vital for economic discovery and growth.

Led by client demand, the company is now taking the next step in its

growth strategy by developing the first version of its (Beta) Global Product with selected clients. It will be the first time that company data from the US and the rest of the world will be combined within The Data City’s Classification. The AI and proprietary Real-Time Industrial Classifications (RTICs) are presented on an advanced technology platform.

Leader

The firm aims to release an eCommerce Global Data City Product in 2024. The Data City platform provides real-time company data on emerging economic sectors. It uses AI technology to gather data from various sources, including open

"Data has become the currency of the modern economy, and as the demand for accurate, timely and relevant information grows, so does the value of those who can provide it. Our rapid growth is a testament to data's critical role in shaping the future of business and society as a whole."

The Data City has developed RealTime Industrial Classifications (RTICs) to analyse companies and industries. RTICs is a cutting-edge system that provides a more complete and accurate picture of the economy compared to traditional systems like Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes, which have limitations.

The company has seen its team grow from 8 to 15 people in the last 12 months. It is continuing to recruit software engineers, data scientists, data analysts and developers.

Property management and surveying firm Scanlans has expanded its team in Leeds following further growth in demand for its services.

Neve Burnley has joined as a property manager to manage sites at locations including Leeds city centre and suburbs, Wetherby, Ilkley and Selby. In her previous role she was responsible for a large mixed portfolio of over 1,000 properties across 20 residential blocks, new-build estates and commercial buildings.

Neve’s appointment follows the recent arrival at Scanlans of Darran Ezard as a property manager looking after apartment blocks and other residential developments across North Yorkshire, including Harrogate, York, Ripon, Boroughbridge and Whitby.

Scanlans has secured new management contracts for a raft of apartment blocks and public open spaces in recent months, including sites in Leeds, Sheffield, Rotherham, Selby and Harrogate.

Nationally the firm manages a portfolio comprising over 20,000 units across more than 300 residential sites.

Alongside property management, Scanlans provides building surveying and LPA Receivership services and fire risk assessments from its Leeds operation, which is based at the Thorpe Park business and retail park.

Michael Willans, the head of property management in Yorkshire, said: “Neve has managed a variety of new-build properties, estates and commercial units and is a tremendous addition to our growing team. She is a customerfocused professional who builds

Scanlans recruits property manager to further bolster leeds team

excellent working relationships with a positive attitude.

“Her experience and attributes mean she is well-versed in dealing with the requirements of managed developments and estates.

“We are thrilled to welcome her aboard, and her appointment is a further demonstration of our progress in the Yorkshire region. We hope to continue this growth with new

exciting ventures throughout this year and beyond.”

Neve said: “Scanlans is a hugely respected practice with a highquality portfolio and takes a proactive and constructive approach to dealing with clients.

“It’s great to be working in such a varied role and alongside such a dedicated and capable team of professionals.”

The UK's first AI employee and the world's first AI software developer

With a ChatGPT generated CV and a DALLE-drawn portrait currently being mailed out to 6,000 tech companies, Avery Ingram has been developed by February, the young Hull-based tech business which is going from strength to strength as it develops a broad portfolio of innovative tech products.

"As the UK's first AI employee and the world's first AI software developer, Avery sits within an existing tech

team and provides software support by modifying existing code specified by developers," said Ash Lewis, CEO of February.

Developed by February's team of software and AI designers, Avery Ingram - who lists data analysis on cat videos as a hobby on her CV - has already been appointed to generative AI software support roles as a senior full-stack developer in the development teams at Graze, Propello Cloud, Fabspot and Encode Health, among others.

Meet Avery Ingram, the UK's first AI employee and the world's first AI software developer, now for hire.

"Avery functions as a support role within development teams making their tasks easier by checking code and making it more efficient, and she is super-efficient, super productive and super quick.

"While we are obviously breaking new ground with Avery, this is not about taking developers' jobs as she is there to only to modify code rather than create new code; all code will still need to be revised and the acceptance criteria written by the development team.

"As Avery herself says, 'I am the perfect candidate to streamline (the) software development process.

" 'My biggest achievement? Developing an algorithm that reduced development time by 50%.

My best qualities? Efficiency, accuracy, and adaptability. My skills? JavaScript, Python, C#, and more!'"

February has been working on Avery Ingram for the last 18 months on a slate of AI and software projects and has been making waves in the tech scene with its innovative product launches that have already included a groundbreaking AI app creator, so simple it only needs one sentence of typed text to create an app.

"It's this kind of AI-driven simplicity of functionality that has always been our goal, providing our clients with a system of ownership that takes away the barriers within tech," added Ash.

"Avery Ingram is the latest example of how far tech has come and shows how we can now create things very simply and cost-effectively."

Avery Ingram's CV is being sent out to tech development teams by the

Placed Tech in Manchester and Real Staffing in Leeds at a monthly rate of between £1,599.00 and £12,500.00 (plus VAT) depending on the size and nature of the client.

In a separate development February has appointed Mark Kuhillow as Goto-Market (GTM) advisor supporting its commercial and GTM activities.

Mr Kuhillow, currently Entrepreneurin-Residence at the Exchange, Manchester's tech scale-up support scheme, was previously CEO of Single View, purchased by Awin in 2021 in a buyout that also saw Mr Kuhillow's agency business R.O.Eye - Single View's parent company - sold to

"Mark has alr eady proven to be an incredibly valuable addition to February as we look to scale up the bus iness, develop and launch new products, access new markets and tap into additional sourc es of funding."

Supported by a series of venture capital and angel investments February's Avery In gram is part of a growing suite of February product s including an app developer which allows businesses to build their own apps using text-into-app building software so simple it only needs one sentence of typed text to create an app.

Businesses backing the cosy tales of murder at a Scarborough B&B

Glenda Young is the author of best-selling ‘cosy crime’ novels set in a fictional Scarborough B&B. Her books were shortlisted against Richard Osman and Val McDermid in the Dead Good Readers Awards for best new crime series at Harrogate Crime Festival last year. Her third B&B-based murder mystery book is being published in September …

Author Glenda Young has loved Scarborough ever since she was a child. She was brought to the resort by her parents with her two younger brothers on family holidays.

Her affair with the seaside town is so strong that she’s set her series of cosy crime novels there.

“Scarborough is unapologetic and fun. You come to Scarborough and you cannot help but enjoy yourself.

“There is the miniature railway, the funiculars and two gorgeous beaches – why would you want to go anywhere else? I love Scarborough so much that I was married there too, at the beautiful art deco Stephen Joseph Theatre.”

Glenda’s cosy crime novels are set in a fictional Scarborough B&B, The Seaview Hotel, run by landlady Helen Dexter.

“Helen is an amalgamation of every landlady I have ever met – and the

same goes for the Seaview. It has got bits of every guest house and hotel – especially in Scarborough – I h ave stayed at.”

The series of novels are fastpaced, with a cast of strong women, borne from Glenda’s love of TV soap opera.

She’s also written TV tie-in books for ITV’s Coronation Street and has a string of bestselling historical sagas unde r her belt too.

Businesses in Scarborough have thrown their support behind Glenda’s cosy crime novels. The books are on sale at the Scarborough Fair Collection and Vintage

Transport Museum as well as at Scarborough’s C entral Tramway.

MURDER AT THE SEAVIEW HOTEL stars 12 Elvis impersonators (called Twelvis) and when one is found dead with his blue suede shoes missing, hotel landlady Helen Dexter and her rescue greyhound Suki are on the case to s olve the crime.

CURTAIN CALL AT THE SEAVIEW HOTEL stars an acting troupe who arrive at Helen Dexter’s

Seaview Hotel to rehearse a play they hope will save a much-loved local theatre.

However, the leading lady is a diva, the playwright is highly strung and tension in the t roupe is high.

When one of the actors is found dead on the beach, landlady Helen Dexter and her rescue greyhound Suki set out to so lve the crime.

But just when Helen thinks things can’t get any worse after one of

her guests is murdered, the hotel inspe ctor arrives!

FOUL PLAY AT THE SEAVIEW HOTEL is being published in September 2023. A murderer plays a killer game when a team of obsessive golfers arrive at Helen Dexter's Seaview Hotel to compete in a tournament held at the seaside town. The team captain aims to win by fair means or foul, then the rival team capta in is murdered.

One writer, Clare Chase, said of Glenda’s style: “I love this warm, humorous and involving whodunnit, with its host of engaging characters and atmospheric Scarborough setting.”

The books have proved a hit at the Scarborough branch of Waterstones.

Glenda’s Scarborough cosy crime novels were shortlisted against Richard Osman and Val McDermid in the Dead Good Readers’ Awards 2022 for Best New Crime Series in their New Kid On the Block category.

She lives in Sunderland but has adored Scarborough since childhood.

She has also written several gritty sagas set in a coalmining village, such as The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon and Belle of the Back Streets.

Glenda said: “I’ve always loved reading and have always wanted to be a writer, ever since I was a child. It’s taken me a while, but I’m finally living my childhood dream and I’m loving every minute of it.”

See http://glendayoungbooks.com

Glenda also runs two Coronation Street fan websites. The Coronation Street Blog and the original Coronation Street fan website

http://www.corrie.net

How to create visions that can ‘level up’ areas from Scarborough to Blackpool

Towards the end of the 1980s, the Conservative government was starting to pay increasing attention to the regeneration of many of the former mining and industrial regions of the UK with significant attention being given to the North of England.

It was in this political environment that we launched our business in 1988 as a multi-disciplinary consultancy of planners, master planners and architects, with the ambition to deliver major regeneration projects across the Yorks hire region.

Thirty-five years and 4,500 projects later, we have to date managed to help our clients deliver over £12

billion of development across the whole of the North- including more than 50,000 new homes and many millions of square feet of commercial floor space.

In working extensively for the public and private sectors, we have observed a range of different approaches to regeneration.

But there are a number of common

factors that distinguish the most successful areas from those that continue to struggle.

Strong and consistent leadership and messaging from the local authority is a fundamental pre-requisite for any private sector investment in low performing areas.

Clarity of purpose, and a clearlyarticulated vision accompanied through some form of strategic masterplan that the council’s elected members and senior officers have both shaped and taken ownership of, creates a robust foundation to

‘There are a number of common factors that distinguish the most successful regeneration areas from those that continue to struggle

…’

build conversations on with the private sector.

Councils that simply hang out a sign saying that they are “open for business”

but who then fail to articulate the scale and nature of the economic activity they are trying to attract, will often struggle to compete with those areas that are focused and specific about

their inward investment objectives.

However, visions and masterplans are only as good as the data that they informed by, and an honest and rigorous analysis of the underlying reasons for a town or resort’s decline, however painful for the local stakeholders and communities to hear, will add credibility to any ambitious proposals.

Understanding past mistakes, as well as long term demographic changes such as changes in the age profile of residents, the state and capacity of the existing infrastructure, and the level of educational attainment of the workforce, are often key considerations for inward investment decision-makers.

Blackpool Before

...and after

The importance of energy, enthusiasm and the ambition of an area’s key players, along with an ability to work openly, transparently and collaboratively across sectors often goes unacknowledged.

These factors can however tip the balance between areas that are competing for inward investmentand are relatively straightforward and low-cost behaviours for communities and their leaders to adopt.

Last and not least, regeneration requires patience.

Changing hearts and minds within our communities as well as those of potential investors, developers and entrepreneurs takes time.

There will inevitably be setbacks, rejections and there will be those from within the community who will fight loudly and sometimes aggressively against the change that is being sought.

Others may simply look on in envy at those places where inward investment appears to occur effortlessly, without understanding the decades of groundwork that has gone in to get them to that point.

As we look at next generation of towns and resorts that are on the cusp of a renaissance, we need to remind ourselves that each generation has its own needs, values and priorities and for each economic cycle the successful places are those that identify those factors and plan accordingly.

In a world where security, overheating continental beach resorts, increasing concerns about the climate impact of air travel, and a COVID-enforced re-acquaintance with the pleasures of staycationing all start to impact on our decision-making, our great Yorkshire seaside resorts would do well to modify the scale of their ambitions upwards, and agree how they wish to direct and manage the renewed interest in what they could now be able to offer.

North Bay in Scarborough, a major site looking for an appropriate form of development in one of England’s busiest resorts

The former Futurist site along Scarborough seafront, a significant opportunity that should not be squandered

New Puzzle Rooms make a splash at waterpark

Scarborough’s spectacular adventure attraction North Yorkshire Water Park has launched two new Puzzle Rooms for visitors to complete testing challenges in the quickest time.

The Puzzle Rooms each have 30 identical tasks to test perception, general knowledge, problem solving abilities and teamwork – all of which need to be resolved wit hin 45 minutes.

Each room accommodates up to 10 players, where groups can either book one room and take on the clock, or b ook both rooms.

The activities are designed for all age groups and abilities, with family-friendly challenges allowing everyone to get involved – as well as tasks that will test even har dened puzzlers.

The new activity is being run

alongside the AquaParks, wakeboarding, zipline, kayaking, stand-up paddle boardi ng and zipline.

General manager Gareth Davies sa id: “Our aim was to create a challenge that will be enjoyed equally by groups of schoolchildren and stag and hen parties, and we’re confident that we’ve cracked it!

“We’re committed to offering the ultimate adventure experience, on land or on water.”

North Yorkshire Water Park is east of Wykeham, six miles west of Scarborough. It originally comprised four fishing lakes and an 80-acre lake, now dedicated to water sports and other activities.

North Yorkshire Water Park was launched in July 2017 with an AquaPark. The Dawnay Estate substantially expanded the waterpark, adding other attractions such a climbing wall, café and events room.

Are some employers still from Mars … and young people from Venus?

by Laura Mason, chief executive of the North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership

On the importance of business links with education, there is the brilliant phrase of inspirational speaker Simon Sineks … ‘Start with why’. However, I believe we all know why!

There have been many articles written and discussions around the importance of business links with education, yet there still seems to be an ongoing issue of how to effectively do this in a consistent way that is bespoke enough for each young person and institution.

Schools/colleges and businesses are busy, both with many pressures - but now more than ever, young people need support to help them prepare for the world of work.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development published an article many years ago called ‘Employers are from Mars, Young People Venus,’ which powerfully highlighted the need for all parts of the system to move slightly to achieve better cohesion. The article asked:

• Could employers adapt recruitment practices to make them more appealing to young people?

• Could young people learn a bit more about what skills employers n eed and value?

• Could employers go into school more to talk though

Laura Mason, head of NYBEP

issues like why maths is important, or to show the career pathways within their sector, or to help teachers inspire a young person that doesn’t quite know what they want to do yet, or believes they have no skills!

As always the answer is yes. This does seem like a simplistic way of looking at a very complex issue, however, it does have an impact.

At first-hand, I have witnessed the impact on young people when businesses come into school/college, giving them a different perspective than their teacher. I have heard from young people after they’ve had an experience of a workplace, good or bad, all of which will have a lasting positive impact.

Young people don’t always immediately see the impact, it can’t always be accurately measured. However, most of us will remember our work experience with school and what it taught us.

Careers information advice and guidance has changed massively in the past couple of years. Schools

and colleges are more flexible in their approach, careers leaders now have access to local labour market information, they are part of the senior leadership team and remain focussed on ensuring all young people achieve a positiv e destination.

So what more can we do?

More engagement, more young people spending time with business leaders and in businesses, more time supporting teachers and their professional developm ent, just more!

Why?

The business benefits are clear, business leaders confirm communication skills are increased when staff communicate with their future workforce, staff are more engaged. There have been several articles written about the positive effect on the bottomline, but over and above that, young people offer a unique perspective on current situations - they offer div erse opinions.

And for the young people the benefits are significant.

The Careers and Enterprise Company recently confirmed through its research that when young people have multiple encounters with employers at school they are 86% less likely to become NEET (not in education, employment or training) compared with those undertaking none.

So how (and what) can you get involved ... sign up to the NYBEP Employability charter to find out about what is happening in your area, make a start by volunteering at an event and consider taking on a work experience student. The time commitment can be as little or as much time as you can afford.

NYBEP is a Business and Education Partnership, engaging with more than 40,000 learners each year and supporting thousands of businesses to engage with young people. To discuss further, please get in touch with NYBEP at events@nybep.org.uk

The documentary photographer capturing our changing days

Anyone who has ever visited Whitby over the years will most likely have known the Victorian portrait studio of Paul Wilson. For many years he digitally captured tourists in sepia, adorned in traditional 19th century costume poses. His former studio in Sandgate attracted the likes of Vic Reeves and Elle Macpherson … but the Hull-born professional photographer has a much broader portfolio, recording life and imagery across the Yorkshire coast and the country, as well as Europe and Africa. He has also published books of his unique efforts. Here he describes his camera chronicles for TopicUK…

My career as a professional photographer began around 1993 as a freelance snapper, before that I had been a keen amateur.

Newspapers such as the Whitby Gazette, the tourist board and a printing company kept me extremely busy.

A fortuitous meeting with the owner of the Victorian Image in Whitby added another job to my already busy schedule, when I agreed to fill in for him three days a week. This arrangement continued for seven years, after which I and my partner Lynne bought the business.

When I finally retired from the studio in 2017, I had more freedom to pursue projects of my own.

These usually take the form of extended stories, and when I have gathered enough images, I produce one-off books for my own library.

Observing British people, their idiosyncrasies and traditions, social and environmental issues and documenting change, are all subjects that particularly interest me.

Recently I have been associated with

a couple of events and find myself drifting back into freelance work. ‘Race the Waves’ is a popular yearly event, attracting thousands of people, who visit Bridlington to see vintage hotrods and motorcycles race down a section of the beach.

This year I have been involved in Scarborough’s ‘Big Ideas by the Sea’, a festival of diverse cultures, including

A large ship in the harbour called The Southern Star, is the base for Seagrown, which grows and farm seaweed beds offshore, to the south of Scarborough (and which has previously been featured in TopicUK). Aboard there is a visitor centre and cafe, where I am showing images which highlight the erosion of the coastline from Flamborough to Spurn Point.

The exhibition is called ‘The Last Posts’. My aims are to raise awareness and engage with a wider audience ... creating fine art from adversity.

photography, painting, sculpture, music and archaeology (The Big Dig).

What is Sustainable Beauty?

By: Janet Milner-Walker - Founder of Bespoke Advantage

What is Sustainable Beauty?

Ninety one percent of UK beauty shoppers say sustainability and ethical considerations are important when buying beauty products, however 83% believe the industry could be more transparent about the impact of its products, and only 16% think that brands’ sustainability claims are very trustworthy (Provenance)

It is a well-known fact that the beauty industry – an industry whose existence is based on ensuring we look and feel good – is also an industry that is one of the greatest culprits of single-use plastic. Producing over 120 million units of packaging annually; packaging makes up 70% of its waste and a substantial proportion of this packaging ends up in landfills and in the ocean, resulting in a significant threat to the environment.

In an average day we apply numerous products – from facial wash, to shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, moisturisers, and body creams – not to mention make-up. Not only are we influenced by the efficiency of a product, but we love beautiful packaging, much of which is made from plastic.

Sustainability is a key consideration for consumers and companies alike, and over the past few years we have seen a rise in sustainable packaging options with numerous brands switching over to

ABOUT JANET MILNERWALKER

Janet Milner-Walker is the founder and managing director of Bespoke Advantage, and BeautytoLife. She is also an international speaker, a freelance writer, and a trusted advisor to companies in the beauty and wellness sector. Bespoke Advantage is an international consultancy working with clients in the beauty and wellness space. Their award-winning client based includes beauty and wellness brands, retailers, investors and trade bodies, whom they support in developing and building their brands in the marketplace www. thebespokeadvantage.com.

better alternatives as well as sourcing more sustainable ingredients. This not only positions them as environmentally responsible but attracts more socially consci ous consumers.

The global clean beauty market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 40.1%, to reach $37.65 billion by 2028. The Soil Association reported that 2022, was its 11th consecutive year of growth, based on the progression of certified organic beauty and wellbeing products, and in their Organic Beauty and Wellbeing Market Report, they revealed that nearly half (48%) of consumers are now more concerned about the environment than prior to the pandemic and 55% are more likely to purchase environmentally frie ndly products.

In a recent study Provenance surveyed 1 500 beauty shoppers in Europe and the US, revealing that 9 in 10 shoppers believe that sustainability and other ethics related considerations are important when buying beauty products, and that 15% considered sustainability more important than price, efficacy or the product description when buying a beauty product. This 15% rises to 18% when considering British shoppers in isolation. To build customer loyalty,

beauty and wellness brands can’t focus purely on efficacy or value. 44% of 18 – 36-year-olds believe that sustainability and ethics-related considerations are very important when buying beauty and wellness products, this is twice as much as those aged 55+

Defining Sustainability and Ethics

A sustainable beauty brand is one that considers the way in which they conduct their business, and the impact this has on the future of the planet. This consideration covers every facet of their business, from their supply chain to their raw materials, sourcing, and packaging, as well as how they ship products to consumers.

An ethical beauty brand considers ethical issues in the beauty industry, of which there are many. From animal testing to child labour, working conditions, fair pay and the use of toxic ingredients that are harmful to our health and to the health of the planet. An ethical beauty brand is vegan and packaged in sustainable packaging. They reduce their environmental impact

by minimising waste and conserving energy and water. They give back to society through supporting environmental and social concerns.

Whilst brands are responding to shoppers’ expectations surrounding sustainability and ethics, it is clear there is a lot of confusion based on ambiguous claims. Only a quarter of shoppers find it very easy to understand the criteria that defines a brand as sustainable. Almost three-quarters of consumers (71%) are unsure what brands mean when they say, ‘environmentally friendly’ and 62% say the same for ‘green’ claims. ‘Clean’ is another contentious term that leaves consumers confused. A recent Deloitte study found that 48% of shoppers feel that a lack of information is holding them back in leading a more sustainable lifestyle.

79% of beauty consumers have doubts about whether to trust the industry's sustainability claims. What’s more, less than 25% strongly agree that brands are transparent about the environmental and social impact of their products. So, what can be d one about this?

To build customer loyalty, transparency is elementary to success. Top considerations when building a sustainable, ethical beauty or wellness brand

Cruelty Free – is a term that has been used for many years in the beauty industry, often accompanied by the Leaping Bunny symbol. It is understandable how consumers can be confused regarding whether a product is ‘cruelty free’ as a product can be labelled ‘cruelty free’ and still contain animal ingredients. A product may also contain Palm Oil, which has led to the devastation of rainforests, and the animals living there and still be considered ‘cruelty free.’ Whilst cruelty-free is an important consideration, it is important to go beyond this and consider whether a product is certified by PETA, and whether the product is Vegan. Some Vegan products are also tested on animals; the most ethical brands are labelled cruelty-free and are vegan.

Non-Toxic Ingredients – nontoxic isn’t a regulated term, however in order to ensure a brand doesn’t contain toxic ingredients, the

products shouldn’t contain GMO’S, preservatives, parabens or any other ingredients that are known to be toxic. Consumers value the presence of natural and organic ingredients when shopping for beauty products. In addition to a brand providing more transparency on their sourcing, is the brand certified as organic or natural? Is the brand transparent about where they are sourcing their ingredients?

Sustainable Packaging- is challenging, whilst there are several alternatives to consider, when selecting packaging, consideration needs to be given to the application of the product, how it is retailed, and how it is shipped out to shoppers. The most sustainable packaging is reusable glass, bamboo, and sugar cane tubes, and like Lush ‘naked’ products, however this isn’t always feasible for a brand. Look for brands that offer refills, reusable packaging, and include recycling symbols on th eir packaging.

Certification - sharing proof of independent verification is one of the most effective ways of reassuring shoppers that claims made, are based on facts. There are numerus third-party organisations that certify brands including Soil Association, Ecocert, COSMOS, The Vegan Trademark, Certified Vegan, Leaping Bunny, PETA, Fairtrad e, and B Corp.

Transparency – How transparent is the brand? Consumers are far savvier when shopping for new products and brands, by being upfront, you build a greater d egree of trust.

Giving Back What is a brand’s stance of becoming a force for good

and giving back to communities, to society and to t he environment?

UK beauty brands leading in sustainability

By 2025 the UK’s green beauty market is expected to reach £339 million, there are a number of exciting and innovative sustainable brands in the market, proving that it is possible to build a brand that is ethical, sustainable, transparent, and effective.

UpCircle, as the name suggests, is developed by repurposing ingredients that would normally go to waste, including coffee granules, providing highly therapeutic benefits. Packaged in glass and aluminium packaging, which is reusable and recyclable they are dedicated to reducing waste. They have recently launched a haircare category, with a Shampoo Crème, which promises to deliver three times the number of washes to traditional liquid shampoo and contains coconut, grapefruit, cedarwood and lavender oils to nourish, hydrate and calm hair leaving it healthy with a glowing shine. Beauty Kitchen have an award-winning range of products made from the purest natural ingredients, packaged into reusable and recyclable materials. Evolve Beauty handcrafts their products in small batches from their eco studio in Hertfordshire, using

natural and organic ingredients, and their products are packaged into components made from recyc led materials.

Pai Skincare is a cruelty-free brand certified by the Soil Association, they have also recently been certified as B-Corp and are committed to creating ethical and sustainable beauty products using the best organic ingredients. REN Skincare was launched in 2000, with a commitment to reducing waste at every stage of their production and distribution. Zero waste is central to everything they do, and they use sustainably sourced and upcycled ingredients wher ever possible.

Over the past few years solid bars have risen in popularity, and one of the brands pioneering the use of solids is Ethique. Their product range is plant-based, vegan and developed without preservatives o r palm oil. To date they claim that they have stopped over six million plastic bottles from being produced or disposed of in landfills, and 20% of their profit goes towards charities that protect th e environment.

This is just a taster of some of the more sustainable brands in the UK; there are many more that place great value on the impact their business has on the health of our planet. When building a beauty or wellness brand consider, how does the br and look, what benefit does the brand offer consumers and what impact does the brand have on the environment, social and economic causes. Are you building a brand for the future? Is it sustainable, is it transparent and is it a Force for Good?

The Lexus RZ450e is a pure diamond

"Working with beautiful jewellery and diamonds is a wonderful thing to do but finally, after 50 years, I’ve been given the opportunity to do my dream job. Getting to drive a new car for the weekend and write a magazine review on it is the stuff of my boyhood dreams." Said Philip Stoner managing director Jonathan Stoner.

I’ve always loved cars and to be honest if I could swap everything to be a racing driver I would. Unfortunately, I’m probably 5 stone too heavy and a little too tall to fit into a racing car.

I’m a self-confessed petrolhead, but I’ve recently gone over to the dark

side and bought an all-electric car. To my surprise I am loving every minute. The mind-blowing performance, the space age sounds coming out from the cockpit and the not having to stop at a petrol station every 200 miles to fill up are all major positives. How long the novelty will last before the

By: Jonathan Stoner MD Phillip Stoner Jewellers

V8 rumble beckons me back, only time will tell!

And so I was very excited to drive another fully electric car in the shape of the Allnew Lexus RZ 450e. This is a car that falls into the luxury SUV category, which is a market all top-end marques, it seems, want to have a slice of.

Upon first impressions, I thought the car was very striking in its looks and the two-tone paint colour of the car I was test-driving worked very well. Even before I set off from the Lexus forecourt

a lady came up to me and said how much she loved the colour. I believe it’s called Sonic Copper and is only a £250.00 extra on this model.

At 4.8m long, the car feels even larger than it looks. The interior has been well thought out. I found the driving position very comfortable and with the electric adjustable seats and electrical steering column, I quickly found my perfect driving position. The rear seats easily have enough room for three large adults to sit comfortably. A nice feature is the virtually flat floor in the back,

which means there’s no awkward feet placement for the middle passenger. On this model, the Premium Plus, the tail gate is all electric and opens into a huge boot, which again is all on one level for easy loading.

The cockpit has all the latest tech and the huge infotainment screen is really easy to navigate. The premium sound system on this car was good and had all the features you would expect. I found the front and rear cameras for parking the best I had ever seen in terms of clarity and the birds eye camera view amazed me. It’s like having a drone filming from above and makes parking so much easier in tight spots. You can even set up your own driving modes from comfort to sport, which just makes everything a little faster and more eager.

Inside and ready to set off I adjusted the hand turn dials, which I find so much better than the modern digital touch screen controls, to cool down the cabin. Immediately, cooling air blew through the vents and to my surprise, the ventilated seats. In the auto setting the heating system controls the airconditioning, heated or ventilated seats and the heated steering wheel. Although it wasn’t the right time of year to try it, I read that there’s even a de-icing system for the wiper blades.

Within the first few miles of driving I was really impressed with this car. The ride was silky smooth and there is virtually no outside road noise whatsoever. The ride quality was superb and even with the pothole covered and uneven surfaces of Yorkshire’s B-Roads the RZ 450e glided over everything. The handling was surprisingly sharp with no body roll. I appreciate this is largely due to EV cars having a low centre of gravity with all the weight of the batteries under the floor, but even still it felt really well balanced and almost sports car-like.

This 2 tonne SUV will hit 60mph in around 5 seconds. The RZ 450e is quick, effortless and ultra-smooth in its delivery of power which comes from a 71.4kWh battery and will give you a range of around 220 miles. From my 6 months experience with an EV, these figures can be a little misleading as you will want to put your foot down, and then you will use the battery power much faster. I have also found the range in my personal car is going up in the warmer weather so even batteries like the rest of us don’t like the cold!

I do understand why some people who have bought an EV have quickly gone back to the combustion engine when the infrastructure of the charging points within the UK have so many more improvements to be made. For me, my daily commute is very easy, and I don’t cover a lot of miles up and down the country, so the EV experience has been trouble free so far.

After driving the Lexus for a couple of days I was finding it hard to fault. The RZ 450e just did everything right and was so easy to live with.

The safety features in th e car were comprehensive, if not a little overzealous.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the road ahead for a second before a message showed up on the Head Up Display telling me to concentrate. Every time you passed a speed limit sign it adjusted the speed limit on the windscreen and beeped if you were travelling too fast. At one point I passed a friend who, not unusually, was stood outside the local pub so I turned to wave. The car didn’t like this, telling me to concentrate and put two hands back onto the steering wheel. If you started to veer it corrected your steering, the car brakes for you and when I had the chance to really get going on a dual carriageway it even told me to close my window. This is a car that if you did have the misfortune of getting into an accident in, you must have been doing something seriously wrong!

In conclusion, Lexus have made a really great car here in a very competitive market. If you are in the position for a luxury all-electric SUV, I would certainly recommend it. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!Jonathan Stoner Owner and Managing Director of Phillip Stoner the Jeweller.

To book a no obligation test drive contact Lexus Leeds: 0113 5372920

Domestic Road Holbeck Leeds

LS12 6HG

Lexus have made a really great car here in a very competitive market. If you are in the position for a luxury all-electric SUV, I would certainly recommend it. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!...

Peter Vardy Group adopts a new technology platform

Automotive retailer, Peter Vardy Group has teamed up with Leeds-based automotive firm, Mad Devs, to move all its sites to iTrackLEADS and iStoreDOCS to help its teams deliver a better customer experience.

Automotive retailer, Peter Vardy Group has teamed up with Leedsbased automotive firm, Mad Devs, to move all its sites to iTrackLEADS and iStoreDOCS to help its teams deliver a better customer experience.

The Group includes 15 retail sites representing leading brands and eight Carz supermarkets. The innovative company also operates a digital sales division from its headquarters in Motherwell.

Commenting on the move, Peter Vardy, CEO of the Peter Vardy Group, said: “We aim to be the provider of mobility solutions for everyone, and part of that mission is to provide an exemplary experience to our customers. The technology we use is essential to providing a

fantastic experience from initial enquiry to handover.

“The team at Mad Devs have built great products from the ground up with the dealer in mind. The intuitive interface enables our teams to build a deal around the customers using secure cloud technology.”

Peter Vardy uses the latest technology to give buyers the freedom to browse through thousands of used cars online at any time and from anywhere, with the ability to reserve a car online and pick it up from the dealership or have it delivered to their home. In addition, consumers can get an instant online valuation for their current vehicle and an instant online finance approval for the next car.

MAD DEVS is a software company dedicated to helping dealers operate more efficiently. It launched with iStoreDOCS, a platform developed to help dealers better manage customer documentation and iTrackLEADS, a lead management tool designed to help sales teams operate more flexibly and improve accountability.

The MAD DEVS eco-system spans lead management, document management and post-sale ownership management. Together the tools create more opportunities for cost savings through efficiencies and create sales opportunities to grow revenues.

David Boyce, CEO at Mad Devs, said:

“It’s great to be working with a highly experienced and respected retailer like Peter Vardy. The business is at the cutting edge of automotive retail and growing fast thanks to a relentless focus on the customer. It’s great to see our technology platforms deployed across the Group.”

GREEK STREET TERRACE

An elegant backdrop for drinks and dining, here you’ll enjoy classic and contemporary cocktails, and a carefully-curated seasonal menu of fresh, flavourful dishes.