TopicUK February 2022 Edition

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N E W S U P D AT E

This issue

Group Editor Gill Laidler

Design

Rob Blackwell

Associate editor Ed Asquith

Distribution Manager James Longbottom

Official Photographers

Roth Read Photography

Legal Matters

Ramsdens Solicitors Chadwick Lawrence

Recruitment Stafflex

ADMINISTRATOR

Charlotte Hall 1.

Banking

Barclays Bank

Mike Carthy Square.jpg

Cover : Mike Carthy Image : Courtesy Spirit of Harrogate

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Tim Guest

Phoenix Health receives Queens Award

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Celebrating a lifetime in brick

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Harrogate travel agent reopens in prime position

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Better rail journeys for Leeds

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A True Yorkshire spirit

Printed By: Charlesworth Press Wakefield

workplace innovation

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To Partner TopicUK

Tel: 07711 539047 editor@topicuk.co.uk

The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers and therefore, no responsibility can be held by the publisher for misinterpretation. Reproduction of this magazine without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Whilst every care is taken in the production of this magazine, the publisher/editor and staff cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe to this magazine contact 07711 539047 or email editor@ topicuk.co.uk. Published by Ghost Publishing Limited, . Law pages are written by Chadwick Lawrence & Ramsdens Solicitors LLP and TopicUK is not responsible for any advice given.

Editors notes

By group editor Gill Laidler Welcome to the first TopicUK edition of 2022, although it seems a long time ago now, I do hope you enjoyed a relaxing Christmas break.

OUR PARTNERS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Tilyard North Paladin MARKETING Yorkshire sculpture park CONNECT YORKSHIRE Community Foundation Calderdale The Piece Hall BACKSTAGE ACADEMY Ramsdens Solicitors Chadwick Lawrence WILD Wakefield Council Ad:Venture CityFibre Eaton Smith Solicitors Stafflex Scriba PR Kirklees College University of Law Avenue hq/Barclays Eagle Lab Yorkshire Payments Welcome to Yorkshire Contedia BeVic Town Hall Dental Fantastic Media FORGET ME NOT CHILDRENS HOSPICE Halifax Bid Beanie Media HALSTON MARKETING DAKOTA HOTEL LEEDS Ventur Kirklees Council

I would firstly like to welcome two new partners, Kirklees Council and Ventur Partners. Also returning this year is Halifax BID. We are looking forward to working with all three as well as all our existing partners during 2022. Ventur have recently moved to brand new premises in the centre of Harrogate and you can read all about them and the services they provide on P26.

As a Gin lover, I was delighted to catch up with Mike Carthy, cofounder of Slingsby Gin from the Spirit of Harrogate, who features on our cover. In just a few years since they launched, Mike and his team have not just secured their product in supermarkets, bars and restaurants in the UK but around the world.

I was lucky enough to review two restaurants this edition. Firstly, I visited Sakku, the new Japanese restaurant on St Peters Square, Leeds. I was unable to attend on opening night, so was thrilled to be invited back few weeks later so I didn’t miss out. We also have a new feature for 2022, Lunch with the editor. I spent a pleasant lunchtime at Blackhouse on East Parade with Jordan Odu from Pink Gorilla. If you would like to join me a for a lunch where you can tell me about your business and be featured in TopicUK, drop me a line, editor@topicuk.co.uk.

a magazine she helped set up in November 2020. If you would like to get involved in any of the events we are organising that will benefit underprivileged children, pick up or request your free copy or head over to the website and read the digital edition https://www.yorkshirebusinesswoman. co.uk You can also learn more by coming along to one of our events, the next being 4 March at The Yorkshire Sculpture Park or 1st April at Dakota Leeds.

Until next time

Gill

Contents & Comments

E DNI ET W O RS SUN PO DT AT ES E

We started the year with some sadness as our friend and colleague of three years Mandy Taylor finally lost her battle with Cancer in December. We are continuing Mandy’s legacy in our sister publication Yorkshire Businesswoman, TopicUK February 2021

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EY’s North Dealmakers advise on a further £2bn deals EY’s North Strategy and Transactions teams acted on over 14 completed deals worth £2bn in Q4, bringing the 2021 activity to a total of over 60 completed deals worth £9bn.

Across the North, EY provided sell side financial, legal, operational and IT separation and tax support to Croda, as it sold elements of its Performance Technologies and Industrial Chemicals (PTIC) business to Cargill. Further, EY was an exclusive financial advisor to Synetiq Ltd, a leading integrated salvage and vehicle dismantling company, the team provided corporate finance, financial and tax due diligence as it was acquired

by US group IAA Inc. EY's Corporate Finance team provided M&A advisory services to the shareholders of North West-based Kids Planet, on securing investment from Fremman Capital.

Mark Clephan

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Mark Allcroft

EY Parthenon also provided vendor commercial due diligence services and EY Tax provided tax advisory services to Kids Planet. In addition, the team advised Endless on the sale of Adare SEC to Opus Trust Communications.

Invest In Yorkshire, EY provided sell side support to Advanced Supply Chain Group, acquired by Reconomy, and to Johnson Matthey plc on its disposal of AGT to Fenzi. The team provided buyside tax due diligence to Aramark, as it acquired independent foodservice company, Wilson Vale. Additionally, EY supported Pelsis Group as it acquired professional pest control products businesses Sanitrade and distributor Vesta Distribuciones.

Mark Clephan, Corporate Finance Partner at EY in the North, said: “Overall, the market was very busy in 2021 - with healthy levels of dealmaking driven by the desire to invest in new technologies, unlock

new opportunities and deliver efficiencies.

“The year saw high prices, together with elevated levels of activity leading to many advisers being sold out, record levels of IPOs and overseas trade and private equity activity.

Looking ahead, we can expect strong continued dealmaking activity by UK companies, although it is likely to be at a more manageable level.”

Mark Allcroft, Strategy and Transactions Partner for EY across Yorkshire and the North East, said: “2021 saw one of our best years of dealmaking yet. Despite the headwinds of COVID-19 and global supply chain disruption, the appetite for investment in the UK remains strong.

“Across Yorkshire and the North East, although businesses are still adapting to the new realities of work, and the urgent need to accelerate the journey to more a sustainable future, I expect 2022 dealmaking to remain active and continue at pace.”

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Aqualithium leads the way in the search for new sustainable source of lithium A Yorkshire company has made a major breakthrough to find a new source of lithium used in electric vehicle batteries.

With global lithium reserves predicted to be exhausted in less than 20 years, Aqualithium, based on the Nostell Estate near Wakefield, in partnership with the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Bath, has succeeded in extracting lithium from seawater in a laboratory environment.

Demand for lithium is rising as the world moves from fossil fuelpowered vehicles and energy to battery-powered technology but reserves are limited, and current extraction methods are environmentally damaging.

Sustainable The team at the University of Bath is led by Professor Semali Perera, (pictured) a leading expert in the field of adsorption and membrane filtration, whose breakthrough is the first-time lithium has been extracted in such a way using new sustainable, disruptive technology.

This method of harvesting lithium from seawater is scalable and so a potentially commercially viable method of extraction unlike any other previous process.

Land-based reserves of lithium are estimated to be just 14 million tonnes whereas ocean-based reserves of the soft, silvery white alkali metal are believed to be 230 billion tonnes.

Aqualithium is a Yorkshire-based company with an experienced

board of directors including chair Sir Rodney Walker, ex-Porsche CEO Geoff Turral, former Centrica director Mike Astell, CEO David Oddie, founder Tom Black and engineering expert John Jeffrey.

are pushing the rapid transition from petrol and diesel fuelled vehicles to electric ones and the annual global demand for lithium is predicted to be one million tonnes by 2026.

Milestone

The company continues to develop the patented Aqualithium Harvester, a floating solar powered lithium extraction system, efficiently collecting lithium from the sea in a sustainable, ecologically and environmentally sound way that produces no seaborne waste product and uses no fossil fuel power.

Aqualithium is now applying for a major Government grant to enable it to continue its research and progress toward the goal of finding a commercially viable and sustainable means of extracting lithium from seawater using its innovative process which is environmentally friendly.

Net zero carbon reduction targets

Aqualithium founder Tom Black

said: “This is a major milestone for Aqualithium on our journey to find a new and sustainable source of lithium.

“The real value in having a partnership between business and academia is the advantage it gives us in commercialising our process.”

Prof Perera added: “Adsorption and membrane technology combination is very effective in recovering lithium, which is critical to battery technology - but land-based stocks are limited. The key challenge we face is in recovering it in large quantities, so we are very excited to work with Aqualithium.”

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N E W S U P D AT E “We’ve had a fantastic first five years in business because we just love what we do – whether we’re developing a whole new branding scheme for a company, a school website experience or a promotional video. We also deliver our own customised CMS system to meet clients’ needs. Whatever we do, we work with clients and keep our focus on awesome results.”

Creative agency takes on new office and staff A Barnsley-based creative and digital agency is taking on Endcliffe, plus a team of three more space and staff to mark its fifth year in business. close associates with specialist Established in 2016, awesome has seen turnover increase sevenfold in its first five years and has launched a growth strategy to triple it again over the next five.

The agency, based at Barnsley’s Digital Media Centre (DMC 01), has now moved into a larger

office space within the building to facilitate this growth. The move will extend its studio facilities and make room for a growing team.

Michelle Oduwole-Aigbogun has been appointed to a new post of junior project manager and joins co-directors Dan Rose and Chris

skills who are integral to the business.

Founder and creative director Dan Rose said: “It’s great to welcome Michelle on board and get into our new bigger workspace so that we can take on more clients, projects and challenges as we embark on a growth plan.

Smith has once again been announced in the top Finalists Eaton three of the TIGA Games Industry Award 2021 for Best Legal Services Supplier to the games industry for the for the third year running. third year running The award follows a very busy year for the games sector team which has considerably expanded its activities within the industry and offers services such as games development contracts, corporate deals, e mplo yme nt law and litigation.

O ver the last 12 months the team has advised on commercial and e mplo yme nt contracts,

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privacy issues, negotiating NDAs and publishing agree me nts.

Furthermore, they have prepared international music composition agreements, negotiated a multimillion-pound development agree me nt with a platformholder for a game’s new-gen remake and prepared a royaltybased international agreement for game design services. Chris Taylor, Partner and Head of Video

Dan set up awesome with the support of Enterprising Barnsley’s business support programme Launchpad.

He moved out of his home office into the DMC a year later and Chris joined him as digital director in 2018. The business continues to gain business advice through Enterprising Barnsley.

DMC manager Tracey Johnson said: “The team at awesome are highlyvalued members of our business community and we’re so pleased to see them grow and take on a bigger workspace here. This is their third office at the DMC – they’ve moved up in size each time to reflect their consistent growth.

“Having a prestigious award behind us as we represent Sheffield in international markets will help us to grow our footprint and drive us to higher levels of excellence.

Games sector is well known in the industry and has appeared on panels with other industry experts from companies such as SEGA to discuss developer/publisher relationships.

Chris commented: “I am very proud that our efforts have been recognised again by TIGA. Whilst we didn’t replicate our win of 2020, to be judged as being in the top three in the country for the third year in a row, is impressive. Our expanding client roster includes multinational publishers, developers and art studios and we give all out clients individual care and attention, F

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Digital reputation management agency expands to USA and Canada Leeds-based PR firm Igniyte, a specialist online reputation management a n d S E O a g e n c y, h a s expanded to the USA and Canada, opening its first international base in New York.

In the past six months, the agency has added 20 new clients, including large telecoms providers, banks, cryptocurrency exchanges and high-net worth individuals across the US, UAE, and Europe.

The agency, founded by Simon Wadsworth in 2009, has offices in Leeds and London and has 12 staff, with a further 2 vacancies.

The new office in Manhattan, the agency’s third office – will allow the firm to better offer their services into North America.

The agency provides specialist services for both companies and individuals in removing evident through client retention and repeat instructions.”

TIGA is a network for games developers and digital publishers and carries out representation of the video games industry. The TIGA Games Industry Awards is the UK’s most prestigious celebration of the video games industry. The TIGA Games Industry Awards uniquely recognises excellence in games development, business and education and celebrates the achievements of both small and large games development studios.

damaging inte rnet conte nt, business reputation management, brand management, personal reputation management, crisis communication, SEO, and digital PR. The agency has recently hired two new account managers in the US and Canada from former reputation management firms to aid the expansion.

Simon Wadsworth, Founder and Managing Director said: “We have been operating from the UK for over ten years now, and with the recent addition of some huge clients based in the US and Canada, the expansion to New York was an obvious move.

“Our New York office will allow us to better serve customers in North America who require some support to improve their digital perception and presence. It also gives us access to a huge amount of digital marketing talent in the US. “More and more people are understanding that brand perception and personal online reputation needs to be front and centre of marketing strategy. Reputation management should be achieved by a strategic approach to positive content creation, disruptive campaign thinking, community engagement and above all, best-in-class SEO that takes control of what people find when they search about you.

“Where everyone has a voice, it’s important that companies manage all channels and work hard to challenge damaging and unfair claims that affect their reputation and bottom line.”

Igniyte are currently looking to add new account managers a n d P R s p e c i a l i s t s to t h e i r team with two live vacancies (Account Director and Account Manager). Simon says “We have a growing number of exciting and complex clients across the world that require creative solutions to improve their reputation. We are welcoming onboard talented individuals who can support our growth.”

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Schofield Sweeney expands regulatory practice with new partner Ian Anderson has joined Schofield Sweeney’s Ian has advised a national housebuilder on the Construction environmental and regulatory team in Leeds.

forward in my career, building on my experience in complex financial and regulatory cases.

I am joining a team with a great reputation and impressive plans for the future. I hope to enable the firm to develop a broad regulatory offering, building on their marketleading environmental practice.”

Ian has extensive experience in regulatory matters including complex fraud, money laundering, HMRC/tax prosecutions as well as shotgun and firearms licensing.

His e xp e r tise c ompli m e nt s and expands the firm’s existing

Craig Burman said “I am delighted that Ian is joining us with his extensive and varied regulatory expertise. We share a joint vision for the future, and I can’t wait to put the exciting plans we have into action”.

environmental and regulatory o f f e r i n g. T h e te a m a d v i s e s clients who are facing investigations, prosecutions, enforcements, and those dealing with environmental, waste and flooding issues.

Design Management Regulations and has been admitted to the roll of solicitors in Northern Ireland to enable him to act in the largest tax fraud investigation ever prosecuted at Belfast Crown Court.

Ian said “this is an exciting step

Fresh Thinking Capital supports growth plans with a new office Fresh Thinking Capital is supporting its growth plans with a move to a new office in the heart of the Leeds business district.

The office in Park House on Park Square will provide a hub for the firm’s operations nationally.

The flexible finance provider is expanding its team following the launch of a £25m fund to support entrepreneurs across the region. Commenting on the new office, Mel Hird, founder and

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director said: “The new office puts us in the heart of the business community and reflects our ambitions to become a lender of choice for entrepreneurs seeking to grow their operations. Park House provides premium serviced office space that allows us to focus on developing our business and the flexibility to support our needs as we grow. F

N E W S U P D AT E

Answer partners with Micro Focus to support the Metropolitan Police

The Metropolitan Police is rolling out a new technology platform that will help to track criminals more efficiently. The platform was developed “As we close out 2021, we’re in a prime position to help businesses take their opportunities as the economy recovers from the pandemic.

Fresh Thinking Capital is a true partner to our clients and supports their goals when they need us most.”

Fr e s h T h i n k i n g C a p i t a l i s backed by the founders and Foresight, an award-winning listed infrastructure and private equity investment manager with over £7 billion of assets Under Management.

by Leeds headquartered digital and IT consultancy Answer.

Answer worked in partnership with the global software company M i c ro Fo c u s to l a u n c h t h e new platform, which provides intuitive use r inte rfaces. It was designed by Answer and the Metropolitan Police’s development team and integrates with a wide range of systems to rapidly search and collate data on people of interest.

The project currently analyses around 1.5TB of UK based assets, which will continue to increase exponentially as data is shared between the international community and national security partners, such as the FBI and Interpol.

The platform is also optimised for search engines to enhance the collation of information. The content management system was developed by Micro Focus.

The system draws on data from a wide range of sources ranging from CCTV images to documents and photographs and uses advanced facial recognition to identify people. It can then create a profile and starts to build a detailed view of the person. As a result, it will save hundreds of hours of police work and enable possible crimes or terrorist acts to be avoided.

R i c h a r d Wa l k e r, m a n a g i n g principal from Answer, said: “The project is a testament to the effectiveness of collaborative working. Working in partnership with the Metropolitan Police’s

IT operations team and Micro Focus, we’ve developed a platform that will make a real difference to people’s safety.

“An agile development process ensured the project was delivered to strict deadlines and an intensive approach to testing and feedback ensured it met the operational requirements.”

The platform will continue to evolve with more functionality.

Following its launch, it will be used by a wide range of internal partners. Answer is working with a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors and is partnered with the London Medical Imaging and AI Centre for Value-Based Healthcare to pave the way for AI-enabled hospitals and the future of patient care.

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Phoenix Health and Wellbeing receive Queen’s Award for Enterprise

for people who have suffered severe emotional trauma.”

Based in Park Place, Leeds, Phoenix Health and Wellbeing is a registered charity that provides wellbeing support to people who have chronic health issues and low incomes.

It helps people with depression and anxiety or physical conditions such as chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease and forms of cancer. Local medical and healthcare professionals refer people to the charity whose staff, therapists and volunteers provide counselling, massage and acupuncture.

This support is funded by providing the same services to the general public and workplace wellbeing services to local employers who pay the market rate with proceeds going to the charitable fund.

For every £10 someone spends with the charity, £4 goes towards funding treatments for local people who couldn’t normally afford these services.

Leeds social enterprise Phoenix Health and Wellbeing was presented with one of the UK’s most prestigious business awards by Ed Anderson, Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire at a ceremony in the historic Leeds Library.

The Charity heard that it has been recognised for its outstanding commitment to sustainable development a few months ago but due to the pandemic has had to wait until now to be presented with the business accolade.

Phoenix Health and Wellbeing was amongst just 17 organisations from across the UK to have been personally chosen by Her Majesty The Queen to receive the award for its outstanding commitment to sustainable development.

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Commenting on their remarkable success, Phoenix Health and Wellbeing’s founder Gill Trevor said: “The wait was certainly worth it! We have been on such a high since we found out that we had won the award and now we actually have our hands on the certificate signed

by Her Majesty and the Prime Minister and the rose bowl, we all feel another wave of positivity. Receiving this fantastic endorsement makes all the effort we have put into developing our sustainable social enterprise so

worthwhile, it has had a huge impact on the business.

“Demand for our services has grown considerably and we are expanding the number of clinics we run to meet this demand. So far this year we have provided mental health support for over 400 people, that’s the highest number of referrals we’ve had since we launched in 2013.

Gill Trevor and David Aspland with Lord Lieutenant

“We are also extending our ear acupuncture clinics as there has been a marked increase in the number of men with prostate cancer coming to us for support and early in the New Year, we will be starting a pain recovery trial

Gill left a successful career in marketing and business planning with O2 to retrain in wellbeing therapies after a family member became unwell.

She completed a Diploma in massage, reflexology and aromatherapy, and then in 2009 she went on to complete her Reiki levels 1, 2 and Masters.

A f te r v o l u n te e r i n g f o r several years at St Gemma’s Hospice and seeing firsthand the positive impact of complementary therapies, Gill gathered a team of highly experienced Trustees, counsellors and therapists and established Phoenix Health and Wellbeing.

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Fulfilment crowd delivers on expansion plans International fulfilment services provider fulfilmentcrowd has opened a new centre in Yorkshire as it continues to meet growing demand from SME eCommerce retailers.

The new 28,000 sq. ft fulfilment centre in Belton will create 10 new jobs and becomes the firms thirteenth operating site. The company recently opened new centres in France and the Netherlands, which alongside its new Yorkshire location, will enable it to increase overall capacity by around 48% during the next 12 months.

Providing easy access to the UK’s main motorway network, the Belton centre will service a growing base of SME eCommerce retailers in Yorkshire and the Humber and across the North East. fulfilmentcrowd picks, packages and delivers products for over 500 retailers nationwide, ensuring these

reach consumers across the UK and internationally.

Lee Thompson, managing director commented: “During the past 12 months, we’ve seen 67% growth in the number of eCommerce SME retailers we’re working with.

“This growth is expected to continue over the next few years, as smaller retailers scale-up. Last year’s lockdowns inspired a trend of consumers wanting to support independent businesses, which has continued well into 2021 and shows little sign of slowing down.

“Our new Belton centre, along with European expansion, will enable us to effectively meet this demand. This will mean we can sustain growth, whilst maintaining high-quality standards and providing customers with the expertise and confidence to increase sales volumes and scale their retail operations.”

Lee concludes: “fulfilmentcrowd exists to provide small and medium volume eCommerce retailers with the ability to simply and affordably get their goods to shoppers across the UK and around the world. These types of businesses are thriving in Yorkshire and the North East and our Belton centre provides them with a gateway to growing sales internationally.”

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David Armitage celebrates a lifetime in brick

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David joined the industry in 1961 as an apprentice fitter with his family firm George Armitage & Sons, based at Rothwell, near Leeds. He moved into sales in 1963, eventually becoming sales director and later marketing director when the business boasted a £20m turnover.

Twenty-seven years after David joined, the business was sold, so he decided to set up on his o w n a n d b o u g h t t h e Yo r k Handmade Brick Company, based at Alne, near Easingwold, in 1988.

David recalled the significant changes he has seen throughout his time in the brick industry.

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“ T h e t w o n e w f a c to r i e s a t Swillington and Howley Park at Morley, combined with an upturn in trade in the 1970s changed the fortunes of George Armitage & Sons. For the first time, bricks were handled by machine, improving quality and reducing waste, thereby increasing productivity and the value of our output”.

He explained: “Moving to York Handmade was a dramatic change for me, as I went from a mass market brick producer supplying large scale schemes to a small niche supplier with a selective market. But we haven’t stood still at York Handmade and I am immensely proud of what we have achieved here with a loyal and dedicated staff.

“It is fair to say that York Handmade’s market is extremely varied but on a generally smaller scale. Conservation is an important area for York Handmade along with high-quality one off selfbuild homes which have been the mainstay of our operation when we first started. More recently we have been involved in highprofile schemes away from the housing sector. These have included Chetham Music School in Manchester, St Albans Cathedral and London Bridge Station and the Shard in London.

N E W S U P D AT E reserve of high-quality clay and some battered old kilns. During the last 33 years we have scrapped the old kilns and built state of the art computer controlled modern ones, while we have just invested in a brand-new £1.2m plant – a fitting way to celebrate my 60th anniversary.”

David also became heavily involved with The Brick Development Association (BDA), the brick industry’s trade association. In 1979 he became chairman of the Publicity Committee, which was the main marketing committee, leading to excellent relationships with all the leading marketing people in the industry.

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“This was a fantastic experience learning experience for me and one I much enjoyed. At that time we introduced the Brick Awards, which has now become the show piece annual event for the brick industry.

Much later, in 1994, I became chairman of the BDA, a position I held for three years up to 1997. Summing up, David said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my 60 years in the brick industry, meeting some wonderful characters, from the shop floor to the boardroom.

Indeed the people I have worked with are my abiding memory and the highlight of my career.

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I have thoroughly enjoyed my 60 years in the brick industry, meeting some wonderful characters, from the shop floor to the boardroom...

“We are currently working on a very prestigious housing development at King’s Cross and have just completed quality mixed-use schemes in Kensington and Mayfair, so London has been a very fertile market for us. But it is important to stress that we have also embarked on some significant projects in York, Halifax, Beverley, Middleham and Skipton, as well as in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the university towns of Oxford and Cambridge.

“More technically, specific change has come about because architects

now favour a brick with a different size format to the one which has been traditionally used during my 60 years. This is a longer, thinner brick measuring from 40mm in thickness up to 440mm in length. This makes a dramatic impact on the finished brick building and I believe this may well herald a big renaissance in brickwork as a whole.

“It would also be wrong not to mention the dramatic changes which have taken place at York Handmade itself. When I bought the company the works were almost derelict apart from a good

“I have always thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie of the industry. I have met some wonderful characters and some fantastic workers who work incredibly hard and give the lie to the myth fact that the modern British worker doesn’t know what hard work is. They do and it’s always been a real pleasure to work alongside them, especially at York Handmade.”

Photos show: 1) The wine cellar at Tupgill, near Middleham; 2) De Grey Court in Lord Mayor’s Walk in York and 3) Halifax Library. All photos of York Handmade projects mentioned in text. More photos available.

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Helmsley Group further demonstrates commitment to York

These include several deals on the city’s historic Coney Street, including the recent purchase of numbers three to seven with occupiers that include JD Sports, Mango and the recently announced deal with Rosa Thai Café, which will begin fitting out the vacant restaurant opposite The Ivy in February.

Commenting on the latest acquisitions, Ed Harrowsmith, investment director, said: “Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Helmsley has always been confident in York as a thriving city centre and brilliant place to work, shop and visit.

“This confidence has been further demonstrated over recent months with York city centre footfall continuing to remain at positive levels, proving that there is life after the pandemic, with re-based rents and business rates reductions set to be ongoing drivers of investment confidence.

“These three core city centre purchases offer positive rental income on good terms in prime locations, meaning they are not only sensible purchases managed by Helmsley on behalf of our investors, but equally form an important part of our ongoing strategy to support the York retail sector alongside creating resilient high streets for the future.”

Looking ahead, Ed said a key ongoing priority for Helmsley would be to continue its investment into York's retail and leisure core.

Property investment and development specialist Helmsley Group has acquired three prominent addresses occupied by leading brands in the heart of York’s retail area.

He added: “We see areas such as Coney Street as key to the city's regeneration and a blueprint for how other areas of York, and beyond, can recover from the ramifications of the pandemic.

Two of the units, let to Card Factory and Urban Outfitters, are located adjacent to each other on High Ousegate, while the third building on a prime location in Davygate is currently occupied by Caffè Nero.

“We will continue to work positively with the city’s wider investors and stakeholders to ensure that York and the wider region are able to continue to thrive.”

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The purchases, completed from three separate South East based vendors, represent a further significant multi-million-pound investment from York-based Helmsley Group following a series of acquisitions across the city centre in recent years.

A V ES RUTPODRAI T A EL ND EW

Five ways full fibre is improving people’s connectivity The internet is now as much of an everyday essential in our homes as running water and electricity. Yet, with so many of us still experiencing inconsistent speeds and poor service on a regular basis, the need for further investment in the UK’s digital infrastructure is amply clear.

In an increasingly digital world, it’s vital that communities aren’t left to depend on legacy copper networks (which still deliver internet services to the majority of UK homes), and that the option to connect homes to full fibre-enabled networks is made available to all.

The best network technology available, full fibre, uses 100% fibre optic cables to carry data at lightspeed all the way from the home to the internet exchange, with no interruptions.

At CityFibre, we’ve committed up to £4 billion in private investment to bring this future-proof technology within reach of 8 million homes by 2025.

But how will full fibre benefit you? Here are five ways full fibre will improve your broadband experience.

1. Making your connection faster A slow connection can impact you in different ways, from buffering to lag, and in some cases, it can be too slow for certain devices or applications. Our 100% full fibre network has the bandwidth and low latency to support ultrafast broadband speeds for both upload and download. This means that everyone in the household will be able to use their devices when they want without any lag or buffering.

2. Making your internet connection more reliable Poor weather and network damage can cause internet dropouts, leaving you unexpectedly without a connection. To combat this, our infrastructure is resistant to electromagnetic interference and

water, meaning it shouldn’t be disrupted by bad weather.

3. Reducing downtime Faults across a copper network can result in whole streets losing their connection while repairs are carried out. However, the intelligent network technology underpinning our full fibre infrastructure means any problems can be found and fixed quickly - often before connected residents even know there’s a problem!

4. Getting more bang for your buck At CityFibre, we want to see the UK benefit from a more competitive telecoms landscape, as this will drive service improvement. With our open access network, we are working with an evergrowing list of UK internet service providers (ISPs), giving connected residents greater choice. As the network grows, we will see even more ISPs offering fast, reliable full fibre enabled services at competitive

prices, making it possible for more people to future-proof their digital connectivity at home.

5. Building a network that your grandchildren will be using Our full-fibre network is futureproof, which means that even as our data consumption grows, our network will be able to flex as demand increases. So, even if you want to stream 8k movies or play the newest consoles, the technology connecting your home won’t need to be dug up and reinstalled – at least for the next few decades!

City Fibre is currently building its full fibre network here in Yorkshire to find out when you can access the network and enjoy all these benefits and more visit www.cityfibre.com/gigabityorkshire

TopicUK February 2021

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A EDW : VSE U N PT D U ARTE E N Daneile Moore is the communications and marketing manager at AD:VENTURE, a support programme designed to help young companies succeed.

Stuart on a mission to help Yorkshire businesses Funding and delivery partners for AD:VENTURE are from across the Leeds City Region, and include the nine local authorities, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds Trinity University, the Prince’s Trust and West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

Stuart came to Yorkshire in the 80s to study for a degree in economics and public policy at what is now Leeds Beckett University. He joined Leeds Chamber of Commerce and became their head of policy and research, before joining North Yorkshire County Council rising to head of business support, with particular emphasis on developing sites and premises for companies.

A Yorkshire business support programme which has helped thousands of fledgling companies has a new man with a mission at the helm.

Stuart Ross, who has over 30 years’ experience in economic development, but once took a year out to train to be a missionary, is the new manager at AD:VENTURE. Launched in 2017, AD:VENTURE supports start-up businesses and those under three years old in West Yorkshire and parts of North Yorkshire. It is part-funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) money.

Stuart, who has worked for Leeds Chamber of Commerce, North Yorkshire County Council, Yorkshire Forward and Leeds City Council, said: “AD:VENTURE is a really important

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engine for the growth of jobs and GDP in the Leeds City Region.

“It is achieving great things and I want it to continue to do that even when the European funding ends in 2023. A key element of my role leading the programme, will be to secure funding to enable continuation of this vital resource for the region’s startups.”

AD:VENTURE has offered hundreds of grants, totaling more than £1.5m.

As well as financial support, eligible businesses are offered practical advice, from webinars and workshops to one-to-one mentoring and courses run by subject-matter experts.

In 2001 he took a year out to train to be a missionary, but returned to business support in 2002, joining the now defunct Yorkshire Forward.

There he was responsible for the inward investment programme for South Yorkshire and found himself helping out businesses after the floods of 2007.

Flood damage was to become the focus of Stuart’s work again while he was working at Leeds City Council during the Boxing Day floods of 2015.

“My day job at Leeds City Council was appraising business growth grants, but when the floods happened I was literally walking round Kirkstall, where I lived, and talking to the companies that had been affected to see how we could help them.

“I did so much walking I literally got through a pair of shoes, but I know businesses appreciated us giving out grants to help with the clean- up and to contribute towards flood resilience measures such as flood gates and pumps to remove floodwater.”

Stuart, who is now 59, said he jumped at the chance to take the helm at AD:VENTURE when the opportunity came up.

“I have always worked in economic development, which might sound a bit dull, but it is far from it. You never know what is going to happen; whether it’s floods or foot and mouth or Covid.

“AD:VENTURE is a real partnership and pulls together some brilliant organisations to help fledgling businesses, and I am excited to be part of that growth story, which we hope to carry on for years to come.”

If you need a helping hand from one of AD:VENTURE’s business advisers please get in touch at support@ad-venture.org.uk or on 0845 524 0210.

For more information about AD:VENTURE and how it can help you, go to https://ad-venture. org.uk/

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N E W S U P D AT E making careers attainable and attractive to the next generation of IT talent,” summarised Sarah.

Fruition IT hopes to do just that by enabling ambitious te c h t a l e n t to a c h i e v e their caree r goals. The bursary aims to support the financial burden that often accompanies skills enhancement or retraining, thereby supporting the next ge ne ration of software developers.

Consultancy awards coding bursaries to future software developers Fruition IT, the Leeds-based technology recruitment consultancy has announced the winners of its bursary to support the living costs for two aspiring technology professionals while they undertake a software coding course.

Eloise Chilvers and Max Parker have each received a £1,500 bursary to kickstart their tech careers as they learn the skills needed to become junior software developers.

In partnership with Northcoders, one of the UK’s leading independent providers of training programmes, the bursaries can be used in conjunction with the fully funded Northcoders Excellence Scholarship scheme which is a skills bootcamp in coding and is part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee and Plan for Jobs.

Creating the tech nation of the future Software development plays

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•

•

The UK software development market is valued at $35.2bn, representing 2.1% growth in 2021 and 5% annualised market size growth in the last 5 years (Source: IBISWorld)

Tech is becoming more important for the UK economy. The rate of tech GVA contribution to the UK economy has grown on average by 7% per year since 2016 (Source: Tech Nation)

Sarah Pawson, founder and managing director, Fruition IT said: “Technology is fuelling UK growth as both an economic engine and showcase for UK innovation on a global scale. Yet the rate of demand for talent far outstrips supply. According to the KPMG/REC Report on Jobs, demand for IT and computing staff posted the steepest increase in demand for permanent staff across all industries in November.”

The UK tech startup and scaleup ecosystem is valued at $585bn, more than double the next valuable ecosystem,

“As a nation we need to do more to encourage skill development and entry i n t o t h e t e c h i n d u s r y,

an integral role in the UK’s wider tech nation, contributing to the future economy and reputation as a global innovator and leader.

The sector presents opportunity for emerging talent as: •

Germany at $291.bn (Source: Tech Nation)

Max Parker, bursary recipient and future software developer said, “In primary school, I was told by my year 5 teacher, ‘In the future, half of you will be doing jobs that don’t exist yet’. With the help of this bursary, I am now studying remotely on a course at Northcoders. This gives me the flexibility to study while taking care of people in my life. For those who feel left behind, it’s never too late to start.”

Eloise Chilvers, another recipient added, “Learning to code in JavaScript in preparation for the Northcoders Entry Challenge has been very exciting. I love the feeling when a piece of code clicks into place to solve a problem. Having the careers support from Fruition IT is a great comfort and it’s nice to know I won’t be alone when the time comes to look for a new job!”

Throughout 2021, Fruition IT has supported more than 520 IT professionals to find meaningful careers and UK businesses access the talent they need to grow.

Director given STEP Founders A ward Irwin Mitchell’s Director of Private Client Services has been awarded a prestigious lifetime achievement award from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

The awards are given to those who have made an exceptional a n d o u t s t a n d i n g l o n g - te r m contribution to the Society above and beyond that normally expected of a member, through office in their branch, or elsewhere in the voluntary life of the Society’.

Paula is the current chair of the STEP Contentious Trusts and Estates SIG, having been a member for six years and previously appointed as deputy chair. Paula has been a full member of STEP for many years and has achieved STEP’s Advanced Certificate in Trust Disputes.

to improve public understanding of the issues families face in this area and promotes education and high professional standards among its members.

Paula said: “It’s absolutely wonderful to have been recognised for this award. It’s been a pleasure to work with STEP Yorkshire and the various committees I’ve been involved with over the years.

“STEP is a vital part of upholding excellence in the private client industry, so to be recognised with this award is truly an honour.

STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. STEP works

“Many of our Private Client Services solicitors are members of STEP up and down the country, so I hope so see some of them receiving the same award in the future!”

N E W S U P D AT E In 2020 partner Andrea Jones was appointed as chair of STEP’s Yorkshire committee, while solicitor Sarah Wintle in the Tax, Trusts and Estates Leeds team qualified as a full member (TEP) this year.

In 2019 the national Tax, Trusts and Estates team was awarded Platinum Emplo ye r Partne r accreditation by the professional association, which takes into account a firm’s quality of training, learning and development.

STEP members help families plan for their futures, from drafting wills to issues surrounding international families, protection of the vulnerable, family businesses and philanthropic giving. Full STEP members, known as TEPs, are internationally recognised as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience.

TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E

Spinks streamlines and appoints new commercial director

Leeds -based Spinks, the components division of 1 8 0 - y e a r - o l d fa m i l y bedmaker Harrison Spinks, has announced the launch of an additional distribution centre and appointment of a new commercial director as the global leader in sustainable spring and comfort technology continues to grow.

The new 35,000 sq. ft. distribution centre will be used for the storage

of finished goods and raw materials to enable Spinks to fully utilise the manufacturing space in its existing Leeds factories. Spinks’ wire drawing lines will also move from Leeds to its main wire drawing site in Scunthorpe.

In addition, Emma Davidson has been appointed as commercial director of Spinks. With previous operational, finance and directorship experience, Emma will be responsible for strengthening the relationship between finance and operations as well as overseeing the new distribution centre.

Darren Marcangelo, managing director at Spinks, commented: “The new distribution centre allows us to

use our existing facilities purely for manufacturing rather than storage, and we’re incredibly pleased to welcome Emma to spearhead the operation and oversee this transition.

This streamlining is particularly timely as demand is high and so Emma has joined the team at an opportune time.”

Emma continued: “After working

as a consultant for over ten years, I’m pleased to have joined Spinks and look forward to joining the dots between disciplines and overseeing the evolution to the new distribution centre.”

Emma has prior experience as finance director at Yorkshire Exhaust Specialists and managing director at BR Pharmaceuticals.

Photo © Jonty Wilde.

Courtesy of YSP, registered charity 1067908.

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Finance Yorkshire appoints the FSE Group Finance Yorkshire has appointed The FSE Group to manage two business loan investment streams.

The new fund has been structured to provide SMEs with a range of support through Seedcorn and Growth Fund (primarily equity) investments, along with large and small Business Loans.

The FSE Group will manage the two Business Loan funds. It was announced that Anticus Partners will manage the Seedcorn and Growth streams.

Finance Yorkshire’s new fund is expected to invest more than £50m over the next five years as it continues to realise its investment portfolio from its earlier fund.

The appointment follows Finance Yorkshire’s announcement of a new fund to support business growth across the region. Investments are

available to eligible SMEs across Yorkshire and the Humber with ambitions to expand, create jobs and improve productivity.

Fund launched to help celebrate the Queen's Jubilee this year

The new fund has been created from the combined legacies successfully created by Finance Yorkshire and the former South Yorkshire Investment Fund. Finance Yorkshire’s JEREMIE and Extension Funds invested £113m in more than 500 companies in the region.

Finance Yorkshire chief executive,

N E W S U P D AT E

Alex McWhirter said: “We’re looking forward to working with The FSE Group to provide muchneeded investment to companies with great potential but who are unable to access finance from traditional and other alternative sources.

“The FSE Group emerged as the best candidate following a competitive tendering process and they have wide-ranging experience of delivering investments that help SMEs to reach their maximum potential.”

The FSE Group CEO, Paul Marston added: “We are delighted to be appointed fund manager for these two loan funds and join Anticus Partners in providing alte rnative finance options to high growth SMEs across Yorkshire and the Humber. The FSE Group has been funding and supporting growth SMEs for 20 years and we look forward to building on Finance Yorkshire’s previous success.”

This is Lottery funded through the Arts Council England. They are encouraging groups to work collaboratively with artists and cultural organisations.

It's the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this year and the Community Foundation for Calderdale have launched grants to fund community organisations to celebrate through creative and cultural activities.

If you are looking for between £750 to £5,000, please have a look to check your eligibility and to apply before 28th February 2022 visit https://cffc.co.uk/ lets-create-fund/

TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E

Pandemic is transforming the role of the office

pandemic life are undergoing a fundamental re-evaluation.

“Whether it is the structure of the working week or day, the balance between work and personal life, the effect of our working lives on our mental and physical health, the sustainability of commuting, or the office as the central place of work, all are in the analytical spotlight.”

But Dr Elliott is adamant that this fundamental re-evaluation will not lead to the death of the office. “The hyperbole and sensationalism of the mainstream press, who conflated a relatively short-period of enforced working from home with the longterm death of the office, increasingly appears wide of the mark.

“While occupiers have naturally been slower to make real estate decisions, few have taken the knife to their occupied portfolios with anywhere near the ferocity feared in the early months of the crisis.

“Instead there has been a flight to quality across all UK cities, as occupiers seek office space that is both attractive to staff and compelling relative to alternative work settings, such as home. The office increasingly needs to provide its occupants with more than they can obtain elsewhere.

The “black swan” event of Covid has revolutionised the way in which the traditional office is viewed, according to a brand-new report by global property consultancy Knight Frank.

The UK Cities report, expands on Knight Frank’s recent ground-breaking (Y)OUR SPACE report, suggesting that the past 20 pandemic-dominated months have led to occupiers radically rethinking what they want – and need – from a modern office.

In this report Dr Lee Elliott, partner and

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global head of occupier research, explains that occupiers are now repurposing their offices in key ways.

He comments: “The virus has led individuals and companies to question their purpose. In so doing, some of the mainstays and orthodoxies of pre-

“So the flight to quality is synonymous with a flight to amenity rich buildings particularly related to health and personal wellbeing. Whilst a single office building cannot feasibly provide all such amenities, they can be delivered within a managed estate or within the boundaries of a micro-market.

“It is significant that occupiers have recognised that the simplistic reduction of quantum of space is not effective and can actually create environments and experiences that are sub-optimal for staff and their

N E W S U P D AT E productivity. It appears the approach is instead focused around maximising the return on investment an occupier makes when taking a lease.

This supports the provision of a more compelling and attractive office, but also requires the space to be more intensely and more consistently utilised. Consequently, occupiers are reconfiguring office space towards: •

A more compelling environment AND experience

•

A more heavily utilised and productive space

•

Placing greater emphasis on collaborative rather than private work-spaces

Looking specifically at the Leeds office market, Knight Frank Partner and Head of office agency Eamon Fox added: “The death of the office

in Leeds is a myth. The market has proved incredibly resilient in the midst of the pandemic and I am looking forward to 2022 with genuine optimism.

“The long-awaited arrival of Channel 4 in Leeds has proved

to be a tremendous boost to the city, underlining its potential. The knock-on effect is already being felt with Leeds becoming a magnet for bright young tech, media and creative companies, with state-ofthe-art buildings such as Platform, 1 City Square, 34 Boar Lane and

The college will be offering T Levels in Digital, Construction, Education, Health and Science, Business and Admin and Engineering and Manufacturing, providing young people with the opportunity to gain new skills to help build the future workforce and boost the local economy.

The qualification has bee n de veloped in collaboration with leading employers to meet the future needs of industry.

“2022 promises so much. MRP’s City Square House, next to the station, is going to be another game-changer, with 83,000 sq ft already pre-let to leading global law firm DLA Piper. for Study Programmes at Kirklees College said:

Kirklees College is one of the selected providers approved to deliver T Levels from September 2022.

Designed for post-16 students who intend to progress directly to employment, an apprenticeship or Higher Education, a T Level is a two-year technical education course that is the equivalent of three A Levels.

Concordia Works welcoming some of the best in class.

Historic Yorkshire textile archive receives lottery grant Our subject specialists have supported the development of the programme to offer the most up-to-date knowledge and attributes to students.

We pride ourselves in offering state-of-the-art facilities that reflect

industry standards. We recognise that young people’s future is not just about getting their first job, it is about the capacity to build a career and pursue their goals in their chosen industry.

“We’re delighted to be expanding the options available to our students by delivering T Levels from September 2022. At Kirklees College, we understand the benefits of practical based learning and T Levels will play a vital role in allowing local employers to thrive by employing young people equipped with the desired skills and experience needed in the workplace.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT T LEVELS AT KIRKLEES COLLEGE, VISIT HTTPS:// WWW.KIRKLEESCOLLEGE. AC.UK/T-LEVELS/.

Lisa Buckley, Assistant Principal TopicUK February 2021

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P A RNTENWE SR U P D A T E

Harrogate travel agent re-opens in prime location Ventur Luxury Travel is celebrating as it rebrands and relocates to Montpellier Parade in the centre of Harrogate.

Founded in Harrogate more than 35 years ago, and formerly known as Traveltalk, the travel agent specialises in luxury package holidays tailored to customers’ needs, from bespoke honeymoon packages to solo adventure holidays and family beach trips, managing everything from travel and accommodation to in-destination touches.

Katherine Scott, manager at Ventur Luxury Travel, said: “We are incredibly excited to be sharing the Ventur experience with our customers and celebrating our new home on Montpellier Parade. It’s been tough for the travel industry but we’re proud to make such a statement with this move – we’re stronger than ever! We are delighted to have moved to a more prime location while continuing to offer our customers the high-touch holiday booking experience they’ve come to know and love.

Since opening in December 2021, we’ve seen a boom in bookings for luxury winter breaks as well as planning trips well into 2022.

Customers old and new know they can trust us with creating their dream holidays with all the perfect F TopicUK February 2021

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PA R T N E R U P D AT E

finishing touches – whether that’s finding just the right private dining experience to celebrate a special occasion or ensuring all the details are taken care of for a seamless trip.”

is stronger than ever. While we’ve undertaken a rebrand, customers can be reassured it’s the same excellent service they’ve been receiving for many years.”

Paul Millington, CEO of Ventur, added: “It’s an exciting time for Ventur Luxury Travel and we’ve seen from the significant increase in customer enquiries that the appetite to return to travel

TO FIND OUT MORE, CONTACT 01423 872 516, VISIT VENTUR.LUXURY OR HEAD IN-STORE: 12 MONTPELLIER PARADE, HARROGATE, HG1 2TJ.

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ANDE VWESR U TO RA I ATLE PD key to understand the financial impact of any potential purchase.

Company car vs personal purchase or lease – which should you choose?

Low emissions for business benefits With changing legislation on CO2 emissions, if you’re buying a car that with emission output of more than 50g/kg, it’s not really going to be of benefit to buy the car as a business asset.

By Jamie Kelly Head of Tax at Parsons Accountants.

To ensure you can get better benefits through buying the car as a capital allowance, you really want to go the low emission route – fully electric vehicles are the most advantageous from a financial point of view. Every situation, car and set of circumstances can be different though - even within the same company - so it pays to get advice from someone who understands the intricacies.

Bear in mind that there will be some additional Employer’s National Insurance to pay if you’re providing a company car to a director or any member of staff, whatever the level of emissions.

Company car vs personal purchase or lease – which should you choose?

As a business owner you almost certainly need a car to use in your day-to-day working life, but when you’re buying or leasing a new car, should you do it through the company, or is it better to purchase it personally?

A quick guide to the company vs personal car dilemma Many people work to the rule of thumb that if you’re a director of a limited company, then you’re better off buying or leasing a car personally and then calculating your business mileage and claiming that as an expense in your accounts. Broadly that

might be true, but there are a few things to consider, so here’s a quick guide to what applies for limited companies.

electric cars - but the lower your emissions, the smaller the slice HMRC takes from you.

Buying

Leasing It’s perfectly ok for your company to finance lease payments, and you might even be able to reclaim some VAT. There are a variety of things that will dictate how much you can claim, so you need to get a good accountant to go through the figures for an accurate overview.

You also need to bear in mind that you get a personal Benefit In Kind from using a car the business pays for, so expect to see this listed on your P11D, and to take a tax hit as a result. Benefit in Kind is unavoidable - even with

If you prefer to buy rather than lease, five things will influence whether it’s better to purchase the car yourself or via the company: 1.

List price

2.

Fuel type

3.

Who covers fuel costs

4.

Ratio of business to personal use

5.

Average mileage per annum

Bespoke advice on business car purchases As you can see, the complexities involved in deciding whether or not to buy a car through your business or as a personal purchase are exactly why you really need to crunch the numbers before making any decisions!

If you need any further advice on this subject or any other tax, accounting or business finance matter, just call our friendly team on 01924 669500 and we’ll be happy to help.

Again, getting good advice is the TopicUK February 2021

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N EE CWRSU U R I TPEDMAETNET U P D A T E

Jobs Outlook: Spotlight on Yorkshire An in-depth look at Yorkshire's economic and recruitment activity

The worker shortage dominates the jobs outlook landscape as businesses across Yorkshire and the whole of the UK continue to find it difficult to recruit staff as candidate availability drops by one of the fasted rates on record in October.

High demand for staff, fewer foreign workers and a hesitancy amongst employees to seek out new roles or sectors can be attributed to the shortages.

High staff demand and a limited pool of suitably skilled candidates available to fill temporary roles attributes to the fastest decline in temporary availability since April.

With all this going on there is considerable pressure on the government to support and upskill jobseekers ensuring they have the relevant training, transferable skills and development opportunities to fill positions in high demand sectors.

Demand for skills

The lack of candidates and increased demand for staff has seen wages across permanent and temporary positions have seen the sharpest rise since the survey began in 1997.

Euan West Senior partner at KPMG in Leeds, said: “Many skills are in short supply, meaning there are not enough people with the right skills to fill the amount of vacancies. While this is clearly a problem in well-talked about sectors such as hospitality and retail, and with HGV drivers, this has become a widespread problem across many sectors, with companies struggling to find qualified staff.

Staff availability The supply of candidates looking for permanent positions continues to decline – nervousness amongst candidates to move roles is a major restraint on staff supply.

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In the most recent report on Jobs from KMPG and Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the demand for workers was up across all sectors monitored.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the number

of job vacancies in the UK reached a record high of 1.10 million between July and September an increase of 318,000 from before the pandemic.

Pay rates The data shows a steep increase in pay rates for both permanent and temporary positions, the quickest rates seen in over 24 years. The latest increase was the third sharpest on record and was only outpaced by figures seen in the last couple of months.

The pressures we are currently seeing are a direct consequence of the ongoing candidate shortages and we are seeing businesses prepared to offer salaries that are more competitive in order to attract the right level.

The ONS reports that the North of England has seen almost a 2% rise in average weekly earnings with the UK overall recording a 4.1% increase.

such as people leaving the UK due to Brexit as well as the pandemic causing huge disruption.

Also typically at this time of the year we do not see much movement as people tend to stick in their roles preferring stability over the Christmas and New Year period.

So what can we do to combat the situation? Employers must consider lowering their expectations when recruiting and then upskilling those new starters to the required skill level. They need to be prepared to reduce their profits in order to invest in the staff through training and development.

Also, think about taking mundane tasks away from the skilled workforce to allow them to do more of the high-level activities.

Employers need to open dialogue with the education sector and tell them what skills they need to ensure courses are tailored to the realworld requirements.

Stafflex perspective There is no clear reason for the shortages but we believe it is a consequence of different reasons

For further information, contact Nemi Alexis, Marketing Manager at Stafflex on 01484 351010 or at nemi@stafflex.co.uk.

ISO specialists give IT and digital Consultancy the answer for data protection Care Programme, working with NHS Digital to join up IT systems.

Answer had already achieved ISO 14001 and their technical work meets many internationally recognised standards; however, they say they are further committed to demonstrating their dedication to data protection.

Huddersfield based ISO consultants; Synergos Consultancy are delighted to have worked with Answer Digital to help the business gain the ISO 27001 standard.

Answer, who are based in Leeds work with organisations across all sectors, applying data and digital technology to help them

achieve their ambitions. Amongst other large-scale projects, they are supporting the development and delivery of the NHS Integrating

Jenny Kilburn, managing director of Synergos Consultancy says: “When your business holds ISO 27001 certification, you automatically demonstrate to your stakeholders that you are serious about protecting data and your physical environment through the implementation of an Information Security Management

N E W S U P D AT E System (ISMS) which enables organisations of any kind to manage the security of assets such as financial information, intellectual property, employee details or information entrusted by third parties.”

Nigel Garner, chief technology officer at Answer, said: “Answer works with large organisations that range from financial institutions to the NHS, and information security is paramount for our business. So, we worked in partnership with Synergos C o n s u l t a n c y to r e v i e w o u r existing capabilities and support our ongoing development.

“Achieving ISO 27001 certification is recognition of the hard work our team do to ensure the highest standards, and it was invaluable to work with the compliance experts at Synergos who deliver an efficient process.”

TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E

IoD boosts North Yorkshire team with key appointments and has worked in Asia, the US and now Yorkshire. Anny encourages diversity in business by mentoring aspiring future female business leaders.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has strengthened its North Yorkshire team with the appointment of two branch ambassadors.

Anny Lian and Nick Green will help to provide directors with

greater connectivity, professional development opportunities and an influential lobbying voice.

Anny was an investment banker advising on capital raising and mergers and acquisitions. She was also chief financial officer of a high-growth tech company

Nick is an entrepreneur with financial services business startup and management experience.

He is a director of Fatgreen, which protects SMEs and investors by insuring them from unforeseen events which could negatively impact business finances. Nick has advised SME’s, investors and corporate finance teams in the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore and China.

Caroline Pullich, chair of IoD North Yorkshire, said: “Anny

Anny and Nick are highly skilled and experienced operators with a great deal of international experience...

and Nick are highly skilled and experienced operators with a great deal of international experience. Their input will be hugely beneficial to our members in North Yorkshire as we work to g e t h e r to b e c o m e b e t te r directors, achieve our potential and contribute to a diverse and sustainable business community.

PURPOSE DRIVEN.

Wild IDEAS.

Reaching your audience, raising your profile, getting results!

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formerly @WeAreWildPR 01484 504 488 wild-pr.co.uk

A V ES RUTPODRAI T A EL ND EW this year with the addition of our beautiful sculpture b y D i a n e L aw r e n s o n . W i t h the next series of Gentleman Jack hitting our screens around this time too we know interest in this now legendary woman’s life will once again peak. Her experiences still hold so much resonance today drawing interest and tourists from across the globe, and we can’t wait to welcome them to The Piece Hall.

Looking forward to the summer months, the line-up for Live at The Piece Hall 2022 is really shaping up to be something very special too.

By: Nicky Chance-Thompson DL, CEO The Piece Hall Trust

A New Year filled with hope A new year always fills me with hope and I’m truly hopeful that 2022 will be the best year yet for The Piece Hall.

stunning large-scale sculptures to the Courtyard.

Our Christmas programme saw more than 360,000 people pass through the gates to attend our varied concerts and events.

From the uplifting sounds of the Elland Silver Band to heartwarming moments at festive family films, to the full-on rock ‘n’ roll of Buzzcocks and some euphoric hands in the air dance action from Ellie Sax there really was something for everyone.

market, it’s going to be another busy one for sure.

Five pieces are being displayed outside including, for the first time in the UK, the stunning Dancing Hares which stands more than four metres in height.

There will also be a selection of Sophie’s smaller works on show in The Gallery.

The ope ning of our Winte r Makers market saw a recordbreaking retail weekend for The Piece Hall and for many of our traders too. Unsurprisingly, we’re already inundated with requests for stalls for our Spring Makers

Making heritage and culture accessible to all is one of our missions and our first big event of the year does just this. Opening in February is an exhibition by acclaimed artist Sophie Ryder who is bringing a selection of her

We’re taking some time each Monday during January and February, when the Piece Hall is closed, to give our precious building some much needed TLC but there’s still plenty to see, do and look forward to.

Celebrated

These impactful works will be free for all to see throughout the Spring and are sure to surprise and delight anyone who passes b y, so make sure you get a date in your dairy.

Tom Jones, Paloma Faith and Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds are already sold out, and you’ll need to be quick to get tickets for Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics, man of the moment Tom Grennan and Primal Scream’s 30 anniversary tour for their iconic album Screamadelica. More big names are being announced imminently too.

You might have heard about some rather exciting filming which has been taking place at The Piece Hall recently. We were delighted to be approached by one of the industry’s major players looking for a special location for a shoot. While we’re sworn to secrecy over the details of the production, what I can say is, it’s marvellous news for both the Piece Hall Trust and the town!

Speaking of diaries, Halifax’s most famous diarist will be celebrated in April when we mark Anne Liste r week, TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E

Better rail journeys for Leeds with £161m upgrade •

Rail Minister Wendy Morton visits £161 million upgrade of Leeds Station – the first phase of major improvements set to transform rail journeys

•

New tracks, longer platforms and improved reliability will ensure passengers have more seats, more services and more punctual journeys

•

Upgrade completed following publication of Government’s £96bn Integrated Rail Plan – will lead to reduced journey times and transform connections for passengers across Yorkshire

Rail Minister Wendy Morton has hailed the completed Leeds Station upgrades as a major milestone in delivering a modern, fully connected transport hub fit for the future.

Visiting Leeds Station to see the competition of £161 million of upgrade works, the Minister will meet with former apprentices and senior staff of Network Rail responsible for delivering key upgrades to the Trans Pennine Route.

The visit follows the publication of the Integrated Rail Plan, a £96

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billion programme of investment targeted at transforming rail connections across the North and Midlands.

Rail Minister, Wendy Morton said: “Leeds station is a major hub right at the heart of the North, not only a gateway to one of the UK’s most vibrant and lively cities but a vital transport link enabling people from all over the country to travel for work, pleasure and connect with friends and family.

“These upgrades are a huge

milestone making these journeys even easier, providing passengers with more seats, more services and more punctual journeys all while building upon our unprecedented Integrated Rail Plan - delivering a modern, fully connected transport hub fit for the future quicker than under previous plans.”

N E W S U P D AT E Councillor James Lewis, Leader of Leeds City Council, said: “This is an important milestone in our continued ambitions to modernise Leeds’ rail connections to make them fit to support what is one of the fastest-growing economies with the busiest railway station in the north of the UK. “These upgrades will improve the passenger experience and are a first step towards beginning to address our capacity issues at Leeds station. We will work with the government to secure a robust strategy for ongoing enhancements to improve connectivity for Leeds that w i l l b e n e f i t Yo r k s h i r e , t h e North and the UK.” The upgrades at Leeds Station – one of the country’s busiest rail hubs – were finalised by engineers working round the clock over the New Year break.

Paul Tuohy, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said: “Expanding and improving the rail network will be key to reducing carbon emissions and helping cities to thrive.

The upgrades at Leeds station will enable more people to travel by rail and make journeys more reliable, an important step towards a greener transport future.”

Through the unprecedented investment under the Integrated Rail Plan, passengers in Leeds will see dramatic improvements to their journey times, far sooner than under previous proposals.

This includes full electrification to York, and of the Calder Valley line between Bradford and Leeds,

cut ting journe y times to as little as 12 minutes. Our plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail will see services reaching Manchester from Leeds in 33 minutes, a saving of 22 minutes compared to today, and passengers will reach Birmingham 29 minutes faster than at present.

The IRP has also kickstarted work on the West Yorkshire Mass Transit System, righting the historic wrong that Leeds is the largest city in Western Europe without a mass transit network, and £100m of de velopme nt funding is focused on determining the best way to bring HS2 services to Leeds.

The completion of works has seen the lengthening o f p l a t f o r m s , c re a t i o n o f a new Platform 0 and a new concourse delivered, ensuring passengers experience a more modern station with improved connections, longer trains and more seats and services.

The major improvements to tracks will also significantly boost the reliability and punctuality of services entering the station.

TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E

Huddersfield-based Scriba PR awarded media brief from breakthrough broadband provider Scriba PR has been appointed as the communications partner for disruptive broadband provider, Be Fibre, to deliver an ambitious, strategic media brief Following the news that the full-fibre internet service provider gained access to £100m of private investment funding, the high-profile firm has partnered with the technical B2B PR agency to help support its mission to deliver hypersonic broadband access to 1,000,000 premises, over the next six years.

Hired on a retained basis for the next 12 months, Scriba’s work will include profile raising for the brand and key spokespeople, via thoughtleadership editorials and speaking opportunities, as well as consumerfacing communications from a national to a hyperlocal level.

Scriba will also act as the press office for this fast-paced business and will protect the messaging house as the company’s tone of voice takes shape.

Ambitious “Here at Scriba, we have almost a decade of experience within the technology and telecommunications sectors. We’re excited to leverage this to help Be Fibre bring the UK up to speed, literally, in terms of full-fibre connectivity,” explained Scriba’s managing director, Katie Mallinson.

“We’ll be working closely with the company to help achieve its ambitious growth targets – with a bold public relations and marketing strategy supporting Be Fibre’s aim to provide residential and business connectivity to 80 towns and cities by 2027.”

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Be Fibre hopes to create up to 500 jobs by the end of 2022 alone.

Speaking of Scriba’s appointment, Be Fibre’s Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, Rob Andrews said: “Broadband is an extremely competitive market where messages can sometimes be highly confusing. We will be relying on Scriba PR to help us cut through the noise and jargon of a crowded marketplace, so that consumers are empowered to make better broadband choices.

“There’s a B2B element to our brief too, as we raise the authoritative voice of our sister brand – alternative network provider Digital Infrastructure. We look forward to working with Scriba PR in both respects, and already see them as a highly capable and personable extension to our existing marketing communications function.”

With a 13-strong team, Scriba PR has more than 60 clients based throughout the UK and overseas.

A V ES RUTPODRAI T A EL ND EW

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Kirklees Apprenticeships for All is part funded by the European Social Fund and managed by Kirklees Council. It is delivered across the Kirklees District alongside our delivery partners; The University of Huddersfield, Kirklees College, Kirklees Active Leisure, Thornton & Ross Ltd and Connect Housing Association

Contact the team today and find out more!

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TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E

Historic Yorkshire textile archive receives lottery grant The historic Sunny Bank Mills Archive, one of the most significant and substantial woven textile archives in the UK, has been awarded a £40,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Archive, an integral part of the award-winning Sunny Bank Mills complex in Leeds, is to use this grant to work in partnership with a nearby inclusive learning centre.

The Mills, which were originally built in 1829, have been in the Gaunt family for six generations and are currently owned and managed by cousins John and William.

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The Gaunts set up Sunny Bank Mills Ltd, a not-for-profit company in 2017 to safeguard the historic textile archive at Sunny Bank Mills and the archive has gone from strength to strength since then. It is curated by Rachel Moaby.

Rachel explained: “This generous grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund is absolutely

transformational for us. One of the key lessons we learned from being locked down during the global pandemic was that we needed to be much more accessible” “We will be working in partnership with the Post 16 department at West Leeds Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre (SILC) Powerhouse based in Farsley. We intend to use this collaboration, called Weaving the Web, to help to create lasting connections and exciting new projects at the Archive.

Autism, Cerebral Palsy and Downs Syndrome. They will really benefit from this project – as will we,” said Rachel.

“Wherever possible the Farsley c o m m u n i t y a n d We s t S I L C s t u d e n t s w i l l b e i n v i te d to experience the rich heritage of the Archive in person. The equipment and training facilitated by this grant will give us the tools to create and continue workshops for years to come. With digital input and increased website access, a whole new audience can, and will, be reached,” she added.

“This will not only benefit the students but will also increase the knowledge of our staff and volunteers at Sunny Bank Mills. We intend to create youth ambassadors working in tandem with West Leeds SILC’s workrelated learning programme to build much more inclusive web design and content, helping to promote inclusivity and accessibility at the archive.

“We feel this work is tremendously important, both for us and for West SILC, whose students have a range of learning needs including Asperger’s,

N E W S U P D AT E with the West Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre students and web designers Split Pixel who will help us really understand what accessible means. This is such exciting news,” he added.

The nationally important Sunny Bank Mills Archive consists of: fabric records including over 300 guard books containing thousands of textile cuttings; 60,000 lengths of fabric; 8,000 fabric designs; 5,000 wool dyeing recipe cards; 100 leather bound ledgers and cash books; weaving looms; photographs and memorabilia and a library of millrelated books.

As part of the Weaving the Web This will not O n the closure programme Tom only benefit the of a mill, the Jackson, a freelance students but will textile records photographer, and also increase are generally a lecturer in Digital the knowledge thrown in the Media at the of our staff skip. Therefore, University of Leeds, and volunteers... s a d l y, 9 9 % o f will be developing West Yorkshire’s an exciting record textile archives of the objects in the have been lost.

Archive through 360 The Gaunt family, photography. He will also be creating workshops for however, were adamant that Sunny West SILC students and the local Bank Mills’ heritage should be community, as well as building a preserved for future generations, so dynamic interactive inventory of when the mill closed in 2008, all the the objects in the Archive available mill records were carefully set aside. through the Sunny Bank Mills William Gaunt explained: “It is website. important to John and I that the John Gaunt explained: “We are Archive has a secure future beyond delighted to be recognised by The our lifetimes for generations to National Lottery Heritage Fund in come, so The National Lottery what will be a transformational Heritage grant means a great deal project for the Sunny Bank Mills to us. The management, restoration, Archive. The grant will allow the conservation, preservation, use and archive to invest in equipment promotion of the Archive here is and skills to make it accessible absolutely crucial.” online to not just the community from which it was borne, but to all Thanks to The National Lottery corners of the wider community players, this important and exciting project can take place and help to that want to see it. create lasting connections with all “We look forward to working our community and their heritage.

TopicUK February 2021

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New index reveals highest performing eCommerce websites

Commenting on the launch of the highprofile rankings, Gav Winter, CEO of both the Web Vitals Index and RapidSpike said: “It worries me that performance engineering and website monitoring are often considered reactive tick-box exercises, rather than the proactive source of empowering, businesschanging information that it should be - especially in the era of the ever-more discerning customer.”

A new list - the Web Vitals Index - has revealed the highestp e r fo r m i n g e C o m m e rc e websites in the UK. The premier league of sites is powered by next-generation website testing specialist R a p i d S p i k e - a f a s t- g r o w i n g L e e d s headquartered firm that counts Tesco, Sofology, Kurt Geiger and William Hill among its customer base.

The list triangulates a range of metrics including Google’s Core Web Vitals threepronged user experience benchmark*, as well as website performance over time, accessibility, page structure and reliability.

Committed to making the web faster, safer, and easier for everyone to use, RapidSpike’s goal is to demonstrate the brands working

the hardest - irrespective of size - to improve overall website performance, brand loyalty and user experiences for every online customer.

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To see where the UK’s most renowned retail brands rank, visit https:// www.webvitalsindex.com/.

Eaton Smith welcomes new head of residential conveyancing Eaton Smith is delighted to announce the appointment of Ashley Mallett as their new head of residential conveyancing.

Ashley is widely experienced in residential property having trained at a high street but nationally recognised practise and then practising for a short while in North Yorkshire.

He then moved on to a large regional firm where he led the conveyancing offering in branches in numerous towns across Yorkshire.

Following this Ashley practised at a large national top-100 law firm, acting for clients from both the public and private sectors.

James Burgess, partner and head of property commented; “Ashley’s appointment greatly strengthens our offering bringing with him

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Company of the Month

his passion for client service and emphasis on making the conveyancing experience the very best it can be for his clients. We are pleased to have him on board.”

Commenting his appointment, Ashley said; “I am excited to have the opportunity to join the team at Eaton Smith where there is plenty of scope to build on their reputation as a quality firm in the region. I am looking forward to getting to know the local marketplace and working with our clients.”

Ashley’s appointment follows the appointment late in 2021 of Julie Mills in conveyancing and Jamie Humpheson in commercial property who both have significant experience and expertise in their fields. These appointments will help the property team at Eaton Smith continue to grow and offer excellent client service.

N E W S U P D AT E

LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME FOR YOUR BUSINESS? WAKEFIELD DISTRICT IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS! Wakefield District, in the heart of the UK, offers unrivalled connectivity with the A1/M1/M62 meeting just outside the city, and 27 trains a day to London with a journey time of around 2 hours.

Proudly home to an innovative advanced manufacturing sector, a vibrant creative industry, diverse digital and tech businesses together with a forward-thinking logistics network and connected professional services. 338,000 people live within the district with 200,000 students within a 25 mile radius.

Our draft Local Plan will provide enough commercial land to meet demand until 2036.

This boasts an additional 280 hectares of primes supply employment land, enhancing the current supply of 189 hectares across 17 prime commercial sites.

HOW WAKEFIELD FIRST CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS

Lucy McDonald Place Manager

Melanie Wray,Inward Investment & Strategic Accounts Officer

If you are looking for a new premises, or want to talk about how Wakefield could be a great location for your business, please get in touch with our team: invest@wakefield.gov.uk Our Inward Investment team are dedicated to helping you find the right location in the District to call home for your business. The team proactively encourage and assist in investment and promotion of the district as one of the UK’s more business-friendly locations and can help you with: -Targeted & tailored property searches to meet your business needs -Support with access to relevant funding streams through our range of partners -Coordinate meetings with key partners including planning, transport & highways -Provide a full welcome to Wakefield service connecting you to support service who will help with recruitment, business growth & more

WAKEFIELD FIRST, THE FIRST POINT OF CALL FOR YOUR BUSINESS FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.wakefieldfirst.com OR CONTACT invest@wakefield.gov.uk

TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E as it’s such a busy time for the expanding business, but, as she explains, it’s also a great place to be.

“I love the family feel to the iHus team. Everybody plays their own important part in ensuring the customer has a seamless journey from planning to sign off. The team work together brilliantly, and Trev is very open minded to new ideas when they’re brought to the table – iHus is a forward thinking, openminded and positive place to work.” Kirsten said.

iHus scores a hattrick with three new employees 2021 was the busiest y e a r to d a te fo r iHus – the country’s leading granny annexe suppliers – with a 600 per cent increase in demand.

This de mand has led to a number of key hires which have culminated in three recent design and marketing appointments.

Tom Gregory, Kirsten Nicole Scott and Lydia Kilner have all joined the growing business

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with ambitious plans for 2022.

Tom, 22, from Retford has joined as a designer. Having recently graduated with a first in product design he was keen to start his career in design in a company with vision and opportunity.

Tom said: “I chose IHus as it gives me the chance to work in a small and super friendly team that has lots of personality and energy within it. I also really enjoy the fact my designs will be built giving the client a home that is designed just for them.

“My designs will also have such a meaningful impact on the quality of life of our customers. I also really enjoy the variety of the projects and unique specifications.”

Kirsten Nicole Scott, 27 from Doncaster has been appointed marketing manager. Kirsten has worked with brands including Laterooms.com and Coca Cola. She joins from Route 1 Print in Rotherham and has hit the ground running

Lydia is new to the construction industry but highly skilled in customer s e r v i c e h av i n g w o r ke d for over 13 years in the hospitality industry. Now 30, Lydia is also based in Doncaster and was looking for a new challenge when she applied to be a part of the team.

Lydia said: “iHus has got personality and you can see that eve ryone here has a genuine desire to make great homes for our clients and improve their quality of life. There is a lot of feel-good factor here! However, there’s also really clear processes and organisation which appeals to the neat freak in me!”

Trevor Smeaton, founder and MD added: “It’s always great to be able to offer young people an opportunity to develop their careers and with Lydia, Kirsten and Tom we have some real talent that we know will benefit the business as we look forward to expanding further.”

WAKEFIELD COUNCIL HELPING BUSINESSES TO PROMOTE EQUALITY & DIVERSITY

Wakefield Council is looking to actively promote, support, nurture and encourage equality and diversity for local businesses within the district.

Following the success of the first ‘Equality First’ seminar at The Hepworth in Wakefield in October, the Council recently ran an intimate roundtable event focused on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), which involved Council staff and businesses such as Wakefield College, NEXT, Theatre Royal Wakefield and many more.

Workforces should be inclusive and provide opportunities for all in terms of race, religion, gender, age, orientation, and education.

It is key that employers promote a culture of inclusion where diversity is embraced, and equality is provided for

individuals and workforces to reach their true potentials which ultimately increases business productivity and success.

Diversity Cllr Darren Byford, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economic Growth and Property, said “We know the best place to start is to talk openly with businesses and professionals from across the district in a range of sectors to share their experiences of EDI and help us shape the solutions to tackle the barriers”.

“The aim of the event was to talk challenges, success stories

and all things equality and diversity in business and we will be reflecting on what actions we as a Council can take today to improve EDI in our business community”.

“We are very much looking f o r w a r d to t h e f u t u r e a n d working together with local businesses and organisations to support this district-wide initiative”.

Anna Button, DEI Specialist at NEXT, said: “The more we learn, the closer we get’. Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion is not a new concept or theory that has been plucked from academia, but a very real ethos which underlies the fundamental human rights of dignity and respect. For businesses today, understanding what tangible difference looks like and how to harness that to not only tap

into the mass of talent out there, but to help all reach their full potential is difficult but not an impossible task. A collective voice is better than a ‘lone wolf’ across all business sectors and being part of a county wide discussion and support network on how we can learn together is a great initiative to move the agenda forward. I am proud that myself and NEXT are a fundamental part of those discussions”.

A series of events and roundtables are planned for 2022. To find out more, please contact info@ wakefieldfirst.com with the subject title: ‘Equality first'.

WAKEFIELD FIRST, THE FIRST POINT OF CALL FOR YOUR BUSINESS FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.wakefieldfirst.com OR CONTACT info@wakefieldfirst.com TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E

New appointment boosts Ramsdens’ Corporate and Commercial team

Ramsdens is pleased to announce the appointment of Sandra Crichton, who has joined the Corporate and Commercial team.

The appointment significantly boosts the team, which is led by corporate lawyer Stephen Newman.

opportunity to be part of a proactive and dynamic organisation and to contribute my cutting-edge commercial approach to

Sandra has over 23 years’ experience in mergers and acquisitions, re-organisations and investment and shareholders arrangements.

With her experience in high value and complex transactions gained in Manchester dealing with national and international clients, Sandra will complement the existing corporate team at Ramsdens.

conclude deals efficiently. I am looking forward to growing the commercial team and its client base.”

Sandra said: “Joining Ramsdens is a fantastic

Stephen Newman, partner and head of corporate and commercial, added: “I am very pleased that Sandra has joined our team. She has a wealth of experience and ability in the owner-managed sector and will add greatly to our offering.”

paladinmarketing.co.uk 01484 504490

Brand marketing & measurement Brand Strategy Creative Campaigns Digital Marketing

LNEEGWASL UMPADTATTEER S

Everything you need to know about Child Maintenance Family lawyers are often approached by clients seeking advice in relation to child maintenance payments. When a couple with a child or children separate, both parents are expected to pay towards the children’s costs. Often this results in one parent paying the other.

Often this results in one parent paying the other. The level of child maintenance can be agreed between you directly which is commonly known as a ‘family-based arrangement’. If, however, you are unable to reach an agreement, you can ask the Child Maintenance Service to calculate the amount for you. If you are experiencing domestic abuse or controlling behaviour then you should contact the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) in the first instance to avoid having to communicate directly with your ex-partner.

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How is child maintenance calculated?

The child maintenance calculation takes into consideration how many children you have, the paying parent’s income, how much time the children spend with the paying parent and whether the paying parent is paying c h i l d m a i n te n a n c e f o r a n y other children.

When do child maintenance payments stop?

You are normally expected to pay child maintenance until your child is 16, or until they’re 20 if they’re in school or college full-time studying for A-levels, Highers, or equivalent.

Full details of approved education or training can be found on the gov. uk website. Child maintenance might stop earlier, for example, if one parent dies or the child no longer qualifies for child benefit.

When can the court make child maintenance orders?

Generally, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) deal with matters concerning child maintenance.

There are however the following exceptions where the Court has the power to make orders:-

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The CMS does not have jurisdiction.

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The parties agree a child maintenance order by consent.

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The order is of a prescribed type, including:

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orders for educational expenses;

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orders for costs attributable to a disability;

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top-up orders; and

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orders against a person with care (PWC).

If you require legal advice in relation to child maintenance or another aspect of family law, then please do not hesitate to contact one of our family law experts.

Cohabitation: Some things to think about if you’re living with your partner As family lawyers, we often find that a lot of unmarried couples are not entirely sure what their rights are when they live together.

Some believe that they accrue some rights over property whilst others firmly believe in the non-existent concept of the ‘common-law spouse’ and consider that they have exactly the same rights as a married couple in relation to property, income and pensions from the outset of their relationship.

If you are unmarried and planning on living with your partner it’s really important that you think about your position before moving in together as this can go a long

way to avoiding costly and stressful court proceedings should the relationship sadly end. Here are some things to consider together: 1.

How will you own your property?

Joint tenants – your interest passes automatically on your death to the surviving owner: or Tenants in common – your share passes under a Will to a beneficiary of your choice or in the absence of a will to your next of kin who is not legally your partner.

2. Is one party paying a larger deposit for the property that the other? If so, you need to think about protecting that with a Trust Deed as you will have no automatic right to recover this upon any future sale or the breakdown of the relationship and indeed it could end up being shared with your former partner.

3. How will you arrange your day to day finances? You need to consider whether you will open a joint account to manage this which obviously creates a degree of responsibility towards one another, particularly if there is an overdraft facility.

Also – will you share equally all of the costs associated with your home or is one of you in a better financial position and as such will contribute more?

Robate: Estate Accounts At the conclusion of the estate administration process, the Personal Representatives are obligated to produce a set of ‘Estate Accounts’ which are a full breakdown of the financial transactions made during the administration.

The accounts will detail the assets and liabilities at the date of death, any expenses paid/payments refunded due to cancellation of assets, the income received which needs to be declared accordingly to HMRC and also the final amount to be distributed to the Beneficiaries named under the Will.

The Administration of Estates Act 1925 declares that Personal Representatives have a duty to provide a full inventory of the estate, and the Estate Accounts therefore provide such full detail. The Personal Representatives must also provide the Residuary beneficiaries with a copy of the estate accounts. If the Personal

L EN G EAW L SM U AP TD TE S AR TE 4. Will you have a Cohabitation Agreement? It is important that your intentions in respect of the above matters are properly recorded in case your relationship ends and there is a disagreement over what you intended. It is important to seek legal advice so that you are clear about your rights and what your position is.

The agreement you reach can be incorporated into a ‘cohabitation’ or ‘living together’ agreement.

This is a formal legal document which will record your intentions and set out what will happen to your property and any other assets held either solely or jointly if your relationship ends.

Although you might not want to incur additional costs at the same time as a house purchase, the costs of such an agreement will be considerably less than the costs, both emotional and financial, that you will incur if there is a future dispute.

Representative fails to provide this, the Beneficiary can apply to the Probate Registry for an “Inventory and Account Order” to obtain this information.

Recording the required information in the Estate Accounts is often a convolute and time-consuming job. For this reason, it is preferable to appoint a professional to deal with the winding-up of an estate, as professionals are experienced in drafting the accounts in a compliant manner. Contact our experienced Private Client department on 0800 015 0340 to find out more information on estate administration.

TopicUK February 2021

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ADVERTORIAL

New Year, new me?

With the turn of the year comes the inevitable plethora of New Year’s resolutions and commitments to make changes to the way we live our lives. Whilst the diets and fitness fads may have petered out come February, the University of Law’s new Welfare Advisor, Jamie Fraser, introduces himself and shares his top tips on how to approach the new year with renewed vigour and, more importantly, how to keep the momentum going!

Tell us a bit about yourself Hi there! My name is Jamie Fraser and I’m the new Welfare Advisor for the University of Law, Leeds campus. I am a graduate of University College Cork and have prior experience of working as the Welfare Officer of University College Cork’s Student Union and working with Mental Health Initiatives in Ireland, China and Canada.

I am incredibly passionate about all things wellbeing and mental health and see it as my duty to eradicate the barriers towards accessing mental health services and ensuring young people have the support they need and deserve to thrive in the world.

I love keeping active by playing rugby and football. I also enjoy playing my guitar, meditating and reading.

I’m a newbie to Yorkshire so I’m very much looking forward to enjoying the beautiful scenery here.

What are your aims for 2022?

There are an abundance of things I would love to accomplish in 2022.

In my role at ULaw, I am planning to collaborate with other services across the organisation to increase the visibility of the vast array of support that the University has to offer. I am also planning to facilitate wellbeing workshops which will give students the practical skills to manage their own wellbeing. Finally, I a i m to w o r k w i t h e x te r n a l organisations to host wellbeing weeks to break down the barriers of accessing mental health services.

Personally, I plan to visit both the Dales and the Peak District, see Leeds play at Elland Road and complete my first marathon!

What advice do you have for students returning to their studies after the Christmas break?

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Practising gratitude – Every day I write down 10 things I’m grateful for. This allows me to be present and wake up to the things I take for granted. When you start to appreciate the simple things such as your first cup of coffee in the morning or that favourite hat of yours, the day starts to look that bit brighter.

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Connecting with others By staying in touch with friends and loved ones you have a constant support network you can draw on when times are tough.

•

Keeping a routine – By planning your day you put a structure in place which allows you to be your most productive self.

As someone who only graduated f ro m Un i v e r s i t y i n 2 0 2 0 , I understand how difficult it can be returning to your studies after the Christmas break.

Many students will be worried about issues such as upcoming exams, finances and COVID-19, to name just a few.

I’ve had my own personal battles with mental health as a student and still live with a mental health condition as a young professional.

By implementing the following, I have been able to better manage my wellbeing: •

Keeping a Journal – Writing a few lines in my diary every night allows me to release my thoughts in a nonjudgemental manner. This allows me to relax and gain a new perspective on my thoughts.

•

Keeping Active – You don’t have to run a marathon! Just getting out of the house for a 30-minute walk with your favourite podcast can play a huge role in having a healthy headspace.

www.law.ac.uk TopicUK February 2021

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LLNEEEG GWAASLL UM MPA ADTTATTTEEERR SS

Government pushes landlords and tenants towards mandatory arbitration scheme for pandemic rent arrears Where debt claims in the County Court or High Court have been issued between 10 November 2021 and the date that the Bill becomes an Act, they can be stayed if applied for by one of the parties. No new claims can be issued from the date the Bill becomes an Act. Commercial rent arrears accrued during periods when a business was not forced to close are not captured within the scope of the draft bill and remain payable in full.

Any debt proceedings may be considered in any future arbitration under the proposed legislation.

The government has published a draft bill to deal with unpaid rent arrears that arose during the pandemic.

Landlords and tenants that have been unable to reach agreement on rent arrears accrued during the pandemic, facing a binding arbitration process.

In advance of the new legislation coming into force by the 22nd March 2022, a new Commercial rents Code of Practice has been also introduced with immediate effect from 9th November 2021.

This establishes a process for settling outstanding debts as well as a framework for any future arbitrations.

From the available details, it is clear that the government’s intention is for landlords and tenants to resolve disputes prior to the Bill becoming legislation.

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The new bill The Bill applies to “ring fenced” rent arrears. These are arrears accrued by te nants who occupied premises under a business tenancy and were mandated to close their premises or cease trading during the specified period from 21 March 2020 to until the last date the restrictions were removed from the relevant business sector. These ring-fenced amounts comprises service charges and insurance, as well as interest and VAT, in addition to rent.

Only those rent arrears that specifically relate to the ringfenced period are capable of being referred to arbitration. Any subsequent arrears accrued since restrictions were removed under the same lease will not come under the new Bill.

The arbitration process overview from the bill The arbitration scheme as outlined in the draft Bill will attempt the difficult task of balancing the competing commercial interests of landlords and tenants. Arbitrator are

Commercial tenants right to renew The Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 (LTA 1954) provides certain safeguards for commercial Tenants one of these being the ‘security of tenure’ when a lease comes to an end.

The statutory position allows a commercial Tenant to renew their

L ENGEAW L SMUAPT D TA ET R ES will have discretion to reduce the amount of the rent payable based upon factors such the viability of the tenant’s business and the landlord’s solvency, requiring analysis of each party’s financial position.

The process will begin when a landlord or tenant intends to pursue binding arbitration and serves a preapplication letter of notification within six months of the Bill being passed as an Act. The application must contain a proposal for resolution and supporting evidence.

Parties will have the opportunity to submit counterproposals within a certain timeframe before arbitration commences at a hearing or on the papers.

The arbitrator will consider its decision based on the written evidence or hearing and notify parties of the award. This will be legally binding with very limited grounds for appeal under the Arbitration Act 1996.

commercial leases and measures is due to end by 25 March 2022.

Currently, a landlord is prevented from enforcing a right under the tenancy to forfeit for nonpayment of the protected rent.

O nce the Bill becomes law, landlords can expect to exercise

that if the action relates to any ringfenced debt, it will be within the scope of the binding arbitration process.

of judgment debts obtained prior to 10 November 2021 through other means is uncertain with the current drafting.

Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery will remain suspended in relation to a protected rent debt during the moratorium period until 25 March 2022.

Rent deposits

CRAR

Insolvency

The arbitration scheme as outlined in the draft Bill will attempt the difficult task of balancing the competing commercial interests of landlords and tenants....

There are restrictions on the use of statutory demands by a landlord during the moratorium period in respect of a protected rent debt in connection with a bankruptcy petition.

Furthermore, a landlord cannot present a winding-up petition on the grounds that a company is unable to pay its rent debts during the moratorium period.

The Bill will prevent a landlord from petitioning for bankruptcy of a business te nant based on the non-payment of a statutory demand relating ring fenced debt served on or after 10 November 2021 and before the Bill comes into force.

Forfeiture

their ordinary enforcement rights as before the moratorium in relation to non-payment of rent arrears incurred prior to March 2020 and from the end of the ring-fenced period.

The moratorium on forfeiture of

The ke y diffe re nce will be

The position on the enforcement

lease at the end of the initial term.

The advantage of this is it allows the Tenant to make an informed decision at the end of the term as to whether a continuation of the tenancy is practical for their particular business.

business in the event the Landlord decides not to renew at the end of the term.

contracted out there was nothing TFS could do. To make matters worse the Landlords had in fact decided to let all six retail outlets to TFS’s competitor The Perfume Shop!

How current remedies are affected

However, both the Landlord and Tenant can agree to ‘contract out’ of the statutory provision so that the automatic right to renewal does not apply. In agreeing to this the Tenant in particular should give careful consideration to the possible consequences for them and their

A tough lesson can be learnt from the recent ruling involving The Fragrance Store (TFS) who had six leases for retail outlets with different Landlords all of which had been contracted out of the security of tenure provisions.

When the leases came to an end the Landlords decided they did not want to renew and TFS tried to argue against the same, but the court ruled as all six leases had been correctly

Enforcement of judgments

Whether you are a Tenant or Landlord it is imperative you understand the full consequences of the agreement you enter into. As such, if you have any questions or queries and would like to discuss these further then please contact our dedicated Commercial Property team.

Under the Bill, landlords will be prevented from drawing down on tenancy deposits if they attempt to cover outstanding ring-fenced rental arrears. If a landlord has already done this, then the requirement for the tenant to top up the deposit will be suspended under the draft legislation. The sum drawn down may be considered under any future arbitration.

Summary Ultimately, the draft Bill appears to a major setback to Landlords attempting to recover full rent arrears. They face the prospect of the government retrospectively legislating to empower judges to look beyond the contractual terms of commercial leases.

Nonetheless, it must be remembered that the Bill is a ‘work in progress’. Landlords and te nants should expect further amendments to the Bill before it becomes legislation and we anticipate greater detail on certain points in the coming months.

Ramsdens Solicitors TopicUK February 2021

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for all your legal needs, call your local solicitors

Ramsdens

With 14 offices across Yorkshire, we’re never too far away

01484 821 500 www.ramsdens.co.uk

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I n f o r m a t i o n Te c h n o l o g y & Wo r k p l a c e I n n o v a t i o n

Looking back at 2021…

By: Tim Guest - managing director, Contedia

TM

Business Technology

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Well, that’s a wrap, as they say.

Another year has gone in the blink of an eye, and for the second year in a row it was far from ‘normal’… or perhaps it was. Perhaps that was what we should now call

normal. Businesses continued to be challenged at every corner and IT and technology was yet again at the forefront, enabling organisations to make the best of a bad situation.

I n f o r m a t i o n Te c h n o l o g y & Wo r k p l a c e I n n o v a t i o n

for some technology businesses to enjoy better than expected growth.

But economic factors have led to others struggling to service customers effectively, risking both their reputation and customer retention.

For example, last year, the combined effects of Brexit, import and logistics hurdles, global chip shortages and lower production volumes as a result of COVID-19 meant that the supply of computer equipment was - and sadly remains - desperately thin on the ground. Demand massively outstripped available supply and the lead-times on built-to-order servers and other equipment has seemingly tripled.

The price of run-of-the-mill IT equipment has soared because of increased raw materials costs, labour shortages, transportation disruption and, to the UK, import factors. Oh, and of course, supply and demand ‘opportunities’ have done nothing but improved the margins for some along the way, whilst affecting others downstream through to the end customer.

Unfortunately, despite the success stories of record IT adoption for a second year in a row, we’ve seen a crisis in the IT and technology sector

Global supply shortages and price increases.

Whilst IT adoption continued to soar last year, it’s unreasonable to surmise that equipment vendors and managed service providers had a rosy time. Quite the opposite in many cases.

Sure enough, the nature of increased demand has provided the opportunity

Suppliers of IT equipment into businesses have had to play the poor piggy-in-the-middle role, scrambling to find available options for their customers whilst simultaneously having to explain why ‘everything’ has gone up in price. Sadly, for the time being, equipment supply and increased pricing issues do seem set to continue in to 2022.

As for businesses, none of the general increase in costs across the board have done anything to help them maintain a steady course through the last two years. Adding to this, the wild and unpredictable swings in public health – both physical and mental – has seen an uncertainty in staff resources and market behaviours, making it

even more difficult to manage and survive.

Online threats increase continue to rise.

And, just as we thought it would be difficult for things to get worse within the industry, not only has the shift for many businesses to either fully or partial remote working made the provision of IT support more challenging for service providers, but last year also saw another marked rise in online threats and a significant increase in email phishing.

with laptops connected to docks and monitors to provide the flexibility in where they are used; 4. Consider technologies like

Microsoft’s new Windows 365 service as an alternative strategy to traditional PC purchasing – though, of course, this is perhaps a slightly longer-term prospect to investigate and pursue; 5. Continue – or begin to –

move towards collaborative software services, like the use of Teams and SharePoint, to make sure communication is easy within the busy and information is readily available. Help yourselves to become as productive and efficient as you can be to combat the external challenges;

Unfortunately, on top of all the other, growing number of viral, malware, ransomware and phishing emails our organisations are now being targeted with, users are now receiving elaborate attempts to dupe them in to acting upon fake emails concerning their COVID-19 vaccination statuses!

Advice going forwards in to 2022.

6. Stay absolutely on top of your

anti-virus and online threat protection services. Make sure that they are adequately protecting the business against as many current and rising threat types as possible, across the whole of the business, wherever the staff may be working; and

We’re not out of the woods. Clearly.

And in respect of any of the public health or economic factors that led to last year being as challenging as 2020. So, as you plan the year ahead and seek ways to progress, readying the business for brighter times, what IT-related topics could you perhaps consider giving thought to?

7.

2. Plan (well) ahead where

investment into IT equipment is concerned.

Don’t assume a regular PC is as easy or inexpensive to source as it might have been two years ago; 3. Continue to think about

the suitability of your IT equipment and whether desktop PCs should be permanently replaced

Educate – don’t just ‘tell’ – staff about the types and formats on online and email threats to the business and to them.

If you need outside, professional guidance on this, seek it. The cost of casually dismissing the potential disruption to your business from a colleague accidentally activating a well-disguised email is too great to ignore.

TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E Dominic and I have enjoyed many successful years in growing the business and strengthening the firm’s footprint across Yorkshire but given our size we felt a new structure was necessary for us to continue to grow. By becoming an employee owned business and extending the breadth and reach of the Board we feel that we are really well set up for whatever the future holds. The move offers stability, continued job security for all of our dedicated staff and a platform for further growth.

Pictured (L to R): Richard Timperley (back left), Jonathan Wearing, Dominic Mackenzie (back centre), Richard Coulthard (front left), Sarah Laughey (front centre), Jenny Bland (front right), Gareth Naylor and James Thompson (back right).

Law firm rewards success with move to Employee Ownership One of Yorkshire’s leading law firms has become entirely owned by its employees after the three shareholder directors agreed to sell the business to an Employee Ownership Trust.

Ison Harrison, which has a network of sixteen offices throughout the region, was founded in 1978 as S.C Harrison & Co, merging a decade later with Ison Driver & Furness, to form Ison Harrison. Forty-three years later it now employs more than 230 staff across Yorkshire and offers the broadest suite of legal services in the region.

The firm, which has an annual turnover of £16 million, has become a well-known regional practice

representing around 20,000 clients each year the vast majority of whom live in the region. Over the years the firm has represented clients in many high-profile cases including several families at the inquest of those who died in the Hillsborough disaster.

Directors of the firm opted against a traditional business sale or merger options, choosing an employee ownership trust instead with the workforce now owning 100% of the business.

Under the new ownership model, the management structure will comprise of eight directors with five new directors welcomed to the existing Board including James Thompson, Gareth Naylor, Jenny Bland, Sarah Laughey and Richard Coulthard.

Jonathan Wearing, who has been head of the firm for 15 years, remains managing director with Richard Timperley and Dominic Mackenzie, the other two shareholder directors, remaining as finance director and Head of Private Client respectively.

Jonathan commented: “Richard,

"Employees will have a greater influence over the future direction of the firm, will financially benefit from the ongoing success of the business and continue to deliver unrivalled client service in the multitude of private and commercial arenas in which we operate. It will allow us to involve and reward everyone, attract talent in the region and demonstrate a genuine point of difference in a competitive market.

"In short, converting into an Emplo yee O wne rship Trust is great news for every single employee of the firm and everyone now has a stake in the business and can share in the success and profits that are made going forward.”

Deb Oxley OBE, Chief Executive of the EOA, said: “We congratulate Ison Harrison on its transition to 100% employee ownership and its commitment to engaging its employees in its vision and sharing in its future success.

“At a time when many similar businesses are challenged by the succession issues presented by more traditional structures, this move roots jobs for the longer term in the communities the business serves.”

TopicUK February 2021

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A Legacy for TopicUK’s Mandy Taylor...

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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E Choosing the location was easy for her . . . home.

The picturesque village of Golcar situated above the Colne Valley in her beloved Yorkshire.

Her family lived there for generations and, as we walked by the cobbly ginnels and walkways, Mandy told us about them and the work they did. Their stories made our precious day together seem even more profound.

“Capture the real me”

“I have this crazy idea . . . . . . can you photograph a horse coming out of Bibis Restaurant to promote an Ascot Ladies Day Charity Event?”

These we re the type of conversations we had with Yorkshire’s much loved Northern Light, Mandy Taylor who sadly, and stoically, passed away a few weeks ago.

This formidable lady was the epitome of fun and kindness, having raised over £2 million for good causes in and around the Huddersfield area.

“Help me create a legacy” Knowing her time was limited,

Mandy wished to leave behind a legacy for the Yorkshire community she loves so much. Subsequently the #BeMoreMandy campaign was founded, and she asked us to capture her promotional images.

“Mandy Taylor, You rocked our world”

concoction of outfits, had us all laughing.

As you can see from the images, she wears it all fabulously well and looks stunning “The Images are out of this world” When people tell us they love their images it’s truly a wonderful feeling. On this occasion though the sentiment was most certainly bitter-sweet.

Deciding what to wear for a shoot can take some time.

Mandy was known in equal measure for her evening gowns, glitter and high heels, as much as for her jumpers, jeans and wellies . . . but always for the colour pink!

Creating a legacy, whether it’s through photographs, stories, or even a campaign, means your family and friends will always have a part of you to hold onto.

We suggested mixing it all up, which of course she loved.

The three of us raiding her wardrobes and flinging across the bed feather boas, glittery pink wellies, sparkly gowns, tulle skirts, diamante boots, leather jackets, and a whole

Mandy’s collection has been used extensively to promote her #BeMoreMandy campaign. Please help her reach her target by donating at https://localgiving.org/ appeal/BeMoreMandy/

It’s not the first time we’ve created a set of legacy images.

It’s always an honour and a privilege when people entrust us with their legacy, but this was especially poignant as Mandy is our close friend.

“I’m a proud Yorkshire lass” Mandy never wished to be defined by cancer, she wanted to leave a legacy that made people smile.

Lincoln & Perrin Roth Read Photography www.rothreadphotography.com TopicUK February 2021

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CNOE VWESR UFPEDAA T TUER E

A TRUE YORKSHIRE SPIRIT 62

C ONVEEWR SF U EP AT DU AT RE

The Spirit of Harrogate, home to Slingsby Gin began in Harrogate. Inspired by the story of William Slingsby, who in 1571 discovered the unique properties of the natural spring water from Harrogate’s Tewit Well. This discovery brought thousands of visitors to the area to ‘take the waters’ which was thought to have medicinal properties and to this day, people from all over the world visit the spa town to restore their body, mind and soul. Slingsby Gin seeks to capture the ‘Spirit of Harrogate’ and deliver it in a bottle.

Inspired by the story, Spirit of Harrogate founders Mike Carthy and Marcus Black wanted to create a product that would celebrate Harrogate’s heritage and after 15 months and 18 different variants of gin, they decided on the perfect recipe and in 2015 Slingsby Gin was born.

Using 24 selected botanicals, many sourced locally with some grown in Rudding Park Hotel’s kitchen garden and fruits sourced from local suppliers with rhubarb from the world famous ‘rhubarb triangle’ in Wakefield, only the finest ingredients make it into bottles.

We dipped our toe in the export market now selling to countries such as Denmark, Australia, Hong Kong, Germany, Belgium and Ireland...

Eager to learn more about this growing Yorkshire business, TopicUK editor caught up with co-founder and director Mike Carthy to find out more.

Gro wing up, M ike wanted to be a vet, but didn’t manage to get the grades he needed. “I always knew that I would follow the sciences though,” he said, “When I left Leeds Polytechnic (now Leeds Beckett) where I qualified as a chartered chemist, I started work as a pharmaceutical chemist at St James Hospital. I actually earned my 40 year badge last year as a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.”

It wasn’t long though before he changed direction, seeing a job for a wine chemist with Mather’s, famous for Black Beer, who also made wine, “you could say I went from drugs to drink,” he laughed.

Mike joined Continental Wine and Foods in 1996 becoming deputy managing director in 2004. He joined Intercontinental Brands (IBC) in 2005 becoming a board director two years later before finally owning the business alongside business partner Marcus Black.

It was whilst dining with Marcus at their favourite Harrogate restaurant, Cardamom Black where the idea for Slingsby Gin was born. “Marcus and I dine there regularly and whilst thinking of new ideas and projects and sampling all the gins from their collection and polishing off an entire bottle of Tanqueray we came up with the idea to create our own gin that brought together everything that Harrogate has to offer.

“Our original idea was to make all the sections of a Vesper Martini, a gin, vodka and a vermouth using local suppliers and ingredients. The first product we created was in fact a Vesper Martini that we bottled for a charity ball, as we wanted to engage with lots of local businesses, bringing everything together which we have achieved with Slingsby.

We use botanicals from local companies, green and jasmine

tea from Taylors of Harrogate and of course Harrogate Spring Water,” he continued, “in addition we work with local suppliers for most of our packaging components.”

Coming from a drinks background helped enormously when faced with any challenges in the early days and of course being a chemist helped. “There is a huge amount of thought that goes into creating the finished item that many people don’t realise. We spend a huge amount of time on design and packaging as well as the drink itself, but we do have a fantastic team of people around us who are amazing. I love seeing them pulling together making all of the elements of the product come together” added Mike, “we boast many years’ experience between us. However, I remember the time we bottled our very first product, I was over the moon with the finished item but looking back now I think gosh definite room for improvement!, which we duly did and made a number of changes to all aspects of the packaging presentation.

Marcus and I are never satisfied, good often isn’t good enough, we don’t do ‘easy’ and always have to challenge ourselves to be better.”

Although Slingsbys is a successful household name, Mike still has huge plans, despite winding down his hours to just three days a week, taking on more of an advisory role.

“We dipped our toe in the export market now selling to countries such as Denmark, Australia, Hong Kong, Germany, Belgium and Ireland and we are always looking at new products and flavours such as the gin cream liqueur we produced three years ago. We will continue to stay ahead of the game, our marketing is very important too, it is important to get that right, especially when launching new TopicUK February 2021

63

CNOE VWESR UFPEDAA T TUER E

products such as our Blackberry flavour in 2021 “I remember when we started out, we always had big plans. One of our first listings was in Harrods, very ambitious you might think, but they took 18 bottles and sold out in an amazingly short period of time. We actually delivered the bottles to them personally! I still have an immense feeling of pride when I see our product on the shelves. I remember getting a call from someone who tried our gin and wanted to stock it in their restaurant. They explained they had a venue in the Lake District and had two stars. In my ignorance, I remember thinking that wasn’t good enough for us, we were better than that, we wanted four or five stars at least. It was only as the conversation continued that we realised they were talking Michelin Stars. It was at the time Britain’s top restaurant, Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume in Cumbria! Fortunately, we are still listed there six years on.

Marcus and I are huge sports fans so

64

another proud moment for us was when Slingsby was the official supplier to the British and Irish Lions tour in 2017 in New Zealand.

“It’s a cliché but if you enjoy what you do, you never work a day in your life but looking back I think I should have taken more risks, this was advice given to me a long time ago by a very

successful C.E.O. and it took me to the latter stages of my career before it proved to be the case.

I think if starting again I would consider more of a work life balance looking after my wellbeing something we try to do now as a business for all our staff, he continued.

“I want to spend more time focusing on the charity w o r k I d o a l r e a d y. I d o a lot for Lymphoma Association , Yorkshire Cancer Research and St Michael’s Hospice. When I finally do retire, this is something I will do more of, but not quite ready to give up just yet,” he concluded!

Fact File Wife or Partner: married to Ros. Children: Ian, Andrew and Ben as well as six grandchildren.

What car do you drive?

Range Rover Sport.

How do you spend your leisure time?

We love taking family holidays.

We also have a Springer Cocker Spaniel who needs lots of walks

and when we moved into our house three years ago I inherited a Koi Carp pond, 20,000 litres which takes some upkeep and I love rugby, particularly the Leeds Rhinos and get to as many matches as I can.

W h i c h i s y o u r f av o u r i te restaurant?

I am spoilt for choice there are so many wonderful ones in Harrogate.

What is your favourite food and drink?

That’s easy I love a good Indian curry with a pint of lager.

Fa v o u r i t e h o l i d a y s p o t ?

In the UK it has to be Cornwall and overseas Florida, I love the roller coasters!

Favourite Gadget?

That has to be my iPad. What couldn’t you live without?

My Health, that is super important.

C ONVEEWR SF U EP AT DU AT RE

TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E

Getting the green light: sustainable British Library redevelopment Planned improvements will transform the Library’s site at Boston Spa into a modern and sustainable home for the UK’s growing national collection.

New low carbon automated storage building will use the highest levels of air tightness to achieve maximum energy efficiency Major refurbishment to deliver an improved environment for staff and visitors, as well as greater biodiversity

In December Leeds City Council granted planning permission for the large-scale redevelopment of the British Library’s site at Boston Spa. A major construction project will transform the 44 acre site - originally a World War II armaments factory, and for the past six decades the northern home of the UK national library - into a modern archive capable of storing its growing collection for decades to come. The £95 million Government funded r e d e v e l o p m e n t w i l l c r e a te much-needed storage capacity, with further work dedicated to i m p r o v i n g f a c i l i t i e s f o r staff and visitors and making significant improvements to the environmental sustainability of the site.

Following significant government investment, the Library is expanding and refurbishing the

66

West Yorkshire facility. The Library’s team, supported by Carter Jonas, Project Management and Planning Consultancy teams, submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council last year. The plans reflect the importance of sustainability within the development, which will see the creation of a low carbon archive and new green spaces designed to support biodiversity.

The Library’s design team will work alongside Wates Construction, architects, Carmody Groarke, building services engineers, Buro Happold, structural engineer, Price and Myers, and landscape architects J&L Gibbons to advance the aspirations for the site.

The Library has also secured a Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) grant. An additional £8.5 million in funding means a range of energy-saving initiatives are already being introduced at the Boston Spa site, including installing: Around 730 solar panels providing a minimum of 225 MWh per annum A new ground source heat pump system, which will help reduce the Library’s reliance on fossil fuels and will generate an anticipated 1MW of energy – the equivalent of powering 650 average homes

Additional smart meters, better insulation and the replacement of low-energy efficiency fluorescent lamps within existing buildings.

As part of the new development, 220km of extra shelf space will be created in a new high-density, automated storage building which will have the highest possible level

N E W S U P D AT E

Temple Works into a new home for the British Library in Leeds. The unrivalled collections, resources and staff based at Boston Spa would power the public-facing offering that is planned for Temple Works.

Vision

of air tightness creating a low energy passive archive. Once complete visitors to the Library’s Boston Spa site will be able to see the inner workings of the spectacular storage facility through a new public viewing gallery.

The redevelopment of the site at Boston Spa will support and

step forward and for a prestigious organisation like the British Library to be demonstrating a strong commitment to Leeds and a belief that the city is a fitting home for their unrivalled collection.

“With the British Library’s Phil Spence, chief operating plans for Temple Works also officer of the British Library, said: progressing, it is clear that a “We are delighted that Leeds City long term, sustainable vision Council have approved our plans for their presence in Leeds to re-develop our site at Boston is taking shape, which will Spa to accommodate the UK’s play a huge part in cementing the growing national collection and city’s ever-growing reputation as build on our commitment to a centre for cultural excellence shaping a brighter climate future. and innovation and supporting A national library is, by its very high quality jobs in the city.” nature, a long-term investment and an expression of hope in C u l t u r e s e c r e t a r y N a d i n e the future, so it’s essential that Dorries, said: “I am delighted sustainability should be at the that the British Library’s planned heart of this development. It development of sustainable enable the Library’s equally marks a major step forward storage facilities in Boston Spa ambitious plans for a major new t o w a r d s t r a n s f o r m i n g o u r has been given the green light. public centre at Temple Works presence in the north of England With Government investment, in Leeds city centre. In July last and creating a sustainable British this state-of-the-art facility will help the British Library house year, West Yorkshire Combined Library for everyone”. its growing collection, expand Authority (WYCA) released an initial £5 million of funding for Councillor James Lewis, leader its presence in the north and urgently needed stabilisation works of Leeds City Council, said: “It’s bring its ambition for a public site and detailed investigatory work to exciting to see plans to redevelop i n t h e c e n t r e o f L e e d s assess the viability of transforming this important site take a huge a step closer.”

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F E AT U R E

New Leeds hospitals will be among the most sustainable Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s ambition to be one of the greenest in the NHS will be taken forward in the design of its two new state-of-the-art hospitals – part of its Hospitals of the Future project.

The COP26 environmental summit in Glasgow in November last year placed sustainability as one of its main themes - encouraging more sustainable behaviours to leave a positive legacy.

Energy, carbon emissions and the use of sustainable construction methods and materials are areas of particular significance in the Trust’s green plan.

The new hospitals – a new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital and a new adults’ hospital as well as a new maternity centre – are being built on parts of the old LGI site that are currently being demolished.

The project is part of the Trust’s Building the Leeds Way (BtLW) programme that also includes the development of a new pathology laboratory at St James’s Hospital which will serve hospitals in West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

Simon Worthington, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Director of Finance and Senior Responsible Officer for the Building the Leeds

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Way Programme, said: “It is the Trust’s goal to become one of the greenest NHS Trusts in the UK and we’ve made great strides in the last few years towards making that happen in our current operations.

“Building the new hospitals, and the redevelopment of large parts of the old LGI site, will be the biggestproject of its kind in Leeds city centre in a generation. We knew from the

outset how important it was that the new hospitals should be designed and constructed to a rigorous set of requirements to ensure we are creating environmentally responsible buildings, not just for today but for the next 60 years and beyond.

“We therefore made it plain that we wanted to see an integrated approach from our designers that provides world class patient facilities while

reducing waste and energy use by using renewable energy sources, construction materials and methods that support the Trust in delivering its ambition towards achieving net zero carbon.”

He said the Trust was pleased and impressed with the outline proposals put forward by appointed architects Perkins and Will and other design team members including WSP who are the design lead for sustainability and net zero carbon. “The proposals for the new hospitals aim to address our sustainability criteria by focussing on net-zero carbon and seeking to deliver against construction industry benchmark standards such as WELL and BREEAM,” added Mr Worthington.

Mike Bacon, Building the Leeds Way programme director, said close collaboration between the Trust and designers will support the ambition to deliver truly sustainable, long-life

F E AT U R E buildings that will be fully adaptable to the changing nature of healthcare.

“Having a patient-centred approach has also led to the design of a building with plenty of natural light whilst the whole-life carbon impact of the building will be minimised through the careful selection of materials,” he said. “Heat will be preserved through high levels of insulation and the provision of window areas that efficiently balance the penetration of daylight and heat loss.”

He added: “Sustainability is not just important to us in the design and build phases of the new hospitals, it has also played an important role in the demolition of those parts of

capture (the capture and reuse of waste heat)

the Leeds General Infirmary site that are being cleared to make way for the two new hospitals.”

Working with its demolition contractors DSM, the Trust is aiming to recycle between 95% to 99% of the old buildings, with current rates running at about 97%. This has involved crushing brickwork and using it for hardcore in the •

Rainwater collection and bio-filtration

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Grey water reuse

•

Onsite solar energy harvesting

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Passive design & energy re-

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Maximising the capture and use of natural light

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Natural ventilation

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Proposed provision for bird, bat and bee hotels

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Outdoor gardens and terraces

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Sophisticated energy management systems that maximise energy efficiency and minimise waste

The Hospitals of the Future project is one of 40 new hospitals the Government has committed

to build by 2030. The outstanding facilities in the new hospitals for Leeds will benefit not just patients in the city, but also those from across the Yorkshire region, and in some cases even further afield.

Demolition of the old buildings on the new hospitals’ development site are expected to be completed

by March. The concept designs of the new hospitals by the Pe rkins&W ill team are being progressed further during the coming months through robust design development involving a range of inputs from staff, patients and partners at a number of engagement sessions. It is planned that the new facilities in Leeds will be fully operational in 2027.

TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E Route 1 Print in Rotherham and has hit the ground running as it’s such a busy time for the expanding business, but, as she explains, it’s also a great place to be.

“I love the family feel to the iHus team. Everybody plays their own important part in ensuring the customer has a seamless journey from planning to sign off. The team work together brilliantly, and Trev is very open minded to new ideas when they’re brought to the table – iHus is a forward thinking, openminded and positive place to work.” Kirsten said.

Sagars announces four key director appointments Leeds-based chartered accountancy and business advisory firm Sagars, an AAB Group company, is enhancing its leadership team with four key appointments. James Hunt, Joel Topham, Helen Daniels and Gunhild Dam have been promoted to the newly created director position.

This demand has led to a number of key hires which have culminated in three recent design and marketing appointments.

Tom Gregory, Kirsten Nicole Scott and Lydia Kilner have all joined the growing business with ambitious plans for 2022.

Tom, 22, from Retford has joined

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as a designer. Having recently graduated with a first in product design he was keen to start his career in design in a company with vision and opportunity.

Tom said: “I chose IHus as it gives me the chance to work in a small and super friendly team that has lots of personality and energy

within it. I also really enjoy the fact my designs will be built giving the client a home that is designed just for them.

“My designs will also have such a meaningful impact on the quality of life of our customers.

I also really enjoy the variety of the projects and unique specifications.”

Kirsten Nicole Scott, 27 from Doncaster has been appointed marketing manager. Kirsten has worked with brands including Laterooms.com and Coca Cola. She joins from

Lydia is new to the construction industry but highly skilled in customer service having worked for over 13 years in the hospitality industry. Now 30, Lydia is also based in Doncaster and was looking for a new challenge when she applied to be a part of the team.

Lydia said: “iHus has got personality and you can see that everyone here has a genuine desire to make great homes for our clients and improve their quality of life.

There is a lot of feel-good factor here! However, there’s also really clear processes and organisation which appeals to the neat freak in me!”

Trevor Smeaton, founder and MD added: “It’s always great to be able to offer young people an opportunity to develop their careers and with Lydia, Kirsten and Tom we have some real talent that we know will benefit the business as we look forward to expanding further.”

It’s easy to make lemonade with your content

A V ES RUTPODRAI T A EL ND EW

By: By Rebecca Hopwood, director of Youbee Media

Have you ever tried to make lemonade with your content? It’s easier than you might think.

Let me explain…

A bunch of lemons have just landed on your desk. You think you might do something with them, and you would quite like to show off your lemons. You slice them up and take a photo of these fresh, delicious lemons. Your audience on social media like your lemons, but quickly move on. Have you just missed an opportunity?

If you’d told your marketing agency about these lemons, questions would be asked, and ideas would start flowing. A creative agency would tell you to slice, squeeze, zest and juice these lemons to squeeze every drop of value out of that content.

Now, imagine they are no longer lemons – they’re a recent success story in your business, a new piece of kit, or a product you need to bring to market. When you share that news with an external agency, their job is to understand the ‘why’ and make as much out of that content as possible.

Here’s an example. You ordered a new piece of kit to reduce waste, lessen your carbon footprint and allow your business to do something better than before. This allows for business growth, makes you more sustainable - and suddenly, this is more than a quick social post; it’s a blog about sustainability, and a

press release about expansion and plans to recruit. It’s simultaneously an email campaign to your existing customers promoting your new service, and a key to opening the door to new opportunities.

Opportunities Yo u b e e Me d i a i d e n t i f y opportunities like this every day.

One of the best things about being in our position is that we’re external to your business. Rather than going with the flow and doing what’s expected, we’re constantly challenging, asking questions, and looking for ways to make your business shine brighter than your competitors.

A business that I admire for their ability to recognise and promote opportunities is The Northern

Affinity. Led by Michael Edwards, this group turns expectations of networking and connection-forming on its head. The Northern Affinity supports every post Youbee Media and other partners publish online, they put members in the spotlight, shout about new members, meet regularly and are always looking for new ways to support those who sign up. Every avenue is explored, and The Northern Affinity definitely make lemonade for their members.

I have also followed outdoor clothing brand TOG24 for some time as I admire how they showcase themselves online. TOG24 share authentic, relatable images of their clothing, create trending hashtags, share stories of individuals looking to fundraise and they’re in touch with the local community. In January, I saw a fantastic video

from TOG24, following a father and son going to a Huddersfield Town football match. They were both wearing TOG24 gear, but it felt that the important element was the heart-warming and engaging story the video told. This is what social media is all about – making authentic connections.

The world of digital marketing and social media is a fast-moving place. So this is your ‘call to action’ – how are you going to get people to remember your business?

If you’re not sure, let’s get together… over a glass of lemonade!

TopicUK February 2021

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N EE SWTSA UURPADNATT ER E V I E W R

Authentic Japanese dining experience arrives in Leeds

Unable to attend opening night due to a prior e n g a g e m e n t , To p i c U K editor wa s delighted to rece i ve a s eco n d invitation to visit Sakku, Leeds’ newest Japanese restaurant, tucked away in St Peters Place, a stone’s th ro w from Leed s C it y College and the BBC.

lively restaurant where we discovered cosy booths, exposed wood and a beautiful display of blossom trees dividing the space into different areas, perfect for date night or a night out with friends.

Arriving on a cold winter’s night, we received a very warm welcome as we descended the stairs into the

The restaurant has an unlimited dining experience where guests choose from the 150 varied dishes from a tablet handed to

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Greeted by our host, we were swiftly shown to our table, tucked away behind a screen but with full view of the restaurant, which although still early evening was surprisingly busy.

us once seated. Our host explained that we could order up to 10 dishes at a time as all are small plate tapas style. Drinks are also ordered from the tablet and the restaurant has a large selection of beers, wines, spirits and cocktails.

A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc ordered from the easy to use tablet, my dining partner and I began browsing the large range of dishes, all made from the freshest ingredients cooked in an authentic way. All ingredients used are sustainable, sourced both locally and imported to ensure diners have an authentic experience.

R E STAU R A N T R E V I E W

We ordered skewered chicken from the grill which arrived piping hot and perfectly cooked. The salmon with udon noodles in teriyaki sauce was amazing, so much so, we ordered a second portion of this, as although good size portions, it was just so Moorish. The service is very quick and as one dish is cleared away, others keep on arriving. The Beef tenderloin and sirloin marinated in ponzu and soy sauce were delicious as were the vegetable spring rolls, beef katsu with Japanese curry sauce and crispy beef with teriyaki sauce.

I am not a fan of Sushi, but my dining companion is, he tried Nigiri, thinly sliced drapery of raw fish laid over rice, which he said was delicious and so fresh. There is

around the restaurant, playing to each table making the overall experience just perfect. We both decided we will certainly return as there were so many dishes and cocktails we didn’t try. I must admit, I did squeeze in one cheeky cocktail, as we didn’t sample the dessert menu as we were both so full from the main course, despite our host trying to tempt us, perhaps we will try on our return visit.

plenty of fish to choose from, but he chose tuna, salmon and seabass.

All dishes are accompanied by tangy sweet and sour dips.

As we enjoyed each dish, we were treated to the delights of a live saxophonist who I have to say was excellent. He wandered

Sakku is open seven days a week from noon until 10pm. 5 St Peters Place, Leeds LS9 8AQ TopicUK February 2021

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N E W S U P D AT E

Standard Life Trustees swoops again for Old Fire Station office space Helmsley Group has started 2022 with a bang after selling a further part of its The Old Fire Station development in York.

Standard Life Trustees, which acquired the ground and mezzanine floors of the office element of the mixed-use development last year, has bought the adjoining commercial unit from Helmsley and its joint venture partner on the scheme, London Ebor.

The unit had a guide price of £460,000, which represented a net initial yield of 6.24%.

Reed In Partnership has signed a lease on behalf of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), with the unit operating as a driving theory test centre.

Helmsley and London Ebor initially sold two floors of grade A office

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space to Standard Life Trustees off a guide price of £1.1m on a 999year lease last year. This suite is occupied by patent and trademark attorneys, Secerna.

Max Reeves, development director at York-based property development and investment company Helmsley Group, said: “This latest commercial transaction at The Old Fire Station is further evidence that, despite the ongoing uncertainty brought by the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on our working lives, investment and occupational appetite for quality office space continues unabated.

“We have been delighted with the positive impact The Old Fire Station has made to the central

We have been delighted with the positive impact The Old Fire Station has made to the central York property market...

York p r o p e r t y m a r k e t a n d we look forward to 2022 with ongoing confidence.”

As well as providing much needed office space in central York, The Old Fire Station scheme has raised the bar for residential standards, incorporating a total of 14 apartments and townhouses

within the setting of the historic former fire station.

The iconic building dates back to 1856 when it was built as Trinity Chapel, before its conversion to a fire station in 1938.

Matthew Tootell, of Bowcliffe, said: “Reed in Partnership’s continued commitment to the York market on behalf of public and government sector occupiers is positive news for the city and demonstrates the strength of The Old Fire Station’s offer and location.”

“The accommodation offered a perfect solution for the DVSA, providing high quality accommodation with easy access to the city centre.”

Richard Dunn, partner at Sanderson Weatherall, added: “The Old Fire Station continues to provide sound investment opportunities for our client, Standard Life.

“Despite the likelihood of hybrid working continuing, the dynamics of the York office market remain robust, with demand high.”

ADVERTORIAL

February offers too good to miss at & Company Bar & Kitchen, East Parade

The start of the new year can be a hectic period. Businesses across the country have a renewed vigour and employees are excited to be back at work following the festive period. One thing is for sure, you need to fuel yourself for success and what better place to do that than the fiercely independent & Company Bar and Kitchen - the destination of choice for all occasions.

Located at 10-12 East Parade, within the award-winning flexible workspace provider Avenue HQ, & Company is the perfect location to drop in for an energising breakfast, a cheeky lunch break with your friends, or that after-work social time combining delicious food with expertly crafted cocktails.

baked flatbreads for £10, so if you’ve skipped breakfast, meeting a friend or having a working lunch, we’ve got you covered. The only hard part is choosing between the &Co Classic, Pepperoni & Hot Honey, Vegan Squash & Red Onion, or the Basil Chicken!

Free coffee?

&Company is not only one of the best all-day dining spots in Leeds City Centre, you can also hire one of its many event spaces for up to 200 individuals.

Choose from the private, heated courtyard, the spacious Chamber or hire the whole bar itself. The spaces are perfect for corporate, professional and social events.

Throughout February, you can enjoy a free hot drink when you order two or more fillings in your breakfast sandwich!

Don’t forget lunch!

You can enjoy two of our freshly

Hosting an event?

Not only that, & Company's sister venue - The Rooftop -, is available for private hire, with it’s stand alone bar, casual vibes and stunning views of the city skyline.

The Chamber With a capacity of up to 100, a large projection screen and it’s own private bar, this really is an impressive space. You can enjoy a wide range of catering options, from breakfast a n d l u n c h , to c a n a p e s a n d pizzas from &Company.

The Rooftop Boasting incredible views of the city skyline, The Rooftop is Leed’s worst kept secret. A rooftop bar during the summer months, it’s the perfect hire for a more casual vibe. It offers space for up to 80 individuals and options to have your own DJ, this really is the ultimate party venue in Leeds.

Want to know more?

Get in touch: eastparade@ andcompany.group / 0330 912 7408

The Courtyard Is there anything better than enjoying the fresh air in your o wn private courtyard? We think not - but just in case the weather takes a turn for the worst, it’s heated and covered so you’ve got the best of both worlds.

Eagle Labs TopicUK February 2021

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F E AT U R E

Former MasterChef contestant launches Yorkshire food and activity retreats

Yorkshire chef and MasterChef: The Professionals contestant, Michaela Hanna has launched her immersive food and activity experiences in the UK. With M’s countryside retreats offer an immersive getaway experience with activities such as cycling, running, and walking – guided by professional coaches. As well as eating and learning about delicious food to expand your culinary knowledge and cooking skills.

Based in North Yorkshire, With M also offers private and group cooking lessons, bespoke events

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and retreats, corporate away days, masterclasses, and demonstrations.

Michaela is a former head of branding and events at Welcome to Yorkshire and events project manager at Help for Heroes, with over ten years of experience managing and organising events.

In addition, she’s worked in professional kitchens throughout her career.

Michaela began her selfemployment journey in 2019, becoming a freelance private chef – delivering private cooking classes and professional chef services at private events and in people’s homes all over the UK. Earlier this year, she realised the potential to bring her love of cooking, outdoor activities and event organising together, to create short retreats for people to enjoy that are truly unforgettable. From there, her active gourmet getaway company, With M was born.

I began cooking at a young age, and I truly believe I was born to feed people...

F E AT U R E cooked for them and help them learn more about cooking food they enjoy.”

The With M Experiences provide a range of getaways in beautiful, secluded locations across the Yorkshire Dales, allowing guests to truly switch off and get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life, whilst enjoying some of their favourite activities. Throughout 2022, Michaela will be running her gourmet food and activity retreats, where she cooks delicious meals for guests and provides cooking demonstrations that guests can make requests for when booking their place.

Each Experience offers one or more outdoor activities to enjoy, coupled with a variety of food and drink experiences such as cheese, beer or wine tasting. The activities are guided by well-known professionals in their field: Mark Airey BEM, strength & conditioning coach, nutritionist, founder of the charity Team True Spirit and exercise rehabilitation instructor, HR running coach Hannah Rayner, a UK Athletics qualified running and fitness coach with years of experience exploring the Yorkshire Dales, and Dave Mann and Vern Overton, both road and mountain biking guides with cycling business in Nidderdale.

Michaela explains: “I began cooking at a young age, and I truly believe I was born to feed people. It brings me so much joy, and I thoroughly enjoy cooking professionally. I grew up living in various countries around the world, which exposed me to many different cuisines and experiences that nurtured my interest in flavour, entertaining and adventure. I want to

create experiences that place equal importance on the activity and the food, which I hope will create lasting memories for everyone who joins us.

“After many years working as a professional chef and in hospitality and events management, I was seeking more purpose and freedom, and working for myself has enabled

that. After establishing a reputation as a private chef, the next step was to create situations where I could spend time with people I was cooking for and enthuse them with the same joy I have for food. I’ve been able to build more meaningful relationships with the people I cook for and truly enjoy the experience, their reactions to the food I’ve

Michaela added: “I moved to Nidderdale in January. The people, countryside and spectacular produce make it such a special place, and that is why I am focusing on hosting the experiences in the Yorkshire Dales.

I want to showcase the beauty and hidden gems of Yorkshire, that even locals don’t always get to experience.

I’m enjoying collaborating with other local businesses and entrepreneurs, there is a lot of appetite to create opportunity in Yorkshire and working with like-minded people is a real inspiration for me.”

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NEW H A LST H U P&D B AE TA EUTY

In Conversation with Victoria Gosling OBE

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H E A LT H & B E A U T Y Victoria Gosling OBE is a passionate sportswoman who dedicates her time to promoting sport across sectors. She is currently chief executive for GB Snowsport, Board member for the British Olympic Association and Chair of Rugby Centurions. In addition, Victoria is a newspaper reviewer for the BBC and a motivational speaker for Inspiring Women.

She has an outstanding career that spans many achievements, including being the chief executive for Invictus Games 2016 in Orlando and the Military Project Lead for the first Invictus Games (London 2014) inspiring 14 nations and over 400 athletes to compete. She has completed 21 years’ service within the Royal Air Force culminating with the prestigious rank of Group Captain and she has served on numerous deployments around the world.

Janet Milner-Walker, the founder of beauty brand management company Bespoke Advantage, talks skin health on the slopes with Victoria Gosling OBE, chief executive of GB Snowsport.

Janet Milner-Walker has worked up close and personal with many b e a u t y b ra n d s a n d f o u n d e r s over the years, developing and launching innovative products.

Her knowledge of the industry is based on years of experience.

Victoria Gosling OBE is the chief executive of GB Snowsport and is soon to be heading up the Olympic Winter Sports end of January 2022, with travel being a huge part of her work life, her skincare routine has been tried, tested, and perfected.

For both women beauty, health and wellbeing are an integral part of their lives – but for different reasons.

Janet has o ve r twe nty years’ experience in the beauty industry developing and launching products

and brands for companies based internationally including Marks & Spencer, Harvey Nichols (Dubai), Crabtree & Evelyn, Boots and Body Shop. She is a speaker, she writes for several publications on the topics of beauty and wellbeing, and since founding Bespoke Advantage in 2017, she has become a leading authority in the world of beauty and wellness, helping brands to shine. As a brand management company, Bespoke Advantage draw upon strategic insights, creative thinking, commerciality, and years of experience in strategy, branding, product development, marketing, and sales to help their clients to develop and launch brands, with her team working closely with each client to help them to bring their ideas to life.

In addition to her professional achievements, Victoria is mother to three young children and leads an active lifestyle that includes tennis and golf, meaning she knows the importance of skin health. Janet sits down to discuss how to achieve skin happiness, when you’ve not only experiencing extreme climates as a winter sports athlete, but also leading a busy and active lifestyle.

Tell us a little bit about your career, you were with the RAF for 21 years?

Yes, I was a linguist and I really enjoyed sport. I felt most comfortable when operating within teams, and I also had a fascination with helicopters!

What are your top tips for those considering a career in the military forces?

It is important to be super fit, to have a great attitude and to be prepared to put the service of others above your needs.

Being in the military, may require you to put your life on the line. How did you feel about that?

Yes, but this doesn’t happen every day – the military are incredible at training you to have the right mindset and the confidence to deal with whatever life throws at you. F TopicUK February 2021

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H E A LT H & B E A U T Y

You played a key part in the rise of the Invictus Games, what are your fondest memories of this?

The athletes – allowing them to put their uniforms back on to compete for their country in a team environment. Watching a triple amputee swim 200 meters in a London Aquatic Centre was inspirational!

For someone who spends a lot of time outdoors – in extreme climates – how do you manage your skin care regime?

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Well, I do follo w my three simple steps of cleanse, tone and moisturise. One of the biggest challenges when exposed to cold climates, is dry and dehydrated skin. When you are travelling between extreme climates (both hot and cold) your skin is constantly exposed to the elements, so it is key to protect it.

and to keep it looking young. I am in love with a new skincare range – Balance Me.

look, so it is a curly blow-dry, and natural make-up. Less is more.

Do you use SPF? If so, what do you recommend?

What is your favourite way of spending some ‘me’ time?

Are there any skincare tricks of the trade you have learnt during your career?

What do you not leave the house without? And what is your go-to product?

Mo i s t u r i s i n g to p to to e i s essential to protecting your skin,

My Balance Me Moisturiser – I love this – and I prefer a natural

SPF is an essential to my regime and I always use SPF30 – from Balance Me.

I love keeping fit, and spending time with my three wonderful (most of the time!) children and husband.

Who is your beauty icon?

It must be Jennifer Anniston – she always looks amazing!

C HN A ER W I T SY UUPPD DAATTEE

Fo r Fo r g e t M e N o t Children’s Hospice, our 2022 charity of choice, working with business par t ners has been critical to the success of this vital charity.

Never has this been truer than last year when businesses from across West Yorkshire stepped forward to offer materials, resources and manpower to help Forget Me Not with a massive refurbishment of the hospice, Russell House.

“2021 marked the 10th anniversary of Russell House opening,” says Gareth Piece, director of income generation at the charity. “And after 10 years of constant use, the building badly needed attention.

But with every penny we raise going towards providing care for local children and families, we couldn’t afford to fund this essential work ourselves.”

A call went out to local businesses for help. “And we had an extraordinary response,” says Gareth. “Businesses of all shapes and sizes came forward, from decorators and garden landscaping firms, to fencing specialists and timber suppliers.

It’s meant we’ve been able to refurbish our Snowflake Suite - a private apartment for bereaved families, refresh the decoration in the communal areas, resurface garden paths to make them safe for everyone and improve the external fencing and lighting.”

Perhaps the crowning glory of this renewal project has been the creation of a state-of-the-art cinema room, with all equipment donated and installed for free by dozens of manufacturers and suppliers, enabled by Together for

The kindness of a gift in kind in which we work.” Another of the businesses who stepped forward to help, PPG, said: “We are delighted to contribute to a bright and joyful environment for the children and families who use Russell House.”

Cinema. One mum supported by Forget Me Not said after watching a film with her family: “After everything we’ve been through, it’s so brilliant to have this.”

business partners’ generosity, donating gifts in kind worth almost £100,000, our hospice is now fit for purpose for the next 10 years.”

“The families we support,” says Gareth, “are pushed to the limits by the challenges of caring for a child with a life-shortening condition or the heartache of losing their child. For the last decade, Russell House has been their sanctuary. Thanks to our

It was staff at Siddall & Hilton Products who selected Forget Me Not as one of the charities they wanted to support. Pam Jackson said: “As a business, we are committed not only to listening to our colleagues, but also to giving back to the community

With more work planned this year, including the creation of a memory garden, Forget Me Not continues to partner with and seek businesses who can support its work.

For details on how your organisation could help, please email Gareth Pierce at gareth.pierce@ f o r g e t m e n o tc h i l d . c o . u k .

TopicUK February 2021

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T E SY OURPKDSAHTI RE E C O A S T NH EW

Why business leaders need to relax and feed their spirit …

For the many businesses and business owners working hard amid an unpredictable future, a coast-based yoga enterprise has a key message for 2022 If you are nurturing and building a business you need to be personally on top of your game, says yoga teacher Fran Kitson, a partner at BeYou Studio in Scarborough.

“How do you show up day in, day out with energy and vitality?

Through self-care. Yes – please don’t roll your eyes, it’s true!

“I belie ve this is ce ntral to business growth and recovery and also to our ability to face huge society changes,” she said.

Fran believes that business plans

actually need to include steps for self-care to ensure we can be more agile, more responsive and be able to prepare for the unknown.

“Self-care is no longer fluffy – it’s not about applying a face mask, sipping a green juice or going to a spa (as nice as those things might be). It’s a science, and business owners and employers who ignore it, do so at their peril.

“Take care of yourself so you can take care of your business. Maybe self-care is the most important goal that you can set this year.”

Lack of self-care is the stepping stone for a range of health issues, including the mental, physical and spiritual, stress, a n x i e t y, d e p r e s s i o n , p o o r immune response, chronic and cardiovascular health conditions and dietary problems.

“We live in a culture with an underlying belief that more and more is bet te r, that we must always be striving for the next thing, always trying to achieve, always having to be productive, always projecting to the future, catastrophising, worrying, comparing.”

For Fran, the idea of self-care

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THE YORK ST N SE H WI SR EU C PO DAT E

released into the body and the resultant state is a natural fight, flight or freeze response.

reduce, muscles relax. “This is your rest and digest state when you regenerate and recover,” she said.

“The heartbeat quickens, the diaphragm tightens, the breath moves into the upper chest, our shoulders lift.

My business partner and I set up our yoga and wellness studio in the middle of the pandemic.

“The constant overload of life, screen stimulation, meeting deadlines, juggling overscheduled calendars, and comparing our lives to others, means we are often permanently stressed. isn't a bou t th e ‘ d oi ng ’ , i t ' s actually about the ‘not doing’ and the ‘undoing’.

Fran’s main self-care practices.

“It’s about resting, connecting to your body, feeding your spirit.”

“More generally the advice is to get plenty of sleep and have good nutrition but, really we need to attend to the body.

Yoga nidra, restorative yoga, yin yoga, hatha yoga, meditation, breath work (pranayama) are

“When we look after the body, we look after the mind because when we are stressed, cortisol is

“If we never put ‘breaks’ on the nervous systems and we stay in an alert state, we don’t regenerate healthy cells, we don’t detoxify, we don’t heal.”

Rest is an essential, not a luxury.

Activating the parasympathetic nervous system allows the breath to slow down, blood pressure

I had just returned from living in Salzburg, Austria, and she was just on the cusp of finishing a fulltime job and starting a degree in Sport Therapy. We had exactly the same vision for a yoga studio and wanting to offer a peaceful space to our hometown, so, despite the circumstances we created our studio.

“It has been very stressful but we love it and so far we are (almost) riding the storm. We try to practice what we preach self-care is central to who we are and what we do as that ‘to do’ list remains never-ending.

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TH E SY OURPKDSAHTI E RE COAST N EW

World stage for students of business-based college Their Avidity Racing team scooped the overall award and Best Engineered Car against 15 schools from around the country.

F1 in Schools was established 20 years ago and is the biggest science and technology initiative offered to students. It is linked with the international F1 championship and was founded by Andrew Denford, who runs an engineering facility in Brighouse.

Rob She phard, the college's Director of Engineering, said: "The team is now going through the new regulations and undertaking testing on the front components of the car to optimise performance over larger wheels that are now in the new regulations.

"The venue for the world finals is in discussion but it will more than likely have to be a digital submission and virtual event, with the possibility of the pupils attending.

Scarborough students are preparing to represent the UK in this year's world finals of the Formula 1 in Schools competition.

Scarborough University Technical College (UTC) teenagers Missy McArdle, Libby Atkin and Alex Jenkin are fine-tuning their mini racing car powered by compressed air for the international event that might be held at Silverstone Race Circuit.

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The event is centred on creating a miniature F1 car to race along a 20-metre track at up to 45mph.

The UTC trio won through from the national final held in West Yorkshire last October.

"The latest venue being discussed is Silverstone Race Circuit around the time of the British Grand Prix (July 22)."

He added: "I would like to say how proud I am of the team.

"Thanks to all of the teams sponsors for the support, guidance and expertise they have given to the team. These include Scarborough Business Ambassadors, IGUS UK, Carter Bearings, Nissan UK, BDC Machinery, Additive-X, Blue Raptor Signs, McRay Press, University of Hull and Ansys.

THE YORK ST N SE H WI SR EU C PO DAT E

"Aston Martin F1 team is now also working with the team to develop the research, development and portfolios."

M i s s y, 1 7, s c o o p e d t h e to p award for Girls on Track UK, a

scheme to encourage more female students to consider careers in engineering and motorsport, where only 2% of females are involved.

stepping it up for the world finals. We’ve spotted some areas of improvement for our car and how we want to re-design it and go again.”

She said: “We just need to keep

Detailed technical, financial

and marketing presentations are assessed by experts from industry and education.

At the regional heats the Avidity team recorded a track time of 1.271 seconds.

Scarborough UTC principal Lee Kilgour said: “When they represent the UTC and the country in the world finals, they will also be representing Scarborough and the region, reflecting excellence for technical education and a can-do spirit that employers are looking for.”

More than 40 teams are taking part in the event this year, comprising 227 students from countries around the world.

They deploy CAD/CAM d i g i t a l s o f t w a r e to d e s i g n , analyse, manufacture and race miniature air-powered cars made from F1 model block.

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TH E SY OURPKDSAHTI E RE COAST N EW

Scarborough leisure hotel brand set for nationwide rollout The phenomenal success of Scarborough's pioneering boutique Bike & Boot hotel has opened the way for nationwide expansion.

The Peak District and Sherwood Forest are among the locations that will adopt the novel Scarborough brand for new leisure hotels - with other parts of the country to follow in a five-year growth plan by the founders.

Scotland, Blackpool, Devon, Durham and another Yorkshire coast site are also being considered.

The dynamic success is based on the modernisation of the threestorey 65-bedroom former 19th century Mount Hotel, overlooking Scarborough's South Bay, into the Bike & Boot brand.

"We have plans to create another Bike & Boot every year for the next five years, carefully branded with similar decor and with Scarborough as the model," said Simon Kershaw, the co-founder.

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He is former chairman of the northern region British Hospitality Association and led the hospitality te a m a t C a r l to n To w e r s i n North Yorkshire.

He and business partner Simon Rhatigan - the former MD of Devonshire Hotels & Restaurants who achieved big success as owner of the Feversham Arms Hotel and Verbena Spa in Helmsley - have earned plaudits for the creative and unique Bike & Boot profile, offering high value and extra facilities.

They teamed up nine years ago and

previously launched Helmsley Hospitality to offer strategic hotel management services.

They have similar mindsets on hotel strategy but different roles - Simon Rhatigan

THE YORK ST N SE H WI SR EU C PO DAT E

overseeing operations and Simon Kershaw looking at new sites, development and marketing.

"We want to go nationwide," t h e y s a i d . " We k n e w t h a t there was a gap in the market

for a different style and enhanced experience from a leisure hotel brand. There are a lot of individual hotels but not of the brand that we have created.

"Our style is not aimed at any

particular demographic; it's for all.

"When people go away for leisure time, they go for one or two nights or more regularly and are often looking for a brand hotel to relax - not seeking out a formal hotel

because five-star star hotels are not necessarily the answer for everyone for a break."

They added: "We devised 'Bike & Boot' because it is about having a name that people rememberF TopicUK February 2021

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TH E SY OURPKDSAHTI E RE COAST N EW - a brand which custome rs can take ownership of and is easily recognisable.

"Our ethos is based on recruiting staff who have the 'hospitality gene,' people who like people; you can teach people to properly place a glass and a plate but there has to be the right environment.

"We pay well; more per hour than the usual market rate and people are willing to work the hours.

"Scarborough is a prototype and we are looking at established areas also including Torquay and Durham.

"We had looked at various sites in Wales, near Snowdonia, but there were planning obstacles."

The exclusive design was created

by Ryedale-based Rachael McLane.

The £6m Peak District Bike & Boot is due to open in November, built

by Pontefract-based construction company Harris CM for GiGi Developments which will be subject to a long lease, by Bike & Boot, the brand headed up by the Simons.

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THE YORK ST N SE H WI SR EU C PO DAT E

As in Scarborough, it will create quality rooms, jobs and a boost for the local economy.

As featured in TopicUK last October, the new three-storey,

60-bedroom hotel will be developed on the site of the former 18th century Rising Sun Hotel in the ancient Derbyshire village of Hope, two miles from Castleton, 13 miles from Chatsworth House

and surrounded by hills, streams and cycle routes.

The Simons said: "We are also in advance talks for Sherwood Forest development of 93 rooms,

with paddocks for horses. And we are looking at signing up a site in Blackpool with 150 rooms in the near future.

"We would look at more sites on the Yorkshire coast too because seaside has the lure."

"We can develop whatever suits the environment.

"Most of our finance is from private development funding. The Bike & Boot is taking on long leases based and on our brand.

"But at the same time, we don't want to go too big too soon.

"We have witnessed what can happen when a company expands too quickly and the starting principles get diluted."We are very focused to make sure that we proceed in our model and that it is delivered."

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F N EE A WTSUURPE D A T E

Yorkshire Sculpture Park unveils new works All images © Jonty Wilde courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) are delighted to announce new arrivals this season. Put on your winter warmers, walking boots and breathe in the crisp fresh air while exploring the Park. If the weather takes a turn, visitors can enjoy exhibitions at one of the many indoor galleries, shops and eateries.

Hazmat Love (2016) by North American artist Tom Friedman greets visitors in the Formal Garden. The stainless-steel sculpture depicts two figures who might be embracing, wrestling or dancing together. The relationship between them is unclear and their facial expressions are hidden by mirrored masks. Friedman first created the work using flattened and shaped aluminium roasting trays to resemble baggy

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fabric, elastic, boots and thick gloves. The marks and folds made by the artist can still be seen in the surface of the work. Friedman described Hazmat Love as a scene of ‘dystopian romance – love in a toxic environment’ so is especially pertinent now.

Continue wandering through the Formal Garden and you will see Edward Allington’s sculpture installed last year has a new companion.

From the Sex of Metals III (1990) joins From the Sex of Metals IV (1990), made in response to a question from art critic Stuart Morgan as to what sex Allington’s sculptures were to be read as. The artist was unable to answer satisfactorily, and so began these works as a way to explore the question further, asking “to what strange gender does steel belong or bronze, and what is sex but the most extraordinary and elaborate mechanism for filtering fluids?”

Tom Friedman - Hazmat Love 2016

As winter falls across YSP, the team welcome the changes to the sweeping Yorkshire landscape and art on view in the open air. Set within 500 acres of historic landscape, comprising parkland, woodland, formal gardens, heritage landmarks and lakes – YSP has around 100 modern and contemporary sculptures for visitors to enjoy. The ever-changing display of sculptures, along with the programme of exhibitions and events, means that there is always something new to discover.

F E AT U R E

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F N EE A WTSUURPE D A T E

Willem Boshoff - Flagstone 2016

Idit Nathan and Helen Stratford - Further Afield 2021

Further Afield (2021) by Idit Nathan and Helen Stratford is a series of sculptures sited around the Upper Lake for visitors to encounter and respond to. Created following two residencies at YSP in 2017 and 2018, each work is made from wooden railway sleepers, with words engraved into the surface. Certain words have been highlighted by the artists using brightly coloured paint.

Over time, the wood will age and become embedded in the landscape of the Park. The instructions on the sculptures invite us to play, think, interact, and use our senses to experience our surroundings in new ways.

Rest and take in the Upper Lake’s wildlife at Willem Boshoff ’s granite sculpture and seat. After yet anothe r turbule nt year, Flagstone (2016) provides the perfect space for contemplation.

In summer 2018, South African artist Boshoff spent a month at YSP, researching and meticulously recording the flora and fauna. The residency was followed by an exhibition

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Edward Allington from The Sex-of-Metals iii and from the sex of metals iv 1990

in Upper Space and the subsequent gift of Flagstone as a permanent work for YSP’s landscape.

YSP are delighted to welcome another work, Protomartyr (1976), by the pioneering British artist

Elisabeth Frink who was an early supporter of Amnesty International.

On loan from a private collection, the life-sized bronze depicts the first Christian martyr, Saint Stephen, who provided aid to those in need and was tragically sentenced to death.

Frink modelled her works using plaster, often starting with metal rods or wire to provide structure.

Once the plaster dried she would carve into it using chisels, files and an axe, before casting the work in bronze. Through this process she

F E AT U R E

Ai-weiwei circle of animals-zodiac-heads-(detail) 2010

After taki ng in the delights of YSP’s landscape and galleries, seek solace at award-winning The Weston Restaurant and enjoy locally sourced food and excellent coffee. As we wave goodbye to a difficult year, YSP is dedicated to keeping their v i s i to r s s a f e , p ro v i d i n g a n exceptional place to dive into art and nature.

Elisabeth Frink Protomartyr 1976

tried to capture inner and outer states of being.

YSP is committed to providing the highest level of care for artworks.

From bracing winds to balmy heatwaves, their expert teams

monitor and conserve sculptures so that they look their best for visitors.

A firm favourite, Ai Weiwei’s Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads (2010) was originally installed at YSP in celebration of our 40th anniversary in 2017. This summer the dramatic

group of 12 bronze animal heads underwent conservation and is back on display in their new position in the Lower Park. Standing at three metres high, the sculptures each weigh 363 kg, and were conserved on-site over a period of three months.

As we look forward to 2022, YSP is thrilled to present a programme of new exhibitions, installations, events and learning initiatives to keep audiences informed and engaged. Highlights include an exhibition of drawings by sculptor and land artist David Nash, the first European museum e x h i b i t i o n o f s c u l p t u re b y iconic North American artist Robert Indiana, and Summer of Love – a season celebrating and exploring human connections, kindness, and the magnificent and complex diversity of love.

Visitors will be able to enjoy further additions to works in the open air throughout 2022.

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N EOW M TO S RUI P ND G AUTPED A T E

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M O T ONREIW NG S U P D AT E

Hyundai’s big shot By:Graham

Cour tney

-

Motoring

Correspondent

Have you checked-out your local Hyundai dealer lately? No? Well it’s worth the trip because Hyundai is moving forwards rapidly in terms of style and desirability.

Take for example this latest Hyundai Santa Fe. Any previous Santa Fe owners are in for a pleasant surprise. They’ll immediately spot a lift in interior quality which has a seriously premium feel. As with all Hyundai models, it comes with a 5-year, unlimited mileage warranty, which shows how confident Hyundai is in its products.

It’s a good-looking car. Hyundai has been careful not to stray into Land Rover Discovery Sport territory and has aimed fair and square at making the Santa Fe a capable but very comfortable, family car. Okay, it’s still up to the task of pulling a horsebox, boat or caravan, but it’s aimed more at families who want to do some touring in comfort and be able to take everything, including the kitchen sink or the grandparents, in the back.

Oh, and talking of the back, the Santa Fe is a rarity in that it comes with seven seats. Okay, the most row is for kids, but it’s handy to have. Drop those seats into the floor and you have a massive load area. £40,685 gets you into the Santa Fe. There are two levels of trim…Premium and Ultimate.

Most folk will be perfectly happy with Premium trim. Two and four-wheel drive is available. We’d recommend paying the extra couple of grand to get AWD. It’s worth it for peace of mind in the winter and the car will hang onto more of its value when the time comes to sell.

There’s diesel and hybrid petrol power available in the Hyundai Santa Fe. The diesel engine is a 2.2 litre 199bhp diesel unit which gives you a 0-60 time of around 9 seconds and a top speed of 127mph. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid models use a 1.6 litre petrol engine. 0-60 is quicker than the diesel ( just) at 8.8 seconds but mpg won’t be quite as good (low 40s rather than mid 40s) unless you go for the plug-in hybrid version which could, theoretically, manage over 100mpg assuming you have a short commute which can be achieved on electric power only before the engine bursts into life. The electric-only range is 36 miles.

You can adjust the driving characteristics for Sport, Comfort and Eco….we left it in the comfort setting….no point in ruining the ride. Despite its size, the Santa Fe feels fairly nimble on the road. It’s an extremely relaxed cruiser.

Every Santa Fe is well equipped including sat nav, air con, powered and heated front seats, heated outer seats in the rear, LED lights, front and rear parking sensors, rear camera, powered tailgate and a stack of safety kit. Impressive huh?

In other words, if you need a handsome, fully loaded, family holdall with a cracking warranty, make sure that Hyundai Santa Fe is on your list of test drives.

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N E W S U P D AT E serve our customers even better. We are very excited about the future.”

Last year, Pelsis purchased Lyonbased pest control supplier Edialux France in February and Californiabased manufacturer of humane bird deterrents Bird-B-Gone in May. Derek Whitworth commented: “We are very pleased to be bringing Brandenburg into the Pelsis Group family of brands as the business shares similar goals, values and aspirations for the future.

Acquisition for pest control technology company Global pest control technology company Pelsis Group has acquired Brandenburg, a leading manufacturer of flying and biting insect control systems, for an undisclosed sum. Brandenburg has become a wholly owned subsidiary with all its 110 employees, customers and suppliers transferring to Pelsis.

Led by new chief executive Derek Whitworth, the deal marks the second acquisition made by Pelsis in the last two months. The first was the purchase of Madrid-based professional pest control products businesses Sanitrade and distributor

Vesta Distribuciones in December.

Brandenburg, which is headquartered near Dudley in the West Midlands, also has operations in North America based out of its facility in Saint Charles, Missouri. In addition, the

company has a manufacturing plant in the Pune region of India Established more than 70 years ago the company delivers its products to 140 countries through an international distributor network.

Brandenburg founder and chief executive, Mathew Kaye, said: “It has been a long and rewarding journey to have built Brandenburg into the company it is today. We feel that our business is ready for the next stage in its journey. Joining the Pelsis Group presents a great opportunity for deep collaboration and further investment in product innovation.

Ultimately, it improves our ability to grow and develop our business to

York Minster Refectory Restaurant menus revealed The very best, locally sourced, seasonal food ingredients with a worldly flavour will be at the heart of the menus at York Minster's new Refectory Restaurant which opens later this year under the direction of chef Bex Toppin.

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Bex and partner Will Pearce have made a name for themselves since they opened their Bishopthorpe Road, Robinsons Cafe, bringing good quality but affordable dining to York. That winning characteristic will also be apparent in the Minster's new accessible-to-all refectory-style

restaurant cafe when it opens.

"Like we have at Robinsons, the food at the Minster Refectory Restaurant will be sourced locally as much as we can," said Bex, who expects that dishes at the new restaurant will have two or three main elements, ones that she and Will know work well together.

“Operationally, it fits very well within our strategy of adding companies that are leaders in their category which can help to deliver synergies for our group.

“We see great potential for ongoing growth opportunities and there are many clear benefits of working together that will provide customers with enhanced levels of product innovation, service and support.”

Additionally, the Pelsis Board has also agreed the appointment of Jan-Derck van Karnebeek as interim chief commercial officer (CCO). He is a 19-year veteran of The Heineken Company, culminating in six years as the global CCO. "The idea is a simple one - to let all the high-quality ingredients shine through, without any fuss. If the ingredients are good you don't need to do that much with the food."

At Robinsons the menu is very much what Bex and Will like to prepare and eat themselves, supported by seasonal and local produce with a worldly flavour from the independent shops, butchers and grocers of York's 'Bishy Road'.

"We really want to carry on that focus of local, good quality, seasonal, dishes at the Refectory Restaurant," she adds.

N E W S U P D AT E

PFF Group invests £200,000 to reduce carbon footprint Food packaging specialist PFF Group is investing £200,000 in ne w t ransformer technology which will signif icantly reduce carbon emissions at its Keighley site.

importance on using resources efficiently and this latest investment demonstrates that we take our carbon reduction commitments very seriously.

“Transformers become less efficient as they age and upgrading our existing equipment will increase power resilience and enable greater energy efficiency, thereby lowering our carbon footprint.

The family owned firm is one of the UK’s largest independent food packaging manufacturers, supplying supermarkets, multinational food manufacturers, food service and fresh produce companies across the country.

“Plastics continue to have a vital role to play in food production and our objective is to produce packaging that delivers the most sustainable solution when accounting for whole life costs - from production to transportation emissions, food waste and recyclability. Carbon foot printing offers the most accurate assessment of the way our products impact on our planet. Therefore, reducing our carbon footprint is the biggest thing we can do to protect the environment.”

In the first stage of the phased installation, the new voltage management technology will reduce PFF’s energy costs and increase efficiency at the site, resulting in a 5% reduction in the firm’s carbon footprint.

Supplied by Sheffield-based smart energy solutions manufacturer Po we rstar, the transforme r enables electricity to be transferred from one circuit to another at changing voltage One challenge they will face at the new restaurant is setting full multicourse menus and preparing food for a new large restaurant.

"It's a challenge, for sure, but I'm really excited about that opportunity, of being able to prepare special and seasonal dishes, but in the much larger dining environment we will have at the Refectory Restaurant."

Although it is still very early days, and plans are still being finalised, the new team expect there will be a small daytime takeaway counter area with homemade cakes, breakfast

levels, to improve the safety and efficiency of power systems and reduce carbon emissions.

General manager Lee Brydon said: “As a producer of sustainable packaging, PFF places great

lunch options and drinks. The main ground floor hall restaurant is likely to have capacity for 60-plus covers with breakfast and lunch options and evening menus; and smaller function and private dining rooms upstairs.

the expertise and resources of those restaurants including The Star at Harome and The Star Inn the City, York.

Bex, who is originally from Darlington, started as a trainee chef in 2007 at Raymond Blanc's two Michelin Star, Oxfordshire Le Manoir aux Quat'Saison.

As one of the two main investment partners - with Mike Green of GEM Construction - Andrew Pern at the Star Group of Restaurants brings

"Although Andrew and I will be working very closely together, people can expect the Minster Refectory restaurant to be a quite different concept to the Star," adds Bex. The plans for the new Refectory Restaurant remain subject to final planning permission in a deal that is ‘subject to contract’, as York Minster, Gem Construction and The Star Group of Companies work in partnership to finalise contract arrangements.

Sustainability is a core value for PFF, which is a member of two environmental global initiatives, NEXTLOOPP and Operation Clean Sweep. NEXTLOOPP aims to produce the first commercially available high-quality food grade polypropylene (FGrPP), while Operation Clean Sweep seeks to ensure plastic does not end up in waterways.

Alastair Morris, Chief Commercial Officer at Powerstar said: “Upgrading an aging transformer fleet offers enhanced power resilience, lower costs and greater energy efficiency, as well as an effective route to reducing carbon emissions and, ultimately, to achieving net zero. We were delighted to help PFF Group on that journey.”

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FOOD & DRINK

Lunch with the Editor With Jordan Odu from Pink Gorilla/ Hairy Lemon

One of our new features for 2022 is ‘Lunch with the editor’ where we invite a business to join us for lunch or dinner and chat about their business and of course the restaurant.

This edition, editor Gill Laidler invited Jordan Odu from Pink Gorilla and Hairy Lemon to join her at Blackhouse Restaurant in Leeds. Blackhouse is a modern glass walled venue serving sustainably sourced steak and seafood with an extensive cocktail menu. Warm and cosy in Winter, open and breezy in summer with two outdoor dining areas and a conservatory with retractable roof. Great for business and shoppers alike.

Walking into Blackhouse, I was surprised to see how busy it was, especially as many had said Leeds, in particular bars and restaurants were quiet. I arrived a few minutes before Jordan and was shown to my table and offered a drink whilst I waited. This gave me an opportunity to view the menus whilst looking around the room at the wide range of diners from shoppers to businesspeople.

Jordan arrived and we both ordered a glass of Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand chosen from the extensive wine list and made our choice from the a la carte menu. There is also a bottomless lunch menu at £35pp comprising a main course that includes bottomless bubbles, beers and wines.

I wanted to find out more about Jordan and his business. Growing up he told me he wanted to work for a magazine. “I suppose I sort of do that as I write for various magazines, but I wasn’t really clear what I wanted, I

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did always have an entrepreneurial spirit, so was destined to work for myself,” he explained.

Our starters arrived promptly, I opted for pulled beef bon bons with burnt onion mayonnaise at £8.50 with Jordan choosing Cauliflower Cheese Souffle £7.75.

Both were delicious and served piping hot.

“He continued “I studied at Roundhay High sixth form but quickly realised this wasn’t for me, so I left to train as a hairdresser at Thomas Danby College one day a week whilst working full time in my dad’s hair salon. I had worked there after school and on weekends since I was 13 sweeping up and making the coffee. I’d then go on to spend my £20 wages in Leeds market buying sweets which I then sold for double at school so I could buy clothes – I was born to hustle,” he laughed.

Starters cleared and our server was soon back with the main event. I opted for the half roast

FOOD & DRINK

chicken served with skinny chips, stuffing and proper gravy. The portion was huge, but delicious and great value at £14.95 and Jordan chose Blackhouse Cottage Pie, 14hr slow cooked brisket, root mash and Wookey Hole Cheddar £15.00, which he said was one of his favourites as a regular at the city centre restaurant.

Going back to our conversation, Jordan told me that hairdressing wasn’t for him, but found his perfect role working at events and parties then launching Pink Gorilla 12 years ago, his first client being Revolution. Since then his business has grown and he now specialises in promotion and marketing for the leisure industry.

In 2015 Jordan teamed up with his now business partner Deborah De Vittoris of Hairy Lemon and PGHL was born. Their business has grown substantially and diversified into PR and events as well as general marketing support.

“I love what I am doing now. Every day is different, and I get to meet

lots of interesting new people. It is satisfying when I see people’s reactions when we create that special moment for them or see the work in print. Every day is very different, we can be organising a launch party for a new bar or restaurant, planning a wedding or organising a birthday, private party or helping brands tell their story through PR. My plan is to build the PR offering across the UK and working more in the property sector and with online products.

The slight downside is work life FACT FILE: What car do you drive?

Currently on the lookout, I quite fancy an Audi Q2, but my conscience is saying go electric.

What do you do in your leisure time?

In my down time I like to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and jump on my bike or go for a walk and recently I have just started boxing which I find is a great stress buster!

balance. My work never stops, particularly because of social media, but although I tend to work 24/7, I don’t mind as I truly love what I do. I’m a big believer in that everything happens for a reason, I’ve had good and bad times,” he continued, “but it has made me the person that I am today and I’m excited to see what the future brings.”

Delicious main course finished; the dessert menus arrived. Despite the temptation of cheesecake,

apple and rhubarb crumble, sticky toffee pudding and an ice cream selection all reasonably priced, we both decided that we just couldn’t find the room, although a second glass of the delicious wine was too much of a temptation, well it was a Friday afternoon!

Blackhouse, The Grill on the Square is open daily from 12 noon until 11pm 31-33 East Parade, Leeds LS1 5PS.

Where is your favourite restaurant?

Now this is tough as Leeds has so many amazing places. I’ll go with the last place I went for dinner which was Fourth Floor Brasserie at Harvey Nichols. But have to say the new menu at Blackhouse is up there.

Where is your favourite holiday destination?

To be honest I’d take anywhere right

What is your favourite food and drink?

Thai or Mexican food, Gin and a Cosmo cocktail. I also love a cheeky Nando’s.

What is your favourite gadget?

Air pods are a lifesaver.

now but if I had to choose, my favourites are Mexico, Thailand, Ibiza or Lanzarote.

Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire? Roundhay Park

What couldn’t you live without?

Family and friends

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