Grant funding will help to bring Hull’s Castle Buildings back into use
Castle Buildings LLP has been awarded more than £162,000 from Hull City Council’s government-backed fund towards bringing Castle Buildings back into use.
The Grade II listed building on Waterhouse Lane will be restored to offer city centre floor space, a nione-storey 150 room hotel, and public realm space. The funding represents just 8.2 per cent of a large-scale project expected to bring almost £2m of capital investment into Hull.
The grant award for Castle Buildings supports the wider site development, conceived and being delivered by Hull-based Wykeland Group, which includes reconstruction of the historic Earl de Grey public house building. Plans feature a nine-storey hotel with 150 bedrooms, as well as public realm works.
Councillor Paul Drake-Davis, the council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, said: “Castle Buildings is a much-loved heritage building in our city centre, but one which has stood empty for some time. Castle Buildings is part of the wider, large-scale project which, once completed, will bring further work and leisure opportunities to the city centre.”
Jonathan Stubbs, Development Director of Wykeland, said: “We’re pleased this project has received the funding to support its delivery. It recognises the importance of restoring and bringing back into use this landmark building and we anticipate work beginning in early 2024.
“This will be another significant step in Hull’s ongoing regeneration, which Wykeland Group is proud to be playing a major role in.”
Bradford hydrogen production facility secures government funding
A hydrogen production facility, that will deliver low carbon energy in the heart of Bradford, has won government funding to take the project forward.
Clean energy pioneers Hygen and N-Gen are working in partnership to deliver the Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen (BLCH) production facility, which could achieve the decarbonisation equivalent of removing 800 diesel-fuelled buses a day from West Yorkshire roads.
The development will be built on the Northern Gas Network (NGN) Birkshall gas storage site in Bradford. It will deliver one of the UK’s largest low carbon hydrogen production facilities with the aim of using renewable energy to produce hydrogen.
Businesses and other users in West Yorkshire will be able to use the refuelling facilities, with distribution experts Ryze delivering hydrogen to industrial users across the region.
The project has been awarded money under the Hydrogen Production Business Model / Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.
Jamie Burns, Director of Hygen, said: “We are delighted that this project has been selected for government funding to take it to the next phase of development.
“This project will not just produce low carbon hydrogen for Bradford and the surrounding area, but will also provide a blueprint for how complex projects like this can be delivered, boosting the hydrogen and green economies of the UK.
“We very much hope that this project will be replicated in other cities across the UK to provide low carbon energy for generations to come.”
Gareth Mills, Managing Director at N-Gen, said: “This is an important and exciting project, not just for Bradford, but also for the wider area and the community that lives here, so we are delighted to now have financial backing from government to allow us to start work on the site.
“Bradford Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and we believe this facility will play an important role in helping the area deliver on its climate change ambitions.
“We know hydrogen can support decarbonising all energy types including transport, and producing green hydrogen is central to this, so we’re really excited to work with Hygen to deliver this development.”
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said: “It’s exciting to see Bradford at the forefront of embracing new energy solutions. Bradford has always been an innovator and we are delighted that we are now being recognised nationally in this space with Government investment in the scheme.”
This project is significant for Bradford’s future economic growth plans. It could be worth £900 million and create over 9,000 high-quality jobs by 2030.
Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “Hydrogen presents a massive economic opportunity for the UK, unlocking over 12,000 jobs and up to £11 billion of investment by 2030.
“Today’s announcement represents the largest number of commercial scale green hydrogen production projects announced at once anywhere in Europe.
“These 11 major new hydrogen projects across the UK will create over 700 jobs and deliver new opportunities from Plymouth in England to Cromarty in Scotland.”
Hull logistics firm acquires European road freight specialist
Hull logistics firm Good Logistics has acquired European road freight specialist Inter-Ways.
Inter-Ways, which is a family-owned freight forwarding business based in Doncaster, focuses primarily on road freight to Eastern and Northern Europe.
Alan Platt, Divisional Managing Director of Good Logistics, said: “Like Good Logistics, Inter-Ways has a solid focus on superior customer service. With its extensive European road freight network developed over 20 years, it is a perfect fit with Good Logistics.
“The acquisition of Inter-Ways will amplify our skills and knowledge, which, combined with digital innovation, help set Good Logistics apart from other logistics providers. Inter-Ways has a great team of people who are committed to the business and its customers and I am delighted to welcome them to the Good Logistics team.”
Justyna Polom-Wilkinson, former Director and owner of Inter-Ways, said: “I started Inter-Ways in 2003 and, with the support and dedication of a great team of people, the business has flourished to become a trusted logistics provider to our customers.
“I am proud to see Inter-Ways begin a new chapter. With its size, scale and, of course, strong family values, choosing Good Logistics as Inter-Ways’ new owner was a great decision.”
Ian Baker, Branch Manager of Inter-Ways, said: “At Inter-Ways, we have truly put our customers at the heart of our operations for the past 20 years.
“Becoming part of Good Logistics creates an exciting new dynamic for both teams, as we integrate Inter-Ways’ specialist road freight knowledge with Good Logistics’ existing road freight specialists which, combined with digital innovation, is a cornerstone of its service delivery.”
Inter-Ways will continue to trade under its own brand for the foreseeable future and operate from its offices at Doncaster Finningley Airport.
The Business Day adds another speaker for Bridlington event
Geoff Ramm has been added to the line-up of speakers for The Business Day at Bridlington Spa on Friday 7 June next year. He joins previously announced Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA as a speaker at the annual business event hosted by Gyles Brandreth.
Described by Forbes magazine as ‘A Game Changer’, Geoff is an inspirational keynote speaker and the creator and author of Celebrity Service and Celebrity Service Superstars.
Organisers say Geoff’s interactive keynote promises that not only will delegates discover out-of-this-world ideas but how to transform touchpoints to light up their business and excite customers. Renowned for his on-stage and on-screen presence, as well as his infectious enthusiasm and humour, Ramm will have delegates on the edge of their seat.
Throughout his career Geoff has challenged and inspired entrepreneurs, high performance teams and organisations across 49 countries to create award winning ideas to outperform competition
Stephen Parnaby, Event Director, said: “Geoff will bring some thought provoking insights having worked with companies such as Emirates, Warner Brothers, Specsavers and McDonalds.”
Mark Lonsdale, General Manager at Bridlington Spa and Producer of The Business Day said: “Following the announcement of Björn Ulvaeus as the keynote speaker Geoff will bring a fresh perspective on how successful businesses operate globally.”
Work completes on Sheffield’s new food hall
Henry Boot Construction has completed work on Cambridge Street Collective this week, handing the building over to the food hall operator for the final fit-out.
Cambridge Street Collective is a key development within Heart of the City – the transformative city centre regeneration scheme led by Sheffield City Council and their Strategic Development manager, Queensberry.
The new venue is located between Cambridge Street and Wellington Street, sitting behind the distinctive Henry’s Corner and Bethel Sunday School. Once the fit-out work is completed, it will be run by Blend Family – the same company behind Sheffield’s acclaimed Cutlery Works – and feature a contemporary food hall, cookery school and rooftop bar.
Construction of this unique development saw several historic building façades sensitively refurbished and integrated into a contemporary new structure behind. The new build elements are finished with an orange-coloured weathering steel façade.
Alongside the neighbouring Elshaw House development – also being delivered by Henry Boot Construction, the Cambridge Street Collective construction site was designated an ‘Ultra Site’ with the Considerate Constructors Scheme. This means it was recognised within the sector as a beacon of best practice, with everything from supply chain management to sustainability performance measured against the absolute highest standards.
The site, which is one of only three Ultra Sites in Yorkshire, has also delivered significant social value impact for the local community in Sheffield. During the lifecycle of the scheme, Henry Boot welcomed seven groups of visitors from local education partners, delivered 17 work experience placements and teams across the site hired six apprentices.
Tony Shaw, Managing Director at Henry Boot Construction, said: “Cambridge Street Collective has been an incredible project to be involved with and I’m incredibly proud of the team for delivering such an important and complex development.
“The final product is really striking, with an array of materials contrasting and complementing the restored original architecture. Inside is just as impressive and I look forward to seeing it become a thriving space for the city centre’s visitors to enjoy soon.
“As always with our projects, we are proud of the social value that the scheme has generated, using the Ultra Site status as a driver throughout the build to achieve incredible things – strengthening our position as market leader in this field.”
Councillor Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “It’s great to see the Cambridge Street Collective development reach practical completion. Henry Boot Construction has delivered a fantastic job, blending old with new and protecting the important heritage façade along Cambridge Street.
“The venue, with the impressive food hall space at its core, will be a hugely exciting addition to the city centre and provide a major footfall boost. We can’t wait to see the internal fit out coming together over the coming months. This is another fantastic example of Sheffield city centre on the up.”
Andrew Davison, Project Director at Queensberry, added: “The venue is looking stunning and has delivered a high quality, truly original piece of architecture for Sheffield. Once it opens to the public, we have no doubt it will become the leading social hub in the city centre, driving a critical mass of footfall to this area of town – further supporting surrounding businesses, encouraging new ones to open, and acting as a catalyst for further development.”
Yorkshire and the Humber struggles in difficult economic climate
Much of the UK showed a worsening economic picture in November with many regions and nations, including Yorkshire and the Humber, seeing the pressure of high interest rates continuing to take its toll as the number of start-ups fell since the previous month while levels of insolvency-related activity rose.
According to the latest research from the UK’s insolvency and restructuring trade body, R3, based on an analysis of data provided by CreditSafe, only four of the 12 regions and nations surveyed saw a rise in the number of new businesses last month. Yorkshire and the Humber’s performance ranked around the middle with a fall of 3.3% month-on-month, while Northern Ireland achieved the highest levels of new businesses (up 11%) followed by the West Midlands (up 2.9%) – all of the others saw either a small rise or a fall since October.
However, the figure of 4,744 start-ups in Yorkshire and the Humber last month was among the highest during 2023 with only March (5,315) and October (4,907) seeing significantly more new businesses. Looking at the year-on-year figures, November 2023 represented a 1.7% rise compared with November 2022.
In terms of levels of insolvency-related activity (which includes liquidator and administrator appointments and creditors’ meetings), two-thirds of the regions and nations saw a rise in November compared with the previous month.
Yorkshire and the Humber was among those with the greatest increases (up by 19.1%), closely followed by Wales (up 19%) and East Anglia (up 18.8%). The strongest performances were in the East Midlands (-8.7%), Northern Ireland (-7.4%) and the South East (-4.3%).
“Increasingly, GDP data is showing the UK as a ‘stagnation nation’ and it is concerning to see this being borne out with our latest analysis of the research revealing falling numbers of new businesses and growing insolvency-related activity here and across much of the country,” says Eleanor Temple, chair of R3 in Yorkshire and a barrister at Kings Chambers in Leeds.
“The economy appears to be flatlining with little sign of sustained growth, and the impact of inflation is continuing to hamper consumer spending and business activity in what should be one of the busiest periods of the year.
“There’s no doubt that the rapid rise in interest rates since late 2021 is taking its toll and it now looks like there is a real risk of the UK falling into recession next year. With January renowned as one of the most difficult trading months for many sectors, it is vital that directors approach the New Year with caution and enlist the services of qualified insolvency professionals as early as possible should any signs of financial problems appear.”
Two new lettings announced for Sheffield’s Heart of the City
Two new lettings, Fjällräven and Yards Store, have been announced for Heart of the City – the flagship city centre development scheme led by Sheffield City Council and their Strategic Development Partner, Queensberry.
Swedish fashion brand Fjällräven will open only its second dedicated UK store on Charles Street, operated by The Sporting Lodge Limited.
Set to sit alongside the Fjällräven on the corner of Charles Street and Pinstone Street, Yards Store is an independent men’s fashion retailer, owned by Parasol Retail Limited, offering some of today’s most popular British and International brands. This includes the likes of Carhartt, Patagonia, RRL by Ralph Lauren, Paul Smith and New Balance.
It will be the second Yards Store to open in the UK following the success of the company’s Manchester shop, which opened in 2019 off St Ann’s Square, and the company also recently opened its new store in Altrincham, Cheshire under the Parasol fascia.
Tim Gardiner, co-owner of The Sporting Lodge Limited and Parasol Retail Limited, said: “Firstly, in terms of the new Fjällräven store opening in Sheffield, we have been looking at the city as new opportunity now for some time and we’ve been very impressed with the plans for the re-invigorated city centre.
“Our partners at Fjällräven have been very supportive in our new store opening plans and we feel that Sheffield is the perfect place for our next stage of development.
“With regards to Yards Store, we feel the brand mix we now have will appeal to the people of Sheffield, with an exciting blend of heritage, outdoor and fashionable international brands that has proved to be a successful mix in our Manchester store.
“The appeal of Yards Store has seen us being approached by several up and coming and global brands, who want to be stocked in our stores.”
Councillor Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “To secure the second Fjällräven store in the UK is a clear reflection that Sheffield city centre is on the up. It shows the confidence that the market has in the future of our city, driven by the high-quality regeneration that the Council has led.
“I am thrilled to welcome both Fjällräven and Yards Store to the city centre. Plans for their new units are really impressive and I’m sure both will be hugely popular. We’re transforming the city centre into a vibrant destination where people can relax, shop, enjoy a drink, dine and work.
“We will be introducing many more popular fashion brands and trend-setting retailers to Sheffield – Weekday, Monki, Sostrene Grene and now Fjällräven and Yards Store is just the start. 2024 is shaping up to be an excellent year for the city centre, with many more businesses of a similar high calibre already expressing an interest.”
Alex Hyams, Senior Asset & Leasing Manager at Queensberry, added: “Both Fjällräven and Yards Store will bring stores of exceptional quality to Heart of the City. Fjällräven, along with the high-end labels that Yards Store stock, will offer Sheffield some of the most sought-after brands in the UK right now.
“For Heart of the City, these are milestone lettings, which are in line with the high benchmark Queensberry set when we were appointed on the scheme. We are continuing to curate an exciting mix of independent, national and international operators – that bring something new to the city centre.
“We are close on several more lettings and look forward to sharing more news in the new year.”
The design and development of Yards Store has been managed by One Fine Day.
Kevin Gill, One Fine Day’s Director, said: “We are thrilled to embark on this exciting journey with Yards Store as we bring their distinctive retail concept to life in Sheffield’s vibrant Heart of the City development, blending authenticity and function to create a truly exceptional shopping experience.
“One Fine Day are also working with Fjällräven’s international retail team, to ensure the brand’s distinctive and unique guidelines are adhered to, as they roll out more international partner stores.”
2024 Business Predictions: Louisa Harrison-Walker, CEO of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Louisa Harrison-Walker, CEO of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce.
Without the assistance of a crystal ball it’s tricky to say what curve balls might come our way in 2024. I would like to think we have had our fair share of challenges with Brexit, the pandemic, energy price hikes, inflation, and the effects of long term austerity measures. We have tested businesses more in the last few years than we have in the previous fifty. If nothing else, let’s hope that 2024 is more of a return to normality and just a bit more ‘business as usual’ – please!
We look after private, public and third sector organisations within our roughly 1000 business membership, so we see the challenges and opportunities played out in micro-SME’s and huge anchor institutions, and across all sectors.
The one common denominator is people, skills, talent and access to good employees, and being part of a local business community can help you grow your people, your markets and your networks. We know it’s been tough to recruit in 2023 and I can see that trend continuing in 2024 for those that don’t get serious about competing for talent.
Prior to the pandemic and the rise in flexible working you were in competition with employers in your city or region, now, generally speaking, you could be in competition with employers anywhere in the world.
The organisations that offer flexibility in the hours people work, a broad range of employee benefits, healthcare, mental health support, genuine support for professional development implemented by a good manager, strong social values and a good CSR programme, will have a competitive advantage.
You don’t build a business, you build people and they build your business, and they have more choice now than ever before. That’s what we need to be careful about in 2024.
£15.6m development loan secured for 293-bed Lincoln student scheme
Moorfield Group, a real estate fund manager, has secured a £15.6 million facility from Investec Real Estate to fund the development of a 293-bed purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) campus in Lincoln.
The development is already under construction and due to complete ahead of the 2024/25 academic year. Comprising four three-storey townhouses and a further five four-storey buildings, features will include an on-site reception and laundry facilities.
This is Investec’s second student deal with Moorfield, having previously provided an £18.97 million loan for the development of a 282-bed PBSA scheme in Colchester.
Jonathan Long, Head of Corporate Lending at Investec Real Estate, said: “With UCAS expecting to receive one million applications annually by 2030, we remain bullish on the student accommodation sector’s compelling long-term outlook. It has an attractive, inflation-protected income profile supported by deep-rooted demographic tailwinds.
“Our 13-year track record providing a mix of domestic and international capital with a range of funding solutions means we are well placed to capitalise on the continued demand for new development.
“Working with repeat borrowers is central to our longevity – in particular with businesses like Moorfield, who deliver high-quality specialist schemes that are key to supporting the UK’s growing student numbers.”
Charles Ferguson Davie, Chief Investment Officer at Moorfield Group, said: “We have been investing in student housing for over twenty years and investor confidence in the sector remains resilient, with domestic and international investors keen to increase their exposure to an undersupplied asset class offering risk-adjusted returns and long-term income streams.
“We see a market opportunity in new-build development and refurbishment of existing stock, with both strategies responding to investor demand for high-quality assets with leading ESG credentials.”
South Yorkshire invention could help clean up energy production globally
Am engineering breakthrough from a South Yorkshire company could solve the problem of flaring and venting from oil and gas fields and help clean up energy production.
Rotherham-based AESSEAL has invented new technology that seeks to eliminate or reduce both intermittent and continuous emissions and could be retrofitted to oil and gas facilities across the world. The company has partnered with pump manufacturer Torishima UK to develop EcoGuard, which will be made in Glasgow. The product has been hailed as a game-changer for the oil and gas industry and could extend the life of existing rigs. Chris Rea, founder and group MD of AESSEAL, said: “My interest is in the environment. AESSEAL does not make pumps and the EcoGuard technology does not use seals, but I would like to turn off the industrial-scale bunsen burners that are destroying the planet for my grandchildren. On a case specific basis, I will give our competitors a royalty-free licence as the environment needs all the help it can get. “In Scotland, which has nearly 90 per cent of UK oil and gas production, more than one billion cubic metres of gas was flared in 2019, releasing 2.9 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions – 21 per cent of the total. “Not only is this damaging, it is extremely wasteful. The gas flared off could have been used for heating and is the same as the total energy consumption of Glasgow, where EcoGuard will be produced at Torishima’s plant in the city.” EcoGuard is a small but powerful booster pump that transports gas around a rig’s compressor in a similar way to a central heating system circulating water around a house. The booster maintains the flow of gas during intermittent shutdowns, an established practice that removes the need for deliberate emissions to prevent contamination of the system. In the inventive step, the booster also keeps the seal clean to stop leakage throughout continuous operation. The EcoGuard is at prototype testing stage and will be ready to market in early next year, six years before the UK government deadline for the oil and gas industry.