< Previous10 Business Link www.blmforum.net COMMERCIAL PROPERTY A wealth of regeneration and restoration projects are bringing a new lease of life to sites across Yorkshire, with the past month seeing numerous key milestones. In Sheffield, the go-ahead has been given to transform the former Cannon Brewery into a creative new neighbourhood. The City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee voted unanimously to approve a masterplan for the large brownfield plot being brought forward by social impact developers Capital&Centric. The decision clears the way for the next chapter for the long- dormant brewery, where beer was brewed until the 90s. The outline plans include retention and repurposing of the most interesting buildings from the former brewery alongside contemporary new builds to deliver over 500 homes, work and cultural spaces. An urban park and a new public square with shops, cafés and spaces for pop-up events is also proposed. Targeted demolition and remediation are now expected to start in Neepsend this summer, prepping the site development. In the meantime, more detail of the look and the feel of the buildings and new public spaces will be worked up. Tom Wilmot, joint Managing Director of Capital&Centric, said: “Cannon Brewery has sat dormant for decades, but this decision fires the starting gun on a really exciting next A new lease of life Novel developments are bringing new life to derelict and dormant sites across Yorkshire. www.blmforum.net Business Link 11 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY © stock.adobe.com/sirisakboakaew phase. The need for new homes is a national imperative, but we want to ensure we help grow Sheffield’s neighbourhoods in a way that’s creative, considered and adds positively to the social fabric of the city.” Wilmot continued: “The Cannon Brewery neighbourhood will be a pretty special place, packed with personality, once we’re done with it. Our first step will be to carefully strip out the existing buildings, keeping all the parts that tell the story of the site’s past, and prepping the site for construction to start.” Additionally receiving the green light in Sheffield, sustainable developer Citu has secured planning permission for Phase One of the landmark Attercliffe Waterside urban regeneration scheme. The 23-acre brownfield site owned by Sheffield City Council straddles either side of Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, once a vital waterway in powering the city’s Industrial Revolution. The transformational project will celebrate the heritage of the site which has laid derelict for years and is now to become one of the largest low carbon communities in the UK. Around 1,000 homes will be delivered in three phases across the scheme, complemented by community focussed leisure opportunities and creative workspaces. Phase One includes 362 homes, new public realm, a new pedestrian bridge over the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, and the repurposing of existing buildings. On the north side of the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, the first phase will form the heart of the new district, with work expected to begin this autumn on the leisure and commercial elements, ahead of construction of the first homes. Six existing historic buildings will be reimagined at the centre of the new neighbourhood that will feature a café, bar, bakery, restaurant, offices and multi-purpose venue. A public and commercial square will also be created, alongside a series of south-facing courtyards and walkways down to the canal. The new pedestrian and cycling footbridge will connect Phase One to the south side of the river, opening up the community to Sheffield’s wider East End, additional green space and a tram stop for easy access to the city centre. Meanwhile, in York, a six-storey, 195,000 sq ft government hub, planned by the Government Property Agency (GPA), Homes England and Network Rail, has been approved by the City of York Council planners. The hub is the first part of York Central – a major initiative to redevelop a substantial area of land close to the city centre and boost the regional economy. Earmarked for completion in 2027/2028, the hub will be home to up to 2,600 civil servants. Building features include solar panels, air source heat pumps and a green roof, as well as 230 cycle spaces and a planted pedestrian area. The development involves 135,000 sq ft of flexible office space, with ground floor retail and ancillary space. Mark Bourgeois, the GPA’s CEO, said: “The new hub will help to accelerate the York Central development, stimulate economic growth and investment in the 13 ÁArmstrong house Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Superb Location - - Close to the ports of Grimsby & Immingham - Great motorway links - Close to the town centre Secure off street parking High speed internet availability A range of affordable office sizes 3 3 3 3 Last remaining office suites Prime location in Grimsby Offering a prime position in Grimsby, Armstrong House on Armstrong Street is ideally located. Close to the ports of Grimsby and Immingham, motorway links and the town centre, off-street parking is also available for all staff and visitors, meaning it’s convenient too. Our spacious, welcoming offices are located on the ground floor and are both secure and CCTV-monitored, giving you the ultimate peace of mind. At Armstrong House, when it comes to affordability and with a range of office sizes there are opportunities for all types of business. If you require virtual office services, prices start from just £15 per month. For more information, or to discuss your office requirements call 01472 310301.www.blmforum.net Business Link 13 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY North of England as well as supporting the transformation of the Civil Service.” York Central is one of the largest brownfield sites in the UK and is located next to the city’s railway station. The scheme is being brought forward by a collaborative partnership between Homes England, Network Rail, the City of York Council, and the National Railway Museum. It will be developed by private sector partners McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate. Finally, in Bradford, construction has reached ‘practical completion’ at the new Bradford Live venue. It means all the major building work at the former Odeon cinema in the city centre has been finished and it is ready for the final fit- out. After being empty for around 20 years, the art deco building — which originally opened in 1930 and hosted legends such as Buddy Holly and The Beatles — has been restored and transformed into a 3,800-capacity music and entertainment venue. Work on the landmark has been led by local construction firm RN Wooler, from Keighley. Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “This is an exciting day for Bradford and a milestone in our ambitious efforts to regenerate the city centre. It has been a joy to watch this much-loved building coming back to life. Not only has an iconic building been saved but it has © Citu Image courtesy of Bradford Council Attercliffe Waterside CGI Bradford Live been given an incredibly exciting new future as one of the region’s best live entertainment venues. Bradford Live will play a crucial role in the regeneration of our city centre, improving Bradford as an entertainment destination, attracting new visitors and offering employment and economic opportunity for our district.”14 Business Link www.blmforum.net PRINT AND PACKAGING SPOTLIGHT Print and packaging are integral in many manufacturing processes, and every business will use print media in one way or another. Streamlining the process can help save over the year. print Streamlining © stock.adobe.com/zzzdimwww.blmforum.net Business Link 15 PRINT AND PACKAGING SPOTLIGHT D esigning and executing the best packaging for your brand, identity and product can be a labour of love, often necessary to attract customers in the first place. But it’s worth the attention to detail, down to the literal fine print that can hold consumer attention by providing them with vital information. Even in these smaller details, there are a multitude of functions such as accessibility, placement and appearance to consider. Conveying unique selling points and features – even in just a few words to as many people as possible – contributes a great deal to making an instant emotional connection, or being able to tell an intriguing story to anyone spotting a product on a shelf. Whether the focus is image, colour, text or a combination of all three, ergonomic and attractive packaging design is what first grab the eye in a highly competitive retail environment. It establishes brand recognition and loyalty, and serves as a marketing tool by creating a visual or narrative identity that distinguishes a product from its competitors. Outside agencies and graphic designers can further improve the usability of packaging by making it easy to open, close, and recycle, and by including clear and concise product information, such as ingredients, warnings, and instructions. This would enhance the customer experience of using a product, which is likely to translate into brand loyalty. If hiring designers falls outside of the company’s budget, it may be useful to source internally. A design team could be set up, comprised of employees with an eye for marketing and product development. This saves the outlay but allows for new ideas to be put forward. Setting up an internal design team has the added benefit of diversifying employee roles and giving them a creative outlet, which may improve job satisfaction. © stock.adobe.com/MclittleStock 16 Á16 Business Link www.blmforum.net PRINT AND PACKAGING SPOTLIGHT Once the design process has been streamlined, it may be prudent to consider production and quality control processes for printing and packaging. Streamlining the production process can help a company to increase efficiency and reduce costs. This can include investing in automated printing and packaging equipment, improving packaging consistency. Companies can also consider implementing lean manufacturing principles, such as Just-In- Time (JIT) and Total Quality Management (TQM), to further improve production efficiency. Quality control is essential in printing and packaging, as it is a consumers’ first experience of a company’s products. Implementing quality control processes could include a robust quality management system, hiring skilled quality control personnel, and investing in testing equipment. Companies can also consider implementing a customer feedback system to receive regular feedback on packaging quality and make necessary improvements. Finally, brands should focus on investing in sustainable printing and packaging methods. Sustainability has become a critical factor in the printing and packaging industry, and companies must focus on eco-friendly practices to stay ahead of the competition. This can include using eco-friendly materials (such as cardboard, bamboo, and recycled plastic), reducing waste, and implementing energy-efficient printing processes. Companies can also consider certifying their products with sustainability certifications, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Rainforest Alliance. It can be tempting to shy away from investment in the current economic climate, but this attitude is one that has persisted for years now. If it was “not the right time” during the pandemic and “not the right time” after it, and it’s still “not the right time” now then that might mean 3-4 years since the last assessment of packaging, or promotional brand material, and that is time enough for technology to have changed, and for practices to have become outdated. Innovation is key, and staying ahead of the game comes a close second. With energy prices soaring, even the smallest saving can lead to quantifiable results. © stock.adobe.com/IRINAwww.blmforum.net Business Link 17 BUSINESS SERVICES After lockdown, and now with an uncertain stock market due to the war in Ukraine, securing finance has become difficult. We look at some of the measures and methods involved. Lockdown into a weak economy into Liz Truss into a cost of living crisis into a messy election. It’s been a difficult decade for business, and finances have suffered for it. A study from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows that sixty-two per cent of small businesses have been subject to late or frozen payments. Only ten per cent of those firms surveyed have agreed to payment terms with clients, meaning most of this fresh wave of poor practice has not been formally signed-off by creditors or debtors. Indeed, late payments contribute to 50,000 insolvencies every year, costing the economy £2.5 billion. If it was an issue that businesses were contending with before the outbreak, it’s only been heightened since. However, there are ways in which a company can secure funding to cover the gap in cashflow posed by late invoices. Chief among these is invoice finance. This is the simplest means of releasing cash tied up in a business’s outstanding invoice. It sees a business sell its invoices to a third party who will advance some of the funds it is worth up front for a cut. 18 Á © stock.adobe.com/mnirat finance Flagging 18 Business Link www.blmforum.net BUSINESS SERVICES Thousands of businesses already rely on this kind of financing to maintain a healthy cash position, whilst others use it to take back control of cashflow issues that arise from late and unpaid invoices. Perhaps the biggest draw is that businesses can be paid most of an invoice within forty-eight hours instead of the typical thirty-day period specified on most invoices. Of course, this is far from the only finance solution businesses can draw from. Asset-based finance is a specialised method of providing companies with working capital and term loans that use accounts receivable, inventory, machinery, equipment and real estate as capital – essentially, any loan to a company is secured by one of that company’s assets. This option is commonly used to pay for expenses when there are gaps in a company’s cashflow, but it is also frequently used for start-up financing as well as refinancing existing loans, financing growth, mergers and acquisitions, as well as management buyouts and management buy-ins. Although it’s not suited to meet every business requirement, it can prove useful for those that have stretched their credit limits with vendors and reached lending capacity at the bank. Companies can also take out loans to fill the gap and bolster cashflow, though some companies may already be at their limit with their banks or otherwise don’t meet the requirements for securing loans with traditional lenders. In these situations, companies can turn towards alternative lenders and finance providers. Private equity, for example, is where investors provide long-term equity capital investment in a company in return for either shares, a percentage stake in the business and/or, sometimes, a seat on the board. Although many businesses might be loath to dilute their ownership, private equity does offer a good option www.blmforum.net Business Link 19 BUSINESS SERVICES of raising capital for businesses that aren’t ready to list on the stock exchange. Another form of private finance is an angel investor – a high net worth individual who makes use of their own personal disposable finance and makes their own decision about making an investment. Angels would normally take an equity stake in a business in return for providing equity funds. As well as capital, angels can also provide their experience, knowledge and contracts, making them especially attractive to early-stage businesses. This might be of particular interest given that the stock market has been unpredictable since Russia declared war on Ukraine, leaving many investors looking for avenues to invest their money. Every investor is different and will therefore provide differing amounts, but typical investments range from between £10,000 and £500,000, though deals of up to £2 million are becoming more commonplace as angels group together in syndicates. Although angels are one of the most significant investors in start-ups, that shouldn’t deter more established firms from making enquiries. It’s important to keep in mind that securing an angel can be a difficult and protracted process, as well as being harder to research and contact compared with a private equity firm. Ultimately, it comes down to the persuasiveness of business leaders and the profitability of a company. Though no one wishes to consider it, if a company is in a weak position and is not attractive to investors, equity groups or the bank for a loan, then it might be time to take a good look at the fundamental values and viability of the business itself and see whether it is something worth keeping afloat, or if there might be more difficult conversations that need to be had. © stock.adobe.com/Andrey PopovNext >