TopicUK February 2023

Jonathan Stoner

Boost your boardroom success in 2023 December toughest month for start-ups

OUR PARTNERS

• Yorkshire sculpture park

• Community Foundation Calderdale

• BACKSTAGE ACADEMY

• Ramsdens Solicitors

• Chadwick Lawrence

• WILD PR

• Wakefield Council

• Ad:Venture

• Eaton Smith Solicitors

• Stafflex

• Scriba PR

• Kirklees College

• University of Law

• Avenue hq/Barclays Eagle Lab

• BeVic

• Fantastic Media

• FORGET ME NOT CHILDRENS HOSPICE

• Halifax Bid

• HALSTON MARKETING

• DAKOTA HOTEL LEEDS

• Kirklees Council

• CRAGGS ENERGY

Editors notes

Welcome to issue 58 of TopicUK. As the UK faces a raft of economic challenges, with December proving to be the most challenging month of 2022 for business start-ups in Yorkshire and The Humber, we have seen a busy start to 2023, and despite the economic climate, there is a lot of positivity from SME’s across the region.

We’d like to welcome new partner to TopicUK and sister publication Yorkshire Businesswoman, Motorhouse of Shipley. Founded in 1994 by three brothers if you’re in the market for a luxury car, do check out their story on page 86.

Our cover story features luxury jeweller Phillip Stoner based in Victoria Quarter. This family business launched in 1982 and has gone from strength to strength over the years, now with Jonathan Stoner at the helm. Read the full story on page 19.

By group editor Gill Laidler Gill

Both TopicUK and Yorkshire Businesswoman will be supporting the Visual Media Conference in April (VMC23) and we are looking forward to being there. If you haven’t yet reserved your free place, there is still time to do so, but hurry as places are limited. We were delighted we were able to introduce our partners Lexus Leeds to the conference and they will be there, not only as keynote speakers, but showing two of their amazing cars.

Also, in April we will be supporting Leeds Fashion Ball and in June BH40 Happy For Nothing Ball at Leeds Marriott Hotel. Tickets are still available for both. We will be bringing you all the news from both events.

Leeds Council have revealed plans for a food village scheme, a major new food and drink venue at Leeds Kirkgate Market. More than 2000 online questionnaires were completed with 71.5% of respondents supporting the village that would be built from refurbished shipping containers –already found in cities such as London and Manchester. The scheme will be considered at an executive board meeting on 8 February. Read the full story on page 59.

Our next edition will publish at the end of March, so please do keep us up to date with all your news.

SGI submits application to deliver major new industrial and logistics park

Property regeneration and placemaking experts, Scarborough Group International (SGI) has submitted plans to deliver a major new industrial and logistics park on a 60-acre site,known locally as Brown Moor, located adjacent to its flagship Thorpe Park Leeds development.

Following a series of public consultation events showcasing the proposed masterplan, SGI has submitted an outline planning application, which seeks permission to develop up to 60,000 sq m (645,834 sq ft) of industrial and logistics space with ancillary office space. The buildings will be capable of being brought forward in multiple phases to respond to market interest and occupier demand.

The application also includes details of the estate infrastructure, public footpaths and other public rights of way which will as part of the proposals will be enhanced, as well as the site landscaping.

‘Integral’, as the development has been named, will deliver a range of high-quality buildings suitable for companies of different sizes within the advanced manufacturing, logistics and industrial sectors, adding to the strong economic mix of east Leeds

and providing hundreds of new jobs.

The design of each building will be highly sustainable and in keeping with the contemporary style of architecture at Thorpe Park Leeds.

Significant

Extensive landscaping is also proposed throughout the scheme with over 40% of the site retained as green space, while public connections and rights of way to the existing amenities within Thorpe Park Leeds will also be enhanced, making the area more accessible and connecting the local community.

The proposed development will be accessed from the new Manston Lane Link Road (MLLR) which forms part of the recently opened East Leeds Orbital Route which is, in turn, directly accessed from junction 46 of the M1 motorway,

providing a well-connected and highly-accessible location for future businesses located at the site.

Adam Varley, development director at SGI, said: “The industrial and logistics sector is undergoing significant change. Supply chain resilience, rising energy costs, smart infrastructure and the continued growth of e-commerce are forcing businesses to rethink their real estate requirements. Decision making factors such as accessibility, cost and labour pool, while still relevant, are now being overtaken by the need to attract and retain the ve ry best talent.

“The design of Integral scheme at Thorpe Park Leeds responds to the shifts in the market by providing industrial spaces that are integrated into a dynamic and established mixed-use community. Working with the design team we believe that the buildings will offer exemplary accommodation with enviable sustainability credentials, as well as access to an abundance of highquality landscaped spaces.”

Local entrepreneurs invited to show they mean business with strive live

The StriveLive start-up incubator is supporting 30 grassroots entrepreneurs to help them on the road to success, following two successful cohorts in 2022.

StriveLive is now looking to work with a further 30 entrepreneurs in York and the Harrogate borough who are going to or have just launched a business, through its specifically designed sevenweek programme, starting March 16th.

Each entrepreneur on the programme will benefit from one-to-one advice sessions and a series of workshops covering over 20 topics, from finances to marketing before they compete to impress business experts in a project finale to win up to £2,500 in micro-grants.

Delivered primarily through weekly live training sessions with regular oneto-one advice and on-demand online learning, the award-winning incubator programme is designed to make it easy and exciting to start a business.

Andrea Clarke, founder of Hand-

Sown Flowers (Newton-on-Ouse, Hambleton), who took part in the November 2022 cohort, said "I encourage anyone who is nurturing their small business idea to sign up for Strive. The project will benefit everyone on their business journey. Engaging sessions delivered in a friendly and encouraging environment. Plus, you get to meet like-minded people, which is fabulous."

Valuable

Daniela Genova, founder of Cafe Lago di Como in Harrogate, said: “Strive is an amazing place to learn absolutely everything you need to know about business. But most importantly the team work very hard, and they are always available for any questions or concerns. We really enjoyed it and we have learned a lot from the project.”

Entrepreneurs who received awards during the October 2022 programme included Yvonne Lewis of Wise First Aid Training (Sowerby); Daniela Genova and Nertil Xhallo of Cafe Lago di Como (Harrogate); Russell

Gordon of Insync Cycling Coach (Harrogate); Abigail Homer of The Therapy Room (Thirsk) and Andrea Clarke of Hand Sown Flowers (Newtonon-Ouse, Hambleton).

Andrew Raby, Manager of the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, said: “The StriveLive start-up incubator provides a hugely valuable programme of support to our local entrepreneurs allowing them to scale their ideas and make a tangible impact upon our local economy. We are very much looking forward to supporting all the entrepreneurs as they progress through this year’s programme.”

The Strive project is commissioned by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub and supported by City of York Council and Harrogate Borough Council.Strive projects are run by the social enterprise, Enterprise CUBE CIC, who use their profits to support disadvantaged entrepreneurs across the UK.

For more details and apply go to: https://www. ynygrowthhub.com/events/ strive-live-startup-2023/

December proves to be the toughest month of 2022 for start-ups

As the UK faces a raft of economic challenges, December proved to be the most challenging month of 2022 for business startups in Yorkshire and the Humber with the lowest monthly total for the year registered last month, down 29% compared with November 2022 and 21% fewer than the number of start-ups in December 2021.

The research from insolvency and restructuring trade body R3, which is based on analysis of data provided by CreditSafe, shows that in December 2022, 3,295 new businesses were launched in the region – 1,371 less than in the previous month. This picture is reflected across the UK with all 12 regions and nations recording a fall in the number of start-ups registered since November. The

biggest month-on-month decrease was in Wales with a 37% fall, followed by East Anglia, Northern Ireland, the North East and the South West (all down by 33%).

December 2022 also saw insolvencyrelated activities in Yorkshire and the Humber creeping up by 1%, with all but two other regions seeing a drop in insolvency-related

activity month-on-month from November to December. Only the East Midlands (up 3%) and Greater London (up 1%) saw insolvency activities (which includes liquidator and administrator appointments and creditors’ meetings) increase month-on-month. The biggest fall in insolvency-related activity occurred in Wales (down 32%) and Northern Ireland (down 27%).

The research also showed another indicator of business distress, late payment of invoices, increasing in Yorkshire and the Humber, from 47,383 companies with late payments in November to 47,550 FF

companies in December which had been unable to meet their payments on time.

The number of invoices on the books of firms in Yorkshire and the Humber that had not been settled by their payment deadline was up by almost 13,000 invoices, from 548,422 to 561,419.

Eleanor Temple, chair of R3 in Yorkshire and a barrister at Kings Chambers in Leeds, comments:

“Whilst some established hight street names reported encouraging results in their Christmas trading updates, the current economic outlook seems to be proving a deterrent to would-be entrepreneurs. With discretionary spending squeezed by the cost of living challenges and inflation rates at their highest since the early 1980s,

it’s not surprising that less people are registering new business start-ups given the risks involved in such an uncertain climate.

“Insolvency-related activities are once again on the rise as many sectors try to deal with the impact of increased costs, staff shortages and customers reining in spending post-Christmas. Some sectors look set to be hard hit with reports of Britain’s pubs and

restaurants cutting their opening hours as well as their menus in an attempt to curb rising operational costs. The continuing rail strikes are also having a detrimental effect on the beleaguered hospitality sector with industry bodies citing the cost of the rail strikes on bars, pubs, restaurants and hotels in the UK as at least £1.5bn in December alone. Undoubtedly, many businesses have entered 2023 in an extremely fragile and vulnerable position. “Given the current economic challenges, it is vital that firms in the region start 2023 with the right plans and support at hand. Those that are already starting to see signs of financial distress should waste no time in seeking professional advice; the earlier that insolvency practitioners are involved, the more tools they have at their disposal to help companies improve th eir situation.”

Cashless payments systems business bought out of administration

Following the appointment of Begbies Traynor and Panos Eliades Callender & Co as joint administrators of Leedsheadquartered Tappit Technologies (UK) Ltd in January, a sale of the business and assets has been completed, saving all jobs in the UK.

Established in 2018 and operating in 20 countries, Tappit Technologies collates actionable consumer data insights through its white label cashless payment solutions to personalise fan experience and drive value for venue partners. Its interface enables clients to build their own data ecosystem, fully customised to their clients’ needs.

While undergoing a growth phase and anticipating further demand, the business had increased its overheads, however, it was subsequently impacted by a slowdown in growth related

to COVID disruption to its events sector client base.

Begbies Traynor was appointed to

carry out an accelerated M&A process to find a buyer for the business. This resulted in a pre-packaged sale to Tap Holdco Limited on 20th January, saving all jobs in the UK operation as well as retaining all US and Dubai staff through the sale of the company’s two subsidiaries as part of the sale (although these companies were not subject to insolvency proceedings).

Julian Pitts, regional managing partner at Begbies Traynor in Yorkshire, said: “Unfortunately, events-based businesses were amongst many severely impacted by two years of multiple lockdowns and COVID disruption. It is, therefore, very satisfying to complete the sale of such a dynamic business, enabling it to continue on its growth journey.

Given the current economic challenges, it is vital that firms in the region start 2023 with the right plans and support at hand...

Olympus Technologies Ltd is The Business Of The Month!

Olympus Technologies Ltd, is an innovative robotic integrator, specialising in delivering high quality bespoke turnkey projects across multiple business sectors, as well as creating ‘off the shelf’ robotic solutions for common business processes, including welding, palletising and laser marking.

Olympus Technologies continue to support local initiatives such as CKMA’s Make It In Manufacturing STEM events for Kirklees and Calderdale’s schools, where they hope to inspire the next generation of engineers.

Adam Swallow, director, commented on the award win; “A huge thank you to Eaton Smith Solicitors and the

judging panel. We are delighted to have received the Business of the Month Award. After completing our most challenging, yet most rewarding year ever, with record growth & profits, we are very proud of the whole Olympus team to be recognise d in this way.”

James Burgess, partner at Eaton Smith Solicitors, and member of the judging panel commented; “Olympus Technologies was formed in 1987 and are a longstanding member of the business community. The judges were particularly impressed by the company’s contribution and commitment to the region, in their support of local initiatives and

their promotion of engineering as a career. As part of their commitment to providing opportunities across the region, Olympus Technologies has made significant investment in the recruitment, training and progression of both graduates and apprentices, in what is a highly skilled and technologically advanced industry.”

James Burgess was joined on the judging panel by Martin Hathaway (MYCCI), Annie Bradley (Department of International Trade), Daniel McAllister (Simpson Wood) and Lucy Rushworth (Handelsbanken). Olympus Technologies will now go through to the Business of the Year Award which will be hel d in July 2023.

Eaton Smith Solicitors is delighted to announce that Olympus Technologies Ltd has been chosen by the judging panel as the latest winner of its Business of the Month Award.

Identity consult scoops new projects across Yorkshire

Award winning, independent development and construction consultancy Identity Consult has been appointed on a range of new projects across Yorkshire; the company has also completed a significant number of incumbent client schemes.

Colleagues operating out of the company’s offices in Nether Poppleton, York, will support with the work which includes advising client Star Academies. Star operates a nationwide network of Islamic faith schools, including institutions in Leeds and Bradford; Identity Consult will partner with Star to find ways of making the buildings more energy efficient, helping to save costs and make operations more sustainable.

The Identity Consult team is also advising client Thirteen Group on the delivery of sustainable new homes in Kirklees, following supporting the organisation with their successful bid for a number of sites in the Huddersfield area.

Speaking of the news, director Mark Allan said: “We are proud of the level of work that’s been achieved this year as we have been given the opportunity to partner with

more clients – helping them deliver sustainable new developments – be they housing, education buildings, healthcare facilities or workspaces.”

Yorkshire colleagues have also completed work for clients including project managing a new head office for Yorkshire Housing, creating a bespoke workplace within the first zero carbon workspace in Leeds, as well as helping

Christians Against Poverty with the design, procurement and fitout of their new office space in Bradford, an organisation the team was proud to support having seen the amazing work they do in the community.

The news comes as Identity Consult has also invested in its people this year, appointing 18 new colleagues – including two apprentices – and taking its total headcount to 67. The team has also secured its Investors in People accreditation, established training and mentoring programmes and received an Exceptional Employer Award from Preston College. Mark continued:

“There is an acute skills shortage in the Yorkshire region and across the construction sector – something we are mitigating through investment in our people – be that through recruiting new talent, training and education, or working with FE and HE institutions to nurture the skills of future property professionals.

“We look forward to deploying the skills of our people as we deliver more great projects in the new year and beyond.”

Innovation,Creativity Sustainability

Yorkshire Business Women at the heart of the communications industry

visionaries of the VMC and became its first ever sponsor. During her career at HP she foresaw the value and importance of the future growth of the digital sector and is now instrumental in its success today.

We also have Meeka Walwyn-Lewis on board. Raised in Bradford, Meeka has also been involved in the success of the VMC for several years, she is head of membership operations at the BPIF and has spent over 9 years supporting the print industry with the BPIF. She also dedicates her time to developing and overseeing projects, engagement mechanisms and support initiatives for BPIF members and the wider industry, providing companies with the tools and networks to sustain and grow, she is a rising star at the BPIF and we’re looking forward to he r contribution.

Join us as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the BPIF’s Visual Media Conference (VMC23) showcasing innovation, creativity and sustainability in communications, as part of the Leeds Year of Culture 2023. This event is FREE however, you need to PRE-REGISTER as places are limited . Enter YBW23 in the registration form to secure your place www. visualmediaconference.com

VMC23 has two formidable Yorkshire Business Women on board, starting with Julia Cole pictured, Consultant, Mentor and Passionate Board Trustee of the ‘Printing Charity’ the UK’s second oldest occupational charity. Born in Whitby, she spent her early life in Scarborough. Her incredible career in print spans 11 years at Xerox followed by 16 years at HP starting as EMEA marketing manager and leaving as their worldwide brand innovation manager. Julia was also one of the early

What’s in store? Bringing you a full day of inspiring content – we’ll take a closer look at the role culture plays in business success. Perfectly placed to showcase Innovate@Leeds, the recently announced multi-million pounds initiative to create the Innovation Arc in Leeds, we’re focusing in on how our creative and digital industries are remaining innovative, creative and sustainable, with full access to the exhibition to lear n and network.

The day will be opened by Sir Roger Marsh OBE and features brand stories and case studies from:

Julia Cole

Become a Trustee and Give Back to the Community

If your New Year’s Resolution was to make a difference but you haven’t quite decided what that looks like, and you don’t have loads of time, have you considered becoming a trustee or NonExecutive Director?

Joining the Board of a local charity or not-for-profit organisation is a great way to not only give back to your community, but to also grow your career prospects.

If there is a cause or charity that you care about and are passionate to support, it’s not just financial donations that can make a difference, but your time and expertise. Often, they will be looking

for people who are passionate and if you have a skill or experience, that is even better.

You don’t have to be older or well off to be a Trustee, research has shown that the more diverse the Board, the better decisions are made. Many forwardthinking organisations are actively recruiting based on lived experience.

If time constraints have put you off in the past, as an indication, most Boards meet every quarter for a couple of hours and there might be an hour’s worth of reading before and after the meeting.

If you’d like to find out more about becoming a Trustee, email rachel@cffc.co.uk

Meeka Walwyn-Lewis

Bringing you a full day of inspiring content – we’ll take a closer look at the role culture plays in business success....

Shake up of local property market predicted for 2023

Property expert and owner of X-Press Legal Services South & West Yorkshire,Claire Ide predicts 2023 will see a shake-up of the property market across the region.

Claire predicts that a hardening market will keep the conveyancing sector busy as property owners react to the economic downturn. Property prices are expected to fall but Claire believes this won’t be as severe as some pundits have predicted:

“It’s going to be a very interesting 12 months for our sector,” commented Claire. “A fall in house prices is inevitable after the highs of the past few years however, I don’t think we will see a drop much lower than 10 per

cent. Some homeowners might take a ‘wait and see’ approach to the market, while others struggling with mortgages and rising bills may be forced to sell.

“Of course, a fall in the market isn’t bad news for everyone. Those who can afford to will take advantage of lower prices, and the continuation of Stamp Duty cuts should also contribute to a steady quantity of transactions.

“There will be plenty of market movement to keep conveyancers busy and I would recommend professionals who have not yet embraced

digitalisation within our sector, make the switch in 2023 to enable more efficient caseload management. Ensuring my clients have the most innovative digital products available to support transactions, reduce delays and prevent rising online fraud is vital to maintaining a buoyant marketplace across our region.” X-Press Legal Services South & West Yorkshire provide expert search reports to the conveyancing sector across Calderdale, Bradford, Kirklees, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale, Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield and Rotherham helping to keep the property sector moving across the region.

Claire Ide and Helen Foster

New property manager for Scanlans

Scanlans has recruited a property manager to take care of its burgeoning North Yorkshire portfolio following a raft of contract wins.

Darran Ezard has joined the Leeds office and is managing apartment blocks and other residential developments in Harrogate and further afield in locations including Boroughbridge, Ripon, York and Whitby.

Darran has extensive experience of managing blocks and estates

as well as account ing experience.

Michael Willans, the head of property management for Scanlans in Yorkshire, said: “Darran is an excellent addition to our growing team and we are really pleased to welcome h im to the firm.

“He has a track record of successfully

managing a wide variety of large and small developments in the Yorkshire area, and is adept at working with contractors, tenants and owners as well as management bodies and t heir directors.

“Having him on board extends our capabilities at a time when we are seeing good growth in contracts as we continue to strengthen our presence in the Yorkshire r egional market.

“Harrogate in particular is proving to be an area of rapid expansion for us, with around a dozen new, sought-after sites coming under our management in the first quarter of t his year alone.

“Darran knows the town well and is based locally, which means he can be on site very quickly. These attributes, combined with his experience and proactive approach, will help us to accelerate our expansion further by giving us the edge in the local market.”

Nationally, the firm achieved a milestone in 2022 as its portfolio reached 20,000 units across over 300 residential sites, from listed apartment blocks to new-build housin g developments.

Darran said: “It’s an exciting time to join Scanlans as we build our presence in the North Yorkshire market and acr oss the region.

“I look forward to utilising my property management and accounting experience to help us further develop our market share, working with a strong team of colleagues and with tenants, leaseholders, freeholders and management companies to look after th eir interests.”

Nano Park at Armley fully let in record time

The flourishing Nano Park Company, which specialises in creating the highest quality combined workshop and office space across Yorkshire, has announced its pioneering development in Armley has been fully let in record time.

The Nano Park Company bought a one-acre site from the Yorkshire textile company James Hare in March 2020.

Bradford-based specialist construction company Percy Pickard Contractors, led by construction director Chris Balme, finished building work this summer – and already seven hybrid nano units and two 2,000 sq ft highend industrial units are occupied, creating 50 new and sustainable jobs for Armley.

Edward Marshall of the Bradford-based Nano Park Company commented: “We are incredibly proud that our latest Nano Park has been fully let before completion and in record time. This is a

ringing endorsement of our Nano Park concept, which features warehousing space on the ground floor, with offices above, providing an ideal base for small and fledgling companies and satellite operations for larger firms.

“This is another of our fully-let Nano parks in Yorkshire, underling the fact that we are leading the way in hybrid working business parks and are fast becoming the top name in small unit development.”

Edward continued: “I would like to say a special thank you to Max Vause of Carter Towler, who has done a firstclass job in getting our park fully let. Max is relatively new to industrial

lettings, but he has brought a group of top-quality customers to us. We look forward to doing many more schemes with Max and the great team at Carter Towler.

"We are in the age of the entrepreneur with more and more small and start-up companies looking for self-contained space of their own. To meet this demand, we are providing flexible, affordable and attractive business premises to help companies of this type to grow and prosper, where they want to be. This could be in an attractive setting, a great location or a site with superb transport links. We are focused on sustainability in our Nano Parks and have eliminated gas from the schemes. We now fit air source heat pumps as standard keeping us at the forefront of environmental performance in our sector. The success of our Nano Parks across Yorkshire means this model is working. And how”.

Digital marketing agency appoints two new faces

Leeds-based digital marketing agency, Brand Ambition, has welcomed two new members to the team.

Ben Crofts joins the agency as a junior designer after recently graduating with a first-class honours degree from Northumbria University. Ben has come on board with an impressive portfolio to support the creative team with their growing list of clients.

Ben says, "I'm looking forward to growing alongside the team and eager to get started on even more exciting projects for our clients.”

Amara Relf also joins the team as the first apprentice hire for the organisation

as a content Creator. Before joining the team, Amara interned with creative powerhouse Mother and graduated from Canterbury Christ Church University with a first-class honours degree in Law and Forensics.

Amara says, “I’m excited about my

Kirklees College Celebrates Record Numbers at Open Day Events

role and to work for a company whose morals and values align with my own. I can’t wait to progress throughout the year and learn from incredible people from the industry!”

Managing director Sam Raife, said, “We’re excited to be adding to the team and creating new opportunities for additional services for our already expanding client base. Ben brings with him a wealth of experience and a portfolio of creating impactful and modern advertising campaigns. Whilst Amara has already shown the impact of hiring engaged and talented young professionals with her apprenticeship focusing on our new Spark* service.”

On Saturday 19 November and Wednesday 23 November, Kirklees College hosted its first open days of the academic year and welcomed record numbers of guests. Prospective students of all ages, parents and friends visited the college’s Huddersfield and Dewsbury centres to get a feel for the further education college.

Staff from all departments were there to guide guests around the college and showcase their specialist facilities across the college’s seven sites. From hair and beauty salons and animal grooming facilities, to a motor vehicle workshop and forensics lab, prospective students were able to see all the college has to offer.

As a uniquely vocational college, Kirklees College specialises in professional qualifications that prepare students aged 16 and upwards for work and further study. Our Open Days also allow people to ask tutors about the different qualifications we offer, including T Levels, BTECs, Apprenticeships, English Speaking for

Other Languages (ESOL), Foundation Learning and Higher Education.

Helen Rose, director of external relations said: “Our open days have been a huge success and offered prospective students the very important opportunity to get a feel for the college. We enjoyed seeing lots of faces at our open days and look forward to welcoming guests across our centres at our next open days in January.”

We are excited for our next round of open days in March, on Saturday 18 (Huddersfield Centres) and Wednesday 29 (Dewsbury Centres). To book your space and find out more information, visit www. kirkleescollege. ac.uk/open-days

A diamond of a business with sparkling success

After graduating from Bradford Art College, Phillip Stoner began working as an apprentice Goldsmith for a fine jeweller in Harrogate, whilst doing a milk round to make extra money; later becoming a wedding ring sales representative.

An ambitious Phillip, enamoured with the world of fine jewellery was keen to start his own business, so in 1982 the family re-mortgaged their house, borrowing £5000 and giving them the opportunity to open the first Phillip Stoner Jewellery store in Shipley.

Over the years, the business evolved from a typical market town jewellery store selling clocks, christening gifts and 9ct gold jewellery, to a bustling retail business and manufacturer, carrying out repair work for several well-known high street jewellers.

Further boutiques followed, opening in Pudsey, then Halifax where a loyal customer base was established. It was around this time that the focus of the business shifted towards fine jewellery and bespoke design with the opening of an on-site jewellery workshop. The knowledge gained during these early years is still used today to ensure the company offers both exceptional quality and value for money.

It was around 2003 when the family business took its biggest leap. The Light, an award-winning shopping centre had opened in Leeds City Centre and looked impressive with floors of retail units, offices, and a hotel. For Phillip Stoner, opening a boutique in the city would mean much bigger costs, increased staffing, a brand makeover, and a move into

more expensive fine jewellery, it was a huge undertaking, but the time felt right.

The company quickly established itself as a contemporary alternative to many of the traditional jewellers that had been in Leeds for decades. The new Phillip Stoner shop had a sleek modern aesthetic and carried a mixture of fine jewellery brands and unique pieces that were designed and made in house.

It was around this time that Phillip’s son Jonathan moved to the forefront the business. From a young age, Jonathan was fully immersed in the family business and could often be found in one of the stores or experimenting in the workshop. He left school at 16 and began working in sales at the Pudsey store. His parents were keen to instil a good work ethic in him and understood the importance of earning his colleague’s respect, working his way up from the bottom. “I remember, despite traveling to the same place of work as my dad every day, he would make me find my own way there, even if it meant catching multiple buses.”

I remember, despite traveling to the same place of work as my dad every day, he would make me find my own way there, even if it meant catching multiple buses...

Guided by his parents, Jonathan trained as an apprentice Goldsmith and for five years worked on the bench alongside skilled craftsmen, learning how to work with precious metals and gaining an extensive working knowledge of the technical aspects of creating and repairing jewellery. After work, Jonathan studied Gemmology, the science of

identifying gemstones, enabling him to work with diamonds and precious stones with confidence. In 1994 he became a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain and was the youngest person to pass that year.

He had a hands-on approach in the workshop, he was business savvy behind the scenes and had a presence on

the shop floor, this established him firmly in the business alongside his father and brother.

Following a period of ill-health for Phillip, in 2008 Jonathan bought the business and became both owner and managing director. Phillip now enjoys semi-retirement, but is still a large part of the business, offering his valuable

advice, help and knowledge when needed.

With an ambitious Jonathan at the helm, further expansion was inevitable. In September 1990 The Victoria Quarter shopping centre had opened in Leeds and was regarded as the place to be for any retailer. It had had extensive refurbishment

of the Victorian and Edwardian arcades and the creation of a contemporary arcade through the pedestrianisation and glazing over the adjacent Queen Victoria Street. At the time, this was the largest work of public art in England and the largest secular-stained glass work in the world, covering three blocks between Briggate and Vicar Lane.

The Grade II listed building soon become home to many prestigious brands and high-end independent stores and had gained a reputation as ‘The Knightsbridge of the North’.

Jonathan had set his sights on opening a store within the historic arcades and when the opportunity arose, he jumped at the chance.

However, it wasn’t straightforward. The shopping centre was permanently at 100% occupancy and only a likefor-like business would be considered to replace an existing retailer. This meant Jonathan had to make the bold decision to buy an existing jewellery business based in County Arcade before transforming it into Phillip Stoner The Jeweller

Unique

Within a few years a neighbouring unit became available and without hesitation Jonathan made the decision to expand the boutique and bring the jewellery workshop, which was still based in Halifax, to Leeds, where it remains today, nestled underneath the flagship boutique. Encouraged by Jonathan, employees have forged careers in jewellery design, customer service, buying and website design and management, with many positions held by women.

Unlike many jewellers on the high street, Jonathan has made a conscious effort to move away from working with well known brands, now choosing to showcase the work of only a select few designers in store. This means the business can put a greater focus on sourcing, designing, and creating unique collections, not only guaranteeing exclusivity, but also giving greater control to pricing. This ensures Phillip Stoner can offer the high-quality customers have come to expect as well as flexibility in design and great value for money.

Over the years Phillip Stoner Jeweller has been asked to make several highprofile commission pieces. “We have made cufflinks in Norman Wisdom’s likeness for charity, the Dickie Bird Clock which sits in Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s Headingly Stadium and Darren Gough’s retirement trophy,” Jonathan told us.

“Many years ago, a fashion designer approached us and asked us to make a series of military style badges and buckles in 18ct gold,” he continued. “They were in the process of making a jacket that they described as one of a kind and the most expensive they had ever made but didn’t divulge further details. We took on the challenge producing the items they had asked for, handing over to the designer without further thought. A few months later, he arrived back at our store with a photograph of himself standing with Michael Jackson, sporting the military style jacket, including our badges and buckles, made for one of his stage shows.”

More recently the company has been honoured to make unique engagement rings for sports stars and celebrities, including one that has recently been seen all over the world following the couple’s high profile engagement announcement.

The business has gained an incredible reputation for high quality and value for money, and this has led to subsequent stores opening in Manchester City Centre and Trinity Leeds.

Today Phillip Stoner offers one-of-akind designs, an unrivalled collection of both classic and contemporary jewellery, significant expertise and impeccable customer service ensuring every visit is truly unforgettable and as a result, customers return again and again.

The Ava Collection, Exclusive

Vapour secures place on G-Cloud 13 framework

Vapour has been awarded a place on the G-Cloud 13 agreement, as part of the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) framework.

The milestone means that, for the next 12 months, Vapour will feature on the Government’s digital marketplace for public sector organisations searching for cloud computing services. The goal of the framework is to compliantly connect such firms with suitable suppliers, without them needing to run a full tender or competitive procurement process.

Vapour will be available to supply cloud hosting powered by its private cloud infrastructure, with public cloud and hybrid options also available. Regardless of the best-fit solution for any given customer, the goal is

to deliver resilience and security, inbuilt as standard, with an efficient network deployment

Commenting on the achievement, Vapour’s head of transformation and operations Carol McGrotty, who led the framework application, said: “With a number of public sector organisations in our customer base already, this felt like the logical next step for our business. A place on the G-Cloud 13 agreement almost acts as independent validation that our technologies – and the team underpinning our company – have the ability to provide the cloud support needed in the current climate.”5,006 suppliers have been awarded a place on the G-Cloud 13 agreement, which runs until late 2023.

Company of the Month

Robert Indiana, LOVE WALL, 1966-2006, installation view at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 2022.

Photo © Jonty Wilde. Artwork © 2022 Morgan Art Foundation Ltd./Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/DACS, London.

Leading law firm celebrates year of success following move to employee ownership

One of Yorkshire’s leading law firms has marked the first anniversary of becoming employee owned by recording the most successful year in its 45-year history.

Ison Harrison became a 100% employee-owned business in January 2022 after the three shareholder directors agreed to sell the business to an Employee Ownership Trust. The firm, which employs more than 240 staff across the region, posted a record turnover of over £19 million last year, an increase of 14% on the previous

year as well as numerous other busin ess successes.

Based on the firm’s overall finance performance across the full year, individual profit distributions approved by the Board of Trustees saw all eligible employees receive a tax-free year one distribution of £3,600 each.

Throughout 2022, the firm experienced significant growth in the number of clients it represents, taking the number to over 20,000, and also opened a new office in Wakefield, further strengthening its presence in the region with the addition of its 17th branch.

Under the new employee ownership model, the management structure changed to consist of eight directors with five additional directors joining the existing Board. As part of the move, newly appointed directors James

Thompson, Sarah Laughey, Richard Coulthard, Gareth Naylor and Jenny Bland, joined the firm’s existing directors Jonathan Wearing, Richard Timperley and Dominic Mackenzie.

The 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.

Managing director Jonathan Wearing, who has been head of the firm for 16 years, commented: “The move to employee ownership has clearly been a hugely positive step for everyone at the firm. Many successful years of continued growth coupled with strengthening the firm’s footprint across Yorkshire may have put us on the map but in adopting a new structure, we’ve done something very different and established the perfect

foundation for further growth and wider expansion. “Under employee ownership our financial performance has improved, the number of clients that we act for has increased and everyone has directly benefited. We have also seen the opening of our 17th office, staff opportunities increase, departments diversify and even greater community involvement.

The model has created stability, continued job security for all of our dedicated staff and a strong platform for further growth.

Converting to an Employee Ownership Business has been a good move for every single employee of the firm. Everyone now has a real stake in the business and can share in the success and profits that are made going forward, as they have all done in this first year under employee ownership.”

October last year saw Ison Harrison recognised as Law Firm of the Year (Medium) at the Yorkshire Legal Awards. Jonathan comments, “Winning such a prestigious award in the year in which we converted into an Employee Owned Business was the icing on the cake. It’s been a really great year for everyone associated with the firm, employees and clients alike.”

...in the year in which we converted into an Employee Owned Business was the icing on the cake. It’s been a really great year for everyone...

Construction of a new Acute Hospital Laboratory has begun

The 24/7 operated AHL is being created to provide urgent pathology facilities to support clinical teams at the LGI when the main pathology service relocates to the brand-new state-ofthe-art pathology laboratory currently under construction at St James’s Hospital.

Morris & Spottiswood has started construction of the AHL and is set to complete in summer 2023. The new lab will co-locate Blood Sciences and Blood Bank together in one purpose-built facility but to e nsure there is no disruption to the service during the works, the Blood Bank team

moved to a temporary lab within the LGI in December 2022

Pathology is one of the key projects in Leeds Teaching Hospitals’ Buil ding the Leeds Way programme of capital investment and improvements ac ross the Trust.

Currently, the majority of the Trust’s pathology services are provided from outdated facilities in the Old Med ical School at the LGI and from St James’s Hospital.

The new pathol ogy laboratory will bring most of these services together and will be home to advanced equipment and technologies that will support leading-edge testing and diagnostics for patients right across West Yorkshire a nd Harrogate.

Staff will move into the new

building on a phased basis at the end of 2023 and into 2024.

Simon Worthington, the Trust’s director of finance and senior responsible officer for the building the Leeds Way Programme said: “We have reached yet another exciting milestone within our project that is set to transform pathology services for both Leeds and West Yorkshire.

“While many of our pathology teams will move to the new St James’s site later in the year, the

AHL will continue to provide a vital service at the LGI, giving clinical teams on-site access to urgent and emergency testing when required.

“It will also allow our staff to work in an environment that is equipped with new technology, supporting our drive to improve the way we provide diagnostic testing for people right across our region.”

Once vacated, the Old Medical School will form part of a plan to use surplus estate at the LGI to develop an innovation village which is expected to deliver up to 4,000 new jobs and almost £13 bn in net present value, forming part of the Trust’s wider health improvement plan (known as Building the Leeds Way) which includes the development of a new adults’ hospital and a new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital at the LGI.

Funding for the new pathology laboratory is supported by the Health and Care Partnership and the Trust aims to develop a world-class pathology building that is flexible, digital by design and that supports the delivery of net zero carbon. It will be mechanically ventilated with heat recovery systems to minimise power and re-use heat.

It will also incorporate a single shared Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for the region, which will mean tests can be ordered, tracked and results reported electronically to clinical services across West Yorkshire and Harrogate, speeding up results for patients.

http://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/ tracking/click?d=QjmhgxRd-5xJJRAh5yPSDBKp1ag7YLONKp4kb55BO-tP88hby3W6GSfZzLezC4CE0Koyz_zWr2AsCxhxZr0yk9NcEJrfKDlwABCJuSDYLrviRfAISO-yXYLAXqTSIrDiQwDNedwZU7UHKCvoN2UjHvI1

...home to advanced equipment and technologies that will support leading-edge testing and diagnostics for patients right across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

Jobs Outlook: Spotlight on Yorkshire

An in-depth look at Yorkshire's economic and recruitment activity

UK unemployment rate continues to remain at record lows and skills shortages are still a key problem for the economy.

Business confidence in relation to the economic outlook is at record lows as hiring and investment plans are shelved. Labour shortages are significantly holding back growth, adding to inflation and leading to poorer living conditions across the country.

Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC, said: “This month’s data emphasises that while employers are moderately more cautious in the

face of economic uncertainty, this is not yet a major slowdown in hiring. While permanent recruitment activity has dropped from the very high levels of earlier in the year, the pace of that drop has tempered this month.

Candidate availability

“In contrast to the national trend, temporary hiring slowed in the North in the run-up to Christmas.

Temporary vacancies however ramped up as businesses favour short-term workers in the current economic climate.

“The main way to boost performance is to unlock growth by businesses putting their people planning first, as a strategic way to enhance productivity. Government can help through skills and immigration reform. Boosting growth is the only way to ensure a prosperous country for all of us.”

Recruitment agencies in the North

of England recorded a sharp drop in permanent staff supply extending the current sequence of worsening supply to 22 months. In addition to this, it was the sharpest deterioration of the monitored English regions. In contrast, temporary candidate numbers rose fractionally for the first time since February 2021.

The Institute of Employment Studies highlighted a worrying statistic that the UK is one of the only five developed economies where employment remains lower now than it was before the pandemic.

The REC reported that between June and August 2022, around 2.5 million working-age adults were

out of work because of long-term sickness, up from around 2 million in spring 2019. Reinforcing the fact that candidate supply has continued to fall sharply, and businesses are still struggling to fill their vacancies.

Business confidence

According to the REC’s latest research, in September to November 2022, business confidence in the UK economy fell to record lows with the barometer in negative territory for over 13 months.

Employers are still recruiting, but without available candidates, vacancies have been left open for longer. A recent report from the Resolution Foundation found that

on average, it is taking businesses almost two months to fill vacancies.

Pay pressures

Both permanent and temporary wages increased during Q4 of 2022 with the latter seeing a considerable rise with the North of England reporting the quickest increase in short-term pay rates across the UK.

Demand for skills

Skill shortages highlighted across permanent placements were accounting/financial, engineering, professional (marketing, HR, legal), IT and healthcare. Temporary staff skills shortages included the same as above but also construction, hospitality and administration.

Lean In Leeds launches Women of Excellence Awards

Lean In Leeds, is celebrating the incredible women of the region by launching its inaugural Women of Excellence Awards, which will take place at Sky Bet on Wednesday 22 March, to tie in with International Women’s Day.

“We decided it was high time that we celebrated the incredible women in the Yorkshire region with our own awards,” explains Claire Ackers, chair of Lean In Leeds. “Our vision is to do something a little bit different than the other awards ceremonies out there. We want to shine a light on women at all ages and stages, especially those who aren't typically involved in conventional awards ceremonies.”

Categories include The Yorkshire Rose Award for rising stars, The Sending the Lift Back Down Award for women helping other women up the ranks; and The Grit and Graft Award to recognise extraordinary perseverance and resilience; amongst others. Nominations are free and open to all via the Lean In Leeds website.

The entries will be judged by an independent panel made up of Anna Sutton, CEO of the Data Shed and the Data Refinery, Eve Roodhouse from Leeds City Council, Juliette Atkinson, IT director of University of Bradford, Karen Landells from Deloitte and Tracy Fletcher, MD of Campbell and Fletcher.

Sponsored by a raft of Yorkshirebased businesses including Deloitte, Flutter, Sky Bet, Leeds University Business School, Glean, Panintelligence, XSEM, Bruntwood

and Reward Finance Group; the Women of Excellence Awards are fundraising in aid of Smart Works Leeds, which helps women get back into employment.

“The support we’ve had from the Yorkshire business community for these awards, and for our free events and our mentoring scheme has been amazing, continues Claire Ackers. “Thanks to our sponsors, the Women of Excellence Awards are free to attend with charity donations in aid of Smart Works Leeds. To be able to ‘pay it forward’ by supporting a charity which is very close to our hearts, is a real source of pride.”

Lean In Leeds is a not-for-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers. Founded over seven years ago, it has over 1100 members and has run over 60 free events in Leeds and the surrounding areas, supported by local businesses.

It also has a thriving mentoring scheme and welcomes anybody who supports their primary focus of gender equality.

Find out more about the awards and make your nomination here - https://www. leaninleedswomenofexcellence. co.uk/

Sterling Capitol sells two office buildings at Capitol Park

The value of the two transactions has not been disclosed.

The first asset was the 4,862 sq ft 1 Sterling Way, occupied by Create Fertility, let on a new 10year lease, was bought by Assura PLC, a leading specialist healthcare investor.

The second was 2 Sterling Court, the 7,000 sq ft home of Ideal Boilers, was recently regeared on a 10-year lease and acquired by Real Estate Investment Group, a family-owned property company with diversified portfolio across a number of different sectors and asset classes.

The two deals were brokered by the Leeds office of global property consultancy Knight Frank.

Tom Brown, senior development surveyor at Sterling Capitol, explained: “We let and regeared the two properties in early 2022 to make the two investments as attractive as possible. We were delighted that we achieved in excess of our business plan valuations which shows there is still strong sentiment in the market for quality assets occupied by high calibre tenants”

“These two deals are part of our strategy of selling our non-core assets. Upon the successful execution of our

business plan, Sterling’s strategy is to focus on the identification, promotion and development of strategic employment land along prime motorway junctions across Yorkshire and the North East”

“We have some extremely exciting plans in the pipeline, which will create much-needed business space and jobs for the region.”

In particular, Sterling Capitol has recently been given the go ahead by Leeds City Council to develop more than one million sq ft of employment land in Leeds, which will create 2,000 jobs.

The site is adjacent to Capitol Park Leeds, by Junction 28 of the M62.

The high-profile development, featuring high-specification logistics and advanced manufacturing units, will be partly speculatively developed in conjunction with developers PLP.

Capitol Park is home to a number of high-profile occupiers, including Hermes, Barratt Homes, the Village Hotel and Depuy, as well as Create Fertility and Ideal Heating.

Corinne Travis of Knight Frank, who advised Sterling Capitol, commented; “It is fitting that two of the most significant out-of-town sales at the end of last year (2022) took place at Capitol Park, Leeds, one of the first – and best – business parks in the county, capturing the conurbations of both Leeds and Wakefield.”

She added: “Sterling Capitol have a fantastic track record of developing quality business parks in strategic locations in Yorkshire. These two deals are a testament to the company’s achievement.”

Leading Yorkshire property development and investment company Sterling Capitol has sold two prime office assets at Capitol Park, Leeds.

Sheffield Chamber of Commerce expands at Cubo

The membership organisation, which has been providing, business advice, expertise, and support to the local business community for more than 150 years, made the award-winning flex office space on Carver Street its primary base for Chamber membership in August 2021.

The property investment and development specialist has agreed a letting to The Alchemist. Subject to planning and licensing approvals, it will be The Alchemist’s first venue in the city.

Helmsley has also revealed that it is accelerating plans to redevelop the upper floors of the threestorey building, located on the corner of Nessgate and Ousegate, for residential use following planning approval.

The move comes as Helmsley finalises its vision for the regeneration of neighbouring Coney Street through its Coney

Street Riverside masterplan and follows it securing other prominent leisure operators in the area, including Rosa’s Thai Café.

The Alchemist, which has more than 20 bar and restaurant venues in prime city centre locations across the UK, is set to take the ground and basement levels of The Coach House which offer almost 5,000 sq ft of openplan floor space.

Tom Riddolls, development surveyor said: “The Alchemist is a fantastic brand to welcome

to York and it is testament to the strength of The Coach House’s offer that it has chosen the location ahead of other venues in the city.

“When we acquired The Coach House, we said it offered a rare and exceptional leisure opportunity for a forward thinking and prominent leisure operator to open a significant bar and / or restaurant in the heart of York’s thriving retail core. The Alchemist fits both these criteria entirely and we are delighted to have them on board. “This is another positive addition to Coney Street and neighbouring areas and complements our exciting vision to revitalise this part of the city centre, including opening up the riverfront for the enjoyment of all.”

New people director for Northern workforce of 7000

Train operator, Northern, has appointed Marks & Spencer executive, Lisa Leighton, as its new people director.

Lisa, from West Yorkshire, has an extensive background in HR, with experience across telecoms, financial services and retail.

She joins Northern responsible for employee relations and recruitment, as well as the organisation’s industry-leading learning and talent programmes and will lead a renewed focus on overall employee experience and engagement.

including drivers, conductors, engineers, customer service and support staff.

Commenting on her appointment, Nick Donovan, managing director said: “Lisa has an impressive track record at developing inclusive organisational culture and we’re excited to add her extensive skills and experience to our leadership team.”

Lisa added: “The rail industry is going through a period of huge change and I look forward to working with colleagues at Northern to lead the way in the industry and build a new future for colleagues and customers.”

Outside of work, Lisa is a listening volunteer for the Samaritans, a suicide prevention charity with a long association with the rail industry.Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.

Modo25 kicks off 2023 with fashion-retailer partnership

Digital marketing agency, Modo25 has been appointed by a fashion retail client to provide affiliate marketing and consultancy services.

Continuing to cement its expertise in the retail sector, Modo25 has partnered with fashion retailer Yours Clothing to manage the affiliate marketing program across all its four brands - Yours Clothing, Long Tall Sally,

PixieGirl and BadRhino in multiple territories in the UK and EU.

The contract will see the digital marketing experts develop and implement an affiliate program in which third-party publishers generate traffic or leads to the fashion retailer’s products.

Aside from delivering digital marketing support to Yours Clothing, they will also benefit from utilising BOSCO™. Created by Modo25 data scientists, BOSCO™ is a machinelearning platform that helps retailers and businesses measure and forecast the success of their organic and paid media channels when compared to their competitors.

Discussing the appointment Emily Bouch, trading manager at Yours Clothing said: “We wanted to develop a robust affiliates program across all our brands at Yours

Clothing in multiple territories which is no easy task.

“After detailed conversations with the team at Modo25, we felt confident in their ability to deliver this with their expert knowledge, insight, and access to relevant industry tools. It’s been great onboarding the team at Modo25 to support our marketi ng strategies.”

Modo25’s chief executive officer, John Readman, added: “We are excited to welcome Yours Clothing to our constantly growing roster. Despite the turbulent economic times, the appointment demonstrates their continued confidence to invest in their marketing strategies. We have a unique offering at Modo25 with access to our AI pla tform BOSCO™.

“The in-depth data provided by BOSCO™ integrated with the team’s expert knowledge means we can deliver digital marketing strategies that ensure Yours Clothing is getting value for every pound they spend.”

John Readman

Flourishing Northallerton company strikes gold

CTS UK, the flourishing North Yorkshire based business supply chain specialist, has been recognised for its outstanding internal quality management system by obtaining the coveted BS EN ISO 9001:2015 accreditation.

Implementing the ISO 9001 quality management system demonstrates CTS’s commitment to ensuring, through its own agreed processes and procedures, that it implements everything that has been agreed on to ultimately deliver the highest standard service to its customers and offer continuous improvements. The company also implements a systematic way of

correcting any defects in a product or service.

Howard Gill, (pictured) managing director explained: “This accreditation is one of the most widely used management systems globally and it reflects our effective processes and procedures, a critical tool for maintaining partnerships, profitability and increasing market potential.”

“This is a huge milestone for us and a ringing endorsement of what we have achieved in our two years of trading. It is also a massive tribute to our hard-working team for their dedication in following processes and procedures to ensure our customers receive a top-level service.

The key elements of this accreditation are:

• Customer focus

• Leadership

• Involvement of People

• Process Approach

• System Approach to Management

• Continual Improvement

• Factual Approach to Decision-Making

• Relationship Management

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to all our staff, who have made this accreditation possible. Their hard work and commitment mean that our future as a company is very bright,” added Howard.

AJ Swinbank, founder and chairman of CTS UK commented: “This recognition of our internal quality management systems comes at an important time for us as we build upon our substantial progress during the past two years and seek to increase our product and client base. We are expanding quickly, with increased turnover and profits in 2021, new premises in Northallerton, new clients and brand-new state-of-the-art machinery.”

New headquarters for Mackenzie Stuart at Wellington Place

Mackenzie Stuart has been headquartered in Leeds since it was established in 2005 and is a thriving business which has consistently experienced double digit revenue and headcount growth. With ambitions to become a £50Million turnover business by 2026, Mackenzie Stuart has decided to relocate to a larger space at Wellington Place to both accommodate its growth and create a more dynamic and engaging workspace, in line with its vibrant and energetic internal culture.

With a focus on creating a balance between work and social space, 7,500 sq ft of office space will include meeting rooms, quiet pods, video

conferencing spaces, co-working space and private offices, while a further 4,500 sq ft will be social space providing a yoga studio, golf simulator, pool tables, casual dining areas and chill-out areas.

Will Peeke-Vout, director commented: “We knew that to deliver our ambitious growth plans and business objectives, we would need not only a significantly larger office space, but one that engaged our current employees and helped us continue to attract a high calibre of talent. Our new office will provide us with an amazing combination of modern workspace and inspirational social space that will do just that, and we are

extremely grateful to our partners at Design Tonic for turning our vision into a reality.”

Nichola Howarth, director added: “We are proud of our northern roots and heritage, and when we were looking for a new base in the city, Wellington Place instantly stood out as a destination that would help us achieve our workplace vision.”

Paul Pavia, commercial director at MEPC, the developer and asset manager behind Wellington Place, said: “Mackenzie Stuart is a fantastic business success story that’s evolved in Leeds, so we’re so pleased they have chosen Wellington Place as the destination to continue this growth. Their desire to create a workspace that places emphasis on a balance between work and social aligns exactly with what Wellington Place stands for.”

Mackenzie Stuart, a global executive search firm, has chosen leading urban quarter Wellington Place as its new corporate headquarters. The business will be moving into 6 Wellington Place in February 2023, with fit-out having already begun in its 12,000 sq ft Grade A office space.

(L-R) Dominic Paglia, Nichola Howarth, Will Peeke-Vout - Photo Bevan Cockerill

Yorkshire bus operator secures Finance Yorkshire investment

Leeds-headquartered finance recruitment consultancy, Headstar has expanded its team with three new hires, as demand for its services continues to grow.

A coach and bus company that provides passenger services and holiday excursions has received a £180,000 investment from Fina nce Yorkshire.

Barnsley-based Globe Holidays runs public buses across West and South Yorkshire and employs more than 60 people.

The investment, from Finance Yorkshire’s Business Loan Fund, supports the acquisition of new vehicles and on-board ticketi ng technology.

Globe Holidays also operates private hire and school transport services, along with a UK holiday programme and day excursions. The company runs travel shops in Barnsley, Bradford and Rotherham.

Following the launch of several new

routes this year, Globe Holidays has recruited 18 people and added 11 vehicles to its fleet. The company now operates 28 buses and 16 coaches.

Scott Woolley, managing director said: “The investment comes at a time of rapid expansion for the business. They recognised our need for gap funding and quickly developed a good understanding of our business.

Potential

“The investment has enabled us to further expand our team and ensure reliable connections for local communities within South and West Yorkshire.

“As more people return to travel, we are looking forward to welcoming them on board our services, where

they will now experience the latest in ticket machine technology.”

Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “Our investments are designed to support growing companies to realise their potential and create jobs in Yorkshire and the Humber. This is especially true when traditional finance providers are unable to meet their requirements.

“As the travel industry continues to recover from the pandemic, we are looking forward to seeing Globe Holidays continue to cement its status as one of the region’s leading passenger transport providers.”

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

Mike Barber, Alex McWhirter (Finance Yorkshire), Scott Woolley, Paul Bicknell (Globe Holidays)

York Handmade unveils “transformational” £1.5m state- of-the-art machinery

The award-winning York Handmade Brick Company has invested £1.5 million in brand-new machinery which will transform how the company makes bricks.

York Handmade, who are now the UK’s leading small independent brickmaker, is confident this investment will open a new chapter in the company’s illustrious history.

The first bricks from the new plant will be available in March.

David Armitage, chairman, commented: “Over the years, we have undertaken significant technological improvements, culminating in this £1.5 million overhaul and renewal of our manufacturing process,

which will speed up production, facilitate two brand-new products and increase efficiency.

“This is a transformational move, by far the biggest and most significant in our history. Our revolutionary new manufacturing line will combine three different types of brick - the Handmade Style, as currently produced, together with Water Struck and Pressed Bricks.

“Most of th e Water Struck Bricks, which are currently very popular in London, are imported, so we are fulfilling an important demand and supporting the sustainability agenda. We have an impressive track record in London, with iconic projects across the capital, and we can now build on this.

“More generally, this investment will enable us to manufacture high-quality, UK-made bricks for many years to come and it reflects our commitment to the brick industry and the astounding architectural projects using bricks,” explained David.

This investment comes in the wake of a stellar year for York Handmade Brick, culminating in supplying the bricks for the 2022 RIBA Stirling Prize-winning new library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, the highest accolade in architecture.

David commented: “These are challenging times but I am confident we can maintain the progress we made last year, despite inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, this year. We are flourishing in commercial property and education sectors,

whilst residential housing, which has been our staple for a number of years, remains strong. In these

testing times, it is vital to spread our work across as many different markets as possible.

Planning permission granted for second phase development

housing. The first homes should be ready for occupation in September.

Yorkshire managing director, Alastair Hart, said: “We’ve had sustained success at the Waverley regeneration scheme over the past five years by delivering more than 400 homes across three developments.

Avant Homes Yorkshire is set to deliver a further 173 homes in Waverley with a £49m second phase development after being granted planning permission as part of the area’s regeneration scheme.

The site will be the fourth development at Waverley by Avant Homes

The wider scheme is Yorkshire’s largest ever brownfield mixed-use development. Once complete, the 740-acre site will comprise 3,890

homes, shops, restaurants, a primary school, and leisure and community facilities including parks and 310-acres of green open space.

Of the 173 homes, more than 17 per cent have been designated to affordable

“Demand for new build housing in the area remains high and we look forward to continuing to contribute to the regeneration of this brownfield site with our new phase of Sorby Park.”

The Wakefield-based business is part of the Avant Homes Group, one of the leading private developers of residential property in the UK.

Executive search firm bolsters growth plan with senior hire

were overseas. This is the dynamism and quality that we have in our own business, and we know that he will be an asset to us.

“As a headhunter, I am no stranger to helping clients hire from overseas. It is a pleasure to help Brent settle in the UK and we look forward to growing our own presence, both across the UK and overseas, as a result. Brent’s appointment is a key pillar of our own location expansion plan.”

Brent will focus on hiring senior level people within the FinTech and engineering sectors, from CTOs to directors of technology, with an emphasis on immigration and visa support, culture change and training strategies.

Executive search firm, Red Diamond Executive, has bolstered its growth plan with the senior appointment of Brent Natoli.

The Huddersfield-based, familyowned firm has appointed Brent as a tech, finance and engineering headhunting specialist as the company strives to achieve £1.8m in turnover in 2023.

With an illustrious CV, Brent joins the firm from Australia, where he has spent 17 years working in the recruitment sector, both in-

house and within agencies. With extensive experience across sales and operations – incorporating people management, strategy and process improvement – Brent has been selected to help Red Diamond to grow within the FinTech and engineering sectors.

Emma Robinson, founder of Red Diamond Executive, says: “Brent’s accolades are impressive. In a previous role, he sourced 53 quality candidates in a three-month period, with a 98% retention rate, whilst simultaneously managing the launch of five new branches – two of which

Commenting on his new role, Brent shares: “The Red Diamond team is one of the most supportive I’ve ever come across. Throughout the entire relocation process, I have received nothing but constant assistance. It is a family business where everyone is encouraged yet has the training structures and investment processes to rival a large corporation.

“Just one week into 2023 and I am already supporting several tech firms with their senior hires. It is set to be a fantastically successful year.”

Simultaneously, Red Diamond Executive’s sister firm, Red Diamond Recruitment, has hired Felix Wisdom as a recruitment consultant. Felix is set to support hiring managers within construction and building materials to source mid-senior-level talent.

SPECIALIST UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE DEGREES FOR THE LIVE EVENTS AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

BASED IN THE HEART OF YORKSHIRE, BACKSTAGE ACADEMY IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED ON THE WORLD-RENOWNED PRODUCTION PARK, THE WORLD’S PREMIER CAMPUS FOR LIVE EVENTS, FILM AND TV WHERE INDUSTRY, EDUCATION AND INNOVATION COME TOGETHER IN THE CREATION OF ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCES.

OUR DEGREES

UNDERGRADUATE

BA (HONS) LIVE VISUAL DESIGN & PRODUCTION

BA (HONS) STAGE & PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

POSTGRADUATE

MSC CREATIVETECHNOLOGIES FOR LIVE EVENTS

MA IMMERSIVE & INTERACTIVE MEDIA DESIGN

MA INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR LIVE EVENTS

BA (HONS) LIVE EVENTS PRODUCTION

FOUNDATION DIPLOMA IN LIVE EVENTS PRODUCTION

MA LIVE EVENT DESIGN

MSC VIRTUAL PRODUCTION

MA VISUAL EFFECTS FOR LIVE EVENTS

FROM DAY ONE, BACKSTAGE ACADEMY STUDENTS ARE IMMERSED IN INDUSTRY. USING BEST-IN-CLASS TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT IN STATE-OF-THE-ART PRODUCTION STUDIOS, STUDENTS STUDY UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE DEGREES DESIGNED TO CATAPULT THEIR CAREERS.

WWW.BACKSTAGE-ACADEMY.CO.UK

Homelessness advocate takes the lead at TLA

YORKSHIRE homelessness charity Turning Lives Around has a new chief

executive at its helm.

An active part of the Leeds housing and homelessness community for more than 25 years, Steve Hoey started out volunteering at Leeds charity Caring for Life while at university in Leeds. After graduating, he worked first at St George’s Crypt’s night centre before returning to Caring for Life and their resettlement programme.

Roles within Canopy Housing where he secured Empty Homes Funding from the government and won both local and international awards, plus Neighbourhoods and Housing with

Locality followed. Most recently, he was CEO for Leeds Community Homes and People Powered Homes where he raised £360,000 via a Community Share Issue to develop community-led affordable and sustainable housing in Leeds.

Driven by a compassion for people who are disadvantaged which stems from growing up with his much-loved sister Joanne who is severely disabled, Steve has a passion to house and support vulnerable people and his move to Turning Lives Around (TLA) fits the bill perfectly

Working with vulnerable people at the margins of society, TLA employs 150 people and has a turnover of £6m delivering a wide range of tailored services to support people struggling to find and keep homes due to such factors as drug and alcohol misuse, debt and poverty, criminal behaviour, mental health issues and domestic violence.

“My early career was spent working directly with homeless people, so this job is almost like coming full circle,” said Steve.

“Most people who are homeless have had troubled childhoods. They have been abused, traumatised or been through

the care system and that, combined with other factors plus health and psychological issues, often leads to their predicament.”

Getting people’s lives back on track once they have become homeless in this way is not easy and takes time, patience, kindness, and trust from people working for organisations like TLA building relationships and doing their absolute best.

Steve commented: “The best support workers are those who are, compassionate, kind, and professional. TLA has some amazing examples of that. It is a brilliant organisation with such a long history having recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. It is well thought of and doing a lot of good but is complex and faces several challenges.”

Top of those challenges are staff recruitment, retention, and funding. The current economic squeeze is having an impact in all directions. Demand for TLA’s services has never been higher but with local authorities and funding providers forced to make budget cuts the money is not there for more support.

Leeds housing association looking for new director

Unity Homes and Enterprise is seeking a director of housing operations with expertise in customer service, customer engagement and service delivery.

A permanent position, the successful candidate will provide strategic direction for the delivery of all housing services including tenancy management, responsive repairs, planned and cyclical maintenance, estates services, customer services and rental income.

They will be a corporate player with management experience and a strong commitment to Unity’s social purpose.

Applications from women and people with disabilities are especially welcome.

Holding the highest available gradings the Regulator of Social Housing, Unity is a successful, independent, and ambitious BME housing association operating in some of the most deprived and multicultural neighbourhoods in Leeds.

Alongside its role as a landlord and provider of housing services, the association helps people set up and run their own businesses, secure employment, and take up training, education, and volunteering

In the meantime, the needs of TLA’s existing service users are expected to increase as rising bills for energy, food and other essentials lead to more rent arrears, criminal behaviour, health issues relating to lack of heating and healthy food and impacted mental health as anxiety levels and depression increase.

“We need to look at how we are funded and find alternative sources of income to complement our existing funding streams,” said Steve.“We are working towards becoming a Registered Provider of social housing which will open new opportunities in terms of new sources of funding, expansion of services and new partnerships. We are also looking at fundraising opportunities which will not only increase income but raise our profile and awareness of what we do.”

opportunities to enhance their career prospects.

Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise chief executive, said: “It is a particularly exciting time to be joining the organisation as we continue the work to transform our new five-year strategic vision into reality.

“As a key member of the senior management team, the director of housing operations will have a pivotal role in this exciting phase of Unity’s evolution.

“We are looking for a person who shares our passion for providing excellent services and has the drive to help people create a better future for themselves and the communities we serve.”

More information is available on the Unity Homes and Enterprise website. Applications close at midnight on Sunday 12 February.

Cedric Boston

They have been abused, traumatised or been through the care system and that, combined with other factors plus health and issues,psychological often leads to their predicament...

York Biotech Campus welcomes University of York to site

York Biotech Campus, a leading hub for bioscience in Yorkshire, has announced that the University of York has taken space onsite to conduct research that aims to control mosquito -borne disease.

The University of taken 2,750 sq ft of space for the research project, which includes two controlled-environment rooms and ancillary space.

Vector-borne disease – diseases that are transmitted by insects such as mosquitos and ticks – represent 17%* of all infectious diseases worldwide, and very few have effective vaccines. To provide new methods for controlling mosquito-borne diseases, University of York will be conducting research into reducing the size of the mosquito population that transmits them, and also ways to make mosquitoes less able to transmit disease.

The announcement signifies a major collaboration between the University of York and York Biotech Campus, two leading research institutions within the region. The campus worked closely with University of York to modify the laboratories to the requirements necessary for the studies to take place.

Luke Alphey, Professor of Genetics at University of York, will be leading the project and moved onto site this month. There will be between 15 – 20 people working on the project, based either at York Biotech Campus or the University.

There are plans to recruit a further 12 people over the next six months, with roles available for everyone from new

graduates to senior postdocs with a focus on insects, molecular biology and cell culture.

On the project, Luke, who has more than 20 years’ experience in insect research, commented: “The research we will deliver is vital for reducing the risk of infection from mosquitos, and we’re so pleased to be based at the campus to facilitate this. The university has limited space for our type of research, so to complete the work we needed to look beyond it, and York Biotech Campus was able to provide us with the specialist facilities we required.

“We’re also going to be based very closely to other leading organisations in our field, such as Fera Science, who are also heavily involved in insect work, so we’re looking forward to seeing how we can collaborate and share knowledge with them.”

Liz Cashon, innovation campus manager at York Biotech Campus, added: “York Biotech Campus has a long history and significant experience in insect work. We’re home to the National Bee Unit, and earlier this year Fera Science launched a UK ‘first of its kind’ insect research laboratory. We’re excited to be expanding this expertise further with the arrival of University of York and its innovative mosquito project. “We’re extremely proud to be supporting University of York as a significant, local research body, facilitating growth in the bioscience sector in the region and contributing further to the bioeconomy. Their presence on site truly emphasises and positions the campus as a leading facility for innovation and success in Yorkshire.”

Award winning agency shows the power of great marketing

Leeds-based marketing agency Youbee Media are on a mission, ensuring Yorkshire businesses appreciate the growth and returns that come from collaborating with the right mark eting partner.

Youbee Media understand what it is to create great results. In just over two years, they have been nominated for ‘New Business of the Year’ in the Yorkshire Choice Awards, and ‘Best Business in Yorkshire’ in the SME Business Awards. They have

also taken the title of ‘Marketing Agency of the Year’ for Yorkshire, in the national Prestige Awards for two consecutive years.

Yorkshire Prestige judge Osmaan Mahmood said “The team at Youbee Media continue to take on bigger challenges and empower business leaders to elevate their brands through a cutting-edge mixture of traditional and innovative tools. These aren’t confined to businesses from certain industries either, and the consultancy’s knowledge has ensured its services are extremely versatile.”

Explaining what gives Youbee Media their ‘winning edge’ over other agencies in the Yorkshire area, Director Rebecca Hopwood says “We listen, we work hard, and we bring joy! Youbee Media perform as an extension of our clients’ businesses, so we can react quickly to changes in their industry and hit the ground running with upcoming campaigns. We’re dedicated solution finders.”

Youbee Media harness a holistic approach, looking for unique marketing opportunities from every angle. While they develop an understanding of each client’s arena, their professional distance creates fresh perspectives, enabling the team to think outside the box and identify new marketing possibilities.

“The awards and recognition we’ve received are an affirmation of the great work we’re doing for our clients. We don’t always shout about the results we’ve generated – we let our clients and other industry experts do that for us” says Rebecca Hopwood.

As Youbee Media approach their third year in business, we ask Rebecca what’s on the horizon. “Businesses are reacting to rising costs and looking for new ways to navigate challenging times. Youbee Media are looking at how we can be more agile and offer something competitive that maybe other agencies aren’t prepared to do. We’ll also be delivering some great workshops in 2023 which will reach a new audience. We know that one solution doesn’t suit everyone – so we’ll keep producing new ideas to support as many people as we can.”

If you’re looking to partner with an award-winning marketing agency in 2023, visit www. youbeemedia.co.uk or get in touch, hello@youbeemedia.co.uk

Construction starts on new housing development

Top ten homebuilder, Keepmoat, has commenced construction of its new housing development, Synergy, at Rathmell Road and Kendal Drive in Halton Moor, which is to be built on unused brownfield land in Leeds.

The project will deliver 109 new homes to the area and will consist of two-, three- and four- bedroom properties, of which a percentage will be available for affordable housing provision though Leeds Federated Housing Association.

The Keepmoat Yorkshire West team hosted a sod cutting ceremony at the site to mark the commencement of construction, with many guests in attendance, including Councillor Debra Coupar, deputy leader of Leeds City Council and executive member for resources, and Councillor Helen Hayden, the council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate. The development is the last site to be built as part of the Leeds City Council Brownfield Land Programme, which is designed to support the city’s growth and will provide over 1,000 new homes across 13 housing developments in East Leeds. This programme will not only

deliver much needed new homes but will also improve the communities and neighbourhoods within the local area.

The homebuilder has also made commitments to the local community, with plans to work with local schools and employment groups to recruit young people through apprenticeship schemes, with two local apprentices already recruited to start their homebuilding careers at the Synergy site.

Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “The start of construction on this scheme is an important milestone for the council’s Brownfield Land Programme and underlines the impressive results that have been achieved through working in partnership to plan and deliver hundreds of high-quality and affordable homes for communities in east Leeds during recent years.

“We are committed to working with developers and stakeholders on brownfield schemes that help meet local housing needs while also driving sustainable regeneration in a way that benefits all residents and plays a part in unlocking the city’s full econ omic potential.

“I was particularly pleased, therefore, to attend the Synergy development’s sod-cutting ceremony and hear more about the apprenticeship opportunities being provided on site for young people. I look forward to watching as the new homes – and other community-oriented features such as the scheme’s open public spaces – begin to take shape over the coming months.”

Michael Orgill, regional managing director at Keepmoat said: “We are delighted to have started construction at our Synergy development in Leeds and can’t wait to deliver these new homes for potential homebuyers in the area.”

Woodlands Home & Garden Group moves to employee ownership

Third-generation Leeds-based family business, Woodlands

Home & Garden Group, has agreed a deal to become an employee-owned business, via the creation of an employeeowned trust (EOT). Founded in 1913, Woodlands is a leading manufacturer of timber garden buildings and processor of machined timber and employs over 160 staff working across three sites in Leeds and Bradford.

The company operates through four key brands: Woodlands Garden Spaces, Woodlands Timber, Woodlands DIY Superstore and its market leading, direct to retail, garden building brand TigerSheds.com. With a strong desire to continue its own growth journey and having seen large scale consolidation across the industry, the business has opted

to make the move into employee ownership with the formation of a new employee ownership trust (EOT)

The deal is structured to maintain the long-term stability of the business with current chief executive Ross Moran and managing director Ged Lees both continuing in their roles, and the existing senior leadership

team all remaining in place to achieve the ambitious growth plans of the business.

Ross Moran, Woodlands CEO, said “There has been a huge amount of interest in this sector over the last two years, and as one of the established market leaders, Woodlands has received a number of offers of investment or in some cases offers to take a controlling interest in the business. Whilst this is extremely flattering, it comes at a time when the company is still part way through our brand journey, and we are acutely aware of how important it is for such an historic business to be very selective with regard to strategic

partnerships. Instead, we have used this period to assess all of the growth options available to the business and we felt that the EOT model was perfect for us.

“As the proud custodian of this great family business, it seems completely fitting to set up this structure whereby the future of the business rests with the loyal staff who have been the key to our success. This is a long-term deal designed to provide stability and a defined succession framework, but effectively on a day-to-day basis it will be business as usual with the same management team continuing the drive towards our existing ambitious vision.”

Despite a challenging year for the garden building sector in 2022, with the market normalising following a COVID boom, the strength of the Tiger brand, boosted by prime-time television advertising, propelled website sales to show growth of more than 15% year on year.

Ged added “Having achieved one of our primary goals last year in taking the Tiger brand on to national television and firmly establishing ourselves as the most recognised brand name in our industry, this deal is a key strategic step for us, in what we expect to be another exciting year for the business. Whilst the general economic climate could be seen as presenting some challenges right now, we see this as a time of opportunity. We are looking at the EOT as an important phase in our next stage of growth, and we are actively looking at acquisition opportunities and are in live discussions about strategic partnerships across our supply chain and beyond. The deal also provides a fantastic and well-deserved chance for the existing staff and leadership team to continue their progression to become a part of the ownership structure of the business.’

Halifax Building Society’s historic HQ up for sale

Halifax Building Society’s historic former headquarters on the town’s Commercial Street is up for sale freehold for £1.5m.

The 63,200 sq ft four-storey building was also home to Halifax Building Society’s first branch, called Branch 001, and opened in 1853. It remained operational until last September, when it was closed by Lloyds Banking Group, and is now for sale along with adjoining retail units.

The building has been brought to market by Halifax-based property consultancy Walker Singleton.

The ground floor comprises a main banking hall with meeting rooms and staff facilities. The first, second, third, fourth and basement levels have been separated off from the trading branch at the ground floor.

Alongside the former Halifax headquarters, the sale also includes the adjoining ground floor retail units at 17 and 19 King Edward Street and 16 Alexandra Street.

Commenting on the listing, Walker Singleton director, Ryan Barker, said: “The former building society headquarters is one of the most historically significant and recognisable sites in Halifax town centre.

“The size, location and prominence of the building means it provides an excellent development opportunity to revive this landmark and create modern commercial space for the town.”

Vet-AI secures new pet insura nce partnership

with Waggel and our other established pet insurance partners to continually provide expert care for the health of pets across the UK.”

Waggel is a dedicated pet insuretech company with an online platform offering all-inclusive lifetime policies. Designed by pet owners and vets, Waggel provides one comprehensive policy that includes dental care and protection when travelling abroad. Backed by over 15 years of insurance experience, Waggel provides simple and transparent policies to help customers get the most from their relationship with their pets.

Leeds-headquartered vet tech firm, Vet-AI, has struck up a major new pet insurance partnership which will open up digital vet care to thousands more pet owners.

Vet-AI and Waggel have agreed a collaboration which will offer policyholders unlimited access to Vet’s-AI’s revolutionary app, Joii Pet Care. Waggel insurance customers can now benefit from Joii Pet Care’s 24/7 vet video consultations, which usually cost £24 per call, as well as vet nurse consultations and an innovative symptom checker.

The commercial agreement forms part of Vet-AI’s partnership strategy, providing affordable and convenient veterinary care so that owners can access regular, preventative advice

which supports dogs and cats to live happier, healthier lives. Vet-AI also partners with Animal Friends Insurance, ASDA Money and Purely Pets.

Matt Elcock, chief operating officer of Vet-AI, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to reach even more people through our partnership with Waggel, offering thousands more pet owners the chance to access high quality vet care at their fingertips. Pets are more likely to keep fit, well and healthy with regular professional vet advice and that’s where our vet team can step in. We look forward to working

Andrew Leal, CEO of Waggel, added: "We are very excited about the new partnership with Joii Pet Care. As an Insuretech enterprise, we like to partner with providers that share the same level of technology ambition and sophistication. We look forward to offering Waggel members the numerous services that Joii Pet Care currently provides. We are even more excited about future projects that we are expecting to collaborate on with Joii."

Joii Pet Care launched in spring 2019 to tackle the rising costs of vet care for pets by offering pet owners remote consultations with real vets and nurses, via their smartphones. Designed to make pet care accessible and affordable for everyone, Joii Pet Care is an artificial intelligence app revolutionising the UK and global vet market. Built by a team of experts with cutting edge, bespoke technology, Joii Pet Care allows pet parents to diagnose and receive recommended advice for pets from the comfort of their home.

Unity Enterprise manager in running leadershipfor award

The head of a not-for-profit company dedicated to promoting entrepreneurial activity in Leeds has been shortlisted for a Northern Le adership Award.

Adrian Green, manager of Unity Enterprise, a not-for-profit subsidiary of housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise, is one of four finalists in the Public and Third Sector Leader category for the awards which “celebrate people that are role models within their organisations and raise the

bar for their competitors” across the No rth of England.

Established in 2000, Unity Enterprise currently provides 142 affordable business units for more than 80 diverse businesses across three centres close to Leeds city centre.

Adrian joined in 2016 after working in a range of client-facing roles with major private sector employers including Jay Tee Group, Bank of Scotland and Yorkshire Bank.

He said: “I am flattered to be shortlisted

for this award. The honour is most definitely shared with my team and our tenants who make Unity Enterprise what it is. The past three years have been incredibly difficult because of Covid and the ongoing economic challenges for businesses and households. However, that has not stopped us putting exciting plans in place across our business centres. This recognition shows that influential people are taking notice of the work we are doing.”

Cedric Boston, chief executive, said: “Adrian has honed many capabilities across his career and possesses advanced business and property skills. Using those skills, Adrian helps people, nurtures entrepreneurial talent and empowers enterprises to grow in a thriving business environment. He also goes the extra mile to make positive things happen in the communities served by Unity Enterprise. I am delighted that his aptitude and dedication has been recognised by the judging panel.”

The ceremony to announce the winners of the Northern Leadership Awards 2023 will be held on Thursday 30 March at The Midland Hotel in Manchester.

Comprehensive refurb of prime outof-town leeds office completed

Short-form videos on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have changed how users engage with brands.

The comprehensive refurbishment of a flagship three storey 9,740 sq ft office building at the award-winning Capitol Park Leeds has been completed.

1 Sterling Court, owned by leading Yorkshire property development and investment company Sterling Capitol, is now available for immediate occupation.

The distinctive building, which was formerly the headquarters of Real Radio, stands at the front of Capitol Park East by Junction 28 of the M62.

Paul Beckett, head of development at Sterling Capitol, explained: “This is a rare opportunity to lease a splendid self-contained contemporary building in such a prominent location. We are already experiencing a good deal of interest in 1 Sterling Court as the

Leeds out-of-town office market remains remarkably resilient amid the current economic challenges.

“Capitol Park Leeds is one of the brightest success stories in the Yorkshire business parks sector and we are very proud of what we have achieved here. We have recently concluded a significant letting to Create Fertility and negotiated a new 10-year lease to Ideal Boilers in buildings very close to 1 Sterling Court, underlining the attraction of the park.

“1 Sterling Court has been fully refurbished to the very highest specification to provide distinctive and contemporary offices. It would make the ideal HQ building for an expanding firm.

Elizabeth Ridler, partner with global

property consultancy Knight Frank in Leeds, who is marketing 1 Sterling Court, explained: “1 Sterling Court occupies the most fabulous position at the front of Capitol Park East, with great signage opportunities, overlooking the A653 road into Leeds and next to the M62. It also boasts 48 on-site secure parking places with EV charging points.

“The high standard of the refurbishment reflects the quality of the building itself, which now features VRF air conditioning; raised access floors; new suspended ceilings with LED lighting; excellent natural lighting and new WC and sho wer facilities.

“Activity in the out-of-town market was a little subdued in the third quarter of this year, with the absence of any new or quality refurbished stock remaining a key issue. The arrival of 1 Sterling Court on to the market addresses this problem, as well as ticking the sustainability box.

“The sustainability agenda, and especially the need to curb carbon emissions, is increasingly important and quality office refurbishments do matter. Today’s businesses are putting their ESG requirements at the core of their real esta te strategies.”

Richard Thornton, director specialising in office agency with JLL in Leeds, who are marketing 1 Sterling Court with Knight Frank, commented: “There is a healthy appetite for well-located and attractive properties like 1 S terling Court.”

1 Sterling Court is also being marketed by the Leeds office of property consultancy Carter Towler.

ONE-TO-ONE GRANT CLINICS

NEW BUSINESS GROWTH GRANT ONE-TO-ONE CLINICS EVERY MONDAY BETWEEN 2PM AND 4PM

Have you been thinking about applying for an AD:VENTURE grant, but don’t know what you don’t know?

Why not book in for an informal chat with one of our grants team who will be able to confirm your eligibility and you can ask any questions that might have been holding you back.

Times are tough and every penny counts in your business, so if you are planning to invest in your business you could be eligible to claim 50% of that capital investment back - Yes! 50%

GRANTS ON OFFER FROM AD:VENTURE

Growth Grant Step ONE

£1,000 - £4,999

Growth Grant Step TWO

£5,000 - £25,000

AD:VENTURE Growth Programme brief eligibility overview

Be based in: Bradford, Craven, Calderdale, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield or York. Have been actively trading less than 3 years. Trade mostly Business to Business*

* We may be able to help if you are trading Business to Consumer, but you must be looking to increase your Business to Business market with the growth grant. You can check this in your grant clinic.

Book your chat today by visiting: www.ad-venture.org.uk/news/grantclinics

MOD recognises Reed Boardall’s support of the armed forces community

Reed Boardall has been accredited with a Bronze award by the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) as an employer that supports defence personnel and inspires others to do the same. Already, the Yorkshire-based logistics business has 23 veterans, serving personnel employed part-time and reservists in the team at its Boro ughbridge site.

One of the leading providers of cold storage and distribution services to food producers and retailers across the UK, Reed Boardall’s Bronze award is a demonstration of its pledge to advocate support to defence and the armed forces community and align its values with the Armed Forces Covenant.

Over the last year, the company has formalised its support of former and serving defence personnel, as well as building links with the prison services to increase the employment of ex-offenders. It has partnered with organisations such as Career Transition Partnership (CTP), Army Families Federation, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), HM Prison Service and People Plus, as well as charities Veteran into Logistics and Clean Slate Solutions.

As a result, the company has introduced several initiatives both to actively recruit from these communities and to ensure that it provides adequate support once

people join the team. It also takes part in recruitment fairs and virtual workshops with CTP and local Regional Resettlement Centres, linking with service personnel going through the resettlement process and giving them an insight into the logistics sector, including Reed Boardall’s D river Academy.

Daniel Delacoe-Eyre, a veteran who served for over 17 years in several regiments before joining in 2020 to lead its HR operation, comments: “As a former soldier and officer myself, I understand only too well the concerns and even fear felt by service personnel as they contemplate leaving the armed forces. It’s vital that businesses do what they can to ensure there is a job for them when they return to civilian life and we have, therefore, embarked on a pro-active campaign to help them transition into a new career in the logistics sector.

“A number of veterans have enrolled into our Driver Academy where they will gain the skills and qualifications they need to become much-needed HGV drivers, and we have also reviewed our employment policies to incorporate some of the specific support those still serving may need, such as additional leave to take part in army training exercises or oper ational tours.”

Marcus Boardall, chief executive added: “We are extremely proud not only to number so many defence personnel among our staff, but also for our efforts to have been recognised with a Bronze Award from the MOD. We will be working hard towards gaining our silver award next year and even have our sigh ts set on Gold.

“We believe it’s very important that people are given a second chance, whether that’s veterans embarking on a new career, or ex-offenders trying to secure employment and, as a responsible, people-focussed business, we are committed to doing all we can to support this. It’s extremely rewarding to see such

talented people redeploying their skills and seizing the opportunity to become part of our family.”

Reed Boardall has pledged to support the armed forces, including existing or prospective employees who are members of the community, and it has signed the Armed Forces Covenant which acknowledges and understands that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives. The award also demonstrates that the company promotes being armed forces-friendly and is open to employing reservists, armed forces veterans (including the wounded, injured and sick), cadet instructors and military spouses/partners.

Boost your board room for success in 2023

SMEs must boost their board rooms and take a collaborative approach to leadership if they wish to achieve business success in 2023, says Ed Reid, MD of Leeds based The Alternative Board (TAB) UK.

A less formal approach to business has become the norm post pandemic with many professionals happier than ever before to share the reality of their working lives on social media. Now Ed is encouraging business leaders to take this uninhibited approach to the next level by stepping outside their workplaces and utilising the diversity and expertise of peers on t heir doorsteps.

Over 2,000 UK companies have already signed up to the unrestrained approach and are supercharging their existing board rooms through participating in regular peer board gatherings organised by TAB. These allow business owners, in communities across the UK, to share commercial concerns and ambitions with local peers in a trusted space, working together to real ise ambitions

Participating companies are reaping the advantages of opening their businesses up to this level of external input, with 80 per cent of TAB members reporting revenue growth since joining. It’s an approach Ed believes could help more companies overcome tough economic conditi ons this year:

“SMEs will all have challenges to overcome in 2023 and it can be incredibly lonely facing those alone and having to justify big decisions to your stakeholders or employees. What I have witnessed over the past year and, what is

We are extremely proud not only to number so many defence personnel among our staff, but also for our efforts to have been recognised with a Bronze Award

making incredible difference to our SME community, is sharing those commercial issues and working together on solutions. It is almost impossible to step back from your own business and identify where change needs to happen so taking advice from professional peers who have their own business expertise can be transformational.

“By embracing our entrepreneurial spirit across the UK and working

together to support one another, business owners can ensure they make the right decisions. Business advisory bo ards offer the perfect forum for this, enabling members to share commercial and even personal challenges with business owners from an array of industries. This enables them to set achievable goals for the year ahead and be accountable to their peers through regularly sched uled meetings.”

Ed Reid, Co-owner The Alternative Board-email

...what is making incredible difference to our SME community, is sharing commercialthoseissues and working together on solutions...

Record liquidations a warning to company owners

Record numbers of company liquidations should serve as a warning to business owners bracing for a recession to act early, according to one of the country’s leading restructuring and insolvency (R&I) advisors.

Latest quarterly insolvency statistics for October to December 2022 (Q4), reveal the total number of company insolvencies registered in 2022 was 22,109 – the highest number since 2009 and 57% higher than 2021.

Jonathan Amor, restructuring and insolvency partner at Azets in Yorkshire, the UK Top 10 accountancy firm expects insolvencies to keep rising throughout 2023 but is urging companies to seek help before an ‘end-of-life’ liquidation becomes the only option.

The liquidation rate in 2022 was the highest since Q3 2015, with one in 202 active companies (at a rate of 49.5 per 10,000 active companies) entered insolvent liquidation in 2022. This is higher than the previous year (2021: 32.9 per 10,000 active companies) and prepandemic levels (2019: 41.9 per 10,000).

Of the 5,995 registered company insolvencies on Q4 2022, there were 4,891 CVLs, 720 compulsory liquidations, 359 administrations and 25 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs).

The annual number of Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidations (CVLs) in 2022 is the highest on record, approximately 21% higher than if the pre-pandemic trend had continued.

Jonathan said: “The IMF predicts that the UK will be the worst performing of the big economies in 2023. The alarming statistics and gloomy outlook are driven by a perfect storm of working capital and supply chain pressures, as well as rising interest rates and reducing consumer confidence. Business leaders must remain alive to the pressures and must manage their finances – and their stakeholders – very closely.

“In times of economic decline, we expect to see the number of insolvencies increasing. However, it is the number of liquidations that is of particular concern as this highlights the high number of businesses ceasing to trade. Liquidation is an end-of-life process and should be avoided at all costs, as this is very rarely of benefit to the creditors and employees.

“Spotting the warning signs and seeking early advice is absolutely crucial as this will ensure that the widest range of options is available and will maximise the chances of survival.”

‘Next step’ plan for food village scheme

Senior councillors will be asked to approve a package of measures that could pave the way for the opening of a major new food and drink venue at Leeds

traders at the market, the response from members of the public was overwhelmingly positive.

More than 2,000 online questionnaires were completed, with 71.5 per cent of respondents supporting the idea and 91 per cent saying they would be ‘somewhat likely’ or ‘very likely’ to use the rest of the market if they were visiting proposed venue.

Given the results of the consultation, the meeting will be asked to back a twin-track approach to the next of the scheme.

raised by a small number of existing

This would see the council start the process of promoting the site to private operators as a potential location for a food village of the type – normally built from refurbished shipping containers – already found in cities such as London, Manchester, and Bristol.

Employee shares schemes: a great way to attract and retain your brightest talent

Rebecca Davison, director and head of tax at Parsons York, introduces this ever more popular way to “lock-in” talent.

Example:

Sophie receives an option over 1,000 B Shares with a value of £10 per share as agreed with HMRC. The options may be exercised at 10 years or on the company being sold.

At Year 7 the company is sold. Sophie pays £10,000 for the shares and therefore has no charge to income tax. She immediately sells her shares at full market value (£100 per share), making a £90,000 profit.

Sophie pays capital gains tax (CGT) on the £90,000 at a rate of 10% as she qualifies for Business Asset Disposal Relief.

Employee share schemes can be a powerful way to encourage employees to think like business owners. Allowing them to acquire company shares nurtures an increased sense of loyalty and fosters positive morale, whilst a focus on bigger picture objectives can also drive improved business performance, profitability and resilience.

Common HMRC approved schemes include Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI), Company Share Option Plans (CSOP), Share Incentive Plans (SIP) and Save As You Earn schemes (SAYE). All of these are “tax advantaged” meaning employees can often acquire shares in their employing company at a reduced price without incurring tax or national insurance. Succession planners may also consider an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).

The most common conversations we are having with clients on this subject involve EMI or EOT so we’ve spotlighted these below.

Enterprise Management Incentives

(EMI) provide a right to acquire shares at a future date at a price per share fixed at the outset. The scheme is governed by rules that determine the terms on which options are granted and when they can be exercised. Options are either exercised on a time basis (e.g. after 5 years), a target basis (a predetermined growth threshold), on company sale or, a hybrid of these. There is no tax liability arising on grant of the options or on exercise if the employee buys the shares at the market value at the grant date.

Employee Ownership Trusts (EOT) provide an excellent succession plan in the right circumstances by enabling a company to become owned by its employees. The company shares are held in trust for the benefit of all employees, and bonuses can be paid free of income tax up to £3,600 per employee per tax year. The owner sells a controlling interest of the company shares to the EOT but that’s free of capital gains tax. They can continue to work in the business whilst receiving market rate remuneration.

These schemes can be complex so always seek expert financial advice. Our team can help you weigh-up the benefits and any potential risks – we’d love to hear from you.

Wills and Inheritance Tax Planning

When someone passes away without a Will, their estate (which comprises of everything they own including property, money and digital assets) passes to direct family members in accordance with a statutory checklist called the ‘Rules of Intestacy’ which essentially means that closest relatives inherit the estate. A Will enables someone to dictate what happens to their estate and also plan for inheritance tax to safeguard personal wealth.

• It is a common misconception that a spouse receives someone’s whole estate if they pass away without a Will. This may not be the case if that perso n has children.

• If someone cohabits with a partner, that partner may not receive any of the estate without a Will.

• Individuals can decide who they would wish to look after their children by appointing guard ians in a Will.

• Special inheritance tax rules apply if someone owns a business and Wills can be drafted in a particular way to ensure maximum protection for a businesses’ succession and it’s taxation. If an individual is in a partnership, without a partnership agreement the business will automatically be wound up on the death of one of the partners so a Will/review of Partnership Agreement is essential in these circumstances.

• Lower rates of inheritance tax are payable if someone has an

inheritance tax liability and they leave a certain percentage of their est ate to charity.

• A Marriage or Divorce has an impact on a Will, so it is pivotal to gain advice in updating a Will during these circumstances.

What about In heritance Tax?

An individual can plan to safeguard some of their estate from being used to fund care fees, and minimise liability to inheritance tax. Such advice is often given alongside the preparation of a Will. Normally when someone passes away, inheritance tax is payable on all assets over £325,000 (the ‘nil rate band’) at the rate of 40%. An individual may also have an additional allowance of up to £175,000, called the ‘residence nil rate band’, if their residence passes to direct descendants.

Any assets passing to a spouse, civil partner or charity are exempt from inheritance tax so, if the first spouse does not use up their whole nil rate band, on the second spouse’s death the first spouse’s unused nil rate band can be transferred. Similarly, the second spouse can transfer the first spouse’s unused residence nil rate band meaning that a married couple may have up to one million pounds free of tax. Due to the complexity of ensuring that the entire million is available on the second spouse’s passing, it is important to seek legal advice in tax planning.

Inheritance Tax is calculated by adding the value of someone’s assets as at the date of their passing to the value of any gifts made in the 7 years prior to that date. There are reliefs available to reduce the value of an estate, including but not limited to the annual exemption, gifts to exempt Beneficiaries, normal expenditure out of income, small gifts of £250, gifts on the occasion of a wedding or civ il partnership.

No Fault Divorce A Practical Guide

The new Divorce,Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 became law on 6 April 2022. Often referred to as the ‘no-fault’ divorce law, it aims to reduce hostility between couples.

The new law removes any need for either party to blame the other, for example, by alleging adultery or unreasonable behaviour, allowing individuals to simply state that their relationship has irretrievably broken down. The Act applies to the dissolution of civil partnerships as well as to divorce and makes the process identical for both.

No need to give a reason that your relationship has broken down

Under the new Act, either party can apply for a divorce by telling the court that the relationship has irretrievably broken down. Previously, it was necessary to provide evidence of this by alleging one of five facts, namely adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion, living apart for two years with both parties’ consent to the divorce or living apart for five years where one party does not agree to the divorce.

These former rules meant that it was

not always easy for an individual to obtain a divorce if the other party objected, leaving some people trapped in marriages for up to five years.

The new rules shoud make it easier to obtain a divorce and also gives a couple the option of applying together, making a joint statement that their relationship has irretrievably broken down. Application for a divorce can be made online.

Modern language

The terms decree nisi and decree absolute have been changed to conditional order and final order. The conditional order is the interim order giving notice that a divorce is impending. The person requesting the divorce will be called the applicant instead of the petitioner.

Period of reflection

There will be a requirement for the parties to wait for 20 weeks after applying for a divorce before the conditional order is made. This is intended to allow those involved to consider whether divorce is the only option and to ensure that divorce does not become too quick and easy to obtain.

A final order can be requested no earlier than six weeks after the conditional order is made.

No option to contest a divorce

Along with the abolition of the five facts showing irretrievably breakdown, it is no longer possible to contest a divorce.

Benefits of the new divorce Act

The intention is that the new law will reduce conflict at the outset of a divorce and will hopefully prevent a couple’s relationship from deteriorating even further. Emphasis is increasingly being put on resolving matters amicably and solicitors are focused on helping to put agreements in place for issues such as financial matters and arrangements for children without the need for court intervention.

The new law will also mean that should someone want to leave their marriage, they cannot be prevented from doing so.

Finalising other arrangements

It should be noted that it is still important to deal with related matters such as property, financial affairs and arrangements for children. It is generally recommended that these be settled before a divorce is finalised. In any event, it is crucial to ensure you have a binding order of the court in respect of finances. Without this, it could be open to your former partner to come back to you long in the future to make a claim against you. Even if you are able to agree on how to deal with financial matters amicably, you should ensure that this is put into a consent order by the court so that it is legally binding.

Making online safer for all

With the development of technology and ease of access to the internet in recent years, concerns for the safety of people online has increased.

In May 2021 the Online Safety Bill was introduced into parliament which aims to make the UK the safest place to go online. A case that has been a catalyst for pushing forward this bill, is the death of Molly Russell; a teenager who ended her life after being exposed to harmful content online. The coroner stated that the death had been caused by “the negative effects of online content”. Cases like this highlight the harm that can be caused by ease of access to certain platforms and demonstrates that online safety needs to be reassessed.

The Government’s guide to the bill states that the bill aims to protect people by implementing a ‘triple

shield’ which will ensure that platforms do three things: remove all illegal content, remove content that is banned by their own terms and conditions and empower adult users with tools to remove the content that they wish not to see (children will be automatically prevented from seeing potentially harmful content). Although the rules are enforced on companies, individuals may be targeted by the law, as platforms will be required to takes steps to ban repeat offenders.

The bill proposes to enforce these new laws by putting Ofcom in charge as regulators, in order to ensure that platforms are protecting their users

and implementing the new rules. Ofcom will also have the ability to take action, where appropriate, against all relevant online companies globally as long as they are accessible to UK users. These new rules will have a direct impact on many companies that allow users to interact with media and each other online.

All platforms relevant will be required to remove illegal material and will need to update their rules and processes for protecting their users. This has the potential to be a costly and time-consuming venture. Where a platform is seen to have “failed” to protect their users, they will need to answer to Ofcom and may face fines of up to 10% of their revenue. In the most serious of cases, there is potential that a platform can be blocked in the UK, stopping them from generating revenue here altogether.

The bill is currently awaiting the Report Stage in the House of Commons and may be subject to further change.

Ramsdens Solicitors

Although many people have existing Wills it is important that they are reviewed regularly to ensure that it reflects your wishes and is in line with your circumstances. Ensuring your Will is up to date can help avoid disputes and reduce distress for loved ones when it comes to dealing with your estate.

Reasons for making and reviewing Wills:-

• Passage of time – you should review your Will at least every three years because family and financial circumstances change.

• Marriage or re-marriage automatically invalidates your Will. Upon divorce and/or marriage it is important you have a valid Will in place.

• Breakdown of a relationship. For example, if you have not made a Will or your Will passes your estate to your current spouse and your divorce has not yet been finalised, your estate may not pass to who you would like it to.

• Sale or disposal of assets specifically mentioned in your Will. For example, an asset which you no longer own could be substituted for an alternative

when updating your Will so that the Beneficiary is adequately provided for.

• Dispute amongst appointed Executors who may not be willing to work together productively.

• Death of a person named in the Will such as a Beneficiary, Executor or Guardian. ∙ An Executor/ Trustee becoming unsuitable due to advanced age, ill health or incapacity.

• The birth or adoption of a child or grandchild.

• Provision for caring for pets.

• Asset changes whether this is an increase or decrease in value.

• Changes in tax for example Inheritance Tax-planning is extremely important to help reduce liability on death.

• Minor children – you may

want to make a provision for m nor children to inherit once they attain a specific age. It is also sensible to appoint a guardian or guardians in the event that both parents have died.

• Starting a business, entering a partnership or forming a company.

Altering the form of ownership of your home and creating a Life Interest Trust to protect your half-share of the property whilst giving the other person a right to remain in the property after your death. Especially important where second families are involved.

These are some reasons why you should review your Will and when to put a Will in place. Everyone’s circumstances are personal to them and you should ensure that you have a valid and up-to-date Will in place to protect your assets and provide you with peace of mind, which is essential no matter your age.

Sarah Hodkinson and Niamh Docherty from the Private Client Team explain the importance in ensuring

that a Will is regularly reviewed and kept up to date.

The importance of keeping a company’s statutory registers up-to-date

By Adam Cockroft

What are statutory registers?

Statutory registers, commonly referred to as a company’s statutory books, are official records that contain information about a company and its directors and shareholders. The Companies Act 2006 requires companies to maintain certain statutory registers and these must be kept at their registered office or at an alternative location that has been approved by the registrar of companies. These registers include:

• Register of directors: This register contains the names and addresses of the company's directors.

• Register of members: This register, also known as the shareholder register, contains the names and addresses of the company's shareholders, as well as details of the shares they own and any changes to their shareholdings.

• Register of charges: This register contains details of any charges that have been registered against the company's assets, such as mortgages or other secured loans.

• Register of directors' residential addresses: This register contains the residential addresses of the company's directors.

Why do they need to be kept up to date?

First and foremost, it is a legal

requirement for UK companies to maintain accurate and up-to-date statutory registers. Failing to do so can result in serious consequences for the company and its directors and may result in a fine being levied by the registrar of companies if it is found to be in breach of its legal obligations.

In addition, keeping the statutory registers up to date can provide a useful reference for the company and its directors when making important decisions. It is key that directors are aware of the company's current share capital, any charges that have been registered against the company's assets, and any changes to the company's directors or members.

Further, one of the key functions of a company's statutory registers is to validate share ownership. The register of members, also known as the shareholder register, is a record of all individuals or entities that own shares, or have owned shares, in the

company. An up-to-date register of members can help to protect the company and its shareholders in the event of a dispute. For example, if there is a disagreement over the ownership of shares, the register of members can be used as evidence to determine the correct ownership.

Having up-to-date statutory registers is also important when a company is being sold. The buyer will typically want to review the company's statutory registers as part of the due diligence process to ensure that the company is in good standing and that there are no legal issues or liabilities that may be apparent on the face of the registers.

Inaccurate or out-of-date statutory registers could lead to delays in or problems with the sale process, as the buyer may need to request additional information or clarification.

It is therefore essential for the seller to ensure that the statutory registers are accurate and up to date prior to entering into negotiations to sell the company. This will help avoid any unnecessary problems with the sale process.In summary, a company’s statutory registers play a crucial role in validating share ownership and helping to protect the rights and interests of the company and its shareholders. It is therefore important for these registers to be kept up to date at all times in order to avoid fines and other advers e consequences.

...what is making incredible difference to our SME community, is sharing commercialthoseissues and working together on solutions...

• Business Structures & Reorganisations

• Commercial Debt Collection

• Commercial Disputes

• Commercial Property

• Contracts

• Employment

• Intellectual Property

• International Trade & Transactions

• Internet Trading

• Mediation of Business Disputes

• Mergers, Acquisitions and Disposals

• Planning & Licensing

• Starting In Business

• Accident Claims

• Child Care

• Collaborative Law

• Dispute Resolution

• Employment Problems

• Matrimonial & Family

• Medical Negligence Claims

• Planning for Retirement

• Residential Property

• Road Traffic Cases

• The Law & The Elderley

• Wills, Trusts & Probate

Law firm starts 2023 with new office opening

Yorkshire law firm Truth Legal has started 2023 in style with the opening of a new office in Hull and two new lawye r appointments.

The firm’s new office at K2 Tower, Bond Street is Truth Legal’s third regional office since the business launched a decade ago in Harrogate in 2012. A Leeds office was opened in 2021. The firm now employs a total of 27 members of staff across all three locations.

In addition to starting the new year with a new office, two new team members have also joined the expanding firm. The Hull office will be headed up by specialist immigration lawyer, Frances Ledbury. Frances is joined by experienced paralegal, Olivia Pickering. The appointments significantly bolster the firm’s immigration law service.

The prominent new Hull location features offices and private meeting room space.

Commenting on the official launch of the new office, Georgina Parkin,

Truth Legal’s managing director and co-owner, commented: “2022 was a great year for the business, our most successful to date during which we celebrated our tenth anniversary. To kick off 2023 with the opening of a new branch gives us the best possible start to the New Year. We’ve experienced a rapid period of expansion, particularly over the past three years, opening successful immigration law, family law and business services departments in that time. A real upturn in demand for our services prompted the decision to open in Hull, offering the East Riding and Lincolnshire greater access to a dedicated, specialist legal team with a proven track record.

“Hull is the perfect place for our third location. City of culture status left a positive legacy with booming tech and hospitality industries, both key sectors we focus on for our business clients. The city also boasts a highly skilled legal sector and a respected university

which bodes well for future recruitment. Opening in Hull also presents the firm with the opportunity to become a major player serving Hull and Lincolnshire.”

The Hull office of Truth Legal will service both private and wider business community client needs, helping them to access a wide range of legal expertise including all types of immigration law, personal injury, clinical negligence, employment law, family law, general litigation and professional negligence. It will also provide the East Riding with access to an extended range of specialist services provided by experts located at their Leeds and Harrogate head office.

Added Georgina Parkin: “Our new Hull office underpins Truth Legal’s growing presence in Yorkshire and provides a great foundation for the future as we look to build relationships with clients to provide the best legal advice possible. Building on our existing areas of specialism is also high on the agenda which will lead to further job creation and further new office openings. 2023 is already shaping up to be a very exciting year.”

Law firm announces seven new promotions

Yorkshire-based law firm Schofield Sweeney has started 2023 celebrating the promotions of seven individuals for their outstanding contributions.

Annie Gray, has been promoted to partner in the employment team. Annie has extensive experience advising schools and employers of all sizes, offering solutions to complex HR and employment law issues.

“I am delighted to announce Annie’s

promotion. It is very much deserved given her hard work and dedication but, most importantly, for always providing a first class service to all of our clients.”

Said Simon Shepherd, Partner

Pardeep Khela, has been promoted to director in the commercial property

team. His area of expertise includes high value landlord and tenant matters, real estate finance, investor purchases and corp orate support.

“Pardeep’s promotion is very well deserved and I am delighted to have supported his progress. Pardeep has built himself a reputation as a strong commercial property solicitor and has a great future ahead of him.” Added Darren Birki nshaw, partner.

Lucy Holroyd, has been promoted to director in the corporate team. Her specialisms include acquisitions and disposals, mergers, joint ventures, reorganisations, restructurings and management buyouts.

Annie Hui-Gillen, has been promoted to director in the litigation team. She specialises in commercial dispute resolution, with particular expertise in commercial contract disputes

(left to right) Tasneem Patel, Neil Towse, Seema Gabbi, Lucy Holroyd, Annie Gray, Pardeep Khela and Annie Hui-Gillen

(termination rights, performance and payment issues), as well as professional negligence and intellectual property.

“Annie has been a key member of our team and her promotion is richly deserved. She has recently been shortlisted for “Dispute Resolution Rising Star of the Year” at the Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards 2023. We look forward to continuing to support her as she reinforces her already excellent reputation in the market,” Said Leo Jones -Rowe, Partner.

Neil Towse, HR director is the firm’s first non-lawyer to be promoted to director. Having already delivered several major projects to the firm in relation to hybrid working, lawyer reviews and career progression, he will now be focusing on the recruitment of future lawyers whilst continuing to ensure the firm’s culture and values remain at the forefront of everything they do.

Iconic Leeds building is in the frame again

The Leeds office of global property consultancy Knight Frank has played a pivotal role in a letting in one of the city’s most iconic buildings, which has just been comprehensively refurbished and restored to its former glory.

Tasneem Patel, has been promoted to associate in the commercial property team. Tasneem acts for high-net-worth individuals, corporations and SMEs and advises on acquisitions and disposals, real estate finance (including Islamic finance) and commercial landlord and tenant matters. She also provides specialist property support on education land transactions for schools and academies and corporat e transactions.

“It’s been a pleasure working with Tasneem over the last five years and see her develop into a great commercial property solicitor and a highly valued colleague in the team. Tasneem’s hard work and ‘can do’ attitude has been rewarded with well-deserved recognition and promotion to Associate . I fully expect her to continue to progress within the team and the firm generally over the coming years,” said Bashara t Ali, partner.

Seema Gabbi, has been promoted to associate in the residential property team, offering expertise and guidance throughout the house buying and selling processes.

“These seven promotions demonstrate the outstanding achievements of those individuals to client service, development of their practise areas and growth of the firm and its people. They reflect our commitment to growing team members and encouraging career progression. Well done to all,” concluded Graham Sweeney, managing partner.

Since the new promotion framework was introduced in the summer of 2020, 11 employees have been promoted through the scheme.

This reflects the value the firm places on developing colleagues and in particular, its commitment to providing opportunity for everyone to achieve a rewarding career.

In conjunction with practical completion, a leading tech company has taken 7,887 sq ft (37 per cent of the building) of quality office space across two floors at One Sovereign Quay on Leeds Bridge.

This historic building, which has undergone a multi-million-pound refurbishment and is now available for immediate occupation, played a starring role in one of the very oldest pieces of fil m in the world.

It was the subject of French inventor Louis Le Prince’s pioneering film of industrial Leeds in 1888.

The grainy black-and-while film, showing people and carriages crossing Leeds Bridge, has achieved legendary status as the first moving picture sequence using a single lens camera and a strip of paper.

A rent of £32 per sq ft has been achieved on a 10-year lease with a five-year break.

Victoria Harris, office agency specialist with Knight Frank, who are marketing the building on behalf of Charles Street Buildings Group, explained: “This is a building which is steeped in history and is also so full of promise and potential for the future. What a heady mixture.

“Formerly known as Windsor House, this sleeping giant has undergone a multi-million pound makeover, including the addition of south-facing terraces and full-height glazing on the ground, fourth and fifth floors, which provides over 21,000 sq ft of stunning

Grade A office space. It offers the ultimate combination of character, prominence, positioning, design and stunning views across the city.

“The letting to this flourish tech company is a ringing endorsement of the quality of the refurbishment and the stunning new office space at One Sovereign Quay. There are open plan suites remaining from 4,124 sq ft which are available for immediate occupation and are already to subject of strong interest.”

Victoria commented: “By appearing in one of the oldest surviving pieces of film in existence, One Sovereign Quay has truly cemented itself in history. Louis Le Prince filmed Leeds Bridge and the surrounding buildings during the heady late-Victorian years of industrial growth and commerce and it’s only right that the building is now re-imagined to reflect Leeds’s continuing regeneration and its need to evolve for contemporary life and work.”

Situated on the north bank of the River Aire within the heart of the city, One Sovereign Quay is ideally positioned with views across the river, the city and beyond. With both the financial and shopping districts only a short walk away and with cafes, restaurants and bars in all directions, it is close to all the best that Leeds has to offer.

Ms Harris concluded: “These brandnew Grade A offices provide all that is needed for a modern innercity working environment, with a major emphasis on staff health and wellbeing, sustainability and open plan design. Bespoke facilities include glass walls, two private roof terraces, secure underground secure parking, storage for bikes, and access to stateof-the art showers and changi ng facilities.”

As for the pioneering filmmaker Louis Le Prince, he disappeared without trace just two years after making his film about Leeds Bridge.

By appearing in one of the oldest surviving pieces of film in existence, One Sovereign Quay has truly cemented itself in history...

Breathe new life into commercial images

Of course, you can always jazz them up in a graphic design App such as Canva. Here you can add text, graphics, charts, create collages, videos and so on.

Video conference background

A video conference background can make a big impact.

If you want to look professional, stand out from the other attendees and not have to worry what’s behind you . . . then transform an image into a background.

Use a graphic design App to add a logo and contact details

Create wall art

Do you think about having a family ph otoshoot but it just doesn’t happen?

Consistent branding

A consumer should experience a consistent branding experience wherever they engage with you. And branded images are at the forefront of that experience.

So, if you’ve invested in commercial photography . . . top job! You obviously understand how branded images build credibility.

What we’d like to know is what happens to those shiny new digital images once they’ve been uploaded to your website. And what about those you just couldn’t find space for?

Do they all sit in a folder like a misplaced box of old photos – or is every penny being squeezed out of that investment.

Regular website update

Google loves it when you update your photographs on your website. There’s no reason why you can’t regularly swap out a handful of images.

It doesn’t matter if they’re similar –Google is just happy to see some action (so to speak).

Just remember, if you update a banner or profile picture, do so across all your social media platforms.

Posting to social media

Stuck for an image to accompany your post or blog? You may have the perfect image or headshot in your folder. And if it’s not perfect think about cropping one or adding a filter.

Logos are frequently displayed on office walls, but businesses rarely display their leading commercial images as Wall Art.

Wall Art creates an opportunity for customers to connect with your organisation, builds a bridge between your real and digital worlds, and demonstrates how much you value your branding, products, and services. It also looks cool.

There you have it. We hope this gives you some ideas to breathe new life into your commercial images.

Lincoln & Perrin

Roth Read Photography

www.rothreadphotography.com

The North Yorkshire whisky with global aspirations

Distillery plans to consolidate Filey Bay’s position on the world whisky map

bottle whisky production.

Named after the beach that is visible from the distillery’s Pot Still Coffee Shop, Filey Bay Single Malt Whisky isn’t just made in Yorkshire, it’s made of Yorkshire.

The distillery was founded in 2012 by friends Tom Mellor (third-generation arable farmer) and David Thompson (agronomist and marketer), with the first distillations in 2016 and the first single malt whisky being released in 2019.

The pair built the distillery from the ground up and, instead of recruiting time-served distillers, they learned their craft from renowned whisky expert Dr Jim Swan so that they could impart their own character and ideas into the spirit.

“Our capacity gives us the potential to be one of the largest whisky producers in England and sales to date have given us a solid foundation for future success.

The distillery prides itself on

By using a four-plate rectifying column (something not permitted by the Scotch Whisky Association) alongside the conventional pot still, they can create two distillate styles that lead to a unique flavour profile. No-one else in the UK is distilling like this.

Members of the Spirit of Yorkshire team

David Thompson at the Spirit of Yorkshire farm at Hunmanby Grange

Filey Bay is the first, and currently only, fully-matured and bottled whisky in Yorkshire. It is sold in specialist retailers throughout the UK and in 12 export markets, including the US, Canada, France, China and Italy.

The cornerstone of the Filey Bay range is Flagship. Made from a combination of both distillate styles that are matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks from Kentucky, it is light, creamy and fruity.

The distillery’s aim is that Flagship creates a recognisable Filey Bay style of whisky that has complexity and nuance for experienced palates but is also accessible for those new to whisky.

Flagship is complemented by several ‘finished’ Filey Bay whiskies that start life in ex-Bourbon casks but are then ‘finished’ for 6-9 months in other cask types and include Filey Bay Moscatel Finish and Filey Bay STR Finish.

In addition, the distillery bottles a range of rare small-batch marriages and Single Cask whiskies, including the annual Filey Bay Yorkshire Day

release. Recent launches include Filey Bay Port Finish Batch #1 and Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve #3.

Spirit of Yorkshire fills around 600 casks each year and only bottles 20% of what’s of age in the warehouse to ensure there’s plenty of whisky ageing for future releases.

In 2023, the distillery plans to release more Special Release whiskies, reintroduce the popular Distillery

Sessions live music events and maintain its presence at domestic and international whisky festivals to consolidate Filey Bay’s position on the world whisky map.

“From Year One turnover of £38,500 in 2016, to 2022 sales of £2,172,000, and forecasted sales of £7.8m in 2024, we’re extremely proud that our beautiful home on the Yorkshire Coast is coming to be known and respected worldwide for its single malt whisky,” said co-founder David Thompson.

Both co-founders have agricultural backgrounds and are passionate about being at the forefront of sustainable production, in distilling, brewing and farming.

They farm regeneratively and progressively - all barley is now direct drilled on the Mellor farm at Hunmanby Grange using cover crops through the winter too to aid soil health and capture carbon. Hunmanby Grange was the first farm in the UK to be actually paid for carbon capture.

Flagship - Bottle & Carton - Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery.

Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery Column and Pot Stills

The voices of the future builders of North Yorkshire

Some of the Yorkshire coast’s construction apprentices have spoken about what their skill-learning has meant to them and how it has changed their career prospects –these insights have been shared with TopicUK at a time when skill shortages are reaching huge levels across the region.

"If not for the skills village, I would be working in a factory. It has given me much more opportunity in life.

"It's brought me different knowledge about laying bricks, laying steels, lintels, everything I need to know when I get on the job on-site."

Joinery apprentice Josh Jenkinson, age 18

"I think it's the best for everyone really, to get a trade.

"Everyone says how good it is."

Bricklayer Apprentice Liam Giles, age 28

"Been here a year, was a PE teacher.

"The difference for me is that it has given me a career.

"It's important because it gives me the skills and knowledge ... to do bricklaying properly on a day-to-day basis."

In interviews, the learners and apprentices of the Construction Skills Village, have spoken about their new skills in plastering, bricklayers, joinery, groundwork and adult education and plant training.

The company is run by Graham and Fiona Ratcliffe and supporters include the Scarborough Town Deal board, local MPs Robert Goodwill and Kevin Hollinrake, North Yorkshire County Council and Scarborough Borough Council.

What the apprentices say …

Bricklayer Apprentice Nick Sadler, age 26

"The skills village has been really important for me to learn new skills - and to allow me to earn more money for myself and my family.

"The alternative for me was getting RAF engineering but finding an apprenticeship at the skills village means that I'm still local.

"I can live where I want to be, without having to move away.

"And the skills village supports us fully through that. It shows us what to do, what we are doing, regular talks, so we know where we are.

"Through the skills village and through my employer (P&N Wilson Joinery), I've managed to pull together a career for the rest of my life.

"I joined this course only knowing bits ... now it's going to be a life-long job.

"Every day that I come to work, it's like a hobby really, so much that it doesn't feel like work. It's really good.

"It's what I love doing every single day, day in, day out.

Plasterer Apprentice Kevin Yates, age 17

"Without plastering, I wouldn't be in work now. I'm lucky to have an apprenticeship.

The difference it has made to me is learning a wide variety of work, different aspects, it helps me with knowledge - all aspects of plastering."

Joinery Apprentice Ricky Wood, age 29:

"I'm with Beyond Housing. I'm learning new skills and diversity.

"If not for this site, I'd be working in a factory or any other job that supports my family.

"I've learned more maths and English because I didn't really pay attention at school - I didn't think I need them.

"The skills village is very important. It's not like a normal college, I work

Nick Sadler

on-site so it's difficult from being sat in a classroom be ing told how to do things."

Groundworker Apprentice Owen Hunt, age 22:

"It's a nice place to learn, you get the skills, the knowled ge, one to one.

"I don't think there's many places like this where you can get the help and assistance from someone who are out of the trade themselvesputting you in the right direction

"I don't where I'd see myself without th is opportunity.

"I like working outdoors, it's a grea t environment."

Groundworker Apprentice James Stamp, age 19:

"I've learned all kinds of stuff ... concreting, blockwor k, drainage ...

"I like this work because I'm outside, not stuck in a warehouse.

"If I wasn't doing a groundwork apprenticeship, I'd probably be stacking shelves in a supermarket.

"The skills village gives young people a chance to get a career - and doing something they enjoy."

Plus Trainer-Assessor Lewis Weller gives his perspective on the importance of the apprenticeships:

"We teach knowledge, skills and behaviour. It's important that we do this so they are ready for the sites. It's not like a normal college, we don't work from text books - we do 'crossover training' so by the time we build anything, it would be exactly like it should be. So we are going to get people ready to go on site and have a career for life.

"Ninety per cent of what we do is very hands-on, practical. We like to work

with other trades ... so we are able to make these lads the polished item, the finished article, ready to go out there and do it, and earn a lot of money.

"It's important that the skills village is here.

"I've never been somewhere that gives you the opportunity for them to do that."

"It's also important to talk about the adult education side ..

"We work closely with the job centres and unemployed people, all get opportunities to do plant training for free ...

Diggers, dumpers, 360 excavators, slinger signals, banksman, health and safety, all kinds - and try to help people get into employment as well.

"It's not just about young people."

Ricky Wood

Owen Hunt

James Hunt

Josh Jenkinson

Liam Giles

Kevin Yates

Together we are mighty: how 2023 can be a good year for micro businesses

By Tony Robinson OBE

Before Christmas, Lord Young of Graffham died at 90 … and on February 1 2023, ‘The Micro Business Alliance in England’ is being launched. These two even ts are related.

In the early 1980s, Lord Young introduced the Enterprise Agency movement. By the mid-90s, when I became vice-president of the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies, there were over 150.

There is a handful now.

Lord Young also introduced the Enterprise Allowance Scheme (EAS), which guaranteed £40 a week for people moving from unemployment to self-employment for up to a year.

Paltry government support for selfemployed careers and no help for ALL start-ups has existed since 2010. Only high-growth start-ups and scaleups, investor or loan backed, are now supported.

This policy misses the benefits to our

nation in sustainability, innovation, new job creation, positive community impact and growing local economies.

But good news for 2023 … Hull and the Yorkshire Coast will continue to provide better support to replace what Lord Young initiated.

Test trading grants and test trading micro-loans are available. Test trading, bootstrapping, and Big 13 Enterprise Skills learning are more important than business planning.

The enterprise educators, advisers and mentors are of the highest quality.

Hull Youth Enterprise Partnership, the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank and Yorkshire in Business (YIB) have shown that 80%+ properly supported start-ups can survive the

first three years of trading. Silicon Valley’s survival rate is 10%, and 6% of those surviving will be higher growth, employing businesses.

Yorkshire in Business which I cochair, supports business along the Yorkshire Coast. It was one of the early Enterprise Agencies but is reborn, modern and entrepreneurial.

It provides managed workspace in five buildings and a menu of business services, including 5* free start-up support.

In spring 2022, Jenn Crowther, CEO, and her team ran the first #MicroBizMatters Festival attended by the Small Business Commissioner and the Shadow Business Secretary.

YIB has a high street café, The Grind, with 30 pop-up shops supporting micro business owners. More entrepreneurial ventures are on the way.

YIB will run its annual Inspiring Women event and at least 23 of my ‘Be More Happipreneur Shows’ for enterprising people and leaders in Yorkshire towns.

The 3-day #MicroBizMatters Festival in Spring 2024 will bring indie business owners from over the UK and Ireland to Scarborough.

Charles Cracknell’s teams in the City of Hull, including the Hull Youth Enterprise Partnership, John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank and MC4C, run a world-beating Global

Entrepreneurship Week. The week showcases their year-long activities, learning and awards for all their young enterprising people from primary school upwards.

Hull has a #microbizmatters strategy. Other Cities should follow their lead. We made a film (on my YouTube channel) on why Hull is the most Enterprising City in the World.

The Micro Business Alliance will:

• Ensure the government recognises the benefits of backing micro business owners and all startups and develops policies so they can survive and thrive

• Ensure that the three million selfemployed people excluded from income support during covid never happens again.

• Be led by Ian Cass, CEO of the Forum of Private Business. He can make my campaigns happen

- such as reducing unavoidable costs, improving cash flow (e.g. #payin30days or less), cutting the regulatory compliance burden and increasing support for the first eighteen months of trading

• Launch with organisational members, representing at least 1.2 million engaged micro business owners.

Tony Robinson OBE:

5* Book "The Happipreneur" & Show "Be More Happipreneur".

Co-Chair of Yorkshire in Business Limited

Patron, John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank

Director, Organisation for Responsible Businesses

The #MicroBizMatters Champion

Author (poetry, fiction and non fiction)

Campaigns: #PayIn30Days;

5.7M #MicroBizMatters; 3M #ExcludedUK

Website & Contact: https:// TonyRobinsonOBE.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube. com/c/TonyRobinsonOBE/ videos

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Anthony_Charles_ Robinson

Yorkshire: the ancient connectionEgypt

How the silver coins of Cleopatra ended up in Barnsley

by Professor Joanne Fletcher

Following the 2022 centenary of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun,public fascination with ancient Egypt seems stronger than ever. And while it may seem far away both in time and distance, ancient Egypt is far closer than you might think.

With some fine collections of Egyptian artefacts right here in Yorkshire, its landed gentry and wealthy industrialists supported archaeological excavations in Egypt throughout the

19th century in return for a percentage of things being found.

Then donating such finds to their local museums, a wealth of ancient treasures can not only be found within the large collections of Leeds and Sheffield but in some rather less wellknown places too.

Take for example Harrogate, whose star object is a completely unique mask of the ancient Egyptian jackal god Anubis.

Jo in the stores of Harrogate Museum (courtesy Harrogate Museums & Arts)

Jo with the gold mask from the tomb of Tutankhamun in Cairo Museum (courtesy Blink Films)

Originally worn by a priest during the early centuries BC, it formed the highlight of a private collection once displayed in a local farmhouse until bequeathed to Harrogate corpor ation in 1968.

And with the mask’s rediscovery in museum storage making international headlines back in 2002, celebrity milliner Stephen Jon es borrowed it for his exhibition of exotic headwear at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum with the mask now on permanent display in Harrogate’s Royal Pu mp Room Museum.

Likewise Barnsley, whose impressive collections of local history include silver coins produced by none other than the great Egyptian ruler Cleopatra and her Roman husban d Mark Antony.

Portraying a combination of Cleopatra’s warships and Anthony’ legionary standards, the coins were minted to pay the couple’s troops prior to the famous naval Battle of Actium in 31BC, and later buried for safekeeping during the 3rd century.

Only rediscovered in the 1940s during the construction of a Barnsley housing estate, the coins are now part of the ‘Experience Barnsley’ museum, current venue of ‘Tut ’22: the life of Tutankhamun’, an exhibition combining ancient artefacts with the magic of augmented reality capable of bringing Tutankhamun’s gold mask into the exhibition and in to classrooms.

And all displayed alongside the histories of little-known local people who nonetheless played a key role in rediscovering Egypt’s

And as more of Egypt’s ancient past continues to be uncovered within our county’s splendid museums, they really are the perfect place to inspire future generation while sharing in a heritage which surely belongs to all of us....

Jo at her Resurrecting Ancient Egypt exhibition at Scarborough Art Gallery featuring images by Kyte Photography.

Photo courtesy Kane Cunningham

ancient past, Barnsley-born Harold Jones was the first to recognise the significance of the name ‘Tutankhamun’ which he’d begun to find in the Valley of the Kings during th e early 1900s.

Jones was also a friend of fellow archaeologist Howard Carter and his sponsor Lord Carnarvon, and after Jones died tragically young in the Valley of the Kings aged only 34, his funeral was arranged by Carter and Carnarvon who then built on Jones’ legacy to finally find the tomb of Tutan khamun in 1922.

Yet Jones is only one of a long line of Yorkshire folk who’ve made a huge contribution to the study of ancient Egypt, a subject which even began in Yorkshire in th e 17th century.

For as early as 1611, York-born scholar George Sandys visited Egypt and published the first accurate English account of the pyramids.

As for the earliest-known female Egyptologist, who first went to Egypt in 1836, this was schoolteacher Alice Holliday fro

And with her legacy slowly being pieced together in the archives of Scarborough Museums and Galleries, they are currently hosting ‘Resurrecting Ancient Egypt: a Monumental Yorkshire Journey’ until March, an exhibition reflecting the fact our county has more pyramids than any other part of England, the oldest obelisk erected in Britain and the only full-sized replica of an Egyptian temple i n the country.

And as an Egyptologist born in Barnsley, teaching in York and

living in Scarborough, I’ve spent over 30 years researching the connections between our great county and the world’s most fascinating ancient civilization, a legacy we’re keen to make increasingly accessible through a combination of exhibitions, talks and TV documentaries.

So despite initial grumbles that such exotic artefacts ‘have nothing to do with local history’, these things were either found in the local area or were collected by local people for the enjoyment and enlightenment of their fe llow citizens.

As for inevitable complaints that in these cash-strapped times money should be ‘better spent elsewhere’, where better than in education, with school visits to local museums greatly increasing whenever ancient Egypt is available closer to home than a costly (and lengthy) trip to the B ritish Museum.

Yorkshire’s Egyptian trail

Professor Joann Fletcher of the Department of Archaeology at the University of York also chairs the board of Trustees at Scarborough Museums and Galleries, is a patron of Barnsley Museums & Heritage Trust and Lead Ambassador for the Egypt Exploration Society.

For more details about the Royal Pump Room Museum visit Royal Pump Room Museum opening times and prices – Harrogate Borough Council

For more details about the Tutankhamun exhibition visit www. experience-barnsley.com/whatson/tut-22-the-life-of-tutankhamun and see Tutankhamun: Life Not Death - Discover Ancient Egypt - History Hit

For more details about the

Alfa Romeo dips a toe into the electrified market

This car is the start of the future for Alfa Romeo. It’s important for the Italian firm because over the next 5 years, more and more Alfas will come with battery power…roughly one per year.

electric motor helping things along in what is described as being a mild hybrid…an MHEV.

Oh and well done to Alfa Romeo. They launched the car to the UK media in North Yorkshire.

simple reason that the car doesn’t rely 100 per cent on conventional power. There’s a battery powered

The Tonale is a front wheel drive SUV with a self-charging battery, although most of the oomph comes from a turbocharged 1.5 litre petrol engine. Everything goes via a 7-speed automatic gearbox. The battery driven electric motor joins the party to help you run silently at town speed, creep away from traffic lights or for some urgency when you need to accelerate. Add both of the outputs together and you end up with a total of 158bhp. This translates to a 0-60 time of 8.8 seconds, top speed 131mph

The Alfa Romeo Tonale…. (pronounced Toe-nar-lee)…is a rarity in the Alfa range for the

and a reasonable fuel economy figure close to 50mpg.

As you’d expect from Alfa Romeo, it handles really well and the ride is surprisingly cushy. The quicker you travel the better it feels. If you go for the top spec model, you also get adaptive suspension which improves the handing even further despite the car coming with bigger wheels.

Prices start at £39,995 for the TI model….while the higher spec Veloce comes in at £42,495, although if you get a move on a special launch edition

model is available for £38,595. Every Tonale is well equipped with sat nav, climate control, powered front seats, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, 10.25 infotainment screen, LED matrix headlights, powered tailgate and Alexa voice command. There’s a good quality look and feel to everything. Roomy too. We think it looks rather smart.

A lot of family sized SUVs are aimed at making things as easy-going as possible to keep a family brood content on a long journey, but the Tonale is

targetting someone who really does enjoy driving. Okay, a short test drive won’t show the Tonale in a good light because it takes a bit of getting used to, but try to borrow one for longer than just a trundle around the block and you’ll soon discover the car’s hidden depths.

All in all, the Alfa Romeo Tonale is a very welcome addition to the compact SUV marketplace. A full hybrid is about to go on sale. It deserves to succeed and will hopefully go a long way to restoring the company’s reputation in the UK which has so far been a tad patchy.

Motorhouse of Shipley

Says Naz, one of the founders, who tells us of the early days of starting out and the hundreds of journeys back and forth over the Pennines to collect used cars from main dealers, to sell in their then, small showroom based in Wilsden. They built robust and long lasting relationships in the industry which eventually paid off.

“A good rapport with people, whether it’s clients, suppliers; practically everyone in the industry has been the key to our success.”

They are well known by almost all the main dealers in the UK for their ongoing dedication and impressive growth from a small outfit to their current showroom in Shipley, which houses some of the most expensive and exclusive super cars in the country. Yet the original and humble values behind it still stand.

Today, the business is established as one of the leading supercar dealerships in the North of

Motorhouse of Shipley is a family run business founded in 1994 by three brothers.

I k now every bump on the M62...

England. Their client base boasts many high profile customers including premiership footballers and celebrities.

“Giving our clients a gold standard service is vital; we are a more than just a dealership, we offer a concierge service before and after our customers buy from us”

As you can imagine, given the value of some of their stock, creating a trusting rapport with clients, many of whom are collectors of classic cars is vital.

“We have sold some of the most sought after and prestigious classic cars over the years including rare Aston Martins and recently an entire collection of limited production model Ferarri’s values at over £6 million.”

Now that’s impressive!

But don’t be deterred because Motorhouse of Shipley also deals in the “normal” range of vehicles, sourcing and supplying brand-new and pre-owned, Sports, Prestige, and SUV vehicles.

Their philosophy is consistent with every car they sell irrespective of high end or not ; they provide the same high quality service for all customers.

Their track record and testimonials show that clearly. So, when you are looking to buy a prestige, sports

performance or luxury car, then Motor House of Shipley should be on your list of ‘must visit’ dealers. With a selection of over 60 beautifully presented, used sports, prestige, 4x4 and luxury high performance cars in stock at any time, there is sure to be a vehicle to suit your needs or aspirations.

Above Porsche 918 Spyder sold recently for £1.4 million

Mercedes flagship hoves silently into view

By: Graham Courtney - Motoring Correspondent

The race for car firms to produce a range of electric cars continues to gather pace. Ideally, every major manufacturer wants at least one electric car in every section of the market.

And that is precisely what Mercedes is doing with this…the EQS SUV…. because they don’t have a big, l uxury 7-seater.

Until now.

The Mercedes EQS SUV is a proper 7-seater and goes straight in as the flagship of the entire Mercedes range. View it as an electric S-Class, which means it’s loaded to the gunwales with tech.

Merc say the EQS SUV can manage 379 miles on a full charge and the battery can go from 10 to 80 per cent charge in a shade over half an hour. Okay, those will be the optimistic figures in perfect conditions, but we’re steadily getting to the point where range and charging times are making electric car

ownership a realistic proposition for more people.

Two models are available at launch…a 355bhp EQS SUV 450 or EQS SUV 580 which churns out 536bhp. The lower powered version is quick with a 0-60 time of 6 seconds, while the 536bhp version manages 4.6 seconds. Both have a limited top speed of 130mph. Yes this SUV can cope with the twisty stuff and even some off-roading, (four-

wheel drive and four-wheel steering come as standard) but where it really excels is as a long distance cruiser. At a

steady 70mph, you glide along in silence. It’s uncannily smooth. The standard air suspension makes for a seriously cushy, well controlled ride. Refinement is staggering.

The seven seats are extremely comfortable. Okay, those in the third row shouldn’t be for your local prop forward, but they’re fine for short journeys or children. Drop the seats into the floor and you have sufficient room for a month’s holiday luggage.

Needless to say that as a flagship model, the EQS SUV comes fully loaded…but so it should because the starting price is £129,170. The hi-tech dashboard is the show-stopper as per the EQS saloon and the quality of everything throughout the cabin is top notch. You can fork out around £8k for the Hyperscreen which stretches across the entire fascia, but to be honest we’d skip it ‘cos the standard system is terrific.

If you are wanting a big 7-seater SUV with excellent off-road ability, a cosseting interior and one of the most refined rides on the market, look no further.

The whole restaurant cranes to see the theatrical experience

With food columnist - Freda Shafi

Tattu is more than a dining experience; from the minute you walk through the doors of Minerva house located in a corner of the city, there is magic; a 360-degree sensory experience. Be prepared for a sensual, dramatic, and theatrical few hours of your life that will leave a lasting impression on you.

The soft muted light, dulcet Buddha bar-esque tunes as you enter. It makes you want to rock gently in the bar area as you choose from the very stylish list of cocktails and impressive nonalcoholic mocktails which I opted for.

The friendly but not overbearing staff notice instinctively when you’re ready to order. No brash gestures needed to get their attention; you know they’re well versed in hospitality at a very superior level.

The “instagrammable” aesthetics from life size cherry blossoms trees, Chinese lanterns and ambient lighting make it a content creators heaven; it doesn’t feel awkward making a little content in situ as that’s part of the restaurant

appeal. You want to share if not shout about being part of the Tattu show whilst you’re there. Whoever designed this space definitely got the tone right, setting this up as a truly authentic fusion style far east corner of Leeds.

Now onto the food because that’s what we’re here for ….

The menu is exactly what you’d expect with everything else in place here; it’s exquisite. Stylish, amenable, not overbearing to the point of perplexity, anyone reading it will see both style with substance and familiarity- a very fine balance to achieve.

Looking around, it’s a full house on a cold Tuesday evening in January. A

wide demographic made up of young people, couples out after working in the city I’m guessing, as well as small groups enjoying a meal with friends. It’s a menu that is clearly geared to everyone’s palette.

Our delightful waiter Kieran has a warm and genuinely friendly disposition. He is so in tune with all the diverse guests, as I watch him move between tables and make everyone feel at home. He’s also incredibly well versed in the menu to the point I trust him to choose a few dishes for me.

WILD MUSHROOM SPRING ROLL

Truffle sour cream.

LOBSTER AND PRAWN TOAST

Sesame and sweet & sour c hilli sauce.

The perfect flavours textures and complexity in each course from the crisp sesame encrusted prawn lobster toast, to the wild mushroom spring

rolls with the truffle sour cream.

Kieran was spot on with his recommendation for our starter

Next the SZECHUAN ROCK

SHRIMP Carrot, sancho pepper and pickle arrives. A fine tempura, compliments to the chef on that, it’s laced the flavours of the delicate pickle it comes with and it’s delectable.

The courses glide with each seamlessly, one after another in perfect sync and flavours in harmony. A symphony of fabulously but delicate flavoured courses that just synergise with each other effortlessly.

STEAMED BUTTERFLY SEA

BASS Shaoxing wine, lemon soy and caramel chilli marries well with the side serving that Kieran kindly asked chef make especially for us tonightvegetarian fried rice.

We also have the wok fried angry bird which has the right spice level for my palette. The SPECIAL FRIED SWEET

POTATO vinegar glaze, spring onion and ichimi pepper.

It’s all a fusion flavour explosion that has me eagerly awaiting and savouring each mouthful

I didn’t want it to stop but realise I need to make room for dessert again knowing my senses are going to be stimulated at all levels …

It arrives. Eagerly anticipated CHERRY

BLOSSOM White chocolate, cherry and candyfloss.

Dry ice spilling over the edge of the table as the whole restaurant floor cranes to watch this theatrical piece. A bonsai cherry blossom tree, chocolate bark; can you get better than this? - Its genius and again a burst of evocative flavours that take you back to the fairground with candy floss mixed with the sophistication of a chocolate soil that only an exquisitely trained chef could produce, such harmonised flavours.

I had enough room to try the WHITE CHOCOLATE DRAGON EGG Coconut, passion fruit and mango. It was light and airy and fragrantly fruity; just enough for me to feel comfortable and very joyously replete.

Let’s me try to sum this entire experience up now. Immaculate fusion flavours, exquisitely presented, created, and delivered by skilled chefs. Theatre and classy ambiance have no bounds here; you just have to let yourself go and succumb to jumping into it with all your senses to truly experience the magic of Tattu.

29 East Parade Minerva House Leeds LS1 5PS

https://tattu.co.uk/locations/leeds/

Cherry Blossom

Kia sportage hits allterrain mode

By: Graham Courtney - Motoring Correspondent

Why?...because Kia now offer the Sportage in three different guises to fit in with sand, snow and mud.

We’ve been driving the mud version although, to be honest, they all do roughly the same thing but come with different accessories which you can also add to.

Which makes this Kia Sportage an ideal tool for anyone who either enjoys heading for those sorts of terrain for a bit of fun, or can encounter them at various times of the year and would prefer a safe journey home.

On the centre console there’s a dial called Terrain Mode which allows you to set the car’s all-wheel drive transmission to prepare for sand, snow or muddy conditions…in other words…surfaces with poor levels of grip. The system automatically optimises the drivetrain to best suit each scenario, adjusting engine output, swapping power from wheel to wheel to find the best traction, as well as adjusting stability control characteristics. It even alters when the six-speed automatic transmission

changes gear to suit different surfaces.

Clever huh?

As for the accessories which are fitted to the Mud Mode Sportage, you get a bike carrier and steel crossbars, with side steps to load and unload something like a mountain bike more easily. There’s some bodywork protection including mud flaps and all-weather mats for inside the cabin. There’s also a bumper flap which sits over the boot lip, giving owners an informal, easily cleaned seat at the back of the car or a shield against muddy

paws, boots and clothing. You won’t scratch the pai ntwork either.

This special Kia is based on the GT-Line S HEV which means you get a 178bhp 1.6 litre petrol engine matched to an electric motor hybrid system. Add them both together and you end up with a decent dollop of 226bhp power. That means

you can hit 60mph in 7.7 seconds and go on to 120mph. You can switch between various driving modes to suit your mood. This latest Sportage had a hefty chunk of input from European designers…and it shows because it is wonderful to drive and manages to soak up our terrible road surfaces.

And if you’ve not sat in a Kia lately, you really need to do some homework because the interior has a seriously premium look and feel. Gone are the days when the only reason to buy a Kia was because it came with a 7-year warranty (they still do). Cars like the Sportage are now hugely desirable and will fit the bill as a Monday-Friday commuter and school run tool while also being more than capable of taking the family on holiday. This GT Line S version comes with goodies like sat nav, sunroof, DAB radio, powered and heated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, smart cruise control, powered tailgate, LED headlights and a stack of safety kit. Not much else you need really.

Prices for the Kia Sportage start at £27,800 which is decent value for a family-sized SUV. Comfy, great to drive, well equipped and with goanywhere ability. What’s not to love?

7 ways you can use video to boost your revenue

How you can DIY your own video to boost your revenue and build your brand by Sparkle Community Media CIC’s Sophie Mei Lan.

From TikTok to YouTube and websites, video is one of the most powerful marketing tools.

Forbes reported that in 2022, 82 percent of internet traffic will come from video streaming and downloads.

Brands and organisations want to create video content but often think they don’t have time, budget, or the skills to do so. But video can save you time, make you money and you don’t need to be a professional videographer to do this.

All you need is a decent smartphone to get started and some goals:

1. Start with your why because once you communicate your way through video customers will want to buy with you and people will want to engage with you. One of the best projects

that I have done is a TikTok one with Wakefield Council and members from St Georges community centre because all the video content was raw and from the heart.

2. Decide on the structure: When we are copywriting or creating videos, we can use certain advertising structures to sell something or promote a message such as the AIDA model (Attention interest desire action). Whatever structure you choose, just make sure you are always giving some value whether it be educational, entertaining, or informative.

3. Create your own home/office set up: All you need is light from a window on your face, or you could use a ring light and somewhere to balance

your phone on the side if you don’t have a tripod. I started my YouTube channel in this way and now earn recurring revenue from it after building up 47K subscribers and reaching more than 2 billion peo ple worldwide.

4. Pitch with video: We have won funding due to using a video appl ication format.

5. Communicate and evaluate with video: We run a Community Influencers project and part of this is to show people how they can evaluate their successes as well as create content for their organisation or community. It is also a great way of looking at ways in which we can create positive changes in the world or in our business.

6. Collaborate with video: As a personal brand or organisation you could work with other commercial brands or suppliers or sponsors to create video content with or for them and they fund the video and your costs or it’s a great way to collaborate on something and grow both of your profiles.

7. Earn money with video: There are many ways in which you can earn money through a video directly from advertisements to affiliate marketing of products and events or even if you have the skills to make other videos for your funders, commissioners, or customers.

To find out about a range of Sparkle Community Media CIC’s training and consultancy services go to https://www. sparklecommunications.co.uk

SPECIALIST UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE DEGREES FOR THE LIVE EVENTS AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

BASED IN THE HEART OF YORKSHIRE, BACKSTAGE ACADEMY IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED ON THE WORLD-RENOWNED PRODUCTION PARK, THE WORLD’S PREMIER CAMPUS FOR LIVE EVENTS, FILM AND TV WHERE INDUSTRY, EDUCATION AND INNOVATION COME TOGETHER IN THE CREATION OF ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCES.

OUR DEGREES

UNDERGRADUATE

BA (HONS) LIVE VISUAL DESIGN & PRODUCTION

BA (HONS) STAGE & PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

POSTGRADUATE

MSC CREATIVETECHNOLOGIES FOR LIVE EVENTS

MA IMMERSIVE & INTERACTIVE MEDIA DESIGN

MA INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR LIVE EVENTS

BA (HONS) LIVE EVENTS PRODUCTION

FOUNDATION DIPLOMA IN LIVE EVENTS PRODUCTION

MA LIVE EVENT DESIGN

MSC VIRTUAL PRODUCTION

MA VISUAL EFFECTS FOR LIVE EVENTS

FROM DAY ONE, BACKSTAGE ACADEMY STUDENTS ARE IMMERSED IN INDUSTRY. USING BEST-IN-CLASS TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT IN STATE-OF-THE-ART PRODUCTION STUDIOS, STUDENTS STUDY UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE DEGREES DESIGNED TO CATAPULT THEIR CAREERS.

WWW.BACKSTAGE-ACADEMY.CO.UK