SPRING 17
Michelin Star Chef Mark Birchall unveils historic Moor Hall
Case Study – Artisan Foodworks
Potato farm secures rural funding
Locate land / property Economic Regeneration at West Lancashire Borough Council
Let’s talk Business - SPRING 17
Issue 16
Case Study:
Looking for business premises in a rural location?
Artisan Foodworks Burscough With over 60 years combined experience within the food manufacturing, hospitality and catering management industry its fair to say that Artisan Foodworks have risen to the challenge and succeeded in being one of the ‘top bakers’ in the UK. Located on the business district of Merlin Park, Burscough, Artisan was the vision of husband and wife team David and Julie Peeks.
David and Julie’s passion for baking is now being rolled out across the local community who can access a broad range of bread, baking and cookery classes, which have proved to be very popular. Their bespoke workshops provide a good mix of practical work, background information, refreshments, lunch and more importantly all attendees get to take home the products they make.
David a former Commercial Director and Julie previously worked for a global food manufacturer travelling the world as a Food Auditor. Having a vast amount of experience in the food industry and a passion for baking and creating handmade ‘real bread’, cakes and pies without processing aids, they decided to give up their day jobs to set up Artisan Foodworks in 2013.
Four years since starting the business David and Julie are keen to grow their team and currently employ three fulltime and three part-time members of staff; more recently they expressed an interest in taking on an apprentice with assistance from West Lancashire Borough Council.
David said: “Here at Artisan Foodworks we use the very best ingredients in our products and by listening and acting on our customer feedback we ensure that we maintain a strong emphasis on our continuous development and improvement”.
Julie said: “With support from West Lancashire Borough Council and providing us with an apprenticeship grant of £1000 it will allow us to train up a young person in administration and bread-making skills; skills which are currently being lost in the industry, with the hope of inspiring them into a new and alternative career”.
As well as manufacturing on-site David and Julie are proud to have opened a first class bakery café attached to their premises, managed by their daughter, serving their handmade, high quality produce daily. News of the café reached the Sunday Times who after visiting their premises in November 2016 listed them in their Top 30 bakeries in the UK. They were also listed in the Daily Telegraph as a Top 20 Artisan Bakery and Lancashire Life as a Top 10 Artisan Bakery, along with being a finalist in the producer category in the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2016. Customers can also purchase goods from the online shop, as well as offering a wholesale, consultancy supply service to local hotels, cafés and restaurants throughout the borough.
Fitton Estates are marketing a modern industrial warehouse unit combined with a two storey office and amenity facilities, located on Scarisbrick Business Park, Smithy Lane, Scarisbrick. The unit is set in idyllic rural surroundings conveniently close to both Ormskirk and Southport. Access to the unit is provided via an electric roller shutter loading door and externally the property benefits from a generous car parking and yard provision.
Property details: Warehouse: 1965 sq ft Office: 494 sq ft Mezzanine: 743 sq ft Total: 3202 sq ft To buy: £220,000 May let: £21,000 plus VAT per annum To find out more or to request a viewing contact Graham Bowling (Fitton Estates) on 01704 500 345 or email: gb@fittonestates.com
If your business is looking to take on an apprentice contact the Economic Regeneration team today on 01695 712692 to discuss your eligibility, further information can be found at www.westlancs.gov.uk/business
• Business Administration • Construction & Planning • Engineering & Manufacturing
The Council’s Economic Regeneration team have so far supported 31 businesses and are calling out to more businesses looking for apprentices in the following sectors to apply before the fund runs out: 2
If you’re looking for new business premises and don’t want the hassle of trawling through a property websites, then make use of the Council’s online property search facility, Locate in West Lancashire. This free facility is dedicated to commercial property and land searches for all businesses whether already established in West Lancashire or looking to move to the borough. You can also sign up to receive property alerts so you get to hear about new property as soon as we do.
For further information about Artisan Foodworks visit: www.artisan-foodworks.co.uk or call 0845 860 2141
Greenwood Business Centre, Gillibrands, Skelmersdale
West Lancashire Borough Council are continuing the success of the Let’s talk Apprentices grant scheme and offering businesses who want to take on an apprentice/s grants of £1000 per apprentice.
Locate land and premises in one easy search!
• Information & Communication Technology • Transport & Storage If you want to reap the benefits that an apprentice can bring to your business as well as providing young people with a great kick-start to their career then get in touch today. The Let’s talk Apprenticeship grant supports eligible businesses in the borough of West Lancashire to recruit 16 – 24 year olds into employment through an apprenticeship programme.
For further information on how to apply for the grant contact the Economic Regeneration team today on 01695 712692 or email lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk
Only 3 Units Available! After the grand opening of Greenwood Business Centre in October 2016, only 3 units remain available. Both existing and new businesses have already taken up tenancy in their new high-quality units, benefitting from being in a gated secure setting, located minutes from the M58 / M6 motorways. Connolly Electrical Contractors, Skelmersdale have recently completed on a unit at Greenwood Business Centre; Managing Directors, Chris and Mike Connolly commented:
"Due to the expansion of our growing business when looking for larger premises Greenwood Business Centre ticked all the boxes for us and will allow us to continue our good relationship with the Council as our landlord". For further information about units at Greenwood Business Centre contact Aidan Manley in the Council's Estates team on 01695 712616
Attention Property Agents! Do you have land and commercial property to let or for sale in West Lancashire? Simply email details to the Economic Regeneration team lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk who will market them free of charge on the Council’s Locate in West Lancashire database. To find out more visit: www.westlancs.gov.uk/locate
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Let’s talk Business - SPRING 17
15 Issue 16
Apart from Moor Hall itself, what first attracted you to West Lancashire? I’m born and bred in Lancashire so I always wanted to cook my own food in Lancashire. After months of searching the whole of the Northwest we found Moor Hall. There’s definitely room for a great restaurant with rooms in the area. The area has outstanding natural beauty but is also easily accessible from nearby towns and two major cities and airports. The area has great soil for growing fantastic produce which we are surrounded by.
When did you decide that food was your passion?
Q &A Mark Birchall Moor Hall, Aughton
West Lancashire is home to Moor Hall, Aughton, a stunning grade II listed gentry house of mid-sixteenth century origin. Built in 1533 the house is set in over five acres of breath-taking grounds including formal gardens and growing land with views over a beautiful lake, said to be the remains of a medieval moat. Mark Birchall chef patron and business partner of owners Andy and Tracey Bell have together taken Moor Hall back to its historic origin. A major renovation began in 2015 to create a venue that is unique to the area, the house now comprises of a modern restaurant to seat 50 guests, 7 luxury bedrooms, private dining area and relaxing bar and lounge to complement the building’s story and historic features, all of which have been beautifully retained throughout the restoration. This stunning asset to West Lancashire is set to attract food enthusiasts from across the country and beyond. Prior to the grand opening of Moor Hall which took place on the 1st March 2017, the Economic Regeneration team at West Lancashire Borough Council were given the privilege to interview Mark Birchall.
To find out more about Moor Hall visit: www.moorhall.com Moor Hall, Prescot Road, Aughton, 01695 572511
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At around the age of 12 - 13 cooking was becoming really popular on TV with the likes of Brian Turner and James Martin, cooking intrigued me to want to bake and cook at home. When school work experience came up I choose a work placement at The Pines Hotel in Chorley – luckily they had an inspiring Sous chef who probably kick started my career.
Will you be sourcing your produce locally? Absolutely, I’m a great believer in supporting local producers – Luckily for us we have some fantastic pastures on our door step.
Tell us about your employees? Our team is made up of local, national and international people at all levels. Each and every person is as important as the other. We will start with around 35 staff with a strong focus on personal development.
What advice would you give to aspiring young chefs? Listen, give 100% and be respectful of others. Always move forward and not sideways!
How would you describe the kind of food you’re creating at Moor Hall? The food at Moor Hall will be delicious and seasonal.
What makes Moor Hall unique to its customers? We want Moor Hall to be an individual, special and memorable experience for our guests. We are set in fantastic historical surroundings, with a lake, space to grow produce and an amazing barn which will house a second restaurant, dairy and butchery.
Which of your local competitors do you admire the most? Marc at Fraiche in Oxon cooks some amazing food and Northcote has some great memories for me. As a family we enjoy eating at The Town Green Brasserie, Aughton.
Taste Lancashire Accreditation Scheme Lancashire is increasingly recognised as a destination offering the highest quality, locally sourced food and drink in establishments renowned for their standard of customer service and genuine warmth. To highlight this, Marketing Lancashire has teamed up with Quality In Tourism (QIT) to promote a scheme that is specifically designed to promote quality eating establishments. An annual assessment is carried out to ascertain the quality level of food and service provision plus businesses who demonstrate that they use and promote locally sourced produce receive "Promoting local produce" recognition. If criteria are met, businesses are awarded either: • Quality Assured (overall assessment 60% to 79%) • Highest Quality Assured (overall assessment 80% and over) Who can join? The scheme is open to any type of dining establishment which is open to the public and each business is categorised under one of the following “designators”: • Fine Dining • Restaurant • International Restaurant • Pub/Inn • Fast Food Outlet • Café/Tea Room
Do you have any future plans for Moor Hall?
Once accredited your business can benefit from:
In the foreseeable future we will open the first floor barn later this year as a casual dining restaurant serving fantastic, high quality, simple meals.
• A basic entry on the food & drink pages on www.visitlancashire.com • Plaque and certificate awarded • Use of the relevant logo on your website and printed marketing material. If you would like to find out more about the Taste Lancashire accreditation scheme, please contact: Quality in Tourism who administer the scheme via email at: qualityintourism@uk.g4s.com
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SPRING 17 Let’s talk Business - WINTER 2016
Start-up loan kick starts Tandoor-i.com
From Crop to Crisps The Economic Regeneration team at WLBC were keen to find out more from local potato farmers MA & AW Webster and how they successfully secured rural grant funding to develop their business. Andrew and Margaret Webster from Hollin House Green Farm, Aughton are a traditional Lancashire family-run farm and have been in the potato farming sector for 25 years; farming a wide variety of potatoes specifically grown for the crisping industry on their 450 acre site. As well as potatoes they also grow cereals and fodder beets for the cattle feed sector. In order to keep up with increasing demands from the crisp manufacturers Margaret and Andrew applied for funding via the LEADER programme to assist them to purchase a potato washer for the farm. This investment was a necessity in order to sustain the farm and secure the family business. Over the past 10 years Margaret and Andrew have seen many changes occur in the crisp making industry as manufacturers increased pressure on farmers to store their own crop until it was needed. Crisping manufacturers require access to crops 52 weeks of the year meaning farmers have to work with the growing season and adapt their business to meet consumer demand. Being able to wash potatoes before they leave the farm enabled the Webster’s to secure and maintain contracts. Prior to this the farm was struggling to meet deadlines having to hire in a washer which wasn’t always available when needed or in good working order.
Since securing funding Margaret said: “Being able to move with the times is key to our business; learning about new technology, chemicals and processes whilst being environmentally aware. Farmers today are progressive, business minded people who are diligent in giving the customer the very best product and of the highest quality we can provide. Throughout the application process we had a lot of support from project officers and after successfully securing funding I was invited to sit on the Local Action Group (LAG) to represent the farming sector and offer first-hand experience of the application process from an applicant point of view. The LEADER programme has enabled us to secure jobs and created a future position within the business, as well as maintaining previous contracts, securing new ones and offering surrounding farms an added service in washing their produce. By developing our business in this way we have doubled our acreage and relationships with the ‘major players’ in the crisp manufacturing industry such as Walkers, KP, Seabrooks and Golden Wonder; as well as future proofing our farm for the next generation of Webster’s”. For further information about the LEADER programme and other funding programmes visit: www.westlancs.gov.uk/business or contact the Economic Regeneration team today on 01695 712692.
Free skills boost for businesses across Lancashire A brand-new, Lancashire-wide programme is offering funded training to employers of all sizes across the county. The training is funded through the European Social Fund and can help you plug the skills gaps for your business, whatever your sector. Delivered by Learn Direct who will work with you to identify what your business needs, where your skills gaps are and create a tailored learning and development plan for your organisation. 6
To find out more and get started contact the Economic Regeneration team today on 01695 712692 or email lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk
Entrepreneur Nick Jones from Ormskirk has re-invented a 5000 year old traditional Asian cooking method by bringing it into the modern kitchens of today. Nick has always had a passion for Indian food and after studying ancient methods of cooking he began searching for a tandoor oven that was fit for home use. Unsuccessful in his search Nick then sourced equipment to build his own tandoor oven from scratch by importing clay ovens from India and combining them with high quality British materials, which he now assembles at Twinbridge Fabrications, Burscough. To finance his new venture Nick approached West Lancashire Borough Council for support and was referred through Lancashire’s main gateway for business support, Boost Business Lancashire. Seeking financial support Nick was successful in securing a £25k start-up loan from Business Finance Solutions (BFS) using the money to purchase stock and invest in sales and marketing, with the aim of selling the units retail via kitchen showrooms and eventually through property developers. Nick said: "I wanted a tandoor oven for my new kitchen a few years ago and I looked for an integrated one, but only found large commercial units – so I set about building my own. After a lot of hard work and support from a number of organisations including West Lancashire Borough Council before I knew it I had a very unique business opportunity on my hands." Since the creation of Tandoor-i Nick has successfully signed Atul Kochhar, a twice Michelin starred chef as his first brand ambassador who is excited to be involved in this unique product and its journey, having seen the potential in how it can revolutionise the way Indian food is cooked and prepared at home. From an idea to now a business, Tandoor-i is set to become the first company in the world to design, manufacture and install professional standard tandoor ovens in home kitchens. For further information on start-up loans or other business support products and services, contact the Council’s Economic Regeneration team today on: 01695 712692 or email lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk.
Issue 15
Help Celebrate The Love Your Local Market Campaign 25th & 27th May 2017
After the success of the Love Your Local Market campaign in 2016, West Lancashire Borough Council in collaboration with the Ormskirk Town Centre Management Group are excited to be supporting the event in 2017. Two days of celebrations will take place on Thursday 25th and Saturday 27th May to bring alive the market and the streets of Ormskirk, filled with music, dancing, live entertainment historic displays and the famous Gingerbread Trail, an itinerary of festivities for all the family to enjoy! If you would like to be involved in the Love Your Local Market campaign or have a business that can assist in any way contact the Economic Regeneration team at West Lancashire Borough Council on 01695 712645 or email: lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk
Good news for foodies! Ormskirk Town Centre is fast becoming the place to eat, drink and be merry; visitors are literally spoilt for choice with the abundance of quaint café’s, themed restaurants, traditional pubs and trendy ‘place to be’ wine bars. New businesses include; Bentleys Burgers and Shake it Up, both located on Burscough Street as well as this Love To Eat café recently opened its doors on Moor Street. Also, in the coming months Ormskirk awaits the exciting arrival of Mr Myiagi’s Japanese restaurant, soon to take up residency on Derby Street. Ormskirk really is catering for all!
Let’s talk Business - SPRING 2017
RATULATION G N S CO Mellors Catering Services were successful at the 2016 Facilities Management Awards scooping:
Winner of Best Catering Service - Lancashire Helen Roughley, Marketing Manager at Mellors Catering Services said: “2016 has been a great year for Mellors Catering Services with the number of sites increased by 37% on the previous year and various accolades that we have won; however we don’t sit back on our laurels here and are very proud to have won this new award working in the facilities management industry. An industry we feel we can add a lot of value too with our experience and passion for what we do.”
Economic Regeneration team: Paula Huber Economic Regeneration Manager Kate Pierce Principal Economic Regeneration Officer Tracey Shaw Business Engagement Officer Dominic Carr Senior Planning Officer (Regeneration) Caroline Addison Senior Economic Regeneration Officer Lisa Ratican Economic Regeneration Officer Portia Taylor Black Economic Regeneration Support Officer To discuss your business needs contact us today; we are happy to come and meet with you at your place of work or have a chat on the phone. Tel: 01695 712692 or email: lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk
Dates for your diary Lancashire Life Food and Drink Awards 2017 Date: 16 October 17 The Lancashire Life Food & Drink Awards is one of the biggest events in the county’s calendar. The awards are designed to champion, highlight and offer a showcase to the shining stars of Lancashire’s food and drink industry, including local producers and suppliers, chefs, restaurants, pubs and hoteliers.
Useful Contacts Council Services Council services can be accessed online at: www.westlancs.gov.uk or by calling: 01695 577177 Business Rates www.westlancs.gov.uk/businessrates
Nominations for the 2017 Lancashire Life Food & Drink Awards are open from the 15 February 17, the shortlist will be published in September and the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on the 16 October 17.
Planning and building control www.westlancs.gov.uk/planning
So if you want to shout about your establishment then nominate today online via: www.foodawards.lancashirelife.co.uk closing date Monday 24 April 17
Estates and property www.westlancs.gov.uk/business/ business-location-links
Skelmersdale Ambassadors Network Business Breakfast Event
Date: 17 May 17 Venue: The Tech Hub, Edge Hill University Time: 7.45am – 10.00am Cost: FREE (to those who register)
Find out more about the Skelmersdale Ambassadors Network, hear from inspirational local businesses, guest speakers and network with likeminded people. To be held at the new and exciting Tech Hub at Edge Hill University, a first class facility open to businesses. To book your place contact the Economic Regeneration team on: 01695 712692 or email: lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk
*All event details correct
Licensing www.westlancs.gov.uk/licensing Refuse and recycling – trade waste collections www.westlancs.gov.uk/refuserecycling/trade-waste-collections.aspx If you have any news you would like us to include, or to find out about advertising opportunities in future editions, please email: lisa.ratican@westlancs.gov.uk Please note that not all contributions can be used and information