Q3
West & North Yorkshire Business
12
WEST & NORTH YORKSHIRE NEWS
At the front, if not on the front line Standing back from the front line of business operations and management, as I’ve recently done, does allow you some flexibility to see and assess things somewhat differently from the way that you have previously. It’s a double-edged sword, of course: I’ve got more time to devote to Chamber Board activities and related matters, plus other projects I’m involved in, but I’m no longer privy to the day-to-day cut-and-thrust of managing the business, over-hearing office conversations (somewhat constrained since Covid, of course) and urgent factory floor problem-solving. This is not a whinge though – you cannot have your cake and eat it, as they say! I’m still as determined as ever I was at leading the Chamber from the front, whether that’s with strategic thinking and planning, supporting specific projects such as connecting our businesses and young people together, or being the spokesperson from time to time. Though you will have heard plenty of other people say how important it is right now for businesses to get the right support and platform for them to survive and recover, I cannot help but echo and reiterate that again here. However, I’m pleased to hear from many businesses (and this is supported in our economic survey work) that they continue to trade buoyantly, and we hope that they can now feel more confident about their future prospects. As always, this magazine illustrates many good examples of great businesses, case studies of how the Chamber is helping, and the opportunities available to them to develop and grow. I hope that you enjoy reading it and I hope that I’m able to see many of you again soon. Nick Garthwaite Chair of the Board West & North Yorkshire Chamber
Hope and opportunity for Yorkshire and Humber A new report from a Yorkshire and Humber planning and development consultancy lifts the lid on the state of the region’s town centres and funding driving regeneration and job creation. The ‘Moving on up? Levelling up town centres across Northern England’ Insight report by Leeds firm Lichfields, comes at a time of ‘seismic’ change for local cities and towns. The last 12 months have been challenging, says the report, as pandemic and lockdowns have had a huge impact on regional communities as working patterns have changed. High street retailers also face significant challenges, notably the growth in online shopping, competition from out-oftown developments, the burden of disproportionate business rates, and changing consumer habits. The report identifies how places such as Wakefield, Halifax, Rotherham, Barnsley, Grimsby and Scarborough are fighting back to meet the challenges and benefitting from a £522m funding package allocated to the region. This includes £96m from the £830m Future High Streets Fund which is helping to deliver transformative change to struggling high streets, while £413m secured from the £3.6bn Towns Fund is seeing regional towns bringing forward imaginative proposals for economic growth. Funding the development of space to accommodate new digital and creative industries and repurposing retail space as affordable and attractive living space, is seen as critical to the future vibrancy and culture of towns and creating hundreds of new jobs. The report says ‘…maintaining a meaningful 24-hours population in town centres will…drive demand for services and facilities, which contribute to the vitality of the centres’. However, there are many positives on the horizon and our research points to a strong, vibrant and successful future for those northern towns that take advantage of the funding streams and pursue exciting and innovative strategies designed to transform the heart and soul of our high streets.
