Category Archives: North of England

News, North of England, Property News

Animal lovers Rob and Su swap city life for scenic strolls by the coast

An animal loving couple and their pets have swapped the busy streets of Newcastle for a slower pace of life on the Northumberland coast.

Rob Dooley, 48, and his wife Su Fitton, 51, decided it was time to move out of their three-bedroom terraced house in the west end of the city and began searching for a place with more space, a bigger garden and access to scenic walks.

After looking at various properties on both sides of the Tyne, the pair finally found exactly what they were looking for at Bellway’s Woodgreen development in Blyth.

The couple, along with their cat Zorro and dog Dexter, moved into their new four-bedroom detached house at the site off Plessey Road on 28 October 2021.

Rob, a senior information analyst in the health sector, said: “We started looking for a new home when we got our dog over a year ago. We knew we wanted a place with a bigger garden, and we also wanted to move out of Newcastle to a place where the roads are quieter and safer for animals.

“We looked at a mixture of new builds and pre-owned properties but none of them fitted the bill – until we saw this place.”

Although Rob, originally from Kingston-Upon Thames, and Su, originally from Bradford, have spent most of their adult lives in the North East, they had never been to Blyth before. But after finding the Woodgreen development online, they decided to pay a visit.

Su, a test manager in the technology industry, said: “As soon as we turned onto the development we got a good feel about the place and as soon as we went into the Lorimer showhome we knew we’d found the house.”

Rob added: “As soon as we walked in the door, we looked at each other and nodded. We knew we’d found the right one. It checked all the boxes – there was more space and the place felt airier. There was a sense of adventure here – we were doing something completely different.”

Woodgreen’s attractive setting, with golf courses on two sides of the development, was a big draw for the couple.

Su said: “We had outgrown the city and the space and airy feel to Woodgreen was something which really sold the development to us when we first visited. We liked the space you get between the houses on the development and how the roads are spaced out.”

Rob added: “We are close enough to the shops that we can walk there, so it’s not completely rural but it has that feel to it. We are only a mile and a half away from the seaside which is great for my morning runs as well as taking the dog for a walk. Neither of us have ever lived so close to the coast before and the Northumberland coast is fantastic.

“Blyth is a small town but it seems to be the centre point to the rest of Northumberland. We are able to travel further afield on the weekends and there are so many places to take the dog and explore.”

The couple had a very specific set of criteria when they began their search for a new home – all of which Bellway’s Lorimer house type met.

Rob said: “We knew we wanted a four-bed with good sized rooms, a big garden and an external door at the back of the house so we could have a cat flap.

“We looked around a lot of similar-sized properties, but they had small gardens which really put us off. We are very much outdoor people, and we wanted to have a garden with a lot of space that was a lot bigger than the one at our old house.

“Moving is such a big thing, so we wanted to find a place that ticked all our boxes and the Lorimer certainly did that!”

Su and Rob used Bellway’s Part Exchange scheme to secure a quick and hassle-free move to their new home at Woodgreen.

Under the scheme, Bellway offers customers a fair price for their existing home – determined by at least two independent valuations – meaning they don’t have to worry about finding a buyer themselves. Buyers also benefit from having no estate agent fees to pay.

Rob said; “Using Bellway’s Part Exchange scheme took a lot of the pressure off. As it was the first time buying a new-build home we didn’t know what to expect so the scheme made everything run really smoothly.

“Bellway were very accommodating in facilitating the move. We wanted a house big enough for both of our pets and didn’t want to run the risk of temporarily being homeless whilst we waited for our new home to be ready. Part Exchange really took the worry out of the process. It was the easiest move I’ve ever had.”

Rob continued: “We’ve had good customer service all round really. The communication has been good, they’ve all made themselves very available whenever we needed anything, and everyone is really friendly.”

Having only bought pre-owned houses previously, Rob and Su are appreciating the many benefits that new-build homes have to offer.

Su said: “We liked how you could see the layout of the home from the plan, as well as being able to enhance the features by choosing the furnishings and finishes.”

Rob added: “What you see is what you get. There are no surprises or uncertainties – the house is ready to go with no need for any work doing on it. We also found that on a new-build estate everyone is in the same boat. It’s a bit of an adventure for everybody and it’s nice to be able to share that with other people.”

For more information about the homes available at Bellway’s Woodgreen development, call the sales office on 01670 751795 or visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/north-east/woodgreen.

Captions:

  • Rob Dooley and Su Fitton walking dog Dexter outside their new home at Woodgreen in Blyth
News, North of England

Taylors Solicitors advises North West Roofing Supplies on swoop for B&M Henderson

A £30m-turnover supplier of roofing materials has expanded with the acquisition of a long-established business based in Burnley.

North West Roofing Supplies has acquired B&M Henderson for an undisclosed sum.

Family firm B&M Henderson was founded in the 1960s as a roofing contractor and switched to become a roofing merchants in the 1990s.

The £1.2m-turnover company supplies slates, tiles, battens, fascias, soffits, rainwater products, gutters, windows and doors to local roofing and building contractors.

North West Roofing Supplies has its headquarters in Kirkham, near Preston, and depots in Greater Manchester, St Helens, Morecambe, St Annes, Carlisle and Deeside. The company employs 58 staff and is owned by chief executive Steve Phillips and his wife Teresa.

A team at Taylors Solicitors advised North West Roofing Supplies on the acquisition. The Taylors team was led by corporate partner Matthew Catterall and included partner John Lomax, the firm’s head of commercial property.

Andrew Tabernacle of Bishops Chartered Accountants in Blackburn and Blackpool provided accounting and tax advice.

Matthew Catterall said: “We are delighted for Steve and the rest of the team at North West Roofing Supplies. This acquisition will enable them to continue their expansion and bring their excellent product offering to a wider market.”

B&M Henderson will eventually be integrated into North West Roofing Supplies. Mark Henderson, managing director of B&M Henderson, is staying on for a period.

North West Roofing Supplies, founded in 2001, supplies roofing materials and plastic and timber building products to contractors operating in new-build and refurbishment markets.

Steve Phillips said the company continues to seek further acquisitions in line with an ambitious expansion strategy.

He said: “B&M Henderson is an ideal fit for the business as we continue on our growth journey. It gives us a presence in East Lancashire and strengthens our position as a leading distributor of roofing materials in the region.”

Appointments, Law, News, North of England

Bromleys Solicitors strengthens its ranks with four recruits

Law firm Bromleys has welcomed four paralegals to its ranks as part of its ongoing expansion amid a period of rapid growth.

Claire Billington and Sophia Khan-Iqbal specialise in domestic violence, divorce and children matters as part of Tameside-based Bromleys’ family and divorce team, which is headed by Keith Bull.

Claire has nearly 10 years’ experience in the field of family law. Sophia, who graduated in 2019 with a law degree from the University of Leeds, previously worked at a Manchester city centre firm where she specialised in cases of historic child abuse.

Olu Balogun and Sadaf Idrees have joined Bromleys’ Court of Protection and Powers of Attorney team, which is led by Francesca Rigby.

The pair are working with clients and their families to support them in managing the financial affairs of those who lack capacity due to illness or injury.

Sadaf has more than five years’ experience in Court of Protection work and is undertaking the Solicitors Qualifying Examination this year.

Olu graduated in law at Durham University in 2019 and completed her legal practice course at BPP University in Manchester, achieving a merit. She has been awarded a training contract at Bromleys.

Bromleys’ senior partner Mark Hirst said: “The arrival of the four paralegals shows the upward trajectory of the firm.

“Our family and divorce team under Keith’s leadership is going from strength to strength and the addition of Claire and Sophia mirrors this growth.

“Similarly our Court of Protection and Powers of Attorney team has made positive progress and the appointments of Olu and Sadaf will give us a platform for further expansion.

“We are excited that Olu has accepted a training contract with us, reflecting her hard work and dedication.

“She and Sadaf are great assets to the team and we look forward to them and Claire and Sophia developing their careers with the firm.”

Bromleys is continuing to recruit further in line with its growth across several other areas of the firm, including commercial, litigation, care and wills, as well as Court of Protection.

Mark added: “It is truly an exciting time for the practice and to be a part of the Bromleys’ team.”

Awards, Manufacturing, News, North of England

Leeds Hydraulics Firm Awarded “Certified Excellence Partner”

Global firm Bosch Rexroth, which manufactures drive and control technology has awarded Leeds-based Oddy Hydraulics “Certified Excellence Partner”.

The award, which is a global programme, recognises Bosch Rexroth’s sales partners who deliver the highest level of services, values, competencies and values. The Certified Excellence Programme is a thorough process which includes auditing its partners’ procedures and operations including technical knowledge, sales, marketing and skills.

After successfully completing all stages of the certification process, Oddy Hydraulics were presented with the award last month by Andrew Minturn and Julian Desmore of Bosch Rexroth UK.

Oddy Hydraulics is a market-leading hydraulics firm providing repairs, servicing and distribution for all major hydraulic equipment manufacturers. With over 60 years in business, Oddy’s operates from a state-of-the-art facility on the outskirts of Leeds City Centre, which offers a complete hydraulics service including in-house manufacturing and hydraulic system design.

Director Andrew Hawley comments: “Over the last 12 months, Oddy’s has undergone significant investment to aid with our growth plans. Gaining Certified Excellence Partner is testimony to our hardworking team and their continued efforts to provide a high-quality service to our clients.”

Andrew Minturn, Partner Manager of Bosch Rexroth UK said: “Oddy Hydraulics has successfully completed all stages of the certification process and from now on will specialise as an Industrial Hydraulics Service Partner (Service Point) of Bosch Rexroth UK

Thank you to the team at Oddy’s for your continued support in reaching this goal and we look forward to a prosperous future together.”

News, North of England, Workwear, Yorkshire

Uniform specialists kit out Midcounties Co-operative staff in new partnership deal

Branded merchandise and apparel firm, Infinity Inc, has been awarded a contract to supply branded uniforms to one of the UK’s largest independent co-operatives, The Midcounties Co-operative, using its own innovative ordering system, LINK.

Having worked with some of the biggest brands in the world, ranging from the BBC and Tik Tok to Premier League football clubs including Crystal Palace and Brentford FC, the branding specialists have a proven record of working successfully in the corporate and retail industries.

The Yorkshire-based business has previously provided uniforms for several shopping centre groups, as well as recently photographing Holly Willoughby in its own range designed for M&S.

Infinity Inc founder and CEO, Darren Cohen, said: “Our LINK system has been the main driver behind our success so far this year and we’re excited to have another retail client on board that can really gain from the system across their 436 sites. Having chosen our suits made from recycled plastic, and our polo shirts and soft-shell jackets made from recycled threads, they will also be able to use the system for accessing their personal sustainability reports.

“With our production processes powered by solar energy and most of our deliveries made by electric vehicles, we’re making every step of our supply chain as eco-friendly as possible.”

The Midcounties Co-operative’s branded LINK system will launch this Summer and enables employees to login and order garments from the allocated uniform allowance they have been assigned, as and when they require them. Through the system the procurement team also has easy access to reporting, forecasting and invoices, consolidating the whole buying process, eliminating the need for storage, and reducing both time and costs.

Providing new apparel for The Midcounties Co-operative’s Travel, Childcare and Food teams, the Leeds-based manufacturers have already branded hundreds of garments for them which include corporate suiting, safety wear, chefs wear, footwear, and name badges, which have been rolled out to sites across the country.

Shani Knight-Cross, Procurement Analyst for The Midcounties Co-operative said: “Our newly formed relationship with Infinity Inc is going from strength to strength. Their shared values and understanding of our diverse needs as an organisation shone through during the tender process. They’ve helped us create a fit-for-purpose range of uniforms, supported by innovative solutions and streamlined ordering methods. It’s been a pleasure working with the whole team so far, who are committed to providing excellent customer service and we are looking forward to working together as the contract commences.”

—

About Infinity Inc

Launched in 1998 by entrepreneur Darren Cohen, Infinity Inc brings brands to life through complete branding solutions, combining promotional merchandise, clothing and uniform with revolutionary online procurement software.

It works with some of the world’s largest organisations, servicing over 30 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

For more information on Infinity Inc’s LINK system, including their full wardrobe management system and how it can integrate with store systems and databases, download the brochure https://bit.ly/link-system

 

 

Creative News, News, North of England

TrunkBBI opens Leeds office and sets ambitious targets

TrunkBBI, an award winning creative and activation agency, is going from strength to strength as it opens their third office on Greek Street in Leeds city centre.

The agency, which reported a turnover of more than £5m last year, is headquartered in Manchester with clients including Greene King, GE, Halewood Artisanal Spirits, Halfords, Hollister, and American Golf.

The agency chose to open an office in Leeds as the city has become a haven for the digital marketing sector and is keen to attract even more of the UK’s talent.  With ambitions to grow their turnover to £8.1m within the next 18 months, TrunkBBI will be looking to recruit more creative and digital talent as well as onboard new clients in the B2B and B2C sectors.

 

Adam Britton, MD of TrunkBBI commented on the opening of the Leeds office. He said, “We are excited about our expansion into Leeds, and our office has already been buzzing as some of our staff live closer to Leeds and are balancing their time between working from home and in our new office. Our hybrid model of working allows our staff the flexibility to work from any of our 3 locations.”

Adam continued, “With our expansive portfolio of B2B and B2C clients and our desire to host more collaborative meetings, having multiple locations makes it convenient for our clients to choose which office suits them best.”

 

Katherine Shoesmith, Account Director, commented on the opening of the new office. She said, “Having worked in Leeds throughout my career I know first-hand how strong the talent pool is here, so I’m really excited to be helping TrunkBBI set up this office, alongside our Group Account Directors, Andy Warner & Paul Wainwright. Following our recent rebrand we’re bringing a unique proposition to an already competitive market that I think clients are really going to be interested in.”

 

TrunkBBI is an agency that does everything under one roof, and offers clients a full range of services in-house, spanning film, animation, and creative technology, to strategy and insight, organic and paid social, influencer activation, SEO, paid search, PR, copywriting, and user experience.

For more information and employment opportunities, visit www.trunkbbi.com

 

 Photo Caption: L-R: Paul Wainwright, Andy Warner, Lauren Kirkland, Adam Britton, Phil Cardwell, Katherine Shoesmith, Paul Munro

 

Commercial Property, News, North of England

North west business park welcomes flurry of new businesses

The North West’s largest out-of-town business destination, Birchwood Park, has welcomed five new small businesses to the park, taking up six small suite office spaces between them.

This latest wave of new lettings comes following an uplift in enquiries from small and medium sized enterprises looking for ready-to-let space at Birchwood Park.

As well as the positive business outlook on bouncing back post-pandemic, another driving factor in the taking-up of small suite spaces is the Park’s flexible leasing offer. Small suites at Birchwood Park are given the freedom to move quickly to suit the business, as they are not immediately tied in with a long lease.

Birchwood Park’s all-inclusive suites offers businesses a range of small office spaces for up to 20 people. The quick and easy leasing process, as well as the ability to upgrade office spaces, allows organisations to either expand or scale down in line with business requirements and is a key factor within the small suites model.  Having the flex to move around particularly before agreements have expired, gives Birchwood Park’s small suite occupiers continuity and ease to grow their business.

The latest small businesses set to join Birchwood Park over the coming weeks span a variety of sectors; they include medical communications company Simplifying Science®, school software provider October Resolutions, trade union Prospect, leading health and safety practice PM Connections and recruitment provider LivRecruit.

One of the new occupiers, Simplifying Science®, works with international pharmaceutical companies and clinical research organisations to translate complex medical and scientific documents into every-day language.

The company believes the excellent transport links to Manchester, Liverpool and the rest of the North West will put the business within reach of a larger geographic population, giving access to a wide range of customers and possibilities for new recruits.

New occupier October Resolutions is a developer of timetabling software for schools, both in the UK and in 90 countries around the world. It has chosen to move to Birchwood Park for its various amenities, such as the on-site cafés, restaurants and gym, as well as the green open-spaces surrounding the park grounds.

Linda Welsby, Leasing Manager at Birchwood Park who specialising in small suites lettings, commented: “We’re delighted to welcome a batch of new smaller businesses to Birchwood Park. It’s clear that North West businesses are looking forward with positivity, given the influx of enquiries we’ve experienced on the Park, but that flexibility is key when it comes to matching the office space requirements of these businesses.

“At Birchwood Park, we offer exactly that; flexible contracts and office spaces perfect for small businesses looking to grow, as well as take advantage of the various on-site services and events available exclusively to employees as perks of the park.

“We hope by joining us, businesses can take full advantage of Birchwood Park’s location – right in the heart of the North-West and perfect for accessing local talent pools in Manchester and Liverpool”.

Birchwood Park’s on-site amenities have certainly been proven to be a pull-factor for many outside businesses seeking occupancy at the Park. These include the green open spaces, numerous cafés and restaurants, as well as the Park’s gym, Alive & Well being made available to occupiers for a discounted rate. Additionally, the unique wellbeing event and amenities offer provide a bank of ready-made wellbeing services for occupiers to take advantage of upon immediately joining Birchwood Park.

Speaking on behalf of Simplifying Science®, Director Chris Birchall added: “We’re thrilled to be relocating our office to Birchwood Park. We understand that the park cares very much about promoting employee wellness and workplace wellbeing, as do we.” Company Founder, Danielle Birchall, remarked “That is one of the reasons why we moved to Birchwood Park, as our staff will be able to take full advantage of the great facilities available here, such as the EngineRooms and the on-site nursery”.

Chris Johnson, Director at October Resolutions, also commented on the move: “The location was a driving factor in our move to Birchwood Park. Situated right in the heart of the North West, the Park will open up recruitment opportunities by giving us access to talent pools across the region.

“As well as the location – our staff look forward to taking full advantage of the green, open spaces and excellent facilities available at the Park. Given that we do a lot of posting this time of the year, having a mail-room on-site is ideal for us”.

To find out about the diverse range of office spaces available at Birchwood Park, please head to https://www.birchwoodpark.co.uk/space-to-let/ or call the team on 01925 851536.

Marketing, PR and SEO, News, North of England

Mediaworks targets 30 staff for new Manchester operation

One of the UK and Ireland’s largest independent digital agencies, Mediaworks, is set to create 30 new jobs in the North West after substantial client growth in the region.

The agency has opened a new Manchester office, located at Jactin House in the heart of Ancoats, which follows the appointment of Oliver Goldring as managing partner of Mediaworks’ North West operation earlier this year.

In the last two years alone, the rapidly growing agency has doubled its headcount to over 200 digital experts, coming off the back of a raft of exciting client wins across its six UK&I sites. Its rapid growth in North West-based client wins have prompted the agency to commit substantial investment into its presence in the region.

In the last month alone, Mediaworks’ North West operations has overseen client wins including Winter Gardens, Hill Dickinson LLP and Salix Homes.

Brett Jacobson, CEO and founder of Mediaworks, explained: “We’ve launched an aggressive recruitment campaign in the North West that aims to see 30 heads operating from our new Manchester base in the next 18 months. We want to recruit the best from a rich digital talent pool here in the North West, adding them to our current crop of digital experts across the group.

“Mediaworks is now one of the top independent digital agencies in the UK. Oliver and his growing team in Manchester are going to have a fantastic future as part of the agency.”

The organisation, which was founded in 2007 by Jacobson, has developed a reputation in delivering digital growth for clients in key sectors such as retail, housing, finance and energy.

Oliver Goldring, managing partner for Mediaworks’ North West operations, added: “We’re thrilled to have secured and moved into our new office in the heart of Ancoats. Mediaworks has such a brilliant team, both here in Manchester and across its sites in the UK&I. This is a huge opportunity to fuel growth right across the group.”

Mediaworks delivers a range of services across SEO, PPC, web dev, brand, content and digital PR. The rapidly growing agency currently has 200 staff across its six offices in Newcastle, Leeds, Edinburgh, Manchester, London and as MWi in Dublin.

Commercial Property, News, North of England

Technology park plans drawn up for Barrow-in-Furness

Holker Group has announced plans to develop a 14.3-acre technology park near Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.

 The commercial property arm of the 17,000-acre estate, which is owned by the Cavendish family, has submitted a planning application to Barrow-in-Furness Borough Council to convert the land, which sits adjacent the Sowerby Woods Business Park, into industrial use.

 The land has already been identified and allocated in the Local Plan for industrial development, suitable for E(g), B2 and B8 uses. Holker Group would complete a phase one development of six high quality units, each of 3,000 sq ft, and two 6,000 sq ft units, with associated vehicle and bicycle provision and servicing, in 2.289-acres of the north west corner.

 Further phases would see a further four units ranging from 3,358 sq ft to 45,000 sq ft, built. The scheme would also include extensive landscaping with native trees and shrubs, which would provide valuable habitats for wildlife on land that is considered poor quality for agricultural use.

 Allen Gibb, chief executive of the Holker Group, said Barrow-in-Furnace is at the heart of the UK defence industry, with the new Dreadnought class submarine programme based at the Barrow shipyard, which has fuelled demand for complementary technology companies to look to the area to set up business.

 “This is a superb opportunity to attract more quality businesses and jobs to Barrow,” he said. “The site is poor-quality agricultural land and has long been allocated as a site for industrial development. With economic prospects for the area looking positive, now is a great time to look at putting the plans for the technology park into place.

 “This proposed new-build business park in Barrow is testament to Holker Group’s long-term investment in the South Lakes. We hope that the park will not only attract businesses looking for new premises in the area, but also those looking to move here to take advantage of the highly skilled workforce.”

Mr Gibb said Holker Group was looking at options for the delivery of the site and would be happy to talk to potential occupiers and investors and partners.

The technology park will sit close to the A590, which is the main trunk road from the M6 into Barrow-in-Furness town centre, which is less than ten minutes’ away.

Holker Group was advised on the development by Pentle Land and Property, Kate Bellwood Planning, Unum partnership, Alan Davies (Highways), MPG Consulting, PDP Cumbria, and Envirotech.

 

Accounts and Accountancy, News, North of England

Accounting and business advisory firm HURST sponsors Stockport Pride festival

Accounting and business advisory firm HURST has signed up as a sponsor of this summer’s Stockport Pride festival, which is taking place in-person for the first time since 2019.

The annual LGBTQ+ festival will be held at Stockport Market Place from 11am to 6pm on Sunday, July 31, with a range of entertainment and stalls including music, crafts and drag acts. The event is free to attend and is open to all.

A parade filling town centre streets with rainbows will take place during the day, It will begin on Bridgefield Street, a short distance from HURST’s headquarters in Tiviot Dale and will make its way to Suffragette Square, through Merseyway and on to the market place.

Stephen Bowyer, Stockport Pride’s chairperson, said: “It will be amazing to be able to hold our first event since the start of the pandemic, and the support of firms such as HURST is invaluable in helping the community and demonstrates a dedication to equality, diversity and inclusion.”

HURST chief executive Tim Potter said: “We’re an inclusive and diverse employer, and community groups which reflect these values are really important to us.

“We are delighted to support the Pride organisation with both sponsorship and attendance at what promises to be a fantastic and very enjoyable event.”