All four stands at the Proact Stadium are now sponsored, following news that a sponsorship deal for the North Stand has been agreed with a long established, family-run business, Harold Lilleker & Sons Ltd.

Drew Lilleker, whose company has been arranging funerals in Chesterfield since around 1850, is delighted to have agreed a sponsorship deal with the club. He said: “Being a local, family business, it’s good to be doing something that’s involved in the community. My grandfather, Harold, was a huge Chesterfield fan who travelled the country to watch the Spireites so it’s nice to see his name on a stand.”

Debra Johnson, Chesterfield’s Corporate Relationship Manager, said: “We are delighted to be working with another local company and I would like to thank Drew and everyone at Harold Lilleker and Sons Ltd for supporting the club in this way. It is very pleasing that sponsorship deals are now in place for all four stands.”

Drew Lilleker is pictured with Debra Johnson outside the Harold Lilleker & Sons Stand.

Photo by Tina Jenner.

Mitchells Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers, located on Saltergate in Chesterfield, was approached by IT, Cloud and Communications provider Addooco to assist with the purchase of its business premises.

The process – which normally takes between three to six months – only took eight weeks because of Mitchells’ swift work providing the funder with all the necessary information and conducting smooth negotiating skills.

Andrew McDaid, a Mitchells Partner, said: “Addooco has been a really important client for us and over the years we’ve seen the company go from strength to strength with healthy business growth and staff expansion. For the firm, the next natural step was to secure a considerable property asset and what better building to invest in, than the company’s own premises?

“Mitchells has been in operation now for 150 years, but we recognise that in the ever-evolving business landscape, our industry has changed. Companies expect so much more from their accountants, which is why we do so much more than number crunching. Our collaboration with Addooco is in line with our ethos of being perceived as more of a strategic partner as opposed to just another service provider.

“We specialise in helping businesses grow, assisting firms of all sizes, to overcome big challenges so they can move to the next level of growth, allowing us to provide real value in a changing world.”

The purchase of Dundee House on Millennium Way in Chesterfield was officially completed on 29 June 2018.

Addooco’s Managing Director Richard Walters said: “We’ve employed Mitchells for a long time and their work handling our financial matters has always been so impressive that it made total sense to ask for their assistance in making such a significant financial commitment.

“We felt purchasing the building was helping the company to take the next logical step in literally cementing our presence in the region and a significant strengthening of the company’s financial position, instilling confidence among current and future clients about the financial strength of the company. Not only that, but we’re strong supporters of Destination Chesterfield and Chesterfield Champions so we were keen to provide a physical commitment to the town.

“The property acquisition will make a real difference to our business going forward. We can’t thank Mitchells enough for their excellent and professional work throughout.

“What really impressed us was when our bank initially made a verbal offer, which at the time I thought was good, Mitchells used their experience and expertise to negotiate better terms, lower arrangement fees and no personal security. This proves it really does pay to use the services of a specialist in this area.”

Mitchells Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers has been at the heart of the business community for 150 years. The company specialises in helping businesses throughout Chesterfield, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire grow and prosper.

Andrew McDaid, partner at Mitchells, and Addooco’s Managing Director Richard Walters

Local pop up company Pizza Pi will give a permanent home to its wood fired pizzas when it opens Pizza Pi Pizzeria on Beetwell Street, Chesterfield on Monday 20^th August.

The business began in March 2017 as a side venture between two friends, and since then has attended many local events such as the Chesterfield Food & Drink Festival, the Chesterfield Artisan Market and Chesterfield’s Vintage Summer Fair.

The pizzeria has been decorated with a rustic theme throughout and its menu will mainly be wood fired pizzas, with other types of wood fired foods soon to be available. Gluten free pizza bases will also be on offer and pizzas are available ‘to go’. The menu will include desserts such as ice cream and brownies and from the 6^th September the business will also be licensed to sell alcohol, offering a selection of wines, beers, gins and whiskeys alongside soft drinks and fresh coffee.

Pizza Pi Pizzeria will create up to 10 jobs long term and there are plans to host acoustic acts and charity nights in the future. The team will continue the pop up side of the business and will be available for private bookings such as weddings and birthdays.

Owner Ricky Marples said: “Pizza Pi was originally just an idea between two mates to earn a little extra spending money around our full-time jobs. We’re so pleased our pizzas have been well received, allowing us to open  our new premises in Chesterfield. We look forward to inviting people in to try a wood fired pizza the way it is supposed to be.”

Pizza Pi Pizzeria will open on Monday 20^th August at 11 Beetwell Street and will be open until 10pm every day.

Motan Colortronic are the new sponsors of the South Stand at Chesterfield’s Proact Stadium.

After agreeing a deal with the Chesterfield-based company, Spireites commercial manager Jim Brown said: “I would like to thank Motan-Colortronic for their valued support over many years and I am delighted to see their name on the South Stand.”

Karl Miller, Motan Colortronic’s Managing Director, said: “We’ve been involved in sponsoring the club for some years and when the opportunity arose to take a stand sponsorship, we were very happy to do it. In harder times, the club needs extra support and we feel that it’s important for us to provide backing in this way.”

Motan Colortronic Ltd, founded in 1974, are leading suppliers of high quality ancillary equipment for the plastics processing industry.

This announcement follows last week’s news that long term sponsor Karen Child has agreed a sponsorship deal for the East Stand, which will now be known as the Karen Child Community Stand. For more on this please click here.

Karl Miller (right) is pictured with Jim Brown outside the Motan Colortronic Stand.

Chesterfield’s Specsavers store has recognised 35 members of staff who have stayed with the company for at least five years, with the group clocking up an impressive 445 years of service between them.

Vicki Bainbridge, Director at the Specsavers store on Burlington Street said: ‘We feel so lucky to have such a loyal group of people working with us. A few years ago we started a tradition of taking our longer serving staff out for a celebratory dinner and gradually the number of people joining us for the meal has grown and grown.

‘This year we were proud to look down the table at 35 team members, 27 of whom have a decade or more of loyal service under their belts.’

Angie Lee, Administrator, has worked at the store for 14 years and says she has loved the job from day one: ‘The people here are really lovely, everyone genuinely cares about each other and we love working together. It’s a great place to work and the annual get-together is just one of the ways our management team looks after us. It makes you want to work hard because you feel valued.’

The longest serving member of staff is Nazir Hassen, the Optometrist Director, who opened the store in 1994. Julie Gregory, Customer Assistant and Sarah Nelson, Store Manager are next in line with 18 years’ service each under their belts and Gareth Webster, now a Retail Director, began working at the store in 2002 as a 19 year old assistant.

Specsavers recently won the Retailer of the Year Award at the 2018 Chesterfield Retail Awards.

The Chesterfield Retail Awards are organised by Destination Chesterfield.