Author: Dom Stevens

Positive job figures for Chesterfield

12th August 2015

The number of people out of work and claiming jobseekers allowance in Chesterfield has fallen again this month.

Across the three counties the overall claimant count fell by 38 to 1155 in July compared with 1,193 in June and by 505 from 1660 in July 2014.

Chris Hobson, Director of Policy for East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) said: “The overall trend continues to be very positive, especially the year-on-year figures across the three counties covered by the Chamber.

“Job creation is a really important part of economic growth and it’s great to see that the East Midlands is still one of the leading regions in the country in this regard.

“It is important, though, that the jobs created are accompanied by increased productivity so that the growth in jobs is sustainable.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

£4.8m D2N2 boost for faster broadband across its area

12th August 2015

Faster broadband delivery across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire is receiving a £4.8million boost, thanks to the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

D2N2 has just agreed the sum – £2.63million for Nottinghamshire’s Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire programme and £2.19m for Derbyshire’s Digital Derbyshire scheme – at its latest Infrastructure and Investment Board (IIB) meeting.

Both counties are improving access to fibre optic-based broadband in line with a national push by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) – part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport – which today (August 12) announced its UK rollout had topped more than three million homes and businesses (338,709 of them in the East Midlands).

By 2017 the Government wants 95% all UK businesses and homes to have access to fibre broadband with download speeds faster than 24mbps (megabits per second), greater than the mbps usually available via standard telephone lines.

Digital Derbyshire’s (DD) scheme will also run over five years, from 2013-2018. On completion, it’s hoped that close to 98% of Derbyshire and Derby City premises will have access to faster broadband through the new fibre optic network; including more than 10,000 business premises.

The two programmes are expected to indirectly create hundreds of jobs through the improved communications technology enabling businesses to improve productivity and expand their operations, and the contract work for local firms installing the broadband infrastructure.

In both Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire the county councils are the lead authority for the broadband schemes; backed by D2N2 and other funding partners including BDUK, the European Regional Development Fund, BT and the counties’ district councils.

Jobs creation and productivity outcomes will be monitored during the life of the two counties’ projects.

David Ralph, Chief Executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Widening access to faster, fibre optic-based broadband is a core priority for D2N2.

“Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire and Digital Derbyshire represent an opportunity to boost economic growth and create jobs; for all businesses but we see the programmes as of particular benefit to the creative and digital industries we have identified as a key economic sector in our area.”

Posted in Business

Duke praises university’s “rescue plan” for Chesterfield building

11th August 2015

The Duke of Devonshire has praised the University of Derby for rescuing one of Chesterfield’s best-loved buildings.

Generations of Chesterfield women owe their start in life to an education at the former St Helena’s Grammar School on Sheffield Road, which will open as the University’s new campus in September 2016.

The Duke, who is the University’s Chancellor, said: “What a rescue. It is very, very exciting. It’s immensely worthwhile and will be great for the University and Chesterfield,”

The Duke had a tour of the Victorian red-brick building, whose light and airy corridors and classrooms provided a pioneering design for schools which was widely admired across Europe and America.

The Duke’s, ancestor, the ninth Duke, officially opened the building in 1911.

The Duke heard how the University’s Nursing courses, run in collaboration with Chesterfield Royal Hospital, will move into the listed building, complete with a mock ward containing robot or “sim” patients that simulate human responses to treatment.

There will also be Engineering and Computing classes, plus a suite of offices which will be used as business incubator units for the town’s entrepreneurs.

Most of the original features and lay-outs will be retained, although the former indoor netball court will become the main entrance. The only part of the existing building which is in need of demolition is a small extension built in the 1960s.

“The way it is going to be modernised while keeping the best of the old seems to be very much the way in which the University maximised the benefit of the Devonshire Dome at Buxton,” the Duke added.

The University has been training local people to work in Nursing and Health Care for many years. The NHS has found that training people locally means they are more likely to stay in their home town, which has meant Chesterfield Royal Hospital has retained excellent, local staff.

This emphasis on training for local people will not only help to meet demand for highly-trained workers, but also keep their spending power within the Chesterfield economy.

Read about the development in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Award nomination for Markham Vale Business Park

11th August 2015

Markham Vale Business Park has been shortlisted for the Best Overall Scheme – Logistics Park at the Industrial Agents Society 2015 Awards Ceremony.

The past twelve months has seen fantastic progress in developing Markham Vale with high quality bespoke buildings completed for Holdsworth Foods, Ready Egg Products, inspirepac and Gould Alloys. With the recent Great Bear announcement, the indication is that the remaining plots on Markham Vale will be quickly snapped up by businesses that see the great growth potential at Derbyshire’s flagship regeneration project.

Markham Vale schemes that have already been completed on the site include: a flagship Environment Centre (home to a range of firms from the environmental technology related centre): the speculative built Waterloo Court and bespoke buildings for companies such as Industrial Ancillaries Ltd, Andrew Page Limited and MSE Hiller Ltd.

Markham Vale North has also been recently launched and is a prime industrial and logistics development, within the wider Markham Vale scheme, located at Junction 29a of the M1 Motorway. Markham Vale North provides approximately 70 acres of serviced development land which can accommodate buildings up to 750,000 sq ft.

Posted in Business, Development

Markham Vale Investor wins at the 2015 Motor Trade Awards

11th August 2015

Leading autoparts and workshop equipment distributor, Andrew Page has been named as Motor Factor of the Year at the 2015 Motor Trader awards, following a year of transformation and growth.

“It is great to be recognised by one of the most prestigious titles in the automotive aftermarket, and is testament to the hard work the entire team has put in,” said Jim Sumner, Chairman of Andrew Page. “We have been busier than ever over the last 12 to 18 months, and are seeing the rewards of the strategic investments we have made in the business.”

Facing tough competition from a shortlist including Autoparts UK, Fast Parts Wales, GSF Car Parts and Ridgeway, Andrew Page came out on top last night at the prestigious ceremony at Grosvenor House, London. Earlier this year, Andrew Page announced a record quarter, reporting that March 2015 was the company’s best ever trading month in its 98 year history.

At the start of 2015, Mark Saunders was appointed to the position of chief executive. Since then the company has seen the expansion of its Markham Vale distribution facility, increasing floor space by nearly 40% with a new mezzanine floor, as well as further investments in new vans and stock. As a result of this continuous investment, Andrew Page’s ability to deliver parts to its sites throughout the day and overnight is driving the best ever levels of availability to customers.

The company also confirmed last month that it was expanding through the introduction of a new online store, including a detailed catalogue and dedicated customer support service along with a branch click & collect option. With accurate mapping of OE parts suppliers’ data against the UK vehicle parc, customers can be confident of receiving the right parts for any job.

Mark Saunders, Andrew Page chief executive added: “The specific investment in expanding our central distribution facility was to significantly develop our B2C capability and support the roll-out of our new retail store format. Being acknowledged as the leading motor factor in the UK is fantastic for Andrew Page, and we hope to gain further industry recognition as we continue to develop the business.”

Posted in Business

The Chesterfield Marathon has got some bottle!

10th August 2015

A family owned business in Chesterfield is backing the town’s marathon by providing vital water for runners.

Family-owned Dunston Lodge, a top local dog boarding and grooming salon, is sponsoring and has secured the delivery of 10,000 bottles of water for the Chesterfield Marathon, which takes place on Sunday 20 September.

The event will see approximately 1500 runners from across the UK take to the streets of Chesterfield, running in the full marathon, team relay marathon and half marathon events – all in aid of many local and national charities, including Kids ‘n’ Cancer. An all-day party in Queens Park, where all the races will start at finish, will also take place.

Ten drinks stations will be located along the full and half marathon route with ample supplies of water to keep runners hydrated, along with pots of jelly babies to give runners the extra boost they may need.

The runners’ safety will be ensured by more than 400 volunteer ‘Marathon Makers’, who will stationed along the route and manning drinks stations, who will also be provided with refreshments, including water.

Richard Harrington, managing director of Chesterfield Champion, Dunston Lodge said: “The Chesterfield Marathon is a massive event for Chesterfield, bringing in runners and visitors from all over the country to our town.

“We wanted to offer our support to the marathon by taking care of this vital element and ensure the water was delivered and in place well ahead of the event.”

Andrea Hooley of the Chesterfield Marathon said “Although Kids ‘n’ Cancer is a national charity, we rely on a small team who work on both the charity and the marathon to make this event happen. The support of local businesses like Dunston Lodge, who have given both financial support as well as resource in purchasing and organising delivery of the water make a huge difference to us”

“The more businesses like Dunston Lodge that come and support the marathon through sponsorship and/or joining one of our business clubs, the bigger and better we can make this event, which benefits the whole of our town and all the charities involved.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Leisure

Markham Vale welcomes £36m industrial forward funding deal

10th August 2015

M&G Real Estate is to fund the construction of a 480,000 sq ft distribution warehouse at Markham Vale in, Chesterfield. The total commitment is £36 million. The site extends to around 27.5 acres adjacent to Markham Lane and is the largest plot created by the County Council at Markham Vale to date. The development is pre-let to Great Bear Distribution Ltd, a leading third party logistics company. On practical completion of the development Great Bear Distribution will take a 15 year lease creating around 400 new jobs in the process.

Andrew Windle, Associate Director, Logistics and Industrial at M&G Real Estate, comments: “There is very strong investor demand for new, prime distribution assets in the Midlands due to the very tight supply and continued demand for new space. This will be a prime development in a core and very prominent location off the M1.”

Ben Ward from Henry Boot Developments Ltd, adds: “We look forward to welcoming Great Bear Distribution Ltd to Markham Vale. This is one of several major deals at the site over recent months and represents significant investment into the area.

Posted in Business, Development

Peak FM extend partnership with Chesterfield FC

10th August 2015

Chesterfield Champion’s Peak FM will continue to provide full commentary on every Chesterfield home and away game this season as part of an ongoing partnership between the two organisations.

Commenting on the news, Peak FM station director Sam Fielding said: “Coverage of the Spireites features prominently in our Total Sport show and we are delighted to have reached an agreement to broadcast live commentary of every home and away match.

“Tom Hilton and Pete Farries make a great team and bring with them a huge amount of passion and enthusiasm. We are looking forward to an exciting season.”

Nick Johnson, Chesterfield’s head of media & communications, added: “We enjoy an excellent relationship with Peak FM and long may that continue. Fans who are out of the area can also hear the commentary provided by Peak FM online on our Spireites Player platform. This is the only way that commentary can be accessed via a PC, laptop or mobile device.”

Peak FM is the number one commercial radio station covering north Derbyshire. The Total Sport show is live every Saturday from 2pm.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Chatsworth Road Festival returns this October

10th August 2015

The annual Chatsworth Road Festival is quickly approaching! Look out for promotions, events and activities up and down Chatsworth Road 1-4 October 2015.

This year Chesterfield’s Chatsworth Road Festival has been shortened to four days to provide a tighter focus and a more concentrated period of activity.

However fewer days has actually meant MORE events with over 120 varied activities, promotions and competitions scheduled.

This festival differs from others in that it doesn’t feature a fun fair, 5-a-side football or marching bands – instead it aims to more widely promote businesses and organisations based on or near to the ever-more vibrant Chatsworth Road in the West of Chesterfield.

The area is a real gem with great pubs, restaurants and an eclectic mix of shops that sell everything from wellingtons to wedding dresses and fantastic pottery to fairtrade coffee.

The Festival aims to provides something for all tastes and ages and full details will be listed in the free guide available at the beginning of September, in the Festival edition of S40 and on the Festival website. Updates and late registrations will also be featured via Facebook and twitter.

Here’s just a small insight into what you can look forward to

The Mayor will officially open the Festival at ‘both ends’ of Chatsworth Road on Thursday 1^st October. At 9.30am he will mark the opening by putting up some bunting at St Thomas Church before moving on to the Carers Centre on West Bars for the start of their “Best Breakfast” event at 10.00.
Derbyshire’s Poet Laureate, Helen Mort, pops in early evening on Friday to the Real Ale Corner to share her verse
The Brampton Food Market 10.00 on Saturday 3rd celebrates its 4th birthday, and hosts various “pop-up” Festival stalls from apple pressing to seed swapping.
Geocaching has become hugely popular – watch out details of the festival’s own fun version; don’t get trampled in the rush !
The Festival “Char Challenge” will see local tea rooms vie for the title as a mystery shopper gives their preference.
Sunday Sounds will add some volume as nine venues offer live music on the 4th October from lunch to late

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Liza Bakes Ltd is a Great Taste winner again!

10th August 2015

The world’s most coveted blind-tasted food awards, Great Taste, has just released the Great Taste stars of 2015 and Chesterfield Food Producer of the Year 2014, Liza Bakes Ltd is amongst the producers celebratingas its Victoria Sponge Cake, Belgian Chocolate Pecan Brownie, Mince Pies and for the second year in a row its Fruit and Ale Cake are now able to proudly carry the little gold and black Great Taste logo.
Judged by over 400 of the most demanding palates belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs, producers and a host of food writers and journalists, Great Taste is widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers. When a product wears a Great Taste label it carries a badge of honour but more importantly, the Great Taste logo is a signpost to a wonderful tasting product – hundreds of judges have worked tirelessly to discover the very best, through hours and hours of blind-tasting a total of 10,000 different foods and drinks.
“Getting this prestigious award again and for another three of our products and one for the second year in a row is simply fantastic. It endorses what our customers tell us every day – that all our products taste superb” said Louise Milroy, Managing Director and Head Baker. “This is our third year as a limited company and the third year in a row that we have won awards for our products. It is a tribute to our award winning and hard-working bakery team and our passion – simply to produce every day the very best authentic artisan cakes, traybakes and desserts for all our customers”.

Liza Bakes Ltd is a family business. Louise started baking in her kitchen in 2005 and by 2008 was supplying premium handmade artisan bakery produce to local shops, cafes and delis from her bakery. Liza Bakes now has 8 Great Taste Award winners, supplies distinguished and award winning businesses across Derbyshire and as far afield as London; and is now able to supply individual retail customers placing orders online.
Louise said “We focus on supplying all our customers with consistently the very best tasting cakes and desserts. We want to help every local business we supply to stand out and we think they all do. Once again these Great Taste Awards enhance our reputation and contribute to the reputation of our brilliant customers. Over the past year our business has expanded strongly and we are proud to supply a wide range of fantastic local businesses across Derbyshire and surrounding counties. Our Great Taste Awards have contributed to this and undoubtedly helped the company to win Food Producer of the Year in the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards 2014.”

Louise said that after taking care of the substantial orders for this week for established customers she and her team would be able to celebrate properly. “Then we have to prepare our award winning contribution for the Ashover Show coming up on Wednesday 12th August, as well as getting ready for the tasting event as a nominee again for Chesterfield Food Producer in the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards 2015.
For Louise and her team the key to the success of the business is a passion for authentic great tasting food and long-term relationships. “Our business and reputation for outstanding products and service has been achieved over the past nine years by investing in our brilliant team and producing authentic, distinguished handmade produce, sourcing our ingredients wherever possible from Derbyshire and local partners.” Liza Bakes always use butter, free range eggs and quality nuts, fresh and dried fruits. “Our partnership with local businesses has been so important to us” said Louise Milroy. Suppliers to Liza Bakes include Ayres, Chesterfield Market for fresh fruit, fresh ginger and carrots for the carrot cake; Betty’s Farm at Willington near Derby supplies the free range eggs from their flock of 24,000 laying hens; and dried fruits, nuts, spices and some specialist sugars are supplied by Lembas, Sheffield, the specialty vegetarian and wholefood wholesalers.
Liza Bakes also works closely with award winning micro-breweries, providing the ales that go into the award winning Fruit and Ale Cake and Chocolate Beer Cake (both Great Taste 2014 Gold Star winners): Brampton Brewery a leading Chesterfield micro-brewery recreating the heritage of its predecessor – their Brampton Stout is a key ingredient for the “Brampton Fruit and Ale Cake” and the Impy Dark for the Chocolate Beer Cake; the Welbeck Abbey Brewery a traditional real ale brewery producing 15,000 pints of hand crafted ales a week, situated on one of England’s finest country estates, Welbeck Abbey. Their award winning Portland Black beer is a key ingredient for the “Welbeck Fruit and Ale Cake”; and the Derby Brewing Co with their Penny’s Porter a key ingredient for yet another variety of the award winning Fruit and Ale Cake and Chocolate Beer Cake from this award winning bakery.
Recognised as a stamp of excellence among consumers and retailers alike, Great Taste values taste above all else, with branding and packaging ignored. Whether it is cheese, ale, steak or chutney being
judged, all products are removed from their wrapper, jar or bottle before being tasted. The judges then savour, confer and re-taste to decide which products are worthy of a 1-, 2- or 3-star award.

There were 10,000 Great Taste entries this year and of those products, 130 have been awarded a 3-star, 597 received a 2-star and 2,382 were awarded a 1-star accolade. The panel of judges included Masterchef judge and restaurant critic Charles Campion, TV presenter and cook, Aggie Mackenzie, Great British Bake Off winner, Frances Quinn, Masterchef the Professionals finalist, Adam Handling, food buyers from Harrods, Selfridges, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer, and chefs including James Golding, Chef Director of The Pig hotel group, who have together tasted and re-judged the 3-star winners to finally agree on the 2015 Top 50 Foods, the Golden Fork Trophy winners and the new 2015 Supreme Champion.
Finally on Monday 7 September, at a nail-biting Awards’ Dinner at the Royal Garden Hotel, London, the great and the good from the world of fine food will gather to hear who has won the Golden Fork Awards and the final applause will be reserved for the Great Taste Supreme Champion 2015.

Posted in Business, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards

Family golf tees off in Chesterfield

10th August 2015

Families in the region can now ‘putt’ their best foot forward on the golf course, thanks to brand new sessions at one of Chesterfield’s top courses.

Tapton Park Golf Course has launched Family Golf – family only sessions which take place on the venue’s nine-hole academy course.

The sessions, which take place every Sunday, are designed to allow families to spend some quality time together, whilst introducing youngsters to the sport and allowing parents to hone their skills.

A fully qualified PGA coach will be on hand to give both the adults and children tips on their game, helping to introduce youngsters to the world of golf.

Andy Carnall, golf manager at Sheffield City Trust (SCT) which runs Tapton Park Golf Course, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming families from across the region to enjoy our brand new family golf sessions.

“They are a fantastic way for families to do something different together, whilst allowing those that haven’t played before the chance to learn a new skill and those who have played to get some practice in.

“Golf is also a great sport to keep you fit and healthy, so to get the whole family involved in exercise in this way will be hugely beneficial.”

Family Golf sessions take place every Sunday from 1pm and cost £20 per family (up to two adults and four children).

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer