Business
Investment in Chesterfield Roads Announced
Derbyshire County Council is set to spend £100 million over the next five years improving the county’s roads including the A61 between Sheepbridge and Wingerworth.
The council has earmarked the cash to be spent on fixing potholes, resurfacing and surface dressing roads and pavements, repairing retaining walls, fixing drains, upgrading bridges and replacing worn-out traffic lights and lamp posts.
On Thursday 18 April, Derbyshire County councillors will be asked to approve the money – given to the council in the form of Government grants – to be spent between now and 2024.
Councillor Simon Spencer, Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, said:
“Keeping Derbyshire moving by making sure the county’s roads remain in a good and safe condition remains a top priority for us.
“Because of new systems we now also have the most comprehensive information about the current condition of our road-related infrastructure meaning we can look ahead and take a more planned approach to fixing and improving our highways.”
Next year the council is set to spend around £23m. This will go towards resurfacing and surface dressing stretches of some of the county’s main roads including the A619 around Staveley,the A515 around Buxton and Ashbourne, the A57 Snake Pass, the A6 around Bakewell, and the A610 Ripley.
Around 40 more minor ‘B’ roads and 30 pavements countywide are also earmarked to be resurfaced or surface dressed.
General repairs to bridges, the installation of a new footbridge in Fenny Bentley and improvements along sections of the Trans Pennine, Skegby and Five Pits Trails and further upgrades to some cycle paths in the north east of the county are also set to take place.
Junction improvements, improved signage and extra anti-skid surfaces, have also been identified to improve road safety at various locations around the county.
•£933,000 towards improving roads, cycle paths and access routes to new housing developments along the A61 between Sheepbridge and Wingerworth;
•£1m towards the Woodville Swadlincote Regeneration Route to provide a link road to ease congestion between the A511 through the Tollgate Park site to the A514;
•£242,000 to work up further plans for the A515 Ashbourne Bypass;
•£550,000 to roll out electronic bus stop signs in Amber Valley and Erewash.
The remaining funding is set to be split over the following four years. Specific improvements have yet to be identified but are likely to include resurfacing and surface dressing local roads and pavements and tackling issues with bridges and retaining walls.
Chesterfield at night
Apprenticeship training provider sees record increase in placements
Chesterfield’s apprenticeship training provider, Learning Unlimited, has seen a record increase in the number of apprenticeship applications this spring.
This month the apprenticeship specialist provider has been asked by regional and local employers to recruit on their behalf for more than 150 apprenticeship places – an increase of 40% on exactly the same time last year.
Learning Unlimited’s Operations Manager, Leah Shortt said: “At this time of year we normally begin to receive more enquiries from people potentially considering an apprenticeship as they prepare to finish school. This spring though we’ve also seen a rise in opportunities too as the employers we work with are planning to take on a new influx of apprentices over the summer.
“The figures show that the demand for apprenticeships keeps growing. More and more young people are interested in following that route rather than going on to university and more employers are also recognising the benefits of taking on an apprentice. They see it as a way of recruiting the new talent they need while shaping their workforce.”
The number of apprenticeships available has increased the most in business related roles. There is also demand for apprentices across other sectors ranging from engineering to IT and social media. Apprenticeship opportunities range from electricians, engineers, hairdressers, nursery assistants and social care assistants, to chef and automotive body technicians.
The team already has over 115 people booked in for registration and interview this month and will be holding an Advice Evening at Chesterfield College on Tuesday (16 April) between 5.30pm and 7.30pm for anyone interested in finding out more about apprenticeships. It will give potential apprentices the chance to talk about the opportunities available locally and regionally. It also gives people the chance to get advice about entry requirements and meet the team who will support them through their apprenticeship application.
Learning Unlimited will be joined at the Advice Evening by employer, Heathcotes Group; an organisation which works nationally to provide specialist residential care for adults with learning disabilities, mental health needs and challenging behaviours. During the evening people will get the chance to talk face-to-face with the employer, who has recruited almost 600 apprentices over the past five years and is an Apprenticeship Ambassador for Chesterfield.
Learning Unlimited, which is part of the Chesterfield College group, currently provides apprenticeships and learning programmes to more than 3,000 apprentices nationally.
Nominate now in the 2019 Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards
Nominations are now open for Chesterfield’s premier food and drink awards.
The seventh annual Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, which is organised by Destination Chesterfield, returns on Wednesday 23 October.
Ahead of the glittering awards ceremony at the Winding Wheel, Destination Chesterfield is calling on people to nominate their favourite restaurants, bars, cafés, pubs, food producers and tearooms in the 2019 awards.
Nominations across 10 award categories can be made online until midnight on Sunday 12 May at https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/foodanddrinkawards .
The categories include:
- Chesterfield Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council
- Café/Tea Room of the Year – sponsored by Kier Group
- Gastro Pub of the Year – sponsored by Banner Jones Solicitors
- Pub / Bar of the Year – sponsorship opportunity available
- Best Newcomer – sponsored by BHP Chartered Accountants
- Best Customer Service – sponsored by East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire)
- Best Out of Town (within 10 miles of Chesterfield) – sponsored by Shorts Chartered Accountants
- International Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by MSE Hiller
- Family Friendly Award – sponsored by Jumble Creative Design
- Food Producer of the Year – sponsored by Edge Events Management Ltd
The shortlisted businesses will be revealed in July, including the shortlist for the coveted Restaurant of the Year title, which was won by Bottle & Thyme in 2018.
Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield, urged people to get nominating. He commented: “It’s important that we recognise the contribution the town’s growing food and drink sector is making to the local economy. Many of the businesses within it are also helping put Chesterfield on the map nationally. The awards are designed to ensure that we recognise and celebrate businesses in the sector. If you have a favourite, make sure you nominate them.”
Julie Richards, Principal and Chief Executive of Chesterfield College Group, which is the headline sponsor of the awards, said: “We are delighted to be the headline sponsor of the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards for 2019. The event is one of the highlights of the year and a mutually-beneficial partnership between Destination Chesterfield and the college.”
Other supporters of the awards include Apprentice Town (led by Chesterfield Borough Council), Casa Hotel, Derbyshire Times, Elder Way (Jomast Developments), FEAST – Food and Drink Forum, Hoods Florist, Learning Unlimited (The Chesterfield College Group), Magnifica, Owen Taylor & Sons, Peak FM and Reflections Magazine (Bannister Publications Ltd).
To find out more about the awards, please visit: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/foodanddrinkawards/
Food & drink 2018 winners
Derbyshire Extend Partnership with the University of Derby
The University of Derby, a Top 30 UK University in the Guardian University Guide 2019, has agreed a deal to extend its partnership with Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
The relationship will see the University sponsor both the club’s training kit and the reverse of the Vitality Blast shirt, which will be worn throughout this summer’s biggest competition.
A longstanding Official Partner of the club, the University of Derby will also continue its partnership with the Cricket Derbyshire Academy.
The Academy has produced some of the club’s long-standing first-team players, including 2017 Player of the Year, Alex Hughes, as well as Matt Critchley and more recently Hamidullah Qadri.
Derbyshire continues to offer opportunities to Media and Marketing interns from the University, while members of the Derbyshire squad will also support events at the University.
University of Derby students will have the opportunity to play a competitive inter-university fixture at The Pattonair County Ground, and will have continued access to training facilities in the Air IT Elite Performance Centre.
Rated Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework 2017, the University of Derby provides industry-relevant, expert teaching, and their partnership is one of a number of initiatives aimed at engaging the local community.
Chief Executive, Ryan Duckett said: “This is a growing partnership and I’m delighted to continue working with the University of Derby to provide opportunities through sport and education.
“The Cricket Derbyshire Academy in partnership with the University of Derby is an integral part of our development pathway and through the University’s support, we saw eight graduates go on to play first-class matches for the county last summer.
Ollie Shearer, Director of Sport and Derbyshire Student Residences Limited at the University of Derby, said:
“We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Derbyshire County Cricket Club, which will provide opportunities for our students to train and compete at the club, as well as undertake internships in roles off the pitch.
“Sport plays a major part in University of Derby life; our students have the opportunity to study a number of sports related degrees, and we encourage them, and the wider community, to make use our state-of-the-art facilities. This partnership reinforces our commitment to supporting the local community, helping to develop talent, and to strengthening our links to sport in the region.”
The Chesterfield Festival of Cricket returns to Queens Park this Summer.
Spring has sprung on Chesterfield’s regeneration projects
Chair of Destination Chesterfield, Peter Swallow shares his views in his latest Blog.
Spring has sprung, clocks have moved forward to British summer time, and the change in seasons very much reflects the progress Chesterfield is making with a number of key projects.
In keeping with the season, we are seeing the buds emerging on Chesterfield Waterside and Northern Gateway; and I am sure there will also be some later growth as the year progresses.
Making good progress is the Premier Inn hotel, located in the former Co-op building on Elder Way. This is opening this week following an extensive programme of refurbishment and will deliver 92 new hotel beds to Chesterfield’s growing visitor economy.
Just last year James Berresford, Chair of the Derbyshire Culture, Heritage, Arts and Tourism Board told us at the Chesterfield Investment Summit, that transforming just 5% of our day visitors into overnight stays would transform the town’s visitor economy. The opening of the new hotel at Elder Way and the additional hotels that will be created at Chesterfield Waterside and Peak Resort push us ever closer to becoming a destination for overnight guests.
Planning permission has also been granted for the three-storey Enterprise Centre on the Donut roundabout at Northern Gateway. The building will consist of 32 offices – a much-needed resource for the many start-up and small companies in Chesterfield. Just over the road, the new Saltergate car park is also due to open soon too, increasing and improving the parking offering for the town centre.
The town will also soon boast a newly constructed large office offering too. A Reserved Matters planning application has been submitted for a six-storey office building in Basin Square at Chesterfield Waterside, adjacent to the railway station. While the Enterprise Centre will be ideal for start-ups and small businesses, the ‘Grade A’ specification office accommodation at Waterside will have a large floorplate, helping the town attract established companies to relocate and invest here.
The development progress doesn’t stop in the town centre, either. A planning application has been submitted to build 700 new homes at the former Staveley Works steel site, as well as a primary school, shops and community facilities, new wildlife habitats and a cycle and footpath network.
For years we have talked about these developments and now they are finally happening. Large scale commercial developments and regeneration projects take a long time to come to fruition, and the construction element is often a shorter stage and the culmination of years of planning.
Often you have to take a step back to move forward. When you both live and work here, you can miss the huge progress we are making as a town in redeveloping and regenerating it for the future. The next time you are in Chesterfield town centre or travelling in the borough, make time to look at what has been achieved. I think you’ll be impressed.
Chesterfield is certainly a town of progress.
United Cast Bar Showcase Factory to the National Grid
Representatives from National Grid have visited United Cast Bar UK (UCB), the leading foundry and a successful manufacturer of continuously cast-iron bar.
The meeting at the production plant in Chesterfield was for National Grid to observe manufacturing processes and witness first-hand how smart sensors and intelligent energy technology provides UCB full visibility and control of their energy usage.
UCB’s most power intensive assets include melt furnaces, which constitute the core of the foundry business. These deliver approx. 1.9 Megawatts of flexibility to the grid, without any impact on operations.
UCB’s energy flexibility and operational integrity is further enhanced by GridBeyond’s hybrid battery & demand network, a unique and world-first solution which unlocks additional energy flexibility from the inflexible assets.
James Brand, Managing Director (Foundries) at United Cast Bar commented:
“National Grid’s visit to our Chesterfield site provided the opportunity to discuss the details of our participation in grid balancing, and the technology required.
“We have been working with GridBeyond since 2015; delivering flexibility to the Grid, increasing our business’s bottom line, and strengthening our green credentials. The partnerships help us to advance our energy strategy and provides insight into the evolving energy market and its opportunities.”
Global Brands sales top £50 million
Sales continue to grow at independent drinks producer and distributor Global Brands, with the company reporting a 19.5% increase in total sales, taking turnover to over £50m for the financial year ending 30thSeptember 2018.
This follows 16% growth in the previous financial year (2016-17) and sees gross profit rise from £11.8m to £14m for 2017-2018. Global Brands sold around 60million drinks during the last year, with its brands now available in 58 countries.
The Chesterfield based company, which was founded in 1997, saw the value of exports grow by 21% year-on-year, pinpointing strong demand for its drinks in Belgium, Italy and South Africa. In 2018, Global Brands secured a listing for its Franklin & Sons range in South Africa’s largest retailer, Pick N Pay, which is selling the British company’s premium tonics, mixers and soft drinks in over 1,100 stores.
Founder and chairman of Global Brands, Steve Perez, explains: “The drinks industry is so strangled by needless bureaucracy, it limits original ideas. Our company growth is being driven by an innovative and entrepreneurial team that’s encouraged to do things differently. They’re constantly looking at how they can create new drinks that justify a place on supermarket shelves and in the fridges of bars, late-night venues and restaurants around the world.
“The team’s innovative thinking is rooted in what consumers want and working with our customers to quickly meet demand. It led to the creation of premium canned cocktail All Shook Up and one that’s now a top seller in one of the UK’s largest supermarkets.
“Drinkstagramming and other social media trends mean drinks now need to look as good as they taste. This drives sales. Premium quality tasting drinks, packaged in sleek and stylish cans meant that we exceeded original sales targets for All Shook Up, selling more than 2m cans in just ten months following launch.”
The success of All Shook Up saw Global Brands add a third canned cocktail – fruity flavoured Flamingo Colada – to the original line-up of two flavours; Passionfruit Martini and Espresso Martini.
The company also expanded its range of award-winning premium tonics, mixers and soft drinks, Franklin & Sons, adding the ‘Flavour Collection’ four new dual-flavoured tonics and three Infused Sodas were added, which saw total sales volumes grow by 101% for the year ending 30th September 2018.
Steve adds: “The low and no-alcohol, mindful drinking trend is growing, and consumers want soft drinks that offer depth of flavour and the same experience as an alcoholic serve. The Infused Sodas do this. The three flavours in the range are based on the complexities and finish of a high-end cocktail and they’ve been created to be served over ice, in a tall wine glass and with a fruit garnish. People opting for no-alcohol choices don’t want second-rate drinks.”
The Infused Sodas are just 49 calories per 275ml bottle and come in three unique flavours; Fragrant Guava & Persian Lime with Root Ginger, Exotic Pineapple & Aromatic Cardamom with Cracked Cubeb Pepper, and Succulent Pomegranate & Floral Hibiscus with Delicate Rose.
Steve concludes: “The company was founded on innovation and entrepreneurialism with the creation of vodka-based Ready To Drink (RTD) VK. It’s 20 years this year since we sold our first bottle of the RTD and it’s more popular than ever – it’s the best-selling drink of its type in bars and late-night venues across the UK and we sold over 28 million bottles of VK in the on and off trade last year.
“Sticking to our roots is fueling ongoing new product development, range expansion and sales. This is creating new revenue opportunities for our customers and opening-up more markets for Global Brands. We’re currently meeting growing demand from as far afield as Columbia to China and Norway to South Korea, expanding our presence around the world.”
Survey confirms Brexit doubt is stifling business
Brexit doubt is stifling business, the results of the latest survey by award-winning East Midlands Chamber* have confirmed.
Companies are suffering cash flow problems and have lost confidence to invest in premises, plant and people.
According to the first Quarterly Economic Survey of 2019, cash flow concerns are at their worst since the end of the financial crisis in 2012.
Stockpiling in preparation for an unruly Brexit and businesses ‘stretching’ supplier’s payment schedules to shore up their own position as doubt and uncertainty continue were cited as two main drivers of worsening cash flow.
Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at the Chamber, said: “Unlike 2012, the figures here are not related to access to finance but, instead, are directly attributable to Brexit preparedness and the knock-on impact this is having on business.
“There is undoubtedly a level of stockpiling affecting cash flow, with an inevitable knock-on effect on payments as businesses seek to secure their own positions.
“Cash flow issues might also be part of the story behind decreased levels of investment intentions. While an understandable and rational reaction from business, this runs counter to UK Government’s plans to boost business investment and grow UK productivity.”
The Q1 QES found a net score of only 18% of firms reporting intentions to invest in training, the lowest score since immediately after the Brexit referendum in 2016.
Scott said: “A key difference between then and now are the drivers of that score. After the referendum, the key factors pulling down the overall score were concerned with confidence and investment, both of which took a short-term hit.
“In the latest survey, the main drivers behind the lower score are reported as actual sales, orders and cash flow for both domestic and overseas activity – making this less about sentiment and more about actual activity levels.”
The Q1 2019 QES results compound a slowdown seen in Q4 of 2018 and appear across all economic markers in the survey, resulting in a fall in the Chamber’s State of the Economy Index to its lowest level since the aftermath of the financial crash in 2012.
“The fact that these problems are of a political rather than structural nature does potentially offer some relief,” said Scott.
“In a scenario where we have a swift resolution to Brexit – or at least a clear and predictable path to a resolution – we could see cash flow and investment return to normal levels, with growing confidence following. However, if we experience continued uncertainty, this may exacerbate what is already a significant problem for SMEs.
“In worst case scenarios, long-term struggles with cash flow could start to see some organisations struggle with viability and some of their frustrations turn to genuine anguish as real-world impacts of political bickering start to bite,” he added.
New Iceland Store Set to Open at Vicar Lane
Vicar Lane Shopping Centre in Chesterfield has announced the opening of a brand new Iceland store on Tuesday 16th April 2019.
The new store at Vicar Lane is in a prime location in the heart of the town’s shopping district, offering its customers a convenient alternative to the supermarket offer already in the town.
Shaun Brown, Centre Manager, Vicar Lane said, “We’re really excited to be welcoming Iceland into our store line up. We know how time-poor people are these days, so it’s great that we can now offer the convenience of a weekly food shop, with the appeal of our high street fashion and general ‘pleasure shopping’ offer.”
To celebrate the opening, Iceland will be handing out promotional leaflets offering its first customers £3 off when they spend £15 in store. There will also be the opportunity for customers to get their hands on a limited number of free chocolate twists throughout the day!
Iceland currently has over 900 stores in the UK and prides itself on being a convenient and friendly place to do the family’s weekly shop, as well as to meet everyone’s daily top-up shopping needs for fresh, chilled and frozen food.
The new store will be open from 8am – 6pm from Monday to Saturday and 10am – 4pm on Sundays and customers can expect to find the full range of fresh, chilled and frozen food that they’ve come to know and love from the UK leader in frozen food.
Find out more about shopping in Chesterfield.
New Car Retailer Opens its Doors in Chesterfield
The Car Store, a used car retailer, has opened on Eastside Road in Chesterfield.
The new custom-built dealership, is home to in excess of 350 used cars and employs 40 members of staff.
The store has a fresh look to support a new way of buying cars. The store is home to interactive displays where customers in Chesterfield are able to search over 5,000 AA inspected cars. Browse in a relaxed environment and organise to have any car moved to the store within 96 hours. There is also a kids zone to keep the little ones entertained and coffee lounge to keep the big ones energised.
Sartaj Tamber Store Leader at Car Store Chesterfield, commented:
“I am thrilled to be looking after the store during such an exciting time, we are all excited about our new showroom and offering a new experience to the drivers of Chesterfield.
We have access to over 5,000 cars here in Chesterfield and the crew will be happy to help find the one for you.
Our aim is to make the car buying and selling journey one that is enjoyable and to take away the hassle. I invite you to come and see the new store and experience our new technology. I look forward to welcoming you soon.”
