Current and new tourism and visitor economy businesses in Derbyshire can now bid for a slice of £350,000 in funding, through the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.

D2N2 – a private sector-led partnership promoting economic growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – has tourism and the visitor economy as one of the eight key economic sectors for its area.

Businesses and organisations interested in growing the sector can apply for funding help to create a marketing plan for their idea, from £350,000 allocated to D2N2 through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Growth Programme.

More than a third of the D2N2 area’s 880,000-plus jobs are in rural local authority areas but DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has identified issues to be tackled; including reduced farming income, lower than average wages and difficulty finding business investment.

Plans which might be funded through EAFRD, depending on their strength, could include those helping rural areas:

• invest in developing and marketing a new large scale tourism activity, to attract visitors;
• provide a service which enables businesses across the D2N2 catchment to target new markets;
• facilitate activities which encourage visitors to increase the length of time they stay in the D2N2 area (according to 2014 figures, an average day visitor to the D2N2 area spent £30, whereas an overnight visitor spent closer to £200).

D2N2 wants to see better links and connectivity between different destinations and attractions, to encourage visitors to extend the length of visits and increase visitor spend.

The EAFRD funding panel is keen to hear how applicants would co-operate with each other in marketing tourism in the rural D2N2 area, and how this would create more jobs and safeguard existing ones.

D2N2 is also keen to increase the business activity of certain types of rural economic activity – including local markets, pubs and micro-breweries – as part of the area’s distinctive visitor ‘offer’.

D2N2 works closely with Visit Peak District and Derbyshire in driving forward growth for the visitor economy sector in its area. Businesses and organisations with ideas on how to improve the tourism offering of any rural area in Nottinghamshire and/or Derbyshire may wish to contact the tourism organisation to find out if there is an opportunity to collaborate with other organisations on a plan.

Up to ten projects in the D2N2 area will be funded from its £350,000. Individual grants will range from £35,000 to £140,000 and can cover up to half a project’s total costs, meaning a project must have a minimum total value of at least £70,000 to be eligible for funding through the EAFRD money.

Applications to the D2N2 EAFRD fund – which must be submitted by 5pm on Friday, January 8 (2016) – will be assessed by the Government and the D2N2 LEP. Those with the strongest business case will then be asked to make a further, full application for project funding.

David Ralph, Chief Executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said:  “Both Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire already receive tens of thousands of visitors each year, bringing millions of pounds into their local economy. There is capacity there for further growth, through the development of quality tourism attractions or interesting areas.

“This EAFRD funding is an excellent opportunity for tourism businesses, or those wishing to set one up, to get the help needed to create a detailed business and marketing plan for their ideas.”

For more information on how the D2N2 LEP is using European funding to boost the economy and jobs numbers in its areas see website www.d2n2lep.org/EUFunding

Local politicians and business leaders have today secured an in-principle deal with the Chancellor George Osborne to transfer national powers and control over funding from national Government departments to the Sheffield City Region – as well as securing a massive £900 million additional cash boost over the next thirty years to deliver major regeneration, infrastructure and business growth schemes.

The proposed deal, which concludes a month of detailed negotiations between the City Region and Government, will need to be formally approved by each of the local councils within the Sheffield City Region (which includes Chesterfield) and is subject to a programme of consultation and engagement with residents and businesses over the coming months.  The deal will also be dependent upon the Government delivering on the promises it has made in this and previous deals, and the City Region agreeing to the creation of a directly-elected Mayor.

Councillor Sir Stephen Houghton, Chair of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority, said: “This proposal marks the next step on our devolution journey and will enable local leaders to make bigger and better local decisions over skills, business growth and infrastructure. Over the coming months we will be speaking to local residents, businesses and partners about what this means for economic growth in their City Region.”

James Newman, Chairman of the Sheffield City Region LEP, said: “This deal will enable local leaders to accelerate delivery of the jobs and new businesses that our local economy needs to grow. This positions Sheffield City Region at the front of the Northern Powerhouse pack and strengthens our position as a world class centre for modern manufacturing and engineering technology.

Chancellor George Osborne said:  “Manchester is not a one-off – far from it. In becoming the second great northern region to sign up to managing its own affairs with this ambitious agreement, Sheffield City Region is playing a vital part in helping to build the Northern Powerhouse.”

Cathelco has received a series of orders from shipyards in Turkey for their ship hull corrosion protection systems.

One of the orders for equipment has come from the Tersan Shipyard where a subsea vessel is being built for Volstad Shipping of Norway. The new ship which has a length of 128.5m and a beam of 25m is due to be delivered in the last quarter of 2015.

Cathelco will also provide a seawater pipework anti-fouling system for the vessel to protect engine cooling lines against blockages caused by barnacles and mussels.

Tersan Shipyard has ordered similar equipment for a multi-purpose platform supply vessel which is being constructed for Tidewater Marine. Designed for arctic conditions, the vessel will be operated by the Norwegian Troms Offshore Supply Group, a subsidiary of Tidewater.

“As the Volstad and Tidewater vessels are designed for cold climate conditions, the protection control panels provide a higher ‘driving’ force of 50 volts. This is because Arctic waters contain more fresh water resulting in higher resistivity which needs to be overcome with a higher voltage”, said Anna Siodlak , who has been closely involved in the project at Cathelco.

Another order has come from the Besiktas Shipyard in Yalova where a Live Fish Carrier is being built for Intership AS, Norway. The 69.80m vessel designed for carrying live species of farmed fish will be installed with a Cathelco hull corrosion protection system together with a seawater pipework anti-fouling system.

Last but not least, the Ozata Shipyard has ordered Cathelco seawater pipework anti-fouling systems for four passenger ferries which are being built for the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality.

Built of carbon composite material for strength and lightness, the 39m vessels have the capacity to carry more than 400 passengers at speeds of up to 40 knots.

Market trader Ibbotson’s has treated its vans to a facelift to celebrate the firm’s success at this year’s Chesterfield Retail Awards.

Created and fitted by local agency Jumble Design, the new colourful vinyls are an attractive addition and a great way for the growing business to further promote its free home delivery service.

Owner Nick Ibbotson said: “We are over the moon with the results from Jumble Design and the excellent service we received. The vans are in use all day so to avoid them being off the road the work was completed one afternoon which meant they had to work late into the night!

“Since launching our new website and extending our service to offer home delivery the use of our vans has certainly increased!  A new van was needed to cope with the increased workload and it felt like the right time to modernise our signage and use the van to advertise the business.”

Andrew from Jumble Design added: ‘We are very proud to work with Destination Chesterfield on the branding and design of the Chesterfield Retail Awards, and also the up and coming Food and Drink Awards, so are delighted as a result of this involvement to be working with an award winner and local business’.

Chesterfield-based Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers has secured a £1.94 million finance package enabling its client Mobile Visual Information Systems (MVIS), to become the UK leader in roadside solar powered mobile signs only three years after it was established.

The funding, which was provided by Lombard Technology Services (LTS), a specialist in the provision of finance and equipment leasing solutions for IT, computers, software and telecommunication assets, was negotiated on behalf of MVIS by Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers.

The funding package complemented the asset-backed funding provided by Reward Capital and enabled MVIS to secure a multi-million pound contract to deliver signage for Highways England’s M1 smart motorway project, which is currently being piloted on the M1 corridor at three sites between junctions 42 and 15.

As part of the contract, Derbyshire-based MVIS invested in 136 new portable, solar powered, five colour matrix signs and partnered with Bartco UK, manufacturer of the signs, to deliver the largest deployment of portable variable message signs on the smart motorway project.

This signage is providing thousands of drivers with information about the road works, as well as helping to keep them safe. It is popular with the contractors working on the project and has further enhanced MVIS’ reputation as a UK market leader in the supply of mobile signs.

The contract and finance package has put the company on target for a 500% increase in turnover over the next three years following double/treble digit growth in turnover and profits over the previous two financial periods.

Pat Musgrave, managing director of MVIS said: “Securing the finance has not only enabled us to deliver signage for the Smart Motorway project but also cemented our reputation as market leader in mobile signage and pave the way for international expansion for the company.”

Andrew McDaid, Partner at Mitchells who was instrumental in securing the finance package for MVIS, said: “Finance is available for companies that want to grow and this deal is proof of that. Being a specialist funder of Technology to businesses, we identified Lombard Technology Services as the ideal partner to support MVIS’ plans for growth going forward.”

“We have a fantastic relationship with MVIS and we have enjoyed assisting them with their growth and look forward to working with them through their expansion process.”

The company was established in 2012 following a contract win with Transport for London to supply 177 solar powered mobile signs to transmit key messages for the games lanes to road users during the London Olympic Games. Mitchells also secured the finance on behalf of MVIS to enable it to secure the Transport for London contract. Since then MVIS has tripled employees and has 360 signs for hire.

Musgrave added: “Mitchells has always been considered part of our team as they play an integral part in the company’s continued growth plans including putting us in great stead for securing funding for the smart motorway project.”

MVIS works in partnership with other leading ITS providers to create solutions to help the road network to operate efficiently.  MVIS’ innovative, solar powered solutions incorporate monitoring and visual information equipment, all featuring leading-edge technology:  VMS, ANPR and CCTV cameras and radar.

Bartco UK is the sales and manufacturing division of Bartco Traffic Equipment Pty, supplying its VMS and MVIS’ Solar IP multi-use trailer platforms.  Its products are available for sale directly from Bartco UK and for rental via MVIS.

Chesterfield-based solar power specialist, Custom Solar, is urging businesses and home owners to make the most of subsidies for photovoltaic (PV) systems (solar panels) before changes come in at the end of the year.

Government proposals to either end or significantly reduce subsidies for power generated by renewable technologies means the financial benefits of solar power will be not be fully realised after 2015.

A consultation of the Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) scheme was announced on Friday 28 August by the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC). The consultation proposes to dramatically reduce FITs by up to 87% or, if cost control measures are not implemented to make the scheme sustainable, then the Government would end generation tariffs for new applicants. Tariffs would end as soon as legislatively possible, which would likely be January 2016.

Matthew Brailsford, Managing Director of Custom Solar said: “Solar is still a viable and excellent option for commercial power generation. The next move is about adjusting and preparing for the next phase in solar energy. Home owners in particular should act swiftly to make the most of the full cost saving benefits of solar power.”

The amount currently paid for solar electricity between 1KW to 250KW is between 9.21p – 12.92p. Amongst the reductions proposed, the tariff for less than 10KW (a typical domestic installation) will reduce immediately to a flat rate of 1.63p and then reduce quarterly to zero by 2019.

Matthew added: “Experts have forecast that fossil fuels will run out by 2030 and large scale reliance on power generated from gas and coal will cause this country significant problems in the near future. By investing in solar power now and beyond 2015 means you are safeguarding future power generation for your home or business.”