Celebrate Chesterfield

D2N2 LEP secures funding for next wave of Skills Bootcamps provision

19th January 2024

D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has secured almost £5 million to broaden its successful Skills Bootcamps offer.

The organisation has a successful track record of delivering Department for Education funded Skills Bootcamps, which have been developed by the Government as part of the Skills for Life programme.

Following successful applications in four previous waves of Skills Bootcamps, D2N2 LEP has now been allocated further funding as part of the fifth wave of Skills Bootcamps allocations.

The funding of £4,967,950 represents an increase of almost £1.5 million on the previous allocation in Wave 4 (£3.5 million).

Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks for adults aged 19 or over. They give people the opportunity to build up valuable sector-specific skills based on local employer demand and provide a direct path to a job on completion.

With this funding boost, D2N2 LEP indends to broaden the range of sectors that its Skills Bootcamps support. For example, for the first time, Skills Bootcamps in leadership and management will be offered for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The organisation will also work with providers to offer a wider range of Skills Bootcamps programmes in priority areas of digital, construction, engineering and green skills (construction and electric vehicles).

As the lead partner, D2N2 LEP will be working with Derbyshire County Council to open the procurement window to allow providers to apply for delivery contracts for Wave 5 Skills Bootcamps programmes. D2N2 LEP will make an announcement as soon as this window opens, expected to be later this Spring.

Employment and Skills Manager at D2N2 LEP, Richard Kirkland, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we’ve succeeded in our application to be a Wave 5 Skills Bootcamps provider, following our successful track record of delivering Skills Bootcamps in all four of the previous waves. It’s fantastic that through the increase in funding we’ve secured, we’ll be broadening our offer to include new programmes, such as leadership and management for small and medium sized businesses.

“This is really positive news as I look back on my 40 year career in education and skills and prepare to retire; it’s such a proud moment for me. I would like to thank all my colleagues, all our providers and partners for their support over the years and I wish all the Skills Bootcamps learners all the very best in their future careers.”

Richard will leave D2N2 LEP at the end of this month to commence his well-earned retirement, following his 40 year career in education and skills.

Businesses across Chesterfield are encouraged to find out more about the skills support available to help them grow their organisations, by attending the Employability and Skills Conference on Thursday, 8th February.

Find out more about D2N2 LEP’s Skills Bootcamps programme

Chesterfield’s Noonah unveils new cutting-edge AI Photo Booth

18th January 2024

Noonah, a Chesterfield company with expertise in event technology, has announced the launch of a state-of-the-art AI Photo Booth for immersive brand experiences.

The firm says its latest innovation guarantees an exceptional event journey, with high-quality outputs, generated with unmatched resolution and artistic flair. It promises to elevate every captured moment, with rapid output generation within seconds, meaning attendees can instantly see their AI-enhanced photos in real time.

Safety and customisation take centre stage, as the booth is fully brandable and offers robust moderation tools, ensuring a secure and tailored experience. Noonah’s commitment to inclusivity is evident with ethnicity consideration, promoting diverse and representative outputs.

In addition, Noonah’s in-house tech team is continually introducing new modes, making the AI Photo Booth future-proof for any event or brand activation. Built for versatility, ease of setup, portability, and onsite technical support makes it ideal for pop-ups, conferences, and diverse event settings.

The new technology can include features such as:

AI Themer Mode, which seamlessly transforms your audience into avatars of your chosen theme, whether it’s a dynamic brand campaign, a blockbuster film release, or a seasonal setting.
AI Headshots Mode, providing versatile headshots which can serve as event media, perfect for ID badges, office lanyards, and professional platforms like LinkedIn.
AI TimeMachine Mode, allowing users to experience historical milestones, future landscapes, or age transformations.
AI Stylize Mode, transforming ordinary snapshots into pieces of art, each embodying a unique and visually striking style. Whether it’s the charm of anime, the fun of cartoons, the bold strokes of comics, or even the elegance of renowned art styles.
AI Destination Mode, which can allow attendees to picture themselves amid the lush greenery of a jungle, the tranquil shores of a beach, the bustling energy of New York’s Times Square, or even the majestic grandeur of the pyramids.

“This new AI Photo Booth redefines how brands connect with their audiences at events,” said Hannah Mott, Marketing Manager at Noonah. “It’s not just a booth; it’s a gateway to unforgettable experiences.”

For inquiries regarding the new product, contact info@noonah.co.uk or visit noonah.ai

Noonah supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, UncategorisedTagged in AI Photo Booth, chesterfield business news, Chesterfield creative businesses, chesterfield news, Event Technology, Love Chesterfield, noonah

Chesterfield business to feature on TV’s Dogs Behaving Badly

10th January 2024

A Chesterfield Doggy Daycare business is set to feature on Channel 5 show, Dogs Behaving Badly this year.

The show’s host, Graeme Hall visited Rose Cottage Doggy Daycare to hire the centre’s ‘field of freedom’ to train two dogs.

The space was used to teach the dogs to walk better whilst on a lead, with Rose Cottage providing a secure location with large fencing, in case the pets were playing up! The epsiode is expected to be aired in the summer of 2024.

Dawn Brown, Owner of Rose Cottage Doggy Daycare commented: “Graeme was a very chatty, great guy. He spent time with me and my team before and after the filming. He also signed books for us and we have lots of pictures with him”

“To be picked out of the whole of Derbyshire to use our field was amazing, and will definitely help us to stand out. He said they searched for a field to hire and ours came up when they researched our services. They were highly impressed with our site, our branding, and our whole different take on dog care in general. We were happy to oblige and would of course welcome further filming if required whilst in our region.”

Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care can offer dog owners a full day of enrichment for their beloved pets, covering basic physical emotional and social needs, which ultimately results in a happy dog at the end of the day.

The centre also offers a luxury doggy hotel with TV, air conditioning, and sofas. However, the dogs only enjoy this luxury at night time, because in the day they are far too busy making the most of Rose Cottage’s 5.5 acre site. All walks are done on-site too, with safety always being the top priority.

Rose Cottage Doggy Daycare supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in chesterfield business news, chesterfield news, Dogs behaving badly, Love Chesterfield, Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care

Conference to showcase skills support on offer to Chesterfield firms

9th January 2024

Businesses in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire are being urged to capitalise on the support available to assist with improving the skills of their employees.

The Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Skills and Employability Conference will highlight the support available for businesses to upskill their workforce, further enabling local organisations to grow organically. The event is being hosted at Chesterfield’s Winding Wheel Theatre, on Thursday, 8^th February 2024 (8am-11am).

Book your free place at the event here.

Research conducted by East Midlands Chamber found that 72% of local businesses have difficulties in recruiting suitable staff. Meanwhile, The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2022), found that nearly two-fifths of organisations (38%) are increasing efforts to meet their needs by developing more talent in-house. Upskilling existing employees is the most common response to solving recruitment issues.

Attendees will hear how local businesses have benefited from investing in upskilling existing employees, including through apprenticeships. BHP Chartered Accountants will share how they have promoted more than 70 of their own staff into more senior roles within the last year, alongside taking on more than 40 new trainees.

Chesterfield Borough Council will also reveal more details about its new skills brokerage service for businesses. Funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the service aims to give firms a single point of contact for impartial advice and support on how to fill vacancies and reduce skills gaps within their organisations.

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council commented: “We’re proud to support the annual Skills and Employability Conference because we believe it helps businesses to share best practice and encourages them to work together to develop the skills of our residents, creating a resilient workforce who are able to capitalise on new opportunities and help local businesses to grow. This year the conference will be heavily focused on the support that local businesses can access and I’d encourage any business owner to come along and find out more about the help available to them.”

Michael Timmins, Chair of the town’s Skills and Employment Partnership and Director at AECOM, said: “The annual Skills and Employability Conference continues to prove popular with firms across the town, enabling them to gain the latest information on the initiatives taking place to ensure we keep producing a strong and talented workforce for our organisations to thrive. As a collective, our town must continue to play its part in unlocking the potential of our people, so I would urge any business owner in the area to attend the conference and see how we can support you to grow.”

The Chesterfield & North Derbyshire Employability & Skills Conference is delivered by the Chesterfield Skills and Employment Partnership in association with Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in business news, chesterfield borough council, chesterfield business news, Chesterfield employability, chesterfield news, Chesterfield Skills, Chesterfield skills and employability conference, Employability Conference, Love Chesterfield

Construction work on new theatre and museum begins

20th December 2023

A multi-million-pound refurbishment of Chesterfield’s theatre and museum has officially started on site.

The project will create a new state-of-the-art cultural venue in the heart of the town centre.

The refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall home to both the Pomegranate Theatre and Chesterfield Museum includes the creation of a single entrance to both facilities, an expanded theatre, a reconfigured museum, community spaces and a new café bar. The project is led by Chesterfield Borough Council.

Leading Midlands construction firm G F Tomlinson took control of the site in November and will now work to deliver the enhanced building along with improvements to Corporation Street.

Initially announced in 2021 following a funding commitment from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, the project has been in development ever since. The Museum and Theatre closed in 2022 to allow preparatory works to begin including the removal of asbestos, ground investigations and a strip-out.

A landmark building in our town and a place where generations of Chesterfield residents have created lasting memories

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Since closing in 2022 we’ve been very busy behind the scenes both preparing the building for renovation and finalising the plans with our partners including our fantastic architecture team to ensure our ambitions can be realised. I’m delighted that G F Tomlinson have now begun work on site to deliver this project for our residents, we look forward to working closely with them over the next few years and keeping everyone updated on progress within the building.

“This is a landmark building in our town and a place where generations of Chesterfield residents have created lasting memories. This project seeks to protect this building for the future but also enhance the visitor experience which will encourage more people to attend shows and visit our museum.

“This ambitious project will benefit both our community and our economy – we are committed to investing in the future of our borough, to ensure it can thrive for years to come and has first class facilities for both residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Transforming the building into a landmark state-or-the-art facility

Chris Flint, managing director at G F Tomlinson, said: “We’re delighted to be commencing the delivery of the multi-million-pound refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall to revitalise this high-profile building into a cultural venue and tourism hot spot in Chesterfield.

“Works will include enhancements to the Corporation Street site, transforming the building into a landmark state-of-the-art facility in the main town centre. Once complete, we look forward to the opportunities that this will bring to the local area, in terms of its arts and entertainment offering – with its expanded theatre, reconfigured museum, improved community spaces and café bar.”

Celebrating the history of the building with a modern twist

The refurbishment of the Grade II listed Stephenson Memorial Hall aims to celebrate the history of the building but with a modern twist. The new Corporation Street link gallery extension will create a gateway impact improving the sense of arrival to Chesterfield. At night these elevations will illuminate the street scene, ensuring the building looks vibrant at all times of day.

By reopening the historic doorway under the tower, we will create a grand one-building entrance befitting the new combined cultural venue and encourage visitors to explore both aspects of the building.

From this entrance, visitors will be able to enter the welcome foyer with access to a museum exhibition space featuring the historic builder’s wheel, a retail space, the auditorium and a relocated café bar.

Upstairs four new Museum spaces will allow for the story of Chesterfield and the people that made the town what it is to be told. A climate-controlled room will allow more of the Museum’s collection to be displayed and interactive activities will help new audiences engage with the Museum.

Plans aim to enhance, expand and modernise the theatre without compromising the atmosphere and historic features. The auditorium will be refurbished with new seating, increased capacity, improved sight lines and new environmental controls. New theatre systems including lighting and stage rigging creates a contemporary theatre experience whilst the new seating layout retains the intimate feel of the auditorium.

A Privilege to be entrusted with the challenge of refurbishing and transforming such a significant part of the history of the town

The designs for the building have been developed by leading architectural firm Bauman Lyons.

Guy Smith, director of Bauman Lyons, said: “We are delighted to have been collaborating on this project with the wider design and client team over the last few years. It is a privilege to be entrusted with the challenge of refurbishing and transforming such a significant part of the history of the town so that it can continue to play a role for the community for years to come.”

The updated building will also improve accessibility with the addition of new lifts, new seating options in the theatre and a new changing places toilet.

In Autumn 2021 Chesterfield Borough Council received almost £20 million from the Government’s Levelling Up fund. A portion will be used to deliver the council’s Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield Project which aims to improve connections across the town centre and create attractive public spaces to support a range of events and markets.

Around £11 million of the Levelling Up Fund grant funding will be used to fund the £17 million renovation and remodelling of Stephenson Memorial Hall.

The project received a further funding boost with £695,000 from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme which will be used to install a ventilation system in the auditorium and create a new Changing Places toilet.

The project is expected to be completed before the end of 2025.

Information about the project and updates as work progresses are available on the council’s website: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/revitalise

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, Leisure, Property and Construction, Visiting

It’s time to reflect on another year at Destination Chesterfield

18th December 2023

Do you reflect enough on what you have achieved and take time to celebrate your successes?

We discussed this question at our Destination Chesterfield Strategy Day.

As a place marketing partnership, we focus on promoting Chesterfield and telling the place story with our Chesterfield Champions and other partners.

This blog celebrates some of Destination Chesterfield’s achievements in 2023.

Working together to shape our direction

In January, we held our annual consultation session with our Chesterfield Champions. They wanted us to continue our activity to attract investment to the town and promote Chesterfield as a place to visit and spend leisure time.

In my view, the strength of the Destination Chesterfield Partnership comes from collaboration and a shared approach to promoting and developing our town. We give partners a chance to have a say on what we deliver, get involved if they want to, and influence policy for the borough.

Skills for the future

In February, we organised, for Chesterfield Borough Council, the Employability and Skills Conference at the Winding Wheel, focusing on businesses working with schools to develop talent for the future.

Future talent has been a focus for Destination Chesterfield’s Manufacturing and Property and Construction Groups this year. Local businesses committed to supporting initiatives such as Made in Chesterfield and the successfully piloted Careers Made in Chesterfield programme with Chesterfield Borough Council and Parkside School.

A vision for Chesterfield

The Celebrate Chesterfield Business event, attended by 300 delegates, relaunched the Chesterfield Story and showcased the new Chesterfield Borough Council Growth Strategy.

We asked partners to commit to their vision for Chesterfield in 2030 and collectively support the promotion of the town.

Team Chesterfield hit the road

A delegation from Destination Chesterfield, Chesterfield Borough Council and Chesterfield Champions attended UKReiif in Leeds in May.

The event is the largest Property and Infrastructure event in the country.

Destination Chesterfield coordinated activities which included showcasing major sites and opportunities at panel discussions, launching the new investment prospectus, a media campaign to support activity and arranging meetings with potential investors, developers and funders.

Bringing the town centre to life

June saw the launch of Peddler Market Chesterfield by Peddler Events and Chesterfield Borough Council. The Destination Chesterfield team supported the marketing and organised the launch event.

The first event was a success for the traders and attracted footfall to the town centre.

Following the success of the launch event, Destination Chesterfield has teamed up with Peddler Events to create Peddler Connect, an informal business networking event open to all businesses and will take place at future Peddler Market Chesterfield events.

As requested by some of our Chesterfield Champions in January, the event offers networking opportunities but supports our objectives of attracting people to the town centre.

An eventful summer

In January, Champions asked for more events and festivals in Chesterfield. Over the summer, it was great to see Eat in the Park and the Chesterfield Children’s Festival alongside the return of existing favourites such as the BRM Solicitors Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, Chesterfield Pride and the Chesterfield Medieval Fun Day.

Throughout the summer months, Destination Chesterfield managed the Summer in Chesterfield Campaign. The campaign was seen over 1.6 million times by target audiences. The Love Chesterfield Survey identified that 38% of people who saw the campaign said it influenced them to support local retailers.

The office is dead, long live the office!

In August, the Chesterfield Office Campaign ended. Launched in 2022, it showcased office space available in Chesterfield for businesses looking to start up and grow.

It has been great to see the success of One Waterside Place, which is now fully let, and the range of businesses that have chosen the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre.

A place to visit

Destination Chesterfield secured funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to develop and deliver a Short-break campaign for Chesterfield.

Research has been commissioned and is currently being carried out with both former visitors and non-visitors to shape a marketing campaign which will launch in 2024.

Why Chesterfield Why Now?

We delivered the Chesterfield Investment Summit in October. The event showcased Why Chesterfield Why Now. We heard from investors, developers and businesses who highlighted our strategic location, affordability and supportive local authority and business community as to why they chose Chesterfield.

The feedback on this event was positive regarding the content, the people attending the event and the business conversations that took place at or because of the event.

Christmas in Chesterfield

The Christmas in Chesterfield Campaign promotes the town over the festive period, encouraging residents to support local and attracting people within an hour of Chesterfield to enjoy our town.

The business community is leading the way

Destination Chesterfield is led by an independent board of directors from the private and public sectors. The Destination Chesterfield Review by Thinking Places recommended an update of the governance and a refresh of board membership.

Expressions of interest from employees at Chesterfield Champion businesses who would be interested in joining the board are now open.

Championing Chesterfield

Did you know we work with over 220 businesses and organisations that are Chesterfield Champions?

Throughout 2023, the number of businesses committing to work collectively to promote Chesterfield has grown again.

Every month, the team update partners through events and marketing activity.

They are also working with Champions to gather content for campaigns and celebrate the success of Chesterfield businesses through our news content.

Teamwork makes the dream work

I am immensely proud of what Destination Chesterfield delivers and the hard work the team put in to bring together a range of campaigns and activities to meet the objectives of our strategy and ultimately support Chesterfield’s growth ambitions.

Thank you to our board members, Chesterfield Champions and delivery partners for supporting us in raising the profile of and changing perceptions of the borough of Chesterfield.

Next year I am looking forward to launching the new Destination Chesterfield Strategy 2024 – 2027.

Join us at the Celebrate Chesterfield Business Event on the 20th March to discover more and get involved in delivering it!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in Championing Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield 2023, Dom Stevens

More new openings at Vicar Lane as centre reaches over 90% occupancy

18th December 2023

As it heads into the all-important festive period, Vicar Lane will have over 90% occupancy rate in time for Christmas, with five new openings at the scheme this year.

The centre team’s new leasing strategy has involved targeting local independent businesses to re-enliven the previously struggling street, Steeplegate, as an independent quarter. This has led to three new independents acquiring space at the scheme this year.

Two tenants have moved from Market Hall in Chesterfield to the centre to expand into bigger units. For sustainable toy shop, The Little Ark, this has resulted in a 200-480% increase in sales week-on-week. For Spirits & Beer Specialist, Street Spirit, their opening day saw 300 visitors come to the store and it has been positive ever since with a large increase in visitors to the shop compared to their shop in Market Hall.

Coffee shop, Coffee #1 officially opened on Thursday 30^th November in the prominent unit by Vicar Lane’s event space on St James Square. They serve a range of hot drinks, coffees and pastries, which has proven very popular with the local community.

Two clothing stores also opened at the scheme. Vintage clothing store, Y Not Vintage opened in June and designer clothing store, Brand Runner opened on 2^nd December.

These recent openings will see over 90% of units filled by the end of 2023. This includes two units which have been utilised for Vicar Lane’s Christmas campaign. One unit has been transformed into a Winter Wonderland Christmas Grotto and another has become Santa’s Elf Workshop where an Elf Training Academy and festive crafts take place.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager said “I am delighted in the interest in Vicar Lane, both from visitors and potential occupiers. We have really focussed our efforts on welcoming independents to the scheme this year as well as supporting our current tenants. The management team aim to provide a great experience for everyone here so it’s fantastic to see the hard work and changes have paid off.”

Find out more about shopping in Chesterfield.

Looking to start-up or grow your business? Find out why Chesterfield is the perfect base to help you achieve your ambitions.

Vicar Lane supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Christmas, Development, Home, Leisure, Property and Construction, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in chesterfield business news, chesterfield news, Chesterfield shopping, Love Chesterfield, Vicar Lane Shopping Centre

Businesses celebrate Chesterfield’s biggest successes from 2023

15th December 2023

2023 has seen significant investment in Chesterfield, with sites including One Waterside Place, Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, and Hartington Business Park all helping to grow our town’s economy.

Meanwhile, announcements of further developments in the town continue to drive forward economic activity, with multi-million pound projects set to get underway in Chesterfield and Staveley’s town centres. Planning permission has been submitted for the much anticipated Gateway @Peak development, giving visitors a base to explore Chesterfield and the Peak District.

With major progress being made across our town in 2023 and further ambitions for growth in 2024, the town’s network of Chesterfield Champions have shared with us their biggest successes from the past 12 months.

Peter Swallow, Chair, Destination Chesterfield

“This year, it has been great to see the success of the town’s new flagship office spaces, One Waterside Place and the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre. Elsewhere, Markham Vale continues to attract new businesses to the area, and Staveley’s Hartington Business Park has also demonstrated a strong appetite from businesses to invest in our town. In 2024, I look forward to projects such as the Gateway @Peak, the refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall, and the revitalisation of our high streets boosting Chesterfield’s regeneration even further.”

About Destination Chesterfield.

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader, Chesterfield Borough Council

“There is lots to be excited about in 2024. We will continue to put external funding to good use by investing in the future of our borough, our project to revitalise Chesterfield town centre will begin and link with the transformation of Stephenson Memorial Hall into a world-class theatre and museum. Working with our Staveley Town Deal partners, significant progress will be made towards realising the ambitious projects that will ensure the town is a place to start, to stay and to grow. We will also be investing in more affordable housing for our community. Heading into 2024 we continue to face some difficult decisions around our budget, but we will ensure that putting our community first is at the heart of everything we do.”

About Chesterfield Borough Council

Dom Stevens, Manager, Destination Chesterfield

“2023 has been a year of positivity and progress. New events such as Peddler Market, Chesterfield Children’s Festival, and Eat in the Park, alongside established favourites, have helped to support our independent businesses and the wider economy. In 2024, I look forward to more of the same, with partnerships and collaborations helping bring forward our town’s ambitions.”

About Destination Chesterfield.

David Pratt, Building Control Manager, DBCP

“The new office developments in Chesterfield have been a triumph for the town in 2023. They have attracted businesses into the town and set the bar for construction standards and high quality where building control is concerned. With all the developments happening now, and in the future, it is an opportunity for the town to lead on build quality next year and beyond.”

About DBCP

Amy McCroray, Marketing Administrator, Rosewood Wealth Management

This year, Rosewood has enjoyed being part of Chesterfield’s flagship regeneration project, Chesterfield Waterside. Joining 3 other businesses in relocating to the environmentally-friendly Basin Square office building, the development will encourage more visitors to Chesterfield and create stronger local business links. Looking ahead to 2024, the Rosewood team is most optimistic about the continued regeneration of the town with upcoming projects to include the refurbishment of Chesterfield train station.

About Rosewood Wealth Management

Nick Grayson, Managing Director, Pinelog Limited

“2023 was the year that Pinelog became part of Chesterfield’s business community, after we relocated our manufacturing premises from Bakewell to Sheepbridge. Being able to see Chesterfield’s success developing in real time and the growth in business premises has been immensely encouraging. There is so much happening in the town, and I am delighted that the business is now part of the story. 2024 will be an exciting year for Pinelog and Chesterfield.”

Anna Melton, Owner and Director, In the Works PR

“What a year 2023 has been! Full of highs and lows, which Chesterfield has dealt with and, in many cases, emerged stronger. Looking to the future, I have high hopes for the town centre. There is a lot of investment taking place and the new offices at the Donut and Waterside are adding to footfall. I think 2024 will be the year that local people rediscover Chesterfield town centre.”

About In the Works PR

Rob Woodhead, Head of Private Client and Executive Director, BRM Solicitors

“2023 has seen a year of progressive change for Chesterfield and we’re looking forward to seeing what 2024 will bring for the town. We’re delighted to continue to be one of the leading providers of commercial and private client legal services in the area and we’re delighted to champion Chesterfield as a great place to do business as well as being a sought-after place to live. We’ve had another successful year supporting the local community and being a part of the ongoing regeneration of the town through various commercial property deals.”

About BRM Solicitors

Siân Spencer Bray, Clinical Director & Lead Psychotherapist, Therapy and Lifestyle Clinic

“2023 has brought to light the togetherness of our businesses. With many collaborations and partnerships, you can see how passionate Chesterfield businesses are about working closely with each other to offer more to customers and service users. The increase in events in and around Chesterfield brings a great sense of community and showcases many of the wonderful businesses we have too. It is wonderful to see so many businesses championing positive mental health and wellness in their workplaces and within the community.”

About Therapy and Lifestyle Clinic

Josh Dickens, Business Development & Marketing Manager, SMH Group

“Chesterfield FC is the biggest success story in our opinion, and we aren’t just saying this because of our sponsorship of the stadium. The team’s captivating performance promises the potential for promotion, anticipating increased attendance, TV exposure, sponsorship opportunities, and financial support for various developmental aspects. Additionally, the Community Trust’s takeover has fostered stability and trust, attracting businesses and fans eager to support the restructured setup.”

About SMH Group

Mike Jones, Customer Relationship Manager, Windowcharm Blinds & Curtains

“Over the past year, there have been many successes for Chesterfield. One of the biggest achievements has been the town’s ability to maintain a strong economy despite the challenges posed by the cost-of-living crisis. The community has shown resilience and adaptability, and I believe this will continue to be a driving force for growth in the years to come. With continued investment in infrastructure and businesses, the town has the potential to become a hub for innovation and a destination for visitors.”

About Windowcharm Blinds & Curtains

Chris Sellars, Chief Executive and Legal Counsel, Bridge Help

“The floods were devastating for the town, including a member of the Bridge Help team whose home was flooded. However, to see how everyone pulled together helping residents and businesses, confirmed that Chesterfield’s spirit continues to be strong in adversity. 2024 will be a challenging year for the country, however I have no doubt that Chesterfield will not only come out fighting but stronger – if past performance is anything to go by.”

About Bridge Help

James Pogson, Managing Director, Northern Tea Merchants

“The floods brought devastation to Chatsworth Road and surrounding areas this year, and Northern Tea Merchants was one of the many businesses affected. Whilst terrible, I was delighted at how the community rallied to support each other. Changes need to be made, so I am looking forward to seeing new and successful flood prevention measures in 2024, that will preclude this from happening again and will benefit residents and businesses.”

About Northern Tea Merchants

Jamie Wajs, Owner, Lime Living Estate Agents

“The town continues to show that it has an attractive and strong local business and employment economy and there has been a good level of positive investment in new infrastructure during 2023 and with more in the pipeline for 2024. This is making Chesterfield an attractive place to live and work, with the town having a lot more to offer.”

About Lime Living Estate Agents

Katie Ash, Head of Employment Law, Banner Jones Solicitors

“I’m excited to see that there have been so many new business start-ups over the year and businesses relocating to Chesterfield. As a Chesterfield business of 145 years, it is important for us that the local economy grows and strengthens. We continue to build strategic partnerships with local businesses (including other Chesterfield Champions) offering a full range of commercial legal services and employment law services”.

About Banner Jones Solicitors

Stuart Rooker, Careers Lead, Direct Education Business Partnership

“It’s been fantastic to see a brand-new programme piloted in Chesterfield this year and set to expand over the next four. The ‘Careers Made in Chesterfield’ (CMiC) workshop programme is an exciting initiative to deliver careers-related workshops in schools and forge links with local businesses. The pilot focused on the property and construction sector, and the project will widen to include health and care, and engineering and manufacturing.”

About Direct Education Business Partnership

David Whiteley, Co-Director, FWD Motion

“Chesterfield’s ongoing resilience is what really stands out for me in 2023. It has been incredibly moving to see the community come together to support one another. We simply hope that in 2024 we see our residents, workers, and businesses back on their feet.”

About FWD Motion

Rod Auton, Secretary, Chesterfield Canal Trust

“I’m delighted that One Waterside Place is now fully occupied. Hopefully this will be the encouragement needed for the rest of the developments around the canal basin at Chesterfield Waterside to get underway. I am very much looking forward to the Staveley Town Deal’s canal projects starting on the ground after years of planning. These are the construction of the first building at Staveley Town Basin, the new Trans-Pennine Trail Bridge and the subsequent restoration of the canal further east.”

About Chesterfield Canal Trust

Dominic Staniforth, Partner, BHP Chartered Accountants

“Chesterfield is experiencing a renaissance, with schemes like the £340 million Waterside Regeneration project playing a vital role in attracting both talent and high-quality businesses to the area. Our home, One Waterside Place, a desirable location next to the station, has proved the mantra ‘build it and they will come’, with its six floors of Grade A office accommodation now fully let. It was fantastic to see the Government award a £20 million grant from the Levelling Up Fund which will support the refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall, modernisation of Chesterfield Museum with new education, and community facilities.”

About BHP Chartered Accountants

Amy Revell, Co-Founder and Director, We Are Spaces

“The office market in Chesterfield has been a great success! One Waterside Place is now fully let, The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is more than 85% occupied, The Glass Yard is around 95% occupied and The HQ Building is proving popular. These successes then support further developments to materialise and ensure a good level of Grade A office space continues to be available. I believe we are very well placed to ensure businesses can recruit and retain skilled people in high quality and affordable workspaces.”

Paul Lewis, Head of Partnerships, Mortgage 1st

“It is tough to narrow it down to one standout moment from the year but the town benefitting from £20m over the next 10 years via the Government levelling up investment fund was a pivotal success for Chesterfield in 2023; this along with further investment in and around the town will hopefully see the town centre flourish once more. The hope of enhanced amenities and job opportunities means that we can all look forward to 2024 with great optimism.

About Mortgage 1st

Matt Close, UK Business Lead, NeoDyne

“2023 marks a milestone for NeoDyne with our first Christmas in Chesterfield. The Borough Council has successfully attracted and supported new businesses in 2023, and we’ve certainly experienced the welcome and benefitted from their support. Looking forward to 2024, we’re excited about the continued investment in the town centre and Waterside regeneration projects. We intend to play our part by championing Chesterfield as a great place to live and work.”

Richard Fowler, Technical Sales and Account Manager, RA Information Systems

“Having worked alongside our customers for over two decades, we have seen a remarkable transformation in Chesterfield’s business landscape. The recent success of Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre and One Waterside Place, coupled with a surge in office space demand, reflects the town’s commitment to fostering a dynamic and tech-driven environment for businesses. This achievement positions Chesterfield as a robust hub, creating a ripple effect that not only attracts investment but also contributes to technology-driven workspace provision for the local community. Exciting times lie ahead as we continue to shape Chesterfield’s economic success story.”

About RA Information Systems

Emma Pymm, Head of Partnerships and Client Relations, ActionCoach

“The real success for Chesterfield is the continued progression of our business community working together and building impactful relationships. I hope that we can continue to put Chesterfield on the map as not just a through town to the beautiful Peak District, but a thriving gateway for visitors to enjoy and make unforgettable memories. In turn, this will build our economy for future generations. I believe the Gateway at PEAK will play a major part in supporting this.”

Kriston Harvey, Director, Rodgers Leask

“I think the biggest success in 2023 has been the strength of the public and private sector collaboration to drive forward the numerous local projects. It was evident from the full house at the Chesterfield Investment Summit just how broad the support is within the local business community. On a personal level, I was delighted to be involved with the Careers Made in Chesterfield initiative. It was great to see the enthusiasm from the students and excellent to hear that a number were now considering a career in the construction industry!”

About Rodgers Leask

Jimmy Drew, Commercial Manager, Derbyshire County Cricket Club

“Our five days of cricket at the picturesque Queen’s Park are the highlight of our calendar, especially the T20 match. In front of a sold-out crowd, an incredible atmosphere and a record victory of 144 runs in 2023, we hope next year’s festival can be bigger and better than previous years, as we continue to put on a brilliant event for the residents in the north of the county.”

About Derbyshire County Cricket Club

Emily Bowman, Managing Director, Junction Arts

“Here at Junction Arts, we are extremely proud of the Chesterfield Children’s Festival that we delivered this year. We welcomed over 8,500 people across the two-day event, boosting the town centre economy and encouraging families to experience a range of creative activities. We are excited to build our offer for Chesterfield next year and are looking forward to creating more memorable moments for families to come together, share ideas and get creative!”

About Junction Arts

Catherine Wenborn, Managing Director, Vines Legal Limited

“The biggest success for Chesterfield over the last year is the continued creation of great spaces for work and leisure encouraging businesses to relocate and visitors to the town. In the coming year I hope to see currently unoccupied premises filled or redeveloped to good purpose.”

Nick Gorman, Owner, CCM Change Consultancy

“The sustained and growing synergetic relationships in our Chesterfield business community continue to be a highlight of working in the town. The networking and knowledge share are vital to the quest for a thriving and rewarding business environment. Our future strategy should involve a plan that looks to capitalise on the environmental ambitions of CBC, matching our local business passion, acumen, professionalism, and innovation with a pursuit of sustainability.”

About CCM Change Consultancy

Georgia Severn, Sales Co-ordinator and Head of Marketing, Custom Solar

“The biggest success for Chesterfield 2023 from my perspective at Custom Solar is the increase in local business’ investments into renewables. We’ve helped multiple clients in our local hometown start their journey to Net-Zero with Solar PV installations, which inevitably, supports the town’s goals too. For 2024 we are excited to continue supporting our neighbouring companies reduce their Carbon emissions as we already have multiple projects for Chesterfield in our pipeline.”

About Custom Solar

Ben Knights, Trainee Estates Manager, FI Real Estate Management

Within 2023 FI Real Estate Management has seen numerous changes to businesses ways of working and how they want to utilise the space in which they work from. Chesterfield itself is almost perfectly adapted to these requirements with the council identifying these trends early and creating space to help nurture growing local businesses. Something we also did ourselves was helping create high quality office space at both The HQ and The Quad in Chesterfield.

About FI Real Estate Management

Emma Woodhall, Director, Learning Curve Group Hair and Beauty Academies

“It’s been a great year for us; we were awarded Training Provider of the Year at the 2023 VTCT Awards. Looking to 2024 our aim is to support hundreds more learners in the region to achieve qualifications to succeed in the industry, training the next generation of beauty therapists and hairstylists! We are looking to build upon current relationships to retain talent within Chesterfield, and support local business.”

The businesses featured in this article support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, UncategorisedTagged in Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield blog, Chesterfield business community, chesterfield business news, chesterfield champions, chesterfield news, Chesterfield regeneration, Love Chesterfield

Chesterfield manufacturers support town’s young people despite Storm Babet disruption

14th December 2023

Several Chesterfield firms have supported young people to gain insights into careers in manufacturing and engineering, despite some firms experiencing business interruption caused by Storm Babet.

During the Made in Chesterfield campaign which ran throughout November, school pupils in the town gained access to some of the area’s leading companies, to explore what a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) could look like for them.

Despite the storms in October which saw floods in many parts of Chesterfield, firms still gave up their time and resources to offer tours of their premises where possible.

United Cast Bar paid visits to several local schools, showcasing their commitment to supporting young people and informing them of the careers available. The company gave presentations on the range of exciting careers available in manufacturing and engineering, as well as explaining the importance of cast iron production to support other sectors around the world.

Hosted by Destination Chesterfield in association with Direct Education Business Partnership (DEBP) and sponsored by Chesterfield College, the purpose of Made in Chesterfield is to help close skills gaps in the town’s manufacturing and engineering sectors, with just under 4,000 people set to be working in those key industries across the Chesterfield borough by 2030.

Several firms joined United Cast Bar to support the campaign, including Hogg Norton, Penny Hydraulics, MSE Hiller, Dalton Roofing, and Weightron Bilanciai.

James Brand, Managing Director (Foundries) at United Cast Bar Group, said: “Our organisation has supported Made in Chesterfield since 2014, and despite facing some disruption to our business activity back in October, we were determined to continue our commitment to this vital campaign. Young people are the future of our business and for Chesterfield’s diverse manufacturing sector. Therefore, it is essential to support them by showcasing the wide range of career opportunities we can offer.”

Ivan Fomin, Director at MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield board member commented: “Made in Chesterfield continues to inspire the next generation of skilled individuals across our area. Not only does it support businesses in helping them build a talented workforce, but it also highlights to young people the clear pathways available to them. We know that businesses continue to face challenges around recruitment, which is why schemes such as Made in Chesterfield are vital to ensure our key sectors of manufacturing, engineering and construction continue to thrive in the future.”

Julie Richards, Principal and CEO of Chesterfield College said: “Having sponsored Made in Chesterfield for several years, we have seen the real impact the initiative has had on people’s lives. Once again, we were proud to support this campaign in inspiring young people to consider a rewarding career in Chesterfield’s growing manufacturing, engineering and construction industries.”

Clare Talati, CEO of Direct Education Business Partnership (DEBP) added: “Made in Chesterfield makes an important contribution to the CEIAG (Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance) offer across the area; providing context for learners of the world of work, showcasing local opportunities, and enabling employers to meet potential future employees.”

Thanks to partners, Made in Chesterfield has now completed activities to engage students for a tenth year, one of several campaigns designed to raise the profile of living and working in Chesterfield.

The Destination Chesterfield Partnership has received £180,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It follows a successful funding bid by Chesterfield Borough Council, to secure £2.69 million worth of funding for local projects.

Posted in Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Chesterfield voted happiest place to live in East Midlands

14th December 2023

Chesterfield has been ranked as the happiest place to live in the East Midlands by Rightmove in its 2023 Happy at Home index.

Each year, the firm asks thousands of people across Great Britain how they feel about where they live. This year’s study was completed by over 26,000 residents.

Contributors said Chesterfield gives them a sense of pride, belonging and community. Access to green space and nature is also important to residents, with those living in a rural area near a national park, or an area of outstanding natural beauty more likely to feel happy where they live.

Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager, said: “It comes as no surprise that Chesterfield has been ranked as the happiest place to live in the East Midlands.

“My wife and I chose to base our family here thirteen years ago because of all the town has to offer. It is an affordable place to live, with green spaces and good schools, close to the Peak District National Park, and its central location allows us to travel to the rest of our family across the country easily. These strengths have only increased as our children have grown up in Chesterfield.”

Richard Sherwood, Director at Roy Peters Estates, commented: “Chesterfield enjoys a warm community feel, historic charm and a range of fantastic local amenities, making it a great choice for people without the added cost of living in a major city.

“The town also boasts fantastic transport links, with the added benefit of having the glorious Peak District National Park on its doorstep. All of these things make it a unique location to build a happy and healthy lifestyle.”

Daniel Elliott, Managing Director at Wilkins Vardy added:

“Chesterfield has always been a popular place to buy property, with a beautiful historic town centre and Chatsworth so close. When compared to the national average, property prices are extremely competitive and we are looking forward to a busy 2024 now that the market and mortgage rates seem to have settled.”

A popular town for families to live in, Chesterfield was also named the happiest place to live in the East Midlands by Rightmove in 2021.

Roy Peters Estates and Wilkins Vardy support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Family walking at Queen's Park, surrounded by wild flowers

Queen’s Park, Chesterfield town centre

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Christmas, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Chesterfield’s Addooco celebrates 15th anniversary with award win

13th December 2023

A Chesterfield IT company is celebrating, after winning a coveted award at the same time as marking 15 years of continued success.

Addooco began with humble beginnings in a small office at Chesterfield’s Dunston Innovation Centre with predominantly local clients, before a move in 2016 to state-of-the-art offices on Dunston Technology Park.

Now with global reach and a new best-of-breed data centre, featuring the latest in cutting-edge technology, Addooco celebrated its 15^th Anniversary in 2023.

To cap off an excellent year, Addooco were recently named Technology Supplier of the Year at the Taxi Summit & All Industry Awards.

The Addooco team attended a lavish evening held at The Troxy in London, celebrating the achievements of leading industry fleets and suppliers and attended by nearly 500 business leaders.

On receiving their prestigious Award, Richard Walters, Addooco’s Managing Director, commented: “I am super proud to be celebrating 15 years in business and Addooco being named Technology Supplier of the Year is the icing on the cake.”

Richard added: “We have a great team who work tirelessly and around the clock, who understand our clients and the industries they operate in. Being recognised for our efforts, hard work and progress with this Award feels amazing”.

Addooco IT provides a comprehensive range of managed IT, Cloud, Telecommunications & Support services to progressive organisations across the UK.

The company is a proud Chesterfield-based business, owned by local people and with a team who virtually all live in the town, many of whom have graduated through the company’s successful apprentice scheme.

Addooco supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Invest in Chesterfield – the perfect location for your business

North Derbyshire is cost-effective, well-connected and full of potential.

Invest in Chesterfield and you will join businesses from world-leading manufacturers to multinational communication companies. Enterprises of every kind already benefit from our positive approach, supportive community, superb travel links and excellent strategic location.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in Addooco IT, chesterfield business news, Chesterfield IT Companies, chesterfield news, Chesterfield Technology Companies, Love Chesterfield