Destination Chesterfield

Chesterfield ranked 2nd in list of UK’s best places to raise a family

Chesterfield has been recognised by travel guide website, enjoytravel.com as the best town in England, and the 2nd best in the UK to raise a family.

The town sits above major cities such as Leeds, Leicester and Newcastle to take 2nd spot on the list, thanks to its ‘affordable and appealing houses and excellent schooling options.’

Enjoytravel.com ranked the towns and cities based on three criteria:

  • Property prices and average salaries (house price-to-income ratio) – 30 points
  • Education – 20 points
  • Safety – 20 points

Other factors such as access to green spaces, transport links and family-friendly attractions were also considered.

Explaining why Chesterfield positioned so highly, the website stated: “The Derbyshire town of Chesterfield is the second-best place to raise a family in the whole of the UK, thanks to its affordable and appealing houses and excellent schooling options. It might be the county’s largest town, but it has managed to retain its friendly, welcoming character despite new developments cropping around the outskirts of the town. It’s a top choice for families who love the ‘Great Outdoors’ too, as it’s just a stone’s throw from the rugged Peak District and a plethora of wildlife reserves and reservoirs.

“House prices currently average £220,825 for properties in the town centre and picturesque suburbs like Holymoorside and Wingerworth. And, when it comes to good schools, the town is brimming with them. Schools like Westfield Infant School, St Mary’s Catholic High School and Parkside Community School have all been rated as ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ by Ofsted.”

Businesses in the town’s network of Chesterfield Champions agreed that the area has all the key assets required as a great place to raise a family.

Nigel Mallender, Head of Sales & Marketing at Addooco IT commented: “I’m very proud to call Chesterfield my home. I cannot imagine living anywhere else and that’s down to the friendly people and the community spirit.

“Chesterfield is great for families with its huge range of parks, play centres, sporting appeal and family friendly pubs and restaurants. For history lovers there’s the likes of Hardwick Hall, Bolsover Castle, the Peak District and many other places close by.

“Chesterfield is so well connected and great for business too with Sheffield and Nottingham on the doorstep, East Midlands Airport within 45 minutes’ drive and London only two hours away by train.”

Nigel Mallender

Nigel Mallender, Addooco IT

Theresa Goldsmith, owner of The Goldsmith Clinic added: “Chesterfield has something for everyone – the perfect balance of convenience and serenity. I personally love the countryside, and living in chesterfield has the luxury of easy access to town, city and the countryside.”

The Goldsmith Clinic defibrillator

Theresa Goldsmith, Owner of The Goldsmith Clinic

“Nick Gorman, Owner of CCM Change Consultancy said: Chesterfield is now definitely where I call home. Moving to Chesterfield 14 years ago I quickly found the town had all the things I find vital – community, good links, football, cricket, a great food and drink scene and proximity to our beautiful Peak District.”

Nick Gorman - CCM

Nick Gorman, CCM Change Consultancy

Speaking on achieving 2nd place on the list, Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield manager said: “We are absolutely delighted by the news that enjoytravel.com has named Chesterfield as the best place in England, and the 2nd best place in the UK to raise a family.”

“Our town is blessed with affordable properties and great outdoor spaces on the doorstep of the Peak District.

“We’re also placed ideally in the centre of the country, with fantastic road and rail connectivity, superb local amenities, and strong and supportive communities.

“Chesterfield really does have all the ingredients required to help families build rewarding and happy lives.”

Kooca Chesterfield

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Complete our Love Chesterfield survey to have an opportunity to win a prize

Chesterfield residents and local business owners are being encouraged to complete our quarterly consumer and business surveys to help us to learn more about how you / your customers use services in our town centres.

Love Chesterfield is a campaign organised by Chesterfield Borough Council in partnership with Destination Chesterfield to promote and support high streets and town centres across the borough of Chesterfield.

The quick surveys will ask you questions about your business performance and any changes you have noticed in the last three months (January 2023-April 2023) if you are a business owner.

The consumer survey will ask you to update us on what events or venues you have attended and services you have used recently in our communities.

Please spend a few minutes to complete the relevant questionnaire. The results will allow us to monitor the performance of the town, the success of marketing campaigns and business support and will help to shape future activity to support high street businesses across the borough.

The survey will close on 20 June 2023.

At the end of the consumer questionnaire, there is an opportunity to win either a free 3-month gym membership or a free 3-month place on a children’s activity class at Chesterfield Borough Council’s leisure centres.

Businesses who complete the survey, will have the chance to enter a prize draw to win advertising for your business in the Destination Chesterfield business or leisure e-shot (worth £100). To qualify, you will need to fill out this and the next 3 quarterly Love Chesterfield Surveys for your chance of having a banner advertisement. A winner will be drawn in Spring 2024.

Complete the surveys here:

Business survey: https://chesterfieldboroughcouncil.welcomesyourfeedback.net/r96myd

Consumer survey: https://chesterfieldboroughcouncil.welcomesyourfeedback.net/m94tet

Chesterfield town centre views outdoors

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Chair’s blog: “Chesterfield is still moving forward with confidence and optimism”

In the face of national and global economic challenges, Chesterfield is once again forging its own path.

Like so many times before, our town is rolling up its sleeves and making change happen for the better. We’ve seen many developments come to fruition over the last couple of years and as a result sites which were previously derelict are now full of life.

New offices at Chesterfield Waterside and the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre are already attracting investment and creating jobs for people in our town. There are already 90 people working within the Waterside Offices, and the Enterprise centre is now more than 60% occupied.

News of the extension to the Markham Vale North Industrial development, located at Junction 29a just off the M1 is another boost for our area. To date, Markham Vale has created more than 2,700 jobs, with potentially 800 more on the way thanks to the additional development plots.

Whilst we are all aware that Chesterfield is on the up, we must keep shouting about this as a collective. With a view to maintaining this progress I am excited to see Destination Chesterfield taking the town’s message to the UK’s biggest trade and investment show this May, UKREiiF.

Working alongside Chesterfield Borough Council and businesses in the town’s Property and Construction Group, we will be speaking to colleagues from across the country, helping to explain the wide range of benefits Chesterfield has to offer to inward investors and occupiers.

We’ll make investors aware of our illustrious history of innovation, and our fantastic connectivity and transport links. The fact that you can be in several major cities within just a couple of hours is a huge selling point; one which many other places are quite rightly jealous of!

It’s not just messaging around our town’s range of development sites and commercial workspaces which will be on display.

We will also shout about the fantastic quality of life here in Chesterfield, including our emerging food, drink and leisure offering. There has also been significant new housing delivery in the town over the past few years, which will also appeal to potential occupiers.

The fact that we’re so close to the world-famous Peak District National Park has already attracted major investment – including the £300 million PEAK development, which continues to progress.

Attracting further investment to Chesterfield remains a priority because it benefits everyone connected to the town.

It means more money in the pockets of our residents thanks to the creation of quality jobs, and naturally this leads to more money spent in our independent businesses, helping our economy to grow further.

Whilst we are all understandably concerned by recent reports about the state of the UK’s economy, I am pleased to say that Chesterfield is still moving forward with confidence and optimism – and shows no signs of stopping.

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,

Panel session at major UK trade show to shine a light on the huge potential of devolution for our region

The huge potential of devolution for Chesterfield and the wider East Midlands region will be showcased at a major UK trade event this May.

D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is leading a panel session at the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiif) 2023 in Leeds, to discuss upcoming devolution in the East Midlands for businesses and investors.

The D2N2 region, covering Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, has a proud industrial and manufacturing track record and is at the forefront of economic development, with the East Midlands Freeport and the East Midlands Development Company recently established.

The region is on track to become the home of the UK’s newest and largest combined authority in 2024. The D2N2 area sits in the heart of the country and is very well connected, and benefits from proximity to infrastructure assets such as East Midlands Airport, the M1 and fast rail links, and its central location means that almost 90% of the UK is accessible within a four hour drive.

The panel session will provide the opportunity for delegates to hear from speakers representing D2N2 LEP, the East Midlands Development Company and key businesses in the region, who will share their insights on the benefits and opportunities devolution will bring to the East Midlands.

Delegates will have the opportunity to get involved in the discussion about what the private sector can bring to complement and enhance the newest and largest devolution deal in England, set to leverage at least £38m per year over 30 years.

The panel session will be chaired by Nicolle Ndiweni, Inward Investment and Business Expansion Specialist, Invest in Nottingham, and the panel of speakers will include:

• Will Morlidge – Chief Executive, D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership
• Andrew Roberts – Regional Head of Acquisitions, Yorkshire & Central, Harworth Group
• Andy Dabbs – Board Director, Whittam Cox Architects
• Sir Chris Haworth – Chairman, East Midlands Development Company
• Ellie Hinds – Business Development Manager, Scape Group
• Steve Wooler – Chief Executive, BWB

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield said: “We are very excited to be collaborating with D2N2 LEP, Marketing Derby and Invest in Nottingham to showcase the exciting opportunities to invest in the region. One of the region’s many strengths is the effective collaboration between the public and private sector to drive forward sustainable economic growth. The panel session at UKREiif will showcase this work, and how you can get involved in the future.”

Will Morlidge, Chief Executive of D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) commented: “We are delighted to host this panel session at UKREiif. The East Midlands devolution deal is not just about driving more funding from the Government into our region: it is also a very clear signal from Government that the East Midlands is the vibrant industrial heart of the UK and is a great place to invest. Together with the rest of the panel, I am really looking forward to discussing the unique opportunities that devolution will unlock for businesses and investors in the region and beyond.”

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, added: “As well as championing Derby and Derbyshire, we also regularly collaborate with our partners on projects that benefit the wider region, such as the East Midlands devolution deal, which we are fully behind. Over the years, we have achieved some notable successes, attracting major companies, both national and international, bringing thousands of new jobs to this part of the world and we are excited about the huge potential to do so going forward.”

Lorraine Baggs, Head of Investment at Invest in Nottingham said: “The East Midlands Mayoral Combined Authority presents a fantastic opportunity for our region to combine our strengths. Nottingham’s two world-class Universities provide exceptional talent to our strong industries. We’re experiencing more development in Nottingham than ever before with countless cranes in the sky, and two transformational city centre sites in the Broad Marsh and The Island Quarter. The devolution deal will bring more investment into our growing region.”

Places for the session are open to those registered to attend UKREiif and can be booked here.

Chesterfield Crooked Spire view

Image courtesy of Derbyshire Economic Partnership

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Chesterfield’s Grade A office spaces contribute to town’s ongoing success

Grade A office spaces in Chesterfield are proving a major success, bringing new investment and jobs to the local area. Recently-completed developments are attracting businesses to Chesterfield, as well as providing modern spaces for existing firms in the town to grow.

Examples of this can be seen at the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, One Waterside Place and The HQ. Did you know that office spaces at the Northern Gateway Enterprise centre are already 75% let?

To find out about their success, we’re taking a look at some of the prime locations you can choose from when investing in Chesterfield.

If you want to know more about how Chesterfield’s office spaces can help your business grow, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/office/

One Waterside Place

Grade A One Waterside Place office

For large, modern, and well located office space, look no further than One Waterside Place.

Bolsterstone Group recently delivered the new 36,000 sq ft Grade A office space at Chesterfield Waterside in the Basin Square neighbourhood. This development provides large spaces (up to 15,000 sq ft) which are critical to support inward investment into Chesterfield.

Furthermore, companies based in the centre have the advantage of being a very short walk away from Chesterfield Rail Station.

Tenants including BHP Accountants and Varley have already made One Waterside Place their new home.

Speaking on why Chesterfield is such an attractive proposition for any relocating business, Tom Swallow, Development Manager at Bolsterstone Group said: “Chesterfield has so much going for it. We are centrally located, close to big cities and the Peak District and have amazing transport links.

“Chesterfield station provides a link to London in under two hours. Manchester or Leeds can also be easily reached in just over an hour.

“As well as affordable house prices, Chesterfield also has a great mix of independent and boutique shops, cafes and restaurants.

“The town’s location together with its offer is ideal for companies who are looking at providing a good quality of life for their employees.”

Tom added that he believes the provision of high-quality office space in the town is hugely important. He commented: “It is needed to both help existing companies grow and also support direct inward investment from companies looking to relocate into the area.

“Quality offices are also more sustainable in economic, social and environmental ways. This can benefit companies looking to improve their ESG agenda as well as helping Chesterfield achieve its net zero ambitions.”

Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre

Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre Grade A office space

The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre has exceeded initial expectations since its opening in 2022.

Several organisations are now operating from the building, with more than 75% of the space available already taken.

So, what do businesses love about it? Of course, it’s central location – in the heart of Chesterfield town centre. But tenants also benefit from ‘easy in and out’ letting terms at the Grade A development.

Tenants also benefit from access to a range of other council services. This includes business support and corporate rates for leisure passes, parking permits and conferencing facilities.

With its town centre location, the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is easily accessible by car, train, bus and cycle users. It’s situated opposite the new Saltergate multi-storey car park and close to all major bus routes and Chesterfield Train station.

Edwards Employment Solutions moved into the building in 2022. Managing Director Izabella Edwards commented: “Our move to the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre has been an absolute game changer for us.

“From a business point of view, we are benefitting from the excellent location. People looking for a new job are able to pop in and see us when they are in town. We even have our clients from local businesses coming in to see us!

“We now have such modern and functional facilities to host people – it’s really working well for us.  In addition to this, my team and I are really enjoying being back in Chesterfield Town Centre and making the most out of shopping and eating out at lunchtime.  I would encourage any business thinking about making the move to go for it, we’ve certainly not looked back.”

The HQ

Grade A office space at The HQ, Chesterfield

Specifically designed as a solution to modern ways of working, The HQ recently underwent a £1.225m refurbishment to upgrade the existing building to Grade A office facilities.

With 44,000 sq ft. of flexible and conventional office space, The HQ has been popular with several local and regional businesses. Firms working across various industries operate from the development, including ChargedEv and Derbyshire Police.

Businesses benefit from not only the high-quality space but also the community and support network within the building. This gives them a forum to connect and collaborate with businesses they otherwise may not meet.

Dominic Knowles, Head of Offices at FI Real Estate Management, which operates The HQ commented: “The market town boasts an active and vibrant business community that is keen to forge partnerships, giving local and regional firms the opportunity to expand their networks.

“Chesterfield is also ideally located near the motorway network with great access to the M1; the neighbouring cities of Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham can all be reached within an hour.

“Nestled on the edge of the Peak District and surrounded by a selection of high-quality bars, restaurants and shops, Chesterfield is the perfect location for those looking to create the desired work-life balance.”

Dominic explained why the provision of Grade A office space is key to the town’s future. He added: “Providing quality office space ensures the town keeps pace with nearby cities.

“Investing in office space helps attract more businesses, which then stimulates further investment in the area, boosting employment and enriching the working lives of the local community. It also helps employers incentivise staff to come back into the office.”

Chesterfield Property and Construction Group

Bolsterstone Group, FI Real Estate Management, Whittam Cox Architects and Chesterfield Borough Council are all represtented in the town’s Property and Construction Group, which aims to shape and drive forward collaboration, investment, sustainability and skills within Chesterfield.

Find out more about the group at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/propertygroup/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , , , , ,

Signs of growth and confidence among businesses for year ahead, finds East Midlands Chamber study

After suffering a series of knocks over the past three years, East Midlands businesses are finally optimistic about what 2023 could bring, according to new research into the state of the region’s economy.

Uncertainty has been replaced with confidence, there has been a turnaround in sales and companies are now expecting to employ more people once again, East Midlands Chamber’s latest study illustrates.

Economic indicators covered by the business representation group’s Quarterly Economic Survey (QES), which is delivered in partnership with the University of Leicester School of Business, have been largely negative since the end of 2021, but they are all now heading in the right direction during the first quarter of 2023.

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Chris Hobson said: “Following an uncertain end to 2022, these latest findings demonstrate how businesses are beginning 2023 by displaying signs of growth and an increasing confidence for the year ahead.

“Sales and advanced orders are steadily growing, cashflow is improving – although there are still significantly more businesses reporting a decline in cashflow (35%) as opposed to an increase (22%) – and price pressures continue their gradual drop-off.

“The relative certainty in the policy environment, at least compared to the constant flip-flopping that came before, is now leading to a significant upturn in business confidence and, therefore, investment intentions, which are crucial if we are to steer the economy back on track and achieve consistent growth.

“While the region’s unemployment rate has been at historically low levels in recent times, our research had shown a decline in employers recruiting – mainly due to an extremely tight labour market driven by escalating numbers of economically inactive people since the dawn of the pandemic combined with longstanding skills shortages.

“So it’s pleasing to see a positive swing, with a 7% increase in the proportion of businesses recruiting in the past three months and a 14% improvement in those expecting to add to their workforce before the summer, as this generates jobs and prosperity locally.

“While all this paints a far healthier picture than at the end of 2022, caution is required as many of these indicators are still down from where we were a year ago.

“We are moving slowly in the right direction but Government support is still required to ‘get the basics right’ by knocking down the everyday barriers to doing business, and then backing our firms to grow the economy by focusing on the ‘four Is’ – investment, innovation, infrastructure and international trade – all of which is laid out in our Business Manifesto for Growth.”

East Midlands Chamber QES Q1 2023 data

Key findings from the Quarterly Economic Survey Q1 2023 for the East Midlands*, which was completed by 347 organisations between 13 February and 9 March, included:

  • UK sales grew by a net 1% between Q4 2022 and Q1 2023, with UK advanced orders up by 15%. Overseas sales and advanced orders were both up by 6% quarter on quarter
  • A net 12% of businesses added to their headcount in the first three months of 2023, marking a 7% increase compared to the previous quarter, while a net 30% of firms expect to recruit new staff in the next three months – a 14% increase
  • Recruitment problems persist but are dropping off gradually – six in 10 (59%) businesses attempted to recruit in Q1 2023 and, of those, 73% faced problems filling roles, but this was down from 81% in Q4 2022
  • A net 52% of businesses expect they will be forced to raise prices as they grapple with rising costs for people, energy, raw materials and fuel – although this is down from 57% in the previous quarter
  • While a net 13% of firms reported a decrease in cashflow, there was a 4% positive swing
  • Investment intentions are now trending upwards, with a 12% increase quarter on quarter in the net proportion of firms saying they will invest in training and a 6% rise for investing in plant and machinery
  • Business confidence is now in positive territory, with a net 39% optimistic about growing turnover over the coming year – a 15% rise compared to last quarter – and a net 8% (up by 11%) expecting to improve profitability.

Professor Mohamed Shaban, associate dean for business and civic engagement at the University of Leicester School of Business, said: “The survey results are yet another testament to the resilience of businesses in the East Midlands.

“Despite the challenges in the past few years, businesses have successfully navigated their way through the uncertain domestic and global economic environment.

“Businesses have endured credit tightening, an inflationary environment, supply chain disruptions and skilled labour shortages, which have collectively hindered the possibilities for growth.

“New initiatives are required to support businesses to invest in technologies that help them achieve higher levels of automation, nudge them towards net zero goals and empower them to invest in upskilling employees.”

Commerce House

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Central Technology receives prestigious industry recognition with VCSP award

Chesterfield’s Central Technology is celebrating success after winning Veeam Software‘s Cloud Services Provider ‘Partner of the Year’ 2022 award. 

Veeam Software is a global IT company which develops backup, disaster recovery and modern data protection software for virtual, cloud-native, SaaS, Kubernetes and physical workloads.

As a partner-centric organisation, Veeam recognises partners that leveraged customer support and Veeam expertise to deliver Modern Data Protection in increasingly complex IT environments so that the most diverse workload types, data, and applications are protected.

Alex Walsh, Channel & Alliances Director UK&I at Veeam, explained: “2022 added to the challenges businesses were already facing as they emerged from the global pandemic. Chief among them was the ever-present and rising incidence of ransomware attacks, that left only 24% of UK&I organisations unaffected. With secure, immutable backups the last line of defence against ransomware, protecting enterprise IT across all ecosystems is essential to keep businesses running.”

As a long-standing partner of Veeam, Central Technology offers clients Veeam-powered backup and recovery solutions. The firm’s cloud services are built on a foundation of innovation, reliability, and security, with a commitment  to delivering exceptional customer service and technical expertise. 

CT’s team of experts provides customers with 24/7 support and proactive monitoring, ensuring that their systems are always up and running. The firm’s customer-centric approach has helped it build long-term relationships with customers, resulting in high customer satisfaction and retention rates. 

Rob Longden, Managing Director at Central Technology states: “Winning the Veeam Cloud Services Provider Partner of the Year 2022 award is a proud moment for us, and we are grateful to our customers and partners for their support.

“We believe that this recognition is a testament to our commitment to delivering exceptional cloud services and to our vision of becoming a leading IT solutions provider in the United Kingdom and beyond.

“We look forward to continuing our partnership with Veeam and delivering world-class cloud services to our customers for many years to come.”

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

Central Technology VCSP win

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Award-winning Chesterfield FC Community Trust programme recognised by experts

A pioneering, award-winning programme delivered by the Chesterfield FC Community Trust, in partnership with three other organisations has the potential to be rolled out across the UK, according to healthcare industry experts.

Thr1ve Young People’s Social Prescribing Service recently won the award for Most Effective Contribution to Integrated Health and Care at the recent HSJ Partnership Awards 2023.

Judges described the work done by the Thr1ve team as “outstanding” and commented: “The passion and energy from the panel shone through. It’s a simple solution to a very complex issue.

“The service is genuinely embedded into the community and the data sharing solution is ground-breaking. There is huge potential for spread and scale across the UK.”

Jayne Bacon, the Trust’s chief operating officer, said: “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved across the partnership.

“I hope this recognition will inspire others to prioritise integrated care and work towards creating healthier, more connected communities for young people.”

The programme is delivered by the Trust in partnership with Derbyshire Voluntary Action, Derbyshire Community Health Services FT and North Hardwick & Bolsover Primary Care Network.

Their mission is to reach out to young people struggling with their confidence and connections. Thr1ve recognises young people’s potential and offers support to help boost confidence, independence and participation.

THR1VE aims to fill a gap in NHS mental health services between early intervention and CAMHS support for more serious conditions.

Winners in a total of 21 categories were announced during a ceremony at Evolution London, hosted by comedian Joel Dommett, which was attended by over 900 guests and marked the achievements of a total of 141 finalists.

National healthcare leaders and professionals from both the NHS and private sector, as well as figures from non-clinical backgrounds, celebrated the crucial contributions of the private and third sector within the NHS.

Chesterfield FC’s Community Trust and Derbyshire Voluntary Action support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

CFC Trust Thr1ve programme award

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“Together we can all help bring about lasting change and prosperity to the town”

Destination Chesterfield Chair, Peter Swallow is calling on everyone associated with Chesterfield to ‘talk up the town’ and collaborate further to ensure the local economy continues to thrive in the future.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, we ALL need to talk up the town.

There is more than £2 billion of investment in progress and on the way across our borough to help ensure that we all have a bright future ahead of us. The lasting and far reaching change we are striving for in Chesterfield cannot be done by one organisation alone; it must be a collaborative effort.

We all have a role and responsibility to tell people about the many great reasons they should live, work, invest and stay here.

Chesterfield’s geographical position within the UK is hard to beat. We are centrally located with excellent road and rail links and a number of major airports within a 90 minute drive.

Furthermore, the benefits of our proximity to the Peak District National Park should not  be underestimated. Chesterfield is the gateway to this wonderful landscape, and it attracts millions of visitors each year – with around half of them staying overnight and many of them passing through the town to get to the Peak District.

Herein lies our challenge. By talking up the town to friends, relatives, colleagues and suppliers from outside the area, we can attract more people to visit and stay overnight in Chesterfield rather than just passing through, the result being more revenue for the town as a whole.

Increasing the visitor economy of the town by 20% is one of the key targets in the Chesterfield Growth Strategy which has been launched by Chesterfield Borough Council.

By increasing the visitor economy, we will also help create jobs for local people and opportunities for existing and new businesses.

We must all shout about what the town has to offer to holiday makers visiting the Peak District.

Living and working in the town on a daily basis, we can often become complacent about what it has to offer visitors to the area.

We have a variety of places to stay, including the award-winning Casa Hotel, as well as great road, rail and bus links into the Peak District. You can even cycle from the town into the Peak District.

Beyond our world famous Crooked Spire Church and the Brampton Mile, we have two theatres, Chesterfield FC, historic market, restaurants, bars, cafes, boutique shops, live music venues, Queen’s Park – which is host to many wonderful events like the cricket and concerts in summer… I could go on, the list of reasons to visit and stay in Chesterfield are endless.

Having a thriving local economy is key to developing conversations with national investors and ensuring Chesterfield continues to grow and develop. If we want to see the town thrive in an increasingly competitive market, we need to do more collectively. We must champion Chesterfield outside the area in order to help us bring investment into the borough and create highly skilled jobs.

Together we can all help bring about lasting change and prosperity to the town which will benefit local people now and future generations.

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Chesterfield business leaders congratulate colleagues in Derby on winning bid for Great British Railways HQ

Leaders in Chesterfield have congratulated the team behind Derby’s winning bid to bring the headquarters of Great British Railways to the county.

The Department for Transport has confirmed that the city has beaten off competition from locations around the country, including Birmingham, Newcastle and York, to be selected as the home of Britain’s rail network.

This is expected to bring a number of benefits to Chesterfield, with several rail supply chain businesses already located here.

The news also comes as a new rail innovation and training centre The Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) is being developed in Barrow Hill, as one of the projects outlined in the Staveley Town Deal.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted to learn of the news that Derby has been successful in its bid to become the new headquarters for Great British Railways.

“I was pleased to offer Chesterfield Borough Council’s full support for Derby’s bid, and we look forward to working with the City to see how the Government’s decision to invest in Derby can also benefit our long-held ambition to grow the rail sector in Chesterfield.

“Through the Staveley Town Deal we are working with partners to develop the Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) at Barrow Hill Roundhouse. DRIIVe will provide a base for training the next generation of railway engineers and pioneering new advances within the rail sector through the provision of facilities for research and development.

“Given our proximity to Derby and the positive relationships we have built up with the City Council in our support of their bid, we very much hope that Chesterfield will be able to benefit from Derby cementing its place at the heart of Great Britain’s rail industry.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented: “I’m delighted to hear that Great British Railways has committed to locating it’s new HQ here in Derbyshire, as it will undoubtedly provide a boost to our economy here in Chesterfield.

“It gives us a big opportunity to build on our industrial roots and showcase our town’s credentials as a thriving hub of innovation. Chesterfield has always been a town with strong links to the rail industry, not forgetting of course that George Stephenson made our town his home for a number of years.”

“We have a number of businesses locally working in the supply chain for the rail sector, and having Great British Railways situated within our county will mean more opportunities for those existing firms, alongside unlocking more potential investment in our area.”

“I would like to congratulate everyone who was involved in making this bid a success, and look forward to seeing how this development will help to shape the economic landscape of our area in years to come.”

Mervyn Allcock, General Manager at Barrow Hill Ltd. said: “The news of Great British Railways being headquartered in nearby Derby is fantastic news for our town.

“We look forward to build on the town’s strong industrial heritage with the development of DRIIVe at Barrow Hill, which will provide the sector with the high-level skills required to help grow our rail infrastructure nationally.

“This will help to bring more economic prosperity to Chesterfield with quality job opportunities for local people, unlocking further growth across Chesterfield and Staveley.”

Barrow hill web main

Barrow Hill Roundhouse, Chesterfield

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Chesterfield reveals ambition to increase visitor economy by £32 million

Ahead of English Tourism Week 2023 (17 – 23 March), Chesterfield has announced its bold ambition to increase the value of its visitor economy by 20% by 2030.

A 20% increase in tourism will bring an additional £32 million into the economy annually helping create jobs for local people and opportunities for existing and new businesses.

The town will build on its heritage, retail and leisure offering as well as its proximity to the Peak District National Park, to increase the number of overnight stays in the town.

As part of its drive to attract people to visit and stay in the town, the town’s inward investment marketing campaign Destination Chesterfield has appealed to businesses and residents to ‘talk up the town’ within their networks and help attract visitors.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield said: “Chesterfield has an excellent offer for visitors, as well as the town’s close proximity to one of the most visited National Parks in the world. There is an opportunity for us to attract more people to visit and stay overnight in Chesterfield using the town as a base rather than just passing through on their way to the Peak District.”

The Peak District currently welcomes more than 13 million visitors annually with 83% of these arriving by car. Attracting some of these visitors to stay in Chesterfield and using its bus and rail links to visit surrounding areas, including major attractions like Chatsworth House, will not only benefit the borough’s economy but also support the Park Authority’s Sustainable Transport Action Plan.

Additionally, there are cycle paths into the Peak District, the border of which is just five miles from the town centre.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire praised Chesterfield’s ambitions, saying: “Tourism already plays a vital role in making the area such a brilliant place to live, work and visit, and we strongly support Chesterfield’s ambition to grow the value of its visitor economy even further.

“The tourism sector generates billions of pounds for the local economy each year, supporting thousands of local jobs and displaying huge potential for future growth, particularly in areas such as sustainable and active travel, which Chesterfield can really capitalise on.

“Growing and developing the town’s tourism offer will not only benefit local businesses, it will also have a positive and lasting effect on local residents and communities. We look forward to working with partners in Chesterfield to support them in achieving this goal and ensuring the visitor economy’s long-term success.”

Mark Thurman, Managing Director of Casa Hotels which owns and operates two four-star hotels in the borough, urged people to ‘celebrate what we’ve already got,’ saying: “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We have wonderful accommodation, great restaurants and fantastic transport links to bring people to Chesterfield to then go and explore the surrounding area. We don’t need to do anything other than celebrate what we’ve already got.”

The town’s proximity to the Peak District has already attracted major investment to the borough including the £300 million PEAK, an all-year-round round leisure education, wellness and entertainment destination. PEAK’s masterplan has been developed around a transport and mobility system connected to the National Park. Phase one of the development, Gateway at PEAK, which is being developed by Milligan is expected to be completed in 2025.

celebrate 2023 visitor economy panel

Experts discuss Chesterfield’s visitor economy at Celebrate Chesterfield 2023. (Left to right: Jo Dilley – Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, Phil Bramley – Derbyshire Times, Mark Thurman – Casa Hotels, Jimmy Drew – Derbyshire County Cricket Club)

The town is already home to the award-winning Casa Hotel and further hotel accommodation is planned within the £320 million Chesterfield Waterside scheme located close to the close to town’s mainline train station. The developer, Bolsterstone Group Plc, is in talks with major hotel brands to operate the proposed 120-bed hotel within Phase 1 of the scheme. The new hotel will be a further addition to the popular 92-bed Premier Inn Hotel which was opened within the Elder Way development in the town centre in 2019.

Increasing the visitor economy of the town is one of the key targets in the 2023-27 Chesterfield Growth Strategy which was launched by Chesterfield Borough Council on 23 February. In addition to growing the visitor economy, key headline targets, include:

  • Increasing the number of employee jobs in the borough by 4% (2,000 jobs)
  • Increasing the number of businesses by 12% (400 businesses)
  • Increasing the number of higher value businesses by 15% (100 businesses)
  • Increasing the share of Chesterfield residents in knowledge-based occupations by 15% (baseline Census 21 – 18,000)
  • Increasing the value of the visitor economy by 20% (baseline £163m)

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “We are already a fantastic visitor destination but growing our visitor economy strengthens growth across the borough, it leads to more people supporting our local businesses and town centre. This will in turn create new jobs and opportunities for our residents. To do this we need to work closely with our partners to promote our town, we have excellent transport connections, fantastic accommodation choices and our proximity to the Peak District puts us in a very strong position to bring more people to our town.”

Peter added: “The lasting and far reaching change we are striving for in Chesterfield cannot be done by one organisation alone; it must be a collaborative effort. By doing this, there is a real opportunity to build a thriving visitor economy in the town.”

Chatsworth Country Fair

Chatsworth Country Fair – Image by Chatsworth House Trust

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