News: Chocoberry sets date for Rotherham opening

Chocoberry, one of the UK’s leading handcrafted luxury dessert cafés, has announced that its new dessert café in Rotherham will open later this month.

Rothbiz reported first on work getting underway in July to convert a former Chinese restaurant on Barbot Hall Industrial Estate.

Founded in Leicester in 2018, Chocoberry is known across the UK for its extravagant and unique desserts – from knafeh ‘Dubai Chocolate’ strawberries to tiramisu French toast – and innovative all-day brunch menu.

The Chocoberry menu also includes indulgent desserts such as various cakes and cheesecakes, kanafeh, cookie dough, crepes, waffles, macarons, churros, sundaes, hot drinks, milkshakes and mocktails.

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Quality is at the centre of Chocoberry’s offer. The brand only ever uses the finest ingredients, including premium Belgian chocolate and small-batch, speciality roasted coffee. Meanwhile, its baked goods use its own-developed recipes and are baked in-house at the Chocoberry Bakery, creating a truly unique customer experience.

Operators say that the new café in Rotherham will offer a "relaxing and highly aesthetic environment for customers to relax with friends or family. Its menu can also be ordered for takeaway or via local delivery partners, offering the perfect afternoon or evening indulgence."

The national brand, which is one of Deliveroo’s most ordered, will begin serving its extravagant desserts to customers on Friday December 19, with plans for a celebratory opening party with special offers and giveaways.

Ameer Nurmahomed, UK General Manager at Chocoberry, said: “When our doors open later this month, dessert lovers are in for a real treat. Our combination of delicious baked goods, speciality coffee, and extravagant and viral desserts will create a new go-to destination for unique dessert experiences and is unlike anything already in Rotherham. We look forward to introducing consumers to the brand and playing our part within the local community.”

At Rother Court on Mangham Road, the new location has most recently been home to Lin Palace. It was previously Lihoma and Papa Luigi's.

Chocoberry website

Images: Chocoberry

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News: The Food Warehouse confirmed for Parkgate

Owners of Parkgate Shopping have confirmed that The Food Warehouse will be opening at the popular Rotherham retail destination.

Long term tenants have also committed to new leases.

Rothbiz reported last month that following TUI's relocation, The Food Warehouse was eyeing up the former TUI unit next to Morrisons.

The Food Warehouse is part of the Iceland Foods Group and is revolutionising the way that people shop in stores. It takes the same product lines as Iceland and extends them in a warehouse space, giving customers the ability to buy in bulk and take advantage of the savings.

The 12,500 sq ft store is a newly reconfigured store space that will be worked on over the coming months ahead of the store’s opening in 2026.

The news is paired with a series of recommitments from favourites including Asda Living, Boots and River Island, highlighting the confidence big retail brands have in the park.

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Mark Kanaris-Sotiriou, Senior Operations Manager at Parkgate, said: “We are so excited to be able to share the news that The Food Warehouse has signed to open up at Parkgate in 2026. Parkgate has become a true one-stop shop for our customers, offering a wide range of restaurants, big-name national and international brands, fitness facilities, and the convenience of getting everything in one place. The Parkgate experience has only been improved by the recent opening of the link road and the free-to-use park and ride on our doorstep. We’re looking forward to seeing our shoppers exploring the new store when it opens and we hope to confirm timings and share other exciting updates soon.”

mydentist is also joining the line-up, taking the former Superdrug unit. mydentist, the UK’s leading provider of affordable dental care, will be opening a brand-new facility at Parkgate and has been recognised as a CoStar Awards Quarterly Deals winner for top leasing deal in Yorkshire & Humberside.

Kanaris-Sotiriou, added: “It’s an incredibly exciting time here at Parkgate, as we prepare to welcome our very first dentist to the shopping park, further cementing our reputation as the go-to destination for our customers’ needs. Whether it’s fashion, groceries, fitness, or now dental care, Parkgate truly offers something for everyone. We’re also thrilled to be welcoming Iceland’s The Food Warehouse which we’re confident will be a favourite amongst our shoppers, giving them the chance to stock up on all their favourite products for less.”

The Food Warehouse website
mydentist website
Parkgate Shopping website

Images: Iceland / Parkgate Shopping

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News: Up to 800 houses planned for Rotherham greenbelt site

Another planning application is being prepared for new housing on greenbelt land in Rotherham - this time in Dinnington and the largest single development yet for so-called "safeguarded land."

Rothbiz has reported on a number of proposed developments in Rotherham this year that are for sites in the local plan that were designated as "safeguarded land" rather than sites designated for housing. The 2018 plan set out that they may be needed in the future and taken out of the greenbelt after the end of the plan period in 2028.

Planning consultants are hoping to convince the local planning authority that the land should be used now to address the borough's housing needs.

Now Vistry Group, the company that builds more UK homes than anyone else, has engaged with agents to begin planning enquiries with Rotherham Council on a large parcel of farm land near Dinnington.

Savills listed a 26.71 hectare site at Oldcotes Road, Throapham for sale as development land. Historically in arable use, it is next to a smaller residential development site to the west which is owned by Harron Homes and is under development.

Early stage plans from Vistry East Yorkshire have been drafted to explore the prospects of residential development at the site for up to 800 dwellings.

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Plans, drawn up by agents, Savills, state: "The proposed development is for up to 800 dwellings across a mix of sizes and tenures in accordance with affordable housing and the most up-to-date housing mix information.

"The Site can be accessed via Oldcotes Road and Leys Lane, with the indicative proposals having a access from both roads.

"The Site is wholly in Flood Zone 1. There is an area in the centre of the Site which is at high risk of surface water flooding, albeit no development is proposed within this area."

Plans add that detailed drainage designs are being prepared, with indicative proposals showing an attenuation basin on the eastern side of the centre of the site.

Funding could also be provided to improve Lodge Lane and Leys Lane crossroads.

The local plan designated Dinnington East as a Broad Location of Growth and agents argue that the housing requirement for the borough has not been met. This site, SLS13 in the local plan, was identified for 759 dwellings in the longer term.

A public consultation and an outline planning application are expected.

Vistry website

Images: Savills

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News: Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub set to boost deep tech startups in South Yorkshire

The Royal Academy of Engineering has launched a new Enterprise Hub in Sheffield, designed to support local engineering and technology innovators and entrepreneurs with equity-free funding, smart and flexible training and mentoring from industry experts.

The academy is a charity that harnesses the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone.

The Academy believes Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire region has all the vital ingredients to grow the number of local emerging deep tech companies. The city hosts over 60,000 students across the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University. Together, they produce a strong pipeline of STEM graduates and postgraduates, with a higher STEM enrolment share (55%) than the national average (45%).

In common with other regional universities, retention of talent is a significant issue post-graduation. Many former students leave the area within a couple of years for bigger cities, particularly London.

However, Sheffield has a high volume of engineering employment and productivity, with strengths in manufacturing and process innovation. It has a skilled workforce, with 45% of the working-age population holding NVQ4+ qualifications, slightly above the national average.

The Enterprise Hub offers access to the mentoring capability of the highly talented engineers and business leaders that make up the Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship with smart and flexible training designed around the needs of entrepreneurs Equity-free funding is also an importnat part of the hub.

The Academy has recently set out its Strategy 2030, with the aim of ‘Engineering better lives’, and regional Enterprise Hubs are an important part of how they will do that. By becoming embedded in local innovation ecosystems, the Hubs can understand and respond to regional needs, enabling the Academy to deliver meaningful impact at a local, national, and global level.

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Oliver Coppard, Mayor, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority said: "The launch of the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub in Sheffield is yet more evidence of South Yorkshire’s ambition to build a bigger, better, and fairer economy. It adds further strength to our local innovation ecosystem and will help our businesses start, scale, and lead global industries.

“Supporting new, regional collaborations like this one will help to deliver the kind of good growth that restores pride, purpose, and prosperity to every community in South Yorkshire. We are investing in the support system that is needed so businesses with growth ambitions have the opportunity to stay near and go far."

Gillian Gregg, Associate Director, Regional Engagement at the Royal Academy of Engineering, added: “We look forward to working with Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield councils to deliver opportunities for talented people in the area, so they can translate their ideas into successful business that can set seed and bloom in Yorkshire.”

“We have been working with founders in the region for some time and hope that by having a physical presence in Sheffield, this will act as a beacon to attract more entrepreneurs to the community, as we continue to work alongside regional leaders to build and deliver on the region’s engineering economy ambition”

The Enterprise Hub Sheffield has been established with support from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) including a £122,000 grant.

Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub website

Images: RAENG

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News: Change of use plans approved for Empire in Rotherham town centre

More events are being booked in at the iconic Empire Theatre in Rotherham town centre with Rotherham Council planners now approving its new use.

A sold out charity Northern Soul featuring legends Russ Winstanley and Norman Jay MBE took place in November bringing hundreds to the venue for the first time in years.

The former cinema on Ship Hill / High Street in the town centre is a large restoration project. It is also known as the Essoldo building and was built in 1913 as the Empire Theatre. It has since operated as a cinema, snooker hall and nightclub.

The site is allocated for retail purposes in the borough's Local Plan but the applicant, SME Holdings Ltd, has secured permission for the change of use of the premises from a night club use to a theatre / music venue use class. Both uses are considered "sui generis" in planning terms as they are uses that do not fit into any other standard planning use class categories.

The plans stated: "The use will fall under the recent use class of Sui Generis covering all aspects of entertainment that the client feels the building will need in order to be successful.

"The predominant use will be as a Music venue, this includes an alcohol licence for drinks to be consumed on the premises which we believe is what the current building use currently has. It is important that the building has a diverse use if it is to thrive and this will include drinking establishment, venue for live music as well as recorded music, concert hall, dance hall, nightclub and theatre."

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The building is in the town centre, but not on a primary shopping street, so a use as a venue is acceptable. In terms of the impact on neighbouring businesses and residents, the Council’s Environmental Health Officer stated: "The building already has permission for use as a nightclub and it is therefore considered that the levels of noise that would be generated as a result of the proposed use would be similar to its previously use, and it is therefore not likely to result in any additional impact on local amenity."

Plans were approved without going before the council's planning board.

Rothbiz reported in August that the operators had applied for a premises licence with the opening hours from 12:00 to 04:30 with licenced activities, including the sale by retail of alcohol for consumption on the premises only, taking place until 4am.

The next scheduled event is on Saturday December 6, when local producer Shak Jackson Presents: The Afters - An Afternoon of Piano House. An afternoon of Motown is set for December 13 featuring soul singer Andy Abraham. A Jingle Bell Ball on December 19 is expected to be a highlight of the festive party season.

Empire Theatre website

Images: Empire Theatre

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