News: Rotherham car showroom goes up for sale

An empty car showroom in Rotherham has been put up for sale with many residents already raising concerns over its future use as a supermarket.

Rothbiz reported in June that JCT600 had closed its Volkswagen Rotherham site in Wickersley following a decision made at the end of last year, before the car industry was hit by the Coronavius pandemic.

Many residents already believe that the site has been earmarked by German discount supermarket, Lidl.

The prominent site on Bawtry Road has now gone up for sale with agents Knight Frank and Eaton Commercial.

The asking price for the freehold is £1.55m and a leasehold may also be considered

The site extends to 1.277 acres (0.517 hectares) and currently includes the vacant double fronted showroom plus space previously used for offices, parts and workshops. The buildings on site total 17,700 sq ft with space for over 100 cars.

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Regarding rumours of Lidl moving in, a spokesperson for Wickersley Parish Council, said: "Many local people have contacted the Parish about the possibility of a Lidl Supermarket opening on the site of the former JCT600 / VW garage premises at 245 Bawtry Road S66 2JL.

"At this point in time the Parish is unaware of any planning application in relation to this having been made to Rotherham Borough Council.

"We would encourage anyone concerned to keep their own check on the portal for planning applications on the RMBC website."

Lidl publishes its property requirements and in Rotherham it has site requirements for Kimberworth, Maltby, Rawmarsh, Swallownest and Wickersley/Bramley.

Looking to take on the "Big Four" supermarkets and rival chain, Aldi, Lidl had aims to go from 800 to 1,000 stores by 2023. Its most recent opening in Rotherham was at Dalton and plans have been submitted for a site in Swallownest.

The Bawtry Road site, which was kept within the residential area in the borough's local plan, is smaller than the 1.5 acres plus for standalone stores that Lidl requires.

Images: Knight Frank

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News: Rotherham broadband provider launching Origin TV

A shared vision has seen Origin Broadband and Netgem join forces to offer Origin TV, a new multiscreen service.

The new product is designed to complement Origin Broadband's "customer first" model – offering a superb entertainment experience at a great price and as a genuine alternative to the traditional expensive broadband TV offerings.

Launching in 2011, Origin has developed its own infrastructure and now host the sixth largest broadband network in the UK. Supplying phone and internet services to businesses and homes across the UK, it is based in Rotherham town centre.

Origin TV combines a wealth of free live and On-demand content from public broadcasters, YouTube and YouTube Kids, genre based "go to" channels, along with premium sport content through Premier Sports, with access to Spanish and Italian top football matches exclusively from LaLiga and the Serie A.

No less than 150 games will broadcast live in HD and be included in the bundle price in the coming weeks as LaLiga, Serie A and the UK Premier League resume. Additionally, Origin customers can also use their Amazon Prime accounts to watch unlimited series and movies, sign up to Britbox, or even watch the latest cinema releases on Rakuten TV – all through one unique discovery and search experience, powered by Netgem TV.

Origin plans for further product and customer growth throughout 2021 with Origin TV being a key part of the growth strategy, offering customers more choice, better value and an upgraded service.

Netgem TV, whose service was named "Most Advanced TV service" at the 2019 Video Tech Awards, and who offers "the best 2020 Freeview Play set-top box in the UK" as awarded by Expert Review, was selected as the perfect partner to deliver Origin’s ambitious plans.

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Oliver Bryssau, CEO at Origin Broadband, said: "Origin has enjoyed double-digit growth in a highly competitive marketplace, and the low-cost yet high-quality and flexible television service provided by Netgem was the perfect tool to continue to drive that growth forwards.

"Netgem allows us to provide a genuine value broadband and video package alternative to the £50/m and upwards routinely charged by our competitors, and has allowed us to do so quickly and with very little capital exposure."

The Netgem TV service is designed for maximum consumer convenience, acting as a "one stop shop" for all their video content needs, whether that is free-to-air television, YouTube, or any one of the app-based premium services that can be accessed on a convenient and flexible month-to-month basis. As such it is a perfect fit for the agile altnets that are flourishing in the UK and Ireland and transforming the landscape of ultra-fast broadband provision.

Sylvain Thevenot, chief commercial and customer officer, at Netgem TV, said: "There was no better partner than Origin Broadband to introduce the next evolution of our TV service in the UK, offering greater choice at better value to the consumer and a fast launching solution to ISPs looking to add video to their services and expand their reach,” says

"The altnets are seeing great success in the currently challenging economy and we believe that adding flexible, high quality and value-conscious video services to their offering, as Origin Broadband has just done, will help continue to drive their growth forward and increase customer loyalty.”

Origin Broadband website

Images: Origin Broadband

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News: Isopharm acquired

Entrepreneur, Andrew Kemp, has overseen the acquisition of his software business that started life being nurtured through its crucial early stages in Rotherham.

Software firm, CODE, recently completed the acquisition of Sheffield-based Isopharm, a specialist provider of knowledge, training and products to those conducting the decontamination of medical products. The acquisition brings together a market leading compliance platform with the largest provider of online CPD for dental practitioners, creating a market leader in dental compliance.

Back in 1999 Andrew developed his business idea of a computerised temperature monitoring system for checking the performance of sterilising equipment used in hospitals and other medical establishments. Its validation systems and software offerings became the benchmark solution for healthcare engineers carrying out testing on decontamination equipment.

From his office in his parents' home, then-called Sentry Products Ltd, found help from Rotherham Youth Enterprise (RYE), who offered him grant-aided rented space at its Treeton Youth Business Support Centre. Further support, development and growth saw the business move into premises at Maltby.

In 2005 the business was able to make a reverse take-over of another company, Isopharm, operating in the same field and this soon required another change of premises.

As a result, the business moved to a business complex in the grounds of Sandbeck Park at Firbeck. Another move followed to Parkgate but in 2016, it outgrew its Rotherham offices and moved to a site in Sheffield.

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Investment firm, August Equity completed the acquisition of CODE in 2019 and following four years of dialogue between Isopharm and August Equity, a deal was concluded earlier this year.

Andrew Kemp, founder of Isopharm, said: "CODE is the perfect platform for the next stage of innovative solutions we had planned at Isopharm; we are delighted to be joining forces”.

James Bakewell, director at August Equity and CODE, added: "We are thrilled to have been able to unite CODE and Isopharm to create a highly unique and strategic compliance-focussed business in a market that offers significant opportunity. The combination of software-led compliance solutions and online training to the healthcare market is exciting – a market that’s undergoing a technology-focussed structural shift. We are extremely excited about combining the businesses and working closely with Andrew and the team at Isopharm."

August Equity raised its 5th fund, of £309m, in January 2020, enabling the continuation of its strategy to invest in high growth, exciting businesses.

Isopharm website

Images: Isopharm

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News: The Rotherham restaurants where you can Eat Out to Help Out

A smörgåsbord of Rotherham restaurants, bars, cafes and other establishments are taking part in a Government scheme to offer discounts throughout August.

The offer is a 50% discount on food or non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in (up to a maximum of £10 discount per diner) every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between August 3 and 31, as many times as you like.

You don't need a voucher to use the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme and you can use it at the same time as other offers and discounts. There is no minimum spend but alcoholic drinks and service charges are excluded.

Participating establishments will just remove the discount from their bill. Businesses simply reclaim the discounted amount through an online service, supported by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

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Rotherham venues that have so far registered for the scheme include:

Aston
Aston Hall Hotel
Ricardo's Cafe and Bistro

Aughton
Robin Hood

Bramley
Bannatyne's
The King Henry
McDonald's
Morrisons Cafe
Sir Jack

Brecks
Bay Tree Bistro
Beefeater
Brecks Social Club

Brinsworth
The Centre Community Cafe
JoJo's Cafe
Phoenix Pavillion
No.21 coffee shop & bistro
The Three Magpies

Broom
The Homestead

Canklow
KFC
McDonald's

Catcliffe
BB's Coffee Shop
Whitby's

Dinnington
Aroma Coffee Shop
Dolcetti Coffee House and Bistro
Monks Bridge Farm
Paulo's
The Royal Elephant
Whiter's Cafe & Bistro

East Dene
Clarky's Sandwich Shop

Eastwood
Buzz Bingo
KFC
McDonald's
Taco Bell
Toby Carvery
Yoh! Burger

Firbeck
The Black Lion

Greasbrough
The Mill Dam

Harthill
The Beehive

Hellaby
Hellaby Hall Hotel

Herringthopre
Tabard

Kimberworth
Akbar's
The Drawbridge
The Droppingwell
Manor Barn
Wimpy

Kimberworth Park
Kimberworth Park
Ring o Bells
Tuck In Cafe

Kiveton Park
The Station

Maltby
The Cove Coffee House
The Haynook
Queens Hotel

Manvers
Blue Bell Inn
Coffee St.
KFC
Manvers Lake Cafe
Onyx Fish Bar
Thai Garden

Moorgate
Carlton Park Hotel
Brentwood Hotel

North Anston
Little Mester
Tropical Butterfly House

Parkgate
Caffe Cristinacce
The Fitzwilliam Arms Hotel
George's
Greetings Cafe
Jump INCflated
McDonald's
Morrisons Cafe
Parkgate Fisheries
Starbuck's
Story Teller
Subway
Urban Burger
W&J Bakery & Cafe

Rawmarsh
Big B's
The Earl Grey
The Marquis

Scholes
The Bay Horse

Stag
Cuccinis

Swallownest
The Cafe at the Corner
Elmwood Farm
Starbuck's

Swinton
The Alder Tree
Broadway Diner
Cinimon
Foodiez
The Gate Inn
The Kings Head
The Little Siam Tea Room
Potteries Tea Rooms
Ring o Bells
Spice Lounge

Templeborough
Magna
Riverside

Thorpe Hesley
The Masons Arms

Thorpe Salvin
The Parish Oven

Thurcroft
Double Barrel
The Greasy Spoon

Thrybergh
Earl of Strafford
The Lord Reresby

Todwick
Greenbean Coffee Shop & Bistro
Red Lion

Town centre
Bluecoat
Churchills Bistro
Corner Cafe
Ginge's Snap
George Wright Boutique Hotel Bar & Restaurant
Guests Tea Room and Coffee Shop
E'Lupo's
Hygge
Interchange Cafe
McDonald's
Mecca Bingo
Pantry Green
Rajas
Rhinoceros
Sabirs Grill
Subway
The Plaice To Be
Zaika

Wales
Asia Palace
Aston Springs Farm
Rother Valley Golf Centre

Wath
Cafe Naaz
The Church House
G J's Cafe
The Glasshouse

Waverley
Winter Green

Wentworth
Le Bistro
The George & Dragon
Rockingham Arms
Village Tea Room and Garden

Whiston
The Chequers Inn
The Golden Ball
The Hind
The Sitwell Arms

Wickersley
Chaudrys
The Courtyard
Masons Arms
The Olive Lounge
Gas Lamp
Seven Seas

Woodlaithes
Woodman

Woodsetts
The Butchers Arms

The list will be updated as some venues may not have registered yet, or have not re-opened for dining.

Eat Out to Help Out website

Images: HMRC

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News: Further funding for Rotherham transport scheme

A transport scheme poised to support the Bassingthorpe development in Rotherham is set to secure its second chunk of funding.

Earlier this month Rothbiz reported that £2.5m for improvements at Greasbrough had been set aside by the Sheffield City Region (SCR) as it divvied up the Government's £73m award that is aimed at "Getting SCR Building."

Now, a further £2.45m is set to be granted via the combined authority.

The initial funding was for improvements planned for the area known as "The Whins" and the already busy B6089 route at Greasbrough. The work would address the existing and future congestion issue by providing sufficient space for traffic to wait to turn right, without impinging on the main flow of traffic northbound.

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The £2.45m from the SCR's Local Growth Fund would be used at Potter Hill, Main St and Coach Road for the conversion of the mini roundabout, into a signalised crossroads.

It was here in 2017 that Rotherham Council approved the option to demolish Greasbrough Public Hall so that future road improvements could be carried out. Papers showed at the time that the Council deemed that the strategic importance of improving the infrastructure around the proposed Bassingthorpe Farm development outweighed proposals to save the historic village hall.

Removed from the greenbelt, landowners looking have been looking at ways to bring forward 2,400 dwellings and 11 hectares for employment use.

An original £8.45m scheme has been scaled back.

SCR papers, state: "The improvement takes the form of the conversion of a mini roundabout, into a signalised crossroads with associated highway amendments and signalised pedestrian crossings, to improve junction capacity on all approaches whilst improving accessibility for pedestrians. The scheme includes a series of dedicated left and right turn lanes where appropriate to improve junction capacity, and control conflicting movements which currently cause considerable delay on the B.6089 at all times of the day."

The scheme appears to provide substantial benefits to vehicle drivers in the area, by reducing queueing, improving journey time reliability and providing additional capacity for key motorised movements.

Images: RMBC

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News: Rotherham company motoring through lockdown

A 56-year-old Rotherham auto electrical company motored through lockdown by keeping key workers and the nation's truckers on the road. It even took on a new apprentice.

Demand was so high, family-run Maltby Auto Electrical Services Ltd stayed open and ramped up its online warehouse division, Splitcharge.co.uk.

Staff were redeployed from other areas of the business to ensure MAES could get urgently-needed parts to haulage and construction companies, teachers, NHS staff and other key workers.

The company, on Hope Street on the edge of the town centre, normally also operates a trade counter, workshop and mobile engineers and supplies motorists, retail and fleet operators, plus vintage car and camper van markets.

During lockdown the company found it was in a secure enough position to keep its commitment to an apprentice it had planned to take on in March.

Ann Ogley, finance director at MAES, said: "We are one of a number of businesses who have experienced positives from lockdown.

"It gave us an opportunity to evaluate and reorganise the business to make the most of the surge in trade from our eBay shop.

"Companies returning to work are currently having to work out safe ways of working. That is what we had to do in March and it’s second-nature to us now."

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MAES set up individual staff work stations and made PPE available to ensure a safe working environment.

Seven weeks into lockdown, Hayley Barker, 18, joined the warehouse division as a customer service apprentice.

"We kept our commitment to Hayley," said Ann, whose husband Richard is the MD and son of the founder.

"We needed her because we are so busy. But also we strongly feel this year's school and college-leavers deserve the chance to start careers.

"We urge other local businesses to take up apprentices. It takes time to train someone, but the result is a worker who does the job exactly the way you need them to.

"Our auto electrical apprentices have proved invaluable to us and we believe Hayley will be too.

"Finding out our apprentices' interests and strengths, and working with them, has proved to be very good for the business. That's the beauty of having a young person in the workforce - you help them blossom and see how the fit develops."

The Source Skills Academy in Sheffield recruited Hayley for MAES as a Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner and will be overseeing her workplace learning.

On leaving Maltby Academy, Army Cadet Hayley had planned to be an Army veterinary technician. Ten months into her two-year course in animal management at Dinnington College, she had to change her goals.

She discovered her lifelong metabolic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU), for which she needs daily medication and a strict diet, meant she couldn't go into the Forces. She instead decided on a customer service career and contacted The Source.

"I found them really helpful," said Hayley. “They took time to understand what I was interested in.

"I jumped at a role with Maltby Auto Electrical because of their camper van specialism. I've helped my dad rebuild two campers."

Within days of being offered her position, the pandemic hit the UK.

"It could have meant another career setback for me but they still took me on," said Hayley. "I am so grateful for this opportunity."

MAES website
The Source website

Images: The Source

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News: Loading Bay owner: "Watch this space!"

The COVID-19 virus may have caused the current operators to call time on a popular food hall in Rotherham, but the owner of the historic building is confidently looking ahead to the future.

Rothbiz reported yesterday that the Loading Bay in Rotherham town centre had announced that it is closing this weekend as a result of the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak.

However, the owner of the building already has new tenants lined up and is planning a "mini-refurb" before re-opening.

Previously The Exchange, and formerly Yates Wine Lodge, is where Mark Mcgrail, owner of SME Environmental Holdings, saved the vacant building and created the 1915 Bar & Bistro in 2016.

Having then led a £500,000 revamp of the George Wright Building - a Grade II listed "hidden gem" - which reopened as as boutique hotel, bar and restaurant, Mcgrail went on to revamp the Old Post Office building on Main Street, next to the Loading Bay.

Loading Bay is a communal dining space, surrounded by individual units for a variety of food and drink specialists - Thai, burgers, pizza, Jamaican.

With the impact of COVID, the decision was made to end the lease with the current operators of the food hall, which was created inside the existing 1915 bar and opened last year.

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Mark said: "Loading Bay and George Wright are not closing. The current tenants at Loading Bay are leaving and this has no bearing on our businesses we own, built and currently still own. These buildings and businesses which currently are George Wright and Loading Bay, will continue growing from strength to strength.

"We rented the Loading Bay out and unfortunately it's not been for them. Loading Bay will be revamped and will still be reopening.

"Please keep supporting town centre businesses as they strive to survive. Watch this space!!"

The vacating leaseholders have said that they have a new exciting venture happening soon.

Also on Domine Lane, work is continuing on the regeneration of the adjacent Westgate Chambers building where the next phase of works includes the demolition of two 1960's buildings to make way for a modern block of 32 new apartments.

Having had numerous requests for the hall, Mcgrail's aim is to complement the nearby Forge Island development where work is due to begin next year on an eight screen cinema, a 69 bed hotel, four restaurants and car parking.

Meanwhile, at the George Wright (pictured, above), which re-opened at the start of July for drinks and pre-booked food, changes have been put in place in line with Government guidance and investment has been made in a new awning on the terrace, to create more space and protect you from the British weather!

Images: Loading Bay / George Wright / Facebook

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News: Rotherham Theatres to re-open next year

Rotherham Theatres are set to stage a comeback in 2021.

Rothbiz reported earlier this month that the operation has lost an estimated £500,000 in income so far due to the coronavirus outbreak but Rotherham Council has not considered closing the 60 year old town centre venue.

Rotherham Council has instead made the difficult decision to postpone the re-opening of Rotherham Civic Theatre until Spring 2021, but is reassuring staff and visitors that the theatre’s doors will reopen again once the Coronavirus pandemic is over.

The current government guidance places strict social distancing rules on theatres and performing arts venues for future stages of recovery. Social distancing for venues like the theatre is therefore expected to continue for some time, potentially even into the New Year.

This effectively means the auditorium can only accommodate 10% of its usual capacity, so reopening at this time would not be viable and would not offer the quality of experience usually experienced by audiences. Any short term changes in the rules would affect what performances could or could not take place, making it impossible to guarantee a programme of events.

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Rotherham Council’s Head of Creative Programming and Engagement Leanne Buchan said: “We remain committed to offering a quality theatre experience, but our priority for now continues to be the safety of the staff, audiences and guest performers, as the theatre team continue to explore other ways of providing the moments of community, joy and hope that we know theatre brings.”

Although this means the much-loved pantomime Aladdin will be postponed, the theatre team are working with panto producers Imagine Theatre to take the popular Christmas tradition out into communities in different ways, featuring an exciting magic box of tricks and wizardry along with a few surprise guest appearances up our puffed sleeves.

While it may not be the theatre audiences know and love, Rotherham Council will continue to work hard to ensure as many residents as possible in Rotherham have access to theatre. The theatre team will also be working on developing new programmes for the time when people are able to be together again.Customers who have purchased tickets for shows will be contacted by the theatre over the coming weeks, so we ask that customers be patient during this time and not contact the Box Office if possible.

Images: RMBC

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News: Rotherham food hall to close

A fashionable food hall in Rotherham town centre has announced that it is closing as a result of the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Loading Bay opened in a rescued pub last year enabling diners to discover some of South Yorkshire's finest food vendors.

The food hall was created inside the existing 1915 Bar & Bistro on Domine Lane where industrial chic tables created a communal dining space, surrounded by individual units for a variety of food and drink specialists - Thai, burgers, pizza, Jamaican.

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Some vendors had recently re-opened following easing of the lockdown restrictions but this weekend will be the last time it opens.

A post on the venues Facebook page confirms: "It is with deep regret that we will be re-opening for the last time this weekend. We have made this decision after long consideration of our situation after the effects of Covid on our business

"We would like to thank all our past customers for their support, who helped make The Loading what it was, a fantastic new venue for Rotherham.

"We are proud of what was accomplished by us and our brilliant staff. We also want to thank all the great bands and solo acts who played for us making The Loading Bay a well liked live venue in a very short space of time."

One of the popular vendors, Zias Thai Takeaway, has already announced plans to re-open back at Parkgate.

Plans being drawn up for Rotherham Council for a long-awaited revamp of the markets is expected to include a foodhall.

1915 was created by Mark Mcgrail, owner of SME Environmental Holdings, in the extension to the main Post Office was previously The Exchange and formerly Yates Wine Lodge. Having led a £500,000 revamp of the George Wright Building - a Grade II listed "hidden gem" - which reopened as as boutique hotel, bar and restaurant, Mcgrail went on to revamp the Old Post Office building on Main Street / Market Street next to the Loading Bay.

Loading Bay website

Images: Loading Bay

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News: Rotherham mail depot acquired

InfraRed Capital Partners has been confirmed as the new owners of a large urban logistics asset in Rotherham - the Parcelforce depot at Templeborough.

Rothbiz reported in June that LondonMetric had completed the £13.3m disposal of a large warehouse at a net initial yield of 5.0%.

The 152,000 sq ft regional distribution warehouse was acquired in 2014 for £10.3m and is let to the Royal Mail Group (Parcelforce) for a further eight years at a rent of £4.70 psf.

The site is the largest and busiest Parcelforce depot in the UK, handling c. 20,000 parcels per day.

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The asset has been added InfraRed Urban Logistics Income Fund (IULIF), which targets high-quality urban logistics assets located within a 20-minute drive time of the UK's top 10 city centres. The Fund is seeking to capitalise on the growing demand/supply imbalance that exists in favour of owners of urban logistics assets in city fringe locations, and which is anticipated to accentuate as e-commerce and urban decentralisation activities continue to expand.

Dean Harrison, investment director at InfraRed Capital Partners, said: "Located within a short drive of Sheffield city centre and benefitting from immediate access to the M1 motorway, the unit’s suitability for e-commerce driven occupiers has underpinned the investment rationale. We continue to see our urban logistics assets benefit from densification trends and the accelerating adoption of e-commerce among consumers, particularly in the wake of COVID-19.

"We will look to expand our urban logistic holdings in the UK and Western Europe throughout 2020 and beyond with substantial capital available for deployment."

InfraRed Capital Partners website

Images: InfraRed Capital Partners

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News: Council continues to receive complaints despite drop in Anti-Social Behaviour

Incidents of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) in Rotherham town centre have been declining but the Council and partners continue to receive complaints from business, Councillors and visitors alike.

The authority is seeking to continue two Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO), one in the town centre and a borough wide order specifically dealing with dog fouling.

The order was introduced in September 2017 in the town centre and Clifton Park after the Council said that it continued to receive complaints about a minority of people who behave in an unacceptable way.

Orders relating to anti-social behaviour and dog fouling are due to expire, however a new order can be made following public consultation.

Police figures show that ASB incidents have been on a downward trend since the order was brought in, although methods of collecting the data have changed.

There were 539 incidents of ASB in the year after implementation of the PSPO, averaging 45 incidents per month. This is compared to the 668 ASB incidents reported prior to PSPO implementation, averaging at 56 incidents.

Since July 2019, there have been 342 ASB incidents in the Town Centre PSPO area.

Incidents in the town centre between May 2019 and April 2020 have decreased by 17% compared to the previous 12-months. The only notable increase is in April 2020, which the police said is likely due to the impact of COVID-19 and the "stay home" policy implemented.

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A report to the council's cabinet said: "The Council and partners continue to receive complaints relating to the town centre from business, Councillors and visitors alike. In addition, the town centre is a priority for crime reduction across the partnership. Moreover, the Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce have raised concerns around activities in the town centre that affect business and the attractiveness of the town to visitors.

"The town centre is a mixed area, including residential, with regeneration and development projects planned and completed, together with the implementation for the town centre masterplan already underway. A key part of the masterplan implementation is additional residential developments in and around the town centre. It is important that the Council and partners support residents and improvements through robust measures to tackle anti-social behaviour."

A public consultation on both PSPOs is set to focus on the existing conditions and the behaviours that have been identified within the proposed order.

Cllr. Emma Hoddinott, cabinet member for waste, roads and community safety, said: "These orders are put in place to ensure that people feel safe in the town centre and our neighbourhoods are kept free of dog fouling. Without this Public Space Protection Order, it makes it harder for the police and council officers to take action.

"We want to hear people's views about the problems we are trying to address with this order and whether the extra powers will help tackle them. While incidents of anti-social behaviour in the town centre and complaints of dog fouling across the borough have been declining since 2016, they are still some of the most common causes for complaint and we know that these remain relevant issues for people."
 
In the past three years, 168 fines for breaches of the Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order have been issued and a further 39 fines have been issued to individuals who have allowed their dogs to foul on land open to the public.

Following the consultation period, the findings will be submitted to Cabinet in September where a final decision will be made.

Images: Google Maps

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News: Rotherham company back on track thanks to "Re-start To Growth" programme

Multitask Personnel, a permanent and temporary recruitment specialist based in Rotherham, has gained a new strategic direction that should put it back on track, thanks to Sheffield City Region's (SCR's) "Re-Start to Growth" programme.

The initiative was introduced to help businesses affected by the Coronavirus lockdown, by giving them access to experienced and skilled advisors to help assess, plan and restart through an agreed programme of intensive support.

Managing director of Multitask Personnel Claire Lee had been working with the Sheffield City Region Growth Hub on a long-term strategic growth plan – involving skills support and training – and was just about to implement this when the lockdown was announced. The company's core business was to provide managerial and qualified tradespeople for the Building services, Facilities management and Mechanical & Electrical industries.  Overnight this business reduced by two thirds and Claire was left wondering what to do next.

Claire, said: "It was a really scary time for us as a business and I wasn’t sure which way to turn.  I'd been impressed with John Hassall, the Growth Hub Business Growth Specialist , so I contacted him again to see if there was anything he could do to help. John let me know straightaway about Re-Start to Growth initiative and it sounded just what the business needed.”

John Hassall carried out four 90 minute online consultations with Claire as part of the programme and this started with a full SWOT analysis. He then tailored the Re-Start to Growth programme to suit the company structure, focusing on four core areas: People, Processes, Technology and Financials.

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John then created a strategic plan which included a vision of what the next 18 months in business could look like for Multitask Personnel, with target markets identified, staff roles, financial projections, all of which was broken down into six monthly goals. Reallocation of resources was a key criteria and John and Claire worked on restructuring employee roles and creating newly formed teams. In Multitask's case, this involved creating a team dedicated to recruitment and another to business development, with each team given a simple set of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to work towards.

Claire, added: "It was a really simple plan, but not an approach we’d used before. It means that the business development team can focus purely on generating sales and the recruitment team on filling the roles we bring in.  So far this is working really well."

John Hassall, Business Growth Specialist at Sheffield City Region Growth Hub, said: "Multitask Personnel were perfect candidates for the Re-Start to Growth initiative. As a business they had been performing well, but the lockdown had an immediate and severe impact. By focusing on their strengths and areas of expertise we looked at ways they could maximise their existing client base, whilst refocusing their resources much more specifically on generating sales and filling roles. Our role at the Growth Hub is to guide businesses through and this approach certainly seems to be working for Multitask Personnel.

"There is great potential in this business and by having a new strategic direction it should help them to maximise on new and existing markets and recover more quickly from the lockdown."

John and Claire identified that parcel delivery services and the retail sector could offer potential growth, especially for supply of staff working in distribution and warehousing, which the company had not specifically targeted before.

Although Multitask Personnel is focusing on potentially lower margin work, Claire recognised the need to start getting the volume back. She added: "There's nothing worse than staff not having enough to do, but now we are starting to pick up again and we're using our existing experience to extend our services to current and new clients. We know it won't be easy, but already we have our number of temporary contractors up to pre-lockdown levels, albeit working on lower margins and in different sectors."

Multitask Personnel website
Growth Hub website

Images: Multitask Personnel

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News: Costa confirmed for new Rotherham site

Construction is underway on a new Costa Coffee drive-thru in Rotherham.

Harworth Group plc, a leading regenerator of land and property for development and investment, secured planning permission on the site near to its flagship Waverley development earlier this year.

The coffee chain is also taking a unit at Harworth's Riverdale Park development in Doncaster.

Costa will enter into a 15-year lease shortly after practical completion of the 1,800 sq. ft drive-thru units that Harworth will build on its behalf.

Close to the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), the new outlet is being built on land adjacent to Harworth's Advantage House building on Poplar Way. It is expected to be practically completed in November and is being built by HP Construction.

Adam Osborne, development manager, Harworth Group plc, said: "Demand for food & beverage drive-thrus in established commercial locations in the North of England remains very strong. We're very pleased to accommodate Costa on another two of our sites."

Using the existing site access onto Poplar Way will provide access to the 36 space car park and drive-thru lane.

Founded in London by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa in 1971, the chain is the fastest growing coffee shop business in the UK. Coca-Cola completed the acquisition of Costa Coffee from Whitbread PLC in 2019 in a deal worth $4.9 billion.

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Harworth also remains on-track to practically complete the UK Atomic Energy Authority's (UKAEA) new nuclear fusion technology research facility at the AMP in September.

The 22,300 sq ft unit, which is being built by Sheffield-based contractor JF Finnegan on Harworth's behalf, will comprise office accommodation split over two floors and a research laboratory at ground floor level. The UKAEA will be taking a 20-year lease with Harworth on its completion in September and will employ 40 highly skilled people – continuing the authority's close working relationship with the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC).

The new facility is being funded as part of the Government's Nuclear Sector Deal delivered through the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. An additional £2m of investment is coming from Sheffield City Region's Local Growth Fund, thereby helping the UKAEA join other leading occupiers at the AMP including Rolls-Royce, Boeing and McLaren Automotive, and further strengthening the park's standing as being at the centre of high-value employment in the UK.

David Elliott, director of building, Harworth Group plc, said: "Continuing to build out new commercial space is essential for the UK’s ongoing economic recovery and I am delighted with progress being made in finalising the UKAEA’s new facility. This development has the potential to create many jobs in the local supply chain as fusion technology matures and we look forward to supporting that process where we can."

Harworth website

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News: Robin Hood off target for Rotherham energy scheme

A troubled energy firm has been outlawed from taking on a new energy switching scheme in Rotherham, meaning that the Council will have to repeat a lengthy procurement process.

Last year, Rotherham Council concluded a procurement exercise in its bid to create a local energy supply offer "to help reduce gas and electricity bills for residents and provide them with a greater level of customer service and fairer treatment to that which they may be receiving from their existing supplier."

Robin Hood Energy (RHE), a national not-for-profit licensed energy provider that is owned by Nottingham City Council, won the two year concession contract

While helping residents with their bills, the contract would also reduce bills for void council properties and was set to generate an income for the Council in the form of referral fees and meter credit.

A cabinet paper shows that the scheme with Robin Hood Energy has not been able to be progressed and a re-tendering of the contract is being asked for approval.

The paper explains that: "Since RHE was awarded the contract a new management team has been enlisted and their business model reviewed and changed. As a result, RHE could not agree to the specification under the terms of the procurement process and so the contract could not be awarded."

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If the Council were to change the contract and terms & conditions to comply with RHE requirements, this would not comply with procurement regulations and could result in a legal challenge from other organisations that considered submitting a bid.

The firm, which has come in for criticism having been bailed out by Nottingham City Council, posted a £23.1m loss for 2018/19.

The report to Cabinet suggests that the scheme would now be open to registrations from April 2021. The scheme would be available to all Rotherham residents and aims to support those with a low household income.

Alongside this, a switching scheme is being proposed to provide immediate support to help residents reduce their energy bills. This scheme will help households understand their bills, compare the market and assist in switching suppliers.

Cllr. Denise Lelliott, cabinet member for jobs and the local economy at Rotherham Council, said: "Fuel poverty still remains a significant issue for lots of our residents. This scheme, once it is up and running, would give us a real opportunity to make a significant difference.

"Although it was disappointing we could not secure a partner last year, our commitment to helping residents reduce their bills and help the environment remains. The process provided a valuable insight into the current energy market which will be used in the revised proposals to better benefit those who take up the scheme."

The Council said that it will not make any financial gain from the scheme, with all benefits of lower tariffs falling to residents.

Images: Robin Hood Energy

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News: New Rotherham restaurant opens in Wentworth

A new restaurant has opened for the first time at a popular Rotherham Garden Centre.

The Bothy is the centrepiece to a new extension at Wentworth Garden Centre and "offers an unparalleled level of dining within the locality, set within a contemporary "Arts & Crafts" environment."

Rothbiz reported that plans were approved in 2018 for 9,600 sq ft of space split into three buildings. It has seen the existing conservatory display area replaced with high quality structures, creating a courtyard which links to the existing courtyard.

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The Bothy, which is fully licensed, promises a wide selection from traditional dishes to more creative and contemporary options. It has opened this week serving coffee and cakes, breakfast, lunch and afternoon teas. Sunday lunches are also on the menu.

The destination garden centre is situated in sixteen acres in the former walled kitchen, Italian and Japanese gardens of Wentworth Woodhouse and in the picturesque historic village of Wentworth.

Historically a "Bothy" was a Scottish term for a basic accomodation, usually reserved for gardeners or workers on any reasonably sized estate. Sadly, Wentworth's own original Bothy was demolished long ago but its heritage lives on through the restaurant.

The interior has a look which draws from the British Arts & Crafts movement, of the late 19th Century. Operators say that "the wallpapers are full of detailed patterns featuring both avian and botanical imagery whilst the fabric choices were heavily inspired by "trellis" pattern designs, a perennial favourite of William Morris. Victorian glasshouse style flooring allied to distressed woods and eclectic combinations of banquet and tub chair seating create a relaxed, "lived in" feel, all contributing to a wonderful dining experience."

A spokesperson for Wentworth garden Centre said: "Using only the finest and freshest locally sourced ingredients, our dedicated and highly skilled restaurant team have brought together a seasonal menu of both classic and creative dishes.

"After an 18 month long planning and building process, one or two unforeseen ups and downs and the small matter of a global pandemic, we can't wait to finally welcome you!"

Established for more than 30 years, the family owned independent centre has undergone a number of improvements and investment projects, with historic gardens, a craft centre and a family farm.

Wentworth Garden Centre website


Images: Wentworth Garden Centre

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News: Investment in Rotherham town centre car parks

Rotherham Council is investing £380,000 to upgrade parking facilities in the town centre.

Drivers using the multi-story car park on Wellgate will be able to use any of the four new pay and display machines which will accept card and contactless payment options as well as coins.

Visitors can also use the cashless RingGo option where customers pay through phoning the service or by downloading the App.

Parking sessions paid for via the RingGo system can be topped up if customers are unexpectedly delayed in returning to their vehicles.

The car park has also been the subject of a deep clean and is being decorated internally to give a brighter, lighter finish.

As part of the swap to pay and display, the ticket barriers at the entrance and exit of the car park will be removed. Newly installed signage informs customers of the change to the payment options.

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Drummond Street, Wellgate North and Clifton Hall car parks in the town centre now have gleaming new tarmac surfacing and bay markings. These car parks already offer cash, contactless and RingGo payment options.

New boundary fencing and signage is also to be installed at these car parks.

In addition to the work in the car parks, 24 of the Council's pay and display machines, some of which are in excess of 20 years old, are to be replaced with machines that offer card and contactless payment options as well as coins.

Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy, Cllr Denise Lelliott, said: "As part of our ongoing regeneration of the town centre continues, it is important that people visiting Rotherham have access to good transport links including car parking. I am delighted that these car parks have been upgraded to make the customers’ parking experience a more pleasant one."

Images: Google Maps

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News: Closing Rotherham Civic Theatre "not even being considered"

Rotherham Theatres has lost an estimated £500,000 in income so far due to the coronavirus outbreak but Rotherham Council has not considered closing the 60 year old town centre venue.

Income from theatres ceased almost immediately and a number of privately run venues across the country have had to close.

A £1.57 billion support package was announced earlier this month that will enable organisations across a range of sectors, including the performing arts and theatres, heritage, historic palaces, museums, galleries, live music and independent cinema, to access emergency grants and loans.

Rotherham Council's Regeneration and Environment Directorate has seen a £5.5m hit relating to lost income from things like theatres, country parks, markets and parking. Culture Sport and Tourism has been severely impacted by the temporary closure of facilities. A full year loss of £1m is being forecast in respect of leisure facilities with the loss of income from Green Spaces expected to be £1.4m and from Theatres, £0.5m.

A Council cabinet paper, said: "Temporary closures of parks and all other leisure sites for all of spring and into the summer has prevented any trading activities taking place. Forecasts assume an extended period of much lower income resulting in a forecast pressure of £0.8m but the final figure will be entirely dependent upon the speed and extent of the trading recovery when facilities reopen. An additional £0.5m pressure within Theatres is expected after the site closed."

You can donate to support the theatre here.

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Earlier this month, operators announced that Sheffield City Hall and Sheffield FlyDSA Arena are being mothballed and that all staff are being put at risk of redundancy.

In response to the news, Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said on social media: "I'm as confident as I can be at this point that the civic won't close as a result of covid-19. We're not even considering that. (If in the end we run out of money then all bets are off, but we're not there yet!)"

Government support includes a £1.15 billion pot for cultural organisations in England delivered through a mix of grants and loans.

Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer said: "Our world-renowned galleries, museums, heritage sites, music venues and independent cinemas are not only critical to keeping our economy thriving, employing more than 700,000 people, they're the lifeblood of British culture.

"That's why we're giving them the vital cash they need to safeguard their survival, helping to protect jobs and ensuring that they can continue to provide the sights and sounds that Britain is famous for."

A five stage phased return to professional performing arts is in place and we are at the stage where performing arts can now take place outdoors.

Images: RMBC

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News: Further funding for Rotherham projects

More cash is coming down the line for Rotherham regeneration projects via the Sheffield City Region (SCR).

As the devolution bill begins its journey through parliament this week, the Government has stumped up £73m aimed at "Getting SCR Building."

The combined authority has worked through a number of shovel-ready projects that can use the devolved funding which is designed to support major employment and housing development.

The SCR has been awarded £33.6m for a prioritised programme of Major Capital Schemes, along with a further £40m from the Government’s Brownfield Fund for a programme of housing schemes on brownfield sites over the next five years.

Rotherham projects include £2.1m going towards the landmark scheme at Forge Island. Seen as vitally important to delivering the regeneration and diversification required for the town centre, plans were recently approved for an eight screen cinema, a 69 bed hotel, four restaurants and car parking.

The city region money will be used for public realm works which are seen as vital to linking together the major regeneration projects and existing assets, improve access, footfall, and activity for the benefit of the town centre.

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In the north of the borough, £2m has been earmarked for a second phase of RiDO's popular Century Business Park at Manvers. This phase will create around 17,000 sq. ft. of new floor space for office and clean manufacturing “move on” space within B1 use class. Plans were outlined back in 2018 but funding dried up.

Supporting over 100 jobs, board papers highlight: "Building on the first phase of the Century Business Park this project will allow current occupants and other businesses to move to larger premises as their business grows, alongside providing additional space suitable for new businesses that currently have a lack of options within the current property market."

At Bassingthorpe, where a large housing development is proposed for former greenbelt land, £2.5m has been set aside to improve the transport infrastructure. As discussed back in 2018, improvements are planned for the area known as "The Whins" and the already busy B6089 route at Greasbrough.

Part of a larger £8.45m project, the proposal is set to address the existing and future congestion issue by providing sufficient space for traffic to wait to turn right, without impinging on the main flow of traffic northbound. The scheme may also provide co-benefits in respect of flooding, associated with replacement of a restrictive culvert.

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said: "This is a huge boost for South Yorkshire, providing investment that will create jobs, build new homes and improve our town centres – making a real difference to people’s lives across the region.

"Securing this investment shows the power of devolution and how our partnership with local authority leaders can unlock new funding and opportunities for South Yorkshire. It demonstrates how having powers and resources at our disposal can help us transform our region, making South Yorkshire stronger, greener and fairer.

"I would urge the Government to go much further – building on the landmark devolution deal put before Parliament this week – by devolving more money and powers so we can build back better from the coronavirus."

Images: Muse / RMBC / FaulknerBrowns

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News: Gulliver's Valley opens in Rotherham

The new multimillion-pound Gulliver's Valley Theme Park in Rotherham has opened its doors to the public for the first time.

Yorkshire fundraising stars, nine-year-old Captain Tobias Weller and eight-year-old Lennie Street, both students at Paces – a leading specialist centre for children with Cerebral Palsy and other motor disorders – officially opened the park, which becomes the fourth site in the Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts family.

Built on land adjacent to Rother Valley Country Park, Gulliver's was forced to postpone its planned opening earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. A number of additional safety measures have since been made to the park in response to the pandemic, including temperature checks on arrival, mandatory advanced booking, contactless entry, social distancing measures and a food pre-ordering system.

All guests over the age of three will be required to wear face coverings on rides and the park will also be operating on a limited capacity, with pre-booked slots only, to adhere to the government's social distancing guidelines.

Julie Dalton, managing director of the family-run Gulliver's Theme Park Resorts, said: “It is so exciting to finally be open and welcoming families into the park.

"We have worked so hard to bring our vision of Gulliver’s Valley to life and to create a truly magical experience for our guests. The pandemic has thrown challenges our way that we didn’t imagine we’d ever have to deal with, but I am so proud of our team for carrying on to make this park a reality.

"Of course, the health and wellbeing of our visitors and our employees is absolutely paramount and so we have put in place lots of changes to the park to reflect this and make sure everyone feels comfortable and reassured.”

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Aimed at children between the ages of two and 13-years-old, the new Gulliver's Valley houses more than 30 rides and attractions, including an Apache Falls ride, full-size diggers, the Ghostly Galleon pirate ship and a Lost Jurassic World area.

Accommodation options are also available, including Unicorn and Princess Suites alongside Western Cabins and Lost World Lodges, with sleepover adventures on offer.

Due to the ongoing pandemic and social distancing requirements, the park owners are awaiting further government guidance for when they can safely open additional indoor attractions.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: "The park will also be a catalyst for economic growth and I particularly welcome Julie Dalton's commitment to use local suppliers and staff. It’s a great example of the kind of local economic project, maximising social value for our area, that we want to see more of.

“A number of local suppliers have been used by Gulliver’s to help transform the former pit site and more than 1,000 Yorkshire trees have been planted there. Of course, this is only the first stage of the long-term plan to build an attraction of truly national significance.

“Local families, and those from further afield, will be able to visit a first-class attraction."

Sheffield City Region provided £1.5m of funding towards the Gulliver's Valley project.

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said: "I'm pleased to have been able to support Gulliver’s Valley through the Coronavirus pandemic and to see that they will be opening their doors to visitors this month.

"Gulliver's Valley will bring more jobs and boost our regional economy and will also become an important part of Rotherham and South Yorkshire’s tourist offer. I encourage residents from our region, and those from further afield to pay a visit, whilst of course ensuring they follow social distancing guidelines."

The Gulliver's story began back in 1978, when Ray and Hilary Phillips created a model village on the hillside of Matlock Bath for young children to enjoy and, in turn, unwittingly went on to create some of the UK’s most successful theme park resorts.

The company remains in the same family to this day with Julie Dalton, Ray and Hilary's daughter, now managing director of Gulliver’s and her brother Nick, development director, who is also heavily involved in the day to day running of the business.

Gulliver's Valley website

Images: Gulliver's

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News: The Pit House West saga

It was September 2015 when Rothbiz revealed first that the theme park operator, Gulliver's, was in discussions to locate a new family entertainment resort on the Pit House West site in Rotherham.

Five years on and during an unprecedented global pandemic, the family firm has opened the doors to Gulliver's Valley, putting an end to the "I believe it when I see it" comments over the land adjacent to Rother Valley Country Park.

The Council has long had ambitions for the greenbelt site to be transformed into a landmark leisure / tourism development on a national and international scale.

This is the third time it has chosen a developer for the site of the former Brookhouse Colliery.

Outline planning approval was granted for the £350m YES! Project in 2007 and updated plans were approved as late as in September 2010. Oak Holdings, selected by the council as its preferred developer in 2003, saw its developer agreement terminated by the authority in 2011 after the developer "made a material lack of progress" on what was to be the largest undercover leisure based scheme in Europe.

The YES! Project was due to comprise a 1.2m sq ft covered, fully integrated, mixed-use, leisure and entertainment based resort, activity and conference destination.

Extreme sports specialist Venture Xtreme and golf driving range company Baydrive were the first tenants to sign up and in 2008 and Oak secured a deal with the Sheffield Steelers ice hockey team to develop a new state-of-the-art purpose-built arena on the site.

The plans included an indoor climbing facility, ice climbing, snow room, diving centre, access mall and changing rooms plus a hydrodome complex, indoor surf centre, rope park pavilion, indoor sky diving, a Top Chip hall and a Via Ferratta (an adventure climbing system).

Further "experience" operations were also mentioned including a brewery experience, a food experience and academy and a chocolate experience.

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After Oak got the chop, The £118m Visions of China proposal came out of left field but it didn't even reach the planning application stage before it was shelved in 2014.

In 2011 Rotherham Council confirmed leisure organisation China Vision Ltd and regeneration specialist MCD Developments as the new preferred developers for the former Pit House West colliery site.

Visions of China was set to be a 120 acre cultural theme park set in an authentically built and landscaped Chinese environment combining a range of experiences and activities for visitors.

It was set to include oriental lakes and gardens, China Town retail street, a Shaolin temple and cultural centre, a theatre, children's fantasy land, restaurants, an oriental spa, pavilions, a pagoda and a hotel.

In 2014, the authority decided to enter into discussions with other parties who were interested in developing the site as they "were not able to satisfy themselves by the Visions of China project that sufficient progress was being made."

Cllr Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: “The site at Pit House West for too long stood vacant, so it is brilliant to see the fabulous Gulliver's Valley project realised in bricks and mortar, jobs and opportunities. It is an exciting development which will attract many thousands of visitors to our borough and is an exemplar of the kind of business that we would want our area to be known for."

Accounts show that Rotherham Council received £449,000 during 2017/18 as a capital receipt for the Pit House West site.

The opencast coal mine was worked until 1995 and the Coal Authority, who sold the land to the Council for £195,000 in 2001, agreed to alter "clawback payments" and remove restrictions relating to the country park. Previous agreements would have meant that 50% of any uplift in value would have to be paid to the Coal Authority.

Having previously come forward for discussions with the Council in 2014, Gulliver's went on to purchase approximately 250 acres of the 330 acres available and has already had outline plans approved for further phases - more themed areas, hotels and accommodation, a woodland adventure centre and an ecology and education centre.

Images: Google Maps / Gulliver's

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News: Meadowhall scales back Leisure Hall proposals

Stalled plans for a new £300m, 330,000 sq ft Leisure Hall development at Meadowhall have been scaled back.

The initial plans for a multi-level extension housed under a glazed roof on land currently used for car parking were approved in 2018 despite an objection from Rotherham Council, that stated that it would have a "significant adverse impact upon the vitality and viability of Rotherham town centre."

Plans showed leisure space to provide a range of other uses to meet the needs of a wide family group, including a new cinema (the existing Vue Cinema would close, and be changed to an alternative leisure use) plus space for food and drink outlets. Some retail space was proposed as a transition between the new and existing sections of the centre.

Now a phased approach is being outlined which includes a number of elements:

- Revised Leisure Hall - £150m development on existing car park to include quality leisure space and include a new aspirational food and drink offer. Smaller than the original hall, it would also see the existing Vue cinema retained, to be expanded and modernised;
- "Big Box" retail on land near to the Next Home store;
- Interim Leisure Park - warehouses and land between Meadowhall and Vulcan Road to be converted to create temporary indoor and outdoor leisure space

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A spokesperson for British Land, said: "In 2018, British Land secured planning approval for a new Leisure Hall, to further diversify Meadowhall's offer beyond pure retail. Since that time, the leisure and retail sectors have undergone an unprecedented evolution.

"As British Land continues to look ahead, we have reappraised and revised our original Leisure Hall scheme, and we now intend to submit a new outline planning application this summer to change how we deliver our consented masterplan.

"Getting the right mix of leisure remains a key focus of our plans to ensure that Meadowhall continues to compete with other leading shopping centres into the future and continues to attract visitors from outside the region.

"In contrast to our original plans, however, the new application is designed to facilitate a phased approach to delivery, allowing individual elements of our planned new leisure, retail and food and beverage offer to be refined and adapted to suit market demands as the project progresses.

On the original proposals, Rotherham planners were also concerned for its own proposed leisure development at Forge Island which is set to be anchored by a cinema and hotel alongside food and beverage units. British Land argued that investor confidence in the Forge Island plans is not likely to be undermined by the new leisure hall given that a cinema already exists at Meadowhall and a hotel is proposed for Rotherham, and that the food offer would be different.

Planners at Sheffield Council were in agreement with British Land and also agreed that the proposal will "undoubtedly have a negative impact on Rotherham's town centre which is already in a fragile state."

British Land's updated plans for the River Don District (RDD) are yet to be discussed by the planning board at Sheffield Council. Rotherham Council was planning to raise an objection her too with concerns over the impact on the proposed Forge Island scheme.

Meadowhall website

Images: British Land

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News: Pricecheck hits £100m turnover

Pricecheck, an international wholesaler and distributor of fast-moving consumer goods, has achieved its ambitious target of £100m turnover by 2020.

Having set the target in 2015, Pricecheck has achieved consecutive years of growth which has resulted in its turnover increasing from £40m to £100m within five years. The achievement comes following record-breaking months in May and June.

In those five years, the company has made significant investments in talent, technology and its facilities; having seen its team grow from 80 to 220, the development of a number of bespoke IT programmes and a move to larger premises.

Officially opened in 2016, the ambitious firm moved to new premises at Beighton Link Business Park in Rotherham. The firm recently took on 197,425 sq ft warehouse in Manvers.

Mark Lythe, joint managing director (Operations and Finance) said: "Our team have been going above and beyond to achieve a target which was set in 2015 when our turnover was £40m. Over the past five years, they have truly been our greatest asset and we look forward to working towards our £200m turnover target by 2025. 

"In more recent times, the team have shown true tenacity and adaptability in helping us navigate the challenges Covid-19 has presented. We remain very confident in the future of Pricecheck and will continue to invest in our growth plans."

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Pricecheck announced a five-year lease of the former Maplin headquarters to increase its warehouse capacity as well as investing in a state-of-the-art warehouse management system in order to operate more efficiently across two sites.

Driving growth is the development of its new B2B eCommerce site. Since launching in May, the website has generated back-to-back record-breaking months, with online sales for May and June growing 580% compared to the same period last year.

Debbie Harrison, joint managing director (Trading) said: "As we strive to become the first-choice distribution partner for brand owners and customers, we've worked hard to diversify our product offering. Since 2015, we have added grocery, alcohol, petcare, and vaping to our traditional health and beauty range.

"Launching our new look website to improve customer convenience was the first of many exciting projects as we look to push forward again and deliver on our next five-year plan."

Pricecheck is an international distributor of fast-moving consumer goods, and is trusted by the world's biggest brands, offering more than 6,000 branded products to customers in the UK and to more than 80 countries globally.

Pricecheck website

Images: Pricecheck

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News: Builders’ banter from 1830 uncovered during Wentworth Woodhouse restoration

Building site banter from 190 years ago has been found in the roof at stately home Wentworth Woodhouse during £5m of roof repairs.

The Grade I listed mansion in Rotherham, owned since 2017 by a charitable trust, is undergoing a massive restoration - one of the largest current heritage projects in the UK.

A chirpy ditty was inked onto a roof timber in 1830 by three craftsmen repairing the area over a gilded state room where the 4th Earl Fitzwilliam kept his paintings by Antony Van Dyck, a favourite of England's Royal courts.

Jack Falding,Jack Vickers and Jack Wragg had worked through a March cold snap and decided to leave their mark at the Big House for posterity.

The three Jacks used the opportunity to boast about their drinking - and like many a building site worker today, poked fun at their boss, one William Peake.

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Now historians at the Grade I listed mansion in Rotherham, one of England's greatest historic structures, are searching for descendants of the men.

"We think the three Jacks and William were carpenters and probably local. Since the 1700s many skilled trades people from South Yorkshire worked here,” said facilities manager Julie Readman, from the Preservation Trust which owns and is regenerating the mansion.

"Many secretly left their mark in similar style. Since we began major roof repairs in 2018 we’ve found numerous messages and even hand-prints dating back to 1806. It's really an old form of graffiti.

"It's fascinating and is enabling us to piece together stories of the people whose skills built and maintained this place.

"We would love to hear from Falding, Vickers, Wragg and Peake families who think they may be descendants.  Plus there are a few vital words we can’t make out in the text. Maybe our supporters have some suggestions."

The inscription was discovered by joiners Joe Hutchinson and Jack Richmond of Jericho Joinery, of Newark, above the Van Dyck room on the Palladian East Front of the house.

"They were excited to find a message from people who had done exactly the same job almost 200 years before," said senior site manager Andy Stamford, of Woodhead Group, the main contractors for the renovation of a roof the size of six tennis courts.

Stonework and timbers are being repaired and 14,000 slates are being laid in the £5million roof repair, which is due to end in November.

"We had to stop work for a few months during the pandemic but are now in the final stretch and I think Wentworth Woodhouse will have a few more examples of craftsmen's graffiti hidden in the roof structures by the time the scaffolding comes down and we depart," said Andy.

"It has been a privilege to work on a house as magnificent as this. Incredible skill went into its creation in the 1700s; we are proud to have done our bit to ensure it survives for centuries more."

Wentworth Woodhouse website

Images: WWPT

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