News: Demolition work starts at Millmoor as plans approved for remaining stands

The new owners of Millmoor now have planning approval to demolish all of the structures at the historic home of Rotherham United.

Rothbiz revealed in May that the Ron Hull Group planned to demolish parts of Millmoor with plans explaining the poor condition and the "long term lack of a viable user" of the stadium that last hosted league football almost 20 years ago.

A second set of plans regarding the method of demolition were submitted in July.

Now both sets of plans have been approved, and contractors, Demex - part of the Ron Hull Group - have got to work on the stadium that has its origins dating back to 1890.

The applicants say that the priority to demolish is: The incomplete main stand, Tivoli, Admin building, and Tivoli stand first, followed by the terrace, uncovered stand and Part Millmoor Lane stand and lighting columns.

The second set of plans relates to the demolition of the rest of the Millmoor Lane covered stand, the Railway End stand and a maintenance building in the corner of the ground.

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Approving the plans, Rotherham Council has given applicants five years to carry out the demolition.

Ron Hull Group, the new owners of CF Booth Ltd, took on the old football ground when it acquired the assets of the historic Rotherham firm that had entered administration.

Demex, acquired as part of the deal for CF Booth Ltd, was also the contractor that demolished the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield - the temporary home of The Millers from 2008 to 2012.

The owners are working with local Rotherham firm, Eton Construction, on plans for the area - the 35-acre site that includes the ground and the large Booth operations at the Clarence Works at Armer Street in Masbrough.

It remains to be seen what will happen to the pitch, famed for its quality in league football.

The plans add: "All the proposed buildings to be demolished will be taken down to the ground slabs. The ground slabs will be removed and the site tidied and left in a state where redevelopment will be possible. The client does intend to redevelop the site at a future date."

Despite its history, and the association with The Millers and their fans, Millmooor is not a listed building, or recognised on the South Yorkshire Local Heritage List. Owners generally have permitted development rights regarding the demolition of buildings they own but are often required to get prior approval from the local council.

In the borough's 2018 local plan, the stadium and surrounding area was allocated as a Mixed Use Area. It added: "The area remains appropriate for a mix of uses include business use (excluding offices), housing, residential and non residential institutions and assembly and leisure uses."

Ron Hull website

Images: Tom Austen

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News: Turnover and profits up at CW Fletcher

A precision engineering firm based in Rotherham continues to fly high in the aerospace sector but delays with a large nuclear contract is stifling its diversification strategy.

Turnover and profit both increased in CW Fletcher's latest financial results.

CW Fletcher supplies a diverse range of industries, including aerospace, nuclear and space exploration. Its "Sterling Works" is part of a 9.5-acre combined site located at Wales Bar in Rotherham where high-strength, lightweight assemblies in ordinary and exotic metallic materials are fabricated and high value-added components are machined.

In recent years the historic company secured a £160m, ten-year contract with Rolls-Royce in 2019 and is working with Brompton to manufacture the titanium frames for the folding bike brand.

In 2024, CW Fletcher secured a contract relating to the supply of High Integrity Stainless Steel Containers (HISSC) through the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Sellafield Ltd.

The lot was worth £69.6m and would see CW Fletcer manufacture containers for radioactive waste. The boxes are built from duplex stainless steel and are highly engineered to allow any hydrogen to be safely vented. Each box weighs over a tonne and is designed to safely store radioactive waste for at least 500 years.

But for the last two years, the Rotherham firm has reported on delays to the contract.

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It the latest accounts for the year ending December 2025, Rebecca Willis, director of CW Fletcher, said: "Due to the change in government and current UK budget strategy, the substanial [sic] nuclear project that we secured in 2024 is still on hold."

The board said that it was not concerned from a turnover growth view point but the delay has impacted the company's long term strategic priority for the diversification of the business into new markets beyond aerospace.

For the year end December 2025, CW Fletcher posted a turnover of £26.7m (up from £21.3m in 2024) and a pre-tax profit of £1.8m (up from £772.1k in the previous year).

The accounts added: "In the near term, however, the need to meet rapidly increasing demand from our existing aerospace customers is requiring us to focus resources on current programmes, limiting the pace at which we can pursue new market opportunities.

"The increasing demand for output in the civil aerospace sector continues to place pressure on internal resources and capacity, making it more challenging to progress our strategic objective of entering new markets. To help address these constraints, a new machine was commissioned and brought into operation in March 2026, providing additional capacity and supporting our ability to meet both current and future requirements."

The company has also worked with its bank and customers to enable the advance reservation of critical materials and ensure a continuity of supply.

CW Flecther website

Images: CW Fletcher

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News: £5m backing would bring world leading fusion technology test rigs to Rotherham

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is weighing up support for the acceleration of high priority test rig capabilities within an existing Fusion Energy Technology Centre in Rotherham.

The £5m investment would help create up to 25 jobs and four apprenticeships by the end of 2027.

UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), which has a mission to lead the delivery of sustainable fusion energy and maximise scientific and economic benefit, opened a £22m facility on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in 2021. Now renamed UKAEA South Yorkshire, the facility has expanded operations and deepened industry collaborations on advanced engineering projects, strengthening UKAEA's regional presence in materials, components and robotics testing.

The next investment from the government research organisation, previously codenamed Project Caerus, would involve two rigs (experimental facilities).

A High Heat Flux (HHF) Laser Facility (HALO) enables researchers to expose materials and components to extreme thermal loads similar to those found in fusion environments and to rapidly cycle these loads. This capability underpins critical research into materials resilience and fatigue, as well as structural integrity which is essential for designing future fusion reactors.

The new rig should also support high-performance industries such as aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and next generation materials engineering, where understanding heat stress and failure modes is essential for innovation.

The second test rig is called Fusion Oriented Robotics Technology (FORT) - the first Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) rig located at the Rotherham facility, making it a significant milestone for the region.

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UKAEA’s work spans materials, technology and engineering research. Their robotics division specialises in remote handling in extreme industrial environments. The new addition to the AMP facility is expected to attract specialist engineering, controls, software, and mechatronics expertise into South Yorkshire.

Much like HALO, other industries are also set to benefit such as those that use precision manufacturing, autonomous systems, and complex industrial operations, where remote manipulation and inspection have high economic value.

An update from the UKAEA said: "Together, these rigs represent a strategic, future-facing investment that supports scientific progress, economic benefit, strengthens regional competitiveness, and increases the UK’s ability to develop and export high-value technologies. This investment will contribute both to UKAEA’s national mission and UKAEA South Yorkshire’s economic ambitions."

The site’s expanded role aims to attract other UKAEA directorates to base teams in the region, leveraging the strong local talent pool, and deepening UKAEA’s presence in the north of England.

Professor Dennis Whyte has recently been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of UKAEA Group which has 2,600 people across four sites - over 60 are based in Rotherham.

Prof. Whyte said: "I am excited to be joining the exceptional team at UKAEA, which has a compelling plan for delivering commercial fusion energy, developing key technologies for fusion energy extraction, and the largest workforce in the world committed to advancing the development of fusion science and engineering in its widest forms."

UKAEA website

Images: UKAEA

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News: Rotherham bar plans come up against council objections

A number of objections have been set out against a new bar opening in Rotherham, whilst planning permission for improvements to a current venue nearby have been refused.

Rothbiz reported in July on the licence application for 236 Bawtry Road which was vacated when Greggs expanded into a new unit at The Tanyard in Wickersley.

Jaxx Irish Bar Limited has applied for the sale by retail of alcohol and the provision of late night refreshment, plus the performance of live music and any playing of recorded music.

Documents show that the opening hours requested are Monday to Wednesday 16:00 to 22:30, Thursday 16:00 to 23:00, Friday 14:00 to 00:00, Saturday 12:00 to 00:00 and Sunday 12:00 to 22:00.

Rotherham Council operates a Cumulative Impact Policy regarding licensing which details that an area of Wickersley village is a Cumulative Impact Zone. Rotherham Council says that, with 23 premises (19 located along a 300 metre section of Bawtry Road), Wickersley does not have the required infrastructure to deal with a large and sustained night-time economy.

Applicants "must be able to demonstrate to the Council and other responsible authorities that granting a new or varied licence will not add to the cumulative impact already being experienced within the area."

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Applicants for the new bar state that they want to operate a as a small community focused micro bar with a limited customer capacity adding that: "The nature and style of the business is fundamentally different from larger pubs, bars and late night venues that may contribute to cumulative impact concerns."

Ahead of the Licensing Sub-Committee meeting, Rotherham's Environmental Health department has set out its opposition to the application. The representation explained that because of the cumulative impact zone, the applicant has failed to satisfactorily address concerns around noise generation, especially with a proposed outdoor area, and problems associated with "vertical drinking" such as higher levels of alcohol consumption and drunkenness

Alan Pogorzelec, Licensing Manager at Rotherham Council, said: "Although the applicant has outlined a number of steps within the operating schedule that are intended to mitigate the above issues to some degree, the location and nature of the premises is such that these steps will not prevent the activities at the premises from increasing the impact of such premises in the area."

Local councillors, the parish council, neighbouring businesses and residents also made representations objecting to the application, with one representation in support of the proposals.

The Sub-Committee is set to discuss the application later this month.

Also in Wickersley, The Olive Lounge has seen its planning permission for an extension turned down by the council.

Plans show a single storey glass extension to the front facing Bawtry Road that would take the venue from 2,799 sq ft to 3,552 sq ft.

Planners objected to the appearance of the proposed extension concluding that it would be "a prominent addition which would materially affect the appearance and character of the host property and form an incongruous feature that would have a detrimental impact on the existing street scene."

Rothbiz reported this week that The Garrison in Wickerlsey has announced its closure with a "small transformation" planned for later this year.

Images: Google Maps

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News: Changes at The Garrison as Rotherham restaurant announces closure

An independent restaurant in Rotherham has announced its closure with a "small transformation" planned for later this year.

Elliott Vaughan opened his 1920s themed restaurant, The Garrison at Wickersley, in 2020 after securing financial help from alternative lending provider Finance For Enterprise. However, within less than seven days, his plans were thrown into jeopardy when, along with the whole of South Yorkshire’s hospitality sector, the restaurant was ordered to close as South Yorkshire entered into Tier 3 lockdown.

The focus is on British inspired local produce plus unique cocktails and proper beers. Drawing on inspiration from the hit TV show Peaky Blinders, whilst giving a nod to the golden age of jazz and the roaring Twenties, Elliott re-imagined the former tearoom, transforming it into a cosy, atmospheric dining experience.

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An update on social media explained that: "The Garrison as you know it will be closing. We will be undergoing a small transformation, and our restaurant will be changing its identity. More details of what will be following will be announced in the next few months."

The premises benefits from planning permission for a change of use from restaurant into a micropub and a decking area to front of the property.

In his post, Vaughan said that the changes are "as exciting as it is upsetting" but added that "this is not a goodbye, but a see you later."

On the state of the restaurant sector, the founder said: "Please keep supporting your local independent businesses. We know it’s tough out there for everyone, and for the hospitality guys, we are all feeling your pain.

"First the Conservatives and then Starmer’s useless government sapped the living s*** out of our beautiful industry and economy on a whole (in my opinion) and I don’t have much hope that Burnham will save it."

The Garrison facebook page

Images: The Garrison / facebook

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