Monday, September 28, 2026

News: Rotherham hotel plans move forward

By

Further progress has been made with plans to create a hotel in a historic industrial building in Rotherham, five years after an original application was approved.

Rothbiz reported in 2021 that plans had been given the go ahead to convert part of the former Effingham Works on the edge of Rotherham town centre into a 23-bedroom hotel.

The relocation of Rotherham retailer, Fosters Cycles, saw part of the building go up for auction at the start of 2015 with a guide price of £100,000. The 10,000 sq ft property sold afterwards.

Plans to turn the historic building into houses in multiple occupation (HMO) were refused due to its close proximity to allocated industrial and business sites.

Advertisement
As the amenity requirements of hotel guests are materially different to residents of an HMO in planning terms, permission was granted, subject to pre-occupation conditions around noise and odour mitigation and controls.

Recently submitted plans relating to noise, from applicant, Mr D Butt, have recently been approved by Rotherham Council.

The plans include a Final Noise Assessment and a Sustainable and Public Transport Scheme.

No hotel bedrooms overlooking Beatson Clark glassworks to the north are propposed, all hotel bedrooms overlook the dual carriageway to the south.

The development is set to be called Thames Hotel. The 2020 application set out that: "It is the applicant's intention to arrange his business so that it largely caters for visitors to Rotherham. The proposal would bring back into use what is currently an underused property and require minimal external alterations. The use would therefore bring this building back into use and enhance and preserve the building."

One condition of the planning approval is that it is only for a hotel use for short term guests, as any future long term residential stays (eg more than one month) for use as their main residence is likely to fall within the category of a HMO.

The three storey property called Thames House, makes up a large portion of the former Effingham Works, a rare surviving piece of industrial architecture in Rotherham.

Not a listed building, it is however on the South Yorkshire Local Heritage List.

It was built in 1855 for Yates, Haywood and Co. as an extension to the earlier Effingham Works located to its north-east, following the acquisition of the former Walker's Foundry. The works produced world-renowned stove grates and it was reputed at the time it was built to be the largest factory of its kind in the world.

Images: Mark Jenkinson & son

Read more...

News: Rotherham tour operator on the road to a record year

By

Rotherham-based Leger Shearings Group, the UK's largest escorted coach tour operator, has posted impressive financial results for 2025 and has carried on performing well this year too.

Coach tours are in demand despite consumers having less discretionary spending available for holidays.

The Canklow company, which has over 200 employees, offers self-drive breaks, holidays to the UK and Europe, specialist Battlefield Tours, and educational experiences across four different brands.

Since an initial management buy out (MBO) in 2019 and the acquisition of Shearings in July 2020, the group's presence in the UK has increased significantly. A 2024 injection of funding from NatWest followed.

For the year ended December 31 2025, Leger Holidays Ltd posted its strongest trading EBITDA (earnings before taxes) to date, totalling £6.1m, a 21.29% increase compared to 2024. Consolidated turnover for the year amounted to £79.8m, reflecting a 3.1% increase from the previous year.

The board said that the company had maintained a strong focus on product innovation, continually developing and refreshing its holiday portfolio across both brands with new itineraries, destinations and experiences designed around evolving customer preferences. The ongoing investment in the product range and customer proposition helped sustain demand and underpins the Group's growth strategy.

Advertisement
Customer satisfaction remains high, with the Group's two principal brands independently rated 'Excellent' on Trustpilot as at June 2026, with Leger Holidays scoring 4.5 out of 5 and Shearings 4.3 out of 5, reflecting continued strong approval from clients.

Forward bookings were described as strong with Leger and Shearings each tracking double-digit growth for both the 2026 and 2027 seasons, building at record levels.

Into 2026 and the company recorded the highest sales day in the company’s history, exceeding the previous record by more than 25%. It went on to post 15 consecutive months of sales growth and a record-breaking May. July saw Simon Bingley join the group's board as Commercial Director.

In addition to competition in the market and the impact of geo-political events and natural disasters, the company picked out how demand for holidays is affected by local economic conditions. The accounts add that: "During 2025, rising costs across the economy have affected the cost of holiday arrangements and resulted in consumers having less discretionary spending available for travel. However, this has been compensated by the high level of consumer demand for coach tours in the UK and Europe."

Looking ahead, the company is set to launch Lumina in 2027, a brand-new flagship coach offering, and the first launch since 2015's Luxuria.

Liam Race, CEO at Leger Shearings Group, explained that people "love the stress-free, ultra-comfortable side of coach travel – no flying, no airport drama, no hanging around wondering what's gone wrong. It's a kinder way to see Europe, and a more sustainable one. Lumina takes everything people already love about that experience and pushes it a step further. After more than a decade in the making, we can't wait to welcome you on board."

Leger Shearings Group website

Images: Leger Shearings Group

Read more...

Friday, September 25, 2026

News: At £631.7m, Harworth agrees to Peel deal

By

The board of Harworth, the Rotherham-based regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment, has recommended a best and final takeover offer from major shareholder Peel Holdings, valuing the company at £631.7m.

Rothbiz reported last month on the initial cash offer worth £582.88m at 172.5p per share that was dismissed, along with a follow up bid at 177.5p. The board argued that those attempts significantly undervalued the business and its standalone growth potential.

Having acquired Harworth shares and passing the 30% mark, Peel Pepper (UK) Limited (part of the wider Peel Group) returned with an increased cash offer of 187p per share which has now gained the unanimous recommendation of the Harworth board.

Created from what was UK Coal, Harworth Group owns, develops, and manages a portfolio of over 15,000 acres of strategic land over 100 sites located throughout the North of England and Midlands. With a focus on Grade A industrial and logistics (I&L) space and emerging opportunities in the data centre market, the company has a target of £1bn of EPRA NDV - EPRA NDV is how Harworth measures the value of its assets.

Manchester's The Peel Group is a long-term investor in Harworth, having held various ownership interests in Harworth over a number of years. The Peel Holdings directors believe that Harworth's assets would be best owned, managed and developed under the full control of Peel Holdings.

An update to the stock exchange read: "While the Harworth Board has confidence in the Group’s standalone strategy and future potential, the recommendation follows careful consideration of the Best and Final Offer and engagement with Harworth Shareholders."

Advertisement
Peel believes that the bid is a "highly attractive and certain cash solution at a full valuation, against the alternative of an investment in Harworth, which has an increasingly uncertain outlook, and an unsuitable public company structure from which to deliver the strategic change that BidCo [Peel] believes is required."

Harworth's statement added: "The Harworth Board believes that the Best and Final Offer is in the best interests of all Harworth Shareholders, as it accelerates shareholder returns that could be delivered from, and removes the execution risk associated with, the strategic plan that Harworth would pursue independently."

In the earlier bid document, Peel said that Harworth's administrative expenses and net interest expenses are too high and increasing, whilst the investment portfolio's passing rental income has decreased. Harworth subsequently announced a strategy to reduce expenses and withdraw from the residential sector to focus on industrial and data centre development. Peel said that this strategy was "reactive and unsubstantiated."

Harworth recently moved into a new headquarters at its flagship Waverley development in Rotherham. Peel earlier said that it had "not yet determined whether any changes will be made to the location of Harworth's headquarters or headquarters functions, or to the locations of Harworth's other fixed places of business." Any changes would be considered as part of a review into Harworth's assets.

Peel's earlier document also said it would de-list the business from the stock exchange and on jobs, the announcement said: "Following the Offer becoming or being declared unconditional, BidCo expects to review overlapping functions across the Harworth Group, including senior management, corporate, operational, finance, human resources, compliance and other support functions.

"Based on BidCo's preliminary assessment, the Offer is expected to result in a significant headcount reduction and synergies from overlapping functions and the elimination of costs associated with Harworth's status as a listed company. BidCo has not yet determined the number of roles likely to be affected, the timing of any reductions or the specific functions or locations in which any reductions may occur and will provide further information to affected employees in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements."

Peel is expected to review Harworth's fixed asset base, including its strategic land bank and investment portfolio, and then intends to accelerate the disposal of selected assets.

Harworth Group website
The Peel Group website

Images: Sotech Architectural Facade Systems

Read more...

Thursday, September 24, 2026

News: Prominent Rotherham bank building goes up for auction

By

An empty former bank in Rotherham town centre is set to go under the hammer next month.

The Corporation Street building was previously part of a regeneration scheme but agreements could not be reached between the owner and the council.

The former NatWest bank is described as being "in a state of disrepair requiring development and conversion."

Rothbiz reported in 2021 on investment plans for vacant buildings on Corporation Street as part of a bid to extend the town's new Leisure and Cultural Quarter.

As development continued on the cinema and hotel scheme at nearby Forge Island, acquisitions by the council included the Riverside Precinct, the former Mecca Bingo building, the building vacated by Wilko, and the burnt-out buildings on the opposite side of Corporation Street. All but the grade II listed Mecca building have been demolished.

In the case of the former NatWest Bank, private sector owners have not brought forward a suitable scheme and have turned down a bid from the council to buy the building.

2021 plans showed CGIs of a new scheme at the bank buildings on Corporation Street, adding that: "The Council have worked in conjunction with private sector owners to develop a mixed use and residential scheme which is capable of retaining the heritage features of buildings within the conservation area but requires some public sector funding."

Advertisement
To support the scheme, Rotherham Council was prepared to sell the former Lloyds bank next door for just £1 in 2022.

By 2024, concerns were being raised earlier regarding the progress made by the owners of the NatWest Bank who were then given a short timescale to provide a plan. With no suitable plans for the bank, the owners then informed the council that they would consider selling the property. An agreement could not be reached.

Now BTG Eddisons is listing 38 Corporation Street for its next auction in October with a guide price of £180,000 - £200,000.

The listing states: "An attractive and substantial stone built detached building dating back to the early 1900s originally as a Bank arranged over three floors in a state of disrepair requiring development and conversion. The existing layout comprises a ground floor which is largely open plan with several annexed meeting rooms.

"The property benefits from several strong rooms in the basement and has ancillary accommodation throughout the remainder of the property and upper floors. A scheme has been drawn up to for the conversion and development to provide two ground floor commercial units, one of which have a lower ground floor along with a mix of one and two bedroom apartments over the upper floors. We understand that any development may be eligible for local authority grants or even GAP funding, prospective buyers are to carry out their own due diligence and enquiries in this regard.

"The building is well located within the heart of the town centre and close by the new Forge Island development, a joint scheme delivered by Rotherham Council and Muse Developments. The development includes a 69-room Travelodge hotel, an 8-screen boutique cinema and a pedestrianised public space including 6 commercial properties providing bar, restaurant and entertainment facilities."

Allthough not a isted building, the former Sheffield Banking Company branch was added to the local list of heritage assets earlier this year. Listed as 36 Corporation Street, it states that it was built in 1892-4 with the northern end of the front elevation rebuilt and inset in 1913 to comply with the construction of the new road. The present building replaced an earlier house, present by 1774, which was occupied by Sheffield Banking Company from 1834.

With work underway on the new Riverside Gardens and street scene improvements, the council has been hoping to acquire more property interests at Corporation Street. The properties were not named but minutes from Rotherham's Town Deal board from 2025 show that the council had an offer accepted on the Ring Shop and make reference to 22 Corporation Street.

BTG Eddisons website

Images: BTG Eddisons

Read more...

News: Delayed Rotherham library set to open in 2027

By

A scheduled opening of the multimillion pound new library in Rotherham town centre in 2026 has been shelved, the leader of the council confirms.

With the first phase of the regeneration project now open, the cost of completing a long-awaited revamp of the markets in Rotherham town centre has risen to £46.84m.

The redevelopment of the Drummond Street site also includes a modern central library, a new community hub, improved public spaces, and links to the town centre and college.

The New Market Hall opened for business in July and council reports from earlier in the year had the library down as the next part of the scheme to complete - in "Autumn 2026."

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council gave an update on the construction of the library. He told a recent full council meeting: "That work is ongoing and we expect it to open in the first quarter of next year. It will be a great asset."

Henry Boot (HBC) began works at the end of 2023 and have since made progress on the construction which had a total contract price of £36m. Construction costs were reported as £41.735m earlier this year.

The authority had hoped for a new library in December 2025, then autumn 2026, but the completion of the whole project was pushed back to 2027.

Advertisement
The library is designed to be a welcoming cultural, leisure, and learning hub at the heart of the town centre.

In addition to books and resources, the modern facility is set to incorporate several key features including community hubs with a family-friendly café, alongside flexible, multi-purpose event and exhibition spaces. For learning and engagement, the design includes dedicated meeting rooms to support educational programmes, workshops, and diverse community activities.

Rothbiz reported in April on the Council's cabinet approving further funding, including using various council pots to fill a funding gap following an increase in the total budget of the redevelopment from £40.894m to £46.844m. The request for another £5.95m was a year after the council secured a further £6.5m from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to cover previous budget increases.

The council report highlighted a number of challenges including the increase in demolition costs, inflationary increases linked to delays with extended periods of clarifications and amendments, and "an overestimation of project readiness" when the contract was awarded.

A wide ranging review of how council-led projects are managed is being led by the Council's chief executive.

Consultants at Wakefield-based Solace in Business have also been appointed on a £120,000 contract to carry out an independent investigation into the Libraries and Markets project.

Traders from the old indoor market have moved temporarily into the New Market Hall until the revamp of the indoor market is complete (previously scheduled for Autumn 2027). When work began, outdoor market traders moved on to the street market temporarily with space in the new market hall earmarked for their return next year.

Images: Tom Austen

Read more...
Members:
Supported by:
More news...

  © Blogger template Newspaper III by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP