News: Buyer found for Kiveton Park Steel

A deal appears to be close for Kiveton Park Steel, the award-winning Rotherham-based manufacturer that entered administration at the end of 2015.

Established in 1922, the family company originally produced items used within the UK mining industry and also supplied specialised products into the defence and aircraft industries. It has developed its unique range of production equipment to ensure that the 227,881 sq ft manufacturing facility at Dog Kennel Hill in Kiveton Park is suited to supply chain requirements for critical parts within the global automotive markets, principally supplying Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies.

Phil Pierce and Ben Woolrych, partners of FRP Advisory, were appointed as administrators after the business faced unsustainable pressure on its cash-flow due to a sharp deterioration within the specialist steel market.

A prospective purchaser was selected for the historic firm by the administrators in April and now Sky News claims that Henry Dickinson, an owner of several UK industrial businesses, is close to securing a deal that is expected to save roughly 50 jobs from workforce that was over 100 before the company entered administration.

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Turnover for the year ending June 2011 was up by 50% to £27m, by June 2014 this was back down to £19.4m. For the year to June 30 2015, turnover had fallen to £16.2m and the business reported a loss of £1.3m.

Key customer supply agreements were arranged which ensured the company has sufficient funding to continue to trade until the end of June 2016 whilst the joint administrators marketed the business for sale and continued to engage with third parties who have been interested in investing in the business. Automotive suppliers, Delphi and TRW are the company's main customers.

The agreements secured jobs for the approximately 100 staff associated with the business.

A progress report from FRP Advisory states that a further three expressions of interest were received since the initial 13 reported in November. More parties have been interested in the assets of the business on a break up basis but this has not been pursued.

The administrators stated: "We have received offers from four interested parties which we have rejected because the offers were not considered to offer best value for the assets. However, we have received one offer from another interested party which is acceptable.

"The prospective purchaser has provided evidence of funding and has reached agreement with Delphi in relation to ongoing supply.

"We are not in a position to reveal the level of offer or the identity of the prospective purchaser, however, we can confirm that the prospective purchaser is an unconnected third party."

It was hoped that a deal could be completed by the end of April 2016. It was agreed that if the sale completes, the new business will take on the assets whilst the trading liabilities of the current business are settled and the company is liquidated.

If the sale falls through, the current business will be wound down and assets will be sold on a piecemeal basis.

Chartered surveyors, Walker Singleton has been engaged by the administrators and has scheduled an auction in August for Kiveton's processing facility. The company said: "The business is still trading; during this period the potential of a business sale remains. Preparation for an auction will commence once trading ceases. Further updates will be made over the forthcoming weeks."

Kiveton Park Steel website

Images: Kiveton Park Steel

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News: Pension rescuer offers another route in Tata Steel sale

Veteran City financier and pension scheme rescuer, Edmund Truell is working on a £1 bid for Tata Steel UK, according to reports in a national newspaper.

The deal could lead to the steelworks in Rotherham and Sheffield being sold on without the pension fund liability.

The Indian-owned steelmaker concluded that it is exploring all options for portfolio restructuring including the potential sale of Tata Steel UK, in whole or in parts. The formal process began on April 11 with contact made with 190 potential financial and industrial investors worldwide.

Seven suitors made it through to the next stage but some believe that Tata may even stay in the UK and keep some of its assets, especially as the Government examines pension liabilities and offers financial support. Port Talbot has been turned around since the much publicised £1m a day losses.

The Times reports that venture capitalist, Edmund Truell - the pensions and investment adviser to Boris Johnson, has started talks with Tata Steel, the pensions regulator and the Treasury to outline his plan to save the UK assets.

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The British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) is a huge pension liability with a £700m deficit that could be a deal-breaker for prospective buyers. The Government has recently closed consultation on the scheme - seen as the first step in a potential unprecedented change to regulations which would enable the scheme to modify its benefits enabling it become self-sustaining and remain outside of the Pension Protection Fund - the safety net that provides compensation to members of eligible defined benefit pension schemes when things go wrong.

Proposed changes would enable the Government to cut billions from longer term liabilities by switching the indexation of pension increases from the RPI inflation index to the usually lower CPI measure.

It is now reported that Truell is planning to take control of Tata's operations, including Port Talbot and the Speciality Steels business in South Yorkshire, and then selling them, as separate entities or together, without the pension fund.

The scheme has 130,000 members with assets of £13.3 billion and liabilities. Having taken over the pension fund, risk insurance and hedges in the reinsurance market would be used to offset longevity among members and future rates of inflation.

Albion Steel, a new vehicle led by former Corus CEO, Tony Pedder, has been trying to take on the Speciality Steels business which has a £275m of turnover and is Tata Steel Europe's only Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) based business, specialising in carbon, alloy and stainless steels for demanding applications like aerospace, motorsports and oil and gas.

Edmund Truell has 30 years of financial services experience including leadership positions in banking, private equity, pensions, insurance and debt investment. After selling out of Duke Street Capital in March 2007, he co-founded with his brother Danny, a regulated insurance company, Pension Insurance Corporation, which now has over £10 billion in assets under management and has insured some 100,000 pension fund members. In 2013, he was appointed as chairman of the London Pension Fund Authority, which has £4.8 billion of assets.

Images: Tata Steel

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News: Magna to bring businesses back to borough

Unique Rotherham venue, Magna, has announced that it will host the South Yorkshire in Business event in September - a follow up to a successful similar event held in February.

Set in the former Templeborough steelworks, Magna is a family attraction with more than 100 hands-on exhibits. A £46m Millennium project, Magna opened its doors as a visitor attraction for the very first time in 2001. Millions of pounds have been invested in conference facilities at the centre which plays host to nationally important music events, boxing, corporate launches and award ceremonies.

South Yorkshire in Business will take place on Thursday September 29 and will feature up to 100 exhibitors, with networking opportunities and guest speakers sharing their expertise on a range of topics.

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The event, which we be held from 10am to 3pm, is being supported by the chambers of commerce covering Barnsley and Rotherham, Sheffield and Doncaster. A members-only networking breakfast will also take place at 8am.

John Silker, chief executive of Magna, said: "We're delighted to have the support of the region's chambers and are looking forward to welcoming businesses from across South Yorkshire to make important contacts, learn from our guest speakers, and build relationships with each other."

South Yorkshire in Business will build on the success of the Inspiring Yorkshire Business and Get Up to Speed events, held at Magna earlier this year. It will be held in the venue's Big Hall and speaker details will be announced soon.

Bookings are now being taken for exhibition stands and interested businesses can contact the Magna Events Team on 01709 723118. Chamber members will receive a 25% discount.

The event will take place a fortnight before the venue hosts the annual Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards.

Magna events website

Images: Magna

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News: £25k prize in enterprise competition

A £25k investment prize is up for grabs in a Sheffield city region enterprise initiative that also includes a three-month intensive business support programme.

The UKSE Y-Accelerator, launched by Y-Accelerator and UK Steel Enterprise and funded by the newly established Sheffield City Region Growth Hub, is welcoming business ideas from "anyone with aspirations and an innovative business idea."

Open to anyone in the region, with no restrictions on sector, applications can be submitted through the newly launched SCR Growth Hub website, with a deadline of today - June 30.

Ten lucky applicants will then be chosen to undergo three months of intensive training; developing their idea to prepare for the final stage – a pitch to a panel of seed investors, going head to head to win the £25k investment prize including expert advice, market research and tailored 1-to-1 support.

Further support for the initiative comes from Y-Accelerator, the Yorkshire based start-up accelerator, Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO), the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, business consultancy TRoom, and law firm Freeths.

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The competition ran last year in Rotherham and saw five companies come to the region following a successful trade mission. After receiving initial support from the South Korean Government, they were housed in one of Rotherham's four enterprise centres run by RiDO, the Council's regeneration arm. Ultimate Drone was the big winner of the Y-Accelerator programme, picking up a £30,000 investment to support the commercialisation of a new generation of drone.

Keith Williams from UK Steel Enterprise said: "The Y-Accelerator is a fantastic idea and we are really pleased to be able to offer a £25k investment to the eventual winner and to be able to join them on their start-up journey."

David Grimes, Head of the SCR Growth Hub, added: "We want to encourage people with great ideas to start businesses, and Y-Accelerator is one way of doing that. Successful new businesses are vital to a successful city region."

SCR Growth Hub website

Images: SCR Growth Hub

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News: Next stage in Rotherham town centre masterplan

Key development sites in Rotherham town centre and adjoining areas have been identified and a new masterplan is being put together to focus on the likely delivery options for each of the key sites and identify potential funding.

Rothbiz reported first on the refresh of the town centre masterplan in March which identified eight "key moves" to continue the regeneration of the award-winning town centre. The consultation has recently been completed and once finalised, this Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) will provide additional guidance to a number of Local Plan policies which can be taken into account when determining planning applications.

A follow-up piece of work is now being commissioned by Rotherham Council that will build on the work of consultants, Arup, and become an important tool in marketing the wider town centre to potential investors and encouraging further regeneration and improvement. It is also set to cover transport issues in more detail, including the preparation of a car parking strategy for the town.

It is set to provide "bold and deliverable solutions for leisure, retail, recreation and town centre living" and explains that "a step change in the retail offer of the town is required to revive the sector and ensure that it meets modern needs and requirements."

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Rotherham Council is putting together a £17m pot for regeneration in the town centre and the masterplan should identify the capital projects that will be brought forward.

The key development sites are detailed here.

A brief for the new masterplan states: "The proposed Masterplan represents an important opportunity for Rotherham. It will allow the Council and other key land owners to explore possibilities to enhance and support growth in this key area of the town and to set out its expectations for the content and timing of development proposals.

"The production of a Masterplan has the potential to kick-start the wider regeneration of the town. It is envisaged that underutilised sites which face connectivity issues will be transformed and contribute to a new and vibrant town centre.

"The Masterplan will support the delivery of schemes within the Rotherham town centre by providing greater certainty to existing businesses and potential investors, allowing development to take place in a co-ordinated fashion. It will provide detail on the options for delivery and implementation for key parts of the town centre. This will include soft market testing, viability assessments, cost estimates and implementation plans and funding options."

Images: RMBC / ARUP

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News: Rotherham's key town centre regeneration sites

A masterplan to guide the future regeneration of Rotherham town centre is set to focus on seven key sites. The plan will "set out a coherent set of land use and design parameters" for the sites and will then be used to promote the wider town centre to potential investors and encourage further regeneration and improvement.

Forge Island
Previously the Rotherham Forge & Rolling Mills, the 1.57 hectare site is currently home to an empty supermarket and a car park following the relocation of Tesco across town in 2014. It was identified as a suitable site for development of a town centre leisure hub as detailed in the earlier plan which placed bringing a cinema and leisure development to Forge Island as the first "key move." Market analysis has suggested that there is an appetite amongst cinema operators to locate within Rotherham as part of a wider leisure scheme, including family pub/restaurant, gym and hotel (cgi above).

In 2012, the Council's cabinet confirmed Forge Island as the preferred site for a town centre cinema and theatre development and developers and operators where sought. Rotherham town centre has been without a cinema for 25 years.

The Council included an option to buy the site for £1.5m when Tesco vacated and moved across town to the a £40m store on the site of former council buildings on Drummond Street. It also owns land and property over the river and is in discussions with the Government regarding the future of the site of the Magistrates' Court, since the Ministry of Justice ruled that it would close by the end of the year.

Sheffield Road
Previously Westgate Station, the 1.43 hectare site is currently home to the Royal Mail sorting office, BT's telephone exchange and land used for car parking.

The site has a long planning history with owners, Satnam Urban Regeneration, putting forward plans for a food store to rival those being put forward for Tesco. A long running legal battle with the Council came to an end in 2009 and nothing much has happened since apart from the rebirth of pubs as real ale favourites.

The Local Plan earmarked it for a mix of uses, predominately housing, but not retail. The site is allocated an indicative number of 143 homes to be delivered between 2021 and 2026. However, Royal Mail currently has no plans to close or relocate the sorting office and asked for a policy that states that "the re-provision / relocation of Royal Mail's operations will be required prior to redevelopment."

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Guest and Chrimes
Previously the site of a famous foundry employing thousands of workers, it is now home to Rotherham United's £20m New York Stadium and Rotherham Council's £60m offices.

The success of the Millers, on and off the pitch, has not led to further regeneration around the stadium ever since English Heritage strongly objected to plans to demolish the Grade II listed buildings that sit between the two modern buildings.

Feasibility work was carried out on a potential 100-bed riverside hotel surrounded by restaurants, bars and shops. Offices and a call centre have also been mooted.

Like land at Main Street (see below) it is put forward in the Local Plan for a mix of uses, with the area "considered to be suitable for B1 office and hotel uses given its gateway location and proximity to Rotherham town centre and public transport interchanges. It is also considered suitable for assembly and leisure uses given its location, existing uses and proximity to Rotherham town centre."

Main Street
Most recently used as a nightclub and car parking relating to the Council offices, the 0.8 hectare site is a high profile site fronting the busy Centenary Way. Allocated for a mix of uses (see above) it is currently up for sale, advertised with the potential for retail, leisure and road side uses (subject to the necessary planning consent).

The 22,000 sq ft, 2,000 capacity Liquid nightclub was put up for sale by Luminar before its administration in 2012. Under ownership by Ron Hull Jr Ltd, it was demolished last year.

A £5m road scheme at New York Junction has completed and was designed to open up land for redevelopment, not least the adjacent Main Street site.

Interchange and Corporation Street
The town's bus station also includes a retail development covering 55,000 sq ft, consisting of 18 units and 750 parking spaces. Opened in 1971, the car park has since developed widespread defects and is "nearing the point of being beyond economic repair."

Talks have been ongoing since the operators, the SYPTE, Rotherham Council and owners Norseman Holdings met in 2013 to discuss potential alternative development options for the site. The SYPTE is set to decide on whether they wish to redevelop the site as an Interchange or continue a programme of repairs.

The recently published draft capital strategy from Rotherham Council included an ambition to invest in "Improvements to the Transport Interchange, to address current condition and public safety issues. The aim is to create a new, brighter, safer environment and address some of the issues around CSE in and around the existing Interchange."

Corporation Street has seen a reduced footfall since the relocation of Tesco across town from Forge Island and has been in gradual decline as a retail destination. It is blighted by a number of burn-out buildings.

Drummond Street and Markets
The markets continue to welcome over four million customers per year but the outdoor markets area is underutilised and has significant issues in terms of its access and permeability into the indoor markets area. A redeveloped markets complex was identified in the borough's growth plan.

Over the road and adjacent to the new £40m Tesco, Drummond Street Car Park is also earmarked for redevelopment.

Doncaster Gate
The council-owned site was controversially cleared, demolishing a former Victorian hospital. Led by the RNN Group, a £12m Higher Education (HE) campus is planned here and proposals to secure funding, and the land from the Council, are well advanced. It could accommodate a 44,000 sq ft campus - enough space to eventually house 1,000 students. The aim is to be open for the 2017/18 academic year.

There is significant land still available to locate other complementary developments. Interest in using the site, where any development will not affect the adjacent medical facilities, has also come from providers of specialist housing provision.

Images: RMBC/Arup/Rotherham United/Google Maps

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News: Construction starts on Rotherham Trade World development

Construction has started on a £5.5m trade counter and gym development in Rotherham that will create up to 50 jobs.

Planning permission was granted conditionally in 2014 for the Parkgate development where the plan was to create ten units totalling 45,000 sq ft. Since then three of the nine units have been pre-let to National Tyres & Autocare (NTS), Al Murad DIY Ltd and The Gym. One unit is also under offer to Halfords Autocentres.

Bakewell based Litton Property Group purchased the Ruscon engineering works on Rotherham Road in 2003 but plans for a DIY retail store and garden centre were refused in 2005. Outline planning permission was granted in 2006 for a warehouse development with 20% of the floorspace approved for retail use. Detailed plans for seven units were approved in 2008 but were not developed out.

Richard Squire, development director of Litton Property Group (pictured, second left), said: "We are delighted to be delivering what will be a signature trade counter and gymnasium development for Rotherham.

"Modern, efficient and highly prominent new property is extremely limited in the town and Trade World offers occupiers a unique space to base themselves in Rotherham with easy access to the local and regional road network."

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Handelsbanken has provided nearly £3.7m of funding and related facilities to deliver the scheme.

Kevin Fletcher, corporate manager at Handelsbanken Sheffield Tudor Square (pictured, right), said: "We are proud to provide funding support to an experienced local developer like Litton Property Group who will then invest in Rotherham and create much-needed employment. Strong customer relationships are at the centre of everything we do at Handelsbanken and Litton Property Group is no exception. This scheme will help to grow the South Yorkshire economy and we are delighted to be playing a part in that process".

Construction by Roe Developments (UK) is expected to complete in December with the units open for trading in early 2017.

Joint agents for the development are Fernie Greaves, CSP and Fairhurst Estates.

Five units are available, ranging in size from 1,500 sq ft to 5,177 sq ft, although units could be combined to form larger space. In total, there remains a further 22,208 sq ft.

Litton Property Group website

Images: Litton Property Group

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News: Change of track for HS2 in South Yorkshire

Cost and schedule pressures on the £55.7 billion High Speed 2 (HS2) project could lead to the South Yorkshire station not being located at Meadowhall as originally planned.

Construction on HS2, the high speed North to South rail link that aims to provide extra capacity to handle increasing demand, will begin during this Parliament and has been given a funding envelope of £55.7 billion in 2015 prices. It should reach Birmingham in 2026 and Manchester and Leeds by 2033.

The National Audit Office (NAO) has been keeping an eye on the project and has this week published a report that concludes that the 2026 target opening date for phase 1 is at risk despite good progress and that increasing costs would result in reduced programme scope, and lower the benefit cost ratio.

At the 2015 Spending Review, the estimated cost of phase 2 exceeded available funding by £7 billion. Since then work by the Department of Transport, HS2 Ltd and a review commissioned by the Cabinet Office has identified potential savings of £9 billion, £2 billion of which have been secured.

The Department asked HS2 Ltd to explore options for reducing the programme scope in ways that do not have a significant impact on programme benefits.

One of these options is to scrap the station at Meadowhall and there are ongoing discussions about providing HS2 services into the station in Sheffield city centre.

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The NAO report states that: "The Department [for Transport] and HS2 Ltd are exploring options to locate the HS2 stop in the city centre which they believe could save around £768m, and make a significant contribution to meeting the affordability challenge for phase 2b. HS2 Ltd's analysis suggests that this will not have a substantial negative impact on the overall benefit–cost ratio for the programme. It could, however, mean that a different set of communities will be affected by the plans than under the currently planned route and station location."

It goes on: "The Department expects the Chairman of HS2 Ltd, Sir David Higgins to make a recommendation about the location of the Sheffield station later in summer 2016.

"It will be important that the final decision about the location of the station is well informed by an understanding of the possible impacts on the potential growth and regeneration benefits and on the wider rail system."

Sheffield Council believes that the findings of its own reports highlight that a city centre location would maximise the economic growth in the North and add that the decision to select Meadowhall is based on an "outdated approach to transport investment."

The council has been pushing for a station to be built at Victoria, closer to the city centre, that would add £680m to the cost of the project. It also argues that, as proposals are now being developed for HS3 - a TransNorth high speed rail link connecting the North's great cities - it would be illogical for HS2 going to an out of town parkway station whilst the Northern Powerhouse Rail project goes to the city centre.

In 2014, a direct route via a spur terminating at Sheffield Midland station was examined again but was rejected as it did not provide onwards connections and, while this provided limited benefits for the city centre market, it "did not provide the connections and journey times necessary to serve the wider Sheffield city region effectively, particularly Rotherham and Barnsley."

Volterra, consultants working for Sheffield Council, warned in 2013 that a spur off the main HS2 line and into Sheffield city centre, would result in only one train per hour. With a station at Meadowhall, indicative service patterns showed six trains per hour in each direction stopping in South Yorkshire. A total of ten trains per hour are expected to serve the eastern network in each direction.

Further work will need to be done on the potential for a loop away from the main HS2 line, through Sheffield city centre and rejoining the main HS2 line.

HS2 Ltd website

Images: SYPTE

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News: EU funds key to LEP's growth plan

A number of key regeneration and business support projects in the Sheffield city region face a funding black hole if European Union (EU) structural funding allocated to the region is not replaced.

Over €200m in EU funding was expected to be used to support businesses, inward investment, infrastructure, innovation and social inclusion in the Sheffield city region (SCR) until 2020.

LEPs were charged by the Government with putting together local growth plans that are the basis on which the Government negotiates deals with each LEP for new levers, resources, funding and flexibility over them.

The Sheffield city region LEP's Growth Plan, which set an ambitious target of creating 70,000 new jobs in the Sheffield city region (SCR) by 2023, was submitted to the Government in 2013. Currently being refreshed, the use of structural funding from the EU is integral to meeting the targets.

The LEP's EU Structural Investment Fund Strategy was only updated this year and sets out how €203m (£175m) of funding would be used, based around six main priorities: supporting and creating new businesses; growing existing businesses; attracting incoming businesses; increasing exporting; developing the skills base and labour mobility; improving and enhancing infrastructure.

With the historic result of the EU Referendum, it is not yet clear how the UK Government will react to the apparent loss of the structural funding that is designed to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions.

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Following the EU referendum vote, Sir Nigel Knowles, chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (SCR LEP), said: "The focus of the SCR LEP remains the same as it was before the referendum, which is to do everything in its power to continue to deliver the devolution deal it secured, with localised investment and power to the region.

"The strength and potential of this region is in no way diminished by the result today. The north of England has led and fostered many changes in its history and centuries have confirmed that when it focuses on getting things done, pragmatically and tenaciously, it is successful. We are here to ensure that promises made in Westminster are kept, that the region hits its strategic targets and that in the coming years we are not distracted from our task.

"No doubt there will be changes in the economic and political landscape in the UK and opportunities will arise. We will be vigilant and ready to take advantage of such opportunities that will benefit the Sheffield City Region. Our job is unchanged, and we will continue to do that for every resident and business here today and in the future."

Six calls were made by the SCR via the Government last year in a bid to secure £17m in EU funds for support in relation to international trade, investment into Enterprise Zones and innovation capital. Calls to secure £12m have been made this year to support SME's, self-employment, renewable energy projects, and improve access to IT.

Through its devolution deals, the Combined Authority was pushing to be given Intermediate Body status and more control over how European funding was spent.

The SCR Growth Hub, the model that coordinates and simplifies business support so that it joins up national, local, public and private business provisions across the city region, has core funding of £4.82m. It estimated that it would bring together a £22m Business Investment Fund, a Skills Bank fund of more than £17m and "access to the Sheffield City Region European Structural Funds of approximately £90m."

Other key investments are the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund (SCRIF) which matches EU funds to other funds and private sector investment in order to deliver infrastructure solutions. A £51m property investment fund was being finalised to help kick-start development. It was set to use £23m in European funds, £18m from the city region's allocation of the Growing Places Fund (GPF) and £10m from the SCRIF.

The Sheffield city region was also expected to be part of the new £400m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) that was set to launch later this year. Tendering is underway for specialist fund managers, who would make the individual investments in smaller businesses.

The NPIF was announced in the Autumn Statement 2015. The British Business Bank is all set to invest £50m of its own capital, matched by an additional £50m from the European Investment Bank. LEPs, including Sheffield, are working with the British Business Bank and Department for Communities and Local Government to aggregate the European money they were allocated into a combined fund.

The UK has a 16.11% shareholding in the European Investment Bank and is one of the four main shareholders. The bank said in a statement: "It is premature to speculate on the impact of the referendum result on the EIB, including the Bank's future relationship with the UK government and its future engagement to support long-term investment in the UK without clarity on the timing, circumstances and conditions of a withdrawal settlement."

The SCR was part of a legal battle over the how the coalition Government allocated the funds. In the previous settlement, South Yorkshire received €410m. It was allocated €180m for 2014-2020.

SCR LEP website

Images: European Commission / SCR LEP

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News: Chamber awards host announced

Local radio personality, Andy Giddings has been confirmed as the host one of the premier events in the local business calendar - the Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards.

This year's awards will return to Rotherham and the event will again be held at the Magna Science Adventure Centre on Friday, October 14 2016.

Last year saw over 120 entries in the ten categories and companies can this year enter the awards until September. This year, along with the ten awards from the previous year, a new category has been introduced for Tourism, Leisure or Hospitality, which will be awarded to a business that goes to extraordinary effort to provide more than is expected to their visitors.

Entry is open to all members of the Chamber and for the first time ever all businesses with an "S" postcode will be able to enter the awards.

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For the past 15 years Andy has been a journalist and broadcaster, and is currently the Sports Editor at BBC Radio Sheffield, where he's worked for the past ten years.

As well as being an event host for the past four years, Andy is part of the Toby Foster Breakfast Show and can be regularly heard on national television and radio, specifically BBC Radio Sheffield's Praise & Grumble broadcast following that day's football fixtures.

Mark Hannigan, Operations Manager at Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber, said: "We are delighted to announce Andy Giddings will be host the 2016 awards. Andy is very well known in the area given the work he does as Sports Editor at BBC Radio Sheffield and we look forward to welcoming him to Magna on the 14th October."

A dedicated website for the awards has been launched to provide all the information for entrants, attendees and sponsors.

This year's awards is in association with the RNN Group (Rotherham and North Notts Group). Sponsorship opportunities for the Business Awards are available from £1,500 (plus VAT).

BR Chamber website

Images: BR Chamber

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News: Another Rotherham college merger on the cards

Dearne Valley College (DVC) could join with the RNN Group - which is made up of Rotherham and North Nottinghamshire Colleges - following the completion of a Government review into post-16 education and training across the Sheffield city region (SCR).

The Government is undergoing a restructuring of the further education sector leading to "fewer, larger, more resilient and efficient providers" as it believes that substantial change is required to deliver its education objectives while maintaining tight fiscal discipline.

In addition to the expansion of the apprenticeship programme, reform is proposed to ensure there are high quality professional and technical routes to employment, alongside robust academic routes; and that there is a better responsiveness to local employer needs and economic priorities.

The SCR became the first locally led part of the country to complete its Area Based Review (ABR) which the local enterprise partnership (LEP) said "sends a clear signal to Government that the SCR's local leaders and FE Colleges are at the head of the pack when it comes to working together to make decisions that impact on its economy and jobs."

The review started in late 2015 and makes eight recommendations which includes proposed mergers for some colleges and a collaborative approach for apprenticeship delivery with some colleges in the city region.

For Rotherham, the ABR recommends that Dearne Valley College should join forces with the RNN Group and that Thomas Rotherham College should explore joining a multi academy trust.

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Established in 1976, DVC has its main campus in Manvers and specialises in vocational training and apprenticeships. The RNN Group was created in February 2016, and is the new organisation that combines North Notts College with Rotherham College of Arts and Technology (RCAT).

In 2012, DVC and RCAT decided to collaborate on areas including joint curriculum development and joint employer engagement activity, together with co-operation over staff recruitment. At the time, the institutions moved quickly to state that the move was not a merger.

John Connolly, chief executive of the RNN Group, told FE Week that the proposed merger with Dearne Valley College was a "good solution for the area." He told the publication: "The colleges are adjoining catchments – there"s a bit of overlap between us – and it creates some good opportunities for specialisation and to maintain the breadth of the curriculum that we’ve currently got."

As part of devolution negotiations with the Government, the SCR asked for joint influence over the use of funding for 16-18 year olds, co-commissioning programmes with Government agencies deployed through an outcome based agreement, ensuring the young people leave school with the skills they need to make an impact in the city region economy. The 19+ adult skills budget is set to be devolved from 2018/19.

Nigel Brewster, vice chair of the Sheffield City Region LEP, chaired the City Region's Area Based Review. He said, "We are delighted with the outcome of the Area Based Review and it has been really impressive how partners have joined together to make proposals that have learners and businesses at their heart. This puts our City Region in a strong position by ensuring that our Further Education sector can deliver the best outcomes for residents, businesses and ultimately the economic growth that our City Region is striving to achieve."

Sir David Collins, FE Commissioner, added: "It is excellent news that Sheffield City Region has successfully concluded its Area Based Review and I am very pleased that the institutions involved all contributed so positively to the process. The Sheffield City Region's partnership approach to this important work is very welcome and sets a precedent which other areas will be eager to follow. This review means that FE institutions will shape a stronger and more sustainable future for learners and businesses in the area."

Proposals are being progressed for a £12m Higher Education (HE) campus to be built in Rotherham town centre.

The council-owned site on Doncaster Gate was controversially cleared, demolishing a former Victorian hospital. It could accommodate a 44,000 sq ft campus - enough space to eventually house 1,000 students. The aim is to be open for the 2017/18 academic year.

DVC website
RNN Group website

Images: DVC

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News: TRC told to look at academisation

Thomas Rotherham College (TRC) is set to look at joining a multi academy trust following the findings of a Government review into skills in the Sheffield city region.

A series of Area Based Reviews (ABRs) of provision are to be carried out with the Sheffield city region one of the first three areas. Each review will start by assessing the economic and educational needs of the area, and the implications for post-16 education and training provision, including school sixth forms, sixth form colleges, further education colleges and independent providers.

The reviews are set to "provide an opportunity for institutions and localities to restructure their provision to ensure it is tailored to the changing context and designed to achieve maximum impact."

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Covering the six Further Education Colleges and two Sixth Form Colleges (including TRC) in the region, the review recommends: "Each of Thomas Rotherham College and Longley Park Sixth Form College to explore joining a multi academy trust in their locality. If either college were not to become academies in the 12-16 months following the area review, that institution(s) would look again at options for collaboration or grouping with each other or other colleges that have been in scope of this area review."

The Moorgate college said in a statement: "TRC has been part of the ABR Steering Group and helped to shape this recommendation. We are happy that the recommendation gives us a broad scope of action and sufficient time to explore these options, which are natural ones for the College to consider following the government's announcement in November 2015 that Sixth Form Colleges could explore the academisation route.

"It is now for the College to decide whether it best serves the interests of young people in South Yorkshire by joining a multi-academy trust involving local schools or by continuing as an independent Sixth Form College which collaborates with Longley Park Sixth Form College and other colleges while still enjoying close relations with the schools which its students come from. The decision-making process will involve consultation and due diligence.

"Whatever decision is taken, it will be based on the interests of students in the area, and this is linked to determining the best way to preserve the identity and ethos of a College which is graded Good by Ofsted, which has improved its results still further since its last inspection and which has filled a vital role in the education and progression of young people in the area since its creation as one of the country's first Sixth Form Colleges 50 years ago.​"

The initial recommendations focus on general FE and sixth form colleges and a skills strategy is set to be published with the aim to help ensure that post-16 providers are delivering the skills that local employers require.

TRC website

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News: New investors on board at Fishing Republic

Rotherham-based retailer, Fishing Republic has landed £3.75m from big name investors as it carries out its expansion plans by snapping up smaller, often family-owned fishing retail businesses.

The placing of ten million new shares at 15p per share in June 2015 raised £1.5m for the Eastwood company that is already one of the largest retailers of fishing tackle in the UK by floorspace.

Floating on AIM, the directors believe that Fishing Republic is the only participant in the market looking to act as a consolidator. It has now raised £3.75m through a placing of 10,714,288 new ordinary shares of 1p each at a price of 35p per placing share. The placing, which was heavily oversubscribed, was undertaken by the company's broker Northland Capital Partners.

Announcing the placing to the stock market, Fishing Republic said in a statement: "The net proceeds of the Placing will be used to support Fishing Republic's continuing expansion as it seeks to build a significant market presence in the highly fragmented fishing tackle sector. In particular, the new funds will be used to develop Fishing Republic's online platform and digital strategy, and to support further store openings, including potential acquisitions."

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Amongst the new shareholders, Fishing Republic announced that Bill Currie, Iain McDonald and Sir Terry Leahy have agreed to subscribe for, in aggregate, 6,014,286 placing shares, which will equate to a combined shareholding of 15.9% of the company's issued share capital.

Leahy is the current chairman of fast-growing discount retailer, B&M. He is the former chief executive of Tesco.

After leaving stockbroking, Bill Currie founded an investment office, The William Currie Group, and The Fragrance Shop. The William Currie Group, of which McDonald is currently a partner, is a private family office with interests in technology and e-commerce investments.

In addition, James Newman, the chairman of Fishing Republic, has subscribed for 28,571 placing shares.

"Encouraging results in line with market expectations" were reported for the year ended December 31 2015. Sales for the year as a whole increased by 22% to £4.12m, compared to the £3.39m in 2014, with sales in the second half after launching on the stock exchange rising by 45% year-on-year.

The additional costs of being a quoted company and increased marketing expenditure meant that the group reported profit before tax (which includes expensed IPO costs of £299,000) was £5,700, down from £295,000 in 2014. However, the group's gross profit increased by 21% to £1.88m (2014: £1.55m).

Shares are now trading at 40p.

Fishing Republic website

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News: Rotherham reacts to Brexit vote

The majority of the electorate in Rotherham have voted for Great Britain leaving the European Union with 67.9% backing Brexit.

With a voter turnout of 69.5%, 93,272 votes went to the option to leave, with 44,115 voting to remain.

Nationally, Britain voted to leave the EU - 52% to 48%. Yorkshire and the Humber gave one of the highest eurosceptic results in the country, with 57.7% of people backing Leave.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who announced that he would step down following the result, said: "The will of the British people is an instruction that must be delivered. It was not a decision that was taken lightly, not least because so many things were said by so many different organisations about the significance of this decision.

"So there can be no doubt about the result."

John McDonnell MP, Labour's Shadow Chancellor, said: "People will be waking up this morning to turmoil in the markets and the pound crashing, and fearing the emergency budget the Chancellor threatened to hike their taxes and cut public services.

"The Government must now take steps to stabilise the economy, and to protect jobs, pensions and wages."

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Paul Luen, CEO of Martek Group, the Rotherham success story which exports safety and environmental monitoring systems around the globe, welcomed the result.

Truly momentous day. Well done 52% of Britain for believing in ourselves and having Vision. Let’s TAKE BACK CONTROL! 👍😎

— Paul Luen (@paulluen) June 24, 2016

Tom Fripp, managing director at Fripp Design and Research, an innovative company based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, was not so happy with the way people voted.

To the #UK. I think you are a bit of an idiot. #Brexit

— Tom Fripp (@MrTGF) June 24, 2016

David Greenan, managing director at Newburgh Precision, the Rotherham manufacturer that has been building exports back up following the downturn in the global oil & gas market, was more balanced.

Just as i was thinking there was light at the end of the tunnel the tunnel got longer but maybe the light will be brighter.#ukmanufacturing

— David Greenan (@DavidGreenan) June 24, 2016

Cllr. Chris Read, the leader of Rotherham Council said that there was "nothing to do but hope."

Sterling dropping like a stone, FTSE expected to fall, country divided, years of negotiation ahead. Nothing to do but hope.

— Chris Read (@christophe_read) June 24, 2016

Rotherham's MP, Sarah Champion, said she would continue to fight for Rotherham's business.

Well my job now is to fight to make sure #Rotherham people & businesses get the best possible deal going forwards

— Sarah Champion MP (@SarahChampionMP) June 24, 2016

The University of Sheffield, whose Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has secured millions in EU funding for facilities and research projects in Rotherham, said that leaving the EU will not happen overnight and that "there will not be any immediate material change" to the UK university sector's participation in EU programmes such as Horizon 2020.

Sir Keith Burnett, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said he was "gutted" at the decision, adding: "We are setting our course in a new direction, sailing into uncharted waters. I am not alone in wondering what it might mean. Academics engaged in projects with other EU universities drawing on EU funding wonder about the future of their work."

Tata, the Indian company that has put its UK steel assets up for sale and last week issued a memo to staff at its UK steel sites on the importance of the European market, said in a statement: "Tata has been operating in the UK since 1907 and remains committed to delivering long-term value for all its stakeholders. There are currently 19 independent Tata companies in the UK, with diverse businesses. Each company continuously reviews its strategy and operations in the light of developments, and will continue to do so. Access to markets and to a skilled workforce will remain important considerations."

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News: Hellaby Hall hopes for wedded bliss

The new owners of the historic Hellaby Hall Hotel in Rotherham have identified the marquee to success and are planning to boost business by tripling the number of weddings that it can host.

The 4 star hotel at Bramley includes 89 rooms in the converted 17th century house of Ralph Fretwell and is a popular location for weddings, functions and business. It also includes conference facilities, a restaurant and health & leisure club with two gyms, a swimming pool and health spa.

The Grade II * listed building was put on the market after its operators entered administration last year. Keeping operations open, the administrators took on the management of the affairs, business and property of the companies and appointed Legacy Hotels & Resorts Ltd to manage the day to day affairs of the hotels as their disclosed agent.

At the start of 2016, it was announced that it had sold for around £5.6m to the owners of Aston Hall Hotel. The Lavin family acquired the historic Aston Hall Hotel in similar circumstances in 2012.

Now the owners have submitted a planning application that outlines the plans for investment in a bid to increase turnover.

Having already commenced a programme of upgrading and refurbishment, approval has also been obtained to bring the hotel into the Best Western group within the next few months, bringing it alongside Aston Hall.

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Also mirroring Aston Hall, the plans involve the siting of a marquee to the west of the site, on land owned by the hotel, to provide the ability to run two weddings on the same day. It is envisaged that a wedding party using this location and adjacent main building facilities could be kept completely separate from any event in the existing main ballroom. It would also allow a choice of a conventional function room or marquee wedding at the hotel.

Andrew Lavin, owner of the hotel, said in the plans: "This is a very substantial hotel with 89 bedrooms and extensive conference and banqueting facilities. However, there is only one large ballroom and therefore only one potential wedding resource on the site. The ability to run two weddings on the same day at this venue will be of very considerable benefit to the venue, allowing continued and increased investment in the property, and the resultant increased turnover will have a proportionate impact on the number of persons employed by the company.

"Hellaby Hall Hotel has enormous potential as wedding venue, but due to the lack of investment a relatively low number of weddings have taken place. The hotel's business plan envisages an increase from 30 to 50 weddings per year in the existing ballroom within three years but with a marquee added to the facility the long term potential is well over 100 weddings annually in total. This is in line with what is currently achieved at Aston Hall.

"As a result, a marquee would make a very significant contribution towards ensuring the long term stability and success of the hotel. 50 marquee weddings annually would contribute approximately £300,000 to the hotel's turnover, and it is anticipated that other marquee events would be likely to contribute a further £50,000. Once these levels of revenue were achieved the hotel payroll would increase by £120,000, including an increase in sales and support staff, creating valuable extra employment in the area."

Hellaby Hall Hotel website

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News: Macalloy reach amazing new heights

High strength steel bars manufactured by Macalloy in Rotherham have been used in an architectural wonder that offers visitors an intense sensation of walking in the clouds.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Approximately 80% of the company's turnover is from export.

The Sky Walk near Dolni Movara, a ski and activity resort in the Czech Republic, is a 55 metre tall observation tower, built mostly by hand on the top of a mountain.

Designed by local studio franek architects, there are various attractions including a 101 metre long slide, nets and nests in the building for those who seek adventure or entertainment. The entrance building is of a slightly oval shape much like a rowboat.

Its construction is made of glued wooden beams set into a wooden grid supported by columns. The architectural approach was for the building to blend with it's unique surrounding rather then to disturb it. This was the reason for using wood for the major part of the construction, and making the rails and mounts as subtle as possible.

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To make the architect's vision a reality, construction firm, Taros Nova, selected Maccalloy products. Macalloy has supplied 460 grade galvanised tension rods in M30, M36 and M42 with turnbuckles. Overall, the unique structure includes 550 cubic metres of timber, nearly 400 tonnes of steel and over 40,000 pins, clamps and bolts. Construction completed at the end of 2015.

Zdenik Fránek, lead architect on the project, said: "It is rare to use timber on a construction of this magnitude. It also creates a new kind of experience where people realise how small they are in the bosom of nature. I don't know of any other timber construction with steel elements of a similar size and purpose. There are constructions of a similar size but ours takes on an abstract form that suggests the flight of a nocturnal butterfly whose path is seemingly chaotic."

Radek Ondruch, executive director Taros Nova, added: "The construction was a unique experience that required us to follow a path of courage and self-knowledge. We found ourselves in a completely different situation from what we're used to – having to build so high above sea level in difficult terrain with changeable weather, where all of the materials and equipment had to be transported. It was astonishing and chilling at the same time.

"It was like when the first New York skyscrapers were built. Images of the Empire State Building being built came to mind."

Macalloy website

Images: Taros Nova / franek architects

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News: Rotherham town centre properties under the hammer

Investors are continuing to back Rotherham town centre with a number of recent deals for commercial property.

The majority of the converted Old Town Hall has been snapped up by an investor having first failed to sell at a recent auction. Converted in the 1980's into an attractive shopping arcade, the Grade II listed building is home to the likes of Games Workshop, the Crafty Tea Parlour and John Norris Greengrocers.

The freehold was sold for an undisclosed sum after the May auction organised by Allsops in London. It includes 21 units, five of which are double units, totalling 20,700 sq ft.

Formerly the Town Hall including the County Juvenile Court and Assembly Rooms, much of the building dates from 1896-97. Designed by Mr Lovell of London it features Classical and Jacobean details. The Assembly Room building (not part of the sale), was built as Rotherham and Masborough Literary Mechanics Institute in 1853 and was extensively refronted when incorporated into the Town Hall complex.

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At the same auction, 21, 23 and 25 Effingham Street in Rotherham town centre was sold for an impressive £720,000. The freehold was being sold by CBRE Ltd acting as Joint Fixed Charge Receivers.

With one unit vacant, most of the near 10,000 sq ft property is occupied by Perfect Home which has a lease until 2021. Rents of £70,000 pa means that the sale represents a gross initial yield of 9.72%.

The Rotherham lots were part of 205 commercial lots offered to the market, and with a success rate of 81%, over £113m was raised.

Duncan Moir, partner and auctioneer, said: "Interest is growing from a wide range of investors, both experienced and new to the market, who were clearly attracted by the returns available in the sector. Referendum inertia seems to be having little effect on investors, and their enthusiasm ensured a number of bidding battles took place, particularly over mixed-use buildings in the South East. We were delighted to secure many significant results for our clients."

At Allsops' July auction, Unit 1, 13 All Saints Square and Unit 2, 15 All Saints Square in Rotherham town centre are set to go under the hammer with a guide price of £350,000 - £375,000. In a prime location, the former Cooplands and Co-op Travel units have rents set at £46,000 pa over 2,000 sq ft of space.

Also set be sold at the same auction is the former public house on Domine Lane, also in the town centre. Empty for a number of years, the 8,000 sq ft property was previously The Exchange and formerly Yates Wine Lodge. It has been given a guide price of £80,000+.

The property forms part of the Westgate Chambers site, the majority of which has been under offer for over a year after Rotherham Council agreed to dispose of its asset. It is hoped that it will be redeveloped into a residential development with an active commercial ground floor.

Allsops website

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News: Huthwaite highlights heroes of business

Huthwaite International, the market leading behaviour change consultancy based in Rotherham, has found that sales skills are overlooked and undervalued in all industries except retail.

Based at Wentworth and specialising in consulting and training on all aspects of sales, the company works with major blue chip companies across the world including Rezidor, Dell, Motorola, UPS and Zurich Insurance.

The company was founded in 1974 by Neil Rackham and researchers Linda Marsh and Simon Bailey, who set out to discover what verbal behaviours were most commonly used by people to achieve the greatest degree of success when selling and negotiating, compared with those who were only average performers.

A recent study by YouGov with Huthwaite International sought to find out what decision makers from a range of sectors thought of their departments and which departments were considered "the heroes" of the business.

While sales came out top for those in retail on 34%, across all industries surveyed sales slipped to third place (24%), behind research and development on 32% and production and manufacturing on 26%.

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Tony Hughes, CEO at Huthwaite International (pictured), said: "Businesses operating in the retail sector understand that sales are crucial, but other industries still don't seem to give credit where credit is due. Possibly they believe that services and products just sell themselves, which is certainly not the case.

"Skilled salespeople build value for the product or service they sell, working with customers to understand their needs and how these needs can best be served. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach, but a tailored and consultative effort that is essential to success in all industries."

At the other end of the scale, procurement and HR came joint last, each being named as heroes of businesses by only 9% of respondents.

Hughes added: "Procurement continues to suffer from a serious reputation problem when it comes to how it's viewed by the rest of the business. Research we conducted in 2013 showed that procurement's image within the business is negative overall and it seems not much has improved over the last few years.

"Sales can make their own lives easier – and also help to make procurement look good to their colleagues – by ensuring that they clearly articulate the customer benefits of what they are selling and ensure at least some of these benefits are expressed in terms that enhance the value to procurement.

"Also, by involving procurement earlier in the process, salespeople can help them communicate the value of what is being sold to the wider business. The closer salespeople can get to the procurement department the better, both for salespeople to do their job and for procurement to improve their image in the business."

Huthwaite International currently delivers sales and negotiation skills training across all six continents and in 35 languages. It trains some 14,000 people each year. The company reported a turnover of £8m for 2015 and 75% of sales are from overseas.

Huthwaite International website

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News: £750,000 of healthy food and drink saved from landfill

Love Health Hate Waste, a Rotherham-based business that buys and sells Best Before Date expired health foods, drinks, and supplements, has saved over £750,000 of healthy food and drink from going to landfill within its first year of trading.

The retailer buys Best Before expired stock from businesses in the health food industry, that would otherwise throw it away, and sells it directly to consumers online with up to 90% off RRP.

Gavin Edley, managing director of Love Health Hate Waste, said: "We wanted to create a model that was commercially viable, addressed the issue of food waste, and made healthy food and drink accessible to all, and I think we achieved all those things."

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Launched last year as part of entrepreneur Gavin Edley's Vitalife Ltd company, Love Health Hate Waste is currently expanding into a larger warehouse in Sheffield and is looking to raise £100,000 on the popular crowd funding platform Crowdcube.com, to help grow the business and concept further.

Based at RiDO's Fusion @ Magna business centre at Templeborough, the enterprise started life in 2010 in the niche industry of specialist teas. It has gone on to launch a new line of organic coconut oil and develop a range of vitamins and minerals that feature no artificial or highly processed bulking agents or fillers.

The latest concept has been trialled in a retail unit Rotherham town centre in the Keppel Wharf development on the corner of Main Street and Market Street.

Edley, a former Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year, added: "The response in our first year has been phenomenal, and it is great to see these products going to people that want them, and not to a landfill site to rot. With the move to our new warehouse, we should be able to save even more of these products, and we welcome the support from anyone looking to get behind us on Crowdcube to get involved and help push this concept even further."

Crowdcube is the world's leading investment crowdfunding platform and allows regular individuals and professional investors alike to invest in small businesses, with anything from £10 upwards.

Further details of the Love Health Hate Waste pitch are set to be unveiled later in the summer.

Love Health Hate Waste website

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News: Steelworkers want answers

Steelworkers from Rotherham met with representatives from other Tata Steel UK sites in London yesterday to consider issues relating to the ongoing sales process.

The Indian-owned steelmaker concluded in March that it is exploring all options for portfolio restructuring including the potential sale of Tata Steel UK, in whole or in parts. Rothbiz yesterday reported on the muddying waters of the sale process which ranges from selling all of the UK assets together, selling individual units, to Tata remaining in the UK.

Sky News went further and reported that KPMG, engaged by Tata Steel as advisers to the sale process, is understood to have been asked to contact prospective bidders for the Speciality Steel business in South Yorkshire and the pipeline tube operations.

Over 60 reps gathered at the TUC's Congress House to hear from Community's general secretary, Roy Rickhuss and to agree the union's position on a number of issues.

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Following the meeting, Community's reps unanimously agreed the following statement which has been sent to Tata Steel management:

Community, the steelworkers’ union, has serious concerns about the integrity of Tata Steel’s sales process. Almost three months have passed since the announcement that Tata intended to sell their UK assets, yet if anything steelworkers and their families are now less certain of their future than ever. Employees, customers and suppliers all deserve to know Tata's intentions. Without all of those groups the steel industry cannot hope to have a successful future.

Tata made it clear they no longer wanted to keep their UK businesses. The UK Government stressed the need for Tata to act as a responsible seller; however it is now unclear whether Tata intend to sell the business at all. Since that first announcement, the trust and good will of Tata’s loyal workforce has been pushed to the limit. If Tata do indeed intend to retain the business, then they need not only to make this clear to their loyal workforce, but also lay out their long term plan for investment in steelmaking. Were Tata to remain, they would have a long way to go in regaining the confidence of steelworkers. Amidst this uncertainly, there also remains the hugely important issue of the pension scheme to be resolved.

It is simply unacceptable that our members are expected to learn more about this process from the media than their own employer. Today workers are reading in the media that Tata are now willing to accept bids for separate parts of the business, despite previously committing to selling the whole business as a going concern. Further to this, some media reports have suggested that Tata does not consider any of the bids that have been submitted to be credible. However the independent steel experts, Syndex, have examined the bids and found a number to be potentially financially robust and credible for the long-term. We believe the next stage of the process should be for bidders to submit to Tata their full and detailed plans for the business. If Tata are continuing with the sales process it is vital they provide bidders with the information and support they need to develop the best possible proposals to safeguard our industry.

The British steel industry is bigger than any one company or government, and as the guardians of the industry we call on Tata to recognise their moral and social responsibilities. Community will continue our "Save Our Steel" campaign, meanwhile Tata and the UK Government must get their act together to end this insufferable period of uncertainty and ensure a future for UK steelmaking.

Community website
Tata Steel website

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News: Rotherham steakhouse revamp is well done

The Double Barrel Steakhouse has reopened in Rotherham following the completion of an extensive refurbishment and a change in management.

Having temporarily closed its doors earlier in the year, local entrepreneur Jason Mace has invested significantly in upgrading the restaurant's kitchen and restaurant facilities. Inside, visitors will be able to choose from one of two dining areas with the option of visiting a stylish champagne bar, feature a comprehensive selection of wines from around the world, or take a trip back to the Wild West with a traditional ranch-styled room.

After previous operators went into liquidation, the Thurcroft restaurant is now managed by Sammie Williams who described it as a "once in a lifetime opportunity". She is joined by partner Ashley Elsworth who has been developing a new menu which includes home-cooked daily specials, Sunday lunches and the return of its monster 72oz steak challenge; but Sammie believes the change in direction will help to establish the Double Barrel at the heart of the local community.

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Sammie Williams, manager of the Double Barrel (pictured with partner Ashley), said: "The Double Barrel has always been a special place for me. My mum worked there many years ago and I followed in her footsteps, working as a deputy manager when it first re-opened in 2013. It's a place which holds a lot of special memories but we've got lots of new ideas for future and I feel honoured to be a part of its next chapter.

"I left the Double Barrel to work at Gala Tent and thought my days working behind the bar were behind me, but when Jason approached me and asked whether I'd like to manage the restaurant, it was like a dream come true.

"We want to create a family-friendly atmosphere which can be enjoyed by anyone, from private functions and parties, to simply meeting friends for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake."

The refurbishment and investment made by Jason Mace signals a new direction for the Double Barrel, which he rescued from closure in 2013. Working alongside sister Lisa, the duo have undertaken a strategic review of the business with the temporary closure being used to provide staff with additional training.

Jason Mace, managing director at Gala Tent and owner of the Double Barrel, said: "Both Sammie and Ashley know the Double Barrel well, and are no strangers to the venue. They've get the drive, determination and genuine passion needed to make the restaurant a place which can be enjoyed by all.

"I've always thought of the Double Barrel as a sleeping giant that's packed with potential and I'm confident that under Sammie's leadership the popular venue will once again establish itself at the beating heart of the local community."

Double Barrel website

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News: UK Steel Enterprise boosts SCR support with new hire

UK Steel Enterprise has announced the appointment of regional executive Alan Stanley who joins the company's growing team with immediate effect.

A subsidiary of Tata Steel, UK Steel Enterprise supports the economic regeneration of communities affected by changes in the steel industry and has helped over 6,000 organisations to date.

Focused on working with SMEs and providing funding of up to £1m to companies looking to grow and expand across the Sheffield City Region and Humber areas, Alan brings with him more than 28 years' experience within the finance industry.

His previous roles have included working for the Royal Bank of Scotland Group where he was focused on business development, and providing funding solutions to SMEs.

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Alan (pictured, centre) said: "I am delighted to be joining the UKSE team at a time when they are increasing the number of companies they work with at pace with an increased level of finance available.

"I look forward to meeting existing clients, and working to support further SMEs to access the funding they need to drive their businesses forward and create more jobs."

Keith Williams, regional manager at UK Steel Enterprise Pictured, right), added: "Alan's appointment provides us with additional capacity to provide more finance to growing companies in the region and we are delighted to have secured someone with great experience across a range of sectors. Expanding the local team is part of our plan to be able to increase the number of companies that we can help. I'm sure Alan's expertise and commitment will help us achieve these goals.

"Any business that needs finance to grow or create jobs should get in touch. We can provide loans from £25,000 and investment finance up to £1m."

UK Steel Enterprise pledged £1.55m to support job creation following Tata Steel's latest restructure that saw almost 700 staff were made redundant within the Rotherham and Stocksbridge plants. Last year it launched the 40:40 challenge, marking its 40th anniversary, with a £40,000 pot open to schools and other youth organisations to work with students aged 18 or under.

UK Steel Enterprise website

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