News: Red tape delays Jump start

Leisure operators, Jump Inc. have had to delay the reopening of its popular trampoline and inflatable parks.

The leisure industry has been severley affected by Covid restrictions and new rules for reopening. At Step 3 of the Government's roadmap, indoor entertainment and visitor attractions could reopen on May 17.

However, the auditors for trampoline, inflatable and ninja parks across the country have a huge backlog of applications and have failed to provide the required documentation in time for Jump Inc's planned opening date. Jump Inc, and 107 other leisure centres are in the same position, awaiting confirmation.

The company, which is based at its Parkgate branch in Rotherham also operates in Sheffield, Leeds and Lincoln.

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In a statement this week, operators said: "The audit sign-off which we need is in relation to our operations, which includes health and safety for example. This is needed for insurance purposes. Without it, we wouldn’t have adequate cover and so we can’t reopen until it‘s in place.

"We’ve upgraded a few features in some of the parks, but mostly we’re intending on following the same COVID-compliant procedures which we had in place when we were open last summer. So as you can imagine the time we’re spending waiting for the reports to be signed off is massively frustrating for us.

"We know that the same issue is affecting many other operators across the country but that doesn’t make it any easier in having to temporarily disappoint our valued customers. For now, we can only continue to apologise and let you know that we’re doing everything we can to get the parks open as speedily as possible. (All information has been submitted, so this is out of our hands, which only makes it even more frustrating for us.)"

In Rotherham, refurbishment has taken place whilst the park was closed and the company has already introduced Covid measures including enhanced cleaning procedures and running at reduced capacity of 70%.

Jump Inc added that no one will have lost out on their booking and all funds can be refunded or referred to an alternative date.

Jump Inc website

Images: Jump Inc / Facebook

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News: Millers sign significant sponsorship deal

Rotherham United has announced a new multi-year deal with IPM Group to become the club’s new Stadium Facilities Management Partner. It will also see IPM's branding on all three of the Millers shirts during the 2021/22 campaign.

Following extensive discussions with the club, a lucrative deal for both parties involved sees Killamarsh-based IPM Group assume several duties at the AESSEAL New York Stadium.

The IPM Group logo will be displayed on the club’s home strip for the 2021/2022 season, following its summer release. Whilst innovative access management sub brand – inteliPod, will take pride of place on the change and alternate shirts throughout the forthcoming Sky Bet League One Season.

Alongside the marquee shirt sponsorship agreement which enables the team to where red at away games, IPM Group will take on an active role in the matchday and day-to-day operations of the football club, serving as the clubs Primary Partner for Stadium Management, including stewarding provision, stadium cleaning, CCTV monitoring and maintenance.

A ‘multi-year’ deal will also see an option to extend the front of shirt agreement beyond 2021/2022.

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IPM Group’s chief executive Rick Bailey commented “We are delighted to secure this partnership with Rotherham United, as a local company it gives us the opportunity to support and partner with a local family football club with excellent links to the community. We aim to provide employment opportunities to the Rotherham community within the New York Stadium and within South Yorkshire."

IPM Group have been involved in supplying security services and CCTV monitoring to football clubs for many years and look after the safety and security of numerous Premier League footballers and their families.

Rotherham United Commercial Director Steve Coakley, added: "This agreement is not only a substantial one for the football club, but also an intricate one that has been discussed at length over the past few weeks and months as both parties have learned of the mutual benefits that working together will have going forwards.

“While many other businesses have understandably had their progress stalled by the effects of the pandemic, IPM Group have continued to grow, launched new products, all whilst finding new and innovative ways of providing their services through their practices and technologies over the course of the last 12 months.

“Importantly for us, they have an ethos that aligns so well with our own values, this will have an all-round positive impact not only for our respective organisations but also for many local residents as they will be looking to recruit staff from within the region. This was not only reassuring but a big plus for the football club.

“We have all had to adapt and work in different ways to those we did before the pandemic and IPM’s ability to be forward-thinking and versatile in those circumstances is a prime example of the type of organisation that we’re only too pleased to work closely in partnership with.”

RUFC website
IPM Group website

Images: RUFC

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News: Frankie & Benny's not reopening Rotherham branch

The operators of Frankie & Benny's restaurant are unlikely to reopen one of its Rotherham branches.

A national coffee chain looks set to take its place.

The favourite family-run restaurant focusses on classic American-Italian style cuisine and the majority of the 100 restaurants are found within leisure and retail locations. It is one of a number of brands operated by The Restaurant Group plc (TRG).

Hit by Covid restrictions and under pressure from landlords, the company had to take drastic action in 2020 with a proposal to reduce the size of its leisure estate and rental cost base by the implementation of a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).

The Restaurant Group, which also operates the Wagamama brand, proposed a reduction in its current portfolio by exiting approximately 125 trading sites as well as seeking improved rental terms on a portion of the remaining trading estate.

The purpose built unit at Cortonwood was removed from the company's website last year and now plans are being brought forward to reuse the building.

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Andy Hornby, chief executive of The Restaurant Group said in June 2020: "The issues facing our sector are well documented and we have already taken decisive action to improve our liquidity, reduce our cost base and downsize our operations.

"The proposed CVA will deliver an appropriately-sized estate for our Leisure business to ensure we are well positioned despite the very challenging market conditions facing the casual dining sector.

"I would like to wholeheartedly thank all of my TRG colleagues for their continued understanding and extraordinary commitment during this unprecedented period."

The CVA was approved and the group secured new finance facilities and was successful with a new share placing in 2021.

The Parkgate branch reopened and recently began to promote the group's new "Bone Jam" virtual brand which offers US comfort food including BBQ, chicken and wings for delivery only.

At Cortonwood Shopping Park, plans were passed in 2016 for a tenth stand alone unit to be used as a restaurant for Frankie & Benny's. The 3,600 sq ft unit was large enough to accommodate 166 customers indoors and created around 30 full time equivalent jobs.

Now plans have been submitted to Rotherham Council to enable the unit to be subdivided and split into two separate units. One of the units is being lined up to be taken on by Costa Coffee.

Costa, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is the fastest growing coffee shop business in the UK. Coca-Cola completed the acquisition of Costa Coffee from Whitbread PLC in 2019 in a deal worth $4.9 billion. With around 4,000 outlets, the most recent opening in Rotherham was a drive-thru at Catcliffe.

Images: Google Maps

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News: Magna Science & Adventure Centre welcomes new trustees

Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham has strengthened its board of trustees following the appointment of experienced science teacher Kathryn Boulton-Pratt and public relations specialist Matthew Ridsdale.

In their new roles, Kathryn and Matthew will work alongside Magna’s existing board of trustees on a voluntarily basis to oversee the growth and development of the popular tourist attraction, which is set to open its doors on 29th May for the first time since South Yorkshire entered into Tier 3 lockdown restrictions last November.

Award-winning science teacher Kathryn has worked as a chemistry teacher in schools across South Yorkshire for more than 30 years, most recently as Assistant Head (Academic) at Sheffield High School. With a passion for inspiring and encouraging girls to develop careers within science and engineering, Kathryn is hoping to bring new ideas to the attraction, in a bid to inspire more young people to share her passion for science. Throughout her career, Kathryn has won numerous awards for her work, and in 2020, as part of Sheffield’s International Women’s Day celebrations, she was presented with the Helen Sharman Prize for Science in recognition of her efforts to encourage girls to forge future careers in science and engineering.

Matthew launched Rotherham-based public relations consultancy Cannon PR in 2011 and has worked as a PR professional for more than 20 years. He is one of just a small number of public relations professionals operating within Yorkshire to become a Chartered PR Practitioner, awarded in recognition of his commitment to adopting and delivering best practice. In 2014, he was awarded the title Outstanding Freelance PR Consultant by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, the first and indeed only time the prestigious award has been presented to a South Yorkshire-based PR professional. Since that time, he has overseen the growth and development of the business and today oversees a small team of equally dedicated PR professionals.

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Kathryn Boulton-Pratt said: “Throughout my teaching career, I’ve loved helping to inspire children through the possibilities offered through science. Magna is an attraction packed with potential and one which has already helped to inspire and shape enquiring young minds.

“I see Magna very much as a sleeping giant, which is packed with potential, and I’m looking forward to working with the Trust to help them explore fresh ideas, which I hope will encourage an increased number of young people to find out more about how science helps to shape and influence the world we live in.”

Matthew Ridsdale added: “Magna is a building that holds special memories for many different people, and I decided to join the board of trustees to use my professional expertise to contribute towards the future success of the Trust.

“I’m particularly excited about the challenges posed by helping the centre to recover from the impact of Covid-19 and once again, help Magna to encourage visitors to the centre, whether that’s families looking for something to do during the summer holidays, to visitors of the popular events the centre hosts. Magna is a building that helps to put Rotherham on the map, for the right reasons, and I’m looking forward to playing my part in helping to write the next chapter in Magna’s long history.”

Kevin Tomlinson, Chief Executive, Magna Trust said: “Kathryn and Matthew both bring with them a wealth of knowledge and expertise from their respective fields, and I’m confident their skills will help to make a positive contribution towards the future success of Magna.

“I’m very much looking forward to working alongside them in the future as we set our sights upon welcoming back visitors, schools and exhibitors for what promises to be an exciting 12 months for the centre. During lockdown we’ve spent time renovating some of the attractions and we’re now concentrating upon welcoming visitors back to the centre, when we re-open our doors on 29th May.”

Magna website

Images: Magna

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News: Sale signs go up at South Yorkshire steel sites

Liberty Steel has announced its intention to sell some of its South Yorkshire sites as part of a restructuring and refinancing linked to its exposure with Credit Suisse Asset Management.

The electric arc furnace at Aldwarke in Rotherham is set to be retained by Liberty Steel where increasing production is still being discussed.

The company, part of Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance, employs hundreds of staff in South Yorkshire, including in Rotherham. It recently appointed new directors in response to the collapse of its principal lender, Greensill Capital. Credit Suisse managed a number of Supply Chain Finance (SCF) Funds linked to Greensill.

As part of this restructuring Liberty said that it will look to sell its aerospace and special alloys steel business in Stocksbridge, Sheffield which while being a unique, high quality business servicing marquee customers in aerospace, auto and other highly engineered applications, is not considered core to its GREENSTEEL vision.

A formal sale process for Stocksbridge and its downstream plants, the narrow strip mill at Brinsworth, Rotherham and Performance Steels at West Bromwich, will be launched shortly.

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The Brinsworth mill was one of the leading hot rolled narrow strip producers in the world and offers steel grades, from low carbon and free cutting steels to high carbon, alloy and stainless steels, offer varying strength, formability, durability and hardness properties.

The narrow strip is manufactured to the exacting specifications demanded by highly specialised, quality-critical sectors across the world such as cold rollers, keys, agricultural, automotive and aviation.

Liberty Steel said in a statement: "This sale will allow Liberty to focus on developing its Rotherham plant including its electric arc furnaces into a competitive 2 million tonnes recycled GREENSTEEL plant, one of the largest in Europe. The plant will make use of some of the millions of tons of steel scrap currently exported by the UK to make more of the quality steel needed in the UK, which is currently being imported."

At the end of 2020, the company committed £60m at its South Yorkshire GREENSTEEL production hub at Rotherham to boost production to over one million tonnes per annum.

A change of owners is nothing new for the sites in South Yorkshire. The Liberty House arm completed a £100m deal to acquire the Speciality Steels division of Tata Steel UK in 2017. It followed a shock announcement from the Indian-owned steelmaker after it concluded that it was exploring all options for portfolio restructuring including the potential sale of Tata Steel UK, in whole or in parts. Tata bought the South Yorkshire sites when it concluded a £6.7 billion Corus takeover in 2007.

Read reaction to the announcement on Rothbiz here.

Liberty Steel website

Images: Liberty Steel / Richard Bradshaw

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News: Reaction to latest Liberty Steel announcement

Reaction to Liberty Steel announcing its intention to sell some of its South Yorkshire sites talks of a potentially bright future for British steel but many local workers will be anxious again.

The intention is to sell off sites at Stocksbridge in Sheffield, Brinsworth in Rotherham and one in West Bromwich, and for Liberty to focus on the site at Aldwarke in Rotherham which turns scrap into specialist steel.

Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng said: "While I cautiously welcome progress being made to secure the future of Liberty Steel’s site in Rotherham, significant uncertainty remains for workers at those sites up for sale.

"I am monitoring developments closely and remain in regular contact with Liberty and trade unions.

"As Business Secretary, delivering a strong and sustainable steel sector is an absolute priority. There is a future for steel-making in the UK, and I remain committed to supporting the sector's low carbon transition to protect high-quality jobs.

"As always, we stand ready to support Liberty Steel's dedicated employees and their families affected by any developments. I'll be meeting the company, trade unions and local MPs over the coming days."

The National Trade Union Steel Coordinating Committee said in a a statement: "Stocksbridge and its downstream plants are strategically important businesses vital to our country’s defence, energy and aerospace sectors. The future for these businesses must be secured and the trade unions will hold Sanjeev Gupta to his promise that none of our steel plants will close on his watch.

"Liberty must act as a responsible seller and run a transparent sales process which fully engages the trade unions. We will expect to meet any potential buyer to scrutinise their plans and test their commitment to the workforce and our industry.

"Whilst we are encouraged that Liberty and Credit Suisse appear to be making progress on the refinancing we urgently need a solution to inject cash into the UK.”

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Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said: “The news that Stocksbridge Speciality Steels is to be sold off will be a cause for great anxiety among its 700 workers, and for the suppliers and wider community it helps to support.

“Their future, and the future of the steel industry in South Yorkshire, depends on finding a buyer willing to invest for the long-term. Both this site and the wider sector have enormous potential, but the government must act to help secure it.

“That includes being prepared to help provide finance to bridge any transition period until a new buyer is found – but also doing much more to ensure British-made speciality steel like that produced at Stocksbridge is used for the myriad of defence and infrastructure projects that need it.

“I will do everything I can as the Mayor of this region to support these efforts, and I met with Kwasi Kwarteng last week to raise our concerns and make the case for intervention. I ask the government as well as potential buyers to work with regional and local government in South Yorkshire and our Local Enterprise Partnership to find a long-term solution.

“British steel has a bright future as a zero-carbon, high quality, internationally competitive product. It would be a travesty for South Yorkshire and for the whole country if that potential was lost through lack of action.”

Local MP, Sarah Champion, said: "I will be closely monitoring developments and doing everything I can to ensure that jobs, as well as employees terms and conditions, are protected in any changes in the business."

Images: Liberty Steel

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News: Council completes purchase of former Dinnington College Campus

Rotherham Council has completed the purchase of land and buildings at Dinnington College, which will be used to provide new specialist education for children with social, emotional and mental health needs.

Rothbiz reported last year that the RNN Group had confirmed that the Dinnington campus of the Rotherham College will close, so that the group "can make best use of its estate and invest in its other local sites."

The council then announced an intention to invest in the site in order to use an existing historic education site to develop a new and innovative school which would specialise in providing education for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties.

Under the proposals, a separate building within the campus would host young people currently based in the Upper School at Newman Special School, which would allow the current site to be demolished and replaced with a new modern, purpose-built facility.

The plans show that the council would acquire four blocks of the campus - the main building and resource centres. A large block to the rear has been earmarked for demolition and the horticulture, a working farm and vehicle workshops don't appear to be included in the deal.

The playing fields to the rear have been advertised for lease with agents, Fisher German.

The proposals would require the council to invest some £5.747m.

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Councillor Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “The Dinnington College Campus is a cherished landmark for the community and this scheme will ensure 100 years of educational provision at the site will continue. Combined with the redevelopment of the much-loved Newman School in Whiston, our investment will improve the education and life chances for hundreds of local children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).”

Suzanne Joyner, Strategic Director of Children and Young People's Services at Rotherham Council said: “Completing the purchase of the Dinnington Campus site is a significant step towards delivery of a really exciting scheme. We are extremely grateful for the support and co-operation of the RNN Group through the sale process and for the warm welcome our project has received from the community in Dinnington.

“Whilst the formalities to complete the purchase of the site have been going through, we have been working with our partners to appoint a specialist provider who will deliver the SEMH free school provision at Dinnington. We are looking forward to sharing exciting news about the appointment of the provider soon, subject to final sign off by the Department for Education.”

Jason Austin, Chief Executive Officer and Principal, RNN Group, said: “We are delighted that the main Dinnington Campus buildings have been preserved by Rotherham Council for educational purposes to support children and young people who have specialist needs."

Images: RMBC

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News: £12.6m Rotherham regeneration funding confirmed

£12.6m of Government funding has been confirmed meaning that further regeneration projects in Rotherham town centre can be carried out.

Rothbiz reported in February that a bid to the Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) was only partially successful, with an offer for £12,660,708 recieved when the authority actually bid for over £18m.

In setting out is budget, council officers included an extra £4.1m pot for the programme to help make up the shortfall.

The bid is for the redevelopment of Markets (including a new central library), the creation of high-quality Riverside Gardens linking the Forge Island redevelopment with the town centre, further public realm works, and the Grimm & Co redevelopment at Talbot Lane (pictured).

Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: "This funding is part of wider support we are providing to communities and businesses, to protect jobs, support the most vulnerable and ensure no one is left behind as we recover from pandemic.

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"This investment will make a huge difference to towns and cities across England and transform themselves in desired places to shop, visit, live and work.

"The Future High Streets Fund will support towns, communities and businesses as we get back to enjoying the best of what the high street has to offer."

In Rotherham, the aim is to diversify and enhance the quality of the town centre by supporting more leisure uses at Forge Island and the markets, and to significantly increase the town's appeal to residents, regular users and visitors (particularly families). The programme should also provide a more attractive investment proposition.

Last month, the Leader of Rotherham Council wrote to the Secretary of State for Local Government asking for clarity on when the funding would reach the borough. A provisional offer had been received at the end of 2020.

The council and its partners are still waiting to hear regarding a bid for £25m from the Government's Towns Fund Programme.

Images: Grimm & Co

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News: Rotherham to host four games at Women's Euros

Rotherham is readying itself to play its part in what will hopefully be a record-breaking summer for the women’s game.

The AESSEAL New York Stadium will host four high profile international games at the Women's EURO 2022, tournament organisers have confirmed.

The postponed UEFA Women's EURO 2021 will be played in England in 2022 and it is planned to use the same venues that were originally proposed to host the event.

New York Stadium is one of ten grounds which will stage the tournament. Other host venues include Bramall Lane, Old Trafford and Wembley. England, who reached the semi finals of the Women's World Cup in 2018, will be joined by 15 other nations including holders, Netherlands, giants of the game, Germany, and first time qualifiers, Northern Ireland.

Rotherham won't host any England games, which instead will be played in the South, but will host three group games from Group D.

Group stage games are scheduled for Sunday July 19, 2022, Thursday July 14 2022 and Monday July 18 2022. A quarter final tie in Rotherham on Saturday July 23 2022 will see the winner of Group D face the runner-up of Group C.

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The draw to see which nations will be playing in Rotherham takes place in October.

Tickets for the games go on pre-sale later this year and for games in Rotherham, ticket prices range from £5 to £30. A family of four can attend a game at the New York Stadium for £30.

Chris Bryant, head of tournament delivery, The FA, said: "“We are aware of the huge opportunity we have to grow the women’s game here and across Europe. To have that legacy, we must ensure we first deliver a record-breaking tournament that captures the imagination, to provide those vital foundations. It is an exciting time as UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 really starts to take shape now, with the Pre-Sale, presented by Visa, for tickets in July 2021.

"With ten venues, nine host cities and over 700,000 tickets available, there is a real opportunity for people to play their part in creating a special tournament with incredible footballing talent on display. With 16 of the best European nations competing across 31 matches, we want to see full stadiums, generating an incredible atmosphere, so be sure to register and don’t miss out on getting tickets.”

Recommended reading: A Sporting Nation: Examining the UK's Passion for Football, Rugby, and More

In 2013, England's women beat Canada 1-0 in a friendly at Rotherham, and in 2016 a crowd of 10,550 witnessed the Lionesses draw 1-1 with Belgium in a UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifier. In 2018, the £20m stadium also hosted the team in a friendly fixture against Sweden as they stepped up their preparations for the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Women's Euro website

Images: Rotherham United

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News: Demolition work set to begin at Forge Island

Works to prepare Riverside Precinct and Chantry Buildings for demolition are now underway as part of a key milestone in the development of Forge Island.

Plans were approved last year which set out in detail that the site of the former Tesco store is set to be home to an eight screen cinema, a 69 bed hotel, four restaurants and car parking.

Historic England had raised concerns regarding the loss of the 1930s Chantry Buildings but the site on Corporation Street is being cleared under proposals that are expected to feature a 1,500 sq ft café in an open area called "Millgate Place." A new bridge is also in the plans.

Flood protection on the opposite side of the site has been carried out and high-quality landscaping has been created next to the canal, including new amphitheatre seating overlooking the lock.

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Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy, Cllr Denise Lelliott, said: “We want to really make the most of the town’s natural assets. At one time, rivers were seen as industrial and dirty so buildings used to be built facing away from them, but times have changed. We also know how beautiful outdoor spaces and natural water can benefit health and wellbeing, as well as being a place where people can come together.

“We are having to adapt and move away from the more traditional use of the town centre, much like other areas across the country. We’re looking at what Rotherham town centre needs to thrive and that means thinking differently and looking at how people will live in and use the town centre in years to come.”

A planning application has been submitted for hoardings around the site whilst demolition takes place. F Hardwick Ltd recently secured an £87,800 tender relating to the work.

As part of the works, Riverside car park, which is accessed off Corporation street, will be closed for ten weeks. Diversions will also be in place for pedestrians accessing Forge Island car park from the town centre.

A £2.18m grant was approved by the Sheffield City Region last year to support Rotherham Council with the works. This consisted of £1.5m existing loan being converted to a grant and an additional grant award of £1.3m. This is being used by Rotherham Council for enabling and flood defence works and come with conditions that could see cash returned if 150 jobs are not created by the overall Forge Island project.

For the commercial elements of the scheme, Muse has signed a contract to deliver on the site with works scheduled to start September 2021 with Phase 1a, the cinema and restaurants, scheduled to open in 2022/23.

At the start of 2021 it was announced that Arc Cinema had signed a long-term lease to become the leisure anchor for the scheme.

Forge Island website

Images: Muse / FaulknerBrowns

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News: Xeros commercial laundry technology launches in China

Innovative Rotherham company, Xeros Technology, has announced that its Chinese license partner, Jiangsu SeaLion Machinery Co., Ltd (Sea-Lion) has launched their Hydrology brand comprising a range of commercial washing machines incorporating Xeros' XOrb and XDrum technologies.

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), Xeros is a Leeds University spin-out that has developed a patented system using a unique method of special polymer beads rather than the usual large amounts of fresh water to clean clothes.

The AIM-listed firm is targeting commercial laundry and domestic laundry as well as the tanning industry and textile manufacturing.

Sea-Lion is the largest commercial washing machine manufacturer in China with sales and service offices in each of China's 30 provinces and in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Shenzhen, serving customers in the hotel, industrial laundry, hospital, military and dry-cleaning markets.

Sea-Lion is positioning its Hydrology brand with the most sustainable products available in the market, capable of delivering significant water, energy and chemistry savings whilst extending fabric and garment life.

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China is a large and attractive market for Xeros' commercial laundry application with the Company's research indicating that approximately 27,000 commercial washing machines are sold across the nation every year with water rates increasing significantly for industrial users in many parts of the country.

Xeros has moved to "IP-rich, capital-light" business model and will receive a mid to high single digit percentage royalty for these machine sales as well as royalties for the ongoing use of XOrbs by SeaLion's customers.

Mark Nichols, Chief Executive of Xeros, said: "This product launch represents the first deployment of our XOrb and XDrum technology platform in the commercial laundry market. These technologies have been proven to greatly reduce resource consumption whilst bringing unparalleled cleaning and fabric care benefits.

"SeaLion's long-standing commitment to improving both the sustainability and economics of the laundry industry has made them an exemplary license partner for Xeros. Their Hydrology range of products will deliver a step change in performance in the commercial laundry industry and will help the world wear better."

Officially launched at CES 2018, XOrbs last for many hundreds of washes before needing to be replaced and recycled. The beads gently remove unwanted molecules and contaminants from materials allowing washing machines to work more efficiently while using just a fraction of the water traditionally needed.

The XDrum is an elegant and inexpensive system which introduces the XOrbs during the wash as the drum rotates. 50% less water than conventional machines is used and the XOrbs are collected after the wash with a simple change of direction. Clean clothes are then removed from the machine as normal.

Xeros website

Images: Xeros

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News: Wentworth Woodhouse reopening

Wentworth Woodhouse is opening its grand doors to visitors again this week.

Despite the Grade I listed country house in Rotherham being closed for many months in the pandemic, not a single redundancy has been made and four new top jobs have been created.

The Preservation Trust regenerating the site has been working throughout the pandemic to continue its massive task of protecting and regenerating historic buildings - and to bounce back with a host of COVID-safe visitor attractions.

“Wentworth Woodhouse is coming back better than ever, said Sarah McLeod, CEO of the Trust which bought the house for £7m in 2017.

“We may have been closed but we didn’t waste a minute. We used the downtime to source grants, plough on with vital repairs and organise a COVID-safe environment for visitors and staff, plus new attractions.”

“We are very proud to say we have not had to lose a single job and have created more. On May 19, 92 per cent of our staff will be back and others will have returned by July. Many have been furloughed since March 2020. We have the majority of our volunteers coming back, too. Seeing each other again will be quite emotional.”

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There are four new key roles - a Chief Operating Officer, Head of Hospitality, Fundraising Manager and Head of Marketing and Digital. A new events manager is also onboard. Their expertise will help steer the Georgian country house to a brighter future.

Re-opening on May 19, guided tours of the mansion and 18th century stables will run each morning, with an afternoon one-way ‘freeflow’ opportunity to visit rooms in the mansion. Art exhibitions in the chapel and the Pillared Hall will be other reasons to visit.

New tours are also in the offing, including an immersive digital experience for families and a Black Diamonds Tour devised by author Catherine Bailey.

The gift shops and tea rooms also reopen on May 19. The tea rooms will operate by table service with a new menu featuring local produce.

New activities, including outdoor cinema, craft workshop and a wildlife trail for families will be staged in the mansion’s 55-acre garden, which opened to visitors last summer.

A Culture Recovery Fund grant via the National Lottery Heritage Fund has provided more outdoor catering facilities, a classroom and two garden cabins, which can be rented for family events and small parties from June onwards.

Supporters visiting for the first time in many months will be greeted by the sight of the mansion’s famed East Front again.

During the first lockdown in March 2020 the facade was completely shrouded in scaffold to enable roof repairs. Almost two acres of repairs have been completed, safeguarding the rooms beneath, and other crucial tasks have been carried out.

Said Sarah McLeod: “We now have roofs which don’t leak, a heating system that works, no asbestos in our cellars, beautifully restored ceilings in the Pillared Hall and a repaired roof on the North Quadrant on the East Front.

“Everyone is working hard to prepare for opening. Rooms are being tidied, floors are being scrubbed and a team is testing our Covid-safe Visitor Code to the letter. We are so excited and determined to make it a success.

"As a team member said in a video our new Digital Team has just produced: Bring it on in 2021; we are Wentworth Woodhouse and we’re ready for anything!”

Wentworth Woodhouse website

Images: WWPT

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News: Mears on its social value in Rotherham

Mears, the UK's market-leading housing and care company, is leading by example when it comes to social value in Rotherham.

For over ten years, Mears has been the main contractor delivering services in the north of the borough as part of a multimillion pound repairs and maintenance service contract on behalf of Rotherham Council.

The authority and wider partners have signed up to a social value charter for Rotherham which has the aims of increasing local spend, SME and voluntary sector spend, the number of apprenticeships in the borough and the number of employers paying the living wage.

Andrew Chambers, general manager at Mears, explained that his company "doesn’t believe in lip service and leads by example."

Chambers said: "We work in close partnership with our client and have several partnership projects that have a broad positive impact on many lives both directly and indirectly. This could range from aesthetically improving a communal space to giving isolated older people a Christmas lunch.

"We also do a lot of work that focuses on training and helping people find employment through the Local Employment Activity Forum (LEAF) or helping guide children on to the right career path.

"We have taken an active part in developing the Women in Trades toolkits for schools and in shaping the future for women into construction.

"It makes us proud to know that we will have helped many people get on the employment ladder or given them direction in their careers."

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During the Covid pandemic, Mears was able to host the LEAF event virtually as well as conduct several online work experience training sessions for the young people in Rotherham.

Mears opened a national training academy in Rotherham in 2016. 49 young people have taken up training opportunities since 2010 with a completion success rate of 81% - 40 young people with a recognised qualification and work experience.

Mears also offers two volunteering days a year to staff who can also get support from the Mears Foundation, the independent charitable arm of the group.

Chambers added: "Everyone of us in the branch believes that giving back to our communities and making a positive difference is the right thing to do.

“I am very proud of my local community and its people and will always take the opportunity to promote pride in Rotherham wherever and whenever I can.

“For us in Rotherham, we will continue our work in the community and help promote a borough where people can grow, flourish and prosper.”

Mears website

Images: Mears

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News: Rotherham packaging business acquired

The Rotherham operations of a multinational packaging manufacturer are set to be boxed up in a $1 billion takeover deal.

Sweden's AR Packaging is one of Europe's leading companies in the packaging sector with net sales of more than €900 million, 5,500 employees and 30 factories in 13 countries. It employs 40 people at a factory at Aldwarke, one of three in the UK.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company, a leading vertically-integrated provider of sustainable fiber-based consumer packaging solutions listed on the New york stock exchange, and CVC Capital Partners Fund VI, has announced a definitive agreement to acquire AR Packaging Group AB for approximately $1.45 billion in cash, subject to customary adjustments.

After working at A&R's Chesterfield site that closed in 2003, Paul Nixon bought the assets and equipment and went on to establish SP Containers in 2006 with Steve Crane as commercial director. A move to Aldwarke in 2011 was followed by A&R taking up a majority stake in the company which specialises in paper cups, lids and tubes for FMCG customers.

The global firm has continued to grow and last year saw its seven brands combine to become AR Packaging. Backed by CVC Capital Partners, a number of acquisitions of its own followed, before Graphic Packaging announced its mega deal.

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AR Packaging has a large customer base of established international companies including regional and local customers in more than 50 countries globally. The company develops and produces carton-based and flexibles packaging for many blue-chip and local companies in for instance the pharmaceutical, beauty, food and confectionery segments.

Graphic Packaging is based in Atlanta, Georgia and is a leading provider of sustainable fiber-based packaging solutions for a wide variety of products to food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies.

Michael Doss, Graphic Packaging’s President and CEO said: "AR Packaging is a leader in the attractive and growing market for sustainable packaging in Europe. Acquiring AR Packaging will result in significant value creation opportunities for our customers, our employees, and our stockholders as we bring together two leading providers of fiber-based consumer packaging solutions with long histories of innovation and creative packaging design.

"The large, distributed footprint of AR Packaging’s 25 converting facilities across Eastern and Western Europe provides significant scale and cost efficiency benefits strengthening our combined presence and ability to service customers throughout Europe and globally. We are pleased to welcome the AR Packaging team as we work together to further advance our commitment to sustainable packaging solutions for global consumers in support of the move to a more circular economy."

AR Packaging’s President and CEO, Harald Schulz, said, “I am proud of the progress we have made in establishing a clear strategy and building AR Packaging into a respected provider of packaging solutions. I want to thank CVC for their support in those efforts over the last five years.

"Graphic Packaging’s shared approach to customer service and deep focus on providing innovative, sustainable solutions closely aligns with how we operate our own business, making them an ideal partner. The ability to leverage beneficial value chain integration, from paperboard manufacturing to carton converting, provides increased possibilities to offer sustainably optimized solutions to our customers. Our team looks forward to joining with the Graphic Packaging team to become the premier global provider of sustainable fiber-based packaging solutions.”

A&R Packaging website

Images: AR Packaging

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News: AESSEAL plc goes beyond Net Zero

Rotherham manufacturer, AESSEAL plc has announced that the impact of all its operations had a net beneficial impact on the environment in 2020.

The Templeborough-based company designs and manufactures mechanical seals and support systems.

Following the achievement of Net Zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, AESSEAL sought independent verification of its indirect Scope 3 emissions, as well as the balancing impact of the emissions avoided by use of the company’s products in major industry.

Separate evaluations were carried out on Scope 3 emissions, which include indirect emissions in the company’s value chain such as business travel, and on the emissions avoided by the installation of one of the company’s leading edge environmental systems.

The independent consultants verified that AESSEAL’s Scope 3 indirect emissions amounted to 46,300 tonnes of CO2e in 2020. They also separately verified that the emissions avoided by the sale of AESSEAL’s Water Management Systems, totalled 64,200 tonnes of CO2e.

Group Managing Director Chris Rea said, “We promised that reaching Net Zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, which cover our direct emissions and indirect emissions from electricity, heating or cooling, was just the start.

“These independent verifications of Scope 3 emissions, and of emissions savings, show that getting our systems adopted has a net beneficial impact on the environment. Our experts travel all over the world to persuade major industrial customers to invest in environmentally-friendly systems. That means air miles are unavoidable.”

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So far the calculation of emissions avoided in 2020 covers just one of the company’s products – the water management systems.

The business also has a very strong action plan to ensure that it meets the target of Net Zero for the Global Group by 1st April 2029. Actions include the creation of an investment policy for electric vehicles in December 2020, and the creation of an innovative nature walk on its headquarters site.

“Originally our Rotherham Head Office site was a tip for slag that was taken off the top of the melt in steel blast furnaces. We have turned a significant proportion of it into a nature reserve and even 20 years ago the business won wildlife awards for the environment around its Head Office,” he adds.

As part of the ongoing attempt to create a better world, AESSEAL plc has also announced that it will provide free of charge emissions training to any organisation that adopts an Investment Policy to Prevent Global Warming. Details of the policy are available and can be downloaded on Betterworld.Solutions.

“We need to continue the journey beyond Net Zero, not just at AESSEAL but at every company that has an interest in the future of this planet”, says Rea.

AESSEAL website

Images: AESSEAL

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News: How a Rotherham balloon business stayed afloat during the pandemic

Positivity, flexibility and hard work have ensured that a Rotherham balloon specialist has not been too deflated during an extremely tough time for the events industry.

The Covid pandemic meant that successful Rotherham events business, The Ultimate Balloon Company UK ltd, and its owner of 29 years Jacqui Saxon, had to radically change how she did business.

The company is based at Fusion Business Centre at Templeborough and Jacqui went from decorating events for a 1,000 people to quickly changing lane and creating "insta worthy" designs for individual birthdays and new babies in order to survive.

With staff shielding, and to comply with social distance rules, Jacqui completed many online seminars to increase her skills and create designs that would cheer up the public. Every week during the pandemic she created a design to say thank you to our NHS Heroes with Rainbows on roofs and Hearts in her garden.

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She also managed to acquire some new blue chip clients such as Amazon, Doncaster Robin Hood Airport and even Harrods.

Jacqui is now gearing up for when events can take place again from June 2021 and intends to recruit new staff members from people who have lost their jobs in retail such as Debenhams and John Lewis to help with expansion.

Jacqui said: "It will have been a rollercoaster 18 months but Rotherham people are resilient and always find a way to succeed."

Ultimate Balloon Company website

Images: Ultimate Balloon Company

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News: Fast-growing food firm looks to have doner deal for new Rotherham outlet

Signs are that fast-growing, fast-casual brand, German Doner Kebab (GDK), has wrapped up a deal to take on a vacant retail unit in Rotherham.

Established in Germany over 30 years ago, the brand has built up to 76 restaurants in UK, Europe and Middle East, all selling high quality doner kebabs. The chain serves 100% lean succulent meat in handmade breads and crisp salad, with a choice of three signature sauces.

An ambitious UK expansion plan looks to include opening a new outlet in Rotherham and a planning application shows that GDK is hoping to open at Parkgate.

Scottish company, United Brands, took over the worldwide GDK brand and recently announced plans to open 47 new restaurants in the UK during 2021, bringing in the region of 1,800 new jobs throughout the country. It operates a franchise model.

In Rotherham, plans have been submitted for Unit 30 at Parkgate Shopping Centre, where the centre's owners are applying to operate the former Carphone Warehouse store as a restaurant. Change of use plans are no longer required due to an update in national policy, but planning and advertisement consent is required for extraction equipment, shopfront alterations and new signage.

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Rr Planning, consultants submitting the plans on behalf of RSGD (Rotherham) Limited, said: "The proposed scheme will be a positive addition in the street scene and will result in investment and job creation at a time when the high street is suffering."

GDK opened 12 more restaurants during 2020 and delivered a significant rise in UK total sales, up 81% from the previous 12 months. Same-store sales for 2020 were also up 51% on 2019.

Imran Sayeed, CEO of GDK, said: "We have been extremely agile during the Pandemic and there continues to be a huge demand for our game-changing kebabs.

"It is therefore very exciting to be announcing these latest growth plans for the next 12 months as we build on the great momentum we delivered during 2020.

"Our plans will almost double our portfolio and create in the region of 1800 jobs as we continue to disrupt the market space and maintain our mission of building the fast-casual brand of the future."

German Doner Kebab website

Images: GDK

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News: EDF and Nuclear AMRC to deepen collaboration

EDF has signed a new membership agreement with the Nuclear AMRC to drive innovation in low-carbon power generation and support UK manufacturers.

EDF, Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity, has supported the Nuclear AMRC’s development over the past decade, and the new tier one membership strengthens and deepens the relationship between the two organisations.

With state of the art facilities on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, The Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC) is a joint initiative with industry and part of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult that is designed to help build and enhance the UK's civil nuclear new build industry.

Collaboration will focus on research and development to deliver the UK’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, and the goal of the Nuclear Sector Deal to reduce the cost of nuclear new build by 30%.

“With COP26 being hosted in the UK later this year, climate change and reducing our carbon emissions is at the forefront of the social and political agenda,” says Dr Ionel Nistor, head of nuclear R&D at EDF. “Nuclear is essential to successfully decarbonise our electricity system as it’s a reliable low-carbon source that can support increased renewables in our energy mix. We look forward to furthering our collaboration with the Nuclear AMRC to ensure the sector continues to innovate and support our efforts to achieve a Net Zero Britain.”

EDF and the Nuclear AMRC will work together in technology areas – including digital twin development, modularisation, and process modelling and simulation – which can reduce costs and improve quality and safety in the construction and operation of nuclear power plant.

“This long-term agreement with EDF will allow us to work together more strategically than before,” says Sean Murphy, Nuclear AMRC strategic relationship manager. “We believe that access to our research and engineering expertise, as well as the wider Nuclear AMRC research network, will be of strong benefit to EDF. Similarly, EDF’s deep industry and R&D knowledge will be extremely valuable to our mission of helping UK manufacturers win work in the nuclear sector.”

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The two organisations will also work together to increase the competitiveness and productivity of the UK nuclear supply chain, and develop strong regional supply chains for Hinkley Point and Sizewell. EDF will continue to support the Nuclear AMRC’s supplier development initiatives, including the Fit For Nuclear (F4N) programme which helps manufacturers meet nuclear customer requirements.

Many F4N-granted companies across the UK have already won significant work packages at Hinkley Point C, including Vessco Engineering (based in South Wales), Capula (Staffordshire), Exyte Hargreaves (Lancashire), and Hardstaff Barriers (Nottingham).

“As part of our community of more than 150 member and F4N companies, EDF can help develop and support deeper supply chain collaborations and partnerships,” Murphy says. “Together we can maximise the opportunities for hundreds of UK manufacturers, including many SMEs, during the building of new low-carbon power plants at Hinkley Point and Sizewell.”

EDF is one of the UK’s largest energy companies, and is Britain’s biggest generator of low-carbon electricity. It operates eight nuclear power stations around the UK, and is constructing the new Hinkley Point C plant in Somerset.

Based around two Framatome EPR reactors generating 3.2GW of electricity, Hinkley Point C will produce around seven per cent of the UK’s electricity when it opens in the middle of this decade. EDF is also now in formal discussions with government on building another two EPRs at Sizewell C in Suffolk.

As a tier one member, EDF will have a seat on the Nuclear AMRC’s programme board and research board to help ensure that the centre’s activities are meeting industry needs. The collaboration will also consider work to support the life extension and eventual decommissioning of EDF’s current fleet of advanced gas-cooled reactors.

Nuclear AMRC website

Images: EDF

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News: Tinsley rail yard back on track

South Yorkshire's largest privately owned and most successful haulage contractors, Newell & Wright Group, has reopened an unused rail terminal in Rotherham.

Rothbiz revealed in February that plans had been submitted that would enable the use of land forming the eastern part of Tinsley Rail Freight Yard off Europa Way / Wood Lane as a rail freight terminal.

Having gained approval from Rotherham Council, Newell & Wright Group, which has its main depot on Sheffield Road, have been working night and day to reopen Tinsley Marshalling Yard, once the rail hub of the borough.

The yard was constructed by British Rail around 1961 ‐ 65, primarily to consolidate the activities of several smaller yards in Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire region. It had capacity for almost 4,000 railway wagons at any one time and incorporated a locomotive maintenance depot.

Much of the main body of the yard was sold for redevelopment to become Sheffield International Rail Freight Terminal (SIRFT) and two large rail‐connected warehouses now stand on the land formerly occupied by about 40 sidings over the Sheffield border.

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Due to its decline in the early 80's, most of the site had become wasteland and unused, until two months of intense manual labour from Newell & Wruight staff, resurfacing, inserting new rail tracks and working on the roads which enter the site.

The first train entered the yard this month from Maersk (the largest container shipping line and vessel operator in the world) via Felixstowe. The aim is to have five trains each way every day (at around 50‐55 containers per train) once fully operational.

Stephen Newell, operations director at Newell & Wright, said: "This is another step towards cutting our carbon footprint and increasing the rail freight services we provide, it will also reduce the distance our trucks have to travel and provide more rail freight options for businesses.

Company founder Frank Newell, added: "This is just the start of a huge investment into rail freight, we plan to start phase 2 of the development, increasing capacity and job opportunities in the area. The government have asked businesses to reduce emissions, reduce traffic and make changes to support environmental initiatives and that’s exactly what we have done."

GB Railfreight (GBRf) has recently signed a new two-year deal with the Danish company A.P. Moller-Maersk - the first rail collaboration between the two companies. The agreement sees GBRf operating from Tinsley, but is a continuation of a longstanding relationship with Newell & Wright, whom GBRf have long worked with.

In 2016, Newell & Wright installed sidings at the DB Cargo site at Templeborough in Rotherham to enable a new GBRf freightline to launch between Rotherham and the Port of Felixstowe.

Newell & Wright website

Images: Newell & Wright / VisualisedIt

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News: Rotherham firm sold to employee-owned trust

Build-Lite (UK) Ltd, a Rotherham-based supplier to the construction industry, has sold the shares in the holding company to an employee-owned trust formed for the benefit of the company's 15 strong workforce.

The company, which was incorporated in 2012 and is based at Thurcroft, develops, manufactures and supplies a range of innovative building products and creative architectural mouldings. In March 2019, Build-Lite (UK) Ltd was awarded the British Board of Agrément (BBA) certificate for Future Found – its UK-manufactured revolutionary insulated foundation system.

The company’s construction materials significantly reduce build-time, improve the carbon footprint and reduce handling and storage costs. They also offer a range of fast-track building products to provide cost-effective solutions to many of the commercial, financial and environmental challenges encountered by architects and developers in their construction projects.

Build-Lite (UK) Ltd used Sheffield-based firm Mackenzie Spencer, who offer a complete transaction service which incorporates both corporate finance and corporate legal advice and is led by Chris Sellars and Samantha Sellars.

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Paul Goodlad, Director and former majority shareholder of Build-Lite (UK) Ltd and Architectural Decorative Facades Ltd, said: “Following a recommendation from our existing accountant, using Mackenzie Spencer to cover all the financial and legal matters ensured the transaction was completed quickly with all appropriate advice provided by one company. This was extremely helpful when you are busy trying to keep the day-to-day business going through the sale process.”

Paul remains a director of the companies and has also become a director of the newly formed trustee company to assist the new employee group and provide support to the new Managing Director that Build-Lite are looking to appoint.

Paul added: “The success and growth of Build-Lite (UK) Ltd and Architectural Decorative Facades Ltd would have been impossible without the contribution of our employees. Succession planning is always at the forefront of our thinking and we felt confident that this was the right step for us. We are now looking to build a new management team to drive forward the business whilst rewarding all employees for all their efforts in getting the company to this stage.”

Reccomended reading: Digital Assets and Wills: How to Handle Online Accounts in Estate Planning and Disputes

Chris Sellars, Managing Director of Mackenzie Spencer, said: “Following getting to know both Paul and Trevor throughout this process, we are delighted to have assisted them in their exit. Whilst not appropriate for all companies, the desire that Paul and Trevor had to reward and empower the staff that have helped them grow Build-Lite meant it ticked a lot of boxes for them. We are sure that under the new ownership, the company will continue to thrive with a truly engaged, motivated and collective workforce all reaping the benefits of that success.”

The trust was advised by the Leonard Curtis legal team, led by Jonathan Roberts and Jennifer Moore.

Build-Lite (UK) Ltd website

Images: Build Lite

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News: Rotherham bingo hall's number is up

There will be no full houses at a Rotherham bingo hall anytime soon after operators announced that it will not be re-opening.

Mecca Bingo has confirmed that its venue on Corporation Street in Rotherham town centre is closing permanently.

It is thought that the lease on 26,000 sq ft property was due to expire this year.

The Rank Group, which owns Mecca, has seen venues closed during the Covid pandemic as a result of lockdowns, tiering closures and curfew, with revenues halved and losses incurred. Mecca's like-for-like revenue comparison for between the six months ended 31 December 2020 and the same period in the previous year was down 56%.

Just last month, John O'Reilly, CEO of Rank, said: "Our business has inevitably been heavily impacted by the pandemic but, with the strong support and dedication of our colleagues, we are now very much looking forward to reopening our casino and bingo venues, welcoming back our customers and providing the great entertainment and omni-channel service in a COVID safe environment we know they enjoy."

However, a statement on the Mecca website this week , said: "It's with a very heavy heart we have to announce that Mecca Bingo Rotherham will be closing permanently.

"We want to take the opportunity to thank you, our wonderful customers, and our team for the MECCA-tastic years! Thank you for your loyalty and all the great memories we've made together.

"Our closest club Sheffield Flat Street opens from 17th May, and we hope to welcome you all there to keep making great memories and to bring you the usual Mecca fun."

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The building, which was previously a cinema was due to go up for auction twice in 2018 with a guide price of £875,000 - £925,000 and then £800,000 but the lots were withdrawn twice.

UPDATE - The property did sell at auction in 2019 for £575,000.

The substantial building, currently set out as a bingo hall, includes a reception area, gaming hall and ancillary and office accommodation over lower ground, ground, first and mezzanine floors.

Auction documents showed that the property is entirely let to Mecca Bingo Limited until 2021 at a current rent of £125,950 per annum. The tenant had an option to extend the lease.

The property previously sold in 2014, when it went for £880,000, also at auction.

Recommended reading: Rotherham Gaming Café Success Stories Making Waves The building, which auctioneers said "may lend itself to a variety of uses and redevelopment subject to obtaining all the necessary consents," is situated alongside the key regeneration site in the town centre - Forge Island.

Originally opened in December 1934 as the Regal Cinema the building was commissioned by Thomas Wade Cinemas Ltd of Wath-upon-Dearne, and designed by Messrs Blackmore and Sykes, Architects, of Hull. It had seating for 1,825, and was fully equipped for stage performances with three dressing rooms, and a theatre organ.

The site became the Odeon in 1946 and the café was turned into a Victor Sylvester ballroom in the 1960s. The cinema was taken over by Rank in 1975 and renamed La Scala. It showed its last film in 1983. It opened up for bingo as the Ritz, but was then taken over by Mecca Bingo.

Mecca website

Images: Google Maps

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News: Liberty appoints directors to navigate Greensill collapse

Liberty Steel Group has announced the appointment of four experienced board directors who will lead and accelerate a restructuring and refinancing in order to protect and maximise creditor and stakeholder value.

The company, part of Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance, employs hundreds of staff in South Yorkshire, including in Rotherham. It said that record steel prices and its own operational improvement programme had enabled its core businesses to maintain their strong performance since the beginning of the year.

The appointments represent a step forward in the firm’s response to the collapse of its principal lender, Greensill Capital.

Liberty said that it was "prudently managing cash across its global operations to ensure it has adequate funding for its current needs while its refinancing is completed." It added that it is making good progress with refinancing with LIBERTY Primary Steel and Mining Australia agreeing terms to refinance its Greensill exposure.

A statement from the GFG Alliance, said: "Our Primary Steel and Mining operations in Europe and Australia are booking record profits and we have adequate funding for our current needs.

"In light of Greensill’s collapse, we are taking prudent steps across our global portfolio to manage resources while we bridge to new financing for our businesses.

"We are in regular dialogue with our employees, unions, customers, suppliers, and governments to keep them informed and to explore ways we can work together through the current situation."

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The new appointments will join the LIBERTY board with immediate effect and form a new Restructuring & Transformation Committee (RTC) which will be led by an independent Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO), and include an independent Chief Transformation Officer (CTO), a Chief Governance Officer (CGO) and a newly appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The RTC will be supported by LIBERTY management and report to the full LIBERTY board.

The RTC will be given full autonomy to restructure LIBERTY’s operations to focus on core profitable units, and either fix or sell underperforming units. This restructuring combined with the continuing strength in steel and iron ore markets will present a solid basis for the future of LIBERTY. The RTC will support stakeholder engagement and work with the LIBERTY board and its adviser panel, comprising of PJT, Alvarez & Marsal and Norton Rose Fulbright, to negotiate an amicable solution with Greensill’s administrators and other stakeholders which protects value and provides the best outcome for all stakeholders.

Jeffrey S. Stein joins LIBERTY as Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO). Jeffrey is an accomplished corporate executive and director, including leadership and committee positions, of both public and private companies. Jeffrey has served as an Executive Chairman, Chief Restructuring Officer and Liquidating Trustee and as a director on audit, compensation, corporate governance, finance, restructuring, and risk committees including as Chairman of those committees. Jeffrey previously served as Chief Restructuring Officer of Whiting Petroleum Corporation, Philadelphia Energy Solutions LLC and Westmoreland Coal Company. Jeffrey has substantial transaction experience, generating positive returns for investors. Jeffrey is a Certified Turnaround Professional as designated by the Turnaround Management Association. Jeffrey will be based in the US but will be present across our businesses as appropriate.

Jeff Kabel joins LIBERTY as Chief Transformation Officer (CTO). Jeff is a commercial leader with broad trading and asset optimisation background in the metals & mining and energy industries. Jeff is Chairman Emeritus of the International Steel Trade Association (ISTA) and helped lead its collaboration with the UK government to align the cost competitiveness of UK producers with their European competition. Before this Jeff was Executive Director at JP Morgan in London where he led the firm’s global ferrous commodity effort. Prior to his time at JP Morgan he operated in a similar capacity at Koch Industries. Jeff will be based in London.

Iain Hunter joins LIBERTY as Chief Governance Officer (CGO). Iain is an experienced business leader with a career spanning over 30 years in financial services including fifteen years serving on boards dealing with a range of governance issues for growth companies and those in more challenged circumstances. Iain served as Chief Executive Officer of Wyelands Bank plc between 2015-2020, prior to which he held several senior leadership positions at CIT Bank Limited including Chief Executive Officer and Chief Risk Officer during the global financial crisis. Iain will be based in Dubai.

Deepak Sogani joins LIBERTY as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and interim CFO for GFG Alliance. Deepak is replacing V Ashok, who has decided to step down for personal reasons. V Ashok will remain in place until the end of May 2021 to ensure a smooth hand over. Deepak is a seasoned global professional with experience across multiple industries including industrial businesses, technology, and financial services. Deepak has a track record for successful restructuring and refinancing situations during major roles in the metals industry, serving as the CFO for the listed steel producer Jindal Steel and Power Limited and, most recently, as Managing Director for Metals & Mining at Essar Capital Services. Deepak will be based in Dubai.

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee has launched an inquiry examining the current challenges facing the steel industry and issues concerning the sector's long-term viability. Greensill Capital and Liberty Steel are likely to come under scrutiny.

Liberty Steel website

Images: Liberty Steel

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News: Opening hours at Gulliver’s Valley extended due to demand

Gulliver’s Valley in Rotherham, is extending its opening hours due to the ‘incredible demand’ it has seen since it reopened its doors earlier this month.

The resort, which is alongside Rother Valley Country Park, is currently open every weekend, bank holiday and in school holidays from 10.30-5pm, will also now be opening on selected Friday nights in May and June from 3pm-8pm, with the potential for this to be extended should the popularity for tickets continue.

Since reopening from the national lockdown last month, the family-company has seen a high demand for tickets and every weekend so far has been completely sold out in advance.

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Julie Dalton, managing director of Gulliver’s Theme Park and Resorts, said: “We were confident that when we reopened our customers would be as excited to come back and see us as we were to see them, but we really have been blown away by the support we have received. It has been so wonderful to see so many happy, smiley faces coming through our doors once again.

“Families have missed out on a lot over the last months, so we spent a lot of time ensuring that when we did reopen our parks, we were 100% ready to get back to what we do best which is providing the very best in fun-filled family days out in a safe and enjoyable environment.

“We are currently running at 40% capacity due to covid restrictions and social distancing guidelines, but we have been sold out every weekend so far well in advance and are anticipating the same for the forthcoming bank holiday weekend. Due to this incredible demand, we are now adding Friday nights to our opening hours for the next month which we will continue to review moving forward. This sets us up for what I’m sure will be a great summer season ahead.”

Gulliver's Valley website

Images: Gulliver's Valley

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News: Residential plans for more historic Rotherham buildings

Two more heritage buildings in Rotherham town centre could be converted into housing, if recently submitted plans are approved.

Separate proposals are coming forward for a former townhouse and a part of the old Post Office.

On Domine Lane, consent is being sought to create five apartments in the Loading Bay / Post office building. Previously The Exchange, and formerly Yates Wine Lodge, is where Mark Mcgrail, owner of SME Environmental Holdings, saved the vacant building and created the 1915 Bar & Bistro in 2016.

Last year, the COVID-19 virus caused the current operators to call time on the popular food hall which was created within the 1915 Bar.

The latest plans for the building, which is not listed but is within the conservation area, are from SME and involve alterations including the erection of dividing partition walls to create three, 1 bed loft style apartments and two 2 bed live/work apartments. A commercial unit is set to be created to the existing courtyard fronting Domine Lane.

The Post Office building which backs onto the Loading Bay was originally constructed in 1907 and has already been converted into apartments by the same team at the upper levels. Artists' workshops can be found at the basement level.

Most alterations will be internal but some changes to the exterior, such as new roof lights and glazing, are proposed.

Connected to the Main Street conversion, a laundrette and cycle store is also proposed which is thought could also house a small coffee/meeting area.

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The plans, drawn up by Just Architecture, state: "With some careful design decisions the building has been changed to make interesting interior spaces creating city centre living areas which will be attractive to young professionals many of which now have an increased focus on working from home.

"The inclusion of a relatively small commercial extension will help to provide a number of opportunities for local business with the benefit of immediate footfall and the customer base from this new community area that is being developed.

"The adaptation of the existing building, which has struggled to survive over its recent iterations, will help to form a more cohesive community in keeping with the council's recent vision and Master Plan for the town centre."

The town centre masterplan made clear that retail is not the answer as the focus shifts to other town centre uses such as leisure and housing.

On Bridgegate, plans have been submitted to convert empty retail premises into six flats.

The former Walmsley furniture store, which was most recently a Poundstretcher, was bought prior to going to auction with Pugh Auctions at the end of 2020 with a guide price of £110,000.

The proposal from applicant Wasim Parvencz involves converting the first floor and second floor to six flats. A new entrance door to the flats is planned to be on the left side of the building altering the shop front. The ground floor looks set to remain as one large unit.

The building is Grade II listed having been built in the mid 18th century as a townhouse.

Also proposed is the replacement of all existing single glazed windows to the first and second floor to be replaced with double glazed sashes units matching the design of the existing windows.

Images: Google Maps / Pugh Auctions

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