News: Rotherham United's debt with ASD rises to over £9m

In the latest accounts of Rotherham-based manufacturing firm, ASD Lighting PLC, Rotherham United Football Club is listed as a debtor owing £9.4m, up from £5.2m in the previous year.

Both ASD Lighting PLC and Rotherham United have ASD Lighting Holding Limited as their parent company, connected by Tony Stewart, the founder of ASD Lighting and the man who saved the Millers in 2008. The businessman brought them out of administration and has overseen promotions, cup success and a move to a new stadium in town, at the same time as a period of sensible financial management, not something always shared by fellow league clubs.

Based on the Barbot Hall Industrial Estate, ASD Lighting has a reputation for innovation and quality and provides a range of products for domestic and commercial installations.

For the year ending June 30 2025, turnover was reported as £18m, down from £19.8m in the previous year. Sales to the UK were £15.8m (£17.9m in 2024), the rest of Europe £2.1m (£1.8m in 2024) and the rest of the world £0m (£0.1m in 2024). Included in the £2.1m to Europe were sales of £1.6m to ASD Lighting Europe Ltd set up to distribute and partner with customers in Europe.

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Gross profit is reported at £6.4m, down from £7m. with the manufacturer highlighting that despite rising material, utility and labour costs, the gross profit margin remains strong at 36%, up from 35% in 2024.

Administration costs at £8m increased by 4% from £7.6m last year. The main increases being staff related costs which went up £300k to £6.6m despite employee numbers reducing by three to 159.

It meant that ASD posted an operating loss (before interest and tax) of £1.6m compared to a profit of £0.6m in the previous year. A loss after interest receivable and tax was £849k compared to a £276k profit in 2024.

Rothbiz has previously reported on Rotherham United's 2023/24 losses which highlighted that the club can continue to trade as a going concern "but it must continue to rely upon the support of sponsors, in particular its fellow subsidiary company ASD Lighting PLC to enable it to do so."

The accounts confirm that ASD Lighting continues to provide £1m in sponsorship and advertising to the football club each year.

Documents also show that: "At 30 June 2024 included within debtors was £9,467,811 (2024: £5,204,737) due from Rotherham United Football Club (RUFC) Limited. The outstanding balance is repayable on demand."

The figure has risen from £929,150 in 2023.

Also included in other debtors is an amount of £12,514,906 due from R U Estates Limited, a company of which Tony Stewart and son Richard are directors. This is thought to have been established when the AESSEAL New York Stadium was constructed.

The debt is split between £600,962 due within one year and £11,913,944 due after more than one year. This loan is unsecured and bore interest at 2% above base rate per annum until January 2021 when it began to bear interest at 1.15% above base rate and is repayable over nine years in instalments.

Rotherham United's accounts for the period are due to be published within the next few months.

ASD Lighting website
RUFC website

Images: ASD

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News: New showroom opens at Rotherham retail park

It's a solid start to the year for a popular shopping destination in Rotherham with a furniture specialist taking one of the last remaining units.

And there could be more to come with the final empty unit now listed as being under offer.

Recently opening on Boxing Day, Oak & More's showroom is at Unit 12 on the Parkgate Shopping Park.

Oak & More has an enviable selection of products to suit customer tastes, including glass, marble and painted furniture products together with classic solid oak furniture. Furniture is created by a UK-based design team, and all wood furniture ranges have no chipboard, veneer or MDF and are delivered pre-built unlike flat-pack alternatives. The majority of Oak & More's products are available with a 48-hour delivery option.

The 15,000 sq ft showroom has taken over the unit in between TK Maxx and Shoezone. It was previously home to SCS Sofas.

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Oak & More’s Chief Executive, Paul Isom said: “Opening our Rotherham showroom gives us a great opportunity to showcase what Oak & More does best — exceptional solid wood furniture, marble and more. We’re passionate about craftsmanship, durability, and timeless design, and we’re excited for customers in Rotherham to experience the quality that sets our pieces apart.”

The retailer opened with a special customer promotion: Win Your Order Back - one lucky customer receiving the full value on their qualifying in-store purchase, up to the value of £2,000.

Last month, the owners of Parkgate Shopping confirmed that The Food Warehouse would open 12,500 sq ft store in 2026, a newly reconfigured store space in the former TUI unit next to Morrisons.

Agents for the park, Curson Sowerby Partners, have the 11,110 sq ft Unit 2 down as being under offer on its website. The unit was vacated when Sports Direct moved in 2024 to a larger new multi-fascia unit for the Frasers Group comprising USC, Sports Direct and Everlast.

A tebabt for Unit 2 has not yet been announced.

Oak & More website
Parkgate Shopping website

Images: Oak & More

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News: Opening nears for Rotherham country park upgrades including new £7m café and venue called "The Waterfront"

Multimillion pound upgrades at two popular country parks in Rotherham are nearing completion and will soon be open to the public, according to Visit Rotherham.

At Rother Valley Country Park work began in 2024 on a £7.4m contract to build a new waterfront development, housing a new 150-seater eatery and indoor function space with views extending over the lake.

The new development will also include external landscaping with an area for play outside the café for younger visitors. In addition, visitors will also benefit from new car parking facilities to the East of the lake, which will greatly improve accessibility and visitor experience.

The new development is set to open in "Spring 2026," according to park operators, Rotherham Council. March is the expected opening month.

An update from the park reads: "We’re delighted to announce that The Waterfront will be opening in Spring 2026, bringing an exciting new café and function space to the heart of Rother Valley Country Park.

"Set in a stunning lakeside location, The Waterfront Café has been thoughtfully designed to deliver an exceptional visitor experience, with over 200 covers in a modern, light-filled setting that makes the most of the surrounding views. It will be a place to relax after a walk, meet friends and family, or simply enjoy great food and drink by the water.

"Alongside the café, The Waterfront Function Space will offer a versatile venue for events, celebrations and community gatherings, all within a striking contemporary building that connects seamlessly with the natural landscape."

The total budget for the project in the council's capital programme is £8,854,198.

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Recruitment is currently underway for various roles at Rother Valley, including a venue & catering manager and head chef. Further roles are set to be advertised in January.

Council papers show that the delay in opening has been caused by the need for a power supply upgrade. A cabinet report stated: "The site handover at Rother Valley Country Park was completed in November 2025, however final completion is expected in March 2026 due to delays with the electricity connection with Northern Power Grid. In the interim period, the building will undergo furnishing, decoration and initial socialisation, leading to a soft opening in April 2026."

At Thrybergh, work got underway on a café refurbishment project and outdoor landscaping in the summer of 2025. The £790,000 upgrade has transformed the aging building at Thrybergh Country Park into a modern lakeside hub with improved indoor and outdoor seating, better access, and upgraded facilities.

Improvements include a new kitchen, an updated interior, a new outdoor terrace and fully accessible toilets and entrances.

The café will also feature modern design elements that blend with the park’s natural surroundings, while visitors with a sweet tooth are in for a treat, as the new café will serve ice cream.

Works were due to complete in December 2025 with a soft opening of the redevelopment works planned for January 2026.

Funding for both projects comes from the government's Levelling Up Fund, where Rotherham Council was successful in securing £19.5m for the town centre and £19.9m for a number of connected projects around the leisure industry.

Rother Valley Country Park website

Images: RMBC

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News: Home Decor completes MBO

Rotherham-based Home Décor, one of the leading suppliers of sliding door and interior solutions in Europe, has been purchased in a management buyout (MBO) led by the company’s executive team.

Home Decor supply into retail, distribution, new build construction and online markets.

Originally formed as Acmetrack in England in 1975, the business was acquired by The Stanley Works Inc in 1987 and sold seventeen years later, at which time it was renamed Home Decor GB Ltd.

With its parent company part of the Cerberus Investment Group, the manufacturer made the move from Drakehouse in Sheffield to the Woodhouse Link development on the site of the former Laycast Foundry at Fence, just over the Rotherham border, in 2013.

The deal was for an undisclosed sum and the new owners include: Jason Limbert, Chief Executive Officer; Neil Martin, Contract Sales Director; and Jon Griffiths, Sales & Marketing Director.

Full-service accountancy firm, Shorts, played a pivotal role in structuring the deal and guiding the process.

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Jason Limbert said: "This is a defining moment for Home Decor as the Executive team increase their minority shareholding to take full ownership of the company. We are grateful for having been given this opportunity by Cerberus Capital Management and for the financial support and vote of confidence of HSBC to enable our ability to achieve it.”

“We would like to thank Shorts, especially Chris Alsop who has worked tirelessly on our behalf to structure a deal that satisfied all parties. We would also like to thank David Leonard our Relationship Director at HSBC who has been supportive of the business over many years and has worked with us to achieve a funding solution to enable the Executive team to take full control of the company at such a significant point in the company’s journey.”

“Paul Trudgill at Knights has also done a fantastic job of guiding us through the legal process, similarly David Robinson at Shorts has been great guiding us fully through the tax considerations of the transaction.”

“Under the full control of the Executive team, who collectively bring over 40 years of service, we look forward to continuing to implement our strategic plan that will continue to deliver growth, creating even more security for our valued Home Decor team.”

Chris Alsop added: “It has been a pleasure to assist the shareholders with this transaction. Home Decor has a strong reputation within their sector and we look forward to providing continued support throughout the next chapter of the company’s growth.”

Home Decor website

Images: Shorts

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News: Sheffield - Rotherham tram-train fare cut

A major boost for public transport in South Yorkshire has been announced as Supertram fares and child concessionary fares across bus and tram are frozen, along with a cut to the long distance single Supertram fare. It includes the Sheffield - Rotherham tram-train.

£2 bus fares were introduced nationally but came to an end in 2024, reverting to a single fare cap at £3 in 2025.

Stagecoach, the previous operator of the Supertam service in Sheffield and Rotherham, introduced £2 single fares and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) covered costs to extend the scheme. Under public control, Supertram fares were previously capped at £2.80 and changed to £3.40 in 2025 "to offset increases in operating costs, align with broader transport fare changes in the region and enable continued investment."

Now the South Yorkshire Mayor has confirmed that Supertram fares will be frozen at their current rate for 2026 and the adult long distance Supertram single fare will reduce in price from £3.40 to £3 - putting the cost in line with the national bus fare cap price.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “My mission is simple: to create a world-class, integrated public transport system that’s affordable and accessible. For decades, Supertram has suffered from a lack of investment, and fixing that hasn’t been easy. But we’ve brought Supertram back under public control – and buses will follow in 2027.

“That means decisions are made here in South Yorkshire, for the benefit of the people who live and work here – including the fares you pay. Whether you’re commuting, studying, visiting family or heading out for the night, we’re building a transport network that works for everyone.

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“From January, for the whole of 2026, we’re cutting the price of an adult long-distance tram ticket from £3.40 to £3 and freezing all other Supertram fares. We’re also keeping the child concessionary fare at £1 across buses and trams – helping families travel more easily.

“Freezing and reducing fares is just the start. In 2026, we’ll also open the new tram-train station at Magna, as well as spending millions to make the network more resilient and reliable, and accelerate our preparations for bus franchising in 2027. It’s going to be an exciting year as we continue to transform our public transport in South Yorkshire.”

Since Supertram was brought back into public control, work has started on a £110m investment by SYMCA into the existing tram network improving the track, the lines and the network – and initiatives including allowing dogs on trams are opening up the network to more people.

SYMCA papers state that the first year of the Supertram system being under public control saw strong performance with growing patronage. However, this increase has slowed and has since declined this year with tram patronage down 3% on an annualised/rolling basis. The data suggests that, following the fare increase, passengers may be viewing public transport as too expensive / not offering value for money.

The Supertram Business Plan is expected to come before the MCA Board ahead of the new financial year and contain more details around the performance of the system, and improvements and efficiencies made.

The reduction in the cost of the Adult Long Distance Supertram Single fare applies to on-board purchases of single tickets. Passengers can also continue to make more savings on travel by purchasing multi-day tickets and using the TSY Mobile App where further discounts apply. Adult Tram Day prices remain at £5.70 if bought on the tram or £5.30 bought in advance using the app.

The child concessionary fare across buses and trams will also remain at just £1 per journey, funded by SYMCA. Since November 2023 the price for a ticket has been £1 and the freeze on the fare applies across Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

In Barnsley, SYMCA is one of the partners, along with Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, funding the MiCard pilot which currently offers free bus travel for children and young people aged 5 to 18, as long as the journey starts or ends in the Barnsley local authority area and is within South Yorkshire.

Supertram website

Images: Supertram

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