News: Rotherham Pokémon store looking to level up

Expansion could be on the cards at a Pokémon-themed shop and café in Rotherham town centre.

Moving across town from the Imperial Buildings and transforming a vacant unit in The Old Town Hall in 2023, enterprising Lee Kucia has created a haven for Pokémon fans, offering cards, booster boxes, toys and graded cards. The theme continues into a Coffee House serving barista coffee, hot drinks, cake and sandwiches that also offers space for trading and playing.

Under the name, PokiLee, Lee has amassed over 11,000 subscribers on YouTube who catch him opening packs, interacting with customers and various other live streams.

Now a planning application has been approved for a potential new expansion project at PokiLee's PokiWorld, converting storage space into an amusement arcade.

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Lee explained: "Families can come to purchase Pokémon products such as packs, cards etc and then open them in the coffee house seating area. This is Unit 20- 21 where we are currently trading. This does extremely well and has customers coming in from all over the country to visit.

"[I] currently use the next door unit (18 to 19 Old Town Hall) for storage, my plan is to add double doors to access the next door unit to open a small arcade section for families to enjoy.

"As the arcade would be accessible via our store area there will be minimal machine noise as not to bother customers or other businesses and more importantly to be able to monitor who is coming in and out of the arcade (along with the many security cameras we have installed).

"The opening times of the arcade will be the same as the store, meaning the earliest opening time is 10am and the latest closing time is 6:30pm, this ensures we are not bothering any other businesses at late hours - no sound pollution or annoyances."

Approving the plans, Rotherham Council officers said that the new use would not go against local planning policies and dilute the concentration of shops in the secondary shopping frontage below 30%. They added that it would reintroduce an active shop frontage and look to make a positive contribution to the units of the Old Town Hall, not appearing out of character, or cause harm to other units in the building.

Planners concluded that the proposal would enhance the viability and vitality of Rotherham town centre.

PokiLee's PokiWorld website

Images: Pokilee's PokiWorld

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News: Australian retailer rebrands Rotherham store following acquisition

An out-of-town furniture store in Rotherham has rebranded following a multimillion pound acquisition.

Fabb Furniture at Parkgate is now operating under the Nick Scali brand - a new name to the UK but a popular store in its native Australia.

Rothbiz reported back in 2016 that AHF Furniture (Anglia Home Furnishings) was taking on a 20,000 sq ft unit at the Foundry Retail Park. AHF later rebranded to Fabb Furniture.

Last year, Nick Scali announced a deal to acquire Fabb Furniture to give it an entry into the large and attractive UK furniture market with an immediate 21 store network.

The origins date back to a family-run firm founded in the 1960's. Now a publicly listed Australian company, Nick Scali has grown to become one of Australia’s largest retailers and importers of quality furniture. It had a sales revenue of £223.8m in 2024.

Fabb Furniture was acquired for a consideration of £2 and all of the secured debt owed for £3.5m. Nick Scali paid £0.5m to exercise the option to exit the existing distribution centre arrangement and will provide a net working capital injection of up to £6m.

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Further investment has been made in the existing Fabb Furniture network to establish the Nick Scali brand in the UK pursuant to its UK growth strategy, including via store refurbishments and rebranding, establishment of a new distribution centre and new store openings. The rebranded and refurbished store network will transition to the Nick Scali product range, and leverage the company's buying power and supply chain.

Anthony Scali, CEO of Nick Scali said last year: “The acquisition of Fabb Furniture provides an opportunity to enhance our geographic diversity and scale beyond Australia and New Zealand for the first time.

"The acquisition provides us an immediate entry point into the large UK market with a 21-store network across key locations; a scaled platform to establish the Nick Scali brand and product offering in an attractive new market."

Directors identified that Fabb Furniture’s gross margin is estimated to be approximately ten percentage points lower than larger UK competitors on a like for like basis and believe it can leverage the Nick Scali buying power, combined with its supply chain and logistics capabilities, to deliver significant gross margin uplift for the UK business.

Nick Scali website

Images: Nick Scali

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News: Contractor appointed to £10m Rotherham regeneration scheme

A library in Rotherham will temporarily relocate next month as work on a new building forges ahead.

Planning permission was granted for a new library at Wath in October last year as part of a scheme that is backed by government funding.

A new two-storey building will be built on the site of the existing library, as part of a £9.9m community and commercial development being delivered by the council.

A delegated decision has now been made by the authority resulting in the recommended award of the Stage 1 Pre-construction contract to Tilbury Douglas following a competitive tendering exercise.

Exeter-headquartered Tilbury Douglas completed the Parkgate link road at the end of 2024.

Drawn up by Rotherham Council architects, the new split level 2/3 storey public library building has been designed to create a modern, inviting, and inclusive community facility.

Also including a cafe with outside seating, it is envisaged that the new banking hub will also move into the new building.

Public spaces around the library will also be improved as part of the scheme.

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As part of ongoing work, the existing library service will close its doors on Saturday, May 3, and relocate temporarily to 4 Sandygate, which was previously the Adrian Allen Training Academy.

The temporary location – which will open on Monday June 2 - will still offer a full provision, including meeting spaces, public PCs, fiction and non-fiction sections, a children’s area, free Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi printing, and a variety of activities and events, including Makerspace sessions.

Demolition of the existing library building will begin this autumn, with the new library set to open in spring 2027. It was due to be completed in Summer 2026.

The new library will be a modern and vibrant space, creating an environment for the community to come together. Public spaces around the library will also be improved as part of the scheme, while the redevelopment will also include commercial space to support a vibrant mix of small businesses.

Work on a new building in Rotherham town centre is progressing alongside the market development. Lead contractor, Henry Boot, began erecting steelwork on the new £36m scheme this month.

Cllr Robert Taylor, Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy said: “We’re looking forward to bringing this wonderful new community building and library to Wath.

“Libraries are so important for our communities so it’s great to see plans for the new building ramping up a gear. Not only will the new library in Wath be pleasing on the eye, but it will also provide people with somewhere to enjoy events and all the cultural benefits that come with a comfortable, well-equipped, modern library. The wider development will also give a welcome boost to the local economy.”

Images: RMBC

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News: Rotherham's main Post Office in closure threat

Rotherham’s Crown Post Office branch is at risk of closure as company bosses confirm that it is moving to a fully franchised network.

As of March 2024, there were 11,805 post office branches in the UK and the Post Office said that it is committed to maintaining around 11,500 branches.

Most are standard agency branches (run by a franchise partner or sub-postmaster) whilst the number of Crown (directly managed) branches has fallen significantly over recent decades.

Crown branches tend to offer a wider range of services. In Rotherham this includes a Digital Check & Send service for new passports and renewals, SIA Licence Applications, in branch ID verification, and DVLA photocard renewal.

Rothbiz reported that a partner was being sought for the branch on Bridgegate in Rotherham town centre back in 2017 but it has remained serving the town since.

Now bosses have said that the last 108 which are operated by the Post Office will be franchised by the autumn, subject to Government funding. If no partner can be found, it is likely the branch will close.

The Post Office says that directly managed branches generate a fully allocated loss (including central and support costs) of over £40m each year.

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Nigel Railton, Post Office Chair, said: “Moving to a fully franchised network is one part of enabling the Post Office to deliver a ‘New Deal for Postmasters’, helping to create a long-term, sustainable future for the Post Office. By franchising these branches, we are protecting access to our services for communities right across the UK and realising £40m worth of savings that will enable us to uplift postmasters’ remuneration by up to 10%.

“Over the coming months, we will continue to work with our unions to ensure that we treat our staff working in these 108 branches with care and respect through this transition, consulting with them on proposed changes. The 108 Post Offices will either stay in the same location where possible or be located close to the existing location, meaning customers will continue to have access to a full suite of products and services.”

Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham, said: "Rotherham’s Crown Post Office branch offers vital services and is relied upon by people in our town. With businesses increasingly cutting their high street presence, Post Offices have become ever more vital community hubs, providing many services, such as in person banking, that would otherwise be out of reach for many.

“I am very clear that the best possible option for my constituents is for the existing branch to be saved and have called on Post Office Ltd. to do so. However, should they proceed with closure, it is essential that any replacement franchise offers a full range of Government services and is centrally located in Rotherham town centre.

"Many of my constituents, particularly older people would be left unable to access vital services if they cannot do so at a Post Office branch. With public transport links sorely lacking, any move away from the town centre would be unthinkable.

"I have urged Post Office Ltd. and the Government to safeguard this vital resource and will continue to fight to ensure my constituents can access the services on which they depend.”

Rotherham councillors carried a motion in January to oppose the potential closure.

Post Office website

Images: Google Maps

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News: Greenbelt use "becoming a necessity" say Whitestone solar farm developers

Proponents have submitted the first documents to the government for a massive solar solar farm planned for the greenbelt in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported last week on early stage plans being updated for a solar farm generating station with an estimated capacity of up to 750MW and connecting to the National Grid Brinsworth Substation.

Having recently completed a first consultation stage, developers say that they have made "significant changes to the project design" to respond to the feedback received.

Updated documents explain that one fourth of the land (279 hectares / 689 acres) has been removed across the whole site that was included for solar development to create buffers around homes, villages and public rights of way near the project boundary. This has resulted in the removal or reduction of panels around the most sensitive community areas, particularly around residential dwellings.

Due to its size, Whitestone is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), which means that it needs a Development Consent Order (DCO) to authorise its construction, operation and decommissioning. The final decision on a DCO application will be made at the national level by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, rather than made locally by Rotherham and Doncaster Councils.

Now a 450-page scoping report has been submitted to the planning inspectorate which provides environmental information outlining the scope and methodology of the technical studies being conducted. It precedes a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

The report explains: "These studies aim to comprehensively evaluate any potential significant environmental impacts and identify appropriate mitigation strategies during the construction, operational, and decommissioning stages. Additionally, the Scoping Report details which environmental topics are suggested to be excluded from the EIA process, along with explanations for why these aspects are not expected to lead to significant environmental effects."

Topics where impact could be assessed include landscape and visual, heritage, air quality, traffic, noise, employment and flooding.

The report confirms that the proposed development is being brought forward by Whitestone Net Zero Limited, owned by Net Zero One Limited but it is intended to be constructed, managed and operated by Green Nation.



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The northern site straddles the Rotherham and Doncaster border east of Hooton Roberts and north of Ravenfield.

Farmland adjacent to the M18 south of Bramley and Wickersley has also been identified to host thousands of solar panels, as has vast areas of fields either side of the M1 south of its junction with the M18. This includes sites near Ulley, Aston and Brampton, out towards North and South Anston, and the other way to land between Treeton and Whiston.

In the south of the borough, sites could be included in the solar farm development that are close to Kiveton Park, Harthill and Woodall.

The plan is to connect to the National Grid Brinsworth Substation (where an upgrade is planned) with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) (locations yet to be determined), all connected by underground cables.

The report also states: "A common argument is that brownfield sites and rooftops should be used for solar development instead of greenfield sites. However, all three types of solar development, along with wind, nuclear and hydrogen, will be required to meet the government’s energy targets to decarbonise the power sector by 2030. Consequently, the use of greenfield sites to house these energy developments is becoming a necessity."

The planning inspectorate, and other statutory consultees such as Rotherham Council, will now assess the documents and provide feedback before a more detailed environmental statement is included in a formal application which is not expected until the summer of 2026.

Whitestone website

Images: Whitestone Net Zero Limited

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