News: £50m Leger MBO completes

The Rotherham-based Leger Shearings Group, the UK’s largest escorted coach touring holidays operator, has passed into the sole ownership of chief executive Liam Race and chief financial officer Andrew Oldfield, following a management buy-out (MBO) that sees the pair acquire the remaining shares in the business.

The deal, valued in excess of £50m completes a journey the pair began in 2019, when Race, Oldfield and colleague Chris Plummer acquired an initial 30% stake in escorted coach tours company Leger Holidays from Ian Henry who had led the company for over 35 years.

2020 saw the company acquire the assets of iconic coach holiday brand Shearings, following the collapse of former owner Specialist Leisure Group and the Leger Shearings Group was formed.

Race, Oldfield and Plummer increased their holding to a majority stake in 2024, at which point Ian Henry moved to non-executive chairman. The latest transaction sees Race and Oldfield acquire the remaining interests held by the Henry family, taking the two executives to full ownership of the group. The MBO is funded by NatWest, which continues its long-standing relationship with the business.

Ian Henry, exits the business and chief product officer Chris Plummer, a fellow participant in the 2019 buy-out, who has just celebrated 20 years with the business, retires from the group as part of the transaction. Race and Oldfield paid warm tribute to both, crediting them with a central role in the group’s growth and transformation.

Since the initial MBO in 2019, the Canklow company has more than doubled in size. The acquisition of former competitor Shearings is credited with driving that growth and the 2022 acquisition of Arena Travel broadened the product range further, adding its specialist-interest brands.

The buy-out follows a sustained period of growth for the group, which has now delivered 20 consecutive months of growth, with sales and forward bookings both ahead of any previous year at this stage.

In recent years, Leger Shearings Group has been at the forefront of reinventing coach touring, redefining it as a premium experience, often combining luxury, convenience and sustainability while offering travellers an increasingly attractive alternative to flying. Race and Oldfield take ownership with a clear agenda for the next phase, centred on the premiumisation of the Leger brand. This includes Lumina, the group’s new flagship touring experience, which departs for its first tour in April 2027.

Leger Shearings Group carries holidaymakers across the UK, Europe and beyond, combining large-scale escorted coach touring with a growing portfolio of specialist-interest travel. Its brands include the well-known Leger Holidays and Shearings names, alongside crafting-holidays specialist Stitchtopia and bridge-holidays specialist First for Bridge. The group employs around 170 people and carries approximately 100,000 passengers each year.

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Liam Race, chief executive, said: “This is a hugely proud moment for Andy and me, and the natural next step in a journey we started in 2019. Ian built something remarkable over more than 30 years and taking full ownership of Leger Shearings Group is both a privilege and a responsibility we don’t take lightly.

“The business is in the strongest shape it has ever been. We’ve delivered 20 consecutive months of growth, forward bookings are ahead of where we have ever been at this point, and we have ambitious plans to build on that. We’re premiumising the Leger brand, and our new flagship experience, Lumina, sets off on its first departures this April, with more exciting developments still to come. Through all of it our focus stays exactly where it has always been — on the customer, and on the repeat business that great service earns us.”

Race added a personal tribute to his outgoing colleagues: “Ian and Chris have been instrumental in everything we have achieved. Ian leaves an extraordinary legacy, and we wish Chris a long and happy retirement. We are proud to carry the business they helped build into its next chapter.”

Andrew Oldfield, chief financial officer, said: “Completing this buy-out puts the business on the firmest footing it has ever had, and we’re doing it from a position of real strength — record forward bookings, sustained growth and the continued backing of NatWest, who have been alongside us every step of the way. It gives Liam and me the platform to keep investing in our product, our brand and our people, and to pursue the growth opportunities we can clearly see ahead.”

Chris Plummer, who retires from the business, said: “It has been one of the great privileges of my career to help build Leger Shearings Group alongside Liam, Andy and the team. I retire immensely proud of what we have achieved together and completely confident in the future of the business. I’ll be cheering them on.”

Ian Henry said: “Liam and Andy have been at the heart of this company’s growth and transformation. They led the business through the challenges of the Covid era and on through recovery and impressive growth, and they have built a great team of talent around them. It has been the privilege of my career to build this business, and I leave it in excellent hands. I wish them every success.”

Relationship director Andy Croasdell of NatWest, said: “We've worked alongside Leger Shearings Group through several significant milestones in its journey and have seen first-hand the ambition and capability of Liam, Andy and the wider team.

"This latest transaction is the culmination of a long-term succession plan and reflects the confidence we have in the business, its leadership and its future growth prospects. We are delighted to continue supporting the company as it enters this exciting new chapter.”

Shakespeare Martineau (legal) and KPMG (tax) advised the company, and Browne Jacobson advised the Henry family and Chris Plummer with NatWest providing the debt facility to support the transaction.

Leger Shearings website

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News: Rotherham Council approves 24 hour shop licence for town centre pub

Plans are moving ahead to convert part of a vacant pub in Rotherham town centre into a convenience store.

The Bridge Inn has a prominent position opposite Rotherham Central railway station but was one of four pubs being brought to market by the Old Mill Brewery in 2024.

Rothbiz reported on the demolition of The Trades back in 2022. During the last years of the Greasbrough Road venue, a passionate team of directors created "The Hive" and started working with The Trades to bring a wide variety of live music to the town as an "upstart side venue."

During the pandemic a deal was struck with the brewery to move to the adjacent Bridge Inn and turn, what was a designated pub for visiting football fans, into a live music venue.

Since the sale, the pub has remained closed, but now a premises licence has been secured for almost half of the ground floor.

The application, recently approved by Rotherham Council, is from Kari Retail Ltd and shows the layout of a Go Local convenience store in the part of the building closest to the former Trades site and current car park.

Go Local is the retail brand established by Parfetts, one of the UK's leading cash & carry wholesalers.

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The new licence is for a 24 hour operation and the provision of late night refreshment between 23:00 and 05:00, and the sale by retail of alcohol for consumption off the premises only, for 24 hours a day.

The licence comes with a number of mandatory conditions that you would expect regarding the sale of alcohol.

Property specialists Fleurets, marketing the Bridge Inn, describing it as a "very individual and unashamed live rock music operation. Bands perform almost every day on two stages and trade has been developed to cater exclusively for this market.

"Not for the feint-hearted the fit out include ghoul masks, coffins as tables, zombies, skeletons, armour, devils and much more besides. Unique and wonderful."

The property, which had operated under a franchise agreement for several years, was advertised for offers at £295,000 for the freehold with vacant possession.

Although not a listed building. it is in the town's conservation area and was added to the South Yorkshire Local Heritage List earlier this year. The listing explains that the pub was completed in March 1932 on behalf of Mappins Masbro Old Brewery. The neo-Jacobean style sits alongside the medieval bridge and bridge chapel.

When it opened it contained a lounge hall, smokeroom, luncheon room and tap room on the ground floor, with clubroom and hotel rooms on the first floor.

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News: Hundreds more apartments for Rotherham town centre in Capital&Centric's "Foundry" plans

Social impact developer Capital&Centric's multimillion pound regeneration plans for Rotherham town centre are moving ahead.

Rothbiz revealed earlier this year that the Manchester company, a specialist in unlocking and transforming "unloved" brownfield sites into vibrant, design-led neighbourhoods, had been awarded a Rotherham contract that could reach up to £100m in value.

The next phase involves Rotherham Council using £2.42m from its remaining Local Regeneration Grant secured from the government for pre-development work and feasibility studies to create full business cases for five council-owned brownfield sites.

Plans to extend the Riverside Residential Quarter onto The Statutes and two sites on Sheffield Road are for residential-led schemes that are estimated to deliver 226 new homes including both apartments and townhouses.

Early stage planning documents for the "Foundry" scheme, seen by Rothbiz, show three blocks of apartments at The Statutes - the cleared site that was previously home to the Magistrate's Court and now operates as a car park. Up to four storeys, the unit mix here includes 39 larger, two bedroom flats, 12 one bedroom flats, and four studio flats.

For the current Westgate Car Park on Sheffield Road, called the Post Office site by Capital&Centric, plans show the erection of seven apartment blocks creating 146 homes. Up to three storeys, there are plans for approximately 12% studios, 58% one-bedroom and 30% two-bedroom accommodation. Just over 1,000 sq ft of retail / commercial space is also planned to be included here.

Designs for a "suitably urban scale of development" have evolved to respect and enhance the Grade-II listed Cutlers Arms nearby.

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At the SIG site, the Sheffield Road site most recently acquired by Rotherham Council, plans are for five blocks creating 25 two and three bedroom townhouses - broadening the overall housing offer.

Previous council papers indicate that Capital&Centric's current funding strategy is for the new homes to be developed for private rent with Capital&Centric acting as landlord. The issue of affordable housing provision is to be addressed as plans progress.

Capital&Centric are exploring a proposal to fund the development of these sites through its Impact & Places Partnership, which is a joint venture between Swiss Life Asset Managers, Homes England and Capital&Centric.

Plans, drawn up by Urbana Town Planning, state: "All three sites form RMBC'S Town Centre Strategic Sites which will work to achieve the continued diversification of Rotherham's offer through attracting new uses, services, residential and leisure opportunities and moving away from the traditional retail market.

"Successful projects undertaken to date, or being undertaken within RMBC include Forge Island leisure destination, Town Centre Public Realm improvements, Riverside Gardens, Council led housing development at Westgate, the Markets and Library redevelopment and the town centre Health Hub.

"Taken together, the proposals would deliver significant social, economic and environmental benefits through the provision of new homes, the productive reuse of brownfield land, increased support for town-centre businesses and services, reduced reliance upon private car travel and the physical regeneration of an under-utilised part of the River Don corridor."

Capital&Centric website

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News: Redevelopment plans passed for Rotherham pub

The owners of a prominent public house in Rotherham have been given approval to bring it back to life following a period of inactivity.

Occupying a prime spot on Kimberworth's High Street, The Green Dragon is a large, imposing pub with restaurant dining to the rear and a first floor function room.

Currently closed, Rothbiz reported last year that the freehold of the pub had gone up for sale for £400,000.

Rotherham Council has recently approved a change of use planning application from Harbham Odedra that shows that the ground floor would change from a pub to a restaurant with the retention of first-floor residential accommodation. The proposals also include the removal of existing outbuildings, and the construction of a single-storey retail extension.

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According to CAMRA, the pub was acquired by national operator Stonegate and was extensively refurbished before reopening in August 2022. It closed but reopening again in 2024 alongside Maisha Spice, which specialised in Indian style cuisine.

The proposed retail unit, to the right of the existing entrance fronting High Street, would have an approximate gross internal area of 3,200 sq ft and is designed as a "One Stop–type convenience store."

The plans stated: "The proposal ensures the continued active use of a long-established community building, avoiding vacancy and decline. The restaurant will continue to provide a welcoming social environment for residents and families, function and meeting spaces for private and community events, a family-friendly venue that supports inclusive social interaction.

"The convenience retail unit will provide an important local service, particularly for residents with limited mobility or without access to private vehicles."

Rotherham Council's planning board voted to approve the plans, which come with a number of conditions, relating to things like extraction systems, drainage, restricting the retail unit to Class E(a) only, and marking out the car parking area.

The restaurant use can only be open to customers between the hours of 12:00 and 22:00 and the retail use can only be open to customers between the hours of 07:00 and 22:00 in order to safeguard the amenities of the occupiers of nearby properties. No deliveries to the site can be made between the hours of 21:00 and 07:00 for the same reason.

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News: 141 houses planned for former Rotherham college site

A national housebuilder has been appointed to bring forward a large development on part of a former college campus in Rotherham.

In 2020, RNN Group reorganised its post-16 education provision, and whilst much of the former Dinnington Campus remains in educational use by Elements Academy and Newman School, a large part of the site became surplus to requirements.

Following discussions with other potential public sector users and a period of marketing, Homes by honey were identified as preferred developer for the site on Doe Quarry Lane following an open market disposal process.

At approximately 4.69 hectares, the site comprises two redundant teaching buildings, associated hardstanding and former agricultural training land characterised by open grassland, which is subdivided into a series of former training paddocks.

The developer has now submitted a planning application for 141 dwellings, together with associated access, landscaping, public open space and supporting infrastructure.

The site, with a net developable area of approximately 3.87 hectares, is considered a part-brownfield site. In Rotherham's Local Plan, it was designated for an Education Community Facility.

Plans show that existing access is currently obtained through the campus; however, the proposed development will be served by a new dedicated vehicular access directly from Doe Quarry Lane at the Manor Road / Laughton Road end.

A new priority-controlled T-junction onto Doe Quarry Lane is proposed supported by the demolition of the existing former teaching accommodation and associated structures located within the southern part of the site.

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The plans are for 141 houses with a range of sizes, from 2-bed semi-detached properties to 5-bed detached dwellings, with a variety of house types proposed. 25% of the total houses are set to be classed as affordable housing - 35, 2-bed houses.

However, the unused buildings on site will also mean that the development should qualify for Vacant Building Credit (VBC) which can be used to reduce the affordable housing contributions required when redeveloping brownfield sites with empty buildings.

The majority of dwellings are two storeys in height, with a limited number of 2.5-storey and three-storey dwellings, reflecting the prevailing scale and character of the surrounding residential areas.

The plans, drawn up by consultants, Nineteen47, state: "The educational use formerly undertaken on the Site has ceased and the associated buildings have remained vacant for a considerable period following the relocation and consolidation of educational operations elsewhere within the RNN Group estate.

"The Site no longer performs its allocated educational function and there is no reasonable prospect that the former use will recommence. The redevelopment of the Site therefore represents an opportunity to secure the beneficial re-use of a vacant and underutilised site within a sustainable settlement, whilst avoiding the continued deterioration of redundant buildings and land."

Applicants also say that the highly sustainable site is "exceptionally well located in relation to local facilities and services" and add that: "The submitted assessments demonstrate that safe and suitable access can be achieved, that the local highway network has capacity to accommodate development-generated traffic and that opportunities exist to encourage sustainable travel choices amongst future residents."

The plans conclude: "The proposal will transform the Site into a high-quality residential neighbourhood delivering significant economic, social and environmental benefits. These include much-needed housing delivery, a meaningful contribution towards addressing the Council's housing land supply shortfall, investment in the local economy, support for local services and businesses, new public open space, biodiversity enhancements, landscape improvements, green infrastructure and associated supporting infrastructure."

Honey launched in 2022 and is backed by private equity firm Alchemy Partners. It has previously brought forward sites in Rotherham at Waverley and Maltby. Early stage plans have also emerged for a site at Harley.

Homes by honey website

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