News: National retailer takes unit at new Rotherham development

The anchor tenant for the long-awaited mixed-use scheme which is set to form the heart of the community at the Waverley development in Rotherham looks set to be a national retailer.

Olive Lane proposes a new high street within Waverley which would incorporate retail, leisure, office, community uses, outdoor events and pop-up market stall spaces. The proposal also includes 50 residential units along with car parking, public realm and an improvement to existing public transport infrastructure.

In a scaling back of the plans, a 16,500 sq ft discount supermarket for the likes of Aldi and Lidl was taken out of the scheme and replaced by a 4,000 sq ft supermarket.

Particulars for the scheme now show that the unit is no longer just "under offer" but it is shown as being a Tesco Express.

Express is the name for Tesco's smallest stores, launching in 1994 and designed for maximum convenience, allowing customers to buy fresh, quality food close to home or work.

Tesco has also recently submitted planning aplications for signage, automatic doors, a cash machine and ventilation at the unit that is at the centre of the scheme which sits between the housing developments at Waverley and the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP).

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Rothbiz recently reported on the progress being made on site by Lindum Group, the lead contractor for regeneration specialists, Harworth Group.

Following an agreement with NHS England and Rotherham Council, Lindum also began construction of the site’s £3m two-storey medical centre in February, which is set to be handed over in October.

Olive Lane is due for completion in November and as well as the convenience store, it will include cafes and restaurants and public realm and landscaping.

Sky-House and Forge New Homes are building new homes at the Olive Lane scheme. Sky-House Co., the Sheffield company that is pioneering 21st century back-to-back housing at Waverley, announced that it will relocate its HQ and 30 jobs to office space at Olive Lane. The company also said that a new concept from the innovative food entrepreneuers behind Sheffield's JÖRO Restaurant would also take space.

Waverley Community Council is expected to help create a community hub on Olive Lane in one of the larger units and the latest marketing brochure from Knight Frank and Fox Lloyd Jones shows that seven of the ten remaining units are already under offer.

Olive Lane website

Images: Knight Frank / Fox LLoyd Jones

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News: Lindley Group secure New York Stadium catering contract

Rotherham United has appointed Lindley Venue Catering, the specialist sports stadia catering division of The Lindley Group, to develop its conference and events business, and manage all aspects of match day and non-match day catering at the League Two club's brand new £20m New York Stadium.

The five year deal is worth £6.1m and the partnership will see Lindley provide catering and events sales and marketing services for the club when it relocates from its temporary home at Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield to the prestigious new 12,000 capacity stadium next season.

Construction on the iconic venue is nearing completion on the site of the former Guest and Chrimes Foundry in an area close to Rotherham town centre that was historically know as New York.

It incorporates flexible, state-of-the art conference and banqueting facilities for private and corporate functions, and will include a 400-cover hospitality suite overlooking the pitch along with a variety of other meeting rooms and suites.

Lindley will be responsible for hospitality on matchdays and also for non-match day events. They will also install their range of retail outlets to supply fans, including Frank's Original New York Streetdogs. The company has also assured Millers' fans that Pukka Pies will be on sale from next season!

The partnership is set to create over 100 jobs with recruitment already underway.

Tony Stewart, chairman of Rotherham United, said: "The New York Stadium is much, much more than just a football stadium. In the past two years we've spent a lot of time during the design process concentrating on making sure the stadium has seven days a week functionality.

"From the outset we wanted the stadium to attract business and visitors from outside the area. And, being located in the centre of Rotherham, we also wanted it to serve and become part of the local community, as well as fulfilling its role as a functioning professional sports stadium.

"We believe the New York Stadium design has achieved these aims, and we were looking for a catering and events operator which has the experience and expertise to work with us in developing and maximising the non match-day revenue potential of these fantastic new facilities, and, at the same time enhance and develop the food offering and catering services on match-days.

"The input, insights and guidance we have received from Lindley Venue Catering during the development phase has been invaluable, and the team has clearly demonstrated that they have the skill set, enthusiasm and commitment to ensuring the New York Stadium becomes one of the country's leading events venues."

Jonathan Davies, head of Sales & Marketing at The Lindley Group, added: "It is a great privilege to be given the opportunity to work with Rotherham United FC at such a pivotal point in the club's history, and to become the first catering and events company to operate at the New York Stadium.

"We are well-versed in operating in multi-function venues and are able to bring an integrated approach to managing all aspects of the catering, sales and marketing functions for the New York Stadium, which we regard as a showcase venue for Yorkshire.

"The facilities provide a great sales opportunity and we'll be launching a new fully search optimized website to attract corporate and private events business locally and nationally - for example, a website we developed for one of our other venues generated a 20% uplift in conference and banqueting sales.

"We'll also be encouraging the local community to make use of the facilities and are planning, for example, to introduce loyalty incentives to encourage fans to hold celebrations for families and friends at the stadium.

"The quality of food and service will also clearly be a priority, and our Creative Director, Gary Bates, will be working with the catering team at the New York Stadium to create bespoke menus inspired by locally sourced produce and regional dishes which will be given a contemporary twist."

Rotherham United website

The Lindley Group website

New York Stadium website

Images: The Lindley Group

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