News: Businesses urged to join with Yorkshire's Hidden Gems

Local businesses are being invited to join some of the region's biggest attractions as part of an initiative to support the visitor economy and encourage people to experience Yorkshire’s Hidden Gems.

The project stems from a pledge to work together to attract more visitors and increase local spend that was strengthened during the recent pandemic, with bosses at key tourism assets in Rotherham keen to see positivity and pride used to promote the area.

Assets to get involved range from theme parks to stately houses. They include Gulliver’s Valley, Wentworth Woodhouse, Magna Science Adventure Centre, Grimm & Co., Rotherham United, Rother Valley Country Park and Clifton Park.

The initiative follows the demise of Welcome to Yorkshire and the publishing of the de Bois Review - an independent review of destination management organisations in England.

Operated by Locial Ltd, Yorkshire's Hidden Gems is being supported by The Rotherham Pioneers - an exclusive group for Rotherham businesses who want to promote the town.

More local businesses are being sought to join the initiative and "become a gem." Attractions, restaurants, tea rooms, hotels, events, leisure spaces, cultural places, shops, anything that is a destination and can offer an experience.

Businesses can sign up for free to feature on the website and social media which promotes news, events and offers.

Businesses can also get involved for free with the Yorkshire’s Hidden Gems discount card scheme that uses offers, discounts and deals to encourage people to shop and visit local.

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At £10 for the year, current offers for cardholders include £15 pp tickets for Gulliver's Valley and 25% off entrance to House and Garden admission at Wentworth Woodhouse. A number of giveaways are planned for the coming months.

Bright Stars Play Space, an engaging and educational play space for babies and toddlers in Parkgate, has joined the initiative.

Caroline Austen, founder of Bright Stars Play Space, said: "We are delighted to be part of Yorkshire's Hidden Gems. As a relatively new business, it puts us alongside the amazing local assets like Gulliver's and Wentworth Woodhouse, which is just fantastic. It's great to see our upcoming Easter parties, craft sessions, Daddy & baby sessions and baby rave on the events calendar.

"There's loads happening around here, I think we just need to shout about it more and uncover these hidden gems. As a family we've got a discount card and we are looking forward to using it, especially at Gulliver's Valley - our daughter's favourite place! If you buy a card for £10, you'll make your money back in savings even if you only go to Gulliver's once in the year."

Bright Stars Play Space website
Yorkshire’s Hidden Gems website

Images: Tom Austen

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News: Rotherham tourism assets join forces as "Yorkshire's Hidden Gems"

A discount card and an online guide are the jewels in the crown of a pioneering new initiative to support the visitor economy and encourage people to experience Yorkshire’s Hidden Gems.

The project stems from a pledge to work together to attract more visitors and increase local spend that was strengthened during the recent pandemic, with bosses at key tourism assets in Rotherham keen to see positivity and pride used to promote the area.

The first assets to get involved range from theme parks to stately houses. They are Gulliver’s Valley, Wentworth Woodhouse, Magna Science Adventure Centre, Grimm & Co., Rotherham United, Rother Valley Country Park and Clifton Park.

It has now attracted smaller enterprises that offer experiences in the region such as Bright Stars Play Space - an engaging and educational play space for babies and toddlers in Parkgate.

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The initiative comes after the demise of Welcome to Yorkshire and the publishing of the de Bois Review - an independent review of destination management organisations in England.

Operated by Locial Ltd, Yorkshire's Hidden Gems is being supported by The Rotherham Pioneers - an exclusive group for Rotherham businesses who want to promote the town.

More local businesses are being sought to join the initiative and "become a gem." Attractions, restaurants, tea rooms, hotels, events, leisure spaces, cultural places, shops, anything that is a destination and can offer an experience.

Businesses can sign up for free to feature on the website and social media which promotes news, events and offers.

The website says: "Yorkshire’s Hidden Gems has been developed during lockdown to have a collective approach to supporting and helping our businesses, attractions, communities and our people. We want to promote and shout about all the positive places we have and to offer an opportunity for everyone to work together to re-ignite our local economy, preserve jobs and being Yorkshire…save folk a few pennies in the process with our Yorkshire Hidden Gems offers card."

Businesses can also get involved for free with the Yorkshire’s Hidden Gems discount card scheme that uses offers, discounts and deals to encourage people to shop and visit local.

At £7.50 for the year, current offers include £15 pp tickets for Gulliver's Valley and 25% off entrance to House and Garden admission at Wentworth Woodhouse.

Yorkshire's Hidden Gems website

Images: Gulliver's

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News: Game-changing progress being made in Rotherham

The business-focused aspects of The Rotherham Plan have made significant progress since the launch of a long-term strategy for the borough last year.

Business numbers, employment figures and GVA growth is all on the up, coupled with over £100m of inward investment and progress on large scale projects such as the new University Centre Rotherham and across the town centre.

The Rotherham Together Partnership was launched in September 2015 and the Rotherham Plan 2025 was officially launched last year. It provides a framework for partners' joint efforts to create a borough that "is better for everyone who wants to live, work, invest or visit here."

The plan is based around five "game changers": building stronger communities, skills and employment, integrated health and social care, a place to be proud of and the town centre.

The partnership brings together a wide range of organisations, including major public bodies. Its Business Growth Board is responsible for the delivery of the ten-year Rotherham Economic Growth Plan which feeds into the overarching plan and includes indicators on business starts, employment, skill levels and vacant units in the town centre.

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The number of businesses in the borough has risen from 6,810 in December 2016 to 7,230 at the end of 2017.

There were 104,000 jobs in Rotherham at the end of 2016, (measure reported by Office of National Statistics (ONS) Business Register and Employment Survey, and is reported annually but a year in "arrears") which shows an increase of 4,000 jobs since the end of 2015, well ahead of the target of 1,000 new jobs per year.

More than £130m of new business investment came into Rotherham in 2017. Not least, supercar manufactuer, McLaren, who recently got the keys to its new £50m facility on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP).

Rotherham's £4.3 billion a year economy was a top performer in 2017 according to recent research from Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), staying near the top of the UK Powerhouse rankings for GVA growth. For quarter 4 of 2017, the Rotherham economy continued to grow with a rate of 1.4%, and ranked at 13th, well within the top third of the regional economies in the study.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council and chair of the Rotherham Together Partnership, said: "We called our Partnership Plan "A New Perspective", because we knew that we needed to take a different point of view, to get that outside world to take a fresh look at us.

"This is the first year of our plan that takes us through to 2025 and we are looking forward with confidence to the coming years."

Given that it is one of just five "game changers" in the plan, much of the emphasis is on delivering the masterplan which places much more focus on new housing and leisure uses to revitalise the town. It comes a time when aggregate quarterly footfall figures continue to decline and nearly a quarter of properties are vacant.

One town centre project where progress has been rapid is the new £10.5m University Centre Rotherham (UCR) on Docaster Gate.

Phil Sayles, deputy principal of the RNN Group, said: "One of the things that is really important to Rotherham is to have more people with higher skills, that's what employers in the area, and moving into the area, need.

"Our great contribution to that is the University Centre Rotherham. It's at the heart of the town and over the next five years over a 1,000 extra people will get degrees from studying here."

Rotherham Together Partnership website

Images: Rotherham Together Partnership

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News: Tony talks of ten year tenure

Ten years to the day from being introduced to the Rotherham United fans at the final ever game at Millmoor, club chairman, Tony Stewart was discussing his journey with the Rotherham Pioneers.

The exclusive group for Rotherham businesses who want to promote the town, celebrate all that is good, and grow the Rotherham business community held its latest meeting at the New York Stadium - itself a key part in the club's recent history.

Stewart started in business 45 years ago becoming self employed. He admitted that he made no money but made lots of friends. His electrical contracting firm grew to employ 25 people in Sheffield.

In 1981, the enterprising mind saw the potential of PIR and the use of infra red detectors. He combining them with lighting products which made them turn on "as if by magic". After further design and development, and securing start up cash from the bank, it led to the formation of ASD Lighting, a Rotherham manufacturing success story. The dynamic firm grew quickly and moved from Eastwood to its current base on the Barbot Hall Industrial Estate.

Tony (pictured top at Millmoor back in 2008) described some of his mantras for successful business, many of which have transferred into football: "We increase the knowledge we have by employing people - they are the gems. I constantly try to encourage staff - "Don't get down, get up.""

It appears to be working. 2017 turnover at ASD increased 20% on the previous year to £26.2m due to increased sales in the company's street lighting products. Profits after tax were at £3.69m.

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Tony Stewart was one of a number of business people invited to the Town Hall with the aim of finding a way of resurrecting the borough's football league club after it fell into administration for the second time in 2008. He ended up going it alone and brought them out of administration via a Creditors Voluntary Agreement.

Stewart said: "I got the call from the council and having seen the success that Nick [Cragg] and Martin [Jenkinson] had had at Rotherham Titans, I thought I'll go down and have a look at Rotherham United."

He assessed the club's finances and decided that the club's commercial arm, whilst turning over around £3m a season, could be better.

"The plates were spinning at ASD and none were falling off, so I thought "I'll do it." he said. "It was a spur of the moment thing and it has been a massive learning curve."

After the takeover came the decision to play home games at the now demolished Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield, after working hard to get a deal to carry on playing at Millmoor, the club's home for over 100 years.

The club was charged with returning to play home games in its home town within four seasons by the Football League and as Stewart told the Rotherham Pioneers with pride: "I came, I promised, I delivered."

The £20m New York Stadium is on the edge of Rotherham town centre and hosted its first Millers game in 2012. Having hosted a number of high profile fixtures, it hosts the final of the 2018 UEFA Under-17s Championship on Sunday.

"The stadium is the big story and I'm also proud of the improvements to the training ground," added Stewart.

Rotherham United is currently battling to return to The Championship through the playoffs and Stewart spoke of the positivity around the club.

The chairman concluded: "This is the best time at Rotherham United I have known. The manager, Paul Warne, is a rookie but he is university educated and bright, and has the right character. Every one of the nine managers I've had here have spoken highly of him.

"We are now doing things right and I think success, whether it's this season or next, is around the corner.

"I've got red and white blood in my veins. I am passionate in everything I do and my passion isn't just on a matchday, it's seven days a week. I want the best for Rotherham and I think the best is still to come."

Jamie Noble, head of community at Rotherham United, also discussed the work of the club's sports trust at the event.

Jamie (pictured, above) said: "We would like to thank Rotherham Pioneers for coming across to the stadium, Rotherham United Community Sports Trust are not only looking to support the local community but also the local businesses with an aim to help make Rotherham a stronger and better community. Rotherham Pioneers group are a key part of the town and I feel the work they are doing in the local community is second to none."

Rotherham United website
ASD Lighting website
Rotherham Pioneers website

Images: RUFC

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News: Rothbiz joins Rotherham Pioneers

Rotherham Business News has signed up as a Rotherham Pioneer and joined an exclusive group for Rotherham businesses who want to promote the town, celebrate all that is good, and grow the Rotherham business community.

Rothbiz is established as the website that brings together positive news regarding businesses, enterprise, commercial property, regeneration, key developments and the economy in Rotherham. The site exists to promote Rotherham as a business location by using stories about the enterprising, innovative, proud, and world-renowned businesses that are based here.

The aim of the Pioneers initiative is to bring together the knowledge, networks and influences locally to promote Rotherham as a great place to do business.

A major exercise was launched earlier this year using "The Rotherham Story" as a way of promoting the borough. Businesses, from large multinationals like AESSEAL to sole traders like Tom Austen at Rothbiz, will act as ambassadors - Rotherham Pioneers - armed with the story and an outward looking mentality. The aim is to change perceptions of Rotherham and raise its profile.

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Tom Austen, editor of Rotherham Business News said: "The aims of Rothbiz and the Rotherham Pioneers are very much the same. I set up the website to give Rotherham the positive coverage it deserves, raise the profile of Rotherham, change the perceptions of Rotherham and encourage Rotherham companies to recognise opportunities for collaboration, growth and business development.

"I've always envisaged something high profile, paid for by the private sector, with the aim of bringing businesses together and marketing Rotherham - being positive, shouting about what we have got here. The Rotherham Pioneers initiative is just that and the businesses and projects that I continue write about will add more content to the Rotherham story."

Through membership packages, Rotherham Business News offers businesses and organisations the opportunity to support the website and the continued promotion of Rotherham, at the same time as raising their profile within the local business community.

And Rotherham Pioneers are being offered a special discount on membership packages as Rothbiz looks for more members to get involved and help the site to continue to grow. The website launched as a hobby in 2007 and has been growing ever since. It now has over 7,000 subscribers and followers and receives 20,000 pageviews each month.

The membership programme has been designed to enable businesses to show their support and feature on the site at the same time. Different levels based on different budgets offer you the opportunity to be featured on the website and with your backing, Rothbiz will continue to publish three articles each weekday - around 60 each month - focusing on positive stories about amazing Rotherham businesses.

Find out more information and become a member here.

Images: Rotherham Pioneers / Andrew Lyons Photography

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News: Rapid progress on pioneering University Centre Rotherham

With the steelwork up and concrete being poured, contractors working on the new £10.5m University Centre Rotherham (UCR) are making rapid progress on creating a new beacon for the town.

Businesses from across Rotherham visited the UCR site this week as part of the Rotherham Pioneers breakfast meeting, which centred around celebrating Rotherham and its future.

The meeting was an opportunity for Phil Sayles, deputy principal of the RNN Group, to explain how UCR will work closely with local employers to shape education that will ensure that students have the skills and experience they need to go into successful careers and drive the Rotherham economy.

Alan Neal, construction manager at Willmott Dixon, who are leading on the project, discussed the progress of the build where work is ahead of schedule.

In autumn 2018, the RNN Group will open the centre on Doncaster Gate, near its Rotherham College Town Centre Campus. UCR will offer state-of-the-art facilities and a wide variety of degree courses accredited by top universities and awarding bodies, including Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Hull, with plans for over 50 courses to be running at UCR by 2020.

Sayles told attendees: "It is going up really quickly. All the steelwork is up and contractors are moving on to other areas. The new centre sends a message about higher education opportunities in our town."

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The 35,500 sq ft campus building has been designed by Bond Bryan to accommodate approximately 560 people on a typical term day but will be built with expansion in mind and teaching space for approximately 1,000 students.

Rotherham Council has provided the land for the campus in a cut price deal. The Sheffield City Region (SCR) Combined Authority has agreed to fund infrastructure works. A grant of £3.5m has been approved with the balance coming from RNN Group.

Sayles discussed the issues around higher level skills in the area where the percentage of people with degree / HND level qualifications is 10% lower than the national average and described a "starkness" in participation from different areas in the borough.

The UCR is about making sure local people have the confidence and ambition to gain those much-needed higher level skills but it is also about closings the skills gaps holding back local businesses.

Estimated to attract 1,000 additional students over the first five years, the UCR's model is based on offering an alternative technical education with Level 3 courses and apprenticeships up to degrees and degree apprenticeships at Level 4 to 7.

RNN Group, which encompasses Rotherham College, North Notts College and Dearne Valley College, alongside apprenticeship business, RNN Training, has been working closely with 200 of the 1,000 employers it has links with to develop courses that particularly meet a need for the local economy.

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Sayles explained to attendees how businesses can work with the UCR in influencing teaching, setting real world briefs for students and talent spotting the graduates. "UCR will bring massive, positive change to businesses in our town" he said.

The group is also in the process of setting up a number of employer advisory groups. A good relationship with NHS Trusts led to the establishment of a health sector group with more set to follow based around construction, the visitor economy, IT and engineering.

The RNN Group is a founding member of the Rotherham Pioneers - an exclusive group for Rotherham businesses who want to promote the town, celebrate all that is good, and grow the Rotherham business community. The next event is scheduled to be held at Grimm & Co in December.

UCR website
Rotherham Pioneers website

Images: Tom Austen

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News: Rotherham recruiting a "place manager"

A place manager is being recruited to lead on the business-to-business marketing of Rotherham as a place to invest.

The move follows the successful launch of the Rotherham Pioneers - an exclusive group for Rotherham businesses who want to promote the town, celebrate all that is good, and grow the Rotherham business community.

A major exercise was launched earlier this year using "The Rotherham Story" as a way of promoting the borough. Businesses will act as ambassadors - so-called Rotherham Pioneers - armed with the story and an outward looking mentality. The aim is to change perceptions of Rotherham and raise its profile.

Now a place manager is set to be appointed with responsibility for the Rotherham Pioneer Programme, working to the recently set up Rotherham Place Board, part of the structure of the Rotherham Together Partnership which brings together a wide range of organisations, including major public bodies.

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Hosted by Rotherham Council, and initially temporary for two years, the job, which comes with a salary of £41,025 - £43,821, has the key role of "building relationships with new and existing businesses to gain their "buy-in" to the Rotherham Story; develop and deliver a Rotherham Place Plan in conjunction with the Place Board and develop a strategic marketing plan to raise the profile of Rotherham as a place for businesses to locate and invest."

The first major theme of the Rotherham Story focuses on "Engineering Excellence" highlighting the major assets such as the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and the ethos of major occupiers such as Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and soon-to-be McLaren, and the new enterprises like Xeros and PES that are pioneering disruptive technologies.

The second major focus is on "Living Green" and the perception of the borough as an industrial town but one that is in fact 70% rural. It highlights the quality of life for residents and abundance of country parks, urban parks and green space that can sell the location.

The Rotherham Story culminates in "Pushing Boundaries" - being confident and raising the bar in regeneration and education.

Rotherham Pioneers pay to gain exclusive access to high quality networking events, hear first-hand about new developments and find out about business opportunities. Insights are be given into Rotherham success stories and invitations to company tours are set to follow. Events have already been held at leading manufacturer, AESSEAL, and at Wentworth Woodhouse.

The place board hopes to raise over £100,000 from business contributions.

The job advert reads: "Rotherham is poised to enter a fast-paced and exciting new phase of regeneration and growth. Recent major investment announcements from world-leading businesses such as McLaren, new multi-million pound leisure and tourism investments underway at Gulliver's Valley and Wentworth Woodhouse and completion of a town centre masterplan set the context for an ambitious and motivated person, with experience in place marketing, to join our team."

Rotherham Pioneers website
Rotherham Together Partnership website

Images: Visit Rotherham

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News: CEO with big job at the big house

The chief executive that has lead the transformation of a historic mill into a business hub and visitor destination admitted that only a big challenge could persuade her to take on another job and the restoration of Wentworth Woodhouse in Rotherham is certainly that.

Sarah McLeod will take on the CEO role at the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust (WWPT) next month, moving from the World Heritage site at Cromford Mills in Derbyshire.

With the backing of a £7.6m Government grant, the sale of Wentworth Woodhouse went through earlier this year. Under the ownership of the WWPT, a restoration and development will provide jobs, stimulate local employment and open "the big house" to the public on a regular basis.

The charitable company limited by guarantee recruited McLeod for the chief executive role for what it describes as a "once in generation chance to secure Wentworth Woodhouse and ensure it occupies its rightful place as a public asset and one of the UK's most interesting and important Grade 1 listed country houses."

Early proposals show that the North wing is set to host a huge range of weddings and events and the stables will become home to dynamic small businesses. Within the 18th century house and outbuildings more than a dozen apartments and cottages will be restored as lets for holiday makers. The aim is preserve the house and grounds on a long term sustainable basis and raise funds for repairs and other essential works.

The role includes developing and delivering the vision for the Trust, leading the successful delivery of the capital works programme and overseeing the effective operation of the property.

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Speaking at the latest meeting of the Rotherham Pioneers, Sarah McLeoad, incoming CEO of the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, described the role as a privilege. She said: "This role is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to oversee fundraising of £50m and the restoration of the country's largest stately home. Only something of such scale and opportunity could have prised me away from Cromford Mills.

"Wentworth Woodhouse is absolutely full of challenges. We are working on the masterplan which should take around six months before the major work takes place next year. We are already tendering for emergency repairs to the roof but the major challenge is keeping the place going, the gas bills etc, whilst we raise money for the development."

Funding has already come from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), The Monument Trust, Sir Siegmund Warburg's Voluntary Settlement, the J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust, Art Fund, together with donations from the Fitzwilliam Amenity Trust and Lady Juliet Tadgell. The National Trust is also offering to take on aspects of running the house.

Further grants, funding and sponsorship is now being targeted to enable the restoration proposals to be carried out.

Mcleod discussed the transformation seen in her previous role and the adaptive reuse of a notable site of industrial heritage. In 1979 the educational charity, the Arkwright Society, purchased the site of Sir Richard Arkwright's Cromford Mill, the world's first successful water powered cotton spinning mill built in 1771.

Suffering from a complete lack of maintenance and unsuitable uses, a £50m restoration and development is underway to turn the site into a multi-use sustainable heritage, cultural, tourism and hospitality business and enterprise destination. The first phases include high-tech managed office-space and retail units alongside a £6.7m Visitor Gateway located in a previously derelict warehouse.

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Bringing her experience of working on a "complicated" project to Rotherham, McLeod admits that it may take double the initially estimated £40m to get Wentworth Woodhouse up to full use.

Talking of the potential of the project, Sarah added: "It is not just about restoration, but also about regeneration. We are addressing skills and education with a focus on apprenticeships. The project will cover, not just heritage, but catering, events and property management."

Plans for the restoration of the property, which was once at the heart of the community, employing almost all of the village, will be going out to public consultation. McLeod concluded: "Buildings only work with people using them."

The WWPT is a founding member of the the Rotherham Pioneers - an exclusive group for Rotherham businesses who want to promote the town, celebrate all that is good, and grow the Rotherham business community.

Wentworth Woodhouse website
Rotherham Pioneers website

Images: Rotherham Pioneers / Andrew Lyons Photography / HLF

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News: New masterplan comes at a "crucial and exciting" time for Rotherham

A draft of the new Rotherham town centre masterplan is garnering interest from developers, institutional investors and a leading hotel group, all keen to find out the opportunities available.

The urban designer bringing together the new town centre masterplan gave an exclusive first look at the latest drafts at the first meeting of the Rotherham Pioneers and explained that the focus is on implementation and being ambitious but realistic.

Project director Andrew Clarke, who originates from Rotherham, is a director of Urban Design at consultants WYG. He told the attendees: "This is a crucial and exciting time for Rotherham and its town centre and we are at a key point with the draft proposals."

The plan is due to be made public in May so it is still work in progress, but the idea is for it, and the town, to be commercially focused and pragmatic, but bold at the same time, with the delivery of exceptional projects.

The plan will look to use the town's assets as key positive features - the river, heritage, the market. Key projects include a proposed £43m leisure hub on Forge Island and a number of high quality schemes to boost the number of houses.

Clarke, who obviously knows the mindset of many Rotherham residents, added: "I'd like people who look at the masterplan to say: "you've no chance" because in three years time they'll be saying "I never thought they'd do that."

Previous plans, such as Rotherham Renaissance were hit by the global economic downturn and the withdrawal of Government funding. Completed projects include the redeveloped train station, New York Stadium and the heritage-led regeneration on the High Street. Future projects include the HE campus and revamp of the bus station.

Clarke added: "One thing that makes a difference and will make it happen is the local authority-owned land. We have a Council who is being pro-active and offering developers control.

"There'll be different delivery options as the Council seeks partners but we have got to get quality. We have to set new standards."

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The plan will place a lot of onus on Forge Island being a catalyst project. The Council recently concluded a deal to acquire the key regeneration site from Tesco. With the law courts and Riverside Preceint also being acquired, the wider development incorporating Forge Island and adjacent sites could deliver a 25,000 sq ft cinema, 20,000 sq ft hotel and 6,000 sq ft of restaurants and bars.

Government cash has also bee secured for £30m of housing development on Council-owned sites.

Damien Wilson, strategic director of regeneration and environment at Rotherham Council, was also at the Rotherham Pioneers event. He said: "The masterplan is about deliverability and we are taking these projects to the market. We took a brief to MIPIM, the global property event, and we've met with institutional investors who have targeted Rotherham. It could be for individual projects, it could be for the whole thing."

Wilson also revealed that talks have been held with cinema operators and the Hilton Hotels group.

Attendees were shown computer generated images of how the high quality development projects could look - hotels and leisure on Forge Island responding to the Minster and new riverside housing.

One thing that Clarke admitted was that "retail is not the answer" as the focus shifts to other town centre uses such as leisure and housing. "Like the rest of the UK, we are challenged. We cannot compete with Meadowhall and Parkgate Shopping," he said. "I think the town's retail offer will need to be consolidated, it is quite spread out."

One retail asset set to remain is the town's market, where a revamp to take advantage of the £40m Tesco Extra store has been mooted for years.

The plan is set to become an important tool in marketing the wider town centre to potential investors and encouraging further regeneration and improvement. It is also set to cover transport issues in more detail, including the preparation of a car parking strategy for the town.

Clarke concluded: "The town centre is a little jewel. It just needs moving in the right direction."

WYG website
Rotherham Pioneers website

Images: Rotherham Pioneers

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News: Rotherham Pioneers hold first event

The first meeting has been held of the Rotherham Pioneers - an exclusive group for Rotherham businesses who want to promote the town, celebrate all that is good, and grow the Rotherham business community.

A major exercise was launched last month using "The Rotherham Story" as a way of promoting the borough. Businesses will act as ambassadors - so-called Rotherham Pioneers - armed with the story and an outward looking mentality. The aim is to change perceptions of Rotherham and raise its profile.

The first major theme of the Rotherham Story focuses on "Engineering Excellence" highlighting the major assets such as the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and the ethos of major occupiers such as Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and soon-to-be McLaren, and the new enterprises like Xeros and PES that are pioneering disruptive technologies.

The second major focus is on "Living Green" and the perception of the borough as an industrial town but one that is in fact 70% rural. It highlights the quality of life for residents and abundance of country parks, urban parks and green space that can sell the location.

The Rotherham Story culminates in "Pushing Boundaries" - being confident and raising the bar in regeneration and education.

Advertisement

Rotherham Pioneers will gain exclusive access to high quality networking events, will hear first-hand about new developments and will find out about business opportunities. An insight will be given into Rotherham success stories and invitations to company tours are set to follow.

Held at the global headquarters of award-winning Rotherham manufacturer, AESSEAL, the first event heard the success story of the company and its continued growth. Damien Wilson, strategic director of Regeneration & Environment at Rotherham Council provided an update on exciting inward investment projects such as Gulliver's Valley and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District, whilst Andrew Clarke of WYG provided an exclusive first glance of the draft town centre masterplan, not due for release until next month.

George Buchanan, director of the Hodsock Priory Estate and chair of the North Notts Place Board discussed the journey started in North Nottinghamshire in 2013 and the success of the North Notts Envoys initiative, a precursor that the Rotherham Pioneers are looking to emulate.

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Fresh from signing the deal to save Wentworth Woodhouse, Julie Kenny CBE DL concluded the event with a "call to arms," explaining that Rotherham businesses need to sign up and back the initiative financially. Founder Pioneers include AESSEAL, Pyronix, the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust and Harworth Estates, who see the value in signing up.

A place board already exists in Rotherham and the plan is to appoint a place manager to co-ordinate the efforts and put on more events and networking opportunities. It hopes to raise over £100,000 from business contributions.

Kenny said: " Pioneers will bring together the knowledge, networks and influences locally to promote Rotherham as a great place to do business. Rotherham Pioneers came about as a result of businesses wanting to give something back to Rotherham and support an improved Rotherham for all.

"Pioneers will be proactive advocates for the town and area both nationally and intertnationally, with the power to influence how it is marketed, portrayed in the media and at events; to get it known and recognised by the people that matter."

The next event is set to be held at Wentworth Woodhouse.

Rotherham Pioneers website

Images: Rotherham Pioneers

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News: AESSEAL - a true Rotherham Pioneer

It was fitting that the first meeting of the new place marketing initiative, the Rotherham Pioneers, was at AESSEAL - a global business with its headquarters in the borough that truly embodies engineering excellence.

A major exercise was launched last month using "The Rotherham Story" as a way of promoting the borough. Businesses will act as ambassadors - so-called Rotherham Pioneers - armed with the story and an outward looking mentality.

The first major theme of the Rotherham Story focuses on engineering excellence and attendees heard from Steve Dodd, commercial director of AESSEAL.

With its global headquarters at Templeborough, the £150m turnover company manufactures mechanical seals for a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, food, water, mining and pharmaceuticals. With a focus on quality, the firm has won numerous awards including 13 Queen's Awards to date.

AESSEAL is the world's fourth-biggest maker of mechanical seals and has previously seen sales and profits grow every year for over 30 years. It operates in 104 countries with 58 repair facilities and nine manufacturing sites. AES currently employs more than 1,650 people worldwide, of whom approximately 680 are in the UK and Ireland and more than 350 in Rotherham.

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Dodd explained that a recent totting up of the sales figures indicated that AESSEAL had recently passed the landmark figure of £1.5 billion worth of products sold since 1979.

And the business shows no sign of slowing down. "We are looking at our best sales month ever, " Dodd told the attendees. With a day to go, AESSEAL was at £15m in sales for March.

Turnover for 2016 is expected to be reported at around £152m with exports making up around 80% of that.

Dodd said: "The global oil and gas industry is on its knees but that is good for us - it forces companies to re-evaluate. AES sees oil and gas as the next phase of growth."

The company's ethos is based around providing such exceptional service to customers that they need never consider alternative sources of supply and Dodd paid tribute to the company's customer service and sales teams.

AESSEAL continues to invest. £3m in the last six months, over £53m in the last ten years. Chris Rea OBE, DL, the founder and group managing director is still very much involved and looking long term. The £3m recent investment in machinery will take a year to come on stream.

Dodd concluded: "We are going to go through a growth spurt, of that I am sure."

Those behind the new place marketing exercise are looking for other Rotherham Pioneers to come forward to discuss similar positive stories about business growth and the borough's economy as a whole.

AESSEAL website
Rotherham Pioneers website

Images: AESSEAL / Made Here Now

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