News: Alma still in line for new music venue project

Commercial property agents working to find a new use for a former cinema building in Rotherham have made changes to the particulars, indicating that it is not part of a council venture to secure a new music venue in the town centre.

Rothbiz reported last month on the Essoldo building on Ship Hill / High Street where letting documents from Eddisons showed that the proposal for "The New Empire Building" is to create "a music venue/bar/food court/co-working development with units of varying sizes."

A large food vendor / food court area is shown on the ground floor, alongside a large bar area that would also extend into the basement.

Two units are shown, a larger one on the first floor and a smaller one on the ground floor by the main entrance.

Now the documents have been updated, removing the statement saying that the project is supported by RiDO (the regeneration arm of Rotherham Council).

Rotherham Council's £30m+ plans to redevelop the markets include adding a new dining area to the first floor of the Indoor Market.

The authority is also involved in assessing the suitability of a number of historic buildings after a scheme to repurpose the former Guest & Chrimes foundry as an National / International music venue fell flat, despite £4.5m of government funding being on the table, when the council was unable to reach an agreement with the landowner, Rotherham United Football Club.

With the Cutlers Arms and Alma Tavern now under Rotherham Council ownership, the possibility of redeveloping the site on Sheffield Road has recently been discussed again.

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Lorna Vertigan, head of regeneration at RiDO, said: "The council own both buildings. The Cutlers already run a successful music business out the back of the venue. The pub are wanting this to continue and not be jeopardised by the residential [development in the adjacent riverside area].

"What we are looking at is to provide something at the rear of both buildings to keep the music scene going.

"We’re looking at a strategy with culture given there is so much interest in music within the town centre, and we need to work out how to pull all this together."

Rothbiz understands that a scheme for the Alma, which is not a listed building (unlike the saved and re-opened Cutler's Arms next door), would involve some demolition with a hope to maintain the front.

Plans were submitted by the fire-damaged pub's previous owners in 2021 to demolish the rear but keep the historic frontage standing.

The Alma Tavern possesses an attractive and valuable façade, probably the last memory of Rotherham’s earliest commercial brewery, Bentleys, but in 2012 a fire in the roof space caused further damage.

Rotherham Council acquired all land and properties owned by Satnam Urban Regeneration Ltd which includes the 200 space Westgate Car Park and the two pubs.

Masterplanning has been undertaken for up to 279 high quality residential units, to include a mix of apartments and houses in the area, known as the Riverside Residential Quarter. Planning permission has recently been secured for public realm work and work to secure the river walls to enable future development.

Images: Google Maps

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News: Liberty to press on with Rotherham plan after signing new creditor framework agreement

Liberty Steel says that it has a comprehensive plan that aims to take its electric arc furnace (EAF) melting capacity at Rotherham to two million tonnes per annum quickly and cost effectively.

The opertator, part of Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance, has confirmed for the first time that the South Yorkshire sites could use hydrogen to power steelmaking in the future. It is part of the company's GREENSTEEL plan which aims to recycle and upcycle the growing amount of scrap steel, using electric arc furnaces powered by renewable energy.

Hit by the collapse of Greensill, a specialist in invoice financing that operated with less regulation than the traditional banks, Liberty put in place a specialist committe to accelerate a restructuring and refinancing project which has seen investment and focus on Aldwarke in Rotherham.

Now Liberty has signed a new framework agreement with its major creditors which will enable it to consolidate its UK steel businesses "under a new entity with a simpler structure, a strong balance sheet and greater access to third party finance and investment."

UK operations have since October 2021 been supported by £210m loss funding by Liberty's shareholder to maintain employment, operations, and growth potential. 2023 included a restructuring programme affecting 440 roles - including 185 roles at its Rotherham sites.

Liberty said in a statement that it aims "to consolidate its steel businesses under a new entity and corporate structure. It is proposed that the existing companies will transfer their assets and employees to the new company, subject to final structuring and agreements. Employees will carry over existing terms and conditions, with continuity of employment preserved. There will be no impact on operations, suppliers or customers."

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The operational restructuring plan implemented focused Liberty’s steel businesses in the UK on supplying strategic aerospace, defence and energy customers, strengthening financial performance significantly. This is said to have improved operational and commercial viability and has enabled development of a comprehensive plan that aims to take EAF melting capacity at Rotherham to 2 million tonnes per annum quickly and cost effectively, and with significantly lower emissions compared with coal-based blast furnaces.

The country’s largest electric arc furnaces in Rotherham and associated downstream mills around the country, "benefit from product diversity with significant capacity in both long and flat products, scalable grid connections, scrap metal processing and proximity to future hydrogen trunkline delivery and planned carbon capture and storage (CCS) networks," the company said.

Jeffrey Kabel, Chief Transformation Officer at Liberty, said: “Following our successful capital raising in 2023 we are now in a position to execute this new updated creditor framework. The completion of the deal will enable our businesses to build on the operational, commercial and governance improvements we’ve made across the group over the past three years.

"In the UK our focus on specialised steel products serving strategic supply chains in aerospace, defence and energy, has allowed us to stabilise operations and significantly improve business performance. Our restructuring agreement now paves the way for a new company structure that will allow us to significantly increase our lower carbon emissions steel production in Rotherham feeding our network of downstream mills around the country.

"While we still operate in challenging market conditions, these changes will put our UK businesses in a position to reclaim its leading position as champion of green steel and sustainable industry. Upon completion of the deal, this will enable us to raise new capital, rebuild stakeholder confidence, and ultimately reach our full potential.

"With our existing strengths in sustainable UK steel and aluminium production, and our magnetite mining resources in Australia to supply the production of DRI, we are prepared to play a leading role in the UK’s Net Zero strategy, and the development of a clean and thriving UK steel sector.”

Liberty Steel website

Images: Liberty Steel

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News: Beer today, gone tomorrow?

A political row is brewing over why proposed new micropubs have not yet been allowed to open in Rotherham, despite strong support from their local communities.

Rothbiz reported last month on plans by the operators of the Roadhouse to take on a former opticians on Laughton Road in Dinnington where an alcohol licence has already been secured.

A decision is yet to be made by Rotherham Council on the change of use application but local ale fans are fearful of plans falling flat. Around 250 representations have already been received, so many that the local planning department have been unable to publish them all online.

The council's environmental health team has already requested that, if plans are approved, then a condition is attached which would mean that the rear yard would not be able to form part of the establishment, as is proposed.

The closest dwelling is located four metres away to the rear of the premises, boundary to boundary, and environmental health officers state that a suggested condition would read: "The proposed use as a drinking establishment shall only take place indoors. No seats or tables shall be placed outdoors."

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A similar story has been encountered in Kiveton, where a planning application has been submitted for a change of use at a vacant cafe that would enable it to be used as a drinking establishment.

Having already secured an alcohol licence, the Kiveton Tap on Wales Road is currently operating as a bottle shop until a decision is made on the plans.

Again, the council's environmental health team has raised concerns over the "potential for nuisance to neighbouring residential premises from the proposed use as a result of noise from raised voices from patrons, background music and fixed plant" and are recommending that conditions be attached to any approval regarding a scheme for sound insulation.

Again the use would be restricted to indoor only given that "noise from vocals is extremely difficult to control especially in drinking establishments where alcohol is served until late evening."

Alexander Stafford, MP for Rother Valley, said: "Dinnington and Kiveton Park, like so many of the towns and villages of Rother Valley, need high quality hospitality and retails [sic] venues to want to invest. The decision made – with complete lack of transparency, scrutiny and democratic accountability – is unacceptable."

In the north of the borough, Beer Haus has recently opened in Wath town centre. Taking over the former Pastures Moo premises, the cafe bar stocks a wide range including imported German lagers, Yorkshire craft beers and exotic international flavours.

The family establishment, which opened in February, also benefits from an ever changing food offer thanks to a number of street food stalls pitching up in the adjacent yard, including Mac In A Box, St Marcino Pizzeria and J's Fried Chicken.

Roadhouse website
Kiveton Tap website
Beer Haus website

Images: Kiveton Tap / Facebook

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News: Engineers of tomorrow gather for massive skills event in Rotherham

5,500 pupils and educators from across the South Yorkshire region were given a unique insight into careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing) at the recent ‘Get up to Speed with STEM’ event, which was held at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham last month.

The annual event, the largest of its kind in the region and now in its 14th year, brought together dozens of businesses, colleges and organisations to showcase the wide variety of different career options that are available to young people in South Yorkshire, as well as letting them get involved in problem solving challenges and interactive activities. Young people were also given the chance to see some of the UK’s most exciting STEM innovations and meet the people who design, build and operate them.

John Barber, CEO of The Work-wise Foundation (organisers of the event), said: “Get up to Speed has been a phenomenal success this year. Every year the event gives young people the chance to get a real-life experience of the world of work from local businesses, whilst being able to speak to apprentices, employees and business owners about the career pathways they could take to lead to a wide variety of roles.

“Every year we receive some great feedback from teachers about how Get up to Speed really does inspire pupils with ideas that shape their future career. We understand that it can be difficult for young people to find out about businesses and careers they may be interested in, so by bringing them all together at Get up to Speed, our aim is to overcome any obstacles and break down barriers to accessing career opportunities.”

Get up to Speed with STEM also gives companies taking part the opportunity to showcase their expertise, highlight career options and current vacancies and meet with other businesses, whilst helping to address the skills gaps across the sectors.

Pupils and teachers had the chance to explore the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) through an immersive 360-degree virtual tour, enabling them to understand how the largest general purpose particle detector experiment in the world works. This unique attraction came about as a result of the National Videogame Museum teaming up with the University of Sheffield and CERN in Switzerland.

Visitors also had the opportunity to try out a wide range of diverse activities from metal casting with United Cast Bar, Water Quality testing with the Canal and River Trust, wall building with Esh Construction to using a heat press for clothing with SBD Apparel and E sports with The British Army.

Three award celebrations took place during the day, including Vulcan to the Sky, AMETEK Land and the High Sheriff’s Building a Better Future Together Challenge. These mini events celebrated the success of pupils that took part in competitions with businesses in the run-up to Get up to Speed.

In addition, Stream 7, a video production company based in Sheffield, created GUTS TV, which ran throughout the day, giving pupils the unique opportunity to get involved with the video production and editing process.

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Get up to Speed started with a Business Breakfast, themed this year around “Health and Wellbeing for Skills and Productivity”, which was opened by the Master Cutler, Charles Turner DL, with keynote speaker Jason Brannan, Deputy Director of the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre in Sheffield. Richard Caborn, former Minister for Sport and Civil Society, provided closing remarks.

Master Cutler Charles Turner DL said:”The manufacturing sector in South Yorkshire requires raw materials and the main one is skills. Our region needs 10,000 new recruits into industry in the next 10 years and today’s event is an important part of this journey. We make everything in South Yorkshire from scalpels to fighter jet components, modular reactors to knives that cuts food for the supermarkets and we need young people coming through to fill these roles, across all areas of manufacturing.”

This year’s event sponsors include: Gold Sponsors; AESSEAL, CBE+, Sheffield Forgemasters, Worshipful Company of Ironmongers and Stream 7. Silver Sponsors; Arm, Forged Solutions, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, Hydra Creative, Dragonfly PR and Bronze Sponsors; AMETEK Land, Highlander Computing Solutions, AMG Chrome, CPH2, Made in Sheffield and the Canal and River Trust.

Leading Rotherham manufacturer, AESSEAL sponsored the event for the seventh consecutive year.

A spokespoerson for AESSEAL said: "By sponsoring GUTS, AESSEAL not only demonstrates its commitment to corporate social responsibility but also actively contributes to building a pipeline of talented individuals who will drive technological advancements and shape the future of innovation. The event promotes diversity and inclusion, driving positive changes.

"AESSEAL's goal is to inspire young individuals to grasp the significance of STEM disciplines, ultimately nurturing the engineers of tomorrow."

Since 2010, Get up to Speed, which is championed by employers and organised by The Work-wise Foundation alongside key partners in the private sector, has showcased STEM career opportunities to over 39,000 young people and their families from across the South Yorkshire region and beyond. There were over 70 businesses exhibiting at Get up to Speed, many of them from the South Yorkshire region.

GUTS website

Images: work-wise

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News: Logistics firm enters administration

Carlton Forest 3PL Ltd, a logistics firm with a significant warehouse operation in Rotherham, has gone into administration.

James Lumb and Howard Smith from Interpath Advisory were appointed joint administrators to Carlton Forest 3PL Ltd and Green Forest Solutions LLP on 25 March 2024, and to Carlton Forest Group Holdings Limited on 28 March 2024.

Based in Bawtry, Carlton Forest 3PL Ltd is an award-winning warehousing, distribution and logistics business. Employing 90 people, the company operates over 1.2m sq ft of warehouse space across four sites in Bawtry, Worksop, Tuxhill and at Maltby in Rotherham.

Carlton Forest took on the former Wincanton depot on Rotherham Road in 2020. It had been vacant for over ten years having previously operated as a chilled distribution centre for retailers such as Sainsbury's and Tesco.

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Administrators said that, in common with a number of other companies operating in the third party logistics sector, Carlton Forest 3PL had been battling industry and wider economic headwinds, including rising costs, significant excess warehouse capacity in the market and decreasing storage rates.

With pressure on the company’s cashflow increasing, the directors sought to undertake a review of their options, including sale and investment options. However, when a solvent solution could not be found, they took the difficult decision to seek the appointment of administrators.

James Lumb, managing director at Interpath Advisory and joint administrator, said: “We are seeing a lot of businesses in UK logistics which are facing similar issues to Carlton Forest, driven by new warehouse capacity hitting the market over recent years, and the general destocking of the UK consumer economy as Covid-related supply chain disruption has subsided.

“Carlton Forest, like many of its peers in the market, had grown to meet demand and this has had the effect of increasing its overheads. Unfortunately, however, the race to the bottom on pricing and the loss of a key customer ultimately contributed to Carlton Forest’s inability to keep trading.

“Our immediate priority has been to work with employees, suppliers and customers to repatriate stock as quickly as possible, minimising disruption to customers as best we can.”

Images: Google Maps

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