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The Slow Readers Club share new single ‘Lay Your Troubles On Me’ ahead of album & talk with Andy Burnham

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01/02/2023

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THE SLOW READERS CLUB

SHARE THE NEW SINGLE ‘LAY YOUR TROUBLES ON ME’ – LISTEN HERE

NEW ALBUM ‘KNOWLEDGE FREEDOM POWER’ FOLLOWS ON FEBRUARY 24TH

ANDY BURNHAM WILL JOIN THE BAND IN CONVERSATION AT A

SPECIAL ALBUM PREVIEW LISTENING PARTY ON FEBRUARY 16TH

As they prepare to release their new album ‘Knowledge Freedom Power’ on February 24th, The Slow Readers Club’s recent singles ‘Modernise’ and the title track have earned 6 Music airplay from Steve Lamacq and Chris Hawkins. The album symbolises an evolutionary stage for the cult Manchester band, as they look to build upon the Top 10 success of their previous studio album ‘The Joy of the Return’.

‘Lay Your Troubles On Me’ initially spirals up the tension, its sparse, razor-tight post-punk topped by Aaron Starkie’s sombrely intoned vocals acknowledging someone else’s struggle. Yet amongst the darkness, the song erupts into a whirlpool of abrasive guitars and sparkling synths that feels like a shard of optimism as Aaron declares, “We’ll fight the fear.” It’s a microcosm of the ethos that The Slow Readers Club exalt throughout the ‘Knowledge Freedom Power’ album – escaping life’s challenges isn’t always possible, but working together as a community can often avert the worst of their consequences.

The band commented, “‘Lay Your Troubles On Me’ was born out of a jamming session in our rehearsal room. We were jamming around the verse idea at rehearsals and then went for a brew break. When we came back we started on another idea but soon realised it was the same notes but with a completely different groove and feel. We didn’t want to lose either version and we loved the idea of the tune getting progressively louder and intense so we combined them. Working on this one in pre-production Joe helped us make the crescendo work well with a cool synth sound.

Lyrically it’s a song about recognising someone going through difficulties, reaching out and offering support. The vocal melody mostly came in the practice room but the high melody ‘hold on for dear life the ones you love’ over the crescendo came in the studio.”

‘Lay Your Troubles On Me’ was written by The Slow Readers Club, with production courtesy of Joe Cross (Hurts, Courteeners, Louis Tomlinson).

The Slow Readers Club also recently revealed details of a special ‘Knowledge Freedom Power’ album preview listening party, which will be held at the National Trust’s stunning new Castlefield Viaduct Sky Park on February 16th. The event will see Andy Burnham, the Major of Greater Manchester and a huge Slow Readers Club fan, join the band to listen through each song and to discuss the stories, themes and inspiration behind the record. The event will be hosted by Chris Hawkins. Tickets were only available to winners of a prize draw, with all fans who pre-ordered the album automatically entered into the competition.

The band will commemorate the occasion with the release of a limited edition The Slow Readers Club x Castlefield Viaduct t-shirt, which will be sold on the night and via the band’s official store. All profits will go to the National Trust’s Castlefield Viaduct fund to support planning a greener future for the Castlefield Viaduct, which will benefit the great city of Manchester and everyone who visits, lives or works here.

‘Knowledge Freedom Power’ warns of the automated dystopian future ahead of us, but it also provides the positive uplift that the power of the collective spirit can provide an alternative vision. Musically it blurs the boundaries between anthemic alt-rock and sleek synth-rock, a natural next step for the band and a reinvigorated sound which will appeal to fans of Muse, Bloc Party and White Lies. The album is available to pre-order HERE.

Tickets for The Slow Readers Club’s upcoming European headline tour are selling fast – remaining tickets are available HERE. The band’s tour schedule was recently extended with confirmation of a show as special guests to Pixies at Cardiff’s International Arena.

FEBRUARY

5^th – UK, Bury, The Met (Independent Venue Week show – SOLD OUT)

MARCH

2^nd – UK, Barrow-in-Furness, Barrow Library (SOLD OUT)

4^th – UK, Leeds, University Stylus

6^th – UK, Glasgow, SWG3

7^th – UK, Aberdeen, Lemon Tree

9^th – UK, Nottingham, Rescue Rooms

10^th – UK, Birmingham, O2 Academy 2

11^th – UK, Bristol, Thekla (SOLD OUT)

13^th – UK, Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms

14^th – UK, London, Lafayette

17^th – UK, Manchester, Albert Hall (SOLD OUT)

18^th – UK, Cardiff, International Arena (special guests to Pixies)

23^rd – Germany, Berlin, Hole 44

24^th – Germany, Hamburg, Übel & Gefährlich

25^th – Belgium, Antwerp, Trix Club

30^th – France, Paris, Supersonic

31^st – Netherlands, Rotterdam, Rotown (SOLD OUT)

APRIL

1^st – Netherlands, Amsterdam, Paradiso Tolhuistuin

14^th – UK, Belfast, Limelight 2

15^th – Ireland, Dublin, Academy

29^th – Portugal, Porto, M.Ou.Co

SPORTS TRAVEL GROUP DESTINATION SPORT REVEALS CHINA EXPANSION WITH CREATION OF DESTINATION SPORT CHINA

Olivia McHugh

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01/02/2023

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SPORTS TRAVEL GROUP DESTINATION SPORT REVEALS CHINA EXPANSION WITH CREATION OF DESTINATION SPORT CHINA

Specialist sports travel group Destination Sport, based in Manchester, has revealed the next step of its strategic global expansion with the creation of Destination Sport China.

Destination Sport China will offer an unrivalled destination management service for professional sports organisations throughout mainland China, plus expert support for organisations seeking to expand their presence within the region.

The division will be led by Kris Van Goethem, a sport travel industry expert with 30 years’ experience, most recently as Managing Director MICE, Leisure and Sport for Thomas Cook China.

The strategic expansion complements Destination Sport Group’s existing footprint in UK and Europe, North America, Middle East and Australia, enabling the industry leading sports travel group to offer a truly global solution to its network of 50+ clubs and governing bodies.

Destination Sport China’s team will also leverage their long-standing relationships and experience working with a variety of domestic and international rights-holders across football, ice hockey, basketball and motorsports to provide further growth to the group.

The strategic expansion also provides opportunity for each division of Destination Sport Group – including Sportsbreaks.com (fan travel experiences), inspiresport (youth sport development tours) and Destination Sport Experiences (travel for participants and spectators across cycling, running and triathlon) – to explore growth opportunities within the Chinese market.

Destination Sport China managing director Kris Van Goethem commented:

“As China re-opens, plenty of opportunities will return to our market. The aim is for our experienced team to make a meaningful contribution in delivering sport event logistics in the region, providing a passionate and reliable service to clients across a variety of sports.

“We’re also excited to play a role in the strategic international growth of Destination Sport, helping to increase the group’s global footprint and provide our partners with a tailored, best-in-class travel solution wherever they are in the world.”

To find out more about Destination Sport Group please click HERE

Manchester Metropolitan University partners with climate tech startup OakTree Power to boost buildings’ energy efficiency by 40%

Olivia McHugh

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01/02/2023

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<strong>Manchester Metropolitan University partners with climate tech startup OakTree Power to boost buildings’ energy efficiency by 40%</strong>

The research project will ultimately reduce carbon print produced by buildings

Manchester Metropolitan University has partnered with leading climate-tech startup OakTree Power to develop a Sustainable Energy Management Systems (SEMS) to increase the energy efficiency of commercial buildings by up to 40%. The system, which will have Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities, will ultimately reduce commercial buildings’ overall energy wastage, improve efficiency and lower carbon footprint. The project will be carried out for 24 months under the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme.

These state-of-the-art SEMS will be designed to overcome the current limitations on energy efficiency improvements, which include huge variabilities and complexities of conditions affecting energy use in buildings – ranging from age, size, and location to the influence of occupancy patterns or prevailing weather conditions. As such, this partnership will look to increase energy efficiency improvements from 30% to 40-45%, in line with the International Energy Agency’s call to lower building energy use d by 45% by 2050 to reach net-zero.

The systems are also expected to significantly reduce the time and cost of deploying SEMS for new customers – which typically only focus on a single group of assets, like air conditioning -, supporting the rapid scaling of the business.

Alhussein Albarbar, Professor of Sustainable Systems Engineering at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “As experts in strategies for optimising energy consumption in buildings, we are delighted to be working with OakTree Power and contribute in improving energy efficiency by 30% to 40%. Through this partnership, we hope to reduce the carbon footprint produced by public buildings through the development of effective AI and ML based energy management systems.”

The partnership comes as OakTree Power plans to accelerate its AI and ML efforts and evolve its current cloud platform into a SEMS that can automatically produce bespoke predictive models, increasing properties’ energy efficiencies even further. This new iteration of the company’s solution will tackle the energy optimisation limits imposed by infrastructures’ Building and Energy Management Systems (BEMs), enhancing the automation of energy efficiency management of corporate real estate (CRE), non-critical electrical plants and equipment, such as pumps, fans and air conditioning chillers.

Chantel Scheepers, CEO of OakTree Power, said: “Our vision at OakTree Power is to always aim for greater energy efficiency. As such, evolving our platform into a Sustainable Energy Management System (SEMS) is not only a major milestone for the company, but for the entire commercial property industry.

Having already achieved baseline energy reduction by 30%, through the combination of three OakTree Power products, the development of this new product with the support of Manchester Met, a university with a groundbreaking track record in developing AI and ML based algorithms for net zero energy building application, gives us a great sense of price. As we focus at energy wastage and further optimization, we will look to reduce long term energy wastage by at least 10%, while adding the data to our current models to improve overall efficiency”.

New sales directors appointments at IGF in Leeds and Manchester

Olivia McHugh

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01/02/2023

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New sales directors appointments at IGF in Leeds and Manchester

Independent Growth Finance (IGF), the UK’s leading independent asset-based lender, has broadened its presence in the North of England, with integral appointments in the North East and North West teams of John Savage and Miles Burgess as ABL Directors.

Based in Leeds, John joins IGF with a focus on origination across Yorkshire and the North East. John brings with him over 25 years’ experience in the ABL industry, previously working at GE Capital for 12 years in both their Commercial and Corporate ABL teams before holding senior ABL sales roles at ABL players, most recently Close Bros.

With wide ranging experience in structuring and delivering complex ABL transactions, John will have a particular focus on supporting introducers and borrowers seeking finance for event driven transactions such as MBOs or MBIs, acquisitions, refinance, and funding for turnarounds.

John Savage, ABL Director, commented: “I’m thrilled to join the IGF team, and to build upon our fantastic reputation for delivering deals with certainty across Yorkshire and the North East. With my strong experience delivering funding solutions for complex transactions involving the full range of ABL assets, I look forward to helping borrowers maximise both the quantum and flexibility of their ABL funding package.”

Having first joined IGF in November 2019, Miles Burgess has been appointed ABL Director for Central, South Manchester and the surrounding areas. Miles will work alongside Richard Spielbichler, strengthening our origination presence in the region.

With over 20 years in the independent Invoice Finance / ABL market predominantly in Manchester, Miles has a built a breadth of knowledge and experience, supporting businesses as they have navigated changing business cycles. Miles’s knowledge of IGF’s full suite of ABL products is set to ensure that facilities are delivered with certainty, supporting organic and transactional business growth in the region.

Reflecting on the appointment, Miles Burgess, ABL Director, said: “Having in recent times been responsible for the ‘in life’ management of existing facilities, I look forward to using these skills and helping shape facilities to meet clients’ requirements at the front end.

Michael Fletcher, Commercial Director at IGF, added: “These appointments come after a standout year for IGF, in which we surpassed the milestone of half a billion of ‘live’ lending facilities in 2022. IGF now supports more than £3.2 billion of annualised UK business revenue. As we enter what many anticipate being a pivotal year for UK businesses, the need for fast, flexible funding solutions has never been greater. I’m pleased therefore to welcome John and Miles to our fantastic commercial team, as we ensure we continue to support business growth and investment across the UK.”

Manchester ranks in the top 10 most stressed places in England!

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Olivia McHugh

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01/02/2023

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Manchester ranks in the top 10 most stressed places in England!

Blackpool is the most stressed place in England
Chesterfield ranks as the second most stressed
Hull comes in third
 
A new study has revealed that Blackpool is the most stressed place in England.
 
The research by UK residential rehab provider Abbeycarefoundation.com analysed key metrics that may contribute to the levels of stress in all local authorities in England. The following factors are what were chosen to rank each area:

% of smokers
Life Satisfaction
Anxiety levels
Median weekly pay
Average hours worked per week
% of physical inactivity
% of people who have never worked from home
 
These metrics were selected due to the impacts that they have on a person’s well-being and thus levels of stress. Each factor was given a score which were then combined to give a total score on the stress index. The higher the score the more stressed an area is.
 
 
1 – Blackpool, Lancashire
 
Blackpool is a seaside resort that is a popular tourist destination due to its beaches and attractions. Although for the residents, it may not be as alluring as it is to visitors. Blackpool has a low median weekly pay at £400 per week, with the increased costs of living this may put extra stress on people. Blackpool has a high percentage of smokers, a habit that has links to coping with stress for some, and high levels of physical inactivity, which can lead to a deterioration in mental and physical health.

Stress index: 89.7
 
2 – Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Chesterfield is a market town that comes in as the second most stressed place in England. Chesterfield has higher levels of anxiety reported and has lower than average life satisfaction. The median wage in Chesterfield (£432) is £80 lower than the average in England (£512).

Stress index: 88.2

3 – Kingston Upon Hull, Yorkshire

Hull has the same levels of anxiety as Blackpool, and lower life satisfaction. However, the median weekly wage is slightly higher and people in Hull are, on average, more active, making this area the third most stressed in the UK. 75% of people have never worked from home and this may negatively impact the residents of this area as working from home can lead to a better work-life balance and improve one’s mental well-being.

Stress index: 87.6

4 – Sunderland, Tyne and Wear

Sunderland is a port city that has been a centre for manufacturing for many years. 79% of people have never worked and the median weekly wage is still much below average at £433 which can cause financial stress. Sunderland also has high levels of physical inactivity; exercise has been linked to helping with mental health issues and thus could help reduce symptoms and feelings of stress.

 Stress index: 87.5

5 – Thanet, Kent

Thanet is an area in Kent, the weekly median wage is slightly higher than the previous four at £459. The population of Thanet reported some of the highest anxiety levels in England and below-average life satisfaction. 46% of people have never worked from home meaning that many may have a better work-life balance, however, 34% are still physically inactive.

Stress index: 87.4

6 – Carlisle, Cumbria

Carlisle is a cathedral city in Cumbria. The median weekly is again quite low in comparison to much of England at £421. Like a few on this list, residents of Carlisle report higher levels of anxiety, and over 75% have never worked from home. These factors can be key contributors to feelings of stress.

Stress index: 87

7 – Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Lincoln has the lowest smoking rate in this list at 13%, and physical inactivity is at 30%. Physical health can have correlations to mental health so if these two factors are both low than stress may be reduced as a by-product. 79% of the workforce has never worked from home which may increase stress induced by jobs.

Stress index: 86.9

8 – Hartlepool, County Durham

Hartlepool has the highest weekly wage in this list at £487, which is still below average. Residents have slightly below average life satisfaction but still have similar levels of anxiety to much of the other areas on this list.

Stress index: 86.8

9 – Manchester, Greater Manchester

Manchester is one of the biggest cities in England. Manchester has the highest levels of life satisfaction in this list, and higher reported anxiety levels. 20% of the population are smokers, a habit that can be taken up in order to cope with stress. Manchester has slightly lower hours worked per week which can also help with reducing stress and giving workers a better work-life balance.

Stress index: 86.7

 
10 – Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

Mansfield is the tenth most stressed area in the UK. Residents of this area report less anxiety but slightly lower life satisfaction. In comparison to the other areas in this analysis, the median wage is only slightly higher at £437, but only 64% of residents say that they have never worked from home.

Stress index: 86.6

 
A spokesperson from the Abbeycarefoundation.com commented: “Modern life has become fast-paced, expensive and oftentimes complicated. These additional stressors can have many adverse impacts on our mental and physical health. Reports have shown that increased stress can cause many people to smoke, drink and take less care of their bodies. Therefore, it’s important to manage our stress wherever possible to improve overall quality of life.

The research shows a clear correlation of how location, job and personal health can impact mental and physical health. Those with higher wages and better work-life balances will often feel less stress due to having more free time to spend with friends and family, and the ability to also engage in hobbies that they enjoy and find pleasure in outside of their career.

If you are experiencing increased stress, there are resources and people that can help. The NHS have guides on dealing and managing your stress and can help to point you in the right direction.”

NICK PAYNE APPOINTED AT TRITAX SYMMETRY IN SENIOR HIRE ROLE

Olivia McHugh

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01/02/2023

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NICK PAYNE APPOINTED AT TRITAX SYMMETRY IN SENIOR HIRE ROLE

National logistics developer Tritax Symmetry has revealed the strategic appointment of high-profile property developer Nick Payne.

Based in the Manchester office and taking on a national remit, Nick will be involved in the development of the Symmetry Park programmes across the country as well as identifying new development opportunities.

This year, Tritax Symmetry is constructing over 3million sq ft of logistics and industrial space comprising 15 units across 10 schemes, and equivalent to 40 football pitches worth of space.

Nick commented: “When I was presented with the opportunity of joining Andrew and his colleagues at Tritax Symmetry I jumped at the chance. It fulfils an ambition to work on some major logistics and distribution projects up and down the country. Importantly, it gives me an ability to bring some of my experience within the public sector into play and deliver major projects for employment, in partnership with local authorities.

“I am keen to explore some new areas for the business particularly in the West Midlands where I have done a considerable amount of work.

“I am delighted to take up the responsibility of leading on the company’s expansion into rail freight distribution where we are working on two large projects of around £1.5 billion. This will further Tritax’s ambitions to deliver employment focused projects and lower carbon emissions by getting freight distribution off our roads and onto the tracks.”

Andrew Dickman, director at Tritax Symmetry, commented: “I have known Nick for many years and am pleased we have been able to bring him into the business. His development knowledge and entrepreneurial skills will broaden our offer in the north and midlands. As well as delivering new sites, Nick will lead of some of our largest projects such as Hinckley Rail Freight Interchange, whilst also using his expertise within our highly experienced team to further grow our portfolio.”

B-COMPLIANT HAVE BEEN RECOGNISED FOR THEIR OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF SUCCESS

Olivia McHugh

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01/02/2023

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B-COMPLIANT HAVE BEEN RECOGNISED FOR THEIR OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF SUCCESS

B-Compliant, Manchester-based financial compliance specialists, are in the running for a highly-regarded regional award celebrating the achievements of small businesses.

The Sale-based firm has been shortlisted for Micro Business of the Year at the North West Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Celebrating Small Business Awards.

B-Compliant is one of five finalists in the cross-sector category, which acknowledges micro businesses that have demonstrated strong revenue growth and offer a product or service that stands above their competitors.

The winner will be decided by a panel of leading business experts and announced on March 3 at an awards ceremony held at The Edwardian in Manchester. The successful firm will also secure a spot in the FSB’s nationwide final and be in with a chance to be crowned UK Small Business of the Year.

B-Compliant director, Vicky Pearce, said: “We are thrilled to have our achievements recognised by an independent judging panel and to be recognised as one of the top micro businesses in the north west. We are an ambitious firm with big plans and even bigger competitors. Our consistent growth during the last five years shows there is a need in our industry for more hands-on compliance services and we aim to lead that drive for change.”

B-Compliant provides bespoke financial compliance support to FCA-registered businesses across the UK. It was launched in 2018 to offer tailored advice and guidance to firms who do not have the skills or resources internally and continues to go from strength-to-strength. To find out more about its wide range of services, telephone: (0161) 521 8641, visit www.b-compliant.co.uk or follow the firm on Twitter, @b-compliant.

For further information about the North West FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards, visit: https://www.fsbawards.co.uk/finals-too/north-west.html

MANCHESTER FASHION HOUSE TEAMS UP WITH BABY BANK TO HELP SUPPORT FAMILIES

Olivia McHugh

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01/02/2023

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MANCHESTER FASHION HOUSE TEAMS UP WITH BABY BANK TO HELP SUPPORT FAMILIES

A Manchester based fashion business has teamed up with one of the North East’s biggest charities to support vulnerable parents.

Whispering Smith joined forces with baby bank Clothe and Feed to produce a scheme which has seen surplus supplies of children’s clothes handed over to hard-pressed mums and dads.

Clothe And Feed, which has seen demand rise during the cost of living crisis, also assists parents and vulnerable children by providing them with baby equipment and toiletries.

Commenting on the new partnership, Rob Turnbull, who runs Clothe And Feed in Newcastle, said: “We run programmes to equip young mums and victims of domestic abuse coming from migrant backgrounds, by providing things like baby equipment, baby clothes, children’s clothes.

“We’ve just undertaken a project where we gave away about 300 warm winter coats completely free.

“We’ve probably had a dozen or more boxes from Whispering Smith. It’s worked well and we’re very happy. It all finds a good home within two or three weeks, tops.

“The cost of these items is prohibitively expensive for many families across our region and often children go without the necessities many of us take for granted. We really appreciate this support. ”

Whispering Smith director Rohina Kumar, said: “We are delighted to support Clothe and Feed which provides such a lifeline service. Whispering Smith has a long tradition of helping charities and good causes, and this will continue in the future.”

This is the second charity partnership Whispering Smith has entered into recent months, after helping to champion people with disabilities by working with Manchester-based The Friendship Circle.

It helped fund a fashion show in September designed to promote greater visibility for disabled and visibly different models in the fashion industry.

The show featured Ellie Goldstein, the Down Syndrome model who has fronted campaigns for Gucci and Adidas.

Whispering Smith was founded in 1967 and is the one of the country’s biggest creators and distributors of clothing for high street retailers and has since grown into one of the largest suppliers of young fashion across the globe.

Full fibre access promise completed by Neos Networks for Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, and London

Olivia McHugh

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01/02/2023

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Full fibre access promise completed by Neos Networks for Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, and London

‘Last mile’ services now live in four key UK cities as part of ongoing Metro Access Network expansion programme

Neos Networks, one of the UK’s leading fibre connectivity suppliers, today announced that it has completed the delivery of its three regional Metro Access Networks in Liverpool, Birmingham, and Manchester along with phase one of its deployment in London. With its Metro Network Expansion programme, the business connectivity provider is targeting key metropolitan UK cities for its last-mile services at the end of 2021. With services now live in all four regions, Neos Networks is bringing fibre connectivity direct to thousands of locally based businesses across the cities.

At the time of this announcement, Neos Networks is ahead of schedule on its fourth Access Network build in London. Four of a planned eight routes are now live across the capital with the remaining phase of deployment on track for delivery over the next year. The entire Metro Network Expansion project makes up over 60km of Neos Networks’ national fibre footprint.

The strategic move by Neos Networks into last-mile access means the company no longer has to rely on third-party connectivity across these business hubs. As a result, it will now offer its customers improved timescales and lower costs to deliver the higher quality of service associated with the company’s nationwide UK backbone business network. The move provides Neos Networks customers with the same level of commitment that they have come to expect, but with an easier path to upgrade, quicker response for break fixes, and the network characteristics that meet their needs and growth ambitions.

The multi-million-pound investment has helped Neos Networks build out its on-net presence in the four cities to deliver a full end-to-end fibre connection to the doors of many. Neos has invested further into adapting its products to work over its own Access Tails, addressing opportunities to meet the connectivity needs of customers in multi-business units (MBUs) by driving a better overall quality of experience.

The delivery of high capacity, high bandwidth, low latency fibre connectivity will provide a critical foundation of digital infrastructure to support the growth of businesses in metro areas. New developments in key business districts will benefit from business-grade fibre connectivity to support the adoption of new applications and technologies underpinned by business resiliency, growth and efficiency improvements. The breakdown of fibre deployed in each city is 3.6km in Liverpool, 7.1km in Birmingham, 13.7km in Manchester, and 37km in London once the whole build is complete.

Neos Networks has already begun identifying early adopter customers in each region, working with those partners to understand the depths and requirements of businesses in their respective cities. As the business case grows within each region, Neos will explore additional opportunities to extend the reach of these access networks. An opportunity to grow the network has already been captured in Liverpool with the network extension having gone live in December.

Sarah Mills, Chief Revenue Officer at Neos Networks, said: “I’m thrilled that we’re nearing completion of our Metro Access Network builds in these four key UK cities. This project will underpin the growth of UK PLC by creating new opportunities for enterprises and driving investment within several new business districts. The ambition for our network expansion project has always been to help UK businesses realise the growth potential associated with resilient, secure, high-capacity business connectivity services. We look forward to engaging businesses on how we can support their network resiliency and priorities with the right connectivity solutions.”

As Neos Networks continues to assess the connectivity requirements of businesses in each city, it also plans to explore using its Optical Wavelength technology to deliver the right commercial packages for customers, particularly those in MBUs. This will help to ensure a guaranteed level of service to businesses over either an Optical or Ethernet connection. The network expansion into each of the cities is giving choice to customers regardless of their sector. For network players, the new infrastructure supports the data backhaul requirements of their services and will be particularly influential in supporting mobile operators with their local cell sites and as they rollout 5G and beyond.

Patrick Properties and McGoff Group receive planning consent for its joint venture in Bowdon

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Olivia McHugh

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01/02/2023

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Patrick Properties and McGoff Group receive planning consent for its joint venture in Bowdon

Patrick Properties and McGoff Group have recently received planning consent for its joint venture in Bowdon… the site of the former Mercure Hotel.

Jordan Kennedy, director at Patrick Properties, says: “We are delighted to have received planning consent for the former Mercure Hotel site in Bowdon, which will be transformed from its current state into an innovative multi-generational hyperlocal community, bringing old and young together. It is a true regeneration project in a highly desirable location that will benefit all ages. Furthermore, it will be delivered by two well-established Altrincham-based businesses working in partnership and will create local employment too.”

Chris McGoff, director at McGoff Group, adds: “We were hopeful that the planning department at Trafford would support this scheme and are thrilled with yesterday’s decision. With planning permission now granted, we are looking forward to making a start on site, working in harmony with all our local stakeholders. Having just delivered a similar scheme in Lymm, we are confident the ethos of this development will prove popular, and that our state-of-the-art care home, day nursery and boutique collection of townhouses and apartments will be in huge demand.

“With financial contributions from the developer of circa £2,000,000 towards healthcare and affordable housing in the locality, the development will also provide a tangible regeneration and social impact, whilst also positively contributing to the local health economy.

“The provision of a much needed, fit-for-purpose, hospital grade and environmentally sound care facility acts as a successful intervention mechanism to reduce unnecessary GP visits, whilst generally helping their service and providing an outlet of support for the local NHS hospital too. Our intergenerational approach to child care and care of the elderly is pioneering on a national level, and of significant interest worldwide too.”

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