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Clubhouse Golf hits hole-in-one with fast-growth award

Awards

Sam Whitear

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13/03/2019

Clubhouse Golf hits hole-in-one with fast-growth award

Salford e-commerce business, Clubhouse Golf, has won a prestigious regional business award for its dramatic sales growth.

Led by Managing Director Ben Reeves and backed since February 2017 by Foresight Group, the leading investment company, Clubhouse is set to break through the £20m turnover milestone this year for the first time.

The company, based in Irlam, Greater Manchester, was honoured at TheBusinessDesk.com’s annual North West Masters Awards, held at The Monastery, Manchester and hosted by the BBC presenter Nina Warhurst.

Founded in 2005 by Ben Reeves’ father Paul, a former professional golfer, Clubhouse Golf has 45 staff and prides itself on its passion for and understanding of the game. It offers an unrivalled choice of more than 5,000 products, ranging from the latest golf clubs and clothing to high-tech gadgets to help golfers improve their game.

Chair of the independent judging panel Mike Ribbeck, Editor of TheBusinessDesk, said: “Our Masters award for fast growing business is always a highly competitive category – there have been some great previous winners – so Ben and the team at Clubhouse deserve a huge pat on the back for driving revenue growth at such a strong rate.

“It’s clear to see the partnership with Foresight Group is flourishing as the business scales up and goes from strength to strength.”

Ben Reeves said: “We are really thrilled to have won this award, which is the result of the hard work form a passionate and dedicated team. We are really excited about our future prospects as we look at new markets. Our passion for golf and to bring the best products to golfers is as strong as it was when we first launched the business.”

Matthew Pomroy, Investment Manager at Foresight Group and a director at Clubhouse Golf added: “We are delighted to be supporting the Clubhouse team, which continues to deliver great results. November was out best ever month with sales up 66% on 2017.

“We look forward to continuing to support Ben and his dynamic team during what will is shaping up to be a milestone year for the business.”

New training to tackle STEM skills shortage

Education

Sam Whitear

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13/03/2019

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New training to tackle STEM skills shortage

A new initiative launching at the Science and Industry Museum this month will tackle the STEM skills shortage which costs UK businesses around £1.5 billion per year.

The Science Museum Group Academy, which launches on 18 March, will provide training and resources for teachers to support STEM learning outside a classroom environment.

The aim is to encourage more young people into STEM careers in order to fill roles such as the 700,000 additional STEM technicians the Gatsby Charitable Foundation estimate will be needed to meet demand within a decade.

From its two sites, the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester and the Science Museum in London, the Academy will provide free courses for primary and secondary teachers, made possible by funding support from BP.

Susan Raikes, Director of Learning for the Science Museum Group, said: “Helping more people find meaning and relevance in science is at the heart of the Science Museum Group’s mission to inspire futures. The Academy’s vital work – which is only possible thanks to BP’s support, is a critical part of this mission. Each STEM practitioner supported by the Academy will gain the tools to create incredible science engagement opportunities for a much wider audience, helping to address the challenges of low engagement with science across the UK.”

Peter Mather, Group Regional President, Europe and Head of Country, UK at BP, said: “Continuing BP’s 50 years of support for STEM education in the UK, we are delighted to be working with the Science Museum Group to build deeper engagement across the UK with the STEM subjects. As we make the transition to a lower carbon future, the STEM skills essential for our future sustainability are in scarce supply. Our work with schools, communities, families and teachers has an important role to play in helping to maintain and grow the talent needed for our shared future.”

Simpson Millar appoints new Partner and Head of Conveyancing

Appointments

Sam Whitear

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13/03/2019

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Simpson Millar appoints new Partner and Head of Conveyancing

Law firm Simpson Millar has announced the appointment of Sarah Ryan as Partner and National Head of Conveyancing.

Joining the firm’s 43-strong conveyancing division with immediate effect she brings 20 years’ conveyancing and strategic management experience to the national role, which will see her based in Liverpool, and operating across the firm’s Liverpool, Manchester and Kingston-Upon-Thames offices.

Formerly Chief Executive Officer for Jolliffe and Co LLP in Chester, as well as Head of Conveyancing and Regional Head of Probate Operations Co-operative Legal Services, Sarah is the latest in a string of senior appointments for Simpson Millar which has recruited a new Director of HR, as well as a Head of Public Law in Leeds, a Head of Industrial Disease and a new National Head of Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence over recent months.

Earlier this month the firm also announced plans to expand its team by nearly 20% by the end of 2019 – filling an initial 47 new roles in the North West as part of a wider recruitment drive across the country which will create almost 100 new positions.

Commenting on Sarah’s appointment Greg Cox, Simpson Millar’s Managing Partner and CEO, said: “I am delighted that Sarah is joining our team of legal experts – she comes during a very exciting and ambitious period for growth for Simpson Millar further to two recent acquisitions, as well as significant investment in our people, our marketing and our technology.”

Sarah added: “I am really looking forward to working alongside the team at Simpson Millar, and taking on my new role as Partner and National Head of Conveyancing.

“The Conveyancing industry is evolving to meet client demand for a more transparent, open and quality service. Simpson Millar has such a prestigious reputation in the industry and I consider it to be a great opportunity to continue with the team’s excellent work.”

Three new occupiers choose 16 Kingsway in Altrincham

Blog

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13/03/2019

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Three new occupiers choose 16 Kingsway in Altrincham

Ainscough Industrial Services, one of the UK’s largest privately owned industrial engineering companies, has leased the ground floor and basement accommodation comprising 1,060 sq ft on a five year lease at a rental of £22,000 per annum. The office will act as a satellite location for Ainscough Industrials senior management and will also be the head office of Ainsco, which has been set up as an incubator for start-up businesses.

Deborah Ainscough, said: “We are very excited to take space in Altrincham and utilise its excellent transport links to recruit top talent from the surrounding areas in the years to come.

Commercial Kitchen and Bar has taken Suite 6 on a 12 month lease at all-inclusive rent of £350 per month. It is relocating from offices at the airport.

Property development and investment company Petros has moved its Manchester office and taken Suite 1 comprising 290 sq ft for 6 months It was previously based at Station House, Altrincham.

Daniel Lee of Regional Property Solutions, who acted for the landlord Eighteen Fifty Investment Group said: “16 Kingsway continues to be popular with its refurbished well equipped office space offering the option of a traditional lease or an all-inclusive rent, which has enabled businesses to grow and develop. This is reflected in the smooth transition of these three vacancies to the new tenants taking occupation. All the lettings were completed in a quick time frame with an uplift in rental growth”.

Manchester Central launch virtual tour of the venue

Blog

Sam Whitear

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12/03/2019

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Manchester Central launch virtual tour of the venue

Manchester Central has launched a new 360^ovirtual tour of their venue, allowing clients to fully immerse themselves within the iconic venue and support them in the planning process.

Developed by Virtronix, the tour allows event planners to see what the venue’s event spaces look like in a variety of different set ups, with each space tagged with useful information, including hospitality options, room measurements and AV facilities.

Shaun Hinds, CEO. said: “When we first looked into the world of virtual reality, we wanted to create something practical that event organisers could use right throughout their journey with us.

This new 3D interactive model not only allows our clients to explore the venue before coming on- site, but also helps them visualise what their event will look like. The model can be accessed online but we’ve also developed it for use with VR headsets for a completely immersive experience.

Everyone at the venue is constantly looking at ways to help our clients deliver the best event possible and we’re delighted with the feedback that we’ve had so far. We might be one of the oldest venues of our kind in the UK, but innovation is at the heart of everything that we do, and we can’t wait to show our venue off to as many people as possible, whether that’s virtually or physically!”

Firms’ partnership takes to the road

Blog

Sam Whitear

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12/03/2019

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Two Bolton businesses have created a long-term partnership which has just resulted in an eye-catching new image for one company’s vehicles.

The move is the latest in a fruitful collaboration between Digicomm 360 and SignTech, which began a couple of years ago when SignTech’s Director Robert Rogerson approached local technology supplier Digicomm 360 for a new hosted telephone system.

As a result, Digicomm now looks after SignTech’s telephony and IT systems, providing them with Office 365, high-speed internet and ongoing support through one monthly fixed cost.

So, when it came to providing Digicomm with branded signs and banners to display in the USN Bolton Arena following the company’s appointment as an ongoing corporate sponsor at the Horwich venue, Digicomm Managing Director Mark Pollitt turned to SignTech.

He was so pleased with the results that when the two Digicomm company vehicles needed new livery recently, he again asked SignTech for their expert help, and the result of this latest co-operation is vibrant new vehicle livery design.

“I am delighted with the look of the new vans,” stated Mark Pollitt.

“We wanted to create an exciting and striking new image for the vehicles as part of our ongoing commitment to our branding. We chose to work with SignTech due to their outstanding work and to also develop our relationship with them as a fellow local business.”

Robert Rogerson, added: “Digicomm have provided us with a robust high-speed internet, a hosted telephone system and IT equipment which has resulted in a huge improvement in our business efficiencies, especially around file transfer. We have also been impressed with the telecoms and IT fixed cost support package provided, with any issues being dealt with straight away.

“We were delighted to be given the opportunity to work with Digicomm on their vehicle liveries and create these truly unique designs.”

Apadmi builds world’s first fan experience app for SailGP

Blog

Sam Whitear

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12/03/2019

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Apadmi builds world’s first fan experience app for SailGP

Manchester’s Apadmi reveal today that they’re the mobile tech team behind the next generation app for SailGP, the global sailing championship that kicked off last month in Sydney.

Spearheaded by Larry Ellison and Sir Russell Coutts, SailGP’s inaugural season brings intensely competitive, high-speed inshore racing to fans in Sydney, San Francisco, New York, Cowes UK and Marseille, as world-class crews compete for the championship trophy and a $1million prize.

The innovative SailGP app creates a next level spectator experience, at the event and at home. It allows fans to truly personalise what they watch and which boat to follow, bringing them closer to the sport than ever before. They’ll be able to view live data and video, track performance, compare athletes, change viewing angles, zoom in on the action and watch replays.

SailGP’s inaugural season features six teams, Australia, China, France, Great Britain, Japan and the United States, racing on identical 50-foot foiling catamarans. A new boat class, the F50 is the most technologically advanced catamaran and fastest race boat in the world. The F50s are expected to break sailing’s elusive 50-knot (60mph/100kph) barrier.

“These are the fastest race boats in sailing, and SailGP will redefine the sport. Our challenge was to create an app that was just as ground-breaking. We’ve crashed through things we didn’t realise were possible to do,” said Apadmi’s CCO Matt Hunt. “To create a world-first app, for a worldwide audience, with a world-class team has been an amazing experience for all of us.”

With instant access to more than 1,200 data channels, the app delivers unprecedented insight into the revolutionary new sailing championship. The unique split screen feature enables the viewer to compare two teams side by side, and delve into the detail of what makes the unique super boats fly.

“We really wanted to challenge ourselves with how we present the content and data coming off the boats and show it in a way that truly enhances the fan experience and allows them to be as much a part of the racing as possible,” said Coutts, SailGP CEO.

“This is the first time the data and live streams are available to everyone – fans, teams, broadcasters, coaches and race management – and we really hope it will attract new people to the sport, educate emerging fans and generally make SailGP interesting for a wide range of people.”

Moneysupermarket Group signs to No.1 Spinningfields

Blog

Sam Whitear

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12/03/2019

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Moneysupermarket Group signs to No.1 Spinningfields

Schroder Real Estate has announced that price comparison giant Moneysupermarket Group has signed at No.1 Spinningfields, as part of the continued growth of its technology operations in the North-West.

The UK’s leading price comparison site has taken the 15^th and 16^th floors in a 22,600 sq ft deal and will be commencing the fit-out on-site in the first half of 2019. The signing brings the building to 98% let and is a new headline rent for the building and for Manchester, as the city continues to attract large scale investment from a diverse range of occupiers and investors alike.

In 2018, MoneySuperMarket Group saved its customers a record £2.1 billion and invested in building out its product engineering capabilities as part of its ‘Reinvent’ strategy to provide more proactive, personalised services to help people monitor, switch and save painlessly on their household bills.

Tim Jones, Chief Information Officer at Moneysupermarket Group, said: “We’re delighted to have signed on the dotted line with Schroders for No, 1 Spinningfields. We’re looking to attract the top engineering talent in Manchester to help us design purpose-driven digital experiences for our customers. With our focus on creativity, collaboration and inclusion, we want to create the best space in the city for innovation – connecting engineering to our customers and also to the local community, through our initiatives to support education and develop an increasingly diverse digital workforce.”

Jourdan Rajwan, Investment Manager, Schroder Real Estate, added: “This latest signing cements the positioning of No.1 Spinningfields as the top office space in Manchester that appeals to high quality, knowledge-based technology and professional services occupiers.”

The acquisition of No.1 Spinningfields by clients of Schroders in 2017 from Allied London was one of the largest single-asset trades recorded in the region, at c.£200m. Schroders has continued to work with Allied on the transition from a development to a virtually fully let building offering the highest levels of occupational performance.

Currently, the building boasts a wide variety of tenants, including PWC’s regional headquarters, Browne Jacobson, luxury beauty bar The Blowout; co-working platform WeWork; and flagship restaurant and bar 20 Stories.

2018 set a record for office space take-up in Manchester at 1,750,276 sq ft over 314 transactions, driven largely by the tech sector, as global giants Amazon and Booking.com took up 89,449 and 225,000 sq ft respectively.

Jourdan continued: “We are looking forward to welcoming Moneysupermarket Group to No.1 Spinningfields. Our investment in the building and across Manchester is representative of our strategy of investing into “Winning Cities” with assets with strong fundamentals. We see Manchester as a major opportunity for growth and are committed to bringing world-class tenants to the city.”

Michael Ingall, Allied London, Chief Executive, said: “Moneysupermarket Group is a leader in its industry. Its decision to move to No.1 Spinningfields is representative of the evolving digital presence within the estate. Its base in Manchester, placed perfectly between Spinningfields and St. John’s, will support its growth plans and drive to attract the best digital talent.

“Now 18 months on since No.1 Spinningfields was completed, it’s encouraging to see the building continue to attract occupiers of this high calibre; companies who recognise the digital connectivity and design excellence of No.1.”

Specialist Leisure Group raises ￡121,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society

Blog

Sam Whitear

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11/03/2019

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Specialist Leisure Group raises ￡121,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society

Wigan-based, Specialist Leisure Group (SLG) has raised over ￡121,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Scotland in 2018, smashing its target of ￡100,000. Following a hugely successful first year partnering with the charities, SLG has confirmed that it will continue its support for a second year and aims to bring the overall total raised to ￡200,000 by the end of 2019.

Over the course of last year, staff across the Group have held fundraising days, participated in skydives, a marathon, a Tough Mudder challenge, a 100km walk and much more to help SLG exceed its target.

For 2019, fundraising will continue with almost 30 staff already signed up to take part in a memory walk in Manchester on 2 March. Successful events from last year such as Cupcake Day in June and Elf Day in December will be held again plus a company-wide mass participation fundraising even is planned for later in the year and much more.

In addition, the company will continue with its ‘Dementia Friends’ awareness sessions to help improve employees’ knowledge of dementia. In 2018, the Group achieved its target of having over 1000 members of staff become ‘Dementia Friends’. These staff took part in a 45-minute information session that provided an in depth understanding of dementia and identified some small things they can do to help. SLG aims to add a further 1000 staff to this programme in 2019.

Richard Calvert, CEO at Specialist Leisure Group commented: “This is such an amazing achievement by our entire team and I am hugely proud of everyone for all they have done. We have raised such an impressive amount with so many of our staff going the extra mile – literally. I am delighted that we will continue this important relationship in 2019, not only raising money for the charities but also continuing to make Specialist Leisure Group a dementia friendly environment for both our staff and customers.”

Ardenton Capital invests in greetings card business

Blog

Sam Whitear

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11/03/2019

0

Ardenton Capital invests in greetings card business

Ardenton Capital Corporation has announced its latest investment in the UK: a majority equity position in Manchester-based Budget Trading Ltd and its Dublin-based sister company Budget Greeting Cards Limited (collectively “BGC”).

Founded in 1984, BGC designs and sells greetings cards and gift wrap, as well as other stationery and celebratory products to SME businesses. It operates eight cash and carry warehouses in the UK and Ireland, employing 180 staff. Last financial year BGC reported sales of £36m.

Ardenton will work closely with BGC’s management team, and the partnership will allow the business to unlock further geographic expansion, starting with the opening of a new showroom in the East Midlands. Ardenton will also assist the company’s founder and Managing Director, Paul Lavery, in developing an e-commerce platform which will help drive additional growth. Martin Lavery, co-founder and Paul’s brother, will exit the business but will remain involved on a consultancy basis to help the company achieve its growth ambitions.

Michael Bradbury, Director of Ardenton UK, was assisted by Jonny Nixon and James Worrall. Commenting on the deal Michael said: “BGC has built an excellent reputation and a market leading position across the UK and Ireland, and benefits from a passionate and extremely knowledgeable management team. We will assist management in developing new routes to market for the business and its products, which will unlock future growth. In the short term, BGC will launch a new cash and carry outlet in Nottingham and will commence development of an online presence. We look forward to working closely with the management team to continue to scale the business and maintain the legacy of its founders.”

Paul Lavery added: “The business has been trading well for more than 30 years, so it was crucial for us that we found an investor who believed in the long-term growth of the company. Ardenton’s strategy of a long-term investment model focused on developing robust sustainable growth was aligned closely with our own aspirations, and made Ardenton the best investor to help take BGC to the next level.”

Ardenton targets majority investments in businesses alongside strong incumbent owners and management teams seeking support in delivering long-term sustainable growth for their businesses. Supporting the partnership between Ardenton and BGC is Director, Strategic Development, Allan Dunn. Based in the firm’s Manchester office, Allan is ideally located to oversee the implementation of the Ardenton Operating System (“AOS”) at BGC, focusing on business improvement and growth.

Jane Hartley, Senior Director at Yorkshire Bank, said: “This well-established family business has been at the forefront of its industry for more than 30 years. BGC has developed a strong presence in the UK and Ireland and its robust approach to its business has made it the market leader. At Yorkshire Bank, we want to champion SMEs in the North West and we are delighted to be working with BGC as it implements its growth strategy, which includes investing in new geographical locations and boosting its online presence.”

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