Business Manchester

Manchester city centre ‘golf club’ The Range tees off November 6th

News
Sport

Sam Whitear

-

25/10/2017

Manchester City Centre will welcome it’s first ‘golf club’ next month when The Range tees off at its Spinningfields base.

The Range has been set up by 31-year-old Andrew McLoughney, a former +2 handicap golfer, who has decided to bring a unique golfing opportunity to the northern powerhouse – the chance to play 100 of the most exclusive golf courses in the world, from the heart of city centre.

Andrew travelled the world playing the finest golf courses, in the most prestigious golf tournaments. However, injuries curtailed his promising career and brought him to Manchester city centre where he has chosen to establish The Range.

The Range, based in Left Bank, will house 5 highly-advanced golf simulators that allow members and non-members to play 100 of the finest golf courses on the planet. It is due to open to the public on the week commencing November 6^th.

Also in the 3,500-sq. ft. space on the first floor of the Spinningfields-based building will be a members’ private bar, serving high end food and beverages.

Next door to the golfing area will be a 1,000-sq. ft. bar/restaurant serving fine wine, cocktails and ales – this area is the perfect location to take in the sights of Spinningfields whilst sitting under what promises to be a very impressive lighting installation by Tyson Lighting.

Blackpool-born owner Andrew said the past 20 years of his life has prepared him for his first venture into the world of business and hospitality.

“It’s a big and unique project,” said Andrew, whose bid to be a professional golfer ended when he was involved in a motorbike accident in Vietnam.

“But I’m ready for it as I’ve been engrossed in golf since I was 12 years old. My parents are both business owners, as is my brother.

“So, I suppose now is my time. And it just happens to be that I’m launching a virtual golf club in the UK’s second city.”

He added: “When I was injured, that’s when I became interested in technology and the simulators that a lot of the top players in the world were using to better their own games.”

The Range uses special technology utilising stereoscopic cameras of a golf club’s face which provides incredibly accurate data.

Andrew said: “The technology is remarkable, it really is and people who come in are going to have to see it all to believe it. The 100 virtual courses can be played on the simulators but members and non-members will be able to tailor simulators to their needs. For instance, when I play on them, I tend to choose to play nine holes of my favourite golf courses around the world.”

The venue will also host events and golf competitions. And Andrew is keen to get city centre residents and the business community involved.

“First and foremost, The Range is going to be part of a fantastic building in Left Bank,” he said. “We want to make sure our residents, above us, are taken care of.

“We will also be looking after Manchester-based businesses, the corporate sector, and the public, should they want to come in from the rain and play some golf with friends and colleagues.

“We have fantastic in-house PGA coaches who can improve people’s game should people want to learn.”

Entries to open for world’s largest Ironkids

Sam Whitear

-

24/10/2017

0

On your marks, get set – entries for the world’s largest Ironkids event, to be held in Bolton next summer, will open on Wednesday afternoon (October 25).

The race, on July 14, has become a key annual fixture on Bolton’s events calendar following its introduction five years ago.

For the last three years, 2,500 children have taken part and the 2018 event will once again be the largest global Ironkids.

The race takes place in the town centre and the main Ironman event – a gruelling 140.6mile triathlon – takes place in and around Bolton the following day.

Bolton Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Youth and Sport, Cllr John Byrne, said: “The whole Ironman weekend brings a huge boost to Bolton.

“Ironkids is always a fantastic event, which grows in popularity year on year. It is one of our biggest sporting events and in previous years entries have been snapped up so we would urge people to sign up quickly.

“The event continues to lead the way as the world’s largest, run only Ironkids event. Children love it and it could well be the making of some future Ironman UK athletes.”

The race is open to children aged three to 14 with different distances depending on the school year of the child.

Registration opens from 3pm on Wednesday, October 25. To enter, complete an entry form at www.ironman.com/ironkidsuk. Fee is £3.50 per child.

Each child will receive an Ironkids t-shirt in their entry pack and a medal after completing their run.

Ironkids UK Race Director, Abi Jones, added: “Ironkids UK has become one of the most anticipated events of the year. It is a big part of the Ironman UK weekend and really adds to the family atmosphere in Bolton.

“It’s wonderful to see the children emulating their Ironman heroes, getting the chance to run through the same finish chute and finish under the same arch as the Ironman athletes.

“It is so positive to see so many young children choosing to get outside and be active while having fun at the same time. The event promotes a healthy, active lifestyle from a young age and might also inspire some of the children to become future Ironman athletes.

“We are grateful for the help and support of Bolton Council and volunteers from the local area and regional Rotary clubs who make this event possible.”

Brother UK announces sponsorship of team Onform

Sam Whitear

-

24/10/2017

0

Brother UK has announced it is to sponsor Team OnForm, winners of the 2017 UK Women’s Team Series, into the 2018 season.

The team of elite male and female cyclists has enjoyed a successful year of 65 wins including finishing first at the UCI Tour of Cambridge.

Team OnForm will enjoy jersey sponsorship from Brother UK throughout the 2018 season, competing at high profile national events including the Tour Series in May.

Speaking about the new team sponsorship, Phil Jones MBE, Managing Director of Brother UK, comments: “I’ve been hugely impressed by the performance of Team OnForm this year – they are a team going places.

“What stands out in particular is that Team OnForm are an ambitious unit, and their approach to the sport fits exactly with what Brother UK is all about – delivering results, partnership and teamwork.”

Simon Howes, team manager of Team OnForm, added: “It’s fantastic to have Brother UK on board as our sponsor for next season. They are a heavyweight brand who has already invested a significant amount in elite cycling in the UK, and we will benefit greatly as a team thanks to their involvement.”

Brother UK has invested in the cycling sector for more than six years with the provision of neutral service vehicles to high-level domestic races and sportives. It is also the official print, imaging and results partner for the Tour Series, the OVO Energy Women’s Tour of Britain and the OVO Energy Tour of Britain.

Ahead of next season, Team OnForm has recruited experienced rider Mel Brand, who since 2013 has raced competitively for major teams including MG Maxifuel, Epic Scott, Ikon-Mazda and Ford/Ecoboost, alongside Lauren Murphy, current 2017 Junior National Road Race Champion.

Manchester office market soars as number of major deals increase

Sam Whitear

-

24/10/2017

0

The Manchester office market has shown a substantial increase in the year’s third quarter, with just over 447,809 sq ft transacted in the city centre alone according to the latest figures from the Manchester Offices Forum (MOAF).

The Q2 figures represent a 68% increase on the same period last year.

There were an impressive 78 deals in the city centre from July to September with an exceptional eight transactions of more than 10,000 sq ft, including existing city centre occupiers relocating due to expansion.

Key transactions include the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman taking 32,000 sq ft at Citygate, PWC has committing to 25,197 sq ft at No.1 Spinningfields and Clyde & Co taking 69,000 sq ft at Manchester Royal Exchange.

Mark Baldwin, Associate Director at GVA, said: “Once again, we are continuing to see increasing levels of demand in Manchester City Centre from both expanding existing occupiers and inward investors.

“This is evident in the full-size range of deals being transacted and more importantly with many sizable lettings over 10,000 sq ft. Noteworthy deals to DWP and We Work at No 1 and No 2 St Peters Square respectively give a significant indication of an on-going confidence in the market.

“Moreover, there are a still number of impending larger transactions in the pipeline which suggests 2017 will be another positive year for the city centre office market”.

South Manchester has also experienced a successful quarter with 140,531 sq ft let, a 29% increase on the same period last year. To date this has provided a running total of 472,263 sq ft of deals during 2017, an impressive 45% increase on last year’s statistics.

The largest letting was to Assetz Capital who took 14,687 sq ft at Manchester Green with Biz Space purchasing 21,000 sq ft at Cheadle Place.

MOAF said that although stock is quickly diminishing there are a number of deals still to fall in by year end. It is anticipated that South Manchester’s 2017 take-up will be the highest since 2012.

The combined Salford Quays and Old Trafford take-up figure was 112,410 sq ft, a 25% increase on 2016, with Kellogg’s acquiring 48,000 sq ft at Orange Tower.

According to MOAF the supply of Grade A office space in Salford Quays has become very limited.

Jonathan Cook of CBRE said: “The running total for 2017’s out-of-town office markets are very encouraging. There are already a number of deals going into Q4 that have yet to complete and this coupled with the quantity of existing requirements in the marketplace, take-up for the remainder of 2017 should continue to be very strong.”

Formed in 2009, MOAF members include, JLL, CBRE, Colliers, Canning O’Neill, Cushman & Wakefield, Edwards & Co, GVA, Hallams, Knight Frank, LSH, Matthews & Goodman, OBI Property, Savills, Sixteen Real Estate, TSG Property Consultants, WHR and BE Group.

Manchester-based K7 media expands into China

Sam Whitear

-

24/10/2017

0

International media consultancy K7 Media has expanded its services into the Chinese market, as it is appointed to provide global TV trends intelligence to award-winning Chinese production company Houghton Street Media.

K7 Media’s first client located in China, Houghton Street Media specialises in developing and producing original prime time shows and is responsible for bringing television hits including The Gadget Show to China.

The Beijing and Shanghai-based business, which works across a variety of genres including entertainment, factual entertainment, comedy and food, will have access to K7 Media’s leading intelligence resource on global developments in TV and will exchange insights on the Chinese market.

This latest client win for K7 Media, who provide international TV research, insight and intelligence, extends its international presence and adds to its current client portfolio of producers, broadcasters, distributors and advertisers across the world, including ITV, NRK (Norway) and CBS (USA).

K7 Media Managing Director, Keri Lewis Brown, comments on the announcement: “It’s fantastic to welcome such an established media company such as Houghton Street Media to our client list.

“The business will have access to our industry-leading insights on the most fascinating entertainment formats from across the globe, tailored to a Chinese audience.”

Dr. Miao Mi, Director of Research and Development at Houghton Street Media adds: “The trends intelligence delivered by K7 Media gives us exclusive insights, previously not available to us, which will be invaluable in our ongoing search to identify trends and bring exciting new formats to audiences here in China.”

The news comes as K7 media unveils its new multilingual website to support and extend its growing international client base, with Mandarin, Spanish and Russian language versions available.

K7 Media, a leading media intelligence resource, offers bespoke research services to broadcasters, producers, distributors and advertisers across the world. It continues to expand its current range of client services, while maintaining the delivery of its indispensable media reports.

Go-ahead given for Hodder+Partners’ £19m mixed-use scheme on Rochdale Road

Sam Whitear

-

24/10/2017

0

A £19 million mixed-use scheme designed by Hodder+Partners has been approved by Manchester City Council.

The 25 Rochdale Road site is currently home to Realty Estates but the developer will demolish its current office and replace it with a modern high quality architectural building, part 15-storeys and part 8-storeys high.

Designed by Hodder+Partners, with Deloitte Real Estates as planning advisors, the scheme will bring 100 one and two-bedroom apartments and commercial space to the north east edge of Manchester city centre.

Associate Director at Hodder+Partners Matt Dawson believes the designs knit together the NOMA masterplan and New Cross Development and will act as a vehicle to induce further investment in an area that has been greatly underused.

He said: “We’re delighted that planning has been granted to develop 25 Rochdale Road.

“It’s a fantastic site located on a pivotal area between several strategically master planned zones while also being situated along an important arterial route close to a major gateway into the city centre.”

He added: “As well as delivering quality, purpose-built residential accommodation, close to the city centre, our design aims to stitch together a variety of building heights in the immediate vicinity as well as add to the recent high-quality architecture in the area.

“25 Rochdale Road is also a project that we have greatly enjoyed working with Realty Estates on.

“It will essentially increase the provision of high-quality residential accommodation in the area, while contributing economic growth in not just the immediate vicinity, but in the city as a whole.”

Pete Gleave, Assistant Director at Deloitte Real Estate, said: “We are delighted that the redevelopment of 25 Rochdale Road has achieved the green light at Planning Committee. This development will help contribute to the major regeneration of the Northern Gateway area in Manchester which is expected to see dramatic changes over the coming years. The inclusion of open market properties will also help to improve the local housing market.”

The approved plans, which also include secure indoor cycle spaces for 100 bikes and 18 car parking spaces, come as Hodder+Partners celebrates its 25^th anniversary year.

UKFast Triples Public Sector Revenue

Sam Whitear

-

24/10/2017

0

Manchester cloud hosting specialist UKFast’s public sector department is on track to triple revenues in 2017, following significant investment in the firm’s public sector and government offering earlier this year.

Recent new business highlights for the leading British provider include a £250,000 deal with the Cabinet Office, a £500,000 deal with software development service CDS, a £266,000 deal with enterprise mobility management provider Nine23 and most recently a £375,000 deal with an undisclosed public sector organisation.

A £2.3m investment in UKFast’s government data centre space earlier this year ensures the firm meets the heightened regulatory needs of its government, financial services, international telecoms and utilities clients. The data centre upgrade was shortly followed by the acquisition of public sector cloud hosting firm Secure Information Assurance (S-IA).

UKFast CEO Lawrence Jones said: “Government and the public sector is a major growth area for UKFast. Our acquisition of S-IA was timely, and with it comes relationships with organisations including the MoD, Cabinet Office and other high-profile government departments.

“We’re ensuring the government knows there is a better British cloud alternative, more aligned to the needs of the great people of this country. It’s not just better value for money either, government deserves clearer billing, they want to know where their data is and they value having people at the end of a telephone day and night on standby to serve them when they need it most.

“They get all this for less, and at the same time, the money spent with us stays onshore, not lining the pockets of the two richest men in the world. Buying British is positive for our economy and it starts with government leading the way.”

Martin Knapp, head of public sector at UKFast, says that since S-IA joined forces with the hosting giant, his team has seen a marked increase in enquiries.

“We’re investing heavily in Restricted LAN Interconnectors (RLI) for defence, our Public Services Network (PSN) for central government and the Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) for health service capabilities.

“That investment is reflected in a clear growth in the number and scale of the projects we’re being asked to deliver. The UK public sector is seeing us as an increasingly credible alternative to UKCloud and the US hyperscalers.

“We’re also seeing a great deal of interest from private firms wanting to tap into our expertise and accreditations to help them sell into the public sector.”

Following several high-profile cyber-attacks affecting government and public sector this year, Jones’ technology group is seeing a significant rise in enquiries from the public sector for cybersecurity and ethical hacking services.

Jones added: “The addition of our cybersecurity arm Secarma adds an extra dimension, which is proving valuable for our public sector clients who are putting security higher up the agenda when considering outsourcing.

“But the biggest reason we are doing so well is that we don’t have hidden costs. CIOs are becoming increasingly savvy to this now and don’t want to be caught out with surprise billing as their usage increases. Ours is a simple model that allows you to scale without the penalty.

“The future of all cloud is scaling with fixed costs. It’s a blend of the AWS model with our ‘no surprises’ approach.”

INVESTORS SPREAD THEIR WINGS AT ANGELS EVENT

Sam Whitear

-

24/10/2017

0

On 12th October 2017, Hallidays brought together investors and entrepreneurs at their third Stockport Business Angels event in conjunction with North West Business Angels.

At this ‘Dragons Den’ style event 5 new entrepreneurs and innovators pitched their products and services to an audience of success Stockport Business Angels to secure investment.

The businesses pitching included The Link App, founded by Lauren Riley who appeared in the BBC Apprentice programme in 2014.

As a qualified family solicitor Lauren created The Link App to improve communication between lawyers and their clients.

Lauren Riley said, “Fresh well-paced event from which we received an impressive amount of angel investment interest. I was particularly impressed with the volume of experienced technology investors attending.”

Bee Industrious, based in Manchester are market research and insight specialists. They were recently finalists at the Venturefest 2017.

Nick Richardson, Managing Director said: “Today’s event was really positive. Room full of great people with a real appetite for investment. You really sense that deals will be done which reinforces the credibility of our business model & potential.” With 13 investors attending, the pitches were lively and deals were already being discussed over the business lunch.

Steve Wall, NW Business Angles said: “Our last Stockport Business Angels Event was a great success, with 60% of the investment sought being achieved, equivalent almost £400K.

This is remarkable considering the national average for such an event is around 15%! We have high hopes that over the next few weeks our pitchers will receive offers that will enable them to drive their businesses forward and achieve their dreams.”

Phil Eagle, Hallidays Director emphasises the tax benefits for investors: “As well as being an exciting opportunity to support a young business to rapidly grow, there can also be significant tax benefits in being an investor if the investment qualifies for Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) or Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS).

This should only be a consideration if investors are happy with the merits of the investment opportunity”. If you would like to learn more about Stockport Business Angels and how Hallidays can help you grow your business and access funding please call: 0161 476 8276 or visit www.hallidays.co.uk

Law firm handed coveted ‘Tier 1’ ranking by independent guide

Sam Whitear

-

23/10/2017

0

The law firm Stephensons, which has eight offices across the North West, has been recognised as one of the leading legal practices in the UK, achieving the coveted ‘Tier 1’ ranking from The Legal 500.

The Legal 500 is the definitive guide to the legal sector, recommending law firms for their expertise, ranking them in tiers and highlighting outstanding legal professionals.

In total, the guide awarded rankings to eight areas of work and recommended 23 of the firm’s solicitors – all based in the North West. Commendations were given to Stephensons’ local government, professional discipline and social housing teams, with further accolades for clinical negligence, family law and court of protection work.

The Legal 500 reserved particular praise for Stephensons’ fraud and criminal law work, both of which received the coveted ‘Tier 1’ ranking.

The Serious Fraud and Business Crime practice was described as ‘bright, adaptive and experienced’ and ‘the real deal’ while praising the high profile nature of the team’s work in the fields of land-banking, Ponzi and VAT fraud. Individuals, including specialist fraud solicitor, Priscilla Addo-Quaye and consultant John Greenwood given ‘recommended lawyer’ recognition by the guide.

Elsewhere, Philip Richardson was recommended for his skills in advising local authorities on employment matters, while the ‘excellent’ Kate Bullen, Louise Hebborn, Chris Graves and department head, David Baybut are all recommended for social housing law.

The guide also recognised Carl Johnson, Alison Marriott and Martin Haisley for their expertise in professional discipline law, with Melanie Vary noted for developing ‘a niche practice representing clients in relation to decisions over the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment.’

Head of Clinical Negligence, Judith Thomas Whittingham is described as ‘highly respectable’, ‘bright, able and down to earth’, while Louise Griffiths, Claire Stockley, Carla Twist and Tom Mooney are all recommended as part of a ‘professional and ethical team’, ‘known for its specialist expertise in birth and brain injury.’

In family law, department head, Mike Devlin, is praised for his ‘good reputation for his knowledge and skill in the area of care and children work in particular’ and the case management skills of Donna Roberts are described as ‘second to none.’ Gwyneth John, ‘reliable and efficient’ Andrew Mountain and Anna White are also recommended.

Andrew Welch, Managing Partner at Stephensons said: “The Legal 500 is a true indicator of achievement and success in legal services and the 2017 guide has shown that our offering across the firm continues to be among the very best in the United Kingdom.

“In particular, seeing the teams retain Tier 1 rankings is a testament to their hard work and dedication of which we are rightly proud. However, to have 23 solicitors recommended this year – quite possibly the most yet – and to have eight practice areas ranked is a huge achievement which demonstrates our expertise across the entire firm.”

LOVE ENERGY SAVINGS ROCKETS INTO TOP 30 OF UK’S FASTEST-GROWING TECHNOLOGY BUSINESSES

Sam Whitear

-

23/10/2017

0

Award-winning Love Energy Savings, one of Britain’s biggest business energy comparison and switching services, is celebrating another big win – after shooting into the top 30 of the closely-watched Tech Track 100 list.

The Bolton-based company rocketed from 99^th place last year to 30^th this year, officially recognising it as one of the fastest-growing technology businesses in the UK. Representatives of the company will now be invited to a glittering awards ceremony in London next month.

The highly-respected league table, which is closely tracked by senior business leaders and other national figures, shows the ‘movers and shakers’ among Britain’s best technology businesses.

Managing Director Phil Foster said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have joined the ranks of the top 30 companies in the Tech Track 100. It’s a remarkable achievement and many congratulations goes to each and every member of our team, who have worked so hard to make this happen. It’s a brilliant business, with brilliant staff. It is a real team effort and it’s all down to the hard-work, dedication and enthusiasm of our workforce, which I truly believe is second to none. I am so proud of everyone.

“Our success has been founded on building trust and transparency with customers and a clear commitment to excellent customer service driving growth and it is great that this is once again being recognised. We have a lively and fast-paced working environment and a management team that like to make the most of every opportunity. We pride ourselves as an organisation that is open to new ideas and suggestions; every employee has a voice to be heard.”

It marks a remarkable year of growth and success for the fast-moving business. Only last month Love Energy Savings was shortlisted for a top national award in the highly sought after Customer Experience Awards 2017 – ranking it alongside some of the biggest businesses in the UK, such as Virgin, Direct Line and Barclays. It was yet more recognition for the relentless enthusiasm and devotion that Love Energy Savings has for focusing on customer needs and placing them at the heart of the business.

Earlier this year the business clinched the top award, the hotly-contested ‘Super Consultancy of the Year’ title, at The Energy Live Consultancy Awards (TELCAs), the Oscars of the industry.

Since it was formed in 2007, Love Energy Savings has grown to become the most trusted business energy price comparison specialist in the UK, with thousands of customers rating their service five-stars on Trustpilot. During that time, the company has switched over 136,000 meters, saving customers more than £72 million on their electricity and gas bills. It now employs over 200 people. With its vast knowledge of the energy market, 86 per cent of its customers continue to use Love Energy Savings service year after year.

As part of its successful growth strategy, the company continues to target additional markets and has just launched a new corporate division, supporting larger energy users to build on its existing SME customer base.

Phil Foster explained: “In recent years we’ve successfully identified untapped markets in order to accelerate growth and, as a result, have launched several technological platforms, which have disrupted multiple markets and won prestigious awards. Being in the top 30 of the Tech Track 100 means a great deal to all of the team at Love Energy Savings. Every employee places the customer at the heart of our business and it’s fantastic to be recognised amongst some of the fastest-growing technology businesses in the country.

“At Love Energy Savings customer service and commitment to UK businesses has been the driving force behind our brand. Our mission is to provide customers with the best possible service, helping them to easily save money and time when it comes to switching their business energy bills.”