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Lichfields Planner named the best in the North West

Sam Whitear
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Lichfields’ Kirstie Hopcroft has been recognised as the best Young Planner in the North West.

Kirstie, who joined the Manchester office of the planning and development consultancy in 2014, will be presented with the award at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) North West’s annual award ceremony in the city.

Over the last four years Kirstie, a Senior Planner with the firm, has notched up a strong portfolio which includes large-scale residential, commercial and logistics schemes.

These have included helping to deliver 800 homes for Bellway, including 300 homes for the company in Knowsley, last year

Some 2,500 homes on behalf for Countryside Propertiesm including the recent approval of 330 homes in the Lower Broughton area of Salford and 720,000 sq ft of logistics space on behalf of db symmetry in Yorkshire.

Kirstie has also contributed to a key Lichfields report on behalf of the Land Promoters and Developers Federation which debunks land-banking claims.

She said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have been recognised by the RTPI with this award.

“It is a recognition of the progress I have made with the support and help of an excellent Lichfields team here in Manchester and across the country. I am hoping it will be the springboard to an exciting and fulfilling career with the firm.”

The RTPI award aims to recognise qualified planners with less than 10 years experience.  A spokesperson for the RTPI North West Region, said: “The judging panel was impressed with Kirstie’s contribution to planning in the North West.

“Her involvement and responsibility in some of the region’s largest planning schemes should be applauded for someone early in their planning career.

“The panel recognised Kirstie’s role in thought leadership through her involvement in drafting a paper assessing the role land promoters play in boosting housing land supply.

“Kirstie has shown a commitment to planning in her own time through the RTPI ‘Future Ambassador’ programme and giving CPD to other young planners.”

“She is clearly a role model for other young planning professionals.”

As an RTPI ‘Future Ambassador’ Kirstie regularly speaks at school events to raise awareness of planning as a career; explaining how planners help shape the North West.

She also launched a series of seminars dubbed “Planning, Politics & Prosecco” for young property professionals in the North West, during which she regularly conducts a Q&A sessions with her peers.

Simon Pemberton, Senior Director, Head of the Lichfields’ Manchester office, said: “We are delighted with the progress Kirstie has made and this award is a fitting recognition of her accomplishments and testament to her outstanding skill set. It is a fantastic accolade and helps to illustrate some of the brilliant work that we do across the region.”

Bring Digital celebrates business growth win at UK Agency Awards

Sam Whitear
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Bring Digital is enjoying a successful year so far, having just won Most Impressive Small Agency Growth at the UK Agency Awards at the Montcalm Marble Arch Hotel in London

The digital marketing agency, which employs 30 people in its Bolton office, also won Digital Agency of the Year at the prestigious Prolific North awards earlier this year, and has been shortlisted for various categories at Northern Marketing Awards, CIPR PRide and Bolton Business Awards.

Bring Digital prides itself on a strong recruitment strategy designed to attract and retain the best talent; producing high quality marketing campaigns and websites; and the fast financial growth of the business and brand.

Managing Director David Ingram, said: “2018 has been an incredibly exciting year for us so far. We’ve secured contracts with some of the UK’s most well-known brands thanks to our growing reputation in the digital marketing industry and we’re being nominated for and winning some of the most prestigious awards in the UK. It all goes to show the quality of work the team is producing for clients.”

Bridging finance company Fluid Trust launches in Manchester

Sam Whitear
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New bridging finance company Fluid Trust has launched in Manchester. Fluid Trust is led by Chief Executive Officer Ansar Mahmood and Operations Director Will Jackson.

Serial entrepreneur Ansar says investors are being given the chance – through the company finance product ‘Fluid Bond’ – to support a raft of new property projects across the north west and the rest of the UK, with returns fixed and secured against assets.

Fluid’s Bond promises an attractive interest rate of 6% per annum fixed for the three years in which the bonds are held.

Ansar, Vice-President of the UK North Chapter of the global entrepreneurs’ network TiE, said the new company’s target is to raise £20 million within the next eight months.

“The Fluid Bond differs from other bonds in two main ways,” said Ansar, who is also founder of Manchester-based Pomegranate Consulting.

“First, the investment comes with an attractive interest rate of 6% per annum fixed for the three years in which the bonds are held.

“Second, it can be held through an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA) and delivers interest payments on a quarterly basis – in contrast to most ISAs that work annually.”

“And while the minimum investment is £2,000, any investment under £20,000 is tax free.”

Ansar, who will work closely with Fluid Operations Director Will Jackson, said investment raised will be used as lending capital to provide asset-backed bridging loans to exciting projects throughout the UK.

He said: “With the perception that high-street banks and other traditional lenders are slowing down the rate at which they are willing to lend, the need for bridging providers has never been greater.

“It’s becoming more difficult in the current climate to obtain a loan – which is placing greater emphasis on the need for a quality bridging provider. And that’s where Fluid Lending come in.”

Members of the Fluid Trust team have previously worked on deals including development funding on a prominent 64-Unit residential development in Manchester City Centre; asset purchase funding for business expansion within the TV industry and pre-auction purchase of a successful high-street retail/processing unit.

Will Jackson said Fluid’s extensive knowledge of property finance ‘means we can tailor each loan to each individual company, whether it be a small or large project’.

He said: “Ansar and I believe that within the current lending arena there is room for a highly professional, quality-driven player.

“One of the major considerations for clients when choosing a bridging lender is how quickly these transactions can be completed. The interest rates are reflective of this requirement, as well as the short-term nature of the loans.”

He added: “The need for bridging providers is bound to increase further, and a highly professional, industry experienced, quality-driven player is precisely what is needed in the current lending climate.

“Fluid is committed to ensuring an accessible, responsive, and dependable service – maintaining strong communication links with all parties to ensure Fluid Lending assess applications quickly and effectively.”

Cowgills Funding Hits £100m Mark

Sam Whitear
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Cowgills business funding teams have together transacted over £100m of finance deals in the last year.

The firm, which provides business and accountancy advice to SME clients across the north west from its bases in Bolton and Manchester, is advising companies on funding at all stages of business growth. It has experienced 65% growth over the last ten years.

Commenting on the high level of transactions delivered, business funding director Ben Day, said: “It’s only 12 months since we established the dedicated business funding arm of Cowgills from our Manchester base at XYZ in Spinningfields.  We’ve opened many new lending lines and alternative sources of finance for current and new clients, as the market continues to move away from the high-street banks.”

Ben joined Cowgills last year, from fin-tech company MarketInvoice, to establish the firm’s dedicate business funding arm, following the success of the Property and Construction team’s finance offering which was established over six years ago.

Continued Ben: “Together with the transactional deals secured by the Property and Construction team during the same period we have now broken the £100m mark, a clear indication of how active the market is at present and that the right funding deals are there to be had.”

He added: “We support our clients throughout the entire lifecycle of their business from securing start-up funding, to day-to-day management and accountancy advice, tax guidance and succession planning. That long-term relationship often starts with the funding which we match to their needs, and we have some fantastic success stories.”

Commenting on the property deals delivered, property finance director David Rainford, added: “Our Property and Construction division typically works with owner-managed, small to medium sized property companies and house-builders right across the region. The appetite for growth in this sector is strong and these figures are certainly testament to that having completed on just under £20m of property transactions in the past few weeks. With many lenders based in Manchester it is right that our finance team is also here in the city and we are seeing a significant uplift in deals done due to the strength of our relationships with a wide variety of lenders.”

Clients include NJOY Student Living, property development company Lane End Developments and Create Construction.

In addition Cowgills, via its joint venture bridging business PMJ Capital which is also headed up by Dave Rainford, has supported over £40m of transactions since it launched 3 years ago.

Northcoders launches Introduction to Programming course: The new gateway into tech

Sam Whitear
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Manchester headquartered Northcoders – the coding bootcamp for the North – is making the tech sector even more accessible with the launch of its brand new Introduction to Programming course.

The course has been especially created for absolute beginners and for anyone who is considering a possible career in coding. Its simple aim is to provide an accessible platform where people can explore if coding could be right for them via a mixture of short tutor-led sessions and project-based workshops.

The first evening course will be taking place in October at Northcoders’ city centre campus in Federation House.

Tutors will introduce new concepts, and then students will have the chance to put them into practice and explore the ideas they’ve just covered. The course isn’t about building websites – it’s about beginning to understand the languages which underpin technologies as wide ranging as AI, blockchain or the apps you use on your phone. It also lays the foundations of how to build complex websites, or becoming a software developer.

Chris Hill, co-founder of Northcoders, said: “A lot of people think about coding and programming as a potential career but are unsure about what it entails and how to get started. Graduates from our main Developer Pathway course come from all sorts of industries including retail, recruitment and marketing as well as university graduates and those returning to work after having children. They often tell us that making the first step is the hardest, so we want Introduction to Programming to answer those questions and ultimately inspire the programmers of the future.”

UKFast Scoops Major Training and Education Award

Sam Whitear
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Cloud technology firm UKFast has been honoured with a prestigious Princess Royal Training Award for continuous outstanding dedication to bridging the digital skills gap and encouraging ongoing professional development.

UKFast joins a handful of employers recognised nationally through the Princess Royal Training Awards. The awards require that training, learning and development is integral to the recognised organisation; that the programme is designed and delivered efficiently and effectively; and that the programme has an impact on the success of the organisation and its people.

Aiming to give young people the key abilities to succeed in the tech industry, UKFast runs a successful IT apprenticeship scheme, combining work experience, tech masterclasses and an IT diploma.

UKFast also works with more than 60,000 young people across Greater Manchester, delivering workshops, code clubs and engagement sessions in some of the region’s most underprivileged wards – a project that started more than a decade ago.

Michael Osbaldeston, special adviser at the Princess Royal Training Awards, said: “After the validation visit to UKFast, our Princess Royal Training Awards assessor commented on the ‘genuine pride’ shown by the ‘committed apprentices’. This is unsurprising when you consider how UKFast is accelerating access to the workforce for young people in a field that regularly reports skills shortages.

“The training is interesting, well-structured and impactful – and the apprentices engage across 50 local schools too, taking their aspirational message out to thousands of other young people. They have certainly earned their prestigious Princess Royal Training Award 2018 and are one of just 48 employers to have achieved the standard of excellence required. Congratulations to everyone involved!”

Apprentices are taught communication, professional behaviour and workplace skills, alongside core technical skills, to create well-rounded employees ready for the world of work. UKFast’s apprenticeship scheme has a 100% employment rate for candidates completing the course.

In addition to IT, UKFast also delivers maintenance, networking, software development, events, customer service and marketing apprenticeships.

The apprenticeships are part of UKFast’s wider commitment to continuous professional development; the firm has invested nearly £1m over five years on apprenticeships, in addition to £650 per head and 30 hours training time per examination for employees over the last year.

The announcement follows adjudication of the Princess Royal Training Awards Commission, composed of seven leading figures in the business and learning and development community and HRH the Princess Royal, who is President of the City and Guilds Group.

UKFast CEO Lawrence Jones said: “Current and former apprentices make up 18% of the UKFast workforce and they have a huge impact on our business. We made the decision to take on full-time teachers in 2013 and it’s now critical to our success.

“Many of the apprentices that came through our programme are now running departments and looking after important parts of our network.

“Everyone at UKFast is incredibly proud of this accolade and it only makes us more determined to continue to invest in the training and education of our team.”

Bacaro to open at Afflecks

Sam Whitear
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Italian restaurant Bacaro is set to open its first venture in Manchester on the ground floor of the iconic shopping emporium Afflecks on Oldham Street early next year.

The eatery will join the eclectic mix of exciting start-ups and independent businesses that play a big part in creating Afflecks’ legendary buzz.

Bacaro is the brainchild of co-owners Jonathan Poole and Paddy Smith from Red & Blue Restaurants. The duo are aiming to bring a new, fresh Italian menu concept to the heart of Manchester, following on from the success of its sister site in Liverpool, which opened in 2014 and continues to receive rave reviews.

The menu is built around the idea of ‘Venetian style cichetti and charcuterie dishes’. It offers small Italian plates which it has evolved into elaborate delicacies that can be combined and shared.

Co-owner Jonathan Poole, said: “We are delighted to be opening a new Bacaro in Manchester and feel very excited to be part of such an iconic and vibrantspace in the city. Afflecks is the perfect location for our new Manchester home and we can’t wait to welcome guests to sample some of the amazing Italian delicacies we will be serving up.”

Owned by leading regional property company Bruntwood, Afflecks boasts a unique character and is home to a wide range of retailers where alternative, independent businesses flourish.

Andrea George, Head of Retail & Leisure Leasing at Bruntwood, added: “Bacaro is going to be a very exciting addition to Afflecks. We have some truly original and inspired stalls, independent businesses and eateries on offer at Afflecks and with its creative, innovative menu Bacaro will make the perfect addition to our ever-expanding community.

“Afflecks is one of the city’s most notable retail attractions and was a key factor in the success of the Northern Quarter being named as the ‘UK’s Best Neighbourhood’. It is a ‘must-see’ for visitors and the ideal location to introduce Jonathan and Paddy’s exciting Italian cuisine concept to Manchester”.

BCO Northern Committee continues growth with six new members

Sam Whitear
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The British Council of Offices (BCO) has added half a dozen new members to its Northern Committee – taking the total number under recently-appointed Chairman Phil Doyle to 18.

The new additions come from some of the property industry’s most well-established outfits, including Bruntwood and sustainable architects Cartwright Pickard.

Following his appointment in February 2018, Phil pledged to boost committee membership and drive forward diversity on the Committee to ensure the voice of women in property was heard. The addition of Michelle Parr from PWC is set to be an important step in achieving this, as Phil says:

“It’s great to welcome a slew of new members as BCO’s Northern Committee continues to expand. Our new members will ensure that our Committee is even more inclusive going forward, and will hopefully inspire the next generation of property professionals to take up membership with the BCO.

“We’re delighted to add such a variety of experts to our committee, and look forward to seeing how their input will help take our Committee from strength to strength – especially with the help of Michelle, alongside whom we’re excited to amplify women’s voices and encourage more female property specialists to get on board.”

The new recruits also increase the geographic spread of members with representation from Newcastle to Belfast, with Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds in between.

The Northern Committee represents the interests of all those who occupy, design, build, own or manage offices in towns and cities in the North of England, including Liverpool, Salford, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. Members include architects, lawyers, surveyors, financial institutions and public agencies.

The BCO plays a pivotal role in shaping trends and developing best practice for the property industry in the UK, through its research, events and awards programme. The annual BCO Northern Awards – held in May – celebrate the most innovative, outstanding commercial developments throughout the region, and attract high-profile attendees from every corner of the sector.

The full list of new Committee members is as follows:

David Porter – Knight Frank (real estate consultancy)

Michelle Parr – PWC (professional services firm)

Adam Tillis – Bruntwood (retail and commercial property company)

Peter Cartwright – Cartwright Pickard (research-led architecture practice)

Darren Newlove-Hill – Ardmac (construction and fit-out specialists)

Erland Rendall – Atorus (project management consultancy)

Manchester Airport crowned LGBT-friendly travel company of the year

Sam Whitear
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The UK’s third biggest airport was last night crowned LGBT-Friendly Travel Company of the Year at the annual Travel Trade Gazette Awards, which was hosted by Chatty Man Alan Carr.

Manchester Airport was one of ten contenders for the accolade and beat off stiff competition from Thomas Cook Group, James Villa Holidays, Flight Centre and Kuoni to name a few.

The event was held at the Lyceum Theatre in London, followed by an after party at the Savoy Hotel.

Manchester Airport was awarded the gong after its strong on-going commitment to the LGBT agenda in travel. It comes after sponsoring six UK Prides in 2018, up from five in 2017. Plus, the Northern hub has an actioned packed diversity agenda for its staff and supports a host of inclusivity initiatives across its vast catchment area and beyond.

The award was collected by Patrick Alexander and Olivia Bussey from the airport’s Marketing team, plus Seb Thompson from the Press Office.

Alexander and Thompson were both also shortlisted as TTG Travel Pride Champions earlier in the year due to the pair’s commitment in this area.

On receiving the win Patrick Alexander said:

“It is a real honour to take home this award and I’d like to thank everyone who voted for us, plus the team at TTG.

“It’s been a great evening with the travel industry’s finest on show and it’s a delight to take home the award for LGBT-Friendly travel company of the year.”

Seb Thompson added: “After a busy summer celebrating prides across the UK it fills me with utter pride and joy to win this accolade. Everyone at the airport will be over the moon and we look forward to continuing to champion the LGBT agenda in 2019.”

IoD North West and Isle of Man join forces to help businesses across the region

Sam Whitear
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The North West and Isle of Man divisions of the Institute of Directors have joined forces today, bringing together their networks and benefitting members from both areas.

The move boosts the IoD’s North West chapter, meaning it now boasts six branches including Manchester, Liverpool, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria and businesses on the Isle of Man. All six areas will collaborate on pan-regional events and awards as well as opening up introductions across a broader member database for the region.

Incumbent IoD North West regional director Claire Ebrey’s remit will also now extend to cover the Isle of Man; she explained: “I am delighted that we have joined forces with our Manx neighbours.

“This expansion of our North West division will open more doors for members, expanding our impressive network of business leaders and giving us strength in numbers as we voice their opinions on the national stage.”

Added Jennifer Houghton, Chair of the IoD in the Isle of Man: “There’s so much synergy and so little geographical distance between our respective networks, so this seems like a logical next step for us all.

“Our aim is to promote the views of members and give them access to a broad network of like-minded business owners to better help their own operations; a bigger core of members for myself and Claire will help us deliver that and I look forward to our new working relationship.

“We’re hitting the ground running, collaborating on new events and ideas, starting with our annual awards for the entire region early next year.”

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