The investment by Joloda International Hydraroll Division at its Gaerwen site has been supported by the Welsh Government with £326,850 business finance which helped secure the project for Anglesey.

Welsh Government support will safeguard 23 jobs and create ten new jobs, bringing the total employment on site to 53.

Announcing Welsh Government support, Economy Minister Edwina Hart said:” We are committed to supporting businesses and safeguarding and creating jobs and this is a prime example of how we are delivering.

“This investment is particularly important for Anglesey as it will safeguard and create high quality manufacturing jobs. Joloda Hydraroll works in one of our key economic sectors and is a major exporter of goods and I am delighted Welsh Government support helped secure this project.”

The company, part of Joloda International Limited, is acknowledged as the world leader in the manufacture of rollerbed systems used mainly by airlines to load and unload cargo from trailers onto aeroplanes, quickly and efficiently.

Chief Executive Officer Wojtek Kordel said :”Support from the Welsh Government was important to secure this investment at our Anglesey site which plays a valued and important role within the Group. We are delighted the investment in new equipment will increase capacity, productivity and efficiency while also enabling the facility to handle larger orders.”

Joloda Hydraroll systems are exported to Europe, the Middle East and the USA where FedEx is one of its main customers and it is also moving into the South American market.

Events management specialist MYT and antenna designer 2J UK are the latest firms to move into The Slipway at Port Solent, Portsmouth, with 24 of the 27 purpose-built, two-storey office units now let.

Hughes Ellard, the regional commercial property agency, acted in both upper-deck lettings for Premier Marinas, which owns and operates Port Solent.

Harnish Patel, a business space agent at Hughes Ellard, said: “The Slipway has become a thriving business hub in its own right for local firms seeking a profile location to facilitate regional and even international expansion. With the arrival of MYT and 2J UK, we are close to calling full house here.”

Richard Saville, Premier Marinas’ estates manager, said: “It’s encouraging to see smaller firms doing well, given the strong economic headwinds of the past five years, and the many occupiers here at The Slipway appear to be bucking the trend. With just three units left, we anticipate 100% occupancy sooner rather than later.”

With David Noble as design engineer and Steve Harris as sales director, 2J UK relocated from a small office in Portsmouth for expansion reasons. The firm designs antenna for upmarket cars and vessels, empowering navigation, radio communications and sound systems.

David said: “Whilst the bulk of our orders comes from the motor world, we are receiving increasing orders from the maritime sector – and our location just by the waterfront at Port Solent can only help with visibility and referral work.”

Eight-strong MYT, led by managing director Janine Lancaster, moved from a converted barn at Chichester’s marina due to growth and travel convenience.

Janine said: “More than 60% of our work, which centres on running hospitality events and employee recognition awards, is now overseas and we required larger space on the back of that, as well as a more central position for commuting.

“The ample parking here is also a big draw for staff and visitors – few offices along the M27, A3 (M) and A27 corridors offer this – along with sweeping views.”

MYT’s unit 20 is 66.5 sq m (715 sq ft), and 2J UK’s unit 21/22 is 133 sq m (1,430 sq ft).

Hughes Ellard, joint agent with Lambert Smith Hampton, is offering flexible lease terms at a rent of £15 a sq ft, inclusive of rates, rent and service charge. Remaining units are up to 78 sq m (840 sq ft).

Port Solent, the third largest marina in England with 808 berths, is now home to a number of professional services, marketing and media firms, human resources specialists and a flourishing range of marine-related businesses.

On behalf of CBRE Investors, Hughes Ellard is also responsible for the lettings and asset management at The Broadwalk, Port Solent, with five restaurant lettings in the last three years, including Zizzi, Pizza Express and Chimichanga.

Acting on behalf of a private individual, Goadsby Planning & Environment has obtained planning permission for the change of use of the former Shoefayre shop at 27 Station Road, Swanage, to a restaurant. The consent, obtained from Purbeck District Council, will allow refurbishment work to commence on the premises in the next few weeks. This will allow the new restaurant to be open for trading for the summer season.

In addition to the planning consultancy work, Goadsby’s CAD Serives Department prepared all of the application drawings.

Toby Underwood, joint administrator and partner at PwC stated: “Having stabilised the operating platform and occupancy of the properties, the administrators will, together with DTZ, undertake a timely but measured disposal of the properties, which will negate any perception that these assets are distressed and realise optimal value following the implementation of any appropriate asset management opportunities.”

Andrew TC Smith, lead director at DTZ comments: “This appointment recognises DTZ’s strength in this area and the fact that we can bring additional insight and market awareness to the role of adviser.”

Mike Mitchell, UK head of student accommodation investment states: “We are going to work closely with PwC. These properties represent excellent assets and there is already keen interest from parties looking for high quality stock. Formal marketing will commence next month.”

For the second year running, the UK has been ranked as the lowest-risk European destination to locate a data centre – according to a report by international consultancies Cushman & Wakefield, hurleypalmerflatt and Source8.

Published today, the Data Centre Risk Index 2013 (DCRI) evaluates risks likely to affect the successful operation of data centre facilities in the 30 most important global markets.

The UK remains second globally in this year’s table – just behind the US – but ranks as the highest-placed European country. The nation’s high scores relating to international internet bandwidth and ease of doing business helped maintain its placeabove all other locations surveyed in Europe.

But it is the Nordics, powered predominantly by hydroelectricity and with comparatively low energy unit costs, which are becoming an increasingly attractive global data centre location. Consequently, the region dominates this year’s global top 10: Sweden is ranked as the third safest place worldwide to base a data centre, rising from eighth last year, while Iceland (seventh), Norway (eighth) and Finland (ninth) all feature in prominent positions. The only other European country in the DCRI’s global top 10 is Germany, which is ranked fourth.

Data centres house business-critical IT systems – any downtime has the potential to threaten an organisation’s viability and impact significantly upon revenues and customer services. The aim of the DCRI is to help companies make informed investment decisions about where to locate their data centres to increase efficiency, lower costs and to develop strategies to mitigate anticipated risk.

In the report, factors such as energy and labour costs, internet connectivity, ease of doing business and the likelihood of natural disasters or political instability are all taken into consideration and individually weighted to reflect different risk levels.

The US maintains its place at the top of the DCRI and is considered the lowest-risk location for building and operating a data centre in the world. Specifically, it maintains a top-three position across the primary factors of energy cost, international bandwidth and ease of doing business.

Canada remains in fifth position overall while Hong Kong has maintained its position as the location with the least risk in Asia for setting up data centres – it moves up the index from seventh place into sixth.

Keith Inglis, partner in the EMEA Data Centre Advisory Group at global real estate consultants Cushman & Wakefield, said: “The UK remains the safest location for a data centre in EMEA and consequently continues to see a reasonable level of activity supported by its status as a major economic global hub. However, the Nordics must be seen as legitimate locations in the global arena where the latency and regulatory arguments are less important when considering where best to site operations. Going forward we would reasonably expect the region to secure an increased market share but to improve further investment is required in international connectivity. If the Nordics fail to address this then Germany, the Netherlands and the UK will continue to see the most activity in EMEA.”

Alastair Frew, partner in Stratford-upon-Avon based Lodders Solicitors, and an HS2 specialist, said those within the London to Birmingham route corridor and set to have their land compulsory purchased might be around two years off seeing money reach their bank account, whereas for those outside the zone but effectively blighted it could take another 12 years.

And he warned that, for many of those affected, construction work and road alterations could prove more of a headache than the line itself.

His comments followed the Government’s Bill announcements in this month’s Queen’s Speech, bringing the project a step closer.

Legislation paving the way for the £16.3 billion development would, if approved, see Parliamentary permission to build Phase One and the powers to operate it. The Queen’s Speech however also included financial enabling powers to progress the early stages of Phase Two towards Leeds and Manchester, with a projected cost of a further £16.7 billion. Despite recent concerns voiced by the National Audit Office, the Government remains openly committed to the project.

The London to Birmingham section of the high speed line aims to be running by 2025 with work likely to start in 2016. Phase Two is unlikely to open before 2033.

Mr Frew said the moves were little consolation to the firm’s land owner clients worried about the implications.

“The problem is that many are already being impacted by the scheme but are still a long way off receiving compensation or even being able to quantify their position.”

He pointed out there were three potential avenues to compensation.

There was the Government’s hardship scheme but so far the latest figures showed 299 of the 455 applications had been rejected by HS2, the company running the scheme, with just 81 successful.

To succeed applicants have to be both blighted and facing a pressing need to move, for example, ill-health or divorce.

“The rules are indeed very strict,” noted Mr Frew.

The next most likely to receive compensation is the group within the zone whose land will be compulsory purchased.

But they are for the moment in limbo following a High Court judicial review ruling in March rejecting nine out of ten legal challenges to the project brought by protestors, but deciding the Government’s compensation consultation had been flawed.

The Hon Mr Justice Ouseley said further consideration should have been given to other potential compensation models. He decreed that not enough information had been provided to consultees and the criteria by which compensation options were considered were not adequately explained – he also found that the Government had not fully considered HS2 Action Alliance’s detailed consultation response on compensation.

The consultation has since been re-run and an outcome is awaited.

Mr Frew said: “These are the people who will be compensated at the point the authorities compulsorily purchase the land. For most of Phase One that is probably at least a couple of years away.”

But it is those in the third case scenario – blighted but outside the CPO zone – who are likely to come off worst.

They are a decade and more away from compensation.

Mr Frew said: “They will not know where they stand until a year after the new railway has begun operating.

“HS2 will then assess the impact of the line on the property, see whether the concern can be mitigated or addressed, and only if it can’t will they pay out an as yet unspecified amount.

“It is these land and property owners who will have the whole thing hanging over them for years and years.”

During which all sorts of works would be going on around them – new roads, new service roads, bridges, tunnels, flyovers, soil dumps, temporary quarries and much more besides. “Potentially the road works are going to be more of a nuisance than the railway itself. The original promise was that all this would be self-contained within the zone but that no longer seems to be the case.”

And Mr Frew gave as an example the trials of a client caught up in it all.

Originally they were inside the zone but following route changes eventually found themselves just outside. And on top of all the disruption some sort of temporary barrack block for construction workers may now be erected on their doorstep. Another client family will have a new road bridge erected outside their kitchen window.

“Unsurprisingly they are not happy,” added Mr Frew.

The top 150 saw revenues increase to £88.8bn from £83.8bn last year, and £79.6bn the year previous. Yorkshire’s biggest businesses also boosted future growth by investing an extra £500m to take the total to almost £3bn in the reporting period – a huge step in the right direction.

But conditions are still tough, with operating profits going the other way by falling 3% to £4.34bn this year, a reduction of £140m.

Ian Beaumont, partner and head of BDO LLP in Yorkshire, said: “Weak consumer spending and continued uncertainty in the Eurozone – still Yorkshire’s biggest overseas market – combined with squeezed margins and intensified competition, have contributed to the drop in operating profits.

“But there are strong signs that the region is lifting its head from the recessionary mire; we have a lot to be positive about.”

BDO’s Beaumont is right. According to the Yorkshire Report 2013, an extra 10,000 people have been taken on in the reporting period, with a total of 480,000 now employed by the group of 150 companies.

Businesses have also increased gearing – the proportion of a company’s net debt compared with its equity capital – from 33% to 38%[1], a reversal of last year’s downward trend which, says Beaumont, is a “good sign they are becoming less focused on paying down debt and more conscious of a future worth investing in”.

The Yorkshire Report 2013, now in its seventh year, compiles the latest published accounts from Yorkshire’s largest top 150 businesses based on revenue, analysing trends and acting as a barometer of health for the region.

Of the 150 companies analysed, 122 made a profit – another positive uplift from the 117 last year and 105 the year previous. The retail sector was the largest contributor to both revenue and profits. Food retailers Asda/Walmart and Morrisons continue to dominate, accounting for £39.5bn of the £88.8bn turnover, with other retailers contributing a further £4.5bn to the economy.

More than 20% of businesses in the top 150 were manufacturers, which contributed the second largest revenue at more than £9bn. In third place – by revenue – was the construction and real estate sector (£7bn plus).

Newcomers to the list include food manufacturers Symington’s following its acquisition of Victoria Foods and Sheffield-based Fennel Acquisiton, owner of Fletchers Bakeries. In the construction and real estate sector, Sewells Group, Howarth Timber and Marshall Holdings made the top 150 list for the first time, as did recession-friendly scrap metal exporter Van Dalen UK.

The BDO report finds that West Yorkshire is home to half of the largest companies, followed by South Yorkshire (23%), East Yorkshire (15%) and North Yorkshire (12%). Leeds is the most represented city with 28 companies in the top 150, followed by 19 companies based in Sheffield, then Bradford (17) and Hull (15).

Looking further away from home, the percentage of sales to Europe fell slightly as a result of a challenging Eurozone backdrop. But the region performed better in terms of exports to the rest of the world, with the value of goods exported up by 11% to £5.57bn. More promisingly still, sales to emerging markets rose sharply, with exports to Asia up 47% and Africa up 45%.

Likewise, international companies have their eyes on Yorkshire. Overseas acquisitions were again a feature of the year, with more than a third of the top 150 now owned by international companies.

Ian Beaumont, head of BDO LLP in Yorkshire, commented on the report’s findings saying: “Businesses have made a marked step change in their ways of working; they are starting to take bold moves as part of their growth strategies. With increased investment levels, growth in overseas markets and an itching up of gearing, it seems the biggest companies are more confident in having a future worth investing in.

“The results of the top 150 companies have set a mood for growth; they act as a barometer for mid-market corporates and ambitious businesses across the region. The market is still tough but businesses that continue to adapt and react to the world we live in should be encouraged by their growth prospects in the future.”

Taunton-based Razzle Dazzle Ices produced a one-off limited edition plum-flavoured dairy free sorbet – entitled ‘A Plum Job’ – especially for the award-winning communications agency, which was presented in style using Living The Cream’s distinctive vintage ice cream trike, seen across the South West at weddings, parties and corporate events.

“Reaching our third birthday is a big milestone for us as a business, and we wanted to do something very special in collaboration with other businesses to mark the occasion” said Karen Morledge, founder and director of Plum.

“We’re delighted that both Living The Cream and Razzle Dazzle Ices were able to team with us to celebrate our birthday in such a fun way. The business community in Somerset and the South West is a vibrant one and recently completing an Innovation Learning Programme with other forward-thinking businesses enabled some joint ideas like this to come to fruition”.

Jonathan Fletcher, owner of Living The Cream in Somerton, said:
“When given the opportunity to work with both Plum and Razzle Dazzle Ices I jumped at the chance. I’m a big believer of supporting local business wherever possible and already have built relationships with both of these fantastic companies through the power of social media”.

Plum was founded in May 2010 and specialises in property, housing and tourism PR and marketing, boasting a diverse client base throughout the South West including Spectrum Housing Group, Summerfield Developments, North Somerset Council and a range of SMEs in various sectors. Last year Plum was named an ‘Outstanding Small Consultancy’ at the PRide Awards hosted by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).

Karen, who heads up a team which also includes Ben Veal (Senior Account Manager), Catherine McCoy (Account Manager), Jennifer Hird (PR Consultant) and Rob Hicks (Digital Consultant), adds:

“We really have grown from strength to strength as an agency over the past three years, doubling our turnover in the last year, bolstering our team with experienced communicators and expanding our client base. The sky really is the limit for where we go from here”.

The property, which is a 3,945 sq ft mid-terraced Grade II* listed building, is situated on the west side of Great James Street, WC1.

BNP Paribas Real Estate’s senior director of City agency, Chris Williams-Ellis, said: “We received an extraordinary level of interest in this property; it offered the purchaser the opportunity to convert this largely untouched 18th C building back to its original residential use. The building was sold without planning permission at a level three times its existing office use value.”

The arts and crafts retailer has taken the 12,002sqft store, its first in East Sussex, after agreeing a new 15-year lease with break after year 11at a rent of £21per sq ft. Works are now underway to refurbish the unit. Hobbycraft will open at the beginning of August.

Admiral Retail Park has an A1(non-food and clothing) planning consent, also occupied by Homebase, Argos Extra, Pets At Home, Wickes, McDonalds and Pizza Hut, alongside a Tesco food store.
Hobbycraft was represented by Wilkinson Williams