A local family-run student accommodation business has expanded with the introduction of a new head office in Lincoln.
After 10 years running their Lincoln Digs arm from their North Hykeham office, commercial building specialists Franklin & Hall have purchased a separate head office at 71 Carholme Road.
The business currently provides housing to around 270 students across the city, and the company say the move will bring them closer to their tenants.
Franklin & Hall Joint Owner Jason Hall said: “We needed somewhere very close to the university for the students to call in if they have any issues with their property and 71 Carholme Road ticked all the right boxes for us.
“It’s very local for them just to pop in. We were Hykeham based but we found that it was too far out and we needed to be nearer the university.
“We have been 100% let every year for the last ten years. Recently we found many landlords asking if we could let their property and that’s where we came up with the idea of Lincoln Digs. We started up as a letting agent and things have gone from strength to strength.”
Chartered Surveyors Hodgson Elkington facilitated the deal. Associate Lewis Cove added: “The acquisition of 71 Carholme Road by Franklin & Hall suited their expansion plans perfectly. I believe this property will serve Franklin & Hall well over the future years.”
Artists in Lincoln are being invited to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta by designing and painting a special Baron sculpture which will be displayed in the city centre.
Lincoln Business Improvement Group (BIG) is hoping to host 25 Barons in time for Magna Carta Weekend (June 13 and 14), with the sculptures staying in place through to mid-September.
Artists are invited to design and paint a 1.6m high Baron Sculpture to a design they would like to propose, or in response to the suggestions of individual sponsors.
Lincoln BIG has teamed-up with Wild in Art to devise a special Charter Trail, with the Barons placed at various locations across the city centre.
A similar trail using the same sculptures will also take place in Salisbury and on October 1, the Barons will be auctioned with proceeds going to the Trussell Trust who support the Lincoln Food Bank.
Baron template. Photo Lincoln BIG
Lincoln BIG Chief Executive Matt Corrigan said: “We think this is going to be a fabulous fun trail and we can’t think of a better way for a business to promote itself during what promises to be a key year in Lincoln’s history.
“Ten sponsors have already rushed to reserve their Barons, so we encourage other businesses to act fast so that they don’t miss out. We are planning a high-profile marketing campaign promoting the trail through printed leaflets and also online.
“Ideally we would love to get to 25 Barons, which is the number who actually made King John agree to the Magna Carta, but we will need sufficient sponsors to achieve this.”
Baron designs must be submitted by midnight on Friday March 6 to sharon@lincolnbig.co.uk.
The former Superbowl site in Lincoln off Tritton Road has been sold to investors for an undisclosed sum.
As previously reported, the building went up for sale in September and the company later announced the closure, resulting in 18 job losses.
A renowned local investor and developer has now purchased the 2.7 acre site on Valentine Retail Park. The developer has not been disclosed and is currently unable to provide any information with regard to their future intentions for the site.
Tom Strawson of Banks Long & Co, who handled the sale, said: “It was super to be able to secure a sale of this especially large edge of city centre site and we were pleasantly surprised by the strong amount of interest generated from, not only the local and regional market, but from purchasers from London and further afield.
“This certainly shows that the market is somewhat improving and we are particularly optimistic for the forthcoming few years.
“We believe there are number of available future options for the site, which are all being considered. We would expect to hear an exciting announcement in due course.”
The building was originally owned by Odeon Cinemas before they moved onto the Brayford and it became Superbowl.
The property is currently held on a 125-year long lease which was granted on May 3, 1995. The ground rent payable under the lease is a peppercorn and the freehold interest is owned by the City of Lincoln Council.
Last weekend was a weekend women across the country had been anticipating for months. A day sure to fill them with passion and desire, while stirring up feelings sure to make any relationship feel new again. Surprisingly, I am not referring to Valentine’s Day. In fact, I’m actually talking about the cinematic debut of Fifty Shades of Grey.
Announced back in 2012, the film adaptation of the best-selling erotic novel quickly became a talking point for fans of the book series (and those interested in getting a visual education of BDSM without the taboo).
It wasn’t just film-goers who were hoping to revitalise their relationships through the film. Businesses around the globe took note of the film’s pre-release popularity and made the most of it to create a buzz about themselves.
Some obvious and some unexpected; below are a few examples of how companies made the most the Fifty Shades of Grey hype in their marketing:
Condom companies were expected to use Fifty Shades of Grey in their marketing campaigns in the run up to the film – and Durex and Trojan didn’t disappoint.
Here, Trojan went down the viral video route and treated YouTubers with a short parody reminding people that they “don’t need to go to extremes to have extremely good sex” – and, as a result, reached over 375,000 people.
Durex also jumped on the 50 Shades promotional bandwagon by launching a #50GamesToPlay hashtag on Twitter. The idea was to offer couple’s 50 ideas on how to spice up their relationship, all of which are a bit tamer than what’s offered in the book series.
Here, American comedian Vanessa Bayer teamed with Audi to create another 50 Shades parody that pokes fun at the book and film’s iconic elevator scene while also referencing how, in the story, Mr. Grey purchases each of his girlfriends an Audi. A great tie-in that resulted in nearly 1 million YouTube views in less than a week.
Kudos to the marketing folks behind the next two examples because they took Fifty Shades of Grey and, despite the connection not being immediately clear, turned it into a tremendous opportunity to reach new customers, make news headlines and create a bit of buzz.
Here, Carpetright took to the web to offer 50 Shades fans a chance to take part in their Between The Sheets With Mr Grey competition, which offered a chance to win a new mattress and luxury bed linen.
Carpetright’s website description for the competition even said:
“To celebrate the launch of the Fifty Shades of Grey movie, Carpetright are offering you the chance to win a brand new Sealy Ultimate Support Mattress (in grey!) delivered to your home, complete with luxury bed linen from Secret Linen Store. Bring some sensuality into your bedroom, and seduce your partner this Valentines Day. (If you need any help with the above then just have a re-watch of the movie trailer!)”
The Fifty Shades stunt that seemed to get the most publicity though, surprisingly, came from DIY hardware giant, B&Q.
Less than a week before the film’s release, an employee memo was “leaked” to The Telegraph encouraging staff to get familiar with Fifty Shades of Grey and its concepts to prepare for the customer queries about rope, cable ties and tape.
In the “memo”, B&Q staff informed that:
“Preview footage depicts a notable scene from the book where Christian Grey visits a hardware store to purchase rope, cable ties and tape. Rather than bought for home improvement purposes, these products are intended to fulfil Mr Grey’s unconventional sexual pursuits.”
And then:
“All staff are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the content of Fifty Shades of Grey by reading the novel or watching the film upon its release. Copies of the book will be delivered to each store and can be lent to staff on a one week basis. Understanding the storyline and how some products that B&Q stock feature in the film will better prepare staff for incoming queries.
“Queries may be unusual and sensitive in nature but staff are reminded of B&Q’s commitment to assist customers in a polite, helpful and respectful manner. A level of discretion is also advised.”
The story ended up receiving hundreds of placements, including stories with The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent and Yahoo, among many others. And then, just a day later, B&Q made headlines again by coming forward and saying that the initial story was a hoax – which ended up garnering even more media coverage for the retailer.
The Lincoln Paperchase store display.
Even during a quick walk along Lincoln’s High Street, it was easy to spot marketing centred around 50 Shades, including Paperchase’s “Fifty Shades of Earl Grey – Teas Me” campaign, which is being used to push the company’s Valentine’s Day stock this year; as well as Lush’s “Shades of Earl Grey” massage bar which fuses earl grey and citrusy scents.
Butcher’s advertising.
But High Street chains weren’t the only ones in Lincoln getting involved in the Fifty Shades madness. A local butcher even got involved, displaying this tenuous, but funny, tie-in to the film.
So what can Lincoln businesses learn from these creative tie-ins? It’s that staying in tune with what Britain is reading and watching is key to reaching new audiences and selling them what you want to sell with a message that they want to hear.
How did your business market itself this Valentine’s Day? Did you tie into Fifty Shades of Grey?
I’d love to know, so message me on Twitter @WeAreLava.
The speed limit for agricultural vehicles in Lincolnshire is due to increase from 20mph to 25mph for March 9.
The change has been announced by Transport Minister Claire Perry, who also said the maximum combined weight of a tractor and trailer is to increase from 24.39 tonnes to 31 tonnes.
The change could also increase the amount of produce that some farmers can carry in a journey, resulting in fewer journeys.
Claire Perry MP, said: “These increases, which I expect to create over £57 million a year in deregulatory savings for the farming industry will, when in force, update our regulations to better reflect modern machinery and bring British farmers more in line with their international counterparts.”
Photo: John Deere
Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which represents farmers, landowners and rural businesses across Lincolnshire is backing the initiative.
CLA East Regional Director Ben Underwood said: “It is good to see a burden on the efficiency of agricultural businesses being removed in order to improve the competitiveness of our farmers.
“The changes more appropriately reflect the capabilities of modern agricultural machinery and bring the UK in line with our competitors in other EU member states.
“It is worth noting as well that these changes will also go a long way towards making our rural roads safer by potentially reducing the amount of overtaking that takes place.
“We will press for further changes, especially related to the weight limit for heavier trailers. It is time to make sure the law reflects the major advance in scale and sophistication of agricultural machinery that has taken place over the years.”
Controversial Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been invited to speak by the organisers of this year’s British Human Computer Interaction Conference, held in Lincoln.
The previous editor-in-chief of the website Wikileaks, which Assange co-founded in 2006 after an earlier career in hacking and programming, will appear by video link on July 17.
The British Human Computer Interaction Conference will take place from July 13-17 on the University of Lincoln’s Brayford Campus.
The event has been organised by the University of Lincoln’s Social Computing research centre in conjunction with the BCS Interaction Specialist Group.
Professor Shaun Lawson, Director of Lincoln’s Social Computing research centre, said: “The conference has invited Julian Assange to speak to delegates as he has a range of views, experiences and knowledge relevant to the conference themes of digital civics, online democracy and citizens’ relationships with authority and government.
“This conference will set the agenda in the UK and internationally around the design of future interactive digital systems.”
The conference will focus on our evolving digital society and is inspired by the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta in 1215.
Professor Lawson added: “The overarching conference theme reflects the increasing public consciousness of how interactive technologies fundamentally affect our privacy, rights, and relationships with authority, government and commerce.”
The university organisers say that at this stage it has not been decided whether tickets will be made available for members of the general public. This will be decided nearer the time.
Researchers wanting to be involved or submit papers can find more information on the conference website.
Construction group Willmott Dixon has been appointed to undertake the groundworks and installation of the £75,000 Lincoln Tank Memorial on Tritton Road roundabout.
The UK-wide company is donating £15,000 worth of labour for the installation of the memorial to celebrate the 100th anniversary of William Foster & Co Ltd’s work to create the first tank prototype.
The memorial, which will be unveiled on May 10, will also include the figures of Tritton, Rigby and Wilson who were the designers, developers and manufacturers of the tank.
Nick Heath, operations director for the East Midlands at Willmott Dixon, said: “This is a significant installation for Lincoln and it’s important we acknowledge the city’s tank building heritage.
“We decided to support this fantastic community-led project to ensure the tank memorial leaves a legacy for everyone to enjoy for years to come.”
Joe Cooke MBE, Chairman of the Memorial Group, added: “We are delighted to be working with Willmott Dixon; the cost of the groundworks has proved to be much more expensive than originally anticipated and without the support of Willmott Dixon the project might well have been delayed.”
As previously reported, Lincoln-based Rilmac Fabrication has been contracted to manufacture the memorial, which will be revealed on May 10.
Lincoln residents’ objections are mounting in reaction to plans to build a new restaurant overlooking Brayford Pool in the city centre.
Around a dozen people have written to City of Lincoln Council to object to plans for a new £1 million two-storey restaurant and bar opposite Chimichanga on Brayford Wharf North.
Applicants Investors in Lincoln have set out plans for the 529 sq metre development, which would be similar in appearance to the Wagamama restaurant which opened in 2012.
The restaurant would replace the viewing platform which has been closed since late last year due to safety concerns.
If planning permission is granted, Investors in Lincoln hope the project will be completed within a year.
The current viewing platform on the Brayford site. Photo: The Lincolnite
One of the objectors to the project is Lincoln resident Mike Riley.
He said: “Any further development will totally spoil the waterfront. It will make it feel enclosed and however it is designed, it is certainly not going to improve the panorama of Brayford Pool.”
Image: STEM Architects
In addition to the objections received by the city council, a Lincoln man has started an online petition against the plans, which has received over 300 signatures.
Campaigner Calum Watt has petitioned City of Lincoln Council and the Brayford Trust arguing that the project is ‘misplaced’.
He said: “The viewing platform in the centre has been the site of countless romantic liaisons, memorable images, and a site of quiet contemplation in the midst of a busy metropolis.
“Although we applaud the council’s efforts to create jobs in the city, we feel this project is highly misplaced and the benefits of doing so in the short term may be out-weighed in the long term by creating a carbuncle on our waterfront in place of a cherished local landmark.”
Other people who have signed the petition include Benjamin Higgott, who lives in the flats directly above the building.
He said: “It’s going to ruin my view and that of anyone walking down the waterfront.”
Steven Dixon, of North Hykeham added: “The Brayford Pool is Lincoln’s down hill ‘Jewel in the crown’. An additional building will hinder views from the waterfront, a place where visitors and residents enjoy for leisure.
“This building will spoil this area of natural beauty based on short sighted unbalanced commercial gain as argued by the Brayford Trust.”
David Rossington, Chief Executive of Investors in Lincoln, the regeneration group which works with the Brayford Trust, believes the development is ‘for the public good’ to help protect the Pool for future generations.
He said: “Brayford Pool needs constant maintenance if it is to survive and prosper. As the Brayford Trust is a charity that receives no income from the public purse, or from the many businesses surrounding the pool, it relies primarily on rental income from moorings, with the Wagamama restaurant now providing some additional funds.
“Following discussions with a range of interests, and taking particular note of the historical significance of the Brayford Pool, the trust came to the conclusion that there was scope for one more restaurant along Brayford Wharf North that could add additional funds for the maintenance of the Brayford.
“I must stress that there would be no private gain from this development, and there are no plans for more building on Brayford Wharf North.”
Lincoln saw a sharp rise in the number of house sales last year, according to new research by Lloyds Bank.
House sales in the city increased by 27% in the first 10 months of 2014, compared with the same period in 2013.
The figure is higher than the average national rise of 21% from 2013 to 2014. However, it is still 22% down on the number of house sales in the city before the recession in 2007.
The Lloyds Bank report, based on Land Registry data covering England and Wales, also reveals that the East Midlands saw the biggest year-on-year increase in house sales in last year, recording a 26% upswing.
Source: Land Registry, January to October
Northamptonshire market town Daventry has seen the biggest rise in sales, recording a 56% increase in the period. Alfreton, in Derbyshire, is second, with house sales rising by 53%.
Andy Hulme, Mortgages Director at Lloyds Bank, said: “The recovery in the housing market continued in 2014 with sales rising further in almost all areas of the country.
“Low interest rates, improvements in the UK economy and government schemes, such as Help to Buy, all appear to have contributed to the rise in home sales.
“Despite these improvements, sales both nationally and regionally are still significantly below their pre-recession levels.”
Proposals to close a vegetable packing factory in Swinderby near Lincoln could lead to around 90 job losses for the area.
Despite only acquiring the site in Swinderby in October 2014, Produce World Group announced that it proposes to close this factory as well as the site in Butterwick near Boston.
The closure of the two factories would total around 340 job losses and comes as the company announced plans for restructuring the business.
The company confirmed that this is in a bid to consolidate the business and run it from the Isleham site in Cambridgeshire.
It plans to form a joint venture with Lincolnshire Field Products (LFP) based in Whykeham near Spalding. The site would be responsible for all growing and harvesting, as well as all processing and packing, creating 60 jobs.
The joint venture with LFP will mean that the Produce World Group will have an overall turnover of around £250 million, and will be the biggest grower and supplier of fresh vegetables in the UK. Around £10 million will be invested across the Wykeham and Isleham sites.
The company has entered into consultation with staff and their representatives at the Swinderby site.
Neil Fraser, Produce World Group Executive Chairman, said: “We are very much aware of the impact that the proposed closures will have on our colleagues at Butterwick and Swinderby, and we have considered and will consider every possible option before implementing these proposals.
“Both sites will remain open for a number of months and we will do everything we can to help colleagues to find alternative employment including jobs within the Produce World Group.”
Construction company Willmott Dixon has been appointed to deliver the £25 million transport hub proposed in Lincoln.
The hub is a City of Lincoln Council commitment which, depending on the security of extra funding and planning approval, would see work begin by the end of the year.
As well as plans to open a new office in Lincoln, Willmott Dixon’s hub contract would see them improving the city’s transport infrastructure and modernising the city centre.
As part of the project, Willmott Dixon will construct a new bus station, improve the current train station, create a dual-purpose footbridge to link St Mary’s Street and Tentercroft Street and deliver a 1,000 space multi-storey car park.
The project will be delivered by the city council in partnership with Lincolnshire Co-op and Network Rail, working with East Midlands Trains and Lincolnshire County Council.
Alongside Willmott Dixon, other local consultants involved include: John Roberts Architects Ltd, Morgan Tucker Consulting Engineers and Globe Consultants Ltd.
The contractor’s site team of approximately 80 will deliver the work, including the demolition of existing structures surrounding the bus and rail stations, such as the current pedestrian footbridge and platform footbridge over the railway – which are both currently unfit for purpose.
They will be removed in preparation for the construction of the transport hub’s dual purpose footbridge.
Willmott Dixon will deliver the transport hub through the Scape National framework, meaning that the contractor will source local labour throughout the project, and materials will be sourced locally.
Job opportunities and apprenticeships will be created in the region as a result of the project .
David Reid, operations manager at Willmott Dixon said: “Following on from Willmott Dixon’s recent appointment on the Lincoln University Technical College, we are pleased to have been appointed by the City of Lincoln Council to work in partnership with them to deliver this most prestigious and important development for the people of Lincoln.”
Nick Heath, operations director for the East Midlands at Willmott Dixon, added: “The regeneration of the city centre, which the transport hub is part of, will benefit residents, businesses and visitors – and importantly help to prepare the growing city for further development.
“The creation of the transport hub will help to unlock the west side retail and Lindum Gate developments, creating a more accessible and fluid way for people to travel through the city.
“Features of the project such as the new footbridge will make the city easier to travel through for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike.”
The company were also recently awarded a contract to install the £75,000 Lincoln Tank Memorial on Tritton Road, which will be unveiled on May 10.
A Lincoln pharmacy is offering an improved service to its customers after undergoing a healthy living refurbishment.
Burton Road Pharmacy has become the latest Lincolnshire Co-op pharmacy to get a revamp, with work comprising of an improved consultation room, new signage inside and out and a larger dispensary.
Pharmacy Manager Jaime Moreno said: “The pharmacy is a brighter, nicer space now with a more open-plan layout and that makes us more approachable to customers.
“We’d encourage anyone thinking about making healthy lifestyle changes to come in and have a chat – pharmacists are qualified to give advice on a whole range of things, including healthy diet, alcohol consumption and giving up smoking.
“We have lots of great resources to help our customers and it can often be much quicker and easier than making a doctor’s appointment.”
Pharmacy staff Shauna Cathcart, Jaime Moreno, Gillian Berry, Suzanne Ford and Rebecca Bustin.
All 48 Lincolnshire Co-op pharmacies offer free health checks including blood pressure, BMI and lung age, as well as providing the NHS New Medicine Service and Medicine Use Reviews.
Lincolnshire Co-op’s Head of Pharmacy Alastair Farquhar said: “The refit will provide our pharmacists and pharmacy advisors with a better environment in which to offer our wealth of services.
“Our free health checks are a great way to make sure patients are aware of any health issues that they may have and provide a warning to improve their lifestyle if necessary.”
Up to 30 members of staff at Dynex Semiconductor Ltd in Lincoln will lose their jobs after the company admitted financial difficulties.
The firm, based on Doddington Road in Lincoln, say that the job losses are a result of the cancellation of a major contract and the return of product.
In late November 2014, a customer reported a problem with equipment that contained Dynex components.
The company say further investigation was conducted and notice was given to resolve the issue. Despite this, the customer cancelled their contract in January 2015.
The customer also cancelled a related contract that Dynex say had already been place for deliveries.
Dynex said it was expecting its revenue for 2014 to be around (Canadian) $47.1 million, however the contract cancellation resulted in a reduction in revenue of C$5 million.
With the additional loss of profit and costs, the company is now forecasting a net loss for the year of C$5.6 million.
Li Donglin, the Chairman of Dynex said: “The cancellation of such a major contract at such a late time has not given Dynex management any time to respond to it and has destroyed what looked like being a much better set of results in 2014.
“CSR Times Electric is providing its full support to the Dynex team in their efforts to recover from this cancellation so that the business can continue its return to profitability.”
The job cuts as a result of the blow will see the Lincoln members of staff reduced from 351 to 321.
Employees have been informed of the decision to cut up to 30 jobs, and a spokesperson outlined the message sent out to them: “The company is currently experiencing difficulties due to the financial impact of the recently announced cancellation of a major contract and the return of product to the company.
“The result of this is that the business cannot sustain its current manufacturing cost base.
“We have examined various ways that we can make cost savings: however, in order for the business to continue to be viable, the numbers of employees that we can sustain in the foreseeable future must be reduced.
“Regrettably therefore we will now have to consider the loss of up to 30 job roles and we will now commence consultation with the recognised union Unite.”
Dynex designs and makes high power bipolar semiconductors, insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules and electronic assemblies.
A Lincoln Nepalese and Indian takeaway has been named and shamed for neglecting to pay minimum wage to one of its workers.
Everest Xpress Ltd, based on Lincoln High Street, failed to pay £657.03 to an employee in order to meet the legal minimum wage requirement (£6.50 per hour for people over 21).
It is one of 70 companies across the country named by the Government on Tuesday, February 24.
Between them, the 70 employers owed staff over £157,000 in under-payments
The Government has already named 92 employers since the new naming regime came into force in October 2013, bringing the total to 162.
Business Minister Jo Swinson said: “Paying less than the minimum wage is illegal, immoral and completely unacceptable.
“Naming and shaming gives a clear warning to employers who ignore the rules, that they will face reputational consequences as well as financial penalties of up to £20,000 if they don’t pay the minimum wage.
Martin Smith, GMB National Organiser, said: “Naming and shaming these 70 employers is to be welcomed as far too few wage dodging employers not paying the national minimum wage have been brought to justice.”
The companies that have been named were thoroughly investigated by HM Revenue & Customs. Employers have a duty to be aware of the different legal rates for the national minimum wage which can be found one the government website.
Update: February 24, 12pm
Kamal, owner of Everest Xpress Ltd said: “We have made national minimum wages but we did not keep a signature for cash payments, which caused this issue. We have learned biggest lesson from this and will improve system accordingly.”
The City of Lincoln Council has launched a new campaign encouraging employers in Lincoln to pay the living wage.
The project was unveiled at the Lincoln Against Poverty Conference held on Tuesday, February 25 at Alive Church.
The living wage, calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK, is currently £7.85 outside of London. It is different to the National Minimum Wage set by HMRC, which stands at £6.50.
A Lincoln Living Wage Forum, made up of partner organisations in the city, has been formed and the new campaign aims to show the benefits to both the employee and the employer.
Businesses that join the living wage campaign will be able to use a ‘Making Lincoln Living Wage’ accreditation logo.
The logo features three stars, one to show that they are a living wage employer, one to show they use living wage suppliers, and the other to show they employ staff responsibly.
Anyone wishing to find out more information on the scheme can do so by calling 01522 873325.
It is not a condition that organisations have to meet all three criteria to be involved.
City Councillor and Council Leader Ric Metcalfe. Photo: Stuart Wilde
Councillor Ric Metcalfe, Leader of City of Lincoln Council, announced the campaign and said that paying the living wage was ‘the right and sensible thing’ for employers to do.
Councillor Metcalfe said: “It’s immensely important that employers in Lincoln pay the living wage not only for the general good but also for the good of themselves.
“There is a solid business case to be made for decent wage levels because it will mean it’s easier for employers to recruit and retain staff for longer. Equally, all the evidence points to the fact that employers will have a smaller turnover of staff and their employees will take fewer sick days.
“The living wage also saves the public purse money as low pay is heavily subsidised by the state through the tax credit and benefit system at significant cost.
“On a wider economic level, we need to drive demand up so that people are far more able to spend what they earn. Low income groups will spend most if not all of their income in the local economy so that will have a beneficial effect to businesses in Lincoln as a direct result of employers paying better wages.”
Simon Walters, Assistant Director for Corporate Review and Development, added: “We can’t force employers to pay the living wage but what we can do is encourage them to do so and point out the economic benefits.
“There are moral benefits too – if you’ve got employees coming to work more worried about how they’re going to pay the bills and keep a roof over their head than having their mind on the job, then their commitment and dedication to their job is almost certainly not going to be what it could be.”
With his love of cars and motorbikes, there was only one option for Leo Dack’s career. Starting in the working world at the age of 15 straight after his GCSEs, he made the motor industry his life. So much so that he started his own business when he was 24 with nothing but his savings and an overdraft. Now Vauxalist is a thriving business with the 29-year-old director at the wheel.
Read Issue 17 of Lincolnshire Business magazine now.
Living a quiet life with his girlfriend Harriet and his two Labradoodles, Doodle and Deefor, Leo wasn’t always sure how his career would go. “At school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do but I knew that I always wanted to run my own business. My late dad used to have his own business. I grew up around it, but when I left school, I just wanted to get a job.
“I got work experience at a Vauxhall dealer and worked Saturdays and on half term in the parts department, the service department and eventually I worked in the workshop for a few years.”
Leo fought to build his knowledge within the profession by taking courses and training himself up. “I am quite good at teaching myself. Some of the guys were a bit funny about me picking stuff up quite quickly, so they withheld information from me a little bit. I went on all of the courses which helped a lot, as well as researching a lot of it by myself too.”
It wasn’t too long before he came up with his own business idea after another MOT garage opened up near where Leo used to work and he noticed a drop in business.
“My previous employer had another garage which was used for MOTs and bigger vans. I had an idea that we could open that up as a different name. People associated a dealer name as being expensive, so a different name would combat the new garage that had opened up.
“Everyone thought that it was a really good idea. I was so convinced that it would work, I had even gone to the boss saying ‘Look, we need to do this’ but he didn’t so I thought ‘Right, I will do it myself then!'”
Read the full cover interview in issue 17 of the Lincolnshire Business magazine here. Also, look out for the next issue on Friday.
The finalists have been announced for the first Lincolnshire Digital Awards, organised by Lincolnshire Business magazine and The Lincolnite.
Outstanding digital businesses from across the county are shortlisted for eight awards, which will be presented at a ceremony at the Doubletree by Hilton in Lincoln on March 10.
As recently announced, TV tech guru Jason Bradbury will be joining on the evening to congratulate the winners.
Dean Graham, Associate Publisher at Lincolnshire Business magazine, said: “We were delighted by the sheer number of nominations for the first ever Lincolnshire Digital Awards as well as the fantastic calibre of talent we clearly have within the county.
“A massive thanks must go to our panel of judges who have done a sterling job choosing the finalists given such a diverse range of nominees.
“We’d also like to thank Streets Accountants, Barclays bank, Think Tank, Onlincolnshire and the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce for their continued support as sponsors.”
To register your interest for a limited number of tickets, email laura@lma.co
Lincolnshire Co-operative is consulting on plans to redevelop the Cornhill Quarter in Lincoln city centre, which will see a combination of refurbishment, extensions and new development in the area.
In the first phase, Co-op is proposing to strip away the modern extensions to the existing Corn Exchange and create elegant shop fronts within the existing openings at ground floor level.
The main Grade II listed building will be subdivided and extended to create several shops and restaurants, which are hoped to appeal to both local and national traders.
Co-op also plans to revamp the 30a – 35 Sincil Street facades with new double-height glass shop fronts, which will make the buildings visible form the High Street once the modern extensions to the Corn Exchange are demolished.
Modern extensions to the Corn Exchange will be demolished, allowing views of the new facades from the High Street.
The redevelopment of the buildings on Sincil Street will create around 30,000 m² of new retail space and a new wide walkway to the 1,000 space car park planned by the City of Lincoln Council as part of the Lincoln Transport Hub alongside a new bus station next to the train station.
The former Blue Banana store, one of the unsightly modern extensions to the Grade II listed Corn Exchange.
In parallel, the City of Lincoln Council is developing proposals for its Market Hall after a study it commissioned recognised the future viability of the local market proposition. One of the ideas is to consolidate the markets and invest in the Central Market Building.
All these works are part of the Lindongate scheme to revamp Lincoln city centre over the next few years.
An overview of the Cornhill redevelopment as part of the wider Lindongate scheme. Click/Tap to zoom
Lincolnshire Co-operative Chief Executive Ursula Lidbetter said:“Reaching this stage has taken considerable time and effort on the part of the various teams involved. However, previous consultations have made it clear that our members and the wider public want and need the regeneration of this part of the city.
“It is imperative we get it right.”
“The progress already made on elements of the original Lindongate planning permission, such as the funding now secured for the transport hub, create a positive step for Lincoln.
“We believe that focusing now on The Cornhill Quarter, with the benefits it will bring local residents, businesses and visitors, will mean a desirable and deliverable change to the city.”
What do you think of the plans? Comments on the proposals can be made until 6pm on March 6 via the www.cornhillquarter.co.uk website, which is available from 9am on Friday, February 27.
A public consultation is also being held on Friday, February 27 between 10am and 6pm at 30a Sincil Street, Ln5 7ET for shoppers, residents and traders wishing to have their say.
Lincoln-based construction company Lindum Group have been named the top building company to work for.
At an awards ceremony for ‘The Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For,’ held at Battersea Events Arena, London on Thursday, February 26, Lindum Group were also ranked 18th overall.
The lists are compiled based on research from the largest survey of its kind. This year, 1055 organisations applied and 428,719 employees were surveyed
Robbie Kok, newly appointed Finance Director for the group said: “I know Lindum has an impressive track record of appearing in the Top 100 list for over 10 years and within the top 20 since 2008 however this is never something which is taken for granted.
“As the results are totally governed by what our employees say about the company, we take this very seriously as a measure of our performance and it helps identify areas where we can improve.”
Jane Beaumont, Payroll Manager at Lindum Group added: “What a brilliant experience to attend the awards ceremony. I have been employed at Lindum for the majority of my working life, some 25 years, and enjoy every minute. You really do feel part of ‘the Lindum family’, with genuine people who care about colleagues and take real pride in doing a good job.
“For Lindum to be recognised on this national stage amongst well known businesses such as Volvo, BMW and Beaverbrooks is a great achievement and truly reflects the fact that we are special!”
A plan to demolish the Monson Arms pub in Lincoln and build a care home in its place is expected to create some 50 jobs.
The Monson Arms pub site on Skellingthorpe Road has been earmarked by Ideal Care Homes Ltd for a purpose-built, three story residential care facility.
The company said around 50 jobs would be created; 86% would be full time and 14% part time.
The care home will have 56 rooms, each for single occupants with its own en-suite.
The site will also include landscaped gardens and be able to provide two types of care – general residential and residential dementia.
The planning proposal, which was submitted to the City of Lincoln Council stated: “The continued use of the building as a public house has become economically unviable, hence the sites’ sale by the owners.
“The building is dated and is not particularly suitable for conversion to an alternative use in its current form.”
Jo Sutcliffe, Planning Manager for LNT Construction who have submitted the plans on behalf of Ideal Care Homes Ltd, said: “The future residents of the home will be able to enjoy views out over the playing fields and will be able to partake in activities such as baking and crafts.
“The home will generate at least 15% of its energy from renewable sources, including a ground source heat pump, and lights are operated by movement sensors, which reduce energy usage.
“The home is designed to best enable the delivery of quality care and provide a positive lifestyle choice for local people who may be frail, elderly or living with dementia, many of whom will have spent their lives within the local community.”
