A new Vauxhall dealership will open officially on Tritton Road in Lincoln later this month after Pentagon Group brought the brand back to the city.
Vauxhall was previously represented by Charles Warner on Outer Circle Road.
Since the group’s agreement ended in January this year, Vauxhall drivers have had to travel to dealerships in Billinghay, Grimsby, Worksop, Mansfield, Nottingham or Boston to find an authorised Vauxhall repairer.
The site, located on Tritton Road, is already open and providing Vauxhall servicing and repairs, warranty work and genuine Vauxhall parts.
The showroom for new and used car and van sales will open later in the month with around 40-50 used Vauxhall cars on the forecourt.
Trevor Reeve, Pentagon Chairman, said: “Lincoln is a prime location for our business and we are delighted to be opening what we believe will quickly become a very successful Vauxhall dealership.
“The Lincoln Vauxhall business will fit in well with our strategy to grow our company where we can see potential and I think there’s huge potential here in Lincoln.
“People in this city have been without a Vauxhall dealership for far too long and my aim is to get the business up and running as quickly as possible so we can start to deliver the excellent customer service we’re already known for in other parts of the UK.”
The company are currently renting the space from The Co-operative Motor Group but will take over the whole site around the middle of August.
Even as the adrenaline is pumping as he snowboards down a mountainside in Andorra, Steff Wright, 53, is a very down to earth businessman – with a bit of a wild side. He started his working life as Dr Gusto – a mobile DJ, but after many years the name has transformed to Gusto Group, the company responsible for the new pioneering eco-homes in Lincoln.
When he left school at 16 with no qualifications, he made a brave decision to become a London DJ but quickly realised that wasn’t the life for him. Instead, Steff looked at other routes to continue doing what he loved. With no money, he moved back to Collingham and worked in a factory for six months while he earned money to buy his own DJ equipment. “That was my first business – doing mobile discos.”
Steff went back to college so that he could gain a qualification at the same time as running his mobile disco business. “Because I hadn’t done particularly well at school and I hadn’t got any qualifications, but I was always quite interested in learning, I went back to college and did two years to get my building diploma.
“The disco paid my way through two years at Basford Hall College but because I was DJing until 2am five nights a week, I was so tired, I often used to fall asleep in my car in the college car park missing big chunks of college work.”
Once Steff received his diploma, he started doing general building works during the day whilst still DJing at night. “It was about having a skill and being able to earn a living. Being a builder seemed like a good thing to do.
“In the early days we were just doing extensions for people and general building work but I always had an enthusiasm for new ideas. I try to look at what I can do and I try to do something a bit different.”
After a while, business was booming and it reached a point where he needed to contract some of his friends in order to help keep up with the workload. It continued to grow until, all of a sudden, Steff realised that he was no longer a one man band and that, actually, he already had a company – he just needed to name it. “My mother came up with the name for the disco which was Dr. Gusto’s Disco – When I formally set up the building business I decided to stick with the Gusto name.”
The big break
In 1998, Steff’s big ideas just kept coming. He was always interested in ideas that were that little bit different. “I bought a site in Collingham and I got planning for 24 houses on it. It was at a time where the government was really pushing the whole idea of sustainability.
“As a word, ‘sustainability’ is not something that I had really heard of before. I had built new houses and I had done lots of barn conversions and renovation jobs. Then all of a sudden, I got this opportunity to buy a decent size site, which was then the biggest development we’d done.
“Because the government was pushing the idea of builders thinking about building with new technologies, I thought that that would be a great site to do it on.”
The full cover interview with Steff Wright is available to read in full here. Look out for the next edition of Lincolnshire Business magazine, which is published every Friday.
Out-of-use farm buildings in a village near Lincoln have been earmarked for conversion into new start-up business units.
An application has been lodged with North Kesteven District Council to bring new jobs and businesses to 22,000 sq ft of employment space on land at Kirk’s Yard on Mere Road in Branston.
The planning application was submitted by Hodgson Elkington Chartered Surveyors, on behalf of local landowners for the area known as Tinsley Farms.
The site, which is adjacent to Branston Potatoes Ltd, would be accessed via Mere Road.
Proposals include the construction of 14 new light industrial use units, which would be rented to local enterprises.
Floor areas for individual units would be between 500 and 1,250 sq ft.
Images: Robert Doughty Consultancy Limited
The plans also propose the change of use of an existing 10,000 sq ft building from agriculture to B1 light industry.
There is also further potential to expand on land within the site.
The units are planned to be constructed on land off Mere Road, adjacent to Branston Potatoes Ltd. Photo: Google Earth
Hodgson Elkington Senior Partner, Sam Elkington, said: “The proposed conversion and change of use of the existing buildings is a good way to bring back into commercial use redundant farm buildings.
“The 14 proposed new-build units will range in size from 500 sq ft to 1,250 sq ft each and will provide a good mix of employment space for the area.
“We saw strong demand for a similar scheme at Bracebridge Heath, which let very quickly and has remained full since it was completed. We feel that with the improving economic environment that there is demand for further new-build space.
“With the expansion of Branston as a village which is taking place with the new proposed residential developments, we feel it is important that there is a complementary offering of employment opportunities.
“The proposal appears to be well received and it is anticipated, if and when planning consent is granted, that construction will start on the units quickly thereafter.”
Other developments in the planning pipeline for the Mere Road area include a 198 home estate and associated infrastructure.
Bank of England governor Mark Carney forecasted that UK interest rates could rise at the turn of the year on his visit to Lincoln on July 16.
In a speech at Lincoln Cathedral highlighting the relevance of Magna Carta, 800 years on, Carney indicated that the 0.5% borrowing costs which have been in place for six years were about to come to an end.
Interest rates in the UK have not risen since the global financial crash but the governor said that he expected rates to rise over the next three years, reaching “about half as high as historical averages”, or about 2% by 2018.
However, any such changes to interest rates are determined by the performance of the UK’s economy in upcoming years.
Carney said: “Short term interest rates have averaged around 4.5% since around the Bank’s inception three centuries ago.
“It would not seem unreasonable to me to expect that once normalisation begins, interest rate increases would proceed slowly and rise to a level in the medium term that is perhaps about half as high as historic averages.
“In my view, the decision as to when to start such a process of adjustment will likely come into sharper relief around the turn of this year.”
The governor also explained in his hour-long speech how Magna Carta and its economic context still partly shapes the Bank of England’s decisions.
He added: “The enduring legacy of Magna Carta is how its strictures on unconstrained power are reflected in our systems of political and economic governance.
“Specifically, the costs of inflation were among the key economic catalysts of Magna Carta, and its core constitutional legacy – namely the importance of delegated authority, with clear lines of public accountability – is at the heart of the Bank of England’s institutional arrangements.
“In the spirit of Magna Carta, the Bank of England has been given a great responsibility: to deliver monetary stability for the good of the people of the United Kingdom.
“Our goal, the 2% inflation target, is set by the government, and we operate under constrained discretion in its pursuit.”
More than 35 jobs have been secured as the management team at Lincoln-based Pearson Hydraulics successfully purchased the company.
The acquisition, secured by Clydesdale Bank, comes after news that the majority shareholder was planning to retire.
Directors Rick Dring, Ian Smith and Paul Rushby, who have been in the management team for 11 years, completed the buyout of the 50-year-old firm for an undisclosed sum.
The business offers local and national customers a range of distributor products and services from simple components to full electro-hydraulic projects.
It has a various client base across the offshore, mobile and industrial sectors, and supplies manufacturers including Danfoss, Turolla, OMT, Luen, Intertraco, Sel, Webtec and Comatrol.
The company currently employs 36 people across both its Lincoln and Grantham sites, and is looking to add to its workforce both in technical and sales roles to keep a pace with growth across a variety of sectors.
There are also plans in place to launch a new ecommerce website in the coming months.
Rick Dring, Managing Director of Pearson Hydraulics, said: “Despite the change in ownership, it’s very much business as usual at Pearson Hydraulics. Indeed our company philosophy remains the same today as it did when we began in 1964.”
Richard Hallsworth, Partner at Nicholsons Chartered Accountants, who advised on the management buy-out, said: “We were able to assist the management team behind the scenes and are delighted that the transition didn’t affect day-to-day business. The team at Pearson Hydraulics were focused on ensuring continuity to their customers throughout this process.”
Chatty Imp, a ‘relationship marketing’ agency launched by a duo of Lincoln entrepreneurs, is offering all businesses in Lincolnshire a website on them.
The business, which is a new Lincoln-based agency set up by Peter Watson and Bradley McKenny, focusses on social media management and content creation.
In order to celebrate the launch, and get more businesses online, the team is offering companies in the county a free website.
Peter Watson, Marketing Director at Chatty Imp, said: “Many businesses are missing the opportunity of having a digital presence.
“We want to help local businesses succeed. Our way of building on the movement started by the Lincoln Technology Hub is to provide a free service, helping business owners promote their business on the web.”
The free website is available to any sized business, as long as the business is registered or operates from a Lincolnshire address.
Creative Director, Bradley McKenny, said: “The only cost to business owners is to purchase a domain name, which would be about £10 for the year and then we can build the free website.
“If anyone needs help with getting started, we’re happy to assist either by phone or email.”
A sample website has been created by Chatty Imp to demonstrate the offer.
For more information call Chatty Imp on 01522 71 61 71 or visit the website.
A Lincoln nightclub which has been renovated at a cost of £130,000 will be officially unveiled by TV personality and model Katie Price this week.
The ground floor of Home on Park Street, which opened in November 2011, has been given a completely fresh look as a result of the sizeable investment.
As well as changing the layout and theme of the lounge bar, the cocktail and food menus have also been modernised.
The newly refurbished area will be opened Katie Price, previously known as Jordan, on Friday, July 24, with customers having the chance to meet and have their photos taken with her.
Also appearing at the club over the next few months will be Eurovision and X Factor singer Karen Harding and Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills, who will cap off the summer sessions on September 18.
Michael Limming, Manager of Home, said: “We felt that it was time to give the lounge bar a new feel. The city has seen major investment in bars over the last two years and we wanted to give our customers a reason to keep visiting during the day and a nighttime.
“The cocktail menu basically just takes all the most current popular cocktails and combines them onto one menu. The food menu has a slight American twist, with lots of quirky burgers such as a waffle burger, and pizzas.”
Home is open on Monday and Wednesday from 11.30am to 6pm, on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11.30am to 3am and on Sunday from 9pm to 3am.
Historic Lincoln was one of the most successful areas for tourism last year as the county saw an increase in the value of the sector.
In 2014 more than 1.5 million people visited the city bringing £58.8 million to the economy through tourism alone – nearly an 8% rise on the previous year.
According to figures provided by Global Tourism Solutions, using a Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor (STEAM), Lincolnshire has seen a near 6% increase in the value of tourism compared to 2013, rising from £1.2 billion to £1.3 billion.
Councillor Colin Davie, Executive Member for Economic Development at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This is fantastic news for the county. Tourism is a key industry for Lincolnshire’s economy, and we’re working hard to attract even more visitors.
“These figures show that our efforts, and those of our partners, are paying dividends.
“I’m confident this trend will continue, and that next year’s figures will be even better as we see the impact of the new-look Lincoln Castle and Magna Carta 800 celebrations.”
“We welcome the government’s commitment to strengthening the UK’s tourism economy and are determined that Lincolnshire will be at the forefront.
“One of the key opportunities coming up is the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower in 2020.
“We’ll be working closely with partners to showcase the county’s connections to this important event, bringing new visitors in from across the globe.”
Former racing cyclist Dan Ellmore is not only steering a multi-pronged company which trades in both digital marketing and sportswear under the same umbrella, but he’s also this year climbing onto the saddle of one of the biggest names in British cycling event history.
The very recently married 42-year-old dad of two says that while he has always been zealous, his business career has been equally balanced with the pleasures of sporting and family life. Now the CEO of consultancy, technology and clothing enterprise Ellmore Group in Lincoln, Dan juggles the organisation of iconic British Cycling events and an ever-growing branding and marketing client base – while making his own mark in the road racing game.
After a childhood spent in the south of Lincoln, and a Saturday job working at Brian Spurr’s DIY shop in the city, Dan ventured off to De Montfort University in Leicester to study a degree in building surveying. “Leicester was so unlike Lincoln in so many different ways,” said Dan. “I knew before my final year in 1994 that I didn’t want to be a building surveyor. I was a pretty serious cyclist, and that played a big part in me changing my mind and coming back to Lincoln.”
While competitions were becoming more of a draw than his studies he decided to give some of today’s most iconic names a run for their money. “I ended up riding the Lincoln Grand Prix four times. I got to the point where, in road racing, I was riding the premier calendar series and I also got a bronze medal in the British Championships on the velodrome at Manchester.
“I rode in the Madison Championship and the winning pair were Bradley Wiggins and Rob Hayles, and Russell Downing was second with his partner (he’s won the Lincoln Grand Prix four times, Bradley Wiggins has won the Tour de France and Olympian Rob Hayles. They were all young and getting faster, but I think that’s about the point where I was going as quick as I could.”
Big ambitions
Dan attributes his passion for cycling, and introduction to business, to his father Ronald, who founded sports clothing company Impsport in 1971 alongside neighbour Alan Wright (whose eldest son Ian eventually made it as a professional for Great Britain) and British Telecom colleague at the time, Ian Emmerson (OBE).
“Dad and Ian worked together at British Telecom on Broadgate in Lincoln,” he explained. “They both loved their cycling and saw a big gap in the market for race clothing, and that’s how Impsport was formed.”
The company, which grew to be the UK’s largest manufacturer of custom cycling and athletics clothing for a number of different professional sports, became a stepping stool for Dan after graduating university and facing a crossroads in his cycling career. “My dad was about three years from retirement and he said to me, ‘you’re already a cyclist racing up and down the country for a sponsored team and the next best thing to being a full time bike rider would be to talk about bike riding all day’. I’d got inside knowledge of the kinds of teams and professionals we’d be dealing with, and of course it didn’t seem like work when it’s your passion. So I was sold.”
The full cover interview with Dan Ellmore is available to read in full here. Look out for the next edition of Lincolnshire Business magazine, which is published every Friday.
As unusual exhibition settings go, one upcoming business event will be like none other in Lincoln.
On the Roundabout, the first known event of its kind, is a creative business expo held on Tritton Road roundabout on Thursday, July 30 from 9am to 5pm.
The event is being organised by LMA Events, with special permission from Lincolnshire County Council.
It will bring together 13 businesses based within tech, digital or creative industries to showcase the services on offer locally.
The expo is free to attend and visitors can expect to meet businesses from media, marketing, web development and drone photography to name just a few.
A full list of the exhibitors and more information is available on the website.
Tritton Road roundabout, best known as the home of the Lincoln Tank Memorial is a large pedestrianised roundabout adjacent to the University of Lincoln and The Gateway, a newly built student accommodation complex.
Dean Graham from LMA, who came up with the idea of the exhibition on the roundabout said: “We often hear of businesses sourcing creative services from outside of the city or even the county because they aren’t aware of what is available locally.
“This event is designed to promote those businesses who are often too busy doing great work to shout about it”.
Dan Howitt, Director of Ion Drive, a local software development agency and exhibitor added: “It’s a great opportunity to showcase what Lincoln’s tech and creative scene has to offer.”
Lincoln shoppers will be able to accessorise like the stars when a new unique jewellery boutique opens its doors at the end of July.
Jeweller Daniella Draper will be taking up residence next to the former Mall shopping centre, on High Street, where she will be selling her designs that are worn by the likes of Kate Moss and Ed Sheeran.
The store will span over two floors showcasing a collection which comprises rings, bracelets and necklaces in a range of rustic gold and silver, including items featuring dramatic gemstones or engraved with symbolic messages. The second floor will be dedicated to Daniella’s bespoke work.
A new bespoke jewellery store to open on Lincoln High Street
Daniella started her business from home, opening her first outlet in Sea View Street, Cleethorpes, last year. She recently moved her workshop into larger premises in Grimsby.
Her mother, Della – a former Miss UK and Miss World runner-up – helps with the business. She said: “Lincoln has such a fantastic vibe these days. It was a natural choice for the expansion of Daniella’s business.
“Her jewellery was first worn by Kate Moss when Daniella supplied jewellery for a gypsy-feature for V magazine, which was shot by the iconic fashion and social documentary photographer Iain McKell.
“But the whole emphasis of her jewellery is about creating natural looking pieces with a rustic appearance and a wide appeal. Actually each piece is slightly different.”
Holly Draper, the face of the new business
Banks Long & Co Surveyor Harriet Hatcher, who assisted in the move, said: “We are pleased to have assisted the Draper family in finding the ideal premises for Daniella’s expansion.
“Lincoln certainly has a buzz about it and the city is continuing to benefit from more inward and local investment and rising tourism. Daniella’s new boutique is also next to the former Mall, which is also about to be redeveloped ahead of the arrival of an expanding leisure sector business.”
As previously reported, the upper High Street area is undergoing a series of redevelopments. The former Mall Shopping Centre is to become a Wildwood restaurant.
Lincoln businesses are being urged to express their interest as the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) aims to bid for one of the new Enterprise Zones.
Enterprise Zones bring benefits to businesses including lower taxes, access to superfast broadband and streamlined planning permission to boost infrastructure improvements.
The Greater Lincolnshire LEP is calling for expressions of interest from local businesses by August 10th so it can make a bid before the government deadline of September 18th.
There are currently 24 Enterprise Zones in England. By last December they had attracted 15,500 jobs since they opened three years ago and delivered a multi-billion-pound boost to local economies.
Part of the existing Humber Enterprise Zone, at 484 hectares the largest Enterprise Zone in the country, is in Grimsby in Greater Lincolnshire. It is the UK’s largest development site next to a deep water port and has huge potential for the offshore renewables industry.
James Wharton, Minister for Local Growth and the Northern Powerhouse, said: “Enterprise Zones are creating thousands of jobs and attracting billions of pounds of investment.
“Britain is a great place to do business and this is a chance for local areas to build on their benefits. As part of our long-term economic plan it is only right we allow more to share our national success.
“With this new round of Enterprise Zones even more areas and businesses will be able to benefit from the support they bring. Only the very best bids will succeed but this is a chance for council leaders and businesses to make their case and secure a real boost to the local economy.”
Ruth Carver, Director of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP said: “This is good news for Greater Lincolnshire and we welcome the Chancellor’s proposed extension to the Enterprise Zones network.
“We will work with local partners to consider an Enterprise Zone in Greater Lincolnshire while we continue to develop our three planned Food Enterprise Zones.”
To make an expression of interest email jon.burgess@lincolnshire.gov.uk or call 01522 553337.
An investment of over £250,000 for Lincoln-based printing company Ruddocks is continuing the expansion of the 130-year-old firm.
Thanks to a combination of recent contract wins and an increased workload, the family-run business has invested in a new £150,000 printing press and £50,000 finishing equipment and well as making building improvements.
The boost in business and the new equipment has allowed the company to take on two additional production staff with an aim to employ addition people for its customer service team in the near future.
Tristan Palser, Digital Print Manager, said: “The digital print element of our business has seen a huge growth in the last four years where our output has increased by around 250%, when we add this to a recent national contract win then it has been imperative to continue to develop the offering and bring in new equipment that increases our capacity significantly.”
Paul Banton, Managing Director at Ruddocks, said: “Quality is of the utmost importance to us and our clients so we need to ensure the people we take on and the equipment we invest in contributes to increasing our overall service, that is why we are delighted with this recent expansion and the benefits it will bring.”
Bunty’s Tea Room, on Steep Hill, Lincoln, has been named as best events service/provider at the third National Vintage Awards.
The UK-wide awards, held in Cheltenham, celebrate and reward excellence in the work of vintage performers, shopkeepers and businesses.
The tea room has attracted locals and tourists alike for the last three years, particularly those in need of refreshments and a breather after walking up the hill to Bailgate, Lincoln Castle and Lincoln Cathedral.
Matt Felgate, co-owner of the café with Jenny Lock, entered the competition after a customer mentioned it to him. He said: “We are thrilled to have won this award. It is particularly appreciated because the winners are chosen on the basis of a public vote, so it shows we are doing the right things.
“Our first priority is to give people a warm welcome and to ensure they receive a really good service, which makes them want to come back.
“Our premises previously operated as a tearoom, but we wanted to put our personal stamp on it. We’ve done that by buying mis-matched vintage crockery, including scores of teapots, and creating further nostalgia by displaying old photographs on the walls and on table tops. They are a real talking point.”
Jenny said: “Some of our social media followers even make a dash for the tea room when they see their favourite cake is available that day. Our “Pimm’s O’Clock” cake is proving very popular.”
Lincoln Business Improvement Group Chief Executive Matt Corrigan said: “We congratulate Matt and Jenny on their success in winning a national award. This couldn’t have come at a better time, when the city is attracting rising number of visitors in the 800th Anniversary Year of Magna Carta.
“Lincoln is popular with both visitors and locals because it has a wonderful mix of national and independent businesses. Bunty’s is among out many niche enterprises, which inject extra character into the city’s street scene and encourage people to keep coming back.”
It’s almost 20 years since Richard Waring became one of the first farmers in Lincolnshire to diversify – with the launch of Rand Farm Park. It was a real leap of faith for Richard and his wife Kay, but they had little choice. Traditional livestock farming was in the doldrums and taking action was a matter of survival.
Today, they’ve come a very long way from those initial brave steps. The couple head a multi-faceted farm tourism enterprise, which employs 41 people and attracts around 100,000 visitors a year.
There’s loads for families to enjoy – with animals to pet and feed, adventure playgrounds to explore, amazing rides, holiday accommodation and a large café. It even hosts children’s birthday parties!
But for Richard it is about much more than running a successful visitor attraction. He and Kay remain absolutely passionate about farming, despite its many challenges.
That is why their business, near Wragby, takes an active role in encouraging young people to discover where their food comes from and to think seriously about agriculture as a future career option.
“When we started out, pig prices were awful and cattle prices weren’t good either. Our son Joshua, was just a year old and we had to do something to survive. So I sold the pigs to start the farm park,” said Richard.
Richard Waring has turned his working farm into a family day out
“We were one of the earliest farms in the county to go down the diversification route and we quickly discovered we were on a steep learning curve.
“Going from keeping a pig farm, where we actively discouraged visitors, to doing the polar opposite – by setting-up a farm activity visitor centre and opening our doors to the public – seemed a strange change of mindset.
“We were very apprehensive at the time, but we knew we had to make it work. Failure was not an option. Fortunately, we were able to get support from the European 5B Fund and also a Rural Development Agency Grant and I remember that our bank was also reasonably supportive.”
The Warings started off in a small way with a handful of animals, which visitors could see and touch, a couple of swings outside for youngsters to play on and a very small tearoom. It was a step in the right direction.
“In our first year, we attracted 13,000 visitors, which was more than we had anticipated. Encouraged, we developed our Adventure Playground and extended our tearoom,” said Richard.
That was in 1998. In 2,000, Rand Farm Park opened its first indoor play area, which is still going strong. Then in 2007, this was extended and Richard and Kay responded to public demand by building a farm shop.
The full cover interview with Richard Waring is available to read in full here. Look out for the next edition of Lincolnshire Business magazine, which is published every Friday.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Lincoln-based vehicle livery and sign making specialist Allen Signs has doubled in size by acquiring a local printing firm.
The acquisition of the printing division of Double Red has come after an investment of around £30,000.
Former owner of Double Red, James Wright decided to sell the print division due to the photography side of the business experiencing rapid growth.
With a small modification to the company name, Double Red Print Ltd will now be based at the Allen Signs’ premises on Whisby Way in North Hykeham, which has recently been extended to incorporate the building next door.
The additional 8,000 sq ft space has made room for a bigger workshop, a dedicated vehicle livery area and new machinery including a 2.5m wide Mimaki printer and two Canon printers that use water-based ink, which is safer for the environment.
It has also allowed to company to recruit new staff and accommodate Double Red employees Matt Ryder and Rob Hodgson.
David Allen Managing Director of Allen Signs said: “Allen Signs and Double Red both have excellent reputations locally and nationally within the industry.
“When James asked if we were interested in taking over the print side of the business, it was clear to us that it would be a logical step to continue the development and growth of Allen Signs, especially as we celebrate our 50th anniversary this year.
“Having access to Double Red’s wide-format printers has massively boosted the services we are able to offer our clients. For example, being able to print large higher quality photos will enhance the existing exhibition side of our business.”
Work has started on an additional seven commercial units at Lincoln Enterprise Park on the A46 near Thorpe on the Hill, which is set to boost to Lincoln’s economy.
The extension to the industrial park will provide much needed commercial space for new start up businesses and is expected to be completed by December 2015.
The park is already home to 13 businesses including Maher Millard Construction, which has been contracted to build the new development.
Of the seven units, costing £85,000 and each measuring 975 sq ft, five have already been sold off-plan.
Nick Falkinder, Director of LEP Developments, which owns the park, said: “We’re offering businesses a rare opportunity to acquire a freehold commercial property on the outskirts of Lincoln which will bring investment and new jobs into the county.
“These mixed-use units have been specifically designed for small or start-up businesses and can be used for workshop, office or storage space.
“Surveys have shown that start-ups have been growing in record numbers during the first quarter of 2015 and we’ve received a lot of interest already from businesses looking to buy their own premises.
“However, investors looking to purchase and then lease a commercial property have also been in touch so there could also be units available to rent.
“Given the level of interest we’ve received in this fourth phase we hope to be able to continue to grow and build more units for both start-up and more established business in the future.”
For the first time, a creative business exhibition has been held on a busy Lincoln roundabout showcasing just how imaginative firms in the city can be.
On the Roundabout is the first known event of its kind, held on Tritton Road roundabout in the heart of Lincoln, Thursday, July 30.
Organised by LMA Events, nine businesses based in tech, digital and the creative industries, including media, marketing and web development, came together to showcase the services on offer locally.
Lincolnshire-based businesses that exhibited included Your Print Partner, Lincoln Marketing Agency (LMA), Laser Red, Lincolnshire Business, Allen Signs, Bluecube Telecommunications, Relish, Kurnia and The Lincolnite.
Dean Graham, Managing Director of LMA, came up with the idea of the exhibition on the roundabout. He said: “We often hear of businesses sourcing creative services from outside of the city or even the county because they aren’t aware of what is available locally.
“This event was designed to promote those businesses who are often too busy doing great work to shout about it.”
Stuart Maclaren Managing Director of Your Print Partner said: “We are here to show how creative businesses in Lincoln can be and are excited to be able to speak to other companies who want to become more creative with their printing design and needs.
“Today we can see that Lincolnshire does have a creative side to it and there are companies in Lincoln that want to produce products such as flags.
“We have creative media companies, web developers, SEO companies. There are a wide range of products that are produced for the creative industry in Lincoln that people probably don’t know about.”
Michael Kheng, owner of Kurnia explains how his drones can help give a different view to business
Another exhibitor, Michael Kheng owner of Kurnia Aerial Photography & Videography, was demonstrating how drones can help businesses reach new heights.
He said: “It is quite bizarre being in the middle of a roundabout. It is a very unique location. It is about getting our name out there and with all of the cars driving passed we are getting our name out there.
“With a drone you get that different view point, whether it’s from videos or photographs. Any company can benefit from it.”
Liam O’leary, owner of Laser Red enjoyed the opportunity to showcase the talents of his company which deals with creating websites.
He said: “Today we showcased our websites, to help people be more efficient with their time. Businesses have to be different, they have to stand out.
“There’s too many businesses now where the potential customer would look at the differences between them and then not really know which is which.
“Usually it will then come down to cost. This doesn’t work because they just undercut each other and some go out of business.
“We try and differentiate ourselves on design but we are not cost competitive. We will be competitive in other areas like customer service and quality.”
Visitors to Lincolnshire Co-op stores will be met with a variety of colourful dos today as staff ‘get wiggy with it’ for charity.
Colleagues will be swapping their normal hairstyles for outrageous wigs in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, Lincolnshire Co-op’s charity of the year.
For one day only on Friday, July 31 staff at food stores, pharmacies, post offices and travel branches across Lincoln and the society’s wider trading area are taking part.
Lincolnshire Co-op staff Penny Rae, Paul Hodgson and Hazel Shuck
Get Wiggy With It is one of Teenage Cancer Trust’s biggest fundraising opportunities every year, with schools, businesses and individuals all joining in.
The initiative aims to raise awareness of the impact that chemotherapy can have, and allows people to stand in solidarity with teenagers with cancer.
Colleagues from Head Office on Tentercroft Street will even be being pushed through the streets of Lincoln in a unitainer – a large specialist trolley – collecting cash for the charity.
At the Society’s Food Distribution Centre on Doddington Road others will be taking part in an exercise bike challenge, while staff at Lincolnshire Co-op’s Pharmacy Warehouse close to Outer Circle Road will be attempting to surround the whole building with copper coins, which will then be donated.
Outlets will be offering customers the opportunity to win one of three fabulous prizes with a quiz sheet, which is available for a donation of just £1. It will feature celebrities in wigs, which entrants will have to name correctly for a chance to win big.
All correct completed entries will go into a draw to win £200 in Lincolnshire Co-op Travel vouchers, £50 in One4All vouchers or a hamper of lovely local goodies.
Manager of Parklands Food Store in Lincoln Liam Uzzell said: “My colleagues and I will have loads of games and competitions going on during the day and we’d love customers to get involved.
“Teenage Cancer Trust is a really worthwhile cause and I’m sure everyone will get behind us and help to raise as much money as possible for them.”
Annmarie Carey, Corporate Account Manager for Teenage Cancer Trust said: “The funds raised will enable us to provide vital medical care from a specialist nurse for young people with cancer, as well as emotional and therapeutic support for their families and siblings.
“We’ll also be able to continue to give informative and empowering education talks about the signs and symptoms of cancer to 50,000 secondary school pupils across the country.”
To date, Lincolnshire Co-op has raised more than £28,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust.
Are you joining in the fundraising fun? Share your pictures with us via news@thelincolnite.co.uk.
Lincoln-based print and design company Your Print Partner (YPP) has expanded with the procurement of bespoke flag producer The Flag Wizard, creating new jobs for the area.
The new acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, will become part of the YPP Group, trading as a division of Your Print Partner at the company’s headquarters on Lime Kiln Way in the city.
The Flag Wizard was established by entrepreneur Steve Hannant in Norfolk over 28 years ago.
The firm quickly established a reputation for excellent customer service, and expanded its product range from hand-finished bespoke flags to banners, bunting and exhibition display systems.
YPP has also invested £60,000 in a new high-speed large format Mimaki printer, which is expected to increase the company’s annual textile print capacity by an additional 50,000 square metres.
The firm recently produced one of their biggest banners to date, helping Norwich City FC celebrate their 80th anniversary.
Stuart Maclaren, Managing Director of Your Print Partner said: “It was the right move for us as we have worked with Steve for a couple of years now. We both have the same business ethics when working with our clients and going the extra mile.
“This will also go toward YPPs future growth and moving to a new building. We will also be investing more into new machines to make additional products available as well as taking on three new staff.”
YPP are currently working on a new e-commerce website for The Flag Wizard, which is set to launch in August.
