Tag: business

Entrepreneurial Couple Invest £100,000 Into North East Food Scene

By on 13th January 2016in Local Biz

A North Tyneside entrepreneurial couple have served up significant expansion plans for 2016 after investing in excess of £100,000 in the North East’s food scene over the past 12 months…

Chris and Katie Stuart, from Holyfield, have launched their second business venture within a year, after initially taking over the West Monkseaton fish and chip shop, Monk Fisheries. Following the success of their new venture and backed by a £25,000 investment, Chris and Katie have added a second business to their foodie empire as they re-launched Deli 13 recently.

The re-opening of the deli, which is located next door to Monk Fisheries, secured three jobs, and with expansion on the cards has the potential to create more job opportunities for the region.

Already known for its fresh food made with locally sourced ingredients, over the next 12 months the couple aims to add a larger dine-in area at the deli, creating a hub for the local community, and will launch an outside catering arm and food delivery service.

Chris Stuart, co-owner of Monk Fisheries and Deli 13, said: “Both businesses have a really great reputation with the local community, and we want to continue to build on this. Our main values are based heavily on esteemed customer service and attention to detail – something so often sacrificed in a quick-service environment.

“With Monk Fisheries’ success booming, when Deli 13 came up for sale next door we grabbed the chance to purchase it as well. We have a really exciting 12 months ahead of us as we move forward with plans to continue developing our businesses.”

After taking over Monk Fisheries in autumn 2014 for £75,000, Chris and Katie invested a further £6,000 in refurbishing the shop and securing the franchise licence to become the region’s first Stone Willy’s pizzeria.

In addition to offering the unrivalled traditional fish and chips, which Monk Fisheries is renowned for, the popular takeaway has added Stone Willy’s gourmet hot wraps and stone-baked pizzas to its extensive menu, a move which has seen the business go from strength-to-strength.

Further to the couple’s passion for supplying high quality, fresh food-on-the-go, Chris and Katie are very family orientated and have instilled their strong family values across both ventures, with three generations heavily involved in the everyday running of the businesses.

Chris said: “We are extremely proud to be a family-run business. Katie’s father, Keith has a wealth of 35 years business experience, which helped massively in the initial start-up phases, and our two sons, Cameron and Tom, can often be found working alongside us when they aren’t at university.”

Monk Fisheries is located on 9 Seatonville Road in West Monkseaton. For further information call 0191 251 7268. Deli 13 is situated next door, at 13 Seatonville Road and can be contacted on 07725 910610.

Virgin Trains Unveil Newly Refurbished East Coast Trains

By on 12th January 2016in Local Biz

Virgin Trains has unveiled the first of its newly refurbished trains as part of a £40m project to improve its customers’ experience…

All of Virgin’s trains on its east coast route are being given a makeover with stylish new interiors, bringing added customer comfort and a touch of the glamour for which the Virgin brand is famous.

A total of £21m has been earmarked to complete the refurbishment of the trains’ interiors, including adding luxurious leather seats to First Class, new carpets and fittings throughout, as well as bringing the distinctive Virgin red on-board.

Since taking over the East Coast Mainline in March 2015, Virgin Trains has invested millions of pounds to improve the customer experience. The refurbishment programme, which also includes a £16m investment in new diesel engines and the re-branding of the exterior of the trains, has been brought in ahead of the arrival of Virgin’s new fleet in 2018. These trains are being built in the UK by Hitachi.

David Horne, Managing Director of Virgin Trains on its east coast route, said: “Our new fleet of trains arrive in 2018, but we want to ensure the trains people are catching right now deliver the same comfort and glamour for which Virgin Trains is known.

“The East Coast Mainline features some of the world’s iconic rail journeys and has played host to some of the most famous locomotives ever made, including the Flying Scotsman. Our own uniquely Virgin Flying Scotsman was unveiled last year, and is a symbol of this major investment that will bring the Virgin style and a dash of glamour back to the east coast route in the build up to the launch of our new trains.”

Middlesbrough Film Company Expands Team

By on 9th January 2016in Local Biz

A North East film production company has turned to local talent as it expands its team, looking to build on a successful 2015…

Ithica Films has appointed Connor Chambers and Jack Holmes as filmmakers, due to a growing client base and ever increasing workload.

The Middlesbrough based company – which takes a modern approach to business filmmaking – employed its latest members after they both impressed while on internships.

Connor, from Bedford, graduated from Teesside University last year, having gained a 2:1 in Performance for Live & Recorded Media.

He said: “Working at a company like Ithica Films is a fantastic opportunity and a dream come true.

“It’s very rare for graduates to leave university and within two months have started working in their chosen industry. I learn something new every day, and although a lot of pressure comes with the role, it only makes me strive to achieve more and impress myself and the people around me.

“I strongly believe that to be a success, you need to surround yourself with people who are just as passionate and able to test you every day. I have turned from an acting student to a professional film maker in 10 months due to the help of Matt and the team.”

Jack, from Middlesbrough, who has been taken on as an apprentice filmmaker, added: “I haven’t had much experience within this industry, but I’ve always known it’s what I’ve wanted to do, so it feels great working with Ithica films.

“It’s a fantastic team and I get along with everyone, plus I get treated with a large amount of trust and respect, just like a normal employee would, so I really don’t feel like an apprentice filmmaker.”

Ithica Films enjoyed a successful 12 months last year, which included a move into a new office in June, choosing the chic Boho One area of the town as its base.

This was the first step towards the company’s expansion plans, as director, Matt McGough, knew having more space provided him with the potential to grow his team.

With this in mind, Matt was keen to offer any future opportunities within Ithica Films to local students, and build on the company’s close links with Teesside University – something he regards as extremely important for the future of both his business and the North East.

Matt said: “It’s important to be able to offer these kinds of opportunities to young people on Teesside, whether they come from here or have spent time here at the university.

“As the company’s director, it’s brilliant seeing the team expand, as it’s what we set out to do, and we also want to use the graduates and apprentices around us.

“It’s very satisfying to be able to do this, and as we are hoping to create an industry around the region, it’s important we also create the opportunities for the people around us to get involved.”

Since its conception, Ithica Films has worked on projects covering a range of sectors including the NHS, Dental, Education, Kickstarter films, Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing and Training.

To find out more about Ithica Films, visit www.ithicafilms.com or follow them on Twitter.

Darlington Building Society Supports Belmont Park Playground Project

By on 8th January 2016in Local Biz

The Guisborough branch of Darlington Building Society has made a donation from its community fund to help build a new playground…

The £500 donation was made to Friends of Belmont Park Community Group, a local group of residents who are trying to raise enough money to provide a new playground and update the ageing sports facilities in Belmont Park.

In 2015, the group undertook a public consultation and online survey which found that 100% of the respondents were in favour of the construction of a new play area.

Darlington Building Society is the first local business to make a donation towards the £68,000 needed to realise the group’s ambition of removing the old structure and replacing it with modern playing equipment surrounded by soft surfacing and secure fencing. It made the donation from its community fund, which makes monetary donations to causes nominated by members of the Society.

Janine Richardson of Belmont Park Community Group, said: “We’re exceptionally grateful to Darlington Building Society for its generous donation.

“Having completed the necessary tender process and submitted design plans, we are now in the final process of raising the £68,000 that we need to build a playground that can be used by children of all ages and abilities.

“We have a great deal of support from the local community and council. Now we need businesses to follow Darlington Building Society’s lead and help us to make this dream a reality.

“Donations are key to our project’s success. No matter how large or small, all donations are welcome.”

Colin Fyfe, Chief Executive at Darlington Building Society, said: “Darlington Building Society likes to help all of our communities in every way possible. When we heard about the Friends of Belmont Park project we knew this was an initiative worthy of supporting.

“After meeting with the group and discussing with them their aims, we were only too happy to make a donation from our community fund. We hope our donation can help to contribute to restoring this park for the children of Guisborough and for future generations.

“We hope that our donation will be the catalyst that inspires other businesses to make a contribution, no matter how large or small.”

Award Winning Accountancy Firm Expands Into Newcastle

By on 8th January 2016in Local Biz

Ambitious North East accountancy practice, Evolution LLP, has opened a second office in Newcastle…

Head-quartered in Wynyard, the revolutionary firm – which officially moved to the city on January 4th – sees the opening of its Newcastle office as a demonstration of its commitment to bring its growing brand to the wider North East.

Evolution has flourished in the Tees Valley, and over recent years has developed its footprint into Tyneside and Wearside, growing its client base in the area.

Priding itself on being approachable, with outstanding client relationships, the business believes it has a unique proposition with its development as a full-service hybrid consultancy.

Martin Barber, managing partner of Evolution LLP, said: “The expansion is driven by the fact that clients like what we do and the way that we do it.

“That leads to recommendations to work with others, often in new and exciting areas.

“Our clients tell us they like the way in which we help them to grow their businesses, and we want to bring our open and engaging approach to a wider audience. Newcastle is a new and exciting venture for us.”

Associate member and head of taxation services, Tim Mallon, has been appointed to head up the Newcastle office.

Having spent the majority of his working life on Tyneside, and retaining a significant client base in the area, Tim – who joined Evolution in November 2013 – is the perfect choice to be responsible for the office, and will also continue to lead the tax team for the firm.

Speaking about the expansion, he said: “This is a great way to start a new year, and what’s great to know is that Newcastle is only the start of our expansion plans.

“We chose the location as we are hoping to grow our business quickly, and therefore flexibility is important.

“We also want to be well placed for both the business community in Newcastle, and good road links to our clients across the North East.”

Evolution enjoyed a successful 2015 – including several new appointments to its already expert team – and Martin believes his team’s ethos and a ‘can do’ attitude is behind everything Evolution has achieved.

He believes the firm has waited for the right time to open a second office, but is excited there is still much more to come.

“We are an entrepreneurial business that believes innovation is the life blood of success, our bright young team deserve the opportunity to stretch their wings and fly,” said Martin.

“I couldn’t be more excited for the future of Evolution. I believe we have a fantastic team with as-yet untapped potential, and we plan to release that entrepreneurial brilliance.”

For more information on Evolution LLP, which provides business accounting, auditing, taxation and corporate finance services, visit www.evolutionllp.com.

Voting Opens For Sunderland Retail And Style Awards

By on 7th January 2016in Local Biz

Sunderland’s booming retail sector and the city’s most stylish individuals and outlets are set to be celebrated, with the combining of two major award ceremonies…

For the first time, Sunderland’s Retail and Style Awards are joining forces to honour businesses, events and people who have helped put the city on the map.

The event is being jointly organised by the Bridges shopping centre and radio station Sun FM, with nominations for the 17 categories open today (January 7th).

Sponsored by Sunderland’s Business Improvement District, the awards will give shops, restaurants, bars, hairdressers and beauty salons the opportunity to be recognised.

Categories in the retail section include awards for large, medium and small retailers, best customer service, employee of the year, manager of the year, up and coming business and the Experience It Here award for the best city centre experience.

In the style section, nominations are being sought for the Most Stylish Mackem, along with sections for top bars, restaurants, salons, and individual awards for top bloggers and the city’s most glamorous mam.

Nominations can be made online at www.sun-fm.com/rsawards2016 and will close at the end of March, with the awards evening taking place at the Bridges on April 23rd.

Attendees at the glitzy ceremony – which will include live music, dinner and a fashion show – will also get the opportunity to come away with an award on the night, with a Red Carpet honour being given out to the best dressed.

“2015 was an excellent year for the retail sector in the city, and we welcomed a number of new businesses with some exciting plans going forward,” said Andy Bradley, Centre Director at the Bridges.

“These awards give retailers of all sizes – from leading high street names to our impressive range of independents – the opportunity to be recognised for the great service they offer.”

Julian Carter, Managing Director of Sun FM, added that the style section of the awards gave both individuals and leisure outlets the opportunity to shine.

“With the current regeneration and positive momentum, there has never been a better time to unite the already successful style awards into an even bigger retail and style event,” said Julian.

“We’ve put together a range of exciting categories which not only gives the city’s leading restaurants, bars and salons a showcase, but also there’s a chance for our most stylish individuals to be publicly acknowledged.”

“This is a great opportunity for us to showcase businesses of all types and sizes, including the city burgeoning restaurant and café scene and to recognise their innovation and hard work,” said Ken Dunbar, Chief Executive of main sponsor, Sunderland BID.

A shortlist for each category will be drawn up by a judging panel, which will then be put to a public vote.

A number of sponsorship opportunities are also available for the night, and further information is available by contacting Harry Collinson at harrycollinson@aol.com.

Bannatyne Health Club Invests In New Facilities

By on 7th January 2016in Local Biz

Bannatyne Health Club in Durham has received a boost to its equipment levels and facilities thanks to extra investment…

The club has installed state of the art equipment on the gym floor following refurbishment. This includes upgraded CV and resistance equipment at the club, based on Eden Terrace in Belmont near Durham City. The club also has an expanded free weights section, which contains new plate loaded equipment.

The Bannatyne Group has also invested in a brand new function area at the health club, which includes Technogym Omnia 3. This is a new functional training system that is designed to maximise interaction. The system covers all aspects of training, including strength, endurance, stability, flexibility, coordination and speed. Improvements have also been made to the CV equipment, which now include interactive televisions.

A new Spa recently opened at the Durham health club, further enhancing the facilities, with five treatment rooms, three of which are individual treatment rooms and two dual treatment rooms, which enables users to share their relaxation with friends or family.

Matthew Emery, General Manager at the Durham health club, said: “The new gym floor at Bannatyne Health Club Durham is a great addition to the club. The new equipment is state-of-the-art and will help members achieve their fitness and health goals even more effectively.

“The company has developed and improved the gym floor, and installed fantastic new equipment to further enhance the range of functional training equipment available to members.

“Functional training is the way the industry is progressing, and focuses on training movement patterns rather than isolation individual muscle groups. The new equipment provides fantastic fat burning workouts, and will improve strength, endurance, and boost metabolism.”

He added “Bannatyne Health Club Durham’s new gym floor is just one of the amazing facilities available at the club. Alongside the gym, the club offers a swimming pool, sauna, steam room and a spa pool. With such fantastic new facilities and a brand new Spa, it’s a great time to join our improved club.”

Ramside Spa Offer Healthy (And Luxurious) Start To 2016

By on 6th January 2016in Local Biz

The North East’s most luxurious spa has seen 2016 get off to a healthy start – with a huge boost to memberships…

The Spa at Ramside, which opened last summer, has seen a rush of people signing up to use the facilities, which include five pools, a state-of-the-art gym, thermal suite and sleep sanctuary.

A new studio timetable offering around 40 classes, which include aerial yoga, Salsa, Clubbercise, pilates and spin, has also enticed people from around the region to take advantage of membership offers, which give unlimited access to the facilities at Ramside Hall Hotel near Durham.

“At this time of year, when people are getting over the excesses of the festive season, you would expect to see membership numbers rise,” said Anthony Woodhouse, General Manager of Spa and Leisure at Ramside.

“But we have been overwhelmed by the interest in what Ramside has to offer, with people loving not only the facilities, but the huge programme of classes we are offering.”

To celebrate 2016, the spa has also put together ‘Rock That Resolution’, to help people keep their promises of making time to train, finding time to spend with loved ones, or time for themselves.

Three resolution choices have been created with personal training sessions, shared spa experiences, or a day spa for one.

Information on all the spa days and memberships is available at www.ramsidespa.co.uk or calling the Spa at Ramside on 0191 375 3088.

County Durham Wine Business Records £77m Turnover

By on 1st January 2016in Local Biz

2015 has been a very good year for one County Durham company…

One of the UK’s leading wine bottlers and distributors, the Lanchester group of companies, has recorded an annual turnover of £77m, an increase of 20% from 2014’s £64m turnover, with a net profit of just over £5m, placing the business on track to reach its target of near £100m turnover in 2016.

Five businesses make up the Lanchester group of companies, spanning different areas of expertise within the UK wine sector and its supporting industries – Lanchester Wines, Greencroft Bottling Limited, Lanchester Gifts, Lanchester Energy and Lanchester Properties. Lanchester Wines incorporates Lanchester Wine Cellars, the group’s wine importers, shippers and bonded warehouse keepers division, and Lanchester Wine Sales, the group’s wholesale of wine, beer, spirits and other alcoholic drinks to major customers.

The latest accounts for the year, ended June 30th, show Greencroft Bottling alone grow turnover by 25% to over £40m, while over the last three years, £8m has been re-invested back into the company’s renewable energy initiatives through Lanchester Energy.

Each business within the Lanchester portfolio compliments the other businesses to provide a vineyard-to-table wine service. Lanchester Energy, nominated as the flagship company for the Government’s Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), provides renewable energy to power Lanchester’s properties, while Lanchester Gifts provides an additional route to market for Lanchester’s wine products.

Tony Cleary, managing director of the Lanchester group of companies, said: “We understand business doesn’t stand still, and so we’ve invested heavily in leading edge technology over the last twelve months to ensure we are the most modern business of our kind in Europe, while maintaining our exceptional high quality of service.

“Two new bottling lines at our County Durham site mean we now have eight production lines, consisting of five large and one medium bottle lines, enabling us to fill a range of size bottles including  PET, and both TetraPak and bag-in-box lines. These lines, along with new state-of-the-art packing and labelling machines, mean we can produce upwards of 90,000 bottles of wine and spirits per hour, while maintaining our 100% quality finished product record.

“We’ve also invested in additional bonded warehouse space, which will give Lanchester a total of 920,000 sq. ft. of Class A bonded space and bonded storage, while we have plans to build a new 250,000 sq. ft. bottling facility.”

Lanchester Wine Cellars was established in 1980, and since then the Lanchester group of companies has expanded. It has invested £8m into sustainable initiatives, the most significant being three 50 metre tall wind turbines at Lanchester’s County Durham headquarters which, combined, generate close to 6 million kW hours of renewable energy per year for the business. This is more energy than the business consumes which, combined with further investment in solar panels and electric fleet vehicles, makes it Carbon Minus and the greenest liquor company in the world.

Tony added: “Lanchester is a legacy business, deeply embedded with sustainable activities and investment therein. We invest heavily in our business, growing it to the next stage and investing in smart, passionate people who love what they do.”

The company, which employs 385 people in North East England, has a record low of permanent staff turnover, and a high number of long standing employees thanks to its profit sharing incentives. Tony added: “The success of each of the Lanchester businesses is down to the individuals within it who strive for perfection each day. We have an outstanding team and I look forward to celebrating our success with them all.”

For more information on the Lanchester group of companies, visit www.LanchesterGroup.com.

Sunderland Shopping Centre Celebrates Year Of Investment

By on 31st December 2015in Local Biz

Sunderland’s shopping centre is celebrating a year of investment in the Bridges, with new retailers and a number of stores undergoing renovation…

December saw telecoms giant Virgin Media sign up to the Bridges, with plans for a branch which should open in early 2016.

The new announcement follows hot on the heels of the arrival of the Danish chain, Tiger, which offers fun and practical homeware items, in November.

Earlier in the year, the Bridges enhanced its offering when two national clothing brands took up residency at the centre – Pep and Co and Yours.

The fashion ranges available at the Bridges was also increased, thanks to the launch of designer wear store Van Mildert, with a prime space also occupied by gadget shop, Menkind.

Existing shops have undergone refits this year, including JD Sports, Esquires and Schuh.

“There is a great deal of investment taking place in Sunderland, and that is reflected by the retailers interested in coming to the city,” said Andy Bradley, Centre Director.

“We are delighted to have welcomed some really important brands to ensure that shoppers can get everything they want in Sunderland, and not have to travel outside of the area.

“The fact that we now have a well-established, late night shopping evening is also helping to attract people to the city centre, and gives them the opportunity to enjoy everything that we have to offer.”

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