A trial initiative designed to reduce fruit and veg waste has been launched by discount retailer Lidl, and the Rotherham store is set to be one of the first to benefit.
The German firm has become the first supermarket to introduce "Too Good to Waste" fruit and vegetable boxes, containing items that are no longer considered at their perfect best, but are still perfectly good to eat.
The trial is taking place in 122 Lidl stores and has been designed to tackle fruit and veg waste in store, which is one of the biggest contributors to supermarket food waste and could, if rolled out nationwide, help save 10,000 tonnes of surplus produce a year.
The "wonky veg" boxes are priced at just £1.50 for approximately 5kg of mixed fruit and veg.
The Daily Mirror is reporting that the Rotherham store on the edge of the town centre is one of the 122 out of 710+ Lidl stores were trials will be taking place.
Advertisement Christian Härtnagel, CEO of Lidl UK, said: "Food waste is one of the most important topics that our industry is facing, and one that we are fully committed to tackling. This is why, in 2017, we set ourselves the ambitious target of reducing our food waste by 25% across just three years.
"We're proud that in just one year, our stores have managed to cut food waste by 13%, however we recognise that there's still a long way to go, to get where we need to be. We're fortunate that our business model gives us the flexibility and agility to be creative and trial new approaches that can have a real, positive impact.
"Proportionately, we sell the most fruit and veg in the sector, but we know from our data that fresh produce is one of the biggest contributors to food waste in stores, so we're excited by the difference our "Too Good to Waste" initiative will make. Not only will it help customers consider items that they might have previously dismissed, it will also provide an opportunity for them to make further savings."
Other initiatives include not including "Best Before" dates on 90% of its fruit and veg, allowing customers to make common sense decisions. And launched in January 2017, Lidl's Feed It Back programme sees the discounter working in partnership with Neighbourly to connect its stores with local charities and donate quality food waste.
A Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) branch in a Rotherham suburb could be converted into a new restaurant under new plans deposited with the local council.
RBS in England & Wales and NatWest retail banking business in Scotland was due to be divested and relaunched as a separate "challenger bank", under the brand name, Williams & Glyn.
This year however, Rothbiz reported that the taxpayer-backed RBS group has decided that NatWest should become its primary customer facing brand in England and Wales and Royal Bank of Scotland its core brand in Scotland.
The decision meant that the Rotherham town centre branch would close in November and the Wickersley branch in August.
Advertisement A planning application has now been submitted for the change of use of 208/210 Bawtry Road in Wickersley from Class A2 (Financial and Professional Services) to Use Class A3 (Restaurants and Cafes) use.
The plans for the two-storey, 1,700 sq ft unit on The Tanyard are from Bischi (Properties) Limited and also include proposals for a new shopfront.
Although no operator has been disclosed, the proposal is to open seven days a week, opening throughout the day and early evening until 10pm, including opening on bank holidays.
Six jobs could be created.
Recent applications for the Wickersley area for new bars have been refused by Rotherham Council. The authority said that, cumulatively they would result in the loss of two A1 units and reduce the overall number of retail units within the primary shopping frontage to 64%, contrary to recently approved new local planning policies.
The latest application, submitted by agents at Bradley Stankler Planning, states that the RBS unit is already used for a non-retail use and so the "argument about loss of a retail use is itself not relevant as the proposal involves the replacement of one non retail use with another."
The unit has been advertised by joint agents at Carter Towler and Paul Lancaster with an annual rent of £42,000.
Advertisement For the town centre branch at the foot of the historic High Street, plans have been approved to decommission the branch, following its closure.
The plans are required as the property is a Grade II listed building and involve removing all banking related fittings from the building.
The application stated that: "The proposals are necessary to ensure that the building presents an attractive proposition for re-use by an alternate occupier (subject to the necessary consents). The removal of these items aims to ensure that the building is increasingly viable and thus aim to reduce the amount of time that the building is vacant."
The DIY retailer merry-go-round in Rotherham has come full circle with Homebase returning to Parkgate.
Rothbiz reported in May that, just five months after opening a Bunnings Warehouse in Rotherham, Australian retail giant, Wesfarmers announced that it is selling up and pulling out of the UK market.
Following a comprehensive review of the business, Wesfarmers announced that it had agreed to divest the Homebase business in the United Kingdom and Ireland to a company associated with Hilco Capital.
The store at the Northfields Retail Park at Parkgate was formerly occupied by B&Q but was vacant since June 2016. Opening in December 2017, the first Bunnings opening in the North of England, created 80 new full and part-time jobs.
The 70,000 sq ft has now been rebranded as Homebase.
Advertisement Hilco acquired all Homebase assets, including the Homebase brand, its store network, freehold property, property leases and inventory for "a nominal amount."
Wesfarmers said that it expects to record a loss on disposal of £200m to £230m in the group's 2018 full-year financial results.
In one of its first acts, the new owners of Homebase launched a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) this month to close 42 underperforming stores and reduce rents across the remaining portfolio. Creditors will vote on the CVA next and if not approved it is likely that the company will go into administration or liquidation.
Damian McGloughlin, chief executive of Homebase, said: "Launching a CVA has been a difficult decision and one that we have not taken lightly.
"Homebase has been one of the most recognisable retail brands for almost 40 years, but the reality is we need to continue to take decisive action to address the underperformance of the business and deal with the burden of our cost base, as well as to protect thousands of jobs.
"The CVA is therefore an essential measure for the business to take and will enable us to refocus our operations and rebuild our offer for the years ahead."
Advertisement Homebase previously operated at nearby Parkgate Shopping before closing the store in 2011. It has since been home to Best Buy and Kiddicare and is now home to a Millets outlet.
Having only opened in 2009 after relocating from nearby Thornhill, the B&Q at Northfields closed in 2016 under plans by the owner, Kingfisher plc to "transform its offer" to customers.
Adjacent to the retail units at Northfields, local speculative developer, EV Waddington is bringing forward a £3.6m scheme that involves creating 57,000 sq ft of industrial space on a remaining 1.15 hectare parcel of land.
The Rotherham-based Crawshaw Group Plc, the UK's leading value butcher, continues to find it tough going in the current UK retail sector.
The AIM-listed Hellaby firm reported a trading update ahead of its interim results which showed that sales continued to decline amid challenging trading conditions.
For the 20 weeks to June 17 2018. Group sales were at -1.6% with like-for-like sales down 12.9% for the same period. Since then, half year like-for-like sales were down 13.2% on the previous year. Group sales for the first half of the year were £21.6m, down on the £22.1m reported in the same period in 2017.
The company's directors add that it expects the full year Group sales to January 2019 to be flat on the previous year and underlying operating loss of approximately £3m.
Advertisement Despite the good weather and England's progress in the World Cup, Crawshaw's board said in a statement that: "rising shop rents and high business rates along with lower footfall and increased discounter competition, has directly impacted sales and profitability as expected."
Crawshaw has undergone a transition to focus more on factory store locations and continues to open new stores. The Group said it had £3.3m in cash at July 29, down from £4.7m at January 28 2018).
The statement to the stock exchange concluded: "The new leadership team who joined the business in late May have identified the core issues affecting the business and will announce how it plans to rectify those issues and drive the business forward with its interim results. The Group has maintained margin investment in response to the continued competitive environment."
The results are due to be announced on September 26.
An enterprising market trader from Rotherham has been highly commended at a national youth market competition.
Lauren Charlton, who sells handmade illustrated designs and prints under her Yorkshire Print brand, was recognised by markets industry experts at the recent National Youth Market, held in Stratford-upon-Avon.
The National Market Traders Federation (NMTF) runs the nationwide competition that celebrates young entrepreneurs trading on our markets, festivals and fairs.
A number of local events, including one in Rotherham, were hosted earlier this year and two traders from Rotherham were chosen to go through to trade at the regional Yorkshire finals at Leeds' famous Kirkgate Market on August 1.
Lauren was joined by Jordan Mangnall, who runs Jaded Heart in Rotherham town centre, at the regional event - and both were selected to go to the national final!
At least one trader from every area was offered a pitch on the National Youth Market in Stratford-upon-Avon on August 31 and September 1, where a £500 prize was up for grabs.
Advertisement Lauren set out her stall with her products that feature unique drawings and prints of local skylines of cities and towns. A special Stratford skyline was created for the event.
The art teacher at Clifton Community School competed against over 30 other traders from different regions and was one of only five award winners on the day.
Lauren Charlton, founder of The Yorkshire Print (pictured), said: "What an amazing year it's been for me as a new business. First I won "Yorkshire Young Trader Of The Year 2018" at Leeds Kirkgate market at the semi finals. Then I've only gone and been awarded "Highly Commended" at this year's National Youth Market 2018!
"I'm so grateful to Dean [Thurlow, manager] at Rothetham Markets for putting me through to the semi final and to NMTF for all the help and support, but mostly the opportunity to trade with them."
A vacant retail unit in Wath town centre is set to be converted into a new wine bar and coffee shop, if plans are approved.
A planning application has been submitted to Rotherham Council that would enable the change the use of 6 Sandygate from A1 retail to A4 drinking establishments.
The plans state that Steve's Furniture shop stopped trading in September 2017 and the existing building has been empty since. They add: "The proposal is to bring back to life the existing building by uplifting the existing shop front, front entrance and fist floor windows while retaining the characteristics of the building."
Advertisement The proposal is to create "an up-market Wine bar and Coffee Shop" and come from the operators of Adrian Allen Hair - the salon at 10 Sandygate nearby.
The applicants add: "The bar's aim is bringing people back into the Town Centre. The proposal offers the option of quiet drinks in a nice atmosphere before or after meals in the centre while also drawing customers in from further afield."
Fitting out the 1,800 sq ft unit will include installing toilets and reorienting the stairs. Table service will be offered and outdoor seating is set to be provided at front and rear of the wine bar.
Advertisement Improvements to the shop front include making good the existing ground floor shop front window frames, installing a new fully glazed entrance door and removing the security mesh over windows and doors.
Proposed opening hours include weekday evenings from 5pm to 11pm and midnight on Fridays plus 9am to midnight on Saturday and 11am to 10:30pm on Sunday.
The last remaining Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) branch in Rotherham will close in January, the taxpayer-backed group has confirmed.
The High Street branch at Swallownest is one of 54 more branches set to close.
RBS in England & Wales and NatWest retail banking business in Scotland was due to be divested and relaunched as a separate "challenger bank", under the brand name, Williams & Glyn.
This year however, Rothbiz reported that the taxpayer-backed RBS group has decided that NatWest should become its primary customer facing brand in England and Wales and Royal Bank of Scotland its core brand in Scotland.
The decision meant that the Rotherham town centre branch would close in November and the Wickersley branch in August.
Following hundreds of closures, both RBS and NatWest branches, the group now said it was "in a position where the size and shape of our branch network across NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland will be stable until at least 2020."
The latest closures will result in 258 roles being made redundant.
Advertisement An RBS spokesperson said: "As we are no longer launching Williams & Glyn as a challenger bank we now have two branch networks operating in close proximity to each other in England and Wales – NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland. As a result we have reviewed our overall branch footprint in England and Wales and have made the difficult decision to close 54 Royal Bank of Scotland branches.
"Customers of Royal Bank of Scotland in England and Wales will be able to use NatWest branches and local post offices for their everyday banking needs. We will now focus on investing in our Royal Bank network in England and Wales to make sure customers have a consistent range of products and services wherever they bank, be it Scotland, England or Wales."
The Swallownest branch will close on January 15 2019 and the closest NatWest branches for customers are at Wickersley, Rotherham town centre and Crystal Peaks in Sheffield.
The bank said that since 2014, branch transactions are down 30%. During this same period, there has been a 53% increase in the number of customers using mobile banking and mobile transactions have increased by 74%.
For Swallownest, RBS said that counter transactions have reduced by 35% since 2012, only 112 customers are using the branch on a regular basis and a total of 5,540 customers visited the branch in the last six months.
Plans have already been submitted to change the use of the former Wickersley RBS into Class A3 (Restaurants and Cafes). For the town centre branch at the foot of the historic High Street, plans have been approved to decommission the branch inside a listed building, following its closure.
Muse Developments' bid to become Rotherham Council's preferred partner for Forge Island scored highly on deliverability, providing confidence that the town will get its first cinema for 30 years.
Having secured the land from Tesco, and surrounding land such as the law courts, the authority went out to the market earlier this year in an effort to realise its vision for a £60m leisure-led development on the key town centre site.
35 development packs were sent out to interested parties during stage one of the process and three bidders were asked to make detailed submissions. Muse, a national developer that is part of the Morgan Sindall Group plc, was one of two parties to submit a detailed bid and was named as the preferred partner last month.
The project was discussed at a recent meeting of Council's Overview and Scrutiny Management Board where members could ask questions of officers on what the deal means for the Council and the borough, although many details could not been discussed due to commercial sensitivities.
Paul Woodcock, assistant director for Planning, Regeneration and Transportation at Rotherham Council, told the meeting: "The basis of the successful bid from Muse was centred on a cinema operator. Linked to that, a number of food and drink units - the proposal had got four - that could or could not change depending on the market. The market is struggling but they [Muse] were pretty confident that they could land a number of food of drink units.
"And then there was a hotel as well, and there's a couple of options there in terms of the quality of hotel, again dependent on price, cost and attractiveness to the market."
A new bridge is proposed as is high quality public realm and car parking. Later phases are set to include residential development. One element missing is a new theatre and officers confirmed that plans for Forge Island do not currently include a theatre.
Woodcock added: "All we've done at the minute is select a development partner. We've now got to go through due process in terms of agreement to lease, potential head lease, and then ultimately things will come through to planning - the detail around the development will then be for all to see."
A draft timeline has the developers and council working towards a planning application being submitted early in 2019 after agreements over the lease are made. Work is set to begin later in 2019 with the first phase opening in 2020.
Cannon, the last town centre cinema, closed in 1990.
Advertisement In choosing Muse, Rotherham Council called on independent advice from industry experts at CinemaNext, legal firm, Pinsent Mason, masterplanners at WYG and property regeneration specialists, Thomas Lister.
Tim O'Connell, Head of RiDO, said: "There were two really strong bids, neither bid we felt disappointed with. Both had really strong elements of design and the elements that Muse scored strongest on were around deliverability, so we were sure that we were able to get this scheme to happen. We felt that was particularly important.
"And some of the pre-agreements around the legal context and the agreement that we will put in place with the developer worked quite well alongside the response that we had back from Muse."
Officers were asked about risks on the project. Paul Woodcock explained: "A development of this size and nature will always have risk because you are at the mercy of the market. Council's don't tend to own and operate cinemas, food and drink establishments and hotels.
"We are working through with finance and legal and we've had external partners advising us. Our risk is around financial exposure, looking at minimising the risk to the Council financially but at the same time not killing the scheme off completely."
A recent study into the leisure sector in Sheffield and Rotherham carried out by experts at Bilfinger GVA showed that the ability to retain trips in the Rotherham area rather than film fans currently heading to Sheffield "will create a level of capacity which is able to support a new local cinema." It adds that if a new cinema facility in Rotherham is able to retain 80% of cinema trips from within the borough, there will be a demand for up to 11 screens.
In addition, studies into the proposed new £300m Leisure Hall at Meadowhall showed that 51% of the food and beverage turnover at the current shopping centre comes from Rotherham residents.
A planning application has recently been submitted for hoardings around the site and flood alleviation works are also planned.
Rotherham-based United Carpets, the third largest chain of specialist retail carpet and floor covering stores in the UK, has reported a dip in sales following a satisfactory period of trading in the previous 12 months.
Challenges in the retail market, and within the home furnishings sector in particular, have persisted since the Bramley-based, AIM-listed company restructured its business following a pre-pack administration deal in 2012.
The group uses a franchise model and the board said in its unaudited preliminary results for the year ended March 31 2018, that "recording moderate increases in revenue, level profits and positive like for like sales of 3.2% is therefore a satisfactory outcome for the year."
In an update to the stock exchange, the board reiterated that trading in early summer was difficult due to the exceptionally warm, sunny weather, and the World Cup, "which together had a significant adverse impact on the Company's sales volumes, as they had on the sector as a whole."
This resulted in a modest decline of 1.9% in like for like sales for the 24 weeks ended September 13 2018.
Advertisement The firm said that it had carried out increased marketing investment and that further costs had been absorbed during the period in supporting the franchise network and making additional investment in future business developments. It added that this would be reflected in significantly lower profit levels in the first half of the current financial year.
The update, which coincided with the firms' AGM, concluded: "Whilst comparatives for the balance of the year remain challenging, the Board believes the business is well positioned for future trading and is actively pursuing appropriate ways to respond in the second half of this financial year in order to reduce the impact on the full year results.
"In view of the strength of its store portfolio together with the abilities and commitment of the franchisee network, the Board remains confident that the Group will continue to be cash generative, with no borrowings, and able to support its current dividend policy."
Rotherham-based Crawshaw Group Plc, the UK's leading value butcher, says that factory shops are central to future profitable growth.
The AIM-listed Hellaby firm reported its interim results which showed that sales continued to decline amid challenging trading conditions.
For the six months ended July 29, pretax losses widened to £1.7m from £1.2m loss in the same period in the previous year. This was despite revenue remaining comparatively flat at £21.6m compared to £22.1m in the year before.
Crawshaw's management has completed its review of the business and is implementing its change programme to restore growth and profitability with a transition to focus more on factory store locations. It continues to open new stores with three new factory shops opened in current year and ten more planned in 2019/2020 and a further ten in 2020/2021.
Crawshaw said it was reviewing its structure and investment in traditional high street locations where it has 42 stores trading.
Jim Viggars, CEO of Crawshaw plc, said: "Clearly the results for H1 are disappointing, but not entirely a surprise given market conditions and the issues that face a retail estate that has too many high street stores and currently not enough factory stores.
"However, the important issue is the future growth and profitably of Crawshaw. The new management team has identified what it considers to be the key issues and are moving at pace to remedy them on a sustainable basis. This is achievable over the medium term, despite market conditions which include declining high street shopper numbers, increasing convenience and online shopping and retail pricing that is more competitive.
"Our factory stores continue to produce good returns and have substantial room to improve as we get to grips with the supply chain and operational standards. Factory stores are our priority for growth."
Advertisement Another project sees a trial begin with A.F. Blakemore, the UK's leading Spar wholesaler and retailer, which will take the Crawshaw value meat offer into the growing convenience market. A three-store trial is expected to commence in early October 2018.
Again away from the high street, a new website expected to go live in early October 2018 to enable Crawshaw to deliver direct to the doorstep. The online brand will be WF Burtons, which is a traditional, high quality butchers owned and operated by Crawshaw in Pocklington, Yorkshire.
Viggars added: "Convenience shopping is growing significantly and this route to market will complement our own factory store rollout.
"Taking Crawshaw online by utilising our bespoke butchers' shop WF Burtons of Pocklington provides another new route to market. This will enable us to reach many more consumers who choose online shopping as part of their shopping repertoire. Our key point of difference will be providing a farm to fork Givendale British beef range of high-quality cuts at market leading prices."
Jim McCarthy, chairman of Crawshaw plc, added: "The new leadership team has a significant amount of experience working in the meat industry. They have identified the core issues affecting the business and are actively implementing a programme of change.
"We recognise that some of our existing High Street stores are not core to our future growth. Our Factory store format is attractive to consumers and we intend to accelerate the growth of this proven model, constantly refining value, operational standards and the overall shopping experience that is key in driving sales and profitability.
"We are also trialling initiatives in both convenience and online channels in order to meet changing customer shopping requirements. We believe we will be able to achieve this at relatively low cost and that over time these channels will support the factory store format in delivering sustainable growth and profitability.
"I am confident with the operational actions now being undertaken and new personnel joining to deliver the change we need, we have a programme in place that will, over time, restore shareholder value."
Rotherham-based Fishing Republic, one of the largest fishing tackle retailers in the UK, is continuing its year of transition with the hire of a new CEO.
The Eastwood company that floated on the AIM stock exchange in 2015 has raisied millions to help carry out its expansion plans. However, turnaround plans were required during 2017 to tackle "a significant deterioration in trading."
Reporting its interim results for the six months ended June 30 2018, the company said that it is in a year of transition and that financial results "reflect the challenging period, including the very difficult trading backdrop."
Revenues of £3.4m for the period, down from £4.1m in the same period of 2017, meant that Fishing Republic posted a loss before exceptional items, interest and taxation, depreciation and amortisation of £1.4m, compared to breaking even in the same period last year.
Growth plans had been based on snapping up smaller competitors, opening destination stores and boosting online sales however, following a review, bosses closed the store in Clavering, Essex in early January 2018, and in April and May, closed four further stores, in Ipswich, Mildenhall, Swindon and Huntingdon.
Closing underperforming stores resulting in £500,000 of exceptional costs. Margins were hit by clearing old product lines and surplus stock, but there was also "downward pressure as a result of the competitive environment."
Overall store sales reduced by £0.5m to £2.7m (H1 2017: £3.2m), with like-for-like store sales decreasing by 22%, having gone up by 21% in the same period in 2017.
Advertisement Online sales over the six months decreased by £0.2m to £0.7m. A new upgraded website launched in mid-May and a new head of E-commerce is in post.
The period also saw the firm take new office space at 9 and 14 Ashley Business Court in Rotherham to act as its new administrative headquarters.
In addition to the results, it was announced that Daniel Quinn will be joining the board as CEO in October. Quinn has over 26 years' experience in the retail sector, including in senior commercial roles at Tesco, and GO Outdoors, one of the UK's largest retailers of outdoor clothing and equipment, where he was commercial director.
James Newman, chairman of Fishing Republic, said: "Fishing Republic is in a year of transition. Following a comprehensive review of the Group's operations, we have taken firm action in the first six months of the financial year to stabilise the business and to implement changes to improve its performance.
"The restructuring of the business was undertaken against very difficult trading conditions - so it has been a particularly challenging period. While the sales environment continues to be tough, with strong competitive pressures, our major shareholders have supported our plans, and we remain confident of the prospects for the business as we navigate through the current challenges.
"We are pleased to welcome Dan Quinn as Chief Executive Officer. He shares the Board's vision that there is a significant opportunity for the Group to build its presence as a multi-channel retailer of fishing tackle and equipment."
A new "night market" and the popular international market are taking place in Rotherham town centre this month.
From Wednesday October 10 to Saturday 13, visitors will be able to experience the sights, smells and tastes from stalls from countries including Italy, Germany, Thailand, Spain and even South America.
From tasty delicacies to crafts, leather goods and pottery from around the world, there really is something for everyone.
Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said: "The International Market is always popular whenever it visits the Town Centre.
"If you are looking to try something different for a lunchtime snack there will be some delicious continental foods on offer, or with Christmas on the horizon, why not browse some of the handmade goods and gift items on offer."
With over 15 stalls, the Continental Market will be trading between 9:00 am – 4.30 pm.
Advertisement Also in the town centre, The George Wright Boutique Hotel is set to host its first Night Market this Friday. The hotel, bar and restaurant, which underwent a £500,000 revamp last year, is promoting craft beers, cocktails, gins alongside local vintage arts and crafts, street food and local musicians.
The night market is taking place on October 5 at 6pm.
Rotherham's market charter dates back to 1207 and Rotherham Council has extended the popular street market and is introducing new types of markets in town such as the Crafters' Market.
The Council is also currently working on options for the redevelopment of the markets complex that are due in November 2018.
A planning application has been submitted for a new a drive thru café / restaurant on land close to the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.
EOS Inc Ltd, which shares directors with Rotherham-based development firm, Harworth Group plc, has put together proposals for a 2,200 sq ft development on land adjacent to Harworth's Advantage House building on Poplar Way.
Harworth Group, the brownfield regeneration specialist that was created out of UK Coal plc, acquired the office block near to its flagship Waverley development for £2.2m in 2016.
A second office block on the site was proposed back in 1996 but never built. Now outline plans have been drawn up for a proposed drive thru unit which is likely to form a single storey unit, although a maximum of two storeys is proposed.
An operator has not yet been revealed.
An access road is already in place to Advantage House and 31 parking spaces are included in the plans, as are proposals for a new crossing and an indicative landscape plan.
Advertisement The land is identified for business use in the recently approved Local Plan but applicants state that it is no longer viable for employment use as it would need to compete with the nearby Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and Sheffield Business Park. The applicants add that the loss of employment land would have little affect the borough's plans for economic growth.
As it is an out of centre site, a sequential test is included in the plans in line with "town centre first" national and local planning policies. Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.
The test concludes that there no sequentially preferable sites, discounting sites in a number of centres located within Rotherham and Sheffield.
The application, drawn up by Barton Wilmore, concludes: "The site will bring benefits to all three strands of sustainable development, economically, environmentally and socially by creating new job opportunities, provide additional facilities for the local area and develop a piece of underutilised land. It also supports and complements the wider plans for growth within the Sheffield-Rotherham corridor."
Harworth is working on a joint venture with Dransfield Properties on a new retail mixed use development on the Waverley site. Its other developments, such as Logistics North near Bolton and Gateway 36 in Barnsley, have Costa Coffee units alongside commercial space.
Vacant for nearly a year, the former large Primark store in Rotherham town centre is heading for sale via auction. And the guide price is half a million pounds.
Rothbiz reported last year that the national chain was to open a new store at Parkgate Shopping, relocating from the High Street in Rotherham town centre.
Now the freehold of the vacated property has been entered for sale with leading auctioneers, Allsop.
The 43,000 sq ft property is arranged on ground and two upper floors to provide two adjoining shops. 9 High Street is arranged on ground and first floors. 11/13 High Street is arranged on ground, first and second floors. Primark used the 22,343 sq ft ground floor as trading space.
The guide price is £500,000+ which represents a gross initial yield of 0.02%.
Advertisement Sitting alongside M&S and Curry's/PC World, the new Primark store occupies 33,100 sq ft of retail space over two levels with fast fashion retailer the moving from one former BHS unit to another.
Last October, joint agents at Smith Young and Edgerley Simpson Howe were brought in to market the prominent High Street unit but with deteriorating retail trading conditions coupled with a yearly rent in the region of £200,000 and business rates of £192,000, the unit has remained empty.
The closure of Primark has had an evident negative impact on footfall in the town centre. Rotherham Council reported an average monthly decline of 40% alone on High Street since the store closed in November 2017.
The High Street has undergone significant regeneration in recent years, largely due to the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) scheme where £4.7m investment from the HLF, Rotherham Council and the property owners has led to the restoration, renovation and repair of a number of historic buildings.
Advertisement The latest project has seen the Grade II listed George Wright building undergo a £500,000 revamp to be reopened as as boutique hotel, bar and restaurant.
Another prominent Grade II listed building on the High Street is set to be vacated this month when the Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) closes its town centre branch.
The adopted masterplan for Rotherham town centre focuses on growing leisure and residential uses rather than retail.
It served over 200 stores and thousands of online customers with 44,000 different gadgets and electronic products, but now the former Maplin warehouse in Rotherham sits eerily empty after the plug was pulled on the retailer.
After a slowdown in sales and declining profits, the firm plunged into administration in February, putting around 2,500 jobs at risk.
Based at Manvers, Maplin sold a range of products to tech-savvy hobbyists as well as general consumers. In 2008 it moved to a 220,000 sq ft state of the art distribution centre and head office on Brookfield's Park.
The building is owned by Ascendas Reit, Singapore's first and largest listed business space and industrial real estate investment trust. It was previously acquired in 2014 in a £15.1m deal.
Advertisement CBRE and Knight Frank have now been instructed to find a new tenant for the property. The brochure show rows and rows of empty racks and shelves.
Mike Baugh, senior director for the industrial team at CBRE Leeds, said: "We are delighted to be working with Ascendas Reit on this significant warehouse facility.
"Brookfields 200 is ideal for occupiers looking to take advantage of a fully fitted warehouse close to a plentiful and economic labour pool, in a location which allows excellent communications across Yorkshire and the UK."
Rebecca Schofield, partner and head of Knight Frank's Yorkshire industrial team, added: "Brookfields Park is ideally located in the popular Sheffield city region which is experiencing an increase in attracting manufacturing and logistics operations and thanks to its location, with superb transport infrastructure to the A1 and M1, means that it is ideally positioned for business, locally, nationally and internationally. The buoyant labour market offers a wide range of skills for potential employees."
Launched by two technology enthusiasts in 1972 who were frustrated by the lack of good quality electronics components, Maplin Electronics became the experts' choice, with a reputation for the best product range and expertise.
It was sold for £85m to Rutland Partners in 2014. Montagu Private Equity bought the business for a reported £244m in 2004.
In the early days in Essex, founders, Roger Allen and Doug Simmons, remained in their full-time jobs for two years, and the company didn't make a profit. For the year ending 31 March 2017, turnover at the electronics chain increased to £235.8m but pre tax losses widened to £3.9m.
Advertisement In 2016 a reorganisation saw a "front office" of the commercial, marketing, ecommerce and digital function based together in London, with a "back office" of the HR, finance, IT, warehouse and distribution and contact centre functions based in Rotherham.
No buyers for the firm could be found and all branches ceased trading in June. The firm's IP was sold for £800,000, reportedly to Dragon's Den star, Peter Jones, according to The Register.
Food Circe, a start-up business set up in Rotherham to help people eat more healthily for less, enjoyed a taste of success after scooping the Sheffield Hallam University Enterprise award.
Hallam history graduate James Barthorpe and his business partner Paul Simpson launched Food Circle in January 2018. It is based at RiDO's Century Business Centre in Manvers.
Appalled at the quantity of good quality food and drink products that were routinely going to waste, James and Paul decided to create Food Circle, the first online UK-based retailer offering surplus "in-date" healthy food and drink products, to customers at half the recommended retail price.
The Hallam Enterprise Awards take place every year, and provides an opportunity for Hallam student and graduate start-ups to showcase their businesses and share their achievements with an audience and judging panel of fellow entrepreneurs and innovators from the business and higher education communities.
There was £10,000 of prize money up for grabs on the night, donated by Santander Universities (winner and runners-up awards) and QUICKPLAY (audience vote for the best business pitch). QUICKPLAY was co-founded by two Hallam graduates, Allen Holland and Will Parsons. As graduate recipients of the Enterprise Challenge Award back in 2006, they were keen to support the next generation of Hallam entrepreneurs.
Advertisement On winning the top prize of £5,000 to support the business, the Food Circle founders expressed their delight and thanked their supporters, including the customers and the brands they work with.
In addition to the winner, there were two runners-up prizes: The Happiness Bootcamp, a social enterprise created by psychology student, Amiee Browes, which helps people combat their mental health issues through the power of physical exercise and Fula Flavour, created by Hawa Soh, a business and human resource management graduate. Fula Flavour has created a range of Djembe chilli sauces inspired by her culinary childhood experiences from her country of origin in Guinea, West Africa.
The prize for the best pitch was awarded to computer science graduate and international break-dance specialist Torrell Euan. Torrell has combined his two passions to create Woosh! - an electronicjudging system that can be used for competitive break-dancing at all levels of competition.
Caroline Nouvellon, manager of the enterprise team at Sheffield Hallam University, said: "This is the second Hallam Enterprise Awards we have hosted and it has already become the highlight in the enterprise team's calendar.
"This awards event provides our talented students and graduates with an opportunity to showcase their businesses, entrepreneurial flair and professionalism. Their passion, drive and belief in their businesses combined with their resilience when meeting the challenges and set-backs they have all encountered, has made them worthy and deserving finalists.
"I am confident that all of their ventures have the potential for success and sustainability in the years ahead."
It was put at risk of closure for a year and a half ago and now the building which is home to a Post Office in the centre of Rotherham is up for sale.
Rothbiz reported in January 2017 that Rotherham's central Post Office on Bridgegate was named in a list of Crown branches at risk of closure. A partner was being sought to keep the branch open.
Advertisement Now the freehold of the 3,995 sq ft property at 3/5 Bridgegate has been submitted for dale at auction with leading auctioneers, Acuitus.
It has been given a guide price of £290,000 for the auction in London next week.
The property forms part of Cascades Shopping Centre and currently trades as Post Office & Stationery by WH Smith. Sale documents show that Post Office Ltd pays £30,000 a year, signing a four year lease from December 2017 - 11 months after it was named at risk of closure.
Across Bridgegate, the property at number 18 is also up for sale at auction.
The 4,400 sq ft property currently trades as bookmakers, Betfrod on the ground floor with a beauty salon above and brings in £56,346.96 a year in rent.
It has been given a guide price of £425,000 - £450,000 by auctioneers, Allsop.
Rothbiz reported last week that the large former Primark store on Rotherham's High Street was also up for sale at auction.
A family run business that started as an eBay shop has secured business investments worth over £30,000 with the help of a local lender.
Based at Dinnington in Rotherham, JS Mirrors has secured investment from alternative funding specialist Finance For Enterprise which will be used to help the business invest in its customer service offering, creating new roles within the business as it sets its sights on future growth.
Today, JS Mirrors employs seven members of staff and since the business was launched in 2005 has established itself as one of the UK's largest mirror specialists in the UK, which are sold exclusively online. The company was founded by Stuart Morgan after he received a sum of money on his father's retirement. Stuart, along with his siblings, were given £500 on condition they grew, rather than spent the money.
As the business began to grow, Stuart began developing additional business ventures. Today he operates four dedicated e-businesses, helping homeowners to source chandeliers, home furnishings and mirrors from the comfort of their own home.
Larger premises were needed, and unable to secure lending from a traditional high street bank, Stuart turned to Doncaster-based alternative funding provider, Finance For Enterprise for help.
Earlier this year, Stuart and his co-director Joanna Morgan called upon the help of Finance For Enterprise, enabling him to invest in a new technology infrastructure to improve the efficiency of the business. Previously known as Donbac, the lender previously helped to fund new premises and purchase stock in 2011.
Following the additional investment, Stuart and Joanna are hoping to create new customer service roles within the business.
Advertisement Clients range from members of the public, business-to-business establishments such as hotels, salons and restaurants, and even the occasional celebrity! The company has received orders from professional footballers, actors and both Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel-Horwood and Liam Gallagher have both purchased unique creations for their homes! Three mirrors were donated as part of a recent episode of Love Your Home & Garden with Alan Titchmarsh.
Joanna Morgan, co-director at JS Mirrors (pictured, left), said: "Investing in staff is a big commitment for any business and we contacted Finance For Enterprise to help our business receive a cash injection as we entered into a new phase of business growth and development.
"Like many businesses, we had a proven business model and good trading history, so it came as quite a surprise when our high street lender told us that we weren’t eligible for lending. After spending some time researching our options, we contacted Finance For Enterprise, who helped us to secure the vital capital our business needed.
"The support we have received from Finance For Enterprise has proved to be invaluable to our business journey. They made the application process quick, easy and straightforward and as a result we have been able to create new jobs within the business as well as invest in new technology to prepare our business for further growth."
Alan Scott, investment manager at Finance For Enterprise (pictured, centre), added: "Many business owners are often surprised when they visit a traditional high street lender and are unable to secure the lending they need. In Joanna and Stuart's case, securing a business loan was vital to their future growth plans, ensuring they could implement the systems and procedures to improve efficiency within the company as well as enabling them to create new jobs within the local economy.
"I have worked with JS Mirrors for a number of years and they have enjoyed a significant period of growth during that time. When Joanna and Stuart approached me earlier in the year to discuss their further growth plans, I worked with them to identify a loan package which was capable of meeting their needs. I examined a number of different options and was able to help them access the right form of financial help which was capable of meeting their needs."
Rotherham-based Fishing Republic, one of the largest retailers of fishing tackle in the UK, has seen trading in its shares suspended three years after floating on the London stock exchange.
The Eastwood company that floated on the AIM stock exchange in 2015 raised millions to help carry out its expansion plans. However, turnaround plans were required during 2017 to tackle "a significant deterioration in trading."
Reporting its interim results for the six months ended June 30 2018, the company said that it is in a year of transition and that financial results "reflect the challenging period, including the very difficult trading backdrop."
Revenues of £3.4m for the period, down from £4.1m in the same period of 2017, meant that Fishing Republic posted a loss before exceptional items, interest and taxation, depreciation and amortisation of £1.4m, compared to breaking even in the same period last year.
A statement said: "This difficult trading environment has continued and the Board has been informed that certain major shareholders are no longer willing to provide further short-term financial assistance to the Group.
"Trading in the Company's securities on AIM was therefore suspended at the Company's request pending clarification of its financial position."
Advertisement Growth plans had been based on snapping up smaller competitors, opening destination stores and boosting online sales.
It had been announced that Daniel Quinn, who has experience in senior commercial roles at Tesco and GO Outdoors, would be joining the board as CEO in October. However, the company was forced to admit that Quinn has agreed to assist in assessing options for the business but will not be taking up his role as CEO or joining the Board at this time.
James Newman continues in his role as executive chairman until further notice.
Ten million new shares at 15p per share raised £1.5m in 2015. A new share placing during 2016 landed a further £3.75m and £1.3m was raised through a new share placing at the start of 2018. This was followed up with a secured loan of £500,000 from existing shareholders in June.
At 31 December 2017, major shareholders were S J Gross (24.1%), Tinley Nominees Limited 15.9% and Miton Group plc 12.2%.
In November 2017, Steve Gross, the company founder, stepped down as CEO but remained on the board as an executive director.
Construction work is underway on a new discount foodstore in Rotherham with the Gelder Group securing the £3m contract.
Rothbiz has reported on plans by Lidl for a new store that would create around 40 jobs on land at Dalton. The plans, approved by the Council in July, are for a new 23,700 sq ft "modern and attractive neighbourhood foodstore" on the site of the former Dalton Progressive Working Men's Club.
Gelder Group, which has its HQ in Lincolnshire, first opened a Sheffield office in January 2016 in Chapeltown, but quickly outgrew the space and within three months moved into a 260 sq ft office within the same building. The team relocated earlier this year to a third office, at Templeborough in Rotherham, which is almost triple the size of the previous one.
Advertisement The company's facilities, maintenance and building department has secured its third project to build new stores for the global supermarket.
The new Lidl store is due to open in June 2019.
James Flintham, commercial manager at Gelder Group, which which delivers projects across a range of sectors including education, health, retail, insurance, leisure, heritage and residential, said: "The tendering process to secure this build has been particularly rigorous, however I feel our track record of previous builds for the brand was in our favour and we are delighted to have secured this £3m contract.
"We are always keen to use the local supply chain on our project and this is no exception, in particular we are keen to make contact with local suppliers and subcontractors for fencing, paving, landscaping and decorating."
