Leading independent builders' merchant, James Burrell, has announced that it is developing a new £2m branch in Yorkshire, set to open in Rotherham early next year.
The new site will be the tenth for the family-owned Gateshead company and is expected to open in spring 2019. The announcement follows a wave of investment in 2018, with £250k pumped into the existing Ossett branch to provide a dedicated trade counter and office space and a brand new branch in Morpeth.
The 48,000 sq ft Rotherham branch will feature a 3,000 sq ft office and trade counter area, displays, a warehouse and onsite vehicles. As with existing branches at Ossett and York, it will offer a full range of high-quality civils, drainage, timber, roofing, insulation and heavyside building materials.
Advertisement Plans were approved earlier this year to enable a change of use at 1-4 Wortley Road for an unnamed builders' merchant. The site was vacated in 2016 by Esco Corporation.
Mark Richardson, joint managing director at James Burrell, said: "We are very excited to reveal the plans for our new South Yorkshire branch. The area has a wealth of talented and experienced professionals operating at all levels across the building trade, and so it feels a very natural progression to bring our reliable, trusted service to their doorstep.
"We are proud to be an independent merchant who truly cares about the communities in which we operate. Our recent growth is a result of the dedicated and knowledgeable teams we employ in each of our branches. It is their expertise, coupled with efficient service and an effortless sales process, which keeps our customers returning."
Advertisement Stephen Richardson, joint managing director at James Burrell, added: "It's wonderful to be announcing our tenth new branch, which is the culmination of a year of significant investment for our business.
"We are an ambitious company and the team have built a well-deserved reputation for delivering consistently fantastic service. Any customers in South Yorkshire who have previously visited a James Burrell branch can expect the same reliable, no-hassle experience from our latest location."
A Rotherham-based online supermarket which is tackling the issue of food waste head on has moved into a new premises in Dinnington following rapid expansion fuelled by a national marketing campaign which saw the business more than double its customer base within a matter of weeks.
Food Circle is the first online UK-based retailer offering surplus "in-date" healthy food and drink products, to customers at half the recommended retail price. It was launched by Sheffield Hallam history graduate James Barthorpe and his business partner Paul Simpson in January 2018.
Previously based at RiDO's Century Business Centre in Manvers, the company has now made the move to larger premises at Matrix Business Centre, another centre operated by RiDO. The new location is ideally situated in terms of distribution, making it easier to ship stock to customers across the nation as well as having more room to store the increasing product range.
As part of an ambitious growth strategy, they rolled out a comprehensive online and social media marketing campaign with the help of funding from a UK Steel Enterprise (UKSE) Kickstart grant in September; securing a raft of new clientele and solidifying Food Circle Supermarket's presence as the only retailer of its kind in the UK.
Advertisement Growth for the firm also follows a spate of recognition for its innovative approach to reducing the volume of produce that ends up in landfill unnecessarily, having recently won the Hallam Enterprise Award.
James Barthorpe, co-founder of Food Circle Supermarket, said: "We've been in contact with UK Steel Enterprise since we pitched for their investment as part of the Y-Accelerator programme in March 2018. Since then, the team have been very pro-active in offering their advice and support which has added a lot of value to our business.
"We were also given access to a UKSE Kickstart grant of £500 which we put towards our first ever proactive marketing campaign which has helped us to reach more new customers and grow our business significantly over the last couple of months."
Alan Stanley of UKSE, added: "I'm delighted that James and Paul's hard work and dedication has been recognised in their nomination for a Sheffield Business Award and would like to congratulate them on behalf of everyone at UKSE for their Hallam Enterprise Award win.
"It's excellent to see that the Kickstart grant has been of great help to Food Circle Supermarket, allowing them to reach out to their target market and promote the importance of diverting surplus food away from landfill."
UKSE is a subsidiary of Tata Steel tasked with assisting the economic regeneration of communities affected by changes in the steel industry.
The board at Rotherham-based meat retailer, Crawshaws, has announced its decision to appoint an administrator after it failed to find investment.
The UK's leading value butcher is based at Hellaby and operates 42 High Street stores and 12 factory stores.
The announcement comes just three years after the firm announced growth plans in 2015 that included £200m of investment, opening 200 stores and creating 2,500 jobs.
However, sales continued to decline amid challenging trading conditions and Crawshaw's management was forced to undertake a review of the business and implement a change programme to restore growth and profitability with a transition to focus more on factory store locations.
After reviewing its structure and investment in traditional high street locations, the Board said last week that it was considering a number of remedial actions to address the key issues it has identified, which may include raising additional funding through an equity capital raising.
The additional funding could not be secured.
Advertisement A statement to the stock exchange said: "The Board has been in discussions with existing investors and prospective investors. Unfortunately these discussions have not been successful in raising sufficient capital to address those key issues.
"The Company does not have sufficient cash resources to effect the required restructuring of the business.
"In the light of the above and the operational and financial uncertainty which the Company now faces, in order to protect both shareholders and creditors, the Board has taken the decision to place the Company into administration and intends to appoint administrators shortly with the purpose of seeking buyers for the Group's business and assets on a going concern basis.
"As a result, the Board announces it has requested a suspension of trading in its shares on AIM with effect from 7.30am on 31 October 2018.
"Further announcements will be made in due course."
350 redundancies have been made as Rotherham-based retailer, Crawshaws, formally appoints administrators.
Rothbiz reported last week that the Hellaby-based company was heading for administration after it failed to find investment for turnaround plans having suffered declining sales amid challenging trading conditions.
The UK's leading value butcher, which operated 42 High Street stores and 12 factory stores, has appointed Robert Hunter Kelly and Charles Graham John King, both of Ernst & Young LLP, as joint administrators.
An update to the stock exchange said: "Following consideration of the Group's financial position, the Group has ceased to trade from 35 stores and continues to trade from 19 stores which remain open and are trading as normal. The distribution centre at Astley has been closed and the stores and the Group's remaining businesses are being serviced and supplied from the Group's remaining distribution centre at Hellaby.
Advertisement "As a result of the store closures it has been necessary to restructure the workforce for economic, organisational and technical reasons. This has resulted in 354 redundancies with the Group continuing to employ 261 staff to trade from, support and supply the 19 stores that remain open and operational as well as supply the three butcher's counters which are being trialled in Spar stores and the wholesale operations."
The Crawshaws outlet on Howard Street in Rotherham town centre has closed. The factory outlet at Hellaby, and the counter at the Spar in Wath continue to trade as the administrators look for the best deal for creditors.
The firm announced growth plans in 2015 that included £200m of investment, opening 200 stores and creating 2,500 jobs. After several years of financial losses, a review of the business was undertaken which showed that a change programme was needed to restore growth and profitability with a transition to focus more on factory store locations. Unsuccessful attempts were made to raise the additional investment required to fund the restructuring plan.
Rotherham-based Fishing Republic, one of the largest retailers of fishing tackle in the UK, has providing a trading update following on from having seen trading in its shares suspended.
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."
A difficult trading environment continues and certain major shareholders said that they were no longer willing to provide further short-term financial assistance.
An update to the stock exchange said: "The directors have been working with the company's professional advisers to asses a number of options for the future of the group. There does, however, remain a material uncertainty regarding the group's financial position, and the group continues to trade only with the short-term support of key creditors.
Advertisement "The company is currently seeking to raise equity finance to fund its immediate and future working capital requirements. If the company fails to raise sufficient equity finance and no other funding becomes available, then there will be a significant doubt as to the group's ability to continue to trade as a going concern.
"A further announcement will be made in due course and by the end of November."
The company's shares remain suspended from trading on AIM.
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.
Part of a prominent corner building at the foot of Rotherham town centre's regenerated High Street could be converted into a gym as part of plans submitted to the Council.
38-40 College Street comprises a three storey, self contained building with a Portland Stone façade and was given a guide price of £150,000 - £200,000, by leading firm, Acuitus, when it went up for auction early last year. It sold for £245,000.
Now plans have been submitted which would enable the first floor of the property, currently "dead space" between the ground floor retail space and second floor snooker hall, to be converted into a gym.
If approved, the vacant ground floor units would be subdivided.
Advertisement The change of use application, drawn up by Melanie Dearing Architects, states: "The ground floor has two shop units (both empty). The first floor is also part of the retail space but it is not used as it is inaccessible and old-fashioned. It is dead space. It has been difficult to rent the units because of the size.
"We wish to split the ground floor up into four smaller, more lettable, units and refurbish them with proper toilets and kitchen facilities. Amazingly, presumably historically, there were four units on the site as we wish to renumber them using the existing numbering - 2 High Street, 4 High Street, 38 College Street and 40 College Street.
"We wish to change the first floor into a large open space for a fitness centre type use. It has four metre high ceilings and is perfect for it."
Shop front alterations to create the new units are also proposed.
Previously Burton's, one ground floor unit was recently used by That's Entertainment and the second unit was vacated by Eastwood Domestics.
Advertisement Though not a listed building, the property is on Rotherham Civic Society's local list which compiles properties of architectural or historic interest. The society states that: "No.2 High Street had been purchased by Montague Burton Ltd in 1926 with a view to expanding its presence in Rotherham. Following discussions with the Rotherham Corporation it became apparent that, due to the highway authority's plans to ease the College Street / High Street corner, Nos. 4 & 6 would need to be acquired in order to provide a site of sufficient size for Burton's new premises.
"In December 1929 the company's proposals for the new store were approved and the old property was demolished. The new building, designed by Harry Wilson, Architect, of Roundhay in Leeds was completed in 1931."
The building was previously home to Peter Lord shoes and was historically the venue for tea dances.
Last week, a planning application was approved that will enable the conversion of the ground floor of the former Speeds department store on the High Street into an internet café / bar.
No stranger to controversy and with a love to challenge the status quo, Wayne Hemingway MBE gave developers, councillors and council officers in Rotherham plenty to think about at a "visioning workshop" on the town centre this week.
Having built up and sold fashion label Red or Dead with his wife Gerardine, the pair have gone on to work on impactful regeneration and urban design projects with Wayne often being called on to talk about retail, regeneration and our town centres.
At an event held at Wentworth Woodhouse and organised by Rotherham Council, Hemmingway talked about retail and the societal shifts which he sees as just as important as the rise of online shopping. He said: "First of all, stop using the word "High Street." High Street means shopping, town centre doesn't. Town centre is about experiences and social gathering. Language is important.
"Retail ain't coming back. It's no use crying over spilt milk. Retail is stupid and we aren't. Young people who understand sustainability and have lower disposable incomes realise that there are much better things to do than to go shopping for things we don't really need."
Showing a picture of a Brighton street with pawnbrokers next to loan shops next to bookmakers, which could have easily been Rotherham, Wayne said: "That to me says "misery" and we've created that. As a society, we've let that happen. The life experiences we had growing up, the gigs, the opportunities, they don't happen now with pension funds owning our town centres."
Advertisement Rotherham has signed off on its town centre masterplan which places a greater emphasis on town centre living and leisure, as opposed to traditional retail uses, in continuing the regeneration. Consultation is also underway on a new cultural strategy for the borough.
Hemingway discussed how culture and creativity should be placed at the heart of decision-making for Rotherham town centre, giving examples of Blackburn developing its own unique selling point based on "making" and Berlin which gave creatives free reign to make the forgotten Mitte district a vibrant cultural hub.
"Nothing good comes from decision-making without culture being considered," Wayne said, "Having been European Capital of Culture, if a multi-story car park is planned in Liverpool now, questions are asked about its cultural benefit. Creative minds stick pins in, ask questions, you have to have it in decision-making." Hemingway, who has a degree in geography and town planning, discussed the opportunity for Rotherham. He said: "It's time to be radical, tinkering won't do it.
"Every town centre has got to find its USP. Don't copy, stand out. It's got to be meaningful and original. It's not about being young and trendy, this is life. It's about being independent. Everybody wants to be creative."
Addressing the councillors, officers and MUSE, the developers appointed by the council, Wayne added: "Forge Island is your chance. Deliver something beautiful and that has serendipity and you've got a chance. You'll also die happy."
Plans for new units at a business park in Rotherham have been updated with a proposed Burger King outlet removed but the Starbucks unit remaining.
Rothbiz reported last year that Essex-based Burney Estates, commercial property developers with a nationwide portfolio of properties, was hoping to secure planning permission for a development at Swallownest, servicing the Beighton Link business park and passing trade.
Adjacent to the Elmwood Farm pub and large Pricecheck headquarters, the plans show updated proposals for on an undeveloped plot adjacent to the roundabout where Chesterfield Road and the A57 meet.
The proposal has a 1,800 sq ft Starbucks drive-thru situated to the north of the site. It is set to have a modern appearance with a glazed frontage positioned against timber cladding with grey cladding panels. A 1,200 sq ft A1 unit is planned to the south of the proposed development, replacing the proposed Burger King. Access is set to be from Chesterfield Road.
The plans, drawn up by Dovetail Architects, sate: "The development of Starbucks is a positive addition as it will provide jobs to the local community. Starbucks drive thru usually has an employment intake of 25 staffs with 15 Full time and ten part-time employees.
"Generally A1 units tend to employ five staff on both full time and part time basis. This brings additional employment to the local area and helps boost the local economy."
Advertisement As the site is out of town, 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 at Parkgate, Masbrough, and the town centre which are considered unsuitable for reasons of location, size of premises of site or layout of the premises.
The plans add: "The proposal simply provides a stopping off place before car drivers reach their destinations and have no reason to access the town centre. This will not interfere in any material way with the vitality and vibrancy of the town centre."
With over 28,000 stores worldwide Seattle-based Starbucks plan to open 1,000 franchise stores in the UK over the next five to seven years, of varying asset types, partnering with a maximum of 25 franchisees.
Starbucks' first UK franchised business partner, 23.5 Degrees is hoping to operate the Beighton Link outlet. 23.5 Degrees, opened its first store in February 2013 and now have 50 stores across the UK with another 27 in the pipeline over the next year.
Having seen planning permission turned down for a real ale / craft beer bar, new plans have now been revealed that would create a new restaurant inside empty retail units in a popular Rotherham suburb.
Rothbiz reported in June that Rotherham Council were refusing to allow current and new drinking establishments to take on retail units close to The Courtyard in Wickersley.
A new craft beer style bar wanted to open in the former Village Butcher premises on Bawtry Road and an application followed from the owners of The Courtyard who wanted to expand the popular bar into an adjacent retail unit.
Concerns about late night noise nuisance were raised and the plans were refused as they would reduce the percentage of A1 (retail) uses below 65% in the area, contrary to newly adopted local planning policies.
Now a new application has been submitted that involves fitting out the current shell of three units on Bawtry Road to combine them to form a new A3 restaurant unit. The buildings current consents are for Retail (A1) and Sui Generis Uses. Sui Generis means a use that does not fall within any particular use class.
Advertisement The plans, drawn up by SLA Design, state: "The site currently comprises of three adjacent unoccupied retail units which were previously used as a butcher, a delicatessen and a tattoo parlour. The butchers and deli front immediately onto Bawtry Road but the tattoo parlour fronts into the Courtyard.
"The proposal involves "knocking through" and combining all three units whilst fully fitting out the new unit with a new kitchen, toilets and front of house furniture."
The applicant is Martin Green, joint owner of the bar at The Courtyard who lives in Rotherham and is managing director of leading entertainment provider, Redtooth.
Opening hours of 8:30am until 12am seven days a week are proposed, enabling "Seasons Restaurant" to cater for breakfast, lunchtime and dinner.
Access would be from inside the courtyard.
A planning statement is being prepared but the applicants have stated that: "It is highly unlikely that the proposed development will have any impact upon the amenities of the existing residents in the locality and the surrounding businesses as similar operating hours and servicing arrangements are to be adopted as per the existing businesses around the site."
Rotherham Council's highways department has already raised concerns that the restaurant use has the potential to generate increased parking demand and affect nearby residential streets.
Over the road, at The Tanyard, a planning application was recently approved to enable QFM Group, the Sheffield-based developer and operator of a number of fast food franchises, to create two new units with flats above at the former home of Edward Healy & Sons.
With updated designs to address concerns over visual amenity and overlooking, planners concluded that the proposed development represents an acceptable form of development in this locality.
Rotherham Council has re-introduced free weekend parking for visitors to Rotherham town centre in the run up to Christmas in all council-owned on-street bays and off-street car parks.
The annual lights switch-on event taking place last week signaled the start of free car parking on Saturdays. Sunday parking remains free as normal, as does on street parking after 6pm.
Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said: "We will provide free Saturday parking in Council-owned car parks and on-street bays over the festive period which will help shoppers and businesses alike. Local traders have said that the free parking in the run up to the festive season gives them a vital boost to their businesses.
Advertisement "Shopping in the town centre gives lots of choice for customers and we encourage them to come along and use the free parking to see the great range of gifts and products on offer.
"This Christmas, we hope that everyone in Rotherham gets behind their local shops and businesses - your support can really make a difference to our local economy."
Maximum stay restrictions will still apply and Saturday parking charges will be applicable again from January 5 2019.
Events in the town centre this year include "Christmas Mix" aimed at children and families on December 8. On December 15 the town will welcome festive performances from The City of Sheffield Pipe Band, Liberty Church Choir and Thorpe Hesley Brass Band
Santa's Grotto is at Rotherham Markets from November 24 and this year's pantomime, Dick Whittington, has its first performance at the Civic Theatre on November 30.
Visitors to the popular Parkgate Shopping retail park in Rotherham are being warned about a new Car Park Management Enforcement System restricting parking to five hours. It comes after the innovative tram train services began linking Parkgate with Rotherham, Meadowhall and Sheffield.
Passengers in South Yorkshire are the first in the country to benefit from the innovative tram-train pilot, which entered public service at the end of October. The special vehicles use pioneering technology to run on both Sheffield's tramlines and the rail network in Rotherham.
The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), Northern Rail and Network Rail have been working together on the £100m+ pilot project which was first announced in 2009. Securing Government funding, the aim of the project is to help determine whether tram-trains can run in other parts of the country.
For the local area, the aim of the project is to help people in Sheffield and Rotherham travel to jobs, education and training. The extra transport link offers better connections between businesses in the two areas and across the region to help the local economy to grow.
A new station has been built to the rear of Parkgate Shopping and an area of the car park near Matalan is now reserved for tram-train users - with 31 spaces.
Users of the service hoping to "park & ride" will need to use the reserved car park or move their vehicle before five hours if using the car park usually used by shoppers. New signs show that the free parking offer also comes with a "no return within two hours" rule.
Advertisement BMO Real Estate Partners owns Parkgate Shopping and private company, TPS UK, operates the car park. Back in 2009, civil enforcement officers at Rotherham Council commenced patrols of Parkgate Shopping with the intention of penalising people parking in a designated disabled bay with no valid blue badge or on double yellow lines.
Attracting seven million visitors a year, the park, which has 42 shops, has 2,000 free parking spaces including bays for blue badge holders and parents with young children.
A FAQ from SYPTE, explains: "There are 31 dedicated parking spaces for tram-train customers within Parkgate retail park. There is no charge for this parking. A "drop off/pick up" facility near the platform at Parkgate is also available for passengers using tram-train. Parking facilities outside of the 31 dedicated spaces for tram-train customers is subject to the parking terms and conditions of Parkgate retail park. This includes terms of maximum stay.
"Parking at Rotherham Central is managed by Northern Rail and is for Northern Rail customers only. Tram Train customers wishing to park close to the station should use the existing off-street car parks. SYPTE is proposing to provide additional parking facilities for Tram Train customers at Rotherham Interchange when it reopens in February. More information will be provided closer to this time.
"Park & ride facilities are available at Meadowhall and Nunnery Square for Supertram and tram-train customers."
It is understood that more tram-train stops could be introduced in other places if the pilot is successful and this can be funded. SYPTE's business plan for 2018 includes an aim to investigate the feasibility of a tram stop (and park & ride) at Magna in Rotherham.
The plan adds: "It is unlikely that tram-train will make a sufficient financial return on its own and there is a need to understand whether additional stops could support this in the longer term."
SVM Global is proudly celebrating the tenth birthday of its UK office at Parkgate in Rotherham.
SVM is the largest reseller and distributor of corporate gift cards, e-vouchers and gift vouchers in the B2B and the corporate gifting market with products used as incentives for sales staff and as part of cementing relationships with clients. The group, which has a turnover of £60m, dispatches over 15 million gift cards every year.
Under its parent company in the US, SVM have been growing for over 20 years. In the last decade the UK office has grown from two to over 60 staff. Initially, the company dealt solely in the gift card reselling industry, providing single and bulk orders across the globe. Now, the company also supplies rewards and benefits tools and platforms to companies across the country and works with top retailers such as TUI, Tesco and Starbucks.
Matthew Webster, head of retail at SVM Global, said: "I can't believe it's been ten years already. Those ten years have been a mix of frustration, education and exhilaration with some big highs. In the words of Big Chris from one of my favourite films Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; "it's been emotional." To have been part of it since the very start is something I'm incredibly proud of; I'm still learning something new every day and long may that continue."
Advertisement Angela Webster, excellence and operations director at SVM Global, added: "I am very excited to be celebrating SVM Global's tenth birthday, and I'm proud to part of the original crew. Working at SVM Global is hugely satisfying, every day is different and what makes it so special is working with talented, passionate people. I am very proud of the service we offer and I'm looking forward to where we will go in the next ten years."
Based on Coleman Street, the firm transformed its business model in 2016 to be based on pre-payment with little credit extended to clients. It also took an extra 12,000 sq ft of space.
The latest big name partnership sees SVM Global taking on exclusive responsibility for all gift card, reload and eGift elements for Peacocks, the leading high street family fashion brand with over 500 stores in the UK. The company is part of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group, which incorporates other brands such as Jaeger, Austin Reed and Jacques Vert.
David Rollinson, managing director at SVM Global, said: "Since joining the company in March, I have been proud to be part of the SVM Global team. The anniversary of our tenth birthday is a celebration of the innovation and market leading attributes of the company.
"Our years within the industry have given us the insight and wisdom that can only be gained with age. But, it's our hard working, passionate staff that keep us at the forefront of creativity and invention that has allowed us to become market leaders over the last ten years. It is also with this great team that we will continue to evolve over the next ten."
Rotherham-based Fishing Republic, one of the largest retailers of fishing tackle in the UK, has providing another trading update following on from having seen trading in its shares suspended.
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."
After certain major shareholders said that they were no longer willing to provide further short-term financial assistance, shares were suspended and the group's future options were being assessed in conjunction with the company's professional advisers.
The update said that equity fundraising activity is ongoing "and the company's advisers are also in discussions with certain existing shareholders to assess their support for providing short-term finance for the group. Alongside this, the company's professional advisers have been looking at various options to sell all or parts of the trading business as a going concern."
Advertisement The business continues to trade but shares in Fishing Republic remain suspended from trading on AIM. Its current nominated adviser ("Nomad"), Northland Capital Partners Limited is set to undergo a merger with SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP and so Northland has voluntarily agreed to relinquish its Nomad status at Fishing Republic.
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.
240 jobs at Rotherham-based retailer, Crawshaws, have been secured after certain business and assets were sold to a newly created company, Loughanure Limited.
350 redundancies were made when the Hellaby-based company formally appointed administrators last month. It came after bosses failed to find investment for turnaround plans as the listed group suffered declining sales amid challenging trading conditions.
The UK's leading value butcher, had operated 42 High Street stores and 12 factory stores, and appointed Robert Hunter Kelly and Charles Graham John King, both of Ernst & Young LLP, as joint administrators.
The deal, which includes the Hellaby production and distribution facility, follows a sale process run by the joint administrators which resulted in over 50 expressions of interest in parts or all of the business. Loughanure have paid around £1.4m for certain business and assets, subject to adjustment following completion of a stock count.
Advertisement An update to the stock exchange said: "The sale has resulted in substantially all of the group's realisable assets being sold and the group has ceased to trade. The trade of the business will now be continued by Loughanure.
"The Joint Administrators are continuing to market the sale of certain closed stores and related assets as well as recovering outstanding debtors."
Loughanure was incorporated in November and is majority owned by Thomas Cribbin. Cribbin Family Butchers (Holdings) Limited previously operated a chain of butchers' stores in the Republic of Ireland and sold Gabbotts Farm Limited to the Crawhsaw Group in 2015.
Last month, 35 stores (including in Rotherham town centre) and Crawshaw's Astley distribution centre were closed. The remaining 19 stores and the Hellaby production and distribution facility have been sold to Loughanure. The Group's only remaining assets are a long leasehold property in Grimsby, short leasehold interests in closed stores, surplus store equipment and a number of vehicles.
Following the sale, trading in the company's securities on AIM will likely be cancelled.
Rotherham Council is preparing to appoint developers to undertake a multimillion pound redevelopment scheme to transform an area at the heart of Swinton.
The cabinet and commissioners at Rotherham Council signed off on a Development Brief for Swinton Town Centre in 2017 and a tender exercise was used to help secure interest from developers to work on the scheme.
The Council's Cabinet is now being asked to agree plans to seek a development partner for the project. If approved, the partner will produce a masterplan and subsequently redevelop the site.
The site totals nearly seven acres and includes the cleared disused council offices at Queen Street that suffered a fire back in 2015 and the former Swimming Pool and Squash Court in Charnwood Street that were demolished in 2016 having suffered an arson attack.
The site of the former Charnwood House care home, which was earmarked for demolition, is also included and the authority secured cabinet and commissioner approval to acquire an adjacent site.
Advertisement A cabinet paper, states: "Over the last few years various services have been relocated and buildings demolished leaving a cleared site which is in need of redevelopment. There remains a strong community with well-used but tired facilities. To bring about regeneration and improve the Town Centre new housing and a community focused redevelopment is proposed."
Eight responses were received through the earlier exercise, demonstrating a healthy appetite for the scheme. A competitive procurement process is set to lead to the developers producing a masterplan, together with a financial appraisal and commentary which details their capability and capacity to deliver, and the rationale behind the masterplan.
The vacant site could support a minimum of 70 housing units and the public realm is set to be improved. However, the Council wants to retain ownership of the retail parade.
The development brief will also encourage bidders to rationalise the community facilities (library, civic hall, community hub) into one building, either by providing a new building or through the refurbishment of an existing building.
Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said: "If Cabinet approves the proposals, we can look forward to moving towards an exciting development that will not only create jobs, but will also create lasting benefit in terms of new homes and community facilities."
If approved, the latest tender process will begin in January 2019 and complete in May 2019.
Bosses at Rotherham-based Fishing Republic, one of the largest retailers of fishing tackle in the UK, are calling in the administrators having failed to secure external funding.
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."
After certain major shareholders said that they were no longer willing to provide further short-term financial assistance, shares were suspended and the group's future options were being assessed in conjunction with the company's professional advisers.
An update to the stock exchange said: "Further to the recent updates on its financial position, it has not been possible to raise sufficient equity or other funding for its immediate and future working capital requirements.
Advertisement "As a consequence, the directors of Fishing Republic Trading Limited, the Company's 100% owned subsidiary, having taken advice from Leonard Curtis Recovery Limited, have today [December 6] filed an application to appoint administrators to this company. The filing of the administration application triggers a moratorium preventing most creditor or other third-party action against this company or its assets. The application is likely to be heard in Court next week at which point it is expected that Leonard Curtis will be appointed as administrators.
"Steps to appoint administrators to the Company's other 100% owned subsidiary, Fishing Republic Retail Limited, are likely to occur in due course. The directors and Leonard Curtis continue to explore options for Fishing Republic plc and no decision has yet been reached on whether it will be placed into administration."
The update adds that Leonard Curtis has already received indicative offers from parties interested in acquiring some or all of the group's assets.
Growth plans had been based on snapping up smaller competitors, opening destination stores and boosting online sales.
British retailing group, Sports Direct, is working out plans to fit a new gym into Parkgate Shopping in Rotherham.
Rothbiz reported in August that plans had been submitted to create a new mezzanine level within the existing Matalan unit. New plans now show that the 40,000 sq ft of space is not set to be used just as retail, but also for a new gym.
A subsequent application seeks to the change of use of the unit from Use Class A1 (retail) to include both Use Class A1 (retail) and use class D2 (leisure) to enable no more than 21,500 sq ft of the unit to be used as a gym.
Planning documents state: "It is proposed that the unit will be occupied by an existing retailer on Parkgate Shopping (Sports Direct), who are proposing to trade the gym element of their offer as Everlast (one of their brands) from part of the unit."
Advertisement Everlast-branded fitness gyms are fully equipped with state-of-the-art cardio and resistance-training equipment, along with dedicated areas for fitness classes. With 13 Everlast gyms, the firm also operates 24 gyms under its Sports Direct Fitness fascia.
Membership starts at £5 per month.
Planning consultants believe that the proposals would not give rise to material adverse harm, let alone "significant adverse harm" on Rotherham town centre or Parkgate district centre and add that current Rotherham gyms are located within out of centre locations and as such the impact on these facilities is not relevant to national planning impact tests.
A sequential test is also included but consultants have discounted a number of sites in and on the edge of Rotherham town centre that are preferable in planning terms.
Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.
Discounted sites include Forge Island, the former Primark store and the former Guest & Chrimes site.
The owners of a former Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) branch in a Rotherham suburb want to be able to turn it into a hot food takeaway.
Earlier this year the taxpayer-backed banking group 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.
Now plans have been submitted for a change of use that would enable the vacant two-storey, 1,700 sq ft unit on The Tanyard to be subdivided into two smaller units, with one a takeaway under A5 planning use.
It follows on from earlier approved plans that enable the unit to be used for A3 use as a restaurant.
Advertisement Planning consultants, Bradley Stankler Planning, have submitted the plans on behalf of Bischi (Properties) Limited. The agents said: "The combined unit has been marketed for A2 use (with potential A3 use) for some seven months and also specifically for A3 use following the grant of consent .. in October, with no interest expressed for the either the existing A2 use in or A3 use.
"On this basis, this current application seeks the subdivision of the premises, to a retained A2 use and an A5 use. The marketing agents are of the opinion that two smaller units and proposed uses will be much more attractive to the market in current and foreseeable trading circumstances."
Wickersley Parish Council has objected to the plans highlighting the Council policy on takeaways on primary shopping frontages. They added that during a recent resident consultation on the Wickersley Neighbourhood Plan a large number of respondents said they considered there were already too many hot food takeaways in Wickersley.
Advertisement QFM Group, the Sheffield-based developer and operator of a number of fast food franchises, recently secured planning permission to develop the nearby building formerly used by second-hand store, TiroBaggi and Edward Healy & Sons, a provider of shoe repair materials.
The proposals involve separating the ground floor to create two units, one A1 retail unit, and one A3 restaurant/café. The proposed first and second storey extension would contain four, two bedroom apartments.
Council leaders are seeking residents' views around where would or would not be an appropriate place for sex establishments like strip or lap dancing clubs to be allowed in Rotherham.
At the current time any applications are judged under the policy for bars and nightclubs. Now Rotherham Council is proposing a specific policy covering sex establishments.
A new policy could mean applications being refused in certain locations, including near schools, places of worship, women's refuges, play areas and family leisure facilities like theatres.
Advertisement At the same time the Council wants to introduce regulations to ensure those working in such premises are treated fairly. Workers in sex-establishments across the country are often classed as self-employed and therefore denied the benefits of being an employee, but without the freedom of self-employment.
There are currently no regulations to stop those running sex establishments imposing fines on their workers, even for minor infringements.
Cllr. Emma Hoddinott, cabinet member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety at Rotherham Council, said: "We need to look again at this particular industry in Rotherham.
"It is time we reviewed the licensing around sex establishments, ensuring we have the best interests of our communities at heart when applications are heard. This is why we want to seek residents' views."
Rotherham-based Fishing Republic, one of the largest retailers of fishing tackle in the UK, has been bought out of administration, saving 111 jobs.
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."
After certain major shareholders said that they were no longer willing to provide further short-term financial assistance, shares were suspended and the group's future options were being assessed.
Leonard Curtis Business Rescue & Recovery has confirmed that Andrew Poxon and Julien Irving – who were appointed as Joint Administrators this week - have completed the sale of the company to an unconnected third party.
No further details have been announced but the recovery firmed added that deal has preserved the jobs of all 111 employees across the retailer's 14-strong UK store network.
Advertisement Growth plans had been based on snapping up smaller competitors, opening destination stores and boosting online sales.
Reporting its interim results for the six months ended June 30 2018, the company said that it was 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.
Shares in the firm were suspended in October and it looks likely that they will not return to the stock exchange.
Fishing Republic was established in Rotherham by Steve Gross, an accomplished angler who represented England in competition, when he was 13 years old, selling fishing flies and fly tying materials to fishing tackle wholesalers.
In 1988 the business moved into rented premises in Mexborough and opened its first retail outlet and mail order operation in 1999. New stores and continued expansion saw the business move to a large warehouse in Rotherham in 2005.
