▲ Burnley-based electrical contractor and facilities management provider QUEST has increased revenues by 47 per cent to £5m. The growth has been built on the launch of a new wholesale website and key appointments in both commercial and technical roles.
▲ Chorley Council has approved plans submitted by Story Homes to build 118 one- to five-bedroom new homes on land next to Blainscough Hall in Coppull.
▲ Bespoke Healthcare Group is to invest £1.5m in opening a new hospital in Preston. The 10,000 sq ft facility at Millennium City Park will sit on the same site as the company’s original Greater Lancashire Hospital and create around 70 new jobs when it begins welcoming both NHS and private patients from across the North West this autumn.
▲ JRC Roofing Distributors has relocated its main depot to larger commercial premises after securing a six-figure funding deal provided by NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance. The business, which specialises in sourcing and delivering slate and roof tiles from around the globe, had outgrown its previous premises in Burnley and moved to a 0.84 acre site in Colne.
▲ Amber River True Bearing has been named as a strategic partner of the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce. Its financial planning services will add to the chamber’s existing portfolio of benefits, geared towards promoting the competitiveness of Lancashire companies.
▲ Aven, a restaurant in Preston city centre which relaunched last autumn, has earned a listing in the latest Michelin Guide joining Longridge’s Fell Bistro. Both are operated by restaurant director Alex Blamire and chef director Oli Martin. Aven also has three AA Rosettes to its name.
▲ Morecambe Bay Wills and Estates has acquired Kendal Wills and Lancaster Wills, allowing the retirement of its owner Paul Rodman. Now the company plans to move into larger offices later this year and expects to further increase the size of the team.
▲ Liberty’s Hotel in Blackpool has been acquired by coach trip group Caledonian Leisure. The 67-room seafront hotel also features a restaurant, and a bar and lounge with a stage and dance floor.
▲ Preston-based FWP has been appointed to the team tasked with delivering a £5m redevelopment plan at York Racecourse. It is providing its project management, cost consultancy and principal design expertise to the project that will transform the southern end of the historic racecourse.
▲ The North West private sector began the new year with growth in terms of both output and jobs. The latest NatWest Regional PMI Business Activity Index scored 51.5 for January, on a seasonally adjusted scale where a score above 50 represents growth. December scored 48.8, the sixth month of contraction.
DOWN
▼ The metal processing division of Preston-based Recycling Lives had to be rescued from administration to save 337 jobs. The business and assets of Recycling Lives Ltd and Recycling Lives Metal and Waste Ltd were acquired by Global Ardour Recycling Ltd. Sam Woodward and Dan Hurd of EY-Parthenon’s Turnaround and Restructuring Strategy team were appointed joint administrators. The sale did not affect the operations of Recycling Lives (Environmental Services) Ltd and Recycling Lives Compliance Services Ltd, which were not in administration and continued to trade normally.
▼ Following a triage inspection by specialist engineers, RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) has been found to be present in the roof panels of Preston Guild Hall’s Grand Hall and Charter Theatre. The concrete, which was used in construction projects between the 1950s and 1990s as it was lightweight and cost-effective to produce, has recently been found to be less durable than traditional concrete and susceptible to rapid degradation. The Guild Hall will
remain closed until a solution is found, along with the funds to finance any required work.
▼ Seven profit warnings were issued in the North West during Q4, up from the five issued in Q4 2022. Warnings in the region were also up quarter-on-quarter, according to EY-Parthenon’s latest report, marking a challenging end to last year for listed businesses. Companies operating in consumer discretionary FTSE sectors issued the region’s highest volume of warnings across 2023.
▼ South Ribble Council has condemned the government for overturning the two- time rejection of plans to build thousands of homes in rural Penwortham. The council’s decision to refuse permission for the Pickering’s Farm site was overturned following the result of a public inquiry undertaken by the Planning Inspectorate. Council leader Paul Foster said: “Unfortunately, the way in which the planning system set up by the government works means that local decisions to protect local communities can be overridden and ignored.”
William Lancaster Director, Ember Energy
HOW TO SLASH YOUR ELECTRICITY
BILLS IN 2024 In recent years we’ve all felt the pinch of soaring electricity prices which, despite recent stabilisation, remain more than double the levels of just two years ago.
For many businesses across Lancashire these inflated costs continue to pose a significant challenge, adding financial strain in already tough times.
This reality, coupled with the declining costs of commercial solar panel installation, means that now could be an opportune time to consider solar energy, not just as an alternative but as a primary energy solution for your business.
Take, for instance, Roccia Tiles, Bathrooms and Kitchens based in Preston, who had started to notice rising energy costs. After conducting a free site survey for them, we proposed the installation of a 150 kW solar panel system. The installation process was swift and efficient, with the panels up and running within four weeks.
Subsequent analysis revealed that these would slash their energy consumption by more than 115,000 kWh annually, translating into substantial savings of nearly £30,000 each year at a rate of 25p per kWh. Impressively, 83 per cent of the electricity generated by the panels will be utilised on-site, leading to this significant reduction in their energy expenses.
As more businesses start to consider solar, grid space is becoming increasingly scarce. This underscores the urgency of securing grid connections sooner rather than later – and is something that you may want to think about if you haven’t already.
At Ember Energy, we can look at grid applications free of charge. Please give us a call to get started.
Call us on 07464 729759 or email
william@emberenergy.co.uk
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