‘DON’T FORGET THE PEOPLE ALREADY HERE’
Chris Blakey, director at REM UK, is impressed with the regeneration plans for Pendle and what he describes as its “perfect formula” for attracting new businesses.
But he has a plea for those tasked with delivering those plans: don’t forget the people already here.
He says: “Those who’ve worked hard all these years to keep people employed, keep money coming into the economy. We’re being left behind, from where I sit.”
The Nelson business can trace its history of manufacturing salon, spa and barber furniture back to 1918.
And that heritage plays an important part in the company’s sales pitch as it exports its products around the world.
Rightly proud of that heritage and its role in the community, Chris believes businesses like REM need more support as they continue to recover from the traumas of the pandemic and economic uncertainty.
He says: “There’s a great opportunity for Pendle to invest in the businesses that are already here and have been here for a long time. We just need to be helped a little bit.”
He believes that help could involve assistance when it comes to the upkeep of the mill building that is now REM’s home, something that would benefit the local area, Chris adds.
Rose Rouse, Pendle Council chief executive, agrees there is a need to support the borough’s existing businesses. “It is something that we absolutely have to do,” she adds.
Coupled with that is the need to “create better places” to make it easier for businesses like REM to recruit. Rose says: “Where you have a really good business sector you usually have a really good lifestyle.
“People don’t want to live in boring places, do they? That’s why it’s great that that investment is happening around culture.”
Creating better places also involves improving the borough’s housing. Tim Webber, managing director of Barnfield and PEARL board member, says: “There is an awful lot of fairly poor housing stock as we’re all aware.
“They are in a really bad state and the cost of refurbishment is far in excess of a wholesale demolition and starting again.
“In the early nineties we did a lot of demolition around the Railway Street area of Nelson and we built two bed bungalows and the take-up was absolutely phenomenal.
“It got rid of quite a lot of fairly old stock that was past its sell-by date, and perhaps we need to be brave again and look at wholesale demolition of areas and regeneration of those areas on brownfield sites. It’s something that really does need addressing.
“We also need to be brave about development on greenfield sites because people don’t all want to live on a redeveloped brownfield site and we need to think about that.”
Skills is another key area when it comes to developing the local economy. Morag Davis is group executive director of strategy and transformation at Nelson and Colne College Group. She says: “You can’t underestimate the criticality of skills and skilled people.
“We’ve got this real, fertile ground here. We’ve got all of these young people and a young population. If we skill them properly then we’ve got something that’s really going to attract businesses to this area.”
She points to the work the college has carried out to create a digital skills hub to upskill both adults and young people.
It is also investing heavily in its engineering department, Morag says: “In September we’re launching a new revamped, expanded engineering department that’s going to provide that skills training for all those aerospace and nuclear supply chain companies locally.”
She believes the next logical step is the creation of skills academies with local employers.
When it comes to leveraging the borough’s strengths and attracting more inward investment she says: “The need is for that joined-up strategic thinking and a long-term, ambitious vision for where we want to be.
“I would love to see businesses working with the college taking a long-term view and some real strategic ambitious planning around skills for the borough.”
JOINING FORCES TO BRING DOWN
ENERGY PRICES Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are the backbone of our economy, driving innovation, creating jobs and fostering vibrant communities.
Yet, despite their significant contributions, SMEs often face challenges accessing the same opportunities enjoyed by larger enterprises simply because of their size.
However, there is a solution: the energy basket. At its core, an energy basket deal harnesses the collective purchasing power of multiple SMEs to negotiate better terms and rates with suppliers.
By pooling their energy procurement needs, SMEs can leverage economies of scale and gain access to more competitive pricing.
This approach empowers SMEs to navigate the complexities of the energy market and ensures fairer prices and greater savings.
Once the energy basket is filled with the energy needs of participating businesses, Red Hawk can step in to facilitate purchasing with suppliers.
Through negotiation and partnership, Red Hawk works to secure favourable energy prices and terms that benefit all SMEs involved.
This collaborative effort transforms the energy procurement landscape, allowing SMEs to enjoy the advantages of bulk purchasing while mitigating the challenges of individual negotiation.
Joining forces with other businesses in the energy basket presents a compelling opportunity.
By partnering with Red Hawk and fellow SMEs, businesses can unlock better energy deals, level the playing field, and propel their growth and success in the competitive market landscape.
If you’d like to explore this option for your business, we’d love to tell you more.
For further information call Billy Ingham 01282 222755
info@redhawkgroup.co.uk www.redhawkgroup.co.uk
Billy Ingham Managing director
Morag Davis
Chris Blakey LANCASHIREBUSINES SV
IEW.CO.UK
69
IN VIEW
PENDLE
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