The UK Knack Group Reviews Today’s Events ……

Worcestershire hotel refurbishment creates 30 new jobs Dormy House Hotel in Worcestershire is undergoing a £10m refurbishment.  Public areas and all 40 bedrooms are being renovated and a new spa is being created.  The hotel is recruiting to fill 30 new positions, which range from porters and bar staff to chefs and management positions. £2.3m, 50 employees.

15 new jobs as Tesco opens new Welwyn Garden City store Retailer Tesco is opening a store in Panshanger, Welwyn Garden City, creating 15 new jobs.  Jess Walker is manager of the new store.  Turnover £64.5bn, 406,000 employees.

Morrison’s creates 28 new jobs at new Stratford-upon-Avon training academy Morrison’s have invested £1.5 million revamping its Stratford-upon-Avon store, creating 28 new jobs. The jobs have been created across the fresh produce and deli departments and a new academy has been set up in store, training staff in butchery, bakery, and fishmongery.

Online retailer BathEmpire.com expands and exhibition and events manager appointed Online bathroom retailer BathEmpire.com has appointed Jo Sharrock to the new role of exhibition and events project manager.  The Coventry-based company is attending several major exhibitions and home shows in 2013 as part of a strategy to build on the rapid growth achieved in its first three years.

Potential new jobs in West Midlands-based Hugo Technology West Midlands-based Hugo Technology, which maintains, calibrates and repairs medical equipment, recorded a 15% increase in turnover to £2.1m in 2012.  The company, which employs 40 people across the UK, has secured several new contracts in 2013. Its on-going growth could create employment opportunities.

Upgrade of UK manufacturing facilities at carpet maker Brinton’s brings 40 new jobs British carpet maker Brinton’s is to invest 3 million in upgrading its UK manufacturing facilities and creating more than 40 new jobs, after moving production back home from China.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £2.7m growth funding secured and 17 New Sites Planned for New World Pubco Cheshire leisure company Living Ventures' subsidiary the New World Pubco, has agreed a £2.7m funding deal to expand its Botantist and Oast House brands.  The deal with Hill Capital Partners Food & Beverage Fund, a specialist fund operated by Paul Campbells Hill Capital Partners and LDC, will see the New World grow from three sites to up to 20 in the next years.  www.theukknackgroup.co.uk

Penny Winter – The UK Knack Group www.theukknackgroup.co.uk

The UK Knack Group Reviews Today’s Events ……

www.theukknackgroup.co.uk £5m care home development in Barnsley brings 90 new jobs Silk Healthcare has officially launched its £5m care home development in Yorkshire. Mapplewell Manor in Barnsley, a purpose built, new residential 83-bed home and senior day centre specialising in dementia care, expects to create around 90 full and part time jobs in the area over the coming months.  Funding to support the construction of the home was provided by The Royal Bank of Scotland. represented by Maxine Gay from the RBS healthcare team, and a grant of £500,000 from the Government's £1bn Regional Growth Fund.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Investment Secured - 67 Turnover - Company Growth Private equity firm ECI Partners has taken a majority stake in Yorkshire-based rail travel company Amber Travel. The deal values Amber Travel at more than £50m and marks an exit for Primary Capital, which invested in the York-based company in 2005. Chris Watt, head of ECIs consumer team, will sit on Amber’s board.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £1.6m government grant for Broadstairs Creative Arts Centre East Kent College has won a £1.6m grant to help build a creative arts centre at its campus in Broadstairs.  It is planned the new Centre will open in September 2014.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £2m Government funding secured by Sheffield Forgemasters Sheffield Forgemasters has secured more than £2m of funding grants from the Government aimed at projects to increase its nuclear power capabilities and expertise. Just over £1m will go towards a £2.1m project with TWI and the University of Sheffield to produce cast reactor coolant pumps.  The rest of the money will go towards a project working with Rolls Royce, MERMEC UK and the University of Sheffield.

Penny Winter – The UK Knack Group www.theukknackgroup.co.uk

The UK Knack Group Reviews Today’s Events ……

Six jobs created in Lincoln new tyre and exhaust facility A state-of-the-art tyre and exhaust facility is now open at the Pelham Centre, in Lincoln, creating six new jobs with a promise of more to come.

Expansion to create almost 200 jobs at Northumberland facility A global oil field service provider based in southeast Northumberland is expanding its premises and creating new jobs.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £1m funding for Abbeydale Foods growth plans Abbeydale Foods is planning further growth after raising more than £1m, part of which is being used to relocate its production base into larger premises. The group has raised a finance package from existing shareholders, which now includes Tata Steel subsidiary UK Steel Enterprise after its investment of £250,000.

New jobs created in Exeter consultancy Accountancy firm Ocean Consultancy near Exeter aims to create new jobs as part of expansion plans funded by a five-figure loan from Lloyds TSB Commercial Banking.

Management Moves: New head of e-commerce appointed by Arcadia Group Arcadia Group, the owner of high street fashion retailers Topshop and Dorothy Perkins, has appointed former American Express e-commerce chief Alex Tait as its group head of e-commerce.

Management Moves: Bluefin appoints Chairman Bluefin has appointed George Boden as non-executive chairman of the board. The move followed previous incumbent Ian Brimecome resigning.

10 jobs created in Brighouse metalworking firm Brighouse metalworking firm Arkoni is to create more jobs following a 30% rise in turnover to £4m in the last 12 months with a number of contract wins.  The firm already employs 40 staff.

Management Moves: Acting CEO appointed by Chesapeake Energy Corps Chesapeake Energy Corps board of directors named Steven C. Dixon acting CEO, while the company continues its CEO search.

Proposed £160m Edinburgh shopping brings 3,500 jobs   Construction and services group Interserve has formed a joint venture with landowner Tiger Developments to build a 160m shopping mall in Edinburgh that could create 3,500 jobs.

Equity firm buys 30% stake in Hyperion Insurance Group Equity firm General Atlantic has agreed to buy 30% of the shares in Hyperion Insurance Group, as the broking group prepares to float.

Halesowen-based Dot Net IT expects new jobs Halesowen-based Dot Net IT aims to double its turnover by the end of 2014 as it embarks on the next stage of its growth strategy. Dot Net also plans to take on more staff this year to train as developers and is in the process of re-launching its website to support the new growth target.

Venture Capital: Fishawack acquired by Growth Capital Partners Medical communications agency Fishawack has been acquired by Growth Capital Partners (GCP) in a £13m transaction.

New Inverness manufacturing base brings126 new jobs Medical products company Daktari Diagnostics is to locate its manufacturing base to Inverness, creating up to 126 posts.

17 new jobs in Gaia Technologies North Wales IT company Gaia Technologies has secured new contracts, increased turnover by £3m and created 17 new jobs over the past 12 months.  The expansion for Bangor-based IT business, Gaia Technologies comes after it was awarded £120,000 from the Welsh Governments Economic Growth

Management Moves: New Chief Executive for parcels firm Yodel Parcels giant Yodel, the UKs leading independent carrier in the home delivery market, has appointed Neil Lloyd chief executive.

Proposed quarry extension could mean new jobs Quarry operator Thompsons Of Prudhoe is planning to increase its activities in County Durham with an extension at Bishop Middleham Quarry, which will help secure 30 jobs and could potentially create new employment opportunities.

3 new jobs at Stone Technical Services Stone Technical Services is expanding its team after seeing increased demand for its lightning protection services, after work on structures including St Paul's Cathedral and Battersea power station.

New West Bromwich store needs 750 employees The multimillion-pound Tesco development in West Bromwich is expected to employ 750 people and open in June 2013.

Unify Business Solutions, creates five new jobs Unify Business Solutions, the Chesterfield-based voice and data communications specialist, has clinched a £600,000 contract to supply telecommunications services to global outsourcing company Serco.

Recruitment drive in wealth adviser firm Towry Wealth adviser firm Towry has reported a £1.6m increase in year-on-year profits for 2012 as it continues its recruitment drive. New equity raised to finance acquisitions in drive to double adviser numbers in next two years.

Penny Winter – The UK Knack Group www.theukknackgroup.co.uk

The UK Knack Group Reviews Today’s Events ……

£5m investment at Patrington Haven Leisure Park creates 80 new jobs A £5m investment at an East Yorkshire caravan park is set to create 80 jobs, almost doubling the current workforce at the site.

Butlins revamp to create 75 jobs Butlins has submitted proposals for 117 new holiday units to replace ageing chalets built in the 1960s. The £12m regeneration will create up to 75 jobs.

Seda UK investment brings 70 new jobs to Blackwood Packaging manufacturer Seda UK is to make a multimillion-pound investment at its Blackwood facility and create 70 new jobs.

New jobs in Leeds-based Inline Health and Beauty Leeds-based Inline Health and Beauty has invested £350,000 in a relocation that has doubled manufacturing space and created four new jobs in pursuit of a £5m annual sales target by 2015.

25 new jobs as Nagra Media UK expands operations in Cwmbran Nagra Media UK is to expand its operations in Cwmbran and create 25 skilled jobs.

40 new jobs in Milton Keynes retail park investment Outdoor store company GO Outdoors has invested £1.5million in developing a former Habitat unit in Milton Keynes, creating 40 new jobs.

40 new jobs in Halifax new leisure premises Leisure Independent Limited is to open a new bar in Halifax and looks set to create more than 40 jobs in the town.

Manchester biscuit maker Hill Biscuits creates 45 new jobs Biscuit maker Hill Biscuits will create 45 new jobs after becoming the first firm to be granted a loan by the Greater Manchester Investment Fund.

500 new UK jobs in CH2M Hill Infrastructure and programme management company CH2M Hill is on a drive to hire 500 new staff at all levels over the next year, many of them in transportation.

60 KFC new outlets to create 1,600 jobs in UK Fried chicken chain KFC is to create 1,600 jobs across the country by opening more than 60 outlets. The firm plans to spend 40m on the expansion. It will spend another 40m on a makeover of 160 existing eateries.

Management Moves: Director of HR Appointed by NewVoiceMedia NewVoiceMedia, a provider of cloud contact centre solutions, is strengthening its team with the appointment of Gary Lane as Director of HR and Recruitment. The new role follows investment of $20m from Highland Capital Partners Europe, MMC Ventures, Notion Capital and Eden Ventures, which will help accelerate NewVoiceMedias global ambitions.

Management Moves: Finance Director appointed at Manchester law firm Manchester law firm Pannone has appointed Anthony Clare as Finance Director.

Management Moves: COO appointed by Bollington Bollington is embarking on a growth drive after making new appointments and completing its management buy-out from French insurance group Groupama.  The company have appointed David Simpson as chief operating officer and replaced two former directors who have left the business.  The team behind the buy-out, which includes group chief executive Paul Moors, group managing director Chris Patterson and Simpson.

Management Moves: New board member for Newcastle transport business Newcastle-headquartered transport business Go-Ahead Group has appointed the chief executive of John Laing to its board. Adrian Ewer will join as a non-executive director from 25 April 2013.

Management Moves: New marketing director for Google Google has appointed Graham Bednash as its EMEA consumer marketing director to manage agency relationships across its search, social and mobile products.

Management Moves: Senior marketer appointment by Asos. Ocado has lost its most senior marketer, Matthew Knight, to Asos. Matthew Knight takes on CRM and insights role at online fashion retailer.

XPD8 Solutions creates 18 new jobs XPD8 Solutions estimates it will add 18 new staff this year to meet demand after securing more than £2 million in contracts since the turn of the year.

Management Moves: New director appointed by Paul Hamlyn Foundation Martin Brookes, the former chief executive of New Philanthropy Capital, has been appointed director of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

New Newcastle-under-Lyme gym brings 40 new jobs A new gym has opened in Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, creating 40 new jobs and giving the local economy a much-needed boost.

New jobs in Leeds pancake business Enjays Fast growing pancake business Enjays recently received a £9,000 grant towards the cost of new automated production lines to speed up and boost production of its pancakes. The company has created four new jobs as a result and is poised for further expansion following a six-figure investment in a new manufacturing facility in south Leeds.

New jobs in Birmingham Fan Family business Birmingham Fan, which manufactures and services all types of industrial and commercial fans, recently moved to premises at Dunlop Road in Hunt End.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £2m investment in specialist recruitment firm EarthStream Private equity house Key Capital Partners has invested £2m for a minority stake in specialist recruitment firm EarthStream, which supplies staff to the global energy and resources sectors.  The investment will help fund new office launches and support capability in existing markets.  As part of the deal KCP investment partner Mike Fell and Philip Duquenoy will join the board at EarthStream.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Private equity backing for airline training firm Airline training firm CTC explains why selling a stake in the family business could allow worldwide expansion to take off.

Proposed Energy centre - £100m Investment in Rainham renewable energy centre Power firm Biossense has been given permission by Havering Council to build a renewable energy centre, which turns rubbish into fuel in Rainham.  The plant will provide electricity for 53,000 homes across Havering, Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge and Newham. It will bring £100m investment into the local economy and create 25 jobs.

New jobs created in Darlington by Logistics Teesside Logistics Teesside, which employs 42 people, has moved into a 64,000 sq. ft. building on Darlington’s Faverdale Industrial Estate, allowing it to handle more than 1,800 deliveries a day. The move will create jobs.

Venture Capital: £150K Investment in start-up PixelPin means new jobs Wayra UK accelerated start-up PixelPin is the first business to ever secure the maximum level investment of £150,000 through Seedrs, an FSA-regulated crowd funding platform for start-ups.  The funding will enable full-scale trails and new jobs.   Founder and CEO Brian Taylor www.theukknackgroup.co.uk

Penny Winter – The UK Knack Group www.theukknackgroup.co.uk