YBS Commercial grows balance sheet to more than £2bn in 2024, lending close to £500 million to commercial investors and landlords
YBS Commercial Mortgages, the commercial lending arm of Yorkshire Building Society, has revealed it had another strong year in 2024, as commitment to broker relationships and personalised service catalysed the growth of its balance sheet to £2.2bn. The commercial lender completed £0.453bn of commercial mortgage loans during the year; £377m of which went into servicing…
Old Boys giving back through new sports scholarship
A group of former University of Bradford students have teamed up to launch a new sports scholarship. The Team Bradford Spirit of Sport Scholarship, which starts during the 2025/26 academic year, will give five University of Bradford students £1,500 per year towards their living costs. The scholarship has been funded by the Football Club Old…
Yorkshire & Humber Construction Market poised for growth, driven by private housing boom
The latest Construction Market Intelligence (CMI Q1 2025) report from Yorkshire & Humber-based construction and property management consultant, Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB UK) forecasts a positive outlook for the region’s construction sector, with private housing emerging as the fastest-growing sector. Key Regional Developments Regional market sentiment remains generally optimistic, with significant development activity across the region’s larger…
Court of Protection specialist to present masterclass in York
Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP announces that Amy Floater, head of the firm’s Court of Protection team, will present an important update masterclass in York, in association with leading training provider, For Legal. Amy, who has specialised in Court of Protection matters for several years, will provide legal practitioners with an overview of…
Work to protect key heritage building uncovers unique history
A renovation scheme to secure the city’s historic Mansion House for years to come has uncovered some unique history. Over £1.3m is being invested in a range of essential repairs and improvements, including re-roofing the building, repairing its windows and ensuring it is health and safety-compliant. As part of the renovation, a new glimpse of…
Striker-turned-Premier League chief back in Bradford
A former footballer-turned Premier League executive returned to the University of Bradford 40 years after first arriving as a student. Iffy Onuora, Head of Race Equality and Inclusion at the FA Premier League, learned about the University’s commitment to social mobility and diversity during his return visit. He studied BSc Social Sciences at the University…
New chapter for historic Leeds Library with opening of £2.3m extension
The Leeds Library turns the page on a new chapter in April with the unveiling of a new extension. In an investment totalling £2.3million, the library has extended its historic home on Commercial Street and created new facilities including an event space for education and community activities, a rooftop reading terrace, more space for books…
Core Telecom Supports The Endometriosis Foundation’s Women’s Run Series
At Core Telecom, we are committed to supporting initiatives that make a tangible difference in society. When we learned about The Endometriosis Foundation’s Women’s Run Series, we knew it was a cause we had to stand behind. Endometriosis is a chronic disease that affects millions of women worldwide, yet it remains incurable. Spreading awareness about…
New Boots Opticians store with innovative eye scan technology opens in Trinity Leeds
A new stand-alone Boots Opticians store has opened in Trinity Leeds offering optomap® as part of its Ultimate Eye Test, which could help to detect signs of serious health conditions including diabetes and hypertension. The store, which is located on the ground floor of Trinity Leeds, provides an inspiring and inviting shopping experience for customers…
Cost Matters: ‘Redefining Excellence in Quantity Surveying’ Conference – June 2025
Rob Hubbard, Principal Consultant and Owner of Cantidad Limited, is pleased to announce their inaugural conference, “Cost Matters: Redefining Excellence in Quantity Surveying.” This one-day event is designed for commercial professionals at all levels and will bring together commercial professionals from across the construction industry, from emerging talent to seasoned experts, for insightful presentations, interactive…
Young mum praises stop smoking team as referrals double and new online group support launched
A young mum who started smoking aged 12 has told how City of York Council’s Health Trainers helped her quit smoking for good so she can stay healthier and live longer. Mum-of-two Alex, from York, has told her story on No Smoking Day (Wednesday 12 March) as the Health Trainer service expands its successful Swap2Stop programme further…
Oscrete’s new testing facility helps reduce carbon footprint
Bradford-based concrete admixture manufacturer Oscrete has doubled its customer trials following investment in its expanded and upgraded laboratory. Oscrete’s enhanced, secure laboratory with dedicated office, tests admixtures to evaluate and optimise their effects on concrete’s properties. The new, advanced 100m² lab is a full concrete testing facility, in use up to six days a week….
Leeds Manufacturing Festival launches 2025 programme with need for ‘generational shift’ topping the agenda
The shortage of new talent that continues to hamper growth in the manufacturing and engineering industries is the focus of the Leeds Manufacturing Festival, which returns this month with a packed programme running through to September. The festival, which kicks off this week at a high-profile launch event in the city, is focused on raising…
Chadwick Lawrence invests in local community with sponsorship of five Yorkshire rugby clubs and two Leeds Rhinos players
Leading Yorkshire law firm Chadwick Lawrence has announced the renewal of its longstanding sponsorship of Leeds Rhinos, as it approaches almost 20 years of being the official legal partner to the rugby club. The firm has also committed to supporting five other local rugby clubs for the upcoming season. This season, in addition to sponsoring…
Trinity Leeds and White Rose host Made in Yorkshire initiative, encouraging next generation to reimagine the future of retail
Trinity Leeds and White Rose Shopping Centre have hosted their enterprise challenge, ‘Made in Yorkshire’, with three local schools competing in a ‘Dragons’ Den’-style pitch. Made in Yorkshire is a cross-school competition with students tasked with designing a brand-new community space for the city before going head-to-head and pitching their proposals in the finals. Centred…
Scarborough’s Grand Hotel joins the Disability Confident Scheme
The Disability Confident Scheme aims to create a movement of change, encouraging employers to think differently about disability and long-term health conditions and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. It was developed by employers and disabled people’s representatives to make it rigorous but easily accessible. Mark Johnston General Manager…
Yorkshire garden centre group appoints new board member
The team at a Bradford-headquartered garden centre group with sites in West and North Yorkshire has made a new appointment to its board of directors. Neil Barwise-Carr, former Head of People and Culture at Yorkshire Garden Centres, has been promoted to the position of Director of People and Culture to lead a team of 573…
Brand new networking group hosts inaugural event in Cross Hills
Last Thursday, two Cross Hills business joined ranks to hold their first networking event for local businesses. The breakfast meeting was met with great enthusiasm by those who attended and the organisers hope it will become a regular event. IT support and services firm, Comprendo IT, and property management agency, Macaulay & Co, both situated…
Anita active and Bradford Bulls champion breast support in sport!
ANITA is delighted to announce an exciting collaboration with the Bradford Bulls’ women’s rugby team just in time for International Women’s Day! The alliance establishes Anita active as the official sports bra brand for the Bradford Bulls for the 2025 season and aims to provide top-quality breast support for the club’s players, while promoting awareness…
Painting & Decorating students tackle striking football mural
A recent collaboration between Leeds College of Building and local artist Nicolas Dixon resulted in an eye-catching football mural at the GOALS soccer centre in Kirkstall. An all-female group of City & Guilds Level 1 Painting & Decorating Diploma students spent two weeks working with the artist, whose artwork can be seen around the world, completing…
Efforts to improve the Jubilee Terrace to Scarborough Bridge path take a step forward
Work to invest £1.7m in improvements to a well-used riverside path could take a further step forward next week (11 March). At a decision session the council’s Executive Member for Transport will be asked to agree to progress work on the Jubilee Terrace to Scarborough Bridge riverside path to detailed design and construction. This meeting…
York school students get taste of construction careers
Fifteen Year 11 students from across York got the chance to get a real-world insight into the construction industry. Their industry taster day began with a tour of the York Central construction site, where students learned about ongoing work on one of England’s largest brownfield development, and future career opportunities represented by this landmark project….
Looking for a new job? Visit York Jobs Fair
Anyone looking for work, support with training or getting new qualifications is invited to the latest York Jobs Fair on Tuesday 11 March. The popular event will be held at York Barbican from 1-6pm and will showcase representatives from 50 employers including Aviva, GMI Construction, Pearltech, Rack Systems (Engineering) Limited and Yorkshire Housing. A range…
Olympic champion Tessa Sanderson CBE inspires GSAL pupils ahead of International Women’s Day
Pupils at The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) were treated to an inspiring visit from Olympic gold medallist Tessa Sanderson CBE on Wednesday 5 March, as the former javelin thrower shared her journey to sporting success ahead of International Women’s Day. Tessa, who made history as the first black British woman to win an Olympic…
Underinsurance is an unhealthy risk for many health and care operators
Many firms operating in the health and care sector don’t realise the serious implications of being underinsured, warns insurance broker, James Bright, from the health and care division of Bradford based, independent insurance broking and risk management specialist, TL Dallas. James said: “Underinsurance in the health and care sector can lead to severe financial, legal,…
Regional legal powerhouse to launch April 2025
Two of Lincolnshire’s and Yorkshire’s leading law firms have announced they are to merge on 1 April 2025. Wilkin Chapman LLP and Rollits LLP will merge under the trading name of Wilkin Chapman Rollits. The new firm will have more than 500 people including 70 partners and have a combined annual turnover of £40 million….
Atlantic challenge pushes Yorkshire dad to the limit – and reinforces the power of family
YORKSHIRE dad Matthew Pitchforth says battling the Atlantic’s brutal waves and isolation for 39 days taught him one thing: nothing matters more than family. Having completed the World’s Toughest Row, a gruelling 3,000-mile journey across the ocean, and raising nearly £250,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, he now reflects on the immense physical and…
Bradford vying for two national student nursing awards
The University of Bradford has been shortlisted in two categories at the Student Nursing Times Awards 2025. Bradford is nominated in the Partnership of the Year category, for its work with New Vision Bradford/Waythrough on overdose awareness and response training and for the Student Placement of The Year: Community award. Natalie Finch, Assistant Professor Mental…
Council to enhance its standards to improve residents’ experience
City of York Council’s Executive will be asked to adopt new standards to support people living with poverty in the city, at a meeting later this month (11 March). The standards are set out in a Charter for Organisational Standards created by York Truth Poverty Commission and aim to make services more responsive to people’s needs rather…
TPE launches TransPennine Kitchen: A First Class feast from coast to coast
First Class TransPennine Express (TPE) customers can now tuck into a tasty new menu while travelling between Liverpool and Newcastle. The new service, TransPennine Kitchen: Coast to Coast combines locally sourced, mouthwatering dishes with exceptional hospitality. Building on the success of TPE’s popular West Coast Kitchen service on its routes between the North West of…
Andrew Jackson advises Woods Tours on purchase of UK’s first electric tour boat
Vessel set for launch this year with Tower of London River Tour Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP announces that it has assisted Woods Tours on its commission of the UK’s first zero emissions tourist vessel, which is set to launch later this year with a 40-minute Tower of London River Tour that will…
Cross Hills based IT Firm celebrates business accolade from Theo Paphitis
Last month Comprendo IT Support & Consultancy, based in Cross Hills, was presented with their Small Business Sunday winner’s certificate by the business and retail entrepreneur, and self-confessed Shopkeeper, Theo Paphitis. At the Small Business Sunday’s15th anniversary event at the Birmingham ICC, Comprendo’s Sara Haggas accepted the accolade for the business’s winning Instagram post from…
Top 5 tips for a successful SMS marketing campaign
In today’s digital landscape, SMS marketing remains one of the most effective and engaging ways for businesses to connect with customers. With an open rate of over 98%, SMS campaigns can drive significant engagement when executed correctly. To help your business get the most out of SMS marketing, here are the top 5 tips to…
York free school meal pilots extended to a third primary school
York’s free school meal pilot has been rolled out to a third school this term. Pupils at Fishergate Primary School are now able to get a free breakfast at school each morning as part of the citywide campaign to deliver free meals to primary school pupils. The campaign is part of the council’s wider commitment…
Bradford College wins prestigious national education award
Bradford College has won ‘The Bell Foundation Award for Excellence in ESOL’ category at the 2025 Association of College’s Beacon Awards. The College was the only winner from Yorkshire or Northeast England. The national Beacon awards celebrate the best and most innovative practice in further education colleges and demonstrate the far-reaching impact of colleges on…
93.7% York pupils get first choice of Secondary School
Secondary school admission figures for entry in September 2025 published today [3 March] reveal that 93.7% per cent of York children have been allocated their first preference of school. Parents and carers who applied online can find out where their child has been allocated a place by logging into their parent portal account today via www.york.gov.uk/SecondarySchoolAdmissions….
Chadwick Lawrence advises on seven-figure sale of occasion wear label Lavish Alice
Yorkshire-based law firm Chadwick Lawrence has advised on the sale of occasion wear label Lavish Alice, known for its A-list clientele including Gigi Hadid and actress Lindsay Lohan, to womenswear brand Club L London. Chadwick Lawrence has provided trusted legal support to Manchester-based Lavish Alice for over a decade and the Corporate team led by…
York supports LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week
City of York Council’s fostering team and One Adoption North and Humber, the regional adoption agency for York, North Yorkshire and Humber, are showing their support for LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week (3-9 March) by lighting up the city walls in rainbow colours. Led by charity New Family Social, this year’s campaign, Change Lives in ‘25 is…
Homes released to benefit first time buyers in North Yorkshire
First time buyers in North Yorkshire are being encouraged to take a look at Barratt Homes’ Harclay Park development in Boroughbridge, where a range of homes perfect for that first step on the property ladder have been released. The new community, located on Stump Cross, is ideal for a variety of house hunters, with the…
Your invitation to exhibit at the upcoming SEND Next Choices event on Tuesday 24th June 2025
SEND Next Choices – Getting ready for adult life Leeds first direct arena | Tuesday 24th June 2025 | 10am-6pm We are delighted to invite you to exhibit at the forthcoming SEND Next Choices – Getting ready for adult life event on Tuesday 24th June 2025 at Leeds first direct arena. Organised by Leeds City…
Leeds City College achieves NEBOSH Silver Learning Partner status
Leeds City College is proud to announce its recent accreditation as a Silver Learning Partner by the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH). Following a rigorous inspection audit in November, this prestigious upgrade from Bronze status highlights the college’s dedication to exceeding NEBOSH’s principles of learning excellence. Why Choose NEBOSH? NEBOSH, a globally…
Bradford professor prepares to launch Space Tech Assembly
Businesses from this region and beyond can partake in ‘astronomical opportunities’ outlined at the forthcoming Space Tech Assembly in March, according to the University of Bradford professor who is set to open the event. The conference, organised by Space Hub Yorkshire, the UK Space Agency-funded regional space cluster, will examine how space tech is evolving…
Upcoming changes around York Station as Station Gateway project progresses
In the coming weeks, people will notice a lot of changes to the area to the front of York Station as progress on the Station Gateway project continues. The new image reveals paving that will form the new public spaces in the area where Queen Street Bridge used to be, as well as give a…
Bulls bringing the hits to West Yorkshire
Bradford Bulls are excited to announce the renewal of their partnership with Hits Radio West Yorkshire, a relationship that continues to strengthen the club’s connection with fans and the wider community. As part of this collaboration, Hits Radio West Yorkshire will remain a key partner, supporting the Bulls to connect with existing and new fans. Hits Radio…
Make a difference this Great British Spring Clean
City of York Council is encouraging residents, schools, businesses and community groups to get involved in this year’s Great British Spring Clean. The ninth annual Great British Spring Clean will take place from 21 March – 6 April. During the Great British Spring Clean, the council will lend a hand to support anyone taking part, including: providing…
Weidmann support upgrade to local children’s playground
Weidmann UK is thrilled to support its local community by contributing vital funds to the Parish Council. As a major employer in the region, Weidmann was approached to provide financial support to upgrade and improve the local children’s playground that had fallen into disrepair. The donation will contribute towards replacing outdated and worn-out surfaces with…
Bradford seals £1m funding for 6G research projects
The University of Bradford has been awarded £1 million from the European Union’s Horizon Innovation Action programme to lead pioneering research into the socio-economic and sustainability impacts of disruptive technologies, including 6G networks and edge computing. Secured by a team of researchers at the University’s School of Management, the funding supports three ambitious projects—COP-PILOT, 6G-VERSUS,…
Reopened Huddersfield garden centre donates plants to local school
The team at a Huddersfield garden centre celebrated the reopening of its site by donating plants to a local primary school. Yorkshire Garden Centres acquired the former Dobbies Garden Centre Pennine at Shelley and has renamed it Pennine Garden Centre in line with its growing family of centres at Tong, Tingley, Otley, Bingley, York and…