Member News Subjects

Launch date announced for flagship Zara store at Trinity Leeds

After much anticipation, Zara will launch its new flagship store at Trinity Leeds on Thursday, August 8th, at the former Topshop unit on Briggate. The new 46,000 sq ft store will include Zara’s Woman, Man, and Kids collections over three floors, showcasing the latest technological innovations from Zara’s integrated online and physical store platform to…

Published in - , ,

It’s BRSK at Bartercard Odsal Stadium!

We are delighted to announce an exciting, new partnership with full-fibre broadband specialists BRSK! Founded in 2020, BRSK are now rolling out their full-fibre Broadband, which will provide speeds of up to 1 Gigabyte per second, in West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Calderdale and Birmingham. The partnership will see BRSK branding located in and around…

Published in - , ,

Blacks Solicitors supports Heywood Homes in the development of 35 “Low Carbon” homes

Blacks Solicitors has advised Heywood Homes on the acquisition and development of a site in Holmfirth, which will boast 35 “Low Carbon” homes with a gross development value of almost £13 million. The development of the site is being facilitated and supported by the £5 million of finance from Homes England with Blacks providing advice…

Published in - ,

Family fun day at Bartercard Odsal Stadium!

Tickets are on sale for the Bulls’ return to Bartercard Odsal Stadium on Sunday 11th August, with Whitehaven RLFC the visitors for a 3:00pm kick off. The Bulls are looking to complete the league double over Jonty Gorley’s side following a 36-18 success up in Cumbria in June – where Mitch Souter, Jayden Myers, Kieran…

Published in - , ,

Bradford College degree approved by Social Work England

Social Work England has approved the full-time BA (Hons) Social Work degree at Bradford College as meeting rigorous industry standards. The result comes after a challenging inspection from 16-19 April by Social Work England – the regulatory body that monitors and approves social work education and training programmes across the country. The result means Bradford College…

Published in -

Construction company, William Birch & Sons celebrates 150 years

York-based principal contractor William Birch & Sons Ltd has launched its 150-year celebrations at the Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington, York. Nearly 200 colleagues, retirees, and shareholders gathered for an afternoon of family fun to mark this significant milestone. Since 1874, the company has been delivering restoration, refurbishment, and construction services across the Yorkshire region….

Published in - , ,

Bradford garden centre partners with Science and Media Museum for drop in play sessions 

Tong Garden Centre has collaborated with the National  Science and Media Museum to offer a series of summer holiday drop in activity sessions this summer. On August 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th, visitors to Grass Hoppers indoor and outdoor play at Tong Garden will be able to participate in fun activities and science demonstrations led…

Published in - , ,

York to showcase ‘EACH’ core commitments at Yorkshire Day event

City of York Council is planning a unique approach to Yorkshire Day, as it prepares to host the annual event on 1st August 2024. The itinerary for the day, while meeting the now traditional format for Yorkshire Day, will include key activities to highlight the city’s current Council Plan – the plan setting out what…

Published in -

West Yorkshire developer offers insight into specially designed showhome

David Wilson Homes’ recently launched Imperial Court development in Burley in Wharfedale is offering local homebuyers the very latest interior design inspiration with the expertly designed Lichfield show home. The show home was styled by well-known interior designers, Edward Thomas Interiors, meaning homebuyers can be assured it is up to date with the latest trends….

Published in -

Top tips to help butterflies flutter by in West Yorkshire this Summer

To celebrate Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count (12th July to 4th August), leading homebuilder Barratt and David Wilson Homes has teamed up with Butterfly Conservation to share top tips on how to help butterflies and moths this summer. Sam Wood, Sales Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes, said: “As a leading housebuilder, we take…

Published in - ,

Andrew Jackson advises Flamingo Land on lease for Alpamare Waterpark

North Bay attraction reopens its doors to the public after several months’ closure Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP is delighted to have advised Malton-based leisure company Flamingo Land on the lease of Scarborough’s Alpamare Waterpark, which has recently reopened to the public in time for the summer tourism season. Earlier this year, North Yorkshire Council named…

Published in - ,

Yorkshire IT company gets boost from Theo Paphitis

A Cross Hills based firm has received recognition and a business boost from retail guru Theo Paphitis. Last week, Sara Haggas, Sales and Marketing Manager at Comprendo, posted about the business on the former Dragon’s Den star’s Instagram account during ‘Small Business Sunday’. As a result, Comprendo became one of six weekly winners to receive…

Published in - , ,

New non-executive director appointed at Yorkshire Building Society

Yorkshire Building Society has confirmed Peter Bole has will join its Board as Non-Executive Director on 1 September. Peter has over 30 years’ experience in financial services and has held the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Tesco Bank and Virgin Money, where he went on to become Group Integration Director. In his current…

Published in - ,

Infopro Digital acquires UKREiiF organisers Built Environment Networking Ltd

Infopro Digital, a leading business information services company, has acquired Built Environment Networking Ltd which runs UKREiiF (The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum), a must-attend event for the real estate, property and infrastructure communities. The acquisition will strengthen Infopro Digital’s position as a leading international business-to-business trade show and event provider in the…

Published in - , ,

Popular fruit and veg stall at a Bradford garden centre extends opening hours

A family run fruit and veg stall at a Bradford garden centre has extended its opening hours due to public demand. Porters Fruit and Vegetable stalls have been a familiar sight outside hospitals in the region since 2016 and they recently trialled a stall at Tong Garden Centre in Bradford. Such was the success of…

Published in - ,

LGSCO releases annual figures for City of York Council

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has published their annual review report alongside their performance data for all local authorities.  The performance data relating to City of York Council, shows a year-on-year reduction in cases they have received about the council. This shows that of 9 cases investigated, 78% (7) were upheld, comparing against…

Published in - ,

Summer holidays begin with the launch of ‘Shared City Manifesto’ to keep York residents and tourists in harmony  

York St John University’s Institute for Social Justice partners with Good Organisation on project to amplify residents’ voices As Europe sees a wave of anti–tourism protests, academics and community groups have teamed up to safeguard York against becoming such a flashpoint. York St John University’s Institute for Social Justice and Business School have partnered with…

Published in - , ,

Castle Howard partner with York Pullman to offer direct travel to the historic Estate from York City Centre

Castle Howard and York Pullman are partnering up to offer direct transport from York City Centre over the summer period. Inclusive House, Gardens and Return Travel tickets provide a greener, car-free, convenient and comfortable option for visitors who either don’t have their own transport or are travelling to York by train. The House, Gardens and…

Published in - ,

Illustrators support children’s charity with live portrait drawing at Henley Royal Regatta

On 7 July 2024, Chloe and Abigail Baldwin attended the Henley Royal Regatta where they illustrated portraits of patrons and regatta guests at a pavilion hosted by Copas Events to support Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity. The pair are the dynamic duo behind Buttercrumble, the award-winning design and illustration studio based in Leeds. Among their…

Published in - ,

Three York parks recognised as some of the country’s best green spaces

West Bank Park, Clarence Gardens and Glen Gardens have been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as some of the very best in the UK. The Green Flag Award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces and is assessed by independent judges. It is a sign to the public that the…

Published in - , ,

Millennium Bridge paths re-opened after flood defence work

City of York Council has completed works on the approach paths to Millennium Bridge, ensuring the route will be usable in all but the worst flooding. Work began on Monday 17 June and was completed on Sunday 21 July. It included raising the path at the eastern end to remove a dip which suffered from…

Published in - ,

Sizzling new Summer arrivals at Trinity Kitchen

Trinity Kitchen has announced an exciting line-up of street food vendors just in time for the summer, bringing back some old favourites while welcoming a new burger vendor. Guests can explore a huge range of options including Burgerarti, Yard Dog, Cheesy Chip Shop, Hong Bao Asian Street Food and Yoi Fried Chicken, which will be…

Published in - , ,

Cheers to Pennine Pale! TPE’s very own IPA beer now available on-board

TransPennine Express (TPE) has partnered with Leeds-based brewery Northern Monk to introduce ‘Pennine Pale’ as part of its new menu offering. The bespoke beer has been specially created for customers travelling on TPE services and is described as a crisp and refreshing 4.1% session IPA, craft brewed with northern pride and bursting with hoppy citrus…

Published in - ,

Will you be caught by HMRC trying to bridge a £40 billion tax gap?

Whether it’s a knock on the door, a phone call or a letter with the tell-tale HMRC logo, there’s little that will strike more fear into the heart of any individual or business owner than an unexpected enquiry from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). No matter the scale of the business, there will be common…

Published in -

York businesses gain competitive edge with Google’s AI programme

For the second year running, York hosted a meeting of medieval architecture and cutting edge technology as local businesses boosted their digital skills and learned how to use AI to grow their enterprises. Over 80 businesses from York and North Yorkshire gathered on Tuesday 16 July for a day of free digital skills training delivered…

Published in - , ,

The Modern .NET Show celebrates one million download milestone, strengthening .NET community connections

The Modern .NET Show, hosted by RJJ Software’s CTO and esteemed Microsoft MVP, Jamie Taylor, has recently reached a significant milestone: one million downloads! This accomplishment highlights the show’s growing influence in the .NET community and its impact on fostering connections between developers and engineers. Since its inception, The Modern .NET Show has featured interviews…

Published in - , , ,

Students bring York Minster Collections to life for hospital patients

Photography students from York St John University have been part of a unique collaboration with York Minster, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Foss Park Hospital to find new ways of showcasing the cathedral’s historic collections. The students were offered the opportunity to photograph some of the fantastic artefacts that are not…

Published in - ,

York families to get £300,000 funding support boost

Children and young people in York will benefit from work to explore how to best help families facing challenges, thanks to a £300,000 funding boost. City of York Council is one of only four local authorities chosen to partner with Foundations, the national What Works Centre for Children and Families, – and the Youth Endowment…

Published in - , ,

Airedale by Modine™ celebrates apprenticeship success

The critical cooling specialists, with manufacturing, training and R&D facilities in Leeds and Bradford, celebrates apprentice’s first class achievements in mechanical engineering degree. Airedale by ModineTM, the critical cooling specialists, is celebrating apprenticeships  this month, with a special mention to apprentice George Hardesty who has graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering…

Published in - ,

Andrew Jackson advises the Kexgill Group on refinance facility for student accommodation expansion

Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP is delighted to have advised the Kexgill Group (trading as the University Quarter®), one of the largest privately owned providers of student accommodation in the UK, on a refinance facility provided by Aldermore Bank. The substantial transaction involved the refinancing of seven residential properties recently acquired by Kexgill as part of…

Published in -

Trinity Leeds to host ‘Tree of Pride’

In celebration of Leeds Pride (21st July), Trinity Leeds is hosting a ‘Tree of Pride’, inviting guests to decorate the tree with their pledges to work toward a more inclusive and caring future. The community art piece will be touring the country gathering the public’s messages of love, unity, and acceptance on its journey. Guests can…

Published in - , ,

City Cruises York sets sail with prestigious 2024 Travellers’ Choice Award!

City Cruises York is thrilled to announce it has been recognized with a prestigious 2024 Travellers’ Choice Award by TripAdvisor! This esteemed honour is awarded only to the top 10% of attractions worldwide for consistently exceeding traveller expectations. Earning a Travellers’ Choice Award is a true testament to the exceptional service and unforgettable experiences City…

Published in - , ,

Housing association CEO calls for political unity after King’s Speech building reforms

The chief executive of Bradford-based Manningham Housing Association has urged politicians from all parties to support more housebuilding following the announcement in today’s King’s Speech of proposed changes to planning laws and the introduction of housing targets to boost the delivery of new homes. In a statement, Lee Bloomfield said: “The country has endured a…

Published in - ,

Former construction students lead major renovation at building college

A team of ex-students from Leeds College of Building has returned to their roots as skilled construction professionals, ready to start a major £750k refurbishment project. Fit-out specialists Lodestone Projects has kicked off a summer renovation programme at the College’s North Street Campus. The eight-week plan will rejuvenate the site and create contemporary and accessible…

Published in - ,

UKREiiF Brings £20.9m Economic Boost to Leeds and West Yorkshire

An independent report by ARUP has highlighted that The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), a major event taking place annually in Leeds, has generated almost £21m of local economic activity in the city and the wider West Yorkshire region in 2024. The event, which brought together over 13,000 official attendees in 2024,…

Published in - , ,

Regal Foods expands in chilled desserts sector with Love Cheesecakes acquisition

Yorkshire-based food group, Regal Food Products Group Plc is set to boost its chilled desserts offer with the acquisition of artisan cheesecake makers, Love Cheesecakes. Based in Lancaster, Love Cheesecakes specialises in handcrafting over 100 premium cheesecakes for wholesale, food services and the hospitality sector. Focusing on single serve and canapé style cheesecakes, the bakery…

Published in - , ,

Ousewem launches first project at Smaden Head Farm

Ousewem is thrilled to announce the commencement of its first major project, with spades officially hitting the ground at Smaden Head Farm. This groundbreaking initiative is part of Ousewem’s broader mission to implement nature-based solutions (NbS) and natural flood management (NFM) across the Swale, Ure, Nidd, and Ouse (SUNO) catchments. An additional project will break…

Published in - , ,

York business leads revolution in microscope technology

A pioneering York business is leading the way in cutting-edge microscope technology, thanks to support from City of York Council and the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub. Poppleton-based business York Probe Sources (YPS) make parts for powerful electron microscopes, which use electron beams to generate high-resolution images of samples as small as viruses and…

Published in - , , ,

Spawforths transitions to employee ownership, empowering employees and setting the foundations for growth

Spawforths, one of the largest independent planning, masterplanning and architectural consultancies in Yorkshire, is proud to announce its transition to an employee-owned company. This strategic move is set to empower its 22 employees, allowing them to share directly in the company’s success and future growth strategy. With a rich history of innovative and award-winning work…

Published in - , , ,

Business leaders wanted to help shape region’s economy

The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, is seeking business leaders to help shape economic growth for the region. A new Business Board is being created at York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, which wants to ensure businesses can reap the benefits of devolution. “Innovative and passionate” business leaders are being sought for…

Published in -

Bettys to open their first ever pop-up shop at Castle Howard this Christmas

Castle Howard is hosting a pop-up Bettys shop in their historic Stable Courtyard this Christmas. Synonymous with Yorkshire and celebrated internationally, Bettys is known for mouthwatering confectionary, chocolates, teas and coffees and has never before created a pop-up shop. The shop will be situated inside the stately home’s Stable Courtyard for the duration of their…

Published in - , , ,

One of the lowest funded councils needs residents’ help to protect essential services

City of York Council is launching its biggest budget consultation ever and is asking the community to identify the services they most rely on to ensure essential services continue. The council is facing an unprecedented financial challenge that demands immediate action. As one of the lowest funded unitary authorities in England, and after more than…

Published in - ,

Have your say on changes to York’s sexual health service

City of York Council is inviting people to have their say on the way sexual health services are provided in York. The consultation can be completed via www.york.gov.uk/Consultations by Monday 2 September at 2pm. If anyone would like a paper copy, or would like the consultation in a different language, or accessible format please contact enquires.publichealth@york.gov.uk or 01904 551550….

Published in - ,

Emergency services day is back!

Tickets are on sale for Sunday’s clash with York Knights as our popular Emergency Services Day returns to Bartercard Odsal! The Bulls are looking to return to winning ways following a narrow defeat to the unbeaten league leaders Wakefield Trinity last time out, while York Knights have enjoyed an upturn in form since Mark Applegarth…

Published in - , ,

York Cares Golden Moments Awards 2024: Celebrating the city’s unsung heroes

The fifteenth annual York Cares Golden Moments Awards honoured the remarkable contributions of employee-volunteers to the city of York. More than 90 guests, including the Civic Party, and ambassadors and volunteers from various York Cares member organizations and community partners, gathered at Aviva’s Wellington Row premises to celebrate the achievements of York’s unsung heroes. Some…

Published in - , , ,

Join in: seven ‘Days of Action’ to help clean up Bradford, Keighley and Huddersfield

Housing provider Incommunities has announced a series of ‘Days of Action’ to help clean up local areas. The seven Days of Action will see Incommunities teaming up with local residents to undertake activities like litter picking, painting, and planting shrubs. Colleagues from Bradford Council, Kirklees Council and West Yorkshire Police will also be on hand…

Published in - , ,

Leeds-based Sagars becomes AAB in strategic brand consolidation

FPM, Sagars and May Figures to become AAB On track to achieve £100million turnover in 2024 Leading accountancy and business advisory services firm, Sagars, has become AAB, in a move which consolidates the business’ five brands across the UK and Ireland. This strategic alignment forms a cornerstone of AAB’s six-year plan to strengthen and expand…

Published in - , ,

RJJ Software wins prestigious Digital Transformation Award

RJJ Software is excited to announce that its Chief Technical Officer and senior developer, Jamie Taylor, has had his Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) status renewed for the third time. As an accomplished professional in software development with a focus on .NET, Python, Rust, Go, and JavaScript technologies, Jamie’s expertise is second to none. His commitment…

Published in - ,