New research-informed podcast series launched to help boost SME productivity
A new joint podcast series from Leeds Beckett University (LBU) and business support experts Exemplas is bringing research-led insights to business owners and policy makers – offering practical, real-world advice on how to drive productivity and sustainable growth. The six-part series of bite-sized, accessible episodes are focussed on what really makes a difference when it…
TPE adds more services to support national Armed Forces celebrations in Cleethorpes this weekend
TransPennine Express (TPE) will be running extra services and providing more seats this weekend to support customers travelling to Cleethorpes for Armed Forces Day. The popular three-day event, recently chosen as the national celebration, will take place from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 June and is expected to draw large crowds to the coastal town,…
Leeds College of Building Principal attends Construction Skills Mission Board at Westminster
Senior leaders from across construction and Government Ministers will launch the construction sector skills mission this week, to ensure the sector has the workforce it needs to deliver. The Construction Skills Mission Board will meet today, 26 June, to set a strategy for recruiting an additional 100,000 workers a year by the end of the…
Bradford Vice-Chancellor to retire to spend more time with family
University of Bradford Vice-Chancellor Professor Shirley Congdon is to retire at the end of 2025 to spend more time with her family. Professor Congdon is the University’s eighth vice-chancellor and the first woman to hold the position, which she has held since August 2019. Her legacy includes leading the University to four successive number one rankings…
Non-alcoholic York Gin wins national gold medal
York Gin is celebrating a national gold medal for its non-alcoholic spirit. York Zero was awarded the top prize at the national Free From Awards at a glittering ceremony in London. It won gold in the No and Low Alcohol category sponsored by the Low No Drinker magazine. The alcohol-free spirit is made…
Summer holiday ‘carnage’ when consequences of VAT imposition on private schools becomes fully known
THE imposition of VAT on private schools could lead to ‘carnage’ in the summer holidays, says a sector specialist in Yorkshire. Fees at the UK’s 2,500 private schools have been liable for 20% VAT since 1 January following a decision made by the government soon after it came to office last July. But, because the measure was introduced mid-academic year, its full effects are just beginning to fully emerge….
University nursery to remain open following consultation
The University of Bradford Nursery will remain open following consultation over its future. The University announced a review of its early years’ service in March as part of a drive to save at least £16m in the next 12 months. The consultation involved talks with staff, parents and carers, trade unions and other stakeholders. Dave…
Chadwick Lawrence awards four new training contracts
Leading Yorkshire law firm Chadwick Lawrence has awarded training contracts to four candidates, as it continues to champion future legal talent from the local area. Christian Licerdale has been awarded an 18-month training contract at Chadwick Lawrence working across the firm’s corporate and commercial and litigation departments. Christian studied for both his LLB law…
Bradford BID launches two new creative city centre events to celebrate culture and community
Bradford Business Improvement District (BID) is launching two exciting events designed to inspire creativity, bring people together, and showcase the city centre in a fresh and engaging way. The first event, a Family Photo Walk, will take place on Thursday 1 August, starting from Waterstones at 11am. Participants will follow a guided route through the…
Friday Night Fever is back!
Bradford Bulls are turning up the heat this summer as Friday Night Fever makes a spectacular return to Bartercard Odsal Stadium on Friday 4 July – Adults can gain entry from just £10 and Under 18-s GO FREE! A electrifying evening of entertainment both on and off the pitch awaits as the Bulls face Hunslet RLFC in a must-see rugby league showdown, kicking…
New product launch at IFT Chicago – TasteMod2 is unveiled
CO2Sustain a leader in flavour innovation, is proud to announce the launch of TasteMod2, a groundbreaking Flavour with Modifying Properties (FMP), specifically developed to help beverage manufacturers meet the growing demand for healthier, zero and lower-sugar drinks—without compromising on taste. CO2Sustain have a healthy obsession with how things taste. We understand that taste is the…
Bradford City fans’ stories shared at stadium project
Bradford City AFC supporters’ memories of the club have been brought to life through an innovative virtual reality (VR)-inspired project from the University of Bradford. ‘Stories from Valley Parade’ has seen academics create a digital copy of the University of Bradford Stadium, traditionally known as Valley Parade, which people can explore through VR. The project…
HMRC list 57 Yorkshire employers for minimum wage breaches
Businesses in Yorkshire could potentially face financial penalties for underpaying staff on wages. The latest list published by the Department for Business & Trade and HMRC includes 518 businesses in the UK which hadn’t correctly paid minimum wage. Some high-profile businesses are named, including one where underpaid wages exceeded £1.1 million. It shows that there…
Premier League and STRI Group document benchmark for pitch quality
The Premier League, widely considered the world’s most competitive football league, understandably put the playing surface at the heart of everything they do. The recently launched Premier League Pitch Standards Framework is a resource that documents the requirements of establishing and maintaining an elite surface, that performs to the highest standards and keeps players safe….
Solicitor returns to Andrew Jackson’s Litigation team as a partner
Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP announces that it has welcomed Rob Ripley as a partner in its commercial litigation and dispute resolution team, strengthening the firm’s well regarded practice, which acts for clients across the UK and globally. Having first joined the firm in 2007 for 10 years, Rob has gained over 30 years’ experience in…
Turner & Townsend’s charitable fund marks £1m in donations and two new partnerships
Turner & Townsend, the global professional services company, has announced its international Making the Difference Fund is partnering with Railway Children and Build Change. This further expands the global impact of the fund as it celebrates over £1m in donations from the business. Launched in 2023, the Making the Difference Fund complements Turner & Townsend’s…
GSAL Principal wins national Headteacher of the Year award
The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) is delighted to announce that Principal, Sue Woodroofe, has been named Headteacher of the Year (Independent) at the Tes Schools Awards 2025. The awards ceremony, which took place in London on Friday 20 June, celebrates the very best in education across the UK’s state and independent sectors. Known as…
C-Kore hits a major milestone with 1000th subsea tool deployment!
C-Kore Systems is celebrating an exciting milestone with the deployment of their 1000th subsea testing tool, to Australia! This significant achievement was marked by the mobilization of the C-Kore tools to an Australian offshore energy project for one of their key customers, Fugro. Australia is one of C-Kore’s largest markets, where their tools are helping…
Ranking success for University of Bradford
The University of Bradford has been 511 in the world and 47 in United Kingdom, according to the 22nd edition of the world’s most-consulted university rankings. The QS Word University Rankings 2026, released today by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds, sees University of Bradford move up 20 places from last year’s ranking of 531….
Meet the Leeds marketer supporting medical aesthetics clinics with SEO
Leeds-based digital marketing specialist Jane Nriapia has officially launched BoutiqueSEO, a search marketing agency dedicated to helping medical aesthetics clinics grow their online visibility, attract patients, and thrive in a competitive industry. With over 16 years of experience in digital marketing and four years working directly inside aesthetics clinics and training academies, Jane brings a…
Stark warnings about World War 3 from Soviet-era nuclear test site
“Brutal.” That’s how Dr Becky Alexis-Martin, from the University of Bradford, described her recent trip to Kazakhstan to understand the long-term effects of four decades’ of nuclear testing. Her comments are especially poignant given the current state of affairs in the Middle East, as the conflict between Israel and Iran ramps up and the threat…
Pot shot for Bradford archaeology student
University of Bradford archaeology student Lucy Benoit has spoken about working with Time Team Online on a site where experts unearthed a rare Anglo-Saxon pot known as the Bromeswell Bucket. Time Team’s dig at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk revealed an Anglo-Saxon burial – Lucy was filmed for a live broadcast on YouTube, helping with the geophysical…
Schofield Sweeney ranked in UK Top 20 for Mergers & Acquisitions
Commercial Law Firm also Ranks Second In Yorkshire in Experian Report Award winning commercial law firm Schofield Sweeney has soared up the rankings to be named one of the top 20 most active legal advisers for mergers and acquisitions in the latest M&A report from Experian Market IQ. The company’s M&A expertise saw it leap…
M&S-style attacks are just the beginning: new Barometer shows economic risk from cyber breaches rising fast
Large businesses in Yorkshire are increasingly exposed to cyberattacks, with fresh data showing a clear link between company size and breach frequency – but experts are warning that smaller firms may be dangerously underestimating the threat. According to the latest Azets Barometer, just 41% of large UK businesses avoided cybersecurity incidents in the past year…
Switalskis strengthens Leeds presence with move to West Village
Leading Yorkshire law firm Switalskis has relocated its Leeds-based teams to a new office at West Village on Wellington Street. It’s a significant milestone in the firm’s continued growth and investment in the region. After 15 years at nearby St James House, the move to the state-of-the-art, 3,326 sq ft workspace in Bruntwood SciTech’s innovative…
Manningham Housing Association secures ownership of £5m affordable homes scheme
Manningham Housing Association (MHA) has acquired five new build detached houses in Eccleshill, Bradford in a £1.1 million deal. With the addition of these two three-bed and three four-bed properties, MHA now owns all 24 homes in the recently completed One Meadow development on Victoria Road. This represents a total investment of £5 million, delivered…
Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards hail industry’s rising stars as winners announced
Some of the brightest stars in West Yorkshire’s manufacturing and engineering sectors have been honoured, as employers gathered to celebrate the next generation of talent at a sold-out Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards ceremony, held at Leeds Beckett University. Now in their fourth year, the awards have become a standout feature of the festival, marking the…
Propolis: rise of the nutraceutical
It’s time we redefined our relationship with our immune systems. Consumers now look much more seriously at natural products in the context of mounting difficulties, dilemmas, side-effects and other problems with pharmaceuticals, particularly antibiotics. What consumers want is to move away from the folklore and witchcraft remedy process and thanks to our long-term collaboration with…
Bulls announce partnership with Snowman
Bradford Bulls are delighted to announce a new commercial partnership with Snowman, who will become the official sponsor of the club’s LED screen at Bartercard Odsal Stadium. As part of the agreement, the Snowman brand will feature prominently on the stadium’s Big Screen frame during all home fixtures, delivering high-impact visibility for the lifestyle brand…
Planning approved for student accommodation at the Merrion Centre
Major milestone reached in the next phase of the Merrion Centre’s evolution Leeds-based property investor and developer, Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), has received planning approval from Leeds City Council for a landmark student accommodation scheme at the Merrion Centre, further cementing the centre’s position as a dynamic, mixed-use city destination. The approved plans will…
56for56 appeal reaches target for Burns Unit
Firefighters from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) have reached their £56,000 fundraising target for the University of Bradford-based Burns Unit to mark the 40th anniversary of the Bradford City fire. A legend-filled football match, a 75-mile walk from Lincoln to Bradford and a fundraising dinner were some of the events which helped firefighters…
Laughter, legacy and local pride: The Cryer officially opens at GSAL in honour of Barry Cryer
The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) marked the official opening of The Cryer on Saturday evening – a state-of-the-art performing arts centre and landmark investment in the arts at the school, named in honour of the late Barry Cryer (OL53), renowned comedian, writer and Leeds Grammar School (LGS) alumnus. The special launch event brought together…
Leeds Charity Ball boosts AABIE fundraising total to £200k
Leading professional services firm AAB welcomed over 300 guests to the third AABIE Charity Ball, held for the first time in Leeds on Saturday 14 June 2025. Taking place at the iconic Aspire venue, the event was a great success, celebrating the growing impact of AABIE as it looks ahead to its 10-year anniversary in…
Azets UK appoints Yorkshire regional managing director
Azets, the UK top 10 accountancy and advisory firm, has appointed Claire Needham as its new regional managing director for Yorkshire and the North East. Claire is promoted into the role from her position as Azets’ York office managing partner and head of the UK technical accounting team. She will succeed Russell Turner, who is…
LBU Impact Series: Leeds Beckett research team partners with urgent care provider IC24 to tackle stress in NHS 111 call centres
A new research-driven collaboration between Leeds Beckett University and urgent and primary healthcare provider Integrated Care 24 (IC24) is using innovative technology and psychological science to improve staff wellbeing and reduce stress for NHS 111 call handlers. The three-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project, part-funded by UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) through Innovate UK, brings…
Yorkshire Garden Centre Group creates new role for multi-site growth
A Bradford-based garden centre group with a site in Scarborough has created a new stock inventory role as it prepares for future growth across its multi-site business. Yorkshire Garden Centres group, owner of Dean’s Scarborough, has appointed Dan Campbell as its Buying Support Manager to work across all seven sites in West and North Yorkshire….
Memories of Bradford City fire shared in new project
People will be invited to share their recollections of the 1985 Bradford City fire for a new project by the University of Bradford. Student Mia Coe will speak to survivors of the May 11, 1985 fire, friends and family of the 56 people who lost their lives, the emergency service workers who treated the 258…
Spending Review can be transformative for new homes and Bradford – housing association CEO
The chief executive of Bradford-based Manningham Housing Association has backed the Chancellor’s commitments to a £39 billion Affordable Homes Programme and a 10-year rent settlement announced in today’s Spending Review. In a statement, Lee Bloomfield said: “For far too long, housing associations have faced an impossible task in trying to provide enough decent homes for…
Bradford Garden Centre to host first masterclass with leading rose grower
A Bradford garden centre is hosting a rose masterclass with one of the country’s leading names in roses next month. In celebration of National Rose Month, an expert from the long-established, family-owned rose breeder David Austin Roses will be in The Mezzanine at Tong Garden Centre on Wednesday, 2nd July to share advice on planting,…
York Cares celebrates 20th anniversary
A York charity is marking its 20th anniversary with an ambitious £20,000 fundraising campaign. York Cares, the independent employee-volunteering charity in the city, is celebrating two decades of bringing together local employers, employees, and community organisations to create lasting, positive change across York. Since its launch in 2005 by the University of York, Aviva, and…
West Yorkshire adventure play area celebrates its new menu with team event
150 employees from Yorkshire Garden Centres were invited to celebrate the new menu at Mission Out outdoor adventure park with a stay and play session for family and friends. The play team at Mission Out hosted the exclusive after hours event to launch the new ‘Load & Go’ street food menu that comprises loaded nachos,…
Schofield Sweeney welcomes Real Estate Partner Tim Richards
Appointment Consolidates Firm’s Position as a Regional Leader in Real Estate Law Award-winning Yorkshire law firm Schofield Sweeney has further enhanced its real estate expertise with the appointment of new partner Tim Richards to the 40-strong specialist team. Tim brings with him a wealth of commercial real estate experience, including advising end-to-end on major land…
Ideal Extraction Ltd in Ilkley shortlisted for prestigious award
Ilkley engineering company, Ideal Extraction Ltd, is celebrating after being announced as a Finalist in the category SME Business of the Year at the prestigious BusinessiQ Awards 2025 hosted by the Telegraph and Argus. These coveted awards, first launched in 2011, recognise the best businesses across the whole of the Bradford district for excellence and innovation. The…
JB Priestley’s 1933 Wedgewood vase surfaces after 40 years
A vase decorated by JB Priestley in 1933 and sold at auction following his death in 1984 has been donated to the University of Bradford’s Special Collections. The Wedgewood vase is recalled in the Bradford-born author’s 1934 work English Journey but disappeared into a private collection after his death. In his 1934 account, Priestley recalls visiting…
Plans to transform York city centre come under the spotlight at York Festival of Ideas
York Festival of Ideas in partnership with LNER is offering York residents and visitors an exciting opportunity to find out more about the major developments taking place in the city centre. The free event York: A 21st-century rail hub on Saturday 7 June will turn the spotlight on the York Station Gateway project, which is…
Andrew Jackson advises Fortuna Ltd on award of Tristan Da Cunha Lobster Concession
Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP is pleased to have acted as legal advisor to Falkland Islands based Fortuna Ltd, which will be taking over the Tristan da Cunha Lobster Concession from 2027. Having won the tender, Fortuna, a leading seafood producer and exporter, will be granted exclusive long-term rights to fish for lobster around the islands…
Brighter classrooms, smaller bills: UK schools cut carbon and costs with Drax Foundation funding
Schools across the UK are taking the lead on important energy saving measures, reducing their carbon footprint and reaping the rewards where it matters most, in the classroom. Over £1.5 million worth of investment from the Drax Foundation has enabled 27 schools across the country to slash their carbon emissions, saving thousands on energy bills…
Sandburn Hall wins VisitEngland Silver award for excellence as best large hotel
Sandburn Hall has won one of the country’s leading hospitality prizes with a Silver award for ‘Large Hotel of the Year’ at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, held in Brighton this week. Sandburn Hall, set on a 1,000 acre country estate at Flaxton, near York, is an outstanding Yorkshire hospitality, golf, wedding, events and business…