About Chesterfield

University of Derby rises in Guardian University Guide 2020

The University of Derby, which has a campus in Chesterfield, has risen three places in The Guardian University Guide from 29th to 26th place – its highest ever ranking.

As well as being ranked in the Top 30, Derby has been placed joint third out of 121 institutions for the number of students satisfied with teaching quality – a jump of 18 places in the league table for the metric.    

The University has also been placed in the Top 10 for student satisfaction with its courses and feedback. 

Welcoming the results from today’s The Guardian University Guide 2020, Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “At Derby we have worked to deliver a powerful regional university that addresses the needs of our students, region and beyond. This has established us as a leading institution for social mobility, achieved through our academic and student frameworks, and highlighted by this latest Guardian University Guide position.

“This improvement is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our staff and students, the support of key partners across the region, and our commitment to delivering excellence in teaching and learning, providing an outstanding student experience, and increasing graduate employability.

“It also demonstrates how our Strategic Framework and our values, which we launched almost a year ago to the day, are driving us forward to where we want our University to be – making a positive impact in our city, county and region, creating the next generation of game-changers, and opening doors of opportunity to anyone wishing to access education, regardless of their background.”

As well as an overall ranking, The Guardian University Guide 2020 also produces league tables for each subject area, which has seen some equally impressive performances for Derby.

These include Top 10 rankings for:

·         Accounting and Finance

·         Building and Town and Country Planning

·         Business, Management & Marketing

·         Criminology

·         Hospitality and Event Management

The University of Derby has also been ranked in the Top 20 for:

·         Art

·         Fashion & Textiles

·         Journalism, Publishing & Public Relations

·         Nursing & Midwifery

·         Social Work

The Guardian university league tables, published today, rank universities according to a variety of criteria considered most relevant to students, including students’ satisfaction with the course, teaching, feedback and student-to-staff ratio. Institutions receive an overall score and individual assessments are also given for a whole range of criteria including employability, spend per student and, new for this year, continuation.

Many prospective students rely on annual guides published by national newspapers and elsewhere to decide on where they will study, and Derby showed improved performance across a variety of criteria.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Peak FM’s Craig Bailey to host 2019 Chesterfield Retail Awards

Peak FM’s popular mid-morning show presenter, Craig Bailey, has been announced as the host of this year’s Chesterfield Retail Awards.

Craig will announce the winners of 15 categories at the glittering black-tie ceremony, which is being held at Casa Hotel on Wednesday 19 June.

Hosting the Retail Awards for the first time, Craig commented: “I’ve been at Peak FM for six years now and regularly shop locally. I have seen first-hand the hard work of retailers across North Derbyshire and it is great that the Retail Awards recognise and reward this. I am really looking forward to the evening and sharing in the celebration of everyone’s success at being shortlisted.”

34 Chesterfield retailers are now set to go head-to-head in the sixth annual Chesterfield Retail Awards which are organised by Destination Chesterfield. The awards will also honour the work of apprentices in the sector, with three young people shortlisted for the Retail Apprentice of the Year award.

This year, the awards also have a brand-new category – Best Town Centre Event, which recognises the plethora of festivals, events and markets that take place every year in the town centre helping bring in more shoppers.

The shortlisted businesses, individuals and events in the 2019 Chesterfield Retail Awards are:

Hair & Beauty Business of the Year (Sponsored by Elite Private Education)

  • Belle Vie
  • Less than Zero Barbers
  • TAG Aesthetics

Fashion and Footwear Retailer of the Year (sponsored by In the Works PR)

  • DHC Countrywear
  • Dotique
  • Something Special Bridal

Home & Gifts Retailer of the Year

  • Adorn Jewellers of Chesterfield
  • Astra Designs
  • Etienne Curtains & Blinds

Food & Drink Retailer of the Year

  • Ibbotson’s Fresh Quality Produce
  • Rate Good Brownie Boxes
  • R P Davidson Cheese Factor

Leisure Retailer of the Year (sponsored by Peak FM)

  • Geeks Headquarters Ltd
  • Quinney’s Pet Supplies
  • StraightCurves

Market Hall Business of the Year (Sponsored by Arvato)

  • Fairplay Gift Emporium
  • R P Davidson Cheese Factor
  • Thanks A Bunch

Best New Store 2018/2019 (Sponsored by Pavements Shopping Centre)

  • Astra Designs
  • Ingman’s
  • The Little White Dress

Market Trader of the Year (Sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council)

  • Roper’s Honey
  • Spire Vintage
  • Top Cards

Independent Retailer of the Year (Sponsored by Jumble Creative Design)

  • H&F
  • Something Special Bridal
  • Tech CPR

National/Multiple Retailer of the Year (Sponsored by The University of Derby)

  • The Body Shop
  • RSPCA
  • Specsavers

Excellence in Customer Service (Sponsored by Casa Hotel)

  • Adorn Jewellers of Chesterfield
  • Dotique
  • Something Special Bridal

Best Town Centre Event (Sponsored by Spire Radio)

  • Chesterfield Artisan Market
  • Chesterfield Food and Drink Festival
  • Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon

Apprentice of the Year (Sponsored by Apprentice Town (Led by Chesterfield Borough Council)

  • Kelly Jaggers (Bliss Hair, Nails and Beauty)
  • Laura Davies (JMJ Pottery)
  • Rebecca McNair (The Therapy Lounge)

Apprentice Employer of the Year (Sponsored by Learning Unlimited (The Chesterfield College Group)

  • Bliss, Hair, Nails and Beauty
  • Fresh Ideas Florists
  • The Therapy Lounge

All the shortlisted businesses will also battle it out for the coveted overall title of Retailer of the Year 2019, sponsored by East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire). The finalists for this category will be announced on the night.

Further supporters of the 2019 Chesterfield Retail Awards include: Derbyshire Times, eBusiness Works, Hoods Florist, JP Fire Safety and Temple Safety.

Further Information about Chesterfield Retail Awards.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Destination Chesterfield

Huge jobs growth at Markham Vale

A record number of 2,236 people are currently employed at Markham Vale, an increase of almost 600 new jobs over the past twelve months.   The figures are the result of Derbyshire County Council’s Markham Vale Annual Jobs survey.

The 2,236 employees at Markham Vale is now more than the 2,000 people that were employed at the former colliery site in its 1980’s hey day.

There are over 50 companies based at Markham Vale across a range of industry sectors and of varying sizes, with a number of start-up companies employing two or three people and then there are the large multi-nationals employing two to three hundred.

Markham Vale is a 200-acre industrial and logistics development located at Junction 29A of the M1 in Derbyshire, a joint venture between Henry Boot Developments (HBD) and Derbyshire County Council.

One of the region’s most successful industrial locations, Markham Vale is home to the likes of Great Bear, Gist, Ferdinand Bilstein and Sterigenics.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King, said: “We look forward to welcoming even more businesses at the site very soon and for those looking to relocate or expand, we still have opportunities available so please get in touch for more information.”

Find out more about relocating to Markham Vale and investing in Chesterfield.

Markham Vale MV55

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development

Local hospice thanks their volunteers for providing over £400,000 of support a year

Local hospice charity and Chesterfield Champion, Ashgate Hospicecare, who cover the North Derbyshire area, will be celebrating the difference volunteers make to their organisation and thanking them for all their time and dedication during this year’s Volunteers’ Week, which runs from 1 – 7 June.

Volunteers make an enormous contribution to Ashgate Hospicecare, not only in terms of the skills and experience they bring, but also in the enormous financial savings through the support they provide. The hospice, which is based in Chesterfield and serves the whole of North Derbyshire, has around 690 active volunteers at any one time, supporting the retail shops, fundraising and clinical staff across the hospice.

Based on volunteers giving an average of six hours a month, and calculated at the National Minimum Wage from April 2019 of £8.21 per hour, their contribution has resulted in over £400,000 of valuable support. In reality, many of the volunteers give much more of their time and would cost more per hour to hire due to the skills and experience they bring to their roles. Ashgate Hospicecare is hugely grateful to all their volunteers for the time they dedicate in their roles, every minute of which helps patients with a life-limiting illness and families to receive vital hospice care when they need it.

Colin Boynton, from Buxton, has volunteered for Ashgate Hospicecare for over a year on the Inpatient Unit. He said, “I get an enormous amount out of volunteering for the hospice. It’s a very special place to me and so when I come here and serve the meals to patients, I feel included and part of the hospice. It’s been hard for me since I lost my husband, Frank, in 2017, but volunteering here keeps me motivated and I feel very well supported by the staff. It feels nice to give something back and bring a smile to the patients’ faces. I’d recommend volunteering to anyone and, no matter whether you want to spend time with patients or help the hospice in another way, you’ll be able to build up your skills and confidence and feel proud to support their fantastic work.”

Joanne Neill, Volunteer Development Manager at Ashgate Hospicecare said, “Ever since we opened over 30 years ago, volunteers have been integral to our operation. We simply couldn’t run the hospice without them. We have volunteers in almost every team: supporting our clinical staff on the ward and in the Day Hospice, helping out in the retail shops, doing administration, bucket collecting, marshalling at events and in many other roles too.

We know that volunteers who dedicate their time to the hospice don’t do it for the praise, but we like to let them know how their support helps more patients and families to receive care, not least because of these enormous savings. Our volunteers are truly special people and part of the Ashgate Hospicecare family, helping us to deliver specialist care when it matters the most, whether directly or indirectly through their roles.”

Colin Boynton, Volunteer Press release - Local hospice thanks their volunteers for providing over £400,000 of support a year

Posted in About Chesterfield

CBeebies ‘Waffle’ Star Joins Chesterfield Panto

Chesterfield Theatres have announced that star of CBeebies Waffle the Wonder Dog,  Andrea Valls, will join the cast of this year’s traditional family pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, at the Pomegranate Theatre from Friday 6th December 2019 to Sunday 5th January 2020.

Instantly recognisable to youngsters (and their parents) as ‘Mum’ Jess, in CBeebies heart-warming family comedy show Waffle the Wonder Dog, Andrea will make her pantomime debut this Christmas as Princess Jess.

Andrea has enjoyed great success with BAFTA-nominated Waffle the Wonder Dog which first hit TV screens in Spring 2018. The critically acclaimed show, now in its third series, is broadcast in 30 countries worldwide and has been viewed by over 24 million people on BBC IPlayer alone. The programme which features the talking wonder dog Waffle, voiced by the aptly named Rufus Hound, and which focuses on the newly blended Brooklyn-Bell family was an instant favourite with viewers and critics alike, praised for its sensitive and humorous handling of the everyday issues that affect young children, helping viewers to understand and cope with confusing emotions.

Away from ‘Waffle’ Andrea, who trained at East 15 Acting School, has starred in Jack & Dean of All Trades alongside Jessica Hynes, Valentine’s Night for Sky Arts and is currently writing and developing a digital sketch series.

Pantomime producer Paul Holman said: “With her natural warmth, charm and energy not to mention a fantastic singing voice, Andrea is the perfect choice for our vivacious Princess Jess and if she can handle a talking dog I’m sure our Giant will be no match for her!”

Andrea joins the previously announced star of pop supergroup Steps, Lee Latchford-Evans, who takes the title role of Jack in this year’s spectacular production. Filled to the brim with toe-tapping pop songs, high energy dance routines, laugh-out-loud comedy and breathtaking special effects along with all the well-loved pantomime traditions and plenty of chances to join in the fun, Jack and the Beanstalk has something for all the family this Christmas.

Jack and the Beanstalk runs at Pomegranate Theatre from Friday 6th December 2019 to Sunday 5th January 2020. Tickets are on sale now and can be booked online at www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk or via the Box Office on 01246 345 222.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas, Leisure, Visiting

The town centre comes to life at this time of year

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield‘s latest blogs looks forward to the great events happening this Summer in Chesterfield.

We’re half way through the year and the weather is warming up, which can only mean one thing – the events season is upon us and Chesterfield is certainly getting into the swing of it !!

The town centre fully comes to life at this time of year, with events drawing in visitors who are keen to experience something a little different. This is where being a market town gives us one of many advantages as Chesterfield the ready-made outside space in the market to host festivals and events.

I am delighted to see that event organisers are making the most of this space. In May we welcomed Chesterfield Street Food and Grooves Festival for a second year running and the brand new Vegan Knights Festival and of course the ever popular Artisan Market.

Events like these play a big role in encouraging footfall into the town centre, giving visitors the opportunity to see for themselves our great retail and food and drink offering. Often, people can run down the town, claiming in one breath that it is full of empty shops yet, in the same sentence, admit to never shopping in Chesterfield.

The town is most definitely not full of empty shops. In fact, Chesterfield is renowned nationally for having fewer vacant shops than the majority of towns and cities.

We owe our vibrant town centre in part to the plethora of independent businesses who are located there; long established retailers as well as new  shops, stores and market stalls opening regularly.

The wealth of independent retailers has never been more apparent that in the shortlist for year’s Chesterfield Retail Awards. We had a record year for nominations with more than half of the 30 finalists being shortlisted for the first time in the awards.  The strong shortlist not only mirrors the year-on-year success of these popular awards but also the town’s high-quality and varied retail scene.

It’s very encouraging to see so many people taking the time to nominate their favourites in both the Chesterfield Retail Awards.  We have seen a similar picture in nominations for the Food and Drink businesses. Having such a varied shortlist only adds to the excitement of the awards and makes for a very special awards evening.

If you can’t make the Retail or Food or Drink Awards, don’t worry; there’s a whole plethora of things happening in and around Chesterfield this year which showcase the town’s vibrant retail and food and drink scene.

These events are not only an opportunity to have a great time, but also a way to shop local and invest in the economy. We can all play our part in helping make Chesterfield the place to live, work and invest.

Destination Chesterfield has an up-to-date list of events on its website at www.chesterfield.co.uk. You won’t be disappointed!

Summer in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer

New forum unites Chesterfield’s food and drink sector

Skills, recruitment and marketing were top of the agenda for the brand-new Chesterfield Food and Drink Forum, which has been launched by Destination Chesterfield.

The new forum builds on the continued success of the annual Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards and is designed to further raise the profile of the town’s thriving food and drink sector.

Open to Chesterfield Champions, the group will meet twice a year and has been established to encourage a closer working relationship between businesses operating within the sector.

It aims to support business growth by providing access to training and development and signposting to local business advisers.  It is also hoped the group will spark new marketing ideas to further boost the sector and encourage the whole town to get involved.

Hospitality and tourism is the UK’s fourth-largest industry, supporting 4.49 million jobs and generating one tenth of the country’s economic wealth. Chesterfield is no exception. The thriving sector is growing year-on-year with recent developments including the arrival of Deliveroo in Chesterfield in May, the creation of new food and drink units in the former Co-Op building on Elder Way and the redevelopment of the outdoor space at Vicar Lane.

The inaugural event was held at The Crafty Dog on Chatsworth Road and was attended by representatives from The Crafty Dog, Casa Hotel, Brampton Brewery, Stephenson’s Tea and Coffee House, R P Davidson Cheese Factor and Salute. It was chaired by Laura Ashby and Richard Alsop from Edge Events, the company behind the Chesterfield Food Festival and Street Food and Grooves Festival and included information for local producers from the Food and Drink Forum Ltd.

Richard Alsop explained: “As Laura and I work with businesses across the food and drink sector providing an event platform for them to deliver their products, as chairs of the forum, we are not only able to be objective, but also understand what matters to the individuals and businesses operating within the sector.

“The first forum went really well and feedback from the attendees was excellent. It has provided us with a great platform to build on. Now, it’s about increasing numbers, connecting people and ensuring we add value to all those who get involved.”

Future plans for the forums include guest speakers from local cookery schools, marketing support including websites and social media and attendance from Chesterfield Borough Council.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented: “Chesterfield’s food and drink scene is thriving as evidenced by the annual Food and Drink Awards which has grown year on year since its launch in 2013. Launching the forum was the next step in bringing together the many individuals and businesses that operate in the sector. The forum will enable them to work together to make the most of opportunities and also collectively find solutions for industry issues such as skills shortages. As the inaugural forum evidenced, together Chesterfield’s food and drink sector is definitely stronger.”

The next Chesterfield Food and Drink Forum will be held at The Tickled Trout on Wednesday 6 November.

If you are a business operating with Chesterfield’s food and drink sector and would like to attend the next meeting, please contact Tara Underhill on 01246 207207 or email tara.underhill@chesterfield.co.uk.

To find out more about becoming a Chesterfield Champion visit www.chesterfield.co.uk/champions.

Chesterfield Food and Drink Forum

 

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure

Former Post Office sold for residential development

FHP is pleased to announce the sale of the first and second floors of the old Post Office, Chesterfield to Balmoral Investment & Development Limited.

Following the refurbishment and letting of the ground floor to Loungers by PDR Construction, the upper floors were marketed with the benefit of a planning consent to convert the upper parts into 10 high quality apartments.

Phil Daniels at FHP commented “There is still an appetite for small scale town centre living and this property’s excellent location on the historic Market Square appealed to the purchaser for their rental model. We are currently advising a number of clients on former office properties suitable for residential development, with this market continuing to remain buoyant”.

Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager said: “There are already a number of residential developments already underway in the town centre and the Old Post Office will further add to this. Town centre living is a key component to creating a modern town centre which has a thriving daytime and evening economy – which are both important to the town’s fortunes.”

Work will commence shortly on site for a scheme aimed at the rentals market.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Markham miners memorial unveiling marks halfway point

Eight new life-size steel figures have been unveiled as part of a memorial to miners who lost their lives at Markham Colliery marking the halfway point in the project.

There are now 53 figures as part of the award-winning ‘Walking Together’ memorial – led by us – which will eventually feature 106 figures stretching between the village of Duckmanton in Chesterfield and the former pithead.

Each figure is part of a walking trail which symbolises a miner’s journey to the pit and back home again and represents the 106 men who lost their lives in three accidents at the site.

On 21 January 1937 an underground explosion claimed the lives of nine men and in 1938, 79 miners lost their lives and 40 were seriously injured in a second explosion.

Eighteen miners died and 11 others suffered serious injury in the third disaster at the colliery when the mechanical brake on a lift carrying them to the coalface failed on 30 July, 1973.

The former colliery site has now been reclaimed by us and Henry Boot Developments and is home to the Markham Vale regeneration scheme which is working to create 4,100 jobs for local people.

Derbyshire County Council, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration Councillor Tony King said: “It was a special and emotional day remembering the brave men that lost their lives in the three disasters at Markham Colliery.

“We are delighted that we have now commemorated 53 out of the 106 men with a life-size figure and have reached the halfway point in this important project.

“If you’d like to take part and support the project by sponsoring a figure please get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.”

Each figure carries a tag with the name of one of the miners, along with their age and job role.

These most recent additions have been dedicated to:

  • Colin Gee-Pemberton, 30, Belt-hand
  • George Davison, 51, Contractor
  • Harry Taylor, 32, Belt Erector
  • James Allen, 25, Contractor
  • John Henry Bradford, 46, Ripper
  • Lawrence Jacklin, 28, Contractor
  • Leonard Keller, 26, Belt Turner
  • Stanley Lodge, 40, Belt erector

Relatives of the miners commemorated at the unveiling also attended the event to pay tribute.

The latest figures have been sponsored by:

  • Sutton-cum-Duckmanton Parish Council
  • Rex Procter and Partners and RPP Management Ltd
  • DLA Piper UK LLP
  • Burkitt and Foulkes families
  • Ian Whibberley
  • NT Killingley Ltd
  • Derbyshire County Council and through public donations

The Walking Together memorial has been designed by Cheshire-based artist Stephen Broadbent.

The memorial won the award for best volunteer project and the Markham Vale Heritage Group was also highly commended recognising the involvement of young people in heritage with its Story Mine project at this year’s Derbyshire Heritage Awards.

Markham miners memorial unveiling marks halfway point

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development

Discover the top 50 most profitable SMEs in North Derbyshire

BHP Accountants recently released their Top 50 survey of the most profitable SMEs in North Derbyshire. The report published in conjunction with the Derbyshire Times showcases many of the region’s most successful businesses, that all contribute hugely to the local economy.

Download the Top 50 SMEs in North Derbyshire

Dominic Staniforth, Partner at BHP Accountants said “Confidence in the region has been further bolstered by several-large scale leisure and retail redevelopments which are creating opportunities for employment and supporting the visitor economy. Of particular note are the Elder Way development, Peak Resort and Chesterfield Waterside, as a £320m scheme, is one of the largest regeneration projects in the UK.”

“This year’s Top 50 makes for optimistic reading.  SME’s aren’t being put off by uncertainty and they’re not content to sit tight. They’re maintaining momentum – continuing to push forward and remaining positive about the future.”

Find out more about support to grow your business in Chesterfield

Dunston Innovation Centre-Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Historic Pub Tour launched in Chesterfield

A new attraction launches in Chesterfield at the end of June. The Chesterfield Great Historic Pub Tour features 8 of the town centre public houses and the town’s historic sites along the way.

Taking place every Saturday from 12:00 noon, at the Pig And Pump on St Mary’s Gate, (formerly the White Swan), this walking tour takes 4 hours.    

Launching on the 29th of June and running until the end of August, the tour costs just £5 per person, which can be paid in cash to the tour guide on the day as booking is not required.

“I am hoping to attract visitors from far and wide”, said the Tour’s Creator, Shaun Stevenson. “There is a great deal of interesting history behind many of the pubs in Chesterfield, and I want this Tour to be both enlightening and fun”.

A guidebook, which contains much of the historical information, directions and also an observational quiz, is currently being put together, with the help of local historian, Janet Murphy. The guidebook will be available to purchase from the Tourist Information Centre, and at each of the venues from August.

Shaun is hoping to attract local people interested in the history of Chesterfield through the summer and is also marketing the tour to coach companies.

Pig and Pump

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Leisure, Summer, Visiting