Chesterfield’s leading private hire service City Taxis is changing its name to Veezu, following their acquisition by the Veezu Group earlier this year.
This rebrand marks a significant milestone in their journey towards revolutionising transportation services in Chesterfield and neighbouring areas.
Established in the 1980s, City Taxis began with 34 cars and a paper booking system. Over the years, City Taxis has grown exponentially and extended its reach across South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, largely thanks to strategic acquisitions, including the well-loved Chesterfield taxi company Club Taxis, in 2016.
In February 2023, City Taxis joined forces with Veezu, an alliance that promises not only a name change but a complete transformation of the way driver-partners connect with passengers and their communities.
Veezu’s Group Innovation Director, Scott Ashmore, expressed his excitement, saying: “The rebrand is more than a name change. We are firmly putting the Veezu name on the map in Chesterfield and are committed to serving the local community. We’re introducing new technology to make it easier for people to access transportation and are building on our hyperlocal activities to ensure we remain at the heart of our communities.”
Whilst passengers can call the usual Chesterfield number 01246 222 222, Veezu is introducing a new mobile app so that passengers can skip call queues and book their rides in a matter of seconds. Veezu offers multiple payment options, including Google Pay, Apple Pay, AirPay, card, or cash, making travel even more convenient for passengers.
Veezu is proud to be the UK’s fastest-growing private hire technology platform, with a track record of helping passengers in local communities complete an average of one ride every two seconds in 2022.
As part of its rebranding efforts, Veezu is excited to unveil an extensive marketing campaign entitled ‘Smarter Local Rides’ in the Derbyshire PHV market. The campaign also introduces its ‘funded by Veezu’ local community initiatives to residents across South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
Driver-partners, local businesses and passengers are invited to embrace the Veezu identity and continue its mission to provide safe, efficient, and affordable transportation services to the communities of Chesterfield and beyond.
Veezu supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Magnavale, one of the UK’s leading providers of temperature-controlled storage, has announced that its development currently taking place at its Chesterfield cold storage facility has made significant progress, and is on track to be completed in late 2024.
Since breaking ground in February 2023, construction of Magnavale’s Chesterfield cold storage expansion has progressed smoothly. As of August 2023, the company reports that the steel framework is now complete, and the installation of insulated wall and roof panels is also nearing completion.
A Magnavale spokesperson said: “Over the month of September, the construction crew will be finishing the roof membrane and intumescent painting of the new steelwork. Concurrently, work will commence on the small plant rooms and internal services including electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, and other systems.
“On completion, the expansion will add a significant 25,000 pallet positions to the cold stores’ existing capacity of 44,000, bringing the total pallet capacity of the facility to 69,000, making it one of the largest cold stores in the area.
“This expansion will not only accommodate the increasing volumes of Magnavale’s existing customers but also open doors to new customers wanting to utilise Magnavale’s temperature-controlled facilities and value-added services.
The facility features one of the most comprehensive portfolios of value-added services, encompassing, blast freezing, microwave up-tempering and contract packing.
“Coupled with its strategic location, just off the M1, Magnavale Chesterfield is extremely desirable for food manufacturers that wish to cut unnecessary cost, risk, and complexity from their cold chain.”
Well served by the M1 and the Midland Mainline, Chesterfield is within one hour’s drive of four major airports and London is under two hours by rail. Find out more about why the town is perfectly located to base your business.
Magnavale supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
A series of short films celebrating small and medium-sized companies investing in Chesterfield during 2023 have been premiered online by Destination Chesterfield, the organisation responsible for promoting Derbyshire’s largest town as a place to invest, work, live and visit.
They feature four companies – ChargedEV, Rosewood Wealth Management, NeoDyne and Voeberg Hospitality – that have already created more than 100 jobs in Chesterfield and are expected to invest over £5.6 million in the town’s facilities over the next ten years.
All four business leaders featured in the films cited Chesterfield’s central location and transport connections as significant benefits of being located in the town. They also mentioned lifestyle, access to talent and a supportive investment environment as reasons to base businesses in Chesterfield.
Chesterfield will hold its eighth annual investment summit on 18 October 2023, which will outline the town’s growth strategy, detail new investment opportunities, and provide an update on development activities. More than 200 delegates, including domestic and commercial property investors and business leaders from the UK, are expected to attend the event, which is sponsored by East Midlands Chamber and Turner & Townsend.
Data shared in Chesterfield’s growth strategy, published in April 2023, show the town’s business population grew by more than a fifth (21 per cent) in the last decade and created 2,000 new jobs. Chesterfield aims to attract 400 more businesses and a further 2,000 jobs by 2030.
Matt Close, UK Business Lead at NeoDyne, an Irish industrial automation and electrical engineering company that opened its first UK office at Spire Walk in August, said: “There’s a huge benefit to be able to go and see our manufacturing customers and their processes. Getting to them easily and quickly is why we’ve opened the UK office, and Chesterfield is close to many areas that undertake manufacturing in the UK. There are good transport links from airports, public transport and the road network, a history of engineering excellence in the area, and several local universities we’re partnering with and have recruited from.”
Emily Smith, Director of Voeberg, the property investment company developing The Holywell Hotel in Chesterfield town centre, comments: “We moved from Scotland almost two years ago looking for a new investment area for our residential and commercial projects. Chesterfield was one of the first places we looked at because of the location, and it stood out because of the demand in the area. Chesterfield gave us that kind of local feeling that you don’t get in big cities and the ability to bring something new to the area. Going through this project, we’ve worked closely with the council, which has been massively supportive.”
Mark Pymm, Founder and Managing Director at ChargedEV, an electric vehicle chargepoint installation specialist which relocated to The HQ in March, comments: “We’re already one of the leading installers of EV charging points in the UK, and we expect to maintain that position. We needed new premises that allowed us to grow and scale our customer operations and office-based functions, and this building was prime for that. We chose to maintain a team in Chesterfield because of its transport links and central location, which offer easy access nationwide, and because of the diverse and talented range of people we can get here.”
Donna Robertson, Director of Rosewood Wealth Management, an independent financial advice company relocating to One Waterside Place, part of Chesterfield Waterside, comments: “Chesterfield has a great community feel, people do want to help each other out. It is exciting to be part of that and to be able to grow the business and give back to the community. It was great to get in when Chesterfield Waterside was just starting to take off, and be here from the start, knowing how amazing this development is going to be.”
Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice-Chair of Destination Chesterfield, comments: “Entrepreneurs and SMEs are vital for economic growth and Chesterfield provides this section of the business community with everything they need to thrive. Businesses in Chesterfield enjoy a strategic location in the centre of the UK, offering access to great talent, great transport links and a great quality of life. Chesterfield is investing in the facilities and homes required to deliver sustained growth, support local startups and scaleups, and attract great people and businesses from elsewhere looking for a compelling alternative to big cities.”
Destination Chesterfield has received £180,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It follows a successful funding bid by Chesterfield Borough Council, to secure £2.69 million worth of funding for local projects.
Approval has been granted for the Staveley Waterside project, which will revitalise the Staveley Canal Basin site.
£2.664 million has been earmarked from the Staveley Town Deal fund, to enable Derbyshire County Council to construct a 2-storey building, offering flexible space for new and existing small businesses, some retail use, and a food and beverage opportunity, with indoor and outdoor dining space, along with an access road, and mooring space.
A total of 11 units are planned within the centre, each equipped with kitchen and restroom facilities, while a new 40-metre footpath is planned along Hall Lane.
The project aims to encourage more visitors to use the canal and will also create space for around ten new businesses. Proposals were unanimously approved recently by councillors at Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee.
Councillor Tony King, cabinet member for clean growth and regeneration at Derbyshire County Council, said: “We’ve put together proposals for an exciting new development, which will help to bring jobs to the area and boost the visitor economy.
“Derbyshire County Council has been working alongside partners over a number of years to improve the Staveley Basin area and the Staveley Town Deal has given us a great opportunity to turn our ideas into reality, using our expertise from Markham Vale to create high-quality business accommodation as well as a visitor destination that people from near and far can enjoy.”
The Staveley Town Deal is a £25 million fund, which will bring forward multiple employment sites, and bring higher-level skilled jobs to the area.
As part of the Staveley Town Deal, Chesterfield Canal Trust is working on the restoration of the canal by extending it from the existing limit at Eckington Road. As well as improving outdoor space and creating new leisure infrastructure, it is expected that the restoration project will lead to a 20% increase in visitors to the Staveley area boosting the amount of money spent in the local economy.
East Midlands Chamber has praised the ‘shining examples of success’ of green growth in our regional business community at its latest Sustainability Summit.
The event explored how to unlock the green growth for SMEs and the wider East Midlands economy – across themes including leadership, innovation, international trade and best practice.
It took place against a backdrop in which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the Government will water down net zero policies, including delaying a ban on the sales of new petrol and diesel cars and phasing out gas boilers.
Speakers at the Sustainability Summit said “flip-flopping” over net zero commitments from Westminster created huge uncertainty that undermined long-term investments and would ultimately harm the UK’s quest to become a global leader in the green economy.
About 200 people representing organisations from across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire gathered for the event, held in partnership with the University of Derby, Mazars, Thompson Tree Services and Epson.
East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Chris Hobson said: “We heard at our Sustainability Summit about some of the great things that businesses are doing in pursuing green growth and the very tangible rewards they are reaping with innovation and financial growth.
“These are the shining examples of success we can glean from embracing net zero, which means viewing it as not just a challenge but a golden opportunity.
“Yet while our national leaders correctly talk up the research and development strengths of our businesses and ambitions to be a global leader in developing low-carbon goods and services, there is a huge disconnect between this messaging and Government policy – as evidenced by the Prime Minister’s ill-judged shifting of the goalposts on our country’s net zero commitments.
“We saw first-hand the impact policy flip-flopping has on business decision-making during the chaotic political landscape of 2022, which quashed business confidence and thus investment. The lack of certainty about the future direction of our economy will unfortunately have a similar impact at a time when we should be encouraging transformational long-term investment.
“Having net zero targets is one thing, but to get us there we require a roadmap that will be led by business innovation. The vacillating from our political leaders instead undermines our ability to make real progress in this space and we instead find ourselves stuck in limbo when it comes to the most significant economic opportunity of our lifetime.”
Findings from the Green Growth Trends in the East Midlands research conducted by the Chamber and University of Derby were discussed by report author Dr Polina Baranova, associate professor of strategy and sustainability.
It showed the proportion of East Midlands businesses that have made any income from environmentally-friendly goods and services dropped from 45% in 2022 to 36% in 2023, decarbonisation investment varies significantly according to business size and sector, and a widening gap in business support and information.
Dr Baranova said this illustrated not only the impact of the cost-of-doing business crisis but the “fragility” of the current policy landscape, with green growth yet to be a firmly embedded business philosophy.
Other highlights at the Sustainability Summit included:
East Midlands Chamber president Stuart Dawkins discussed how sustainability is at the heart of businesses’ responsibility to support their communities and future generations
Professor Chris Bushell, pro vice-chancellor and head of sustainability at the University of Derby, outlined how the institution is taking a lead in the net zero agenda via its research, innovation, thought leadership and knowledge capital
Ian Meikle, director of clean growth at Innovate UK, explained how Britain can create jobs and sustainable economic growth by developing its own low-carbon products and services, but this required stable policy and regulation, innovation in business models and supply chains, and a step-change in access to capital
Chris Fuggle, global head of sustainability services at audit, tax and advisory services firm Mazars, provided practical strategies to upskill leadership teams on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda and embedding sustainability at board level
Charlie de la Haye, communications manager at Epson UK, gave an insight into how the global printing manufacturer had pivoted its business model to deliver green goods and services while demonstrating how it could deliver cost-saving benefits to customers.
Business leaders in Chesterfield are being encouraged to raise the profile of their organisations and their people by entering a prestigious regional awards ceremony.
Regional business media outlet, The Business Desk is hosting the East Midlands Leadership Awards 2024, and nominations are now open for companies across the area.
TheBusinessDesk.com set up the East Midlands Leadership Awards to showcase leaders and role models within organisations across our area. The winners will demonstrate the qualities of ‘extraordinary leadership’ and be able to show the positive impact this has had on their organisation, industry or the wider community.
The Leadership awards offer a chance for businesses to display their successes to the entire East Midlands region. The awards are free to enter, and the deadline for entries is Friday, 10th November.
The best of the region’s business leadership will be crowned in a special ceremony on 14th March 2024 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nottingham.
Sam Metcalf, Midlands editor at The Business Desk, said: “TheBusinessDesk.com created the East Midlands Leadership Awards to celebrate the people that are role models within their organisations and raise the bar for their competitors. The winners will show the qualities of extraordinary leadership and be able to demonstrate the positive impact this has had.
“The Leadership Awards offer a great opportunity to recognise and showcase the achievements and success of businesses in the region.”
Categories available to enter include:
Young Leader
Public & Third Sector Leader
Mentor
Emerging Entrepreneur Leader
Diversity & Inclusion Leader
Professional Services Leader
Transformational Leader
Green Leader
HR leader
Sales Leader
Marketing Leader
Technology Leader
Finance Leader
Property Leader
Company Leader (up to 100 employees)
Company Leader (up to 100+ employees)
Leader of the Year
For more information on the categories, and to nominate your organisation or people for an award, visit The Business Desk website.
Work is now underway on the building of 70 new homes in North Wingfield.
The properties, a mix of two, three and four bed houses, and 2 bed bungalows will all be managed by Rykneld Homes on behalf of North East Derbyshire District Council.
Niall Clark, Director of Property Services and Development, at Rykneld Homes, said: “These 70 homes are a big step towards meeting our target to deliver 400 new homes over the next four years.
“These high-quality properties will provide much needed homes for local families.
“We look forward to them becoming available.”
Councillor Nigel Barker, leader of North East Derbyshire District Council added: “We are committed to building and providing more social housing and this development is only the beginning.
“The houses previously on this site were only built to last 30 years, the homes that will be built here now will be high quality homes for local families to live in for decades to come.
“This site will provide much needed housing for our residents and help develop our communities.”
A number of old properties were demolished in preparation for the new development which will consist of 48 homes for affordable rent made up of a mix of 2, 3 and 4 bed houses and 2 bed bungalows and 22 for open market sale made up of a mix of 2 and 3 bed houses.
A ground cutting ceremony on Monday marked the start of building work on the site, off Whiteleas Avenue, by contractor Countryside Partnerships.
Rykneld Homes has worked directly with Countryside Partnerships to develop the proposals thanks to the involvement of Efficiency North’s EN:Procure Framework, a not-for-profit consortium serving the construction procurement needs of the social housing landlord community.
Countryside Partnerships will also provide six apprenticeship places over the course of the build.
Andy Reynolds, regional MD at Countryside Partnerships said: “We’re delighted to be working with Rykneld Homes and North East Derbyshire District Council again to deliver this significant mixed tenure development in North Wingfield. The range of dwellings and various tenures will offer the widest possible choice of affordable homes built to the highest standards.
“Today we marked the start of this exciting scheme as we broke ground with our development partners and look forward to seeing the project come to life over the next couple of years.”
Works are expected to be complete by summer 2025.
Chesterfield and North Derbyshire offers a fantastic quality of life to its residents. Learn more about Living in Chesterfield.
Gould Alloys has expanded at Markham Vale, taking a further 55,000 sq. ft. on a 10-year lease.
The deal, which will see Gould Alloys expand into the MV55 unit, comes almost a decade after the business first arrived at Markham Vale, moving into a purpose-built 50,000 sq. ft. building and investing more than £1million in new technology and machinery.
Markham Vale is a flagship 200-acre industrial and logistics scheme in Chesterfield; a joint venture partnership between property developer HBD and Derbyshire County Council. It remains one of the region’s best-located developments, sitting at the heart of the UK motorway network and providing direct access to the M1 via a dedicated junction, J29a.
The new building forms a key part of Gould Alloys’ sustainability strategy, while providing additional space to deliver new contracts in the future.
The deal also demonstrates the continued demand for space at Markham Vale, with MV55 immediately let with no void period.
Tom Wheldon, Head of Region at HBD, said: “It’s great to see Gould Alloys expanding further at Markham Vale. MV55 is the ideal location for the business’ second base at the scheme; a best-in-class building, its sustainable features will support the company’s environmental strategy and help to minimise its carbon output.”
Jane Bradshaw of Gould Alloys, said: “We’ve been at Markham Vale for almost a decade, so it’s great to be able to secure MV55 for our next chapter. The additional 55,000 sq. ft. is a key component of our environmental strategy, ensuring we can operate as sustainably as possible by limiting the movement of materials and reducing our carbon output, while providing additional capacity for the servicing of future contracts as we continue to grow.”
Councillor Tony King, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration, said: “Gould Alloys is a real Derbyshire success story and we’re pleased we’ve been able to accommodate their needs and cater for their growth with additional space here at Markham to help them become more sustainable. They are an established part of our business community and we look forward to following their success for many more years to come.”
Gould Alloys is a global supplier of high integrity components for critical applications and one of the fastest growing specialist metals stockholders in the UK. It serves the ferrous and non-ferrous metals requirements of multiple leading-edge industries, with a specific focus on aerospace.
An award-winning property developer, HBD delivers impactful industrial and logistics, urban regeneration and residential schemes. Part of the Henry Boot Group, it operates from six UK offices and is currently working with a £1.25bn development pipeline.
HBD supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
People searching for work in Chesterfield are being invited to a recruitment event, where they can meet employers and find out more about local job vacancies and training schemes that lead to employment.
The recruitment event is on Wednesday 27 September from 11am to 1pm in the Assembly Rooms above Chesterfield Market Hall.
Councillor Tricia Gilby leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and cabinet member for economic growth, said: “We host these events to help ensure everyone in our borough can access new job opportunities as they become available. Working with our partners we provide an informal setting where applicants can speak to employers directly to find out more about the opportunities available and see if the role will be a good fit for them.
“We’ve seen lots of people find employment through these events and I hope that anyone who is currently looking for work will come along and see what opportunities are available in Chesterfield.”
Paul Munday, Employer Adviser at DWP Jobcentre Plus Derbyshire, said: “With the continuing success of recruitment events held in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council, we are very excited to announce that our next event will be running on Wednesday 27 September.
“Moving to a new venue, Chesterfield Market Hall Assembly Rooms, this event will give Chesterfield Residents the opportunity to speak to local employers and find sustainable employment. There will also be a focus on Christmas recruitment campaigns as well as having Derbyshire Careers Service on hand to support attendees with CVs, employability and training/upskilling opportunities.”
The drop-in event is open to everyone, with no need to make an appointment, but job seekers registered with Jobcentre Plus can reserve their place by speaking with their work coach.
There will be lots of seasonal job opportunities available on the day from a range of sectors.
As well as job opportunities there will also be several apprenticeship providers who are currently recruiting for new apprentices. An apprenticeship offers a great opportunity to earn while you learn and can help people at any stage in life. Search for apprenticeships in Chesterfield.
Derbyshire Careers Service will also be attending the event to promote training courses but also advise job seekers on how they can get support with their CV and interview techniques.
Chesterfield-based accountancy firm, BHP has announced a new intake of 44 trainees on its successful training programme.
This latest cohort is the second highest for BHP’s training scheme, which provides an opportunity for those looking to break into the finance industry to gain hands-on experience while studying for a professional qualification.
This follows a record-breaking year in 2022, which saw 46 new trainees join the business, underlining BHP’s commitment to investing in future talent and career development. BHP has now taken on 134 trainees in the last three years.
The latest group of trainees cover a range of disciplines and span BHP’s entire network of offices – Chesterfield, Sheffield, Leeds, York, and Cleckheaton. In total, BHP has appointed 21 graduates, 12 non-graduates, and 11 placement students.
BHP’s Director of People, Karen Arch, said: “At BHP, we’re passionate about nurturing and developing the skills of young professionals looking to break through and leave their mark on the finance industry.
“With each intake of trainees, we’re also improving our own workforce by widening our blend of skills, expertise, and personality. These new recruits will bring many benefits, perspectives and added value to our clients.
“Being certified as a Great Place to Work, we pride ourselves on being a supportive workplace that always keeps the wellbeing and future success of our people at the forefront.”
Chief Digital and Efficiency Officer Ellie Dignam said: “I love working at BHP and have enjoyed watching the firm grow and evolve over the last 11 years. I’ve personally benefited from our training programme and it’s great to see that we’re continuing to take on fresh new talent and support them in their career development.”
The company still has vacancies available, and people in Chesterfield will have the chance to meet representatives from BHP at an upcoming recruitment event in the town.
BHP supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Advanced Apprentice of the Year: Alfie Wooldridge Derby City Council; Franchescia Davies Buxton & Leek College; Jordan Pirie Brookfield Community School; Olivia Scane HM Land Registry
Higher Apprentice of the Year, Sponsored by Nottingham Trent University: Alison Liles The Gables Residential Care Home; Sarah Westwood BWB Consulting;
Degree Apprentice of the Year, Sponsored by University of Nottingham; Arron Faulkner E.ON UK; Connell Parker E.ON UK; Holly Johnson Derby Homes Ltd; Mia Outram No7 Beauty Company; Stuart Rendall Continental Engineering Services
Construction Apprentice of the Year: Avikaash Manon Derby Homes; Ben Wilcox BWB Consulting; Eddy Palethorpe Crawford & Co Surveyors; Lloyd Dabell Crawford & Co Surveyors; William Thompson Dalton Roofing
Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year: To be announced
Professional Services Apprentice of the Year: Eleanor Ancliffe Reach Separations; Jacob Whitty Crawford & Co Surveyors; Lloyd Dabell Crawford & Co Surveyors; Megan Tuohy Crawford & Co Surveyors.
Health and Public Service Apprentice of the Year, Sponsored by Auto Windscreens: Holly Johnson Derby Homes Ltd; Jade Smith St Albans Medical centre; Poppie Staden Blythe House Hospice Care and Helen’s Trust.
Technology and Digital Apprentice of the Year, Sponsored by Aim Qualifications Group: Arron Faulkner E.ON UK; Connell Parker E.ON UK; Hannah Jones Experian; James Bennington BWB ConsultingJames Cox Central Technology; Joe Hawksworth Althaus Digital.
Mentor of the Year, Sponsored by Greatest Hits FM: Janet Quinlan-Jones Sort Legal; Kiera Bailey Reach Separations; Sarah Walker BWB Consulting; Sophie Bancroft – Employee Development Manager Derby Homes Limited; Waqas Matloob Althaus Digital.
Diversity & Inclusion Award: Auto Windscreens; Broxtowe Borough Council;
SME Employer of the Year: Sponsored by EMAAN; Crawford & Co Surveyors; Dalton Roofing; Project D; Sort Legal.
Large Employer of the Year: Broxtowe Borough Council; BWB Consulting; Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Derby Homes Ltd; Experian; Motus Commercials; Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust;
Training Provider/Programme of the Year: Althaus Digital; Auto Windscreens; JTL
East Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassador Network are headline sponsors of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Apprenticeship Awards with a special focus on the SME Employer of the Year award category, which is open to businesses with up to 249 employees, which offer an apprenticeship programme.
The awards night is set to be held at The Village Hotel, Nottingham on Thursday 6th October.
For further information and to purchase your tickets to attend the event – visit the event website www.dnapprenticeshipawards.co.uk.
Dalton Roofing, Central Technology and Chesterfield Royal Hospital support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
