In Brief: Addleshaw Goddard; The Alchemist; JTM Service

THE Leeds office of international law firm Addleshaw Goddard has advised John Laing on a deal that will see a major onshore wind farm delivered.

John Laing, the specialist investor and manager of infrastructure assets, is acting as sole equity provider on the nine turbine facility, which will generate enough energy to power more than 11,000 homes.

The Addleshaw Goddard team, led by legal director Paul Dight, included experts across the business in departments including energy, property, construction, corporate and project finance, planning and tax.

Mr Dight said: “We were delighted to be involved in this transaction, which has had its fair share of complexities.  Project finance deals such as this one are not all that common so it is very satisfying to have advised John Laing.

“The deal is also good news for the Yorkshire advisory community as this transaction was driven from this region, further demonstrating our strengths and capabilities.”

NordLB is providing a long-term debt package for the wind farm, which is being constructed at Burton Wold, near Kettering, Northamptonshire, and is expected to be fully operational by August 2014.

John Laing is 100% investor in the facility after working with developer First Renewable to acquire the project from the landlord shareholders in June.

Planning permission for the site was granted in August 2012 and the project has been developed by First Renewable since that time.

A team from DLA Piper in Leeds advised NordLB. John Laing was represented by Yorkshire-based director Simon Parrish and manager Sue Peart.

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THE Alchemist cocktail bar and restaurant brand in Trinity Leeds has added to the success of owner Living Ventures.

Cheshire-based Living Ventures invested £800,000 in The Alchemist and said the bar has sold 153,426 cocktails since opening its doors – just over one cocktail for every minute it has been open.

The leisure group’s turnover is forecast for £60m this year and it said the Alchemist Leeds accounts for around 6% of this figure.

General manager, David Oxtoby, said: “Having worked in the Leeds bar scene for many years I am so proud to have delivered the Alchemist to the city. The theatrical and imaginative cocktails have been exceptionally well received, exceeding all expectations. I’m looking forward to keeping the Alchemist at the forefront of the Leeds cocktail revolution for years to come.”

Living Ventures also owns opening The Botanist, also located in Trinity.

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COMMERICIAL laundry specialist JTM Service has secured a six figure service contract with Maria Mallaband Care Group, one of the UK’s leading care home providers.

The contract, to service laundries at more than 60 sites across the UK for both Maria Mallaband and its sister company Countrywide Care, continues Leeds-based JTM’s cycle of growth in the care and social housing sector with four contract wins worth around £600,000 in the last six months.

Maria Mallaband Care Group, which runs 72 homes for the elderly, for disabled people and for autistic residents, appointed JTM Service to ensure its laundry facilities operate at peak performance and are energy efficient.

Founded in Leeds in 1983 by MD John Middleton, JTM Service provides laundry facilities and services for more than 100 social housing providers and 800 care homes from the Scottish Borders to the Midlands.

Maria Mallaband, which is growing organically, aims to build 10 new care homes a year. The company has four sites currently in development with completion due early in 2014.