North West business briefs: Hotel Football; GC Angels; OCU Group; Skills for Growth; Robinsons; ELE Advanced Technologies
The football season is back with a bang at Manchester’s famous Hotel Football, and the latest forecasts from the hotel, co-founded by former England player Gary Neville, reveal more than 26,000 guests are expected to stay at the Old Trafford venue during the season ahead.
The hotel’s bar and restaurant, Cafe Football, is also lining up for a busy year ahead predicting it will serve more than 22,360 breakfasts to guests, and pour in excess of 30,810 pints of Madri beer for fans watching a range of sports at the venue.
Sitting next to Old Trafford stadium, the home of Manchester United, and only a 10 minute walk from the Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground, the sports-themed hotel is also anticipating serving 600 breakfast, lunches and dinners each United matchday for fans dining at the cafe.
The 133-room hotel was opened in 2015 and boasts the UK’s only hotel rooftop 5-a-side football pitch, as well as a Games Zone for children. General manager, Chris Hull, said: “With the timing shifts of last season and a busy summer of sport with the women’s World Cup, we’re already well prepared for the influx of guests we’re expecting at Hotel Football during the season ahead.
“We are very proud to offer a number of different experiences both for matchday dining and for stays at the hotel, and we are confident that Hotel Football will continue to position itself as the number one sports hotel in the UK.”
The hotel’s Matchday Experiences offer pre- and post-match hospitality, including chats with Manchester United legends such as Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville.
::
Previous Fund Her North event
GC Angels, one of Greater Manchester’s leading early-stage equity investors, has announced a partnership with NorthInvest to deliver Fund Her North activities across the North West, increasing its commitment to driving change across the Northern investment landscape.
The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to promoting female-led innovation, and propelling economic transformation through investment, collaboration, and expertise.
Already a signatory of the Investing in Women Code, GC Angels is doubling this commitment to support female investment by delivering Fund Her North activities. With Manchester as the focal point, GC Angels is now looking to extend this network throughout the North West to Cumbria, Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire, to ensure all female founders have access to capital and support.
The British Business Bank’s most recent Small Business Equity Tracker revealed that only two per cent of UK capital goes to all-female founded teams. Committed to driving investment to female entrepreneurs, GC Angels has bucked the trend, investing 25% of funds to all-female founded teams since its inception in 2018, most recently in rising FinTech company Financielle.
Sarah Ayton, strategic relationships manager at GC Angels, said: “Our partnership with NorthInvest represents a monumental step toward reshaping the investment landscape and supporting the ingenuity of female entrepreneurs through Fund Her North. Together, we’re unlocking new opportunities for growth and innovation. Delivering Fund Her North strengthens our mission to empower women in business. Collectively, we’re creating a vibrant ecosystem that fuels innovation and drives equitable opportunities for female entrepreneurs across the North.”
::
Lake Vyrnwy
Stockport-based utilities and energy infrastructure specialist, OCU Group has won a major contract that will contribute to the delivery of high quality drinking water to customers and communities across Cheshire, Merseyside and the North West.
North West water and wastewater group, United Utilities, has appointed OCU to complete a new phase of work on the Vyrnwy Aqueduct as part of its modernisation programme. The aqueduct was constructed in 1892 and runs from Lake Vyrnwy, in Powys, to Prescot in Merseyside.
OCU is set to start work on site this month to enhance one of three one-metre diameter parallel pipelines – a project that is expected to take around a year to complete. This marks the second of three phases on the aqueduct, with more than 40% of the pipeline already refurbished and the remaining length from Malpas to Merseyside due for completion in 2028.
Adrian O’Sullivan, managing director of OCU Utility Services, said: “Supporting United Utilities to deliver vital modernisation to the Vyrnwy Aqueduct represents a significant step in our ambition to become a leader in the delivery of critical water infrastructure across the UK. The modernisation will provide a reliable and long term supply of high quality drinking water to parts of North Wales and Merseyside.”
Will Eyre, programme manager at United Utilities, said: “The Vyrnwy Aqueduct is an incredible feat of engineering that supplies high quality water to customers across the region. The modernisation programme, which involves cleaning and relining the pipelines, is well under way, and we’re pleased to have OCU confirmed for this section.”
::
Eugen-Dan Negrutiu-David
Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) Skills for Growth programme, which is aimed at addressing the skills gaps identified by employers in the city region, has supported over 20,000 individuals to gain the skills they need to advance their careers.
Made possible through the European Social Fund and launched during the challenges of the pandemic, Skills for Growth has been instrumental in rebuilding and revitalising Greater Manchester’s economy. By forging partnerships with businesses and training providers, GMCA has created invaluable learning opportunities for residents to upskill and reskill while enabling local businesses to thrive.
Romanian born Eugen-Dan Negrutiu-David, 46, lives in Eccles. He signed up to the Level 3 Data Analyst course after seeing information on social media. After successfully completing the training delivered by Serco and Readynez, Eugen, who previously worked as an administrator, gained a promotion during the course and is now a governance facilitator in the NHS. Eugen said: “I am always an advocate of reskilling and upskilling, so I signed up for the course. I’d encourage more colleagues and people to upskill as it opens up new opportunities for you.”
Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, GMCA lead for technical education and skills, said: “Reaching the milestone of 20,000 learners is testament to the dedication and hard work of all those involved. This programme has played an important role in empowering individuals and addressing skills gaps in our city region, contributing to the growth and success of Greater Manchester’s economy.”
Skills for Growth is a £42m programme which has been designed to support employers who have highlighted they cannot find the technical skills in Greater Manchester required to grow their businesses. Although the programme will draw to a close in September, there are a few courses still available to join for the last cohort.
::
Robinsons Brewery
Sixth-generation Stockport family brewers, Robinsons, has trained 40 of its 116 head office staff in Carbon Literacy with plans to have the entire central team Carbon Literate within a year. The 185-year-old brewery is the first brewer and pub company to have actioned a commitment to becoming a carbon-literate workforce, with a dedicated training workshop certified by the Carbon Literacy Project.
The training has been introduced as part of the business’s net zero roadmap across its brewing, bottling and pub estate business, achieving 40 certified employees and becoming a Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation in the first six weeks. Carbon Literacy is defined as ‘an awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.’
Recognised by the UN at COP21 as one of 100 worldwide Transformative Action Programs, The Carbon Literacy Project initiates and helps deliver Carbon Literacy in a unique and award-winning way, through the certification of people and organisations by their participation in a day’s-worth of action-focused learning about climate change, which the participants themselves help devise.
Phil Korbel, co-founder and director of advocacy at The Carbon Literacy Project, said: “We need to see Carbon Literacy embedded in every workforce, which involves breaking out of the ‘eco bubble’ of ‘green’ business and making this simply ‘business’. That’s why it’s such good news to have Robinsons as our first brewery and pub chain. Their ability to influence their landlords, supply chain, their sector and the public is second-to-none and we can’t wait to support them to take Carbon Literacy even further.”
Ben Robinson, director of tenanted operations and the lead on Robinsons’ sustainability project, Target Zero, said: “We’re delighted that 90% of our directors are now Carbon Literate, including both our managing directors. The course has equipped our leaders with the knowledge they need to drive positive climate action throughout our business and their teams. We have now successfully trained every department within the business at a management level and continue to roll-out the workshops to the rest of our workforce. We have so far engaged decision makers who work with resourcing raw ingredients and materials, to designing pub refurbishments, to team members who influence the actions of others in their day-to-day work.”
::
ELE’s David Stanley (left) and Tony Butterworth
Nelson-based manufacturing company, ELE Advanced Technologies, has pledged its support for local side Colne FC and grassroots set-up Kelbrook Phoenix FC, sponsoring the two clubs ahead of the 2023 /24 season.
The engineering business entered into the partnership with Colne FC during pre-season, becoming its board sponsor. The Reds play in the North West Counties Premier League and rely on sponsorship from local businesses like ELE to operate. Colne’s first fixture of the season took place on Tuesday, August 1, taking on Bury FC in the Shakers’ first competitive fixture since their return to professional football.
In addition to ELE’s support of Colne FC, the company has pledged its support for local junior side Kelbrook Phoenix FC. The grassroots side had previously been forced to close due to financial difficulties but are set to be re-established thanks to ELE’s support.
Tony Butterworth, ELE’s maintenance manager, has been nominated to chair the club in its return to operations. The manufacturer’s support will provide a ground fund for the club and will see the company’s branding on the home shirt.
Dave Dudley, technical director for ELE, said: “We know how important football is in our community, so to play our part and support both clubs is an honour. Our business has always been embraced by the people in our local area and ensuring that local sport flourishes is a way of giving back.”
