North West business briefs: Metquarter; Learning Foundry; Everton FC; Lean Champion; Inscape; ESP Play; LaserHQ
Queensberry has announced the opening of a Tesco Express at its asset, Metquarter, in Liverpool city centre.
The supermarket chain, which will occupy the lower ground floor of the former BOSS unit at the Whitechapel entrance, is another boost for the centre, creating 20 jobs. Fit-out on the 3,413 sq ft area will begin this month with the store set to open in spring. Queensberry was advised by Avison Young acting as leasing agents.
Over recent years, Metquarter has transformed from a traditional shopping centre into a dynamic mixed-use space. The new addition will further complement Metquarter’s existing mix of entertainment, creative arts and premium fashion retailers, offering synergy and convenience for all occupiers and customers.
Metquarter has also welcomed Carvela to the centre. The premium accessories and shoe brand replaces the existing Kurt Geiger unit on the ground floor and will provide another high-end retail option for visitors.
Alex Hyams, Senior Asset and Leasing Manager for Queensberry, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tesco to Metquarter, bringing yet another use class into the diverse mix of occupiers we’ve curated during the scheme’s transformation. Since Queensberry bought the asset back in 2016, we have continued to successfully repurpose the building to include a state-of-the-art education campus with over 1,400 students and multiple retail and leisure uses including Everyman Cinema and GPO food hall.”
A Tesco spokesperson said: “We’re excited to be opening a new store in Liverpool and look forward to serving the local community in spring 2024.”
::
Claire Lee
Liverpool based training provider, The Learning Foundry, has been awarded funding by the Department for Education to deliver Government-backed Skills Bootcamps across the North West, starting next month.
Skills Bootcamps are funded, flexible courses for anyone aged 19 or over. The training provides individuals and businesses with the opportunity to upskill, reskill or retrain – giving access to sector-specific skills and careers in high demand sectors.
Skills Bootcamps form part of the Department for Education’s broader ‘Skills for Life’ offer. Programmes are flexible, funded or part-funded, running up to 16 weeks at a time. Bootcamp training is co-designed with employers in sectors where there are skills gaps, so increases opportunity for employment potential.
Through the £1.6m secured in funding, The Learning Foundry will deliver programmes in Green Skills, Telecomms and Civils as well as live music production.
Claire Lee, The Learning Foundry’s Managing Director, said: “All the team at The Learning Foundry are thrilled to be awarded funding from the Department for Education to deliver Skills Bootcamp training. The funding will enable us to equip people with the skills they need to secure and develop careers not just jobs and ensure employers see our region as an attractive place to stay and invest.”
::
Everton FC has announced an extension of its partnership with FIGS, Inc, the New York Stock Exchange-listed direct-to-consumer healthcare apparel and lifestyle brand. In addition to their on-pitch collaboration, FIGS will be supporting the work of the club’s charitable arm, Everton in the Community, to benefit local healthcare causes.
The partnership will extend throughout the remainder of the season, starting with a focus on preventative health in January and will include a charitable donation programme and support for medical professionals. During the end of the season in May, the partnership will focus on mental health awareness.
The first activation, called ‘New Year, New You’, is kicking off with the first Premier League home game of the year taking place on January 14, against Aston Villa, and is championed by first team star, James Tarkowski. FIGS is supporting Everton in the Community in offering fans complementary, non-invasive health screenings within The People’s Place, the charity’s purpose-built mental health and wellbeing hub, outside Goodison Park ahead of the match.
The screening will include a blood pressure check and electrocardiogram (ECG), and as necessary will provide recipients with further information including referrals for anyone living in Liverpool 4, 5 or 6. Because many health issues are asymptomatic, performing these tests can help to identify irregularities that could lead to significant health issues if left untreated.
Lucy McLean, Everton in the Community Health Screening Coordinator, said: “Health checks are a quick and easy way for you to keep on top of your health. They are non-invasive and can help detect a problem early, even before you have any symptoms, and are a great way to empower you to make informed decisions about your health. I’d like to place our thanks on record to FIGS for their support in helping us create a healthier Merseyside.”
::
Anne Campion
The New Year provides an excellent opportunity for Greater Manchester-based manufacturers to review their manufacturing processes and make vital improvements.
Starting this month, experts from the GM Business Growth Hub will relaunch their fully-funded, acclaimed ‘Lean Champion’ workshop to assist manufacturers in Greater Manchester by enhancing quality and efficiency, reducing waste, and achieving tangible and ongoing improvements. Lean manufacturing is a production process based on an ideology of maximising productivity while simultaneously minimising waste within a manufacturing operation.
Through fun-filled, interactive, hands-on learning, the GM Business Growth Hub’s one-day ‘Lean Champion’ workshop provides participants with a process to identify, prioritise and implement continuous improvement opportunities, the tools to implement and sustain lean improvements and the critical success factors to make real change, a coaching routine through which they can engage others in lean activities, share the learning, teach the tools, form the habits and routines.
Follow-up on-site one-to-one guidance will also be offered to attendees to support progress on the projects and problems they identify in the workshop.
Anne Campion, head of manufacturing, GM Business Growth Hub, said: “Being a lean organisation means it is an organisation focused on maximising profit by understanding and delivering what the customer values at all times. If you and your organisation are looking to make concrete improvements in quality, cost and delivery in the coming year and to establish a company culture that values continuous improvement and problem-solving, then the Lean Champion workshop is an opportunity you simply cannot afford to miss.”
::
Project RED
Chorley-based commercial washrooms specialist, Inscape Interiors, has been selected to manufacture and install IPS duct panelling systems for four major healthcare projects across the UK.
The company has been appointed by main contractor Integrated Health Projects to provide the IPS package for the new state-of-the-art North View mental health inpatient unit at North Manchester General Hospital. Inscape has also been chosen by the same contractor to complete the duct panelling facilities for the ‘Project RED’ transformation project at Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Further afield, Inscape has also been appointed by Integrated Health Projects to provide the manufacture and fit-out of the IPS panels for a new emergency department at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth. Meanwhile, Carefoot Construction has selected Inscape to provide IPS panels for the Coronary Care Unit at Royal Blackburn Hospital, part of a wider scope of refurbishment works being carried out by the contractor at the hospital.
Gary Wynne, managing director at Inscape Interiors, said: “All of these healthcare projects will have a huge impact on their communities, providing vital care and support for people and families at a time when they need it most.
“We’re proud to have been trusted by some of the UK’s leading contractors to complete the washroom packages on these major projects. Our role is only a small part of these overall projects, but we aim to help our clients make a big difference.”
::
Andrew Wood
ESP Play, the Burnley-based playground equipment specialist, is starting 2024 on the back of a record-breaking 12 months, after turning over an impressive £9.1m. This figure represents a 40% growth from the previous year, having completed work on 712 playgrounds in 2023 versus 579 in 2022.
This year the business has set an ambitious target of achieving an aspirational 25% growth, with the projection of £12.5m in turnover.
Founded in 2003, ESP Play specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of playground equipment. In addition to designing high quality play areas for early years, primary and secondary schools, the company also operates a commercial division, catering for a variety of playground equipment for businesses, housing developers, local authorities, and public play areas.
Andrew Wood, ESP Play’s managing director, said, “2023 was a tremendous success for the company as a whole and for our people. The substantial growth we’ve achieved needs to be attributed to our dedicated team, who not only contribute to the business’s expansion but also thrive on continuous development and achievement.”
He added: “Providing appropriate play provision for children with special educational needs is a huge challenge. The demand for SEN support both in and out of the classroom is on the rise yet many don’t have access to the correct outdoor environment. Our goal is to help all children enjoy physical activity with the correct and appropriate equipment.”
::
Helen Quayle
Helen Quayle, Bury-based founder of LaserHQ, has opened her fifth laser clinic within Beauty Bazaar, Harvey Nichols in the Liverpool One retail centre.
The clinic offers a range of treatments, including laser hair removal, laser tattoo removal, pigmentation removal, and SPMU eyebrow removal. The clinic also specialises in all aspects of hormone health and can arrange for a free consultation with a hormone specialist for all clients struggling with hormonal issues.
Helen said: “We’ve worked so hard to create a welcoming and inclusive space that provides exceptional services to clients, and we cannot wait to provide our services from such a great location.”
Fiona Lewis, General Manager of Beauty Bazaar, Harvey Nichols, said: “We were so impressed by LaserHQ as a brand when we were first introduced to Helen as it provides such a unique and thorough service for its clientele, something which definitely aligns with Beauty Bazaar, Harvey Nichols’ ethos. We’re absolutely thrilled to have them become a part of our family.”
Helen established LaserHQ in 2017 after recognising a gap in the market for affordable and accessible laser hair removal services after wanting to have treatments done herself. Starting her business initially from just one small room at the back of a salon, Helen now has centres in Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle.
