In brief: Moorland Energy, Neil Hudgell Solicitors, Garbutt & Elliott and Spotamo
MOORLAND Energy, the Yorkshire oil and gas exploration and production company, has been granted an extension to the second term of its licence to extract gas around Ebberston on the North York Moors.
The second term of the licence was due to expire at the end of January but has now been extended by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) for a further two years.
Chief executive of Moorland Energy, Lawrie Erasmus, said: “We are obviously very pleased that DECC has extended the second term of our licence to enable us to complete these pre-commencement works before the construction of the Ryedale Gas Project can begin in earnest. We will soon be appointing the main contractors for the infrastructure development, which will include the pipeline from the wellhead to the planned processing facility in Hurrell Lane, outside Thornton le Dale.
“The Ryedale Gas Project will make a significant contribution to the local economy and we are most keen to get started,” added Mr Erasmus, who said he hoped all construction work would be completed as soon as possible so that the gas processing activities can commence from late 2015.
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PERSONAL injury and medical negligence practice Neil Hudgell Solicitors has secured a £1m deal as part of its on-going expansion.
The law firm has purchased £1m worth of casework from Hull-based QualitySolicitors Lockings, one of the founders of the QualitySolicitors network of law firms.
Managing director Neil Hudgell said: “This is the latest in a series of deals and the third deal we’ve done involving acquisitions from members of the QualitySolicitors network. We’re actively looking to purchase other firms or caseloads as part of our growth strategy.
Neil Hudgell Solicitors employs 100 staff at its offices in Hull, Leeds and Solihull and specialises in claims for personal injury and clinical negligence – particularly brain injury and dental negligence cases.
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DAVID Dickson, chairman of Yorkshire accountants Garbutt & Elliott, has been awarded a Fellowship of the International Centre for Families in Business (ICFIB).
The honour has been bestowed on Mr Dickson in recognition of the years he has spent working on behalf of family businesses at Garbutt & Elliott.
“I am very humbled by the award of a Fellowship,” said Mr Dickson. “Well-run family businesses are the lifeblood of the British economy, providing clear vision, stability and continuity. They are often the model of good business practice, based on long-term objectives rather than short-term gain.
“Research has revealed 75 per cent of all businesses are family businesses and they employ around half the entire workforce, yet relatively few survive in the longer term. Research suggests only 15 per cent survive to the third generation. To improve this survival rate, families need specialist family business advice. It is the aim of ICFIB and, indeed, our team at Garbutt & Elliott to provide this advice,” he added.
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SPOTAMO, a new business based in Rotherham, has hosted an Estonian entrepreneur who runs a firm in the same industry to exchange ideas and experiences which could help both companies grow and expand internationally.
Spotamo has developed a free smartphone application that offers users discounts at local shops. Thanks to support through Rotherham Investment and Development Office’s (RiDO) Soft Landing Zone which helps firms access international markets, it welcomed Georgi Mahmurov, an Estonian entrepreneur and co-founder of AlmaCard.ru, who was running a business similar to Spotamo, offering a no-hassle loyalty card for Moscow students.
Spotamo has developed a social smartphone app which allows users to save money at local shops by sharing offers and discounts with their friends. Fifty independent businesses in South Yorkshire have already joined the discount programme and the company is now looking to expand by working with major retailers across the UK, with long-term plans to expand internationally.
Mr Mahmurov also benefitted from an insight into smartphone technology and the opportunity to discuss with Spotamo how this technology could help to expand AlmaCard in Russia, as well as reducing the cost of producing membership cards.
