Manufacturing

Free advertising for Chesterfield businesses

To help support local businesses that are re-opening, and to showcase Chesterfield as a great place to visit, Chesterfield Borough Council is offering retail, hospitality and leisure businesses the chance to take out free listings on the VisitChesterfield website until 31 March 2021.

Councillor Kate Sarvent said: “We know things have been tough for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses over the past few months. It is hoped this advertising opportunity will assist them with the process of reopening and provide a timely sales boost.”

Kate added: “VisitChesterfield aims to promote the town and its businesses to potential tourists as well as local residents, so this free advertising provides a great opportunity for these businesses to let customers, both old and new, know that they are back open for business.”

Independent businesses who are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity should visit www.visitchesterfield.info/advertising, complete the application form and send it to events.promo@chesterfield.gov.uk along with high resolution landscape images of their business.

Destination Chesterfield are also offering free listings to local businesses on their new Supporting Local website – www.chesterfield.co.uk/supportinglocal. It currently has details of nearly 100 shops, food and drink businesses, training, support and service providers in and around Chesterfield that have adapted to provide and supply their products and services remotely.

Many town centre businesses are positive about their future following the success of the Shop Local message which has been championed by Destination Chesterfield, Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Borough Council throughout lockdown.

Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Manufacturing, Summer, Visiting

Chesterfield’s independent retailers share their reopening experiences

Non-essential retailers in Chesterfield town centre returned to their shops and stores on Monday 15th June.

Supporting retailers and visitors, Chesterfield Borough Council has implemented social distancing measures throughout the town centre, market and Market Hall.

The implementation of safety measures mean that some retailers are now promising a ‘celebrity’ shopping experience for Chesterfield shoppers.

For shoppers who are still shielding however, the Supporting Local website created by Destination Chesterfield has details of around 100 shops, food and drink businesses, training, support and service providers in and around Chesterfield that have adapted to provide and supply their products and services remotely.

Below, owners of three independent retailers in Chesterfield share their experiences since re-opening to the public.

Laura Jo Owen, Owner of Adorn Jewellers in The Shambles, has been in contact with customers via social media throughout lockdown finding out how they wanted to shop once lockdown was lifted. They told her that they didn’t want to queue to get into the shop do an appointment-only system was introduced when the shop re-opened on 15 June.

Laura Jo said: “Because we are just a small shop, we put an appointment-only system into place to manage the social distancing guidelines, but we didn’t know how it was going to work out. However, it has gone really well. On the first day of opening we were fully booked and have been nicely booked up since which is very positive. We have hand sanitiser in the shop, which we are encouraging customers to use and we clean in between appointments.”

“It’s been a lovely week back at the shop. People are considerate, understanding and happy to be out. There’s still a spirit of ‘in this together’ which is encouraging to see.”

“I really hope this new-found momentum for high street shopping continues. Now, more than ever, people are voting with their feet for the shops and stores they want to see remain on the high street.”

Lisa Swift, Owner of Shop Indie in Vicar Lane Shopping Centre said: “We’re delighted to re-open. We’ve had a steady flow of customers in the store since re-opening. Lockdown has given people a new appreciation of going into a shop and being able to browse, particularly when they’re looking for a gift and don’t know what they want.”

“The shop has hand sanitiser throughout the store which customers are encouraged to use. We’ve also put stickers on the floor reminding people of social distancing and added a Perspex screen to the counter.”

“The feedback from customers has been great. We’ve spent lockdown finding new suppliers and products for the shop and we’ve had great feedback from customers. At the moment the shop is only open on Monday, Friday and Saturday as we’re having to combine operating the business with home schooling our young children. We’ll be increasing the opening hours of the business gradually. We’re very much looking forward to getting back to being open six days a week.”

Dorothy Robinson, Owner of Dotique on Chatsworth Road, re-opened on Monday 15 June. She said: “We are so excited to be open again,. It’s a relief to re-open our doors after so many weeks and welcome customers into the store. Some were nervous coming in for the first time but seeing the safety measures we have in place has given them confidence to return.”

“We’ve thought a lot about keeping our staff and customers safe. Only four customers are allowed in the shop at any one time and, once inside, we ask them to sanitise their hands from one of our sanitiser points. We have two-metre marking throughout the shop, free masks and gloves and Perspex screens on the till point. Customers are allowed to use the changing rooms to try on clothes but afterwards we fully clean the changing room and the clothes are steamed and put in isolation for three days – luckily we have a lot of clothes.”

“It’s early days and despite talk of reducing the two metre rule to one metre, we’ll keep two metres in place as we want to ensure everyone is safe when shopping with us.”

Many town centre businesses are positive about their future following the success of the Shop Local message which has been championed by Destination Chesterfield, the Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Borough Council throughout lockdown.

A report released yesterday (25 June) by East Midlands Chamber has revealed optimism among local businesses for a full recovery following the outbreak of Covid-19. Click here to read more.

Destination Chesterfield are always passionate about supporting local businesses and are keen to encourage people to continue to do so at the moment. In the latest blog by Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield, read why Supporting Chesterfield retailers is vital for our local economy.

Click here to visit Destination Chesterfield’s Supporting Local website

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure, Manufacturing, Summer, Visiting

Tourism businesses encouraged to apply for new industry standard mark

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire has welcomed the announcement of a new UK-wide industry standard mark that will provide a ‘ring of confidence’ for tourism businesses as the sector works towards reopening on 4 July.

The ‘We’re Good To Go’ accreditation, introduced by VisitEngland in partnership with national tourist organisations, means businesses can demonstrate that they are adhering to Government and public health guidance and have the required processes in place.

The scheme is free to join and Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire is encouraging local businesses to apply as soon as possible to ensure they are COVID-secure and ready to welcome visitors.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire says: “We’re encouraging all local tourism businesses to apply for the ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard, which will play a vital role in ensuring visitors can enjoy a holiday in the Peak District and Derbyshire this summer and be confident they can do so with peace of mind.

Jo added: “We know that businesses are already working incredibly hard to prepare for reopening on 4 July, and this new industry standard provides a welcome boost of confidence for the sector and added reassurance for our visitors that we are putting all the right measures in place.”

To obtain the accreditation businesses must complete a self-assessment through an online platform, before receiving certification and the ‘We’re Good To Go’ mark for display in their premises and online.

Businesses must align with the Government’s official guidance for the sector including ‘Working Safely during COVID-19: Visitor Economy’, which outlines the processes and facilities that tourism businesses in England need to put in place before reopening.

The scheme has been developed in partnership with national tourist authorities with input from more than 40 industry bodies including Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire. For more information on the industry standard mark, click here.

Details of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s ‘welcome back’ campaign will be released shortly.

Please note: images were taken prior to the Coronavirus pandemic

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Manufacturing, Summer, Visiting

Local businesses optimistic for recovery

A report released today (25 June) by East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) has revealed optimism among local businesses for a full recovery following the outbreak of Covid-19.

As part of the Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey for Q2 2020, firms were asked a series of questions about how they view their post-coronavirus prospects, with one in five responding that they anticipated their business to return to 100% or more of its pre-lockdown activity levels by the end of the year. A further 45% said they would achieve this by the end of 2021.

To help them do so, 36% said they would actively look to invest in activity that would help to diversify their offer to access new markets, while 25% said they would invest further in staff training to improve efficiencies.

Chamber Chief Executive, Scott Knowles, said: “Although national figures published over the past few weeks have given a broad overview of what has happened to the economy in general, the findings of our survey provide the first real, tangible evidence of the impact that Covid-19 has had on businesses across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.”

“The speed at which the economy shut down because of the pandemic and the resulting lockdown was unprecedented. Whole swathes of the business community either ceased or dramatically reduced activity, with some yet to get back underway.”

“For most businesses, this period has been defined by uncertainty and a wait for much-needed clarity about how and when the economy may unlock and any further health implications this may have.”

“The key thing many businesses need right now is focused support to assist in the transition of their staff out of furlough and back into the workplace and to adapt their operations, to help them return to pre-lockdown levels of economic performance as quickly as possible.”

“Clearly, there’s a long way to go before the economy can fully recover, and there will be many hard stories at both an organisational and an individual level in the months ahead.

“However, regardless of the individual experiences of businesses over the past three months, many see opportunities to grow and succeed outside of this current period, perhaps taking a different approach to how they do this.”

“To help them in this, continuing to support businesses to innovate, diversify, enhance their resilience and think differently must become a central focus of the Government’s policy response as we come out of the pandemic.”

In its report, East Midlands Chamber highlights the full extent to which the Covid-19 crisis affected local firms in the second quarter of the year. Read the full report here.

Click here to find out more about the East Midlands Chamber

East Midlands Chamber are members of the Chesterfield Champions local business membership scheme. To find out more about the Chesterfield Champions, click here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Manufacturing

Chesterfield manufacturer designs bespoke parts for TransPennine Express

A Chesterfield manufacturer has supported TransPennine Express to install USB sockets across 320 of its 4 car trains, enabling customers to recharge devices onboard for the first time.

Working with a range of other companies as part of a major refurbishment project, The Sanitaryware Supplies Company was selected by TBM Rail to design and manufacture nearly 900 bespoke parts for the national rail company.  Products included steel electrical switch boxes for USB sockets and cable securing clips, in addition to purpose-made grab poles for the carriages.

Director of The Sanitaryware Supplies Company, Andy Dukelow said: “The partnership with TBM Rail has been exciting and it was a pleasure to work with the rail industry once again, following the bespoke washbasins we created for a refurbishment project Bombardier carried out on East Midlands Trains.

“We were chosen because of our ability to offer fabrications across various material types, including machined parts, in short lead times and to a high specification.  This in turn, has allowed TBM Rail to open up a new service for the part of their business, which looks after fleet refurbishments.

“Railway work is very much custom made and under severe time pressure.  The product must be able to stand up to very hard wear. We are delighted that we have been able to make rail journeys a better experience for travellers.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, Manufacturing

Chesterfield’s Love Brewing hire four new staff after business growth during lockdown

Chesterfield-based business, Love Brewing, is celebrating growth in the business with the addition of four new members of staff.

The new team members will help to support the company’s growing customer base which has nearly quadrupled over the lockdown period including increased international sales alongside orders from across the country.

Love Brewing, based on Chatsworth Road, is a one-stop shop for anyone who enjoys making beer, wine, cider, or spirits at home and have a vast range of equipment and supplies available to purchase via its website and two retail outlets.

During the current Covid-19 crisis, Love Brewing has seen a huge renaissance in the sector and staff have been working 24/7 for the last 3 months to fulfil over 2000 orders per week.

Darren Byrne, General Manager of Love Brewing, said: “From a standing start some 8 years ago, we are delighted to have grown to be one of the leading home brew websites in the UK. We have been responsible for bringing some of the most innovative new products in home brew to the UK market over this time and have now developed our very own premium quality Wineworks, Ciderworks and Beerworks kits.”

Darren added: “My staff have risen to the challenge and I couldn’t wish for a better crew to have working for us, they have kept us running throughout all this and have adapted to the new working shift times, extra working days and working and trusting each other in the new working conditions of a COVID19 world we find ourselves in”.

Love Brewing has also been supporting essential organisations by producing hand sanitiser from the alcohol they produce with a mix of botanicals. Further emphasising the organisations focus on community – to produce the sanitiser and have been providing to local care homes and schools during the lockdown period including Hady School which Darren’s children attend.

Love Brewing are proud members of the Chesterfield Champions business membership scheme. Joining the scheme is a direct statement of belief from organisations about their commitment to Chesterfield and its successful future.

Darren said: “Chesterfield although a town, does have a feel of a city; embrace the local people and local produce and companies and you won’t go far wrong- a key reason we signed up as a Chesterfield Champion to join forces with the community focussed network.”

Click here to find out more about Love Brewing

Click here to find out more about becoming a Chesterfield Champion

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home, Manufacturing

Local residents asked to share Covid-19 experiences for new book

Derbyshire Voluntary Action (DVA) is to publish a book documenting the Covid-19 Pandemic as seen through the eyes of Chesterfield and the surrounding areas, and are now asking for submissions from local residents.

Submissions will be welcomed from residents of all ages, from amateur and professional artists, poets, photographers, creative writers to key workers, volunteers and those who have been directly impacted by Covid-19.

  • Do you have interesting photos of bad haircuts, VE Day celebrations, volunteer’s delivering food parcels, deserted streets and queues outside supermarkets?
  • Have you kept a diary during this time or have you expressed yourself in a short story or poem?
  • Have you or your children created rainbows for your windows or a scarecrow in your garden?
  • Maybe you now feel inspired to create something?

Jacqui Willis, Chief Executive of DVA (pictured), said: “Allow your creativity to record your experience and consider the ways you’ve dealt with the changes, the ups and the downs, the feelings of isolation and loneliness and let’s not forget the heart-warming stories, the acts of kindness towards strangers and elements of lockdown we may not want to lose!”

With your permission, the work you submit will be featured in the Covid-19 book, the DVA Network magazine, Derbyshire Voluntary Action website’s COVID 19 page, social media platforms and when it is safe to do so, at an event for everyone to view the array of submissions.

To be included or to find out more, please email to charlotte@dva.org.uk or post your submission to Derbyshire Voluntary Action, Offices 2a – 2c, The Market Hall, Chesterfield S40 1AR.

Derbyshire Voluntary Action (DVA) is one of 180 Chesterfield Champions supporting the marketing and economic growth of the town.

Click here to find out more about Chesterfield Champions

Story of Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Manufacturing, Summer, Visiting

Chesterfield Borough Council announce discretionary grants for local businesses

Chesterfield Borough Council has been awarded £1.27 million from the Government to provide discretionary grants to local businesses who were not eligible to receive funding from the Small Business Grant or Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Funds.

Councillor Jean Innes, Chesterfield Borough Council’s, cabinet member for Business Transformation and Customers, said: “We have already paid out over £24 million in business support grants to over 2100 Chesterfield businesses to support them during the Covid-19 pandemic and 661 businesses have received business rates relief worth over £18 million.

“Chesterfield Borough Council’s new discretionary scheme will provide the opportunity for more local businesses to receive grant support, particularly those with high property-related costs and who have struggled to trade during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The new grant scheme opens on Friday 5 June 2020 and closes for applications on 17 June 2020.

Small businesses can apply for grants of up to £25,000, though the council expects that most grant payments will be in the range of £2,500 to £10,000. The following types of businesses are eligible for this new grant:

  • Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces; for example, business/industrial parks and incubator offices which do not have their own business rates assessment
  • Regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment but have fixed building costs, such as rent
  • Bed and Breakfast accommodation providers who are registered as a food business within Chesterfield Borough Council and pay Council Tax instead of Business Rates
  • Charities in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for small business rates relief

To apply for this new grant scheme businesses must:

  • Have been the occupier of a property with a trading address in Chesterfield borough used wholly or mainly for business purposes on 11 March 2020
  • Employ fewer than 50 people
  • Have a rateable value or annual rent or mortgage of below £51,000
  • Be able to evidence relatively high ongoing fixed building costs
  • Be able to demonstrate that they have had a significant drop in income due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related restrictions
  • Be able to demonstrate the business is their sole or primary source of income

In order to apply you will need to download and complete an application form from the Chesterfield Borough Council website and provide the necessary supporting evidence. You will then need to submit it electronically via the council’s secure document management system on their website.

Further information on how to apply, criteria and evidence required is available here: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/your-council/coronavirus-information-hub/businesses-information.aspx#hub_discretionary_grants_local

If you have any further questions about these grants please contact the team by emailing discretionarygrants@chesterfield.gov.uk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Manufacturing

Chesterfield’s popular Flea Market to return next week

Chesterfield’s popular flea market is set to return to the town centre on Thursday 11 June.

The news comes days after the town’s general market successfully re-opened for business, following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Our priority is to ensure that Chesterfield town centre is as safe as possible for everyone. In line with Government and industry guidance, we have introduced physical changes to the layout of the market to maintain safe social distancing and signage reminding people from different households to keep two metres apart and to regularly wash or gel their hands.”

“It was great to welcome our regular market traders back to the town’s general market on Monday and we look forward to seeing more of our regular traders return this coming Friday and Saturday.”

“The council took the decision not to run with Thursday’s popular flea market this week. We felt it was important to first learn the lessons from the general markets in terms of queuing systems, customer journeys and social distancing pinch points. We however, plan to reopen the flea market on Thursday, 11 June.”

Casual traders are not able to join the regular market traders at this stage as the council’s markets team need the flexibility of space to be able to adjust the layout of the market to ensure that traders and member of the public can maintain safe social distancing.

The council continues to support retailers selling essential goods from the Market Hall with more traders expected to return to the indoor market from 15 June. Access in and out of the Market Hall will however continue to be controlled to maintain safe social distancing within the premises.

The council is also working with local retailers and the Pavements and Vicar Lane Shopping Centres to assist with the phased re-opening of non-essential stores from 15 June. This includes establishing what support they might need to manage queues both within and outside their stores in terms of barriers, signage and floor markings.

Councillor Kate Sarvent continued: “Throughout the pandemic, it has been great to see people’s commitment to shopping local when buying their essential goods.”

“As we progress with our phased re-opening of the town centre and more shops and market stalls start to return, I would encourage residents to continue to support our retailers and traders wherever they can.”

“Shopping local will help to restart Chesterfield’s economy, and also reduces the number of miles people travel to buy essential goods such as groceries, which has a positive impact on our environment.”

All of the latest service-related updates will be published in the dedicated Coronavirus information hub: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/coronavirus

Arts and Crafts Fair

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Manufacturing, Summer, Visiting

‘Chesterfield is Open’ creative project supports retailers to reopen

Local independent creatives have come together to combine their skills and help get Chesterfield’s independents ‘back to business’.

Local modern mural artist, Peter Barber, started painting ‘OPEN’ signs using left over bits of wood and tins of paint.

Peter explained: “My thoughts were to drop signs off with businesses as they opened, take a photo and to share them, to create a positive and uplifting message that Chesterfield is slowly opening up again”.

He added: “I posted my thoughts on social media and the response was overwhelming, so many small, independent business owners were chomping at the bit to get going again.”

Helen Rowan from Helen Rowan Photography saw Pete’s post and stepped up to help with the photography and Paul Chapman from community magazine S40 and S41 Local offered to work with the pair to share the news.

Helen commented: “I’m proud to live and work within our local community and jumped at the chance to be part of such a wonderful project to support our local businesses.”

Paul Chapman from S40 Local says, “I’ve always been a massive fan of Pete’s work and love what he does. I was keen to help and support the community.”

“I’ll be printing the pictures in S40 Local and Simon Paterson will do the same in S41 Local, plus I’ll be sharing and adding the pictures to my website (www.chesterfieldlocal.com) as businesses open to help spread the news and support them.”

“Many people have looked for alternative ways to shop during the lockdown and have turned away from the supermarkets and chain stores. If every adult in Chesterfield spent just £5 in a local independent shop, instead of online or at the big supermarkets, it would be worth an extra £20.4 million per year for the Chesterfield’s economy. Which has to be good for us”.

Many local businesses have offered services right through lock down by doing order, delivery and collection. Chesterfield Arms for instance have been doing orders and collection of their beer stocks, Maison Mes Amis have been doing their fabulous Sunday dinners to order and deliver and have been supplying Cream Tea & Champers packages to help customers celebrate birthdays and Shop Indie run an online business alongside their shop on Vicar Lane.

Peter said: “Look out for the signs around town and further afield, and if you do see one, please try and support the business, they need your help now more now than ever. Together we can support local independents and get Chesterfield back to business”.

Destination Chesterfield have put together a Supporting Local section on the www.chesterfield.co.uk website, listing local retailers that are still trading.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Manufacturing, Visiting

Chesterfield business expands despite Covid-19 industry setbacks

Chesterfield-based mortgage advice firm Mortgage 1st have continued their ambitions growth plans with the recruitment of two new Mortgage Advisers, despite huge setbacks and disruption to both the financial services industry and the housing market due to Covid-19.

Two new advisers have just completed their ‘virtual’ induction and will be authorised to start looking after clients by the end of May. A further three new Advisers have also recently accepted a position at Mortgage 1st and once their applications are complete the Adviser head count will reach 20 by the end of the year.

Mortgage 1st was established in 2008 by Jon Stones at his dining table. His passion and hard work over the years has seen his team grow from a one-man-band to a strong and capable team of 28 today. Jon has ambitious future plans for Mortgage 1st and even a global pandemic hasn’t stood in his way in continuing with the recruitment and growth of his team.

Mortgage 1st has always offered ‘remote advice’ meaning everything can be done on email, Zoom or over the phone. As well as the Chesterfield based head office team, over half of the advisers work remotely and are based all over the UK. This has meant that they have seen very little disruption and have been able to continue working as normal for their customers during the last few uncertain months.

The Mortgage 1st head office has been closed for the duration of lockdown, their team were set up to work from home safely from day 1 meaning it’s been business as usual for their clients. The team have stayed in touch with one another using video and conference calls and were even able to conduct a virtual 2-day induction course for their new advisers.

Lisa Stones, HR & Marketing Director at Mortgage 1st (below) said: “We are delighted to be welcoming two new faces to the team who bring years of experience with them. Continued growth is a huge part of our company vision and even though we have had to adapt quickly, like all businesses have, during the past few months this hasn’t stopped us, we’ve just become more virtual!”

Since some of the housing market restrictions were lifted earlier this month Mortgage 1st have already seen a large spike in new enquires as the property market safely kick starts. This is great news for the industry, for house buyers & sellers and for the economy in general.

Click here to read more about Mortgage 1st

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Manufacturing