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Artistry House Interiors and Wash Studio deliver project for Maison 49

Artistry House Interiors and Wash Studio have jointly delivered branding, interior design and art curation for a new luxury retail store on Wilmslow High Street backed by property developer and entrepreneur Andy Bell.

Situated in the renowned “golden triangle” between Handforth and the affluent suburbs of Alderley Edge, Knutsford and Prestbury, Maison 49 offers luxury brand clothing and accessories along with a dedicated VIP dressing, bar and entertainment area.

The interiors were designed by Artistry House Interiors, an award-winning interiors design company, which this year was awarded a British Institute of Interior Design award for its work on the recently relaunched Manchester Museum. Artistry House Interiors also curated the art for the store through MAH Gallery London.

Store branding was delivered by the design firm’s sister company Wash Studio, a multi-award-winning creative agency, with previous accolades including a Prolific North Broadcasting Commercial Advertising Award for its groundbreaking campaign launching the Hyundai i30 N hot hatch in 2019.

Maison 49 managing director Tim Bower said: “Here at Maison 49 we are passionate about providing a professional service which aligns with the luxury brands we showcase in our store.

“Our space is more than just a retail front, at Maison 49 we have curated a store which holds a sense of belonging. We believe, that with our combined vision, we have cultivated a shopping experience which is like no other. Bringing together an array of international brands, combined with a team dedicated to providing a luxurious experience.

“With years of high-end retail experience behind us, we also offer a made-to-measure service, alongside a private appointment-only area.”

The store’s co-founder, Andy Bell, previously founded AJ Bell, one of the largest investment platforms in the UK, which he listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange in 2018. Andy and his wife Tracey have a number of other business ventures, including Moor Hall which they set up in 2017, a Grade II* listed building which they renovated before turning it into two restaurants with rooms. Moor Hall has been awarded two Michelin Stars and its sister restaurant the Barn at Moor Hall has been awarded one Michelin Star.

Tim Bower started at Flannels in 1992 and quickly developed a close understanding of luxury clothing and its surrounding environment. Working closely with independent retail pioneer Neil Prosser, Tim developed a large high net worth customer base and sourced many new designer brands which are very well known today.

Speaking alongside Tim at the store’s launch in January, Mr Bell said: “With over 27 years’ buying experience and knowledge of luxury clothing and services, Tim and his handpicked team’s vision is to deliver a best in class luxury in-store shopping experience, supported by a seamless online proposition that will become a key fixture on the Wilmslow High Street.”

Artistry House Interior designer Rose Peploe said: “Our goal was to craft a retail experience that is both impactful and understated, embodying the essence of the brand while serving as a seamless backdrop to highlight the products.

“Intricate details, such as avant-garde curtains, the use of travertine, brass, marble, chalky limewash walls, and playful slab-like forms, come together to create unique moments within the design scheme. 

“We designed each piece of custom furniture in-house, emphasizing on a minimalist approach to both material selection and carpentry. The curated collection of loose furniture, lighting and art was thoughtfully handpicked by the Artistry House Interiors, collaborating with TAG Furniture and MAH Gallery to bring this project to life.”

A sister company of award-winning creative agency Wash StudioArtistry House Interiors is based at The Artistry House, which provides a base for a range of collaborating creative companies from its three-storey artistic hub on Preston’s historic Winckley Square.

21Digital wins Ascentis website contract

Blackburn-based 21Digital has won the contract to deliver a new website for Ascentis

Established in 1975, Ascentis, based in Lancaster, is an award-winning provider of cutting-edge qualifications for education, training and business in the UK and overseas. Their dedication to world-class customer support has enabled Ascentis to become the largest provider of ESOL qualifications and Access to Higher Education Diplomas nationwide. 

21Digital won the contract to deliver the new website following the success of its work for Ascentis’ subsidiary IDL (International Dyslexic Learning Solutions Ltd), for which the agency created a new international, multi-lingual website to support growth in the US, Far East and Middle East for the cloud learning software provider.

Ascentis Group Commercial Director Paul Howarth said: “Ascentis has no shareholders. It is a charity, and its sole purpose is to provide the optimal level of service to all of its customers. We are committed to the provision of clear progression routes that enable learners to climb the qualifications ladder and achieve their lifelong aspirations.

“Following our successful partnership with 21Digital on the IDL website, we are very pleased to now be working with them to take the Ascentis website to the next level, as appropriate to our own growth ambitions in support of our customers.”

21Digital managing director Sam Fletcher said: “We have developed a great relationship with the team at Ascentis and are looking forward to working with them in partnership to deliver their digital strategy.”

21Digital is a multi-award-winning agency specialising in lead generation and e-commerce, with a range of digital marketing services, including web design, web development, SEO, Google Ads, digital consultancy, social media marketing and email marketing.

For more information go to www.21digital.agency or  www.ascentis.co.uk

Burton Roofing Group expands board with new Commercial Director

York-based Burton Roofing Group has expanded its senior team by appointing Martin Armour as its new commercial director. 

With over 35 years’ experience, Martin joins the Group from Calder Industrial Materials (CIM), where he was commercial director. The company is the UK’s leading supplier of lead sheet and lead engineering products to the roofing, healthcare, aerospace, defence, industrial, marine, oil & gas, security and research markets.

Initially appointed as the commercial director for CIM’s building products division, he was promoted to commercial director for all of CIM’s UK businesses in June 2021, which had a turnover of £32 million and was part of the Calder Group which has an annual turnover of €200 million. 

Before joining CIM, he was regional manager for the Birtley Group, a leading producer of steel products for the construction industry. He also spent ten years with Thermalite, where he was the company’s divisional support manager and held senior roles with Naylor Utilities, MEA UK and Peter Savage Ltd. 

Burton Roofing Group’s managing director, Ian Leigh, commented on Martin’s appointment. He said: “Martin is a fantastic addition to our senior leadership team and brings the skills and abilities to help us achieve our objectives. He has an excellent track record in creating successful commercial strategies and creating high-performing teams that have helped propel businesses forward. It’s great to have him at Burton, and we’re looking forward to seeing the positive impact he’ll have.”

Martin added, “Burton Roofing Merchants is well-known in the industry and has an ambitious but pragmatic growth plan. The business is perfectly poised to be the leader in its field – it has an expert team of people across the company who want to be the best. 

“It’s evident from our colleagues at our branches and the senior management team that we all share the same vision: to provide the best products backed by outstanding customer service.

“Joining the business at a pivotal point in its growth excited me, and I’m looking forward to working with customers, suppliers, and colleagues to deliver our vision.”

Burton Roofing Group, which trades under the Burton Roofing Merchants, Rinus Roofing Supplies and Discount Roofing and Building Supplies, operates 38 branches across the UK and employs 400 people. 

The Group’s annual turnover is approximately £160 million, and it is part of the multinational Cupa Group, which comprises 75 businesses with subsidiaries in nine countries and 25 quarries.

Preston City Council dials up plans to breathe new life into historic red telephone boxes

Preston City Council is progressing with its plans to restore nine Grade Two-listed red telephone boxes in the heart of the city.

Having acquired the kiosks outside the former Head Post Office on Market Street in 2021, the City Council is seeking Listed Building Consent (LBC) with a decision expected by March 2024.

Should LBC be granted, the City Council intends to fully restore the boxes in 2024 while considering potential future uses.

Designed by British architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to mark the Silver Jubilee of the Coronation of King George V in 1935, the cast iron kiosks with timber doors form the longest line of historic red telephone boxes in the UK. 

Having become redundant, the kiosks have been vandalised and fallen into disrepair.

A Heritage Statement prepared for the City Council by Growth Lancashire Ltd, and following guidelines by Historic England, details numerous benefits of repairing and refurbishing the nine so-called K6 kiosks in the Market Place Conservation Area, the historic centre of Preston featuring other listed buildings such as the former Head Post Office, The Harris Museum, Sessions House and the Town Hall.

Citing legislation, national guidance, and planning policy for listed buildings, the statement prepared by Growth Lancashire’s heritage and conservation team says the boxes represent ‘the definitive red telephone kiosk in Britain’ and have high historical, communal and aesthetic values.

The Towns Fund and the City Council will fund the restoration and will be removed off-site for restoration and replaced when completed. 

The Heritage Statement concludes that ‘the wider benefits generated by the repair and refurbishment of the telephone kiosks will outweigh any minor concerns caused by the works themselves’ and will cause no harm to nearby listed buildings or the wider Market Place Conservation Area.

Councillor Peter Kelly, Cabinet Member for Culture at Preston City Council, said: “We are proud to celebrate Preston being the home of the UK’s longest line of historic red telephone boxes, an outstanding landmark in the heart of our city that we are committed to bringing back to life for this, and future generations to enjoy.

“If we are successful in our application for Listed Building Consent, we plan to undertake the necessary restoration works in 2024 to enable the iconic telephone boxes to be animated with dynamic and creative installations. We plan to work with local artists to commission contemporary light, audiovisual or graphic works to bring the telephone boxes alive, create a ‘must see’ and add to the vibrancy of the Harris Quarter.”

Chair of Preston’s Towns Fund Strategic Board, John Chesworth, added:  

“The restoration of these iconic telephone boxes is excellent news and again adds to the improvements we’re achieving in the Harris Quarter. They are a small but fantastic city asset and bringing them back into use has always been on the agenda. 

“Once back in use, I’m absolutely positive they’ll be a focal point for many people and will be well utilised.”

The proposed restoration of the kiosks forms an integral part of the wider Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme, for which the City was awarded £20.9m from the Government’s national Towns Fund initiative in March 2021.

Harris Quarter is a unique area of Preston undergoing a £200m investment programme to transform its historic buildings, sites and public realm into a diverse culture, leisure and employment offering via schemes such as the transformation of Amounderness House to provide multi-use workspace, the £45m Animate cinema and leisure complex and refurbishment of Grade I listed Harris Museum, art gallery and library.

As designer of the boxes, Sir Giles has a strong historic connection with Preston – he also designed the War Memorial Cenotaph in Market Place and his father George Gilbert Scott designed the Town Hall.

Hit your target: strategic communications done properly

From small businesses consisting of just one or two people, to large corporations of hundreds and thousands, there’s still a formula to follow that will ensure your communications have the desired direction and impact, meaning your messages hit the right target. If you’re creating a strategic communications strategy for the coming year, check out our advice here.

We asked four of our seasoned public relations and communications specialists for their top tips for strategic communications and the power of sharing a good story.

Power of Purpose

Greg Wilson - Strategic Communications - Limitless PR

Greg Wilson, on the benefits of authentic brand purpose:

“Having a true purpose is at the heart of any genuine brand story. And when you have an integral purpose, you have a great story to tell.

“Purpose includes an intrinsic set of values, that drives a business beyond increased annual profits or shareholder benefits.

“Let’s be clear about purpose and not let it become just another buzzword.”

Authentic storytelling

Claire Stephenson MCIPR, on genuine content and storytelling:

“Authentic storytelling can greatly impact your public relations efforts. Creating content that has a genuine purpose, but moreover, adds real value to your stakeholders/audience. Aim for this.

“People have had enough of cheap gimmicks and blatant sales pitches: they want fresh, honest and clever stories from brands they can trust.”

Claire Stephenson - Limitless PR - Strategic  Communications

Internal communications

Limitless Public Relations - Strategic Communications

Michael Gregory MCIPR FRSA, on internal communications:

“Don’t forget the importance and power of internal communications.

“If you’re embarking on a strategic communications campaign, let your people know first what’s happening in your organisation.

“Don’t let them find out what’s happening in the media.”

Quality of content

Mark Sutcliffe, on the quality of communications content:

“The first step to posting higher quality content is to step off the treadmill and refocus time and resources on creating high-quality content that’s relevant to the target audience to achieve what we, in the trade, call ‘cut-through’.

“Giving greater care and consideration to what you post in terms of its appeal, relevance, usefulness, originality, distinctiveness and creativity is likely to achieve greater ‘cut-through’ than wishing all your followers a ‘fab weekend’ or ‘happy Tuesday’.

“Setting the quality bar higher will inevitably reduce the volume of content an organisation is capable of creating. Social media platforms will continue to reward frequency, but genuinely engaged audiences will appreciate the improved quality of the information you share.”

Limitless Public Relations - Strategic Communications

As always, we are here to help if your business needs a powerful strategy to ensure that your audience(s) are kept informed and engaged in the best way possible, driving your business forward.

Message us here or call 0845 625 0820 to see how we can help your organisation be known.

Liverpool-law firm boosts property team

Gregory Abrams Davidson, which has offices in Liverpool and London, has added new property experts in its residential property department, boosting the headcount in the firm’s real estate division. 

The firm, which recently opened an office on the Wirral in West Kirby, has made the appointments following increased demand for property services from residential and commercial clients.  

Tracey Quirk joins the firm’s Mathew Street office as a consultant solicitor with over 20 years of experience. She joined the firm from MSB Solicitors, where she was head of residential conveyancing, and was recruited to advise on auction enquiries and transactions and bridging finance transactions while also dealing with complex deals such as Islamic mortgages and general conveyancing work.

She said: “I’ve joined a dynamic firm with a dedicated and professional team committed to delivering outstanding service to clients in the residential property market. The firm has a fantastic reputation for providing clear legal advice, personalised and tailored to specific requirements, attracting more property clients.”

Emma Clayburn, solicitor, will be based at the firm’s recently opened Wirral office and has 20 years of experience. She joined RMNJ Solicitors, where she was a partner and specialised in residential property, often dealing with complex conveyancing matters. 

Emma added: “I’m looking forward to working with a team dedicated to providing the highest quality legal services, and I’m looking forward to working with the wider team while helping them to grow the new Wirral office’s footprint.”

Craig Passey, property executive, will be based in the firm’s Penny Lane office and has over 15 years of experience in residential property and joins from Vanquish Law. The final new member of the team is Stephanie Thomas, a trainee solicitor assisting the broader 13-strong real estate division. She will also be based at the firm’s Penny Lane office. 

Gregory Abrams, CEO of Gregory Abrams Davidson, welcomed the quartet. He said. ‘While the property market is facing challenges, we are still experiencing demand for property services, and it’s excellent to welcome new talent to our team. I’m sure they will deliver the outstanding legal advice we’ve cultivated a reputation for. 

‘We have seen an increase in investors coming into Liverpool, which is a testament to the city’s economy and buoyancy. The buy-to-let market is witnessing increased activity with several large developments coming on stream, and of course, people still want to own their own home.”

The property division of Gregory Abrams Davidson Solicitors provides tailored legal advice for clients buying or selling commercial or domestic property, remortgaging, transferring equity, extending leases, tenancy agreements, probate sales, right to buy from a landlord and property acquisitions and auction sales.

Burton Roofing invests in larger Irvine branch to boost service and range 

Burton Roofing Merchants has relocated and invested in a more extensive Irvine branch to enhance its product range and service offering in Ayrshire and the wider East Scotland.

The new branch, which also carries the latest energy-efficient green technologies to help reduce its carbon footprint, sees over £200,000 invested to more than quadruple capacity from 18,400 sq. ft. to 80,358 sq. ft. compared to the previous branch. 

The additional space means more product lines will be stocked to facilitate increased demand, particularly for solar and flat-roof products, and is the largest branch that the company has opened this year.

The new Burton Roofing Merchants branch on Auchengate Business Park replaces the former Rinus branch, which Burton Roofing Merchants acquired in 2021 and was located at Mackintosh Place. The company aims for the expansion to lead to additional jobs within the year. 

Jon Smith, operations director at Burton Roofing, commented on the investment. He said, ‘As a business, we have a purpose centred around helping customers enhance their businesses. The enlarged branch will help us deliver our promise by giving access to innovative roofing products combined with our Irvine team’s expert and friendly service. 

Branch manager Jim Finnegan added, ‘Customers that have already been to the new branch have been impressed with the product range, and it will help cement our ambition to be a centre of excellence in new roofing technologies and products. 

“The enlarged branch allows us to host training events and workshops to ensure our customers have access to expertise that will also help them in their work. It really is a game-changer for us.” 

Burton Roofing Group, which trades under the Burton Roofing Merchants, Rinus Roofing Supplies and Discount Roofing and Building Supplies, operates 38 branches across the UK and employs 450 people. 

The Group’s annual turnover is approximately £170 million, and it is part of the multinational Cupa Group, which comprises 75 businesses with subsidiaries in nine countries and 25 quarries.

Planning application approved for £7.4 million refurbishment of former magistrates court into offices and retail space 

Preston City Council’s plans to transform the Grade II Listed former magistrates court have been approved. 

Amounderness House will undergo a £7.4 million refurbishment and is one of six major projects planned under Preston’s Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme, for which the City was awarded £20.9m from the Government’s national Towns Fund initiative in March 2021.

Harris Quarter is a unique area of Preston undergoing a £200m investment programme to transform its historic buildings, sites and public realm into a diverse culture, leisure and employment offering, with Amounderness House located beside the £45m Animate cinema and leisure complex, which is under construction and due to open in Spring 2025. 

The refurbishment of Amounderness House, originally built in 1857 as a police station with several holding cells, will be transformed into a high-quality modern, flexible, multi-use workspace hub that Wrkspace will operate. 

Designed by FWP Architects, the sympathetic refurbishment of the Grade II listed building will create 26 offices circa 645 sq. ft and four craft or retail studios. In addition, the existing courtyard will be updated and open for public use.

Maple Grove Developments is working with Preston City Council and Wrkspace as Project/Development Manager to deliver the project.

Chair of Preston’s Towns Fund Strategic Board, John Chesworth, said:  

“It’s fantastic to see this magnificent building being brought back into use as it will help stimulate business, cultural, and community uses in Preston city centre. We are making significant progress in regenerating the Harris Quarter and seeing a ripple effect of interest in what Preston is achieving as an attractive place to live, work and play.”

Leader of Preston City Council, Cllr Matthew Brown, added: “On the back of this excellent news we can transform Amounderness House and capitalise on this asset being in public ownership and using it to support growing local businesses. Furthermore, in line with our Community Wealth Building principles we’re working with Preston-based Wrkspace to run this important heritage asset as it helps to boost our economy.”

Nik Puttnam, senior development manager with Maple Grove Developments, added: “Bringing new purpose to older buildings like Amounderness House is rewarding and we’re looking forward to making a start on the transformation of this superb historic building. Renovating listed buildings comes with its challenges, especially one that has been vacant for so long, but when complete it will complement other projects in the Harris Quarter and be an economic driver for the city centre .”

Rizwan Seth, managing director of Wrkspace, concluded: “The Wrkspace team are looking forward to welcoming Amounderness House into our flexible office space portfolio. The addition of a high quality city centre provision, compliments the existing business centre offering across the North West. Amounderness House will be a beacon for growth for new and existing businesses within Preston, encouraging flexible workspace provisions as the ever-changing working requirements evolve”.

Smith & Love Planning Consultants submitted the application on behalf of Preston City Council and the wider project team for Amounderness House, including Cowburn-Watson Box, SCP Transport, Eden Heritage, E3P, TRP Consulting, and Graham Schofield Associates.

Industry experts confirm AI is just a tool 

No, they weren’t name-calling. This was the rough summary, as interpreted by our Greg Wilson, of an event he attended last month (we’ve also discussed AI as threat or opportunity here).

AI Futures

The event, AI Futures: the Creative Industry in the North West was organised by ImaginationLancaster, Lancaster University and Wash Studio. Keynote speakers and panellists were drawn from across the worlds of academia, TV, film, music, architecture, design and marketing. 

Industry experts confirm AI is just a tool 

Here’s Greg’s take: 

Without regurgitating the whole speaker and panellist list for the full-day event, it’s hard to capture the credibility of the speaking panel, so hopefully, it’s suffice to say the organisers pulled together an extremely impressive array of senior and well-informed contributors. 

My key takeaways from the event were that, while AI is a genuine technical wonder that is developing fast, its outputs will only ever be as good as the human inputs it receives. And, more crucially for me in terms of its impact on the creative industries, it will never be able to judge the value of its own outputs from an emotional perspective. 

In short, to provide value, it will always need a human operator and/or “selector” at some level. Yes, it can produce imagery in seconds. But it will never experience an emotional response to that imagery, so will never know if it has done well, unless a human tells it so. 

Now, some people in the creative industries may say they know that feeling well! But, to me, the binary nature of AI means that it will only ever be a tool for people working in the creative industries. In that sense, it will only ever work for humans, and will never replace them… entirely. 

Entry-level at risk

There is huge weight in the word ‘entirely’ there though. The danger that AI poses, potentially, to the creative industries, is that it will be able to replace some of the entry-level creative roles where most of us got our start. 

I’m not sure, personally though, whether that is just part of natural change. I, for one, started my PR career in the late 90s, gluing photos to printed press releases, stapling them together, putting them in envelopes, slotting them through the franking machine then walking over to the red post box at the far end of the office estate to post them one by one – sometimes until it was too full to fit any more. 

And then they invented email. And then guess what?  

But people have still been getting entry-level jobs in PR since the 90s and long after I hung up my Pritt Stick. It’s just the nature of entry-level jobs that have changed, pretty much hand-in-hand with technological progress. 

At the moment, I feel that AI will, in fact, just help us do our jobs quicker, which means providing better value for clients. And the more value we can provide and quicker, the better shape the industry will be in, overall. 

ESG: more than just a PR tick-box exercise

ESG, or Environmental, Social, and Governance, is the umbrella term for a business’s impact and approach to sustainability issues, including its investments.

The three components of ESG are:

Environmental – business activity and its impacts around topics like climate change, environmental impacts, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), renewable energy, pollution, waste and recycling.

Social – this criteria centres on how a business or company views and treats employees, the local community and people they come into contact with. Working conditions and employee wellbeing, along with diversity and inclusion are also important. 

Governance – highlights how a business carries out day-to-day operations, with a focus on ethics and standards, diversity in staff and management, political lobbying, corruption policies, donations, wages and tax matters.

Greenwashing 

However, many businesses are content to “greenwash” their ESG commitments. This reduces the seriousness of what the responsibility of having and implementing an ESG policy involves, making it little more than just a buzzword.

FIFA was slammed in a report for their claims that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was a “carbon neutral” event, but Carbon Market Watch said they had “serious doubts” on this. They described the World Cup as underestimating “…the tournament’s true emissions levels and climate impact.” By claiming that the event was carbon-neutral, it paints a misleading picture and is not a “harmless exercise”. Carbon Market Watch went on to state such claims mislead “…players, fans, sponsors and the public into believing that their (potential) involvement in the event will come at no cost to the climate”.

Sea change

Globally, asset managers are set to boost their investments in ESG to reach approximately $33.9 trillion by 2026, up from $18.4 trillion in 2021. This growth represents an expected average annual increase of 12.9%. In less than five years, ESG assets are predicted to make up about 21.5% of the total assets managed worldwide.

Consumers are now seeking socially responsible leadership from brands that prioritise both sustainability and environmental responsibility in their practices and investments.

New research in the US suggests that a major sea change in consumer behaviour is approaching, where authentically sustainable brands who put people and planet first, are at an advantage over organisations who engage in shallow greenwash over authentic sustainability investments.

The trend suggests that consumers are becoming increasingly discerning and conscientious in their choices. They are not merely swayed by marketing fluff that presents a superficial glow of sustainability. Instead, customers are looking for businesses that embody true environmental and social responsibility. Authenticity has become the key currency in the consumer landscape.

Consumers are now seeking brands that align with their values and beliefs, particularly those related to sustainability and ethical practices. They are more likely to support businesses that walk the talk when it comes to sustainable initiatives. This is further indicated by the increase and prominence of the B Corp label.

Brands that genuinely commit to reducing their carbon footprint, practice good working conditions, and contribute positively and genuinely to their communities, are earning the benefits of this changing consumer sentiment.

ESG and why your business should take it seriously 

When economist Mark Carney was the Bank of England Governor, he wrote:

“In the future, climate and ESG considerations will likely be at the heart of mainstream investing. Investors will tailor their investments and fulfil their fiduciary duties through better quality and more widely available data on sustainability and performance, and more informed judgements of strategic resilience.

“Companies with strong ESG performance have demonstrated higher returns on their investments, lower risks and better resiliency during a crisis.”

ESG reporting is still voluntary in many countries, including the UK, but looking forward, greater transparency in corporate ESG reporting will be required, so it pays well – quite literally – to be proactive in setting out a strong position on a business’s environmental, social and governance standards and commitments now.

If you are considering integrating ESG into your communication strategy, get in touch to see how we can help you – find our contact form here, or call us on 0845 625 0820 for a friendly chat.