New Milton Advertiser 15th Jan 2021

Friday 15th January 2021 · 15

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Business

New £2.5m business park opened by motor group

Space for up to 30 jobs created in hub on disused site

vestment buildings. The park is a new direction for the family business. Pen - ton Group managing director Robert Wilson said the finished park looked “even better than we expected”. “We are very pleased at the result and will be seeking simi - lar investments in the area. For this business park to attract some national and substantial expanding companies to trade from this location is a major success,” he said. “It can only be good for the Christchurch and Bourne - mouth conurbation and local employment. “It represents the major re - generation of a brownfield site which is expected to bring 30- plus new jobs and economic benefits for the area. “We are pleased to have worked with a local firm of the calibre of REIDsteel on this project along with other high-quality contractors in the area. “Congratulations to all in - volved, especially our financial director Jan Dibden and his team who successfully headed up this project.”

By lyndon hogg

Wolfe at the door of colour accolade

A TRAVEL firm based in Hurn has been shortlisted again for the national award it took home last year. Not Just Travel is up for the Homeworking Travel Compa - ny of the Year gong in the 2021 Travel Industry Awards. Co-founders of Not Just Trav - el, Steve Witt and Paul Harri - son, dedicated the shortlisting to their travel team. “This has been a tough year for the entire industry, so to be shortlisted for this incredible award is a real acknowledge - ment of how hard our whole team has worked,” they said in a joint statement. “We have put our customers at the heart of everything we have done, helping them to re - A NEW £2.5m business park which will provide space for up to 30 jobs has thrown open its gates in Christchurch. Construction has finished at the Penton Business Park in Stony Lane, regenerating a dis - used site formerly occupied by Boyland Joinery. The business park is owned by Penton Motor Group, which has a dealership in the town. Christchurch steel firm REIDsteel was heavily involved in the trading hub’s construc - tion. It designed and manufac - tured the frames, and installed metal decking, cladding, roof sheeting, glazing and doors. First to move in to Penton Business Park was Toolstation, with a national tyre company and major motorcycle dealer - ship also due to take up units. Simon Boyd, managing di - rector at REIDsteel, said: “As a Christchurch firm it is great

IT HAS been a colourful start to the new year for Lymington salon owner Lydia Wolfe. Lydia, who runs Jack and the Wolfe with husband Jack Mead on the town’s Quay Hill cobbles, was named Hamp - shire Colourist of the Year at the recent Salon Awards. It is not the first colour gong the salon has taken home, with previous titles including the Men’s Colour Genius at the 2019 Colour World Geni - us Awards, Creative Gold at the Goldwell Color Zoom in Toronto, and Gold at the 2017 Color Zoom UK finals. FERRY firm Wightlink has invested in a new hi-tech pay - ment system developed by a firm on the Island. The terminals, developed by WRS Systems, have been installed across Wightlink’s 15 shops and cafés. The new system has improved func - tionality and security, and its rapid processing speed has seen shorter queues on ferries and at ports. Simon Lewis, Wightlink’s head of retail, said: “WRS Systems is a local company with outstanding customer service. Their systems are second-to-none and will en - able us to improve our effi - ciency while supporting the Island’s economy.” Wightlink said it was com -

Lydia said: “To be recog - nised by clients, other local businesses and residents within our local area is abso - lutely incredible – I am com - pletely shocked! “I am so proud of this award and excited for the opportu - nities that lie ahead.” Lydia and Jack opened Jack and the Wolfe in March 2019 but, along with all salons in Hampshire, were forced to close with the introduction of the third lockdown. The pandemic meant the Salon Awards were held virtually for the first time. mitted to working with lo - cal suppliers where possible, stocking local produce, such as Wight Crystal water, Brid - dlesford Farm milk, Island Roasted coffee and sandwich - es from Ryde-based Grace’s Bakery. Established in 2003 by Da - vid Jackson, WRS Systems develops electronic hardware, data management and sup - port systems for the hospital - ity industry. “We’re thrilled to be work - ing with Wightlink”, said Mr Jackson. “As an Island com - pany which now supports clients far and wide, we are delighted to work with a busi - ness closer to home which plays such an important role in Island life.”

PentonMotor Group financial director Jan Dibden, centre, with REIDsteel operations director Donna Campo, left, and REIDsteel business relationship director Sean Burchell, right. Standing behind are the REIDsteel p roject team.

to be involved in this superb development on our own door - step. “It’s been a privilege to take the scheme from the design of its structural steel, cladding,

glazing and doors through to fabrication and installation. “Our thanks to the Penton Motor Group for letting us play our part in supporting the local economy and community with

this project.” Over the past eight years the Penton Motor Group has built four new showrooms for its franchised motor business and renovated a further three in -

Ferry firm’s new tech

Not Just Travel defending top award Brexit help for SMEs

they have a personal travel con - sultant on hand to help with everything they need.” Not Just Travel had a surge in week-on-week bookings due to positivity around vaccine trials, and excitement around Christmas and Black Friday. The company was also 5% up on year-on-year sales for the same period. They added: “We have seen strong bookings as customer confidence returns. We have never hidden away and have always been at the forefront of innovating the business and making sure that we are at the forefront of the travel boon, which is coming.” The award-winners will be announced in March.

A BUSINESS group has launched a new support ser - vice to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the New Forest through the Brexit tran - sition. The Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is matching those firms looking for advice to specialist Brexit transition business advisors who will offer up to five hours of one-to-one,

tailored support.  Advisors will help business - es identify issues resulting from Brexit and develop action plans. They will also work with SMEs to review progress im - plementing their plans, identify further support needed and en - able access to wider help. Businesses interested in the new programme should visit bit.ly/39iKvNr.

book and get refunds and keep up to date with the latest gov - ernment travel advice. “We have seen strong sales across the year – people love the personal, concierge-style service, because they know Not Just Travel co-founders Steve Witt and P aul Harrison

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