A plaque has been unveiled in Sheffield Peace Gardens to mark the founding of the National Market Traders Federation, founded in 1899 at the Wentworth Cafe on Pinstone Street. The NMTF is now headquartered in Barnsley and has over 20,000 members who trade at markets, fairs and festivals across the country. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Michael Nicholas, president elect for the NMTF.
Sheffield has won a national award recognising it as one of the UK’s hot-spots for social enterprise, businesses with a social or environmental mission. Social enterprise is a fast growing and important part of the local and national economy helping to re-generate communities, create jobs where they are needed most and reduce inequalities. The award was granted by Social Enterprise UK. Nick Coleman reports for Sheffield Live!
Councillor Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for business and investment, has spoken to Sheffield Live! about ambitions to develop the Attercliffe neighbourhood. While city centre developments are proceeding at a pace, the Attercliffe area, which includes the listed Adelphi building, has seen little recent investment. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Hundreds of people attended the annual exhibition of the Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce held at the New York stadium, home to Rotherham United Football club. The Chamber Means Business event offers businesses the opportunity to promote their brand, products and services and to engage in networking and ideas sharing. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
A former Sheffield Hallam University student has become the first dedicated LGBT wedding photographer with the launch of her same sex weddings business. Nelly Naylor opened her business after she struggled to find an LGBT photographer for her wedding following the proposal of her girlfriend. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Despite a dedicated team of five police officers posted in Burngreave to tackle crime and gang issues after two stabbings and a shooting, local businesses are still concerned. Yousouf Adams who owns Suda Tech on Spital Street, told Sheffield Live! that local businesses would like to see officers present in the evening as most trouble starts when the police are gone. The street violence has involved confrontation between rival gangs from the Kurdish and Somali communities. Police have been given new powers to stop and search suspects and to patrol the area to re-assure residents. Baillor Jalloh reports.
Businesses in Sheffield City centre who have a rateable value of over £30,000 could end up paying a levy that would go towards making improvements in the area. The Sheffield Business Improvement District (BID) is a collaboration between the private and public sectors and could see up to four million pounds of investment going in to improving the City Centre over a five year period.
A new space has opened in Sheffield city centre aimed at encouraging people to work collaboratively. Union Street is offering hot desking space to enable people who are setting up their own businesses and normally work in isolation to work together.
The MADE Festival has been described as the “Glastonbury of Business,” attracting thousands of entrepreneurs and hundreds of speakers from all around the world to Sheffield. Musician and entrepreneur Levi Roots was one of the keynote speakers and spoke with Sheffield Live! about mentoring, passion, and lessons for young people.
Reporting by Jamie Veitch and Steven Day.
You can hear more interviews from the MADE Festival with entrepreneurs including Shaa Wasmund, Jamal Edwards, and with Brendan Moffett of Marketing Sheffield on our Business Live radio programme: Friday, 9-10am on 93.2fm and podcasted afterwards.
Business leaders have launched a new investment project to help Sheffield’s economy. The Big Investment Project aims to bring new opportunities for people and businesses in South Yorkshire and the North Midlands. David Richards spoke to David Thurkettle, the incoming President of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, at a special launch event at Sheffield’s Millennium Galleries, held in the run up to this year’s MADE: The Entrepreneur Festival.
Reporting by David Richards and Rachel Vine.