Latest news with #FRP
South Wales Argus
4 days ago
- General
- South Wales Argus
NRW consultation on the Cwmcarn Forest Resource Plan
Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which manages the Welsh Government Woodland Estate, has created a 10-year management plan for the nine woodlands within the Cwmcarn Forest Resource Plan (FRP) area. The Cwmcarn FRP covers 1,911 hectares, with most of this within Caerphilly county, with 221 hectares in Torfaen. There are also two forest blocks in Machen and Llanbradach, which are in the Lower Rhymney Valley. The draft plan aims to restore ancient woodland, plant more native broadleaved trees, enhance biodiversity and habitat connectivity, improve climate resilience and water quality, and increase recreational and well-being opportunities. NRW is inviting people to read the proposal in detail and provide feedback to help shape the final version of the plan. Laura McLoughlin, senior forest resource planning officer for NRW, said: "Our forests offer so many benefits to the natural environment and to our communities. "They help us in the fight against the climate and nature emergencies, provide good quality timber for us to use, and wonderful places for us all to spend time in and enjoy. "We know how valued our forests are, and we want to make sure the people who use them have the opportunity to have a say about how they are managed in the future." NRW will hold a public drop-in session on June 23 at Wattsville Clubhouse between 11.30am and 6.30pm. The consultation is open until July 16. Anyone wishing to participate but unable to view the proposals online can contact 03000 65 3000 or email frp@ and request a hard copy. Feedback by post can be sent to: Laura McLoughlin, Natural Resources Wales, Monmouth Office, Hadnock Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, NP25 3NQ.
Scottish Sun
12-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Historic Brit clothes shop beloved by the Royal Family which supplied Europe's top fashion houses is forced to close
ROYAL SHAME Historic Brit clothes shop beloved by the Royal Family which supplied Europe's top fashion houses is forced to close A HISTORIC British clothing store once beloved by the Royal Family and known for supplying Europe's top fashion houses has shut down for good—leaving 28 people out of work. Otterburn Mills, based in Otterburn, Northumberland, with a second store in Rothbury, has gone into liquidation following a series of financial blows. 4 The business was further hit by the sudden loss of a key supplier, soaring operating costs Credit: Otterburn Mill 4 Those affected are now being supported with access to the Redundancy Payments Service Credit: Otterburn Mill The 18th-century mill-turned-retail business struggled to recover after the Covid pandemic, with shop visitor numbers failing to return to pre-2020 levels. The business was further hit by the sudden loss of a key supplier, soaring operating costs, and a shift in consumer shopping habits away from the high street. The company, which famously made a pram rug for Queen Elizabeth II in 1926, had recently been put up for sale. However, no buyer could be found, and business recovery experts FRP were brought in to oversee the winding down of operations. FRP confirmed that the company has ceased trading and 28 employees have been made redundant. Those affected are now being supported with access to the Redundancy Payments Service. Antonya Allison, joint liquidator and director at FRP, said: 'Otterburn Mills was a well-known and respected local business that had built a loyal customer base over many years. Unfortunately, the retailer was faced with an array of challenging headwinds that many high-street brands will recognise and, despite our best efforts to identify it has not been possible to find a viable way forward for the business. Our focus is now on supporting those affected and working to ensure the best possible outcome for creditors through the liquidation process.' The business also had debts owed to HMRC. We live next to a Sainsbury's where 'defeaning' building work is ruining our lives – we haven't slept for a week FRP added that it is 'working with all stakeholders to ensure an orderly wind down of the business and to maximise returns for creditors.' Otterburn Mills rose to prominence under William Waddell, the son of a Borders wool manufacturer, and built a reputation for its tweeds and woven fabrics. These high-quality materials were once used by major European fashion houses including Dior and Balmain. The site was transformed into a retail clothing store in the 1990s by Euan Pringle, who preserved much of the original mill machinery as part of the shop's heritage display. The closure adds to a growing list of British retail losses in recent months. The Original Factory Shop has begun closing down sales at several branches across Worcestershire, Dorset, Durham and other parts of the UK, as part of its wider restructuring. Poundland, recently sold to a US-based firm for just £1, is facing the potential closure of around 100 of its 800 UK shops, with job losses expected. House of Fraser is also shutting down its Worcester city centre store, where a 20 per cent off closing down sale has already begun ahead of its final trading day in September. Meanwhile, fashion chain River Island is drawing up a radical rescue plan to avoid collapse, which includes shutting some stores. Its Banbury branch is set to close at the end of June, and more may follow as the retailer attempts to recover from a £33.2 million loss last year. Industry experts say these closures reflect broader trends, including rising energy bills, business rates, and staffing costs. Many shoppers have moved online or prefer to visit large retail parks over traditional town centres. The Centre for Retail Research has warned that more than 17,000 UK stores could shut their doors in 2025, putting up to 202,000 retail jobs at risk. The loss of Otterburn Mills, a once-thriving symbol of British textile heritage, underlines the deepening crisis for both independent shops and national retail chains across the UK. Without meaningful support or change in consumer habits, more historic names could be lost from the high street for good. RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs would cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research published by the British Chambers of Commerce earlier this year shows that more than half of companies planned to raise prices by early April. Separately, the Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020." 4 Many shoppers have moved online or prefer to visit large retail parks over traditional town centres Credit: Otterburn Mill
The Sun
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Historic Brit clothes shop beloved by the Royal Family which supplied Europe's top fashion houses is forced to close
A HISTORIC British clothing store once beloved by the Royal Family and known for supplying Europe's top fashion houses has shut down for good—leaving 28 people out of work. Otterburn Mills, based in Otterburn, Northumberland, with a second store in Rothbury, has gone into liquidation following a series of financial blows. 4 The 18th-century mill-turned-retail business struggled to recover after the Covid pandemic, with shop visitor numbers failing to return to pre-2020 levels. The business was further hit by the sudden loss of a key supplier, soaring operating costs, and a shift in consumer shopping habits away from the high street. The company, which famously made a pram rug for Queen Elizabeth II in 1926, had recently been put up for sale. However, no buyer could be found, and business recovery experts FRP were brought in to oversee the winding down of operations. FRP confirmed that the company has ceased trading and 28 employees have been made redundant. Those affected are now being supported with access to the Redundancy Payments Service. Antonya Allison, joint liquidator and director at FRP, said: 'Otterburn Mills was a well-known and respected local business that had built a loyal customer base over many years. Unfortunately, the retailer was faced with an array of challenging headwinds that many high-street brands will recognise and, despite our best efforts to identify it has not been possible to find a viable way forward for the business. Our focus is now on supporting those affected and working to ensure the best possible outcome for creditors through the liquidation process.' The business also had debts owed to HMRC. We live next to a Sainsbury's where 'defeaning' building work is ruining our lives – we haven't slept for a week FRP added that it is 'working with all stakeholders to ensure an orderly wind down of the business and to maximise returns for creditors.' Otterburn Mills rose to prominence under William Waddell, the son of a Borders wool manufacturer, and built a reputation for its tweeds and woven fabrics. These high-quality materials were once used by major European fashion houses including Dior and Balmain. The site was transformed into a retail clothing store in the 1990s by Euan Pringle, who preserved much of the original mill machinery as part of the shop's heritage display. The closure adds to a growing list of British retail losses in recent months. The Original Factory Shop has begun closing down sales at several branches across Worcestershire, Dorset, Durham and other parts of the UK, as part of its wider restructuring. Poundland, recently sold to a US-based firm for just £1, is facing the potential closure of around 100 of its 800 UK shops, with job losses expected. House of Fraser is also shutting down its Worcester city centre store, where a 20 per cent off closing down sale has already begun ahead of its final trading day in September. Meanwhile, fashion chain River Island is drawing up a radical rescue plan to avoid collapse, which includes shutting some stores. Its Banbury branch is set to close at the end of June, and more may follow as the retailer attempts to recover from a £33.2 million loss last year. Industry experts say these closures reflect broader trends, including rising energy bills, business rates, and staffing costs. Many shoppers have moved online or prefer to visit large retail parks over traditional town centres. The Centre for Retail Research has warned that more than 17,000 UK stores could shut their doors in 2025, putting up to 202,000 retail jobs at risk. The loss of Otterburn Mills, a once-thriving symbol of British textile heritage, underlines the deepening crisis for both independent shops and national retail chains across the UK. Without meaningful support or change in consumer habits, more historic names could be lost from the high street for good. RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs would cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research published by the British Chambers of Commerce earlier this year shows that more than half of companies planned to raise prices by early April. Separately, the Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020." 4 4
The Citizen
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Government intervention worsened Mangaung Municipality crisis, but recovery underway — mayor
The appointment of a city manager has brought a measure of stability to the municipality. Mangaung Municipality Mayor Gregory Nthatisi speaks during a media briefing in Bloemfontein on 9 May 2025. Picture: Gallo Images/Mlungisi Louw The Mangaung Municipality says it continues to face ongoing challenges related to governance and the delivery of basic services, but emphasised that efforts are actively underway to tackle these issues. On Wednesday, municipal officials appeared before parliament's Standing Committee on Appropriations to brief MPs on the city's progress. Mangaung was placed under administration in 2020 after section 139 of the constitution was invoked by the Free State and National Government. This intervention followed the metropolitan municipality's ongoing dysfunction and repeated failures to implement a financial recovery plan (FRP). Mangaung Municipality mayor details challenges Mangaung Mayor Gregory Nthatisi told the committee that political instability and internal conflict within the municipality prompted the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and Cabinet to intervene. However, Nthatisi said that the two task teams deployed to Mangaung were hindered by the same political turbulence they were meant to resolve. 'The political infighting also engulfed them as a result. They could just not impact on what they were sent to do,' he said. ALSO READ: Mangaung Municipality in spending crisis after exceeding budget He pointed out that some officials on the teams lacked the necessary experience to handle the responsibilities assigned to them. 'Others were quite junior than the responsibility that they were given as HoDs [Heads of Department] and that led to even exacerbating the crisis of Mangaung in a number of spaces, but the best thing that they left us with was a financial recovery plan document, which is guiding us today,' Nthatisi said. According to Nthatisi, the appointment of a municipal manager has brought a measure of stability to the municipality. 'There's also relative stability when it comes to political structures because people are now performing their tasks, work is being done [and] council is sitting properly. We are now addressing challenges that have to do with administration.' Financial recovery plan Mangaung City Manager Sello More told the committee that the FRP is still in its rescue phase, with the implementation progress currently at 53.82%. More said, the next phase – stabilisation – involves 100 activities. He noted that the municipality has been receiving qualified audit opinions from the Auditor-General over the past year. Mangaung has since created an action plan aimed at strengthening internal systems and addressing financial management weaknesses in response. READ MORE: Eskom to disconnect 15 Free State towns over billions worth of debt This plan also seeks to address overspending after the Auditor-General reported that the municipality spent 111% of its budget in the 2023/2024 financial year. 'Areas of overspending have been identified as employees' costs and contracted services. So the city must contain employee costs expenditure, especially overtime and acting allowances,' More said. He revealed that the municipality has introduced a shift system to curb excessive overtime. Critical positions are now being filled to manage acting allowances, according to the city manager. 'There has been a seriously high number of people in acting posts.' Watch the meeting below: The action plan further outlined reviewing staffing levels and costs associated with supporting political offices, as a means of reducing overspending. More conceded that the municipality relies heavily on contractors for both routine and emergency maintenance due to limited internal capacity. 'We are now moving towards building our own teams and infrastructure required for routine maintenance, especially unblocking of sewer systems.' Mangaung Municipality's liquidity and revenue challenges Regarding Mangaung's financial health, More said liquidity challenges are driven by a low revenue collection rate and persistent overspending. 'The collection rate is not picking up from the average of 75%, which was one of the reasons the city was placed under provincial and later Cabinet intervention. 'The previous amalgamations into the city exacerbated the situation, bringing more indigents, billing issues and incomplete records.' He highlighted an ongoing trend where even reliable ratepayers, both businesses and households, have begun to default, largely due to slow economic growth and underperforming industries. READ MORE: Water wasted in Free State totals R3.7 billion in last seven years Additional liquidity pressures stem from costly contracts, such as security and waste management tenders. More explained that these contracts are often outsourced because in-house services are viewed as more expensive due to salary levels and benefits. 'Our recovery is not matching what we are supposed to be paying.' He said the reliance on contractors for essential operations, such as service connections, has further strained the municipality's budget due to high costs. More added that Mangaung is implementing several strategies such as realistic cash projections, tighter cash flow monitoring, and improved revenue management. This includes restructuring, reviewing credit control procedures, enhancing debt collection, and resolving metering problems. Supply chain corruption More stated that no corruption cases within Mangaung's supply chain management had been identified internally by the municipality. However, some arrests have been made by police based on tips from whistleblowers. 'Our [contract] awards have not been subjected to any court orders. It is safe to say that there is one bid where Saps arrested a successful bidder, two months after the award and start of the contract.' The arrested bidder was released on bail. More also indicated an ongoing police investigation into a 2019 security tender. The municipality has begun rotating staff involved in bid committees to combat corruption. It has also approved a whistleblower protection policy and established a dedicated hotline for fraud and corruption reporting. NOW READ: Matjhabeng municipality's appeal rejected amid financial challenges, service delivery collapse
The Hindu
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Farmers seeks review of FRP for sugarcane fixed by Centre
Sugarcane growers have urged the State government to seek a review of the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) fixed by the Centre for the year 2025-26. A delegation of farmers submitted a memorandum in this regard to tahsildar of Nanjangud near here on Tuesday. President of Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers' Association Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj described the FRP of ₹3,550 a tonne announced by the Centre for sugarcane with a recovery of 10.25% for the year as 'unscientific and unjust'. Mr. Bhagyaraj said the Centre had increased the FRP by only ₹150 a tonne over the previous year even though the cost of production had increased substantially. 'As the cost of production, labour cost for harvest, transportation, fertilizers, and wages have all increased, this increase of ₹150 a tonne amounts to just 15 paise a kg', he lamented. Contending that a report by Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) had recommended a price of ₹4,500 a tonne, Mr. Bhagyaraj alleged that the Centre had increased the FRP by only ₹150 a tonne due to 'pressure from sugar factory owners and capitalists'. Lok Sabha members should also put pressure on the Centre to re-evaluate the FRP rate, he said. The farmers' body have demanded the installation of weighing machines in front of all sugar factories by the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMC) and the Department of Co-operation. 'Digital SMS alerts should be sent to the farmers immediately after weighing,' said Mr. Bhagyaraj, in the statement. Demanding bilateral agreements between the sugar mills and the farmers, he said a committee comprising local farmers and experts should be constituted to prevent fraud in recovery rates of sugarcane. The income statements of the sugar mills should be reviewed by both the State government and the Centre, he said while demanding distribution of excess profits to the farmers. The government should intervene to protect the interests of the farmers, and that the sugar factories should be made to bear the costs of transportation and harvesting, he said. The association has demanded immediate settlement of last year's pending dues amounting to ₹950 crore, and that the Hullahalli road be immediately repaired, and the Hura lift irrigation project be completed soon.
