Bury-based eyewear company, Specskart, has been named in the prestigious Sunday Times 'People to Watch' list.
The long-running annual list identifies UK companies that are thriving and have great growth potential, and Specscart was one of just seven carefully selected companies to make the 2024 rankings, which were published at the weekend.
Specscart combines a high street retail service from three brick-and-mortar stores across Greater Manchester with innovative e-commerce, offering affordable eyeglasses manufactured in-house at its Bury headquarters and delivered within 24 hours.
Specskart founder Sid Sethi launched his eyewear company in 2018. Since then it has grown into a global retail and online business, on track to achieve a turnover of £5 million by 2024. Sid said: “Having Specskart featured in the Sunday Times is a huge encouragement to me and the hardworking team behind me. Receiving recognition like this gives us the drive to grow and do better every day.”
“2024 is the year we will surpass the £5 million turnover mark and take Specscart to the next level, so stay tuned for more developments.”
This honour comes shortly after Sid was named to Forbes' prestigious “Europe 30 Under 30 2024” list, which recognises Europe's most outstanding innovators and entrepreneurs who are driving change in their fields.
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A £14 million investment to transform part of the electricity network in Manchester's Eastlands has moved to the next stage.
As well as installing 10km of new underground power cable, Electricity North West engineers will also carry out upgrades to three substations in the area. The final stage of the project will get underway this month, with new cable being installed on Stuart Street and terminating on Gibbon Street.
Works are expected to be fully completed within the next two months, and the new cable will enable the continued development and growth of the region, whose 30,000 residents and businesses will also benefit from a continued safe and reliable electricity supply.
Stephen Forshaw, overseeing works for Manchester Electricity North West, said: “The Eastlands scheme is a major engineering project and is important for the city's growth. The final phase will see a further 1,100 metres of underground cable installed which, once connected, will provide additional space on the network for homes and businesses in the area. We want to be as transparent as possible and work with our customers to minimise disruption, so we have contacted nearby businesses to let them know work is taking place.”
The final phase will begin on July 8 and is due to last for four weeks. While this phase is taking place, temporary traffic lights will be in place to allow engineers to work safely on the road. Engineers will hand deliver letters to nearby homes and businesses and all work is agreed with Manchester City Council.
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Manchester commercial law firm Kuits solicitors has recently become a member of CityCo, a not-for-profit partnership supporting Manchester city centre’s business community.
CityCo is known for promoting Manchester's vitality and prosperity, working with a wide range of businesses, cultural institutions and public sector partners to improve the city's economic and social environment. By joining CityCo, Kuits aims to utilise its extensive expertise in legal services to provide valuable insight and support to the work CityCo undertakes.
Steve Eccleston, managing partner at Quitts, said: “Quitz has always been focused on promoting the growth and success of the local business community and we believe that working with Citico gives us the opportunity to make an even greater impact.”
Alex King-Byatt, managing director at CityCo, said: “We are thrilled to have Kuits join as a member of CityCo. The company's expertise and commitment to Manchester's business community aligns perfectly with our mission to create a vibrant city centre. We look forward to working closely with Kuits to deliver positive change and sustainable growth for Manchester.”
Quitz said he brings to Citico a wealth of experience in areas including commercial real estate, corporate law, dispute resolution, employment and licensing. As a member of Citico, Quitz said he will participate in a variety of events, forums and initiatives designed to improve the city's business environment and address key challenges.
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Paul Channon has signed a further four-year sponsorship deal with Empower Youth Zones, pledging £100,000 to support the charity's development across Manchester and Salford.
A long-standing supporter of charities, Paul first became involved with HideOut Youth Zone as CEO of Founding Patron ANS Group before deciding to become a Founding Patron in his own right. He regularly shows his support by attending fundraising events, has been a guest speaker at several Empower events and interviews young people for the “What Manchester Taught Me” podcast series.
Shannon spoke further about their commitment to help us grow, particularly in the development of the new Salford Youth Zone, saying: “Spaces like this are really invaluable. I grew up in a deprived area of Warrington and we just didn't have spaces on this scale, but now to see places like Harpurhey, Gorton and Salford, it's just fantastic. I think the main strength of these Youth Zones is that they're not just focused on having fun – and they do have fun, of course – but they've got careers advice, emotional support, school support, access to technology, drama, music, it's all there. For me, that's really important.”
Empower Youth Zones is a charity that creates and runs purpose-built Youth Zones for young people across Manchester and Salford, committed to helping young people find their passion and purpose. To deliver its impact, Empower relies on the ongoing support of its founders and passionate Patrons, whose donations cover 70% of the Youth Zone's annual running costs. In addition, Patrons provide valuable opportunities and access for young members, open doors to partners, and support fundraising and awareness campaigns.
Empower oversees the HideOut Youth Zone in Gorton, which opened in 2020, and the SYZ Salford Youth Zone, which is currently under development. SYZ is a state-of-the-art facility providing young people with more than 20 activities and a free hot meal per session, seven days a week. Construction on SYZ began at the end of January and is due to be completed in early 2025.
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Last Friday (28th June), EE announced its second Experience Store in Manchester, following much demand. A year after the first Experience Store opened in Manchester's Trafford Centre, it has seen a 25% increase in footfall compared to the area's previous store. And as part of EE's commitment to invest £6 million in brick-and-mortar retail this year, Manchester is now the first city to introduce two of the new store formats.
Former England and Manchester United footballer Wes Brown welcomed visitors to the store at 33 Market Street, which has been designed to guide visitors through the latest innovations across four key areas: gaming, work, learning and home, with dedicated experience zones and Tech Home areas.
Experience zones include a Welcome Zone, a Gaming Zone, Basecamp (an engaging area where customers can sit at workbenches and collaborative workstations to check their emails and chat with EE guides about products, services and repairs) and Tech Live, where customers can try out technology before they buy, for a more confident shopper experience.
The future of the connected home is also coming to life at the Manchester Experience Store, where shoppers can visualise their smart home set-up in a curated Tech Home area. With the help of the EE Guide, shoppers can explore the latest connected technology and online security tools to enhance their working from home experience, with superfast broadband solutions, smart TVs and connected speakers also on display.
Asif Aziz, retail director at EE, said: “Our research shows that Manchester is one of the most connected cities in the UK, and more devices means more opportunities to make the most of connected technology. It's been almost a year since we opened our first Experience Store in the Trafford Centre and to date we've seen a 25% increase in footfall compared to our previous store in the area. We're now opening a new location to help even more people in this great community explore their relationship with technology.”
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Chorley-based car hire company CP Davidson, part of the FZUK Group, has donated £150,000 over the past five years to the charity Inspire Youth Zone, which opened in 2018.
The company wanted to help create a place where young people could feel safe to open up, trust and ask for advice about anything going on in their life; a place where they could not only be themselves but also become the best version of themselves through experiences they wouldn't normally have.
Inspire Youth Zone is a renowned charity that aims to empower children and young people by providing education, mentorship and personal development opportunities. Through various programs and initiatives, Inspire aims to encourage and uplift the next generation and ensure they have the resources and support they need to thrive.
Stephen Davidson, contracting director at CP Davidson, said: “As a business with deep roots in the Chorley area, we recognise the importance of giving back and supporting initiatives that make a meaningful difference to children's lives. We're proud to be working with Inspire for Kids, who are on a mission to empower and inspire the next generation.”
Janine Blyth, CEO of Inspire Youth Zone, said: “The support Inspire has received from Philip and the whole team at CPD has been incredible. Even before Inspire officially opened in 2018, their senior team understood the difference our charity's work would make to the local community and were some of the first to step up to make this happen. Our partnership has gone from strength to strength since then and we're so grateful for their continued support.”