Boost for national charities
June 2010
Our Charity and Sponsorship Panel has donated £6,000 to two national charities chosen by company employees.
A staff vote in May showed overwhelming support for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Over The Wall, which provides residential activity camps for children affected by serious illness. The donation will help Over The Wall to keep providing climbing walls, art and craft materials, disco nights, archery, falconry and fencing at their activity camps.
Simons’ Paul Vine collected the cheque on behalf of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, having made the original application for a donation. His granddaughter was born with the condition and in recognition of this, the Trust asked if Paul would accept the cheque on their behalf.
Dawn Osko-Steer, spokesperson for the Trust, said: "Thank you for this wonderful donation. This will not only help us to support those with cystic fibrosis in all aspects of their lives, but it will also enable us to conduct research into this life-threatening condition”.
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Debenhams gets the thumbs up
April 2010
Carmarthen's newest department store is now open as part of Simons' St. Catherine's Walk development.
The two-storey flagship Debenhams opened alongside a host of new retailers and leisure facilities on Friday 30 April, and eager shoppers were soon inside making the most of their new retail options!
Debenhams Project Manager Chris Halstead said: "Simons completed the store on 1 April, and throughout this project the production team have been excellent. Without their knowledge, expertise and drive, I personally do not think they would have achieved project completion, given that the construction programme was so compact from the offset. Should I ever carry out a project with Simons again, I would definitely request the same team as they have certainly gained my trust and I would be confident in them delivering another quality project."
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St. Catherine's Walk opens
April 2010
It might have been raining, but the weather was no match for Carmarthen's locals when it came to exploring their new shopping centre.
Store merchandising teams worked into the night to apply the finishing touches to their brand new units, opened the following morning by Carmarthen Journal competition winner Christine Jones. Locals soon ventured into their flagship Debenhams store, Next, Vision Express, Carphone Warehouse, Cotswold, Pizza Express, Frankie and Benny's, Costa and fully digital, 3D six-screen cinema. More shops, including Topshop, Miss Selfridge and River Island, will open towards the end of May.
Paul Hodgkinson, Simons Chairman and Chief Executive, said: "Thank you to Carmarthen for having welcomed us so much and to have allowed us to make an interesting collection of opportunities into the fantastic facility we have today."
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St. Catherine's Walk - complete!
April 2010
Carmarthen's new retail and leisure development has hit completion on time and is now undergoing final preparations before it opens to the public on Friday 30 April. Merchandising teams for retailers including Debenhams, Cotswolds and Quiksilver are on site, and those from Next, Carphone Warehouse and Vision Express will arrive next week.
June Harvey, Senior Project Manager, said: “It’s almost eight years to the day since we first sat down and discussed the scheme with the council, and we're delighted to have reached this stage. We’ve overcome some significant challenges, not to mention difficult weather conditions along the way, and it’s great to see it coming to life.
“The whole team has worked extremely hard to keep up local relationships and minimise disruption to those whose homes back onto the mile-long site boundary. There seems to be quite a buzz of excitement to get into the new shops, and we hope that they enjoy the scheme. Their support has been very much appreciated.”
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Considerate construction receives national recognition
April 2010
Simons has received national recognition for the considerate construction of one of Tesco's newest stores in Litherland.
Members of the team were presented with a Considerate Constructors Scheme Silver Award at a ceremony on Tuesday 20 April.
The site was commended for high standards of safety, environmental awareness, considerate working, cleanliness and respect, and recognised for exceptional achievement in responsibility and accountability.
Paul Davis, Simons' Account Director for Tesco, said: "Well done to everyone involved in achieving this. Very few retail schemes were recognised, so being one of them is certainly something to be very proud of."
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Ready to go...
April 2010
Carmarthen's newest department store is almost ready to go.
The two-storey Debenhams will open alongside a host of new retailers and leisure facilities on Friday 30 April, as part of Simons' St. Catherine's Walk development.
Debenhams Project Manager Chris Halstead said: "Simons completed the store on 1 April, and throughout this project the production team have been excellent. Without their knowledge, expertise and drive, I personally do not think they would have achieved project completion, given that the construction programme was so compact from the offset. Should I ever carry out a project with Simons again, I would definitely request the same team as they have certainly gained my trust and I would be confident in them delivering another quality project."
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A single Simons business for new financial year
As of 1 April 2010, Simons will operate as a single, customer-focused organisation that combines our development, design and construction services. While our values remain strong and unchanged, as does our strategy (see Simons’ At a glance download), it is important that we are in a position to understand our customers’ ‘DNA’ and remain highly responsive to their needs.
In order the achieve this, we have removed the three operating companies previously in place and replaced them with a single new Operating Board:
New Business
Philip Hodgkinson – responsible for:
Working with a team of account directors to provide a first-class single solution for new and existing customers.
Finance and Commercial
Jim Kendall – responsible for:
Challenging and driving down costs;
Managing and developing our approach to risk management;
Providing commercial visibility.
Chief Executive
Paul Hodgkinson – responsible for:
Achieving our company's vision;
Driving performance and management to build robust delivery teams;
Implement one Integrated Management System.
Construction solutions and delivery
Alan Barnes – responsible for:
Delivery of bid solutions and supply chain management;
Ensuring that construction solutions are properly resourced according to customer requirements.
Development solutions and delivery
Patrick Murphy – responsible for:
Delivery of development solutions.
Our new shape will allow us to work more easily and more effectively, with clear points of responsibility.
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Intelligent solutions for a new Mental Health Care Unit
March 2010
Barnet and Enfield NHS Trust will shortly take delivery of a new medium secure Mental Health Care Unit at its main campus in Enfield. A small team from Simons (working on behalf of Medicinq) is working side-by-side with clinical teams from the trust to complete a new home for around 40 patients all of whom are currently staying in temporary accommodation nearby.
The highly specialist unit has been designed to accommodate patients who require constant care within the unit. As part of this, we've taken into account the very latest in anti-ligature measures in its construction ranging from collapsable curtain tracks, touch sensitive toilet facilities, specialist handles and levers, curved fixtures and fittings and anti-ligature vents and windows.
The flagship unit will be fully open early Summer 2010.
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Contract signing marks new chapter for Hitchin town centre
March 2010
North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) has confirmed that Simons will lead the proposed redevelopment of Hitchin’s Churchgate shopping centre. Simons’ winning proposals for the multi-million pound retail-led, mixed-use scheme will be prepared for public consultation, now that a contract has been signed.
Philip Hodgkinson, Simons’ Deputy Chairman, said: “We are delighted to have been selected for this exciting and significant project. The current plans represent our vision of what we feel we could deliver but they will of course be subject to a full consultation process, during which the whole community will be fully involved.”
Cllr F J Smith, Leader of NHDC, said: “We have spent a long time looking for the right developer to enhance Hitchin’s historic market character. This development represents a huge investment by NHDC and Simons in the future of Hitchin."
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A new Bio Research Unit at the heart of a busy working hospital
March 2010
High up on the roof of the Nottingham University Queens Medical Centre campus, the Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre is about to open a brand new Bio Research Unit. A highly-trained team of 30 people from Simons (working in association with Medicinq) have overcome a combination of severe restrictions on access, space and noise to deliver a state-of-the-art unit on time and on budget.
Our team has been acutely aware of the need to be ''invisible'' at all times. The scheme is overlooked by the paediatric ward so one-way reflecting glass was set up to maintain patient privacy but allow the children to watch the construction work in progress. Over the weeks, our team mingled with clinical teams and visitors in the canteen (without hi-vis vests and helmets) and they became part of the life of a busy working hospital. The team has worked side-by-side with clinical teams to source and install specialist equipment and many of the principal suppliers were sourced locally in Nottingham.
The official launch of the unit will take place in April!
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Board decision fills "missing piece" of regeneration jigsaw
March 2010
Supermarket giant Morrisons looks set to move forward with plans for a 55,000 sq ft flagship store in Bargoed (South Wales), having received Board Approval.
The store will sit alongside new retail units, public spaces and car parking facilities as part of a scheme proposed by Caerphilly County Borough Council and its preferred developer, Simons.
Leader of the council, Lindsay Whittle, said: "This announcement, together with commitments from the council and the Welsh Assembly Government, will mean that the missing piece of the jigsaw for Bargoed's regeneration is in place."
A spokesperson for Morrisons added: "We now look forward to working with CCBC, WAG and Simons to help deliver this important project."
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National recognition for Marriotts Walk
February 2010
West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) has won a national Community Partnerships Award for Witney's Marriotts Walk scheme.
The award recognises the effective collaboration between WODC, Simons, the local community and various agencies to complete a regeneration scheme that has provided housing, jobs, shops, restaurants and free parking.
The awards adjudication panel said: “Marriotts Walk is an impressive development with a lot of positive outcomes. It has brought together a lot of people and engaged a wide range of stakeholders.”
Cllr Barry Norton, Leader of West Oxfordshire District Council said: “This is an excellent example of how partnership working improves communities."
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Tesco DC is up, running and energy efficient
February 2010
Tesco’s newest distribution centre has opened on time with a grade A in energy performance, exceeding the benchmark of similar existing and new-build facilities.
The 550,000 sq ft centre stores chilled goods in Avonmouth, Bristol and is the third new-build we’ve completed for Tesco; the first a traditional store and petrol station in Litherland, Liverpool and the second a new-format eco-store in Crediton, Devon. The rating was confirmed through assessment of the building fabric, heating, ventilation, cooling and lighting.
All three facilities have opened on time or ahead of schedule to make the most of seasonal trade.
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Princess Anne opens Carmarthen market hall
January 2010
Princess Anne has opened Carmarthen's new indoor market, taking the town a step closer to a brighter town centre.
The market is part of the St. Catherine’s Walk scheme, developed with Carmarthenshire County Council and funded by Invista; due to bring new retailers, brands and facilities to the town when it opens in April.
Jo Scott, Head of Retail at Invista, said: “Princess Anne's endorsement of the scheme not only pays tribute to the vision, attention to detail and success that we have had in bringing this development scheme forward in partnership with Simons, but also recognises the crucial impact that it will have on the local community and wider region. We are delighted to have her support and celebrate what is a big day for everyone involved."
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New year, new fish tank
January 2010
Carmarthen’s Myrddin Day Centre may be starting 2010 with a few extra, slightly fishy guests.
Staff working at the day centre were approached by Simons before Christmas, after St. Catherine’s Street re-opened following a 15-week closure to prepare the area for the new St. Catherine’s Walk shopping centre.
The closure had increased travel times to and from the centre, and the site team wanted to thank them for their patience.
Clive Pugh, Public Liaison Officer for Simons, said: “We contacted the centre manager and she suggested that a fish tank would be a permanent feature that their clients would appreciate. The tank now takes pride of place in the main entrance foyer.
“We’re always aware of the potential disruption our work can cause, and hope that this donation goes some way to show how much we appreciate the good will shown towards us during what has been a very busy period.”
Several units have now been handed over to retailers for fit out works to begin, and the scheme will open in April 2010.
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Tesco stores hit early completion
December 2009
Tesco's new-format eco-store in Crediton, Devon, made the most of Christmas trade thanks to early completion.
The 100,000 sq ft store, car park and petrol station opened in early December, shortly after Tesco Litherland, Liverpool, also completed by Simons.
Next on the list is a 550,000 sq ft chilled distribution centre in Avonmouth, Bristol, due for completion in early 2010.
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Planning decision paves way for progress
October 2009
Planning permission to build a brand new 150,000 sq ft M&S store at Cheshire Oaks, Ellesmere Port, has been approved by Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, John Denham MP.
The Cheshire Oaks store, when it opens in early 2012, will become the second largest M&S store in the UK, after its Marble Arch flagship. It will offer a full range of womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, home furnishings and electricals, as well as a 950-space car park, restaurant, food hall and cafe. It will also feature a range of sustainable technologies in line with the brand's Plan A environmental strategy.
Site works will begin in February 2010.
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Marriotts Walk: Open!
October 2009
Witney shoppers and local residents are celebrating the opening of their new retail development today, with a little help from a certain MP.
Shops including M&S, Debenhams and Dorothy Perkins opened their doors yesterday, but will welcome David Cameron MP onto the development today. He'll take a tour of the scheme's new stores, free 650-space car park, cinema, restaurants and the first batch of 138 apartments, before taking to the stage and unveiling a commemorative plaque in the main square.
The scheme has been developed by Simons, West Oxfordshire District Council and Kandahar.
Take a closer look at the scheme here.
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