Champions column: Town’s wonderful location works perfectly for us

We work with different organisations to help them gain media coverage, alongside managing their social media, websites, and newsletters. We can help with anything that involves sharing your good news and spreading the word about what you do.

What has been the biggest achievement for your business over the last year?

One of the key achievements for the business has been welcoming a new member of staff. Jo has been with us for a year now, which is unbelievable. Also, we’ve had major success with some of our clients, including securing some fantastic on BBC Breakfast for Great British Car Journey based in Ambergate. We recently achieved a page of coverage in a national newspaper for the Youth Hostels Association (YHA), which was very exciting!

How would you describe Chesterfield and North Derbyshire, using only three words?

Work. Life. Balance!

What are your favourite places to visit in Chesterfield and why?

There are so many places that I love visiting and they’ve changed as my family has grown up. Once upon a time, I would have mentioned all the brilliant play centres! Now, we love going to restaurants like Bottle and Thyme. I’m really looking forward to trying their new restaurant based at the Elder Way development.

We also like getting out into the Peak District, or even enjoying lovely walks right on my doorstep in Wingerworth. The village also has Figaro, a fantastic vegan restaurant.

Why do you love working or doing business in Chesterfield or North Derbyshire?

I’ve already mentioned it above, but the work-life balance is excellent here. My commute to the office is hardly anything, plus, Chesterfield offers a central base for my business. We have clients all over the country. Working with YHA, we visit locations in Berwick in the northeast, right down to Land’s End… and I can get to them all really easily. We also work with plenty of clients here in Chesterfield and across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. The location works perfectly for us.

How are you supporting young people in your business?

We are keen on offering valuable work experience, and we have seen this pay off.

Some work experience students have even returned to work for us. The company is 13 years old so now we are seeing some of our original work experience students establish themselves in their careers, I was watching the BBC news recently, and a presenter popped up who had previously joined us on work experience from Tupton Hall School. That was a proud moment!

Which upcoming development do you think will have the greatest impact on the town and why?

One of the developments that I believe is already having a huge impact on Chesterfield is Chesterfield Waterside.

The homes have sold quickly and the office block, One Waterside Place, is fully tenanted now. I think people are realising the benefits of living next to the rail station and being able to walk into town.

In the town centre, I’m excited about the new leisure quarter being created at Elder Way. Hotpod Yoga and Bottle & Thyme are based there now, and there’s a real buzz being created in that part of town.

What is your vision for Chesterfield and North Derbyshire in 2030? What do you think the town needs to achieve this?

By 2030, I think we’ll see Chesterfield town centre transformed. It’s on a journey now. We are seeing development at Elder Way, the marketplace, and the Stephenson Memorial Hall. I’m looking forward to the Pomegranate Theatre reopening, as you can’t beat seeing a show there!