Burnt Faith, the British Isle’s first dedicated brandy house has opened in Walthamstow following the comprehensive refurbishment of a 250 sq m industrial unit which stands on the site of a former Pentecostal church.  Work on the building’s transformation was carried out by BRAC Contracts and follows a series of work they carried out on the nearby Lockwood Way industrial estate. Simon Wright, founder of Burnt Faith, is a serial entrepreneur in the drinks space and known for breathing fresh life into staid categories.  Walthamstow proved to be the perfect home for the new urban distillery given its vibrancy and creativity, as Simon comments: “This three-year journey was inspired by a trip to Cognac which triggered the seed of the idea for Burnt Faith. I left inspired, not by what Cognac brands are but more by what they could never be. With a vision to push the boundaries of what brandy could be, we were keen to establish Burnt Faith in an area that is buzzing with creativity.  Walthamstow is already home to several breweries and a winery, so it felt like the perfect fit. “The BRAC team had worked on several of the breweries nearby so seeing the quality of those buildings and their creative aesthetic, made them the perfect choice for our project.” The £150k scheme of work on Burnt Faith’s two-storey distillery included full re-wiring and plumbing, lighting throughout, new bathroom facilities, a comprehensive re-paint both inside and out, and most notably the cutting of a 3x8m hole in the ceiling to accommodate the pot still which was imported from France. Commenting on the work carried out by BRAC, Simon continues: “There was a strong vision for the aesthetic of Burnt Faith painted onto a relatively blank canvas. It’s been a journey creatively and the BRAC team was very responsive to the adaptations we’ve made as we’ve gone along – the quality of their work is absolutely clear in the finish we’ve achieved here.” Concluding, Adam Clark, MD at BRAC Contracts, comments: “Having worked on the nearby Lockwood Way industrial estate where there are so many entrepreneurial drinks businesses, it was an honour to be approached by Simon and the team at Burnt Faith to bring their vision to life.  Dealing with the nuances of accommodating a pot still isn’t a challenge we face every day at BRAC, but it’s one that the team dealt with admirably and the distillery is now a truly beautiful and contemporary space. “Walthamstow is enjoying a huge amount of investment and we’d be delighted to work on further projects in the area.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

JW FILSHILL, one of Scotland’s oldest independent food and drink wholesalers, has completed its relocation from Hillington to its purpose-built distribution centre at Westway near Glasgow Airport. The phased move kickstarts an exciting period of growth for the fifth-generation family business that supplies KeyStore convenience stores across Scotland and the north of England plus national accounts including the Scottish Prison Service. It also has 1,600 independent customers. Filshill, which last year ramped up investment ahead of its move to its new distribution centre with the acquisition of the independent Iain Hill Ltd wholesale business, has relocated its distribution centre and head office in order to future-proof the business. Simon Hannah, Filshill’s chief executive officer, said that the new 120,400 sq ft depot at Westway will allow the wholesaler to increase its operational capacity and open more stores in Scotland and the north of England, from Wick in the far north to Doncaster in south Yorkshire. “Operating out of these bespoke premises, which have been designed to our exact specification as part of our 10-year growth strategy, will improve our efficiency and productivity as we invest in the long-term success of the company, protect future revenue streams and increase customer satisfaction,” he said. “We are an award-winning wholesaler with ambitious growth plans and our new distribution centre puts us in an ideal position to achieve our ambitions, expand the KeyStore estate, and work in partnership with our customers and suppliers for mutual benefit.” Mr Hannah said that the acquisition of Iain Hill, a wholesaler with a strong foothold in soft drinks, confectionery, snacks and other impulse products, had bolstered Filshill’s modern fleet of vehicles as well as strengthening its pool of experienced staff. “While we are disappointed that the pandemic and unforeseen planning issues delayed our move to Westway, we are delighted to now be fully operational as a business from what is one of the most modern and efficient food and drink distribution depots in the UK. “Westway is the culmination of considerable planning to create the infrastructure that will enable us to recognise our ambitions and we will use the facility to drive unrivalled operational efficiency and promote the keenest prices as we aspire to become the most frictionless wholesaler in Scotland for our customers and suppliers to do business with. “Incorporating the high-level skills of our people across the business and the most up-to-date technology and equipment, Westway marks the start of a new phase of a journey for the Filshill family that started in Paisley in 1875.” The 16-metre-high warehouse – which has 211 solar panels covering 400 sqm of roof space – has 12 loading docks and an innovative four-floor pick tower which can hold approximately 1,520 pallets and, in addition, standard storage racking with capacity to hold 8,650 pallets. Gravity-fed live racking benefits from a semi-automated shuttle system which holds 1,155 pallets of Filshill’s fastest-selling products, generating significant operational efficiency. Filshill, meanwhile, has developed the new distribution centre in adherence to its long-established strategy around benchmarking its carbon footprint, identifying areas where it can positively influence a reduction in its carbon impact and work towards a net-zero emissions position. “We are delighted to see Filshill’s fantastic new purpose-built facility officially open here at Westway” said Rob Large, director of Canmoor. “It is a tremendous endorsement to Westway and we are thrilled to assist Filshill in facilitating its exciting and ambitious expansion plans in both UK and international markets.” In the last financial year, driven by Filshill’s environmental team, the company saw a reduction of 9% in its intensity ratio measure of carbon per case delivered. The new premises provide electric vehicle charging points and a wildflower garden is being created. Beehives are also being put in place. The distribution centre has also been designed with the comfort of staff in mind with internal office accommodation carefully created to make the most of natural light and provide colleagues with a comfortable working environment that will help boost both productivity and mental health. Filshill’s 10-year strategy focuses heavily on engagement with its workforce on health and wellbeing, particularly with regard to mental health. “This remains at the heart of our strategy and we recognise that as a responsible employer we need to do this not only for our employees and their families but also because of the positive impact it has on our business and our customers. “Our safety-first culture is a cornerstone of everything we do and our workforce retention and ability to recruit has been positively impacted by these initiatives. The new working environment at Westway will further cement this commitment.” Filshill saw turnover increase to £200 million – up 4.4% from £191 million – in the year ending January 31, 2022. Operating profits increased from £2.3 million to £2.7 million while it recorded gross profit of £17 million with net assets growing to £17.1 million compared to £15.2 million the previous year, an increase of 12.6%. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

Commercial developer, Brackley Property Developments (BPD) has secured funding for the construction of a new industrial/warehouse building on a two-acre development site in Northamptonshire. The commercial developer has entered into a full forward funding agreement with specialist property investment firm, Leftfield for the speculative development of the new unit at Cockerell Road in Corby. Work has commenced on the development, which gained planning consent from North Northamptonshire Council towards the end of last year. The new 43,000 sq ft unit will contain two dock loading doors, two level access sectional overhead doors and ancillary office space, as well as staff and visitor parking. It is programmed for completion in Q3 2023. Stephen Pedrick-Moyle, managing director of BPD, said: “This is an exciting mid-box development opportunity in a prominent, well located site. The new unit will offer occupiers the chance to secure high quality industrial/warehouse accommodation north of Corby town centre and within close proximity of a large local labour supply. “We are very pleased to further our relationship with Leftfield, following our development of 110,000 sq ft of new industrial accommodation at Leftfield Park in Walsall.” Nico Fourie, chief executive of Leftfield Advisors, said: “Leftfield Fund III continues to accumulate strategic assets in key locations. Our conviction to the sector requires quality buildings, which attract strong covenants. We are delighted to work closely again with BPD on this new project.”Cockerell Road is an established commercial location, with occupiers including Wickes and Andrews Building Supplies. The nearby A6003 provides direct access to junction 7 of the A14 dual carriageway and main arterial routes. TDB Real Estate acted on behalf of BPD and Bampton Satchwell Bull (BSB) acted on behalf of Leftfield. Prop-Search advised the vendor during the original site acquisition process. For all enquiries please contact retained letting agents, Christian Smith at Savills or Oliver Thompson of TDB Real Estate.   Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

Wilton Developments has purchased the 33-acre Dynamo Park site on Cheltenham Road in Stockton-On-Tees for an undisclosed sum. The developer behind the successful 70-acre Turbine Business Park in Sunderland intends to capitalise on its extensive experience in the region to deliver another high quality commercial scheme, as part of its commitment to logistics and industrial space in the Northern Power House. The scheme has the capability to deliver circa 600,000 sq. ft. of industrial, storage and warehouse space on a prime A19 frontage, adjacent to the junction for the popular retail and trade location at Portrack Lane. The site benefits from an outline planning permission for almost 400,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and reserved matters (detailed) permission for circa 220,000 sq. ft. Together this could foster more than 1,070 jobs on the site, with many more in associated supply chains linked to the scheme. Jason Stowe, Managing Director of Wilton Developments, said: “The scheme will deliver high quality employment space, job opportunities, inward investment and economic growth in the area, capitalising on the lack of available opportunities in the wider north east for businesses wanting to upgrade their facilities to new levels of design and ESG credentials. “The acquisition provides a great opportunity to deliver a variety of industrial, storage and warehouse space adjacent to the A19.” Wilton Developments is active across the north of England, where the company has delivered prime new build and refurbished commercial space, including the recently completed Latitude logistics development on the M62 near Leeds and Enterprise Park in Barnsley, both for CBRE Investment Managers. The company is also behind the recently completed four unit scheme at Turbine Business Park for Block Industrial and the forthcoming Leeds 500, which is the largest single unit distribution scheme in the city, with reserved matters consent providing approximately 500,000 sq. ft. of BREEAM Excellent logistics/industrial space alongside the M1 at Junction 47. The company also secured the largest single reserved matters planning permission in the UK for 1.15 million sq. ft. of industrial space at Doncaster North, as part of a 2.26 million sq ft of reserved matters consents in the first phase. These consents are part of Wilton’s wider 3.5 million sq ft industrial and logistics development close to the M62/M18 interchange which is set to create around 8,500 jobs for the region. More information will be available at the UKREiiF in Leeds this May, where Wilton Developments will be exhibiting and speaking. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

GMI Construction Group PLC has completed a 260,000 square foot medical distribution centre in West Yorkshire. The facility at Wakefield Hub has been built on behalf of developer HBD and Yorkcourt for PHOENIX Group and will serve the NHS and pharmacies across the UK. The build programme generated around 150 construction jobs and the completed facility has the potential to create 100 new jobs. Constructed over 12 months, it features 22 dock level loading bays and seven level access doors to enable the productive arrival and distribution of medical products. The building is also highly energy efficient, with the inclusion of solar PV panels and 46 electric car charging bays.  It also sits among landscaped grounds incorporating a balancing pond plus improvements to surrounding paths and bridleways. Wakefield Hub is a prime location for industrial and logistics operators, boasting unrivalled access to the M62, M1 and A1. Existing occupiers include Kitwave Wholesale Group and Newcold.  It is being delivered in joint venture by HBD and Yorkcourt and, spanning 200-acres, is one of the largest regeneration projects of its kind in the North of England. Andrew Hurcomb, Managing Director Yorkshire at GMI Construction, said: “This has been another landmark project for GMI both in terms of the benefits it will bring to PHOENIX, its pharmacies and their customers, but also as another important investment in the Yorkshire economy.  “This project is generating valuable employment opportunities and further enhancing the area’s reputation as a key logistical hub.  We are proud to have delivered this scheme as part of our longstanding relationship with HBD and its JV partner Yorkcourt.” Tom Wheldon, Director and Head of Region at HBD, said: “We’re pleased to be able to welcome PHOENIX Group to Wakefield Hub – its new purpose-built base coupled with unrivalled access to the motorway network will no doubt prove a successful new location as it targets further growth.” Scott Mackie, Director at Yorkcourt, said: “PHEONIX is an excellent addition to Wakefield Hub and their choice to open here, along with the successful forward funding agreement with clients of Abrdn, is not only a vote of confidence in the scheme but in the region as a place to invest. It’s very positive news for the city.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals