Based in the striking Grade II listed Richard Irvin building, the seven-surgery clinic has become a well-established provider of affordable cosmetic and general dentistry since its original launch in 2009. Now, under the ownership of Jarlath McAteer and Jamie Dury, the practice is undergoing a significant upgrade designed to increase clinical capacity and modernise facilities.

The investment includes:

• Construction of two additional state-of-the-art surgeries
• Installation of upgraded digital and clinical equipment
• Reconfigured workspace to accommodate a growing team
• Enhanced patient areas to improve comfort and accessibility

The expansion will also lead to the recruitment of two additional dentists and support staff, increasing access to care for the local community.

The practice currently employs 32 staff, including seven dentists, with further recruitment already underway ahead of completion. The expansion will increase clinical capacity at a time when access to dental care remains a significant issue across the region.

Images: Liam Oakes @liamoakesphoto    Drone shot: Zoe Robertson

Jarlath said: “We’ve always believed in the long-term future of this practice and of North Shields. This investment is about creating space to grow, improving patient experience, and ensuring we’re equipped with the very best clinical technology.”

Jamie added: “The Fish Quay is undergoing an exciting transformation, and we’re proud to be investing in one of its landmark buildings. This is about building something sustainable for the next generation of patients.”

The refurbishment is expected to complete in end of March, when Union Quay Dental will mark one year since the transition in ownership with a formal relaunch.

The development aligns with growing confidence in North Shields, as the town bids for UK Town of Culture 2028 status.

Further details on the full refurbishment and expansion will be announced in the coming weeks.

https://www.unionquaydental.co.uk/

MYTHOS MOZART is Vienna’s new immersive Mozart attraction, ideal for curious children, teens and parents alike. 

Located in the very building where Mozart spent the final year of his life and composed The Magic Flute, the Clarinet Concerto and the Requiem, this innovative experience brings Mozart’s world vividly to life.

Rather than a traditional museum, MYTHOS MOZART invites families to step inside Mozart’s imagination. 

Using music, light, animation and interactive technology, it presents Mozart not as a distant historical figure, but as a creative, playful and fascinating man.

Each room offers endless fun for families: –

Interactive portrait gallery 

Children of all ages will love the endless selfie moments here.  They scan their face onto a moving avatar of the 18th century to see how they’d look in the times of Mozart.  This picture is sent free via email, or a print version is available to buy.

Requiem – Mozart’s death

A moving installation of 1,500 LED candles set to Mozart’s final masterpiece, offering a quiet moment to reflect on Mozart’s immortality.

Vienna 1791 – The city of Mozart

A spectacular 45-metre-long, 360° animated panorama that transports visitors into Mozart’s Vienna, helping children visualise life in the city over 200 years ago.

World Music – A Little Night Music

A hands-on musical space where children can interact with Mozart’s famous melodies using instruments from around the world.

Genius – Mozart composes

Light and sound installations bring Mozart’s creative mind to life in a way that’s easy to understand for all ages.

The Magic Flute – Mozart forever

A digital artwork by new-media artist Refik Anadol uses artificial intelligence to reimagine Mozart’s music in a magical, visual world.

To celebrate Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 270th birthday on 27 January 2026, MYTHOS MOZART is offering a reduced ticket price of €19 from 26th until 30th January 2026. Children under six go free and for six to18-year-olds it is €12.

Often praised for its quiet streets, green spaces and relaxed pace, Vienna is a family-friendly city. Getting around is easy with free public transport for children, excellent walkability, and a welcoming atmosphere that makes travelling with kids feel easy. 

Beyond MYTHOS MOZART, Vienna offers a host of opportunities for family fun, from palace gardens and zoos to playground-filled parks, child-friendly cafés and cultural attractions that welcome young visitors. 

Why kids will love MYTHOS MOZART

It doesn’t feel like a museum – MYTHOS MOZART is full of colour, sound and movement, making it engaging even for children who don’t usually love history or classical music.

Music you can see and play – children can interact with Mozart’s famous melodies, explore instruments from around the world and experience music in hands-on play.

Immersive rooms that feel like stepping into a story – from walking through animated 18th-century Vienna to being surrounded by light, sound and digital art, kids feel part of the experience.

Short, varied sections – the attraction is designed in bite-sized installations, perfect for younger attention spans and easy to enjoy at your own pace.

A gentle introduction to classical music – Mozart’s music is presented in an accessible, modern way that sparks curiosity and imagination, without requiring any prior knowledge.

A calm, indoor activity – ideal for cooler winter days or rainy afternoons, MYTHOS MOZART offers a warm, relaxed space where families can explore together.

Teenagers will love the host of cool selfie moments.

To mark Mozart’s 270th birthday, MYTHOS MOZART is offering a reduced ticket price of €19 instead of 23 for Valentine’s Day.  Use code ITSAMATCH, valid until 14th February.

·       19% report site fees rising by 50%+ in just five years

·       88% believe they would lose money if they sold today – typically around £10,000

·       79% fear they could be priced out of their own park within five years

·       An estimated 6,169 holiday parks and campsites operating in the UK with a combined 439,828 pitches – meaning big money for unscrupulous dealings impacting individual owners

·       Sector is booming – bringing in £12.2bn in visitor expenditure, supports 226,745 jobs and accounts for 5% of UK’s tourism GDP – with visitors staying up to 82% longer than the tourism average (UKCCA)

For hundreds of thousands of lodge and caravan owners across the UK, what was sold as a place of escape has quietly become a source of anxiety, financial pressure and regret.

New research published today reveals a pattern of rising costs, limited transparency and deeply unfair resale outcomes that are leaving many owners feeling trapped in a system they no longer trust, often at the very moment they most need flexibility or a way out.

The findings are released alongside the launch of LodgesAndCaravans.ForSale, an entirely new, privately owned and operated, consumer-first resale platform created from the ground up in direct response to what its founders describe as systemic failure in the lodge and caravan resale market. Built in-house to ensure full independence, ethical control and consumer protection, the platform has been deliberately designed to avoid the conflicts of interest that dominate traditional park-led resale models.

The launch is backed by property expert and television personality Phil Spencer, who has invested in the business and joined the board as a Director, alongside founders Robert and Sarah Kingsley. Spencer’s involvement reflects what he describes as the scale and consistency of consumer harm in the sector, and the absence of any genuinely independent route to market for owners needing to sell.

While the UK holiday park sector is widely promoted as one of the country’s tourism success stories, generating £12.2 billion in visitor expenditure, supporting 226,745 jobs and accounting for 5% of the UK’s tourism GDP, the lived experience of ownership is telling a very different story.

Exclusive research conducted among 1,000 UK lodge and caravan owners shows that behind the glossy marketing, many owners are grappling with escalating costs, opaque rules and resale processes that heavily favour park operators over individual consumers. This pressure is intensifying as the market matures, the owner base ages, and life-event sales linked to health, bereavement and financial pressure become more common.

A system owners say they never fully understood until it was too late

The research exposes a market where critical financial and contractual details are routinely unclear at the point of purchase.

Around 33% of owners say the most financially important information was not clearly explained before they signed. Only 61% say resale commission was clearly set out, despite it directly determining how much money they can recover when selling. Just 60% say age limits or end-of-life rules were clearly explained, even though these dictate how long a unit can stay on a park and how much it will ultimately be worth.

Upgrade requirements were only clearly explained to 61%, while licence length was understood by just 66%, leaving nearly a third of owners unsure how long they could legally remain on their park.

For many, the true cost of ownership only becomes clear once they are already locked in, at which point options are limited and losses feel inevitable.

Rising costs, shrinking confidence

Once ownership begins, financial shocks are not the exception, they are the norm.

·        86% of owners say they have faced costs they did not expect after buying

·        Nearly 29% say those costs caused direct financial strain

·        Owners report sudden site fee hikes, unexpected maintenance bills, siting and relocation charges, administration fees and pressure to upgrade units simply to remain compliant with park rules

Exit costs, including resale commission, removal fees and restrictions on how and where a unit can be sold, are frequently only discovered when owners attempt to leave. This reinforces a sense that the system is designed to make exiting difficult.

At the centre of owners’ concerns are site fees that continue to rise year after year. Only 5% report little or no increase over the past five years. Nearly 74% have seen increases of 10% or more, while 19% report rises of 50% or more in just five years.

For older owners and retirees on fixed incomes, these increases are pushing affordability to breaking point.

Trapped by losses, burdened by stress

As costs rise, confidence collapses.

·        84% say fee increases have made them consider selling or leaving their park

·        45% say this happens often or very often

·        Yet 88% believe they would lose money if they sold today, most commonly between £5,000 and £20,000

The result is a growing sense of entrapment. Owners no longer enjoy their holiday home, but feel unable to leave without taking a significant financial hit.

The emotional toll is severe.

·        63% say caravan-related costs have affected their sleep

·        60% say their mental health has been affected

·        66% say their enjoyment of ownership has declined

·        62% say their overall quality of life has suffered

What was sold as a place to relax has become, for many, another source of worry.

Trust has broken down

Perhaps most striking is where owners now place their trust.

When asked who they would trust for advice on buying or selling, owners are more likely to name independent experts (39%) and specialist platforms (38%) than their own park (33%). This is a clear signal that confidence in the existing system has eroded.

That loss of trust has become the catalyst for change.

A new platform built to fix a broken system

The findings have driven the launch of LodgesAndCaravans.ForSale, a consumer-first platform designed to give owners a fair, transparent and genuinely independent route to resale.

The platform operates independently of park operators, using transparent, subscription-based listings rather than percentage resale commissions.

By using fixed, subscription-based listings rather than percentage commissions, the platform removes incentives to force undervaluation and aligns its interests with owners rather than transactions. It provides direct market access, pricing clarity, legal guidance and built-in safeguards for vulnerable customers, including human review, suitability checks and the ability to pause or redirect sales where selling may not be the right outcome.

Unlike traditional models, it is designed to say “no” when necessary, even if that means no sale.

Phil Spencer, property expert and consumer advocate, said:
“This should have been a dream purchase. For far too many people, it has quietly turned into a financial trap.”

“Owners tell us they were shown the lifestyle and the brochure, but not the full bill. And by the time the real costs, the rules and the restrictions become clear, they are already locked in.”

“What’s most concerning is how consistent these stories are. Rising fees, surprise charges, pressure to upgrade, then heavy losses when you try to leave. That is not bad luck. It is a system that simply is not working in the interests of consumers.”

“People would never buy a house without understanding every cost and every exit route. Holiday homes should be no different. This is about fairness, transparency and giving owners back control.”

Robert Kingsley, founder of LodgesAndCaravansForSale.co.uk, said:
“This platform exists because the resale system is failing owners, often at moments when they are most vulnerable.”

“We repeatedly saw people trying to sell because of illness, bereavement, financial pressure or changing circumstances, only to discover that the odds were stacked against them.”

“There was no genuinely independent route to market. So we built one. No commission, no hidden restrictions, no incentive to benefit from owner disadvantage, and the ability to say ‘don’t sell’ if selling is not the right thing to do.”

“Success for us is not volume. It is owners feeling informed, protected and treated with dignity.”

Demand for reform is overwhelming

The research shows the appetite for change is clear.

·        89% of owners say they would be likely to use a trusted, independent platform offering valuations, guidance and pressure-free selling

·        31% say they would be very likely to do so

With an estimated 6,169 holiday parks and campsites operating across the UK and nearly 440,000 pitches, the issue is not niche. It raises serious questions about consumer protection, transparency and whether something sold as a place to relax can still deliver peace of mind.

For many owners, the dream has already faded. The question now is whether the system can change, or whether thousands more will quietly find themselves stuck with an asset they can no longer afford, enjoy or escape.

Leaders from across the North West B Corp and business community travelled to Lancashire to celebrate the milestone and to visit The Wellbeing Farm, one of the first independent events and wedding venues in the UK to achieve B Corp certification and the first independent wedding venue in the world.

Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are businesses verified by the non-profit B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. The global B Corp movement now includes more than 10,400 companies across 163 industries and 103 countries, all committed to using business as a force for good.

Chris Turner, CEO of B Lab UK, said:
“It’s important for our board to experience the B Corp community across the whole country, and the Lancashire business community was incredibly welcoming. The Wellbeing Farm was the perfect venue for our board meeting, not only because of its beautiful setting, but because of its pioneering role in the B Corp movement.”

Speaking about Celia Gaze, CEO of The Wellbeing Farm and founder of Conscious Day, he added:
“I loved seeing the remarkable transformation of the farm and hearing the story behind its impact. Celia’s commitment, energy and belief in what business can achieve is inspirational, and we were delighted to bring the board to see the farm in action.”

Celia Gaze said:
“It was a privilege to welcome the B Corp family to our farm, to introduce them to our award-winning team and, of course, to our famous llamas, the true stars of the show. Hosting an anniversary event here in Bolton is a huge honour for both our business and the region.”

Celia also founded Conscious Day, an official international awareness day held on 13th March, designed to encourage individuals and organisations to pause, reflect and take meaningful action on their environmental and social impact.

“Climate change is the biggest challenge of our generation,” she said.

“Conscious Day invites everyone, just for one day, to stop and reflect on the legacy we’re creating. If we realise we are not on the right path, then let that moment inspire real, positive change.”

Following the success of previous events, Celia will once again host a B Corp Festival in summer 2026 at The Wellbeing Farm. Taking place on 3rd June it will be the festival’s fifth year and will feature inspirational speakers from across the ethical and sustainable business world, all sharing ideas and solutions to help create a fairer, greener future.

Full details about the B Corp festival and Conscious Day can be found at:
https://thewellbeingfarm.co.uk/whats-on/

The tenants have entered new direct leases following the expiry of Nottingham City Council’s historic lease. RO Real Estate can now progress upgrades to the building, including improvements to energy performance, the replacement or refurbishment of fan coil units, enhanced shower and WC facilities and an updated reception area. The new leases begin at £17.10 per sq ft and rise to £27.50 per sq ft by year five. 

TCS is a global leader in IT services, consulting and business solutions that partners with many of the world’s largest organisations. It has agreed a new five-year lease for the third floor, totalling 6,291 sq ft. A part of the Tata Group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has a highly skilled workforce across 55 countries and more than 200 service delivery centres worldwide. TCS has been in the UK for 50 years, and this new lease deal reflects its continued commitment to investing into the country as well as its regional presence in Nottingham.

In addition, a leading global professional services firm has recommitted to the building, taking the entire fourth floor, which extends to 6,291 sq ft. This large company has offices in more than 130 countries, and over 45,000 employees. The agreement with RO reaffirms the company’s long-term commitment to Nottingham, and the wider Midlands region.

Ed Davidson, Asset Management Director at RO Real Estate, commented:

“We are delighted that two major global occupiers have chosen to continue their occupancy at 37 Park Row. Both are well established in this strong location and have bought into our vision for modernising the building. We look forward to working with them in the coming months to bring the vision to life.”

37 Park Row is a 26,513 sq ft multi-let office building with 21 secure parking spaces, occupying a prime position in Nottingham’s historic Castle Quarter. The building sits close to major occupiers including KPMG, RBS and Eversheds and benefits from excellent access to the city’s retail and transport amenities.

Tata Consultancy Services Limited was advised by Spring 4 and Greenwoods Legal LLP; and RO Real Estate was advised by FHP and Womble Bond Dickinson.

As the government moves to abolish new leasehold tenures and crack down on unregulated agents, Watson is urging the wider UK property industry, including developers, Residents’ Management Companies (RMCs), and investors, to prepare for a market where professional accountability is no longer optional, but mandatory.

Watson MD Ian Omant explains: “The UK residential property sector is standing on the threshold of its most significant structural overhaul in decades. Following the government’s comprehensive announcements throughout 2024 and 2025 regarding Leasehold Reform, the era of the so-called “feudal” system is coming to a close.”

Ian observes that for Watson, a leading residential block management firm, these legislative changes are not a disruption, but a long-awaited validation of their business model, which is built on transparency, accreditation, and leaseholder empowerment.

“For years, the leasehold sector has been plagued by systemic issues that have disadvantaged millions of homeowners. We’re pleased to see that the government’s critique has been blunt: the system is outdated, and the property management sector suffers from a lack of regulation.”

He adds that Housing Ministers have rightly identified that, until now, anyone could establish themselves as a managing agent without formal training or oversight. This regulatory gap has allowed rogue agents to levy opaque service charges, neglect maintenance, and trap leaseholders in cycles of escalating costs.

Ian says: “At Watson, we recognise that the newly announced reforms tackle these injustices head-on. The key measures include four key elements.

“The first of these is standardised service charges, which will require detailed, clear breakdowns of costs to prevent hidden fees.

“Second, the shift to Commonhold will mean the abolition of leasehold for new flats, reinvigorating Commonhold as the default tenure. This will give owners true control over their buildings.

“Also, the regulation of agents will introduce mandatory qualifications and a code of practice to stamp out rogue operators.

“Finally,” adds Ian, “there will be a rebalancing of legal costs, preventing landlords from automatically passing their legal fees to leaseholders during disputes.”

Ian explains that the best-performing managing agents are already prepared for the future of housing.

He comments: “While much of the industry scrambles to adapt to these rigorous new standards, Watson has long anticipated this regulatory pivot.

“The government’s description of the sector as a ‘Wild West’ is accurate for too many, but it is a label we have worked tirelessly to distance ourselves from. As a firm already accredited by The Property Institute (TPI) and regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Watson has voluntarily adhered to the strict codes of conduct that the government is now seeking to legislate.”

Ian says that perhaps the most transformative element of the reforms is the shift in power. The government is making it easier for leaseholders to claim the Right to Manage (RTM), purchase their freehold, or convert to Commonhold. Crucially, the reforms will also grant leaseholders the power to veto and replace underperforming managing agents.

This specific change presents a significant risk to complacent agencies but an opportunity for client-focused firms.

“The ability for leaseholders to easily replace their managing agent is a major change for the industry,” says Ian.  “It introduces genuine market competition based on quality of service. We welcome this. We have supported numerous blocks in navigating the RTM process, transitioning them from developer control to resident control. We operate on the principle that we must earn our contract every day.”

As the UK moves toward a Commonhold-preferred future, he explains that developers must also pivot. The sale of new leasehold flats will eventually cease, replaced by structures where residents own the freehold collectively. This requires a management partner who understands the intricacies of resident-led governance.

Ian suggests that for existing RMC directors currently navigating the complexities of the Building Safety Act and the new leasehold reforms, the need for a qualified partner has never been greater. He says that the days of the “amateur” agent are numbered. Compliance regarding fire safety, insurance commissions, and client money protection requires a level of professional rigour that only regulated firms can provide.

“The reforms are broad and complex, and our white paper has been produced to help owners and RMC directors understand the scale of positive legislative changes that are imminent. It’s designed as a practical guide to the legislative changes that property owners expect and deserve.”

The Watson white paper ‘UK Leasehold Reforms: Government Steps Up to Strengthen Leaseholder Rights.’ is available as a download from the Watson website, www.watsonpm.co.uk.

Monigaff Parish Church, in Minnigaff, Newton Stewart, dates from 1836 and was built in the gothic revival style by the noted Scottish architect William Burn. The B-listed building, a former Church of Scotland, will feature in the next live-streamed national property auction held by SDL Property Auctions, part of Eddisons, on 27 November.

The church is being auctioned with planning consent already in place for conversion to a single home, which auctioneers say offers a unique opportunity to create a “one-of-a-kind residence” within a landmark building that forms an important part of the area’s architectural heritage.

Set in the heart of Minnigaff, the church is rich in historic detail. Among its many interesting features are two early cross slabs, one thought to date from the 8th century with Irish influence, ornate stained glass windows by Wailes of Newcastle and Ballantine of Edinburgh, and a church organ by Bryceson of London, believed to be one of the first installed in south-west Scotland in 1872. The surrounding grounds include the ruins of a 13^th or 14th-century church, two 17th-century gravestones, and the sarcophagus of William Stewart, located on the site of an ancient motte and bailey castle.

Andrew Parker, partner and auctioneer at SDL Property Auctions, said: “This is a special property and a rare opportunity for someone to bring a much-loved and historic local landmark building back to life.

“Because it has planning consent already in place and has such a wealth of original character and features, it would be a superb project for anyone looking to create a remarkable home while preserving an important piece of the heritage of the village in this beautiful area of Scotland.”

The former church will feature in SDL Property Auctions’ live-streamed auction on 27 November. For further details, or to register to bid remotely online, by phone or by proxy, visit sdlauctions.co.uk.

https://tynesidecinema.co.uk/event/dragonfly-andrea-riseborough-qa/

This event offers the opportunity to hear directly from some of Britain’s most versatile actors and the film’s director about the making of Dragonfly – their inspirations, the process, and the themes behind the film. Brenda Blethyn (Vera) plays Elsie, a lonely pensioner whose life is transformed when her younger neighbour Colleen (Andrea Riseborough) moves in and begins to care for her. As their unlikely friendship develops, simmering tensions with Elsie’s son John (Jason Watkins) bring shocking consequences in a story that explores loneliness, connection and consequence in contemporary Britain. 

Event details:

• Date & time: Tue 4 Nov 2025, 19:00 
• Venue: Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle upon Tyne

This is a rare opportunity for audiences in the North East to experience a major screening augmented by the creative voices behind the film. Andrea Riseborough’s performance has been widely heralded, and with director Paul Andrew Williams and Brenda Blethyn joining us, attendees will gain insight not only into the story’s emotional core but also the broader creative and production decisions. It’s an event for cine-enthusiasts, media, and fans of the cast. 

Tyneside Cinema is an independent cultural venue renowned for its curated film program, community focus and historic art-deco auditorium. They regularly host premieres, Q&A events and special screenings, making them a hub for cinephiles in the North East.

Tickets are available now BOOK HERE. Early booking recommended as places are limited.

The construction sector also sees a rise for Q4 2025 in the percentage of small businesses forecasting  contraction or decline (30%, up from 17% last Quarter). This comprises of 20% of small business owners that forecast their business with scale down or contract in the final three months of the year – with 10% saying they will struggle to survive.

When it comes to the percentage of small businesses that predict growth for the final three months of 2025, the construction sector trails the national average (25%) and most of the other industry sectors polled.

Jo Morris, Head of Insight at Novuna Business Finance comments: “Small business growth forecasts in the construction sector are down for the final months of the year. There are various factors at play. Market uncertainty is something small businesses do not like, US tariffs have been a cause of concern through 2025 and, for many small businesses, the long tail of Brexit still impacts business confidence – with fewer small businesses today looking to open up trading opportunities in EU markets. The looming Autumn Budget is also a concern for many, as there has been a lot of speculation about possible tax rises. At Novuna Business Finance we remain committed to helping established small businesses to secure funding to power future growth.”