The Brutalist co-produced by son of Welsh tech billionaire Sir Terry Matthews nominated for 10 Oscars
The Brutalist, co-produced by the son of Welsh tech billionaire Sir Terry Matthews, has been nominated for 10 Oscars including for the coveted best picture. After success at the Golden Globe Awards earlier month, where it took the best film category, as well as for lead actor and director, The Brutalist is now being tipped for Oscar success. The film’s producers include Trevor Matthews the founder and chief executive of Brookstreet Pictures and its president Nick Gordon. The cinematic historical drama explores themes of ambition, identity and the ‘American dream’ in the journey of an Hungarian architect, László Toth, played by Adrien Brody, a Holocaust survivor who emigrates to post-war America. The film, directed, Brady Corbert, runs for nearly four hours, with a built in 15 minute intermission. As well as for best picture its other Oscar nominations include best director, best actor and actor in a supporting role (Australian Guy Pearce). The Oscars will be held in Hollywood on March 2 and hosted by Conan O’ Brien. Trevor grew up Canada before moving to the US to pursue his career as an actor and producer. He regularly visits family in Wales and is hoping the country’s growing reputation in the movie industry will make it a future filming location for Brookstreet Pictures projects. The company’s name is derived from the road in Abercarn where his father used to play as a child before emigrating to Canada and making his fortune in telecommunications and technology. The company, which is headquartered in Los Angeles, also has a base in Wales at the Celtic Manor Resort in the Newport. Having graduated from the New York Film Academy, Trevor founded Brookstreet Pictures in 2004 and has worked with actors including Bruce Willis, Michael Keaton, Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain. Current film projects from Brookstreet Pictures include being a co-producer of the upcoming Mr Burton, a biopic of the early life of Welsh actor Richard Burton starring Toby Jones and Aneurin Barnard. The project has seen Trevor spending more time in Wales. He said: “My family supported my film making journey from the beginning. They always believed that success would come if I worked hard at it. “I love visiting Wales. It is a home from home, I bring my family to visit friends and family every year. We love the beaches and the beautiful countryside. “It’s been fantastic to see the development of Wales as a filming location for some of the biggest movies and TV shows in recent years and I am excited about making more movies in Wales. The industry and talent is excellent.”
Cuadrilla to close UK's last fracking wells despite dwindling gas stocks
The UK's final fracking wells are set to be sealed and filled with cement, despite warnings of dwindling gas reserves. In an open letter, the North Sea Transition Authority regulator instructed energy company Cuadrilla to seal the two wells at Preston New Road in Lancashire before decommissioning them by 30th June 2025, as reported by City AM. On Tuesday evening, Cuadrilla confirmed that work to decommission the sites would commence next month. Since 2019, there has been a moratorium on fracking in England, primarily due to environmental concerns. While the sector had its supporters, some experts argue that fracking for shale gas in the UK was never going to be viable. However, in a defiant statement, Cuadrilla contended that the UK’s gas supply was depleting. National Gas data reveals that UK gas reserves are approximately 36 per cent lower than last year's level. "The UK is heavily reliant on natural gas to keep the lights on, to heat our homes and to provide cost effective energy to British industry. That dependence will continue for the next several decades," said Francis Egan, chief executive of Cuadrilla. "Yet nearly two thirds of all the gas we use comes from abroad, including liquefied natural gas from countries like Algeria, Qatar, Egypt and Angola." "Domestically produced gas is four times cleaner than LNG imports and it’s possible to have a reliable and secure supply, produced here at home." Lord Mackinlay, Chair of the Net Zero Scrutiny Group, has criticised Labour's stance on shale gas: "Back in 2022, I asked the previous Conservative government not to commit the madness of concreting up a promising and valuable shale gas site."
Sainsbury's to axe 3,000 jobs and close all remaining in-store cafes
Sainsbury's, the supermarket behemoth, has revealed it will be cutting over 3,000 jobs as it plans to shut down all of its in-store cafes. The restructuring is set to impact two per cent of its vast workforce of 148,000 and will also lead to the redundancy of around 20 per cent of Sainsbury's senior leadership roles, as reported by City AM. This move is part of Sainsbury's strategy to streamline their business with an emphasis on fewer, larger roles and a simplified structure for head office and managing teams. The company also disclosed its decision to close down the last 61 Sainsbury's Cafes pending consultation, citing that most customers infrequently use the cafes, while in-store food halls and concessions have seen rising popularity. Chief Executive Simon Roberts highlighted the challenging financial climate impacting the supermarket industry. He stated: "As we accelerate into year two and beyond of our strategy, we are facing into a particularly challenging cost environment which means we have had to make tough choices about where we can afford to invest and where we need to do things differently to make our business more efficient and effective." He added: "The decisions we are announcing today are essential to ensure we continue to drive forward our momentum but have also meant some difficult choices impacting our dedicated colleagues in a number of parts of our business." Roberts concluded with a commitment to support the affected staff, asserting: "We’ll be doing everything we can to support anyone impacted by today’s announcements." Following the festive season, Sainsbury’s – parent company of Argos and Habitat – announced earlier this month that it experienced its "biggest ever Christmas". The retail giant reported a 3.8 per cent uplift in sales during the six-week period leading up to January 4th.
Earthmoving works help Hargreaves Services boost revenue and profitability
Industrial group Hargreaves Services says it is on track to meet full year expectations having grown revenue by more than 13% in the six months to December. New, unaudited interim results for the County Durham group show revenue of £125.3m, up from £110.2m in the same period 2023. Pre-tax profits nearly doubled to £5.3m, compared with £2.7m as operating profits reached more than £6m, up from £5.1m. Strong performance in the group's services business - which includes earthmoving, logistics and environmental services - spurred the results with CEO Gordon Banham saying there was even more work in the pipeline than had been expected. The division reported first half revenues of more than £121m and pre-tax profits of £8.8m - 10.7% and 12.8% rises respectively. Hargreaves said there had been numerous new contract wins and renewals, as well as extended works at major infrastructure projects such as HS2 and the Sizewell C nuclear power station construction. Meanwhile, performance in Hargreaves' Land business was slower than expected with bureaucratic delays pushing completions and profits into next year - including a transaction at the group's key Blindwells site in Scotland. However, Mr Banham said he was confident in the division and its pipeline. In Germany, Hargreaves' raw materials joint venture HRMS was said to be much improved with metal recycling and pig iron producer DK returning to profit thanks to easing of solid fuels pricing including coke and the impact of EU sanctions on Russian pig iron boosting the firm's market. The progress was made despite continued economic downturn in Germany, though Mr Banham said management now think it is the "bottom of the cycle" and that there is significant potential for the business as the country's economy recovers. At the same time, investors were introduced to Hargreaves new chief operating officer, Simon Hicks, who will initially focus on the services business. Mr Hicks brings experience from the infrastructure and energy industries including through senior roles at Altrad Services, Bilfinger, Cape plc and most recently as CEO of waste-to-energy specialist Evero Energy Limited. Roger McDowell, group chair, said: "I am pleased to report another strong set of results for the group. The 14% revenue growth highlights the ability of Hargreaves to identify and capture opportunity in our areas of strength. We remain committed to our strategy of creating and realising value for our shareholders, as evidenced by the progressive increase in the interim dividend. "The improved performance from our Services business is expected to continue into future years as a result of pipeline opportunities, that require a highly skilled, experienced workforce and a proven track record of safe delivery. With the first tranche of renewable energy land assets now marketed and cash continuing to return from Germany, we are delivering on our commitments to shareholders."
10 questions for Natalie Ibu of Northern Stage
Natalie Ibu is the artistic director of Northern Stage, the largest producing theatre in the North East. Every year the theatre welcomes thousands of people through its doors, including families, school groups and young people who might not usually have the opportunity to access theatre, thanks to the organisation's Pay It Forward scheme. What was your first job (and what did it pay)? My first job was as a part-time checkout assistant at Somerfield when I was 14 and at school. It was £2.37 an hour and I loved the rhythmic nature of the work and the insight into people's lives. My first full-time job, straight out of university, was as a trainee director at New Perspectives which at the time was a rural touring theatre company based in Mansfield. There I learnt about small-scale touring and ran their youth theatre. I think I was paid £12,000 a year. What is the best advice or support you’ve been given in business? As an emerging artist post-graduation and in my first few jobs, I wrote to a lot of directors in Scotland to hear about their journeys and I was always struck by the generosity of other artists who gave up an hour of their time to talk to me about what they do, how they do it, but also how they got to where they are now. Generosity is an important value for me both personally and professionally and is expressed in lots of different ways. At Northern Stage, generosity looks like our radical welcome for audiences, colleagues and partners. What are the main changes that you’ve seen in your business/sector, and what are the challenges you facing? The main challenges we are seeing in the sector come from standstill funding for the arts, which means less money at a time when we need and want to do more. Rising costs across the board mean that running a building and producing quality work is getting more and more expensive. There is a real talent drain to contend with too. Our sector thrives on a rich, diverse and thriving freelance community and yet it's so hard to be a freelancer right now. There are far fewer opportunities for freelancers than before because of less resources, the cost of living crisis and how we work not always matching sustainable work practices, whether that be physically, environmentally or mentally. Stories are easily accessible on many different platforms these days, which poses an opportunity as well as a challenge for the cultural sector and theatres in particular. Theatres have to work hard to reach audiences - both those that already have a relationship with theatre and those yet to experience live theatre, and capture their attention. We're so proud that Northern Stage’s relevant and diverse programme means we're back to pre-pandemic levels of attendance but we are committed to being a theatre for everyone, so are working hard to make sure that everyone feels welcome. What would your dream job be? I have it. I've wanted to be an artistic director of a building since I was 17 years old so my current role as artistic director and CEO of Northern Stage is a dream come true. I often think about what I might have done if I didn't start my career in theatre. I'm a secret introvert and love books so I think it might be something non-public facing involving books. What advice would you give to someone starting a career in your sector? It's a marathon not a sprint. Disconnect your sense of yourself from your job and your artistry. Your job and your artistry will always be challenging, make sure it doesn't also challenge your sense of self. Nurture all parts of yourself: living a full life - that isn't just focused on your artistry and theatre, it will ultimately make you a better artist. The "no's" in your career will only make sense when the right "yes" comes - keep the faith. What makes the North East a good place to do business? Not only is the North East continuing to grow economically, with new investments in key sectors, from everything including industry to making movies in the region. It’s also an incredible community where businesses can work together and devolution has helped businesses feel more able to influence the marketplace they operate in. I also think that the North East is leading the way on skills development and employability. The chamber of commerce’s work on the local skills improvement plan is testament to how many businesses are invested in this piece of work. How important do you think it is for business to play a role in society? I am in the business of theatre, or creativity more broadly, and Northen Stage’s mission is to be a theatre that welcomes everyone. Our live performances and creative experiences spark connections, provoke curiosity and joy, and explore new ways of seeing the world – all things I hope we would want for our communities. Together, our work will enrich the cultural life of the North East, celebrating difference, advancing inclusion, strengthening communities, and using theatre as a force for positive change in the world. Outside of work, what are you really good at? As a perfectionist, I'm trying to not try to be good at everything and to enjoy it, so I’m enjoy building my swimming confidence - I've been trying to learn to swim for 35 years! I also enjoy very long walks with my dog Obi, reading and cooking. Who would you want to play you in a film or stage adaptation of your life? A brilliant question that I've never thought about so I had to ask colleagues. Not all of them are age appropriate but suggestions were Viola Davis, Naomi Ackie, Nafessa Williams, Lupita Nyong'o.
Young woman opens Yorkshire prom shop after own disastrous dress experience
A young woman who was left in tears buying her prom dress has launched her own shop in Yorkshire selling gowns for school leavers. Lia Brehmer’s prom plans were almost ruined when she was made to feel fat when shopping for her own frock, and she only went to the ball after her mother Donna Gadd found a dress with another supplier. Her mother was so incensed that she launched a dress business in Brighouse to make sure no teenagers goes through a similar experience. Now, seven years on, the firm has proved to be so successful that Ms Brehmer has opened a second Prom Den in Horsforth, to serve clients in Leeds and North Yorkshire. She said: “I remember the stress of prom night and how tough it can be finding the dress of your dreams which no other girl will be wearing on the night. I was so badly treated when I was preparing for my prom as a 15-year-old. I was a healthy size eight but the woman in the shop made me feel like I was fat and suggested we get a floaty dress to cover up my weight. "I was in tears and my mum was so angry that we went to another supplier. After that she set up her own prom dress shop so that no other girls went through the same experience." Most mixed schools in Yorkshire have proms to celebrate the end of the school year after GCSEs, a tradition picked up from the US where the prom has been part of the high school calendar for decades. Ms Brehmer said she didn’t hesitate to join the family business, and loves working with her mother. The average price of a dress is between £299 and £495 and the pair work closely with schools and social workers to support families and young people by giving away dresses to pupils who, without help, would not be able to experience prom. She said: “I was helping out in the Brighouse shop for years when I was growing up so I had a good mentor in mum. She had a very simple philosophy which was to make every girl feel special and I hope that I am continuing that tradition in the store in Horsforth. I give every girl who comes through the doors the wonderful prom experience that I never had. I won’t sell the same dress twice to the same school so no girl has to worry that their big night will be overshadowed by another pupil in the same outfit. “We make every girl feel special with their own individual stylist so that they get the dress of their dreams and feel like a princess. Prom season is here already with girls coming in thick and fast to secure their dream dress. Girls love sharing pictures on social media of their choices and we have special areas in the shop where they can shoot pictures and videos. “We have a dress in the shop which every girl signs to commemorate their prom year. We love seeing the girls sharing pictures of their big night on social media and we celebrate proms all over Yorkshire on our feeds with lots of those unforgettable images.” Ms Gadd said that business has been booming since she started seven years ago and she was keen to open a branch serving Leeds and North Yorkshire.