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Businesses on a Hereford industrial estate are being urged to make full use of a new Covid rapid testing site – and to help keep it open beyond a trial period. Herefordshire Council says the new lateral flow test site at Block B, Skylon Court in Coldnose Road, Rotherwas, is being operated on a pilot basis until April 30. The council says it is vital as many businesses in the area use the testing facility as regularly as possible and volunteer to help keep it open beyond the end of the month. Testing is available to employees who cannot work from home and designed to find people who have the virus but show none of the symptoms.A council spokesperson said: The council says regular testing is essential to help control the spread of the virus. It has issued the following advice to businesses: Frequency – It is recommended that testing is undertaken twice weekly. Assistance – There will be a number of trained staff on site, to meet and greet, signpost people, advise on how to undertake your swab and answer any questions throughout the process. Clothing – Exterior doors and windows will be open to provide fresh air ventilation so please dress accordingly. Please do not bring any unnecessary items or bags that may be cross-contaminated. Registration – For the registration process you will need to have a smart device (phone or tablet) with a camera function to scan a QR code. If you do not have a smart device, additional devices are available on site to use and the registration assistant will be on hand to advise, however, it may cause a slight delay in the registration process if you are not using your own device. The registration process requires answering a number of questions on the device, so if you require reading glasses please ensure you have them to hand. Process – Link to demonstration self-swabbing process: Results – To receive your results, you will need to input your mobile phone number, so ensure you have this to hand for the registration process. Booking – No booking necessary just turn up! The centre is open from 8am to 2pm on Monday, 1-6pm on Wednesday and 8am-2pm on Friday. Testing is available to all those that work on the industrial estate and is on a first come, first served basis. You should not attend if you are showing any symptoms of Covid-19.

A US surgical equipment manufacturer is expanding its UK headquarters in Hereford following a 25 per cent increase in UK sales. LeMaitre Vascular took new offices at Stirling House in Centenary Park, just 18 months ago and is now expanding in response to growing demand for its specialist products. The offices, developed by Priority Space in partnership with the Hunt Group and Herefordshire County Council, are part of Skylon Park, Hereford Enterprise Zone. LeMaitre Vascular supplies devices for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease to surgeons worldwide. It originally took up office suites covering 2259 sq. ft. The additional 1338 sq. ft will enable the team to manage and distribute more stock to hospitals across the UK as Lemaitre increase their product range. Lemaitre have recently employed a new warehouse operative as part of the expansion. Lemaitre’s Director of Northern Europe Helen Goulding said: “Having a base in the UK has enabled us to deliver a much better level of service to our customers in the UK and Ireland. As a leading global provider of devices for peripheral vascular disease (PVD) we have seen the necessity for our products increase in line with the rise of diabetes and open vascular surgery. “We occupy a suite of offices and warehouse together with a conference facility at Stirling House from where we are able to train surgeons virtually and hands on, however less so in these unprecedented times. Conveniently located close to distribution networks, Stirling House has proven to be an exceptional base where we can meet demands as the business continues to grow.” Adam Richardson, co-director at Priority Space, said: “It’s great to see LeMaitre Vascular expanding its UK headquarters in Hereford so soon after moving into Stirling House. We wish them continued success.”Andrew Manning Cox, chair of the Hereford’s Enterprise Zone, said: Stirling House is a high spec 14,708 sq ft office development with suites of different sizes available to buy or let. It is part of the first phase of Centenary Park, located in Skylon Park, a major development of speculative office, industrial and warehouse units in the Government-backed Hereford Enterprise Zone. LeMaitre Vascular’s neighbours in Stirling House include the SureCare Group and the Hereford Times. Priority Space is committed to developing sites across the UK to create high-quality and sustainable workplaces which stimulate regeneration and economic growth.

Construction is now complete on the £9 million state-of-the art Cyber Quarter – Midlands Centre for Cyber Security with the building officially handed over by contractor, Speller Metcalfe. When the new centre officially opens in spring 2021 on Skylon Park, Hereford Enterprise Zone, Herefordshire will be home to the UK’s leading centre of excellence in cyber security, supporting innovation and industry in this growing sector. The centre is a joint venture between the University of Wolverhampton and Herefordshire Council and part-funded by the Government’s Local Growth Fund, via the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Despite work being temporarily halted on the site due to pandemic lockdown restrictions in March, Speller Metcalfe carried out a phased return with a reduced workforce, in line with revised protocols and protective measures enabling progress. The new building, designed by Birmingham based Associated Architects, has generated 80% spend locally within 30 miles of the project which includes subcontractors Folbig Fabrications, Hereford Asbestos Services, Herefordshire Council Building Control and Quickskip, based close to the site at Rotherwas.Councillor David Hitchiner, Leader of Herefordshire Council, said: Mandy Thorn is Chair of the Marches LEP, which invested £2.82m of Local Growth Funding into the project. She said: Zone Chairman, Andrew Manning Cox, said: Professor Geoff Layer, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, said: Adrian Speller, Technical Director of constructor Speller Metcalfe, said: Warren Jukes, Director at Associated Architects, said: Cyber Quarter – Midlands Centre for Cyber Security will offer a package of tailored security testing, training, Research & Development and sector expertise to businesses and investors. Supported by the university’s Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute (WCRI), the centre will also be home to 16 cyber SMEs and well as offering product testing and certification, CPD and short courses and cyber conferences like the recent Cyber Fringe Festival attracting experts from across the globe. The 2,000 square metre building will provide significant resources for research and development across three cyber laboratories, advanced training facilities as part of the University’s Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute and additional business space for up to 16 cyber companies. The centre, which secured £2.82m of funding via the Marches LEP’s Growth Deal with Government in 2017, is part of the new Cyber Quarter at Skylon Park, already home to numerous defence and security sector businesses. The new centre incorporates a full height glass atrium to provide a dual break-out space and function hall, alongside the main three storey building that houses business suites, innovation rooms, IT workshops and a ‘Cyber Range’ – a cutting edge facility that will defend against the global rise of hacking. Anyone interested in courses offered or businesses looking for incubation space can find out more about the Cyber Quarter – Midlands Centre for Cyber Security on the website.