“Finish what you’re doing and go home,” David Mac was told. “We’re done here.”
He wasn’t the only one to hear that.
Over spring and summer in 2020, thousands of people were getting the same instructions.
The pandemic had done quick and serious damage since its arrival in Britain in March; halting work, shrinking the economy, and leaving millions furloughed or unemployed.
One of the other (many) people left without work was David’s close friend – and best man at his wedding – Aidan.
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The pair had originally met during their time in the army, remaining pals long after they’d left the forces to set up their own respective businesses (David in camera installation, Aidan in the security industry).
Coronavirus had taken out both their companies in one fell swoop.
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“Everything fizzled out overnight,” Aidan tells us.
“In my line of work, we rely heavily on events that just weren’t happening any more. It really hit us hard.”
Fortunately, army experience gives you the kind of discipline and perspective required to stay cool in a crisis.
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Dave and Aidan understood the bigger picture – and they even had an idea of how they might be able to help.
The duo had dedicated years to protecting Britain on the ground. Now, they wanted to guard people from the invisible threat of COVID-19.
Dave and Aidan in their army days
Both Dave and Aidan had purchased PPE in large quantities during the early part of the pandemic – just like many companies across the UK.
During that time, they’d learned a few things.
First, they’d spotted that most PPE was being manufactured in Asia rather than here in Britain – so there was a gap in the market. But most importantly of all, they realised that the industry was surprisingly unscrupulous.
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Despite PPE’s new status as a health essential (in some instances required by law) the markup some companies were placing on products was astonishing.
People were being ripped off left, right and centre, and Dave and Aidan wanted to do something to stop it.
“Honestly, there are so many horror stories about people paying hundreds of pounds for bottles of hand sanitiser,” David says, with more than a touch of frustration in his tone.
“People everywhere have been getting let down or overcharged or both.
“It’s not on, to be honest.”
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It was clear to David and Aidan that they could provide PPE more effectively – and ethically – than some of the existing suppliers already out there.
As a result, Nightingale PPE was born – a brand that has since supplied all the equipment required during the pandemic (including masks, hand sanitisers, visors, gloves, aprons, and antibacterial wipes) for affordable prices.
Nightingale currently operates out of two locations; one down south and another just around the corner in Manchester.
Clients range from Premiership football clubs, to schools, to local residents – with the duo having also struck partnerships with organisations in the local community (even becoming a sponsor for Romsey Football Club).
They’re also hosted a competition on Facebook – covering the Christmas costs for a deserving family, up to the value of £1,000 – and spoke to the winner on Zoom.
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“For us it’s about building relationships,” says David, explaining the Nightingale philosophy.
“Whether it’s a big organisation or an individual – everyone gets the same treatment.
“We make a bit of profit, but what we’re most concerned about is making sure people get a fair deal.”
Nightingale is no flickering candle, either.
As Aidan says, it was never their intention to make a million pound overnight.
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“We’re not here to make a quick buck,” he explains.
“We’ve got a national reach now but we want to keep that personal touch.
“Our focus for the future is bringing even more local people into the mix and buying British.”
Nightingale is here for the long haul – doubling its headcount over the past few weeks (with aims to bring in several more members of staff moving ahead).
“We’re trying to build this new business – and we reckon it’s got legs – that is known for what it is: A reliable, trusted place to go for PPE,” Dave tells us.
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“There’s four of us here right now, but we’ve got plans to keep growing throughout next year.
“The intention is to create some local jobs and become the go-to place for PPE in the UK.”
They may no longer be in the forces together, but Dave and Aidan’s instinct for protecting people remains very much intact.
Learn more about Nightingale PPE and see what products they have for sale by visiting their website.
The company is also hosting a competition on Facebook for a family in need to win £1,000. Click here to learn more.
Business
Workers at major Manchester city centre hotel to strike this bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
Workers at one of the most prominent hotels in Manchester city centre are set to strike this bank holiday weekend.
Workers at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and its bar venue The Refuge, who are members of the union Unite, will take 24 hours of strike action on Saturday (29 August) in what is said to be a ‘long-running dispute’ over union busting.
The strike day chosen by the workers is the second day of this year’s Manchester Village Pride, and is historically the most lucrative day of the year for their employer.
This is because Kimpton Clocktower is located very close to the Pride Parade route, and for several years has been a very popular location for people attending the festival, and even runs a number of Pride events itself.
Unite says that for months now, workers at the Kimpton Clocktower – which is owned by InterContinental Hotels Group UK (IHG) – have been asking for formal union recognition to improve conditions after raising several issues with management, but IHG UK has refused this and instead ‘targeted’ the union for its actions.
Workers at a major Manchester city centre hotel are set to strike this bank holiday weekend / Credit: Rebecca Hope Photography (Supplied)
Previous strikes have already taken place this summer, apparently causing ‘financial hits’ to the business in the process – with the bar being forced to close early at several events as there were not enough staff to cover them.
“A strike on Kimpton’s most profitable day is entirely of its own making,” commented Unite regional officer, Alison Treacher. “Throughout this dispute, Kimpton Clocktower management have treated its loyal workforce with contempt and our members have shown they will not stand for it.
“There is still time to avoid this highly disruptive strike action, but that relies on IHG changing tack by listening to its members and giving them the union recognition they have long been calling for.”
This dispute is said to be the first ever hospitality strike in the North West.
Unite is currently running a petition demanding that IHG UK stop targeting union activists, recognise the Kimpton workers rights to have their grievance heard collectively, and support their union recognition campaign.
Featured Image – LJK Photography (Supplied)
Business
CGIs show impressive brand-new creative workspace with ‘Northern Quarter energy’
Daisy Jackson
A new workspace and hospitality hub is set to open in the Northern Quarter this autumn – and based on the CGIs released so far, things are going to be quite impressive.
The Hive is heading to Lever Street in October, a whopping 22,000 sq ft workspace along with Dahlia, a huge new two-storey Latin BBQ restaurant.
The Hive, which comes from X+why, wants to be a workspace with real ‘Northern Quarter energy’, promising to bring people, ideas, food, music and culture together under one roof.
Based inside Grosvenor’s 47–51 Lever Street building, The Hive will offer flexible workspace, private offices and meeting spaces, but it’s the activity around them that could make the biggest mark on the neighbourhood.
A programme of talks, workshops, breakfast meet-ups, wellbeing sessions, socials and cultural collaborations will run throughout the year, bringing together Manchester’s growing mix of entrepreneurs, creatives, independents and businesses.
As well as Dahlia, which will have open-fire, Latin American-inspired cooking, a Liquorita bar, and a music-led space built around a bespoke sound system, there’s a second major food and drink opening in the works.
CGIs show impressive brand-new creative workspace with ‘Northern Quarter energy’How The Hive will look when it opens in ManchesterOffices, co-working spaces, and so much more at The HiveOffices, co-working spaces, and so much more at The Hive
The result should be a place that changes character as the day goes on – somewhere to work in the morning, grab food in the afternoon and stick around for drinks, music or an event later on.
The Hive’s interiors are being designed with the Northern Quarter in mind, using timber, reclaimed materials and work from local artists to reflect the area’s independent, industrial character.
Rupert Dean, CEO and co-founder of x+why, said: “Manchester has an extraordinary combination of creativity, ambition and community, and the Northern Quarter captures that energy better than almost anywhere else.
“The Hive is much more than a collection of offices. We are creating a place where work, hospitality, culture and community can exist together naturally, somewhere businesses can establish themselves, meet new people, share ideas and become part of the wider life of the city.
“The arrival of Dahlia and the wider food and drink offer will be an important part of that. Combined with our own programme of events and experiences, it will help The Hive feel active throughout the day and into the evening, creating a destination with a genuine relationship to the neighbourhood around it.
“Our growth journey has shown us that people want to feel connected to the places where they work and to the communities around them. The Hive gives us an opportunity to build on everything we have learned across the x+why network while creating something unmistakably rooted in Manchester.”
Fergus Evans, Office Portfolio Director at Grosvenor Property UK, said: “The Hive is a fantastic example of our regional offices strategy in practice, taking a landmark building in an exceptional location and repositioning it around the evolving needs of modern businesses and communities. Together with x+why, we’re creating a distinctive destination that builds on the energy of the Northern Quarter and supports the building’s long-term future.
“Manchester continues to perform strongly, supported by its deep talent pool, inward investment and growing digital and creative economy. Our investment in The Hive reflects sustained demand for well-located, high-quality, flexible workplaces that combine design, sustainability, hospitality and amenity.”
The Hive will open in October 2026 at 47–51 Lever Street, Manchester M1 1FN.
The Manc -
14th December 2020 
