The Business

THE

YOUR GUIDE TO BARNSLEY BUSINESS

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

BUSINESS

ISSUE 10

AUGUST 2010supporting local business

in Barnsley

E N T E R P R I S I N GBARNSLEY

2 – THE BUSINESS Friday, August 13, 2010

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SOUTH Yorkshire’smanufacturing industrycould be rusting away

because firms cannot afford toreplace old equipment.

According to asset financebroker Jason Lincoln, a quarterof small manufacturers havebeen unable to buy equipmentbecause of cash flow problems.

Mr Lincoln, director of CraneMoor-based Lincoln Finance,said many small and mediumfirms were struggling to getcredit.

Hospitality, transport andagricultural sectors had beenparticularly badly hit.

He said: “It is vital that as wecome out of recessionbusinesses have the equipmentthey need when demand picksup.

“But problems with fallingprofits and difficulty gettingloans or overdrafts mean manyhave just made do with what

they have. “That means in some firms

equipment is literally rustingaway.”

Research by the OpenUniversity Business School says16 per cent of small andmedium firms have not beenable to replace equipmentduring the recession.

Six per cent said it posed a riskto their businesses.

Other research by OxfordEconomics showed investmentin equipment has fallen by morethan in either of the twoprevious recessions.

Mr Lincoln said: “This researchis very worrying.

“Britain’s 4.7 million smallbusinesses should be the engineroom of recovery from therecession.

“They need to be in goodshape.”

On a brighter note, he saidthere were signs of an upturn in

investment by firms using assetfinance.

This is where plant, cars, vansand other equipment areprocured by leasing or hirepurchase. This allows businessesto avoid paying for equipmentimmediately.

Mr Lincoln said asset financehad increased by about 11 percent nationwide.

He said the number of deals hehad brokered up to May hadrisen by 26 per cent.

“In many instances, we havesecured funding for clients whentheir banks or previous financehouses were unwilling to help.

“Our proposal acceptance ratehas been more than 95 per centduring the last 12 months.

“So there may be light at theend of the tunnel for smallbusinesses.”

Lincoln Finance has arrangedfinancial deals worth more than£16m since 2005.

ONE of the highlights ofLaura Amy White’sprofessional career waswhen she danced withthe Britain’s Got Talentwinners Diversity.

She performed in a‘flashmob’, or publicperformance, in ashopping centre inLondon just beforeChristmas.

Laura Amy said: “Theperformance was shownon TV.

“Diversity are a goodgroup of guys.

“It was nice to dostreet dancing and hiphop.”

The ballet andcontemporary dancerhopes her latest venturewill top that experience.

Laura Amy, 23, hasopened a dance studiocalled The Dance Box atMcLintock Way, offSummer Lane, Barnsley.

Adults and children candrop in to take part in

Firms could berusting away,claims broker

Dancer Laura moves intonew business venture

Fighting back against the taxmenA CARLTON company hasdesigned computer software tohelp UK business owners fightback against the taxman.

DEB Chartered Accountantssay the software called TaxDefender helps bosses findlegitimate ways of reducing taxliabilities. Designer DavidEdwards-Brown said: “Many ofthe tax-saving ideas are

available on the Revenue andCustoms website. It is simply aquestion of knowing that theyare there and how to find them.

“Tax Defender allows peopleto look through hundreds oftax-saving ideas to locate theones that are applicable to theircircumstances so they can takeadvantage of them.”

The company, which won an

award in 2008 from anorganisation called 2020Innovation, was asked to give aspeech to a conference for smalland medium sized firms ofaccountants in London in July.There are also plans to launch aseries of computer programmesto allow accountants to providebetter services for their clients.

A COUPLE who make bespokefurniture are doing a roaringtrade in the south.

Paul and Julie Harpin, who runSimply Rustic Oak at Staincross,say 95 per cent of their ordershave come from southernEngland.

One of the more recentcontracts involved them makinga seven-ft oak beam table for a

doctor in Reading, Berkshire. The couple delivered it by

hand. Paul and Julie have alsohad two orders from NorthernIreland and even had an enquiryfrom someone living inNewfoundland, Canada.

Julie said: “I think we are doingso well in the south becausethere is more money downthere. The enquiry from

Newfoundland was for a coffeetable. It would have cost £295for shipping alone.

“I sent the person the detailsbut we have not heard anythingsince.”

Paul and Julie established thebusiness at their home morethan two years ago. Julie addedthat bigger premises wereneeded.

Furniture experts popular in south

The right moves:Laura Amy White ofthe Dance Box.

classes. Sofire Ross, aprofessional Burlesqueand belly dancer, isconducting sessions.

Professional dancersfrom all over thecountry have beeninvited to take classesand workshops.

She grew up inShafton and moved toCarlton when she was12.

She attended StMichael’s RomanCatholic School andBarnsley College.

Laura Amy spent aboutthree years doing adegree at the NorthernSchool of Contemporary

Dance in Leeds where500 people audition for50 places.

She has worked part-time and full-time forThe Spectacle Shop inThe Arcade and is adancer with the WayneStables Project withwhom she will tour theUK later this year.

In 2011, she hopes toperform in the UnitedStates.

Laura Amy added: “Iwant people who havenever danced to feelcomfortable and have ago.”


BARNSLEY firms have been warnedabout a bogus caller offering to helpthem cut their rates payments.

Council finance managers say thecaller falsely claims to be working forthe local authority.

Businesses are urged by the caller toenter a contract in which substantialfees could be demanded if anyreduction in the rateable value of thebusiness property is obtained.

Dave Whittingham, head of thecouncil’s taxation and revenuesservice, urged companies to thinkcarefully about entering into suchagreements.

He said firms should take advicefrom the Royal Institute of CharteredSurveyors or the Institute of Revenues,Rating and Valuation.

Mr Whittingham said: “The exercise,in which business properties haverecently undergone revaluation,appears to have encouraged anincrease in activity in so-called ratingagents trying to make a profit from

local businesses.“Experience suggests these agents

target businesses after revaluation andpeople can be misled when enteringinto arrangements with them.

“In some cases, up-front fees paidby ratepayers have not beenreimbursed when a reduction has notbeen granted.

“In other cases, agents havedemanded substantial payments forrateable value reductions even thoughphasing arrangements, limiting theamount of bills brought about byproperty revaluation, meant thereductions did not immediately resultin lower rates of payments.”

Warning tofirms overbogus calls

Scooter maker’s successONE of only two British makersof motor scooters has a fullorder book until the end of thesummer.

Evolution Scooters atChambers Road, Hoyland, sellsto enthusiasts all over thecountry. It hand-builds onescooter a week.

Each is made in a limited batchof 50 with a customised paintfinish. Engines, imported from

China, range from 50cc to160cc. The fastest Evolutionmodel can reach 98mph.

The company employs six. Itssales office is at Hoyland and thescooters are built at Stairfoot.Joint managing director PeterRimmington, who runs the firmwith Rick Galloway, said: “Weare exceptionally proud of whatwe have achieved so far.”

Mr Rimmington, who lives in

Elsecar, went to Hoyland KirkBalk School and spent about tenyears in the Royal Electrical andMechanical Engineers.

He was a sergeant and servedall over the world. From 1988,he worked for a nationalsignmaking company for about20 years. He has been interestedin motorbikes since he was ateenager and got into scootersabout two years ago.

Scooting away: Rick Galloway, left, and Peter Rimmington with two Evolution Scooters.

Sessions open to improveyour overall approachBARNSLEY firms are being givenlessons in the art of making moneyfrom the first sale.

They are being taught theimportance of having things likeprices, book-keeping and creditcontrol at sessions organised byBusiness Link Yorkshire.

Dawn Whiteley, a spokesman forthe Dodworth-based business

support organisation, said: “Newbusinesses are sometimes topassionate about their ideas thatthey may overlook the essentialfinancial planning that will supporttheir success.”

The sessions run for about threehours and information is availableon 08456 048048.

A BIRDWELL company is deliveringup to 400 parcels a day for thecourier company DHL.

Arrow Staffing and Training atRockingham Business Park uses sixfull-time drivers.

It won the contract after supplyingtemporary staff. Arrow also doeswork for the Home Delivery Networkand uses two drivers.

John Darbyshire, who set up thebusiness with Paul Guy and PhilRouse in December 2007, said:“Things are looking good.

“We are doing fantastically well.

“DHL asked us to supply temps andinvited us to tender for a deliverycontract.”

The firm does a lot of work with callcentres at Manvers includingVentura.

Other clients include Koyo Bearingsat Dodworth.

Mr Darbyshire has worked inrecruitment since 1990 and ran anorganic food business called OrganixSolutions for about five years.

Mr Guy and Mr Rouse have been inthe recruitment industry for aboutten years.

Arrow Staffing hits target in the delivery business

Has your firm got a success story to share? If so, call ourBusiness editor Ian Thompson on 01226 734210.

‘In some cases, up-frontfees paid by ratepayershave not been reimbursedwhen a reduction has notbeen granted’

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TAKING the leap fromworking at home into aprofessional businessenvironment may be adaunting thought to manysmall businesses, butEnterprising Barnsley is onhand to help.

The fundamental aim of the initiative isto make its office space, known asEnterprise Hubs, accessible andaffordable to eligible Barnsleybusinesses ready to take the next step.

The popular Enterprise Hubs offershared office accommodation withmodern facilities, essential to thosewith new/early staged businesses.

For just £35 per week, per workstation,the office space includes a PC and fullcolour printer, fast broadband, modernoffice furniture, 24/7 secure access andeasy in/easy out terms.

Furthermore, Enterprise Hub tenantsare given opportunities to takeadvantage of free enterprise coaching,offering assistance with anything fromweb development to sales andmarketing, as well as access to freenetworking events, where valuablebusiness contacts can be gained.

Enterprising Barnsley currently hasoffice accommodation available atnine hubs located throughout theborough, each with somethingdifferent to offer, whether it beexcellent transport links andprofessional meeting rooms or digitaland photographic facilities.

Two businesses to recently take theleap into Enterprise Hubaccommodation include, ACEnvironmental Solutions Ltd, nowlocated at Longfields Court, WharncliffeBusiness Park, Carlton, and BrookCorporate Development Ltd, located atBull House Mill, Millhouse Green.

AC EnvironmentalSolutions Ltd

Alison Chitoriski is a charted wastemanager and charteredenvironmentalist with 20 years’experience in environmental projectworks gained in both the public andprivate sectors.

With a wealth of experience under herbelt Alison decided to go it alone andset up AC Environmental Solutions inOctober last year, specialising in allaspects of waste managementincluding planning, waste permitting,development and management ofwaste facilities, with work involvingmobile plant, site condition reportsand monitoring of regulatorycompliance.

Initially Alison was working from homebut with an ever increasing workload,the limited space and the pressures oftrying to find a reasonable work lifebalance something had to give.Through the Enterprising Barnsleywebsite Alison was able to get in touchwith the Barnsley DevelopmentAgency (BDA) in her search for costeffective office space in the Barnsleyarea.

“After looking for affordable officepremises I found the Enterprise Hub atLongfields Court on the EnterprisingBarnsley website and decided to makean appointment to view,” says Alison.“Iwas really impressed with the officefacilities as well as the professionalapproach of the management team.

“I can now hold client meetings in thedesignated rooms attached to the hub,and find my work much moreproductive, which really motivates me.“Since moving in June I’ve also foundmy clients are eager to see my newoffice and the social interaction at thehub provides the support andreassurance which was always missingat home.”

Brook CorporateDevelopment Ltd

A successful career managingmanufacturing companies throughoutYorkshire and Humberside led MikeBrook into business consultancy.

After gaining 12 years’ experience inthe fast-moving industry, Mike decidedto set up his very own businessconsultancy company - BrookCorporate Development.

During the past two years the businesshas gone from strength-to-strength,building up a team of 15 associateswho travel to businesses acrossYorkshire and Humberside and theNorth West delivering solutions toimprove turn over.

But despite this success, the businesswas still without a permanent office ordirect point of contact. This is whenMike looked into Enterprise Hubaccommodation through the BDA.

“For a small business the EnterpriseHubs provide everything we need,”says Leanne Adams, business manager

at Brook Corporate Development.“Weonly moved in a matter of weeks agobut we are already seeing the benefitsof having permanent officeaccommodation.

“Added benefits such as a receptionarea and professional meeting roomsare proving a great help and we fullyintend to take advantage of freenetworking events in the near future.

“Since moving in we have been a lotmore productive and efficient in theway that we work and our clients areenjoying having a permanent point ofcontact.

“Furthermore, the Enterprise Hubs atBull House Mill are easy for both staffand clients to travel to, located justminutes from the M1.”

For the full range ofEnterprise Hubs now available

throughout Barnsley visitwww.enterprisingbarnsley.co.uk

or contact Sue Beck on01226 787535 for more details.

The £4.7 million EnterprisingBarnsley programme is

funded by £2.89m fromthe European Regional

Development Fund,£739,000 from Yorkshire Forward,

and other funding sources.

E N T E R P R I S I N GBARNSLEY

For the full range of Enterprise Hubs now available

throughout Barnsley visit www.enterprisingbarnsley.co.uk

or contact 01226 787535 for more details

A D V E R T I S E R ’ S A N N O U N C E M E N T

Taking new business to the next step

For a small business theEnterprise Hubs provide

everything we need

�

�

AC Environmental Solution'sAlison Chitoriski.

Mike Brook of Brook Corporate Development Ltd.


Chamber DigestA Guide to Forthcoming Chamber Events

For further details, contact your local Chamberoffice at the address below

Business Innovation CentreWilthorpe Barnsley S75 1JL

e-mail: [email protected]

Chamber phone number:0844 414 5100

Ultimate Business Network Monday 6 September –

Brinsworth Training, Rotherham(4pm start)

This event is FREE to Chambermembers and offers delegates a

unique opportunity to meetChamber Representative Council

members. Includes apresentation from Qdos onHR and Health & Safety.

Chamber Raceday –St Leger Festival

Friday 10 September –Doncaster Racecourse

(10am start)Enjoy the day’s racing in the

Winning Post Marqueewith a wonderful meal,

fine wines and champagne.Price: £170 per person, plus VAT

Women In Business LunchWednesday 15 September –Aston Hall Hotel, Sheffield

(11.15am start)A fantastic opportunity forlocal business women from

across South Yorkshireto meet and network.

Price: £20 per person, plus VAT

Business NetworkOnline Update

Wednesday 29 September –Holiday Inn, Barnsley (5pm)Business Network Online (BNO) is an initiative

developed by the British Chambers of Commerceand Accredited Chamber Network. It provides

entrepreneurs with realistic opportunities to pitchfor and win new contracts, covering both the

private and public sectors.The site unites Accredited Chamber of Commerce

members so you can find thousands of new contacts,new suppliers, new customers and new marketsacross the UK. Make sure you attend this FREE

event to learn how to get the most from this service. BARNSLEY and RotherhamChamber of Commerce is towork with councils in the twotowns to develop LocalEnterprise Partnerships.

It hopes to come up withways to boost productivity,create private sector jobs andensure economic diversity.

The LEPs mark a shift fromWhitehall and regional agenciesto local councils and

companies. The aim is to makeeconomic partnership part ofeveryday life.

The plan sets out a newprogramme to deliver reformsto put businesses and councilsin control of the economicagenda.

Barnsley and RotherhamChamber has said it will alsowork with other chambers inthe region.

Policy manager AndrewDenniff said: “There is a realopportunity for genuinepartnership between the publicand private sectors to focus onthe needs of the localeconomy.

“However, for the newprogramme to work, there hasto be openness, transparencyand genuine commitment onall sides to work together.”

Economic agenda to get set at local level

E all know aboutthe competitiveadvantagesclaimed by low-wage economies

such as Eastern Europe andthe Far East. But it’s not justabout labour costs – there area lot of hidden costs ingetting your product madeoverseas.

Travel, communication,quality, customer serviceand delivery performance

are areas where we canprovide a good serviceto UK customers and

which cost far morewhen dealing abroad.

We are winningbusiness back from overseas

on many of these points,despite the recent deeprecession. However, there arestill some challenges to befaced, in particular the issue oflegislation.

We all agree that legislation isnecessary to protect staff andthe public, but in recent yearsthe burden has become toogreat. The problem is that smallcompanies cannot reasonablybe expected to keep up with allthe changes and newrequirements. They can, anddo, get things wrongsometimes.

The problem is one ofproportion – in a largercompany, the cost of keepingup to date with changing rulesand regulations is a tinypercentage of overall financesbut in a company with 22 staffsuch as ours it can be asignificant proportion ofturnover and staff costs.

At ABI we take legislationseriously and we’ve employedexternal specialists to help tokeep us up to date. However,this service comes at a costwhich ultimately reduces ourprofits, with a negative effecton investment and jobs.

The coalition government hasmade encouraging noisesabout reducing the burden butat government level things taketime to change and in themeantime we still have todivert funds which could beused in job creation into non-profit making bureaucracy. Weneed to see changes soon toboost the economy both locallyand nationally.

Another challenge we inBarnsley need to face up to isbroadband speed. We arebased on a modern businesspark at Dodworth but when wemoved here in 1998 there was

no provision on the site forbroadband internet at all.

Our only option at that time,at great expense, was a satellitesystem.

Thankfully, things haveimproved but the internetspeeds available to us are poorand cause delays incommunication and limit ouruse of some of the modernmethods of communication,especially considering 80 percent of our customers areoverseas. The much heraldedbroadband improvementsscheduled for March this yearhave come to nothing for us asof yet.

ABI is a Barnsley company,and has been for 28 years, anddespite some ups and downsalong the way, we’re still here,and here to stay.

I hope the new governmentwill take on board some of theconcerns that we and othersmall businesses are voicing.The government has indicatedits willingness to listen and wehope we have a voice throughthe Chamber of Commerce sowe can move on to the nextlevel.

There are small signs thatthings are improving and weintend to take advantage of theimprovements as our economy,and the of the rest of theworld, slowly gets back tonormal.

At ABI, our staff are by far ourbiggest asset and always havebeen. With their help, we feelwe can face up to today’s andtomorrow’s challenges, providea good quality and efficientelectronic design andmanufacturing service andcreate and maintain jobs forBarnsley people.

Getting up to speedand paper freePaper work and infrastructure still pose challenges formanufacturing companies, says Alison Fletcher of ABIElectronics in Dodworth.

WWe still have to divertfunds which could beused in job creation

into non-profit makingbureaucracy

❞

❝

Assessing thechallenge:Alison Fletcher


For professional advice on property sales, acquisitions, survey and valuations, landlord and tenant matters, rating and property management.Further properties are available. Please telephone for details.

TTeelleepphhoonnee ((0011222266)) 229988445566

14 Regent Street, BarnsleyS70 2HG

TO LETTOWN CENTRE RETAIL SHOP

Ground Floor Sales : 71.62 sq m (771 sq ft)First Floor ancillary : 41.06 sq m (442 sq ft)

60 MARKET STREET, BARNSLEY S70 1SNRent: £16,500 pa

TO LETPROMINENT ROADSIDE SHOWROOM

WITH PARKING AND YARD182.09 sq m (1960 sq ft)

35 WOMBWELL LANE, BARNSLEY S70 3NRRental: £17,500 pa

FOR SALE/TO LETMODERN INDUSTRIAL UNIT

15,242 sq ft (1,416 sq m) in 1.39 acres(Additional 0.2 acres available by separate negotiation)

5 SPRING HILL ROAD, PARK SPRINGS S72 0ALRent: £45,000 pa

Price: Offers in the region of £675,000

TO LETMODERN HYBRID BUSINESS UNIT

4,056 sq ft (376.81 sq m)* Strategic Gateway site at Junction 37 of the M1* High quality design * Flexible accommodation *

UNIT 1, CAPITOL CLOSE, CAPITOL PARK,BARNSLEY S75 1PN

Further Details: Contact the Agent

TO LETWORKSHOP / WAREHOUSE

117 sq m (1259 sq ft)

UNIT 8, WATH WEST INDUST. EST.,DERWENT WAY,

WATH UPON DEARNERental: £5,000 pa exclusive

FOR SALEFORMER PUBLIC HOUSE

With redevelopment potential(subject to planning)

THE NEW INN, WEST STREET,WATH UPON DEARNE,

ROTHERHAMOffers in excess of: £125,000

FOR SALE/TO LETSUBSTANTIAL PUBLIC HOUSE ON

APPROXIMATELY 0.3 ACRESSuitable for licensed bar, restaurant

Retail/residential conversionsubject to planning

THE GOLDTHORPE,DONCASTER ROAD, GOLDTHORPEPrice and further details: Contact the Agents.

TO LETRETAIL UNIT IN BUSY ARCADE

Net Sales Area : 157 sq ft (14.61 sq m)First Floor Offices/Storage:

235 sq ft (21.87 sq m)

17 THEARCADE,

BARNSLEYS70 2QP

Rent: £5,750 pa

TO LETRETAIL SHOP

569 sq ft (52.86 sq m)

27 DONCASTER ROAD,GOLDTHORPE, ROTHERHAM S63 9HG

Rent: £7,000 pa

HIL Simpson says thereis no point in beinganything other thanupbeat about the

commercial property market.He has had a better than

expected two years since heestablished his Penistone-basedcompany, Stanhope PropertyConsultancy.

Deals he has done include:

■ The sale of 13,500-sq ft ofwarehousing in Wombwell onbehalf of Thornhill HeatExchangers;

■ Letting of 5,000-sq ft ofoffices at RockinghamBusiness Park on behalfHartwood Estates;

■ The sale of a surgery atGrimethorpe for BarnsleyPrimary Care Trust;

■ The letting of two restaurantson 25-year leases in theDearne Valley.

Phil said: “There are deals to bedone on freehold property iflandlords are imaginative and

flexible. There are deals to bedone on leasehold property.

“Barnsley has had its knocks inthe past. The local economy andpeople in property have learnedto adapt and I am quite confidentthat they will do so again.”

There has been a tendencyamong some in business to sit ontheir hands.

Phil said: “The coalitiongovernment is still in its infancybut at least the election result willgive decision makers the chanceto plan.

“A change of governmentshould bring a change in fortunefor the property market.”

Phil’s company deals withaspects of commercial propertyincluding shops, offices andwarehousing. It also doesvaluation, acquisition anddisposal of property on behalf ofclients. It is involved in propertymanagement and issues involvinglandlords and tenants.

At the moment, Phil works fromhome and employs personal

assistant Sharon Prew. There maybe changes afoot.

Phil said: “We are at that stagein the development of thecompany where I am seriouslyconsidering adding to the staffand probably moving into anoffice in Barnsley town centre.But, like any other business, youneed to be careful with decisions.

“Things have probably turnedout better than I expected. I havegot some loyal clients I haveknown for years.

“A key to being successful isearning the trust of customers,providing good value and aservice that gets results. You alsohave to deal with others in theway you would expect to bedealt with yourself.”

He was a director of Barnsley-based Lancasters for 15 years andheld a similar post for a separatefirm called Lancaster Powell.

He has also had spells withestate agent M P Jubb and withthe South Yorkshire HousingAssociation. “You have got to

learn to adapt to marketconditions and know your clients.It is fair to say that times arechallenging.

“But the local economy is usedto a challenge and we are well

prepared to meet it.

“Barnsley has a good road

network and, of course, good

property values when compared

with surrounding cities.”

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

P

All is not gloom in the property market. It just takes a little imagination, reportsIan Thompson.

Looking forward:Phil Simpson.

Upbeat about upturn


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