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WestBus nessNewsEssential business intelligence for the West of EnglandIssue No 1 May/June 2013 www.westbusinessnews.co.uk
PLUS growth round table, legal sector news,Business Show Swindon, and much more . . .
An exclusive look at the region’s branding firepower
in association with
The West’s 50 best
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WestBusinessNews is published by County Business
PublishingThe Bentley Centre, Stratton Road,
Swindon SN1 2SH01793 615393
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WestBusinessNews is an independent magazine published in association with Business West and distributed free to members of
Business West in Bristol, Bath, Gloucestershire,
Swindon and Wiltshire. Copies are distributed to key business locations
across the West of England.
To order additional copies email [email protected]
Printed by Acorn Press, Swindonwww.acornpress.co.uk
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Welcome to the launch issue ofWestBusinessNews, which we willbe using as a platform to shout
about the challenges you face, the servicesavailable to help you and your business andwhat we can do together to create a betterbusiness environment. Through our award-winning, internationaltrade team we can help you to grow yourbusiness overseas and support you throughthe export documentation process. Fromstarting a business and staying in businessto growing your business and making it better, we can help and you will find all theinformation you need in WestBusinessNews. At Business West we pride ourselves onbeing a powerful voice for business, lobbyingand challenging national, regional and localgovernment decision makers to do what’sright for business and the economy. We holdregular meetings with councillors and MPsand are often the first to be contacted whenofficials and politicians from Whitehall andWestminster want to meet businesses in thearea. Our quarterly economic survey, part ofthe British Chambers national survey, is anexcellent vehicle for you to tell us how your
business is doing and what barriers you face.We use this information to lobby locally andnationally on key issues from improvingaccess to finance or supporting new transport schemes. Our dedicated Chamber of Commerce section on pages 15 to 22 is packed withnews from our members as well as a diary ofevents throughout the region.
Intro/Contents
WESTBUSINESSSCENE
NEWS: Acorn online exportservice scoops award
NEWS: Bristol’s digital sectorbolstered
NEWS: Queen’s Awardswinners crowned
LEGAL NEWS: In Profile:Temple Bright
BUSINESS SHOWSWINDON
COVER FEATURE: TheWest’s 50 Best Brands (p11-13)
FINANCE
CHAMBER MEMBERNEWS (p15-22)
ROUND TABLE: Opportunities are knocking
INNOVATION AWARDS
BUSINESS TRAVEL
COMMERCIALPROPERTY
TRAINING
PEOPLE
Contents
Phil Smith Managing DirectorBusiness West
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WestBus nessNewsEssential business intelligence for the West of England
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WestBusinessScene
Clockwise from above left: LordMayor of Bristol Peter Main andguests at the launch of Bristol’sTurtle Bay bar; Bristol JuniorChamber past and new presidents Savita Custead andTom Selway at the Chamber’s64th annual dinner; BristolSprout, winners of the 0117 HourDigital Short Challenge, receivetheir award from the judges; DickLovett Porsche launch party atCribbs Causeway; Clifton Cloudnetworking at The Square,Berkeley Square
All photos courtesy of The Photo - www.thephoto.co.uk - in association with Jon Craig
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Magmatic, the Bristolfirm behind the Trunkikids’ ride-on suitcase,has received £3.92m ofgrowth capital from theBusiness Growth Fund(BGF), which has takena minority stake and aseat on its board.The deal takes to £30mthe total growth capitalinvested by BGF in theregion, although Trunkiis its first Bristol investment.BGF’s investment willfund future product, accelerate export salesand support the brandthrough advertising.As a result, seven jobsare likely to be created, taking staffing at itsBristol head office to 37.The former chairman oftoy group Hamleys Stuart Rose will join theboard as non-executivechairman. Mr Rose, a
former managing direc-tor of The Body Shop,was introduced to thefirm by BGF through itsTalent Network.Magmatic startedtrading in 2006 whendesigner Rob Law,pictured below,launched its originalride-on suitcase. Famously turned downby Dragons’ Den, thecompany now sells itsproducts in 2,500 storesacross the UK, as wellas 97 countries.It is on track to exceedtwo million Trunki salessoon and expects toachieve revenues of£10m this year.
Hazlewoods CorporateFinance has advisedVoyage Care on itsacquisition of supportservices provider Independent LivingGroup. Hazlewoods,based in Cheltenham,was instructed by Voyage Care, which last
year bought Solor Carein Bath. The transactionwas funded with existingcash, plus an injection ofequity from Voyage’smajority shareholdersHgCapital and SLCapital Partners. Legalservices were providedby Travers Smith.
West-made Thatchers Vintage Cider has beennamed Champion Cider in the InternationalBrewing Awards – the brewing industry’s Oscars.Managing director Martin Thatcher received theChampion’s Trophy at a presentation in London.Thatchers, based at Sandford, ages Vintage in 100-year-old oak vats to give it a characteristic flavour.
Acorn export servicescoops global awardBusiness West’s unique web platformsupporting exporters has won thefinal of the ICC World ChambersFederation 2013 Competition for BestInternational Project.The Acorn Interactive service is thefirst system of its kind and will changethe way that exporters work, savingtime, money and resource. It providesall the tools and information requiredfor businesses to be successful ininternational trade.The awards took place in Doha andwere hosted by Qatar Chamber ofCommerce and Industry. The ICC World Chambers Federationis the only forum open to the globalcommunity of more than 12,000chambers of commerce. BusinessWest was the only British Chamber ofCommerce to be selected as a finalistand beat tough competition fromChina, Ankara, Slovak and Tanzaniachambers of commerce to win thisprestigious award.Business West managing director PhilSmith said: “We are absolutelydelighted to win this global award forour innovative product which makes
exporting easier. Having been recog-nised recently at a national level withour British Chambers of CommerceExcellence in International TradeAward and now at an internationallevel, we can truly demonstrate thatBusiness West is a leading provider ofexport solutions in the UK.”Business West has been instrumentalin developing a range of pioneeringinternational trade services, such ase-cert, its Letter of Credit service,Acorn Interactive, and has success-fully launched a unique online exporttraining service.
Trunki provesa solid casefor investment
The West’s 50 Best Brands: Pages 11-13
Voyage on takeover path
Cheers. It’s cider with trophy . . .
VOTED BEST IN THE WORLD
Discover why we’re No. 1www.businesswest.co.uk
Acorn Interactive
WINNERBest International Project
ey we’rer whvDisco No. 1.co.uk.businesswestwww
No. 1.co.ukInnovation Awards: Page 26
All photos courtesy of The Photo - www.thephoto.co.uk - in association with Jon Craig
News
Leap of faith: Business West commercial director James Monk and international trademanager Lyn Palmer celebrate Business West’s success at the ceremony in Doha
Scan the QR codeon the left for an exclusive interviewwith Business Westabout Acorn Interactive
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News
Women Outside the Box (WOTB), Bristol’sfestival of female entrepreneurship, will beencouraging women to take the plunge andthink big when setting up in business with itstheme this year of ‘She Who Dares’.Exhibitor bookings for its October 7 eventhave already started with a special ‘early bird’offer available until May 31.Taking place at Bristol’s Arnolfini, the event isset to attract more than 1,000 women,building on last year’s 700-plus attendees.Exhibitors will have a unique and cost-effective opportunity to reach a large femaleaudience under one roof. Whether theyprovide business-to-business services suchas accountancy support or conferencingfacilities or are selling products such as
jewellery and gift items in the event’sdedicated ‘market hall’ shopping area.Discounts on full prices are available toorganisations confirming attendance beforeMay 31. A programme of expert speakers andadvice sessions spanning how to market abusiness to top tips for trading overseas andimpressing potential investors is beingstaged.Last year’s event was supported by businessminister Michael Fallon and Mayor of BristolGeorge Ferguson.Exhibitor Ros Hitchen, partner at The Accel-erator Sessions, said of last year’s event: “Anexcellent festival, it had a great buzz. I got theimpression lots of business was being doneand connections being made.”
Eight West firms have lent hard-earnedbusiness insights to a book aimed atpassing on experiences of starting, running and growing creative companies.One Thing I Know is published by CreativeEngland as a free book and website.Bristol companies featured are Aardman,Crack Magazine, Fiasco Design, MobilePie, Taxi Studios, Slingshot and twofourwhile Swindon’s Evil Twin is also involved.The articles cover all the creative sectorsand come from both established creativesalong with 20-somethings whose agenciesare just surviving their first few years.
Bluebird Care, the Swindon care-in-thehome franchise which has been in business for less than 18 months, hasreceived a glowing report from thewatchdog maintaining high standards inthe industry.Bluebird Care achieved all the necessarystandards in the areas inspected by theCare Quality Commission (CQC), includingthe care and welfare of its clients and thestandards of staffing and management.CQC representatives visited unannouncedand spoke to relatives of elderly peopleusing Bluebird Care.
She Who Dares wins is female enterprise theme
Creative thinking . . . Praise for care firm
The West’s 50 Best Brands: Pages 11-13
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News
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Bristol’s emerging reputation as a majorcentre for the creative industries has beenboosted by the launch of a £7m campusbuilding.Temple Studios, next to Temple Meadsrailway station, has been redeveloped byLondon-based property company TCNUK and was officially opened by BristolMayor George Ferguson.Following TCN’s redevelopment in 2010of Bristol and Exeter House next door, thefirm has spent the past 18 months turningTemple Studios into a quirky and creativeoffice environment aimed at creative anddigital businesses.TCN managing director Richard Pearce,said: “Back in 2008 we analysed themarkets and realised Bristol has aninnovative and creative demographicsimilar to Amsterdam, Utrecht and partsof London. Since then we redevelopedfirstly Bristol and Exeter House and nowTemple Studios and we already have 32businesses installed there. “Temple Studios targets creative anddigital companies, offering a unique officeenvironment with a raw, industrial designand desirable extras, such as a large
breakout area for like-minded businessesto connect and interact.”The entrance sets the scene with areception area housed in a shippingcontainer. Throughout the building areexposed surfaces, stripped floors andwalls, retro toilets and quirky signage. A large breakout area called The Space isfor companies and individuals to meetand collaborate, share a coffee and agame of table tennis. The final phase ofthe site will include a new £13m officedevelopment known as One Bristol,targeted at the technology, media andtelecoms sector, and a 120-bed hotel.
Breakout: The Space at Temple Studios
Bath is now firmly on the fashion industrymap, organisers of Bath in Fashion have saidas they take stock of this year’s event.Some 150 local businesses collaborated toenhance the city’s status as a fashion capitalduring Bath in Fashion.The innovative week-long programmeincluded exhibitions, talks, catwalks andworkshops as well as street events. Chair of Bath in Fashion Sarah Mansfieldsaid: “We were delighted with the response
to the programme of events. It is hugely flattering that so many talented individualsfrom the world of fashion such as RolandMouret, Julie Verhoeven, David Downton andLiberty London Girl give their time. “When you are asked every day what will behappening next year, you know it is a success.”Scan the QR code for exclusive video from Bathin Fashion
Bath has designs on fashion capital status Come on feel the noiseCharities and not-for-profit organisations arecompeting to win a year’s digital marketingsupport worth almost £10,000 in a conteststaged by Shepton Mallet-based socialmedia marketing company Noisy Little Monkey. Every entry to the aptly-named BigNoise for a Good Cause has got its own‘page’ on the firm’s website which includes astatement on why they should win. www.noisylittlemonkey.com for more information
Commercial property review: Page 28
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News
Innovation Awards: P26
Queen’s Awardsrecognise firms’achievementsA wide range of businesses fromthe West have gained prestigiousQueen’s Awards for theiroutstanding achievements ininternational trade, innovationand sustainable development.Espiner Medical, based inClevedon, is a first-time winner,increasing overseas sales of itstissue retrieval systems used inkeyhole surgery by a staggering1,517 per cent in six years. Highbridge specialist cabinetmaker Jo Bird & Co is anotherfirst-time winner. It increasedoverseas sales by 141 per centin three years and has identifiednew markets after undertaking areview of all its operations.Metryx, based in Aztec West,Bristol, exports 100 per cent ofits semiconductor manufacturingmonitoring equipment. Saleshave grown by 240 per cent overthree years.Bristol firm Hydrate for Health,which employs just two people,won an Innovation Award for itsunique hands-free drinkingsystem called The Hydrantwhich reduces dehydration inhospital patients. Another Bristol firm, Limbs &Things, also gained an award forinnovation for its development ofphysical models that helpprofessionals in medical andhealthcare with hands-on teach-ing. Renishaw, the Wotton-under-Edge-based engineering
technologies company, receivedits 16th Queen’s Award for itsREVO five-axis probing systemwhich improves accuracy inmeasuring equipment.Simulation Systems, based inYatton, won the award with itsrange of closed-circuit TVcameras and associated controlsystems used for surveillance incomplex environments.Track Analysis Systems ofShirehampton won an InnovationAward for developing world-leading products which measurelow levels of neutron and radonradiation. BMT Defence Services of Bath,which provides naval ship designand consulting engineeringsupport, has won an award forinternational trade. Other winners included cheeseexporter Coombe Castle ofCorsham, Chippenham-basedMH High Tech Projects,SelectScience of Corston, EIP,a firm of intellectual propertyattorneys and solicitors with anoffice in Bath, and WessexWater Services.
Crowning glory: Staff at intellectual property attorneys EIP
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Legal news
Challengingthe legal convention
When people think of law firms, theyhave this John Grisham image – thesenior partners on the golf course with
the associates locked in a dungeon for 18 hoursa day. That’s the popular image and it’s not thereality – but it’s not a complete fabrication either.A lot of the real work does get done by juniorsburning the midnight oil, and the results aren’talways that great for the clients.Tim Summers, co-founder of Bristol law firmTemple Bright is talking to WestBusinessNewsabout the pyramid structure most commerciallaw firms employ. He and Temple Brightco-founder Justyn McIlhinney have come up withan alternative that clearly works. “We take our inspiration from Apple, not from lawfirms,” continues Summers. “Receiving legaladvice should be like using a Mac – elegant andsimple, with no bells and whistles or optionsyou’re never going to use. So we don’t writerambling defensive letters with the clock running.That can be hard to avoid in the pyramidstructure if you have juniors supervised byassociates supervised by partners, all of themrecording every minute to pay the rent on a big
glass building. Instead we have low overheadsand with no juniors involved we can fix the priceand get to the point quickly.”Temple Bright has been a game-changer on itsown terms. Its answer to the challenge of standing out in a crowded market was to createsomething familiar but different. “We created a solicitors’ firm structured like abarristers’ chambers, with only senior lawyerswho work for themselves but as part of a tight-knit team,” says Summers. “It really works because what clients think they are choosingwhen they instruct solicitors is the character andskill of particular individuals.”Having launched with three partners in 2010, thefirm now boasts 16, split between its flagshipBristol office and a new London base in the heartof the Old Street tech community.Deploying technology to work smarter and beingcreative about the firm’s structure have also paidoff. The firm’s technological innovation has meantoutsourcing most of its infrastructural functionsto online providers, cutting overheads andincreasing efficiency into the bargain.
Top COP team expandsIrwin Mitchell Bristol’s Court of Protection (COP)legal team has become the largest in the Westspecialising in managing personal injury damages.The COP team handles settlements for clientsunable to manage money themselves aftersuffering head injuries through serious injury ormedical negligence. It ensures funds are used tohelp with specialist rehabilitation, support andnecessary adaptations to an individual’s home.The expansion, led by partner and COP specialistMichael Knott, reflects Irwin Mitchell’s commitmentto being a full-service law firm capable of helpingclients with all areas of their claim.Two new appointments have now expanded theteam further with Kate Gould joining the team as aparalegal in March and Virginia Charlesworthjoining to boost the administration team. Growing fast: Irwin Mitchell’s Court of Protection team is now the region’s largest
Game-changers: Temple Bright’s Tim Summers and Justyn McIlhinney
West legal briefs Bond Pearce, which has amajor office in Bristol, andNewcastle-based DickinsonDees have completed theirmerger to create BondDickinson. The new firm has1,200 staff, including morethan 700 lawyers and 142partners, working in eightoffices.Bristol firm Burges Salmonhas advised longstandingclient FirstGroup on the saleof part of its UK Bus division.The 15-strong team was ledby Rupert Weston and EdBarratt.The BBC has appointed Bris-tol-based national law firmTLT to provide legal advicerelating to its property estatein England and Wales. TLT’steam was led by real estatepartner Stephen Elliott.Richard Slade and Companyhas officially opened its Bristoloffice, its first outside London,and recruited former Wragge& Co and Mogers’ employ-ment lawyer Tim Gofton.Bristol firm Clarke Willmott’scorporate and real estateteams advised Extra MSAGroup on its £250m purchaseof nine motorway serviceareas.Round table. Challenges and opportunities of growth : Pages 23-25
In ProfileTemple Bright
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Business Show Swindon
The third annual business show in Swindon hasbeen hailed a success – proof, say organisersBusiness West’s Swindon Initiative, that the townis bouncing back.More than 1,000 people attended the event atSwindon’s STEAM railway museum – manycoming from Bath, Bristol and Gloucestershire –with the 80-plus exhibitors reporting a greatatmosphere all day. It was the third annual event staged by BusinessWest – and the most successful, according to theorganisation.With Swindon having been the subject of gloomyheadlines following job losses at the town’s giantHonda car plant and in some supplier firms,Business West was keen to demonstrate thatSwindon is very much open for business.Partner organisations such as Influence, Swindon& Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership andForward Swindon echoed that view. Show sponsor, fast-growing Swindon-based IT andcommunications firm Excalibur, also brought itinto focus by bringing in the latest technology forbusinesses.Keynote speakers at the show were Mike Gibson,senior director of enterprise for UK & Ireland atBlackBerry, and Charlie Wade, head of productmanagement at Vodafone. Both spoke about thefuture of the mobile in the workplace and ways ofcost saving and increasing productivity in the future.Additionally, the speed networking sessions allsold out and were greatly appreciated by thoseinvolved. This year also featured a LinkedIn lounge in anadjoining marquee, providing an informal alternative to speed networking where attendeesnetworked over a complimentary coffee or
smoothie. One of the highlights of theday was the announcement of the Excalibur VIPprize – £5,000 worth of IT services, which waswon by Swindon-based recruitment agencyOutsource UK. Other prizes given out on the dayincluded Accord Office’s £400 office chair, goingto Barbara French from AMS Accountancy.Swindon Initiative director Ian Larrard said: “Allthe reports back that we have had from thosewho attended the show, whether as visitors orexhibitors, have been positive. There was certainly a buzz about the place. Conversationswere taking place and business was being done. We hope the show provided a catalyst for takingSwindon forward.” � Influence, which acts as Swindon’s collectivebusiness voice, staged its annual conferencealongside the Business Show Swindon – giving asnapshot of the town’s economy and progress inthe raft of projects that will take it forward.The key themes were collaboration, innovationand creativity – with speakers returning to thesethroughout the event.
Together we’ll go fromstrength to strength. Thatwas the message from PaulJohnson, chair of the Swindon & Wiltshire LocalEnterprise Partnership (LEP)to the Business Show Swindon.Reflecting on its first 12months, Mr Johnson tolddelegates that the LEP wasalready delivering benefitsto businesses and thecommunity as a whole.Since its launch last April,the LEP had invested£2.63m of the GrowingPlaces Infrastructure Fundin Castledown BusinessCentre, with therest of the £9.4m fund to befully committed by mid-year.The LEP also fully supportedPorton Science Park’sRegional Growth Fund bid,resulting in £10m of investment.In addition, the Swindon andWiltshire City Deal was nowclose to completion, some-thing that the LEP played avital role in with the twounitary authorities. Itsbiggest achievement hadbeen establishing a robustpartnership speaking withone voice, said Mr Johnson.
Swindon gets back on trackwith major show of strength
LEP celebrates asolid start but saysmuch more workneeds to be done
Networking: Delegates at this year’s Business Show Swindon
Steamingahead:The BusinessShowSwindon,at thetown’sSTEAMmuseum,proved abig hit
Round table - challenges of growth: Pages 23-25
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THE WEST’S TOP50 BRANDS
Brands are everywhere. We are bombarded by them from themoment we have our first coffee of the day to our late night TVviewing. If there was a way of getting brands into our dreams
then marketers everywhere would be delighted.But what makes a brilliant brand? Here in the West we have some ofthe best – not just UK brands, but global ones. From Airbus to Zurich,taking in Intel, Honda and HP, the region boasts some of the world’smost-respected brands. Of course, these are international brands withkey bases in the region that impact on its economy. But the West alsohas some much-admired home-grown brands – Aardman, Orange andSuperdry were developed here. Then there are businesses that are longestablished in the region and have grown into major global brands suchas Clarks, Mulberry and Imperial Tobacco. The pace is now being setby the up-and-coming brands that are growing into national and international players such as Trunki, Pieminister, Yeo Valley and LasIguanas. Then there are the challengers who are not yet established buthave the potential to be huge such as Friska, the Bristol cafe chain, andBath-based Lovehoney, the sexual happiness people, as they call them-
selves. Sammy Mansourpour of Bath’s branding consultancyTheAgency reckons a good brand transcends its sector and takes on alife of its own. “When it comes to the most admired brands then Appleis right up there,” he says. “Everything about it is quality. It’s muchmore than just the products.” For Jon Waring, creative director of Bristol design house 3Sixty, greatbrands build a relationship with their customers that is about far morethan shifting products. He cites Virgin as an admired brand and one ofthe very few that successfully manages to cross sectors. “With Virgin,it is all about the experience,” he said.Admired West brands identified by Sammy and Jon include Pieminister – a favourite with many marketers in the region – andTrunki. So what does the founder of Trunki, RobLaw, think makes a good brand? “Everything as-sociated with it – from the website, to the design,to the staff – has to be brilliant,” he says.For more on Sammy and Jon’s thoughts onbranding, scan the QR code on the right
Sammy Mansourpour, left, of Bath’sTheAgency, recently worked on the newInvest in Bristol & Bath inward invest-ment initiative. He believes the West ofEngland can successfully brand itself bytapping into its creative energy and reflecting its positive image for cultureand the arts. “It’s got a great work-lifebalance,” he says.
Jon Waring, right, of Bristol design agency3Sixty, believes cities can successfullybrand themselves - but they have to avoidbecoming too associated with one image.“New York is a brand, and so is Paris,” hesays. “You know New York is exciting andParis is romantic. But trying to brand Bathwould be difficult. It’s not just a heritagesite, it’s a modern creative city.”
Cover feature: Branding
Aardman Bristol-based animation
firm best known for Wallace &Gromit and Morph. Brand hasextended into full-length movies,merchandise and games.
Airbus World’ssecond-largest
aircraft maker designs all itswings in Bristol. Originally aEuropean challenger brand toBoeing of the US, it has in previ-ous years sold more planes.
Avon RubberLong-standing
Wiltshire manufacturer and inno-vator. It sold its iconic tyrebusiness but retains a powerfulbrand in the defence sector.
BBC Natural HistoryHas made Bristol a
global centre for wildlife and nature filmmaking and created athriving support industry.
Badminton Horse TrialsEstablished as theworld’s leading three-
day event and compulsorygathering for the horsey set.
BanksyAnonymous
graffiti artist now a brand in hisown right. He put Bristol on theworld map for aerosol art andmoved it from street to gallery.
Bart IngredientsStarted by makingspice racks, thensaw a market for
spices. Now produces morethan 350 ingredients in distinctive packaging.
Bath Can youbrand a city? As aWorld Heritage
Centre and tourist honeypot,Bath has as good a claim as any
Bath Rugby A bigreason why the city ofBath is such a powerful brand. Its
loyal fan base keeps the brandstrong.
BlackthornProbably the best-
known West cider brand butnow owned by Irish group C&C.
Bloodhound ProjectBy building a1,000mph car in
Bristol, Bloodhound Project is channelling the enterprise andengineering prowess of Brunel.
BrabantiaA brand
known for its design-led kitchen-ware. The Dutch owned firm hasits UK base in Nailsea.
C&G As the Cheltenham &
Gloucester it became a bigplayer in providing mortgagesduring the property boom. Nowpart of Lloyds Banking Group.
Castrol Engine oilthat has been
developed into a truly globalbrand from Swindon.
Cheltenham National Hunt Fes-
tival For four days every March itturns Regency Cheltenham intothe epicentre of racing, bettingand Guinness.
Continued over the page . . .
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Cover feature: Branding
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Clarks A householdname and global brand
that has reinvented itself from boring(school sandals) to trendy (treks).
Clarks Village Pioneering factory shopping centre originally opened by
Clarks to sell end of range and secondsbut now developed into hive of brands.
Daylesford OrganicsCotswolds-based
provider of farm-to-fork food has devel-oped into the brand of choice for theBoden set.
Dolby High-profilebrand started by anAmerican sound
engineer in London but now has its European base in Royal Wootton Bassett.
Dyson The hugely-successful design-led global brand
developed by West inventor and engineer Sir James Dyson.
First Great WesternRecognisable butnot always popular
train company brand serving the West.
GCHQGovernment-runspy base in Chel-
tenham. Has become established as abrand partly to exploit its world-leadingexpertise in areas like cyber-security.
GaymersTraditional Shepton Malletcider brand nowthe world’s sec-
ond-largest producer of the drink. LikeBlackthorn, now part of C&C.
Glastonbury FestivalThe granddaddy ofmusic festivals, its high-profile brand is as muchdown to entrepreneurialowner Michael Eavis
and the inevitable rain as the acts.
HP Bristol-based HP Labsis the tech group’s largest research centre outsidethe US and has been at
the forefront of computing innovationfor 30 years.
Hargreaves Lansdown Started in a spare bedroom in 1981,the fund manager
and financial advice firm now has an-nual revenues of nearly £240m. Mademulti-millionaires of its founders.
Herman MillerBath-based globalbrand behind well-designed officechairs and
furniture. Also has a social conscience.
Honda The Japanesecar maker’s Swindonplant has been hit bythe recession but remains the region’s
biggest motoring brand.Intel Who cared whatmicrochip poweredyour computer untilIntel Inside happened.A branding break-
through for the US giant with its Euro-pean base in Swindon.
Lambert & ButlerThe UK’s top-selling cigarette brand is
one of many developed by Bristol-based Imperial Tobacco.
Las IguanasBristol-basedbranded SouthAmerican-style
restaurant group now with 29 outletsand expanding across the country.
Loungers Rap-idly-growingcafé/bar chainwhose Lounge
and Cosy Club branded outlets have adistinctive relaxed, laid-back feel.
WoodbinesFry’s Gateway Supermarkets GarrardsPlessey
Bluebird ToysCuprinolPlasticineEngland’s Glory Great Western Railway
MORE OF THE WEST’S TOP 50 BRANDS
10Great West brands of the past
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Mini BMW reinvented the iconicBritish car marque and nowmakes almost all the body panelsfor the Mini at its Swindon pressings plant, once ironically
part of British Leyland.
Mulberry Global luxury goodsbrand with its roots in Somerset’s leather-making industry. Best known for its
distinctive, sought after bags.
National Trust Swindon-headquartered membershiporganisation has cleverly developed its brand intomore than stately homes,jam and tea-towels.
Nationwide The world’slargest building society,
Swindon-based Nationwide successfully builds itsbrand around its status as mutual.
Npower German-ownedbranded electricity. Npower,based in Swindon, has
generated a high profile through sport sponsorship and effective branding.
Orange Groundbreaking,Bristol-based mobile phonebrand used its ‘The Future’sBright’ tagline and classy TVand cinema adverts to takeon its bigger rivals.
PieministerPioneers of real pieswho have builtamazing loyalty
around their quirky brand, makingit a real Bristol success story.
Renishaw Gloucestershire-basedglobal leader in precision measuring tools. A majorexporting success for the West.
Rolls-Royce One of the world’s topbrands and about as British asthey come. Innovation continuesat its aero-engine plant in Bristol.
Superdry Market stall tostock market listed clothingrange and retailer. The Cheltenham-based firm has
taken heavily-branded youth style into the main-stream. Worn by celebs, which helps.
ThatchersAnother West ciderbrand, North
Somerset’s family-owned Thatchers is challengingits bigger rivals through product development andclever advertising.
Trunki Famously rejected by theDragons’ Den, theBristol firm behindTrunki is now ex-
tending the brand beyond ride-on suitcases to arange of kids’ bags, car seats etc.
Wadworth TheHand-made in Devizes tag helpedlift this familybrewer’s flagship
6X bitter from a regional tipple to a major nationalreal ale brand.
Weird Fish Quirkystyling has turnedthis Cheltenhamcompany frommaking t-shirts to
a trendy clothing brand.WH Smith Thehigh street hasbeen a cruel
place recently but Swindon-based WH Smith issurviving by developing its branded outlets in stations and airports.
WOMAD Peter Gabriel hasmade his Box-based worldmusic festival a globalbrand.
Yeo Valley The organic dairy producers from Somerset have created a national brand thanks tosome clever TV advertising.
Zurich Swiss-owned global financial services brand has its UK
offices in Cheltenham and Swindon.
13
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Cover feature: Branding
Swindon-based creative studioJazzbones has been workingclosely with forward-thinking independent recruitment consultancy Aligra to revitalise itsbrand. The result is a fresh identitythat reflects the consultancy’swhatever-it-takes ethos and buildson its success and reputation. To start the process, Jazzbonesimmersed themselves in the Aligrabrand, finding out what makesthem tick, what their strengths areand where they’d like to be in thefuture. Initially, Jazzbones createda new bespoke logotype that reflects their ‘can-do’ attitude towards recruitment and their specialist market sector. They’re also redesigning and developing an advanced CMS (content management system) forAligra’s website which will appealto both candidates and clients,with full campaign roll-out to followin the near future. Aligra managing director Mark Neilson said: “We are really excitedabout the brand re-launch.Jazzbones has created a great newidentity for us and this will aid withour growth strategy.”
‘Can-do’ attitude shinesthrough in new brandingfor recruitment firm
FriskaCo-existHappy CityGradwell
HotchaAlphasphereFashion Blood-hound
Pukka HerbsLovehoneyBrothers cider
Clarks A householdname and global brand
that has reinvented itself from boring(school sandals) to trendy (treks).
Clarks Village Pioneering factory shopping centre originally opened by
Clarks to sell end of range and secondsbut now developed into hive of brands.
Daylesford OrganicsCotswolds-based
provider of farm-to-fork food has devel-oped into the brand of choice for theBoden set.
Dolby High-profilebrand started by anAmerican sound
engineer in London but now has its European base in Royal Wootton Bassett.
Dyson The hugely-successful design-led global brand
developed by West inventor and engineer Sir James Dyson.
First Great WesternRecognisable butnot always popular
train company brand serving the West.
GCHQGovernment-runspy base in Chel-
tenham. Has become established as abrand partly to exploit its world-leadingexpertise in areas like cyber-security.
GaymersTraditional Shepton Malletcider brand nowthe world’s sec-
ond-largest producer of the drink. LikeBlackthorn, now part of C&C.
Glastonbury FestivalThe granddaddy ofmusic festivals, its high-profile brand is as muchdown to entrepreneurialowner Michael Eavis
and the inevitable rain as the acts.
HP Bristol-based HP Labsis the tech group’s largest research centre outsidethe US and has been at
the forefront of computing innovationfor 30 years.
Hargreaves Lansdown Started in a spare bedroom in 1981,the fund manager
and financial advice firm now has an-nual revenues of nearly £240m. Mademulti-millionaires of its founders.
Herman MillerBath-based globalbrand behind well-designed officechairs and
furniture. Also has a social conscience.
Honda The Japanesecar maker’s Swindonplant has been hit bythe recession but remains the region’s
biggest motoring brand.Intel Who cared whatmicrochip poweredyour computer untilIntel Inside happened.A branding break-
through for the US giant with its Euro-pean base in Swindon.
Lambert & ButlerThe UK’s top-selling cigarette brand is
one of many developed by Bristol-based Imperial Tobacco.
Las IguanasBristol-basedbranded SouthAmerican-style
restaurant group now with 29 outletsand expanding across the country.
Loungers Rap-idly-growingcafé/bar chainwhose Lounge
and Cosy Club branded outlets have adistinctive relaxed, laid-back feel.
MORE OF THE WEST’S TOP 50 BRANDS
10West brands of the future
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Most businesses need investment to help themgrow, or to develop new products and services.However, securing finance remains an obstacle.Many directors are finding that lending criteriahave got tougher as aversion to risk continues todominate lending decisions.Few are aware of a source of fundingconsiderably closer to home; namely directors’own pension assets. Many business owners are using their pensionfunds as an alternative to help secure loans to theirbusiness in light of the difficulties. UK pensionfunds are permitted to lend money to a sponsoringcompany. The types of pension vehicle that canbe used to lend money to a company are Invest-ment Regulated Pension Schemes which are com-monly known as Small Self-AdministeredSchemes (SSAS).The ability of the SSAS to lend to a sponsoringemployer at commercial rates has provided alifeline to business owners whose bank will notentertain further lending in the current climate.An SSAS is a Registered Pension Scheme withHMRC and is able to provide a unique alternativefor companies seeking lending. This pension ve-hicle can also be used to receive transfers from
the directors’ existing pension assets which maybe held in a pension that is not permitted to makeloans. Once the pension has been transferred tothe SSAS it can subsequently be used to injectcash into the business. The SSAS will also enjoyconsiderable tax benefits including corporate taxrelief on contributions paid by the company, income tax relief on contributions paid by themember and investment growth free from income tax and capital gains tax.SSAS rules allow up to 50 per cent of the netassets of the pension fund to be lent to themember’s business which must be secured and theSSAS Trustees would charge the business acommercial rate of interest. This can be attractiveas rather than paying bank interest, it is paid intothe member’s pension fund and will grow tax free.
Finance
The right move Business West has welcomed theextension of the Funding forLending Scheme by the Bank ofEngland to cover more types ofbusiness finance. Managingdirector Phil Smith said: “Busi-nesses routinely tell us thatavailability of finance is a signifi-cant barrier to business growth.”
How SSAS canfund a business
By Steve Woodham,pensions manager
at accountants Old Mill
Advertisement
40028sbn_p9-17_Layout 1 16/05/2013 15:28 Page 14
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Timely professional adviceavailable at your fingertips
Chamber member newsChamber memberat Downing Streetsummit with PM
See pages 16 and 17 for a full round-up of diary dates
As part of their membership,Chambers of Commerce members frequently access theProfessional Advice Service(PAS) for crucial and timely advice. The service is exclusiveto members including their staffat any time – and, what’s more,it’s totally free.The service provides:-� 20 minutes of FREE adviceover the phone from a legal oraccountancy firm in the area onany business-related matter� One-to-one phone consulta-tions for every member of staff
� Use as often as needed (eachcall focusing on a different business issue)� Expert advisers based locally.The PAS can save you valuabletime and money, and is highlypopular among membersseeking advice that can helpthem make decisions quickly on a particular issue affectingtheir business.For more information about thePAS, please call free on 08009802789, or visit www.busi-nesswest.co.uk/information-ad-vice/advice
Welcome to our regular, dedicated section for Business WestChamber members, packed with news from members acrossthe West of England. This section showcases company expansions, awards and contract wins, new faces in localbusiness and much more. It’s a great opportunity to get yourbusiness in front of more than 5,000 key decision makers.Here you’ll also find advice and information about ourmembership benefits and events and training opportunities. To get involved, send in your latest news to the editor whowill consider submissions to ensure they are newsworthy andrelevant to our readership. A good quality photo to accompany your story is always welcome. For tips on whatmakes a good story, read our editorial guidelines atwww.businesswest.co.uk/westbusinessnews. Members also receive special rates on advertising. We look forward to hear-ing from you. Email [email protected]
Business West member JohnLittle, the managing director ofNailsworth-based Fluid Transfer,accompanied 13 other BritishChamber members to DowningStreet for an ‘honest and open’conversation with the PrimeMinister about issues facing UKbusinesses. The meeting was an opportunityfor chambers and their membersto educate senior Governmentofficials about the vital workbeing carried out by businesses. Themes for discussion centred oninternational trade and exports,and what more the Governmentcan do to support existing andpotential exporters.Mr Little said: “When I was firstapproached by Business West tojoin a small group of businessleaders to meet the PrimeMinister I was a little daunted.But it was a great opportunityand certainly not one to bemissed. “As a major exporter, I had theprivilege of representing theregion covered by Business West.With the help of the chamber wecanvassed a few exporters on
their issues and concerns and Itook these plus my own to themeeting.”Business West managing directorPhil Smith said: “We believe thatexporting will play a major partin unlocking the growth potentialof the UK, and if we are to winthe ‘global race’ that the PrimeMinister regularly speaks of, weneed to be doing much more tohelp companies break into newinternational markets. “We welcome the opportunity tohave a member attend a privatemeeting with the Prime Ministerand Britain’s political leaders. John has first-hand knowledge ofthe issues and his direct experi-ence will be invaluable in thediscussion about how Britain cando better in global trade.“An invitation to this high-levelmeeting demonstrates the keyrole played by Business West inrepresenting the views ofbusinesses in this region.”The meeting came hot on theheels of Business West winningBest International Trade Projectfor its innovative export advicewebsite, Acorn Interactive.
Rebranded by HiltonThe former Ramada BristolCity Hotel has been renamedthe DoubleTree by HiltonBristol City Centre followinga £5m refurbishment. All 201 bedrooms have beenupgraded with contempo-rary and stylish new décor,lighting, soft furnishings andluxurious Sweet Dream beds. All rooms now include 42inHD flat screen TVs with 100
channels, new bathroomswith walk-in rainfallshowers, MP3 alarm clock,wi-fi, separate seating areaand desk. The renovationalso includes a redesign ofthe reception and publicareas, a new lobby area,state-of-the-art gym with allPrecor equipment and amakeover of the conferenceand meeting rooms.
Voices of business: John Little, second left, ahead of the No10 meeting
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Chamber news/Events
Event: Ready for Business Dates: 4 June - Dorset
5 June - Bristol12 June - Bristol19 June - Bristol19 June - Swindon21 June - Devon24 June - Exeter28 June - Gloucester
Times: 09:30 or 10.00-16:00Place: VariousThis unique programme offers potential start-up businesses the opportunity to get ready for success through investment
Event: Go Green Bristol – There’s money to be saved by goinggreen!Date: 4 JuneTime: 09:30 – 12:00Place: Windmill Hill City Farm, BristolGain valuable information on how to save money by using resourcessuch as water, energy and raw materials more efficiently
Event: Boosting International Business Online – ExeterDate: 5 JuneTime: 08:45 - 17:00Place: Flybe Training Academy, Exeter International Airport, Exeter,EX5 2BD
Event: Bristol Chamber Networking Breakfast – JuneDate: 6 JuneTime: 07:30 - 09:30Place: Goldbrick House, Bristol, BS1 5PBLiaise with like minded business people over a delicious breakfast tosecure what could be invaluable contacts
Event: Go Green Bristol – There’s money to be saved by goinggreen!Date: 10 JuneTime: 09:30 – 12:00Place: Shire Hall, Shirehampton, BristolGain valuable information on how to save money by using resourcessuch as water, energy and raw materials more efficiently
Event: Networks for Construction - Homes and CommunitiesAgency UpdateDate: 12 JuneTime: 07:30 – 09:00Place: DAC Beachroft, Portwall Place, Portwall Lane, Bristol, BS997UDGuest speaker David Warburton, Homes and Communities Agency(HCA) Head of Area, will outline the HCA’s role in delivering key ele-ments of the Bristol Enterprise Zone and the Enterprise Areas in Bathand Weston, and of course their housing role
Event: Putting Green at the Heart of your BusinessDate: 18 June Time: 09:30 – 13:00Place: Leigh Court, Abbots Leigh, Bristol, BS8 3RALearn from those who have put green at the heart of their business.Meet inspiring people who have created green initiatives and learnhow they have successfully implemented green practices to savetheir company money. Headline speakers include Mayor of BristolGeorge Ferguson and Jonathon Porritt, founder ofForum for the Future. Hear how global brands have used the ‘green’movement to become more successful and sustainable, and learn
how to implement green improvements from the experts
Event: Gloucestershire Export ClubDate: 18 JuneTime: 08:30 – 11:00Place: Forest Green Rovers, The New Lawn, Nailsworth, GL6 0FGJoin us at this breakfast event to hear about Acorn Interactive, ourunique web platform that can assist you with all aspects of interna-tional trade, saving your business time and money. The Export Clubprovides an on-going support network in which you can increaseknowledge of exporting, grow your confidence and make useful
connections
Event: High Growth Start-up WorkshopDate: 18 June & 24 JuneTime: 09:30 – 16:00Place: Bath Racecourse, Lansdown, Bath, BA1 9BUThis two-day workshop will provide you with the information and thetools you need to start and run a successful high growth businessfrom the idea stage to the first 12 months of trading
Event: Gloucestershire Business Breakfast Club Date: 19 June Time: 07:45 – 09:30Place: Cheltenham Chase Hotel, Gloucestershire, GL3 4PBDevelop business connections, share ideas and collaborate at ournetworking breakfast. So get stuck in and start building the right con-nections for your business
Event: 50 Shades of Finance Date: 20 JuneTime: 09:30 – 16:00Place: Cadbury House Hotel, BS49 5ADBe guided through the maze of financial management and boost yourbusiness to high growth. Our full day workshops are designed to fuelyour desire for everything you need to know about alternative finance
options
Event: Bath Mixer: Bailbrook House HotelDate: 20 JuneTime: 18:00 – 20:00An exclusive sneak peek, pre launch tour of the stunning new Bail-brook House Hotel with the opportunity to network with fellowChamber members
Business West events in June Business West Training Courses
For more information on any other events or to book visit www.businesswest.co.uk/events
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Chamber news/Events
Subject: Customer serviceCourse: Delivering Excellent Customer Service Date: 4 July Time: 09:30 – 16:30 Cost: £168 + VATExcellent customer service will build your brand awareness and yourbrand confidence. Put your customers first and they’ll put you forward. This course will show you how to go above and beyond thecall of duty with a host of skills to enable you to project the right impression
Subject: Export & ImportCourse: The New Incoterms Rules Date: 13 June Time: 09:30 – 12:30 Cost: £103 + VATMaximise legal certainty in international trade transactions by clearlyunderstanding the new Incoterms® Rules. This is a great way to ensure your money is protected. These rules are an essential business tool for export and import as they define each party’s responsibility on arranging loading/unloading of goods, delivery,clearance and freight contracts
Subject: Export & ImportCourse: The Classification of Goods – Using Commodity and TariffCodes Date: 13 June Time: 13:15 - 16:30Cost: £103 + VATThe correct classification of goods is fundamental for your business’scompliance, establishing correct duty rates, origin of goods, intrastat,export control and other procedures. This course will help you understand the terminology used and how to correctly structure yourcommodity and tariff codes
Subject: Export & ImportCourse: Introduction to Export Procedures Date: 14 JuneTime: 09:15 – 16:30 Cost: £168 + VATExporting is a fantastic way to grow your business and it can be verystraightforward when you know how. Suitable for beginners and experienced exporters, you will gain an overview of the exportingprocess from first enquiry to order completion. This course will alsohighlight possible pitfalls and show you how to avoid them
Subject: Export & ImportCourse: Exporting - Understanding the Paperwork Date: 17 July Time: 09:15 – 16:30 Cost: £205 + VATDon’t let the perceived complications of exporting hold you back.This course provides an overview of export control requirements andthe documents specific to your own destination
Subject: Export & ImportCourse: Using Documentary Letters of Credits, Drafts and Bills Date: 18 July Time: 09:15 – 16:30 Cost: £205 + VATFor both importers and exporters, between 60% and 70% of documentary submissions are rejected first time because of noncompliance. A lack of understanding leads to increased costs, loss ofgoodwill, delayed payment and possible default. The use of Lettersof Credit will significantly bring down these risks ensuring you aresaving valuable time and money
Subject: FinanceCourse: Understanding Business Finance Date: 16 JulyTime: 09:30 – 16:30 Cost: £168 + VATMake money, source finance and increase profit! Understandingbusiness finance including reports and statements, numbers and ratios and costing and pricing, will leave you with the ability to makebetter business decisions. Delivered in a clear and concise manner,this course is perfect for those who find this subject challenging
Subject: ITCourse: MS Visio 2007 Date: 6 JuneTime: 09:30 – 16:30 Cost: £168 + VATLook to the future of technology in the workplace by gaining an in-depth and practical overview of this programme. It provides graphicaltools to create diagrams that document and organise complex ideas,processes and systems
Subject: ITCourse: MS Excel Level 1 – Beginners 2007 & 2010 Date: 19 June Time: 09:30 – 16:30 Cost: £168 + VATHone your spreadsheet skills. From calculating math functions to creating charts and graphs, this course will teach you how to becomemore efficient when using this essential software program
Subject: ITCourse: MS Publisher 2007 Date: 26 JuneTime: 09:30 – 16:30 Cost: £168 + VATNo graphic experience? No problem! Learn how to create impressivevisuals such as newsletters, brochures, flyers, posters and reports.Delegates can bring in their own work tasks or examples for a bespoke experience that produces relevant work to your business
Business West events in June Business West Training Courses
For more information on any other courses or to book visit www.businesswest.co.uk/training
All courses are held at Leigh Court, Bristol. Full details are available at www.businesswest.co.uk/training. Chamber members save 10%
40028sbn_p9-17_Layout 1 16/05/2013 15:28 Page 17
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Annual turnover at Swindon-based construction companyBeard has climbed by 17 per centto £68.7m as it continues tooutperform the recession-hitbuilding sector.Beard’s pre-tax profits were alsoup – by 11 per cent to £1.2m.The privately-owned business,which also has offices in Oxfordand Guildford, benefited from itsstrength in specialist sectors suchas education and defence –school-related and MoD projectshelped lift revenues at itsSwindon office by 18 per centduring the year.Recent projects in Swindon haveincluded the new car dealershipfor Fish Brothers, work for amedical products manufacturerand the installation of biomassboilers at a number of Wiltshireschools.Managing director Mark Beardsaid: “We continue to focus onthe expertise of our teams, theefficiency of our systems andabove all, prompt and faultlessdelivery to meet our customers’needs.“As a result we have seen anexpansion of the healthcare and
commercial sectors and contin-ued involvement in high-profileprojects within education and theecclesiastical sector.”Since he took the helm of thebusiness in 2002 its turnover hassoared from £20m to nearly£69m with profits rising from£300,000 to £1.2m. Much of that was due toinvestment in its people, he said,as well as working smarter forclients.“I am particularly pleased that2012 also saw a significantincrease in our net assets by£400,000 to £5.2m with cashfunds up £900,000 to £7.3m,” headded.“This represents a furtherstrengthening of the business’sunderlying finances whichreinforces our position as a solid,reliable partner within theconstruction industry. And moregood news is that secured ordersof £37m for the coming yearshow a nine per cent increase onthis time last year.” Beard alsoincreased its workforce by an av-erage of 10 per cent over the yearand more than doubled its train-ing provision.
Accountants boost team
QuoLux takes the LEAD in leadership training
Richardson Swift, the Bath ac-countancy firm, is expandingits senior team as demand forits specialist business supportand tax services grows.Debbie Boulton joins as director of business serviceshaving previously held similarposts at Bishop Fleming and
Target Accountants in the city.Tax director Jon Miles has alsobeen made an equity partnerand co-owner. Jon manages thefirm’s personal and corporatetax teams and specialises inhelping firms and businessowners structure their affairs ina tax-efficient manner.
The leaders of 15 regional businesseshave graduated from the first cohort onthe LEAD programme in the South West.Delivered by Cheltenham-based QuoLux,LEAD is designed to enable businessleaders to have the time and space to takea strategic perspective, identify challenges and achieve business growth.The delegates are now working towards apostgraduate certificate in ProfessionalPractice (Leadership Learning), aground-breaking award from LancasterUniversity Management School thatrecognises leadership learning in SMEs.QuoLux founder Stewart Barnes said:“LEAD brings the rigour, challenge, andlearning associated with a university programme, but it is not academic.Learning is personal, developed throughpractical solutions.”Leading lights: Graduates of the first LEAD programme in the South West
Chamber news
Beard bucks trendby building growth
Strengthening business support:Jon Miles and Debbie Boulton
New Corporate Partnership SchemeTheatre Royal Bath’s new Corporate Partnership package
(01225 823485)
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The slow recoverywill come with itsown challenges
Reality Finance Solutions,one of the UK’s leadingindependent technology leasing companies, has increased profits by 15 percent – its fourth year of consecutive growth.Reality’s turnover rose by 26per cent to £16m in the yearto August 2012, with education, manufacturingand engineering as the most dynamic sectors.The emergence of cloud computing as a mainstreamtechnology has also addedsignificantly to the bottomline, especially with growth inthe data centre market as
companies move away from“in-situ” technology into trueutility computing. With businesses still nervousabout locking up preciouscash in new IT the prospectof lease and rental, funding isextremely compelling.Reality managing directorJon Leslie: “With the banksstill failing their customerswho require funding, we areplugging a much-needed gapand are very much open forbusiness.” Reality’s clients includeHonda, AutoGlass, Renault,adidas, Diageo, RSPCA andSalvation Army.
Printer inks green energy contract Renishaw’s China role recognisedThe success in China ofRenishaw, the Gloucestershire-based advanced engineeringgroup, was highlighted at aChinese New Year celebrationat the House of Commonswhere the guests of honourwere Chinese Ambassador LiuXiaoming and Foreign Office
minister Hugo Swire. The eventwas attended by 120 guestsfrom organisations with connections to China andhosted by Gloucester MPRichard Graham as chair of theAll Party Parliamentary ChinaGroup (APPCG). Renishaw hasoperated in China since 1993.
Chamber news
Profits up again attech-leasing firm
Reflecting on its continued success: Reality Finance’s Jon Leslie
With signs that the doom andgloom of recent years is slowlylifting, businesses can now turntheir attention to the challengesthat the recovery will bring, saysRupert Mullins of insolvencyfirm Benedict Mackenzie.It will be a slow recovery andmany businesses will continueto face problems. But now is thetime for owners to ensure theyhave put their business on asound footing, according toRupert.“The past few years have beenvery difficult for manybusinesses and if they havesurvived this far then they havedone well,” said Rupert, aninsolvency practitioner for morethan 30 years – 22 of them inBristol – and head of BenedictMackenzie’s Bristol office forthe past 10 years.“During my career I have seen anumber of recessions but thisone has been different. For astart, the cost of money has beenlower which means manybusinesses have been able tocarry on trading. However, there
have been some fundamentalchanges in the way businessesoperate – many of them broughtabout by the continued rise ofthe internet. You have only tolook at the changing face of thehigh street to see the impact ofinternet shopping.”He said some of the high-profilecasualties such as Comet, Wool-worths and Blockbuster hadoccurred because they failed toadapt to a new kind of tradingenvironment. The rise of internet shoppingmade customer service andproduct quality more importantfor traditional retailers.“The continued success of JohnLewis shows that qualitycounts,” he said.However, just as important is theneed for owner-managers tomake sure they have all thenecessary expertise to takeadvantage of the upturn. “Most small businesses don’thave all the in-house expertisethey need. They need to bring inprofessional advisers to helpthem set priorities,” said Rupert.
Zurich staff prepare for their latest Challenge Staff at Swindon and Cheltenham-basedinsurance giant Zurich are about toembark on a large annual programme ofcharitable work to help some of the mostdisadvantaged within their communities.Challenge 2013 is an annual campaignbrokered by Zurich which gives staff thechance to help local organisations and
charities in a range of different tasks.Challenges are spread across the townsand fall into four categories – gardening,decorating and DIY, entertainment, daysout and offering a helping hand. Challenge 2013 is part of a UK-widecampaign in communities around allZurich offices. Zurich community in-
volvement programme manager SteveGrimmett said: “Challenge is now in its24th year, and this is testament to theenthusiasm of employees who organisecharitable projects that they wouldn’tnormally get involved in outside ofwork.” More than 2,800 projects havebeen completed since launch.
Design and print businessBurleighPortishead has becomeNorth Somerset’s first sustain-able design and print supplier byconverting to 100 per centrenewable green electricity.The Portishead-based businessis now solely powered byelectricity from Chippenham
green energy supplier GoodEnergy. This adds to its otherenvironmental commitmentsincluding using vegetable oilinks, recycled and carbon-bal-anced papers and recycling allwaste. Director Fraser Ebbs saidcarbon reduction was becomingincreasingly important.
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Electric cars spark interest Halsall pioneeringnew generation ofcarbon-free homes
The potential for electric carsto be a realistic alternative totraditionally-fuelled vehiclesprovided food for thought atMonahans ChippenhamBreakfast Club.The club, which continues toattract business people fromacross Wiltshire, as well asBath and Bristol, is nowamong the West region’s must-attend business events.Some 95 people attended thelast meeting staged at theChippenham Sports Club tonetwork and hear Alan Smithof Renault UK explain how technological advances aremaking electric cars moreattractive and how the infrastructure for them isdeveloping all of the time. He
busted many of the myths surrounding the cars andgave attendees the chance tosee Renault’s new electricmodels Zoe and Twizy.Ian Lloyd from Monahanswas delighted with the response from those attending. “This was one ofthe best presentations todate,” he said. “Electric carsare clearly not right for everyone but Alan’s talk certainly gave people food forthought and I’m sure theywill become a more commonsight on the roads.”Monahans Chippenham business breakfast takes placeevery two months. Visitwww.monahans.co.uk for details of the June event.
Bath-based specialist buildingcontractor Halsall Constructionhas completed two zero-carbonhomes that produce moreenergy than they use for housingassociation Alliance Homes, thefirst in North Somerset.The three-bedroom houses inPortishead were commissionedas a practical trial of low andzero-carbon technologies andconstruction in everyday use bytheir service teams andresidents.The highly energy-efficienthomes have been built to levelsix of the Code for SustainableHomes – the highest levelpossible. They have a combination of awell-insulated structure builtfrom sustainable materials,triple glazed windows, photo-voltaic panels that produce elec-tricity and solar thermal heatersthat produce hot water. Thehomes were built on a former
garage site which occupied anelevated south-facing positionoptimising efficiency of thephotovoltaic panels.Halsall were selected for thedesign and build contractthrough competitive tender andworked closely with Bristolarchitects Kendall KingscottPartnership on the detaileddesign and Rise StructuralEngineers, also based in Bristol,on structure and drainage. Halsall’s in-house licensedCode for Sustainable Homesassessor had full involvementwith the design and constructionteams, ensuring implementationof the ‘zero-carbon’ strategyand that design decisions weremade early. The cedar-cladsemi-detached homes featurelarge triple-glazed windowscreating well-lit and pleasantliving spaces, and efficientinternal water fittings that re-duce water usage and bills.
Young lawyers gain awardsTrainee lawyers from premierregional law firm Foot Ansteyhave won the Best AwarenessCampaign and Most PopularFundraising Idea categories atthis year’s Children’s HospiceSouth West Business Awards fortheir impressive fundraisingactivities throughout 2012.The trainees organised and tookpart in numerous activitiesthroughout the year across all ofthe firm’s offices to raise £6,300
for Children’s Hospice SouthWest, the firm’s chosen charitylast year.The charity launched its annualBusiness Awards last year toreward companies supported it inthe preceding year. Foot Anstey managing partner atJohn Westwell said: “As part oftheir training we encourage ourtrainee lawyers to take a broadview of the region’s business andlocal community.”
Chamber news
Bid to attract more business travellers to the West
Law firm staff’s Shooting Star role Staff at law firm Stone King,which has offices in Bath andMelksham, have raised morethan £6,000 for Shooting StarCHASE, the charity whichprovides children’s hospiceservices.Employees took part in a spon-
sored bike ride from Paris toGeneva, climbed the UK’s threehighest mountains, and completedthe Men’s Health Survival of theFittest obstacle course at Battersea Power Station. Thecharity has hospices in Middle-sex and Surrey.
Destination Bristol and Bath TourismPlus have been showcasing the cities’ tophotels, tourist attractions and conferencevenues at the world’s largest meetingsand events trade show.IMEX 2013, staged in Frankfurt, is a
three-day annual exhibition that attractsa range of major global companies.Destination Bristol and Bath TourismPlus joined the English Tourist Board,VisitEngland, to network with interna-tional decision-makers to attract meet-
ings, conferences and corporate eventsto the cities.Their efforts have been boosted bystronger air links between Bristol Air-port and major German cities, includingFrankfurt, Hamburg and Hanover.
Power play: Monahan’s Ian Lloyd with Alan Smith of Renault with the car firm’s Twizy and Zoe electric vehicles
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Race is on to design desert HQ for Bloodhound
Continuous improvementdelivers new training room
Customers of Bristol-basedKellaway Building Suppliesare being offered a uniqueopportunity to take part in the1,000 mph Bloodhound SSCland speed record bid throughan exclusive competition todesign its field HQ compound.Over the next 12 months, theBristol-based supersonic carwill be built and tested in theUK ahead of its attempt at theland speed record at theHakskeen Pan in South Africaduring 2014.Kellaway, a supporter of theBloodhound project since
2010, is offering its customersthe chance to design the teamaccommodation in SouthAfrica for the duration of therecord-breaking run. Kellaway development andmarketing manager ChrisParker said: “We’ve helpedthem out before with buildingsupplies for their Bristolworkshop. So when the teammentioned the accommodationneeds in South Africa we feltsure we could tap into our customers’ expertise to comeup with some innovative designs.”
Security company Allcooper hastransformed a former engineers’room at its Gloucester headoffice into a new training facilityas part of its continuousimprovement programme.The centre will be used forengineer and sales team producttraining as well as customerdemonstrations. The room is fitted with workingexamples of Allcooper’s existingproduct range as well asproducts that will potentially beused in the future. Security products on displayinclude Allcooper bell boxes,control panels, CCTV camerasand PIR (passive infra-red)sensors used for training tasks
such as programming, testingand maintenance.Engineers and apprentices gaveup their free time to carry out thechanges.Installations team leader PaulMcAvoy said “The new training
room is something we’ve had inmind for a while but finding thetime during working hours wasdifficult.” Allcooper employsmore than 30 installation andservice engineers, seven of themapprentices.
Better buildings Pillars of strength Bristol-based construction consultancy Hydrockhas set up a building performance engineeringdivision with the sole objective of makingbuildings work better and perform to maximumefficiency. Led by senior building services professionals, thedivision will operate as part of multi-disciplinaryteams alongside structural engineers andarchitects. These will focus on influencing designthinking to drive light and thermal performanceand to maximise natural resources at the earliestconcept stage, before any thought is given toadding mechanical and electrical services.
More than £4,400 has been raised for Above &Beyond, the Bristol hospital charity, by twoFour Pillars hotels in the West and the group’shead office. The funds will go towards life-saving equipment used by the Intensive Care RetrievalTeam at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children tobring babies and children from throughout theregion to the hospital in Bristol. The Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) isthe only unit of its kind for children in theSouth West. The specialist retrieval team iscalled out out on average once a day.
Chamber news
Built for speed: Kellaway staff with the Bloodhound supersonic car
Job done: Paul McAvoy, left, with apprentice engineer William Emmens
Brewin Dolphintakes the lead fora supporting role Brewin Dolphin, one of the UK’slargest independently-owned private client wealth managers,has become the first business to sponsor Bristol’s Colston Hall aspart of a new opportunity for national and regional businessesto support the concert venue.Colston Hall, as part of the Bristol Music Trust, has launchedinitiatives for businesses to support the venue.Chief executive Louise Mitchellsaid: “Sponsors are able to support for a season or genre ofperformance, host guests at selected sell out shows, enjoypriority booking for their staff orhave branding alongside shows.The team will build a bespokepackage for each business to suittheir objectives.”Built in 1867, Colston Hall is theregion’s most significant performance venue with a programme spanning pop, rock,classical music and comedy. Head of Brewin Dolphin’s Bristoloffice Terry Leach said: “We areproud to be sponsoring ColstonHall – an icon for the region’screativity and culture, which isplaying a major role in promotingmusic throughout the region. Thearts are very important to BrewinDolphin and we are delighted tobe supporting this highly success-ful organisation.”
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The Set, an innovative workspace aimedat forging links between Bristol’s creators and innovators, has beenlaunched.The hi-tech, design-led office at BathRoad Studios – home to ITV West Country – is run by London propertycompany Cube and will operate as amembership club where like-mindedbusinesses can network and share skillsand ideas.Its collaborative base removes theisolation of working from home, whileoffering facilities, designed by Bristolfirm Utopia, where users will be able tobounce ideas off one another.
Costa Express contract issecured by Howard Tenens
Chamber news
West supply chain specialistHoward Tenens has signed adeal with Costa Express todeliver a range of supplies to its2,500 UK outlets.The Stroud-based firm, whichhas bases in Swindon andSharpness, will collect itemssuch as coffee beans, flavouredsyrups, cups, lids, stirrers andpaper napkins from suppliersand store them at its Andoverwarehouse. From there pallets of stock are
sent out to one of six HowardTenens’ platform depots acrossthe UK for delivery by thefirm’s vans to Costa Express’sUK outlets.General manager Matt Whitwellsaid: “Once again our ability toflex to meet a customer’s needshave helped us secure a two-year contract.”He said the firm’s commitmentto run a sustainable fleet helpedsecure the deal along with its expertise in IT. Beans means business: Deal with Costa has boosted Howard Tenens
Big draw: Bristol Mayor George Ferguson, right, withJonathan Lawes, of Cube Real Estate at The Set opening
Bristol-based Balreed, the leadingnationwide provider of print anddocument technology andmanaged print services, has beenchosen by global leader Xerox asa national supplier and serviceprovider.The Xerox range has now beenadded to the Balreed portfolio,which already includes HP,Ricoh, Canon, Konica Minoltaand Kyocera. As Balreed is an independentsupplier, not tied to anymanufacturer, it can provide office and print room equipmentfrom leading manufacturers.Located on the Almondsburybusiness park at the junction ofthe M4 and M5 motorways, theBalreed team serves organisationsof all types and sizes. The firm also has six regionalbranches across the country.As well as a national team offield engineers providing on-siteservicing, Balreed has adedicated remote care teamwhich monitors all client deviceslive on a real-time basis,resolving potential faults beforethey occur, and dispatchingengineers before clients call.
Growth forBalreed withXerox deal
Scene is Set for new creative space
Future scores hat-trick oftop media industry awards
Please send your news stories to [email protected] advertising, please contact Anita Jaynes on 01793 615393
Bath-based media group Future has been namedMedia Company of the Year at the British MediaAwards.The victory follows accolades at the Association ofOnline Publishers and Professional PublishersAssociation awards for Consumer Digital Publisherof the Year, making Future the only media companyto have held all three titles in one year.Future emerged the biggest winner on the night atthe British Media Awards, collecting the MediaMarketing Team trophy for Mollie Makes and thePrint Product of the Year title for Digital Camera.Digital Camera became the market-leadingphotography magazine in February, breaking adecades-long dominance from established
publisher Bauer. Mollie Makes, launched in May2011, has quickly established itself as the UK’snumber one contemporary craft magazine.Future sold more than 24m magazines last year,and 3m products powered by its in-house app-creation software FutureFolio.CEO Mark Wood said: “It was fantastic to pick upthe big award of the night, especially following ourwins at the AOP and PPA awards. Coming on topof recognition for Digital Camera and MollieMakes, this shown that Future continues to be seenin the media world as a pioneer and digital leader.It is wonderful to see this company and, above all,our creative teams, getting the recognition so richlydeserved.”
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Round table participants
1. Mitch Titley, partner, Gresham Private Equity2. Peter Gradwell, managing director, Gradwell3. James Potten, managing director, Budget Pack4. Luke Pargeter, commercial director, Almeda Facilities5. Matt Hatch, chief executive, Red7 Mobile6. Bonnie Dean, chief executive, Bristol and Bath Science Park7. Rob Crews, partner, Momentum Corporate Finance8. Chris Springett, growth manager, BusinessWest9. Ned Dorbin, senior investment manager, Business GrowthFund10. Christian Annesley (chair)
Where are the opportunities in today’smarket?
Matt Hatch: It depends what market youare in – and ours is in a strong emergingspace. At Red7, the companies we dealwith are doing well. We are in mobile appsfor the enterprise, so the companies thatcome to us have money to spend andgrowth plans on the table. A lot of the appswe produce are for productivity and efficiency – but again, companies that areinvesting like this are usually stronger. I alsothink the West of England is stronger thanthe UK as a whole. I know many businesses in other sectors locally andmost are performing well.
Rob Crews: Our clients are strong. Mainlythe growth is being achieved in three areas. First, exports has been a key driver – particular sales in fast-growth economieslike Brazil, Russia, India and China. Thesecond area driving growth is smarter mar-keting: in particular using social media todrive dialogue with customers. Interest-ingly, this is true in the B2B space as wellas in B2C, where brand reputation is so important. The third thing driving growth isacquisition. It’s still a great way for strongerbusinesses to get into new territories or to
expand their product or service mix.
Chris Springett: Some sectors are strong.Those in advanced engineering, aerospaceand established and renewable energy markets are doing well. Many digital businesses with disruptive
market models are also doing well. Andthose serving the top end of the marketare still strong in most cases.
It’s in the more mainstream mid-market inmany sectors where conditions are reallychallenging.
Bonnie Dean: Yes, I think that’s right. Engineering businesses in high-valueniches are doing very well. They have skillsets and know-how they
have built up over decades, and they arefocused on delivering for their customers.
The future is digitalWestBusinessNews’ inaugural round table
debate, held at Bristol’s Watershed, focused on the nature of today’s economy.
The mainstream media’s coverage of the macro-economic issues facing the world’s
mature economies obscures the many opportunities in UK business right now, with the digital revolution in full swing.
We’ve picked out the best insights
Round table: Growth
Growth round table participants: Clockwise from top left, Mitch Titley, James Potten, LukePargeter, Peter Gradwell Photos by Doug Kirby
The communications revolution has changed the economy andcreated opportunities in recent years, despite the difficult macroeconomic picture.� The economy in the West of England remains strong formany� Availability of finance remains an issue but for strong businesses there is money available
� Companies have been forced to be more accountable, efficient and customer-focused today in a competitive and fast-moving economic environment� Low interest rates have kept some weaker companies afloat,which has mitigated some of the transformative impact of therecession: good for some but bad for the UK’s long-term economic transformation
KEY POINTS
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Peter Gradwell: One change I’ve noticed, as aservice provider in today’s market, is that customers won’t tolerate sloppiness or failure.Also, anything with a set-up fee doesn’t workany more. Customers want to pay for servicesmonthly in a simple way. At Gradwell we have invested in our
infrastructure to deliver on these terms and others are doing the same.
Mitch Titley: Yes, it’s not just down to whichmarket sectors are doing well or struggling.Across the board one differentiator today is theneed for companies to have flexible businessmodels. In retail, for example, some have struggled but others are doing incredibly well because they have adapted to a changing world.
Luke Pargeter: At Almeda we maintain propertyand make it run more efficiently. The dynamichere is that fewer new commercial properties arebeing built, so the need to manage the existingstock has grown. It means we operate in a healthy market with
lots of opportunity. Technology is also having animpact. Technologies that can help manage properties
remotely are now available, which is makingproperty management far more efficient and reducing staffing needs.
Are businesses more customer-focused thanever?
Matt Hatch: Yes, and it’s driven by the need tosurvive. You really have to be careful about whoyou target and why. If you choose the wrong targets, it can be very costly. Companies aremore accountable than ever before and mustwork hard to keep customers.
Bonnie Dean: Companies need a clear value
proposition that is easily understood. It’s a competitive world.
Luke Pargeter: As the world changes, often it’sabout customer education. It’s not a hard sellbut consultative.
Peter Gradwell: Yes, companies don’t want tobe sold to – they want experts to help them become better.
Rob Crews: Before 2008, a lot of growth cameeasily because of easy access to capital. Nowgrowth often has to come from efficiency, in lotsof contexts. That’s driving accountability in the world of business.
Chris Springett: Resource efficiency is also abig driver. Growing energy costs are also changing the world, making businesses very focused in the way they operate.
Ned Dorbin: Good niches in consumer-facingbusiness are doing well. But a good, well-targeted proposition is crucial.
James Potten: Here’s a counter view to somethat we’ve heard. In the business-to-businessspace I still think there is less efficiency andsometimes less customer focus than you mightexpect to see. At Budget Pack we work with companies on
their efficiency and recycling obligations – andwe can deliver big improvements. I feel like it isin the B2C space where things are particularlychallenging right now. But the government is quite pro-business and
has created a regulatory and tax environmentthat’s supportive. For many businesses, with lowinterest rates in the mix, there isn’t necessarily allthat much pressure to change.
Round table: Growth
Round table . . . The future is digital
Pictured, from the top: Matt Hatch, Ned Dorbin, ChrisSpringett, Rob Crews, BonnieDean
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Round table: Growth
Does the environment andbusiness culture in the UKsupport entrepreneurialism?
Ned Dorbin: I think it does.Many companies benefit frombringing experienced non-execson board, and there’s a goodecosystem out there for growingcompanies to tap.
Matt Hatch: It’s a good culturebut a lot of the risk-taking iscoming from more establishedbusiness leaders who have a financial cushion behind them –and the experience – to be prepared to go for it. It doesn’tquite fit the idea of young-gunentrepreneurs shaking things upbut it doesn’t matter where goodideas come from. And money isa factor.
It’s very easy to set up a business in the UK and there aresome great incubators out there,like SETsquared, though it ispurely a hi-tech incubator. Othersectors would benefit from similar resource.
Bonnie Dean: In the US manywould-be entrepreneurs oftenchoose to work in a big companyfor a few years first in order tolearn the ropes. It’s a good training ground but I’m not sureit’s quite part of the UK culture.
How do smaller businessesmanage cashflow effectivelywhen late payment is com-monplace?
Rob Crews: Companies have towork as partners with other businesses wherever possible.It’s not always easy but it’s
something to work at. A strongrelationship with partner businesses is good for everyone– and you should get paidquicker.
Luke Pargeter: At Almeda wework hard at all our relationships,whether with the managingagents that play such a big rolein property or direct with thecompanies we support. It’s easier to build that partnershipdirect with the companies.
Ned Dorbin: The other angle isto partner with funders who cantake that problem away, so theboard can focus on running abetter business.
Have low interest rates madethe UK economy more stag-nant than it would be if morecompanies had been left to goto the wall?
Mitch Titley: They have createda sluggish environment wheremany businesses have not madedecisions because they haven’thad to.
Rob Crews: There has been nobig shake-out in the economyand that is bad for UK plc. Butstrong businesses are still buyingup others. Our client Integral hasdone that and reaped the benefits. That is healthy.
Chris Springett: Efficiency iswhat grows economies, and lowinterest rates haven’t helped inthat respect. As Warren Buffettsaid of recessions: when the tidegoes out you can see who hasbeen skinny-dipping.
The future is digital . . .
Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! How could it be anything else?Watershed presents a unique o�er for businesses this Christmas – entertain your sta� or clients with lunch followed by THE classic seasonal film It’s a Wonderful Life.
EnjoyA modern English menu inspired by seasonal produce from our local suppliers...
Choose from Ballantine of Turkey stu�ed with cranberries with Italian roast potatoes, caramelised roots, steamed greens and gravy Or Chestnut, chickpea, squash and pine nut bake served with Italian roast potatoes, caramelised roots, steamed greens and gravy
Followed by Steamed pudding & custard or spiced apple tart with ice cream or hot mince pies
Lunch is served with a chilled glass of Prosecco on arrival or with dessert
Then settle down in one of our comfortable cinemas and enjoy Frank Capra’s delightful Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life starring James Stewart as a compassionate but frustrated businessman who is shown by an angel what life would have been like if he never existed...
The perfect way to start your Christmas celebrations! All inclusive price: £33.75 per person inc VAT
Call us or email us now to book your seats 0117 927 2082 [email protected] FFI watershed.co.uk/conference
Watershed, 1 Canons Road Harbourside Bristol BS1 5TX
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Scan the QR code on the left towatch the full round table debate.Future WestBusinessNews round tables will look at manufacturing, thefuture of Bath and the retail sector.
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Champagne Hot AirBalloon Flights
Balloon sponsorship also available.For booking or information call
For your clients or customers,over Bristol, Bath, Gloucestershire,Swindon and surrounding areas.
T 0117 947 1050E [email protected]
T 05017497110E ku.oc.tenlab@selas
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Innovation Awards
Young student lands top award: Training Page 29
Bath’s Newest Event Space
Bath Function Roomsweddings / events / parties / meetings
Call: 01225 33 85 65Green Park Station, Bath BA1 1JB
Join us in showcasingthe West’s innovators
StreetGames, the sportscharity aiming to secure anOlympic legacy for the UK’syoung people, is establishinga South West Business Advi-sory Board. Chaired by Business West executivechairman John Savage, it will establish business relationships and advise oncreating a sustainable legacystrategy for the its Sport England-funded DoorstepSport Clubs (DSCs). Bristol is playing a key role asone of eight cities with DSCs,testing ways to create thesenew clubs which will help
change the local sportinglandscape for young people.DSCs will provide opportuni-ties for youngsters to playsport while also offering themchances to become volunteers, gain qualificationsand develop a sporting habit.It hopes to set up 1,000 DSCsacross England providingsport for youngsters whowouldn’t otherwise have theopportunity to access it.To find out more aboutStreetGames’ South WestBusiness Advisory Board,contact Karen Lloyd [email protected].
Sport’s doorstep challenge
WestBusinessNews is tostage the first awardsdedicated solely to
showcasing and rewardinginnovation in the region.The West of England isrecognised as a hotbed ofinnovation and creativity andthese awards will champion thebusinesses and individuals earn-ing it this enviable reputation.The awards will held in Bath,Bristol and Swindon later thisyear and Gloucestershire earlynext year and will be deliveredwith WestBusinessNews’ sistertitles Bristol Business News,Swindon Business News andBath Business News.The award categories reflect theregion’s key growth sectors andrange from advanced manufac-turing to micro-electronics and
sustainability. There will also beawards for Innovation of the Year,Innovator of the Year and YoungInnovator.The awards are attracting top-name sponsors – among theblue-chip businesses andorganisations already committedto backing the awards are:
Headline sponsor
Innovation in ICT sponsor
Bath Innovation AwardsYoung Innovator Award sponsor
Innovation in Creative IndustriesAward sponsor
Innovation in Advanced Engineering Award sponsor
Swindon Innovation AwardsInnovation in Sustainability
Award sponsor
Innovator of the Year Award sponsor
Innovation of the Year Award sponsor
Young Innovator of the Year Award sponsor
Innovation in the Creative Industries Award sponsor
Innovation in ICT Award sponsor
For more information contactAnita Jaynes on 01793 615393 [email protected]
Bath Innovation Awards
Swindon Innovation Awards
Bristol Innovation Awards
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CITY FACTS: Situated on the River Elbe,Hamburg is 110km from the North Sea yet isEurope’s second-busiest port. Population:1.8m. Main industries: Aerospace, media,engineering. Imperial Tobacco and Airbushave bases.GETTING THERE: bmi regional flies twicedaily from Bristol with tickets from £49.99each way. www.bmiregional.comGETTING FROM THE AIRPORT: The‘S-Bahn’ metro runs every 10 minutes, takes25 minutes to the Central Station and costs€2.95 (£2.50) one way. WHERE TO STAY: On Lake Alster shoreline,Hotel Atlantic is one of the city’s finest hotelswww.kempinski.com/en/hamburg/hotel-at-lantic/welcome/. Best Western St Raphael isa good, affordable business hotel five min-utes’ walk from Central Station with free
24-hour internet, an extensive breakfast andfabulous Illy coffee in the bar. www.best-western.de/hotels/Hamburg/BEST-WEST-ERN-PLUS-Hotel-St-RaphaelSHOPPING: Spitalerstrasse, between theCentral Station and the impressive town hall,is a pedestrianised street that has everythingfrom H&M to haute couture while hi-techfans will love the massive electronics shopon nearby Moenckebergstrasse. CULTURE: The Bucerius Kunst Forumgallery next to the town hall is perfect for thatspare half an hour. www.buceriuskunstfo-rum.deLUNCH BREAK: A great bowl of pasta withchilli sauce is around €9 in the SchonesLeben, a lovely lunch spot near Hamburg’snumber one tourist attraction, the miniaturewonderland in the HafenCity area.POST-MEETING DRINK: Next to the citycentre, Café Paris is business orientatedduring the day, relaxed in the eveningwww.cafeparis.net. For somewhere moretrendy and upmarket, try Ciu´www.ciudiebar.de while Le Lion is a verystylish cocktail bar www.lelion.netTOURIST ATTRACTION:Miniature Wonder-land in HafenCity www.miniatur-wunder-land.com. For anyone who loves model
railways, it’s the biggest in the world!DON’T MISS: For great value food with afantastic view, have a coffee and cake or aThai meal (€8.95) at the cafe/restaurant onthe top floor of the Alsterhaus departmentstore round the corner from the town hall. Aglass of sparkling wine costs just €3.50.DON’T BOTHER WITH: The Reeperbahn,the famous red light district, if you are thereduring the week (unless you are a massiveBeatles fan). It is just one of the streets in theSt Pauli district which has seen something ofa boom in cafes and theatres in recent years.However, at the weekend it is buzzing.TOP TIP: A daily tube ticket, the HamburgCard+ is less than €9 for unlimited travel.Otherwise, just relax, enjoy the cafe cultureand try a cake - they’re incredible.NEED MORE INFO?: For hotel bookingsand more tourist information in English:www.hamburg-tourism.deNEXT TIME: 24:00 hrs in New York.WestBusinessNews Editor Robert Bucklandlooks at what the Big Apple has to offer busi-ness travellers.
24:00hours in
Hamburg
Passenger facilities at BristolAirport have been further expanded with the opening ofits £600,000 Aspire Lounge.It replaces the old executivelounge, increasing the spaceby 50 per cent and introducingimprovements for passengerswanting to relax in style beforeboarding a flight.Aimed at business and leisuretravellers, the lounge will beoperated by long-standingbusiness partner Servisair,
which runs more than 20 otherairport lounges across the UKand Europe.The lounge has kitchen facilities which enable hot foodto be provided for the firsttime, alongside snacks andpremium-brand drinks.A series of zones offer passengers the choice ofdoing some last minute workbefore boarding or relaxingahead of a holiday flight. Families will also be welcome.
Business travel
Going up: Hamburg’s landmark concert hall
Showpiece: Hamburg’s impressive town hall
Pre-flight relaxation: The new Aspire Lounge at Bristol Airport
Airport lounge takes off in style
Business links between the West and the German city ofHamburg are taking off following the launch of directflights from Bristol Airport. So what can the business traveller do between meetings or to fill a few hours before flying home? WestBusinessNews Travel Editor ANNE GORRINGE went to find out . . .
WestTravelshorts
Aer Lingus Regional hasmoved all its services, including with Bristol, toDublin Airport’s Terminal 2
making connections easierfor passengers. Destination Bristol is topromote the city at IMEX
2013 in Frankfurt, theworld’s largest meetingsand events trade show.The Manor House Hotel,
Castle Combe, has beenjudged one of the UK’s topafternoon tea venues for itsquality, range and service.
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Developers zone in onBristol’s enterprise site
Commercial property
Bristol is emerging as a keycentre for property investmentand development, accordingto a major piece of research.Investors are being drawn tothe city thanks to devolutionof power from London throughthe City Deal and a number oflarge infrastructure projectssuch as with the Temple Quar-ter Enterprise Zone, the latestReal Estate report byaccountants Deloitte shows.Its UK Key Cities reportreveals that regional officesare emerging as a focus forsavvy investors seeking higherreturns. Bristol is among a
new wave of cities recognisingthe need to stand apart fromcompeting locations andbridge the gap betweenthemselves and London. The report comes as a spateof investment projects acrossthe city and the wider regionpoint to a tentative recovery inthe property sector.Earlier this year the region’slargest property agent, JonesLang Lasalle, forecast Bristolwould enjoy one of the highestgrowth rates outside London.Deloitte’s regional head of realestate Martyn Gregory said:“We expect to see increasing
activity in Bristol over thecoming months. “There are strong signals therewill be further investor interestin the city, with the enterprisezone at its heart. “It is encouraging to see themomentum that Bristol istaking in terms of the infra-structure and governance.”This would provide a level ofconfidence to investors in theperformance of local realestate markets.“Much of Bristol’s new eco-nomic strategies come fromthe City Deal scheme”, hesaid.
Manor by the Lake, a GradeII listed manor house at ArleCourt in Cheltenham, hasbeen acquired for an undisclosed sum and will bere-launched as a luxury special events venue. New owners Tammy Madgeand Michael Chittenden planto restore the property andre-launch it as an exclusivewedding and conference
venue later this year. The sale was negotiated byproperty consultants Alder
King on behalf of receiversacting for Cheltenham Studios.
West property briefs
Total Produce, Europe’s premier freshproduce provider, is relocating itsGloucestershire wholesale depot to a5,231 sq ft unit at Mill Place inGloucester in a deal negotiated byproperty consultants Alder King.The Irish business acquired food supplier Halls of Gloucester in 2011and is now returning its Gloucester-shire operation to Mill Place - homeof Halls for many years before it relocated to Ashville Industrial Estate.
The Bristol office of independentcommercial property consultancyHartnell Taylor Cook has advised onthe £1.1m investment sale of 170Aztec West, a freehold detachedoffice occupied by Inty on a 15-yearlease, to a private buyer.
DTZ has completed the sale ofBuilding 730, Aztec West, to AEWUK. The 40,118 sq ft building is let toNorthgate Information Solutions untilFebruary 2016.
Bristol property developer Urbis hassold the Robinson Building in Bedminster, one of the city’s industrial landmarks, to social housing group Sovereign in a £6mdeal. The former paper bag factoryand printing works, built in 1870, andan adjacent former church have beenconverted into dozens of apartments.
A 9.7-acre former NHS site inWroughton, near Swindon, has beenbought by Swindon-based RidgevaleDevelopments for an undisclosedsum. Ridgevale will now apply forplanning permission for a high-quality,low-density residential development.
Wiltshire NHS Primary Care Trust hassigned a 10-year lease to take 5,125sq ft of office space in Bewley House,Chippenham, in a deal that meansthe former North Wiltshire DistrictCouncil headquarters, now owned byHPH Commercial Property, is fullyoccupied again. More than 50 administrative staff will relocate there.
Manor rebornas exclusiveevents venue
A room with a pew?
Comeback: Cheltenham’s Arle Court has new owners
Pay No Rent in 2013 *Unit 5 Kembrey Trade Centre
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It could be a heaven-sent chance for aunique conversionproject. A disused lateGeorgian Gothicchurch with originsstretching back to the13th century hascome onto the market.The former St Paul’sChurch in Stavertonnear Trowbridge hasapproximately 1,422sq ft of internal space
plus a porch. Thearched barrel vaultednave is approximately5.8m high. Other features include astained glass eastwindow. The church,closed in 2011 due todeclining congrega-tions, has command-ing views. It is alsolisted as being of Spe-cial Architectural andHistoric Interest.
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Working in business performancecoaching, unsurprisingly I meetmany professionals who’re visiblytired at the end of their workingday. Yet when asked what they’vespent it doing, reveal that they’vespent much of the time in meetings or on routine tasks.They’re certainly working hard,but none of it is going to make adifference to the business in thelong term. This is where effective
coaching from a professionalbusiness coach can make a bigdifference. Many of us are goodat things like answering emailand posting on social media, butnot at focusing on importanttasks (such as developing a customer contact programme orour marketing), particularly whenthere aren’t any deadlines. Putsimply, activity is not the same asprogress. The solution lies in
learning to think strategicallyrather than tactically; taking anobjective look at the state of yourbusiness and preparing for whatever the future holds.More importantly, a businesscoach will hold you accountableand ensure you do not allowyourself to start procrastinatingand preoccupying yourself withtrivial tasks that anybody couldhandle, by agreeing on clear,
meaningful goals that you needto complete between sessions.Professional business coachChris Kenber will write a seriesof articles in future issues ofWestBusinessNews. Email:[email protected]
A Bristol school student who arrived in the city six years agobarely able to speak English haswon a life-changing £18,000scholarship in the RSG BristolYoung Student of the YearAwards.Martin Marafko from MarlwoodSchool won the two top awardsin the pioneering scheme – thescholarship with BPP UniversityCollege in Bristol, and the BestYoung Student Award, sponsoredby Bristol recruitment firm RSG.Martin, who is originally fromHungary, will use the scholarshipto study business. The six-month
competition, which aims tobridge the gap between employers and young people inBristol, was open to 16-19 yearolds and was free to enter for allstate schools, colleges and academies. Participants had to create andpresent ideas for an innovativeportal giving students access toreal apprenticeships, work experience and job opportunities.Sponsors included NevardRoland, Airbus, Saffery Champ-ness, Brunel & Gordano Trainingand StudyFlex. Business Westalso supported the contest.
Young student gains top awardin life-changing competition
Scholarship winner: Martin Marafko, centre, flanked on theleft by fellow members of Team Inspire from MarlwoodSchool and contest founder Elaine Brown, and on the rightby RSG CEO Mike Beesely and the Patchway Power 4 teamfrom Patchway Community College
Why you must work on your business and not just in itBy Chris Kenber
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Bristol-based Edge Tax Consultancyhas recruited Lyndsey Chivers asmarketing manager to help furtherincrease the growth of the firm.Lyndsey joins Edge with more than 15years’ professional marketingexperience having previously workedfor accountants Solomon Hare (nowSmith & Williamson), Grant Thorntonand BDO. She will be responsible fordriving the firm’s marketing, socialmedia and business developmentstrategy. The Royal West of England Academy
(RWA) in Bristol has appointed AlisonBevan as a director. Alison bringssignificant experience with more than15 years managing art establishments,most recently as director of the PenleeHouse Gallery in Penzance.She takes up position on August 1 andwill oversee the remainder of theAcademy’s exciting 2013 programmeas she works with the team to developthe 2014/15 programme.National law firm Clarke Willmott hasstrengthened its property litigationteam, adding a new partner, SimonFreeman, who will work from thefirm’s Bristol office. The appointmentis further evidence of Clarke Willmott’scommitment to growing its leadingproperty litigation practice.Simon joins as a partner from WedlakeBell, where he was a partner andleader of the firm’s property group. He has nearly 20 years’ experience asa property litigator and has covered allaspects of real estate disputeresolution, including real estate-relatedinsolvency along with professionalnegligence claims.
Healthcare charityNuffield Health hasappointed SherylGrist to its Bristolhospital as the newhead of sales anddevelopment. Sheryljoins following nineyears at the helm ofNuffield Health’s
Fitness & Wellbeing Centre on CliftonTriangle and brings with her 15 years’experience working for the charity.She will be responsible for buildingrelationships with leading consultantsand GPs in Bristol. She will also be incharge of marketing and PR forNuffield Health’s state-of-the-artChesterfield Hospital which openslater this year. Allcooper have boosted its surveyingdepartment with the appointment ofPeter Brimmell, who has taken on therole of Sales Service Surveyor at theGloucester based fire and securityspecialists.The position means Peter will beresponsible for developing the firm’srelationships with existing commercialcustomers, while providing supportand advice on a variety of fire andsecurity services including fire riskassessments, maintenance, fire safetyand extinguishers.Bath-based Zenith International, theworld leading specialist food anddrinks industry consultancy, haspromoted Esther Renfrew, marketintelligence director since 2010, andfinancial controller Kathryn Foster, tobecome directors.Esther manages a team of 20 marketanalysts as well as an internationalnetwork of associates covering morethan 70 countries. Prior to joining Zenith in 2003, sheworked in France, Germany and at theUniversity of Bath.
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Following the success of the inauguralSouth West PA of the Year Awards lastyear, WestBusinessNews and its sistertitles have again teamed up with prestigious Ston Easton Park Hotel,near Bath, to stage the South West PAof the Year Awards 2013.PAs are often the unsung heroes of anorganisation. A steadying influenceduring challenging times, they areprofessional, reliable and pivotal to anorganisation’s success. Yet they often go unrecognised – untilnow.The PA of the Year Awards will takeplace on July 4 when the winners willreceive their accolades following a
champagne tea on the hotel’s beauti-ful terrace. The awards are open toPA’s from clubs, associations and thepublic, private and third sectors.� South West PA of the Year *Open toPAs employed for a minimum of 1 yearas of June 2013.� South West Newcomer of the Year*Open to those who have been employed in a PA role for less thantwo years as of June 2013.� Best Event Organised by a PA *Entries valid for events organised between January 2012 – June 2013For full details of the awards and howto enter go to www.paawards.yantra-digital.com/
South West PA of the Year Awards
Top: Lyndsey Chivershas joined Edge Tax
Consultancy. Centre: Sheryl Grist, of
Nuffield Health Bottom: Allcooper’s
Peter Brimmell
Alison Bevan: New director at the RWA
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An ambitious entrepreneur’s career has blossomed, withhelp from ‘Ready for Business’, a start-up service providedby Business West.Bunch, a florists, bloomed into life in February of this year,the creation of owner Georgina Lake. Georgina said: “It’s been my dream from when I was youngto run my own business and after 6 years of working forseveral other florists, combined with the guidance I receivedfrom Ready for Business, I finally had the experience andadvice to start my own business and work for myself.” Bunch sells exotic, tropical flowers and local handmadegifts, underpinned with a quintessential vintage style. Despite the gap in the market for a venture like Bunch andGeorgina’s credentials: “I achieved a National Certificate inFloristry”, starting a business from scratch was a tall mountain to climb. Georgina stated: “The idea of workingfor myself was very daunting”.In need of guidance and a support network to help the transition from initial idea to trading, Georgina contactedReady for Business, a unique business start up programmethat helps potential entrepreneurs improve their chances ofsuccess. The Ready for Business programme is also designed to improve the chances of securing external funding, by guiding entrepreneurs through five clear developmentstages, ensuring that a start-up plan is clear and robust andalso ticks the lending criteria boxes used by high street
banks and other lenders in making investment decisions.Through this process, Ready for Business helped Georginato obtain a start-up loan from South West InvestmentGroup.Speaking of her experience, Georgina said: “The Ready forBusiness programme has been extremely helpful and mademe much more aware of what to expect when starting myown business. The advice I was given has proved to be invaluable and really opened my eyes to the challenges thatI face. I would recommend the Ready for Business programme to anybody who is looking to start their ownbusiness.”There’s a lot to think about when starting your own business, especially in times of rapid market change andthe uncertainty it brings. Georgina advised: “Utilise the benefits you receive from joining the Ready for Businessprogramme such as the free calls to solicitors and accountants, as well as making use of a mentor when youbegin trading.” The programme also includes a one year free membershipto Bristol Chamber of Commerce, which is able to advise onother business support services from Business West.Georgina continued: “Tips for anybody starting a businesswould be to get as much support as possible before, duringand after you start.”
THANKS A BUNCH!
Scan the QR code, right, forWestBusinessNews’ exclusiveinterview with Ready For Business Project ManagerTara Gillam
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If you’re thinking of starting a business, the Ready forBusiness programme will help you develop your idea, create a clear business plan and provide expert 1supportup to and beyond the launch of your business.
For more information call: 01275 376 233 [email protected] www.businesswest.co.uk/readyforbusiness
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