Sussex Business Times - November 2014 by Life Media Group

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Scrap the Paperwork

A special report into how relaxed planning laws are reshaping urban areas in Sussex

Finance roundup:

graham carn updates us on the latest money matters

event review Best4Biz, Inspiring Local Business

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Celebrating 20 Years of Trading in the South East Figures correct at time of going to press & exclude VAT. Excess mileage, Termination & Vehicle condition charges may apply at the end of your agreement. Consumption and emissions ﬁgures as published by UK VCA. Subject to status and in the UK only. 2 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Finance available from selected leading UK Financial Insitutions from which Carmyke Leasing may recieve commission. Carmyke Leasing is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. ‘Term’ based on initial monthly multiple payment followed by remainder of monthly payments.

AT NTH

SBT Welcome MEET THE TEAM

nly Lee Mansfield, Managing Director/ Publisher

Simon Skinner, Group Director

Clare Fermor, Operation Director

Jon Goodwin, Business Development Manager

John Keenan, Editor in Chief

Zoe Thomas, Editor

Harriet Weston, Production Manager

Amy Watson, Design Assistant

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nly

Amelia Wellings, Accounts

Contributors

Graham Carn, Financial Editor

Philip Johnson from Locate East Sussex

Christina Ewbank Chief Executive of ACES

Rt Hon Sir Nicholas Soames MP, Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex

James Tetley at the BDO Southampton

Rebecca Haywood from Mayo Wynne Baxter

Ian Hopping, from Auditel UK Cost Management Consultancy

Richard Palmer, Solicitor from Lawson Lewis Blakers Solicitors

Stephen Cheeseman from Robinson Low Francis

VAT NTH

The sheer volume of business-related trade shows, networking evenings, workshops and talks in Sussex never fails to impress me. Over the last month, our team has clocked up hundreds of miles visiting as many of these events as possible, from Best4Biz in Uckfield, to Billibiz - The Show! on the other side of the county. We even held our own networking evening at The Brighton Hilton Metropole in October, which had an excellent turnout of over 40 people from a wide range of industries including beauty, healthcare, food and finance. The free wine and beer flowed nicely, as did the conversation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and it is always a pleasure for me to meet our readers and find out more about what they do and what they expect from a business magazine. Our special reports this month include an investigation into how relaxed planning laws are reshaping our town centres, and a feature on the skills shortage in the UK and how this potentially damaging gap is being addressed in Sussex. Beside this we have the usual expert questions and answers, with contributions from the Rt Hon Sir Nicholas Soams, MP for Mid Sussex, Alan Ainsbury from RBS and Philip Johnson from Locate East Sussex. Find answers to questions about business funding, overseas trading and even preparing your will in this section. Elsewhere we have the usual news, motoring reviews (our motoring correspondent Simon Skinner was very reluctant to let go of his giant Land Rover Discovery this month) and hotel and lunch reviews for a little weekend inspiration. I am also delighted to introduce former Argus Business Editor John Keenan as Sussex Business Group Editor in Chief. John will use his extensive experience, excellent reputation and business contacts to steer content and further establish SBG as the voice of business in Sussex. Enjoy your read!

Zoe Thomas Editor

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Contents SBT Issue 382

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SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

issue 382 FRee

yea

Scrap ThE papErwork

a SPEcial rEPorT inTo How rElaxEd Planning lawS arE rESHaPing urban arEaS in SuSSEx

FINaNcE roUNdUp:

graHam carn uPdaTES uS on THE laTEST monEy maTTErS

EvEnT rEviEw bEST4biz, inSPiring local buSinESS

wE TaKE a cloSEr looK aT THE laNd rovEr dIScovEry

ThINkINg oUTSIdE ThE INBoX

Sponsored by

dIScovEr How mimEcaST and Pav iT SErvicES can SafEguard your daTa and communicaTionS

THE crEdiblE voicE for THE SuSSEx buSinESS communiTy

Sponsored by Pav IT Services www.pav.co.uk

Managing Director/Publisher: Lee Mansfield lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk Group Director: Simon Skinner simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk Operations Director: Clare Fermor clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk Business Development Manager: Jon Goodwin jon@sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk Managing Editor John Keenan journalistjohnkeenan@gmail.com Editorial: Zoe Thomas zoe@lifemediagroup.co.uk Production Manager: Harriet Weston harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk Design Assistant: Amy Watson amy@lifemediagroup.co.uk Subscriptions: Linda Grace linda@lifemediagroup.co.uk Accounts: Amelia Wellings amelia@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Published by Unit1, Swan Barn Business Centre, Old Swan Lane, Hailsham, BN27 2BY Printed by Gemini Press, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 6NZ

All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Sussex Business Times Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of Life Media Group LTD. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Sussex Business Times Magazine assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from the participation in any offers, competitions or advertisement contained within Sussex Business Times Magazine. All prices featured in Sussex Business Times Magazine are correct at the time of going to press. Copyright Life Media Group LTD 2014 ©

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News

View the latest local and national business headlines

Spending it

A selection of corporate gifts with a festive twist – ideal for clients, employees and partners

Events

SBT takes a look at the latest Sussex Events. This issue we focus on Best4Biz and Billibiz - The Show

Money Matters

Finance Roundup - Graham Carn updates us on the latest money matters

Planning

A special report into how relaxed planning laws are reshaping urban areas in Sussex

Sponsored Cover Feature

Here we look at how Mimecast and PAV i.t. Services can safeguard your email system

Recruitment

Will the demand for new technologies outgrow our ability to provide necessary services?

Tried and Tested in Brighton

This month SBT’s Business Development Manager Jon Goodwin reviews the Room with a View Hotel and The New Stein French Bistro in Brighton

Chamber News

All the latest news and events from ACES

Motoring

SBT previews three new cars: the Land Rover Discovery, Jaguary XE and Lexus NX

Ask the Experts

Four local business experts advise on relevant issues

Made in Sussex

This month’s home grown hero is W. Bruford.

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SBTLocal News Raw Juice Bar Opens In Hove

By Steven Depolo ©

If there was a good place to open a shop selling organic, locally produced, raw cold-pressed juice, it would be health-loving Brighton & Hove. Youjuice is the brainchild of owner Anita Drozd-Alkin, 29, who is determined to spread trend for these healthy beverages. She told The Argus: “My brand is all about health, there’s a big difference between supermarket juices in cartons and raw juices freshly pressed on the day.” The process of cold pressing is supposed to protect health-boosting enzymes and minerals, which can be destroyed in other juicing processes. Mrs Drodz-Alkin has said she is amazed at the positive public response Youjuice has had since opening on October 14.

Faster Broadband Project is Boosting West Sussex Business The £20 million West Sussex Better Connective project has already reached more than 15,000 homes and businesses, giving them access to faster fibre broadband services. Nik Tobutt, a smallholder and local food producer near Kirdford, told Business Daily: “I’ve noticed a significant improvement in both the speed and reliability of our broadband service allowing me to stream media and data files from the house to my workshop, so I can listen to music while I’m working. “My wife is also pleased because she often works from home and now has a service she can rely on.” The partnership is jointly funded by the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK funds and West Sussex County Council.

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A Law Firm has Earned it Stripes by Opening a New Office Penina Shepherd, boss at Acumen Business Law, said its Gatwick operation is the first of many new outposts for the Hove-based firm. The opening party featured a Zebra-themed dance performance and around 70 business figures from the county were greeted with a glass of champagne on arrival together with an Acumen cash card worth £300.00 to use on legal fees. Ms Shepherd said: “The launch is the first step in many more that we need to take to form and grow the Acumen Family in Gatwick as

we have done in Brighton and Hove. I know that we will give it our all to make it a success and with the current support we already have in the area, hopefully we can replicate the Brighton success. “A day after the event we received more than 100 messages via email and and social media from business clients and contacts saying how much they enjoyed the night.” Picture: The Zebra Tribal dance Group performs at the launch of the opening of Acumen Business law’s new office.

Award-Winning Billingshurst Marketing Agency Acquires Peacehaven Firm PMW Communications, the West Sussex-based full service marketing agency, has acquired Peacehaven firm, 051, in a recent buy-out bid. Digital marketing specialists 051 will now merge with the buyer company, which celebrates 21 years in business this year, operating from their Billingshurst headquarters. The merged company will be 30-strong, boasting specialists in PR, web design, SEO, social media, advertising, events and graphic and digital design, offering a fully comprehensive marketing service. PMW’s MD, Peter Sutton, commented: “051 and PMW have been allies – and healthy business competitors! – for years. It makes

perfect sense for us now to join forces and pool our skills, people and resources. This exciting collaboration means an even wider range of marketing services for our clients to benefit from. “PMW has grown organically with client recommendation at the heart of our success, and this acquisition marks a significant milestone.”

SBTLocal News New Standards for Leasehold Managers Local company Jordan & Cook Block Management & Commercial Property Services has been awarded an accreditation to ARMA-Q, the new regulatory regime for residential leasehold managing agents. This accreditation puts them at the leading edge of best practice in property management. Despite collecting over a billion pounds in service charges from leaseholders each year, managing agents are not regulated by government, which leaves the system open to abuse and inconsistent service levels. The new ARMA-Q is

designed to instil confidence in leaseholders. Nick Malone, Director at Jordan & Cook says: “To achieve accreditation, we had to demonstrate compliance with over 160 rigorous industry standards. It’s the first time such measures have been introduced for agents in England and Wales, where there are an estimated five million leasehold properties. We are excited to be one of the first ten companies in the country to qualify, which clearly demonstrates our commitment to providing high levels of care.”

New Standards for Leasehold Managers Preperations are underway for the Big Bang Fair South East 2015, expected to be bigger and better ‘than ever’. The show, part of the nationwide Big Bang Near Me programme, will take place at the South of England Showground on 30 June 2015. It is the biggest single celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) for young people in the UK, and around 6,000 students and their teachers from across the region are expected to attend in 2015. Shows, hands-on demonstrations and interactive workshops will be provided by a range of companies.

How Crowdfunding is Changing the UK’s Financial Landscape Economists at the University of Portsmouth have taken a vital step towards understanding how crowdfunding is changing the UK and global financial landscape. Portsmouth Business School and the Crowdfunding Centre have announced a formal partnership, thought to be the first of its kind. The agreement will tell researchers, led by economist Dr Joe Cox, what makes people want to contribute finances to business projects, which projects are most likely to succeed and what the

answers might mean for financial markets or the economy. The Crowdfunding Centre’s Founder and Director Barry James is a leading advocate for crowdfunding and for research into how it is helping change the face of business. He has also been appointed Visiting Fellow at the University’s Business School. Dr Cox said: “Technology has made it possible for anyone to become an investor but we are only just beginning to develop a robust understanding of crowdfunding. Established economic

and financial models are in danger of being made redundant as technology drives down the cost and complexity of individuals taking responsibility for how and where to invest their money, or from where to ask for it.

£10m Fund Launched to Drive Economic Growth Further Education colleges and registered skill providers in the Coast to Capital Region are being invited to bid for a slice of £10m of Government funding for projects which will support economic growth in the region. Coast to Capital, the Local Enterprise Partnership for Brighton and Hove, Croydon, Gatwick Diamond, East Surrey, Lewes and West Sussex, is launching a Skills Capital Fund that will also back schemes aiming to provide excellent and inspiring education facilities. The money has been made available to the LEP, which represents more than 85,000 businesses, after it agreed a

Growth Deal with the Government which confirmed £21m could be accessed for Skills infrastructure in the region between 2015 and 2017. With £11m having already been allocated for projects in 2015/16, Coast to Capital is now seeking applications for the remaining £10m for the following financial year. “The objectives of the Skills Capital Fund are to enable the provision of

good quality accommodation and specialist equipment to make a direct contribution to the economic growth in the Coast to Capital region, support education and training and helping learners reach their potential,” Coast to Capital Chief Executive Ron Crank said. “There will be no minimum or maximum project value for applications but we will expect applicants to provide a minimum funding contribution equivalent to twothirds of the project value.” He added: “They can submit more than one application, but they need to prioritise the applications clearly.”

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SBTNational News Changes to Immigration Rules Announced The CBI has commented on reports that the Government is considering plans to cut immigration from the European Union by limiting the number of national insurance numbers issued to low-skilled immigrants. Katja Hall, CBI Deputy DirectorGeneral, said: “Businesses are clear they want the free movement of workers within the EU to stay. It boosts the attraction of investing in the UK, creates jobs and offers firms here real benefits in working with our biggest trading partners. “Businesses recognise this is a sensitive issue but capping EU immigration is not the answer to the living standards challenge in the UK. The Government and businesses should be looking at how best to help people get the right skills, training and support they need to get on in work. “Being inside a reformed EU is the best way for the UK to secure its economic future. The Single Market anchors our trade at home and is the launchpad for us to break into new growth markets.”

Apple To Announce RecordBreaking £110bn Revenues Apple’s yearly sales have grown thanks to worldwide demand for the latest iPhone models. Wall Street experts expect Apple’s full year results to reveal a record-breaking £110 billion in revenue between September 2013 and September 2014. Chief Executive Tom Cook said the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus had ‘set a new high-water mark’ for sales as people rushed to buy the new handsets. As many as 10m devices more sold in the first week of release, prompting Mr Cook to say: “These iPhones have become the fastest-selling iPhones in

history. And the first 30 days we have set a new high-water mark for the most orders taken. And I don’t mean by a little. By a lot, a whole lot.” While the outlook looks good for Apple’s smartphones, the brand’s tablets are not faring so well. Sales of the iPad fell by £1m in the September quarter compared to the same period last year, marking the third consecutive quarter of decline. Apple hopes the newly released iPad Air 2, the first tablet to use fingerprint scanning technology, will help revive sales. RBC Capital Markets have forecast 24m sales in the December quarter, which would work out as slightly higher than last year.

Phone Bills Rocket with Flexible Working Changes Small businesses are failing to plan for the increase in communications costs following new legislation regarding flexible working, says telecoms expert Kate O’Brien. The new legislation, which gives workers employed by a company for 26 weeks or more the ability to request flexible working, is likely to see some businesses’ phone bills rocket over

the next six months as employees increasingly need to call colleagues’ mobile phones. Kate O’Brien, Marketing Director for Daisy Group plc, said: “Internal business calls to staff mobiles can mount up if people don’t think ahead. Unfortunately there will be many businesses offering family-friendly working arrangements that get a nasty surprise when they open their

next phone bill. “We have been bracing ourselves for a flurry of calls from businesses eager to manage their call costs as they receive requests from staff to spend more time off site during the working week. But, although we’ve had a few enquiries, we’ve been surprised that the volume of enquiries we’ve had over the last few months hasn’t been much higher.”

Growth of UK Economy Expected to Fall in 2015 Forecasting group EY Item Club has said the UK economy will grow by 2.4% in 2015 compared to the 3.1% expected this year. Political uncertainty in light of the upcoming election and the Ukrain conflict

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will hold businesses back from investing, EY Item Club said. Peter Spencer, EY Item Club’s Chief Economic adviser, said: “The forecast for GDP growth is still relatively good. What has changed is the global risks surrounding

the forecast. “Looming political uncertainty risks denting corporate confidence - the question now is how will these risks play out? I expect caution to become the order of the day.”

SBTNational News Global Uncertainty Causes Drop in Manufacturing Growth Expectations

Expectations among manufacturers has dropped as faltering global economy and worsening geopolitical developments rocked short-term growth expectations for the sector. Research from Business Trends found the steepest monthly drop in output expectations in September since may 2013. The BDO Output Index, which predicts businesses’ growth expectations over the next three months, fell from 103.8 in August to 103.3 in September. This modest drop masks a sharp fall of 1.6 points in the

BDO Output sub-index for manufacturers, which fell from 113.2 to 111.6. Although the reading remains well above the 100.0 mark, indicating longterm growth, the findings suggest that a number of factors are undermining orders from manufacturers, which are vulnerable to international developments due to their reliance on exports. These include collapsing sentiment in the Eurozone, a faltering US recovery and geopolitical concerns. Weak and uneven global demand is also reducing cost pressures on businesses. The BDO Inflation Index

Retail Sales Down in September

September saw a fall in retail sales across the country, adding to fears that the economic recovery may be losing steam. According to the Office for National Statistics, sales volumes fell by 0.3% further than expected and representing the weakest figure since the beginning of 2014. Warm weather in September may have put shoppers off from updating their winter wardrobes - but sales in other sectors proved just as weak. This, combined with low wage growth, falling house prices, and global economic concerns have raised doubts about the UK recovery. Despite growth slowing, sales are still up by 2.7% from last year. Year on year, retail sales are up by 2.7%. The ONS said clothing and footwear

By Mark Hillary ©

sales dropped by 7.8% in September from August, the biggest monthly decrease since April 2012. Prices in stores fell by 1.4% in September compared with a year earlier, which is the steepest decline in more than five years. Despite the fall in September sales, Capital Economics said: “With low inflation set to boost real incomes, we are not concerned that September’s drop in sales is a sign of weakness to come.”

fell for the fifth consecutive month to 96.6 in September – just above the 95.0 mark that separates inflation from deflation. In addition to falling commodity prices caused by disappointing global growth, prolonged low wage growth is limiting upward cost pressures on labourintensive services firms. In sharp contrast to this gloomy outlook, the BDO Employment Index recorded its 13th consecutive rise in September, with hiring intentions reaching a new post-crisis high of 112.3, up from 111.2 in August. This indicates that the recent trend of falling unemployment is likely to continue, with firms expecting to increase hiring towards the end of the year. Commenting on the findings, David Eagle, Partner at BDO in the South East said: “With global conditions becoming increasingly challenging, it was only a matter of time before the stellar increases in economic growth recorded earlier this year came to an end. “Given their reliance on exports, manufacturers have borne the brunt of weakening global demand but the effects of stuttering worldwide growth are obvious throughout the economy.”

South East house prices up 10% on last year As house prices in London outstrip inflation, buyers are being forced out of the capital and into surrounding areas. This has contributed to a 10% rise in asking prices across the South East, according to Right Move. “The ripple effect of buyers priced out of London combined with those cashing in and moving out of the capital means that the south-east has taken London’s boom-town crown,” said Miles Shipside, a Director at Rightmove. “Upwards price pressure is being further fuelled by a reluctance of homeowners in the hotspots of the south-east to come to market.”

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COMING SOON 10 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Corporate Christmas

A selection of corporate gifts with a festive twist – ideal for clients, employees and partners

Gingerman USB Driver An adorable USB Gingerbread man! This one piece design means the cap can never be lost. The outer silicone case is completely washable. £14.99. John Lewis. www.johnlewis.com

Wine Gift Box A well-chosen bottle of wine makes a thoughtful Christmas present for a good friend, family member or work colleague. £20. BHS. www.bhs.co.uk

Festive Hamper This luxury Indulgent Festive Hamper from Thornton & France makes a great gift at Christmas. £100, www.bhs.co.uk

Jersey Pearl Topaz and Freshwater Pearl Ring A Freshwater pearl set amidst a sparkling opulence of sterling silver and encrusted white topaz. £93. W Buford. www.wbruford.com

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Spending It

Christmas Hamper We at Grapes are pleased to offer a range of bespoke Christmas hampers and gift packs starting from £10. For more information visit our website www.grapesworthing.co.uk or contact Richard 01903 608563.

The Cheese Lovers Gift Hamper If you’re looking for a gift for someone who just loves to dive into the cheeseboard then look no further than our Cheese Lovers gift box. £33. Whisk Hampers. www.whiskhampers.co.uk

Deakin & Francis Black Cufflink Box The leather accessories collection by Deakin & Francis offers a selection of stunning leather goods any gentleman would be proud to use. £350. W Buford. www.wbruford.com

Cocktail flavour set The Make Your own Cocktail Kit includes a set of 5 flavours 45ml each. Raspberry, peach, orange, strawberry and passionfruit. 40g rimming sugar. £8. Next. www.next.co.uk

Virginia Hayward Twelfth Night Hamper A very distinguished looking hamper filled with deliciously decadent hand-selected Christmas food and wine. £200. Virginia Hayward. www.virginiahayward.com

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Spending It

Scented Candles Add inviting fragrances to your home with this His & Hers scented candle gift set from Max Benjamin. Perfectly designed for couples, the ‘him’ candle has notes of cardamom, pepper, patchouli & amber, whilst the ‘her’ candle has notes of mandarin, bergamot, jasmine & vetiver. Max Benjamin. £29.95. www.amara.com

Hip Flask This stylish gentleman’s hip flask screams sophistication! Designed by Ted Baker this gold hip flask is engraved with the wording ‘As Good As Gold’. Complete with a presentation gift box. Ted Baker. £39.95. www.cuckooland.com

Personalised Wine A festive bottle of fun, personalised with the name and message of your choice. £19.99. Getting Personal. www.GettingPersonal.co.uk

Personalised Cover For Kindle Keep your kindle protected and secure in this personalised, foamlined kindle cover, £25.Letter Fest. www.letterfest.com

Deakin & Francis Sailboat Cufflinks Introducing the colourful and unique handcrafted cufflinks from Deakin & Francis. Over the last 200 years the team at Deakin & Francis have created over 1000 cufflink designs for business people, celebrities and members of royalty worldwide. £255. W Bruford. www.wbruford.com

Tudor Pelagos Gents Titanium Watch The TUDOR Pelagos’ sporting character and impeccable reliability will meet the requirements of lovers of the deep and those passionate about the vital marine environment. £2840. W Buford. www.wbruford.com

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Event Review:

Best4Biz, Inspiring Local Business

Last month hundreds of small business owners from all over Sussex descended on the stately Buxted Park Hotel for Best4Biz: a free day of networking, keynote speeches and useful workshops packed with tips and tools for strengthening and growing business. Over 200 delegates arrived on Wednesday 7 Events October, joining senior councillors and staff from East Sussex County Council, Wealden District Council and Lewes District Council for Best4Biz. Joint organisers Sussex Business Times, ACES and East Sussex County Council were also in attendance, alongside sponsors Recruitment South East. With its long gated driveway, manicured grounds, eagle-topped pillars and white Palladian facade, Buxted Park Hotel proved to be a particularly splendid venue for Best4Biz, located near the Ashdown Forest at the heart of Sussex. “The buzz at the Best4Biz

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conference was impressive. It was great to rub shoulders with public servants like Charlie Lant, the Chief Executive of Wealden District Council and Keith Glazier the Leader of East Sussex County Council, to name just two of many,” said Christina Ewbank , the facilitator of ACES, the Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex. “They and their senior teams joined in the workshops with senior business people, demonstrating a strong partnership in action.” The day began at 10:30 with tea, coffee, biscuits and networking, where visitors could wander around the high ceilinged rooms browsing some very useful exhibits giving details of funding and business support available across the county. Exhibitors included Keeley Rust and Adam Chugg from WOW Exchange, a networking organisation

launched by East Sussex Councils to bring businesses and voluntary services together. Rachel Stone of Bespoke Training Eastbourne also had a stand at the conference. She found the day enjoyable, commenting: “Beautiful surroundings, excellent organisation, fantastic speakers and great food too! What more could a business owner ask for when sacrificing an afternoon of their precious time to attend a conference?” Rachel, who specialises in business training and management coaching, added: “Every good business owner always weighs up the cost benefit analysis of taking time out from his or her busy schedule. Taking yourself out of the business to learn something new, mingle with other business owners and find out the latest developments in the area could be considered a risk. You

don’t know until you have been there and experienced what’s on offer. “Nobody could have gone away thinking that it was a bad choice to attend as it was superb. The speakers covered topics that will have a big impact on the future of all businesses and those who couldn’t make it or chose not to really missed out on some great learning. “The break out seminars were helpful, well attended and well organised. The trade stands were neatly gathered in a cosy room which made for an intimate atmosphere where great networking took place, in addition to the excellent lunch provided, where more networking took place. All those concerned with the running of the event did a superb job and it is something I will certainly prioritise for next year when planning my schedule, I would not want to miss it for sure!” At 12:30 the Orangery was opened up for lunch, where caterers laid out a complimentary buffet of sandwiches, salads and wraps for the scores of attendees. Next, all visitors were invited to pour into the ballroom for inspirational and thought provoking keynote speeches from Kevin Green

of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and digital specialist Linda Davidson, who launched the first BBC website in addition to E4. Kevin was the HR Director of the Royal Mail and part of the management team that turned the business from making a daily loss of £1 million to an annual profit of over £600 million. Both speakers challenged SMEs to plan and prepare for the future of work using the latest technology in a global market. After more refreshments and networking, valuable breakout sessions were held headed by a number of local entrepreneurs, including Mark Driver, the driving force behind Rathfinny Estate, the newest and largest vineyard in East Sussex. Mark talked about planning and risk management at Rathfinny. Commenting on the event afterwards, Mark said: “I found Best4Biz quite useful - particularly the key note speakers, who turned out to be very inspirational. When you attend business events like this you don’t expect to learn a huge amount but on this occasion I did - especially from Kevin Green who’s talk about recruitment was particularly useful. “The great turnout and buzz reflected how excellent Sussex is as a place

“Buxted Park Hotel proved to be a particularly splendid venue for Best4Biz, located near the Ashdown Forest at the heart of Sussex”

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Events

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Events

“The great turnout and buzz reflected how excellent Sussex is as a place to do business. It’s a great place with beautiful countryside and an exceptional pool of people. The only downside at the moment is the poor communications especially in the East.”

to do business. It’s a great place with beautiful countryside and an exceptional pool of people. The only downside at the moment is the poor communications - especially in the East. “My wife and I spend a lot of time working with Ark Academies in Hastings, running a programme called ‘Drive for Literacy’, which is aimed at improving the school experience for those with dyslexia with the intention of becoming a national benchmark. The only holdback is the bad communication links. London really is the centre of things but it’s actually quicker to get the train from London to Birmingham than it is to Hastings. It’s mad. But once these problems are overcome - with rail-links and with the A27, I have no doubt Sussex will become an even more appealing place for businesses. Best4Biz was just a taste of things to come.” Will Callaghan - the Cabinet Office digital adviser, also held a breakout session. He talked about how to plan a robust digital strategy for your company. There were also workshops with Laura Langstaff Head of Procurement at East Sussex County Council, Lev Denker of UKTI, Philip Johnson of Locate East Sussex and Martin Ellis of Recruitment South East and Mardi Roberts of Ridgeview Wine Estate who shared their knowledge of Marketing in the 21st Century. All

the breakouts focused on using digital technology to win business locally and globally. Councillors present throughout the day included Rob Blackman, Leader of Lewes District Council, Roy Galley, Wealden District Councillor responsible for economic development, Rupert Simmons East Sussex County Councillor responsible for economic development, Keith Glazier, Leader of East Sussex County Council and Charlie Lant, CEO of Wealden District Council. A ‘question time’ Expert Panel, hosted by Rupert Clubb, Director of Communities, Economy and Transport for ESCC concluded the talks before drinks and canapes in the evening. The panel

gave delegates the opportunity to quiz Julie Hands, CEO of Hand Picked Hotels, the keynote speakers, Kevin Green and Linda Davidson, Philip Johnson of Locate East Sussex, and Graham Peters, leader of Team East Sussex. A networking event kicked off at 6:30pm with a free glass of sparkling wine for all attendees. This presented a fantastic opportunity for delegates to mingle, exchange business cards and generate strong leads. At the end of the day all delegates left with a goodie bag sponsored by BMW, which included freebies, leaflets and resources for growing and improving businesses.

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Alan Wright Photography ©

Billibiz - The Show!

Billibiz – The Show! 2014 offered local businesses a chance to mingle, connect and celebrate business in Billingshurst and the surrounding areas For a small village tucked away in the West Sussex Events countryside, Billingshurst is an impressively active town home to a huge variety of businesses. On 16 October 2014, Billibiz – The Show offered proof of this, showcasing a wide range of businesses from digital marketers and web designers, to accountants, grant schemes and wealth management firms. The show, which is organised by Billingshurst Chamber of Commerce, has run for the past four years. The chamber represents over 80 local companies of all sizes and supports them in growing and maintaining business by hosting regular networking opportunities, seminars, talks and other knowledge-building events. Billibiz – The Show is the piece de resistance of the year, offering a free day-long trade show at the Billingshurst Centre, plus seminars by prolific guest

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speakers on subjects such as how to increase your profits and marketing on a shoestring budget. Guest speaker Dee Blick, marketing expert and award-winning author of four business books, had a stand at the event promoting her new book: ‘The Ultimate Guide to Writing and Marketing a Bestselling Book on a Shoestring Budget’. Already the book has debuted at #1 in ‘hot new releases’ on Amazon, making this Horshambased entrepreneur an inspiring addition to the day. Dee, along with the chamber’s Executive Committee Chair Susan Venturi and Sussex Business Times’ editor Zoe Thomas, opened the show at 10:30 with welcome speeches, before doors opened to visitors and judging began for ‘best stand of the year’. Susan Venturi, Chairman of the Billingshurst Chamber of Commerce, said in her opening remarks: “BilliBizThe Show was another success. In our

fourth year, more than 30 businesses are here on show and we have an even higher proportion of repeat exhibitors”. She said: “For small businesses, and large ones, if we work together, there is power in numbers and so combining our individual strengths enables us all to achieve greater things. That is how and why a small community like Billingshurst can stage one of the best business shows in the area”. She said: “It is the chamber’s strategy to bring ‘an extra dimension’ to our Members in everything we do, and BilliBiz - The Show is the perfect example of that. It provides a platform for SMEs to promote and network that most would not be able to facilitate or afford on their own. That really is ‘the extra dimension’ we set out to add”. Vice Chair Martin Spurrier, together with Dee and Zoe, had the tough task of selecting the best stand. With so many excellent exhibits to choose from - including Cranfold Physical Therapy

Alan Wright Photography ©

Centre with their scale models of human body parts, and Ice Media featuring free homemade cupcakes – the decision was tough. However, one exhibit did stand out for pure effort: The Horshambased A-Team Mechanics. Their table was heaving with car parts and they even had their diagnostic kit on display for demonstrations. Tizz Burdfield, Director of The Auto Team, was delighted to win a year’s free chamber membership, a free stall at next year’s show and a signed copy of Dee Blick’s best-seller. The rest of the day went smoothly, with delicious refreshments provided throughout by local tearoom, restaurant and gift shop Whispers, who took up temporary residence in the Community Centre’s kitchen – much to the delight of hungry exhibitors and visitors who were treated to homemade sandwiches, chilli con carne, jacket potatoes and some very tempting cakes. Around 150 visitors walked through the doors throughout the day to find out more about local opportunities on offer. Graham Phillips, web designer at Ice media and exhibitor at the show, said: “This is the third BilliBiz show I’ve been involved with (and second as part of the organising committee) and each year

the show has been bigger and better than the last. This year we had some brilliant speakers who were able to give real value to the attendees and each visitor I spoke to was impressed with the entire setup. It was an exciting day to be a part of and I’m counting down the days until the next show!” Fellow exhibitor and media partner SBT also enjoyed a successful day at the show. Editor Zoe said: “We ran out of magazines before the end of the day – it was a fantastic opportunity for us to get the SBT name out into West Sussex. The show was organised very well, which is testament to the genuine enthusiasm and passion felt by Martin, Susan and the rest of the chamber board. “Above all, I really enjoyed meeting all of the other exhibitors to find out more about what it’s like to run a business in this beautiful part of Sussex. For such a small village, the pool of expertise is phenomenal. It was an honour to be part of Billibiz – The Show and I am looking forward to an even bigger and better show next year.” Keith Paul, Chairman of the BilliBiz The Show organising committee, said after the event: “The feedback we have received from exhibitors immediately

after the Show has been excellent. Again, virtually everyone has said that they expect to be back or that they will recommend BilliBiz - The Show to others”. He added: “The free seminars were particularly popular and attracted more that 50 attendees. Again, this programme was one of the chamber’s ‘extra dimensions’ because the seminars were free to all at the Show. To have the opportunity to learn from experienced speakers of the calibre of Dee Blick from The Marketing Gym, Finn Ryan from Action COACH, and Blaise Tapp from the West Sussex County Times was invaluable. Again, the feedback reports were outstanding”.

Sponsorship Opportunities

There are countless benefits of attending Billibiz – The Show, from the potentially useful networking opportunities on offer, to the seminars offering free expert tips and advice to help improve your business. Another opportunity on offer is sponsorship. This is a great chance to give your business greater visibility and aline your brand with an established chamber of commerce. www.billibiztheshow.co.uk

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Financial Roundup

In the past month it has been somewhat the case for the UK economy and SME businesses of â&#x20AC;&#x153;do you want the good news or do you want the bad?â&#x20AC;? This roundup takes a look at the important recent economic announcements and considers their impact - Financial Editor, Graham Carn

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Money Matters

Let’s start with the positives: there was Financial Chancellor George Osborne’s “double Advice dose of good economic news”, UK inflation fell to a five-year low of 1.2% in September from 1.5% in August. The Consumer Prices Index - is the lowest since September 2009, when it was 1.1% as a result of lower energy and food prices and cheaper transport costs. The Retail Prices Index measure of inflation fell to 2.3% from 2.4%. Unemployment rate falls to 6%. The percentage of economically-active people that are unemployed fell to 6%, down from 6.2% in July. This is the lowest level of unemployment since October 2008, and it brings the number of people employed within the UK economy to 30.8 million - a new record. Other positive news has been: Wage settlements Wage settlements are also starting to move in the right direction. Average earnings were 0.7% higher in September and this is good because real wage increases will ultimately come from optimistic employers happy with business conditions. Interest rates In last month’s Sussex Business Times I wrote about the likely timing of rate increases and the potential impacts on business. The latest domestic economic news has meant there is a greater likelihood that rate increases will be seen further into 2015 than previously anticipated – good for SME borrowers, but not so good for businesses with surplus funds. With lessening inflationary pressures on the horizon, the likelihood of the Monetary Policy Committee voting an increase in interest rates this year have now fallen almost to zero. The good news and positives Perspective tends to fizzle out around here. It depends on the strength of the rose tint in one’s glasses, but most of what follows is the potentially bad news that George Osborne is also flagging to us as it may well impact on, or even derail, the UK’s recovery.

Business Confidence The latest quarterly International Business Report stated that UK business confidence remains stable - but in their Eurozone counterparts it has declined. The shrinking growth of economies such as Germany and France has resulted in a confidence drop across the EU and there are increasing reports that even the German economy is in trouble, to the extent of possibly relapsing into recession. UK confidence actually rose last month up to 82% - almost an all-time high for the country, and in second place in worldwide rankings for business optimism behind India (95%). However, UK businesses export expectations were down - despite recent export initiatives suggesting demand is largely domestic and uncertainty about foreign markets continues. 14% of UK businesses also cited access to finance as a concern.

Overseas trade The UK economy is still heavily dependent on trade with Eurozone countries (the destination of 50% of our exports) so, despite a stronger domestic outlook, contraction across the trading block would adversely impact the UK’s exporting prospects. UK exporters can benefit from a weak Euro and SMEs that export outside of the Eurozone would benefit the most from Euro’s weakness; however, the opposite case would apply for UK exporters trading with Eurozone countries, particularly if they are pricing in euros. UK importers, meanwhile, could also benefit from a weaker euro, as their purchases are relatively cheaper but that doesn’t help the balance of trade position. Global recovery The worldwide recovery that appeared to be under way does not yet look

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Money Matters

which helped to calm the markets after a volatile week, come as the Bank prepares its own new forecast, to be published next month. It is expected to reduce its growth and inflation forecasts, largely as a result of the Eurozone’s woes.

close to zero for longer. The problem sustainable. Investors, having taken with deflation is that, when people the rose-tinted view of markets for most expect prices to be lower in the future, of this summer, are suddenly jittery they either stop or defer spending. Why about the very real prospect of deflation buy now when in three months it could in Europe and Japan. The latest cost a lot less? The drop in demand inflation figures from the Eurozone, the caused by postponement of purchases worst for five years, did not help. The leads to more price cuts and more EU’s statistics agency confirmed on cuts in spending, creating a downward Thursday that across the 18 countries spiral into recession. Deflation worries that share the Euro, consumer prices are strongest in Europe, but even in rose just 0.3% in the year to September America, inflation - the lowest level has been weak, of inflation since “He had become as a result of October 2009. falling commodity Growth expectations “gloomier” about are being downsized the outlook, and that prices. across the board interest rates would no Outlooks and and there is longer need to rise as Forecasting speculation on how the newer emerging soon or as much as he UK Growth could slow economies, which previously thought” significantly next are much less year because of understood, such as the election uncertainty and the more the Chinese, will react to a slowdown. dismal outlook for exports as a result of the Eurozone’s woes, according Deflationary pressures to some forecasts which use the It is feared that with inflation so low, Treasury’s model of Britain’s economy. even a small weakness in Germany’s Growth could fall to 2.4%, following economy or a re-escalation of the expected 3.1% expansion this geopolitical tensions in Ukraine, year. These new forecasts come hot could send the whole region into a on the heels of the warning from Andy deflationary downturn. Haldane, the Bank of England’s Chief Until recently, the consensus view Economist, who said he had become was that headline inflation in the “gloomier” about the outlook, and Eurozone would gradually start to pick that interest rates would no longer up from the end of the year but now need to rise as soon or as much as that oil prices have tanked, fears are he previously thought. His comments, growing that headline inflation may stay

Treating customers Fairly

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So what should those running SME businesses believe - the good news or the bad? Well, let’s get a couple of things in perspective - economic forecasting is not an exact science and market volatility is normal. There has been a sustained period, following probably the worst economic recession affecting worldwide mature economies this century, of better financial information and ensuing confidence. With confidence there is always mixed in with it a bit of hope and I think what has occurred recently is a realisation that all the recent problems have not gone away and that some of the measures used to reverse our recessionary woes have implications of their own. It could be that what we are seeing now is a removal of the tinted glasses and a refocussing on the fact there is still much work to be done to achieve heathy and sustainable growth. A review and readjustment of expectations is not a bad thing and there is always a fine line to be walked to achieve low inflation and low interest rates that will sustain a recovery. Attention will continue to focus on the markets and investors around the world who have been selling equities because of fears that anaemic global growth may be seen as having over reacted. For every viewpoint there is an alternative and certainly there are those who believe fears over global growth are over-stated. Most market analysts agree however that we are likely entering a period of volatility, which will create SME uncertainty and reduced levels of business confidence, heightened in the UK as we build towards May 2015 and the ramifications of the general election outcome. Graham Carn, SBT Financial Editor [Graham Carn is also the Managing Director of Blackstones Consulting Limited – any comments or questions on this article please email blackstones@btinternet.com ]

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A Blooming Success:

10 Years of Aneela Rose PR With a new office, a 10th company birthday and a new business in the pipeline, we ask Aneela Rose, queen of public relations, to reveal the secrets behind her success

First Impressions Matter With bright red hair Success and a name like Aneela Rose, it’s almost impossible not to create an impression – something that can only help when you live, breathe and sleep the glamorous world of PR. Aneela’s long list of projects reveals impressive names such as Tower Bridge, Brighton Festival, Guildhall Art Gallery and The Monument in London. With so much competition from hundreds of PR agencies in and around the capital, just how did Aneela, who started her business as a one-

woman-band in West Sussex 10 years ago, win such massive contracts? “My clients tell me that my intense passion and commitment to getting results for them shines through and my team’s ‘yes can do’ attitude is the reason they work with us,” Aneela said. Aneela’s natural tenacity propelled her from working in-house for eight years in industries ranging from aerospace and defence to publishing and IT, to making the brave decision to spread her wings and go it alone in 2004. “I decided that I wanted to work for myself, as I felt I was good at PR and marketing, had a bulging contacts books and am naturally a confident and

adventurous person. I felt I had nothing to lose by giving it a go. I didn’t have a business plan, I didn’t even know what to charge but I very quickly found my first clients – Amberley Castle and Kate’s Cakes, and from then on I’ve never looked back. “I am very driven and not afraid of hard work or risk taking,” she added. It Hasn’t All Been Peaches and Roses In the past year alone, Aneela Rose PR has doubled in size. In October 2014, the team moved to bigger offices in Burgess Hill to accommodate new members. “The move to bigger offices was much needed,” Aneela said. “We had outgrown

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our old office a year ago so moving into over 2,000 square feet of new office space was long overdue! It’s been a significant step change for the business and the team are upbeat, positive and raring to grow the business further and work with more local and national companies. “We’re holding a big party in November in our fabulous new office with clients past and present, friends, and anyone who has worked with us. It’s a massive achievement which we are all proud of,” she added. But as with all new businesses, the company’s success hasn’t come without its challenges. Aneela said: “One of the main challenges for us is keeping up to date with the rapidly changing marketing landscape and ensuring my knowledge and those that work for me is current.” Another big challenge has been adapting to a growing business. In a relatively short amount of time, Aneela has gone from being her own boss, to leading a whole team of workers. She said: “So far I’ve been happy to run a small consultancy but we cannot stop expansion now. As our knowledge and experience has grown, so has the business, our results are getting noticed and we have had to manage the consequences that success brings.” With business growth comes the risk of compromising quality to meet the rising workload. Aneela said: “I purposely keep our client numbers at a manageable level so we can spend the right amount of time producing the very best we can for everybody we deal with.” Hiring the right team members to assist with the expanding business has been another careful consideration for Aneela, who said: “It has been important for me to recruit brilliant people who can immediately make an impact within the business and who are hungry to change the world!!” Challenge comes hand-in-hand with starting a business, but with every hurdle and every set-back comes the potential for improvement. Aneela believes she

has learnt a great deal in the last decade: “I’ve learnt to surround myself with people who know more than me. I’m not afraid of admitting I’m wrong or that I need to backtrack,” she said. “ I listen to and involve my team, and base my decisions on a collaborative approach.” Starting To Bloom Over the past 10 years there has been huge change in the way people share and consume information. This has inevitably changed the way PR works too. An increasing demand for digital marketing and PR has, according to Aneela, been a ‘game changer’ for her business. “I’ve worked with various digital and social media consultants in the last two years and it’s proven over and over that it’s a massive growth area that companies, serving both business and consumer markets need to embrace otherwise they will not be here in 5 years time,” she said. “My team and I attend weekly events including conferences, presentations and webinars, to hear from leading experts in the digital world and we immediately share or implement what we have learned. This week we attended the PRCA’s “Hashtag Hijinks” event for PR companies working with Not for Profit & Charities as part of their digital group.” Ever the entrepreneur, Aneela has spotted a brand new business opportunity in the rise of digital communications. Not content with heading up one successful PR business, she has this month launched a new business: Purple Rose Digital (PRD), aligning PR with digital. PRD will offer social media and digital marketing services to any company wishing to improve their online presence. While digital may be the future, Aneela maintains there is still solid value in traditional communications such as print, radio, television and events. Aneela said: “The difference between us and other digital agencies is that we have our sister company Aneela Rose PR to professionally content curate and feed appropriate stories into the social media machine.” However, the team’s experience working on digital campaigns in recent years has

“Aneela and her team plan to work on more collaborative campaigns, where social media and PR go hand-in-hand to help deliver results for their clients”

put them in good stead to work with some well established clients. “We have worked on some incredible PR and Social Media campaigns in the last two years, including Julian Metcalfe’s healthy fast food chain ‘itsu’ and the City of London Corporation working with world renowned Tower Bridge, Guildhall Art Gallery and Keats House,” she said. “Purple Rose Digital will manage social media and email marketing campaigns for any companies wishing to up their game in the online space. We use advanced tools and software to manage, implement, monitor and evaluate all of our online campaigns.” Aneela and her team plan to work on more collaborative campaigns where social media and PR will go hand-inhand to help deliver results for their clients. “It’s been working for us for the last two years so we will keep doing what we’ve been doing but in a more targeted way. We are very strong in B2B sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, technology and construction but also in specific consumer markets such as leisure and tourism, retail, charity and food.” The business mogul will continue to invest in her staff, saying: “Continuous professional development and on-thejob training is crucial and that’s why we now have a staff training plan in place.” With a deep drive to continue to grow and reach new heights, it seems this PR rose won’t be wilting anytime soon.

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Scrap the Paperwork:

Changing the Shape of Sussex Towns A special report into how relaxed planning laws are reshaping urban areas in Sussex Our towns and cities are based around us: our Planning needs, our lifestyles, our whims, our desires, our trends. Every building reflects the zeitgeist of its era: like Victorian townhouses with their grand facades displaying the wealth of the aristocracy; the ‘60s tower blocks emphasising austerity and functionality, and the millennial high rises capturing the emergence of new technologies. Our town centres are essentially 3D renditions of Britain’s modern history, from the beginning of urbanisation right through to the digital age today. But underpinning all of that, rather unromantically, is one hundred years’ worth of complex planning legislation determining where we can live, where we can work, the shape, size and look of the buildings, and the nature

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of the infrastructure that connects them. These planning regulations are in place to support local economy, keep communities happy and control issues such as pollution and urban sprawl. But as with all paperwork regulations can hold processes up. Applying for planning permission takes time and in some cases this can prevent much-needed change and growth in towns. Today many of Britain’s High Streets are blemished with empty buildings and boarded up shop-fronts, spelling out the hard-hitting impact of the recent recession on thousands of small businesses. The convenience of Internet shopping and out-of-town shopping centres has left many High Streets in need of quick rejuvenation. But with so many retailers in dire straits and few in a position to open new stores, ‘quick rejuvenation’ was not something that could have happened with so many

planning restrictions in place. By 2012, the number of shop vacancies in the UK had peaked by an average of 14.6% per town. In 2013 the government decided to take action by introducing new planning rules to extend rights to ‘change use without permission’. In other words, the rules were relaxed so developers who wanted to turn commercial spaces into residential properties could do so without battling through a web of planning bureaucracy. In the Budget’s Growth Review, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles argued: “Many towns and cities have office blocks, warehouse and business parks needlessly lying empty, while housebuilding has fallen to the lowest in peace time history because the planning system has tied developers up in knots of red tape. “By unshackling developers from a legacy of bureaucratic planning we can

Planning help them turn thousands of vacant commercial properties into enough new homes to jump start housing supply and help get the economy back on track. Councils already have powers to give greater local planning discretion and they should us them more to promote growth.” He added that if all the vacant office space were converted into housing, it could potentially provide 250,000 new homes and save nearly £140 million over a 10 year period by removing unnecessary red tape costs. The relaxed rules apply until 30 May 2016, and are in place to enable: • Offices to be converted for residential use. • Flexibility between High Street uses. • Agricultural buildings to become a range of new businesses. • Opening of new state-funded schools. There have been objections to the new planning rules – 30 out of the 33 London boroughs and seven out of eight of the largest cities surrounding London applied for exemption on the grounds of ‘exceptional economic circumstances’. Commenting at the London Assembly, London mayor Boris Johnson expressed concerns that business owners in non-exempt areas would seek to cash in on the new lax regulations by selling up and relocating. He said: “London is a colossal powerhouse of jobs and growth, and the motor of the UK economy. While increasing housing output is of vital importance, I am concerned that removing the exemption in our most thriving business districts could compromise both London and the UK’s future economic growth. “London’s success depends on a rich mix of uses and more high value residential property in central London could upset this balance and change the area for good.” He added: “Permitted development drives up the land value of employment space – even where property owners

don’t convert, they will use it as a reason to increase rents, forcing businesses to close or to leave London.” Other voices of authority agreed, with Matthew Hopkinson from the Local Data Company, which monitors High Street occupancy and vacancy rates, saying: “There’s no point converting [shops] to residential if you don’t have the jobs and infrastructure that make people want to go and live there.” he said. “The reality is, if a place does not operate economically people won’t have the money to spend in shops.” Victor Sye of Marshall Clark Commercial Property Consultants in Worthing argrees with this and believes that the biggest stumbling block when it comes to growth in Worthing is bad infrastructure. He said: “The presence of a strong infrastructure is beneficial for unlocking land for development and enabling the free movement of freight and workforce alike. “With the sea on one side, the major artery serving Worthing from east to west is the A27. It is widely acknowledged the A27 is totally inadequate for purpose and definitely fetters potential economic development in the Town.” According to Victor, poor infrastructure is one of the main points of consideration that prevents businesses moving to Worthing in the first place: “A company we dealt with employing 50 staff recently discarded potential plans to relocate to Worthing in light of difficulties travelling into the town. They have decided to expand their existing facility instead.” He added: “Worthing may continue to be a very nice place to live, but until the A27 is improved there is a minimal chance of attracting new businesses to the Town. “The economic knock-on effect is that even though there continues to be a modest fall in unemployment to just below 3%, without new businesses coming into the area, the opportunities

“London’s success depends on a rich mix of uses and more high value residential property in central London could upset this balance and change the area for good”

By The Voice of Hassocks ©

By Bin im Garten ©

for job creation remains primarily in the care and hospitality sectors and the likelihood is that Worthing will remain the poor cousin in the regional economic family.” Philip Johnson, Director of Locate East Sussex - a council-run business funding service, believes relaxed planning laws could even jeopardise the growth of the economy if developers turn a blind eye to the need for commercial property: “In areas where there is exceptionally high demand, particularly in Brighton, residential property prices have rocketed, so it’s understandable that some property owners might consider converting buildings for residential use – if planning laws allow. “However, it is incredibly important if this is being considered, that attention is paid to the commercial for which these

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buildings were originally developed. It is critical that we do not lose the capacity to create jobs and wealth, just as the economy is starting to grow.” Fears that developers could cash in on lucrative residential opportunities in Brighton have not gone unnoticed by authorities. In June 2014, Brighton & Hove City Council became one of the first in the country to be issued an article 4 direction to enable exemption from the relaxed laws in certain areas. This means that developers hoping to convert commercial properties in central Brighton, New England Quarter, London Road, Edward Street Quarter and City Park office sites have to apply for planning and be considered individually. Councillor Jason Kitcat, Chair of the Policy & Resources Committee, said: “We recognise the need for new homes in the city, but converting offices into housing in key employment areas means the space is no longer there to create the employment opportunities the city will need over the next 20 years. “The city centre, New England Quarter and London Road area are very well located for business as they offer affordable workspace for new companies.

Many creative, digital and information technology businesses are in these areas and the sector is growing at twice the national average. The government recognised this with a £5 million award to provide ultrafast broadband services to serve central Brighton. “Allowing conversions to go through without planning permission also removes the right of local people to have a say on proposals. Some applications may well be suitable for conversion to some

said: “It has not been as significant as some people feared in relation to larger office buildings. In Brighton and Hove for example we have mainly seen older office buildings located in less well established business locations change to residential, but mainly the changes have been in relation to smaller former residential blocks with ground floor shops, where the upper parts have changed to offices and now they are reverting back to their originally intended residential uses. Those who feared the blanket loss of the office space did not factor in that obviously a lot of the office stock is let with tenants in occupation, so unless the change can be implemented by May 2016 the PD rights can’t be implemented.” Chris believes the legislation has provided a boost to the local economy, commenting: “It has meant a lot of under invested buildings have been brought back into life and now provide homes. We have yet to see business driven out of the city in Brighton because of this, we are seeing rents increase slightly, but this is good news as the office market has been stagnant and this will now encourage developers to provide new space.” Although the legislation will expire in 2016, Chris says there are talks to extend

“In areas where there is exceptionally high demand, particularly in Brighton, residential property prices have rocketed”

28 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

housing so it is important that we have the opportunity to negotiate a percentage of affordable homes to help people for whom buying or renting a home in the city is out of reach.” Chris Oakley, Executive Chairman of Oakley Property, residential and commercial estate agents in Sussex, said that while he has noticed more offices becoming homes under the relaxed rules, the impact has not been as devastating as people feared when the 2013 legislation was first put in place. He

Planning

“It has meant a lot of under invested buildings have been brought back into life and now provide homes” the rights. “I certainly think that taking the pain out of the planning process by allowing the market to determine the best use of a property is the way forward in a ‘light touch’ controlled manner,” he concluded. Another positive – if only short-term – result of the new rules is a spurt of growth in construction across the South East, reported in September 2014 by the Construction Market Survey. In fact, the region’s construction workload

is at its highest since 1994. As many as 78% more chartered surveyors expect to see a rise in workloads over the next 12 months, with 56% more respondents expecting to see profits increase, rather than decrease, and 65% more respondents expect to take on more people in response to the rising workloads over the same time period. Commentating on the data, Alan Muse, RICS Director of Built Environment, said: “Unprecedented housing demand, the bounce back from a very deep recession and government’s commitment to invest £36 billion in over 200 infrastructure projects is driving muchneeded confidence across the industry, translating into UK workloads sentiment now standing at its highest level in two decades.”

Will relaxed planning laws pump life into sagging High Streets, or will it drive business out of town and drive up prices? Have your say by tweeting us @sussexbusiness

Robinson Low Francis is a construction and property consultant company. Operating nationally and internationally, RLF can advise and deliver bespoke services to help your contruction project run smoothly

In this fast-moving and competitive market, commercial developments are probably the strongest sector for RLF. Given the number of projects that we’ve completed, we’re confident that we’ve come across all there is to see in terms of size and complexity. Our clients range from institutional developers to one-off clients. We are always on top of the latest government legislation, as well as the ever-increasing demands of working in challenging situations.

Our innovative approach to risk management and our passion for getting things right, makes us the firm of choice for this sector. From inception to completion, we can provide support through every stage of your development project. There’s so much to consider – from developing the initial concept, identifying end-users and target markets through to viability testing and financial modelling. And that’s just the start of your journey. Utilise our experience. Our strategic approach coupled with strong technical and market knowledge ensures we maximise the value of every development opportunity. Most property and construction projects are complex and full of challenges, so costs and budgets can spiral out of control unless you’ve got an experienced and dedicated team behind you.

That’s where RLF comes in. Your success lies in the preparation of your project. We’ll plan out your project and cover all bases, from due diligence and contracts, to claims and taxation. And we don’t just offer the initial consultation – we’ll continue to monitor your project throughout to make sure there are no hidden surprises. Using BIM throughout a project’s life-cycle is on the increase when designing, constructing and operating infrastructures. We have a number of staff fully trained in using BIM software and envisage this becoming a vital tool in future projects.

For more information contact Stephen Cheeseman on: stephen.cheesman@rlf.co.uk 01273 325781

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 29

Advertorial

The Pendulum Swings – Town and Village Green Applications Face New Hurdles Richard Palmer, Solicitor at Eastbourne-based Lawson Lewis Blakers Solicitors Firm, advises developers on the potential impact of new planning laws on buying open space from local authorities

As there has been some relaxation of planning rules Comment this year, it is worth developers considering legal developments in respect of applications to register Town and Village Greens (TVGs). Over the last decade, TVGs have been used increasingly as a way for people to try and prevent development on both green and brownfield sites. The introduction of the Commons Act 2006 and a whole raft of case law seemed to support TVG applicants. However, recent legislation and case law from this year seem to suggest a shift in favour of landowners. Under the 2006 Act, an application for TVG may be made where a ‘significant number of the inhabitants of any locality, or of any neighbourhood within a locality, indulged as of right in lawful sports and pastimes on the land for a period of at least 20 years’. There are a couple of variations on this theme one of which being that at the time of application the use is continuing, or that the use has ceased. Where use has already ceased, the Act provided that an applicant had two years to make a claim following cessation of use, meaning that developers might have a two year period of uncertainty about whether a TVG application was going to be made.

30 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

“Over the last decade, TVGs have been used increasingly as a way for people to try and prevent development on both green and brownfield sites” However, this changed in 2013 when parts of the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2012 came into force and amended the limitation period for applications in England to one year. In addition, case law has also had a big effect on TVG applications where land has been owned by a local authority. In the case of R (Barkas) v North Yorkshire County Council, which was decided earlier this year, the Supreme Court held that North Yorkshire County Council was right to turn down an application to register land as TVG, which for many years had been used as a recreation ground. Whilst the land had been used by a significant number of the inhabitants of a locality for lawful sports

and pastimes for at least 20 years, the application was defeated on the point that the local authority had set out the land for such use under statutory powers, and therefore use by the public had been by right and not as of right. It is worth developers bearing this in mind when looking to purchase open space from local authorities. If you are a TVG applicant or landowner and would like to discuss a TVG application please contact Richard Palmer at richard. palmer@lawsonlewisblakers.co.uk or on 01323 720142.

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Each pack contains 10 cards and envelopes of the same design. £3.75 per pack (A6 in size) Cards available to purchase from: Cards for Good Causes, The Assembly Rooms, North Street, Chichester. The Gift Shop, Aldingbourne Country Centre, Norton. Or by mail order. Contact Abigail Rowe abigailr@aldingbournetrust.co.uk Tel: 07802 783604 (There will be a small charge for postage)

A choice of seven Christmas Cards all created and designed by adults with learning disabilities. Proceeds will go towards the Aldingbourne Trust’s £4 Million Fundraising Appeal. www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 31

The Aldingbourne Trust, Blackmill Lane, Norton, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0JP www.aldingbournetrust.co.uk Charity No: 276484

The Digital Era is Here… Now learn how to protect yourself and your business from the risks

How willing are you to put your livelihood, or Develop even your life, in the hands of a computer? You may not realise it, but you do it every day. With your banking, your medical treatment, your household chores, air travel and even with the car parked in your driveway. How can you be sure every computer you use is going to do what it was designed to do? When you’re travelling at 600 miles an hour 30,000 ft above the ground in a plane on autopilot, there is very little room for error. If a system fails, the results could be fatal. The same applies in business: if your operation relies on complex computer systems, as so many increasingly do – how do you safeguard against the worst-case scenario? After all, mistakes do happen. This year a well-known car manufacturer had to recall 40,000 brand new SUVs due to a fault in the airbag system. Modern cars have up to 100 small embedded computers in them, each transmitting its own piece of data to create a picture of what is going on all over the vehicle during operation; monitoring functions such as the angle of the steering wheel, tire pressure, how many passengers are in the car and whether or not they are wearing seat-belts. In the manufacturer’s case, a number of new models had a fault with the computer that determined whether there was someone in the passenger seat. This meant that in the event of a collision, the system would fail to detect a passenger and thus neglect to activate the airbag. Fortunately the fault was reported before any casualties or fatalities

“Rigorous testing and verification is a long, complex process that can amount to around 60% of the cost of the whole systems and software development” occurred - but imagine what the consequences for the company would have been, not only in terms of money, but for its long-term brand reputation. Because of our increasing reliance on computer software in our business and professional lives, and the devastation a single failure can cause, authorities are starting to tighten regulations by creating global safety measures for software developers. These are not just in place for the obvious high-risk industries like aerospace, transportation and nuclear power – they are also increasingly being

instigated in sectors such as mobile, finance and public utilities. The problem CEOs face is that the cost of assurance and compliance is vast. Rigorous testing and verification is a long, complex process that can amount to around 60% of the cost of the whole systems and software development. Put simply, it can come to millions. As systems grow increasingly larger and more complex, how do business owners achieve compliance without breaking the bank? Nick Tudor, David Sheppard, Colin

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O’Halloran have spent the last few years developing a solution to this growing dilemma. Harnessing a combined total of 80 years experience in software development, aerospace and defence, the trio has successfully developed a way of automatically testing software to government regulations at 50% of the usual cost. The software tools are based on the emerging technique of ‘Formal Methods’ - a combination of mathematical methods that can be applied to the designing, implementation and testing of computer systems. The methods ensure that every aspect of the system does what it was designed to do, while simultaneously providing evidence to meet government regulations. Their company, D-RisQ, is based at Wyche Innovation Centre in Worcestershire, although joint-founder David lives and works in Sussex and is a director of Sussex Enterprise, the Chamber of Commerce for Sussex. He said: “Both software packages reduce risk, lower development costs, reduce support costs and reduce time to market. “It eliminates the need for inspection on a mass basis by building quality into the product in the first place.” The software can be used without

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special training to help engineers develop software systems architectures rigorously, while gaining evidence as a by-product to appease authorities. • Modelworks® allows the designer to check that the design does what is requires, while providing proof that undesired properties will never occur.

• CLawZ® produces evidence that the code correctly implements the design, or shows where the coder has made a mistake. To discuss these systems in more detail, contact 01684 252452 or info@drisq.com

or visit www.drisq.com

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 33

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Thinking Outside The Inbox

Email is the lifeblood of modern business - but do you do enough to protect yours? Here we look at how Mimecast and PAV i.t. Services can safeguard your email from spam, viruses, malware and other sophisticated attacks...

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If the email system is down or unavailable there can be a considerable impact on the businessâ&#x20AC;?

34 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Email has become the communications and data backbone Focus of all organisations large and small, private or public sector. It underpins communication, collaboration and decision making, whilst carrying ideas, insights and knowledge. It stores and exchanges contracts, orders and business commitments and is the common tool we all use to keep connected. In short, it is the network that binds us together and keeps our businesses running. The popularity of email over traditional methods such as the written letter or fax is mainly due to the instant nature of email as a communication and its ease of use. Because it is so easy to access an inbox from virtually anywhere in the world through mobile devices, there has been an explosion in the number of messages sent and received. Typically, email sits on mailbox

servers managed by IT teams, or by a cloud provider who might host it for a customer. With more and more data being transmitted and stored within email systems, the burden of maintaining and managing this environment puts pressure on businesses. Keeping the email flowing and available to all users within an organisation is key to maintaining a businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; competitive advantage. When an email system is down or unavailable, there can be a considerable impact on business until it is reinstated. PAV has been helping businesses take advantage of electronic communications since before the Internet was widely available. We understand the effect it can have on an organisation if this critical communications medium is unavailable even for short periods of time. As more business critical conversations and agreements are conducted electronically, it has become a necessity to be able to retain an audited trail of the communications that can be searched easily.

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Traditionally, letters and printed documents were sent between parties and were stored in structured filing systems which could be interrogated should the need arise. Periodically these filing systems were archived to ensure they did not become unmanageable. Documents could be easily retrieved if required from the archive. With the popularity of email, some of these practices have fallen by the wayside and crucial information can be scattered amongst many unstructured mailboxes. Managing, storing and protecting email (and the valuable data it contains) is a critical consideration for business and a significant proportion of a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IT budget is often spent here. Beyond the mailbox itself there are other critical technologies and services needed to manage, store and

protect email and the data. This is where Mimecast and PAV come in. Both companies believe that email is an organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s single most important repository of corporate memory. Mimecast provides a service that gives customers the vital additional technologies required for security, continuity and archiving around their email system. Before this a company would require several individual technologies, but Mimecast has unified all of these components into one service all hosted in the cloud. Through our partnership, PAV and Mimecast offer a secure cloud platform with services that enable organisations to protect their corporate email and data, and move it from their

own on-premise IT infrastructure safely to the cloud. The services offered by Mimecast and PAV protect businesses by improving email and data security from the growing volume and sophistication of security threats faced every day; from email-born attacks by lone hackers, employees, competitors, and even foreign governments. Mimecast protects customers from spam, viruses, malware, and data leaks. It also safeguards against more sophisticated attacks like spear phishing, where email is used for a targeted attack against individuals (and their data) within the organisation. We also ensure the business carries on even when the primary email service is out of action through continuity services. Even a short period without email can cause major disruption and additional cost to a business. How does it work? All inbound and outbound email is directed through the Mimecast service, and should the internal email system be unavailable, users are automatically redirected to the cloud service. This maintains email functionality and communication while actions are taken to reinstate the internal email system. This effectively achieves a disaster recovery system for email very quickly and easily without the need for expensive infrastructure or premises.

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 35

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“Businesses that are not prepared for these activities often spend large amounts of time and money locating the small piece of content required”

36 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Even with many businesses moving their primary email system to the cloud (such as Office 365) the Mimecast service can add an additional layer of security and resilience to limit the risk associated with some cloud service outages. In addition, the Mimecast service can help a business archive rapidly growing volumes of email communication and associated files or data safely in the cloud and off their own infrastructure. Mimecast gives customers a more effective and economic way to meet their compliance, governance or regulatory obligations on data. Also, better tools for searching this repository mean Mimecast customers can quickly and easily search across their email estate for compliance, dispute and litigation purposes. As all email flows through the Mimecast service, an archive of messages is established which can be searched on demand through a simple-to-use secure interface. The entire email archive can be searched by HR or compliance officer whilst individuals can only see their own email content. Litigation requires a timely and efficient response to both external and internal discovery requests. Businesses

that are not prepared for these activities often spend large amounts of time and money locating the small piece of content required. Quite often, an out of court settlement is the only choice for those unable to comply or defend their position. The recent rise in the number of freedom of information requests submitted by exemployees, customers or other parties is driving business to ensure they are better prepared. Traditionally, a business would have needed to invest and install on its network several independent or disparate systems to address these email needs. This adds considerable unwanted cost and complexity to a IT infrastructure. With the Mimecast platform, organisations can easily meet all their security, continuity and archiving needs from a single cloud service that is very quick to implement, better performing and far more cost effective than running these multiple disparate systems on its own infrastructure. Customers can then decommission expensive ‘point’ or single application infrastructure, reducing the need for IT equipment and freeing up staff for other IT tasks. Using Mimecast can support a strategy to move critical IT infrastructure to the cloud and benefit from the recognised economics achievable there.

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To find out how Mimecast could help your organisation, register for our weekly WebEx at www.pav.co.uk/mimecast To arrange for a personalised one-to-one demonstration, email mimecast@pav.co.uk or call 01273 834000 and ask for the Mimecast team. Over the coming months Mimecast and PAV will be hosting a number of events where the full power of Mimecast will be explained. To keep up-to-date with locations and timing please register your interest by contacting us.

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 37

Studying while Working Kate Illincariu is studying a Masters in Business Administration at the University of Portsmouth while also carrying out a full time international sales role, she tells us the benefits... Katie Ilincariu is Europe and South America sales Advertorial manager for Fosse Liquitrol – a company which provides spill control systems to industries such as aerospace and engineering. She decided to embark on a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Portsmouth Business School to further develop her knowledge and understanding of business and business practices. Katie said: “I chose to study at Portsmouth because I knew the Portsmouth Business School course was renowned in the MBA marketplace. “I am enjoying the autonomy and pace of the course, which allows me to carry out a full time International sales professional role at the same time as

studying. The balance between learning and my career is exactly what I need. “Portsmouth is a fantastic city; it has a great history, attractions, amenities and a fast-growing culture of prosperity and development. “I love the Portsmouth Business School. The opportunity to visit the University when I need to use the resources and facilities and also meet with fellow students and tutors is invaluable in assisting with my studies and achievement of the MBA, which I’m already putting into practice as my career progresses.” Portsmouth Business School offers three options to study for an MBA. The part-time Executive MBA which is taught in 2-3 day blocks over two years to suit the needs of busy working professional; the Master of Business Administration (full time) is offered over 1 year; and the Master of Business Administration (with Business

Senior sales specialist Katie Ilincariu

Placement) is a 2 year programme specially designed for students who wish to combine study and work. All courses are taught by specialists in their field, including experts to ensure the MBA builds a strong foundation of knowledge and skills invaluable to businesses of all sizes. More details about the course, scholarships and programme details can be found at www.port.ac.uk/mba.

Show you mean business. Go back to school.

Portsmouth Business School’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) will provide you with the opportunity to develop your strategic problem-solving skills whilst mastering the latest business knowledge and practice. • • • • •

Develop your management abilities Benefit through innovative work-based learning Generous scholarships Taught part-time in three-day blocks over two years Accredited by the Association of MBAs

To find out more about our wide range of degrees, come along to one of our regular open evenings – details of which can be found at www.showyoumeanbusiness.com.

‘The MBA is a key to unlocking the doors to senior and executive level management roles. The pace of the course allows me to carry out a full time international sales role at the same time as studying.’ Katie Ilincariu Europe and South America Sales Manager, Fosse Liquitrol 38 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

For more information or to apply: T: +44 (0)23 9284 4888 E: mba.admissions@ port.ac.uk W: www.port.ac.uk/mba

o ng

Recruitment

More Digitally-Skilled Workers Needed

Experts fear that as demand for new technologies increases, a lack of skilled workers to provide the necessary services could prevent the economy from growing to its full potential

A sharp rise in skills shortages could be holding back the UK’s Skills economic recovery, according to recent government reports. Despite a rise in job opportunities across the country, employers are struggling to find candidates with the right skills to fill the vacancies. A report from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) found that skills shortages now account for one in five of all job vacancies (22%), an increase of 16% over the past five years. The UK Commission’s Employer Skills Survey (ESS) interviewed over 90,000 employers between March and July 2013. They reported a total of 559,600 job vacancies in England – up 45% per cent from 2009. However, ‘skills shortage’ vacancies nearly doubled over the same period, increasing from 63,100 to 124,800.

Douglas McCormick, a Commissioner at UKCES and Managing Director of the UK rail business at Atkins, a design, engineering and project management consultancy, said: “Whilst the rise in the number of vacancies is a good sign that the economy is recovering, there’s a real possibility that businesses might not be able to make the most of the upturn because they don’t have the right people.” One sector particularly struggling in this respect is technology. In recent years thousands of new jobs have been created by surges in Internet use, with demand rising for web designers, developers, online marketers, content writers, social media managers and IT professionals. Our reliance on technology to run our businesses means we need increasingly powerful IT systems, including equipment support, server maintenance, data backup, disaster recovery and software development. But are there enough skilled workers to fulfil this demand?

The Rise of Digital A recent survey by o2 found that 750,000 skilled digital workers will be needed by 2017 to power the economy and fulfil the UK’s digital potential. The findings were announced at Campus Party Europe, one of the world’s biggest technology festivals. Speaking at the event, Tristan Wilkinson, Deputy Director of Go ON UK said: “This report highlights the scale of the digital opportunity but also the very real cost to our economic recovery if we do not create a workforce that is fit for the future. “It’s vital that government, industry and the voluntary sector work together to ensure that everyone has basic online skills. Only then will we unlock the huge economic and social benefit that digital presents.” The report also shows that the percentage of staff in the UK receiving training from their employer hasn’t changed significantly for a decade –

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Recruitment

A recent YouGov survey found that only 12% of SMEs have an apprenticeship scheme, with 23% considering launching one in the future

despite a huge rise in demand for various new technologies. In fact, the amount spent on training decreased from £1,680 per employee in 2011 to £1,590 in 2013. The problem – and the potential impact of this problem on the UK economy, is clear. But is the government doing anything about it? Education Reforms Matthew Hancock, Minister for Skills and Enterprise, recently said: “Employers in some sectors report persistent

o2 Research Findings: Digital Skills Shortage • 750,000 digital worker needed by 2017 to keep up with technological growth • One fifth (169,000 – 182,000) of the jobs needed to support economic growth are ideally suited to the current generation of digitally-savvy youngsters • Greater collaboration between the public and private sector could see an additional 100,000 jobs created in addition to the projected three quarters of a million requirement

40 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

skills shortages which is why I have been working hard to design a skills system that is rigorous in the training it provides and responsive to the needs of employers. “With a record number of people in jobs as our economy continues to grow, we must have a skilled workforce equipped to work in a modern economy and compete effectively in the global race.” Mr Hancock’s plans to equip Britain with the necessary skills were outlined in a speech in June, in which he promised to ‘defund’ over 4,000 ‘low value’ courses and replace them with ‘rigorous Tech Levels’, designed directly by employers to provide recognised pathways into higher level apprenticeships or higher education. The Tech Levels are designed to show young people which courses have the best job prospects, and to lead them into industries where there is a shortage in key skills. He went on to fly the flag for apprenticeships, describing them as

the go-to option for all school leavers who don’t choose the University route. To encourage young people to take this route, proposals have been put into action to reform apprenticeships. This includes: • Funding businesses to help them directly purchase apprenticeship training • Making it easier for smaller companies to take on apprentices • Educating companies and job-seekers on the benefits of apprenticeships over other educational routes. The Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE) has been extended, giving companies with 1,000 employees or fewer access to £1,500 for a further year. Mr. Hancock said: “Small and medium sized businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and by extending the £1,500 grant for a further year we will give them the skills they need to grow and help 35,000 more young people into meaningful employment. “Currently there are many examples of outstanding apprenticeships but we want this to be the case every time.

Recruitment

Which skills are in demand? According to Analysts at GfK, the top five skills most in demand are: • coders and developers • marketing and PR • business development • web design • user experience specialists

“By radically reforming the funding system we will allow employers to agree with training providers the content and price of training ensuring greater competition both on quality and on price.” In addition to AGE, the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) is launching a film ‘How to Hire an Apprentice’ to guide employers through the process of recruiting. David Way, Executive Director of the National Apprenticeship Service, said: “At the National Apprenticeship Service we are committed to making apprenticeships the first choice for ambitious young people and successful businesses. “I therefore fully support this consultation and any changes that put employers firmly in charge of how they invest in apprenticeships. I believe that this will encourage even more employers to recruit apprentices as a way of growing their business and growing their talent. “I also welcome the extension to the AGE grant. This will allow many more

small businesses to reap the benefits of hiring an apprentice.” Securing a Better Future for Sussex David Cameron recently pledged to ‘secure a better future for Britain’ by delivering three million apprenticeships by 2020. He said: “It will help give us the skills to compete with the rest of the world. And it will mean more hope, more opportunity, and more security for our young people, helping them get on in life and make something of themselves.” On a local level, apprenticeships could help energise small to medium sized enterprises, which account for 99.9% of private business in Sussex. One council championing apprenticeship schemes is Lewes District Council, which recently set up the Local Enterprise and Apprenticeship Platform (LEAP) in partnership with public, private and voluntary organisations. District councillor Phil Howson said: “A recent poll has identified that 74 per

“Apprenticeships could help energise small to medium sized enterprises, which account for 99.9% of private business in Sussex”

cent of senior decision-makers at SMEs across the UK believe that apprentices are necessary for the future success of their business. “In addition, 42% acknowledged that SMEs need to do more to create opportunities for apprentices within their businesses.” The survey he mentioned found that only 12% of SMEs have an apprenticeship scheme, with 23% considering launching one in the future. The LEAP programme has helped create more than 50 vacancies for young people in the area. Councillor Howson added:”I would urge any businesses thinking of recruiting to get in contact with our excellent LEAP team to see if an apprentice could help achieve your goals.”

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Advertorial

Tech Skills Shortage

We speak to Jethro Gardner, Operations Director at Sussex-based Extech to find out how the tech skills shortage is affecting local companies: What is Extech? Extech is a leading IT managed service provider, passionate about providing comprehensive, proactive, fixed price IT services and solutions to small and medium sized businesses. We take pride in our professional yet friendly innovative approachable style. With offices in Sussex, Cheshire and Tunisia, Extech adopt a consultative approach through our team of 54 with an average age of 27 and a total client base of 450 customers. We work alongside our clients in order to understand their industry sector, the culture of their organisation and most importantly, the needs of their business both now and in the future. Is it difficult to find recruits with the right skills in technology? Having worked in IT for 11 years now, and involved in hiring IT staff for nine of those, I have always had trouble finding the right people. Although the skillset an individual possesses is extremely important, I have found that the applicant’s ability to apply those skills is just as important. This is the complicated part as this doesn’t just mean how to apply the specific IT knowledge they have, but how they communicate and interact with colleagues and customers on the skills they are applying on a daily basis.

Are government and educational authorities doing enough to provide young people with the resources and training for a career in technology?

The training and career opportunities available to young people has improved dramatically over recent years. Extech has been heavily involved

three skill sets are commonly required for Cloud services and mobile application development for both the web and smartphones. These two sectors are booming currently and the demand for staff that have these skill sets becomes more strained by the day.

Does extech provide internal training to up skills in the workforce?

Yes. Extech has a philosophy of investing in our staff. We very rarely hire for senior positions, which is why hiring the correct people and providing them with first class training is ingrained in our business. With the difficulty in finding the correct skillsets, having a highly valuable training scheme is key to any business in the IT market.

“Hiring the correct people and providing them with first class training is ingrained in our business”

with government training opportunities for young people. We partake in a government funded apprenticeship scheme, having hired five apprentices to date, and currently working to find another apprentice to join us. It has proved to be very successful. Businesses must be equally responsible to provide opportunities to young people for training.

Are digital technology skills applicable and useful in a variety of sectors?

Extech supports a number of different businesses in different sectors from courier services to airlines to accountants. With a requirement for web design, application development and infrastructure development, each of the industries requires a wide set of Extech’s digital technology skill sets to operate and compete within their given sectors. To remain relevant every sector must invest in IT and digital technology.

Which particular technology skills and services are in demand at the moment? It is widely agreed that programming/ application development, database administration and helpdesk/technical support staff are in most demand. These

42 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Susse

Graduate Interns

The smarter way to expand your business

Want to add new talent to your business?

“They were without exception, spectacular and grasped a complex business model quickly.”

The University of Brighton can help you with free advertising for your role to any graduate in the local area.

If this sounds like something that you’re interested in, please get in touch with Rebecca Duffy, Employment Engagement Officer at the University of Brighton.

If you’d like some more information, go to this page: www.brighton.ac.uk/internships

If you’re a small to medium business, we can help you benefit from a grant to help fund a graduate intern. If you’ve got less than 250 employees and have a turnover of less than £50m, we want to hear from you! Internships can last for at least six weeks with a view to lead on to permanent employment. Our schemes are perfect for companies based in the Sussex area. Chris Cragg, CEO of Immersive Album, has taken on not one but five graduates after they successfully completed internships through one of our programmes. Chris says that the graduates contributed hugely to the success of the company.

You can email r.l.duffy@brighton.ac.uk or call us www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk on 01273 642 863. 43

Sussex Business Times advert A4 2014.indd 1

30/10/2014 12:45

Hotel Review:

A Room With A View

Jon Goodwin samples the simple luxuries of a boutique by the sea

A Room With A View

sideboard. It’s like walking into a very neat millionaire’s house. We are greeted at reception by John, who shows us to our incredibly spacious room and politely points out the conveniences on hand, which include a striking king sized bed (the kind that immediately makes you feel sleepy), a gleaming en-suite with a stand-alone bath and walk-in shower, as well as bay windows with panoramic sea views, although these are currently bathed in blackness thanks to the clocks going back yesterday. However, we have a spectacular VIP view of the promenade, pier and i360 in all their glowing glory, coaxing us out into the lively Brighton night. Attention to detail is what makes A Room With A View stand out from its competitors. Hungarian goose feather bedding offers extra comfort on a chilly autumnal evening – and earplugs are provided to drown out any morning traffic on the road outside. For those travelling into Brighton for business, I would waste no time recommending this boutique. If you don’t mind the lure of the bright lights (how can you not take a late night stroll to the funfair on the pier, or to the bustling bars and clubs

Brighton

Address: 41 Marine Parade, Brighton BN2 1PE Tel: 01273 682885 Web: www.aroomwithaviewbrighton.com

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4.59pm and I’m out the door of the office to start the weekend Review with a getaway to Kemp Town, Brighton. It becomes immediately apparent that most of Sussex has the same idea, and we spend the next hour edging along in the steady flow of traffic into the heart of Brighton. Finally, we arrive at The Room With A View, a creamcoloured Georgian building facing Brighton’s grand promenade, not far from the famous pier. Of course, when you give your hotel such a descriptive name, it has to live up to the promises. My first thought as I step into the entrance hall is that I’ve entered a showroom. This is as far removed as you could get from the crumbly old B&Bs you used to find all over the backstreets of Brighton. Still smelling fresh and new, this newly restored Grade II listed building is as pristine as a modern new-build. Pale wooden floorboards stretch down the hallway past a beautiful sweeping staircase, while neatly framed pictures line the white walls and a bright bouquet of flowers demands attention on the

Tried & Tested in Midhurst

“If you’re on a budget and travelling solo, there is a single room option which still features all the modcons such as a a flat screen TV and WiFi, and overlooks the New Steine Gardens”

just down the road?) then you will love the location. It is a 20 minute walk to the railway station, or a short taxi ride, and backs onto Kemp Town - one of the most exuberant, lively areas in Sussex. If you’re on a budget and travelling solo, there is a single room option which still features all the mod-cons such as a a flat screen TV and WiFi, and overlooks the New Steine Gardens. In fact, A Room With A View offers a variety of options. Head to their nicely designed website and browse an interactive illustration of the hotel, clicking on the windows to find out more about each room inside. You can also click through a useful calendar, which lists room rates on all dates throughout the month to select the cheapest option. In the morning we were treated

to a hearty breakfast with a decent selection of pancakes to rival Bills! This should set you up for a day of exploring Brighton or, if you’re on business, making it through all those long meetings. Whether it’s the gorgeous views, convenient location, pristine decor or generous pancake selection, it seems hotel owner Stephen Bull is doing something right – A Room With A View has been running at 100% occupancy since it opened a year and a half ago. I’m just waiting for my next excuse to battle the traffic and come to Brighton. Find out more about A Room With A View and book your stay by visiting www.aroomwithaviewbrighton.com

45 Putting you www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk in the driving seat

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Park House Hotel

Park House - Hotel, Spa & Great Business Venue

“The hotel has twenty one luxury en-suite bedrooms, an exquisite and intimate spa called PH₂0, and a unique range of English country house sports and facilities to enjoy”

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Park House is an award-winning familyowned, small, luxury Advertorial country house hotel & spa set within ten glorious acres in the downland village of Bepton and just outside the historic West Sussex market town of Midhurst. Its recent awards include winner of the Good Hotel Guide’s Editor’s Award for 2014, Conde Nast Johansens’ 2013 ‘Most Romantic Hotel’ in the UK & Ireland award, it has a top 5 Bubble rating from The Good Spa Guide and has been recognised by TripAdvisor with a highly prized 2014 “Certificate of Excellence”. This certificate is only given to businesses that consistently earn high ratings from TripAdvisor travellers! The hotel has twenty one luxury ensuite bedrooms, an exquisite and intimate spa called PH20, and a unique range of English country house sports and facilities to enjoy including a 6-hole Par 3 golf course and putting green. Additionally, adjacent to the hotel is a beautifully renovated traditional Sussex barn which is the perfect countryside venue for business events. It is fully equipped

for board meetings, seminars and conferences, corporate entertaining, networking events and company parties and when combined with the hotel’s luxurious bedrooms and spa, makes a great location for hosts and their guests. The barn comprises two areas downstairs, the main barn area with its beautifully timbered roof and a smaller area to the side that can be closed if required. Downstairs is ideal for conferences of up 60 guests, receptions for a maximum of 80 guests or seated dinners for up to 70 guests. Upstairs there is a state-of-the art Boardroom for 12 which is fully equipped with air conditioning, video conferencing facilities, WIFI and all the technology and services expected of a luxury business venue today. The barn looks out over the beautifully kept hotel gardens and in the summer months these can be included as well. Day delegate rates are £85pp and 24 hour delegate rates are £225. If you would like to visit to view the facilities, please contact Nick Wilson, Assistant Manager on 01730-819000 or email reservations@parkhousehotel.com.

H O T E L & S PA C H R I S T M A S C E L E B R AT I O N S The perfect countryside venue for drinks, private parties, lunches and dinners from ÂŁ26.50pp.

R E S TA U R A N T I P R I VAT E B A R N I S PA D AY S GIFT VOUCHERS I WEDDINGS I BUSINESS

0 1 7 3 0 8 1 9 0 0 0 I w w w. PA R K H O U S E H O T E L . c o m bepton I midhurst I west sussex I gu29 0jb r e s e r v a t i o n s @ PA R K H O U S E H OTEL.com www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Tried & Tested in Brighton

Working Lunch

New Steine French Bistro Jon Goodwin discovers a Parisian enclave in Kemp Town

New Steine

Brighton

Address: 10 – 11 New Steine Brighton, East Sussex BN2 1PB Tel: 01273 681546 Web: www.newsteinehotel.com

The New Steine French Bistro, with its wrought iron Review balconies and Moulin-Rouge-red pillars, is inherently French. It even has the sort of menu one might expect from the culinary capital of the world. The only catch? We are 450 miles away from the romantic boulevards of Paris on a chilly street in the seaside city of Brighton. We leave the smell of the seaside behind us as restaurant manager Jane ushers us through the door and into France. The interior of the New Steine Bistro is light and bright with funky art adorning the walls and unusual light installations hanging from the ceiling, giving this place a hip, modern edge. Sometimes French-style restaurants can be small and poky – all dark boudoir wallpaper and rococo furnishings. Nothing of it here: there is a distinctly clean, classic feel with not a single guilt-mounted Leonardo De Vinci print to be seen. In fact, I’m told that the Bistro frequently hosts exhibitions displaying original work by a number

of well-established names on the local art scene. Trust the French to turn a restaurant into an art gallery. Once settled at our table, Jane offers her expert recommendations from a menu offering a diverse range of traditional French classics (sourced in Sussex) such as escargot, foie gras, moules mariniere and duck confit. We opt for the sharing platter of a selection of ‘charcuterie’ with wild boar terrine to start, complementary to the South of France with a nod to bordering Spanish neighbours. Like the uncivilised Brits we are, we opt for Prosecco over Champagne to sip before our main courses arrive. When they do, we tuck into our dishes of Guinea Fowl with dauphinoise and duck confit with braised lentils, and can’t find a single fault. This is classic French cuisine without any over-the-top artistry. Simple, elegant – perfect. And what better way to finish than with a French classic of tart tatin? When our plates have been cleared away, I’m lucky enough to be invited into the kitchen where I chat with head chef Frederic. Classically trained in the French Alps, it is obvious that French food is his passion. New Steine Bistro is unique in that it is a small hotel restaurant that actually has an identity of its own. It’s not just guests and tourists who dine here: it’s locals too. The bistro also has a private dining room for bigger parties of up to 30 people sitting down and 70 standing up. Catering options include a canapes reception, standard private dining and executive private dining. Another definite perk is that over inflated Parisian pricing is safely 450 miles away. Here, the starters average at about £5, mains range from £9.95 to £16.50 and for dessert you’re looking at no more than £5.95. New Steine Bistro is an elegant enclave: Kemp Town with a French twist. ‘Le Gay Paree’, if you will!

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Chamber News

The Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex ACES Member News TR FASTENINGS – BEST PROFITS FOR 10 YEARS Founded in a small rented office at the top of Uckfield High Street in 1973, Mike Timms and Mike Roberts established their business after becoming disenchanted working for a large industrial group in Birmingham that restricted their creativity and individualism with autocratic processes and culture. They focused on sourcing and selling industrial fastenings to light assembly industries in the South East at a time when ex stock deliveries could take as long as three weeks from the larger industry market leaders. Their core values were “look professional, be professional, provide outstanding service, sell on value rather than the cheapest price, maintain dynamic cash management and motivate and take care of your staff”. In 1978, manufacturing of specialist fasteners was started in Uckfield, with subsequent factories established in Northampton and Telford in the 80s. In the late 80s, IBM selected TR as their most eligible component supplier to be trained in zero defect/on time deliveries to a new assembly facility that relied on “Just In Time” deliveries straight to their production line. Successful compliance led to TR being a single source supplier with IBM, which then attracted other major telecoms manufacturers to TR. The massive 1990s surge in the electronics sector carried it to a full LSE listing as a PLC in 1994 named Trifast. By 2000, sales turnover peaked

Malcolm Diamond MBE and Jim Barker

at £120m sales, and by 2001 three component factories had been established in Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, with sales and distribution facilities in Southern Ireland, Norway, Sweden, USA, Holland, Hungary and China, plus eight around the UK. The Company had become global by following its former UK based multinational key customers to lower cost economies overseas – mainly Asia and Central/Eastern Europe. However, the DotCom crash in 2001 devastated sales and profits in just a few short months, and the two Midlands factories had to be closed as the focus was intensified into Asia. A change of senior management in 2007 and the 2008 recession resulted in the near collapse of the Company, with 2008 revenues down to £84m with substantial losses, and in March 2009 the two previous retired CEOs (Malcolm

Diamond and Jim Barker) were invited back by the shareholders to rescue the business. By 2010 profitability started to recover, as did the share price. In 2011 a major automotive bolt manufacturer was acquired in Malaysia, and in May 2014 a leading domestic appliance screw business in Italy was brought into the Group. TR’s major customer sectors include Automotive, Domestic Appliances, Electronics and Distributors – all of which are enjoying organic growth. In June 2014, TR announced the best sales, profits and share price for a decade, now with 1,150 staff spread across 17 countries. Trifast Plc is based in Uckfield and along with TR’s sales, distribution and manufacturing facilities employs over 150 staff on site. As the largest local employer, the Company maintains close links with both the Uckfield Chamber of Commerce a founder member of the Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex (ACES) and the local Community College. The College is the main annual provider of ‘A’ Level candidates for TR’s 2 year NVQ Business Studies Apprenticeship scheme. Despite global uncertainty there is clearly a feeling amongst TR management and staff that there are grounds for cautious optimism for the future continuing growth of their business as sales for year ended March 2015 are forecast to reach £150 million.

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Chamber News

Improving Basic Skill Levels Across Sussex Do you know people without any qualifications? Or people who lack confidence in Maths or English? To help people develop throughout their careers, the government is funding a series of training courses to help improve the skills that are vital to success in the workplace. Whether you are in work or unemployed, improving your ability to write and speak English or improving your confidence with numbers can really help boost your ability to get a job and also your earning power in that job. Established in 2003, training company Crossland & Dudson offers government funded training courses to improve Maths

and English skills for all levels of expertise right across Sussex. They have daytime and evening sessions at training centres near to you and their courses lead to achieving recognised qualifications to add to your CV. These courses are free to anyone who is receiving benefits and there are financial incentives for employers if you sign your staff up now. Call 01323 720072 to find out if you are eligible and reserve your place. Places are limited and only available until Christmas, so don’t wait, give Crossland & Dudson a call now on 01323 720072. For more information, see www.cdtraining.co.uk

Eastbourne Unemployment Lowest in Ten years Stephen Lloyd MP for Eastbourne welcomed news that unemployment figures have dropped yet again in Eastbourne and Willingdon. According to data released this week by the Office of National Statistics the number of unemployment claimants in Eastbourne is down to only 2.9%; lower than it has been at any point since December 2004. Stephen Lloyd MP said: “For us to get under 3% unemployment claimant rate, lower than at any time over the last ten years, is quite simply a stunning testimony to the way that our town has pulled together over the last few years. I pay tribute to the efforts of

so many people in making this happen, from our local Chamber of Commerce; the Eastbourne Hospitality Association; the Council for being so supportive in my own and others absolute determination to not only get Eastbourne out of Recession but to set it up to really fly over the coming years.” He added: “Residents and local businesses know however, that I am never one to allow us to sit on our laurels. I want to keep pushing and working hard to ensure that Eastbourne really does have a secure, prosperous future. We are a town growing in confidence, deservedly so, let’s now make it really sustainable for our children’s future.”

Stephen Lloyd MP

Find Your Vocation Sussex Downs College is the ‘go to’ place for vocational learning as a new report by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has highlighted the importance and value of vocational qualifications in further education. The CBI’s publication of ‘People and prosperity: The business vision for a better Britain’ highlights the importance of

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vocational learning in building a stable economic future for Britain. Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, executive director of the 157 Group, the prestigious group of FE colleges of which Sussex Downs College is a member, said, “The CBI is right to highlight the fact that the current focus on academic qualifications harms not only the education of young people but

also the British economy more widely. Its recommendations support our own call for vocational routes to be given equal treatment and for a renewed focus on high-level vocational skills. As the CBI rightly notes, the vocational route ‘must not be seen as a secondrate option’.” Evidence from employers also shows that a vocational qualification better

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205500 www.heathfieldchamber.co.uk Commerce 0800 107 0709 01273 586222 South East Local Enterprise Commerce 07917 382316 Lewes Chamber of Commerce www.hastingschamber.co.uk 0800 881 5331 Peacehaven Chamber Heathfield Chamber ofof Seaford Chamber of Commerce www.newhavenchamber.co.uk www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Partnership 01435 865858 Newhaven Chamber of www.leweschamber.org.uk 0800 107 0709 www.seafordchamber.co.uk Commerce 07917 382316 South East Local Enterprise Commerce www.heathfieldchamber.co.uk Lewes Chamber of Commerce 0800 881 5331 Commerce 01245 431469 www.newhavenchamber.co.uk www.leweschamber.org.uk Partnership Heathfield Chamber ofof 01273 01435586222 865858 www.seafordchamber.co.uk Peacehaven Chamber Seaford Chamber of Commerce 07917 382316 www.southeastlep.com 0800 107 0709 Newhaven Chamber of Commerce www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk South East Local Enterprise 01245 431469 www.heathfieldchamber.co.uk Commerce www.leweschamber.org.uk Lewes Chamber of Commerce www.newhavenchamber.co.uk Commerce 0800 881 5331 Newhaven Chamber of of Peacehaven Chamber Partnership www.southeastlep.com 01435 865858 01273 586222 South East Local Enterprise www.seafordchamber.co.uk 07917 382316 Uckfield Chamber of 0800 107 0709 Commerce www.heathfieldchamber.co.uk 01245 431469 Seaford Chamber ofCommerce Commerce Lewes Chamber of www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Partnership Newhaven Chamber ofof www.leweschamber.org.uk Commerce www.newhavenchamber.co.uk Peacehaven Chamber 0800 107 0709 01273 586222 www.southeastlep.com Uckfield Chamber of Commerce 0800 881 5331 07917 382316 Commerce 01245 431469 South East Local Enterprise 01825 722607 www.newhavenchamber.co.uk www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Commerce Lewes Chamber of Commerce www.seafordchamber.co.uk www.leweschamber.org.uk www.southeastlep.com Seaford Chamber of Commerce 0800 107 0709 Partnership Newhaven Chamber ofof www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk 01273 586222 Peacehaven Chamber Uckfield Chamber of 01825 722607 07917 382316 www.newhavenchamber.co.uk Commerce www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Commerce 0800 881 5331 01245 431469 Peacehaven Chamber Seaford Chamber of Commerce Commerce www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk www.leweschamber.org.uk Newhaven Chamber ofof South East Local Enterprise www.seafordchamber.co.uk Uckfield Chamber of www.southeastlep.com 0800 107 0709 Wealden District Council 01273 586222 Commerce 0800 881 5331Chamber of Commerce Partnership 01825 722607 Commerce www.newhavenchamber.co.uk Peacehaven www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Seaford Chamber of Commerce 01323 443322 01273 586222 www.seafordchamber.co.uk www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Wealden District Council Newhaven Chamber of Commerce 0800 107 0709 01245 431469 South East Local Enterprise 01825 722607 Uckfield Chamber of www.wealden.gov.uk 0800 881 5331 www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Commerce www.newhavenchamber.co.uk www.southeastlep.com 01323 443322 Partnership 01273 586222 www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Commerce Peacehaven Chamber of www.seafordchamber.co.uk Seaford Chamber of Commerce South East Local Enterprise Wealden District Council 0800 107 0709 www.wealden.gov.uk www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Commerce 01245 431469 01825 722607 0800 881 5331 Seaford Chamber of Commerce Partnership www.newhavenchamber.co.uk Peacehaven Chamber of Uckfield Chamber of 01323 443322 www.southeastlep.com www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk 01273 586222 Wealden District www.seafordchamber.co.uk South East LocalCouncil Enterprise 0800 881 5331 01245 431469 Commerce Commerce www.wealden.gov.uk www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Seaford Chamber of Commerce Partnership 01323 443322 www.seafordchamber.co.uk www.southeastlep.com Peacehaven Chamber of 01273 586222 01825 722607 Uckfield Chamber of 0800 881 5331 Wealden District www.wealden.gov.uk 01245 431469 South East LocalCouncil Enterprise Commerce www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Commerce www.seafordchamber.co.uk Seaford Chamber of Commerce www.southeastlep.com Partnership 01323 443322 South East Local Enterprise Uckfield Chamber of 01273 586222 01825 722607 www.wealden.gov.uk 0800 881 5331 01245 431469 Partnership Commerce www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Seaford Chamber of Commerce Wealden District www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk www.seafordchamber.co.uk South East LocalCouncil Enterprise www.southeastlep.com Uckfield Chamber of 01245 431469 01825 722607 Partnership 0800 881 5331 01323 443322 Commerce www.southeastlep.com www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Seaford Chamber of Commerce www.seafordchamber.co.uk www.wealden.gov.uk Wealden District Council 01245 431469 South East Local Enterprise 01825 722607 Uckfield Chamber of 0800 881 5331 www.southeastlep.com Partnership www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Commerce 01323 443322 Uckfield Chamber of Wealden District www.seafordchamber.co.uk South Local Council Enterprise www.wealden.gov.uk 01245 East 431469 01825 722607 Commerce 01323 443322 Partnership www.southeastlep.com Uckfield Chamber of www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Wealden District Council 01825 722607 www.wealden.gov.uk South East Local Enterprise Commerce 01245 431469 01323 443322 www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Partnership www.southeastlep.com 01825 722607 Uckfield Chamber of www.wealden.gov.uk Wealden District Council 01245 431469 www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Commerce 01323 443322 Wealden District Council www.southeastlep.com Uckfield Chamber of 01825 722607 www.wealden.gov.uk 01323 443322 Commerce www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Wealden District Council www.wealden.gov.uk Uckfield Chamber of 01825 722607 01323 443322 Commerce www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk www.wealden.gov.uk Wealden District Council 01825 722607 01323 443322 www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Wealden District Council www.wealden.gov.uk 01323 443322 Wealden District Council www.wealden.gov.uk 01323 443322 www.wealden.gov.uk

Crowborough Chamber of Commerce www.crowboroughchamber.co.uk Eastbourne UnLtd Chamber of Commerce 01323 641144 www.eastbournechamber.co.uk East Sussex County Council 01273 481570 www.eastsussex.gov.uk Federation of Small Businesses 01424 754686 and Regional Office 01323 482018 www.fsb.org.uk/eastsussex Hailsham Chamber of Commerce 01323 310531 www.hailshamchamberof commerce.co.uk Hastings Chamber of Commerce 01424 205500 www.hastingschamber.co.uk Heathfield Chamber of Commerce 01435 865858 www.heathfieldchamber.co.u Lewes Chamber of Commerce 07917 382316 www.leweschamber.org.uk Newhaven Chamber of Commerce 0800 107 0709 www.newhavenchamber.co.uk Peacehaven Chamber of Commerce 01273 586222 www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Seaford Chamber of Commerce 0800 881 5331 www.seafordchamber.co.uk South East Local Enterprise Partnership 01245 431469 www.southeastlep.com Uckfield Chamber of Commerce 01825 722607 www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Wealden District Council 01323 443322 www.wealden.gov.uk

51 Putting you www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk in the driving seat

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Photography by Simon Skinner, SBTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Motoring Editor at Abbotts Wood, Sussex

Test Drive Simon Skinner reviews the latest Land Rover Discovery, while we preview the brand new Lexus NX 300h and Jaguar XE

52 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

sex

Motoring

Land Rover Discovery HSE Simon Skinner reviews the latest Land Rover Discover

From the moment the new Discovery Luxury was dropped off at SBT HQ, it was clear that it was going to be an enjoyable few days of motoring. Perhaps slightly overlooked since the huge successes of its siblings the Range Rover and perhaps, more recently, even the Evoque, the Discovery is less ‘Gangsta’ and more ‘Gun Dog’. There’s no question though, this car is a real player in its field and is every inch as luxurious inside as its bolshy brothers. It’s apparent though that the Land Rover Discovery is sticking to its tried and tested formula. The latest model can trace its roots back to the Discovery 3, which we first saw in 2004, but constant evolution has kept this enormous 7-seater at the very top of its game. The 2014 model drops the 4 from its name (it was called the Land Rover Discovery 4) and gets a series of minor tweaks to its appearance in a bid to keep it at the front of the full-size SUV class. Fortunately for me, the review car was delivered just in time for a jaunt to Dorset – a trip that had been arranged with grandma for daughter and niece entertainment purposes during the half term break. It’s here that the car really came into its own. The in-car entertainment system in

this machine really is second to none. With the two girls in the back settled into their (very) comfy seats, DVD player rolling (Alvin & the Chipmunks, from memory), Land Rover supplied Bluetooth, wireless headphones on, we set off with very little fuss. The beauty of this was that, after my incredibly busy week, I managed to separate the activity in the back and switch on BBC 6 music for my listening pleasure in the front of the car. All bar a pit stop at the excellent and highly recommended ‘The Real Fish & Chips Company’ (almost opposite the huge Argos on the A27, Worthing) for some en route sustenance, I heard almost nothing coming from the back during the whole trip. Bliss. The ride in this beast really is something to behold. Whilst being constantly aware that you are driving a larger than average car, you are treated to such a smooth and effortless drive with performance enough to out-maneuver and outrun most others. The grunt that’s delivered from the 3ltr, turbocharged engine is nothing short of a modern wonder. A car of these proportions shouldn’t move ‘like that’! On the downside however, and perhaps fairly obviously though, the economy isn’t great. I managed an average of 25mpg on the return leg

from Dorset, although the car was sans children and my foot was slightly heavier than it was during the first leg of the trip. Anyway, who really buys a car like this and worries about the economy? The big news here of course, is that the shift in range from Land Rover will be with us in the New Year. Gone (at last) will be the troublesome Freelander and incoming will be the all-new Discovery Sport. Somewhere between the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport, I’m itching to get behind the wheel of this medium sized performance 4x4. Watch this space… Summary Exquisite luxury, more space than you can shake a (muddy) stick at, plenty of power and prestige and with all mod cons (I still consider the auto high beam to be witchcraft). Not so great in the city centre or in the supermarket car park. On the road price £59,965 inc vat

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 53

Jaguar XE

Redefining the concept of the sports saloon

There is nothing delicate about the new Jaguar XE. It Innovative looks strong and agile, like its furry namesake - ready to pounce. And yet this latest offering from Jaguar is super light, featuring a brand new internal architecture that ‘will form the backbone of several future models,’ according to the brand. Designing the XE entirely from scratch presented the team with the rare opportunity to develop a car free from the compromises imposed by legacy platforms and carryover components. As a result, the XE has the most sophisticated chassis of any vehicle in its class and will set the benchmark for ride and handling.

54 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

The XE’s light, stiff body structure and longitudinal, rear-drive powertrains provided the perfect starting point for development. The strongly-sculpted bonnet is a testament to Jaguar’s expertise in working with aluminium, creating a taut, muscular appearance. The very steeply raked windscreen and the rising waistline accentuate the streamlined, coupe-like profile, adding to the sense of movement. The signature ‘J-Blade’ running lights are another instantly recognisable Jaguar design. One of the most impressive functions on the new Jaguar XE is Torque Vectoring by braking – state-of-the-art technology that has been proven on the F-TYPE Coupé and is now standard on the new XE. This high-tech innovation mitigates the onset of understeer by lightly braking individual inner wheels as required to help keep the car on the optimum line through corners. The new XE is one of the first vehicles in the segment to feature a stereo camera. This state-of-the-art sensor provides a 3D view of the road ahead and is at the heart of the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and traffic sign recognition systems.

Mounted in front of the rear-view mirror, the forward-facing stereo camera can detect vehicles up to 100 metres away. If the algorithms in the AEB control module determine that a collision is likely, the brake system is pre-charged and the driver receives a visual warning in the instrument cluster and, if fitted, the head-up display. Perfectly positioned in the sweep of the fascia on the dashboard, is the eight-inch touchscreen at the heart of the XE’s all-new InControl Touch infotainment system. From smartphone apps and Wi-Fi to premium audio systems developed with worldrenowned experts Meridian – the new XE offers a suite of technologies designed to keep you informed and entertained, making every journey even more of an experience.

Motoring

Lexus NX 300h

The latest compact SUV from Lexus NX 300h is all angles and edges - a hyper-stylish exterior housing an impressive hybrid engine

The new Lexus NX 300h is nice to look at, there’s no doubt Stylish about that. It conjures images of designerwatch-wearingurban-professionals, with that clean, sporty-looking finish and LED headlamps. The NX 300h combines a low roofline with a strong, cab-forward silhouette. Powerfully flared front and rear wings are fused to a diamond-shaped body, with defining lines generated from the spindle grille. It has the most distinctive “face” in the current Lexus line-up, its prominent spindle grille flanked by LED headlamps and daytime running lights. The sleek side profile is accentuated by a roofline which falls towards the back of the vehicle. The flared wheel arches, housing 17 or 18-inch wheels, create a crouching, muscular stance. With its SUV-sized bulk and fourwheel drive system, the NC 300h displays all the signs of a gas-guzzler, but beneath that streamlined bonnet is a surprisingly efficient 2.5-litre hybrid engine and a choice of one or two electric motors.

The cockpit area is designed to help keep the driver alert and comfortable over long periods at the wheel, supported by HMI technology that minimises distraction by making the switches and controls fast and simple to use. Luggage space is generous and practical. Maximum loadspace width is 1,347mm, wide enough for golf bags to be stowed sideways rather than set across the diagonal. The load capacity measured according to VDA criteria is 475 litres. True to its status as a practical SUV, the NX comes with a wide variety of storage points

around the cabin, including glove and console boxes, a console tray, utility box, sunglasses holder, cup holders and door pockets that can take half-litre bottles. ON-BOARD TECHNOLOGY • Wireless charging tray for cable-free phone charging • 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor • 6.2-inch head-up display • Remote Touch Interface with touch pad and multi-information display • Mark Levinson Surround Sound system with auto industry-first use of ClariFi™.

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Advertorial

Award for Design at Brighton Fringe 2015 Gemini Print is a the official print partner for the Brighton Fringe 2015

Calling on graphic designers, creatives, and participants Award in Brighton Fringe 2015: Gemini Print, as partners for the Fringe 2015, has launched a Best Design for Print Award. “We want to reward those who design fantastic printed publicity for Brighton Fringe 2015. This is our second year as print partner of the Fringe and we saw some great designs last year, so it seemed fitting to provide an opportunity for recognition for those who make their show stand out,” said Mark Tulley, Director at Gemini Print. This Award is open to all designs for print for Brighton Fringe 2015. ELIGIBILITY WHO: Any art director, designer, illustrator, photographer, typographer, fringe festival participant. WHAT: All official designs for print developed for Brighton Fringe 2015 can enter.

HOW TO ENTER • Simply email an example of your intended printed communication (leaflets, posters, flyers, postcards and so on) for Brighton Fringe 2015 by April 30, 2014 to Mark at: m.tulley@gemini-print.co.uk • You may submit up to five pdfs or photographs per entry • Please make credits and descriptions as complete, legible, and accurate as possible. All submissions will be assessed on the following criteria: • Eye-Catching: Most importance will be given to the immediate appeal of the artwork, including impact, originality and style • Informative: The quality and design of the information presented on the artwork. • Marketable: The overall marketing effect of the artwork - why does it make me want to see this show?

THE AWARD • An independent panel of three judges will select the winners. Further details and biogs of the judges will be announced shortly. • Deadline for entries is April 30, 2015 • The winner will be announced on June 1, 2015 and will receive £500 worth of printing plus associated publicity. • For more information visit www.gemini-print.co.uk • By submitting work, entrants acknowledge Gemini Print’s right to use the winners artwork for general publicity surrounding the award and on its website and related digital products. Every entrant receives a 20% discount on Gemini Print services during Brighton Fringe 2015.

Call Gemini on: 01273 464884

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www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 59

SBT

Ask the

Experts

We ask the experts to give you the answers you need

SBT speaks to Philip Johnson from Locate East Sussex about what they do and how they can help you. and loan funding if they’re creating jobs.

What exactly does Locate East Sussex do? We’re a dedicated and enthusiastic team working to promote business growth in East Sussex. We connect growing companies to suitable commercial properties, we work with developers and agents to highlight what’s available and we champion East Sussex as a location for business. We also help companies to access grant

What funding can companies get? Locate East Sussex is administering funding from the Regional Growth Fund. This is available for companies creating jobs and can be spent on one-off capital items. There are grants as well as loans available and we’d urge any company that’s taking on one or more new members of staff to give us a call so we can explain how the scheme works and how they might be able to access this support. What’s the market for commercial property like right now? Like everyone, we’re seeing positive signs in the local economy across East Sussex. It’s not a return to boom times, but there is increasing confidence and

certainty. As a result, the commercial property market is responding and we are certainly seeing an increase in the number of enquires we’re receiving. Are there any new developments coming? One of the many pieces of positive news about East Sussex is the amount of commercial development taking place. As well as new office space in Hastings town centre, there are new business premises under construction in North East Bexhill and at Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne. These commercial sites will offer companies the opportunity to move into business space of the highest quality. In addition, these sites will also provide opportunities for companies that are looking to design, specify and build their own premises.

SBT asks the Rt Hon Sir Nicholas Soames MP, Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex: How could small business in the UK benefit under a Conservative government?

We have already cut the deficit by a third. We have seen record numbers of business take root here; in the next Parliament we are committed to having the most competitive corporate tax system in the G20 – to keep attracting jobs and investment here. Small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy - they are our single

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most important economic asset. Supporting them with lower taxes and better infrastructure is a key part of the Conservative Party’s long-term economic plan. Our Employment Allowance has cut £2,000 off National Insurance. We are also abolishing the jobs tax on under 21s from April 2015 making it easier for businesses to employ young people. We have already created 1.8m new apprenticeships and are on track for 2m starts by the election. All this is only possible because we have got a grip on spending. Success needs support and that is why we have introduced the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill; the first time that small business

has been the specific focus of Government legislation. We are cutting red tape. For every new regulation, we are scrapping two through the Red Tape Challenge – this process is removing or amending over 3,000 regulations. We have set up a Start Up Loan scheme; improving access to finance through a Business Bank; providing business mentors and reducing the burden of employment law. I am proud by what we have achieved since 2010. But under a Conservative Government there’s a lot more that we need and want to do to give small business confidence in the future and the right environment to start-up, scale up and thrive.

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SBT asks Alan Ainsbury, head of Trade & Supply Chain at RBS Transactions Services: What are the risks in trading abroad?

1. Payment Businesses shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that a lot of international risks are not hugely different from the ones they face when trading in the domestic market. All businesses accept some form of payment risk, whether at home or abroad, and as they would in the UK, there are a number of specific

measures firms can take to make sure they are paid by foreign debtors. 2. Currency When trading internationally, businesses may have to transact in a currency other than their home market currency. They will have to consider how they will convert back into their preferred currency or hold for use at a later date. Foreign exchange is a key service that RBS offers customers trading overseas and can be planned into international deals well in advance. 3. Political While payment and currency risks are financial, political risk is non-financial and covers problems where a country becomes unstable or difficult to work in. In general, there is a scale of international risk where most developed countries in the US and Europe are

low risk, while others are higher. RBS provides support to customers throughout the entire international trading process, and it works to make sure that businesses understand the whole trade cycle and the risks that are associated with each stage. RBS uses its local and international expertise to help businesses trade overseas. This ensures that it can provide support to help them pinpoint and qualify the opportunities sector by sector, region by region. RBS is dedicated to building strong relationships with its customers, with the aim of enabling them to be in a stronger position to negotiate more effectively, allowing them to establish and develop international opportunities that can lead to financial growth for the business.

SBT asks Rachel Smither, Manager of WorkAid (Aldingbourne Trust): How can both businesses and individuals with learning difficulties benefit from working together?

Many of the country’s leading employers recognise the business advantage of recruiting staff with learning disabilities: aside from their ability to do a good job, a diverse workforce delivers benefits and a competitive advantage. Businesses with a diverse workforce are better placed to understand the needs of their customers, promote greater creativity

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within their workforce, and are more likely to ensure that employee’s talent and skills are properly recognised. A diverse workforce can help employers meet the ever changing world around us, ranging from customer’s demands to emerging markets and opportunities. The benefits to the people with learning disabilities is no different from you or I - “money, job satisfaction, social inclusion, friendship, selfrespect, feeling a part of your community”. WorkAid is currently working with 195 individuals with learning disabilities who are seeking employment within West Sussex who would love an opportunity to demonstrate their skills – they are

enthusiastic, want to work, talented, and reliable. WorkAid, an Aldingbourne Trust project, offers a FREE service to employers in West Sussex, matching the needs of your business to the skills of people with learning disabilities and/ or those on the autistic spectrum. WorkAid supports employers to develop a diverse workforce and meet their corporate social responsibilities by being creative. Ignoring potential learning disability employees means companies are missing out on a large pool of talent, skills and expertise. For further information please contact Rachel Smither at WorkAid on Tel: 01243 546035.

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SBT asks James Tetley at the BDO Southampton office: What are R&D credits and how do they affect businesses?

Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credits were introduced 14 years ago as a means of incentivising UK businesses to invest in innovation. Official statistics released recently by HM Treasury confirm what the R&D tax team at BDO LLP in Southampton has been seeing – that claims continue to increase significantly, as more and more companies understand the sheer breadth of application of the relief. Total R&D support has now risen to £1.4bn annually, a figure that increased by £150m in the past 12 months alone. 28,500 SMEs claimed the relief in 2013, along with 7,000 large companies. The UK taxation landscape has significantly changed since R&D Tax Credits were introduced in 2000. For example, we have seen a move to reduce headline rates of corporation tax (30% to 20%), and the ongoing crack down on aggressive tax avoidance schemes as a way to further reduce tax liabilities, as the Government looks to attract inward investment and simplify the tax landscape. Throughout this, the Government’s support for R&D Tax Credits has remained consistent, and indeed increased. R&D tax relief now offers

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SMEs relief of 225% of qualifying costs, or a cash credit for loss making businesses of 33p per £1 of qualifying costs. Large companies (defined as those with over 500 employees, and turnover of over EUR 100m or a balance sheet total of over EUR 86m) are entitled to a 10% taxable credit, potentially repayable net of tax. 14 years ago the relief for SMEs was 150% of qualifying costs, and cash credits for loss-making businesses of around 25p per £1 of qualifying costs, and larger company’s relief was125% of qualifying costs. The old saying that R&D Tax Credits ‘don’t just apply to men in lab coats’ really does hold true, and we have seen an enormous increase in the number of companies claiming R&D relief in respect of software that is developed internally, as just one example. Likely reasons for the increase include the improvements made to the R&D Tax Credits scheme in the past 2 years, making it more accessible. This is combined with continued investment by HMRC into training specialist teams of Inspectors to assess claims – in our experience, adopting an open, collaborative approach to ensuring companies claim what they are justly entitled to. James Tetley, Tax Director in the Southampton R&D team at BDO LLP comments: “By far the biggest challenge that I see day-to-day is educating businesses on the scope of potential claims. In the past 12 months, I have made claims spanning all sectors and types of company imaginable, from superyacht manufacturers to online price comparison websites, and precision engineering companies (for example Rimor, based in Denmead a world-leading high technology supplier in the Oil and Gas sector) through to national civil engineering contractors.” Interestingly, the highest number of claims nationally was made in the South East region, comprising 3,000 claims,

claiming just under £400m of tax relief. Main sectors to claim the relief are manufacturing, professional technical and scientific, and information and communications. “What is surprising,” says Tetley, “is comparatively how little is being claimed by other sectors such as construction, and financial and insurance.” Overall, in BDO’s view, the tax landscape for encouraging UK based innovation has never been so good. SMEs making losses can now gain relief of £33 per £100 spent – buy three get one free. Equally, recent changes to the scheme for large companies means that they too can obtain a cash tax credit where they are loss making – a change that Tetley says is significantly changing large corporate attitudes towards the attractiveness of claiming the relief. “Whereas historically, large loss making companies could only make an R&D claim to enhance their losses carried forward, the ability to unlock cash for reinvesting into innovation is a massive incentive to invest time in making a claim now”. Regardless of sector, companies need to critically consider whether they are carrying out work that seeks to advance the company’s scientific or technological knowledge and capability, achieved through the resolution of scientific or technical uncertainty. The key is in how this definition is applied to individual businesses, and this is where it is all too easy to miss out on tax incentives that businesses are being encouraged to claim, and is where specialist advice can make all the difference.

For more information, please contact James Tetley at BDO at james.tetley@bdo.co.uk

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SBT asks Rebecca Haywood from Mayo Wynne Baxter about making a Will defines (which may well not be what you wanted).

“Why do I need a Will?” Everybody dies, and in most cases, no-one knows when that will be. You should be prepared for this so that the loved ones you leave behind know your wishes when the time comes. A Will gives you control over what happens to your estate (ie just about everything you own) and who deals with sorting everything out; it can specify details of your funeral wishes, appoint Guardians or Trustees if needed and may help save tax. “But I just want to leave everything to X” A lot of people simply want to leave their estate to their spouse, civil partner or children but a Will covers so much more – for example who is to act as your Executor and actually give effect to your wishes, who is to act as Guardian for any young children, at what age beneficiaries are to inherit their share of your estate, whether there are any specific items or sums of money you might want to give to anyone else and so on. Writing a Will indicates your wishes and your family and friends will not have to try and guess, or be forced into dealing with your estate as the law

“If I don’t leave a Will, won’t it all pass to X anyway?” If you don’t have a valid Will when you die then the distribution of your estate will be dealt with under the intestacy rules which, although they have been updated with effect from 1 October 2014, are still rigid and may not include the people you want to benefit. You may think that everything will pass to your spouse or civil partner, but if your estate is worth more than a certain amount and you have children then part of the estate may pass to them. If you are half of an unmarried couple, then your partner will receive nothing and if you don’t have a spouse, civil partner or children when you die then your estate might end up with distant relatives of whom you are not even aware - and your estate may have to bear the cost of tracking them down. “I’m getting married – will that affect my existing Will?” Unless your Will has been written specifically with this in mind, then getting married or forming a civil partnership will immediately revoke any Will you already have and you will need to write a new one.

security and a place to live, whether this be a right of occupation in your property for a certain period of time or even giving them the property outright. “Can I write my own Will?” There are certainly Will-writing kits available but unless you are very careful these can be more trouble than they are worth – an incorrectly written Will could mean that even though you think you have a Will, on your death your estate will be dealt with under the intestacy rules anyway. A lawyer will make suggestions about things that may not have occurred to you, to ensure that your Will covers plenty of eventualities. A simple Will costs from about £150 plus VAT and that is a small price to pay for peace of mind. “I have a Will already, but some things have changed – can I amend it myself?” This is not recommended – you would be better off seeking professional advice from a lawyer. Changes to Wills can invalidate the Will if not done in accordance with the law and again, the cost of proper advice compared to that of sorting out an unintended intestacy is very small.

“I’m not married but my partner lives with me – do I need a Will?” Despite the common misconception of “common law spouses”, if you don’t have a Will your partner could find themselves forced out of your house and receiving nothing from your estate on your death. They may have to go to Court to obtain a right to carry on living in your home, even if everyone knows that was what you would have wanted – and even then they may not be eligible to make that claim. It would therefore be sensible to write a Will giving them

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SBT asks Ian Hopping, from Auditel UK Cost Management Consultancy: how can I increase margins in the increasingly competitive professional services market place?

The professional services sector is being squeezed. Clients are harder to acquire, more aware of their buying power and as a consequence are driving down fees while demanding the same standards of service. Staff costs are high, but cutting staff ultimately leads to a drop in revenue. Therefore the solution to increasing margins is to manage your fixed costs.

Ian Hopping, from Auditel UK Cost Management Consultancy, explains how to increase margins in the increasingly competitive professional services market place Left unchecked overheads such as stationery, print, postage, phones, electricity and gas can fast erode profits so a strategic cost management policy is vital. This means addressing not just the figure on your bill at the end of every month, but also the value and suitability of the products and services you are buying, as well as the hidden, indirect costs of managing your overheads. The first step is to understand the market. The greater your knowledge the better equipped you will be to obtain the best results. Don’t forget the small print as contract terms and conditions in many of these areas can be particularly onerous. Secondly, know what you need. Your aim is to buy, rather than be sold to by the supplier. To do this you need to

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identify exactly what you require and in what quantity. Carry out a competitive tender against an exact specification with an exact usage. Measure the success of the project. Auditing the results on an ongoing basis will not only prove the success of the project and prevent price creep, but also allows you to monitor changes in usage and keep abreast of your future needs. Following these principles will almost certainly guarantee savings, which will go straight on to the bottom line. Over the past 20 years Auditel has worked with more than 5,000 businesses of all sizes and we can say with some certainty that strategic cost management driven by the right people, with the right tools and knowledge can deliver improved efficiencies, accelerated performance, improved margins and help companies gain a competitive advantage.

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