The Masthead April 2018

the

masthead

official magazine for south east London Chamber of Commerce - issue 6

Richard Upton

Creating the wow factor

• Lewisham pLans make it a gateway to growth in London • BexLey’s strategiC eduCation partnership Board • Businesses are cleaning up in royaL greenwiCh • Big interview with richard upton • oLd royaL navaL CoLLege - Keeping history alive at iconic site • visit greenwiCh seeks to increase business tourism in greenwich

AYGO x-play

Auris Hybrid Icon Tech

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James Derbyshire 07974 136205 james.derbyshire@jemca.co.uk

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Models shown are AYGO x-play 5 door 1.0 VVT-i Manual at £10,905 excluding metallic paint at £515 and Auris Hybrid Icon Tech 5 door 1.8 VVT-i Auto at £22,635 excluding metallic paint at £545. Prices correct at time of going to print.*Business users only. Initial rental and VAT applies. Available on new leases of models shown when ordered and proposed for finance between 3rd April and 1st July 2018, registered and financed by 30th September 2018 through Toyota Financial Services on Toyota Contract Hire. Advertised rentals are based on a 36 month non-maintained contract at 8,000 miles per annum with an initial rental of £805+VAT (AYGO) and £1,194+VAT (Auris Hybrid). Excess mileage charges apply. Metallic or pearlescent paint are not included. You will not own the vehicle. Other finance offers are available but cannot be used in conjunction with this offer. Offer may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Participating Toyota Centres. Toyota Centres are independent of Toyota Financial Services. Indemnities may be required. Finance subject to status to over 18s. Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC. Registered Office: Great Burgh, Burgh Heath, Epsom, KT18 5UZ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Terms and conditions apply.

AYGO x-play 5 door 1.0 VVT-i Manual. Official Fuel Consumption Figures in mpg (l/100km): Urban 56.5 (5.0), Extra Urban 74.3 (3.8), Combined 67.3 (4.2).

CO2 Emissions 97g/km. Auris Hybrid Icon 5 door 1.8 VVT-i Auto. Official Fuel Consumption Figures in mpg (l/100km): Urban 80.7 (3.5), Extra Urban 80.7 (3.5), Combined 78.4 (3.6). CO2 Emissions 82g/km. All mpg and CO2 figures quoted are sourced from official EU regulated laboratory test results. These are provided to allow comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

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Business news economy Focus on Lewisham greenwich profile old royal naval College arts & Culture Focus on Bromley Focus on Bexley education & skills Legal ask the expert Big interview with richard upton

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Welcome |

Chamber events Focus on greenwich visit greenwich Boat trip event Construction Finance update news health & wellbeing the person behind the Business new members and finally...

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Welcome To The Masthead - the South East London Chamber of Commerce magazine. where he took this new image of me with the ‘gong’.

In February, I was honoured to represent the Chamber on a Lewisham Council Stakeholder Panel to help appoint their new chief executive.

I hope you like my new picture taken wearing the Chamber’s badge of office.

ne wet Friday, I visited Warren King’s portrait studio in Woolwich

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editorial and general enquiries South East London Chamber of Commerce Unit TW/45, Trinity Wharf, Harrington Way Warspite Road London SE18 5NR Tel: 020 8317 3365 Email: office@selondonchamber.org www.selondonchamber.org

Business development director: Peter Wilson

This month the Chamber’s spotlight is on Lewisham and there is plenty taking place, the official opening of the construction hub and ambitious regeneration plans to make Lewisham a gateway to growth in London. I am delighted with this issue’s Big Interview whose subject, Richard Upton appears on the front cover. publisher Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing Limited Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com Published: April 2018 © Benham Publishing

Photography Warren King Tel: 07779 337765 email: warren@wkphotography.co.uk web: www.wkphotography.co.uk

I first met Richard 20 yearsago when he was at Mount Anvil, a company he helped found. Today, Richard is Deputy CEO of U+I and the interview is an interesting read.

We report on the conservation progress of the iconic Old Royal Naval College and catch up with its new chief executive Angela McConville.

We also bring you the latest news updates from Bromley and Bexley and tourism with Visit Greenwich.

We continue to work with Greenwich Bright, the IT company run by the University advertising and Features Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com production manager Mark Etherington Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: mark@benhampublishing.com media no. 1599 disclaimer The Masthead is published for South East London Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members.

of Greenwich, on finalising the refreshed website. The Chamber is firmly on the cloud: we have changed to a VoIP phone system and our new on-line payment system is working well following some early problems.

We have worked hard to ensure the Chamber will be GDPR compliant by 25 May. We are pleased to announce our second river boat trip with Southwark Chamber which is set for Tuesday, 10 July.

Helen McIntosh FCIPR President

All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at South East London Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in The Masthead are not necessarily those of South East London Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission. © 2018 Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content. Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

April 2018

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April 2018

Business News |

All change at Blackheath Halls in 2018 Chamber Members Grant Saw and Handelsbanken are sponsoring ‘Transform Blackheath Halls’, the capital fundraising campaign to raise money for the redevelopment of the SE London Arts Venue this year.

he campaign launched in January with a launch event attended by 200 local people, who heard about the ambitious plans and opportunities available to become involved.

Together with generous contributions made from both Arts Council England and The Hearn Foundation, Blackheath Halls will close in May, reopening again in Autumn 2018.

The beautiful larger space of the Great Hall will be given a facelift and the stage levelled transforming the area into a high-

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quality, flexible space which will further increase the diversity of the events on offer, making it possible to accomodate new theatre and dance companies, larger-scale comedy and family theatre as well as the events by students of parent company, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance.

Mindful of the historic significance of the performance space, the original barrel-vaulted ceiling will be retained and the acoustics enhanced, improving the recording facilities for professional orchestras.

The seating which is currently at floor level, will be raked using a retractable theatre system which will fold back into the Hall when seating isn’t required and then be unlocked again for each appropriate event meaning that sight-lines will be greatly improved for all audiences.

Décor throughout the Halls will be sensitively modernised and include the Box Office and Café Bar areas, upgrading those facilities for all events.

The venue will continue to fundraise for these works throughout the period of closure and there are still various ways to pledge support including naming of Dressing Rooms, bar area and seats as part of the new raked seating in the Great Hall.

“As Patron, I am truly delighted to see that plans are underway to

upgrade Blackheath Halls, so that it can continue to play a pivotal role in the community on so many levels and for so many age groups” – Jools Holland For more information on the Transform Blackheath Halls Campaign please contact Isobel Turner I.Turner@trinitylaban.ac.uk or visit www.blackheathhalls.com/ support-blackheath-halls

Why complacency is the greatest security threat of all As soon as you start thinking you won’t be affected by cyber crime, that’s when you’re most at risk s a purveyor of IT services, one of the most common thoughts we hear from businesses is that hackers are only interested in attacking the big targets.

It sounds like logical reasoning, but it’s born from a lack of understanding about how cyber crime works - and it’s a sign of the very complacency that makes businesses vulnerable.

Why, we’re asked, would criminals be interested in smalland medium-sized businesses in the UK, when they can go after mega-rich corporations and public sector organisations with deep pockets?

What these firms need to realise is that a lot of cyber crime is automated. When a victim downloads malware through an email link or attachment, the criminals that sent out that malware

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will be notified. There’s no need for them to target individual businesses beforehand.

Instead, they can sit back and wait for their hacking tool to serve up another potential victim, and that’s when they’ll set about finding ways to extract money from them – perhaps with ransomware or targeted invoice fraud.

It’s also much easier to go after hundreds of smaller

companies with weak defences than it is to attack one big one with top-notch cyber security.

Plus high-profile hacks attract much more attention from the authorities.

The fact is many SMEs make it too easy for hackers to attack and steal from them, by not taking security seriously.

With cyber crime on the rise, that’s an attitude that can’t change soon enough.

April 2018

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Economy |

Tigger or Eeyore?

What is the future for our economy? he British Chambers of Commerce reacted with cautious optimism when Chancellor Philp Hammond struck an upbeat tone as he delivered his Spring Statement to Parliament.

According to Mr Hammond, the economy grew by 1.7% in 2017, compared to the 1.5% forecast at the Budget, and the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) have revised up their forecast for 2018 from 1.4% to 1.5%.

Forecast growth is unchanged at 1.3% in 2019 and 20, before picking up to 1.4% in 21 and 1.5% in 2022, leading the Chancellor to describe himself

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as being at his ‘most positively Tigger-like’ when he contemplated the future of the economy.

He said: “The economy continues to grow, continues to create jobs and continues to beat expectations. The economy has grown for five consecutive years and exceeded expectations in 2017. The OBR has increased their forecast for growth this year.

“Manufacturing has had the longest period of expansion in 50 years. Employment has increased by three million since 2010, which is the equivalent of 1,000 people finding work every day. The unemployment rate is close to a 40-year low.

There is also a joint record number of women in work – 15.1 million. The OBR predict there will be over 500,000 more people in work by 2022. Britain now has a manufacturing sector enjoying its longest unbroken run of growth for fifty years.

“But forecasts are there to be beaten. As a nation, we did it in 2017 and we should make it our business to do so again. Our remarkable jobs story is set to continue.”

Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), was more guarded in his response.

He said: “Businesses will be encouraged by the Chancellor’s report on the UK’s fiscal health, with lower projections for the deficit and falling national debt, as well as his full-throated defence of the market economy and the role of the private sector in delivering prosperity.

“Yet as deficit and debt levels improve, the Chancellor must resist calls to pour money into politically-attractive, short-term spending priorities. Any headroom the Chancellor has must be used to leave a lasting mark on the UK’s infrastructure and to attract investment – particularly with the challenges and changes of Brexit ahead.

“A far stronger push is needed to fund and fix the fundamentals here in the UK over the coming months, and business wants the Chancellor to use his Autumn Budget to double down and spend to improve digital connectivity, deliver further road and rail improvements, strengthen the UK’s energy security and build more houses.

Existing plans alone are not enough.”

Suren Thiru, Head of Economics for the British Chambers, said: “Taken together, the OBR’s latest forecasts suggest that the UK will remain locked onto a low growth trajectory for the foreseeable future. While GDP growth for this year was upgraded slightly, their

projections for 2021 and 2022 have been downgraded.

“The OBR’s latest outlook also highlights significant challenges facing the UK economy over the near term. Their projections implies that UK economic growth will remain unbalanced throughout the forecast period with business investment and trade expected to add little to overall UK growth.

“UK productivity is still expected to remain subdued over the next few years and could weigh more on overall economic activity than the OBR’s GDP growth forecast currently suggests. Productivity continues to be hampered by the deeprooted problems in our economy, from the skills gap to chronic underinvestment in the UK’s infrastructure.

“The OBR is right to highlight the risk of a disorderly Brexit, as a sudden departure from the EU would be likely to trigger a marked weakening in economic conditions.

“Against this backdrop, the focus of the Autumn budget must be on delivering a fiscal consolidation plan that achieves a more sustainable balance between deficit reduction and boosting productivity and growth, including using its greater fiscal headroom to deliver urgently needed infrastructure investment.”

“

Businesses will be encouraged by the Chancellor’s report on the UK’s fiscal health, with lower projections for the deficit and falling national debt, as well as his full-throated defence of the market economy and the role of the private sector in delivering prosperity.

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| Focus on Lewisham

an artist impression of Lewisham town Centre

Lewisham Lewisham’s unrivalled location, connectivity, talent and regeneration plans make it a gateway to growth in London.

Delivering good growth

Lewisham Council is delivering good growth to make the borough the best place to live, work and learn in London. Good growth involves sustainable character-led placemaking in the form of new residential development schemes with affordable housing, community facilities, integrated

April 2018

transport infrastructure and commercial investments.

Lewisham intends to be one of the fastest growing economies that works for all by 2027.

Best-connected transport hubs Lewisham is one of the capital’s best-connected transport hubs and the Mayor of London has identified it as the strategic

transport interchange for the south east of London.

Lewisham offers zone 3 rail travel and is connected to central London via more than 21 mainline stations, three Docklands Light Railway stations and 42 bus routes connecting within London and between London, Kent and Sussex. London Bridge is 10 minutes from Catford Bridge, and Canary Wharf is just 22 minutes away via DLR. The London Overground Night Service now operating between Higbury & Islington and New Cross Gate brings a welcome boost to the evening and night-time economy.

TfL’s commitment to Phase 1 of the Bakerloo line extension will link the heart of Lewisham to central London.

Innovative housing provision Lewisham is a leader in councilled mixed-use regeneration schemes. This commitment to innovative and award-winning housing provision saw the delivery of 1,385 homes in 2016/17, exceeding the London Plan target by 29%. There is a confirmed pipeline of housing delivery across a range of strategic sites in Catford, New Cross, Deptford and Lewisham Central.

Evolving communities Lewisham has a highly skilled and qualified talent pool with four in 10 residents educated to degree level. Lewisham also has a number of growth sectors including professional support, construction and the creative and digital industries.

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Winner of #CatfordCrush In the run up to Valentine’s Day, Team Catford encouraged Catfordians to tell them which Catford business held a special place in their hearts and reveal their #CatfordCrush. The winner was Bottle Bar & Shop, which opened in the town centre in December 2017.

Owner Xhulio explains: ‘A year ago, when I told a mate that I wanted to start a business in Catford he said I must be mad.

But we’re glad we did it and so grateful for the support. It seems our community is keen to “shop local” and support small businesses like ours.'

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Masterplan for Catford In summer 2018, architects will be appointed by the Council to prepare a draft masterplan allocating areas of the town centre for new public space, shops, homes and office space. Once agreed, this masterplan will be the vision for Catford – a blueprint to guide planning applications from developers and investors.

The plan is long term. Some aspects will begin construction after 2020 with the entire redevelopment complete by 2030.

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Making use of empty properties Regeneration is more than physical change and there have been a number of initiatives to revitalise the town centre.

The Council is identifying ‘meanwhile use’ opportunities by using assets for cultural activities to support a more vibrant and diverse town centre. These include set builders Supersets moving into an unused depot and Little Nan’s Bar opening in the Broadway Theatre.

The Council is currently negotiating with a number of leisure operators.

Delivering Good Growth The potential extension of the Bakerloo line to Lewisham via the Old Kent Road is fuelling change in New Cross Gate.

Lewisham Council, the Mayor of London and TfL have jointly commissioned a team led by architects and urban designers 5th Studio and We Made That to formulate an area framework and station opportunity study for the area.

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Regenerating Catford Town Centre Lewisham Council is leading major regeneration in Catford town centre representing £750 million of investment. The transformation includes rerouting the South Circular to free up space for pedestrians and cyclists.

Catford shopping centre will be redeveloped, providing new retail space, homes, pedestrianfriendly areas, open spaces and new community facilities.

The aim is to improve the quality of life in Catford town centre and meet the demands of a constantly growing and changing area.

This means more homes in safe and welcoming places, with access to jobs and training.

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Masterplan New Cross This will develop a visionary and practical plan to maximise the benefit of infrastructure investment in terms of supporting good growth, through co-ordinating, negotiating and integrating the needs and desires of all those with a stake in the future of New Cross.

The objectives of the New Cross area framework include: • raising local awareness of the project • a vision for the New Cross Gate area to inform the development of the Council’s new local plan, and strengthen the role of New Cross Gate as a district centre • promoting the creation of highquality places, and protecting historic assets • providing evidence for the development of local plan policies to provide clarity for landowners, developers, investors, operators, the Council and other public sector agencies as to the appropriate scale, location, mix and form of development • demonstrating how the area can contribute to Lewisham’s housing need • developing a good understanding of the local economy – including the retail, industrial, creative, educational and evening economy sectors – identifying spatial networks and clusters, skills gaps, growth sectors, operational requirements and opportunities for support and expansion.

• identifying opportunities for transport improvements; encouraging more journeys on foot, bicycle and public transport

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The Bakerloo line extension has potential to radically alter New Cross, having a dramatic impact on patterns of movement across the city, while creating a catalyst for changes to the physical and social environment at street level. With over 350 artist studios within the area, New Cross is one of London’s most creative zones.

The area framework explores how the concentration of creative small businesses should be factored into future developments, planning policy, and securing creative enterprise zone status for the area.

Public engagement is key and we have consulted with local residents, businesses and other stakeholders at a series of events both online and at local venues including New Cross Learning; the Albany; and Goldsmiths, between December 2017 and May 2018.

Creative and digital industries

Lewisham Council recently commissioned a study and strategy from Regeneris Consulting, We Made That, and Tom Fleming Consultancy on its creative and digital industries (CDI). The study found: ‘Lewisham is an emerging growth borough for the CDI sector.

The sector is growing at a rapid rate with +71% employment growth over the last five years, faster than the capital as a whole at 34%. The mix of creative and

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digital activity in Lewisham provides a unique ecosystem, influenced by the assets and history of the borough. Lewisham’s CDI performs as a leader in the field where the creative and digital sectors overlaps.

The catalyst for growth is Deptford and New Cross, areas in Lewisham with great potential to contribute to the CDI sector in London.’

Regeneration is providing modern purpose-built office, creative studios and workshop spaces in easy reach of central London, at half the cost. Key business sectors in the borough include design, digital, IT, computing, virtual reality, augmented reality, advertising, fashion manufacturing, performing and visual arts.

The proposed CDI Strategy is focused on building upon the strong creative foundation and ecosystem in New Cross and Deptford; with some pilot testing in a few other wards that have potential for CDI growth. It involves delivering against the following objectives: • Re-adopting and re-shaping Lewisham’s creative identity • Business development and developing dynamic local networks and clusters • Ensuring space is available for creative production and CDI growth • Refreshing local policies and strategies

• Supporting talent to enable CDI growth through enterprise and skills training that builds on FE/HE provisions • Community links and social inclusivity

April 2018

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| Focus on Lewisham

Lewisham North Creative Enterprise Zone

New Cross/Deptford We are please to announce that the London Borough of Lewisham have receive an award by the Mayor of London to support setting up a Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) in New Cross and Deptford. One of ten development grants that will receive up to £50,000 each towards research and preparation of an action plan for proposed CEZ. Led by Lewisham Council, with support from over 15 organisations in Lewisham backing a CEZ in our borough including Goldsmith, University of London, London Southbank University, South East Chamber of Commerce, The Albany, Deptford X, Horniman Museum & Gardens, ACME, Muse Development Ltd, Bellway Homes, Hutchinson Property Group (UK) Ltd and U&I Group Plc, amongst others.

We aim to position Lewisham’s creative industries at the forefront of CDI growth in London: • Secure recognition of our role in London • Build upon the borough’s internationally recognised institutions and by working together with local creative SMEs, HE/FE/training partners, developers, workspace providers, and the wider business ecosystem • Become a major creative market for London, with an innovative and productive sector, powered by specialist technologies, research and skills.

For more information email

economyandpartnerships @lewisham.gov.uk

Lewisham Construction Hub officially opened Lewisham businesses wanting to find out about new construction contract opportunities can now get support from a dedicated hub which opened on Thursday 1 February 2018.

The Lewisham Construction Hub is a partnership between Lewisham Council, Lewisham Southwark College, Build London and BE Group and is funded by the Council and the Mayor of London.

Construction employers will also get support and guidance on apprenticeship levy funding, workforce training and recruitment options.

Lewisham residents will benefit from a range of services including careers advice, an online jobs portal, bespoke training programmes and an apprenticeship service all tailored specifically for this sector. A range of free construction-focused workshops and events will also be delivered through the hub.

Antoinette Roper, Senior Project Manager, BE Group, said: ‘The Lewisham Construction Hub offers some amazing events and support to help local businesses succeed and grow. We are excited to begin work with developers and construction employers in Lewisham to promote the opportunities that are available to residents and businesses in the borough that an anticipated £2billion investment will bring. It’s great getting to work with Dwight Stephens, Director of Bellstep Painting and Decorating who has recently joined the project board to represent local businesses.’

Vanessa Packham, Director of Apprenticeships, Employment and Skills, Lewisham Southwark College, said: ‘We were delighted to be awarded this contract and to be able to work alongside our partners. Our learners need to be supported and this is a wonderful chance to create opportunities that might not have existed. I am very excited about the Lewisham Construction Hub and look forward to reporting on successes from this project.’

Chris Dransfield, Programme Director, Build London, said: ‘The Lewisham Construction Hub is a real example of what can be achieved with ambition, commitment and collaboration.

If you are an organisation interested in how to engage new apprentices or workers, or you just want to advertise vacancies locally, the central resource provided by the Hub will now be the go-to place in Lewisham.’

The Lewisham Construction Hub is based at Lewisham Southwark College’s Deptford Campus, adjacent to Deptford Bridge DLR station. The Hub is open Monday to Friday from 9:30am – 5pm.

For more information visit www.lewishamconstructionhub.co.uk email admin@lewishamconstructionhub.co.uk or call 020 8314 7748.

April 2018

London Living Wage

Key findings

Aldworth James & Bond Aldworth James & Bond is a multidisciplinary group of designers, project managers, tradespeople and makers – they have been an accredited London Living Wage employer for the last few years.

What was your motivation for signing up to the London Living Wage Scheme?

It was to ensure staff and people in our supply chain can afford to live in London. We have all been at a certain age that we have struggled financially and then living in London is hard enough. It became a no brainer for us especially as it wasn’t that much of a jump for us from what we had already been paying our staff.

What are the benefits of paying the LLW? How our team as a whole feel is very important to us, the team’s wellbeing is vital to us as a business. We believe but also know that a good team that is happy and looked after by its employers produce better products and that’s good for business.

What are the challenges of paying LLW? The broader supply chain is hard to manage, it’s hard to ultimately enforce the LLW be paid to everyone in it. We do however ensure that our temporary and agency staff are paid the LLW as we work with either accredited organisations or ones that abide by the scheme. We find that is all about championing the benefits of LLW helps to tackle those challenges.

Would you recommend the scheme to others?

Certainly, the benefits are clear – a happier workforce produce better results. Also the benefit it brings to your local economy be that in the London Borough of Lewisham or wider – we should all be doing it.

Lewisham small business survey

Lewisham’s 2018 SME business survey was commissioned to gain an understanding of the future challenges faced by Lewisham businesses and will directly feed into the mid-term review of Lewisham’s 2013/23 business growth strategy.

The online survey was circulated through members of Lewisham’s Business Support Provider Forum with 68 responses received from local businesses reflecting the key sectors in the borough. It was complemented by additional consultation and engagement exercises that gathered further qualitative evidence from Lewisham.

• Lewisham is home to substantial numbers of new entrepreneurs with a significant increase in local businesses registered at Companies House – up by 62% over the last five years.

• Prominent amongst these are businesses in the growing creative and digital industries sector.

• Lewisham’s proximity to the key central London markets is a significant driver of the local economy, which remains competitive in comparison with other areas of London.

• There are low levels of vacant business workspace which is leading to challenges for those businesses looking to grow in the borough. However, new commercial property investments from workspace providers such as Regus, Dek Ladywell and Dek Catford are helping to ease this pressure.

• Businesses report that broadband and Wi-Fi capacity in Lewisham is ‘patchy’.

To mitigate this the Council is working to improve and futureproof broadband and WiFi capability in Lewisham under the Government’s Local Full Fibre Network programme.

deK Launch

Dek Growth Programme

This ERDF-funded project is delivering business growth support to SMEs in Lewisham and the surrounding boroughs.

The partnership with Goldsmiths, University of London and South Bank University’s offers access to specialist research and masterclasses, with forthcoming workshops including PR, social media, Digital UX and intellectual property. Other specialisms on offer include finance, product and service development and international trade. Successful SMEs will also be eligible for business mentoring and targeted consultancy.

To find out more and sign up to the programme, visit www.deklondon.com.

Mayor’s Business Awards Spring 2018

Business name Media Services Company Start the Dance The Word Bookshop Urban Synergy Aldworth James & Bond Ignition Beer MU London

Category Best in Lewisham Creative Digital Entrepreneur New Business Corporate Social Responsibility London Living Wage Social Enterprise Environmental Practice

12

| Greenwich Profile

Keeping history alive at iconic site They do things differently at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. While the tradition for many historic buildings when undergoing major conservation is to close the doors to the public, the Old Royal Naval College has kept them open.

painted hall and Chapel from Lower grand square

he decision has allowed visitors to see the work on the famous Painted Hall as it progresses, an approach that excites Angela McConville, who became Chief Executive in October 2017 after the retirement of Brendan McCarthy following his five years at the helm.

For Angela, the opportunity to work at such an iconic and historically important site was too good an opportunity to turn down.

She said: “My background is in regeneration and place-making so the chance to work in such a beautiful place was very attractive. The Old Royal Naval College includes many of the things that I am passionate about, including education and heritage-led regeneration.

“One of the attractions was the chance to be involved in what we think is the largest open conservation project in Europe.

“Traditionally, the doors remain closed when big projects like this are under way but we wanted people to see what was happening behind the scenes.

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April 2018

“We have run ceiling tours throughout the process and people have been able to talk to those involved. We have had 40,000 visitors on the tours so far, and people have been as interested in what is coming off the walls as what they will look like at the end. They will often ask our conservators about the grime that is being removed and the stories it reveals.”

Angela came to the job having worked in the charitable sector with community-based regeneration organisations, with her previous position prior to moving to the Old Royal Naval College being Chief Executive of Westway Trust in West London.

She assumed the helm of an attraction that has a long history.

In 1873 the Naval College in Portsmouth acquired the buildings of the old Royal Hospital for Seamen in Greenwich and the Royal Naval College was established.

In the decades that followed, the Royal Naval College provided training for promising young officers as well as thousands of Wrens during World War Two.

The Navy left in 1997, and the Old Royal Naval College was opened up to the public, who flock in large numbers to visit classical buildings which were designed by England’s greatest architects, notably Sir Christopher Wren, and are considered amongst the finest in Europe. Among them are the Painted Hall, painted between 1707 and 1726, and the neoclassical Chapel.

Angela, who has a strong interest in heritage, having been a Trustee of the London Transport Museum since 2013, said: “The Old Royal Naval College is the heart of one of the world’s greatest heritage sites and the Painted Hall is an extraordinary work of international importance, the work of 19 years by Sir James Thornhill.

“There remains much to do to complete the funding and work on the Painted Hall ahead of our early 2019 re-opening, and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the whole of the Old Royal Naval College site.

“My ambition is to develop it into not just a top heritage destination but also one of London’s leading cultural attractions that supports and amplifies our educational aims.”

angela mcConville

For Angela and her team, one of the big challenges is raising funds to preserve and develop the site and it is on track to raise 80 per cent of its own money rather than having to rely on grants.

Part of the Foundation’s income comes through the site’s tenants, including the University of Greenwich, and Angela said: “We love the fact that there are students working and studying here. This is a wonderful place and the presence of the students makes the point that this is living history.”

Angela concluded by saying: “There is a great sense of responsibility and privilege in being the custodians of this wonderful site.

“It is a huge canvas but if we stood still and did nothing more than preserve the fantastic buildings, it would still cost us £1 million a year, so it is important that we bring in income to allow us to create a diverse and engaging programme of events and educational activities,and bring the site to life.

“We are working towards being self-reliant financially in the future, and that can be very liberating for an organisation.”

the finest historical setting

The Old Royal Naval College is the jewel of Greenwich and an inspiring setting for professional events and stunning celebrations. From meetings, lunches, dinners to glamourous receptions we offer the most breathtaking spaces for entertaining.

020 8269 2131 venuehire@ornc.org | ornc.org/venuehire OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE GREENWICH LONDON SE10 9NN

Main image: Douglas Fry Photography; left and right: Gomes Photography

the old royal naval college is perfect for stiking events

14

| Arts and Culture

What’s On at Greenwich Theatre Bookings : 020 8858 7755 www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk Dad’s Army Radio Hour wed 25 april War Of The Worlds thu 26-sat 28 april

Where’s My Igloo Gone sun 29 april The Delta Blues Story sun 29 april Greenwich University presents The Gut Girls thu 3 & Fri 4 may Ballistic sat 5 may

April 2018

Tom & Bunny Save The World: The Musical sun 6 may

Ahead of a New York transfer!

Secret Life Of Humans tue 8-sat 12 may A Midsummer Night’s Dream tue 15-sat 26 may The Bob Dylan Experience thu 24 may

The Owl And The Pussycat sun 27 may John Hegley: All Hail The Snail (and other creatures) wed 30 may

Jim Cartwright’s TWO thu 31 may

Rufus Longbottom and the Space Rabbit Fri 1 June

A Doll’s House wed 13 & thu 14 June Woke sat 16 June

NOW BOOKING! BING Live!

Bing Goes To The Theatre wed 17 & thu 18 october

Arts & Culture |

15

Marking three hundred years since the Dedication of Hawksmoor's St Alfege Church building 1718 to 2018 "The Case of the Inhabitants of Greenwich in the Country of Kent and Reasons why they ask Relief for Rebuilding their Parish Church"

o began the petition to parliament in February 2011, 307 years ago, read by the then church wardens of Greenwich Parish Church, seeking to rebuild the medieval church after a storm.

This petition began the whole process towards the Fifty New Churches Act of 1711 under which the present church and the rest of the Hawksmoor churches and others like them were built.

This historical event was highlighted with a short reenactment in February to launch the Tercentenary celebrations of the Dedication of Hawksmoor's St Alfege Church building in 1718. Current churchwardens, Sarah Lavery and Nick Hervey, presented the same petition to The Rt Honourable Nick Raynsford, former Minister for London and local Greenwich and Woolwich MP (1992 to 2015).

Dressed in 18th century costume and accompanied by children's church members, Karile and Simon Jones, also in costume, the wardens read the beautifully crafted and

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detailed petition to the Minister, the Leader of the Council, Cllr Denise Hyland, Deputy Lieutenant, Dr Pieter van der Merwe and an audience of about 60 local people and representatives from Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.

The original petition, started the move towards the building of many fine baroque churches. Most of them are north of the river, but two, this one and St Paul’s Deptford are among the best which were built.

St Alfege Church is the first of Hawksmoor’s London churches, and the template on which the general plan of the other churches is based.

The Hawksmoor church in Greenwich was built between 1712 and 1716 and dedicated in 1718.

It replaced an earlier medieval building, of which the tower, though not visible from the outside, still remains. Part of it had collapsed in a storm and the churchwardens pleaded that they did not have the resources to rebuild it on their own, just as we are relying on the generosity of National Lottery players and other donors in the conservation and improvement of the facilities in Hawksmoor’s church today.

St Alfege Church is a Grade 1 listed landmark and is one of the key buildings within the Maritime

Greenwich World Heritage Site.

There has been a church here for over a thousand years, dedicated to the memory of Alfege, the Archbishop of Canterbury who was martyred on this site in 1012.

Henry VIII was baptized here, and many other key historical figures in Greenwich’s royal, maritime and scientific history have close links with the site including Thomas Tallis, General James Wolfe and John Flamsteed.

Revd Chris Moody, Vicar, said: “These churches were built as centres in which beautifully ordered Anglican worship could take place and social action and responsibility towards the local community could be strengthened and maintained.

That is a tradition that we are still proud to be part of."

Responding to the presentation, Nick Raynsford said " No one can say that spin is a uniquely modern political characteristic as the good parishioners of Greenwich who composed this petition made absolutely sure it ticked all the boxes and covered all potential objections.”

Future events this year will celebrate other key anniversaries in the life of the Hawksmoor building including:

• 12 June 1711 Royal Assent given bringing the Fifty New Churches Act into force • 18/23 September 1718/19 the consecration of the new church

by Francis Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester, to be celebrated on 23 September 2018.

St Alfege Church in Greenwich has received a confirmed grant (£1,836,800) from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the Heart of Greenwich, Place and People project (announced in December).

Thanks to National Lottery players, the project aims to reinforce the church’s position as a heritage asset at the heart of Greenwich, reveal and interpret our hidden spaces and heritage for visitors, school children, their families and a diverse local community. We plan vital repairs to the fabric, will bring to light the splendid work of Nicholas Hawksmoor, improve access to and facilities in the church and enhance landscaping, signage and interpretation.

For a copy of the petition please email office@st-alfege.org.uk and visit www.st-alfege.org for more up to date information about the events as they become available or follow St Alfege on Twitter @StAlfegeChurch

Festival returns for the twenty-third year!

This summer London's leading festival of outdoor theatre and performing arts returns to Royal Greenwich and South East London for a twenty-third year. reenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) will invite audiences in excess of 100,000 to ‘dream a little dream’ with shows that celebrate love, struggle, ambition and flight over 17 midsummer days.

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Particularly of note in this year's programme, which runs from 21st June - 7th July, are Fly By Night, an epic spectacle in which a flock of specially trained, LED-lit pigeons take to the skies at dusk, a weekend overload of family-friendly street theatre at Greenwich Fair, and London's largest annual outdoor dance extravaganza at Canary Wharf, Dancing City.

The Festival will also be marking the centenary of the Representation of the People Act with a high-wire walk in the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College and a spectacular processional event in Woolwich, and commemorating the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush in London with specially commissioned events in honour of the 492 pioneering migrants who arrived at Tilbury from Jamaica and Trinidad in 1948.

The Festival closes in Thamesmead with a retelling of Jonathan Harvey’s uplifting play Beautiful Thing, a landmark LGBTQ tale of young love blossoming on this south East London housing estate. The production celebrates

a new chapter in the area's history on the 50th anniversary of the first family moving into this utopian riverside community.

Remarkably, all events at GDIF are free to attend, thanks to the generosity of the Festival's many supporters and partners. As well as regular funding from Arts Council England and the Boroughs of Royal Greenwich and Tower Hamlets, the Festival works with a range of sponsoring businesses, from property developers and caterers to the retail sector.

To discuss ways in which your business can get involved and benefit from being part of GDIF 2018 contact michelle@festival.org,

or to help keep the Festival free by making a donation visit justgiving.com/gdif.

The full programme is available online at festival.org/2018

“An event whose annual contribution to the happiness of the people of London is unrivalled” The Guardian on GDIF

April 2018

16

| Focus on Bromley

Few places in the south east have as much to offer businesses as Bromley Town Centre Business confidence in Bromley Town Centre continues to grow, with the first of three new public squares, St Mark’s opposite Bromley South train station, due to open between June and the end of 2018. his will bring nine restaurants, a 130 bed hotel and a nine screen Vue cinema to a key location in Bromley town centre. Restoration starts soon on Bromley’s current High St cinema. By early 2019 it will be restored to its former Art Deco glory as a Picturehouse with six screens, a café and a bar.

A new Elmfield arrival space will be created as part of the current landscaping work in the pedestrianised part of the High Street and the Churchill Theatre position in the town centre will be made more prominent by a spacious new events space to be known as Churchill Square.

We’d recommend any business considering relocating to check out

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Bromley Town Centre for the following reasons: • Excellent transport links (Bromley South rail station is the gateway between London and Kent) • Experienced and professional commercial lettings agents such as Acorn Commercial acorncommercial.co.uk • Simple to use commercial property database provided by London Borough of Bromley bromley.gov.uk/info/200018/com mercial_property/250/bromley_c ommercial_property_database • Businesses services such as a job vacancy portal and allocation of free recycling through Your Bromley

• Low levels of crime and anti social behaviour compared with similar outer London boroughs.

• Footfall analysis freely available to town centre businesses which are part of the Your Bromley business partnership • Fabulous shopping, eating, cultural and leisure experiences, all of which helps employee retention • Free summer lunchtime yoga sessions for employees, provided through Your Bromley • Vibrant street market including lots of lunch options every Thursday to Saturday inclusive • An Ambassador service, provided by Your Bromley, to

welcome and direct your visitors to the town centre • A thriving town centre with ambitious expansion already underway and much more planned

Your Bromley is a business partnership, led and funded by town centre businesses. In addition to events to attract additional customers into town, Your Bromley provides services that businesses want, such as enhanced cleansing of streets and additional security, all of which make Bromley an even better place to do business.

For more, please visit their website yourbromley.com

BROMLEY TOWNCENTRE

MAKING IT (EVEN) BETTER A guide to what Business Partnership Your Bromley is doing to make the town centre better for business.

Download yours from yourbromley.com Plus, look out for more information on our 2018 events including our Taste of Bromley celebration and Midsummer Movies.

April 2018

18

| Focus on Bexley

News round-up London Borough of Bexley Experienced MD for BexleyCo Huw Lewis has been appointed as the Managing Director of BexleyCo, the wholly owned development company created last year by the London Borough of Bexley.

Mr Lewis is currently Managing Director of the Urban Growth Company.

He is an experienced senior manager with over 27 years' experience of a wide range of projects both in the UK and internationally, involving commercial, retail, leisure, cinema, rail, local authority, health, housing, education, waste and airport developments. His previous employers have included the City of London Corporation, Shanks UK, Balfour Beatty and United Cinemas International.

Thamesmead given funding for Creative Enterprise Zone research Thamesmead has taken a step closer to becoming a Creative Enterprise Zone following a successful bid for funding.

The application was made by a consortium made up of the London Borough of Bexley, Bow Arts Trust, Peabody, Crossness Engines Trust, Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency and London College of Performing Arts.

The £50,000 funding has been granted to allow research into how Southmere in Thamesmead could become a Creative Enterprise Zone based on a small and emerging base of existing artists, creative businesses and workspaces.

The money will also help to establish what local plans and planning guidance will need to be in place for a creative community to thrive, including creative workspaces and affordable living space.

Bexley’s Strategic Education Partnership Board Bexley’s new Strategic Education Partnership Board held its inaugural meeting in March.

The Partnership, which was launched in January, has been established to enable the council, schools and colleges in Bexley to work together to produce solutions to the complex challenges that impact on the quality of children’s education.

It has created five sub-groups to address its priority issues: Education Performance and Achievement; School Places and Planning; Special Educational Needs and Disabilities; Inclusion; Workforce Development, Succession Planning and Governance.

The Strategic Board is made up of representatives from the Council, the Deputy Director of the Regional Schools Commissioner’s Office, Jonathan Duff and representatives from the local education community, the local authority and school governors.

He will work alongside Richard Blakeway, who was appointed as BexleyCo’s first Chairman in October last year.

Crossrail to Ebbsfleet (C2E)

The C2E Programme’s submission was handed into the Thames Estuary Growth Commission last month.

If it is approved, the C2E extension would support large-scale regeneration and new housing in south east London and north Kent, as well as providing new rail capacity for key journeys – such as to Canary Wharf.

The Thames Estuary Commission, led

by Sir John Armitt, will report in May. If it endorses C2E as a critical infrastructure investment, the next stage will involve securing Government support to enable the extension to reach the next phase of development involving a full business case and detailed engineering design.

Picture Bexley winners

Three images of local scenes were picked as the winners of the ‘Picture Bexley’ competition launched at the end of last year.

April 2018

The competition asked residents and community groups to capture an idea of what community meant to them.

Danson Nordic Walkers by Alison Goodall

The three winners were ‘Danson Nordic Walkers’ by Alison Goodall, ‘Faith’ by the Devasya Foundation and ‘Erith Christmas Tree Festival’ by Paul Speller.

The winning images are part of a special display at Hall Place Visitor Centre, along with some of the shortlisted entries.

20

| Education and Skills

In praise of apprenticeships This year’s National Apprenticeship Week, which happened in March, has been declared a success. art of the week, which included events in London, was a programme of talks which reached more than 33,500 people nationwide and involved 430 schools.

In addition, 20,000 people watched an online video showcasing apprentices and employers sharing their stories.

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The week, which is designed to encourage people to consider apprenticeships, began with a launch event at the BBC in London with news of a new ground-breaking apprenticeship programme, developed with the Sutton Trust, to support 50 school leavers from socially diverse backgrounds to apply for apprenticeships with the organisation.

Secretary of State for Education Damian Hinds attended the event and told his audience that apprenticeships play a crucial role in helping people to realise their potential as they learn and earn.

Sue Husband, Director of the National Apprenticeship Service, said: “The 11th annual National Apprenticeship Week has shown me how apprenticeships continue to be seen as a brilliant career path for individuals and also a great opportunity for employers to shape the workforce they need to deliver.

“I attended many events over the course of the week and the message I get is that apprenticeships work.

April 2018

From celebrating the new apprenticeship programme with the BBC to meeting inspiring employers committed to diversity, whilst seeing so many apprentices receive the recognition they deserve at class of 2018 graduation ceremonies, I am satisfied that the whole apprenticeships community values the opportunities apprenticeships present.

“We need to build on this momentum, to encourage individuals – regardless of age or background – to find an apprenticeship and get on the path to a brilliant future.”

To mark the week, Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Anne Milton took part in a tour across England, including London, to meet apprentices, businesses, schools and colleges.

She said; “I have heard incredibly inspiring stories from apprentices working across a huge range of sectors and at all levels and from such different backgrounds - women with children returning to part-time work doing degree apprenticeships, people who started university and decided it wasn’t for them and young people who didn’t do well at school but for whom an apprenticeship has opened a new world of work and learning, building not only their skill but also their confidence and self-esteem.

“I’ve also met businesses and employers in the retail,

agricultural, banking and digital sectors who are really positive about the benefits taking on apprentices can bring them.

Many of them have already kicked off new apprenticeship programmes following the introduction of the apprenticeship levy last year and I’m excited to see where these go and to see more businesses take advantage of this chance to invest in training and see their business grow.

“All of these stories show that apprenticeships change lives, lead to rewarding jobs and change businesses for the better. National Apprenticeship Week may be over for this year but every week needs to be about apprentices.

We will continue to make sure everyone knows how amazing apprenticeships can be.

Whatever your background and wherever you come from they change lives and change business for the better.”.

• The Institute for Apprenticeships has published details of reforms to streamline the way it works with employers in developing new apprenticeship standards. The Institute’s Faster and Better programme aims to simplify aspects of the process.Anthony Jenkins, Chairman of the Institute for Apprenticeships, said: “We share the view of the government and many employers of the challenge ahead: the pressing need for more highly skilled people, trained effectively, to grow the economy, raise productivity and ensure prosperity and security for individuals. To achieve this, we need to make sure that all of our interactions with employers and the processes we use, are fit for purpose in the new age of apprenticeships.”

“

We need to build on this momentum, to encourage individuals – regardless of age or background – to find an apprenticeship and get on the path to a brilliant future.

”

Education and Skills | 21

Four Types of Data Every Business Strategy Needs We often hear the term ‘data-driven’, but which data do we need, and what exactly are we driving? n my past work within eBay and now in my various consulting engagements, I have witnessed the dramatic influence that effective use of data has on almost every functional business unit.

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Each business application differs in which data it uses and how, but here I’ll focus on data’s use for strategy, touching briefly on four types of data that will be key as you make strategic decisions, perhaps even considering a strategic pivot. These are:

• Customer data, • Competitor data, • Changing market conditions, and • Product data

Customer Data

It’s crucial that you understand your customers: their three-dimensional profiles, motivations, preferences, and habits. The more complete your customer picture, the better it will guide your strategic decisions.

Unfortunately, mid-sized and large companies struggle to maintain close contact with their wide pool of customers.

This is where recent advances in big data technologies become relevant, allowing us to move from a 2D to a 3D customer view, assembled from owned online and offline sources, as well as from third-party sources such as social media, marketing agencies, and data aggregators.

As we bring this data together from multiple touchpoints, valuable insights into critical strategic questions start to appear.

Competitor Data

It’s especially challenging to get good competitor data.

Subscription-based aggregators such as Nielsen, Comscore, and SimilarWeb will provide usage and referrer information. Some free tools provided by Google and Linkedin will provide additional competitive insights.

Web scraping will show competitor inventory, services, pricing and locations, which you can use to increase your share of wallet (the percentage of a total customer spend going to your business).

Check which categories and products are typically purchased by your customer segments. You’ll see who is already making those crosspurchases, who is browsing without purchasing, and who is active in only one category.

Focusing on customer segments, you’ll see if your competition is appealing more to quality-conscious customers, marketing-reactive customers, high-spenders, etc.

Changing Market Conditions

Your strategy will need to respond to external events ranging from technology developments to commodity prices to new legislation.

A key concern is that you not be blind-sided by new technologies which leave you irrelevant or non-competitive.

Since new technologies typically take several years to reach full impact, you’ll typically have time to spot the trend leading up to the tipping point in the technology, but this involves mastering the relevant data that will flag the technology trend.

Look out for critical technology trends in two ways.

1. Keep a close eye on your customers and how they are using the up-and-coming technologies. Your customers will likely be the first to send signals of the growing importance of a technology. This again links back to customer data, which is best handled with big data technologies.

2. Think out of the box about existing technologies.

Think, for example, about

the possibilities cloudcomputing opens for mid-sized companies, or how AI technologies can quickly change your sector.

Product Data

Do you really understand how your customers perceive your products? To this end, it’s key to have detailed data on how your customers are interacting with your offerings, what is or isn’t working and how you can best improve.

Most companies depend heavily on digital products or portals (web sites and mobile apps). Here especially, it is key to move quickly through effective use of A/B testing and web analytics. This is often the first area where companies use big data analytics and is itself a very extensive topic.

As you start collecting and studying these four types of data, you’ll uncover new insights and you’ll be led to ask new questions your data may not (yet) answer. Getting answers to these additional questions and regularly revisiting your initial questions will help you excel in a constantly evolving business environment.

David Stephenson PhD is an internationally recognised expert in the data science and big data analytics.

He is the author of new book Big Data Demystified: How to use big data, data science and AI to make better business decisions and gain competitive advantage.

April 2018

22

LET US HELP YOU DEVELOP YOUR BUSINESS Training for businesses and professional development courses at London South East Colleges We are committed to delivering the highest quality skills development in the region for adults and employers. From apprenticeships to professional development and commercially relevant short courses, we have a range of options to suit your needs. www.LSEC.ac.uk | e: commercial@LSEC.ac.uk | t: 020 8295 7072

January 2018

Arrange a

FREE consultation now!

Legal |

23

Neglecting your business terms and conditions: are you missing a trick?

Many business-owners do not consider implementing robust terms and conditions as a priority, but getting them right is crucial to ensuring good business practice and securing healthy cashflow and profitability. e understand that day-to-day business life usually involves juggling a never-ending list of things to do, and that it can feel like there are simply not enough hours in the day to deal with these. However, failing to implement comprehensive, clear and legally enforceable terms and conditions could actually create more work for business owners than one might first think.

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Delays in receiving payments with little to no written contractual mechanism to compel, or financial incentive to persuade, customers to make payments sooner rather than later can leave a business with often avoidable cash flow problems, not to mention added stress and potential legal expenditure in seeking payment from debtors.

If you do not put robust terms and conditions for your business in place, you put yourself at risk of

uncertainty and misunderstandings.

If a disagreement were to arise, and it becomes necessary to go to court, inadequate terms and conditions could be the difference between recovering that late payment and having to write a sum off as a bad debt.

Although not a complete checklist, a good set of terms and conditions should normally include: • The details of the parties to the relationship.

• A clear description of the products and/or services to be provided.

• Payment terms (e.g. when payment is due, what triggers payment and what happens if payments due are late).

• Details of how long the relationship will last.

• Details of any agreed timescales for delivery and the procedure for any necessary approvals.

• Details of how to end the relationship, when this occurs and what the consequences are.

• Specifying the applicable laws.

It is essential that your terms and conditions are tailored by professional draftsmen to your individual business needs and any temptation to use a free online document or to copy somebody else’s terms should be avoided.

Furthermore, beware the doctrine of the “battle of the forms” and the case for “he who fires last, wins” where a supplier and a purchaser both seek to rely on their own terms of business for a given transaction.

There is also the risk associated with simply putting your terms and conditions of business on your

website, which does not automatically mean they will apply to every business relationship.

As Leena Patel, from our Corporate and Commercial Department, states: “It is a fundamental rule to forming a contract that the parties are aware of what they are signing up to. This means, for example, that terms printed on or referred to in an invoice supplied to a customer after they have signed up as a customer could make it impossible to hold your customer to those terms and conditions.”

if you would like us to draft or review your terms and conditions or if you would like more information or advice on this topic, please contact Leena patel or Kush Birdi at our greenwich branch of grant saw solicitors LLp on 020 8858 6971 or by email: commerciallawyers@grantsaw.co.uk

January 2018

Plan for your last journey rst, then enjoy the rest of your life.

11 Month Instalment Plan available for Pre-Purchase Burial Plots from NO Out of Borough Charges

£2,500

Choose your own resting place With the passing of time London is losing more and more of its green spaces to meet the demand of housing its ever growing population. However, at some point in the future this growing population will be in need of burial and memorial spaces for their loved ones.

As cemeteries around London become increasingly full it becomes more dif cult for families to ‘plan ahead’. The London Boroughs of Bexley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Bromley are no different from the other local authorities. The choice of buying a grave or a memorial in advance within those Boroughs is limited.

However, private cemeteries and memorial gardens are a breath of fresh air. At private cemeteries and memorial gardens like Kemnal Park not only can you purchase a grave or cremated remains memorial when you are in need you can pre-purchase your choice of burial plot or memorial options by planning ahead.

These burial and memorial options can be pre purchased for a range of lease periods. Some options like Private Gardens, Gated Gardens, Mausoleums, Cremated Remains Gardens etc. are available to purchase with a lease for the ‘life of the park’. These burial options are not only a solution for your future, but the future of your generations to come.

Pre-planning your ultimate resting place is not only a wise way to manage your assets, it also protects your family from the burden of heavy funeral bills at an emotionally challenging time. While it is hard to nd a pre-purchase burial or memorial option within Greater London, Kemnal Park not only provides various pre-purchase options, but also offers a payment plan to help families to pay for their chosen pre-purchase option over a set period.

If you are thinking, ‘but I don’t live within the London Borough of Bromley!’, you’ll be relieved to know that no matter where you live in the UK, there is no cross borough charge at Kemnal Park.

For more information please contact us quoting: PFGBG17

0208 300 9790

www.kemnalpark.org

/kemnalpark

friends@kemnalpark.org

Ask the Expert |

25

What do I need to consider when choosing blinds?

On the face of it, choosing blinds and curtains may seem straightforward but, with an increasing range of choice for styles, features and functionalities, a bigger selection means there's much more to think about when it comes to deciding what will work best on the windows and doors in your home, rental property or business premises.

hat's where Greenwich London Blinds come in, an independent Greenwich-based company which advises on, measures and installs both bespoke blinds and curtains all over South East London.

Owned and managed by Neil Schofield, an industry professional with more than ten years’ experience of bespoke blinds and curtains, Greenwich London Blinds was established in April 2017 after Neil recognised a local need for a reliable, efficient and competitively priced service, which could be easily accessed by both commercial and domestic customers.

In its first year, the business has become increasingly successful, and its brand increasingly recognised, achieved with a focus on excellent workmanship, dedication to outstanding customer service and a wide choice to suit many different types of requirements and budgets.

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With his extensive knowledge on all things blinds and curtains, Neil shares some of his expertise, and explains that window treatments can contribute to the entire look and feel of a room, and also provide various benefits in the home or office.

Taking up less space than traditional curtains, wave curtains are installed on a specialised track so that they hang with a stylish wave effect, sheer ombre blinds have multi-tonal fabric (when they are permeated with natural light the same tones are cast into the room for an impact with colour) and perfect fit blinds are designed

to lock on to a window; they are ideal as a non-drilling solution and are great for a minimalist look.

Whereas before, motorised blinds were pretty expensive, this is no longer the case and our customers are often pleasantly surprised with the costs. A major benefit of motorised blinds is convenience; they are operated with the press of a button on a remote control, rather than chains or cords, which also make them highly compliant for child safety.

Although blackout blinds and curtains have long been available, they are becoming much more effective in blocking out natural daylight. I would always recommend blackout blinds and curtains for a bedroom; if your body clock is in sync with natural light and the sun is up at 5am, then keeping your bedroom dark can help with better sleep patterns. Day and night blinds are similar and are also ideal for privacy.

With some of the blinds and curtains we supply it’s also possible to upgrade to a thermal lining, which can help with energy saving; the special lining helps to retain the heat in a room and prevents warmth from escaping through windows and doors.

With this effect you can slightly lower your thermostat, and also your energy bill- a benefit for all homes and businesses!

Many of our clients are landlords and property developers and their main priorities are a neutral, cost effective, durable solution which is easy to operate, and I generally recommend vertical or roller blinds.

Both these types of blinds are the least prone to operational damage; they can be produced from hard-wearing, flameretardant , wipe-clean fabrics and they’re available in a wide range of plain fabrics and colours, so prospective tenants won’t be put off by a colour or design which isn’t to their liking.

For offices and commercial premises I would also recommend rollers or verticals because their operation is so straightforward and, needless to say, features such as flame-retardant fabrics are ideal in the workplace. For all our customers, whether they are homeowners, business owners or landlords, they can rest assured that Greenwich London Blinds comply with the highest standards in all aspects of user safety.

In our experience, blinds and curtains are often the last step in a redecoration, refurbishment or getting a property ready for the rental market, and it’s often the case that our customers are in a hurry! Our standard turnaround from the date a customer confirms their order is just two weeks; however, if that’s too long we also offer an express service on many of our products, there is a small charge for this, but we’ll aim to get the job done in five days or less.

At Greenwich London Blinds we are dedicated to 100% customer satisfaction, so we’re proud of our excellent rating on Trustpilot and all 5 star reviews on our facebook page.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for some impartial advice or to arrange free quotation.

hello@greenwichlondonblinds.co.uk

07795 087267 / 0207 642 0792

www.greenwichlondonblinds.co.uk

April 2018

26

| Big Interview

Developers that take a unique approach U+I is a property developer that sets out to be different from other companies in the sector. It thinks differently, it talks differently, it acts differently.

April 2018

Big Interview | he company’s team believes that it is not enough to simply refurbish or construct a property without considering its individual characteristics. Their approach is about creating the ‘wow’ factor and about leaving a legacy of which to be proud.

Their approach is enshrined in the philosophy of Richard Upton, company Deputy Chief Executive, who believes that all developers should show flair and who does not shy away from challenging those that he thinks are falling short.

Richard helps oversee a company that has a £6 billion portfolio of mixed-use, communityfocused regeneration projects in the London, Manchester and Dublin city regions, including a £200m investment portfolio.

The business was created in 2015 following the merger of Development Securities PLC and specialist regeneration property developer Cathedral Group and right from the beginning has focused on unlocking urban sites by bringing out their hidden history and untapped potential.

Richard was the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Cathedral Group, which was acquired by Development Securities PLC in May 2014.

He was appointed as Deputy Chief Executive of U+I in July 2015, having been appointed to the Board in May 2014, and is a member of the London Advisory Committee for Historic England.

His comments about the company’s offices at 7A Howick Place stand as testament to his approach to development.

Richard said: “I always enjoy showing people around our offices, partly because they walk in with a look of wonder but mainly because every part of the building is so expressive of everything we aim to be as a company. Our core values intelligence, imagination and audacity - are reflected in the space we’ve created here.”

A former post office depot turned art auction warehouse, Howick Place was a vast industrial space but had little natural light and Richard said: “It was not the most obvious office space for a growing property developer, but we saw its potential.

“Transforming the gloomy warehouse space into U+I’s beating heart required great imagination so we gave our architects, AB Rogers and Phil Coffey, a unique brief – a video tape of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

“The story captures so much of what we set out to achieve with our offices. I particularly love the way the children’s faces light up as they first enter the factory. It’s a true expression of wonder, and of hope.

Willy Wonka’s factory is a place of opportunity but it is also a place that takes the children on a journey towards maturity – and where those

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with the strongest values thrive.

That’s what I hope we’ve been doing as a company.

“The space we’ve created is meant to be full of surprises which delight at every turn. That’s why we filled our offices with art – whether that’s an original Francis Bacon piece or a commission by Morag Myerscough – and why we move that art episodically, so our people never stop seeing it out of habit.

“After all, if we want to continually strive to create imaginative, interesting places out of the sites we develop then we can never let ourselves fall into routine or complacency.

“That’s where audacity has a role to play. Our boardroom is suspended in a black box above the office, reminiscent of the scene in which poor old Mike Teavee becomes trapped in a television in Roald Dahl’s novel.

“We liked the idea of creating a role reversal with this space, playfully shrinking our directors down to size and using the large windows to highlight our commitment to transparency. The word ‘audacity’ can also be found in our ‘elevator pitch’, a lift that quite literally tells the story of U+I as visitors ascend to the first floor.

“We want to be known by the places we create and our office is an example of what we can achieve when we put our values into action.”

Richard believes that U+I should not be unique, that every developer needs to assume responsibility for creating special sites and that they should talk to local communities rather than impose something on people.

His comments on land standing empty illustrates the point. Richard believes that it is not enough to board it up while waiting for the opportune moment to press ahead.

He said: “In a world of rules and regulations, there is an inevitable delay between acquiring an empty site and being able to build on it.

During that meanwhile period, how should we satisfy our natural urge to make a piece of land productive?

“Sadly, many developers don’t seem to have that urge at all. They do nothing with it, other than put up some barriers and hoardings to keep people out. This empty use of empty space is not just wasteful, it is often damaging to the local community - boarded up sites stoke resentment and the fear of change.

“Others are more imaginative.

There are occasional entertainers and frequent pop-up food outlets serving pricey lattes and pulled pork buns. That’s good, but somehow serving coffee at a fiver a cup does not feel right in the middle of a community where unemployment may be well above average. It is not connected with the community and has no understanding of the people around it, which means it is of limited value in the short term and delivers nothing for the long term.

“I prefer to think more about worthwhile use, and less about meanwhile, which often feels like it is just filling a gap in time.

“When we acquire a new piece of land, we must connect with the local community, have a coffee and a bun with them, find out about the land we are planning to develop and what people make of it. Find out what’s been blighted, what might grow there, what fruits people long for.

“Only then can we start to develop our worthwhile use in a way that will deliver real value to the owners and investors and also to the local people and the community. And, to a developer, it’s good business, shows that you’ve listened and you’re less likely to meet concerted resistance at the planning stage. “ He identifies a number of things that developers should do: Embrace heritage: “In Deptford, we were working with the council to develop a mixed use regeneration near the railway station. The site was derelict, but bounded on one side by railway arches supporting a ramp up to the station. So, we reflected the heritage of the site by bringing in an old railway carriage which housed an award-winning cafe and opening up the derelict arches for local makers and entrepreneurs to use.”

Support local jobs and skills: “In Hayes, West London, we developed the former EMI record factory. Within that had been EMI’s Central Research Laboratory, out of which came inventions as varied as airborne radar, stereo sound and CAT Scans. We replicated this within our plans for the site, creating an incubator of start-up manufacturing businesses, such jobs being much needed in the local community. This has gone on to produce new jobs and help growing businesses that will stay and thrive in the area.

Fill the gaps: “At the old London Fire Brigade Headquarters on Albert Embankment, our research showed us that this was a part of Lambeth that had one of the highest percentage of children on free school meals. Our worthwhile use brought an old fire brigade workshop back into use, housing a number of charities and social enterprises, one of which focuses on providing educational support to children through a homework club.”

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Richard said: “There are a number of things that make these initiatives worthwhile. They are based on an understanding of the community and so form a relationship with the community.

They deliver social and economic value that is authentic to the area and they will continue to deliver that value into the future; it is not just worthwhile, it is also lasting.

“I would urge all of us in the business of creating places in our wonderful cities to cultivate their land while it's not being developed.

Know it and nurture it, and it will deliver for you for many years into the future.”

Development that takes the long view

Richard has a long history of development in Greenwich, Lewisham and Bromley stretching back more than 25 years.

In Greenwich, for example, in October 2015 the company completed The Movement, a mixed-use scheme located on the former Greenwich Industrial Estate.

The 2.2 acre site is in a prime position adjacent to Greenwich DLR and Mainline Station.

Developed with award-winning architects HLM and Studio Egret West and in close consultation with Greenwich Council, The Movement comprises 181 residential apartments, 358 student apartments, a health and fitness club, convenience food store, nursery and 7,000 sq ft of business incubator or start-up units, all located along a new public, pedestrian-friendly street connecting the DLR with Norman Road.

Richard, through the various companies he has founded and grown, has delivered homes, offices, hotels, student accommodation, restaurants in the Royal Borough but he is most proud of the commitments to public art in the Borough, an integral part of every U+I project.

Looking forward, the business has projects from Morden Wharf to Woolwich, where U+I will restore parts of the Siemens factory into a vibrant mixed-use community.

Richard remains passionate about history and the power of provenance to create great placemaking and was appointed

by Karen Brady, Secretary of State, as a Historic England Commissioner earlier this year.

“

When we acquire a new piece of land, we must connect with the local community, have a coffee and a bun with them, find out about the land we are planning to develop and what people make of it.

”

April 2018

28

| Chamber Events

Making the right connections Each month the Chamber hosts a variety of events which offer members a superb opportunity to meet and chat to fellow business people.

Here, we review a few of our past events.

Greenwich Networking Lunch

8 February 2018 The Chamber’s February networking lunch in the beautiful Charlton House – a Grade I listed Jacobean manor house.

Not only a networking event hosted a local historical landmark, this occasion also featured a presentation from Tracy Stringfellow, Chief Executive of the Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust.

Tracy enlightened the attendees on the history of

our esteemed venue – fittingly this event took place in the Long Gallery, a room used to entertain guests in days of yore.

This lunch was remarkably well attended, which is of no surprise considering the calibre of venue on hand.

GDPR -

Photo: Warren King

The Essential Information

13 February 2018 With the General Data Protection Regulation becoming enforceable on 25 May, the Chamber hosted an evening to help its members get to grips with the new laws.

David Sayce / Photo: Warren King

April 2018

Presented by the Chamber’s own Digital Marketing Director David Sayce, the event proved informative and educational.

Indeed, GDPR represents the biggest shift in UK data law in 20 years and David highlighted the various aspects that businesses need to consider and act upon. Perhaps most surprising was David’s message that while GDPR may be somewhat intrusive, there is opportunity through reform.

This was another successful event held at the lovely Hamilton House, part of the University of Greenwich’s Business Network Analysis Centre.

The Chamber will be returning to Hamilton House on Thursday May 24 for a Greenwich Breakfast meeting with guest speaker Len Duvall OBE AM, London Assembly Member for Greenwich & Lewisham.

Chamber Events |

Bromley Breakfast Meeting

22 February 2018 As Brexit continues to dominate politics, the Chamber in turn brings in speakers who can help explain the conundrum.

On this occasion the Chamber was treated to Bob Neill MP, a charming and eloquent speaker in his own right, to discuss the issues that Westminster currently faces. Both Bob’s presentation and subsequent Q&As were delivered wonderfully, blending the informative with Bob’s unique charisma. Certainly, food for

thought was served alongside breakfast on this occasion!

As ever, The Bromley Court Hotel is a Chamber favourite for event hosting due to its warm atmosphere and hospitality. Indeed, the Chamber will be visiting again to host an Executive Lunch on Thursday April 26.

The Future of Architecture

Bob Neill MP / Photo: Warren King

15 March 2018 The Chamber partnered once again with the University of Greenwich to deliver a successful networking evening.

Held in the historic Queen Anne

Court at the Old Royal Naval

College, this event offered a

glimpse into the surreal future

of architecture. Professor Neil

Spiller presented on how

technologies once restricted to

science fiction were now being

applied by architects today.

This evening presentation-and-

supper event represents a

fresh event format for the

Chamber and the success of

The Future of Architecture

means future similarly-

formatted events are likely on

the horizon.

Professor Neil Spiller / Photo: Warren King

April 2018

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30

| Forthcoming Events

EVENT NAME

DATE & TIME

VENUE

Bexley Breakfast Meeting

Friday 20th april 07.30 - 09.00

Bexleyheath marriott hotel, 1 Broadway, Bexleyheath da6 7JZ

Lewisham Link 'n Drink

wednesday 25th april 17.30 - 19.00

everest inn, 41 montpelier vale, Lewisham, London se3 0tJ

Executive Lunch

thursday 26th april 12.00 - 14.00

the Bromley Court hotel, Bromley hill, Bromley Br1 4Jd

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

tuesday 1st may 18.30 - 21.00

the greenwich tavern, the treehouse, 1 King william walk, greenwich se10 9Jh

Cyber Security Lunch

thursday 3rd may 12.00 - 14.30

doubletree by hilton London greenwich, Catherine grove, London se10 8BB

Networking Lunch Orpington BID

thursday 10th may 12.30 - 14.00

Br6, LseC, orpington Campus, the walnuts, orpington Br6 0te

Greenwich Breakfast Meeting

thursday 24th may 07.30 - 09.00

hamilton house, room 103, 15 park vista, London se10 9LZ

Bromley Link 'n Drink

wednesday 30th may 17.30 - 19.00

the Bromley Court hotel, Bromley hill, Bromley Br1 4Jd

April 2018

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Speaker: rt. hon david evennett mp Topic: Local issues, parliament, river crossings and Brexit.

Cost: £16 members £21 non-members.

Free monthly informal meeting in a relaxed atmosphere, open to businesses from all boroughs. don't forget to bring your business cards & enjoy the complimentary canapés. hosted by Chamber president, helen mcintosh.

Speaker: Jack garrett-Jones, deputy agent greater London, Bank of england, Topic: the uK economy with particular reference to greater London.the Chamber is holding an executive lunch in association with o’Keefe Construction (greenwich) and we would be delighted if you could join us Cost: £35 including lunch & drinks. greenwich B2B Link 'n drink in association with the south east London Chamber of Commerce is an informal and free networking event for businesses from greenwich and bordering boroughs. as per usual we will have intensive informal business networking, introductions and a short presentation.

Speaker: toks ademosu, south east enterprise Cyber security specialist.

Topic: Cyber security. if you are a small business operating in the royal Borough, there's around a 1 in 2 chance that you'll experience a cyber security breach. many small businesses are unclear about the ways in which they are vulnerable, and as many as 45% mistakenly think they’re not a viable target. in fact, all internet-facing organisations are at risk of attack. and it’s not a question of if you’ll be attacked, but when you’ll be attacked. see will help you understand and adopt new practices to protect your business, register for this Free service.

Speaker: sharon Baldwin executive director orpington 1st Topic: orpington's second successful Bid Cost: members £20, non members £26

Speaker: Len duvall oBe am, London assembly member for greenwich & Lewisham Topic: gLa issues, London wide matters and his work as an assembly member Cost: members £16, non members £20

Free monthly informal meeting in a relaxed atmosphere, open to businesses from all boroughs. don't forget to bring your business cards & enjoy the complimentary canapés. hosted by Chamber vice president, terri Johnson.

Forthcoming Events |

EVENT NAME

DATE & TIME

Evening Drinks Reception

thursday 31st may 18.30 - 20.30

VENUE

ppm international (London) Ltd, 23 - 25 wharf street, greenwich se8 3gg

the greenwich tavern, the treehouse, 1 King william walk, greenwich se10 9Jh

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

tuesday 5th June 18.30 - 21.00

Networking Lunch

thursday 14th June 12.30 - 14.00

Bexley Link 'n Drink

wednesday 27th June 17.30 - 19.00

Barnehurst golf Club, mayplace rd east, Barnehurst da7 6Ju

Bromley Breakfast Meeting

thursday 28th June 07.30 - 09.00

the Bromley Court hotel, Bromley hill, Bromley Br1 4Jd

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

tuesday 3rd July 18.30 - 21.00

the greenwich tavern, the treehouse, 1 King william walk, greenwich se10 9Jh

River Thames Boat Party

tuesday 10th July Boarding 18.15 sailing 18.30 disembark 22.30

Festival pier

Summer BBQ & Networking Lunch

Friday 13th July 12.30 - 14.00

the Bromley Court hotel, Bromley hill, Bromley Br1 4Jd

Lewisham Link 'n Drink

wednesday 25th July 17.30 -19.00

everest inn, 41 montpelier vale, Lewisham, London se3 0tJ

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION evening drinks reception with wine & nibbles over looking the thames, more details to follow. greenwich B2B Link 'n drink in association with south east London Chamber of Commerce is an informal and free networking event for businesses from greenwich and bordering boroughs. as per usual we will have intensive informal business networking, introductions and a short presentation.

venue to be confirmed Free monthly informal networking meetings in a relaxed atmosphere, open to businesses from all boroughs. hosted by Chamber vice president, terri Johnson.

Speaker: gareth Bacon am, London assembly member for Bexley & Bromley Topic: gLa issues, London-wide matters and his work as an assembly member

greenwich B2B Link 'n drink in association with south east London Chamber of Commerce is an informal and free networking event for businesses from greenwich and bordering boroughs. as per usual we will have intensive informal business networking, introductions and a short presentation. enjoy spectacular river sights, dinner and dancing. grow your business network and meet new friends. tickets including a buffet and glass of wine on arrival.

Cost: members £60. non member £70, group booking for 10 people £550.

Join us for our annual summer BBQ in the beautiful grounds of the Bromley Court hotel gardens. Fingers crossed for the sun to shine, a tasty menu with wine included we look forward to seeing you there.

Cost: members £25. non member £30.

Free monthly informal meeting in a relaxed atmosphere, open to businesses from all boroughs. don't forget to bring your business cards & enjoy the complimentary canapés. hosted by Chamber president, helen mcintosh.

April 2018

32

| Focus on Greenwich

Businesses are cleaning up in Royal Greenwich Dominique Walker and Rigels Tufa of Con Gusto Restaurant sign up to the Business Community Charter at the Town Hall launch

he Council launched its Business Community Charter in February calling on local traders and firms to sign up to a set of pledges alongside the Council.

Businesses promise to keep their premises looking attractive, encourage customers to bin litter, vow to keep the area outside their premises clean and rubbish free and only put out waste on collection days.

Other pledges include always asking if their customers require a plastic bag when they shop; reporting concerns about antisocial behaviour to wardens and investigate how their businesses can support workers by paying the London Living Wage.

One of the key areas for the businesses is ensuring that all their rubbish is collected by a licensed waster carrier service and that collections are covered by a valid Transfer Note.

The strategy is already being welcomed by local business people.

Paul Mepham (pictured), who has owned and run Harry Perry Cycles since 1974, said: "This cycle shop has been in Woolwich since 1908 so we're very dedicated to being in Woolwich town centre.

“New developments in the town are now sorting out the areas which needed some improvement.

We're very keen to do our bit to support Woolwich town centre and this clean-up campaign.”

For the Council's part its pledges in the Business Charter, and in the accompanying Residents Charter, include taking enforcement action against all kinds of enviro-crime including fly-tipping, littering and graffiti.

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April 2018

The Royal Borough of Greenwich is actively engaging with businesses in a strategy to improve its town centres.

The Council is also committing to invest in the latest technology to keep town centres clean and litter free and provide first class household and commercial rubbish removal services.

Artfix community cafe owner George Neris, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, said: "Clean but not cleansed is how a city should feel.

I think a clean Woolwich, which keeps its unique character and ambience, is the best proof that we love Woolwich."

Further to the Council’s Charter pledge, four giant vacuum cleaner type machines have now arrived in Royal Greenwich.

The high-tech MaxVac MV2000 machines are to be deployed in all the borough’s high streets including those in Abbey Wood and Charlton in addition to Eltham, Greenwich and Woolwich town centres.

Local traders in Abbey Wood with one of the new MaxVac machines

The machines are able to pick up rubbish from the smallest items, including cigarette butts, to glass bottles and can hold more rubbish than the bins used by manual street cleaners. Powered by electricity the MaxVac machines will not produce any dangerous emissions and they will be able to operate silently so will be ideal for early morning use.

A key part of their introduction is that they will provide training in using high-tech equipment and job opportunities in a scheme for longterm unemployed residents run by Greenwich Local Labour and Business (GLLaB).

Russell Clarke, the owner of Equitable House in Greens End which is home to the Coffee Lounge café and office space for the Metro charity, said: “I wholeheartedly support this campaign. The town centre is pretty good as it is but this will make it even better.”

Coffee Lounge customers get the message

The Business Charter follows on from a borough wide ‘Love your town centre’ campaign which was launched in Plumstead in December last year. The ‘Love Plumstead, Hate Litter’ initiative involved local businesses helping drive greater civic pride in the town centre.

Local streets have seen pavements jet washed, shop fronts spruced up and a major crackdown on all forms of enviro-crime.

There was more positive news for Plumstead businesses as Royal Greenwich secured £5m of new funding for the town centre, including £2.5m from the Mayor of London's Good Growth Fund.

Plans include new shop fronts for businesses in the high street as well as a new traders forum supporting local businesses with help in producing business plans and improving their online presence.

The Council has been rolling out the Love campaign to Woolwich and it will continue on to Greenwich, Eltham and Abbey Wood.

Tenzin Dakpa (pictured), from Kailash Momo Tibetan Restaurant in Woolwich New Road, welcomed the Love Woolwich campaign and business charter: “It’s a really good idea and will support businesses. I like the principle of everyone working together to make Woolwich a nicer place for all to enjoy.”

A new Crossrail station will open in Abbey Wood in December. This new Elizabeth Line station will provide a direct link from the area to the heart of London in minutes. Work has already started to ensure local businesses get the maximum benefits from the new transport link on their doorstep.

Royal Greenwich and neighbouring Bexley Council have been working with local police and the Abbey Wood Traders Association to resolve issues around anti-social behaviour in the Wilton Road shopping area.

The Council’s Business Engagement Team is also working with the traders association and residents on a programme of community events to boost local businesses.

For further information, including about commercial waste services, businesses can email business@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Visit Greenwich |

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Visit Greenwich seeks to increase business tourism in Greenwich Mention tourism in Greenwich and most people will instinctively think of families enjoying popular attractions such as the Cutty Sark. owever, there is another side to tourism and one that is worth many millions of pounds a year in the form of income generated by the wide range of business events, everything from conferences and exhibitions to themed experiences.

Visit Greenwich, the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Destination Management Company, is collaborating with its partners to increase the number of business

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tourism events taking place in the area. The company, which works with visitor attractions, accommodation providers, transport operators, meetings and events venues, the hospitality and retail sectors, the travel trade and the media, believes that Greenwich is ideal for business tourism and is striving to take full advantage of the opportunities.

According to Visit Greenwich, the collection of historic and contemporary

venues in Greenwich can cater for any event, whether it is a project meeting, a large conference, a special launch reception or a gala dinner.

Set in a unique landscape of parkland, riverside and great views, the variety of venues Greenwich has to offer is hard to match.

Many venues are close to each other, which makes it easy to use a number of different spaces for events.

In addition, Greenwich

provides an inspirational setting for team building activities and social programmes.

Visit Greenwich Chief Executive, Barrie Kelly, said: ”Leisure tourism gets a lot of coverage but not so much is devoted to business tourism.

“People see somewhere like Cutty Sark and view it as somewhere to go to during the day. They often don’t realise that it can host business events in the evening.

April 2018

34

| Visit Greenwich

The approach found an echo in a recent event when VisitBritain and key government partners reaffirmed their commitment to grow Britain’s business events industry to senior leaders.

The Business of Events Leadership Forum, led by BVEP and supported by VisitBritain, brought together industry leaders to discuss market opportunities and challenges.

Business tourism is an important part of the economy but it suffers because it’s not as cool as leisure tourism. People see suits going into a venue and think it’s boring but every person there is spending usually three times more than a leisure tourist. And the people you host at an event could be a potential future investor or someone seeking to relocate their business to Greenwich.

“Previously it is fair to say that we have not had a full range of venues but now we have and I think we can build on the themes that make Greenwich special, including digital technology and maritime.

“I think we should be working in partnership with each other to increase our business tourism and we have stepped up our activities in this area.”

Mark Kelly, Visit Greenwich’s Business Tourism Manager, said: “We are being more

April 2018

proactive. Rather than being reactive and waiting for people to approach us about business events, we are going to the market with a united approach.

“Rather than each venue going direct to the market, we are saying to conference organisers and associations that Greenwich is worth considering as a whole.

“Our message is that the likes of Cutty Sark, the Old Royal Naval College and Greenwich’s museums are great attractions for the public but when they are closed they can be used for corporate events.

“An organisation could have their conference during the day at a hotel and their evening dinner at somewhere like Cutty Sark, for example.

“One of the big challenges we are seeking to overcome is this idea that only central London is worth considering for events.

“There is a perception that Greenwich is a long way out of the city and that getting there is difficult when we know that’s not the case. We are trying to persuade event organisers to look outside Zone One. “Our united approach to promote Greenwich as a business tourism destination is definitely working. We are seeing more enquiries now.”

Representatives from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Department for International Trade and VisitBritain spoke about how the Government is working together to support and drive demand within the business events industry.

Tourism Minister John Glen said: “I want to cement Britain's position as one of the leading countries in the world for hosting major business events.

With fantastic facilities across the country there is great potential for us to grow this sector further, contributing more to the visitor economy and helping sell Britain to key international markets abroad.”

Department for International Trade Managing Director Marketing Joss Croft said: “As a significant driver of growth, the Business Visits and Events industry clearly has a role to play in helping to ensure that the UK is recognised as the best place in which to invest, and also in helping to strengthen the culture of international trade so that more UK businesses take advantage of trade and investment opportunities.

This event has been a good opportunity to build stronger relationships between government and industry to achieve these aims.”

“

Business tourism is an important part of the economy but it suffers because it’s not as cool as leisure tourism. People see suits going into a venue and think it’s boring but every person there is spending usually three times more than a leisure tourist. And the people you host at an event could be a potential future investor or someone seeking to relocate their business to Greenwich.

”

Visit Greenwich |

35

Do Something Oarinspiring: The Visit Greenwich Rowing Challenge

Hotel launches interactive videos to connect with international event planners A new service for event planners has been launched

by InterContinental London – The O2, following a rise in international enquiries. he Greenwich Peninsula-based hotel has teamed up with Eventopedia Media to create bespoke videos to showcase its dedicated meetings and events facilities, making it easier for event organisers to assess the hotel’s capabilities from afar.

The launch follows an increase of more than 20% in international enquiries. Germany, France, Spain and Italy make up the majority of enquiries from Europe, and the United States brings in a total of 10%.

Elisa da Silva, Director of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Events at InterContinental London – The O2, said: “We’re excited to share these videos with our existing and prospective clients, both from the UK and abroad.

They showcase the versatility of our event spaces, location, connectivity links in London, and leisure activities available in and around the hotel, allowing our clients to visualise their events even prior to their initial site visit.

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“Our clients expect us to deliver unique and successful events, so it is paramount for us to understand their expectations from the very early stages of enquiry in order for us to be able to propose the best solutions.

It has been a great tool to support event organisers and agencies with the short-listing process, therefore maximising our conversion timeline.”

Alongside its 4,500sqm conference centre, InterContinental London – The O2 has 453 guestrooms and suites, a luxury spa with a 17m pool and eight treatment rooms, as well as some of London’s finest restaurants and bars, including the 3 AA Rosette Peninsula Restaurant and the rooftop Eighteen Sky Bar. Bhawana Rai, Marketing Manager, is a strong supporter of the initiative to increase business tourism in the area, saying: “We’ve tried to turn around the notion that Greenwich is far away by highlighting how well-connected it actually is and also how

stepping away from central London means abundance and flexibility of space, which is a key point for larger events.

“To enhance our delegates’ meetings experience we often recommend unique local venues. As counter intuitive as this may sound, it’s all part of the InterContinental Meetings experience wherein we provide delegates with a memorable experience by working with our local partners and through our collective insider knowledge.

“During a recent conference, our delegates had the chance to dine in the historic Admiral’s House in Old Royal Naval College on one of the nights.”

interContinental arora Ballroom

Visit Greenwich is holding its first Visit Greenwich Rowing Challenge on Sunday 30th September 2018. It’s in aid of local charity The AHOY Centre and we’re challenging all our friends and partners to take part. e aim to create a starting line-up of ten boats to row from Woolwich through the Thames Barrier to Greenwich.

Rowing in teams of six, the eight mile challenge will only take about 75 minutes.

You don’t have to have any rowing experience or be very physically fit – AHOY is organising training and you’ll be working as a team, so all you need is determination and enthusiasm.

The AHOY Centre is a watersports based charity that builds life skills through sailing and rowing for disadvantaged and at-risk youths. It also provides opportunities for disabled people to participate in activities and courses on an equal level.

This Challenge is open to any of our partners, staff and friends.

As well as doing something oar-some for charity, this is the chance for some teambuilding, to do something different and get a real sense of achievement.

Even if it’s not for you, ask your colleagues in marketing, finance, HR, housekeeping, customer services and catering to help put together a team of six. We’d like to create a sense of competition attraction versus attraction, riverboat v riverboat, hotel v hotel, pub v shop, and so on.

Each team is asked to fundraise £2,000. Look out for a special newsletter next month with fundraising ideas, posters for display on noticeboards and intranets and all the information you need.

Are you up to the challenge?

Contact su@visitgreenwich.org.uk to take part.

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April 2018

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St Dunstan's Enterprises offer a wide range of corporate, sporting and social events throughout the year. We are located just 15 minutes from central London with great transport links from the City and the South East.

From a conference in our historic Great Hall to a sports social barbeque event at our Jubilee Ground we have a space that could work for you.

Please see our website for more details and we look forward to welcoming you soon.

www.stdunstansenterprises.co.uk

MEETINGS & EVENTS THAT INSPIRE MEETINGS & EVENTS COLLECTION OFFER: BASE PACKAGE

OPTIONS

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Complimentary internet access

Special attrition allowance

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1 in 10 attendees goes free

Upgrade to a suite for the guest of your choice

Complimentary airport transfer to hotel for the guest of your choice

Complimentary drinks reception

Complimentary Club InterContinental® access for the guest of your choice

-Join IHG® Business Rewards and earn rewards by booking travel on behalf of others.

-Earn 3 points per $1USD.

For more information, terms and conditions or to request a quote: +44 (0)20 8463 6868 | Sales@iclondon-theo2.com Quote: ‘TheMasthead’ 1 Waterview Drive, Greenwich Peninsula SE10 0TW UK The ‘Meetings & Events Collection Offer’ is available for new meetings or event group bookings consisting of a minimum of 10 bedrooms for a minimum of 1 night.

The offer is subject to availability and not valid for bookings in the Arora Ballroom.

April 2018

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| Construction

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“While we need to bring in lots of people in the trades, the fastest growth will be for professionals at 7.8% and for managers and supervisors at 5.6%.

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April 2018

Construction |

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Construction sector to grow despite uncertainty A new report says that the UK construction sector is set to defy political and economic uncertainty and grow between 2018 and 2022, with investment in infrastructure and housing expected to drive the strengthening situation, including in London. ccording to the latest Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Construction Skills Network (CSN) report, national output is expected to grow by 1.3% over the next five years, with 158,000 jobs likely to be created.

London is playing its part and is predicted to outperform the national average; Greater London’s total construction output is forecast to rise by an annual average of 1.5% over the next five years.

According to the report. new work is expected to fare better in London than repair and maintenance and the upturn is anticipated to see construction employment increase by an average yearly rate of 0.2% in the Capital.

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Infrastructure remains the strongest performer in London, with an annual growth of 3.1%.

However, housing output, both public and private, is also expected to expand, by 2.8% and 2.2%, respectively.

CSN figures show that construction employment nationally is projected to grow for the fourth consecutive year at 0.5% a year on average to 2022. The report shows that more than 150,000 construction jobs are set to be created which would take employment in the industry to 2.77 million in 2022, only 3% below the 2008 peak.

A massive 15,350 carpenters and 9,350 labourers will be needed as homebuilding ramps up, according to the report.

April 2018

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| Construction

Apprentice ships reach record high Construction apprenticeship starts in Great Britain remain high, according to figures released by the Construction Industry Training Board. ince 2012 the figure of those joining a construction apprenticeship has continued to rise steadily each year from 17,528 in 2012 to 26,195 in 2017, a rise of 49%. This is the highest figure since the present way of recording apprenticeships began in 2003.

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However, the strongest job growth will be in a range of professional and managerial roles as the industry seeks to boost its productivity, which will grow by 7.8% and 5.6% over the next five years.

CITB Policy Director Steve Radley said: “Despite all the gloom around Carillion and uncertainty from Brexit, our report’s message is that construction will continue to grow and create more jobs.

“Though growth is slightly down on 2017, it’s looking more balanced with housing and infrastructure both expanding significantly and the range of job opportunities is growing.

“While we need to bring in lots of people in the trades, the fastest growth will be for professionals at 7.8% and for managers and supervisors at 5.6%.

“By 2022, employment will be in touching distance of the heady 2008 peak so we face a massive recruitment and training challenge, which is likely to get harder after Brexit.

“So, while we can take some comfort from weathering the

April 2018

recent storms, it’s vital that we make the investment in skills today that will shape our own destiny for tomorrow.”

Boosting the trend towards construction sector growth in the Capital is Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who has announced plans to invest £140 million in a new investment fund to support projects including creating business space, transport infrastructure and schemes to bring new housing on stream.

The funding is a result of London’s newly-won ability to keep a greater share of the business rates income that it generates and the agreement will raise an additional £114 million for the Greater London Authority in 2018-19.

Sadiq Khan has agreed to add £26 million to make an overall fund totalling £140million.

He said: “This is a fantastic example of devolution in action as it shows that when tax revenues are devolved to London government we are able to focus investment on the things that matter most to Londoners, including key infrastructure and support for businesses.

“It also shows that it is possible for London’s boroughs of different political persuasions to come together and work with Government to act in the best interests of the entire city. We will now decide exactly where this money will be best spent to boost the capital’s economy.”

The Mayor will be inviting bids from across the Greater London Authority group for projects that will enhance London’s economy with decisions on which projects to support made in May. A separate ‘collective strategic investment’ pot will also be created. Decisions on how this will be allocated will be made by the leaders of the capital’s 33 local authorities and the Mayor collectively.

Cllr Claire Kober OBE, Chair of London Councils, said: “We know that London’s councils are best placed to deliver on behalf of their communities, and this additional funding underlines how much can be achieved when all of London’s boroughs work constructively together in the best interests of the capital’s residents and businesses. ”

Recent figures for England show apprenticeship starts dropped by a quarter across the whole economy during August to November 2017, from 155,600 to 114,380 but construction apprenticeships saw only a marginal decline of just 150 starts, from 10,900 to 10,750 The 2017 figures, suggest that, for the moment, construction has bucked the overall trend in apprenticeships following the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy.

Mark Noonan, Industry Relations Director at CITB, said: “Construction has faced a challenging time with Carillion’s unfortunate liquidation, but the industry response has shown how committed employers are to helping to develop young talent.

“While the overall picture for apprenticeship starts looks good at the moment, there is no room for complacency. We now need more employers to step forward to offer apprentices places so that they can start a rewarding career in construction and help build a better Britain.”

Women in Construction |

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Do something differently or do some different things Our company has a world-class employee engagement score of 80%. We are a Sunday Times ‘Best Company to Work For’. We pride ourselves on our fair and inclusive employment practices. So why is it that just one in four of our employees are female, we have few women in leadership positions, and our 2016 stats show a significant gender pay gap? his was a question that I thought long and hard about when I was asked to lead Willmott Dixon’s gender diversity work at the beginning of 2016.

For a variety of reasons, construction has long been an industry that few girls and young women aspire to join.

This means that we are fishing for new recruits from a disproportionately small pool of women in the first place.

We are working with a number of organisations to address misconceptions and attract the next generation of young women – and men – into this fantastic and rewarding industry.

But there’s more to improving gender diversity than recruitment. As an industry we need to get better at retaining, developing and promoting the women we already employ.

Over the last couple of years, we have been looking at our business through a “gender lens”. We’ve carried out a huge company-wide engagement exercise, to try and understand the impact (good and bad) of our current workplace culture and practices. We’ve been raising awareness among

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our managers of the role that unconscious bias plays in everyone’s decision-making.

We’ve challenged the way we’ve always done things.

And we’re making changes.

This is not box-ticking. And we’re not about to implement positive discrimination (something both men and women in our company feel very uncomfortable about – if you get a promotion, you need to know that you have earned it!).

How have our people responded? Well, interestingly, the old-school die-hards are nowhere near as numerous as the industry stereotype might suggest. We are finding that male and female employees alike are benefitting from, and appreciating, more modern, flexible working practices.

Many are actively involved in helping to improve gender diversity: construction people are practical people who like nothing better than a problem to solve! So we are now seeing a range of initiatives springing up in our local offices, which are designed to attract more women in the industry – such targeting careers events in girls’ schools and focussing work experience activities on young women.

Our people are motivated because they understand the ‘why’.

Our industry faces a significant skills shortage – particularly in traditional construction roles. It makes sense to fish from as wide a pool of talent as possible.

And working practices which recognise that people have lives outside of work are giving us the edge when it comes to recruiting good people.

But it’s about more than just plugging the gaps.

Our continued success is dependent on us embracing the diverse talents of people with a range of different lifeexperiences.

Our industry is changing.

We are seeing exciting opportunities to develop and grow, through technologies

like BIM, virtual reality and offsite manufacturing. With these opportunities come new roles – some we haven’t ever thought of – and a growing need for innovation. There is overwhelming evidence from across the globe that diverse teams are more agile, make better decisions and are better able to embrace change.

We know that we are only beginning our journey.

Diversity is about much more than gender. It extends from protected characteristics (race, sexual orientation and disability, for example) all the way through to different thinking preferences.

But our work on gender has started the conversation.

It’s making us consciously competent. And it’s helping everyone to realise the benefits that difference can bring.

Julia Barrett is director of re-thinking, willmott dixon's in-house sustainability team. a chemical engineer by background, she took the green Leadership trophy at the 2017 women in Construction awards. she is Chair of the willmott dixon gender diversity steering group.

April 2018

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less ordinary

The world is lled with enough ordinary and it’s all of our responsibilities to make things extraordinary. That’s why every project we take on at Willmott Dixon has to deliver a positive and memorable impact.

For our CUSTOMERS, COMMUNITIES and PEOPLE, that means opportunities to grow, thrive and be inspired by the challenges we face.

To learn more, visit www.willmottdixon.co.uk rrently constructin gab are cu We ran dn ew

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Focus on Finance |

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Spring Statement: changes coming for small businesses Nick Paterno, managing partner, McBrides Chartered Accountants he Chancellor’s Spring Statement was expected to be short on time and low on measures. However, it heralded some significant changes for small businesses, along with the premise of a potential £4.7bn giveaway to the economy later this year.

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We hope that the consultation into late payment, which the Chancellor called the ‘scourge’ of small businesses, happens quickly as late payment of significant bills can impact the very survival of some businesses.

A snarling regulator will be required to help reinforce any measures that come in because of the consultation, otherwise this will be yet

another lost opportunity to really sort out an issue that could help the sector to thrive.

significantly higher land values compared to the rest of the UK.

an added cost for farmers already challenged to keep food costs low for consumers.

The additional £80m promised for small businesses to take on apprentices could make a significant difference to helping this cornerstone of the UK economy plan and skill the next generation of workers.

The consultation on the VAT collection mechanism for online sales could impact those smaller entrepreneurial businesses that start out through social media, so the government should think carefully about this before implementing any ‘one size fits all’ approach in this area.

Businesses want to pay the right amount of VAT, but this shouldn’t stifle the ‘kitchen table entrepreneurs’ that go on to become the Cath Kidstons of the future.

While encouraging White Van Man/Woman to go green is to be applauded for helping the environment, we would like to see funding put in place to help businesses make this transition. Those with mainly diesel fleets are likely to feel the pinch most.

Smaller businesses will watch with some trepidation the planned re-evaluation of business rates being brought forward to 2021 and then reviewed on a triennial basis.

We would hope that this is done on a fair basis for businesses in London and the South East and that it considers the region’s

Further taxing of agricultural red diesel will be a controversial step, it’s

Given the potential significance of some of these changes, SMEs should raise concerns with their local Chamber of Commerce or the FSB South East to ensure their opinions are heard at the highest levels and included in any representations made to government departments.

April 2018

Let’s be On Top Of The World!

Invitation to our Charity Fundraising Supper

At The Everest Inn, Montpelier Vale, Blackheath SE3 0TJ On Monday, May 21st 6.00pm-8.00pm There will be a raffle and an auction Support South London Special League, a local charity that through sport and activities changes the lives of disabled people of all ages for the better.

Most importantly, WE HAVE FUN! Help us make real difference for just £35 per person of which £15 goes to the charity and £20 for food, welcome drinks and canapés!

Pay BAR available. Have a fabulous supper thanks to the generosity Yadav Bhandari and his team and the support of South East London Chamber of Commerce.

For payment please contact Sharon Brokenshire specialleague@aol.com Mobile: 07515539825 RSVP

South London Special League, London Marathon Playing Fields, 304, Shooters Hill Road, London SE18 4LT

News |

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McBrides expands tax team with new director appointment McBrides Chartered Accountants is expanding its tax services, taking on a new tax director who trained and qualified with the firm 17 years ago. asum Ahmed rejoins from Greenback Alan and is a Chartered Tax Adviser and Trust and Estate Practitioner who qualified whilst a member of the personal tax team at McBrides in 2001.

Masum gained valuable experience at Dixon Wilson and several other leading private client firms in London and has also led the team for clients’ tax returns and tax advisory services at one of the UK’s leading wealth management practices.

A committee member of the Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners (STEP) City branch, Masum was shortlisted for the ‘Young Accountant of the

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Year’ in 2010 and the ‘Emerging Wealth Adviser of the Year’ in 2011.

He has also co-authored chapters on ‘Working in the United Kingdom and Working Overseas’, which were published in Tolley’s Tax Planning.

Nick Paterno, managing partner at McBrides Chartered Accountants, said: “Masum’s arrival marks the wider expansion of our tax team and he will be responsible, with manager Adam Hills, for providing high level personal income, inheritance and capital gains tax planning advice under our tax partner’s stewardship of the department.

“Masum has experience in providing UK tax compliance and planning advice to a variety of clients, including large professional partnerships and their partners, shareholders and directors of owner managed businesses, high net worth individuals and non-UK domiciled individuals.

He is a perfect fit for the firm and our clients”.

“We’ve kept in touch with Masum since he qualified with us and we are delighted to have brought Masum back ‘home’ and look forward to further developing our tax advisory services with him as part of the team.”

Are you a community minded business?

Be part of Lewisham's Community Conversation rom 23-27 April Business in the Community is holding its annual Responsible Business Week The week is about celebrating businesses driving positive change in local communities across the UK. If you are a business interested in becoming more involved in your local area, then look no further. Come and join us in Lewisham on Friday 27 April at the Albany Theatre, Deptford, for a Community Conversation.

Contact hello@lewishamlocal.com if you would like to attend.

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The E-Business 2 If there seems to be a bit of a buzz around cyber security these days, it’s most likely due to the recent reports of data breaches in the media. Of course, this will never happen to us, we are small businesses, we aren’t Uber or Facebook or the NHS, right? f you're a small business there's around a 1 in 2 chance that you'll experience a cyber security breach. many small businesses are unclear about the ways in which they’re vulnerable, and as many as 45% mistakenly think they’re not a viable target.

In fact, all Internet-facing organisations are at risk of attack. And it’s not a question of if you’ll be attacked, but when you’ll be attacked.

South East Enterprise, in partnership with the Royal Borough of Greenwich and supported by JP Morgan have developed a cyber security programme to enable

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businesses in the Royal borough to become more aware of the threats that sensitive information is exposed to and learn how to adopt new practices to mitigate their risks and become more cyber resilient.

This FREE support consists of one to one consultations with a cyber security expert supported by a one-day cyber security workshop covering all the basics.

The expert adviser will help to establish and implement cyber security policies conforming to the cyber essentials regulatory standard. Businesses will be able to state they are working towards GDPR. By working with SMEs to capitalise on the web and social media, the E-Business

programme has has helped to add over £17m of revenue, create over 110 jobs and safeguard over 1000 jobs for small businesses in the Royal Borough since 2014.

To register on the programme, attend courses or simply to find out more call 020 8305 2666 or visit www.seenterprise.co.uk.

April 2018

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| Health and Wellbeing

HS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens launched new research showing that improved staff engagement is linked to lower staff sickness absence and reduced agency staffing costs.

He said: “This research shows that there is indeed a ‘virtuous circle’ – where hospitals and community services involve and engage their frontline staff, sickness absence is low and expensive temporary agency costs are lower.

“That’s a win for nurses, who are the largest group of health professionals.

But it also benefits patients and taxpayers.”

How working with N staff can improve workplace health A report prepared for the NHS shows that engaging your staff can help improve health in the workplace, findings that have relevance for organisations in other sectors.

April 2018

The independent research commissioned by NHS England from the Kings Fund linked trust data from 2016/17 (and, for some measures, for the previous year) from the NHS Staff Survey (employee engagement), NHS Digital (sickness absence), and NHS Improvement (agency and bank staff spend). Sickness absence rates vary more than two-fold between NHS trusts, and there are also large variations in trusts’ staff engagement scores.

The new analysis concludes that: “There is clear evidence that trusts with higher engagement levels have lower levels of sickness absence among staff, and

Health & Wellbeing |

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The WHO says that ignoring the risks could be disastrous for a company, pointing out that work-related health problems result in an economic loss of 4–6% of GDP for most countries.

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Why tackling workplace health issues is vital

Never has health and well-being in the workplace enjoyed a higher profile than today with many of the country’s employers realising the importance of keeping their staff happy and healthy.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), workers spend on average one third of their time at the workplace so good working conditions are vital because they can provide benefits for companies and employees alike.

also have lower spend on agency and bank staff.”

The effect was substantial – a one-standard deviation increase in overall staff engagement is associated with a £1.7 million saving on agency staff costs for the average trust.

Michael West, Senior Visiting Fellow at The King’s Fund, said “The findings complement a consistent pattern of results demonstrating that supporting staff and creating positive work environments through compassionate and collective leadership is good for staff, vital for patient care and key also to good financial performance in the NHS.”

The WHO says that ignoring the risks could be disastrous for a company, pointing out that work-related health problems result in an economic loss of 4–6% of GDP for most countries.

However, get it right and the benefits are there for everyone to see and the WHO says that simple initiatives help reduce sick leave absenteeism by up to 27% and health-care costs for companies by up to 26%.

According to health professionals, companies should:

• create workplaces where health, safety and wellbeing is promoted and taken seriously

• ensure staff have access to occupational health advice and support • improve access to preventative care and treatment for common health problems • enable people to remain in work while health problems are investigated and treated.

A thriving sector has sprung up to help companies implement the kind of initiatives needed to improve workplace health and wellbeing, everything from encouraging exercise and good diets to introducing ways to reduce stress.

From private hospitals and clinics to training companies, the sector is having a dramatic effect on the nation’s workers, driven by the knowledge that healthy and well-motivated workers are much better positioned to deliver high-quality services.

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Do you have an HR or training manager available to attend a free 2 day Mental Health First Aid at Work training course on Monday 30th April and Friday 4th May?

Bridge Support is a charity that provides services to people with mental ill health. Part of the role is to improve the understanding of mental health and its support in the workplace. Although there are existing courses titled as mental health first aid they are largely awareness courses which deliver very little in the way of practical skills or interventions.

We have developed a new 2 day course aim specifically for people in the workplace that is focused on identifying, supporting and mitigating mental ill health in the work place. The course will be promoted and sold into corporations, initially in London and the south east with the income being used to support the work of the charity.

We have reached the point in the design process where we need to test the training for quality and effectiveness and we are inviting people with varied experience of training and mental health to attend a preview course on Monday 30th April and Friday 4th May. There is a growing appreciation of the impact that mental ill health has on people in the workplace and an apparent appetite to address it.

We are interested to know how well this training fits with the objectives and standards that modern training mangers expect for this sort of vocational skills training for the people they support within their organisations. There will be a 1-2-1 feedback session after the second day for you to give us your opinion. The course is due for public launch in June and the individuals and corporations that have contributed to the development of the training will be fully acknowledge in the associate media releases at that time.

I hope you can take up this opportunity but spaces are limited so please book your place as soon as possible by following the link below to the Eventbrite page we have set up for the event. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ mental-health-first-aid-at-worktm-tickets-44835453047

April 2018

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WE OFFER A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF PROPERTY RELATED SERVICES • • • •

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Building Surveying Lease Extensions Property Management Valuations

Our experienced teams are based in our offices in Greenwich, Blackheath and Dulwich and can offer advice on property related matters across a wide spectrum.

020 8858 3377 www.hindwoods.co.uk January 2018

The Person behind the Business |

Mixing past with present proves successful for Chartered Surveyors Hindwoods Property experts Hindwoods has a long history of which its employees are rightly proud; the fact that it has a heritage stretching back to the late 19th Century provides a reputation for reliability and dependability. However, with heritage comes the challenge of also appearing relevant to modern times and modern clients. triking a balance between the two occupies much of the time of Managing Director Nigel Barfoot, who joined the company in 2002 and took on the top job three years ago. He oversees a growing business whose activities range from property surveying and management to commercial and residential agency.

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Hindwoods, which can trace its history back to 1886, has been created over the years by the amalgamation of several highly regarded companies such as Clarke and Esplin, White Dent, Cottrell and Rothon and Hunter Payne.

The result is a company with an unmatched history of serving the property community in South London and Kent, with teams based in offices within Blackheath, Greenwich and East Dulwich.

Nigel says that its current programme of modernisation is important for the future of the business, not least because it can help attract and retain staff.

He said: “We are a well-established business with a long history, but we are also aware that we have to move with the times.

“We are currently looking for a new modern office in Greenwich to bring both the Blackheath and Greenwich staff under one roof;

currently our head office is in a Victorian building in Blackheath.

“One of our ongoing challenges is competing with the companies in central London when it comes to recruiting and retaining staff as our offices are only a short commute away. We do our best to match central London salaries but one of the things we can offer people is somewhere that they want to work, and I know that a number of our staff would like to work in a more modern working environment.

“One of the other ways we can compete is by giving staff an opportunity to progress that they might not achieve within a larger company in central London. For example, one of our existing Directors came to us to undertake some unpaid work experience during the recession and has subsequently risen up the ranks over the years to his current role as a Director.”

One thing that has not changed is Hindwoods’ determination to offer a wide range of services to its clients, something which Nigel says sets it apart in an increasingly specialised sector.

According to Nigel, this approach has helped Hindwoods thrive despite the current uncertainties in the economic and political world.

He said: “We have modernised and transformed the business over recent years, and it has continued to grow, but we have not moved away from the range of work that we do.

“A lot of our competitors have tended to specialise, but we continue to provide a wide range of surveying services, ranging from building surveys, party wall matters, valuations, rent reviews and lease renewals to property management and commercial and residential agency. We can therefore offer our clients a complete range of services within Hindwoods that may not be obtained elsewhere.

“We have had a busy year but do believe that the snap election did not help our business over the last financial year as it created a lot of uncertainty.

“We do not appear to have seen much of an effect from the Brexit Referendum so far, but we may be in for a period of uncertainty over the next year or two that could affect us.”

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We do our best to match central London salaries but one of the things we can offer people is somewhere that they want to work, and I know that a number of our staff would like to work in a more modern working environment.

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April 2018

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50

| New Members

And Finally…

Elisa da Silva InterContinental London - The O2 Director of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Events I joined InterContinental London - The O2 in October 2016. My initial assignment as Director of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Events was to review standards post opening and maximise revenue.

Welcome to our new members Acumen Finance

South London Lets

Bluebird Care Greenwich

Quo Vadis Trust

T: 07549 983101 E: robinhoque@acumenfinance.co.uk Contact: Robin Hoque T: 020 8320 1135 E: rolandtandoh@bluebirdcare.co.uk Contact: Anoop Sekhon

Kemnal Park Cemetery

T: 020 8300 9790 E: frank.meilack@kemnalpark.org Contact: Frank Meilack

Mediatasks Limited

T: 020 3303 0005 E: james@mediatasks.co.uk Contact: James Thomson

Smoking Chili Media Ltd

T: 020 3289 5595 E: info@smokingchilimedia.com Contact: Darren Tipping

T: 08000 141757 E: info@southlondonlets.co.uk Contact: Dwight Brown T: 020 8778 4546 E: i.tennessee@qvt.org.uk Contact: Ingrid Tennessee

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As a member you're well connected with access to our range of benefits and services, including our directory of local member businesses.

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As a member of our Chamber, you are joining a unique organisation with a strong campaigning voice for business to local and national government.

You can access a range of services, networking events and support to help your business do better. Importantly, you can also access other members to find new suppliers, promote your business services, or join forces on new opportunities.

Find out how to join and learn how others are benefiting from their membership.

For more information telephone: 020 8317 3365 email: office@selondonchamber.org April 2018

The first 6 months were set to identify areas of opportunities. I was also tasked with training and guiding the Meetings & Events team on how to differentiate ourselves to other large scale properties driven by MICE business.

Now settled in my role, the aim is on acquiring new accounts and focusing on the South East London area to host their large conferences.

My career started in 2003 with IHG itself.

After a hospitality program in the USA I worked for various hotel chains in different countries.

I feel that a sense of purpose within a role is the most important thing in one’s career, regardless of whether they work for a corporate, high-end luxury or lifestyle brand. On a daily basis, my purpose is focused on delivering authentic hospitality not only to our external guests but also to my colleagues and suppliers who I work with.

What was your first job and what was the pay packet?

My first job was a with a local Town Hall.

I worked part time at the Tourist Information Centre in a small town called Canela, in the south of Brazil. My pay was R$270.00 per month before tax, which equates to £57.00 per month.

What would you do with your last pound?

I would buy a can of Guarana (Brazilian soft drink) and drink it at Copacabana beach.

What is the biggest challenge facing your business?

There are many hotels opening in London with similar offerings to ours. The constant aim is to differentiate our product by being innovative and proactive in the solutions we offer to our clients.

If you were Prime Minister, what would be your first decision?

I would ensure NHS is better supported, as well as offering better government maternity cover schemes to ensure mums spend more time with their babies in the first year.

If you could do another job what would it be?

I would probably be a designer. Not sure if I’d opt for interior or landscaping, it would depend which country I would choose to live in.

ServiceCare plans from £28 per month.* For complete peace of mind trust the experts at Mercedes-Benz Orpington to keep your vehicle running smoothly, powerfully and efficiently.

Why not use our Drop & Go option. Leave your Mercedes-Benz with us and use our shuttle bus service to St. Mary Cray and Orpington stations.

Or if you would prefer, relax in our lounge with complimentary refreshments and Wi-Fi, whilst our friendly and dedicated team take care of your vehicle.

We also have our Drive option, providing a loan car, available on request.

Sometimes it’s simply not convenient to bring your vehicle into us. With our Collect option one of our dedicated drivers will collect and return your car from your home or work.

Complimentary Roadside Assistance †

How to find us.

StarView film – see your service through the eyes of our technician Mercedes-Benz GenuineParts for quality and reassurance Mercedes-Benz highly trained technicians and Customer Service Consultants Complimentary 40-point safety check

We are located off the A224 Sevenoaks Way behind Sports Direct, and are just 10 minutes from junction 3 on the M25. Our manufacturer-trained technicians are ready and waiting to provide all the necessary care and help your car needs.

Complimentary Mercedes-Benz wash and vacuum To book your next service or repair visit mercedes-benzorpington.co.uk or call us on 01689 888 400.

* Based on the A-Class with 2 services over 24 months. †

Comprehensive Roadside Assistance comes free-of-charge for 3 years with any new Mercedes-Benz or 1 year with all Approved Used cars. Cover is also available for customers with cars registered from 24 October 1998, originally first registered in the UK and is automatically activated/renewed on completion of a service by a Mercedes-Benz Retailer. Cars registered between 24/10/98 – 31/03/08 are covered for technical breakdown only. All cars registered a er 01/04/08 are covered for minor mishap, accident assistance and vandalism/attempted the .

Mercedes-Benz Orpington, Brook Industrial Park, Mill Brook Road, St Mary Cray, Orpington BR5 3TX, Tel 01689 888 400. www.mercedes-benzorpington.co.uk

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