TopicUK KandC OCT17

F R E E

A C R O S S

K I R K L E E S

&

C A L D E R D A L E

KIRKLEES & CALDERDALE NO20

D I S T R I B U T E D

NOVEMBER 2017 WWW.TOPICUK.CO.UK

HOW IT’S MADE GETTING SUITED AND BOOTED

KIRKLEES COLLEGE NEW AWARD FOR QUALITY ADVICE

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BIG INTERVIEW - WE CHAT TO

SEAN JARVIS GOALS4HEARTS OUR 2018 CHARITY

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PACKAGES TAILORED TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS 2 STARTER ANIMATION 2 STARTER LIVE ACTION 2 WANT SOMETHING SPECIAL ?

Call us to find out how a live action video can benefit your business : 07711 539047 www.topicuk.co.uk

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editor@.topicuk.co.uk

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TopicUK is a free publication and available from a number of outlets across the region.

G RO U P

E D I TO R

Gill Laidler E D I TO R

Alex Mason C R E AT I V E

D I R EC TO R

Rob Blackwell B I G

I N T E RV I E W

Sean Jarvis L EG A L

M AT T E R S

Chadwick Lawrence R E S TAU R A N T

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College Careers Service recognised for its quality

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Sean Jarvis the big Interview

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Huddersfield’s first Design Conference

R E V I E W

Epicure Bar & Kitchen I T

Fusion H O W

I T ’ S

M A D E

Owen Scott Bespoke M A R K E T I N G

U P DAT E

KC Communications CO M M E RC I A L

P RO P E RT Y

Mark Hanson C S R

S H OWC A S E

Laurence Turner

Cover: Sean Jarvis Image: John Early

Printed By: Charlesworth Press Wakefield

For Advertising Sales

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A Bespoke Experience by Huddersfield suit makers

Contents &Comments DETAILS OF T HIS M ON T H‘S TOPIC UK, YOUR LOC AL B US IN ES S C OM M UN IT Y M AGAZIN E

November 2017

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Editor’s Notes Pick Up Your Copy

by Alex Mason

The John Smith's Stadium Stafflex Recruitment

Hello all, and a warm welcome to your November/December edition of TopicUK Kirklees & Calderdale.

Costa Coffee Sainsbury’s Market Street, Huddersfield and Brighouse store Heritage Business Centre

This issue is jam-packed with all the latest business success stories from right across our region, and, once you’ve had a read, I’m sure you’ll agree that there really are some great achievements to celebrate.

It’s been almost six months since Chris Schindler scored the winning penalty that put Huddersfield Town Football Club into the Premier League, and the start of a huge opportunity to put the town under the spotlight on the international stage. But what is the team at Town doing to deliver a premier league presence to benefit both the Club and the local economy? Read my interview with Commercial Director, Sean Jarvis on page 28 to find out.

After an overwhelming response to our call for charities to support as we look ahead to 2018, I am delighted to introduce the chosen charity for Kirklees & Calderdale on page 23. Read on to find out more about who the charity is, what it does and – most importantly – why it needs your support.

We look forward to following its story throughout the course of next year.

This issue, we also welcome on board our newest partner, Kirklees College. You can find out about their award-winning careers service on page 10, and take a look at their latest education initiative in partnership with Costa Coffee on page 42. Keep your eyes peeled for more news from the college in upcoming editions.

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Ramsdens Solicitors Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors I was disappointed to miss Huddersfield’s first Design Conference at Bates’ Mill recently (blame annual leave!), but we managed to secure a Kirklees & Calderdale exclusive for you to read-up on the day on pages 18 and 19. The theme for the day was ‘Roots and Routes’; read on to understand why.

Holiday Inn Brighouse Cedar Court Hotel Huddersfield Elsie Whiteley Business Centre National Coal Mining Museum Yorkshire Sculpture Park Leeds Bradford Airport

Our regular CSR Showcase and Young Entrepreneur features can be found on pages 26 and 34 respectively, and I hope you enjoy getting to know the faces we’ve spoken to this month.

Big Shots Cafe Brighouse plus many more outlets see website for details

For Partnership opportunities Enjoy this issue, and as usual, if you have any feedback, ideas or content suggestions, please email editor@topicuk.co.uk or tweet me @alexdmasonPR.

Tel: 07711 539047 The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers and therefore, no responsibility can be held by the publisher for misinterpretation. Reproduction of this magazine without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited. Whilst every care is taken in the production of this magazine, the publisher/ editor and staff cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe contact 07711 539047 or email editor@topicuk.co.uk. Published by Ghost Publishing Limited, Paragon Point, Paragon Business Village, Red Hall Crescent, Wakefield WF1 2DF. TopicUK is also not responsible for any advice given by contributors.

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NEWS

UPDATE

TopicUK Kirklees & Calderdale brings you a roundup of news and events and what’s been happening in our region recently

College launches first Supply Chain Apprenticeship in England Kirklees College has launched a new apprenticeship in Supply Chain Management that is the only course of its kind in England.

The Level 3 course, which launched in October at the college’s Process Manufacturing Centre, has been designed to meet a skills gap identified by employers.

Head of Process Manufacturing and Engineering at Kirklees College Brian Lawson said: “Supply Chain has been recognised as one of the most important aspects of a business.

Unfortunately it has been the least well supported in terms of professional qualifications, which has led to a nationwide skills shortage.

“There is definitely a need for this Apprenticeship in England. We

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in a silo the supply chain won’t function as it should.

are really excited to be offering this new course and aiming to become a Centre of Excellence for Supply Chain Management.

The first cohort of students include apprentices from Nestle as well as local employers, and the college is anticipating further demand for a January 2018 start.

“For a business to succeed they have to fully understand their supply chain – it’s not just about getting the right products at the right time to the right location to meet customer needs. Also data and financial information needs to flow; get it wrong and you could be losing a lot of money.

Nestle Apprentice Manager Chris Atkinson said: “After much research into the options in the areas around our various sites, Kirklees College was chosen as the provider to take us to the next level across our different Apprenticeship programmes.

He continued: “It’s important for business strategy that anyone working within the supply chain to knows how it works and how their role fits into the company as a whole. If everyone is working

“At a national level Nestlé has recognised that the versatility of the college was exactly the right match for our business, and our relationship is already yielding successes we are keen to continue.”

The course covers all processes within the supply chain including forecasting, customer demand, product sourcing, procurement, customer service and distribution.

It will include visits to industry, guest speakers, and use of realistic work simulations and exercises within the Process Manufacturing plant. It can also include behavioural development with the possibility of an outward bound experience through the Outward Bound Trust to work on communication and teamwork skills.

The college can arrange accommodation for students on the course, meaning companies from all over England can send their employees for training in Huddersfield.

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Scriba PR Managing Director scoops National award The MD of Huddersfield B2B PR agency Scriba PR, Katie Mallinson, has been crowned as one of twelve winners in the Yorkshire, North East and Scotland region at the Forward Ladies National Awards.

Established eight years ago, the awards aim to acknowledge the work of enterprising female talent within the workplace and celebrate respected businesswomen across a wide variety of industries.

The regional awards ceremony took place in September at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Newcastle, where the category winners were announced. Katie succeeded in scooping the bespoke glass trophy for Start Up of the Year, which champions distinctive

Scriba PR in 2013, and provides comms support to technical B2B companies.

women in business whose companies are within their first five years of trading.

working in partnership with HSBC to showcase the very best women in business in the UK.

Forward Ladies’ managing director Griselda Togobo expressed her pride in the winners and said: “This has been a fantastic year for women, and through our National Awards we are once again delighted to be

“The calibre of entries has been increasing year on year, but this year we had a number of outstanding entries. The standard of all our shortlisted entries was truly exceptional.”Katie founded

Mirfield builder beats off strong g opposition to scoop top regional award

Mirfield builder Nigel Smith – who is playing a key role in the £30m redevelopment of a derelict brownfield site overlooking the Calder and Hebbel Canal - has scooped a top NHBC regional award.

Nigel, who works as on-site manager for familyrun Darren Smith Homes, was chosen from over 16,000 site managers to triumph in the Small Builder Category at the NHBC regional awards ceremony (North East) at York Racecourse in September.

The prestigious award acknowledges Nigel’s outstanding onsite management at Darren Smith’s latest project - St Paul’s Lock, an exclusive development for the over 55s in Mirfield.

Nigel, 49, said, “I’m really delighted to have won

Commenting on her achievement she said: “It was a great day celebrating women in business, and I am delighted to have won the Start Up ‘gong’. It came as a huge shock as I was shortlisted alongside some hugely successful women in a very crowded category, so I feel privileged and honoured to have been chosen.”

Winners will take part in a judging day in Manchester, before a panel of business leaders. The finalists from all regions will then be invited to the grand final ceremony in December in Leeds, where the overall national winners will be announced.

this top award and it’s a huge boost for both me personally and also for Darren Smith Homes.

“I’ve been in the building trade for nearly 35 years and I was probably about 11 years old when I first started helping my father and then brother, Darren, during weekends and school holidays.

“Darren and I used to describe ourselves as just a ‘couple of brickies who had built a few houses’.

Now it’s great to see all our efforts recognised”.

Nigel is no stranger to securing industry recognition and has previously been recognised by the NHBC, as well as securing local authorities’ awards and the Huddersfield Town Shooting Star Business Award.

He now proceeds to the NHBC Supreme Final awards in January 2018.

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Business centre plans for historic Halifax building The Malik House group is planning to open its fifth business centre in a historic Halifax town centre building.

Malik House Business Centres have bought the imposing Grade II listed Harrison House, in Harrison, Road, Halifax, which has been empty for around three years.

use of a whole range of companies, with Malik House complexes renowned for attracting new business into an area to take advantage of the facilities and for sparking job creation.

The group has centres in Bradford, Leeds and Blackburn and specialises in refurbishing historic buildings, merging original features with state of the art facilities. Previous redevelopments have created fully networked serviced office and conference spaces, with Superfast Broadband and the latest hitech security systems.

Chairman Nasser Malik, Bradford’s 2017 Business Personality of the Year said: “It has always been our aim to expand further out across Yorkshire and we have been looking for some time for suitable premises in Halifax.

The new owners intend to divide the 14,500 sq ft building into around 30 office units for the

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“When this stunning property came on the market we knew it was exactly what we wanted. It’s a fantastic building, steeped in history, with an old library and a beautiful tiered lecture theatre. Our aim will be to retain

as many of the original features as possible, while installing modern facilities to bring it up to date for business use.”

Harrison House, on the junction with Carlton Street, sits in a prominent position in the commercial district of Halifax town centre, opposite the magistrates’ court and surrounded by busy banking and legal offices and a number of bars.

The three storey building already has a number of existing offices and training rooms on the first and second floors and boasts its own enclosed courtyard. There is a basement area which Mr Malik hopes to convert into additional usable space, potentially suitable for studios for use by digital businesses.

The building had been used by Calderdale Council as an office/educational facility, so has “established use” planning consent for office and educational activities.

Nasser said his team is working closely with council officers and members of the Halifax Civic Trust to create a concept that will preserve the history and features, within a modern, functioning development that will benefit the district’s economy and stimulate business growth.

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Accountants play ball to raise charity cash Huddersfield-based firm Crowther Chartered Accountants has raised over £800 in support of Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and Macmillan Coffee Morning, following a social event at Huddersfield Lawn Tennis Club.

Rallying together clients, business associates, partners and contacts, the day raised £840 from donations, a raffle and advertising opportunities.

Attendees were invited to play doubles tennis against each other, in a bid to clinch the ‘most outstanding player’ accolade.

Other awards on the day included ‘hardest working’, ‘noisiest’ and ‘smartest dressed’ players.

The full-day event also marked one month since Crowther appointed business development

manager, David Busfield, from HSBC. Michelle Crowther, business development director, said: “This was a fun way to introduce David to our connections, socialise with new and existing associates and finish off the last of summer, while raising money for these fantastic charities.

Jeremy Mills of Riley Dunn & Wilson clinched the top ‘best tennis player’ prize, with Crowther Accountants’ Kristian Lee taking second place. Tim Grimshaw —

a business banking manager at HSBC — won ‘best entertainer’, after he dislocated his shoulder within five minutes of play.

Jess Lees, corporate fundraiser at Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice said: “We are delighted that Crowther Accountants continually chooses to support our hospice.

“They are a long-standing

supporter of our charity and help to not only raise funds, but also awareness of the hospice across Huddersfield and Kirklees. We really value what they do for us.”Crowther Chartered Accountants provides accountancy, taxation and bookkeeping support to over 600 clients across Yorkshire and the rest of the UK.

Ramsdens’ Community Programme gets them noticed Ramsdens Solicitors are thrilled to announce that they have been shortlisted for the Community Award at the upcoming Examiner Business Awards 2017.

The Examiner Business Awards, which is the longest standing business event in Kirklees, recognises and rewards the outstanding work of businesses from across all sectors in the Kirklees area.

The Community Award recognises companies for their corporate social responsibility strategy and the impact that they have on their local community.

Ramsdens work hard to ensure that their

people, community and environment are always at the heart of the business, with their staff frequently involved in a number of regional and national activities.

Over the past 12 months the team have ran in The Great North Run, London Marathon and Race for Life, jumped out of planes, cleaned up the local rivers and canals, baked, climbed the Three Peaks, dressed up, dressed down, got ‘elfed’ for Alzheimer Society, got muddy, collected shoe boxes, washed cars, painted charity offices, and went totally pink for Breast Cancer Awareness to name a few of their activities. They have also hosted free legal clinics around West Yorkshire and work with the University of Huddersfield Legal Advice

Clinic and are part of the Partner in Law initiative and support many other local groups.

Paul Joyce, Managing Partner commented: “We take our social responsibilities seriously and we have top level commitment across the business. Our staffs’ dedication to charitable activities is inspiring.”

Other finalists in the category include: the Huddersfield Community Trust and the Kirklees Construction & Skills Academy.

The Examiner Business Awards winners will be announced at a black tie awards event on the 2nd November at The John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield.

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Solicitor marks ten years y at law firm Criminal defence and care proceedings specialist Sam Jackson, celebrated ten year’s service with Halifax solicitors Wilkinson Woodward last month.

Sam has worked at Wilkinson Woodward since joining as a trainee solicitor in September 2007.

Since qualifying as a solicitor in 2009, he has specialised in criminal defence work, defending the full range of criminal offences from road traffic offences to murder.

College Careers Service recognised for quality advice Kirklees College has been awarded a prestigious ‘Quality in Careers Standard’ for the high level of support given by its careers team and the college’s commitment to careers education.

employability firmly in its agenda and the level of support and guidance we offer our students is of a high standard.”

The Quality in Careers Standard is a national award for careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) in schools, colleges and workbased learning – with few Further Education (FE) colleges in the UK attaining this standard.

The college was also successful this year in its reassessment for the Matrix quality standard.

Kirklees College first achieved the award in 2011 and was nominated again by partners C&K Careers when reassessed this year. The standard will now be in place for three years.

Assessors were particularly impressed by the college’s Employability Week which engaged all fulltime students in activities such as job interview

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techniques and CV writing to help boost their work skills.

Presenting the award to the college’s careers team, Gerald Hey, Chief Executive of C&K Careers said: “I’m pleased to present this welldeserved award as it recognises that Kirklees College meets very high standards in its support for careers.”

Kirklees College Careers Advisor Clare Haigh added: “It is great not just for the team, but for the college as a whole to recognise the work we do in preparing students for employment.

“It shows that the college has

He is regularly called upon to represent clients at police stations, Magistrate’s Courts and Crown Courts.

As a qualified member of The Children Panel Sam represents parents, children and other family members in care proceedings in the Family Court.

Outside work Sam is married and spends much of his spare time walking his beloved miniature schnauzer, Fergal.

The Matrix Standard is the quality framework for organisations to assess and measure their information, advice and guidance services which ultimately support individuals in their choice of career, learning, work and life goals.

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Yorkshire Print Management g Specialist p shortlisted in British Small Business Awards

Elland-based family business, ABS UK Ltd, has been shortlisted in the Community Business of the Year category at the 2017 British Small Business Awards.

Town Foundation Ladies’ Lunch set to return Local charity, the Town Foundation is set to stage its fifth Ladies’ Lunch in December with a winter wonderland theme.

A key fixture in the local diary, the Ladies’ Lunch has seen over 200 females attend previous events to raise money to support the Town Foundation in improving the quality of life for young people across Huddersfield and the West Yorkshire area through a variety of activities, namely its hugely successful Early Kick Off Breakfast Clubs.

This year’s event, on Friday 1st December at the John Smiths Stadium, will be sponsored

by Huddersfield-based marketing, PR and social media agency, KC Communications.

The Globe Girls, an internationally renowned drag act, will return to compere the event and provide the days’ entertainment.

Julie Sheffield, Fundraising Manager at the Town Foundation commented: “After one of our most successful events in 2016, I am

delighted to once again be hosting the Town Foundation Ladies’ Lunch. After last year’s success, bookings for this year have been phenomenal and I am delighted that we are almost at a sell-out.

“Once again, I also want to thank KC Communications for their support as a sponsor and believing in my vision last year”.

Katrina Cliffe, managing Director at KC Communications added: “Last year’s event went better than I could have imagined. The positive response from the attendees was quite simply outstanding and I am delighted everyone had such a great day for such a wonderful cause.”.

To book tickets contact the Town Foundation email Julie.Sheffield@htafc.com

The awards are a celebration of the UK’s small business sector and recognise the significant contribution small businesses make to the British economy.

ABS UK Ltd is one of Yorkshire’s leading specialists in print and document management. The business also supports both local causes and charities all over the world in order to improve the lives of those less fortunate through its charity arm, The ABS Foundation.

The Foundation has supported a number of local initiatives, including Bradford Nightstop, and more recently has launched The Home Run Project with Calderdale SmartMove. This initiative aims to support homeless people in Calderdale by utilising the benefits of running as a means of boosting their mental health and wellbeing.

David Lees, Marketing & CSR Director at ABS UK commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to be shortlisted for the Community Business of the Year Award. CSR has always extremely important to both our business and our employees; we work together with our staff to find and support a variety of different causes that we truly care about.”

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HTAFC fundraising initiatives near £2million mark Huddersfield Town Football Club’s ‘Keep It Up’ campaign is celebrating after an additional £230,000 raised by supporters took the campaign total to more than £1.7million since its inception in 2009.

The majority of last season’s funds for the campaign were generated by the latest instalment of the Club’s ‘Pedal for Pounds’ inititiative, now in its eighth year.

the challenge from ‘Hull to Home’ – raised £189,369 for the fundraising campaign, sponsored

by Huddersfield company, Made

by Cooper.

The ‘P4P8’ ride saw fans cycle from David Wagner’s old club Dortmund back to Huddersfield.

Those cyclists – combined with the teams that undertook

HTAFC ambassador Andy Booth’s ‘Hillsborough to Home’ walk - sponsored by Club Partner Absolute Warehouse Service - raised an additional £18,894,

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with the remainder of the funds generated through individual supporter initiatives, one-off donations and bespoke events.

Funds to date have been split evenly between the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the Huddersfield Town Academy.

Andy Booth commented: “I’m so proud of the generosity of the people of Huddersfield – and particularly Huddersfield Town fans – when it comes to the ‘Keep It Up’ campaign. This latest addition to the total is truly staggering.

“Events like P4P8 are always fantastic fun, but equally it’s important to keep in mind why we undertake these challenges and the money raised from these events genuinely helps the

Yorkshire Air Ambulance save lives across our region.

“I would like to thank everyone who has taken part in a ‘Keep It Up’ event or has donated whatever they could to the cause, both personally and on behalf of the Club.”

Garry Wilkinson of Yorkshire Air Ambulance added: “We never failed to be amazed by the generosity of the Huddersfield Town fans and their supporters.

“We are genuinely grateful to everyone that has participated or supported events for the ‘Keep It Up’ campaign.

“Our partnership with Huddersfield Town continues to go from strength two strength and it really is a privilege for us to work alongside such a fantastic team.”

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Rosenbauer

to increase production after series of orders from across UK

Join the business community for a merry KACCL Christmas The festive season is quickly creeping up on us which means it’s time to book your work Christmas party.

If you’re looking for something a little different to do this year, the KACCL Christmas lunch fundraiser on December 7th might just be the ticket.

KACCL – which stands for Kirklees and Calderdale Charity Lunch - is not only an opportunity to join other like-minded local business people for a festive lunch, it’s also highly entertaining with a line-up of local performers and gives you the opportunity to raise money for local charities.

The event is perfect for those who may not have a ready-made team to celebrate with, providing the opportunity to join a bigger festive celebration while making some useful new business contacts.

This year marks the second year for KACCL and the chosen charities are Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice in Huddersfield, and Orange Box, a centre for young people in Halifax.

Last year’s event raised £18,000 and this year organisers are hoping to raise an extra £6,000, taking the total amount fundraised to £24,000.

This year’s festive fundraiser will take place on Thursday 7 December at Cedar Court Hotel, Ainley Top. Tickets can be bought for just £50 each which includes a champagne reception from 11-11:30am, a three course lunch from 12pm and entertainment provided by performers from Orange Box. The KACCL organising committee represents 12 figures from local businesses including JR Group UK Ltd, Chadwick Lawrence, Stafflex, TopicUK, Brug Consultancy, Hellomint, Eastwood & Partners, Whimsical Events, Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, Faith PR and Crowther Accountants who are also headline sponsor for the second year running

Rosenbauer UK, the country’s premier supplier of frontline fire vehicles, is increasing production at its Yorkshire headquarters after securing nearly £10 million in orders from fire services across the length and breadth of the country.

31 state-of-the-art firefighting appliances have been ordered by Brigades from Cornwall to Aberdeen within the past two weeks with a combined value of £9.8 million.

Rosenbauer UK Managing Director, Oliver North, said: “With Staffordshire and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Services entrusting us to deliver something exceptional for their individual challenges together with confirmation from Glasgow and Aberdeen Airports, we’re thrilled to be in the position of increasing our production capability to meet all of their incredibly high standards.

“The past three months have provided us with the ultimate reassurance that our strategy in maintaining high product standards with equally high levels of technology for our brave firefighters operating on the front line is the best strategy possible.

“We must always maintain our values of quality, efficiency and whole-life value, over and above ‘first-glance price’ for it is this quality, which the firefighters using the equipment on a daily basis, require.”

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service have opted for 15 12-tonne ‘Compact

Line’ firefighting trucks to meet their pumping appliance requirement.

They boast 2,000 litre water tanks and the latest in small truck, crew cab technology - which will ensure a bigger crew cab for the firefighter - despite the smaller chassis.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service will procure 11 Rosenbauer ATs, of which the first six will be completed and put onto the front line in the spring of 2018.

Rosenbauer UK’s Technical Director, Kevin Sedgwick, commented: “These machines will both raise the bar and set the new tone as the minimum desired standard, for the future of municipal pumping appliance technology.”

The new orders also include two from Scottish airports, reinforcing the success story that is the new Rosenbauer PANTHER. Following recent orders from Belfast and Shannon, airports in Glasgow and Aberdeen are adding the vehicle, complete with the Rosenbauer STINGER high reach extendable turret, to their fleets.

Glasgow Airport has chosen three new 6x6 PANTHERs while Aberdeen Airport has opted for two short wheel base 6x6 PANTHERs.

Last year’s event was attended by 240 people in the local business community; a number the committee hopes to surpass this year.

For details on how to get involved or to purchase tickets please contact KACCL@crowther.accountants.

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N EWS

TopicUK Kirklees & Calderdale brings you a roundup of news and events and what’s been happening in our region recently

U PDATE

SMES suffering because of culture of slow payments

“In the sectors we serve the figures are, in most instances, higher than the national average,” said Neil. “Construction (30%), Engineering (38%), Manufacturing (37%) and Transport (33%) all track higher than the rest of the UK.”

Two thirds of UK SMEs are of the opinion that there is a culture of slow payments in the UK. The results were obtained from the Close Brothers Business Barometer, a quarterly survey that questions over 900 UK SME owners and senior management across a range of sectors and regions.

“Late payments are a very real issue for SME business owners,” said Neil Davies, CEO, Close Brothers Asset Finance. “In some cases directors are having to defer their own salaries, increase their overdraft or pay their own

suppliers late to ensure they remain liquid, causing the vicious circle to continue.

“This is clearly a national issue that spans both regions and industries. For example, 78% of Transport firms are affected by this issue, along with of 74% Manufacturing businesses and 73% of Printers.”

The effects of late payments are multiple, ranging from damage to the supply chain and business reputation to impacting credit

ratings and consequently the ability to access further funding.

“We should also not forget the very real human impact because, in many cases, the ability to pay staff in full and on time is a consequence of late payments,” continued Neil.

One in four firms in the UK have been forced to seek legal advice because of slow payments, while in the Republic of Ireland the figure is significantly higher at 41%.

Not only are many SMEs seeking legal advice, but 74% don’t feel that suitable legislation exists in support of SMEs to counteract slow payment by debtors, with firms in the East (85%) and West (84%) Midlands feeling particularly strongly about this issue.

“What these results confirm is that late payments are not merely a regional or sector issue, but one that is felt across the SME community,” concluded Neil.

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PTG sought a connectivity and communications partner to strengthen the tech solutions delivered to customers. With network, data security and voice communication capabilities within its own cloud portfolio, Elland-based Vapour was a logical choice.

Now, any project with a widearea-network or hosted voice requirement is tackled by the two teams in tandem, with pillow and duvet manufacturer John Cotton one of the first dual customers to come on board.

And with £1.6m of contracted revenue already recorded, the future looks bright for the two businesses.

“Technological innovation is happening incredibly quickly in this industry,” comments PTG’s sales director Gary Saunders. “It therefore takes more than just intuitive products to stand out.

Yorkshire tech partnership generates £1.6m revenue A partnership between Vapour Cloud and the pure technology group (PTG) has yielded over £1.6m in less than 12 months.

Recognising the complementary expertise within the two businesses, the channel specialists began working

together in October 2016. Fast forward just under one year and the enhanced service offering has been well-received by PTG’s

ever-expanding customer base.

The 90-strong Leeds-based team supplies managed cloud services to SME and mid-market organisations throughout the country, in addition to IT infrastructures to FTSE 250 organisations. But keen not to dilute its in-house skill-set,

“What a customer really wants is a robust partner that can wrap up all of their requirements into one commercially-sound package. They need peace of mind that they’re dealing with experts in their field so that, should ‘disaster’ strike, they have everything in place to minimise operational disruption and continue with business as usual.

They’re looking for speed, security and strong communication. That’s why I think PTG’s relationship with Vapour has worked so well.

We’re on the same page in terms of what matters to customers and it all stems from our people.”

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KIRK LE ES

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E XCLUSI V E:

Huddersfield’s first Design g Conference reinforces town’s creative flair It was billed as a new opportunity to bring creative practitioners, students and enthusiasts together to tell their stories, share their experiences, collaborate, question and learn. And Wilson’s Republic’s inaugural Design Conference at Bates Mill in Huddersfield did not disappoint…

Tucked away in a converted textiles mill that is fast becoming one of West Yorkshire’s most popular venues for the cultural sector, 180 creative professionals at various stages in their career gathered for a special event – the first of its kind for Huddersfield.

The Design Conference was the conception of Wilson’s Republic, a not-for-profit design network in the town. Passionate about both the budding and established talent across the North, their aim was to bring together numerous inspiring speakers to help further stimulate the profile of design in the region.

Wilson’s Republic’s co-founder Darren Evans opened up the programme, reminding the packed auditorium that ‘things are happening in Huddersfield’, and not just because it is now a Premier League town. This creative industry has been named the fastest growing in the Kirklees district, with several

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prolific names emerging across the product, graphic, digital, web, photography, illustration, art and architecture scenes.

But such prolific names have in fact long been a mainstay of the town, as the speaker line-up went on to prove.

From school to Star Wars Huddersfield-born John Lee was the first up to tell his story from a Colne Valley High schoolboy to model maker for the soon-to-bereleased Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

He spoke openly about the lack of careers guidance available as a youngster wanting to get into the seemingly unattainable world of special effects, but with passion, self-motivated research and a vast amount of hard work with another local friend, they went on to realise their childhood ambitions.

Next up was Tom Foley, creative director at Dalton Maag,

who delved into the history and evolution of typography.

Commenting on the speech he delivered, delegate Doug Main, director at digital marketing agency The Bigger Boat said: “Tom’s talk was brilliant. I was fascinated by the influence that early writing tools have had on the characters we continue to use thousands of years later – I have worked in this industry for so long and never even realised it.” Tom’s follow-up workshop on logo refinement went on to be a ‘sell out’.

Delivering a talk on ‘The business of design’, The Engine Room’s managing director Lesley Gulliver then gave guidance on pitching credibly, charging appropriately by adding value rather than being ‘the most affordable’, and demonstrating the strategic impact of design on a client’s bottom line. In the next room, the ‘Accounting for creatives’ seminar delivered by Steve Crowther of Crowther Chartered Accountants,

continued along this theme.

“I recently heard in London that designers can’t run businesses as they don’t know anything about money,” commented Darren. “This certainly isn’t the case, but it enforced the need to offer advice on this crucial commercial topic.”

Sommerville takes the stage After lunch, Eve Warren – an established designer from Robot Food known for her expressive creativity – drew on her own career journey to emphasise that there’s more to the world of design than London. Delegates then heard from Christopher Nunn, a Huddersfield-based

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At 4pm, headline speaker James Sommerville ‘took to the stage’ via video-link from Atlanta. The Huddersfield-born Vice President of Global Design for the Coca Cola Company drew upon parallels throughout his career, comparing the history of Coca Cola and the evolution and refinement of the brand, with that of the globallyrecognised design studio ATTIK, which he founded.

Rich in advice, his presentation seemed to resonate with everyone in the room. He encouraged people to consider potential ‘failures’ as simply stepping stones, and to not worry about completely reinventing designs in favour of making refinements to evolve a concept.

But ‘inspirational’ was the word most delegates used to describe James’ talk, not least because of the design examples he shared within his slides. He showcased some of Coca Cola’s heritage artwork and modern equivalents, to illustrate the beauty of taking ideas from the past and reworking them to continue the legacy. There were even hints of not-yet-seen brand visuals plus a preview of how Coca Cola will approach the Russia 2018 World Cup. Darren continued: “Although it was logistically difficult to get James over to Huddersfield, the fact he wanted to speak demonstrates just shows how much respect exists for design in this part of the country.

He also quite rightly pointed out that this sector is about people coming together to create. We did that today – we simply used technology to make it happen.”

around and explore to progress.

“Our theme throughout the day was ‘roots’, which we encouraged speakers to interpret as they wished,” elaborated Darren’s fellow Design Conference co-founder Aidan Nolan.

“They came at this topic from various angles which kept the content dynamic and the debate fresh.”

After thanking partners of the Design Conference – Bates Mill, Offset, Kirklees Council, Foilco, Pressision, G.F Smith and Bean Brothers – the event came to a close with a more relaxed vibe courtesy of a DJ set from Lee Goater.

Aidan continued: “The goal was to bring the design community together in a relaxed, collaborative environment that could continue to fuel the passion that lies at the heart of our delegates’ careers.”

In fact, collaboration was repeatedly referenced throughout the day, with speakers talking about the importance of designers pooling resources and expertise for maximum impact, as well as working with clients to further the design journey together.

Back to the roots of it all photographer who spent four extremely challenging years in Ukraine documenting the war in Donbass through the use of raw, powerful imagery. And ‘Know your copyrights’ proved another popular workshop, with Gary Townley from the Intellectual Property Office.

Craig Oldham, founder of The Office of Craig Oldham was the final speaker of the day. When talking about how to achieve growth in the sector, the very frank Northerner told the audience: “You’re not a f**king tree,”, emphasising the need to move

“Wilson’s Republic is about celebrating the design community within Huddersfield and the surrounding areas,” concluded Aidan.

“And I think this event was a testament to the talent within the town’s creativew5 network. I look forward to seeing how far it can go.”

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NGC Networks hits £5m turnover The Wakefield-based business telecommunications specialist NGC Networks has achieved £5.2m turnover in its latest financial year, an increase of 13.5 per cent year-on-year. The company’s workforce has grown to 32 people.

NGC Networks provides business telecommunications and internet connectivity solutions to companies across the North of England.

The impressive performance has resulted from organic growth, with several new companies added to NGC’s client roster. Customers include Moores Furniture, The Funding Corporation and law firm Lupton Fawcett along with academies, schools and medical centres.

NGC, which is run by directors Nikki Guest and Dean Harrop, is also seeing the benefit of ongoing investment in business development, CRM and marketing.

Nikki said: “We have put time and effort into growing our customer base and that is reflected in our increased turnover

figure. Effective and reliable communications are fundamental to businesses and organisations of all sizes and we are proud of our track record in providing competitive solutions married with fantastic customer service.”

This year, NGC Networks announced a partnership with

alternative infrastructure provider City-Fibre to deliver ultrafast, full-fibre internet connectivity to businesses in Wakefield, Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield.

NGC is also seeing growth through its hosted telephony proposition, which provides businesses with cost savings and full resilience in

NGC Networks has been shortlisted for the Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards 2017 (companies up to £10m turnover).

A local teenager has been chosen as the lead act to perform at an annual charity lunch for the Kirklees and Calderdale business community.

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Dean said: “Our cloud-based solution provides customers with a wide range of communications facilities without the need to purchase an actual on-site telephony server, providing efficiency gains, cost savings and business continuity.

“Flexible finance enables capex and opex models where customers can rent the service from us and still have the option to the title of the software and any associated hardware upon completion of the term.”

NGC clients also include mail order business Freeman Grattan Holdings, The Family Fund, Timpson, Manning Stainton Estate Agents, Puma UK, Lowell Group, The Car People and Sharp Business Systems.

Talented teen chosen to perform at festive fundraiser Callum Butterworth from Halifax will be singing at this year’s Kirklees and Calderdale Charity

the event of failure via cloud-based technology.

Lunch (KACCL) event, which aims to raise £24,000 for Orange Box young people’s centre

and Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice. The event will take place at Cedar Court Hotel on December 7.

The 16-year-old has been singing since the age of 10 and began using the services at Orange Box, based on Blackledge, Halifax, when the centre first opened four years ago.

The centre offers a range of facilities for young people such as rehearsal rooms, performance space and recording studio

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Kirklees & Calderdale space into a hair salon with separate nail technician and massage/beauty areas.

Lydia will provide support to other young people in the industry and currently employs an apprentice.

An aspiring young entrepreneur has proven that age is just a number, with the launch of a new health and beauty salon in Meltham.

Lydia Newman has opened her first business, L & Co Hair & Beauty, at the age of 21, thanks to £50,000 worth of funding from NatWest.

After being introduced to the bank

by Iain Blair from ASC Finance, Huddersfield, the qualified hairdresser and beautician has used the funds to help purchase and fit out the new salon on Clarke Lane.

Ever since she was young, Lydia has had ambitions to be a hairdresser, following in the footsteps of her mum Vanda who is also a hairdresser.

From the age of 15, Lydia has volunteered in salons, put herself through hair and beauty college and taken additional self-funded qualifications in hair extensions to further her career.

Now after spending two years

Meltham entrepreneur proves she’s a cut above building a client base by renting a room above a local salon, Lydia has decided to go it alone with the launch of L & Co Beauty.

alongside counselling and support services.

Callum believes the centre and the support it offers has been instrumental in the development of his singing and performing.

He says: “I enjoy producing music in the centre’s recording studio. Orange Box is a place I always know I can come to where I have the support to make the most of my creativity.”

“It’s a place where I have always felt welcome.

I’ve made the most of the opportunities the centre has to offer in order to make friends and build my skills and confidence.”

The teenager draws inspiration from artists

With the help of her family, Lydia renovated the former children’s party bag store by installing new walls and floors, transforming the

like Halifax-born Ed Sheeran who have managed to become successful despite coming from a small town.

She said: “Owning my own salon has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember and now thanks to NatWest I’ve been able to make this a reality. As a young entrepreneur, I knew funding would be a challenge, but NatWest has made the whole process as easy as possible.

Obtaining finance from NatWest has freed up other funds, allowing me to fit out the salon out with all the equipment and furniture I need.

I’m now open for business and I’ve already got a steady list of clients making appointments.”

Richard Wood, Relationship Manager at NatWest, said: “Lydia is very business savvy and has already achieved an impressive customer base.

I think her age works in her favour as she has a fresh outlook on both her profession and her business and it’s obvious her customers agree.”

The KACCL event will be Callum’s first public performance; until now he has only performed at his school and with his uncles to the rest of his family on special occasions and gatherings.

Alongside Callum, a youth choir put together by Orange Box will also be staging a performance during the special event.

Speaking about performing at KACCL, Callum said added: “I am incredibly excited to perform at the Kirklees and Calderdale Christmas Lunch especially as it will be benefitting Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice which is an incredibly worthy cause and Orange Box young people’s centre which is a charity very close to my heart.

To purchase a ticket, contact KACCL@ crowther.accountants and for more information about this year’s KACCL Christmas lunch visit http://kaccl.uk

Last year’s event raised an impressive £18,000 for Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and this year organisers hope to raise an extra £6,000, taking the total amount fundraised to £24,000.

Tickets cost £50 per person which includes a champagne reception at 11:30am, a three course meal from 12.00pm and entertainment.

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Hair expert p develops business empire A Kirklees and Calderdale hair expert is expanding her business with the launch of a specialist hair loss treatment clinic, training academy and own brand hair products.

Hayley Jennings, owner of House of Creation in Halifax, has honed her skills working with legends of the industry and on countless international fashion stages.

She was also part of the Racoon International Artistic Team with celebrity stylist Andrew Barton, and previously trained under Catherine Boden, the creator of international phenomenon, The Hollywood Colour Blend.

She is now looking to grow her business by offering groundbreaking treatments in her salon and educating other hairstylists across Yorkshire to deliver similar services.

After qualifying in hair loss management, Hayley began offering a range of revolutionary, non-surgical but semi-permanent solutions for women suffering because of a range of conditions including cancer treatment.

Earlier this year she launched a separate clinic at a discreet location in Huddersfield to cater specifically for hair loss clients, with customers travelling from as far away as London for her services.

In addition, she launched The House of Creation Academy in August this year, providing intensive training in the application of various hair extension techniques.

Hayley’s latest project is her very own branded range of hair, known

as Adorn,that is sourced ethically from around the world. Hayley said: “Whist Adorn offers the crème of real hair for bonded extensions, a further collection, ‘Preen’, will serve the fashion conscious younger generation wanting a more temporary and flexible application.

“Over the years I have gained so much knowledge in the hair industry and learned from the best, so it feels like a natural progression for me to transfer this into a range of businesses where treatments and skills training is more accessible in Yorkshire.

“I am extremely excited with these ventures and remain driven by the constant delight from customers, for some of whom the treatment is life changing. With the amazing and environmentally friendly techniques now available at affordable prices, nobody needs to feel unhappy with their hair. And this is where my mission begins.”

Competition time WIN two tickets to see The South at Holmfirth Picturedrome!

When great British pop institution, The Beautiful South split in 2007, some members of the band didn't feel ready to hang up their microphones or instruments.

celebrate and perform the classic Beautiful South songs - A Little Time (the number one single), Perfect 10, Rotterdam, Old Red Eyes Is Back, Good as Gold and Don't Marry Her.

The South features former members of The Beautiful South including singer Alison Wheeler and lifelong sax player Gaz Birtles.

All performed again live, these songs, and many more, span an impressive 20 year career starting way back in 1989!

They play the songs made famous by The Beautiful South and bring back the full flavour and excitement with the nine piece live band.

Their live show promises to continue to

TopicUK is giving you the chance to win two tickets to see The South at Holmfirth Picturedrome on Sunday 26th November 2018.

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To be in with a chance, simply email your name plus the name of your guest to editor@topicuk.co.uk with ‘THE SOUTH’ as the subject. A winner will be chosen at random on 18th November and notified via email or social media.Good luck!

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Talk to Thom Royle, and his drive and determination to make his business succeed is something that really stands out.

Thom, who is 28 and hails from Honley, is founder of male grooming brand Thomas Michaels; the result of his interest in men’s fashion and lifestyle, an eye for great branding and his dad’s attendance at a soap-making course around three years ago.

He said: “The idea for Thomas Michaels came about a few years ago. I was working in a relatively well-paid job with a company car, but I decided I wanted to go travelling and experience a bit more of the world.

“I’d spoken to my Dad about doing something else career-wise, but wasn’t sure what, and while I was travelling he went on a soap making course and really enjoyed it.

“Prior to the course, my Dad had sold his successful business, and when I returned home, we started to manufacture the soap full-time. We both really enjoyed it and our first business, Cliffe House Organics, was born.

But Thom’s underlying interest in brands and the strength of their stories meant he was soon planning his next move. He continued: “I have always been intrigued by consumer brands and what makes them work, and often spend time researching to find out more about their back stories.

“I’d often see a product on a shelf and think to myself ‘I could do that’, and so I started exploring making the moisturiser that would become the first product in my range.”

Thom has been ‘back to school’ to “learn how to do chemistry again” and equip him with the knowledge to mix ingredients and formulations for his products and manufacture them in their entirety at home. In addition to his flagship moisturiser, he is now working on a hair pomade, matte hair paste and texture clay, as well as shampoo, shaving soap and a face scrub.

Making moves in men’s grooming: How a soap making course spurred Thom Royle to start his own brand.

He explains: “We are in talks with American Crew (a major hair care brand) and have spoken with the big four supermarkets. All are interested and the doors are certainly opening now, but we need to have a slightly bigger range of products before we can properly secure shelf space.”

“I’m very excited, particularly about our relationship with American Crew, as that has the potential to help us launch the brand on a world-wide scale. However, I still plan to contact independent retailers directly and hope to see our products on their shelves as an alternative to some of the mass-produced brands.”

But with an array of male grooming brands flooding an already crowded market, what does Thom believe makes Thomas Michaels stand out?

“The fact that we are a luxury product that is

made with natural, organic ingredients is a big selling point for us. Our moisturiser is 98% organic, and I believe that the consumer should have the choice to have something that is made from natural products but still looks beautiful in their grooming cabinet or on their bathroom shelf.

“The last three years have been hard work, but I wouldn’t say it’s been difficult as I really enjoy what I do and I’m excited at what the future holds for the brand.

“Cashflow has sometimes been tough, as has receiving knock-backs from potential buyers, but I have carried on regardless and I’m very confident that Thomas Michaels has a bright future ahead.

To find out more about the brand, visit thomasmichaels.co.uk.

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‘World first’ for Yorkshire entrepreneurs Launch of innovative new wedding service Two Yorkshire entrepreneurs have designed and launched a new online price comparison website designed to allow engaged couples to source, ‘meet’, book and pay for wedding photographers and videographers via a single platform.

Business partners Chris Howarth and Natasha Miller have established CaptureOurWedding. com, which allows couples to sign up for free by creating a customer profile and adding details including their engagement date, wedding date and the running order of their wedding day.

Similarly, photographers and videographers can create a free supplier profile to showcase their portfolio of work, location, contact details and exact package prices.

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Once a supplier profile is added to the site, couples can then conduct supplier search based on parameters including location and budget.

The couple were inspired to create the platform – which is the only one of its type in the world - based on their own frustrations and experiences as wedding videographers, and have invested over £20,000 in the functionality of the website.

Chris commented: “We’ve had so much feedback from our own wedding videography clients about how difficult it was for them to research, compare prices on and book wedding photography by having to trawl numerous websites and send off umpteen emails asking for exact

package costs and quotes.”

Natasha added: “CaptureOurWedding.com has the functionality to allow suppliers to upload a portfolio of work and exact price lists. Couples can then filter based on location and budget, and if they find a supplier they want to speak to, they can instant message them via the website or call them directly via Skype.

“If a couple wants to make a booking, the supplier is then notified by text and email. Once they’ve accepted the booking, the couple receives a prompt to pay a deposit.

Absolutely everything is done without needing to leave the website.”

The duo – who take 5% commission from each booking made via the site - has integrated Stripe, a PayPal owned payment platform used by companies including Airbnb and Deliveroo, to allow for ease of use and secure transactions.

Since launching just over one month ago, more than 150 suppliers have created profiles and the site has received over 25,000 unique visits from across the globe. The couple now plan to seek investment to help grow the site further in 2018.

Chris concluded: “Price comparison and reviewbased websites continue to transform the way we book holidays, purchase car insurance, and even get a date. So why are couples still having to trawl websites, send silly amounts of emails and spend unnecessary amounts of time when it comes to booking someone to photograph or video their wedding day?

CaptureOurWedding.com is the solution to that problem.”

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University wedding reception for Huddersfield alumni couple The University of Huddersfield has hosted its first wedding reception in the Creative Arts Building for a young couple who first met one another whilst studying in Huddersfield.

Niza and Anna Nyimbili were married on 12 August at Huddersfield’s Christian Fellowship Church, Cathedral House.

Anna graduated in July 2017 with a BA(Hons) degree in Advertising and Marketing and Niza has progressed to a Master’s degree in

Architecture after completing his BA(Hons) degree in Architecture at the University.

Jennie Hirst, alumni engagement officer at the University of Huddersfield, said: Both Anna and Niza have large families and with Anna’s travelling from Poland to attend the reception and Niza’s coming from Manchester, they needed a stunning venue that would be able to accommodate over 250 people for an entire evening.

“After looking around Huddersfield and not finding anywhere quite big enough to host such a large number

of people, Anna thought of where she was currently studying at the time and the lovely buildings the University had on campus. After discussing it with Niza, they both agreed it was the perfect choice.”

Anna added: “I emailed the events team at the University to see if our request could even be possible, and we were really happy when they said they could do it.”

The University’s modern Creative Arts Building was chosen as the

space for the reception and was adorned with fully-decorated tables each with its own ornate design and dressed chairs for the wedding breakfast.

“We both had really specific requests,” said Niza. “We wanted details that weren’t in the style of a traditional wedding, but everyone we spoke to leading up to the occasion was really accommodating. We would definitely recommend it to others,” he said.

Introducing our charity of the year for 2018: After an overwhelming response to our call out for Kirklees and Calderdale charities to follow and support throughout 2018, I am delighted to introduce our chosen charity, Goals 4 Hearts.

Based in Huddersfield, Goals 4 Hearts fundraises to supply life-saving defibrillators within communities, complete with training on how to use them to shock a heart and save a life.

The charity was founded by local footballer, Lee Orton, after he collapsed on the football field after suffering a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). It was the first game of the season for Lee’s team, Aimbry FC, when his heart stopped for 10 minutes. He was given CPR by former nurse and match spectator Mark Martin and team mate Simon West before an ambulance

arrived with a defibrillator. Lee's heart was shocked into beating again, and his life was saved. He was then taken to Calderdale Royal Infirmary, before undergoing an operation at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary where his heart was fitted with a Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator.

The charity’s aim is twofold; firstly, to raise awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and secondly, ensure that life-saving defibrillator equipment is on hand when needed, wherever possible. Goals 4 Hearts is also looking to provide mobile screening vans to detect

potential heart problems early, reducing the number of deaths as a result of SCA, one of the UK's biggest killers.

Statistics on Sudden CardiacArrest • SCA kills over 100,000 people every year • SCA kills more people than breast cancer, lung cancer and aids combined • 15 young people under the age of 35 die from SCA every week in the UK • When someone has a cardiac arrest, every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces theirchances of survival by 7-10% • If a defibrillator is used and effective CPR is performed within 3-5 minutes of cardiac arrest, survival chances

increase from 6% to 74% TopicUK Kirklees and Calderdale will be following the story of the Goals 4 Hearts team throughout 2018 as it fundraises £50,000 to purchase a Heart Screening Van, as well as meeting the team behind the charity and bringing you updates on its latest, life-saving activity.

Lee Orton said: “Since Fabrice Muamba’s SCA live on TV, and through the power of social media, awareness of SCA is increasing, but it’s still not enough. Working with TopicUK will massively help promote the charity and help us to reach our goals.”

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ADVERTORIAL

£12.3M PROGRAMME SEEKS AMBITIOUS SCALE-UPS #ThinkBig #ThinkAdventure 1 AD:VENTURE, the £12.3m programme offering wrap-around support for eligible pre-start, young and new firms with strong growth potential in the Leeds City Region is seeing fantastic results within its first year of delivery, and is on the lookout for more great scale ups to reach its ambitious target of assisting 1240 businesses in its lifetime.

1 The programme is now directly engaged with 400 businesses, supporting them to focus on strategies and deliver their growth objectives with a tailored package of support that meets the needs of the business.

The programme supports business with specialist advice and offers vital knowledge and signposting through its strong networks and combined business growth expertise.

Providing high value one-toone support, including expert mentoring, finance brokerage, low rate loans, young enterprise support, start up and scale up grants, professional workshops, incubator office space, peer to peer learning, specialist sector advice and university and academic input, AD:VENTURE can offer something for any young business with genuine growth ambitions.

Aiming to smash it’s target and support a diverse range of new and innovative businesses, AD:VENTURE is calling out for regional based enterprises to get in touch and capitalise on the help this impressive programme can offer, giving them access to a huge range of professional support that will have a lasting

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and positive impact on their business.

The programme can work with a range of sectors from marketing to manufacturing, though like all ERDF funded programmes, it is focused on growing companies that offer a business to business service or product.

Huddersfield based KC Communications is one company who received support including mentoring and help with an application for a business growth grant of £7,000.

Director, Katrina Cliff says “Initially I no idea what help was out there. Knowing you are going to get some money back towards a big move like this has allowed me to approach this move with much more confidence, supporting cash flow and allowing us to develop much faster than planned” Infinity Works are another high growth company who have benefited from the programme.

Needing to relocate to realise their growth potential, the company used grant funding from AD:VENTURE to leverage the benefits of their new 10,000 square feet office space.Paul Henshaw, Director said “I recommend to anyone who is starting out, reach out for help.

This really saves time for me as a business director, a resource no business can afford to waste” Herida Healthcare, based at Copley Hill trading estate invested in new manufacturing resource planning equipment, including bar coding and scanning items, which allows full traceability of materials and is a key requirement for suppliers to the NHS and after accessing a wide range of support, are on course for £2 million turnover just eighteen months after the business started trading.

Leeds based Tarte and Berry, an award-winning artisan bakery accessed mentoring support and a grant to support relocation to a

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larger premise, accelerating their growth and developing their business to business supply chain.

CA S E S T UDY:

The founders of Remind2Find have taken their pioneering shopping platform to the next level after teaming up with Futurelabs and the AD:VENTURE business support programme to take part in an innovative workshop programme designed to take new business ideas into reality.

Roger Marsh OBE, chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, speaking on behalf of the AD:VENTURE programme said: “Supporting SMEs and new business ventures are the real lifeblood of the Leeds City Region economy – it’s where new jobs and new prosperity comes from so it’s vital that we support them. We are delighted to see businesses already benefitting from the opportunities and connections a regional programme like AD:VENTURE can offer.

These are fantastic examples of how this type of programme works to boost growth in our region” Made up of partners from across the public and private sector, including all local authorities in the region*, higher education institutions Bradford University, Leeds Beckett University and Leeds Trinity University, the LEP, Business Enterprise Fund, Chambers of Commerce and The Princes Trust, AD:VENTURE is one of the largest European funded programmes in the UK, and matched by it’s dedicated partners AD:VENTURE is receiving £6,161,084 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. *Excluding Barnsley as this sits within Sheffield City Region for ESIF purposes

ANY BUSINESSES THAT FEEL THAT THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR AD:VENTURE ERDF SUPPORT SHOULD VISIT HTTP://AD-VENTURE.ORG.UK/ AND REGISTER INTEREST. YOU CAN ALSO CALL ON 0845 524 0210 OR EMAIL SUPPORT@AD-VENTURE.ORG.UK

“I want to transform the 3D printing industry” said Ravi. “The technology is brilliant, but now it can be sustainable too.”

Ravi approached AD:VENTURE to help him set up his business. His advisor supported Ravi with writing a business plan and cash flow forecast, as well as steering him to digital marketing advice for the start-up business.

Entrepreneur builds sustainable future for 3D printing 3D printing is a fast-growing disruptive technology. From humble beginnings as a novelty demonstration tool 3D printing has become a growing player in the manufacturing world, as the technology to utilise it becomes faster and more efficient than ever before.

Leeds Entrepreneur of the Year Ravi Toor is all too aware of this. Having graduated with a BA in Environment and Business and Leeds University he saw a need for change in the market, which relies on plastic ‘filaments’ to build models and products. “There’s a clear environmental need for recycled filament” Ravi said.

AD:VENTURE partner the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) then followed by delivering start-up funding to boost Filamentive’s stock capacity.

“The business support has been invaluable; not only are we growing, but we’re also improving the sustainability of 3D printing at the same time.” Said Ravi. “Over the last year’s trading, while I was still finishing my degree, we achieved £50,000 revenue and we’re aiming for six figures in the next 12 months.”

Julie Micklethwaite, BEF Start Up Loans Manager, delivered the funding for Ravi.

“Filamentive is a fantastic example of how to find a gap in a very innovative market.

The Start Up Loan we provided has been put to great use, and I’m delighted to see the business thrive.” She said.

Filamentive has since secured a trade deal with Amazon, opening the market to customers in the USA, including schools and manufacturing businesses such as NOA Brands – the world’s largest producer of mannequins.

90% of all plastics worldwide are derived from non-recyclable sources, so in response to this Ravi founded Filamentive.

Using recycled polymers, the business has quickly gained traction in producing environmentally friendly filaments for the industry.

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C SR

SH OWCASE

Laurence Turner of Investing g for Tomorrow When the day is over and night time falls, Laurence Turner, managing partner of financial planning firm Investing For Tomorrow, jumps on two wheels to support the White Knights Yorkshire Blood Bikes charity. We spoke to Laurence to find out more.

TopicUK: Can you tell us a bit about Investing For Tomorrow?

Laurence: Investing For Tomorrow is a chartered firm of financial planners based in Halifax that I founded in 1993. We are an independent, family-run business and provide specialist research and technical expertise for clients through inhouse advisors and third-party associates across areas including tax mitigation planning, pension consolidation and wealth management strategies.

TopicUK: Why is CSR important to the way you run your company?

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Laurence: We constantly strive to make a difference to the local community, and dedicate much of my personal time to helping charities and other organisations in need of support.

I provide financial support to Halifax Rugby League Football Club, and also offered financial support to the inaugural Huddersfield Marathon in 2017 which, in turn, supports four local charities including Ruddies Retreat, Shebang, Mountain Rescue and White Knights Yorkshire Blood Bikes.

More recently, I passed my Institute of Advance Motorists motorcycle test in order to

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people knew about the White Knights and that we were purely volunteers, they would be keen to help the cause with admin support, paying for the fuel and help to keep us on the road.

I thoroughly enjoy volunteering for the White Knights and I’m looking forward to many more shifts to come. Juggling work with volunteering hasn’t been easy, and in the summer heat it can be tricky to ride, but it’s something I’m very committed to. Helping the charity is extremely important to me; it’s a very rewarding way to give back.

TopicUK: How do you feel when you’re on a motorbike couriering blood in a time-critical situation?

Laurence: In a time-crucial situation, I feel determined to get the job done as quickly as possible in a safe manner.

Somebody’s life could be on the line, and you have to do all you can to help.

personally support the White Knights Yorkshire Blood Bikes with transporting blood, plasma, tissue samples, documentation and other vital supplies between hospitals, hospices and supply centres across the country.

Concerned about the real cost constraints that have been placed on the NHS, I was keen to give something back to the community and support a local charity doing fantastic things for those in need.

TopicUK: What do you hope to achieve working with White Knights Blood Bikes?

Laurence: Riding for the Whiteknights helps patients all over West Yorkshire get blood results and test results far quicker than they would any other way.

If we weren’t doing this, the NHS would have no option but to pay for taxis.

I’m keen to raise the profile of the charity, as I’m sure if more

My shifts vary from month to month and don’t always involve time-critical situations.

I work between Calderdale Royal Hospital, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Bradford Royal Infirmary, and Leeds General Infirmary and St James Hospital.

So far, I’ve completed 26 overnight shifts being on-call for the urgent transportation of pathology samples between The Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

TopicUK: Aside from White Knights, how do you decide what other charities to support?

Laurence: I look for local, Yorkshire-based charities that are in-line with our company values, and organisations that resonate with our business and our employees.

TopicUK: How do you gain the buy in of your team and get them involved in CSR activities?

Laurence: As a team, we share the same values and openly discuss the organisations we would like to offer our support to.

When it comes to CSR, I would advise companies to find a cause that they truly feel passionate about. Social media is also a great tool for sharing and promoting the work your business conducts with a charity.

TopicUK: How do you decide how much time per week/month/ year your business dedicates to CSR activity?

Laurence: We give as much time as we possibly can to our chosen charities. Juggling work with volunteering for the Whiteknights hasn’t been easy; I often come off a night shift and have to go straight to work.

To date, however, my CSR activity has helped us to demonstrate that we are true to our company values, and share our financial expertise with individuals in the community, providing complimentary lifetime cash flow plans in exchange for charitable donations for the organisations I work with. This has opened many doors in terms of new business opportunities.

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BIG

INTE R VIEW

On 31st May, a penalty taken by Chris Schindler saw Huddersfield Town Football Club promoted to the Premier League for the first time since 1972. But what’s next for the club and how do businesses across our area make the most of Huddersfield’s new found fame?

Sean Jarvis Almost six months since that amazing day, TopicUK Kirklees & Calderdale editor Alex Mason caught up with HTAFC Commercial Director Sean Jarvis to find out.

Sean Jarvis is one very busy man.

Taking the lead on implementing all the commercial opportunities that have suddenly been laid in front of Huddersfield Town Football Club since its promotion to the Premier League, organisation is a noun he’s very familiar with.

“Throughout 2017, we were quietly preparing ourselves for the huge commercial opportunities that being promoted would bring”, says Sean.

“About six months ahead of that beautiful final penalty, we’d spent a lot of time reviewing and planning how we would develop and change things like our corporate boxes and hospitality offering should we get promoted. We’d also had a visit from the Premier League near to Christmas last year, when they told us what we needed to do with areas such as our media facilities and training ground to meet Premier League standards. Being organised

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really has been key.”

With the broadcast of the club’s matches going from being recorded by the odd camera to now nearly 4 billion people around the world, increased media and equipment capacity was a major requirement.

“But”, says Sean, “there were a few small niggles.”

“Our new TV platform actually ended up reducing the seating capacity, and we ended up with around 300 season ticket holders who needed new seats. It was a domino effect when it came to renovations, as to make one thing better, something else had to give.”

Sean assures me that those 300 fans have now been given new seats, and their “joy at being promoted” far outweighed the small inconvenience of being moved from their regular spot at the stadium.

So how has promotion to the Premier League changed the way the world views Huddersfield as a destination?

“Along with the Premier League comes a global window that people can see us through, and that has sparked a huge appetite for people

to find out more about not just the club, but it’s home town, too”, says Sean.

“People have an appetite to understand more about the town’s history. For example, there was recently a programme aired on NBC dedicated solely to the club’s promotion and the history of Huddersfield, and another covering David Wagner and his management style. Gaining coverage on these global channels is amazing.”

But what about the businesses in an around Huddersfield? How does Sean suggest they can make the most of the commercial opportunities promotion has brought to their doors?

“I think we’re naturally a very humble town, and people can feel uncomfortable talking about their successes. However, now more than ever is the time for businesses in the area to stand out and shout about what they do and how proud they are of their Huddersfield heritage.

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information and ideas from individuals and businesses and how they might like to get involved with the Premier League opportunities. Adam Fletcher, MD at Ridley and Hall is coordinating this, so I’d encourage people to contact him if they have something to share. We need a melting pot of ideas to move things forward, working with everyone from those with big ideas to those who aren’t really sure what they should do, but know they should so something.”

With retail sales at the club up by 320%, an increase of 50% on hospitality sales and 15% more tickets being purchased since promotion, Sean certainly has his work cut out at what is arguably the busiest commercial period in HTAFC’s history. I ask him what part of his role he finds most challenging: “To be honest, I think it’s the constant level of interest the club is receiving regarding commercial opportunities from all over the world at the moment.

“People I’ve spoken to have been very surprised and impressed when I’ve relayed facts about the town’s links to famous faces and long-standing heritage. If you’re a business person, use the links you have with your Premier League club to tell stories, engage others and develop business relationships. Cease the day!”

One initiative the club recently launched was the ‘H’ pin badge for fans, supporters and Huddersfielddwellers to wear to ‘back Town’.

Says Sean:“Again, the badge has been a real conversation starter.

I was recently at an event in Swansea when someone asked me what the badge represented. It was a great ice-breaker and led to a fruitful conversation.”

So what should businesses and individuals do if they have an idea or would like to get involved to maximise the Premier League opportunity?

“We’ve recently started collating

“It’s a fantastic position for the club to be in, but I have to pick carefully the ones I think will drive the club forward commercially, and then find the time and resource to dedicate to making them happen.”

“The most exciting part of my job is being able to help put HTAFC on the map, while at the same time giving the world a real understanding of who we are, why we do what we do and what we are capable of as both a football team and a town. I love the challenge

of having to constantly innovate, create and push forward to keep things fresh and dynamic.”

When it comes to an international strategy, Sean and his team are in the early days of developing key territories in central Europe. They have already struck a deal with international boiler manufacturer Veissmann, “and”, says Sean “are in talks with a German shampoo brand”.

He continues: “We are also exploring the popular trend of clubs retaining their own intellectual property rights outside of a central agreement, as we’re keen to develop our own channels including Huddersfield Town TV. There’s a big commercial opportunity for us to earn money there through advertising and sponsorship, while also keeping up to the demand created by social media for behind the scenes and lifestyle content related to the club and its players.”

But with the club looking to the future in the Premier League, Sean is keen to pay tribute to the businesses that have been there giving support in the past. He adds: “I have to tip my hat to the individuals and businesses who invested as partners of the club and put their money where their mouth is in the early days and during some of the more frustrating seasons. “Now, it’s time for those who helped us when we were languishing around the bottom of League 1 to really enjoy every minute of their club in the Premier League spotlight.”

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Company of the Month

Sponsored by

Yorkshire firm breaks new tech boundaries with voice comms product Web RTC has helped brands such as Facebook, Snapchat and WhatsApp build billion dollar companies thanks to their ability to provide high quality voice and video services to consumers.

delivered by traditional suppliers that don’t truly understand the technology involved. As a result, products such as Skype – which could have revolutionised how companies communicated – have been met with little but frustration in the corporate environment.”

But recognising a gap in the market for businesses to make secure, encrypted voice calls using the same technology – from any device, anywhere in the world – Vapour began exploring the possibilities for commercial users.

Höllr is designed to support businesses looking to drive down the cost of voice calls, thanks to OPEX-friendly cloud models and low-fee monthly contracts charged on a costper-user basis. It also supports a truly mobile and geographically diverse workforce, and enables the assimilation of many wider features including call redirection, CRM integration and one-click disaster recovery.

Eight months later the result is Höllr – a voice communication application built for channel partners and businesses alike.

Delivered via the backbone of Vapour’s secure UK network, its features remove the barriers of time, format and location, to achieve a new generation of conversation clarity. Calls can also be recorded and reported on, for organisations that rely

The launch of Höllr comes hot on the heels of another recent tech release from Vapour – Dfendr.

The secure cloud platform hit the headlines at the start of summer, when it was revealed that more than a quarter of a million pounds had been ploughed into the development of a new resilient, GDPR-compliant network infrastructure, for organisations’ data.

on data-driven decision making.

Commenting on the reasons for this latest innovation, Vapour’s CEO Tim Mercer said: “Voice communications is changing, in terms of how we consume it, the expectations we place on it, and the potential it has to transform our businesses.

“Consumer tech brands have really capitalised on this, and the use of Web RTC has been inspiring in this respect. But in the commercial market, organisations have continued to be plagued by the limitations of solutions like VoIP. Voice over Internet Protocol is actually rich in potential but it has been

Nominate a Power Woman now The third Northern Power Women Awards will take place on 6 March 2018 at the Hilton Hotel, Deansgate Manchester.

The Northern Power Women Awards showcase role models and celebrate the many different ways women contribute to a thriving Northern Powerhouse. The inaugural awards were held in March 2016, attracting

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440 organisation leaders, change agents, and inspiring male and female role models and earlier this year 520 celebrated success across the North.

The awards celebrate the women and men working towards creating gender balance in organisations across the entire Northern Powerhouse. Winners are profiled

and their stories shared to encourage other individuals and organisations to step up and take action. The awards also feature a Power list and a Future list, which showcase future leaders and influencers.

Nominate now at www. northernpowerwomen.com/ awards/

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I T

UP D ATE

How up-to-date p is your machine?

Lots of the nasty viruses doing the rounds ride on the back of insecurities in your main operating system and popular software installed; software is developed by humans, humans make mistakes and these hackers make use of these vulnerabilities.

Left unpatched your system could be vulnerable; its tantamount to leaving the key in the door.

Wilkinson Woodward announces double appointment West Yorkshire law firm Wilkinson Woodward has announced the appointment of two senior solicitors to its team.

Commercial solicitor Tim Manock and family law specialist Emily Fish have both joined Wilkinson Woodward's expanding legal practice.

Emily Fish brings with her almost a decade's experience in matrimonial law, divorce, separation, children disputes and financial matters. She began her legal career with Armitage Sykes before transferring to Ramsdens Solicitors in early 2017.

Emily is a member of Resolution, a national organisation of over 6,000 family lawyers and other professionals who are committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes. She is also a member of The Law Society Family Law Panel. Emily will be based at Wilkinson Woodward's Huddersfield office.

Tim began his career with a Leeds based law firm before joining Skipton-based

Savage Crangle in the 1990s where he later became a partner.

Over the course of his career, Tim has developed a strong reputation in commercial law and brings with him three decades of experience in commercial and residential sales, plot sales and commercial law.

He will be based at Wilkinson Woodward's Brighouse office and can provide expert commercial law and commercial property advice on a range of issues including the sale or purchase of assets or shares, incorporation, shareholder and partnership agreements, joint ventures, limited liability partnerships, lease agreements and financial matters.

Managing director Maureen Cawthorn said, "We're delighted to welcome Tim and Emily to the team. Both are highly respected solicitors in their chosen fields. Their appointments form part of our continuing plans to expand in West Yorkshire."

Most users of computers don’t give any thought to updates, devices such as phones pester you to update and try to steer you to update at a time that’s convenient for you.

Essentially the more up-to-date your machine is the more protection you should in theory have, unfortunately updates can also break things!

Recently Microsoft released an update that broke printing for a number of our clients and Apple released a new version of their OS that removed the ability to use well know, widely used VPN technology.

To ensure that you are protected, enlist the help if your local IT supplier, they should be able to tell you if all your machines are up-to-date within minutes. If not contact Fusion and we can arrange a free trial of our update service to put your mind at rest.

Call Fusion on 08451 221240, email info@fusionmanageit. co.uk or follow us on Twitter @fusionmanit...we’re here to solve all your IT problems.

Fusion offers IT solutions to a diverse range of organisations across many different industries. Be IT student flats, bars, warehouses, solicitors or accountants, Fusion have been there, seen it, built a plan for it and delivered a system we are proud of and that works for our clients.

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FEATU R E

Business Talk with Mike Phillips

Our business was a “proper start up”. Husband and wife team, no money, big mortgage, five kids, business started in the garage. We grew to be a ten-million-pound company employing seventy-five people. Over a series of short articles in TopicUK, I will outline the key decisions and actions that led to our success.

We decided before we started that we wanted to be a company of many not just a company of two. We set up the business to support this ambition.

We wanted to provide an environment where people were happy and committed to achieving the goals of the business and would stay with us.

When we sold the business after fifteen years, a third of our staff had been with us for over ten years. We were an employer that people chose to join and chose to stick with.

We decided that we wanted to be a company that did business with others who appreciated the way we worked and the value of what we did. We did not provide our product and service to people that did not see the value in our offering and wanted to buy the cheapest. We wanted to retain good quality customers for the long term. Our customer retention was second to none.

So how did we achieve these things in our early years as a start-up chronically strapped for cash?

We had a business culture which

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resonated with employees, customers and suppliers.

Our business was set up on the principles of respect, integrity and commitment. Those principles supported a specific culture.

From day one we told everyone about our founding principles and our business culture.

For employees, it meant the business supported teamworking, training, staff development and internal promotion. The business discouraged gossip, office politics and cliques, because these things always result in someone being upset. People don’t work at their best when they are upset.

Sometimes they leave and then the business loses both the investment made in training and untold future potential. Losing good people is very costly.

For customers it meant that they could rely on our people to treat them with respect, tell them the truth, do the things that they said they would do, and go the extra mile for them. We would take responsibility and not blame anyone else.

Our business grew by giving the opportunity to everyone to make the most of their potential; to become the best they could be. Our business reflected the success of the people in it. We didn’t pay the highest wages, but people were attracted to our business and stayed because they liked our values and culture.

We brought potential customers into our office and whether we had three employees or seventythree employees, every one of them would know the founding principles of the business. It was in the DNA of the people, and it permeated everything. Our existing customers stuck with us and would always recommend

doing business with us because they knew our how our culture supported them.

After successfully growing and selling a business in the IT/ Telecoms industry, Mike and his co-director Marina Shaw now provide training coaching, and mentoring to businesses.

M&M (Mike and Marina) Training is also running a series of seminars in conjunction with these short insights.

For more information please email michaelphps@gmail. com

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R ECRU I T M E N T

U PD ATE

Supply and Demand: Labour market already showing signs of significant changes

By Nadio Granata - Director of Marketing Staffex Recruitment

In 1890, Alfred Marshall wrote “Principles of Economics,” where he explained how supply and demand, costs of production and price elasticity work together.

Marshall developed the supply-and-demand curve that is still used to demonstrate the point at which the market is in equilibrium.

If ever there was a case required to prove his theory correct, then look no further than today’s labour markets.

The recently published IHS Markit/REC Report on Jobs provides the most comprehensive guide yet to the UK labour market, drawing on data provided by recruitment agencies across the UK including ourselves. The labour market in the UK is changing and it’s all down to the simple principles of supply and demand.

A key factor weighing on growth in staff appointments in September was a further steep decline in candidate availability. For permanent candidates, the latest fall was the sharpest for four months, while the availability of temporary workers also fell at a historically marked pace. The number of job vacancies across the UK continued to rise sharply during September, caused mainly by the reduction in EU nationals coming here through the summer to take up labouring jobs in farming and other low-skilled professions.

From a personal point of view, I have seen a distinct shortage in the number of overseas graduates looking to stay in the UK after gaining their degrees, pointing to the uncertainties of Brexit as a reason for them seeking to pursue their careers elsewhere. There are of course, regional variances in the types of supply and demand affecting the labour markets.

Typically, large cities with a high level of tourism such as London, Edinburgh and Dublin are suffering greatly from the lack of applicants to work in the hotel and restaurant chains. It’s not uncommon these days to see signs in restaurants and hotel windows advertising job vacancies. Similarly locations such as Leeds and Birmingham which are traditionally dependant on banking and commerce, are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit low-skilled administrators and auditors.

Closer to home, the warehouse and manufacturing sectors are also feeling the strain as the supply of temporary labour begins to show signs of diminishing. Of course, the law of supply and demand affects pay, and strong demand for staff and a further drop in candidate availability places further upward pressure on pay. Permanent starting salaries rose at the second-steepest rate in 22 months (after August), while temp pay growth softened only slightly from August’s 16-month record.

Talk to recruitment agencies who know your industry and your region, and put processes in place to recruit in advance of your competitors.

If you are an employee thinking of changing jobs, make sure your qualifications are up to date and your CV is competitive; you’ll not be the only one trying to take advantage of the Laws of Supply and Demand!

West Yorkshire’s largest independent recruitment specialists

Call us on

01484 35 10 10 Connect with us ! linkedin.com/company/stafflex-limited www.facebook.com/stafflexjobs

And so, to the moral of the story. If you are an employer, and you have not done so already, start making plans to deal with potential labour shortages.

@Stafflexjobs www.stafflex.co.uk

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YOU NG

E NTR E PR E N EUR

QA &

In this regular feature, TopicUK Kirklees & Calderdale editor Alex Mason catches up with some of our region’s most entrepreneurial young people to find out how they built their businesses. This edition, we speak to Kate Burns, the founder of KB Mortgage Services, a Huddersfield-based mortgage and insurance protection company, which she launched in 2016.

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“After all, buying a home is one of the biggest decisions that we’ll ever make, so I have to show personality as well as build trust...”

TopicUK: Hi Kate. First off, can you let us know how old you are?

Kate: I am 27!

TopicUK: Tell us a bit about what drove you to start your own business at a relatively young age.

Kate: I always knew that I wanted to work for myself, so it was something that I had thought about for a good few years. I had been a broker for a while and had built up a good reputation.

A lot of my business came from referrals and I couldn’t help but think to myself ‘Why am I putting in all this effort — especially working extra-long hours — for somebody else?’.

I also got frustrated with being in a corporate environment and having to recommend firms to my clients that didn’t provide the same level of service that I did.

Now I am able to suggest great solicitors and surveyors who I know are reliable. I can also offer whole-of-market mortgages, as well as a great panel of protection providers, meaning that I deliver the very best advice and options to my clients.

Topicuk: What areas do you specialise in?

Kate: I specialise in arranging residential mortgages for first time buyers and home movers, as well as buy-to-let loans for

investors. I also offer protection advice including life, critical illness, income protection, redundancy and home insurance.

Topicuk: Who has provided you with help and support along the way?

Kate: My partner has been very supportive and understanding.

He wasn’t too sure when I first told him I was considering setting up my own business. He thought that I was still young and it was something that I should do a few more years down the line.

However, when I decided to take the plunge, he was great and has really helped me a lot with my workload and the hours I have to put in. My family, friends and the associates who I work with have also been a huge support.

Topicuk: How many clients do you currently look after?

Tell us a bit about them.

Kate: At any one time I can have around 40 cases to handle — all at different stages of the buying or remortgage process. I also monitor and review my existing clients’ policies when they come up for renewal, so there’s always lots going on. It’s all part and parcel of looking after my customers and making sure they know what’s happening with their house purchase.

I deal with such a huge array of people, from first time buyers who are in their teens, to

investors managing a portfolio of properties. I help clients in lots of different scenarios and that’s what makes my job so interesting!

to ensure that my clients are kept up-to-date. This is often a timely process which is why I tend to work many evenings and weekends, too.

Topicuk: How active are you on social media and what part has/does it play in growing your brand?

Topicuk: And what has been the most rewarding?

Kate: In recent months I’ve been very active on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. I share advice and updates on the housing market, as well as blogs from my own website — which I’ve found that people love to read.

It shows that there’s a human behind my business and that I know what I’m talking about — which is so important in my field.

After all, buying a home is one of the biggest decisions that we’ll ever make, so I have to show personality as well as build trust.

Over time this will help my business to become known as the best at what we do!

Topicuk: What has been the most challenging part of growing/running your business so far?

Kate: Time! There simply aren’t enough hours in the day. I always like to be available for my clients and efficient in returning calls and emails — meaning I’m always switched on. I want the process to be as stress-free as possible, so I put my all in

Kate: I love helping clients move into a new home, knowing how much money I have saved them along the way. The cherry on the cake for me is getting recommendations and receiving testimonials — it just means that I’m doing my job well and that I made the right decision to start my own business!

Topicuk: What advice would you give to another young entrepreneur starting out in business?

Kate: Be prepared to put in your all and, most of all, believe in yourself. It’s a scary thought to go it alone, but definitely a great achievement. It’s the best decision I have ever made.

So, just be confident in your own ability and don’t let any knockbacks stop you!

Topicuk: And finally – where do you hope to see the business in five years’ time?

Kate: I hope to grow KB Mortgage Services by employing a team of other mortgage advisors around me, and expanding on my network of associates.

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LEG AL

M AT TERS

Last Orders, Landlord?

The Legalities of Premises Licensing

In an age of ‘pop up’ bars and restaurants it often becomes difficult to define when licensing rules apply.

What do we need? When do the rules apply? What type of application is required? These are just some of the questions clients, corporate or otherwise, need to know the answers to.

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Kirklees & Calderdale Each issue Chadwick Lawrence Yorkshire’s Legal People, share with our readers information to keep us all within the law.

At Chadwick Lawrence we recognize that time diverted from the business to ascertain answers to questions like these can impact on an organization’s performance. The Commercial Property team deals expertly with a vast range of acquisitions on behalf of clients to which licensing laws often apply.

The Designated Premises Supervisor (DBS) • When purchasing a business that sells or distributes alcohol a designated premises supervisor (DPS) must be registered in order to authorize the sale and supply.

• On a purchase of a property or business, you must apply to vary the DPS if the person previously registered will not remain on the premises.

• A formal application must be sent to the police and the former license holder as well as the local council to which the premise is situated.

• A DBS check is often required to prove the person is of good character and will not diminish to reputation of the establishment – an important point to remember when purchasing.

• It is possible for community, church and village halls to apply under section 25A(6) of the Licensing Act 2003 to remove the mandatory conditions in section 19(2) and (3) of the act (the requirement for a DPS) and replace them with an alternative license condition in under which a management committee is responsible for the supply of alcohol.

When should you apply?

• If purchasing a business this should be prepared at the outset on a ‘Prem 1’ application.

• Details of the property must be attached, including a plan of the property, and who the proposed DPS is must entered on the application.

• The application can take up to 6-8 weeks.

• An application also has to be advertised

in an appropriate local paper and 28 days for any objection must be given.

• Appropriate signage must be placed around the premises and contact deals must be given if anyone wishes to object.

• Conditions from the local council and emergency forces might also be imposed including a requirement for CCTV at the premises, confirmation for appropriate methods to ascertain the age of customers and fire evacuation procedures. Time must be taken to ensure these are implemented.

a premises remains shut due to non compliance or a breach of the requirements.

• A DPS that has acted inappropriately may be banned from this role in the future.

• Operating hours can also be restricted at the councils discretion and on an objection upheld by a member of the public.

• Fines can be imposed for repeated breaches of conditions and be even result in criminal prosecution.

Death of a DPS Temporary Licensing • A temporary license is often preferred if is not the intention to permanently supply alcohol.

• A ‘Prem 10’ application can be made to the local Council and the police force.

• A minimum 7 days notice needs to be given in order for the council to approve.

However it is still at their discretion.

• The maximum amount of temporary licenses that may be granted will change depending on the council. This will usually range from 5- 10 per calendar year.

• The notices can not be running concurrently and at least one day has to be given either side of the agreed period.

• At the council’s discretion, it is possible for a part of the premises to be closed and another part open in order to keep a premises operating on preferred days.

• Temporary licensing may also be used as a ‘stop gap‘ whilst a permanent license is ascertained.

• The supply of alcohol may not automatically be permitted on a temporary license especially if the premise has not sold alcohol previously.

The Consequences of Non Compliance • The Council has the ability to shut down the business at any given time. This includes during the operating hours when the business is open.

• The Council can also recommend

• The death of a DPS can also lead to worrying times for all those involved particularly when the business is being sold as part of the deceased’s estate or otherwise.

• The council will require a member of the business, usually working at the property, to take on this role as soon as possible.

• On the sale of the business, the seller should give the buyer the death certificate in order for the authorities to permit a new DPS on the premise.

What next?

This article provides an overview of the law in this particular area. If you or your business is looking to purchase or sell a property with issues surrounding licensing requirements, our Commercial Property team at Chadwick Lawrence would be delighted to hear from you with a view to discussing how they could assist you further.

If you would like further information please do not hesitate to contact Jonathan Exall on jonathanexall@ chadlaw.co.uk

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WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS

From moving home to claiming an inheritance, debt to divorce, injuries resulting from accidents and medical negligence, we are on hand to help and make sure that the process runs as smoothly as possible.

Dispute Resolution

Employee Services

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chadwicklawrence.co.uk

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Medical Negligence

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01484 519 999

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UP P ER

CALDER

VA L L E Y

R E N A ISSA NC E

Free mentoring scheme puts Hebden Bridge business back in the saddle Back in 2016, specialist cycle shop Blazing Saddles was anything but blazing. The Hebden Bridge business had been all but obliterated in the Boxing Day floods and the owners were seriously considering their future.

Although Heather and John Ainscough had opened a pop-up shop to keep the business going, they’d reached a tipping point.

They could either struggle back to where they’d been before, or take the opportunity to redesign the business for the future.

Thanks to a free scheme that matches experienced business owners with small companies needing help, Blazing Saddles has been reborn.

“We were looking to new technology and a fresh approach when we saw the offer from the Upper Calder Valley Renaissance (UCVR) mentoring scheme,” says Heather. “We were paired with Kevin Lane, who previously worked for British Steel and then Corus before starting his own commercial cleaning business. It was an ideal match.”

The UCVR scheme supports small, medium and micro businesses in the Calder Valley as they get started or start to grow. Mentors and mentees meet around once a month for six months and work together to identify where help’s needed. For some, it’s a route to creating new products or services, for others a helping hand in finding new customers or starting to export.

Here, John and Heather explain how Blazing Saddles and their attitude to the business have been transformed.

How was the business doing at the time of the flood?

We’d been trading successfully for 21 years, but things were getting increasingly stressful. I think it was because we weren’t managing things very efficiently. The current turnover was enough to keep us going, but we were struggling to grow.

What made you consider getting outside help?

We were stuck. We couldn’t see how to manage our business and our staff better. We watched Dragon’s Den and thought we really needed the sort of advice those contestants were getting.

We knew we couldn’t have afforded it and we didn’t know where to look till we found the UCVR scheme.

How did you work with your mentor? What was the process?

After an introductory meeting over coffee, we set out our objectives. We meet every couple of weeks for a couple of hours or so and Kevin keeps us on track with the work we should be doing.

What were the specific areas your mentor helped you with?

Kevin’s worked with us to reorganise our processes, get EPOS and Xero systems in place, find grants and insurance, sort out staffing issues and keep us focused on profit and loss.

Staff management had been an issue for us, but Kevin is giving us confidence to start to delegate and manage staff with more authority.

How have you benefited from the mentoring process?

It’s impossible to know how things would have been if our mentor hadn't come into our business, but we think there’s a good chance the business would have folded without his support.

If this had happened, our eight full-time members of staff would have been out of work and the town would have lost a great business.

You can read more of this story on the UCVR website and If you’d like to know more about getting mentoring help or becoming a business mentor, please contact:

SARAH MOSS, UCVR BUSINESS NETWORK FACILITATOR: 01422 417286 – SARAH@UCVR. ORG.UK WEB: HTTP://WWW.UCVR.ORG. UK//B2BMENTORING TWITTER @BIZNET_UCVR.

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HOW

I TS

M ADE

A Bespoke Experience sets Huddersfield suit makers apart

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“The brand is named after my son Owen...”

Owen Scott Bespoke, a tailor based on Kings Street in Huddersfield, has been making bespoke suits from their flagship store for nearly 7 years.

H

uddersfield has such a rich heritage in the textile industry, but Owen Scott Bespoke is among just a small number of tailors left in the town.

With well-known clients including boxer Amir Khan, HTAFC manager David Wagner and number of other Huddersfield Town stars, Owen Scott is a forward-thinking tailor that incorporates the traditions of men’s suit-making but with an added modern twist, as MD and founder, Scott Hufton, explains.

“Having worked in men’s fashion and tailoring for over 15 years, my goal for Owen Scott Bespoke was to create a personal service that goes beyond that of a traditional tailor. We pride ourselves on our bespoke service and our repeat clients are testament to the relationships we build with everyone that walks through our door.”

In addition to the tailors, Owen Scott Bespoke has a barber hidden at the back of the shop to complete the gentlemen’s experience; the old-school style barbershop offers a simple cut and finish as well as a hot towel shave with a cut-throat razor.

Scott continues: “A bespoke tailoring experience starts with a consultation which is made by

booking only. We allow one hour for the consultation in which the client has a private one-to-one in our Bespoke Room, where they will be offered coffee, a beer, a whiskey – it’s all about the experience.”

“During the consultation period, we find out from the client what the suit will be for – whether it’s a business suit or an occasion suit for a wedding or event. This helps to build a picture for us when it comes to choosing cloths and styles. We have hundreds of cloths to choose from but I seem to have a bit of sixth sense when it comes to understanding what kind of cloth the client will like and picking the right swatch books for them to choose from.”

Huddersfield is home to some world-famous cloth makers, steeped in history and tradition, and Scott explains how this heritage really helps to build on the Owen Scott experience.

“We’re a Huddersfield tailor selling Huddersfield cloth and we’re extremely proud of that.

99% of the cloth samples we have are woven in Huddersfield - from Dugdale Brothers, Huddersfield Fine Worsted or Scabal, and that’s the way we’ll always be.”

“Having chosen the cloth, we will then go through the different styling options with the client; the pocket style, how many buttons

they want, if they’d like their initials stitching into the suit and so on. This list is quite extensive but it’s really what sets our suits apart.”

“We then move on to the measuring stage – this is a headto-toes measurement to ensure the suit will be the best possible fit for the client. Following this, the chosen cloth is then ordered and sent to our Leeds factory where the suit will be made.”

To make the suit, the pattern is cut from the cloth using the customer’s unique measurements and put together ready for the first baste.

“This essentially means the first fit”, Scott explains. “The customer comes back to the shop and tries the suit on for the first time.

At this stage, we can make any adjustments as necessary – this could be tapering the trousers, taking the jacket sleeve up to reveal more of the shirt cuff and so on.

“The suit is then stripped essentially ‘flat packed’ if you like - and re-cut, and the adjustments are then made from the first fitting before it is hand-sewn together and finished ready for the final fit. The final fit is the last stage. The customer comes in to try the suit on again, now it has been finished, before taking it home.”

Scott began his career as a tailor at a local tailor’s shop where he was trained up and met his now right-hand man Andy, who

assisted Scott in managing Owen Scott Bespoke quite soon after the shop was launched.

“Before I set up Owen Scott Bespoke, I launched a website called huddersfieldcloth.com – this was the first website of its kind to export world-renowned Huddersfield cloth globally, something I'm very proud of. It was this venture that allowed me to raise the capital I needed to fulfil my dream of opening my own tailor.”

There are now four full-time staff that work at the flagship Huddersfield shop and four years ago, Scott opened a new shop in Central Arcade off Briggate in Leeds City Centre.

The success of the Owen Scott Bespoke brand comes down to Scott’s motivation and drive, he explains. “The brand is named after my son Owen. I raised Owen in his early years on my own and everything I have done has been driven by my need to provide for him. I was extremely proud the day the sign went over the door of the Huddersfield shop with Owen’s name on it.”

A BESPOKE SUIT FROM OWEN SCOTT BESPOKE COSTS FROM £700 TO £1500, WITH PRICING DEPENDENT ON WHETHER THE SUIT IS A TWO-PIECE OR A THREE-PIECE, THE STYLE AND THE CLOTH USED. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT HTTPS:// WWW.OWENSCOTT.CO.UK/

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Grab a coffee

Kirklees College is giving adults the chance to learn new skills while they grab a coffee in an exciting new initiative.

Kirklees College Assistant Principal Adrian Hutchinson said: “Kirklees College is delighted to be taking part in this unique initiative because it completely fits with our aim of making our courses as accessible to as many people as possible.

Evening adult education classes including sugarcraft, beauty therapy, book-keeping, Spanish and interior design will launch soon in Costa Coffee and Krispy Kreme stores across West Yorks

“We are currently teaching our adult courses within the community at a number of centres across Kirklees and now West Yorkshire through this initiative.

and a new skill!

It is part of the nationwide PopUp College scheme where further education providers partner with nearby branches of Costa Coffee, founded by entrepreneur Jason Elsom.

“The idea is to reach out to people who are eager to make friends and learn new skills but might not feel comfortable coming into a college environment.

“Hopefully the partnership with Costa Coffee will help to engage people and encourage them to return to learning and they will enjoy it!”

Courses run from 5-7pm for six weeks and cost £48 or are free for participants in receipt of benefits.

T he c o urs e s on of fer f rom Ki r k l e e s C o l l ege are:

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Intro to Interior Design Mondays from 30/10/17 Costa Coffee, Unit G49, Trinity Walk, Wakefield, WF1 1QU.

Intro to Bookkeeping Wednesdays from 1/11/17 Costa Coffee, Unit 8B, Birstall Retail Park, Holden Ing Way, Birstall, WF17 9DT.

Selfie Ready/Smoky Eyes Mondays from 30/10/17 Costa Coffee, Unit 8B, Birstall Retail Park, Holden Ing Way, Birstall, WF17 9DT.

Intro to Beauty Therapy Wednesdays from 1/11/17 Krispy Kreme, Centre 27 Business Park, Bankwood Way, Birstall, WF17 9TB.

Intro to Beauty Therapy Tuesdays from 31/10/17 Costa Coffee, 26 New Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2BU.

Intro to Wellbeing Wednesdays from 1/11/17 Costa Coffee, Woolshops Shopping Centre, Halifax, HX1 1RU.

Intro to Interior Design Tuesdays from 31/10/17 Costa Coffee, Woolshops Shopping Centre, Halifax, HX1 1RU

Holiday Spanish Thursdays from 2/11/17 Costa Coffee, Unit G49, Trinity Walk, Wakefield, WF1 1QU.

Seasonal Sugarcraft Tuesdays from 31/10/17 Krispy Kreme, Centre 27 Business Park, Bankwood Way, Birstall, WF17 9TB.

Intro to Bookkeeping Thursdays from 2/11/17 Costa Coffee, 26 New Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2BU.

You can book your place and pay online at www. kirkleescollege.ac.uk/store.

For more details email ace@kirkleescollege.ac.uk.

PS watch out for the college’s Super Saturday events a whole day of free or low cost courses giving you the chance to learn a new skill, get creative or explore an area of interest, but more importantly have fun!

Last time topics included wine tasting, graphic design, family crafts and British Sign Language.

Super Saturday is on at Dewsbury Centre on Saturday 25 November and Huddersfield Centre on Saturday 2 December.

Details will be on the college website soon at www. kirkleescollege.ac.uk/super saturday

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Kirklees & Calderdale apprehensive about starting radiotherapy treatment, and I feel that if I can ease the journey there or back with the help of an unusual vehicle, a willing ‘chauffeur’ and a good old singsong, it will really help to make things slightly less serious.

Mandy’s journey with the ‘Big C’: introducing the #RadiotherapyRoadtrip Back in June, I had the pleasure of interviewing ‘charity angel’ and all-round networking extraordinaire, Mandy Taylor.

Mandy graced the cover of our July edition, and throughout her interview, gave us and open and honest account of her life as a cancer survivor, her passion for charity and an overall love for life.

Mandy was due to celebrate her six year ‘cancer free’ anniversary in the month the magazine went to print, and jetted to Cyprus with her husband, Andrew, for a spot of rest and relaxation. Somewhat cruelly, while she was there, she discovered a tumour.

Mandy told me: “We went off to Cyprus and while I was away, Topic magazine came out. At the very same time, I found a new tumour in exactly the same place that the first one appeared. It was

exactly six years to the week.

In August, Mandy was again diagnosed with grade two mucinous breast cancer, necessitating a wide local excision, radiotherapy and a further operation that is in the pipeline.

transport she can find. But there’s only one requirement – drivers must be willing to take part in a good old sing-song and have it recorded on the journey.

Mandy said: “I’m extremely

“I’m already lucky enough to have some great vehicles lined up, including a wedding car and a fire engine, and I’d be thoroughly delighted if any other businesses would be generous enough to help transport me either to or from one of my sessions.”

Mandy plans to post all her #RadiotherapyRoadtrip videos online and we’ll be following her journey via the TopicUK magazine and website, too.

If you’d like to help Mandy by providing transport to or from one of her 15 sessions (and a sing-song), please contact her by emailing {email address}.

Kick cancer’s butt, Mandy – we’re right behind you!

However, determined to beat the ‘big C’ once more and raise awareness of the illness that takes the lives of more than 11,000 people a year in the UK, Mandy has now launched her very own campaign – the #RadiotherapyRoadtrip.

Mandy is rallying the support of businesses, friends and acquaintances from Kirklees, Calderdale and beyond to transport her to her 15 radiotherapy sessions at Saint James’Hospital in Leeds using the most unusual forms of

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MAR KE TI NG

U PDATE pause on your activity.

How can we gain consent?

Marketing in 2018

Again, the ICO, your marketing agency or legal team should be able to guide you through this process.

ByKatrina Cliffe Managing Director – KC Communications In the last issue of Topic, we discussed GDPR and its overall impact on businesses. In this issue, we look in more detail at how it will impact the way your organisation undertakes its marketing in 2018 and beyond.

As a business owner myself, I’m aware of the additional pressure this new legislation will have on businesses. Ensuring you are compliant is set to cause a lot of headaches and undoubtedly expense! Not being compliant, however, could cost a LOT more so it’s important to prioritise GDPR. What do I need to do first?

You need to appoint a Data Controller, someone who is going to lead on this project. This may be an existing member of staff or a newly appointed role.

Once appointed, they should pay a visit to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website (https://ico.org.uk/) and complete the “Getting Ready for GDPR” self-assessment. This generates a checklist of activities

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that need to be undertaken to become compliant.

Remember, this will provide an overview of what you need to undertake for all areas of GDPR – not just marketing!

How is GDPR going to affect my marketing activity?

I simply don’t have enough space in Topic to detail all the ways GDPR is going to affect marketing.

Basic steps required will, however, include updates to T&C’s, privacy policies, data capture forms (think double opt-in), the channels used to communicate and data storage and handling.

Therefore, if you don’t have an effective CRM system in place, now is probably the right time to do it!

Alongside this, marketing platforms such as MailChimp and hosting providers will be required to demonstrate GDPR compliance and advise how they store and handle yours or your clients’ data.

If they can't-do this, you may need to consider alternatives.

The ICO checklist will guide

businesses, but it’s important to be aware that’s it’s not just about the data you hold, but the data you share, which is going to become even more complex especially with marketing agency or third party software relationships.

Is there a difference between B2B and B2C marketing?

Yes, but overall the laws of GDPR will still apply. GDPR from a marketing perspective is being brought in to benefit and protect the consumer, and there are good reasons for it.

Whether you’re a B2B or a B2C marketer, getting to grips with GDPR best practice for marketers will have many rewards.

Ultimately though, there are four key pillars of consent • Control o The subject must be in control of what they are signing up for e.g. no preticked boxes on sign-up forms.

• Transparency o Consent must be informed what are they signing up to?

• Notification o How do they request information on data held or request removal?

• Verifiable o Can you prove you have consent?

Next steps The ICO has lots of useful information on How to Prepare for GDPR, or you could attend one of our upcoming training seminars where we provide an in-depth overview as to how to get your marketing prepared for GDPR.

In regards to marketing though, this is about the data you hold on customers / potential customers and more importantly if you can demonstrate that they have given informed consent to receive communications.

Unless you can prove consent it might be a good idea to put a

Visit www.kccomms.co.uk for more information.

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Ashley Jackson

launches new book inspired by painting memories

Holmfirth artist Ashley Jackson has launched a new book that defines his personal memories, emotions and atmosphere that he has captured in some of his most famous watercolour paintings.

The book, named The Yorkshire Artist; A Lifetime of Inspiration Captured in Watercolour’ conveys the atmospheric, unique and diverse landscapes of Yorkshire, with the artist working closely with the publishers to ensure as close a colour reproduction to the original paintings as possible.

Commenting on his new book, Ashley explained: “All artists paint what inspires them and what allows them to capture what they see with their eyes, hands and heart. We all have differing inspirations, mediums and connections with our subject,

and mine is the Yorkshire Moors.

“From the open moorland of Marsden Moor to the inhabited landscape of Whitby, this book brims with some of my best work, capturing the atmospheric skies and drama of the landscape.

“I have strived throughout

my life to witness and portray every mood swing of nature as she takes a stand against all that the elements throw at her, whether that be rain, wind, snow or fire.”

“Each painting is an intimate love letter related to the viewer in the same way a musician composes his manuscript to contain light and shade,

harmony, atmosphere, drama, passion, and emotion. Both are artists wearing their heart on their sleeve when they exhibit, for they are the music or the painting. The creative piece and the person cannot be separated.”

To celebrate the book’s launch, Ashley will be exhibiting a collection of some of the original paintings featured in the book at his gallery in Holmfirth.

He adds: “I hope that people will truly find myself and my ‘Yorkshire Mistress’, as I call the Yorkshire landscape, laid bare in these stunning paintings.”

The exhibition will be on view from October until the New Year and all books purchased from the gallery during the exhibition will be signed by Ashley and contain a small sketch.

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RESTAU R ANT

R E V I EW

Epicure Bar and Kitchen Huddersfield

By Alex Mason -Editor

Located directly opposite the main entrance to Huddersfield University on the ring road, you’d be forgiven for driving or walking past Epicure Bar and Kitchen without realising it was there.

Pass it though, and you’ll miss out on some of the best food the Kirklees dining scene has to offer.

Epicure was launched by owner Simon Frewin in earlier this year after a modern, edgy re-brand saw it change from what was

Coffee Kabin into a fantastic, contemporary new restaurant that has just made it into the Good Food Guide for 2018, sponsored by Waitrose.

We arrived on a Saturday evening at 7.30, where we were welcomed by front of house manager Alex.

The first item to impress is Epicure’s understated yet bangon-trend industrial-style décor, illuminated perfectly by low level lamps that create a really relaxed ambience that’s not at all formal, yet just enough to mark your visit as a special occasion.

We were shown upstairs to our candle-lit table among a throng of other diners already sat down, demonstrating the popularity of this restaurant relatively early on a Saturday night.

I ordered a gin cocktail with Tom ordering a glass of Sauvignon

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blanc, and both drinks arrived promptly. The gin cocktail was full of flavour (if a little dangerous as it was very easy to drink!).

The great thing about Epicure is the menu – a small collection of eclectic dishes that is changed frequently to make sure return diners can always try something new – and probably one of the reasons the Good Food Guide

was so impressed.

A choice of four starters included chickpea, coconut and chilli soup, chicken liver, smoked salmon with charred cucumber and horseradish and black pudding scotch egg.

Choices for our main course included sirloin steak with smoked potato and cabbage aioli, sea trout with samphire, braised

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expected from reading all the fantastic TripAdvisor reviews; excellent. The coconut soup was intensely flavoured with chilli but still the right side of hot (for me, anyway), and delicious croutons provided that little bit of crunch to add texture.

Tom’s scotch egg was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of black pudding so as not to be too overpowering, with the accompanying cabbage and berry pickle adding a great bit of zing and contrast.

We polished off every last mouthful and eagerly awaited our main course.

After about fifteen minutes, Alex arrived with our main courses.

Again, fantastic, contemporary presentation really made the dishes stand out on the plate and got our appetites going again.

The first bite of my sirloin steak was delicious (well, every bite was to be honest!), and it was cooked perfectly to medium-rare just like I’d asked.

The accompanying smoked potato was equally tasty; a bit like a hollowed-out potato skin filled with a rich, cheese and cauliflower aioli combo that complemented the meat perfectly. onion bubble and squeak and lamb loin with roast beetroot and garlic salt scratchings.

After a good 15 minutes of deliberation (how could we choose?), I chose the soup to start followed by the sirloin steak for my main course. Tom opted for the black pudding scotch egg and went for the lamb loin to follow. When our starters arrived, the taste was just as we’d

Tom’s lamb was again cooked to perfection and full of flavour, and was drizzled in a very tasty anchovy hollandaise that was a perfect match for the roast beetroot and crunchy garlic salt scratchings it came with.

Naturally, we had to try the chilli salt fries as a side, and can confirm that they are not to be missed.

Too full (unfortunately) on this occasion to try a dessert, we were brought a small piece of homemade chocolate brownie each to round off the meal; again another lovely touch that makes the service at Epicure stand out.

At the time of writing, Epicure

had upcoming themed food evenings including greek small plates and a local lamb weekend which I’m sure will have been another great opportunity for diners to sample the refined culinary skills that this brilliant bar and kitchen is so tastefully continuing to deliver.

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GOOD

FO O D

Janet and Simon Baker opened the doors to Gimbals Restaurant in 1995 with the aim of bringing simple but sumptuous,

The cooking at Gimbals is modern Recipe: Black cherry, macadamia, yet rustic using wild, organic, elderberry and port dressing. locally sourced ingredients as much as possible, which adds a Serves 4 Yorkshire earthiness to the fayre.

They create honest dishes, inspired by both classic and more unusual flavour combinations, brought together by the skills of their talented chefs. Janet has a flair for decor and her show stopping finds, such as an actual Blackpool illumination, help to create a seductively decadent restaurant atmosphere and a unique upstairs lounge area. Here one can enjoy artisan cocktails with friends, relax on a chesterfield with an aperitif or sink into a sofa with an after dinner coffee.

Whatever the occasion, Gimbals promises to create a truly special evening for you.

For those of you who would like to have a go at making the dish for yourself, we have listed the full recipe and all the ingredients you will need.

If you would like to book a table at Gimbals, visit the website www.gimbals.co.uk or call 01422 839329

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seasonal food to the quaint Yorkshire village of Sowerby Bridge, and that remains their passion today.

wild rocket and goats cheese salad,

Ingredients • 300g Herefordshire black cherries, pitted • 2 brioche fingers, sliced thinly widthways and toasted • 2 mini goat’s cheese logs, sliced • 1 small bag macadamias, roasted • 4 halves of sun-blushed dried tomatoes, drained and sliced • 1 bag washed wild rocket Dressing • 50ml virgin olive oil • 2 tablespoons best balsamic • 6 tablespoons port • 4 heads of ripe black elderberries pulled from the stem • 2 tablespoons golden caster sugar • 1 teaspoon smooth meaux mustard • Salt and pepper

Method Firstly, stew the elderberries with the port and sugar until the liquid thickens slightly.

Then cool and strain. Next, whisk in the balsamic, mustard and olive oil.

Place all the salad ingredients in a mixing bowl (except the goat’s cheese and brioche croutons) Toss together with the dressing (maybe not all the

dressing, see how it goes).

Arrange the salad into a serving bowl, adding the goat’s cheese and brioche croutons.

Tuck the cheese under some of the rocket so it doesn’t look too arranged.

Note: Elderberries are easily gathered and are very common, but only the berry should be used. We gather and freeze some

berries so we can make this dish at Christmas time.

Here at Gimbals HQ a menu is now being created using the wonders of early Autumn harvests from our fine Yorkshire county and a little beyond. Our Christmas menu will be created in the next couple of months; please email Info@gimbals.co.uk for booking and enquiries.

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C OM M E RCI A L

P ROP E RT Y

Investing in property Sir? It has been an interesting few weeks (seven weeks in fact) since Armageddon beckoned but as I write, it would seem the USA has finally declared war on North Korea; or so North Korea claims. But that, of course, is absurd. Well let’s hope so anyway.

Meantime, John McDonald has said the Labour Party must war game the scenario of them gaining power which he says may result in a run-on the pound.

Well that’s not encouraging John, but perhaps not far wrong. Hoping for the best and accounting for the worst case is something we all must do and in the game of property investment it is easy to see how easy it is to be drawn into areas where higher yields apply without proper assessment of risk – the “what if ” scenario.

to no interest coming from the bank deposit accounts, incomeproducing property is once again being considered by many investors.

The yield (the annual rate of return an investor gets on the capital invested) is often the starting point, but without a proper assessment of risk, (will the tenant go bust, and if he does will the property let again easily?) a purchaser will often experience ‘buyer’s remorse’ very quickly.

Yield/risk/return/weighted average unexpired lease term are a few examples of jargon used in property investment, but ones that are important to understand when considering certain property investment types. In the same way there are many ways we can spend our time from water skiing to singing in a choir or playing rugby to playing chess, there are just as many ways to invest capital and, with international uncertainty, concerns over Brexit and next

Many people in the market now are experienced investors who know what they are looking for, but there are new investors who see property as a good hedge against inflation. Generally, this is true over the long term, but those seeking to speculate rather than invest must accept the risk. Selling property is time consuming and expensive so having bought, the idea would be to hold for a time at least. The adage “if it looks too good to be true then it must be” is always,

without exception, or at least in my experience, true. If a yield is high then it is so for a reason.

When considering investing in property establish your criteria.

Think about what is important.

It might be security of income, preference for capital growth, higher risk, higher return or just a secure place to put capital. Do you use 100% cash or gear? In today’s market cash is definitely preferred. To get the best deals, use cash and thereafter by all means borrow against it to make cash available again for the next purchase, but always stick to the criteria you are comfortable with and avoid too high a gearing.

Hanson Chartered Surveyors was established in October 1989, by Mark Hanson BSc FRICS to service the needs of clients expecting direct and uncomplicated advice.

High gearing can quickly take you out of the decision-making process if the income drops or a tenant fails. Hard work over many years can dissolve overnight without proper care and attention. Property investments are not cash cows to be milked, they are businesses with tenants who are customers, and the best property investment companies have good relationships, wherever they can, with their customers. After all, happy customers pay rent and look after buildings - which is all one really wants.

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Northern Powerhouse vision must reflect the region’s digital ambitions

It’s been three years since former chancellor George Osborne first coined the phrase, and almost a year since the first strategy was unveiled in the autumn statement, but many people across the north are still asking the question “will the Northern Powerhouse movement work or is it all just smoke and mirrors?”

the fourth industrial revolution redefines traditional sectors such as manufacturing, engineering and business services.

average) and near unlimited bandwidth, unlocking business growth and skills, underpinning public services and smart infrastructure and driving inward investment. And when compared with the objectives of the Northern Powerhouse, the benefits of Gigabit City connectivity provide a perfect match and a much more affordable solution than new railway lines and roads.

Finally, it also sets the stage for a post-Brexit Northern Powerhouse that can compete with Europe where full-fibre has long been the standard. Inward investment from major industries and international firms will always be a coveted prize, so we must have the infrastructure, skills and ambition they need and expect.

Throwing Brexit into the mix has certainly not helped, but perhaps more would have been achieved by now if the focus was placed on the needs and demands of the future, rather than what might have benefited the region in the past.

Connectivity is rightly a central theme of the Northern Powerhouse strategy. However, much of the rhetoric to date has laboured on transport. While it’s undisputable that we will always need a fit-for-purpose cross country transport network, we must also consider the other forms of infrastructure that keep us connected and mobile. Put simply, the region’s digital highways are busting at the seams just as much, if not more than, its motorways and trains.

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This isn’t just about better internet speeds, mobile phone signal and 4 and 5G connectivity – this is about building the foundation required to deliver success for each of the Northern Powerhouse’s objectives.

And ggiven the well documented

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link between connectivity and prosperity as well as increased efficiency, productivity and competitiveness, this foundation has to be full-fibre.

Alternative infrastructure provider, CityFibre has been leading the charge on transforming the UK’s digital infra-structure and has been the driving force behind the creation of 42 Gigabit Cities in the UK, including Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Hull, Huddersfield, Wakefield and York.

For the uninitiated, Gigabit Cities are geographical communities that have active full-fibre digital networks underneath their streets, providing ultrafast internet speeds (50 to 100 times the national

For example, full-fibre infrastructure can help raise education and skills levels across the north by supporting new e-learning initiatives and the adoption of digital tools while helping young people gain the digital skills required by the modern work place. Similarly, it makes cities more attractive to new business start-ups, especially in the tech sector. The Northern Powerhouse region is in fact home to four of the UK’s 27 tech clusters (including the largest outside London), illustrating perfectly the changing g g face of the region g as

In the words of Councillor Graham Turner of Kirklees Council, speaking at a recent event: “a new technically advanced digital infrastructure is just as, if not more, important than a physical transport infrastructure when it comes to accelerating the growth of a business community.”

Ultimately, the Northern Powerhouse is about accel-erating growth – so let’s keep the vision alive and alight with full-fibre.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CITYFIBRE, OR TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN CONNECTING TO A GIGABIT CITY NETWORK NEAR YOU, VISIT: WWW.CITYFIBRE.COM

November 2017

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Kirklees & Calderdale

bramleys 27 BATH STREET, HUDDERSFIELD HD1 5BQ

633 HALIFAX ROAD, HIGHTOWN, LIVERSEDGE WF15 8HG

Industrial & Commercial Property Consultants

4/5 GREENSIDE, CLECKHEATON BD19 5AN

68 MARKET STREET, HECKMONDWIKE WF16 OHY

UNITS 13 & 14 SHAW PARK IND PARK, SILVER STREET, HUDDERSFIELD HD5 9AF

WHITEHALL MILLS, LEEDS ROAD, HUDDERSFIELD HD2 1YW

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

TO LET

FOR SALE

TO LET

TO LET

t Student Investment Property t Gross Rental Income £33,186 t Recently refurbished t 7 Bedroom fully let student accommodation t Situated by the Huddersfield Ring Road within walking distance of the university and Huddersfield train station t EPC Asset Ratings: Units 1, 3, 4, 5 & 6 – B Units 2 & 7 – C.

t Situated in a prominent main road position within 3 miles of Junction 26 of the M62 motorway network at Chain Bar t Furnished to a good specification t Suitable for redevelopment, subject to planning t EPC Asset Rating F

t Available as the entire building or smaller offices subject to the occupiers requirements t Accessible position in Cleckheaton town centre t Opposite the bus station and adjoining the Health Centre t Suitable for a variety of ancillary medical uses or office uses, subject to planning t EPC Asset Rating TBC

t ERV approx £30,000 t The property is situated within a busy town centre having a prominent frontage and on–site car parking to the rear t The availability of this property presents a rare opportunity to acquire town centre commercial premises for investment purposes with a prospect of occupying or redeveloping the ground floor t Freehold t EPC Asset Rating n/a Listed

t Single Storey Industrial/ Warehouse Unit with attached Offices t Available as a whole or in units t 702 sqm (7,500 sqft) t INCENTIVES AVAILABLE t 3 Phase electricity t Convenient and accessible position t EPC Asset Rating C

t Trade Counter/ Workshop Premises t 1243.65 sqm (13,387 sqft) t Strategically positioned along the A62 Leeds Road within 2 miles of Huddersfield town centre and 3 miles from Junction 25 of the M62 motorway network t Nearby occupiers include Screwfix, Arnold Clark, Uuro Car Parks and Enterprise Rent–a– Car t EPC Asset Rating F

14 St. George’s Square, Huddersfield HD1 1JF

01484 530361

Offices also at Mirfield, Heckmondwike, Elland and Halifax

commercial@bramleys1.co.uk bramleys.com/commercial

Join the SXUH ÀEUH revolution Businesses in Huddersfield have acces ss to some of the fastest internet speeds in the world thanks to CityFibre’s new pure fibre ne etwork.

Register your interest and supercharge e your business: Ultra-fast upload and download speeds: Speeds of 1000Mbps+ enables you to fully embrace next-generattio on cloud services. ess now with quick Future-proofed: Supports your busine and easy upgrades as your digital requirrements evolve. omplete Responsive and resilient: Provides co confidence that business critical service es run smoothly.

Register your interest at cityfibre.com/huddersfield

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