TopicUK January 2021 Issue

A C R O S S

Y O R K S H I R E

J A N U A R Y

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C O M P L I M E N T A R Y

No46

BI-MONTHLY

BUSINESS MAGAZINE

The Piece Hall an iconic treasure

Revealed £7m World leading innovation centre Two new hospitals for Leeds

The power of us We believe that when businesses work together, we can achieve amazing things. Together, we have that power; the power to change the status quo; the power to create a better future for your business, your employees and your customers.

Change rarely happens in isolation, but when businesses work together, anything is possible.

Just imagine what we could do together.

Integrated Marketing

fantasticmedia.co.uk

0113 246 4425

How we made sure that Covid didn’t steal Christmas in Halifax When we first starting hearing about the Corona Virus in early 2019, we never imagined it would have the impact it has had on all of our lives. Making the decision to cancel events like the annual Christmas Lights Switch On felt overly dramatic - surely it’ll be all over with by then - little did we know what a profound effect it would still be having on us all nearly a year later.

We’ve all heard far too many times that ‘Christmas will be cancelled’ and here in Halifax, we were adamant that that wouldn’t be the case. With businesses forced to close, it’s been incredible to witness the determination and resilience across our town centre.

Businesses have adapted to offer collection or delivery services, video shop tours via zoom and takeaway meals. Of course online shopping is always tempting, particularly in times such as these but the Halifax businesses really showed that it is still possible to Shop Local, support independent businesses and make sure more money goes into Halifax people’s pockets, then back into our local economy.

Christmas 2019 saw the launch of the Halifax Gift Card, and a year on, we’ve sold over £10,000 of cards, a great sign that people really do want to support local businesses. The Halifax Gift Card is accepted by over 80 businesses, ensuring that the recipient has plenty of choice and a good excuse to explore the quality and variety available in our town centre.

One part of Christmas in Halifax that we were able to deliver was our 12 Days of Christmas painted window trail, luckily our fabulous painter Jenny was able to complete all of the painting during October, so wasn’t effected by lockdown restrictions. It’s been so great to hear all of the positive comments, in a time when social media can be so negative, it’s wonderful to give people something positive to talk about.

In an attempt to look for the positive in what hasn’t been a great year, we’ve really embraced the opportunity to break away from the ‘norm’, look to what we can do and how we can support businesses as we move forward into 2021. All of the work we’ve done on support local will not just be for Christmas, we will keep working to encourage people to Discover Halifax in whatever way they possibly can.

discoverhalifax.co.uk

N E W S U P D AT E

This issue

Group Editor Gill Laidler

Design

This edition’s cover features the internationally recognised and Iconic The Piece Hall in Halifax. It is the only remaining intact survivor of Georgian northern cloth halls in the world. We caught up with chief executive officer Nicky Chance-Thompson DL and chair of trustees Roger Marsh OBE DL who shared their experience of working with this iconic building and sharing what its future holds.

Cover photo was taken in February 2020. All photo’s in this publication where social distance is not observed were taken before the pandemic.

Rob Blackwell

Business Executive Mandy Taylor

Associate editor Ed Asquith

Distribution Manager James Longbottom

Official Photographers

Roth Read Photography

Legal Matters

Ramsdens Solicitors Chadwick Lawrence

Food & Drink

Kevin Trickett MBE

Recruitment Stafflex

Cover : Nicky Chance-Thompson DL and chair of trustees Roger Marsh OBE DL Image : Roth Read Photography

Plans submitted for new Rugby Club

The Piece Hall an iconic treasure

page

Revealed £7m World leading innovation centre

page

Meridian opens at Nostell Estate

page

Two new hospitals for Leeds

Printed By: Charlesworth Press Wakefield

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page

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page

Information technology

Paul Heigham, Bellingham IT

08 16 24 28 50

Banking

Barclays Bank

Travel

Laura Bartlett

workplace innovation Tim Guest

To Partner TopicUK

Tel: 07711 539047

 editor@topicuk.co.uk

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 to this magazine 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. Law pages are written by Chadwick Lawrence & Ramsdens Solicitors LLP and TopicUK is not responsible for any advice given.

 editor@topicuk.co.uk

by group editor Gill Laidler

As I sit down to write this, I rejoice in the fact that 2020 is coming to a close and with the Covid vaccine being rolled out, there is some optimism for businesses in 2021.

OUR PARTNERS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Dakota Hotel Leeds Yorkshire sculpture park CONNECT YORKSHIRE Community Foundation Calderdale The Piece Hall BACKSTAGE ACADEMY Ramsdens Solicitors Chadwick Lawrence Bellingham IT KC Communications Wakefield College / Wakefield Council Ad:Venture CityFibre Eaton Smith Solicitors Stafflex Wakefield Theatre Scriba PR Kirklees College University of Law Avenue hq/Barclays Eagle Lab Yorkshire Payments Welcome to Yorkshire Contedia BeVic Town Hall Dental Fantastic Media WAKEFIELD HOSPICE Halifax Bid Beanie Media LEULY PPR HALSTON MARKETING WALKING WITH MY BEAR

It has been a difficult year for everyone, but I hope we have managed to step up to the mark by going the extra mile for all our partners with extra online presence and social media. TopicUK has continued to print, but with some restrictions beyond our control, so we decided for the first time to mail TopicUK to the managing directors and marketing directors of the top 500 Yorkshire businesses. Due to its success, this is something we have decided to continue with in 2021.

We will also continue to print with an antibacterial coating on the cover to help do our bit to ensure the safety of our readers.

This edition we have two features that will continue over coming editions.

Our partners Production Park are to build a new centre at their site in South Kirby and TopicUK will continue to follow their progress, bringing you updates on this exciting project dubbed Pinewood of the North.

We also cover the news that two new hospitals are to be built in Leeds, one for adults the other a children’s hospital. Work has now started and will continue until 2025 and we hope to cover news of this project through to completion.

At the end of November, we launched a new digital magazine, Yorkshire Businesswoman and we have been overwhelmed with the response.

The cover features Sinead Rocks, the managing director of Channel

4 as well as stories featuring many inspirational women from across the region. Do check it out at https:// yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk and drop us a line if you have any news or would like to feature. The next edition will be published at the end of January and features Dame Linda Pollard, chair of the NHS Trust in Leeds who has had an incredible career to date. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed and for the amazing feedback.

After many years and lots of problems it’s good to finally see plans for a new Stadium at Belle Vue for the Wakefield Wildcats, you can read the full story on page 8. We feature our partners The Piece Hall this edition. What an incredible place it is and I would urge anyone who has not yet visited to do so. We chatted with CEO Nicky Chance Thompson and chair of trustees Roger Marsh, read the full story on page 16.

This edition readers have the chance to win a bottle of Gin compliments of the Raisthorpe Estate. Check out how this exquisite Gin could be yours on page 70.

I would like to thank all our partners for their continued support during this difficult year and look forward to working with you during 2021.

Until then,

Contents & Comments

Editors notes

Gill

TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E

Law firm expands commercial team

Yorkshire law firm Gordons has expanded its commercial contracts team with the appointment of solicitor Lauren Wills-Dixon.

She joins the firm from the Leeds office of Addleshaw Goddard where she was an associate in the commercial team. The appointment marks a return to Gordons for Lauren who previously worked at the firm as a paralegal in 2016. Whilst at Addleshaw Goddard, Lauren spent six months seconded to the legal team at Asda.

Gordons is a retail specialist law firm with clients including AO, B&M, Freeman Grattan, Iceland Foods, Morrisons, Moss Bros, Oak Furniture Land and Wren Kitchens, so Lauren’s appointment complements the team’s expertise in the sector.

Commenting on her appointment,

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Lauren said: “I enjoyed my time at Gordons, so it is great to be back.

What sets the firm apart is the strength of its brand, the sense of togetherness of its people and Gordons’ ‘one firm’ mentality. This translates directly into the way they go about providing practical advice to their clients.”

did with Asda, I also spent time working in-house with one of the country’s major retailers, and I know just how invaluable that direct sector experience will prove to be.

“Our commercial contract work is up year-on-year despite us being in the middle of a global pandemic, which speaks to the quality of our client base and the trust they have placed in us in these difficult times.”

Celebrating an unofficial anniversary

Barclays business manager Ke i t h Wa d d i n g to n i s celebrating a 35 year career with Barclays, first joining on a Youth Training Scheme (YTS). Introduced in 1983, the scheme was an on-the-job training course for school leavers and was managed by the Manpower Services Commission.

Welcoming Lauren to the firm, partner and head of commercial, Andy Brian, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lauren back and to the commercial contracts team. She is a technically capable lawyer who will fit into the team well and get on with our clients.

“Although not officially recognised

by Barclays as my start date, because they don’t count the YTS

“Her retail sector experience is extremely relevant to us. As Lauren

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N E W S U P D AT E

Bellingham simplifies it for SME’s with new support package Bellingham IT, the Wakefield based technology solutions specialist, has launched a complete package of comprehensive IT assistance for SME’s across West and South Yorkshire.

Expertly designed to meet all IT requirements of a company, Bellingham’s new ‘BIT One’ product combines support, operations, security and continuity in one convenient, simple and easy to set up service.

An ideal solution for businesses outsourcing IT, BIT One includes access to a manned helpdesk, Office 365, a 50GB Outlook mailbox and Microsoft SharePoint in addition

to several other key features and applications.

Paul Heigham, Director at Bellingham IT, comments: “Running your own business means that you have to wear different hats as you look to manage all the functions within your company. Our ONE package means that you no longer need to worry about your IT, our experts simply take care of it all. This ensures you maximise your time on those areas within the business that you are best at and add the greatest value to.”

training, 28th October marked 35 years since I first stepped into a branch of Barclays and started my working life,” said Keith. “I was delighted to be recruited to full time staff on 13th August 1986. However, to me October 1985 is my true work anniversary.”

“Through the ONE package a business will be benefitting from proactive IT support 365 days a year, for less than a month’s average salary of an assistant. Compare this to the impact that two hours of downtime, a breach of security or losing six months’ worth of data would have on business operations and it really puts into perspective how important investing in your tech is.”

and potential clients this new launch means one set up fee; one monthly payment; one contact number; one year support contract and one less thing to worry about.”

“Ultimately, our goal is to simplify IT assistance because it should never be over complicated. For our existing

Paul continues: “To meet the needs of companies that handle sensitive data, such as accountants, legal or HR professionals, we made the decision to create a ONE Plus package. This product offers much higher levels of security and will align the client’s business to be cyber essentials certified, ensuring that it is fully compliant with all up to date policies and procedures.”

The experience of working there stood me in such good stead for my future career path,” he continued.

“It was a branch where I learned so much about the business. A move to my native Barnsley in the late eighties gave me an appetite for a customer advisor role and in particular serving business customers.

Priced at £50 (+VAT) per user per month, the BIT One package can be upgraded to ‘BIT One Plus’ for organisations that require additional layers of security.

At that time Keith had no real aspirations of working in a bank and probably didn’t see it as a long term career. However from day one he loved it. “I worked (and partied!) with some wonderful people during my time at my first branch, Sheffield High Street, who were instrumental in shaping my career path with Barclays.

“In 1993 I was delighted to be appointed Business Banker at Rotherham branch and there my business banking journey, that I still love and enjoy today, started.

Since those Rotherham days, spells at Hemsworth, Barnsley (again!) and Pontefract followed before I settled in the City of Wakefield.

Bellingham provide IT support for businesses throughout West and South Yorkshire, specialising in hardware, operating systems and application software.

“When I was appointed as full time staff, my first posting was to Sheffield Moor Branch, quickly followed by a move to Sheffield Fitzalan Square, the city’s flagship branch that was huge and employed more than 100 staff.

“It’s an area I thoroughly enjoy working in and I have much fondness for its people who I respect and value.

I hope I am still around on 13th August next year to celebrate my official anniversary and hopefully a few more years thereafter,” Keith concluded.

www.bellinghamit.co.uk/bitone Contact Paul Lockwood at plockwood@bellinghamit.co.uk TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E

The proposed development will generate significant socio-economic benefits...

Plans submitted for rugby club Major plans to redevelop Wakefield Trinity Rugby Club stadium, including the delivery of a new stand, a new pitch and upgraded floodlights, have been submitted to Wakefield Council.

The planning application for the project has been prepared

by Pegasus Group on behalf of Spirit of 1873 Ltd - who own the ground - and also includes new meeting rooms, offices, a café and community use fitness facilities.

Wakefield Trinity, who compete in the English Super League, bought the freehold of the Mobile Rocket Stadium, Belle Vue, in March last year.

The application proposes the replacement of the existing east stand with a 2 store y stand which, as well as providing 2,562

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seats, will include meeting rooms, offices, a café and fitness facilities for community use.

The proposals also include improvements to the car park, the provision of fan zones, the installation of an all-weather 4G pitch and an upgrade to the existing floodlights to the latest LED technology.

N E W S U P D AT E Chris Calvert, from Pegasus Group, said: “The proposed development will generate significant socioeconomic benefits during both the construction and operational phases of the scheme. During the build phase of the development, it will directly support temporary construction jobs on-site, and indirectly support jobs in the wider construction supply chain. “ H o w e v e r, i t i s d u r i n g t h e operational phase of the development proposal that the long-term socio-economic benefits arising from the scheme will be seen in the local the community. All sport, in this case at the elite level, has a significant role in retaining a sense of place and identity.

Wakefield Trinity continues to be an incredibly important part of the community and its history and the proposed development shall deepens that sense of place and identity further.

“Importantly, it promotes well-being, both physical as well as mental health and these proposals will bring about the ability for increased participation in physical activity, either by inspiring some to become more active having followed elite sport, or to simply to come and use the propose facilities that are proposed.”

The benefits generated by the scheme include: •

•

An estimated 100 on-site jobs supported during the construction phase, with a further 166 supported in the wider supply chain.

An estimated contribution to

•

•

economic output (gross value added) of £14milion by the construction phase.

Safeguarding 12 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs onsite, with an additional 2 permanent FTEs likely to be created once the Proposed Development is built and operational.

Providing new facilities, including a sports pitch and gym, that can be accessed by local residents.

A total of 147,508 additional annual community use visits are forecast, of which 138,568 are estimated to be involved in physical activity.

Increasing physical participation in Wakefield is a major issue, with inactivity costing the District an estimated £6.4million per annum.

Pegasus Group has more than 330 skilled and experienced staff operating from 16 offices across the UK and Ireland and services span the entire project process from planning through to design and delivery, specialising in planning, design, environment, economics and heritage.

TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E

Event Anywhere brings the best of live and online events together While the growing number of virtual events are more cost-effective, the main challenge to organisers is how to engage an audience online that is already suffering ‘Zoom fatigue’ from remote working.

Event Anywhere makes online events more personable and where many people are nervous about networking and speaking in public the newly developed platform allows attendees to submit questions to keynote speakers or panel discussions via video or text and view video profiles of people before they connect with them.

Sean Gilligan, founder of Event Anywhere, said: “The virus has turned the world upside down and events have moved online.

A unique new technology platform developed and funded in Yorkshire brings the personality and engagement of live events to those held online.

Event Anywhere can host a totally virtual event and combine a live and virtual audience for the post-pandemic world in which events will be attended both in-person and online.

Sean Gilligan Event Anywhere CEO

People go to events forcontent and connections...

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As well as offering the key features online of a live event including a main stage, seminar sessions and an exhibition hall, Event Anywhere delivers all the critical benefits of face-to-face events including networking, meetings and ‘watercooler chats’.

The platform has a unique ‘video roulette’ feature allowing random networking as well as enabling attendees to create

their own video, audio or text profile introduction.

Event Anywhere has been developed over the last four years by a Leedsbased education technology company Web Anywhere to enable its teams in Britain and the US to communicate more effectively and harmoniously Event Anywhere has been backed by Ventures Anywhere, a sister company of e-learning provider Webanywhere which has worked with international clients including Twitter, JetBlue, Motorola and Texas Instruments.

It is currently being trialled by public transport provider Stagecoach Group.

The downsides of live events are seen to be their cost in terms of money and time and that they offer limited opportunities for networking and making contacts.

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“The problem is online events lack personality - you don't get to connect in the same way as you would at a face-to-face event.

“People go to events for content and connections. Event Anywhere makes events online more personable and allows organisers to deliver events that are both face-to-face and virtual.

“Lots of people find networking daunting and so playing a person's p r o f i l e to b e t te r u n d e r s t a n d their personality and interests is really valuable.

“Our live stage allows you not just to post your questions as text but as voice notes and videos which can be played by the presenters. This gives fireside chats and group panel discussions greater authenticity. Instead of presenters reading out questions you get to hear the real person.”

Sponsored by

The award-winning public relations business specialising in B2B communications

Communications giant with eyes on £65m turnover announces acquisition trail

Company of the Month

Family-owned communication specialist The Baird Group has revealed a fresh identity and a completely new name, as the 158-year-old firm eyes a £20m rise in turnover, by the end of 2021.

What began as a single printing company in Belfast in 1862, the newly-entitled Bailie Group – now headquartered in Leeds – has forecast revenues of £45m in 2020, with plans to reach £65m turnover and £5m profit by the end of next year.

And passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation, the team has this week announced an acquisition hunt, which looks set to prove pivotal to this onward growth. Of particular

interest are organisations with cyber security, artificial intelligence, data consultancy, edtech, SaaS, creative communications or content creation specialisms.

The Group of age ncies and consultancies – which currently comprises CDS, CDS Defence & Security, Newspress and Loop – supports clients in a range of sectors, including government, defence, education, financial services, healthcare, housing and automotive. Typically delivering

projects which kee p people safer, help the UK transport system move more effectively, and better connect citizens with social services, for example, the goal is to strengthen the Group’s portfolio by acquiring further talent that can make a positive difference to UK society.

Fergus Bailie, CEO of Bailie Group, said: “We have naturally been cautious during COVID, as we’d be wrong to suggest we haven’t been affected. But we’ve always focused on the sustainable expansion of our organisation, so our position remains strong and our three-year plan on track.”

Free laptop or tablet for new students at Pioneer Higher Skills Centre To celebrate the opening of the new Pioneer Higher Skills Centre and support students’ studies, Kirklees College is offering a free laptop or tablet to new students enrolling on one of its courses at Pioneer Higher Skills Centre in January 2021.

The promotion applies to the first 100 new students aged 18 and over who enrol on either an Access or level 4 HNC course at Pioneer Higher Skills Centre. The laptop or tablet will be available once students have completed the first six weeks of their course.

The one-year courses starting in January include Access to HE in Art/Design, Business, Computing and Childhood Studies and also HNC courses in Art and Design (Art Practice, Fashion, Graphic Design and Photography), Business,

Computing and Early Childhood Education and Care.

This new incentive is part of the wider objectives of the centre to provide local people with the opportunity to gain qualifications, work skills and enhance their career prospects.

Dedicated to higher education and higher skills, the state-of-theart facility offers a wide range of vocational courses taught by industry experienced tutors to provide

students with hands-on experience in their chosen career path.

Philippa Firth, Assistant Principal for Adults and Higher Education, said: “We want to ensure that the Pioneer Higher Skills Centre makes higher education more accessible to people in the local community by offering degree level courses on their doorstep. This new promotion will allow us support

our new students in their studies and provide them with the opportunity to make informed and ambitious decisions about their future.”

For more information on how to enrol on one of our courses in January, please visit https:// www.kirkleescollege.ac.uk/ higher-skills/.

TopicUK January 2020

11

NNS EEPW W E CSSI AU ULPPFD DEAAATTTEEU R E

Businessman champions ethical and sustainable values ensuring producers only use grapes from vines that are 100% natural and not forced or modified in any way.

Wine lovers across the UK can now enjoy the aromatic flavours of exclusive fine wines without leaving their homes thanks to the launch of a new, ethical wine members club.

Producers also adopt the old fashioned, traditional methods of wine making, working perfectly in harmony with the surrounding areas.

And, in a bid to champion ethical and sustainable values in the wine production industry, Wines2U ensures its network of ethical growers benefit from up to 50 per cent of the price from each bottle of wine sold – something traditional resellers fail to guarantee.

Creating exclusive fine wine and dine experiences every month for its me mbe rs, Wines2U ensures those with a palette for luxury can continue to enjoy good food and drink in a socially responsible and ethical way.

David added: “Our suppliers are all good friends of ours.

We are happy to say that the vineyards that produce the wine are all vineyards which we have visited ourselves on numerous occasions.

Through a monthly subscription model, members benefit from a bottle of fine wine not available anywhere else on the market, and up to 30% off additional wines from the online shop.

What’s more, to really recreate that fine wine and dine experience, members also receive recipe cards for easy to cook yet tasty meat or vegetarian meals, matched perfectly with the wine of the month.

And those who need a little extra help with the cooking can gain exclusive access to a ‘How To’ video led by head chef tutor of The Cookery School at The Grand York, Andrew Dixon.

David Krushell, director and brainchild behind Wines2U said: “As an ethical business we want to reward our members

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for their loyalty even if they choose not to buy wine that month, that’s why we made our offering a little different.

“As part of our membership offering, we send out a carefully selected fine wine to members each month along with a tasty recipe to match – thus they get the real wine and dine experience!

“For me, it’s all about the experience our members and growers have, and that’s why we aim to be fair, always. “ We a r e p r o u d t o b e

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ethically minded toward our customers, across our business and our affiliates and this reflects in the experience our members get.”

Experienced business development manager David first came up with the idea of creating an ethical wine subscription service during lockdown when he recognized a major flaw in the way both members of wine clubs and resellers were treated.

The result? Unlike traditional wine resellers, Wines2u makes caring for the Earth a priority,  editor@topicuk.co.uk

“They are all places where we have been made to feel welcome and made to feel like a member of the family. That’s why it was imperative that we gave our friends and suppliers a great deal too.

“We give more back to them per bottle sold than any supermarket which allows them to remain sustainable, profitable, and able to continue to do the thing they love so dearly.

“This way, everyone enjoys, quite literally, the fruits of their labour together.”

Experts in:TECH FinTech, PlaceTech, MarTech, RegTech, YourTech.

Email: info@halston.marketing

GIVE THE GIFT OF WARMTH

Yorkshire

THIS WINTER

& take part in a treasure hunt at Yorkshire Sculpture Park We are offering the opportunity for teams of up to six friends or colleagues to help those suffering from fuel poverty and take part in a treasure hunt at the beautiful Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The event will take place on Thursday 25th February and tickets are only £25 per person. For more details, email: theresa.barrett@wakefieldcf.og.uk

Supported by

Business Woman  hello@yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk

 www. yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk  07711 539047

Community Foundation Wakefield District is a Registered charity in England & Wales, Charity no. 1121884

TopicUK January 2020

13

Keep up to date with the latest business news for the district WAKEFIELD FIRST RECOGNISE THAT LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE FACING A CHALLENGING AND UNCERTAIN TIME AS WE ALL CONSIDER THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19.

If you are a business in need Wakefield First can help you look towards the future through breaking down and unlocking Government initiatives to support you with your recovery. We can engage in conversation with local businesses with regards to to accessing new markets, securing finance into your business, innovating, reviewing your supply chain and providing you and your team with the skills to grow. For more info visit our website or contact info@wakefieldfirst.com.

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR KEY NEWS HIGHLIGHTS WE ARE CELEBRATING

T H E K I C K S TA RT S C H E M E The government is providing 100% funding to create job placements for 16-24 yr olds.

The placements are funded at National Minimum Wage for 25 hrs per week for up to 6 months.

Employers must register a minimum of 30 vacancies. For smaller employers unable to do this they can partner with a business representative.

Wakefield First have registered as a business representative to allow your business to access the scheme.

If you would like to register a vacancy or understand more please email kickstart@ wakefieldfirst.gov.uk or contact one of the deliver partners b y v i s i t i n g : h t t p : / / o w. l y / PbW150BMTu9

C O N S E R VATO R Y O U T L E T, WAKEFIELD SET TO INVEST HALF A MILLION POUNDS INTO THE E X PA N S I O N O F T H E B U S I N E S S .

Conservatory Outlet, which makes windows, doors, home extensions and conservatory products, has unveiled plans for a ÂŁ500k investment into its manufacturing capabilities.

The firm, which employs 174 people at its 60,000 sq f t factory in Wakefield, is looking to build on a period of growth

during lockdown in which it achieved over ÂŁ4m of sales.

With the new investment, a series of improvements will be completed in four stages and include a number of infrastructure enhancements and the addition of a new ACT Schirmer Cutting and Routing machine.

F o r m o re i n f o o n a l l t h i n g s b u s i n e s s i n W a k e f i e l d v i s i t : w w w. w a k e f i e l d f i r s t . c o m

N E W S U P D AT E that fine wine and dine experience, members also receive recipe cards for easy to cook yet tasty meat or vegetarian meals, m a tched pe rf ect ly with th e wine of the month.

And those who need a little extra help with the cooking can gain exclusive access to a ‘How To’ video led by head chef tutor of The Cookery School at The Grand York, Andrew Dixon.

Yorkshire Lean Meat and start-up wine business in collaborative deal Two of Yorkshire’s most ethical suppliers of fine wine and food have formed a partnership to deliver sustainably sourced, quality produce to homes across the UK. Ethical wine members club Wines2U and award-winning fresh meat and produce supplier Yorkshire Lean Meat teamed up in a bid to ensure diners can enjoy restaurant quality meals in their own home, in an ethical and sustainable way.

The partnership means food and drink lovers across the UK can now order fine wine and dine boxes comprising hand-butchered, traceable and locally reared meat along with fresh vegetables and other produce, complemented by an expertly chosen wine.

T h e n e w s c o m e s j u s t t h re e

weeks after Wines2u’s launch, demonstrating its commitment to p u t t i n g Yo r k s h i re f i r m l y on the map for ethical and sustainable business.

David Krushell, director and founder of Wines2U, said: “We are really excited to partner with Yorkshire Lean Meats, a company which shares our ethical beliefs and traditional ethos and which promotes the very highest standards of animal welfare and traceability.

“We were avid customers long before we became partners so we

literally got a taste for the business – and we love it! They share all our core beliefs about how food and drink should be produced and how growers and suppliers should be treated and properly rewarded all the way from field to fork.”

Creating exclusive fine wine and dine experiences every month for its members, Wines2U ensures those with a palette for luxury can continue to enjoy good food and drink in a socially responsible and ethical way.

Through a monthly subscription model, members benefit from a bottle of fine wine not available anywhere else on the market, and up to 30% off additional wines from the online shop.

What’s more, to really recreate

The new partnership means members and non-members can now get their hands on all the ingredients needed to recreate restaurant quality meals at home via speciality fine wine and dine boxes for 2 or 4 people.

Ian Roberton, managing director of Yorkshire Lean Meats, said: “It’s great to partner with David and Wines2U. As businesses we are in complete alignment and David selects the wines not just for their ethical standards but their quality and taste.

“Together we ensure that our products are the perfect match for a special dine-in experience that’s really affordable.”

Yorkshire Lean Meats, established in Tockwith, North Yorkshire, in 2015, pride themselves on the best cuts of the finest produce combined with the highest levels of animal welfare standards.

The animals are grass and corn-fed and can be traced back to the farm where they were reared – literally just up the road. The meat is packed straight away, not frozen, and is delivered to customers’ doors fresh.

Members of Wines2u can benefit from an exclusive 10% discount when buying directly from Yorkshire Lean Meats.

TopicUK January 2020

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C O V E R F E AT U R E

The Piece Hall

By Gill Laidler - Editor Ghost Publishing

The Piece Hall in Halifax is the only remaining Georgian cloth hall in the world. Cloth halls were vitally important for the hand-woven textiles trade to the pre-industrial economy of Yorkshire.

One of the most ambitious and prestigious buildings of its time, The Piece Hall, is an outstanding and iconic building, recognised both nationally and internationally.

As popular then as it is today, the building originally opened on 1 January 1779 at a cost of £12,000 to much fanfare and public ceremony.

Crowds gathered from Halifax and beyond and congregated around the Northgate which was ceremoniously opened with a silver key. A large firework display was arranged in the evening and celebrations then continued into the night.

The much-anticipated building boasted 315 separate traders’ rooms convening around an expansive central open courtyard that enabled confidentiality in transactions for the traders, with the purpose of depositing and exposing to sale the worsted and woollen goods manufactured in Halifax. It was felt at the time that by bringing merchants and buyers together in one place, it would create a more competitive and efficient market and discourage fraudsters.

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When it was initially built, The Piece Hall reflected the great wealth, pride and ambition of the cloth manufacturers. The architect behind the masterpiece has never been identified - though Thomas Bradley has been cited as the most likely, with others suggesting brothers Samuel & John Hope or John Carr.

Extravaganzas The industrial revolution then came and saw a shift away from small producers and traders, with new, larger mills in the Halifax area trading directly with merchants and exporters. Following this, the Victorians used the space for spectacles and extravaganzas including Blondin’s highwire walk across the Courtyard, hotair balloon displays and zoos with exotic creatures on display. After some years of decline, The Piece Hall was acquired from trustees in 1868 by the Halifax Corporation, who converted the building into a wholesale market, with some of the smaller rooms combined into larger shop units. Cellars were also created, and the South pedestrian

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gate was enlarged to allow vehicles to enter the courtyard.

As time went on, in 1971, the building became unsuitable for use as a wholesale market, so the businesses were dispersed into other areas of the town and, incredibly, even demolition was considered.

Fortunately, a decision was taken at Council (rumour has it by one vote) not to demolish the building and a grant was made available to The Halifax Corporation to partly restore the building, reopening in July 1976. Again, sadly the building then fell into disrepair and decline for some decades to follow.

Stunning After a successful application was made by Calderdale Council in 2010, The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded its first round of funding to transform the historic building, and so The Piece Hall closed its doors for transformational redevelopment in January 2014. The changes were profound. A three-story extension was added to the South East corner close to Square Chapel, and the courtyard was levelled to allow major events to take place. The traders’ rooms were repurposed into 21st century spaces to allow independent traders to move in and trade effectively, and more public facilities were added to the building. The newly transformed Piece Hall reopened on Yorkshire Day, 1 August 2017. An independent charitable trust, The Piece Hall Trust, was formed to operate the Piece Hall.

One of the benefits of setting up a separate trust is that it allows access to additional funding streams.

Today, the stunning 66,000 square foot open air courtyard combines the best of vibrant bars, exquisite restaurants, quirky cafes and diverse shops. Drawing in avid culture-seekers from across the region and further afield, the courtyard hosts an exciting

C O V E R F E AT U R E programme of year-round events including big-name concerts, unique theatrical performances, vibrant markets, exciting sporting events and seasonal attractions. As such, since its reopening, The Piece Hall has won numerous prestigious awards and is rightly celebrated as one of the most important buildings of its time.

The Trust’s plans were put on pause in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis with concerts postponed until 2021.

The Trust’s executive team worked hard to secure emergency funding and the Piece Hall re-opened in July 2020. Despite lower footfall since July, the Piece Hall has been seen as a safe environment to visit.

So who is behind the running of this iconic Yorkshire building? TopicUK editor Gill Laidler chatted with the iconic building’s chief executive Nicky Chance-Thompson DL and chair of trustees Roger Marsh OBE DL. Originally from the South, Nicky’s pathway to leadership began with early aspirations to be a fashion buyer or work in marketing. Her impressive career started with her first job as a Saturday girl

it’s definitely not ‘grim up north...’

at Selfridges, working on the Estee Lauder concession. “Estee Lauder taught me a lot about strong branding and customer service. The company wanted me to continue working for them in their Marketing Department after I had completed my education at the London Institute, but after TopicUK January 2020

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C O V E R F E AT U R E

undertaking work experience in advertising I decided that I wanted to pursue a career that enabled me to work across multiple exciting brands,” she explained.

models which were revolutionary in grocery retail terms. Those decisions reversed Tesco’s fortunes”

“I got my real taste of how to build amazing brands with worldleading advertising agency Lowe Howard-Spink. I turned up on my first day as a young girl hoping to work on a Chanel brand or something similar, but instead I was given quite a different sort of challenge, working on the Tesco brand,” she laughed. “Already a big but diminishing brand, the brief was to make Tesco the number one grocery retailer in the UK - at that time, this was Sainsbury’s.

Nicky’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed – and Tesco did go on to become the number one grocery retailer in the UK, which led to the Agency and Nicky personally winning a number of esteemed industry awards.

The task was epic and we did wonder how we were going to make it happen. I was fortunate enough to work with some of the best brains in the business and the approach was so innovative. The low cost grocery model was cannibalising the business and it was a race to the bottom. We recognised service and quality was a key factor in how people were wanting to shop. We launched the Tesco loyalty card, and the Tesco Metro and Express

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Winning

Building on her success, Nicky’s next role was at Zenith Media where she worked with the BT brand to help defend and protect their heritage market share from other telecom companies including Mercury. She additionally launched a variety of new chocolate brands with Pedigree Mars amongst other exciting brands.

As Nicky says ‘it was diverse to say the least’. She then went on to working on launching various Designer Shopping Outlets and helping clients build or repair brands. After a venture into the world of media and acquisition including building digital radio platforms, Nicky took a career turn into Government research and policy after being headhunted by a major international consultancy. During her 12-year career she worked on

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Fact File How do you spend your time away from the office?

Nicky: I love to visit the Yorkshire Coast Roger: Me too, Sandsend is a favourite.

Favourite Yorkshire destination?

Nicky: Robin Hoods Bay Roger: Sandsend.

What car do you drive?

Nicky: Mini Clubman Roger: Peugeot Favourite Holiday destination?

Nicky: Venice Roger: New York Favourite Food?

Nicky: Thai Roger: English / Italian Favourite television programme?

Nicky: Life on Earth Roger: House of Cards.

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various policy projects, delivered significant major infrastructure and regeneration projects across the world and Go ve rnme nt change programmes.

Leading Nicky North was her husband Marcus. “Marcus was born and bred in Halifax and our family have strong links with The Piece Hall. Marcus’ father had textile stalls in the Piece Hall markets” she explained, “and I can honestly say I fell in love with the building the moment I saw it. In fact, it was The Piece Hall’s potential that really confirmed to me that I wanted to remain here in Halifax.

I also learned that my family has strong ties to West Yorkshire as my ancestor Delius was from Bradford and our family had been big wool producers” Having seen how badly neglected the building was and learning that Calderdale Council intended to invest in its transformation, Nicky wondered if she could play a part in helping to regenerate this iconic and historic building. Nicky was invited to join The Piece Hall Trust as a Trustee and played a part in helping with some aspects of the building’s renewal.

Due to an unforeseen organisational crisis, Nicky was asked to become an interim CEO replacing the previous CEO. The building was just four short months from reopening and the race was on to get the building ready for that and to prepare the team to operate it. This decision turned Nicky’s life upside down “We were actually about to complete on a house we planned to renovate in France, and I had just secured a leadership role on a major national project I had just won for my company. But the draw of this fantastically unique building and the need to get this right for Halifax was too important. Marcus and I made the decision to stay in the North, and I had the immense privilege of taking on the role on a permanent basis. I saw The Piece Hall’s great potential – with ambitions to give it its rightful place in the nation’s and world conscience. It felt like everything I had done previously in my career led to this moment.

Extraordinary The building has subsequently won many awards, hosted world class events and acts such as the Tour de Yorkshire and the supergroup Elbow. The Antiques Road Show filmed two episodes at the site which was the first time the show had filmed within a historic building rather than on the grounds. It is featured in Historic England’s Top 10 /100 most important historic buildings and was voted the most iconic Yorkshire Building in a public vote during a competition run by Welcome to Yorkshire. In 2021 Nile Rodgers and Chic and the Kaiser Chiefs are amongst many big acts due to play at the Piece Hall.

As the major regeneration catalyst for the Borough a study and report compiled by Bradshaw demonstrated that the Piece Hall had contributed over £26m to the

local economy since its reopening in 2017 and continues to deliver an ongoing ‘extraordinary’ return on investment according to leading Treasury investment experts. The retail and dining experience within the building has been referred to as an ‘independent shopping mecca’ by the Yorkshire Post and the Trust’s work and business model is held up as ‘exemplar’ by Historic England.

9/10 people think it is the best thing about Halifax and is important for the Borough and the North.

For her work Nicky has received many awards including Yorkshire Businesswoman of the Year in 2019 and was made a Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire in the same year.

“I love the building so much, it’s in my DNA and my aim is to build on its proven popularity and make its amazing heritage, cultural, retail and entertainment offer world famous.

It is the only remaining Georgian Cloth Hall building in the world and that deserves to be showcased.

It will always belong to Halifax, but we also want to share it with the rest of the world.”

Standing side by side with Nicky, is the Trust’s Chair Roger Marsh OBE DL. Roger had a very successful career in finance, business recovery and insolvency in his Senior Partner role at PwC. As lead for the North, Roger was seconded to the Cabinet Office to help stabilise the nation’s finances, for which he received an OBE in 2015 for services to business and the economy. Now semi-retired, Roger is currently the Chair of the Leeds City Region LEP, Chair of NP11 (the 11 LEPs across the North), a member of the National Rail Review Expert Panel and is a member/ advisor of the Department for International Trade Advisory Group which is tasked to attract inward investment into the UK. Roger played a significant leadership role in a team which brought Burberry

and Channel 4 into Leeds. Roger was made a Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire in 2019.

Roger worked closely with Nicky during the crisis to help the Trust get back on track securing and stabilising funding and manage the Trust finances. Roger shares Nicky’s passion for the Piece Hall.

Important “We should be promoting and preserving our history. Towns like Halifax and Huddersfield really put the ‘great’ in Great Britain.

Places like The Piece Hall bring opportunities to the area; heritage plays an important role in the community. It’s therefore vital that we shout about our great places – for example, people should be aware that The Piece Hall has the country’s second highest footfall after the Tower of London,” he added proudly. “And for many people, they don’t know that the North in Victorian Britain was the most productive in the world.”

Roger Marsh left his home in Teesside to study at the University of Leeds in metallurgy, sponsored

by British Steel. He soon discovered that it was business that sparked his interest, so he decided to join PwC (then Price Waterhouse) and specialised in business recovery. “It was like being a financial doctor,” he explained, “and that was the beginning of my journey and I spent the next 30 years working in business recovery across the North of England. In fact, I was the first person in the UK to run a power station during insolvency, I felt that was a great personal achievement.”

Roger, who is married to Sally and has five daughters, whilst at PwC took up a secondment in the Cabinet Office as Director-General Strategic Finance and Operations for over two

C O V E R F E AT U R E years . “It was whilst I was working there that I started to think about the North - and the repurposing of great historic buildings such as The Piece Hall was a huge part of that.”

The first thing that Roger did when he joined the board at The Piece Hall was to take a look at the business plan with Nicky. “For me, it was about showcasing all that The Piece Hall has to offer - making it truly successful. An incredible twentytwo thousand people visited when the Antiques Roadshow came to the space, which for me really highlighted the wealth in the North - it’s definitely not ‘grim up north’,” he laughed. “We wanted to attract big names - and now we have reputable international artists like the Kaiser Chiefs and Nile Rogers & CHIC lined-up to perform as part of the 2021 ‘Live at The Piece Hall’ series- and the latter has already sold out. The Piece Hall has massive potential – why shouldn’t we think big and attract the likes of Bon Jovi for example?

“For the long-term, we had to find a way of becoming sustainable, but we always wanted to keep it free for our valued visitors. The building contributes an enormous amount to the economic and cultural wellbeing of Calderdale and it can be a shining beacon for The North.

“Capitalising on other great regional successes like Gentleman Jack, and through working with the local authority, we are determined to pull all of the great things in the region together and promote this great destination at an international level.

We opened our own restaurant, which has turned out to be the best decision and we also had an incredible Christmas period last year. We also have a huge list of businesses waiting to come into The Piece Hall – it’s an incredibly desirable location, and we know that there will be great things to come.”

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N E W S U P D AT E new workshops, classrooms and IT Councillor Peter McBride, Deputy suites, there is an extensive Learning Leader of the Council and Cabinet Resource Centre, community and Member for Regeneration commented: social spaces, hair and beauty salon, “It’s wonderful to see Pioneer House café and conference facilities. has been injected with new life. The The specialist centre offers a regeneration of this superb, historic wide range of full-time or part- building is just one element of our time vocational courses taught by Blueprint for Dewsbury, to honour industry experienced tutors in art the heritage and bring more activity and design, business, childhood to the town centre. studies, computing/ICT, counselling, hair and beauty, health and social The state-of-the-art facilities offered at the Pioneer Higher Skills Centre will care as well as teaching. attract staff and students into the heart Phillipa Firth, Assistant Principal for of Dewsbury, adding to the vibrancy Adults and Higher Education, said: of the area and boosting town centre Combined Authority (WYCA) and the LEP, supported by Kirklees “We are very excited to be delivering businesses too.

Council, The Heritage Lottery Fund our Higher Education programmes For more information about and The Dewsbury Townscape from the newly restored Pioneer the Pioneer House Skills Higher Skills Centre. We hope Centre, please visit www.

Heritage Initiative. that the centre will be a welcome kirkleescollege.ac.uk.

The Victorian Grade II Listed building addition to the local area and provide has been transformed into a state-of- learners with the opportunity to learn the-art facility as part of a £14million a new skill or start a new career at restoration project. In addition to the Kirklees College.”

Kirklees College is proud to announce the opening of the Pioneer Higher Skills Centre in Dewsbury, a new learning facility dedicated to higher skills and higher education.

The project has been part-funded through the Leeds City Region Growth Deal, delivered by the West Yorkshire

Love Art Love Nature Love YSP Pre-booking is essential – plan your visit ysp.org.uk

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG 1 mile from M1 J38

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Jaume Plensa, Wilsis, 2016. Photo © Jonty Wilde, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Registered charity 1067908

Kirklees College pioneering Higher Education inYorkshire

N E W S U P D AT E

More nominations were submitted for the Calderdale Community Spirit Awards than ever before and after the year we have had, it isn’t surprising.

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Steve Duncan, CEO of CFFC and judge explained, “This year has really made society appreciate the value of our sector and of volunteers plus we have seen so much kindness, it was important that we still held the awards, albeit online. It’s important to understand that these people don’t do the work they do for reward or recognition, they do it because it’s the right thing to do and they want to help.

This Awards evening has a special

place in so many people’s hearts as it gives us great privilege to showcase the phenomenal work that is happening in Calderdale and thank the people who do so much.”

“We lost four very special people who were close to the Community Foundation for Calderdale and it was lovely to be able to show a tribute before the awards.”Both the tribute and the awards are available to view on You Tube.

TopicUK January 2020

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N EE CWRSU IUTPMDE ANTT EU P D A T E R

How to manage your recruitment process efficiently candidates you want to interview before assessing and evaluating all of the applicants to identify those that meet the job criteria.

Adopting a consistent recruitment process for your business ensures that every candidate is treated the same and assessed in a fair evaluation that can be repeated across the business to find the best candidate for the position. Here are our tips to consider when creating an efficient hiring process: Write a clear job description A concise and clear job description is key for the candidate to get a full picture as to whether or not they can carry out the job.

This should include daily tasks, key duties and responsibilities, qualifications/experience, scope for progression, who the role reports to, required skillset/ qualifications, salary, company culture and employee benefits.

We suggest the ideal length of the description to be around 600 words in total.

Consider hiring internally in first instance When starting the hiring process it is important to look at what talent is already at your business.

If you are conducting regular

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reviews with your employees to discuss career goals then you will already have an idea of who may be suitable for the new position.

Hiring internally is a great way to retain top talent as well as showcasing your business as a place with opportunities for ambitious employees to move up the career ladder.

Use a selection of candidate sources If you don’t hire regularly then this may be challenging but the main takeaway is to advertise the vacancy in places where those particular candidates are looking.

It is also worth considering an external recruitment agency to manage the process on behalf of your business.

Examples include: • Job boards such as Indeed, CV Library, TotalJobs and Monster are great places to post your advert • Using LinkedIn to post jobs and also to search for potential candidates • Attending industry specific events and conferences to expand your contact base Communication is key Ensure that applicants are regularly updated about where they stand in the recruitment process. Candidates can easily be put off by slow replies as most likely they are applying for a number of jobs at any given time.

Good candidates are always in high demand and they will look elsewhere if the process is slow or unprofessional.

Shortlisting and interview stages Shortlisting is essentially the process of narrowing down a pool of applicants. Consider how many

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I f y o u ’ re s t r u g g l i n g to f i n d candidates that meet the criteria then this is a sign that either the advert was not seen by the right people or the expectations could be too high for the position.

The overall goal of the interview is to determine if the applicant is capable of carrying out the job responsibilities so it is important to obtain detailed answers by using open-ended questions such as how, what, when, etc.

Make sure to delve deep into their CV and dissect all the useful information asking them to clarify on certain points when needed and ask role-specific questions to evaluate candidates’ knowledge and experience.

Inducting new employees This is where many businesses become complacent as they think the hiring process is pretty much complete. However it is vital that your new employee begins on the front foot with an in-depth induction process to get them up to speed with their new job.

Allow new employees plenty of time to adapt and ensure correct training is pro vided from the outset so that company processes are consistent followed by all employees.

For further information, contact Nemi Alexis, Marketing Manager at Stafflex on 01484 351010 or at nemi@stafflex.co.uk.

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Details revealed for yorkshire’s £7m world-leading innovation centre for entertainment technology and production

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S P E CN IEAW L SF E UA P TDUAR TE

XPLOR is set to foster SME growth across the region, worth £30bn to the UK economy Production Park, the UK’s leading facility for the live events industry, has revealed details of a £7million research and development project on its Wakefield campus.

With construction well underway, XPLOR will become the UK’s first specialist innovation centre in the live events industry, on its completion in Autumn 2021.

The facility, a partnership between Production Park’s Backstage Academy, a higher education institution offering degrees and short courses for the creative industries and Wakefield Council, will be situated on the park in South Kirby, building on the site’s current provision for businesses working in the live events industry, spanning technology, creative spaces and higher education.

The team leading XPLOR believe the new centre of innovation will foster “disruptive growth” for SMEs within the industry who might have faced uncertainty due to Covid, and hope it will further invigorate the live events sector, estimated to be worth £30 billion to the UK’s economy.

The £7 million R&D centre, and its specialist equipment, will be used to deliver a support programme targeting SMEs across the live events industry, covering specialisms such as music, TV, film, sports, corporate events, theatre

Facilities for SMEs on site will include:

•

Large scale design/ prototype spaces suitable for testing, modelling and building both physical and virtual environments.

•

Multi-use space suitable for SME workshops, presentations and meetings.

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Workshop space equipped with specialist equipment in areas such as rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing.

•

Pre-visualisation suites where new products, stage sets and other large structures can be built and modelled virtually, together with systems control, prior to full manufacturing.

•

Design space where scenic artists and creative businesses can try new techniques including automation, augmented reality and virtual reality tools.

and arts, further bolstering the Park’s current offering.

Construction for XPLOR’s facilities launched this month with the demolition of the old building on the brownfield site, which was

attended by the Deputy Leader of Wakefield’s Council, Councillor Darren Byford.

Once complete, the site will incorporate a 2,520m2 specialist knowledge and innovation centre, offering a broad range of creative s p a c e s a n d s t a te - o f- t h e - a r t technology to SMEs, and wider supply chain industries. It will also serve as the research arm of Backstage Academy.

Running from 2019 until 2022, the project was made possible through grant funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and supported

by Cultural Development Fund (CDF), it will be headed up

by Development Director, Jim Farmery, previously of Creative England. The announcement also includes the appointment of Matt Glynn as Concept and Product Designer, Peter Nye, as Software and Controls Engineer and Ben Schweitzer as Digital Content Designer.

SMEs will be able to contact the team with their specific requirements, before the XPLOR team allocate an appropriate team member, who will work with the company to overcome challenges and barriers and facilitate growth through innovation. The core capabilities of the XPLOR team include concept & 3D product design, software & controls automation, prototyping, testing and digital content design.

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N E W S U P D AT E

Jim Farmery, XPLOR’s Development D irector, comments: “We’re incredibly excited about the launch of XPLOR, which has come at a vital time for our industry. Not only will it facilitate business growth in the region, but as a UK-first powerhouse for the events industry, it will also drive employment within the sector. XPLOR will also play a pivotal role in fostering disruptive growth of the industry’s SMEs, who might need support in taking their business to the next level or adapting to challenges posed by the impact of Covid.

“SMEs will approach us with a challenge, idea or product, and our team will work closely with them to cultivate the concept and bring it to fruition. We’ll be holding boutique mentoring sessions for SMEs keen for support, which will include face-to-face or virtual master classes, workshops, residential weekends, hack challenges and access to an e-learning platform.

It’s not only a really exciting project for Production Park, but for the wider UK live events sector, too.”

Cllr Denise Jeffery, Leader of Wakefield Council said: “This is fantastic news and a welcome boost for the creative and digital industries sector and for our district’s overall economy as we begin to recover from impact of COVID-19. We have amazing talent in our district and this investment will help to encourage growth and job opportunities in the live events and digital industries.

It also supports our ambition to foster the development of creative and digital industries and new job creation across our district.”

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(L to R) - Jim & Darren

“This investment also supports new business incubation and job creation capacity being brought forward in Wakefield city centre via the WX3 scheme.”

The launch of XPLOR coincides with the launch of 3 brand new postgraduate degrees by Backstage Academy designed to bolster the skillset of the sectors’ graduates entering the live events industry in a post-COVID world.

With audience habits evolving, the Academy has seen a rising demand for graduates who

can effectively move between different live events disciplines and demonstrate business acumen, in order to successfully navigate the post-COVID landscape as the sector recovers.

The new postgraduate degrees include: MA Innovation & Entrepreneurship for Live events – offering t he o ppo rt un i t y to de v el o p leadership, financial, and strategic skills along with the business acumen necessary to be creative innovators and entrepreneurs

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within the live events and related industries.

MA in Live Event Design – offering the opportunity to cultivate the creative and collaborative skills required for emerging live event designers.

MSc Creative Technologies for Live Events – equipping students with the technical, academic and professional skills necessary to be creative innovators and technologists.

To be eligible in support from XPLOR, your business must be:

N E W S U P D AT E

Senior hires for the XPLOR Development Pinewood of the North To support the new XPLOR Development four senior hires have been announced to lead the £7m research and development project.

SMEs will approach us with a challenge, idea or product, and our team will work closely with them to cultivate the concept and bring it to fruition...

•

An SME employing fewer than 250 people and with an annual turnover of under £50m

•

Based in the Leeds City Region – including Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York Trading in an eligible sector

•

Eligible SME owners interested in receiving the business support should complete an online registration form at www.xplor. one.For any further information, please call 01977 659 880.

Jim Farmery, development director will oversee the day-to-day running of the facility. His role will see him build awareness of the centre not only within the industry and the region but also across the UK. Jim will be supported by Matt Glynn, concept and product designer, Peter Nye, software controls e nginee r and Be n Schweitzer, digital content designer.

Jim said “XPLOR will not only facilitate business growth for SMEs in the region but will also represent a UK first powerhouse for the events industry, worth £30bn to the nations economy.

It’s something we’re all really

excited about and proud to play a part in delivering as a team.

“It will drive employment within the live events sector, which will be vital for the industry in what has undoubtedly been a difficult year and will play a pivotal role in fostering disruptive growth for the industry’s SMEs. “We’ve already seen a great number of businesses in our region having to quickly adapt and innovate, through necessity as a result of the current climate. Despite the uncertainties 2020 has thrown our way, I’m really confident audiences will be coming back with a vengeance to the live events sector in 2021.”

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The Meridian opens at the Nostell Estate The Nostell Estate is the perfect place for running a business. A short distance from Wakefield and Leeds and a stone’s throw from the M62 offering easy access to the whole of the country.

The location is inspiring.

Set amongst National Trust Yorkshire parkland alongside Nostell Priory a Palladian house that dates from 1733 built originally for the Winn family. The priory and its contents were given to the National Trust in 1953 by Rowland Winn, the 3rd Baron St Oswald.

Fast forward to today and we caught up with the current Baron The Lord Charles St Oswald DL who took over the running of the estate after the death of his uncle the 4th Baron.

Lord St Oswald is president and patron of a number of charities including Wakefield Hospice, The Royal British Legion, Chippendale Society, National Mining Museum as well as president of The Yorkshire Society. As well as the Nostell Estate, Lord St Oswald who is married with two grown up children, also farms the Appleby Estate in North Lincolnshire.

“We are very proud of the 50 businesses who have made their home here at Nostell over the years, six of whom joined this summer during lockdown, all of whom reside

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S P EN C IEAWL SF U EP AD TU RE AT in beautifully refurbished buildings or modern new builds across the estate,” he explained. “However, we are particularly proud of our new addition, our social hub The Meridian that is located in the rear walled garden.”

Opened in August 2020, The Meridian is the Nostell Estate’s social hub. The stunning meeting and event space is open to all tenants to enjoy, whether it’s to grab a sandwich at lunch, hold a private meeting, or networking with other businesses.

There are meeting rooms of various sizes that can be booked by residents and non-residents, a large chill out space and both hot and cold food can be ordered from the Happy Food Company and enjoyed in the informal indoor and outdoor seated areas. Currently hot breakfasts and lunches are available and served between 9am and 2pm. Catering is also available for meetings and events.

Te nants e njo y an exclusive discounts when they book the main event space or a private meeting room, acting as an extension to their office on the estate. It’s also the perfect setting to stretch your legs after lunch with a walk in the park and many tenants do this whilst walking their dogs, who are always welcome on site.

You might be wondering why the new space is called The Meridian? It was named in honour of the well known 18th century clockmaker John Harrison, who was born at Nostell, his family were joiners on the estate.

Himself a self-educated carpenter, John invented the marine chronomete r a sought-afte r device for solving the problem TopicUK January 2020

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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

of calculating longitude whilst at sea. “John Harrison’s solution revolutionised navigation and greatly increased the safety of long distance sea travel,” explained Lord St Oswald, “and we are proud that he was born here on the estate.

The Harrison name was always something we wanted to return to the estate and this new building was the perfect place.”

Peter Molyneux - Estate director

Also new to the estate this year is Peter Molyneux who joined in April just after lockdown as estate director. Peter brings with him a wealth of experience to help tenants and the wider business community during current challenges.

For the past ten years Peter was a partner at Armstrong Watson where he was responsible for the accounting, finance and business strategy for a broad range of clients.

“Peter’s expertise in strategic

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managment will play particular importance as he drives some of the estate’s large projects in the coming years,” added Lord St Oswald. “He will be based at Nostell three days a week, spending the rest of the week with me at East Newton in Helmsley.”

“I am thrilled to be part of the team at Nostell and over the coming months I am looking forward to ongoing development at The Meridian where we plan to offer hotdesking to non-tenants and when safe to do so, hold business and other networking events.”

Lincoln & Perrin from TopicUK's officially appointed agency Roth Read Photography, contine to share their advice with us:

Choosing the Right Photographer Saves Time and Money

Professional photography will certainly elevate your business especially when enhanced by creativity. Let’s face it, you have worked too hard on your business not to make a great impression.

With this in mind, we are sharing 7 essential questions you can ask any Photographer. These are designed to help you secure an exceptional photographer BEFORE you engage them. In this edition we reach the penultimate question “Do You Have Back Up Equipment?”

Do You have Back Up Equipment?

his/her client first, is loaded up like a Marine with spare kit.

A professional photographer invests in more than just a camera body and a lens . . . they invest in a whole range of equipment. Moreover, a photographer who is putting

Things Can Go Wrong Those moments when equipment breaks, batteries die, memory cards fail, and of course, accidents happen

SNP EE W C ISA LU PF D E AT E URE and time. How does that work then? Let’s offer you a couple of scenarios.

You are Prepared – Is your Photographer?

Herding your employees into the pre-arranged Headshot day is no easy task. Already time has been absorbed with the pre-shoot consultation, rearranging meetings, creating shooting space in your office, and arranging everyone’s timetable. Now the photographer is here, and his/her memory card has died . . . along with the Headshot day.

is bad enough. However, when they bring a shoot to a shuddering halt, that isn’t an accident – that’s neglect.

Eve n though we hold a combination of the same equipment in our cases, each of us has our own back up equipment. This means replace damaged or failing gear can be replaced in an instant and the shoot remains in full flow.

In real terms what does this mean for you as a business owner? The very thing every business owner wants to hear . . . savings in money

Worst still, what if there is only one chance to get right, such as an event. Money and time poured in marketing y o ur k n ock-ou t sp ecial occasion– not just for the day itself but for promotional purposes afterwards. The photographer is capturing it in all its glory until an over-zealous guest breaks the lens. Now you are relying on the images your guests have taken on their phones (we know of a similar case where this happened).

That’s enough of the scary stuff.

You should have complete faith that your photographer can quietly deal with any situation that arises.

Knowing he has back up equipme nt ce rtainly overcomes many of those.

Lincoln & Perrin Roth Read Photography www.rothreadphotography.com

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I T U P D AT E

For many organisations, using Information Technology is not an option but a businesscritical tool. It plays a vital role in how a company operates, engages w i t h c u s to m e r s a n d suppliers, and ultimately aids with the sale of products and services.

Despite recognising its importance, many individuals just starting out in business or who are on the very early stages of their enterprise journey, choose to operate without the basic foundations of support that keep IT up-to-date, safe and functioning to the very best of a system’s ability.

The need is often unnoticed, until the problems arise.

Most small businesses do not have the knowledge, time or experience to cover the entire IT spectrum.

What if something goes wrong and your client is dependent on you for meeting their deadline? The excuse of ‘the system went down’ is unacceptable.

So, what can start-up and scale-up businesses do to support the IT infrastructure; one that will add value and save time, enabling a company to focus on what is most important - to survive and thrive.

“Running a successful business in the digital age can be challenging enough without the extra burden of dealing with IT problems,” comments Paul Heigham from Bellingham IT. “Yet without support, many business owners find themselves knee-deep in IT issues rather than focusing on what’s important, which is driving their business forward.”

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IT support packages – not just for big business

By Paul Heigham - Director of Bellingham IT “Whether you are a one-person business, partnership, or an SME, IT should enhance how you work.

It should not take your time, incur unnecessary cost, or increase risk. So, for many, seeking out comprehensive, affordable IT support can be the answer.

“IT support is not just for big business, there are many options available to small organisations that require resilience, protection a nd p e a ce o f m i nd w i t ho ut breaking the piggy bank.” comments Paul.

But how can you source the best partner and package?

•

Ensure you get the complete package and that it covers support, operation, security and continuity.

•

Review what features and applications are protected and if you can obtain bespoke cover that is specific to the needs of the business.

“IT systems are the engine of your business. When rationalising

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investment in their maintenance and support, compare this to the impact that two hours of downtime, a breach of security or losing six months’ worth of data would have on business operations. Only then will it really put into perspective how important investing in your tech is,” concludes Paul.

All of your IT needs in ONE simple package ONE set-up fee ONE monthly payment ONE contact number ONE year contract ONE less thing to worry about

ADVERTORIAL complicated area and there’s little case law to rely on at this point. Plus most contractors wouldn’t want to sour the relationship with their client by trying to claim employee benefits. It is something to be aware of though.

What should you do?

Companies using contractors need to familiarise themselves with the IR35 regulations and make sure to use the CEST tool after April 2021.

There are some key features of contracts which make them more or less likely to fall within the regulations, so take expert advice.

Contractors working for clients need to ensure their status is accurately determined and be prepared to pay the extra tax

Changes ahead for companies and contractors After a last-minute stay of execution due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the controversial off-payroll working regulations, referred to as IR35, will come into force in the private sector from 6 April 2021.

The rules have applied in the public sector since April 2017 and are an attempt to stop companies and contractors reducing the tax they pay by employing people via limited companies rather than putting them on to the payroll. HMRC considers these people “disguised employees”.

What’s changing?

limited company or Personal Service Company (PSC) must be assessed using the online Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool, with the likely outcome that many more people will have to pay tax and National Insurance as if they are employees.

Prior to 6 April 2021 it will be the contractor’s responsibility to determine the status of the assignment.

Post 6 April it will be the client’s responsibility.

People and companies working for medium and large companies (as defined by HMRC) will fall within the legislation from April 2021.

What’s the impact?

This means that each contract given to a person working through a

If an assignment is deemed within IR35, the contractor’s company will

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If you need advice about IR35 or any other accountancy or tax matters, give one of the friendly Parsons team a call today on 01924 669500.

have to pay employee National Insurance and tax, which the client will deduct before paying any invoice. The client will also have to pay employer National Insurance contributions.

The 5% allowance for expenses which used to be deductable before calculating the salary payment will be removed, although there is still some scope around travel and subsistence expenses. Being within IR35 also creates additional costs for clients who would otherwise just pay an invoice and no extras such as NI. It also raises the question of whether the contractor is, in fact, an employee, and should be entitled to other benefits such as sick and holiday pay, and pension contributions. This is a hugely

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Ian Parsons is managing partner of Parsons Accountants in Wakefield.

for all your legal needs, call your local solicitors

Ramsdens

with 14 offices across Yorkshire, we’re never too far away

01484 821 500 www.ramsdens.co.uk

L E G A L M AT T E R S

Ramsdens Solicitors

A beautiful moment of former ballerina with Alzheimer’s, Mata C. Gonzalez, recognising the sound of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake has been shared by thousands of people across the globe.

T his ha s f u r the r ra is e d t h e importance of music to all those who have been affected by this year’s national lockdowns. It has also shown us that all is not lost for those who may have issues regarding mental capacity.

During the recent national lockdowns public awareness of the importance of putting in place Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) for both Property and Financial Affairs but increasingly importantly Health and Welfare has been raised.

In order to put in place an LPA, Donors must have mental capacity at the time of signing. They must therefore be able to understand, retain and use the information pertinent to their circumstances and to make and communicate their decision on the matter.

As a result, people with Alzheimer’s and other diseases such as severe

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Music of the mind dementia may often be considered not to have the relevant mental capacity to enter into an LPA. Fortunately, there are alternative measures which can be taken to allow decisions to be made on behalf of those who lack mental capacity. These include applying to the Court of Protection for a Deputyship Order.

Like Attorneys under an LPA, a Deputy is able to make decisions for a person who lacks capacity primarily in relation to property and financial affairs but also in respect of health and welfare.

A Deputy can be a family member, friend or professional and our expert Court of Protection team

can guide you through both the process of making the application to be appointed or by acting as a Court approved professional Deputy.

If you would like further information regarding Lasting Powers of Attorney and Deputyship Orders, then please contact our experienced Private Client team today.

Human rights of the elderly in care homes Amnesty International (UK) states that the sending of 25,000 elderly patients into care homes in England at the start of lockdown to clear NHS beds was a violation of their human rights, due to many not being tested for COVID-19.

Amnesty also raised concerns in respect of the significant delays in the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for care home workers, subsequently describing

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these government decisions as “inexplicable” and “disastrous”.

Amnesty are therefore demanding an immediate independent public inquiry.

L E G A L M AT T E R S

Ramsdens guide to a good divorce Divorce is often portrayed by the media as unpleasant, nasty and sour. However we believe that with the right advice, support and guidance, a ‘good divorce’, based on mutual cooperation, fairness and amicability, can be achieved.

Good Divorce Week is an annual campaign by Resolution which aims to promote practical and constructive ways for separating couples to deal with matters in a way that minimises conflict.

We’ve put together our steps to follow to achieve a good divorce as part of the Resolution Good Divorce Week 2020:-

Move beyond blame Last year, 49% of wives and 35% of husbands in heterosexual marriages cited unreasonable behavior as the reason for the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. Unreasonable behavior

Photo by Min An from Pexels

was also cited by 63% of female same-sex divorces and 70% of male ones. Even if you cite another fact (adultery, separation or desertion), it’s important to see past appointing blame. We are looking forward to the introduction of the no fault divorce bill, which will see couples being able to petition for divorce jointly, without the need to appoint blame.

Get emotional support It’s entirely normal for emotions to run high throughout the

Amnesty conducted a report based on interviews with relatives of older people who either died in care homes, or are currently residing there.

They also interviewed care home owners, staff, as well as legal and medical professionals. The report refers to there being a “number of poor decisions at both the national and local levels” leading to “serious negative consequences for the health and lives of older people in care homes”.

Recommends The report states that residents of care homes had their rights to life and non-discrimination violated during the pandemic. Residents were

divorce process which is why It’s important to have a strong support network around you. Being able to deal with your emotions means you will be in a better position to make sensible financial decisions and be amicable with your former spouse.

Seek legal advice early It’s important to know your options from the outset, including how the financial consequences of the marriage breakdown shall be dealt with and the arrangements

denied GP and hospital services, whilst care home managers reported pressures to accept patients discharged from hospital who had not been tested for COVID-19. The report found that between 2 March and 12 June, 28,186 “excess deaths” were recorded in care homes in England, a figure which Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, described as a “scandal of monumental proportions”.

The report also refers to concerns regarding “do not attempt resuscitation” orders being inappropriately adopting during the pandemic.

Amnesty acknowledges that the pandemic is not over and that “lessons must be learned;

for the children. Knowing your options means you can make informed decisions based on what’s best for your situation and circumstances.

To promote the benefits of seeking early legal advice, Resolution are encouraging lawyers, mediators and financial advisors across the country to offer a 30 minute free advice session. If you would like to book in for your 30 minute free telephone consultation with our family law team, please do not hesitate to contact us.

remedial action must be taken without delay to ensure that mistakes are not repeated”. The report therefore recommends the introduction of regular testing into care homes for residents, staff and visitors to “break the isolation” which causes damage to people’s physical and mental health.

Headed by Natalie Marrison, our experienced Abuse team are able to investigate into all failings within a care home environment. If you have a relative in a care home who you believe has been mistreated, denied access to services or failed in any way, please contact the team.

TopicUK January 2020

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Living with your Partner?

Some things to think about As a family lawyer, I often find that a lot of unmarried couples are not entirely sure what their rights are when they live together. Some believe that they accrue some rights over property whilst others firmly believe in the non-existent concept of the ‘commonlaw spouse’ and consider that they have exactly the same rights as a married couple in relation to property, income and pensions from the outset of their relationship.

L E G A L M AT T E R S indeed it could end up being shared with your former partner.

•

You need to consider whether you will open a joint account to manage this which obviously creates a degree of responsibility towards one another, particularly if there is an overdraft facility. Also – will you share equally all of the costs associated with your home or is one of you in a better financial position and as such will contribute more?

•

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

If you are unmarried and planning on living with your partner it’s really important that you think about your position before moving in together as this can go a long way to avoiding costly and stressful court proceedings should the relationship sadly end.

Here are some things to consider together: -

automatically on your death to the surviving owner: or Tenants in common – your share passes under a Will to a beneficiary of your choice or in the absence of a will to your next of kin who is not legally your partner.

How will you own your property?

•

Is one party paying a larger deposit for the property that the other?

Joint tenants – your interest passes

If so, you need to think about

•

protecting that with a Trust Deed as you will have no automatic right to recover this upon any future sale or the breakdown of the relationship and

How will you arrange your day to day finances?

Will you have a Cohabitation Agreement?

It is important that your intentions in respect of the above matters are properly recorded in case your relationship ends and there is a disagreement over what you intended. It is important to seek legal advice so that you are clear about your rights and what your position is. The agreement you reach can be incorporated into a ‘cohabitation’ or ‘living together’ agreement. This is a formal legal document which will record your intentions and set out what will happen to your property and any other assets held either solely or jointly if your relationship ends. Although you might not want to incur additional costs at the same time as a house purchase, the costs of such an agreement will be considerably less than the costs, both emotional and financial, that you will incur if there is a future dispute

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LNEEGWASL UMPADTATTEER S

Family Law & Alternative Dispute Resolution As recent reports suggest that it could take up to 3 years for certain family cases to be dealt with within the court system, many clients are asking what can be done to avoid delays and bring about a final agreement.

Like many other family lawyers, we’re suggesting to our clients that there is another way – Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

ADR includes mediation, private financial dispute resolution (Private FDR) and arbitration, all of which are non-court options for separating couples and which provide a route to a quicker, more cost effective and usually more amicable settlement than court cases. So which one is right for you?

Mediation A mediator facilitates the discussions about issues which arise from a couple’s separation so that joint decisions can be made without the intervention of the court. The mediator is a neutral individual, independent of both parties. Their role is to encourage effective, positive communication and explore the options available to resolve matters which are in dispute. Meditation is not relationship counselling. It is also not a form of legal representation therefore it is important that each person has their own advice alongside this process.

Discussions in mediation are ‘without prejudice’ which means that they are private to that process and cannot be referred to at a later

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Arbitration There are similarities between private FDR’s and arbitration in that the parties get to appoint their own expert Arbitrator who again, if usually a Barrister or retired Judge. However, there is one key difference here, the Arbitrator can make final binding decisions known as either an Award in financial disputes or a Determination in children matters.

In entering into this process the parties are accepting that decision to be final.

Photo by Vidal Balielo Jr. from Pexels

date if court proceedings become necessary. Neither is the agreement reached at mediation legally binding, this requires input from legal representatives.

Private FDR A ‘traditional’ FDR takes place within the court process after there has been full financial disclosure and usually an initial hearing to narrow the issues and address the need for any expert asset valuations.

The parties negotiate with some guidance from the Judge and if an agreement can’t be reached then a Final Hearing will go ahead at a later stage and a Judge will determine the outcome. This process tends to take many months.

In a private FDR scenario the parties appoint their own specialist in family finance matters, often a Barrister or retired Judge. This person acts as an impartial Judge in the case. Just like

in a traditional case the Judge will have all of the relevant information before meeting the parties and their legal representatives. The Judge will given an indication of how a court would decide the case, the aim being to help the parties negotiate a full settlement.

Unlike a traditional FDR the parties will need to fund the cost of the Judge as well as their own representation, however overall the cost of this option tends to be cheaper. Like with mediation, the Judge can’t make any decisions which are binding on the parties.

However, there are significant benefits in having your case dealt with quickly and in a way which is generally less intimidating that going to court. You get to decide the day, time and venue of the case as well as the Judge. Both parties must be willing to sign up to this process and be committed to reaching an agreement.

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As with private FDRs the parties m u s t s h a re t h e c o s t o f t h e Arbitrator as well as funding their own representatives. Arbitrations though can work out cheaper than court as the process should be quicker and can even be used to deal with a single outstanding issue when all other matters are agreed. The parties retain control over the timing of the case rather than being dictated to by the court.

There is also a huge advantage in being able to select the Arbitrator and knowing that you case will be dealt with by an expert in the relevant area.

It is important to understand that ADR will not be right in every case for a variety of reasons. However, litigation is costly, stressful and takes time. Separating couples should seriously consider using ADR where possible so that they can retain a degree of control over the situation which is usually lost within court proceedings where the case management and timetabling is dictated to them.

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N E W S U P D AT E whether they pay SDLT on the full market value or just on the value of the share they have purchased.

The current holiday on residential transactions means savings of up to £15,000 on each property costing £500,000 or more, which has helped move the property market into full swing following the end of the summer lockdown according to reported figures. The full saving is also available for those buying property in addition to their primary residence, whether for holiday use or buy to let, although they continue to pay the standard 3% surcharge applied for second and subsequent property purchases.

Property booms as home and overseas buyers rush to beat deadline

By Chris Brierley - Head of Residential Property at Eaton Smith Solicitors

Property buyers are fighting off the pandemic to catch a new home before stamp duty goes back to its normal rate. For overseas buyers the race is even more important, as the rate will carry an additional surcharge for them from April.

As part of the range of measures to provide economic support through the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government introduced a temporary holiday for stamp duty land tax (SDLT) on the first £500,000 of purchases, but this will come to an end on 31 March 2021, when it will revert to the standard rates.The current holiday for SDLT is driving house sales and those joining the rush are likely to be from overseas, whether UK expats or foreign nationals, who wish to avoid the impending increase for foreign buyers from April 2021.

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A new rate will be introduced from that time for any purchasers based overseas, who will have to pay an extra 2% on top for any purchases.

Until now, residence has not been a factor in calculating SDLT , but this new surcharge for non-UK resident buyers of residential property has been introduced as part of moves by Government to manage the pressure on house prices brought about by foreign investors.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is payable in England on residential

property transactions where the market value is more than £125,000, with a tiered scale related to the purchase price, and with different rules if you’re a first time buyer, or buying an additional home or a buyto-let, or through a company.

The standard rules provide a complete exemption from stamp duty for qualifying first-time buyers where the full market value of the property they are buying is £300,000 or less, and a reduced bill when the full market value is between £300,001 and £500,000.

There is also the chance to benefit when a property is being purchased under an approved shared ownership scheme, as buyers can choose

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Said property law expert Chris Brierley, Partner at Eaton Smith said, “Any buyer who completes on a purchase before April 2021 is going to benefit, whether they are buying their main home, a second or buy to let property, or from overseas, and it means the next six months will be crucial not just for home buyers in the UK, but for overseas investors and expats looking to buy UK residential property. For those considering a property purchase, the 31st March cut-off date for completions means the closer we get to that date the more likely we are to see log-jams in the conveyancing process, whether for land searches with local authorities, or mortgage applications with lenders, as everyone rushes to complete and services struggle to keep up with demand, so it’s worth getting some advice early on to see how much can be put in place while you do your property search.”

LEG L SM A NA EW U TP TDEART SE which is balanced and allows for personal-work/study-me time.

Blended learning our new normal?

After almost six months of lockdown, on 14 September 2020, The University of Law, Leeds campus, once again opened its doors to both returning and new students.

It was not alone. At the same time, around 80,000 students were returning to higher education institutions across the city of Leeds and were able to recommence their face-to-face studies which had been abruptly halted back in March, with all learning moved online.

have to self-isolate or am ill and miss class? Will I be able to make friends on my course?

However, the return of students also coincided with a rise in COVID-19 infection rates across the region and country as a whole which, ultimately, led to the imposition of a second lockdown in England, commencing on 5 November 2020.

“It was very important for us to give our students as much visibility and certainty as possible. As such we made a very simple pledge to our students; we committed to giving each student the choice to start their course face to face or online and the option to swap from one mode to the other at any time. We felt it was imperative that students had that choice and flexibility. For many, starting the course after a period of social isolation was something extremely positive to look forward to.”

So, in light of the ever-changing landscape, what does the academic year 20/21 look like for students and how can they ensure they get the best out of their studies in these unprecedented times?

Learning alongside Covid-19 All students that started university this September faced a huge amount of uncertainty in the months leading up to the start of term. In March, when the country was first placed into lockdown, all universities moved to online learning with differing degrees of success. Even as restrictions started to be relaxed over the summer months, it was clear that university education this year was not going to reflect the experience that students typically enjoy.

The key questions for any students were - Will my course be delivered entirely online? What happens if I

Matthew Tomlinson, Dean of ULaw’s Leeds and Sheffield campuses comments:

Students that have returned to study this year have undoubtedly had to adjust to a Covid-safe campus.

Thermographic scanning on entry, social distancing measures, obligatory wearing of face coverings, tutors delivering wearing visors, one way systems, to name but a few of the extensive measures institutions have adopted to ensure safe delivery of face to face teaching. But how has this impacted the learning of students?

Jennifer Brooke, ULaw Academic Manager says:

“There is no denying that the experience is different, but what is

• Be kind to yourself and others.

apparent is that students value the opportunity to pursue their learning in a face-to-face setting and to have the opportunity to engage with other students. Beyond the academic delivery, there is huge wellbeing benefits to students continuing their learning in this way, and this has been clearly recognised by the government’s decision to keep universities open in this latest lockdown.”

ULaw’s top tips for turning stress into success and challenges into opportunity!

Razwana Sharif, Student Welfare Officer at ULaw Leeds campus

is acutely aware of the challenges facing students at this difficult time.

Her advice is to turn stress into success and challenges into opportunity: “It is important to accept change and learn to adapt. The key is for happiness, health and success to work together.

You can strive for success but why not thrive and carry yourself alongside this.

Motivation, confidence/self-belief and manageability lead towards resilience and bouncing back in the face of adversity.”

Top 5 tips to manage in the new normal:

• Start with small steps, short term goals towards the bigger picture.

• Lead with positive affirmations, staying active and building something new or rewarding into each day.

What next?

As England begins a second national lockdown, the message for universities during this period could not be clearer.

Michelle Donelan MP, Minister of State for Universities, has confirmed that universities should remain open and that education must be prioritised. The importance of faceto-face teaching from a mental health and wellbeing perspective has been acknowledged and the message from Government is that they expect on campus teaching to continue.

At the University of Law we remain committed to providing face-toface teaching to our students in a COVID-secure environment.

This coupled with our streamed offering will ensure that our students continue to receive the excellent standard of teaching that is expected of us and will be best equipped to enter the workplace and face whatever challenges lie ahead.

• Stay connected with family, friends, peers and support services to prevent isolation.

• Create a routine for structure, TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E

Jonathan heads to Alaska We are proud to partner with author, adventurer, qualified mindset specialist, Mental Health and Wellbeing specialist in the workplace, and founder of Walking With My Bear, Jonathan Kattenberg.

Jonathan has always been fascinated with the workings of the mind, body and spirit and how deeply engrained beliefs, can lead to life-long struggles with human performance in both personal and business, anxiety, confidence, self-sabotage and more.

Over the years he has supported private clients to overcome these struggles, leading by example through his own approach to mindset, to achieve what many wouldn’t even consider.

His next challenge in February 2021 is an unsupported 1,000-mile trek through the Yukon and Alaska in

temperatures that plummet below minus 40-50 degrees, whilst pulling his expedition sled.

At Walking With My Bear, Jonathan has created and evolved several mindset techniques which empower his clients to discover their own ways to control their mind, which he refers to as their “Bear”. Introducing what he feels is an AI program that, if practiced and applied, analyses and learns to dissect and neutralise unwanted thoughts, actions and feelings, whilst installing new ways of being.

Author of a workbook called ‘How

to Build on Tectonic Plates’, which we’ll be hearing more about over time, he is also, a contributory author for Non-Epileptic Seizures in Our experience: Accounts of Healthcare Professionals.

We look forward to Jonathan’s insights into his unique mindset techniques and sharing his journey with us over the next few months with some exciting thoughtprovoking insightful articles.

S T A R T U P S T O R I E S – F R O M NAEDW: SV EUNPTDUARTEE really important and it meant I could still take part in the programme.”

Despite the coronavirus lockdown putting the business into what Jo sees as a temporary ‘hibernation’, and delaying some of her plans, she has seen her turnover double in the last year. The number of visitors to her site has increased to 150,000 a month and she is getting plenty of enquiries for 2021.

HOW DID ALL OF THIS HELP? “The organisation of the events, face to face or online, has been really good. The events are well managed and always start on time, and the content is very practical and useful.

Overall, they have been absolutely brilliant. The quality of the presenters is really high and the content is very thought-provoking” said Jo

Kiddie Holidays ABOUT THE COMPANY The idea for Kiddieholidays had first come to Jo in 2011 when she tried to book a holiday for herself, her husband and their first child.

“It just got me thinking that there must be thousands of families in the same position who can’t afford a luxury place that works for them.

They might just want to go camping or glamping or stay in a cottage, and it can be so hard to find somewhere” In September 2019, when Jo turned 40, she decided to take the plunge and leave her job to work on the website full-time. She works with a team of freelance copywriters to create the content and is paid commission for recommendations from the website.

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES Jo wants to help families from all backgrounds, as other sites tend

Kiddieholidays was set up by mum-of-two Jo Addison, after she struggled to find holiday accommodation appropriate for a baby. The website lists accommodation and activities in the UK and Europe suitable for families with pre-school children. to focus on the luxury end of the market.

In order to be the go-to website for families, it needed a new look with added functionality, such as a booking capability, and improved search engine optimisation (SEO).

Having never run a business before, Jo also needed advice on business basics. She wanted to understand her finances, legal requirements and was keen develop her soft skills, giving her more confidence when dealing with clients and preparing for pitches.

RESULTS Jo has received support from AD:VENTURE with SEO for the new website and has attended numerous workshops and seminars.

To help her develop her website effectively, AD:VENTURE’s specialist SEO advisor worked directly with Jo to help her research and manage her key word research. The support enabled Jo to access tools and resources to create and implement her strategy that as a small business, would normally be difficult to afford.

She also completed the Northern Max 3 programme, a specialist business support programme for digital and technology firms in the Leeds/Bradford area.

Jo says “Like the other courses and content, this was brilliant. It was a really challenging time with childcare and limited availability but the team recorded all the sessions so I was able to access the learning in a way that suited me. The flexibility was

“The help with the SEO has been really useful and it has made me focus on what I am actually offering.

And what is noticeable is that all the advisers go the extra mile for you to really help.

“I plan to focus on the UK market over the next 12 months, working on the staycation industry, and once we see restrictions easing I will build on this with the European holiday market. It’s definitely a challenging time, but also an exciting one and I am so glad I took the plunge and stuck with my plans! I will continue working with AD:VENTURE as I build on my business, and it feels great knowing there is someone there if I need any help.”

To find out if AD:VENTURE can help your business to start or grow, visit www.ad-venture.org.uk

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N E W S U P D AT E

Direct-to-consumer sales to give Yorkshire manufacturing industry £1.9bn boost by 2023 Direct-to-consumer sales worth £10.9bn for Yorkshire manufacturing in 2020, and set to grow to £12.9bn in 2023 •

Sixty percent of consumers in Yorkshire now choosing to buy direct from manufacturers

•

Eighty-five million packages will be sent direct-to-consumer by UK manufacturers this year as logistics companies also benefit

•

New Barclays Corporate Banking research gives cause for optimism after a tough 2020: average manufacturer earnings have fallen by 20% this year, and headcount by 19%

A boom in manufacturers selling direct-to-consumer (D2C) will provide a £1.9bn boost to the Yorkshire industry’s coffers by 2023, research from Barclays Corporate Banking reveals today.

The new report – ‘A direct approach’ – combines polling1 of manufacturers, logistics firms and consumers with detailed economic modelling2 to assess the impact of D2C sales, where traditional channels of distribution such as retailers and wholesalers are bypassed. The results show that a surge in Yorkshire shoppers going direct will mean sales through this channel total £12.9bn in 2023 – an increase from £10.9bn this year.

The growth is being driven by consumer choices exacerbated by

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the pandemic. With nearly two thirds (60%) of the people from Yorkshire surveyed said they now frequently go direct to manufacturers because they believe they will get a better price (43%) and better service (15%).

In addition, nearly a third (32%) of consumers are buying direct as a conscious decision to support the UK manufacturing sector. The most frequently purchased through the ‘direct approach’ are clothes (44%), electronics (33%) and food and drink (24%) – as well as larger items such as household appliances (19%) and furniture (21%).

Encouragingly for manufacturers, consumers’ newly-formed habits show no signs of abating even after the pandemic, with half (50%) saying they will continue to shop online as much as they do now, and 16% predicting they’ll turn to e-commerce even more often. Shoppers in Yorkshire expect 31% of their home deliveries to come via D2C in 2023, rising from 23% in 2020.

These trends have seen 10% of manufacturers in Yorkshire setup a D2C channel this year – each

investing an average of £329,000 to do so – while 16% have seen an increase in D2C sales. However, despite the growing prominence of direct sales, the vast majority (96%) of manufacturers also continue to work with wholesalers and retailers.

The move to D2C means that many manufacturing firms in Yorkshire are creating jobs: 44% of those introducing direct channels this year have recruited new staff across areas such as customer service. In fact, there could be as many as 12,000 new job roles in Yorkshire supported

by D2C sales across the next three years: rising from 66,300 in 2020 to 78,300 in 2023. This is positive news for an industry where, on average, each company has lost 20% of its revenue and 19% of its headcount across 2020.

The logistics sector is also benefiting from the move to D2C. Barclays estimates that around 85 million parcels and packages will be delivered to UK households this year thanks to D2C sales from manufacturers, and that this will rise by around 30% to 110 million in 2023. In fact, logistics firms

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predict that D2C contracts will account for 50% of their annual revenue in three years’ time, compared to 39% this year. To accommodate this growth, 45% are leasing more vehicles, 42% are employing more staff and 28% are taking on more real estate.

Lee Collinson, Head of Manufacturing, Transport and Logistics at Barclays Corporate Banking, said: “2020 has been a turbulent year for all industries, and the manufacturing sector is no different. However, the increasing demand to procure goods direct from the companies that make them is providing growth opportunities and confidence for manufacturers of all sizes. D2C sales will help manufacturing firms increase their earnings and protect and create jobs in the next three years: that’s a welcome shot in the arm not only for the industry, but also for the wider UK economy.”

Other notable, nationwide findings from the report include: •

The food and drink manufacturing sector will be the biggest beneficiary of D2C growth in the next three years, adding around £5.7bn of revenue and creating 27,300 new jobs

•

Growth in D2C sales could be accompanied by a surge in sustainable deliveries, as 23% of consumers now say that this has an influence on their purchasing decisions

•

More than a quarte r of manufacturers are already using electric vehicles to deliver packages to consumers as part of their overall fleet

•

Meanwhile, over two fifths (42%) of manufacturing firms say that, while they don’t currently use electric vehicles, they have plans to introduce them.

I N V E S T I N WA K E F I E L D V I A W W W. WA K E F I E L D F I R S T. C O M Wakefield is great for business! It is one of the UK’s most accessible cities making it a key location nationally due to its fantastic infrastructure connections in the form of motorways and railway links linking East to West and North to South.

Wakefield is a catalyst for growth and is home to household names such as Haribo, Coco-Cola with a strong representation across different sectors such as Manufacturing, Professional services and Creative and Digital.

HOW WAKEFIELD FIRST CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS

Michelle Hick, Inward Investment Officer mhick@wakefield.gov.uk

Nick Jenkin, Key Accounts Officer njenkin@wakefield.gov.uk

Our dedicated Inward Investment team, made up of Michelle & Nick, are dedicated to helping you and your business grow in Wakefield. The team proactively encourage and assist in investment and promotion of the district as one of the UK’s more business-friendly location and can help you with: •

Targeted & tailored property searches to meet your business needs

•

Support with access to relevant funding streams through our range of partners

•

Coordinate meetings with key partners including planning, transport & highways

•

Provide a single point of contact for all investment enquiries, including national & district specific data

•

Identify business development opportunities to help you grow WAKEFIELD FIRST, THE FIRST POINT OF CALL FOR YOUR BUSINESS FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OR CONTACT www.wakefieldfirst.com - info@wakefieldfirst.com

N E W S U P D AT E

Entrepreneur joins board of directors Grant Nicholson, founder and CEO of Planet-U Energy based in Yorkshire, has been appointed to the board of directors at Hortor, the global strategic resourcing expert, with 150 employees, operating across nine countries worldwide.

Making a significant investment into the organisation, the award-winning entrepreneur will become a shareholder at the company, bringing his knowledge from business, along with personal interests in renewable energy and sustainable solutions.

Front of house ready for January launch

Founding Planet-U Energy in 2018, and now being one of the fastest-growing renewable energy companies in the UK, Grant has the credentials needed to support the strategy for growth at the business.

Huddersfield-based luxury business centre, Empire House, has appointed a front of house manager in readiness for its January launch.

Martha Feeley-Isaksen has joined the company to provide an impeccable se rvice to clie nts, e ncompassing reception facilities, bar management and events coordination.

Following a £150,000 renovation project, Empire House will boast one of the most luxurious business lounges in West Yorkshire, open to full-time tenants and members. With a bar and state-of-theart conferencing facilities, it is a space aimed at business owners who want to provide the ultimate buying experience for respective customers. A number of tenants have already moved in ahead of an official launch in early 2021, with just four offices remaining.

Founder Amy Byram, said there has also been huge interest in memberships. “This

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provides access to a beautiful space where people can really impress clients and work from day-to-day,” she said. “Initially, we weren’t sure how the pandemic would impact the business, because the way of working that we have been accustomed to is going through a transformation.

“Often, the foundation for business growth is largely based on perception. Companies recognise that the buying experience, therefore, needs to remain as enjoyable and effortless as possible – even if they are currently reducing the footprint of their operation.

“Social interaction is a core human need and the workplace plays a key role in learning and development, so whilst working from home will rise, there is still space for offices in the working landscape.”

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Recent winner of the IoD Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Yorkshire and North East) 2020, Grant comments: “As a recognised business leader with a successful track record, I feel that I have the knowledge and experience that is needed to support Hortor as it works towards becoming a £100m turnover business.

“With the drive and determination that is needed, I firmly believe that we can meet and exceed these targets, even when times are tough. Taking adversity and using it to our advantage, I am looking forward to joining the board and making things happen.”

The investment in Hortor will be used to enhance the company’s market leading digital and tech infrastructure, while also extending the portfolio of business services it offers to cover the re-newable energy sector.

Joint CEO of Hortor, Andy Roe, comments: “We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Grant to the business.

We have big plans for the year ahead and know that with his added input we can take the steps to make our ambitions a reality. This is really positive news for Hortor and means that we can end 2020 in a strong position, while embarking into 2021 with a solid infrastructure and the model we need to deliver real business success.”

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HERITAGE TRADE CULTURE Discover Britain’s only surviving cloth hall carefully reimagined as a home for events, shopping, dining & heritage altogether inside one spectacular building.

The Piece Hall, Halifax, HX1 1RE thepiecehall.co.uk 01422 525217 The Piece Hall is a registered charity number 1156948

Supported by

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

Two new hospitals to be built in Leeds If you’ve taken a walk up Calverley Street in Leeds recently, you might have seen a large digger demolishing some of the older buildings at Leeds General Infirmary.

The works are the first stage of a five-year project launched by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to design and build two new hospitals for patients from Leeds and Yorkshire.

The first will be a state-of-the-art hospital for adult healthcare and

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the second a brand-new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital.

Called Hospitals of the Future, the project is part of the Trust’s ambitious vision to transform patient care. It’s an exciting opportunity to design hospitals that are based on patient need: modern, comfortable environments where they will receive the most advanced treatments

and care supported by the latest technologies, research and innovation.

The project is one of six to be given a share of £2.7 billion funding in the first wave of the Government’s Health Infrastructure Plan (HIP), a national programme of healthcare investment that includes capital to build new hospitals, modernise primary care estate and fund new diagnostics and technology.

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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

‘The visuals accompanying this feature are early concepts. The Trust is tendering for architects and design teams to work on the project and the final design solution.

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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E The new hospitals will be completed in 2025, and will open for patient care shortly afterwards.

Transforming healthcare Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest and busiest acute hospital trusts in the UK, providing world-class healthcare for patients in Leeds and the wider region. It is known for its expertise in specialist areas that include neurosciences and major trauma, cardiac care, cancer, transplantation and children’s health services.

The new hospitals will be built on the site of the Old Nurses’ Home and some of the oldest buildings at Leeds General Infirmary. Many of these have lain empty for years as they are no longer fit for modern healthcare. Those with listed status will be transformed back to their former glory as part of the vision for Leeds Innovation District.

For the Trust, new, purpose-built hospitals will pave the way for modern, efficient health services.

The Trust is already a pioneer in new ways of caring for patients.

Breakthroughs in research, groundbreaking new treatments and the growth of digital technologies mean there are more options in patient care than ever before.

Early concept visual only

really exciting times for healthcare.

Digital technologies and innovation are revolutionising how and where patient care is delivered.

“By designing bespoke hospital facilities that harness the potential of digital and technological advances, our staff will be able to deliver safe, responsive healthcare for our patients in the way that is best for them, whether that means a stay in hospital, day case treatment or care closer to home.”

Brand-new facilities for efficient care The Trust has ambitions for its new hospitals to set the standard for healthcare design in the UK. It aims to make them the most digitally-advanced and smart hospitals in the country, to lead on sustainability and carbon reduction and promote best construction practice.

Julian Hartley, Chief Executive at the Trust explains: “These are

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It also wants to become the first UK acute hospital trust in the Government’s HIP Programme to be accredited to the WELL Building Standard. This is an international method of building design that

enhances health and wellbeing, for example by promoting natural light, or good air quality.

Both hospitals will be designed to work as efficiently as possible, with digital technologies built-in to support the Trust’s clinicians to provide care that is tailored to patients’ needs.

In the new adults’ hospital, for example, a central outpatients hub will bring together outpatient services currently scattered across the Leeds General Infirmary site.

It will mean patients and staff no longer having to walk sometimes long distances between clinics.

their surgery and go home on the same day. This means that only patients who need inpatient care will have a hospital stay.

The new hospital will have more critical care facilities, so that it can expand its specialist services for those patients across the region who need highly specialist care.

The new children’s hospital will be a fantastic development for the Trust’s youngest patients.

Leeds Children’s Hospital is currently housed in Clarendon Wing at Leeds General Infirmary sharing some space with adult health services.

Digital technology will play an important role in outpatients and across the new hospitals, for example allowing clinicians to offer remote consultations and followups where appropriate.

A brand-new, purpose-built Leeds Children’s Hospital will have its own building and identity and be designed specifically to meet the needs of children, young people and their families - a first for Leeds.

It will also improve patients’ experience in other ways. These include offering digital apps to help with navigation around the hospital facilities.

Involving patients and staff

Brand-new day case theatres will mean that more patients can have

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The Trust has been keen to seek the views of patients and staff throughout the development of the new hospitals, as Chief Executive Julian Hartley explains: “It’s vital that these new hospitals

are centred around the real needs of our patients, and support our clinicians and staff to offer the very best care.

from across Leeds and Yorkshire took part, and you can see their artwork on the hoardings around the building site.

“We are committed to listening to our patients and staff so that the design of the new hospitals works for them.”

Young patient Violet Grace, 7, who was the winner of the under 8’s section of the competition, has very clear design ideas for the new children’s hospital, based on her own experience. “The most important thing is to have lots of outside space, and balconies so people in isolation rooms can have fresh air too,” she said.

From surveys to drop-ins, and meetings and virtual Zoom events, the Trust has already used a variety of methods to ensure patients’ voices are heard, including some that are more creative.

This summer, it launched an arts competition – Daring Designers – encouraging children and young people to share their ideas for the design of the new Leeds Children’s Hospital. More than 130 children

“I would like signs made out of pictures from children’s books so we can find where to go easily.

On wards where you share a room, we could have moving walls instead

of curtains, so that it is quieter and more private.”

In the next few months, the Trust will continue to listen to patients, carers and staff as the more detailed design of the hospitals begins to take shape.

The wider project The wider hospital development project also includes the development of a new specialist pathology laboratory on the St James’s University Hospital site.

Many of the Leeds pathology services are currently housed in outdated accommodation in the Old Medical School at Leeds General Infirmary. The new facility, which will be part of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate pathology network benefitting patients and staff across the region, and will allow the Trust to bring pathology services together in a purpose-built laboratory incorporating advanced equipment and technology for fast, accurate specialist testing.

Supporting an Innovation District for Leeds

Rebecca - 8 to 12 Daring Designers

Maja - Daring Designers under 8

While the needs of patients are at the heart of the Hospitals of the Future project, it will also have far-reaching implications for the city of Leeds and region as a whole.

Trust Chair Dame Linda Pollard DBE DL Hon LLD, is particularly keen to stress the wider benefits of the development. “Hospitals of the Future is an exceptional project. It will not only deliver state of the art hospital facilities for our patients and staff but has the potential to make a significant impact on the future economic growth and development of Leeds city and the region,” she said.

“When it is completed, the Trust

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E has the potential to release five hectares of wider estate at the Leeds General Infirmary for development to support the vision for an Innovation District in Leeds.”

A strategic partnership between the Trust, the Leeds Universities and Leeds City Council, the Innovation District will create a world-class hub focussed on healthcare talent, industry partnerships, research and training.

It will have the potential to deliver £3.3 billion Gross Value Added benefits* and an additional 3,500 jobs for Leeds and across the region. * According to initial green book economic impact assessment These are exciting times for Hospitals of the Future – the biggest hospital development project in Leeds for a generation.

With demolition now under way and expected to continue for most of next year, and building work due to start in 2022, the journey towards having the new hospitals completed in 2025 has now begun.

TopicUK will be publishing regular updates between now and 2025 so readers can see how this project progresses.

We also were delighted to catch up with Trust Chair Dame Linda Pollard DBE DL Hon LLD and will feature her in the next edition of Yorkshire Businesswoman due out later this month.

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N E W S U P D AT E

Queen’s Award for marketing agency A well-respected Yorkshire-based innovation marketing agency has been presented with an award for international trade on behalf of the Queen.

ThinkOTB was chosen to receive the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade for its outstanding sales growth in overseas markets.

The Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire Ed Ande rson, the Queen’s representative in the county, presented the award at the agency’s offices in Leeds, in December.

The Queen’s Awards are now in their 54th year and the agency’s success means it will be able to display the coveted Queen’s Awards emblem for the next five years.

entered - and won - an award for international trade.

honour for international trade, the impact is a local one too.

and Africa (CEMEA), the Asian Pacific and the USA.

T h e a g e n c y, r e n o w n e d f o r innovation and creative and marketing excellence, is growing quickly. It saw export sales rise by a staggering 560%, taking export sales from 22% to 52% of its overall business in just three years.

“Not only is it the most prestigious of business awards, but we were also the only marketing agency to win it. That’s the beauty of seeing things from a different perspective - it makes you stand out for the right reasons.”

“The profile of the agency, its aims and ethos, have been lifted and our voluntary activities and our work with local communities have benefited as a result.”

Managing partner Jo Waddington said: “Export has grown to be the biggest part of our business. We export our services into the financial services sector overseas in regions such as CEMEA, Asia Pacific and the US.

It is a rare achievement for a marketing agency to win such an award and chairman Mark Davies said: “We are proud and honoured that our hard work has been recognised in such a way.

Mark says that since the award was announced in April it has created new opportunities for the agency and will help enhance the reputation of Leeds as a centre of excellence in marketing and communications.

“Most agencies just enter creative awards. ThinkOTB thinks differently and gets results. We

He added: “Winning the award has given us more opportunities and opened more doors. Although a UK

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Established in 1988, ThinkOTB was one of the first marketing agencies in Leeds to offer innovation marketing to clients.

A team of creatives, focus on innovation and support blue chip clients and SMEs across the globe.

The agency’s main overseas markets are in Ireland, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East

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“ We d e l i v e r s t r a te g i e s a n d communications tools that help our clients engage confidently with their customers and increase the take up of their new products. We have become experts in successfully managing overseas work.”There will be a Royal Reception at Buckingham Palace in 2021 but no date has yet been confirmed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

SPECIALIST DEGREES & SHORT COURSES FOR THE LIVE EVENTS INDUSTRY. Based on Production Park near Wakefield, Backstage Academy is a specialist higher education and professional training provider focused on the live events industry.

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TH E SY OURPKDSAHTI R N EW EE COA ST

Kate, enterprising faerie queen ...

The designer with a green message

Kate supports the idea that mycelium, a fungi-based product, could replace foam packaging, and she is drawn to the land-based culture of the ancient Celts.

She is based in the underground vaults of the 18th Scarborough Market where her premises are packed with her suncatchers, posters, cards, faerie creations, bespoke jewellery, crystals, tote bags - and a mini-waterfall where the sound of running water fills the self-styled grotto.

Her art and design business, The Ivy Cavern and gift shop continues online during covid curbs.

“When I started painting faerie art in 2004, I chose the old spelling of ‘fairy,’ originating in France because I wanted to paint not your typical fairies such as the Disneytype, as lovely as those are.

“I always felt something was missing from these depictions; sweetness and light is not the full story of the faerie.”

Scarborough designer Kate Monkman is reaching an international market with her distinctive artwork of goddesses, faeries and spirit trees.

Kate’s interest in the natural world and forgotten links with nature has also led her to creating her first book.

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She believes that nature and t he cul t ure o f C elts h ave a relevance to today.

“Whatever your beliefs, there does seem to be more to the woodland realm than meets the eye. I believe everything is alive and has an essence or spirit and is what tries to connect with us if we allow it.

T H E Y O R KNSEHWI RS EUCPO DAASTTE

Faerie article Deer Medicine, one of Kate’s illustrations

“The old stories of the Celtic tradition and the images seep into your bones. It’s become a big influence on my work, helping me create pieces such as Deer Medicine, Cerridwen’s Spell and Path Weaver - which are all directly inspired by the mythology of the area.”

“Most of my ideas come to me when I’m out walking in nature and a lot of what I paint comes from my feelings and dreams.”

Her work is bought internationally through the online folk-based Esty store - and is bought by New Yorkers, and customers in Salem in Massachusetts and California.

She also has buyers in Australia and in Germany, where folklore is still strong, said Kate.

Maple, the lead character in Kate’s book about nature saving the planet

“Half of my orders go to America per month and they particularly like Mother’s Day calendars, Christmas gifts and I get Hallowe’en orders such as bat brooches.”

I just like the idea of a fantasy world escapism, meditative and peaceful...

Kate, who is in her early 40s, is also inspired by the 1920s Cicely Mary Barker flower fairies.

She is putting the finishing touches to a children’s book which promotes mycelium – a fungus that can replace plastic-foam packaging and could be part of a green agenda to help deal with current ecological problems, waste and landfill.

Entitled ‘Maple and the Crystal Cavern,’ the manuscript with her own unique illustrations, is a magical adventure about natural light, mushrooms and the ‘wood wide web’. She is looking for a publisher.

“I was already aware that fungal mycelium, can be naturally recycled.

Could fungi even decompose plastic? I’m really excited about the possibilities of mycelium, but I’m by no way an expert.”

Her suncatchers feature magical creatures such as dragonflies, moths, butterflies, bats, oak, maple and ivy leaves and fairy wings.

The Ivy Cavern is an example of a venture that is supporting the community, is part of the Coast & Vale Community Action’s Social Enterprise scheme.

“I just like the idea of a fantasy world … escapism, meditative and peaceful.

The natural world, tree roots and old English folklore can take you out of the stress of the world and have relevance today, I feel,” says Kate.

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TNHEEW YS OURPKD SH I REE C O A S T AT

New global reach of prestige festival

Invitation to businesses to take part in 40th anniversary

By Christopher Glynn - Artistic Director of the Ryedale Festival

The 7 Elias Quartet

Rachel Podger - Image: Theresa Pewal

As the Ryedale Festival enters its 40th anniversary, we are inviting 40 business partners as headline sponsors of one event each in 2021.

Anna Lapwood - Image: Nick Rutter

There are few events in the country with the stunning reputation of the Ryedale Festival, a finalist in the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards.

There are performances in magnificent and historic settings throughout Ryedale including

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Castle Howard – and Scarborough venues such as the ornate St Martin’s Church have also played host.

Most of all, we want to start a conversation with commercial partners about how Yorkshire can spearhead a win-win relationship between business and the arts that is the envy of the rest of the country.

Live music in beautiful Ryedale locations has become a rite of summer in North Yorkshire over those four decades.

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Thanks to an inspiring array of venues (from Castle Howard to an ancient moorland chapel) and a dedicated band of supporters and sponsors, the festival has grown to the point where it sells around 10,000 tickets for 60 live events every year.

But in the summer of 2020, of course, we sold none.

The pandemic arrived just as we were about to open the box office and the decisions to cancel our planned spring and summer festivals were inevitable, though taken with a heavy heart.

T H E Y O R KNSEHWI RS EUCPO DAASTTE

Tamsin Waley-Cohen - Image: Patrick Allen

and inspiring audiences in small local venues as well as the glitzy halls of capital cities.

Our wider hope must be that this can be a moment for renewal for the arts, as well as a moment of pain.

In those early lockdown days, we questioned how could the festival bring some joy and solace into the lives of music-lovers?

What could we do to support freelance performers? Were there any silver linings to be found?

Our answer – to all three – was a new digital platform called RyeStream, which we created to share a week-long online festival.

Opening with a piano recital

by Isata Kanneh-Mason, topflight musicians performed one concert every day in three of our most beautiful Ryedale venues.

We filmed and live-streamed the performances to armchairs far and wide. The content was available for several weeks and free-to-view. We simply asked that viewers made a d on ati on a f te r wa tc h i ng – and they responded with overwhelming generosity.

There were plenty of discoveries from our journey online …

Ryedale Festival audience - Matthew Johnson

• Geography and venue capacity: our festival – and others like it – can share its music with the world without detracting from the intimacy of the live experience. An audience in Pickering Church can be joined by someone in Pickering High Street – or, just as easily, in Portsmouth, Paris or Peru.

We’re all local now • Digitisation: We can throw open our doors and welcome more people – and new people – to the party. Well over 50,0000 individual views for our online festival was more than we could have hoped for. We reached our widest ever demographic in terms of age and geography, with enthusiastic responses

coming from as near as Malton and as far as Mexico.

There’s huge potential here • Worldwide platform: helping us to build a more localist model. With the climate crisis, Covid and Brexit, musicians can evolve a more sustainable relationship with travel.

That can amount to less carbon and more quality time with audiences at home, sojourning digitally like medieval troubadours

We know how much the arts do to promote health and wellbeing – an area increasingly understood by local government.

And we are thinking hard about how that can transform our relationship with commercial sponsors.

So here’s an invitation ... we would love to hear from anyone (contact@ ryedalefestival.com) who is interested in joining that conversation. After all, what’s an anniversary for if not to look to the future?

TopicUK January 2020

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Record number of stations vying for attention: There’s a radio revolution taking place on the Yorkshire coast with six stations now vying for attention, some with a studio in Scarborough and some web-based: Yorkshire Coast Radio

Taken over by the Bauer Group and is now Greatest its Radio Yorkshire

This is the Coast Coast & County Great Yorkshire Radio Radio A new websitebased station with local presenters

An established independent FM station, launched in 2016, and includes young people among its presentation team

Serves the area on digital radio, online and on mobile

Radio York

Launched in 1983 by the BBC and uses the Oliver’s Mount transmitter in Scarborough

Radio Scarborough Radio Scarborough has three teenage presenters among a range of volunteers and is about to be joined by the award-winning folk musician Eliza Carthy

Youngsters on air at Radio Scarborough

Here TopicUK looks at how Radio Scarborough is faring ...

The radio revolution on the coast As the battle hots up for radio listeners by a record number of stations serving the Yorkshire coast, three teenagers have spoken about their experiences in the industry.

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Ben Moorhouse, Tilly Moreno and Mimi Brown - all aged just 14 - are among the army of volunteers supporting Radio Scarborough.

It is one of the six stations covering the area and has growth plans for 2021 – with the sensational coup of having highly-regarded folk musician Eliza Carthy coming onboard as the regular presenter of its Almost Acoustic Show, which already has a big national audience.

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Radio Scarborough also has more than 20 local presenters, the most of any station broadcasting in the area.

Presenters also include TV actress Françoise Pascal, designer Patrick Argent, landscape photographer Cliff Miller and Richard ‘Kid’ Strange from seminal 70s band, Doctors of Madness.

The station is based at The Street, run by multi-purpose Coast and Vale Community Action, a short distance from the town centre.

Station controller Richard Pearson said: “The participation of young people is very important to us.

WI SR EU C PO D AT THE YORN K SE H SE T Mimi, has been involved with Radio Scarborough for just under a year.

She said: “I’m learning how to talk on the spot and I’m improving my confidence.

“I’m understanding what keeps people engaged.

“This is such an amazing opportunity to learn about this industry – from how to use the equipment to putting on a radio show, to refining what listeners might want to hear.”

Ben, who has been part of the team for two years, added: “I’m interested in letting people know what’s happening in Scarborough – and to multi-task … talking, playing music.”

Tilly, joined about 18 months ago. “I’m here because I like music and talking about things in the media.

Ben Moorhouse

“I’ve learned how to present and how to explain things in an easily understandable way. It has also taught me how to use the system to play songs, shout out sponsors and more.”

Richard is a co-director of the station with Alan Deacon, and the station has been awarded a community FM licence

by Ofcom for Scarborough.

A new logo is being introduced, to replace the red and white geometric design used since inception in 2012. It depicts a cruise ship broadcasting the phrase ‘reinventing radio’.

During weekdays, the 24-7 station broadcasts an upbeat mix of quality rock/pop, and a wider spectrum in the evenings - Classic Rock, Progressive, House, Punk/New Wave, Folk, Soul & Northern, Blues, Loungecore, Calypso/Reggae/Afrobeat, Jazz and World, and with the odd bit of classical and electronica.

“We make sure they are welltrained and they learn the integrity of broadcasting.

“It gives them a strong start for a career in media.

“We are also an accredited placement provider for Northumbria University.”

Tilly Moreno

“We encourage sponsorship but we don’t sell advertising. We prefer sponsors to help us serve the community because we view the link as an association. That is a better form of relationship. They can come in and talk about what they are doing and it’s more mutually rewarding.”

There are plans for major investment to help with the transitioning to FM and boosted by the role of Eliza.

Eliza, known for both singing and playing the fiddle, is the daughter of renowned singer/ guitarist Martin Carthy and singer Norma Waterson who live in Robin Hood’s Bay.

It also has a Polish language programme, with traditional and contemporary European music.

Above : Mimi Brown

Richard does not see over-commercialisation as the way forward for Radio Scarborough.

TopicUK January 2020

61

TNHEEW YS OURPKD SH I REE C O A S T AT

Whitby on a cold winter’s day

Morning light, Scarborough

Yorkshire in winter

In conjunction with Amberley Publishing, TopicUK presents the work of West Yorkshire photographer Charlotte Graham.

She has captured the drama of Whitby and Scarborough and a huge array of year-round Yorkshire-wide scenes - in the 128-page Yorkshire A Celebration.

It is available for £16.99 from Phillip James Dean of Amberley Publishing, of The Hill, Merrywalks, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 4EP, or on 01453 847823

The book carries a foreword b y Jo h n S e n t a m u , f o r m e r Archbishop of York

Email p.dean@amberley-books. com. It is also available in Kindle, Kobo and iBook formats.

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Aurora over Whitby

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T H E Y O R KNSEHWI RS EUCPO DAASTTE

A £50 million jackpot for the coast?

The jewel towns of the Yorkshire coast are hoping that 2021 will bring a £50m boost for their business, retail, tourism and leisure offerings.

A total of 18 projects for Scarborough and Whitby have been backed by their respective Town Deal boards following months of engagement and analysis through the year.

The to wns we re among 101 places in the country invited to bid for £25m each under the

Whitby Town Deal

government’s Towns Fund.

The work led to the creation of Town Investment Plans which aim to create long-term economic regeneration.

The plans cover themes such as skills and enterprise, cultural activities, the environment, connectivity, wellbeing and sustainability.

• Woodend Plus: a vibrant town centre media • Scarborough Cricket Ground: Improvements to facilities

• Harbourside Public Realm: pedestrianised route trial across the Whitby Swing Bridge

• Station Gateway: a strong arrival around a new station square

• Whitby Wild Eye: sculptures, wildlife viewing platforms and hides

• Innovation Hub: for entrepreneurs and learning opportunities within Flowergate Chapel • Broomfields Farm Carbon Neutral Village: 60 zero carbon, community custom-build homes

The proposals have been submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for consideration, with responses anticipated in the new year.

Scarborough Town Deal • Wi-Fi Zone and Wayfinding: free access and digital signposting

• Maritime Skills Academy: training for the maritime, offshore and renewable energy sectors

It is hoped that the package of ideas will also help the towns recover from the impacts of Covid.

• Old Town Hall and Market Place: renovation to support more tourism activity • Pannett Gallery Extension: expanding to host new displays, galleries and hospitality spaces • Eastside and Calla Beck Well-Being Centre: to provide well-being benefits

• Cycling and Walking Infrastructure: including coastal routes and around the bays • Scarborough Harbour: regeneration of West Pier to create a public space • Town centre FabLab+: robotics, 3D modelling and sound engineering • Scarborough Fayre: a year-round programme

• Green Construction Skills: To enable the Scarborough Construction Skills Village to provide extra skills and training • The ‘Wild Eye’ project: nature observation and sculptural trail • Plus these fast-tracked projects by spring: Greening the high street, Wild Eye first phase, town centre digital connectivity, vinylwrapping ofunder-used buildings.

TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E

Leeds firm completes five-figure project Leeds-headquartered Widd Signs has completed a five-figure project to manufacture and install external and internal signage at a luxury residential scheme in Manchester city centre, which comprises of two towers that are 21 and 52 storeys high respectively.

The two-month project, has seen Widd Signs manufacture and install high-spec internal and external branding and wayfinding signage at the Crown Street Victoria Residence next to Deansgate Square in Manchester. The signage, which ranges in size and style, includes fingerpost wayfinding signage and totem style identity branding at the entrances to both towers.

The company, which also has a base in St Helens, was commissioned

by Renaker, the Manchester-based developer behind the scheme, alongside wayfinding consultants f.r.a., who developed the initial highend signage designs and wayfinding.

The Crown Street Scheme is expected to be complete in 2022 and will consist of 664 luxury apartments and superb facilities, including a swimming pool on the 44th floor (one of the highest in Europe), communal gardens and a 24/7 hotel style concierge.

Commenting on the project, Peter Harris, national sales manager at Widd Signs, said: “We’re delighted to have supported Renaker on the development of this hugely impressive scheme.

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“The scale and complexity of the signage required for this project was significant and provided us with an opportunity to once again showcase our industry-leading capabilities and expertise.”

exciting expansion plans, adding additional expertise and boosting its in-house manufacturing capacity and capabilities.

In May, the company launched a

Established in 1888, Widd Signs provides signage consultancy, design, and production to a range of highprofile businesses operating in the construction, retail, and sports and leisure sectors. Its clients include established construction companies such as Sir Robert McAlpine and Winvic, as well as retailers including Marks & Spencer, Primark and Schuh.

Earlier this year, Widd Signs completed the acquisition of Spectrum Sign & Display and its new 20,000 sq ft site in St Helens as part of the company’s

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range of bespoke hygiene solutions to help retailers to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, including antimicrobial acrylic protection screens, floor and wall graphics and hand-sanitising stations.

N E W S U P D AT E

T

he programme will offer a range of practical support and provides opportunities to access grants, specialist workshops, and expert mentoring over ten weeks, as well as the chance to pitch for potential investment at the end of the programme.

Delegates will also benefit from the support and expertise of Rav Panesar, digital enterprise advisor at Bradford Council.

Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for re g e n e ra t i o n , p l a n n i n g a n d transport, said: “This programme has already proved itself with some tangible success stories, so we are delighted it is being offered to businesses again.

“Times are really hard for small businesses right now and we are determined to give them the support they need to survive and grow. A buoyant economy is so important to the city and to the region, and never more so than in these times of Covid.”

Twenty-one companies took part in the Northern Max programme when it was run earlier this year. Seven of the businesses were supported to bring a product to market; four were successful in applying for AD: VENTURE grant funding of more than £14,000, and one was supported to apply for a £50,000 Bounceback loan. In total the cohort created 13 new jobs.

Many of the companies also forged formal and informal collaborations, such as sharing best practice, sharing contacts and making plans to bid collaboratively for tenders.

Among those who have benefited from the Northern Max programme

Northern Max back to help Bradford businesses thrive in 2021 Northern Max Accelerator, launching in early 2021, will be delivered online and is for businesses that are pre-start or less than three years old with growth ambitions. is Rachel Mather, who launched her bid consultancy firm &Mather early in 2020 and had this to say about her experience Rachel said: “This is such a brilliant programme for any digital tech business owner seeking to become stronger, scale up and continue to grow. It’s immersive, experiential, thought provoking, and delivered by an incredible range of leaders, mentors and peers.”

Masterclasses and one-to-one mentoring will be available using a host of business experts, including Sharon Jandu of The Northern Asian

power list and Jag Panesar of Xpand Marketing. In addition there will be weekly workshops on key topics including developing your business model; business goal setting; partnerships and collaborations; business finance, and funding and growth strategies.

Northern Max Accelerator will be delivered virtually by Greenborough Business Management’s 10x10 accelerator programme in partnership with Bradford Council and AD:VENTURE, a business support programme for new businesses in North and West Yorkshire, which is part-

funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Since AD:VENTURE started at the end of 2016 it has helped more than 3,500 businesses and individuals in the Leeds City Region, and approved more than 160 grants.

To r e gi s te r y o ur interest or for more details on the Northern Max Accelerator, visit https://ad-venture.org.uk/ northernmaxaccelerator/ Fo r m o r e d e t a i l s a b o u t AD:VENTURE go to https:// ad-venture.org.uk/ TopicUK January 2020

65

ADVERTORIAL the average commuter spends 58 minutes a day getting to and from work. Think of what you could do with that time - take the kids to school, go to the gym, take up a hobby, or even just spend more time relaxing with your loved ones.

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In recent months, many of us will have adopted entirely new ways of doing everyday activities.

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For businesses, it can also drive higher staff retention rates, encouraging loyalty from those seeking a better balance or increased flexibility. They might also even have access to an increased talent pool, with homeworking making it possible for people who may not be able to travel for all sorts of reasons, including disability or caring responsibilities, to enter the workforce.

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What’s holding us back?

In reality, the way we work, in particular, has been changing for a while now. Analysis from Aviva estimates that more than four million UK employees already work from home on a regular basis.

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Full fibre is coming The solution has to be full fibre digital connectivity.

And with the availability of these services constantly increasing, it’s something consumers should look out for when considering their next broadband package.

As key workers, and the nation’s third national infrastructure provider, CityFibre has been asked by the UK Government to continue to expand the nation’s digital capacity. It is investing up to £4bn in bringing full fibre within reach of up to 8 million homes by 2025. In Swindon, this represents a £40m investment in a new future proof digital infrastructure that will serve the needs of homes and businesses for decades to come.

This investment will help to unlock the workplace – and workforce of the future. Soon, working from home won’t just be something that only a select few can make the most of. Instead, it will be the reality for millions more employees up and down the country.

If you are interested in full fibre broadband, you can pre-register your interest with CityFibre to receive information when services are available at cityfibre. com/residential

TopicUK January 2020

67

W O R K P L A C E - I N N O VAT I O N

An Appetite for Digital Innovation

of flexibility in product and stock management, as well as being able to deliver the uniquely branded, web-based experiences some of their larger customers seek.

By: Tim Guest - Managing Director, Contedia

In this issue I wanted to provide a real-world example of how one business in our region has developed a strong appetite for workplace innovation and is investing in both physical production capacity as well as digital efficiency.

manufacturing turnaround - unusual within the industry - controlling the internal business processes and workflows to allow this has proven increasingly difficult.

with a number of clients, becoming their ‘total brand partners’.

Even with the adoption of an industry vertical, albeit off-theshelf, system to manage their custome rs, sales, stock and accounting activities, plus a large

Leeds-based clothing and promotional merchandise company, Involution (www.involution.co.uk) was founded over twenty years ago with a clear vision - to create

Over the years, as is its way, the business has continued to make

Moving towards a system of their own design will be of particular benefit to product management.

It is increasingly important for the business to be able to flexibly manage, not only their core product range of around 100,000 items, but one which expands upon the application of configurations, such as colours, sizes and decorations, into tens of millions of unique product combinations.

Continuing their habit of reinvesting profits, with the assistance of regionally available grants, Involution are now several months into the development of their own software. Working with Contedia, the business is leveraging its industry knowledge and experience, and is looking to benefit from its custom application over two initial stages.

a business within the industry that could be a consistently good supplier.

Today, the business enjoys a broad cross-section of customers, across industries, into which it supplies a mind-boggling array of branded clothing and products. With backgrounds in the automotive industry, Involution’s directors, Michael Ainsworth and Tim Rahill, have maintained a keen interest for it, developing strong relationships

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substantial investments in its inhouse technology and facilities to support its ambitious vision for growth. And, in such a varied production environment, an adoption of lean manufacturing and just-in-time (JIT) principles has proven beneficial alongside.

helping of ingenuity in other areas of the business’s back-office and customer facing web systems, it was clear that the software they relied on was essentially out of step with the needs of such an efficiency driven business, with goals of doubling turnover in little over 24 months.

However, whilst Involution finds it quite instinctive to increase production capacity to provide the potential to grow, whilst continuing to meet their promise of a three-day

With this in mind, Involution sought to create an entirely custom, endto-end solution to their CRM and ERP requirements. One which would allow for a far greater degree

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In early 2021, the first stage will provide the opportunity to replace their existing back-office system with key operational functionality, whilst being significantly more flexible from day one. The second stage, following several months later, will enable the business to attack, head on, the opportunity to provide fully branded portals to customers for which they provide total brand management, and allow their customers’ colleagues, partners or end customers to order branded and/or promotional clothing and giftware.

Could your business create longterm benefit through an exercise in business process reengineering and a custom approach to designing systems around your unique requirements?

Does this sound familiar?

Frustrated staff.

Unreliable data.

Reliant on spreadsheets.

Affordable, custom desktop, tablet and mobile applications to solve your business’s unique challenges.

Call 01977 602869 or email tim.guest@contedia.com

www.contedia.com

SNPEEWCSI AUL PFDEAATTEU R E

Celebrate the new year and WIN a bottle of Secret Garden Gin Multi award-winning Raisthorpe Distillery is looking forward to a prosperous New Year with plans to add to its product range of fruity and refreshing gins, vodkas and Yorkshire Tonics, and a bottle of this wonderful Gin could be yours for free!

Like many businesses, Raisthorpe faced a challenging 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, its online sales were boosted during lockdown and it is now busy testing and trialling new flavours to meet the evergrowing interest in artisan drinks from consumers.

Raisthorpe produces its range of drinks products from the family farm distillery in Thixendale, deep in Hockney country in the Yorkshire Wolds. The company was established after founder Julia Medforth’s homemade Raspberry Gin Liqueur made from an old family recipe proved a hit with shoot guests.

From modest beginnings producing homemade gins and liqueurs in the farmhouse kitchen, the business

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has grown and now operates from a purpose-built facility on the farm which includes a new still.

Recent additions to Raisthorpe’s product range – made using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible and local spring water – is a trio of Secret Garden Gins. Production of the handcrafted gins started as the new adaptation of The Secret Garden - partly filmed in Yorkshire - hit cinema screens.

Locations included Helmsley Walled Garden, Duncombe Park and Fountains Abbey.

The Secret Garden gins feature fruits and flavours perfect for the winter season. Blended with botanicals, the three gins - Angelic Apricot and Coconut, Blissful Bramble and Saffron and Perfect Pear and Peppercorn - are all made with Raisthorpe’s finest 40% proof gin and are perfect when paired with Raisthorpe’s range of Yorkshire Tonics.

Each bottle is beautifully designed with images of hummingbirds, flowers or bees.

Each bottle can be lit up by the flick of a switch on its base to showcase its decoration – giving a little extra sparkle as consumers welcome in the new year.

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Julia Medforth said: “We’re inviting customers to unlock the mysteries of our very own Secret Garden and try some different flavour combinations in each of the gins. All three blend fruits and spices including saffron and cardamom to deliver a warming gin for the new year.”

Julia is joined in the business by her son and operations director Oliver who has overseen the success of Raisthorpe’s Yorkshire Tonics which have won listings with Morrisons and Booths supermarkets and have proved a favourite with consumers.

Raisthorpe is proud to have won several awards during its 13-year

S P EN C IEAWL SF U EP AD TU RE AT

To p i c U K a n d Raisthorpe have teamed up to give one lucky TopicUK reader the chance to WIN one of these new delicious gins.

To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is answer this simple question: How many gins are there in the new range?

We’re inviting customers to unlock the mysteries of our very own Secret Garden...

history. Most recent was its success at the Great Taste Awards 2020.

This works with a small hidden battery under the bottle.

It won two Gold Stars for its Damson Gin and a 1-star for its Damson and Sloe Ports and Apple and Elderflower flavour Yorkshire Tonic.

We weren’t disappointed with the taste either. It had the perfect blend of pepper taking on the sweet of the fruit. Other ingredients are saffron, angelica, orris root, juniper berries, citrus and cardamom.“I’m not a fan of fruity gin’s,” said TopicUK editor Gill Laidler, “but with just the right amount of pepper this was beautiful and I will definitely be adding another bottle to my shopping list.”

The Yorkshire Tonics also triumphed at the Great British Food Awards 2020 with Pink Grapefruit Yorkshire Tonic winning the fruit juices and mixers category.

We were lucky enough to sample the Perfect Pear and Peppercorn, courtesy of Raisthorpe. The surprise when opening the box was how beautiful the bottle is and imagine our surprise when we realised it lit up, highlighting the artwork perfectly.

All Raisthorpe’s products, including the Secret Garden Gins are available, at local stockists and online at www. raisthorpemanor.com

Email your answer to PR@topicuk.co.uk together with your name, telephone n umb er a n d emai l address by the closing date of Friday 29th January. The winner will be the first correct answer drawn after the closing date.

NB: The editors decision is final and there is no cash prize alternative.

You will not be contacted for any other promotion and TopicUK never shares personal information with third parties. Entries must be over the age of 18. Please drink responsibly.

TopicUK January 2020

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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

The way we work has changed forever At Avenue HQ, we provide award-winning, inspiring working environments that cater to all of your business needs.

We offer COVID Secure professional workspace, meeting rooms and virtual services, on-demand and tailored to suit you.

Eagle Labs

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Located within sought-after city centre spots, our spaces break down the barriers found with traditional

offices. We provide a working environment that gives the best representation of your business; we care about the wellbeing of you and your team, and we look after your clients and guests. Our mission is simple: to ensure our members get the most from their working life.

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And so, if you’re on the lookout for a new workspace; a fresh start for the new year ahead, then get in touch.

We have flexible coworking options, and a number of fully serviced private offices, starting from 2 persons upwards. See you at work.

Yorkshire

YORKSHIRE BUSINESSWOMAN

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YORKSHIRE BUSINESSWOMAN

A Majestic role for

Images by Roth Read Photography

There has been lots of excitement since the announcement that Channel 4 was to move its headquarters to Leeds following a successful bid expertly put together by Leeds City Council and many businesses from the city.

Since beating the likes of Birmingham and the predicted favourite Manchester, many will have watched the beautiful Majestic building in city square that originally opened in 1922 as a 2400 seat cinema, come back to life following the devasating fire that almost destroyed this iconic building in September 2014.

Heading up the Channel is managing director, Nations and Regions Sinead Rocks. Yorkshire Businesswoman and TopicUK group editor Gill Laidler managed to catch up with this busy lady.

Born and brought up in Belfast, Sinead did an English degree at Queens University Belfast before heading to London and taking a post-grad in journalism at the London College of Printing, now the London College of Communication.

“Growing up I wanted to be a journalist, for as long as I can remember,” explained Sinead. “I remember a reporter from the BBC in Northern Ireland visited my school which made me think my ambition was attainable, and so giving me the inspiration I needed, I managed to talk my way into some work experience at

the BBC, then followed that particular reporters career path into the same university and college.”

I love the fact that in my job, there is no such thing as a typical day...

Sinead secured her first job just before her 16th Birthday in an independent record shop.

“I remember it was just before Christmas, so it was a bit of a baptism of fire because in those days, none of the large megastores existed. Following a spell there I began working in a new local cinema which was brilliant, I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have seen Dances with Wolves, Home Alone and Ghost,” she laughed.

“My role at the small record store

set me in good stead for my next role which was at a Virgin Megastore where I stayed long enough to see me through the rest of my studies and gave me one of my closest friends.

Whilst there, I also worked for free at a local radio station as I wanted to get some experience. I do think that having jobs in early life, provides you with a real solid work ethic and teaches lessons that really stand the test of time,” she added. “Over the years I have worked for some great managers and some not so great, learning from both and today I often find myself applying things from that time.

Joining Channel 4 after 21 years at the BBC was a big move for Sinead. “I began my career when I left college at the BBC as a journalist in the Belfast newsroom, before moving to London to work on Newsround. I then went into Current Affairs and finally I led the Education Department based in Salford,” she added. “I could have stayed at the BBC forever as I was really happy and comfortable there but I was excited about what Channel 4 wanted to do, their plan was to make huge changes to their strategy and structure to better serve the whole of theUK and create a major base

YNOE RWKSS H U IPRDE ABTUES I N E S S W O M A N in the North was bold and ambitious.

I really wanted to be a part of that.”

As managing director for nations and regions, Sinead’s job is to ensure they deliver on their UK-wide strategy. “I am based in our new HQ in Leeds, which for now is in Westgate but we are excited that eventually we will move into The Majestic, what a gorgeous building that is.”

So how difficult of an industry is it for a woman to succeed in? “I am now at the point where I have spent more than half of my life working in broadcasting and it has changed massively in that time,” she added. “When I started, newsrooms were very male dominated and if I’m honest, a little bit sexist!

That’s really not the case anymore in my experience. A lot of effort goes into diversity and inclusion which is so important. I don’t believe being a woman has limited my career, but I have had to move around a fair bit for it to progress. That said, one of the things I have enjoyed most about my move to Yorkshire is the really strong networks that exist for women, it’s a really supportive culture. There is a genuine sense of women supporting women which is brilliant.

“I love the fact that in my job, there is no such thing as a typical day, especially now since the pandemic started. My day usually involves lots of meetings with the team from the Leeds City Region, Screen Yorkshire and the LEP to discuss our priorities and work out how best to work together to achieve them.”

Sinead is also responsible for all the training and development initiatives.

“I really want to make sure we are providing brilliant opportunities for people to grow their careers in the cities that they choose to live. Too often, people in the media had to move to London to get ahead, but I am hopeful that we can change that.

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screen and how our audiences react to them. Like everyone at Channel 4 in Yorkshire, I am counting down the days until we get into The Majestic. I had a hard hat tour of the new offices before lockdown and I have to say, the views are spectacular. I think my London colleagues are going to be very envious of our set up in Leeds.”

Fact File

A few things we didn’t know about Sinead What car do you drive?

A sensible Honda Civic What do you do with your leisure time?

I meet up with friends in various parts of the country.

What is your favourite food and drink? I would find it hard to beat a Sunday roast with a glass of red wine.

Where is your favourite holiday destination?

America - I do miss it.

Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire?

Wensleydale and Hawes, I love getting away for weekends there, such a great place with great food.

“Before covid, I would have spent a fair amount of time on trains visiting our London office or our new hubs in Glasgow and Bristol. Now, like so many others I have to do most of my meetings over video conferencing which means I spend a lot of time sitting down!

As our interview came to a conclusion, we asked Sinead what advice would she give to her younger self and if starting again, what, if anything, would she do differently. “I think I would take a few more career chances,” she told us. “There were jobs I should have applied for and didn’t thinking I wouldn’t stand a chance, only to see them go to other people with similar levels of experience to me.

So, now Channel 4 is here in Leeds, what plans does Sinead and her team have? “I am excited by Channel 4’s plans for the region and really want to keep the momentum up,” she continued. “We now have a team of senior decision makers based in Leeds and I can’t wait to see how that impacts the kind of programmes we put on

“That said, I have been very lucky to work in a variety of roles alongside some fantastic people in an industry that I love. Even things that didn’t work out as well as expected, proved to be a valuable learning experience and have helped shape me into who I am today. I don’t think I would have done anything differently.”

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Y O R K S H I R E B U S INNEEW SSW MAATNE UO PD

TopicUK are delighted to welcome back our columnist, the UK’s leading sales and communications expert Nicky Pattinson.

What’s the #1 skill for the creation of business in 2021?

I got asked that question the other day...

Maybe we’re all thinking about this in some way as we leave this…largely horror of a year.

BACS in your favour or tap the card on your machine.

Think about it.

Well…I’d say it’s the same skill that was the #1 creator of business in 2020 and even 1920.

And it sure will be for time immemorial.

People Skills The ability to bring the right people into our world and make them feel enough emotion to want you in some part, in their life. That’s what doing business with people is, however briefly on occasion.

The ability to have them feel e n o u g h to c h o o s e y o u a n d absolutely feel enough to do a

Isn’t that how all commercial transactions are created?

Two or more people meet, usually at the instigation of one of them. A discussion takes place and a choice is made. I honestly can’t think of many situations where that’s not so.

Even online – we’re expressing our personality and hoping for a ‘’return of words that start a conversation that starts some kind of bond’’.

If we don’t get that return.

It’s usually over.

BONDING QUICKLY – bringing the people you want into your world, being allowed into theirs will be golden bullet for most small businesses. Telling a good short story about yourself and d i s a r m i n g t h e g u a rd e d a n d closed. That’s most people these days…we’ve had a sustained emotional battering. It changes the way we operate!

I’d go as far as saying – the size of your life and business may well be in direct relation to how confident and accomplished your people skills are in the years to come.

We need the capability to instantly make frie nds and pote ntial customers more now than ever – from lawyers to consultants, gas fitters to car salesmen.

In the new post covid world

that’s coming where many still feel numb and lost. Advanced communication skills will be revered and lauded.

Honest, as I’ve said before – we’ve let them slide in favour of ‘’transactional’’ language expecting people to want us and what we do instantly – like responding to a text.

I went for a facial a little while ago. Walking in I said a cheery ‘Hiya – its Nicky…10.30’’ to be responded to by the young girl with ‘’can you fill this form out please.’’ No eye contact, no smile, no, well. Nothing.

What could possibly have been more important at that time than creating a bond with me, the customer? A bit of ‘’Hiya, oh thanks your bang on time – we’re having a really good day today – can I get you a glass of water or anything while you fill out this form’’?

No criticism, she just didn’t think or know. Let’s leave all that in 2020 – because the future is all about relationships. If you know how to make them, you’ll never be poor.

Wishing you the BEST – and always my friendship of course.

Nicky. join my new facebook group and be someone.not everyone. elevate your charisma with advanced expression TopicUK January 2020

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YORKSHIRE BUSINESSWOMAN

Caroline:

Adding personality to banking

Caroline spoke with TopicUK editor, Gill Laidler

Are you thinking of a career in banking? Meet Caroline Pullich, head of SME Yorkshire who will most certainly offer some inspiration.

Afte r finishing he r A Le vels, Caroline took up her first position aged 18 at NatWest in Keighley. “I started as a junior, answering the telephone, sending out statements and encoding cheques. It was very different then, we had 80 colleagues in the branch and the processes were much more manual than they are today,” she said.

Caroline progressed quickly through various branch roles and got her first leadership role at the age of just 22.

“I was looking after a team of 20 people which was a huge learning curve and I went on to complete several roles within retail banking, including branch manager roles, area manager roles then regional director, looking after 700 FTE.” To broaden her experiences, Caroline took a secondment at head office RBS in Edinburgh, flying there weekly from Leeds. “This role gave me the opportunity to work alongside senior executives and I was fortunate to work with the team from corporate banking. I then went on to work in the CEO office in Bishopgate, London, covering the whole of the UK,” she continued.

“This was a fantastic opportunity

for me, even if it meant switching my weekly commute to London as I was able to undertake presentations to the group CEO which was a fantastic opportunity.”

Whilst working in London, Caroline met with executives from Barclays who presented an opportunity for her to work back in Yorkshire, allowing her more time at home.

“It’s always terrific to have a new challenge,” she added “but I was sad to be leaving NatWest as I had made many friends, but fortunately I do remain in contact with them now.

So what does a typical day include for Caroline?

“My main role is leadership, so much of my time is spent looking after my team with internal conference calls and supporting them with client reviews, lending applications and external engagements. I look after a team of 50 who between them manage 6300 client relationships supporting businesses with their growth ambitions.

“I think for any woman looking for a career in banking, my advice, which has set me in good stead, is

to bring your personality to work and never give up on your dreams and aspirations, whatever your environment, particularly male dominated. A previous role working with clients certainly helps too, and you do need the motivation to learn and have the ability to change quickly. It also helps if you have the freedom to travel, as careers are not always on your doorstep.

“Many businesses have had to adapt and diversify recently, due to the pandemic and our top priority at Barclays is to support them through the changes that they are experiencing. we have been able to facilitate all the Government lending schemes and whilst we’ve experienced huge volumes like we’ve never seen before, I am incredibly proud of the work my team have been doing to support our customers.

“I have enjoyed a well-rounded career so far in banking, understanding the group as a whole rather than just one division and if I were to have the opportunity to start my career over again, I wouldn’t hesitate, I will do it all over again,” she concluded.

Fact File What is the name of your partner?

Richard Larking.

Where is your favourite holiday destination?

It has to be the Caribbean or definitely somewhere warm.

Where is your favourite restaurant?

Rules, which is the oldest restaurant in London.

What is your favourite food and drink?

Steak and chips or any kind of meat pie. My favourite drink is Laurent Perrier Rose Champagne for very special occasions!

Where is your favourite Yorkshire destination?

I just love Yorkshire as a whole.

What car do you drive?

A Mercedes GL which has plenty of room for Coco our Cockapoo!

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Yorkshire luxury hideaway is an oasis of calm

By Gill Laidler - Group Editor

Located in the heart of North Yorkshire in the traditional market town of Helmsley, visitors will find the beautiful Feversham Arms Hotel which offers guests a place to retreat, relax and indulge.

Originally an old coaching inn, the hotel was rebuilt and renamed in 1855 by the Earl of Feversham on the site of an older hostelry. Previously, it was known as The Guest House, The Board Inn and latterley The Bay Horse, where beer and candles were made for sale. At the same time, three cottages

I will point out at this stage that all members of staff wore masks and paid attention to social distancing which was reassuring... adjacent to the hotel were built by the Earl in matching Yorkshire stone.

In 1967 the hotel was bought

by Charrington’s Brewery before being bought by Mr Mrs de Aragues in 1977. The couple then purchased the three cottages to extend the hotel and added the swimming pool and gardens.

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The Feversham Arms & Verbena Spa as it is known today was born. From then to this day, the hotel has been restored and renovated by a number of private owners before being bought by the current owners in 2008.

To p i c U K e d i t o r G i l l Laidler was delighted to accept an invitation to visit and she certainly wasn’t disappointed.

Helmsley is just a little over an hours drive from Leeds so the journey was easy and on arrival there was plenty of parking both outside the reception in the car park and in the underground spa car park.

We were greeted in the stylish reception area and swiftly booked in, declining the wake-up call but accepting

the morning newspaper. Our room was on the first floor, just a short stroll from reception, a lift is available for those who have lots of luggage. As we were escorted to our room, we were informed that the outdoor heated pool was open to guests and when I pointed it it was October, I was informed that it was heated to a very warm temperature.

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The hotel offers a number of rooms ranging from a standard double to a luxury Spa Suite. We settled into a Deluxe Suite with a large separate sitting room and a bedroom designed for comfort with its huge king size bed. The rooms were beautifully decorated and we were delighted and surprised to find a huge bathroom with both

YORKSHIRE BUSINESSWOMAN explore, heading firstly to the outside pool area, where a number of guests were lounging pool side or taking a dip, even though the air was quite nippy. Sadly, we hadn’t taken swimwear with us nor had we booked into the spa, but at that point I was beginning to wish I had.

Some of the spa facilities are curre ntly closed due to the current pandemic but a number of treatments were still available.

I think I will return when I can to take advantage of one of the hotel’s Spa Days, all of which promises total relaxation and pampering.

Delicious Heading back inside, we noted many artworks adorn the public areas. Throughout the hotel guests can browse a number of artworks from Helmsley Galleries that is housed exclusively within the Feversham Arms and the nearby Black Swan Hotel. The hotels are partnered in this by art expert Stephen Jack, formerly a director at London Galleries. Stephen has been advising both private and public collectors in the UK for more than 25 years.

walk in shower and bath, with twin his and her sinks. Bathrobes and slippers are also provided as well as complimentary Temple Spa products. There were two flat screen TVs, one in the living room, one in the bedroom, the latter used following the delicious dinner.

Nicely settled in, we decided to

After perusing the artwork, we made our way to the bar area, well it was well after 6pm! Here we settled into cosy armchairs in the corner of the very pleasant bar. We timed it perfectly as many guests started to arrive (the hotel was very busy) and although the room is spacious, seats were becoming limited due to the safety measures in place and social distancing. I will point out at this stage that all members of staff wore masks and paid attention to social distancing which was reassuring.

As recommended, we had made dinner reservations in advance, chosing from the A la Carte

menu, provided with our booking confirmation. Settled into the pretty dining room we were presented with the extensive wine menu. I chose a bottle of Finca Perdriel Malbec 2017 from Argentina priced at a respectable £35. My companion went for the Mahi Sauvignon Blanc 2018 from New Zealand at £42.

Starters were served quickly. I chose ham hock which was delicious and served with pigs cheek, pickles and lovage. My companion chose poached and cured sea trout which he said was equally as delicious.

For the main course I had originally chosen pan roasted halibut but requested it was served without mussels. However, a quick call to our room on arrival informed me that the fish would still have a mussel sauce and did I still want it, so I changed and selected the Lamb Rump with confit Lamb belly rissoles, summer vegetables and mint emulsion. The lamb was cooked to perfection and the portion size perfect. Once cleared away, we did request a short break before dessert was served. My companion chose the cheese board of just one cheese and it was a good job he did, the portion was huge with lots of biscuits. I opted for chocolate, cherry pistachio, beautifully served and very rich in chocolate.

We declined coffee, opting instead to return to the room with the remaining wine, assuming that the bar would close at 10pm due to Government guidelines.

For those arriving early, afternoon teas are available that includes delicate finger sandwiches, warm scones served with Cornish clotted cream and seasonal jam as well as a selection of homemade cakes and pastries. In addition to tea, guests can also savour a glass F TopicUK January 2020

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pool where guests were taking an early morning dip, we were served fresh orange juice and ordered tea and toast before selecting from the menu. My companion chose the full English of locally sourced sausage, bacon, tomato, black pudding, mushroom, beans and choice of egg. Mine was a slimmed down version of sausage, bacon and beans. Other options available were smoked salmon, vegetarian breakfast, smashed avocado and poached egg, smoked haddock croquettes, eggs benedict, porridge or Feversham granola with fresh fruit and yogurt.

of champagne adding even more decadance.

Private dining options are also available as well as Sunday lunch.

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Following a comfortable night it was time to head back to the dining room for breakfast which is served between 7.30 and 10am. Seated in the window facing the swimming

After breakfast we headed out to explore the local area. The hotel is situated just a short walk from Helmsley Castle which was built in the early twelfth century. A visit provides a deep dive into its rich heritage of conquest, with an interactive exhibition, audio tour

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and visitor centre. Just below the castle is Helmsley Walled Garden, providing a botanical breath of fresh air with vibrant colours in every direction.

Also just minutes away is the national centre for birds of prey that will captivate visitors with daily flying de monstrations featuring a large collection of birds of prey and Rievaulx Abbey with its onsite museum.

The Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa is located on the High Street in the heart of Helmsley, just a short stroll from a number of quality shops, bars and cafes.

Bookings can be made by email: stay@ fevershamarmshotel.com or by calling 01439 770766.

YORKSHIRE BUSINESSWOMAN

Yorkshire business blossoms in lockdown Gliterary Lunches, the literary events company founded by two sisters in 2006, grew out of a love for good books, good food and good company.

Sibh says: “Having to cancel our spring programme of events meant we needed to find new ways to keep the business buoyant and our customer base close. We also recognised that our corporate clients needed to stay in touch with their clients so we developed VIP Gift Packs (includes online access to the live event, bottle of Prosecco, chocolates and a signed copy of the book). They proved popular with private customers too.”

Sibh continues: “Our first paidfor event in September was for

100 people, and we are now hosting over 300 which is a rapid growth in numbers. Authors are delighted with the opportunity to talk to readers as they can’t attend the usual round of promotional events to launch their books so we are inundated with offers from publishers.”

Beth adds: “We have been pushed to be more creative and think outside the box, and get to grips with the technology, including using the platform Crowdcast, introduce an online payment system and

adapt our website to suit. We are no longer limited by geography or capacity, and our corporates are now able to entertain their clients from all over Europe.”

Sibh and Beth have also noted an uptake for their virtual events in other cities including Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol, so when in-venue events can restart, they will be expanding their programme to add these locations.

Appreciated Damian Barr, author of ‘Maggie and Me’ adds: “Thanks for pushing on with your brilliant events. ‘You Will Be Safe Here’ was published during the first lockdown so I have really missed doing events for it. Thanks for all you do for readers and writers.”

Beth adds: “We’re very aware how the situation is hitting businesses hard and we’re mindful just how lucky we are to have an agile business that can work within the current situation. As with everything else, Gliterary has not had the year we thought it would.

But we have found a much wider audience, who have appreciated the offer of escapism, literary stimulation and company we have been able to offer in these strange times. We hope to continue both streams of Gliterary events in the future.”

Tickets (£10pp) include a link to the Gliterary Lunch Hour forum or Gift Packs include a bottle of Prosecco, chocolates and a signed copy of the book beautifully delivered to home (£35 pp).

For information on the Gliterary Lunch Hour programme visit https:// gliterarylunches.com/.

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Building a purposeful beauty brand

By Janet Milner-Walker - founder of Bespoke Advantage

There is no denying that 2020 has been a rollercoaster of a year. The dawn of a promising new decade ushered in a year of turmoil.

Markets have been brought to a standstill, companies have closed their doors, global health has been infected around the world, simultaneously.

About Janet Milner-Walker

2020 will go down in history books as the year the world united to solve a global pandemic. The year we learnt to live online. The year we placed our wellbeing first.

Whilst we look to politicians to create order, it has been brands and the common people who have stepped up and demonstrated greatest leadership.

Joe Wicks has been awarded an MBE for keeping us fit by leading mass exercise online across the UK; we built the NHS Nightingale Hospital in nine days and over 400 000 people signed up to support the NHS in one day.

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As this year draws to a close, with many of us working from home or redundant, we may be questioning what 2021 will bring and what we would like to change. The problem is, how do we make positive changes in our lives when the world around us is constantly changing?

Janet is the founder of Bespoke Advantage, a brand management company that builds beauty, spa, and wellness businesses, she is also a consultant, and a speaker.

Over the past twenty years she has developed and launched brands for M&S, Harvey Nichols, Boots, Body Shop and Crabtree & Evelyn as well as worked with many start-ups.

Their award-winning por tfolio of clients includes haircare specialists and makeup ar tists, skincare entrepreneurs, investors and beauty, spa and wellness companies based in the UK and internationally.

Many of us will reach a point in our life where we need to reinvent ourselves, and when we do we become incredibly innovative. Forging our own path requires a deep understanding of who we are, where we want to go and how we are going to get www.thebethere. We may start by asking spokeadvantage.com.

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ourselves - what is my passion and what is my purpose?

Passion is described as finding ourselves, feeling fulfilled, through our hobbies, career, friends, and family.

Purpose is about wanting to make a dent in the world. Studies done on people leading purposeful lives have been linked to positive health benefits, living longer, and achieving greater financial success. There are clear benefits to finding our purpose, but if it is so elusive, how do we find it?

Our lives are a collection of moments in time. We spend our time doing things we love, and  editor@topicuk.co.uk

things we don’t love as much. The things we love provide meaning to our lives, the other things are merely about passing time.

Where we spend our time, we spend our lives. How we spend our time determines whether our lives are a masterpiece or merely mediocre.

If you are pondering your purpose, try reframing this question as ‘How would I like to spend my time?’

Throughout 2020 people have approached us to support them in launching a purpose-driven beauty and wellness business, over the next few months I will be sharing more on this.

Yorkshire

Supporting female entrepreneurs acrossYorkshire  facebook.com/yorkshirebusinesswoman @Yorkshirebusin2  www.yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk  Yorkshire_businesswoman  hello@yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk  linkedin.com/company/yorkshire-businesswoman

Tel: 07711 539047 TopicUK January 2020

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The Impact of COVID-19 on students.

By Nadeya Hussain

The disruptive effects of the COVID-19 outbreak have impacted millions of people all over the world, including University students. A total of 1.725 billion students globally have been affected by the closure of schools in response to the pandemic. Not only has this led to a delay in students’ academic progress but caused many issues for students and their mental health, especially during the national lockdown.

If we are honest, no one expected this pandemic to last as long as it has. It started on the 27th of March and ended on the 4th of July, way longer than the said four weeks. We have countless students, teachers and parents adjusting to this new reality. At the end of March, Universities and colleges have had to transition from face-to-face teaching to urgently adapting to online teaching to continue the academic progress. Even before COVID-19, it was clear that university students were experiencing high rates of mental health issues due to the intense work. So, as expected, this has ultimately worsened the academic stress and pressure.

Lockdown uncovered numerous challenges and barriers to online learning and the overall lifestyle routine. With self-isolation, loss of jobs, and lack of social support, it left students feeling disconnected.

I contacted some students to see how it affected them during this challenging transition period. I asked

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them how, COVID-19 affected them as a student, either at home or in education. A common theme that many students expressed was the issue of their mental health being at the worst than any other stage of their life. The leading cause that triggered this was self-isolation.

With the original lockdown lasting more than 12 weeks, many students had to live away from family and friends and live alone. Not only did this cause loneliness, but they felt depressed due to the lack of contact and support from those closest to them. Following this, they mentioned how this affected their education as they had a lack of motivation and didn’t feel capable enough to study or to attend an online lecture.

Tahrim, a third-year student at the University of Huddersfield expressed how “being away from home and family has made me lose concentration and motivation because of the lack of support around me that I need, especially

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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E during lockdown where my mental health has worsened due to the reasons I’m alone surrounded by the same four walls”. This theme of lack of motivation was common across many of the students in the University as they felt like online teaching was not the same as faceto-face teaching.

However, the difference between the first year and third-year students is that lockdown raised different concerns for each of them. Whilst a common theme third-year student expressed was not receiving the education they expected and paid for and how “deadlines were harder

Deadlines were harder to achieve due to the lack of email responses from our supervisors.

to achieve due to the lack of email responses from our supervisors” (Fadi, University of Bradford).

Contrasting to that, a common

concern first-year students gave was, “We lost out on the partying experience, the whole excitement of having a freshers week”, they added: “We expected so much but after the first lesson on campus, we got told to isolate as someone got tested positive.” So, they were frustrated on losing the experience they expected; however, that didn’t stop them rebelling. When talking to students, I encountered a firstyear Architecture student who when asked, “So what did you do during self-isolation?”, they responded with “I mean we had the occasional secret flat party, no one really listed to the rules to be honest”. Due to situations like this, it makes sense of why the COVID-19 cases within the students are not decreasing. Statistics showed around 35,000 covid-19 cases since the start of term.

Not only are students struggling with mental health due to the loneliness, but the loss of jobs majorly affected students globally. Statistics estimated that in this national lockdown, about 10,000 jobs were at risk in just Huddersfield. For a lot of students, the maintenance loan received doesn’t cover all costs, so they must work on the side to survive and live a comfortable University life. More than one in 10 people aged 16 - 25 have lost their job and are struggling to find a graduate job as there are fewer opportunities. Around 28% have had their graduate job offer deferred or rescinded. Just showing the severity of how deeply COVID-19 has affected students in various ways, through education, income, mental support and more.

The pandemic has put a considerable amount of extra strain on students.

We know that education will continue to be affected by the pandemic for the foreseeable future as universities have moved back to online learning on the 9th of December. But the main thing to understand, that although TopicUK January 2020

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it is an unusual situation, this will not last forever. Until then, here are a few tips to help keep the students sane in preparation for any further changes or if you must self-isolate •

Be active: as hard as it is to get out of bed, and break the lazy routine, take advantage of your daily exercise.

Not only will this help you get fresh air but will support your physical and psychological mind and health.

•

Build a strong support network: reaching out to others can help your mind and relieve stress from isolation, so make sure you keep connections with your family and friends. Stay in touch with your support network, even if it is a 10 min call with someone.

•

Use the technology that we must communicate with

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everyone, either through social media on new technologies like team or zoom example, online quizzes in game shows.

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•

Meditation, to help anxiety and stress. There are different videos online ranging from 3 min to 3-hour mediation videos to help you relax and give you that extra company.

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Estábulo Rodizio Bar & Grill York By: Mandy Taylor - Business development executive

I have two incredible friends who were born in Brazil and have always raved about their national cuisine...

Brazil (and Arge ntina) claim to be South Americas champions of the barbecue.

And while each country takes a different approach to its meat, from the cuts to the accompaniments, some things remain the same – namely, the ogresized quantities of meat, best appreciated at a leisurely pace and with an elasticated waistband.

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When the opportunity arose to lunch at the latest Estábulo restaurant located on the bustling Vangarde shopping park in York, I was curious to understand why my friends were so enthusiastic about their food and jumped at the chance.

If you’re not familiar with Estábulo, it is a grill restaurant that pays homage to the Brazilian Gauchos

traditional method of cooking, taking the tastiest and delicious cuts of meat, skewering them and cooking slowly on open flames. All cuts of meat are sourced locally and served fresh and there’s also an extensive range of vegetarian, vegan, halal and fish dishes on the menu.

As for my guest on this occasion, to my delight Annie

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Stirk accepted my invitation without hesitation.

Annie has enjoyed a highprofile career, including as a TV presenter where she shared her love of food. Until she retired three years ago, she ran an award-winning PR firm, Absolutely Food and was the food and drink consultant

R E S TA UN RA EW N TS RUEPVDIAETWE indulge in the various optionsAnnie adored the “Picanha” – a flavoursome could of rump, which “melted in the mouth” whilst I particularly enjoyed Linguica – a powerful tasting cured beef and pork sausage.

Looking around the tables it was clear that this type of dining appeals to all, with couples taking a leisurely lunch in between shopping and families introducing their youngsters to the delights of such a taste-bud tingling experience (children up to four years eat for free).

of 8 cuts of meat on offer and the evening menu priced at £28.95 has 15 different cuts to choose from!

Upon arrival, we were greeted warmly by Victoria, the General Manager who was clearly incredibly proud of the newly opened venue and keen to impress.

The restaurant was light and airy, spotlessly clean, and diners were well distanced apart yet at the same time, there was a buzz about the floor.

It was apparent that the team thoroughly enjoy their roles, bright smiles, great se rvice and knowledgeable too- a winning combination.

for Yorkshire Life – and this is where our relationship began over a decade ago.

There are various fixed price dining options at Estábulo, with lunch served from 12pm to 4pm and dinner from 4pm till late (check the website for further details).

The meat-based menu priced at only £18.95 for lunch has a selection

Annie and I received our two-sided disc “Green means you’re ready to be served delicious cuts of meat by the Passadors, then flip it over to red when you’ve had enough” Victoria explained.

In happier and healthier times, prior to tucking into the meaty delights, you can visit the huge and impressive salad bar, offering hot and cold dishes, meats, pasta, rice, beans and so many others. However

Obviously we have had restrictions placed on us because of lockdown but since we have opened we have been busier than we anticipated...

due to these unprecedented times, we were offered the alternative of choosing a significant number of options on a tick list – my selection included vegetables, rice and beans, to name but a few!

Much to my delight, the fresh cuts of meat come to to your table at a steady pace (Annie and I had lots of catching up to do) and the service is carried out in style.

“The meat is generally cooked medium, which suits most tastes however they can cook the meat to your liking” Orlando explained as he expertly started to carve.

From lamb to pork, chicken to beef, we were tempted to

Both Annie and I were driving on this occasion and unable to sample the extensive drinks menu however we did ensure that the disc was turned to red in ample time to allow room for a delicious dessert.

My Triple Berry Crisp fruit crumble was absolutely delicious and most generous in size and most certainly challenged my calorie count for the day, whilst Annie opted for a less calorific choice of white chocolate ice cream.

After lunch it was great to chat with Victoria and discover that despite a limitation to the number of tables and opening hours, this latest edition to the group has proved to be a roaring success – with her guests (she was keen to express that she prefers this title, rather than customers) returning again and again.

And this is exactly what both Annie and I will do no doubt what’s not to love?

Fine food, service with a smile, parking and premium shopping on the doorstep too!

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Yorkshire growth economy businesses plan for 2021 expansion...

in the UK, according to research undertaken by PwC for BGF. Seven per cent of these companies are based in Yorkshire and the North East.

Growth economy companies have revenues between £2.5m and £100m – the majority are fast-growing and profitable, with total turnover rising 4% a year on average (between 2013-18), compared with average GDP growth of 2% a year over the same period.

It appears that continued investment is seen as critical by the respondents.

92% of growth businesses made some form of internal investment during Covid-19, with 45% having invested in new technology or digital infrastructure and 38% making investme nts in new equipment.

According to the survey of 532 companies, carried out by independent research company Delineate, the pandemic has created significant barriers to growth for 63% of respondents, with the risks associated with seeking investment highlighted as the primary concern around future growth.

However, despite the obvious headwinds, 83% of growth economy companies remain motivated to grow their business in 2021, signalling a strong level of resilience across these firms.

Entering new sectors in the UK and international growth are the greatest opportunities for Yorkshire businesses.

It appears that the pandemic has changed how growth economy companies are operating – for good. Seventy per cent of

Yorkshire companies said that the pandemic has triggered permanent changes to their business models.

Promisingly, and looking ahead to 2021, 65% of companies stated that they are financially stable enough to pursue growth. However, only 30% would have no requirement for further funding over the next 12 months – indicating that growth would be mostly contingent on new investment.

There are more than 21,000 growth economy companies Richard Taylor

Overall, the use of external funding to meet their financial needs has been prevalent throughout the pandemic, with 80% of companies indicating they had taken on some form of funding. These included the furlough scheme (28%) and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (23%).

18% had made a personal investment in their business in the last 12 months and 57% will be looking to de-risk their personal investments the next 12 months.

Private equity has been a goto source of funding for 35% of businesses in the last year – with access to additional business support (45%) and a greater opportunity for company value (40%) cited

N E W S U P D AT E as the primary benefits of equity finance.

Most respondents (70%) state that targeted investment of between £1m and £10m would have the greatest impact on the growth trajectory of their business.

Despite the uncertainty of the pandemic, 63% reported that their teams have worked as effectively, and 75% feel that the company culture h a s s t re n g t h e n e d o v e r this time. Around half do expect to revert to previous ways of working when able, indicating a desire to return to the office.

When asked about staffing levels, 25% of respondents said they planned to make a few redundancies in the months ahead and 15% said they planned significant redundancies. However, 22% of respondents said they planned to hire a few new staff and 10% said they planned significant new hires – signalling that overall employment across the growth business population will remain robust.

Richard Taylor, head of BGF in Yorkshire and the North East, said: “Growth economy companies in the region have demonstrated high levels of resilience and have made moves to best position themselves for future growth.

The intentions to focus on entering new markets as well as international growth is promising news as we enter the new year and companies start to think about their longer-term goals once again.”

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M O T O R I N G U P D AT E

Work to start on new Porsche Centre York Work is due to start in mid-January on a major project to create a brand new, cutting edge Porsche Centre York.

Located on the A1237/A64 outer ring road at Nether Poppleton, within easy reach of the A59 and the A19, the new 567sq m showroom will be designed in the latest ‘Destination Porsche’ corporate identity. The satellite Porsche Centre will complement Porsche Centre Leeds and provide space to display the range of new and Porsche Approved Pre-Owned sports cars, and a full workshop to support service and customer care.

The redevelopment work is expected to take around nine months to complete, with Porsche Centre York due to open next summer. It is a further demonstration of the Porsche brand’s commitment to the North following the expansion and improvement of both Porsche Centre Newcastle and Porsche Centre Sheffield last year; and the

opening of a brand-new Porsche Centre in Teesside in 2017.

Located close to the city centre at York Business Park, Porsche Centre York will reflect the new ‘Destination Porsche’ corporate identity, featuring an exterior aluminium façade including LED strips and logo to create the iconic Porsche building. The interior maintains a cosy atmosphere with the racing line layout acting as the core of the showroom from which customers can start exploring different sales and aftersales modules.

Porsche Centre York will feature a ‘boutique’ showroom including a dedicated handover lounge and electric vehicle display, plus capacity for up to 25 Porsche Approved PreOwned vehicles to be displayed. The workshop will include a customer Direct Dialogue Service bay, wheel

alignment bay and specialist EV diagnostic bay, as well as on site car preparation facilities.

•

‘Smart Energy’ building management system and full LED lighting.

Customers will be able to enjoy a variety of new facilities and improved services including: • 8 bay workshops • MOT bay • Four-wheel alignment bays and ‘driver assist’ calibration bay • Porsche Direct Dialogue Service bay supporting quick, onthe-spot diagnosis • Electric vehicle dedicated bays • Executive lounge area • ‘Kidz zone’ complete with iPads and gaming pod

The Centre will offer the full range of Porsche services, including new and Porsche Approved PreOwned sales, servicing, parts, a service loan fleet and a full range of Porsche demonstrators.

In additional, local delivery and collection will ensure any servicing or repairs are conducted with minimal inconvenience to the customer.

John Tordoff, chief executive of JCT600, says: “Having represented this iconic marque since 1967, we are proud to be one of its longest standing dealer partners in the UK and also to have developed our relationship to offer five Porsche Centres, bringing one of the world’s most sought-after sports car brands to even more customers across Yorkshire and the North East.

“We expect Porsche Ce ntre York to be extremely popular, enabling people from the city and further afield to more easily view the full range of vehicles, and complementing the existing Porsche Centres in Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and Teesside.”

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M O T O R I N G U P D AT E

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M O T O R I N G U P D AT E

MUSSO

FOR WHEN SIZE MATTERS SsangYong is a company to keep an eye on. Remember when people used to turn their nose up at SKODA, Dacia, Kia, Hyundai etc? Not any longer.

SsangYong is going through the same routine, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel because the latest models from this South Korean manufacturer are worthy of very close inspection. Take the latest SsangYong Musso for example.

If you are VAT registered, this pick-up kicks off at £21,995 ex VAT. But even at just over £26,000 for the rest of us, this is incredibly good value for a big, versatile and spacious vehicle.

Oh, and don’t think that your local gardener, farmer and brickie is going to the only person driving a Musso.

Pick-ups are becoming a lifestyle statement and seen as a genuine alternative to humdrum saloons, hatchbacks and SUVs. SsangYong thrives on no-nonsense vehicles that represent terrific value for money, and the Musso is one of the best. If you want proof, it’s worth noting that the Musso has been named What Car? magazine’s best pick-up for under £28,000…. twice.

4x4 magazine gave it the gong for best value pick-up, and Diesel Car & Eco Awards voted Musso as best overall pick-up. Musso shares its platform with the SsangYong Rexton - 4x4 Magazine’s 4x4 Of The Year three years in a row 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Praise indeed.

The SsangYong Musso comes with a staggering 7-year - 150,000 mile warranty; go for the automatic gearbox and you can tow 3500kg

and carry 1140kg at the same time.

It has selectable all-wheel drive and with the Rhino LWB shown here model you’ll get the longest load bed of any UK pick-up…1.61 metres.

This is a serious workhorse and, bearing in mind the warranty t h a t S s a n g Yo n g i n c l u d e a s standard, they’ve plainly got a stack of confidence in it being tough and reliable.

Under the bonnet there’s a 2.2 litre 179bhp diesel engine. You should be able to manage mid-30s mpg, but one thing you definitely get is loads of lugging power. If you need to tow a hefty trailer, boat, horsebox or caravan, you’ll hardly know it’s there.

You get plenty of kit. In something like the Rhino you’ll find sat nav, air con, heated steering wheel, powered leather seats which are heated and ventilated for those up front, cruise control, wiper de-icer, front and rear parking sensors, rear view camera, DAB radio. The list goes on.

In other words, don’t be fooled by the price; the SsangYong Musso is tough, up to the job, laden with kit and amazing value. If you go for the Rhino long wheelbase, you get the biggest double cab pick-up with the biggest load bed on the market.

If size matters and you don’t want to spend a fortune, they don’t come any better than the SsangYong Musso.

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M O T O R I N G U P D AT E

Corsa-e a perfect little runaround

If you are thinking about making a change on your driveway for the first time in a number of years, you now have far more options than you would have had last time you were car shopping. Where your choice was once restricted to either petrol or diesel cars, you can now consider a selection of hybrid options along with the latest and greatest electric cars too.

Electric car options now vary from plug-in city cars to luxurious large hatchbacks and supersized SUVs. This means that as long as you can afford it- there’s more electric car choice than ever before.

By: Mandy Taylor - Business development executive

In light of recent UK moves to ban

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petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by as early as 2030, the Corsa-e presents a very appealing proposition.

Vauxhall claims that if charged at home, paying around 13 pence per kWh (unit) of electricity, the Corsa will cost about £65 a month less than the equivalent

M O T O R I N G U P D AT E

honest I’m no “speed queen”) this little Corsa is brisk. Like all single speed electric cars, it shoots from a standstill and at medium speed, overtaking can be done with confidence. I noted that on slippery roads the traction control is gentle with a good grip on the ground, and it is clearly a car that is firmly sprung.

automatic 1.2 turbo Corsa, a saving not to be sniffed at!

Boasting 0% Benefit-In-Kind (2020/2021) for company car drivers and 30% less maintenance costs as electric vehicles have fewer moving parts and less wear on brakes.

When offered the opportunity to test drive a Corsa-e Elite Nav, I was curious to see how this high spec model, priced including options at £30,875 would perform on the hills and valleys in Yorkshire.

While it’s not super fast (and to be

The AC synchronous electric motor gives a maximum power output of 100kW/136PS and 192 lb ft. of torque plus there is also an enhanced regeneration braking mode, which increases the amount of electricity flowing back into the battery on over run.

clear and concise and the 10-inch centre touch screen offers great graphics and a very easy to read satellite navigation system. Electric rear windows, rear-view camera, parking sensors and a heated steering wheel are just some of the many features on offer in this Elite Nav model.

It is roomy in the back however the headroom is slightly restricted and for any particularly tall passengers, this may be commented on during long distance journeys.

This car is appealing to the eye with 17-inch bi-colour diamond-cut alloy wheels, black roof, high gloss black A and B-pillars and dark tinted rear windows.

The on-board 7.4kW battery can be charged via a domestic wall box from 0-100% capacity in just 7.5 hours and 80% of the vehicle charge in 30 minutes from a 100kW rapid charging station – subject to the type of station, outside temperature and battery temperature at the time.

With keyless entry, once inside the cabin the fabric/premium leather seats are comfortable and although not required at the time, the option of heated seats is always appreciated. The fascia is simple,

I thoroughly enjoyed my time behind the wheel of this comfortable, quiet car and felt extremely safe and secure, it is nippy, stylish and good for the environment too.

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