Business Comment 44

Inspiring Tourism and Culture DECEMBER2016/JANUARY2017

DISCOVER DISCOVER DAVID DAVID LLOYD LLOYD EDINBURGH EDINBURGH

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One of the biggest and most important events in the Scottish and Edinburgh calendar

Introduction / Contents

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Supporting businesses of all sectors

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Landmark year for Edinburgh Bus Tours

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Free recruiting and training

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Tourism - Scotland’s greatest success

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Chamber Energy Solutions

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Sustaining the world’s leading festival city 12

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2016 has been a landmark year for Edinburgh Bus Tours

Ten years on from opening his now iconic restaurant

How to keep and motivate low paid staff

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Upskill your communication

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Get Going

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Feature: Tourism and Culture

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Special Report: Royal Highland Show

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Special Report: Tom Kitchin

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Edinburgh Cyprus Business Forum

Inspiring Tourism and Culture Welcome to the latest issue of Business Comment.

In this issue, the focus is on our vital tourism sector, which supports over 30,000 jobs and contributes around £1.4 billion of value to our local economy each year.

Edinburgh is the gateway and major driver of the Scottish tourism industry, and in the magazine we hear from Malcolm Roughead, CEO of VisitScotland, who reinforces the value of the sector by explaining that the tourism industry creates over 217,000 jobs and generates £12 billion of income each year in Scotland through 15 million visitors from the UK and overseas.

Our contributors from Edinburgh Napier University – Jane Ali-Wright and Kenneth Wardrop – tell us that Edinburgh is known as ‘the world’s leading festival city’. ‘Its success is characterised by collaborative partnerships and leadership that are models of ‘best practice’ and it demonstrates the powerful role of culture as a driver of tourism and a catalyst for wider economic impacts including the attraction of talent and inward investment.’

We also hear from the new Chief Executive of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society Alan Laidlaw, who explains the vital importance of the rural economy to tourism, and the

Feature: Learning and Development

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Feature: Finance/Legal

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Secret of Success/New Members 36

major role played by the Royal Highland Show. Michelin star chef Tom Kitchin, a star of Britain’s culinary scene, provides us with some enthusiastic thoughts on Edinburgh’s burgeoning reputation as a gastronomic destination for high spending foodies. And Lothian Buses, a corporate member of the Chamber, explains the significant investment made in tourist buses, while we hear that Forth Ports continue to develop their cruise ship business, with more than 100,000 visitors arriving in the Capital on almost 150 ships.

We can hope that exchange rate volatility might be of some benefit to this important sector, with a likely increase in ‘staycations’ as holidays abroad become more expensive.

There is consensus that – while the city enjoys a highly competitive position as a destination – there is no room for complacency. That makes your Chamber’s interest and involvement in the bid for a City Region Deal even more important. The funding, if successful, would be earmarked to further support tourism and culture, invest in infrastructure, grow the economy and improve engagement across all communities.

I hope you enjoy the magazine.

Ask The Expert

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60 Seconds 42 Partners In Enterprise 43 Chamber Awards/Get With It 44 Europe Direct Edinburgh 45 Chamber Training

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In The Spotlight

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Inspiring Connections & Events

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Movers & Shakers 50

Join Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Our membership base is truly multisector, multi-scale and multi- national.

As we develop our geographic reach, we continue to welcome new members who can enjoy exclusive benefits of being part of Scotland’s capital city Chamber of Commerce. We would be delighted to share with you the benefits of joining.

Contact our dedicated membership team on 0131 221 2999 or e-mail leads@edinburghchamber.co.uk

Liz McAreavey

Chief Executive, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce liz.mcareavey@edinburghchamber.co.uk

www.edinburghchamber.co.uk

www.edinburghchamber.co.uk Cover image Credit: Mile Gray Photography milesgrayphotography.com

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Image of Liz McAreavey: Credit: Tuskite Photography

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CHAMBER NEWS

Supporting businesses of all sectors

Forth Ports Cruise business continues to thrive Capital Cruising, Forth Ports cruise business, is enjoying its most successful year to date with over 144 ships calling into their ports in the UK. In Scotland, the company is set to welcome over 100,000 passengers in 2016 and has even more liners booked in for the 2017 season. There is also an increase in the length of the cruise season which traditionally runs over the warmer months and there is a marked rise in the number of cruise days enjoyed in port.

Capital Cruising manages six ports and anchorages on the east coast of Scotland including Leith, Rosyth, Newhaven, North Queensferry and Dundee, and also the London Cruise Terminal on the Thames.

At the Scottish ports, the cruise business has seen a significant upswing with passenger numbers more than doubling over the past six years. Cruise holidays are continuing to grow in popularity and the industry as a whole in Scotland has seen an increase in cruise visitors with 2017 expected to see around 500,000 passengers coming ashore.

The cruise season is also seeing an extension from its usual run from Spring until the Autumn however for the first time, The Port of Leith will extend the season and welcome a Hogmanay cruise ship where passengers come to enjoy the world famous celebrations in the Capital.

The key to the success of Forth Ports cruise business is its ability to make connections.

The team use their connections to deliver a high quality experience that discerning cruise passenger’s demand.

Robert Mason, Head of Cruise said: “We are delighted that our cruise business is thriving and we continue to work hard to ensure that the cruise lines rebook at our ports for future

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seasons. Research shows that passengers spend an average of five hours ashore and up to £64 per call so there is clearly a significant economic benefit to the country.

We had a report commissioned in 2015

by Keddie Consulting which assessed the impact of our Scottish cruise business. In total, cruise tourism was estimated in 2014 to generate 560 FTE jobs, with a GVA of £15.5 million,and a cargo value of £19.1 million".

This growth is not only due to a rise in the global cruise market but is also as a result of the proactive destination promotion that the cruise team have been developing.

Robert said: “We are part of a project for Scottish cruise ports to develop relationships with local councils and businesses. We assist in arranging cruise summits with local stakeholders including chambers of commerce in the communities our ports serve which are designed to persuade local businesses to become more cruise-friendly and deliver more authentic experiences for the passengers. For example we are now seeing behind-the-scenes tours at various visitor attractions and the staff on board are now booking passengers into local restaurants.

We want to create an experience that makes passengers feel like a local for the day in the city they are visiting but it is not only what the destination can offer, but the welcome they receive when they first arrive at the port.

Each of the ports work hard to ensure a warm welcome for passengers and are working with the award winning CruiseForth group of volunteers who meet and greet people when they come ashore.”

More information: www.capitalcruising.co.uk , @CruiseCapital

For 230 years the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce has been supporting businesses of all sectors and scale wishing to engage in business in Edinburgh. Today, it is the leading business organisation in Edinburgh supporting its members through events, training and development, mentoring, international trade and business advice.

The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is now seeking to appoint several new members to its Governing Council. The day to day management of the Chamber is undertaken by the Executive Team, led by a Chief Executive. The Chamber Council comprises Chamber members and partners across all types and sizes of industry, and is responsible for the strategic direction and wellbeing of the Chamber.

This is an opportunity to support and guide a long established organisation and gain an invaluable insight, both into the Chamber and its wider network whilst gaining a deeper understanding and involvement in the city as a whole. We welcome interest from those working in the private, public or not for profit sectors who are in some way involved in Edinburgh’s economy.

If you would like further information or would like to apply to join the Council please contact Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce President, Scott Black at ECofC@fwbparkbrown.com to arrange a confidential discussion, or email your CV to him together with a brief covering note.

All expressions of interest and applications will be treated confidentially.

Please note to be a member of the Governing Council you or your organisation requires to be a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

Membership of the Governing Council is voluntary and not therefore remunerated.

CHAMBER NEWS

Landmark year for Edinburgh Bus Tours with its largest single investment at £6.5m

2016 has been a landmark year for Edinburgh Bus Tours, Scotland’s third most popular paid-for visitor attraction. Part of the Lothian Buses family, the business recently welcomed a new fleet of 30 custom state-of-the-art vehicles. At a total of £6.5m, this was the largest single investment in Edinburgh Bus Tours over its 27 year history.

These unique vehicles, the first of their kind in the UK, are already on the streets of Edinburgh. Taking its five-star status from VisitScotland seriously, Lothian Buses’ teams took great pains to design the new buses with its partners Wrightbus and Volvo Bus, a process that took around a year.

For all passengers, they offer panoramic, uninterrupted views thanks to extensive use of glass within the design, and there’s also improved connectivity with free wi-fi, allowing visitors to easily share their pictures of the Capital.

The buses also offer next-level accessibility, with two wheelchair spaces with display screens showing live footage from the front-facing cameras on the top deck of the vehicle. Class-two mobility scooters can now travel on board and there are subtitled commentaries on display for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Everyone in Edinburgh benefits from the new

fleet, as these cleaner and greener buses cut carbon emissions by 40% and other harmful emissions by 95-99%. The investment will complement Lothian Buses’ overarching fleet strategy, which will see the company’s carbon footprint cut by 42% by 2020.

Richard Hall, Managing Director for Lothian Buses, said: “We pride ourselves on operating one of the most modern and cleanest fleets in the UK. These new vehicles have been designed and built to our exacting specification to ensure that we continue to delight and exceed the expectations of our tour passengers."

“With our open-top buses being a prominent sight on Edinburgh’s streets, we feel the new vehicles are not only a great addition to our fleet but also to the capital city of Scotland. At the same time as offering tourists and visitors an even better view of the city, we’ll be reducing our environmental impact through lower emissions.”

Edinburgh Bus Tours’ news has been well received by key tourism bodies in Scotland.

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “It is great to see a big focus on accessibility and sustainability in the plans while other new facilities, such as the on board Wi-Fi, will make it easier than ever for visitors to share the very best of Edinburgh with the rest of the world.”

New tour buses were launched in August with help from the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The Pipers Trail Band, accompanied by a crew of highland dancers, staged an exclusive performance to welcome the new vehicles to Edinburgh.

The new buses are in operation on the Edinburgh Tour, Majestic Tour and City Sightseeing routes. To find out more visit edinburghtour.com.

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Scott House, Mid New Cultins West One Business Park Edinburgh, EH11 4DH T: 0131 458 4255 F: 0131 458 4254 E: edinburgh@srm.com

Quartermile Development

Twenty years ago Colin Linton attended Napier University, where he pursued a research project with regards to the forecasts of the European Union of 2010 with Moral support from Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce who received the findings from European institutions. Seeing the material is coming true he has been able to project forward to 2020.

His three trips to America were part of this long term strategy, together with two years in London and travelling over England, where he was involved with Sales Promotion which took him to Amsterdam.

COLIN LINTON M a n a g e m e n t C o n s u l t a n c y

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Find out more at www.srm.com

Now he has set up Colin Linton Management Consultancy, where he can help commerce in a number of ways from his extensive experience for the long term for example: Change, Politics, Business Start ups, New Opportunities and Growth commercial Intelligence. Colin realises the problems of today’s market and looks forward to long term relationships from all sizes of businesses, presently some of his proposals have been accepted by the British Government.

Flat 2, 135 High Street, Dalkeith EH22 1BE E-mail: colinlinton283@btinternet.com Tel: 0131 660 5019

CHAMBER NEWS

Free recruiting and training through Developing Young Workforce Jobs Roadshow 2017 to connect employers with over 2000 young people across the region Offering Meaningful Work Placements If your business is planning Last year Education Scotland published the on advertising vacancies in new work placement standards for schools; January to March 2017 or this has been followed by the more recent publication of work placement standards for has jobs or apprenticeships colleges. With over 5000 work placements available for young people required each year for young people, we are when they leave school this offering the opportunity for businesses to event gives you direct access get practical advice and guidance on getting involved. to inform, inspire and hire young people. Register your Mentoring Young People Whether you are hosting a work placement interest to exhibit free with or recruiting a modern apprentice to your the DYW team now. business mentoring can be an essential skill to Training workshops are being piloted in December to March for businesses in Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian. The pilot offers these workshops free but have limited space.

help develop your future workforce. This short workshop will focus on the theory and practice of mentoring so you feel more confident in using the skills to develop effective relationships and achieve positive results.

Inspiring Young Minds DYW makes an ask of businesses to be more involved in shaping youth talent by getting involved in work inspiration activities.

Whether you are going into a classroom or inviting young people into your work place this workshop will support you to develop an understanding and gain insight on how to engage and inspire young minds, helping you to feel more confident in delivering inspirational activities is education.

Contact the DYW Team to find out more, register your interest for Jobs Roadshow and book a place on the workshops.

0131 221 2999 option 9 dyw@edinburghchamber.co.uk

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CHAMBER NEWS

Tourism is one of Scotland’s greatest success stories

Edinburgh, with its powerful pull for visitors, plays an important role in creating this success.

We can all be proud that tourism is a trail blazer and that our world-class product continues to entice new visitors, whilst offering something new and fresh to people who regularly travel and visit Edinburgh and Scotland.

But tourism is more than a holiday experience - it creates jobs, sustains communities and provides an international shop window for Scotland, encouraging investment not only in the tourism sector itself, but through the influence of business events, ranging from life sciences to the creative industries.

The impact our sector makes is impressive.

The visitor economy generates £12 billion of economic activity with each year around 15million visitors spending £9 billion, which in turn supports 217,000 jobs – the latter figure boosted by a highly impressive rise of 11% since 2015.

Ours is an industry experiencing phenomenal growth. As one of Scotland key growth sector, GVA associated with tourism has increased by 42% since 2008, making it one of the

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fastest growing areas of Scotland’s economy and an excellent investment opportunity.

Financial investment is vital to keeping this success story going. This means making the conditions right in order to attract new and existing investors. There are terrific returns to the economy from tourism and we need to keep investing and prioritising the industry.

Aligned with financial investment is investment in our people. The skills agenda is very important, and there’s a new skills development plan for the industry, setting out industry goals, objectives and aspiration.

At VisitScotland we do a lot of work helping young people understand more about the sector and the opportunities for them.

Beyond traditional routes into the industry, we explain that if they want a career in digital marketing, or sales, be in HR. There’s a role in tourism for all of these and more.

Of increasing importance is digital. The world is mobile and we need to be in there, looking at skills sets and how we can lever the opportunities brought by digital, and, crucially making sure everyone in the industry embraces it.

In October I had the pleasure of hosting a roundtable discussion organised by Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce. One of the questions we explored was what makes

a total quality destination. Everyone agrees that Edinburgh, and Scotland, need to get this right to stay ahead of the competition.

I’m speaking with businesses that might have been on the periphery of tourism, bringing them into this conversation and getting them to think, from their perspective, about what a quality destination looks like. If we can get this right it will help in terms of investment, planning, risk mitigation, and ultimately keep the product fresh and the visitor experience second to none.

There is no room for complacency. We need to leverage the reputation we have built over recent years to bring new investment, new major and business events, new airlines and more visitors to Edinburgh and the country as a whole.

The industry is doing a terrific job and VisitScotland will continue to play its role, generating economic success for Scotland, by promoting Scotland to the world as a place to visit and invest.

By Malcolm Roughead OBE Chief Executive, VisitScotland

MEMBER BENEFITS

Chamber Energy Solutions Are increasing energy costs impacting the growth of your business?

Then Chamber Energy Solutions is the answer.

This business service scheme provided by Utilitywise plc, one of the UK’s leading business energy and water consultancies. It offers an exclusive range of products and services to reduce both energy consumption and associated cost.

Chamber Energy Alliance Members joining the Chamber Energy Alliance will be offered a budget portfolio deal, with the security of no price increases for up to two years, which can be fixed 12 months in advance.

Small businesses* will command a powerful ‘trading desk’ capability typically only enjoyed by larger companies. Members can also benefit from a rebate on prices if the unit price drops below the portfolio rate.

Chamber Energy Helpdesk A brand new, Free phone Chamber Energy Solutions helpline and email helpdesk, offers businesses of all sizes direct access to energy specialists, answering questions and offering advice on all aspects of energy management.

Discounted Audits, Metering and Monitoring products Through Chamber Energy Solutions, all members can access a range of discounts on audits and across the Utilitywise marketleading suite of monitoring and diagnostic products. Savings can amount to hundreds of pounds, depending on member requirements.

Utilitywise expertise and independence As the UK’s leading independent energy consultant, over 17,000 businesses of every size and sector, rely upon Utilitywise for energy management and cost reduction.

With access to prices from major gas and electricity suppliers and an extensive purchasing capacity; Utilitywise can independently recommend and secure competitive deals – and help members gain understanding and insight into the energy choices available to them.

‘Price Lock for Five’ and advanced contracts As you would expect, Chamber Energy Solutions, offers members the opportunity to secure energy rates 12 months in advance of current contract end dates. In addition, members can benefit from five year contracts offering; peace of mind, protection from exposure to volatilities in the energy markets and unexpected bottom line impact.

These arrangements, coupled with the Chamber Energy Alliance, offer Chamber members a unique pricing advantage.

Visit www.chamberenergysolutions.co.uk for further details T: 0800 923 0210 E: help@chamberenergysolutions.co.uk.

E f f i c i E n t. . . fA s t. . . r E l i A b l E . . . s A f E

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ADVERTORIAL

What are the VIBES Awards?

“Promoting positive environmental actions” The Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) Awards are held every year to recognise and showcase best practice.

The aims of the awards are to: n Promote efficient use of resources n Enhance the competiveness of businesses n Improve environmental performance n Support wider goals of sustainable development The VIBES awards are presented at a high profile ceremony at the end of the year, allowing success to be widely recognised.

The accredited awards scheme for Scotland The VIBES Awards are a partnership between a number of high profile organisations: n The Scottish Environment Protection Agency n The Scottish Government n Scottish Water n Scottish Enterprise n Highland and Islands Enterprise n Zero Waste Scotland n Energy Saving Trust n 20:20 Climate Group

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The Awards are further supported by CBI Scotland, the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Businesses, Bright Green Business and Quality Scotland.

Nine Scottish businesses were recognised as champions of business sustainability at the 17th annual Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) Awards:

It is the backing from government and the involvement of these public sector organisations that makes VIBES unique, along with the fact that it is the only Scottish Awards scheme that is accredited by the RSA, meaning VIBES winners can be automatically entered into the prestigious European Business Awards for the Environment.

Guala Closures UK Ltd, Edinburgh Leisure, Farne Salmon and Trout Ltd, Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Veracity UK Ltd, Marlin Industries Scotland Ltd, Lothian Buses, Glenuig Inn Ltd, with commendations going to: Webhelp UK, Ross-shire Engineering Limited and Changeworks

This year six out of the 10 entries representing the UK were chosen from previous VIBES Awards winners, with CMS Window Systems going on to win the Management (medium and large) Award category at the ceremony in Estonia while Perthshire based Jessie Mac’s came runner up in the Management (micro and small) category.

Good for the environment and good for business In the current difficult economic climate, businesses that develop good environmental practices and reap the financial rewards of greater efficiencies are well places to weather the storm. The VIBES Awards welcome applications from innovative businesses that are working hard to take advantage of the opportunities that environmental best practice can offer.

The Hydro Nation Challenge (help in partnership with WaterAid) winner was Benjamin McIntosh-Michaelis, with commendations going to Brathadair, Bridge Biotechnology and Sunstore Technologies Ltd

Applications for 2017 There has been an increase in interest from businesses representing a number of different sectors, as well as those ranging from microbusinesses to very large organisations.

We want to help you celebrate your success and gain the recognition that you deserve.

This begins with the application process, and if you are interested and would like to attend a launch event in your area, then please register your interest at: vibes@sepa.org.uk You can find out about the categories of award, case studies of previous winners and details of the application process on the vibes website www.vibes.org.uk

Do you know what to do with your business waste?

The City of Edinburgh Council, Environmental Wardens are visiting local businesses to check that they are disposing of their business waste in the correct manner.

REDUCING WASTE, CARBON AND COSTS.

If you don’t have a waste management supplier in place, we can help! Knowing your waste and recycling is taken care of means you can concentrate on doing what you do best, running your business.

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Söderberg Bakery What we collect: recycling, confidential paper, glass, food and general waste.

Based in Leith, we provide the most reliable collection service in the city.

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Join thousands of other businesses who have already seen the benefits of using Changeworks Recycling for all your waste and recycling needs, switching is easy!

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CHAMBER NEWS

Edinburgh: sustaining the world’s LEADING festival city

Edinburgh is known as ‘the world’s leading festival city’. Its success is characterised by collaborative partnerships and leadership that are models of ‘best practice’ and it demonstrates the powerful role of culture as a driver of tourism and a catalyst for wider economic impacts including the attraction of talent and inward investment.

2017 marks the 70th anniversary of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The city’s distinctive festivals offer remains fundamental to its strength as a leading cultural tourism destination. Edinburgh’s success as a vibrant and contemporary capital is also closely tied to the on-going strength (ubiquity, equity and creativity) of the Edinburgh Festivals brand. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts event, while its cutting edge creativity in artistic performance and festival design and delivery constantly redefines Edinburgh.

The ‘Edinburgh Festivals 2015 Impact Study’ demonstrated that the Festivals supported 5,660 new FTE jobs in Edinburgh and generated over £279m in net new sales across all sectors of the city’s economy in 2015 with audience nonticket net expenditure distributed across the city’s leisure and hospitality businesses including food and drink providers (30%), accommodation providers (29%), retail (20%), entertainment (14%) and transport (8%).

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While the city benefits from c. 1.6m overseas and c. 2.2m domestic tourist trips (Visit Scotland 2014) Edinburgh’s citizens with ca.

4m attendances still remain the key audience at the summer festivals and developing their involvement and support has been a key facet of the festivals’ evolution.

There is therefore compelling evidence of the wider impacts and benefits that are derived from the Festivals, their competitive performance and global market positioning which offers a convincing narrative to secure local and national government support and funding.

Edinburgh’s success as a leading global cultural destination is not accidental, but is based on a strategic approach leading to on-going investment in the city’s cultural and tourism infrastructure, and the critical role of effective collaborations such as ‘The Festivals Forum’, ‘Festival’s Edinburgh’ and the ‘Edinburgh Tourism Action Group’, which underpin the sustainability of the City’s ‘world class’ cultural tourism experience.

A strategic perspective is critical to head off the danger mature festivals face of complacency, addressing the ‘Event Life Cycle’ and staving off decline by constantly rejuvenating the festival product. Research involving Edinburgh Napier University has revealed that the largest and best-

known events manage to stay within the Consolidation stage of the life cycle, influencing the extent of their contribution to destination development and how by their fluidity they can become the catalyst for the revival of tourism for destinations.

Recognition by strategic Festival partners of the challenge of being innovative market leaders is critical to the sustainability and longevity of Edinburgh’s Festivals. 2015 saw the publication of the ‘Thundering Hooves 2.0’, a strategic ‘taking stock’ of the festivals and Edinburgh’s competitive positioning.

“This next ten years is about capitalising on this reputation and advantage, finding new ways of experiencing and investing in one of Scotland’s greatest assets… [the city must be] confident and bold in its ambition to take its world leading festivals forward…”

(Thundering Hooves 2.0, 2015). As the 70th Anniversary of Edinburgh’s International and Fringe Festivals approaches, this strategic and sustainable plan needs to be supported and implemented in light of powerful economic, cultural, political, and technological drivers.

Jane Ali-Knight, Associate Professor, J.Ali-Knight@napier.ac.uk Kenneth Wardrop, Visiting Research Fellow, k.wardrop@napier.ac.uk The Business School (Tourism Subject Group), Edinburgh Napier University

ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: DIGITAL FOCUS/CYBER SECURITY

RoS proving pivotal in digital

At Registers of Scotland, we are improving our services by working hand-in-hand with customers. This has allowed us to bring in a host of new measures to improve efficiency for our stakeholders.

In recent years, Registers of Scotland (RoS) has introduced a number of innovations aimed at protecting the interests of lenders in land and buildings registered in Scotland.

Lenders are now able to receive an electronic notification directly from RoS when their standard security is registered or discharged.

Solicitors acting on behalf of lenders should ensure that the correct email address for the lender is included on the land register application form.

Lenders are also able to benefit from our development plan approval service which ensures that the registration of new plots within a housing development proceed as expected by the developer, the purchaser and the lender.

We are currently developing a Digital Discharge Service in collaboration with the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), individual lenders and the Law Society of Scotland.

This will make the process of removing a security from the register much quicker and easier. It will also help to tackle the use of fraudulent discharges because only those permitted to execute a deed on behalf of a lender will be able to do so.

The new service will be trialled with lenders and solicitors later this year and we will continue to build on the positive feedback

we have had to date ahead of rolling out the service more widely.

To reach this point, our dedicated user experience team at RoS is constantly working to keep track of how customers interact with our systems. And it’s always interesting what we learn: from what is clicked on the most, to how people “search” – and even what time everyone appears to go for lunch.

However, as interesting as this is, it’s only part of the process. To really understand the journey we are on with our customers we have to get an appreciation of what happens outside our systems for legal firms, lenders and searchers.

We need to ask: “What is the trigger for someone to log on? Do they do other things at the same time as searching the land register? And do they come back (after lunch), or is it handed over to a colleague to complete?” When we understand all of this, we can identify further opportunities for improvement.

In RoS, we don’t only “virtually” watch how users navigate through our transactions using analytics and reporting tools. We have been going into offices and sitting with users, too.

We have learned so much more this way, disproving our assumptions and identifying workarounds customers have creatively invented when engaging with our systems.

But, most importantly, by spotting errors we can ensure they are improved for the future.

Positive education always corrects error!

opportunities to become even clearer. As a team, we understand that if a service is designed in a “user-centric” way it brings benefits for everyone.

If things work more intuitively, errors will, by and large, cease to occur, resulting in a service that is easy to use and simpler to support, making everyone happier. We are following this approach across all our deliveries, including the new discharge service and our future digital mortgage and online registration services.

What’s more, for the same discharge service, we engaged a significant number of lenders in the Scottish security market from the beginning of discovery and have continued to work with these lenders, and others, throughout development, visiting them on-site and using remote sessions where necessary.

Working directly with lenders means we have received immediate feedback on the service that they will use, and it has been a very positive experience to work with teams who are so engaged and willing to give us their time.

For more information, please visit: www.ros.gov.uk/about-us/ros-blog/2016/ developing-our-electronic-discharge-service or follow us @RegistersOfScot

After these sessions, we create “journey” diagrams that allow improvement

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FEATURE: DIGITAL FOCUS/CYBER SECURITY

ADVERTORIAL

Outsourcing your IT could help drive your business forward in 2017.

Are you considering outsourcing your business IT? You’re not alone, a survey last year by Node4 found that 79% of SMEs had experienced IT frustrations and were looking at outsourcing.

Whatever the size of your company, IT is likely to be at the heart of your business operations.

But is technology helping or hindering? How much time do you and your staff spend trying to fix IT issues or staying on top of updates and security software? By outsourcing your business IT you can rest assured your business technology is being looked after, leaving you free to focus on your core business.

SortmyPC is one of Edinburgh’s leading outsourced technology providers offering business IT solutions and services which are affordable and straight talking. How we help: Security & Back Up – ensuring that your business doesn’t fall prey to virus or malware and that your business data is as safe as possible.

Cloud Solutions - cloud based platforms can result in increased efficiency, eg Microsoft Office 365 & Azure allow employees to access and share data from any device in any location.

Supplying, Installing & Supporting Hardware and Software - advising on hardware & software to improve business efficiency and help with future planning and growth.

Business Broadband & VOIP Phone Systems – installing & supporting business telecoms to meet your business needs.

Worx24 Business Management Software – designed to help SMEs manage their clients and business operations.

As one of Edinburgh’s leading outsourced IT support providers, SortmyPC currently look after 150+ SMEs. If you’d like to find out more, visit www.sortmypc.co.uk. To speak to us about supporting your business call 0131 477 2644 to arrange a free consultation.

Servers & Networks - maintaining your server to ensure it allows your applications and network to run efficiently. Providing sufficient space to store data.

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a CARBON NEuTRAL company

ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: DIGITAL FOCUS/CYBER SECURITY

More than just a digital video recorder (DVR) In the past few months, a series of large and sophisticated cyber attacks having been taking place which have heralded a new phase in the threats facing businesses.

under your control, but these devices and your internet connection could actually be being used for illegal purposes.

Known as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, they have involved hackers using insecure Internet of Things (IoT) devices to run these massive attacks.

n Where possible, disable default usernames

Reports have indicated that CCTV Cameras, Digital Video Recorders and internet routers have all been used to attack online systems.

It can be a frightening prospect if you do not know how to counteract it, or if you do not understand it in the first place.

That is why it makes sense to bring in an expert like Simon McCullagh from Edinburghbased Digital Orchard IT to advise you on your cyber security.

Simon, who has 15 years of industry experience, works across central Scotland, providing, IT support, management, system design, business continuity and information security, warns that the attacks may not just be aimed at disrupting systems but for a far more sinister purpose.

He said: “The hackers may not be trying to steal your data by compromising devices

“That is why it is crucial that businesses of all sizes take precautions to avoid a repeat of the recent attacks.”

According to Simon, there are a number of key things that should be done to minimise the risks of these devices being compromised

n Always change default passwords n Don’t use default port numbers to access devices. n Update the firmware on your devices.

Firmware updates generally include bug fixes and security fixes n Only publish the minimum devices you can on the internet, i.e if you have a CCTV system that you want to monitor remotely then on the playback devices should be accessible form the internet not every camera.

Simon added: “When it comes to securing your business internet connection, the router that you use is very important. Generally, the device supplied by your internet supplier just won’t be up to the job. They don’t offer the configuration required to allow secure access to devices from the internet.

“The key thing to remember is that a system is vulnerable at every point where a computer receives data from the internet. Hackers seek out the chinks in the armour, which is where the security breaches can occur.

“That has certainly been the case with the wave of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks that we have seen over recent weeks.

“Every company’s needs are different and relying on a one-size-fits-all solution does not go far enough and anyone running a business needs to factor that into their thinking.”

Digital Orchard IT combats cyber-crime by providing a tailored solution through an easy-to-manage programme of monitoring online activity and taking action to prevent possible breaches. That includes installing high-security anti-virus protection, creating systems that constantly scan for vulnerabilities and offering mail protection.

To find out how Digital Orchard IT can help your business stay secure online, contact: Tel: 0131 208 0080 • 07793 739237

“I have found that some companies still under-estimate the impact that cyber crime can have on their operations.

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CHAMBER NEWS

How to keep and motivate low paid staff An ex-Premier League Manager once struggled to emotionally connect with his football team. They were under-performing, and their results were suffering.

There was no loyalty, and no ‘need to achieve’ among the team. He was quoted as saying “How do I motivate 11 millionaires?”

And it’s a fair point.

Equally, with low paid workers, a similar scenario exists but for the opposite reason.

How do you motivate lowly paid staff, when market forces dictate their salaries?

Low paid workers have to be motivated to do more than just show up and go through the actions – or else they’ll jump ship at the promise of an extra 20p per hour.

Our task at Spotless Commercial Cleaning is all about keeping the cleaning staff engaged and on board. Our clients want great cleaners who will stay for years. And it’s good for us as employers.

Cleaners chat on the buses, and they compare notes. It’s actually a great recruitment ground. We want our staff to say “Yes, you should work at Spotless, they’re good to their staff”.

So what do we do at Spotless that makes us different and helps to motivate our staff?

Here are 5 tips.

1. Let them ‘feel the love’ The temptation among cleaning companies is to view their staff as commodities. But when you show warmth and appreciation to them, it changes everything.

Cleaning staff have been used to being treated as a number, with a ‘take it or leave it’ attitude by their employers. So when they are treated with respect and courtesy, they’ll immediately respond in kind.

2. Give recognition and reward Three Directors in Spotless were originally cleaning staff, but came through the ranks to take charge of multi-million pound divisions.

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cleaning standards, but rarely praised when they do a good job.

Don’t ‘walk by’ without stopping to pass the time of day, smile or say hello, no matter how busy you are.

A word of recognition, a simple awards system, or a mention in the monthly newsletter, go a very long way to motivate your staff.

3. Show gratitude Genuine, heartfelt gratitude is a great motivator. Never underestimate the power of ‘thank you’.

Research from Francesca Gino, from Harvard Business School, has even demonstrated what she calls the ‘gratitude effect’: “Receiving expressions of gratitude makes us feel a heightened sense of self-worth, and that in turn triggers other helpful behaviours…”

4. Be consistent Cleaning staff are quickly deflated if their employer is inconsistent with processes and instructions.

A fair and safe workplace, where they feel they are free to express themselves respectfully, and know they will be taken seriously, is of paramount importance.

5. Don’t let them down

Along the journey of their many promotions they were recognised and rewarded. This happens many times every day in Spotless.

For long term trust and motivation to thrive, the employer needs to follow through on their promises, and keep their end of the bargain. Every time, without fail.

Cleaning staff often get unfairly blamed when things go wrong, and quickly berated for poor

Wages must be correct. Or if they are not, they must be quickly remedied.

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Cleaning materials must be in place when asked for. Holiday requests must be responded to quickly. And when they need someone to stand up for them, they must trust in your leadership to support them.

Other motivators Other good motivators worth mentioning are: provide good training and a career path; offer employees who have 100 percent attendance some kind of gift, perhaps a Christmas hamper or a gift voucher; make sure that staff can see the impact of what they do for the client; and, where possible, give staff some flexibility about how they work.

How well do commercial cleaners motivate their employees?

The cleaning industry has progressed a long way in the last 20 years in terms of Employment Law and Health and Safety. But have we progressed as far in our motivation and management of staff?

Staff retention levels at Spotless are significantly higher than at other cleaning companies. Our cleaning employees stay with us for an average of 3.8 years and managers for 8 years. We always aim to be a great employer.

Those companies that embrace these values positively will discover that having people who work with pride and passion is a powerful, new differentiator.

See more on Spotless Commercial Cleaning’s website www.spotless.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

Are You Ready for a CRM System?

Ok, that sounds strange coming from a company that sells its own CRM solution, but hear me out. I can tell you honestly that, unless you can set aside some time to get your strategy right, there is really no point.

I’ll start with an example. When you go on holiday, you do a lot more than just buy some swimming trunks and a snorkel and hope for the best.

You plan, decide on the best time of year for everyone, and consider hotels and resorts.

Will the location and hotel be good for the whole family? Or is it more of a romantic getaway? How will you get from the airport to the hotel? What will you do when you get there? How much money should you take?

There are a whole host of questions you ask and plans you need to make. Your holiday strategy will become a blueprint for you and your family’s two weeks off, so you want to make sure you get it right.

So why isn’t it the same when you’re buying a CRM system for your business?

So many times we hear how a business needs a CRM system, but when you dig a little deeper and actually look at the plans behind the decision, there are no clear objectives or goals.

Of course we all want “more sales” or “increased profit” or “better efficiency.” We even use phrases like these in our own mission statement: “Increase your sales; make more profit; grow your business.” But so what?!

CRM is more than a system, it’s an approach to how you run your business. A CRM system should be a corner stone of your business strategy with achievable goals and deliverable objectives that pay dividends both financially and emotionally.

How, exactly, is that CRM solution going to do those things for YOUR business?

Why? When you start out looking for your new CRM solution, you first need to look at exactly why you need that system. Who in your business is going to use it? What do they need it for? How will it fit it with what they’re already doing?

Once you’ve answered this, however, you’ve only got the barest outline of how your system will be configured. There are more questions to answer.

What?

If you aren’t sure what you do best, where you can do better, and get some targets set to measure your improvement, your CRM system won’t really be working for you. You’ll just be paying money out for something that is only half fulfilling its promise.

Now that you know why you need a new CRM, you have to think about the goals you want to achieve with it. What are these goals?

What will you use to measure whether or not you have met them?

Sure your sales might increase and people might be working a little more efficiently, but you’ll never know if it is down to the CRM system or just coincidence.

With some clear objectives and ideas for metrics to gauge your progress, you’ll be able to flesh out that rough configuration outline with key points and goalposts.

Trust me, I’ve seen enough CRM implementations start off without clear goals that end up struggling and occasionally failing to know that taking this time is always worth it.

How? With this more detailed blueprint, you’ll be able to speak with your CRM provider to go through what you need the system to do and the key attributes your system will need to be logging. This blueprint will give your account manager something to build on.

They will be able to work with you to go even deeper into the details of how your CRM system will function and how your team will utilise it. This will give you a system that is tailored to your business and that can give you measurable goals to make sure it continues to earn its keep.

But if you aren’t willing to take the time to review your needs and focus internally on what you need to do, there’s no point in buying a CRM system.

If you have any questions about OpenCRM, please get in touch. I would love to hear from you. Find us at www.opencrm.co.uk or drop us a line at hello@opencrm.co.uk.

Graham Anderson, is the CEO and founder of OpenCRM, one of the UK’s leading customer relationship management systems.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Upskill your communication The idea just wouldn’t go away. Over a period of months, as I changed a thousand nappies and made a million bottles of baby milk, the idea kept coming back to me. An idea to change something I had apparently been doing well for years.

Life as an academic had been interesting. I had been inspired by bright minds, travelled to exciting locations, and been awarded Fellowships and Visiting Professorships. It was an apparently successful career in education, but it was fundamentally flawed.

The more I taught the less I seemed to understand how education worked. It felt dull and dusty; out of step with the rest of the world and ultimately failing to meet the expectations of both learners and employers.

It seemed everything in life was rapidly changing except education, where lectures, exams, classrooms and libraries continually took learning back to industrial times.

My idea was simple; take the best bits of higher education in to the industry to create a new type of academy. An academy that would effectively open up one of the UK’s biggest media companies to cascade skills and knowledge out to individuals, communities and businesses. It would deliver excellent and flexible media training, accessible to everyone, and relevant to digital lifestyles and business needs.

Bauer Media was the perfect fit. An ambitious multimedia, multinational company with a track record for innovation, a commitment to nurturing talent, and a passion for providing new services to audiences and clients. With national brands, such as Grazia, Empire, Absolute Radio and Magic, plus local brands including Forth One in Edinburgh, Bauer’s offices and studios would provide the ideal learning environment.

In 2012 the Bauer Academy was launched in Edinburgh and it now operates at 20 sites across the UK. Last year it had over 5,000 students, worked with various funders to deliver community projects, and provided business solutions to over 100 clients.

Perhaps more than any other area, the Academy’s training for businesses has broken

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new ground by truly blending education with industry practice. We don’t have a list of courses and we don’t aim to share knowledge. We aim to create change. Our academics and industry professionals design and deliver bespoke learning programmes that build confidence in teams and new capabilities in organisations. We are the perfect partner for digital journeys.

Whether it’s a teenager wanting to Vlog, a comms team realising nobody is opening the email newsletter, a parent trying to work out Instagram, or a CEO finally accepting the need to tweet, the Academy can help.

The idea that wouldn’t go away is now an Academy. It is here to help with all digital journeys; equipping people, communities and businesses with new ways to share information and tell stories. In life, few things matter more. @courtnaymcleod www.courtnaymcleod.com

Courtnay McLeod is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She has taught at various universities and been awarded a visiting Professorship at the University of Sassari in Italy. She lives in Scotland with her husband and three children.

GET GOING Name: Alex Eggar Business name: yoko:10 Start-up date: 29th August 2016 Website: http://yoko10.com Q Tell us a bit about your business?

A We help businesses cut costs and simplify their IT by moving to a modern “digital workplace”. We do this by providing solutions based on Microsoft Cloud services, such as video conferencing, instant messaging, electronic document management, collaboration sites and social computing.

Q How long have you been trading?

A Since the start of September 2016, we’re still very shiny and new!

Q What makes your company unique?

A Being focused on business outcomes to take enterprise experience and tailor it to meet SME needs.

Q What has been your greatest business success to date?

A Securing our first project, and it being a global Office 365 roll-out for a wellrespected insurance firm.

Q What motivated you to set up in business?

A A genuine belief that Office 365 can transform the way SME’s work, and the challenge of bringing what have traditionally been enterprise services to a new sector.

Q How many staff do you manage?

A Just myself at the moment, although if all goes to plan that will increase fivefold over the next twelve months.

Q What do you like most running your own company?

A For now it’s the variety; having to take on the roles of consultancy, sales, finance, marketing etc.

Q What has been the hardest part of setting up your own business?

A Having to take on the roles of consultancy, sales, finance, marketing.

Q In terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next 5 years?

A To have a successful, well respected business known throughout Scotland

for its innovation, quality of service and customer experience.

Q What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting up their own company?

A Don’t miss out by second guessing yourself. If you’ve done your homework, and it look and feels right, it probably is.

Alex is running a training course on 27/01/17 on how to optimise your Microsoft. Contact training@edinburghchamber.co.uk

Hospitality & Leisure; don’t let VAT take the fun out of it!

Any business operating within the hospitality and leisure sector will have crossed paths with VAT. From the impact it has on margins, to knowing when to become VAT registered, to how to reclaim VAT and knowing whether a specific transaction falls within the VAT net at all; it can take some navigating. The complex nature of VAT legislation means that it can be easily misunderstood, potentially resulting in costly unanticipated VAT costs.

This article provides an insight into four specific - yet often related, topical VAT issues:

1. The 28 day rule Sleeping accommodation in a hotel, or similar establishment, is generally subject to a VAT charge at 20%. However, less commonly known, if an individual stays for more than four weeks, a reduced VAT charge would apply, providing relief for longer term residents in hotels or inns; this is known as the ‘28 day rule’. Do you know how to apply this rule?

2. Serviced Apartments – don’t think they are exempt Short term accommodation in a serviced apartment will also be potentially subject to VAT at 20%; not to be confused with exempt

residential lettings. HMRC’s rationale is that taxing such accommodation is necessary given that it competes with the hotel sector. The 28 day rule applies equally to serviced apartments and can perhaps be more of a common occurrence given the nature of the accommodation. Do you realise that you may need to be VAT registered and be charging VAT accordingly?

3. A Spot of Fishing Paying to fish in someone’s loch or river, would usually incur a VAT charge at 20%, assuming they are VAT registered. This applies equally to fishing in a still water fishery, however if it is optional to either pay for fish caught, or to throw them back, any charge for the fish themselves is in fact zero rated if they are of a species generally used for food in the UK. Are you charging VAT at the correct rate?

4. What About Shooting Syndicates?

Allowing someone to shoot on your land is subject to VAT at 20% but what if the shoot is arranged as a syndicate?

Shooting syndicates can take many forms with the VAT position varying from a pure cost sharing arrangement, which does not usually amount to business activity, to VAT registration potentially being an issue

dependent on the underlying terms of the arrangement. Are you comfortable that your syndicate does not fall “fowl” of the VAT rules?

The Whole Package!

While your business may have just one of these factors to consider, it is commonplace for a business to supply accommodation, along with shooting, fishing or maybe even golf. A “packaged supply” of this nature does need to be considered in the context of the dreaded Tour Operator’s Margin Scheme (TOMS); a perplexing VAT scheme which I would recommend you always take advice on.

Lynn Gemmell – VAT Strategist Our VAT Strategist, Lynn Gemmell is well aware of the challenges that VAT can pose for businesses and business owners – what is reassuring for clients is that, to date she has rarely encountered a VAT issue that can’t be solved.

This full understanding of the complexities and implications of VAT and how these are applied to real business scenarios, gives clients simple to understand, no nonsense advice that they can reply upon.

To contact Lynn for VAT advice, please email lynn.gemmell@condie.co.uk.

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ADVERTORIAL

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FEATURE: TOURISM/CULTURE

FEATURE: TOURISM/CULTURE

ADVERTORIAL

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - a special venue for corporate events When it comes to booking your corporate event, you need to choose somewhere very special that will linger long in the memory, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh does just that. Few venues are as stunning or can point to as much historic character and charm.

Established in 1670, the Garden will celebrate its 350th anniversary in 2020 and is home to some of the world’s most important collections of plants, helping to make for a highly enjoyable and distinctive visit.

Its unique character makes it increasingly popular with businesses, who book the restaurant, café spaces and events areas - including the newly added state of the art lecture theatre and conference room - for hosting conferences, receptions and corporate launches that allow delegates to do business while taking in the delightful surroundings.

Catering Services Director, Paul Mitchell said: “The garden is a popular venue for companies, providing a stunning backdrop

to events with a wide range of spaces and services which can be booked throughout the year.”

Among the areas available, are the Caledonian Hall, the Gateway Restaurant and the Terrace Cafe where the tables spill out into the Garden allowing visitors to enjoy alfresco dining with unrivalled views of the city skyline.

Business Comment Magazine - 180mm x 110mm - Final Outlines.indd 1

In addition, there are other conference areas that can be used for events.

To find out more, or to book an event, contact: Telephone 0131 552 1974 Email sales@gatewayrestaurant.net

09/11/2016 13:09:34

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ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: TOURISM/CULTURE

Dynamic Earth – a truly stunning corporate events venue Do you fancy staging your corporate event somewhere different? Somewhere truly unique.

Somewhere so spectacular that your guests are unlikely to ever forget it? Then look no further than the popular Edinburgh attraction Dynamic Earth.

The venue, which is becoming increasingly popular with businesses seeking to stage events, is a 5-star visitor attraction which invites you to take a journey through time to witness the story of planet Earth.

Through a series of interactive exhibits, state-of-the-art technology and even a 4D encounter you will feel the heat of a bubbling volcano, face the chill of polar ice, fly across the globe before crash landing in a tropical rainforest and marvel at Scotland’s only 360 degree full dome film theatre.

Not only is it popular with tourists and the 80,000 schoolchildren who visit the charity-run attraction annually to enjoy its educational programmes, it is also ideal for a wide range of corporate events.

Commercial Director Douglas Walker said: “A lot of companies like to use us for their events, partly because supporting the site fits in with their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes, as they are supporting us as an

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educational charity, and also because we can offer them something that is truly different.

“We have hosted a wide variety of events, from car launches to banquets, and when we mix together the unique character of the site and the things that can be done with lighting systems, it looks absolutely stunning.

“We can cater for just about every need. The site is ideal for drinks receptions, for example.

We can cater for 1,200 people at a reception including in our Polar area, which has a real iceberg in it.

ceiling and imposing windows, the Biosphere can be used as one large light and airy meeting space or it can be split into two rooms.

The stone Turret adjacent to the Biosphere is an ideal ‘green room’ for speakers, pre-event meetings, informal breakout area or the organiser’s office.

Additional areas that can be used as breakout spaces are the Salisbury Suite, Boardroom, Hutton Room and the Ozone Suite.

“People touch the iceberg and are surprised that it is real and it is an ideal area for keeping champagne chilled and for keeping the vodka shots cool!

The Ozone Suite, bathed in natural light and with unspoilt views of the Salisbury Crags and Scottish Parliament, provides the perfect setting for your events catering area.

It has the flexibility to spill out onto the main Stratosphere should your event grow.

“We can also host banquets for six hundred people and dinner dances for up to five hundred and fifty.

Douglas said: “There is so much to see and do and we find that people who attend events say afterwards that they are truly memorable.”

“The beauty of the site is that is so adaptable.

You can have an event looking out over an extinct volcano underneath our canopy roof, in a tropical rainforest where it rains real rain or make use of our planetarium.”

You can find out how Dynamic Earth can stage your event by contacting Ellie Garvie, Events Sales Manager on 0131 523 1269 or email ellie.garvie@dynamicearth.co.uk or by visiting www.dynamicearth.co.uk/events

Dynamic Earth is also excellent if you are planning a conference, training day, exhibition or board meeting.

Its conference suite – the Biosphere Suite - can seat 300 theatre style or 128 cabaret style.

Modern, stylish and versatile with a high arched

Douglas Walker Commercial Director

FEATURE: TOURISM/CULTURE

ADVERTORIAL

An atmospheric venue for your corporate event When you book your corporate event at B+B Edinburgh you give your guests the chance to savour a spectacular bit of Edinburgh’s history.

With its ornate décor, spectacular staircase and atmospheric rooms including a library the Victorian building in Rothesay Terrace provides truly unique surroundings for everything from board meetings to conferences.

The award-winning boutique bed and breakfast hotel, which has 27 bedrooms and a Grade II listed façade, is ideal for a range of events.

The Findlay Room, for example, which is named after the building’s creator J S Findlay and can take 20 people with a boardroom setting and thirty in a classroom set-up, has preserved many of its original features.

The beautiful library is ideal for more intimate events like conducting interviews or small meetings and is able accommodate up to 12 people.

In addition the venue is popular for humanist weddings with its staircase ideal for the all-important photographs and, through its excellent connections with nearby

restaurants, the team at B+B Edinburgh can arrange the reception as well.

capital city but we are also ideal for corporate events. We offer something a bit different.”

Operations Manager Helen Blower said: “People love holding events at B+B Edinburgh because of the unique surroundings.

You can find out more about B+B Edinburgh, which was awarded ‘B&B of the Year’ at the Scottish Hospitality awards in June 2016 having won initially for the region then for the whole of Scotland, by calling 0131 225 5084, emailing info@bb-edinburgh.com or visiting www.bb-edinburgh.com.

“So many of the building’s original period features have been preserved and, if you look closely, you will find the initials of J S Findlay carved into some of the fretwork.

“Not only do we offer our guests accommodation in the heart of Scotland’s

A record year The EICC has just finished up one of its busiest years on record, hosting more events than ever before and delivering £50million in economic impact for Edinburgh. Chief Executive, Marshall Dallas, talks to Business Comment about the year’s highlights.

There was understandable excitement in November around the Scottish Business Awards when Leonardo DiCaprio addressed 2,000 dinner guests; however one aspect of even greater excitement to me as CEO is the accessibility enhancements that we put in place in preparation for hosting two major international conferences both of which focused on inclusiveness.

In September we held the XI AutismEurope International Congress, when we were delighted to become only the second building in the city to be honoured with an Autism Friendly Award. Then, in October we welcomed the Rehabilitation International World Congress, which saw 1,000 delegates gathering to discuss how to make the world a more inclusive place.

The legacy that this Congress left behind is truly significant. Ahead of the event, many of our city’s attractions, hotels and

EICC presented with Autism Friendly Award

Dr Stephen Duckworth, Chair of the 2016 RI World Congress

restaurants implemented changes to their businesses to enhance the experience for all visitors regardless of disability. These positive changes are making Scotland’s capital a leading destination for an increasing number of organisations, for whom accessibility standards can make or break the decision to locate their events.

Having some of the world’s oldest buildings and cobbled streets, Edinburgh is sometimes challenged accessibility-wise but investment in the city has been a big game-changer.

From Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Botanic Garden and the Royal Yacht Britannia to many of our hotels and restaurants, Edinburgh has garnered a 5-star reputation that has been supported by significant improvements to infrastructure and public transport.

What we realised by engaging with the team at Euan’s Guide, the disabled access review

website, is the importance of the attitude of staff. Investments into physical accessibility can be undone by a poor experience with employees. In light of this, EICC has invested in training across our team and we hope our approach to accessibility will be another factor that makes organisations choose Edinburgh for their conferences.

2017 is shaping up nicely too but the last thing we will do is rest on our laurels - as some say in the industry, you’re only as good as your last conference!

Contact the EICC Team on 0131 300 3333 to start planning your next event. Email us on sales@eicc.co.uk. www.eicc.co.uk Marshall Dallas, Chief Executive, Edinburgh International Conference Centre

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SPECIAL REPORT: TOURISM AND CULTURE

Larder far from bare at Scotland’s Royal Highland Showground The man newly installed at the helm of one of the biggest and most important events in the Scottish and Edinburgh calendar is an ardent champion of Edinburgh’s role as Britain’s best city.

Poll after poll puts Scotland’s Capital as one of the very best places to live, work and do business – but Alan Laidlaw maintains the mantle is one that we all need to work hard to maintain.

The Chief Executive of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) knows that tourism is a sector of enormous value to the city.

It is estimated to generate around £1.3billion per annum for the local economy, and

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supports in the region of 30,000 jobs. Some 4 million visitors to the Capital, almost 40% from overseas, are attracted by the powerful mixture of stunning architecture, history, culture and a superb food, drink and hospitality offering along with our strong business tourism sector and the worldrenowned and world-leading Festivals. Our landscape is a huge attraction for many of the visitors who come to these shores, but would be a very different landscape were it not managed by farmers and others in agriculture.

And while we can all feel a sense of pride at Edinburgh’s lofty positon as the most popular UK tourism destination outside London, Alan argues that we need to remain vigilant to maintain that distinction.

He said: “Andrew Kerr, Chief Executive, City of Edinburgh Council, describes Edinburgh as the UK’s second city, and nobody can argue the city’s strength as a major player internationally, especially within the finance,

cultural and tourism industries."

“Each and every business in Edinburgh has a part to play, through promotion and innovation, in maintaining the city’s position and edge in the eyes of our international markets. The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland will continue to work hard across all of its platforms to play its part in the future success of our remarkable capital, our sector and Scotland.”

Based at the RHASS’s headquarters at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Alan was appointed to the role in August 2016 after spending 11 years with the Crown Estate Scotland, latterly as Head of Property. He is a trained chartered surveyor, a director of the Oxford Farming Conference and an Associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies (ARAgS).

The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) – a registered charity with a remit to promote and protect the interests of rural Scotland – is the organiser

SPECIAL REPORT: TOURISM AND CULTURE

of the hugely popular and important Royal Highland Show.

the 1,100 trade stands, not including the food and drink outlets.”

and highlighting the link between food and farming.”

In 2016 the Royal Highland Show attracted over 190,000 visitors through the gates of the Royal Highland Centre. In recent years the visitors split for urban versus rural audiences is 60/40. More than 20% of visitors are from outwith Scotland, 40,000 people, many being international tourists making the trip to Scotland primarily for the Royal Highland Show.

But as well as its economic impact, and its vital role in the rural economy, the Show is important in showcasing beauty of our landscape and the excellence of our produce – which in turns plays a part in encouraging the ever-growing numbers of visitors interested in food.

“‘Scotland’s Larder Live!’ at the Show equates to the largest food and drink event in Scotland. There are over 115 producers, offering everything from botanical Gin from Fochabers to artisan cheese from Orkney.

It is one of, if not the best, opportunity for foodies to taste their way around Scotland, speaking to the people behind the products, listening to their stories and discovering the links to rural Scotland and seeing some of the best chefs in Scotland prepare fresh Scottish produce in the Cookery Theatre. Very few people leave Scotland’s Larder Live empty handed!"

Alan added: “Independent research confirms £42.6million is contributed to the economy as a direct result of the Royal Highland Show alone, including 7,260 bed nights, 55 full time equivalent jobs and at least £8million spent at

He went on: “After livestock competitions, we know that food is the main reason people attend the Royal Highland Show. It is the only food event in Scotland that links together the farmer, the food producer and allied trades with the consumer, informing visitors about where their food comes from

“Tourism is vital to the Scottish economy, a major driver of employment in our countryside and in our cities. The rural economy has a huge part to play in maintaining and enhancing Scotland’s appeal to visitors, ensuring that our international appeal is maintained and enhanced.”

Alan Laidlaw CEO of RHASS

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SPECIAL REPORT: TOURISM AND CULTURE

Quality on the menu brings tourist success Ten years on from opening his now iconic restaurant, renowned chef Tom Kitchin is well placed to comment on just how important Edinburgh’s hospitality sector is cooking.

His verdict? It’s simmering rather nicely, but we could do worse than look north if we really want to bring it to the boil.

And it is an important sector. The tourism sector generates around £1.3 billion a year for the Edinburgh economy, and around £1 in every £5 spent by visitors is spent on food and drink.

Tom became the youngest chef proprietor to win a coveted Michelin star when, aged 29, he received the accolade just six months after he opened his restaurant, The Kitchin, by the shore in Leith with wife Michaela. Since then, he has seen his own influence and empire expand and is now one of the leading figures in the Scottish and UK gastronomy scene.

So much so that in November he took up an invitation to open a pop-up restaurant in the world famous Harrods store in Knightsbridge, where he is also producing a special range for their food hall for the next two months.

All a far cry for a lad who had decided by the tender age of 13 that his future lay behind the stove.

Tom is positively enthusiastic about the dramatic progress made by his native city as a food destination in the past two decades:

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“There has been a massive difference, huge improvement. Edinburgh now offers fantastic restaurants across the board, at all levels, along with great bars and great cafes and coffee shops. Even something as simple as that; being able to get a great cup of coffee.”

That is important because of the rise of gastro-tourism – driven by the 30% of visitors who consider themselves as “foodies.” For these people, a destination’s food and drink offering is an important part of the jigsaw when they consider where to visit.

Tom said: “We’ve always benefited from having a city that is really beautiful, that has fantastic architecture, history and tradition. But we can now add great leisure, shopping and food – and these are all vital elements to modern tourists. The city has a great, modern vibe. We are kind of cool Caledonia, with great tradition and history but a really attractive, young and diverse feel. A great European city."

“We see it all the time in our restaurant.

We get lots of people from Manchester, Leeds and the North East of England who, in the past, would have visited London but who now head north for short breaks – attracted by the great combination of factors Edinburgh offers.”

While Tom delights in the progress, and the improved quality in all aspects of the city’s food and drink offering, he cautions against resting on laurels. “If we want to see what might be possible, we could look at what has been achieved in Copenhagen."

“People travel from all over the world to eat in a handful of restaurants there, all because a

number of chefs decided to take Danish food back to its roots, focus on their natural larder and deliver it in the highest possible way. So they now have some of the most decorated restaurants in the world, and that has become a huge draw in itself. Could Edinburgh follow that model? I think we’re on the right path, we just need to make sure we stay on it and keep committed to it.”

At the top end of the dining out sector, Tom’s restaurant has played no small part in Edinburgh’s growing status and is one of four capital restaurants to have a Michelin star – more than Leeds, Manchester and Glasgow combined. The others are the eponymous Restaurant Martin Wishart, Number One at the Balmoral, and 21212. He is also a partner in both the lauded Castle Terrace restaurant with chef owner Dominic Jack, and also – with Dominic – in the gastro-pub The Scran & Scallie.

While he is delighted with progress, he is in no rush to expand further for the sake of it, and still cooks at The Kitchin. He said: “I love what I do, but in this business you need to stay absolutely on top of things. While as a businessman and entrepreneur you always want to look at what opportunities come along, I think it’s really important that you stay focused on what you do and make sure you are absolutely producing your best in the existing restaurant. You can spread yourself too thin, and I am very wary in that regard.

“That is why the link with Harrods has been so appealing. It’s really flattering and exciting to have a name and an organisation like Harrods come to us because they think we can add value to what they do. So we get to take our produce and our food to the people in London.”

SPECIAL REPORT: TOURISM AND CULTURE

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CHAMBER NEWS

Edinburgh Cyprus Business Forum On the 10th of November 2016 we were joined by a delegation including Mr Euripides L Evriviades – High Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus and Mr Yiorgos Lakkotrypis – Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism who gave a comprehensive and thought provoking presentation to over 50 chamber members.

The sun streamed in to the Balmoral and this was most fitting as one of the themes for investment opportunities in Cyprus is Tourism, including harbour developments and a Hard Rock casino, hotel and entertainment complex in Limassol.

The country has worked hard since the GDP declined in 2012 and has now forecast an

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impressive 2.7% GDP growth for 2016 and 2.8% for 2017. 22% increase in new business registrations in 2016 shows the focus on growth in key sectors including Professional Services, Tourism, Real Estate, Shipping, Resources (in particular oil) and work on a Science and Technology park. Their stock exchange has undergone technological improvements the performance of a fairly pedestrian 1.15% in 2016 so far, hides much work behind the scenes, financial services are finding it extremely attractive given the improved regulatory environment and investment in infrastructure.

attract inward investment which will deliver returns in Euro and within a secure financial environment. The tax regime is favourable to non Cypriots – executives earning greater than Euro 100,000 will not pay more than 17% tax on that income. They have a variety of attractive schemes for non domiciled investors and indeed residency options which may become increasingly of interest to individuals looking for lifestyle countries to relocate to. There is scope for it to become a medical hub for nearby Arab countries; and a gaming and entertainment ‘draw card’ for Russia and the Ukraine.

Perhaps the location of Cyprus will be its real asset – close proximity to 3 continents – and the Oil fields that are in process of being allocated to the major exploration companies.

They have improved their compliance and regulatory structures and moved away from the ‘tax haven’ status they previously attracted. They have improved education and realise that the high level of youth unemployment (total unemployment 11.5%) is an urgent issue to address. They aim to

All in all it was an extremely interesting taster of what Cyprus is working hard at creating to secure their future and maximise the natural resources they have been blessed with.

By Anna Miller Head of Marketing and Communications

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www.chisholmhunter.co.uk December/January 2017

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SCOTLAND NEEDS LEADERS No matter how big your organisation, strong leadership and management qualifications have a critical role to play in its success.

Whether you are an SME or an international corporation, effective managers provide direction, facilitate change and tackle business issues head on through innovation. They can boost productivity, loyalty and morale to help maximise growth.

Strong leaders and great managers enrich the UK economy – in a recent CBI education and skills survey, 70% of companies said they would need more people with leadership and management talent.

Qualified to succeed Good management skills cannot just be picked up as you go along. Even those with excellent technical knowledge and experience can struggle in a management role without the proper qualifications and training.

That’s where SQA can help SQA Leadership and Management qualifications are developed in close partnership with industry experts to ensure they are robust and relevant to the real world requirements of your business.

There is a wide range of qualifications available to help improve leadership and management at every level. And they are applicable to all types of business, from the local retailer to the national call centre. These qualifications are helping to create a new generation of business leaders and managers with the ability to energise Scottish businesses and Scotland’s economy.

SQA is committed to boosting vocational and business training, and to supporting education at every level in Scotland.

Progress begins here At SQA we don’t just create qualifications, we benefit from them as well.

SQA employs over 700 staff, and we recognise the importance of a well-trained and motivated workforce. Many of our staff will achieve one or more SQA qualifications while they are with us.

In particular, SQA Leadership and Management qualifications are offered to our staff through

our Personal Development Programmes.

We are developing the skills today that will take our organisation forward into the future.

“As a large employer in Scotland, SQA are committed to continuous learning, and our staff have undertaken — and achieved — a wide variety of SQA leadership and management qualifications.

We not only develop these qualifications, but use them in our organisation to help us nurture and develop our own staff.

This ensures that our leaders and managers have effective skills when managing teams, and also helps with our business continuity and future plans.”

Maidie Cahill, Director of Corporate Services, SQA

Becoming a centre To offer our qualifications, you can become a centre in your own right, or we can put you in touch with one of our SQA Approved Centres.

If you’re already delivering SQA qualifications, but are not yet approved to offer Leadership and Management, speak to your SQA Account Manager.

Every organisation that works with SQA is automatically appointed a dedicated Account Manager. They will get to know you and your business and work with you to tailor the right products and services for you. Approved Centres also have access to our free support materials on our SQA secure website.

Business Development T:0303 333 0330 E: leaders@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/leaders

ADVERTORIAL

The importance of business succession planning What happens to a business if its owner or co-owner dies or falls seriously ill? Much will depend on the type of business – sole trader, partnership or limited company – but unless there has been some advance planning, the chances are that there will be disruption, arguments and the strong possibility that all or part of the business will end up in the wrong hands.

So if you’re a business owner, business succession planning and insurance is important. It’s quite simply the process of planning for what you want to happen if you (or your co-owner, if you have one) were to die or fall seriously ill.

The legal position on the death of a business owner will depend on the type of business entity.

When a sole trader dies, their business dies with them, legally speaking. The business’s assets will form part of the sole owner’s estate and pass on to beneficiaries under the terms of their will. If the owner has not made a will, the intestacy rules apply; in effect, the state lays down who the estate should pass to, and

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normal inheritance tax (IHT) rules apply.

However, the good news is that most trading businesses are not subject to IHT – if you’re unsure about yours, you should certainly take advice. If your business does not enjoy tax relief, the basic requirement is to create a capital sum, preferably outside the estate, in order to minimise IHT. This could be achieved with the help of a suitable life insurance policy.

A partnership is a business owned by at least two people. Unless there’s some specific provision in the partnership agreement (and very many partnerships have no formal agreement), a partnership ceases when a partner dies. When that happens, the deceased partner’s estate becomes entitled to their share of the business.

This can mean a choice for the surviving partner or partners. They could pay the deceased partner’s estate a sum of money they all agree to be the value of the deceased partner’s share, or carry on in business together with the deceased partner’s spouse

or other beneficiary – even if the new partner has little to contribute to the success of the business.

Effective succession planning provides some clarity in the event of death. A double option agreement ensures the surviving partner(s) has the option to buy the share in the business from the deceased partner’s estate. The deceased partner’s estate can also exercise an option to force the surviving partner to buy. Under an automatic accrual arrangement, the surviving partner(s) inherits the business, but the family receives the proceeds of a life policy.

There may also be a need to insure the lives of all the partners to cover potential liabilities that might arise on their death – perhaps to pay off an overdraft or other creditors.

Limited companies continue after a shareholder’s death, but the basic succession issues are similar to those facing a partnership. The key is to make sure that the shares end up with the surviving shareholders and the deceased shareholder’s family receives some money.

Generally, the deceased shareholder’s beneficiaries will want financial compensation in return for their shares, assuming that they don’t plan to continue in the business; and there may also be the need to pay off creditors on an owner-director’s death.

A double, or cross, option agreement is often used for company shareholder succession planning. If a shareholder dies, their beneficiaries can require the remaining shareholders to buy them out or the remaining shareholders can require the beneficiaries to sell their shares.

To provide the funds, each shareholder should take out an ‘own life’ policy written under a special business trust to benefit the other shareholders.

Of course, it’s not just the death of a business owner that can stop a business. If a business owner suffers a critical illness, such as a heart attack or cancer, it may not be possible to continue in the business either temporarily or permanently.

Expert advice, taken before the event, could have helped in both of these cases. A suitable critical illness insurance policy is probably the best way to provide protection against the financial consequences of having a serious illness. These policies pay a cash lump sum on diagnosis of a specified critical illness or disability.

The policies are normally written in trust for the other business owners, along with an agreement between the business owners about the circumstances in which the share in the business should be transferred.

The death or critical illness of a business owner can lead to unexpected or undesirable consequences for those left behind. Taking the opportunity – well in advance of such an event happening – to plan for such a situation can help crystallise what you want to happen to your business after your death, and to identify how best to ensure that this will actually come about.

owner clients and, once these have been identified and prioritised, they’ll recommend a suitable way forward.

Please note that advice relating to cross option agreements will involve the referral to a service that is separate and distinct to those offered by St. James's Place.

To receive a complimentary guide covering Wealth Management, Retirement planning or Inheritance Tax planning, produced by St. James’s Place Wealth Management, or to arrange a no-obligation meeting, please contact John Scott Davidson of St. James’s Place Wealth Management.

The Partner Practice represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The title ‘Partner Practice’ is the marketing term used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

A good adviser will start by finding out the most important issues of their business

JOHN SCOTT DAVIDSON

Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management

Tel: 0131 303 0031 Email: johnscottdavidson@sjpp.co.uk Web: www.johnscottdavidson.co.uk

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When the bank manager says “no”, don’t despair, says Neil Davidson - there are other reputable routes to finance for SMEs in today’s market

PEER-TO-PEER LENDING HAS ARRIVED

TYPICALLY IF the bank manager says “no”, little consideration (if any) is given to alternative sources of finance.

judgement on risk - a little like the bank manager used to do 20-plus years ago!

Peer to Peer (“P2P”) SME secured lending has arrived in force and is now readily available to Scottish SMEs, providing a real alternative to borrowing from the high street banks. Loan sizes range typically from £100k to £5m.

One thing to stress is that this is not a route for a “soft loan”. In our experience, Peer to Peer SME lending risk assessment by the platform is at least as, if not more, rigorous than the banks but seeks to understand the whole business proposition and the final decision is delivered much more quickly.

The P2P lending market is filling a void in the SME funding sector. P2P loans are particularly suited to business growth funding and / or property development, and the speed of delivery can often fit well with short-term (one to five years) funding needs.

Neil Davidson, Managing Director of Alderburn Finance says that: “The growth of the P2P business loan sector is testimony to the way it recognises the demand and understands the wider needs of SMEs looking for debt finance.”

P2P investors providing loans are not constrained by capital regulation, sector concentrations or policy based on multibillion pound portfolios. Instead P2P lenders make their decisions based on individual cases in hand and make their own personal

As always when making a purchase (including finance) it’s good to shop around. Seeking a SME Peer-to-Peer loan is no different. Platforms vary in respect of the types of loans they are most comfortable with (e.g. quantum, sector, types of

For more information on borrowing through the Peer-to-Peer market, please contact Neil Davidson, Director, Alderburn Finance Tel: 0330 111 0137 Email: neil@alderburnfinance.co.uk Web: www.alderburnfinance.co.uk

security). This is where the knowledge of a specialist intermediary can be invaluable, helping you get the best deal in the shortest timescale.

“P2P Lenders make their decisions based on the individual case in hand” Neil Davidson, Alderburn Finance

ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: FINANCE/LEGAL

Workplace pension fines are on the increase The number of fines issued

by The Pensions Regulator (TPR) for missing the deadline to offer a workplace pension is increasing. Don’t ignore the issue.

In the period 1st July 2016 to 30th September 2016, 3,728 Fixed Penalty Notices and 576 Escalating Penalty Notices were issued. Since the beginning of the Automatic Enrolment project (July 2012), the total numbers are 6,779 and 741 respectively (source: Automatic Enrolment Compliance and Enforcement Quarterly Bulletin 1 July – 30 September 2016, The Pensions Regulator).

That means more penalty notices have been issued in the most recent three-month period than in the preceding three years combined.

This can be partly explained by the current phase of the project: it is now being rolled out

to businesses with fewer than 30 employees.

The ONS Business Population Estimate 2015 shows 5.4m private business in the UK. Of these, 5.3m have between 0-49 employees.

While the figures don’t show how many of these businesses employ 30 people or fewer, it is a safe assumption that the higher number of penalty notices reflects an increase in the number of businesses being brought into the workplace pension project.

TPR cites compliance with employer obligations of over 90%, but that still leaves many potential businesses who are not meeting the requirements. If you do not comply with a statutory notice or some specific employer duties, including Automatic Enrolment, you will be issued with a penalty.

A Fixed Penalty Notice will cost your business £400 while an Escalating Penalty Notice will cost between £50 - £10,000 per day, depending on the size of your business.

may still be time to act. To obtain advice and support in implementing a compliant pension scheme will come with costs, but since the penalties for non-compliance could run to hundreds or thousands of pounds it is better to seek that advice sooner rather than later.

For professional and independent financial advice for you and your business, contact me on 0131 656 5500 or bryan@ spenceandspence.com and I will be happy to help.

Bryan Keith is an Independent Financial Adviser with Spence and Spence (Scotland).

Spence and Spence is a trading name of Fairstone Financial Management who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 475973) Fairstone Financial Management have been awarded Chartered Financial Planner status by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

If you or your clients are approaching your Automatic Enrolment staging date, there

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SECRET OF SUCCESS Name: Tony Crolla Business name: Vittoria Website: www.vittoriagroup.co.uk Q1 How did you get into your role?

I was born in to the business! My mum and dad were already in the restaurant business so it was natural that I would be involved. I started working in the family restaurant from the age of 9!

Q2 What is your proudest achievement?

It has to be my family! I am so proud of my two sons Alberto Jnr & Leandro who are also involved in the family business. It makes me proud to see them grow and work hard in a business built up by my mum and dad that is still going strong 46 years later.

Q3 Where would you like to be in 5 years time?

I would like to still be managing a business that is still at its peak and continuing to grow.

Q4 What is your biggest passion (in and out of work)?

I love spending time with my family and friends. But I also get a great deal of joy and satisfaction out of seeing our customers and guests having a great time in our venues. That for me is the ultimate satisfaction.

Q5 How do you wind down after a busy day at work?

I love to watch a good movie and I am also a big sports fan.

Q6 Who has been the biggest influence in your career?

The Hospitality business in general, I have made so many connections over the years who have been real influencers to me over the years.

Q7 What is the best piece of advice you have been given?

The darkest hour is the one before sunrise.

Q8 Describe your approach to work in 3 words?

Passionate, Committed, Disciplined

NEW MEMBERS 7 Fifty Two Alderburn Finance Ltd Arcadis Assembly Theatre Ltd AVT Security Ltd Bamboo Boutique Baudoncourt Engineering Ltd

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Edinburgh Medical Resources (UK) Ltd Evans Halshaw Renault Falmor French Duncan LLP garlandpr Grant McGregor Ltd

Lothian Buses

Scottish Rugby Union

Lux

Solve HR Limited

MacKay Hannah Limited

Speirs Gumley

MacLennan Norman

Stewart Travel Management

Malmaison

The Blue Parrot Company

Mavaric Marketing

The Brig Partnership

Mussleburgh Racecourse

The Digital Co

National Galleries of Scotland

The Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue

Bethany Christian Trust

Heriot-Watt University Student Union

Bloodhound Digital

Holiday Inn Edinburgh

NECS (SCOT) Ltd

Bodyshop Edinburgh

Holidays Please

North British Distillery

Business Travel Scotland

HR Dept

PMA Contracts Ltd

Capita HR Solutions

Prime Staff Services Limited

Changing Mindz

Institute for Management Studies, Scotland

Click Netherfield Ltd

Italian Fashion Craft Ltd

Raw Film Productions

Crisis

Jenson Fisher Consulting

Recruitment for Research

David Lloyd Leisure

JM People Strategies

Richard Irvin Energy Solutions

Eastlin Alba Limited

Kingsford Estates Ltd

RL Access Ltd

ECCI (Edinburgh Centre For Carbon Innovation)

Lore

Sandstone Partnership

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Publishing Scotland

The PCT Partnership Limited The Rock Trust Ticketyboo Marketing Toshiba Medical Unique Events Ltd Wardman UK Ltd Wildcat Applications Ltd WildHearts Group yoko:10

ASK THE EXPERT

Booking travel on a website has never been easier with thousands of websites claiming to have the cheapest fares and allowing you to shop around for the ‘best deal’ on flights, hotels, car hire and much more.

Despite these options many businesses still choose to use a travel management company like The Travel Company Edinburgh as the internet cannot replace the knowledge and service offered by a TMC. Here are just a few reasons why you may want to review how you manage your business travel.

Manage your travel and your spend No business wants to waste money yet without a travel policy how can you manage your spend? If your staff book their own travel and claim expenses there is often no cost control, no benefit to your company such as loyalty schemes for airlines and hotels plus you have no management information to show average rates, top destinations and department spend which makes it difficult

to budget for the year ahead. As a TMC our account managers can help you to achieve your goals whether it is to reduce spend, streamline processes, take advantage of corporate travel benefits and ensure that your bookings stay within your travel policy. We can negotiate preferred rates at your most popular hotels and set up your travel loyalty accounts giving you instant benefits.

Simpler accounting If you have no TMC and no travel policy travel can be more expensive. Expense claims can be arduous for your accounts department plus your employees may be out of pocket for work travel. Using a TMC means straightforward invoicing reducing time on expense claims, help you to reclaim VAT (where applicable) plus preferable payment terms help you manage your payments.

Additionally, mistakes are often costly in travel. From non-refundable hotels to nonrefundable, non-changeable air tickets, if you ask your own team to book travel and they make a mistake you may be hit by expensive change fees or cancellation rates.

Furthermore, if they have little knowledge of a destination they think that saving £10 on a hotel rate is a good option yet they don’t realise their taxi cost from the hotel to their

meeting will cost them more than £10 and they would be better to stay in the more expensive hotel closer to the destination they actually need.

Duty of care If everyone books their own travel how do you know which airline they are flying with and when, where they are staying and how to reach them in an emergency?

You don’t. Corporate Social Responsibility means you have a duty of care to your staff when they travel for business and this is of particular importance if they are traveling to a dangerous destination. A TMC provide instant access to all this information and we have a crisis management team in place who can contact your traveller in case of emergency and organise repatriation. Hopefully you would never need this service but without it your traveller and your company could be in serious trouble.

Louise Woodburn, Marketing Manager, The Travel Company Edinburgh

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ADVERTORIAL

PremiAir loves Loyalty A loyalty card scheme has been launched to reward regular users of a car parking service at Edinburgh Airport.

The car park operated by PremiAir Parking Edinburgh Ltd, which recently celebrated its first anniversary, is proving popular with business people flying out from Edinburgh Airport to take part in meetings abroad and the company wanted to reward its loyal customers.

Numbers of people using the service have been growing steadily because PremiAir’s safe and secure car park is conveniently located just three minutes from the airport.

The car park offers a wide variety of short, medium and long stay parking services for business and leisure travellers wishing to leave their vehicles.

It is an important service because more than 40 airlines serving 100 worldwide destinations use the Capital’s airport with an average of 25,100 passengers streaming

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through on a daily basis with many of them arriving by car. PremiAir believes that with so much to think about, car parking should be as hassle-free as possible.

Now the company has launched a loyalty scheme. Customers are offered a loyalty card which is stamped on their return journey by the bus driver. When they accrue six stamps, the drivers earn up to two free stays at the car park.

PremiAir Head of Operations Carole Harper said: “We have always valued loyalty from our customers and the loyalty card scheme is an excellent way to reward them for continuing to use us.

“Our customers appreciate the way we seek to meet the needs of every traveller using Edinburgh Airport. Whether people are flying for business or pleasure, we’re open 24/7, 365 days of the year and our car park is safe and secure so they can have complete peace of mind when they leave their vehicle.

“There is a lot to think about when you are flying and we go out of our way to make sure that parking the car is worry-free.”

PremiAir’s secure parking at Edinburgh Airport offers comprehensive CCTV coverage to make sure that the vehicles are watched at all times and their ANPR automatic number plate recognition system allows customers to come and go with ease.

Additionally, they are a proud holder of the Park Mark Award and a member of the British Parking Association, which means you can be confident that you will be leaving your vehicle in capable hands.

PremiAir also runs a courtesy coach transfer to the terminal as part of the package. The bus drops off and picks up at stand 6 at the coach park.

For more information about PremiAir’s loyalty scheme or parking at Edinburgh Airport, please get in touch with a member of the team at charper@premiairparking.co.uk or call 0131 297 0777.

Drive, park, fly

Only

£14.50 for 24 h rs!

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Did we mention we loved our customers? At PremiAir we really do, and to show our appreciation we have our very own loyalty programme, which like our parking is simple. Collet 6 stamps from the driver and get your 6th stay free (up to 2 days).

Quote "Chamber15" to receive 15% off* gate price!

October/Novermber 2016

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FEATURE: MOTORING

ADVERTORIAL

City Cabs Free Wifi Sticker(border).pdf 1 05/05/2016 09:01:12

City Cabs – moving with the times C

M

Y

The modern taxi passenger needs constant access to information while on the move and City Cabs has set out to make that a possibility by providing complimentary WiFi within each vehicle.

City Cabs can also offer customers an online booking service where they can book, track, cancel and even check previous jobs giving them full control over their account.

CM

MY

CY

CMY

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They have an iPhone and Android App which allows customers to book a job, track their taxi, cancel bookings and even pay by card.

The app saves the customer’s details and job history, giving them an efficient alternative to calling in.

City Cabs, which recently celebrated its 90th anniversary in Edinburgh, was created when 25 taxi drivers got together in September 1925 and decided to form an Association to benefit the Edinburgh taxi trade and its drivers.

The City Cabs fleet has also been fitted with Chip & Pin machines that accept Apple Pay and Contactless Payments.

Since then it has always aimed to be the leader in its field through the provision of a high customer service level and a continued willingness to innovate.

City Cabs, which currently has more than 440 members in the Association and more than 1,100 registered drivers, has always moved with the technological times through regular redesigns of its equipment.

Technology is central to everything that it does. For instance, its despatch system allows the company to track, and communicate with, every driver in an instant.

Kia Soul EV

All electric, zero emissions

Now Available For Only £24,195 (including the Government £4,500 grant)

Belmont Sighthill Bankhead Drive Sighthill, Edinburgh, EH11 4DJ 0131 665 3691

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DISCOVERY SPORT TD4 HSE DISCOVERY SPORT FROM £389 A MONTH +VAT TD4 HSE ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: MOTORING

*

FROM £389 A MONTH +VAT*

INACCESSIBLE JUST BECAME ACCESSIBLE With standard equipment and competitive running costs, Discovery Sport gives you all the capability and space you need for both business trips and weekend adventures.

INACCESSIBLE JUST BECAME ACCESSIBLE

Business Contract Hire. Initial rental in advance of £2,334+VAT. With standard andper competitive running costs, 36 month term.equipment 10,000 miles annum. VAT payable at 20%.

Discovery Sport (including gives you optional all the capability space Model pictured metallic and paint) fromyou £398 need for +VAT, both business trips andinweekend a month plus initial rental advanceadventures. of £2,388 +VAT. Business Contract Hire. Initial rental in advance of £2,334+VAT. Pentland 36 month Land term. Rover 10,000 miles per annum. VAT payable at 20%.

Model pictured (including optional metallic paint) from £398 Newbridge, Edinburgh, EH28 8TH Tel: 0131 341 5830 a month +VAT, plus initial rental in advance of £2,388 +VAT. pentland.edinburgh.landrover.co.uk Dunkeld PentlandRoad, LandPerth, RoverPH1 3GD Tel: 01738 480 140 pentland.perth.landrover.co.uk Newbridge, Edinburgh, EH28 8TH Tel: 0131 341 5830 pentland.edinburgh.landrover.co.uk

Official Fuel Consumption Figures for the Discovery Sport TD4 180HP Manual 5 Door in mpg (l/100km): Urban 44.1 (6.4), Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 3GD Tel: 01738 480 140 Extra Urban 61.4 (4.6), Combined 53.3 (5.3). CO2 emissions 139 g/km. Official EU Test Figures. For comparison purposes pentland.perth.landrover.co.uk only. Real world figures may differ.

*Important Information - Business users only. Based on a Discovery Sport 2.0L TD4 180HP Manual 4WD HSE (including optional metallic paint) with standard specification, non-maintained. Excess mileage charges (at 11.3p per mile). Must be returned in good condition to avoid further charges. Contract Hire subject to status. This promotion cannot be used together with other manufacturer’s promotions and is subject to availability at participating Retailers only for new vehicles ordered by 31st December 2016. Contract Hire is provided by Land Rover Contract Hire, a trading style of Lex Autolease Limited, Heathside Park, Heathside Park Road, Stockport SK3 0RB. Model shown is a Discovery Sport TD4 Manual 4WD HSE 5DR with optional metallic paint.

201744.1 BC(6.4), Official Fuel Consumption Figures for the Discovery Sport TD4 180HP Manual 5 Door in December/January mpg (l/100km): Urban Extra Urban 61.4 (4.6), Combined 53.3 (5.3). CO2 emissions 139 g/km. Official EU Test Figures. For comparison purposes

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Name: Caroline Phillips Company Name: Alba SEO Services Website: www.albaseoservices.co.uk Q In five words or less, what do you do?

A Help businesses grow in size Q How long have you been a Chamber member?

A 1 year Q Why did you join?

A I thought it would provide a great opportunity to meet other local businesses in Edinburgh and widen my network within the city.

Q What services do you use?

A Training services, networking events.

There’s more that I’ve still to tap into.

Q What’s the best business/benefit you have won through the Chamber?

A Meeting new contacts through

networking events which has led to new business.

Q Are there any additional services or information you’d be particularly interested in?

A Not at the moment.

Q If you were telling another business person about the Chamber, what’s the first thing you would say?

A Meet up early on with the Chamber Staff to fully understand all the benefits early. There’s more than meets the eye.

Q Where do you read your copy of Business Comment?

A With my morning coffee. It feels like I’m being useful with my time.

Gaining the competitive edge through communications… whatever your size Last year SMEs accounted for 99.9% of all private sector businesses in the UK according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Employing 15.7 million people and generating a turnover of £1.8 trillion per year, it’s no wonder they are considered the ‘engine room’ of our economy.

The fact that many SMEs achieve incredible rates of growth with very little resource is impressive. Large companies, almost by default, have a marketing or communications department whose overall responsibility is to increase their profile by extolling the virtues of the organisation’s products and services.

The ultimate objective of these teams is to increase market share.

Small firms don’t always have the luxury of a dedicated resource.

Of course, even a basic understanding of social media can allow businesses to reach customers in what can be effective, two-way communication. That being said, to see a significant impact on commercial objectives, online engagement with target audiences should be part of a wider communication strategy. Identifying these target audiences in itself is often a challenge.

At Grayling, we work with businesses across the country, small and large across

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various sectors and industries, to support their business goals by delivering effective communications strategies.

As with any project, establishing what success looks like is vital. Communication needs to have an impact – and that’s not necessarily about generating coverage.

By breaking down business objectives, the need for PR becomes more apparent. A clear communications strategy plays a vital role in helping businesses achieve these, from expanding into new markets and demonstrating its right to operate or simply raising its profile among new target audiences and increasing profit. Communications are key to educating and improve understanding of services for instance. They are a crucial tool in improving and maintaining a good reputation.

Organisations may think they are ‘too small and have nothing to say’ or ‘everyone already knows who we are’. In some instances our day to day contacts as an agency are members of our client’s well-established marketing team.

In other cases it’s the Managing Director who doesn’t necessarily have any experience in communications.

Budget is often a key determinant of whether seeking external communications support is an option. What many organisations don’t realise is that a lot can be done with very little. For

instance a standalone project rather than a long term commitment could help maximise the impact of a key milestone for an organisation.

Alternatively ad hoc external specialist strategic counsel can support organisations develop communications strategies which can then be implemented internally. This is an approach that can be extremely effective when looking at social media activity.

Spending money on communications can be difficult to justify to board level decision makers or when budgets are tight, especially if it’s new and adds to a long list of overhead costs. In reality a small investment in PR can have a huge impact on business objectives and a firm’s bottom line.

The value of PR is much more than its cost.

It’s about building long term reputation. That is an asset worth coveting.

Whether you are an SME or multinational conglomerate, charity or in the private sector, take a step back and evaluate your communication needs. Every business needs a voice and for this to be heard by the right people. PR can give a business a competitive edge and be the difference between exponential growth and missed opportunities.

By Laura-Jane Cameron, Account Manager, Grayling Scotland

PARTNERS IN ENTERPRISE

Driving Customer Service I went to a well-known furniture store at the weekend and bought a wardrobe for my daughter’s bedroom. They designed it for me there and then we agreed the price and the deal was done.

Great I thought – this couldn’t be easier.

However, arranging delivery and assembly wasn’t quite so simple. The queue was long and painfully slow. When I finally got to the booking desk I told the delivery person that as I didn’t have my diary with me I may have to call to rearrange any appointment we might make.

I soon wished I hadn’t bothered….delivery was going to take ages and the journey to delivery was peppered with a range of problems…

Could I arrange for a Saturday? Sorry, they were all full for at least 6 weeks and they, “don’t do EH10 post codes on Saturdays”.

What about a Sunday? “Well, it’ll be about 8 weeks from now!”

What about a Monday? “Yes, well we can do that in two weeks’ time, but it’s an all day appointment.”

What if I needed to change? “Well you might find delivery is delayed for at least another month.”

So, what had begun as a positive customer experience ended up in frustration and irritation.

The problem was that this was all tailored to their convenience and not mine - surely a large company like that could do better?

Being great at customer service is an easy way to differentiate you from the large chains.

By managing the way your customers feel about you, keeping them sweet and ensuring you more than meet their expectations. Then they’ll come back and buy again.

My father ran a very successful retail business in Leven, Fife for 43 years doing just that. If a customer wanted their appliance fitted at 7am in the morning then that’s what happened. His delivery team always had extra daily capacity and it didn’t matter where you lived, if you bought a new TV you could probably have it installed by close of play that day. He loved it when he could tell the customer that the delivery team would be waiting for them by the time they got home. That’s why people came from all over Scotland to buy their electrical appliances from him – because he made things happen quickly.

So is your business good at customer service? n When is the last time you got customer service that blew you away? n What was it that made that experience fantastic? n Are you consciously focusing on service in your business? n Do you have someone responsible for managing customer service in your business?

You should be aware though, that great customer service does not mean over servicing your customers and giving them something for nothing.

I recently worked with a client that literally gave all their value away by under-pricing their product and then bending over backwards to meet all their customers’ demands. The customer just had to click their finger and my client was all over them like a rash. Not surprisingly when we looked at the numbers the business was haemorrhaging profit.

In my work as a business coach I spend a lot of my time working with businesses large and small, helping them do things better. So often though, customer service is sitting at the end of the line of priorities rather than the other way around. How many times do we hear the

over used expression, “Customer is King,” yet can name several large companies that fail abysmally to practise what they preach?

I believe it’s actually quite easy; it’s just about understanding what your customers want and delivering it. In the wardrobe example the shop got the first bit spot on. I knew there was a delivery and installation cost and was happy to pay. They completely failed to manage my expectations that the speed designing the product equally applied to the physical delivery and installation of it.

Customers demand clarity and expect you to do what it says on the tin. They don’t mind paying extra as long as you deliver what you promise. If there is a premium for same day delivery then don’t be frightened to offer it.

However, be really clear what is part of the package and what is not.

Ultimately it’s all about managing customer expectations. I see companies frightened to charge for delivery or follow up for fear of losing the sale. Then they complain that profits are down. So stop the recessionary behaviour, charge a fair price and be honest with your customers while delivering what you have promised.

As a result your service will start to differentiate you and you’ll make more money.

Management Consultant and Business Coach, Gaynor McIntyre is a Strategy Consultant and is key to Condies Strategy offering. Gaynor brings energy, focus and creativity to her clients and clients enjoy her straightforward approach, for further information please email gaynor.mcintyre@ condie.co.uk or call 01383 721421. www.condie.co.uk

We thank our Partners in Enterprise for their continued support of the Chamber.

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CHAMBER AWARDS

Edinburgh Chamber Business Awards 2017 Our Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards are firmly recognised as a fantastic opportunity for the Edinburgh business community to flourish and grow and allows members to gain recognition and celebrate success.

With over 450 guests at our 2016 Awards, we are excited to have officially launched the 2017 awards – returning to the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa on Monday 27th of February.

Our 2017 Awards will be better than ever with 4 new categories being introduced, making a grand total of 13 opportunities to win an esteemed Edinburgh Chamber Award.

The submissions are now open with forms available on our website - so please get your entries in before the 6th of February!

We had a great time at the Awards Launch Party on the 16th of November, hearing from previous winners and future sponsors. Our Chief Executive, Liz McAreavey announced our theme for next years awards, which

Scott Black, President, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce. will be values. Liz explained that in today’s world, there is no ‘normal’ with global politics and changing environment making headlines. However, we would like to pause and focus on the value of our local business community, to celebrate our success and that of our peers. The 27th of February will be a night focused on highlighting the values and

GET WITH IT A perfect example of winning technology and culture coming together out of Edinburgh saw Drake Music Scotland’s Digital orchestra invited to perform at Rehabilitation International’s World Congress.

This major gathering at the city’s international conference centre brought together 1000 of the leading disability experts with speakers including HRH The Princess Royal, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Professor Stephen Hawking.

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successes of Edinburgh businesses - we look forward to seeing you there!

For any sponsorship queries, ticket bookings or general awards enquiries, please contact Emma Reid or Roxy Nicol on 0131 221 2999 (opt 2), or email us at: awards@ edinburghchamber.co.uk.

By Bill Magee Scottish Business Technology Writer of the Year

The RI has existed since 1922 as the leading advocacy network for the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities, introducing the International Symbol of Access in 1969 aimed creating a more inclusive and accessible world for all The three-day congress is staged every four years and Drake’s Digital Orchestra was viewed as an outstanding example of the RI’s overall aim - that of finding “best in class” practical solutions having a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities around the world.

The orchestra was launched last April, as Scotland’s first of its type providing a muchneeded platform for talented musicians with disabilities.

The world congress triumph followed Drake being invited onto BBC Breakfast to explain its collaboration with Sir James MacMillan and his The Cumnock Trust.

Drake Music Scotland celebrates its first 20 years since forming in 1997 and over the two decades has built up a significant body of specialist knowledge and expertise in the use of adaptive technologies.

Drake participants are supported to participate in musical activities and tuition on an equal basis with others for educational and recreational purposes. Continuing to build their skills to whatever level they aspire.

Patrons include Dame Evelyn Glennie and the Proclaimers.

EUROPE DIRECT EDINBURGH

The importance of culture and tourism The EU recognises the importance of culture as part of the European tourism experience and as an element that can enhance the profile of Europe as a global destination.

The European Commission supports the areas of cultural tourism that have the greatest potential for growth. Europe is a key cultural tourism destination thanks to an incomparable cultural heritage that includes museums, theatres, archaeological sites, historical cities, industrial sites as well as music and gastronomy. It is estimated that cultural tourism accounts for 40% of all European tourism; 4 out of 10 tourists choose their destination based on its cultural offering.

The EU promotes a balanced approach between the needs to boost growth on

one side, and the preservation of artifacts, historical sites, and local traditions on the other. ‘European Cultural Routes’ are transnational routes that help tourists discover how Europeans have lived since ancient times. The concept was launched by the Council of Europe in 1987.

The European Commission actively cooperates with the Council of Europe, the European Travel Commission, the UN World Tourism Organisation, and other international partners to contribute to the development of European Cultural Routes. A joint study, between the Commission and the Council of Europe, ‘European Cultural Routes impact on SMEs’ innovation and competitiveness’ , found that cultural routes have shown enormous potential for small business generation, clustering, intercultural dialogue, and promoting the image of Europe in general. Cultural routes can also strongly contribute to local economies and societies as they work on a sustainable and ethical model, building on local knowledge and skills and often

promoting lesser-known destinations.

For instance, 90% of cultural routes are through rural areas. The European Commission regularly publishes calls for proposals to support the development of physical or virtual ‘routes’ that have a transnational or European dimension and are based on cultural heritage.

My name is Mayan Grace and I am the Project Manager who is here to help you with your enquires on Europe. Please get in touch via e-mail: europedirect@ edinburghchamber.co.uk or call 0131 221 2999 option 5 or visit www.edinburghchamber.co.uk/ europe-direct

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CHAMBER TRAINING

Training Course Calendar December 5th December 2016 09:30-16:30 Difficult Situations: How to Deal With Difficult Customers and Staff Effectively and Confidently 6th December 2016 09:30-16:30 Bidding to Win: How to write tenders and proposals that beat the competition (without cutting prices)

January

An update from your new Operations Team

10th January 2017 09:30-16:30 The Fundamentals of Networking: The Key to Effective Business Development

It’s been all change at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce since the last issue of Business Comment magazine. We now have a new Operations Team in place who have taken over responsibility for our extensive programme of events and training.

February, and a whole new series of our ever popular Inspiring Women in Business.

12th January 2017 09:30-16:30 Ultimate Sales Training Workshop

Given the uncertain economic and political landscape, we intend to use our events as a platform to inform and support our members and the wider business community as we navigate through these challenging times. We certainly expect to be kept very busy!

17th January 2017 09:30-12:30 An Introduction to Basic Google Analytics

From a training perspective, we will continue to deliver and expand on our programme by focusing on 6 key areas: Leadership, Marketing & Digital, Networking, International, Sales and Soft Skills. We are also excited to announce our new training product, the ‘How To’ series for 2017 – half day courses providing engaging training focused on developing core business skills. The first of these will take place in January and the topic will be How To: Make Optimum Use of Microsoft 365.

19th January 2017 08:30-10:30 Become an Inspirational Leader

The team is led by Joanne Davidson, formerly Partnership Manager at the Chamber and now Head of Operations, supported by Roxanne Nicol as Training and Events Manager with Emma Reid as Training and Events Executive.

For 2017, in addition to growing some of our existing events such as; Breakfast Connections, Chamber Dining Club and our 60 Really Useful Minutes series, we have many exciting events for your diary.

Highlights include our January Breakfast Connections event with Andrew Kerr, Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council, our flagship Annual Business Awards in

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We are very excited for what’s in store for 2017 and look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event or training session.

For any enquiries about our events & training programme, please contact events@edinburghchamber.co.uk and for training, training@edinburghchamber.co.uk.

11th January 2017 13:30-16:30 The Marketing Sessions: Planning Your Marketing Funnel (4 part series)

18th January 2017 13:30-16:30 The Marketing Sessions: Implementing Your Marketing Funnel

25th January 2017 13:30-16:30 The Marketing Sessions: Optimizing Your Marketing Funnel 27th January 2017 09:30-12:30 How to: Make the Most of your Microsoft 365 Subscription

February 1st February 2017 13:30-16:30 The Marketing Sessions: Scaling Your Marketing Funnel 22nd February 2017 09:30-16:00 Export Documentation 28th Feb & 29th Mar 2017 09:30-16:30 Lead Your Business to Grow (2 day series)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Company name: Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Who? Barbara Smith, CEO of RZSS Website: www.rzss.org.uk 1. What were you doing between 10 and 12 this morning?

I did a radio interview with John Beattie on BBC Radio Scotland regarding my new role as CEO of RZSS.

2. What do you see as your job’s biggest challenge?

I think one of the biggest challenges is making everyone aware that we are a charitable conservation organisation which receives no government funding, as well as ensuring we achieve our mission of connecting people with nature and safeguarding species from extinction.

3. What do you consider your biggest business triumph?

Most recently, I would have to say our brand new Tiger Tracks exhibit, which opened to the public in September. Tiger Tracks is an expansive and innovative enclosure which features a glass viewing tunnel running through the enclosure, which is the first of its kind in Europe. The development is part of our ongoing Cat Conservation Strategy and demonstrates our commitment to the conservation of threatened cat species across the world.

4. Do you have and money-saving business tips?

Yes, you would be surprised at how much money you can save by focusing on sustainability. Little things such as making sure to switch off lights and save water can make a big difference, both financially and to the planet. As a conservation organisation, sustainability is very important to us and earlier this year we managed to achieve 98% diversion of our waste at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo from landfill.

11. Who is your hero?

5. What do you believe are the 3 key stages on your career ladder?

Richard Branson because I admire him for his personality, creativity and innovation as well as for breaking through barriers without letting dyslexia hold him back.

Executive Manager of Edinburgh Castle, Managing Director of Chester Zoo and most recently, CEO of RZSS.

12. Any business (or other) projects you would like to plug?

6. Where do you stand on work/life balance?

I believe that it is extremely important to work hard but also to make time for family and friends, so ensuring you have a good balance of work/life is critical.

7. What do you like to do on your spare time?

I enjoy taking my dog Archie for walks on the beach in North Berwick.

8. What qualities do you need to see in your employees?

At the moment our main focus is on marketing our new Tiger Tracks enclosure at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and we are currently looking at redeveloping our sister site RZSS Highland Wildlife Park to improve the current infrastructure there and increase capacity for the increasing visitor numbers.

13. Other than your current position, what would be your dream job?

I’m only two weeks into this current role so I would say this is my dream job!

Trust, accountably and integrity.

14. Who (living or dead) would you invite to a fantasy dinner party?

9. In business, is it more important to be liked or successful?

I would definitely have to say David Attenborough, as he has done a truly wonderful job of engaging people with nature and wildlife and capturing people’s interest and making them aware of the rich diversity of nature on this planet.

Neither. I always put 100% into everything I do and success comes with the support of a great team.

10. What is the one piece of advice you would give to others trying to reach the top?

Always believe in your own abilities and never give up on your dream.

15. Outside of business, what is the most important thing in your life?

My family, friends and pets.

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INSPIRING CONNECTIONS Susan Morrison, Scotch Whisky Experience, Inspiring Women in Business

2016 Business Awards - Benny Higgins, CEO of Tesco Bank

Breakfast with Charles Hammond, Forth Ports

Gordon Dewar Breakfast Connections

The events team have been very busy running a packed calendar of networking events for our members including our Breakfast Connections with Phil Verster, Managing Director of Scotrail Alliance which attracted over 60 delegates.

Our Woman in Business series of events continues to sell out time and time again and our recent lunch included Kirstee Macbeth, Managing Director of AKA Scotland (entertainment marketing agency) and

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Royal Yacht Britannia, Breakfast

Juliet Simpson, founder and CEO of Stripe Communications (PR agency).

We were joined at our Spotlight Breakfast by Ann Budge, CEO of Heart of Midlothian FC who gave us an insight into the Club’s growth and developments for the future. We were delighted that Ann was also interviewed at this Breakfast by David Tanner, Presenter at Sky Sports.

Our October Breakfast Connections welcomed Alan Laidlaw the new Chief Executive at the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society Of Scotland (RHASS) who gave an insight of his first 6 months in this post and his plans for the future. We held a number of relaxed networking events including our popular Cocktails & Canapés with Appetite

Direct which attracted over 35 guests. We also went on a ‘Behind the Scenes’ tour of the Festival Theatre.

We have a number of events coming up over the next couple of months including the launch of our 2017 Business Awards on Wednesday 16th November at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, places are going fast so book on quickly. On 8th December were hosting our Breakfast Connections with George Lowder Chief Executive of Transport for Edinburgh who will share his insights on transport in Edinburgh.

Finally our Christmas celebration with members is on Wednesday 14th December at G&V Hotel so get your glad rags on and come and dance the night away in style!

INSPIRING CONNECTIONS

Spotlight Breakfast with Ann Budge

Shona McCarthy, Inspiring Women in Business

Breakfast Connections with Phil Verster

Credit: Tête-à-Tête Foto

FORTHCOMING EVENTS December

January

Tuesday 6th December, 12.30 – 14.30 Inspiring Women in Business End of Year Lunch Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa

Wednesday 11th January, 12.30 – 14.30 Chamber Dining - The Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, 1 Festival Square, Lothian Road

Wednesday 7th December, 10.00 – 11.00 60 Really Useful Minutes - 'Crowdfunding to finance your business' Harper Macleod LLP, Citypoint, 65 Haymarket Terrace

Thursday 12th January, 08.30 – 10.00 Breakfast Connections with Andrew Kerr, CEO Edinburgh City Council, The Balmoral Hotel

Thursday 8th December, 08.30 – 10.00 Breakfast Connections with Transport for Edinburgh, The Balmoral Hotel

Wednesday 18th January, 10.00 – 11.00 60 Really Useful Minutes - The Commercial Value of PR Experience English, Edinburgh Language Centre, 62- 66 George Street

Wednesday 14th December, 18.00 – 21.00 Festive Celebrations at G&V Hotel, G&V Hotel Friday 16th December, 0830 – 10.00 Festive Start with The East India Company The East India Company Fine Foods, 80 George Street

Friday 20th January, 08.30 – 11.00 Breakfast Speed Networking Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Nicolson Street

To book please visit www.edinburghchamber.co.uk or call the events team on 0131 221 2999 option 2 or e-mail events@edinburghchamber.co.uk

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Lateral City Apartments has appointed Suzanne Ezzi Fiona Shanks Joins Solve HR Fiona is a fellow of the CIPD with more than 25 years’ experience in senior HR roles mainly within blue chip organisations and most recently specialising in small to medium sized organisations providing guidance and support to business owners and managers in start-up, growth and stable organisations. Fiona has managed a complex case load including appeals, sickness absence management, performance management, introducing appraisal schemes, designed competency frameworks, disciplinary issues, grievances, settlement agreements, etc.

Fiona also designed and delivered training and development activities to multiple organisations throughout the UK to support change and restructure activities.

Fiona joins Solve. HR from the Xact group.

Italian Fashion Craft Ltd has recently appointed Silvia Zonca as co-director, although she has been a silent partner since the very beginning. Her PR and communication skills are vital to the engagement of the Italian artisans, and make her the perfect candidate for the social media management. She said: “This is an exciting moment in my career, me and my business partner Maria Grazia worked hard to put into reality our ideas, and we will do everything to ensure the success of Italian Fashion Craft Ltd in the months to come.”

BUSINESS COMMENT IS AN EDINBURGH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PUBLICATION. Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Business Centre, 2nd Floor, 40 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2LE www.edinburghchamber.co.uk

AM Bid Services get year 3 off to a winning start with new Bid Development Director

President: Scott Black Chief Executive: Liz McAreavey

Bid Specialists, AM Bid Services are delighted to announce the appointment of David Gray to the newly created role of Bid Development Director.

FEATU R ES EDITOR David Forsyth, Tel: 07887 955778 Email: david@benchmarkpr.co.uk

David joined the business on 3rd October 2016, at the start of Year 3 for AM Bid Services.

The first 2 years have seen the company grow at an exponential rate, with turnover for 2015/16 exceeding £¼ million.

In joining the company, David’s focus will be on business growth by working in partnership with existing and new clients to develop their bidding success strategies.

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Italian Fashion Craft Ltd appointed Silvia Zonca as co-director

Edinburgh-based serviced apartment provider, Lateral City Apartments, has appointed Suzanne Ezzi to the position of Sales & Marketing Manager. Suzanne will be responsible for the company’s luxury properties: Old Town Chambers, located just off the royal mile, and Merchiston Residence. The next property to join Lateral City Apartments’ portfolio is The Edinburgh Grand at St Andrews Square, formally the Royal Bank of Scotland, which will offer a further 50 five star apartments, due to open in summer 2017. Commenting on her appointment, Suzanne said: “Serviced apartments are one of the fastest growing sectors of the hospitality industry, so it’s an exciting time to be joining one of Edinburgh’s leading providers”.

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EDITOR : Anna Miller, Tel: 0131 221 2999 Email: anna.miller@edinburghchamber.co.uk

P RODU CTION & DES IG N Distinctive Publishing, Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2383 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk A DV ERTIS IN G Distinctive Publishing, Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE John Neilson, Tel: 0845 884 2343 john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

DISCL AIM ER

Distinctive Publishing or Business Comment cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Business Comment.

SCOTLAND NEEDS LEADERS

SQA Leadership and Management Qualifications SQA Leadership and Management qualifications are developed with industry to drive up skills amongst Scotland’s future business leaders and managers.

Business Development T: 0303 333 0330 E: leaders@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/leaders