Business Connect 10

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MID, EAST AND WEST LOTHIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Find out this year’s winners!

chamber news

features

business news

views

interviews

WINTER2015 ISSUE 10

FESTIVAL FRIDAY 22ND APRIL 2016, 12.00 - 19.30

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contents

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Shoosmiths crowns 2015 success with ‘UK Law Firm of the Year’ win

Business Connect is a joint Midlothian, East Lothian and West Lothian Chambers of Commerce publication.

ALL EDITORIAL AND GENERAL ENQUIRIES: For Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce Tel: 0131 603 5040 email: dita@thebusinesspartnership.org.uk Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce Moulsdale House 24D Milton Road East Edinburgh EH15 2PP www.melcc.org.uk Chief Executive: George Archibald For West Lothian Chamber of Commerce Tel: 01506 412909 email: brenda.cumming@wlchamber.com

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Changing lives for the better

Business expert creates food map of East Lothian

West Lothian Chamber of Commerce Alba Centre, Alba Business Park Rosebank, Livingston EH54 7EG www.wlchamber.com

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Chief Executive: Linda Scott PRODUCTION & DESIGN Distinctive Publishing Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House Dean Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2384 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk ADVERTISING Distinctive Publishing Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House Dean Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2343 email: john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk FEATURE EDITORS John Dean & Francis Griss email: deangriss@btinternet.com DISCLAIMER Distinctive Publishing or Business Connect 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 Connect.

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HIAN EST LOT T AND W MID, EAS

CHAMBE

OMMER RS OF C

CE

IN S MAGAZ BUSINES

Find out this year’s winners!

Celebrating West Lothian business success in style

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Mid & East Lothian Chamber Business Awards 2015

Experience that laid the foundations for bar proprietor David

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Contents E 10 015 ISSU

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Members News

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Members News

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Premier Partners Members News Cover Feature

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Ask the expert Big Interview

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Business News

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Members News

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Members Benefits

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New Members Members Close Up

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Premier Partners

s chamber new

features

s business new

views

interviews

MARKETING

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Changing lives for the better

Broxburn United Sports Club (BUSC) provides sporting and educational opportunities within our community to change lives for the better.

We provide a safe and social sporting environment, which creates opportunities to develop, maximise potential and wider social networks.

Our community includes a variety of people from the young children starting school to those who are retired. BUSC offers an opportunity for all to participate. Whether

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participating in an activity for the first time, nurturing their talent or simply offering a sense of involvement in the community.

We can create a positive impact whilst meeting our five key principles including: Health and Education – promoting the health benefits of participating in sport and exercise, and to use sport as a tool to engage people in education.

Community Engagement – to engage those who may have inequalities in life and help lead them into a positive destination.

Sporting Participation – to give people an opportunity to participate in sport, no matter of ability, age, gender or background.

Room for All – maximising the use of our high class facilities, giving a safe environment to all.

Fundraising – to help our business become self-sustainable, resulting in a long term future, with re-investment into other key principle areas.

The BUSC partners are Broxburn Athletic Juniors, Broxburn Athletic Colts and Broxburn Amateur Boxing Club.

Since 2010, the Albyn Park, housing a floodlit stadium with a full size 3G football pitch and covered enclosure, has become a facility that the community can call ‘their own’.

For business needs, we offer Boardroom and Community Room hire, with hourly rates available, and provide opportunities for sponsorship either on individual community programmes or within our facility which has a footfall of over 1000 people per week.

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Deer Park Golf & Country Club unveils upgrade West Lothian’s home of golf and the area’s leading leisure club, Deer Park Golf and Country Club in Livingston, has unveiled a cutting edge refurbishment of much of its public space.

The Champions Lounge, the family friendly Ten Pin Lounge and the Monarch Restaurant have all been refitted and feature new furniture, decoration and flooring, including stunning carpets with a striking design based on Aboriginal artwork.

Deer Park, which is open to the public is attracting membership on both its golf and leisure sides and is home to a whole raft of annual events including many PGA tournaments such as the Deer Park Masters, a successful pro am tournament which supports the golf professionals of Scotland as well as providing a business networking forum, placing West Lothian at the front of Scottish Golf.

Owners, the Fife based Muir Group, have steadily invested in the club throughout the downturn and beyond, first the spa, a Porcelanosa clad area with changing and showers worthy of any five star hotel, to complement its popular swimming pool.

Other upgrades have covered the golfers changing and new multi gym featuring a new range of state of the art equipment.

General Manager Stuart Cruickshank said: “We are extremely proud of Deer Park, it’s a club for the whole community and a real gem for West Lothian, with excellent value for money and strong customer service at its heart.”

“We are delighted to announce these improvements and can’t wait to show off the new look club to our members and the paying public. All the team here are very excited and there has been a significant step up in service and overall professionalism in presenting golf and leisure which is in advance of today’s market, and ever changing customer needs,” he added.

Deer Park has always prided itself on its superior food offering compared to other

leisure clubs, and its wide range of sports and activities on offer.

“The food side is a very important element of what we offer here, especially as we work closely with the PGA and the organisers of prestigious events such as the annual Ten Pin Bowling Championships. We have upped our game even further to ensure that our customers, both corporate and leisure, have wider menu choices and a consistent level of excellence.”

A fair test of golf remains at the heart of Deer Park, with its 72 par course in great shape. “Outside, the golf course has had a great year in terms of its playing ability, “ said Stuart Cruickshank. “We have hosted even more prestigious golf events with a Seniors and a Ladies event, both through the PGA and our very popular Mixed Classic for keen amateurs, held every June. The quality of the golf here at Deer Park is second to none.

“The leisure industry is still a very hard sector to crack,“ said Stuart. “with Scotland’s drink driving limits badly affecting trade in the recession. Deer Park’s wide appeal from ten pin bowling, golf, squash, multi gym, swimming pool, spa and other activity choices helped us survive when many golf clubs closed their doors. Our new look and constant upgrades is our way of attracting new and core customers who support us to come and enjoy a new look Deer Park for the new festive season. We remain convinced that there is nowhere quite like Deer Park.”

To contact Deer Park call 01506 446699, or check out the web at www.deer-park.co.uk

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Shoosmiths crowns 2015 success with ‘UK Law Firm of the Year’ win National law firm Shoosmiths crowned a year of success by winning the coveted title of ‘UK Law Firm of the Year’ at the Legal Week’s prestigious British Legal Awards ceremony in London.

Shoosmiths was considered the strongest candidate for the title by a 22-strong panel of judges, chaired by City of London Law Society chairman Alasdair Douglas and including News UK general counsel Emma Moloney, 3i general counsel Kevin Dunn and BAE Systems group general counsel Philip Bramwell. Other nominees for the coveted

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UK Law Firm of the Year award included Mishcon De Reya and Brodies.

Judges said: “‘A hugely successful 2014-15 financial year helped this finalist over the winning line. This firm is also a consistent high achiever in Legal Week’s flagship research reports, and was this year once again named as a Best Legal Employer.”

Claire Rowe, chief executive of Shoosmiths, said: ‘It was a very proud moment for me to accept this award on behalf of Shoosmiths because it recognises many years of hard work by all at the firm.

“Being named ‘UK Law Firm of the Year’ is a reflection of the fantastic progress we have made in so many aspects of our business - from the recruitment and development of our teams, to the growth in quality and scope of our client base and work. This important win is consistent with our strategic aim to become ‘the leading national law

firm, famous for delivering a superb client experience’ and reflects that we are on track to achieve the goals we have set.’

As the judges highlighted, Shoosmiths posted strong financial results this year, with revenue for 2014/15 up by 10.4% and net profit up by 38%.

The British Legal Awards recognise the achievements of law firms and legal professionals operating in the UK. The ceremony was hosted in association with The City of London Law Society and attended by more than 1000 of the country’s top lawyers.

The event host was comedian and actor Hugh Dennis, while the chosen charity for the awards was War Child, which provides support to vulnerable children whose lives have been torn apart by war

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Corporate Membership

Corporate Golf Bundles

Discounts on food, bowling, golf, and much more, as well as a complimentary conference room twice a year up to a maximum of 180 people. Contact us for a full list of benefits.

This golf bundle allows you extensive access to our championship golf course and gives you the opportunity to entertain your clients in style with generous discounts on food and beverage in our comfortable, newly refurbished clubhouse.

Corporate GOLD Membership • One named Golf and Country Club member • Two named off-peak Golf and Country Club members • 15 Tee-Time vouchers, worth up to £2100 each voucher is for a maximum of 4 golfers

Included in your Golf Bundle: • � 25 Tee Time Vouchers valued at up to £3500 to use whenever you wish • � Generous discounts on Food and Beverage • � Conference facilities at preferential rates • � Free Wi-Fi • � Widespread promotion as our Corporate Partner • � Discounted corporate golf days

Corporate SILVER Membership • One named Golf and Country Club member • One named off-peak Golf and Country Club member • 10 Tee-Time vouchers, worth up to £1400 each voucher is for a maximum of 4 golfers

Email binglis@muir-group.co.uk for more information.

Half an hour from the city centre…

A million miles from the office…

Email ndewar@muir-group.co.uk for more information.

01506 446699

www.deer-park.co.uk

Deer Park Golf & Country Club, Golf Course Road, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 8AB

Need a hand with difficult Health & Safety Questions?

Why do I need health & safety policies and procedures?

How can I handle a safety inspection?

How can I ensure the safety of my staff at all times?

Call or text Craig Cowan on:

07870 883 251

Craig.Cowan@peninsula-uk.com peninsula-uk.com How can I prevent accidents happening in the workplace?

How can I ensure my staff receive effi cient health and safety training?

Craig Cowan Business Development Manager Skypark 5, Unit 4C, 45 Finnieston Street, Glasgow, G3 8JU

The UK’s employment law, health & safety, tax and employee assistance specialists.

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membersnews

Traveleads takes top spot Traveleads are celebrating after being voted “Best Small Business Travel Agent in Scotland” at the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association annual awards dinner on Thursday the 5th of November.

The event was held at the Glasgow City Hotel and attended by a host of travel industry partners. ‘The company is especially proud of this award, not only because it is voted on by travel industry giants, including airlines and hotels, but because it is recognition from within the travel industry of the job done by the entire team at Traveleads in Edinburgh.’

The SPAA (Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association) represents all of Scotland’s major travel agents within its membership, working pro-actively to address the issues and meet the challenges of the constantly changing travel marketplace, thereby

protecting the interests of clients throughout the nation and beyond.

To find out more about Traveleads, please visit www.traveleads.co.uk.

Guthrie Group win major SRUC tender Guthrie Group Ltd from Livingston has won a competitive national tender worth more than £500,000 to supply SRUC, Scotland’s Rural College, with personal protective equipment and workwear to all of its students and employees for the next three years.

The company has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry and is one of the largest independent distributors of Health and Safety equipment and facilities supplies in Scotland, supplying across a wide range of sectors and industries.

Cynthia Guthrie, Joint Managing Director of Guthrie Group Ltd, said: “As a growing

Scottish business, we are thrilled to have won this national tender and been appointed

by SRUC, an institution with exceptional status and prestige.”

SRUC was formed out of the merger with Barony, Elmwood and Oatridge Colleges and the Scottish Agricultural College delivering comprehensive skills, education and business support for Scotland’s land-based industries.

A spokesperson for SRUC said: “We were impressed with the professionalism of Guthrie’s tender submission and delighted with the quality of their products and exceptional customer service.”

Midlothian restaurant in British curry title running Dalkeith restaurant Itihaas has been shortlisted for the British Curry Awards. Its selection follows a ‘mystery visit’ by judges to the Eskbank Road restaurant which has won a host of awards since it was opened in 2007.

In 2014, its manager, Matin Khan, was voted Scotland’s Curry Chef of the Year and Itihaas was named Best Restaurant in Edinburgh and the Lothians in Scotland’s Asian Food Awards.

Last year it won the categories of Best Place for Dinner and Best Customer Service in the Midlothian Food and Drink Awards.

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“My team and I are honoured to have been recognised yet again for the quality of our food and service,” said Matin who also runs the Radhuni restaurant in Loanhead and recently opened Nirvana in Bonnyrigg.

“We’re delighted that a small restaurant in Midlothian has been selected as one of the best curry houses in the whole of Britain.”

The British Curry Awards, dubbed ‘the Oscars’ of an industry which employs some 100,000 people in the UK, was announced in London on 30 November.

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membersnews

Are you Playing Russian Roulette with your Data Security?

Online security and data protection has become a massive issue, and with the new EU General Data Protection Regulations coming into force in the near future, it will continue to be a talking point.

And that’s just your primary data, what about those ‘low risk’ systems? When I talk about this issue, the surprise always comes when I mention about the difficulty we had in finding an instant messaging system that was EU based. Or the time it took to establish that our email provider stored all our data in the EU. When you break it down, it’s easy to see how the ‘low risk’ systems can generate a slow leak of client data.

Passwords Security breaches can happen and you’ll read a lot about providers monitoring and strengthening their framework as a preventative action. But in today’s world the likelihood of a breach is high enough that businesses need to think about what they can do to minimise the impact of anyone infiltrating their systems.

Data Location and Security for All Systems One particularly hot topic at the moment is the issue of data location. At OpenCRM we’ve taken steps to ensure that all of our data centres (and those of all the systems we use) are based in the EU. And that includes the back-up data centres.

Even if the primary data centre is in the EU, if the back-up data centres are in the US, then so is all of your data.

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Another example, and one that I think everyone struggles with, is the issue of passwords.

My own team were having trouble coming up with enough passwords that were both strong and memorable. So we decided to use a password manager, which allows us to generate extra secure passwords that didn’t have to be memorable.

Encryption One relatively simply thing you can do to protect your data is to encrypt it. By encrypting your computers, phones, etc., you know that if anyone were to actually steal the device, they would be hard pressed to make any sense of your data.

Checking Out Your Providers It’s no longer enough to assume your providers will protect your data from viruses, malware, and cyber threats – companies need to be aware of the security of the actual data itself, including where it will be stored, how it is accessed, and the security of the device that is being used.

Customers need to be going into this level of detail with any cloud provider before signing on the dotted line. The ramifications, which could include hefty fines and worse, reputational damage, don’t bear thinking about.

If you have any cloud-based security questions, concerns, or feedback, please get in touch. I would love to hear from you. Find us at www.opencrm.co.uk or drop us a line at security@opencrm.co.uk

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

Add to this your strong password control and cloud hosting of your data, any opportunistic thief isn’t going to walk away with a list of your customers.

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premiumpartner

Business expert creates food map of East Lothian Business and consumer expertise from Queen Margaret University has been used to develop an interactive map of East Lothian’s food and drink businesses.

The new map will highlight the wide range of food producers, growers, retailers and social enterprises that operate throughout the county.

Mike Pretious, from QMU’s Division of Business, Enterprise and Management, has a keen interest in social enterprises and food businesses. As Chair of Social Enterprise East Lothian he is also involved in an offshoot group ‘Food of East Lothian’, which is striving to create a sustainable environment which supports the development of a strong food business culture within the county.

With funding from NHS Lothian and East Lothian Council, Mike, together with a QMU graduate, has carried out a mapping exercise of all the enterprises across East Lothian with an association with food.

He explained: “We really wanted to understand the breadth and depth of the range of food organisations within the area, and to create awareness of the different geographical zones of food across farming/ growers, fish merchants, seed merchants, small trade production, large scale

enterprise, social enterprises, family business, farmers’ markets and retail.”

Mike contracted Alison Stone, a recent QMU graduate from the MSc Gastronomy course, to help with the creation of the map. Alison’s newly launched business ‘3 Minutes to Midnight’ focuses on the area of sustainability within the food industry. She now operates full-time from QMU’s Business Innovation Zone, the university base which supports the development of new graduate start-ups.

Alison explained: “This was a fantastic project to be involved in, both personally and professionally, and presented several research opportunities and challenges. The first was to identify a technology platform which could deliver the mapping functionality, without blowing the budget.

The second challenge was to locate all the food and beverage outlets for inclusion within the map. Finding details of commercial premises was easy - trying to identify the more community based projects, such as growing schemes, allotments and other food producing social enterprises, proved to be more difficult. The final piece of the jigsaw involved geo-mapping the data and presenting it in a meaningful way, with keys and colour coding to denote the different business sectors.”

Mike confirmed: “The mapping exercise provides a true picture as to the size and variety of food businesses within the area.

We now hope to participate in the creation of a regional food hub which will aid contact between different parties and encourage buying and selling between businesses.

“We feel the food map will be a useful resource for businesses, the economic

Mike Pretious and Alison Stone

development unit within the Council and NHS Lothian when it launches in the near future.

It can be used to strengthen business to business links, as well as creating connections between the food industry and the health service, which will ultimately contribute to the economic health of East Lothian.”

Alison Stone’s business, 3 Minutes to Midnight, specializes in the food, drink and tourism sector and offers consultancy services to assist clients in identifying, measuring and reporting their company’s current commitment to sustainable development practices.

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Mike concluded: “This project was initiated

by Food of East Lothian and we have ambitious and exciting plans to further develop a strong food culture across the county – the map is just the start.”

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premiumpartner

The mapping exercise provides a true picture as to the size and variety of food businesses within the area. We now hope to participate in the creation of a regional food hub which will aid contact between different parties and encourage buying and selling between businesses. winter2015

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SQA JOURNEYS DEVELOPING THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW

Developing the Young Workforce Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) is the Scottish Government’s seven year strategy to improve the options available to young people with more informed and ambitious choices, reducing youth unemployment by preparing young people for the workplace and giving them the skills that employers are looking for.

It is the response to The Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, which aimed to ensure that Scotland is producing better qualified, work ready and motivated young people with skills relevant to modern employment opportunities.

SQA Journeys SQA is a key partner in the initiative. We are uniquely placed to deliver DYW because we already work closely with training providers, employers, colleges and schools, as well as local authorities and SDS. We understand the needs of learners and of employers and how we can help one group to help the other, creating a more qualified, more motivated and more productive workforce.

Our wide range of robust, relevant and respected qualifications link directly into DYW. They are designed and continually reviewed in partnership with industry experts to foster the workplace skills and experience needed in the real working world to make businesses more competitive and Scotland’s economy more dynamic.

These qualifications sit at various levels, allowing the learner to make strides from one qualification to the next or to change paths at an equivalent level.

Find out where SQA Journeys can take your business. www.sqa.org.uk/journeys

SQA Working With You Every business working with SQA has a dedicated Account Manager – one point of contact who will take the time to get to know you and how you work, and who understands the particular challenges in your area.

Your Account Manager will advise you on the best possible journey for enhancing your industry’s young workforce. Working together, we can give Scotland a happier, more productive, more reliable and more skilled workforce.

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

membersnews

New wing developed

Omnia Offices have announced their development of a new wing at Systems House within the Alba Business Park.

Alba Business Park offers a mix of flexible business space close to Livingston centre within an attractive parkland setting with mature woodland and water features. Ideally situated between Edinburgh and Glasgow, there is convenient access to the M8, Livingston North and South Railway Stations with Edinburgh Airport just a 15 minute drive away.

Systems House is a purpose-built office building which has flexible, open-plan office accommodation. It is in a desirable waterside environment, and tenants benefit from the wide range of amenities on and off site.

As Omnia have offices available of all sizes, they are thrilled to provide an offering for businesses of all sizes who may wish to have an office in this prestigious location at an obtainable cost. It is a professional, well-

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located and designed working environment for business, staff and clients.

Serviced offices are a real alternative to traditional leasehold office space. Omnia Offices gives you flexible accommodation that’s tailored to your business needs, whether your business is up-sizing, downsizing, opening a satellite branch or just looking for a more flexible arrangement.

With a number and range of purpose-built office blocks, there are Omnia buildings in city centres and business parks across the UK. Formed in 2004, Omnia Offices are part of the Omnia Property Group, which works across all areas of the property market including student accommodation, block management, commercial property and residential lettings. With this comes the stability, knowledge and experience to provide your ideal office and workspace solution.

Where commercial workspace is concerned, Omnia Offices has the business aim of providing flexible commercial workspace to companies and organisations of all sizes who choose not to be tied down by standard leasehold agreements.

If you would like to discuss any of the office space at Systems House please give Jackie Plumb a call on 0114 279 2600

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A truly unique setting for your next event Meetings and training venue • Budget group accommodation Private dining • Private tours • Small weddings Tel: 0131 663 1921 enquiries@newbattleabbey.com www.newbattleabbey.com

Business Connect Ad v2.pdf 22/10/2014 13:54:03

Offering a quality support service to 0-10

Offering a quality support service to families with agedaged 0-10 families withchildren children

Services to Parents (Dads and Mums)/Carers/Grandparents include: www.justgiving.com/midlothiansurestart Peer Support, Healthy Living Support, Volunteering Opportunities, Dynamic Dads, Grandparents & Toddlers, Counselling/Therapeutic Support, Play therapy and our new A Good Start Programme.

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You don’t have to be a family in need to get involved with MSS and chances youGrandparents already know someone who has had help Peer Support, Healthy Living Support, Volunteering Opportunities, Dynamicare Dads, or been involved with us. & Toddlers, Counselling/Therapeutic Support, Play therapy and our new A Good Start Programme.

Business Connect Ad v2.pdf 22/10/2014 13:54:03

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You don’t have to be a family in need to get involved with MSS and chances are you already We NEED You! – You can help MSS by: know someone who has had help or been involved with us.

Offering a quality support service to families with children aged 0-10 Services to Parents (Dads and Mums)/Carers/Grandparents of for include: • Becoming a local hero and have Winner a fundraiser MSS. Peer Support, Healthy Living Support, Volunteering Opportunities, theCounselling/Therapeutic Social • Getting your business/group pick MSS as yourSupport, charity of the year.

Dynamic Dads, Grandparents &to Toddlers, Play therapy and our newEnterprise A Good Start Programme.

• Make donations. It’s simple and really rewarding.

You don’t have to be a family of in need to get involved with MSS the Year and chances are you already know someone who has had help www.justgiving.com/midlothiansurestart 2015with Award or been involved us.

• Becoming a local hero and have a fundraiser for MSS. • Got a spare day? Why not donate your time. We are always looking You can help MSS by: new peopleWe toNEED join You! our –team of volunteers.

• Getting your business/group to pick MSS as your charity for of the year.

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facebook.com/MidSureStart

CALL US ON: 0131

facebook.com/MidSureStart 654 0489 | www.MidlothianSureStart.org.uk CALL US ON: 0131

CALL US ON: 0131

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twitter.com/MidSureStart

654 0489 | www.MidlothianSureStart.org.uk

twitter.com/MidSureStart /midsurestart

654 0489 | www.MidlothianSureStart.org.uk

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Mid & East Lothian Chamber Business Awards 2015 A memorable night to honour finalists and the winners of Mid & East Lothian Business Excellence Awards 2015.

Jim Mather’s keynote speech on ‘How to Foster More Collaborative Workplaces in Scotland’.

and winners who make Midlothian and East Lothian the prosperous and successful place we all love.

The 2015 awards are now over and what a fantastic evening it was. Held at the Brunton in Musselburgh, the annual awards evening was attended by around 300 guests and featured 40 business stands.

Thanks to the generous contributions of the guests, the raffle draw raised over £800 for Alzheimer Scotland, our chosen charity for this year. All in all the evening was a huge success, recognising and rewarding businesses in eight categories.

Thank you also to our sponsors and exhibitors for their continued support. If you would like to be a part of next year’s event then please contact Dita Macfarlane on 0131 603 5040 or email dita@thebusinesspartnership.org.uk

Business men and women wore their finest suits and gowns for the awards ceremony.

Guests enjoyed a sumptuous two-course meal and were inspired by our guest speaker

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We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended the event and a big congratulation to the awards finalists

We will be launching the awards again in 2016 so stay tuned for more information.

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(L to R) Kenneth Lawrie (Midlothian Council), Mike Green & Ben Storrie (Icon Fabrications Ltd) and Keith Barbour (Mid & East Lothian Chamber)

(L to R) Cllr John McMillan (East Lothian Council) with Dee Rutherford and Linda Crichton (Dobbies Garden Centre)

(L to R) Christa Cameron (CA Cameron ACA), Ian Pilbeam (The HR Dept) and Keith Barbour

Best Business High Growth and Innovation

Best Company for Youth Engagement

Networker of the Year

Sponsored by:

Sponsored by:

Winner: Icon Fabrications Ltd Highly Commended: Solus Medical Ltd and Supernature Oils

Sponsored by:

Winner: Ian Pilbeam (The HR Dept Edinburgh and Lothians) Winner: Dobbies Garden Centres Highly Commended: Limelight Career and EDF Energy

Highly Commended: Ross Prentice (Prentice Coaches Ltd)

(L to R) Carrie Campbell (Thomson Cooper Accountants) with Claire Taddei, Dominic Taddei and Aaron Frizzel (Clear Mortgage Solutions)

L to R) John Anzani (Midlothian Council), Cheryl Brown and Wendy Maben (Midlothian Sure Start) and Keith Barbour

(L to R) Sean Elliot (Network ROI) and Frances Wright (The Malt Kiln Gift Shop)

Best Family Business

Social Enterprise of the Year

Local Business Hero

Sponsored by:

Sponsored by:

Sponsored by:

Winner: Clear Mortgage Solutions

Winner: Midlothian Sure Start

Highly Commended: JS Main & Sons and Winton House

Highly Commended: Cockenzie House & Gardens and Lead a Bright Future

Winner: Frances Wright (The Malt Kiln Gift Shop)

(L to R): Sean Macdonald (EDF Energy), Patrick Flockhart (Humbie Hub) and Keith Barbour

(L to R): Sean Macdonald (EDF Energy), Patrick Flockhart (Humbie Hub) and Keith Barbour

Best Green Business

Best Employer for Student and Graduate Recruitment

Sponsored by:

Sponsored by:

Winner: Humbie Hub Highly Commended: Hickory and Sunamp Ltd

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Winner: MacTaggart, Scott & Co Ltd Highly Commended: EDF Energy and Hickory

Maria Conte and colleagues from the Brunton

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Celebrating West Lothian business success in style The annual West Lothian Business Excellence Awards dinner was held on the 27th November at the historic Macdonald Houstoun House. It was an evening that celebrated the success and achievements of local businesses.

The event, now in its 15th year, was attended by over 180 local businesses and guests as well as representatives of local and national government. The evening was entertaining from start to finish, with guest speaker Ali Smeaton from Morphsuits inspiring and funny recount of how he got to where he is today, followed by the Awards Ceremony. The evening closed with a casino experience, which along with the charity prize draw helped raise over ÂŁ1800 for local charity West Lothian Youth Action Project.

We would like to congratulate our winners Best Business Award Sponsored by West Lothian Chamber of Commerce Awarded to a local business that has demonstrated true business excellence.

Winner: Lareine Engineering Highly Commended: Sarco Stopper

High Growth & Innovation Award Sponsored by West Lothian Economic Growth Plan Presented to a business which has shown either outstanding growth or developed a new and innovative approach to business.

Winner: Dacoll Ltd Highly Commended: Sarco Stopper

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coverfeature

Entrepreneur & Business Start-up Award

Shona Sibbald Woman in Business Award

Excellence in Staff Learning & Development Award

Sponsored by West Lothian Business Gateway

Sponsored by Sibbald Limited

Sponsored by West Lothian College

This award recognises the hard work and achievement of business women in West Lothian

This award recognises a company that demonstrates excellence in the development of staff skills and knowledge

Winner: Jennifer Newton, Express Microbiology

Winner: Dacoll Limited

Highly Commended: Linda Chatwin, Genealogy Worldwide

Commended: Lareine Engineering

Awarded to a successful business startup company which has demonstrated entrepreneurial potential for long term business success and is a good role model for other start-up companies.

Winner: Decadently Pure

Highly Commended: Genealogy Worldwide

Highly Commended: Cosmos Planetarium

The Public Makes their Choice In a new award category this year the public were able to vote for their favourite local business in association with local newspaper, the West Lothian Courier.

Enterprising School Award Sponsored by Shin-Etsu This award is presented to a school demonstrating and delivering commitment to innovation, creativity and enterprise in the curriculum.

Winner: Inveralmond Community High School Highly Commended: St Ninian’s Primary Commended: Bathgate Academy

West Lothian’s Favourite Business Award

The success of the evening was thanks to our sponsors West Lothian Economic Growth Plan, Sibbald Ltd, West Lothian College, Shin-Etsu, West Lothian Business Gateway, West Lothian Courier, SRUC Oatridge Campus and Macdonald Houston House Hotel. Also the generous businesses who donated prizes for the charity draw Norton House Hotel, Macrae Edinburgh and Schuh.

Winner: Party Animal Encounters Runner-up: Smartlocal Marketing

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Key Employer in West Lothian Armadale-based Lareine Engineering is a key employer in West Lothian with over 80 staff, and as the sales grow so do employee numbers.

At their purpose-built factory, the Company designs and manufactures a wide range of rooflights; ventilation systems for everyday ventilation and smoke ventilation in the event of fire; and access & escape hatches. Lareine Engineering is Scotland’s only manufacturer offering this complete product range.

The Company has invested heavily in R&D, developing and testing smoke ventilation to new CE requirements as well as expanding its range of ventilation solutions. Lareine Engineering now offers one of the widest ranges available in the UK - and has created a competitive edge over other daylighting & ventilation businesses throughout the country.

Lareine Engineering products are used in all types of buildings from commercial and educational establishments, to hospitals, retail parks and private homes. The Company’s installers work as part of an

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integrated team working within an ISO 9001 accredited quality programme, ensuring continuity of high standards maintained from initial consultation and design, right through to on-site assembly and installation.

Lareine has maintained an excellent growth rate over recent years, which can be attributed to maintaining a strong focus on its core products, whilst continually developing new products to add to its range, to compete in an ever changing market environment.

With a long-standing reputation for producing a quality product, the Company has established an impressive client list including many of the UK’s leading contractors, architects and civil engineering businesses. Sales are on track to push through the £7m barrier in 2015.

and office space in Livingston which the company aim to be manufacturing from April 2016, this will also allow Lareine to work closely with local colleges and become a workplace for Engineering excellence in training & development.

Lareine’s committed approach to training and staff development has led to a Modern Apprenticeship with West Lothian College and fostering of relationships within the local community. The Company also works closely with other schools/colleges provides opportunities for future generations to learn new skills and become key employees within the Lareine Environment for many years to come. These initiatives highlight the positive impact that Lareine Engineering has on the local community.

Profit growth has allowed for continual investment in machinery which has enhanced the company’s manufacturing capabilities, and further investment at the end of 2015 has been agreed for an additional 24,500 square foot factory

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asktheexpert

Ask the expert …HR

Zero hours contracts questions answered Can I still use them in my business?

Regardless of the debate surrounding the use of zero-hours contracts, they are here to stay. The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills has therefore urged businesses to learn how they should use them, highlighting when they should and shouldn’t be considered. The idea being that if businesses understand them, the contracts can continue to benefit employees that truly gain from their flexibility such as students, home carers and retirees looking for casual employment.

Ian Pilbeam HR Professional The HR Dept

Why do Zero Hours contracts have a bad name?

Zero hour contracts have taken a beating.

Yet as a flexible alternative to full and part time employment they can be useful to both employer and employee. In some instances however, they are being exploited by rogue employers. Such practice can lead to workers lives being unfairly insecure: knowing that their ability to pay the rent at the end of the month may be down to chance. Hence the bad reputation for zero hours contracts.

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What exactly is a Zero Hours Contract?

A zero hours contract means that an employer is not obliged to provide a set number of hours of work for the employee, giving them no stability of income. In such an agreement an employee could be asked to work almost full time hours, or no hours at all.

If an employer opts to go ahead and hire staff on zero hours contracts they must ensure that they comply with providing employment rights. To help staff plan ahead, it’s best practice for an employer to give them as much notice as possible regarding possible working hours, ensuring they understand that they can either accept or refuse the work.

Zero hours contracts can help established businesses cope with fluctuating demand, new businesses get onto their feet and also in providing cover for unexpected sickness.

But it’s recommended that businesses consider the alternatives, rather than going straight to zero hours contracts as a solution.

You could: n Offer overtime to current permanent staff

As of May 2015, employers operating zerohours contracts are no longer allowed to use exclusivity clauses. These had prohibited staff from seeking or accepting work from another employer. Employees are now able to seek additional employment if, for example, they’re not working enough hours under their current contract.

n Recruit a part time employee or someone

How can I use them and what must they guarantee the employee?

First things first. All zero hours staff are entitled to the National Minimum Wage and all statutory employment rights including paid annual leave, breaks and protection from discrimination.

If you currently operate zero-hours contracts, or have considered them and would like assistance and guidance on how to use them properly, please get in touch with us at The HR Dept, 0131 297 7454, Ian.pilbeam@hrdept.co.uk

on a fixed term contract if regular hours need to be worked n Offer annualised hours contracts to cope

with seasonal demand n Bring in agency staff as a quicker and

easier way to hire

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biginterview

Experience that laid the foundations for bar proprietor David Bar proprietor David Philip came to the role having learned just about everything there was to learn about the pub and entertainment business in the years that led up to his latest challenge.

It was a journey that took in everything from a spell spinning the discs in the vibrant atmosphere of a Mediterranean night spot to sweeping floors when everyone had gone home.

It’s experience that has stood him in good stead because David is now the Proprietor of the Grapes Bistro in East Calder, having taken over the bar in September 2014.

He said: “I had gained knowledge and experience through various exciting roles before I took over at The Grapes Bistro.

“I came from a sales background but also ran a mobile disco business and I held a residency as a DJ in Ibiza for a while, so by the time I came to The Grapes Bistro, I had a pretty good grounding in the pub, club and restaurant trade.

“I initially came to work at ‘The Grapes Hotel’ as an employee part-time on top of my sales

job, where I was involved in all sorts of work, everything from tending the bar to sweeping the floors, all of which gave me a really good idea of what was involved in running a pub.

“I had to do everything so when I heard that the bar was available to take over, I decided that the time was right to set up business on my own. It took eleven months to conclude the negotiations but in the end everything went through successfully.”

“I have had to learn so much more since taking over the bar, everything from making sure staff training is completed correctly on a regular basis to ensuring that the maintenance is done correctly, so it has been a learning experience but it has been a successful one.”

It certainly has been successful with The Grapes Bistro recently receiving an accolade under the national Best Bar None Awards scheme, which recognises excellence in the industry, and all at the first time of asking.

David said: “We were delighted to win the Silver Award at The Best Bar None Awards and, more importantly, we won the new category for Best Newcomer, which means that we are into the National Finals in March.”

“We had looked at the awards and said ‘that is where we want to be’ because of the high standards it delivers to your customers.

“The award covers just about everything you do, it really does embrace the whole business, and to do well in our first year of taking part was really satisfying for us.”

The key to success for David has been constantly working to improve the pub’s

offering for its customers, including updating the menus.

Food is a crucial part of The Grapes Bistro and David said: “One of the things we plan to do in the New Year is introduce a new dedicated section for Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free and other Allergen-Free options for our customers.”

“We do not believe that people should miss out on a nice family meal out because of their dietary requirements so we have worked hard to produce a new menu which allows everyone to enjoy a meal with us.”

“The days of vegeterians, for instance, being offered a salad and nothing else are long gone and our new menu is a big thing for us.

We are looking forward to its introduction.”

Also coming in 2016 will be a new look for the pub with a significant investment planned.

David said: “One of the big things we will be doing in 2016 is a planned refurbishment estimated to be in February or March.

We plan to invest £110,000 in reviving the appearance of the pub, to rejuvenate its look.”

“These kind of things are important to the future of the business. Three-to-four thousand new homes will be built in East Calder over the next ten years and we need to be able to take advantage of the new opportunities for more business.”

It’s all a long way from the dance music of Ibiza but it is clearly an experience that David is thoroughly enjoying.

I have had to learn so much more since taking over the bar, everything from making sure staff training is completed correctly on a regular basis to ensuring that the maintenance is done correctly, so it has been a learning experience but it has been a successful one.

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biginterview

David Philip

Proprietor, The Grapes Bistro Ltd

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asktheexpert

Ask the expert…IT Criminal cyber attacks The past twelve months has seen a surge in attacks on high-profile business targets.

Companies such as Ashley Madison, V-Tech and Talk Talk have all seen their online presence compromised by a new breed of cyber criminals, intent on wreaking havoc on operations and accessing private customer data.

Unfortunately, criminals are also successfully targeting businesses in the small and medium-sized sector. To reduce the likelihood of being affected by such an attack, I have put together a simple guide to help keep your business safe online and protect the most important asset of many modern businesses - customer data.

Protect your email Criminals are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to get their hands on your data and in many cases, your cash.

Here are a few tips to reduce the likelihood of getting caught out: n Make sure you have a comprehensive

spam, anti-virus, phishing protection and data loss prevention functionality and ensure it updates automatically. n Be vigilant – do not open or forward

email content that looks suspicious or appears out of the norm, report it to your IT department immediately.

Mobile Devices

Neil Douglas

Mobile devices are notoriously difficult to manage in an enterprise setting. Keep your mobile devices and data safer in the event of breach, theft or damage by

Project Delivery Manager Network ROI

n We recommend integrating Mobile

Device Management tools such as Microsoft InTune into your security toolkit. n Insist on having all non-business devices

password protected if they access sensitive company information such as email or files.

n Ensure that lost or stolen devices can be

disabled or remotely wiped. n Implement a Personal Device policy to

control how users access your company data.

Many respected Scottish SMEs trust Network ROI to make life with technology easier. Visit www.networkroi.co.uk

n Make sure that all mobile devices

containing company information are encrypted.

email filtering service that includes anti-

businessnews

Interest-free, unsecured loans from £1 to £100k – Resource Efficient Scotland SME Loans Scheme You are able to apply for the loan scheme if you are a Scottish business which falls within the European Commission’s definition of a Small and Medium sized Enterprise(1) (SME).

To learn more about eligibility and criteria, for FAQs and testimonials from other businesses, visit www.resourceefficientscotland.com/ sme-loans-scheme

Interest free loans of £1,000 to £100,000;

“The Resource Efficient Scotland SME loan has allowed my business to improve its energy supply. This helped improve the environment both for me and my customers by enabling me to get rid of my noisey and costly petrol generator.

The loan made a dramatic difference to my businesses profitability and energy efficiency.” Leigh Sedgley, Owner/ Manager, Living the Dream.

n Apply to the installation of energy,

material resource and water efficiency measures. n A 5% interest rate applies for

The Scottish Government’s Resource Efficient Scotland SME Loans Scheme provides businesses with a great opportunity to access support to help them cut costs and increase their competitiveness. The Scheme can help to fund the installation of a range of carbon reducing measures, such as more resource efficient lighting, glazing, and renewable technologies.

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renewable energy technologies if your organisation plans to claim the Feed in Tariff or Renewable Heat Incentive.

Resource Efficient Scotland, is a Scottish Government-funded programme delivered by Zero Waste Scotland. It offers free, specialist advice and support to organisations to implement energy, resource and water efficiency measures, including advice on the SME loan scheme.

Don’t delay. Contact Resource Efficient Scotland on 0808 808 2268, email enquiries@resourceefficientscotland.com or visit www.resourceefficientscotland.com.

(1) Have fewer than 250 employees, have a turnover not exceeding €50 million (approximately £42 million) and/or a balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million (approximately £36 million) and have no controlling interest more than 25 per cent by a non-SME.

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businessnews

Are you wasting money on advertising? You’re not alone

By Christopher Lamotte Real Marketing Specialist www.real-m.com

Would you be better investing in other marketing techniques?

Too many businesses waste their marketing budgets on adverts in printed media and online.

Advertising is sometimes seen as the easy route to finding new customers, but today it can be an old fashioned approach and is often not very effective. After all, we live in a multi-channel world, so why spend fortunes on adverts when there are so many other better value communications channels which deliver higher returns?

Perhaps you should be improving your website’s SEO; or driving ‘inbound marketing’ with blogging, social media and high quality email marketing; or using targeted direct marketing and PR?

We only believe in very focused advertising campaigns. Work out which are the top 2 or 3 publications or websites used by your customers and only consider advertising campaigns in those. Say ‘No thanks’ to advertising sales calls for any other media, even when they tempt you with heavily discounted rates.

Reallocate your marketing budget to the most effective communication channels and you’ll save money. We regularly do this for our clients with excellent results.

However, there can be a role for advertising when… n Developing brand awareness and

communicating brand values. n Differentiating and (re-) positioning

brands. n Reinforcing brand messages. n Persuading audiences to think and

change their behaviour.

n Giving you a high degree of control,

compared to some other techniques like public relations.

Real Marketing’s advertising tips n Adverts should focus on one idea. Too

often adverts include too many selling messages and are confusing. n Adverts must be well designed (to reflect

your brand) and have carefully crafted copy. n They should be sufficiently big for impact,

and well positioned in the publication (early right hand pages are best). n It’s more effective to run a campaign of 2

to 3 adverts (the ‘power of three’). n Ask for free editorial in exchange for paid-

for advertising, whenever the opportunity arises. n Where possible, find ways to measure the

response to your advertising.

n Supporting lead generation and sales

with direct response mechanisms (clear calls to action).

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membersnews

TomTom navigates to Midlothian Edinburgh Technopole is delighted to announce that TomTom, a global leader in navigation and mapping, has decided to relocate a major part of its operation in Scotland to Edinburgh Technopole in Midlothian.

TomTom has decided to rent a floor of the Fleming Building at the science park on the Bush Estate in just outside Edinburgh where it will house approximately 24 of the team responsible for upgrading and design of software for the renowned company, whose equipment is installed in millions of vehicles across the globe.

Judith Sanderson, Edinburgh Technopole Park Manager, said: “We are delighted to have attracted a company the size of TomTom to Technopole. We have worked very hard over the years to make sure our infrastructure and support network is amongst the best in the country and is able to support the kind of hi-tech, high-skilled jobs Midlothian has become known for.”

“As part of the BEST Network, the UK’s largest virtual cluster of privately owned science parks with sites across Scotland and England, TomTom will also have access to unbeatable support and the opportunity

to do business with a huge variety of businesses spread across the country and we are delighted to welcome them to Edinburgh Technopole.”

Joe Dixon, VP of Advanced Development at TomTom UK said: “We were attracted to Technopole not just because of the fantastic location but also the reputation of the park for providing the kind of first class infrastructure and support that a business like ours needs.”

“The staff based at Edinburgh Technopole will be working to ensure that TomTom remains at the cutting edge of software innovation and data management to ensure that our products and services maintain their world class reputation and we look forward to working with Technopole and the other BEST Network sites and companies to make that a reality.”

New Associate for Thomson Cooper Thomson Cooper are delighted to announce a key appointment to their senior team, effective from 1 December, as part of the firm’s growth strategy across Scotland.

Mark Gibson

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Mark Gibson from their Dunfermline office has been promoted to the position of Associate to support in the growth of the firm’s substantial agricultural portfolio. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2008 then subsequently joined the firm in 2009.

Mark, from Cupar in Fife, has been involved in the farming community for many years and specialises in agricultural accounting and taxation. As well as spending time with his

wife and young family, Mark enjoys playing rugby and golf.

Managing Partner David Walker said: “I am delighted to announce Mark’s internal promotion, having worked closely with him as part of our Agricultural Team. He has shown considerable dedication and competence over the last six years and built strong relationships with our clients during that time. Providing employees with career development is a priority at Thomson Cooper and we believe that Mark will continue to make a significant contribution to the firm going forward.”

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memberbenefits

Member Benefit – Exclusive Discount Fuel Card the fuelcard people

discounted diesel and petrol for…

signifcant savings

Members of Mid & East Lothian Chamber can enjoy savings of up to 5p per litre on diesel & petrol, and up to 10p per litre at motorway pumps, with a free no-obligation fuel card from leading independent fuel card agent The Fuelcard People.

The Fuelcard People offer a range of cards which include commercial rate fuel cards valid at 7000+ pumps nationwide, including BP, Shell, Esso, Texaco, Tesco, Morrisons, The Co-operative, Gulf, Pace, Emo, Murco and Moto forecourts, as well as the Diesel Direct (Keyfuels) and UK Fuels networks.

Savings With a fuel card from The Fuelcard People, you enjoy fixed weekly pricing, which can be up to 5p per litre less than pump prices, and up to 10p per litre savings at motorway pumps. The gap between refuelling and direct debit payment means up to a fortnight’s interest-free credit, and your fuel purchase paperwork is replaced by a single weekly invoice, saving administration time.

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Service The Fuelcard People will help you to choose the best fuel card for your particular needs, from the UK’s widest range, rather than pushing you towards a pre-decided product.

Then, if you ever need to talk to them, you can call your dedicated account manager directly, rather than an anonymous call centre operator. Outside office hours, you can access your account details online 24/7.

Security All fuel cards provided by The Fuelcard People are protected by PIN security. If a card is lost or stolen, it is completely useless to anyone else, as it is tied to a specific driver or vehicle. It can only be used for refuelling, removing the possibility of unauthorised purchases, which can happen with credit cards.

Additional Services Alongside the savings, service and security a fuel card can bring, The Fuelcard People offer a range of additional services to enhance your fleet management, including eServices, MileageCount and CO2Count.

Online account management system, eServices, allows you to take control of your account 24/7. Here, you can view detailed transaction information, order and cancel cards and view your card details.

For those wanting to monitor mileage, MileageCount calculates accurate, HMRC-

compliant MPG reports for your fleet, including the split between business and private mileage costs, and also helps you meet your Duty of Care obligations.

Members can also benefit from CO2Count, which allows you to monitor and reduce your fleet’s CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions whilst supporting CO2Count’s environmental partner, Cool Earth.

Find out more about the range of benefits available: n Reduced card charges for all members n No advance payments, non-usage fees,

contracts or obligations – only pay for the fuel you use. n Fixed weekly prices, meaning savings of

up to 5p per litre off the national average pump price and up to 10p per litre at motorway pumps. n Over 7000 refuelling locations

nationwide. n Motorway and supermarket refuelling

available n Additional fleet services products

available, including free online account management, mileage capture and emissions monitoring services.

For more information, visit www.discountfuelcards.co.uk/association/ midlothian-and-east-lothian or call 0844 804 0325.

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newmembers

West Lothian 802 Networks Felix Gibson 07825 525 025 felix.gibson@802works.co.uk www.802works.co.uk

Eleanor Milligan Eleanor Milligan 07783 141063 milliart@hotmail.com www.milliart.wix.co.uk/milliart

Maureen Day Counselling Services Maureen Day 07960 866048 maureen@maureenday.com www.maureenday.com

Acumen PR Kevin Dorrian 0131 6617027 kevin.dorrian@acumen-pr.com www.acumen-pr.com

Ennova Law Bill Gibson 0131 6624555 bgibson@ennova-law.com www.ennova-law.com

Regus Damian Timson 01506 343000 Damian.Timson@regus.com www.regus.co.uk

Appointedd Victoria Arnold 0131 557 0857 victoria@appointedd.com www.appointedd.com

Fighting Edge Ltd Anthony Horrigan 0203 1511556 anthony@fighting-edge.com www.fighting-edge.com

The HR Dept Ian Pilbeam 0131 2977545 ian.pilbeam@hrdept.co.uk www.hrdept.co.uk/offices/scotland/ edinburgh-lothians

At Your Side Therapy Patrick Goodlet 07903 672486 patrick@atyourside.scot www.atyourside.scot

Fitzcharles Training Ltd David Fitzcharles 07747 465743 david@fitzcharles.co.uk www.fitzcharlestraining.co.uk

Black Cherry Ashley MacDonald 07473 138608 ashmacdolls@outlook.com

Kleboe Jardine Ltd Gilles Kleboe 0131 523 1370 gk@kleboejardine.com www.kleboejardine.com

Dangerous Studio Ltd Brendan Reilly 0131 463 2080 bren@dangerousstudio.com www.dangerousstudio.com

Thomas Haywood Aerial Photography Thomas Haywood 07968 085609 photos@thomashaywood.com www.thomashaywood.com WasteSwitch Steven Kiakowski 07593 647767 sk@wasteswitch.com www.wasteswitch.com

connect business

Welcoming all our new Members to Mid, East and West Lothian Chamber of Commerce

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newmembers

Midlothian and East Lothian AM Bid Services Ltd. Andrew Morrison / Cameron Houston 0800 043 0495 info@ambidservices.co.uk www.ambidservices.co.uk Bid and proposal writing, editing and review; award and funding submissions; bid training; advice on tendering processes & bid strategy Close Brothers Asset Finance Ross Pickburn 01355 572 350 ross.pickburn@closebrothers.com www.closeasset.co.uk Offers a range of flexible funding options including Hire Purchase, Leasing and Refinancing, enabling you to purchase assets and grow your business Gilmerton House Fay Angus-Knowles 01620 880 342 fay@gilmourtonhouse.com www.gilmertonhouse.com Exclusive use – venue for social and corporate events

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Lothian Broadband Limited Keith Miller 01620 698 001 info@lothianbroadband.com www.lothianbroadband.com Deliver enhanced broadband to communities, individuals and businesses in need of the standard of broadband connectivity enjoyed in the majority of the UK MacTaggart, Scott & Co. Ltd. Ian Hay 0131 440 0311 Ian.Hay@mactag.com www.mactag.com Providing innovative, cost effective solution to difficult engineering problem in Naval, Defence and Marine Industry.

Norton House Hotel & Spa Senga Henry 0131 333 6442 shenry@handpicked.co.uk www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/ nortonhouse Luxury Hotel and spa

Payment Sense Murray Carle / Harry Smith 07841 571 164 murray.carle@paymentsense.com harry.smith@paymentsense.com Merchant service providers to business: chip and pin, e-commerce, mobile payment options and EPOS systems Prime Industrial & Janitorial Supplies Ltd. Brian McDonald 01383 844 250 b.mcdonald@primesuppliesltd.co.uk www.primesuppliesltd.co.uk Wholesale supplies of industrial, janitorial and catering supplies Scott-Moncrieff Mike Harness 0131 473 3500 mike.harness@scott-moncrieff.com www.scott-moncrieff.com Chartered accountants and business advisers Simpson Research Ltd Janice Simpson 01875 408 020 janicesabhiaelvingston@gmail.com Consultancy which also manages Elvingston Science Centre

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membercloseup

MEMBER CLOSE-UP

Archie Meikle

Company Name Ashwood Scotland Name: Archie Meikle Position: Managing Director Website: www.ashwoodscotland.co.uk

What are the main activities of the business?

Construction, development and property Are you enjoying what you do every day?

Each day has a new or unexpected challenge. However, I am in the office before 7am, fully refreshed and relishing the day ahead As a business person, describe your three main qualities?

That’s a difficult question, you would need to ask my colleagues and customers. However, I believe in a strong team ethos both with our staff, customers and stakeholders to ensure that what we do produces the required outcome.

What has been your most satisfying moment in business?

There have several as I have been involved in selling my first business and management buy outs. However, Ashwood Scotland was a new-start business which has grown to a multi-million pound turnover employing more than 50 staff, operatives and sub-contractors, many of whom have been with us for several years and are West Lothian-based.

If you could choose anyone, who would be your fantasy dinner party guests and why?

Lord Alan Sugar (fantastic business brain and his vision is second to none), Nelson Mandela (what a contribution to humanity and peace) and Robert Burns (for the rich legacy he not only left the people of Scotland but his impact still felt to this day the world over) What advice would you give to others who trying to be a success in business?

You have to a have a dogged determination and face any challenges head-on but equally importantly never cut corners and run and manage your business in an exemplary manner Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Difficult to say. I am 53 and started working for myself at 21 and I am self-motivated,so, if not directly running Ashwood, most certainly involved in some challenge

What do you see as jour job’s biggest challenge?

After the financial crash of 2008 and the deep recession that followed, we had to respond proactively and identify new markets to ensure that we maintained our position, which I am glad to report that we did and did not have to make any of our loyal staff redundant.

If you could turn the clock back, what would you have changed about your business career?

Nothing really. There have been some downsides, which is part and partial of running a business. However, it is how you deal with those challenges and turn them into positives What is your favourite way to unwind?

Playing golf and I have also in the past eight years developed a passion (some say an obsession) for cooking

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Ashwood Scotland was a newstart business which has grown to a multi-million pound turnover employing more than 50 staff, operatives and sub-contractors, many of whom have been with us for several years and are West Lothian-based.

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Proximity to Edinburgh and national and international transport links Ambitious economic development aims – to make East Lothian the best place in Scotland to live, work and do business East Lothian Works – single point of advice and support to help you locate, recruit and grow One of the fastest growing populations in Scotland Strong food and drink sector, tourism and hospitality industry, sports-based businesses and manufacturing Great housing and schools options plus a university with strong links to business Sunniest climate in Scotland with beautiful coast and countryside and world-famous golfing opportunities

SQA JOURNEYS SQA JOURNEYS SQA JOURNEYS FOR SCOTLAND’S FUTURE FOR SCOTLAND’S FUTURE FOR SCOTLAND’S FOR SCOTLAND’S FUTURE FUTURE FOR SCOTLAND’S FUTURE

Scotland’s future is our young people – the workforce of tomorrow.

SQAisqualifications prepare them for work, Scotland’s future our young people – the workforce and give them theisqualifications skills like –you are looking for. of tomorrow.

SQA prepare them for work, Scotland’s future our employers young people the workforce Scotland’s future is our young people – the workforce and give them the skills employers like you are looking for. of tomorrow.

SQA qualifications prepare them for work, Find out where SQA Journeys can take your business. of tomorrow.

SQA qualifications prepare them for work, Scotland’s future is our young people – the workforce and them the skills employers like you looking for.

Find give out where SQA Journeys can take yourare business. and give them thequalifications skills employers like you arefor looking of tomorrow.

SQA prepare them work, for. www.sqa.org.uk/journeys Find out where SQA Journeys can take your business. and give them the skills employers like you are looking for. www.sqa.org.uk/journeys Find out where SQA Journeys can take your business. www.sqa.org.uk/journeys Find out where SQA Journeys can take your business.

www.sqa.org.uk/journeys www.sqa.org.uk/journeys

Business Development T: 0303 333 0330 E: mycentre@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/journeys Business Development T: 0303 333 0330 E: mycentre@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/journeys Press Edinburgh Business Comment 270 x 210 - AW.indd 1

Business Development T: 0303 333 0330 E: mycentre@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/journeys Press Edinburgh Business Comment 270 x 210 - AW.indd 1 333 Business Development T:T:0303 W:W: www.sqa.org.uk/journeys Business Development 0303 3330330 0330E:E:mycentre@sqa.org.uk mycentre@sqa.org.uk www.sqa.org.uk/journeys

02/09/2015 18:3

02/09/2015 18:3

Press Edinburgh Business Comment 270 x 210 - AW.indd 1

02/09/2015 18:3

Press Press Edinburgh EdinburghBusiness BusinessComment Comment270 270x x210 210- AW.indd - AW.indd 1 1

02/09/2015 18:3218:3 02/09/2015