Business Matters 15

BusinessMatters Quarterly Magazine of West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce

ISSUE15 AUTUMN2013

Chamber Membership Has Something for Everyone!

Find out how you can benefit Page 13

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

Tynnu sylw at eich gwasanaeth Cymraeg Os yw’ch busnes yn cynnig gwasanaeth Cymraeg, yna mae’n werth hyrwyddo’r gwasanaeth hwnnw, fel y bydd cwsmeriaid yn gwybod ei fod ar gael i’w ddefnyddio.

“Er bod Cadwaladers yn enw ac yn frand adnabyddus yng Nghymru, dydyn ni ddim yn gwmni enfawr, a dydyn ni heb anghofio ein gwreiddiau. Mae gweithio mewn cyd-destun dwyieithog yn dod yn naturiol i ni. Rydyn ni wedi gosod y logo Iaith Gwaith ar fathodynnau enw pob un o’n staff dwyieithog, ac mae’n ffordd effeithiol a rhad o ddangos i’n cwsmeriaid ein bod yn gallu cynnig gwasanaeth dwyieithog.”

Sut mae hyrwyddo gwasanaethau Cymraeg

Diane Brierley, Rheolwr Gyfarwyddwr, Cadwaladers

Mae’n arfer da hyrwyddo gwasanaeth Cymraeg yn yr un modd neu ochr yn ochr ag unrhyw wasanaeth arall, fel bod cwsmeriaid yn gwybod o’r dechrau bod gwasanaeth Gymraeg ar gael i’w ddefnyddio.

Does dim rhaid i ddefnyddio’r Gymraeg fod yn gostus. Yr allwedd yw cynllunio gofalus a chynnwys dwyieithrwydd o’r cychwyn.

Hyrwyddo drwy ddefnyddio bathodynnau Iaith Gwaith Mae defnyddio bathodyn Iaith Gwaith yn ffordd syml a rhad o hyrwyddo gwasanaeth Cymraeg.

Bydd defnyddio’r bathodyn yn dangos i’r cyhoedd bod busnes yn cynnig gwasanaeth Cymraeg.

“Mae llawer o’n cwsmeriaid yn siaradwyr Cymraeg ac maent yn gwerthfawrogi siarad â’n staff yn Gymraeg.

Mae ein staff yn dangos eu bod yn gallu cynnig gwasanaeth dwyieithog drwy wisgo’r bathodyn sydd ar gael am ddim gan Gomisiynydd y Gymraeg yn y gwaith. “

Siân Wilton, Pennaeth Cymru, Boots Er mwyn archebu bathodynnau neu gortynnau gwddf Iaith Gwaith yn rhad ac am ddim neu er mwyn lawrlwytho delwedd o’r logo i’w osod ar fathodynnau enw eich staff neu lenyddiaeth eich busnes, ewch i wefan Comisiynydd y Gymraeg comisiynyddygymraeg.org Mae gwybodaeth ar y wefan hefyd am ffyrdd eraill o gynyddu defnydd o’r Gymraeg yn eich busnes, neu cysylltwch â swyddogion busnes y Comisiynydd drwy ffonio 0845 6033 221 neu anfon e-bost at post@comisiynyddygymraeg.org

Promoting your Welsh language services If your business offers Welsh language services, it is worth investing time in promoting these services, so that customers know that they are available.

How to promote a Welsh Language Service

Diane Brierley, Managing Director, Cadwaladers

It is best to promote a Welsh language service in the same way as, or in conjunction with any other service, so that customers know from the beginning that a Welsh language service is available.

Using Welsh doesn’t have to be expensive. The key is to plan carefully and to include bilingualism from the beginning.

Promoting services using the Iaith Gwaith Iaith Gwaith badges are a simple and free way to promote a Welsh language service.

These will show the public that a service is available in Welsh.

“Although Cadwaladers is a well-known brand around Wales, we are not a huge corporation, and we have not forgotten our roots. Operating in a bilingual environment comes natural to us. Showing our customers that they can have a bilingual service in our cafes and shops doesn’t have to cost a penny, as we have placed the Iaith Gwaith logo on the name badges of all our bilingual staff.”

“A lot of customers are Welsh speakers and they appreciate talking to our staff in Welsh. Our staff show that they can offer a bilingual service by wearing the badge at work.”

Siân Wilton, Head of Region Wales, Boots To order your free Iaith Gwaith badges or lanyards or to download an image of the logo to be placed on staff name-badges or on your business literature or stationary, go to the Welsh Language Commissioner’s website welshlanguagecommissioner.org There is information on the website about other ways to increase the use of Welsh in your business. You can also contact the Commissioner’s business advice officers by calling 0845 6033 221 or by emailing post@welshlanguagecommissioner.org

BusinessMatters

CONTENTS

ISSUE15 AUTUMN2013

05

07 09

18

10

UK/India Research 04 New Partnerships Unveiled

STARTED 10 GETTING with Joanna Kinch

INTERVIEW WITH 18 BIG Christine Gaskell

Networks Become 06 Kite D-Link Registered

13 HOW I WORK

DATES AND 29 DIARY LEARN ONLINE

07 24 HOURS WITH

15 AS I SEE IT

32 LET’S GET SOCIAL

Systems Announced as 08 MWL New Chamber Patrons

Contact: Daniel Shires Communications Manager West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce Riverside Innovation Centre 1 Castle Drive, Chester CH1 1SL www.wcnwchamber.org.uk Twitter @chamberwcnw LinkedIn http://linkd.in/chamberwcnw Telephone +44 (0) 1244 669988

TO? Improve the 17 HOW Business Value of Twitter…

Production & Design Distinctive Publishing 6th Floor, Aidan House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead NE8 3HU Telephone 0845 884 2384 production@distinctivepublishing.co.uk www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

34 JUST MORE THING

Advertising John Neilson Commercial Director Telephone 0845 884 2343 john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk Contributing Editor John Dean & Francis Griss deangriss@btinternet.com

Disclaimer

Distinctive Publishing or West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce 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 West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce.

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Japan Business Factfile New UK/India Research Partnerships Unveiled The growing strength of joint UK/India research has been highlighted by the announcement of 12 new collaborations in the areas of advanced manufacturing, smart energy grids and energy storage.

The new projects will be supported by £8.3m from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the Manufacturing and RCUK Energy Programme themes with matched resources from India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST). There will be seven projects in advanced manufacturing and five in smart energy grids and energy storage.

David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science said: “Since 2008 the value of co-funded research between the UK and India has rocketed from £1m to over £100m. These projects will build on this already strong relationship, boosting collaboration between researchers and industry in advanced manufacturing and energy infrastructure. These are priority areas for both our countries.

“As we move towards greater use of low carbon energy generation, there will be significant differences in supply and demand patterns and management. Smart energy grids and energy storage are areas of significant potential for providing ways of managing future energy needs.”

Speaking from New Delhi, Dr T Ramasami, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Science and Technology said: “DST welcomes these additions to the growing portfolio of high quality research collaborations between the UK and India. These projects include some of the best researchers from the UK and India working alongside industry partners. We look forward to continuing collaboration with the UK in key strategic priorities such as these.”

The new research grants involve over 30 industry partners from the UK and India contributing over £1m to the research projects. Partners include: Rolls-Royce, Bharat Heavy Electricals, E.ON, National Grid and Mott Macdonald.

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The UK-India advanced manufacturing projects are:

n Improvements in gas turbine performance via novel plasma spray coatings offering protection against ingested species n Engineering driven sustainability supply networks n Modelling of advanced materials for simulation of transformative manufacturing processes (MAST) n Development of online, high temperature, non-destructive measurement/ sensing techniques during manufacturing of power plant components n High deposition rate additive manufacture of complex metal parts (HiDepAM) n Creation of a process understanding of chromatographic performance loss during biotherapeutic manufacture n High-performance spinning disc atomisation process.

The UK-India smart energy grids and energy storage projects are: n Reconfigurable distribution networks

n Advanced communication and control for the prevention of blackouts (ACCEPT) n Reliable and efficient systems for community energy solution (RESCUES) n High energy and power density (HEAPD) solutions to large energy deficits n Intelligent microgrids with appropriate storage for energy (IMASE).

Population: 128m (2010 census) Area: 145,925 square miles Capital city: Tokyo Official languages: Japanese Japan is the third largest economy in the world and twice the size of the UK’s, with Tokyo’s alone larger than that of Russia.

GDP per person is 10 times that of China.

Britain and Japan are key strategic partners with strong political, trade and social ties. UK exports to Japan were worth over £8bn in 2010 making Japan the UK’s largest export market after Europe, China and the US. These exports consisted of £4.2 billion in goods and £3.9 billion in services. Exports of goods in 2010 ranged across sectors, but were particularly strong in healthcare, machinery, chemicals and transport equipment. Financial services are the UK’s largest export of services goods to Japan valued at £2.9 billion in 2009. Other significant business services include legal, accounting, advertising and R&D.

Opportunities include: n Life sciences n ICT n Energy n Advanced engineering and automotive n Security and defence n Financial and professional services n Design n Fashion n Creative and digital content n Food and drink.

For more information on exporting to Japan, contact UKTI’s local team on +81(0)352111100 or email exporttojapan@fco.gov.uk.

CHAMBER NEWS

Warm Welcome for William!

BitesizeNews Business Opportunities Direct to Your Inbox

West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors has selected its new Chairman.

William Hogg, Managing Director of Contour Showers Ltd and Chairman of Chester & District Housing Trust was elected to the role at the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting at Riverside Innovation Centre, Chester in June.

GDP… Things are Looking Up Says BCC

Describing his appointment, William said: “It’s a pleasure and privilege to become Chairman of West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce. Having spent time as a board member, this was great opportunity to step up to a new role and do what I can to support our members and businesses across our regions as a whole.”

Commenting on the GDP figures for Q2 2013, published on July 25th by the Office of National Statistics, John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said: “The gradual progress made by the UK economy, particularly in the services sector where exports continue to surge is pleasing to see. Confidence among businesses is high when looking ahead to profitability and turnover, and many have intentions to take on staff later this year. Our surveys are forward looking, compared with the ONS statistics which are retrospective, so our growth predictions could end up being even more optimistic when looking at the remainder of 2013.”

“It’s an honour to step into the role vacated by John Newton Jones. John has worked tirelessly for the good of the Chamber, its members and both Cheshire and North Wales for many years and we will continue to benefit from his knowledge and experience as he remains part of our board of directors.

“What is particularly important in the coming months is to raise our engagement with our members and ensure that we are fully supporting and representing them. There are also some exciting international links which we are developing through the British Chambers of Commerce that can potentially open up new export opportunities for our members.

Chamber members can now receive exactly that as part of a brand new membership benefit. This exclusive offer is strictly for members only and allows them to receive local, national and international business opportunities covering a host of subjects from sources as diverse as UK Trade and Investment, the BBC or their local council.

Members must opt in to receive this special benefit by completing the form at http://bit. ly/tendernewsletter.

William trained as a Chartered Accountant before working in the drinks industry and latterly, the bathroom industry for the past 25 years. He has served as a member of the Chamber’s board for more than three years and replaces the long serving John Newton Jones, who becomes Past Chairman.

Looking ahead, the new Chairman sees the Chamber’s role in helping members as two fold, he said: “We exist to support our members wherever possible in achieving their goals and objectives, by listening to their specific needs and tailoring our services accordingly. Secondly, we want to represent member views in the wider economic debate and champion initiatives that can make a difference to them day to day.

Would you like to receive notices of business opportunities and upcoming tenders direct to your inbox every Thursday morning?

William Hogg

“With that in mind, be sure to subscribe to our member exclusive tendering newsletter which details local, regional, national and international business opportunities every Thursday. Members can subscribe at http://bit.ly/tendernewsletter “During my tenure I hope to meet as many of you as possible, however if you have any specific feedback, thoughts or concerns you can contact me directly on chair@wcnwchamber.org.uk”

What is particularly important in the coming months is to raise our engagement with our members and ensure that we are fully supporting and representing them.

TAITH Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme is Now Open TAITH, the North Wales integrated transport consortia, is again running the Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme for 2013/2014.

TAITH has set aside £50,000 from this year’s regional transport capital programme to support organisations who wish to develop workplace travel plans and sustainable initiatives.

The maximum grant available of £10,000 per organisation must be used to support the implementation of a travel plan or sustainable transport/ travel measures, for further information contact Jessica Pritchard on 01352 704544 or jessica.pritchard@taith. gov.uk. Application forms are also available for download from www.taith.gov.uk.

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MEMBERS NEWS

Don’t let your business fail when you leave Building a successful business isn’t easy. You have devoted a large part of your life and made countless sacrifices building it. Only you know the time you have spent dealing with suppliers, satisfying customers, making sure the books are balanced and the wages are paid on time.

employees it is possible to gain a realistic price for your business and phase your exit from the company.

This approach may also help safeguard your employee’s futures.

It is very difficult for rival companies to take over employee owned businesses.

However, there comes a time when your business planning must start to include provision for when you are not there. Handing over the reins of a business that you have built up is not easy but it can be made easier with good planning. After all, its not just you that is dependent on the continued success of your business - your suppliers, customers and employees all have a stake in its continued success.

At the Wales Co-operative Centre we offer a business diagnostic service which can help you decide if employee ownership is a potential exit route for you. If so, we can work with you and your business to support every step of the buy-out process. If you would like an informal chat, call our business succession team on 0300 111 5050 email us on info@walescooperative.org or download our ‘Simply Buy-out Guide’ from www.walescooperative.org/ resources

Many business owners are now looking at employee ownership as a viable and sustainable option for succession planning. By gradually selling your business to your

Rhian Edwards is Manager of the Business Succession Team at the Wales Co-operative Centre.

Kite Networks Become D-Link Registered Kite Networks have proudly announced they are a registered partner, supplier and installer for D-Link products, a world leader company specialising in wireless, LAN and WAN products as well as HD IP CCTV. Kite will now be able to deliver a full ‘end to end’ HD IP CCTV solution including network switches, video storage devices and video management software technologies. Helping organisations to deploy HD surveillance systems with the flexibility, scalability, performance and compatibility expected from a best-of-breed security vendor.

Kite specialises in HD IP CCTV surveillance products, including consumer and business cameras with the software capacity able to be downloaded onto Apple and Android phones, laptop, tablets etc. This software also alerts the user via email if there are any signs of disturbance. There is a capability on some of the cameras for the user to be able to hear and talk to intruders, coworkers or even for home use.

Some of the main features include:

n Up to five megapixel high definition video images with high level of detail, compared to analogue cameras which only run at 1/3 of a megapixel n Automatic email security alerts to warn you of unauthorised access n Remote access to live and recorded images from anywhere in the world n Two way sound so you can hear and speak to the intruder, from anywhere in the world.

A spokesperson for Kite Networks said: “Becoming a supplier and reseller for D-Link is a huge accolade for Kite, as we are now able to expand our expertise in supplying businesses and home users to a high end HD CCTV product. Our installation team are highly experienced and our after sales and customer service is second to none.

“Satisfied customers are essential to our service business and its growth. Our company is renowned for its level of service, pricing and product quality.”

For more information call 0844 62 62 904 or email info@kitenetworks.co.uk

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24HOURSWITH 24 HOURS

Barrie Wells

Managing Director Conwy Valley Systems Limited

With a passport listing destinations like Kuala Lumpur, Mexico City, Houston, Muscat and Abu Dhabi in 2013 alone, you’d imagine its owner to be a travel writer, tour guide or diplomat…

Step forward Barrie Wells, 60, Managing Director of Conwy Valley Systems Limited, a geoscience and geotechnical services organisation based in Deganwy.

With more than 30 years technical and project management experience in the global mining and oil exploration industries, Barrie spends around a third of his time each year abroad working with clients to install equipment, provide training or perform marketing duties.

Together with his business partner Mark Gorst, they set up Conwy Valley Systems in 1997 after both were made redundant. The company produces PETROG, a petrographic data collection, storage and analysis system which is used in a host of industries including oil and gas, coal and steel, Barrie said: “I am a mathematician by inclination and training. I got into the oil sector because my PhD covered underground stress regimes and I spent the first part of my career as a mathematician for hire.”

Barrie’s day begins at around 6am, with the first priority being to check his email for queries that may have arisen overnight from east Asia, so he can provide a same day response if needed. He sometimes works from home, but when required at the office he’ll use a his bike and public transport, he said: “We also have two manufacturer/component suppliers, one for mechanical and one for electronic parts whom I visit regularly.

“Mornings involve responding to emails from existing and prospective clients and discussing them with colleagues. Ricki Walker covers most of their technical issues, which can range from changes made by third parties like Microsoft which affect our product, through to simple bugs being reported.”

Whilst most people’s lunch break involves a sandwich and crisps, Barrie makes the most of his surroundings and indulges his passion for running on the local beaches, he said: “this makes ‘lunchtime’ a moveable feast

dependent on the tides. There is around a four hour period when there is insufficient sand to run, so if I can I take my break between 11am and 1pm; if I can’t because of work commitments, I’ll reluctantly run on the roads.

“Afternoons involve long term work after the morning’s fire fighting and I typically check my email for the final time from home at around 10pm to pick up any enquiries that may have come in from the west coast of the Americas. Even if there is no time to provide a considered reply, a reply of any sort is usually appreciated by the people in that region to assure them something will happen before the next day.

In 2011 the company won the Queen’s Award for Innovation and Barrie visited Buckingham Palace to accept the accolade, he said: “It was the great honour to win the award as I think we are the smallest company to have earned the recognition, plus I was delighted to be able to take my mother to the palace with me!

“Building a business from scratch gives additional pride in ones work, so even seemingly mundane tasks can take special meaning. I rarely take a day off as a considerable part of our target market works Saturdays and Sundays, but I do enjoy the flexibility as it allows me to take time off during working week to help look after our grandchildren when required.

He describes one of the biggest challenges he faces as trying not to be indispensable, he said: “I do try to delegate, but it seems frequently easier to do something myself! I know I’m not indispensible in the sense another person couldn’t do my job, it’s more a case of me not hoarding information and letting someone else do it.

“Looking ahead, the aim is to continue to build the footing of the business so it’s independent of any one person, particularly myself... that’s the only way I see myself being able to retire!”

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CHAMBER NEWS

MWL Systems Announced as New Chamber Patrons West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce are delighted to confirm IT solutions and support organisation MWL Systems as a brand new patron member.

MWL Systems is ideally placed to serve businesses in North Wales and the North West. Established in 1984, the company is an expert and trusted provider of all aspects of information technology including consultancy, network infrastructure, applications and managed services. It caters for the needs of businesses of all sizes and in all sectors, ranging from SMEs to public sector organisations.

n Strengthen brand awareness to more than 5000 contacts: a dedicated page in our quarterly magazine and on this website to fill with editorial content of their choosing, logos and clickable links on our homepage, regular e-newsletters and electronic version of our annual directory, full access and use of Chamber social media feeds

They become the Chamber’s third current patron members joining Cheshire West and Chester Council and Hill Dickinson.

n Gain UK and international business support: access to the full range of Chamber services, networking and training events.

Patronage gives MWL Systems access to a host of benefits above and beyond traditional Chamber membership; on top of the host of regular extras, they’ll be able to:

Colin Brew, Executive Director of West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce said: “We’re overjoyed MWL have chosen to become patron members of the Chamber and we look forward to working extremely closely with them over coming year and hopefully beyond to support and promote their work to businesses across the our regions and beyond.”

n Develop new connections: high profile networking, meet with senior influencers in business, media and politics and enjoy a complimentary table of 10 at our annual dinner n Influence policy: involvement in lobbying and representation activities and meetings with key stakeholders n Build relationships: regular opportunities to work with fellow patrons and enjoy speaker slots at two events annually, plus quarterly review meetings

Matthew Kingsley-Williams, Director of MWL Systems said : “We’re delighted to be embarking on our new partnership with the Chamber, and are very much looking forward to being actively involved in all the positive aspects that being a patron member brings.”

If your business is interested in joining MWL, Cheshire West and Chester and Hill Dickinson as patrons, please contact Colin Brew on 01244 669988 for more information..

Export Training Returns this Autumn Businesses across West Cheshire and North Wales can get all the skills their staff need from the third cohort of the Chamber’s highly regarded export training courses which are set to begin this coming September.

The seven module course is accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce and is run at level 2 (VQ terminology) and provides invaluable insights for staff dealing with international trade at companies of all sizes. The seven modules cover: n September 4th, Introduction to Exporting n September 20th, Export Documentation and INCOTERMS n October 2nd, Methods of Payment and Letters of Credit n October 9th, Understanding Export Finance

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n October 16th, Agents and Distributors n October 30th, Inward and Outward Processing n November 13th, Preference Origin Rules Explained n November 27th, Import and Customs Audit Procedures.

Henry Wilson-Theaker from RV Shipping, Wrexham became the first person in Britain to successfully complete the course last year, he said: “I found the course incredibly useful as a newcomer to the shipping industry and I am very proud to be the first person in Britain to receive the award. The level and quality of training that I received was second to none and I would highly recommend the course to anybody new to the world of international trade, as it will give them an excellent grounding to develop in the future.”

David Roberts, Chamber Export Manager said: “We’re delighted to be running another cohort of the international trade training as the response we’ve had over the last year has been fantastic. Be sure to keep an eye on our website www.wcnwchamber.org.uk/events for full details.”

The courses each take one day to complete and are held at Llyndir Hall, Wrexham. The course costs £190 + VAT per person for Chamber members and £225 + VAT per person for non-members. Both can receive a 10% discount on the total cost by booking on all seven modules.

CHAMBER NEWS

Using SEO to Promote Your Business and Increase Sales Guest writer Anthony Bullick from Outwrite explains how SEO can help your business.

35% of the time; this percentage decreases the further down the results you go.

What page and position does your company’s website rank for key search phrases that your potential customers and clients use? And what about your competitors? If they are above you in the search results, it’s highly likely they will get clicked and not you.

The beauty of SEO is that you can work on moving up the rankings with a well thought out and effective strategy. If you want your customers and clients to find you, and not one of your competitors’ websites, it’s time for an online review…

As you are no doubt aware, the online world is playing an increasingly crucial role in business.

The fact that 60% of consumers (across both B2B and B2C) conduct research online before making a buying decision should make you evaluate your online presence immediately.

When you also consider that 93% of online activity begins with a search engine, it highlights just how valuable an SEO strategy is to ensure your website is visible in search results.

An effective SEO campaign will boost a website up the rankings for identified key phrases. The goal should be to appear on page one and here’s why… 75% of users don’t click onto the second page of search results. Furthermore when on the first page, users click the first result

Five tips to kick start your SEO campaign:

n Keyword research: understand what phrases your customers are using n Content: users and Google, love fresh, regular content such as blog posts and latest news.

Also tailor your static web copy eg product description to the keyword research findings n Link building: use your content to encourage other websites to link to you. This connection will give Google a virtual thumbs up that your website is useful n Social media: Google picks up social shares. If people are talking about you and your content, Google will notice n Google analytics: interpret your stats to find out how people are finding your website and monitor their actions.

The beauty of SEO is that you can work on moving up the rankings with a well thought out and effective strategy.

Business Celebration with a Royal Twist Get your best tuxedo and evening gowns at the ready as it’s time to celebrate another year of business success at the Chamber’s glittering annual dinner on October 18th.

Whilst it might be still too early to invite Prince George of Cambridge to his first Chamber event, the event will certainly enjoy a royal flavour thanks to our special guest speaker Mr David Briggs, MBE, KStJ, Her Majesty’s LordLieutenant of Cheshire.

The Lord-Lieutenant will regale guests with information about his duties, from arranging Royal

visits to the County, to presenting honours and awards on behalf of Her Majesty.

The event will again be held at the stunning Westminster Suite of the world renowned Chester Grosvenor.

Tickets cost £70 + VAT for Chamber members and £75 + VAT for nonmembers; to book tickets visit www.bit.ly/annualdinner13 or call 01244 669988.

Let Us Showcase Your Pictures!

Are you an amateur photographer looking for a way to get your artwork out there?

Let us help! We want to give snappers in West Cheshire and North Wales the chance to have their work resplendent on Business Matters’ front cover.

For the third edition in a row Wrexham-based photographer Kierion Lloyd answered our call and shared his picture ‘tasting the rainbow’. You can check out more of his work at www.flickr.com/captain_keen.

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GETTINGSTARTED GETTING STARTED

Joanna Kinch The Regent

Can you transform an old, dilapidated building where former politicians discussed bin collections and planning disputes into a state of the art, 21st century office space?

Joanna Kinch, Centre Manager at The Regent, Wrexham, has done exactly that. Over the past nine months she and her team have breathed new life into a property, based on the Regent Street entrance to Wrexham.

Number 67, now known as The Regent, was opened in late August and aims to provide high quality office and meeting space on one of the main commercial gateways into the town.

“As a resident and business owner in Wrexham, I knew there was very little in terms of superior, flexible meeting space in the town,” Joanna said.

“There are some great hotels, but I felt that a gap existed for something different, tailored with charm and character.

“We’d been looking for a commercial property investment in Wrexham; I’d investigated a few, then one day spotted this unloved property in a prominent position; it looked perfect so we began negotiations.”

Born and bred in Wrexham, Joanna moved to Devon aged 24 to study business and HR after several years in manufacturing. Her career took her through a number of industries including logistics, telecoms, defence and even as a self-employed jewellery crafter. Joanna and family relocated back to North Wales eight years ago and ran a printing business, she said: “I’ve had a varied and interesting career; I’ve never been short of work which has been a blessing, plus I’ve always seen whatever role I’m in as an opportunity.

“After winding down the printing company last year, I took the

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I’ve had a varied and interesting career; I’ve never been short of work which has been a blessing, plus I’ve always seen whatever role I’m in as an opportunity. decision to concentrate on property development. The business runs in my husband’s family and once you’ve done one, you want to do more!”

people to deal with technical issues and maintenance, but I’m there managing rooms, bookings and doing the cleaning!”

After securing the building in December 2012 Joanna and her team began work in April, she said: “Once the property was secured, we used a trusted architect to put our plans in order as meeting specifications in a conservation area is not easy. I involved local conservation officers from the start and hired a creative agency to turn my idea into a workable brand.

Early response to The Regent from a variety of business types has been very positive, Joanna said: “Being an independent business means I’ll be able to respond to changes in demand and requirements more swiftly than some more established venues.

“I believe the name ‘The Regent’ sets the tone for the business and reflects the ethos of the space.”

As well as working closely with contractors and suppliers to oversee the renovation, Joanna’s role at The Regent is extremely handson, she said: “We’re still in the early stages, getting things up and running and letting people know what we’re offering. I have trusted

“Everything doesn’t always go the way I want or expect, but on reflection it always turns out for the best, for example sourcing some brickwork was a challenge, but with persistence and flexibility it was overcome.”

Joanna is already looking ahead to how she can continue to grow the business in the future, with aspirations for the venue to be a destination for multi-site corporate events as well as tranquil meeting space, she said: “We’re already

hosting Wrexham Jelly, a monthly event that provides freelancers and homeworkers with an opportunity to meet and work together, and I have ideas for spin-offs from that.

“With all the ideas for things I could do with The Regent, it looks like I’ll need another one, but this time much larger. You could say I’m already dreaming of The Regent 2!”

Joanna’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to fully understand the commitment business requires before you begin, she said: “Don’t imagine business is going to be easy and full of glamour, it’s hard work and takes dedication. Before starting it’s worth counting all the costs (including personal, financial and health) and saying no matter how good you think your idea is, do these factors make it worth it?

“Get good advice from experienced people and be confident in what you do.”

The

Dinner Club (Est. 1986)

SINGLE? Social events weekly for the more discerning, unattached person.

Black Tie Balls, Dinner Dances, Dining OutFrom casual to Fine Dining, Theatre, Jazz Nights, Day at the Races, Short Breaks, Holidays Abroad Next Black Tie Balls Friday 13th September Grosvenor Pulford Hotel, Chester – Black & White Ball Saturday 19th October Park Royal Hotel, Cheshire – 26th Anniversary Ball Handbridge Accountancy Solutions provides Accounts , Bookkeeping, Tax Returns and advice, and Payroll to small businesses in the Chester and North Wales area.

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A STYLISH NEW BUSINESS & A NEW & CONFERENCE IN WREXHAM A STYLISH STYLISH VENUE NEW BUSINESS BUSINESS & A STYLISH NEW BUSINESS & CONFERENCE VENUE IN WREXHAM CONFERENCE VENUE INquality WREXHAM Come and enjoy high facilities in a unique location in

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Opening summer suites areright available for North hire to Wales meet ain variety the historic heart2013, of Wrexham, on the border. the historic heart of Wrexham, right on the North Wales border. of business and conferencing needs.

Opening summer 2013, suites are available hire to meet a Opening summer availableforfor for hire meet a variety variety Opening summer2013, 2013,suites suites are are available hire to to meet a variety business and conferencing needs. tof Equipped with latest Smart TVs for easy presentations of business and conferencing of business and conferencing needs. needs. t Versatile space to suit your occasion Equipped with Smart TVs for easy presentations tt Tailored t Equipped withlatest latest Smart TVs catering packages Equipped with latest Smart TVsfor foreasy easypresentations presentations Versatile space to suit your occasion t Versatile space to suit your occasion tt Easy access by car, rail your and bus Versatile space to suit occasion tt Tailored t Tailored catering cateringpackages packages Tailored catering packages t Easy access by car, rail andstyle bus meeting, theatre style, interviews, tWhether Easy access by car, t Easy access a small byboardroom car, rail rail and and bus bus educational classes, training days or multi-site creative corporate Whether a smallboardroom boardroom style style meeting, theatre style, interviews, Whether aa small meeting, theatre style, interviews, events, we canclasses, help.

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Business Matters

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CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP

Chamber Membership Has Something for Everyone Whether you’re currently a member of West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce or thinking of becoming one, it’s worth knowing exactly what benefits you get for your money.

During 2013 we’ve added a host of new benefits to our portfolio, which is kept up to date at www.wcnwchamber.org.uk/join-us/membershipbenefits, so keep an eye there to see what you could be getting.

In the meantime, here’s a reminder of all the products and services open to you:

Promote to an Audience of Thousands

Through our extensive database, we can get your message out across West Cheshire, North Wales and beyond via our website, email newsletters, printed magazine, social media and links with news outlets. Members can send us their story on info@wcnwchamber.org.uk and we’ll share it with the world.

Business Opportunities to Your Inbox

Would you like to know about the latest opportunities to tender for work and contracts across the country and beyond? Chamber members can now access an exclusive weekly email newsletter that highlights contracts, tenders, opportunities for work and more. Simply visit http://bit.ly/tendernewsletter to sign up.

Discounted Risk Insurance

Chamber members can enjoy a 5% discount on Risk Insurance provided by AIG Europe (UK) Limited, with an additional 5% for members with eligible health and safety, risk policies and procedures in place.

Financial Advice from Banking Institutions Advisors from NatWest and RBS are just a free phone call away thanks to the Chamber Finance Hotline.

Call 0800 656 9634, 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Free 24/7 Health Advice Line

The free Health for Work Adviceline has been created to provide small business owners and managers with the expert advice and support they need to help team members being affected by ill health. Call 0800 0778844.

Free Employee Contracts, Documents and 24/7 Advice Chamber HR provides members with free, unlimited access to downloadable human resources policies, forms, documents, letters, templates and factsheets for use within their own business. They can also access the Chamber HR Advice Line on 01455 852037.

Free Open Meeting and Networking Space

Half Price Exports with DHL

For more information contact Antony Price at Riverside Innovation Centre on 01244 515500 or email a.price@chester.ac.uk to organise a visit.

Membership of Bizcrowd

The networking lounges at the Riverside Innovation Centre, Chester are free to use for Chamber members, whether you wish to hold a small meeting, networking event or just a creative, relaxed environment to work and think.

Free PR, Social Media and SEO Health Check The current climate means it’s never been more important for your business to be fighting fit! A free, one-hour health check by Outwrite for Chamber members could help diagnose and prescribe an invigorating promotional strategy to boost your sales and profits. Contact the Chamber for details.

Free Events

Would you like to attend regular, busy networking events for free whenever you like? Well with your Chamber membership, you can do exactly that!

Every event we hold is completely free of charge for Chamber members… just register, turn up and make the most of your opportunity to meet the region’s movers and shakers.

Free Online Training

Chamber members can access free online training covering a range of business, scientific, mathematical, social, historical and even subjects from world renowned universities completely free of charge thanks to Coursera. For more information visit www.coursera.org.

The Chamber and DHL want to help you hit the ground running. That’s why shipments are half-price for all members in their first year of exporting with DHL. Make major savings every time you ship, giving you more money to invest in other areas of your business.

Visit www.bizcrowd.com for your free signup to a growing UK network of businesses ready to respond to your needs.

Reduce Absence and Staff Turnover

Healthy staff can make your business better, and with a discounted staff healthcare plan from Westfield Health, you can reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and use it as a tool to recruit new employees. Call 01292 678666 for more information.

Save Money on Chip and Pin Payment

As a Chamber member, you can take advantage of preferential rates for credit and debit card acceptance services through First Data Merchant Solutions.

Save Thousands on Exchange Rate Transfers

Currency fluctuations can have a significant impact on companies trading internationally and hinder ambitions for growth. Chamber Foreign Exchange, provided can help you protect your business against adverse rate fluctuations and make the most of any positive movements, whilst giving you access to exclusive offers and competitive rates of exchange.

Business Matters

13

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Proactive Gas Safety Ltd Safety Training for the Management & Use of Compressed & Cryogenic Gases Proudly delivering high quality, independently assessed and approved training for 10 years in the North West and across the UK. Business Matters.pdf 16/05/2013 13:47:18 We provide training and information to staff & management, so risk is minimised, resulting in an assured workforce and a safer workplace.

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Business Matters

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RE2863_REG_Print Ad_Chester Chamber of Commerce_87x115mm_GB_EN_Aug13_V3.indd27/08/2013 1 16:56

NEWS

FareShare Comes to North East Wales Environmental and sustainability consultants Sastun Ltd have completed a feasibility study looking into setting up a FareShare food redistribution depot in Wrexham and Flintshire to help feed local people in need, provide volunteering, training and job opportunities.

FareShare takes surplus in-date food from retailers and food manufacturers and redistributes it, for a nominal fee, to community organisations.

The study, which was produced in collaboration between Sastun, Sustainable Change, Co-operative and Co-operative Mutual Solutions, identified the high levels of need in the Wrexham and Flintshire area and good access to food surpluses. In Wales it is estimated that over 400,000 tonnes of food is wasted each year and even if only 1% of this was edible, it would be enough to contribute towards over 8,000,000 meals.

The study highlighted the environmental benefits of reducing the food surplus that ends up in landfill or as animal feed, resource savings, cost savings and reputational benefits to businesses, as well as the significant difference the receipt of food will make to the beneficiaries both directly, and through better service provision by community organisations by cutting their food costs.

The most challenging aspect of setting up a new depot would be the lack of funding for new depots from FareShare UK, given their strategy of consolidating their existing network and the time it would take to set up a new ‘body’ to manage a depot given the growing urgent need in the area.

The steering group comprising AVOW, FLVC, Environment Wales, Northern Marches Cymru, Wrexham Environment Network and Cais took the decision based on the report recommendations to collaborate and cooperate with the existing FareShare depot in Llandudno run by Crest Cooperative. Based on the evidence within the report, Jay Martin of Crest Co-operative has now submitted a bid to the Big Lottery Fund for two years of funding, the first of which will focus on the development of a food redistribution service within Wrexham and Flintshire. If successful a depot will be set up based in North East Wales, creating employment, training and volunteering opportunities locally.

Sastun Director Sarah Pratt said: “We were pleased to be approached by the steering group to bid for this feasibility study project and delighted to have won the work, competing against much larger consultancies. We are even more delighted to see our recommendations come to life relatively quickly with surplus food already being redistributed to KIM Inspire and Cais.”

John Gallanders of AVOW, one of the feasibility report’s funders, said: “The Sastun team clearly have a range of expertise that has shown through in the research.”

Over 30 community organisations met in Wrexham at the first sign up event last week.

If you are a food business and you want to donate your in-date food surplus to FareShare, please get in touch with Jay Martin of Crest Co-operative on jay@crestcooperative.co.uk, 01492 596783, 07702 5728063.

ASISEEIT Professor Phil Harris, Professor Phil Harris, Dean of Business Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and the Westminster Professorship in Marketing and Public Affairs, University of Chester Lobbying is an integral part of public affairs management, which is strategic international business communication focused on informing legislatures, officials, policy makers and those that influence regulatory frameworks whether they are at a local, national or international level.

Government relations/lobbying has evolved from a tactic adopted by organisations to amend occasional legislation to becoming a managerial strategy to achieve competitive advantage through an applied public affairs strategy.

Business and strategic lobbying is an international industry of major significance with key focal points of activity being centred on the legislative and regulatory centres in Brussels, Geneva, London and Washington and more recently Berlin, Beijing and Delhi.

A well reported example of strategic business lobbying is that of particular European vehicle manufacturers ensuring catalytic convertors were installed as standard emissions systems in the EU; gaining competitive edge against other competitors focused then on lean engine technology. The former set the world standards and made profits whilst the latter went bust.

The rapidly increasing strategic role of public affairs has been spurred on by the trend towards privatisation and regulation. This together with the globalisation of business operations and a surge in trans-national government legislation has forced organisations of all types to pay greater attention to their relationships with government at all levels.

The formal approval of acquisitions, alliances, mergers, standard-setting and takeovers is increasingly under government scrutiny as it attempts to regulate markets and trade.

The regulation of auditing, banking and the large accountancy groups is now much on the world public affairs agenda and exercising leading corporate, political and research minds as they attempt to produce good corporate governance.

The increasing role of government as regulator as old corporatist linkages break down under globalisation is a phenomenon that public affairs practitioners and corporations have to deal with on a daily and yet strategic basis. The transfer of publicly owned businesses to the private sector such as energy, telecommunications and water utilities has directly stimulated the increasing importance of the public affairs area.

In addition the growth of increasingly powerful and organised pressure groups, which are capable of mobilising strong opposition to organisations whose policies they disagree with, has further stimulated public affairs work, stakeholder programs, political campaigning and lobbying activity. Technological advances within the media now allow events in virtually any part of the world to be screened almost instantaneously, subjecting the behaviour of organisations even in the most remote parts of the globe to worldwide media and public scrutiny. The global dialogue on trade, commerce, and investment involves business executives, government officials and representatives of nongovernmental organisations. Unsurprisingly this dialogue often includes environmental (ecological), social and community issues, thus the entire business/government society relationship is open to discussion, debate and redefinition throughout the world.

Businesses, government agencies and NGOs have a stake in cultivating a dialogue that is informed, fact driven, and progressive. Population growth, the need for improved quality of life, food and raw material security, human rights, sustainable economic and ecological practices are among the broad issues shaping the public agenda for nations across the globe. Constructive dialogue depends on accurate information, commitment to human interaction and the willingness to think long, as well as short term.

Business Matters

15

HILL DICKINSON

Knights Solicitors LLP Acquire Hill Dickinson Chester and Plan Major Expansion Drive Knights Solicitors LLP, the UK’s first private equity backed commercial law firm has acquired the Chester office of international law firm Hill Dickinson and has exciting plans for the future.

We have had a successful transition with the Chester Partners and are confident that the prospect of new and substantial investment will enable the Chester office to build upon its already strong and substantial client base.

James Caan and David Beech The deal is a positive move for both parties involved. This is the first acquisition Knights has made following the private equity investment it received from James Caan’s private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw. It underlines the firm’s intention to double turnover in the next three years to become a top 100 law firm. Acquiring the Chester office of Hill Dickinson, also gives Knights greater geographical reach as it looks to provide clients with national coverage.

Hill Dickinson has recently revised its strategy to focus on and grow its international profile. As such, Managing Partner Peter Jackson was delighted to find in Knights a firm that shares his entrepreneurial vision and was able to take the Chester office into the future. It is a seamless fit for both parties due to similarities in client base and services.

Business Matters

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Commenting on the acquisition of the Chester office, David Beech, Managing Partner said: “It is fantastic to mark our first year anniversary of private equity investment with the acquisition of the Chester office of such a wellrespected firm; this has been an important first acquisition in our overall strategy. The Chester office of Hill Dickinson provides the full range of legal services and is a natural fit for Knights as we expand our footprint throughout the UK.

making and career progression can be slow and cumbersome. Instead, Knights’ structure allows for clear leadership and decision-making with management supporting the lawyers to progress their careers in a merit based culture.

“We have had a successful transition with the Chester Partners and are confident that the prospect of new and substantial investment will enable the Chester office to build upon its already strong and substantial client base.

As with our Newcastle and Cheltenham Offices our investment in Chester highlights Knights’ dedication to play a key role in the local business community ensuring business and jobs remain in the area.

“Looking forward to the next 12 months Knights plans a major expansion drive to double the turnover and headcount of the Chester office. Knights is looking to recruit Partners, Associates and Paralegals of the highest calibre to supplement the already established practice.”

Knights offers lawyers a refreshing change to the conventional partnership model, where decision

Knights is a leading commercial law firm with first-class private client services providing Chester businesses and the local community access to quality, city expertise without having to gravitate to Manchester or Liverpool.

We are looking for Partners who may be disillusioned with the traditional partnership model, Associates who perhaps feel their progression is limited and Paralegals who are looking for a good head start. Overall we are looking for lawyers who are keen to work at a forward-thinking firm where they can really excel their practice and careers.”

Robin Jones, Senior Partner at the Chester office, commented: “This is a great opportunity for us and the

local business community. It is both exciting and challenging to be joining an ambitious firm such as Knights and one who is willing to invest in the office. We are looking forward to growing the office by doubling the headcount in a year. This will broaden our scope and capabilities to offer Chester and the surrounding area the best and most comprehensive legal services at competitive rates.”

The transfer of the office from Hill Dickinson to Knights will take place on 1st October 2013.

Hamilton Bradshaw, James Caan’s private equity house, invested in Knights in June last year - making Knights the UK’s first commercial law firm to receive private equity backing. Following this, the firm was granted its licence to operate as an ABS in January 2013.

HOWTO?

10 Tips to Improve the Business Value of Twitter

Marketing blog Hubspot have shared their tips on how to take advantage of Twitter in your business, read the full article at http://bit.ly/157oIzp.

1. Monitor and thank current sales opportunities who react to your content

If one of your opportunities comments, shares, or replies to a piece of your content on Twitter, you should respond. Thank the person, ask them what they learned, or share their tweet with your own followers.

2. Tweet ‘welcome’ messages to new customers

Kick off your relationship by thanking them for choosing your company through a friendly tweet.

3. Add a Twitter username field to your forms.

4. Connect with users in a particular geographic location.

While monitoring, prioritise interactions based on where they’re tweeting from.

5. Monitor customers who tweet ‘help’ or ‘support’ It’s extremely important to have a solid idea on how users are responding and using your product. Create a Twitter List of your customers and use it to monitor their tweets.

6. Monitor your most successful long-tail keywords in social media

The keywords that drive the most traffic to your website could be helpful for your social media strategy. Set up keyword streams in a tool like TweetDeck to monitor.

HOW TO?

7. Check out your leads’ most recent tweets before jumping on a sales call

Adding a personal touch on a sales call can be great way to start a conversation and build trust. Twitter makes that type of information discovery much, much easier.

8. Follow people who’ve viewed your product or pricing pages

Nurture them in social media and offer to answer their questions. This might be tricky to do without a robust tool or the ability to track leads taking these actions in your current CRM.

9. Collect positive customer tweets and use them as testimonials

Monitor instances of people mentioning your company and products in a positive light.

‘Favourite’ the most flattering tweets and use them on a dedicated product testimonial page.

10. Monitor leads mentioning your competitors

If you know which of your leads are interacting with your competitors online, you can use that to modify your strategy and perhaps follow up with a lead sooner than originally planned.

The Best Search Engine You’re Not Using DuckDuckGo is the new search engine for people who don’t wish to have their every move online tracked by governments… http://bit.ly/10QE3ER

Remove Toolbars and Malware in One Click Do you have a colleague or friend who’s forever ‘accidently’ clicking on ‘free’ software online, then inadvertently installing a new toolbar that infects every facet of their computer? AdwCleaner could help … http://bit.ly/13F3ZHx

The Beginner’s Guide to Working from Home

Collect social media contact information so you have accurate Twitter information for your contacts.

Add a ‘Win’ to Your To Do List Every Day Ever look at your long to-do list, sigh and think the tasks ahead are too big to complete?

It’s the 21st Century and working from home is arguably a more productive work method than the traditional office environment.

Find out how to do it… http://bit.ly/11Ib74K

How Clutter Effects Your Brain (and What to Do About It)

When you prioritise your tasks, you probably sort them either by urgency or importance. Weblog Sources of Insight recommend you add in some ‘wins’ that will help you feel accomplished at the end of the day.

Prioritising one or two tasks on your list and completing them will probably make you feel much better by the time you’re heading for the door.

J.D. Meier said: “This procedure will help you crush your list of things to do. To do so, identify three wins for today. Simply think of three things that if you achieved them you would consider them victories.

ProTips

“This is a powerful step because it helps you focus on a shorter, more manageable task list. It’s a simple way to begin with the end in mind.

“Even if it isn’t your most important or urgent task, you’ll feel more energised and ready to do more work the following day, as you feel you’ve completed something worthwhile.”

If you ever feel you’ve got too much going on and your brain is even more untidy than the desk in front of you, it might be worth finding out what you can do about it… http://bit.ly/10QFgfo

Business Matters

17

BIG INTERVIEW

THEBIGINTERVIEW

Ambitious Targets as LEP Seeks to Provide a Stronger Identity Christine Gaskell’s journey to becoming Chair of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership can be traced back almost 20 years to her early days learning the art of company management.

Christine Gaskell Chair of the Cheshire and

Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership.

Today, while continuing her career in business, much of her time is taken up using that experience to guide the LEP as it creates and supports jobs and champions the area at a time when common perception states that neighbours Manchester and Liverpool are the main industrial centres in the North West.

Christine’s background is in the motor trade and she has been a member of the Board at Bentley Motors Limited since 1995, where she has responsibility for nearly 4,000 employees worldwide.

Under Christine, Bentley has invested significantly in improving the skills and capability of its workforce and has won regional and national recognition for its programmes.

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For the past 15 years, Christine has been actively involved in promoting learning and skills in Cheshire; she is the regional champion for Apprenticeships through the Apprentice Ambassadors Network and in January 2012 she was awarded an MBE in recognition of her work to promote apprenticeships.

Christine, who became Chair of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership in 2011, said: “I was among one hundred people who applied for the LEP and, when the board, was selected it was like having a blank sheet of paper.

“The first thing we did was talk to our stakeholders to find out what the businesses of the area wanted and our ideas evolved from those discussions.

“It is important that people do not see us as a replacement for the regional development agency. We do not have those kind of resources.

We are a strategic organisation, not a delivery one, and our job is to set the direction and work with our stakeholders to make things happen.”

Stakeholders who were consulted include businesses in a wide range of sectors as well as the three local councils, all of whose leaders have business experience and sit on the LEP board.

The talks resulted in a series of targets that say that, by 2021, Cheshire and Warrington will be: n A £25 billion economy, making strong progress towards the target of a £30 billion economy by 2030 n An active and engaged community, with 475,000 jobs and employment opportunities for all

n A modern, sophisticated and attractive location, working cohesively to exploit the strengths and character of our local places n An area that grows its sectors, including revitalising its manufacturing base.

To support the work, the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership has been allocated over £122m of European money for the next funding period which runs from 2014 to 2020, in additional to UK Government finance.

The money is being used to support the things that businesses has identified as important, including high quality support, a skilled workforce, finance, good quality sites, premises and transport.

A key part of the LEP’s work is to raise the profile of the area. Christine said: “One of our important jobs is to promote and market the area.

We spend a lot of time in Whitehall, pressing the case for Cheshire and Warrington and work hard to market the area.

“One of the problems is that many people do not know where Cheshire is. If you say you are from Manchester or Liverpool, people know where they are but that is not the case with Cheshire.

“However, there are 42,000 businesses in Cheshire and Warrington, ranging from banking and automotive to farmers, chemicals to nuclear. There is more manufacturing in our area than there is in Liverpool and Manchester.

“Much of our work is marketing the area so that we tackle the misconceptions about Cheshire and Warrington.”

Our targets are ambitious but if they were not the Government would not take us seriously

Activities have included a series of events; for example, many senior politicians have visited the area, including Prime Minister David Cameron, and James Berresford, the Chief Executive of VisitEngland, was the keynote speaker at a Marketing Cheshire partners meeting attended by more than 100 businesses from across the Cheshire and Warrington area.

Christine said: “Government recognises the critical role that the LEPs can play in delivering economic growth, based on our business expertise.

“The LEP board is clear that in addressing economic issues, we are doing this for the whole of Cheshire and Warrington, and as such we need to be clear that we are focusing

on the issues that matter most to business and our wider partners.

role to play in delivering growth and helping national economic recovery.

“Cheshire and Warrington is already the strongest performing economy in the North, and Government’s decision to commit national and EU funding provides an excellent opportunity to build on this success.

We are ideally placed to demonstrate that Northern economies have a

“Our targets are ambitious but if they were not the Government would not take us seriously.”

Business Matters

19

It’s in our nature to speed things up. Even progress.

The new Panamera S E-Hybrid.

Imagine if you could blend thrilling emotions with extraordinary efficiency. Imagine a four-seat sports car with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain allowing you to travel up to 21 miles on electric power alone. Imagine a combined output of 416 hp and 0-62 mph in just 5.5 seconds, alongside 91.1 mpg and CO2 emissions of just 71g/km*.

Imagine experiencing the future of Intelligent Performance today, with Porsche.

For more information on the new Panamera range visit www.porsche.co.uk/panamera or call 0845 8454 911.

Explore the new Panamera

Porsche Centre Chester Cheshire Oaks Cheshire CH65 9LF info@porschechester.co.uk

*Official fuel economy figures for the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid in mpg (l/100 km): Urban 0.0 (0), Extra Urban 38.2 (7.4), Combined 91.1 (3.1). CO2 emissions: 71 g/km. The mpg and CO2 figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results, are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience. Electric range is dependent on driving conditions. Power output and performance obtained in combined hybrid power train mode.

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WALES AIR AMBULANCE

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Wales Air Ambulance is a charityfunded service that saves lives in Wales.

Our three emergency helicopters can reach any part of Wales in just 20 minutes, and can airlift patients to the nearest A&E unit or specialist care unit in 10-15 minutes.

This vital service costs over £6million per year and we do not receive government or National Lottery funding.

All our funding comes from people like you - ordinary people who do extraordinary things to help.

You can help by making a donation; holding a fundraising event; joining our Lifesaving Lottery.

Or, you could simply buy a pair of our brand new Heli Wellies™ - designed in Wales; perfect for rainy days and jumping in puddles.

£12 £12

£18 £18 Introducing Heli Wellies™ Introducing Heli Wellies™

Please call us on 0844 85 84 999, or shop on-line www.walesairambulance.com

Arbed amser - Arbed bywydau Saving time- -Arbed Savingbywydau lives Arbed amser Saving time - Saving lives

0844 85 84 999 0844 85 84 999

walesairambulance.com walesairambulance.com

Bodidris is a truly unique Country House Hotel and an historically important building situated in Llandegla, Wrexham.

A mile long road leads to this fine and beautiful building with each stone screaming history. The grade 2 listed hall dates back to the 16th century.

It has kept its character over the years with its thick walls, stone windows and its wooden beams.

Welsh Sunday Lunch

There are 9 en suite bedrooms with open log fires within Bodidris, also a breakfast room, bar and dining room and also rooms for conferences and meetings.

RCN 1083645 RCN 1083645

You could enjoy Bodidris' relaxing atmosphere whilst dining or enjoying Welsh afternoon tea during the day, or by feasting on the finest locally sourced food, at the bar or in the dining room in the evenings. We have the exclusive right to host weddings.

The Hotel is conveniently located only a 15 minute drive from Ruthin and Llangollen, a 20 minute drive from Wrexham and a 30 minute drive from Bala and the historical town of Chester. Families, couples, walkers and those looking for some peace are all welcome at Bodidris. With cottages for long or short stay. Dogs are allowed in designated rooms.

Two courses

£17.95

Three Courses

£19.95

Business Matters

24

01978790434

|

www.bodidris.com

bodidrishall@gmail.com

Protect your business with a

COMPANY WILL

Davies Evans & Law ASSET PROTECTION SPECIALISTS

You build up a business to benefit yourself and your family.

But what if a business partner should die?

Q Their spouse is now your new partner! Q Can you afford to buy their share?

Q Will it be sold to someone else? Q You will now have to give them income out of your profits?

And if you die, what about your own family?

Q How long will they receive an income? Q Will your partner be able to buy them out?

Q If not, will they find another buyer? Q Or will your partner simply wind-up the business?

THE SOLUTION:

THE BUSINESS PROTECTION PLAN

Ensure your business and family are protected

At the same time:

Would you like to remove business assets from Inheritance tax for generations? Would you like to ensure your children don’t lose their inheritances to divorce or bankruptcy? Do you want to protect your personal and business assets from Long Term care costs?

THE SOLUTION:

THE ESTATE PROTECTION PLAN

!

E N O G

At Davies Evans & Law we advise on Asset Protection strategies for individuals and businesses.

T OF S O HE C ARE T R Y FO ERM C A P TO ONG T L

Long Term Care – Protecting Your Home It’s been estimated that 70,000 homes are taken each year to pay for Long Term Care costs.

That’s more than the whole of Chester.

We can show you how to protect your homes and money from confiscation by the Local Authority.

Davies Evans & Law

It’s all about the planning

Remove business assets from Inheritance Tax for future generations

ASSET PROTECTION SPECIALISTS

Whether seeking to insulate against the dangers of Long Term Care costs, protect a child’s inheritance against a future divorce or seeking ways to combat the iniquities of “Generational Inheritance Tax”, advice and implementation is our specialist role.

We advise on Business Wills & Trusts, with a particular focus on family businesses.

Advice is also offered on Powers of Attorney and other related strategies.

Davies Evans & Law ASSET PROTECTION SPECIALISTS

CALL 0845 017 6527 NOW TO ARRANGE A COMPLIMENTARY, NO OBLIGATION APPOINTMENT P R OT E C T I N G YO U R W E A LT H F O R G E N E R AT I O N S – N OT J U S T A L I F E T I M E Davies Evans & Law Ltd – Asset Protection Specialists, 104 Thingwall Road, Irby, Wirral CH61 3UG T: 0845 017 6527 | E: enquiries@delprotect.co.uk | W: www.delprotect.co.uk

• 814 seat theatre • Large, flexible conference centre • Large sprung wooden dance floor • Range of break out areas • Full bar and catering facilities

• Full technical support • Level access to all areas for unloading • Optional marketing support • Wi-fi enabled • Spacious bars and foyers

Contact the Conference Team Telephone 0151 606 2965 Email floralconferences@wirral.gov.uk www.floralpavilion.com

Specialist Property Insurance Consultants

Whether you are in property as: An Owner l An Occupier l Commercial Property Landlord l Residential Property Landlord l

We have the expertise and access to a panel of property insurers with competitive premiums and cover tailored to your needs.

CBI – Taking the Risk Out of Insurance www.cbi-insurance.co.uk 01492 534524

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A simple system ; it easily calculates your work and personal mileage. If you drive a company vehicle and saves you the job.

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EVENTS/DIARY DATES

Dates for Your Diary Below you’ll find the dates for all upcoming events throughout the next quarter, so make sure to keep an eye on Business Matters and the Chamber website at www.wcnwchamber.org.uk/events for up to date details.

If you’re interested in holding an event, contact us on info@wcnwchamber.org.uk

SEP 01

SEP 20

SEP 24

OCT 2

OCT 3

OCT 9

0CT 7

DEC 5

9.30am Introduction to Export, Llyndir Hall, Wrexham

9.30am Export Documentation and INCOTERMS, Llyndir Hall, Wrexham

10am The Chamber Taster Café, Riverside Innovation Centre, Chester

9.30am Methods of Payment and Letters of Credit, Llyndir Hall, Wrexham

4pm The Business Social Network, Riverside Innovation Centre, Chester

8am Understanding Export Finance, Riverside Innovation Centre, Chester

7pm Annual Dinner, The Chester Grosvenor, Chester

4pm The Christmas Social Network, Venue To Be Announced

LEARN ONLINE

Did you know you can hone your skills, knowledge and talents with free online courses from some of the world’s top education providers? The Chamber has teamed up with Coursera (www.coursera.org) to point members and non-members towards the thousands of web-based courses delivered by organisations like the University of London, Stanford University, the University of Toronto and many more. Here’s a taste of what’s coming up this quarter…

Oct

1

Introduction to Corporate Finance Begins October 2013 http://bit.ly/11rQpUd

Lectures and readings will provide an introduction to present value techniques, capital budgeting principles, asset valuation, the operation and efficiency of financial markets, the financial decisions of firms, and derivatives.

Oct

7

Model Thinking

Begins October 7th 2013 http://bit.ly/130aizo In this class, you will learn how to think with models and use them to make sense of the complex world around us.

Oct

28

Inspiring Leadership Through Emotional Intelligence

Begins October 28th 2013 http://bit.ly/13Wn1qc Emotional intelligence, hope, mindfulness, and compassion help a person reverse the damage of chronic stress and build great leadership relationships. The positive and negative emotional attractors inspire sustained, desired change and learning at many levels.

Nov

1

Nov

2

Critical Perspectives on Management

E-Learning and Digital Cultures

Innovative management and inspired leadership need more than rules and knowledge: imagination, creativity and lateral thinking are also integral.

This class offers students the opportunity to consider different ways to ask questions, ponder problems, discover opportunities and explore key concepts that inform the contemporary practice of management.

This course will explore how digital cultures and learning cultures connect, and what this means for the ways in which we conduct education online. The course is not about how to ‘do’ e-learning; rather, it is an invitation to view online educational practices through a particular lens.

Begins November 2013 http://bit.ly/1cjOSEd

Begins November 4th 2013 http://bit.ly/14xSf2W

Business Matters

29

cheshire west and chester

Companies Urged to Sign the Apprenticeship Promise Cheshire companies which support apprenticeships are being urged to sign a ‘promise’.

The Apprenticeship Promise is an initiative by the Cheshire and Warrington LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) to recognise and reward businesses which pledge to support apprentices.

Connecting Cheshire Gets Off to a Superfast Start The £28.5m project to bring superfast broadband to Cheshire was officially launched on the start line at the Oulton Park race circuit near Tarporley.

By 2016 over 96% of Cheshire premises will be able to access high-speed fibre broadband making the county one of the best connected regions in the UK. The Connecting Cheshire Partnership of the four Cheshire councils and BT has secured European, local and central government funding to provide additional rural broadband infrastructure to over 80,000 premises that will build on BT’s ongoing commercial investment in fibre across the county.

As a result more than 400,000 premises across Cheshire, Halton and Warrington, should have access to significantly faster broadband speeds by the end of 2016.

Those premises in the remaining 4% that currently experience low speeds will also see an improvement, as the project aims to deliver a minimum of 2Mbps or more to almost all homes and businesses. BT was awarded the contract following a procurement exercise through the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) framework.

The project is part financed by the North West Competitiveness Programme, European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 Business Matters

30

to 2013. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www. communities.gov.uk/erdf.

Connecting Cheshire expects to be able to announce which communities will be included in the first stage of the rollout during December 2013. Connecting Cheshire and BT will work together to prioritise a strategic rollout so that the whole county’s best interests are served.

Bill Murphy, BT’s managing director of next generation access, said: “The rollout of the fibre network for the Connecting Cheshire project will be fast and aggressive. BT will be building a network that offers people across the county both choice of supply and some of the most competitive prices in Europe.”

For more information on the Connecting Cheshire Project visit www.connectingcheshire.org.uk

Businesses which sign the promise and commit to taking on an apprentice become part of the Cheshire and Warrington Inspiring Apprenticeship employer network with benefits which include: n Access one to one free and impartial apprenticeship support and information n Promote your organisation through the Inspiring Apprenticeship Network n Attend Inspiring Apprenticeship Networking Events.

The promise also enables companies to tell their positive experience of recruiting and supporting apprentices.

For further information or to sign up to the Apprenticeship Promise contact Paul on 0151 356 6 699 or email: apprenticeships@candwlep.co.uk

HOWIWORK I’m Chris Jones and This Is…

Tell us a bit about you, your background and what brings you to this role.

I left academia for the real world aged 25, armed with lots of certificates and vowing never to return to it again! It was a world of militant socialists and as one of Thatcher’s children I didn’t feel I belonged.

I joined Unilever and learnt about real commercial life and true hard work. A number of things in my personal and work life collided to bring me to the role; I have a fairly stoic attitude to life so I guess it was meant to be.

What one word best describes how you work?

Chaotic.

What’s your workspace like?

I have a room to myself but that’s where the high life ends… my room is a flashback to the 60s with chairs are so heavy I have to warn people of the hernia risk before moving them! I have several piles of paperwork that need filing which I promise myself to do before September, I also promise myself to turn over a new leaf and adhere to a clean desk policy (though it’ll probably never happen).

WEB INSIGHTS

What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?

I believe that everyone in a commercial role should master Microsoft Excel. Its power is extraordinary, yet very few people realise how much it can do.

What are your best time saving tricks?

Like most people, time gets the better of me on a daily basis. I’ve never been so busy (as at the moment) so the bottom line is 24 hours just won’t cut it.

The reality is to accept that certain things won’t get done, decide what really matters and focus on those, then try and eat into some of the smaller tasks in downtime before another wave of big jobs comes over the horizon. Also if, like me, your world is heavily oriented towards email it’s very important to only access it at certain times of the day, otherwise it consumes you.

How do you manage your to-do list?

Writing a list of daily tasks always gets me focused. Seeing things being scrubbed off gives a real feeling of progress. I’ve been on two time management courses in my life and none of what they covered other than that has worked for me.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can’t you live without?

A corkscrew!

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

There’s always someone better than you at everything isn’t there?

I tend to express myself best in writing; I benefit from those extra few seconds of thinking time as I regularly suffer from the frustration of coming up with an amusing retort just a few seconds too late! My spelling and grammar are pretty good too… far from a world-beater, but probably better than average.

What’s your sleep routine like?

I’m a night owl so terrible at going to sleep and even worse at getting out of it. But once I’m off, it’s fine.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Advice passed on by my Dad, who was given it in his youth whilst working in the steelworks: “It’s not how fast you do it that counts, but how well you do it”.

Granted it won’t benefit all professions, but for most of us it’s probably pretty sage.

Finally, have you got any other ‘lifehack’ tips for getting things done better you’re able to share?

Realise where your weaknesses lie and delegate those things to people better at it than you are, but never take their glory and give them total credit… otherwise where’s their incentive to keep helping you?

James Crane, Managing Director of Overbyte Interactive and Chamber Board Member answers your questions.

Our company continues to use Windows XP; are we being left behind by not moving to Windows 8?

Windows XP support officially ends April 8th 2014, so updates will cease beyond that. Migration to Windows 8 has been slower than expected and a major reason cited by companies is a steep learning curve reported by users. Microsoft has listened and is releasing a free update later this year, aimed at addressing these concerns. A common complaint, for example,

has been the removal of the Start menu and it’s now being reinstated with this release, albeit in an updated form. In terms of software, Windows 8 does offer compatibility support for older software, extending your application’s lifespan.

We’re looking to develop a mobile app for our small business, what points do we need to identify before we seek a developer?

Make sure you need it! Could your requirement be met by a properly presented mobile website? If

not, then the advice is the same I would give for any development.

Make sure your provider has demonstrable experience, take a look at the examples they provide.

Are they properly considered, do the screens flow well, are they quick or sluggish, does it crash? Do you get the project source code on delivery?

What happens if you need amends a year down the line, will they still be trading? Is it warranted and how long can you expect bug fixes to take?

Business Matters

31

LETSGETSOCIAL LETS GET SOCIAL

We read Twitter and LinkedIn so you don’t have to... @britishchambers BCC: Living abroad and international links increase likelihood of exporting bit.ly/17tgPUL .

(British Chambers of Commerce) August 5th, 2013

Rohan Williams A top episode of BBC Top Gear this evening making you proud to be British; great to see so many top UK brands http://ow.ly/nCm4g.

@colegcambria Today’s the big day of the merger between Deeside College and @yalewrexham to create Coleg Cambria

August 4th, 2013

(Coleg Cambria) August 1st, 2013

Denise Hughes

@MJWxm Partnership between @glyndwruni and @nwpolice sees NO CRIME in six months on campus and exposes flawed report http://bit.ly/12TXG2c

Totally agree! Why are the media always so negative about our manufacturing and exporting capabilities?

August 5th, 2013

(Martin Williams) August 1st, 2013 @inventor_tom If you register a trademark or patent you’ll receive mail from companies requesting payment.

Check if they are legit here http://bit.ly/11H6c1E It’s a dirty trick, EU need to take action

Malcolm Evans Business bank? Don’t bank on it… http://bit.ly/13zGUDY August 4th, 2013

(Tom Pellereau) July 29th, 2013 @Peston Is the law that all journalism today must include reference to the royal baby? Am wondering because am just finishing a blog on audit reform

@WalesCoOpCentre Can workers buy their own company? A new guide shows how http://www.uk.coop/ simplybuyout - thanks @edmayo1. @Dulas_Ltd @ DynamixCoop featured #COOPS

The Information Commissioner’s Office has issued a £45,000 fine to a Manchester-based company for failing to follow the rules with its telephone marketing. Had Tameside energy had even a basic governance regime in place, checking people were removed from calling lists when they requested it and making sure the TPS was used before calling, there would never have been an issue. http://bit.ly/15GYLrW

(Wales Co-operative) July 18th, 2013

July 15th, 2013

(Robert Peston) July 22nd 2013

@JenBritchamSing We offer business opportunities, trade advice and support to help UK companies grow in Singapore (Jennifer Hainsworth) July 18th, 2013 @wrexham At Guildhall for a meeting likely to be secret, on off chance Members deem to open it up bit. ly/11Tq7N3 Ever hopeful!

(Wrexham.com) July 16th 2013 @ExportToGermany Get our Export to Germany Guide containing 30 pages of everything you need to know about selling to Germany http://bit.ly/16enCFH (Export to Germany) July 9th, 2013 @lifehacker Use the ‘favour test’ when you’re undecided about a LinkedIn invitation lifehac.kr/Y1Oq8xp (Lifehacker) July 3rd, 2013

Business Matters

32

Taz Wake

Tracey Hopkins If you employ people do you talk to them about their use of social media? Most employers don’t but there are big implications for things like the reputation of your brand and customer / client confidentiality if your employees are routinely posting about work on their social media sites http://bit.ly/15y9qrn July 11th 2013

Sarah Thomas If you have engaged with the B2C project across North Wales, why not come and share your thoughts, views and ideas with us? We want to hear from you and generate lively discussions on responsible business practices http://linkd.in/15ya2NM July 7th, 2013

NEWMEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS

Agriden Limited 14 Llys Gwydyr DENBIGH LL16 3ET 01745 816095 luiscadena@btopenworld.com Mr Luis Cadena Torrero

CWCA Partnership Brunner Guildhall, High Street WINSFORD CW7 2AU 01606 596390 vikki.herbert@cwcapartnerships.co.uk Ms Vikki Herbert

Geoffrey Ellis & Co Pengaltegfa, Llanfwrog RUTHIN LL15 2AP 01824 750537 sjbolton@streamlineaccountants.co.uk Ms Suzanne Bolton

Nu-Recruit Limited Suite 40, Westminster Chambers CHESTER CH1 2HR 01244 852605 roseanne.stockton@nu-recruit.co.uk Ms Roseanne Stockton

Best Western Premier Queen Hotel City Road CHESTER CH1 3AH 01244 305000 Mr Simon Williams

David A Wood Ty Croes Mawr, Llansaethlu HOLYHEAD LL65 4PE 077085 23861 diggers24@hotmail.com Mr Digby Neil

Kite Technologies Ltd Unit 3, Project House DEESIDE CH5 2QP 0844 8262904 paul.ashton@kitenetworks.co.uk Mr Paul Ashton

OverByte Interactive Ltd Fidelity House, 12A Stocks Lane CHESTER CH3 5TF 01244312925 byte@obimail.com Mr James Crane

DMM International Y Glyn, Llanberis LL55 4EL 01286 872222 pete@dmmwales.com Mr Pete Roscoe

Llwyngwril Gallery Holiday Accomodation Llwyngwril Gallery LLWYNGWRIL LL37 2JQ 01341 250884 debbieashton@uwclub.net Mrs Debbie Ashton

Positive Performance Coaching 7 Parkland Drive, Elton CHESTER CH2 4PG 07772 125233 info@positiveperformance.org.uk Ms Suzy Couper

Best Western Westminster Hotel Chester 63 City Road CHESTER CH1 3AF 01244 317341 Ms Tessa Jones BforB Cheshire & North Wales 16 Mablins Lane Leighton CREWE CW1 3RF 0844 4115578 felicity.milazzo@bforb.co.uk Ms Felicity Milazzo Business Print & Design Millwood House Coed Aben Road WREXHAM LL13 9UH 01978 664726 info@bpandd.co.uk Mr Steve Whitley Cadscan Ltd 1 Hunters Walk Canal Street CHESTER CH1 4EB 01244 915151 ab@cad-scan.co.uk Dr Alastair Buchanan Cognitio Translations Flat 3, 19 Abbey Road LLANDUDNO LL30 2EE 077665 83423 soledadiestro@gmail.com Ms Adriana Soledad

First Data 20 Chatsworth Avenue, Walton Park LIVERPOOL L9 3BA 079734 74882 gshilton@firstdatacorp.co.uk Ms Gill Shilton

Llyndir Hall Hotel Ltd Llyndir Lane, Rossett WREXHAM LL12 OAY 01244 571648 llyndirhallhotel@feathers.uk.com Naomi Downs

Sibrydion Cymuned Bod Idris LLWYNGWRIL LL37 2 JB 01341 250884 debbieashton@uwclub.net Mrs Debbie Ashton Tin House Ael Y Bryn Ssordd Y Coleg LLWYNGWRIL LL37 2UZ 01341 250884 debbie.ashton@uwclub.net Mrs Debbie Ashton Yure Call Limited First Floor, Pembroke House, Wrexham Technology Park WREXHAM LL13 7YT 01978 8800390 geofft@yurecall.co.uk Mr Geoff Townsend

Cowbell Pictures 15 Godbert, Chorlton Cum Hardy MANCHESTER M21 7JE 07791 3893285 tom@cowbellpictures.co.uk Mr Tom Baker

Business Matters

33

Just One More Thing…

1. What brought you to your current job?

I had been working around the country for ABode Hotels for around eight years, so when we opened Chester I jumped at the opportunity to work at the company’s flagship property.

2. What inspires you?

I always aim with the help of my team to deliver the best possible customer service, while making the experience personable. Every time we receive a thank you letter from a guest it boosts team moral.

3. Who do you admire?

Working for Michael Caines means it would be hard to name anyone else. He is very down to earth and his drive and passion always makes you want to achieve more.

4. What advice would you give someone aiming for a job like yours?

Mr Marriott used to say ‘take care of your people and they will take care of your customers’ and that has always been my philosophy. I know I am demanding on my team but I also try and encourage them to perform consistently at their best, as without a strong team around me I would not be able to achieve my goals.

5. Tell us about your most memorable moment or greatest achievement in life.

The first time we exceeded the company budget in our Manchester hotel is particularly memorable. This was my first hotel as a General Manager within ABode Hotels and I had spent a great deal of time working with the team to change procedures, meeting new clients and focusing on the growth of the food and beverage part of our business. I reached a turning point a few months into the role and knew that we had the right formula and the forecast for the months to come were heading in the same direction. I had a feeling of great success and took the team out for dinner to celebrate our team efforts.

6. What was your childhood ambition?

I always wanted to be a chef, my parents were against it and tried to make me change my mind by sending me to a friend restaurateur. The more they tried the more I knew this was what I want to do, I started working at the age of 12 in kitchens around Paris whilst continuing my education. Once I had completed my degree I travelled over to the UK to help learn English which helps immensely in the hospitality industry. 10 years later and I’m still here!

Business Matters

34

Rewind The world as it was 10 years ago…

September 2003 4th: ऀSingapore drops its 21-year ban on Cosmopolitan magazine and slightly relaxes its film censorship policy 5th:ऀDavid Blaine begins a 44 day stay in small transparent capsule above the River Thames 12th:ऀJohnny Cash dies at the age of 71 due to complications from diabetes 14th: ऀSwedish voters reject joining the Euro

Christophe Hesbert General Manager

21st:ऀAfter 14 years of flight time and eight years of service in the Jovian system, the Galileo probe is purposely crashed into Jupiter’s atmosphere

ABode Hotels, home to Michael Caines Restaurants

25th:ऀKodak says it will no longer make major investments in photographic film.

7. If you were Prime Minister, what one change would you make to help business?

I would have a Tourism Minister to help boost the UK economy.

Tax: the World Economic Forum has reported the UK to be the 138th of 140 countries worldwide in terms for tourism related taxation Tourist visa: it is very difficult for foreign visitors to obtain a tourist visa, especially for Chinese residents who can enter most continental Europe with a Schengen visa but need a separate one for the UK. As a result France receives 25% more Chinese tourists each year than Britain.

8. What are you listening to, watching, reading or playing at the moment?

I have been listening to the new Daft Punk Album, as a fellow Frenchmen I had their album on pre-order and it did not disappoint. I have been watching ‘Lie to Me’, the American TV drama where Carl Lightman reads people faces to determinate if they are telling the truth and consequently I think I have become an expert too!

I have not had a great deal of time to read recently but I hope to start ‘Inferno’ by Dan Brown; I find his books impossible to put down. My current hobby would have to be playing with ‘Race Pro’ when I have 5 minutes for a couple of laps, which I find is safer than racing in my car on the way home!

9. What couldn’t you live without?

Good food and wine, I love cooking and find it very relaxing.

10. Describe a perfect Sunday…

It would have to start with a good breakfast; smoked salmon, cream cheese and spring onion on a lightly toasted bagel. I would follow this with a short walk to see my local butcher and buy a Cote de Boeuf for lunch, stop in at my local fruit and vegetable shop for the garnish and Corks Out for a nice bottle of Bordeaux. Once back home I would cook all this on the BBQ while watching the Formula 1 Grand Prix with the family in the hope that Romain Grosjean would win...

The rest of the afternoon would be spent with a large cheese board!

October 2003 1st:ऀA US panel chosen by President Bush concludes the US must drastically overhaul public relations efforts to improve its image among the Muslim and Arabic communities 4th: ऀFormer Foreign Secretary Robin Cook claims in his personal diaries that Tony Blair knew the ’45 minute to launch claim’ was false before the Iraq war 16th:ऀChina’s first astronaut Yang Liwei returns to earth safely aboard the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft 20th: ऀA man survives a plunge over Niagra Falls without any protective device.

November 2003 1st: ऀCommunications in the UK are disrupted as the Royal Mail faces a wave of unofficial strikes 2nd:ऀTony Blair faces a formal complaint that has been made to the International Criminal Court about the prosecution of the Iraq War 6th: ऀWeather is an unseasonably warm 18 degrees at London Heathrow Airport 13th:ऀA Daily Mirror opinion poll suggests nearly half of people in the UK see the United States as the biggest threat to world peace 17th:ऀArnold Schwarzenegger is sworn in as Governor of California 22nd:ऀEngland win the Rugby World Cup, beating Australia 20-17.

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LOOKERS CHESTER SEALAND ROAD, CHESTER CH1 4LQ TEL 0844 234 3458 WWW.LOOKERS.CO.UK/RENAULT The official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Renault Captur range are: Urban 42.8 (6.6)–67.26 (3.7); Extra Urban 60.1 (4.7)–83.1 (3.4); Combined 52.31 (5.4)–76.4(3.7). The official CO2 emissions for the range are 125–96g/km. EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008 test environment figures. Fuel consumption and CO2 may vary according to driving styles, road conditions and other factors.

Terms and exclusions apply. Warranty 100,000 miles. Service 48,000 miles. Visit www.renault.co.uk/4plus for details. *Rental stated is for Renault Lease. Comparable payments are available on our personal contract purchase product – ask your dealer for details. If you choose Renault Lease then you will not own the car. When you have paid the final rental at the end of the contract, you can keep using the car and pay an annual rental equivalent to one monthly rental. Typical example: Car shown is a New Captur Dynamique MediaNav TCe 90 S&S, advance rental £1999 inc VAT followed by 48 monthly rentals of £199 inc VAT, final rental £5846 inc VAT. A finance facility fee of £149 will be payable with the advance rental.

For finance, conditions apply. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. You must be at least 18 and a UK resident (excluding the Isle of Man and Channel Islands) to apply. Finance provided by RCI Financial Services Limited, PO Box 149, Watford WD17 1FJ. Available at participating dealers only. Not available in conjunction with any other schemes or finance offers. Please check with your local dealer for information. Offers are available to retail and business customers (but exclude fleet customers with own terms), and are valid on new vehicles when ordered by 30 September 2013. Cars shown with optional metallic paint available at an additional £595 (£225 for Ivory non-metallic paint) and £300 for the contrasting roof.