Business Intelligence Nov Dec23 by Kemps Publishing

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November/December 2023

Business

Intelligence The Magazine of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce

Making the case for our region’s businesses MP listens to our concerns at Hull Area Council meeting

Opinion

Big Interview

Motoring

Angus Young reflects on the Brexit legacy and what it means for our ports

Catherine Darby-Roberts talks about Arup's ambitions for the region

The ultimate test drive – taking an electric vehicle to Spain and back

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Contents November/December 2023

Business

Intelligence COVER PHOTO: Hull City Council Leader Mike Ross and former Chamber President Matt Jukes at the latest Hull Area Council meeting See page 8

President’s Message 5

New grandad Albert Weatherill considers the ongoing need to adapt to change

Big Interview 6

Catherine Darby-Roberts, Associate Director of Arup

Policy 8

Variety of business issues discussed at Chamber’s Hull Area Council meeting

Member News 12 Quarterly Economic Survey shows local business confidence is taking a hit 14 Locals and visitors call for Grimsby’s Viking festival to return in 2024

Spotlight Features

24 Logistics, Freight & Transportation Shipping lawyer considers implications of court case ruling on time bars 27 Creative industries How creating a culture of creativity in your workplace can aid innovation

Focus On 30 Chamber members visit Community Interest Company Nunny’s Farm

Sector Focus 32 International Trade Logistics business looks to the future

34 Legal & Finance Accountants host charity golf day 36 Skills & Training Hi-tech training centre opens its doors 38 Manufacturing New paper mill to be built in Goole 40 Motoring David Hooper drives the Audi RS 5 Coupe 42 Anthony Winn drives from East Yorkshire to Malaga in an MG ZX

New Members 44 The Chamber welcomes new members

Last Word

46 Martin Stead, Chief Weaver of Loom Consultancy November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 3

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Business Intelligence ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

‘People set our property service apart’ A new director at Williamsons Solicitors is relishing her role at the successful regional firm. Amanda Hewson

or Amanda Hewson, becoming a director and now leading the busy conveyancing department is a source of great pride. Amanda is stepping into the shoes of director Jane Cousins, who is now adopting a more strategic role as the firm implements its growth plans. Amanda, who is one of a new cohort of directors, joined Williamsons in 2004 and has been helping clients buy and sell houses since 2013. She says that it’s the people and teamwork which sets the service apart. She has been busy working with her conveyancing colleagues across the Hull, Driffield and Bridlington branches, ensuring they all maximise the benefits of a new case management system and continue to work well together to offer the best level of service to clients. “We operate in small teams at the branches and our clients benefit from having a single point of contact who they get to know,” says Amanda. “Clients are made to feel valued and not like a number on a tick list, but also have the advantages that only larger firms can offer. Most of our work comes via recommendation, and we are extremely proud of many excellent reviews.”

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Amanda is a great example of what can be achieved with hard work and commitment and Williamsons’ investment in training and developing employees. A pupil of the former Isaac Newton school in Hull, she joined as a school leaver and is now an ‘official success story’. “I started as a general office assistant gradually progressing to a qualified as a licenced conveyancer, and I never imagined I’d be a department head or director when I joined nearly 20 years ago.

‘Most of our work comes via recommendation, and we are extremely proud of many excellent reviews’ “I’m grateful for the faith Williamsons have placed in me and am extremely thankful to the other directors.” Like many firms, the pandemic resulted in an exponential rise in conveyancing work when the ‘race for space’ and government incentives combined to result in an exceptionally buoyant housing market. “The market has calmed down and the costof-living crisis is making people more cautious, but we still have a very healthy and

consistent case load and are looking at continued growth” said Amanda. Jane Cousins, one of two owner-directors, said: “We are committed to helping our staff reach their potential and are so pleased that Amanda will lead our vibrant conveyancing department. She is a superb example of how, with the right level of support and commitment, you can have a successful career in law without taking the traditional educational route.” Amanda added: “I’m really looking forward to embracing new challenges and working with my team to enhance our service to clients.” Williamsons Solicitors employs more than 120 staff across its Hull head office and East Yorkshire branches, carrying out expert work in most areas of private client law including family and childcare, wills and probate, defence advocacy, civil litigation, personal injury, and clinical negligence.

For more information, see: www.williamsons-solicitors.co.uk

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Growing your business, building our economy

President’s Message

HEAD OFFICE Hull & East Yorkshire (Head Office) 34/38 Beverley Road, Hull HU3 1YE T: 01482 324976 NORTHERN LINCOLNSHIRE OFFICE Port Offices, Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby North East Lincolnshire DN31 3LL T: 01472 342981 WEBSITE www.hull-humber-chamber.co.uk EMAIL To help us deal with your message more quickly, please select the most appropriate address from below: GENERAL: info@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk International Trade: itc@hull-humberchamber.co.uk PRESS RELEASES: press@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk WEBSITE COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS webmaster@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk PUBLISHED BY:

Kemps Publishing Ltd 8, The Courtyard, 707 Warwick Road, Solihull, B91 3DA T: 0121 765 4144 W: www.kempspublishing.co.uk MANAGING EDITOR: Laura Blake

Dear Chamber Members, As we embrace the changing seasons, I am delighted to tell you all of a recent joyous event in our life – the birth of our first granddaughter. Our son and daughter-in-law’s lives will now change forever – and for the better. It struck me that the arrival of a new family member can sometimes be like the ever-evolving landscape of business. Just as families adapt to the arrival of a child, businesses too must be agile and ready to adjust to new circumstances. The past months have underscored the importance of resilience and innovation, as we’ve faced unprecedented challenges. Yet, within these challenges lie opportunities for growth and transformation and the newsfeeds continue to inform us of positive developments and investments in the Humber region. Let us draw inspiration from the example of our expanding family and approach change with open hearts and minds. Together, we can support each other through transitions, share insights, and foster an environment where innovation thrives. By doing so, we will ensure the continued success of our businesses and our marvellous Chamber of Commerce too! Here’s to adapting, growing, and thriving together.

DESIGNER: Lloyd Hollingworth ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES T: 0121 765 4144 E: jon.jones@kempspublishing.co.uk PRINTERS Buxton Press W: www.buxtonpress.com

Albert Weatherill President, Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce

DISCLAIMER Business Intelligence is produced on behalf of the Chamber by Kemps Publishing Ltd and is distributed to members and leading businesses without charge. The Chamber and the publisher are committed to achieving the highest quality standards. While every care has been taken to ensure that the information it contains is accurate, neither the Chamber nor the publisher can accept any responsibility for any omission or inaccuracies that might arise. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Chamber or the publisher. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format without prior written permission of Kemps Publishing Ltd.

PRIVACY NOTICE Kemps Publishing Ltd process personal information for certain legitimate interest purposes, which includes the following: To provide postal copies of this publication to chamber members and Kemps' customers; and to offer marketing and promotional opportunities within this publication to Chamber members and prospects. Whenever we process data for these purposes, we always ensure we treat your Personal Data rights in high regard. If you wish to, you can visit www.kempspublishing.co.uk to view our full Privacy Notice and to learn more about our legitimate interests and your rights in this regard.

Chamber Patrons As a not-for-profit organisation, the Chamber is very grateful to our Patrons, who support us in our aim to help our Members develop their businesses. • AA Global Language Services Ltd – Gold • Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP • ARUP • ASM Global • Clugston Distribution Services Ltd • Drax • East Riding of Yorkshire Council • ELLGIA Ltd • Equinor New Energy Ltd – Gold • Hatfields Jaguar Land Rover

• KCOM • Kevin Greene Photography • My… Group • OLG • Orsted • SPS Group of Companies • Streets Chartered Accountants • University of Hull • Wilkin Chapman LLP Solicitors

November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 5

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Big Interview

Big Interview Phil Ascough of Ascough Associates talks to Catherine Darby-Roberts, Associate Director of sustainable development consultancy Arup.

Building bridges to a better future

n autumn downpour ruled out the idea of stepping outside for photographs next to the bridge, and also reminded us of the historic hassles of waiting to cross Castle Street. In the time it took for the lights to change you could have read an article like this a couple of times or more. So hats off to Arup for delivering Murdoch’s Connection, a genuine triumph of form and function as a beautiful, iconic design which also does its job of providing a pedestrian link between the Fruit Market and the rest of the city centre. They can have more plaudits for the public realm scheme throughout Hull city centre. Catherine DarbyRoberts and her colleagues will never say they told you so, but I’ll do it for them. Those orange barriers. The ones some people reckoned you could see from space. They inflicted a degree of pain before leaving us with the enormous gain of wide and wonderful city avenues, connecting public spaces which have more than proved their worth to a population which loves a party. Nobody who was there will ever forget the spectacular shows in Queen Victoria Square which kicked off Hull’s year as UK City of Culture, and that was just the start.

‘It’s easy to design something thick and chunky but to design something attractive is more appealing’ There were the steel columns outside Hull Minster in 2017 and the domino run through the city centre the following year. And then there’s Blade, with Arup involved in transporting a wind turbine blade from the factory at Alexandra Dock to its temporary home outside the City Hall and a new role as a piece of sculpture. “The blade was the City Council’s idea,” said Catherine. “We wanted to show the product so people could understand the link to industry.” Other economic links are illustrated by the feedback secured by HullBID from city centre businesses whose sales soared as crowds flocked into the city centre this 6 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

summer for events including Dino Day, Superhero Day and Hull Street Food Nights, all taking place in space opened up and made safe by the public realm works. A chartered engineer, and also something of an artist, Catherine is Arup’s Humber Growth Leader and sits on the Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council. Her interest in art came from childhood. It was pushed into the background by a talent for maths and the strength to “endure physics”, but it never disappeared completely. “In my final year dissertation at Bath University I looked at the shape of the British Museum roof and the geometry of putting a roof over it”, she recalled. “I thought if I could be creative and apply my maths and make something beautiful that was where I wanted

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Big Interview

the port, motorways and rail network and part of a Humber Freeport initiative which has also attracted Metsä Tissue. A partnership with Phillips 66 and VPI Immingham is driving the Humber Zero programme to use carbon capture to remove emissions from the Immingham industrial area. Similar priorities are behind the Humber Industrial Cluster Plan and a project to guide the University of Hull through a net zero strategy which faces a specific challenge from the large proportion of listed buildings. INEOS and British Steel turned to Arup for advice on how to operate sustainably, but Catherine emphasises the service is not just for the giants of industry. “We put the strategies in place in terms of sustainability and show clients what’s possible so as businesses they can choose what to invest in,” she said. “SMEs are the same – they want to move forward but they don’t know if it’s worth the investment and whether they have the payback time. We are able to give them advice and we will talk to anybody who is interested.” Communities are at the heart of everything. Activity south of the Humber includes unlocking housing land and improving the town centre in Barton on Humber, where other businesses are already investing in the promise of better road links. The Siemens Mobility project has led to plans for new housing in Goole.

ABOVE: Catherine DarbyRoberts is a Chartered Engineer as well as experienced Project Leader ABOVE LEFT: Murdoch’s Connection provides a pedestrian link between the Fruit Market and the rest of Hull city centre BELOW LEFT: Siemens Mobility’s rail components facility in Goole

to be. It’s easy to design something thick and chunky but to design something attractive is more appealing.” Catherine was inspired by her involvement in Paradise Street, the Grosvenor Group project to regenerate Liverpool’s waterfront. “It was a really good experience and interesting in terms of the transformation of place,” she said. “Local pride in the city just wasn’t there but that changed – people took pride and there was a shift in the city following that work. It was similar in Hull, with the work to improve public spaces, making it safer to walk around and increase footfall. “We were able to look at the city and see where we thought intervention could be made. What we did was really good quality design that will stand the test of time. “When you drive into Hull and you see Murdoch’s Connection it’s super. What do we need as a region? Visual evidence that we are moving in the right direction and it is a modern city.” Current activity extends across the region. In Goole, Arup helped to find the site for Siemens Mobility to build its new rail components facility – convenient for

‘Sustainability is everything. Every opportunity is appraised based on how it helps to move us forward to be more sustainable’ In Hull, Arup is working with the City Council to provide a district heat network, with a series of pipes throughout the city which people will be able to connect with to lower their domestic bills and benefit from shared energy. There’s a theme here which Catherine reveals became a firm commitment after COP 26 in Edinburgh. “We moved away from doing any work associated with fossil fuels and we put a plan in place to become a net zero business ourselves,” she said. “Sustainability is everything. Every opportunity is appraised based on how it helps to move us forward to be more sustainable. One client wants to move to the Humber because we have a lot of wind turbines and they want to be seen as sustainable and green. I think there is real momentum here and real vision and people are moving forward. People UK-wide believe that this is a renewables and decarbonisation focused region and keeping that image and that strong brand identity is really important.” November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 7

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Chamber Policy

Chamber Policy Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce is the collective ‘voice’ of business across the Humber region representing the views and interests of our Members at local, regional and national levels.

he Chamber’s Hull Area Council meeting in October was attended by MP Emma Hardy, the Leader of Hull City Council Mike Ross and the Council’s Chief Executive and former Chamber President, Matt Jukes. Issues under discussion included employment, road and rail infrastructure and devolution. Emma gave the meeting a Parliamentary report and talked about her role as the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Modernising Employment, explaining how remote and hybrid working was now commonplace and in Hull it allowed the city to retain skilled people who may otherwise be lost to other regions. Emma said: “One of the biggest problems in this country is productivity and we are looking at how we can improve productivity. One of the problems we see in this area is that if people want to do well they feel they have to leave the city, and that is something we want and need to change.” During the round table discussion, members raised the traffic chaos which followed the closure of Myton Bridge recently to allow work on the A63 upgrade to continue. It was highlighted that since the cancellation of HS2, this has now become the most expensive civil engineering project in the UK with a price tag of £350m for about a mile of road. Jim Harris from St Stephen’s Shopping Centre and HullBID Executive Director Kathryn Shillito, voiced concerns that another planned closure could have a serious impact on Christmas trade for hard-pressed city centre retailers and it was agreed that all stakeholders would see if a better solution could be found through discussions with Highways England. The discussion then moved on to the progress of the Hull and East Yorkshire Devolution Deal. Cllr Mike Ross highlighted that Hull & East Riding were the last areas in this part of the world to have a devolution deal, but it was not a case of the City Council just getting any deal over the line – it had to be a good enough deal that met the Council’s requirements.

Council leaders and MP discuss A63 issues and devolution bid Chief Executive Matt Jukes explained: “We are talking to the Government about setting up a Combined Authority which would be at Level 3 and this would include an elected Mayor as part of that Combined Authority. “Both Hull and East Riding Councils would continue to exist through a Combined Authority where the Mayor would have control over certain issues.

‘This Government is ranking bids for things like investment zones for example, and Hull had missed out because we didn’t have an elected mayor’ 8 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

Matt continued: “There is a lot of lobbying going on and we are very keen for the business voice to make itself heard.” Ironically, after the failure to agree a panHumber arrangement the Council bosses highlighted that the bid was progressing in tandem with the Northern Lincolnshire Devolution deal and there would be a link between the North and South banks. “We expect the Humber Freeport will stand as it is and a Humber Energy Board which Chamber Board member Richard Gwilliam from Drax chairs, already works well across the Humber will continue,” explained Matt. “The timing for these devolution discussions is very tight with the Government wanting an announcement in the Autumn

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Chamber Policy

Corrine Barry (centre) pictured with Chamber President Albert Weatherill and the Chair of the Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council, Irene Keal

RWE outlines Net Zero plans

Hull City Council Leader Mike Ross (third from left) and former Hull Chamber President Matt Jukes (fourth from left) were among the attendees at the latest Hull Area Council meeting

Statement in November.” Emma Hardy said: “It is important to get the right deal and negotiations need to be cross-Party. She suggested not to rush something through to then find there were regrets about not getting the best deal possible.” Cllr Ross indicated: “The Council was clear about what it wants for the area, regardless of which Government is in power.” Matt Jukes added: “This Government is ranking bids for things like investment zones for example, and Hull had missed out because we didn’t have an elected mayor.” Deborah Gray from Hull College said: “We want to see a cross-Humber skills

delivery plan for adults’ skills because of the travel to work patterns around the Humber as it’s not what their employers are asking for. I have a responsibility to deliver 20,000 jobs for this region and I have to be able to say that the landscape for skills is fluid or businesses just won’t invest here”. Mike Ross said: “The business voice is really important so it is good to be at today’s Chamber meeting and this deal is eventually something that will go before the public and we have to get something that they will support. “Time is of the essence, we need the Government to come to the table to get a suitable deal over the line in what is a very tight timescale.”

The Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council, which met at Grimsby Institute recently, heard about RWE’s work in and around the Humber from its first UK East Coast Director for Net Zero, Corrine Barry. Corrine gave members an overview of her role in aligning RWE’s net zero ambitions with those of the Humber, Teesside and surrounding areas, supporting the decarbonisation of local industry. She also touched on the creation of new jobs, the development of a future skilled workforce and how the industry will benefit the local supply chain and communities. Corrine told the meeting that RWE is a German company which is responsible for 15% of the UK’s electricity generation, supplying more than 10 million homes. It is thought the company could be investing up to £15bn in the Humber by 2030 and part of that would be its next major project on Dogger Bank which will see the installation of a 3GW windfarm. The company’s primary focus was in the Humber as it was the biggest carbon emitter, along with Teeside. Talking about recruitment and training, Corinne echoed what other businesses tell the Chamber, that skills shortages are still a key issue. “We’ve recently advertised for some roles for our offshore work – we interviewed 75 people, but out of those we could only appoint 22.” On a positive note, she added: “We have just appointed four apprentices for our Grimsby hub and they are all female – and that wasn’t because we needed to tick some equality boxes, but because they were the best candidates – and that’s very encouraging.” November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 9

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Chamber Policy

ABOVE: The scrapping of the second section of HS2 was confirmed at the Conservative Party conference BELOW: Rishi Sunak has committed to upgrading and electrifying rails links in and around Hull

Chamber’s ‘cautious welcome’ for news of Hull to Leeds electrification plans ews that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised to electrify rail links to Hull has been cautiously welcomed by the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce. The news came as the PM took centre stage at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester to announce the scrapping of the remaining northern leg of HS2 linking Birmingham to Manchester – a move that has drawn fierce criticism from the elected mayors in the North West.

Hopes of rail electrification to Leeds have grown following the Government announcement 10 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

In the announcement Rishi Sunak promised £3bn to upgrade and electrify lines between Hull and Leeds and Hull and Sheffield, as well as Sheffield and Leeds and Manchester and Sheffield. The Chamber and several Humber MPs, along with our rail advisors, have campaigned

‘If it comes to pass, it will cut journey times from Hull to Leeds and beyond which is something that has been holding back this area for years’ long and hard for faster rail journeys across the Pennines to Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool, so the latest announcement is to be welcomed. The Chamber’s External Affairs Director David Hooper said: “On the face of it, this announcement is good news for the Humber

and it is the news we’ve lobbied for years to achieve, however, we all know there is an election looming, so we will feel much more excited about it when work actually begins on the promised electrification of the Hull to Selby stretch of line in particular. “All we’ve got so far is the announcement, no hint of timescales, but if it comes to pass, it will cut journey times from Hull to Leeds and beyond which is something that has been holding back this area for years. “I would add that the announcement does little to address the issues around freight traffic and congestion on the existing rail network – something HS2 would have helped to alleviate. We will be meeting with Rail Minister Huw Merriman in Westminster and will once again impress upon the latest Rail Minister the urgent need for him to deliver on these promises so the Humber can prosper.”

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Business Intelligence

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Member News

Member News The latest news, success stories and updates from members of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce.

Quarterly Economic Survey Q3 2023

Inflation bites as Humber firms feel pressure, quarterly survey reveals ost of the key economic indicators took a tumble in Quarter 3, according to the latest Quarterly Economic Survey research conducted by the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce. The fieldwork for the Quarter 3 survey was conducted before the Bank of England decided to hold interest rates in a split decision by the Monetary Policy Committee, with the Governor of the Bank, Andrew Bailey, who met Chamber business leaders in Hull last year, reported to have swung the decision with his casting vote. The cautious tone struck by Humber businesses in Quarter 2, followed by a further interest rate rise, has had a visible impact on business confidence among Humber firms. In the last three months, Home Sales dropped 24 points to a balance figure of –11, while Home Orders fared slightly better, dropping 16 points to a balance figure of –13 Export Sales also took a hit, dropping a further 29 points into negative territory to a balance figure of –60, while Export Orders fared slightly better, dropping four points to a balance figure of –58. Employment in the last three months also dropped slightly, down five points to 11, while, compared to Quarter 2, Expected Employment in the next three months dropped by half to a balance figure of 17. In the last three months, 59% of firms said they had tried to recruit staff, with most looking to fill full-time permanent positions, but businesses were also trying to recruit for part-time and temporary roles as well.

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Of those firms trying to recruit staff, 84% highlighted that they experienced difficulties. Skilled manual roles proved to be the most difficult to recruit for, while management positions were slightly easier to fill this time, with 19% fewer firms reporting difficulties. Clerical and unskilled and semi-skilled jobs were all more difficult to fill in Q3. Firms reported cashflow in the last three months was more challenging, with nine per cent more firms reporting concerns, taking the balance figure down to –16 from –7 last quarter.

‘The more positive sentiment we saw in the first quarter of the year seems to have evaporated in Quarter 3 as the economic conditions bite into business confidence’ However, Turnover expectations for the next 12 months was more positive, with 13 per cent more firms saying they expected to see an improvement, taking the balance figure up to 16 points. Profit expectations also improved slightly, with the balance figure rising by three points but remaining in negative territory at –7. Only 33% of firms reported that they were working at full capacity this quarter. In the next three months, prices were expected to rise, according to Humber business, with the biggest pressures on prices

being finance costs and other overheads, while inflation, competition and tax were the biggest external concerns in this survey. The Chamber’s External Affairs Director David Hooper said: “The more positive sentiment we saw in the first quarter of the year seems to have evaporated in Quarter 3 as the economic conditions bite into business confidence. “The clear note of caution we saw in Quarter 2 has now translated into falling orders, tighter cashflow, rising prices and higher finance costs. “Businesses in the Humber are increasingly concerned about inflation, finance and raw material costs which all put pressure on businesses facing fewer orders and increased competition, as highlighted by 43% of firms this quarter, compared to 28% of firms in the previous six months. “The Bank of England told Humber business leaders at our recent Chamber Council meeting that it hoped inflation had now peaked as the Bank paused the successive increases in the interest rates we’ve seen in recent months. Businesses around the Humber will be hoping that continues to be the case as inflation gradually recedes, but getting to the Government’s 2% target means there is still a long way to go and possibly more pain to come.”

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Member News

On the record With Angus Young These are the author’s views and not necessarily those of the Chamber.

ards on the table time. Seven years ago I voted for the UK to remain in the European Union. Since then, I’ve taken little pleasure in seeing just about every prediction, promise and pledge made by the Leave campaign fall apart at the seams. Instead, Brexit has become a kind of bad-smelling joke that no-one really wants to take responsibility for. Take, for example, a number of very large and expensive new buildings standing virtually empty and unused at various ports on the Humber. Hull’s state-of-the-art BCP at King George Dock cost a cool £15m yet remains largely mothballed. It’s the same story at Immingham and Killingholme.

‘Remember, over 50 per cent of UK food is imported and over 25 per cent is from the EU’

Caught in the middle of this epic fudging are bodies such as the Hull and Goole Port Health Authority, which has a statutory responsibility to ensure imported food products intended for human consumption will not seriously harm or even kill us. Remember, over 50% of UK food is imported and over 25% is from the EU. Between them, the Humber ports handle around two million tonnes of EU food each year.

Drone gives you a pot look Named after the ancient Egyptian goddess of magic, the Isis oil mill silo next to the River Hull is an immediately recognisable landmark in the city. Just like Goole’s ‘salt and pepper pot’ water towers and Grimsby’s dock tower, it’s both a reminder of the region’s industrial heritage and the grand architectural ambitions of an another era. Designed by Hull firm Gelder & Kitchen and constructed in 1912, the silo’s brick-clad exterior hides a reinforced concrete shell which, at the time, revolutionised the way such high-rise structures were built. While the surrounding redundant plant and machinery are set to be demolished as owners Cargill plan a major redevelopment of the site, the now empty silo will remain as a show-stopping centrepiece. It also means an unusual piece of graffiti from the silo’s days as a Royal Artillery antiaircraft gun battery during the Second World War will be preserved too.

Photo courtesy of Andy Medcalf Photography.

The referendum result and subsequent government policy to exit a frictionless crossborder trading system meant at the very least that new Border Control Posts (BCPs) were now required to carry out post-Brexit checks on food and plant imports as well as animal by-products arriving from the EU. When the UK finally left the EU’s Single Market and the Customs Union in January 2021, BCPs in European countries immediately started checks on goods arriving from the UK and implemented charges for doing so. After all, we had voted to be a Third Country. Nearly four years later, the UK has yet to introduce reciprocal checks while continuing to allow EU exporters free and unhindered access to the UK market. Daft or what? The implementation date has been postponed no fewer than five times with different reasons given on every occasion. At first it was logistical – some of the new BCPs weren’t ready and the necessary staff hadn’t been recruited. Then it was Covid followed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the cost of living crisis and, more recently, inflation was blamed for abandoning a start on 31 October. I’m waiting for a spell of bad weather to explain away delay number six when it inevitably happens next January.

Brexit has really harmed the Port of Hull

Faced with a huge increase in its workload, the HGPHA needs to employ more inspectors to carry out the necessary checks but currently can’t recruit because of the government’s everchanging goalposts. Having already gone through one painful process of employing new staff only to then make them redundant last year thanks to yet another delay, you can understand the authority’s dilemma. No government minister had openly admitted the real reason for the delays until Jacob Rees Mogg let the cat out the bag in a TV interview at the time of the fourth delay in April last year. “This would have been an act of self-harm had we gone ahead with it. It would have increased costs for people,” said the then minister for Brexit opportunities. “Some costs would have been quite significant. If you look at cheese, you would be talking an increase of 71 per cent maximum level on the retail price. At that level, goods would just not have come in.” In other words, rocketing prices, empty shelves and less choice - not the sort of phrases you’re likely to see plastered over battle buses in the run-up to next year’s general election.

For the words ‘Leeds Rifles’ and ‘66 RA’ (inset) are etched on one of three rooftop steel domes courtesy of the unit stationed there in 1941. Impossible to see from the ground, this drone image shot by Andy Medcalf Photography captures this unlikely forerunner to today’s nearby street-based graffiti-inspired artworks known as the Bankside Gallery.

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Member News

Businesses urged to back the return of Viking festival G rimbarians and visitors are calling for Grimsby’s Viking Festival to return next year after thousands attended the 2023 event. Grim FalFest drew huge crowds to People’s Park, St James’ Square and the waterfront over the three-day festival which included a longship display heralding the arrival of Grim and his Vikings, as well as medieval villages, battle re-enactments and a horse parade. Grim FalFest was delivered by VESR CIC (Visitor Economy Services and Retail group), in partnership with Heritage Lincolnshire, to celebrate the town’s proud Viking heritage and continuing links with Scandinavia. Focus now turns to 2024 and generating the support of local businesses which is key for the event’s return next year. As the current project, which was launched with support from The Heritage Lottery Fund, comes to an end, it’s clear the appetite is there for its return. In a post-event survey, 99.8% of visitors said they would attend Grim FalFest if it was to return next year. The independent survey showed that People’s Park alone had over 8,800 visitors with 78% of them from North East Lincolnshire and the vast majority being families with children. Julia Thompson, Chair of VESR CIC, said: “We were thrilled to see so many visitors and families enjoying the event. Grim is our town’s founder and his story will always have a special place in our town’s history. We would like to thank the local traders, suppliers, schools and groups who came together to make the event such a success.”

Comments from visitors include: “It is the best thing that has happened in the town in years and it made me proud to live here.” “Events like this are really important as they bring our history to life. This is how you get children interested in history, especially local history.” “Huge thanks to everyone involved, it was a pleasure to come visit Grimsby and I love the pride you take in the town and its Viking heritage. Keep up the awesome work, maybe a longer festival next year?” 14 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

Grimsby’s-own James Nuttall was invited to step into the shoes of Grim for this year’s event. A maintenance engineer in the seafood industry by day, James said: “I felt so honoured to represent Grim, our town’s founder. I only got into re-enacting after last

year’s event and got hooked on his story. The reaction from children and visitors this year was amazing. It means so much for our town and would mean so much to everyone for it to return.” Tracy Stringfellow, CEO of Heritage Lincolnshire, said: “This year’s event really demonstrated the impact of Grim FalFest. There was a brilliant atmosphere and it really delivered a fun event in the heart of the town. Events like this are vital in helping people find out about the significance of the place they call home.” With an overwhelming groundswell of support for the popular festival to continue, organisers are already in discussions with businesses to explore their support moving forward. Follow @grimfalfest on social media to keep in touch with the latest updates.

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Member News

Chamber membership now includes five new advice lines – HR, Legal, H&S, tax and VAT Three document libraries – HR, H&S and legal – almost 800 template documents plus lots more information. he Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce has invested in its membership offer and has recently launched four important new services to support Humber businesses which are now included as part of the Chamber package. Chamber HR, Chamber H&S, Chamber Legal and Chamber Tax are all now available to members and are free to use as often as they like. Chamber members also have access to a huge library of around 800 downloadable documents and templates covering employment, health and safety, tax and legal matters. All the new services can be accessed by one phone number which gives members immediate advice and support via five advice lines – HR, H&S, Legal, Tax and VAT These new services represent a major investment by the Chamber in its membership offer. The services are part of a national scheme provided by Quest with 45,000 UK Chamber of Commerce users.

David Hooper, The Chamber’s External Affairs Director, said: “Businesses are facing challenging times at the moment and these new services offer excellent support to all businesses, whatever size they may be. I believe these new services will protect our members, help them stay compliant, particularly with issues around Covid-19 like HR and H&S requirements, and give them peace of mind. “Our new services are employer focused, so the HR line for example, can help businesses deal with redundancy procedures, appraisals or disciplinary procedures and comes with access to experienced advisors for hand-holding support when they need it, or provide access to documents which are regularly updated to reflect the latest rules and regulations. “The Health and Safety package offers unlimited advice and access to documents like H&S policies, risk assessment templates and the offer of free One2One reviews. Chamber Legal provides unlimited access to experienced

legal advisors and a library of documents, while Chamber Tax provides access to tax and VAT advisors who can be a great help at tax return time!” Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly said: “We are delighted to be able to include these excellent new benefits as part of our membership package. They provide expert advice and support on many key aspects of running a business and I would encourage our members to make good use of these new, premium services.” Members only can call 01455 852037 for immediate support and assistance. For more information, contact the Hull and East Yorkshire office: 01482 324976 or email j.harrison@hull-humberchamber.co.uk, or the Northern Lincolnshire Office: 01472 342981 or email a.tate@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk

November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 15

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Member News

Awards are a chance to share your success ullBID is urging its member businesses to step up, share their success stories and claim their place in the spotlight at its annual awards. The ceremony on Friday 23 February 2024 will showcase the best the city centre business community has to offer and also mark the 10th anniversary of the launch of the awards. Prestige Recruitment Specialists, an awardwinning business based in Hull and dating back more than 30 years, has signed up as the main sponsor of the awards. Entry is free and applications and shortlisted businesses will quality for four free tickets for the big celebration night at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. Extra tickets can be purchased at a discount. Kathryn Shillito, HullBID Executive Director, said: “It’s quite something to think about how the awards have progressed since 2014 and to recall the achievements of so many fantastic city centre businesses. We experienced an electric atmosphere from the outset when we launched the awards at Hull Truck Theatre. Things have really taken off since then and we are really grateful to Prestige Recruitment Specialists – who won the Contribution to the

HullBID Executive Director Kathryn Shillito welcoming guests to the 2023 HullBID Awards

Community Award in 2022 – for supporting us as main sponsors in a milestone year. “Every year we have attracted more competitors representing a wider range of business sectors. The standards are improving and the categories are evolving to reflect the changes in the world of business – ten years ago health and wellbeing within businesses wasn’t high on the agenda but this has evolved and we introduced a category to reflect this. “It’s all about giving BID member businesses a chance to shine at the end of another year of innovation, enterprise and sheer hard work and there really is something for everybody. They can enter as a business, or can nominate themselves as individuals, and they can put colleagues forward as a thankyou for their amazing efforts. Importantly, applications in support of any BID business are also welcomed from the public. “Those who make the shortlist can come along to the glittering ceremony and enjoy a spectacular party night in a magnificent venue – dinner, dancing and a drink or two with friends and colleagues from the city centre business community. The 2023 edition attracted over 330 people to the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel earlier this year and we expect demand to be even higher this time.” To view the awards categories, complete the simple application procedure or find out how to get tickets for the ceremony visit hullbidevents.co.uk. Various sponsorship opportunities are available. For details please contact Kathryn Shillito at kathryn@hullbid.co.uk

Heald secures deal for German subsidiary British perimeter security manufacturer Heald Ltd has announced it has established a German subsidiary. The firm, located in Hornsea, East Yorkshire design and manufacture unique hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) solutions, including road blockers and bollards to protect pedestrians and high profile locations from the risk of vehicle attacks. Global installs include Avinor Airport, Norway, the World Trade Centre and UN building New York City and multiple other locations around the globe. Having originally established a presence in Germany in 2021 which saw its Matador product, a patent-protected sliding bollard solution, securing Christmas Markets in the city of Mainz, Heald has made a strategic decision to establish a permanent presence in the region to better support the security requirements of the country and its new customers. 16 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

The firm specialises in bollards and road blockers

Security industry professional Michael Dahinten, has also been recruited to lead the sales of the German business as the Managing Director of Sales (Germany) for Heald GmbH. Debbie Heald MBE, the company’s owner and Managing Director, said: “With recent changes in global trade, establishing a presence in Germany enables us to be better positioned

to serve the German market and enhance levels of customer service and satisfaction. Having worked with Michael previously, he has a solid understanding of our industry including the very important topic of hostile vehicle mitigation, he is familiar with our products and the way we work, so is the perfect addition to our team. We look forward to continuing to expand our European presence as one of the global leader’s in high security perimeter security.” Michael Dahinten added: “I am delighted to join the team at Heald and look forward to helping grow the German market, protecting sites with high quality unique products. Heald is known worldwide as one of the best in the industry, so it's a very exciting time which I am really looking forward to.” For information visit: www.heald.uk.com

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Member News

November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 17

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Member News first look at a new landmark building set to be created in the heart of Cleethorpes has been revealed. A three-storey building will be constructed at the former Waves site on the corner of Sea Road and the Promenade, comprising of state-of-theart public amenities and changing facilities, as well as commercially lettable space across all floors of the building, which may include different providers in retail and hospitality. A planning application was approved in 2020, but work on the scheme was delayed due to the pandemic. Now, as works draw closer, minor amends to the existing planning application have been submitted. The building is now proposed to include a pergola on the first floor to enable outdoor seating area, and additional information has been included in the application about the configuration of the doors and windows, and also about the materials proposed to be used on the building. Earlier this year, preparatory works were done on the site, pending the development of the site. And in the coming months, more information will be released about the site, and those of the neighbouring Pier Gardens and Market Place as those developments move forward. The three Cleethorpes projects, made possible by £18.4m of Government Levelling Up Funding (LUF) awarded to North East Lincolnshire Council, will see the transformation of Cleethorpes seafront.

Landmark building set to make waves The vision is to regenerate three key areas of the resort: 1. Redevelop the Sea Road site opposite the Pier to provide a tourism destination. It will include state-of-the-art public amenities and changing facilities, as well as commercially lettable space across all floors of the building, which may include different providers in retail and hospitality. 2. Rejuvenate the historic Market Place for social interaction, reconnecting our busy seafront and town centre, creating jobs and

boosting the economy. This scheme proposes major improvements to the square and the reintroduction of a functioning marketplace. 3. Regenerate Pier Gardens, retaining the Victorian heritage and feel, but incorporating various new activities. In the Masterplan consultation, people wanted to see more made of the gardens, with additional seating, planting to increase biodiversity, and improved areas for children’s play, events and performances, and spaces for reflection and contemplation.

Region will benefit as a ‘Heritage Place’ North East Lincolnshire can build on the past, but through the lens of ‘the now’ its people can see their deep and rich connection to the sea, and also learn from their heritage. In a major boost to its heritage and cultural work, the borough was recently named as one of the UK’s initial nine ‘Heritage Places’ by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), securing priority investment for the next 10 years.

Restoration of the Victorian balconies on Alexandra Road in Cleethorpes

18 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

With 11 more areas to be announced, in total there is a dedicated funding pot of £200m for North East Lincolnshire and the other 19 areas between now and 2033. The 20 places have been chosen based on their ‘heritage needs, opportunities and potential’. Announcing the long-term Heritage Places project, Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of the NLHF, said: “Our Heritage Places is designed to support in challenging times, to achieve even greater impact, and commits our funding for the long-term.” Cllr Hayden Dawkins, North East Lincolnshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Heritage, said: “We are delighted to have been selected as a ‘Heritage Place’ and look forward to continuing to work closely with the Heritage Fund to support our communities to explore their heritage. It is amazing when you stop and consider the dedication and enthusiasm being displaye d by a growing number of people and organisations in North East Lincolnshire – all who have a desire to see us all enjoy arts, culture and heritage and also learn and grow. Everyone here at the Council thanks all those involved, and we are excited to see what the future brings. This also builds on the

The new OnSide Horizon Youth Zone

regeneration of our borough and will complement the vast amount of work being done to transform our area.” O ver the last few years, Heritage Fund support has been crucial to the borough’s journey of rediscovery, of reinvention and planning for the future. North East Lincolnshire has been the benefactor of some fantastic support to help enrich its own history, heritage and culture, which has supported wider investment through the funding from the Towns Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Arts Council England.

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Member News Louise Bell pictured with her horse wearing an EDIX Saddle

An artist’s impression of the planned development on Sea Road in Cleethorpes

Councillor Hayden Dawkins, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Visitor Economy, said: “Cleethorpes has a wealth of assets that can enable it to be at the forefront of regeneration. The Sea Road building will help to develop the council’s ambition of a yearround visitor economy and its appeal as a distinctive landmark will draw visitors seeking a place to meet and socialise. It will form an important part of the town’s strategy to unlock private sector investment, creating a safe and flexible multifunctional space, that serves both residents and visitors.”

Equestrian firm is sitting pretty after saddle deal Bell4Branding, UK suppliers of equestrian equipment, from EDIX Saddles to Equine Clothing, are riding high with a new deal. Founded by equine enthusiast Louise Bell in 2020, the customer focused online company has rapidly emerged as a leading provider of premium equine products and riding equipment for horse lovers across the UK. More recently Bell4Branding had partnered with EDIX Saddles giving riders a comfortable, bespoke, perfect saddle fit.

Louise Bell, Director of Bell4Branding, said: “After a year-long quest to find the ideal Western saddle for my horse, I discovered the incredible value and quality of EDIX Saddles. Their innovative features, including interchangeable gullets and treeless design, provide a solution to the perfect fit. Impressed by my personal experience, I am now proud to be an authorised dealer of EDIX Saddles.” Visit: www.bell4branding.co.uk

November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 19

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Lincoln Court residents enjoy the 60th anniversary celebrations

Celebrating 60 successful years esidents at Lincoln Court, Scunthorpe held an anniversary celebration recently to celebrate 60 years since it opened. Lincoln Court is one of Ongo’s retirement living schemes and has 68 apartments, communal space, a games room and large garden areas. A photo booth, games, tombola, party food and cake were on offer at the celebration, along with the official opening of a commemorative bench. More than 60 people attended, including residents’ families and Ongo colleagues. Oliver Mortimer, Customer Engagement & Information Officer at Ongo, said: “It was a lovely day all round.

received and the new memorial bench. I’m a huge advocate for involving people and I’m delighted with how it’s gone. “Days like this are so important to keep the community going, and especially for old people who can so easily fall into isolation. “Particularly since Covid it has been a lot

‘It was a perfect way to bring the community together to mark the special occasion’ “The Lincoln Court Social Committee and fellow residents went above and beyond to make the day the best it could be. Everybody was happy and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. “It was a perfect way to bring the community together to mark the special occasion, and the bench was a heartfelt tribute which will have a lasting legacy at the scheme.” Residents at Lincoln Court, along with 17 other groups, benefitted from Ongo’s Community Grant project earlier this year. They were awarded £2,000 to purchase the commemorative bench in tribute to three residents from the scheme, plus install additional decking. Carol, organiser of the event and Ongo tenant said: “Today commemorates 60 years of Lincoln Court, celebrates the grant we 20 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

more difficult to get people on board, but we’ve been chipping away, keeping the spirit up and we’re starting to see more people attend things we organise. “I’d like to say a big thank you to all those that have been involved in organising and helping to make the day such a success.”

...and a brand new offering A total of 40 homes, costing in the region of £5.2m, have been handed over in the small town of Winterton, close to Scunthorpe. The site includes 21 three-bedroom and seven two-bedroom homes, 12 twobedroom bungalows and a large communal greenspace for families to enjoy. Homes are for affordable rent, which is in high demand across the region, and rent to buy, making getting on the property ladder more accessible. Each home has been carefully designed for modern living with functional spaces and lots of natural light. Anne who moved into one of the homes said: “We needed a bungalow desperately due to ill health and struggling with the stairs. This one came up and when we came to view, I burst into tears because I was just so happy. It’s beautiful, I can’t believe how lucky we’ve been. “The neighbours are nice, we’re surrounded by fields, we’ve got a big garden, walk in shower, everything is so lovely, and it’s made such a difference.” The site was awarded Secured by Design (SBD) Gold status in August, for its specialist crime cutting design and layout.

New resident Anne with partner Keith

Research shows SBD developments experience up to 87% less burglary, 25% less vehicle crime and 25% less criminal damage. Georgie McGuire, Development Project Manager at Ongo, said: “This site has been a delight to work on, the homes are beautiful and we’ve had lots of positive feedback from tenants moving in.” To find out more about Ongo or their upcoming development plans, follow them on social media or visit www.ongo.co.uk

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Member News

Beach bench rises from the ashes he Cleethorpes Buck Beck Beach Bench has seen a new addition to it as local accountancy firm Forrester Boyd presented a commemorative plaque to the original founders of the bench, to recognise the community spirit and camaraderie shown during Operation Phoenix, which saw the rebuild commence following a fire in May. Staff at Forrester Boyd were saddened when they heard the news of the fire. Since the launch of Operation Phoenix, so many people have helped to rebuild the bench and the accountancy firm wanted to do something to commemorate the collaboration of the community, their togetherness and determination to rebuild the bench. Philip George, Business Development Partner at the accountancy firm, said: “After reading about the fire and then the launch of Operation Phoenix, we thought it would be a nice gesture to commission something to commemorate the work that everyone has done in rebuilding the beach landmark. I approached Zoe Baker, a local talented carpenter to ask if she could bring our ideas to life. She has more than delivered upon that with this 3D wooden shield.” The shield is adorned with a phoenix rising from the flames, along with a plaque to commemorate the rebuild of the bench. Alison Mitchell, Marketing Manager from

L-R FRONT: Guy Bryant, Felix Taylor, Will Sampson and Mark Drant. BACK: Philip George and son, Zoe Baker, Nick Albion, Jamie Parker and Alison Mitchell

Forrester Boyd, contacted the original founders of the bench to arrange to meet and present them with the shield so they could affix it to the bench for all to enjoy. Nick Albion, one of the original founders,

said: “This is absolutely fantastic. I am humbled that Forrester Boyd would do this. When Alison first approached me and told me about what they had done, you could not wipe the huge smile off my face.”

November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 21

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Member News

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22 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

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Member News

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November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 23

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Spotlight Feature: Logistics, Freight & Transportation

Spotlight Feature In this issue we take a look at the Logistics, Freight & Transportation and Creative Industries sectors.

Make sure you clock time bars John Habergham (pictured), specialist shipping and transport lawyer at Myton Law, assesses the implications for cargo owners and logistics providers of a recent Court of Appeal case.

n May this year, in the case of FIMBank plc v KCH Shipping Co Ltd The Court of Appeal held that under the Hague-Visby Rules the one-year limitation period for bringing a claim regarding the mis-delivery of goods after discharge from a vessel applies. The Court ruling closed a gap in existing case law and has implications for cargo owners and their carriers. The claimant, FIMBank, had taken a pledge over the bills of lading and cargo (coal) as security, so it stood in the same position as the cargo owners. KCH was the contractual carrier. They had issued a number of “order” bills of lading, which incorporated the terms of a voyage charterparty, which in turn included the Hague-Visby Rules. The Hague-Visby Rules are an international convention regulating the carriage of goods by sea. Article III, rule 6 was the main focus of the Court of Appeal. It reads: “… the carrier and the ship shall in any event be discharged from all liability whatsoever in respect of the goods, unless suit is brought within one year of their delivery or of the date when they should have been delivered ….”. The cargo was discharged from the vessel between 1 and 18 April 2018 against letters of indemnity. It was then placed in discharge port stockpiles. The bank claimed mis-delivery of the cargo after discharge from the stockpiles under the authority of delivery orders. It was unable to recover the cargo or to recover payment for its loss. It was accepted between the parties that delivery by the carrier without production of a bill of lading was a breach of contract with strict liability. The bank served a notice of arbitration on the carrier on 24 April 2020, which was more than one year after delivery of the goods i.e. after the expiry of the one-year time bar. The vessel claimed that it had for that reason been discharged from liability. However, the bank argued that the time bar had no application to post-discharge losses – the Rules are there 24 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

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Spotlight Feature: Logistics, Freight & Transportation

‘All in all, it was a wake-up call for cargo owners and for freight forwarders acting on their behalf’

Cargo owners and freight forwarders need to be wary of time bars

to regulate the carriage of goods by sea and not the delivery obligations and that the period of their application ends on discharge from the vessel. The Court disagreed. It looked at the wide language of Hague-Visby Rules – “from all liability whatsoever in respect of the goods”, and this was the tipping point. It was noted that in the majority of instances, delivery took place after discharge and not coterminous with it. From this, the Court inferred that the time bar wording must have been drafted to capture delivery after discharge. Effectively, the Court is saying that the Rules, including the time bar element, apply beyond the carriage of goods at sea to anything ancillary to the carriage of goods at sea, so to discharging, storage and delivery. All in all, it was a wake-up call for cargo owners and for freight forwarders acting on their behalf. The time bar in the Hague-Visby Rules applies beyond the transfer of goods over the ship’s rail. So, don’t assume there is no time bar to bringing a case of mis-delivery and deal with such cases in a timely manner.

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Spotlight Feature: Logistics, Freight & Transportation

Choosing the right logistics partner for you Finding the right logistics partner is of the utmost importance for exporters. There is more to the role than delivering products to your customers – a good logistics partner should also be able to improve supply chain efficiency, effectively manage costs and enhance your customer service. Business Intelligence looks at what to consider when choosing a logistics partner.

Price You may be tempted to choose the partner that is the cheapest, but be warned – a logistics provider that does not meet your needs or expectations could wind up costing you more in the long run. Normally the costs should include transportation, warehouse storage, packaging and shipping, but check that the pricing model is transparent and there aren’t any ‘hidden’ charges you may encounter. Is there a monthly minimum payment? Are you being offered an introductory fee that will be increased in a few months’ time? Do they offer money back guarantees if you’re unhappy with their service? Reputation There are a lot of logistics companies out there, so it stands to reason that some of them are going to better than others. The reputation of your chosen partner is important – after all, the reputation of your business stands to be affected by the competence and expertise (or lack thereof) of your supply chain. If your logistics partner does a bad job it will reflect badly on you, and you may lose customers because of their mistakes. Check online reviews, social media and testimonials. Customer service Alongside reputation, customer service is another key factor to consider. If something goes wrong in your supply chain, or if there are costly delays, you need to be 26 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

‘Will your chosen partner make you feel like a priority, or will they prioritise the needs of larger firms? Will you have a dedicated agent to speak to, or will you be left to the mercy of a chat bot?’ sure that the issues will be communicated clearly and swiftly dealt with. Will your chosen partner make you feel like a priority, or will they prioritise the needs of larger firms? Will you have a dedicated agent to speak to, or will you be left to the mercy of a chat bot? Do they offer 24/7 customer service, or will any weekend issues be left until Monday morning? Services & expertise On the face of it, the primary service offered by a logistics partner is the transport of goods from one place to another. However, not every logistics partner will offer the same services, or the same level of expertise. Food and drink exporters will need, for example, a partner that can transport chilled and/or frozen goods, while partners that operate on a small scale will not be the best option for exporters that require large-scale distribution.

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Spotlight Feature: Logistics, Freight & Transportation

Keep in mind your particular needs and make sure your chosen partner can meet them. Technology Does your chosen partner offer the latest technology innovations, or are their operations slow and antiquated? Technology plays a huge role in smooth and efficient delivery, and a partner with extensive technology at their fingertips can help you save both time and money. Warehouse automation will provide you with up-todate reports at every stage in the process and allow you track your shipments from warehouse to customer, while a web-based booking system will allow you to submit an order at any time, anytime, making the process much faster and smoother. Safety & security Your chosen partner will both store and transport your goods, so if you want them to arrive on time and in one piece it’s vital that you check their safety awareness and operations if you don’t want to put your products are risk. Ask to see their storage facilities and enquire about their packaging and shipping processes. Are staff properly trained? How are accidents managed and mitigated? What security systems do they have in place to protect goods at every stage of the journey? November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 27

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Spotlight Feature: Creative Industries

Creativity in the workplace Many workplaces are looking to innovate in order to stay competitive in a rapidly changing word. But innovation is impossible without creativity – so how can you foster a culture of creativity and encourage your employees to think outside the box? Encourage ideas Start your journey to creating a more creative workforce by simply letting your employees know that you value their ideas. While teamwork is important, you don’t want your employees to feel as though they are blending into the woodwork or are just another cog in the machine – you want their ideas and their individuality to have an opportunity to shine. Do your employees feel like they can come to you when they have an idea on how to improve the workplace or your products and services? A suggestion box is one way to encourage your staff to bring you their ideas. They can even leave suggestions anonymously, which will help if anyone feels too anxious to speak their mind freely. Employees will respond well if they know that their employer values them as a unique individual, not simply another worker. Act on good ideas It’s not enough to simply listen to good ideas, you have to act on them (or at the very least, provide valuable feedback). If suggestions are ignored your employees may stop providing them all together. If you act on someone’s idea, make sure they get the recognition they deserve and involve them in the process. For example, if they had an idea on how to improve a product bring them into the discussions with the manufacturer. Hire diverse talent Behind every innovative company is a dynamic and diverse team. Diversity in the workplace greatly contributes to creativity – if your workforce has too many similarities in background, education and experience, then it’s likely that their ideas will sound similar too.

Fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce will also create new opportunities for growth and help you stand out among your competitors. Provide a stimulating workspace Your office space can go a long way in helping to promote creativity. Light: natural light is ideal, but if that’s not possible, consider lighting that best simulates daylight. Colour: it goes without saying, but beige walls aren’t exactly inspiring. Use colour wisely; pastel tones, which lend themselves better to more relaxing areas, are perfect for break rooms, while vibrant tones are better for spaces where creative thinking takes place, such as conference rooms. Live plants can provide splashes of colour around the workplace and also promote feelings of happiness and calm. Noise and layout: while quiet areas are good for focus, research shows that ambient background noise can encourage creativity. It’s a fine balance though, as constant interruptions will obviously hinder good work. Consider offering a balance of private workspaces, collaborative table setups and comfortable places where your employees can work without interruption. Be flexible Your employees might find it hard to think outside the box when they’re working in a rigid environment, but a change in scenery has been proven to help boost creativity. Options include allowing employees to work from home a few days a week and offering flexible hours, as opposed to the standard nineto-five. A more flexible work policy can help increase work productivity too, as it can cut down on commute time and allow for a healthier work-life balance.

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‘Employees will respond well if they know that their employer values them as a unique individual, not simply another worker’ November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 29

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Focus on: Nunny’s Farm

Chamber’s £500 aids pet projects at Nunny’s Farm

ollowing a visit to Nunny’s Farm members of the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce decided it was such a worthy cause, they wanted to help. The visit to the farm came as part of its North East Lincolnshire Area Council meeting in June where members chatted with owners Neil and Jo and met some of the animals. Members were so inspired by the Farm’s story that they returned in October with a cheque for £500 to help with the costs of running the farm and feeding its animals. Nunny’s Farm is located in what is still one of Grimsby’s most deprived areas. Neil and Jo’s idea came from the concept of using animals for therapy and interaction, with the couple wanting to give something back to the neighbourhood. Interacting with animals can help with confidence, social skills and also provide a sensory experience. It provides an oasis of calm, support and love, where the couple who met through their careers in the prison service spent lockdown building their dream of a new career focused on helping the people they used to lock up change their paths and find a different way. Receiving the cheque on behalf of Neil and Jo, were military veteran Geoff Wheeler and Claire Adlard, along with Tracey Good who runs Centre4.

Kay gets acquainted with the alpacas

decking area overlooking the farm if they get planning approval from the council.” Nunny’s Farm is a Community Interest Company (CIC) and is a petting farm for everyone, offering people the opportunity to be more at one with nature and meeting the animals which can have huge physical and mental health benefits. The first animals at the farm were five chickens, followed by two pot-bellied pigs and African pygmy goats. It is now home to a donkey, a Shetland pony, Highland cattle, pigs, alpacas, goats, guinea pigs and sheep to name just some of the latest arrivals.

‘People can see what we’ve got here if they come. The money gets put back into the community’ Geoff said: “The farm is very grateful for this cheque from the Chamber of Commerce. Any help with looking after the animals keeps the farm going and helps to raise awareness that this farm and places like it always need help. “People can see what we’ve got here if they come. The money gets put back into the community. The animals are great for children and coming here allows them to get close to them and that’s great. We have even created a maze, which is good fun. We now also have a marquee for birthday parties or for any group to use, but the farm is essentially a quiet place for people to come and relax.” Geoff also explained to members the farm’s plans for a new visitor centre and cafe with a 30 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

The maze at Nunny’s Farm

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FOCUS ON:

Nunny’s Farm The story of Nunny’s Farm is inspirational, and one of Grimsby’s best kept secrets. They have even rehomed some animals from the Jungle in Cleethorpes, which closed recently. The farm’s volunteers hope people will offer help because they want to support what they are doing to change the lives of local residents and visitors. That help could be in the form of timber to build more stockades and homes for the growing number of animals, various types of food for the animals, although there are strict rules around what can be donated, skills,

Geoff Wheeler receives the cheque for £500 from the Chamber’s Membership and Marketing Executive Kay Hudson watched by (from left) Claire Adlard, Irene Keal and Tracey Good

and simply the time of trades people to wire things up, plumbers to plumb things in, or obviously cash donations to help them keep the place going. The farm also features a plant-based tea room, birthday party barn, toilets and a farm shop, and has an open space which can be hired for workshops and group activities. They also offer animal adoptions, volunteering opportunities and one-on-one sessions with the animals, and are always putting on sessions for pony and sheep walking and can

provide educational experiences from groups and schools. Everybody is welcome – they need more volunteers at the farm which supports families, the unemployed, veterans and people with mental health issues and anyone else who needs a place of sanctuary, and some peace and quiet. If you can help Nunny’s Farm, give them a call on 01472 236676 email them at admin@nunnysfarmcic.org or just pop in and say hello at 17a Wootton Rd, Grimsby DN33 1HE.

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Sector Focus: International Trade

Sector Focus The latest news from the International Trade, Legal & Finance, Skills & Training, Manufacturing and Motoring industries.

Coming to your international rescue ChamberCustoms – celebrating excellence! The Hull and Humber Chamber's team of accredited customs agents has recently been part of a brand-new compliance audit framework created by the British Chambers of Commerce and we are delighted to announce that they passed with flying colours! ChamberCustoms is the only agent in the UK with access to all UK air, sea, and land port terminals and we pride ourselves on achieving the highest level of compliance for the customers we work with, ensuring all HMRC requirements are met for every single shipment. To ensure this level of compliance for our customers, our agents are regularly audited by a team of customs specialists from the ChamberCustoms head office team to ensure only the highest standards are being provided to our customers. Furthermore, our agents are only able to submit declarations once they have successfully passed an exam with APMG. Our team works with businesses of various sizes and sectors, handling simple entries to the more complex customs procedures.

Chambers’ Trade Academy As part of our commitment to support businesses to navigate their international trade journey, we are pleased to be offering a series of free virtual sessions in partnership with a selected group of UK Chambers across the country. The purpose of these sessions is to provide general insights into exporting, importing and customs, as well as to update traders with the latest changes in regulations and provide tips on how to grow globally. Further sessions include: Quick Guide to US Export Controls, Logistics for Traders, Export-Import Process and Responsibilities. If you have an area of expertise and would like to be involved with the Chambers’ Trade Academy and present to our importing and exporting audience, please get in touch with l.holt@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk

Skills Bootcamp in Import & Export – places still available! The Skills Bootcamp in Import & Export continues to be extremely popular with individuals and employers alike. The delegates on our third programme are due to complete their training and receive their certificates later this month. The Skills Bootcamp provides an opportunity to participate in a funded programme of support delivered by an expert team of international trade experts giving learners the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and support towards advancing their career. Our dedicated training programme will help Learners develop the knowledge and skills required to successfully work in an import and/or export related role as well as gain the nationally recognised BCC Foundation Award in International Trade. There are a few places still available on our Skills Bootcamp starting on 30 November 2023. Contact Jane at j.whitehead@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk for more details.

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From left: CEO Peter Brown with Stuart Dean, Colin Moody, Carl Andrew, Dominic Yeardley and Paul Allon

Logistics business looks to the future eill & Brown Global Logistics has made the largest change to its board in four decades. The well-known family business headquartered in Hessle near Hull, has appointed three new directors to help oversee its next phase of growth. Long-term employee Stuart Dean has been made portable movements operations director. He joins the board along with newcomers Paul Allon, the company’s new finance director and Dominic Yeardley, the new Commercial Director. The trio join CEO Peter Brown, managing director Colin Moody and logistics director Carl Andrew. Finance director Ian Halder is retiring after 13 years with the company. Peter Brown said he was confident they would all make a positive contribution to the next stage of Neill & Brown’s journey. “These senior appointments have been made as the initial stage of a broader succession strategy and we expect them to play a significant role in increasing our stronghold in the UK,

European and worldwide logistics industry from our base in the Humber,” he said. “We have seen consistent growth over the last 20 years while maintaining our family business philosophy, and we will always strive to hold on to this for the benefit of customers. “I would like to publicly thank Ian Halder for his hard work, commitment and sound advice, and wish him a very happy retirement.” Stuart Dean has been with the company for 18 years as a manager in the Portable Movements Department and has a wealth of knowledge in European abnormal load distribution, such as the export of mobile buildings. Dominic Yeardley has more than 30 years’ experience in UK & European logistics and has a solid all-round knowledge of the industry. Paul Allon has more than 15 years’ experience across the manufacturing and construction sectors in which he has led mergers and acquisitions and helped transform companies’ IT and HR functions.

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Volunteers from AaGlobal clearing a waterway at Victoria Dock

Languages team splash out to help charity projects he team behind a leading language services business are going in at the deep end to support charities and community projects across the region. From running to raise money, to weeding out waste in waterways the staff at AaGlobal’s head office in Hull are giving up their time and using their skills to go above and beyond with their social value commitment. Other projects have included donning Christmas jumpers in a drive to help food banks, and working with a community health project to aid communication with people who do not speak English as a first language. The partnership with Healthwatch also helps to pave the way to interpreting and translation careers for people who need to gain experience.

Kirk Akdemir, CEO of AaGlobal, said: “From day one even when we were a much smaller business with a core of just two or three people we always felt we should give back to society as we work across so many different communities. “We also employ people from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures in our Hull-based team of more than 30 people and

‘As we have grown it’s only fair that we have expanded our community activities as well’ among our 15,000 translators and interpreters worldwide, and we recognise that we have opportunities to help people to integrate in the wider communities.”

AaGlobal continued its support for Race for Life with a big turnout for the summer event in Hull

Team members wore Christmas jumpers to support a local food bank

Working with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) Hull and Humber, AaGlobal’s workers jumped nearly waist deep into a waterway at Victoria Dock to clear algae, weeds and litter. They also helped TCV build a footpath at a playing field in Hull. In another project, AaGlobal sent a team to visit the Maxlife Youth Project which works with people aged 10-25, their families and communities to combat the effects of stress and isolation which were exacerbated by the pandemic. The project uses food as a social tool and the company’s volunteers became involved in welcoming people into the dining area, serving meals and clearing up afterwards, with the whole experience promoting engagement and communication. The support is delivered yearround with the jazzy jumpers helping to feed struggling families at Christmas and the summer seeing the AaGlobal team taking part in the Race for Life, maintaining a long-term commitment to cancer charities.

Elsewhere in the Hull area AaGlobal has helped organisations including the Northern Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA), the WISHH charity supporting Hull Hospitals, Butterflies Memory Loss Support Group and Fitmums and Friends. As the company’s work has taken it further afield the commitment to communities has followed. In Barnsley, AaGlobal volunteers joined in with the Friends of Wilthorpe Park for a programme of maintenance. At the YMCA in Barnsley they helped with painting facilities including changing rooms, toilets and a break-out room. Kirk said: “Our partnership with Healthwatch helps them communicate with people and communities who do not speak English as a first language, enabling them to understand health and social care issues. Working as volunteers, the linguists are able to gain experience and develop their skills with the aim of progressing to paid roles in our team.”

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Sector Focus: Legal & Finance

Fundraising plans are right on course orrester Boyd Chartered Accountants have hosted a charity golf day to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation in memory of partner Lee Bradbury, who sadly passed away a year ago. The event took place in early September and was supported by a number of local businesses, and boosted by beautiful summer sunshine, could not have gone

‘I am stunned by the generosity of businesses who have all pulled together to make this a really special day’ better. So good in fact that the company were blown away to reveal they raised an amazing £7,630. More than 100 golfers took part in the day with many from professional service firms from the Lincolnshire and East Riding of Yorkshire areas. The day was supported by tee sponsors and a raffle was hosted thanks to donations from firms far and wide. Golfers were treated to complimentary drinks at the

Philip George (left) and Jamie Parker proudly showing off the amount raised

halfway house, being greeted by Docks Beers and Coastal Gin Distillery. They were also provided with cookies and cupcakes, the perfect sweet treat to help them on the final nine holes which were kindly donated by Mark Denford from MD Cooling solutions, a local

refrigeration business. Philip George, Business Development Partner at Forrester Boyd said: “I cannot believe what a fantastic day this has been. I am stunned by the generosity of businesses who have all pulled together to make this a really special day.

“Many people wanted to get involved because they had a personal connection with Lee. Others wanted to get involved because they knew the impact that all the staff at Forrester Boyd felt when we lost him. “The weather made the day absolutely perfect and I must thank each and every single person who has been involved. With their support and generosity we would not have been able to raise the level of money achieved. This was far more than we had anticipated.” Melanie Meik, regional representative from the British Heart Foundation said: “I was delighted to attend the event hosted by Forrester Boyd. I felt part of a much bigger team with all the Forrester Boyd team wearing British Heart Foundation t-shirts to promote this great cause. The amount they have raised is quite remarkable and will go such a long way to helping all the great work the British Heart Foundation does.” Forrester Boyd has set a target for their fundraising efforts of £13.3k, this being ‘LEE’ in numeric. They are now well on their way to achieving the total by the end of the financial year.

Solicitors back campaign to raise sepsis awareness ‘Something so simple as the timely administration of IV antibiotics would have saved my Mum’s life...’ 13 September was World Sepsis Day, a poignant day for Pepperells’ Client Claire, who lost her mum to the disease in 2020. Claire has shared her experience to raise awareness of sepsis and highlight the warning signs to help with early detection and treatment. She also thanked Emma Collins, The Sepsis Trust and Victoria Neale of Pepperells Solicitors for their support in attaining an admission of liability for her mother’s death from Hull Royal Infirmary. Claire’s mother was admitted to Hull Royal Infirmary for a stubborn Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) which was due to be treated by IV administered antibiotics. “The IV antibiotics failed to materialise until I complained to hospital staff. At this 34 Business Intelligence November/December 2023

time, I had no knowledge of sepsis (blood poisoning) or the crucial importance of rapid intervention with antibiotics to prevent it taking hold,” said Claire. Claire’s mum died two days after being admitted to hospital, and she is now urging people to find out about the warning signs of sepsis, which is responsible for 46,000 deaths per year on hospital wards. Victoria Neale added: “We have been working closely with Claire following her mum’s death and to achieve this admission for our client is a huge step in the right direction. By obtaining a report from a specialist and the support from the Sepsis Trust, it is clear the key changes seen in her mum’s behaviour whilst in hospital were vital and we hope to be able to support them to raise awareness of the key red flags surrounding sepsis and early diagnosis.

Victoria Neale: familiarise yourself with sepsis “red flags”

“We would advise anyone with concerns to visit the Sepsis Trust website to familiarise yourself with the ‘Red Flags’ that identify blood poisoning, never be hesitant to ask hospital staff: ‘Could it be sepsis?” If you, or a family member, have concerns about care or treatment you have received whilst in the care of the National Health Service, please contact one of the specialist Medical Negligence team at Pepperells. Visit: www.pepperells.com

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Sector Focus: Legal & Finance

Firm is accredit to legal industry eading law firm Rollits LLP has cemented the standard of its services to clients by securing renewal of two major accreditations. The firm, which has offices in Hull and York, has gained reaccreditation for Lexcel and for Cyber Essentials Plus. Ralph Gilbert, Managing Partner of the firm, said: “Both standards support our commitment to be the best we can be in terms of safeguarding clients and providing the best client care.” Lexcel is an optional, recognised accreditation scheme designed specifically for law firms to ensure that they meet required standards of excellence in areas such as client care, compliance and risk management. Rollits has passed its full accreditation assessment, which takes place every three years, after the Lexcel assessor noted the helpfulness of its staff and Partners following a four-day visit which included interviews with 15 lawyers and eight business support staff. Rollits was one of the first law firms in the region to achieve the Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation in 2018 and it has now secured renewal after a full audit and penetration testing with Mike Wasling, the firm’s Director of IT, and his team. Cyber Essentials is a government-backed cyber security standard that helps organisations protect themselves against the most common cyber threats. It identifies five essential controls that businesses should have in place: software updates, strong passwords, firewall and antivirus, personal data security, and employee training. Mike said “We are Cyber Essentials Plus certified, demonstrating our commitment to the highest standards of cyber security. We take the safety of our systems and data extremely seriously, and we implement highly robust security methods to ensure that our clients have confidence in working with us.”

Mike Wasling, Director of IT & Operations, Rollits

Regional team are flushed with success Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP is delighted to announce that it has advised Flush Energy Limited on its first acquisition, as the start-up business seeks growth opportunities in the biomass sector. Flush Energy has secured a multi-million pound funding package comprising private equity investment as well as debt finance to assist with its ambitious growth plans, following its acquisition of the

business and assets of 3F Pellets Limited (in Administration), a manufacturer and supplier of wood-based pellet products including biomass heating pellets (“acquisition”). Flush Energy is now focussed on returning the Lincolnshirebased plant to production and targeting further acquisition opportunities. Led by corporate partner, Philip Ashworth, a multidisciplinary team at Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP

comprising Nicole Waldron (Corporate), Samuel Peake (Property), Nick Wilson (Employment) and Fiona Phillips (Tax), advised Flush Energy on the acquisition from joint administrators, Andy Pear and Milan Vuceljic of Moorfields Advisory. Andrew Jackson also advised Flush Energy on the private equity investment and debt finance package. The insolvency and reorganisation team at

international law firm Clyde & Co LLP, led by partner Andrew Foster and assisted by Tristan Cox-Chung (Legal Director), Andrew Robertson (Senior Associate) and Lily Pidge (Associate), were instructed by the joint administrators on the acquisition. Clyde & Co’s corporate team, led by Partners Simon Gamblin and Rob Lowe, provided legal advice to the debt funders. Grant Lodge, CEO of Flush Energy, said: “We are delighted to have concluded the acquisition of the Lincoln pellet plant and are making swift progress with getting it back into production and yielding RHI income. We look forward to continuing to work with Philip Ashworth and his excellent team at Andrew Jackson Solicitors, who we expect to be a key part of our team, helping us with our growth plans in the coming years.”

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Sector Focus: Skills & Training

New centre will train the engineers of the future HETA business development executive Mick Wigglesworth (left) with Dean Miles of SSE in the fabrication and welding workshop at the new centre

newly-opened £5.5m training centre is launching the engineering careers of more than 60 young learners. The new arrivals at the building at Pioneer Business Park in Stallingborough are among 250 students taking up courses at three sites that are owned and operated by Humberside Engineering and Training Association (HETA). It adds up to a record intake for the company which was set up in 1967 and gave employers a sneak preview of the new facility before it opened. Welcoming around 80 business representatives to the centre, Iain Elliott, HETA’s Chief Executive, urged them to continue their working partnership. He said: “We all felt it was really important that the people who are offered first sight of the

new facility should be the employer base because it’s about you, the learners that you are going to take on and the staff that you want to upskill.” The new centre is purposebuilt and provides facilities for electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and fabrication and welding, with an IT suite, classrooms and meeting rooms. It sits at the heart of North East Lincolnshire Council’s £42m South Humber Industrial Investment Programme (SHIIP) area, which is being promoted as a major industrial development opportunity. The strength of HETA’s links with employers is underlined by the fact that around 200 of the young people starting at Stallingborough, Foxhills in Scunthorpe and the company’s headquarters in Hull have already secured jobs.

HETA Chief Executive Iain Elliott (left) with Chair of the Board Ian Palmer

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What the employers say: “All our apprentice engineers are from HETA and most of the engineers we have were trained at HETA. We’ve seen a real difference between the people who came to HETA and the learners who didn’t. It’s the whole package. The new centre is absolutely amazing.” Tracey Olsson, learning and development co-ordinator at Howdens Joinery Group “We are really impressed with the centre. It’s bigger than we expected and there’s a lot of space. There’s a mix of new and old equipment, which is good because people going into industry are not going to be working on new equipment all the time.” Holly Barker, HR manager at EFAB “We have a history of working with HETA. We have three apprentices who have done a year already and our latest intake is two more who started here in September. It’s a great facility. What better resource can a business have than a facility like this right on their doorstep?” Dean Miles, assistant maintenance lead with SSE at Keadby Power Station “We put all our electrical and instrumentation apprentices through the HETA programme and we take two every year. We have a really good relationship with HETA and find them very receptive.” Rachel Eyre, HR business partner training and competence, Prax Group, North Killingholme “I came to the new facility during the build and it’s very impressive. It’s a world-leading facility and it’s just a few miles from our site so easy for us to drop in. It will be interesting to see what it’s like when it’s full of learners. That’s when it will come alive!” Steve Ellis, electrical instrumentation engineer, Prax Group

Capacity at Stallingborough will increase as more businesses move into the area, and HETA staff took the opportunity of the open day to quiz visitors about current and expected training needs. Iain said: “This is the culmination of about nine years of thought, discussion and planning – and more than a few sleepless nights. We couldn’t have picked a worse time to build it. We exited Covid, the war started

in Ukraine, material costs were soaring and supply of materials and labour were an issue. But we were only two weeks late and we were on budget.” The total investment is £5.5m, broken down into a build cost of about £4.2m with land purchase, fees and VAT making up the rest. Added to the cost of the new Hull centre, HETA has invested £10m since 2018 in upgrading its property and facilities. The Foxhills centre opened in 2014.

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Sector Focus: Skills & Training

Funding to spark schools into being energy efficient rax Foundation has funded a new £150k grant to help schools become more energy efficient. The new funding will enable Bath-based Energy Sparks to ensure that up to 240 schools across the UK have free access to its online energy management tool, education programme and support services. This includes schools in the areas of the country where Drax Group operates: Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, East of England and Scotland. The charity currently works with more than 1,000 UK schools to help them reduce their energy use and carbon footprint. Shona King, Head of Community at Drax Group, said:

“We are proud that this new grant will help Energy Sparks engage many more schools and pupils across the UK in reducing their energy use and costs as well as fighting climate change. “Alongside our existing grant funding for LED lighting and solar panels, we are excited to

‘It’s important to us to help children start thinking about saving energy and reducing their carbon footprint from a young age’ bring Energy Sparks’ energy analysis tool and education programme to more schools in and around the communities where we operate.

Drax Power Station near Selby, North Yorkshire

“It’s important to us to help children start thinking about saving energy and reducing their carbon footprint from a young age as these issues are going to be increasingly important for them in the future.” Dr Claudia Towner, CEO and Programme Director at Energy Sparks, said: “We are delighted to receive this funding from the Drax Foundation, it means we can reach even more schools and pupils, and remove financial barriers to ongoing engagement for some of the existing schools using our services. “Our work equips children and young people with the

knowledge, skills, and tools to take measurable action in their school and wider community to reduce carbon emissions. We also enable school leaders, staff and communities to better understand and reduce their school’s energy consumption, save money and introduce wider measures to reduce their carbon footprint." Energy Sparks was founded in 2020 and, in the last year, through Energy Sparks’ tools, the average primary school it works with has saved at least £3,000 in energy costs and 12.8 tonnes of CO2, additionally, the average secondary school has saved at least £12,000 and 48 tonnes of CO2.

Landmark apprentice for Spencer Group Leading engineering company Spencer Group has reached a major milestone by taking on its 50th apprentice in the last five years. The Hull-based firm has just employed a further seven apprentices from the city’s Ron Dearing UTC – bringing the total number from the school since 2018 to 50. The latest intake of young talent includes five engineering apprentices and two IT services apprentices. They will join a growing number of former Ron Dearing UTC students who have taken up full-time positions in engineering, commercial, project management, design, marketing, planning, IT services and computer programming. As a Founding Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, Spencer Group works closely with students from year 10 onwards, and regularly attends open events and careers expos. The business also provides ongoing support including work experience opportunities, interview skills training and practice, and professional behaviours and employability skills training. The relationship between Spencer Group and the school has created a productive pipeline of fresh talent and opened up exciting career opportunities for students.

Charlie Spencer (left) with some of the apprentices

Charlie Spencer OBE, Executive Chairman and founder of Spencer Group, said: “Employing our 50th apprentice in just five years is testament to the dedication and hard work being put in by staff at Spencer Group, Ron Dearing UTC and other employer partners to ensure there’s a pipeline of young talent in the city. “It’s fantastic to see the positive impact the apprentices are making on the business as they develop into their full-time positions.”

Spencer Group’s HR Director Yvonne Moir added: “We’re pleased to welcome our 2023 intake of apprentices from Ron Dearing UTC. “Our apprentice programme goes from strength to strength and has provided the business with an exceptionally talented group of young people who are progressing into highly skilled professionals in their chosen disciplines.” Visit: www.thespencergroup.co.uk

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Sector Focus: Manufacturing New paper mill for Goole Metsa Tissue has announced that it will build its new paper mill at Goole. The Chamber has welcomed the news that this multimillion pound investment for the new mill will lead to more than 400 jobs at the state-of-the-art tissue paper mill in the UK. David Hooper, The Chamber’s External Affairs Director, said: “This is fantastic news for Goole and testament to its near perfect location with road, rail and waterway links to Europe and beyond. This is a huge boost in confidence for Goole’s economic prospects and will lead to hundreds of jobs, not only for the port town, but also for the wider Humber region. “The planned facility will be the first major investment in the proposed Goole tax site within the Humber Freeport, which aims to accelerate inward investment in the Humber region. We need to see more schemes like this coming forward.”

‘Goole is the perfect location for this proposed investment’ The landmark investment of several hundreds of millions of pounds will deliver the largest tissue mill in the UK and significantly reduce the quantity of tissue products that are currently imported into the UK and Ireland each year. The new mill will create over 400 jobs at the facility, and thousands more across the supply chain and the local economy. Esa Kaikkonen, CEO of Metsä Tissue, said: “Goole is the perfect location for this proposed investment. The Humber region provides a crucial gateway to the whole of the United Kingdom and the region’s ambitions to bring cutting-edge green technology and jobs to the UK matches our ambitions in clean, sustainable manufacturing.”

Reels being delivered to site by Danbrit Shipping

Shipping expert already making a reel difference Located on the River Humber in Goole, Danbrit Shipping has been transporting cargo and providing a variety of specialist logistics services to organisations worldwide for over 30 years. Logistics Manager David Christie recently joined the business to help innovate and improve customer service procedures. He brings a wealth of experience from the transport division Easttrans in Stallingborough, having worked on various heavy lift projects in the UK as well as across the world. He is already making great progress in his new role, and successfully delivered a complex job from Korea to Berkshire, delivering 61 reels to site, 31 loads in four days without delays or incident. David said: “A lot of our jobs are complex but through careful pre-planning, care and due diligence, organising specific transport times as to not affect traffic in local areas we delivered the job safely and on time. “Our customer was very happy and will be delighted to use us moving forward in their six year plan to upgrade various power lines.”

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Logistics Manager David Christie

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Business Intelligence

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Motoring

In association with

Life can’t be all about work! Chamber Motoring reviews some of the latest offerings on the market.

I can’t kerb my enthusiasm! With beguiling amounts of power, torque and grip, DAVID HOOPER says the Audi RS 5 Coupe's stunning looks complete an amazing performance car package!

reathtaking – one word, which sums up the Audi RS 5 Coupe. It may not be the newest model in the Audi line-up, but its sleek lines still look fab. Slip behind the wheel, press the start button, engage drive and hit the loud pedal and this RS 5 will give you a punch in the back that I’ve rarely experienced in any other car as it launches itself from 0 to 62 mph in a whiplash-inducing 3.9 seconds on its way to a limited top speed of 155 mph. Its prodigious performance is intoxicating, it turns in and corners like it’s on rails, sits flat on the road and has levels of adhesion to the tarmac which almost defy the laws of physics – even in the wet – just look at the figures I achieved on the car’s onboard G Force meter, but more of that later! The latest incarnation of this stunning Audi RS 5 is powered by a 2.9-litre V6 TFSI engine which pumps out 450PS and 600Nm of torque – figures which you may think sound a bit bonkers… and trust me, they are! Finished in the evocatively named Ascari Blue metallic paintwork, the RS 5 sits on 20 inch alloys shod in Continental Sport Contact 6 tyres which give phenomenal levels of traction and grip, ably combined

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with the car’s Quattro system which includes automatically locking differentials to drive maximum power to the wheels with the most grip in any given situation. Inside, the body-hugging sporty seats are clad in leather with the Audi Sport RS logo embossed into the backrest and it has an attractive quilted pattern on the seat squabs. The carbon black trim extends from the door card across the dashboard and onto the centre console which looks, and feels great and oozes the quality we’ve come to expect from the VW Group’s halo brand.

‘Let’s be honest, you don’t buy a car like this for economy’ The RS 5 offers a choice of Comfort, Automatic or Dynamic settings for normal road driving, with a couple of specific RS settings for those who enjoy the odd track day on a race circuit, where this car’s highly impressive performance can be fully explored. This mode also brings up a lap timer on the head up display on the windscreen. On the road, the Comfort or Automatic setting was my preferred choice as the Dynamic setting

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The Vital Statistics MODEL: Audi RS 5 ENGINE: 2,894cc, 450PS V6 petrol engine, driving front wheels through an 8-speed gearbox PERFORMANCE: : Top speed 155 mph (limited). 0-62mph in 3.9 secs ECONOMY: City: 19.0mpg Country: 34.0mpg Combined: 28.5mpg Wheel World test average: 24.4mpg ABOVE: The sleek lines and Ascari Blue metallic paintwork make a truly impressive first impression

CO2 EMISSIONS: 219g/km FUEL TANK: 58 litres

RIGHT: The interior features leather-clad seats and carbon black trim

PRICE: £84,665

OPPOSITE LEFT: The RS 5 has bags of kerb appeal

WEBSITE: www.volkswagen.co.uk

OPPOSITE RIGHT: The car’s 2.9-litre V6 engine delivers an impressive 450PS and 600Nm of torque

• All data correct at time of publication.

WARRANTY: 3 years/60,000 miles

reduces the protection afforded by the electronics! The Comfort setting was, as you might expect, still pretty firm, but the car’s underpinnings did a good job of shielding the occupants from the worst excesses of the UK’s potholed tracks that we used to call roads! Let’s be honest, you don’t buy a car like this for economy, the bills are going to be large for things like fuel, tyres and road tax, but what price such fun! During my test, the RS 5, averaged 24.4 mpg over a distance of 381 miles. Driving it like a saint I achieved up to 33 mpg on a steady commute to the office, but while enjoying the RS 5’s more than generous performance, it dropped to 17 or 18 mpg, but the grin factor increased exponentially! Delve into the menus, and you can find a G-Force meter and graphics which show engine oil temperature,

sport differential temperature, gear temperature and even brake temperatures. However, I was slightly disappointed with the G-Force readings as I managed to achieve 1.2G of acceleration, 1.1G of deceleration and pulled 1.1G on right hand bends, but only managed 0.9G on left hand bends! Note to self - must try harder next time! All this performance and ability come at a price though – and like the engine, it’s a big one. The recommended on the road price is £84,665. Add to that £4,415 worth of extras including the lovely paintwork, a Comfort and Sound Pack (which includes an amazing Bang and Olufsen hi-fi system with surround sound), the head-up display and an RS Sport exhaust system and you won’t have much change from £90,000. But let me tell you, if I had it, I wouldn’t regret spending a penny of it on this RS 5! November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 41

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Sector Focus: Motoring

‘Are you crazy?’ – East Yorkshire to Malaga in an EV Anthony Winn (pictured right) and his wife Sarah (below) recount an epic European adventure in an electric car. Background We took the EV plunge last year, purchasing our MG ZX EV Standard Range. Having searched around we felt the hatchback would suit our lifestyle, had good reviews and the range, 199 miles, seemed reasonable for the price. We absolutely love the car. In July we sold our Spanish holiday home near Malaga, putting into storage some personal belongings, hence this journey to collect. Family offered us the use of a petrol car but we were determined to prove we could do the journey by EV. France We travelled to Portsmouth, took the ferry to St Malo and drove to Sarlat in the Dordogne where we stopped for a couple of nights before crossing into Spain. It was our first visit to the Dordogne, a beautiful region. France was fine – in remoter areas some chargers are in villages located a few miles off route however on motorways the charging stations were at nearly every service area with several available chargers. We never once had to wait for a charger, nor found any out of service. Absolutely no issues, so then followed a nice journey, mostly avoiding motorways to see the Dordogne and rural France. We found a fast charger in a small village en route. Spain Day one started badly, Euroski supermarket chargers in San Sebastian were both out of order and looked like they had been for some time, but we found a working Endesa charger in a nearby village.

Sarah calls Wenea for help

After three great hot days in San Sebastian we moved on to Toledo, our next two-night stay. On this leg the chargers were plentiful, located at service stations, reliable and with several available. We mainly used Ionity as their app was user friendly and they always had numerous chargers at their sites. As we journeyed south, chargers tended to be located in villages, hotels or restaurant car parks – sometimes quite a few kilometres from the motorway. The further south we got modest ‘range anxiety’ kicked in – there are large areas of Andalucía without fast chargers awaiting the installation programme. Also the instructions on some chargers were only in Spanish. We found only a few machines to be out of order but used the apps to check the latest driver reviews of charging stations before heading to them and ensured we had a back up station nearby just in case. This worked well. Some reviews pointed out that a station we used in Atarfe (near Granada) was only accessible when the restaurant was open otherwise the car park was chained shut!

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Luckily for us we got there when it was open, charged up and had some great food while waiting. In the south we found our new ‘hero’ charging stations to be Wenea. We installed their app and found the chargers to be often a bit off the beaten track but quite reliable and with live reviews of their functionality. All appeared very recently installed. We picked up our belongings from the storage in Malaga and headed home. Travelling from our next overnight stay near Nerja we estimated we had plenty of range to get back to Atarfe to charge up and have breakfast but did not factor in significant battery drain from going mountainous into the Sierra Nevada and that we had a weighty car full of furniture, books and pictures. Boy did the battery race through charge… ouch! However, we cut our speed back and drove carefully used KERS setting 3 on the downhill stretches, made some miles up and arrived with a comfortable 23% battery left – relieved to find the station working and the restaurant serving breakfasts on the terrace.

‘Chargers tended to be located in villages, hotels or restaurant car parks – sometimes quite a few kilometres from the motorway’

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Sector Focus: Motoring Our top tips for taking your EV abroad 1. Do very extensive homework before setting off – work out routes with several fast chargers, order as many RFID cards and download as many apps as you can. We had 17 apps and almost as many RFID cards and tags!

Car park with granny charger and adaptor in Manzanares

Then it was on to Manzanares where the hotel manager kindly offered to let us charge in their car park where they had sockets on the walls. We plugged in our granny charger overnight with EU adapter (purchased online in UK) and woke up to a 100% battery and headed for Burgos for an overnight stay. From Manzanares to Burgos we used the Wenea app to locate and use their chargers twice. Chargers again were not in Service Areas but a few kilometres off the motorway which sometimes made them difficult to find. At the third Wenea station the RFID card reader malfunctioned and we were pretty low on range, another nearby station wasn’t working either, so slightly panicky, we drove to ‘Castillejo de Mesleon’ which we found on the Wenea app. We drove up a dusty track in the middle of nowhere. A young bull wandered around the verge and glanced at us as we drove into the tiny village. Down a narrow one-way street villagers sat, blocking the road, on plastic chairs, drinking beer and looking at us as if we had just landed a spaceship in their midst. But around the corner there was a new, shiny Wenea charging station – one of many chargers in France and Spain installed with help from EU grants. We breathed a sigh of relief. Except this one wasn’t working either. Sarah speaks Spanish and rang the number on the charger and spoke to someone in Madrid who said he would reboot it and to

2. Take your home charging cable, but also a granny charging cable with an EU plug adaptor just in case.

Anthony and Sarah undertook their epic journey to Malaga in an MG ZX EV Standard Range

3. Aim for a fast charger on route with at least one alternative within range.

Would we do it again? Yes we would, ideally with a much longerrange car as we spent so much time charging up – 31 charges in 12 days, albeit we were purposefully over cautious. It was slightly stressful at times due to charger locations, but we were impressed at the investment that has been made and the numbers of charging stations in both France and Spain. Our journey from Plymouth to East Yorkshire was worse than anything we experienced in France or Spain, but that is another story!

4. Remember range is a ‘guestimate’ and varies widely depending on multiple factors – driving style and car mode, weather, load, terrain, aircon etc. We kept the car in ‘ECO’ mode the whole time. 5. If you cannot get a station to work be patient, try it a few times and try ringing the number on the station as they might be able to reboot it. 6. Charge when you can, not when you must. We charged often when down to 50–80 miles predicted range.

The separate appendix below outlines charging suppliers and costs per KW.

7. Allow at least 50% more time on journeys than with a petrol car.

ring back if this didn’t work – it worked and so we joined the rather bemused locals in the little bar for a drink and some tapas. We made it to Burgos without further incident. The hotel website promised electric car charging and delivered – we were met with a row of brand new Iberdrola slow chargers, great! That meant we were fully charged the next day for our journey to Santander and the ferry back to Plymouth. Success!

In France we used chargers provided by: • J W Joules – Debit card payment @€0,30 per kWh

Iberdrola chargers at a Burgos hotel

• Iberdrola (fast chargers) – payment with Chargemap RFID card @ €0,7 per kWh (slow charge at hotel required app downloading).

• Total Energies – Tag payment @ €0,65 per kWh

• Zunder – payment with Chargemap RFID card @ €0,5 per kWh

• Ionity – App payment @ €0.59K per kWh

• Wenea – payment with Chargemap RFID card @ €0,78 per kWh

• Mobive – Virta tag and Chargemap RFID card cost €0,50 per kWh To locate chargers we used our car sat nav, Ionity and Chargemap apps. In Spain we used chargers provided by: • Ionity – app payment @ €0,59K per kWh

• Powerdot – payment with Chargemap RFID card @ €0,6 per kWh • Endesa – payment with Shell card @ €0,38 per kWh To locate chargers we mainly used our car sat nav, Wenea, Ionity and Chargemap apps.

November/December 2023 Business Intelligence 43

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New Members

New Members A warm welcome and introduction to the latest businesses to join Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce.

Culture Contact Ltd Lauren Jackson 07479 222555 Business Services Greens The Signmakers Ltd Helen Green 01482 327371 Signmakers Corus St James Hotel Paul George 01472 359771 Tourism & Leisure FI Real Estate Management Louise Mason 01257 263010 Real Estate Management GB Customs Clearance Ltd Natalie Avison Essex 0300 124 7474 Customs Broker

L J Music Ltd Lee John North East Lincs 07968 054202 Music /Film /Entertainment For Aisha Ltd Emelyne Bradley 07542 255028 Halal Baby Food Grimsby Community Energy Dr Vicky Dunn North East Lincs 07932 086539 Community Solar Energy Generation E F W Transport Lisa Tomlinson 01724 622028 Logistics McCann Logistics Ltd Mark Brighton 01469 571021 Logistics

Chapmans Equine Karen Chapman 07789 392662 Equestrian KEYFORT LTD Kevin Bury 0844 8014580 IT Solutions The Country Park Paul Weeks 01482 640526 Events & Hospitality Statkraft UK Ltd Alison Hood 020 75491000 Renewable Energy Developer

Find out more Visit www.hull-humber-chamber.co.uk/ memberships or call Kay Hudson on (01482) 324976, or Anne Tate or Marilyn Waud on (01472) 342981.

Planning for future working practices he head of a Hull-based business centre and national chair of a leading industry body has welcomed ideas aired in the city about future working practices but also urged caution and collaboration. Freya Cross, Head of Business and Corporate at The Deep, said the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modernising Employment highlighted potential opportunities which could bring benefits locally and support the Work Hull Work Happy agenda. She said discussions around remote working and co-working are very relevant to her role as Chair of the Flexible Space Association (FlexSA), but underlined the importance of training in the new techniques of effective communication with young people and of expecting the unexpected as future innovations are rolled out. Freya said: “It was interesting to hear about the work being done by the APPG and the progress they are making. It’s also good to see a cross party initiative on this, because it is important we all understand how the ways of work are changing.

Freya Cross: urging caution and collaboration.

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“But we need to be mindful of the implications on a number of fronts because the future is unknown – for example when the first mobile phones came along nobody imagined we would one day be using them for banking!” The APPG was set up during the summer and is chaired by Hull West and Hessle MP Emma Hardy, who Freya welcomed as the main speaker at this year’s FlexSA annual conference. The APPG headed north from

Westminster to hold its latest meeting in Hull, and Emma underlined the link with the Work Hull Work Happy campaign which was launch in the city in 2022. She said: “If we can’t convince businesses to come and invest in Hull let’s see if we can get them to employ the people who live here with remote working technology.” City centre businesses and other organisations attended the session and discussion ranged from productivity levels to property implications and the need to consider mental health and wellbeing. Freya was impressed by the input from Paul Devoy, CEO of Investors in People, who told how his organisation has developed an effective approach to remote working. He also called for more investment to get the most from a UK labour market which he said is worth £21.4tn, and for action on skills to improve a strategy which he said has not changed since 2002. Freya said: “Investors in People outlined their own model which struck me as very effective because it takes into account the needs of clients, colleagues, the organisation as well as those of the individual.”

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Business Intelligence

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Last Word

Last Word If you like to have the Last Word, here's your chance – email David Hooper at d.hooper@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk

Name:

Martin Stead Job title: Chief Weaver Name of the business: Loom Consultancy

Describe your job in a nutshell? Working alongside business owners to reconnect with their original dream from starting up. From diagnosing the current position to producing and then implementing a strategic evolution plan. We liken it to creating a strong fabric, taking the threads within a business which will only work if they are woven together strongly and effectively, helping business owners and managers deal with the big questions facing their organisations. The outcome is a business that can sustain its current levels of growth, scale through more aggressive growth or work towards a sale achieving maximum market value.

Martin with his companions after the Hull Half Marathon

Where are you based? North Ferriby when not working at clients' premises. What has been your biggest challenge in the last year? I’m sure this question is probably seeking a business-related answer but for someone who is not much of a runner, completing the Hull Half Marathon on an insanely hot day was a huge personal challenge. I’m sure there’s a business parallel about overcoming adversity but I’m equally sure I wasn’t thinking about that at the time! What are you most looking forward to in the next three months? We are working with great clients, making excellent progress, and I’m really looking forward to seeing our collective endeavours come to fruition over the coming months. What news story has had the biggest impact recently? I believe news stories come and go, often bringing a burst of attention to a subject. Very few of them have a lasting impact on business, but there are always other things going on that affect us whether they are newsworthy or not.

The secret is for a business to be in a position to act proportionately and expeditiously, whether the scenario is negative or positive. Businesses want certainty and consistency, and you are more likely to sustain that and survive the knocks if you have a robust structure and culture in place. And remember that whatever the issue it will always create an opening for somebody. You have to be ready to recognise those opportunities and seize them. What is your biggest ambition? To grow Loom Consultancy by helping as many business owners as possible to fall back in love with their business rather than being beholden, and to develop and evolve their organisations into ones that actually work for them. Where will your next holiday be? I do enjoy all types of holidays from relaxing in the sun to active snowboarding trips and

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finding my way around new cities. Combining a holiday with watching sport would be my number one choice and I would love to watch the England men’s cricket team on a winter tour. However, our next break will likely be a weekend away in our touring caravan. What are your hobbies and which is your favourite pastime? I really enjoy sport but it is mostly watching rather than participating these days, although I do still get to enjoy the occasional game of golf. A highlight for me and the family was being at Wembley to watch the Lionesses triumph over Germany in 2022. What are your plans for the weekend? At this time of year, football dominates our weekends. I set up and coach a girls’ team that my daughter plays in, and my son plays on a Sunday.

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