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BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE KEY DEVELOPMENTS ARE SHAPING A NEW SENSE OF PLACE IN REGION’S CITIES
INTERVIEW
POLITICS
BRADGATE ESTATES MD JOSEPH LEVY FULFILS HIS FATHER’S LEGACY IN LACE MARKET PROJECT
A GUIDE TO HOW EAST MIDLANDS FREEPORT WILL OPERATE AND BENEFITS FOR BUSINESSES
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THE FIRST WORD
CONTENTS MAY 2022
NEWS UPDATE 4
MEMBER NEWS Young bricklayers to star in documentary
26 APPOINTMENTS New CEO at rapidly-growing IT specialist
THE BIG INTERVIEW s a resident of Nottingham, a walk through the city centre can be a journey between the past and future. From the Broadmarsh Centre, which offers a reminder of how retail dominated the late-20th century cityscape before it was reduced to a halfdemolished mess, to the emergence of high-rise office and accommodation blocks near the railway station, it’s a city that’s undergoing change. Then there’s the Island Quarter, in which work has begun to transform the first parcel of a 36-acre wasteland into a “city within a city” designed for post-Covid living, working and playing. Should the vision of an independent advisory panel appointed to help convert the Greater Broad Marsh area from liability to opportunity – proposals include retaining the structural frame of the shopping centre to establish a new creative space, reinstating lost street connections and new homes with castle views – be realised, then Nottingham could be a radically different city in a decade’s time. Underpinning all this is basic bricks and mortar. If people are the lifeblood of a city, its buildings offer the skeletal framework through which we shape our ideas about place. There has perhaps never been so much redevelopment happening in the East Midlands’ three cities right now and, in this month’s focus feature (p56), we give an overview of the biggest projects – as well as those above, there’s the huge Becketwell and Waterside regeneration schemes breathing new life into previously neglected areas of Derby and Leicester, respectively. We also get the perspective of a developer in the big interview (p28), as Leicester-based Bradgate Estates’ managing director Joseph Levy – a self-proclaimed “East Midlands loyalist” – examines the potential for each city and takes Business Network on a site tour of its latest private rented sector scheme in Nottingham’s Lace Market. Elsewhere, we explore what the East Midlands Freeport will bring to the region and unpack what each of its three “tax sites” – located at key developments including a power station, airport logistics hub and rail freight interchange – involves in our politics section (p50). There’s been a lot of “build back better” mantra in recent times and while this goes far beyond just the construction and property sectors, our region is a good example of how place can be at its core.
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28 Joseph Levy, managing director at Bradgate Estates 32 PATRONS Booming housing market has major implications 34 CHAMBER NEWS Unemployment rate masks hiring problems
SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS 46 Environmental agency practices what it preaches
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 48 Connecting businesses with new markets post-Brexit
POLITICS 50 What the East Midlands Freeport brings to the region
FEATURES 53 CONFERENCING & EVENTS A guide to restarting in-person events 55 Top tips for choosing a venue for your event 56 FOCUS FEATURE Three cities investing for a brighter future 61 GROWING YOUR BUSINESS Using third-party transport partners to grow your business 64 Boost your sales in three simple steps
Dan Robinson, Editor, Business Network
TRAINING & EVENTS 68 Helping directors gain skills and confidence 69 Chamber Annual Dinner returns
DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY 70 Upscaler helps data firm growth
Editor Dan Robinson T: 07764 431028 E: dan.robinson@emc-dnl.co.uk Contributor Jasmine Thompson All Submissions E: magazine@emc-dnl.co.uk Chamber Membership E: membership@emc-dnl.co.uk Follow the Chamber W: www.emc-dnl.co.uk Twitter: @EMChamberNews
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BUSINESS SUPPORT 72 LEGAL Giving the green light to biodiversity net gain 74 FINANCE The importance of a good business credit score 76 SKILLS How to retain and attract construction staff 78 PROPERTY Balancing environmental needs with preserving heritage 80 MOTORING Nick Jones tests the Fiat 500 Electric 81 INFORMATION Mental health in the workplace
COMMENT 82 THE LAST WORD Chamber president Lindsey Williams explores the future of the construction industry in the East Midlands May 2022 business network
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MEMBER NEWS
TV show cements brickies’ status as local celebrities
Futures Housing Group chair Mike Stevenson
Housing firms in partnership talks Three housing associations are in early talks about a potential partnership that will span across central and eastern England. Futures Housing Group, bpha and Flagship Group plan to combine their expertise and reach to improve housing experiences and opportunities for local people. The partnership would prioritise improving existing homes and customers’ experience, as well as increasing the amount of new, sustainable, high quality and affordable homes. In a joint statement, bpha chair Paul Leinster, Futures Housing Group chair Mike Stevenson and Flagship Group chair Peter Hawes said: “This is an exciting, unique opportunity that will bring together the expertise, capacity and ambition of our three organisations to make a difference for more people, faster. “Our shared ethos is that customers will be at the centre of a new partnership with services influenced by local need and customer knowledge. “We share a resolute commitment to be part of strong, regional infrastructure with our partners, to improve opportunities for local people and tackle the many aspects of the housing crisis in central and eastern England. “In these early stages of talks it is clear we have much in common, including geographic synergy, shared priorities, a firm financial footing and a commitment to the importance of local delivery.”
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Young bricklayers working for Derby-based Hodgkinson Builders are preparing for TV fame after taking starring roles in a new sixpart documentary for BBC Three. The first episode of the series, Brickies, aired on the recentlyrelaunched BBC Three channel at 9pm on Thursday 14 April, also dropping as a boxset on BBC iPlayer the same day. It focuses on a team of young bricklayers working for Hodgkinson Builders, based in Pride Park, Derby. Viewers will be introduced to the building trade’s new TV stars, including Tom Copley and Lucas Robinson, from Nottingham; Jack Smith, from Langley Mill; Jeorgia Purser, from Hereford; Harry Moran, from Ilkeston; and Lauren Hudson, from Heanor. They applied their skills on real building sites across the Midlands under the watchful eye of the company’s founder and managing director Ian Hodgkinson. Filming took place last summer
‘It’s about showing the skills and talents of the exceptional young people in our industry’ at new housing development sites in Stoke-on-Trent, Northampton, Nether Heage and Ripley, as well as cameras following the young brickies’ home lives. Ian said: “Hodgkinson Builders is nationally recognised as a leading light in the promotion of apprenticeship programmes and encouraging young people to take advantage of the incredible opportunities available to them in the construction industry. “We jumped at the chance to get involved in this series, and it was an amazing experience for everyone involved. All the guys and girls who feature in the show are stars in their own right, and no doubt some of them will have some real appeal to TV viewers.
“It’s about showing the skills and talents of the exceptional young people in our industry, and how they all have the potential for a great career in a very safe environment. “The mere opportunity for the public to see, for the first time, what it’s really like on a construction site, with all the health and safety measures involved, and how much youngsters benefit from such a great working environment, will hopefully do wonders for the future of our industry. “During this series, we genuinely see the sense of achievement experienced by young people building their own dreams at the same time as literally building dreams for other people.” Hodgkinson Builders, which launched in 1990, is no stranger to the limelight. In 2016, Ian led a group of young brickies to Parliament, where they built a wall beneath Big Ben to encourage more young people to consider bricklaying as a career.
Planning firm earns industry accolade
Lindsay Cruddas
Planning & Design Practice has been recognised by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) as a chartered architectural practice. RIBA chartered practices are the only architectural firms endorsed and promoted by the professional membership body, which drives excellence in architecture across the globe. The accreditation sends a signal to clients, employees and the wider construction industry that the practice is committed to excellence in design and service delivery. Director Lindsay Cruddas is a one of RIBA’s 141 accredited specialist conservation architects, and led the
team, which is based across Derby, Matlock, Macclesfield and Sheffield, to receive the accreditation. She said: “We strive to gain the best outcome for our clients and design spaces that we are proud of. Becoming a RIBA chartered practice demonstrates that commitment to quality, service and design. I was delighted to receive the chartered status and proud to be developing the architectural side of the business.” • How living in Australia shaped new thinking over British heritage buildings for one of Planning & Design Practice’s team – see p78
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MEMBER NEWS
Homegrown development for NCHA Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) is marking a new phase in its growth with its first “homegrown” residential development. With a team of architects and contract management and development services, new home development has always been an in-house function for NCHA – but a recently-completed scheme of seven homes in Ollerton, Nottinghamshire, signals a new phase for the association.
‘This opening marks the completion of our long-held vision of designing, developing and building new homes from start to finish’ It is the first time its team has developed, designed and physically built the homes. Not only did the initiative help solve the problem of contractor shortages, but it also provided an opportunity to train and upskill NCHA’s team. Two members of the property services team – a bricklayer and joiner – were trained on-site and are now qualified site managers. Allan Fisher, director of development and assets for NCHA, said: “This opening marks the completion of our long-held vision of designing, developing and building new homes from start to finish.
...and green light for its new HQ
NCHA’s Allan Fisher, centre, with colleagues and partners
“Successfully developing a scheme on our own opens up a future of more small developments. In fact, we’re already looking out for the next site.” The two-bedroom homes are all built to energy rating A, and use green energy solutions to make the homes cheaper to run while reducing carbon emissions – with each home fitted with solar panels to generate free electricity. The site is also gas-free, so heating and hot water is generated by air-source heat pumps that are powered by electricity. NCHA has an existing portfolio of more than 10,000 affordable homes across the East Midlands, and pledges to build a further 2,100 units over the next five years.
Affordable homes to be built in Melton Mowbray The first phase of a development that will bring 90 affordable homes to Melton Mowbray has been agreed, with work to begin imminently. The 10-acre Lake Terrace site, which was previously used as grazing land, has been unlocked after a partnership formed between Leicester-based developer GS Developments, Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) and My Pad Developments, with support from Melton Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council. The waterside homes will be a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom properties. The deal was managed by James Coningsby (pictured), partner and commercial property solicitor at Nelsons, on behalf of GS Developments. He said: “These properties will provide local families with the opportunity to get onto the property ladder and meet demand in the area, so it was vital that the deal went ahead smoothly and efficiently.” Proposals for phase two of the Lake Terrace development have already been submitted in the hope that a further 77 affordable housing units could be created in the future.
Landmark Planning has secured planning permission for a mixeduse scheme for Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) on the city’s green belt. A former Nottingham College campus, in Farnborough Road, Clifton, will become NCHA’s new headquarters, as well as a space for its maintenance facilities and call centre. The scheme also includes a care village for 50 independent living apartments, 14 supported living units and six bungalows, as well as a café – which are complemented by existing sporting facilities. Landmark Planning managing director Peter Wilkinson said: “It was a wonderfully stimulating and challenging scheme to get over the line. “The site has an amorphous mass of buildings, so the design challenge was to create a scheme that did not compromise the openness of the green belt, but at the same time created a distinctive space that would allow the creation of a real community at the site. “The solution produced an internal cross-shaped street pattern to break up the buildings, with a café deliberately placed at the centre to be a meeting place and facility for all the disparate users of the site.” The office is planned to open in 2023, with the rest of the scheme completed in the following year.
Partners Group hired to raise profile of filter firm Engineering company Micro-Mesh has appointed The Partners Group to help build brand awareness of its online FilterFinder division, launched during the pandemic. The family-run business specialises in manufacturing bespoke hydraulic and air filters to precise customer specifications, as well as supplying a wide range of standardised products from its 40,000 sq ft factory in Nottingham. In December 2020, the company brought forward a long-awaited project by launching FilterFinder, one of the UK’s largest hydraulic filter cross-reference databases. The PR brief to The Partners Group, a B2B communications specialist, is to build the FilterFinder brand among maintenance engineers and purchasing teams.
Karen Tinkler and Elliott Underwood
Elliott Underwood, who led the development of FilterFinder, said: “FilterFinder draws on the 50-year Micro-Mesh heritage and expertise, but we are starting from scratch when it comes to brand awareness. “The e-commerce platform has got off to a great start, but we recognise the importance of building the brand to support its continued growth.” May 2022 business network
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MEMBER NEWS
The Dairy milks the success of star Tom Nottingham-based creative agency The Dairy is celebrating the achievements of one of its team after account director Tom Walters (pictured) was recently named as a recipient of Nottingham Trent University’s prestigious Outstanding Alumni Fellow Award. The award recognises the exceptional contributions made by alumni and industry fellows who have donated their time and talents generously for the enrichment of the university’s students. Since graduating in 2012, Tom has supported NTU’s alumni fellowship programme for the School of Arts and Humanities for five years, and provided marketing internships for NTU students at The Dairy after joining the business in 2016. He said: “It’s a genuine honour to be recognised in this way by NTU. I always give my time to the university freely because I’m passionate about supporting the next generation of creative industry professionals. “I’m quite a humble person and I never do what I do because I seek recognition for it, but to be chosen to receive this award is a true honour and a real career highlight for me.”
All change at accountants as managing partner retires Bates Weston managing partner Glyn Evans has retired after 46 years of service with the accountancy firm. Glyn joined the Derby-based business while he trained for his accountancy qualification in 1976 – when it was known as Bates Foston – becoming a qualified accountant at the age of 22. By the time he was 24, he had reached partnership level.
‘We recognise his considerable contribution to the firm and thank him for his commitment and dedication’ Shortly before a 1990 office relocation from Bold Lane to The Mills, in Canal Street, he was appointed managing partner. He oversaw the 1993 merger with RJ Weston, which resulted in the formation of Bates Weston, and developed its service offering – adding teams in corporate finance, financial services and tax advisory. Glyn now retires from a successful and thriving multidisciplined firm, housing 75 staff.
Retiring managing partner Glyn Evans (left) and his successor Wayne Thomas
He said: “I want to take this opportunity to thank all my clients, many of whom I have taken care of for many years and the staff who have worked alongside me, for their support over the past 46 years. I am looking forward to a more relaxed pace of life and enjoying being with my evergrowing family.” Wayne Thomas will take on the role of managing partner at the firm. He said: “As Glyn leaves the business, we recognise his considerable contribution to the firm and thank him for his
commitment and dedication to his clients and the firm over the years.” Stuart Hulland, who became a partner in 2018 and was mentored by Glyn, added: “It’s fair to say Glyn has had a significant influence on my career. From interviewing, then hiring, me at 18 years old, his honest and forthright mentoring allowed me to progress through relationship management and ultimately to partner. I will always appreciate and value the part Glyn has played in my career and I wish him every happiness in his well-earned retirement.”
Students offered inspiration at careers event The CEO of a multi-million-pound business set up during Covid, an Army sergeant and a quantity surveyor at Bowmer & Kirkland aimed to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders in Derby by hosting a careers event at a city school. Colleague Box’s Adam Bamford was joined by Sergeant Steve Moore and Emma Hibbert – of Bowmer & Kirkland – in a visit to Allestree Woodlands School as part of Derby City Council-backed careers scheme E4E Derby. E4E was set up in 2014 to help prepare the young people of Derby for the world of work. The volunteers take part in mock interviews, CV workshops and enterprise days throughout the year. The Allestree Woodlands event, organised by the school’s careers lead Charlotte McEntee, welcomed experts from various industries to speak to children ages 12 and 13 as they prepare to choose GCSE subjects. Charlotte said: “Derby is a city which has a rich history in 6
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innovative engineering – the home of the Industrial Revolution, we’re also brimming with talented entrepreneurs. “It was good to see so many different sectors being represented, and the pupils were thoroughly engaged in all the activities throughout the day.”
Pupils were given “hands-on” tasks by construction firm Bowmer & Kirkland and Hazelwood-based chemical company Lubrizol, involving spaghetti, marshmallows and a giant ramp with a pulley. They also heard from Gus Brett and Fran Coult at rail manufacturer Alstom, plus Simon Burch and Kerry
Ganly from public relations company Penguin PR. Simon added: “I found the event really rewarding – the pupils were engaged with the presentation and, who knows, maybe we will have PR professionals who took part in the event joining us at Penguin PR in a few years’ time.”
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MEMBER NEWS
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It’s time to make your business a lean machine In a world of rising costs, a fresh focus on operational excellence is needed. Tim McLean (pictured), managing director at TXM Lean Solutions, explains to Business Network how businesses can achieve excellence through lean thinking. In the past decade, businesses had a dream run. Solid economic growth, combined with low inflation and even lower wage growth, enabled businesses to drive revenue and profits. However, this year, structural changes accelerated by the pandemic have radically changed this benign situation. As businesses wrestle with supply chain bottlenecks and labour shortages, the ogre of inflation is raising its head. In our deregulated and hypercompetitive marketplace, passing on cost increases through raising prices is not easy or, in many cases, even possible. So, businesses are increasingly looking critically at their costs of doing business and seeking ways to stay competitive.
TECHNOLOGY IS NOT NECESSARILY THE ANSWER Many companies are looking to technology to drive down costs. Even though up-to-date technology is necessary to stay in the game, investment in technology is capitalintensive and only delivers competitive advantage for as long as it takes for competitors to
purchase the same technology. Operational excellence based on lean thinking has been proven by global companies to deliver sustainable competitive advantage. Creating a culture of continuous improvement, where employees constantly challenge themselves every day, helps leading businesses to stay ahead of their competition.
ELIMINATE WASTE AND ENGAGE YOUR PEOPLE In a world where material and human resources are in short supply and the environmental impact of excess consumption is clear, waste is no longer acceptable. Waste of materials and waste of energy is avoidable, and impacts the bottom line as well as our environmental footprint. Wasting our people’s time and energy on tasks that add no value is equally unacceptable. Directors should ask for metrics that measure all forms of waste in the business and expect continuous improvement. No employee comes to work with the intention of doing a bad job. However, poor processes and poor leadership often prevent
employees succeeding in their jobs. This leads to frustration, poor morale and high costs. Directors can ask senior management how frontline staff in the business know when they have had a productive day. Look for evidence the strategy and vision developed at board level has been cascaded to everyone in the business, so that everyone knows the meaning of their work and how they are helping the business achieve its goals.
‘The rate of globally disruptive events is increasing as the world becomes more interconnected’
UNDERSTAND YOUR KEY VALUE STREAMS
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS
The recent decades have seen UK companies establish some of the longest and riskiest supply chains in the world – and the past three years have highlighted the true cost of this approach. The rate of globally disruptive events is increasing as the world becomes more interconnected. Understanding your key value streams and how they deliver value to your customers is the key to uncovering breakthrough improvements in cost while, at the same time, delivering marketleading service to customers.
At TXM, the focus is on building the solution around the needs of the organisation. When leaders and staff see practical business outcomes from their process improvement efforts, they are more likely to believe in the approach and sustain it in the future. With inflation just starting to take hold, directors need to ask now what actions management is taking to address the cost increases of tomorrow and stay competitive – and operational excellence based on lean thinking provides a proven solution.
Derby IT specialist heads for German market Bam Boom Cloud has launched an arm of its business in Germany. The Derby-headquartered IT company has grown from 90 to 120 employees in the past year following a management buyout, as well as expanding into North America and Ireland – which now continues into Europe. The German arm of the business will be headed up by Christian Sega, who brings with him more than 25 years’ experience of Microsoft Dynamics, and is also a board member on the European Directions4Partners conference committee. He said: “I was always excited about the way Bam Boom Cloud does things differently. And now I will become part of this journey as well. We are excited about the opportunity to work for such an inspiring company.” The German business will be based in Hamburg, serving customers across the country, as well as in Austria and Switzerland. Executive chairman Brett Critchley said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of Bam Boom Cloud GmbH in Germany. We offer an innovative approach for implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central that enables small businesses across the globe to leverage enterprise-level Microsoft technology. “There is huge opportunity here for us to help German-speaking SMBs innovate, transform and grow their businesses using the very best Microsoft technology.” 8
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Bam Boom Cloud’s executive chairman Brett Critchley (far left) and CEO Victoria Critchley (far right) with German staff, from left: Gabriela Schönmann (sales director) Christian Sega (region leader) and Wencke Zimmermann (head of operations)
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MEMBER NEWS
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MEMBER NEWS
Ex-journalist is making headlines George Oliver has been awarded chartered PR status – 20 months after switching industries to start his own communications agency. The 1284 director, formerly editor of the Leicester Mercury, became one of only 37 chartered PRs in the Midlands region after being tested on his knowledge of PR strategy, leadership and ethics during an assessment day in March. The assessment was led by two experienced strategic communication leaders from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). Chartered status represents the highest standard of professional excellence and integrity, demonstrating breadth of experience and showing clients and partners that practitioners act strategically and to the highest standards. As well as professional skills, George described his plan for continuing personal development, which included increasing his experience of mentoring through his voluntary roles with Leicester Startups and the Chamber’s Generation Next network as a mentor. “I had 15 years in journalism but, in founding 1284 in July 2020, I wanted to be confident that I was fully qualified to advise my clients about PR and comms,” said George.
The Gresham Aparthotel
George Oliver
Leicester venue-finding service expands portfolio
“I completed the CMI professional consulting diploma then the CIPR diploma in public affairs. The final stage was to gain chartered status – doing so puts me where I want to be operating as a strategic PR professional.” 1284 provides corporate communications and public relations strategy to innovators operating in the public, private and non-profit organisations. Based at Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park, its clients include graduate startups, founder-led SMEs, universities and public authorities across the East Midlands.
Meet Leicester and Leicestershire has grown its portfolio of venues and providers to reach more than 60 members since launching in March 2020. The full portfolio now includes 58 meeting and conference venues, plus a further six activity and accommodation providers. The organisation offers a free and impartial venue-finding service to event planners that require help to find somewhere in the county to hold an event or meeting for between 10 to 1,000 delegates. With its extensive contacts and local knowledge, the team works with event planners to source information such as rates and availability from its selection of suitable venues to fit their needs. Currently, the organisation has contacts at a variety of venues in Leicestershire, including the National Space Centre, the King Richard III Visitor Centre, Belvoir Castle and the National Forest. Business tourism manager Samantha Hall said: “Leicestershire has so much to offer when it comes to planning unique types of events and activities. “There’s also up-and-coming venues such as the recently-refurbished Gresham Aparthotel, which adds more opportunity for our clients. The Hotel Brooklyn is also set to open this summer, which will see the construction of a five-floor, 183-room hotel, with reception, lounge and dining areas, as well as a business centre, retail and lobby areas.”
Marketing agency wins top contract with housing firm
Beechwood in for a spin Derbyshire County Cricket Club has announced Beechwood Derby as its official vehicle partner in a deal covering the next two seasons. The partnership will involve Beechwood’s branding appearing on the front of Derbyshire’s Royal London Cup shirt for the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, running throughout the height of summer in August before the showpiece final in September. Beechwood will also have branding around The Incora County Ground, which is set to welcome India’s cricket team to face Derbyshire in a Twenty20 tour fixture in July. It will be profiled via the club’s new 860 sq ft digital screen, and will become a member of the 1870 Business Club – which is a club for sponsors to attend regular events during the calendar year. In addition, Derbyshire will have access to Beechwood’s vast range across Mazda and Suzuki vehicles to fulfil requirements for a number of players, as well as new head of cricket, Mickey Arthur.
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PR, digital and marketing specialist agency Cartwright Communications has been appointed by national housing and facilities management company Pinnacle Group. The Nottingham-based business will deliver multi-channel communications and raise the group’s profile within property, infrastructure and facilities management markets across public and private sectors. Pinnacle delivers, manages and maintains communities and places – including multi-tenure housing, schools and broadband networks – as an integrated service. Liz Cartwright, managing director at Cartwright Communications, said: “To support its success and Pinnacle’s expansion, we are looking forward to applying our extensive experience in property and infrastructure, combined with our expertise as a full-service agency.” Jim Saunders, group business
Jim Saunders, group business development director at Pinnacle Group and Liz Cartwright, managing director of Cartwright Communications
development director at Pinnacle Group, added: “Working alongside Cartwright, we will bolster the Pinnacle Group name and reputation among our core sectors by fully utilising the complete mix of comms channels we need to achieve meaningful awareness.
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MEMBER NEWS
Contact us now T: 01623 825516 E: nfsl@notts-fire.co.uk
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Graduate’s a budding entrepreneur A consumer electronics start-up founded by a Loughborough University graduate is close to completing its third investment round to launch “the world’s ultimate sports earbuds”. Geography and business management graduate Tom Jelliffe has already closed two previous funding rounds for his business Tzuka, as well as raising more than £115,000 in grants. This has enabled Tzuka to engineer a prototype with neverbefore-seen durability, achieving a world-first impact rating for earbuds using the IK standard. In addition to Bluetooth, the earbuds have an on-board audio storage system, with space for 60 hours of music or podcasts. Users can use them without the need for a phone and can even listen while underwater. Some £190,000 has already been raised in Tzuka’s latest investment round, with a target of £240,000 to enable the earbuds to be launched. Tom has attracted investment from Loughborough alumni and Wilkinson Future – the family-
Tom Jelliffe
‘I’m so proud of what the team has achieved, overcoming the challenges over the past two years’ owned investment fund of the wellknown high street retailer. Tom said: “I’m so proud of what the team has achieved, overcoming the challenges over the past two years. “These earbuds are a true Loughborough collaboration with input from the university’s innovation, engineering and sport
communities.” Tom began work on the concept during his final year at Loughborough, after he and a friend broke nine pairs of earphones during a year in the gym. Realising the market was geared primarily towards running, and build quality was poor throughout the price range, Tom
Study highlights impact of Covid
Sarah Perkins Art
Studios to showcase county artists A Derbyshire-wide event will showcase 218 artists exhibiting at 62 venues this year – spanning from the high peaks of Glossop and Buxton to Melbourne in South Derbyshire. The University of Derby’s Banks Mill Studios will showcase 11 artists and makers during the festival on 28 and 29 May. Delegates can visit artists in their working studios and buy or commission original artwork and handmade products direct from local makers. The free-entry studios will be open from 10am to 5pm each day and work on show at Banks Mill in Bridge Street, Derby will include art, ceramic 12
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set to work designing earbuds that were as tough as any workout. In four years, working closely with design houses The Manufacturing Technology Centre and Newbury Innovation, Tom’s functional prototype is on the brink of commercialisation. Tom attributes this success to launching his on LUSEP, the university’s science and enterprise park, as part of its incubator LUinc. In addition to a supportive peer community, Tom was able to access the Sports Technology Institute’s facilities for competitor testing, 3D printers in engineering labs and a “living lab” of athletes for consumer testing. Professor Claudia Eberlein, Loughborough University’s dean of science and innovation lead, said: “Tzuka is a great example of how Loughborough supports students throughout their entrepreneurial journey to build sustainable businesses. I wish Tom every success and look forward to Tzuka adding value to the university’s world-class sports cluster to drive innovation and economic growth.”
sculpture, textile art, printmaking, mosaics, pottery, and textile accessories. Chamber members taking part include Zaza Lewis, who combines card-cutting and fabrics to create her images; ceramic artist Abbie Sunter; mosaic artist Diane Daley; Sarah Perkins Art, which works on pet portrait commissions; Peak Gate Textiles, which was founded by Sue Russell to share her love of woven artwork; and Christine Thomas, a mixed media artist and educator on community projects. To download a festival brochure, visit www.derbyshireopenarts.co.uk
The findings of a major study exploring Covid-19’s impact on the resilience of UK companies have been revealed to policymakers, business leaders and entrepreneurs. The research was initiated in late 2020 to investigate the effects of the crisis on small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs), which account for more than 99% of Britain’s six million firms. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, it also set out to develop new ways of assessing the economic risks of pandemics and similarly disruptive episodes. The resulting insights were shared for the first time at a workshop hosted by Nottingham University Business School, which spearheaded the study, in March. Researchers believe the findings can help shape how the SME community deal with the “extreme pressures” brought by significant disruption and the emergence of “new normals”. Professor Meryem Duygun, who led the project, said: “The pandemic has cast many companies’ established notions of crisis prevention and management in a dramatic new light. In tandem, it has compelled us to try to enhance the fundamentals of the UK’s economic structure by better understanding the many factors that contribute to business resilience.”
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Infinity and beyond for nuclear research facility Work is now underway on a transformative £15m nuclear research facility at Infinity Park Derby (IPD), which will use pioneering technologies in sustainable energy to advance manufacturing capabilities. The 46,728 sq ft advanced manufacturing research centre, named Nuclear AMRC Midlands, is scheduled for completion in early 2023, located within 20 minutes’ drive of global manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Alstom and JCB in Derby. With energy prices now at record levels, Nuclear AMRC Midlands will help to guide the manufacturing industry towards critical energy transitions to facilitate growth in a carbonneutral economy. The Government-backed IPD collaboration, involving the
‘Our region has a long and proud history of powering the nation’ University of Derby, Derby City Council, Wilson Bowden, Peveril Securities, Harpur Crewe Estate and Rolls-Royce – supported by more than £9m investment from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) – will accelerate technological innovations uniting skills, markets and demand with clean energy. Professor Warren Manning, provost for innovation and research at the University of Derby, said: “Co-locating the Institute of Innovation in Sustainable Engineering with the Nuclear AMRC Midlands will enable us to share resources and expertise, and
open up new opportunities for our academics to support business sectors to become greener, more efficient, more competitive.” Development of Nuclear AMRC Midlands follows a successful pilot programme at Infinity Park’s Connect iHub, which is now home to 15 engineers and support staff. The new site will support 35 collaborative research and development projects, including high value sectors such as aerospace, automotive and rail within the first five years. Elizabeth Fagan CBE, chair of the D2N2 LEP, said: “Our region has a long and proud history of powering the nation. Our investments into Infinity Park and the Nuclear AMRC will play a critical role in developing clusters of highly productive and sustainable businesses that will drive the UK's green revolution.”
Anicca maps the best ad agencies Anicca Digital has developed an interactive map to help businesses identify the most reputable digital advertising agencies in the UK, after becoming the only company of its kind in Leicestershire to retain the Google Premier Partner accreditation. The Leicester-based digital marketing agency has developed the toolkit following the recent rollout of Google’s new Premier Partner certification. The search engine giant has updated its Premier Partners criteria, which was launched in 2010, and reissued badges to the top 3% of Google Ads practitioners in each country. Previously, about 400 companies in the UK were eligible for the accreditation, with agencies required to have a certain number of qualified staff, an advertising spend of more than $10,000 per quarter and a well-run account, as determined by an account optimisation score. Now, just 140 marketing agencies have been awarded the new, coveted Premier Partner badge. Ann Stanley, CEO of Anicca Digital, said: “Anicca Digital was among the first agencies to hold this accreditation back in 2010. However, it needed a revamp as it no longer served its original purpose of being able to distinguish agencies by the quality of their work. “The Anicca team is very proud to be in the top 140 Google Ads agencies in the UK and were curious to see which other agencies had retained their Premier
The Anicca Digital team
Partnership accreditation, and where they were located.” The agency has utilised the Google Ads Partners directory to create the interactive map, which enables businesses to find the best marketing agency in their local area. Ann added: “After analysing the data in the directory, we have produced a map that makes it easier to find the right marketing expertise and we hope it will be a valuable resource for businesses.” To find an accredited Google Premier Partner near you, visit bit.ly/3K3HbWT
Customer technology specialist Sean Read demonstrating dbfb’s telephony solutions
Free VoIP installation offer Communications company dbfb is offering local businesses free installations of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) systems – as the countdown continues towards a plan to switch off analogue landline phone services in 2025. With 42% of SMEs still using traditional analogue phone lines, the company wanted to help small businesses with the switchover to digital communications before the deadline. Sales of public switched telephone networks (PSTN) and integrated services digital networks (ISDN) will no longer be available from 2023, ahead of Openreach disconnecting them entirely two years later. As well as a free installation, dbfb is offering three months’ half-price subscription for cloud-based systems to help clients get started. Simon Pickering, managing director at dbfb, said: “More businesses are moving from analogue systems to digital networks already. “Whether you’re still in contract, are coming out of contract, or are just ready to make the switch – it’s worth looking at your options ahead of time to make sure you adopt the right solution for your business.”
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New centre will make observatory a shining star Volunteers at Sherwood Observatory, based in the outskirts of Sutton-in-Ashfield, recently secured funding from the Government’s Town Fund programme to back a £5.25m project to convert an underground Victorian reservoir into a new planetarium and science discovery centre. Project manager Steve Wallace (pictured) gives an update on the scheme to Business Network and explains why it’s a complex development. What is Sherwood Observatory’s project all about and why is it important? Sherwood Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in Coxmoor Road, just outside Suttonin-Ashfield. It was built by volunteers from Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society between 1972 and 1983 using recycled materials sourced from the local area. It houses what the members believe to be the largest telescope in the UK that is available for community use. A radio astronomy centre was added a few years ago, again built by the members, and the site has recently been selected to be the hub for a new UK-wide meteor detection network. What will the construction project involve and how will you overcome any challenges? Situated on land adjacent to the observatory, and owned by the charity, is an underground Victorian reservoir, opened in 1886 to supply water to local communities. The organisation has developed a
vision to convert the reservoir into a visitor attraction, which will include exhibition space, meeting rooms and a café, while a state-of-the-art planetarium will be constructed on the roof. The new facilities will be used to expand their outreach and excite even more visitors, including experience days for schools, and provide a multi-functional community resource. However, the underground reservoir must be sympathetically refurbished so the Victorian vaulted brick arch architecture remains exposed, while at the same time constructing a 10-metre dome planetarium that will house the latest high-definition immersive projection equipment and associated hardware. The project is costly, and it’s a time when construction industry inflation is impacting other projects that are trying to deliver within grant funding budget constraints. How will businesses benefit and can they offer support? Numerous studies have shown the area performs below the national
average in educational attainment, yet the East Midlands is arguably the most important area in the UK for manufacturing. The centre is set to inspire STEM learning in all ages to create a pipeline of talented and motivated people to support business, jobs and prosperity in the area – a “golden thread” that runs through many of the Ashfield Towns Fundsupported projects. It will also be a truly unique visitor attraction that will become an essential part of the visitor economy. Businesses can get involved with the project through donations and sponsorship. There are a wide range of items the observatory will require, from the planetarium projection screen to the staircase and lift – so there is something to suit every budget. How far has the project come so far and what are the next steps? The project has been allocated core capital funding through the Towns Fund programme, and it has
Supplier earns ISO seal of approval Derby-based Tidyco has achieved ISO 14001 accreditation, demonstrating the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility. The accreditation confirms the hydraulic and pneumatic products supplier operates an environmental management system that has been assessed by a UKAS-accredited certifying body. The multidivisional organisation provides solutions to a number of industries including rail, climate and electrical. Quality and training manager Jeff Turner said: “This is a fantastic achievement for us as a 16
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business and officially verifies our commitment to environmentally responsible and sustainable manufacturing.” Production director Philip Mason added: “We see this accreditation as validation of what we have been doing for the last decade. It doesn’t stop here. We can’t rest on our laurels – I know we can do even better. “So far we have managed to introduce packaging recycling, EV charging points, solar panels and LED lighting, but I am already looking at other projects.”
selected Woodhead Construction as the lead contractor, with PRB Architects, HSP Consulting, and specialist planetarium providers RSA Cosmos and ST Engineering completing the team. The team are on track to submit a planning application in June and, with the first iteration of the designs completed, are currently conducting a value engineering exercise to find the right balance between the creation of a unique building and affordability. However, more support is needed, and a matched funding campaign will be launched once the designs have been finalised. Given the link between this new science discovery centre and STEM learning, the charity hopes businesses in the region will see the benefit and provide support through donations and sponsorship. Businesses that would like to get involved can contact Steve Wallace at projectmanager@ sherwood-observatory.org.uk
Philip Mason
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Classic car show back in gear after Covid
A town’s popular classic car show is set to roar back into life this summer having been cancelled over the past two years because of the pandemic. The Ilkeston Heritage and Classic Vehicle Show will hit the road on Sunday 14 August, bringing the sights and sounds of yesteryear to the town centre. This will mark 10 years since the first show, filling the Market Place and surrounding streets with colourful memories and attracting exhibitors and visitors from across the country.
Organiser Erewash Partnership Events – a sister company of enterprise agency Erewash Partnership – hopes the revitalised free extravaganza will again be a major attraction after organisers had to cancel it the past two years. Before then, it had grown rapidly over seven years to attract thousands of visitors of all ages to make it the biggest one-day event in the town. Ian Viles, chief executive of Erewash Partnership, said: “We are thrilled at the prospect of putting on the car show again and providing an entertaining day out
for past attendees as well as new ones which we hope will boost spirits after a difficult time.” Organisers have already had offers of sponsorship from Ilkeston firms, including car dealer Ron Brooks Toyota and Larklands Body and Paint Centre, as well as Pidcock Motorcycles of Long Eaton. Proving the show's popularity, a new sponsor has come forward – Alliance Group Solutions, of Kirkbyin-Ashfield, which has carried out groundwork on the re-opened Bennerley Viaduct and flood defences in the Ilkeston area.
These sponsors have provided almost half the income towards the £7,000 target for the show – but more are needed to ensure it goes ahead as planned. Erewash Partnership Events is also hoping to recruit more volunteers to set up and close down the displays, and act as marshals. Ian added: “Once we are confident that we have received enough support, we will then make exhibitors tickets available to book online. We look forward to welcoming people to what we hope will be a great day.”
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Economic index will offer insight into middle market Rob Fryer
Make your case for a free intern Businesses have been invited to take part in the University of Leicester’s new summer internship programme to boost graduate employment in the local economy. This fully-funded internship is one in a series of projects to commemorate the university’s centenary. Citizens of Change internships will take place from 4 to 29 July 2022, and are targeted at middle-year undergraduate students. Students will be given the opportunity to undertake a community-focused project in a Leicestershire-based organisation for a total of 140 hours over the four weeks. Projects should align with the university’s strategic goals, including health and wellbeing, innovation, environmental sustainability, equality, diversity and inclusion, and research. Rob Fryer, director of the career development service at the University of Leicester, said: “Alongside the Leicester Graduate City Project internship, the Citizens of Change programme will undoubtedly benefit both the local economy and the university’s talent pipelines. “And with our focus on employability, these internships will help to boost students to secure ongoing work and create a pathway towards their chosen careers.” Salary costs are covered for participating businesses, while providing access to talented undergraduates to support projects who can add real value. Maryrose Terry, from citybased charity Recovery Assistance Dogs (RAD), added: “Having an intern will allow us to share the great work we are doing by promoting our services on a website and through social media.” Organisations interested in taking part should contact Mariyah Mandhu on mm977@leicester.ac.uk
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RSM UK has launched the Middle Market Business Index (MMBI) – the first economic index to focus solely on middle-market businesses in the UK. The index was developed in partnership with data specialists Moody’s Analytics and The Harris Poll. There are currently 1,625 middlemarket businesses registered in the East Midlands, making a significant contribution to economic growth and jobs in the region.
‘We can now share the views of business leaders in that segment with our East Midlands-based clients’ The quarterly index presents unique insight into the health of the middle market – the engine room for growth in the UK – while drawing on credible forwardlooking indicators to deliver predictive economic insight over a six-month period. The latest data is the culmination of 15 months of robust primary research by the audit, tax and consulting firm. A quarterly survey of some 700 senior executives at middle-market companies has helped gauge sentiment
surrounding current and future business conditions. RSM UK economist Thomas Pugh said: “The MMBI presents an exciting first for the UK marketplace – an opportunity to measure the health of the UK’s middle market. “This research marks a particularly important milestone because, despite this segment of the market accounting for about a third of the entire UK economy, it has never benefitted from a specific benchmark to measure its health.” The unique research offers businesses a set of rigorous and bespoke insights across a range of key indicators including revenues, profits, capital expenditure, hiring levels and input and output costs. The latest MMBI findings demonstrated a fall from a score of 139.6 in Q4 2021 to 134.9 in Q1 2022 as the Omicron variant hit business optimism in the first quarter of the year. However, middle-market businesses still remained optimistic, and the data shows inflation and labour shortages began to ease at the start of the year. Kevin Harris, RSM’s office managing partner in Leicester, added: “The launch of the MMBI is a significant milestone as we are focused on the middle market and we can now share the views of business leaders in that segment
Kevin Harris
with our East Midlands-based clients. “The MMBI helps them through bringing valuable insight to help shape commercial decisions. The index also provides a voice for the middle market that will influence the focus of policy makers and industry as a whole.”
Gresham hosts networking event series The Gresham Aparthotel has hosted the first networking event in a new series. The Leicester-based venue seeks to offer a different networking environment each time, and sessions will run on the first Thursday of each month between 4pm and 6pm. Presentations and speakers are strictly off the table, and the “no-pressure” events are about bringing businesspeople together to network with new and existing contacts in a relaxed setting. Alongside the aparthotel, The Gresham Network is led by a group of Leicester businesses including Associate Events, Black Iron Social, Gresham Works, Pattersons Commercial Law, Mattioli Woods, Metro Bank and Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL). Kirsty Adams, managing associate at Pattersons Commercial Law, said: “Our first event was superb – with nearly 50 people, we were absolutely delighted with the turnout. Everything about it worked so well from the efficient organisation to the vibrant setting in The Gresham and Black Iron Social, which contributed to a pleasant atmosphere, conducive to great networking. “It was great to see so many familiar faces again after such a disruptive period. I hope we will see even more people come along and take advantage of this free, informal networking opportunity.”
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Spring Ball raises more than £8k for vulnerable children
Members of the Clegg Group team on a previous Samworth Brothers Charity Challenge
Clegg Group up for an adventure National construction firm Clegg Group will enter two teams into this year’s Samworth Brothers Charity Challenge, raising money for two organisations. The adventure challenge includes cycling, walking and canoeing, and will be held over two weekends, on 11 and 18 June 2022. It involves some of the biggest food companies competing alongside Royal Marines and even Olympic triathletes the Brownlee brothers, while raising funds for chosen charities. Clegg Group is entering two teams into the challenge this year – Team Clegg and Bacon, and Team Clegg on Toast – and will fundraise for The Greggs Foundation and Crohn’s & Colitis. Oliver Jenkins, business development manager at the group’s sister company, Clegg Food Projects, said: “I can’t wait for Samworth Brothers Charity Challenge, which we’ve been taking part for more than 10 years. Samworth Brothers has also been a longstanding client of Clegg Food Projects. “The two charities are both close to our hearts and we would like to be able to raise as much money as possible for both, helping to provide breakfast to children who need it most, and for to those suffering with Crohn’s and Colitis.”
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Children First Derby’s annual Charity Spring Ball raised more than £8,000 to help support local vulnerable children, young people and families. The sold-out event, which took place at Morley Hayes hotel, near Ilkeston, in May and was sponsored by Smith Partnership Solicitors, was attended by prominent business leaders – many of whom donated generous prizes for the live and silent fundraising auctions held during the event. Children First Derby CEO Irshad Baqui said: “We’re delighted to see the return of our popular Charity Spring Ball and to have received such fantastic support from the business community. “We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone at the event, and to all those who have generously donated auction prizes to help support the event. “The efforts are greatly appreciated, enabling us to provide continued support to local vulnerable children, young people and families.” The event saw guest speaker Joshua Ryan, chair of Children First Derby Youth Forum, deliver a speech about his previous struggles with mental health, and the challenges he continues to face. He also detailed how the charity’s ongoing support had proved instrumental in helping him move forward positively with his life.
Children First Derby chair Fred Jacques presents a “thank you” bouquet to Claire Twells, business development partner at sponsor Smith Partnership Solicitors
Pharma firm sends meds to Ukraine
Hospice flies the flag for cathedral’s dove project An end-of-life charity is supporting Derby Cathedral’s large-scale Peace Doves art installation, created by renowned sculptor and artist Peter Walker. Between 23 April and 12 June, some 8,000 paper doves will suspended above the cathedral’s nave. Treetops Hospice, in Risley, has asked patients and counselling clients – as well as members of staff and volunteers – to decorate the doves with messages of peace, love and hope. A number of community groups have been doing the same with Derby visual arts organisation Artcore, and schools across the city and county have also taken part in the mass participation community arts project. The doves have been sent back
to the cathedral where Peter Walker will transform them into a stunning display that aims to reflect the thoughts and feelings of people across Derbyshire, accompanied by a tranquil soundscape from composer David Harper. Treetops’ compassionate communities engagement lead Julie Mehigan said: “This has been a great opportunity for involving our patients, staff and volunteers in this iconic art installation at the cathedral. We’ve held sessions at the hospice where the doves have been decorated in a wide variety of styles, all reflecting messages of love, hope and peace for the future.” It is hoped the project, which will be free to visit, will attract tourists to the city, unite the community and raise funds for the upkeep of the cathedral.
A Leicestershire pharmaceuticals business has donated almost 60,000 packs, which will provide 1.29 million doses, of essential medicines to communities impacted by the war in Ukraine. The donation by Loughborough-based Morningside Pharmaceuticals came about after the company’s founder and chairman, Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL, spoke with the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, at a business event in London. The large shipment of medicines has been transported via Morningside’s logistics partner to the Embassy’s distribution hub in Poland. From there, they will be supplied to hospitals, healthcare centres and patients throughout Ukraine. It has also stored a large quantity of supportive goods – such as hundreds of packs of nappies, feminine hygiene packs, sleeping bags and children’s essentials – in its Loughborough warehouse after donations by the general public, and delivered these to support Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
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Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s Attenborough Visitor Centre
EDF helping to power Wildlife Trust’s engagement programme Energy supplier EDF is supporting Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s engagement programme to encourage residents to take action for wildlife in the county. West Burton-based EDF will recruit and train “wilder welcome” volunteers at the trust’s Idle Valley and Attenborough visitor centres. The volunteers will greet visitors, provide information about each reserve and its wildlife, as well as host introductory on-site activities. EDF plant manager for West Burton Gavin Lancaster said: “It’s very important to us to help where we can and the volunteering initiative will open up opportunities for visitors to find out more specific information about the local wildlife and their habitats and learn about the amazing wildlife in their areas.”
Over the years, EDF’s West Burton and Cottam power stations in north Nottinghamshire have supported the trust’s local education programmes, sponsored its annual Environmental Awards and more recently its Wildlife on Your Doorstep Awards. Blake Coghill, the trust’s wilder Nottinghamshire officer, said “The wilder welcome volunteers play a vital role in creating engaging and inclusive spaces at our flagship reserves.” Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust is joining other wildlife trusts in the UK’s biggest nature challenge throughout June. The 30 Days Wild initiative encourages people to do one “wild” act every day during the month, such as eating outdoors, listening to birdsong and planting wildflower seeds.
Businesses tee off for charity challenge Six East Midlands businesses will tee off again on a charity golf challenge aimed at raising £100,000 for the charity Big C Little C, which supports local initiatives in aid of Cancer Research and NSPCC. The “Three Bunkers Challenge” involves 24 golfers playing three courses across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire in one day on 27 May. Participants include representatives from Chamber members Mazars (Bob Johnson), Anthony James Insurance Brokers (Steve Boorman) and Breeze Corporate Finance (Paul Bevan), with Simple Marketing Consultancy, MKM Building Supplies and Fiscal Engineers also taking part – with hopes of beating the £13,000 raised last year. The first tee-off time is at 6.30am at Morley Hayes Golf Club, with players then travelling to Charnwood Forest Golf Club and concluding at The Nottinghamshire Golf & Country Club. Organisers welcome support via online donations or gifted raffle prizes. To make a donation, visit fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/unite/ big-c-little-c-three-bunkers-challenge
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MEMBER FOCUS: MEN’S MIND GP
Helping men to address their mental health Men are traditionally less inclined to get support for their mental health difficulties – often not knowing where to turn or struggling to make long-term changes. Through his Leicester-based business Men's Mind GP, Dr Ed Rainbow (pictured) hopes to raise awareness around the difficulties men have with their mental health. He speaks to Business Network about how he uses lifestyle medicine approaches to help his clients improve their mental wellbeing. Tell us what your company does and a brief overview of its history? I provide support for men with mental health difficulties, helping them to improve and regain control of their lives. I’m a GP by background and I now specialise in men’s mental health using lifestyle medicine approaches. I’ve had my own difficulties with mental health over the past few years. This culminated in burnout, anxiety and depression, being unable to work or support my family. I sought help for the first time in my life, taking time out, looking after myself better and using talking therapies. I quit my partnership, made sure I was doing the things that were important to me, and adopted multiple measures to improve my sleep, diet, stress levels and exercise regime. I started to learn how I work internally, what my emotions and feelings tell me, and how to work with them. Having learned that these approaches worked for me, I used them with patients, and they really worked – people got better and stayed better. I decided I wanted to help others in the same way. Who are your main customers and what is your USP to them? The men I want to help are at work, with busy lives, often with families. They and the people around them know something is not right, but they struggle to come forward to get help. They may have tried, but struggle to make long-term changes. We’re a partnership working together to achieve a shared understanding of the issues, and we create together a holistic action plan of practical steps to improve and maintain mental wellbeing. Through one-to-one online calls, I 22
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suggest scientifically-backed, lifestyle medicine-based changes, in areas such as exercise, stress management, diet and sleep. What does your day-to-day role involve? As a new business, pretty much everything is down to me. As well as providing client support, my priorities are reaching out to companies and clients, as well as posting educational content on LinkedIn. What challenges have you faced in recent times and how have you tried to overcome them? The biggest challenge is moving from an idea to a workable reality. Having plans, chipping away slowly, and learning as much as I can from peers and the Chamber have all helped. Time has been an issue – balancing starting a new business with other roles – and I’ve made changes to adapt. What are the company’s plans for the future? My current plans are to help people working on a one-to-one basis, but over the next few months I’d like to develop some group classes and support networks. More widely, it’s contributing to changing the wider societal view on men and mental health, and engaging people with stories, kindness and empathy. How long have you been a member of East Midlands Chamber, and how have you engaged with the membership benefits to support your business activity? I’ve been a member for three months. I offer a free 15-minute consultation initially to see if we are a good match to work together. I’ve been offering discounts for Chamber members too.
NEW MEMBERS In March, the Chamber welcomed 56 new members: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Acute Business Advisory Ltd The Steam Mop Alex Wilkinson Media Ltd APLUS Medical Services & Training ltd Aspire Export Solutions Ltd BDL Recruitment Beer Under The Clock Beyond Beauty Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice Bright & Beautiful Nottingham Centurion VAT Specialists ALL Limited Chocolate Orange Tearooms Christine Thomas Circle Software & Design Clarissa’s Interiors The CORE Centre Cosmic Campervans Ltd Qual Ltd Paperstarlights EM Potential HR First Choice Floors The Glasshouse Retford Ltd The Good Health Boutique Haines Watts Chartered Accountants Hairport Barbers Hexagon Consultants Free Energy Help HKS Consultancy Ltd
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Hobsons Trent Industrial Textiles Ltd Impact Air Systems Ltd iTrack Ltd It’s Not Smoke Ltd King of Tarot Gift Shop LeeWrangler U.K. Ltd Kidz Hub Ltd Miller Knight Resource Management Ltd Mill Technologies Limited (International) M’s Gallery New Futures Network Nottingham BID O’Connor & Co Removals Ltd Onward Media Parity Legal Limited Remembering Potential Retford Angling Supplies Reach Events (REM) R J Shoes and Accessories RS Print Limited Simex Sound Bites Derby Spectre Signage Solutions Limited Think Team Tim’s Running World Unimed Procurement Services (International) YSA Education
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APPOINTMENTS
Richard steps up to chair board of enterprise agency Paul Richardson
Paul makes switch to Nelsons Nottingham Associate solicitor and mediator Paul Richardson has moved from Nelsons’ Leicester office to join the family law department in Nottingham. With more than 17 years’ experience in family law, Paul qualified as a solicitor in 2010, before joining Nelsons’ in 2020 following its acquisition of Glynis Wright & Co. Paul specialises in all areas of family law, but predominantly focuses on private children law, injunctions and mediation. He said: “I’m thrilled to have returned to Nottingham, after working in Leicester for the last year, and I am really excited to join the Nottingham team and help to develop and grow the private children law and family mediation practice in the city.”
Mark Gregory
Derby-based charity names chairperson The board of trustees at QUAD in Derby has appointed Mark Gregory as the charity’s new chairperson. A general counsel and a member of the executive team at RollsRoyce, Mark takes up the position this spring, after joining the QUAD board at the start of the year. Mark said: “QUAD has grown to become a cornerstone of the city’s cultural offer which my family and I have regularly enjoyed as patrons.” He takes over following the resignation of Brian Martin Walsh OBE, who brought an end to his two-and-a-half year period as chair. 26
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Enterprise agency Erewash Partnership has announced a new chair of the board of directors. Vice-chair Richard Ledger (pictured) has stepped up to be chair in a role reversal with Bev Crighton, who became the first woman chair in 2020 and has steered the organisation through the Covid-19 pandemic. Richard is managing director of Draycott-based Millitec, which designs and manufactures machinery for the food industry and exports across the world.
‘These are exciting times and Erewash is a fabulous place full of opportunity’ He is also chair of Long Eaton Town Deal Board, which won £24.8m of Government funding for projects to breathe new life into the town and take it forward over the next decade. Richard said: “These are exciting times and Erewash is a fabulous place full of opportunity. “The partnership is all about people working
together to make the most of those opportunities and the team can give real tangible help to all businesses, from those just setting out on their journey in self-employment to the more established businesses looking for investment and growth.” Partnership chief executive Ian Viles added: “Richard is very enthusiastic about the area. He was educated in the area at Trent College, Long Eaton. He's very passionate about manufacturing and training and skills. “Bev has proved a steady hand as chair, especially through the difficult challenges of the Covid pandemic when we had to re-think, adapt and even boost support for businesses, including new members attracted by what we do.” In addition to the new board announcement, the partnership has moved its headquarters from Bridge House in Derby Road, Long Eaton, where it has been based since autumn 2014, to Toll Bar House, close to White Lion Square in Ilkeston. The building, which has 27 offices, is managed by the partnership on behalf of Erewash Borough Council.
New CEO for growing IT service specialist Air IT has appointed James Steventon as CEO – as the IT services provider looks to continue its growth and acquisition strategy. Taking over from John Whitty, he joins the business to take it to the next level of growth, having scaled several private equity and venture capital-backed businesses.
‘The right solutions and passionate support are more valuable to UK businesses than ever’
Tom McLoughlin
Agency seeks out new head of search
James Steventon
Air IT, backed by August Equity, provides a comprehensive range of services and solutions across IT, communications, and cyber security. Dedicated to SME clients, it offers award-winning, responsive service, available nationwide and delivered locally with real attention to detail. Air IT is the only SME-focused MSP worldwide to hold the prestigious 4-Star Service Desk Institute (SDI) certification. James said: “Air IT has proven that the right solutions and passionate support are more valuable to UK businesses than ever. I’m excited to be taking the business forward and continuing to build the team, expand our footprint and enhance our offering. I want Air IT to be the go-to partner for managed IT services in the UK for the SME community.” Ian Brown, chair of Air IT, added: “We’re delighted that James has joined Air IT. He brings extensive leadership experience and a strong track record of growth and client-focused excellence in private equitybacked technology businesses like ours.”
Nottinghamshire-based Ketchup Marketing has welcomed new head of search Thomas McLoughlin to manage its growing team of SEO specialists. Thomas joined as the agency’s head of search in February, helping to develop and execute strategydriven SEO and PPC campaigns for the agency’s clients. He will use his 14 years’ experience in digital marketing to also head up Ketchup’s growing team of SEO specialists. Managing director Michelle Jones said: “With our second office now open in Nottingham, we’re hoping to attract even more amazing talent to the team, so we can continue to expand our client base and take on even more exciting challenges.”
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APPOINTMENTS
Alex Statham (left) and Nick Aylett
Partner promotions as PKF builds on recent successes PKF Smith Cooper has promoted four individuals across its tax and VAT and indirect taxes teams to partner. The four newly-promoted partners are Gavin West, Gary Devonshire, Natasha Scott and Adam Rollason (pictured). Head of VAT and indirect taxes Gavin has been with the firm for six years and has more than 20 years’ experience working on VAT and other indirect tax issues from all perspectives, including for HMRC. Gary, based in the Derby office,
joined the PKF Smith Cooper tax advisory team in January 2019 and heads up the innovation and property taxes offering. Natasha has been with the firm for 13 years, having joined the Nottingham office as a tax apprentice. Natasha works in the corporate tax advisory team and has a particular focus on corporation tax and advisory work. Adam Rollason joined the Birmingham office in September 2020 and heads up the transactional tax offering for the
firm. He advises on all types of corporate transactions, helping clients to effectively navigate the comprehensive UK tax system. Managing partner James Bagley said: “It is hugely rewarding and incredibly important to see our team continuing to develop and progress and I, and everyone at PKF Smith Cooper, look forward to working closely with Gavin, Gary, Natasha and Adam in their new roles, as we look to build on recent successes and continue to grow and develop the firm, our teams and our offering.”
TBAT Innovation rewards its staff TBAT Innovation has promoted Ryan Mouncy (pictured) as managing director – with Vincent Seddon and Elaine Williams promotions to commercial and finance director respectively. As part of the changes Matt Symonds, who joined TBAT in 2007, will step down from his position as managing director but will remain as co-owner, director and advisor within the business. Sam Stephens, who founded TBAT Innovation in 2002, will also step back, but similarly retain an active role in the business as coowner, director, and advisor. TBAT’s new managing director Ryan Mouncy is currently operations manager for the business. His promotion will see him lead the company’s strategic direction to focus on the continuing growth of the team and its service offering.
From left: Simon Himsworth, Melanie Davidson and Darren Clarke
Medilink Midlands unveils two senior appointments Medilink Midlands has announced the appointment of Simon Himsworth as CEO. Simon was the life sciences industry transformation, change and key account manager to major bio-pharma global brands at BioPhorum. As part of the progression and adaption into the next stage of Medilink Midlands development, Melanie Davidson has also been promoted to chief operating officer. Prof Martin Levermore DL, chairman of the board, said: “We are delighted to bring someone of Simon’s talent to Medilink Midlands. Simon has spent more than 25 years leading delivery programmes in the public and private sector,
and his experience in the life sciences industry and impressive profile, are valuable assets to Medilink Midlands.” Outgoing CEO Darren Clark will remain part of the Medilink Midlands ecosystem as deputy chair of the board of directors. Simon added: “I would like to thank Darren for his service to the organisation and pay tribute to his success. I am delighted that the organisation will be retaining Darren’s knowledge and experience in his new role on the board. I look forward to working with our regional partners, central government, academia, patrons and members, along with the global industry thought leaders.”
Developer adds two directors National developer Sladen Estates has announced the appointment of two development directors to boost its ongoing plans on major projects across the UK. Nick Aylett and Alex Statham have joined Sladen Estates from Jaguar Land Rover and property agents Banks Long & Co, respectively, and will work alongside Sladen’s existing team as it continues its ambitious development programme across the country. Nick has an extensive knowledge of asset management, property strategy and commercial transactions, he adds further experience and knowhow to Sladen Estates’ growing team. He said: “Sladen Estates has an exemplar reputation across the industry, so an opportunity to join the team was not one to be missed. There is a strong commitment here to taking the right approach to property development and fostering a collaborative environment that produces results we can be proud of.” Alex spent more than five years as a director at Banks Long & Co in Lincoln, managing the firm’s building and cost consultancy team and leading on all key project management commissions. Before that, he spent 10 years at Faithful+Gould as a senior project manager, delivering complex and challenging projects with individual values up to £32m. He said: “It’s an exciting time to join the team at Sladen Estates – this is a company that truly understands the development process and how it can get the best results for partners, occupiers and funders alike. The team has a huge amount of experience, and I’m excited to get started.
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THE BIG INTERVIEW
Building up our region brick by brick
Bradgate Estates developed, and now operates, the 132-bed Abode student development in London Road, Leicester
With ongoing construction projects in Leicester and Nottingham, and Derby potentially on the horizon, developer Bradgate Estates has an important stake in the success of the region – with managing director Joseph Levy calling himself an “East Midlands loyalist”. He discusses with Dan Robinson the potential of the three cities and how the completion of a unique scheme in the Lace Market will give his family a sense of closure.
hen Julian Levy, the Leicesterbased serial entrepreneur and property developer, passed away in May 2016, he not only left behind four children who mourned the loss of a man they dearly loved. The 63-year-old also had deals in place for three significant construction projects at his company Bradgate Estates. His family had two options – sell the sites and walk away with whatever money they could recoup, or take the schemes forward and protect his legacy. They chose the latter and while second-eldest Joseph – or Joe – already had his own business, he decided to tackle the challenge head-on by stepping into the role as Bradgate’s managing director. His younger cousin Aaron Levy, who had been Julian’s assistant, and Anthony Parker, a childhood friend of Julian who had also been a
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businessman in his own right, provided ample support as operations director and finance director respectively. “My dad had committed to three big projects that were in the planning process, but permission hadn’t been granted and work hadn’t started yet,” says Joe, 40. “As a family, we decided to continue his legacy and finish what he started.” The first two of those schemes were a 132-bed student accommodation block next to Leicester railway station, completed in 2017 – which is now operated by Bradgate’s student living brand Abode – and a £31m scheme comprising 237 flats in Sheffield that was handed over in 2019. Joe is speaking on site of the third project – a network of historic buildings in Nottingham’s Lace Market that have mainly been derelict for decades but are being transformed into a modern development of 117 flats for the private rented sector (PRS).
Forward-funded by Geneva-based investment house Edmond De Rothschild, it has a gross development value of £17.3m and should be completed later this year. “It’s the last site in my father’s legacy,” says Joe, whose company now has other projects in the pipeline, including a 71-flat scheme in Wharf Street South, Leicester.
‘Everyone wanted to join our journey and we delivered site after site – we’ve gone from ‘let’s see how we get on’ to being consistent and now thriving’
Julian Levy, left, passed down his entrepreneurial instincts to his son Joseph, right 28
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“I remember when we took over how nervewracking it was. I had three young children at the time and was thinking ‘we have three of the biggest buildings in the region and multi-millionpound deals to oversee, how the heck are we going to pull this off?’ “But the trustees of his estate put their faith in me and my team. Everyone wanted to join our journey and we delivered site after site – we’ve gone from ‘let’s see how we get on’ to being consistent and now thriving.”
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Joseph Levy (left) took over the reins of Bradgate Estates in 2016, supported by his cousin Aaron Levy
EDUCATION KEY TO CREATING TALENT Retaining young talent in the region is a key priority for Bradgate Estates, says Joe – who believes the construction skills problem begins in education. He is acutely aware of how universities could better prepare talent for the industry – during his surveying degree, he never once went on site – while he would also like to see more businesses offering apprenticeships so youngsters don’t feel they can only take the academic route. “I learned more practical skills in my first year in work as an assistant to the site manager than I did in three years as a student,” he says. “So I’d like to partner with universities to bring students on to our developments, get their PPE on and regularly walk on the site with a manager to see what happens. “By offering these opportunities, hopefully the outcome is we not only retain the talent but also bridge the gap between academia and businesses.”
JOE HAS INHERITED his father’s entrepreneurial spirit and ability to see the bigger picture. Julian’s jobs ranged from a bus conductor to family restaurant manager before he started a clothing business supplying major brands including M&S. When the fashion industry fell on hard times and manufacturing moved to the Far East, he turned his factory into his first commercial development, sowing the seeds for Bradgate Estates, named after Bradgate Park, in Charnwood Forest. Since being established in June 2002, the company has built about 1,200 student beds and 550 residential flats across more than 10 sites in Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield – with developments ranging from 14 high-end apartments to a 572-bed student block. Joe, alongside Aaron and Anthony, has played a major role in a number of these projects after taking the reigns following his father’s death. The pair had worked together when Joe finished university but he decided to go and carve out his own career by building a portfolio of 30 properties and setting up Westcotes House Ltd with a business partner 12 years ago. It continues to operate 55 beds across Leicester that are rented to the local authority as emergency accommodation for people made homeless, with a particular emphasis on women fleeing domestic violence.
An 11-storey block of 71 apartments in Wharf Street South, Leicester, built by Bradgate Estates
Attracting finance from NatWest was the first major success as the backing of a bank validated the new leadership team – “it was the first domino that let contractors and business partners know we were serious” – and relationships have been significant, with local suppliers used wherever possible. “One of our ethos as a family business is to strengthen communities in the East Midlands,” says Joe, who admits he was very close to his father and would often meet up to bounce off ideas about their businesses. “We don’t get our windows from Poland or Aberdeen – we get them from Derby. We also use local builders’ merchants, lawyers and everything else because it creates May 2022 business network
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LACE MARKET PROJECT IS COMING TOGETHER Bradgate Estates’ development at the heart of Nottingham’s Lace Market is one of the most challenging projects it has taken on – but there is now light at the end of the tunnel. The site’s sandstone foundations, located above caves and on a cliff edge, as well as archaeological and logistical issues had put off numerous developers over almost two decades before Julian Levy finally devised a solution to redevelop it. Even once work began in February 2019 under Joe’s leadership, the pandemic brought more hurdles as the contractor went bust. “We’re a developer so had to adapt very quickly by stepping in to build the relationships locally with other companies and sub-contractors to make sure work continued,” says Joe. “There could have been years of nonmovement but we decided to roll up our sleeves and get it done. Everyone has worked together as a team and now there’s light at the end of the tunnel.” The development, which sits across Short Hill and High Pavement, comprises four blocks that were in varying conditions. It includes Grade II-
Aaron and Joseph Levy inside one of the apartments within the Lace Market development
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listed buildings but much of the site has been empty since bombing raids during the Second World War devastated the area, while other parts have been unoccupied for many years. Bradgate, via its Abode brand, is converting and restoring the four listed buildings, and building two new five and seven-storey buildings around a central courtyard. It will eventually accommodate 117 PRS flats, ranging from one to three-bed apartments. Up to 75 workers are on site each day and there’s hopes it will be completed in the second half of this year. During a site tour, Business Network is shown several apartments in which flooring, doors and windows have been installed, kitchens are fitted out and walls painted. Many retain original features such as ceiling beams, while some residents will soon benefit from panoramic views that take in Nottingham Castle, St Mary’s Church and the City Ground. Operations director Aaron Levy says: “There’s four blocks and each one pays homage to the lace heritage of the area. We’ve kept a lot of the details so it completely represents the building that was here before.”
economic activity and wealth in our region.” Future plans revolve around partnering with businesses and high-net-worth individuals with estates, offering the team’s local knowledge to help them flip properties. Joe gives the example of a pub chain that, after closing a couple of dozen venues, may sell the properties at auction for nominal fees. By linking up with Bradgate, each site in the East Midlands can be fully appraised to maximise its potential and value. “We know our area – we’re East Midlands specialists,” he says. “And although we’re a small family company compared to some of the big operators, we’ve shown how we can punch above our weight.” EVERY MARCH, THE most influential players in property converge in Cannes alongside investors representing hundreds of billions of pounds in assets for MIPIM. It is the world’s biggest real estate market event and just about every UK city will have a presence, usually via a public-private partnership that showcases key development projects with the hope of gaining financial backing. In 2018, Joe linked up with three other businesses to hire a 135ft yacht in a bid to get Team Leicester noticed. It cost £130,000 but the contacts it brought on board delivered more
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than £20m worth of deals, including sealing Edmond De Rothschild for Bradgate’s Lace Market scheme. “Having the yacht was a bit of a risk but it paid off handsomely and greatly enhanced our credibility,” he says. “We cemented relationships we already had and made new deals, which generated a big buzz for our area.” This year, he was back in the south of France for the first time since 2019 – the pandemic forced MIPIM to cancel in 2020 and 2021 – and he joined the UK Pavilion. He met a representative from a major construction plc who he believes “has the gravitas to come into Leicester and be a gamechanger”. On his return to the East Midlands, he sees plenty of big opportunities for all three cities. His Lace Market development, which hovers over the “BBC roundabout” at the junction of London Road, Canal Street and Lower Parliament Street, bridges two huge regeneration schemes – the 40-acre Island Quarter site, in which a hotel is being built as part of phase one, and the Broad Marsh vision. Joe says: “I love Nottingham’s economic drive in the development sector and its willingness to embrace change. It isn’t afraid to change the skyline for the better. “The Island Quarter has been a wasteland for more than 25 years but very soon it’s going to be
Artist’s impression of the completed Lace Market development viewed from the London Road roundabout
a city within a city. It’s taken post-Covid design into account and encompasses living, working, eating and drinking, which is a fantastic idea. “It’s only going to help the area of our development. The Lace Market is the Covent Garden of Nottingham – this is where young people aspire to live.
‘When you see a bandwagon, it’s too late because all the best sites have been snapped up, like they have in Leicester. But Derby is in its infancy’ “Promoting the city as a business destination should now be the priority to ensure it can attract firms that will create high-paid jobs for the local population.” Derby is starting from several decades behind but is on the right track, believes Joe, who along with Anthony has discussed plans with Marketing Derby managing director John Forkin MBE DL. “We were a little sceptical at first but we’re impressed there’s a long-term vision and plan,” he says. “When you see a bandwagon, it’s too late because all the best sites have been snapped up, like they have in Leicester. But Derby is in its infancy – we’re not quite ready to move in there yet but we’re definitely watching this space.” As someone born and bred in Leicester, Joe has a natural passion for the city where he still lives. He would like to see rules that cap the
height of buildings relaxed – contending that the growth options are either building up or out into the green belt – and more ambition. But any frustrations he harbours are only because he knows it has so much potential, adding: “It’s an hour and five minutes from London but you can still buy a flat from £110,000. It has three fantastic universities, a good shopping centre and is surrounded by beautiful countryside. “There’s £250m of investment going into regenerating the Waterside and the Space Park project is exciting for business, so there’s plenty happening.” Ultimately though, as a self-proclaimed “East Midlands loyalist”, Joe is keen to bring the three cities closer to together to tackle common challenges such as the “brain drain” of graduate talent and attracting inward investment. “When people mention the Midlands, they think of Birmingham or the Black Country, and that’s where the funding goes. “Each of our three cities, on their own, isn’t the most powerful but put them together and the East Midlands can be some force.” HIS FATHER JULIAN’S legacy won’t just continue with the hundreds of people who will soon call Lace Market House and Silk House their home once his final project is completed later this year. As part of its commitment to investing in talent retention for the region, Bradgate Estates offers the Julian Levy Rising Star Award to a student at De Montfort University’s (DMU) Leicester Castle Business School each year, with the winner offered free city centre accommodation to help their career prospects. It is just one of a number of ways in which the company engages with other stakeholders in the region. Alongside the Chamber, it works with DMU and Reach plc in the annual East Midlands Top 500 Companies listing. Joe adds: “These are just small things we can do to help promote the region and retain our talent, but from little acorns grow mighty oak trees. It gives something back but also ties up my father’s work in a nice bow. When the Lace Market project is finished, I’ll finally feel like we’ve completed his legacy.”
RISING COSTS CREATING PLANNING ISSUES Rising inflation is one of the biggest challenges for the construction sector right now, believes Joe’s business partner Anthony Parker. The financial director of Bradgates says it is increasingly difficult to estimate project costs when the price of materials is spiralling. He suggests developers should be allowed to pay a premium to fast-track planning consent so they can avoid price increases, while also bringing development to completion quicker. Anthony says: “Every contractor and developer is concerned about inflation. How can we cost a job that’s not going to have a spade in the ground for three years? Five percent inflation could take away your profits and this uncertainty can lead to a break in activity. “One Monday a few months ago, mortar went up by 8.1% overnight. When you get the same increase across bricks, glass and everything else, it really does put a spanner in the works. Being able to fast-track through the planning system would be a significant help.”
One of the financial innovations in recent years that can help with de-risking developments is the forward funding model. The build-to-rent sector has historically been transacted on the basis of forward sale agreements, in which the developer is paid by on completion by a property investor that will operate the scheme. Increasingly, investors will buy the land as soon as planning permission is granted to the developer, which is then contracted to deliver the project at a set price. The investor benefits from minimised stamp duty – which is based on the site value predevelopment, rather than when works are completed – while the developer gains certainty and better cashflow. “We’re de-risked as soon as the land is bought from us,” says Anthony. “This seems to be the way the PRS market is going because you’d need a crystal ball to have certainty about speculative developments. It encourages development and regeneration, which has wider societal benefits.”
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Uni’s internship scheme to return The annual Nottingham Trent University (NTU) graduate internship scheme returns this summer, offering businesses the opportunity to take on its talent for a fully-funded, sixweek placement. Graduates are available from a full range of courses and can complete an internship either in-house or remotely with any UK organisation, whose needs will be matched with applicants to help bring fresh ideas and extra resources. More than 150 internships took place in last year’s scheme, with a 98% approval rating from employers – twothirds of which had never recruited a graduate previously. Rory Poyzer, business development consultant for graduate internships at NTU, said: “The purpose of this scheme is to assist graduates who are in a period of underemployment or unemployment since their graduation in 2021. “It is a fantastic way for us to assist them to get back into the career field of their choice, while offering a great incentive to employers as graduates can bring fresh ideas and innovation to their organisation. “This scheme helps local businesses attract graduate talent and increase graduate retention in the area. Many of our graduates are drawn to established graduate schemes and overlook the fantastic opportunities available locally.” Employers can submit one or more internship opportunities using an online submission form and are asked to provide as much information as possible about the role, which must be graduate level. The scheme’s start date is 22 August. Visit bit.ly/3JCoWs9 or contact grad.internship.2022@ntu.ac. uk for more information.
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Booming housing market has range of implications A soaring housing market has been one of the most interesting economic trends of the past two years, with prices increasing by 14.3% in the year to March 2022 – up from 12.6% annually in February – according to the Nationwide House Price Index. Narinder Nijjar (pictured), CEO of Leicester-based Fraser Stretton Property Group, discusses with Dan Robinson what he sees on the ground as an estate agent and new-build selling agent. JUST WHERE IS THE HOUSING MARKET NOW? We’re in a very strange place at the moment in the sense that buyers are slightly apprehensive but prices continue to rise. The initial stamp duty holiday was a massive shot in the arm with unprecedented sales because of the savings it offered when moving, combined with the fact it had dawned on people during lockdown that their house was no longer fit for purpose. This overinflated the market but since the stamp duty holiday came to an end, the Bank of England has slowly reined it in by increasing interest rates in the face of spiralling inflation, which is clearly unsustainable at the current rate. I think we will see a levelling out in the next six months.
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF A PROPERTY MARKET CRASH? I would be reluctant to predict there will be a crash but at the same time, it will suddenly dawn on a lot of people who overextended themselves during the stamp duty
holiday that the price of their house is about to get more expensive – for example, if they took out a two-year fixed mortgage, interest rates will have increased as they go to renew – so they will have to address this. There’s also the possibility that if they overpaid on the asking price, their house will be “down valued” during the mortgage renewal and they could find themselves in negative equity. This is one school of thought, but the other is that demand is still outstripping supply on the market. A lot of young people have seen their friends get on to the property ladder during the pandemic and they want the same feeling. Having saved up money during lockdown and, in some cases, being able to rely on the “bank of mum and dad”, they are in a position to buy a house.
HOW IS THE NEW-BUILD MARKET FARING? It’s very buoyant as a result of this lack of supply on the market.
Fraser Stretton Property Group is the exclusive sales agent for a new development in Fleckney Meadows, in Leicestershire. The first three of six phases have been completed and 60% of sales have been to first-time buyers. They are a massive driver of the new homes market right now.
WHAT ARE THE TRENDS YOU’RE SEEING IN THE EAST MIDLANDS HOUSING MARKET? House prices continue to rise, particularly in Leicester. In the established homes arm of our business, we’re achieving sales within 72 hours of properties being listed on average, with an influx of offers during that period. The quickest sale we had was after a house went on the market at 11am, it was sold by 4pm the same day. When people see something they like and have everything in place like a mortgage in principle and a solicitor, the speed is incredible, and that doesn’t show any sign of slowing down.
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Law firm is now a strategic partner Freeths LLP, a top 50 national law firm with a strong East Midlands presence, has become a strategic partner of the Chamber. The full-service commercial law firm – which has a growing team of 950 people across 12 offices, including in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham – believes the alliance will help enhance the work it has already done in driving the region’s economic expansion. Its partnership with the Chamber involves co-hosting president’s dinners and providing lawyers to offer support and advice to members at sector-based forums and conferences. Mukesh Patel, Leicester managing partner at Freeths, said: “Freeths LLP is delighted to have become a strategic partner of East Midlands Chamber. “The Chamber represents a region which is an economic powerhouse – one that is set to continue its growth with the recent confirmation of East Midlands Freeport, the UK’s only inland freeport. “Coupled with other recent developments such as the opening of Space Park Leicester, there are plenty of opportunities to play an enhanced role in the region’s growth.
Freeths Leicester managing partner Mukesh Patel
‘The Chamber represents a region which is an economic powerhouse – one that is set to continue its growth’ “As a national firm, we have offices across each of the three counties, and we look forward to working with the Chamber and wider membership base in driving the economic expansion of the region, as well as being involved in the narrative for growth.” The firm’s origins can be traced back to 1810, when it was known as Messrs Allsopp & Wells, Attorneys.
In 1825, George Freeth joined the business and his name was introduced. Previously known as Freeth Cartwright until a rebrand in 2014, it broke through the £50m revenue barrier a year later and achieved its aim to become a £100m-plus firm by 2020 right on schedule. The Lawyer now lists it as a top 50 national firm by revenue, and The
Legal 500 and Chambers legal guides rank it in their top tiers. Freeths provides a wide range of commercial services to a client base boasting household names including Aldi, Experian, Tarmac and Lloyds Bank – while it has worked with Nottingham’s Paul Smith from the opening of his first shop to becoming an iconic international fashion label. The firm, which has more than 150 partners, also offers private client services to individuals, providing a one-stop-shop for owner-managers and entrepreneurs. Its mantra is to provide lawyers that are “businesspeople first and lawyers second” so they can focus on an organisation’s needs and objectives, and offer bespoke pertinent advice rather than simply legal options. The Chamber’s chief executive Scott Knowles said: “Freeths has a fantastic history, with a stellar list of clients and is one of the country’s fastest-growing law firms. “With a strong presence in each of our three counties, it recognises the huge potential of the East Midlands and we look forward to working closely to advance our region’s economic prospects.”
Research facility to focus on diet and medication A new £1.75 million research and innovation centre designed to revolutionise diet and medication – by combining biomedical and data science expertise – has opened at the University of Derby. The Facility for Omics Research in Metabolism (FORM), based at the university’s Kedleston Road campus, will focus on personalised foods, vitamins, supplements and medicine, while supporting the education of 800 highly-skilled learners and providing more than 20 jobs. FORM, which is backed by an £850,000 grant from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) via its Local Growth Fund allocation and matched by the university,
officially opened on 22 March to guests from industry, academia and local government. Professor Chris Bussell, pro vice-chancellor and dean of the College of Science and Engineering, said: “FORM will not only provide better scientific understanding and knowledge for medtech and personalised treatments, but it will also create more opportunities for the university to work with companies as part of their own R&D and innovation.” The university is already working on metabolomic research for conditions such as Covid-19, diabetes and obesity. The centre provides new scientific capabilities that will help advance understanding of these diseases.
From left: Professor Chris Bussell, Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, Professor Gyan Tripathi and Elizabeth Fagan CBE opening the University of Derby research and innovation centre
THE CHAMBER IS HONOURED BY THE SUPPORT OF ITS STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS
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Unemployment rate disguises hiring problems The East Midlands’ unemployment rate is now the second-lowest in the country after dipping below 3% for the first time on record. It was 2.8% for the period between December 2021 and February 2022 – a full percentage point below the national average and only higher than Northern Ireland (2.5%), according to the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) regional labour market figures.
‘it’s imperative the Government does more to help people access retraining opportunities for in-demand jobs’ However, the region’s 21.7% economic inactivity rate – which measures the proportion of 16 to 64-year-olds who have exited the labour market for reasons such as retirement, caring duties, long-term ill health or studying – was 1.8 percentage points higher than a year earlier and above the 21.4% national average. Nationally, the ONS said there were as many vacancies (1.3 million) as unemployed people, while it also reported that inflation shot up to 7% in March, the highest point since March 1992. The Chamber’s chief executive
Scott Knowles said: “At first glance, the unemployment rate falling for the fourth month in succession to hit yet another record low is hugely positive for the region’s labour force. It is largely testament to the success of our businesses in steering a strong rebound for our local economy as they got back to what they do best once Covid-19 restrictions were repealed. “However, these figures disguise a historic hiring crunch facing many of our companies. The Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) showed that while 63% of East Midlands businesses attempted to recruit in the first quarter of 2022, four in five of this cohort encountered problems with filling vacancies. “Nationally, there are 600,000 more working-age people who have left the workforce than at the beginning of the pandemic. While one suggested remedy may be to coax them back with higher wages and benefits, employers are already hamstrung by an escalating cost of doing business crisis as a result of spiralling inflation, energy prices and staffing costs. “With the economic recovery now on a knife-edge, it’s imperative the Government does more to help people access retraining opportunities for in-demand jobs. Introducing a new skills tax credit would also incentivise employers to invest in training for workers.”
Scott Knowles
Economic growth also a concern Economic growth slowed from 0.8% to 0.1% between January and February this year, the latest GDP figures by the ONS show. Scott said the UK economy was losing the pace it had gathered when emerging from the effects of the pandemic, even before the impact of the war in Ukraine was considered. “Activity fell in industries such as manufacturing and construction, which are crucial to the East Midlands economy, although some of this was offset by growth in tourism-related and accommodation sectors as all Covid-19 restrictions ended,” he added. “The concern is that February’s slowdown will likely be the start of a prolonged period of considerably weaker growth as rising inflation, surging energy bills and a crisis in the cost of doing business damage key drivers of UK output, including consumer spending and business investment.” Data from QES Q1 2022 showed cashflow fell for a net 3% of East Midlands businesses – the first time it has moved into negative territory in more than a year – leading to a 2% decline in investment intentions for plant and machinery compared to the previous quarter. Scott added: “With the beginning of the new financial year in April bringing additional expenses for companies in a higher energy price cap, a national insurance hike and VAT rise for hospitality and tourism organisations, the cost of doing business crisis is intensifying.”
Rams’ relegation a blow for business as well as fans Derby County’s relegation from the EFL Championship marks a “very sad day” for the people of Derby and could be a “huge blow” for businesses, believes Scott Knowles. The club, which was handed a 21-point deduction for breaching accountancy rules and entering administration, suffered its fate after losing to Queens Park Rangers on 18 April. As the takeover saga rumbled on, Scott said the Rams’ fortunes were “intrinsically linked” to that of the local economy given its important position in the city’s heritage and make-up. “Businesses in and around the city benefit from the tens of thousands of people who turn up every match to support their club – pubs, cafés, 34
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restaurants and shops will be packed before each game, while local transport networks rely on the increased number of passengers to remain viable,” he said. “But it’s also much more than that. Derby County is a part of the city and county’s fabric, and it’s now critical that attentions turn towards protecting the future of the club by ensuring the swift and safe completion of a takeover that will achieve this ultimate goal. “While relegation is inevitably a deep disappointment, the communities and businesses who rely on this sporting institution now just want to be freed from the damaging state of limbo they find themselves in, and offered renewed hope there will continue to be a club they can support.”
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Growth Hub helps retreat business to reach its Peak The husband-and-wife team behind a Peak District retreat believe the business is now on a sustainable footing after receiving a helping hand. Stuart and Marta Zaremba-Marsden, who own the Zaremba Marsden bed and breakfast in Matlock, approached the D2N2 Growth Hub for support to achieve sustainable growth. After taking advantage of the Chamber-delivered programme’s webinars and bespoke scale-up support, the company has received increased retreat bookings. It has also established a plan for growing the client base for a new healthy living programme. Marta said: “We’ve been blown away by the expertise, structure, content and overall delivery of the D2N2 Growth Hub offering. It’s provided us with a solid foundation for establishing and securing a successful and profitable business.” The business was founded in 2017 as Stuart wound down a 42-year career at Rolls-Royce and the couple looked to build a new venture around their passion for travel, food and healthy living. Marta continued working at Rolls-Royce in programme management while studying for a master’s degree in sport and exercise nutrition. Eager to grow the retreat sustainably alongside the nutrition side of the business, they embarked on the D2N2 Growth Hub journey, beginning with a Business Starter Programme that served as a springboard via themed workshops and one-to-one support. As the company developed, Stuart and Marta were
Stuart and Marta Zaremba-Marsden
introduced to a D2N2 Growth Hub business adviser, who enrolled them on the programme to gain more tailored support recommendations. It helped them to create a long-term strategic business plan and they have taken advantage of the Kickstart Scheme, which gives young adults paid work placements, to recruit a marketing assistant. Marta added: “It’s helped us to expand our network of contacts, systemise our knowledge and provide structure to our business planning, to help us keep pushing forward.”
Armed Forces employment fair Employers can showcase job opportunities to the Armed Forces community at an online exhibition that goes live this month. The Armed Forces Virtual Career Expo runs until December, with employers able to register their job vacancies for free. There will also be two “live” dates – on 6 May and another in September – featuring speakers and virtual booths that will be “manned” via video link to encourage immediate conversations. The Expo is part of the Chamber Military Network, which supports chambers of commerce and their members to embrace and advocate the Armed Forces Covenant – a pledge to support military personnel and their families – to make a positive impact on their local economy. For more information, visit www.armedforcescareers expo.co.uk
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Plans to revitalise Chesterfield town centre Start-ups, consolidation and inward investment has resulted in 310 more businesses being established in Chesterfield postpandemic than prior to March 2020, delegates heard at the annual Celebrate Chesterfield event. Demand for commercial space has “gone through the roof”, Chesterfield Borough Council chief executive Dr Huw Bowen told attendees on 23 March as plans were revealed to revitalise and regenerate the town centre.
‘We’ve come through the pandemic in pretty good shape’ The town has received nearly £20m from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, matched by £6m investment from the council, to underpin the Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield improvement plan. It is expected to increase land value in the town centre by 16% and shop occupancy levels by more than 90%, resulting in increased spending that will support the creation of about 100 new jobs. Dr Bowen said: “We’ve come through the pandemic in pretty good shape and demand for commercial space has gone through the roof. “However, the Levelling Up
Office campaign is launched
Dr Huw Bowen speaking at the Celebrate Chesterfield event
funding is important to getting our high street back to where we want it to be. We need to work together like never before post-pandemic.” The Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield programme, which complements the council’s masterplan for Chesterfield railway station, will lead to key spaces in the town centre being regenerated and reimagined. These include the Market Place, New Square, Burlington Street and Packers Row, Corporation Street and the George Stephenson Memorial Hall. The refurbishment and remodelling of the George Stephenson Memorial Hall will bring together a theatre, cinema, bar, café and exhibition space in one asset to allow greater cultural inclusion and participation. In addition to the creation of new outdoor dwelling and
Chesterfield is set to capitalise on the “flight to prime” trend by businesses looking for high-quality office space in the aftermath of Covid-19 with the launch of a new digital marketing campaign. With 81% of UK businesses agreeing they need to implement a new workplace strategy following the lockdown-induced work from home movement, according to a survey by real estate consultancy Knight Frank, the campaign aims to prove Chesterfield has the space to suit office requirements alongside the town’s excellent road and rail links to the rest of the country. Launched at the Celebrate Chesterfield event, it aims to reach national businesses looking for regional satellite office space as well as local start-ups and established businesses seeking expansion. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the initiative has been developed by Destination Chesterfield in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council and Derbyshire Economic Partnership. It coincides with new office developments expected to be completed later this year at One Waterside Place and The Enterprise Centre, which will bring more than 100,000 sq ft of space. Destination Chesterfield manager Dom Stevens said: “Progress on the new office developments continued throughout the pandemic and this has put Chesterfield in an excellent position to capitalise on the changing demands for office space post-Covid. “People have been exposed to new ways of working, prompting companies of all sizes and sectors to completely rethink their workplace needs. People now want more choice in how, when and where they work, and we can meet this demand in Chesterfield.” entertainment space, the town centre will have a new lighting strategy and greater data connectivity to enable digital wayfinding, smart street lighting, predictive maintenance and environmental monitoring.
Dr Bowen added: “We want to celebrate the town’s identity and spaces and seating for people and events in the public realm that will encourage people to stay and dwell longer and spend more in the town.”
LLEP chair Kevin Harris will not seek re-election The chair of the Leicester and Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) has announced he will not seek re-election at the end of his term. Kevin Harris (pictured) paid tribute to work completed by colleagues during his four years as chair as he informed directors and officers he would stand down at the board meeting on 12 April. He also spent four years prior to his appointment in 2018 as deputy chair.
His term has coincided with the delivery of a host of major strategic projects, including further development of regional enterprise zones such as Space Park Leicester and the ongoing SportPark Pavilion 4 on the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park. Kevin, who continues to be a Chamber board member alongside his job as Leicester managing partner at RSM UK, also led the LLEP’s role in the successful East
Midlands Freeport bid, as well as its response to both the pandemic and the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper. He said he was “proud” the LLEP was well set up to meet ongoing challenges and it “therefore feels a natural point to hand the baton on to a new chair”. Vice-chair Andy Reed OBE will serve as interim chair until the AGM and the appointment of a permanent replacement. May 2022 business network
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Football America UK scores grant to diversify offering
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Child care plans receive approval The next phase of a strategy for Nottinghamshire children in care is underway after receiving approval. Nottinghamshire County Council’s children and young people’s committee signed off the “Partnership strategy for looked-after children and care leavers 2022-2025”, which aims to improve support for young people. It has been developed by the Nottinghamshire Looked After Children and Care Leavers Partnership Board – which includes the Chamber, alongside councils, public services and education providers – in collaboration with children, young people and young adults. The partnership said young people said what matters most to them are being listened to, feeling and being safe, being understood by professionals, knowing which services and support are available, learning life skills, and feeling like valued members of society. One of the successes of the previous strategy was improving young people’s access to alternative routes into employment and training by setting up an achievement service. Councillor Tracey Taylor, chair of the committee, said: “As corporate parents, we want to make sure our young people feel safe, supported and know where to get advice and help. A partnership approach is making a difference. “We have seen positive changes over the past few years, but we continue to strive for better, to aim higher and ensure every child has the ability to reach their full potential, no matter their circumstances.”
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David Hagger and Steve McKenzie, of Football America, with two of its T-shirt designs together with business adviser Aruna Bhagwan
While there was no sport being played during lockdowns, Leicestershire-based Football America UK took advantage of this quiet time to make big changes. The business, which supplies equipment and teamwear to American football teams in the UK, has invested nearly £28,000 – supported by a grant from the Business Gateway Growth Hub – in a bid to diversify and expand its offer. Buying a new printer has enabled it to make garments up to five-times as quickly, now making it possible to offer highly-customised products. Finance and operations manager Steve McKenzie said: “Now that we have this new printer, we can create just about any design the teams want and won’t have to turn them away if they require more colours or complexity. “We are also looking to diversify into apparel for other American sports in the UK, and other countries, which could potentially see our sales doubling to approximately £40,000 a month.” Football America UK was established in 2008 by former Leicester Panthers player David Hagger. He spotted a gap in the market regarding access to affordable American football equipment after helping to arrange a charity match with members of his old team. Today, the business is the main supplier of equipment for university
‘We are also looking to diversify into apparel for other American sports in the UK’ and senior teams across the UK, with plans to expand throughout Europe. The business supplies 350 American football teams with all forms of equipment including helmets, shoulder pads and gloves that are manufactured in the USA. It also supplies official NFL merchandise to fans of the sport. Another part of the business is teamwear – personalised clothing for players and fans, including shirts, hoodies, caps and shorts. But customising these products with its machines was a labourintensive process involving vinyl that took up to 20 minutes per garment. When order volumes were high, this process became untenable and compromised the company’s 10-day turnaround delivery promise. Steve said: “We had to offer relatively simple designs on the teamwear products, otherwise it made the process more costly and even more labour-intensive. “The other issue was, though we knew about the ‘direct-to-garment’ printers that could make things a lot more efficient, they were really expensive. Pre-Covid, we’d just not had the time to look into it.”
With the help of a £9,600 grant from the Business Gateway and support from business adviser Aruna Bhagwan, Football America UK made the biggest single purchase of equipment in its history, investing £28,000 for the new printer. It has also taken on one full-time employee and hopes to create another part-time role this year as a result of the investment. Lead time per garment has been cut by 80%, dropping to three to five minutes. This means instead of 22.5 pieces, it now has the capacity to create about 90 items per day and plans to launch new designs in the coming months. Steve said: “The grant has allowed us to move forward with a part of the business that we’ve not been able to change for years. Having someone like Aruna to walk us through everything at each point has been so helpful. And because of her support, there were changes made, particularly around the printer quotations, which gave us a better chance of success.” Aruna added: “Like so many amazing Leicestershire businesses, Football America UK used the pandemic to take stock and push forward on an idea it had, but never had the time or resources to do. The grant has given it a springboard to launch growth plans and expand into new areas, meet demand, as well as support the local economy through job creation.”
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Subsidised support and training for Community Renewal Fund areas Businesses in UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF) areas are being urged to take advantage of the wide range of fully-subsidised support on offer under the East Midlands Accelerator project. At the heart of the project is the premise that, by offering businesses access to tailored expertise, they are in a much stronger position to recover, reboot and grow their businesses after the economic damage wreaked by Covid-19. With a Government investment of £5.27m and an additional £471,000 match from the Chamber and its partners, the project targets support in those areas considered by Government to be most in need. In the East Midlands, these UK Community Renewal Fund areas are the Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, Mansfield, Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood, Nottingham city and Leicester city. The project aims to trial news ideas and approaches in these areas. As such, it is an important forerunner to the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is expected to match the levels of funding previously enjoyed by the UK under the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund.
The project is being delivered under five key strands: 1. Net Zero Accelerator to help businesses gain green business skills and invest in net zero business practices. 2. Digital Transformation Accelerator to help businesses implement digital and ecommerce solutions. 3. Start Up to Scale Up Accelerator to help start-ups launch a new business, or for existing businesses to scale up through the development of new processes, products or services. 4. Kickstart Accelerator to offer training and mentoring support to improve job retention, as well as a wage subsidy to convert a Kickstart or Graduate placement into a new sustained job. 5. Financial Accelerator to offer grants of up to £8,000 and growth vouchers of up to £2,000. At an intervention rate of a highly unusual 80% and 100%, the grants and growth vouchers have proved particularly popular. Diane Beresford, (pictured, inset) deputy chief executive of the Chamber, said: “While these financial interventions are
important to businesses in supporting long-term growth and recovery, so too is having access to technical know-how that is being delivered as training courses, peerto-peer networks, and diagnostic support and advice. “As a truly collaborative partnership, the consortium partners, which include East Midlands Chamber and our region’s universities and business support agencies, have invested great efforts in creating a comprehensive programme of such support. “Partners have developed their own programmes, but each is
designed to complement what is being offered by others. “It means the region has the most comprehensive ecosystem of business support yet, and is expected to provide solid foundations for collaborative working over the years to come.”
East Midlands Accelerator programme of support: A guide NET ZERO ACCELERATOR
START UP TO SCALE UP ACCELERATOR
• The Chamber has invested in 400 one-year access licences for the Zellar sustainability platform, which helps businesses calculate and manage their carbon footprint, measure their performance, and create a decarbonisation plan • Masterclasses and workshops on subjects such as carbon management, electric fleet transformation, environmental accreditation and management training, a net zero transformation peer network, and smart analytics for factories, offices and other workspaces • Six-week and 12-week graduate and postgraduate placements in net zero roles • Sustainability audits undertaken at a company’s premises and providing it with a useful assessment of their business practices in areas such as energy, water, waste, procurement, travel, community and biodiversity
• The East Midlands Manufacturing Network is a new peer-led network established for manufacturing businesses across the East Midlands. The inaugural meeting of the North Nottinghamshire network took place on 12 April, with local networks taking place in May for Derbyshire Dales and High Peak, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. • Masterclasses and workshops on subjects such as planning for growth, developing a business case for funding and investment, and the Leaders of Change series of workshops, which introduce businesses to renowned innovator, performer and cultural change specialist David Chabeaux. The first workshop, titled Creative and Innovation. NOW!, takes place on 18 May in Nottingham • Fully-subsidised Help to Grow management and leadership training for 100 businesses • B-Global peer network and training support for Black, Asian and other minority ethnic-owned businesses • Online business health checks offering practical guidance on how to recover from the pandemic • SME food and drink manufacturer support • Support on compliance and legislation – giving businesses the assurance they need that their products or services are correctly labelled, marketed and meet any necessary standards • Support for visitor economy businesses in areas such as expanding an online presence and digital marketing activity
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ACCELERATOR • Skills workshops on data management, including on relational database fundamentals, data visualisations, modelling and insights, and cyber hygiene • Other digital skills workshops, including the Chamber and D2N2 Growth Hub’s own training courses on social media, developing a profitable e-commerce website and elevating a social media presence • Six-week and 12-week graduate and postgraduate placements in digital roles
Stay up to date with the full programme of support at the Chamber’s website: www.emc-dnl.co.uk/ema 40
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4 easy steps to become a sustainable SME with Zellar Businesses in UKCRF regions can sign up for one-year free access to Zellar worth up to £600.
Step 1: Activate your licence Visit welcome.zellar.com/east-midlands. Once your postcode has been validated, activate your licence to get your business started on its sustainability journey. Zellar is hosting dedicated drop-in sessions for this project online every Wednesday at 2pm, showing how best to use Zellar to achieve your sustainability goals. We’ll help you get set up and answer your questions.
Step 2: Complete your Zellar profile This is the first step to accelerate your sustainability. The Zellar score is a real-time view of where your business is at and you can connect with businesses in your local community.
Step 3: Take action Zellar connects you to a peer-to-peer marketplace with the green tech you need to become sustainable, plus easy options to transition to green energy or offset your carbon emissions.
Step 4: Amplify your sustainability journey Share the steps your business is taking with the people that matter. Show your customers, employees and key stakeholders that you’re on your way to net zero.
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generationnextemc.co.uk
New faces and old welcomed to Generation Next’s board Generation Next has announced the second iteration of its board – known as “champions” – to help shape the young people in business network’s activities for the rest of the year. Jasmine Thompson profiles the newest additions and those returning to help it grow into the future.
A welcome back to our returning board members Joining Rikan and Karishma are a host of returning board members who were part of the inaugural line-up of champions appointed last year. Emma Baumback continues as chair, with Daniel Nikolla appointed as vice-chair for 2022/23.
Emma Baumback – Chair (1) Emma is an independent financial planner for Future Life Wealth Management, based in Renishaw, and provides bespoke and holistic financial solutions for clients across the East Midlands and neighbouring regions. Her career in the financial services industry started as an administrator in London more than 10 years ago after leaving school and she soon fell in love with helping clients achieve their financial goals.
Daniel Nikolla – Vice-chair (2) Daniel is the marketing manager of Hardy Signs, a Burton-based physical and digital signage company. He moved to London from Albania in 2013, and studied at City and Islington College, where he was also the student union president and sat on the board of governors.
Beth Bearder (3) Beth is a senior associate solicitor at Nelsons specialising in employment law, providing a full service to protect her clients against employmentrelated risks. She advises on a range of matters including claims for unfair dismissal, harassment, breach of contract and misconduct investigations, with particular expertise advising on disability discrimination.
Rikan Patel Job title: Director Company and location: Business 2 Business, Leicester
Byron Burghart (4)
Through his company, Rikan supports individuals into employment via a variety of services which address barriers to employment and upskilling. It also offers a socially responsible recruitment service, which is publicly funded, and helps organisations source the right candidates. Prior to joining Business 2 Business, Rikan graduated in law from the London School of Economics and later completed his master’s degree at Imperial College Business School, before furthering his studies in leadership at Cambridge University.
Byron is an investment manager at Brewin Dolphin’s Nottingham office, working with people from a variety of backgrounds to help them make the most of their finances. He has recently completed an MBA at Cranfield University, which has helped his understanding of being a leader within an organisation.
Hope Thorley (5) Hope is a senior resourcing advisor at Pick Everard, responsible for sourcing and attracting exceptional talent to work within the Leicesterbased construction and property consultancy’s diverse, inclusive and collaborative environment. Prior to this, Hope worked within the hospitality sector both in the UK and overseas.
Katie Gilbert (6)
Karishma Karia Job title: Social media co-ordinator Company and location: Jake & Nayns, Leicester Alongside working within the team at food manufacturer Jake & Nayns – which supplies snacks such as filled naans for major supermarkets’ food-to-go ranges – to create new and exciting ways to connect with the next generation via social media, Karishma is completing her master’s degree and legal practice course at De Montfort University. With a passion for connecting with new people and learning from others, she also works as a paralegal within Pattersons Commercial Law, in Ratby, Leicestershire. 42
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Katie has recently been appointed commercial director at Nottinghambased food gifting business TTK Confectionery. She is passionate about paving the way for her team to succeed and grow in their own roles within the business. In 2020, her team won Team of the Year at the Chamber’s Enterprising Women Awards.
Katrina Starkie (7) Katrina is the space and community manager at Nottingham Trent University’s new Dryden Enterprise Centre. Katrina’s role is to support the centre’s members to find the right space for them to help grow their businesses in a place where ideas and people can thrive.
Lee Tomes (8) Lee Tomes is an award-winning filmmaker and managing director of video storytelling company Orange Fox Studios, based in Leicester. Lee has helped businesses, brands and non-for-profits share their stories through film and video for a decade. Outside of the business, he has had various projects screened at national film festivals as both a director and cinematographer.
Scarlett Tinsley (9) Scarlett is the brand and marketing executive at ER Recruitment, after joining the business as an intern while studying at De Montfort University. Since then, Scarlett has worked on some incredible campaigns and projects, including the the Leicester agency’s BrightER Futures project with DMU.
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CHAMBER NEWS
Understanding the differences between CSR and ESG
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Unwrapping the confusion between CSR and ESG is the aim of the Chamber’s upcoming Corporate Social Responsibility Summit. The event, titled From CSR to ESG: Delivering social responsibilities with impact, the free event takes place on Tuesday 7 June at the University of Derby’s Enterprise Centre, from 9.30am to 12pm. It will feature a series of presentations and discussions that compare corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the wider definition of environmental, social and governance (ESG), plus why businesses should be engaging with these agendas. Chris Hobson, the Chamber’s director of policy and external affairs, said: “CSR activities – supporting communities and charitable causes – have long been recognised as being a part of what a responsible business does. “However, in more recent times, there has been an increasing focus on the importance of businesses also having a structured approach to ESG in place. “The two terms often cause confusion among businesses, with many questioning what the difference means to them and why it should matter. “The 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility Summit explores this question and looks at why it’s important for businesses to ensure they deliver social responsibilities with impact.” The Chamber’s chief executive Scott Knowles will open the event. Speakers include Chamber president and Futures Housing Group chief executive Lindsey Williams; RSM associate director for risk assessment and ESG Paul Callum; YMCA Derbyshire CEO Gillian Sewell; and University of Derby associate professor Dr Rhiannon Jones. To register for the event, visit bit.ly/CSRSummit22
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Flying the flag for enterprise in the East Midlands Eight Chamber members were among the winners in this year’s Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. The companies, based in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, received recognition by the UK’s most prestigious business awards in the innovation, international trade and sustainable development categories. They were part of a cohort of 22 East Midlands-based firms that picked up awards, which meant the region was responsible for roughly one-tenth of the 232 winners nationally during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year.
‘Winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade is a huge honour’ Qdos Contractor, based in Rearsby, Leicestershire, provides specialist contractor insurance services to businesses and picked up a Queen’s Award for the second time in five years. CEO Seb Maley said: “The industry in which we operate has experienced major changes in recent years and I’m proud that the services we provide are playing a key role in helping freelancers, contractors and businesses in the region and nationwide overcome them. “This award gives us further confidence to continue to invest in our people and technology, as we look to support the self-employed.”
Ilkeston-based Ward Recycling’s core business involves buying, selling, processing and recycling metals from sources including endof-life vehicles and demolition projects. In the three years to March 2019, it grew overseas sales by 84% – a growth rate of 36% per year – after a significant investment in deep sea dock facilities. Commercial director Thomas Ward said: “Winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade is a huge honour for the Ward team.” Sustainable development award winner Cosy, which sells ethical educational supplies to primary schools, councils and nurseries, was set up by husband and wife Peter and Amanda Ellse in 2011, and moved to a 45,000 sq ft warehouse near Tutbury, on the DerbyshireStaffordshire border, last year. CEO Peter Ellse said he was “absolutely over the moon” to win the award, adding: “Cosy is one of the UK’s most exciting prospects when it comes to the educational resources industry – we’ve more than doubled in size over the last three years – and our communityminded ethos is something which we take great pride in.” Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants will present the awards to businesses locally throughout the year. Businesses can enter the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2023 from 1 May 2022 at www.gov.uk/ queens-awards-for-enterprise
The Cosy team celebrates its Queen’s Award for Enterprise success
Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2022 winners in the Chamber • Ampetronic Limited (International Trade Award) • Collaborate and Innovate Ltd – trading as Cosy Direct (Sustainable Development) • Donald Ward Limited – trading as Ward Recycling (International Trade Award) • Peak NDT Limited (Innovation Award) • PR Marriott Drilling Limited – trading as Marriott Drilling Group (International Trade Award) • Qdos Broker & Underwriting Services Limited – trading as Qdos Contractor (Innovation Award) • Oncimmune Holdings plc (Innovation and International Trade Award) • Unimed Procurement Services Limited (International Trade Award)
Key travel challenges identified by Midlands Connect A lack of mobility is holding back economic growth and productivity in the Midlands, levelling up and social exclusion can be addressed with better accessibility, and new technologies are needed to slash carbon emissions. These are the key challenges laid out by regional transport body Midlands Connect in its strategic transport plan, which sets out ideas on where the region can come together and work as one to overcome some of these obstacles. The Greener, Fairer, Stronger report, launched at the organisation’s annual conference in Birmingham on 4 April, identifies requirements for major investment 44
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needed from both the public and private sectors in programmes for: • Electric vehicle charging infrastructure • Alternative fuels, including natural gas and hydrogen for HGVs • Boosting mobility in rural areas • Creating more space for passengers and freight on our rail network • A “tap and cap” smart ticketing solution for passengers using buses, trams, bike hire and the rail network across the Midlands. Midlands Connect CEO Maria Machancoses said: “Our research has analysed how people travel, why they travel and where to, both now, and how this needs to change
in future. “These insights have led us to this plan, one that seeks investment and innovation in the places that need it most, whether it be improving rail services, boosting mobility in rural areas, futureproofing our road network or cementing the Midlands’ place at the forefront of the electric vehicle and hydrogen revolution.” Midlands Connect has earmarked 18 key projects for rail and road investments in the next 10 to 15 years, which could provide up to £1.9bn in regional economic output per year by 2040 – rising to £4.1bn by 2061 – and help create 334,000 new jobs in the region.
Maria Machancoses
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CHAMBER NEWS
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SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS
www.emc-dnl.co.uk/sustainability
DNS achieves carbon neutrality Document Network Services (DNS), a company that aims to help solve problems for business processes, has achieved carbon-neutrality. The Derby-based firm, a Chamber patron, now balances the CO2 its business emits by removing an equal amount from the atmosphere. It has achieved this by working with Co-Treetment, a charity specialising in planting trees to create woodland spaces within the East Midlands. DNS managing director Darren Marsh (pictured) said: “Since DNS opened its doors back in 1996, being innovative and forward-thinking was at the forefront of our business plans. “Therefore, it is of utmost importance for us to be able to offer solutions that continuously evolve, boost productivity and eliminate waste. “We are very proud to be carbon-neutral and are very much looking forward to getting stuck in by physically planting trees ourselves this year too.” The company’s next step will be to offset emissions from the services it offers to clients too via tree-planting. It has also adapted solutions to be more environmentally-friendly by implementing print management software so that print usage can be monitored and wastage reduced, recycling tones and printers, and offering modern communications systems that enable phone calls to be made from laptops or mobiles. Co-Treetment company director Darrell Taylor said the trees planted locally by DNS every year will absorb carbon, help to prevent flooding and create natural spaces for wildlife to thrive. He added: “DNS continues to make a positive impact to the East Midlands both through its fantastic services and products, and increasingly through its tangible corporate social responsibility activities, they are a company that Co-Treetment is proud to work with.”
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The Hillside Environmental team, from left: Founder and director Russell Burton, project manager Charlie Davies, project design manager Murray Burton and assistant project engineer Adam Morris
Hillside Environmental converts to green energy An environmental consultancy based near Newark has gone carbon-neutral – showing the way forward for other businesses it supports. Hillside Environmental, which helps UK organisations to reduce their carbon footprint, practised what it preaches by converting to 100% green energy and planting 3.2 hectares of natural woodland. Its office in Caunton is powered by heat pumps, which use solar energy generated on site to warm the building. This is the same approach it advocates for clients, which Hillside has also helped to secure finance for green projects and undertake environmental audits. Founder and director Russell Burton said: “We have found that businesses are looking to improve their resilience in the market, especially since the pandemic. “Going green promotes cost savings thanks to less reliance on the grid, and competitive advantage since the public is now expecting businesses to be ethical.” It supported Mainline Mouldings, a picture frame moulding supplier based in Langar,
Nottinghamshire, in evaluating and helping to reduce its carbon emissions by building a plan for the company to switch to recycled materials for its products.
‘Going green promotes cost savings thanks to less reliance on the grid’ Mainline’s managing director Chris Daynes said the recommendations had “given us the clarity and confidence to build an attainable strategy to reach our goals”. In a project with Hampshire-based quarry operator Raymond Brown Quarry Group, Hillside proved that switching the fuel it uses for vehicles to biofuel was a low-impact, cost-effective way to cut emissions by 95%. Hillside has also secured £2.8m worth of grant funding for Gloucestershire College to introduce a renewable energy system as part of a £4.8m project to reduce emissions by 63% in year one and 95% by 2030.
Keeping the world’s lagoons safe Researchers from the University of Derby are leading a major new international effort to ensure the long-term future of the world’s lagoons and the communities that depend on them. The Resilient Lagoon Network (RLN) aims to understand and address a complex set of interconnected problems central to the sustainability of ecosystems, economies and everyday lives. Lagoons provide an array of fundamental, valuable resources essential to the wellbeing of coastal communities in regions such as West Africa and elsewhere in the global South. But they are under mounting pressure from issues such as population growth, pollution, poor
sanitation and climate change-related threats such as sea-level rise and erosion. RLN co-founder Dr Sian Davies-Vollum, head of the University of Derby’s School of Built and Natural Environment, said: “We want to provide an international platform for tackling these problems. As well as facilitating knowledge transfer, we believe it’s vital to unite policymakers and practitioners with people – that is, those who actually live and work in these threatened communities.” The team at the heart of the RLN draws from academia in the UK and Africa, with specialists in fields such as geology, ecology, coastal engineering, development studies and public health.
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BUSINESS NETWORK
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Putting East Midlands businesses at forefront of a changing world As the East Midlands regional director at the Department for International Trade (DIT), Ian Harrison helps to connect the region’s businesses with new markets across the world postBrexit. Speaking at the Chamber’s Manufacturing and Engineering Conference in March, he gave an overview of where exporting opportunities and challenges lie. NEW TRADE DEALS ON THE HORIZON We see the world is changing and, as part of this change, there will be a post-Brexit recovery led by exports. We are looking at world-class free trade agreements, and have so far negotiated 70 trade deals. Most recently, we have completed a deal with Australia, negotiating with India and New Zealand, in parallel trade talks with the US, and consulting on the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries and Israel. We’re also doing a whole range of initiatives in the southern Pacific around the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which features 14 countries that have about 13% of the world’s GP and includes the likes of Canada, Mexico, Singapore and Australia.
EMERGING MARKETS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANUFACTURERS Countries like Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore are growing very, very quickly, with an increasing demand for global products. The British excellence for manufacturing products – the expertise, quality and reliability – is globally renowned and revered in many markets. So being a British manufacturer in a global market, and using the Union Jack as branding, is actually a great advantage to get you a step ahead of competitors in other countries. We’re doing a lot of work on national security of supply chains, being very conscious about the availability during the pandemic of various equipment and medicines. We also know there’s an awful lot of jobs that rely on exporting – about 6.5 million jobs nationally – and on average they’re highly-paid jobs. Global patterns are changing and we think we’re well-placed to take advantage of them.
NEW EXPORT STRATEGY The “Made in the UK, Sold to the World” campaign was launched on 17 November at the start of our first International Trade Week. We’re particularly keen to localise this campaign to get more local exporters and networks engaged and inspired to trade across the world. As part of this strategy, we’ve put together a 12-point plan to make exporting easier. What’s required is an export ecosystem that’s seamless, where you can get the kind of back-office 48
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HOW DIT CAN SUPPORT BUSINESSES IN THE EAST MIDLANDS Set up in the aftermath of the 2016 EU referendum, the Department for International Trade seeks to secure new free trade agreements, support UK businesses to take advantage of exporting opportunities, attract inward investment and protect firms from unfair trading practices. It has offices in 180 locations across 108 countries, employing 1,600 of its 5,000strong workforce overseas. At any one point, the DIT promotes 16,000 trading opportunities available across the world online. Ways in which it supports businesses in the East Midlands include: • Market and industry information, and guidance, available online • Local export advice for SMEs from international trade advisers • Industry-specific export support for events, such as trade fairs, exhibitions and webinars, as well as trade missions • E-exporting programme, which helps businesses sell products overseas through online channels For more information, visit great.gov.uk
Ian Harrison speaking at the Chamber’s Manufacturing and Engineering Conference
support when and where you need it. We’re developing our finance offer to make it easier to get loans guarantees and support from our UK Export Finance arm. We’ve also put in place a whole series of negotiations with different governments to make sure they are looking at the UK in a positive way. People in those embassies are having conversations about how everyone can work together to create better trading opportunities. Access to export markets is being made easier – trade deals we’ve negotiated are now starting to translate into practical actions to reinforce the pledges they include.
NEW AUTOMOTIVE OPPORTUNITIES IN NORTH AMERICA A project we’re working on with our DIT team in Mexico and Houston looks at automotive opportunities in North America. As a region, we have a proud automotive sector and we know the Mexican market is large and growing. It’s the world’s 15th largest country by GDP – and will be the fifth largest economy by 2050 – and has the sixth largest market for both heavy cargo goods and passenger vehicles. We have particular skillsets to offer so we’ve been working with DIT Mexico to look at what the opportunities UK companies can provide and, in particular, look at how we can take
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL TRADE TRAINING COURSES 10 May, 9-12.30: CHIEF to CDS (£150+VAT) Lean how to use the new electronic system for handling customs declaration processes ahead of the formal shutdown of the old CHIEF programme in March 2023
12 May, 9-3.30: Customs procedures and documentation (£270 + VAT) Learn about details such as the critical data required for a customs declaration or the legal responsibilities of the importer and exporter
17 May, 9-12: International trade – risky business! (£150 + VAT) Understand how to identify and mitigate risks with due diligence and robust procedures, as well as the legal requirements to consider when evaluating risk in import and export activities
18 May, 9-3.30: Import procedures (£270 + VAT) Learn about the import process from initial contact with a potential supplier through to completing the import customs clearance and ensuring goods are received in time and within budget
24 May, 9-4.30: Letters of credit (£270 + VAT) Detailed guide on how to be proactive in opening a letter of credit, how to work with the documents and present to the bank correctly
26 May, 9-4: Export documentation (£270 + VAT) Practical programme equipping delegates with necessary skills and knowledge to prepare and process documents when exporting goods overseas
7 June, 9-12.30: Incoterms 2020 rules (£184 + VAT) Get a detailed and focused commercial view of the latest Incoterms 2020 standards used for moving goods
8 June, 9-4: ITOPS – International Trade Operations and Procedures (£1,750 + VAT) Four-day course resulting in the ITOPS qualification, which is designed to prove that candidates have the necessary skills to accurately operate the administration procedures in international trade
14 June, 9-12: Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) (£150 + VAT)
Automotive manufacturing opportunities exist in North America and Turkey
advantage of the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, which is effectively a sort of internal market. By being close to those markets and utilising tariff reliefs available in Mexico, we think this can help us gain a competitive advantage in trading into the US and Canada. Mark Goldby DL has also helped us to do some work around opportunities in manufacturing and engineering technologies for Midlands businesses in Turkey. From that, we’ve gained a lot of high-level relationships and we’re hosting a delegation with a series of companies that will visit a whole range our technology sites.
Some of these are really significant companies in the Turkish economy and the driver there is all about Industry 4.0, so it really reveres the types of activities we’re engaged in. Companies including Ford Otosan – a partnership between Ford and Koc Holdings, one of Turkey’s largest companies and part of the Fortune 500 – are specifically coming to the Midlands to look at our assets and capabilities to see how it can build opportunities downstream. Again, we have an advanced manufacturing specialist on this side and someone in Turkey who is facilitating relationships with Eastern European markets, which is now opening the doors to really big deals.
Introduction to AEO, the “trusted trader” status and an internationally recognised quality mark for the international supply chain
16 June, 9-12.30: Rules of origin (£150 + VAT) Learn about the certifications required by customs officials around the world to demonstrate the origin of a product, which determines how tariffs are decided *Prices listed are exclusively for East Midlands Chamber members For a full list of courses, visit bit.ly/EMCInternationalTraining
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POLITICS
Maximising the East Midlands Freeport's opportunities A year after the region’s leaders came together to submit a bid to Government, the East Midlands Freeport secured formal approval in March. Figureheads behind the initiative hosted a webinar to set out objectives, inform businesses about what it involves and explain next steps. In attendance was Dan Robinson, who summarises the key points. FREEPORTS WILL DRIVE INWARD INVESTMENT AND REGENERATION Freeports – sometimes referred to as free trade zones or special economic zones – are designated areas within the UK where organisations can benefit from specific tax, customs and economic levers, explains Marcus Richards, the East Midlands Freeport programme director at accountancy giant EY. Launched by Chancellor Rishi Sunak last year, they are designed to attract inward investment to level up the economy, as well as drive broader regional benefits such as regeneration, innovation, job creation and accelerating the journey to net zero. Each freeport is located around one or a number of ports, along with designated tax sites and customs sites within a 45km boundary that aim to incentivise new investment. The UK’s freeport model includes a comprehensive package of measures comprising tax reliefs, customs benefits, business rates retention, planning, regeneration, innovation, trade and investment support, and the provision of seed capital. Tax reliefs include a zero rate of secondary national insurance contributions for freeport employees, enhanced capital allowance for plant and machinery, enhanced structures and buildings allowance, and relief from both stamp duty land tax and business rates. Marcus says the Government’s objectives for the freeports policy are threefold – to create national hubs for global trade and investment; drive regeneration, levelling up and job creation; and establish hotbeds of innovation.
THE EAST MIDLANDS FREEPORT CAN ADD SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC VALUE TO THE REGION “It’s a wonderful opportunity for the region,” says Penny Coates (pictured), independent chair of the East Midlands Freeport (EMF) board. “We’re a region that has historically underperformed in attracting Government funding and we should be very proud we’ve been successful in bringing our tax sites open for business as a freeport.” Location has been pivotal in realising the ambition of establishing the only inland freeport 50
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among the eight designated zones, with East Midlands Airport’s reputation as the UK’s busiest pure cargo airport offering a unique proposition. Marcus adds: “It has multimodal connectivity encompassing rail, road and air, in particular offering unrivalled rail connectivity to all the UK ports, meaning EMF acts as a hub to connect and enable the freeport network.” With a focus on advanced manufacturing and logistics – particularly around low-carbon technology – it plays on the traditional strengths of the region’s industrial heritage and burgeoning logistics industry. The EMF board estimates that, over the next 30 years, it will add more than 60,000 jobs and £8.4bn of economic activity to the region, while another £1.6bn will be generated by business rates to be reinvested in regional regeneration. This stems from its broad value proposition, which includes its advanced manufacturing and logistics strengths, an innovation hotbed for supply chain decarbonisation, an SME growth hub, skills and employability accelerator, and strategic links to other key developments happening in the region.
FREEPORTS ‘WON’T JUST DISPLACE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY’ This won’t be the first time the UK has had freeports, having hosted seven between 1984 and 2012, before the policy was replaced with enterprise zones. Critics say the revived model merely diverts business from other parts of the UK rather than creating genuinely new economic activity. Marcus responds by saying: “Freeports are very much more focused on being policy levers tasked with driving regeneration, as well as import and export activity, all centred on a principal port. “Importantly, the freeport is tasked with focusing on the development of KPIs, such as driving local jobs, innovation and net zero, which weren’t necessarily tasked to enterprise zones to deliver. Where proposed economic activity or investment has been displaced from elsewhere, it would not necessarily have the full raft of freeport benefits.” Penny says there are already lots of interested
‘We want to continue to develop the infrastructure for the region to make the East Midlands a better place to live and work’ companies that are manufacturing components in other countries. “They would benefit from having access to components more locally by reducing transport requirements and shortening supply chains,” she adds. “It displaces activity in one sense but is bringing it into this country instead.”
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND TALENT RETENTION AT THE HEART OF FREEPORT’S VALUE TO REGION Retaining graduate talent from the region’s six universities is a key objective of the freeport. Penny says: “We want to develop the skills base and make sure the freeport focuses on areas in which our universities specialise.” She wants to work closely with the £13m East Midlands Institute of Technology, which will be based in Loughborough and aims to create a highly advanced workforce needed to lead the digital revolution. The Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station site, which will soon be decommissioned and replaced with net zero technology, offers an opportunity to harness existing skillsets to create high-wage jobs in the low-carbon sector. Within the East Midlands Airport and Gateway Cluster, meanwhile, there will be requirements for hi-tech jobs, such as mechanical and software engineers, to operate modern advanced logistics equipment. Penny adds: “Upskilling is one of the real benefits of the freeport. We want to continue to develop the infrastructure for the region to make the East Midlands a better place to live and work.”
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT BRINGING BIG BUSINESSES TO THE REGION The wide range of incentives will undoubtedly be a pull for large businesses but it doesn’t mean the freeport opportunities are limited to just major employers. Andrew Pilsworth, managing director of SEGRO, the British real estate behemoth that
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POLITICS
SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway
East Midlands Freeport’s three ‘tax sites’ East Midlands Intermodal Park
Cargo planes at East Midlands Airport
Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station
EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT AND GATEWAY CLUSTER (EMAGIC), LEICESTERSHIRE • Comprises East Midlands Airport, which currently handles 350,000 tonnes of cargo per year, and the neighbouring SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway – a 700-acre and growing development with more than three million sq ft of logistics accommodation • Tax site will be focused on advanced logistics, transportation technologies and manufacturing • Includes proposed investment to further transform the strategic rail freight interchange, which will increase terminal capacity from five to 15 trains per day – allowing for another 200,000 containers to be transported by rail per year • Initial capacity for up to 25 new businesses
EAST MIDLANDS INTERMODAL PARK (EMIP), DERBYSHIRE owns the East Midlands Gateway logistics park within the freeport area, says: “There’s incentives for businesses to invest and locate within the freeport, but the key thing is for them to contribute to the objects of the freeport in driving sustainable regeneration, job creation, skills and investment. “So we anticipate the freeport will directly and indirectly attract large and small businesses.”
PLANNING LAWS WON’T BE CIRCUMNAVIGATED OR WATERED DOWN Although one of the benefits of a freeport is speeding up planning processes, there won’t be any shortcuts. “Absolutely not,” says Andrew. “The freeport doesn’t amend or add any planning powers. All those sites will have to go through the normal planning processes with everything this involves, including surveys and public consultations.” This will also involve mitigations for increased traffic and noise pollution. Andrew points out SEGRO has spent £115m on infrastructure within the logistics park, such as building the rail terminal; £20m on improvements at Junction 24 of the M1, and £10m on constructing the Kegworth bypass.
A FULL LAUNCH IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER Since gaining approval in March 2021, Andrew says the EMF partners – which includes local authorities, local enterprise partnerships, private sector landlords and operators, and education
institutions – have worked on an outline business case that was submitted in September last year and approved in February 2022. An interim board was established to oversee this work and an incorporated entity known as EMFCo will soon be set up with its own executive delivery team. The tax sites achieved designation on 1 March this year and are now open for business. After a full business case was submitted last month, a full launch is being targeted for July. Explaining how the EMF will eventually be governed, Marcus says: “The freeport will be overseen by a board made up of 12 partner organisations – six in each of the public and private sectors – which reflects the need to demonstrate we’re operating as a public and private partnership at our core. “The board will have an independent chair who sits on top of that. There will be a raft of sub-committees that exist within the freeport’s governance structure, each focused on key aspects what it is looking to achieve – including skills, innovation and security – to put in place the mechanisms that will ensure the freeport is focused on delivering its objectives.” Leicestershire County Council will act as an accountable body to act as a single point of contact with Government and ensure public money is spent appropriately, while an executive delivery team will be established to operate the freeport activities, as well as monitor and evaluate for Government.
• A planned strategic rail freight interchange next to the A38/A50 Burnaston Interchange and Toyota factory • Focus on advanced logistics and warehousing, motor vehicle manufacturing, and aircraft innovation • New accommodation and rail infrastructure, with potential to attract more of the supplier base to the area – supporting the Government’s objectives to build hubs of global trade and investment
RATCLIFFE-ON-SOAR POWER STATION, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE • Identified as a hub for zero-carbon technology and renewable energy production, transmission, and research and development once its coal-firing operation ends in September 2024 • Benefits from access to existing highcapacity utilities infrastructure capable of supporting a range of intensive end uses, such as in manufacturing • Site operator Uniper has plans to develop an energy-from-waste recovery facility known as the East Midlands Energy ReGeneration (EMERGE) Centre • Capacity for between five and 10 businesses, with the aim of promoting regeneration and job creation
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CONFERENCING & EVENTS
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CONFERENCING & EVENTS
FEATURE
Beyond the screen A guide to restarting in-person events By Sharon Bannister (pictured), head of venue find, event account management and sales at Agiito s we approach the spring period, it’s naturally a good time to reflect on the first quarter and to plan for the rest of the year. As a Derby-based meetings and events agency, we have seen an encouraging return to live events this year. Companies are keen to reconnect their teams in-person and delegates have missed the level of engagement that can’t be replicated on a screen. While the majority of delegates are excited to start attending events again, not everyone feels comfortable in doing so and event planners need to continue to be mindful of this. Hybrid events continue to feature regularly in our requests from customers in order to provide inclusion for those delegates, enabling them to benefit from the content of the event through the use of technology.
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WHAT’S CHANGED SINCE THE PANDEMIC If you’ve not had face-to-face events in over two years – where do you start? This is one of the biggest questions companies are asking and I’ll share the key things that need to be considered. If you are unsure where to start, it is best to reach out to the experts. An experienced event agency will be able to guide you on the most appropriate solution for each event, whether that be a full return to a live event or a carefully-blended mix of in-person and virtual elements.
GOING ‘GREEN’ Following the COP26 conference in Glasgow, we have seen a heightened focus on sustainability among event planners. This runs throughout the organisation process and can often determine choices of venue, the catering, collateral and delegate travel to and from the event. We are finding that our customers are making more considered choices and the sustainability credentials of venues is key. While there isn’t currently an industry standard for accreditation, there are lots of great schemes that can independently appraise venues activity in this area, such as Green Tourism. We recognise the significant impact we have in supporting customers with more than 62,000 meetings and 300 large events each year – every small step towards running a more sustainable event really does add up.
I would highly recommend giving consideration to your own organisation’s sustainability goals and how your next event could support those objectives. We are working towards the ISO20121 accreditation this year to further demonstrate our commitment to delivering sustainable events. Maybe this is also a framework you may want to work towards?
TOP TIPS FOR EVENT PLANNING IN 2022 Thinking of planning a conference or event this year? These are my top tips: • Start planning early. Venues are incredibly busy – especially as there are a backlog of events that have been postponed, so you may not get your preferred venue if you leave it too late. The earlier you start, the more choice you will have. • Be flexible on dates. If you have some flexibility at the initial stage, this will help to give you more options for consideration. • Consider an off-peak day of week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the peak days for conferences and events. If you want to achieve a more competitive rate and find more venue availability, try opting for an offpeak day and you will be pleasantly surprised at the savings that can be achieved. • How do your delegates normally travel to the event? If they normally drive, taking the train is a much more sustainable option and can greatly reduce the total carbon footprint of your event.
‘Companies are keen to reconnect their teams inperson and delegates have missed the level of engagement that can’t be replicated on a screen’
HOW CAN AN EVENT AGENCY SUPPORT YOU? Many companies organise effective and engaging events and conferences without any support. This area has become a minefield over the pandemic, with many businesses now turning to specialists for advice and support on aspects including venue negotiations, contracts, delegate registration, audio-visual and thirdparty suppliers. Working with an agency can provide added value by accessing their network of suppliers, with access to exclusive rates and they can share the most up-to-date industry knowledge. More importantly, you can save you time and take away the stress of event planning. May 2022 business network
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CONFERENCING & EVENTS
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CONFERENCING & EVENTS
FEATURE
The Museum of Making in Derby
Top tips for choosing a venue for your event By Mo Suleman (pictured), director of resources at Derby Museums any of us have been there – your manager asks you to book a venue for their event, which is not too far in the future, and you go into panic mode. “Where, what, why, how much?” All these thoughts go through your head and, unless you are calm, things can get pretty hairy. In my role, I look after some of the most iconic venues in Derby, so I will draw upon my experience to give 10 top tips of what to do or look for when choosing a venue.
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1. Don’t leave it too late This is a classic mistake that happens often. Sometimes it’s not your fault, but you just start the process too late. So, start looking as early as you can and that way you will more likely have the venue of your choice. 2. Good service Oh man, this is so important. You want a venue where nothing is a problem. A place that values your event, will respond to questions quickly, help you prepare and plan the event. It will accommodate changes to the layout and menu, even if they are late changes. At Derby Museums, we pride ourselves in giving exceptional customer service and operate a blank canvas policy, where we allow the client to choose all aspects of their events. Nothing is prescribed. 3. Size and location Clearly you don’t want too big a venue or something too small. Pick a venue that can accommodate your event in case it grows year on year. The venue and your event become a symbiotic relationship. Location is important as it needs to be easy to get to or very attractive when you are there. For example, the Museum of Making is located on the River Derwent and probably has the nicest view from the toilet anywhere in the country! 4. Good facilities Is there a hotel nearby? Parking? Do they have the right permissions or licensing? Is there a restaurant, café, dance floor etc? All these things will enhance the customer experience.
5. Technology I say this is important because you want somewhere where the audio-visual will work. I’ve attended so many events where the sound is poor. So, visit beforehand and see what tech it has, and more importantly, check it will have people who know how to use it on the day. 6. Ethical and charity benefits This may be a consideration if you want to discharge your corporate social responsibility. I often use this to persuade clients to book a venue at Derby Museums because 100% of the profit we make from events goes back to the charity.
‘Start looking as early as you can and that way you will more likely have the venue of your choice’
7. Good experience Price is obviously a factor but sometimes this can be a false economy. If your event is important, then you want to make sure the people attending go away with the best experience they could possibly have. Paying that little bit extra for premium sometimes makes the event go from good to exceptional. 8. Food and beverage This is massively important. We allow our clients to bring in external caterers but 99% of the time they want to use our in-house café, The River Kitchen, because it has built a phenomenal reputation for quality, locally-sourced and fresh ingredients, delivering some fantastic dishes. 9. Contract terms Read these and make sure you know what you are signing up to and, if need be, challenge the venue and get the terms amended if you are not happy. 10. Reviews It’s important not to just take a snapshot of but review a longer period so you can see what the trends are and if you did end up booking that venue, make sure they address these. May 2022 business network
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FOCUS FEATURE
PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION
Three cities investing for a brighter future Regeneration is the watchword in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham right now, with a series of major projects totalling billions of pounds of investment ongoing. Dan Robinson picks out three key projects in each of the region’s three cities.
NOTTINGHAM A vision for the Broad Marsh area
ISLAND QUARTER Having lain derelict for more than 25 years, the residents of Nottingham who had grown tired of numerous false dawns and unkept promises in bringing the former “Boots Island” site back to life can at last see tangible progress. After developer Conygar bought the 36-acre plot, which once hosted a Boots factory, proposals for several phases of redevelopment totalling £1bn have been prepared to create “a city within a city”, as the company’s chief executive Robert Ware described one of Europe’s largest city centre redevelopment projects. A masterplan approved in April 2019 will accommodate 1,600 new homes, 6,000 office jobs, and 20 bars, restaurants and cafés within green spaces and multi-functional public areas that have since been updated to meet post-Covid living, working and leisure demands. Construction is now well underway on the first phase at Canal Turn. A three-storey, canalside destination called Binks Yard will feature a bar and grill, fine dining restaurant and 250-person events space, opening this year.
GREATER BROAD MARSH The Greater Broad Marsh area was already considered a blot on Nottingham’s landscape when its centrepiece was the fullyfunctioning Broadmarsh Centre. Former operator intu recognised when it lodged plans in 2015 to redesign it as a “leisure destination” containing a cinema, bowling hall and food court alongside the shopping mall. But ever since the company, which had already hired a contractor to begin demolition work, collapsed into administration in August 2020, the concrete ruins have resulted in an even less appealing spectacle for residents, workers and visitors. The site was handed over to Nottingham City Council, which, eager to turn a liability into an opportunity, launched a public consultation on how the 20-acre Greater Broad Marsh – which sits at the top of the city centre’s “Southern Gateway” of regeneration schemes – could be reimagined. It appointed an independent advisory group featuring industry-leading experts in urban planning and design, sustainable development and heritage. Highly-acclaimed British designer Thomas Heatherwick was commissioned to work with the group in developing a vision, which was published in December last year with a pledge to seize a “once in many generations” opportunity. The vision, which it believes will take 10 years to fully deliver, features a new “green heart” that embraces the building’s retained structural frame to create a new centre for a diverse range of leisure activities. It will aim to reinstate many of the city’s lost street connections and create a new “engine room” for its growth aspirations by bringing 400,000 sq ft of new business, office and conference space, as well as ground-floor retail that will have the capacity to accommodate more than 3,000 jobs. About 750 homes could also be built on the west side of the city with views of Nottingham Castle, while the 15th century Severn’s House nearby could be turned into an “art hotel”, creating a new tourism opportunity for guests to sleep right above the caves – which will also be given a new entrance. A former delivery partnership will soon be established to take the ideas forward and attract investment.
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The Island Quarter is designed for ‘post-Covid living, working and playing’
It will be followed by a 12-storey, 702-bed student development and a 223-bed hotel operated by IHG Hotels & Resorts, which will also comprise rental apartments and serviced offices, in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Further plans are expected to come forward in time for more apartments, grade A office space, a 250,000 sq ft creative market, hospitality venues, shops, community space, a park and canal basin regeneration.
NEW HORIZON NOTTINGHAM For more than four decades, Imperial Tobacco was a major name on the city’s business landscape, employing 7,000 people and making 52 billion cigarettes per year at its height. Its Horizon Factory, near the Boots campus in Thane Road, closed in May 2016 with the loss of 500 jobs, and the site has since been cleared to make way for a new business park that joins the Lenton Lane industrial area in Nottingham. Henry Boot Developments, which will develop offices and warehouses of up to 145,000 sq ft on a tailored basis for occupiers, is marketing New Horizon Nottingham as “one of the region’s best connected industrial and logistics developments”, given it can reach 77% of the UK population within a four-hour drive. The company estimates the 28-acre site could eventually create up to 1,000 jobs.
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DERBY
The Becketwell development will boast 342 apartments in two main residential buildings and up to 270,000 sq ft of business space
BECKETWELL Bringing together six acres of the city centre, the £200m Becketwell project is Derby’s biggest regeneration scheme in a generation. Once a busy shopping area, it includes the neglected Duckworth Square and the former Debenhams store, which closed more than 10 years ago. After previous attempts to redevelop the site were unsuccessful, the wheels were finally put in motion when it was bought by Derby City Council in 2017. Now spearheading the regeneration project is Leeds-based developer St James Securities, with work underway to build 259 private rental apartments on the site of the former Debenhams store in Victoria Street. Speaking at the Derby Property Summit last year, director Paul Morris said the aim is to get “the hearts of these places to start beating again” by bringing people to live, work and play there. The masterplan features seven sites that will comprise apartments, offices, restaurants, shops, a hotel, new public square and – perhaps most significantly – a 3,500-capacity, multi-purpose performance venue due to open in late 2024. ASM Global, a Los Angeles-based events giant that runs more than 300 venues including Manchester’s AO Arena and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, has signed up as operator for the arena, which will be built on the site of the former Pennine Hotel, Pink Coconut nightclub and Laurie House offices. It could host 220 events including concerts, theatre, sports matches and conferences per year, attracting 250,000 visitors and generating £15m for the local economy. Further phases include a multi-storey car park; Summerhill Yard, comprising an upmarket hotel, offices, flats and gallery space; and Duckworth Square, featuring co-working office space.
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SMARTPARC DERBY Building a high-tech food manufacturing campus spanning 155 acres will not only regenerate the former Celanese factory in Spondon, but help to diversify Derby’s economy. The birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and home to innovators such as Rolls-Royce, Alstom and Toyota, the future of sustainable food production and distribution will soon be developed in the city. The SmartParc concept, which has been designed by experts across the industry and aims to reduce the carbon footprint of food production, involves building a collection of campus-style industrial parks throughout the world that provide a “new collaborative food manufacturing hub”. Each will be equipped with state-of-the-art manufacturing units and new shared technologies to improved efficiency. SmartParc CEO Jackie Wild said the £300m campus will “embrace Derby’s engineering heritage to ensure that SmartParc is the home of the next food revolution”. It has partnered with SEGRO, the property investment and development company that runs the East Midlands Gateway logistics park next to East Midlands Airport, to deliver the first 1.85 million sq ft site in Spondon, which will open this spring and eventually create 5,000 jobs. Food manufacturing facilities range from start-up incubation units through to large-scale factories and warehouses measuring between 50,000 sq ft and 400,000 sq ft. Meal-kit delivery service HelloFresh is among the first tenants at The Orchard distribution centre, where it will employ 450 people.
NIGHTINGALE QUARTER Previously home to the Derby Royal Infirmary, the 18.5-acre site is part of a city living project to introduce residential development to the southside of the city centre, adjacent to the railway station. Wavensmere Homes has plans to deliver 796 homes – including houses for sale and private rental apartments – at one of the largest city centre regeneration sites in the UK. There will also be six acres The “Pepper Pot” buildings of green open space, cycle paths, children’s play area, outdoor and indoor gyms, and a café. The £150m development has been designed to incorporate Victorian “Pepper Pot” buildings to provide a permanent reminder of the Nightingale Quarter’s heritage. Phase one has been completed and the second phase is underway, with an expected completion date of 2025.
SmartParc warehouses will measure between 50,000 sq ft and 400,000 sq ft
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LEICESTER WATERSIDE REGENERATION It was back in 2015 when redevelopment work began to bring extensive former industrial areas along the Waterside back into use and create a thriving neighbourhood for living and working. About 1,000 new houses and apartments have since been delivered, alongside about 1,000 student beds, two hotels now operated by Novotel and Adagio, a bowling alley and 75,000 sq ft of office space across Friars Mill, Great Central Square and Northgate Street. Earlier this year, the first residents moved into another scheme overseen by Keepmoat Homes and Leicester City Council, a 17-acre development at Frog Island with 350 apartments and houses that is accompanied by 60,000 sq ft of office space.
Friar's Mill is at the heart of the Waterside scheme
LEICESTER STATION GATEWAY
It marked another piece of the jigsaw in bringing new life to an area containing the River Soar and Grand Union Central, which has been labelled a “hidden gem” – an underused and underappreciated asset, cut off from the rest of the city by industrial development. Altogether, there is more than £250m of investment in the wider area, with other key schemes including 462 beds at The Tannery student block in Bath Street, 600 student beds at Merlin Heights, 297 modern apartments at Vaughan Way and 71 flats at All Saints’ Place. Mayor of Leicester Sir Peter Soulsby says it has been a long-held ambition of the local authority to bring forward redevelopment of brownfield in the Waterside area due to its “immense potential for regeneration”. The Leicester Waterside Enterprise Zone was among the investment opportunities highlighted at this year’s MIPIM property festival by the Team Leicester delegation, which marketed high-spec offices starting at 2,000 sq ft.
Transforming the entrance of Leicester railway station is expected to unlock new development opportunities in the heart of the city. The £22m scheme aims to “flip” the station to face onto Station Street as it did when originally built. Its Victorian façade will be restored along with the booking hall to create more space for train passengers. The area immediately outside the large new glazed entrance to the main concourse How the new station entrance will be remodelled with a ramp and steps, could look while covered entrance hall areas in London Road will be transformed into a plaza for bars, restaurants, cafés and shops. It’s hoped the revamp, which will be backed by a £17.6m grant from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund and council money, will create a more attractive gateway to the city centre that will eventually attract more private investment and new development in the area. At MIPIM, new office quarter development opportunities adjacent to the new-look station were marketed, with Team Leicester highlighting how the city is just a one-hour train ride from London St Pancras International. The wider vision includes repurposing redundant buildings near the station, including the former Royal Mail depot in Campbell Street, and creating a new multi-storey car park.
PIONEER PARK Building on Leicester’s international reputation and expertise in the space sector is a major planned development that seeks to establish a hub for technology, innovation, science and knowledge-led industry. The proposed project would be located at Pioneer Park, on land near the National Space Centre in Exploration Drive. The area is already home to the innovative Dock incubator for hightech start-ups, and the first planned project would create two more Dock-style buildings as well as nine high-quality manufacturing spaces totalling 40,000 sq ft. An area of land at Pioneer Park would be redeveloped to complement the University of Leicester’s Science Park, providing an opportunity to deliver high-quality production facilities linked to space and satellite technologies. The bid proposals also include a third element, transforming the vacant Ian Marlow Centre council depot site in nearby Blackbird Road into about 30,000 sq ft of light industrial spaces to provide muchneeded small units. Leicester City Council, backed by £19.4m of Levelling Up Fund money, hopes to complete the projects – which could create about 400 jobs – by spring 2024.
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Pioneer Park
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Chesterfield Waterside will include new offices
Dom Stevens
BRINGING MODERN-DAY LIVING AND WORKING TO CHESTERFIELD Landmark developments in Chesterfield will bring some of the “aspirational” benefits of cities to living at the gateway of the Peak District, believes an official at an organisation that promotes the town. estination Chesterfield manager Dom Stevens is excited by the potential of the £340m mixed-use Chesterfield Waterside scheme and evolving Chesterfield Station masterplan. Together, they will deliver modern new homes, highquality offices and sustainable transport improvements such as pedestrian and cycle lanes, electric vehicle charging points and e-bike hire facilities. “There’s an ambition to create a modern, aspirational lifestyle that people want, while retaining the features of a historic town on the edge of the Peak District,” says Dom, who believes the current development pipeline is by far the most exciting in the 10 years he has been in the role. “It will allow people to set up their home and work here, while enjoying what the surrounding area can offer with a national park on our doorstep. “We’re a nice-sized and affordable town so we can have some of those city lifestyle benefits, but we’re small enough to have the community feel and high quality of life you might not get in large cities.” The 16-hectare Chesterfield Waterside development, which straddles the River Rother and Chesterfield Canal, has risen from the remains of the old Trebor confectionery factory to create a new part of the town centre. It will eventually host a new community comprising 1,500 modern homes and apartments. Some of these will be built in phase one, known as Basin Square, which features a seven-storey Grade A office – the first of such quality to be built in the town for decades – called One Waterside Place, which will be completed this year. Shops, cafés and bars will follow alongside a 120-bed hotel and multi-storey car park, creating about 300 jobs.
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Sir Peter Soulsby
‘It’s an attractive place for businesses and people to be’ It links closely with the Chesterfield Rail Station Master Plan, which has a vision for how the area between the town centre and railway station could be transformed to create another 850 jobs across a mix of development plots, including the Chesterfield Hotel that will soon be demolished. Plans also comprise road improvements, a public “boulevard” for pedestrians and segregated cycle lanes, transport hub with EV charging points in a 550-bay multi-storey car park, cycle hub with e-bike hire and secure cycle parking, and green public realms. These are just two headline schemes among about £1bn worth of regeneration projects across the Chesterfield borough, which also takes in a 200-acre new business park at Markham Vale and the regeneration of
150 hectares of industrial land in Staveley. Chesterfield is known for its resilient high street – with above-average occupancy rates – and large proportion of SMEs, with Dom estimating there are about 3,500 businesses in the town but no dominant employer that is vulnerable to economic shocks. “It’s a sub-regional hub,” he says. “It has a legacy of engineering skills from the mining sector, and our manufacturers supply to firms in Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham and beyond. “The central location, easy access to those cities and others, as well as the good road and rail links, means it’s an attractive place for businesses and people to be. “There’s clear strategic thinking of where Chesterfield wants to go in attracting future investors and it’s punching well above its weight in terms of regeneration.”
OTHER REGIONAL SCHEMES Airfield Business Park: The mixed-use office, industrial and warehouse scheme, north of Market Harborough, has outline planning consent for up to 330,000 sq ft of commercial space, with phase one completed in December 2019. Padge Hall Farm, Hinckley: Agrarian Development Holdings has lodged plans to redevelop 157 acres of land south of Padge Hall Farm into a landmark industrial and logistics park that could create up to 2,500 jobs. Peak: Gateway Resort: A £100m phased development to create a 300-acre major tourist attraction on the outskirts of Chesterfield featuring an activity centre, outdoor watercourse and lake, events space, hotel, holiday cottages, and health and wellness park. Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station: Once the coalfired power station is decommissioned in September 2024, it paves the way for the site to be transformed into a zero-carbon technology and energy hub, with various options being explored by operator Uniper and regional stakeholders. Stockwell Gate: Mansfield is set to welcome a Taco Bell, Tim Hortons and 100-bed hotel to the town centre at the former bus station site Toton and Chetwynd: The scheduled closure of Chetwynd Barracks in 2026 and a proposal to build a railway station at Toton provide an opportunity to create a “sustainable new community” that will feature thousands of homes and attract businesses.
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Using third-party transport partners to grow your business
By Sonia Sweeney, operations director at Alternative Transport Solutions ’m often asked to talk about the pros and cons of utilising third-party transport partners, especially with the rising cost in fuel and the movement towards electric vehicles. Unfortunately, it’s not a one size fits for all – certain factors and industries will affect and drive the output of the right transport solution for your business, which may be a hybrid of a third-party fleet and your own vehicles. There are various third-party solutions to choose from – sameday dedicated, same-day, two-person last mile white glove, pallet network and next-day deliveries.
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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THIRD-PARTY FLEETS? There are huge savings and benefits to utilising a transport partner, taking the cost, time and personnel hours away from the day-to-day tasks of arranging transport. If you are a new start-up, usually there is very little equity during the launch stage. A transport partner could offer you a one-stop-shop providing warehousing, fulfilment and transport. Having the ability at launch to outsource to professionals within their field enables you to May 2022 business network
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concentrate on building the brand, while the fulfilment and transport partners ensure customer service levels are maintained. An ageing fleet can cripple a business with repair costs and vehicles off the road, while rental costs are growing alongside customer complaints from failed deliveries. These are pressure points many clients have expressed. But engaging a third-party fleet will not only reduce your fuel costs and carbon footprint, but also provide cost savings and ensure your clients’ satisfaction. You may look to offer a national coverage solution (or currently do so) and outsourcing all runs over 50 miles would allow you to keep your fleet local, providing faster local delivery times and more delivery slots. All deliveries over 50 miles could be assigned to the pallet network and overnight or same-day courier. With a transport partner, you only pay one way – from collection to delivery. The return journey is optimised by the internal traffic management system, ensuring vehicle utilisation and a positive impact on the environment and your P&L. Those UK businesses that choose the right transport partner are able to upscale operations and deal with seasonal or unexpected demands without the cost of recruitment and training. This also allows them access to the latest commercial vehicles – ensuring safety is paramount while being fuelefficient.
‘There are huge savings and benefits to utilising a transport partner, taking the cost, time and personnel hours away from the day-to-day tasks of arranging transport’
Top tips when driving a transport deal What to look for in a same-day third-party transport partner to ensure they deliver for your business and brand: • Ensure there is a clear understanding of both parties’ businesses, which is captured through an onboarding process • Are a member of a trade association and hold accreditations
• Collection within 60 minutes from order received • Trackable vehicles • Dedicated account manager
• Demonstrate experience within your industry and willing to supply references if required
• Coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year
• Clear and transparent pricing with the ability to offer individual tariffs and fixed prices
• Customer KPI reporting through an agreed service level agreement where required
• Tailored solutions to optimise saving and efficiency
• Full online accounts portal, including self-service booking system, PODs and invoicing
• Fully auditable and automatic updates direct to booker from a system
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• Flexible payment terms and methods
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Boost your sales in three simple steps Striving for growth is an objective many business owners aim for and there are plenty of ideas, options and thoughts on how one can grow a business effectively, efficiently, and ethically. However, one business operation that is often overlooked is sales, which Rob Spence says can truly drive a company forward. The managing director of Paragon Sales Solutions provides some thoughts on how to grow a business through the power of sales.
uite unsurprisingly, according to HubSpot’s latest Global Sales Enablement Survey, 40% of organisations underperformed against their revenue goals in 2020. Sure, there were a lot of underlying factors that year which halted many buying decisions across all industries, but how nice would it be to see those statistics completely reversed in 2022 and beyond? The sales operation in any business is perhaps one of, if not the, most important functions of any business. Let’s face it, you could have the team, the distribution, the location, the processes and the leadership – but if you aren’t selling your products and services, you are not going to survive, let alone thrive.
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Therefore, it is so important for businesses to focus on their sales processes, strategies and teams if they are going to want to see any form of business growth. Whether you and your team are seasoned sales professionals, or whether your sales journey is just beginning, I wanted to share with you three simple ideas you can implement today so your business can see positive growth through the power of sales.
TARGETS AND MICRO-TARGETS Many businesses set out with very good intentions, and a clear and definitive sales target, which their business must hit, whether that be quarterly, monthly, or annually. What can then happen for many businesses,
‘If you aren’t selling your products and services, you are not going to survive, let alone thrive’
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however, is they either struggle to understand how they are going to achieve that target, or they simply forget about the target entirely, and lose focus. This is why it is so important to set micro-targets that you and your team can look to achieve in manageable chunks, all of which add up to the larger target. For this to happen, you need to really understand your numbers, figures and sales KPIs. For example, if you know you close one in four sales presentations, and it takes 10 sales calls to get one sales presentation, you then know you need to make 40 sales calls to get that one sale. Once you then work out the revenue made on that one sale, you then need to work out how many calls and presentations you need to make – which should then become your target. The smaller the steps, the bigger the distance.
GHOSTS OF SALES PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE There is lots of value in keeping touch with customers that have come and gone, are still with you, or those you want to target. We all know the importance of keeping in touch with those you want to do business with and those you are 66
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‘It is so important to set micro-targets that you and your team can look to achieve in manageable chunks’ trying to sign up as customers – but what about those who are currently a customer, and those who were once a customer? Developing and maintaining positive relationships with all three forms of customers can lead to profitable partnerships in the future if handled well.
GET THE CULTURE RIGHT Put frankly, if you truly want to succeed in sales and see growth within your business, you need to ensure the culture is set from the second your colleagues walk through the door. Every single person needs to understand their place in the overall sales process – even if they do not work in sales directly. A ship is always easier to tow if everyone is pulling in the right direction, at the right time, and with the right kind of attitude.
Rob Spence
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Helping directors gain skills and confidence Equipping directors and senior managers with the skills and confidence needed to drive their business forward and achieve objectives is the aim of the Chamber’s Director Development Programme, which returns from next month. Delivered in-person at the Chamber’s office at NG2 Business Park in Nottingham, it will be held across five-full sessions running from Wednesday 8 June to Thursday 21 July, between 9.30am and 12.30pm, under the following topic headings: • Developing vision, values and strategy leadership • Planning, direction and priorities • Finance for non-financial directors • People management approaches • Driving performance and leading change The sessions are structured as various stages in a business development process. Developing a business culture has the potential to be too abstract, so the focus at every session will be for the participants to have specific action steps to begin during the session, and complete between sessions. At each subsequent session, participants will be expected to discuss how they have applied the material covered during the previous session,
so that clear connections and progress can be made. This approach grounds the business development process in practicality. It ensures the material covered will be used immediately and the process begun during the sessions can be sustained when the participants return to apply them in their business environment. Course leader Charles Barnascone is a highlyexperienced trainer, sales coach and business development consultant who has worked with a large number of diverse companies delivering training programmes and solutions. The Director Development Programme costs £1,450 plus VAT for members and £1,850 plus VAT for non-members. Visit bit.ly/DDPJun22 or to discuss the programme further, contact Vicki Thompson on 0333 320 0333 (ext 2153) or email vicki.thompson@emc-dnl.co.uk
Take part in peer-topeer networking A peer-to-peer networking programme for SMEs is searching for candidates to take part in its next cohort later this year. Peer Networks, run by the D2N2 Growth Hub, creates diverse groups of individuals to collaboratively work through common business issues. Through interactive action learning, it enables participants to discuss their own challenges, gain and reflect on valuable feedback, and implement practical solutions to overcome them. Each network is guided by an expert facilitator. Dedicated networks will be set up for sectors including manufacturing, hospitality and visitor economy, creative industries, medtech and life sciences, and food and drink. There will also be cohorts for womenowned and high-grown businesses, as well as with particular focuses on leadership and management, sales and digital. The programme is available to any SME that has operated for at least a year, has more than five employees and a turnover of £100,000 or more – alongside an aspiration to improve and the potential to scale up or export, or is exporting already. For more information, visit www.emcdnl.co.uk/supporting-growth/businessadvice-and-support/peer-networks
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Find the perfect training course for your business Bespoke training packages are available to businesses that are looking to address particular skills needs. Each year, the Chamber supports more than 100 companies to upskill their staff in aspects such as leadership, management, personal development and customer care. Its team of trainers work with organisations to design and develop tailored face-to-face or online sessions, which are delivered to either individuals on a one-to-one basis or to larger groups. A dedicated staff member liaises with the business lead throughout the programme – selecting a training specialist most suited to its needs, ensuring all its requirements are met when designing the course content, and
completing a quality check following the course delivery. The Chamber can also provide specialist coaching and consultancy. Business training manager Vicki Thompson said: “We are very proud of our reputation as a leading provider of commercial training across the East Midlands area and beyond. “Not only do we run a comprehensive range of open courses and development programmes to support individual companies, we also provide dedicated bespoke options for businesses to access. We are pleased to be the provider of choice for many local businesses.” For more information on bespoke training, email vicki.thompson@emc-dnl.co.uk or call 0333 3200333 (ext 2153).
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Get your tickets as our Annual Dinner returns Eileen Perry MBE DL and Jean Mountain at the 2021 Enterprising Women Awards
Finalists on the menu at barbecue event
Chamber members can now book a place at the Annual Dinner as the showpiece event takes place in June for the first time. Guests will be able to enjoy a drinks reception and four-course dinner at the black-tie event, which is held at Heathland Grove, in Derbyshire, on Thursday 30 June from 6.30pm. Entertainment is provided by high-profile speakers, who will each offer an insight into a cuttingedge business topic and the national political landscape. The event will also raise funds for the three charities chosen by Lindsey Williams (pictured) during her year as Chamber president – Focus, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and Treetops Hospice Care. Lindsey, who will make a speech on the night, said: “The Annual Dinner is a fabulous opportunity for businesses and leaders to get
Seminar to focus on procurement options Businesses can learn about a range of procurement opportunities at an upcoming seminar hosted by the Chamber. Titled Developing New Business Opportunities, it seeks to boost the confidence of small organisations to tender for locally-available work. It is delivered in partnership with the University of Nottingham and forms part of the Power of Partnerships: Driving Change in the East Midlands Conference. The free event is held at East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham on Friday 17 June from 8.30am to 10.30am. It aims to clarify processes involved, showcase where the opportunities are to be found, the type of requirements and eligibility criteria required, and share some examples of bestpractice. To book a place, visit bit.ly/EMCProcurementSeminar
Finalists of the Enterprising Women Awards 2022 will be revealed at a summer networking barbecue. The Chamber’s Enterprising Women network, which marks its 25th anniversary this year, will hold the social event at Winstanley House, in Leicester, on Thursday 9 June from 1pm to 4.30pm. Entries closed at the end of April for the awards, which feature 11 categories – including new recognition for Lifetime Achievement, Diversity Champion and Rising Star. Held in partnership with headline sponsor Futures Housing Group, the awards will take place on 30 September. Alongside the finalists announcement, the summer barbecue gives attendees the opportunity to network in a relaxed environment, meet Enterprising Women cochairs Eileen Perry MBE DL and Jean Mountain, and socialise with colleagues.
together to recognise and celebrate the things we do that help to make the East Midlands great. “People are fundamental to all our success – this event helps fuel connections and joins us together in a relaxed and really enjoyable setting. I’m also looking forward to showcasing the great work that my nominated charities do to support our communities.” Individual tickets cost £95 + VAT for members and tables of 10 cost £900 + VAT. Visit bit.ly/EMCAnnualDinner22 Partnership opportunities are also available, with Fraser Stretton Property Group already on board a the first partner for the Annual Dinner 2022. For more information, contact partnerships manager Sanjib Sahota on 07776 596889 or Sanjib.Sahota@emc-dnl.co.uk
The event costs £35 + VAT for members and £60 + VAT for non-members. To book a place, visit bit.ly/EWSummerBBQ22
Time to enter Business Awards The deadline is approaching for entries in this year’s East Midlands Chamber Business Awards. Organisations have until Friday 3 June at 5pm to put forward their case for recognition across 13 categories in a programme designed to give all organisation, of varying shapes and sizes, the opportunity to showcase their skills and achievements. There are separate awards ceremonies for each county, held in partnership with Mazars. The Leicestershire Business Awards takes place on 4 November, Derbyshire Business Awards on 11 November and Nottinghamshire Business Awards on 18 November. The categories are: • Business Improvement through Technology • Community Impact • Outstanding Growth • Excellence in Collaboration • Environmental Impact • Commitment to People Development • Apprentice of the Year
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Entrepreneur of the Year Education and Business Partnership Excellence in Customer Service Excellence in International Trade Small Business of the Year Excellence in Innovation
A Business of the Year for each county will also be chosen by judges from the winners of these categories – awarded to an organisation that has shown excellence in its field and is an exemplar for others. Selected businesses will also be put forward to the regional and national British Chambers of Commerce Awards. To enter this year’s Business Awards, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/connecting-you/businessawards May 2022 business network
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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY
Upscaler helps data firm growth A Loughborough-based electronics designer and manufacturer is looking to grow its business after using new technology to boost efficiency and reliability. Datalink Electronics received a £23,000 grant and one-to-one digital technology advice via the Chamber-delivered Digital Upscaler programme, which supports ambitious high-growth businesses to scale up by embracing new technologies. This was used to accelerate its digital transformation strategy, which included buying a new highspec operational server and upgrading its material requirements planning (MRP) system – a tool used in the production process to analyse inventory levels against production capacity. Digital technology adviser Prashant Gandabhai, who worked with the business, said: “The introduction of the enhanced MRP system will support the digitisation
‘This investment enables its team to extract data straight from the system in real-time’
Datalink Electronics finance director Mariam Smith and digital technology adviser Prashant Gandabhai
of the current manual processes. “Datalink previously adopted a labour-intensive process of extracting and reporting information. “The impact of this was its leadership team spent long periods of time running the data manually, and it meant the data was not totally error-free due to human input. “This investment enables its team to extract data straight from
University to develop sleep solution for ADHD children Experts at the University of Nottingham have been awarded £2.28m to develop a digital sleep intervention for helping children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Digital Sleep Support for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (DISCA) project aims to modify existing sleep screening tools to create one specific for ADHD. The University of Nottingham – with the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, University of Southampton and Kings College London – will work with clinicians to build a digital tool that can be used by parents. 70
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As well as measuring the benefits to children and their families, researchers will assess the cost-effectiveness of it being made available in the NHS. ADHD affects at least 250,000 children in the UK, with up to 73% reporting sleep problems, which contribute to worse daytime behaviour, school performance and quality of life. Professor David Daley, from the University of Nottingham’s School of Medicine, said: “Good quality sleep is so fundamental for health. This funding will help support the majority of parents of children with ADHD who do not currently benefit from good sleep.”
the system in real-time – which will mean quicker, easier and more accurate analysis can be conducted on the data in order to improve its product quality.” Datalink, which was set up in 1984 and employs 35 people, serves a range of industrial sectors, including oil and gas, and scientific instrumentation. It approached the Digital Upscaler project for support after recognising its IT infrastructure was outdated, lacked the capacity to host and manage remote working, and servers were unable to integrate with other business application systems – posing potential security risks. The grant covered 30% of the
costs and, combined with expert digital technology support from Prashant, procured a new MRP that generates accurate reports 25% faster with stronger data about the volume of work in progress. Improved connectivity and responsiveness of a new server also means employees are also able to work remotely more effectively, while defect detection software that flags up missing components is now integrated into one system – reducing task duplication and increasing productivity. Datalink projects the improved cost and time efficiencies will now drive increased orders, which will eventually lead to new jobs being created in the future. Finance director Mariam Smith said: “I’d highly recommend getting involved in the project. Prashant was brilliant – he really simplified the process for us and helped me personally to fill any gaps in knowledge and process. He was incredibly helpful.”
How to access digital business support Are you a high-growth business looking to invest in new technologies to propel your business? Is your business facing barriers to growth due to a lack of understanding of new technologies? If so, then get on board with the Digital Upscaler project. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber, it aims to provide highgrowth businesses in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire with the knowledge, investment and capacity to scale up through embracing new technologies. Visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/digitalupscaler
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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY
Why you need a multilingual website By William Milsom (pictured), digital marketing co-ordinator at PAB Languages A multilingual website is an essential part of an international growth strategy, and with the countless benefits that come with localising your site, it’s a no-brainer. If you do business internationally, or would like to break into new markets, having a multilingual website is essential.
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN WRITING CONTENT FOR A MULTILINGUAL WEBSITE In sales and marketing, language is one of our most powerful instruments, so when your content is used across a variety of regions, you need to consider a range of things to attract and engage clients who speak different languages.
LOCALISED CONTENT BRINGS MORE EXPOSURE Your multilingual website could have all the elements to be successful overseas. However, if you are only communicating in English, people who speak other languages simply will not be able to find you. While English is a global, widely-
‘In most languages, words can have several different meanings. Without expert knowledge of both languages, it can be difficult to know the correct translation for the context’ spoken language, it’s important to consider there are over a billion people who do not speak English worldwide – that’s a whole lot of people missing out on your messaging. In most languages, words can have several different meanings. Without expert knowledge of both languages, it can be difficult to know the correct translation for the context. The reality is that automatic text translation – or machine translation – can fall short. Ideally, you need a fluent English speaker to create a post in English, and a French fluent speaker to create a post in French. If you
create and publish content in the language your audience is comfortable with, you are likely to get much higher engagement rates. We all know that SEO improves and increases the visibility of a brand on the internet. A multilingual website will improve your business SEO in other languages and countries, boosting exposure by increasing rankings on Google and search platforms popular in other countries.
UNDERSTANDING LOCAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT IMPROVES PERFORMANCE When preparing website content for a foreign market, it is very important to be sensitive to different cultural norms and values. For example, in China, there is a list of keywords that will result in your content being banned by the Government – not ideal! Without truly understanding the culture of the people who speak the language, it becomes easy to unintentionally offend people when interacting with them.
A CONSISTENT TONE OF VOICE ENSURES YOUR WEBSITE IS CLIENT-FOCUSED If you want to emotionally engage your global audience, it is not only about using the right words but also about adopting the right tone of voice. As a result, you maintain the power of your marketing messages, reinforce the brand with a consistent tone of voice, and build an authentic, long-lasting connection with customers.
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LEGAL
Giving the green light to biodiversity net gain To address the decline of England’s natural habitats, new developments are now required to demonstrate tangible biodiversity net gain. Shakespeare Martineau planning partner Anna Cartledge (pictured) discusses the fundamental role housebuilders play when it comes to improving the environment while delivering much-needed homes. s part of the newly-introduced provisions of the Environment Act 2021, developers need to deliver a mandatory minimum 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG) – maintained for at least 30 years – on all their schemes in England to compensate for habitat losses. To determine and evidence a site’s BNG, planning proposals should follow a four-step mitigation hierarchy: avoidance, minimisation, on-site restoration and offsetting. The preference is for mitigation measures to be provided on-site. However, where this is not possible, developers should aim to provide and secure mitigation measures in terms of local habitats. Housebuilders are already familiar with the concept of offsetting as planning obligations have required measures to be secured for many years. However, the Act now gives these provisions statutory weight – giving certainty in terms of what is required.
A
BIODIVERSITY METRIC The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and Natural England have introduced a biodiversity metric. This uses a habitat-based approach to assess an area’s value to wildlife, which will be used to demonstrate biodiversity net gains or losses and ensure new developments are “nature-positive”. There are potential challenges to be overcome in applying the metric – for instance, being able to show there has been a meaningful improvement to a habitat could be problematic, particularly if an area is inherently of good value to begin with. This could mean seeking out locations that would provide a better score in accordance with the BNG metric when formulating and proposals.
RESOURCING REQUIREMENTS As the metric is in its infancy, there’s a shortage of people who understand how it works and local authorities haven’t been provided with any additional resource or capacity. While there is a move to fund more ecologists at local planning level, in the meantime, sign off delays are inevitable. To assist in speeding up the process, developers should provide as much information as they can at the beginning of their proposals. If finances allow, another option could be assisting local authorities in ring-fencing resources by undertaking the assessment work themselves, particularly on bigger schemes, and potentially also looking at resourcing an ecology officer’s time.
EARLY ENGAGEMENT The key for developers with this new law is to ensure any proposals are brought forward with BNG in mind. Measures should be factored in and accommodated from an early stage to avoid pitfalls further down the line. Creative thinking and collaboration with other stakeholders throughout the process will bolster this further. Engaging with local authorities during the proposals will also demonstrate that the BNG process has been thoroughly thought-out. In the broader sense and in terms of looking at it holistically, it means developers should be able to secure more meaningful BNG, which will help in terms of place-making and making sure what is being delivered has longevity for residents. 72
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EXISTING HOUSING ALLOCATIONS The Government is expected to publish a new levelling-up white paper later this month, which is set to include recommendations aimed at improving living standards. There are also the ongoing drives to increase the provision of affordable housing at a policy level and this may be given additional weight in due course. While the white paper is unlikely to tinker with the Environment Act, it will be interesting to see how it interacts with the recently enacted BNG requirements in respect of the overall viability of schemes. The reality is that there is only so much money “in the pot” when bringing sites forward, and in some areas, a 10% BNG requirement will be costly to deliver. The reality is that as affordable provision isn’t statutory and so doesn’t – at present – carry the same weight as other considerations.
LOOKING AHEAD BNG offers developers and housebuilders an opportunity to be able to evidence more clearly how their construction work is less impactful to the environment. With the UK’s net zero target at the forefront of conversation, this new legislation puts the industry firmly on the right track.
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LEGAL David McBride and Helen Clay
HR service will help solve people problems Leicestershire-based law firm Bray & Bray has launched a new service delivering tailored HR services and advice for businesses, in response to the growing demand for joinedup guidance on people strategy and employment law. HR professional Helen Clay has been appointed as head of the new service. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) with an MSc degree in HR management. She said: “The external HR consultancy service addresses a clear gap in the market as everincreasing numbers of businesses seek reliable, joined-up HR and employment guidance during these uncertain times.” Helen joins Bray & Bray – which has offices in Leicester, Market Harborough, Hinckley and Corby – from global IT software development company Clario, where
she was the UK HR business partner. She has also provided specialist HR advice in the electronics and food manufacturing sectors, with previous roles at SMS Electronics and 2 Sisters Food Group. Helen will also manage Bray & Bray’s internal HR strategy and operations, and her dual role combines the development and implementation of the new HR consultancy service for clients, as well as managing all aspects of the firm’s internal HR including its people strategy, employee engagement, and the employee lifecycle. “In recent times, many businesses have realised the importance and impact of a robust people strategy,” she said. “Indeed, Bray & Bray recognises that people are one of the key components of a thriving business. But one size does not fit all, so our approach to HR strategy development combines
the expertise of our employment lawyers, and practical HR knowledge and experience. “By providing bespoke, top-level HR and legal advice, we will support businesses in creating an engaged workforce and reducing employment risks. This will be particularly beneficial for those businesses looking to grow and develop, but without the right level of HR expertise or capacity in-house.” Head of employment David McBride added: “The new HR service will build on Bray & Bray’s reputation and experience of advising clients on a wide range of employment matters, adding value for existing clients as well as other businesses seeking specialist highlevel HR support. The move also demonstrates Bray & Bray’s commitment to investing in its people and making the firm a great place to work.”
Geldards plays key role at Becketwell Geldards has a leading role in the landmark Becketwell regeneration scheme by acting as legal adviser to Derby City Council. The law firm’s public sector team has advised the local authority on all legal aspects of the redevelopment project since it acquired the former Debenhams site in 2017. Construction is now underway to transform it into 259 private rental apartments, while legal agreements have been completed and demolition work has begun on phase two – which will include the development of a 3,500-capacity performance venue to be owned by the council and managed by ASM Global. Partner Tiffany Cloynes, who heads up the public sector team at Geldards, which has offices in
The Becketwell regeneration scheme
Derby and Nottingham, led a team of over 10 lawyers in delivering the multi-million pound deal that will regenerate a strategically important part of the city centre. The law firm advised on a wide range of complex legal issues from across its commercial property, planning,
Tiffany Cloynes
construction and tax departments. Tiffany said: “The work was complex and multi-faceted, and required a great deal of specialist legal advice, but we were delighted to be able to work so closely and effectively with the council’s very supportive in-house team.”
Barry Webster and David Heys
Leicester solicitors agree merger deal Websters Solicitors has merged with fellow Leicestershire-based law firm Lawson West Solicitors. The deal, completed on 1 April, builds on Lawson West’s previous growth acquisition of Brown and Company Solicitors, based in Market Harborough, in 2018. Lawson West, which has a history stretching back more than 45 years, operates from two modern offices in Meridian Business Park, Leicester, and Roman Way, Market Harborough. It was shortlisted as Small Firm of the Year in the 2021 Leicestershire Law Society Annual Awards. Meanwhile, former Websters managing director Barry Webster is known across Leicestershire having grown his practice over the past 22 years to be a highly-regarded law firm operating from Quorn. He and his wife Tracey will now work alongside Lawson West’s established commercial property team, headed by experienced solicitor Rebecca Beswick, to provide specific expertise to property clients across the region, widening the firm’s commercial property offering and further strengthening its commercial client base. Lawson West managing director David Heys said Barry and Tracey would be “great assets” to the combined business, bringing “fantastic experience and proven commercial and private client skills”. He added: “Websters is a niche legal practice with an incredible local reputation for quality legal advice, including outstanding commercial property expertise.”
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FINANCE
Why it’s crucial to get credit where it’s due Business credit scores are a vital element in driving the financial capabilities of any business forward, yet many companies still don’t know their ratings or how they could be causing some of the problems in their business. James Piper (pictured), founder and managing director of Lightbulb Credit, outlines why it’s important for all firms, with a particular focus on the construction industry. HOW RATINGS IMPACT BUSINESS FINANCE Credit ratings have a direct impact on borrowing, trade terms, working capital and tendering. If a rating is low, it can have a negative influence on the rates and terms offered, completely restrict access to funding, and even affect energy contracts and associated security deposits. Construction firms are often more sensitive to ratings changes, and crucially if your score doesn’t meet the minimum hurdle rate, it can hinder your acceptance on tender bids – holding you back from winning new work.
THE COVID-19 EFFECT ON RATINGS The pandemic has also negatively impacted ratings, with the resulting decline in revenue creating issues like reduced net worth, lower cash holding and deteriorating payment performance – all of which drag credit ratings down. Alongside this, more credit checks are being run than ever before and lenders are applying tighter criteria to their offers.
FACTORS AFFECTING CREDIT RATINGS There are six main credit rating agencies in the UK, and all LLPs and limited companies are rated using their algorithms. All utilise data from Companies House, alongside payment data collected to evaluate how suppliers are paid against agreed credit terms. This combined data is then used to determine a company score and generate a recommended credit limit.
Having a strong rating with one agency doesn’t always guarantee the same with the others. Some specialise in one area, such as funding, while others are used primarily to run searches for lending or trade credit.
HOW IMPROVING CREDIT SCORES CAN HELP CONSTRUCTION Business credit repair is a relatively new concept in the UK and many companies don’t realise they can challenge a poor rating or it’s possible to get scores re-evaluated and improved. An increase in scores for construction firms can have an instant positive effect on both the short and long-term aspects of their operation. It can instantly help negotiate better credit terms with suppliers, strengthening the day-to-day supply chain and helping to manage the increasing price of materials. Long term, it can help secure funding and finance at more preferential rates to invest in their growth plans. Credit repair can also benefit newer firms with low scores and limits due to a lack of accounting data being filed. An improved rating can be the key to unlocking opportunities, accessing funding and winning new work. At a time when many businesses are focused on recovery it’s a solution that could help to boost growth in 2022 and beyond. Lightbulb Credit offers a free bespoke credit insight report to Chamber members.
Westerbee acquires Weymouth pension specialist Leicester-based Westerby Trustee Services Limited has acquired Corporate & Professional Pensions (CPPL). It completed the deal in March after the Weymouth-based firm entered administration earlier this year. All CPPL staff will be transferred to mark a new era of growth for the specialist selfinvested personal pension provider, based in King Street. Westerby group managing director Steve Harvey said: “CPPL has great synergy with Westerby as it provides a high level of service to its customers in the specialist area of self-invested personal pensions (SIPP) and small self-administered schemes (SSAS). “So we are very much looking 74
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forward to this exciting new chapter as CPPL becomes part of the Westerby brand.” The retention of CPPL’s Weymouth office and staff will provide a continuity of service while the two businesses are integrated. Established in 1996, Westerby is one of only a small number of independent trustees authorised to offer its own SSAS and SIPP plans. The group also includes Westerby Investment Management, which has been providing specialist financial, taxation and independent investment advice for individuals and businesses from its Leicester base since 1987. Total assets under trusteeship, administration and advice is now more than £1.5bn with circa 5,000 clients.
The Westerby Trustee Services team, with group managing director Steve Harvey seated in the centre
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FINANCE
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SKILLS
How to retain and attract staff during a skills shortage By Steve Thomas (pictured), director at Maxim Recruitment The construction industry in the East Midlands and across the UK is booming but recruitment is a challenging task due to a significant shortage of available skills. Many companies have more work than they can manage and are having to turn away work. If only they could recruit more people to deliver this lucrative work quickly and to a high standard, they would be able to take on even more work and make even more hay while the sun shines. A simplistic view that quickly expanding staff numbers and productive capacity is too idealistic, and is potentially counterproductive to your growth ambitions. Here are four areas to reflect on when looking to retain and attract staff during a skills shortage.
1. STAFF RETENTION The first consideration for a stable and growing construction business should be to retain, reward and
motivate existing staff. The best way to succeed in the current market is to make sure you are working hard to retain your proven performers within the business, helping to avoid making any staffing shortages worse. The market is booming for your competitors too, and you don’t want to be a training ground for their next employee. Do they feel valued? Are you paying at or above the market rate for your best performers? Do they know, and are they happy with where their career path with you will take them?
2. POST-COVID WORKING ARRANGEMENTS It’s not just about money – staff increasingly want a work-life balance in 2022. How are you showing them trust and flexibility? Are you an advocate of “presenteeism” or do you trust your staff to work at home when
appropriate, and to collaborate and meet clients in-person when required?
3. DOES YOUR COMPANY REALLY HAVE A RECRUITMENT STRATEGY?
candidates are excited to join. Recruitment shouldn’t be about fighting fires, it should be about developing and growing a team to deliver a business plan. Hurried hiring is often regretted at leisure.
How much time do you or the individuals responsible for recruitment spend both on developing a successful strategy and then implementing it to provide the desired results? Many managers in construction businesses feel they don’t have the time to write job descriptions, interrogate their LinkedIn network and review CV applications the same day they arrive. If this is you, or applies to a colleague responsible for recruitment, is this something that requires improvement? The hiring journey begins with your website, a job description, and perception of a well-organised and efficient company that premium
4. SALARY BENCHMARKING AND COMPETITOR MARKET MAPPING
helping it to adapt and respond to post-pandemic challenges. “Working with our partners in further and higher education, the MTI offers a full spectrum of training opportunities from apprenticeships to bespoke and commercial courses for businesses from across the sector, from SMEs
to large organisations. “As a dedicated resource for the automotive industry, the training is highly relevant and can be accessed by the full range and size of businesses within the sector from tier one automotive businesses within the supply chain to major international corporates.”
How many job offers does your company need to make to secure one new employee? At what point in your hiring process are desirable candidates dropping out? If you know this information, you can fix your processes and secure the employees you want in a highly efficient way. For example, if you are offering a competitive salary benchmarked against your competitors’ salaries, packages and working arrangements, you are likely to have much more success in hiring experienced and capable staff.
MIRA on shortlist for apprenticeship award The MIRA Technology Institute (MTI) has reached the final stages of an awards scheme that celebrates the region’s manufacturers. It is shortlisted for the Manufacturing Apprenticeship Training Scheme Award at the Insider Made in the Midlands Awards 2022, which will be held by Insider Media at Macdonald Burlington Hotel, Birmingham, on Thursday 26 May. The MTI is an innovative collaboration between education and industry, led by North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC), designed to address skills shortages 76
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in disruptive technologies associated with autonomous vehicles and electric cars. It supports apprentices working for manufacturers including Polestar, Triumph Motorcycles and Envisage Group. Marion Plant OBE FCGI (pictured), chair of the MTI operations board, and NWSLC principal and chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to have reached the shortlist for these special awards. The MTI was developed to provide an innovative solution to the problem of skills shortages within the rapidly-changing automotive manufacturing sector and is now
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BUSINESS NETWORK
CIE SERVICES is a consulting company with over 18 years’ experience, offering UK and International Trade advice, training and an outsourcing service. Services offered: • Export Licences and Waivers • Documentation – Both Import and Export • Import and Export • Administrative Support as and when required • Letters of Credit • System Streamlining • Origin of Goods • Shipping Services including INCOTERMS 2010 • Logistics Advice – Sea, Air, Road and Rail • Container Optimisation • Customs and Compliance Advice and Help • Warehouse Demand Planning • Duty and VAT – Tariff Classification, • Department Development and Duty Waivers, Payments to HMRC, Staff Training Deferment Account • Cost Savings • Goods Valuations and Rules
Please contact me to discuss how I can help you, now and in the future, with your import, export and logistics requirements.
Contact: Rachel Stockton MIEx (Grad) T: 07990 844605 E: rachel@cieservices.co.uk
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PROPERTY
Preserving our heritage as well as our environment is a balancing act
Matlock Bath has many historic buildings that need to be preserved
Ruth Gray (pictured), heritage assistant at Derby-based town planning and architectural firm Planning & Design Practice, reflects on her time spent living in Australia, and how its natural heritage led her to reevaluate the built heritage of her homeland – as well as why preserving this must take into account modern concerns such as climate change. Personally, I had no idea what heritage meant to me until I went to live by the Murray River on the border of New South Wales and Victoria, in Albury-Wodonga. After a while, I realised what I felt missing was my own heritage. For example, the food was familiar but different, their customs around holidays were great but different. But it was the buildings that at the time I didn’t realise held so much within their construction that connect with you. Having a tin roof and woodconstructed walls, with single glazing and no insulation in one of the hottest countries, left me yearning for solid brick and mortar with stable foundations beneath my feet. With all but a few stone buildings, there is not much physical to connect you buildingwise to the past. Australia, of course, has natural heritage in spades and the landscape speaks to the people of its past, but nature also takes away swiftly anything that gets in its way. Being there during the February 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, which destroyed more than 3,000 buildings, the 78
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impermanence made me think it was time to return to the UK.
UNDERSTANDING HERITAGE IN TOWN PLANNING UNESCO says: “Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.” I agree our heritage is irreplaceable – once it is destroyed, we have all lost something. To pass it on is important but that’s not to say it can’t develop. The daily struggle in planning is the tension between the clients who want to change and evolve their properties, and those who push against those changes. I am all for preserving our heritage but not at the expense of keeping every single thing set in its time forever – we must evolve, especially in light of climate change, and improve our buildings’ carbon footprints. Australian buildings have moved on in the past 15 years since I was there as they continue to bear the brunt of environmental disasters.
Technological changes with innovative products, such as double glazing that mimics single glazing, means we can both advance and preserve our old buildings while at the same time improve their footprint.
A BALANCING ACT One of my first assignments for Planning & Design was the Grade II-listed Belmont Cottage, which is situated on a steep hillside in Matlock Bath and was also nearly destroyed by fire. This Georgian villa is of heritage significance not just because of its structure, but the 18th and 19th century artist James Rawlinson lived there. Through working on this property, I have been able to see what impact a combination of artistic and architectural heritage significance has had on the client’s plans. There has been a balancing act of sensitive new additions and preservations, which we hope will be approved to bring back into use this lovely family home. Houses like Belmont Cottage, which need careful consideration, are a perfect example of a building
that could be lost if it is not allowed to be sensitively developed. My time in Australia showed me what happens when something is destroyed for good by fire – it is devasting to see entire towns disappear in one weekend. In the UK, we are very lucky to have layers of heritage assets to understand our past. While it may not be possible for clients to make all the changes they want to a building – and others struggle to ensure everything stays exactly the same – this is our heritage and it is important to the wider community. However, it also it has to meet 21st century living standards, along with meeting climate change targets. Therefore, it is a fine line to be trodden when dealing with a heritage building, respecting its past but also guaranteeing it has a sustainable future to ensure it is passed on as a viable asset for generations to come.
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PROPERTY
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MOTORING
Fiat gets the retro right If it’s retro charm you’re looking for, then few come close to the rather chic Fiat 500, with looks harking back to the Fifties from when the reincarnation first got underway. Motoring journalist Nick Jones tries the latest electric version. irstly, this Fiat 500 has a 200-mile range with a single charge from its 42kW battery and, couple that to an electric motor, it feels zippier as the acceleration is instant. Mine here has a drive mode selector, which you can have in “normal mode” or “Sherpa mode”. A reference to the Himalayan Sherpas who guide expedition parties, it ekes out as much battery range as possible. Naturally it’s a city car so it zips around the narrow streets and changes direction admirably, plus from stationary up to the speed limit it fairly whizzes along. Ride quality is fine, although it does tend to lean a tad in corners, and comfort is good for such a small car.
F
‘Internally it is modern with goodquality materials, so you don’t feel short-changed’ You do sit high up in the 500, and you get a good view of the road ahead. My advice would be to tick the “comfort seats pack” option, which offers heightadjustable seats and a centre armrest. Despite its retro exterior styling, internally it is modern with good-quality materials, so you don’t feel short-changed. Overall, the Fiat 500 is a sight we see regularly on our roads today but please do bear in mind there is still only two doors, so carrying rear-seat passengers is a 80
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bit of a pain (you know the scenario – door-wide-open seats as far forward as possible and a tight squeeze to gain access) but for a young executive or a small family, so what? You can also have a more affordable version should you wish – one that has a smaller battery, meaning the range drops from 200 miles to about 120 should you not be commuting as much or as far. Charging the battery is simple – it allows you to charge at 85kW, meaning a 0-80% charge in about half an hour, but a full charge at home will take the best part of six hours. It’s a car that is cheaper than most rivals, and it’s somewhat cuter in many ways.
FACTFILE MODEL Fiat 500 Electric
PRICE OTR From £23,495
PERFORMANCE Top speed: 102mph 0-60 mph: 8 seconds
RANGE 199 miles
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INFORMATION
Mental health in the workplace Michelle Overton (pictured), an accredited counsellor and clinical supervisor who delivers training to organisations and employees via her business Mental Wellbeing Services UK, explains how businesses can implement a workplace culture that reduces the risk of mental health issues. More people in the UK are feeling lonely than ever before, especially during the pandemic. Given our connection with other people is fundamental to protecting our mental health and wellbeing, we must reflect upon this. Working from anywhere and anytime has its advantages. However, it can also increase feelings of isolation as employees can't fully interact with their colleagues, missing out on office camaraderie and professional networking opportunities. Employers can support in creating good mental health, which is essential in employee engagement, productivity and overall wellbeing.
Build a supportive work environment According to the Health and Safety Executive, 17.9 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, anxiety and depression in 2019/2020. By investing in mental health first aid training, this figure could be reduced significantly while also improving employee morale, productivity, and retention rates. Employers with high emotional intelligence understand the best way to help employees is by supporting in taking care of themselves.
Research professor Dr Brene Brown – who has spent two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy – defines connection as the “energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued”.
Make it easier to seek help The Business in the Community Mental Health at Work report found 91% of managers agree that what they do affects the wellbeing of their staff, but only 58% of employees believe a line manager is concerned about their wellbeing. Investing in mental health first aid training encourages more peer-to-peer connections, enabling employees to support each other, reduce stigma and barriers to care. It helps people to identify when someone might be struggling with emotional difficulties, equips them with the skills to support their colleagues' wellbeing and empowers them to access mental health resources. Employees who have healthy mental health have increased
productivity and can better handle the pressures at work.
Creating workplace environments where people love their job Modern workplaces are demanding more and more from us. We're expected to work longer hours, make more decisions and produce more outputs. Recognising stress happens, and is normal, decreases anxiety because it will be less taboo to discuss your problems with others who might share similar worries. We know the secret to sustaining our health and happiness doesn't lie in simply resigning ourselves to our circumstances – it lies in reinventing ourselves and working differently. Organisations are increasingly launching programmes, initiatives and solutions that aim to reimagine ways of working to transform mental health and wellbeing at work. Mental health first aid is a simple and effective way to support in building a mentally healthy workplace.
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COMMENT
THE LAST WORD Chamber president and Futures Housing Group chief executive LINDSEY WILLIAMS on the importance of the construction industry for the East Midlands and being ‘smart’ in developing sustainable communities his month, Business Network shines a light on the importance of property and construction within our region. That’s a topic that’s very close to my heart given that my “day job” is leading a housing association providing much-needed affordable homes. The construction industry has had a particularly challenging couple of years and this looks set to continue. The pandemic shut down building sites for weeks, if not months, at a time while Brexit and other issues have constrained the supply of materials. Skilled workers are also thin on the ground. It’s in all our interests, as businesses and individuals, to see the construction industry thrive as the sector supports a thriving local economy. Turning back to housing for a moment, everyone needs a place to live and while the East Midlands is not one of the more expensive places to call home, those on lower incomes still struggle with affordability. Building more housing is part of the answer to making a home available to all at a fair price. At the same time though, we need to be mindful of the risk of creating a development “bubble” that provides more homes and inflates prices along the way. It’s great to see reports of regional regeneration schemes, such as those reported elsewhere in this issue. Investment of this kind is so important and together we can help to ensure that all our communities share the benefits.
For example, the UK has some of the worstperforming homes in Europe when it comes to environmental performance. The energy price rises we have seen this year have helped draw attention to this but even if these costs stabilise or fall, I think we owe it to future generations to make sure what we build today is more sustainable than what we may have built in the past. Even if your business feels remote from the world of construction, it’s worth taking time to reflect on just how essential property, place and infrastructure are to our success.
BUILDING THE FUTURE TOGETHER
TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN
The construction industry is a huge employer and makes a big contribution to the regional and national economy. It also maintains and develops the infrastructure that is so vital to thriving businesses and communities. Major projects in the regional pipeline such as HS2 and the new freeport will provide huge opportunities for the industry and may also present challenges. There is no doubt that we need to be smart in our approach to ensure these projects and the related developments are well-connected, enhance our sense of place and community, and are designed not just for today’s needs but those of the future.
Incredibly, by the time you read this, I’ll be a third of the way through my year as president of the Chamber. Unlike Eileen, my predecessor, I’ve been much less constrained by the effects of the pandemic and it’s been really great to be out and about visiting our members. We really have so much to be proud of in the East Midlands. Top of my list of organisations to visit were of course my three nominated charities, Treetops Hospice Care, Focus and the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. Each is doing incredible work, which deserves all of our support. The Chamber’s race night on 23 June will be one of the events raising money for these great charities – to book a ticket, visit
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business network May 2022
Yew Lodge Hotel will host the charity race night
bit.ly/EMCRaceNight22. Please do come along – it would be great to see you there. I was particularly delighted to visit the University of Nottingham to formally welcome it on board as our latest strategic partner. The event really opened my eyes to just how diverse the higher education sector’s commitment to the region is. The university sees itself as a civic partner that is an integral part of the local community and economy – not simply a provider of education and research. Alongside all the things we would imagine it does, the university is investing in the environment around its estate via projects such as providing well-managed and accessible public spaces. It recently acquired a new site at Castle Meadow to develop a campus to house its Nottingham University Business School and the Digital Nottingham project. Rather than this being an educational “bubble”, the vision is to also provide a home for local businesses and employers to further integrate the university into the local economy. I thought this was a fantastic example of taking a truly holistic approach to running an organisation that is helping deliver wider benefits to the East Midlands as a whole. And I’m sure other institutions like it are doing similar work that we should recognise and celebrate. One of the aims of our region must be to retain the talent of those born here, as well as those who choose to study in our many fabulous universities. At Futures Housing Group, we started a graduate recruitment programme, which has helped us to attract new talent and made our company more diverse. This is just one way of encouraging graduates to settle in the region and “give back” to the place that launched them on their professional journeys. And finally, we celebrated International Women’s Day by launching the 2022 round of the Enterprising Women Awards, which also marks its 25th year. Nominations have now closed and I’m really looking forward to playing my part in celebrating the winners, indeed all the entrants, at the ceremony in September. Again, this is a fabulous event and I hope to see many of you there.
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