SBT issue 437

SBT

ISSUE 437

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SBTWelcome Meet the team

Welcome to our digital edition of Sussex Business Times.

As we approach the end of May it is fair to say that the last couple of months have certainly been a

Sam Thomas, Managing Director/ Publisher

Greg Carroll, Partner

testing time for us all. Running various businesses, jumping on zoom calls, whilst home-schooling and trying to keep sane, the word I am hearing a lot is ‘surviving.’

We are all juggling so much at the moment that I am sure we can walk into any circus once this is all over, but until then we will all crack on.

Lee Mansfield Partner

Kim Butler, Production

What I have been amazed by is the support for each other amongst the business community,

people offering help and advice, guidance, a friendly ear and even more so during mental health

awareness week. Which, with the amount of pressure so many of us are under, is incredible to see.

It certainly seems to me an ethos of Together Stronger with lots of people open to collaboration Belinda Bennett, Editor/ Head of Social Media

Stephen Lawrence Photographer Snap it Now

and working together, and I for one am proud to be part of such a great community.

We have also been forced to look at our businesses and to adapt in order to survive. I love

what Bradley and the team at Network My Club have done with Network from Home, hosting

Sponsors

some fantastic online meet-ups, and I am delighted to feature them in SBT. We have also seen

many other great business adaptations, as well as seeing some traditional restaurants moving to takeaway and delivery service.

Despite some of the lockdown measures being reduced, we are still amidst very uncertain times, but as an optimist I am confident we will come through a stronger, better society.

Finally, a personal thank you from me for your support over the last 2 and half years with Sussex

Business Times. After our announcement in our last issue, we have been working tirelessly during

lockdown, and are delighted to announce that the fully functioning County Business Clubs Platform

will be live from 1st June. Lee, Greg and I look forward to welcoming you all as members of County Business Clubs.

I hope you all enjoy this new look issue of SBT and would like to wish all our readers, friends,

business associates all the very best, stay safe and well, remain positive and together we will come though this.

Sam Thomas, Managing Director

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 3

Issue 437

06 09 Cover 437 Thank you to the children from reception at Saltdean Primary & from the Peacehaven primary schools for their beautiful rainbow pictures Managing Director/Publisher Sam Thomas sam@thebusinessgroup.co.uk 01323 819 012 Production & Design Kim Butler Accounts Clare Fermor accounts@thebusinessgroup.co.uk 01323 819 016 Published by The Business Group Sussex Ltd. Unit 1a Swan Barn Business Centre, Swan Barn Road, Hailsham, BN27 2BY Printed by L&S Printing Limited Hazelwood Close Worthing BN14 8NP 01903 821005 www.ls-printing.com

All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Sussex Business Times Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of The Business Group Sussex Ltd. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Sussex Business Times Magazine assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from the participation in any offers, competitions or advertisement contained within Sussex Business Times Magazine. All prices featured in Sussex Business Times Magazine are correct at the time of going to press.

Copyright The Business Group Sussex Ltd. 2020 ©

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13 17 21 25 29 33

Monthly News

A round-up of business stories from across Sussex

Finance

MHA Carpenter Box offering you general business guidance and short-term action planning during these uncertain times.

Legal

How do employers adapt to avoid claims? By Alex Jones, Managing Director, 365 Employment Law.

Property

We look at the UK Governments amendments, which came into force on May 13th 2020, to the Covid-19 restrictions legislation.

Sales & Marketing

How are you marketing during COVID-19? We speak to Jason Edge from Mayo Wynne Baxter.

Charity

We take a look at some of the amazing charities and the work that is supporting them, from around the local area.

Feature

A growth engine for Sussex businesses, the launch of County Business Clubs, your platform, your business, your community.

Lifestyle

Due to these unprecedented times our regular restaurant reviews have changed this month as we bring you some of the city’s best lockdown takeaways.

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Motoring News

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Networking & Events

47 50 52

A run through of some useful motoring tips to help you through the pandemic as safely as possble.

Network My Club Founder & Managing Director, Bradley Hatchett, shares his views on how you can get the most out of virtual networking.

Ask the expert

Some of our experts set up a series of webinars aimed to help businesses discuss their current challenges and what we’re doing to adapt.

Cube Corner

Paul Rogers, director or Cube Consulting, discusses assisting companies with a range of services predominantly Business Development and Lead Generation.

Wellbeing

Brightons The Float Spa on how to improve ‘at home’ work life balance.

GARDENS

DEVELOPMENTS

INTERIORS

DRIVEWAYS & MORE...

GROUNDWORKS • BRICKLAYING • PLASTERING • EXTENSIONS • ARTIFICIAL GRASS

07895 307833 DAVECAMPBELL80@HOTMAIL.CO.UK FIND US ON FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM

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MON THLY N EWS

Right at Home Mid Sussex is recognised as a 5* Employer

Homecare provider Right at Home Mid Sussex is pleased to share that it has been awarded 5* Employer status.

The business was named a 5* Employer following its annual employee engagement survey, run by independent researcher WorkBuzz. 89% of staff completed the anonymised survey, which saw:

surroundings villages. It offers a wide range of services to enable people to continue living safely and independently in the comfort of their own home.

Services include companionship, personal care and meal preparation, through to specialist dementia care and 24-hour live-in care.

• 100% of respondents say they would recommend Right at Home as a great place to work

Commenting on the recognition, Andy McNiven, Managing Director of Right at Home Mid Sussex, said: “It is so nice to have such positive feedback from our staff. When we started the company, it was always our intention to create a culture of positivity and mutual respect, and these survey results prove that our staff have all adopted that vision. We are a cohesive and happy team, who all work together to aid our clients to remain safe and happy in their own homes”

• 100% of respondents say they are given enough time to deliver quality care to their clients • 100% of respondents would recommend Right at Home’s care services to family or friends requiring care.

Right at Home supports Clients across Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath and the

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Steven Frost, CEO of WorkBuzz, added: “At WorkBuzz, we’re passionate about improving people’s working lives. We

created this award to recognise the best workplace cultures where employees are proud to work, are motivated to do more, and want to stay for the

foreseeable future. We’ve loved working

with Right at Home who truly care about their employee’s experience and have worked hard to ensure they create a

culture where their people can thrive.”

Right at Home Mid Sussex has gone

from strength-to-strength since opening in 2016. It is the most highly rated

homecare provider in Mid Sussex on the leading, independent review site homecare.co.uk.

MO NTHLY NEWS

Metlife foundation donates $40k to support local brighton charity as part of global covid-19 response • As part of a wider commitment by MetLife Foundation, MetLife in the UK has provided grant funding to Brighton Food Bank to offer relief from the impact of the pandemic.

• MetLife Foundation has committed $25 million to support communities across the globe impacted by COVID-19.

• Brighton Food Bank is committed to providing emergency food and essentials to those in crisis situations with limited funds.

MetLife Foundation has issued grant funding across MetLife’s operations worldwide, including in the UK, to offer relief from the impact of COVID-19.

Addressing both short and longer-term

relief efforts, the grants will support local communities that have been affected by the pandemic.

“It is more important than ever that we look to support our local community during this time of need, and help where we can,” said Dominic Grinstead, Managing Director, MetLife UK. “We are very pleased to be able to continue supporting the important work of Brighton Food Bank, the people who work for it and those who rely upon it.

Putting community first is at the heart of who we are and what we stand for.”

Only 10 minutes from the MetLife UK office, Brighton Food Bank is part of Brighton and Hove City Mission, which

has provided support to the local community since 1849. The grant will ensure that Brighton Food Bank is able to purchase much-needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect volunteers, and to replenish food stocks where donations have fallen short due to lockdown restrictions.

Mike Jourdain, team leader at Brighton Food Bank, said: “We are delighted with this support from MetLife, which offers tremendous relief during this time of uncertainty and crisis. The donation will allow us to continue running our service as usual and help those who cannot feed themselves or their families, particularly in the current environment.”

Brighton Gin releases hand sanitiser refills stay safe and fight waste Brighton Gin, who since March have been making and donating hand sanitiser to support frontline efforts, are releasing refills to help people not only keep safe but also to reduce waste.

As the COVID crisis unfolded, the team at Brighton’s first distillery were quick to turn their focus from multiple awardwinning craft gin to hand sanitiser production, donating two bottles for every one sold to frontline workers. Brighton Gin’s customers have been incredibly supportive of the initiative, with bottles of the sanitiser being sent to individuals all round the UK, enabling many hundreds of bottles to be donated to the brilliant frontline workers (including the NHS and other emergency services) and community organisations who have been working tirelessly throughout this difficult time.

In response to the well-documented global shortage of PPE, including sanitiser bottles with spray atomisers, and with growing concern about the number of potentially reusable bottles being thrown away, the new 50ml sanitiser top-up has been devised to allow several refills of an atomiser pump and the bottle is itself completely recyclable. Wanting to ensure that they made a product that is both completely chemically effective yet gentle on the skin, Brighton Gin is collaborating with leading Lewes cosmetics brand A.S. Apothecary on making the sanitiser.

Despite being 75%ABV, the sanitiser with its gorgeous mint and rosemary fragrance does not dehydrate the skin.

From its very beginnings Brighton Gin has actively supported the local

community and voluntary sector through their ‘Community Spirit’ initiative. Each refill bottle sold will enable more to be donated to key workers and those frontline staff who have been doing so much to protect our communities.

Kathy Caton, Founder of Brighton Gin, says, “the reaction from people who want to help and support frontline efforts has been humbling. Through our notfor-profit “spray it forward” initiative, every refill purchased through the website enables us to make and donate two to organisations that need it most.

This has included everyone from the NHS and frontline workers to foodbanks, projects working with isolated and vulnerable people to care homes and delivery drivers.”

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 7

MON THLY N EWS

Stunning new images of £60m Hove housing development Landscaping from award-winning designer and rooftop allotments

New images and details of a landmark development of 148 flats, office space and a café planned for Newtown Road in Hove have been unveiled by Yelo Architects.

The plan was approved by Brighton and Hove City Council’s first virtual planning committee on Wednesday April 22 after lockdown began.

The £60m scheme will be built on an under-used brownfield site at KAP Motor Group’s former Peugeot garage.

This development comes in the wake of other Yelo Architects award winning housing schemes at nearby One Hove Park and New Wave.

Newtown Road includes rooftop allotments and green spaces to encourage wildlife, while landscaping was designed by award-winning landscaper Nicholas Dexter.

Andy Parsons, Managing Director, Yelo Architects, said: “This is our third major planning approval in the Hove Station area and we think this attractive and sustainable scheme will build on the character of the area as it transitions

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from industrial to mixed use. ”This is a high quality and well-designed scheme boasting big balconies with room for a table to seat four and space to grow food on every balcony. We also used perforated metal instead of glass on the balconies because it helps them feel more private. ”Newtown Road will be a catalyst for the area as it begins a transition phase where it moves from industrial to mixed use. Change is always challenging for residents, but it’s not ideal to have lots of industrial use next to residential either.

There’s a masterplan for the whole area and it’s important for developers to follow this closely.”

The three blocks range in height from 4 to 11 storeys and include a mix of one, two and three bedroom homes.

There are 104 car parking spaces in a basement car park and there is also covered ground-level cycle parking.

Parsons continued: ”We secured planning consent at the first virtual meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning committee, so it’s

encouraging to see that even during a pandemic, it is still possible to move these major projects along. To stand the best chance of success of securing approval during lockdown, it’s crucial for architects to provide exceptional imagery, 3D visuals and clear annotated drawings.”

The firm worked in partnership with Savills, Ardent Consulting Engineers, BECG, NuPlanet Sustain and Nick Dexter on the scheme.

There will be a New Homes Bonus contribution of approximately £991,000 for Brighton and Hove City Council as well as Section 106 contributions.

Around 110 jobs will be created during construction. Yelo Architects worked closely with Brighton and Hove City Council planning officers, local residents and community groups throughout the process. This included considering Hove Station Forum’s illustrative masterplan for the future of the Hove Station area.

For more information, please visit yeloarchitects.com

SBT FINANCE

COVID-19 HUB

BY MHA CARPENTER BOX

SBT FINANCE SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 9

MHA Carpenter Box Covd-19 hub

Offering you general business guidance and short-term action planning during these uncertain times.

The spread of the Coronavirus Finance (COVID-19) continues to dominate the news, with major implications for businesses across Sussex, the UK, and the World.

The current economic conditions mean businesses are having to trade under extremely challenging and unprecedented conditions.

We would urge businesses foreseeing a requirement for additional support or finance to act promptly, even as a precautionary measure.

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Government support for businesses The Government continues to announce news measures to support businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak. There have also been a number of financial support schemes introduced. Access to the schemes depends on level of funding required and size of the applicant business.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) Under the CJRS, all UK employers with a PAYE scheme will be able to access support to continue paying part of their employees’ salary for those that would otherwise have been laid off during this crisis to avoid redundancies.

Any employer in the country (small or large, including charitable or non-profit) will be eligible for the scheme.

• Employers can contact HMRC for a grant, via a new online portal, to cover most of the wages of their workforce who remain on payroll but are temporarily not working during the Coronavirus outbreak. Employers will need to identify ‘furloughed worker’s’ and notify any affected employees of the change in status.

• UK workers of any employer who is placed on the CJRS can keep their job, with the government paying up to 80% of a ‘furloughed worker’s’ wage costs, up to a total of £2,500 per worker each month.

FINA NCE

•T his will be backdated to 1st March and will be open until 31 October with some changes to the Scheme from 1 August.

• I t can apply to anyone who was on the payroll at 19 March 2020, even if they have subsequently been made redundant, as long as they are reinstated on the payroll.

Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) Self-employed individuals can apply for a grant of up to 80% of average monthly trading profits for a 3-month period. This will be calculated by looking at average trading profits over the last 3 tax years (2016/17 to 2018/19) or shorter period where applicable. Like the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), this is subject to a maximum claim of £2,500 per month.

In order to qualify for SEISS the individual must have satisfied all of the following: • I ncome tax return for 2018/19 must have been submitted by 23 April 2020 – there is therefore a short window to submit late returns •M ust be self-employed or a member of a partnership

Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) BBLS is a small loan scheme launched on 4th May 2020 for businesses experiencing cashflow disruption as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The scheme is aimed at providing access to loans from £2,000 up to 25% of a business’ turnover, capped at a maximum loan of £50,000.

The scheme is delivered through a network of accredited lenders. Lenders receive a 100% government-backed guarantee, as such lenders cannot take personal guarantees or take recovery action over a borrower’s personal assets.

However, the borrower remains 100% liable for the debt.

BBLS loan terms are set at 6 years with no capital repayments during the first 12 months, and interest rates fixed at 2.5%per annum. While BBLS loans are have a 6-year term, early repayment can be made without early repayment fees.

Interest for the first 12 months of the loan is paid by the government via Business Interruption Payments (BIP).

•M ust have lost trading profits due to COVID-19

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) As with BBLS, CBILS provides financial support to SME businesses experiencing cashflow disruption as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The scheme provides larger financial support facilities than BBLS Loans, with a maximum facilities of £5m available to eligible UK based SME businesses with a turnover of no more that £45m. Businesses looking to apply for a CBILS facility will need to have a borrowing proposal which would be considered viable, were it not for the current pandemic, as well as providing other financial documentation to support their application.

This scheme does not apply to company owners or directors who pay themselves dividends. However, it has now been officially confirmed that company directors can be furloughed on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme just like other employees.

Under the scheme, personal guarantees cannot be taken for facilities below £250,000, with lender discretion on personal guarantee requirements for facilities above £250,000. Like BBLS, CBILS is delivered through a network of accredited lenders. Under CBILS lenders

•M ust have traded in the 2019/20 tax year •M ust be intending to trade in the 2020/21 tax year •M ust be trading at the time the grant application is made, or would be trading if it weren’t for COVID-19 •T rading profits from self-employment must be at least 50% of total income • Trading profits from self-employment must be less than £50,000 in the 2018/19 tax year OR less than £50,000 on average over the 3 tax years 2016/17 – 2018/19

receive a 80% government-backed guarantee to encourage more lending, however, the borrower remains 100% liable for the debt.

CBILS provide facilities with up to 6 years repayment terms. Most lenders offer facilities with no capital repayments during the first 6 to 12 months. Interest and fees for the first 12 months of the loan are paid by the government via Business Interruption Payments (BIP).

Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) For mid-sized and larger UK businesses suffering disruption due to the COVID-19 outbreak and with turnover of more than £45m, CLBILS provides finance facilities of up to £200m for term loans and revolving credit facilities, or up to £50m for invoice finance and asset finance facilities. Finance terms under CLBILS are for 3 months to 3 years.

As with the other schemes, CLBILS is delivered through a network of accredited lenders who receive a 80% governmentbacked guarantee, with the borrower remaining 100% liable for the debt.

Businesses looking to apply for CLBILS will need to have a borrowing proposal which the lender would consider viable, were it not for the current pandemic, and for which the lender believes the provision of finance will enable the business to trade out of any short-term to medium-term difficulty, supported by other financial documentation.

Those borrowing more than £50m will be subject to restrictions on dividend payments, senior pay and share buybacks during the period of the loan.

-Businesses, or wider groups, can only access one facility under any of the above facilities.

For more information on other key support measures, visit the MHA Carpenter Box website and their dedicated COVID-19 hub: www.carpenterbox.com/coronavirus

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SBT LEGAL

EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS

BY ALEX JONES, 365 EMPLOYMENT LAW

SBT LEGAL SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 13

L EG AL

Employment Rights and Coronavirus: How do employers adapt to avoid claims?

By Alex Jones, Managing Director, 365 Employment Law I have specialised in

a payment based on their length

The period from mid-March this year

advising employers

of service. Alternative methods on

saw similar considerations, but in a

on employment law

reducing costs, such as changes to

much shorter period. Business that was

for nearly 20 years,

working hours, changes to working

viable only one month previously, saw

and all businesses

days, or reduced pay, are fraught

large amounts of turnover disappear

face periods where they need to make

with difficulty, risk claims, and almost

overnight. Many employers had to

tough decisions. There is a general

always require consent.

consider immediate redundancies, and

Legal

misperception among a lot of small

entered into discussions with staff about

businesses that it is difficult to dismiss

The period from mid-October to late

pay and hours reductions by consent.

staff in tough economic times. That

November 2008, when the global

Similar mistakes were made as in

is not the case. As a simple starting

financial crisis impacted suddenly

2008, with those employers not taking

position, provided an employee is

on everyday business was the most

advice, and opening themselves up to

not being dismissed for a protected

intense period in recent years for many

future claims by imposing changes on

reason (eg a discriminatory one or

businesses, in terms of having to make

staff without agreement in the name of

whistleblowing), an employee must have

staff redundant quickly, and consider

economic justification.

at least 2 years continuous service in

other options. A number of employers

order to be able to raise most claims,

faced claims for a failure to understand

On 21st March 2020, the Chancellor,

including unfair dismissal. Even then, if

employment rights and how they

Rishi Sunak, announced the Coronavirus

the business has a genuine structural

interact with economic hardship for the

Job Retention Scheme. This provided

or economic reason to reduce their

business. At the time, many employers

an ability for employees to “furlough�

headcount, redundancy is a process

took the economic distress (both

staff (a concept that did not exist in

that is, in most circumstances, relatively

direct and the wider economic impact),

UK Employment Law at the time), by

uncomplicated. If however, the

as a reason to ignore employment

requiring them not to attend work for

employer gets the process wrong, either

rights, and create new justifications

a set period. In return, the business

procedurally or on any justification, it

for dealing with staff, including the

would claim

can lead to claims.

unilateral varying of terms, reductions

back up to 80%

in pay, and immediate dismissals.

of any affected

In times of recession, the ability to

The mistakes made, without advice,

employees wages,

make staff redundant (provided there

led to a large increase in successful

capped at ÂŁ2,500

is justification and a fair process),

claims by employees as a result. In

per month. The

can allow an employer to reduce their

many situations, business that was

scheme provided

headcount quickly and effectively,

precarious, was made worse as a result

a back stop

but also provide employees with

of bad decisions.

date, initially

14 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Alex Jones

LEG A L

28th February 2020, then changed to

bring a claim for unpaid wages at a

importantly, to consider whether the

19th March 2020, meaning in order to

later date for the difference;

events that were put on hold by the

qualify, any employees must have been registered through HMRC under the real time reporting system for PAYE. The scheme itself was relatively straightforward, allowing employers to reclaim the wages through an HMRC portal, a tax rebate or grant of sorts.

Unfortunately for many employers, they viewed the schemes interaction with their staff’s employment rights as also straightforward, assuming they could change terms unilaterally to fit in with the scheme at the 80% cap.

Employees could of course always consent, and good employers sought out that consent to the 80% pay and furloughing. Many employers also chose to top up employees to 100% of pay whilst on the scheme.

Those that did however unilaterally impose the furlough on staff, faced and could still face a number of problems: 1) Employees could resign in breach

3) If redundancy was threatened as an alternative, should staff not agree, and at least 20 staff where affected, then any affected employees could make an application to the Employment Tribunal for Protected Pay, which can be up to 90 days pay.

The Scheme, originally due to run until 30th June 2020, was recently extended until 30th September 2020. In considering the extension, it was reported that the original plan was to reduce the percentage recoverable down as the scheme ended.

This did not materialise, largely as a result of pressure from both business groups and trade unions. It seems unlikely that a further extension will happen after 30th September, as the subsidy has effectively put large swathes of the workforce into an economic hibernation, and business function as a result. The nature of the scheme also means that staff in furlough, are not allowed to work for the employer

of contract and claim Constructive

in question, or the claim back will not be

Unfair Dismissal;

allowed, but strangely can work in paid

2) Those not wishing to go for the nuclear option of number 1, could object to the wage reduction, and provided they continued to object,

scheme, such as redundancies or changes to terms, will merely re-ignite when the scheme ends.

Whereas in mid-March, employers had little or no notice as to the affect of Coronavirus on the economy and more specifically their business, the medium term exit from the scheme, allows them to plan for their staff structures, and they should be open and transparent with staff. An employer that merely waits until the end of the scheme, then runs the same futile arguments about the need for wage or hours reductions, or unpaid part working, will face exactly the same claims they faced in March, but with little room for justification.

Please always take advice.

Alex Jones 365 Employment Law Solicitors Tel: 01903 863284 ajones@365employmentlaw.co.uk www.365employmentlaw.co.uk

employment for other employers.

In any event, employers would be wise to plan for the return of staff, both in terms of integration, but more

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 15

Here to help Call us on 0800 84 94 101

www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk 16 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

SBT PROPERTY

COVID-19 MARKET UPDATE

BY STEPHEN CHIPP, TOWN & COUNTRY

SBT PROPERTY SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 17

An update on the housing market amid Covid-19

The UK Government made some amendments, which came into force on May 13th 2020, to the Covid-19 restrictions legislation.

Well 12 hours

Property

is seemingly a lifetime in this

Covid-19 reality we now live in.

I went to bed on Tuesday evening, having read numerous trade body

reports following the Prime Ministers announcement on Sunday, fully

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expecting to be working from home until at least June the 1st.

However the UK Government made

some amendments, which came into force yesterday, May 13th, to the

Covid-19 restrictions legislation that

has a massive impact on our business and industry.

THE SPECIFICS Namely;

(v) f or sub-paragraph (l), substitute—

“(l) to undertake any of the following activities in connection with the

purchase, sale, letting or rental of a residential property

(i) visiting estate or letting agents,

developer sales offices or show homes;

P ROP ERT Y

work safely, as well as working out

procedures for this return, hence the

delay until next week – we could have done with more notice than 12 hours from the Government!!

This is obviously great news for our industry and it will be interesting to see the demand we have for

those properties that are, or will be becoming, available.

VIEWING PROPERTIES

My main area for concern is that of the ability to carry out a viewing safely for

my staff, the residents of any tenanted property and of course those wishing to view. The UK Government has

provided guidance on this as below; • We encourage people to do their

property searching online wherever possible. Initial viewings should

be done virtually wherever this is possible and physical viewings

should only be conducted where buyers are seriously considering making an offer on a property.

• To support this, agents may ask

home occupiers to conduct virtual viewings. This will help reduce the

number of properties people need to

visit before finding their future home.

• Viewings should be conducted by

appointment only and no open house

(ii) viewing residential properties to

look for a property to buy or rent;

(iii) preparing a residential property to move in;

(iv) m oving home; (v) v isiting a residential property to

undertake any activities required for the rental or sale of that property;”;

This can be found in full here.

This means that to all intents and purposes our industry is able to

work, with social distancing and

common sense, normally once again.

In practice, as I am sure you will

appreciate, ‘normal’ is going to be very

viewings should take place.

• If your property is being viewed, you should open all the internal doors

far from the reality of the situation.

prior to the viewing, and allow access

I have made the decision, in

separate towels/paper towels.

conjunction with my staff, to plan to

to handwashing facilities and ideally • As most people choose to do, we

return to our offices on Monday of

encourage that you vacate your

of space in our offices to comply to

place in order to minimise your

distancing. However, I have to take

household.

next week (May 18th). We have plenty

property whilst viewings are taking

UK Government Guidance on social

contact with those not in your

these next days to ensure we have

• When viewing a property, all parties

antibacterial supplies for my staff to

touching surfaces where possible.

enough hand sanitizer and necessary

should wash their hands and avoid

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PROPERT Y

Agents will ask you to restrict the

number of people who accompany you on a viewing so that social

wearing masks and provided gloves and insisting they touch nothing?!

distancing can be practised, and only

I will be giving this serious

should be there.

expect that in reality virtual viewings

those in your immediate household • We expect agents to accompany

will be the norm for the foreseeable

01273 771977

Where viewings are unaccompanied,

The full guidance can be found here.

homeowners understand how they

Finally, as we have done throughout

should conduct themselves.

• Once the viewing has taken place,

wishes to formally secure a property.

www.brightonlettings.co.uk

all members of staff, contractors,

tenants and applicants to abide by

cleaned with standard household

measures at all times and which can

surfaces, such as door handles, are

UK Government social distancing

cleaning products and towels

be found here.

appropriate.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your kind words,

Some of the above is fairly straight

patience, empathy and understanding

questions than they really answer –

predict the future but this is a very

to touch taps and sinks etc when

Lettings industry – and for my staff and

forward and yet other parts pose more

during this global pandemic. I cannot

such as why would we allow applicants

positive step in the UK Residential

we could have a policy of applicants

my own mental health!!

20 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

81 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2BB

this crisis to date, we will expect

the homeowner should ensure

disposed of safely or washed as

the World!

Stephen Chipp

future and perhaps until an applicant

agents should make sure viewers and

and loved ones wherever you are in

consideration in the next days but

clients on a viewing but follow social distancing rules wherever possible.

Stay safe and take care of yourselves

Stephen Chipp

SBT SALES & MARKETING

HOW ARE YOU MARKETING DURING COVID-19?

BY JASON EDGE, MAYO WYNNE BAXTER

BOUNCING BACK - POST LOCKDOWN MARKETING

BY SIMON GROVES, PRG

SBT SALES & MARKETING SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 21

How are you marketing during COVID-19?

When I was preparing the Mayo Wynne Baxter marketing strategy for this year, I did not factor in a global pandemic taking a side swipe at the economy. I bet I was not alone.

Sales & Marketing

I’m quite proud of my firm’s response to

the crisis. We put the safety of our people and our clients’

first when we shut our offices, and we quickly adapted to working remotely.

Internally, communication has been

great with regular updates from the Chief Exec and externally we have definitely changed tack with our messaging.

22 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Alas, not all of my marketing peers have followed suit. Some have not

read the mood of the nation very well

and have plowed on promoting goods and services that, in some cases, are completely insensitive.

For example, in February we were being advised to not touch our faces and in March KFC launched a campaign to re-ignite their ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’

slogan. The ads feature people in the act of licking their fingers post meal.

KFC rightly pulled the campaign but

not before the Advertising Standards Agency received 164 complaints.

Those brands and businesses that

get their messaging wrong could see a backlash and long-lasting negative impact. So, if you are planning on

advertising your business during this

S ALES & MARKETING

sensitively and respectfully, and so we thought that perhaps we could help.

We asked all our clients if they needed

any help with anything (not necessarily

a legal issue) or just fancied a chat. This

wasn’t about chargeable legal work; it is

about offering genuine help to those that might need it.

The response has been brilliant. Whilst most clients thought it was a lovely gesture, many took us up on it. For

example, one elderly client who lives on her own has become a bit of a ‘pen pal’ and likes to talk about her gardening

exploits, whilst another was having trouble trying to find out who to talk to regarding an insurance problem. We were able to

help. It’s not legal work, but it is help and support that our clients appreciate.

The latest initiative is our Lockdown Family Law Advice Clinic. We know that when

relationships breakdown and emotions

run high it can be difficult to know what is

for the best, particularly during the current lockdown. So, we wanted to offer those

in that position a way to chat with one of

our friendly family law specialists for free.

Knowing that it can be difficult to get the

space and time to talk, we offered options to be contacted by phone, video call and crisis then think carefully about what you are promoting and how you are promoting it. My recommendation is that you only promote goods or

services that are particularly helpful to customers during the current crisis.

At MWB we have looked closely at what we can do to be of additional

help to our clients and those that might be in need during lockdown, and we launched three initiatives.

The first was our Key Worker Discount

Scheme. The current situation is not one that any of us thought we would have to face but there are thousands of people

across Sussex working extremely hard

even WhatsApp. We also made our team

rest of us safe. We are very appreciative

normal office hours.

in the face of this pandemic, they are

I’m sure that many of you reading this

amount of thanks will really convey our

already, if not I hope you give it some

gratitude in whatever way we can.

‘we are all in

The second was Here to Help. During the

so support your

people across Sussex who feel they have

sell to them.

those that are isolated, vulnerable, or

Jason Edge,

dealing with problems for our clients

Baxter

under difficult conditions to keep the

of all that these key workers are doing

available at any time and not just during

true heroes. Whilst we know that no

will be offering ways to help your clients

appreciation, we wanted to show our

thought. To reach for an overused cliché,

current lockdown, there may be many

no one to turn to for support, particularly elderly. Our legal advisors are used to

this together’

clients, don’t just

Mayo Wynne

Jason Edge

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 23

Bouncing back – post lockdown marketing There has been much acceptance Sales & Marketing of ‘the new normal’ since lockdown began at the end of March. One thing is for sure, we’ll undoubtedly see the Covid19 pandemic change the way some companies work and socialise forever. As lockdown measures begin to slowly ease, the question for businesses is how we operate in a changed landscape. What part does marketing play in bouncing back? Full services marketing agency PRG Marketing Communications offer their thoughts…

Be prepared and responsive With the situation changing almost daily, it seems now more than ever being prepared while remaining adaptable is key. There seems little point planning too far ahead given the uncertainty but remaining responsive to how the situation progresses and acting accordingly is key. Marketing post lockdown will involve an element of trial and error as businesses find their feet once again.

Be led by shorter term objectives Planning a marketing strategy is difficult, especially if you have taken business online or into new markets. There are plenty of marketing channels that offer flexible solutions. It is worth considering most channels will work better with a decent minimum commitment but now is the time to trial something new. If you have seen an increase in engagement on social media as people look for new ways to socialise and communicate, consider implementing a quarterly strategy to maximise this for example with some advertising in the mix. Prioritise short term objectives to achieve the most important results during the current climate.

Prioritise effective communications It’s never been more important to communicate effectively. Post lockdown marketing will involve cutting through the noise with consistent key and timely messaging. Building brand loyalty and investing in customer relationships will be hugely important as will demonstrating corporate social responsibility. The

businesses that communicate and more importantly show this will build lasting customer relationships.

Invest in futureproofing

Simon Groves

It can seem wise to cut costs given the uncertainty, but this can sometimes be detrimental. Futureproofing often requires investment in new equipment, staff and marketing. A great example of a wise marketing investment could be a website. Whether it’s a full redesign or a refresh of an existing site to enhance user experience, enhancing online business could help reduce running costs and help business continue to function if there were to be a second peak.

The situation has undoubtedly thrown businesses in to disarray but remember the key foundations your business was built upon. Look after staff, provide the best products and services you can and take support available. Resilience and an optimistic outlook can help keep consumer faith and enhance staff productivity.

To find out more about bouncing back post lockdown, please contact PRG’s MD, Simon Groves at simon@prgltd.co.uk

24 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

SBT CHARITY

SUPPORT CONTINUES FOR ROCKINGHORSE

BY ROCKINGHORSE CHILDRENS CHARITY

ALBION - SAY THANK YOU TO THE NHS

BY BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 25

CHAR I T Y

Support continues for Rockinghorse during COVID-19 crisis Over the last seven weeks the support for Rockinghorse Children’s Charity has been overwhelming, despite the challenging times facing everyone.

Back in March when the lock-down began, everyone in the Charity charity sector could see the enormous impact that the virus would have on their ability to fundraise. Not only would the sector miss out on around £67m just from the postponement of the London Marathon, but all the other cancelled events and challenges could potentially have a devastating impact.

It was at this critical time that Rockinghorse made the decision to engage with their supporters and help them understand how important their continued support was to help sick children and young people across Sussex.

The week after the lock-down they launched their ‘Be a Rockinghorse Hero’ campaign with a range of ways to fundraise and since then the level of support has been overwhelming.

Inspirational ideas You may think that trying to find ways to fundraise with limited time outside is difficult but there have been some amazing supporters who have found a way to help.

Lots of people have been using their daily exercise time to undertake ‘virtual’ sponsored runs in aid of Rockinghorse so their training doesn’t go to waste.

And the recent 2.6 Challenge really caught the imagination with sponsored

26 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

trampoline bounces, jumping jacks and basketball hoops.

Young people have also been more than keen to raise money for other children who are poorly. Two local netball clubs came up with the idea of scoring as many goals as possible within one hour and after managing over 26,000 goals they raised an amazing £3,500. And then there’s Bella, a twelve-year-old who ran 26km around her grandparent’s farm and raised just under £2,000!

Local business support A group of local businesses in Sussex have also taken up the challenge to support Rockinghorse, bringing their expertise to the table to help.

Freedom Works, who provides flexible office space across the county, brought together a group of companies to design, create, market and distribute a beautiful t-shirt in support of the NHS. Customers can get their own rainbow drawing printed on the back and 100% of the profits are going to Rockinghorse.

Generous donations Along with all these great activities, local organisations and businesses have also been donating to the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital and other young people’s health services in Sussex.

Over Easter, nearly 1000 Easter Eggs were donated by groups including Sama

Karate, Pure Gym, Poundland and the Stoneham Community Group, meaning even those stuck in hospital over the long weekend had a nice treat to enjoy!

The Body Shop also generously donated a large amount of toiletries for staff and families at the children’s hospital, helping staff during their long working hours or families while they are spending time with their children in hospital.

Ryan Heal, Rockinghore CEO, has been blown-away by the fundraising efforst; “The support shown for our much-loved local charity over the last six weeks has been truly wonderful. Both myself and the team started the lock-down feeling very apprehensive about the future, but we have all been amazed at how people have still chosen to support us, despite their own challenging situations.

It means that we are able to continue supporting those in the most need during this critical time and beyond. We all want to say thank you to everyone who has supported us so far and who will continue to support us in the future.”

Keep an eye out on the Rockinghorse website for event news and updates: rockinghorse.org.uk

Albion - say thank you to the NHS

Albion stars add support to campaign for every home in the UK to display a blue heart to say thank you to the NHS. Support for Blue Hearts 4 Heroes is rising after husband of NHS frontline heroine launches fundraising bid Brighton & Hove

Charity

Albion stars Lewis Dunk and Pascal Gross are the

latest to support a

campaign for every home in the UK to display a blue heart to say thank

you to the NHS – and potentially raise millions for NHS Charities Together in the process.

The campaign was launched by a proud husband whose wife is treating patients with Covid-19.

Andy Williams was so moved at

a large blue thank you heart on card which could easily be placed in the

windows of homes every day of the week, and not just on Thursdays.

seeing the work done by wife Sally in

Now his dream is becoming reality

Hearts 4 Heroes campaign after a flash

from ÂŁ10 with all profits going to NHS

Guildford that he launched the Blue

of inspiration during the first national

Clap for Carers. His idea was to design

with hearts on sale. The hearts cost Charities Together.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 27

CHAR I T Y

Andy, 49, said: “It’s very emotional to

think the campaign is finally underway – and the response we have had

already is incredible. I’m so thankful to Brighton & Hove Albion for their

support and hopefully fans will get involved, too.

“I got the idea at the first ever Clap

for Carers on March 26 when I saw so many famous buildings lit up in blue with a ‘Thank You NHS’ message.

“I thought it would be great if people

could buy something to decorate their

own home to show support, and to raise money for NHS Charities Together at the same time.

“There are 25 million houses in the UK,

so if just 10 per cent bought a heart, we could raise millions.”

The real inspiration behind the heart is Sally Williams, 45, who trained at the

Royal Surrey County Hospital and has been a nurse for 15 years. She would

normally be working as part of an NHS nursing team at a school for children

with profound special needs, but due

28 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

to the pandemic is instead deployed to

“Thank you Blue Hearts 4 Heroes

with, or recovering from, Covid-19.

Charities Together. We’re all so grateful

Andy said: “After a long uncomfortable

and volunteers and I hope this initiative

exhausted but determined to do her bit

much their hard work and dedication

a community hospital treating patients

for choosing to raise money for NHS

for the incredible work of our NHS staff

shift wearing PPE Sally comes home

helps show frontline workers just how

again the next day. She’s an absolute

means to us all.”

inspiration.

The campaign is also supported by NHS

“For me, it is a worry that she is exposed

Million, a non-profit initiative run by NHS

as we have three young daughters, and

people who love and cherish the NHS.

of NHS workers. So, it only seems right

A spokesperson for the NHS Million

“Sally is so modest and often feels

Britain to celebrate the NHS and

clapping on a Thursday – she just sees

amongst NHS workers. We can’t

like her, to come home from a shift and

decorating homes across the country

heart would be something special.”

nurse, porter, doctor and everyone else

to the disease on the frontline, especially I’m sure this is the same for all families

staff to create a super-team of a million

that we say thank you to them all.

team said: “Our mission is to get

embarrassed when the street starts

improve mental wellbeing and morale

it as doing her job. But for all the people

wait to see a flood of blue hearts

see entire rows of houses with a blue

in support of every hard-working

Blue Hearts 4 Heroes is raising funds in

striving to keep Britain healthy.”

aid of NHS Charities Together, the same

Go to www.bluehearts4heroes.co.uk

Moore raised funds for.

to the NHS. A minimum spend of £10 is

Chief Executive Ellie Orton said:

aid of NHS Charities Together.

charity that legendary Captain Tom

to buy your blue heart and say thank you required with 100% of profits donated in

SBT FEATURE

THE LAUNCH OF COUNTY BUSINESS CLUBS WITH LEE MANSFIELD, GREG CARROLL & SAM THOMAS

SBT FEATURE SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 29

FEATUR E

A growth engine for Sussex businesses,

the launch of County Business Clubs,

your platform, your business, your community.

After our big reveal in our last issue of SBT we have been Feature working tirelessly during lockdown and are delighted to announce that our fully functioning community platform will be live from 1st June 2020.

By bringing five different platforms together we have created a single business ecosystem that can support all businesses with different needs at different times in their commercial journey.

Everything is under one roof and membership is accessible to all. The more you use the platforms and tell us what you need, the more we can help, by building and improving County Business Clubs to meet your demands.

THE ECOSYSTEM EXPLAINED

topics relevant to them, create new relationships, learn new skills and even win new business. Events can be booked and members can join, upgrade and get rewarded for being part of County Business Clubs.

The five Platforms that make up County Business Clubs are:

The Business Funding Platform The County Business Clubs finance team is ready to help you raise funds for your start-up or scale-up. Our crowdfunding platform has access to thousands of qualified investors and can handle small or large investment needs.

The Community Platform Our Community Platform is a place for people to meet, discuss the

If you have an existing profitable business that needs to scale-up then we can introduce you to trusted regulated

30 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

brokers which we have used ourselves, that can reach many different lenders to satisfy your needs.

The Content Platform We have teamed up with the Sussex Business Times to be able to provide topical interesting and relevant local news for our members. On top of that members can expect forums, podcasts, interviews, surveys, premium content, webinars, seminars, e-learning, rich interactive media and so much more.

The Business Services Platform List your business and offer an incentive for members to buy from you when they present their membership card.

FEATU RE

Do a good job and get great reviews and stimulate word of mouth.

Our directory has geo navigation included for customers to get to you easily.

The E-commerce Platform We charge depending on how many product lines you sold the previous month not how many items you sold. This makes for a very low cost of listing on our site. In addition, all of our third-party payment fees are charged at cost.

Our Membership options We have created membership options to suit everybody who is in business in Sussex or who wants to do business in Sussex. Our memberships can be paid monthly or annually if you want to save on the price and we welcome everyone into our community.

Free Membership Free members are welcome as are those who want to take advantage of the other services available to our Premium membership. Free members are just as important to us, and the community, as paid ones. You have nothing to lose.

Corporate Membership For those of you who want a competitive corporate rate for multiple assignable members then this is the membership for you. There is something for everyone and even our corporate memberships are based on our individual premium membership packages.

Merchant Membership

This is probably the best value

e-commerce site you can find. You only pay for what you use. Fees are based

on previous months usage, membership period starts 1st of each month and

ends last day of the month, marketplace entry at any time and lasts until end of

that calendar month, and you can also

willing to help County Business Clubs

extra cost. This also includes no mark

helping its members.

sell as many products you like at no up on credit card fees.

Value Added Partners (VAP’s)

These are the guiding lights for County

Business Clubs community in the region.

Together they bring a wealth of advice, ideas to help the platform grow.

VAP’s are people and companies that see the value in building the platform, helping the local business and non-business

community grow and improve, whilst

getting further exposure or earnings from the platform for their own business.

VAP’s share in the revenue generated from their referrals and earn a very

generous credit to be used against advertising, sponsorship and other

marketing services we offer to further grow their business on the platform Investor Membership

For the select few, we are offering

invitation-only founder memberships.

These memberships are for the

local business elite. It is not just for

those showing prowess in their own businesses, but for those who are

succeed in a variety of ways including

Along with the satisfaction of “giving back” comes priceless benefits that are explained below. A worthwhile reward for their time and expertise alongside their general approachable and enjoyable company.

Most of what founder membership gives you can’t be quantified and could even be considered as priceless. However apart from the soft or indirect benefits of being invited to join us, you will see that the Founder Membership is the obvious commercial choice to make.

This platform has been built with our members’ interests and requirements at the forefront of our minds. This is a business community built by our members, for our members and owned by our members.

Join us for FREE today and be part of the evolution of local business.

To sign up register at www.countybusinessclubs.co.uk or email sam.thomas@countybusinessclubs. co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 31

A growth engine for sussex businesses Your local business community

Content Platform

Finance & Fundraising

Topical content & Business education

Crowdfunding, and commercial finance

Community Platform Discussion, Network & Events

E-commerce Platform

Business Services

Members-only discount marketplace

Member directory, Reviews and offers

Our limited time offer Premium Individual Membership ✔ Access to all regional publications online ✔ Access to gated content not available in free or Community Individual membership ✔ Membership to whole site online ✔ Paper copy for your region delivered to your door ✔ Access to the market place ✔ Member only discounts on goods and services ✔ Access to competitions with great prizes ✔ Community platform access ✔ Access to our market place ✔ Premium Membership discounts on events and in the marketplace ✔ Premium Membership only events ✔ Access to the members news feed to mention exciting developments in your company

£14.99 per month / £149 per year FREE for 3 months

ALL individual memberships are now FREE for a limited time - JOIN TODAY

www.countybusinessclubs.co.uk

32 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

SBT LIFESTYLE

BRIGHTONS BEST LOCKDOWN TAKEAWAYS

WITH GARS, THE COAL SHED & EASY TIGER

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 33

Brightons best lockdown takeaways

Due to these unprecedented times our regular restaurant reviews have changed this month as we bring you some of the city’s best lockdown takeaways.

We kick

shank in ginger and spring onion, the

your dinner plans tonight and order,

list goes on.

trust me you will not be disappointed.

our readers

The takeaway food, as with every

To place your order email (booking@

favourites,

star. Although obviously missing the

things off

with one of (and my)

the fantastic Gars. Since

time you dine at the restaurant is 5

gars.co.uk) or phone (01273 321 321)

ambience and quality service from

Opening Times: Wed-Saturday 5-9pm

eating in, the food is quite simply out

opening in 1983, the family-run Gars

of this world.

institution in Brighton. The Gars family

I am certainly, as I am sure many of

in 1955, bringing with them traditional

community are,

desire to create something that reflected

to returning to the

Chinese restaurant turned out to be an moved from Hong Kong to Brighton

the business

values, a great working ethos, and a

looking forward

both their journey and their new home.

restaurant when

As with all restaurants being forced to

for now I’ll order

a few weeks ago for takeaway. I like

or two to keep me

it reopens, but

close, thankfully for us all Gars opened

another takeaway

many of you have lost count how many

going.

place and I for one could not have

If for some

sesame prawn toast, salt, pepper, chilli

you have not tried

black pepper and soy sauce, lamb

urge you to cancel

times we have eaten at this fantastic

gone any longer without the incredible

unknown reason

and spring onion squid, fillet steak in

Gars before then I

34 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Sunday -3:30-8pm

Visit the website www.gars.co.uk

LIFEST YLE

We have been fortunate in past issues to have

reviewed

both the Coal Shed and

Salt Rooms

and were delighted to see the Coal

and a dessert priced at only ÂŁ20PP

roast, the roast sirloin of beef is an

this is a real date night treat.

absolute must have.

The menu changes weekly and they

Orders must be placed at least one day in

are open for collection or delivery

advance and by 4pm for next day delivery.

On Sundays (open between 1-3pm)

Visit www.coalshed-restaurant.co.uk

Thursday – Saturday between 3-6pm. this is the place to order your Sunday

Place your order today and enjoy!

Shed open during lockdown, now in their fourth week of their Coal Shed

At Home menu. Slightly different from a traditional takeaway, all dishes are served to share between two and

prepared to be finished at home with cooking instructions.

A great concept and a wonderful menu with Smoked Beef Short Rib, Smoked

shoulder of Lamb or Basque Hake and Tiger prawn fish stew. With a main

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 35

L IF EST YL E

This lockdown has been the

proverbial bolt

N

TO

PE

R

N.

UP

CO

57

M

from the blue

S T.

EASY T I G ER B

RIG

H

for us, just

like it must

have been for most others

out there. We were rather worried about what might be in store for the future of

our industry-- the tourism and hospitality sectors. With most of our team out on

furlough and the place on skeletal staffing it was a tough call, but we decided to keep the kitchen running to see if we could still manage the takeaways.

So we had to adapt, and introduced

the ‘pre-order and collect’ service---

and it has been an awesome hit with

many of our regulars, and quite a few

neighbours too! My friend Sarah (from

36 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Worthing) started her own food run

--- where she collects orders from her neighbourhood and for friends living

around her place. Now, this has grown

beyond Sarah’s pale, and another friend Helen had to join her with the domain

extending beyond just Worthing. We are soon planning to deliver to Hayward’s Heath and surrounding areas.

While juggling with these challenges, we also had a message from Simon

who needed help with providing meals for NHS workers--- we were pleased

to pitch in with some. What started as

a one-off donation has now grown into a full-fledged crowd funded operation

coordinated by Olivia Reid (Brighton’s Restaurant Association). Other

restaurants have been sending food to NHS 3 times a day for 2 months now,

and on last count, we’ve sent over 500

meals to CCU and have been amply

paid back with calls of appreciation and gratitude from doctors and nurses there --- what could be better than that..!?

We thank everyone for the unflinching support they’ve extended , which

has made it possible for us to stay in business during these trying times.

When this is all over, we hope to

welcome everyone back in person to

the pub and show you all how grateful we really are!

10% DISCOUNT ON ALL COLLECTIONS

Available 5pm - 9pm Wednesday to Saturday and 1pm - 5pm Sundays

Call 07515 721213 or 07446 166491 to order

SBT MOTORING NEWS

YOUR CAR & CORONAVIRUS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

USING YOUR VEHICLE POST LOCKDOWN

SBT MOTORING NEWS SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 37

Your Car and Coronavirus – What you need to know Covid -19 or

Motoring

coronavirus is the

subject on everyone’s mind at the

moment. The official

government and health organisations

websites will hold the latest updates and developments however we wanted to

after use. By following this simple

turning the volume nob up and down

vehicle is clean internally at the start of

your deep clean here, disinfecting

format, you will ensure that your any journey.

High contact surface areas What we do know is that the virus is

offer some advice to drivers concerned

more likely to spread from contact with

during this pandemic.

individual has been. Our cars can be

Now I’m sure by now that everyone

all the stuff from outside making its

about the cleanliness of their vehicles

has performed a deep clean to home or workspace... Have you done the same for your car?

The advice is simple and quite

straightforward, clean and clean again

38 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

uncleaned surfaces where an infected a perfect home for germs to live with

way inside in some way shape or form.

Think of all the surface areas within

your vehicle where the human contact traffic is high – the steering wheel,

the gear stick, handles, touch screens or if you’re like me and constantly

when a ‘big chooooon’ plays. Start

these surfaces with a suitable product, paying particular attention to any

manufacturer guidelines. Make sure

you wash your hands before cleaning and if you are doing a deep clean

you may even want to wear some

disposable gloves too. We recommend Dettol wipes or something similar that has the chemical power to kill surface

germs. If in doubt use soap and water and with disposable wipes. Once you have completed the inside of the

vehicle you will also want to address the outside areas such as door

handles and the boot lip which we

touch multiple times. Going through

MOTO RI NG NEWS

a machine car wash isn’t enough,

internal glass too, such as your driver

Top 3 Tips

proper clean.

your panoramic roof and boot.

• Keep some cleaning products in

Low contact surface areas

Passenger and storage areas

What we cannot do in this situation is

Most doors have arm rest type

aggression and confidence can at

need a good clean. Most of the time, I

behind the wheel its likely you’ve

the doors, unless I’m feeling heroic, so

lungs or shouting at another driver

vehicle are high. Kids seats are already

your windscreen has been getting

else so it would also be wise to remove

you’ll need to get in there and give it a

and passenger windows as well as

forget the obvious. If like most your

ergonomic handles so these especially

times be quite uncharacteristic when

get in and out of my vehicles through

either been singing at the top of your

the touch traffic of these areas of the

equally loud! That interior side of

full of crumbs and only God know what

splashed with all the extra stuff that

these and include them in a deep

comes out of your mouth and your

clean. Most car seats have removable

sneezes that you didn’t manage to

machine which is certainly a good

for! This needs a good clean, even

middle rear passenger row that rarely

can still contain a heavy level of germ

is the one area that we are all guilty

better road vision after its cleaned. We

forgetting about it, well now is a great

once you have washed it down with

Sort through the stuff if you don’t need

and while you are at it do your other

less stuff in there the lower the risk.

the car.

If you can get hold of it, anti-bac hand gels and wipes.

• Do it right away

If someone sneezes or you have

passenger who has any suspect

symptoms, clean after them right away.

Any delay on increases the chance

of you or someone else coming into contact with these germs.

• Avoid unnecessary journey’s

Do you really need to go to the

supermarket and buy some chocolate

sprinkles? If it can wait or be delivered,

passengers, including any horrendous

material that can be put into a washing

take your hands off the steering wheel

idea. Remember that arm rests in the

though you don’t touch it as much it

comes down? Clean that too. The boot

Remember

and what’s more, you’ll probably have

of throwing a bunch of stuff into and

The advice is simple and quite

recommend a suitable glass cleaner

time to get that stuff out and clean.

soap and water or a disinfectant,

it in the vehicle then get rid of it, the

opt for that. The more people and places you interact with the higher the chance of spread.

straightforward, clean and clean

again after use. By following this

simple format, you will ensure that

your vehicle is clean internally at the start of any journey.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 39

MOTORI N G N EWS

Using your vehicle post lockdown?

With the first signs of the UK beginning Motoring to relax lockdown sanctions many are questioning what the future will hold for driving? Will it be a free-for-all with the roads resuming rush hours and high traffic levels or will we see more people opt for walking and cycling? It has been reported in a recent survey conducted by the AA that 20% of drivers will reduce their vehicle use after coronavirus lockdown ends.

transport unless

For many the lockdown sanctions have forced us to revisit or introduce ourselves to other methods of basic transport. Those lucky enough to have a bike or foot scooter certainly made the most of it, Halfords reported huge increases in bicycle purchases since the middle of March. For those who couldn’t access a bike, walking, jogging and running were the only options and it seems that for many the enjoyment of these activities may stick.

cycle and jog?

AA survey The reductions in vehicle use could

be significant to the environment, as

previously reported the lockdown has seen positive impacts to air quality with the large decrease in pollution

emitting engines roaming the streets.

As lockdown sanctions are slowly lifted we are all waiting to find out what the

they have to in fear of contracting the

virus, which could of course impact the amount of

commuters opting for other means

of transport. The question at this

stage is will people

opt for their cars or continue to walk,

Read more: Lockdown leads to positive impact on environment The change in our lifestyles has sparked many questions around how people will spend their time moving forward with 40% of those surveyed suggesting they will spend more time seeing family and 40% saying they will continue to do more activities outside. Working from home is likely to continue to be the norm for sometime moving forward again supporting the statistics that drivers will use their vehicles less. Some drivers who have worked throughout the lockdown period have enjoyed quitter traffic free roads, the ease of these journeys may prompt people to reconsider when and how they commute to avoid peak times.

and public transport once we are told

Currently it’s important to remember that lockdown has not been lifted and the following rules still apply:

What we do know right now is that

• Going to a shop or pharmacy for groceries or medicine.

guidelines will be around commuting

it is safe for everyone to return to work. people do not want to go on public

40 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

• Travelling to work where your work is

essential and you cannot do it from home •T ravelling for medical reasons, either for yourself or to care for a vulnerable person where there is no alternative help • Taking your child to school. This applies to children classified as “vulnerable” and the children of key workers. It also applies to children whose parents do not live together, allowing for them to be moved between parents’ homes.

Read more: Driving during lockdown From Monday, May 11, in England you can now drive to get to work if you

cannot work from home, even if your

job is not classified as “essential”. The

Government advises those who cannot work from home should be actively

encouraged to return to work but should avoid public transport.

In England, from Wednesday, May 13, you will be able to drive to another

location for exercise “irrespective of

distance” as long as you respect social distancing guidance.

SBT NETWORKING & EVENTS

NETWORKING EFFECTIVELY

BY BRADLEY HATCHETT, NETWORK MY CLUB

SBT NETWORKING & EVENTS SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 41

Networking effectively

Finding yourself networking virtually in the current circumstances we find ourselves in? Network My Club Founder & Managing Director, Bradley Hatchett, shares his views on how you can get the most out of each session and make it an effective use of your time…

At a time when

Networking & Events

we all wish we’d

invested in shares for Zoom, we find ourselves having

to adapt by adopting new methods to replace traditional face to face

to-face networking, and to no surprise,

you do before and after is arguably

Now although we have only recently

up and what you can do to maximise

some very similar pieces of advice.

more important than actually turning

adopted this method ourselves, we’ve

your time:

as we go. So far, we’ve learned a lot

• Be on time – if the organiser doesn’t

thrown ourselves into it and are adapting about best and worst practices when

send out a reminder or calendar

here are my tips on how to get the most

encourage attendees to arrive 5-10

it comes to those attending. Therefore,

request, make a reminder yourself. We

out of your virtual/online networking:

minutes before our meetups as there

sessions, there are in fact many things

Arrive prepared

meetup starts everyone is present.

as productive as you would do at face-

networking event, the value in what

networking.

Therefore, with the surge and increase

in online meetups or virtual networking you can do to prepare and make these

42 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Much like when you attend a normal

is a ‘waiting room’ facility, so when the • Have a pen and paper – unlike at a

usual networking event, you can have

Bradley Hatchett

a conversation in a group and take

notes on interesting or relevant parts where you could help, find out more and follow up more personally.

message across. Do this in your preparation, but if it doesn’t go exactly how you wanted, review it, learn from it and improve it for next time.

• Connect up with other attendees – you’ve put a face to someone and met them virtually. Add to this by connecting on appropriate social media channels. LinkedIn is our

recommendation; a Facebook friend request might be a bit strong…

Opportunity to learn See this as an opportunity to fine tune your business and personal

introduction, in order to make it as

clear and concise as possible. With

10 pairs of eyes right in front of you,

For many, this will be the first time of video/conferencing calls, so see it as an opportunity to learn a new skill. I’m very certain they will continue to be a regular communication method post Coronavirus!

Also, use this time to learn about others!

Find out something interesting about others attending and their businesses, so that when this passes, when you next meet in person, you’ll be able

you’ll quickly establish who is engaged

to look back and refer to these times

wanting to get the clearest possible

personal relationship with someone.

and who is not, whilst finding yourself

having built a better understanding and

Be present Turn off notifications on phone and laptop, allowing yourself to be fully focused throughout the entire call.

You may think that you can multitask when on a video group call, but it certainly doesn’t look it. Book the time out in your diary like any other event or meeting, avoid distractions and optimise your (and other attendees’) time taken to be part of the call.

Network My Club are running a regular programme of online meetups, which extends to non-members as well as our members.

Find more information by visiting www.networkmyclub.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 43

NETWORKFROMHOME Welcome to time effective business networking. Our online meetups focus on quality over quantity. Luckily, we achieve both. Online networking you make room in your diary for.

ONLINE MEETUPS ON London (Central) | Friday 5th June | 11am-12.30pm Berkshire | Tuesday 9th June | 11am-12.30pm West Sussex | Wednesday 10th June | 11am-12.30pm London (West) | Wednesday 17th June | 11am-12.30pm Hampshire | Friday 19th June | 11am-12.30pm East Sussex | Wednesday 24th June | 11am-12.30pm A GREAT SUBSTITUTE FOR REAL FACE-TO-FACE NETWORKING. INTERACTIVE, FUN AND USEFUL. THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY WORKS

ONLINE MEETUPS ON Group-Wide | Thursday 4th June | 11am-12.30pm Group-Wide | Thursday 11th June | 11am-12.30pm Group-Wide | Thursday 18th June | 11am-12.30pm Group-Wide | Friday 26th June | 11am-12.30pm NETWORK MY CLUB MEETUPS ON REMO ARE THE BEST ONLINE NETWORKING I HAVE DONE. N8

GET 50% OFF ANY ONLINE MEETUP IN JUNE BY USING 'NMCSBT2020' 44 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk AT CHECKOUT. VISIT WWW.NETWORKMYCLUB.CO.UK TO BOOK.

Stage All Set for Fifth Brighton Business Expo Stand bookings have opened for Brighton Expo 2020 In its fifth year, the

Expo

business show

will take place at

Brighton Racecourse on October 22.

Organiser Mike Monk says businesses who took part in this year’s hugely

successful event wanted to book again at the earliest opportunity – hence the online booking form going live.

A positive response to the Start Up

Village, introduced this year, means the feature will be retained.

Adding a new twist to the networking

event will be free one-to-one business clinics, run by experts in their field.

Slots will be available to book in

advance during the run-up to the expo.

“We have produced a new information pack for 2020, which outlines a raft

of new features for the 2020 Brighton

Expo,” said Mike. “Anyone who would like a copy should contact me or visit the Brighton Expo website.

“To help exhibitors choose the best spot for their stand, we have also published this year’s floor plan.”

Mike anticipates next year’s expo will

have more than 100 stands and attract up to 800 visitors.

Multiple sector appeal

He says, previously, those attending

the one-day event have come from the travel, banking, finance, construction,

advertising, and marketing sectors.

Mike says: “Exhibitors benefit from their

the hospitality industries have also

well as PR opportunities.

Accountants, solicitors and those in prominently featured.

association with the business expo as

“It really is a great way of putting

“From past pre-registrations, we have

yourself out there and making the

of visitors represent businesses with a

leads and grow your business.”

than 50 people,” said Mike. “This is

As usual, the day will start with a

growing brands that want to extend

once again boast keynote speakers,

been able to calculate that 10 per cent turnover of £1m plus or employ more

connections you need to generate

important information, particularly for

networking breakfast. The expo will

their reach to bigger companies.

seminars and much more. The main

“Stands have already been booked

show will run from 10am to 3pm.

and I would advise anyone thinking of

A picture gallery featuring scenes from

avoid disappointment.”

on the Brighton Expo website. Picture

Free with stand bookings

video of the day’s events and featured

exhibiting to view the floor plan now to

this year’s event is available to view Book Films created a widely seen

While stand upgrades are available for

testimonials from those who took part.

will automatically attract an expo stand

Book a stand: www.b2bexpos.co.uk/

shell scheme stand, basic stand

Contact Mike Monk: Mobile: 07885 490266

table, personalised company name

Website: https://www.b2bexpos.

next year’s expo, all stand bookings

package that includes a professional

stand-packages/brighton

furniture, including a 2ft x 2ft display

- Email: Mike@monkmarketing.com

boards, and free exhibitor name badges.

co.uk/event/brighton-expo Twitter: @BrightonExpo

Unlimited tea, coffee and biscuits will also be provided, along with support and pre-event updates.

All exhibitors receive a free listing in the printed show guide and a basic listing on the expo’s website.

A fee media pack and resources are supplied to help exhibitors promote their stand.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 45

Don’t miss Brighton’s largest FREE business networking event!

BRIGHTON’S

BIGGEST

FREE E NTRY

BUSINESS EXHIBITION

SIMPLY R STE PRE-REGI FOR ONLINE

FREE

THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER 2020

BRIGHTON RACECOURSE | 10AM – 3PM

WHAT’S ON...

S EXPO: AT THE BRIGHTON BUSINES ✓ Business Seminars

✓ 500-600 Visitors

✓ Speed Networking

✓ Motivational Speakers

✓ Over 75 Exhibitors

✓ Free Start-Up Advice

✓ 1-2-1 Business Clinics ✓ Networking Cafe Zones ✓ Free Business Advice

✓ Free Prize Draws

AND SO MUCH MORE!

REGISTER FOR FREE TICKETS OR CALL US TO BOOK A STAND TO EXHIBIT AT BRIGHTON’S BIGGEST LOCAL BUSINESS SHOW www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk To 46enquire about exhibiting call 01273 286133 or to get your tickets go to: b2bexpos.co.uk

SBT ASK THE EXPERT

THREE AT THREE

WITH EMMA, JAMES & LISA

9 GOLDREN RULES

BY JAMES JOHNSON, PICTURE BOOK FILMS

SBT ASK THE EXPERT SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 47

A SK THE EX PERT

Emma Mills-Sheffield Mindsetup Ltd T: 07775 947 818 E: emma@mindsetup.co.uk

James Dempster, Managing Director Cobb Digital T: 01273 208 913 E: James@cobbdigital.com

Lisa Seymour, Managing Director Made By Spoken T: 01273 964044 E: lisa@madebyspoken.co.uk

Ask the expert

Lisa, James and Emma set up a series of webinars aimed to help businesses discuss their current challenges and what we’re all doing to adapt.

They don’t proclaim to have all the answers but between them they do have 45 years’ experience in marketing, business, design and leadership so they do know it’s important to have a space for business owners to talk.

Their now weekly Three at Three on a Wednesday is bringing business owners together to discuss their challenges under various subtopics of evolution.

Each week has a slightly different focus but they always cover marketing, business growth and leadership with one eye on how businesses need to evolve to stay relevant, ahead of the competition and remain successful.

There’s a real sense of positivity around change now and it’s a great chance to meet some new people, air what’s on your mind and you might even learn something along the way. Above all, it’s honest. Do join them!

Emma on Business leadership ‘Transparency with employees and including them in problem solving is a

48 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

great way as a leader to show empathy and inclusion as you develop a culture of openness, trust and loyalty. When managing teams and dealing with any negativity it’s important to get as faceto-face with them as possible. Videocalls are as close as we’ll get to meeting in person so this still has more impact than messaging, or losing meaning in emails.

If you’re a small business owner or leader, make the most of your networks for support and advice at the moment.

We can’t network traditionally but those relationships which are forged are deeper and more meaningful at the moment.’

Lisa on Branding In the current economic climate we have been forced to make adjustments with no warning, with no time to manage the shift, or change in habits. As Darwin’s theory explained, ‘It’s not the strongest that survive, nor the most intelligent. It’s the one that’s most adaptable.’ Have you adapted? Do you understand what your customers need from you now?

Our brands need to respond to their new needs, communicate concisely and

consistently, and be mindful of the ever shifting landscape. As nothing is normal it means we don’t need to be normal either!

Don’t be afraid to try something new, the current circumstances mean it’s time to be bold, to disrupt and try new things.

James on Marketing

Everything has to start with a deep understanding of your audience. Who are they? It’s not enough to say our audience is 45 year old females in Sussex. Get under their skin. Then explore their pain points. What are their current problems and how can you help. Note the word help. Not make money, but how can your business truly solve their problems.

Adapting to how we respond to our audiences needs is something that will stand us in a stronger position than just following the herd. We should be doing this anyway, but now is the time to truly listen to what our audience is telling us.

Accepting where you are right now is a positive point - things aren’t normal, but once you accept that things have changed you can react and plan to address the new normal.

AS K THE EX P ERT

Picture Book Films 9 golden rules when filming yourself...

Several of our clients have been asking for advice on how to self-shoot video content, which they have then be sending to us to edit together and polish up.

This is a great way to reach people and maintain your presence online, and I thought it would be helpful to share some key tips when filming yourself talking to camera (also known as “talking heads”, or “piece to camera”).

So here are our 9 golden rules: 1. When setting up your phone or camera, sit with the light in front of you so that you’re not just a silhouette. No one wants to struggle to see your face and you’re not auditioning to be a vampire. We always work on the basis that the person on screen should be brighter than their background. Natural light is great- so face a window.

2. Pay attention to that background and what is in the shot - the viewer’s eyes will be drawn to anything they can see behind you and will use it to draw conclusions about you. Perhaps tuck that copy of Fifty Shades behind the National Geographic photography book…

3. Be as upbeat and engaging as you can. People will forgive bad quality video if it is fun to watch.

4. K eep the video short and to the point. If you can say it all in 60 seconds you’re doing brilliantly. 90 seconds is good. 3 minutes and you’ve lost people. If you have a lot to say, break it down into several videos and drive people to the other content with links and a call to action.

5. Include a strong call to action at the end of the video! What do you want people to do after watching it?

6. Get straight to the heart of what you want to say and don’t overwhelm people

with information. We work on the basis of 3 key

takeaways from a video.

Any more than this and they will forget important stuff…

Video is a great medium

for conveying information,

but don’t abuse this. Decide what are your key points that you want

to convey and stick to them - don’t waffle on!

7. Pay attention to your sound. People will forgive bad imagery, but bad

sound is a real turn off. Sit in a quiet room, turn the radio off, and speak clearly. If you can, choose a room

with soft furnishings and carpet to avoid echo.

8. As your mother used to say - don’t

slouch. If you are leaning back and look disinterested people will read your body language and turn off.

We like to interview people standing up as it gives the interviews more energy. If you can stand up for this then that’s good.

9. If you have existing content of your products, facilities or anything on the subject of what you’re talking about,

add that into the video. If you don’t know how to do that then ask us!

If you’re struggling to create video that you’re happy with, then get in touch and I’d be happy to give you some pointers. We’re also working with several clients who are getting team members to record content and we’re editing it all together and giving it a polish. We’re always happy to help however we can!

Most importantly, look after yourselves and each other.

James Johnson, Picture Book Films m: 07976 973018 t: 01273 921290 www.picturebookfilms.co.uk MULTI AWARD WINNING VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANY: 2019 AVA DIGITAL AWARDS - WINNER PLATINUM AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE 2017 GLOBAL TMT AWARDS WINNER ETHICAL PRODUCTION COMPANY

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 49

CUBE C OR N ER

Cube Corner

Cube Consulting was set up in June 2017 by Paul Rogers, director and sole employee to assist companies with a range of services predominantly Business Development and Lead Generation.

After being ‘employed’

Cube Corner

for 30 + years, there were 6 essential

services I required to set up the business

which is where the name Cube came

from. The initial services Car Leasing,( Rivervale) Mobile Phone (Overline) Accountant (Carpenter Box) Legal

Services (Rix and Kay) Creative Marketing (Whitespace) Business Insurance (Nsure).

The portfolio has evolved over the last

couple of years to include TSS Facilities Management and Creative Video

Content with Picture Book Films.

The concept of the business is to assist

creating long term partnerships and

Lead Generation and creation of new

networking and social events which

where I have an extended network of

business relationships.

across all sectors of the Sussex

My role with the clients is to help them

companies with Business Development,

also friendships, we have regular

Partnerships with local businesses

is a great way of building long term

business owners and decision makers business community.

across all areas of the business, with the

My clients include Rivervale Car

range of services and experts I work with

Leasing, Overline Network Solutions,

Rix and Kay, Nsure, Carpenter Box, TSS Facilities, Bishops Move, Whitespace

Creative, Picture Book Films, all of my

relationships with these companies are at Owner, Partner and Director level.

The pleasing part of the role is to

see my clients working together and

50 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

varied portfolio of clients I have there are a to assist with their particular requirements.

I have tailored agreements with all of my clients, ranging from 10 days per month to just 1 days per month, the

differentiator to my service I believe is my relationships with a considerable number of business owners, the

challenge for companies and business

development managers over a number of years is to meet decision makers,

there are a number of great networking events throughout Brighton the

challenge has always been being able to sit with or meet with ‘right’ person

to speak with or connect with at each particular meeting.

Brighton and Sussex are great places to

meet such a diverse group of companies, I think it is quite unique where companies are really supportive of each other.

CUB E CORNER

How could companies in the UK have Cube prepared for what Corner happened this year?

With Covid-19 pushing government to enforce a nationwide lockdown, businesses who were accustomed to working a certain way, suddenly had to change and adapt.

Some succeeded, others failed. Those who adapted were prepared thanks to advanced communication tools such as Zoom, Google Meetings and Microsoft 365 Teams. In fact, according to Google, the largest internet browser by user capacity, the search terms ‘Zoom’ and ‘Teams’ both increased by over 4000% in the months of March and April 2020. Combined with the increased searches for ‘remote working’ and ‘work from home’ over the same period, it became evident that people were looking for tools to help them continue working away from the office.

In recent weeks, remote working became

Thanks to NX Pro, Microsoft Teams

the world. More companies than ever

numbers directly from the app! Users

the hottest topic for industries across

introduced permanent remote working

policies while others actively researched

available tools and processes that would make implementing remote working policies possible.

The question is, will this be the way

users can now call landline and mobile can use Teams as a telephone system from any device and integrate their

calling into a unified telecommunication solution. This means users can

potentially save thousands on their office phone system.

we work going forward?

At Overline, we have packaged an

Yes, if companies want to adapt to the

the UK. Sign up for an NX Pro and

lessons learned. There are several great tools available to business in the UK,

but few offer the benefits of Microsoft 365 (formally Office 365). With cross-

functional tools such as Excel and Word already popular among millions, unified communication tools like Teams make

connecting with colleagues easier than

ever before. And now, Teams can do one more amazing thing.

incredible deal for businesses across Microsoft 365 Business Premium

license to easily make your Teams app your dedicated office phone system.

Having grown with our partners over the last 25 years, we are excited to

help companies like yours develop and adapt to new workplace technologies.

Call Overline on 0330 118 5000 or

contact@overline.com today for help.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 51

WEL L B EI N G

How to improve ‘at home’ work life balance This is a very challenging time we find ourselves in Wellbeing with juggling work life, family life and personal life under the exact same roof combined with the added pressure of having strict restrictions on leaving the house. As a business owner or employee, it’s very easy to grab the laptop every five minutes in a bid ensure clients needs are being met, but this has such a huge negative effect on your own mental health. It’s important to be able to separate work and home life, so here are my tips for doing just that: Routine I am a huge fan of routine, establishing a routine quickly but everyone is very different. Some people are more productive in the morning, others in the afternoon, but finding a routine is key to ensuring productivity and, in turn, improves mood and mental health. Build break times, walk times, self-care and, importantly, meal times into your routine.

Time to Move So now we have removed commuting time, it’s very easy to slip into bad habits. Get up, dress the top half of us, leaving on PJ bottoms, heading straight for the caffeine then boom sitting down for hours on end. Being active can significantly reduce stress, increase energy levels, and help us sleep better.

At home there are plenty of ways to exercise; an online live yoga class from The Float Spa, PE with Joe Wicks on YouTube or some old school daily push ups. I’ve been so inspired by people running marathons on balconies and around their living rooms, so there is certainly enough space in your house.

Office Space Creating a space in your house which is ‘office space’ as not everyone has

52 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

the luxury of an office room at home.

A lot of people have only one social room where you eat, relax, socialise.

This room, when you spend extended periods of time in it, can feel like the walls are closing in on you. So, instead of grabbing the laptop on the sofa every five minutes per day, why not create an ‘office space’? This could be in your bedroom, part of the dining room table, an arm chair or even in the shed. But saying that you will only check emails and work when you are in this ‘office space’ will significantly improve mood and help you feel like you are working, meaning the rest of the time is your time – this subtle shift in mindset works wonders.

Right to Disconnect This is a tricky one - plus I often fall into ‘always working’ – BUT understanding that your clients do not expect you to reply 24 hours a day 7 days per week is important. Set up an auto-email advising your revised working hours, leave your ‘office space’ at set times forming part of your routine and clock off at the end of the day. If you are employed, speak to your boss, I guarantee he/ she will not expect you to be working 24/7. When you are at home, its vital to disconnect your home and work life and communicating this with your clients, boss and work colleagues will significantly improve mindset.

Communication We do forget the impact of communication or lack of. As a business owner, I miss the daily chats to clients, team and other business friends. This has been taken away and we are unsure for how long. This leaves your family or the people you live with becoming your work colleagues with every tricky decision, query or challenge being discussed at home. This can add strain to your relationship. Having regular team

meetings, or weekly check-ins with staff, is important. Never shy away from discussing issues with others such as networking connections or Facebook Groups as a lot of people are going through similar experiences and it’s really important to understand you are not alone. Having an external (from the house) person to chat to really improves mental health.

Me-Time This is my favourite topic. Creating space and time for you is one of the most important things you can do. In an emergency situation on a plane, you are always advised to place your own oxygen mask on first before helping others. This needs to be used daily. How can you do your job properly if you are not looking after yourself? How can you help your children’s home-schooling without looking after yourself? When you created your new daily routine, did you add in self-care with the same importance as checking your emails?

For me, I truly believe that self-care is by far the most important aspect of your day. Taking a bath, going on a walk (alone), doing a 5 minute breathing or meditation, yoga practice, fitness classes, cooking, reading a book, how about taking a nap during the day?

These self-care practices do not need to be for very long, but if you advise others who you live with that this is your selfcare time, I guarantee you will see and feel the benefits almost instantly.

Camille Pierson

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

SPONSORED BY:

MEDIA SPONSOR:

CHARIT Y GOLF DAY FRIDAY

11 SEPT 2020 TH

7.45am 9.00am 2.30pm 4.00pm

AT MID SUSSEX GOLF CLUB, SPATHAM LANE, DITCHLING

Registration; Coffee & Bacon Rolls Shotgun Start Two-Course Meal Presentations, Prizes & Raffle

Prizes for:

£280 PER TEAM OF 4 PLAYERS

• Nearest the Pin • Longest Drive • Nearest the Line • Winning Teams

For more details or to register your team, please email Stella at events@rockinghorse.org.uk www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 53

54 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk