PLATINUM BUSINESS MAGAZINE - ISSUE 19 - SURREY EDITION

The widest-read business publication in the South East

PLATINUM

SURREY EDITION . ISSUE 19 . 2016

ANGER MANAGEMENT

The NHS is dead.

Long live the NHS

NATWEST

Chancellor’s Autumn statement

WORKING LUNCH

Chiltern Firehouse

PLATINUM PLUS: Legal Issues Accountancy Business Travel Chamber News Business Style Editorial Opinion Networking Motoring Business Funding Guide International Trade Wealth Management

MEET THE

SANDOWN MERCEDES TEAM THE BIG STORY

NICOLA STURGEON

The Scottish pocket rocket

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WELCOME

24

THE BIG STORY NICOLA STURGEON The Pocket Rocket

10 66 16 78 58 4

NATWEST The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

MOTORING Bavarian Motor Works new model

AGOVO The CRM crystal ball

Hello 2016. If you are of a certain age you might agree that new years seem to come around with annoying regularity!

But on the upside, the economy is set to retain its upwards trajectory and the business outlook is for sunny skies. NatWest present their take on the Chancellor’s Autumn statement which bodes well for the South East, DMH Stallard reflect on a stellar year of growth and expansion, Kreston Reeves pose a question for your Finance Director, Bennett Griffin celebrate winning a prestigious award and we get to grips with Nicola Sturgeon and look at the new year that might not be quite so sunny for her and the SNP’s dreams of independence.

Platinum Business Magazine is also looking forward to a stellar year with the forthcoming launch of new editions in Hampshire and Kent and the launch of an all-new travel magazine.

We are also launching two exciting new sections each month on Business Travel and a regular look at the Food and Drink scene in the region with restaurant reviews, a new wine column and assorted fascinating content.

Platinum Towers is moving to larger premises and we have taken on three new members of staff, so sunny days are certainly here. Unless you all stop reading this mighty organ in which case we are screwed.

Happy New Year to you all and we look forward to bringing you all the news and views throughout the year.

Maarten & Ian

Platinum Business Magazine, Surrey January 2016

DINING OUT Amanda visits the Chiltern Firehouse

ANGER MANAGEMENT The No Hope Service

All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit.

Platinum Business Magazine is published and owned by Platinum Business Publications Limited.

Issue 19 - 2016

The Team

Maarten Hoffmann – Director maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07966 244046

AT A GLANCE 6 10

Local News

12

Croydon Sets the Scene for Greater Investment

14

Leatherhead and District Business Awards 2015 – The Winners

NatWest – Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

51 52

i360 – Flying the Flag

54

Burt Brill & Cardens – Divorce – Does it have to mean ‘The War of the Roses’?

Carpenter Box – There is an Alternative

18

Appointments – Top Engineer to Head The University of Surrey

56

19

CharityLine – Entrepreneurs of the Streets

Prowse - Ten Steps to Customer Loyalty

58

Anger Management – No Hope Service

61

The Platinum Business Club

63 64

Motoring News

66

Motoring – BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe

68

Motoring – Meet the Sandown Team Chamber Pages

Conference Facilities – Conference Guide to a Successful Event

70 72 74 78

43

The Great Debate – And on Tonight’s Panel.....

80

45 46

Secret Surrey The Bard of Guildford

Double for Kreston Reeves

82

Institute of Directors – Looking forward to 2016

33

Runway Debate – Kicked into the long Grass?

34

DMH Stallard – A Dynamic Year

36

Sony DADC – Green Business of the Year

38

Gatwick Diamond Awards - Meet the Judges

41 Hannah Monkcom Staff Reporter

Platinum Style – Looking Cool in Knitwear

Agovo – The CRM Crystal Ball

Woman who would be King

Amanda Spicer Senior Designer

48

16

20 National News 24 The Big Story – The Ian Trevett – Director ian@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07989 970804

Question for your Finance Director

Kreston Reeves – A Key

Motoring – Skoda Yeti Outdoor

The Beautiful South 2015 Chamber Events Dining Out – The Chiltern Firehouse

QUOTE OF THE MONTH Amanda Menahem Food & Drink Editor

Rose Dykins Travel Editor

Julia Trevett Accounts Manager

Lauren Psyk Event Photographer

❝

Platinum Business Magazine is really quite exceptional and outstanding as a regional business publication.

They seem to have something for every serious business reader. After reading it, it is a must to leave it out on every business reception and coffee table in the region as the presentation and content is so professional

❞

Chris Lowsley, China Business Advisor, UK Trade and Investment, South East

5

NEWS

LOCAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

£70,000 A DAY With the VAT tribunal recently fining a company £70,000 for paying its VAT bill just one day late, accountants James Cowper Kreston says the case should serve as a reminder of HMRC’s increasing tough stance on tax collections and the need to keep on top of your VAT payment schedule.

The case involved regional newspaper publisher Trinity Mirror, which was required to make VAT Payments on Account (POA) paying two monthly instalments followed by a third balancing payment. Whilst the company’s first two payments and VAT return was submitted on time, their final balancing payment was one day late. The overdue instalment coupled with a default surcharge due to previous late returns meant that Trinity Mirror was fined over £70,000.

Meera Rajah, VAT Senior Manager at James Cowper Kreston, comments: “It is crucial to remember that, no matter what the size of the company, if your VAT is overdue then it will alert HMRC that your company is potentially insolvent. To avoid such a mishap, it is imperative that you understand the solutions available and keep on top of your VAT returns.”

TOAST OF SURREY AWARDS The Toast of Surrey awards for 2016 are officially open for business and entries are being welcomed.

Now entering their eighth year, prizes are up for grabs in 11 categories from Young Business of the Year to Companies with a Turnover in excess of £5 million.

This year’s sponsors include Ramsac, the Institute of Directors, Miller Brands, Surrey Chambers of Commerce, Surrey Business School and Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, as well as Get Surrey, the Surrey Advertiser, Surrey County Council and Woking Borough Council.

William Lanham-New, of Surrey Business School, is experiencing Toast of Surrey for the first time this year as a judge. He said: “I am looking forward to seeing these companies and entrepreneurship in action… watching them, visiting them and seeing how they grow and develop, and what strategies they use. There are some super bright companies out there, and I am looking forward to connecting with them.”

CANE HILL PARK MOVES IN Housebuilders behind one of London’s biggest projects to transform disused public land have unveiled ambitious plans for their new community.

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes are building the new Cane Hill Park development near Croydon to meet the prestigious ‘Built for Life’ accreditation.

Built for Life accreditation is only given to developments that have been exceptionally designed to stand the test of time. A development is only awarded the status following a rigorous assessment process, where specialists examine everything from facilities and services to street layout and car parking.

James Dunne, Cane Hill Park operations director, said: “This really will be a flagship development for Barratt and David Wilson Homes and it’s important to us that it’s of the highest quality not just now, but in many years to come. Building Cane Hill Park to the Built for Life standards will allow us to do just that and give homebuyers the confidence that their community is future-proof.”

Cane Hill Park, set on the former site of the hospital that appeared on David Bowie’s ‘Man Who Sold The World’ album cover, will feature more than 600 three, four and five bedroom homes. It is anticipated that the new development will boost the local economy by £7million a year, support 1,200 jobs and provide muchneeded new homes for the local area.

Completion of the first of the homes is expected in March.

“A leader must have the courage to act against an expert’s advice.”

6

NEWS

“Always drink upstream from the herd.”

STARTUP AWARDS 2015 The winners of the prestigious Startups Awards 2015 were revealed last month in a ceremony at the underground vaults of Vinopolis, London.

More than two hundred of the nation’s most talented businesspeople and spectators gathered to celebrate the UK’s start-up scene’s ‘ones to watch’, with 16 awards presented by nationally renowned and award winning comedian Alun Cochrane.

This year’s categories were judged by industry experts, including Dragons’ Den star Touker Suleyman, co-founder of Innocent Drinks Jon Wright and Divinia Knowles of Mind Candy.

Frog Bikes in Englefield Green is a children’s bike manufacturer that stormed ahead of its rivals including Netduma, a router software innovation, Café Pod, the market-leading retail brand in the UK selling Nespresso-compatible coffee pods and guilt-free popcorn business PROPERCORN, to win the Export Business of the Year title.

Other winners on the night included PROPERCORN which saw its founders recognised in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year category, and Tropic Skincare in Croydon, which collected the Product Business of the Year award. Appear Here scooped the overall Simply Business Startups Business of the Year and Cornerstone was crowned the People’s Champion.

Sponsored by the UK’s favourite business insurance broker Simply Business and organised by Startups.co.uk, the number one website for start-ups and small businesses, the awards are now in their 12th year and continue to shine a spotlight on the country’s finest up-and-coming businesses, naming a total of 16 winners.

YOU’RE HIRED

UP AND GO – 96 YEARS

A Windlesham entrepreneur

A major Leatherhead

who appeared in 2015’s reality

firm is leaving town

TV show The Apprentice says

after almost 100 years.

he has learned a lot from its

Leatherhead Food

star, business tycoon Lord Alan

Research, established

Sugar. Richard Woods, of Highwayman’s Ridge, had an enviable track record on the show.

The 32-year-old had been in the winning team for eight of the nine

in 1919, recently announced it would leave its Randalls Road HQ for a heritage site in Burgh Heath, near Epsom.

selling tasks posed so far, making him one of the most successful

The leading provider of science and technology services to the

participants in the show’s history.

food and drinks sector was bought out of administration by

Behind the scenes of the programme he capitalised on the publicity by

Science Group for £1.6m. Now Science Group has invested £9m

publishing a book promising to teach business owners how to ‘expand

in the LFR’s move to grade II listed property Great Burgh, set in

your horizons to maximise your profit and income’.

nine acres of grounds.

Mr Woods was joined by his fellow contestants and previous stars of the show at the London Hippodrome in December for the official launch of the book, Digital Trailblazer, which is accompanied by the

The site will form a new south-of-London hub for the group and aims to establish LFR as a world leading research and development centre.

Managing director Chris Wells said: “We are delighted to have

website www.digitaltrailblazer.co.uk.

found Great Burgh and excited about the future for Leatherhead

“The book tells you exactly how to harness the internet and technology

[Food Research]. The new facilities at Great Burgh will enable us

to grow your business,” he told the News & Mail. “These are tips I’ve

to continue to provide market leading services to the food and

used in my business to promote rapid growth, and I wanted to share

drink industry.”

them.”

Operations will start to relocate in January and it is anticipated

He was stunned as, within a day of its release, Digital Trailblazer hit the top of the chart on web retailer Amazon.

that all activities will have been transferred by the middle of 2016.

7

NEWS

LOCAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

AWARD WINNING FOXHILLS Foxhills club and resort in Ottershaw beat off fierce competition last month from 179 gyms across the UK to pick up the ‘Best Hotel Facility of the Year’ award at the National fitness awards.

The ceremony at the Athena in Leicester recognised excellence, innovation and achievement in gyms across the UK and was hosted by fitness entrepreneur and TV personality Katie Bulmer-Cooke along with former Olympic swimmer and commentator Steve Parry.

Jason Adams, General Manager said: “The Foxhills family includes world-class sporting professionals, fitness experts and enthusiastic and experienced team members whose sole purpose is to ensure members and visitors get the most out of the resort. This honour will sit proudly alongside the award our health spa received at this year’s Professional Beauty Awards for Residential Spa of the Year (10 rooms or less), and shows that Foxhills’ guests always leave feeling better than when they arrived.”

The National Fitness Awards are organised by leading fitness industry magazine Workout, with support from headline sponsor ServiceSport.

FREE PARKING ON SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY Free parking was being offered across Mole Valley on several dates in December as the council looked to promote Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday is a national campaign that aims to encourage customers to shop locally and Mole Valley was working with the Federation of Small Businesses to decide how best to implement the scheme.

All council-run car parks were free of charge from noon on the first three Saturdays in December which successfully encouraged more shoppers to come into town.

All money put into the machines will be donated to charity rather than returned.

Councillor Charles Yarwood, executive member for property and parking said: “At this time of year particularly, we urge everyone to support their local businesses when shopping and are proud to be part of this national event.”

TURBOCHARGED SKILLS A ground breaking programme to turbocharge exporting success for SMEs by equipping them with critical cultural awareness skills is being launched in February 2016. Delivered by global intercultural specialist Farnham Castle and Surrey University, the workshop entitled Developing a Global Mindset – Cultural Awareness in Business, equips businesses with an understanding of culture and communication across linguistic and cultural boundaries and dimensions and provides solutions to help boost relationships with critical audiences.

The need for the initiative was sparked by cutting edge research conducted by Surrey University and the Surrey Chambers of Commerce, which identified that SMEs who export goods to non-English speaking countries can encounter difficulties in developing effective strategies for communicating with customers and suppliers.

The first course takes place on February 5 at Arcom IT, Export House, Cawsey Way, Woking and runs form 10am-4pm. It costs £395 and a limited number of places are available.

Gustavo Aranda, business development manager at Farnham Castle, said: “Cultural misunderstandings can often lead to costly mistakes – and even business failures. We are proud to collaborate with Surrey University and the Surrey Chambers of Commerce on this key project to help SMEs to develop an awareness of common communication pitfalls along with an appreciation of their own strengths and weaknesses when communicating across linguistic and cultural boundaries.”

“Only one man in a thousand is a leader of men - the other 999 follow women.”

8

NEWS

“Delegating work works, provided the one delegating works, too.

LEATHERHEAD BUSINESS AWARDS The event was organised by Prowse & Co Ltd in conjunction with the Leatherhead Chamber of Commerce. Businesses were nominated in ten categories and a panel of judges picked a winner and runner up for each prize.

Speaking on behalf of the judging panel, Joanne Rogers, Managing Director of Prowse & Co, said: “We never fail to be amazed by the diversity of business talent within the Leatherhead and District Business Community. We extend our warmest congratulations to all those who contributed to the awards as nominees, judges, sponsors and guests.

Having organised these awards for the past six years, Prowse & Co is proud to have helped encourage more local trade between Mole Valley based businesses and a greater awareness of locally provided goods and services. All the finalists are winners in their own right and we were delighted to share their success at our 2015 awards dinner.”

The audience gathered to see the winners receive their trophies and certificates. Clare Cowan from BBC Radio Surrey compered compared the evening and guests included winners, sponsors and business representatives from across the town. The exclusive media sponsor was Platinum Business Magazine who also judged a category.

YOUNG BUSINESS WOMEN Following on from the inaugural success of the Business Women in Surrey Top 50 list in 2015, Surrey Chambers Business Women in Surrey is launching a 2016 nominations list to highlight the impressive and varied talent prevalent in young (under 30) business women across the country. Those on the list will be nominated and voted by you. Success can be defined in a multitude of ways, so the chamber is encouraging nominations that cover all walks of life, from young entrepreneurs to graduates and young achievers across the business world to those who relentlessly give back to the community.

Surrey Chambers want to celebrate everything good that is happening across the Surrey business world, so nominations are needed from you, to nominate those you believe deserve recognition for all that they do. Submit all nominations before 29th January 2016, voting will open on the 1st of February. Go to www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

1800 HOMES AT AERODROME Dunsfold Park has submitted plans to build a “new Surrey village” of 1,800 homes at its aerodrome site, along with business space and a range of community facilities.

The proposals, first unveiled in July at a public consultation event , come as Waverley Borough Council considers where best to build the 9,861 new homes needed in the area over the next 16 years.

It has been suggested by councillors in the past month that thousands more homes should be proposed for the Dunsfold Park site, famous for hosting Top Gear and Wings and Wheels, in a “more realistic plan” to solve the 6,000-home shortfall Waverley is currently facing.

Dunsfold Aerodrome is the largest brownfield site in Waverley and, unlike the majority of land in the borough, is neither in the green belt nor the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Dunsfold’s vision is to deliver a “new Surrey village”, with the homes being accompanied by employment space alongside a range of services and community facilities for residents.

Proposed facilities include a school, health centre and country park, which will be delivered alongside a comprehensive package of transport improvements.

9

FINANCE

CHANCELLOR’S AUTUMN STATEMENT

Peter Quilter ACIB MCIBS Chartered Banker.

Director, Corporate and Commercial Coverage: 2nd Floor G3, 2 Cathedral Hill, Guildford GU1 3ZR. Peter.Quilter@natwest.com

I

n his Autumn Statement and Comprehensive Spending review, Chancellor George Osborne set out a policy for government spending

Much of George Osborne’s Spending Review

cut by £1.9bn – the chancellor has increased

and Autumn Statement will be well received

spending in capital projects across many areas.

by larger businesses. While many government

This undoubtedly means a boom for many

that, in the main, will please South East

departments will endure cuts to operational

businesses in the private sector, especially

businesses in key sectors

spending – Whitehall administration will be

those that rely on sizable public tenders.

“Osborne also announced plans to tackle apprenticeships, which are forecasted to reach three million by 2020.”

Transport In one such endeavour in administrative streamlining, the Department for Transport will have its operational budget reduced by 37%.

However, capital spending on transport across the country is set to increase by 50% to £61bn.

The projects grabbing the headlines include High Speed 2 (HS2), linking London to his much-fabled Northern Powerhouse, and the electrification of the Trans-Pennine, Great Western and Midland Main Line

10

FINANCE

“Chancellor George Osborne set out a policy for government spending that, in the main, will please South East businesses in key sectors.”

Apprenticeships

routes. The Chancellor also announced an

“devolution revolution”, aimed at spreading

£11bn investment in London’s transport

economic power and wealth across the country,

infrastructure, £5bn investment in road

and investing in long-term infrastructure.

maintenance – including a “permanent pothole

apprenticeships, which are forecasted to reach

Central to this vision is scrapping of the

fund” – and a £300m commitment to cycling.

three million by 2020. However, it seems larger

uniform business rate, in favour of councils

While there is more money for transport

being able to cut rates and make their area

projects, many may be questioning how a

more attractive to business. Elected mayors

department facing such a reduced budget will properly oversee these.

Yet elsewhere, oversight has become a pertinent topic in the delivery of transport infrastructure. Many may have missed

will also have the power to raise rates, provided the proceeds fund specific infrastructure projects supported by the local business community.

the publication – on the same day as the Chancellor’s speech – of Dame Colette Bowe’s review of the planning of Network Rail’s Enhancements Programme 2014-2019. In part, this report explores the need to develop skills in transport construction projects across the economy and recommends measures to ensure better delivery of HS2 and the proposed Crossrail 2. While companies may welcome a better qualified workforce to draw upon, they may have to contend with closer scrutiny.

Housing

Osborne also announced plans to tackle

companies will bear the cost, or to “share the cost of training the workforce”. Introducing a new apprenticeship levy from April 2017, Osborne announced a rate of 0.5% of an employer’s pay bill, which will be collected via PAYE. “Every employer will receive a £15,000 allowance to offset against the levy, which means over 98% of all employers – and all

“Always a hot topic, the budget for housing construction will double to over £2bn a year. ” To give businesses in the regions a helping hand in key sectors, the government is supporting science-based and innovative companies in the North, and improving transport infrastructure in the Midlands and the

businesses with pay bills of less than £3m – will pay no levy at all.” It is estimated that less than 2% of employers will pay the levy.

Elsewhere, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs saw a fall in its day-today budget of 15% but was promised over £2bn to protect 300,000 homes from flooding; and the highly anticipated cuts to the defence and police budgets failed to materialise.

Osborne’s mantra from this Autumn

South West. In the South East, the government

Statement was “we are the builders”, and

construction will double to over £2bn a

is providing £250m for a major new permanent

corporations of all sizes – especially larger

year. Osborne promised to deliver 400,000

lorry park to ease congestion around the

ones – will welcome the range of opportunities

affordable new homes by the end of the

Channel Tunnel.

in front of them.

Always a hot topic, the budget for housing

decade, adding that “affordable means not just affordable to rent, but affordable to buy”. He described this as the biggest house-building programme since the 1970’s.

The news for business is somewhat mixed, as Osborne announced that he wants to accelerate housing supply by “releasing public land suitable for 160,000 homes and redesignating unused commercial land for Starter Homes”. This may please many construction companies that feared such plans would be continually kicked down the line, but others may question whether the plans go far enough to address the UK’s housing needs. In 2004, the Barker Review estimated that the UK needs 240,000 new homes per year to meet demand. Given constant under-construction of new homes in the decade that followed, some may be disappointed by the new targets.

Devolution The Chancellor also discussed his

11

CONFERENCE

A CONFERENCE FOR OPPORTUNITY

CROYDON SETS THE SCENE FOR GREATER INVESTMENT Sir Edward Lister

D

elegates at the Develop Croydon Conference left convinced by the borough’s investment potential following a packed programme of talks and debates, plus the opportunity to take part in a tour of the town.

Around 250 people attended the conference and heard a range of speakers

from the public and private sector, who discussed both the opportunities and the challenges facing the borough in the coming years.

A poll of the audience suggests they were impressed by what they heard, with 90 per cent saying they were either very confident or confident that Croydon should be among the first choices for companies looking to invest, develop or relocate.

Speakers included Sir Edward Lister, the Deputy Mayor of London for Policy and Planning, who said Croydon would play a key role in helping meet the capital’s goal of building 49,000 homes a year every year for the foreseeable future and creating space for another 500,000 jobs by 2015.

“Croydon is in a great place for that because you’ve got the opportunity to build new homes and you’ve got the opportunity to build commercial property here,” he said.

“It can become not just an important contributor to the demands of London but become a major location in its own right.”

Delegates heard Croydon Council’s vision for the borough with speeches from Council Leader Tony Newman, Executive Director For Place Jo Negrini, plus a panel discussion featuring key decision-makers from the council, the Greater London Authority and Transport for London.

There was also a host of panel discussions debating key topics such as Innovate Croydon, focusing on the town’s ambitions to become the Silicon Valley of south London; Changing Places, about enhancing Croydon’s desirability; Future City, focusing on what future Croydon will be like to live in; and Vision City, at which leading architects spoke about their plans to enhance the borough.

There was also an opportunity to meet planners from the local authorities, an investor tour by executive coach around the town centre, and short lunchtime talks on the local office market, what the new Saffron Square development was like to live in, the transformation of College Green into an educational and cultural quarter and how art can change the way Croydon is viewed, by Kevin Zuchowski-Morrison of the RISEgallery.

Members of the audience got the chance to enjoy some of the new flavours being brought to Croydon via a World Food Market based on the weekly event held at Platform Ruskin Square.

Another poll revealed that a third of the audience felt the priority for Croydon was changing perception, but that was down from almost half four years ago.

The importance of delivering public realm and improving the cultural and lifestyle offerings were seen as greater priorities than before.

Carolyn Kenney, Assistant Director of retail development at Hammerson,

12

CONFERENCE There is work to do to address some of the

which, in partnership with Westfield is behind a £1billion scheme to transform the retail core, said: “One of the key messages from today is Croydon really has moved on. It is now

The conference was led by Develop Croydon,

mistakes from the past, but it does feel as if the

a not-for-profit community interest company

stage has already been set.

representing more than 60 businesses,

“The master plan and the vision are already

partners, agencies and individuals whose aim

in place and it’s now about delivering and about

is to promote Croydon as a location to invest,

the quality of the buildings and the spaces

work and live.

between them. What we really need is some care to take the vision and to transform it into

happening. You can feel it and you can see it.

somewhere that people really do feel proud of.

“How does Croydon move on from here?

We are in a position to shape Croydon’s future.”

For in-depth reports from the various sessions, visit: www.developcroydonconference.com

Carolyn Kenney

Lucy Owen from the GLA with Boris Peering down

Kevin Zuchowski Morrison

Photo credits: Ian Stratton/Photography365.com

13

BUSINESS AWARDS

LEATHERHEAD & DISTRICT BUSINESS AWARDS The 2015 WINNERS

L

eatherhead’s business leaders came together to celebrate the winners of the Leatherhead & District Business

The results were as follows: BEST BUSINESS CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Awards 2015 at an awards ceremony and dinner held in November at St John’s

Sponsored by ExxonMobil

Chamber of Commerce

Winner: St John’s School

Winner: Liquid Productions

Runner Up: The Ashtead & Leatherhead

Runner Up: Broadplace Advertising Ltd

School, Leatherhead.

The Awards celebrate the achievements of businesses in the Leatherhead & District area and shine a spotlight on the companies and business leaders who make

Sponsored by the Leatherhead & District

Local Ltd

WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Mundays LLP

Co Ltd in conjunction with the Leatherhead

Sponsored by the Gatwick Diamond Initiative

Runner Up: Be Kassapian – Be in the Kitchen

Chamber of Commerce. Sponsors included

Winner: Pixel Projects

Cookery School

ExxonMobil, Platinum Business Magazine,

Runner Up: KBR

Leatherhead a great place to live and work.

The event was organised by Prowse &

Winner: Lucy Quinnell – Fire & Iron Gallery

BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR

Prowse & Co, Leatherhead Chamber of

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRM OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Platinum Business Magazine

Mole Valley District Council, Mundays LLP, Unilever UK, Leatherhead Advertiser,

Sponsored by Prowse & Company

Cookery School

Riverbridge House Business Centre and

Winner: TWM Solicitors

Runner Up: Julia Britten – JBS Print &

Runner Up: Cisilion

Design (Surrey) Ltd

Commerce, The Gatwick Diamond Initiative,

Surrey County Council.

More than sixty people gathered to see the award winners receive their trophies and certificates.

Clare Cowan from BBC Radio Surrey acted as MC for the evening and guests included representatives from the sponsors,

Winner: Be Kassapian – Be In The Kitchen

SUSTAINABLE ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Unilever Winner: Surrey Outdoor Learning &

local business leaders and journalists from

Development

the Leatherhead and District area. The

Runner Up: British Coatings Federation

event took place in the Old Chapel at St. John’s School, Leatherhead.

Sophie Foale, Community Affairs Adviser

LEISURE AND TOURISM AWARD Sponsored by Surrey County Council

at ExxonMobil, said: “We were delighted

Winner: Fetcham Park

to support the annual Leatherhead &

Runner Up: Leatherhead Tennis Club

District Business Awards again this year.

The Awards scheme is a fitting celebration of the talent which abounds in the local business community.”

Speaking on behalf of the Judging Panel, Joanne Rogers, Managing Director of Prowse & Co., said: “We never fail to be amazed by the diversity of businesses

RETAILER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by the Leatherhead Advertiser Winner: Allsaints Enterprise CiC Runner Up: Truly Carole Ann

located within the Leatherhead &

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

District area. We extend our warmest

Sponsored by Mole Valley District

congratulations to all those who contributed

Council

to the awards as nominees, judges,

Winner: KBR

sponsors and guests.”

Runner up: Liquid Productions

14

The Old Chapel, St John’s School, Leatherhead

BUSINESS AWARDS

Business of the Year - Liquid Productions

Chris Madden, Leatherhead Advertiser with Matt Fleming, Allsaints Cafe

Platinum’s Ian Trevett meets some guests

Plenty of networking

Sophie Foale, Neil Whitmore and Jackie Quinn

Maarten Hoffmann chats to Rosemary French OBE and David Butcher

Guests network ahead of the Awards

Lucy Quinnell with Fiona McAllister, Mundays LLP

Ian and Maarten, Platinum Business with Be Kassapian, Business Person of the Year

John Tytherleigh celebrates Pixel Projects’ success

Ron Rogers, Prowse with TWM Solicitors

St John’s School with ExxonMobil

Unilever with Surrey Outdoor Learning & Development

Winners and Sponsors

15

CRM

THE CRM CRYSTAL BALL

Sam Tilley, MD of Agovo Limited offers his CRM Predictions for 2016 Tel 0845 5212 199 www.agovo.co.uk

T

he CRM market has changed greatly over the past 12 months, with new technologies being used to make CRMs far more intuitive and easier to use. Companies have been moving away from outdated

systems in order to reap the benefits of these newer technologies which help users to increase productivity and senior managers to more effortlessly monitor performance.

The main focus for CRM vendors in 2016 will be to provide new and

Customer Experience Great customer service has always been a key element of running a successful business, but throughout 2016 customer experience will overtake price as the key differentiating factor for purchasing decisions.

This is increasingly more difficult to achieve as clients raise their expectations and, more than ever before, want to be treated as individuals. They feel their needs should be addressed personally rather

enhanced tools to help businesses to learn more about their leads and

than being considered as “just another number�. For many companies,

customers and to provide them with a better service experience.

personalisation on a mass scale is difficult, especially when they are

16

CRM

“This year cloud-based CRM deployments will overtake on-site deployments. ”

IoT & Connectivity In the wider technology, 2016 will be the year that the Internet of Things will become mainstream. The Internet of Things (IoT) represents the vast number of devices now connected to a network, most commonly the internet. The IoT spans far beyond mobile phones. It includes devices such as watches or home heating and there are plans by manufacturers for washing machines and still using very manual systems to store their customer data.

There will be a big shift away from these manual processes to make way for better cross-departmental delivery of consistent customer experience. These new systems will align the whole business, sharing insights gathered from every interaction with a customer in order to build a better picture of that customers’ preferences and to identify what type of personalisation is important to them.

One fantastic way that many companies are delivering a personalised customer experience is through loyalty programmes. These programmes help them to gather vast amounts of data on buying habits and are thus able to tailor personal offers and promotions to their needs.

However, personalisation goes much deeper than a simple “special offer” based on preferences. Customers who show an interest in particular products or features can be targeted with similar types of content; this is where email marketing can be highly effective.

Opinions and preferences can be ascertained and recorded when customers attend a webinar, watch a video, ask certain questions or download a certain eBook. They can then be

Social Listening Social media sites have rapidly become a key

predict that by 2020 there will be 25 billion connected devices in the world. All of these

tool in the arsenals of marketing and customer

devices are constantly creating data which

service teams. These sites provide a fantastic

rely on systems and applications in order to

place for businesses to publicly connect with

understand and utilise this data.

customers and leads. However, CRM integration tools have so far been fairly limited.

Throughout the year, and as our use of social

All of the data gathered by connected devices provides new opportunities for companies to reach their customers with more relevant

media matures, CRM vendors will find ways

and personalised products and services. CRM

to provide deeper and improved ways to use

vendors will find ways to integrate these data

the data gathered by these sites and empower

streams with their products in order to allow

businesses with the tools they need to gather

companies to track, organise and utilise the

and understand the communication they have

mass of data created by these devices.

via social media.

Business Processes

This will not only help these businesses to better understand their current customers and their opinions but also to build deeper engagement with leads and prospects and improve brand image.

Mobile Smart device usage has been growing rapidly over the past few years but uptake for business use has been slower than in consumer markets. However, it is becoming more commonplace, especially for business leaders and sales representatives, to work remotely, often in areas where a desktop or

targeted with similar content in order to help

even a laptop computer are impractical. It is

move them along the marketing pipeline. This

much quicker and more convenient to use a

will help them to become sales-ready more

mobile phone or tablet.

quickly and will give them greater affinity to

fridges to become ‘smart’ devices. Gartner

This need to be connected on the move will

It is impossible to deliver these personalised experiences and organise this mass of data manually. In order to deliver consistent, quality service, companies need a CRM system that allows them to automate tasks and processes.

During 2016, more CRM systems will develop functionality that can intelligently predict, analyse and then automate data and process in order to gather deeper customer information and deliver personalised experiences. These systems will span across every touch point in the customer journey and give owners and business leaders access to an accurate, single view of the business and the peace of mind that the company message is being delivered consistently across all areas of the business.

All in all, 2016 looks set to be the year when customers truly become the focal point for

be the primary driver of a seismic change

companies and delivering superior customer

in corporate willingness to embrace cloud

service will become essential. With so much

enhanced functionality to make it easier for

computing, with other drivers including cost,

data to utilise, innovations in the CRM and

businesses to ensure that every customer or

ease of delivery and increased security. As a

wider technology market offer fantastic

lead receives a consistent experience across

result, this year cloud-based CRM deployments

opportunities for companies who are willing to

every channel, device or at any time of day.

will overtake on-site deployments.

take advantage of them.

your brand.

With this in mind, CRM vendors will add

17

APPOINTMENTS

TOP ENGINEER TO HEAD THE UNIVERSITY OF SURREY T he University of Surrey has announced the appointment of preeminent chemical engineer and nanotechnologist Professor Max Lu as its fifth Vice-Chancellor. He joins the University on Monday,

25 April, 2016, following the departure of Professor Sir Christopher Snowden earlier this year.

Professor Lu joins the University after spending more than 20 years in senior roles at the University of Queensland, including his most recent position as Provost and Senior Vice-President. He brings deep expertise in chemical engineering and nanotechnology, having made seminal contributions to science and innovation in nanomaterials and their applications in clean energy and environmental technologies.

Recognised among Australia’s Top 100 Most Influential Engineers, Professor Lu is one of only 150 double-highly-cited academics in the world, with over 500 peer-reviewed articles published in top journals, attracting more than 31,000 citations. He is also the co-inventor of more than 20 international patents and has received numerous prestigious awards throughout his career, including the China International Science and Technology Award, Queensland Greats Award and the International Mesostructured Materials Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

Professor Lu has served on multiple high-level Australian government committees and advisory boards, including those under the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council and ARC College of Experts.

Commenting on Professor Lu’s appointment, Dr Jim Glover, Chair of the University of Surrey’s Council, said: “Professor Lu has the right blend of personal, academic and leadership credentials to take the University forward as a world-leading institution for teaching and research. He has a proven track record of strong leadership, delivery of income growth and provision of an excellent student experience in a world top-50 institution.

“Professor Max Lu’s appointment marks the end a strong year for the University of Surrey, having been named University of the Year by the Times and Sunday Times” “He has an extensive network of collaborators in both the UK and the

UK stays at the top of this increasingly competitive market.

“Our central mission in higher education is to educate and equip students with the skills and confidence to become future leaders, driving positive change around the world despite the many global challenges society is facing.”

Professor Max Lu’s appointment marks the end a strong year for the University of Surrey, having been named University of the Year by the Times and Sunday Times and having achieved a top ten ranking in all three major national university league tables. It also follows the launch of its world-leading 5G Innovation Centre and School of Veterinary Medicine, which was recently opened by HM The Queen.

Professor Lu is a Thomson Reuters Highly-Cited Researcher in both Materials Science and Chemistry (with over 30,000 citations). He has received numerous awards nationally and internationally, including the China International Science and Technology Award, Orica Award, RK Murphy Medal, Le Fevre Prize, ExxonMobil Award, Chemeca Medal, and Top 100 Most Influential Engineers in Australia. He was named as a Queensland Great in 2013, and won the inaugural Australia-China Achievement Award (Education) in 2014.

Professor Lu is an elected Fellow of The Australian Academy of

Asia-Pacific region, which, coupled with his strong international outlook,

Science, The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and

will undoubtedly help the University in its mission to build an even

Engineering, IChemE, Engineers Australia and The Royal Society of

stronger reputation across the globe.”

Chemistry.

Professor Max Lu added: “I am honoured to be appointed as the fifth

Professor Lu has served on numerous government committees and

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey. It is a great privilege to be

advisory boards, including those under the Australian Prime Minister’s

given the opportunity to lead such a fine institution with an exceptional

Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (2004, 2005 and 2009) and

national and international standing in teaching, student outcomes and

the ARC College of Experts (2002-2004).

research.

“It is an exciting, albeit challenging, time for the higher education sector and we have the chance to shape government policy to ensure the

18

He is the past Chairman of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Australia Board and former Director of the Board of The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE).

PUBLIC RELATIONS

TEN STEPS TO CUSTOMER LOYALTY

By Joanne Rogers, Managing Director, Prowse & Co. www.prowse.co.uk

I

n today’s competitive trading environment, building and maintaining customer loyalty are top priorities for successful firms.

3.

Public Relations Marketing Events Research Economic Development

www.prowse.co.uk

Know your loyalty stages and ensure

7.

Get responsive, and stay that way:

your customers are moving through

Research shows that responsiveness is

them: A customer becomes loyal to a

closely tied to a customer’s perception

Remaining flexible to meet clients’ evolving

company and its products and service

of good service. More customers are

needs is an essential component in developing

one step at a time. By understanding the

coming to expect round-the-clock service,

stronger ties. Joanne Rogers, Managing

customer’s current loyalty stage, we are

Director of PR company Prowse & Co, provides

better able to determine what is required

some guidelines for developing a strong

to move the customer to a higher stage of

value: The loyalty password is value.

customer focus.

loyalty.

Knowing what a customer values and then

Serve first, sell second: Customers

delivering on those terms is critical to

believe business is earned with service

building strong customer loyalty. Invest

is likely to have a client-focused team

that is responsive, productive and

in some independent customer loyalty

who listen to client needs, demonstrate

personalised; don’t deliver, and they’ll

research to understand, through the eyes

empathy and change course where

leave or be tempted by your competitors.

of the customer, how well you deliver

1.

Communicate effectively: Any company with a high degree of customer loyalty

necessary. Because clients buy relationships they can trust, they want

4.

5.

rapport and who they know will respect and understand their needs and their preferences. A stubborn and inflexible communication style can be abrasive and is a most effective way to lose clients.

2.

Practice the 80 / 20 rule: About 80% of revenue is often generated by 20% of customers. A smart company segments its customers by value and monitors activities closely to ensure high-value customers get their fair share of creative offers and attention. Ranking customers according to actual revenue generation and then by lifetime value is a wise approach. However, this, most certainly, does not mean that lower-value customers should receive an

Store your data in one centralised database: To effectively implement a

to buy from people with whom they have

6.

particularly if you work across time zones.

8.

Know your customer’s definition of

value.

9.

Win back lost customers: Research

sound customer loyalty strategy, data

shows that a business is twice as likely

from all customer touch points should

to successfully sell to a lost customer

be combined into a centralised customer

as to a brand-new prospect. Yet winning

database.

back lost customers is frequently the

Seek out customer complaints: For

most overlooked source for incremental

most companies, only 10% of complaints are ever articulated by customers.

revenue in many businesses.

10. Collaborate with partners:

In today’s

The other 90% are unarticulated and

complex marketplace, a business is

manifest themselves in many negative

often dependent on many suppliers to

ways: unpaid invoices; lack of courtesy

help serve its customers. Embracing

to frontline service reps; and negative

these supply chain relationships for the

comments, which can damage a hard-won

greater good of the ultimate customer

reputation. Take action and listen closely

creates customer value that is difficult for

to customers. Seek out dissatisfaction.

competitors to match.

If you would like to commission independent research to ensure your firm’s customer loyalty procedures are effective, contact Joanne at Prowse on 01372 363386 or joanne@prowse.co.uk

inferior service.

19

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

BARENAKED DRAGON! Ross Mendham was a contestant on the TV show Dragon’s Den two years ago and secured a £60,000 investment from Dragon, Peter Jones. He has now struck a deal with Sainsbury’s to sell his ‘Barenaked Noodles’ which are made using the Asian-grown Konjac root: a plant low in carbohydrates, sugar and calories. The move follows earlier deals with Holland and Barratt, Morrisons and Waitrose that have seen the company develop into a national brand. Following the deal the product will now be available in 380 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK. Mr Mendham, first developed the product in 2011 whilst looking for an answer to his own weight loss and dietary needs. Sainsbury’s buyer Lucy McCarthy said: “We recognise the increasing demand for low-carb, gluten-free alternatives to popular products and are always looking for ways to offer our customers interesting new products, so we’re excited to introduce Barenaked Noodles into the Sainsbury’s Oriental range.

ENGLAND’S PIGGY BANK The BoE has said the time is coming for banks to beef up their capital buffers against future losses as they lend more freely after the financial crisis, a move which could represent a back-door way of dampening the availability of credit.

The buffer is part of so-called macro prudential policymaking that looks at risks missed by regulators in the run-up to the financial crisis, and it remains largely untested. The BoE has said that setting the CCB is not about trying to second-guess where the economy is heading, and is rather about moving bank capital in line with actual risks. Analysts at Berenberg said the BoE may seek to stem the flow of lending to the buy-tolet and commercial property sectors,

DRONE TRAVELS 15 MILES In a new promotional video Jeremy Clarkson outlines how Amazons ambition is for packages to be delivered within 30 minutes. In the video, one of its drones is seen travelling at high speed before landing on a designated spot in someone’s back garden. A flap underneath the drone opens up, and a package is deposited on the lawn. Amazon says the drone can fly around obstacles thanks to built-in safety features - an attempt to appease regulators who are generally resistant to the idea of drone delivery. The prototype is an octocopter, meaning it has eight propellers allowing it to take off and land vertically like a helicopter. It also has wings and a pusher motor so once it reaches the recommended altitude of 400ft it can travel like a plane. This gives it the 15-mile range which Amazon hopes could revolutionise delivery. Customers will receive a message when the drone is hovering overhead, so they can prepare for the arrival of the package.

following finance minister George Osborne’s decision to increase transaction taxes on buy-to-let properties as he sought to rebalance the housing market in favour of homebuyers.

“First rule of leadership: everything is your fault.”

20

NEWS

“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”

TOYOTA SPEEDS AHEAD Toyota Motor Corp outsold Volkswagen AG for the fourth straight month and is set to remain the world’s top-selling automaker of 2015, after sales at the German carmaker suffered following the diesel emissions scandal.

Toyota said its group vehicle sales totalled 8.35 million in the first ten months of the year, more than the 8.26 million vehicles delivered by Volkswagen during the same period.

Toyota has continuously out sold Volkswagen on a year-todate basis. Volkswagen said its Volkswagen brand sales has fallen 5.3% year-on-year, after Europe’s biggest automaker admitted that it cheated diesel emissions tests in some of its cars sold in the United States since 2009.

TAXING TIMES AHEAD The new system of personal tax accounts, which will eventually replace annual tax returns, is being launched by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).The system of online accounts will be similar to online banking, HMRC says.

The new accounts will allow people to see their tax details and make payments at any time of the day or year.The roll-out for individuals is being phased in, for people currently in the self-assessment system.All personal taxpayers will have personal accounts by April next year, as will all of the country’s five million small

DON’T STEAL The taxman hates competition

businesses.Two million businesses are already using the new system.

The government says one advantage of the new digital tax accounts is that they should stop the build up of tax due, or refunds owed, at the end of each financial year, with no more surprises or shocks for tax payers.”The launch of personal tax accounts is a groundbreaking development for HMRC and our customers,” said Ruth Owen, the director general of personal tax at HMRC. The HMRC’s aim is that by 2020 the new digital accounts will encompass all taxpayers, individual or corporate. Businesses including the self-employed and landlords will, from April 2018, have to update HMRC every quarter where this activity is their main source of income.That obligation to report quarterly will also apply where the money is a secondary source of income worth more than £10,000, and the main income is from employment or from a pension.

Small business are rightfully concerned that the extra burden of quarterly reporting will be too onerous.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY Small Business Saturday was created in the US in 2010 by credit card company American Express. The idea is to encourage people to spend their holiday shopping dollars at small businesses. For the past four years we have been doing the same in the UK. Businesses all over the UK promoted the day, with many town councils offering free parking on the day to encourage shoppers to come in and celebrate small and privately owned businesses. It is estimated that if we each put just £100 more into independent retailers, coffee shops and restaurants a year it would bring £6bn extra revenue into the country. Walk past those chain stores!

21

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

JOBS FOR THE BOYS

HOW TO BOSS

Former Prime

When you’re under pressure, it’s easy to forget that

Minister Gordon

employees are unique individuals, with varying interests,

Brown has accepted

abilities, goals, and styles of learning. But it’s important to customise your interactions with them. Ensure you

a role on the advisory

understand what makes them tick. Be available and

panel of global

accessible for one-on-one conversations. Deliver lessons

investment firm,

cued to individual developmental needs. And when it

Pimco. The company

comes to promotion, look past rigid competency models

said it had formed

and career ladders for growth opportunities tailored to

a five-strong group

the ambitions, talents, and capacities of each person.

of “world-renowned

Inspire them with a vision, set challenging goals and

experts on economic

pump up their confidence so they believe they can win.

and political issues”.

Articulate a clear purpose that fires your team up, set

The other members

expectations high, and convey to the group that you think

include former US

they’re capable of virtually anything.

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, and Jean-Claude Trichet, former president of the European Central Bank.

A spokesman for Mr Brown said he was taking on “a minor advisory role” and would not financially benefit.

The spokesman added: “Any money goes to the office of Gordon and Sarah Brown to support their charitable and public service work.”

Pimco, which was bought by German asset manager Allianz in 2000, administers about $1.47 trillion of assets for its clients.

HS2 TRAINS ARRIVE 6 YEARS EARLY! Chancellor George Osborne has announced that the new high-speed rail network HS2 will reach Crewe by 2027, six years earlier than originally planned. The rail link was first due to stretch from London to Birmingham by 2026, then reach Manchester and Leeds by 2033.

But HS2 boss Sir David Higgins proposed speeding up the £50bn project last year. Mr Osborne said the Spending Review had heralded the biggest rise in transport investment in a generation.

“Bringing forward this part of the HS2 route by six years is a massive step in the right direction for the Northern Powerhouse where high speed rail will play a big role in connecting up the entire region with the rest of the country,” he said.

“Never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream.”

22

NEWS

“Life is like a dogsled team. If you ain’t the lead dog, the scenery never changes.”

TAITTINGER YOU CAN NOW TOUCH HOLOGRAMS! CHAMPAGNE FROM KENT Touchable holograms are here! Created by Japanese researchers who have used femtosecond laser technology that fires high frequency laser pulses lasting one millionth of one billionth of a second. The

Taittinger is bravely becoming the first French

pulses respond to human touch, allowing users to manipulate the

champagne house to squeeze fizz from grapes grown

hologram’s pixels in mid-air. Dr Yoichi Ochiai, Tsukuba University says:

on British soil, after it invested in a former Kent

“You can’t actually feel the videos or pictures. So, if we can project an

apple orchard. Taittinger has bought 69 hectares

image in a three dimensional form, and if you can touch it, then you can make something that you’ll think is actually there.” Researchers say their Fairy Lights technology could be used in entertainment, medicine, and architecture. He says “People’s daily lives would change if we used a bigger laser in a bigger space where people can interact with it, and see how it can be used in situations where three dimensional

of farmland near Chilham with help from British wine agents Hatch Mansfield and other private investors. The ground there is chalky and south facing, Taittinger said, making it an excellent microclimate to produce high quality grapes.

communication is necessary,

Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, president of the

such as a construction sites

company, said it was to “create something

or in the medical field.” Some

special to show our appreciation of the

experts believe the technology

UK’s support for champagne”.

could one day create a

Actually, it might be because they are

computer keyboard beamed

running out of room in France. In Rheims,

onto a person’s lap - or allow

Taittinger’s hometown, land costs £1.5

us to experience virtual touch

million a hectare more than in Kent.

during video chat! Wow!

WATER-YOU ON ABOUT?

THE UK LEADS Underlying economic vulnerabilities have been addressed, and steady growth looks set to continue, it said.

But high household debt, a “strikingly large” trade deficit and high government debt are still risks to the economy.

Britain’s water companies are owed a record £2.1bn. Their

It also warned about uncertainty

cash-strapped customers have debts adding £21 to the average

over whether the UK would stay

annual water and sewerage bill, according to the industry

in the EU.

regulator.

The average water bill is £385 a year, but in some parts of the country it is as high as £482, leaving more than 2.5 million households unable or struggling to pay.

There has been a 17% increase in the revenue outstanding at water companies since 2010, jumping from £1.9bn to £2.2bn, Ofwat says. The regulator is pressuring firms to do more to promote “social tariffs”, introduced in 2013, to help customers pay.

“Life is about risk, but what we are seeing is a very strong performance from the British economy,” the IMF’s Christine Lagarde told BBC business editor Kamal Ahmed.

She gave an upbeat assessment of the UK economy, saying that the UK was in a very strong position at the moment.

Growth has outstripped other major economies, the unemployment rate has fallen, employment is at a high, the fiscal deficit has been reduced, and financial sector resilience has increased, the IMF said in a report.

Steady growth looks likely to continue over the next few years, and inflation should gradually return to its 2% target, the IMF said.

23

THE BIG STORY

THE WOMAN N WHO WOULD BE KING

icola Sturgeon seems to have come from nowhere and taken the political world by storm, on both sides of the border. The

Brits were so concerned about the bellicose Alex Salmond that we failed to realise that this little pocket rocket was shooting up the greasy pole behind him, and she is a far more formidable foe than Salmond ever was.

So, who is Sturgeon and where did she come

from to grasp the Thatcher nettle of a dominant woman who intimidates many men and takes no

by Maarten Hoffmann

prisoners?

Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon was born on the

19th July, 1970 and is a Scottish politician who is the fifth and current First Minister of Scotland and the leader of the Scottish National Party, in office since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. Sturgeon has been a member of the Scottish Parliament since 1999, first as an additional member for the Glasgow electoral region from 1999 to 2007, and as the member for Glasgow Southside since 2007 (known as Glasgow Govan from 2007 to 2011).

A Law graduate of the University of Glasgow, Sturgeon worked as a solicitor in Glasgow before election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, and served successively as the SNP’s shadow minister for education, health and justice. In 2004, she announced that she would stand as a candidate for the leadership of the SNP following the resignation of John Swinney. However, she later withdrew from the contest in favour of Alex Salmond, standing instead as deputy leader on a joint ticket with Salmond.

Both were subsequently elected, and as Salmond was still an MP in the House of Commons, Sturgeon led the SNP in the Scottish Parliament from 2004 to 2007, when Alex Salmond was elected to the Scottish Parliament in the 2007 election. The SNP won the highest number of seats in the Scottish Parliament following the 2007 election, and Alex Salmond was subsequently appointed First Minister of Scotland. He appointed

24

THE BIG STORY Sturgeon as Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. She was later appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities in 2012.

Following the defeat of the Yes Scotland campaign in the 2014 independence referendum, Alex Salmond announced that he would resign as leader at the party conference that November, and would resign as First Minister after a new leader was chosen. No one else was nominated for the post by the time nominations closed on October 15th, leaving Sturgeon to take the leadership unopposed at the SNP’s annual conference on 14 November.

She was formally elected to succeed Salmond as First Minister on 19 November.

She is the eldest of three daughters born to Robert Sturgeon, an electrician, and Joan Kerr Sturgeon, a dental nurse. Her family has some roots in North East England, her paternal grandmother having been from Ryhope in what is now the City of Sunderland.

Sturgeon grew up in Prestwick and Dreghorn. She attended Dreghorn Primary School from 1975 to 1982 and Greenwood Academy from 1982 to 1988. She later studied at the University of Glasgow, where she read Law. Sturgeon graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) in 1992 and a Diploma in Legal Practice the following year. During her time at Glasgow University she was active as a member of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association and the students’ representative council.

Following her graduation, she completed her legal traineeship at McClure Naismith, a Glasgow firm of solicitors, in 1995. After qualifying as a solicitor, she worked for Bell & Craig, a firm of solicitors in Stirling, and later at the Drumchapel Law Centre in Glasgow from 1997 until her election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999.

It would appear that there was a plan between Sturgeon and Salmond to stitch up the leadership and it was reported that Salmond had privately supported Sturgeon in her leadership bid, but decided to run for the position himself as it became apparent she was unlikely to beat his then deputy, Roseanna Cunningham. The majority of the SNP hierarchy lent their support to the Salmond-Sturgeon bid for the leadership and it seems that she was genuinely hurt by Salmond’s resignation after failing to swing the 2014 independence vote, losing by 55.3% to 44.7%, and said of her mentor: “The personal debt of gratitude I owe Alex is immeasurable. He has been my friend, mentor and colleague for more than 20 years. Quite simply, I would not have been able to do what I have in politics without his

constant advice, guidance and support through all these years. Alex’s announcement today inevitably raises the question of whether I will be a candidate to succeed him as SNP leader.

I can think of no greater privilege than to seek to lead the party I joined when I was just 16.

However, that decision is not for today. My priority this weekend, after a long and hard campaign, is to get some rest and spend time with my family. I also want the focus over the next few days to be on the outstanding record and achievements of the finest First Minister Scotland has had.”

“I’m not sure this a word I should use in an interview, but it’s bollocks”

Following the referendum defeat, Sturgeon said that “further devolution is the route to independence,” further claiming that “the more responsibilities we can demonstrate Scotland is capable of successfully discharging, the more these are used to build a fairer country and more economic opportunity for all.” Sturgeon also opined that Scottish independence is a matter of “when, not if.”

Sturgeon took part in several Scottish and UK-wide TV election debates in the run-up to the 2015 general election, and, according to opinion polls, was regarded to have had a highly successful performance. Though she didn’t stand for election, the SNP went on to win a landslide victory in Scotland, winning 56 out of 59 seats. This performance took everyone by surprise as she was lucid, wellprepared and dominated the stage.

On 4 April, 2015, a leaked memo from the Scotland Office alleged that Sturgeon privately told the French ambassador Sylvie Bermann that she would “rather see David Cameron remain as PM.” This was in contrast to her publicly-stated opposition to a Conservative Government on the run-up to the election. The memo was quickly denied by both Sturgeon and the French Consulate. It was later noted that the memo had contained a disclaimer that parts of the conversation may have been “lost in translation” and its release had been ordered by then Scottish Secretary, Alistair Carmichael. The scandal of the leak to the The Daily Telegraph became known as Frenchgate.

Sturgeon stated that Carmichael had “engaged in dirty tricks” and that he should consider his position as an MP. Now that she has total control of the Scottish political scene, she is still determined to tear Scotland away from the UK and become the first Scottish Prime Minister. And there are few who would bet against her.

In an interview with the BBC’s Political Editor, Laura Kuenssberg, she stated that a convincing victory for the SNP at next year’s Scottish elections would not be enough for her to push for a second vote on independence, saying even a thumping win would not be “in and of itself sufficient.”

During the interview, she said it was not in the interests of the SNP to rush a second referendum. Sturgeon suggested to the BBC that she will be the judge of when it is right to hold a second referendum, saying: “It will be down to whether we judge, I judge, that people who voted ‘no’ last year have changed their minds.” She would not say she was confident that another vote will take place while she was in charge, but few doubt that is exactly the plan.

As the SNP dominates its rivals, Scotland’s future in the UK does not feel remotely settled.

That’s why it is impossible for her to escape the speculation about a potential date for another vote that would separate Scotland from the rest of the UK. And that’s why it matters that she told the BBC, for the first time, that the results of the Scottish elections next year will not be a trigger for another referendum.

So if it is not straightforward electoral success, what will it be? She has said repeatedly if the rest of the UK votes to leave the EU, that could be a trigger for another vote.

But she and the rest of the leadership are not willing to set any other fixed tests, referring again and again to a “consistent and clear” shift in public opinion. In short, they’ll only go for it when they think they can win.

The party is now four times larger in terms of membership than it was last year when the independence referendum was held. Opinion polls have suggested it holds huge leads over Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in voting intentions ahead of next year’s elections. Sturgeon told the conference: “In the general election in 2010, fewer than half a million people voted SNP. In the Scottish election a year later, our support grew to just over 900,000 votes. And in the general election this year, almost 1.5 million people chose our party. That’s almost one million more people - in just five years and across all parts of our country - persuaded to put their trust in the SNP to lead Scotland forward.”

25

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THE BIG STORY Tory win inevitable.

Her critics may have called foul, saying she

kind of continuation from the referendum.

got away with murder because she wasn’t

Obviously, the general election campaign

being scrutinised on her record in a devolved

wasn’t just a continuation of the referendum

Scottish government or the fact that she wasn’t

campaign, but in terms of momentum and the

even a contender for Westminster, never mind

SNP’s campaign operation, that really has just

No 10, but the end result was that she presided

continued.

over a landslide victory in Scotland for the SNP.

“Obviously, within that I have also become

She is seen as more natural, more authentic,

First Minister, so that was a massive change

and she has a natural charm that he does not,

of focus for me and a massive increase in

and, during the last few months, she has even

responsibility, and my role was very different

managed to transcend his economic USP by

campaigning in the general election to

making a simple case to end austerity.

campaigning in the referendum, but altogether

What has happened since the referendum is a phenomenon that is difficult to explain.

There was no real party strategy that directed

She has commanded the airwaves across the UK, has sold out venues in a meet-themembers tour around Scotland, has given lectures, hosted receptions, appeared on prime-time American television, met with Christine Lagarde at the IMF, and there have been selfies galore.

And when she took to the stage at her party’s spring conference, six months after the No vote, it wasn’t just the 3,000-plus devotees in the audience at the Glasgow Exhibition Centre slavishly hanging onto her every word; the world’s media were also firmly focused on her.

The SNP’s newly-elected Deputy Leader, Stewart Hosie, introduced her as “the only party leader in the UK who people actually like.” The crowd roared and a constantly changing screen behind him showed that the number of SNP members stood at over 100,000 and still counting – a fourfold increase since the referendum.

After losing the referendum, the SNP has risen, ironically, to heights it could hardly have dreamt of just this time last year. Sturgeon urged her new party faithful at conference to make their voices heard. “Let us put the normal divisions of politics aside, let us come together as one country, let us seize this historic moment to shift the balance of power from the corridors of Westminster to the streets and communities of Scotland,” she said. “Let us this time vote SNP and make this nation’s voice heard like never before.”

Today, under her watch, the SNP is now the third-largest party in Britain. And in a Westminster general-election campaign that would normally pay scant attention to the SNP, the party was at the centre of every other party’s rhetoric and the subject of much media commentary and debate. It was variously blamed for trying to get into No 10 on Ed Miliband’s coattails, and for trying to make a

in a strange sort of way, it has just been a

the past year has been just a non-stop period of constant activity.

“The general election was a strange one for

what happened post a No vote. No one within

me because usually, or for a large part of my

the SNP foresaw it because no one could have

time in the SNP, it’s been about saying you’re

predicted that a No vote would help create

going to win and talking up your chances, but

a chain reaction of events that led to the

deep down, it’s knowing you weren’t. It was the

monumental result in May.

reverse this time.”

However, I suggest that is not how England voted, and without wishing to intrude on the

“While her 56 MPs bed down and make their voices heard, Sturgeon has to prepare for another election in May of next year.”

Labour Party’s grief, I ask her what she makes of Labour’s narrative that the SNP played into the Tories’ hands and yet again let them in to power – an argument Labour has well rehearsed since the 1970s, when they say the SNP helped bring the minority Callaghan government down, which then saw Margaret Thatcher’s party win at a general election.

“I’m not sure this a word I should use in an interview, but it’s bollocks. Even if you try to unpack that argument, what’s the logical conclusion – that we shouldn’t have stood?

That Labour should have been given a free run?

But it has been the general-election outcome rather than the referendum outcome – although

I’m assuming that’s not what they’re arguing.

Labour failed to win the election because

both obviously related – that has resulted in

they failed to beat the Tories in England and it

pushing the SNP and Sturgeon to the fore of

might comfort them to say that was somehow

UK and global politics. “In a campaign sense,

the fault of the SNP, because the Tories tried to

27

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THE BIG STORY use the SNP to scaremonger, but if that’s true, and I’m not convinced that was actually as big a factor in England as some would say, but let’s assume it’s true, that would only ever have worked if people had started out being scared of Labour.”

While her 56 MPs bed down and make their voices heard, Sturgeon has to prepare for another election in May of next year. With a fractured opposition and Scottish Labour in the midst of yet another leadership contest, some say the SNP has had it too easy and that Sturgeon has taken her foot off the peddle of government. With the media reporting crisis after crisis in the NHS, in education and in Police Scotland, is she presiding over a picture of decline?

“Let’s take those in turn. On the health service, there is not a picture of decline. On almost all waiting times – and this is a territory I know very well – the performance of the health service is better and the waiting times are tougher. So it’s performing better against tougher targets than in 2007 when we were first in government. It might not always be meeting those targets consistently, but the targets are tougher and it’s closer to meeting them than it was to meeting weaker targets eight years ago. That’s true across most of the waiting-time targets. We have taken the level of performance up. And I say we, but

“The Conservatives demanded that the First Minister finally say sorry for the shocking scale of the SNP’s deceit on Scotland’s oil wealth before the referendum” it’s down to the folk working in the health service who have done it, and we need to strive to do even better.”

“On education, we’ve got a good education system. We’ve just undertaken the biggest reform in Scottish education in a long time with Curriculum for Excellence. We now need to make sure we go into the next phase of that to make sure we’re really honing in on the basics and on quality and on being able to measure that performance, so that if there are areas that are not doing as well as they should be, then we can take action.”

What about the party’s position on private schools? Kezia Dugdale has said as leader of Scottish Labour she will campaign to remove the charitable status of private schools.

“Well, we are where we are. If you’re serious about improving or continuing to improve the quality of state education, that’s what you should focus on. There is a diversity of opinion on private schools and charitable status for private schools and that is something that is determined by OSCR, so private schools or any charity need to fulfil those conditions to obtain charity status. It’s not an automatic status.

But we can have a debate about that and I am totally up for that, but what Labour shouldn’t do is suggest if we take away the charitable status of private schools it will make one iota of difference to the performance in state schools. By all means have that debate, and I’m not shying away from it, but I’d rather we focus on the attainment challenge and the work we’re doing around the performance framework on improving the picture in state schools.”

And Police Scotland – does she still have confidence in it?

“I do, which is not say I don’t recognise the challenges it’s had and the mistakes it has made. But again, we’ve undertaken a very big and

29

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THE BIG STORY very complex reform. We’ve done it for good

wealth before the referendum. She and Mr

his lucky stars it’s not him up there delivering

reasons. The opposition like to gloss over the

Salmond both told voters that the North Sea

a budget for an independent Scotland. His

fact we’ve had significant cuts to our budget, so

was on the verge of another oil boom, but it

predictions of a second oil boom have gone

we’ve had to make reforms to protect front-line

is on course to generate just a small fraction

bust.”

services. That was the whole drive behind the

of the £8 billion required annually to put a

creation of Police Scotland.”

separate Scotland on the same financial footing

for independence on an oil price of $113 (£74)

as remaining in the UK.

per barrel, claiming the sector would generate

She certainly has all the answers, and her media training is getting stronger and

Although the collapse in the oil price

SNP ministers based their financial planning

between £15.8 billion and £38.7 billion for

stronger, but there is a massive elephant in

occurred after the referendum, Alex Bell, Mr

the public purse over five years. The OBR

the room that she and many other Scottish

Salmond’s former senior policy adviser, last

forecast at July’s Budget that oil and gas would

politicians will not confront. Will Scotland be an

week admitted that the economic case for

generate around £2.5 billion for the public

economically viable country if they depart from

independence was “wishful” last year and

purse between 2016/17 and 2020/21, but

the UK?

it was now “deluded” and “broken beyond

yesterday downgraded this by two-thirds to

repair.”

only £800 million.

An independent Scotland would have started life with “catastrophic” cuts to public services,

Delivering the CSR, Mr Osborne referred to

This was thanks to a large drop in the

thanks to a 94% reduction in oil revenues,

OBR statistics estimating that UK oil and gas

forecast oil price, which currently stands

George Osborne has said, as Nicola Sturgeon

revenues will fall from £2.2 billion in 2014/15

at around $45 per barrel. Around £100

faced demands to apologise for “deceiving”

to £130 million in the current financial year.

million revenue is expected for each of the

voters during the referendum.

He said: “If Scotland had voted for

next three financial years, £200 million in

independence, they would have had their own

2019/20 and £300 million in the final year

Scotland would have staged its own “savage”

Spending Review this autumn. With world oil

of the spending review period. The OBR said

Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) this

prices falling, and revenues from the North Sea

oil producers received £222 million more

autumn if voters had backed separation, ahead

forecast by the OBR to be down 94%, we would

in petroleum revenue tax (PRT) than they

of the SNP’s projected “independence day” next

have seen catastrophic cuts to Scottish public

paid in the first seven months of the current

year. But he said Scotland’s public finances

services.”

financial year, thanks to lower oil prices, higher

The Chancellor told the Commons that

would have been in “complete tatters,” thanks

The Chancellor later said this was the

decommissioning costs and the carry back of losses to reclaim previously paid tax.

to a £20 billion ‘hole’ created by the collapse in

equivalent of £20 billion of shortfall over

North Sea oil and gas revenues. David Cameron

three years, which he said would have meant

said that a separate Scotland’s CSR would

“savage cuts” that would have “devastated

and damn the consequences? I fear that is the

have consisted of “cuts, cuts, cuts, taxes, taxes,

Scotland.”

case. They are so keen to go their own way

taxes.”

Murdo Fraser, the Scottish Tory finance

So, is Scottish independence at any price,

that they have lost sight of the true value of

spokesman, said: “Despite numerous warnings,

the union. Just as Europe battles to unite her

Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicted oil is

the SNP’s white paper, overseen by Nicola

countries following centuries of devastating

expected to generate just £100 million in the

Sturgeon, brushed all evidence aside in an

wars, Scotland decides to go the other way and

2016/17 tax year and revenues will remain

attempt to deliberately hoodwink voters.

attempt to separate.

New estimates produced by the Office for

“very low” until at least 2020/21.This compares

“Given these latest figures, Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon is a skilled politician, and

with the 2016/17 projection of between £6.8

and John Swinney should show they are

the public seems to like her, but she is barking

billion and £7.9 billion in Alex Salmond’s White

prepared to move on by apologising for what

up the wrong tree. Make Scotland strong, go

Paper on independence – between 68 and 79

was a deliberate and conscious decision to

for a form of devolution and cherish everything

times higher than the latest forecasts.

deceive people. Everyone can now see that

that is good about the country, but splitting

Scotland dodged a bullet last year.”

from the UK would be devastating for their

The Conservatives demanded that the First Minister finally say sorry for “the shocking scale of the SNP’s deceit” on Scotland’s oil

Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, added: “John Swinney should thank

economy, and as has been stated on many occasions, once out, there ain’t no way back in.

31

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RUNWAY DEBATE

KICKED INTO THE LONG GRASS? The final decision on where the South East’s next runway will be built has been delayed again until the summer. By Ian Trevett

“T

he guarantee I can give you is that a decision will be made by the end of the year.” This is what David Cameron announced to the Commons last summer. The final report of the Airport Commission had already been delayed until after the General Election. Now it appears that another election has prompted a postponement of any activity this time the London mayoral elections. It’s no surprise that the PM’s announcement of a delay was met with the undisguised scorn of the business community.

John Longworth, the Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Businesses will see this as a gutless move by a government that promised a clear decision on a new runway by the end of the year.”

Simon Walker, Director General of the Institute of Directors, agreed: “Business leaders will be tearing their hair out at the news that, yet again, a decision on expanding the UK’s airport capacity has been delayed.”

And local business groups were just as scathing. Carol Squires, Head of Business Development at Surrey Chambers of Commerce, said businesses in the county would see the delay as a “lack of commitment to promoting and encouraging economic development within the UK.” The reason given for the delay was the need to conduct new pollution tests in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal before deciding whether to build a new runway at Heathrow or Gatwick. But, inevitably, this is viewed by most as just a delaying tactic - so what does the delay really mean?

Explanation 1 - With so much opposition within his own party, Cameron wants to give

the green light to Gatwick, but he can’t simply disregard the findings of the Airport Commission that he set up, nor does he want to lose face with the business organisations backing Heathrow, so he commissions a new environmental test, which Heathrow is doomed to fail, allowing him the opportunity to say yes to Gatwick.

Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate said, “We are glad that the Government recognises that more work on environmental impact needs to be done. Air quality... is a public health priority and, obviously, the legal safeguards around it cannot be wished away.

“Even Heathrow’s most vocal supporters must now realise a third runway at Heathrow will never take off, as the environmental hurdles are just too high.

If they want Britain to have the benefits of expansion and competition, they should now look to Gatwick.”

Explanation 2 - It will be Heathrow, but party politics come first. The PM is in a political mess. He has set up an independent commission and will look foolish if he ignores the conclusion. But Sir Howard Davies didn’t have to worry about the politics. With most of the cabinet having their seats in Surrey or West London, Heathrow is political poison. And then there’s the London Mayoral Elections. The current Conservative Mayor has threatened to lie in front of the bulldozers if Heathrow is chosen. The Conservative’s next candidate has threatened to resign his Richmond seat in protest and create a mini-referendum on Heathrow in the by-election - which the antiHeathrow protest vote would win.

A Heathrow decision before the election (which the Tories desperately want to win)

would be toxic. But will the political climate really be that much better after the elections?

Explanation 3 - It’s been firmly kicked into the long grass. There’s a good reason why there has been no expansion of Heathrow, or anywhere else, for so long: no politician wants the grief. With a verdict expected, legal teams from both airports were poised to attack, environmentalists were preparing to march and NIMBYs were preparing to wreck the lives of their local MPs. Simon Clydesdale from Greenpeace UK said, “Neither Heathrow nor the Davies Commission have managed to convince anybody that they can build a new runway without breaking pollution and carbon limits, which would be illegal, no ifs, no buts. Kicking the can down the road for another six months won’t solve what is clearly an insoluble problem. It’s about time everyone accepted that no lobbying budget is big enough to change the laws of physics.”

The politicians love the PR of a euphoric Paris summit, but green issues aren’t a priority by any means. They just don’t want the hassle.

The simple truth is, Cameron would get the controversy and the vitriol, while the glory will go to the PM who cuts the ribbon to open the runway.

Think of poor Red Ken. His finest moments were helping London secure the Olympics and his pioneering work instigating a London cyclehire scheme. His reward was watching Boris wave the Union jack in China whilst waffling on about the English inventing table tennis or ‘Whiff-Whaff’ and a city filled with ‘Boris Bikes’.

Maybe Cameron is terrified that he’ll get the crap, and who’ll get the glory? Prime Minister Boris!

33

LEGAL

CLIENTS ARE OUR BUSINESS DMH Stallard reflects on 2015

An exciting 2016 beckons for DMH Stallard, if the successes achieved by the firm in 2015 can be emulated. Richard Pollins, Managing Partner at DMH Stallard reflects on the last 12 months.

“Throughout 2015 we have continued to evolve the firm’s approach. Everyone at DMH Stallard understands that clients are at the centre of our business and our people are dedicated to our clients success – it really is that simple.

“I think, above everything else we do, from being technically excellent lawyers to applying our commercial know-how, the fact that we are so client orientated has really helped the firm to grow so quickly.

“It also makes DMH Stallard a great place to work and I think this is reflected in our Investors in People Silver Accreditation which was awarded to the firm this year. This underlines our commitment to our own people who all have such an important role to play in the firm’s success.”

M&A - A caffeine boost DMH Stallard’s client focused approach is clearly evident in some of the fantastic businesses it has supported in 2015.

No more so in the recent private equity investment in Brighton based Small Batch Coffee Company, the artisan coffee business which is a true success story of a business growing rapidly.

Jonathan Grant, who leads DMH Stallard’s Corporate Team has worked in partnership with the owners of Small Batch for many years and has helped them realise their success, culminating in the investment that will allow the business to move to the next level. The deal has just been nominated for Deal of the Year at the forthcoming Insider South East Dealmaker Awards.

Small Batch began roasting in 2006 and has since developed its own retail concept, growing to five stores across Brighton and Hove, together with two railway kiosks. Its successful wholesale business provides branded and bespoke blends to an expanding list of leading restaurants, coffee shops and cafes throughout the UK.

“We needed lawyers with a commercial approach allied with a depth of resource to respond to the demands of a private equity investor. Jonathan Grant and his team at DMH Stallard looked after Brad, who was stepping away from the business he founded, and myself and Alan, who continue with the business.”

Nigel Lambe,Chief Executive of Small Batch Coffee Company Look out for an interview with Nigel Lambe in PBM very soon.

34

LEGAL

DMH Stallard Continues to Grow Richard Pollins, DMH Stallard Managing Partner

“It was great to work with such a strong local brand and to help clients who really deserve the success they have achieved.

It is satisfying to deliver a deal for clients you really like!

This deal would not have completed in such a short time without skill and hard work from Nigel, Brad and Alan.”

Jonathan Grant, Partner, DMH Stallard

DMH Stallard has completed two mergers with other law firms during 2015. Both mergers further strengthens DMH Stallard’s position as one of the dominant firms in the South East with offices in Gatwick, Guildford, Brighton and London, and brings the total number of Partners to 60.

The mergers follow strong financial performance for DMH Stallard over the last 12 months with profits increasing by 10%. Turnover is now £26 million.

The first merger completed In January when established Guildford based firm AWB Partnership became part of the DMH Stallard family. DMH Stallard has since opened a brand new centre in Guildford. The firm’s new office in Surrey allows DMH Stallard to continue to serve its growing client base of individuals and businesses in Guildford, Farnham and throughout the region by bringing together over 40 professionals, including ten Partners.

The merger also supports the firm’s growing private client practice, with a highly regarded team based in Guildford that compliments the firm’s offering in Gatwick, Brighton and London.

DMH Stallard’s second merger completed in December when the firm merged with long established London firm, Ross & Craig Solicitors.

The merger between the two firms further strengthens DMH Stallard’s presence in London with all of Ross & Craig’s existing team, including their eight partners, moving to DMH Stallard’s existing London office in New Fetter Lane. DMH Stallard’s London operation alone now has a total of 23 partners and a turnover next year in excess of £10 million.

www.dmhstallard.com 35

GREEN BUSINESS

GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

G

oing green is a great buzzword at the moment but one has to wonder how many companies really take this ethos

to heart? One that most certainly does, and has been recognised for their tremendous efforts to reduce their environmental impact, is Sony DADC based in Southwater, West Sussex.

As a part of the giant Sony Corporation, Sony DADC is their replication (an injection moulding process) arm and have the capacity, in just their Southwater centre alone, to replicate 15 million units per month - and this at a time when most of us would of thought that the CD and DVD market was in sharp decline. But no, the market for box sets, movies and music

One would think that with the chemical processes used in manufacturing and

“As the leading disc and digital solution provider for the entertainment, education and information industries, they offer a truly world class service.”

CD’s and games is alive and well and with

in rude health.

But this would not be such a surprise if their largest client was indeed Sony but 77% of

major polluters in the region but their efforts to reduce their environmental impact are worthy of the ultimate praise and this was fully recognised in 2015 when they were awarded the Gatwick Diamond Award for Green Business of the Year, the Green Award for the Use of Energy in 2010 and the Helios Award for the Reduction of CO2 Emissions in 2011 against competition from all other Sony sites across Europe.

On a recent visit to their Southwater facility, l was amazed at the automation of the process and how much of it is in-house, from the manufacture of the disc itself right

a turnover in excess of £32 million in 2014 through 200 clients worldwide, they seem to be

replicating discs that they would be one of the

through to the label printing. I was equally Universal Music and Cambridge University Press. As the leading disc and digital solution provider for the entertainment, education and

impressed by the passion and dedication shown by the Facilities Manager Dean Shackel and General Manager Colin Lammie. As we toured the site their enthusiasm was absolutely

their revenue is derived from non-Sony clients

information industries, they offer a truly world

contagious not just for the process but for their

such as the BBC, Warner Music, Harper Collins,

class service.

determination to cut their emissions and the

36

GREEN BUSINESS

considerable efforts they had placed into being as green as possible.

Having achieved ISO14001 Certification in 2008, they went on to seek out other opportunities such as energy conservation, waste reduction, water consumption, employee training, increasing biodiversity and legal compliance. Electrical consumption was looked at and the resulting reduction is quite remarkable. In 2008 they were running 73,745.000 units and consuming 13,204.087 kilowatts. In 2014, they ran 76,158.000 units and only consumed 9,675.281 kilowatts showing a 27% reduction in energy consumption. They also ensured that all heated waste water was re-routed into the plant heating system and clean up their waste water, through the removal of contaminates, to the point that it was almost as clean leaving the plant as when it was pumped in. When one considers that aluminium, nickel, lacquers, resins and inks are used in the production process, this is an impressive achievement.

Their next step for 2016 is diversification.

With the acceptance that the world is going digital, their core replication business will

decline one day and they need to look to the

injection moulding, printing and packing and

future. They are looking to form business

25 engineers with skills in surface technology,

partnerships with local companies that could

product testing and sputtering, this is a quite

benefit from their expertise and world beating

unique facility used to high volume and rapid

technology. With 200 highly trained staff with

turnaround in a demanding manufacturing

skills ranging from lasers, electro-plating,

environment. They have the capacity to take on any new product in any sector and with their

“When one considers that aluminium, nickel, lacquers, resins and inks are used in the production process, this is an impressive achievement.�

highly trained staff and the latest technology, the entry price would be significantly reduced for any local company that might be seeking to contract with such a facility.

There is a unique opportunity here for any company that might be looking for a manufacturing facility but is reluctant to invest the considerable amount of money required to establish such a plant.

The Sony DADC plant in Southwater is jam packed with highly trained professionals, cutting edge technology and passionate management and l am sure that there will be companies beating a path to their door.

Sony DADC Southwater Business Park, Worthing Road, Southwater, West Sussex, RH13 9YT T: 01403 739840 E: colin.lammie@sonydadc.com 37

BUSINESS AWARDS

MEET THE JUDGES How do you pick a business award winner? PBM asked some of the judges for the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards how they make such a difficult decision

Matt Saunders, Managing Director Storm Creative Partnership

Andrew Clark Relationship Director, South East, SME Banking Lloyds Bank Commercial Category: Responsible Business of the Year

Category: Award for Customer Delight Why did you decide to sponsor the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards?

The Gatwick Diamond Business Awards present a fantastic opportunity to meet the very best local businesses from our thriving and diverse region. It gives us the chance to engage with a vast array of companies from a wide variety of sectors, in order to identify and celebrate those industry-leading businesses taking home these prestigious awards.

Why this particular category?

We believe that delivering customer delight is the most critical factor if you are to build long-term relationships with your consumer base. It is both exciting and insightful to discover the innovative ways businesses within the region are engaging with their clients and customers, which is why we are judging this category for the 4th year. In previous years, we have found the judging process to be extremely rewarding, and has meant we have formed relationships with local businesses who perhaps we would not have otherwise. Celebrating business excellence is something we strongly believe in, so it is great to be a part of the Awards once again.

When judging, what attributes are you looking for?

It always amazes me how many fantastic companies we meet that are genuinely focused upon customer service and retention.

What are we looking for? Simple - innovation. We are searching for those businesses that are doing something new and different within their industry, which sets them apart from their competitors. As well as adopting a unique approach to delighting their customers, we reward businesses who can provide the evidence to back up their assertions. For us, it is about seeing those ideas generate meaningful results for customers.

Why did you decide to sponsor the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards?

Lloyds Bank Commercial has sponsored these awards as we share the same passion as the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards to encourage new enterprise and support businesses who want to grow and succeed. As a key provider of banking services we want to celebrate the achievements of local business and can think of no better way than these awards.

Why this particular category?

A responsible approach to doing business is integral to everything we do as it underpins our ambition to become the best bank for customers and our purpose to help Britain prosper. It is central to our Group strategy as we aim to rebuild trust and operate as a responsible business by ‘living’ our Group Values – putting customers first, keeping it simple, making a difference together – and working in line with our Codes of Responsibility.

When judging, what attributes are you looking for?

The winner of this award will be the business that enhances the community it operates in. We are looking for a business that demonstrates passion and commitment amongst the management, staff, suppliers and customers for this vision and that ensures it can deliver through the actions taken.

Without giving any clues to the possible winners, what has impressed you about the entrants?

A lot of time and effort has gone in by the entrants to this category to bring to life the work these businesses are doing to be responsible. The entrants are from a varied cross section and it will be a tough choice to pick one as a winner.

For more, visit www.gatwickdiamondbusinessawards.com www.twitter.com/gdbizawards www.facebook.com/gdbizawards or call us on 01293 813888 38

BUSINESS AWARDS Diane Belford , Head of Business Development, Rawlison Butler LLP Category: Award for Innovation and Technology

Nick Broom, Managing Director - PVL UK Limited Category: Professional Services Firm of the Year

When judging, what attributes are you looking for?

We are really looking for the winner to be able to show us how the innovation has led to an improvement or efficiency in their business, whether it is in just a part of a larger and established company or as part of their overall growth strategy. The innovation itself can be around a product or service offered to customers or the way processes have been used or developed to help them to establish or grow their enterprise.

Last Year’s Awards

PVL is delighted to be sponsoring the Professional Services Firm of the Year Award and supporting the 2016 Gatwick Diamond Business Awards.

PVL UK is the largest supplier of high visibility reflective safety markings to the UK emergency services with clients throughout the UK and beyond. They are part of the Preview Visual Communications Group which includes Preview Creative and ArtDSigns; together we provide a full but focussed range of marketing, web development and graphic services from signage to vehicle branding.

We pride ourselves on our own customer service and have expanded over the past 20 years from our base at the centre of the Gatwick Diamond engaging with many locally based businesses, building a large network of contacts across the region for support and services as we have grown.

Having used the services of many professional services companies over the years we have realised that the skills, expertise and knowledge of these firms are required to support and develop all businesses in the region – no matter what size or scope, everyone will have used or be using the skills of a “professional services” company.

If we are to continue to strive for excellence in the Gatwick Diamond, we need businesses in this sector to be of the highest possible calibre of professionalism, knowledge and a service offering to match, in order to support and develop the potential in the rest of the business community.

It therefore is a great privilege to be judging this category, where we are looking for excellence in professional services businesses regardless of their size or areas of expertise.

The annual award ceremony itself is a fantastic event and supported by businesses across the spectrum – it’s a great evening to take key clients or team members – we always enjoy it!

❝

Hosted by Sanjeev Bhaskar, the Awards Ceremony is on 17th March 2016. The Awards Dinner is now sold out, apart from an allocation for those who are finalists, so this will be the biggest and best networking event in the Gatwick Diamond.

“This has been another great year for entries with some outstanding companies taking part. The quality of entries is very high and I’m sure it will be a tough job for the judges to come to their decisions.

“Now this is our eighth year the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards are clearly established in the regional business community and I’m l ooking forward to seeing so many great businesses and people in one room on the night. And don’t worry if you can’t be there as the event will be Twittercast on the night so you’ll know the winners as they are announced.

Jeremy Taylor of the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards

❞

39

MARK US FOR YOUR NEXT BUSINESS MEETING. Book your event before 31 March 2016 at Hilton London Gatwick Airport and take advantage of one of our promotional offers: · Triple HHonors Points · 1 in 10 Goes Free (Maximum of 5) · Complimentary overnight accommodation for organiser · Complimentary WiFi Access for all Delegates For more information contact our events team, call +44 (0) 1293 610 809 or email events.gatwick@hilton.com.

South Terminal Gatwick Airport | West Sussex| | RH6 0LL | UK | facebook.com/HiltonGatwick | twitter.com/HiltonGatwick ©2014 Hilton Worldwide

CONFERENCE FACILITIES

CONFERENCE GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL EVENT T he quality of a property`s conference and event facilities is a key influencing factor for businesses looking for a hotel

venue. The style of management, food and

beverages service and operations within a hotel all influence the overall decision. Other factors that sway decisions about which hotel is chosen are location, accessibility, the meeting and events capacity, accommodation for delegates and if the organiser has a preexisting relationship with the conference and banqueting team.

Ultimately though, it is the service that differentiates good from great hotels. Every business wants to be known and understood by its host for delivering the best guest experience possible, with personalised service and the ability to meet a wide variety of needs.

The key is always communication. If a business is conscientious towards all aspects of conferencing and communicates regularly with clients throughout the process, then an organisation will be interpreted as efficient, which is the key element to providing a

remember that hotel or venue conference and

this will always depend on the quality of the

successful service. It is paramount that venue

meeting teams offer expert knowledge and

venue selected.

staff are experienced in every aspect of the

experience that can benefit any event. They are

service offered. No attention to detail can be

also able to customise meeting packages to

larger hotels ensure this is a pre-requisite for

overlooked. When planning your conference

suit individual needs and are aware that clients

any events team. Experienced teams will have

and business needs, it is important to

are continually looking for creative and unique

hosted many meetings and conferences before

ways to deliver an event.

yours and are therefore aware of potential

There is no substitute for experience and the

Accessible and easy to use technology

challenges. It is as important to them, as it is to

has become infused in today’s conferences

you, that your event makes a good impression.

meaning venues are required to provide secure

Working with experienced teams will allow

environments, WIFI accessibility, high end

your organiser to focus on the day’s content,

technology for presentations and also multiple

safe in the knowledge that quality will never be

sockets for recharging portal devices.

compromised and no detail will be overlooked.

Whether you are a micro, small, medium or large business, you will want to ensure success in whatever you do. Whether you are planning a small meeting or hosting a reception for hundreds of people, it is vital to be confident in delivering an event that creates a personal and authentic experience that one can be proud of and

41

The University of Brighton is looking for governors The University of Brighton is committed to maintaining a highly experienced, talented and diverse board of governors. Our current board includes experts from industry, finance, education, healthcare, government, charity and law.

Our values embody diversity, participation, sustainability and partnerships. We have been recognised for the impact of our research and innovative engagement with the community.

We continually seek to enhance our governing body and we are interested in people from all sectors, but at the present time, we are particularly looking for

expertise in business, property and planning, education, charity and technology.

If you feel you have the skills and time to dedicate to this valuable role, and would like to find out more about being a governor for the University of Brighton, please email chairman@brighton.ac.uk in the first instance, and we will send more information.

We need a diverse board, made up of colleagues with different backgrounds to give us a strong pool of experience to draw upon.

John Harley, Chair of the Board of Governors, University of Brighton.

To see who’s currently on our board of governors, visit: www.brighton.ac.uk/governors The University of Brighton is committed to equality and diversity, and we welcome expressions of interest from people of all backgrounds.

DEBATE

AND ON TONIGHT’S PANEL...

David Dimbleby hosts the inaugural University of Brighton debate of the university - said: “It was a fascinating debate.

It was really interesting to discuss difficult, serious and sometimes contentious issues. There is a desire to improve relations between the university and the city and a feeling that this is happening.”

Professor Crampton said: “We launched this debate series because we want to hear from local people about how the university can make a difference in their lives. There was a lot of useful discussion and we plan to take this forward in future debates, and in concrete changes to how we work, building on our

D

J Fatboy Slim and artist Alison Lapper MBE took part in the first University of Brighton debate, which focused on the

role of universities in their wider community.

A packed audience of staff, students, graduates and members of the public took part in the debate in November, which was chaired by the BBC’s David Dimbleby, at the university’s Sallis Benney Theatre.

200 community projects. It also contributes and generates £700m annually for the South East economy and supports more than 7,000 jobs. However, Professor Crampton said the university could always do more.

David Dimbleby – an honorary graduate

existing engagement with our local community.

“This mutually beneficial partnership will both improve our efforts as a university and enable us to give back to the community to which we belong.”

Professor Julian Crampton, David Dimbleby, Alison Lapper, Fatboy Slim and Candice Armah

In addition to the two well-known University of Brighton alumni, panellists included the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Julian Crampton CBE DL, and former Student Union President and current student, Candice Armah.

Topics included how the University of Brighton can do more to support local business, how the university can be a better neighbour and make its facilities open to the public, and how it could provide more entertainment spaces for its students.

The audience heard how the university is planning more purpose-built accommodation for its students, how it has a dedicated community liaison team to work through any student issues and how it works on more than

43

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FINANCE NEWS

DOUBLE FOR KRESTON REEVES K

reston Reeves Financial Planning has been shortlisted as finalists in the ‘Adviser of the Year (South East)’ category at the Professional Adviser Awards 2016. They have also been listed in Citywire’s ‘New Model Adviser Top 100 Financial Planning Firms 2015’ for the second year running.

The Professional Adviser Awards are hosted

by Professional Adviser, who provides content for client-facing advisers, paraplanners and business owners. They work in partnership with Investment Week to deliver breaking news and analysis for wealth managers.

More than 200 firms entered the awards, which are in their 11th year and seek to reward excellence in financial advice and the wider sector. The black-tie ceremony will take place at The Brewery in London on 11 February, 2016.

Citywire, a London-based financial publishing and information group, recently compiled a list of the UK’s top 100 advisory firms to showcase financial planning firms that are at the ‘top of their game’. To secure a place on the prestigious Citywire list, all the businesses had to display a strong commitment to the profession, be it through individual qualifications and memberships or the firm’s work with the wider planning community.

The above successes follow previous recognition for Kreston Reeves Financial Planning in Citywire’s ‘New Model Adviser Top 100 Financial Planning Firms’ for 2014. They also achieved ‘chartered financial status’ in 2009 – a coveted status held by relatively few firms in the country.

David Hurst, Managing Director at Kreston Reeves Financial Planning, comments, “We are delighted to have been recognised twice in such a short period for both this prestigious industry award and listing which acknowledges the whole team’s dedication and professionalism.

“We pride ourselves on providing the highest standard of independent professional advice.

We always strive to build lasting relationships with our clients, working closely with them to help them achieve both their personal and business goals.

“We look forward to hearing the result in February!”

FINANCE FOCUS Kreston Reeves has also just completed a regional tour for its Finance Focus seminars, completing the tour at the Arora Hotel in Crawley in November.

The events were an opportunity for clients and guests to hear up-to-date advice and news from specialist experts in a diverse range of financial sectors.

Topics included the new EU Accounting directives, corporate tax updates, HR news, changes to VAT, the latest from the banking sector, the introduction of dividends taxes and how the HMRC is enforcing autoenrolment.

Each session was hosted by one of the firm’s partners or directors, giving an insightful summary of all the latest developments which affect companies of all sizes. There was also an opportunity to discuss the issues raised over lunch.

The consensus from the guests was that the event was very useful and informative.

www.krestonreeves.com

45

ACCOUNTANCY

A KEY QUESTION FOR YOUR FINANCE DIRECTOR

Are you ready for FRS 102? Will it impact on your level of earnings? Allan Pinner, Audit and Assurance Partner at Kreston Reeves, provides the answers.

T

for the year ending 31 December 2015 in

International Financial Reporting Standards.

accordance with FRS102, assuming that they

FRS102 will apply to all UK and Irish entities

did not decide to adopt the standard early. In

except for those applying IFRS or the FRSSE

Principles, (UK GAAP), depending on your year

preparing these accounts it will be necessary

(Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller

end and whether you choose to adopt earlier

to restate the comparative figures for the year

Entities), although a revised FRSSE has now

than the required date. So if your finance team

ended 31 December 2014, which will include

been issued which brings it into line with

is not already considering its implications

the need to restate the company’s balance

FRS102. Sounds complicated – there’s more!

for your company and its accounts, you

sheet at the start of that comparative period.

The FRSSE is to be withdrawn for accounting

are probably already behind the curve and

This date is known as “the date of transition”,

periods commencing on or after 1 January

definitely need to read on.

and of course represents the balance sheet

2016 and will be replaced by either FRS102

date of the accounts for the year ended 31

(Section 1A Small Entities) or FRS 105 for

December 2013.

micro-entities depending on a company’s size.

he new accounting standard, FRS102, may already have replaced existing UK Generally Accepted Accounting

Current UK GAAP has already started to be withdrawn for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2015. So, for example,

FRS102 is a single piece of accounting and

On a more positive note, some areas

non-small companies with a December year

disclosure requirements, being somewhat

will require no changes from UK GAAP.

end will be required to file their accounts

of a hybrid between the old UK GAAP and

For example, borrowing costs may still be

46

ACCOUNTANCY

“If your finance team is not already considering its implications for your company and its accounts, you are probably already behind the curve .”

capitalised and owner-occupied property may

justified. This may result in your goodwill

are entitled to carry forward leave

still be capitalised, as may R & D costs.

being written off over a shorter period than

entitlements, or both. We would recommend

the old UK GAAP, and therefore reduce your

bringing your holiday year in line with your

profit each year!

accounting year to avoid significant year end

So what is the all the fuss about? Many of these changes will directly affect reported profit figures. This means that companies will, if they have not already started doing so, need

• Business combinations But the good news is that intangible assets

adjustments for this.

• Group pension schemes

to consider the impact of FRS102 on profit-

on acquisition that historically may have

sharing agreements, banking covenants, tax

The accounting treatment under FRS102

been lumped in together with goodwill, such

liabilities and the level of reserves available for

will depend on whether a contractual

as brands and customer contract values,

distribution by dividend.

agreement or formal group policy exists

should be split out from goodwill and

with regard to recharging any pension

FRS102, the major changes

amortised over their own useful life. This

costs. The defined benefit cost will either be

could reverse the impact of the goodwill

recognised in the entity legally responsible

change above!

for the scheme or, where a policy or

FRS102 was introduced by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to introduce a simplified form of accounting which would be

• Deferred tax

more up-to-date than UK GAAP. For example,

FRS102 requires deferred tax to be

being fewer than 300 pages, FRS102 is broadly

recognised on all fair value and revaluation

10% of the size of existing UK GAAP, so it might

gains and losses, whereas current UK

appear that the FRC has achieved its objective.

GAAP only requires it where there is an

However, traps lie in wait for those who are not

agreement to sell, impacting on the profit

prepared; a process of sensible planning will

and loss account.

be required to ensure a smooth transition.

The main areas of change that may impact

• Investment property FRS102 requires annual revaluations

on the levels of your distributable reserves can

(where there is evidence of a material

be summarised as follows:

change), with all changes recognised

• Financial instruments

through the profit and loss account rather

All instruments will be classified at either

than through the statement of recognised

amortised cost, or fair value, through the

gains and losses as under current UK GAAP.

profit and loss account. For many this

It is worth noting that investment property

will mean that Fair Value will apply to

revaluations are not distributable reserves

many more instruments, such as forward

and therefore need to be removed from

contracts and the much maligned interest

the profit and loss account reserve

rate swaps. With such annual revaluations

before calculating reserves available for

hitting the profit and loss account, this

distribution as dividends.

could lead to greater volatility of profits and additional assets or liabilities in the balance sheet.

• Investment in listed equity shares

• Leases Under current GAAP, the value of rent-free periods and other lease incentives are spread over the period to the first rent

FRS102 requires these to be restated each

review. Under FRS102, lease incentives

year at their Fair Value with the increase/

must be spread over the entire lease term,

decrease passing though the profit and loss

recognising the credit over a longer period.

account.

• Goodwill

contract does exist, spread between the relevant companies.

In summary, there are some significant areas where different accounting treatment and disclosure will result from the implementation of FRS102 as compared with existing UK GAAP. If you are not already considering when you might or must adopt FRS102, or how these changes will affect your company, Kreston Reeves would be pleased to talk this matter through with you.

Please contact Allan Pinner on 01293 776152 or your usual Kreston Reeves contact.

DISCLAIMER: Whilst we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy at the time of publication, January 2016, information may be subject to legislative changes. Readers should note that information may not reflect individual circumstances and should, therefore, not act on any information without seeking relevant professional advice.

We cannot accept any liability for actions taken or not taken as a result of information included in this article.

• Holiday pay FRS102 specifically requires entities

FRS102 requires goodwill to be amortised

to provide for any unutilised holiday

over its useful life, but with no concept of

entitlement, as at the year end. This

an indefinite useful life. The assumed limit

could be a significant figure if the entity’s

for a useful life will be ten years, unless

accounting year end does not coincide with

a longer period can be identified ... and

the leave year end, or where employees

47

PLATINUM STYLE

style PLATINUM

LOOKING COOL IN KNITWEAR Well, the festive season is behind us and thankfully I won’t have to endure any more Christmas jumpers! Believe it Samantha Wilding Tel: 07833 084864 Email: Samantha@styleandgrace.eu Website: www.styleandgrace.eu Twitter: @alwayschicUK

or not, it is possible to look cool

It’s simple really. You only need three items.

The first is the roll neck. This wardrobe basic is having a bit of a ‘moment’ this winter, and is surprisingly versatile. Best of all, rollnecks fit the ‘smart casual’ bill perfectly – they look fantastic worn simply under tailoring or leather

(forgive me) in knitwear without

jacket for a night out. Keep the colour neutral

having to resort to jingle bells or

(navy, grey, camel) for maximum wearability,

reindeer antlers. There are a few

and choose extra fine merino wool as it is fine enough for layering (under a v-neck or shawl

key pieces that every stylish man

collar, for example) but luxe enough to look

should have in his wardrobe.

brand John Smedley would be my first port of

Read on….

48

Three key items

special worn on its own. Long-standing British call; their merino ‘Richards’ roll neck is one of

PLATINUM STYLE their bestselling items and comes in five colours. So channel your inner Steve McQueen and go for it…

The second piece should be a heavier knit. This could be a warm plain wool or wool/cashmere blend, in a neutral colour. It could be crew neck or shawl collar. Better yet, it could be a really chunky cable knit (think fisherman here) which looks fantastic over a shirt and under a pea coat on a blustery weekend.

And the third? A graphic knit. You don’t want everything in your wardrobe to be plain, do you? Patterned jumpers have been big news this autumn/winter but that doesn’t mean you have to go crazy. I would advise starting with a subtle monochrome pattern or a colour block to give a bit of interest.

Keep everything else pared back and neutral, to avoid overkill, as the jumper will take centre-stage and be the main point of focus. M&S is a good place to start for decent quality without breaking the bank. Drykorn or Reiss are for those of you who are a bit braver…

Actually, there is a fourth item – but this one isn’t for everyone.

The cardigan. The cardigan can look really stylish when worn as a

Caring for cashmere • many labels say ‘dry clean only’ to avoid liability, but it is safe to hand wash cashmere in cool water using a delicate detergent • squeeze gently when washing (don’t wring, rub or stretch) and rinse thoroughly • press gently with a towel, reshape it and leave it flat to dry. Do not hang it when wet – it will stretch!

• never, ever tumble dry cashmere • invest in a ‘cashmere comb’ to take care of any bobbling

‘waistcoat’ with a suit, adding colour and texture as well as a bit of warmth. The cardigan should not be bulky or it will ruin the line of your jacket, and it’s best to stick to plain, neutral colours, preferably that pick out a theme in your tie or pocket square. If you choose this look, prepare to be noticed!

Learn to layer The key to managing unpredictable temperature changes is to layer your knitwear. Experiment with combining weights and textures and always stick to natural fibres (cotton, wool, cashmere or a blend of these), but remember to keep base layers fine and breathable so you don’t swelter. Merino wool makes a great base layer, as it has fantastic temperature-regulating properties.

Don’t discount cashmere – it’s incredibly soft and lightweight, which means it’s toasty and warm without adding unwanted

Where to buy www.johnsmedley.com www.marksandspencer.com www.drykorn.com/en www.reiss.com www.uniqlo.com www.mango.com www.npeal.com www.brora.co.uk

bulk. It is, of course, expensive (given that it is produced from the fine undercoat fibre of the Cashmere goat) but there are affordable and decent quality options on the high street, including Uniqlo, Mango and M&S. At the other end of the market, N Peal and Brora are great British cashmere brands. If you are going to invest in cashmere, please care for it properly -– see the box for guidance. And if you need further help selecting knitwear that works for you, give me a call !

49

B USINESS TRAVEL SUPPLEMENT PLATINUM BUSINESS MAGAZINE is launching an exciting new Business Travel Supplement in February that will be packed with useful information, special offers from your favourite airlines, details of all regional airport ights and a special supplement each month on a new conference destination, affording our readers a complete overview of the business travel scene We constantly listen to our readers views and after many requests for a travel supplement, we are responding with a fantastic monthly supplement, edited by Young Travel Writer of the Year finalist, Rose Dykins.

If you would like to be involved in this exciting new supplement, please make contact without delay -

info@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07966 244046 to discuss how your company can get involved.

Platinum is already the largest circulation business magazine in the country and is going from strength to strength - today the South East, tomorrow the globe.

The largest regional business magazine in the country

235,000 readers per month 123,000 digital readers per month 9,000 Twitter followers

SPONSORSHIP NEWS

{ INTERVIEW } One of the big criticisms has been the Council’s vital ingredient. involvement in the funding.

Can you clarify how “I think there was generally the funding works? a feeling that Brighton couldn’t rest “The Council is effectively on its laurels. I think a middleman. They Brighton is quite ambitious. borrowed money from It doesn’t want to the Public Works Loans be one of the many failing Board at a very, very low seaside cities in this rate, and then they lent country. There have been it to the project at a commercia so many towns that l rate, so we don’t have had their heyday and have get any special treatment spiralled down. I in terms of the rates think Brighton has always we pay. The Council has been different because generated £36 million of its proximity to London, pounds of funding through because of the digital this arrangement. economy. It has found “If we achieve our business new ways to grow and plan, their margin be a very dynamic city. But should be £1 million a you have year. If we don’t meet our to keep moving yourself forward. business plan, obviously The Council see their that would eat into their competitors in cities like margin. The point at which Barcelona rather than the public would need run-down seaside towns. to dip into their pockets But to do that and to is if our business plan win that business, we have fails by nearly 60 percent. to keep moving things There’s a really big forward. buffer in there.

“I think there’s a lot going “There is a level of risk. on in the city at But I think, having the moment, and there’s looked through the numbers, definitely more of a the councillors felt feeling of people wanting reassured that the level to invest in Brighton. of risk was outweighed You see Circus Street, by the level of benefit the Preston Barracks… I do project could bring. think success breeds success.

“We originally got all There’s an upbeat of the funding through positivity in Brighton at traditional channels. We the moment which I don’t had a private equity think was necessarily firm on board and we also here three or four years had a bank on board; ago. in fact, we had two banks.

One was going to be the lead and the other would provide mezzanine finance. Then the financial crash happened. The particular bank we were working with was one of the many banks that went under, so we obviously lost the funding there, even though we were incredibly well-progressed with that particular fund.

REACH FOR THE SKY Brighton’s seafront will never be the same again.

This year the i360 will start Pier and dominate the to rise up above the West skyline. Opening next year, it could become the most South East. How has it been financed and how iconic landmark in the will it make a profit? Eleanor Brighton i360, explains Harris, Chief Executive all to Ian Trevett of

T

he proposal to build the i360 tower has not been without controvers y. It came in for a fair bit of local criticism, with many fearing it would be a white elephant, wasting hardearned public money.

Not only was the soaring viewing platform placed on the site of the muchloved West Pier, it was also regarded as a folly of the Council, who showed little regard for the burden placed on the city’s council tax payers.

During this time, the team behind i360 kept a low profile, verging on silence, which gave rise to many people jumping to false conclusions. How could an ascending viewing platform possibly raise enough money to repay the immense building costs?

The answer was that it was never expected to.

40

The business plan was to generate the income from a wide variety of sources, not just the viewing platform. These included the brasserie, hospitality rooms, exhibition space, gift shop and bars, as well as the actual rides on the tower.

And no council money was being spent. So why was there such controvers y surrounding a development which will become an icon for an ambitious global destination ?

“We had to go through a democratic process with the councillors and give them time to understand the business plan without being influenced by the media,” explains Eleanor. “We had to go through the legal due diligence, and during that phase, we were asked not to go out making public statements .

PLATINUM-BUSINESS-ISS

UE9-i3.indd 40 16/02/2015 09:43

“We’ve always had a really good relationship with the Metropole, The Grand and Brighton Centre. We’re talking about going to trade shows together, presenting Brighton together as a great place to come and do business”

“We wanted the councillors “We lost approximately to hear from the £20 million of our horse’s mouth, look at funding. The bank that all of it, not have their was prepared to do the information filtered through junior debt wasn’t prepared the media. And I to take the lead as think that’s the right thing. they didn’t do projects of It’s a very serious, big that scale. So we had to decision to make. They go back to the drawing had to have time to look board. through it. And in fairness “The first thing we did to the Greens and the as we went back out Conservatives, who voted to market was to speak in favour, they spent to the banks again. But an inordinate amount we were then faced with a completely of time scrutinising the different documents, having follow-up landscape and a completely meetings, going different perception through all the detail, of risk. The feedback and they really took their we had was that if the time to make the right decision. development was for mixed use, with some “In a way it helped us because flats, then we could have we were so busy been funded. But pure trying to get to the finances leisure was seen as high risk, although we closed. A hundred were different contracts had very experienced and to be signed, and I’m not literally brought together sure that we really, honestly the entire team that did had the capacity to the London Eye, from be going out doing PR.” engineers to architects.

“I think we all just need Of course, the downside “The world had changed to pull together now was that a lot of form a funding point to make this a success. negativity wasn’t being of view, so we began talking Ultimately, I’m now challenged. to the Council, and really working for the city. I “That’s true, but the more their view has always been will work tirelessly we get out and talk incredibly supportive. to make sure that we to people, the more we For them, tourism is one hit all of our targets and are finding a complete, of the biggest employers create total change in the tide an amazing business. in the city – not just people And the way I of opinion. I’ve done in direct employment see it, we need to make loads of presentations, in tourism, but also all the businesses every aspect of the met lots of people in the which business really community and we now will benefit from the tourist successful, from the dining have a lot of support being in town. So the to attraction to the play, the locally. I think the critics for them it’s massively conferencing, and, are dying down. We important that Brighton hopefully, Brightonian monitor social media can remain competitive s will get behind that, and there’s barely a and keep bringing in the because negative tweet on the ultimately tourists. Also, we had any money they spend i360. There hasn’t been, an independent economic in there essentially flows now, for months. So I impact study done, which back to the city for the think we just needed showed the level of to next 20 years.” engage in the conversatio job creation the project n, which, since we’ve could bring. So they’ve “I believe really strongly had our funding, we’ve always felt that, strategical in paying decently and been able to do.” ly, for the future getting good staff, so we’re doing economic success of the living wage, no city, the i360 is a really zero hours. We’re having lots of part-timers and

41

PLATINUM-BUSINESS-ISS

UE9-i3.indd 41 16/02/2015 09:44

“British Airways approached us after one of BA’s Gatwick marketing team Photo Credit: “Gary Eastwood/ British Airways i360”.

read the interview with myself in Platinum Business Magazine, suitably entitled ‘Reach for the Sky’,” said Eleanor Harris, i360’s Chief Executive. “BA operates more than 40,000 flights a year to and from Gatwick and employs more than 2,500 people in Sussex, and Sussex is therefore a vital region for BA. Brighton is the most popular tourist destination in the South East outside London, and the i360 was therefore an ideal sponsorship for the airline.

“It is an ideal partnership for us, as BA flies more people into the UK than any other airline and will support us promoting British Airways i360 around the globe. The airline is a natural branding fit, too, as you fly up to 450 feet on British Airways i360 for sky-high views, and passengers landing at Gatwick can see the i360 tower out of the aircraft window.”

FLYING THE FLAG British Airways, the nation’s favourite airline, is sponsoring the i360 - with a helping hand from the nation’s favourite business magazine!

Lynne Embleton, British Airways’ Director of Strategy and Managing Director for Gatwick, said: “Our pilots enjoy spectacular views of the Sussex coastline as they fly in and out of Gatwick, and now Brighton visitors and residents will also be able to do the same from this fantastic new landmark.

“Putting our name to the i360 and helping to promote even more tourism to the area made perfect sense.”

Cllr Warren Morgan, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, said, “I’ve always advocated private investment in the i360, so I welcome the sponsorship from British Airways, who are a major employer in the city region.

“Their involvement will help cement Brighton and Hove’s position as a major tourist destination, and fits well with our announcement two weeks ago that we as a council are backing the expansion of Gatwick with a second runway.”

Opening next summer, British Airways’ i360 viewing pod will cruise up

T

to 450 feet high, where guests on board can enjoy breathtaking 360-degree

by Marks Barfield Architects, the creators of the London Eye, signed

spectacular tower from the air.

he world’s tallest moving observation tower, being built on Brighton beach, was officially named British Airways i360 in November.

The iconic new Brighton beach attraction, conceived and designed

a five-year deal with the nation’s favourite airline, which has been

views of the stunning Regency city and surrounding South Downs and Sussex coastline.

At 162 metres tall, British Airways i360 is already the tallest structure in Sussex, and customers flying into Gatwick airport can already see the The attraction will be the world’s first vertical cable car and includes a

heralded as a “great deal for the South East” and “flying the flag for

stunning new venue on Brighton beach, with a brasserie with sea views

British tourism.”

and an outside beach-side terrace serving food from “Sussex’s larder,”

And we are very proud to say that Platinum Business Magazine played a key role in this landmark partnership.

with signature dishes from MasterChef: The Professionals winner, Steven Edwards.

51

EVENTS

THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE How Alternative Funding can help your business to grow - Tony Summers, Partner at Carpenter Box, gives a flavour of the types of alternative funding options that are likely to be discussed by industry experts at a high-calibre panel event taking place on 4 February, 2016 at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley.

T

here’s a commonly used statistic that says 80% of all funding requests in the UK go first to the four largest High Street banks.

Putting aside how this is measured, when it is coupled with recent reports in the media stating that banks have rejected almost £400m worth of credit applications for SMEs in the South East during the first half of 2015, you see that the relevance of alternative sources of finance has never been greater, nor has the innovation and choice. This event in February, which is being hosted by Carpenter Box, will highlight some of the more significant and robust options for alternative funding available for businesses, ranging from SMEs to large corporates.

The highly impressive panel of alternative funders and industry experts includes Marcus Stuttard, Head of AIM and UK primary markets at the London Stock Exchange at one end of the spectrum and individual invoice discounting at the other. The event will demystify alternative sources of finance and arm business leaders with the key facts they need to know for the

52

next time they seek finance or indeed refinancing.

To help make sense of the various options and discussions will be Andy Davis.

Industry expert – Andy Davis is a funding expert and author of Beyond the Banks, which focuses on innovative ways to finance for SME businesses. He is a former Financial Times journalist, Editor of FT Weekend and frequent commentator on SME access to funding.

He has been called as an expert witness to the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards sub-committee discussing SME experience of banks. Andy now uses that insight to advise businesses on the best routes to funding.

Some of the options the panellists will discuss will include: • Alternative Investment Market (AIM) – This is a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange and allows companies to float

shares with a more flexible regulatory system than is applicable to the main market. Marcus Stuttard will be able to provide his in-depth ‘insiders’ knowledge of this market at the event, as well as being able to discuss the implications of a full market listing.

• Crowdfunding – This is the practice of funding a project by raising money from a large number of people, and today this is often performed via an internet platform, providing both debt and equity investments.

James Chalk, Head of Equity Business Development at Crowdcube, the world’s leading investment crowdfunding platform, will be one of the panel members and will be available to answer your questions on this subject.

• Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) – EIS is a series of UK tax reliefs designed to encourage investors to invest in unquoted qualifying companies, which often carry higher risk. The tax relief is extensive and is

EVENTS

“ The event will demystify alternative sources of finance and arm business leaders with the key facts they need to know for the next time they seek finance or indeed re-financing.”

intended to offer immediate and downside compensation for that risk, making investing more appealing.

• Private Equity/Venture Capital – James Livingston, a director at the Foresight Group, will be able to discuss the difference between Venture Capital and Private Equity and the implications of both.

• Asset-Based Lending – These are loans secured by fixed assets owned by the borrowing company. Alan Austin, National Sales Leader at specialist asset-backed lenders GE Capital, will be on the panel to discuss this topic.

• Retail Bonds – These can be described as IOUs issued by a corporation to an investor.

The investor lends money to the company

and in return receives interest on that loan from the company. The bonds are trade-able on an exchange.

• Invoice Discounting on individual invoices – Most are familiar with banks providing an invoice discounting facility against a debtor book, upon which a fee is payable even if the facility is not used. Market Invoice and indeed Satago use slightly differing solutions to this problem of getting paid quicker, both on what could be described as a “pay-as-you-go” model. James Bryant from Market Invoice and Steven Renwick, the CEO and Founder of Satago, will be on hand to discuss how they operate.

With the topics above and the possibility of further exciting sources of finance being

added before the day, I’m sure there will be something for everyone at the event, with plenty of nuggets to take away. Remember, you may not need alternative funding for your company at this moment in time, but you may need it in the future, so don’t miss this opportunity to widen your knowledge of funding ‘beyond the banks’ and take advantage of the cumulative knowledge and experience of this A-list line up.

The event will be held between 9am and 11am on 4 February 2016. To book your place, please visit www.carpenterbox. com/inspired-financing/ or get in touch with Lucy Tunstall (lucy.tunstall@ carpenterbox.com) at Carpenter Box on 01903 234094.

Call Worthing: 01903 234094 Call Gatwick: 01293 227670 Email: info@carpenterbox.com

53

LEGAL ADVICE

D.I.V.O.R.C.E.: Does it have to mean “The War of the Roses“?

rebuilt or, if not, to help the couple to separate

by Wendy Ryle Burt Brill & Cardens 30 Old Steine, Brighton BN1 1FL 01273 604123

as civilly as possible. I recommend looking at the websites: www.relate.org.uk and www. bacp.co.uk

What Next?

Marriage is a legal contract and if it is to be brought to an end, an understanding of the legal consequences is essential.

Can the ground for divorce be proved?

It is said that January is

The January Blues

the peak time of the year

that the first Monday in the New Year should

adultery or unreasonable behaviour on the

for the issue of divorce

be named “D-Day” - the day when most divorce

part of the other. If not no action can be taken

petitions are issued in England and Wales.

until the couple have lived apart for at least two

proceedings. Wendy

Whether or not this is true I usually see an

years. Even then, it must be agreed that there is to be a divorce.

Ryle, Family Solicitor at

increase in enquiries in January relating to the relationship and marriage breakdown.

Over recent years media have suggested

Sussex law firm, Burt, Brill

First Steps

and Cardens provides

partner’s decision to end a marriage or

Often one spouse is faced with their

Divorce proceedings can only be issued immediately if one party is able to allege

If no divorce proceedings are to be taken in the near future, arrangements for a separation can be made which may form the basis for a financial settlement at the time of subsequent divorce proceedings.

some initial guidance for

relationship. Obviously, this can be very difficult, especially if that partner is in a new

will have implications for tax and inheritance

anyone facing marital

relationship. There are many professionals

issues.

problems.

therapy or counselling if the relationship can be

54

available, including Relate, who can offer

A separated couple are still married and this

I have highlighted various financial issues in divorce in my previous articles. They require

LEGAL ADVICE

“Marriage is a legal contract and if it is to be brought to an end, an understanding of the legal consequences is essential.” detailed consideration, If no settlement can be

to Court action, collectively known as

reached then application may need to be made

“alternative dispute resolution”. These

for the financial and property issues to be

include:-

decided by the Court.

• Mediation

What About the Children?

Divorce and separation can be particularly

In mediation, the couple will attend one or more meetings with a neutral mediator who

If an agreement is reached by one of the above methods, this will recorded in an application to the Court for a Consent Order without a Court hearing. If the agreement is approved, it then becomes legal and binding.

Court proceedings to deal with disputes about finances or children are comparatively rare. They do not provide quick resolutions and can involve one or more Court hearings with the accompanying worry and expense.

difficult when minor children are involved.

works with them to try and find an agreed

If the children are the natural children of

outcome. Mediation is probably the quickest

the couple, both parents have parental

and cheapest way of resolving issues arising

responsibility for the children. “Parental

in connection with a divorce or separation,

responsibility” means the legal rights and

particularly where children or finances are

So What is the Best Way Forward?

duties of a parent so that the couple must

involved.

Anyone thinking of ending a marriage should consider the position very carefully and seek the help of a counsellor or therapist if in any doubt. Divorce and separation are some of the most stressful life experiences. Friends can be invaluable in providing help and support. An initial consultation with an experienced family solicitor can also be very helpful. I frequently meet with clients when they are contemplating divorce or separation to provide general legal advice. In some cases, I do not see them for a number of months (or even years) whilst they consider their options or deal with matters without a lawyer until matters have to be formalised.

Like many family solicitors, I have dealt with cases where clients’ emotions have reminded me of the antics of Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in the film, ‘The War of the Roses’. I am firmly of the view that my job is to find constructive solutions to the issues which my clients face and to avoid destructive confrontation whenever possible.

consult regarding all major decisions relating to the children’s welfare, e.g. their education, religion, names and any serious medical treatment. The time a child spends with their non-residential parent (which used to be known as ‘contact’) can be contentious.

Perhaps surprisingly at the time of the divorce the Court does not need to know about the arrangements for the children if they are agreed. If there is disagreement application can made to the Court, but Court action relating to children often takes a long time to be dealt with, is expensive and gives rise to ill feeling.

The Court will always have the child’s welfare as its primary consideration and its decision may not be what either parent wishes.

There is a lot of helpful information on the

• Collaborative Law Collaborative law is a process where each party appoints a collaboratively trained lawyer and the case progresses via a series of meetings attended by the clients and their lawyers. An agreement is signed committing the clients and their lawyers to deal with matters by agreement without the need to go to Court. In the event that no agreement is reached, and the matter is referred to the Court, new lawyers must be appointed. Collaborative law is a very successful process and to be recommended to parties who feel uncertain about attending mediation.

• Negotiations via Solicitors

internet. In particular, see the section of the

This option is taken in many cases,

website for Resolution (the national association

particularly when dealing with financial

of family solicitors) on Divorce and Parenting

matters. The couple’s solicitors will

at www.resolution.org.uk and the Divorce

then deal with the exchange of financial

and Separation sections of the CAFCASS

information and thereafter negotiate,

website: www.cafcass.gov.uk CAFCASS is the

sometimes by correspondence but also

publicly funded organisation which deals with

at round table meetings, with a view to

all aspects of Court proceedings involving

reaching an agreed outcome. Protracted

children.

negotiations can result in high solicitor bills.

Do We Have to Go to Court?

If there is a divorce, this is dealt with via

• Arbitration Arbitration is a fairly new process. When

the Court but an undefended divorce is an

a couple cannot agree one or more issues

administrative or paperwork process, dealt

and do not wish the delay and expense of

with by way of the filing of documents and

Court proceedings, a qualified arbitrator is

correspondence. No Court attendances are

jointly appointed to decide those issues. The

required. Similarly, if the financial issues

arbitrator’s decision will be binding on the

are agreed, the proposed financial Order is

parties and the Court, which will be asked

considered by the Court as part of its paperwork

to make an Order enforcing the arbitrator’s

and there are no hearings. In the majority of

decision. Arbitration costs are usually much

cases, divorcing couples rarely attend at Court.

less than protracted Court proceedings and

The Courts are keen to promote alternatives

If you, or someone you know is facing marital or other relationship problems, please refer them to me at wryle@bbc-law.co.uk or on 01273 604123, mentioning Platinum Business magazine. A free initial consultation can be offered or a concessionary charge made for certain aspects of divorce. I am also a Family Mediator and trained Collaborative Lawyer and can explain when these options are appropriate.

much quicker.

55

CHARITIES

ENTREPRENEURS OF THE STREETS

Vendor - George Andersen

The Big Issue has created far more start-ups than any other organisation in the UK. Each vendor is simply an entrepreneur trying to make a profit in an attempt to become economically self-sufficient. Stephen Robertson, CEO of The Big Issue Foundation, explains to Ian Trevett why every businessperson should support the Big Issue.

Charity Profile Sponsored by CharityLine

S

ince we started publishing Platinum Business Magazine, I have been struck by how all the successful

braving the cold and the rain?

The Big Issue must surely be the UK’s

The fact is, of course, most of us don’t. With The Big Issue celebrating its 25th anniversary

largest promoter of entrepreneurialism.

this year, it suffers from over-familiarity

businesspeople I have met have a pronounced

Every vendor on the streets has entered into

and, for many people, the sellers have

generosity of spirit when it comes to

a business transaction with The Big Issue,

become almost invisible - but the problem of

entrepreneurs starting out on their journey. All

investing his or her own money into buying

homelessness is getting even more desperate.

want to support and encourage those kindred

the paper and selling it on at a profit. They are

souls who stick their necks out and have a go

out there working for a better life rather than

Foundation, says, “The situation is definitely

at it. Yet, how many will walk down the streets

begging or turning to crime. If you want to give

getting worse. With austerity and cuts to

of our towns and cities and fail to notice the

a start-up a helping hand, all you have to do is

services, there is less provision and support.

dedicated start-up, standing for hours on end,

buy a Big Issue.

56

Stephen Robertson, CEO of The Big Issue

“Scarily, huge numbers of people are

CHARITIES

“The Big Issue needs support from the business and wider community, and there are many ways people can help.”

only a few missing pay cheques away from

enable vendors to

homelessness. It doesn’t take long to run out of

open bank accounts,

money. The homeless are often characterised

access health services,

as being addicts and feckless, but so many are

find accommodation,

just ordinary people down on their luck. There

meet their aspirations,

is a growing realisation that ‘It could be me’.

reconnect with

People are falling through the safety net, and

families and

the holes in the net are getting bigger all the

friends, volunteer,

time.

train, learn and start

“The extent of the problem is underreported. There are surveys where researchers will go out and count people sleeping rough at

their own enterprises and find paid work.

“As you will see

Stephen Robertson

night, but they are notoriously inaccurate and

Big Issue sellers

massively understate the problem, as many

everywhere, the

homeless people will spend the whole night

perception is that we

copy,” says Stephen. “It is a business, not a

are an enormous organisation, but we are a

charity. In any case, the more magazines that

small team. It is a high-impact, low-cost model

are taken, the higher our ABC circulation, and

of change that works by connecting people with

the easier it is for us to get advertising.”

walking to keep warm and safe.”

The Big Issue Foundation offers support to the Big Issue sellers, as Stephen explains: “We provide vendors with bespoke support to help them address the issues that may have contributed to their housing insecurity, or the issues that have arisen as a result. We Vendor - Amy Stevens

services that are already there. We don’t run the services, we connect people to them.

“There is no point repeating what is already there. There are experts supplying the services that homeless people need, but they find it hard to reach the people who need their services. Homeless people come to us. Nearly 100 people a week turn to the Big Issue for an opportunity to help themselves at a time of utter personal crisis.

“Empowerment is an overused word, but it is what we are about. We can help empower people who are at their lowest ebb.

“We track everyone who comes to us and monitor their progress. There is a scale from 0 - 10, where 0 is a chaotic rough sleeper and 10 is someone who is happily and safely housed.

We try to help move people up the scale. For us,

“Become an advocate. We need to get the message out there that homelessness is still a massive problem, and that our vendors are trying to change their lives in a positive way.

Please donate to the Foundation - and take part in our events.

“Join us and over 300 people on The Big London Night Walk on Friday, 11th March, starting at St John’s Church, Waterloo. It is an experience like no other. The walk through central London will take you on a tour of the iconic sites at night. We’ll visit locations connected with our important work, and you’ll get the opportunity to hear personal insights from Big Issue vendors along the way. You will see the capital in a whole new light.”

www.bigissue.org.uk

it is all about positive outcomes.

“Last year the average full cost of a positive

CharityLine makes it easier and

outcome for a Big Issue vendor was just £150.

more cost-effective for charities

Last year, our services team worked with over

to grow their donations. Through

2,200 Big Issue Vendors, achieving over 5,800

proactive marketing, utilising

positive steps forward in their journeys away from homelessness – our highest ever.”

The Big Issue needs support from the

properly sourced data and cleansing existing data, CharityLine

business and wider community, and there are

is enabling charities to increase

many ways people can help. The simplest way

donation volumes and grow their

is to buy the paper, but make sure you actually

supporter base.

take a copy away with you.

www.charityline.org.uk

“Don’t just give money to a vendor, take a

57

ANGER MANAGEMENT

ANGER MANAGEMENT Utterly failed by Maarten Hoffmann

NO HOPE SERVICE W

hen Aneurin Bevan launched the NHS on July 5th, 1948, he introduced a health system that transformed

the health of all citizens within the UK. It was groundbreaking, brave and inspired and hauled us out of the dark ages and into a world of free

why no one with an ounce of serious ambition

I don’t think the general public would be so

will ever be honest with the voters and spell

outraged by such a proposal if it were done

out what really needs to be done.

fairly. Especially if they understood that it’s the

Fortunately, l am not a politician and can say what l like, so here goes.

The NHS has a budget of over £100bn

only way to safeguard the NHS for generations to come.

Aspects of the current system are patently

health care for all, free at the point of delivery,

per year and rising fast, with a deteriorating

absurd. Why, as a higher earner, should l enjoy

for one and all. Right now, l feel he will be

service. This month a host of medical

the same free health benefits as someone on

spinning in his grave.

organisations wrote a letter to The Times

the minimum wage? Why shouldn’t l expect

warning that the NHS was “creaking at the

to pay a little more? But because politicians

George Osborne’s announcement of another

seams.” It doesn’t matter how many billions

dare not speak of it, they are damaging it

£6bn a year will certainly keep things ticking

they plough into it, it will never be enough,

even further by privatising it by stealth. The

over for a while, but we cannot keep throwing

because a free health service is totally unviable

money down this vast black hole. Politicians

in the modern world.

There is no more revered institution, and

know this, of course, but dare not say it. This

Well, l will say it: patients need to be charged

is because, while most politicians are used to

to use our health service. Sometimes, to save

grasping political nettles on a daily basis, the

the patient, you have to amputate a limb. And

NHS is more like a giant hogweed; it leaves a

in the case of the NHS, that means discarding

nasty burn on anyone who dares touch it. The

one of its sacred principles: that it should

parliamentary back benches are littered with

be free at the point of delivery. Not for all, of

the corpses of former health ministers. This is

course. Pensioners, low earners and those on benefits should receive free treatment, but if

NHS paid private healthcare firms a record

you are earning £100,000 pa, why should you

£18 million each and every day from the NHS

be entitled to free health care when you are

budget as they tried to privatise it without

quite capable of paying for it? Not only would

anyone noticing. New Department of Health

you receive a far higher level of treatment by

records show that £6.6bn was taken from

paying your way, it would free up the NHS to

NHS coffers to pay private health providers in

deliver a better service to those who can’t pay.

2013/14 - a 50% increase over the previous

We don’t seem to have a problem with free

period. By top-slicing the budget in this way

schools sitting alongside private schools! There

we are not getting value for money. In fact, we

are currently 625,000 UK children in private

are putting patients at risk as they strive to

schools. Imagine if they banned private schools

safeguard profits, which is cash sucked out of

and these children were forced into the state

the NHS system.

system. It would explode at the seams within a month.

58

“Sometimes, to save the patient, you have to amputate a limb.”

Last year it emerged that private providers were being paid to do one in five NHS knee ops,

ANGER MANAGEMENT

“Fortunately, l am not a politician and can say what l like, so here goes.”

“The chattering classes will claim it doesn’t exist, but that’s probably because they enjoy private healthcare.”

claim it doesn’t exist, but that’s probably

their prescriptions as it is cheaper to fly here

because they enjoy private healthcare. Spend

than pay the rate in their countries, even after

the night in any NHS emergency waiting room

factoring in the airfare. We have become a

and you will find a vast number of nationalities

global laughing stock.

among the walking wounded - each receiving free treatment on your and my taxes. Try this in France, Italy or, God forbid, America. The first thing they will ask for is your credit card. Here, we just smile and ask them to take a seat.

There are thousands of foreign people who travel to the UK to receive treatment or top up

The fact is that people don’t play fair anymore. They lie and they cheat. They don’t care if they trample over the weak to reach the front of the queue. Bevan’s NHS was founded in gentler times. Those in charge need to get tough or there will be nothing left to save.

one in six hip operations and one in 10 cataract surgeries. In one case a batch of outsourced cataract operations in Somerset left dozens of patients in severe pain from botched surgery.

The contract was brought to a halt after NHS medics saw a complication rate from the surgery of 10 times the expected amount. So, more expensive, ineffective and damaging.

Surely, our Prime Minster should grow a pair and come out and state the obvious: we cannot maintain the NHS and need to restructure. If you earn over a certain amount you need to pay on a sliding scale and take out insurance as they do in just about every country in the world.

We used to be an empire. We used to rule half the world. Today, we are a very small country with vast delusions of grandeur but are still attempting to maintain some of those empirical delusions.

Then there is the elephant in the room: health tourism. The chattering classes will

59

Direct Debit Processing Donor Development Campaign Planning Marketing Resources

www.charityline.org.uk

Call us on: 0800 368 9701 or email: info@charityline.org.uk

BUSINESS SCENE

THE PLATINUM BUSINESS CLUB BRIGHTON & GATWICK

The Platinum Club enjoyed a rambunctious evening in the splendour of the Grand Hotel in Brighton this month with members old and new and selected guests. For membership details, contact info@platinumbusinessmagazine.com or call 07966 244046

6.

2.

1.

1. David Bywater (Partner, KPMG), Stephanie Kirkley (Brighton Racecourse)

2. Wendy Ryle (Partner, Burt Brill &

7.

Cardens), Iain Lindsay (GM, Mecure Brighton)

3. Faiza Shafeek (JPS Events), Caraline Brown and Lynne East (Midnight Communications)

3.

4. Mark Tulley (Director, Gemini Press), Samantha Wilding (MD, Style & Grace), Alistair Rustemeyer (Partner, McMillan Williams), Gemma King (MD, Vivid Marketing)

5. Robbie Vella (University of

8.

Brighton), Ian Trevett (Director, Platinum Business Magazine)

6. Amanda Menahem (Director, Hastings Direct Insurance),

4.

Richard Pollins (Managing Partner, DMH Stallard), Lee Hills (Partner, Mayo Wynne Baxter)

7. Chris Goodman (CEO, The Focus Group), Gemma King (MD, Vivid Marketing), Maarten Hoffmann (The Platinum Club)

8. Samantha Wilding (MD, Style & Grace), Kevin Duala (Overline)

9. Simon Nicholson (Handelsbanken), Amanda Menahem (Director, Hastings Direct Insurance)

5.

9.

61

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78.5MPG

(COMBINED)

THE MINI COOPER D 5-DOOR HATCH. MONTHLY RENTALS FROM £149 (PLUS £894 INITIAL RENTAL*).

95G/KM CO

2

17% BIK

78.5 MPG (COMBINED)

For more information or to arrange a test drive†, call us on 0800 915 4700 or visit www.vinesgatwickmini.co.uk

Official Fuel Economy Figures for the MINI Range: Urban 27.2-72.4 mpg (10.4-3.9 l/100km). Extra Urban 47.9-91.1 mpg (5.9-3.1 l/100km). Combined 37.7-83.1 mpg (7.5-3.4 l/100km). CO2 Emissions 175-89 g/km.

Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

Vines of Gatwick is a credit broker.

Offer available to business users only. *Price shown for a MINI Cooper D 5-door Hatch excludes VAT at 20% and is for a 36 month Contract Hire agreement with a contract mileage of 30,000 miles and an excess mileage charge of 6.86 pence per mile. Price shown for a MINI Cooper D 5-door Hatch with CHILI and Media Pack excludes VAT at 20% and is for a 36 month Contract Hire agreement with a contract mileage of 30,000 miles and an excess mileage charge of 8.45 pence per mile. Applies to new vehicles ordered between 1 October and 31 December 2015 and registered by 31 March 2016 (subject to availability). At the end of your agreement you must return the vehicle and vehicle condition, excess mileage and other charges may be payable.

Available subject to status to UK residents aged 18 or over. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Terms and conditions apply. Offer may be varied, withdrawn or extended at any time. Hire provided by BMW Group Corporate Finance. BMW Group Corporate Finance is a trading style of Alphabet (GB) Limited, Europa House, Bartley Way, Hook, Hampshire RG27 9UF. †Test drive subject to applicant status and availability.

MINI Business Partnership

MOTORING

MOTORING NEWS PLATINUM CAR OF THE YEAR CAT SALES UP 2015 was a pretty good year for new cars and l got my hands on a few cars that l hadn’t managed to get round to reviewing in 2014.

Surprisingly, my Car of the Year is not new at all.

Unlike most other magazines, l spend a week with every single car l review and my thanks go out to the manufacturers who supply them with such efficiency, at the rate of 40 cars per year. It’s a tough job but somebody has to do it.

This is my Top Ten of 2015: 1. Audi RS6 Avant.

This is a remarkable car - part supercar, part van. An estate that does 0-62 in 3.8seconds and will go onto 185mph whilst hauling the contents of your house gets my vote.

2.

Mercedes SL65 A barnstorming car, built to such high standards as to defy belief and the engine is as sweet as you will ever find. One of the fastest cars of the year.

3.

Jaguar F-Type I have driven all of them now and the 5.0 litre V8 AWD is spectacular and with the AWD, you can drive it properly in the wet with power slides at your fingertips.

4.

Mercedes CLS A bit of a surprise this one as l didn’t really like the look of the early model but this new one has the looks, style and build quality to make it a must have.

5.

Range Rover The perennial favourite that just won’t die. It just seems to get better and better although it has put on so much weight, it is in danger of needing bariatric surgery.

6.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe I was impressed with the 2.0 litre engine so imagine my maniacal grin when l get my hands on the M4. I have driven it on the track but would like to have it on the road.

7.

TESLA S A total game changer. As a died-in-the-wool petrol head l am still taking flack for my raving review of the Tesla - the future of cars, vans, buses, taxis and everything else that currently burns fuel.

8.

Audi SQ5 A proper SUV but without the weight of the Range Rover. The Q7 is too fat making the Q5 pretty much perfect for the task at hand.

9.

Mini A proper British pocket rocket that just made me smile like a Cheshire Cat. Around town, this is in a class of its own.

10. Caterham 270S Barking mad and about as useable as a chocolate tea pot but its just plain fun. The way we all used to drive, by the seat of your pants with no computer aids.

Jaguar Land Rover, the UK’s leading manufacturer of premium luxury vehicles, today reported its best ever November retail sales of 46,547 vehicles, up 27% on November 2014. The company sold 437,512 vehicles in the first eleven months of 2015, 4% up on the same period in the prior year. Retail sales for the month of November were up 70% in the UK, 68% up in Europe, 52% up in North America and 8% up year-on-year in other overseas markets. Retail volumes in China were down 22% for the month, reflecting a slowdown in the Chinese economy.

BMW DEGREE Applications are now being accepted by Oxford Brookes University for an innovative new degree programme which has been developed in partnership with the BMW Group.

The BSc (Hons) Business and Automotive Management is a specialist course within Oxford Brookes University Business School, specifically for those who wish to pursue a career in the automotive sector.

During the four-year programme students will spend their first year of the course studying at Oxford Brookes and the second year studying at OTH Regensburg, Technical University of Applied Sciences, Germany. The third year will be spent in work placement at BMW Group Plant Regensburg and MINI Oxford plant for six months each.

The fourth and final year of study will be at Oxford Brookes.

SUPERCAR HIRE The new H.R. Owen Luxury Hire offers a range of the latest high performance supercars and ultra-luxury saloons for hire in the heart of London Flexibility is key to luxury hire and customers can change cars midway through a hire, request a chauffeur or even ask for the car to be ‘wrapped’ in a different colour. Prices start from £475 per day for a Maserati Quattroporte to £950 per day for a Lamborghini Huracan and £1,500 for a RR Ghost. For more information visit: www.hrowen.co.uk/ luxury-hire or call 020 3699 6612

SALES UP After a fall in October, new car registrations are up 3.8% in November The number of UK car registrations fell for the first time in 43 consecutive months in October, however it seems this was just a blip as November’s numbers are back up and further improved with new car sales rising by 3.8%.

The total number of registrations during the month was 178,876, according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Total figures for the year stand at 2,453,426 - a figure that’s up by 6.2% from this time last year.

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MOTORING

SKODA YETI OUTDOOR Motoring Editor: Maarten Hoffmann

W

ith the help of owners VW, Skoda has roared back to life after decades of cruel jokes and, to be frank, rubbish cars. With the help of German engineering and some clever marketing the marque is now respected and our streets are awash with new Skoda models. With Audi at the top of the VAG tree, and VW in the middle, Skoda represents the budget line and damn good value they are too.

The Yeti is a crossover that sits between a standard hatchback and a full SUV and now they have a 4x4 version and a 2.0 litre engine. If l am honest, l was not looking forward to a week with a Yeti. I tend to review premium cars and when Skoda asked me to review the Yeti, l agreed with considerable reluctance. But l was very pleasantly surprised.

It’s fun to drive, has very precise steering and, with the 2.0 litre turbocharged power plant, is pretty rapid. The cabin is huge and very well laid out but then if you have ever had a VW, you will recognise all the switchgear as there has been little attempt to hide that fact that they nicked the lot from the VW factory. But that’s no bad thing.

It gets a tad jittery and unsettled if you chuck it around but it is surprisingly good off-road and good fun on windy roads. Wind noise is an issue at motorway speeds and the diesel engines disappoint as they are very boomy and cause vibrations in the cabin. The petrol plant is much smoother and with a slick gear shift and precise handling, it can be a hoot to drive.

All models come with stability control, active anti-whiplash head restraints, front, side and curtain airbags and a special one to protect the driver’s knees.

The interior layout is highly adaptable with a variety of positions

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MOTORING TECHNICAL STUFF Model tested: Yeti Outdoor 2.0 TDI 4x4 Engine: 2.0 litre diesel 140 bhp Performance: 0-62mph 9.9 seconds Top Speed: 118 mph Economy: 48.7 mpg combined Price from: £17,000.00

for the seats and the option to take the rear seats out completely for maximum space although you will need to be Arnold Schwarzenegger to accomplish that feat.

For quite a while the Nissan Qashqai has the crossover market all to itself until the Yeti came along and started stealing sales, and rightfully

so. There is a lot to like about the Yeti.

There is a good choice of engines with the 1.2 litre petrol turbocharged unit mated to a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox being the most popular. It’s a great combo - rapid, revvy but quiet and not short on power. It handles better than the Qashqai and as it is not Japanese, it has style and exceptional build quality and when the tarmac runs out, the Yeti will just keep going thanks to the 4x4 system that makes it really agile off-road. But ignore off-road as you will likely never go there but in the rain, sleet and snow the Yeti will just keep going when £100,000 cars are bereft at the roadside awaiting a tow. Ok, you might feel bit of a twit when answering the questions about what car you drive, but then this is not aimed at immature petrol heads like me but at people that just want a car to do what a car should do and in that regard, and at this price, you couldn’t do much better.

I would plump for the 2.0 litre as you get mucho poke and it will haul anything and is great fun at the lights next to larger more expensive cars, when you scorch away and catch sight of the shocked face of the other driver.

It never gets old.

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MOTORING

BMW 4-SERIES GRAN COUPE T

he number 4 is a new one for BMW. It’s really the new 3-Series but wider, four doors and a hatchback. It is also lighter

by 45kg and with a lower centre of gravity and certainly more sporty than the 3-Series and the pillar less doors certainly add a touch of cool. If Audi can get away with the A5 sport coupéhatch, then why not a coupé BMW? This is a very handsome car and the interior is beautifully laid out, with a real handbrake as opposed to the electrical version that is infecting the world these days. Upon settling in, the first thing you notice is the superb seating position. The left arm rest and right rest in the door are perfectly positioned to give you that armchair feel that you want in an automatic and the seats give a cheery welcome to your bottom and hold you very well when cornering.

The dash layout is familiar and the cars iDrive system controls all the basics functions

“The thrill of driving has always been the main reason for buying a BMW and this does not disappoint.”

Motoring Editor: Maarten Hoffmann optional adaptive suspension, ensuring it is even more composed on cornering. It is astonishing when you corner as you really do feel the direction through your wrists and it ensures you are in touch with the car. With so many cars these days there is a slight detachment from the driving experience but not here.

6.5 inch colour screen. Another cool feature is

I hate diesels but then you probably know

the 3D setting on the SatNav that shows you all

that as l bang on about them ad nauseam but l

the buildings as you drive past them. The only

will try to remain objective. The diesel engines

trouble here is that l was constantly looking at the buildings to see if they matched what l was actually driving past.

The thrill of driving has always been the main reason for buying a BMW and this does not disappoint. The handling is superb and well composed, with beautifully weighted steering and finely balanced handling, it inspires confidence and with rear wheel drive, it reminds

in the 4 are a tad clattery when cold but the same can be said for just about every diesel engine out there but it settles down when warm and at cruising speed, you don’t notice it at all. This car is so well insulated that with the windows up you barely notice a thing. With the collective German artistry for building cars, is it beyond the wit of man to create a diesel engine that does not sound like a black cab? Anyway, l digress.

with the addition of the ability to scribble

you of actually driving a car as in the old days.

letters for the SatNav onto the top of the dial,

That’s not to say that you are alone as there is

and after a 120 mile journey, l got out feeling as

which is great when you are trying to re-set

enough computer power in this thing to launch

fresh as a daisy and ready for 120 more. I had

the Nav whilst driving - which of course you

the space shuttle but it doesn’t interfere unless

the 420d M Sport and it is quick enough for most

should never do. The iDrive knob has great

you act like a wally and try to overdrive the car

but l needed more. Flick the gear lever over to

solidity about it and clicks nicely into position

or indeed, your ability. The M could be regarded

the left and you find the Sport mode and this

when you are setting your destination via the

as a tad firm but l would recommend the

changes things considerably. It sharpens

66

Long distance cruising is a breeze in this car

MOTORING

TECHNICAL STUFF Model Tested: 420d M Sport Gran Coupé Engine: 1,995 cc 184 bhp Performance: 0-62mph 7.7 seconds Top Speed: 143mph Economy: 57.6 mpg combined Price from: £30,125.00

everything and releases a few more horses from the paddock

“Long distance cruising is a breeze in this car and after a 120 mile journey, l got out feeling as fresh as a daisy and ready for 120 more.”

and whoosh, you are off down the road. I never drove it again in anything other than Sport and l would venture, neither will you.

There is a good range of engine options and the gearbox is seamless with the Drive Performance Control and if you feel the need to wiggle the paddles, then they are there and are equally seamless. Niggles, well only one really. What a very silly place

Vines of Redhill Vines of Guildford

to put the start button. Tucked up behind the steering wheel which leads to you digging around with your fingers to find the blasted thing but you know how good this car is when that is all l can find to moan about.

The 4-Series is a fine all-rounder that will never disappoint and will re-introduce you to the art of actually driving.

Contact: Dean Eaton T: 0800 915 4700 E: dean@vinescorporate.co.uk W:www.vinesofgatwickbmw.co.uk 67

MOTORING

MEET THE SANDOWN TEAM

Stuart Head – Group Head of Fleet Sales 1.

2.

How long with Mercedes-Benz? 2 years and it has flown by.

A bit of career background? I have enjoyed over 15 years in the industry having started as a multi-marque buyer for Alphabet.

I moved to Renault as their Business Centre Manager and then progressed to Head of Corporate Sales for Fish Brothers looking after 9 franchises. For 3 years prior to joining Sandown, I was Dealer Principal for Fish Brothers Renault and Head of Fleet Corporate Sales.

3.

Interesting fact about you? I love running and usually cover 30 miles a week with my best friend Tilly the dog.

4. Favourite Mercedes-Benz model, and why? C Class C250d Estate AMG Line. Great drive with fantastic looks and specification to match (lives up to the title of a baby S Class) 5. Why do you enjoy working for Mercedes-Benz? Who wouldn’t! The brand oozes quality and style.

stuart.head@sandown-mercedes.co.uk

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MOTORING

www.sandown-group.co.uk

Steve McDonald – Business Development Manager,

Mercedes-Benz of Guildford and Mercedes-Benz of Hindhead

1.

2.

How long with Mercedes-Benz? Just over a week ago so guess that makes me the newest member of the team.

A bit of career background? I have over 20 years motor trade experience concentrating on the business and fleet sectors for the past 7 years with both Mercedes Benz and BMW. 3. Interesting fact about you? I am a fairly decent Spanish speaker.

4. Favourite Mercedes-Benz model, and why? It has to be the new GLC, for its sheer style and practicality.

5. Why do you enjoy working for Mercedes-Benz? Mercedes to me represents stylish elegance with quality and which is reflected in the people I work with.

steve.mcdonald@ sandown-mercedes.co.uk

Lucky Bains-Atwal – Business Development Manager,

Mercedes-Benz of Basingstoke and Mercedes-Benz of Salisbury

1.

2.

3.

How long with Mercedes-Benz? Only 8 months but l am loving it.

A bit of career background? I am relatively new to the Motor Industry with one year at BMW Fleet. My previous roles have all been in sales in different sectors from national newspapers, overseas property, web space. I am, dare I say it, a ‘people person’. I love meeting new people and being in sales is a great way to utilise my people skills.

Interesting fact about you? I once applied for the Apprentice TV show and I have two birthmarks.

4. Favourite Mercedes-Benz model, and why? It has to be the S Class Coupe. It just looks incredible inside and out … just makes you feel amazing and the ground breaking technology and twin lucky.bains-atwal@ supercharged engine is breathtaking. Ours cars have a sense of class sandown-mercedes.co.uk about them which makes being an owner so much more enjoyable.

5. Why do you enjoy working for Mercedes-Benz? One of the best and most famous brands in the world and a great brand attracts great people. I love working at Sandown, we are a great team always here for one another, we are practically family.

Mark Francis - Business Development Manager, Mercedes-Benz of Poole and Mercedes-Benz of Dorchester 1.

2.

3.

How long with Mercedes-Benz? I have been with Sandown Mercedes-Benz for a year and a month.

A bit of career background? I have 15 years experience in the motor trade and my last role was working for a full fleet management company offering multi marque vehicles and specialising in commercial vehicles. Before that I was working in the rental industry.

Interesting fact about you? I used to play roller hockey and ice hockey for Great Britain.

4. Favourite Mercedes-Benz model, and why? My all time favourite model is the C-Class. I feel the build quality and the standard options are far superior to anything else in this size of car in the market and it is an absolute pleasure to drive. I honestly cannot mark.francis@ sandown-mercedes.co.uk find a fault with the car.

5. Why do you enjoy working for Mercedes-Benz? I enjoy working for the brand because it is an honour to work for such a renowned executive car manufacturer and the Mercedes-Benz ethos to customer service is what got me interested in becoming part of the force.

Mercedes-Benz of Poole

Mercedes-Benz of Guildford

Mercedes-Benz of Salisbury

Mercedes-Benz of Hindhead

Mercedes-Benz of Basingstoke

Mercedes-Benz of Dorchester

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CRANLEIGH

LIGHTING UP CRANLEIGH our band of merry volunteers who braved the freezing weather to keep all of the visitors to the event safe and happy.

Our Christmas Lights committee will be meeting in the New Year to start planning the November 2016 event as early as possible, as well as meeting with retailers to get invaluable feedback on which areas of the event we can improve upon next year. We will also be speaking to other local Chambers who host their own Christmas Lights event, with the aim of sharing best practice.

CHAMBER NEWS

C

70

hristmas is already a distant memory but was a very important time of the year for businesses. Retailers experience a dramatic increase in sales when customers buy gifts, decorations and supplies for the holidays. It was important, therefore, that the shopping experience should be as attractive as possible.

Christmas 2015 was the first time that Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce have taken sole responsibility for the Christmas Lights Switch-On event. In previous years, we have worked closely with the Cranleigh Parish Council and their Village Coordinator to make this event happen, but with this role currently vacant, we were happy to step up to the challenge.

Planning for the event started towards the end of the summer with the formation of a committee of Chamber members and volunteers.

We looked closely at what had worked well in previous years and what could be improved, to create a Christmas Lights event designed to entertain families and deliver more custom to our local retailers.

A big part of this project was raising around £10,000 in sponsorship, which was needed to fund the installation and replacement of the lights and the hire of equipment to stage a programme of live entertainment. Sponsorship came from over 50 local businesses and other organisations, with many High Street retailers sponsoring lamp post decorations. There were also road closures to arrange, licences to secure and performers to book.

The day itself turned out to be exceptionally windy and cold. This failed to deter the crowds, with thousands arriving to see rock legend Kenney Jones switch on the lights for the main Christmas tree and along the High Street.

Taking responsibility for an event like this and ensuring it is successful is a real privilege for Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce.

Such a large community event would not be possible without the generosity of sponsors, the entertainers who donated their time and

cranleighbiz.co.uk

CROYDON

YOU CAN NEVER KNOW ENOUGH PEOPLE

by Annabel Fogden, General Manager, Croydon Chamber of Commerce & Industry

I

If you would like to learn more about how we can help your business, please do get in touch with us.

T: +44 (0)20 7556 2390 E: info@croydonchamber.org.uk W: croydonchamber.org.uk

CHAMBER NEWS

’m sure most of us agree: the more people we know, the better! A strong network of contacts is not just about finding clients, but also helps us develop new ideas, access expert advice, share experience and obtain feedback in an informal and helpful way.

Joining a strong local business network will greatly enhance your ability to develop your own personal network, and in a relatively short space of time. Chambers of Commerce are particularly good for this as they typically offer their members regular opportunities to meet.

Consider your Chamber membership one of your key business tools, though; it’s much more than a club. The Croydon Chamber of Commerce supports its members with a range of services and business tools to help them grow. In addition, our annual programme of events offers members many enjoyable and effective ways to meet and develop relationships with other businesses, both formally and informally.

“Through our membership we have built up a strong network of business people who give us advice and support and help us to reach our target markets. We’ve created good brand awareness in South London. We’ve combined business with pleasure at a great range of

useful and enjoyable events”. Carolle Thompson, Commercial Director, ST*R Learning In particular, over 80 members regularly attend our monthly ‘Grapevine Network’. We encourage all new members to schedule it in their diaries, like a business meeting. Members receive the delegate list in advance, which helps them prepare a plan of whom they would like to meet, and the Chamber team is always on hand to facilitate introductions on the day.

“It’s much nicer meeting people in an informal environment and you get access to many people at the same time rather than holding individual meetings. Establishing a relationship with others helps the wheels of business turn around.” Emma Shepherd, Employment Consultant, Croydon Day Opportunities Ltd Let us help you expand your connections in 2016 and make joining Croydon Chamber of Commerce one of your New Year’s resolutions.

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TOURISM AWARDS

THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH 2015 Museum, Wallops Wood Cottages, Solent Forts, The Montagu Arms and The White Hart, Holybourne.

Other notable wins included a double victory for The Feathered Nest in Oxfordshire, crowned Tourism Pub of the Year; Gold for Bletchley Park Trust in the Large Visitor Attraction category; Gold for Eastbourne’s Airbourne Festival, voted Tourism Event of the Year; and Gold for Guildford’s Barnett Hill, which triumphed in the Business Tourism category.

The outstanding accommodation providers of 2015 include South Lodge, an Exclusive Hotel in West Sussex (Gold, Large Hotel); Langshott

T

Manor Hotel, Surrey (Gold, Small Hotel); Molland Manor House,

he tourism elite of South and South East England gathered at Brighton’s iconic Grand Hotel for the Beautiful South Awards 2015 in December.

For tourism businesses across the South and South East of England, the glittering Awards ceremony, sponsored by Shepherd Neame, is the culmination of a successful year and recognises their excellence and commitment to the tourism industry. Established over 20 years ago, the Beautiful South Awards help drive ambition and raise standards throughout the region, rewarding quality, innovation and customer service.

It was a particularly good evening for Berkshire’s Oakley Court Hotel, the only business to walk away with three awards, having won bronze in the Business Tourism, Flavour of the South East Award and Sustainable Tourism categories. Numerous Hampshire businesses celebrated

BUSINESS TOURISM AWARD Sponsored by Shopper Anonymous www.shopperanonymous.co.uk Gold - Barnett Hill, Guildford

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Canterbury (Gold, B&B/Guest Accommodation); Tom’s Eco Lodge, Isle of Wight (Gold, Self-Catering) and Shorefield Country Park, The New Forest (Gold, Holiday Park of the Year).

The winners are now invited to champion the South and South East of England at VisitEngland’s Tourism Excellence Awards taking place during English Tourism Week in March 2016.

Commenting on the awards, Nigel Smith, CEO of Tourism South East said, “It was a fantastic evening at the Grand Hotel and a real privilege to be in the company of so many dedicated and passionate tourism businesses. The excellent quality of facilities, service and approach makes our role of promoting the South East so much easier and is one of the main reasons why we are the most popular UK tourist region outside London.”

The Surrey Winners 2015

Photographs by Paul Fletcher

a double win, including Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery, Mary Rose

TOURISM AWARDS

LARGE HOTEL OF THE YEAR Sponsored by DISCVR www.discvr.agency Bronze - Pennyhill Park, an Exclusive Hotel & Spa, Bagshot

SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR Sponsored by RBS www.rbsbusinessconnections.co.uk Gold - Langshott Manor Hotel, Horley

SMALL VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Studio Republic www.studiorepublic.com Bronze - Haslemere Educational Museum, Haslemere

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CHAMBER EVENTS

DATES FOR THE DIARY For further information go to www.surrey-chambers.co.uk Wednesday 13th January Chamber Connections Guildford Venue: The Mandolay Hotel Member: £14 Non-Member: £22

Thursday 21st January An Introduction to Export Operations Venue: Holiday Inn Shepperton Member: £225 Non-Member: £300

Tuesday 26th January Open 18 Hole Golf Competition Venue: Hankley Common Golf Club Member: £75 Non-Member: £100

Thursday 14th January 1-2-1 Start-Up Business Growth Review Venue: Basepoint Centre Ltd, Camberley Member: Free Non-Member: Free

Thursday 21st January Business Breakfast at The Bulldog Venue: The Bulldog, Ashford Member: £5 Non-Member: £5

Wednesday 27th January Chamber Connections Dorking Venue: Denbies Wine Estate Member: £14 Non-Member: £22

Thursday 14th January Badminton Networking Event Venue: Lightwater Leisure Centre Member: £12 Non-Member: £17

Thursday 21st January Lucozade Powerleague Launch Event Venue: Powerleague Sunbury Member: TBC Non-Member: TBC

Thursday 28th January Chamber Connections Camberley Venue: Camberley Heath Golf Club Member: £14 Non-Member: £22

Tuesday 19th January Reigate Breakfast with Steve Backley OBE: “Success is a Decision Not a Gift” Venue: Reigate Manor Hotel Member: £20 Non-Member: £30

Friday 22nd January High Performance Health Venue: Doubletree by Hilton, Woking Member: £20 Non-Member: £30

Thursday 28th January Your Future Careers Fair (Guildford) Venue: Guildford College Member: Free Non-Member: Free

Wednesday 20 January Your Future Careers Fair Venue: Hinchley Wood School Member: Free Non-Member: Free th

Monday 25th January Members’ Networking Evening Venue: Brooklands Museum Trust Ltd Member: Free Non-Member: £20

Golf in Surrey - North Downs Golf club “North Downs, Woldingham’s historic golf club and only 10 minutes from the M25. Great venue for corporate golf days, client meetings or entertaining, and off-site seminars.

Flexible corporate and personal memberships available. Check out the website www.northdownsgolfclub.co.uk or call 01883 652057 for more details.

Quote ‘Platinum’ for the best terms available.

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E N I Z AGA

M re o m W t E u do N n ďŹ o D t or N

m s o e i A c . p l o e R v c B To order dy@nova-tra email

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SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE www.surrey-chambers.co.uk Have you made any News Year’s resolutions? Why not start by using our amazing 2016 programme of events to increase your network of potential customers and suppliers? Not only can you make those all-important connections to grow your businesses, we have an exciting training programme that will help develop you and your staff. 2016 is the year of growth!

This week we are pleased to welcome Kimberley Quester, our new Events Manager. Kimberley has an extensive background in events and marketing. Kimberley will be responsible for our innovative 2016 programme. Kimberley has a passion for supporting women in business and driving forward the equality agenda as well as being quite the expert on anti-gravity yoga. Kimberley is looking forward to meeting all our members.

Welcome, Kimberley!

We are getting a brilliant response to our request for businesses to join us at seven Your Future Careers fairs that we are running across Surrey between January and March. These events are mainly for young people aged 14-18 to inspire, enthuse and motivate them to think about prospective careers, the employment options available to them and to make the most of their remaining time in education. There will also be some opportunities to meet 19-24 year olds, where the events extend into the evening. The Your Future Careers Fairs project is government-funded and will deliver 250 events through Chambers of Commerce, attracting over 70,000 young people across England and here in Surrey. We are hoping to reach out to at least 3000 young people. We are encouraging businesses to devise a memorable and interactive activity for the young people to get involved in and to bring along any young people already working for their companies so that clear career paths can be demonstrated.

SURREY CHAMBERS MEMBER SAVES THE DAY - 70-FOOT ELM TREE FALLS ONTO FLATS IN HOVE

Y

ou’d be justified in feeling alarmed if seven tonnes of tree fell on your home. This is exactly what happened

on Saturday, 21st November to residents of a five-storey block of flats in Hove.

Brighton and Hove City Council contacted

CHAMBER NEWS

Connick Tree Care as their term arbori-

76

cultural contractor, whom they knew from experience would be able to tackle this unusual situation.

When Keith Hunter, General Manager at

from the flats. The tree was then manoeuvred and lowered onto the road, where we could process the trunk and branches. The operation was fairly complex to arrange and took a lot of thoughtful planning. Once everything

Connick Tree Care, arrived on site, he could

was in

see that the residents had actually been

place

relatively fortunate. Keith said, “Although

the actual

the Elm was approximately 70 ft tall and

cutting, crane

around seven tonnes in weight, none of the

lift and processing

branches actually shattered any windows.”

was fairly quick and

After a period of planning and some expert assistance from Coussens Crane Hire, a Connick Tree Care team returned to site on Tuesday to remove the leaning elm. In order to position all the equipment required for the task, Nizells Avenue was

straightforward.”

Keith concluded, “This incident was an unusual occurrence, and people should not be daunted by large trees adjacent to their properties. However, tree

closed and residents were asked to vacate

owners should remember to have their

their flats.

trees inspected by a professional arborist

Keith explained: “A 160-tonne crane was used to lift the entire leaning tree clear

on a regular basis.”

www.connicktreecare.co.uk

SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

SURREY CHAMBERS SEEK ‘RISING STARS’ FOR TOP BUSINESSWOMEN LIST

S

urrey Chambers Business Women in Surrey (BWiS) is calling for nominations for its 2016 Business Women in Surrey list.

Following on from the huge success of the inaugural 2015

businesswomen across the county, with all those on the list nominated and voted for by friends, family and colleagues.

Nominations are now open and Surrey business people are invited

Business Women in Surrey Top 50 list, BWiS has launched its 2016

to publicly thank and promote the younger women they feel have

campaign with the focus this year on the county’s younger (aged

made a significant and worthwhile contribution to their local business

under 30) businesswomen.

community.

The ‘Rising Stars’ Young Business Women in Surrey 2016 list will highlight the impressive and varied talent prevalent in young Farnham castle

Louise Punter, Chief Executive, Surrey Chambers of Commerce, says: “We want to celebrate everything good that is happening across the Surrey business world, thanks to the younger businesswomen of today, so we’re reaching out to you to nominate those you believe deserve recognition for all that they do.”

Success can be defined in a multitude of ways, so nominations from all walks of life are welcome. From young entrepreneurs, mentors, business owners, innovative and forward-thinking staff, and those who relentlessly give back to the community.

Nominations must be submitted by 29 January, 2016 via the BWiS website. Voting will then open on 1 February to create the final Young Business Women in Surrey 2016 list. The winners will be announced on 8 March, 2016 at the annual BWiS flagship event in celebration of International Women’s Day. So don’t delay – nominate today!

PIONEERING CULTURAL SKILLS PROGRAMME ACCELERATES SMES’ DRIVE FOR GLOBAL GROWTH

A

ground-breaking programme to turbocharge exporting success for SMEs by equipping them with critical cultural awareness skills is being launched in February 2016.

Delivered by global inter-cultural specialist Farnham Castle

and Surrey University, the workshop entitled Developing a Global Mindset – Cultural Awareness in Business equips businesses with

Surrey Chambers of Commerce on this key project to help SMEs to develop an awareness of common communication

an understanding of culture and communication across linguistic

pitfalls along with an

and cultural boundaries and dimensions and provides solutions to

appreciation of their own

help boost relationships with critical audiences.

strengths and weaknesses

The need for the initiative was sparked by cutting-edge research conducted by Surrey University and the Surrey Chambers of Commerce, which identified that SMEs who export goods to nonEnglish speaking countries can encounter difficulties in developing effective strategies for communicating with customers and suppliers.

The first course takes place on February 5 at Arcom IT, Export

when communicating across linguistic and cultural boundaries.”

Gustavo Aranda

Dr Doris Dippold, Lecturer in Communication Studies and German at Surrey University, commented: “Our research

House, Cawsey Way, Woking and runs from 10am-4pm. It costs

reinforced that while face-to-face business communications is

£395, plus VAT, and a limited number of places are available.

often conducted in English, missed nuance and poor awareness

Gustavo Aranda, Business Development Manager at Farnham Castle, said: “Cultural misunderstandings can often lead to costly mistakes - and even business failures. The importance of

of linguistic and cultural diversity can lead to confusion and, even worse, loss of business. It established a myriad of communications

understanding how business is conducted and learning how to avoid

problems besetting SMEs when trading globally and we have

often irrecoverable situations has never been greater.

developed a robust learning package of proactive strategies to

“We are proud to collaborate with Surrey University and the

remedy them.”

77

DINING OUT

THE CHILTERN FIREHOUSE

By Amanda Menahem

L

ondon is the best city in the world. Sorry but it is. Where else can you get such a fabulous combination of grandeur,

instructed me to review a London restaurant

be seen (this in itself is a reason to hate it)

for the magazine, easy I thought. I have a

frequented by celebrities and those that wanted

mental bank of numerous restaurant visits

to spot them. I am clearly neither (now don’t

culture and history sitting so beautifully with

(I have a freakish memory for nearly every

get me wrong, if David Beckham happened to

the glistening, modern. Throw in funky, diverse,

restaurant meal I’ve ever had, except for the

be there at the same time as me, I wouldn’t

eclectic, exciting and vibrant and you might

really really boozy ones).

complain), and went having heard about the chef

start to capture the essence of the place. Now of course Brighton is my true beloved, after all it’s my home but I don’t feel disloyal in loving London like I do. Brighton understands. He knows that he can’t fully compete and wants me to be happy. He knows l would never leave, but I can’t help but crave my monthly visits. As soon as I go over that bridge, I get that buzz.

You know the one I mean.

And of course as a foodie, I can’t think of a better centre for gastronomy. So when Maarten

78

My most recent visit was a fourth return to The Chiltern Firehouse. I love the place. Much has been written about it, both good and bad. It attracted a lot of attention when it first opened and quickly became one of those places to

“The sort of thing you intend to have just one bite of but just have to finish the lot. ”

Nuno Mendes – the highly regarded American based chef and this his first UK venture with Andre Balazs, the hotelier responsible for the famous LA institution Château Marmont. A massive PR campaign included photos of his signature crab filled doughnuts all over social media. I had to have them.

Firstly, the hotel that houses the restaurant is absolutely beautiful. A converted fire station dating back to 1889 that was one of the first purpose built fire stations in London.

DINING OU T

A Victorian Gothic beauty that has been

ingredients, well combined, cooked and

season but usually involve some type of

skilfully transformed into a deeply glamorous

presented. The menu choices allow you to

greens, the minerality of which provides a good

environment with a colonial feel, and yet very

balance your meal well with plenty of lighter

counterbalance for the rich and creamy meat.

modern. The building alone, a mix of old with

starters to accompany more hearty mains. This

Confit garlic was undercooked and therefore

new, represents exactly what I love about

is surprisingly uncommon. I toyed with the hay

too overpowering. My two friends had glazed

London. The bar area is comfortable, elegant

-roasted squab with cornbread, walnut mole

duck with Jerusalem artichoke, pickled Asian

and luxurious without feeling too ‘posh’. Lots

and yoghurt but as I’d had my fill of cornbread

pear and a lamb dish with purple potato

of carpet, cushions and gilt – like a wonderful

I thought I’d better order something different.

living room. This is a place to feel at ease.

anchovy and sprout tops (tasted better than it

On this occasion I chose burata, leek hearts,

sounds). All three dishes were beautiful to look

The bar staff are delightful and annoyingly beautiful, the women in strapless pink ‘jump suits’ and the men dressed in tailored cream.

The cocktail list is innovative and they stock a reasonable selection of gin. There is an enchanting all year terrace with twinkly lights amongst beautiful foliage.

The restaurant has a slightly more industrial

at but not in a pretentious way and thankfully

“After two cocktails, champagne and sinking a very good bottle of red, I cant quite remember which red it was! ”

plenty on the plate. A side of maple bourbon sweet potato was very American; sweet and creamy, delicious.

The wine list is extensive with plenty of good value options. After two cocktails, champagne and sinking a very good bottle of red, I cant quite remember which red it was! But I do

look in a good way. It’s huge and therefore instils a sense of grandeur. The ambience

chestnuts and Wiltshire truffle (If there’s a

recall it was a very drinkable Grenache Syrah

is relaxed and buzzy. The menu is quite

truffle to be had i’ll have it). This wasn’t the

for under £40.

distinctive. A mix of gourmet comfort food (the

best burata I have had. It should be absolutely

Service is efficient and yet unhurried and

crab doughnuts, bacon cornbread with maple

oozing and creamy. This was slightly dry, a

although there are time slots for tables, our

butter as ‘nibbles’) and elegant plates plus a

bit like the end cut as if they were running

meal ended naturally within the slot without

weekly changing seasonal menu. I ordered the

out, however the dish was pleasant and well

us feeling rushed. All in all a highly enjoyable

comfort food of course. The crab doughnuts

dressed with excellent olive oil. For my main

evening and not a celebrity in sight.

were a disappointment. A tiny light bun, a

I chose Iberico pork.

little dry with barely any crab. I have had these

This is one of their

on every occasion of my visits and they have

signature dishes

always underwhelmed. However this is more

and I have had this

than made up for by the bacon cornbread. This

on a previous visit

sounds ordinary but it isn’t. The flavour and

because it’s a rare

texture combination of the bread (more cake

find. Iberico pork is a

like in texture than bread) with the butter was

fantastic piece of meat

incredibly addictive. The sort of thing you intend

if cooked well – a nice

to have just one bite of but just HAVE to finish

char on the outside

the lot.

and pink within. This

On all my visits I have found the starters

was exactly that. The

delightful. The style of food is interesting,

accompaniments

elegant simplicity – not more than a few

change with the

79

SECRET SURREY

THE BARD OF GUILDFORD The Guildford Shakespeare Company is a Surrey success story. By Hannah Monkcom

I

n 2006, two Guildford-based actors, Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches, had an idea: “To create a company that, in a time when we

Shakespeare is already accessible; it just needs

anniversary. Together with leading industry

to be presented well, thoughtfully and with

artists, they have produced 27 home-grown,

respect. The choice of the setting for the play

dynamic and inspiring productions that have

seem to be dumbing down art and promoting

may be the 1960s or the 1860s, 1950s Italy

been seen by 62,000 audience members.

uninspiring celebrity culture, will produce

or 18th-century Verona... the setting serves to

In the last 12 months alone, GSC have staged

Shakespeare that is exciting, engaging and

communicate the story and its themes to the

140 live performances and created 87 jobs.

accessible, whilst remaining faithful to the

audience. For GSC, the setting is also dictated

Some of their best achievements have been

original works. Shakespeare is not exclusive or

by the venue we are performing in. As a site-

staging King Lear, with the mighty Brian

old-fashioned, and we have made it Guildford

responsive theatre company, working in non-

Blessed, commissioning three original

Shakespeare Company’s (GSC) passion to prove

theatre venues, we can extenuate the venues’

adaptations (The Canterbury Tales, The Wind in

it.” (from the GSC Mission Statement)

unique features, making them part of the

the Willows, Alice in Wonderland) and engaging

play and making the world of the characters

a grand total of 2,392 people, young and old, in

financially prudent whilst successfully

come alive for the audience, who are instantly

workshops and events.

developing the company from an initial

transported to Juliet’s Verona or Prospero’s

Their belief is that live theatre has the power

turnover of £15,303 in 2006 to a turnover of

island.

to bring communities together, not only to

Co-Founders Sarah and Matt have been

£320,920 in 2014, with a predicted turnover

“Shakespeare’s plays were written with

experience great performances, but also for

of £400,000 in 2015. All this has been

the acknowledgement that the audience

participants to share each other’s stories, lives

achieved with no core funding nor borough or

were present and part of the action, and GSC

and thoughts. When that collective experience

county council subsidy. I spoke to Matt about

encourages that experience. These elements

all happens locally, an added layer of pride is

their success and asked what he meant by

are what we would say helps make the plays

infused. Therefore, another key objective from

“accessible” Shakespeare. He said, “’Accessible

more tangible and ‘accessible’.”

their Mission Statement back in 2006 was

Shakespeare’ is often a misleading term.

80

This year, GSC is celebrating its tenth

to create a theatre company that was at the

SECRET SURREY

“Shakespeare is already accessible; it just needs to be presented well, thoughtfully and with respect.” centre of the community it served:

seating and the like, and we have been blessed

“Having watched and been part of a great many

with the venues we have worked with in the

theatre productions over the past 8 years, we

last 10 years. Their trust and support have

feel Guildford is missing a golden opportunity,

enabled us to transform and show off their

and with the help and support of local people

venues to thousands of new visitors.”

and businesses, there is no reason for this

Over the next three years, GSC will be

venture not to become a successful annual

working to consolidate their strengths and

event.”

remain niche rather than run the risk of

So, as a site-responsive theatre company,

over-expanding. Their focus will be to remain

GSC’s use of found spaces, local landmarks,

Guildford-centric, with the ultimate goal of

heritage sites and vacant buildings has helped

promoting Guildford as a desired theatre

to develop and nurture community interest in these sites, both culturally and economically.

In 2015, GSC has attracted thousands of new visitors to venues such as St Mary’s Church, Watts Gallery, Guildford Museum, and the Castle Keep. This invites individuals to be more explorative of their town whilst encouraging pride in their community. GSC’s presence also supports improvements to venues through continued, varied use, helping to sustain Guildford’s cultural heritage.

Matt tells me, “We are forever on the look-out for new venues for the productions - both vacant and those that are in use everyday and we love it when people give us leads on new places. We do actively look for venues, both indoors and outdoors, but they do need certain facilities: electricity supply, room for 200 audience members and parking. We’re

destination. The key factor in making this happen will be for GSC to find a permanent home for its expanding administrative requirements, creative output, education work, and storage, whilst providing the company with a fixed public presence. By having its own exclusive premises, the company will be able to reinforce its status as a valuable, local, high-quality arts and education provider, and as a model of performance and production excellence, recognised within the performing arts industry. By establishing a more efficient, creative working environment, GSC will broaden cultural engagement and generate more opportunities.

GSC currently has three full-time employees and two part-time staff. In 2015 they also created 312 volunteer opportunities and employed 87 professional artists. A board of six Trustees governs the theatre company, which is

very used to transforming non-theatre spaces

also a registered charity.

into theatre venues, bringing to the site, toilets,

However, the Co-Founders are still the driving force behind GSC and are constantly pushing the boundaries, not only of what two people can achieve, but also of audiences’ expectations, whilst at the same time helping realise the ambitions of the artists they work with.

A very fun example is The Wind in the Willows: the Director and Designer wanted to make use of the woodland area opposite the main Watts Gallery site and use a real car for Mr. Toad to drive away in. On top of the daily management duties of procuring funding, publicity, casting, artistic development, sponsorship, website maintenance, ticketing and HR, the Producers worked with the Gallery to arrange the clearance of the woodlands and steps to be built into the grass banks to ensure safe access, a project that the Gallery had been keen to implement for some time. They also organised the loan of a 1927 vintage Humber motorcar for the duration of the performance!

The next 10 years is about developing GSC’s artistic excellence to nurture the audiences and artists of tomorrow. The next priority will be working to find a permanent home for GSC’s expanding administrative requirements, creative output, education work, and storage.

Obtaining exclusive use of a building will give the company a fixed public presence, and to do this they will be launching a major fundraising campaign in 2016.

To begin their 10-year anniversary The Winter’s Tale will be showing from 8th-27th of February in the newly restored Holy Trinity Church on Guildford High Street. A play of contrasts - young and old, fantasy and reality, winter and summer - Tale will take audiences from the power and majesty of Victorian England to the vibrancy and colour of India.

Tickets start from £18 and are available online or by calling the box office on 01483 304384.

81

INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2016 DAVID SEALL CEng FRAeS MiMMM MIoD David is the Regional Chairman of IoD South. He is a former Chair of IoD Surrey and is an experienced Non-Executive Director. He is retained by DMH Stallard LLP as their Strategic Adviser Manufacturing www.davidseall.co.uk ∕ www.dmhstallard.com

T

have helped us connect to new and upcoming

inadequate broadband speeds, London centric

businesses and influence policy makers on

radial rail networks and a poorly integrated

their behalf. This includes creating a “sharing

road network. This all exacerbates the effects

economy” personal tax allowance of up to £10k.

of a dangerous shortage of affordable housing

implications for BIS with cuts to expenditure

We will be pressing for improvements in UK/EU

near places of work.

and re-organising and new priorities for

productivity and competitiveness beyond the

services and changes to funding. We still

referendum and maximizing the opportunity to

a Governmental decision on airport expansion,

wait to see what will happen to UKTI and the

promote reform and achievable advancement

something IoD has lobbied on with great energy

Business Growth Service including the Growth

of the business agenda.

for some time. I think the growing concern to

he political scene at the moment seems to have been tipped upside down with confusion aplenty in Westminster.

The recent spending review had big

Accelerator and Manufacturing Advisory Service, which have been helpful for start ups and manufacturing SMEs. I know many in Surrey are involved with this service both as customers and accredited advisors.

At the IoD the Regional and Branch Chairs recently reviewed the national policy programme for 2015 and set priorities for 2016. The policy team will be focusing on several key areas to influence government

“One of the major hurdles to business growth in the South East is the creaking infrastructure that adds to business costs and holds back productivity improvements. ”

By the time you read this we may have had

business isn’t over where the extra capacity will be located but just that it has to happen for us to remain internationally competitive.

In the South East we are actively supporting Crossrail 2 as it’s clear that Waterloo is already creaking at the seams. The scheme will provide much need extra capacity particularly if it is extended to Woking or even Guildford.

Imagine a travelling in to London at peak hours from Guildford and having a seat? Of

IoD has for some time now prioritised a

course the project will provide much needed

simplification of the tax system, including the

transport infrastructure to North London to

of our activities. Some members will have

abolition of National Insurance and removal

aid regeneration. One only has to travel to

noticed our focus on promoting and fostering

of so called “stealth taxes”. We will also be

East London to Stratford to see what decent

wealth creation and accumulation along with

campaigning for reducing the burden of

infrastructure can do to aid regeneration.

entrepreneurship. We have been actively

existing regulation, making regulation fit the

Finally, some of you will have read about

investigating the effect of new “disruptive”

new industries that are emerging and making

my passion for good governance. During 2016

technologies on existing business sectors.

sure that regulations are not “gold plated” and

IoD will continue to lobby for good governance,

Those that attended the “game changers”

over-implemented.

increased Board diversity and encourage

policy to the advantage of members.

Of course the economy is always a focus

IoD Convention of 2014 will have heard from

Of course, one of the major hurdles

women entrepreneurs. We will be encouraging

companies such as Uber and Buzzfeed and

to business growth in the South East is

fund managers to take a longer term outlook.

how they are destabilising established sectors

the creaking infrastructure that adds to

We will also publish our Good Governance

and improving customer choice. Schemes

business costs and holds back productivity

Index to identify top businesses with exemplary

such as the “IoD 99” for young entrepreneurs

improvements. This is still prevalent with

performance and those showing poor practice.

82

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