Business & Innovation Magazine - Issue 05 January 2018

WE REVEAL THE TALENT 2018

INTERVIEWS: EDF Energy, Metrasens & Dame Janet Trotter

Editor-in-Chief

Nicky Godding Tel: 07966 510401 nicky.godding@nkmedia.co.uk

Commercial Director

Kirsty Muir Tel: 07971 912020 kirsty.muir@nkmedia.co.uk

Customer services enquiries@nkmedia.co.uk

Accounts accounts@nkmedia.co.uk

Magazine Design

Brace Creative www.brace.co.uk

Magazine Printers Severnprint Ltd www.severnprint.co.uk

Chief Photographer: Rob Lacey www.roblaceyphotographer.co.uk

We’re kick-starting 2018 by looking forward.

Our Talent feature reveals the people we think could be the future of business across the region. We called for nominations back in November and we’ve been thrilled with the response.

What delights me is the number of younger entrepreneurs already successfully running their own businesses – some turning over millions of pounds. Their confidence is fantastic, and gutsy. Some left school at 16, others 18 or after university. There doesn’t seem to be a particular pattern other than they wanted to face the world on their terms.

Having said that, working for a big business at the beginning of your career can be hugely beneficial – not least because you can make mistakes while someone else is paying you. More seriously, taking advantage of well-organised training and development programmes provided by established employers will be of benefit.

One sector which has always had to be entrepreneurial is farming. In a major feature, we look at how rural business owners are successfully diversifying.

We face another year of political uncertainty. However, regional businesses are looking on the bright side. In or out of Europe, there’s money to be made and work to be done.

Always look on the bright side of life.

Business & Innovation Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine published by NK Media Ltd. Our readers are business owners, senior executives, key influencers, entrepreneurs, innovators and those working in further and higher education, and government departments. Any opinions expressed by those quoted in this magazine are their own and do not necessarily represent or reflect those of Business & Innovation Magazine, or of NK Media Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form of advertising or promotion without the written permission of the Editor-in-Chief or Commercial Director.

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P15 REGIONAL ROUNDUP

SPOTLIGHT ON CYBER

P67

P48 THE TALENT

P10

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

SPOTLIGHT ON SKILLS

P71

P6 IN THE HEADLINES

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE

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TOAD EXPERIENCE OXFORDSHIRE WELCOMES

Oxford’s latest attraction, The Oxford Artisan Distillery (TOAD), welcomed Experience Oxfordshire, the county’s destination management organisation, for a business networking event.

Tom Nicholson, TOAD’s Founder and CEO, said: “It was marvellous to welcome Experience Oxfordshire and their partners to TOAD. It was a great opportunity for us to showcase our product and are grateful to them for supporting us.”

Tom was born in Jericho, Oxford, and lives on a barge on the River Thames

close to where he was born. He comes from a family that has been involved in the wine and whisky business in Scotland for generations. Following a career in the music industry, where he established a successful recording studio business in London, he returned to Oxford to set up TOAD.

Hayley Beer-Gamage, Experience

Oxfordshire’s Chief Executive, said: “We were delighted to work with TOAD on this event. Their story and product is an inspirational one and is a great new asset to Oxfordshire. This is an exciting time

for the county, with the recent opening of TOAD as a new visitor attraction, complementing the new development at Bicester Village and the opening of Westgate Oxford.”

Cyber security company is picture perfect

TOAD is Oxford’s first distillery, distilling craft gin, vodka and rye whiskey in bespoke stills at its site on the edge of the city centre. Locally sourced, using populations of ancient heritage grain, TOAD launched in July 2017 and has achieved over £134,000 revenue so far. The business raised over £1.26 million to fund its launch and is currently seeking to raise a further £750,000 on Crowdcube to fund further expansion. In the headline s

A Cheltenham-based cyber security startup, which raised over £1.5 million last year through its investors, is now valued at over £11 million.

PixelPin solves an increasingly annoying problem of remembering online passwords, in favour of logging on using a picture.

It offers secure, visual authentication which works across all devices. PixelPin’s founders, Brian Taylor (who invented it) and Geoff Anderson (CEO), have over 30 years of experience in managing complex systems in the defence and security markets. Luke Briner, the company’s

Chief Technical Operator, has ‘white hat’ hacker pedigree (for the uninitiated: white hats have a company’s authorisation to hack into its systems and evaluate their security, ‘black hats’ hack with malicious or criminal intent).

The company has its HQ in Cheltenham, with offices in London and New York.

It works by uploading a picture, choosing four points on it, and that’s your login. Locally, PixelPin has collaborated with Gloucestershire’s Local Enterprise Partnership and the county’s Growth Hub which are now using the system. The way we think about a picture is

different for everyone and while one person might think they are picking obvious points in a photograph, few select the same. Geoff explains: “We used a photograph of an Italian lake and invited thousands of people to pick four points on the photograph. We counted over 700 different spots on the image.”

PixelPin is aimed at making businesses online presence more secure, and must be integrated onto a company’s site.

The business launched in 2012 and received early grant funding from Wayra, the Telefonica start-up accelerator. InnovateUK has implemented the system,

Experience Oxfordshire business event at TOAD

Battery-powered rail commuting could start in 2018

In the headlines

Vivarail, based at Stratford-uponAvon, is on track to be the first UK manufacturer to build production battery trains. It predicts that ibattery trains ready for service can be delivered from early 2018.

Following an Innovate UK grant last summer, Vivarail began more mainline testing for its battery-powered Class 230 D-Trains on the Cotswold Line between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh.

The train’s modular engine means the company can build a diesel train and then convert it to become an electric or battery powered when the time is right.

Adrian Shooter, CEO, said “When I set up Vivarail four years ago it was to provide a low cost, high quality train for the UK’s growing rail market. Battery trains are not new. However, the batteries of today offer so much more in terms of reliability, range, safety and environmental benefits. They also provide an alternative to electrification.”

Jutexpo celebrates 65 million bags sold

In the headlines

Broadway-based Jutexpo has celebrated its 15th Anniversary by revealing it’s sold an incredible 65 million jute bags

The firm, which says it serves more than 80% of the UK market, was formed by father and son Barrie and Sam Turner after they spotted a gap in the market for reusable bags to minimise plastic bag usage.

Barrie spent time in India researching the jute fabric and its production process, enabling them to supply sustainable, high quality bags made of a strong, ethically-produced alternative.

before the English plastic bag tax was introduced to 8.5 million in the year of the bag tax and 7 million a year since.

Sam Turner, compliance director of Jutexpo, said: “A jute bag replaces the need for as many as 624 disposable plastic bags over its four-year lifespan.

“This fully sustainable alternative has reduced demand for single use plastic bags by over six billion, with all the environmental benefits which go with that.

and Tixcraft, the biggest ticketing company in Taiwan with over one million users, also has it.

Credit monitoring company Equifax (which recently admitted that almost 700,000 UK consumers had their personal details accessed following a cyber-attack), is also engaging with PixelPin.

What began as a business based in Barrie’s Worcestershire home, has developed into an eco-friendly bag company with customers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, National Trust and the Royal British Legion.

Its production now includes Juco, an increasingly popular finer weave made up of a blend of 75% jute and 25% cotton.

Reusable jute bags have helped reduced demand for plastic bags by more than six billion since the introduction of the tax on single-use plastic carriers in England in 2015.

The company’s jute bag production rose from 5.5 million bags per year

“But that is only part of the story. Our ethical production is fundamental to the integrity of our bags and we are proud to be leading the market with our standards.”

Geoff Anderson, CEO Pixelpin

Sales of reusable jute Poppy bags, supplied by Jute Expo at a reduced cost, have raised £1 million for The Royal British Legion.

In

Work begins on Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology

In

Work has begun on a new undergraduate village at Dyson’s Institute of Engineering and Technology in Malmesbury.

Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science, visited to see the latest addition to Dyson’s 56-acre technology campus. The village will provide accommodation for Dyson’s undergraduate engineers as well as a library, café, screening room and shop.

Dyson expects to invest £31.5 million in the Institute. The undergraduate engineers work towards a Bachelor of Engineering Degree awarded by the University of Warwick, while working in Dyson’s Global Engineering Team on real engineering projects, three days a week during term time, full time outside of term. Dyson pays all tuition fees during the four-year degree and the undergraduates earn a salary of £15,500 per annum.

Over 850 students applied for 25 places in its first year.Twenty seven per cent of the current undergraduate engineers at Dyson are female, compared to the UK average of 16% (40% of Dyson people are female globally). In the next cohort, Dyson hopes for a male-female spilt closer to 50%. Applications are currently open for entry in September 2018.

Sir James Dyson said: “My attitude has always been to take on high-potential young graduates, give them

“The Dyson Institute is a brilliant example of a new, innovative and high-quality provider that has taken advantage of the government’s reforms to offer something genuinely exciting.”

immediate responsibility and mentor them through.”

Jo Johnson added: “The Dyson Institute is a brilliant example of a new, innovative and high-quality provider that has taken advantage of the government’s reforms to offer something genuinely exciting.”

Dyson currently employs 3,600 people in the UK, half of which are engineers and scientists. The campus now includes 129 laboratories, seven cafés, a one-mile long nature walk and design icons including a harrier jump jet, cut-in-half mini and the oldest working Whittle Jet engine.

Further company expansion will be accommodated at the 750-acre campus at Hullavington Airfield, where Dyson is restoring the historic aircraft hangars, the first of which will be ready for occupation in early 2018.

Get a woman on board

In the headlines

New research revealed by education and training specialists, theknowledgeacademy.com, identifies a powerful gender dynamic which plays out in seed crowdfunding. Analysing over 450,000 seed crowdfunding campaigns across the globe, it has been found women-led campaigns achieve their funding target more often than male-led campaigns.

Campaigns led by women globally in 2015/16 were 32% more successful. Sectors where women outperform men most are hospitality and leisure, entertainment and media, digital technology and other, including life sciences and social enterprise.

UK sharing economy fastest growing in Europe

In the headlines

The UK’s sharing economy is the fastest growing in Europe, according to the new trade body Sharing Economy UK (SEUK).

In the last year, participation in the sharing economy has grown by 60%, making this a £7 billion a year industry.

Around 11% of the population (over five million people) are already providers in the sharing economy, taking part via platforms to sell crafts, rent out space wand vehicles to earn occasional extra income. The industry is forecast to be worth £140 billion a year by 2025.

SEUK was launched in March 2015 following a Government-commissioned independent review written by Debbie Wosskow OBE, founder of Love Home Swap. In March 2017, Sharing Economy UK began collaboration with the CBI, the UK’s most influential business organisation.

“The country has committed to remove carbon emissions, but we must keep security of supply and climate change in balance.”

TO THE PEOPLE POWER

Keeping the lights on, building a skilled, diverse workforce and showcasing the UK’s nuclear expertise are top of the agenda for EDF Energy’s Brian Cowell

By Nicky Godding

More nuclear power plants for the UK

EDF Energy is the UK’s largest producer of low carbon energy, the UK’s biggest electricity producer, and the largest electricity supplier to British businesses.

EDF Energy’s UK headquarters, and 2,000 of its over 6,500 employees, are based at Barnwood, Gloucester and since September 2017, its Managing Director of Generation has been Brian Cowell.

EDF Energy operates all eight UK nuclear power plants. It’s currently building the £19 billion nuclear plant at Hinkley Point C, which will provide 25,000 job opportunities and 1,000 apprenticeships. “The technology of using fission to generate heat to generate steam is simple and it is beyond any doubt that the project will be successful and will provide 7% of the UK’s power,” says Brian.

However, nuclear is only a part of EDF’s energy generation, the business also operates 36 UK wind farms, a gas station, two coal-fired stations, two gas storage sites and is building the UK’s largest battery storage site, at West Burton, Nottinghamshire.

Nuclear power is controversial. It’s also expensive, perceived by some as dangerous and vocal renewable energy activists would have us believe that all we need to keep the lights on is wind, wave, sun and as yet not fully tested new sources of generation such as tidal lagoon power.

But with UK energy demand predicted to rise 20% by 2030, the incontrovertible fact is that without nuclear power, the lights would go out. Nuclear will remain a fundamental part of this country’s energy mix for the foreseeable future.

EDF Energy’s safety record is impressive, and is an overriding priority for the company. So strongly does it feel that it’s had the sentiment carved in stone outside its Barnwood HQ, and is keen to widen public awareness of its nuclear track record and capabilities.

Spreading the word

In his previous role as EDF Energy’s Director of Nuclear Operations, Brian began reopening the company’s nuclear sites visitor centres.

“I came into the industry in 1977. Then we were told that we were all providing a wonderful service without which society cannot function. That sentiment has stuck with me and I think of my fantastic team here at Barnwood as providing a great service to the UK. However, like many government services, we can’t necessarily rely on public understanding of what we do and how we do it.”

The UK’s nuclear visitor centres were closed after 9/11. Since reopening in 2013, they’ve welcomed half a million visitors. “The visitor centres encourage people to become more familiar with the technology and less afraid of it,” says Brian. “For me, it’s also about countering negative arguments from the green lobby. We are not secretive – I’ll even let you stand on a nuclear reactor’s pile cap.”

Hinkley Point C nuclear power station is the first new nuclear plant to be built in the UK for a generation, and there are plans for more. EDF Energy is hoping to build another at Sizewell, Suffolk and Bradwell in Essex. Other power providers also have ambitions. NuGen, owned by Toshiba, is hoping to build a nuclear plant in West Cumbria and Horizon Nuclear Power, owned by Hitachi Ltd, has plans for a plant in North Wales.

While there is ongoing debate as to the final cost to the consumer of energy generated by Hinkley Point C, the capital cost of the development is being met by EDF Group and its Chinese investors. As more nuclear power stations are built, the cost of energy should drop, says EDF Energy. The price negotiated with the UK government reflected the market conditions at the time and EDF Energy accepts that future new nuclear will have to be more competitive.

Battery powered Britain

EDF Energy is constructing Europe’s biggest battery storage site. It will have 49 megawatts of storage at West Burton, Nottinghamshire and be part of a new 200 MW enhanced frequency response system to balance the UK grid. The facility will be up and running in early 2018.

The site will hold 54,000 battery cells, each roughly the size of a briefcase. With the growth in renewable generation and the closure of large power plants, battery storage technology supports the national grid network. The technology can be used to respond quickly to fluctuations in the electricity grid for when the wind isn’t blowing enough or too much, or when the sun isn’t shining.

EDF Energy

Hinkley Point C water cooling pipes

Public surveys show support for nuclear remaining largely flat over the last 20 years, despite hard lobbying against, (more than 50% of people would be content to see new nuclear power stations replacing current ones at the end of life), but opposition remains.

“All I want is to ensure an honest, emotionless debate about securing energy supplies for the UK,” says Brian.

“The country has committed to remove carbon emissions, but we must keep security of supply and climate change in balance.”

Brian is well qualified to argue for nuclear. He started working for the SSEB (South of Scotland Electricity Board) in 1977 as an apprentice, moving into nuclear where he’s built a long and successful career.

In the mid-1990s the government privatised the UK’s nuclear power plants. The SSEB and Central Electricity Genertion Board (CEGB) became British Energy, which was bought by the Frenchowned EDF Group in 2009.

Last October Brian, who lives with his wife Gillian at Winchcombe, was honoured by the World Association of Nuclear Operators for promoting excellence in the safe operation of commercial nuclear power.

Extending power station life

Built in the 1960s and 70s, the UK’s nuclear power stations are reaching the end of their lives. However, research and innovation by the boffins at Barnwood is keeping them active for as long as it is safe and commercially viable to do so.

“We have a massive database telling us how different plants, systems and components behave within their operating cycle,” says Brian. “We identify single point vulnerabilities and eradicate them by intervening early. We are now seeing over 90% reliability in our plants, which is fantastic, but we continue to push for even greater achievements.”

What will take the nuclear power stations offline is the integrity of their graphite core: each has 6,000 graphite blocks wrapped up in a huge steel enclosure. EDF Energy monitors the graphite cores constantly. “We predict that the older stations will come offline in the mid 2020s,” explains Brian. “We are very, very conservative and what will take them offline is any safety margin erosion. Think of a cup of coffee in the middle of a large table. There is a huge margin of safety before it could fall off. We would never let the cup get anywhere near the edge of the table.”

Building careers at EDF Energy

When Brian began working as an apprentice, only 20% of young people went to university, and he did his degree later.

This democratic approach to recruitment has continued within the company. While there are over 240 people who have PhDs working at Barnwood, the company also employs over 200 apprentices.

“The great thing about this industry is that you can come in as an apprentice or graduate, and over the years you will decide for yourself where your career can take you,” says Brian. “You could be the best maintenance technician in the UK, with a

great work-life balance. Or you might want to follow a more academic route.

“We are also very good at allowing people to find a position within the company which suits their strengths, work-life preferences and family circumstances.”

Out of EDF’s latest crop of graduating apprentices, 35% are female, the highest proportion it’s ever achieved, but Brian wants more. Currently just one in five people working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is female. EDF Energy’s campaign, ‘Pretty Curious’, aims to inspire teenage girls to imagine a

EDF Energy supports local community initiatives, including the Cheltenham Science Festival, which takes place every June, and a very active ‘adopt a school’ programme run by young EDF Energy professionals who create links between schools and the company. Its Barnwood team has also developed a close relationship with the National Star College at Cheltenham, and has piloted the hugely successful ‘Steps into Work’ programme that helps young adults with disabilities into work.

Last year EDF Energy reported record-breaking safety and operational performance, but there is no complacency. “Our biggest drive is to make sure they remain safe and it’s economic to keep running these power stations for as long as they can provide a service to the UK.”

future in the sector. Currently over 50,000 young people have attended an EDF Energy ‘Pretty Curious’ event.

“I used to say that life is a meritocracy and if you’re good you’ll get on,” says Brian.

“But I have come to realise that it’s a meritocracy only if everyone has the same role models, opportunities and their career is not impacted by taking time off for family. We have to make it a level playing field by finding ways to accommodate different preferences not only for women, but for all our workforce. We want to let people play to their strengths.”

Getting involved in the local community

EDF Energy

EDF Energy

Brace yourselves as local digital agency evolves….

Gloucester based award winning digital agency Brobuild, who have been in business for over 10 years, are delighted to announce the re-brand of their company under the new name of Brace.

Over the years their team has grown in strength and numbers, with experts in branding, graphic design, SEO, PPC and social media marketing.

In the beginning, Brobuild was the perfect name; brothers, who build websites. It couldn’t be more straight-forward than that. As times have changed so have they. Brace are a powerful design, marketing and web agency, offering businesses a complete creative solution, with family remaining at the centre of who they are.

Brobuild and Brace: different words, same meaning.

We asked the team at Brace about their rebrand and new name: “To us Brace means support, strength and also family.

We are so proud of the business we have created and built over the last 10 years that we wanted to put the Bracey family name to it. All artists sign their work. Signing your name holds you responsible,

and signing our family name even more so.

We want to stamp our seal of approval over everything which leaves our studio’s doors. The Brace logo and signature is a symbol of authenticity, originality and exceptional quality.”

Forming, strengthening and supporting meaningful relationships…

• Building meaningful relationships

• Empowering individuality

• Creating bespoke solutions

“A ‘brace’ is something which provides support and strength. We believe in the power of supportive relationships. People

do business with people, and building strong relationships is always the first step. We listen and partner with our clients rather than analyse and tell. The service we provide is an ongoing conversation, allowing us to create bespoke products that truly reflect your business and brand, which we value as highly as our own.

Many of our clients are local Gloucestershire businesses. We help them thrive through transforming their online and offline presence, by building meaningful relationships and connections with each other and their customers. This connection between us, businesses, and the local community is represented in the linked ‘ac’ of our new logo.”

Success by design

“Whether you require, digital marketing, bespoke web development, branding, graphic design or print, we have an expert ready to work with you. In 2018, we invite you to work with us as our new brand.”

“To us Brace means support, strength and also family.”

Nick Bracey, Managing Director, Brace

Brace Creative Agency , Directors Nick and Mitch Bracey

Regional Round Up

The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) welcomed Julian Dunkerton, Founder of global fashion phenomenon Superdry, to speak to students during Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Julian talked about how the iconic brand was born and the way in which his portfolio of businesses has developed (the Soho Coffee Company, Cult Clothing, Massive Records, Dowdeswell Estates, Dowdeswell Park, Dunkertons Cider and Cotswold hotel group The Lucky Onion). He also talked about the personal rewards gained from ‘being in control of your own destiny’.

Julian also emphasised the importance of loving what you do, never chasing money for money’s sake, self-discipline, thinking long-term, and keeping up with

developments. One key message was the importance of finding a gap in the market and always considering the consumer perspective.

Julian discussed how he plans to make Dowdeswell Park – a 210-acre site just outside Cheltenham, home to an organic food market and activities designed to promote a connection with nature.

His love of Gloucestershire, the architecture, and its surroundings was evident when he spoke about Dowdeswell Estates. Here building contractors undertake construction projects, including renovations of historic buildings, public and community structures, and commercial developments.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE REGIONAL ROUND UP PSU Wins Techtronic Contract

Regional Round Up

Cheltenham-based PSU Technology Group has won a two-year contract to supply 160 business mobiles to Techtronic Industries (TTI).

TTI is the global company behind household names such as Vax, Dirt Devil, Ryobi, AEG and Hoover. The new mobiles are being supplied to TTI’s UK headquarters in Marlow.

As a worldwide business, international calls and data are particularly important to TTI. This was previously costing the Marlow office a significant amount of money, with regular and significant international overspends due to a lack of controls or alerting mechanisms in place to manage costs.

PSU found a better tariff better suited to TTI’s requirements, and has set up automatic alerts and barring to prevent excess usage and allow monitoring and cost control.

Lorne Fry, PSU’s Head of Mobile, said: “We’re delighted to have secured the contract to provide TTI’s mobiles.

“We’re pleased to have been able to create a package to reduce their costs and make their mobiles work better for them.”

County business owners feel positive for future

Regional Round Up

Gloucestershire business owners are feeling more positive about their future prospects, despite on-going Brexit concerns.

That was the finding of a seminar poll taken by the Cheltenham office of national audit, tax and advisory firm Crowe Clark Whitehill, when businesses gathered to discuss the issues at its postBudget review event, held at Hatherley

Manor Hotel, Gloucester. According to the findings, 43% of business owners in the region felt positive about their future, with only 5% feeling negative.

Partner Chris Mould said: “While nearly a quarter of business owners said they felt nervous about the future, 29% said they were carrying on with their operations

as usual, without thinking too far ahead.”

The UK’s relationship with the EU, post Brexit is a concern for 38% of business owners, with 24% seeing productivity as one of the major challenges in the next five years.

Other concerns highlighted in the poll included digitalisation, securing funding and infrastructure.

Fashion meets farming as Superdry’s Dunkerton visits RAU

Julian Dunkerton, Superdry at the Royal Agricultural University

SWIG Finance passes £10 million of start-up loans

Regional company SWIG Finance has passed the £10 million milestone for loans given to new businesses around the South West under the government’s Start Up Loans scheme.

The organisation, which has offices in Bristol and Truro with local fund managers around the South West, has provided 89 loans in Gloucestershire worth £698,000.

Among them are Max Shaw and Chris Capewell, co-directors of independent menswear retailer Union Project, based in Montpellier.

The pair received an £18,000 loan from SWIG in 2013, contributing to the majority of their £25,000 start-up costs.

Fairford and Lechlade celebrate business

The Fairford & Lechlade Business Club (FLBC) will celebrate 11 years of Business Awards in January.

The Awards Dinner will be held at Cotswold Hoburne, South Cerney on Saturday 27th January with compere, BBC Radio Gloucestershire breakfast show presenter, Mark Cummings.

Headline Awards sponsor is once again, The Lakes by yoo, a 850-acre holiday home development between Fairford and Lechlade.

Four years later, the business is profitable and looking to upscale to new premises closer to the town centre.

Max said: “Without the SWIG Start Up Loans initiative I don’t know where we’d have been able to source our funding from. We never got close to receiving any money from a bank because we are in retail.”

Sarah Osborn, Fund Manager for SWIG Finance in Gloucestershire, said: “Start Up Loans are a key part of the government’s strategy to encourage entrepreneurship in the UK, increase the rate of business creation and improve survival prospects. It provides the right support at the right time and is a fantastic scheme to be part of.”

SmartSurvey wins contract with GMC

SmartSurvey, the Tewkesbury-based provider of digital survey solutions, has won a three-year contract to supply survey and consultation software to the General Medical Council (GMC).

An independent organisation, the GMC is the official register of medical practitioners in the UK. It collects information about the medical profession and the organisations

where doctors practise and train. GMC research, collected via online surveys, helps ensure that policies and decisions are based on evidence.

Paul Buckley, GMC Director of Strategy and Communication, said: “The GMC has thousands of stakeholders. We can only be effective by listening and involving them in our

GBE in Paradise, Birmingham

Gloucester-based GBE Fire and Security has been appointed to design, supply, install and commission the fire, public address, disabled alarms, CCTV, access control and gas suppression systems to One Chamberlain Square, part of the Paradise development scheme in Birmingham, currently one of the most important city centre developments in the UK outside London.

The project will begin this month and is scheduled to complete in December 2018.

Regional Round Up

Regional Round Up

Regional Round Up

Sarah Osborn, SWIG Finance with The Union Project Ltd, Chris Capewell (left) and Max Shaw (right)

work. SmartSurvey’s user-friendly surveys and consultation platform will transform the way that we engage with doctors, patients and employers.”

Cheltenham based firm Converge continues to expand

The company was originally established in 1982 and since the current owner and MD, Martyn Smith bought Converge in 2008, it has enjoyed continuous growth and success. Last year alone saw growth of 45% and the company is on the lookout for more inspirational talent to join its growing team.

Converge have recently undertaken several very successful and high-profile projects, with clients including EDF Hinkley Point C, GlaxoSmithKline, Lucozade Ribena, Adey & Robert Welch and demand doesn’t show signs of slowing up.

“We are really excited to have such prestigious opportunities, which enables us to expand our fantastic technical team. These opportunities offer a wealth of possibilities for people with a passion for IT to work for an ever-evolving company, to develop their technical knowledge, working in partnership with our customers in multiple sectors.”

Martyn Smith, Managing Director

Converge’s Top 10 Tips for GDPR

Converge are an experienced and forward-thinking IT infrastructure, support and cabling company, providing excellent services across the UK

Ahead of the new data protection regulations coming into force this May, Converge has developed their recommended ‘Top 10 Tips’ to help businesses ensure they are ready for GDPR…

Promote Awareness

The regulation comes into effect on 25 May 2018 and compliance is mandatory from this date. Therefore, it is crucial that all employees are aware of GDPR.

Identify Your Legal Basis for Holding or Processing Personal Data

A firm grasp of your legal basis for holding or processing personal data is necessary to effectively audit the compliance of your current data and processes.

Carry Out a Data Audit

All businesses need to determine what personal data they currently hold, where such information has originated from, and with whom it is shared.

Train Staff

To minimize the likelihood of a data breach it is crucial to ensure all staff are adequately trained.

Keep Records

Keep written records to evidence accountability.

Review and Update Policies and Privacy Notices

Employers will need to review and likely update their existing Privacy Notices, Terms & Conditions and policies to ensure compliance.

Be clear on Consent

An ‘opt in’ approach must replace the often use ‘opt out’ tick box

The Right to Erasure

The new data subject rights include the right to erasure (Article 17), and the right to ‘data portability’ (Article 20). It must be as easy for an individual to ‘be forgotten’ as it is to ‘Opt In’.

Converge’s successful partnership with GBE Fire and Security, in 2016, has further produced even more diverse opportunities for both companies which include The Quadram Institute, Gas Holder Triplets, Prima Dental & Solent Stevedores. The future is very promising for GBE Converge.

Anyone interested in working for Converge should visit their website, in the first instance www.converge.co.uk

Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA)

DPIAs will be mandatory when planning a new initiative, particularly if that involves new technologies and if it involves ‘high risk’ data processing activities.

Regularly Check for Updates and Advice

The ICO publish monthly updates on their website www.ico.org.uk and we would recommend that you to check this on a regular basis for up to date guidance. Small businesses (under 250 employees) are also able to seek free advice from the ICO by calling 0303 123 1113

For IT security support and advice please visit www.converge.co.uk

Converge’s Latest Recruits Tom Hale and Natalie Kelland

Converge’s rapid growth over past 3 years sparks major recruitment drive…

Cheltenham BIDS for growth

In 2015, Cheltenham voted to establish a Business Improvement District (BID). Supported by Government, BIDs are business-led partnerships created through a ballot process to deliver additional services to local businesses.

Former journalist and editor Kevan Blackadder was appointed Director of the Cheltenham Business Improvement District (BID).

“We were the first BID in Gloucestershire and our vision is to make Cheltenham a more vibrant and prosperous town, where businesses flourish, and visitor numbers increase,” he said.

Six hundred businesses make up the BID in the town centre and last year voted 72% in favour to pay a levy equivalent to 1.25% of their ratable value to help boost the town centre.

“That is generating around £450,000 per year – or £2.1 million over five years. We have to spend that money well or, when we ballot again in 2021, they will have every right to kick us out.”

Kevan is supported by operations manager Belinda Hunt, three part-time Ambassadors and a volunteer board, made up of businesses from independent retailers to nightclubs.

“We’ve successfully arranged discounted bus travel with Stagecoach for staff of

town companies, introduced a scheme to save businesses thousands of pounds on utility bills, and run events including the first Cheltenham Cocktail Week, an independent boutique sale and a chilli fiesta.

“We also support major events. Without the BID, the Tour of Britain may not have come to town, Cheltenham Jazz Festival’s aroundtown venture may not have gone ahead and the Midsummer Fiesta in Montpellier Gardens would have struggled financially.”

Plans are afoot to brighten up February by lighting up landmark buildings across the town. Other initiatives include a Beauty Week, and food & drink tours.

Town launches new marketing operation

Cheltenham has launched a new organisation to help raise the profile of the town as a visitor destination.

Marketing Cheltenham has been established by Cheltenham Borough Council, in partnership with Cheltenham BID and Cheltenham Tourism Partnership, and appointed destination marketer Kelly Ballard to lead the strategic initiatives.

Tourism is currently worth over £154 million to the Cheltenham economy, including big-ticket events such as the racing meets and the Cheltenham Festivals. Marketing Cheltenham has an ambitious target to significantly increase tourism value, capitalising on its year-round appeal.

Gloucester bolsters special relationship

Twelve cities, including Gloucester, have won a VisitEngland £500,000 grant to develop experiences directed at the US tourism market. ‘Connections’ will produce a series of English-themed visitor experiences specifically for the American market, encouraging visitors to explore England beyond London.

There were 2.9 million overseas visits to the UK from January to July last year from North America alone, an increase of 21% on last year.

Jason Smith, CEO of Marketing Gloucester said: “This funding will have a huge impact on tourism for Gloucester from the USA market, and will help build on the phenomenal growth the city has shown over the last five years.”

“Our vision is to make Cheltenham a more vibrant and prosperous town, where businesses flourish, and visitor numbers increase.”

As one of the largest and most successful regional Colleges in the country, SGS pride themselves on responding to the needs of employers across Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, Bristol and the wider West of England region.

SGS College is well placed to service the training needs of businesses, ensuring employers have a workforce that can deliver growth. At the core of the College is delivering skills training and qualification programmes that really work. The College offers a range of professional training programmes and Higher Apprenticeships which can support CPD requirements for managerial and technical staff, plus bespoke training solutions can be tailored to specific business needs.

What is Business Solutions @ SGS?

Business Solutions is the employer training department of SGS College, working with organisations across the region including Milestones Trust, Ministry of Defence, and South Gloucestershire and Bristol Councils.

Made up of 5 key areas to deliver, Apprenticeships, Training, Recruitment, Funding and Commercial Solutions, the SGS business team have an excellent reputation for delivering work-based programmes and apprenticeships.

Procurement, Teaching Assistants, Teacher Training, Human Resources, plus many more.

Why choose SGS for your training needs?

With campuses in Stroud, Bristol, Stoke Gifford, Filton, and Berkeley Green, SGS is one of the largest and fastest growing Colleges in the South West. Over 1000 employers in a vast range of sectors have already benefited from working with SGS for recruitment, training and business performance solutions.

With a team of experienced and passionate staff, that have all spent time in the sectors they support, the College works directly with companies in the region to ensure training is targeted towards specific business improvements.

The SGS team are proud and committed to making the College the best it can be so to find out how they can help your business get in touch today.

Professional and Financial Services is an established department within SGS College delivering a wide range of parttime qualifications suited to various business functions. The College deliver a variety of part-time, industry recognised qualifications in subject areas such as Management, Professional, Finance,

“Our dedicated team will work with you to discuss the training and qualifications most suited to all levels of your organisation, and will identify funding opportunities when available”

Patrick McLeod, Curriculum Director Apprenticeships & Employer Responsive

SGS College - one of the largest and fastest growing colleges in the South West, building on needs of the regions employers

Following the Colleges last Ofsted, South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS) were commended for their approach to employability and preparing learners for the workforce, ensuring their pivotal role in developing the skills of the workforce in the region.

Royal Box Directors’ Breakfast at Cheltenham Racecourse

Senior business leaders from across the region joined us for the very first business event ever to be held inside The Royal Box at Cheltenham Racecourse.

Located in the new Princess Royal Stand with its panoramic views across the racecourse and Cleeve Hill, this exclusive setting brought together regional directors to share their business issues and experience.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rob Lacey

Rob Freeman from Malvern Tyres with Mark Hartery from Aitch and Aitch Bee Events

Mark Crowther and Mark Horwood from Kiwa UK Group

Rob Meyrick from Ontic BAA Aviation with Andrew Bennion from Advanced Insulation

Chris Allen from Campden BRI with David Carter from E G Carter

Alun Jones from Prima Dental with Jason Buttle of GBE Fire & Security and Martyn Smith of Converge

The Princess Royal Stand, Cheltenham Racecourse

Richard Austin from Crowe Clark Whitehill with Donna Williams from Sanctuary Housing Group

Lindsey Young from Clarkson Evans with Peter Evans from Barnwood Group

The Royal Box, The Princess Royal Stand, Cheltenham Racecourse

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Aynsley Damery from Tayabali Tomlin with George Tatham-Losh from Move Sales & Lettings and Robert Gomes from Albright IP

Simon Tothill from Robert Hitchins with Steve Hewett from Gymshark and Nicky Godding from Business & Innovation Magazine

John Workman from BPE with Dorian Wragg from Bruton Knowles

Stephen Thomas from Harrison Clark Rickerbys with Nigel Jobson from Superdry

Andrew Peters-Smith from Axonex with Stephen Roscoe from Grundon

Peter Evans from Barnwood Group with Matthew Foxton-Duffy from Cheltenham Racecourse, Lindsey Young of Clarkson Evans and Kirsty Muir from Business & Innovation Magazine

Aynsley Damery from Tayabali Tomlin with Paul Nurdon from Brewin Dolphin

Justin Wateridge from Steppes Travel and Graham Hillier from Tidal Lagoon

Matthew Rymer from Happerley Limited with Lee Moulson from Cheltenham Racecourse

REAL WORLD SCIENCE DRIVES GLOBAL SUCCESS

Some scientists thrive on theoretical research. Others put research to work. The world needs both. Metrasens’ science saves lives. We talk to CEO Dr Simon Goodyear.

By Nicky Godding

Metrasens is a Queen’s Award for Exportwinning company which makes detection systems for medical facilities, prisons and to support anti-terror strategies. Its innovations can detect the tiniest scrap of ferrous metal on, or inside, a human body. Why this is important will soon become clear.

Most of the Malvern-based company’s sales are to hospital MRI facilities where its detection systems are saving lives, and to detect illegal contraband in prisons. It’s now expanding into other markets, including anti-terror.

Deadly magnetic attraction

It’s easy to forget that MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging - and the potential that has for dangerous accidents. MRI scanners have such powerful magnets that any loose or unidentified ferrous metal will be drawn forcefully towards the magnet when it’s switched on. But install Metrasen’s Ferroguard system at the MRI facility’s entrance and a warning light will flash when anything containing ferrous metal, however small, crosses the threshold.

Every year across the world there are deaths and injuries to people in MRI facilities who forget this basic physics. One death in particular gave birth to the product.

CEO and Metrasens’ co-founder, Simon Goodyear, explains. “In 2001 one of our co-founders, Dr Mark Keene, was in San Diego attending a land mine conference. Returning to the hotel he switched on CNN. A six-year-old child, Michael Colombini, had been killed while undergoing a brain scan. His oxygen had run out and the MRI technnologists had temporarily left the MRI room unguarded. The agitated anesthetist was calling out ‘I need oxygen’. A passing

nurse thought she was helping when she grabbed an oxygen cylinder and dashed into the room. The powerful magnetic forces pulled the steel MRI-unsafe cylinder out of her hands and it went flying across the room at around 40 miles an hour in a violent spin. It hit the little boy, killing him. “Mark knew we could have stopped that happening and the idea for our Ferroguard product was born.”

magnetics with QinetiQ, and in 2005 they set up Metrasens.

“There are 27,000 MRI scanners in the world. While the number of deaths is small, the number of incidents is huge. It is a well-defined market which, for a start-up business is quite attractive, and we could see huge future potential to expand into the security market,” explains Simon.

Angel investment kick-starts growth

For two years the founders invested their own money into building prototypes and engaging with the investment community, all from Simon’s garage and spare room.

At the time Mark and Simon were working at QinetiQ in Malvern with their other co-founder, Matt Wooliscroft. Then it was called The Royal Signals Radar Establishment and undertook fundamental research to support the UK military.

Simon, a physicist, was in the magnetics team making equipment for land and sea mine detection systems, and submarine tracking, but spent much of his time there researching and submitting papers to the MOD.

They discussed the Colombini case and knew they had the solution to an underreported but massive global problem. Simon took out a license agreement for some of the work the team had done on

He was also commuting to the USA to secure interest in the product from the world’s largest MRI scanner market.

The project won £250,000 angel investment from Worcestershire investment group, The Claret Club, supported by West Midlands Advantage Business Angels, and the team also secured grants of around £100,000. This enabled the business, which had already secured orders from the USA, to establish itself properly. In 2007 the business moved into Malvern Science Park on favourable start-up terms.

“Our business angels liked the fact that we were already selling our product when they invested,” explains Simon.

Putting science to work to save and protect people is the story behind Metrasens

“Our business angels liked the fact that we were already selling our product when they invested”

Metrasens Metrasens

The company’s first sale was to the Cardiff brain imaging Cubric Centre. Its second was to CalTech, a big research university in California.

By 2010 the company had secured over half a million pounds in sales, which attracted venture capital investment from Octopus Ventures. Annual turnover is now over £10 million, representing a phenomenal 90% year-on-year growth.

For Simon, this is just the start. “Eighty per cent of our sales are in the US. But we will be a global company. The MRI market is 50% US, 50% the rest of the world. The security market, where we are now very active, is 50/50, possibly more outside the US.”

Metrasens has focused on building its business in North America (Simon moved his family to Chicago three years’ ago to grow the business in its biggest potential market), but the heart of the company will always remain in Malvern where the fundamental research takes place.

The company also manufactures in Malvern, and that’s also not going to change in the foreseeable future, he says.

“Our USA subsidiary, Metrasens Inc, employs around 30 people and we will soon have 45 in the UK. Last year we manufactured around 2,000 products,” says Simon.

“We are a high quality, high value product. Quality and performance are key to our sales proposition, so full production control is core to our business, and that stays in the United Kingdom.”

Making the world a safer place

Metrasens

MRI safety was Metrasens’ first product, and its ferromagnetic metal detectors are installed in front of MRI facilities and associated changing rooms all over the world. Across the UK there are just 50 Metrasens systems being used in a country with 450 MRI systems, but the company’s product has secured widespread adoption across the USA, the Middle East and Asia.

Making prisons safer

The company’s second product, Cellsense, detects illegal mobile phones in prisons. It is now deployed in all UK prisons, and a large proportion of USA state prisons.

Cellsense can detect mobile phones, weapons and drug paraphernalia. “Most contraband in prison will have some element of ferrous material in which our system can detect,” explains Simon. “All prisons have fixed checkpoints, but prisoners have plenty of time to work out how to get around them. Our detection systems can be set up in seconds, anywhere.”

Conventional security systems are not infallible, and iPhones are mostly non metallic and glass. Added to that are the lengths prisoners will go to in concealment. Contraband can be secreted in bodily orifices, and cellphones are available the size of a keyfob. “One facility at Sun Valley in California found over 100 mobile phones in one day using our systems,” says Simon. “Two weeks later at another prison they found a further 47. We have given the prison system a tool to protect not only prison officers, but prisoners too, because they use contraband against each other.”

Subtle surveillance

Metrasens is also gaining attention from the mental health profession after an incident closer to home.

Simon explains: “I understand a patient staying in a Gloucester mental health day facility was told he was going to be

moved somewhere else. He didn’t want to go, so went out and bought a knife. He returned and stabbed the first member of staff he came across. The nurse died. The head of security trialled our system, comparing it to traditional archway and hand-held metal detectors, to help stop people smuggling in weapons for potential attacks, and also to combat self-harming.”

The Metrasens system detected 100% of illegal items. Existing hand-held detectors, even in the hands of trained people, detected 5% or fewer.

Metrasens equipment is now deployed in around 30 UK mental health facilities and has been launched into the US market. “It also helps maintain patient dignity,” says Simon. “The last thing they want to do when they go in and out of the facility is to undergo airport-style security. Our solution is more subtle, it can even be covert.”

Preventing terror and cyber-attacks

Metrasens is helping protect data centres globally and is about to launch a product which could help prevent devastating ‘loan wolf’ attacks seen in Europe, such as at the Manchester Arena bombing, and in the USA.

It sounds almost too good to be true. “Our system will screen up to 50 people a minute without disruption. It’s had a real impact in North America and we are exploring this technology with the UK government as well.”

The system will allow people carrying normal objects to walk by, but people with long weapons or suicide belts will be detected.

Metrasens offers hugely effective security protection. But Simon says it’s just one layer. “X-ray, milimetre wave and other technologies could be used in conjunction with ours. It’s about looking at the risk and if ferrous metals are a risk (and they very often are) then you should deploy our products.

“We will continue to use solutions from science and physics to make the world a safer place.”

REGIONAL ROUND UP WORCESTERSHIRE

Fancy Dress goes worldwide

Fancy Dress Worldwide continues to grow with the recent acquisition of a 14,000 sq ft unit in the centre of Worcester, and support from Worcestershire Business Central.

The Worcester-based online company was founded by Dom Portman in March 2016 (see our Talent feature in this magazine). After a few years operating a student and fancy-dress brand called Fancy Fresher, Dom Portman decided to take the company global.

The business now trades with around 230,000 customers in more than 55 countries, and has recently moved into its new central Worcester premises.

Business Growth Hub Manager at Worcestershire Business Central, Kevin Aisbitt, met the business last summer and referred it to relevant governmentsupported programmes that could help it grow.

Fancy Dress Worldwide has received a Worcester City Council Growth Grant worth £3,000 to support with warehouse racking, and now employs six apprentices.

One apprentice has been promoted to marketing manager, and another has begun developing custom application software for the Fancy Dress Worldwide website.

Clearaway expands thanks to bank funding

A Droitwich-based recycling and waste management firm is investing in its fleet with funding support from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. Clearaway, established in 2013, provides recycling and waste collection services to businesses across Worcestershire and the West Midlands including schools, manufacturers and retailers.

The company currently performs approximately 250,000 collections every year. A £110,000 hire purchase facility from the bank allowed Clearaway to spread payments over an agreed term for the new vehicle, which will allow the business to carry out 30 more collections every week and expand its customer base.

New media training centre launches

A new media centre has opened in Worcester. The Blackpole-based centre has been launched by communications consultancy Chris Green Media (CGM).

It will host training courses, programmes, clubs and events designed to teach people and businesses to communicate better and is also the home of CGM’s PR, creative and publishing services.

Managing Partner Chris Green said: “We’ve run media training courses for several years but wanted our own purpose-built, media-themed venue.

“The centre has all the equipment needed for media and communications training. These include screens, presentation equipment, recording and playback facilities.”

An additional £250,000 funding from the bank will fund the purchase of two more vehicles in early 2018, as part of the company’s plans to replace its existing fleet with new, low pollution models that are more fuel efficient.

Andrew Gibson, Director at Clearaway, said: “The investment in our fleet will help us to accelerate our growth over the coming months and years, as well as become more sustainable with fuel-efficient vehicles that cause less pollution.

Ian Littleford, Regional Manager at Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance, said: “It’s great to see Clearaway flying the flag for Worcestershire and investing in its growth, despite these uncertain times.”

Delegates can also tune into national TV and radio programmes made by members of the CGM team and view a history of broadcast equipment.

James Faithfull (Lloyds Bank), Calvin Williams (Clearaway), Andrew Gibson (Clearaway), Ian Littleford (Lloyds Bank)

Regional Round Up

Chris and Teresa Green at the new media training centre

Broadband Airband scoops awards

Worcester-based broadband firm Airband scooped the Fastest Growing Family Business accolade at the Midlands Family Business Awards.

Airband director Red Peel was also highly commended for the Entrepreneur of the Year award.

The Fastest Growing Business award reflects Airband’s strong and sustained growth, while maintaining its family values.

Founded in 2009, by husband-and-wife team Red and Miranda Peel, Airband has become one of the leading suppliers of wireless broadband in the UK, specialising in delivering superfast broadband to rural and hard-to-reach areas.

In the last two years, Airband has been awarded four large projects, totalling £23 million, supplying broadband to a contracted 34,000 homes and businesses. Airband’s extended network spans Worcestershire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Powys, Warwickshire, North and South Wales, Devon and Somerset.

The company’s workforce has doubled in the last two years, from 18 employees in 2015 to its current 48.

The firm’s expansion has been via government-led infrastructure projects and smaller independent community-led

projects. As infill partner for Superfast Cymru, it continues to extend its network in Wales.

Turnover has increased from £1.5 million in 2015 to £3.8 million in 2016, and forecasts for turnover and growth suggest it will continue to rise substantially over the next three to five years.

“It feels wonderful to have the hard work and dedication of our team recognised in these awards,” said Airband director, Red Peel.

Charlotte Perkins, Managing Director of The Wilson Organisation and founder of the Midlands Family Business Awards said:

“Our ‘Fastest Growing Family Business panel’ was particularly impressed with Airband’s ability to maintain core family values while demonstrating strong and sustained growth.”

Sweet success for chocolatier

Black Forest Chocolates, based at Redditch, which only launched in September last year, has teamed up with Droitwich-based garden and lifestyle centre, Webbs of Wychbold.

The hand-made chocolates are now on sale in the retailer’s food hall.

After 20 years working in restaurants and hotels, owner Clayton James learned his chocolate-making skills last year. His Black Forest Chocolates contain no additives or preservatives.

Worcestershire LEP conference pulls in the crowds

Over 300 people attended the annual Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) conference at Chateau Impney, Droitwich, in December. The Conference was hosted by BBC Midlands Today’s presenter, Mary Rhodes.

Keynote speaker, technology expert Dave Coplin, discussed the potential that technology offers inside and out of work, and tackled some of the concerns increasingly being voiced about Artificial Intelligence (or ‘Automatic Intelligence’, as he referred to it).

“It’s not about humans versus machines,” he said. “It’s about humans plus machines.” Referring to worries on wide-spread job losses when AI is adopted by more businesses, he disagreed. AI won’t stop job creation, he said. It would just change the job roles available.

Regional Round Up

Regional Round Up

“Our Fastest Growing Family Business panel were particularly impressed with Airband’s ability to maintain their core family values while demonstrating strong and sustained growth.”

Regional Round Up

Airband director, Red Peel (left) picks up award for Fastest Growing Family Business at the Midlands Family Business Awards

Work begins on £30 million clean transport lab

Regional Round Up

Work has begun on a clean transport lab on Coventry University’s Technology Park, heralding the start of a £30 million collaboration between the university and German-based international engineering service provider FEV.

The new low carbon technology centre is being built next door to the university’s recently-launched £7 million National Transport Design Centre (NTDC), creating a cluster of transport-focused research and development facilities on the Technology Park.

Activity in the centre will focus on testing and improving performance and emissions on a range of different powertrain concepts, including

hybridized, electric, conventional and alternative fuel propulsion systems.

Vice-chancellor Professor John Latham said: “This new centre represents another boost to the university’s and the city’s rich portfolio of transport research and development activities.”

Pressmark reports £2 millon sales boost

Regional Round Up

An Atherstone-based metal-forming specialist is celebrating a major transformation in fortunes with a sales boost, just one year after a Management Buy-In (MBI) was completed.

Pressmark Pressings, which provides high volume components for automotive manufacturers, was bought by management team Alan Gardner, John Nollett and Les Wilkins in July 2016 after they spotted an opportunity to turn

around one of the sector’s most underrecognised businesses.

Backed by their own cash injection and funding from ABN AMRO and Cambridge and Counties Bank, the trio put in place a number of new processes.

These have seen it secure more than £2 million of additional contracts to supply pressed parts and sub-assemblies in new models for Honda and Nissan.

REGIONAL ROUND UP WARWICKSHIRE

£5 million investment to reduce carbon emissions

A £5 million investment by a recycling and waste management company in Warwickshire should lead to massive reductions in carbon emissions.

Fortress Recycling and Resource Management on the Heathcote Industrial Estate in Warwick is the first company to receive a £100,000 grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme following introductions by the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub.

The business, run by brothers David, Robert and Andrew Pass, has invested £5 million in a materials processing facility which means paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and aluminium cans can be sorted and recycled.

Twenty new jobs have been created and the new equipment will also lead to cost savings in the disposal costs of materials which the business couldn’t previously recycle.

David Pass said: “This plant is now one of the most advanced material recovery centres in the UK. We recycle non-hazardous business waste and recycle paper, cardboard, glass, aluminium cans, plastic bottles and milk bottles. The new machine will also improve our productivity levels.”

“This new centre represents another boost to the university’s and the city’s rich portfolio of transport research and development activities.”

Professor Latham of Coventry University with Professor Pischinger of FEV

Sarah Watson, Green Business Programme, Councillor Noel Butler, Warwick District Council, David Pass, Fortress Recycling and Jaymie Thakordas, WLEP Growth Hub.

Warwickshire wins first battery development facility

Regional Round Up

Warwickshire has won the race to be the location for the UK’s first automotive battery development facility, following a successful bid for £80 million by a consortium led by Coventry and Warwickshire LEP, including Warwick Manufacturing Group.

Coventry and Warwickshire will now become the home of the new National Battery Manufacturing Development Facility, which will help establish the UK as a world leader in battery technology and innovation.

A key part of the Automotive Sector Deal, the new facility will host production and assembly processes, and support the future scale-up of battery technologies.

The facility will be responsible for turning the most promising early and midstage battery research and development activities into commercially viable business propositions, and provide space for training and skills development.

The new centre will be an independent facility accessible to UK-based companies wishing to develop battery technologies.

Business and Energy Secretary, Greg Clark, said: “The new facility will propel the UK forward in this thriving area.”

Dr Ralf Speth, CEO Jaguar Land Rover, added: “JLR is already investing heavily to make the vision of autonomous and electric mobility come true. From 2020, all our new vehicles will be electrified with mild yybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric solutions, and these are already being designed in the West Midlands.

Lord Bhattacharyya, Chairman of Warwick Manufacturing Group, added: “This joined up approach will be a UK first, and is critical to ensure our fundamental research translates into sustaining and growing manufacturing jobs for the UK.”

A development site will now be sought.

Business festival hailed success

Regional Round Up

The first Coventry & Warwickshire Business Festival attracted thousands of visitors over two weeks in December.

The event was packed with diverse and stimulating business events, staged across the whole region.

In its inaugural year, the Festival – developed by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP Growth Hub and partnered by the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), has become the biggest business event in the region.

Rigby Group acquires Bournemouth Airport

Regional & City Airports (RCA), the airports management division of Stratford-upon-Avon based Rigby Group plc, has completed its fourth regional UK airport acquisition with the purchase of Bournemouth Airport from Manchester Airports Group, for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition underlines the group’s ongoing intent to being a significant player in the UK’s vital regional airports market, according to a Rigby Group statement. It already owns Norwich, Exeter and Coventry airports, and has contracts to operate Solent (formerly Daedalus Airfield), City of Derry and Blackpool Airports.

Over 100 events took place and booked tickets soared to more than 4,000 with nearly 25% of attendees visiting from outside of the region.

Jonathan Browning, Chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said:

“We set out to engage with the business community throughout our region, create a forum for engaging and collaborating and to demonstrate that Coventry and Warwickshire is the Knowledge Capital of the UK – and that has been achieved.”

Chairman and Founder of the group, Sir Peter Rigby said: “The acquisition of Bournemouth Airport represents an important landmark in our strategy to create a robust and credible group of regional airport assets and services across the UK. Not only does it expand our catchment to include the major regions of South England, but also focuses operations on a core market poorly serviced by the major aviation players.”

Day-to-day management of the adjacent 200-acre Aviation Business Park will be handled by Rigby Real Estate – the parent group’s specialist property management division.

Regional Round Up

Sir Peter Rigby

Business drinks at Milton Park

Guests from across the Oxfordshire business community joined Business & Innovation Magazine and MEPC the asset management and development company for Milton Park, at their latest Oxfordshire business event, held in the Innovation Lounge at Milton Park.

Senior level business leaders enjoyed networking and topical discussion, as well as hearing about the magazine’s plans for next year within the Science and Technology sectors.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rob Lacey

Jim Heppell from NatWest with Jeremy Bryar from Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Nicky Godding of Business & Innovation Magazine

Philip Campbell Commercial Director for Milton Park

Simon Bassett from Royds Withy King with Adam Workman from Oxford University Innovation

Jalil Oraee from Oxems Ltd with Angus Horner from Harwell

Dr. Brendan Ludden from Oxford University Innovation with Charlie Harris from Airbus Helicopters UK

Milton Park Innovation Centre

Simon Fahie from ByBox Global Technology with Adrian Lockwood of Integration Technology and Jarl Severn from Owen Mumford

Sue Staunton from James Cowper Kreston with Tara Hunt from Handelsbanken and Simon Staples from Blake Morgan LLP

Clayton Sullivan-Webb from Grundon with Dr. Siobhan Dennis from Oxford University, Medical Sciences Division and John Stephens of Grundon

Nancy Leadley of MEPC, Milton Park and Kirsty Muir from Business & Innovation Magazine

Dave Pierson and Peter Smith from Oxford Office Furniture with Tom Booker from Milton Park

Jo Szegota and Philip Campbell from Milton Park with Emma Jewson from Carter Jonas

Gillian Burgess and Sarah Sherratt from Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Ria Shepheard from Charles Stanley with Dr. Roger Mould from HSBC Commercial Banking

Dr. Deborah Spencer from Oxfordshire LEP with Janet Donovan from Krino Partners and Dr. Angela Calvert from Oxford University Innovation

Sian Gaskell from Cuban8 with Nancy Leadley of MEPC, Milton Park and Edward Collett from Abingdon & Witney College

Christina Nawrocki and Ben Brookes from Wellers

Elio Recchia from Hays with Bernard Grenville-Jones from Activate Learning Group

Revealed: Oxfordshire’s faces of a vibrant economy

Grant Thornton UK has revealed its ‘100 Faces of a Vibrant Economy’ who demonstrate excellence through growth, innovation and purpose.

Four are based in Oxfordshire: Craig Burkinshaw of Witney-based Audley Travel, Karen Curtin of Bicester’s Graven Hill Village Development Company, Jamie Hartzell from Ethex in Oxford and Mark Goldring CEO of Oxfam.

Research among 1,000 CEOs and business leaders from UK mid-market firms revealed that company vision, culture and purpose is a top-five investment priority for more than a third of mid-market businesses. For highgrowth businesses, this rises to 40%.

The Faces of a Vibrant Economy showcases UK businesses, public and third sector organisations that are clearly demonstrating the value of purpose in action.

Jim Rogers, Practice Leader at Grant Thornton in the Thames Valley, said: “These leaders show us how business can be a force for good in society, how creative approaches to public services, and commitment to investing in your people can drive superior results and how passion, coupled with purpose and a great idea, can change the world for the better.

“By curating this community and sharing their stories we hope to inspire others to follow their example.”

Oxfordshire Business Awards 2018 open for entries

The 2018 Oxfordshire Business Awards (OXBA) Awards programme is now open. Thirteen categories, ranging from the Innovation Award to Business Person of the Year, Business of the Year to New Business of the Year. Closing date for entries is March 2nd and the Awards dinner will be held on June 15th.

For 24 years, the Awards have been recognising and rewarding Oxfordshire companies. Organised and supported by 14 of the county’s leading organisations, the Awards are firmly established in the county’s business community.

Last year over 500 guests packed into The King’s Centre, Oxford. This year the Awards are on the move again, to The John Henry Brookes building at Oxford Brookes University. Opened in 2013, the John Henry Brookes building has won a number of architecture and design awards.

Oxford Business Awards chairman, Paul Lowe, said “The new venue is really futuristic and it’s great to be working again with Oxford Brookes University which sponsored the Awards about five years ago.”

Get your entry in now:

www.oxfordshirebusinessawards.co.uk

OUI celebrates birthday with 150th spinout

Oxford University Innovation (OUI), the research commercialisation company of Oxford University, has completed the launch of its 150th spinout company.

The latest addition, augmented and virtual reality spinout 6Degrees, comes as OUI celebrates its 30th birthday.

6Degrees harnesses smartphone technology and the upcoming rollout of numerous virtual reality headsets and VR-enabled handsets, with an app that allows any smartphone user the ability to create virtual worlds. Using technology developed by Professor Victor Adrian Prisacariu, Associate Professor in Information Engineering at Oxford

University, 6Degrees users can record any environment for VR simply by scanning their surroundings with their phones.

Oxford University spinouts have collectively raised £1.5 billion in external funding since 2011, and spinout exits over the same time period are valued at £1.5 billion.

Regional Round Up

Craig Burkinshaw of Audley Travel

One of the region’s largest and most respected firms of

brand

Founded in 1990 FOCUS a financial services, mortgage and insurance broking practice established itself in the heart of the Oxfordshire business community.

Nick Jones, Partner in the firm recognised a growing opportunity within the insurance services offered and last year led the management buyout of the insurance division. This was successfully completed in July 2017 and the new company, FOCUS Oxford Risk Management Ltd was born.

Nick, having started in the industry in 1986 and with a wealth of experience, knows the importance of service in this industry and so brought with him to FOCUS Oxford Risk Management, the team of talented staff, led under the previous company, maintaining the FOCUS brand that our clients have come to know and trust.

As a truly independent insurance broker based in the region FOCUS Oxford Risk Management, now allows us to continue providing bespoke solutions and a firstclass service in all areas of private client and commercial business insurance, with the ability to place business with the whole of market and only provide cover that clients truly need.

As a company, we continue to be forwardthinking and by constantly reviewing and updating working practices, we ensure that not only do we remain legally compliant, but as importantly, in a position to provide our clients with the most up to date and appropriate insurance solutions.

As well as offering a full private client service, led by Private Client Director, Roz Wright, FOCUS has a growing specialist commercial division led by Commercial Director, Paul Monaco.

Advising SME businesses in both Oxfordshire and across the country, and with a team of specialists, advising on and arranging specialist insurance

policies for the Life Sciences, Biotech and Technology sectors, FOCUS has the technical expertise needed in today’s complicated world of insurance for industries at the forefront of technology and drug discovery.

SpecialEffect help people with physical disabilities to put fun and inclusion back into their lives by helping them to play video games. They do whatever it takes to help people with physical disabilities to enjoy games. By using technology ranging from modified joypads to eye-control, SpecialEffect find a way for people to play to the very best of their abilities. But they are not just doing it for fun. By levelling the playing field, they bring families and friends together and have a profoundly positive impact on therapy, confidence and rehabilitation.

We quickly recognised that our clients were looking for a very much more personal approach, rather than having to search the internet or talking to a provider over the phone and never talking to the same personal twice. This is why we make sure our clients can speak to us whenever they need us.

We pride ourselves on service, first and foremost; helping our clients get the best cover at the most competitive price available.

Our FOCUS in the community

Away from the day to day work as a business, we take our responsibility to the local community very seriously and have supported a number of local causes over the years, with continuing support for Helen and Douglas House and most recently SpecialEffect.

Helen and Douglas House who provide hospice care for children and young adults in Oxfordshire & surrounding counties (NJ will be running the London Marathon 2018 to raise funds)

FOCUS was proud to be a main sponsor and participant in Twin Town Challenge 2016, raising funds for SpecialEffect and now taking this forward, the team at FOCUS Oxford Risk Management Ltd, are delighted to be a main sponsor and participant for Twin Town Challenge 2018.

Wright, Private Client Director

Nick Jones, Managing Director

Paul Monaco, Commercial Director

Nick Jones, Partner, FOCUS

“We believe our success has been built as we have often taken a different approach to providing the solutions for our clients’ needs.”

independent insurance brokers strengthens its

Institute of Physics awards for Oxford companies

ICEoxford and Oxford Space Systems have won Business Innovation Awards from The Institute of Physics (IOP).

The Business Innovation Awards are presented to businesses that have built success on the innovative application of physics, which has a transformative effect resulting in increased turnover, profitability and jobs.

IOP recognised Witney-based ICEoxford for the development of its Kelvin High Cooling Power Cryogenic System, which will enable research in photonic quantum computing.

Chris Busby, Managing Director of ICEoxford, said: “It is a great honour to receive this award, which is recognition of the outstanding team at ICEoxford, who continue to produce world-class innovative products for the global cryogenic markets.”

National support for Oxford-Cambridge Arc

Oxfordshire Growth Board, made up of the county’s district, city and county councils, and the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), have welcomed the National Infrastructure Commission’s final report on the Oxford–Cambridge Arc.

The report makes recommendations to Government on maximising the economic potential of the 130-mile corridor between the two cities over the next thirty years.

The project aims to grow the Arc’s knowledge-based economy to better compete globally, while protecting the environment, and securing homes and jobs.

The Arc includes four of the UK’s fastest growing towns and cities, as well as centres of global research expertise and advanced manufacturing, including Harwell and Culham science parks, Oxford’s

Oxford Space Systems won an IOP Award for the development of its AstroTube Boom, which addresses the challenges of mass, cost and stowage efficiency of deployable satellite boom systems, using a combination of advanced materials and a new, proprietary, physics-based software tool.

Mike Lawton, CEO at Oxford Space Systems, said: “This represents a fantastic

stamp of recognition from the IOP on the record-breaking achievements of the OSS team and what the UK space industry is capable of.”

President of the IOP, Professor Dame Julia Higgins, said: “This year’s winners serve as tremendous examples of the many different ways in which physics can improve, save or protect lives and how it forms an invaluable part of the UK economy.”

universities, medical research centres and automotive and motorsport clusters.

The proposals include new transport infrastructure, including an East-West rail connecting Oxford and Cambridge via Milton Keynes, local projects such as a Cowley branch line, and improved cycle routes.

Councillor Bob Price, Chair of the Oxfordshire Growth Board and Leader

of Oxford City Council, said: “The Oxford-Cambridge ‘brain belt’ offers an opportunity to create a fourth economic powerhouse for the UK to rival those in London, the Midlands and the North.”

Nigel Tipple, Chief Executive of Oxfordshire LEP, said: “A recent PwC report announced Oxford as being one of the UK’s two highest-performing cities.” The city also has the second fastest-growing economy of any UK city.

Regional Round Up

Regional Round Up

Chris Busby, Managing Director, Paul Kelly Co Founder and Sales Director, Chris Snelling at ICEoxford receive award from Dame Julia Higgins

ECCLESIASTICAL GIVES £130,000 TO 130 CHARITIES

As part of its 130th year celebrations, Gloucester-based specialist insurer Ecclesiastical will be giving 130 different charities a £1000 donation.

Chris Pitt, corporate responsibility manager at Ecclesiastical, said: “As a Group, we have been donating our profits

John Lewis launches new fund for Oxford

Businesses in the community

Management at the newly-opened John Lewis Oxford store have launched a new fund for the city. The Westgate Fund is held with Oxfordshire Community Foundation and will make grants to charities and community groups working with disadvantaged people in the city.

John Lewis Oxford branch manager, Julie Blake, announced a donation of £125,000, and other businesses are being encouraged to come on board to help create a legacy that will be available to support local charitable organisations over the long term.

She said: “The opening of the new Westgate centre, along with the overall redevelopment of the city’s west end, is an important moment in Oxford’s evolution. Since arriving here earlier this year, I can see that there is great excitement locally about the new facilities, and the prosperity it is hoped they will bring.

“However, the companies involved in the Westgate’s development, including John Lewis, acknowledge that the city has many unacceptable social problems that do not sit so easily with the launch of a sophisticated new shopping experience.”

to good causes for many years and our staff are hugely passionate about fundraising, volunteering and payroll giving.”

In 2017, staff were involved with fundraising and volunteering for good

Disruptive innovation driving social value for UK business

Businesses in the community

Progressive initiatives putting social value at the heart of the supply chain will make UK business a force for good, according to an expert from the University of Gloucestershire.

Rod Horrocks, project manager for the university’s Growth Hub, says many supply chains are ripe for ‘disruptive innovation’ that delivers social value. He cites Gloucestershire-based Commercial Foundation’s activity in the print sector as an example.

Commercial Foundation is a social enterprise set up by business services company Commercial. It helps disadvantaged young people to change their lives through development of personal and professional skills. Participants experience a real work environment, called ‘We Do. Print’ while taking part in a structured training, mentoring and support programme.

‘We Do. Print’ is a safe work environment for the young people to develop their skills, and it offers business print buyers a low-risk opportunity to ‘buy social’. Its customer portfolio includes large brands, such as Mears and Kier Group. And Commercial Foundation’s social value ROI has been independently verified.

causes throughout Gloucestershire, including the Nelson Trust, Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA), the Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust and St Rose’s School in Stroud.

Every £100 spent at ‘We Do. Print’ generates a social value equivalent of £486.

“Commercial Foundation has zoned in on an established element of the supply chain and elevated it to an entirely new level,” Rod explains. “We Do. Print provides an ideal environment to boost the employability of people that have experienced tough times and found themselves caught in a negative cycle. It also enables businesses to boost their social value credentials simply by adapting their procurement habits.

“The UK print industry is worth £13.5 billion. Imagine how society would benefit if just 10% of this could be met via social enterprises. There is a rising tide of businesses that want to make a positive impact through day-to-day activities.

“We need more social enterprises like Commercial Foundation to challenge the status quo and unlock new opportunities for business to become synonymous with social value.”

Mark Hews and Caroline Taplin

Robert Howell and Kimberley Weaving

ROYDS WITHY KING’S NEXT TOP MODEL

For the third year running, Royds Withy King Fashion Show, in aid of The Silverlining Charity, took place at the historic Rhodes House, Oxford. Over twenty disabled and able-bodied models hit the runway to raise money and awareness for The Silverlining Charity, which provides support for brain injured people and their families to re-connect and re-immerse with their communities.

Models wore fashion clothing kindly provided by Jigsaw, and bespoke Oxford men’s tailors Clements and Church. Hair was styled by Electric of London, with make-up by Katie Reay Scott.

Alongside those Royds Withy King’s clients living with a brain injury, and the Silverliners, was Kit Butler, who first appeared as a model in the firm’s 2015 fashion show. Kit’s modelling career

has since skyrocketed: he has appeared in editorials for Vogue Italia, as well as walking for Balmain, Les Hommes and Versace. His major campaigns include Emporio Armani, Polo Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss.

The Silverlining’s Nicola Cale said: “It’s wonderful to have been able to build upon the successes of the last event to inspire our models to change their own

perceptions of themselves, and of others. The fashion show provides a marvellous therapeutic benefit for all of our models, many of whom were supported by their friends and families.”

She added: “The event has even opened up professional avenues for our Silverliners – Ben Kuschel has recently been signed as a model.”

Tracy Norris-Evans, head of Personal Injury at Royds Withy King, said: “It was an inspiring evening. Some of the models have been with us as clients for over twenty years, and it was wonderful to see them on the runway, especially as for many it takes real courage to perform in front of an audience that size.”

Over 150 people attended the event, organised by Royds Withy King in conjunction with The Silverlining. Royds Withy King’s Personal Injury team inform and advise clients on how to claim compensation for personal injury, including catastrophic brain injury, with the aim to improve the quality of life for the client themselves and their families.

The team’s solicitors maintain lifelong relationships with their clients through the administration of their compensation awards, and are often appointed as professional trustees.

“It’s wonderful to have been able to build upon the successes of the last event to inspire our models to change their own perceptions of themselves, and of others.”

Tracy Norris-Evans and Robert Pinheiro from Royds Withy King with Silverlining fashion show organisers

Professional model Kit Butler with Silverlining model

Hays Specialist Recruitment in Oxford deliver the UK Salary Guide 2018

Would you like to feature your business event, launch or party in our business events section?

The team from the Oxford branch of Hays Specialist Recruitment were joined by over 130 senior managers from across Oxfordshire to join them at the home of Williams F1 to hear the Hays UK Salary Guide results highlighting the Thames Valley area.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rob Lacey

Matthew Quilter from Hays with Susan Hayward from Satellite Applications Catapult

Pippa Talbot from Summit Plc with Katie Hammond of The Fertility Partnership

Kirsty Muir from Business & Innovation Magazine with Tracie Browne from Isansys Lifecare

Williams F1 Conference Centre

Hays Recruitment Oxford team

Ben Howells from Immunocore with Laura Kidd from Hays

Petra Tyrell from Hays with Rod Cook of Biotech Personnel

Alan Coles from CRM Students with Tony Lambert from Hays and Ross Baker from Orange Genie

Martin Hudson from Williams F1 with Elio Recchia Hays

Mark Bradford from EP Barrus with Ryan Frost from Hays

UK SKILLS SHORTAGES

THREATEN PRODUCTIVITY AND GROWTH

Employers are faced with huge recruitment challenges as 94% experience skills shortages, according to the 2018 Hays Salary Survey.

Skills shortages are prevalent across most economic sectors of the UK, and many employees are dissatisfied with their salaries, according to the latest salary survey from leading national recruitment consultancy Hays.

Nigel Heap, Managing Director of Hays UK & Ireland, said: “Although we have seen an overall average salary increase of 1.8% across the UK, a lack of increases is creating salary dissatisfaction, and generally only jobs in areas of skills shortages have seen significant increases.”

Hays based its survey findings from data provided by close to 17,500 employers and employees.

Employers say they are continuing with their growth and hiring plans, but these are hindered by prevailing skills shortages which threaten productivity, damage employee morale and restrict growth plans.

Hiring is therefore a top priority for employers. Almost three quarters plan on recruiting over the next 12 months. 59% plan to hire permanent staff this year and 29% say that they plan to hire temporary, interim or contract staff. Nearly half of all employers surveyed said they plan to increase salaries by up to 2.5%.

The Hays survey also reveals a mismatch between the benefits employees are increasingly demanding, and those offered by employers. 64% of employees say that receiving over 25 days annual leave is important to them, but only 49% of employers offer this. Flexible working is

also rated as important for over 60% of employees, but only half of employers offer this benefit.

Employees also want greater scope to progress their careers, and feel their ambitions are being stifled. This is a big potential problem for employers as almost a quarter of employees say that they intend to leave due to a lack of future opportunities.

The detailed, 275-page report analyses 12 key areas of economic activity, from accountancy through to cyber, legal, life sciences and retail.

Employers need to review their workforce strategy, says Hays. They need to prioritise their employer brand and use contingent workers effectively to alleviate the pressure felt by existing employees.

Organisations that invest in their short and long term people strategy will be best resourced to meet growth plans.

Management skills in demand

Management skills are in the greatest demand to achieve current business objectives, according to Hays’ survey. Operations, technical skills and project management are also key. Somewhat surprisingly, cyber and software development are not seen by organisations as being as important to meet current

objectives, although the survey does highlight that qualified and experienced cyber security professionals are highly sought after. Skilled developers are also in great demand.

Within the engineering and manufacturing sector, shortages of technical staff and low numbers of professionals entering the industry have created significant hiring challenges. A third of manufacturing and engineering employers lack the talent to meet their current business objectives, a rise from 27% last year, and one of the highest increases of any profession in this year’s Hays Salary Guide.

Employer Survey highlights

 1.8% average salary increase

 95% expect their organisation’s activity levels to increase or stay the same over the next 12 months.

 71% plan on recruiting staff over the next 12 months

 77% say their top challenge is a shortage of suitable applicants

Employee survey highlights

 More than half expect to move jobs within 12 months

 57% are not satisfied with their salaries

 Half feel there is no scope for progression within their organisation

 56% rate their work-life balance as positive

Spotlight on recruitment

Elio Recchia, Director at Hayes in Oxford

CAREER AHEAD

FORMER ROLLS ROYCE EXEC TAKES ON CEO ROLE

Tokamak Energy, the Oxford-based company developing the world’s first compact, high field spherical Tokamak, has appointed Jonathan Carling, former COO, Civil Large Engines at Rolls Royce, as CEO. Carling previously held roles at Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover.

OXSONICS APPOINTS NON EXEC DIRECTOR

OxSonics Limited, a world leader in the development of ultrasound-based drug delivery systems for the treatment of cancer patients, has announced that Glyn Edwards is to join the board as Non-Executive Director. Glyn has held various CEO positions within the life sciences sector.

HANDELSBANKEN IN CIRENCESTER STRENGTHENS CORPORATE TEAM

Ian Horseman joins the Cirencester branch at Handelsbanken as Corporate Banking Manager. Ian has extensive experience in the corporate banking sector and a strong background in property and finance.

IMMUNOCORE APPOINTS ANDREW HOTCHKISS AS CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Immunocore Limited, the world’s leading TCR company developing biological drugs to treat cancer, infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases, has appointed Andrew Hotchkiss as Chief Commercial Officer. Andrew joins Oxford-based Immunocore from Eli Lilly & Co.

NEW BOARD MEMBERS AT DCS GROUP

Banbury-based health & beauty company, DCS Group, has appointed two directors. Julie Price has been with the business over a year and joins the Board as Financial Performance Director. Jorge Silva joins as IT Director. Jorge has been with the business for four years. They are pictured with CEO Denys Shortt OBE.

GRANT THORNTON APPOINTS CORPORATE FINANCE DIRECTOR

Grant Thornton has appointed Gareth Davies as Director in the Corporate Finance team for the Thames Valley. The new role will see him focus primarily on transactions across the Thames Valley mid-market technology, media and telecommunications sectors.

Gloucestershire’s Local Enterprise Partnership, GFirst LEP, has appointed three new Board members; Deborah Potts, CEO of Active Gloucestershire and The Music Works, Russell Marchant, Principal at Hartpury College and Jenny Raymond, partner with Harrison Clark Rickerbys. Pictured is Deborah Potts.

THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS JOIN GFIRST LEP

Michelle Wright, Company Director at Bromsgrove-based marketing agency Gough Bailey Wright (GBW), has been appointed City Head for Birmingham and the Midlands by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA).

LTI METALTECH APPOINTS NEW TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Edgar Rayner, new Technical Director at LTi MetalTech is propelling the Abingdonbased engineering business into new markets. The company is revitalising its business by upskilling and diversifying the markets it serves.

Oxfordshire-based UK Top 100 law firm, Royds Withy King, has announced the appointment of Louise Fleming as NonExecutive Chair of its board

This is the first time the role has been filled externally.

EDGARS LIMITED PROMOTES JON WESTERMAN

NEW MD FOR WARWICKSHIRE EVENTS COMPANY

Grandstand Stoneleigh Events has appointed Chris Hartley as its new MD. Chris will lead the team at the National Agricultural Exhibition Centre (NAEC) Stoneleigh. He previously worked as commercial director of Livebuzz and before that, served as business development director at the NEC.

IT LEGAL EXPERT JOINS CLAYDEN LAW

Bruton Knowles has announced James Bailey has been elected Managing Partner for a term of three years. James joined Bruton Knowles in 1998 and has enjoyed a varied professional general practice career in the utility, public and commercial sectors.

Edgars Limited, the Oxfordshire-based planning consultancy, has promoted Jon Westerman to director as part of its ongoing growth strategy. Jon has 21 years’ development planning experience having joined Edgars in 2016 from Cherwell District Council.

Specialist IT, data privacy and cyber security law firm Clayden Law, has appointed IT law expert, Alasdair Taylor, to the team based in Oxford. Alasdair joins Clayden Law as a Consultant, specialising in IT law, intellectual property and data privacy.

#TheTalent

the 2018 Talent SHOWCASING

Last November we asked our readers who you thought were likely to be this region’s future entrepreneurs and business leaders. We had lots and lots of nominations.

Welcome to our first Talent list. Innovators, entrepreneurs and management professionals who are likely to be powering forward the region’s economy over the next ten years and more.

Are leaders born or made? Nature or nurture? Does it take a university degree to achieve in business, or just a natural curiosity and savvy? Who really knows.

What we do know is that all of those in our first, ever, Talent listing have got something that sets them apart.

We couldn’t include everyone who was nominated – there were just too many. What our campaign has revealed is that there is a big pool of talented individuals who are building businesses, creating employment and putting money back into our regional economy.

Our list proves that there are skilled people out there, but perhaps unlike previous generations, they’re not always willing to spend their careers working for others. This generation – the Millennials and Generation X – are more inclined to want to go it alone, build their own empires and be their own bosses.

We look forward to following our Talent of 2018 in their future careers.

Rupert Maspero (25)

Jonathan Davies (25) and Martin Dick (25) Mmtm, Cheltenham

Web and mobile application consultancy and development. This highly qualified team build mobile and web applications for companies that don’t have the resource to do it themselves.

Michael Venn (25) Crugo, Cheltenham

A man with a passion for technology and design. His first taste of entrepreneurship was at 12 years old. He started a poultry business with 100 hens selling free range eggs to local supermarkets. By the time he was 18 he had grown it to 2,500 hens.

At 20 years old, Michael founded Duplia Ltd, which has since raised over £2.5 million in funding to focus on social network solutions in both the B2C and B2B space.

He has developed and launched a number of technology-related products such as Tagstr, Frames and Cheltenham-based Crugo, which led him to be covered in

Forbes and featured as an entrepreneur of the week by The Huffington Post, and Startups, at the age of just 22.

Jennifer Preston (24) and Lorna Preston (27) That’s Clever, Gloucester

‘That’s Clever’, is a platform built by Jennifer and Lorna which shares exciting developments in the technology market, and showcases carefully curated technology tried and tested by them. Their motto is: any new technology which they see and think ‘That’s Clever’ to, is a good potential product.

Marcus Taylor (28) Venture Harbour, Wallingford

Marcus started building websites at age of 10. He’s since built a £3 million portfolio of online businesses that reach over seven million people a year, all with zero external funding.

Simon Davis (39) CEO and Paul Davis (37) CTO Nimbus Maps, Warwick

Brothers Simon and Paul sucessfully launched Nimbus Maps, a powerful, cloud-based off-market site search and property intelligence platform.

Michael Venn, Crugo

Paul Davis, Nimbus Maps

Marcus Taylor, Venture Harbour

Rupert Maspero, Jonathan Davies and Martin Dick, Mmtm

Simon Davis, Nimbus Maps

Technology Entrepreneurs

Creatives

Sian Conway (27) Studio B61, Bromsgrove

A serial entrepreneur and ethical advocate who launched Studio B61 Ltd, a branding, marketing and design company in 2017. It also helps young people break into the creative industries. Sian also established #EthicalHour, an online network for ethically-focused business owners. Profits are reinvested into microfinance loans for entrepreneurs in developing countries through Lend With Care.

Fanzi Down (34) DPS Designs, Coleford

Fanzi runs the confectionery division at DPS Designs, an established design and engineering business which offers thermoforming tooling for the aircraft industry, and injection moulds for chocolate manufacturing. She says she’s lucky to have the opportunity to transform DPS’s model, moving it up the value chain in a competitive industry, while promoting women and young people in the sector. She has recently become an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust and Innovate UK’s new Young Innovators’ Programme.

Skills, Recruitment & Training

Chris Dunning Walton (38) InfoSec People, Cheltenham

Chris launched InfoSec People in 2008 to establish a leading UK Cyber Security and Technology recruitment business underpinned by honest, transparent working practices.

Darren Putt (36) Motus Training, Stratford-upon-Avon

Motus was established in 2010, and its team of trusted fitness, nutrition and lifestyle professionals work together to motivate and support individuals and organisations to transform their health and wellbeing for long term benefit. They believe that healthy individuals are more effective and lead more fulfilling lives, while a healthy team creates a more productive and successful business.

Giving

Joy Foster (38) Techpixies, Oxford

TechPixies helps women upskill with technology and return to work. Since 2015 it’s trained nearly 60 women in digital marketing and over 20 women in WordPress. Two years on, 100% of its first two cohorts have returned to work. By July 2022, Joy hopes to have impacted the lives of 1500 women. The business currently operates across Oxfordshire and London, and has plans to expand nationwide.

Sian Conway, Studio B61

Joy Foster, Techpixies with Prime Minister Theresa May

Darren Putt, Motus Training

Chris Dunning Walton, InfoSec People

Fanzi Down, DPS Designs

Entrepreneurs

Will Wilkinson (26) Overhang, Cheltenham

Will launched Overhang in 2015. It’s a drink made from an old family recipe as a natural pick-me-up containing orange, ginger and lime, vitamins and botanicals, including milk thistle, raspberry leaf and burdock root. It’s now on the shelves of over 1000 retail stores including Tesco, Asda, Spar and Holland & Barrett. The company launched its first equity crowd funding campaign in late 2017.

Tom Wharton (39) Barrington Ayre, Cirencester

As well as bespoke tailoring, Tom also runs custom-made shirt subscription service, Barrington Ayre, and a children’s range. In 2018 he will be launching BA Sport with modern day pentathlete and Gloucestershire girl, Zoe Davison.

Charlotte Marshall-Reynolds (38) Arctic Direct, Cricklade

Charlotte established Arctic Direct to provide quality Northern Lights travel packages. The business has grown 70% in 2015-16 and 80% 2016-17. 2017 saw the launch of Arctic Education, with the

first school group already having travelled. The company now also sells B2C, as well as through agents in Hong Kong and UAE, and in partnership with Chan Brothers, Singapore’s largest travel agent. Arctic Direct was voted 2017 Federation of Small Business ‘Microbusiness of the Year’ for the South West.

Ben Morgan (28) No8 Scaffolding Ltd, Dursley

As well as being a professional rugby player for Gloucester and England, Ben is a property developer and investor. As well as being a talented rugby player, Ben knew he needed to plan a future outside rugby and set up No8 Scaffolding Ltd in 2017.

Charlotte Pimm (30) Woozelbears, Witney

Woozelbears is a canine rehabilitation and grooming company. Charlotte opened her first centre in 2010 in Witney when she was 23. She employs 12 members of staff and has successfully franchised the business. The fourth branch is about to open. She also teaches, and opened training academies in Newcastle and Oxford to provide placement to students all over the UK. She is now teaching students worldwide, in collaboration with Animal Jobs Direct, and has written a degree level qualification. Charlotte also runs WoozelFarm in Herefordshire, specialising in rare breeds

Charlotte Marshall-Reynolds, Arctic Direct

Charlotte Pimm, Woozelbears

Tom Wharton of Barrington Ayre with modern pentathlete Zoe Davison

Will Wilkinson, Overhang

Carl Reader (36) Co Founder & Author TaxGo, The Start Up Coach and The Franchising Handbook, Badbury

“For me, business is really simple –and fun. I enjoy building stuff, as it’s like playing with Lego. I enjoy doing that for myself, and try to help as many others as possible do the same through my articles and books.” Carl is also co-founder with of TaxGo a digital-only tax service.

Ben Strange (32) Fold Flat, Droitwich

Fold Flat is a very clever collapsible plastic food container which can be used again and again. Founded by product creator (an army officer turned entrepreneur) Ben, this product solves the problem of trying to find the right lid for the right food container and frees up space when cramming an empty lunch container back into a bag. Think the origami of clever storage.

Dom Portman (28) Fancydressworldwide, Worcester

In March 2016, Dom turned his parttime business, the Fancy Fresher pack,

into a full time career. Fancy Fresher was a costume package for university students based around their fancy dress parties for freshers’ week. Since then, he’s grown the business to 7,000 products, employs 27 people, taken 256,000 orders and developed three unique software processes. The business is on track to achieve £2.7 million turnover in only its second year of trading.

Laurence Thomas (26) Thomas Cleaning Franchise, Shipston-on-Stour

The business was created to share knowledge learnt in the cleaning industry and allow others to create their own success. The company helps franchisees in every aspect of their business, from admin to marketing. It’s currently the only franchise in the UK that can find its franchisee customers and staff for them, which has allowed it to become the fastest growing cleaning franchise in the UK today, which Laurence is very proud of.

Rebecca McMillan (26) & Karl Maguire (30) Wildflower Illustration Company, Cheltenham

Rebecca was working as a trainee solicitor when she decided to set up Wildflower Illustration Co, a shop boutique selling her illustrated greetings cards, art prints and wedding invitations. Within two years both she and her husband had left their jobs to work full time on the flourishing business which uses Rebecca’s passion and Karl’s entrepreneurial spirit. In 2017, they won the Tayabali Tomlin New Business of the Year Award.

Nik Venios (35)

BEAF Innovation, Gloucester

(Before and After – geddit?!) has been trading four years and grown from a kitchen table to a team of innovation strategists, researchers, marketers and graphic/digital designers. The team help businesses drive existing or original products into new markets, and work with SME manufacturers turning over between £5 million to £20 million.

Rebecca McMillan & Karl Maguire, Wildflower Illustration Company

Nik Venios, BEAF Innovation

Management & Professional

Euan Forbes (28) Senior Manager Tayabali Tomlin, Cheltenham

A key point of contact for a diverse portfolio of clients. Euan helps them achieve business and personal goals by providing a tailored advice to maximise profits while minimising tax.

Part of the leadership team, he is also involved in the development and implementation of new systems and processes, giving him a unique perspective of the challenges small businesses face.

George Tatham-Losh (27) Managing Director Move Sales and Lettings, Cheltenham

George formed the business in 2009, and is now a highly regarded local property expert. He grew up in Cheltenham, and says he has a great team of agents working for him.

Richard Lewis (33) Commercial Director Avon Metals Group, Gloucester

Richard is directly responsible for improved financial performance. His annual spend is £35 million and he is heavily involved in the sales and marketing of all finished products. He has travelled extensively for work and identified many new raw materials suppliers from around the world, for example Silicon metal from Brazil and Vanadium from the USA.

Ben has been an integral part of new product development and the company has invested over £1 million recently in plant and equipment to support these ideas.

Tom Hayman Joyce (36) Partner Hayman Joyce, Broadway

Award-winning estate agents, letting agents, auctioneers and valuers.

Established in 1991, Tom is growing the business successfully year on year.

Anna Wood (35) Senior Associate BPE Solicitors, Cheltenham

Anna has been instrumental in driving growth of BPE’s construction and engineering business across the South West.

In June 2017 Anna was also made vice-chair of Constructing Excellence Gloucestershire and plays a huge part in championing networking among local and regional businesses.

Claire Miller (38) Marketing Director Polyframe, Stonehouse

Gloucestershire girl committed to the manufacturing sector who has risen through the ranks to become Group Marketing Director of a £100million business based out of Stonehouse.

Beth O’Neill (28) Group Commercial Manager Howard Tenens, Stroud

The Freight Transport Association

Multimodal Awards ‘Young Logistics Professional of the Year 2017’. Beth has shaped Howard Tenens’ commercial and marketing department, as well as being a solar logistics key influencer.

Euan Forbes, Tayabali Tomlin

George Tatham-Losh, Move Sales and Lettings

Richard Lewis, Avon Metals Group

Tom Hayman Joyce, Hayman Joyce

Anna Wood, BPE Solicitors

Brewing & Hospitality

Alex Arkell (32) Arkell’s Brewery, Stratton, Swindon

Head brewer at this heritage-rich, 175-year-old family brewery, Alex loves introducing fresh tastes and flavours alongside the brewery’s regular beers.

Jade Smith (28) Bank Manager RBS, Cheltenham

Business bank and branch manager at RBS, Cheltenham. She’s also on the committee of the Mayor of Cheltenham 2017 to 2018 charity appeal and regularly helps raise money to support key charities, including the Hollie Gazzard Trust and the Cheltenham Hospital Trust.

Paul Mourton (39) Partner Lodders Solicitors, Cheltenham

Paul has led the growth of Lodders’ Cheltenham practice since it opened in 2013. Away from work, he is a trustee of the Get A Head Charitable Trust.

Jay Rahman (29) Prithvi, Cheltenham

Jay launched Prithvi restaurant in 2012, with the cooking style being modern Indian, marrying British produce with Asian spices. Within the first year, the restaurant was attracting national press. Prithvi has won local and national accolades and has a table waiting list of three months.

Lee Moulson (38) Regional Head of Sales The Jockey Club, Cheltenham

Responsible for delivering sales in the South West Region. Since being promoted to his current role in 2013, Lee has presided over a year-on-year uplift of £1 million in hospitality resulting in a 90% increase in hospitality sales, taking them to over £15 million.

Will Spiers (35) CamperVin, Gloucester

Will launched CamperVin in 2013. With his first van, Doris, he did all sorts of public, private and corporate events. He now runs all the public bars and catering at The Cheltenham Cricket Festival, and the bars at the Three Counties Showground. He did over 200 other events last year including international cricket, horse racing and festivals.

Alex Arkell, Arkell’s Brewery

Lee Moulson, Jockey Club

Jay Rahman, Prithvi

Will Spiers, CamperVin

WORK LIVE TO

#illbethere

The highlight of the Jump season, Cheltenham Festival, takes place from 13-16 March 2018. Tickets are now on sale, but prices increase on 27th January so get buying now. Follow the festival on its famous social media hashtag #illbethere.

The atmosphere across the whole of Cheltenham during race week is electric, and there’s a lot at stake: with over £4.1 million of prize money up for grabs.

New for 2018 is Theatre@The Festival. This offers guests unrivalled views over

the final fences of the racecourse together with a unique culinary and visual feast. Cheltenham’s talented chefs plan to deliver a fusion of tastes, with flavours garnished across Asia and delivered via the farms of The Cotswolds.

Coventry named City of Culture 2021

Coventry is gearing up for one of the biggest years in its history after being named UK City of Culture 2021.

One build-up event will be the UK’s first Shop Front Theatre Festival in March 2018 and the city will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its Cathedral with a major new lighting commission.

David Burbidge, chair of the Coventry City of Culture Trust, said: “Coventry is a vibrant, multicultural city with a fascinating and inspiring story to tell, and an arts and cultural scene that deserves its place in the national spotlight.

“There is a lot of hard work ahead, but as UK City of Culture 2021 we will be able

to show everyone why we are so proud of our city and the people who live, work and study here, and build something lasting for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.

“Hull has proved to be a worthy holder of the title this year but now it is our turn and I am confident we will do even better in 2021.”

Five things you might not know about the 2021 City of Culture:

 Coventry has been the capital of England more than once: in 1404

With an average attendance of around 62,000 each day, over 260,000 will enjoy the best Jump racing and the Festival’s famous hospitality in 2018.

www.thefestival.co.uk

and on several occasions between 1456-1459.

 Britain’s car industry was founded by Daimler in a disused Coventry cotton mill in 1896.

 The decision to rebuild its cathedral, devastated by the Luftwaffe in World War 2, was made the day after the bombing. A stunning modern cathedral, designed by Basil Spence, was built, with the foundation stone being laid by Queen Elizabeth II in 1956.

 It’s said that the famous Mini sewer chase in the original film version The Italian Job took place in the newly-built sewers at Stoke Aldermoor, Coventry.

 The city was the birthplace Sir Frank Whittle, inventor of the jet engine, poet Philip Larkin... and the pop impresario Pete Waterman.

www.coventry2021.co.uk

“There is still a lot of hard work ahead, but as UK City of Culture 2021 we will be able to show everyone why we are so proud of our city and the people who live, work and study here”

By Nicky

In the modern world, it’s easy to dismiss the role of Lord Lieutenant. They are the British monarch’s representatives in each UK county and the role dates back to the reign of King Henry VIII in the 1540s.

However, Dame Janet Trotter, appointed Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire in 2010, has turned what is seen by some as a rather ceremonial post into something with real substance. She’s active in the business community and has presented hundreds of Queen’s Awards for achievements in international trade, innovation and sustainable development: but that’s only part of her job as Lord Lieutenant – there’s community-related responsibilities too, not least supporting the Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service.

I’ve seen her in action. When Dame Janet visits a business, she’s done her homework. It takes a lot of effort to achieve a Queen’s Award (I know, I’ve helped companies apply for them), so when she arrives informed, and talks to everyone, from the apprentice on the bench to the management team, it’s hugely appreciated. Dame Janet is a class act.

But she’s the first to point out that she wasn’t born to this lauded role.

Janet Trotter was born on the back streets of Chatham, Kent. The family moved to Maidstone when she was eight. She failed the 11+ and didn’t switch onto education until she was about 13, then she couldn’t get enough of it. The trouble was, her father (a policeman), wasn’t going to have her ‘loafing around at university’.

The compromise was teacher training college, where she also studied religious education and English. “I still value my training in philosophy. Understanding different people, cultures, ideas and religions is essential in the world today.” Janet loved teaching, and her capabilities were evident, but she turned down offered deputy headships in favour of lecturing in theology at college.

A CLASS ACT DAME JANET TROTTER:

(I get the impression that studying generally comes easy). But this was management science, and there was a lot which was new to her, including mathematics and economics.

Head hunted to lead

Her love of learning, as well as teaching, also encouraged her to tackle Hebrew and Greek, followed by a Masters in theology and education.

While lecturing in Winchester she became interested in how organisations work. True to form, she found a degree to match and completed a Masters in management.

“I had to work really hard for that.” She raises an eyebrow as she relates the story

Alongside the studying, she undertook a six-month secondment to Church House Westminster which controls the church colleges, before finally being appointed Vice Principal at St Martin’s, Lancaster.

However, after just six months in the job, she was headhunted for the post of Principal at what was then the St Paul’s and St Mary’s College in Cheltenham, and her life in Gloucestershire began.

It took her a long time to accept the role, which she rejected again and again.

Dame Janet Trotter has turned what is often seen as a largely ceremonial role into something of real substance.

Godding

“I still value my training in philosophy: understanding different people, cultures, ideas and religions is essential in the world today”

Dame Janet Trotter

“You won’t believe this but I’m just not ambitious,” she says. “I’ve never planned a career or wanted to go up ladders. It wasn’t the image I had of myself. I had committed myself to St Martin’s and was enjoying it. I felt I was letting the Principal and the college down by moving so quickly, and this conflicted with my own value system.”

The pressure on her to accept the role must have been immense.

Taking ambition to the next level

Dame Janet had been at St Paul’s and St Mary’s College for a couple of years when she got a call from the Department of Education. “They wanted me to merge the college with Gloscat, and they gave me just 18 months to do it.”

So began what Dame Janet admits was one of the most creative times of her life. “St Paul’s and St Mary’s was rooted in the church, and there were many hurdles to jump before we achieved the merger, including bringing around the deeply conservative and religious college governors.

“Difficulties aside, it was wonderful. Ideas sparked and we drew academics from all over the country.”

The merger was completed in 1990 to reveal the Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education. At that time, the UK was creating a new generation of universities. Gloucestershire didn’t have one so Dame Janet was encouraged to begin the task of working her college towards university status.

The first issue was what to call it. ‘The University of Cheltenham’ seemed obvious, but this didn’t fit with her vision of inclusivity. “The university needed to be attainable to everyone, whatever background they came from, like me,” she says. It took ten years, much jumping through Department of Education hoops, and bringing 13 county campuses together, but in 2001 The University of Gloucestershire was finally born.

Gloucestershire has a great deal to thank this Kent-born woman for. Sandwiched between world-leading universities such as Oxford, Bristol, Bath and Warwick, having its own university gives the county confidence and stature. However for Dame Janet, it’s not all about the academic – it’s also about individual, personal

achievement. I watched her give the keynote speech at an apprentices’ awards ceremony last year. To a room stuffed full of around 200 young, besuited engineering; and other; apprentices – and their parents – she talked of hard work, personal challenge and of the power of each person to make a difference to the places where they live and work. In our modern world such views are often dismissed as stuffy and irrelevant, but you could have heard a pin drop.

Having achieved so much, Dame Janet (who retired from her role as the University of Gloucestershire’s first Vice Chancellor in 2006) continues to adopt new challenges, and even when she relinquishes her current role next year (apparently the cut-off age to be a Lord Lieutenant is 75, which she reaches next year – but this Dame’s got more vim than a lot of 50-year olds); she’s got plans.

One of those is chairing the newlyestablished Cyber Trust. The intention is to deliver cyber awareness training to young people and those considered vulnerable to cyber-attack. The Trust, supported by Gloucestershire Constabulary, will actively work to help protect citizens through cyber awareness training.

Dame Janet is a diamond, in the many facets of her personality and in what she’s made possible for Gloucestershire, but when I ask what matters most to her, she says: “It’s valuing each person and the contribution they make. In reality each person is extra-ordinary in some way.”

You can take the girl out of the back streets, but you can’t take away the grasp of real life the upbringing gave her.

“It’s valuing each person and the contribution they make. In reality each person is extraordinary in some way.”

Dame Janet Trotter

Business & Innovation Magazine Regiona l Women in Business lunch

Hosted at Manor By The Lake, we were delighted to welcome business women from across the region to our brand-new series of regional lunches. Senior level professionals, drawn from our extensive network, enjoyed stimulating and topical discussion. Our speaker Caroline Thompson, CEO of Be The Spark, and Entrepreneur Development Manager at NatWest talked about her role in championing UK entrepreneurs.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rob Lacey

Jo Draper of QuoLux, with Lisa Gettins from BPE Solicitors and Ruth Dooley of Hazlewoods

Margaret Dabbs of Margaret Dabbs London with Julie Clare of Clear B2B

Nicky Godding from Business & Innovation Magazine with Belinda Wilson of GlosJobs.co.uk

Abi Howell, Truly Tailored Recruitment with Michaela Cozens of GEL (Gloucestershire Enterprise)

Julie Heather of HRML with Carly Hill from L3 TRL

Gifts provided by Margaret Dabbs Cheltenham clinic

Manor By The Lake

Starter: hot smoked salmon with a roasted beetroot and rocket salad topped with soft poached egg

Kirsty Muir from Business & Innovation Magazine with Julia House of Albright IP

Sarah Bryers from Target PR with Lindsey Young of Clarkson Evans

Manor By The Lake

Manor By The Lake is a splendid Victorian Manor set in spectacular grounds in the Cotswolds and offers a wide range of flexible space with exclusive-use, excellent AV, superfast broadband, exquisite food, great transport links, ample free parking and plenty of style. The impressive Victorian Manor House makes an ideal base for meetings, conferences, team building events and corporate parties with a difference. Manor By The Lake is a keen supporter of Business Growth and Entrepreneurship. It actively welcomes creative events which allow business leaders to engage with staff, clients and customers in a more dynamic way.

www.businessatthemanor.co.uk

Would you like to feature your business event, launch or party in our Business events section?

Julie Powell and Penny Dean from NatWest, with guest speaker Caroline Thompson of Be The Spark and Michelle Collins and Tanya Ciriaco from NatWest

Di Pitts of Handelsbanken Cirencester and Pollyanne Schreuder of ASH Chartered Surveyors

Lorrin White and Erica Jones of Bamboo Technology Group

Julie Randall of Vero Software Group with Rhiannon Edwards of Energist UK

Samantha Pennington of Bruton Knowles with Emma Summers from Juice Recruitment

Sarah Fenwick of Energist UK with Brenda Noori of Luxury Apartments

Craig Walker from Manor By The Lake with Jeanette Phillips of Flexicare UK

Claire Maddox of Eurolink Connect with Bridget Redmond of Willans

BSR chosen to manage pioneering community solar park

Legal & Financial

BSR, the leading low carbon service provider, has been appointed to manage Westmill Solar Park, the pioneering community-owned solar project.

Westmill, near Watchfield, Oxfordshire, was the first community-owned solar park in the UK and the world’s largest when it launched. The co-operative chose BSR to manage the 5MW project following a competitive tender, and the contract began last month, when BSR initiated a thorough review of the plant to optimise performance.

Martin Allman, Director at Westmill Solar Co-operative, said: “BSR has demonstrated a commitment to achieving high standards of quality and value for money on many other solar farm sites. Their team recognise the unique nature of our project and their passion for community energy is clear.”

The Westmill solar farm was constructed in 2011 and taken over by the co-operative in 2012. More than 5,000 community groups have launched energy projects in the last

five years and many of the largest will be going to tender in the coming months. BSR is one of the leading providers of solar O&M services in the UK.

“We are extremely passionate about driving measurable cost and efficiency benefits for community energy,” said Graham Harding, MD at BSR. “This is a flagship project for us and we’re excited for the opportunity to further demonstrate the value we are able to add to community energy projects which are an increasingly important part of the UK energy market.”

BSR operates and manages nearly 6% of the UK’s utility-scale solar power and Westmill takes its portfolio to 536MW across 50 solar parks.

Westmill is an energy-cooperative. All 1,500 members benefit from a share in project revenues and have a say in how it is run. The solar farm saves up to 2,000 tonnes of CO2 a year by generating enough clean renewable electricity to power two nearby villages (Watchfield and Shrivenham).

BPE acts on acquisition of Bath-based Regency Laundry

Legal & Financial

The corporate team from Cheltenhambased BPE Solicitors have acted for a new management team in their acquisition of the trade and assets of Bath-based Regency Laundry.

Originally called Bath Steam Laundry, it was established in 1879 and is one of Bath’s most well-known and respected family-run laundry companies. It is also one of the country’s oldest commercial laundry operations.

The acquiring management team has experience in commercial laundries

gained from owning and running similar businesses over many years. They aim to modernise the business practices of Regency in order to meet the challenges of operating in a highly competitive sector, as well as aiming to expand the business into new regions and markets.

The acquisition, headed by BPE Partner, Dale Williams, also included a deal to lease Regency’s principal operating property from the previous owners for a five-year period after which they will relocate the business to new, modern premises.

First-time entrants scoop half of GWILS awards

Legal & Financial

Lawyers from Harrison Clark Rickerbys bagged half of the six open awards at the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Law Society (GWILS) Legal Excellence Awards. The firm also notched up three runner-up places.

The firm’s Cheltenham office won ‘Law Firm of the Year’, ‘Team of the Year’ for its employment and education team, and trainee Emma Glazzard won ‘Junior Lawyer of the Year’.

Close behind were associates Charlotte Melhuish, runner-up in the ‘Lawyer of the Year’ category, and Tom Kirkhope, runner-up in the ‘Junior Lawyer of the Year’ section – the firm was also runner-up in the ‘Corporate Social Responsibility Firm

“The results for HCR from last night’s awards were fantastic and testament to the strength and depth of the firm. Winning Law Firm of the Year says it all, especially given the good competition in these regions.”

of the Year’ category.

Rich Wilkey, head of the firm’s Cheltenham office, said: “The results for HCR from last night’s awards were fantastic and testament to the strength and depth of the firm. Winning ‘Law Firm of the Year’ says it all, especially given the good competition in these regions. I am really delighted for all our winners and runners up.”

Winning team members Oliver Daniels, Emilie Darwin and Rachel Roberts

THE SRA DRIVES SIMPLIFICATION OF LAW FIRM REGULATIONS

When the Solicitor Regulation Authority (SRA) achieves its ambition to cut its regulatory handbook from 400 pages to around 100 in 2018, it will have removed a considerable amount of unnecessary levels of detail.

So says Ian Johnson, Director in the Professional Practices team at national audit, tax, and advisory services firm, Crowe Clark Whitehill.

Undertaking a consultation which is, in the main, pragmatic the SRA is trying to ensure that its Code of Conduct is easier to understand and more straightforward for modern businesses to apply. There are also wide-ranging changes to how it approves firms and individuals, and how it assesses the suitability of those entering the profession.

One proposal in the consultation was confirmation that corporate owners and managers of firms (which themselves do not provide legal services directly to the public but provide them through an authorised firm) will no longer require SRA authorisation. These ‘corporate partners’ may not even be eligible for authorisation, even if they applied for it.

It’s not that the SRA wants to prohibit corporate ownership structures - the wording makes that point clear - but the effect of this change would be that the

underlying law firm would have non-SRA regulated owners or managers and so could be forced to register for approval as an Alternative Business Structure (ABS).

This begs the question of whether such a policy would apply retrospectively for firms already operating with corporate owners or managers, as this could result in a flurry of ABS applications once the new handbook is introduced.

I recently spoke with senior policy officers of the SRA about the issue and understand that this will probably be addressed during the consultation process itself.

Another interesting proposal would permit solicitors to provide reserved legal activities on a freelance basis, in a similar way to barristers. An easing of restrictions in this area could allow self-employed solicitors to operate without being ’Recognised Sole Practices’ or having to work via an authorised body.

Under such a system, they would still need to maintain adequate Professional Indemnity and they would not be permitted to hold client money, except money in payment of fees or disbursements.

Outside of the consultation, there is plenty more to be aware of in 2018. The new slimmed down Accounts Rules are still scheduled to come into force in the latter part of 2018, but we are still waiting for detailed guidance from the SRA to support the interpretation of these rules.

The ongoing issue of solicitors providing banking facilities to clients also continues to be a source of confusion, though we can expect some further support from the SRA in the near future, which will hopefully give a clearer view than the warning notice from a few years ago.

It is also worth remembering that these changes come in the wake of the Brabners VAT case which has left many firms scratching their heads over exactly how they should be accounting for VAT on search fees which are recharged to clients.

With all of these changes looming, it is understandable why so many legal managers are perhaps puzzling over what to prioritise. Let’s hope for some clarity and a productive start to the New Year.

Ian Johnson, Director in the Professional Practices team at national audit, tax, and advisory services firm, Crowe Clark Whitehill.

“It is understandable why so many legal managers are perhaps puzzling over what to prioritise. Let’s hope for some clarity and a productive start to the New Year.”

Ian Johnson, Crowe Clark Whitehill

GCHQ AND WAYRA SHOWCASE LATEST CYBER START-UPS

The second cohort of GCHQ Cyber Accelerator start-ups showcased their ideas at a special event in Cheltenham.

The Accelerator provides an intense ninemonth period of growth for the companies, giving them unique access to GCHQ and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) world class experts and the Telefonica global business network. The Accelerator supports the National Cyber Security Strategy to help grow the national and regional cyber security business eco-system.

Introducing the nine start-ups, Chris Ensor, Deputy Director for Cyber Skills and Growth at the NCSC, said: “We want to develop new capabilities, ideas and solutions to problems that everyone can use to secure themselves. The Accelerator is based in Cheltenham because the majority of our experts are at GCHQ.”

The project matches up cyber experts with innovative companies to solve real world problems and make everyone’s lives online more secure. Putting GCHQ’s experts together with clever young companies creates magic, said Chris.

Also speaking at the event was Harry Davies of Wayra, a start-up accelerator which leverages communications giant Telefonica’s global resources to help identify and scale up UK-based start-ups. Telefonica’s brand in the UK is O2. He said: “We are in a world where two people in an office with no marketing money can build a product like WhatsApp that can fundamentally revolutionise our industry. We are seeing this incredible explosion of start-ups having a huge impact on the industry.”

Cheltenham MP, Alex Chalk, who champions growth of the cyber security in the town, added: “The UK cyber security industry is already worth £22 billion a year to the UK economy. It’s growing around 10% per annum and employing around

100,000 professionals. Cheltenham offers a unique opportunity to create a digital eco-system where the most talented people move in and out of GCHQ, bringing the best minds into the private sector and innovation back into Government.”

Cheltenham is one of just two Government cyber innovation centres in the UK.

The nine start-ups include Secure Code Warrior, which is turning developers into the first line of cyber defence in an organisation. Secure Code Warrior has built a hands-on, gamified Software-as-aService (SaaS) learning platform to help developers write secure code.

Cheltenham Science Festival is back

Cheltenham Science Festival is bringing its hands-on free interactive MakerShack back in 2018, and it’s looking for makers, designers, engineers and hobbyists to get involved.

Last year the MakerShack was a huge hit with visitors of all ages who enjoyed the chance to create, invent, play and explore. During the Festival over 9,000 people passed through its doors. Activities include computer coding and 3D printing. The MakerShack will run from 5-10 June 2018.

C11 Cyber Centre revealed

Another start-up is Intruder, which provides a proactive security monitoring platform for busy IT administrators, to detecting system weaknesses before hackers do.

Nearly seven million laptops were stolen or reported stolen last year. In one weekend, Heathrow recovered over 100 laptops which were lost or stolen. ExactTrak makes embedded technology that protects data and devices, even when devices are turned off.

Trust Elevate solves the problem of age verification and parental consent for young adults and children in online transactions. Over 80% of children lie about their age to get online onto social media platforms. 96% of their are parents concerned about their kids’ privacy, but parents want them to use the internet.

The University of Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and Stroud College in Gloucestershire have opened their long-awaited new Cyber Centre, based at Berkeley in Gloucestershire.

Called C11, the Cyber Centre on the Berkeley Green site also offers a conference centre for specialist high security cyber events as well as events for businesses, schools and the general public.

Professor Kamal Bechkoum, Head of the School of Computing and Technology at the University, said: “The aim of the centre is to offer a secure environment for the cyber security community to come together to address known and emerging challenges with innovation, partnership and share expertise.”

“We want to develop new capabilities, ideas and solutions to problems that everyone can use to secure themselves. The Accelerator is based in Cheltenham because the majority of our experts are at GCHQ.”

PUTTING A PRICE ON DATA

With recent reports of the development of malware bots that have already infected thousands of internet connected devices, the scale of the threat to connected devices is becoming much more evident, says

The IoT, or Internet of Things, describes the vast array of connected or ‘smart’ devices now common-place in many domestic and business addresses. From fridges that can detect when supplies are running low and either notify you or place an online order, to less high-tech equipment such as security cameras that can be accessed remotely; all are susceptible to cyber-attacks.

How secure is my security?

From relatively simple denial of service attacks to more damaging data theft, the potential impact of a successful attack is limited only by the amount and nature of data that is stored on these network connected devices. With cyber-attacks being reported from the likes of Uber, Yahoo and even anti-virus firm AVG, it is clear that no company can assume that they are safe because they have taken elementary steps to protect their systems.

The complexity involved in preventing attacks is amplified by the variety of devices that can now connect to the internet. With different manufacturers, software systems, hardware configurations and suppliers of services, a one catch-all solution just isn’t possible. Identifying liability for protection is equally fraught;

currently those claiming damages due to an IoT hack have to rely on a jurisdictional specific combination of privacy and data protection laws.

Prudence

With personal details stored online and the ability of many smart devices to save login details, passwords and even bank details, almost all systems are potential targets to IoT bots. Data is a valuable black-market commodity, and every day we create more data at an incredible rate, estimated at 2.5 exabtyes (2.5 million terabytes) a day. Businesses therefore need to take steps to protect both their systems and their data to avoid being compromised.

Trusted experts

The good news is there’s still time to ‘get your house in order’ before the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force, and before a potential attack on your connected infrastructure. BPE Solicitors is proud to be the official legal advisors to the newly established CyNam – the non-profit making organisation based in the UK’s cyber security community in Cheltenham. CyNam is bringing together the best technological

knowledge from local SMEs and startups as well as building relationships with national cyber organisations.

Putting our expertise to good use, we have already guided many clients through a thorough data audit and systems health check, so they can be confident that their data protection policies and practices are water tight and fit for purpose now, and when the GDPR comes into force in May.

While there is never a guarantee that systems are fully protected against a successful hack, by assessing risks and having policies and procedures in place, should the worst happen, you can at least be assured that your business is prepared and ready to defend itself to the best of its ability.

Dianne Devlin, commercial lawyer at BPE Solicitors.

“BPE Solicitors is proud to be the official legal advisors to the newly established CyNam – the non-profit making organisation based in the UK’s cyber security community in Cheltenham.”

Dianne Devlin, Commercial Lawyer, BPE Solicitors

University of Gloucestershire official launch of C11, Cyber Security and Digital Centre

Guests gathered to witness the opening of C11, the brand new Cyber Security and Digital Centre based at Gloucestershire Science and Innovation Park, Berkeley. The new centre adds to the extensive Cyber Security and Innovation portfolio of the University of Gloucestershire. The centre offers a secure environment in which to work for the cyber security community of Gloucestershire.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rob Lacey

Would you like to feature your business event, launch or party in our business events section?

Please contact: kirsty.muir@nkmedia.co.uk or visit businessinnovationmag.co.uk

Dr Danny Steed from ReSolve Cyber with Jeannie Cohen-Brand from University of Gloucestershire and Jim Wheeler from ReSolve Cyber

David Doody from BT with Dr Polly Pick University of Gloucestershire

Patrick Mulcahy and Professor Kamal Bechkoum from University of Gloucestershire

Lt Col Andrew Tabor High Sheriff of Gloucestershire and Lou Tabor with Dr Dave Richards of Dr Dave Innovation

Russell Warner from Federation of Small Businesses Cotswold Branch with Kevin Hamblin from SGS College

Gordon Craig from Gloucestershire Harbour Trustees with Robert Loveday from GE Aviation and Andy Slaney from SGS College

James Dyke from DittoIT with Jon Lee of Doran Risk Consulting and Martin Thomas from Marjent Ltd

Stephen Marston, Vice Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire welcoming guests

Tom Yearsley from Ridge & Partners with Anthony Wheatley from Kier Construction

Region’s colleges clean up at

National Apprenticeship awards

Gloucestershire College and Abingdon and Witney College are celebrating wins at the Association of Colleges Awards.

Gloucestershire College was recognised for its innovative apprenticeships programme, winning the Association of Colleges Beacon Award for the ‘Promotion and Delivery of Successful Apprenticeships’.

The award judges were impressed by the success rates of the apprenticeship provision to well above the national average. Gloucestershire College is now one of the leading providers in the South West, expanding the breadth of provision and working responsively with local employers, the community, schools and business organisations.

Despite the number of apprenticeship starts being down nationally 61% since the introduction of the levy, Gloucestershire Colleges’s apprenticeship starts increased by 32%, with an overall success rate of 84% (national average 67% in 2015-16). Matthew Burgess, Principal and Chief

Executive of Gloucestershire College, said: “To be recognised nationally for our work in this area reflects the outstanding outcomes for the apprentices themselves, and the impact on the employers’ businesses and the way the College responds to employer needs in this area.”

Julie Tegg, Head of Work-based Learning at the College, added: “It’s a really proud moment for everyone at Gloucestershire College.”

Abingdon & Witney College won the Edge Award for ‘Practical Teaching and Learning’.

The Edge Foundation, which sponsored the award, is an independent education charity. It was impressed by the College’s commitment to developing a moral and social code, in order to help improve employability and leading to an ethos of respect and responsibility.

The project, ‘Action Tap’, impressed the judges enough to earn the award. Piloted

Record audience at Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards

A record 360 people attended this year’s Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards 2017 final.

Thirty of the county’s best apprentices, apprenticeship employers, schools and training providers were celebrated in a total of 12 categories at the Treetops Pavilion, West Midland Safari Park.

The awards are an initiative from Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and Worcestershire County Council, which launched the Awards in 2014.

The two top awards on the evening went to CP Foods UK from Kidderminster which won the Worcestershire Apprenticeship

Employer of the Year award, sponsored by Yamazaki Mazak (UK) Ltd, and Ben Hyde from Sanctuary Group in Worcester who won the Worcestershire Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Worcester Bosch Group.

in 2015 within a small section of the College, it now sees over 100 students from across the curriculum areas of business, accounting, sport, public services and events and tourism come together to work collaboratively on social action projects.

Clarkson Evans named construction industry ‘Employer of the Year’

Gloucester-based electrical contractor Clarkson Evans has been named as Construction Industry ‘Employer of the Year ‘at this year’s national On the Tools Awards.

On the Tools is the largest online construction community in the country. The On the Tools Awards celebrate

and reward construction workers, subcontractors and construction companies from across the UK.

Clarkson Evans specialises in wiring new homes for the UK’s leading housing developers, wiring around 1 in 10 of all new properties built in England and Wales last year.

The company employs more than 800 staff and operates across much of southern England, the Midlands and south Wales.

Unlike other apprentice employers Clarkson Evans recruits all year round and currently has electrical apprenticeship vacancies in Oxford, Milton Keynes, Telford and Stafford.

BBC Breakfast’s Steph McGovern, Abingdon & Witney College Head of Faculty Angela Hayles, and Head of Projects and Partnerships for the Edge Foundation, Jane Samuels.

Half a million-pound boost for Aston Martin supplier

Manufacturing

Coventry-based metal components manufacturer, PAB Coventry, has received £600,000 in new machinery to capitalise on strong demand at home and overseas from some of the biggest names in the automotive industry, including Warwickshire-based Aston Martin, with funding from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.

PAB Coventry supplies sheet metal components, pressings and assemblies to businesses across automotive, renewable energy, defence and rail sectors –customers include Lotus and other highend vehicle manufacturers. This service is supported by its traditional pressing and stamping services, which drives 50% of businesses revenue.

The business generates annual revenues of £8.5 million and is targeting accelerated growth through a three year £3 million investment plan, geared towards meeting its objective of £13 million revenue by 2020.

Mark Brazier, CEO at PAB Coventry, said: “We’re seeing healthy demand from our customers at home, especially from the automotive sector.

“The knock-on effect of the weak pound means that the demand we’ve had from our clients overseas is also thriving, and the funding we’ve received enables us to capitalise upon this window of opportunity.”

Atkins and Tokamak Energy join forces to plan next fusion reactor

Manufacturing

Tokamak Energy, based at Milton Park, Oxfordshire, has engaged engineering design and project management company Atkins to help establish costs, concept design and timeline to build the first-ever fusion facility which will generate more energy than it consumes.

This is the first stage in a partnership that should evolve to deliver a fusion device capable of putting energy into the grid.

A tokamak is a mini fusion generator and the tokamak at the centre of this installation is expected to be up to four times larger than Tokamak Energy’s current prototype device, the ST40.

Tokamak Energy is private fusion energy venture, which has already designed and

WMG joins vehicle battery recycling project

Manufacturing

WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group), at the University of Warwick has joined a £1.3 million project with energy storage company Connected Energy, Jaguar Land Rover, and Videre Global which designs and builds equipment for off-grid energy production in the renewables sector. The group plans to establish key components of a world-leading second life battery value chain. The project is co-funded by Innovate UK.

Connected Energy is a pioneer in siteintegrated energy storage. Its Britishdesigned E-STOR energy storage technology will be adapted to integrate recycled Jaguar Land Rover batteries with other work undertaken by WMG on the use of varied second life battery modules.

Second life enables greater exploitation of the carbon and energy embedded in the manufacturing of batteries. Using second life batteries also makes energy storage systems financially viable for a wider range of end-users.

WMG will create battery management software to facilitate active management of used vehicle batteries.

built three experimental tokamak devices to prove the potential of its spherical compact design.

Atkins will help tackle the regulatory and engineering challenges in bringing the technology to market. Tokamak Energy is aiming to produce temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius in its current prototype – the ST40 – in 2018. This is in the temperature range required to sustain a fusion reaction.

Dr David Kingham, Executive Vice Chairman of Tokamak Energy, said: “The success of our compact spherical tokamaks and our theoretical work has established a clear route to fusion power, with an aim to get energy into the grid by 2030.”

“From 2020 all new Jaguar Land Rover vehicles will have the option of electrification. This project explores how automotive batteries can be given a second life in energy storage to support wider industry needs.”

Ryan Fisher, Jaguar Land Rover’s project lead said: “From 2020 all new Jaguar Land Rover vehicles will have the option of electrification. This project explores how automotive batteries can be given a second life in energy storage to support wider industry needs.”

Mark Harnett, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, Mark Brazier at PAB Coventry, Julie Cranmer, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking

INSPIRING

Industry magazine The Manufacturer has revealed its top 100 most inspiring role models, and the list includes names from across the region.

Jason Aldridge has overseen growth of more than 150% at Coventry-based Arrowsmith Engineering. He is chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire Aerospace Forum (CWAF) and a panel member of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, EEF and the Chamber of Commerce.

Jaguar Land Rover professionals also made the list, including Dr Charlie Atwell, Vehicle Prototype Build Planner. She optimises design for manufacturing, and supports the promotion of women in engineering. Skills Programmes Manager, Rita Davey also made the top 100 along with Claire Matthews, I-Pace Propulsion Project Leader and Tony Gibbs, JLR Process Leader.

Also on the list are Elliot Benton, owner of Coventry-based MNB Precision Ltd and Simon Brewerton, Chief Technology Officer at RDM Group in Coventry.

Carole Burke CBE, Managing Director at Unipart Manufacturing Group, Oxford is

also one of the hundred. Carole helped to establish the UK’s first ‘Faculty on the Factory Floor’.

Other regional bosses on the list include Martyn Hale, Chairman of Bromsgrove-based HME Technology Ltd, Tom Mongan, General Manager at Subcon Laster Cuttings Ltd, Byron Lear, Operational Excellence Champion at Oxford Instruments, Abingdon; and Mark Johnstone, CEO at Witney-based JSP Ltd. JSP produces more than four million safety helmets a year and exports to over 100 countries.

David Keene, is a board member of the UK Automotive Council and sits on the WMG High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult board. He is CEO of Coventry-based RDM Group which have a combined turnover of 25 million.

Nick Hussey, CEO at Hennik Group which publishes The Manufacturer, said: “I am delighted to know many of those named in The Manufacturer Top 100 to date. Their stories are ones of inspiration, determination, passion and achievement.”

Renishaw director recognised for outstanding contribution

Professor Gareth Hankins, Director of Group Manufacturing Services Division, at global engineering company, Renishaw, has been awarded an Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) Achievement Award.

The awards acknowledge individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to science, engineering or technology either by research and

Manufacturing development or by leadership. Gareth joined Renishaw at the begining of his career as an apprentice aged 16 and went on to achieve a degree in Manufacturing Systems and Manufacturing Management at Cardiff University, sponsored by the company.

Winners are nominated by their peers and selected by a panel of judges at the IET.

Advanced Insulation wins four golds at EEF Awards

Manufacturing

Advanced Insulation, the Gloucesterbased manufacturer of insulation, passive fire protection, cryogenic spill protection, buoyancy and cable protection systems, won four golds at this year’s EEF Future Manufacturing Awards.

The company, which employs over 350 people, won the regional Innovation, Health and Safety, Developing People and Apprentice categories at the event. It will go head to head against national competition this month (January).

Advanced Insulation obtained the Innovation award for its development of the flexible subsea insulation system, ContraTherm C25.

Dick Elsy, Chief Executive at HVM Catapult, said: “Innovation is key to the efficiency, outstanding productivity and world-beating competitiveness that creates robust, sustainable growth. Innovation creates opportunity, but it is challenging. Those who master it deserve our recognition and praise. Advanced Insulation is a worthy winner.”

Andrew Bennion, Managing Director at Advanced Insulation, said: “These EEF awards are testament to our hard-working and dedicated team.”

Terry Scuoler, CEO of EEF, added: “The number of awards that Advanced Insulation have taken home shows just what a forward thinking and innovative company it is.”

Kamil Tomaszewski, one of the inventors of ContraTherm C25, meets the Duke of Gloucester on a recent visit to the company’s Gloucester HQ

ADVENTURE TAPE FOR IT’S ‘ON YER BIKE’ IN 2018

The answer to any practical or mechanical problem for the luddites amongst us has always been gaffer tape and WD40. But the technical director at polyurethane company Watts, based in the Forest of Dean, applied science to a problem and came up with a brand-new product due for launch this year.

Keen downhill mountain bike racer Richard Brooks, was getting fed up of loose chains clanging against his Enduro bike. Whatever he put around the chain stay wore down or came off.

As technical director at Watts, he developed a very thin polyurethane material and put it on his bike. Three years later, it’s still there – and he’s still participating in this extreme sport.

When Watts Group new CEO, Dr Anthony Cooper found the super

Magnetic success drives Kickstarter investment

Two design engineers are crowdfunding to develop their latest product, an innovative magnetically-controlled pen.

Ashley Hribar-Green and Matthew Cain, who met four years ago while working for the technology giant Dyson, set out on Kickstarter to raise £6,000 in 60 days to finance Magno-Ink, and ahead of the 15 December deadline, the dynamic duo had raised over £60,000 from 1,245 backers.

Co-designer Matthew, said: “It is designed using patent-pending magnetic

stretchy, super strong tape in a filing cabinet, Richard explained what it was. It contains no adhesive, but because of its chemical properties, it will ‘stick’ to itself.

More accustomed to creating and manufacturing polyurethane products for industry, Anthony called in Gloucesterbased innovation company BEAF for ideas on how it could be developed.

“The product would have been wasted if it was marketed purely in the bicyclerepair market,” says BEAF Business Development Manager, Nav Varghese. “So we came up with a concept for the wider adventure sports market.” BEAF developed the branding, marketing and PR campaign. They also managed the Kickstarter campaign.

Creating a consumer brand was a leap of faith for Watts, which manufactures and sells B2B products. The Kickstarter investment request for £15,000 was smashed when £45,000 was raised for Adventure Tape.

Watts plans a consumer launch this year. The product has many potential applications. It could also be used as a tourniquet in medical situations, as it can be manufactured to be anti-microbial.

propulsion technology. We want to make Magno-Ink ‘affordable luxury’ for everyone. Having people enjoy our products is more important than making a profit.”

The men, based at Malmesbury, took inspiration from their first product

launched last year. Magno is ‘The World’s First Magnetically Controlled Pencil’.

“We are the first company in the world to use magnets in order to control the activation of a writing instrument. It makes us extremely proud to be the pioneers of revolutionary technology,” said Matthew.

Matthew Cain and Ashley Hribar-Green with their new Magno-Ink pen

Harwell and Culham win major funding

Science & Tech

Harwell Science and Innovation

Campus has been selected to host the flagship Faraday Institution Headquarters, a new Governmentfunded £65 million research institute to lead the UK’s research into energy storage and battery technology.

Harwell Campus, a UK science and innovation hub, was selected for its ability to bring together the best UK scientists and engineers and its worldleading science facilities.

Energy storage research is critical the Government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge, with £246 million to be invested over four years to help UK businesses seize opportunities presented by the move to a low carbon economy. Harwell Campus, which supports start-ups, SMEs and corporates, will accelerate the exploitation and commercialisation of the Faraday Institution’s research.

Also announced is £86 million of Government investment in the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA’s) nuclear fusion research programme at Culham Science Centre.

The investment will fund the building and operation of a National Fusion Technology Platform at Culham, expected to open in 2020.

The new facilities will support British industry and help secure around £1 billion in contracts from the international fusion research experiment ITER, now being built in France, and other global fusion projects. They will enable UKAEA to develop technology for the first nuclear fusion power plants, and enable the UK to exploit the commercialisation of this highly promising low-carbon energy source.

ADAPTIMMUNE OPENS NEW UK HQ

“We started up Adaptimmune with three people in a small laboratory on Milton Park in 2008 to conduct research into engineered T-cell receptors to fight cancer, we now have more than 350 staff working out of our UK and US facilities.”

Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc, a leader in T-cell therapy to treat cancer, hosted an official opening ceremony at its new UK headquarters on Milton Park, Oxfordshire. Over 400 people, including employees and senior representatives from the regional and national business, academic, government and investor communities, celebrated the official opening of the flagship facility. Professor Sir John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford, unveiled a commemorative plaque.

Adaptimmune’s 67,000 sq ft building comprises laboratory and office space accommodating all the company’s UK research and development operations and corporate teams. The facility

complements Adaptimmune’s newlybuilt US headquarters and clinical and manufacturing operations in Philadelphia, USA.

James Noble, Chief Executive Officer of Adaptimmune, said: “We started up Adaptimmune with three people in a small laboratory on Milton Park in 2008 to conduct research into engineered T-cell receptors to fight cancer. We now have more than 350 staff working out of our UK and US facilities. Their substantial scientific, development and corporate expertise is focused on progressing our preclinical programmes and accelerating the development of our wholly-owned pipeline with a common objective to bring breakthrough therapies to cancer patients.”

UK’S LEADING REAL ESTATE ADVISOR TO SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY SECTORS

James Noble (CEO & Co-Founder) with Dr Helen Tayton-Martin (Chief Business Officer & Co-Founder), Professor Sir John Bell and Dr Bent Jakobsen, Scientific Advisor & Co-Founder

Adaptimmune’s UK Headquarters

Autumn Budget benefits tech and innovation

The Autumn Budget had a lot to benefit technology and innovation, says Sue Staunton, who heads up accountants James Cowper Kreston’s technology team in Oxford.

Highlights for the technology sector across the region include an increase in the Research and Development Expenditure (RDEC) tax credits scheme for larger companies, for expenditure incurred after 1 January 2018. However, the SME R&D tax credit scheme will remain the same.

For companies which are truly innovative, the annual investment they can receive through the Enterprise Investment Scheme will double to £10 million.

The Government hopes to make the UK a leader in the development and deployment of digital technologies. It plans to establish a new centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, to lay the foundation for the adoption of advanced intelligence (AI). Amongst other measures, the Government will fund 750 PhD researchers in this field.

It plans to set up a £10 million Regulators Pioneer Fund for regulators to develop innovative approaches aimed at getting new products and services to market.

Investment of £21 million over the next four years will aid the expansion of Tech City UK’s reach to become Tech Nation and support regional companies and start-ups.

A further £1million will extend the UK’s Games Fund until 2020 – aiding access to finance and business support for early stage video game developers. The

Precision needles device poised to enter US market

An intuitive medical device for multiple applications being developed at Culham Innovation Centre, Abingdon is poised to enter the billion-dollar biopsy market. The device promises to improve accuracy, reduce time and limit patient stress during needle-based procedures.

ActiveNeedle Technology is in the process of commercialising its needle-actuating device, which aims to reduce needle placement errors in ultrasound guided procedures and has recently taken more office space at Culham Innovation Centre to support ambitious expansion plans.

ActiveNeedle Technology has also been named as one of the most exciting technology companies in the UK and an ‘innovator to watch in 2018’ by industry peers via TechRadar.com. The company is about to go through its second round of funding and is inviting Oxfordshire investors and potential partners to join the team as it scales-up to launch its problem-solving product in the UK next year.

Ian Quirk, CEO and Founder of ActiveNeedle Technology, said: “Our technology can really make a difference

Government also plans to enable fully selfdriving cars to be on UK roads by 2021.

The Budget also promises long-term support for science and innovation. The £4.7 billion Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund investment announced in the Autumn Statement 2016 will grow by a further £2.3 billion of additional spending in 2021-22.

An action plan was announced to unlock over £20 billion of patient capital investment to finance growth in innovative companies over 10 years.

to healthcare professionals and patients, reducing procedure time and limiting the number of repeat operations. This will save the NHS millions and importantly, will help prevent unnecessary pain experienced as a result of prolonged or repeated biopsies.”

UK’S LEADING REAL ESTATE ADVISOR TO SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY SECTORS

Ian Quirk demonstrating ActiveNeedle Technology

Sue Staunton

The future of retail could lie in Gloucester

The beautiful cathedral city of Gloucester could showcase the future of retail following £400,000 of funding secured by the city’s destination marketing organisation, Marketing Gloucester, and the county’s local enterprise partnership, GFirst LEP.

A new national centre for digital retail innovation will be located across the first floor of the city’s Eastgate Shopping centre.

The UK Digital Retail innovation Centre (UK:DRIC) will be the national centre for testing and developing disruptive digital innovations, where retail entrepreneurs can engage with

shoppers to test out their technologies – from robot assistants to 360 degree virtual mirrors.

Jason Smith, Chief Executive at Marketing Gloucester, said: “There are huge challenges facing the UK retail sector and the UK Digital Retail Innovation Centre has the potential to be a gamechanger which could have a national impact.”

Interestingly, independent shops saw an increase of 762 shops (27%) in the first half of 2017, according to the British Independent Retailers Association. Chain retailers have also remained in decline with a net loss of 659 shops (33%) across the UK.

Solar powered road stud lights the way to safer highways

Science & Tech

An innovative solar-powered road stud, which offers drivers 10 times greater visibility of the road ahead than traditional ‘cat’s eyes’, has been unveiled by Bicester-based Clearview Intelligence, highway technology experts.

Designed to reduce night time road accidents by over 70%, the new SolarLite 2 provides improved guidance and hazard warning to drivers in darkness and poor weather conditions. The SolarLite provides up to 900 metres of visibility of the road ahead, using superior solar-powered high intensity LEDs which, unlike conventional

reflective road studs, do not rely on vehicle headlight efficiency to perform effectively.

Cats eyes were first invented by Percy Shaw of Halifax in 1934. The World War 2 blackouts and shuttered car headlights then in use encouraged mass use in the UK.

Cleaerview’s latest innovation is the result of a £4 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) government grant awarded in 2014. The company has developed SolarLite in partnership with Zeta Specialist Lighting Ltd, based at Bicester, and AEV Ltd of Birkenhead. It’s part of an initiative to

Maybe, a company aiming to connect shoppers to retailers through technology, has ranked Gloucester 11 out of 1,300 towns surveyed for its Digital Influence Index of UK towns and cities. Top of the Maybe leaderboard is, naturally, London, with Nottingham in second place and Edinburgh in third.

relocate manufacturing back to Britain, which has led to over 20 new jobs being created and more being safeguarded.

Chairman of Clearview Intelligence, Sir John Madejski, said: “I’m a passionate believer in the contribution that our intelligent road stud technology can make to road safety. It was and still is a big part of why I invested in the company and I’m delighted to announce the launch of the SolarLite 2.”

UK’S LEADING REAL ESTATE ADVISOR TO SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY SECTORS

“There are huge challenges facing the UK retail sector and the UK Digital Retail Innovation Centre has the potential to be a gamechanger which could have a national impact.”

Eastgate Shopping Centre

HMS

Industrial Networks launchs customer technology centre

HMS Industrial Networks has launched a Customer Technology Centre to educate clients in industrial communications, the internet and how it can work for them and their businesses.

The new training site has been opened at the University of Warwick Science Park’s Venture Centre in Coventry, which is the company’s UK and Ireland base.

David Bradley-Folley, general manager of HMS Industrial Networks for the UK and Ireland, said:

“It allows us to train and inform customer on new technologies like the Internet Of Things, IOT (Industrial Internet Of Things), new network technologies and industry standards that affect them.”

Oxford Biotrans raises

£2.1 million

Oxford Biotrans, based at Milton Park, has closed £2.1 million in new funding. The investment was led by Touchstone Innovations (formerly Imperial Innovations) with participation from existing shareholders including the University of Oxford and Oxford Investment Consultants/Oxford Technology and Innovations EIS Fund, alongside new investment from Perivoli Innovations.

The company commercialises new natural routes to high value chemicals, based on its patented enzyme technology. The first product is natural grade nootkatone, the flavour and scent of grapefruit, which the company began to manufacture in commercial quantities earlier this year.

Will Barton, Chairman of Oxford Biotrans said:

“We are delighted that our major investors have continued to support us through this new funding round and that we have also been able to attract a new investor to the fold. The business has built a solid foundation that now supports a step up in headcount and work space which will be exploited to take our exciting pipeline of development products to market.”

Budget gives region a central role in driving economic growth

The Chancellor’s budget speech addressed economic challenges facing the UK: How to boost productivity, improve infrastructure and build new homes, says Bidwells partner David Williams.

Its emphasis on exploiting the potential of growth sectors and high-performing hubs puts the Golden Triangle (London-OxfordCambridge) at the heart of the nation’s economic revival.

Key budget announcements to affect the region included backing to build one million homes in the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford corridor by 2050 and money has been earmarked to assist in the development of rail links in that corridor.

Developers looking to meet demand for residential and employment space across the region will welcome news that £44 billion of capital funding, loans and guarantees will be available to support the housing market, whilst the Chancellor announced a £1.1 billion fund to unlock strategic sites.

Providing the right accommodation for growing businesses is one of our greatest challenges. According to Bidwells latest research into Oxfordshire’s office market, the first half of the year saw business space requirements rise by 74%. Take up hit a record high of 225,000 sq ft, 72.6% of which was from knowledge-based businesses.

That demand will only intensify. The Life Sciences Industrial Strategy report describes the Golden Triangle as the world’s third largest technology cluster, after Silicon Valley and Boston, and life sciences, alongside other connected sectors, at the heart of the government’s industrial strategy are set to attract significant investment.

The property industry has already responded to demand from these sectors. Bidwells alone is advising on over two million sq ft of new development under construction or with planning consent on science and technology parks along the A34 corridor in Oxfordshire. For example, Oxford Technology Park which is capable of creating 4,000 jobs within 440,000 sq ft has submitted a full planning application for a new 101-bed Premier Inn hotel and 150-cover restaurant. The high-profile Bicester Gateway Business Park fronting the A41 dual carriageway, is due to start on site in early 2018.

The challenge now is exploiting the opportunities and ensuring our region provides the infrastructure and business space required to support a prosperous economy.

UK’S LEADING REAL ESTATE ADVISOR TO SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY SECTORS

David Williams, Partner, Bidwells

What counts in the R&D field?

For some people, ‘Research and Development’ has overtones more closely related to high-science than to more general commercial business. However, those businesses who recognise that the tax support is focused at ‘on the ground’ activities can reap considerable benefits.

By way of an example, Hazlewoods has been working closely with Muddy Boots Ltd. for 7 years assessing which elements of their operations qualify for R&D tax credits.

Who are Muddy Boots?

Muddy Boots was founded over 20 years ago in Herefordshire, developing software that enabled growers and agronomists to manage their farms out in the field. The company quickly moved up the supply chain to work with some of the largest fresh produce retailers and food brands in the world, including Unilever, Marks & Spencer and Morrisons.

What do Muddy Boots do?

The cloud infrastructure that the company has developed over time, allows data to pass up and down supply chains, enabling customers to instantly view, manage and report on the quality,

traceability, and compliance of their products and suppliers. Having instant access to their data, customers can make business critical decisions that help them to reduce waste, increase efficiency and mitigate risk.

How has Hazlewoods helped Muddy Boots?

The software development work that Muddy Boots undertakes qualifies for enhanced R&D relief and Hazlewoods has helped the company to secure tax savings through this scheme.

David Clift, Partner in Hazlewoods Innovation and Technology team said, “Muddy Boots is an example of a local company that we have worked with to utilise the tax support available for a company. A major part of the advice and assistance that we provide to companies in this regard includes helping them to understand what constitutes ‘R&D’ for these purposes and what can and cannot be included in the R&D tax credits claim. We effectively work with the company as part of their team to collate the details for the claim, which we then prepare and file with HMRC. It’s a great opportunity for us to learn more about the exciting developments at the company that will take the business forward.”

How can we help you?

If you think your company could benefit from exploring R&D tax incentives and credits, or if you are unsure whether your company qualifies for them, do not hesitate to get in touch with our Innovation and Technology team.

In the last issue of Business & Innovation magazine we considered how the term ‘R&D’ can discourage some companies from looking into the support available to them.

TURNING RURAL LAND AND PROPERTY TO PROFIT

We showcase why doing business locally makes economic sense

Our countryside is not what it was. Post offices, shops, pubs, small rural companies, service businesses – even local newspapers have closed at an alarming rate.

What’s not so obvious to the casual observer as they drive through the countryside (avoiding lost on-line shopping delivery drivers), where crops still grow and cows still chew the cud, is how much farming and other rural businesses have suffered in the face of global competition, with incomes down and increased price volatility, among the biggest problems.

But buying from local businesses makes economic sense. The Federation of Small Business research revealed that for every £1 spent with a small or mediumsized business, 63p was re-spent in the local area, compared to 40p spent with a larger business.

This magazine is not suggesting that we shouldn’t buy from large companies, far from it, but local businesses, including

“Funding is the engine for growth. Government statistics for 2016 reveal that 96% of UK businesses employ less than nine people. We are a nation of micro businesses, so creating the environment for growth and improvement is essential to our pre and post Brexit success.”

rural businesses, should be given equal opportunities to compete alongside companies from all over the world. And to do that they need investment.

Creating and sustaining communities

One company helping make that happen is peer-to-peer lending company Folk2Folk. Set up in 2013, authorised and regulated by the FCA, Folk2Folk is helping create and sustain financially and socially

successful local communities. It lends to local businesses which require debt finance by matching them directly with investors through its peer-to-peer lending platform.

Folk2Folk Executive Director, Giles Cross, said: “Funding is the engine for growth. Government statistics for 2016 reveal that 96% of UK businesses employ less than nine people. We are a nation of microbusinesses, so creating the environment for growth and improvement is essential to our pre and post Brexit success.”

Folk2Folk loans are secured against property or land, but it’s worth pointing out that any peer-to-peer lending is not a bank/deposit savings product and investors’ capital is at risk.

Folk2Folk has already facilitated the lending of over £1 million across Gloucestershire.

To date, Folk2Folk lenders have funded loans in excess of £180 million to UK businesses with lenders receiving 6.5% interest per annum on loans.

PERSPECTIVES

We look at peer-to-peer lending from both sides of the fence

The Lender: From the high seas, to bricks and mortar investment

Captain Derek Andrew’s work on cruise ships took him all over the world. Away from home for months on end, he made a work/life balance decision 17 years ago in order to see his daughter grow up. He gave up life on the ocean waves to became a River Pilot.

Derek has been lending peer-to-peer for over six years, through Funding Circle and Rate Setter, but recently made investments into small businesses through Folk2Folk.

“I wanted to diversity my investment portfolio and read positive comments online about Folk2Folk, so I got in touch.

“I liked the heritage of the company and the old-fashioned human element but most of all I like the fact that it only offers secured loans. The bottom line is that I have to be able to sleep at night.

“You can be specific about where you want to invest, geographically and by sector (for example farming in the South West), He added. “I’m less particular geographically but the company’s ethics give me the feelgood factor of knowing that I’m helping a local economy somewhere in the country.”

Derek’s first investment, of £250,000, is in a project in the South West to allow a property developer to buy land to move forward with a product. A second investment of £35,000 is in luxury lodges, currently a thriving emerging market sector.

The Borrower: Ice-cream maker scoops funding success

What does it take to produce an award-winning ice cream?

“Everything was taken care of within Folk2Folk and handled by solicitors. In both cases I haven’t had any contact with the investee, although we are aware of each other. In each case I will see a 6.5% return on my investment, one over five years and the other which is flexible.”

Derek hasn’t taken every opportunity offered to him by Folk2Folk. “I have control over what or where I invest, which differs from some other peer-to-peer platforms where you have no input into where your money is lent.

“I also don’t have to be too involved on a daily basis but the returns are steady –not so high that they come with huge risks, and not so low that the returns will dwindle away.”

But it’s important for people to understand that peer-to-peer lending is not regulated in the same way as a deposit in a bank, adds Derek. “You don’t have the compensation that banks offer if things go wrong. So only invest sums you are comfortable with. Be sensible and diligent, and be realistic.”

Dedication, taste-testing, early mornings plus a decent herd of goats and cows.

At the Dartington Estate, farming couple Jon and Lynne Perkin took on the tenancy at Old Parsonage Farm in March 2015 and set about transforming the farm into a commercial dairy via their herd of goatlings and management of the Sharpham Jersey herd of cows later that year.

Dartington Dairy was launched in 2016, working with a local specialist to make ice cream from their first batch of goats’ milk.

Excited by the opportunities of diversifying away from traditional farming, they developed the idea of starting a goat dairy, selling the milk and other products directly to the customer. For Jon and Lynne it’s also important that the farm provides public access and education around farming, enabling people to understand the farm environment and the provenance of their food. Currently this is through farm open days.

After trying to secure finance through government funding initiatives and their bank, Jon and Lynne spent close to £10,000 in professional assistance, only to

Rural Diversification

Rural Diversification

The lender: Captain Derek Andrew

The borrower: Dartington Dairy

be told that the goalposts of their loan had moved. After speaking to a family friend, Jon was introduced to Folk2Folk as a possible solution to provide a £75,000 business loan.

“It was a breath of fresh air working with a company that uses common sense and listens to you as a business,” say Jon. “We got a decision in under two days and the money was in our account three weeks later. I had given up on the highstreet banks completely. It was an easier, better and happier experience dealing with Folk2Folk.”

Jon and Lynne used the funds to develop the dairy by purchasing essential processing equipment and investing in the brand to make it more marketable to potential buyers and consumers.

Diversification key as farmers look to bridge subsidy gap

Diversification will be crucial as farmers look to re-boot their business following the expected Common Agricutlrual Policy (CAP) overhaul post 2022, according to rural specialists at Bruton Knowles.

Ben Compton from the firm’s Gloucester office says that one possible solution to bridging the subsidy gap is through successful farm diversification – but this would depend upon ‘unlocking the potential while managing the risk’.

Ben said: “As things stand, around 62% of farmers in the UK have at least one form of diversification business, helping to generate some £580 million.

“In the face of highly volatile farm incomes, successful diversification could generate a greater proportion of farmers’ incomes.”

He added there are still opportunities for farmers to convert buildings for alternative uses such as holiday or commercial lets.

“Full planning will probably be needed to convert existing buildings to alternative uses, but planning rules have been relaxed and should be in favour of sustainable proposals. Some development

could be permitted through Permitted Development Rights.”

Before setting out on any new venture, farmers should look at producing a current business overview and financial health check, before undertaking detailed market analysis of any chosen enterprise, giving proper consideration to competition and niche market areas.

“Financing conversion projects has always been a problem,” added Ben. “But with 40% Rural Development Programme for England grants currently available through the Leader or the Growth Programme, the direct costs can be reduced for certain types of project.

“Farmers should be approaching lenders to obtain competitive offers bearing in mind their borrowing capability and sole trader, partnership or limited company status might be better for specific enterprises.”

He also said that current farm businesses should be stable and not too highly geared, and farmers must have genuine passion and desire for any diversification project they undertake.

Rural businesses celebrated

Six regional businesses celebrated wins in the 2017 Rural Business Awards, back by the Country Land and Business Association.

Derriere Equestrian, Broadway, which has developed innovative equestrian riding underwear, won Best Rural Clothing Business, with Fossebridgebased Loopy Ewes, being Highly Commended. Cotswolds Distillery, at Shipston-on-Stour, was runner up for Best Rural Start Up.

Best Rural Professional Services Business went to Wiltshire based Greenway Training.

Cotswold RAW at Evesham, which produces natural dog food, was runner up in the Best Rural Manufacturing category, and Warwick-based Radway Riding School was runner up for the Best Rural Sporting Business.

The 2018 Rural Business Awards are now open for entries. www.ruralbusinessawards.co.uk

Ben Compton of Bruton Knowles

Let your imagination run wild and widen your rural horizons

Diversification has been a theme for a couple of years and this has been brought about by output prices showing at best only small increases and on the other hand there being cost increases which in some cases have been substantial. There is also some doubt about the current farm subsidy regime given Brexit and the effect of the current subsidy level on farm profits. Many farms need to prepare for a possible reduction in the payment and look for alternative income streams.

What alternatives are there?

There are very often redundant buildings on the farm; cottages and farm buildings that could be used for residential or holiday lets or commercial occupation, even storage. Converting buildings will come at a cost which may require financial help, but conversion may help asset values as buildings are upgraded. The result can be a good steady income flow going forward.

Alternative energy, solar, wind, water, anaerobic digestion have all proved popular to varying degrees. The Government has laid out some ambitious plans around vehicles and emissions and domestic fuel. Large scale power generating plants take years to build and commission. Subject to planning it is much quicker to set up alternative energy supplies and farms are well suited to this

with for example rooftops and perhaps poorer quality land available for solar in the right circumstances. Alternative energy sources will only get more popular as time goes on and for the farmer can reduce power costs and provide an income.

Farmers can go direct to the public through direct sales of meat, dairy and other produce. It may not produce a substantial income, but prices are often better by cutting out the middle man. Food miles are mentioned regularly these days and farmers can capitalise on such concerns by selling direct as consumers are then buying local produce from somewhere and someone they know. Very often with good marketing the produce can command a premium price as a niche product and farmers markets are hugely popular currently. More substantial food and drink production could be a possibility subject to set up costs and the right idea, with examples such as craft beers and ciders, cheese and ice creams.

Leisure has been a growing area of the economy and people are always looking for something different to do. Areas of land, especially of poorer quality, can be set aside for camping or glamping, paintballing, quad bikes, even zorbing –and so the list goes on. Again, there may be set up costs and it may mean taking someone on to run the activity, but extra profits can be produced.

Diversification starts with an idea and an appetite to try something different. It is vital that advice is sought as there can be many unforeseen consequences for some projects which can be dealt with before diversification goes ahead but may be difficult to deal with further down the line. Very often that initial idea can be developed in to something that can make a real difference to the farmer and his or her family.

Tim Watkins is Managing Partner at Randall & Payne in Cheltenham, and agriculture is his primary area of expertise, so he looks after the farming clients, handling everything from accounts and tax to business advice.

Diversification is driven through innovation and many farms have looked at what they can do to help improve income and profits…

Tim Watkins of Randall & Payne with family farmers, HW Smith & Son.

Happerley to launch new food concept

Rural Diversification

Food provenance campaigning organisation Happerley is launching a brand-new format in event food halls.

Hillside Brewery launches beer pilates corporate retreat

Rural Diversification

Gloucester-based Hillside Brewery, which brews artisan beers, has launched a one-day corporate ‘beer pilates retreat’ for fitness-lovers, to make the most of its location and space.

It’s just one of a number of team-building concepts dreamed up by the brewery, located at Hollybush Farm in 40 acres of rolling farmland. The brewery has teamed up with professional events company Gameshift to offer a range of activity-based team building events, which take place in

the brewery’s converted barn. Hillside Brewery was founded in 2014 by father and son combo Peter and Paul Williamson who wanted to support their local community and employ local people.

Paul Williamson, Director at the award-winning Hillside Brewery, said: “We wanted to put a new kind of corporate retreat together that encourages bonding with more fun thrown in.”

Co-op gives boost to English winemakers

Rural Diversification

Three English vineyards across Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Worcestershire have secured a place on the shelves of a major retailer.

The Midcounties Co-operative Food, which operates 228 food stores, is showing its support for local producers by offering nine red, white, rosé and sparkling wines produced by Brightwell Vineyard in Oxfordshire, Sixteen Ridges Vineyard in Worcestershire and Herefordshire, and Compton Green Vineyard in Gloucestershire.

The new wines are part of the Society’s ‘Best of Our Counties’ range.

These include the highest quality of food and drink sourced from the county or neighbouring county of each

store. They are available in the Society’s Chipping Norton, Newent, Stourport and Woodstock stores.

Winemaker Bob Nielson, whose Brightwell Vineyards range was chosen for the Chipping Norton store, said: “The rest of the world has known about the quality and variety of English wine for some time, but England is only just beginning to realise what amazing wines we are producing right here. It’s great to see The Midcounties Cooperative support local, boutique products like ours.”

Matt Fletcher, Direct Sourcing Manager at The Midcounties Co-operative Food, said: “We ask our customers what kinds of products they’d like us to stock, so we know that high quality, locally-made food and drink are popular.”

It will provide a shopping experience where the customer can be assured wof the provenance of all food and drink. The project gives Gloucester-based Happerley member businesses an inexpensive platform to sell and engage, while encouraging the public to recognise and enjoy food provenance.

Happerley was established by farmers Matthew Rymer and Clifford Freeman who want to break the disconnect between producer and consumer by making the food supply chain transparent and visible.

Matthew said: “We are aware of an increasing number of false provenance claims being made by too many event stallholders and caterers, and even at farmers’ markets. This undermines consumer trust in the efforts of genuine food producers. Happerley aims to showcase our Provenance Champions and reassure consumers.”

The Happerley marquee will host butchers, bakers and all points between. “We want visitors to fill their shopping baskets with the best produce from their region, and enjoy it knowing exactly where it’s from and what it contains,” he added.

Happerley Heavens launches at Andoversford Races in April 2018 and will be popping up across the country at other events. Matthew is currently assessing further opportunities across the region.

Oxfordshire’s high-speed broadband rollout continues

Rural Diversification

Goosey Wick villagers will be the first to harvest the benefits of a new £600,000 Oxfordshire faster broadband fund, led by Oxfordshire County Council and Openreach, as part of the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) programme.

Eleven farms and households in the tiny village near Charney Bassett, will get ultrafast Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) broadband after signing up for the new Better Broadband for Oxfordshire cofunding initiative. This will be about 1,000 times faster than the village’s current speeds.

Over 10,000 extra homes and businesses in West Oxfordshire will also become connected to ultrafast broadband by the

end of 2019, following the announcement of two more major infrastructure projects for the area.

The first is an £8 million plan to bring full fibre to 4,600 properties, jointly funded by West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) and Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) to the tune of £3.1 million, and rural broadband specialist Gigaclear for £5 million. In addition, Gigaclear has announced that it is investing a further £8

million to connect another 5,700 homes in the area, linking existing networks together and extending the provider’s already significant footprint in the district.

Councillor Colin Dingwall, Cabinet Member for Broadband at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Oxfordshire is known as the UK’s leading centre for innovation and we want to make sure we have the infrastructure to support this.”

More funding needed for tenant farm diversification

Tenant farmers need more investment if they are to increase their productivity and efficiency after Brexit.

Speaking at the National Farmers Union’s Tenants Conference, NFU President Meurig Raymond said: “We need to look at smarter and more efficient ways to produce our food, and for tenanted farms in particular this means investment.

More than 90% of farm businesses are family-based small and medium sized enterprises, according to the NFU, which has its headquarters at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

Nationally, 62% of farms already have some form of diversified activity. Tourism, creative industries, storage and workshops, professional services and bespoke food production and processing all flourish in a rural environment. Farm shops offer outlets for local produce and a wider range

of goods. Over one third of NFU members host renewable energy on their farms. Increasingly, farmers will also store energy for local network use.

However, the NFU sees it as essential that rural digital infrastructure (broadband and mobile phone coverage) improves otherwise business potential will not be realised.

Meurig added that Brexit offers an opportunity to provide new funding for improvements to increase farm productivity.”

Landlords must realise the importance of continued investment on their tenanted holdings to enable their tenants to farm efficiently, he added.

NFU Senior Planning and Rural Affairs Adviser, Suzanne Clear, said that diversification is important in supporting the rural sector, adding that it compliments

farming but doesn’t replace it.” She said: “It’s not for everyone, but can be an important tool, and some of the income can go back into the farm.”

Income from diversified farming in 2015 was £580 million, according to DEFRA figures. This is not only important for farming, but for local economies, added Suzanne, providing jobs and supporting communities.

Diversify to suit your location and domestic situation, she advises.

Meurig added: “Farming meets 61% of the nation’s food needs and forms the bedrock of the UK food and drink sector which contributes £112 billion to our economy and provides 3.8 million jobs. Farming makes a significant economic contribution as well as caring for our iconic British countryside and putting safe, affordable British food on tables across the country.”

Goosey Wick villagers

Worcestershire farm gets real with confetti

It takes creative thinking to see value in petals. Back in the 1990s Charles Hudson applied just that when he saw discarded, paper confetti outside a church entrance following a wedding. He later looked afresh at the bouquet of flowers he’d bought for his wife as the petals began to drop.

Two decades later and his company, The Real Flower Petal Confetti Company at Wick near Pershore, has celebrated 20 years of making biodegradable confetti.

Charles experimented with many flowers as he developed the company’s unique process of drying petals – using just sunshine and fresh air. Delphiniums were chosen for their ability to retain their shape and colour when dried. Huge fields of flowers bloom on the farm each summer, and all petals are picked by hand and sent to weddings all over the world.

The demand for natural, biodegradable confetti has been so great that rose petals, wildflowers, hydrangeas and lavender

have been added to the collection, and the company also sells handmade confetti cones, bridesmaid baskets, and other similar gifts.

Charles had to work with the seasons, and the flowers’ growing habits, so the process was trial and error. Alongside this he was designing and patenting his own plastic sachet for the confetti.

Charles, who has run the 1,000-acre arable farm for over 40 years, has put his land to a range of uses since taking over the family business. It also hosts river meadows, woodland, a hydro-electric scheme, cricket bat willows and rental cottages.

Charles added: “The wedding market is huge and there is still plenty of room to grow. Over the past few years the company has opened up the flower field itself for visitors to walk around and enjoy.

“It’s a unique and colourful natural spectacle and has become something of a tourist attraction in early July.”

£40 million fund to boost farm productivity

Rural Diversification

Farmers will get a £40 million productivity boost following the Environment Secretary Michael Gove announcing the opening of a new grants scheme for investment in technology and new equipment.

Under the scheme, grants are available to help livestock, dairy, arable and horticultural farmers improve farm productivity through investing in new technology, such as robotics, to reduce cost or improve product quality. The funding can be used on diverse investments, from robotic milking machines to green technology.

The scheme also offers funds for farmers and food processors to invest in new equipment and machinery to improve the processing of milk, meat and fruit.

£5 million will be invested in woodlands through the spine of England, from London to the West Midlands, following launch of the HS2 Woodland Fund, part of the £40 million fund announced.

Stoneleigh opens third rural innovation centre

Rural Diversification

A third rural innovation centre building has opened at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. The first phase of the rural innovation centre opened in 2013. Colin Hooper, Estates Director at Stoneleigh

Park, said: “LaSalle Investment Management has invested in the region of £1.3 million in the project which has so far provided a platform for around 70 small and start-up companies.”

The first £1 million of the HS2 Woodland Fund is being managed by the Forestry Commission on behalf of HS2 Ltd. It is encouraging applications from landowners located up to 25 miles from the phase one route, which passes through parts of Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, as well as the wider West Midlands.

This first £1 million of grant funding will be open to applications in January 2018. In the meantime, eligible landowners are being encouraged to consider their plans and discuss potential applications with the Forestry Commission.

Charles Hudson of The Real Flower Petal Confetti Company

Vitruvius serves up catering centre of excellence

Gloucester-based design, construction and management company Vitruvius has helped to deliver the UK’s first catering equipment centre of its kind.

The consultancy was appointed by Space Group and Nisbets to provide project and cost management services.

The National Catering Equipment Centre (NCEC) in Bristol opened in September and provides a 20,000 sq ft space showcasing products from more than 40 leading equipment brands.

Vitruvius provided the programme, design team, construction, cost and health & safety management to ensure the ambitious 16-week programme for fit-out of this large multi-functional space was achieved. It includes 18,000 sq ft of exhibition space, a state of the art demonstration kitchen and a mezzanine floor with office and meeting room facilities.

HOWARD TENENS SHARPNESS LOGISTICS EXTENSION PLANS APPROVED

Howard Tenens has secured planning permission for potential further development of its Sharpness site in Gloucestershire.

The Stroud-based, privately-owned logistics company will be entering into a joint venture with the Pearce Family, owners of the neighbouring land adjacent to the existing Severn Distribution Park,

The company is currently deciding whether it will speculatively develop what will be known as ‘Bristol Gateway II’, following the success of the original Bristol Gateway.

The original 169,478 sq ft Bristol Gateway warehouse increased the Sharpness site warehouse footprint to 638,580 sq ft, and the potential further 467,000 sq ft would see the site climb over 1 million sq ft.

Simon Emms, Property Director at Howard Tenens, said: “We are delighted to have received this planning consent. Having secured a long term letting to CM Downton on the recently developed Bristol Gateway and with our current high occupancy levels, allied to the demand for warehouse space in the market we are very excited about the prospects for this development.

which houses Howard Tenens’ Sharpness operation. The planning application was submitted as a result of a growing demand for logistics and warehousing space across the country, and the Howard Tenens property portfolio nearing capacity.

“Securing CM Downton has also highlighted the suitability of Sharpness as a logistics location and bodes well for future employment opportunities in the area,” he added.

“With our current high occupancy levels, allied to the demand for warehouse space, we are very excited about the prospects for this development.”

Topaz Business Park achieves record Bromsgrove office rent

A record Bromsgrove office rent has been achieved by Maximus at its landmark Topaz Business Park adjacent to Junction 1 of the M42.

Acting for Maximus in an off-market deal, Birmingham independent commercial property agency KWB secured a figure of £18 per square foot on 3,125 sq ft of office space at Unit 5 Topaz Business Park on a new five year lease, to building contractor MV Kelly.

“Topaz offers the best office space in Bromsgrove, so it’s to be expected that it should set a new record rent,” said Malcolm Jones, a senior member of KWB’s office agency team. “These self-contained, high specification, low density courtyard style offices in a managed, landscaped setting next to a major communications route command a premium.

“Such is the demand for space at Topaz, that as soon as the out-going tenant decided not to renew the lease on Unit 5, we were able to re-let the space immediately, without it going onto the market.”

He added that there is a real lack of quality office space in Bromsgrove and a pent-up demand from organisations looking to expand their presence, or re-locate into the town.

Roborace

electrifies Banbury and M40 corridor

White Commercial Surveyors have let the former Manor F1 headquarters to Roborace. Manor F1 went into administration in 2017 with the loss of 212 members of staff.

Roborace, a technology business and creator of the world’s first driverless electric racing platform, have moved into the premises at Junction 11 of the London to Birmingham M40 at Banbury.

The building, comprising 39,000 sq ft, will act as Roborace’s new HQ. The platform will see teams competing using their autonomous software in Robocar, designed by Daniel Simon the automotive futurist who has previously created vehicles for Tron Legacy and Oblivion.

Daniel, Roborace’s Chief Design Officer, said: “Roborace opens a new dimension where motorsport as we know it meets the unstoppable rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI)”.

The car uses a number of technologies to drive itself including radar, lidar, ultrasonic sensors and AI cameras.

“Roborace opens a new dimension where motorsport as we know it meets the unstoppable rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI).”

Roborace partners with Formula E and have run demonstrations of autonomous technology on city street circuits around the world using their development ‘DevBot’ cars.

Chris White, Managing Director of White Commercial, added: “The M40 and this region continues to be a world leader in automotive technology, following Mercedes Petronas’ and Red Bull’s recent dominance of F1. The area provides a hub for the automotive and motorsport industry and boasts exceptional talents and skills in a variety of industries from engineering to specialist materials. Roborace is to add a further dimension to the development of the industry.”

Commercial Property

Commercial Property

Investors snap up industrial premises at Stroudwater Business Park

Bruton Knowles has completed the sale of Unit 3, The Brunel Centre at Stonehouse, Gloucestershire - an industrial unit extending to 11,400 sq ft.

The property has been purchased by Crown House Developments Ltd and a Worcester-based investment and development company who are actively seeking new opportunities in the South West of the Country.

The ultimate purchase price was not disclosed, however the asking price was £945,000.

Robert Smith from Bruton Knowles who handled the marketing confirmed: “The property became available during July in what is normally a quiet period for property transactions, but interest was strong from day one.”

Speculative industrial scheme underway at Gloucester’s Triangle Park

Rockhaven Developments has begun construction on its speculative industrial development at Triangle Park, Gloucester.

When complete in the first quarter of 2018, the Rockhaven scheme on Metz Way will deliver 22 units totalling 43,625 sq ft into a market experiencing historically low levels of supply.

Property consultants Alder King are sole agents.

Built in five blocks, this latest development by Rockhaven will offer units ranging from 1,875 to 3,125 sq ft, available to let or for sale.

Alder King partner Adrian Rowley said: “The commercial property market in Gloucestershire is extremely buoyant, with strong demand but low levels of stock.

“This new scheme will go some way to redressing the imbalance in the market.”

Triangle Park is a successful mixed-use regeneration scheme on Metz Way, close to the edge of the city centre and Eastern Avenue ring road.

It includes a Morrisons supermarket and petrol station, a Costa Coffee drive-thru, associated restaurant units and a Mercedes Benz commercial vehicle dealership.

“The building attracted attention from both owner occupiers and investors that could see the potential for their business or letting to other occupiers.”

The property is well located within the business park and is on Junction 13 of the M5.

Robert Smith added: “Stroudwater Business Park remains a very attractive location for companies. It has seen speculative development in the recent past and also commitment by major occupiers who have designed and built their own premises including Muller, Schlumberger, and Delphi.”

The George Hotel, Cheltenham, back on market

Commercial Propert y

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has been instructed to sell The George Hotel in Cheltenham off a guide price of £3,600,000, less than two years after it was bought by current owners Cotswold Inns and Hotels.

The 31-bedroom hotel, in the heart of Cheltenham, is an impressive Grade II listed property dating from 1840 made up of five converted townhouses.

Matthew Smith, Director at Christie & Co’s Bristol office said: “This is a rare opportunity to purchase an established freehold hotel business in Central Cheltenham.

“We expect to see high demand from buyers, both local and international, looking to secure a freehold asset in one of the UK’s most desirable towns. The opportunity provides an array of possibilities to maximise gross profit.”

Commercial Property

“Stroudwater Business Park remains a very attractive location for companies. ”

Commercial Property

The Farmland Market…

The supply of farmland coming to the open market has dwindled with recent research stating that some 16 per cent less is on the market as in the same period in 2016. In historic context this is some 26 per cent below the 10-year average.

Matthew Peters, Partner in the rural team at Bruton Knowles says the lack of land coming to the open market is, of course, due to uncertainty surrounding the Brexit process. Although DEFRA minister, Michael Gove, has consistently repeated his support for farmers – albeit with an increasing focus on the delivery of environmental benefits, he has provided little detail to back this up.

It is this uncertainty which limits the likelihood of a large amount of land coming to the open market unless a significant number of farmers exit the industry because of Brexit. A short-term exit from the industry seems unlikely as many farmers advocated leaving the European Union and, indeed, some sort of financial support is likely to remain in place for the foreseeable future.

“Low interest rates have enabled the agricultural industry to remain in place with the low transaction volumes of recent years being seen against the majority of farmers sitting on an asset that has greatly increased in value since it was either purchased or inherited. A number of factors are helping to support the market with the decline in Sterling and favourable economic conditions continuing to underpin farm gate prices for most agricultural commodities.”

It is also the case that large infrastructure projects such as HS2, together with the increased interest from developers for strategic land for development, is helping to boost competition for the limited amount of agricultural land currently available. A large number of farmers or land owners who have sold land or had it compulsory purchased for development are looking for alternative property in specific areas.

Recent research continues to reveal muted pricing across all land types with values down some 2.2 per cent in the year to date with the current average value of some £7,300 for all types of agricultural land. The average price for prime arable is £8,900 per acre.

It is noticeable that buyers are more discerning, looking into every aspect of a purchase prior to committing themselves. The ongoing challenges of Brexit will come into play, however the majority of land sales are being driven by neighbouring competition. The exchange rate with a stronger euro has affected the value of euro-denominated subsidy payments. It is hoped that the UK government will continue to support the agricultural industry, although it is a widely held view that emphasis will shift away from production which may well force a further change within the industry.

Until this aspect of the shape and extent of longer term financial support is sorted, this uncertainty will still remain. A small rise in interest rates will increase the cost of borrowings with further rate rises in the pipeline. More buyers could be constrained by higher interest rates but, in the historical sense, interest rates are still considerably at a lower level than they have

been. The continuing uncertainty may keep supply constrained as sellers postpone decisions until a better understanding of the longer term agricultural payments structure is known.

Agricultural land values are still, therefore, likely to be under pressure in certain areas where others will continue to see high levels of demand from those who have been fortunate enough to have gains either from selling land for development or being compulsory purchased for large infrastructure project.

The agricultural land market will become ever more diverse and, as such, will remain an asset with food production coming to the fore to sustain the increasing population.

For help with all your rural matters email Matthew Peters on matthew.peters@brutonknowles.co.uk or call 0845 200 6489.

www.brutonknowles.co.uk

Twitter @BrutonKnowles

Speller Metcalfe wins Contractor of the Year

New industry park takes shape at Redditch

Commercial Property

A new £3.5 million industrial and trade park project, which will create around 75 new jobs in Redditch, is taking shape.

The Crescent Trade Park at Moons Moat, which features 24,000 sq ft of commercial space, is being developed by Halesowen-based A&H Construction & Developments.

It will create two new retail outlets and 10 industrial or trade counter units, with completion expected early in 2018.

MacMullen Associates has helped to bring the development forward while KWB Industrial and Bromwich Hardy

are joint agents on the development. Kenny Allan, of KWB Industrial, said: “There has been a dearth of new, smaller units in Redditch for many years – in fact, this is the case in a lot of places across the country.

“This is a great location and is proving to be a strong pull for potential occupiers.”

David Penn, of Bromwich Hardy, added: “Trade counter and industrial units are in high demand across the West Midlands, and particularly here in Redditch, where there has been limited development of this nature.”

Lioncourt Homes in Sunday Times Fast Track 100 again

Commercial Property

Worcester-based Housebuilder Lioncourt Homes has featured in the annual Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 league table for the third consecutive year.

The company, founded by entrepreneurs Colin Cole and Neil Chandler, has been placed at No 41 in the league table which ranks Britain’s private companies with the fastest-growing sales over the last three years.

The Fast Track 100 is sponsored by Virgin, Barclays, BDO, BGF and Virgin Media Business.

Colin Cole, Chief Executive of Lioncourt Homes, said: “This is an outstanding

achievement which reflects the strength and commitment of everyone in the Lioncourt team. With both our Homes business and our Strategic Land division poised for further growth, these are exciting times for the Lioncourt Group.”

Lioncourt Homes has grown from a small regional developer to one of the largest home builders and land owners in Central England, having experienced 123% growth over the last three years.

The company now turns over in excess of £56 million and has over 90 employees.

Speller Metcalfe took home the award for ‘Contractor of the Year (up to £300 million)’ at the 2017 Building Awards.

The ceremony was attended by more than 1,400 people from the UK’s construction industry.

The Building Awards is the industry’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence, allowing companies across all aspects of the construction industry to have their achievements held up as an example to the sector.

Formed in the Midlands in 1995, with offices in Malvern, Gloucester and Wolverhampton, privately-owned Speller Metcalfe has grown to an annual turnover of £130 million and works across the country on projects up to £50 million.

The awarding judge’s praised Speller Metcalfe’s impressive pre-tax profits and their successful delivery of the UK’s first Integrated Project Insurance (IPI) scheme at Dudley College.

Steve Speller, joint owner of Speller Metcalfe, said: “Looking back to the early days of the company, nobody could have foreseen our business would become such a highly respected tier-one contractor.

“Andy Metcalfe and I were just two ordinary quantity surveyors that wanted to do the right thing for our employees and our clients.”

Commercial Propert y

David MacMullen (MacMullen Associates) with Kenny Allan (KWB), Andrew Dickens (MacMullen Associates) and David Penn (Bromwich Hardy)

Major marketing campaign launched for Oxpens

Bidwells and JLL have launched a marketing campaign to find a development partner for a major mixed-use development at the Oxpens site in the heart of Oxford.

VSL celebrates 15 years as top performer

VSL & Partners celebrated its 15th Anniversary by completed two major lettings to technology businesses at Oxford Business Park. The consultancy was acting on on behalf of Cornerstone Property Advisors.

Solar technology innovators Oxford Photovoltaics (Oxford PV) and motion capture developers Vicon have taken leases on new facilities at Oxford Business Park at Yarnton.

Oxford PV is a pioneering solar technology company founded in 2010 as

an Oxford University spin-out. Vicon, which develops motion capture products and services, is relocating from Botley to expand its operations. Vicon systems enable realistic character animation in box-office movies. The company’s technology also pioneers work in the medical field helping to rehabilitate injured soldiers.

VSL & Partners is toasting a period that has seen it remain the top performing Oxfordshire agency for over eight years.

Plans submitted for new Kidlington hotel and restaurant

A full planning application has been submitted to Cherwell District Council for a new 101-bed Premier Inn hotel and 150-cover Beefeater restaurant which will be built at the 22 acres Oxford Technology Park on Langford Lane, opposite London Oxford Airport.

The Premier Inn hotel and Beefeater restaurant will provide over 50 year-round jobs, as well as accommodation and dining amenities on the Park itself where infrastructure work began in the summer.

The Oxford Technology Park will be capable of creating 4,000 jobs within the 440,000 sq ft of hi-tech, laboratory and

office space designed for science and technology businesses locating in the north Oxford technology cluster.

The Park is being developed by Hill Street Holdings, with Bidwells and Benedicts appointed as marketing agents.

“It is important for a technology park to have a campus-style environment,” said David Williams, Partner at Bidwells.

“A large proportion of the businesses coming to the park will need to accommodate colleagues and customers from overseas, making the hotel a convenient and valuable asset.”

The site offers the opportunity to transform the largest remaining development area in the city centre and provide a vibrant community, with the potential to develop 1 million sq ft including new homes, commercial uses and public space, close to the river and rail station.

The Oxpens scheme has come about following the formation of a joint venture company by Oxford City Council and Nuffield College. The new company, Oxford West End Developments Ltd (OXWED), acquired land from London and Continental Railways and Oxford City Council, clearing the way for a development partner to deliver a masterplanned city centre mixeduse neighbourhood. Fielden Clegg Bradley are preparing a proposed masterplan for the development.

The joint agents believe that there is likely to be strong developer interest given the limited development opportunities in such an historic city. Oxpens sits in prime position almost opposite John Lewis, between the new Westgate shopping centre and Oxford railway station and adjacent to a new 500-unit scheme by Student Castle granted planning consent earlier this year.

Commercial Property

Commercial Property

Commercial Propert y

VSL director Richard Venables (centre) with his team

Student residences open at Royal Leamington Spa College

Commercial Property

Leamington Spa to get Creative Quarter

Commercial Property

Ambitious plans to regenerate the Old Town of Leamington Spa as a new Creative Quarter focused on the booming creative and digital sector have taken a step forward, folowing the appointment of a development partner.

Regeneration specialist Complex Development Projects (CDP), which developed FarGo Village and Electric Wharf in Coventry, has been selected by Warwick District Council to work up and deliver a long-term masterplan for the area’s renaissance. The regeneration programme will include the restoration of several key buildings and public realm, including the improvement of links from the railway station to the town centre.

The project will further enhance the town’s strengths as a centre of creative industries and its national ‘Silicon Spa’ reputation.

CDP will work with the Council to develop a masterplan for the 10 year initiative, identifying how best to grow the diverse range of creative industries in the town, largely around the under-developed riverside and Old Town area.

Leader of Warwick District Council, Councillor Andrew Mobbs said: “Warwick District is already home to a wide range of successful enterprises and we hope this new initiative offers an exciting proposition for even more vibrant and interesting businesses wanting to set up in the area.”

A recent report by the innovation foundation Nesta and Creative England identified Leamington as one of 47

“Warwick District is already home to a wide range of successful enterprises and we hope this new initiative offers an exciting proposition for even more vibrant and interesting businesses wanting to set up in the area.”

“creative clusters” in the UK, and the only one in the West Midlands.

There are over 1,500 creative businesses in Leamington employing over 7,000 people, with software and digital companies accounting for half of the total.

Warwick District Council is hoping the regeneration programme will see restoration of several key buildings: potentially The Royal Pump Rooms (home to the Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum), Leamington Public Library and the Regency Assembly Rooms.

The Council hopes to secure government funding to support the regeneration of the area but acknowledges that attracting the right regeneration partner with experience of complex projects is the major first step in securing the success of the scheme.

Brian Harrabin, Director of CDP, said there is already a thriving creative and digital sector in Leamington but there remains considerable scope to build on its national and international reputation.

New student residences have opened at Royal Leamington Spa College, and students have already moved into the new £4.5 million development at Royal Leamington Spa College.

The new accommodation consists of 98 ensuite rooms with shared kitchens and a warden flat. The accommodation which was built by Deeley Construction.

Stephen Wood, Chair of the Governing Body at Warwickshire College Group, which has seven colleges in its portfolio, said: “I was absolutely delighted to officially open Wood Hall. The new accommodation is fantastic for our students and apprentices, especially being on the college site, and it shows we are committed to investing in the best facilities for the benefit of our students and the local area.”

Stratford office let within Weeks

Commercial Property

A company, which is at the forefront of medical research and gene therapy, has snapped up a vacant 10,000 sq ft office building in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Celixir has taken a 10-year lease at Capulet House just weeks after the two-storey office became available.

Wareing & Company let the building on behalf of the Bird Group of companies. Bill Wareing said: “Demand is very strong for this type of office as they are in short supply, which led to a very speedy deal being done.”

Cllr Andrew Mobbs from Warwick District Council (left) with Brian Harrabin from Complex Development Projects