Volume I
in Herefordshire
2
welcome
Welcome to our first edition of Business Life in Herefordshire. Within this new section of our magazine you will find interesting articles,information and advertisements relating to business matters in our wonderful county. As our new section grows and develops you will be able to read issues pertinent to Herefordshire businesses along with comments from key business leaders from across the county. I hope you enjoy reading Business Life in Herefordshire and if you would like to be involved and advertise in future issues please contact myself, Martin Brain at Wye Valley Media 4 The Sheepcote Monks Orchard Farm Lugwardine Herefordshire HR1 4AG 01432 850472 business@wyevalley.co.uk www.wyevalleymedia.co.uk
Rosy future for
Herefordshire businesses
By George Thomas
Herefordshire has not escaped the impact of the global recession, but with positive signs of a financial turn round the county’s economic future is much brighter than it was just a year ago. The sleepy rural idyll which Herefordshire projects to the outside world belies an emerging modern and vibrant set of companies, many in the new hi-tech category, offering the vital skilled job opportunities which will stem the exodus of young people out of the county. Wye Valley Life, itself an example of entrepreneurial vision, plans to harness its own publishing skills to ensure that everyone knows that Herefordshire has much more to offer than just a pretty landscape. With the launch this month of a new Business Section, the magazine will
actively promote the wide range of businesses serving the region, highlighting successes and helping build a greater awareness of the ‘Made in Herefordshire’ brand. Already world renowned for its food and drinks, Herefordshire faces new challenges as it bids to step up into the more competitive arena of 21st century commercial and retailing sectors. Strategies are in place to attract new enterprises to Hereford and the market towns, creating new jobs, and over the next 20 years 18,000 new homes will be built to meet Government
targets – 1000 of them as part of the exciting ESG regeneration project currently getting underway in the city. Even the prospect of a by-pass is now back on the agenda. The natural psyche of the Herefordian opposes change, but the do nothing option will lead only to further economic decline. After years of talk, an action plan for Herefordshire is in place. Investment funds from both the Government regional development agency and private investors is lined up. Of course, not everyone agrees with it. A healthy democracy allows a difference of opinion and it is right that development proposals are fully debated. For example, there is universal support, other than from the Green brigade, for a city bypass, but expect a fierce battle on whether the route should be to the east or the west!
Photograph courtesy of John Teale Photograph courtesy of Hereford Council
When the recession is finally behind us, hopefully early next year, Herefordshire will be in pole position to take advantage of a new era of prosperity, welcoming new shops and leisure facilities, an influx of job creating companies to local enterprise parks and lots more families coming to enjoy the superb quality of life the Wye Valley and its surrounding countryside offers.
Wye Valley Life and Life in The Marches, through the pages of their new Business Section, will keep readers fully updated on the progress of plans to breath new life into the local economy, and publicise those companies which make Herefordshire tick.
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Yet more green shoots for a family firm now celebrating a special anniversary A special milestone in the fascinating development of the entrepreneurial Freeman family business centered on Drybrook, Gloucestershire, has been reached this year. It marks the tenth anniversary of Freeman Homes which has carried out a wide portfolio of varied projects from imaginative barn conversions to high specification contemporary urban developments. Freeman Homes is a division of the M F Freeman Group of Companies which are located on the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire border near Drybrook in Gloucestershire. Their headquarters are positioned on the edge of the families 1000 acre estate and enjoy amazing views across the whole estate and beyond to the Black Mountains in the distance. But this truly organic story really began over 40 years ago when company founders Mervyn and Jennifer Freeman decided to diversify the farm contracting business into plant hire and then ground works contracting. Both divisions, contracting and plant hire have since carried out a wide range of civil engineering and groundwork projects. They have specialised in infra-structure for housing or commercial schemes, commercial buildings, drainage schemes, river and coastal protection and heavy earthmoving. Company founder Mervyn Freeman is passionate about machinery and takes pride in operating an extensive plant fleet, which is operated on their own projects and available for external hire. From contracting, it was a short but logical step for the company to diversify into the building of industrial units for sale or lease. The first development they completed for their own account was an industrial unit located on Newent Business Park which they still rent out to the same client today some fifteen years later. Being raised in such an entrepreneurial business environment, it was not altogether surprising that his eldest son Luke decided to study for a degree in construction management whilst being employed by international construction company Taylor Woodrow. And having qualified and gained much invaluable experience, it was a natural next step for him to join the family firm. With a keen eye for property development Luke had a burning desire to promote this further within the family business. His first project involved the extension and
conversion of a property which had been bought a few years earlier by the company. In 1999 at the age of 23 the project was completed and sold for a good profit. From that small beginning a new division, Freeman Homes, expanded steadily with imaginative barn conversions and sympathetic new builds offering a sought after alternative to the mass market brands. Shortly after this Freeman Commercial was created which specialised in developing business parks with units for sale or lease. Then in 2003 an opportunity came along to acquire elegant Bishopswood House at Ross-on-Wye and the family saw the potential not only for its conversion into homes but also for the development of an hotel, weddings, conference and banqueting venue. Planning permission was granted and Freeman Homes created seven new properties by sub dividing part of the main house and converting outbuildings.
While working on the conversion of Bishopswood House, a local pub, The Spread Eagle at nearby Walford, came up for sale and the idea of acquiring it and creating a new division called Freeman Leisure was conceived. The pub was extensively refurbished and the name was changed back to a former name “The Mill Race.” The hotel, set in lovely gardens, now provides the perfect wedding venue for up to 250 guests, while the Mill Race has been recently been awarded The Publican Food Pub of the Year 2009 and has won wide acclaim for its excellent locally sourced food including meat and game from the family farm and estate. The group certainly does not believe in letting
the grass grow under its feet and today work is progressing steadily on a number of commercial fronts. Freeman Homes, which has built out 26 housing schemes ranging from single properties to developments of 12 homes over the past ten years, is now completing the infrastructure for a site of 49 new properties at Gloucester Road, Mitcheldean. Luke commented “We have several exciting schemes in our development pipeline which include a block of luxury apartments in Ross, a contemporary scheme of luxury townhouses in Bristol, a one off contemporary house in Weston-UnderPenyard, a scheme of social housing in Littledean, a scheme of holiday lodges in the Forest of Dean, and a town centre development in Monmouth.” The firm has also secured permission for an innovative subterranean house in Lansdown Crescent in Montpellier in the heart of regency Cheltenham. The scheme, which has the backing of the influential Civic Society, has been designed in such a way not to adversely affect a neighbouring listed building. The Civic Society commented “The approach taken by this ingenious proposal has much to commend it.” Luke commented “We were delighted that we were granted planning consent in a highly sensitive conservation area within the statutory period of 8 weeks which is a great result.” Meanwhile, Freeman Commercial has just finished phases one and two of an extensive redevelopment of a redundant 6 acre business park. The new Alton Business Park at Ross-on-Wye will offer 100,000 sq ft of space for industrial, retail and office use and 60 per cent of the first two phases is already sold or let.
Luke said “We are delighted to be pressing ahead with the completion of further units on this development in these difficult market conditions. I believe business owners recognise that in these difficult times it
is essential to remain as efficient as possible and this includes ensuring that businesses property requirements are effectively meet with modern purpose built facilities. The company has recognised that their market sectors are under pressure from the current economic conditions and have reacted accordingly. Luke stated “To protect our company from the current difficult trading conditions we are in the process of setting up two new divisions in related sectors. This should create synergy with the existing divisions and provide greater opportunities for the future. The one division is called Freeman Care which seeks to take advantage of our ageing population by developing new nursing homes and care villages. The other new division will seek to become involved in renewable energy sector.” Freeman Care is off to a good start and has recently been granted planning consent for a new care village at Newent. This scheme will include a new 60 bed care home along with a doctors and dentist surgery. Looking to the future on the Leisure side of the business, they are currently planning the development of 24 holiday lodges in the heart of the Forest of Dean. They are currently seeking to change the
planning consent to allow them to be used as second homes and hope to start construction work on them in the New Year. From its hillside base at the Ruardean Works, near Drybrook, with views across to the Black Mountains, M F Freeman, is still very much a family business despite its diverse growth. While Mervyn and his son Luke oversee the core business, Jenny runs the Bishopswood House wedding venue and the financial side of the group business. Luke’s partner Hayley is in charge of human resources, interior design for all the property developments and sales and marketing for the Mill Race pub. Luke’s sister Rebecca also works within the business at Bishopswood House. And again looking to the future, the couple’s youngest son Richard, aged 22, is busy creating even more green shoots for this remarkably entrepreneurial family. He has just launched Freeman Forestry Division which specialises in woodland management, forestry, tree surgery, firewood and site clearance. To find out more about M F Freeman Group of Companies please visit www.mffreeman.co.uk or give us a call and we would be delighted to hear from you 01594 542485
Telephone: 01594 542485 email: info@mffreeman.co.uk web: www.mffreeman.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
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Prominent sales shop premises. Approx 470 sq ft. Sales shop, office and cloakroom. New lease
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Large prominent shop unit in prime town centre location 1,060 sq ft of retail space, kitchen and cloakroom. £18,000PAX
Retail opportunities in Ledbury
The retail sector in Ledbury appears to have resisted the economic downturn , a small number of businesses have closed over the last twelve months, but in the majority of cases the vacant shop units have quickly been re-let to new businesses which have been attracted to the town by virtue of its many attractions.
Ledbury is so well positioned between the three cathedral cities and the M5/M50 motorway network brings many visitors from further afield. The town is most attractive with its half-timbered properties and the cobbled Church Lane and as a result there is a wide selection of specialist gift shops, hotels, pubs and eating establishments.
Prominent shop unit in excellent High Street location. 300 sq ft sales area with full width window and cloakroom on ground floor. First floor accommodation including office, store room, cloakroom and kitchen.
£11,000PAX
TO VIEW OUR COMPLETE LIST OF COMMERCIAL SALES AND LETTINGS VISIT JOHNGOODWIN.CO.UK
JOHN GOODWIN FRICS CHARTERED SURVEYOR • AUCTIONEER • VALUER • ESTATE AGENT www.johngoodwin.co.uk 3-5 New Street Ledbury Herefordshire HR8 2DX Tel: 01531 634468 Fax: 01531 633729 property@johngoodwin.co.uk
13 Worcester Road Malvern Worcestershire WR14 4QY Tel: 01684 892809 Fax: 01684 981222 malvern@johngoodwin.co.uk
Walwyn Road Colwall, Malvern Worcestershire WR13 6QG Tel: 01684 540300 Fax: 01684 540919 Colwall@johngoodwin.co.uk
9 High Street Upton upon Severn Worcestershire WR8 0HJ Tel: 01684 593125 Fax: 01684 593946 upton@johngoodwin.co.uk
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business eye
in Herefordshire
comment
Local companies marking anniversaries It’s been a year of celebration for local companies marking anniversaries. Burgoynes of Lyonshall, known throughout the UK as the firm who hire out marquees for shows and weddings, has notched up its centenary. Also celebrating 100 years is the famous Morgan car
company in Malvern founded by William Morgan, who made his first car at the vicarage in the Herefordshire village of Stoke Lacy, where his father was vicar. Next year sees the 50th anniversary of the county’s biggest employer, Cargill, better
Farming is the county’s biggest economic driver. Despite the recession, which has seen production costs up and price of arable crops drop, the value of farmland remains very strong. A lack of land, seen as a safe long term investment, especially for pension funds, is fuelling demand and pushing up prices. Competition will keep the market firm.
in Herefordshire
comment Adrian Blackshaw, Herefordshire Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development. Herefordshire offers a perfect business environment and is perceived both nationally and regionally as an economic growth point. The diversity of companies operating successfully in the county, many at the sharp end of new technology, has given us a ‘creative culture’ which resulted in the county being named Enterprise Capital of the West Midlands last year and UK runner-up. It is up to us all - public and private sectors - to put in place the building blocks which will ensure future growth. Hereford itself is poised for growth. The market towns, especially Ledbury and Rosson-Wye close to the M50, are real platforms for growth. Exporting firms in the county are in a stronger position now the UK can compete on price against the US dollar and the Euro. What is needed? Certainly an outer distributor road for the city, improved skills base, more higher educational facilities, extra employment land, and a determination to work together to give Herefordshire the bright future it deserves.
John Amos of Leominster, an expert on the county’s agricultural industry.
Home grown enterprise
Silver medal winners
Ledbury based Galebreaker Products won a silver medal at The Royal Show for a new product it has invented for farmers. It’s an electrically operated ‘curtain’ which is fitted to partly open sided livestock sheds to keep the animals warm in bad weather. It can also be fitted with sensors to operate automatically when the weather changes.
known locally as Sun Valley, whose chickens help feed the nation. Started as a farmers’ co-operative in the early days of mass produced chickens it is now part of the American owned worldwide Cargill group.
Another home grown enterprise has also flourished into national prominence, but is about to change its name. Founded by Harry Williamson, Wyevale has grown into a national chain of 122 privately owned garden centres. The Hereford store will retain the Wyevale name, but all the others will be known as Garden Centres prefixed by the name of the town.
in Herefordshire
comment Jonathan Bretherton, chief executive of ESG Herefordshire, which is leading the regeneration of Hereford project. Hereford will be in pole position to take advantage of the opportunities that the end of the recession will bring, unlike those towns which halted their own regeneration plans. Plans for the new infrastructure, flood alleviation scheme, link road and public transport hub are well advanced and will allow work to start in the next two to three years on the new urban village and then the shops and leisure facilities on the old livestock market. After years of decline, Hereford has a bright future.
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Herefordshire
Looking beyond the Recession
Despite the current economic situation, the ÂŁ650 million ESG regeneration scheme for Hereford city centre has continued to make steady progress with Stanhope Plc having been chosen as the retail development partner and Sanctuary Housing Group appointed as the 1 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AD 64x101_Layout Urban Village partner.
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Herefordshire Council Economic development team Your local contact for: n n n n n n n
Starting in business Signposting to business support Funding advice and availability Commercial property searches Business directory Rural development grants Infrastructure and workspace projects
If you have an enquiry - please contact: Economic development team, Herefordshire Council, PO Box 4, Plough Lane, Hereford, HR4 0XH Tel: 01432 261758 Fax: 01432 383031 Email: economicinvestment@herefordshire.gov.uk
www.herefordshire.gov.uk/business
The line of the new link road to the north of the ESG area has now been set and a planning application has just been submitted with a view to construction commencing in early 2011. A full planning application has been submitted for a floodwater diversion scheme as a preliminary
to development. Planning permission was granted in July for the relocated Livestock Market site north of Hereford on the Roman Road, and work should start later in the autumn, taking around 12 months to complete. The move of the Market will free up land for the ESG retail development. With Hereford city being given Growth Point status, and the ESG regeneration progressing well, Herefordshire Council is promoting the county as being much more than a rural idyll. Despite the
credit crunch, many high quality jobs continue to be created, and economic development projects are continuing. Other benefits, such as a stunning rural location, better quality of life, good schools, low crime levels, and high quality workforce all contribute to the reasons why many businesses are committed to the county.
Hereford Employment Land The Rotherwas Estate is an unusual rural employment area on the outskirts of Hereford, with its own fishing ponds and protected chapel! Even the local bats have their own heated roost! Development at Rotherwas is continuing now that the new access road gives quick and easy
access to the A49, M50 and the rest of the motorway network. Rotherwas is already home to over 125 companies employing more than 2500 people in a wide range of industries, with many trading internationally.
Herefordshire Council has combined with the regional development agency, Advantage West Midlands, to make more serviced land available on the Estate for B1, B2 and B8 uses. Infrastructure work will be starting shortly and plots are already available for development on the South Magazine for interested businesses. Contact the Economic Development Team with enquires about property or employment land in Herefordshire on 01432 383337 or economicinvestment@herefordshire.gov.uk.
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business eye
in Herefordshire
comment Margaret Thomson, director Hereford Cider Museum. After farming, tourism is the county’s next big earner and the recession has been a boon as families have elected to holiday at home rather than abroad. Visitor numbers at the Cider Museum are up 11% and we are seeing a lot more coach parties come to the city. Now we must all work even harder to keep the visitors coming next year.
£2 million investment
in Herefordshire
comment John Dillon Partner, Sunderlands and Thompsons Every day we seem to be faced with yet another crisis with the economy and a general lack of confidence in all things monetary makes for gloomy headlines, but there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
Choosing the right method of marketing whether it be auction or private treaty is crucial and now more than ever, it is imperative to choose an agent whose advice you can trust and more importantly, whose advice is pertinent to the market we are faced with. The majority of the British public still believe in property ownership and enjoy the fact they can call a place ‘home’.
Herefordshire is probably the biggest strawberry growing region in Europe. Asparagus is a relatively new but huge crop. The next big food growing success could well be cherries. At the peak of the season Clive Richards was picking five tonnes a day from his 70 acre cherry orchard at Ullingswick.
in Herefordshire
comment Luke Freeman, joint managing director of MF Freeman Group, which has just completed the new Alton Business Park in Ross-on-Wye.
Allpay, based at the Whitestone business park outside Hereford and founded by entrepreneur Tony Killeen, is a classic example of the new style hi-tech firms which find Herefordshire a perfect location to get established. And Allpay has recently signed one of its biggest ever deals making it one of the elite production centres used by MasterCard, the global payment processor. The contract involved a £2m investment to produce 50 million personalised MasterCards a year.
Those of us who worked through the last crisis in the property market know that hard work and the right advice will still achieve a sale for our clients.
Five tonnes of produce a day
The development of Rosson-Wye, in my opinion, is being held back by a lack of new homes. With its close link to the M50 and the motorway network, the town is ideally located to attract new enterprises and more housing development would
The challenge of improving/ updating a property is still exciting for many families whatever the market conditions.
really kickstart an influx of new companies, creating jobs and boosting the town’s retail trade. New homes would also bring in young families, the lifeblood of any town. Alton Business Park has secured multiple new companies which makes me optimistic for the future of the town generally.
The incentive, therefore, to move is always present in any economic climate. Although property prices have fallen, buying and selling in the same market does mean that what you lose on the roundabout you gain on the swings and there are a number of buyers out there waiting for the right property to come up, not put off by the gloomy market portrayed in the press. As a long established agent all I can say is that sometimes there are benefits of being older and having experience of a variety of market conditions.
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Freeman Commercial forge ahead in a difficult market M F Freeman Group has a long history of developing business parks throughout the Midlands on their own development sites and also acting as contractor for their clients. They have recently completed phase one and two of Alton Business Park in Ross-On-Wye, Herefordshire which was a redevelopment of a former single user manufacturing site.
should ensure that the town does not lose expenditure for these types of goods to other retail centres. This is important for the ongoing viability of the town centre. Typical bulky goods retailers include electrical appliance retailers, carpet retailers, country stores and animal feed retailers.
Joint Managing Director Luke Freeman said “This business park has been redeveloped to provide relocation opportunities for multiple businesses. This new development now offers a mixed use scheme of bulky goods retail, offices and industrial space. The planning authority recognised that the requirement for a large scale manufacturing single user was going to be difficult to meet and therefore permitted a mixed use scheme. Alton Business Park will offer a diverse and sustainable economic base with a range of units to suit many different types of businesses. We hope that this development will attract government and other public sector organisations, as well as software, technology and service sector companies. We believe the new business park will boost the attraction of the town giving occupiers the confidence to invest in the site, bringing even more jobs and facilities
to the area. The development will provide first class facilities attracting quality growth companies that are also more likely to offer training programmes and provide a ladder for career progression. Better paid jobs will have a positive spin off in the local economy, boosting spending in the town.
On another business park located in Newent, Gloucestershire we have just secured planning for a care home and a polyclinic. This will involve £5000 000 of new investment into the park and should create around 70 new jobs. We were particularly pleased with this planning consent which demonstrated the planner’s commitment to creating sustainable towns by allowing business parks to be redeveloped into mixed use schemes. We are currently working on future projects where we are looking to provide renewable energy created on site for the benefit of the occupiers. This will attract occupiers who are looking to reduce their carbon footprints of their businesses. This sustainability benefit I believe will
...”For a better quality of business life”... Some businesses will relocate from the town centre to take advantage of the improved access and parking arrangements for their visiting clients. The bulky goods retail units on the site will offer space which is not available in the town centre. This
be the main driving force behind the creation of more mixed use business parks in out of town locations. These business parks will also integrate live work units and support new housing to complete the circle on the sustainability factor.”
Special Feature on Alton Business Park The completion of phase one and two of Ross’s new 6 acre business park was celebrated with a cocktail party in the new demonstration suite in Alton House. Luke Freeman stated”The event attracted lots of interested parties and several are in negotiations regarding new premises.” Potential customers viewed completed industrial units and the recently completed Alton House which is a prestigious office block at the front of the park which offers units ranging from 500 square feet to 11550 square feet. Joint Managing Director Luke Freeman said “We are delighted to be pressing ahead with the completion of further units on this development in these difficult market conditions. We were delighted last week to welcome Craegmoor Healthcare as our new tenant, who has taken a lease on a new unit in the office building. I believe business owners recognise that in these difficult times it is essential to remain as efficient as possible and this includes ensuring that businesses property requirements are effectively met with modern purpose built facilities. New occupiers have commented that the
image of their businesses has improved after moving into new premises, which they find good for business. Others have also commented that having a purpose built facility results in them working more efficiently and therefore improving profitability.
Luke Freeman
We are pleased to be making good progress with this business park and we are now going to concentrate our efforts in developing phase 3. We have interest from
care home operators and are currently working with the planning authority to see if we can obtain planning consent. We feel the business park is a great asset for Ross and it is hugely satisfying to see a prosperous mixed use site at Alton Business Park which has replaced the previous redundant manufacturing buildings. Ross has had limited new investment into the area recently and hopefully this new business park will attract new businesses to the area who will bolster the local economy. Ross can provide a good employment base and has excellent transport links being so close to the M50. Freeman Commercial, property solution specialists, will develop relocation packages to allow business operators to remain fully focused on day to day business activity. Mervyn Freeman, Joint Managing Director, Freeman Commercial stated “Taking headaches out of a business move is always our top priority. We aim to give our clients exactly what they need. We are happy to provide a “turn key” solution where you provide your specific requirements and we arrange everything down to the new office furniture and interior design. We will even look at taking your existing property as part of the deal.” Luke Freeman added “One of our key business aims in our relocation packages is to ensure that we maximise the value of our customer’s property assets. Using our experience and expertise we pride ourselves on delivering new facilities which vastly improve the efficiency of the business. Relocation packages which include new
Property Solution Specialists 01594 542485
www.freemancommercial.co.uk
01989 768555
purpose built premises are an effective way to add immense value to an existing business. We are able to enter into promotion agreements with customers on their existing premises where we may obtain planning consent for change of use to enhance the value. This sometimes results in a relocation package where customers have new improved business premises and also surplus cash remaining to invest elsewhere. We are currently offering incentives of up to 12 months rent free so there could not be a better time to think about moving.“ If you are interested in relocating your business or redeveloping your existing premises Freeman Commercial are keen to assist. To arrange a meeting to discuss your property requirements please call Luke Freeman 01594 542485 www.mffreeman.co.uk
The developer is delighted with the uptake so far, here is a selection of some of the new occupiers Dave Gardiner GKC Motors Howden Joinery Concept Racing Grey Tone Services Salvagnini Bauer Kompresoren UK Ross Self Storage Craegmoor Healthcare CNC International
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business social life
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce The first Herefordshire Networking Evening was held at Arte Wine Bar & Bistro on Wednesday 9 th September. The event is designed for those who struggle to attend the networking morning breakfasts. The evening event gave the attendees an opportunity to network with a wide range of different businesses in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. The speaker at the event was Ray Stone; Director Global Business Development at Special Metals Corporation who gave a enlightening and thought provoking speech about ‘Lean - The good, the bad and the ugly!’
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Photographs by Richard Weaver Photography 1. Martin Brain, Claire Wozencroft, Laura Peakman 2. Keynote speaker Ray Stone, Special Metals Wiggin Ltd 3. Hugh and Alex Pattison Appleton 4. Martin Shaw and Roland Pearton of Arte, Graham Biggs 5. Denis Holly, Louise Hookham 6. Mike Coupe, Mike Greene 7. Erin Roberts, Ben Kinnaird 8. Heidi Chamberlain Jones and Alison Holmes 9. Martin Brain and Heidi Chamberlain Jones 10. Ray Stone, Matthew Chuck, Louise Hookham, Alan Davis, and Steve Adams
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Breadth of businesses John Goodwin, Chartered Surveyor and Commercial Agent The retail sector in Ledbury appears to have resisted the economic downturn according to John Goodwin, Chartered Surveyor and Commercial Agent, based in the town. John reports that a small number of businesses have closed over the last twelve months, but in the majority of cases the vacant shop units have quickly been re-let to new businesses which have been attracted to the town by virtue of its many attractions. “Nowhere has escaped the economic turndown” said Mr Goodwin “and there are currently a small number of empty saleshop units available within the town. This is the first time such a situation has arisen for many years and the town certainly seems to have weathered the financial storm better than most towns in the region.” “Ledbury is so well positioned between the three cathedral cities and the M5/M50 motorway network brings many visitors from further afield. The town is most attractive with its half-timbered properties and the cobbled Church Lane and as a result there is a wide selection of specialist gift shops, hotels, pubs and eating establishments. “Retail patterns change considerably over the years and many areas face competition now from the internet. It is essential that local residents support their local shops otherwise there is a very real possibility that they will disappear.” In the meantime for anyone keen to open a new business in the town this could prove to be the ideal time.
Flick through a copy of Herefordshire Council’s new Business Directory and you quickly get a feel for the breadth of businesses packed into the county’s 2,200 square kilometres. It shows, too, a trend away from an over reliance on
agriculture, as more hi-tech type companies move in. Attracting yet more job creators is a key objective of the Directory. Contact the Economic Development Team on 01432 261758 for a copy
Possible redundancies
in Herefordshire
comment
Denco, the air conditioning and engineering firm based at the Moreton –on- Lugg business park and now owned by a German company. It is reported to have laid off 50 workers, mostly office personnel.
A dozen redundancies have also been announced by the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford despite massive investment in new buildings and facilities, including a new, money earning, weddings reception facility.
Jobless numbers double The number of people out of work in Herefordshire has doubled in the last 12 months and now stands at 3,009, which represents 2.9% of the working age population of the county. The county cannot be
classed as a jobs blackspot when compared to the national total of 2.4m. It helps that the county does not have any large scale employers whose demise could put many hundreds out of work at a stroke.
Tony Killeen, founder of the hugely successful allpay Limited, based in Hereford Herefordshire is already moving on from the recession, but a positive attitude focussed on aggressively seeking new business opportunities remains key to success. Don’t wait for business to come to you. Farming might be the county’s bedrock, but there is plenty of scope for IT, finance and retail services in a county renowned for its business enterprise. Herefordshire has some amazing firms, and now is the time for them to build on their successes.
A Right Royal Occasion On the 26th October 2009 Global RadioData Communications Ltd was delighted to host the visit of HRH The Princess Royal. At the end of the tour of the premises Princess Anne officially declared the new premises at Wyevale Business Park open, with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque. GRC Ltd is a company which specialises in providing innovative, bespoke and cutting edge solutions enabling effective, reliable communications in demanding environments. The Company in its current form came about in April 2008.Global RadioData Communications Ltd already existed but was operating as three companies, GRC Products, GRC Services and Fron Electronics. The founding member share holders, Gareth and Iain Pope, had both been running their own businesses which eventually grew together for operational reasons.
In January 2009 GRC Ltd moved into the newly refurbished, offices and production facility at the Wyevale Business Park. The extra space was needed to accommodate the already expanded workforce. Between January and December 2008, GRC Ltd actively recruited a further 33 employees to ensure that the company delivered the quality solutions and products to the customer on time. Since then further recruitment has brought the workforce numbers up to 64 employees. Prior to this move GRC Ltd had an office in the town centre of Hereford, industrial workshop units in Beech Business Park, a unit at Hereford Trade Park and a further location at Holmer Business Park. GRC offers a wide portfolio of products and services of which a few are detailed below;System Design – Custom Design and Build Where no single solution meets the complex demands of its
GARETH POPE, founder, shareholder and technical director
customers, GRC assists with cost effective bespoke design and integration of equipment. This is achieved by bringing together the skills of engineers in a range of disciplines including programming, electronic hardware, printed circuit board layout and construction, enclosure design, network design and installation, mechanical design, regulatory compliance testing and product evaluation. Strategic Communication GRC is able to provide a local area networking system that allows multiple sites to share the bandwidth of limited third party satellite terminals. The Company plans, sources, installs and services the most suitable strategic communication system to suit the customer’s requirements. Mobile Power Management Solutions. GRC design and produce adapted power and ancillaries for man pack, mobile and maritime use of mobile radio systems, in order to allow the level of power amplification and
endurance normally associated with vehicle installations. A fundamental part of all mobile solutions is a bespoke power management system that assures the integrity of the systems whilst providing resilient power to communication components. Tracking and Locating Systems GRC supplies a worldwide client base with diverse tracking requirements for assets including containerised cargo, vehicles, lone workers or staff working/ travelling overseas. Our Solutions use GPS, GPRS, GSM cell ID, RF and DF services to track and monitor mobile situations, providing real time alerts, positions and information. This information can be presented on detailed world mapping using standard web interfaces. Cable Design and Production GRC is able to provide bespoke cable design, cable build, testing and installation. Cables are built to customer requirements. Engineers will work with customers to
provide the most appropriate solutions. The production can be for individual cables or for bulk production. High quality components are used and all cables are designed to comply with relevant regulatory standards. Thuraya Tier 1 service partner contract in Satellite Communications Global RadioData Communications Limited has completed their Tier 1 Service Partner contract with Thuraya to serve European markets Thuraya, based in the United Arab Emirates, provides cost-effective mobile satellite services in more than 110 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Services provided by Thuraya include mobile voice, broadband, maritime, rural telephony, fleet management and other advanced applications that enable people and businesses everywhere under its coverage to enjoy constant access to communications and information.
Wyevale Business Park, Wyevale Way,Hereford Tel: 01432 373800 Email: info@grcltd.net Web: www.grcltd.net
15
business advice
The family business success How to work out what needs changing by Tim Kidson
Last month we saw how to make the crucial links between your Bull’s Eye and the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, (SWOT analysis) facing your family business. Much of what worked for mum and dad these past thirty years will not work for the next generation. All family businesses have to constantly be aware of the need to change but those that succeed in developing and sustaining competitive advantage will be those that know how to concentrate their resources (time, energy and money) like a laser.
Managing Director needs to be aware of eight key aspects of the business at any one time and these are: research and development, products and service, marketing, sales, finance, purchasing, administration and IT, and last but not least, people development. We can’t do everything and we can’t change everything. We don’t even want to change everything.
It is important to define the area of your family business where you are going to start doing things differently in order to begin the journey towards the Bull’s Eye. We call this area a Key Change Project (KCP). The
So we look again at the SWOT analysis that we have produced. What is it telling us?
TKA are experts in helping family businesses to develop and sustain competitive advantage www.timkidson.com 01432 354136 Next month: How to make the changes actually happen.
Typically the KCP could be ‘marketing’; it could be ‘structure’, it could be ‘systems and procedures’ but in family businesses by far the most common is the ‘culture’ that needs to change. The SWOT against the Bull’s Eye will always reveal the KCP for any organisation but whatever it is, the way to make the change happen is the regular and consistent application of best practice. If we imagine that you have taken the time, preferably offsite, to sit down with your colleagues and the exercise has produced genuine strengths, clear opportunities and one or two ominous threats. However the weaknesses found include: · There is no training plan for the company · No staff surveys are conducted
· · · · ·
Regular facilitated appraisals, starting with the directors, are not done Meetings are poor, unscheduled, often start late and overrun People at the top have no clearly defined areas of responsibility There are no Key Performance Indicators Some family members including dad, only do what they like doing rather than what the business needs doing
This is a typical family business list of weaknesses; it is the culture above all else that needs to change. Directors of successful organisations have long agreed upon much ‘Best Business Practice’, so there is no need to waste time and energy reinventing the wheel. Dad may protest, “But we’ve never had to do any of this nonsense before”. He is right, but that is only a first position perspective. We all have a strong first position perspective on the world but second position is what do other people think? People like colleagues, staff,
stakeholders and our customers. Third position is what are our competitors doing better or faster or more effectively than us? The great family business leaders can see the world of business and their position in it from all three perspectives. As we have seen before there are some eternal truths that never change for any business and yet time and circumstance are changing every second of every day for all of us. This means that the cycle of Bull’s Eye, SWOT analysis and Key Change Project continues for as long as the organisation is trading and the new generation understand this. If you would like a free template to allow you to apply the content of this article to your business please call or email Tim or Sharon Kidson.
16
business eye
New Local Media Company ‘Races ahead’ When Martin Brain was made redundant earlier this year, after holding a number of Management roles working in the local newspaper and online publishing industry. He set about securing work, setting up www.martinbrainmedia. co.uk. By doing so he secured
a number of projects with local companies and organisations. Voluntary organisation ‘Herefordshire Sport’ asked Martin to project manage the development of a website in order to have a much needed online presence.
The website www.herefordshiresport.co.uk is a portal for matters relating to sport in Herefordshire, including news, details of sports clubs, events, useful links and information.
in Herefordshire
comment Heidi Chamberlain Jones, Managing Director, Wye Valley Media Ltd.
Bryan White Honorary Secretary of Herefordshire Sport said “ We are delighted with the new site, it will be of great use to the people of Herefordshire and we encourage users of the site to send us news, information and events.”
We have seen an interesting filtering of local companies who are commercially aware enough to realise that continuing to promote their businesses to their target customers will aid their survival through these difficult times. I would like to see more funded training available for independent and small businesses, to help them to understand the importance and practices of good marketing and advertising.
17
business eye
in Herefordshire
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Try business networking
Richard Maxfield, Managing Director of Cargill Meats Europe Although there is much talk about ‘green shoots of recovery’, we are not out of the woods just yet. The next year will continue to be a challenging environment for all businesses, whether you are big or small, as the costs for raw materials and labour remain high and the levels of taxation increase. However, we have to look to the future – investing in our infrastructure and people, like at Cargill Meats Europe where we are committed to skills training and have recently taken on eight new apprentices. This vision will make sure you are ready to take advantage of the better times that are slowing appearing on the horizon. Certainly at Cargill we are investing in business process improvements to ensure that we are ready for the challenges ahead and have a competitive advantage.
Networking amongst fellow business folk can pay dividends, especially for those starting out. Not only is there the opportunity to learn from those with lots of experience, but useful contacts are made. Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce have long seen the merit in networking and run
special Business Breakfasts, usually 7-30am to 9-30am, so very little work time is lost. To find out more or to book a place ring the Chamber events team on 0845 641 1641 or go to enquiries@hwchamber.co.uk Diary dates for forthcoming BBs: November 4, Hereford November 17, Leominster.
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Another useful source of information and help for local businesses is BusinessLink. Go to www.businesslinkwm.co.uk to find out more.
Phil Perry, Central Group Be positive. Negativity is our worst enemy. At Central Group we have bucked the trend of recession and grown the business. Establish your customers’ needs and adapt your business to achieve that. Give extra service and value for money. Government can play its part by cutting the burden of too much legislation and red tape which can strangle business.
in Herefordshire
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Tourism boost
Tourism is Herefordshire’s second largest earner after agriculture and the recession has given it a boost as families in a bid to save money holidayed in the UK this summer. There is some evidence that visitor figures could be up, but official statistics are not yet available. However the county will
Mark Ellis Chairman of Hereford City Partnership
in Herefordshire
Next years Herefordshire Business Expo event is scheduled for March 3 at Hereford Leisure Centre.
Wants to see more independent retailers back in the city centre, as well as cars. He believes that people and cars interacting together, as in Ledbury, Ludlow and Abergavenny gives a town a vibrant atmosphere which in turn creates healthy trade. More independently run shops will enrich and reignite High Street shopping. Hereford must capitalise on its ‘sense of place’ and history. Improve the city’s vibrancy and it will develop organically.
certainly enjoy a good pay-day next year when the Ryder Cup Golf tournament is staged at Celtic Manor, just across the Welsh border at Newport and Visit Herefordshire chiefs have plans in hand to attract some of the tens of thousands visiting the tournament to stay in county hotels and B & B’s and to play our local golf courses.
Kidwells Law, Phoenix Chambers, 17 King Street, Hereford Tel. 01432 278179 Kidwells Law is built on the premise that the Client must come first. Also available and receiving telephone calls 24 hours a day, every day.
a day in the life
Sarah Chandler
Job title: Accounts Manager Company: M F Freeman Ltd
What do MF Freeman Group do? MF Freeman is a family run business, including construction, civil engineering, plant hire and house building; also runs The Award winning Mill Race Pub in Walford and Bishopswood House, a wedding/conference venue. Define your role as Accounts Manager and your daily duties? Maintaining the accounts for the business, including processing the Sales and Purchase Invoices, I do my best to make sure customers pay us on time! prepare the Payroll, monitor the profitability of sites, I also do a lot of record keeping requirements for the farm the family owns. Kidwells Law are offering a FREE consultation with our Head of Employment, Mr. Paul Griffin, to discuss your employment policies and procedures. His expertise allows him to deal with any query, large or small. (offer valid until 31.01.2010, full details obtained upon request.)
What do you view as the key qualities that you bring to your role as accounts manager? My boss tells me it’s my enthusiasm and the attitude to tackle anything thrown at me. How long have you been in your current job? Just over 2 years What time does your day start? Woken up by Radio One at 6.30am, I like to be in the office and ready to go for 8am Does the day start with coffee or tea? I have OJ at home and black coffee once I get to work How many people do you say good morning to? Whoever is lucky enough to see me in the morning! you can’t beat a cheery Good Morning. Favourite item on your desk? Depending what time of year, either the fly swatter or mini Welsh rugby ball What part of the job do you enjoy most? Sending the wages to the bank, it’s one of those jobs which makes everyone happy! What part of the job do you enjoy least? Reconciling the Petty Cash, it never balances first time and sorting out all the odd pence here and there seems to take ages.
Favourite part of the day? All of it really; I’m very much a morning person, but there’s nothing better than when it’s time for a quick drink at the end of the day! Do you always get a lunch break? Usually, even if its just a quick surf on the net to catch up with the news and a sandwich, Ruardean doesn’t offer too many opportunities in half an hour! Favourite day of the week? Probably Wednesday (or over the hump day) it’s the start of the run in to the weekend. Favourite month of the year? Either January or February, I love my skiing and that’s when we normally try to get away for a week or ten days. Is your desk tidy? Hmm..Tidier than my side of the bed! Do you have at least one messy draw in your desk? Yes top, middle and bottom. Tidiness isn’t my strong point. The most satisfying part of your job? When a payment comes in for a debtor you’ve been chasing for ages! The most frustrating part of your job? Where do I start! Do people in the office have a nickname for you? Sorry, we’ll keep that one a secret! Most embarrassing moment in the office? Umm when your manager tells you your top is on inside out. Again! Funniest moment in the office? Being keen on various sports I have been known to cycle to work but much prefer cycling home as it means going down Howle Hill. But the look on people’s faces when I keep my training going by running home the 6 or 7 miles from the office also always makes me laugh!
19
finance
Finance Q&A Graham John FCA is a Partner at Young and Co, one of Herefordshire’s leading independent Chartered Accountancy practices. Graham qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1996 and has experience in audit, accounting and taxation across a wide range of different businesses and sectors. Q. I have received a letter from H M Revenue and Customs to say that I owe them Income Tax for last year. I don’t normally fill in a tax return so how can this be? A. Nearly two thirds of the taxpayers in the UK don’t actually have to submit a tax return. These are usually employees or pensioners who pay tax at source through PAYE. Normally the amount of tax deducted through PAYE will be correct but sometimes things do go wrong. If you have changed jobs, have more than one job, or have started receiving a new pension then the amount of tax that you have paid may be wrong. Also an employer may calculate the wrong amount of tax or your PAYE code from the Revenue may be incorrect. In order to pick up these situations, the Revenue work
Q. I am thinking of selling off part of my garden to a developer for housing. Will I have to pay tax on the sale proceeds? A. The short answer is probably not, but it does depend on the actual circumstances. Most people are aware that the sale of your home, or principal private If you have any questions about any aspect of taxation or business, please send them to Young and Co at Bewell House, Bewell Street, Hereford HR4 0BA and a selection will be answered in future editions of Wye Valley Life. We regret that we cannot reply personally to questions.
through the PAYE annual returns that have been submitted by employers and pension providers to check the tax that individuals have paid. They use your National Insurance number to link together your different sources of income. If they find an under or over-payment then you will receive a letter about it. If you have overpaid they will send you a cheque. If you have underpaid they will either ask you for a payment or they may collect the tax due by adjusting your PAYE code for the current year so that you pay the extra tax through higher deductions. Of course the Revenue do get things wrong and they don’t know all of your personal circumstances so if you receive a tax bill, or a refund, out of the blue always check it carefully. Don’t be afraid to challenge them and if you still have concerns then seek the advice of a professional accountant or tax advisor.
residence (PPR) in the jargon, is exempt from Capital Gains Tax. This relief extends to the garden or grounds of the house. You don’t need to sell the whole property to benefit from the relief, so even if you sell part of the garden it will still be exempt from Capital Gains Tax and you will have nothing to pay. However, there is a limit on the size of the grounds that can be included. This limit is normally
Q. My son is getting married next year and my husband and I would like to help him to get on the first rung of the housing ladder by giving him a few thousand pounds. We are worried though that he may have to pay Inheritance Tax on such a gift. A. In general as long as you both manage to survive for seven years after making the gift there will be no Inheritance Tax to pay in any case. Even if one of you did die within seven years of making the gift, your nil rate band for inheritance tax (currently £3250,000 each) applies first to gifts within your lifetime before the balance is deducted from your Estate. However, there are some special rules for gifts that you can take advantage of and which will help to preserve your nil rate bands to
0.5 of a hectare (or 1.235 acres in old money) although this can be extended if, “in view of the size and character of the house a larger area is required for the reasonable enjoyment of that house as a residence”. There are plenty of pitfalls for the unwary and due to the potential size of any tax liability I would always recommend taking professional tax advice before you enter into a transaction.
use against your Estates. Firstly every individual has an annual exempt amount of up to £3,000 that they can give away in each tax year. If the whole amount is not used in a tax year then the unused balance can be used in the next tax year. Therefore, between the two of you, potentially you can give your son up to £12,000. There is another gift that you can use in your case. A parent can give up to £5,000 to their child on the occasion of the child’s marriage (grandparents or great-grandparents can also give up to £2,500 and anyone else can give up to £1,000). The gift has to be made at the time of the wedding though. I would also mention the small gifts exemption, which allows gifts of up to £250 per person per year. You can make gifts to as many people as you like under this rule.