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marketingderby.co.uk
RRERY• Visionary design
Creative masters
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The beginning of the 18th century saw the creation of the first modern orrery, a mechanical model of the solar system showing the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons. These ideas came to define the period known as The Enlightenment and were reflected in revolutionary paintings of the time, such as Joseph Wright of Derby’s ‘A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery’. The work captures how this understanding was shared and people’s receptiveness to new ideas. It is displayed at Derby Museum and Art Gallery, home to the world’s largest collection of his paintings. Others can be found at London’s National Gallery and elsewhere around the world. People have never been more connected. The gravitational pull between the cities of Derby and London and people’s passion for achievement and advancement has never been stronger.
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EDITOR: Sarah Herbert CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Kathryn Allen WRITERS: Sarah Herbert, Noella Pio Kivlehan, Jane McGowan, James Renoux-Wood IMAGES: BEAR, Google Art Project, Ian Dagnall / Alamy, A Philosopher Lecturing on The Orrery by Joseph Wright of Derby with permission from Derby Museums Trust, Bloc Digital, TD Tom Davies, Mick Bishop, Burnthebook, Charlotte Jopling, The Gribbons, Bonbon Photography, Karen Robinson, Smith of Derby, Felix Cecconi / Alamy, Look / Alamy, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Paul Mayall Australia / Alamy, John Miner / Alamy, Paula Walker, James Hibbert, University of Derby, Richard J Richards, Connor Goodwin, Charlotte Jopling, Averill Photography LEAD DESIGNER Tammy Kerr Design PRODUCTION MANAGER AND ILLUSTRATION Christopher Hazeldine PROJECT MANAGER Sue Mapara MANAGING DIRECTOR Toby Fox PRINTED BY: Bishops Printers Orrery produced by 3Fox International for Marketing Derby marketingderby.co.uk
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C O N T E N T S
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ONES TO WATCH Artisan coffee, high-tech visualisation and digital marketers make up a collection of innovative enterprises.
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JOSEPH WRIGHT OF DERBY The story of the city’s most famous son, his art and his legacy.
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INTERVIEW From Clark Kent to Brad Pitt, Derbyshire’s Tom Davies has designed face furniture for the stars. We asked him how he got there.
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MUSIC Hot House started in Derby, but has spread its innovative music schools all over the UK. But founder Jon Eno won’t be content until the power of music has changed the world.
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MAP Exploring the ties to London that are threaded throughout Derby. From renowned architects to visiting rock-n-roll giants.
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FESTIVAL A relative newcomer to the scene, Derby Book Festival has become a big player, with the story of its rapid rise to the top making a great page-turner!
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TIMEPIECES For more than 150 years, Smith of Derby has been supplying clocks and timepieces to some of London’s most prestigious buildings, from St Paul’s to the Coliseum, as well as around the world.
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DERBY DOWN UNDER Tiny, hot and isolated, at first glance Derby’s Western Australian namesake could not be more different from our UK city. Yet even in the desert there are similarities.
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MARINA We discover how Mercia Marina – home to leisure seekers, aquatic wildlife and bustling businesses – has plans to sail into the future.
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UNIVERSITY Vice-chancellor of the University of Derby tells us how it is central to both the area’s education and its arts scene.
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HOUSES Hot property alongside some of Derbyshire’s stunning landmarks.
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MAKING A MOVE Interviews with those who have moved between the cities – we find out what makes them tick.
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AMBASSADORS Like what you’ve read? Find out about Derby’s Ambassadors Club, and how you can get inolved.
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T H E D A I L Y G R I N D From Australia to Derby and Soho, all fuelled on artisan coffee, BEAR is causing a storm in an espresso cup
reat coffee, eclectic food, and an evening drink: what’s not to like? When BEAR co-founder Craig Bunting discovered this winning combination in Australia he wondered why no such thing existed in his native Midlands. In fact, there seemed to be little competing with the big chains, and certainly nothing offering a craft beer, or even an Old Fashioned, to drink with your n’duja flatbread. For as well as offering coffee (as artisan foodstuff rather than a quick morning pick-me-up), BEAR offers all-day dining from a locally sourced and seasonal menu, cocktails (obviously including a signature Espresso Martini), and craft beer, with
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ONES TO WATCH
that people do care and they want to make Derby great. There is such a strong sense of community it will continue to thrive.
food menus tailored specifically to each store. On returning from Australia, Craig teamed up with friend Michael Thorley, to give their hometown Uttoxeter their unique shot of metaphorical espresso. Their transformation of a disused retail unit attracted a queue of 350 people on its opening night.
“The Cathedral Quarter is beautiful. All it needs is a bit more outdoor space, and the citydwelling customers will flock to its sociable, relaxed atmosphere.” BEAR’s adventures aren’t going to stop in the Midlands. The tiny firm has been chosen by fashion giant retailer Jack Wills to provide a cosy coffee and cocktail bar in its flagship store in London’s Carnaby Street, a collaboration which started when its global property director popped into the newly opened Derby branch of BEAR. Impressed by the vibe, the product and the synergy between customers, he got in touch with the founders and the rest is history. As Craig says: “Hopefully, more will come from that! Watch this space.”
Now the brand has come to Derby, transforming a bank on Iron Gate in the historic Cathedral Quarter, voted ‘best city location’ at the 2016 Great British High Street awards. Both Craig and Michael (mis)spent a lot of their youth in Derby, so have a wealth of memories of the city. “We would all head to Derby on the train from Uttoxeter,” says Chris, “spend the day at Storm, the wooden indoor skate park, and head over to the skate stores of the Cathedral Quarter. “Later on, it was all about the music. As well as studying music at college, which I loved, I played multiple band gigs in The Vic Inn and have fond memories of a small stage with a huge dog.”
As this issue of Orrery went to press, news emerged that BEAR has just opened a second shop in Derby’s Intu shopping centre – a rare, and encouraging, example of an independent brand joining forces with a local giant. The only way is, indeed, up.
So what does he think of the city now he’s back? “I love it even more! We genuinely feel at home in the city. There is still lots to do, but I can see •7•
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PAST MASTER Painter Joseph Wright of Derby captured the spirit of both the Enlightenment and his home city. We look at the literal and metaphorical meanings in two of his most famous paintings
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orn in Derby in 1734, Wright is an internationally renowned artist, whose works adorn the walls of major galleries the world over. Famed as a ‘painter of light’ and for his association with the intellectual movement known as the Enlightenment, he is now considered one of Britain’s most interesting and wide-ranging painters.
scientific discovery prevalent at the time. Working at the height of the Enlightenment, his paintings offer a glimpse into this thirst for knowledge that many people, especially in the middle classes, were beginning to have. The intellectual movement saw the rejection of superstition and exploration of personal and individual freedom, belief in rule of law, and an embracing of rationalism (learning from what we observe, in nature and people) experimentation and innovation, a spirit that lives on in Derby today.
Ironically for the city’s most famous artistic son, he only took the ‘Derby’ suffix to distinguish himself from another Joseph Wright operating at the time. According to Tony Butler, executive director of Derby Museums, where his paintings are displayed, his significance is immense, and not just to the people of Derby. “He’s not as well known as Turner, Constable, Gainsborough or other contemporaries, yet the breadth of his work was much greater,” he says.
“All five of Wright’s works represent this notion of human-centred design, and the product design process,” says Tony. “‘The Hermit’ shows the thinking stage of initial ideas. ‘The Alchemist’ can be seen as the experimental phase, while the ‘Blacksmith Shop’ represents the making, prototyping and shaping of idea in practical terms. Then finally we have the experimentation stage (depicted in the ‘Bird in Air Pump’), and sharing your discovery with others shown in his most famous work, the ‘Orrery’.”
Well placed in the home of the Industrial Revolution, Wright started off making a living painting portraits of influential industrialists and Enlightenment thinkers - Richard Arkwright, Erasmus Darwin, mill-owner Joseph Strutt, and members of the Lunar Society – and was also well known as a landscape artist.
‘Bird in Air Pump’, his last work, hangs permanently in the National Gallery, while ‘Orrery’ will temporarily grace the Science Museum’s Art of Innovation – From Enlightenment to Dark Matter exhibition this autumn. “They are national treasures, and an amazing gift to the city, and help explain Derby as a city of making,” says Tony.
However, his real mastery was in his historic and scientific paintings – most famously ‘A Philosopher Giving that Lecture on an Orrery, in which a Lamp is put in the Place of the Sun’ and ‘An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump’ – which capture the spirit of •9•
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A PHILOSOPHER GIVING THAT LECTURE ON AN O R R E R Y, I N W H I C H A L A M P I S P U T I N T H E P L A C E O F THE SUN, 1766 SEE IT: Derby Museum, or London’s Science Museum in its free Art of Innovation – From Enlightenment to Dark Matter exhibition (25 September 2019 – 26 January 2020) An oil lamp, its glass jar visible behind the foremost boy’s elbow, replicates the sun’s bright rays, with Wright using the single light source to draw attention to particular elements of the work, such as the young girl pointing to Saturn and the wonder on the watchers faces, the woman deep in thought, the man taking notes. Like the sun at the centre of the universe, the light also represents science, enabling people to see and understand new discoveries. Such scientific lectures and demonstrations by travelling scientists were a popular form of public entertainment during Wright’s lifetime. Wright was master of communicating understanding and sharing of knowledge, and his links to some of the greatest thinkers of the 18th century, including the Lunar Society, gives him scientific validity.
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A N E X P E R I M E N T O N A B I R D I N T H E A I R P U M P, 1 7 6 8 SEE IT: National Gallery, London Alive with the tensions and the excitements of its moment, this is all about the spectacle of science and how it woos the public. A travelling scientist demonstrates the formation of a vacuum by withdrawing air from a flask containing an unfortunate cockatoo. The bird will die if he continues to deprive it of oxygen, and Wright leaves us in doubt as to its fate. The standing man who stares directly back at us – the only one who does so in this painting – is in charge of this bird’s destiny. He is demonstrating the marvels of not-so-contemporary science (air pumps were invented in the 17th century) in front of a captive audience. Wright was a great master of dramatisation through the use of light, in this instance a single candle, while in the window the moon appears. This candle-light (though where is the candle?) floods each of the faces, some in profile, others full-face, revealing a wide range of individual reactions in great detail, from the frightened children, through the reflective philosopher, the excited interest of the youth on the left, to the indifferent young lovers concerned only with each other. •11•
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B L O C B U S T E R S From Rolls-Royce to China, digital visualisation has taken Bloc Digital a long way
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ONES TO WATCH
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set and services. Over the years we have added a number of blue chip companies to our client list such as Siemens, JCB, JLR, BAE Systems, General Dynamics and Shell.”
or Bloc Digital, it’s been a busy year. Even 19 years after its formation, it has doubled its staff numbers to 50, and is expecting a turnover this financial year of £2.1 million.
So what’s Bloc’s niche? According to the website, it specialises in the creation and re-use of digital information, creating highly engaging content and effective solutions. Or, to the non-technically minded, it supplies bespoke digital visualisations to industry. As director Keith Cox says: “If it’s digital and needs to be visualised, that’s what we’re about”. Such visualisation includes anything from highend 3D animations for use in exhibitions or marketing or web apps and cross-platform tools, to virtual reality software or augmented reality maintenance support, where you can follow stepby-step instructions in a 3D projection. Such technology is in fact in action in Keith’s current favourite project, a virtual reality training package for Rolls-Royce, whose global civil aerospace HQ is in Derby, as part of its IntelligentEngine vision. Qatar Airways engineers are being partially trained on the repair and maintenance of Rolls-Royce’s Trent XWB engine, which powers the Airbus A350, in the virtual realm. The engines would otherwise have to be detached from the plane and transported to Doha for training, or a plane taken out of service. Rolls-Royce is in fact where the Bloc Digital story started. “Fellow director Chris Hotham and I both used to work at Rolls-Royce in the training centre, creating digital 3D versions of its aero engines for use in animations and images within e-learning packages.
So what’s next? Says Keith: “We are looking to move into new premises in about a year’s time as we are out-growing our current location. We will definitely be based in or close to Derby city centre.” The city has so far done Bloc proud. Quite apart from the Rolls-Royce connection, it’s been a great place to find great-quality, qualified staff to join the company as it grows. Bloc has also partnered with the University of Derby, taking advantage of post-graduates, ‘year in industry’ placements and knowledge transfer partnerships programmes. Bloc has also recently addressed a special event hosted by Derby and Derbyshire’s investment promotion agency, Marketing Derby in Hefei, China as part of a trade mission to the World Manufacturing Convention. And finally? “We are in the process of creating our first piece of software as product, a VR training authoring tool which will allow people who are not coders to create and publish VR training applications. This will turn Bloc into a service and product provider for the first time, giving us a second income stream.” It seems that even in the digital age, Derby is still the UK Capital for Innovation.
“In 2000 we left to set up on our own, and continued to supply them with the same skill
If it’s digital and needs to be visualised, that’s what we’re about
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S P E C S A P P E A L From early Derbyshire roots to spectacle maker to the stars, designing bespoke eye-wear is his superpower. Orrery talks to Tom Davies about manufacturing, the future and famous faces
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erbyshire-born Tom Davies began his glasses business in 2002, after some experimental years designing in Hong Kong. By 2014 he was designing glasses for that most famous of bespectacled superheroes – Clark Kent. Since then, he has opened a factory operation in China (in 2008), brought it back to London (in 2017), and created face furniture for Ed Sheeran and Heston Blumenthal, while both Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have sported his work in blockbuster films. The business now has 200 staff, 400 UK stockists and an annual turnover of £8 million, with glasses ranging in price from £300 to £10,000 (an understated 18-carat gold pair of sunglasses with gold-plated lenses). You studied product design, I believe. How did you settle upon designing glasses in particular? Is it your passion, or the result of a series of fortunate events? Definitely the latter. My degree was actually a general art and design degree. I studied at the
technical college in nearby Burton-on-Trent first, doing an art ground course and then a foundation in art. Then I went on to Ipswich where I did a little bit of everything, from film set design to fine art and everything in between. Designing glasses was my first creative job out of university. I went to Hong Kong for an adventure, sort of like a gap year but with a suit and my portfolio. What are the factors that influenced the location of your business, here and in China? I had a lot of contacts from my time in Hong Kong and since my seed funds were my dad’s mortgage and a startup loan from HSBC, I had to do it as cheaply as possible. These days I decided I needed to be investing in Britain and frankly... I’m fed up flying to Hong Kong every two months. What drives your entrepreneurial spirit? I discovered eyewear, not something which screams at you as a career choice. It’s a totally underrated area of design, but one of the most significant places a creative person can work. What I design and manufacture can genuinely change someone’s life. A great set of glasses, perfectly fitted will define how you look and how you are perceived, as well as giving you great vision. Seeing the smile on someone’s face when they first put on their bespoke glasses is something I will never tire of. It’s why I come to work. •15•
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blended with some modern automation, all powered by our own software (which I also created) which runs the entire process.
What is your creative process and how do you get inspired? Do you design with someone in mind? I always start with a person in mind. I don’t like to design something for the sake of design. I always think “who is going to buy this, how old are they, what’s their job, what does this frame say about them”. This is why even my off-theshelf glasses are still 50% of my business. My glasses, in general, just fit people and personalities. Do you design alone? And if not, are you looking at how to bring on future talent in the industry? I am the only designer in the business. Yet we make around 3,000 bespoke glasses per month. So, I have a team of engineers who create CAD drawings, and trained opticians all over the world to use my system to re-design my frames for their customers. That said... it’s time for me to bring in some new creative talent. I’ve launched a brand called Catch London [rolling out into Boots opticians all over the UK from September 2019] and its just too much design for me now. I’ve also got a company to run. So, I had two frame designer positions open and interviewed in August [2019]. How do technological advances influence you, and how are you looking to develop the business? I’ve worked on all the latest movements. I actually consult for various tech businesses on their augmented reality attempts at launching a bespoke service. I’ve also worked on similar projects with Google Glass. But for Tom Davies, I prefer to use technology behind the scenes. Although I try to make my frames elegant and timeless, the factory is a high-tech powerhouse. I reinvented the production process that I started in my factory in China to allow us to make bespoke frames. Then, in London, I had to do it all again, using a subtle blend of traditional craftsman techniques
In the same vein, how do you balance ecological considerations with ease of manufacture, light weight, etc? I’ve started recyling the material we are using. Usually, 80% of the acetate we use gets wasted. We now scoop it out the machines, re-press it and make new recycled acetate. It’s a brand new process as far as I know but its great fun and feels good. I’m also changing our plastic packaging to biodegradable plastics and I’m installing solar panels on top of my factory. There is a lot more to be done but I’m also proud to say that my glasses, locally produced don’t need to be flown 6,000 miles around the world!
TAKE THE RISK So what’s next? Will you stick with spectacles, or are you looking for the next avenue to explore? I dabbled with accessories in the past but there is just too much to be done with eyewear. I love eyewear. I know it’s my superpower. I don’t think I should do anything else. Where will we next see your designs on the silver, or small, screen? And adorning which celebrity? Ah ha.... I would SO love to tell you that. I’ve two big films out next year which are top secret and quite a big deal. But, I can say that if you watched the new Spiderman film this summer, Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal can be seen wearing glasses we made in London. And finally, something we all want to know: what’s the secret of your success? I offer this advice. Take outrageous risks. Be the hardest working person you know. Do something you love.
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IMAGES: Classy materials, attention to detail and combining high-tech technology with hand finishing means Davies can claim the ‘bespoke’ moniker.
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T H E P O W E R O F M U S I C
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Founded in Derby, Hot House is a chain of innovative music education schools, whose holistic approach is seeing them grow nationally and abroad. We talk to its founder, Jon Eno, about what makes the school different, and how music changes lives
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choose. “As we want children to love what they do, we encourage them to follow their dreams. While we offer advice on the best options, we want them to do something that inspires them.” They get to experience music from a number of different genres, as “the skills are transferable and what you learn in one culture can be used to enrich the music of another,” says Eno.
usic has the power to make the world a better place. It is the universal language which enriches and engages people from all corners of society.” So says Jon Eno, professional trumpet player and part of the Eno music clan (his cousins are Brian Eno, keyboard player for Roxy Music and U2 producer, and Roger Eno, BBC music writer), founder of Hot House and recent recipient of the British Empire Medal, awarded for ‘hands-on’ service to the local community.
Students can even go on tour. This year saw sixyear-olds performing at Disneyland Paris, and 18-year-olds at the Lyon conservatory of music. Last years gifted and talented students embarked upon a coast-to-coast tour of America, stopping at Boston, New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Next year, young musicians from all over Derby will be performing at venues alongside the Olympics in Tokyo, followed by further adventures in Hong Kong and Singapore.
A dedicated educator, Jon is passionate about the value of music in young people’s lives. “The ability to listen and to work as a team are fundamental concepts vital to both a successful music ensemble and in career as an essential part of a creative workforce.” His brainchild Hot House was founded in Derby in 2002, and now delivers an award-winning program of services to young people across the UK, with schools being launched in Singapore, France and Canada. More than 2,000 students have ‘graduated’ from the holistic programmes, with alumni going on to lead in each of their specialist chosen fields, whether as the drummer for Noel Gallagher or Paloma Faith or the chief legal counsel for the Paralympic committee. The pupils, aged between six and 18, have individual lessons in woodwind, brass, rhythm or voice, or join an ensemble/choir (or both), guided by staff, alumni and student mentors, and tailored to their specific aspirations and talents. The children make most of the decisions themselves, including which instrument to
Hot House has an innovative approach to educational theory. “While working in the US as a professional musician, I experienced a fundamentally different approach to teaching. It appeared to me that Americans always focused on what the children COULD do, not what they were less good at. So if they were great at sports then they were encouraged to be a leader in this field. The focus was on playing to their strengths. “The UK method of learning appears to be the antithesis of this, particularly in music: if you are unable to do something, such as play high or play a solo, then you’re encouraged to focus on these areas. Always focusing on what they can’t do, rather than what they can,
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means that young musicians become disengaged from learning. “Coming from a family of musicians and educators, I was inspired to develop a curriculum and approach that would engage and revitalise youth music education in the UK.” Key to this approach is the fact that children are encouraged to join an ensemble very early on, with the fun sessions playing recognisable music. As the students also continue with private instrument lessons at Hot House, they progress quickly through the levels of ensemble, ultimately becoming mentors. Eno says this ensemble approach makes Hot House different from other music schools. And it’s based on science. “We believe that music has the power to develop your critical thinking and thought processing skills,” he says. “The ability to process more than one type of stimuli is key to successful learning in music. All young students are expected to process movement, aural, external and visual information streams simultaneously. As a result our alumni are used to using their critical
I was inspired to engage and revitalise youth music education in the UK thinking skills and powers of processing in a way that gives them a direct boost when choosing their future career pathways.” This comes in very useful in the future. “Not every student wants to pursue a career in music. Of 100 students, 97 will choose to go into medicine, law, vetinerary science, engineering etc. But we want all of our students to value ‘what’ and ‘how’ they learnt with Hot House, and are as proud of the students who choose nonmusic career paths as those who opt for music.” Eno is utterly passionate about his vision, and the way he enables music to change lives. One of his proudest moments illustrates this power in microcosm. “On our last tour to Lyon, our young musicians where doing a street performance, and interacting with the general public whilst performing. One of our students from the Lyon
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school hadn’t seen his father for seven months – he was a kitchen porter who worked from 4am to 10pm. His father did not know that his son was playing saxophone with us. We happened to walk past the restaurant where ‘dad’ was working. “The owner wouldn’t let him leave, so we opened the windows and ‘dad’ leaned out and watched, enthralled, as his son performed alongside our Saxophonix ensemble (from Derby). At the end of the performance the son ran to his dad and gave him the best hug ever! Both were in tears, as were many of the hundreds of people looking on. That was when the power of music truly hit me.” So what next for Hot House? “We are developing a record label, headed up by Alex Archer, the sound engineer for VEVO, Kasabian, Lewis
Capaldi and Will Young, to showcase the creative content of our alumni and staff. All profits will be shared equally between the alumni/staff and the current students in Hot House programmes. “We are about to start phase two of our expansion plans, with another 30+ schools planned for the UK next year, while offering music production and music theatre schools alongside all of our current schools. And finally, a word about his roots. “None of this would be possible if it weren’t for the amazing human resources and connections I have in Derby. I believe the city has the world’s greatest talent pool and am personally trying to stem the ‘arts brain drain’ from the city, and cement Derby’s reputation for being a city of innovation and inspiration.”
A FEW OF THE ALUMNI: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? MUSIC • Ed Richardson: drummer with Noel Gallagher, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Mica Paris, Rumer Kwabs, Espa, Hudson Taylor, Imelda May, Jools Holland, Gregory Porter and Clare Teale. • George Hogg: trumpeter who’s toured with Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Gloria Estefan, and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra;
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recorded with Little Mix, Olly Murs and Ella Eyre; and been on soundtracks for Downton Abbey and Mr Selfridge. Lily Sturt-Bolshaw: singer/ songwriter with band Sunflower Thieves. Other musicians are playing with Tom Jones, Pixie Lott and Michael Buble, in the BBC Big Band and X Factor.
NON-MUSIC • Nic Jones: CEO of Serious About Trade, advising business on sustainable and low risk international sales • Dan Miller: CEO of Young Professionals UK, technology based recruitment company for young people • Elizabeth Riley: legal counsel to the Paralympic Committee
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DB Y L DN CONNECTION MAP
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PICKFORD HOUSE Derby-born architect Joseph Pickford (b. 1734) trained at his uncle’s London office, during which time he worked as a builder on the Horse Guards Parade. He built this house in 1770.
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ONE FRIAR GATE SQUARE London-based developers Jensco built this iconic cubist structure, which is occupied by the University of Derby as the base for its Law School.
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LONDON CALLING THE KING’S HALL Punk juggernauts The Clash played the venue in 1977 during their early “Get Out of Control” tour. The site is now home to the Queen’s Leisure Centre.
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THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS Designed by Kensington based firm Casson Conder Partnership, whose senior partner Sir Hugh Casson was the architectural director for London Southbank.
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RAILWAY TECHNICAL CENTRE Owned by LCR (London and Continental Railways) and occupied by companies such as Atkins, Network Rail and Loram UK, the centre also houses incubation hubs for the University of Derby to help foster start-ups.
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ONES TO WATCH
S M A L L B U T M I G H T Y For this Derby-based digital marketing agency, a creative approach to solving its clients’ problems is what keeps it punching above its weight •24•
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or a small firm – a mere 12 people – Burnthebook is a big hitter, working with anything from gaming company Sega to London-based NGOs, and with a turnover that has doubled in the past three years. Director Jackie Clarke puts this down to the company’s particular approach to problem-solving and communication.
However, the firm has a lot of connections in the South East. “Phil is originally from Cambridge and used to work for Pearson Publishing, and we still have some of his contacts as clients 20 years on,” says Jackie. “We did consider moving further south very early on as the majority of our clients are London- or overseas-based, but we decided the quality of life was far better here in Derbyshire.
“When asked: ‘Why do you want to do this?’,” says Jackie, “many companies will answer ‘Because I think this is what I need to do’, with no explanation or solid research to back-up their response. So, from the very start, Burnthebook challenges what its clients want and explores their needs. We believe this approach cements our relationship with them and provides good reasons to stay with us.
“Our location has never really been an issue regarding meeting with clients, thanks to online communication tools. We did open a London office at the start of the year, but it’s more a base for client meetings and an address for our international clients who are more familiar with London than Derby.
“Our focus is always on understanding what our clients do, what their needs are and what their future vision is for their business.” As digital strategy design consultants, Burnthebook specialises in website development, design and brand identity, print publishing and e-commerce (its experimental platform Purveya ended up selling more Alessi homewares than Birmingham Selfridges). The small and tight-knit team of designers and developers all sit together, plan together and work side-by-side, ensuring synergy across the various areas, efficiency and streamlined processes, thus maximising output.
The company’s clients range from Camp America to a Lake Como wedding planner. So what’s Jackie’s current favourite project? “It has to be launching the marketing site for the game Football Manager 2020. We love working with the Sports Interactive (Sega Europe) team, and have become an extension of their marketing team, working in a very collaborative way, which is exactly what we love. There is some very exciting stuff coming up with Sega, but nothing we can discuss at this point!” What else is next? “We’re planning to launch an offshoot of Burnthebook early in 2020 which focuses more on our scientific/government publishing work, one of our specialisms, and a dying art that we feel very passionate about.”
We challenge what our clients want and explore their needs
Phil Newson, MD, founded the business in 1999 having recently moved to Derbyshire. “Derby’s central location has given us great links to the rest of the UK, making it easier for the company to service our UK clients,” says Jackie. •25•
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READ A L L
A B O U T
I T
In a mere four years, the annual Derby Book Festival has become a firm favourite among authors and audiences alike, celebrating the joy of books and reading for all ages and interests... Watch out Hay-on-Wye!
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BOOKS
LIZ FOTHERGILL,
CHAIR OF DERBY BOOK FESTIVAL
ince its creation in 2015 by two local book-lovers with no commercial book experience, Derby Book Festival has grown from 60 to 90 events, more than doubled its ticket sales to nearly 7,000, and among its 100 participating authors has welcomed two Poet Laureates (Simon Armitage and Carol Ann Duffy), three Children’s Laureates (Michael Morpurgo, Lauren Child and Cressida Cowell) and many internationally renowned authors: Sebastian Faulks, Sarah Waters, David Nicholls, Tracy Chevalier, Margaret Drabble and Markus Zusak. Yet despite this wide range of subjects, events and nationalities featured, it also retains a local focus, featuring books and authors local to, or featuring, Derby or Derbyshire’s unique flavour.
What was the highlight of the 2019 event? Markus Zusak, the multi-million, best-selling Australian author. Of the few events he did in the UK, one was Hay International Festival and another Derby Book Festival! What do you love about the festival? Two things. The planning stage, when every year we start afresh with a blank piece of paper, a huge pile of publishers’ catalogues and lots of ideas. And then the atmosphere and excitement of the festival when so many people come together to hear their favourite authors talk about books that we have all loved reading. How is it different from other book festivals? We try to have an eclectic mix and a good mix of authors from international best sellers, like Markus Zusak and Sebastian Faulks, to local writing talent as well as debut authors, as well a strong schools and children’s programme. We also like to vary the topics each year, while retaining a local flavour e.g. Royal Crown Derby, Joseph Wright. We like to think we have something from everyone, whatever your age and interest. And how come it’s such a hidden gem? We hope it isn’t! We have increased ticket sales from 3,000 in our first year to nearly 7,000 in our fifth! We want everyone to know about it, as the programme really does have something for everyone, whatever your age or interests.
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WHAT THE AUTHORS SAY
Derby Book Festival is one of the best festivals in the country, and it always does so much for the community STEPHEN BOOTH
I had a lovely time both at the festival and exploring Derby. Thank you all for making me so welcome PATRICK GALE
Thank you so much for making Helga’s debut so special! So appreciate it. What a festival!
Loved Derby Book Festival – and such a wonderful audience too!
KAREN SULLIVAN, ORENDA BOOKS, WITH HELGA FLATLAND, AUTHOR
ELIZABETH MACNEAL
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I enjoyed it immensely and loved chatting to members of the audience afterwards TRACY BORMAN
WHAT THE AUDIENCE SAYS
The organisation has been wonderful, and every minute has been a delight. It is an amazing highlight in the year and a wonderful contribution to the cultural life of Derby and Derbyshire. Love the variety of content and the perceptions they challenge. I always leave entertained for an evening, but enlightened for a lifetime. And better for it. My thanks to all involved for all their efforts.
I can now look at these sorts of things as both a rookie author and an experienced publicist, and I have to say that what you are doing with this (book) award is incredibly meaningful and beautifully organised LAUREN ACE
The three authors were all so fascinating, I would have liked each of them speaking for an hour! A great event, thank you – it has inspired me to read new authors. Loved this event and the debut authors’ talks. I have read this book but the event really bought it to life for me. Very well organised and hosted! Looking at the rest of the festival there are lots of different topics included in the programmes, so something for everyone.
I go to lots of book festivals, and some are more charming and warmer than others. Derby is definitely now up there amongst my favourites ROSE GEORGE
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A B R I E F H I S T O R Y O F
TIME
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Derby is well known as the UK capital of trains, planes and automobiles. But did you also know that as hometown to Smith of Derby, it is also the world capital of time. The company’s MD Bob Betts tells us more
he Victorian creation of the UK railway network transformed the nation, bringing cities closer together. It transformed Derby into the centre of industry and technology that we know today. And in 1856, a mere 20 years after the arrival of the first train into the station, it also saw the birth of John Smith & Sons, Midland Clockworks, Derby – known today as Smith of Derby – creators and custodians of some of the most important public timepieces the world over.
It all started 163 years ago when John Smith bought clock machinery that had belonged to the celebrated Whitehurst dynasty, his former employer, and a few years later moved his set up to 27 Queen Street, Derby, in the centre of what’s now known as the Cathedral Quarter of the city. The company now operates from a dedicated workshop facility just north of Derby and only a mile from The Silk Mill, the site of the world’s first factory and a world UNESCO heritage site.
As railways expanded across the world, so did Smith of Derby, its early ‘regulator clocks’ timing the railway timetables across the British Empire. Today, its timepieces adorn public, private and religious sites, palaces, castles, and civic and academic buildings across the world.
In its first few decades the company grew into one of the biggest names in the horological world, leading Lord Grimthorpe, designer of the clock on the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) to recommend that “Smith of Derby will clock you in the best way, and as near eternity as possible”. On his •31•
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...more than a company of people, but a strong and supportive family... the company fit for a very long-term future, with recent awards for its apprenticeship programme and investments in technology to reduce its carbon footprint is testimony to both a focus on emerging talent and protecting the environment.
recommendation, in 1893 Smith built the clock for St Paul’s Cathedral, until 2010 the largest traditional clock on earth. The record was only beaten by Smith, again, with its world-record 15m-diameter traditional clock for the City of Ganzhou in China, called Harmony Tower Clock.
In the past three years, it has appointed four apprentices and two administration apprentices, plus further early career appointments in machining/fabrication, design and electronics (the latter two at graduate level), earning it the award of ‘Apprenticeship Employer of the Year’, from a field of 1,300. The award citation said Smith “has consistently given the apprentices excellent opportunities to develop and progress. We cannot praise Smith of Derby sufficiently for the time, effort and money they commit to their apprentices”.
In the past, when most people didn’t have a watch, almost no important public building was built without a clock. These days most, if not all, public clocks and features of any importance and value to a community are now subject to a listed building or preservation order of some kind. Smith of Derby conserves, restores and maintains approximately 4,000 of these pieces in the UK alone, with around 20 clockmakers in the field and more in the Clock Works. It has created and installed timepieces in more than 50 countries – in the Middle East, South Africa, and Europe in this year alone. One of the largest recent international projects has been the design and creation of the feature clocks in Waldorf Astoria hotels across the world, the most recent being in Dubai this year. This sixth-generation wholly owned family company has a fixed eye on the goal of making
In some ways a more profound accolade came from a parent who stated in an unprompted letter of gratitude that “I see Smith’s as more than a company of people, but a strong and supportive family with strong values and commitment to helping each other... a complete package... I know my son values the investment Smith of Derby are making for his future.” Now that’s a ringing endorsement.
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LONDON PROJECTS ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS, P I C C A D I L L Y, L O N D O N This HLF-funded project involved a full repair and restoration of the beautiful clock dial, weather dial and weather vane on the Grade II-listed building. The 5’ 6” clock dial from the left hand tower and the weathervane dial from the right hand tower were removed from the building and taken to Smith of Derby clockworks for restoration and reinstatement. COLISEUM, ST MARTIN’S LANE, LONDON Built in 1904, the London Coliseum home to the English National Opera is the largest proscenium theatre in England and the masterwork of Frank Matcham, leader of turn of the century theatre architecture. In 2004, it underwent a £41 million restoration programme, including the overhaul of the unique 4m-diameter globe sculpture atop its roof. Originally intended as a rotating sphere, it had remained static for most of the theatre’s life, with the effect of movement given through illumination. Smith of Derby re-engineered the whole feature, and installed power transmission to enable the lettering to be lit up. The globe, driveshaft and mechanism weigh 5 tonnes, and offer variable rotation speed.
IMAGES: A range of Smith of Derby timepieces across the globe, from ornate clocks that add flourish at high-end establishments to robust-yet-beautiful faces designed to stand the test of time. •33•
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D E R B Y WESTERN AUSTRALIA
It would be hard to find a town more different to Derby than its WA namesake. Its warmest month is January, with an average high of 35°C; it has no rainfall for eight months of the year; and it’s tiny, with a population of 3,325. Yet it’s a positive metropolis for its region – the vast, 423,517sq km Kimberly – being only one of three towns with a population over 2,000. It’s also incredibly remote: its nearest neighbour of Broome is 220km away. The coastal Derby WA has the highest tides in Australia, with a spectacular, and touristattracting, 11.8m differential between low and high tides. But perhaps its most famous features are its boab trees, one of which, at 1,500 years old, is so large and hollow it had been used as a prison. However, like Derby UK, it was once a transport hub, in the 1920s the terminus of Australia’s first scheduled aviation service, West Australian
RETURN ADDRESS: DERBY, KIMBERLY WESTERN AUSTRALIA Airways, and more recently as a centre for the Flying Doctor Service and the School of the Air. Also like Derby, UK, it has a diverse economy, with employment in the pastoral and mining industries. There is oil at Blina, diamonds in the Phillips Range, stone in the King Leopold Ranges and lead and zinc from Cadjebut, and exported from the extensive Derby Wharf. It also hosts two festivals. One, the Mowanjum Festival, is held among the indigenous population – 47% of the town are of aboriginal descent – while the week-long Boab Festival includes traditional Australian events such as mud football and watermelon seed spitting.
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W A T E R F E A T U R E As a haven for boaters, walkers, workers, tourists, nature, business, and now bees, Mercia Marina is a microcosm of the world. We take a look at the past, present and future evolutions of Derbyshire’s inland marina
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We wanted to make use of what came naturally - the flora and fauna - to encourage it and make it a feature large lake, completed with a centerpiece of three islands.
t may have been four years ago, but beating a world-renowned architect to scoop building of the year is still something Mercia Marina’s general manager Robert Neff brings up early in the conversation.
So how did it all start? Back in 2008 the marina, owned by leisure and travel company Madecorn Leisure (whose majority shareholders include former Thorntons chairman John Thornton and his cousin Michael Thornton of Derbyshire chocolate fame) was totally underdeveloped.
Opening in 2015, the Boardwalk building had already picked up a regional award for Best Small Commercial building in its first year when it went up against the might of Zaha Hadid’s London Serpentine Sackler Gallery at the grand final of the Local Authority Building Control’s Building Excellence Awards – and came out top. As Robert says: “You can create bog standard buildings, or you can create something special.”
There was a vision, says Robert, “to inject some coastal and river port ideas into a canal marina, which are normally very staid and traditional, and to do it on a grand scale. We also wanted to make use of what came naturally - the flora and fauna - to encourage it and make it a feature.”
It’s certainly an achievement to beat the woman who designed the London 2012 Olympic Aquatics Centre, among others. But getting the award also signifies everything that’s been achieved at the marina since its opening in 2008 on a 10ha site at Willington Lake.
To help finance the marina’s development Robert, who has been with the scheme since the beginning, says they simply “focused on getting the marina working well.
Attracting over one million visitors annually, the marina is now home to numerous boaters, residents and SME businesses, as well as 17 shops, two restaurants, two cafés and one bar, and has become a lauded conservation and biodiversity area microcosm.
“We put in all the luxury services for the boaters, and they came, they kept on coming and they stayed. We charged competitive prices for it. We listened to what they wanted. We became part of their family. They became part of ours. And that provided us with a solid financial footing in order to do the rest of the development.”
And it is ever evolving and growing. The last two years saw more lodges and offices open, as well as an added focus on nature, wildflower meadows, and bees, with a new holiday lodge area developed over the past 12 months, with a
Building a series of mini marinas within the larger marina created a sense of intimacy. “It’s small. It’s intimate. It’s private... with all the services of a very large marina supporting it.” This solid financial footing helped the creation •37•
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of business hubs, lodges, more retail and leisure, and its famed biodiversity. The Boardwalk, and the 2,500sq m Piazza Building (HQ of global pharmaceutical company Bionical) provide the office arm. On the holiday lodge side, another new lodge development opened June 2019, adding another 32 lodges each selling for a minimum of £200,000. “We will be putting in more shops and offices. We haven’t finalised the plans yet, but it will be within the next three years,” says Robert, who adds they will be looking for tenants – such as architects, software firms or professional bodies – within the next year. At present, there are no more plans for residential, to maintain the right balance between commerce and residential. Across the whole development, keeping a
balance between humans and nature has been central to all thinking. The site holds a Gold Award for outstanding contribution to the natural environment from British botanist and conservationist David Bellamy. TV personality Bellamy has been instrumental in encouraging holiday parks to adopt a greener and more eco-friendly approach. “What this showed is we can build and build, and put large amounts of people around it, but still balance nature and development,” says Robert. The marina’s reputation for biodiversity is incredibly important to them. “It’s one of the main things that gives us pleasure,” adds Robert. Currently, one of the marina’s main aims is breeding bees, and has even sponsored a volunteer group to buy cocoons of bees. To encourage the bees’ natural habitat, three •38•
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We can build and build, for large amounts of people, but still balance nature and development
wildflower meadows have been planted, along with a cottage garden. “The bees are flourishing, and one of our targets is to promote this success more,” he says.
people to embrace nature more. We want them to get out and we have introduced maps telling them what the trees are. We have done the same with the wildflowers.”
Also just planted is ‘the Park’. Finished in April, and modelled on a Royal Park, the Park has great sweeps of grassland, and £20,000-worth of semi-mature trees standing alone. Robert says: “We’ve created a mini version of Regent’s Park or Hyde Park, because it’s a wonderful thing to walk around those.
As for the marina’s future, Robert says: “We have decided to keep on developing and improving for the next 10 years we are committed to. It’s been a huge pleasure for us building a community because it is a strong community.
He adds: “The dog walkers love it. But we want
“It’s been a pleasure creating wonderful buildings; it’s a pleasure building a wonderful marina. And we are delighted at the outcome.”
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E DUC AT ION, E DUC AT ION... Professor Kathryn Mitchell, vice-chancellor of the University of Derby, explains how her institution is at the heart of its city and county; their industry and arts
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nnovation is at the heart of Derby and its region, and pivotal to ensuring the success of the businesses, schools, and community, in Derby and its county, is our university, with campuses in Buxton, Chesterfield, and in Derby itself. Over the past five years, we have been involved in many exciting regional projects, collaborating with local authorities, local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), businesses and national funders, with the aim of improving opportunities for those working and living in Derby and Derbyshire.
One such project is DerwentWISE, a partnership hosted by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust made up of 15 local and national organisations concerned with the preservation of the Lower Derwent Valley, its internationally important ancient woodlands, pre-industrial archaeology, diverse geology and species-rich meadows, as well as the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, considered the birthplace of the factory system. The partnership was awarded £1.7 million of Heritage Lottery Funds in 2013, and through working with local, national and international partners in the USA and Germany, has already started to transform the area. University of Derby academics are conducting research to support the scheme, via four mapping and photographic projects.
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Meanwhile in Buxton, we are involved in extensive restoration work to the town’s centrepiece Grade I-listed crescent, and consequent re-invigoration of the famous spa town. Funded by an HLF grant, with support from D2N2 LEP, the partnership is providing a fantastic opportunity for our students who, together with staff, are working on the relocation of Buxton’s new visitor centre, the events programme and oral history project work, as well as on enhancing the visitor experience with digital innovations. There will also be plenty of chances for them to gain valuable real-world work experience through student led events, placements and volunteering opportunities. Back in Derby itself, we are linked to 14 arts and cultural organisations across the city and county – such as Derby Theatre, QUAD, Derby Book Festival, ArtCore, Sinfonia Viva and Déda – all with the aim of forging successful and inspired collaborations, and promoting our city as a place of creativity. Derby Theatre is one of the few theatres in the country to be owned and run by a university. While this gives our students a rare and exceptional experience, as well as staging critically acclaimed productions, the Theatre’s vision is much broader, providing multiple leisure and learning opportunities for Derby’s diverse community. Taking work into the community where theatre is not normally seen ensures the work is relevant, exciting and genuinely reflects people’s stories and lived experiences, and that the theatre learns with and from our wider community. We also co-host the UK’s leading festival of international photography, FORMAT, which organises a year-round programme of international commissions, open calls,
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residencies, conferences and collaborations in the UK and internationally, and welcomes over 100,000 visitors from all over the world. All universities have a fundamental role in attracting people to study and learn in their region, helping to regenerate our cities and supporting our communities through our civic duty, but our greatest responsibility is in educating and transforming the lives of people. I am chair of the Derby Opportunity Area Board, and by working with others, and with the full commitment of staff and communities, our city is taking great strides to improve outcomes for young people. We champion social mobility and strive to inspire and create opportunities for all across our region and beyond, regardless of age, background or location. The University of Derby is a significant heartbeat in our city and our region, and we take seriously the responsibility we have to drive the economic, social, cultural, educational and environmental prosperity of our home.
STAY CONNECTED Derby is extremely proud of its alumni. They achieved so much while studying, and the university continues to celebrate their ongoing success after they have graduated. The extensive alumni community champions the University of Derby and the region across the globe, and there is always an open door with the university whenever they need it. Many alumni come back to support, inspire and mentor students, and some help the university philanthropically, enabling future generations to continue to have as many opportunities to succeed as they once did. If you are an alumnus and want to stay connected, contact alumni@derby.ac.uk
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All universities have a fundamental role in helping to regenerate our cities and supporting our communities
IMAGES: The University of Derby’s Kedleston Road campus (top). The Derby Theatre - run by the University of Derby (above), and FORMAT, the international photography festival, co-hosted by the university (right)
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L A N D M A R K L I V I N G Put yourself on the Derbyshire map
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erbyshire is known for the outstanding beauty of its landscape, its world-class heritage assets and as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Many people choose to move their businesses and families to
the county to enjoy the type of quality lifestyle afforded by such surroundings – walking the moors and tors of the Peak District, sampling mouth-watering local produce and exploring the awardwinning market towns and villages.
WALLED GARDEN IN MARKET TOWN Location: Bakewell Price: £1,100,000 Agent: Blenheim Park Estates This five-bedroom, three-bathroom family home, converted from a gardener’s cottage, has a mixture of contemporary and period features, a wonderful walled garden and views over Bakewell. •44•
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HEART OF THE PEAK DISTRICT Location: Middleton-by-Youlgreave Price: £675K Agent: Savills Four-bedroom converted 17th century stone barn in an unspoilt village setting, with full-height principal reception room, galleried landing, bespoke fitted kitchen, and three bathrooms, all set around a central courtyard.
HISTORIC SPA TOWN, OVERLOOKING PAVILION GARDENS Location: Buxton Price: £1,995,000 Agent: Fisher German
250M FROM CARSINGTON WATER
Thorneycroft is a tall and handsome stone seven-bedroom house, full of beautiful stone original features and stained glass, and even a billiard room. It comes with an additional lower ground-floor apartment and two independent cottages.
Location: Matlock Price: £2 million Agent: Fine and Country Brand new six-bed, five-bathroom future-proof stone house, with many eco features, on two acres of land with amazing views. If you’re quick, there’s still time to choose the flooring and fixtures!
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MA KIN G A M OV E Insights into both Derby and London, from four people who’ve lived and worked in both.
NAME: IMOGEN CLARKE, 24 JOB: SALES EXECUTIVE C O M PA N Y: H A C H E T T E P U B L I S H I N G
“Roald Dahl went to my school,” says Imogen. It’s a simple statement about the world-famous English children’s book author and his time at Repton, the prestigious 16th-century Derbyshire school, but is what triggered her lifetime love of books, arts and culture. While decades separate their attendance at Repton – Dahl was a student in the 1930s, while Imogen graduated in 2013 – Clarke says: “I’ve always loved Roald Dahl books, with my favourite being ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’. In our library we had a little thing about him, and our school tuck shop was called ‘The Grubber’. So, for me who totally loves books and always wanted to be surrounded by them, and to now work in them, that [Dahl connection] was a really nice thing to have.” Clarke made the move to London in July 2018 to work in sales at Hachette Publishing. And it is the cultural side of the capital that has captured Clarke. “You stumble upon pop-up food festivals, art installations and performances. There’s so much culture everywhere in London that it can be almost overwhelming.”
But it is back home that she has seen real innovation in culture happening – particularly with the Derby Book Festival (see page 26-29) established in 2015. “There wasn’t much of an opportunity in Derby to work in books. But, with the growth of the Festival, it feels Derby is getting in touch with its own rich heritage and its local authors, and it’s great to see that side of the city coming out. “I definitely think there is so much creative talent in Derby, not just in literature, but across the arts,” says Clarke, citing prolific actors and Derbyshire natives John Hurt and Robert Lindsay. As for her new home of London, Clarke says what both cities share is a support of independent businesses. “It’s not the usual chains. It’s really easy in both cities to find indie shops and cafes that showcase local produce and talent. Sadler Gate and the Cathedral Quarter in Derby is really testament to this and it’s wonderful to see it thriving now after so much development.” One thing the capital can’t replicate for Imogen is the green of Derbyshire. She says: “The fresh air, the rolling hills and beautiful countryside in the county just aren’t there in London.”
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DB Y L DN NAME: ASAD MOGHAL, 27 JOB: DIGITAL AND CONTENT MANAGER C O M PA N Y: B Y F I E L D C O N S U LT A N C Y
For Asad, it’s all about opportunities. “Obviously, in London, there are opportunities, but I don’t think much attention is paid to the breadth of industry and opportunities in Derby. We have engineering, manufacturing, and IT. But the creative industries are equally important and offer a great start to a person’s career.” Moghal made the move from his native Derby to London two years ago to join litigation and legal PR firm Byfield Consultancy, based in Chancery Lane. Now living in Holland Park, Moghal says he was excited at the “new career opportunities in front of me”. Comparing his home city with London, Moghal says: “There are in fact similarities in the makeup of the individuals of the cites. There’s a breadth of different cultures, which have really embraced the cities and brought their own values, and there’s the mixture of shops and range of food, which is always nice as it’s great to learn from both.”
The relative ease of going between London and Derby to see family and friends has also helped. “Travelling between both is only 89 minutes by rail – that connection is a great thing”. Connections within the individual cities is an area of difference between the two cities though. “What Derby can learn from London is the way London embraces public transport. There’s a real want for people to use public transport rather than use their own cars. Obviously though, London has more to spend on public transport.” As for his life now in the capital, Moghal says he will stay for the foreseeable future. “While Derby does have fantastic career opportunities, London is known on a much wider global scale. And for what I do, those clients are more likely to be based around London.” And for those considering a move to the capital, Moghal says: “The biggest tip is while it can feel difficult to move from a smaller city like Derby to London, the capital is full of people who have done just the same thing. There are so many people like you so don’t be afraid to meet them.”
Both London and Derby have a breadth of different cultures, which have really embraced the cities
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NAME: SONIA SOHAL, 27 JOB: OWNER C O M PA N Y: T H E F I T S T Y L I N G
Going between Leeds and London for her final study year in fashion is when Derby native Sonia, “started to get my feet wet and got to know more of what London was about and the creative industry within [the capital].”
Added to lifestyle, Sonia wanted to set up her own business, “but because of the cost I couldn’t do that in London”. She now runs The Fit Styling, creating modern tailored clothing for men and women.
Working in production and design in London, she was fortunate not to have faced the hefty rents paid by others. “I’m a family person and I lived with family in London. I didn’t really have to pay rent.
“I moved back to Derby as I missed my family, but I also wanted to bring that London flair, that organic natural style to Derby.”
“But, [the cost of] living and rent is the reason I came back to Derby [in 2015]. Also, I missed the lifestyle in Derby, which I didn’t have much of in London [because of commuting]. It took 45 minutes each way from where I was living in Chigwell in Essex to my work in east London.” Now back home, Sonia says she gets to experience more things. “I get to go to more restaurants, as I have extra time. The lifestyle in general is a lot better. In London it’s very fast-paced.”
Using her designs Sonia, says: “I wanted to offer a solution to the people who work in Derby [to allow] them to look stylish on a daily basis, and I felt I had the knowledge to do so from working in London.” What Sonia wished she had known before moving to the capital is to be more aware of the areas to live in and the commute. “That’s one of my regrets. I would have probably had a better lifestyle by living closer to my work location.”
In Derby I get to go to more restaurants, as I have extra time. The lifestyle in general is a lot better. In London it’s very fast-paced
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“I prefer to go out in Derby when there is something specific to attend, such as Yo Oldschool Brunch, Reminisce night or the Bustler Market. Derby does have some good bars to go to and venues to visit.”
Charlene’s move between London to Derby is something of a boomerang story. Born in Derby, she moved to London for seven years to work at the BBC, came back home to Derby, but still commuted between Birmingham and London for about another six years, still at the BBC.
So, any regrets about her move between the two cities? “Seeing how the housing market has taken off in London and Derby, I wish I had looked into getting on the housing ladder earlier.”
Charlene eventually worked locally with the occasional freelance job for the corporation, before leaving the BBC in July 2016. Her career path took her to being executive assistant to the CEO of Derby County Football Club, and events manager at the city’s Mainframe project (which brings creative industries together and supports their growth), at Derby QUAD cultural venue.
To those considering the opportunity of moving to London for the long term, Charlene says: “Ensure your finances add up. I still have a lot of friends who live in London, don’t think they will ever buy there and are beginning to think about their future years to come.”
Going between both has given her a good perspective of each city. One, unsurprisingly, is the ease and cost of going out in Derby compared to London.
She adds: “That’s where a city like Derby is an attractive offer, due to its affordable property prices and lifestyle.”
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Find out how you can get involved in the Derby Ambassadors Club
T
he London Chapter of the Derby Ambassadors Club comprises individuals who are based in London but have an ongoing affiliation with Derby, thanks to industry, education, family or Derby County! The aim of it is to create a network to help raise the profile of Derby and Derbyshire, attracting investment into the area. As well as the opportunity of meeting business leaders at exclusive events in London and Derby – such as socials in the House of Lords or private wine tastings at Berry Bros. & Rudd – ambassadors receive annual magazine Orrery, and quarterly e-newsletters covering key stories from the area. Chair, David Boutcher, is a corporate partner at law firm Reed Smith. Born and raised in Derby, he’s lived and worked in London for 38 years.
Derby on the radar of London-based investors and promoting its activities in London. “We need to focus on what makes Derby stand out, on its strengths and the key sectors in which it excels – engineering, IT, transport, real estate etc. We need to tell the stories of those who have gone to Derby and how they have found it, and coordinate with others who are also promoting Derby, from local chambers of commerce to commercial organisations. “We need to dispel misperceptions of Derby, like the time it takes to get there, or the weather, but we need to promote personal stories and relationships – that’s what makes a place real, and it is where I believe the London Chapter of Derby Ambassadors can make a difference.” Do you want to help grow our group of Derby devotees? To become an ambassador, refer a friend, or just want to know more, contact Marketing Derby on 01332 201 860 or info@marketingderby.co.uk.
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marketingderby.co.uk
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