B4 Buckinghamshire issue 7 by B4 Magazine

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B4 MAGAZINE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE EDITION I S S U E

S P R I N G

2 0 1 4

PHIL ROBINSON The story of Music Maverick turned Knight in Shining Armour

BP COLLINS

W W W . B 4 - B U S I N E S S . C O M

LEAD: BUCKS NEW UNIVERSITY

B U I L D I N G

B R I D G E S

KMP

B E T W E E N

B U S I N E S S E S

events

‘Special Guest, Phil Robinson of CD Wow!’

Phil Robinson

AYLESBURY COLLEGE Thursday 12th June 2014 6:00pm - 8:30pm

ABOUT OUR HOSTS Aylesbury College are delighted to host another B4 Buckinghamshire event following the successful launch last year. Aylesbury College's Principal, Karen Mitchell, comments. "We are excited to host another B4 event which will strengthen the links with local businesses that have been forged in recent years, we hope to see some new faces on the night and look forward to another productive year.”

Oxford Rd, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 8PD, United Kingdom.

Phil Robinson will be our special guest speaker at this event. We look forward to hearing Phil provide an insight into the phenomenal rise of CD Wow! which he has grown to a turnover in excess of £150 million.

Dress code: Smart business casual

Having established CD Wow!, Phil is devoting a significant amount of his time advising start up businesses and setting them on the right track to achieve growth. This will be a fascinating talk for businesses of all sizes and stages in their lives, so make sure you register today.

Any enquiries should be directed to Tina Rosser 01865 742211 or events@b4-business.com

REGISTRATION

www.aylesbury.ac.uk

Please register for the event here: https://www.regonline.com/ B4AylesburyEvent2014

To find out more about B4 please visit WWW.B4-BUSINESS.COM t: 01865 742211 e: events@b4-business.com a: The Firs, Headington Hill, Oxford, OX3 0BT

www.b4-business.com Contacts If you want to contact B4 Magazine Telephone: 01494 373183 info@b4-business.com Publisher B4 Magazine is published by Designs On Ltd, The Firs, Headington Hill, Oxford, OX3 0BT Chairman Colin Rosser colin@designs-on.co.uk Editor Richard Rosser editorial@b4-business.com Art Editor Rob Scotcher rob@b4-business.com Assistant Editor Lorna Dodson assistanteditor@b4-business.com B4 Events Tina Rosser events@b4-business.com Proofreader Sue Rosser Social Media Manager Daria Montella Editorial contributors Kelly Lea Phil Strachan Phillip Jenkins Richard Rosser Samantha Howe B4 Photography Rob Scotcher

welcome to B4 There’s a real sense of positivity and purpose as we enter 2014, certainly amongst the wide range of B4 customers. 2013 saw uncertainty and flickers of hope but, without getting too carried away, there’s an optimism in the air which should enable us all to be more confident in the year to come.

That positivity was certainly in evidence at the first 2014 B4 Buckinghamshire event at Hartwell House and Spa where Director & General Manager, Jonathan Thompson welcomed almost one hundred B4 Ambassadors, Members and Guests to help Hartwell House celebrate its 25th anniversary as a hotel this year and the 200th anniversary of Louis XVIII (the exiled King of France held his court at Hartwell House from 1808 to 1814, and signed his accession papers in the Library at Hartwell).

Inside

22. Travails of the Unexpected from Matthew Brandis

We’ve started the year with a brand new cover look – we hope you like it. Clark Wiseman of Studio 8 (see inset photo) took the picture of one of our feature articles, Phil Robinson (read more on page 19). How would you like to grace one of our future covers? Why not get in touch. Our lead article this issue comes from Bucks New Uni with a focus on professional development opportunities in the workplace. We hear from Matthew Brandis, partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice at B P Collins LLP and Corinna Shepherd, founder of Dancing Kites Creative Learning. We also go ‘under the business bonnet’ with Auditel to see where cost savings can be made in your business. There are also features from Strangebrew, KMP (award winning RIBA Chartered Architects), The Fish Partnership, Glory Park Business Centre, Outer Space and an update on the Buckinghamshire Business Awards.

25. Being dyslexia friendly at work will help you to avoid breaking the law

Enjoy B4 and have a great 2014! from Corinna Shepherd Richard Rosser Editor Subscriptions For free Subscription, please contact: Telephone: 01494 373183 info@b4-business.com

About Our Cover

Each business with a Buckinghamshire postcode is entitled to one free copy per issue. For additional copies and for businesses outside of Buckinghamshire, there is an annual subscription charge of £25.

Clark Wiseman of Studio 8 has been taking pics for B4 articles for eight years now, so it was only right he had the honour of taking our new style shot for this issue.

© Designs-on Ltd and B4 Magazine. Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure that the content of this publication is accurate and correct in every way, the publishers cannot be held responsible or liable for any inaccuracies or errors within the publication. Information reproduced from this publication is permitted with the express permission of the publisher and the advertiser, where relevant. All information is correct at time of going to press.

B4 Magazine is printed by

See more about Studio 8 at www.studio-8.co.uk. Thanks Clark!

27. Lower the cost of doing business without making a cut too far from Chris Bourke

About

Magazine

B4 Magazine was established to provide Oxfordshire businesses with a clear voice to raise their profile and to help businesses connect. With B4 Berkshire and now B4 Buckinghamshire, we hope to achive greater success now that the model has been established and refined. Direct mailed to three thousand business decision makers in Buckinghamshire every quarter, and with a further four and a half thousand copies circulated to key outlets, featured businesses and made available at B4 events, we hope to make our mark in Buckinghamshire businesses. See more at www.b4-business.com. B4 is funded by paid for display advertising and editorial, although some editorial is granted without charge at the discretion of the Editor. Please call us to find out how you can get involved. WHY NOT FOLLOW B4 MAGAZINE AT @B4Bucks

55. Why now is the time to ‘think outside the box’ from Peter Mark

SPOTLIGHT 18 Phillip Robinson, entrepreneur: Read about his incredible business journey 38 Educating Buckinghamshire: How a firm of High Wycombe accountants are helping local academy schools reach their potential 42 Great offers from our B4 Ambassadors: See whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on offer today

51 B4You: A selection of some of the finest establishments in the B4 region

LEAD

14 Professional Development Opportunities: with Bucks New University

MARKETING

28 Strangebrew brand alchemy: a reassuringly inexpensive yet very special, extremely potent and highly intoxicating brew of Branding, Identity and Graphic Design

11 NEWS 11 12 13 24

B4 News Events around Buckinghamshire B4 Events Buckinghamshire Business Awards news 37 CIS News 47 BBF News 59 Glory Park News

22 ADVICE

22 Avoid the travails of the unexpected: B P Collins LLP examines how partnering with a trusted law firm can help mitigate risk 25 Dyslexia in the workplace: Dancing Kites discusses the necessity of being dyslexia-friendly in the office 27 Strategic cost management in the recovering economy: Auditel tells us how to lower the cost of doing business

www.b4-business.com

B4 contents 33

EDUCATION 33 Government Traineeship Scheme making a difference in Buckinghamshire: Read all about the new scheme from Aylesbury College

WIDER

44 K West Hotel: Classy, vibrant and oozing style - A favourite amongst those in the music industry

EVENTS

30 Business In Oxford 2014: Engaging, Informing and Inspiring Oxfordshire businesses 48 The Racecourse Newbury recap: B4's exciting networking event at the stunning Racecourse Newbury

60 The Iconic Lancaster Hotel: B4 reviews this grand and stylish hotel at Hyde Park

PROPERTY 34 Why use an architect?: KMP talks to B4 about their award winning RIBA Chartered Architects, Surveyors and Project Management services 56 Why now is the time to ‘Think Outside The Box’: Peter Mark talks to B4 about his latest business venture into ‘Outer Space’

CONTACTS www.b4-business.com

B U C K I N G H AM S H I R E

B E R K S H I R E

B4 Platinum Members We would like to thank our B4 Platinum Ambassadors for supporting B4 Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. To find out more about joining them and over six hundred B4 Member companies, please call us on 01494 373183.

OX F ORD S HI R E

O X F O R D

Residential Letting · Property Management

D E S I G N P R I N T P U B L I C A T I O N S

AND

CPS

meet oxfordshire D E S I G N

P R I N T

With annual memberships just £250+VAT*, entitling you to a business directory listing and unlimited press release, event, job vacancy and offer uploads, it’s no wonder our membership is increasing daily. Members are also invited to events in all B4 areas, up to 12 per annum. Call us now on 01494 373183 to book your membership or e-mail sales@b4-business.com for more details. The B4 Website – the most efficient way to network your business from your PC! *Quoted rate is per company entitling all employees to attend B4 events. The Ambassador scheme is separate and subject to a different charge of £250+VAT for the first Ambassador and £99+VAT for subsequent Ambassadors. Call us for more information or visit the B4 website at www.b4-business.com and click on B4 Membership.

An inspired choice of venue The Oakley Court Hotel has vast experience of hosting major conferences in stunning surroundings making it an inspired choice of venue. Hold your conference at Oakley Court and you’ll impress, captivate and inspire your delegates. We guarantee the very best in service standards offering conference suites and executive boardrooms within a prestigious location. Our unique rooms range from original rooms in the Mansion House which are over 150 years old with high ceilings and original features, to a purpose built function room called The Boathouse on the banks of the River Thames. It’s not only the picturesque riverside setting that creates the wow factor; extensive leisure GBDJMJUJFT mOF EJOJOH BOE JNQFDDBCMF TFSWJDF BMM QMBZ UIFJS QBrt in creating a memorable conference.

At A Glance t Dedicated Meeting and Conference Coordinators t $POGFrence facilities for up to 170

t $PNQMJNFOUBry water t 'VMMZ TUPDLFE TUBUJPOFry kit t 6TF PG MFJTVre facilities for overnight

t Executive boardrooms for 4 – 30

delegates – indoor pool, gymnasium,

t Extensively equipped to meet your

tennis and 9 hole par 3 golf course

requirements

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t $POGFrence café

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t *OTQJSBUJPOBM Training

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t Tailor made all inclusive packages

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A HOTEL WITH CHARACTER The Oakley Court Hotel, Windsor Road, Water Oakley, Windsor, SL4 5UR Tel: 01753 609988 www.theoakleycourthotel.co.uk

B4 news Mercury Rising The past year has been a most fulfilling time due to the range of exciting assignments on which we’ve worked. We were asked to write the 2014/15 business plan for Buckinghamshire Business First, whose mission is to foster the conditions that encourage businesses to invest, grow and thrive. The Tropical Marine Centre at Chorleywood asked us to provide presentation skills training for their field sales team. John Sisk & Son, a £1bn construction business, called on us for bid writing services. A start-up independent leadership and motivation professional asked for our coaching in training delivery at their Slough base.

We’re now ready for another challenging but fun year ahead in 2014. Our updated web site is packed with useful tips on presenting, writing, strategy and coaching. See www.mercury-cs.co.uk/blog for handy hints and our thoughts. We’d love your feedback and comments. We’re offering an initial coaching session of 1.5 hours for the special price of £50, which you can use to clarify goals around business challenges, pull out your inherent strengths, gain confidence and move closer to where you want to be. This offer is

available until 7th March 2014. Call 01494 722 378 or e-mail holger.garden@mercury-cs.co.uk for more details.

Do you know the value of your company to you, your family or Partners? As a registered and approved Growth Accelerator Access to Finance Coach, Martin, Business Doctors Thames Valley, has an offer to business owners to use a set of free tools, showing you how to spend less time in your business today while building an asset you can sell down the road. As well as supporting high growth businesses, find new business associates and contacts, new routes to investment and the new ideas and strategy you need for your business to achieve full potential,

Martin is offering B4 Members the opportunity to review your business, look at ways to develop the value of the business and to provide a custom report to form as part of your business growth. Answer the questionnaire online, instantly get your score and we will then ensure that your personal report is delivered to you, by hand! Call Martin on 07834 518428 or contact on martinv@businessdoctors.co.uk

Automotive Bodyshops: Innovative Non-Bank Funding Avocet Investments in collaboration with Calverton Finance, has just introduced a ground breaking new product for the hard pressed Automotive Bodyshop market.

• CALVERTON CREDIT FACILITY with their Supplier of Proprietary Parts, so that a Bodyshop can source Parts, start a job, & then pay on job completion from generated Invoices

This industry traditionally suffers from having to: • Pay up front for expensive parts • Wait weeks for payment from the Insurer

• SAME DAY CASH on presentation of these Invoices, when Proprietary Parts also paid for

Recognising the dual hit to Working Capital, this new competitively priced & flexible product offers

Whilst Invoice Discounting facilities for Automotive Bodyshops already exist, the Calverton Payment Credit Facility for Proprietary Parts, is new to the industry.

Roger Bibby www.avocet-investments.com 01494 726173. Helena Cairns, Corporate Manager Calverton 07785 426393.

B4 Events in 2014

www.b4-business.com

Blackwell’s. We visit Aylesbury College in June and Donnington Valley Hotel in July.

We have a quarter of special Oxfordshire venues this year including The Old Bodleian Library, The Sheldonian Theatre, Rhodes House and

If you would like to host a B4 event, call us on 01494 373183.

B4 diary In Association with Buckinghamshire Business First

Event Organiser

Venues

Aylesbury College, Oxford Road, Aylesbury, HP21 8PD

Date

22nd Mar

Time

7.30pm

Event Details Swing into Spring’ with Aylesbury Concert Band to raise money for Aylesbury College Trust. The Trust assists students who may require help with their ongoing education and training by offering bursaries and other financial assistance. A night filled with music for everyone to enjoy! For more information and to buy your tickets visit http://aylesburyconcertband.eventbrite.co.uk

The Crazy Bear, Old Beaconsfield, HP9 1LX

18th Mar

7.30 9.30am

For Business Owners with £250,000 plus annual turnover: Full English Breakfast followed by "Creating Tax- Efficient Value In Your Business" talk by Paul Laird of The Fish Partnership, and "Pensions: The Impact Of Auto-Enrolment" by Brian Page of Ergowealth. For more information please contact Roger Bibby of Avocet Investments at roger.bibby@avocet-investments.com or on 01494 726173. Tickets £20 including a 50% contribution to local charity Bucks Scannappeal

Bucks New University, High WycombeCampus, Queen Alexandra Road, High Wycombe, HP11 2JZ

Bucks Business First Wycombe Road, Saunderton, HP14 4BF

30th Apr

5 - 7pm

Come along to Bucks New University’s Postgraduate and Professional Open Evening and find out about their great range of full-time and part- time postgraduate and professional courses. For full details, visit bucks.ac.uk/openevenings or call 0800 0565 660.

26th Apr

11am 4pm

Bucks New University’s undergraduate open days offer a great opportunity to find out about the University’s courses, meet the staff and look around the facilities. Book online at bucks.ac.uk/opendays or call 0800 0565 660.

11th Mar

8.30am

How to Grow Your Business – The Biggest Part Of Your Pension: An interactive and informative seminar offering support and planning ideas as to how you could increase the value of your business through financial and performance management and preparing yourselves for an exit strategy in the next 3/5 years. £15 includes coffee/bacon baps and 50% Scannappeal contribution. For more information and to book tickets, please contact Martin or Roger at martinv@businessdoctors.co.uk and roger.bibby@avocetinvestments.com or on 07834 518428. http://tinyurl.com/pj8mrta

B4 Members can feature their events on this page, subject to availability – please get in touch for your complimentary listing.

www.b4-business.com

M A R C H

events

BATTLE OF THE BUSINESS MINDS QUIZ HEYTHROP PARK RESORT (team of 4)

Thursday 20th March 2014 6pm to 8.45pm

BODLEIAN LIBRARY

2014

Wednesday 2nd April 2014 A P R I L

6pm to 8pm

BUSINESS IN OXFORD 2014 CITY & COUNTY SAÏD BUSINESS SCHOOL

O C T O B E R

S E P T E M B E R

J U N E

Wednesday 23rd April 2014 AYLESBURY COLLEGE

Thursday 12th June 2014 6pm to 8.30pm

RHODES HOUSE

Thursday 4th September 2014 6pm to 8pm

SHELDONIAN THEATRE

Thursday 30th October 2014 6pm to 8.30pm

REGISTER FOR ALL EVENTS AT WWW.B4-BUSINESS.COM USINESS.COM NESS t: 01865 742211 e: events@b4-business.com a: The Firs, Headington Hill, ill, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 0BT 0BT

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WORKPLACE ARE KEY TO BUSINESS SUCCESS Enhancing the knowledge and expertise of employees through educational opportunities in the workplace is one of the key contributors to long-term business success, as well as to staff development and retention. The result? A confident business team that really understands what it’s about and provides an additional level of capability and a competitive edge for the organisation.

Bucks New University's award-winning Gateway Building

Recognising this link, Buckinghamshire New University now offers a range of professional development courses to help companies and individuals acquire the evolving skills they need to stay ahead of the game.

“Communication, operations and planning all depend on efficient and innovative approaches to the use of systems and the internet, and their potential and capabilities are huge.” Teaching tailored to industry requirements

Phil Wood MBE, Head of the Department of Computing at the University, explains about the opportunities for study in his area:

Phil said: “Teaching at the University prioritises the importance of hands-on projects which are

management-linked skills.” To facilitate this, Bucks’s course tutors have strong track records in industry, commerce and academia and are regularly involved in project and consultancy activity that informs studies, maintains that necessary edge of currency and relevance, and reflects what modern businesses need from its people.

specifically designed to help enhance employees’ capabilities within computing “...courses and IT specialisms – which are the undeniable foundations of activity and development for businesses in the ‘for today's thriving businesses’ ” “At Bucks New University we have an exciting variety of courses specifically designed to help enhance employees’ capabilities within computing and IT specialisms – which are the undeniable foundations of activity and development for today's thriving businesses.

informed by a ‘corporate’ understanding of what it takes to be successful in computing and IT. Courses are based around the key requirements of employers – which are to give students robust technical skills, an understanding of the business context, and well-developed interpersonal and

Students also benefit from regular masterclasses and workshops from visiting professionals, and site visits to industry partners. Bucks also has strong links with local ICT companies, such as BT Fresca and ION-IT, who guide the design of the University’s teaching programmes as well as

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B4 LEAD

“strong relationships with industry provide openings for students to secure work placements and to work on ‘live’ projects, for example within the areas of information systems, website design, image processing and software development

”

Phil Wood MBE - Head of the Department of Computing

provide employment opportunities for its graduates. These strong relationships with industry provide openings for students to secure work placements and to work on ‘live’ projects, for example within information systems, website design, image processing and software development. In addition the University works with renowned internationally recognised companies such as HP and Cisco and is registered as a Cisco Systems Networking Academy. New courses come to Slough A newly-developed course is the Foundation Degree in IT Services Management which is based around a flexible and blended learning approach. Central to the delivery of this work-based course for IT professionals is the partnership between Bucks New University and HP, and part-time

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students can relate assignments to their workplace context whilst obtaining HP certifications for the course. As well as being taught at the University’s main campus in High Wycombe since January, the course is being taught full-time in Slough from last month, providing a great opportunity for local people to study for a university qualification without having to travel far from home. The course will be delivered intensively over two days a week, allowing students the flexibility to work whilst studying right on their doorstep. It is aimed at IT technicians who want to further their skills and improve their career prospects, and will cover computers and network systems; servers and storage; cloud computing; IT and business solutions and IT services management. Students will also have the opportunity to study for a professional IT certification.

Quality teaching As an institution Bucks New University is dynamic and business-engaged, and aims to achieve professional and creative excellence. The Department of Computing comprises a team of academic specialists who are committed to supporting students and graduates on their journey into employment, and utilises its experience to develop courses and modules that reflect the very latest thinking and practice. Dr Richard Mather, Senior Lecturer, Department of Computing, for example, holds postgraduate qualifications in software engineering and in environmental sciences. His research concerns ‘geospatial ICT’ for environmental monitoring from earth-observation satellites and aerial imagery. He has previously been awarded the Institution of Analysts and Programmers Prize for Software Engineering.

Achieve success with Bucks New University Improve the performance of your staff, your business and yourself with a postgraduate degree from Bucks New University. We offer career-focused programmes, unrivalled industry links and first rate facilities, making our students some of the most sought after professionals in the UK. Our renowned business programmes include: UÊ UÊ UÊ UÊ UÊ UÊ UÊ

MBA MA Human Resource Management MA Leadership & Management MSc Information Systems for Strategic Management MSc International Accounting & Finance MSc International Logistics & Supply Chain Management MSc Marketing Communications.

Find out more today 0800 0565 660 advice@bucks.ac.uk bucks.ac.uk/pgbusiness

B4 LEAD

“Whether you are

working in the private or public sector, there are times when you need an independent partner to provide authoritative insight and advice

”

Phil Wood MBE - Head of the Department of Computing

Meanwhile Dr Kevin Maher, Programme Leader, dedicates himself to the support and development of students. His scholarship and research is peoplefocused, with important activity in areas such as teaching and learning, employability and user experience. These projects not only keep his own expertise current but also allow him to give students a meaningful, and industry-relevant, learning experience. Other scholarly interests of staff include robotic systems for education, blended and technologyenhanced learning, whilst Bucks PhD graduates have worked on some highly innovative advancements including eye blink detector for monitoring driver alertness; adaptive testing for promotion of learning; real-time operating systems; and intelligent systems. Consultancy as well as education......... The computing team at Bucks can also offer advice to companies who wish to develop innovative

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products in the IT sector. For example Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), which are approved by the Government’s Technology Strategy Board, bring together business and research and the public sector to accelerate the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges, and help build the future economy. As Phil Wood explains: “The benefits of a KTP are that the company will gain from the ongoing skills of an associate to allow them to make a step change in their business. The associate is likely to be a recent graduate who is employed by the University to apply their skills in the workplace, whilst being supported by a University academic.” The team at Bucks can also provide general advice and consultancy on a wide range of IT-related issues. “Whether you are working in the private or public sector, there are times when you need an independent partner to provide authoritative insight and advice. Utilising the expertise and experience

of a specialist consultant from Buckinghamshire New University is an excellent way of maximising competitive advantage”, says Phil. The consultancy team is made up of people who have experience within all kinds of industry sectors. Indeed many academic staff continue to work in research roles with external organisations, which ensures they have the most contemporary methodology, research and knowledge with which to assist organisations and make the biggest difference. If you would like to learn more about the IT and computing courses or consultancy services at Bucks New University, please contact: www.bucks.ac.uk/courses 0800 056 5660 Or contact forbusiness@bucks.ac.uk

“CD Wow! had

such an impact on the way we buy CDs that the Majors (EMI, Universal etc) tried to get it shut down” Phil Robinson

www.b4-business.com

B4 SPOTLIGHT

PHIL ROBINSON MUSIC MAVERICK TURNED KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR

Having grown CD Wow! to a turnover of £150 million in six years, Phil Robinson has other targets in his sights. B4’s Richard Rosser interviewed this engaging entrepreneur to find out more about his incredible business journey and his desire to infuse some of his undoubted business acumen into start ups and early growth businesses. It’s chucking it down as I meander around the leafy roads of Beaconsfield, passing one blockbusting house after another. It’s like Beverley Hills, the big difference being that the sun is most definitely conspicuous by its absence. Phil, a keen cyclist, no doubt looks after himself and although today is, according to Phil, ‘a rest day’ you can’t help imagine that Phil’s fertile brain is ever anything but restful. Originally from Wembley in North London, Phil is a serial entrepreneur who has opened, developed and sold businesses in Music Publishing, On Line Retail, Music Production, Wine and Catering. His business career started very early, with wine bars and a Carnaby Street Shop to his name by the age of 20, He moved on to setting up a racking operation putting cassettes into over 2,600 newsagents across the UK, “the volume got to be so large so that we started producing our own cassettes” adds Phil. This was sold to Prestwich Holdings which was a Public Company at the time and so, in his early 20’s, Phil was introduced to the workings of a public company as a main board director.

“Tring was twice subscribed and raised £50m.” He then launched Tring International PLC in 1989, a music publishing business which Phil lead to a full listing on The London Stock Exchange just 3 ½ years from launch. Tring was twice subscribed and raised £50m. Music is very much in Phil’s veins, although his love of classical music obviously gripped him quite tightly. “One of my greatest achievements was undertaking the single largest recording contract ever made with one orchestra for 130 albums of orchestral works featuring world-class soloists and

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the world’s greatest conductors, all with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. “This required phenomenal organisation getting one hundred voices and one hundred plus musicians into a venue at the right time with the right music, which had been scored properly, then you add in the conductor and add on top the recording…… it was an incredible piece of logistics. Some of the recordings were so big that a studio couldn’t cope, so we ended up in places like Watford Town Hall. For something like Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, we had 300 people there! It was fantastic – really exciting.” Without any personal classical music background, Phil is obviously a convert, eventually going on to sponsor The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He recalls, with Classic FM softly playing in the background. “I knew a bit about it as a consumer but immersing myself into it as a business, I had to make sure I had a good team around me, but it was great fun.” But, arguably, Phil’s chef d'œuvre was CD Wow! An online only vendor of CDs, DVDs and Computer Games. Phil and his partner, Henrik Wesslen, grew the business from start up to a £150m turnover in just 6 years. The business had sites in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Nordic countries, but the key was its heart, in Hong Kong, as Phil explains. “Through the Tring International business, one of our customers was based in Hong Kong. ‘Henrik’ and I became very close friends and when I was no longer involved in Tring, he invited me over to Hong Kong and asked me to be part of his CD wholesale company. I didn’t fancy it. Debt risk, major retailers not paying, returns…. It didn’t excite me. But, he had a fantastic network of suppliers. This was all happening when Boo.com was blowing up and the whole .com bubble was going horribly wrong. “We looked at it and thought that some ‘grey hair’ might just make the difference. So we kept the best of wholesale and the best of retail and went direct to the customer. That was the beginning of the

thought process behind it. But then, added to that, we had to be able to communicate a very simple message. Instead of saying this Madonna album is £X and this Westlife album is £Y, we wanted one price for all. It didn’t matter what record label it was or where you lived, it was one price ……..including delivery. You paid the same if you lived in London or Sydney. That was a vital cornerstone of the model.

“...we were doing

six transactions a second at our peak times in a day” “We were then able to communicate a very simple and understandable message. The other key element of the business was that speaking to credit card companies, we didn’t really appreciate quite how much a credit card company values you spending money on their credit cards. They would also offer a range of discounts on certain products to entice new customers, and one of them was ours. We gave them a voucher code and this was communicated to the credit card companies’ new customers. They were then marketing us. We just didn’t have that level of clout and it got to be unbelievable – we were doing six transactions a second at our peak. We were working with Egg, Amex, RBS, Lloyds and even Nectar.” CD Wow! had such an impact on the way we buy CDs that the Majors (EMI, Universal etc) tried to get it shut down. Also, being a Hong Kong based business, CD Wow’s non-EU status enabled it to buy and sell products without paying or charging VAT, preserving the company’s margins. “Behind that we had to provide a lot of support.” As Phil draws in a huge intake of breath you can almost see 200ft tall black servers towering over him! “We had server networks, image hosting, security. That side of things got to be really, really complicated and quite a headache. continued over

“The model was a classic arbitrage business model. We were buying from companies where the groups or the acts weren’t so particularly successful, taking them into our Hong Kong distribution and distributing them to countries where the acts were successful. Same bar code number, same catalogue number, same manufacturer – it was the same CD.

“We were also responsible for artificially popularising some acts in some regoins. Record companies would see sales of a CD grow in one country where the band hadn’t previously been popular and take the group on tour there, start to sell tickets and find that nobody has heard of them. It just turned out to be us buying the CD’s from countries where the CD’s weren’t selling at retail!

“The peculiar thing is that long term we have been proved to be right. They were asking £15 for an album in the high street when we came on the scene. You instinctively know it can’t cost that much to make a CD. That was highlighted by being able to buy the Harry Potter film, which took millions and millions to make, for the same price as a film and the album felt like it had been produced in a bedroom. This had an impact. People resented paying over the odds. The major record companies were all arrogant arses. They were inflating the prices of CD’s without foundation and they were meeting with resistance from the general public.

“The business was eventually sold to a consortium of Australian businessmen, but I left a bit before that. It’s still there, it’s still trading. But the whole business isn’t what it was.”

“It has been interesting to see how people who were brought up in the corporate world, and who had never run their own business, were clinging onto something which had an artificial value. Over time, the whole thing has disappeared.” I ask about the flak Phil got as he pioneered cheaper prices for the consumer. He laughs. “but It was super high pressure at the time. I was on BBC News, Sky News, Radio 1 and all that sort of media. The massive downside was that we didn’t sell the business for as much as we had hoped to because of the litigation – I’m not that much of a smart arse, it did cost us money. But it was a great fun business to run. “There were long hours. Anything that grows that quickly was bound to be all consuming. We were doing a few thousand a month, then fifty thousand a month and then twenty thousand a day, it took a lot of time and resource.

After some time out of the spotlight and engaged in a hands on business, Phil spotted an opportunity with the demise of Woolworths. “In 2009 we bought more than a million ‘pieces’ from the Woolworths bankruptcy. We had experience with the logistics of CD Wow! and the Woolworths opportunity was too good for Henrik and I to turn down. We went in and bought more than a million CD’s. They were in a mess – in containers – all unsorted and we shipped them out to Singapore. We did a deal with Singapore post and we sold them through Amazon, eBay and other logical outlets. We didn’t have a website ourselves - we didn’t need to. This was a 20 month exercise from start to finish. We wanted to buy all the old back catalogue titles which they had 1,000 or less than of each, the classical titles and the jazz – the majority of the market wanted the latest albums which, in our opinion, had a shorter shelf life than the classic back catalogue.” Phil has gone on to develop, amongst other things, Rebel and Elle electronic cigarettes. “I just wanted to make something which looked better than what else was on the market. It has no ‘bleeding’, it reflects the ‘draw’ of a real cigarette. It is a tidy product. We sell it in Scandinavia as a subscription model.”

He’s also involved in Blackhead Killer, a beauty product, not a band as I first assumed. Launched in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, Phil is helping an 18 year old entrepreneur to develop and launch the product online and sell into the multiples. The company is now selling 20,000+ packs per week. Phil has supported with product design, photography, presentations, web sites, landing pages, campaigns and more. “He’s a bright boy but didn’t quite know what to do with the product. People thought it was fun to do. So much so that they would take photos of themselves using the mask and upload it to Facebook and this meant we didn’t have to spend a fortune on marketing.” In 2011, Phil got involved in the iPad and iPhone accessory market. “We made a wipe for an iPad – like a big lens cloth. We also made an earpiece for one ear, still with stereo sound, so you could still cycle and run and have one ear free to hear cars – it worked very well.”

White Knight Cycling is obviously very close to Phil’s heart and the day after our interview Phil is off to the Bike Show in London, to ‘hopefully spot an opportunity’. And it’s on that note that our conversation turns to the future, to the next chapter in Phil Robinson’s exciting life, helping other businesses, and Phil stresses he wants to help businesses and is willing to do so for free. So if you’re starting out, like Phil did, at the age of 16, or you know someone who could do with some ‘grey hair’ input into their business, then read on. But what’s Phil’s motivation? “I love the buzz of getting a business cash generative. That’s it. There’s no catch. I’m not on the prowl for a business I can push through the roof in three years flat. I’ve been there, done that. I just want to help.” So here are five key nuggets that Phil holds true for

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B4 SPOTLIGHT

his businesses and which can easily be applied to your business.

The Power Of No! One crucial piece of advice that Phil drums into the businesses he advises is to learn to say ‘No’! “If there’s one pearl of wisdom I can leave these businesses with it will be to understand when it’s right to say ‘No’. I’ve seem many small businesses and start-ups weighed down by carrying too much unnecessary baggage which has impeded their growth. Profits only start when you start saying ‘No’! “But it’s easy for me to say that, less so for a startup or new business to muster the confidence to say it to a customer they’re trying to impress or a prospect they’re trying to win over. The delivery of the ‘No’ is just as important. It has to be wrapped up in some well-chosen words to achieve the desired outcome and protect your best interests, be this to maintain your margin or secure a purchase on the right terms. “Wanting to please everyone is a natural human reaction especially with your ‘new business’ t- shirt all clean and white for all to see. But, it can be done. Draw on your inner reserves of courage, be courteous, clever and maintain your humility, but stick to your guns. The age old adage is true, ‘Turnover is vanity, Profit is sanity’ and to generate a profit from your business, which, after all, is the whole point of the exercise, will only be achieved by saying ‘No’ at some point in the process.”

The Marketing Conundrum “There are plenty of choices when it comes to promoting your business; marketing, advertising, on Line, off Line, PR, SEO, Ad Words, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and so it goes on. Yep, it’s all good stuff and they all work in one context or another, but selecting an affordable and sustainable marketing plan is dead tricky.

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“Most start-ups and new businesses do not have the budget to take on an all singing and dancing agency, so hang on to your cash and my advice is to invest a little and often ….. the sure and steady way to grow your business. “A one off opening campaign feels a good thing to do and you want to register your presence in the market. Again, it’s human nature to mark your territory. But the safe way is to roll something out over a six month period. You will be better at your business in six months’ time and pulling in business at that point will be much better for you. You could invest in an expensive marketing plan which backfires because you haven’t ironed out the wrinkles in your business. “Marketing is a ‘marathon not a sprint’ so every week, in every way possible, be thinking of how to grow the profile of your offer and business.”

Buy a Premier League Footballer and keep them on the bench!

The Constant Application of Common Sense “Look at your numbers, study your 80/20 rule, study your overheads with the constant application of common sense. It’s not quite as easy as it sounds and sometimes one can get too close to their business to see what’s happening. Analysing processes, thinking afresh and trying new procedures is crucial in building a robust business model. Get this in to the ethos of your business from day one. “Often the conclusions you reach are not very palatable but early action is essential and making each element of your business smooth and welloiled will give you a great buzz and gives a solid foundation for growth.”

Do Less ……. Better

“Did You Start Your Business to do VAT returns, the monthly payroll and book-keeping? No, of course not, unless that is your business model. Focus on what you’re good at, your time is precious. Delegate and keep yourself on track.

“Busy fools – we’ve all been guilty. It can be tough to see your way through and avoid falling into this trap. Being a ‘go getter’ – yes you are because you had the strength to start the business in the first place – and a good work ethic won’t be in short measure. But, understanding what really makes you money and focusing on that element, cutting out distracting products or processes, feels odd and requires discipline.”

“Of course, the other elements are key to running a good, solid business but there are many ways of skinning these particular cats.

Are you interested in tapping into Phil’s considerable expertise? Contact Phil at pprn1@atlas.co.uk.

“You are the single most important asset in your business and keeping that asset working where they are be meant to be has to be your number one priority – scoring goals and moving the team up the league table!”

Hear from and Meet Phil Robinson Phil will be speaking at the B4 event at Aylesbury College on Thursday 12th June. Register your place for the event here: www.regonline.com/B4AylesburyEvent2014

TRAVAILS OF THE UNEXPECTED

With the UK economy recovering, Matthew Brandis, partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice at B P Collins LLP, examines how partnering with a trusted law firm can help companies prepare for growth by mitigating risk throughout the business lifecycle. It’s all about avoiding the travails of the unexpected. Oscar Wilde once claimed that ‘to expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect’. Well, as UK businesses prepare for growth and the green shoots of recovery begin to take hold, it’s perhaps time for some modern thinking. The business lifecycle encompasses numerous legal challenges – some of them predictable, some unexpected. But failing to prepare for, or at the very least protect against, the unexpected can have damaging repercussions for UK companies. Poor legal protection can be costly to business continuity, productivity and, ultimately, profitability. Yet despite this, many companies remain inadequately protected against some of the most common challenges. Insufficient attention to key aspects such as shareholder arrangements, standard terms and conditions and environmental obligations can have sudden and sometimes irrecoverable repercussions for any business. Moreover, the continued reliance on outdated processes, policies and documentation will almost certainly leave companies vulnerable to risks that could damage competitiveness and hinder growth. However, with a little forethought, and the ongoing support of a trusted legal partner, companies can do much to safeguard themselves against the unwelcome or the apparently unexpected. By understanding their organisation’s legal requirements and regularly reviewing their existing operations, businesses can develop a robust yet flexible framework to minimise risk, improve resilience and optimise opportunities. Companies that routinely assess the challenges they face and proactively identify the challenges they may encounter will ultimately be well placed to grow through the recovery and well beyond it. The question for senior executives is: are your operations fit for purpose? Are your processes, policies and documentation aligned with the strategic challenges of your current business environment? Or could outdated paperwork and practices leave you exposed to unnecessary risk tomorrow? The marketplace is dynamic – but are you prepared for it? Changing landscape The business landscape has changed irretrievably. The combination of time, technological development and the frugal necessities of

recession, has led to a wholesale shift in attitudes, approaches and expectations. The ramifications for commercial law have been far-reaching. For example, the continued development of technology is giving businesses greater and more immediate access to information, increasing knowledge and extending choice across the business lifecycle. Alongside this, operational flexibility has become an essential business requirement – with implications for aspects as diverse as employment, supply chain relationships, customer loyalty, bank loans, leases and contracts. The legislative environment continues to evolve too. Regulation around all types of discrimination has been strengthened significantly, while the recent Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill is giving shareholders greater say on directors’ pay and placing renewed pressures on businesses to strengthen employment terms and conditions. The changing landscape has affected the legal profession. The most proactive practices are developing relationship models whereby legal services move away from the reactive bespoke approach, to one based on a trusted partnership. The relationship model is built around anticipating clients’ needs and matching them with appropriate services at competitive prices – right across the business lifecycle.

“As companies grow

and mature, the nature of your business challenges will change – and the need to review and adapt your legal arrangements will grow

”

Expect the unexpected The partnership approach is ideally suited to the dynamic modern business environment. Companies’ ability to manage business risk proactively is far more effective and much more cost-efficient; time spent on legal planning earlier in the cycle can prevent more damaging problems occurring at a later stage. Equally, an ongoing relationship with a trusted legal partner can help

businesses respond to changing circumstances in a timely fashion as they move along the maturity curve. So where are the potential risks? The first challenge comes right at the start of a business; the shareholder agreement. Business ownership is often a source of complication and conflict, with disputes between shareholders ranging from disagreements over personal financial returns, potential liabilities or a business’s general direction. Inadequate shareholder agreements can leave parties vulnerable to avoidable risk. Key aspects such as future financing, income and capital value, authorities and responsibilities, and succession planning should all be provided for in a shareholder agreement. Combining this with tailored Articles of Association can significantly minimise risk. Moreover, it can help companies proactively identify likely challenges at a time when shareholders are not in dispute – and prepare for them in an orderly manner. The shareholder or partnership agreement doesn’t have to be complicated – it could start with just a few simple principles. Once in place, however, it can act as an enabler as you set about strengthening your legal arrangements to reflect what’s happening in the business. For example, ensuring organisations are adequately protected in employment contracts is a commonly overlooked area. When working relationships turn sour or valuable employees leave, safeguarding key company information such as client lists, pricing structures, order books or IP rights is vitally important. The most effective way to protect against valuable trade secrets disappearing out the door is to draw up personalised restrictive covenants for key employees – and review them on a regular basis. Managing risk in this way is crucial – companies need to ensure that they not only have adequate short term protection, but also that their systems and processes are agile enough to be able to respond to the demands of the evolving business environment in the long-term. As companies grow and mature, the nature of your business challenges will change – and the need to review and adapt your legal arrangements will grow. For example, commercial contracts and

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When working “ relationships turn sour or valuable employees leave, safeguarding key company information such as client lists, pricing structures, order books or IP rights is vitally important

”

property leases each require a considered, customised and flexible approach. Businesses negotiating a lease need to ensure that terms such as rent, duration and break clauses provide precisely what they need. Weak agreements around alterations, dilapidations, maintenance and repair obligations can have damaging downstream implications. Similarly, commercial contracts – including trading terms, supply contracts, licensing models and distribution agreements – need regular appraisal. Likewise, day-to-day challenges such as debt management, disaster recovery, brand protection and anti-bribery policies all require robust processes and up to date documentation to protect against the unexpected. Further, as business channels and practices evolve, issues such as social media policy, online contracts and third party supplier agreements will routinely require due attention. Be prepared In a modern, post-recession business, proactivity is critical. The most effective companies will be those that are aware of the challenges their competitive environment may present and ensure they are well-placed to protect themselves against the dynamics of a changing marketplace. To succeed, businesses should develop a continual, long-term relationship with a strong legal partner. The best partnerships will begin with a comprehensive review of companies’ existing conditions – a legal ‘health check’ – and an assessment of whether current operations are both fit for purpose and future proof. With the economy recovering, the need for that health check is more immediate. It’s time for UK businesses to build on Oscar Wilde’s advice – and not only expect the unexpected, but prepare for it too. There are many common challenges along the business lifecycle, but through preparation and partnership, companies really can avoid the travails of the unexpected. To contact Matthew or a member of his team, please call 01753 279039 or email disputes@bpcollins.co.uk www.bpcollins.co.uk

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news Eco Friendly Grants Available to Businesses in Bucks Another grant available to businesses is Sustainable Routes, which aims to identify ways in which companies can reduce their business travel and lower their costs through more efficient work and travel practices. This can include the purchase of laptops or tablets to support home working, video conferencing equipment or converting company vehicles to LPG. Businesses with a strategy to lower their business mileage costs can apply for a match funded grant from Sustainable Routes of £1,000 towards the cost of the items or services they feel will help the business incur fewer car or air miles. Sustainable Routes has been funded by the European Regional Development Fund and businesses can apply or find out more on www.sustainableroutes.co.uk Philippa Batting, Managing Director of Buckinghamshire Business First, comments: ‘This funding will encourage businesses to implement ways of working which will benefit the environment and help them save money, therefore increasing profitability. We are delighted to have secured the funding which means that we can offer businesses in Bucks the opportunity to take advantage of the benefits these grants present. These projects will have a significant impact in helping local businesses and driving economic growth.’ Philippa Batting Managing Director Buckinghamshire Business First

Buckinghamshire Business First (www.bbf.uk.com) has announced the availability of three new eco-friendly grants which are available to businesses in the county. As part of its remit to support businesses in Bucks, BBF is encouraging businesses with less than 250 employees to apply for the three different eco projects, which are delivered by Ngage Solutions. The projects - Low Carbon Workspaces, Grants for Eco Innovation and Sustainable Routes - are designed to help businesses explore ways of working which will benefit the environment and help them save money.

To find out more about the grants that your company might be eligible for, please visit www.ngagesolutions.co.uk or contact Ngage Solutions on 01494 568 977. www.bbf.uk.com

Low Carbon Workspaces offers grants of up to £5,000 to help businesses identify opportunities to reduce their energy bills. Through implementing energy saving measures, such as double glazing, draught proofing and under-floor heating, businesses can reduce energy use and cost, save money and minimise their environmental impact. Businesses can find out their eligibility for a grant and calculate how much they can claim to install energy efficiency solutions by completing a simple, online form on www.LowCarbonWorkspaces.co.uk where they will need to provide details about the business and their buildings. Grants for Eco Innovation is a pioneering new scheme which offers businesses a grant of up to £3,000 to help them promote their environmentally friendly products, services or business processes. The grant will help companies to invest in activities such as marketing, web development, trade shows or sales agents to promote new products or services to the market or make improvements to existing operations which either reduce the environmental impact or achieve a more efficient and responsible use of resources. To qualify for the grant, the product or service must be environmentally friendly or reduce CO2 emissions in a measurable way. The businesses must also have either a prototype developed and tested or an existing product or service which is market ready. To apply or find out more about this grant, you can visit www.grantsforecoinnovation or call 01494 568956.

Eco-friendly grants available: Low Carbon Workspaces, Grants for Eco Innovation and Sustainable Routes, all delivered by Ngage Solutions.

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B4 ADVICE

BEING DYSLEXIA FRIENDLY AT WORK WILL HELP YOU TO AVOID BREAKING THE LAW Corinna Shepherd, founder of Dancing Kites Creative Learning, met with Richard Rosser and explained how being dyslexia friendly at work will enable you to work in the best way to process information for yourself and to connect and communicate better with employees, colleagues, clients and prospective clients. Importantly, as well as benefitting your business, it could also help to avoid you breaking the law inadvertently. Corinna Shepherd has worked with all kinds of people, young and old, to help them to unlock their potential through creative and interactive learning. She is passionate about spreading the word and helping people and organisations to view dyslexia as a gift and not necessarily as a disability. She believes that working in this way can help everyone, not just those struggling in various ways due to their dyslexia, but the problem is that it is a much misunderstood learning disability as demonstrated by the following often asked questions. Why should I bother? I don’t know anyone with dyslexia. “Are you sure? It is a hidden disability that affects at least 10% of the UK population. Some estimates reckon up to 20% of the population have some form of dyslexia.” It’s about spelling, isn’t it? Surely spellchecker solves that now? “Spelling can certainly be affected, but not always. Some studies have come up with over 70 problem areas that come under dyslexia. Spell-checkers do not always help. If the person is severely dyslexic, their spelling won’t be close enough for correction of the words and different words might be substituted. If someone finds spelling difficult, this can slow them down in any written work, such as emails, writing reports and presentations. Think about all the ways the written word is used in your organisation and in sales and marketing and how that could be a major issue in your business.” Is it word blindness? “That is a term that was around some years ago. Again, this might be part of the problem for a dyslexic person. Reading can be challenging for a number of reasons. For some, words move around on the page. They might have visual tracking issues and skip words or even lines of text. Often it is the simplest words that are omitted. If your dyslexic employee omits the word ‘not,’ this would change the entire meaning of the email, report, sales document, instruction manual….. I am sure that you will be able to think of examples where this might damage your business.” www.b4-business.com

What do you mean, I might be breaking the law by not being dyslexia friendly? “The Disability Discrimination Act 1997, part 3, included dyslexia as a disability and stated that access to goods and services had to be dyslexia friendly. The Equality Act 2010 replaces this act and includes employment issues as well. “If you fail to make a reasonable adjustment when you are under a duty to do so, the Equality Act 2010 treats that as discrimination. This means you could become liable to pay damages were a successful claim to be brought in the Employment Tribunal.” British Dyslexia Action The fact is that, whether or not you employ anyone, all aspects of your business need to be dyslexia friendly in order to comply with the law. By being dyslexia friendly, your employees and colleagues can thrive and you can communicate more effectively with clients and potential clients.” So, how else can dyslexia affect someone and how can I recognise it? “Defining dyslexia has been described as describing an elephant in a dark room. There is so much to it and it can be so hard to see. There simply is not enough space here to include all the relevant information. It really can affect individuals and organisations in many different ways.“ So how can you help me learn more? “I run dyslexia awareness seminars in the workplace to help organisations learn more about dyslexia and how it can affect individuals and organisations. I can work with your own particular organisation, so you have a clearer understanding how working in a dyslexia friendly way will help your business in specific ways to benefit it and the people involved. I do individual, confidential assessments for anyone concerned, whether they are dyslexic or someone they know is dyslexic. These assessments determine a person’s information processing strengths and weaknesses. I also complete

assessments of people’s specific work processes and offer creative and multi-sensory ways of improving how they work to enable them to work to their strengths. I deliver on-going training and coaching, to help people work in a whole-brain way, such as using mindmapping and software, such as Dragon Dictation and apps on mobile devices. I can also help with self-esteem and confidence issues through short and long-term coaching programmes, which are so often issues with people who have grown up with dyslexia. I believe dyslexia is a gift to the individual and to those he or she works with. Indeed, some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs are dyslexic. Would you like to be one of those or work with one of those?” My written communication is probably not dyslexia friendly, but I don’t have time to deal with it. What do you suggest I do? “I have a lot of experience writing and amending written communications in a dyslexia friendly way, including white spacing, colours, appropriate fonts, use of images, voice-over and video. This is appropriate for specific e-learning modules, as well as online marketing, which is becoming more important these days, thanks to Google’s semantic search, to help promote your business products and services. For more information, please do visit my Dancing Kites Creative Learning website at www.dancingkites.co.uk and my You Tube channel www.youtube.com/dancingkitescreative to learn more online. If you have questions about dyslexia, processing information or complying with the law and wish to discuss them, call me, Corinna Shepherd, on 07721-368978 or please email me at corinna@dancingkites.co.uk

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LOWER THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS WITHOUT MAKING A CUT TOO FAR Businesses are well accustomed to conducting cost reduction exercises since the world’s economy imploded in the autumn of 2008. However, with the UK economy expected to shift through the gears into a speedy recovery, strategic cost management could be a game changer for many organisations in 2014. Chris Bourke, of Auditel, the UK’s leading Cost Management Consultancy, argues that whatever the economic climate may be, reducing the size of the workforce should be the last resort when looking at the cost of lowering business. The first course of action should always be to look under the bonnet of the business to see where costs can be reduced and efficiencies made. In troubled times, when organisations need to reduce costs, a staff cull can often seem to be the immediate solution, but evidence suggests this can often result in a reduction in business performance, falling service levels and damage to reputation - not to mention a demoralising effect on staff. So, what are the options available? Beyond staff costs, all organisations need to spend money on essential business services in order to exist. Premises related costs, fixed and mobile communications, IT, utilities and finance such as insurance and banking charges are just a selection of essential overheads. Without these services, most businesses would find it very difficult to operate. According to Bourke, essential business services are costing UK businesses hundreds of millions annually and squeezing profitability for organisations of every size. Given the vast level of expenditure involved, businesses need to find a way to sensibly and vigorously manage cost. Clearly, this involves identifying suppliers and service providers and assessing their respective offerings in terms of performance, price and service levels offered. Whilst this may, at a first glance, seem blatantly obvious, many organisations believe they ‘have people who look after that’. 70% of organisations do not have a cost management strategy Unfortunately, according to independent research commissioned by Auditel and undertaken by Haymarket Publishing, the biggest barrier to effective internal cost reduction cited by respondents was a ‘lack of understanding.’ Perhaps, more alarmingly it also indicated that 70% of organisations do not have a cost management strategy in place. It is often the case that department managers, whose experience lies elsewhere within the organisation, are routinely left with the responsibility. Is it right to make an assumption that these individuals hold the necessary skills to enable them to implement an effective and sustainable cost management programme? Surely, the answer is no? What happens though is that many opt for the apparent ‘cheapest supplier’ option by adopting a purely headline cost model. This may appear to be a logical approach, but it is fundamentally flawed as it fails to take into account a wide range of additional factors that contribute to what Auditel term as the’ total cost of purchase’. The bottom line appears

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to be that many businesses are spending more money than they need to on essential costs and are implementing woefully poor cost management strategies. Auditing and benchmarking procedures are an important aspect of cost management consultancy Businesses and organisations, including Charterhouse Accountants and Fairweather Insurance Services, have engaged with outsourced cost management consultancies like Auditel to review the total cost of procuring goods and services and they then use their independence and experience in the market place to help them make intelligent effective purchasing decisions and implement professional cost management strategies. Auditing and benchmarking procedures are an important aspect of cost management consultancy. Best practice should include a comprehensive, indepth review of current essential service expenditure with key performance data being identified. Advanced analytical tools that are specially designed for cost management are also essential as they enable the fast and accurate analysis, monitoring, benchmarking and management of all areas of expenditure. Businesses continually need to examine costs on all fronts. The key to maintaining best value purchasing and supplier management is to be consistent and businesses continually need to examine costs on all fronts. It’s not just a one-off exercise but should be considered as an ongoing activity to realise maximum benefits. Cost managing for performance may well also be the answer to realising untapped profitability. For example, take an organisation that has a gross profit margin of 25 per cent that engages with a cost management consultant who identifies £100,000 of potential savings across essential business expenditure areas. In order to generate this additional profit through sales, the organisation would have to increase turnover by £400,000. Over the past 20 years, Auditel has worked with more than 5,000 organisations and helped them to lower the cost of doing business. That’s why Bourke claims to be able to say with some certainty that professional strategic cost management consultancy driven by the right people, with the right tools can deliver much greater returns than in-house resources alone. If you would like to discuss how Auditel’s cost management consultancy services could be of value to you, please contact Chris Bourke on 0845 873 8080 or email chris.bourke@auditel.co.uk www.auditel.co.uk/chrisbourke

STRANGEBREW – REFRESHING THE BUSINESSES AND BRANDS THAT OTHER GRAPHIC DESIGNERS CANNOT REACH Strangebrew’s Phil Strachan talks to Richard Rosser about why his reassuringly inexpensive yet very special, extremely potent and highly intoxicating brew of Branding, Identity and Graphic Design experience and expertise is refreshing, revitalising and re-energising businesses and brands of all shapes and sizes across the Home Counties. So, what is the special formula? What are the magic ingredients? “I don’t think that it is any great secret. There really is no top secret formula, no magic ingredients. Having said that, my authentic blend of London quality at Glasgow prices seems to just hit the right spot and go down very well. If there is any special formula or special ingredients involved, it is just about taking my 14 years plus of Client-side brand marketing experience and mixing it thoroughly with over 20 years consultancy-side experience specialising in the areas of Branding, Identity and Graphic Design” The result is a ‘Think Brand – not bland’ approach that seems to go down very well with business and brands of all shapes and sizes ranging from Professional Practices through to Breweries, Automotive Technology businesses and just recently a Wine Merchant and Importer. What they did all have in common, and where Strangebrew really does deliver, is that they all knew they wanted to stand out from the crowd, in Strangebrew speak, to be Brand - not bland. “In the case of existing businesses, it was mostly a question of them looking to move up to the next level, sometimes with a slight change of direction and often to punch above their weight, and for me to help put in place the wherewithal for them to do so. My promise to them, and my challenge to myself, is to be able to add value to businesses and brands of all shapes and sizes by providing them with the foundations upon which to build. It is a challenge that I really enjoy and it enables me to bring freshness to businesses and brands in any market. It also keeps me fresh too – there really is no formula. Recent challenges include a healthy mix of a Social Media Client, a Photographer, an Architectural Practice, a Business Development Specialist and a business operating in the Sustainability field. Most often what is involved is a deconstruction process designed to identify what they are really all about and have to offer followed by a reconstruction 28

process designed to put them back together again - but in better shape and with a better offering.” In Strangebrew’s case, much of the new business comes from referrals from extremely satisfied Clients whose business has benefitted from an injection of Phil Strachan’s special brand of Business and/or Brand Alchemy. Says Phil “There can be no better demonstration of a Client’s satisfaction with what you have done for them and I have had some Clients referring me on to other potential new Clients even before I had nearly finished working on their projects. For me, that speaks volumes.”

“What they all had in common, and where Strangebrew really does deliver, is that they all wanted to stand out from the crowd, in Strangebrew speak, to be Brand - not bland.

”

Business also comes from people who have read about Strangebrew and want to know more about how Phil could help them to Think Brand – not bland. Continued Phil, “ A few months ago I had a call completely out of the blue from someone who had read about Strangebrew in B4 magazine. They were looking to set up a new business and, in their words, wanted it to be ‘Brand – not bland’. They also liked the idea of my ‘London quality at Glasgow prices’ proposition – which I know, having worked from London for 10years, is precisely what I deliver. Admittedly, nowadays I use a little creative

licence since I actually deliver it from my Berkshire base rather than from Glasgow where I was born and raised! This was exactly the type of Client I look for and can really help. They wanted more than just a logo – they wanted to create a business and brand that would stand out from the crowd. As is most often the case, they got a lot more than they expected, including input on vision and strategy.” What is the best example of Strangebrew being able to add real value to a business and its brands by refreshing, revitalising and re-energising their presentation? Phil reckons that it was, quite fittingly, the brewery he took on the journey of maturity from being a town’s biggest micro-brewery to being the town’s biggest Brewery. Explains Phil, “It was a very good business, brewing a portfolio of wonderful, some award-winning, Real Ales. But getting a business with the mindset of being a town’s biggest micro-brewery to spend a relatively modest four figure sum for a new grown up Corporate Identity and similarly refreshed and grown up Identities for its portfolio of Real Ales took more than a little convincing. In very sharp contrast, two and a half years later they seemed to take a whole lot less convincing to invest £600,000 in plant and premises to triple the Brewery capacity and to create six new full-time jobs in order to keep up with the increased demand that had occurred. In less than three years, investment in Branding, Identity and Graphic Design went from being regarded by them as a debatably necessary luxury to being recognised as an absolute competitive necessity. The most interesting fact is that all I did was to honestly re-align the presentation of their business and their brands with what they actually delivered. They were a quality brewer with high quality awardwinning Real Ales but you would never have guessed that from their Corporate Brewery Identity or from their brands as represented by their pumpclips on the bar.

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B4 MARKETING If you think about it, we all hate when a business promises something and then fails to deliver. But in business, if you are delivering a high quality product or service and experience and yet you fail to promise such, you can be missing out big time. You might be overlooked and not stocked by key retailers you need to be listed by who don’t think you look good enough. Equally, you might be rejected by potential key business partners who don’t feel you match up to their own high standards and you might not be discovered or sampled by the very people you are targeting and who are key to your success. Underselling yourself so seriously is commercial suicide – and it does not have to be that way It is quite incredible how many businesses and brands simply fail to promise, to their own cost, the high quality of the product or service that they deliver. As a direct result, they fall way short of connecting, communicating and thus engaging effectively with their selected and deserved target markets. These are often businesses that have been established for some time but the quality of their presentation and what they communicate has become outdated as their presentation and offering has been far outstripped - not only by the quality and nature of what they themselves deliver, but also by their competitors and by the expectations of their target market. In short, they are in serious need of re-appraising and refreshing and revitalising not only their presentation and communications but possibly also their business name and Identity. Often, such businesses are spending (and largely wasting) money on advertising or promoting their offering or re-doing their website when the simple truth is that such monies could be very much better invested by firstly going back to basics with Strangebrew and then promoting with renewed confidence and success. The simple truth is that there is not much point in delivering a premium product or service if your perceived promise and what you are promoting is of something much less. Similarly, there is not much point in spending monies on promoting an offering that falls way short of the value and experience that you deliver. If, like the micro-brewery detailed above, you would like to have the problem of having to invest in your business or brand to triple your output capability in order to keep up with demand after an injection of Business and Brand Alchemy from Strangebrew, call Phil Strachan on 07770 753 975. Find out how, by helping you to ‘Think Brand – not bland’, he can refresh, revitalise and re-energise your business and/or brand. www.thinkbrandnotbland.co.uk

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ENGAGE

INFORM

INSPIRE

BUSINESS ‘A Catalyst for Collaboration’ Wednesday 23rd April, 2014 11.30am to 7.30pm

www.businessinoxford.com

In association with

Official Charity Partner

BUSINESS

Background to the event We are all fortunate to be in business in Oxfordshire. Centrally located with a vast range of thriving businesses, Oxfordshire is not only blessed with some of the world’s leading minds, it is surrounded by beautiful countryside and a rich history which is a magnate to businesses, staff and tourists. But we don’t celebrate this. We don’t shout about it enough. So why not start now? This event will provide Oxfordshire businesses with

the opportunity to hear presentations from public and private organisations and businesses within the county which are designed to engage, inform and inspire. Let’s find out why Oxfordshire has such a bright future, let’s find out how we can work together for our mutual benefit and discover what the future has in store for us as businesses, employers, employees and residents.

delegates with a full programme of inspirational presentations, but there will also be ample opportunity to network with other delegates and engage with our exhibitors. For ticket, sponsorship, programme advertising and presentation opportunities, please see more details in this brochure or visit the event website at: www.businessinoxford.co.uk

Staged at the impressive Said Business School in Oxford, this event will not only provide 300

Event Structure We will be theming the presentations in what we will refer to as ‘PODS’, with each POD having up to four x fifteen minute presentations. There will be nine PODS, and we will be running three simultaneously in three time slots. So, guests will only be able to pick three PODS in the different time slots. We therefore recommend businesses wanting to draw on as much information as possible from this event to register for tickets for up to three members of staff.

The nine PODS will take place in the Harvard Lecture Theatres. There will also be two Key Note speeches in the Nelson Mandela Lecture Theatre which all guests will be able to attend.

This is the first year of what we hope will be an annual event. We hope you enjoy the event but we are always open to ideas for improvement.

Tickets for the event generally are now on sale. In March, we will be giving those that have purchased tickets the opportunity to register for their preferred PODS on a first come, first served basis. Richard Rosser B4 Events

Confirmed Speakers Please note speakers confirmed at time of going to press although more speakers will be added in the lead up to the event.

Peter Turfano, Peter Moores Dean, Saïd Business School

Councillor Bob Price, Leader of Oxford City Council and Board Member of the Local Enterprise Partnership

Sally Dicketts CBE, Group Chief Executive of Activate Learning

Rob Lindley, Vice President and Managing Director ENMEA, Harley Davidson

Simon McCrum, Managing Partner, Darbys Solicitors LLP

Wendy Tindsley, Managing Director – Business & Innovation Centres, Oxford Innovation

Richard Venables, Director, VSL

Matthew Cashmore, Digital Director, Blackwell’s

Stephen Roscoe, Technical Director, Grundon Waste Management

Francis Habgood, Deputy Chief Constable, Thames Valley Police

Giles Ingram, Chief Executive, Experience Oxfordshire

Dr Caroline Livingstone, Manager, Begbroke Science Park

STAY IN TOUCH! Follow us on Twitter, Sign up for the B4 e-Newsletter at www.b4-business.com

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B4 EDUCATION

GOVERNMENT TRAINEESHIP SCHEME MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Aylesbury College is championing a new Government initiative which aims to give valuable work experience and employability skills training to young people. Launched by the Government in September last year, Traineeships are short programmes (six weeks to six months) aimed at providing opportunities for young people aged 16-23 who are not currently in education or employment. Trainees learn essential work skills alongside a high quality work placement to prepare them for an Apprenticeship or employment.

Aylesbury College is the only FE College in Buckinghamshire that is able to deliver Traineeships – due to its recent ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted. The College launched a successful pilot Traineeship scheme in January as Tim Keighley, Executive Director of Engagement and Business Development, explains: “We are delighted to be offering Traineeships which I believe will play a vital role in helping to prepare the next generation of young people for employment. The young people on our pilot scheme have been tremendous and are very positive about the benefits of the programme. Aylesbury College is now beginning to partner with employers in Buckinghamshire who see the benefits that Trainees could bring to their organisations”. One such organisation is The Fremantle Trust, a charity and not-for-profit provider of care and support services at 53 locations across Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Barnet, Harrow and Hertfordshire. The Trust has 1,700 staff and supports almost 2,000 people. Aylesbury College and The Fremantle Trust are working in partnership to deliver fifteen Traineeships. The Fremantle Trainees will spend the equivalent of a week’s induction on care-related training at the Trust and three weeks at Aylesbury College undertaking work preparation training including Maths and English for those who don’t already have GCSE A*-C equivalent. The remaining sixteen weeks will be spent working in the Trust’s homes for older people and services for adults with a learning disability. Carole Sawyers, Chief Executive of The Fremantle Trust said: “We see the Traineeship scheme as an ideal way for us to help develop the next generation. The benefits to our organisation are obvious – young people with bags of enthusiasm are learning the ropes in our business. We hope that many of them will stay with us after the programme ends – either as an Apprentice or in employment”. Aylesbury College is looking to offer Traineeships in partnership with a wide range of businesses – if your organisation would like to explore this opportunity please contact Tim Keighley on 01296 588626 or visit www.aylesbury.ac.uk/traineeships

What is a Traineeship • New Government programme designed to prepare young people for their future careers by helping them to become ‘work-ready’ • Developed in response to research showing that young people frequently lack the skills employers expect in the workplace, and often lack the confidence to take that first step • Prepare young people for an Apprenticeship or employment by combining work preparation training, Maths and English support with a high quality work experience placement • Can last anything from six weeks up to a maximum of six months • Content tailored to meet individual needs

Who is Traineeship for? • Young people aged 16 to 23 inclusive, or those with a Learning Difficulty Assessment up to age 25 • Motivated to work but have been unsuccessful in securing an Apprenticeship or other job due to a lack of skills and/or experience • Young people aged 16-18 and qualified below Level 3 (equivalent to two or more A-Level passes), or those aged 19-23 and qualified below Level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C) could be eligible for a Traineeship if they are unemployed, or work fewer than 16 hours per week, and have little work experience

What happens after a Traineeship? • Upon successfully completing a Traineeship, a young person is expected to be ready for the world of work • Guaranteed job interview if a role becomes available, or an exit interview and a reference from the company providing the work experience placement • Successful job interview will mean that the young person can move into a job or Apprenticeship straight away with the company who provided their Traineeship

To learn more about The Fremantle Trust visit www.fremantletrust.org

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DRAW ON OUR EXPERIENCE AND BUILD ON OUR SUCCESS Buckinghamshire based Peter Mark, Managing Director of KMP, the award winning RIBA Chartered Architects, Surveyors and Project Management practice, talks to B4’s Richard Rosser about the integrated end-to-end offering of his long established family owned business. “What certainly sets us apart from other architects is that for the convenience of our Clients, we also offer full in-house Surveying and Project Management services which has the considerable benefit of KMP being able to combine vision and design flair across a project with the necessary considerations of practicality and cost. KMP, originally and until recently The Kenneth Mark Practice, was founded by my father in Saffron Walden in 1980. We have maintained a consistent presence across the South East over the last 4 decades and we are well known and respected for providing quality in every aspect of our work. Historically, we have in the main undertaken commissions for domestic and corporate Clients throughout Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Sussex and London but our success has led us more recently to extend and expand our home counties coverage. We are now extending more into Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire where we are very actively building collaborative partnerships with related trades and professions. To reflect this, our Saffron Walden office is now run by our Principal Architect, John Patterson, to whom 34

initial enquiries should be directed while I am developing our business in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire ” A broad range of experience “Our wealth of experience includes working on new houses, extensions and conversions, listed buildings, churches, schools and even a windmill! In addition to our Architectural, Surveying and Project Management services, we are also Party Wall Surveyors and Construction (Design and Management) Co-ordinators and we have extensive experience in supervising Cyclical Planned Maintenance for Housing Associations and on-going estate management for corporate Clients. We offer a full service not just for listed buildings, but also for the design and construction of new buildings. We are able to offer a full architectural and surveying service, together with renovations and improvements to existing buildings and extensions and conversions. Our broad range of experience includes prestigious and small-scale projects for both individual domestic and corporate Clients – and one recently completed project for a private Client (the fourth project that we had successfully completed for

him) was a stunning contemporary beach-side residence with all modern facilities on Millionaires Row on Brighton Seafront’s Western Esplanade, alongside properties owned by Adele, David Walliams and Fat Boy Slim.” A wide range of commissions “We are happy to accept a very wide range of commissions from preliminary services only ie up to Planning and Building Regulations stages, through to full service commissions including preparation of specifications, tender invitations, supervision of works on site and agreement of the final account with the appointed contractor. Our preliminary service would typically include taking instruction and preparing a brief for the project, carrying out the necessary survey work, preparing sketches for approval and planning consultation and preparing reliable estimates of cost. For this preliminary service, we would agree a fixed fee before starting works and this would then not be varied. If required, we can also provide a high quality Project Management service. We also offer a professional advice service to persons thinking of buying a property or to those www.b4-business.com

B4 PROPERTY

ARCHITECTURAL

SERVICES Why use an Architect? When you appoint an RIBA Chartered Architect, you are employing someone who has undertaken seven years of training – no other building professional is trained in design and construction to such a level of expertise. An architect will help you achieve your aspirations and add value to your project through good design and sound construction management. A good architect will save you money.

seeking advice on the potential in a property before they offer it for sale.” We offer end to end peace of mind “In response to an enquiry, KMP offer an initial complimentary face to face consultation to Clients in order to discuss their possible requirements, ideas and budget. We advise Clients of our Architectural Services fee structure and also, if requested, we would provide some initial sketches and outline design proposals. Assuming that we are then appointed and outline plans and budgets are agreed, we would make any Planning Permission Applications to the Local Authority and Building Regulations on behalf of our Clients and, if required, Listed Building Consent would be applied for. Once planning permission is received, we would then proceed to prepare a specification and compile a list of suitable building contractors, obtain competitive tenders and, through our surveying department, we would draw up building contracts. We can also provide full end to end Project Management and inspect the entire works to www.b4-business.com

ensure that the project is delivered on time and on budget in accordance with the agreed specification. KMP will help you understand from the start how to extract the most from your budget and deliver a transparent menu-based costing so that you can choose only the elements you require.” Above all, we pride ourselves on our service and commitment to our Clients Concluded Peter, “No matter what the nature of the project is, at KMP we pride ourselves on our commitment to offer a highly personal service by working very closely with every Client to help them to realise their vision for their projects”

How to select an Architect Clients often appoint an Architect based on a recommendation from acquaintances. This is understandable if your project is similar. However, it is most important to ensure that you and your Architect are compatible. Your Architects must convince you of their creativity, their listening skills and their ability to get things done. Are they RIBA Chartered Architects? This will guarantee a code of conduct and a level of professionalism. Be aware that some people call themselves ‘Architect’ without formal registration.

If you would like to discuss how KMP could be of assistance to you, please initially contact John Patterson, Principal Architect on 01799 521 734. Regarding enquiries relating specifically to Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire or Berkshire, please contact Peter Mark on 01494 257 482

Can they offer other disciplines in-house (e.g. surveying, structural engineering and project management)? In the end, this will ensure a smoothly run project and will help contain costs.

www.kmpractice.co.uk

Is their experience appropriate to your project? How many other projects are they working on? Will your project be treated as a priority?

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news

Photograph by Graham Lacdao

CIS Designs State of the Art IT Systems in Custom Built IT Suite at St Paul’s Cathedral An update to our article back in 2009 “CIS Appointed IT consultants to St Paul's cathedral”. Oxfordshire based IT consultancy company Computing Information Systems (CIS LTD) has now been the appointed IT consultant at St Paul’s Cathedral for over 3 years. Appointed in 2009 by the Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral, CIS were specifically hired for their solution based IT consultancy, with a reputation in keeping with St Paul’s world-famous dome. CIS were hired in an undertaking during 2009 to advise and design from the IT perspective on the multimillion pound Chapter House refurbishment scheme. The project being to design a state of the art server room and IT systems for all of St Paul’s IT needs, both now and in the future, underground deep inside the expansive buildings at St Paul’s. The Chapter House is the central administrative and management building for the Cathedral and had to be ‘decamped’ into short term office space at others sites near the Cathedral, keeping all staff working, communications lines connected, and IT in service for everybody at the Cathedral, logistically a challenge.

the depths of St Paul’s, whilst keeping the system running, before moving them into their new locations. The systems have all been upgraded and redeployed into the new IT estate, giving St Pauls plenty of new capacity and features to deliver to the staff and even the public. St Paul’s has worked alongside CIS in the move, upgrade, installation and now ongoing planning and design of the whole IT infrastructure. Using the latest in Green technologies the server room monitors its own moisture and temperature in the air, and adjusts it accordingly. By 2015 when the project finishes the server room will also recover all of the exhausted heat from the servers in the room and store that heat underground to be drawn on later by heat pumps used around the Cathedral and the main Cathedral buildings. A very efficient way of storing normally wasted heat from a server room.

CIS carried out this project successfully, and purpose built a new state of the art server room in

CIS has designed a multi platform virtualization infrastructure that harnesses the best in technology solutions and resiliency, meaning the Cathedral systems are always on, this design is in line with, but a scaled back version of CIS’s own private cloud hosted in the UKs most secure datacentre. CIS

Photograph by Peter Smith

Photograph by Graham Lacdao

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succeeded against much larger IT companies through the tender process due to its extensive and in depth knowledge of virtualization technologies and its specialist and consultative approach. The completed project will not be finished until 2015, but significant progress is being made, additional works are now being added in terms of security, firewalling and the ever growing demand for wireless and the ability to connect your own device, something St Paul’s provides for both its staff and eventually the public, in a secure, managed way using the latest in Sophos technologies installed by CIS. "We are delighted to be working with CIS, the project has been well organised from start to almost completion, CIS have been well organised and innovative right throughout the process, we have grown used to them being an extension to our IT department. CIS deliver a prompt professional service with trusted knowledge we can rely on at all times." Gerald Wynter - Head of IT, St. Paul's Cathedral www.cisltd.com www.stpauls.co.uk

Photograph by Peter Smith

EDUCATING BUCKINGHAMSHIRE How a firm of High Wycombe accountants are helping local academy schools reach their potential

Academy status is becoming increasingly prominent within the education sector, and provides schools with greater freedom in terms of their spending and the day-to-day running of the school. However these benefits do come with drawbacks, mainly the additional financial duties placed on the school’s governors and finance team. As academies are charitable companies, they have responsibility for producing year-end accounts, ensuring these financial statements are audited within the tight deadlines stipulated by their funding

makes best use of the funds it has available, and that any expenditure is compliant with the conditions of the organisation’s funding agreement with the Secretary of State. This is where Loudwater-based chartered accountants The Fish Partnership come in. Thanks to its many years’ experience in the charity and education sectors it is ideally placed to support those schools thinking of converting to academy status, as well as newly converted and established academies.

accurately processing VAT information and submitting the periodic VAT submissions to HMRC,” he said. “These concerns are perhaps greater for Business Managers of academies as the VAT requirements for these organisations can differ from those for businesses. “However Business Managers need not worry, as we are able to offer specialist VAT advice for academies.

“At Fish we are also able to carry out internal audits for academies and provide

advice to academy clients as to best practice with regard to operational and regulatory matters, assisting them in meeting the requirements of the Academies Financial Handbook

”

agreement. On top of this they are responsible for day-to-day bookkeeping, VAT and payroll processing, and ensuring that there are a rigid set of internal controls in place to safeguard the academies funds. Governing bodies are the strategic leaders of academy schools and have a vital role to play in making sure every child gets the best possible education. In order to achieve this objective, the governing bodies must ensure their academy

In addition to producing year-end accounts and carrying out academy audits, the practice offers a wide range of services covering internal audit, accountancy and taxation.

Academy schools can also benefit from the firm’s fast, efficient and cost effective payroll service, which provides a full range of reports including those required for the year end audit.

Martin Sheehy, Managing Partner at Fish, says one area where new academies may struggle is with their VAT requirements.

Fish’s company secretarial department can maintain the statutory books of the academy and assist in completing the annual returns for Companies House.

“VAT is an area that many organisations are initially wary of, concerned about the complexities of

Martin added: “At Fish we are also able to carry out

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B4 SPOTLIGHT

“By working with Fish,

academy schools will have access to support and guidance whether they are going through the conversion process, or are already established as an academy

”

internal audits for academies and provide advice to academy clients as to best practice with regard to operational and regulatory matters, assisting them in meeting the requirements of the Academies Financial Handbook. This includes making sure the necessary safeguards are in place to assist governors to ensure the academy’s money is well spent and in accordance with the funding agreement. “By working with Fish, academy schools will have access to support and guidance whether they are going through the conversion process, or are already established as an academy.” One academy that the Fish Partnership has supported through the conversion process is Holmer Green Senior School in High Wycombe. Holmer Green, which is a specialist Business and Enterprise School, converted to academy status in April 2012. Business Manager Lynda Jackson was appointed to help support the school throughout the transition. Fish have provided on-going assistance with the issues Lynda has encountered through the period of transition between a school and a new academy. As well as providing support, Fish also carry out the

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Responsible Officer testing, produce year end accounts, and complete the year end audit and regularity audit function. In addition they complete and audit the Annual Return and audit the Teacher’s Pension Scheme EOYC. Martin explains: “As part of the Responsible Officer’s testing role we complete rigorous quarterly checks on different areas of the accounting system, and provide extensive written reports for the governors highlighting any weaknesses or improvements that are required. The academy now has a well recorded and reliable set of internal controls and procedures as required by the Academies Financial Handbook, which in turn assists with the year end audit work. “Our year end audit process has been able to highlight additional improvements to the academy’s systems. This has helped the academy’s Finance Team develop their understanding of the different reporting and accounting requirements they face as an independent academy. Our management letter issued to the Governor’s suggested a number of further improvements to help the academy thrive in its new environment.” Lynda says that the school is already seeing the benefits of converting to academy status.

“As an academy we have a much greater level of financial control but with this new responsibility comes a greater level of accountability,” she said. “We have been extremely pleased with the partnership we have developed with the Fish Partnership. They have supported us whilst we have established our new financial systems which have allowed us to adhere to the rigorous and exacting standards required by the Department for Education (DfE).” Another area of academy status that has benefited the school is the ability to bid for Capital Maintenance Grants. As a school the Local Authority made decisions on capital investment but as an Academy Holmer Green Senior School is now able to make bid applications direct to the DfE which are needs based. The school has already received grants for two successful bids, allowing the school to complete two major projects. “The first [grant] was for £250,000 which allowed us to finish our programme of window replacement in the school,” explains Lynda. “The second for £1.8 million is an exciting project to re-build our Design and Technology Department

B4 SPOTLIGHT The £1.8 million re-build of the Academy’s Design and Technology Department

and to create a new 16 – 19 Business and Enterprise Study Centre for our sixth form. The latter is due to be completed for the new academic year in September 2014 and will allow us to deliver a curriculum for the 21st Century. “As a Business and Enterprise College, the new Business Centre will offer study facilities within a Business environment complete with a Board Room and its own separate IT Suite. It is important as students move on post 16 that the Academy is preparing them for the next stage whether that is employment or further training. There needs to be a business-like philosophy within the centre which drives a culture of focussed work.” Holmer Green is now looking for local businesses to work in partnership with the school to help their students. “There are so many skills they could learn which will help us develop them as enthusiastic employees or dedicated students,” says Lynda.

weekends, evenings and school holidays,” explains Lynda. “We can offer excellent parking facilities and a full hospitality service to meet your requirements. As part of the new development we are also creating a 200 person Lecture Room complete with projector and sound facilities. We believe our facilities could prove a real asset for local businesses as an alternative to other conference facilities in the area.”

“We would like to

encourage local businesses into our new Business Centre which we believe will be an excellent training and meeting facility during weekends, evenings and school holidays

“The CBI are regularly criticising the quality of students leaving schools and for many valid reasons. Now is the opportunity for local businesses to become involved and help shape their employees of the future at an earlier stage.”

Lynda says the school is extremely grateful for the advice and guidance they have received from Fish.

Local businesses are also being encouraged to take advantages of the facilities that will be on offer in the new Business Centre.

She said: “As a newly converted academy we have been very grateful for all the help and support from Fish Partnership in our first year.

“We would like to encourage local businesses into our new Business Centre which we believe will be an excellent training and meeting facility during

“They have made sensible recommendations to support continual improvement for us. Fish have also acted as our Statutory Audit team and really

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”

helped us through this process which is an enormous change from Year End arrangements as a school. Again, they have worked with us to look at processes which can be improved for next year. In addition, staff have always been available to answer queries throughout the year and I am very happy to recommend their services.” Martin added: “It’s been an absolute privilege to work with Lynda and the staff at Holmer Green in their transition period and afterwards. “Holmer Green is an exceptional school which proudly offers a unique learning experience – matching outstanding care and support for its students with the very highest expectations of success. “As an academy school it now has the freedom to set its own budgets and control its own spending. However with that does come more financial responsibility which we’ve been able to help them with. “Their new state-of-the-art business centre is proof of what can be achieved through academy status. It is sure to be a huge benefit to both the students and staff and the local business community.” For more information on Fish’s academy services visit www.fishpartnership.co.uk. To find out more about getting involved with Holmer Green’s young people, or their new business centre, contact Lynda on 01494 719900 or email ljackson21@blpmail.org.uk

The Ambassadors Club BECOME AN AMBASSADOR AND BENEFIT FROM AMAZING DISCOUNTS AND GREAT DEALS FROM OTHER B4 MEMBERS MARKETINGCO

STUPPLES CHANDLER GARVEY

Free

10% Discount

Business development mentoring session

On all agency and professional fees Stupples Chandler Garvey is a prominent firm of Regional Commercial Property Consultants with offices in High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Amersham and Slough.

We help small business owners to achieve the clarity, focus and structure they need to attract customers and grow their business.

C: Michael Garvey | E: mg@stuppleschandlergarvey.com | T: 01494 460 250 | W: www.stuppleschandlergarvey.com

C: Jackie Jarvis | E: Jackie@marketingco.co.uk | T: 01491 833222 | W: www.a1limited.co.uk

BEAR AND RAGGED STAFF

OXFORD UNIVERSITY RFC

50% Off

15% Off

OURFC Supporters Club Membership

On your food bill The Bear is now in a position to offer a full suite of services to the discerning traveler whether on business or just looking for a home away from home for a few days.

Oxford University Rugby Football Club (OURFC) has a long and illustrious history of sporting distinction and remains one of the world's leading and most renowned amateur rugby clubs.

C: Mark Greenwood | E: enquiries@bearandraggedstaff.com | T: 01865 862 329 | W: www.bearandraggedstaff.com

C: Tim Stevens | E: tim.stevens@sport.ox.ac.uk | T: 01865 432000 | W: www.sport.ox.ac.uk

BROWNS

STUDIO 8

10% Off

Complimentary House Wine

On standard prices

With Lunch & Dinner Monday - Friday Enjoy the sophisticated sound of great live piano-playing at Browns Oxford – the perfect accompaniment for drinks and dinner.

Studio8 Provide professional photography and video services within Oxford and the UK. We are proud to be B4’s preferred photographers. Subjects can include: People, Products, Interior, Location and more.

C: Simon Stonehouse | T: 01865 511 995 W: www.browns-restaurants.co.uk/locations/oxford/

C: Clark Wiseman | E: info@studio-8.co.uk | T: 01865 842525 | W: www.studio-8.co.uk

CITY AUDIO VISUAL

10% Off

Equipment Hire

LADY MARGARET HALL

10% Off

Any accommodation & Meeting Bookings

City Audio Visual Limited, Oxford’s leading specialists in audio visual hire, sales, installation and live event support.

Lady Margaret Hall is an academic community, utterly committed to research and scholarship and to effective, highly personalised teaching and learning for students from all backgrounds.

C: Katie Mildenhall | E: info@cityav.co.uk | T: 01865 722800 | W: www.cityav.co.uk

C: Bill Kemp | E: lodge@lmh.ox.ac.uk | T: 01865 611079 | W: www.lmh.ox.ac.uk

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The Ambassadors Card This is a new benefit for B4 Ambassadors. Receive your personalised card in the post which will entitle you to benefit from amazing discounts and great deals from other B4 Members. Why not make us an offer? In addition to benefiting from other member offers, why not include your offer in the scheme? Promote a benefit to over 200 B4 Ambassadors and, depending on the nature of the offer, this can be extended (at your request) to all employees in the Ambassador’s company if you would like to reach a wider audience.

OXFORD EVENT HIRE

10% Off

Equipment Hire

MONKEY ISLAND HOTEL

£30 Day Rate

Delegate day rate reduced from £50

Oxford Event Hire was established in 1990 with a clear vision to provide premium quality products and unbeatable service for both private and corporate clients in the events industry.

A centuries-old retreat hidden in the River Thames, Monkey Island Hotel offers the perfect setting for everything from weddings to weekend getaways to an evening of fine dining.

C: Kieran Lynch | E: info@oxfordeventhire.co.uk | T: 01865 760158 | W: www.oxfordeventhire.co.uk

E: info@monkeyisland.co.uk | T: 01628 623400 | W: http://monkeyisland.co.uk

L’ORTOLAN

THE FORBURY

Free

Lunch for two

25% Off

Your food bill

Free lunch for 2 when booking private dining for at least 8 people. Housed in a former vicarage on a leafy lane in Shinfield, L’Ortolan offers an exceptional dining experience. Terms & Conditions apply.

It makes every moment of your stay a special memory. It’s in the smile that greets you and in the warmth and friendliness you’ll feel while you are here.

C: Sally Albin | E: sally@lortolan.com | T: 0118 988 9107 | W: www.lortolan.com

C: Peter Farquhar | E: reception@theforburyhotel.co.uk | T: 01189 527770 | W: www.theforburyhotel.co.uk

HEYTHROP PARK RESORT

DARBYS

Round discounts

£20 pp Mon to Fri - £25 pp Sat & Sun

From £180

Will, and free annual review

Heythrop Park Resort has undergone refurbishment of the Health Club & Spa, the 18 hole golf course to championship standards and opening a second hotel, a new 197 bedroom four star Crowne Plaza..

You – and your business - can also get free legal advice on any issue you have. Individuals or families should go to www.purplelegal.co.uk and businesses should go to www.bluelaw.co.uk.

C: Tracy Stanton | E: info@heythroppark.co.uk | T: 01608 673333 | W: www.heythropparkresort.co.uk

C: Simon McCrum | E: info@darbys.co.uk | T: 01865 811256 | W: www.darbys.co.uk

THE OXFORD WINE COMPANY

10% Off

At our 4 retail outlets Voted Best Independent Wine Retailer and Wholesaler in the UK 2011 by Harpers Wine & Spirit Magazine. Named Regional Wine Merchant of the Year 2007/2010 by the prestigious International Wine Challenge judges. C: Theo Sloot | E: theo@oxfordwine.co.uk | T: 01865 301144 | W: www.oxfordwine.co.uk

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K WEST

HOTEL & SPA In the first of two London hotel reviews, B4’s Editor stayed at the impressive K West Hotel & Spa in Shepherd’s Bush, conveniently located for the annual visit to Westfield shopping centre. Oozing style, a fun and vibrant ambience and buckets of class, K West Hotel & Spa provided the perfect destination at the end of a busy week.

Now here’s a first, we left Oxford on time, aiming to be in Shepherd’s Bush for 6pm. We had a good run in to London for a Friday night and rolled up to the hotel bang on time for our show around with Lucy from Luxe PR. The hotel’s contemporary vibe attracts those from the music and media industries who enjoy the proximity to the nearby O2 Shepherds Bush Empire and the Apollo. The hotel lobby merges with the stunning bar and a real Friday night feel filled the air and I made a mental note to get to the room and

Hill, Portobello Road and Kensington, all just a short walk away, but the big one, Westfield, is literally just over the road. As we were shown to our rooms, I was stunned at just how large the room was. A defining characteristic of all 220 guestrooms is the generous space, with the smallest being just under 300 sq ft. The rooms have luxurious, oversized beds and a calming colour scheme of soft taupes, creams and browns. Modern touches including LCD flat screen TVs, sandblasted glass, and original artwork

areas, which are fitted with Bose surround sound entertainment systems, a 42” plasma screen television and ultra-comfy sofas. Two-metre square beds and Aromatherapy Associates toiletries are also staples in the suites. Even the bathrooms have been fitted with designer Philippe Starck doubleended baths and fixtures. K Lounge replicates the city’s buzzing nightlife. Every Friday and Saturday, top DJs play from 10pm until 2am, while the hotel’s expert mixologists create exotic cocktails for a distinctly cool crowd.

“Every Friday and Saturday, top DJs play from 10pm until 2am, while the hotel’s expert mixologists create exotic cocktails for a distinctly cool crowd” come straight back down to order a quick beer before dinner… no I don’t need to make mental notes, these sorts of tasks don’t usually slip my mind! As well as Westfield, K West is close to some of London’s most fashionable areas such as Notting

give the rooms a distinctive K West stamp. Given our proximity to central London, the rooms provide incredible value for money. At the upper end of the scale, the six spectacular K Suites offer the ultimate experience. Dramatic walls of glass divide the bedrooms from the lounge

The chic venue features a stunning black granite bar with intricate mother-of-pearl detailing, illuminated by two impressive drop-column chandeliers. In the daytime, K Lounge provides a stylish retreat to relax and chill out. But at night it provided the perfect target for that beer, oh, and that g and t, that coke and that lemonade – yeah

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B4 WIDER

thanks kids for your help, I’ll manage all four drinks from the bar to the room…..I almost deserved a cheeky ‘starter for ten’ beer before making my way back to the room! Perched on a mezzanine floor above the bar, K

pudding found its way on to the table at the end of an extremely enjoyable evening during which the ground rules were laid for the next day’s shop, rules which no less than 12 hours later, as we revisited the Kanteen for breakfast, had been, in the grand manner of two goldfish, completely forgotten.

unique ‘Sun Meadow’ offers specialist light therapy to treat SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and the ‘Vanity K’ nail bar is the place to be pampered. The spa also features a twinkling hydrotherapy pool, sanarium, sauna, dry flotation tank, aromatic herbal steam room and fully equipped K Fit gymnasium.

“K Spa introduced the first ‘Snow Paradise’ to London, which mimics the Finnish experience of alternating between freezing and steamy environments” West’s modern restaurant, Kanteen, offers high quality food and a sociable atmosphere. Experienced Head Chef, Eduart Berisha has created an inventive menu focusing on modern British cuisine to satisfy the cosmopolitan clientele. Ever changing artwork adorns the walls and is available to buy, not that we did, I was terrified about our trip to ‘shopping heaven’ as Abi put it. Your heaven maybe, my hell. We enjoyed an excellent meal including an Angus beef burger, roast belly of pork and a couple of chargrilled sirloin steaks. Somehow a sticky toffee

Nonetheless, we were set up for the day with a hearty breakfast and enough fruit and naughty pastries to keep us going until late in to the afternoon. Unfortunately we didn’t get the chance to try out K West’s Spa, but judging by its awards, it sounded fantastic. Awarded the top rating of “5 Bubbles” in the 2013 Good Spa Guide, K West’s holistic spa offers a range of exclusive treatments. K Spa introduced the first ‘Snow Paradise’ to London, which mimics the Finnish experience of alternating between freezing and steamy environments. The

With prices at K West starting from £125 per room per night, and the K Suites from £540 per night, I challenge you to find a more relaxing, more exciting venue for your London trip. Just don’t tell the others you’re so close to Westfield because that’s where it all goes horribly wrong. www.k-west.co.uk

“As we were shown to our rooms, I was stunned at just how large the room was. A defining characteristic of all 220 guestrooms is the generous space

”

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Direct Direct Mail Magic

Our client took a 300% 300% return return on on investment investment from from direct mail. direct mai l. We show how. We can can sh ow you you h ow. mailing wee desi designed, personalised Am ailing w gned, pe rsonalised and and printed printed delivered delivered this this result result within within 10 10 days days of being mailed mailed out. out. usiness u sing di rect m T To o grow grow your your b business using direct mail ail ccall all u ow. uss n now.

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news The Buckinghamshire Business Awards Recognising the brightest businesses in Bucks! ‘We were thrilled to win in our category last year so we’re very pleased to be able to offer other charities in Buckinghamshire the same opportunity. Winning is a great honour and is hugely beneficial in helping to raise your profile, something that is vital for charities.’ Sponsors and categories in the 2014 Buckinghamshire Business Awards are: • Buckinghamshire County Council Apprentice Employer Award • Thomas International Business Leader of the Year Award • Buckinghamshire Community Foundation Enterprising Charity Award • John Lewis Excellence in Customer Service Award • Lloyds Bank Exporter of the Year Award • Natural Environment Partnership Green Award • Buckinghamshire New University Innovative Business of the Year Award • Visit Bucks Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality of the Year Award • Mix96 Rural Business of the Year Award • Small Business sponsored by Wycombe District Council

Martin Reed, CEO of Thomas International

This May sees the launch of the rebranded ‘Buckinghamshire Business Awards’. Formerly the ‘Buckinghamshire Ambassadors’ Enterprise Awards’, the awards have been renamed to reflect Buckinghamshire’s position as the ‘Entrepreneurial Heart of Britain’. The Awards, which are now in their seventh year, were established to celebrate Buckinghamshire’s entrepreneurial spirit, vision and drive, and are now a highlight of the Buckinghamshire business calendar.

The winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony at the internationally renowned Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury on 15 May. Shortlisted candidates, business leaders and companies from across Bucks will gather to enjoy a champagne reception and three course dinner while networking with some of the most successful and forward thinking business leaders and entrepreneurs in the county. The Awards Ceremony and Dinner is an ideal way to thank valued employees and entertain customers and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn more about the most exciting and successful businesses in the county as they are rewarded for their hard work and dedication. Tickets for the Buckinghamshire Business Awards will be available from 17 February 2014. Please visit www.bbf.uk.com for updates.

The awards include categories such as the Thomas International Business Leader of the Year Award, the John Lewis Excellence in Customer Service Award and the Buckinghamshire Community Foundation Enterprising Charity Award. The sheer variety of the award categories recognise the many different businesses in the area, which include a variety of cutting edge companies as well as rural businesses, reflecting the diverse interests and areas of the county. Thomas International, one of the UK’s most successful psychometric assessment companies, is sponsoring the Business Leader of the Year Award. Martin Reed, CEO of Thomas International, explains why the company has chosen to be a sponsor: ‘As a Buckinghamshire based business, we feel that it’s very important for us to support other businesses in the county. The Buckinghamshire Business Awards are a great opportunity for businesses of all sizes to be recognised for their hard work. We are proud to support the Business Leader of the Year award, although with such strong competition, it’s going to be difficult to make a decision!’ Richard Dickson, Director of the Buckinghamshire Community Foundation which won Charity of the Year in 2013, is delighted to be a sponsor of this year’s awards: Richard Dickson, Director of the Buckinghamshire Community Foundation

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FINE DINING FOR CONFERENCES AND EVENTS AT THE RACECOURSE NEWBURY The Racecourse Newbury showcased its wide range of food and drink options on offer for conference and events, at the B4 Ambassadors networking event on Wednesday 15th January. A 75-strong guest list, which included representatives from Santander, Lloyds Bank and the University of Oxford, experienced firstclass dining from the Racecourse’s new day delegate menu in the unique setting of the racecourse Champion Suite, with panoramic views of the course. The food was a sample from the conference and events menus and featured Spanish chicken, roast supreme of salmon with sweet potato, leek and cauliflower Mornay and for dessert, a mango and passion fruit torte followed by tea and coffee. Amanda Ellis, Conferences & Events Business Development Manager commented: “We’re pleased to be able to offer a wide range of delicious and fresh food prepared in-house by our own brigade of chefs. The skills of our head chef Darren Fairminer set us apart from other conference and events venues by making the food served at corporate events an

experience in itself. Going forward we are aiming to educate our target audience about the exceptional quality and overall experience available at The Racecourse Newbury.”

NEW DAY DELEGATE PACKAGE FOR 2014

Guests at the event enjoyed the hospitality in the Champions Suite which was theirs exclusively for the day. With a balcony overlooking the finishing line of the racecourse, this is the ideal place to still be a part of the action. A tour of the racecourse’s other facilities was available for those looking for inspiration when organising their next conference or event, with capacity across the venue ranging from as few as 2 – 1,000 people. The Grandstand has three floors of event space with 1000m² of pillar free floor space perfect for larger exhibitions while the exclusive Royal Box is ideal for board meetings of up to 50 people.

The new menus offer a range of favourites as well as the inclusion of some healthier options, guests can select from simple sandwiches through to our healthy salad bar featuring superfoods and key nutritional ingredients. Packages start from £35 per person and offer a quick and simple way to compliment your day at a unique and stylish venue. www.racecoursenewbury.co.uk

Guests were also greeted by the new Chief Executive of The Racecourse Newbury, Julian Thick who offered free family raceday tickets to all attendees.

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B4 EVENTS

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B4 YOU A selection of some of the finest establishments in the B4 region

MACDONALD COMPLEAT ANGLER

L’ORTOLAN

HEYTHROP PARK

B4 YOU RESORTS

RESORTS

HOTELS

HEYTHROP PARK

HARTWELL HOUSE

EYNSHAM HALL

Heythrop Park Resort is a unique venue set in 440 acres of stunning Oxfordshire Countryside. Dating back to 1710 this quintessential English country estate seamlessly combines elegance with style and boasts two individual hotels: the elegant DeVere Venues Heythrop Park Hotel and the stylish Crowne Plaza Hotel. The Resort also offers a championship 18 hole standard golf course, health club & spa together with state of the art conference facilities.

Hartwell House is one of the Stately Homes of England, just one hour from central London and Heathrow and Luton Airports, and two miles west of Aylesbury. Its most famous resident was Louis XVIII, exiled King of France, who lived there with is Court for five years. Situated in 90 acres of landscaped parkland in the Vale of Aylesbury, Hartwell House provides a country house setting, adding lustre to every social occasion.

Lloyds Bank Commercial a big Banking provides financial support the and to manufacturers located across Berkshire. Given their importance, we are actively encouraging manufacturers in Berkshire to take advantage of the reduced borrowing costs, particularly through the £80 billion Government. Given their importance, we are actively encouraging. A bit more copy to fill it out just a little more.

A: Enstone, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 5UF T: 01608 673 333 W: www.heythroppark.co.uk

A: Oxford Rd, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP17 8NR T: 01296 747 444 W: www.hartwell-house.com

A: Eynsham Hall Hotel, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 6PN T: 01993 885 200 W: www.eynshamhall.com

HOTELS

HAWKWELL HOUSE

MACDONALD RANDOLPH HOTEL

THE FEATHERS

Hawkwell House Hotel Oxford has high quality accommodation, conference facilities and makes a great wedding venue. Hawkwell House hotel is close enough to Oxford for you to dream of the Spires, and just far enough off to ensure your reverie isn't interrupted by the revelry of the students. The main hotel has now has 62 bedrooms including two luxury suites.

Our Macdonald Randolph Hotel is the leading 5-star hotel in Oxford and part of The Macdonald Hotels' Signature Collection. We offer luxurious accommodation, award-winning food and a sensuous spa haven in the heart of this world-famous university city. Located in Oxford's city centre, our hotel is a landmark building with elegance and charm aplenty.

There are just 16 bedrooms and five suites at The Feathers. They come in all shapes and sizes – the very antithesis of corporate uniformity. Return to your own personal favourite, or enjoy a pleasant surprise each time you visit. Since our refurbishment in 2010, we’ve added in some boutique twists, with lush fabrics, funky lighting, free-standing stone basins and the guiltiest pleasure of all, a decanter full of jelly beans.

A: Church Way, Oxford, OX4 4DZ T: 01865 749 988 W: www.hawkwellhouse.co.uk

A: Beaumont St, Oxford, OX1 2LN T: 01865 256 400 W: www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

A: Market Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1SX T: 01993 812 291 W: www.feathers.co.uk

Vouch Offer: vouchoffers.co.uk

Ambassadors Card Offer: b4-business.com

B4 YOU HOTELS

HOTELS

THE FORBURY

THE OAKLEY COURT HOTEL

THE OLD BANK

We stay with you…This promise drives everything we do. It makes every moment of your stay a special memory. It’s in the smile that greets you and in the warmth and friendliness you’ll feel while you are here. In every corner and at every moment, you’ll notice an attention to detail that shows our passion and belief. It’s the very essence of the Forbury, like spending time with an amazing family.

The Oakley Court is one of the finest and most renowned country house hotels in England, situated in picturesque Windsor and within easy reach of London, Heathrow airport and the M4. The hotel is a peaceful setting with attractive rooms decorated in a traditional country house style. For pure indulgence and the ultimate luxurious stay in Windsor, choose one of our junior suites with unrivalled views over the river.

The Old Bank hotel has 42 luxury bedrooms. The proportions of the Georgian property have been retained leading to rooms feeling large and airy. Many of the rooms have unrivalled views of famous Oxford landmarks. The bedrooms with marble bathrooms are all adorned with the owners private art collection. All of the rooms are fully air conditioned and have complimentary wireless internet access, water and home-made biscuits.

A: 26 The Forbury, Reading, West Berkshire, RG1 3EJ T: 0118 952 7770 W: www.theforburyhotel.co.uk

A: Windsor Rd Water Oakley, Windsor, SL4 5UR T: 01753 609 988 W: www.theoakleycourthotel.co.uk

A: 92 - 94 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BJ T: 01865 799 599 W: www.oldbank-hotel.co.uk

HOTELS

GETTING AWAY

MACDONALD COMPLEAT ANGLER

THE VINEYARD

LOWER MILL ESTATE

Stylish, luxurious and romantic - the awardwinning Macdonald Compleat Angler Hotel is part of The Macdonald Hotels' Signature Collection and offers you the perfect accommodation for a magical stay by the riverside. Quietly situated on the banks of the River Thames and within easy reach of Heathrow airport, our hotel in Marlow is the ideal spot for taking to the water - we even have our own private launches and boats for hire.

We want you to enjoy our food and wine so much we added a 5-star hotel and Spa. Then we filled it with everything you'd expect for a comfortable night, and some things you might not. Like one of the finest private art collections this side of Hearst Castle. Only a short drive away from Highclere Castle, The Vineyard provides the perfect hotel destination for Downton Abbey fans and the historically curious alike. There's a lot to be said for California dreaming.

The Lower Mills Cotswold Estate is just over 550 acres of unspoiled countryside based in the beautiful village of Somerford Keyne just outside Cirencester in Gloucestershire. Our luxurious holiday homes estate is based around eight lakes and two rivers (Netherwood Lake, Somerford Lake Reserves, Neigh Bridge Lake, Cotswold Water Park) surrounded by acres of untouched woodland full of wildlife waiting for you and your family to explore.

A: Marlow Bridge, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1RG T: 0844 879 9128 W: www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

A: Stockcross, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8JU T: 01635 897 513 W: www.the-vineyard.co.uk

A: Lower Mill Lane, Somerford Keynes, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BG T: 01285 869 489 W: www.lowermillestate.com

Vouch Offer: vouchoffers.co.uk

Ambassadors Card Offer: b4-business.com

B4 YOU RESTAURANTS

RESTAURANTS

BROWNS OXFORD

BROWNS READING

GEE’S

Browns in Oxford was our second restaurant to open and is quite a landmark in the city. The building was a Morris garage for many years until we converted it into an English brasserie. Even though we’re in the city centre, the view from our windows is pure England. We’re just across the road from St Giles Church and a beautiful terrace of 18th century houses. We offer delicious food, a unique atmosphere and a great choice of wines, beers and cocktails.

Reading is one of the UK’s top ten retail destinations. Browns is within easy reach of the Oracle, one of the main shopping centres with over 80 high street names that span from high fashion to spectacular gifts. Steeped in history, Reading also has a 1,400 year heritage, a medieval monastery and 850 listed buildings. Come and soak up the atmosphere at Browns where you can relax and enjoy one of our classic dishes and a legendary Browns cocktail.

Food is best described as Mediterranean with some dishes designed for sharing, & dishes available in two sizes to suit different appetites & times of day. Food reflects the continued interest in the source of ingredients, seasonality & the variety & richness of our Oxfordshire produce. Simply prepared & expertly cooked in our kitchen incorporating a wood fire oven & charcoal grill.

A: 5-11 Woodstock Rd, Oxford, OX2 6HA T: 01865 511 995 W: www.browns-restaurants.co.uk

A: The Oracle Centre, Reading, RG1 2AG T: 0118 950 3137 W: www.browns-restaurants.co.uk

A: 61 Banbury Rd, Oxford, OX2 6PE T: 01865 553 540 W: www.gees-restaurant.co.uk

RESTAURANTS

L’ORTOLAN

LE MANOIR

QUOD

Reading's only Michelin starred restaurant, with modern French cuisine by Executive Chef Alan Murchison. L’Ortolan offers an exceptional dining experience - perfect for social and business occasions. We are delighted to be amongst the winners of 4 AA Rosettes at the 2013 AA Hospitality Awards. Receiving a fourth rosette puts L’Ortolan among the top restaurants in the UK, where the cooking demands national recognition.

Dining at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is an experience that will stay with you forever. Described as “a twist of imaginative genius”, Raymond Blanc’s dishes utilise the freshest, best quality ingredients. The two-acre kitchen garden produces 90 types of vegetable and 70 varieties of herb. Le Manoir’s wine cellar is home to around 1,000 different wines from around the world. Around 60% are of French provenance.

Quod is a vibrant bustling space that is the meeting place for locals for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and supper as well as drinks. Various specials, many sourced from our own Rofford farm, adorn the blackboards. Diners can enjoy live jazz every Sunday. Quod restaurant offers the rare luxury of a restaurant with free parking in the middle of the city. There is a spectacular heated terrace where diners can enjoy a morning coffee, the superb value 2 course lunch or a cocktail.

A: Church Lane, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9BY T: 01189 888 500 W: www.lortolan.com

A: Church Road, Great Milton, OX44 7PD T: 01844 278 881 W: www.manoir.com

A: 92 - 94 High Street Oxford, OX1 4BJ T: 01865 202 505 W: www.quod.co.uk

Vouch Offer: vouchoffers.co.uk

Ambassadors Card Offer: b4-business.com

B4 YOU RESTAURANTS

RESTAURANTS

THE OLD PARSONAGE

THE RED LION

THE TROUT

Reopening in March 2014, our restaurant & bar will serve breakfast, elevenses, a great value set lunch, afternoon tea & an all day a la carte menu. The new interior will retain its intimate clubby, bohemian atmosphere with new furniture & an enhanced collection of eclectic oil portraits from the Bloomsbury period. We will continue to serve simple yet innovative, predominately classic British cooking, influenced by the seasons & abundant native produce.

Tucked behind George Street, in between Oxfords main theatres, The Oxford Play House and The New Theatre, The Red Lion Oxford holds the biggest and most beautiful beer garden in the City. Inside you will find cosy corners to escape the hustle of bustle of the shops and tourist attractions. Chef's freshly prepared menus and our carefully selected wines, ales and beers are served all day every day.

Nestled on the banks of the River Thames and steeped in history this 17th century pub is a unique setting to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Our traditional pub building has been stylishly refurbished to make it the perfect place to find a cosy corner and take time out whilst enjoying some of our Chefs' seasonal dishes and our great selection of wines, ales and lagers.

A: 1 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6NN T: 01865 310 210 W: www.oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk

A: 14 Gloucester Street, Oxford, OX1 2BN T: 01865 726 255 W: www.redlionoxford.co.uk

A: Godstow Road, Wolvercote, Oxford, OX2 8PN T: 01865 510 930 W: www.thetroutoxford.co.uk

GOLF CLUBS

FRILFORD

HENNERTON

MAGNOLIA

Frilford Heath is located to the South of Oxford on 500 acres of glorious undulating Heathland and is one of the best venues in the south of England. Rarely can a club offer three championship golf courses that allow the opportunity to revel in their classical or modern challenge! The original Red Course was laid out in 1908 by five times Open champion JH Taylor measured 721 yards less than todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 6915 on its par 72.

You will find a friendly and warm welcome at Hennerton. There is a good balance of monthly club competitions and social golf as well as plenty of time when the course is free for those who just want to play. Hennerton Golf Club was opened by Bernard Gallacher in 1992, when it was a 9-hole course. He was delighted with the beauty of the countryside and the advantages made of the natural variation of the hills and the valley in the design of the course.

Welcome to Magnolia Park, a Golf and Country Club that offers you the opportunity of playing what we believe is one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most challenging and picturesque golf courses. A sweeping championship 18 hole course of around 7,000 yards, constructed to the very highest specifications, our course is suitable for every golfer whether you are a beginner or professional.

A: Oxford Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX13 5NW T: 01865 390 864 W: www.frilfordheath.co.uk

A: Crazies Hill Road, Wargrave, Berkshire, RG10 8LT T: 0118 940 1000 W: www.hennertongolfclub.co.uk

A: Arncott Road, Boarstall, Buckinghamshire, HP18 9XX T: 01844 239 700 W: www.magnoliapark.co.uk

Vouch Offer: vouchoffers.co.uk

Ambassadors Card Offer: b4-business.com

WHY NOW IS THE TIME TO ‘THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX’ Peter Mark talks to B4’s Richard Rosser about his latest business venture into ‘Outer Space’. Specifically, he covers why, when it comes to the need to create extra living, working or leisure space, for many people there can be a much less disruptive, much less invasive, much quicker and much more cost effective way to achieve this. Interestingly, the answer lies in Outer Space – find out why below. So, what is the reference to Outer Space and Thinking outside the Box all about? “It is really very simple. For very many people, our current economic climate brings with it the challenge to create extra living, working or leisure space without the need to make an expensive house move with all the accompanying disruption and inconvenience this can entail. The good news is that whether you need to create a quiet studio or home office, an extra room for children living at home or maybe returning home or a self-contained annexe to provide personal space for an elderly relative, we now have the perfect solution for many people to make the very best use of the space available in every situation and in the most flexible and versatile manner. That’s because the quickest, least disruptive and most cost effective way to increase your usable space is to ‘think outside the box’ of your existing dwelling and take advantage of space that you have available in your garden. That’s why the business is called Outer Space. The resulting outer space created by these outdoor garden rooms ultimately becomes an asset that will last for decades and add value to your home – by becoming an integral part of your home but one which remains sufficiently apart so as not to be intrusive.”

How are Outer Space buildings constructed? “Every Outer Space bespoke timber garden building is solidly constructed using sustainable timber, fully insulated and double glazed and can incorporate power, light, plumbing and any other services our Clients may want. This is because, unlike for example a summerhouse, our bespoke Outer Space timber buildings are intended for all year round use either as a garden studio, office, gym, children’s playroom, music room, granny annexe or spare bedroom. Importantly, each one is architect designed and finished to complement your house and garden. We offer a full end-to-end turnkey service from conception to maintaining the building after completion because all our Outer Space buildings are RIBA Chartered Architect detailed and designed (to an extent that exceeds the building regulations required for current housing) and we manufacture, assemble and install each and every bespoke building. Unlike other suppliers, with Outer Space this includes providing the base, footings and drainage too. Foundations are vital to the longevity of any building and we therefore offer this as part of the project for quality control purposes. Our research into the market has indicated that many of our

competitors tend to pass this vital aspect of the project back to the Client to arrange with local labour. Whilst we understand the benefit to our competitors in this approach, we think that for quality buildings with an expected life in excess of 30 years, our Clients will understand that with foundations being such an important part of the project, this vital element should be controlled and carried out with the same care and expertise as the building itself. Foundations can often be ignored as they are not part of the project that is visible, but if they are not correctly formed, they can jeopardise the quality of the whole project – over time, even if not immediately. Because Outer Space buildings are specially designed and manufactured to meet the requirements of the permitted development regulations that came into force in 2008 and were refined in 2013, they do not, depending on the intended use they will be put to, necessarily require formal planning permission. But Outer Space can advise you on all those issues. From initial contact, each of our Clients has a designated point of contact to guide them through the entire process and there is continual monitoring of each project with a survey completed by each customer at the completion of each contract. This

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B4 PROPERTY

buildings are based on a “ modular and highly versatile design principle that is easily adaptable in order to create a building to meet the individual sizing requirements and specifications of any prospective Client

”

covers items such as service experience at each stage of the project and this feedback is analysed as part of our customer experience training. We do not employ high pressure sales staff – just professionals to listen to your brief and help you achieve your vision.” At Outer Space, we offer truly bespoke products not just bespoke sizing offerings of our own styles or models. “Outer Space buildings are based on a modular and highly versatile design principle that is easily adaptable in order to create a building to meet the individual sizing requirements and specifications of any prospective Client. With our own in-house Architect ensuring that each building meets not only the requirements of the planning and building regulations but also the precise requirements of each individual Client, no two buildings need ever to be the same. On the subject of individuality, there are various additional internal items that can be included, such as toilets - both chemical and traditional, kitchen areas and shower rooms and we also handle the electrical connection of the building to the mains with our fully qualified electrician.

traditional pitched roof and wall finishes to enable the customer to match the existing style of the main home exactly or choose a contrasting style if preferred and all Outer Space roofs have a 10 year guarantee. And to finish things off, we also offer landscaping services to the garden on completion of installation, a service which very few of our competitors offer.” So, are you ready to think outside the box and to begin to explore Outer Space? “If you have a need to create specific extra space, call us on one of the numbers below to find out how a bespoke Outer Space timber building could help you to extend the boundaries of your thinking and provide a versatile and affordable additional room for your home – with the minimum of disruption.” www.outerspaceuk.co.uk The Garden Office, Hillbrow, Coombe Lane, Naphill, Bucks HP14 4QX Tel: 01494 257 482. The Cottage, Audley End Business Centre, London Road, Wendens Ambo, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 4JL Tel: 01799 521 734.

WHAT’S

INCLUDED...? Survey Design Planning Permission Manufacture Base Installation All Services Construction Maintenance

P P P P P P P P

We take care of everything, all for a fixed price, so that you don’t have to.

Externally, we offer a comprehensive range of

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Oxfordshire is guaranteed to get everyone thinking Meet Oxfordshire is the first point of contact for anyone considering the county for a meeting, conference or event. Our services include free venue finding and accommodation bookings.

www.meetoxfordshire.com contact us now call 01865 252799 Follow us on Twitter @meetoxfordshire

B4 NEWS Patrick Maher of Glory Park Business Centre welcomes Beth Sedgwick of M Press Fittings Ltd.

“It is important for any start-up to

have a professional appearance from the outset and with Glory Park Business Centre we have a modern and flexible approach to facilitate our ambitious plans for growth

”

Beth Sedgwick, Office Manager, M Press Fittings Ltd

FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BUSINESS CENTRE: NEW DIRECTOR & CUSTOMER The UK’s leading operator of business and innovation centres, Oxford Innovation, is expanding into Buckinghamshire after being awarded the contract to manage and increase occupancy of Glory Park Business Centre, located near High Wycombe and Beaconsfield. To spearhead its Buckinghamshire business campaign, Oxford Innovation has appointed new Centre Director, Patrick Maher, who brings 28 years property experience to the Centre. This key appointment marks Oxford Innovation’s commitment to quality and support across its network of over 20 centres located in neighbouring counties and across the UK. Chris Allington, Managing Director, Oxford Innovation, comments: “It is widely known that Buckinghamshire has the most entrepreneurs in terms of start-ups established in the UK, making the county a natural fit for Oxford Innovation. We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with existing businesses at Glory Park Business Centre and I’m confident that with Patrick at the helm, we will soon be welcoming many more.” One of Patrick’s first tasks was welcoming Buckinghamshire’s newest start-up, M Press Fittings Ltd, a sales and marketing company for plumbing fittings and pipes. The company started trading and moved to the Centre on 6 January 2014 and is aiming to employ ten people from the local area within the next two years. Beth Sedgwick, Office Manager, M Press Fittings Ltd, explains: “It is important for any start-up to have a professional appearance from the outset and with Glory Park Business Centre we have a modern and flexible approach to facilitate our ambitious plans for growth. The benefits of a serviced office arrangement

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extend beyond meeting rooms, IT, phones and a reception. Importantly, it eliminates any concerns about future costly office moves meaning we can focus on running and growing the business as demand requires.” Glory Park Business Centre is currently home to a range of businesses spanning finance, gaming, recruitment and industrial sectors and provides fully serviced offices varying from a 1 to 20 person office (100 sq. ft. – 1,000, sq. ft.) in addition to virtual or shared offices. Located within an attractive courtyard development, Glory Park Business Centre is just two minutes away from the M40, 18 miles from Heathrow airport and customers can be in central London in less than 30 minutes from Beaconsfield train station, offering the best of both worlds. Glory Park Business Centre is a contemporary office environment with a newly fitted floor comprising of eight additional offices. Business customers can also make use of a break-out area and meeting rooms in addition to many benefits for new and small business owners who are unable or do not wish to commit to a traditional lease. For further information, visit: www.gpbusinesscentre.co.uk

LANCASTER LONDON Standing proudly over London’s Hyde Park, Lancaster London is one of the capital’s most iconic hotels with panoramic views to match. B4’s Editor and family made the short journey from Shepherd’s Bush to enjoy this first class hotel for the second time in as many years. Written by Richard Rosser.

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B4 WIDER

After a day’s shopping at Westfield in Shepherd’s Bush, you just want to relax. I’d spent the day not girlie enough to follow the two girls around and not cool enough to tag along with Ed, the 16 year old. I was in middle-aged limbo. It had even crossed my mind that I might just be lunching on my own, like a coach driver waiting patiently for the other passengers to enjoy themselves. At least the coach driver is getting paid – I was paying for the privilege of my family exclusion. Ultimately we found eachother, purely by chance, like the happy ending of a black and white Saturday afternoon film. The setting wasn’t quite as romantic – I don’t remember seeing Cary Grant against the backdrop of Superdrug, but we were together and made our way to the car park and over to our home for the night. We couldn’t see the kids for bags in the back seat – overnight and that day’s purchases – and as we drew up on the forecourt of the hotel, the porter gulped as he saw not just a family of four but enough bags to rival the most seasoned shopper’s daily spoils. We were ushered to the front desk where we met Claire, who had kindly facilitated our weekend in London, for a tour of the hotel. The hotel’s location makes for the perfect base. Close to the shopping areas of Oxford and Bond Street, the internationally acclaimed West End theatres, not to mention countless museums and key tourist attractions, Lancaster London is almost pivotal. And as I found out the following morning, it’s a great location to go and stretch the legs and give my new trainers a test drive in Hyde Park, which is literally just over the road. For a tailored experience with oodles of character and charm, Lancaster London will not leave you disappointed. There are 416 superb rooms across 18 floors. Guests have the choice of a city or park view, but for the ultimate stay, why not book in to the Hyde Park Suite, the Radnor Suite, the

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Connaught Suite, the Fountain Suite or the Presidential Suite which are all beautifully designed and provide the best views from the upper floors of the hotel. The Superior and Deluxe rooms offer king-size or twin beds, stylish seating areas, and plush bathrooms. All rooms are fully equipped with modern facilities such as air-conditioning, satellite television, mini bars, en-suite bathrooms and power showers. Not widely known are Lancaster London’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) accolades. The hotel has been rewarded with awards such as ‘AA Eco Hotel of the Year 2012’, Considerate Hoteliers’ ‘Considerate Hotel of the Year 2012’ and the Green Tourism Business Scheme’s ‘Gold Star Award 2012’. The hotel is a champion for the humble honey bee, and was the first hotel in London to cultivate beehives on its roof in 2009.

“For a tailored experience with oodles of character and charm, Lancaster London will not leave you disappointed” Equally impressive are the hotel’s wide ranging dining options. In Issue 26 of B4, we reported on the excellent Island Grill which has been awarded the top Three Star rating by the Sustainable Restaurant Association. The modern European menu, created by Head Chef Darren Marshall, features the finest ingredients that change with each season. The contemporary split-level space offers beautiful views across Hyde Park to enjoy whilst dining.

Government for its authentic cuisine. It is renowned as one of London’s best Thai restaurants, with dishes created by the all-lady kitchen brigade managed by Head Chef Nongyao Toopchoi. The service was impeccable and after our day’s exertions (theirs spent buying things, mine spent trying to find them buying things) we polished off at least five bottles……of water! The food was superb and our sharing platter to start a real hit with all of my new found family. Nipa Thai has a classy feel to it but you’re not made to feel as though you need to stand on ceremony….the emphasis is certainly on relaxing and enjoying the occasion, and we certainly enjoyed a special evening in each other’s company. Lancaster Lounge, on the first floor, is the ideal place for coffee and cocktails. The hotel’s proximity to the Peter Pan Statue in Hyde Park has led to the creation of the Peter Pan Afternoon Tea, which includes a selection of fine teas, Lost Boys’ Sandwiches, Mrs Darling’s Scones, and an assortment of pastries and cakes. Lancaster London is one of Europe’s leading and most flexible meeting and banqueting venues. Its conference rooms, which have recently undergone an £11.5m refurbishment, have the ability to cater for all sizes of events, from small business meetings, to large receptions for up to 3,000 people. As a result, this four-star hotel has been voted “Best UK Hotel” in the “Meetings” category by the readers of Meetings and Incentive Travel magazine six times in ten years. The cuisine for all banqueting is provided by Head Chef Richard Partridge. Weekday rates start from £179 per room per night, whilst weekend rates start from £159. Why don’t you make a bee-line for Lancaster London? www.lancasterlondon.com

On this visit we were booked into the awardwinning Nipa Thai, which has received the prestigious ‘Thai Select’ award from the Thai

B4 contacts P

CONTACTS DIRECTORY Advice................................................................................................................................................63 Business Services...................................................................................................................63 Property & Building..............................................................................................................64 Conference, Events & Venues......................................................................................64 Education......................................................................................................................................64 Finance.............................................................................................................................................64 Health & Leisure......................................................................................................................64

ADVICE ACCOUNTING Fish Partnership P Paul Laird Partner t: 01628 527956 w: www.fishpartnership.co.uk Seymour Taylor A Simon Turner Managing Director t: 01494 552 125 w: www.stca.co.uk Harmonea t: 01844 274 808 w: www.harmonea.co.uk

BUSINESS ADVICE Thirdwave A Tony Thomson Managing Director t: 01628 487 912 w: www.thirdwaveweb.co.uk Adhere Training Club A Lisa Butler Training Manager t: 0844 846 3866 w: www.adheretraining.co.uk Business Doctors A Martin Vessey Managing Director t: 0845 219 7077 w: www.businessdoctors.co.uk Splash Resolution Consulting A Jonathan Lane Director t: 07503 891331 w: www.splash-rc.co.uk Mercury Communication & Strategy A Holger Garden Founder t: 01494 722 378 w: www.mercury-cs.co.uk

A M B A S S A D O R

HR.........................................................................................................................................................65 IT & Telecommunications................................................................................................65 Manufacturing..........................................................................................................................65 Marketing & Design.............................................................................................................65 Transport........................................................................................................................................65 Retail..................................................................................................................................................65 The Wider B4..............................................................................................................................65

Quantuma t: 01628 478100 w: www.quantuma.com

Institute of Directors t: 01494 718699 w: www.iod.com

Avocet Investments Ltd t: 01494 726173 w: www.avocet-investments.com

ARCHIVING AND STORAGE

The Compliance Bureau t: 07771 733 788 w: www.compliancebureau.co.uk

LEGAL B P Collins A David Stanning Partner t: 01753 889995 w: www.bpcollins.co.uk Taylor Walton LLP P Ian Riches Marketing and Business Development t: 01582 731 161 w: www.taylorwalton.co.uk Whitley Stimpson LLP P Andy Jones Partner t: 01295 270 200 w: www.whitleystimpson.co.uk Fieldstead Insolvency LLP t: 01296 433 303 w: www.fieldstead.co.uk

BUSINESS SERVICES BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS Buckinghamshire Business First A Philippa Batting Managing Director t: 01494 568941 w: www.bbf.uk.com Federation of Small Businesses A Rodney Mallinson Chairman t: 01628 602 983 w: www.fsb.org.uk

Call us now on 01494 373 183 to join the growing B4 network.

StoreNGo A Minesh Patel Senior Executive t: 07775 702082 w: www.storengo.co.uk The Archive Centre A David Coulton Owner t: 01296 425744 w: www.thearchivecentre.com

BUSINESS SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT Automatic Vending Association A Jonathan Hilder Chief Executive Officer t: 01494 568 960 w: www.ava-vending.co.uk Hunts Office Furniture and Interiors A Egon Hunt Sales Director t: 0845 4000 333 w: www.huntsoffice.co.uk

CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING Partners With You Limited t: 01923 842435 w: www.partnerswithyou.co.uk

CHARITIES Horizon Sports Club A Anita Templar Club Chairman t: 01844 345432 w: www.horizonsc.org.uk Buckinghamshire Community Foundation A Richard Dickson Director t: 01296 330134 w: www.thebucksfoundation.org.uk

RAF Benevolent Fund A Paul Hewson Regional Director - London, Home Counties and South England t: 01296 656 586 w: www.rafbf.org.uk Sue Ryder t: 0800 917 8123 w: www.sueryder.org

SECURITY Risk Management A Security Services Peter Smith Managing Director t: 01494 441 805 w: www.riskmanagementsecurity.co.uk

INSURANCE Chase Templeton A Charles Frost Independent Insurance Consultant t: 0800 018 3633 w: www.chasetempleton.co.uk

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES Grundon t: 01491 839212 w: www.grundon.com

DOMESTIC SERVICES Busy Offices t: 01494 672 233 w: www.busyoffices.net

PROPERTY & BUILDING PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANTS Stupples Chandler Garvey A Michael Garvey Managing Director

Hartwell House A Jonathan Thompson Director & General Manager

Glory Park Business Centre P t: 01494 411300 w: www.gpbusinesscentre.co.uk

CONFERENCE, EVENTS & VENUES CONFERENCES Kents Hill Park Training & Conference Centre t: 01908 358000 w: www.kentshillpark.com

FINANCE

Macdonald Compleat Angler A Melissa Moore Sales Manager

TAX PLANNING Your Money Friends Ltd A Ted Yeates Managing Director

t: 0844 879 9128 w: www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

t: 01235 838542 w: www.yourmoneyfriend.co.uk

West Wycombe Estate t: 01494 524411 w: www.west-wycombe-estate.co.uk

Wealth and Tax Management t: 01908 26 0418 w: www.wealthandtax.co.uk

Chicheley Hall t: 0800 085 1660 w: www.chicheleyhall.co.uk

Flackwell Financial Services t: 01628 525450 w: www.flackwell.org

The Tree Hotel t: 01494 881183 w: www.cadmore.treehotel.co.uk

BANKING

Latimer Place t: 01494 764422 w: www.deverevenues.co.uk/locations/latimer-place.html

EVENT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY The Active Network t: 0207 313 5744 w: www.activenetwork.com

Global Infusion Group Anthony Laurenson Managing Director

Philip Dennis Foodservice t: 01993 700 030 w: www.philipdennis.co.uk

COLLEGES Aylesbury College P Karen Kitchell Principal and Chief Executive t: 01296 588588 w: www.aylesbury.ac.uk Buckinghamshire P New University Phil Wood Head of Enterprise

HEALTH & LEISURE Magnolia Park Golf Club P Mark McGeehan Golf Pro

t: 01494 790 700 www.globalinfusiongroup.com

EDUCATION

Handelsbanken t: 01296 489 892 w: www.handelsbanken.co.uk

LEISURE ACTIVITIES

CATERING SERVICES

t: 0800 0565 660 w: www.bucks.ac.uk

t: 01494 605035 w: www.thamesvalleytraining.com

t: 01296 747444 w: www.hartwell-house.com

t: 01494 460 250 w: www.stuppleschandlergarvey.com

BUSINESS PARKS

Thames Valley Training A & Development David Podger

VENUES

t: 01844 239700 w: www.magnoliapark.co.uk The Sculpture School t: 07810 480884 w: www.thesculptureschool.co.uk Westcott Venture Park Nigel MacKenzie Project Manager

t: 01296 651 888 w: www.westcottventurepark.com The Jockey Club - South West Racecourses t: 01242 537 608 w: www.thejockeyclub.co.uk

HEALTH & MEDICAL DOCTORnow t: 01494 410888 w: www.doctornow.org

PSYCHOLOGIST Dr Lynda Shaw t: 07967 271274 w: www.drlyndashaw.com

Call us now on 01494 373 183 to join the growing B4 network.

B4 contacts HR HR CONSULTANT HR2You P Sarah Morris Owner

First Move Direct Marketing A David Amor Managing Director t: 01494 539300 w: www.firstmove.co.uk

TRANSPORT TRAVEL Chiltern Railways A Rob Brighthouse Managing Director

t: 07789 711997 w: www.hr2you.co.uk

Urban Media A Elton Boocock Founder

t: 08456 005 165 w: www.chilternrailways.co.uk

Right Hand HR t: 0844 880 4582 w: www.rhhr.com

t: 01494 538441 w: www.urbanmedia.co.uk

RETAIL

IT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILM PRODUCTION

DATABASE MANAGEMENT

Adby Creative t: 020 3239 1084 w: www.adbycreative.co.uk

InTouch CRM P James White Managing Director t: 0845 310 9973 w: www.intouchcrm.co.uk

TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES Coms A David Breith CEO t: 01494 561603 w: www.coms.com

MANUFACTURING ARLA Foods t: 0113 382 7000 w: www.arlafoods.co.uk

MARKETING & DESIGN ADVERTISING B4 Magazine P Richard Rosser Managing Director t: 01865 742211 w: www.berkshire.b4-business.com

DESIGN Blink Design & Print P Keith Simpson Senior Designer t: 01865 742211 w: www.on-the-blink.com

MARKETING Strangebrew P Phil Strachan Proprietor

Piers Photography t: 07787 505786 w: www.piersphoto.com Take One Business Communications Ltd t: 01494 898919 w: www.takeonetv.com

PRINTING Advent Colour P Mike Ackerman Sales Director t: 01264 359359 w: www.advent-colour.co.uk Solutions in Ink t: 020 7917 2964 w: www.solutionsinink.com

PUBLIC RELATIONS Esplin PR A Louise Esplin Freelance PR Consultant t: 07775 678237 w: www.esplinpr.co.uk Cirkle A Caroline Kinsey Chairman t: 07774 181610 w: www.cirkle.com Cerub PR A Ceri-Jane Hackling Managing Director t: 01494 461784 w: www.cerubpr.co.uk Noble Word t: 07500 531485

Buildbase A David Grimsdale Divisional Director South East t: 01438 364627 w: www.buildbase.co.uk Coffox Ltd t: 07736 950673 w: www.coffox.tel

THE WIDER B4 Miele Company Ltd A t: 0845 365 6600 w: www.miele.co.uk The Art Room t: 01865 779779 w: www.theartroom.org.uk Reading Football Club Limited P Sir John Madejski Chairman t: 0118 968 1100 w: www.readingfc.co.uk The Bird in Hand Country Inn t: 01628 826622 w: www.birdinhand.co.uk Rhodes House A Martin Gubb Director of Finance t: 01865 270918 w: www.rhodeshouseoxford.com Lady Margaret Hall P Bill Kemp Head of Conference Services t: 01865 611079 w: www.lmh.ox.ac.uk Williams Conference Centre A Brendan Caffrey Conference Centre Manager t: 01235 777900 w: www.williamsf1conferences.com Nominet A Lesley Cowley OBE CEO t: 01865 332211 w: www.nominet.org.uk

t: 07770 753975 w: www.thinkbrandnotbland.co.uk

Call us now on 01494 373 183 to join the growing B4 network.

B4 contacts Bloxham School A Nick Irvine Marketing Director

BDO LLP A Julian Frost Lead Partner

t: 01295 724332 w: www.bloxhamschool.com

0118 925 4400 w: www.bdo.uk.com

Blenheim Palace P John Hoy Chief Executive

Haslams Surveyors LLP P Conrad Hill Managing Partner

t: 01993 810501 w: www.blenheimpalace.com

t: 0118 921 1500 w: www.haslams.co.uk

Become a B4 Member?

Santander A Justin Hayward Business Development Director

Bearwood Lakes Golf Club A Martyn Norris Head of Marketing

CALL US NOW ON 01494 373183.

t: 07809 493563 w: www.santander.co.uk

t: 0118 979 7900 w: www.bearwoodlakes.co.uk

Oxford Fine Dining Sue Randall Managing Director

t: 01865 728240 w: www.oxfordfinedining.co.uk

The Vineyard P Hayden Bowl General Manager t: 01635 528770 w: www.the-vineyard.co.uk

Call us now on 01494 373 183 to join the growing B4 network.

B4 B4 is designed by Blink Design & Print e: studio@on-the-blink.com t: 01494 373183 w: www.on-the-blink.com