B4 issue 47 by B4 Magazine

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’s s re es hi in K ds us e E 24 or B in LIN xf g az OFF O din ag N & a M HIP O Le RS

B4 MAGAZINE I S S U E

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J U L Y

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HEDGES LAW Nikki Poole, Managing Director of Hedges Law, talks to B4 about new offices, new faces and an exciting future.

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www.b4-business.com Contacts If you want to contact B4 Magazine Telephone: 01865 742 211 info@b4-business.com Publisher B4 Magazine is published by Designs On Ltd, PO Box 388, Kidlington, OX5 9EH Chairman Colin Rosser colin@b4-business.com Editor Richard Rosser editorial@b4-business.com Art Editor Keith Simpson studio@hothdesign.co.uk Assistant Editor Lorna Dodson assistanteditor@b4-business.com B4 Events events@b4-business.com Editorial contributors Olivia Lane-Nott Claire Thompson Travel Editor David Gambier Photography/ Videography Rob Scotcher Studio Photography Studio8 Telephone: 01865 842525 Subscriptions For free Subscription, please contact: Telephone: 01865 742 211 info@b4-business.com Each business with an Oxfordshire, Berkshire or Buckinghamshire postcode is entitled to one free copy per issue. For additional copies and for businesses outside of the three counties, there is an annual subscription charge of £25.

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welcome to B4 47 Welcome to the innovation edition of B4 which is full of inspiring and innovative features. But first, welcome to our cover girl, Nikki Poole, a face and name which will be known to many of our readers. In her own way, Nikki has brought innovation to Hedges, a long established law firm in need of tlc and a new way of thinking, both of which Nikki has injected in spades. If you haven’t visited Hedges’ new offices in the centre of Oxford, you can get a sneak preview inside this issue of B4 or, as I am sure Nikki would prefer, why not pop in for a cup of coffee and a chat? Continuing the innovation theme, a wide range of companies develop the theme, starting with OXLEP who talk about the importance of getting social in business. In terms of innovation in the workplace, WILA focus on creating workspace flexibility through lighting and Aston & James ask if your office environment is a reason for losing staff. Read more inside about Oxford Science Park which is the first science, technology and business park to use the ground-breaking geomatics and simulation technology to help visualise the park and new buildings. It wouldn’t be an innovation issue without Oxford Innovation featuring and it’s the turn of Harwell Innovation in this issue who focus on Innovative Healthcare and Innovative Location.

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Meet the Writers

36. Barclays Written by Trevor French

There are also articles from Deliveroo and Reciprocate both focusing on the innovation theme. And finally, Owen Mumford celebrate their Queens Award for Innovation so congratulations from all of us at B4. We have had some great events over the past couple of months, none more so than at Christ Church, which we held in conjunction with Conference Oxford. Thank you to both for your support and for being so welcoming to the B4 network. Business in Oxford 2017 was a massive success at The King’s Centre, with a huge turnout, fantastic speakers, exhibitors and sponsor support. We are already looking forward to BIO2018 so if you would like to be involved, please don’t hesitate to get in touch as we are already taking bookings.

16. Hedges Written by Richard Rosser

As usual, B4 is packed full of excellent contributions from a wide range of businesses so plenty to keep you going. And don’t forget, the much awaited new B4 website is now live. Please do visit at www.b4-business.com and if you’re a member and want to post content, either post away or send to us and we will be pleased to help.

20. Grant Thornton Richard Rosser Editor

Written by Jim Rogers

About B 4 Magazine B4 Magazine was established to provide Thames Valley businesses with a clear voice to raise their profile and to help businesses connect. Direct mailed to nine thousand business decision makers in once every two months, B4 is regarded a leading free distribution business publication in the region. B4 stands for Building Bridges Between Business and that is what B4 helps businesses to do, aided by our first class website at www.b4-business.com, monthly B4 Classic and Masterclass Events. B4 is funded by paid for display advertising and editorial. Underpinning B4 is a membership of over 600 of the Thames Valley’s leading businesses.

92. Examination Schools Written by Kay Miles

news 12 B4 Members’ News 76 News from Helen & Douglas House 90 News from Sobell House Hospice

25 Can Regional Prosperity Continue?: EY highlights the exciting prospects for the competitiveness of Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley.

 26 It’s Time To “Get Social”:

OxfordshireLEP discuss why being digitally savvy is vital for business success.

42 VSL & Partners: The latest commercial properties and news from VSL & Partners. 45 And The Award Goes To...: Howbery Business Park receives coveted ‘Business Park of the Year’ award. 46 The Changing Market: Carter Jonas look at the ‘business as usual’ mentality has prevailed in the rural sector.

lead

49 The Golden Touch: Breckon & Breckon eceive the Gold award at the prestigious ESTAS 2017.

16 The Way We Make You Feel: B4’s Richard Rosser visits Nikki Poole at Hedges Law’s new offices in central Oxford

51 Wallers Estate Agents: Find out about the recent changes and growth this great estate agent has seen.

 53 WILA: A case study of how WILA are

creating workspace flexibility through lighting.

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55 Driving Into The Future: Oxford Science Park talks about their use of 3D modelling and simulation for their new building.

finance 31 Making Tax Digital & Cloud Accounting: Shaw Gibbs talk to us about MTD and cloud accounting, and how it cane help your business.

advice 20 What Makes A Good Leader?: Grant Thornton discuss why leaders don’t need to know everything and how culture trumps strategy. 22 Time To Sell Your Business?: Knights discuss business sentiment in the wake of the recent snap general election.

32 The Cost Of A Cyber Attack: FOCUS LLP discuss how the cost of a cyber attack could put you out of business. 34 Leading The Way To Future Success: An interview with Jonathan Walton, Managing Director of Whitley Stimpson. 36 Five Routes To Exporting: Barclays talks about how exporting offers a chance to find new markets for your business. 38 Your New And Improved Advisor: Wellers take a look at accounting software and how it is shaping the way we deal with finance.

venues

property

92 Oxford University’s Examination Schools: We look at 10 reasons why you should choose an Oxford University venue for your next event.

41 Portfolio & Asset Management: Finders Keepers recognise that landlords with multiple properties require a more tailored service.

95 Malmaison Oxford: This great venue has the capacity to inspire and the flexibility to cater for events of any size.

B4 contents spotlight

events

66 40 Years Of Success: We catch up with Bicester Roofing to find out about the company’s history and plans for the future.

69 Business In Oxford 2017: Read our recap of this fantastic business networking and showcase event.

 65 Queens Award For Innovation:

Owen Mumford celebrates its 65th anniversary and recent wins.

73 Marathon Achievement: B4’s Editor, Richard Rosser, has successfully raised over £1,300 for charity. 74 B4 at Christ Church: Read our recap of the B4 Classic Event which took place at Christ Church in Oxford.

csr  89 Work Experience: Reciprocate &

Blenheim Palace share what hey have learnt with the wider business community.

marketing

James look at Sit-Stand solutions and how they can benefit employee wellbeing.

 83 Deliveroo Editions: Driving the

oxc 58 Young Creatives: Samantha Scarlette 59 Young Creatives: Aqil Akhtar

63 Why The Cloud?: Complete I.T. talk us through the benefits of cloud-based computing for your business.

 78 Stand Up For Your Staff: Aston &

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86 A Classic Case: Strangebrew introduce a business that is a very, very long way from bland.

61 Ransomware: CIS explain just what ransomware is and gives us tips on how to protect ourselves.

77 Fine Dining At The Polo: Oxford Fine Dining recount first class food and refreshments at the Kirtlington Park Polo Club open day.

81 Innovative Healthcare, Innovative Location: The future looks bright for businesses at Harwell Innovation Centre.

84 Time To Spank The Cowboys: Penningtons Manches looks at the new GDPR regulations and how they will affect rogue marketers.

it & comms

services

company beyond delivery by redefining access to the very best food.

corp. life 96 B4 Travel: Join David Gambier of Great Experience Travel for tips and FAQs. 98 48 Hours In...: New York! David Gambier regales us with the best spots to visit in the Big Apple in just a few days. 101 48 Special Offer At Le Manoir: Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons offers exclusive delegate package to corporate guests. 103 Authentic World Kitchen: COSMO brings a choice of fresh food under the same roof and elevate the buffet concept to new levels.

 Innovation B4 Club Member's 105 Contacts 110

New title sponsor for Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials

SsangYong Motor UK will be the title sponsor of Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials for the next three years.

Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, an event owned by the sport’s governing body, British Eventing, takes place in Oxfordshire from 13th-17th September 2017. With the stunning backdrop of Blenheim Place, a UNESCO World Heritage Centre, home of the Dukes of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, it has the most beautiful setting of any sporting event in the UK. “Blenheim is one of the top international horse trials held in the UK, and perfectly complements the SsangYong brand focus on four-wheel drive and SUVs, vehicles particularly suited to those living in the country or who tow a horse box, caravan or trailer,” says Paul Williams, CEO of SsangYong Motor

UK Ltd. “As we prepare to launch our all-new Rexton 4×4 later this year, the timing couldn’t be better; Blenheim will feature prominently in our launch plans,” added Paul. Visit www.ssangyonggb.co.uk for more information about SsangYong UK. Full information about the event and tickets are available at www.blenheimhorse.co.uk

Summer of learning coming to adults in Oxfordshire A celebration of hobbies old and new will be coming to the residents of Oxfordshire this summer, as the county’s top adult learning provider launches its new part-time guide and a range of discounted taster days in July. Hosted at the campuses of Abingdon & Witney College, this special series of low price courses will enable learners to experience a diverse range of workshops and activities for just £5 per course. Russel Paul, Head of Faculty for Community Learning, is looking forward to what is in store for newcomers to Oxfordshire Adult Learning: “We always look forward to the release of our Parttime Guide – providing a course offering for adult

learners that is as strong and varied as our 16-19 offering is very important to us and to improving the skills of the local community. Adults looking to return to education or advance their hobby skills is not a new phenomenon; if anything, it is becoming even more fashionable to get hands-on and grow a practical skill, be it sewing or car maintenance. That’s why we’re thrilled to offer this special event in July. By being able to sample a course for such a low price will hopefully encourage more people to try something new and really enjoy themselves.” You can find out more about adult learning at: abingdon-witney.ac.uk/oal

World’s biggest container ship berths smoothly at Felixstowe The Madrid Maersk, the latest in a long line of record-breaking container ships, arrived on 6 June 2017 at the Port of Felixstowe’s newest quay, its first port of call in Northern Europe on its maiden voyage. As the world’s current biggest container ship (weighing in at 214,286 tonnes, and a massive 399 metres long, with a beam of 58.6m), the Madrid Maersk is expected to set a record for carrying the maximum number of standardsized containers (TEU) on its return leg to Asia. Harwich Haven Authority Pilots and Svitzer Tug Masters used HR Wallingford’s Oxfordshire-based UK Ship Simulation Centre to train and develop the best methods to handle the ship, and determine the limits of the conditions in which it could enter and leave the port safely. Dr Mark McBride, HR Wallingford’s Ships Group Manager, said: “The state-of-the-art Ship Simulation Centre at HR Wallingford provides the perfect platform for the Harwich Haven Authority Pilots and Svitzer Tug Masters to carry out feasibility and design studies for the ever increasing size of container ships. We have developed accurate ship manoeuvring models to simulate close quarters operations, with the Pilots and Tug Masters using the integrated ship and tug simulators for their continued training and development. This level of precision enables us to continue to provide the highest level of service to satisfy the demanding requirements of the container ship industry.” www.hrwallingford.com/facilities/uk-ship-simulation-centre

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B4 Network news One of Oxford’s leading lawyers signs up to take on Austria’s Ironman Triathlon in the name of charity

On Sunday 2nd July, managing partner at Freeths Solicitors in Oxford, Sarah Foster, will be taking part in Austria’s Ironman Triathlon to help raise funds for Cancer Research UK. Over 3,000 athletes from over 60 countries will compete in this most gruelling one day challenge. Sarah will start the

triathlon by swimming 2.4miles followed by cycling 112 miles and then run a marathon that covers a distance of 26.22 miles, all without a break and within a maximum set time of 17 hours. When asked why she decided that taking part in the Ironman Triathlon was a good way to fundraise for Cancer Research UK, Sarah Foster, said: “I’m not a natural triathlete and so I wanted to take myself out of my comfort zone in aid of charity. Knowing that every mile I cover and every breath I take is helping to raise much needed funds for Cancer Research UK will help keep me motivated to complete the event. We are now told that 1 in 2 people in the UK will get cancer at some point of their lives, which is why I want to raise funds for my chosen charity as this is likely to affect all of us (as it does us when we have staff diagnosed with cancer). Cancer Research UK gets no government funding, and relies completely on donations for the research which it does. I hope people reading this will therefore donate, even if it is a small amount of money.” If you would like to donate to Cancer Research UK and show your support to Sarah, please go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising /sarah-foster36 to give what you can.

Enterprise Awards celebrate Oxfordshire’s finest innovators World-leading driverless software firm Oxbotica was one of the big winners at The Oxford Trust Enterprise Awards last week. The awards, which are run in partnership with Venturefest Oxford, recognise and celebrate Oxfordshire’s science entrepreneurs and top innovation businesses. There were prizes for entrepreneurship, pitching, innovation and lifetime achievement. The 2017 event was hosted by Charles Leadbeater, an internationally renowned author and adviser on innovation to governments, cities and organisations.

Oxbotica won the Barclays Award for Innovation, which goes to a company that has spotted an opportunity in a niche market and created a new product that not only meets this need but also benefits society and the economy. Travis Wentworth took home the Triteq Young Entrepreneur Award for his online language school Langu. Simon Harris of ZapGo Ltd won the Marks & Clerk Best Tech Pitch Award and Professor Sir Michael Brady, one of Oxford’s most prolific biomedical entrepreneurs won the Trust’s Lifetime Achievement Award. www.theoxfordtrust.co.uk

Cheltenham Challenge to raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis UK A message from David Green, Regional Account Manager for Laurent-Perrier UK: “I want to thank everyone who has supported me so far, we are now 7 days out from the Cheltenham Challenge and training has been going well. “George is part of LPUK’s stock control team and suffers from Crohn’s Disease, I have decided I want to raise some money to help find a cure. I’m taking part in the Cheltenham Challenge off road

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half marathon on 18/06/2017 to raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis UK and I’d really appreciate your support.” “Donating to my JustGiving page is easy – just follow this link and click Donate: www. justgiving.com/owner-email/pleasesponsor/ David-Green-NZ”.

Porsche Open House Event On Saturday 17 June, Porsche Centre Silverstone welcomed over 150 guests to our Porsche Open House event. On the day, guests took demonstration drives in the model range with a Porsche Driving Consultant from the Porsche Experience Centre. The 718 Boxster was the most popular choice and the beautiful weather ensured that the demonstration drives took place with the roof down all day! The Porsche Driving Consultants explained the features of the vehicles, including the new Panamera, while the guests were able to experience the car on the local roads. After a demonstration drive, there was a chance to go on a workshop tour with Aftersales Manager Mark Cahill. Mark gave an overview of the types of work the Technicians carry out and also explained the Direct Dialogue Bay process, which allows customers to see their Porsche through the eyes

of a Technician when the preliminary health check is carried out. The children’s area on the day included chalkboards and colouring, with a chance to win a set of Porsche Speed Champions Lego. A Football Freestyler showed the crowds some tricks next to the Porsche Approved Pre-Owned line-up and entertained everyone while they ate their lunch. The hog roast

and ice cream were well received in the sunshine! Thank you to the guests that attended the Open House. If you have any enquiries please contact the Centre on 01327 355 911 and ask to speak to a member of the Sales Team. www.porschesilverstone.co.uk

Culture of Oxford and The Local Music Scene

The team at Oxford Duplication Centre have been supporting Oxford’s local music scene for nearly 10 years by offering affordable CD duplication and packaging options.

Oxford is well known culturally as being a hub for musical endeavours. I myself remember many happy memories down The Bullingdon in Cowley listening and dancing whilst enjoying the diversities of the bands. It was this diversity and talking to people who understood what my business offered that lent the idea to support the music scene by offering discounted services on all our products. Rather than making their merchandise themselves, emerging artists come to us and we support them with free artwork guidance and CD authoring, embedding ISRC codes and bar codes. Card wallets and digipacks are very popular. The finished results are stunning. Many musicians supply their own artwork and the designs really look great on these

mediums. The great thing about music is that it embeds itself into our existence. We work hard during the day in our corporate, freelance and business worlds but at the end of the week sharing our time playing or listening to some really great music is a drive. So to those musicians who work in business and who do not know about our company do pop into our office and meet with our very friendly staff and take advantage of our discounted CD disc options. Contact Cheryl-Lee Foulsham on 01865 457000 for more information.

General Election 2017: Business Reaction Jim Rogers, Practice Leader at Grant Thornton Thames Valley, said: “Whilst a hung parliament can create uncertainty, it is also an opportunity for politicians and wider stakeholders to reach out and agree on a set of goals that provide national clarity. “It is in the national interest for politicians to put aside differences and agree some common national principles for addressing the big challenges we as a country face. We know from our discussions

that businesses and other dynamic organisations in the Thames Valley have a huge appetite for collaboration with each other and government to work together to shape a vibrant economy. “All of us have a responsibility – private, public, third sector and communities – to work together and with government and politicians towards this.” www.grantthornton.co.uk

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B4 Network news John Lewis Oxford launches search for local Partners

John Lewis will be welcoming applications for around 300 new jobs, created by its new Oxford shop in the Westgate development, from 23 June.

The retailer is looking for Partners (staff) to fill fulltime and part-time positions within the shop, from sales and services assistants, to visual merchandisers to customer support Partners. As part of John Lewis’s unique Partnership structure, successful applicants will become Partners and coowners of the business, and will receive a host of benefits including an annual bonus, access to holiday and leisure facilities, and opportunities to build skills outside of work. The Partnership offers some of the best opportunities for people to get into work and get on in life, providing Partners with the opportunity to develop their skills throughout their career. The recruitment drive demonstrates John Lewis’s long-term commitment to Oxford. The 120,000 sq

ft shop represents an £18m investment in Oxford by the retailer, and will open alongside other shops at the Westgate Oxford development on 24th October 2017. Julie Blake, Branch Manager, John Lewis Oxford: “Having joined John Lewis at 18 as a Management Trainee, I know how committed the business is when it comes to investing in its Partners and providing brilliant opportunities for career development. Every John Lewis shop has a unique local identity and Oxford will follow this tradition. We always aim to recruit our hard working, enthusiastic Partners directly from the local community and I look forward to meeting the fantastic team who will launch this shop in October.” All applicants for roles at John Lewis Oxford should apply via www.jlpjobs.com.

RH Amar does the double Family Business United is delighted to announce that RH Amar, one of the UK’s leading importers and distributors of fine foods, has been named winner of the Thames Valley Family Business of the Year Award for 2017. It is the second time in two years that the High Wycombe-based company has triumphed in the Family Business of the Year Awards, having taken the same title last year. RH Amar supplies more than 40 brands – including Del Monte, Crespo, Kikkoman, Sacla’, Starbucks and Ella’s Kitchen and its company-owned Cooks&Co and Mary Berry’s brands – to major supermarkets, cash and carries, wholesale groups, restaurants and

independent retailers. Andy Cowie, Business Development Director of James Cowper Kreston, which sponsored this year’s award, adds: “We were delighted to sponsor the Thames Valley Family Business of the Year Award, which has resulted in a great winner ambassador for the sector. “RH Amar is a great family firm in the region with a good heritage and a bright future. Since its foundation in 1945, the company has continued to grow into a leading importer and distributor of foods with strong family values as the heart of all they do. Worthy winners, we look forward to hearing more great things from them in the generations to come.”

www.jamescowperkreston.co.uk

MINI supports Great British Entrepreneurs MINI have joined the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards as a Premium Partner for the 2017 awards programme. MINI has been a sponsor of the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards since its conception, and this year will once again be awarding a brand new MINI Countryman to an entrepreneur to use for six months. Now in its fifth year, the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards has celebrated some

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outstanding entrepreneurs who have gone on to become household names. Previous winners include David Buttress – former CEO of Just Eat, Julie Deane – Founder of The Cambridge Satchel Company, James Watt – Founder of BrewDog and Alexander Solomou – Founder and CEO of TheLADbible Group. The NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards is open for applications and will celebrate entrepreneurship across a number of categories including Innovation, High Street, Start-Up and

Creative Industries. You can enter here: www.greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com.

The Way We Make You Feel In Issue 26 of B4 we met with the bundle of seemingly never-ending energy that is Nikki Poole, Managing Director of Hedges Law, who had just opened new offices in Beaumont Street in the heart of Oxford. With a sense of déjà vu, B4’s Richard Rosser visited Nikki at the firm’s new (well, sort of!) offices in central Oxford. Written by: Richard Rosser

Photography by: Jackie Cross

“So, what do you think?” beamed Nikki as she welcomed me to the new entrance of Hedges on Gloucester Street, just around the corner from the original entrance on Beaumont Street. The new offices, formerly occupied by Breckon & Breckon, are light and airy, welcoming and inspiring. Nikki takes me on a tour of the predominantly open plan space with a fantastic ‘thinking space’ in the basement where team meetings and brain storming sessions take place. A lot of thought has been put into the new offices and at a time when employee well-being has increasing prominence, Nikki has left no stone unturned in considering her team. But aside from the new offices, the new entrance and the stunning new Hedges Law branding, some things never change and it’s the same message that Nikki delivers in terms of the Hedges offering. “We really have given thought to the way in which our legal services are delivered …… for us it’s about providing a service in the way that clients want it delivered, not in the way lawyers want to deliver it! For too long, in my humble opinion, legal services have continued to be offered in the traditional style , by lawyers in ivory towers who seem to think their clients are lucky to have them, and behave accordingly. At the end of the day, we are a service industry, and we’re in the people business: it just so happens that the services we deliver are legal. I just don’t see the need for the anachronistic, high and mighty approach. There’s simply no justification to be stuck up and unapproachable! We should be user friendly, accessible and down-to-earth. But the reality is that as long as there are firms out there approaching law in what I see as a patronising outdated way, then Hedges will continue to thrive.” As a result of the challenges in the legal services market with greater innovation, use of technology, accessibility, a move away from traditional charging models and wider appeal, Hedges has sought to

stay ahead of the trend and has adopted flexibility in approach in order to achieve an extremely high level of client attraction and retention. “Going to see a lawyer used to be like opening a bank account. At your ‘coming of age’, you’d go along with your father to the bank he used, and probably his father before him: it was just expected that you’d carry on the tradition. And not only that, but you stuck with them…for life! But now it’s changed. These days, in any family home, it’s highly unlikely that everyone is banking at the same place. There might be 4 family members with each of them holding accounts at multiple banks. The same is true of law firms: people have stopped having a ’one stop’ loyal approach: they are far more likely to use one firm for one transaction and another for the next. That change in behaviour means that we really have to fight harder at providing a great service for our customers so that they remain loyal, and think of us as ‘their’ lawyer, coming back to us as their trusted adviser each and every time they need legal advice. “ Service standards across the board have suffered from fluctuations and in many cases deteriorated. Take your average shop assistant. There’s no knowledge, there’s no customer care and the numerous times you see staff on their mobile phones when they’re at work reflects their level of enthusiasm for the job in hand…or their inability to detach themselves from the ‘mobile world’. Nikki agrees. “Customers often aren’t getting the service they used to. I think there is more tolerance of slipping customer service levels with the younger generation because that’s what they are used to. Having said that, those who manage to do it well really stand head and shoulders above the rest. “For us, making that difference to our clients is absolutely the key to Hedges and really helps to differentiate us from some of our competitors. We really take the time to build great relationships with

Nikki Poole, Managing Director - Hedges Law

our clients and know just how lucky we are to have them! Retaining customers is as hard as acquiring them _and very precious to us - so service has to be consistently five star. “My number one aim, which we are already some way to achieving, is to create a brand loyalty to Hedges at a time when brand loyalty can flip in an instant. I love flying with Virgin Atlantic; given the choice I wouldn’t book with anyone else. But guess what: their planes have the same number of wings and wheels as other airlines, they fly the same routes and have the same number of seats but it’s their service levels which keeps me going back over and over again: it’s how they make you feel. “By opening up the ground floor space in Oxford with our new entrance and retail-style space. We have created something that’s completely new: a legal showroom, something that no other legal firm in Oxfordshire has. We’ve got a very visible ’shop window’ with a big sign that says ‘come on in’. There’s a fabulous new coffee machine and a relaxing seating area where people can come in, browse our literature and chat with our client concierge. This is a new role we’ve created just for this space: someone whose only job is to welcome people in, chat to them about their possible requirements, offer them a coffee and a few moments to just sit and explore what we can do for them. This really does make a difference. Why shouldn’t we sell legal services like a retail outlet sells clothes? Why shouldn’t people browse and see if they like what’s on offer? Why shouldn’t they be able to come without any pressure at all to ‘buy’ and without a fear of being sold to? I’d like to think we’ve created a really stylish new space: a visible, calm, relaxing and inviting place for people to come into, a place that’s not intimidating but welcoming.” The feedback so far? “Fantastic! Our clients love it and we’ve engaged new clients because of it already, so we know it’s working! “

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Prisca Bradley, Director / Head of Employment - Hedges Law

We are now located “ in one of the best streets in the best cities in the world…so what’s not to love?! I couldn’t be happier.

”

Nikki Poole - Managing Director - Hedges Law

HISTORY Hedges dates back 228 years to 1789, the year of the French Revolution and the year in which Charles Dickens was born. Nikki provides more fascinating facts. “Hedges has been through two World Wars, the industrial revolution, the IT revolution, 63 Prime Ministers, 8 Kings and Queens and has traded over four centuries. It’s seen us go into Europe and will be here whenever it is that we come out again. When I started at Hedges I was working just three days a week and I was only set to do a six month locum placement. But by 2012 I was at the helm of what was then a very different firm. We were very much a high street practice, with offices in Wallingford and Didcot and we did a little bit of everything. “We closed our Didcot office in 2012 and we opened in Oxford in January 2013. I really wanted to look at where we were positioned in the marketplace and find our ‘sweet spot’. Coming into Oxford city centre was a vision I’d had for many years, the seed of an idea that planted itself in my head and wouldn’t go away...but I didn’t voice my idea out loud to the other partners as I knew they’d be risk averse as they approached retirement. They, quite rightly, had no desire to invest heavily in a new dawn for Hedges so I had to think on my feet. I also canvassed the opinion of people I respected in the business community. One former boss I recall in particular sucked air through his teeth and shook his head, telling me it was far too big a challenge for me to take on. That was it, the reason I’d been looking for…..when someone says to me ‘you will never do it’, it just makes me pull my shoulders back, my chin up and say ‘you just watch me!’ “But this isn’t about me proving a point, it’s about taking Hedges to where it had the potential to go. The majority of Oxford’s law firms have moved out onto the ring road in recent years: they’ve grown

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significantly in size, amalgamated and changed their names and to some extent their individual identities. By contrast, Hedges has moved into Oxford, stayed small and manageable in size and retained its name and identity. Although the last Hedges’ family member in the business died in 1983, Hedges still has that family feel. I do see running the firm as a legacy. It’s my job to see it through to the next generation and that’s why, for me, it’s important to oversee the firm’s evolution and keep it safe and in great shape ready to be passed on to the next generation. “We are now located in one of the best streets in the best cities in the world…so what’s not to love?! I couldn’t be happier.”

NEW RECRUITS AND THE HEDGES WAY A new arrival to Hedges, Prisca Bradley, joins the firm this month as Director and Head of Employment, having previously worked at Darbys (now Knights) for ten years, followed by a move to the Midlands. “Prisca is an employment specialist and a prolific speaker in the media. She often features on BBC and is very well respected amongst her peers and clients alike. “Prisca advises a number of Independent schools and some Oxford colleges, as well as many local and national businesses, so will add areal depth to our growing business services team. We see this area of law as a key part of supporting our business and private clients. Hedges was traditionally known for three different areas of law, family, property and private clients. The whole area of business services is a newer area for us but one which is really expanding. We don’t see commercial law as something separate from the kind of law individual clients need: many law firms keep them completely separate. We see the two going very much hand in hand: behind every

business is an owner who has individual and family needs and at the end of the day, its always about the personal relationship. “What I always remind our employees is that our clients aren’t going to remember us for beautifully crafted contracts, or cleverly drafted clauses: they remember us for doing what we’d said to do when we said we’d do it, for responding swiftly to a problem, for calling back before the weekend because we said we would, for being proactive in progressing matters for them. And above all else, our clients may not recmember exactly what we did or said but they will always remember the way we made them feel..”

CONNECTING WITH THE RIGHT MARKETS AND EMBRACING CHANGE Hedges are also connecting effectively with the local student and business communities. Lead sponsors of TEDx Oxford and sponsors of Business in Oxford 2017, Nikki explains why aligning Hedges with events like this is so important for the firm’s profile. “TEDx and BIO2017 were both great events for us. We are keen to cement relationships with both the local student/young entrepreneur and business communities and both events helped us to do that. We know that the student population is transient but many who study in Oxford will stay here post-graduation and work within spin-outs and tech companies in the area and even if they move, we have clients all over the country, and indeed various corners of the world.” In terms of its outlook, Hedges is also very forward thinking, embracing innovation and change. “I don’t think you would look at your average law firm as embracing progress, but it’s key to our development.. We’re a lean organisation, swift on our feet, quick at making decisions so we can get on with the job

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B4 in hand, servicing our clients. Once upon a time our weekly meetings could last the whole day, but now it’s one hour max and we get on with it, the day’s short enough as it is! We’ve got a terrific and talented team who are invested in this business and want to be a part of its success. Vicky Hernandez is a Director and Head of Property and co owns the business with me. Toby Walker is also a Director and Head of Dispute Resolution. Prisca completes the team of Directors and we also have Mike Paton our Non Executive Director who makes an invaluable contribution to the team and provides a vital external view.

a calmness, it’s very strange, being told your days are numbered. The thought of leaving my two boys behind was horrific of course, and my own mother died when I was 8 months old so I knew what that would mean to them. But, there was an odd peacefulness about it so it’s interesting you should ask.”

PERSPECTIVE

So Nikki has new perspective. “Lying in that hospital bed, I thought I’d never ever stress about work again, I’d never shout at my children and I’d never swear at road users, but hey, of course I’ve done all three. But, an experience like I had does give you the ability not to sweat the small things.” I ask Nikki if she is now more intolerant of other people’s problems. “No, I am more tolerant, surprisingly. I do think some need to worry less and get out more but I listen more and judge way less.

Nikki Poole is many things. Energetic, enthusiastic, professional and certainly driven. With teenage children, a craving for competing in marathons and charity fundraising close to her heart, running one of Oxfordshire’s leading law firms completes a well stacked to do list. Dare I say it but referring back to the respected lawyer who tried to warn Nikki against opening in Oxford, could he accomplish half of what Nikki has? I doubt it.

Sadly for Nikki, she never found out the name of the junior doctor who found the right diagnosis and cure for her… she never got to buy him that case of champagne she pictured giving him when she found out the incredible news.

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can achieve and it’s that sense of achievement that helps us to grow as a firm. “We enjoy time out as a team also. We recently went to Ardington House near Wantage for our annual away day. We had great time working together on our core values, and our team strategy… and then after a drink at the local pub came back to do some hilarious pasta and pizza making with a team of chefs, complete with Hedges aprons! Giving back is another important strand of our team values: we donate every penny of our swear fees to a chosen annual charity, and have at least one big fundraiser each year: a team of us are taking part in Trekfest in the Derbyshire dales in September, a 29 mile walk which, believe me, is as tough as a marathon.

RISKY BUSINESS? Having previously referred to the outgoing Hedges partners as being more risk averse in their outlook, I ask if Nikki’s brush with death has made her a risk seeker? “Oh yes, I’m pretty comfortable with a bit of risk! It’s good for business as the rest of the team will ground me but I will be constantly

We really believe in praise “and it’s why we don’t have annual appraisals, we have monthly reviews. That way, we can tell everyone what a great job they are doing and understand how things are going for them.

”

Nikki Poole - Managing Director - Hedges Law

So where does this limitless drive come from? Has it always been there? “I am driven and there are some people who see that as a dirty word. But for me that’s a real positive: I just want to fill my life, and make every moment matter. Having a near death experience can do that for you.” Ten years ago Nikki was dealt the news that all of us dread. “I was diagnosed with terminal cancer and spent five months in the Churchill and then the John Radcliffe. All of my symptoms pointed towards cancer but a junior doctor, working late one night, spotted a cell which blew the original diagnosis out of the water and discovered what was really wrong. I had all the symptoms and I was basically bed-ridden… it was obvious something major was happening to me. I had horrendous fevers and was getting pretty skeletal…it felt like every single cell in my body had been poisoned.” Going back to being told she had cancer and not long to live, I ask Nikki if she felt a sense of relief, in a perverse way, that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, that the pain would be over soon. “You know it’s interesting because people talk about fighting, and ‘battling’ their illness, but there does come a point where you are so ill that you reach an almost inevitable point of succumbing to it. There’s www.b4-business.com

“I’m lucky. I am a ‘glass half full’ person now for sure. I know how blessed I am to be alive and I have a great business that we all enjoy working in. Hedges has some terrific clients and our success belongs to all of us. We have created a team spirit here which is thriving. One of our core values is about creating an inspiring place to work and that’s massively important to all of us. Its true what Steve Jobs said: ‘what you do with your day is what you do with your life’. “One of our core values here is that we actively praise our staff. You know how we all tell our children when they’re small how well they’ve done, we say ’great job’ and ‘excellent work’ to encourage. Once we’re grown-ups however, it’s a different story, in a work environment, the norm seems to be criticism over praise. No one knows how they’re doing unless they’ve done it badly!. We really believe in praise and it’s why we don’t have annual appraisals, we have monthly reviews. That way, we can tell everyone what a great job they are doing and understand how things are going for them. It’s essential for us and for the team – we both learn so much and it’s the perfect opportunity to reinforce our values. If there are problems, we can nip them in the bud. We give goals to all members of staff which they

pushing them. I think we have a great balance. I am endlessly optimistic and very positive but I do need to be reigned in occasionally! Vicky will push aside the big ideas and ask me to present her with the facts, Toby’s a great thinker, and Mike holds my feet to the fire on our values…so between us we usually come up with the best way forward!” The approach is working. With a thriving practice and a positive outlook for the future, Nikki Poole has certainly hit on the formula for success. Having said that, I think many of you will agree, she should value herself significantly more than a case of champagne!

 hello@hedgeslaw.co.uk  01865 594 265  www.hedgeslaw.co.uk 19

What makes a good leader? Jim Rogers, practice leader at Grant Thornton Thames Valley, on why leaders don’t need to know everything and how culture trumps strategy

In a business landscape that’s evolving rapidly, the traditional top-down approach to leadership is fast becoming old hat. Here in the Thames Valley, where we have such a large proportion of technology businesses, change is happening at a quickening pace. Dynamic leadership has never been more important. In my role as a business advisor, I’ve been lucky enough to meet hundreds of incredibly talented managers and directors from some of our region’s most interesting businesses. From ambitious tech start ups, through to established family-run food businesses and listed corporates, one thing that unites all of them is recognition that those with their names on the door have a responsibility. Not just to the bottom line and shareholders, but to shape the entire culture of their organisation. So what steps can leaders take to stay relevant and influential?

Be open While leaders of a business often tally the most years of experience, they shouldn’t be expected to know everything. The key is to know how to find information and build a trusted team who can share their knowledge and skills. In my experience, great leaders are always learning and have the most varied diaries. They shouldn’t stay confined to only meeting people from their own company or industry. Take time to volunteer with sixth formers to understand the needs of our next generation of employees, attend networking events outside of your local area or in a completely different sector. It’s important to be challenged to think differently and this only comes by being open minded and broadening your experience.

One size doesn’t fit all Everyone has their own leadership style and that’s

a good thing. But the type of leadership can also depend on the stage of the business; where it is on its growth journey and how large the team is. Depending on the business size, you’ll need different strategies to take people along with you. For instance, small businesses can run on the vision of one person, who can feasibly interact regularly with everyone on the team. But when the business grows to more than about 50 people, this can become trickier and a well thought-out management structure is key.

Invest in developing other leaders Of course, it’s not just your own development as a leader that needs to be considered. Building a team of other strong leaders around you is key and this requires investment in time and training. The Cranfield School of Management recently joined forces with Grant Thornton to develop a new two year part-time leadership programme which can be funded by companies using the Apprenticeship Levy funds. Integrating academic theory, commercial insights and practical application, the programme supports government efforts to add managerial skills to business across the UK. A recent survey by the Chartered Management Institute, for instance, found that around 70% of organisations fail to train first time managers effectively – even while well trained managers and leaders saw an on average 23% increase in organisational performance and a 32% increase in people performance.

sense of purpose and feeling that they are making a difference. Autonomy is key and my advice is that decisions are best made in smaller teams who are closest to the work, rather than all going to the top.

Give yourself space to think It’s really easy in the day to day running of a business to get swept up in the detail. Are targets being met? Is the team well resourced? Are there new routes to market that should be considered? When you’re working in the same office day in day out, it can sometimes be difficult to get perspective and see the bigger picture. It’s something we’ve looked to help our clients – and the wider community – with, through the PowWow space in our Oxford office. This modern, flexi working environment was created to help give people space to think, away from their usual desks. It can also accommodate meetings, presentations, external networking and workshops. Giving yourself space can also mean getting a fresh, outside perspective on your business and its journey. We regularly host the Grant Thornton CEO Room with senior leaders to help give them bespoke advice. So far, we’ve helped more than 50 leaders across the region in this way. For more information on Grant Thornton’s PowWow office space contact PowWow.Oxford@uk.gt.com

Meet the needs of millennials In the old days, business ideas came from the top and took a long time to filter through to the whole organisation. Nowadays, it’s clear that the best business cultures are created when people feel a sense of ownership. Research has shown the extent to which millennials in particular are driven by a

 jim.n.rogers@uk.gt.com  01865 799 938  www.grantthornton.co.uk

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advice

course, it’s not just your “ownOfdevelopment as a leader

that needs to be considered. Building a team of other strong leaders around you is key and this requires investment in time and training

”

Jim Rogers - Grant Thornton

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Deliverability of a “deal is becoming

increasingly more important than value. Time is money, so it is important that vendors perform their own due diligence on buyers.

”

Ellen Moran - Senior Associate, Knights 1759

IS NOW THE RIGHT TIME TO SELL YOUR BUSINESS? Business owners and SMEs across Oxfordshire are poised for the outcome of a snap general election just months after the government triggered Article 50. Written by: Siân Champkin corporate partner for Knights 1759

Will this affect the current economic forecast, especially for those businesses looking to sell in the next few years? Siân Champkin, corporate partner and Ellen Moran, senior associate for Knights 1759 offer support on corporate matters to SMEs and owner managed businesses in the region. The team answer your questions on the current market discussing the best way to prepare for a sale, how to sell and what family-owned businesses need to consider. How is the current economic climate shaping the corporate market? Siân said: “There is a perception that, given the current economic uncertainty, now is not necessarily a good time to sell a business. But in fact, it’s a great time. Private-equity investors have cash to invest and are hungry for acquisitions. Overseas corporates are keen to get a foothold in the UK and are now able to take advantage of the devaluation of the pound, putting vendors in a position to command higher prices from buyers.

Entrepreneurs Relief is creating further opportunities for vendors who can extract their proceeds at a 10% capital gains tax, creating a ‘Perfect Storm’ for business owners looking to exit.

Keeping a business in “ the family is not always the right thing to do. Family businesses need to ask themselves if the next generation has the skills and experience to run the business.

”

Ellen Moran - Senior Associate, Knights

However, vendors should be prepared for deals to take longer than they did pre 2008. The scope of due diligence has increased and is more onerous. But wellrun companies should have nothing to fear - good systems and processes, no outstanding litigation and a great management team is an attractive proposition to buyers.”

How do vendors prepare for a sale? “Vendors need to become investment ready; this means having a five-year strategic plan in place and factoring in time to resolve any potential underlying business issues. Showcasing the business’ profitability - and more importantly its potential profitability - is key. Owner managed businesses should transfer client relationships on to other key members of the team including partners, sales directors and supplementary management; vendors need to demonstrate the business will not fall apart without the managing director. Deliverability of a deal is becoming increasingly more important than value. Time is money, so it is important that vendors perform their own due diligence on buyers.” explains Ellen. What about family businesses considering a succession-related deal? She adds: “Keeping a business in the family is not always the right thing to do. Family businesses need to ask themselves if the next generation has the skills and experience to run the business.

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advice

l - r: Catherine Mountain, Tome Lowe, Sian Champkin and Ellen Moran

“If family members do not wish to continue running the business, or it is deemed that they are not suitable for the role, then non-executive positions can be an ideal way to keep them involved, but it is essential that good management support is in place. Because of the name and culture often associated with family businesses, there maybe more flexibility during a deal in terms of funding, if parents are prepared to leave more money in the business. However, trade sales often achieve a higher price which creates a much stronger financial position for the family.” Who can you sell to? Siân advises that interested buyers could be a UK or overseas corporate within the market place, or maybe a competitor. “Selling a business to a trade party is likely to maximise shareholder value and is the best option should shareholders wish to exit completely. Typically, there is a transition period for owner managers. Organic growth is tough so acquisitions are becoming a key part of growth strategies and we are seeing

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increasing evidence of this. It is also worth looking at organisations operating in closely-related industries, it may just be that if they can get access to one of your customers it will open up a whole new channel to cross sell their services,” Siân said. How healthy is the management buy-out (MBO) market? “Management buy-outs are happening in ernst again; private-equity houses have significant funds to invest, an increasing number of high-net worth individuals are looking to invest into businesses and there has been an increase in asset based funding - Knights 1759 is consistently seeing lending multiples at two times EBITDA in the current market. MBOs can be more complicated than trade sales particularly, where private-equity parties are involved and due diligence is certainly more rigorous than it was in the past. But MBOs preserve the heritage of the business and give business owners the comfort that employees will be looked after.

in the market and the opportunities it presents for businesses considering to sell. Reviewing all potential options before making key decisions can ensure the best possible outcome for business owners and shareholders for the future,” said Siân. Find out more about Knights 1759 at: www.knights1759.co.uk or join the conversation @Knights1759.

   

sian.champkin@knights1759.co.uk 01865 811 700 www.knights1759.co.uk @Knights1759

Finally, businesses across the region can be confident

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Can regional prosperity continue without a plan? EY’s region and city economic forecast highlighted the exciting prospects for the competitiveness of Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley, with the region expected to grow ahead of the UK average in terms of Gross Value Added (GVA) until 2019. Reading is set to be the UK’s fastest growing city during this period, with annual GVA of 2.5% – growing faster than London’s 1.9% GVA and the Thames Valley’s 2.1%. Reading is also set to experience the fastest employment growth of all UK cities, with 0.9% growth and 3,000 more jobs by 2019. Written by: EY’s Oxfordshire team

However, although Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley may have a long-term track record of doing well in terms of its competitiveness as a UK region, it has done so without having a conscious plan. It’s clear that we are living in unprecedented times, with the UK entering into Brexit negotiations and

devolution deals supporting regional growth and economic rebalancing – all of which offer an unprecedented opportunity for the region to build a successful modern economy that is competing on the world stage.

We have spoken to numerous local businesses across the Thames Valley and more than 1,000 businesses across the UK about their future plans, in particular what they are doing to get ready for change. Three factors consistently arise:

Talent

STEM Collaboration

International Trade

We have significant skills shortages and need any new immigration ‘system’ to ensure that we can recruit the skilled labour that is needed to fuel growth. More broadly, we see an opportunity for organisations of all sizes and maturity levels to fundamentally revisit their approach to talent identification and planning to create operating models that can flex to changing market conditions and automation.

It is vital that our universities have sustainable funding models for research and are able to attract and retain the very best talent. We need to work closer with various bodies to ensure that future needs and opportunities are understood, planned and nurtured across our schools and colleges so that there is a clear school transition process from education to the workplace across the region.

We need the ability to trade competitively and easily within the EU, but also any changes to our relationship with the US could be a real boost (or detractor). We must provide a strong and consistent message to government and ensure that we sustain recent levels of collaboration across a number of governmental steering groups even when negotiations inevitably become uncomfortable.

The need for an integrated growth strategy The Thames Valley needs an integrated growth strategy articulating the region’s priorities and plans to respond to not only the macro-economic and political shifts, but also, the disruption to business caused by digital and other technological and scientific developments. Broader challenges that need to be mitigated span ‘three C’s’ – cost, congestion and complacency.

The first two are largely self-explanatory and the third is one we cannot risk as a business community or indeed the wider UK as a whole – we need a Thames Valley that continues to outperform. EY is undertaking an initial study to understand the strengths, weaknesses and outlook of the Thames Valley across five pillars that we believe outline the region’s priorities for an integrated growth strategy.

This plan should be formed in partnership with government, third parties and the local business community, all of which are individually doing great things to put Thames Valley on the map. Now is the time for local businesses to collaborate and create a unified plan in order to sustain the region’s growth and compete on the world stage.

Economy

People

Infrastructure

Quality of living

Investment and innovation

Governance

Contact the EY Team We are keen to discuss and enhance our approach with stakeholders across Oxfordshire so that your voice, energy and insights are placed at the heart of a much needed unified story and compelling investment case for the future health and success of the region.

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 dbirch@uk.ey.com (David Birch) jgiles1@uk.ey.com (Jessica Giles) drutherford1@uk.ey.com (David Rutherford)  www.ey.com

It’s time to ‘get social’ in business Why being digitally savvy is vital Few people even noticed social media when it first raised its head around twenty years ago. However, since the major platforms like Facebook and Twitter first appeared less than 10 years ago, it has simply exploded. People first used it amongst friends, but today it is valuable to businesses too. So, how are Oxfordshire’s businesses using social media? Is it as widely used as we think? And what is stopping businesses from engaging? Written by: Lisa Norgate-Barnes Photography by: OBS

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B4 Most small businesses would agree they are probably not doing as much as they should with social media. Most often they’re holding back simply because they don’t know much about it or don’t feel sufficiently confident about leaping in. Yet, there are plenty of businesses in Oxfordshire which have seen the direct benefits of effective social media campaigns. They have found audiences they were struggling to reach, increased leads and made sales. Done well, social media can be a hugely cost-effective marketing tool for your business. At a series of Facebook Roadshows, run by Oxfordshire Business Support (OBS) - the growth hub service provided by the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) - it was clear just how many new businesses have still not embraced the potential of social media in their marketing. Others are using social media platforms, but aren’t all using them to their full potential. In fact, over a third of the enterprises surveyed at the roadshows more than a third had not started using social media at all. For many it is a change in approach these social channels represent that seems to be an obstacle. There are far more conversations and exchanges

Oxfordshire Business Support is offering a series of free workshops to support start-up and growing businesses in the county. As part of this series some of the workshops focus on digital marketing for businesses.

advice 

way. Social media is not only about you posts or how many people have ‘liked’ your site or your content. Above anything, social media is about engaging. And to do that you really have to know your customer.

These digital marketing workshops will focus on two key areas:

Justin Jackson, from Digital Remit, is one of the associates delivering the OBS digital marketing workshops for start-ups. Justin says,

Firstly, to understand that social media is just another marketing tool, and despite the media hype it is not the answer to everything for everyone. Like all your marketing tools some simple questions need to be asked first:

“Digital is a game changer for start-ups: it really does allow fledgling companies to build a brand, reach new customers, and engage with their fans in a way that wasn’t possible even a few years ago – and at very little cost.

Who? The most fundamental question in marketing is who are the people you want to reach?

What? What am I saying to these people? Does my message resonate with them?

Where? Which is the best social platform to reach my target market? Is it Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter?

“Yet it needs to be done right – there’s much more to it than sending a few tweets or posting to Facebook. And it’s precisely that sort of business focused, strategic advice that our start-ups get when they come to the marketing workshops.” Oxfordshire Business Support is the Growth Hub for Oxfordshire and is a completely free service to help start-up and growing businesses. Our role is to help you and your business find the support you need to establish and grow your business.

xLEP

driving economic growth

taking place in social media than most traditional marketing routes. Understanding how to make use of this is critical to success. The big 3 social media channels, in terms of users in the UK, are currently, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Facebook is way out in front with over 32 million users. LinkedIn and Twitter hover around the 20 million users. The new kid on the block, Instagram, has just shy of 18 million UK based users, but is rapidly catching Twitter and is destined to become the third largest social media platform in the UK by the end of this year. What has attracted businesses to the potential in social media marketing is the high levels of activity amongst users. Facebook has the highest number users of any social media platform with an impressive 70% of their 32 million users active on a regular basis. The next highest usage is for Instagram at over 40%. Knowing you should be making social media part of your core marketing activity is one thing. Feeling competent enough to do it is another. Few small businesses have lavish budgets to invest in training and development whether they are start-ups or looking to grow.

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The second major ‘take away’ point from the OBS workshops is how to make effective and efficient

“

Digital is a game changer for start-ups: it really does allow fledgling companies to build a brand, reach new customers, and engage with their fans in a way that wasn’t possible even a few years ago – and at very little cost. Justin Jackson, Digital Remit

Our workshops are designed to bolster your core skills and expand your capabilities to prosper in business. They cover a wide range of business support topics, everything from digital marketing and finance to networking and sales. They will run across Oxfordshire until mid-2019. They are delivered as part of our Elevate Business Support Programme, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). For more information on the workshops and the support that OBS can offer to your business visit our website at: oxfordshirebusinesssupport.co.uk

”

use of the social media platforms. Some platforms will be great for your business, others less so. It is critical for small businesses with limited resources to be sure they’re using the right platforms in the right

 heather.martin@oxfordshireLEP.com  01865 897 181  www.oxfordshirebusinesssupport.co.uk

CLIENT SUPPORT AUDIT ACCOUNTANCY CHARITIES COMPANY SECRETARIAL CONSULTANCY FINANCIAL PLANNING FORENSIC ACCOUNTING MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS PAYROLL TAXATION TRUSTS

OXFORD 30 St. Giles, Oxford OX1 3LE Tel . 01865 559900 email . information@wenntownsend.co.uk CIRENCESTER 5 Gosditch Street, Cirencester GL7 2AG Tel . 01285 659778 email . partners@wenntownsend.net ABINGDON 10 Broad Street, Abingdon OX14 3LH Tel . 01235 548700 email . abingdon@wenntownsend.co.uk www.wenntownsend .co .uk

advice

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Aligning our personal and business goals are one of the first steps towards writing a business plan that you believe in – and one that can actually take you forwards Ian Roberts - Business Doctors

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BUSINESS DOCTORS As a small or medium sized business owner, there are never enough hours in the day. Whether it’s a staffing, finance, IT or customer issue, the buck usually stops with you. Some days can feel like an endless fire fight and you’re the only one holding the hose. When you step back and reflect, you can see that you’re spending the majority of your time working ‘in’ your business rather than ‘on’ it. So it’s no wonder you harbour restless thoughts that your company is not quite living up to its potential. Written by: Ian Roberts

Photography by: www.s8.co.uk

Government figures show that 56 percent of SMEs do not have a business plan. And of the minority that do, the plans are often static documents, filed away, not regularly reviewed and written without the due care and attention they deserved. For the majority of SMEs, a business plan is something they created when they first set up their business or last applied for finance. They were never designed to be a realistic roadmap for growth, but purely served as a tick box exercise in saying the right thing. We all initially go into business for personal reasons, whether they might be to better our wealth, enable us to spend more time with our friends and family, or to make the most of our talents and skills, leading to a greater level of personal fulfilment. Aligning our personal and business goals are one of the first steps towards writing a business plan that you believe in – and one that can actually take you forwards. A real, practical, plan needs to pull together your business’s internal capabilities and match them with the ever-evolving external opportunities. There is no one size fits all when it comes to business planning: a business plan is as unique as a business’s owner. www.b4-business.com

A living and breathing business plan needs to articulate the core purpose, values and vision of the business, not only to give essential direction to you, but as a rallying point for everyone involved in the business. Most SMEs grow organically up to a certain point, without truly understanding the values at their core, never mind embodying them. But when a business reaches a certain stage in its development, a lack of this awareness can be a real stumbling block to growth. A truly strategic business plan – not two sides of A4 hidden away in a dusty file - will function as your own personal Sat Nav, breaking the path to business growth down into a series of practical steps and achievable targets, to move a business forward. It will give your business direction every day and will highlight the critical success factors that will enable you to successfully address all the challenges you face. Business Doctors is a national network of SME advisors, consultants and coaches who work with business to help them to thrive. Having grown and sold on a number of businesses of my own, I have joined the network in order to help other entrepreneurs navigate the obstacles to next level growth.

Feeling trapped within your business! personal dreams buried under your business! Our free 60-minute Business Health check session will start to challenge your thinking and lay the groundwork for a practical plan for you and your business. Your free Business Health Check can be arranged with me, ian.roberts@ businessdoctors.co.uk or by calling 07880 355562. You can find out more about business doctors at www.businessdoctors.co.uk

 ian.roberts@businessdoctors.co.uk  07880 355 562  www.businessdoctors.co.uk

At Alberon we’re all about helping you do what you do even better. We work with you to design and build a bespoke website or software solution that simplifies processes, transforms performance, and gives your business the scope to grow. For more than 10 years, we’ve been making organisations more efficient and profitable. We can do the same for you. For more information call 01865 794009 or email grow@alberon.co.uk

finance

Making Tax Digital & Cloud Accounting

Many scenarios in everyday life have been ‘made digital’ throughout the last five to ten years. Whether it be banking, shopping or music, each have gone through a transformation to bring them up to date with the changing consumer landscape. WRITTEN BY: SARAH GARDENER

In the 2015 Budget, George Osbourne announced that the UK’s tax system was also going through a transformation in a process known as ‘Making Tax Digital’ (MTD). Over time, MTD will come to affect every business in the UK. The initial timeline went as follows:

and NICs quarterly, whilst annual accounts will need to be submitted to HMRC within ten months after the end of the accounting period. There have also been consultations over voluntary pay as you go arrangements for paying tax, but we will have to wait and see for the full components of this.

• April 2018 for reporting income tax by landlords, the self-employed and partnerships. If partnerships are very large then they will be given more time to adjust, as will a number of small businesses above the exemption threshold. • April 2019 for VAT registered businesses to complete their VAT returns through MTD software. • April 2020 for limited companies reporting corporation tax and VAT.

You may be wondering how the introduction of MTD will affect the way you keep your accounts? This will be particularly important for those still recording figures using Excel. Whilst this is not necessarily the end of spreadsheets, if you do use Excel, you will need to do so in conjunction with software in order to meet MTD requirements. HMRC have promised that free products will be available in order to support this, however, the functionality they will offer remains to be seen.

These timeframes have come under scrutiny from a number of businesses who believe that this simply is not enough time for a smooth transition. Philip Hammond did alter the timetable slightly in his most recent budget and it has since been dropped from The Finance Bill. So perhaps there is the chance for a more gradual transition post-election… As well as bringing the tax system forward, HMRC believes that MTD will help businesses to minimise their mistakes. To encourage this, businesses will no longer have to provide information they already have, or information HMRC can get from the likes of banks and employers. Another major change is that businesses will be required to report summary information and expenses, such as VAT, income tax

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This transition to keeping records digitally has created a need for high functioning accounting software that extends further than filing tax returns. The idea of keeping your records digitally or ‘cloud accounting’ can provide businesses with a number of benefits. One of the main benefits created by using a cloud accounting system is accessibility. Like online banking, you can update your accounts on the move through multiple devices. This added accessibility also allows you to assess your financial position throughout the year not simply waiting until your End of Year accounts are due. A further advantage, especially to SMEs, is that a well-functioning cloud accounting system can save a business significant costs.

These benefits of cloud accounting and the continued development in the software available has allowed us to completely transform the services we can offer our clients. At Shaw Gibbs, we always try to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to digital. We can help you to benefit from the right choice of software and provide all the relevant training. Our team of experts can review your business’ requirements and make recommendations on which software can help your business to both limit mistakes and identify opportunities. Like all services we offer, we look to maintain a long term relationship with our clients. We understand that a business grows and develops and so do their requirements, because of this we continue to review your service to ensure it remains in-line with your business goals.

If you want to know any further information about MTD or cloud accounting then get in touch below:

 sarah.gardener@shawgibbs.com  01865 292 286  www.shawgibbs.com

What would the cost of a cyber attack be to your business? Cyber attacks are becoming regular headline news -and shouldn’t be ignored. If your company holds data, the cost of a cyber attack could put you out of business. Written by: Nick Jones Photography by: Jacqueline Cross Photography

High-profile cyber-attacks on companies such as Sony have raised awareness of the growing threat of cyber crime. Recent surveys conducted by Symantec and other cyber-security organisations suggest that many small business owners are still operating under a false sense of security. The statistics of these studies are grim: The vast majority of small businesses lack a formal Internet security policy for employees, and only about half have even rudimentary cyber security measures in place. Furthermore, only about a quarter of small business owners have had an outside party test their computer systems to ensure they are hacker proof, and nearly 40 per cent do not have their data backed up in more than one location.

Don’t Equate Small with Safe Despite significant cyber security exposures, 85 per cent of small business owners believe their company is safe from hackers, viruses, malware and data breaches. This disconnect is largely due to the widespread, albeit mistaken, belief that small businesses are unlikely targets for cyber attacks. In reality, data thieves are simply looking for the path 32

of least resistance. Symantec’s study found that 40 per cent of attacks are against organisations with fewer than 500 employees.

The vast majority of “ small businesses lack a

formal Internet security policy for employees, and only about half have even rudimentary cyber security measures in place

”

companies have a family-like atmosphere and put too much trust in their employees. This can lead to complacency, which is exactly what a disgruntled or recently sacked employee needs to execute an attack on the business. Other attacks could come from failures in technology and processes. According to the 2013 Information Security Breaches Survey released by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), 65 per cent of small businesses were attacked by an unauthorised outsider in the past year. The survey also found that nearly 50 per cent of the worst breaches were caused by inadvertent human error.

Attacks Could Destroy Your Business

Nick Jones - FOCUS Oxford LLP

Where is the Attack Coming From? Outside sources like hackers aren’t the only way your company can be attacked—often, smaller

As large companies continue to get serious about data security, small businesses are becoming increasingly attractive targets—and the results are often devastating for small business owners. The cost of an individual security breach can vary, depending on the type of data compromised and the amount of data taken. However, cyber attacks can www.b4-business.com

finance

many businesses “continue to put off

making necessary improvements to their cyber security protocols until it is too late because they fear the costs of security would be prohibitive

”

Nick Jones - FOCUS Oxford LLP

cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, and most small businesses don’t have that kind of money lying around. Businesses are required to keep personal and sensitive data safe in order to comply with the Data Protection Act, and violations of the Act can result in substantial sanctions from the Information Commissioner. However, many businesses continue to put off making necessary improvements to their cyber security protocols until it is too late because they fear the costs of security would be prohibitive.

10 Ways to Prevent Cyber Attacks The BIS survey found that 83 per cent of small businesses believe security is a high priority, but that many find it difficult to keep up with the constantly changing risks and to know what actions to take to mitigate those risks. Even if you don’t currently have the resources to bring in an outside expert to test your computer systems and make security recommendations, there are simple, economical steps you can take to reduce your risk of falling victim to a costly cyber attack:

1. Train employees in cyber security principles.

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2. Install, use and regularly update antivirus

10. Regularly change passwords.

Your Emerging Technology Partner

and antispyware software on every computer used in your business.

3. Use a firewall for your internet connection. 4. Download and install software updates for your

operating systems and applications as they become available.

5. Make back-up copies of important business data

and information.

6. Control physical access to your computers and

A data breach could cripple your small business, costing you thousands or millions of pounds in lost sales, damages or sanctions. If you hold data, Cyber Liability cover should form part of your insurance programme. To find out more, contact FOCUS. We have the expertise to ensure you have the cover you need to protect your company against losses from cyber attacks.

network components.

7. Secure your Wi-Fi networks. If you have a Wi-Fi

network for your workplace, make sure it is secure and hidden.

8. Require password-protected individual user

accounts for each employee.

9. Limit employee access to data and information,

and limit authority to install software.

 Nick.jones@focusllp.co.uk  01865 295 295  www.focusllp.co.uk

left to right: Jonathan Walton, Malcolm Higgs and Martin Anson

LEADING THE WAY TO FUTURE SUCCESS

An interview with Jonathan Walton, Managing Director of Whitley Stimpson

Whitley Stimpson is one of the country’s leading independent accountancy firms, with offices in Banbury, Bicester, High Wycombe and Witney. The company, which has been providing financial advice to businesses and individuals for over 86 years, is ranked within the top 100 practices in the country and is recognised as one of the top ten accountancy employers in the UK. This is down to their expertise and experience in accountancy, tax and business advice and their strength in a number of sector specialties. Written by: Claire Thompson, Papa Romeo PR

Photography by: Vic Toplisek, Whitley Stimpson

The company is noted for high service levels for businesses and individuals and provides leading edge, sector specific advice in areas such as education, agriculture and service charge accounting. In April 2017 the firm made fundamental changes to the way the business is managed and brought its network of four offices under the single brand name Whitley Stimpson Ltd. Claire Thompson met with Jonathan Walton, Whitley Stimpson’s new managing director to find out more about what this means for the business.

2016 was a busy year for Whitley Stimpson following its merger with the Witney based Morgan Harris Group, which followed the firms previous strategic shift with a merger trail of accountancy practices in Bicester and High Wycombe. This created a network of four regional offices providing vast opportunities for growth across a wider geographical area, and that of services offered to existing and potential clients. Jonathan says: “Since 1931 Whitley Stimpson has been managed by its directors through a consensus of democracy, with each director having a vote on all aspects of the business, and it will continue to do so. As the business grows, so too does the number of directors, and with 14 directors this can mean www.b4-business.com

considerable debate, which needs strong leadership recognising the needs of everyone and the culture of the firm. “In April 2017, I took over as the de-facto managing director of Whitley Stimpson succeeding Malcolm Higgs, who has successfully steered the firm for many years, and now takes up the position of chairman. “Malcolm’s principal aim as chairman is to manage and to provide leadership to the board of directors of the company. With the ever expanding team of directors, leading the board is an increasingly important role for Whitley Stimpson, a role that requires maturity and an iron grip on the agenda. Malcolm will continue to work with his clients face to face and the new business structure will enable us to provide a better organised service to our clients. “Having studied politics, philosophy and economics at university, and having run a very successful office for a number of years, I’m quite good at recognising issues as they arise: that coupled with my MBA from Reading University, and my MA in Leadership Studies from Exeter University, should hopefully help the business as we move into the next phase of our life-cycle. Having graduated from Oxford University, which boasts it has been educating leaders for 800 years, I know I picked up valuable leadership lessons along the way. ‘’I will be supported by director Martin Anson, who takes the role of finance director, and we will reshape the business putting our people at the forefront, www.b4-business.com

finance

recognising that they are our future. Our focus will be to continue to attract new talent, nurturing them through their professional examinations and anticipating their future development needs, so that they stay with us.” In order to stay ahead of the rapid pace of change, the business introduced a strategically focused management structure with dedicated committees including HR, management and finance, technical compliance, marketing and IT. While this has worked well, further changes were required in order to be agile enough as a larger business to continue to develop innovative strategies for the future. “2017 is a year for Whitley Stimpson to consolidate its position in the market. We have invested heavily in our infrastructure and people and are in great shape to exploit significant market opportunities this year and beyond. Following the mergers of recent years, we will continue to focus on ‘speaking as one voice.’ We have brought our network of four offices under the single brand name Whitley Stimpson Ltd and at the start of the year launched a new, fully-responsive website www.whitleystimpson. co.uk. The new site came about as a result of the growing mobile audience, so being fully responsive now allows users to access the content they require more effectively and across any device. “As we continue to grow, we want to maintain and deliver excellence and consistency throughout. We want to be better organised to deliver value to our clients, as well as creating a great place for our people to work” says Jonathan.

The new site came “about as a result of

the growing mobile audience, so being fully responsive now allows users to access the content they require more effectively and across any device Jonathan Walton - Whitley Stimpson

”

CHARTER ED ACCO UNTANTS AND BUS I NES S A D V I SOR S

 ban@whitleystimpson.co.uk  01295 270 200  www.whitleystimpson.co.uk

“

Barclays is committed to providing support and guidance to exporters and to signpost them where and when needed so you get the right support from the right people at the right time

”

Trevor French - Head of Barclays Thames Valley

We look at five areas of focus when developing your export strategy.

1. Get ready, go Timing and preparation is crucial. It is important that you assess whether your business has the resources and capacity to take on the increased workload and complexity that invariably comes with trading overseas. Preparing to move up a gear by selling goods and services abroad is an intensive process and should not be underestimated. Whilst there are clear benefits to selling into overseas markets, such as growth and diversification of sales, as well as a potential increase in sales prices, be wary of concentrating on overseas markets at the expense of your UK operations. Questions to ask when deciding whether your business is ready for international trade include: • Is your management team committed to trading overseas? • Does the leadership team have the capacity,

or bandwidth, to step away from day-to-day operations and focus on an exporting strategy? • Have there been in-depth discussions about the challenges?

Verify your potential business partners have the financial strength, and are legitimate and reputable, by using a credit record search or trade & credit information (TCI) enquiry through your bank.

2. Find the right partners

3. Risk mitigation

Exporting means you need to find the right trading partners in the right countries. You can make this process easier by working with a UK Government agency such as DIT. For example, the DIT’s website, great.gov.uk provides access to live export opportunities from overseas businesses looking for products and services from the UK. It can help you access the right international contacts or partners, find the best way to do business in a market, and achieve a successful market entry strategy. DITorganised trade missions can also be a sensible route to meeting potential trading partners.

Buying and selling across borders can mean navigating complex foreign exchange controls. Fluctuating currency rates of exchange can also be treacherous for the unwary. When trading, margins can frequently be as thin as 4% or 5%, and such margins can be wiped out by a sudden adverse currency movement.

Undertake thorough due diligence on suppliers as well as end buyers. Check suppliers have the capacity to deliver the goods and services they promised, and, at the quality and in the quantity they claim is possible.

Most risks associated with currency volatility can be managed by establishing a robust foreign exchange policy. To mitigate the risk of non-payment, you could consider selling using Letters of Credit, a bank guarantee of payment, or look at Credit Insurance cover, available through many reputable insurance companies. The UK Government has also ensured assistance is

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B4 B4 finance venues

Barclays

Five routes to exporting For a business that is ready to grow, exporting offers a chance to find new markets and new customers on a much larger scale. It allows you to take advantage of benefits you can’t find at home, such as lower costs of production and economies of scale. Written by: Trevor French Photography by: Binky Nixon Photography

available through UK Export Finance (UKEF), who provide a range of structures to support exports.

4. Concentrate on cashflow Global trade takes time and with that comes cashflow risk, which can be a major concern for an exporter. Exporters are usually required to manage a longer trading cycle than those businesses that are focused solely on the domestic market. Often overseas buyers demand/take longer credit terms, which, because an exporter’s cash conversion cycle becomes extended. This is often underlined by the need for earlier purchases of raw materials through to offering longer credit terms to end buyers. The often-seen higher working capital requirement usually means that increased financial support is needed such as Letters of Credit (LCs).

5. Logical logistics Logistics remains a key issue for both buyers and sellers; the process of moving goods between the two parties has strong implications for risk, cost and insurance. For example, if your buyer decides they no

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longer want to accept a shipment of your goods or services that have already been despatched, it may result in managing a complex logistical situation in a country you are not familiar with. Logistics should therefore also be part of the initial export planning process.

at the right time. To discuss your export ambitions in more detail contact Trevor French, Head of Thames Valley, Barclays.

Issues to consider during your planning include: • When exactly will the title of the goods be transferred? • What are the Customs and excise requirements in the UK, as well as the destination countries? • What is the best mode of transport for moving the goods, and which logistics partner can safely and securely deliver this? Can they handle, and comply with, any port regulations in the overseas markets? • What documentation is required by the relevant authorities in both the UK and in those overseas markets? • Are sanctions or embargoes are in place in your relevant export market? Barclays is committed to providing support and guidance to exporters, signposting them when needed to get the right support from the right people

 trevor.french@barclays.com  07917 426 547  www.barclayscorporate.com

The views expressed in this article are the views of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Barclays Bank PLC Group nor should they be taken as statements of policy or intent of the Barclays Bank PLC Group. The Barclays Bank PLC Group takes no responsibility for the veracity of information contained in the third party guides or articles and no warranties or undertakings of any kind, whether express or implied, regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information given. The Barclays Bank PLC Group takes no liability for the impact of any decisions made based on information contained and views expressed. Barclays is a trading name of Barclays Bank PLC and its subsidiaries. Barclays Bank PLC is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register No 122702). Registered in England. Registered number is 1026167 with registered office at 1 Churchill place, London E14 5HP. + Please note: this is a mobile phone number and calls will be charged in accordance with your mobile tariff.

Accounting software - your new and improved advisor? Throughout history technology has replaced human beings. It started in agriculture when horses first took over from people, only to then be replaced by machines. In time human labour was substituted for robots in sectors such as engineering because machines maintain far higher levels of physical productivity for longer. Written by: Debbie Austin

This technological shift hasn’t been limited to automated components; software programmed by humans has been replacing people in process driven office tasks. It’s an economic revolution that’s disrupting the business world. Take online accounting software which has changed how bookkeeping and financial reporting work. Given the trends of digitisation and the disruption this has caused, you may be forgiven for wondering, will your SME ever need an accountant again?

The traditional reliance on bookkeepers & accountants Historically accountants would prepare and assimilate large amounts of data. This meant sifting through boxes of receipts that they could eventually build paper ledgers from. They would then crunch the numbers to deliver management reports along with year end accounts – usually long after the period to which they related to. This information was for business owners and management teams to analyse so that they could better understand income, expenses, budgets and of course, profitability. The whole framework and operation of a private enterprise was thus very reliant on the processing of old data by accountants to produce effectively out of date reports.

How software changed things for business owners Over the last 30 years, accountants have been reacting to changes brought about by software. This first came in the form of spreadsheets and then evolved into specific applications through early providers such as Sage and Quickbooks. It represented the beginnings of a sea change in the industry, software advancements determined that financial information could be input into a system as transactions occurred. Computer processing developments meant as long as the data was available and the rules were established, customised reports could then be produced at the press of a button. Technology has subsequently become more connected via the internet, creating a rise in cloud and online accounting software (www. wellersaccountants.co.uk/blog/how-to-go-aboutfinding-the-right-online-accounting-software) – eliminating the need to visit a high street store to purchase off the shelf products. Consequently businesses no longer need to acquire, maintain and protect their data and hardware as this is handled by the provider on their behalf. Then factor in the rise of mobile internet via phones

and tablets; you can see why so much business is conducted in the cloud and on the move. Software has also become increasingly tailored to the users needs in the form of personalised apps and that’s great news for business owners. You no longer need to wait on your accountants to prepare and present information. Instead your business is freed up of time consuming financial processing so you can: • Update your records while on the move • View business income, expenditure and budgets instantly • Access financial data and reports wherever you are • Manage your cash position via credit control (www.wellersaccountants.co.uk/blog/how-toprevent-late-payment-with-credit-control) and issue/chase up invoices • Reconcile your accounts with the business bank account in real time • Have confidence that your financial reports are more accurate with a lower margin for error

What your accountant should have evolved into Is this the death of the accountant? Far from it. The processing tasks that made up much of the traditional work have by and large become redundant. Instead www.b4-business.com

the role is about reviewing in terms of screening and checking data submissions. • Why? Many business owners aren’t trained bookkeepers (even if they are they probably won’t have the time for it), so they won’t necessarily know where to enter the transactions under the various headers. This is both rudimental and essential work in building a picture of your organisation’s financial performance. Critically, software places far greater emphasis on the need for a skilled advisor. You see accountants counsel numerous clients of varying sizes in different sectors. Their role sees them involved in many important elements of the day-to-day workings of these organisations. It means they should understand their clients operations, profit margins, objectives and the issues they face. Most importantly accountants will comprehend much of what does and doesn’t work having acted for so many businesses over the years. This experience means they are well placed to: • Analyse the performance of the business from a historical (trailing) and future (forward) perspective • Attend board meetings to bring the numbers to life for the management team and shareholders • Examine how various growth strategies and www.b4-business.com

•

• • •

investments can be funded given the financial position of the business Draw upon their experience of advising clients in similar industries and circumstances to relay what historically proved successful Educate clients as to economic developments, what they mean for the business moving forward along with industry specific regulation and tax reliefs Inform and plan around changes to the tax code Assess where cost efficiencies can be achieved Recommend where your financial systems and controls can be improved

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As an example, AI can mine your customer data for insightful reporting purposes. Specifically, the customers where most of your income is coming from, who the best paying ones are, debtor days per customer and many other parameters. Such intelligence can then help you in better managing those relationships. The possibilities are vast! We live in exciting times of technological change. On that basis, you need to make sure your accountant shares that philosophy in their working practices. Otherwise this essential relationship could prove detrimental to the performance of your business in the medium to long term.

For early stage businesses with growth aspirations, those expanding or likely to scale, the relationship with your advisor is vital and should comprise of the above.

The future Advances in software via artificial intelligence (AI) are set to further transform the way we work and live. Huge data sets can be processed, analysed and turned into reports customised to specific audiences. Some of the companies at the forefront of these developments include Quill, IBM’s Watson and Arria NLG here in the UK. The applications for AI are vast and will lead to significant advancements in healthcare, marketing, customer service, finance and law.

 debbie.austin@wellersaccountants.co.uk  0333 241 6000  www.wellersaccountants.co.uk 39

Smart Wireless Lighting – simple, wireless, intelligent. The intelligent lighting management system for individual lighting solutions from WILA is the easiest wireless lighting control technology in the market. Hereby collaborates WILA with its technology partner Casambi, who were awarded for their system technology as a „Control Product of the Year 2016“. Thus WILA customers worldwide can benefit from the highest lighting and operating comfort. Compared to standard lighting systems Smart Wireless lighting from WILA based on Bluetooth Low Energy reduces installation, energy and commissioning costs. Through eliminating additional control lines, as needed for DALI or DMX solutions, wiring costs are being reduced and system extensions or changes are possible without any cabling. Easy Planning, Easy Commissioning and Customizing and Simply Better System Technology For all details about Smart Wireless Lighting from WILA, please visit our website. www.wila.com @WILA_lighting #TrustWILA A Member of the Nordeon Group

property

Portfolio & Asset Management: Top Fund Flourishes Finders Keepers has decades of experience in the Oxfordshire property market. Our team’s knowledge and skills have resulted in Finders Keepers becoming the number one letting agent in the county. This experience permeates every part of the property lifecycle from investment and refurbishment to letting and management. Our Portfolio and Asset Management division was created from the recognition that landlords with multiple properties require a more tailored service. Written by: Frank Webster Photography by: Tim Hall Photography

A few years ago we were approached by an offshore investment fund looking to secure a long-term residential investment in North Oxford. They were keen to establish a diversified portfolio and were initially planning to invest between £4m and £7m. After receiving the brief, we quickly identified several exciting development opportunities through our links with local agents and developers. We then arranged a ‘tour’ for the clients’ fund managers, backed up with full supporting documentation, yield calculations and due diligence reports. During this first phase of the investment, we successfully acquired a number of individual properties, ranging from new-build apartments to prime North Oxford family homes. Each was either purchased off-market or had been quickly identified as a potential acquisition. Where necessary, a budgeted programme of improvements and furnishing was prepared and approved. Meanwhile, our letting teams across our network of offices were briefed and marketing plans were prepared for each acquisition to ensure minimal voids. Once this first stage was successfully let, and an income-stream established, our client happily instructed us to prepare a second phase of acquisitions. For stage two, we identified an exciting

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large development site close to the new Oxford Parkway rail station (the first new station linking a major city to London for more than 100 years) before a brick had even been laid in the ground! The

“

We have used the Property Search service of Finders Keepers several times. In all cases we have been delighted with the results in terms of rental income and capital appreciation, and with the attention to detail and superb follow-up. As an overseas investor we rely entirely on the expertise and unrivalled local knowledge of Finders Keepers in identifying suitable projects for investment. From purchase to completion, project management, furnishing and fitting out through to letting and accounts administration all has been handled reliably and professionally.

”

International Property Investment Company

project comprises a mix of apartments and houses; we undertook the negotiations with the owner/ developer and agreed terms. Due to the great success of the fund’s Oxford residential investments – both in terms of yield and capital growth – we have since acquired another development in Kidlington, which is a small block of seven apartments. We understand that your goal is to maximise value, reduce cost and thereby increase return from your property investment in Oxford. With Finders Keepers Portfolio and Asset Management you don’t have to be the property expert. We can remove the pressure of managing a property portfolio, giving you more time. For more information on how we can work with you, contact Emma Barron-Malone below.

 portfolio@finderskeepers.co.uk  01865 302 333  www.finders.co.uk

4 COURT FARM BARNS Tackley, Oxfordshire TO LET 1,392 sq ft First floor offices in this courtyard office development in a village setting with car parking, local amenities and main line rail station to London & Birmingham.

2 COWLEY ROAD BUSINESS CENTRE Oxford Road, Cowley TO LET 6,917 sq ft A prominent warehouse/distribution unit with offices in ring road location, located in prime trade area with 9m eaves height.

ORION HOUSE East Point Business Park, Oxford TO LET 6,187 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12,815 sq ft Refurbished office building available as a whole or on a floor by floor basis. Flexible leases will be considered.

THE KIDLINGTON CENTRE Units 13 & 14 High Street, Kidlington TO LET 836 sq ft Double fronted retail unit available in this popular retail centre in the heart of Kidlington Village, with fully glazed frontage, kitchenette and WC.

unrivalled local and regional expertise Richard Venables rvenables@vslandp.com Tom Barton tbarton@vslandp.com Duncan May dmay@vslandp.com

news Bicester playing a key role in the economic growth of the county Bicester is one of the fastest growing economic centres in the county with major growth plans. Thirty years ago, Bicester’s population was 17,500

It is now more than 30,000

It will have doubled again by 2031 to 60,000

We approached a few key professionals to provide their views on three specific Bicester related questions including Andy Camoenié, Finance Director Bicester Heritage Ltd, Phil Shadbolt, Zeta Group and OxLEP board member and Timothy Bennett, Sonnemann Toon Architects LLP. 1. Please define three key attributes Bicester has to offer to business? Andy Camoenié says: • A supportive Council prepared to seriously consider development plans • Good rail link to London • Substantial development potential to the north and south of the town

POPULATION 1987

2017

Phil Shadbolt says: • Location • Low cost • Connection links

Timothy Bennett says: • Two rail stations with ready access to London, Birmingham and Oxford • Good geographical location with easy access to M1 and M40 motorways • Future prospect of expanded rail links

2031

In 2014 Bicester was designated a “garden town” and allocated £100m of central government funds towards new infrastructure. Plans are for it to play a key role in the economic growth of the county, given its advantageous location on the transport network which connects the town with Oxford Science Vale, Oxford and the wider south-east region. The Cherwell Local Plan aims for jobs-led growth, supported by housing, with 122 ha of employment land, and approximately 4,200 further new homes in Bicester by 2031. Bicester is a well-established engineering and automotive centre with strong links to the military. The Bicester Village retail development is a significant UK tourist attraction, drawing over 6 million visitors a year with its presence placing the town on the international map. Currently 70% of residents out commute, so the challenge for Bicester is to develop into a popular commercial destination for many of its more qualified, higher earning and new residents. Significant infrastructure improvements have been made with the £70m town centre redevelopment and investment in the core transport infrastructure. Bicester Village train station now offers many more journeys to London Marylebone in under an hour and the East-West Rail line will provide express rail to Bedford by 2024. There are also substantial road improvements ahead including Bicester’s new southern bypass which joins at the A421 to the new Graven Hill self-build development. Improvements to infrastructure and connectivity are already helping to boost the desirability of Bicester to both residents and businesses. The relatively low house prices and salaries compared to Oxford further strengthen the proposition for employers to locate to the town.

2. How can Bicester evolve from a dormitory commuter town to a new commercial centre? • Andy Camoenié says: Applications for new developments need to be approved quickly and road accessibility needs significant improvement for Bicester to become a new commercial centre. • Phil Shadbolt says: By offering local employment, by linking with Oxford knowledge spine. • Timothy Bennett says: Increase commercial activity inside the town, ease road congestion and improve town centre parking. 3. What further improvements would you like to see in Bicester? • Andy Camoenié says: Quality hotel provision, a theatre and a permanent motor show. • Phil Shadbolt says: As Bicester grows it is essential that we influence planning so that employment land is developed – not just sheds. • Timothy Bennett says: More incentive for locals to use the town centre, more hotels to encourage visitors and a more defined route from Bicester North and Bicester Village rail stations.

Deals Done...

59-63 Cowley Road, Oxford 1,365 sq ft retail unit Let to Korea Foods Ltd

www.b4-business.com

Park Farm, Middleton Stoney 5,872 sq ft offices Let to Oxford Technical Solutions

9 Elm Place, Eynsham 1,505 sq ft offices Sold to Henry Maitland

Think Rhodes for Business... For full information on exclusive use, meetings, seminars, team building and conferences please call 01865 282599 or email events@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk

Rhodes House, Oxford, OX1 3RG

Telephone 01865 282 599 events@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk www.rhodeshouseoxford.com

property

And the award for Business Park of the Year goes to... Howbery Business Park collects ‘Business Park of the Year’ award Written by: Susan Bouffler Photography by: Craig Herron

Kestrel House, Head Office of HR Wallingford, extracts water from a bore hole to form part of the cooling system before being returned to the River Thames

Howbery Business Park has been named Business Park of the Year in the 2017 Thames Valley Property Awards. To be recognised for this award, which is sponsored by Chartered Surveyors, Kempton Carr Croft, the judges were looking for evidence of the ability of the park’s management team to market the business park using new initiatives, to maintain high occupancy levels, and to consistently receive positive feedback from tenants. Dr Bruce Tomlinson, Chief Executive of HR Wallingford Ltd, which owns Howbery Business Park, said: “Since 1994 when we welcomed our first tenant, Howbery Park has grown, developing into a successful business park which is home today to many different types of businesses and organisations, and we have continued that expansion with a strong focus on sustainability, with all new builds designed to meet stringent environmental criteria.” Set in a landscaped park, adjacent to the River Thames at Wallingford, Howbery Business Park is the UK’s first solar-powered business park, and generates about a quarter of its energy needs from the adjacent solar farm. With an historic Manor House at its heart, the park has a thriving business community, with a diverse range of tenants from small family-run enterprises to large corporate tenants such as the Environment Agency.

www.b4-business.com

26% of the total electricity used in 2016 at Howbery Business Park was generated by the solar farm

Amenities include conference and catering facilities, restaurant, gym, an active sports and social club, and even the use of a Howberyowned boat for trips along the River Thames. In recent years, the park has developed diverse habitats in its grounds, established two new bee colonies, and has created allotments for use by park staff.

Howbery Park has grown, “developing into a successful business park which is home today to many different types of businesses and organisations, and we have continued that expansion with a strong focus on sustainability, with all new builds designed to meet stringent environmental criteria

Estates Team works hard to create and maintain a sense of community with our tenants, and we are continuing to invest in the park’s amenities to provide a healthy work-life balance for staff on the park. I would like to thank our tenants for their continued support”. Dr Tomlinson continued: ”We are proud of the high occupancy levels that we have managed to maintain on the park. There is still plenty of potential for both HR Wallingford and Howbery Business Park to continue to grow and develop, with room for additional commercial and academic organisations to come and work with us at Howbery.” Howbery Business Park currently has planning permission to develop a further 74,000 sq.ft. of new office space .

”

Dr Bruce Tomlinson, Chief Executive - HR Wallingford Ltd

Donna Bowles, Estates Manager at the business park in Crowmarsh Gifford, near Wallingford, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been recognised as Business Park of the Year. The

 info@howberypark.com  01491 822 411  www.howberypark.com

Leadenporch Farm

Edmund Smith

Partner in the Rural division of Carter Jonas It is now just over a year since the EU referendum and a ‘business as usual’ mentality has prevailed in the rural sector. In terms of the land market, 2017 certainly had a slow start, but with a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the economy as a whole, it would be inaccurate to identify Brexit as being the sole cause for any change in the market. Written by: Edmund Smith Photography by: Aurelian Langlais

With a limited supply, the dip in land values recorded nationally in the first quarter of this year wasn’t that noticeable within the local market, though there has been somewhat of a market correction over the past twelve months. It’s always hard to gauge what is causing low supply as particularly in this sector, many sales are founded on necessity. That being said, output prices have risen marginally and so some of the pressure has been taken off the profitability of many businesses. The rural market is also more seasonal than most, and as we approach the summer there has been an influx of rural properties coming to the

market which has brought us back to the 5 year average in terms of supply. This would suggest that in most cases the market was delayed rather than stalled. Of course landowners sell for all manner of reasons, and it is entirely dependent on when feels right. Any other year we may have been citing the most recent General Election as a deterrent, but over the past few years, we’ve had such a plethora of uncertainty – the Scottish Referendum, the previous election, the Brexit Referendum – that if a vendor was to wait for a period of calm, no deals would ever be done. Life has to go on and all evidence suggests that it is doing so. Certainly in Oxfordshire we have been extremely active and feel buoyed by

www.b4-business.com

property

Blagrove Farm

Mansfield Farm

positive interest from prospective buyers and tenants across a diverse range of opportunities. We have received an encouraging number of enquiries for three farm business tenancies totalling 1,000 acres, in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire which we recently brought to the market. These tenancies are an attractive proposition as they allow for a certain amount of flexibility as the UK charts its course out of the European Union as well as a degree of security of tenure. Another notable property is Leadenporch Farm, an award-winning farm near Deddington which has recently been brought to the market. Prospective buyers are offered a diverse business including an established poultry enterprise. Its arable operation – predominantly winter cereals, oilseed rape and beans – uses half of the poultry litter as fertiliser and sells the remainder which generates additional income. As these examples demonstrate, activity has already increased and confidence in the market appears strong. On the investor front we’ve seen an increase in international investors looking at rural assets, thanks to a weaker Sterling and they are buying wherever they are seeing value. European purchasers have been entering the market, buying large commercial blocks which further indicates a

www.b4-business.com

confidence in the sector. High net worth individuals are still showing interest in rural assets but at the lower end of the scale, it all depends on how an investment might be funded – banks are supportive, as long as a debt can be serviced. If the recent election result reminds us of anything, it is the unpredictable nature of politics, particularly in the current climate. In these conditions and with Brexit negotiations now dominating the agenda it is worth remembering that despite plateauing land prices, the fundamental factors supporting the value of UK farmland remain.

Carter Jonas Carter Jonas LLP is a leading UK property consultancy working across residential sales and lettings, rural, planning, development, national infrastructure and commercial property. With a network of 36 offices across the UK, we employ more than 700 people, we are renowned for the quality of our service, the expertise of our people and the simply better advice we offer our clients.

 edmund.smith@carterjonas.co.uk  01865 404 439  www.carterjonas.com

p s v Ch :// id ec yo eo k u t t ou u . ou t b e r ou /o he r G re o7 : pH eS Pl g ht t

COME AND STAY AT

SHELDON GRANGE A Truly Unique Property Sheldon Grange is an ideal venue for lavish, exquisite parties as well as high class corporate events. The property is able to comfortably sleep up to 26 guests in luxurious accommodation. In addition to this the venue lends itself to Christmas parties, corporate hosting, special occasions, reunions, hen/stag parties. The venue has ten bedrooms and nine bathrooms (seven of which are en-suite) and a further three WCs. Seven of the bedrooms are located in the main house (occupancy of 19 guests). There is also additional accommodation incorporating a self contained flat that offers a one bedroom ensuite living space with additional double sofa bed and a separate guest suite that offers a further two bedrooms. We also let these as stand-alone properties, ideal for smaller parties. This truly unique property boasts an open plan living space stretching over 10,000 sq. ft. With over seven acres of gardens, paddocks and woodlands, there is ample space for marquees, tents or even a stage should an event require one. Sheldon Grange is located in Frilford Heath, Oxford and is situated next door to a 54-hole championship golf course. Sheldon Grange also features a huge swim spa and mini gym. The house is fully equipped with the latest in modern technology including air source heating, photo voltaic panels, superfast fibre optic connection and intelligent led lighting with multifunction switching. Despite utilising some of the newest materials available throughout the house; every consideration to the environment has been taken.

Sheldon Grange, Oxford Road, Abingdon, OX13 5NW 07949 266418 danielle.walker@sheldongrange.com www.sheldongrange.com

property

Breckon & Breckon, who have offices throughout Oxfordshire received the Gold award in the Southern Region at the prestigious ESTAS 2017. The award was announced by Phil Spencer, the TV property expert at a large ceremony at the Grosvenor House, Park Lane London attended by 1,000 of the UK’s top property professionals. The awards, celebrating their 14th year determine the best estate and letting agents in the UK based purely on feedback from customers who are asked a series of questions about the service they have received from their agent, over 34,000 surveys were completed by customers during the competition. Phil Spencer, who has hosted the ESTAS every year since their inception in 2003 said “This industry doesn’t get enough credit for the work it does in helping millions of customers around the UK and making their dreams come true and at The ESTAS we want to highlight that fact.” Addressing the audience he added “if you make it up on stage today you can leave in the knowledge that you’ve achieved the highest accolade our industry can offer.” Simon Brown Founder of The ESTAS said “Like it or not we live in a world where the consumer decision making process is influenced more and more by customer reviews so The ESTAS provides a kite mark www.b4-business.com

of excellent service for any property professional involved in the home moving process.”

“

These awards are based solely on customer feedback so we were absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted let alone win Gold for the Southern region

publicly recognised and proves we are delivering what we promise.” For further details on Breckon & Breckon’s award winning service contact us below.

”

Greg Barnes, Managing Director - Breckon & Breckon

Greg Barnes, Managing Director of Breckon & Breckon’s letting business said “These awards are based solely on customer feedback so we were absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted let alone win Gold for the Southern region. We work incredibly hard to maintain our service levels so it’s great for it to be

 lettings@breckon.co.uk  01865 201111  www.breckon.co.uk

Need to freshen your Design, Video, Photography or Print?

Call us on 01865 742 211 or see www.hothdesign.co.uk

WALLERS

property

ESTATE AGENTS These are exciting times at Wallers of Oxford, or should I say Wallers Estate Agents as they are now known. With the opening of their brand new Banbury Road, Summertown Branch, Wallers have matured. They have moved from the recognisable dreaming spires skyline and are embracing a new, fresh appearance and a tweak of the name. So why the change? Why now? We caught up with Rowan Waller, founder, owner & Managing Director to ask him why. Written by: Barry O’Brien, Fluent Marketing

Photography by: Stefanie Calleja-Gera

So Rowan, why the big change? It’s not such big a change to be honest. We’re still independent, we’re still family run and we’re still very much true to our core principles. We’re just growing up a bit and this is the next logical step. It’s not even been 3 years since we set up but it’s been a very exciting journey and at such a fast pace. The past 12 months saw us win 3 huge awards for our customer service – Best Estate Agents in Oxfordshire at the ESTAS Awards; Gold Winner for our Southern UK region at the British Property Awards; and finally I also won a ‘People Award’ at the ESTAS, which I can’t help but feel a little bashful to talk about myself because that particular award named me as one of the top 5 Property Professionals in the whole of the UK. Those 3 awards really helped us take off. We’ve been so busy over the last year that it’s only natural that we look at growing the business even more. Our flagship Banbury Road branch has just opened and we’re already looking at where we can grow next. As much as Oxford is our home, ‘Wallers Of Oxford’ as a brand can’t be as strong in Cirencester as it is here. Nor does ‘Wallers of Cheltenham’ have the same ring, because we Wallers are from Oxford. Wallers Estate Agents retains that brand awareness that we have worked so hard to build, and it allows us to expand outside our home market.

You mentioned your Flagship Banbury Road Branch, tell us more about that I mentioned that Oxford is our home, well Summertown is our home in Oxford – and by that I mean, it is where we live (Cutteslowe), it is where we shop, it’s where our daughter goes to school, etc.. I’ve been looking for the right unit here for a while and now we have it. We’ve opened on the main Banbury Road high street, but it’s not an Estate Agents branch as you’d expect. You won’t see our team sitting behind their desks too often. In fact, you’re a lot more likely to see them working on their iPads on the sofa or sipping a cappuccino with a client at our coffee bar, than squashed behind a desk, call-centre-style head-set locked in place. www.b4-business.com

We wanted to create a more pleasant place to be than your typical Estate Agency – not just for our Agents, but also for our Clients, and even simply for the members of the public who might fancy a wee browse over a cuppa. Anyone is more than welcome to drop in, have a coffee and talk about the weather, football or whatever, as well as their properties.

What’s next? Where do you go from here? First thing’s first, we’re focusing on cementing our reputation as an Oxford agent and building on that business. We’re taking on more properties all the time and selling them just as fast and now, with the team growing bigger, we’ve even more capacity to serve our customer’s needs with the same top class service that we have been recognised for. Beyond that, we have plans to grow the business and are definitely looking to expand. Next up is a recruitment drive to bring onboard a new manager to open a second branch in the Autumn and operate in different business areas – all very exciting! Something I was very careful about was building our business sensibly and steadily from the start, rather than splashing out with cash we didn’t have when we first went into this in 2014. This is a family business after all. We have worked so hard over the last 3 years to not only build our reputation as a friendly, local, family run firm, but also to grow the business into profitability from a standing start, and that is why we are now able to reinvest our own profits to push on into this next phase. Wallers Estate Agents’ new Summertown branch is now open at 276 Banbury Road, OX2 7ED. Call in for a chat around our coffee-cart to see how we do things differently!

 move@wallersestateagents.com  01865 435 175  www.wallersestateagents.com

We create beautiful gardens. For 15 years we have been designing and landscaping gardens across Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. If you are dreaming of a gorgeous garden call us for a chat on 01993 813721. Tel: 01993 813721 Email: info@oxfordgardendesign.co.uk www.oxfordgardendesign.co.uk

property 

CREATING WORKSPACE FLEXIBILITY THROUGH LIGHTING Arup’s Perth Office in Western Australia recently moved into a new custom office fit-out in Exchange Tower, overlooking the Swan River. By using cutting edge lighting and interior furniture the office design created a flexible working environment, which has enabled Arup to successfully adopt Activity Based Working (ABW). It was Arup’s intention for their new office is to move away from a traditional layout, as well as generic lighting solutions and use different lighting products throughout each area. All of the products were selected based on task areas, aesthetics and engineering quality. Specifically for lighting, the key driver was to accentuate the exposed services installation. Written by: Jonathan Sharpe Photography by: Arup

The main working areas required a direct and indirect suspended linear extrusion with a very low UGR. Linic NX direct/indirect suspended luminaire with mini reflectors and Dali dimmable by WILA was selected on the basis of its engineering and glare control properties. Together with Linic NX, which was installed over all the main work area, WILA Suspended Transparency was also installed in the small meeting rooms for a minimalistic look and to maximise the impact of daylight where possible. Along the central ‘runway’ corridor, WILA Linic 300 special with wide direct light output was installed along the entire length of the office. Each 1m section can be dimmed individually to create different light effects.

office fit-out is the first in Australia to use Linic NX, and a representative from WILA was on-site to provide technical support and carry out a quality inspection on the installation prior to formal handover.”

customised lighting. WILA has production facilities in both Germany and the UK, offering down lighting and linear lighting product solutions that are application, technology and design driven:

Lighting designer: Arup Architect: Hassel WA Electrical Contractor: Vision WILA Products: Linic NX, Linic 300 special and Transparency Photographer: WILA Australia

• Used by professional lighting specifiers – Architects, Lighting Designers & Consulting Engineers • Focussed on interior lighting applications for – Offices, Health, Education and Transport Infrastructure • Found around the world – we sell internationally to 35 countries • Modularised – high quality, energy efficient and sustainable and we have a well-respected industry reputation as an innovative market leader

Overall the lighting scheme met Arup’s brief and supported their vision to create a dynamic working space enabling their people to be flexible with where and when they wanted to work.

WILA was established in Iserlohn, Germany in 1857 as a manufacturer of OEM components for the furniture industry, and is now entering its 4thera of development „the Digitalisation of light“. WILA’s heritage from metal components, to mass market incandescent interior residential lighting in 1932, through to energy efficient compact fluorescent down lighting in 1983 and since 2007 into the digitalised era of LED lighting enables us today to be recognised as a leading provider of both standard and

Steve Adam, Arup Engineer and Project Manager for this project, commented, “The main task was to provide a flexible working environment. The lighting and exceptional customer support provided by WILA has enabled this to be achieved. I believe Arup’s new www.b4-business.com

ABOUT WILA

 wila@wila.co.uk  01235 773 500  www.wila.com

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property 

DRIVING INTO THE FUTURE AS SCIENCE PARK IS VISUALISED IN 3D The Oxford Science Park is the first science, technology and business park to use the ground-breaking geomatics and simulation technology, that is used by Formula 1® teams and automotive equipment manufacturers, to visualise the Park and its new Schrödinger Building, in 3D Apps. The Park, which is home to more than 2,500 people across 70 companies, used the technology to create an interactive 3D Park plan with impressive results. Written by: Olivia Lane-Nott

Photography by: Oxford Science Park

We have a strong ethos of “ discovery and innovation across the Park, and it was a natural decision to invest in cutting edge technology to help market the Park and its new development phase.

”

Piers Scrimshaw-Wright - Managing Direrctor, Oxford Science Park

The Park instructed Severn Partnership, a Shropshire-based geomatics land surveying company, which drove around the site using the Leica Geosystems Pegasus Two vehicle mounted ‘reality capture’ kit, plotting one million 3D points a second, linked to GPS coordinates in real time and aided by a missile guidance inertial navigation system.

The 3D technology allows users to have a bird’s eye view of the Park, with contextual information added to each building. 360 degree panoramic images were also embedded into the visualisation App to merge the virtual with the actual ‘street view’ type perspective of key locations. Users are also able to ‘walk through’ The Schrodinger Building, experiencing the finished building before it is completed.

“What would usually take a survey team weeks to complete with conventional equipment was completed within two days on-site using the latest high accuracy mobile mapping techniques from geomatics experts. Having mapped the Science Park in record time, the scan data was used as the accurate base readings to create a 3D Park plan. This base model then provided the platform to accurately visualise new proposed buildings in 3D, giving a virtual reality style experience.” www.b4-business.com

“Our development plans are ambitious, and it is only right that we have used state of the art technology to bring our plans to life, and portray a high level vision for the Park. The visualisations produced by the Severn Partnership and Seeable are simply brilliant.” With the Internet of things (IoT) a hot topic for technology advancements, the 3D Park plan is the first of a new breed of visualisation Apps which can be expanded to visualise data just like smart city projects.

Conventionally, the 3D data would remain within technical, architectural or CAD software and be archived once used for planning and design. However, looking to push the technology further, the 3D Park plan was then converted into an interactive 3D visualisation by Seeable, a technical visualisation studio also based in Shropshire. The Schrödinger Building was then 3D visualised using the same state of the art game engine technology. Dr Nigel Moore, director, Seeable Ltd explained: “As a hub for technical innovation and scientific research, it was a natural choice for The Oxford Science Park to use cutting edge survey and visualisation techniques to update the current Park plan.

represent our new Schrödinger Building before it is built.

Piers Scrimshaw-Wright, managing director, The Oxford Science Park said: “We wanted to be able to showcase the Park and The Schrödinger Building both in our Marketing Suite here at The Oxford Science Park and also when out of the office using a tablet. This flexibility has already proved invaluable. “We have a strong ethos of discovery and innovation across the Park, and it was a natural decision to invest in cutting edge technology to help market the Park and its new development phase. Businesses are increasingly familiar with virtual reality and we felt it important to embrace this technology to give our varied stakeholders a visual medium that makes orientation around the Park easy, and to accurately

Dr Nigel Moore concluded: “In the future, buildings and sites will create IoT data for everything from energy use to bus timetables, parking spaces or electric vehicle charging locations. A crystal ball prediction or science fiction becoming science fact? Either way, The Oxford Science Park is riding the wave of technological advance and future proofing itself en-route.”

 info@oxfordsp.com  01865 784 000  www.oxfordsp.com

Conference@OxfordSaïd

• • • • •

Two unique locations Accessible central England locations Excellent transport links Variety of meeting and seminar rooms Ideal for teambuilding and summer events

To find out more visit: sbs.oxford.edu/conference Email conference@sbs.ox.ac.uk Telephone 01865 288846

-OXCA COMMUNITY OF YOUNG CREATIVEs O X C’S Community is full of young creative people, with an age range of 15-24 thus far. As a Company with this Community, we try and do the most for the individual talents involved, or for young people who dream to be involved so they can create new paths for themselves in their business ventures, meeting new, like minded young people to potentially work with. We do this in several ways, hosting networking sessions in some of the most prestigious locations in the heart of the City Centre, such as TVC (The Varsity Club) and The Mal Maison. We also work with young talent in industries such as modelling, photography, videography and music. We love to offer young people starting out in their careers the opportunity to gain experience and build their portfolio of work when they work with us. We are also currently working on an event, party/networking, where the performers will be both young, up and coming stars, as well as already made it stars. We can’t wait to work with more Young People as they look to take their first few steps in the Creative World. However, to grow, and to succeed, We must Motivate & Inspire as many Young People to realise they can do anything they want if they put time and effort into their craft. You really can do what you love to do on a day-today basis and make a living out of it, if not more. We are lucky enough to have teamed up with B4 to have three pages in each issue. In these issues, we will be linking up with Young Business Leaders to talk about their career’s so far. This will be conducted in an interview format, the questions, designed to get the best information out of the Young Leaders so you can learn from the young people that are doing what they love every day, and succeeding. The first two interviews’ in B4 follow on from this article. This Issue, we meet Samantha of New York, and local lad Aqil. BECOME MOTIVATED TO SUCCEED WITH O X C

See

.com oxcukre info o for m

ENJOY!

Y O U N G C R E AT I V E S

Samantha Scarlette Hi my name is Samantha Scarlette. I am a rock musician (singer, songwriter, & sometimes a guitarist), I am a radio show host, I am a clothing line owner, and occasional model. I’m always looking to branch out and start new creative projects associated with my brand. I currently live in New York City with my pet Yorkie. My hobbies and interests stretch far and wide, but i love collecting 90’s alternative & grunge albums on vinyl, having Tea at The Plaza, body suspension, visiting art museums & galleries, going to karaoke at Sing Sing on St Marks, just to mention a few... Age: 27 / Location: New York / Company: Samantha Scarlette Music / MK-Ultra 90 Clothing / Host of “BLACKOUT”

When did you start? Music: As a kid I took lessons for singing, guitar (I also took bass, drums, piano, and violin lessons at different points as well), and stage performance... I also partook in public recitals at theaters, malls, and the state fair. On a professional level I started to get my toes wet around 2010, writing and then recording “Into The Darkness: EP & Demos”(released in 2011), though I didn’t go full force with music until end of 2013. I’ve since released another album, “Violent Delights + Violent Ends” (2014), and a teaser single “Page Six” (2016) for an album that I’m still working on (I’m taking my time on creating music that I really love). Clothing: I started my first clothing line “Dark Matter Project” in the September or October of 2008. It was alien & skateboard themed. But I didn’t really have any solid marketing strategy for it, so it didn’t really sell. In 2012, I decided to try again at clothing, launching “ä GØth clothing”, it did a lot better than Dark Matter, focusing on a more symbiotic theme of upside down crosses and popular phrases. After a lot of trial and error with doing clothing lines, I finally launched “MKULTRA 90’ in December 2015, this has been my most successful clothing venture... I think a lot of why it’s done better is that it has a clear brand image and theme, featuring t-shirts with occult imagery. Radio: I went to college at the age of 16 for tv & radio broadcasting. I had a show on my college’s radio station, where I played music I liked. After college I didn’t do anything with my radio background until, doing a two episode paranormal themed Youtube podcast with my friend. That podcast lead to me doing a live radio show (“I Want To Believe With Samantha Scarlette”) for a small online station out of Canada, which I later left to do a segment for idobi Radio’s Eddie, Jason & Chris Show. Over night I went from being heard by approximately 1000 listeners per

episode to 100,000 listeners per episode. In May (2017), idobi Radio gave me my own show “BLACKOUT with Samantha Scarlette & Eddie Barella”. In each interview of BLACKOUT, we have two interviews; an interview with a rock band, alternative model, or someone else well known in the music industry + another interview with a paranormal / conspiracy / true crime / etc fringe topic guest. What inspired you to get your company up and running? Music has always been a big dream of mine, I guess it took a head injury from skateboarding at the age of 19 and various other things in my personal life, to push music to the forefront of my pursuits. With my clothing line, I love fashion and I love pushing trendy looks. Having a clothing line is also a good way to generate a monetary income in 2017, when you can’t really make money off of album sale. As fore radio, I was always a huge huge huge fan of Art Bell & his paranormal radio program “Coast To Coast Am”; growing up I listened to his show every night...I’ve always had a huge interest in the paranormal/ metaphysical/conspiracies/religion/etc. It was always my dream to do something similar to Art Bell but with a millennial bent. What message are you trying to create? I’m not sure that I have a specific message, other than that I’m trying to be as true to myself as possible. Like with my music, most of it is inspired by 90’s alternative rock, because thats the music that I personally like, not because it’s marketable. I’ve had people approach me and say “we’ll rep you but you need to hire a ghost writer and do a completely different sound”, but that’s just not me. So I guess if I have any specific message I try to convey is be true to who you are, and that you can be cool and edgy without doing drugs.

What are you up to at the moment ? Your next project / bit of work? I’m currently working on a new album that I’d like to have out in the fall. I’ve been very busy with idobi Radio “BLACKOUT”, as aside from being the on air host, I also find & book all of my guests. I’ve been looking into doing makeup & fashion videos for Youtube. I also do social media influencer campaigns from time to time. What’s next? More music, more clothing, more radio, more everything. Your favourite part of starting? In the beginning you’re wide eyed, as everything and anything seems possible. What’s been your biggest challenge? Probably as with anything financial set backs.. If I had unlimited funds, my album would have been done six months ago. If I had unlimited funds I’d have a full clothing range of cut & sew items, shoes, etc.. If I had unlimited funds I’d have a line of liquid lipsticks. But you have to do everything within the parameters of what you can currently afford to produced. Your motivation to keep going? Success. If you stop, you’ll never be successful. What message would you give young people to start their own company? Research who your market is, and marketing strategies. Also know that, because it worked for someone else, doesn’t mean it will work for you. You have to figure out what sets you apart and why people will believe in you and your brand.

 www.samanthascarlette.com

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AQIL AKHTAR My name is Aqil; I am a young entrepreneur who started up a social enterprise called Aspire Apprenticeships. The apprenticeship market is growing year on year and I strongly believe that it is a viable alternative to university education. Our aim is very simple. When people leave school, they have to make choices about their future careers. Some may opt for further education in university or college. Others may try to get a job without any skills or qualifications. At Aspire; we make sure we understand each person’s career objectives. That way, we can match them up with the perfect apprenticeships. Age: 19 / Location: Oxford / Company: Aspire Apprenticeships

What inspired you to start your company? At the age of 14, I started my first enterprise helping young students with their GCSE revision through an online platform. At 15, in school, I was championed as the youngest entrepreneur. At 18, I started my own social enterprise for Apprenticeships because I believe it to be a viable alternative to gaining applied skills rather than following the conventional route of going to university. I wanted other young, like-minded individuals to explore such opportunities, So now I help place young people into apprenticeship programmes. Being in a similar age bracket, I could understand their vision and relate to it. Company directors knew of my grit and willingness to always go the extra mile for the young people that are our future. I went to schools and colleges to speak about the different apprenticeship opportunities available today, as well as telling my experiences at career fairs, engaging with over 500 people and ultimately, giving them an insight to what it is like doing an apprenticeship. Each Friday afternoon, I had a stall outside the mosque where the footfall is somewhat high during this period. I interacted with crowds aged 16-24 and personally made the effort to help concerned people each weekend – even if it was small tasks such as fine tuning their CV or helping them apply for an apprenticeship programme. My short-term goal is to develop on the work I have done and visit more schools as well as tutorial colleges to share my experiences and inspire young people to explore apprenticeship opportunities. What’s your message? My message is to all young students/school leavers is that, if your results didn’t go well or you’re more of a practical person and want the on the job training, then there are many other opportunities out there like apprenticeships. We offer school leavers and young people a raft of opportunities. You are more likely to

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get the job you want through an apprenticeship. At Aspire, we make sure we understand each person’s career objectives. That way, we can match them up with the perfect apprenticeships. Also many people assume the only options available are doing unskilled work or further education. What they don’t realise is that apprenticeships open up a wealth of opportunities. There are Companies crying out for talented young people to join their firms. In return, they offer attractive apprenticeship schemes where they can learn from a range of new skills and get qualified at the end of their apprenticeships. Hopefully in the coming months I will be going into schools and speaking to hundreds of young students on Apprenticeship and doing workshops eg helping with CVs or career planning, this way they can get the knowledge behind. Being in the similar age bracket I want to connect with these young people and inspire and make a difference. Since there are a lot of cuts happening in the education sector this service will be done free of charge. What do you want to achieve in the next two years? In the next 2 years, I want to be working with schools nationwide and giving thousands of young people opportunities , I myself not being not being a high achiever in school, school always tells you to stay in school because if a student stays in school the school gets funding. So I want to break this myth on apprenticeships that there’s more to opportunities than people think. In addition, I am in the process on releasing a app where young people will connect ages from 16 – 21 and if they need advice on apprenticeships or want to actively apply they can do so. I believe being young and actually wanting to change the apprenticeship market is definitely what I want do. Having a good relationship with community leaders for placing youngers who have dropped out on uni or who are up to no good and have no hope. My goal for the next

2018 academic year is to meet with 100,000 students who are wanting to go down the apprenticeship route and as a social enterprise working with corporate companies who offer apprenticeships so we can match the two up. Furthermore, I am in process of setting up a weekly session at the community centre to help kids improve their CVs and interviewing skills as I get a great sense of satisfaction knowing that I have provided someone with a stepping stone which could potentially change their life for good. Your hardest part of starting your company? Before I started this company I was working as Head of recruitment for an apprenticeship firm. I worked very hard there as I started as an apprentice and worked my way up and having gone through 2 promotions. Being only 18 at the time and only having that as a main source of income I was very scared to quit my full time job to start this social enterprise because, there was a doubt it might not work. But I guess that is life, nothing is guaranteed and I always believed that no matter how good your worth ethic or determination within a company, you will always be a employee and never have that sense of freedom. Relying on my savings and working night shifts for a care company to keep my expenses going. Since I didn’t have enough financial backing and being young with little experience was my main factors, but I believe if you work hard at something and have that drive and determination to succeed and you believe in what you do, it will always work out. Putting in over 100 hours a week and ensuring that this social enterprise would work since my main aim was to help young students all over UK by creating a platform for young students who can connect with other employers and help them find apprenticeships

 http://aspireapprenticeships.co.uk

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K E E P U P T O DAT E W I T H O U R L AT E S T N E W S V I A 

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WANNACRY In the wake of the recent global Cyberattack affecting the NHS and other companies such as Nissan, FedEx and Deutsche Bahn, many experts are wondering how 200,000 people succumbed to such a widespread attack. The ransomware known as WannaCry affected over 60 NHS hospitals, GP surgeries and pharmacies across England and Scotland by exploiting a vulnerability in unpatched Windows XP machines; taking down the backbone of many NHS systems and essential services. Once in the system, WannaCry was able to spread from machine to machine like wildfire and impacted thousands of patients across the country. The economic impact of an attack on this scale is still unknown and only time will tell. It is a bit cliché to say but “Prevention is always better than the cure” and it is advisable that essential measures are taken to protect your business against future attacks. Written by: Callum Coard

What is Ransomware? Ransomware is a type of virus/malicious software which sole purpose is to deny access to your computer systems until a large sum of money is paid. Typically, Ransomware restricts access by encrypting your entire file system and in some cases, these files are not decrypted even when the ransom is paid! The most common method in which Ransomware infects networks is through your inbox and hidden in Word documents, PDFs or URL links. Phishing attacks tend to be the most successful route in but other ways such as unpatched operating systems, USB sticks or even infected mobile phones joining the network would do the trick.

Why you should be concerned No business is ever 100% safe from a Ransomware and it’s more common than you might think. In many cases the attacks are targeted, with some sources claiming professional services are the most affected industry closely followed by healthcare. Typically at least two days’ of downtime is in store for any businesses who becomes infected; halting productivity and damaging their reputation. The mind-set of “I’ve not been affected yet therefore I’m safe” is a one to take with caution. The IT www.b4-business.com

community recognise the severity of Ransomware in recent years and conscious that the numbers of attacks are only going to rise. When attacks are foiled by security vendors the criminals re-evaluate the weaknesses in the code and the behaviour of their bots and discover new and innovative ways of getting into your business.

Tips for Combat • Ensure you’re backed up – Once encapsulated after a Ransomware attack is an extremely difficult to decrypt your environment without the key. A solid backup and a strong disaster recovery plan is vital to get your business back up and running after an attack. Not having one in place is a risky move and highly unlikely that your IT estate will be recovered.

The exploitation of security bugs in popular applications is a trick used by hackers to get into your system and preventing this is essential for mitigating against an attack. • Keep Vigilant - Ransomware is prevalent and surprisingly can slip through the cracks of conventional anti-virus and web-filtering products. We advise that appropriate measures are taken to ensure your AV is updating, that the ports on your firewall are tied down and to consider investing in products such as Intercept X which stops a Ransomware in its tracks.

Are you worried about Ransomware and whether your business is protected? Contact CIS this month for a free vulnerability assessment - 01367 700 555

• Be careful what you open - Opening unsolicited attachments in emails from unknown people isn’t a wise move. Many cybercriminals use this method to deploy their ransomware and once they’re in it’s very hard to kick them out. Remember, 97% of phishing emails contain Ransomware. • Keep it patched - Patch your servers and desktops with the latest Windows updates to reduce the chance of vulnerabilities penetrating your network.

 callum.coard@cisltd.com  01367 700 555  www.cisltd.com

B4 NOW LIVE! B4 are proud to announce that version 4 of the B4 website is now live As many of you may be aware, the B4 site has had its far share of challenges over the past year, and we are extremely grateful to you for your patience. Lorna and Keith have been working with Simon from Oxford Digital Marketing to bring you the great browsing experience that you deserve and we are confident that the new site will provide just that and much more. We have lots more functionality that we will be adding to the site in the future, but for now:

Magazine Publication Schedule Want to find out when the next issue of B4 Magazine hits the shelves? We will updating our Publication Schedule regularly with information for advertisers and readers alike.

Customisable Company & Personal profiles Members can easily log in and change their company profiles to give other members as much useful information as possible.

Create great content Post unlimited and stylish press releases, job vacancies, special offers and event listings for the whole network to see, ensuring your business and its news receive maximum coverage.

Key info straight to your inbox With our notification system, you will never miss out on B4 events or announcements again.

MUCH MORE TO COME! This is far from the end of the great features we will be bringing you. There’s more great functionality we plan to roll out within the next 12 months: • Promote your own events and accept registrations directly through the B4 site

Connect with the B4 Network Add connections to your contact book to message and keep track of our growing network of members.

Filter your content results Post unlimited and stylish press releases, job vacancies, special offers and event listings for the whole network to see, ensuring your business and its news receive maximum coverage.

• Subscribe to the content you are interested in and receive notifications when new items matching your preferences are uploaded • Recommend & review other B4 members • Send special introductions to two members who you feel would work well together And why not tell us what you’d like to see? We are more than open to your suggestions for improvements to the B4 site.

Private Messaging with ease Members can create and send private messages directly through the B4 website. Message one or multiple members at once, save important messages and receive e-mail notifications of new messages received.

A BIG THANK YOU! We would like to thank you for sticking with us through the last year and we hope you will enjoy B4 v4. From the B4 team

www.b4-business.com

WHY USE THE CLOUD? Written by: Complete I.T.

Cloud Computing remains a hot topic, not just in the Technology sector, but across businesses of all sizes. The latest research shows growing levels of adoption of cloud services of some sort, even if complete cloud migration is still relatively rare amongst SME’s. Levels of satisfaction with the cloud are also high and most businesses who use the cloud for some aspect of their systems, expect their use of the Cloud to grow. There are of course many businesses who are not utilising the Cloud, but many of these are actively considering where and how the Cloud fits with their IT plans for the future. So is it inevitable that everything will transition to the Cloud at the expense of on-premise IT? In short, no, but of course how the Cloud fits with each organisation will vary greatly based on their individual circumstances, some will suit a full Cloud migration, but for many a Hybrid approach will be more suitable, certainly in the short term. For most business owners, creating a definitive view of the role of Cloud for their business is less than straightforward, so what are the key factors that will influence the decision.

1. Current IT Systems – Infrastructure and Software The maturity and nature of the current IT systems will be a major factor in how a business views the ease of using the Cloud. If the business has long standing IT systems, it will often be more complex to move to the cloud whereas a business with fewer and less developed systems will find it easier to untangle them and move the Cloud. Inevitably, a business still depreciating a major investment in on-premise hardware will wish to consider if this is the right time to move to the Cloud, making some or all of this investment redundant. The availability of important business applications will also be a major influence over Cloud adoption, some systems may not be available in the Cloud while conversely others may increasingly only be available in the Cloud. Each of these factors will influence Cloud adoption, but in many respects www.b4-business.com

are more about timing than absolute roadblocks to the Cloud.

2. The Financial Case - There are a number of financial implications to consider. As outlined above, relatively new on-premise hardware will make major migration to the Cloud a ‘tough call’ for many businesses. There are however a number of potential costs savings to be made and these need to be factored into the decision making, an approach that is unusual in most SME organisations. What is the cost of the cloud services, what savings will be made from reducing on-premise systems in terms of power, maintenance and support, replacement

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There are however a number of potential costs savings to be made and these need to be factored into the decision making, an approach that is unusual in most SME organisations.

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and depreciation? How does the monthly operating expense model associated with most Cloud services suit the organisation? How do cloud based services impact on team member performance and efficiency and how might they impact on other operational factors which drive improved performance and profitability? The historic decision making processes for investment in IT will need to be extended to incorporate a more complete financial picture if the true value of the Cloud is to be understood.

3. Operational Factors - There are of course some further operational issues that will be important when defining the role of the Cloud. Some organisations operate in sectors where there are

strict regulatory constraints regarding data, and while these regulations are often not a ‘real’ constraint to using the Cloud, a lack of clear information can leave senior managers very concerned about the risks and implications. The impact of team member’s response to, and adoption of the change is also not to be underestimated. In organisations where change is rare and generally feared, there are potential operational disadvantages from the change; these can of course be overcome, but it is important to understand the process and timescales for change before the Cloud benefits can be enjoyed. Of course, given what the Cloud is, reasonable internet connectivity and performance is a prerequisite and while the network is generally improving across the UK, there are still many areas where Cloud adoption would be a challenge. With so many factors at play, and so many of them changing over time, deciding if and how to utilise the Cloud, and when, is a highly individual decision making process for each business. Despite all the ‘noise’ regarding the Cloud, for some organisations it is just not the right time to make any change. For other organisations a full Cloud migration makes operational and financial sense right now, while for others, a gradual move to some Cloud services is the right way forward. Working through the decision making process can be complex and securing the input of Technology and Cloud specialists is one way to help inform your decision. Why not take advantage of the advice available, and ensure your decision regarding the Cloud is the right one for you.

 enquiries@complete-it.co.uk  01628 522 860  www.complete-it.co.uk

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spotlight 

OWEN MUMFORD RECEIVES QUEEN’S AWARD 2017 FOR INNOVATION As Owen Mumford celebrates its 65th anniversary, the company is delighted to announce that it has won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Innovation for Unifine® Pentips® Plus, the world’s first all-in-one pen needle and remover.

Owen Mumford is the only Oxfordshire business to receive a Queen’s Award this year; it’s the fourth time the company has been honoured in this way and the second time that the Queen’s Award for Innovation has been bestowed, something which Jarl Severn, Managing Director is delighted about, as innovation has always been key to Owen Mumford’s heritage and success. He told B4 magazine:

increase in demand for pen devices with needles for injection. While single use of the pen needle is the recommendation, it can be difficult to effectively educate patients about best practice and the ease of pen needle removal and disposal can be a barrier to compliance. The innovative Unifine® Pentips® Plus is an integrated device with two chambers; one

Over the decades, Owen “ Mumford has earned

“The Innovation Award celebrates organisations showing outstanding and/or sustained commercial success over a period of years and we are proud that our 65-year history of world firsts in medical devices has been recognised by the former Prime Minister and the Queen. Over the decades, Owen Mumford has earned a global reputation for producing innovative solutions in medical technology and therefore, receiving the Queen’s Award for Innovation is particularly rewarding. Through all aspects of our work, we seek to improve quality of life, encourage adherence to treatment and reduce healthcare costs. We remain focused on driving innovation by making substantial investments in Research & Development and Manufacturing in order that we can continue to make a difference to people’s lives.”

containing a new pen needle, the other providing a more convenient removal chamber for interim disposal. The device enables users to fit a new needle easily and dispose of the old one responsibly.

Unifine® Pentips® Plus

Four Queen’s Awards since 1999

The global increase in diabetes has seen a concurrent

In 1999, Owen Mumford received a Queen’s Award

a global reputation for producing innovative solutions in medical technology and therefore, receiving the Queen’s Award for Innovation is particularly rewarding.

for Export Achievement and in 2008 was one of only four companies in the UK to be awarded two Queen’s Awards in the same year; one for International Trade and the other for Innovation. In 2008, the Queen’s Award for Innovation was awarded to Owen Mumford for Unistik® 3, the only single use capillary blood sampling device at the time to incorporate patented pain reduction technology (Comfort Zone Technology®)*¹ designed to help make blood sampling a comfortable experience for the patient. The second Queen’s Award in 2008 was Enterprise in International Trade, given in recognition of the company’s outstanding export record. International sales today are still impressive, with over 80%² of Owen Mumford’s products sold to more than 60 countries worldwide.

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info@owenmumford.com 01993 812 021 @OwenMumford www.owenmumford.com

* Comfort Zone Technology® maximises comfort for the patient during the sampling procedure. ¹ Melzack, R. and Wall, P. (1982). The Challenge of Pain. England. Penguin Books. ² Export figure 30th September 2016.

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BICESTER ROOFING

40 YEARS OF SUCCESS

Mike Staniford first started in roofing when he joined Marley Tile Company from school in their contracting department. Like many determined individuals, Mike thought he could do it better, so, along with another work colleague Don King (no, not that one), they started Bicester Roofing with a couple of old vans and some working capital in 1973 as a partnership and in 1974 became a limited company. The rest, as they say... Written by: Richard Rosser Photography by: Rob Scotcher

“In our first year our turnover was £52k working for people we had contacts with and faith in us. We went from strength to strength thereafter, taking on extra labour, a growing customer portfolio and last year we exceeded £12 million turnover. With 10 office staff and contracts managers and more than 120 staff out on the roofs. Don King retired in 1997, and Mike has run the business as managing director ever since that date, also sole shareholder. This task has been made a lot easier by the fantastic staff who support me. I am proud to say that two employees retired last year and had been with me since day one. I have two sons (Nathan and Luke) and two brothers (Graham and Paul) who have all been with the company since leaving school. There is a real family feel, we have employees working who came to us from school and in some instances, we now employ their sons, it’s like a youth system! with a good working atmosphere where everyone just gets on. The construction trade is overall a very transient business with labour moving on frequently, but we have great employee retention, some have been employed for more than 30 years. This is realised by treating people fairly and employing site personnel and not just as labour only sub-contractors, making them feel part of the company in all respects.

PORTFOLIO Bicester Roofing has a wide-ranging portfolio of clients, from National housebuilders to The National Trust, as Mike continues. “We’ve worked in Hampton Court, The Tower of London, we also carry out a lot of heritage work on Churches, colleges and many listed buildings. We have recently completed the re-roofing of the Cloisters at New College in Oxford, 66

a very prestigious building and during these works we had visits from many official bodies to monitor the works one being Ancient Monuments. We also have 12 full time employed lead operatives whose experience is required on such buildings as well as our first-class stone tilers. We work for a lot of the national builders like Taylor Wimpey, Croudace Homes, Berkeley Homes, Bovis and local developers such as Dorchester Living over at the regeneration of Upper Heyford air base, Builders Ede who were one of very first clients, and Pye Homes, Sporn Construction, Oxford Homes, Rectory Homes and many more far too many to mention but all as important to us. we value these local client’s business very dearly., We are also working on the next phase at Bicester Village, which is rather ironic because we put the original roof on Tesco’s which has just been demolished! to make way for the new phase of shops. Bicester roofing is now the largest roofing company in the Home counties, which is great testament to Mike and his team. “Our bedrock are the customers who have been working with us for over 40 years such as Builders Ede in Witney, typical of the fantastic local companies we work for. When we formed the company all those years ago we said we would work within a 50-mile radius of Bicester, but that has since changed and we are working in most of the counties in Southern England, the beauty of our work is that it all comes from word of mouth, we do very little in the way of advertising. As members of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, also The Lead Contractors Association a lot of companies want to use a roofing company that has a great reputation and accreditation, and we can offer that in spades, so the work never dries up. We’re very lucky in that regard.”

DOING IT RIGHT Mike and the team are also strong advocates of staff training and must be on top of the latest health and safety requirements. “We employ our own retained health and safety consultant and to win a lot of the larger jobs you have to prove that you’re looking after your staff. It’s fair to say we do that, you only must look at our staff retention to see that we do everything right in terms of looking after our staff. Although I honestly believe that, in some regards, health and safety has gone too far, it’s paramount that we create as safe a working environment for our staff as possible and, touch wood, in 42 years we have only had one serious accident which was the fault of the person concerned, by his own admission. “Happy to say he made a full recovery and after a year off work is now back up on the roofs. The team spirit throughout Bicester Roofing is key to their success and the bond the team have forged is reflected in the work on the first phase of Bicester Village, as Mike explains. “The programme was very tight over at Bicester and we had over thirty members of staff working day and night, under floodlights, they worked tirelessly to get the job done and that helped cement a long-term bond between the whole team.”

ATTRACTING AND RETAINING STAFF But, like many businesses, attracting skilled labour is becoming a problem for Mike and his team. “It’s difficult to get people to come into the trade. We do take youngsters on every year, but probably out of every six we take on, we retain one. There is a dedicated college in Birmingham which we use and the guys go away on block release for 5 weeks and then come back here to work for maybe 5 to 6 weeks and then they go back up there, on www.b4-business.com

spotlight

AWARDS NHBC PRIDE IN THE JOB AWARDS 2016 for work completed at ‘The Willows. Marcham’ — NHBC PRIDE IN THE JOB AWARDS 2016 for work completed at ‘Marlborough Place, Past 2, Woodstock’ — LEAD CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION Graded as ‘Excellent’ completion of the course they hopefully have obtained an NVQ in Roof Tiling and Slating. Lack of young people wishing to come into the industry is a concern for us and one which I know is a problem for all trades.

the end of the day you’re getting to spend time with your sons, brothers and friends which is a bonus – I hope they view it the same as I do!”

“On the flip side, we have had some ironic stories when it comes to staff, none more so than with Tony White. Tony joined me from school but he was always, let’s say ‘challenging’! His attendance record wasn’t good and when he was here he didn’t apply himself like I knew he could. I eventually put him through college to get his NVQ and after a couple of years he left us to go travelling. Then, after about ten years, out of the blue he wrote me a letter, not expecting me to remember him. He reminded me how I had helped him get an NVQ and he said he used that to get on a foundation course at Northampton University and then went on to get a degree in construction management. A couple of years later he came here and we had a chat he was working for a small roofing company in Newbury and asked if we ever had a vacancy could I please bear him in mind. He’s been back here for two years now and he has been trained as a contract manager and slotted in very well.”

Having massively outgrown the area the business is so clearly connected to, I ask Mike if he has ever considered a name change. “Never. We started out in Bicester because I lived in Bicester at the time and we haven’t even changed the logo since day one. The name was obvious and the logo has been with us throughout and it hasn’t stifled our growth, so why change it? If we did, it would be very expensive changing all those vans, some 60! so that’s some deterrent!”

Mike is clearly very fond of his team, pointing out that members of staff are often in the office at 6am without being asked simply because they love and care for the business. Nathan, Luke, Matthew and Nigel all have shares in the business because, as Mike says, they have earned it, they have helped him to get the business to where it is today and he is very proud of each one of them. I have told them when I retire the business is theirs to take forward for the next 40 years. A steady team enables Mike to do just four days a week, but he likes to stay involved, he enjoys the banter and it really is an extension of family life, a way of life. “It’s nice working with your family as at www.b4-business.com

IDENTITY

— NFRC Health & Safety in Roofing Awards 2016 GOLD WINNER —

A JOB WELL DONE “We do a lot of work for Blenheim Estates and we worked for the former Duke on his property in Belgravia. He wrote a letter thanking us for the job we had done for him and his wife and signed it personally. I was told he rarely did that so I should frame it. But that’s a regular occurrence, to receive thank you letters from clients and it shows we are doing a good job, other clients include the late Ronnie Barker, Sir Richard Branson, Jimmy Floyd Hasslebank., I’ve seen some breath-taking properties and I’ve had my breath taken away at some of the requests we get! None more so than a client for whom we roofed a cricket pavilion in his grounds. Two months after we roofed it we got a call from his assistant to say he wanted to move it to somewhere else in the grounds, so we would need to go back and strip and reroof it, it needed to be moved three metres to the to the left! I have been so lucky to work with so many great customers and staff in a great industry all of my working life.

 sales@bicesterroofing.co.uk  08702 646 454  www.bicesterroofing.co.uk

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BIO2017 A MASSIVE HIT WITH OVER 950 ATTENDEES! BIO2017 was held at The King’s Centre in Oxford on Thursday 11th May and the feedback at the event and from the post event survey has been nothing short of incredible. Delegates were wowed by a wide range of speakers on topics ranging from cures for cancer to space technology, inspirational speakers such as Hussain Manawer to stars of Dragons Den and The Apprentice and fantastic interactive opportunities for delegates such as Speed Networking with Carter Jonas, getting handcuffed with City Mazes or mixing cocktails with The Cocktail Service. There really was something for everyone with over 70 exhibitors, 80 presenters and 950 delegates. The main exhibition hall was a hive of activity as speed networking, cocktail making and the exhibitors ran alongside the Cotswold Hall open stage which created an incredible energy throughout the day. Sli.do was a great addition to the event providing delegates with an interactive means of asking questions during presentations which were then put to the speakers during the Q&A after all speakers had delivered their presentations. A full report on BIO2017 will be contained in B4 Issue 47 out in June and photographs and videos from the event will be made available soon. See www.businessinoxford.com for more details. If you would like to take part in BIO2018, contact us through the BIO website. www.businessinoxford.com/contact_us.html

Survey Feedback

Thank you for a very interesting and educational day. We really enjoyed all aspects of the event. @oxfordduplicate

BIO17 was a great success at the new venue, and I really enjoyed the day. Cllr Bob Price, Oxford City Council

Thank you to the Business in Oxford team, we had a wonderful day yesterday. See you again next year! @CJ_Oxford

Great day at BIO2017 and an incredible array of businesses. Many thanks to the team. Excellent discussions! @WildboreGibbons

Over 100 event surveys were completed within one hour of being sent out and here’s a summary of the findings: 90% of guests were “very satisfied” with the event overall Guests reported the following as some of the most valuable aspects of the event: The diversity of topics and thoughtprovoking speakers, the networking opportunities and high levels of interaction, and the great overview of Oxford’s successful and interesting businesses and the future of the city itself. Guests rated highly the following aspects: “Providing a forum for exchange of information with other participants”, “Organisational arrangements before and during the event”, and “Quality of material circulated by the organisers”.

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A fantastic day at BIO2017. A truly brilliant event, with inspirational speakers and great business networking! @TwoOneServices

Thank you to the great speakers, facilitators and organisers for a great day at BIO2017! Well done all. @MulhollandMLC

BUSINESS

BIO2017 TESTIMONIALS “Incredible, and much bigger than last time.” - Mike Clare, Clarenco “A real mixture of people and business from all walks of life, very impressive.” - John Kennedy, Wildbore & Gibbons “It’s a great networking event with lots of interesting people here. Support it!” - Trevor French, Barclays “There’s a real energy. So much going on, so much to see and so much to talk about. Just very exciting.” - Sebastian Johnson, Oxford City Council “Having great time, a real buzz in The King’s Centre. A real lift from last year’s event, great to see smiles on peoples faces.” - Mark Beard, Beard Construction “It’s been a really productive and great day for us.” - David Birch, EY “It’s nice to take time out and attend some talks that I necessarily wouldn’t have gone to. Have expanded my mind.” - Nick Coleman, Snaffling Pig “There’s a buzz around and Oxfordshire has a real heart that really gets to be put on stage.” - Jayne Woodley, Oxfordshire Community Foundation “Has given me a real sense of pride about doing business in Oxford. A real upbeat and positive vibe.” - Kate Allen, Allen Associates

“There’s a huge buzz. Love the conferences and exhibitions. The speed networking was great too.” - Richard Venables, VSL & Partners “The range of sessions is huge - Lots of different aspects of business are here.” - Bob Price, Leader of Oxford City Council “People have been inspired. Great to be here today.” - Abbey Oladapo, Google Digital Garage “A dynamic networking event creating opportunities.” - Nigel Tipple, OxfordshireLEP “Great event, great people. If you want to build as a business person, such a place and platform is perfect for that.” - Samuel Boateng, BBC “Well done Richard for a great event at BIO yesterday at The King’s Centre. I think the change of venue worked well as did the exhibition hall. There was a real buzz around the place and the majority of seminars were well attended. I certainly attended a number of very interesting sessions.” - Richard Venables, Director, VSL & Partners “Very impressed with today. Great day. Thank you.” - Peter O’Connell, Managing Director, Shaw Gibbs

 businessinox #BIO2017

INTERESTED IN BIO2018? Call us on 01865 742211 or contact us via www.businessinoxford.com

With special thanks to hothdesign.co.uk

To discuss your interest in any of our advertising and sponsorship opportunities for BIO2018, please contact: Richard Rosser, Chief Executive of The In Oxford Group Limited.

 01865 742 211  richard@businessinoxford.com  businessinoxford.com

events

MARATHON ACHIEVEMENT JOB DONE! TOTAL RAISED - £1,375 - Time: 4 hours 55 minutes Thank you to everyone who sponsored me for the 2017 London Marathon. It was hard work this year, especially after I crashed into an advertising hoarding at mile 6 when I went to grab a bottle of water off a cub scout! I thought they were supposed to help! It was downhill from there on a hot day with a right calf screaming at me to stop. Mile 12 and, don’t ask why, but I had been training with two pairs of socks on. I bent down to take one off on my right foot and couldn’t bend back down to put my trainer on! A passing stranger helped me and even tied my laces up but the next 16 miles were tortuous…..the added bonus doing a Marathon, as those who have done one will know, is that because of the thousands of people running with you, you end up zig zagging all over the place, meaning I ended up doing 28.05 miles as opposed to 26.2 miles! So all projections go out of the window and my target of breaking 4 hours 30 was just a pipe dream. Three and out I think….although if you haven’t run a London Marathon, or any marathon for that matter, if I can do it then so can you!

Neil Urquhart / O X C / Oxford Duplication Centre / Oxford Philharmonic / Papa Romeo / Savills / Savvy Group / The Oxford Trust / Two One Services / Unipart / VSL / Wendy Twist / William Thomson

THANK YOU TO...

Darren Aston and the team at Aston and James for providing my shirt again this year. Helen & Douglas House for allowing me to run for you. Joanne O’Donovan of Complete Massage for keeping me injury free. Helen Money of Helen Money Nutrition for my food plans. Tom Alden of TLA Fitness for your fitness advice and the boxing sessions. Barry Grinham of Prime Energy Fitness for your invaluable support throughout.

You can still make a donation at Virgin Money Giving – just put my name into the search and make your donation. Thank you.

My family for putting up with me going out running every day!

www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving www.primeenergy.org www.sportsmassageoxford.com www.clicsargent.org.uk www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com

SPONSORS

Bicester Roofing / Colin Rosser / D’Overbroeck’s / Freeths / Headington Carriers / Laurent-Perrier / Mai Gabu / Mark Beard / Mulholland /

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TUESDAY

23RD MAY B4 CLASSIC EVENTS

Christ Church

hosted by Conference Oxford Following hot on the heels of the B4 Classic Event at St Anne’s College, Conference Oxford were once again instrumental in arranging a wonderful evening of networking and tours of Christ Church, one of the world’s most historic and iconic venues. B4 members congregated in the Undercroft Bar, a versatile and unique space where over 80 guests were greeted by Pauline Linieres-Hartley, the Steward of Christ Church. Pauline later commented: “We enjoyed welcoming Conference Oxford and B4 to Christ Church and it was wonderful to connect with such a wide representation of Oxfordshire’s business community. It is important for Christ Church to open its doors to local businesses and B4 and Conference Oxford provided us with the perfect opportunity to do so.” Mike Naworynsky, Chairman of Conference Oxford, also addressed guests, reinforcing the importance of collaboration between all of our businesses in Oxfordshire and talked about the role of Conference Oxford in promoting some of the most outstanding venues in the world. Mike also commented, ‘Conference Oxford is Oxford’s premier venue finding

service and being able to showcase such a prestigious venue as Christ Church fits very well with our core message to local partners that: “we are open for business”. Events such as this help to build new relationships and help to ensure that Conference Oxford venues are acknowledged as the first and best choice for business in Oxford’. Marie O’Connor, who facilitated the event on behalf of B4 with Christ Church, added: ‘We were delighted to welcome so many B4 members to one of our most iconic venues. The exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Christ Church is typical of our offering, since we represent 63 stunning college and University venues in Oxford. Holding an event with us - whether it be a product launch, a senior team meeting, or a staff Christmas function - makes doing business in Oxford more convenient, as well as exciting, providing event organisers with a unique opportunity to create a lasting impression.’

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events

Companies in Attendance

B4 CEO Richard Rosser added “With thanks to Christ Church and Conference Oxford for inviting B4 to hold a Classic Event at such a formidable venue. This event really epitomises the strides B4 has made as a networking organisation to be invited to hold an event at Christ Church. We will continue to build on the fantastic reputation that B4 has established and continue to provide the businesses of Oxfordshire and its incredible venues with effective and longlasting introductions.” It’s easier than you think to hold your event in the world-renowned surroundings of the University of Oxford. Conference Oxford represents 63 of the most wonderful historic and modern venues in Oxford, including the colleges of the University, museums, libraries and iconic buildings. They offer a free one-stop enquiry point to help you find the perfect venue for your conference, awards ceremony, product launch, party or wedding. This dedicated, friendly team of professionals will provide you with all the information, advice and support necessary to ensure a memorable and successful event. Christ Church was established by Henry VIII in 1546 and is one of the largest colleges of the University of Oxford. Uniquely, it is also the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Oxford. Within its imposing walls, Christ Church boasts a world-famous Cathedral choir and a renowned picture gallery. Many distinguished people have studied there, including William

Gladstone, WH Auden, John Wesley and Lewis Carroll. The College occupies a 150-acre site in the heart of the city, which includes a tranquil meadow bordering the rivers Isis and Cherwell. The historic buildings and quadrangles date from the medieval period to the 20th century. With a team of experienced professionals on hand, the conferences team take care of those fine details which help any conference run smoothly from the initial enquiry through to your important event. To see the event photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm1e6VWq

001 Taxis ADS Advertising & Design Alberon Auditel UK Ltd B4 Chapman, Robinson & Moore CIS Ltd ComputerPro Conifers Guest House Diane Wilkinson & Associates Ltd Digital Gold HQ d’Overbroeck’s Finders Keepers Hilltop Consultancy Holiday Inn Oxford LightBright Communications Mulholland Landscape Consultants Natwest Oxford Event Hire Oxford University Club Oxford University Event Venues Oxfordshire LEP Pembroke College Shaw Gibbs Swift Venue Finders The M Group The Old Counting House Trans-Global Sports Ltd Wallers of Oxford You HR

Forthcoming B4 Events June 29th: B4 Platinum Event at Newbury Racecourse July 10th: B4 Classic Event at Holiday Inn, Oxford

CHRIST CHURCH Joanna Malton, Conference & Events Administrator  Joanna.malton@chch.ox.ac.uk  01865 276 174  www.conference-oxford.com CONFERENCE OXFORD Marie O’Connor, Manager  marie.oconnor@conference-oxford.ox.ac.uk  01865 287 378  www.conference-oxford.com

Aug 21st: B4 Classic Event at Bombay Sapphire Distillery Sep 7th: B4 Classic Event at Rhodes House Sep 20th: B4 Classic Event with The Cocktail Service Sep 27th: B4 Platinum Dinner at Pembroke College Oct 12th: B4 Platinum Dinner at Macdonald Randolph Hotel Dec 4th: Christmas Dinner at The Divinity School More events to be confirmed at Hawkwell House Hotel, Milton Hill, TOAD and more.

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news Take on a sporting challenge to help your local children’s hospice Now the weather has improved, it’s a great time to train for a sporting challenge to raise money for your local children’s and young adults’ hospice, Helen & Douglas House. There are some great opportunities to enter as a team or individually with FREE places and to sponsor the Riverside Stomp.

About Helen & Douglas House • As you may know, Helen & Douglas House cares for terminally ill children, young adults and their families in Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties.

New kaleidoscope garden opens TV garden designer Ann-Marie Powell, officially opened the new Kaleidoscope Garden at Helen House on 11th May, with the help of patient Amana Beale. Designed and built by Greenfingers garden charity, this wonderful garden includes a multi-coloured wall and roof projecting wonderful patterns and is accessible for patients in beds and wheelchairs.

• They provide medical, emotional and practical support, helping families deal with the implications of living with a child who will die prematurely, so they can make the most of their time together.

The Riverside Stomp Saturday 30th September

• As a charity they rely almost entirely on donations to support these families.

Money you raise will help families like Martha’s Martha was born on 22nd May 2015 and died 5 days later. Maratha’s Mum Sophie and Dad Edward took part in the Helen & Douglas House Riverside Stomp last year and will be taking part again this year to raise money for the charity.

News from the hospice Duchess of Cornwall visits

out more email our events team at fundraising@ helenanddouglas.org.uk or call 01865 799150.

“We will forever treasure the extra time we were able to spend with Martha, thanks to this wonderful place. We continue to receive regular support from Helen & Douglas House. The process of recovery from the death of a child, whether unexpected or not, is an ongoing journey, and it is a comfort to know that the exceptional staff at Helen & Douglas House will be with us along the way” Sophie, baby Martha’s Mum

Get those walking boots on for our picturesque riverside walking challenge along the scenic Thames Path towards Oxford. Choose between the full 22 mile stomp from Wallingford and the mini stomp 9 miles from Abingdon. Sign-up today at www.hdh. org.uk. Sponsorship opportunities also available.

Virgin Sport Oxford Half Marathon Sunday 8th October Take in the wonderful sites of the historic heart of Oxford on this flat, fast Virgin Sport Oxford Half Marathon course and raise money for Helen & Douglas House. In return for your discounted place for only £15 all you need to do is raise £200. To find out more email our events team at fundraising@ helenanddouglas.org.uk or call 01865 799150.

The hospice’s Patron, HRH Duchess of Cornwall, visited Helen House on 16th May. She spent an hour meeting young people and their families, staff and volunteers. She chatted to everyone she met and showed the compassion and warmth she has always shown. It was a wonderful, memorable day for everyone.

Saturday 23rd September FREE PLACES Take part in this great trail run of either 5 or 10 miles starting and finishing in Ashbury, taking in some beautiful countryside along the Ridgeway. Free places are available if you raise £100. To find

 events@helenanddouglas.org.uk  +44 (0)1865 799 150  www.helenanddouglas.org.uk

 @HelenAndDouglas  @HelenAndDouglasHouse

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services

OXFORD FINE DINING @ THE POLO What better way to spend a slightly blustery, but thankfully dry, bank holiday Sunday at the end of April than watching the quintessentially English sport of polo, whilst enjoying some first class food and refreshments, at the Kirtlington Park Polo Club (KPPC) open day. Written & Photography by: Oxford Fine Dining

As newly appointed official caterers to the venue Oxford Fine Dining (OFD) served up a scrumptious BBQ outside in the fresh air, whilst in the VIP hospitality marquee, guests were treated to delicious bowl food and afternoon tea, all enjoyed with a glass (or two!) of fizz from the new OFD Fizz Bar. Open from midday every Sunday, the KPPC Clubhouse is the perfect spot to watch the polo whilst enjoying a sumptuous hot and cold fork buffet lunch including Thai lemon chicken, as well as more traditional favourites of roast beef and smoked salmon, with vegetarian options also available. If you still have room afterwards there is vanilla panna cotta with strawberry compote and chocolate mousse topped with crumbled brownie on the menu for dessert. Later on in the afternoon why not treat yourself to a mouth-watering afternoon tea complete with sandwiches, irresistible home baked cakes and scones. All of the exquisite dishes on offer are freshly prepared and cooked from local ingredients by our team of talented chefs. Set in the glorious English heritage countryside of Oxfordshire with the fabulous back drop of Kirtlington Park, KPPC is a really special venue that is suitable for a whole host of events. Originally formed in www.b4-business.com

1926, KPPC now boasts seven grounds and has an ever-increasing list of members. Whether you are looking for a business lunch, a celebration with family and friends or just a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon, KPPC offers free admission to both members and non-members and the friendly Clubhouse team are always ready to greet you. The Clubhouse is also available for private hire and our marquee in situ from April to September is a wonderful, unique venue for corporate days, weddings, parties and celebrations. Menus can be tailored to the theme, the event and the décor of the marquee whilst recommendations for flowers, drinks and entertainment are all part of the service. Established in 2007 and with vast experience, OFD has developed a reputation amongst corporate and private clients for tailor made catering solutions with the highest quality food and service. From the outset our trusted team of event managers and chefs will work closely with you to put together the perfect event package and help you to turn your event idea into a stress-free reality. Offering a relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere and casual dress code, the winning combination

of beautiful grounds and exhilarating polo at KPPC coupled with exquisite catering and event planning from OFD provides the perfect event solution, whatever the occasion and we look forward to welcoming you soon. If you already have an event in mind or would like to make an appointment to have a look at the venue and learn more about the services OFD can offer please contact us below.

CONTACT DETAILS

 enquiries@oxfordfinedining.co.uk  01865 728 240  www.oxfordfinedining.co.uk 77

IS YOUR OFFICE ENVIRONMENT CAUSING YOUR STAFF TO LEAVE? Aston & James have partnered up with a leader in ergonomic product design and manufacturer Fellowes to get behind the sit and stand movement and raise the awareness on benefits to business and employees. Lots of businesses are starting to look at ways to improve their employee wellbeing are you one of them? Written by: Darren Aston

The work environment and job satisfaction are intrinsically linked. What an employee thinks about their workstation, their office, and how their wellbeing is valued will undoubtedly influence how long they plan to stay in a role. Fellowes research supports this assertion. According to our paper, A Little Movement for Big Success , almost a third of all employees would quit their jobs because of the negative effects their working environment is having on their health. And over half of managers think they’ve lost employees for the same reason. The story is simple: businesses are losing their best people for motives that are often within their control. And this points towards one certainty: employee health and happiness is essential to modern business success. 78

MATCHING EXPECTATIONS Today, more than ever, people are adopting increasingly healthier lifestyles outside the office. As such, they expect health and wellbeing to be prioritised in their office too – with 2 in 5 people saying they would ask about a company’s wellbeing policy when interviewing for a new role. But for those already in a job, it’s often the case that they consider themselves as healthy at home, but unhealthy at work . With that in mind, it’s little wonder that wellbeing programmes are on the rise across Europe. Employers have to take employee health and happiness seriously if they’re to improve morale, boost productivity and keep their employees.

BETTER WELLNESS FOR BETTER RETENTION If a poor work environment is the cause of an employee exodus, then this suggests that businesses can sway their employees’ intentions to leave by creating a supportive working environment instead. But how exactly should they go about creating one? For most, it starts with a wellness programme, which can improve retention, reduce absenteeism and boost the bottom line. But it must be engaging, holistic and strategically tailored to company goals in order to so. As such, a creative approach to corporate wellness is necessary. It must appeal to all employees and be able to inspire ongoing change. As for the detail of the programme, some elements can be simple. Switching the biscuit jar

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for a fruit basket to encourage healthy snacking habits, for instance. Others, however, must be more comprehensive. Implementing community volunteering initiatives or monthly yoga classes can encourage employees to think about their wellbeing outside of their daily tasks. Importantly, a wellness programme must give employers the chance to fundamentally improve the way employees work. Many offices enable a sedentary lifestyle, with workers sitting down for most of the day. And email and online chat means that people don’t even get up to talk to their colleagues. Sit-stand desks are just one of the ways employers can change this. They encourage more movement throughout the working day, and has the means to prevent chronic disease and improve employee health overall. Movement can lead to a more happier work environment, and this can lead to a direct www.b4-business.com

boost in retention.

KEEPING UP THE EFFORT With a third of people surveyed claiming their back and neck pain stem from their work environment – the existing workplace is due for a change. But people adapt to change differently, meaning achieving results requires lasting commitment. As such, employers need to ramp up their efforts to create wellbeing-focused workplaces today. Because while strong finances satisfied clients and a shiny office are important – it’s the employees that keep a business running. This is why a healthy, happy and active workforce is essential for success. Don’t let a poor work environment and sedentary office lifestyle be the cause of your talent drain.

services 

Discover how you can improve employee retention with the Sit-Stand Movement. To find out more about our Sit and Stand desk range or request a Free Desk Health check contact workingwell@aston-james.co.uk or call the team on 01993 706900.

Everything for the Workplace

 sales@aston-james.co.uk  01993 706 900  www.aston-james.co.uk

THE BEAR & RAGGED STAFF CUMNOR

Wining, Dining and Superb Accommodation 4 Miles from Beautiful Oxford

Not only does the Bear and Ragged Staff serve fantastic food throughout the week, its conversion to a Country Inn means it is now in a position to offer a full suite of services to the discerning traveller whether on business or just looking for a home away from home for a few days. We also cater for Private Parties, Weddings, and you can even hire the entire venue for exclusive use. Our food ethos can be summed up very simply: Local where possible, seasonal and absolutely fresh, prepared in our own kitchen. e Bear's food offering is mainly British with a modern twist and prepared with loving care and attention. e Bear also has a comprehensive selection of wines, real ales and beers available for all palates. We welcome children of all ages, and have a beautiful private garden and free off-road parking.

TO BOOK A TABLE OR ROOM CALL 01865 862329 TO HIRE THE VENUE FOR PARTIES, WEDDINGS AND MORE PLEASE ASK FOR JEREMY du PLESSIS, GENERAL MANAGER

Food served : Monday to Saturday: Lunch 12pm-2.30pm & Dinner 6pm-9.30pm, Sunday all day: 12pm-9pm

28 Appleton Road, Cumnor, Oxfordshire, OX2 9QH 01865 862329 enquiries@bearandraggedstaﬀ.com www.bearandraggedstaﬀ.com

services 

INNOVATIVE HEALTHCARE INNOVATIVE LOCATION… The future looks bright for businesses at Harwell Innovation Centre who are experiencing the benefits of its Harwell Campus location. Alec Winton of AgaMatrix Europe tells B4 Magazine how being surrounded by brilliant people and world-leading services makes it simpler to progress with innovation and development. Written by: Kelly Lea Photography by: Jackie Cross

A medical device company that has already saved the NHS £8.5 million has promised to deliver further savings following the launch of an innovative new diabetes care app to help patients monitor blood glucose, carbohydrates, insulin dosage and weight. AgaMatrix Europe, based at Harwell Innovation Centre at Harwell Campus in South Oxfordshire, has developed the WaveSense JAZZ Wireless; a blood glucose meter that automatically syncs glucose results to the AgaMatrix App and enables patients to share their data with family members or healthcare professionals in just seconds. Alec Winton, General Manager, AgaMatrix Europe, said: “Good diabetes management has been shown to reduce the risk of complications, but when not well managed, diabetes is associated with serious conditions including heart disease, stroke, blindness and kidney disease. AgaMatrix has been at the forefront of developing connected solutions for diabetes management and we will continue to take an innovative approach by working closely with Oxford University on further app developments.” According to stats released by Diabetes UK in 2016, there’s an estimated 4.5 million people living with diabetes in the UK and around 700 people a day are diagnosed, the equivalent of one person every two minutes.

World-Leading Location AgaMatrix Europe is already helping hundreds of thousands of people in the UK and started-up nearly ten years ago taking just two small offices at Harwell Innovation Centre. The company now employs 27 people and Harwell Innovation Centre has become its European headquarters.

Alec Winton said: “Our Oxfordshire location is vital for business development in terms of attracting and retaining employees, and links to the University for future innovation, in addition to creating a central hub that is within easy reach of the rest of the UK and Europe. The team at Harwell Innovation Centre has been fantastic at supporting our growth, helping to facilitate relationships with like-minded businesses and creating potential for future collaborations.” Harwell Innovation Centre is located at the prestigious Harwell Campus, South Oxfordshire, a UK Enterprise Zone and in the heart of Science Vale UK. Home for numerous discoveries and world firsts, Harwell Campus is one of the biggest scientific and technology communities of its kind in Europe. The Innovation Centre is managed by Oxford Innovation, the UK’s leading operator of business and innovation centres. Part of the SQW Group, Oxford Innovation provide flexible office, laboratory, workshop and studio space to over 900 start-up and growing companies throughout a UK-wide network of Business and Innovation Centres.

Making Connections Harwell Campus hosts a series of events called Connect Harwell, enabling campus residents to exchange ideas with new and innovative connections in addition to accelerating commercialisation by linking academia, industry, investors and non-profits on site. An environment has been created to enable businesses of all sizes to flourish and the team at Harwell Innovation Centre understand the importance of facilitating networking opportunities to promote successful collaborations. Dianne Heath, Centre Director, Harwell and Culham

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Innovation Centres, said: “Connect Harwell events encourage innovation and can provide an added benefit to give businesses a competitive edge. We encourage all of the businesses at Harwell Innovation Centre to take advantage of Connect Harwell events, which is just one of the many opportunities on offer.” Through connections made at Harwell Campus or via the Innovation Centre, businesses have access to specialist scientific and technology facilities that cover the following sectors: • • • • •

Advanced Engineering & Materials Big Data & Supercomputing Energy & Environment Life Sciences & Health Care Space & Satellite Applications

Dianne Heath concludes: “Companies love the supportive community within Harwell Innovation Centre, along with flexible office space which is enhanced by a range of specialist business support services across Harwell Campus and Science Vale. Everything on offer is designed to allow businesses to focus on the growth and day-to-day running of their business.” Harwell Innovation Centre has business facilities and a commercial infrastructure to support over 60 companies, from single entrepreneurs to expanding businesses with office space and accommodation ranging from 100 sq. ft. to 1,700 sq. ft. For further information about opportunities at Harwell Innovation Centre, see below. CONTACT DETAILS

 harwell@oxin.co.uk  01235 838 500  www.harwell-ic.co.uk

services 

DELIVEROO EDITIONS

Driving the company beyond delivery by redefining access to the very best food. Written by: Prad Nathan

• Deliveroo launches new platform that enables restaurants to reach new audiences in cities around the world • The creation of delivery-only kitchens allows restaurants to take their menus nationwide without the need for a high street premises • Over 200 hand-picked restaurants will be hosted in Deliveroo Editions’ 30 unique delivery-only locations across the UK • Motored by technology, Deliveroo uses its data to identify customer demand and predict which restaurants are likely to succeed in each areas, thereby reducing risk for restaurants • Deliveroo Editions is expected to create over 1,000 jobs across the country during its initial roll-out alone • International expansion takes the concept to a further five countries by the end of 2017 Deliveroo launches Deliveroo Editions, a revolutionary platform that will enable hundreds of restaurants to reach new customers in cities around the world, without needing a high street premises. Customers across the UK will gain access to over 200 leading restaurants, including MEATLiquor, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Busaba Eathai, as Deliveroo Editions brings chefs and restaurateurs to 30 new locations. At a time when soaring costs are forcing many independent restaurants off the high street, Deliveroo Editions gives restaurateurs the chance to launch, expand and test new innovations with delivery-only offerings in cities across the UK, creating in excess www.b4-business.com

of 1,000 new restaurant jobs. Deliveroo Editions are the result of extensive market analysis drawing on the unique data available to Deliveroo. Using its own technology, Deliveroo can identify specific local cuisines missing in an area, identify customer demand for that missing cuisine and hand-pick restaurant brands that are most likely to appeal to customers in that area. The roll-out will see Deliveroo provide restaurant partners with the infrastructure – including bespoke kitchens, local marketing support and fleets of riders – that allows them to launch delivery-only menus catered to local tastes. Deliveroo Editions will also mean customers who want access to food from restaurants that have yet to open in their town or city will be able to access their menus to enjoy at home – cooked by chefs employed and trained by the restaurants themselves. Will Shu, CEO of Deliveroo says: “Deliveroo Editions makes good on our promise to widen access to the world’s best food. By partnering with some of the top restaurants in the business – from unique independents to high-street favourites – we’re ensuring people have access to incredible food on demand.” “By drawing on the unique technology that motors Deliveroo, we are able to identify gaps in the market and curate bespoke restaurant selections, meaning more choice for customers and the chance for our partners to scale. This is the biggest development in the market since Deliveroo first launched.” The nationwide launch – to be followed by an international roll-out – comes after successful London trials in Camberwell, Battersea, Dulwich and Canary Wharf. Current restaurant partners at

these sites include Franco Manca, On The Bab and Motu Indian Kitchen, a unique collaboration with Michelin-starred restaurateur Karam Sethi. The trial resulted in thousands more deliveries for local riders as well as work for over 100 full-time restaurant employees. Co-founder of MEATliquor, Scott Collins, said: “Deliveroo Editions presents us with the perfect opportunity to extend our reach and test the waters in areas where we may not open bricks and mortar restaurants.” Alongside established restaurant groups, Deliveroo Editions also works with independent restaurants and food start-ups. Joseph Moore, founder of Crust Bros said: “Deliveroo Editions has allowed me to create a whole new brand, with everything from the menu to the packaging designed specifically for delivery. I started out in a street food market in South London and just three years on I’m now delivering my pizzas to thousands of new customers.”

 support@deliveroo.co.uk  0203 699 9977  www.deliveroo.co.uk

Time to return to ‘authentic’ marketing and ‘spank the cowboys’ Data protection rules are changing in favour of privacy for the consumer, as the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) seek to curb the excesses of ‘cowboy’ marketing and provide protection for the privacy rights of individuals. Judy Davis explores some of the implications for marketing with Daff Richardson, partner at Penningtons Manches LLP. Written by: Judy Davis

While businesses have benefited from the new technologies that enhance their ability to identify, profile and communicate with prospects and customers at low cost, some unscrupulous ‘cowboy’ marketers have seized the opportunity to bombard consumers with unsolicited telephone calls and spam emails, to share and sell personal data and even to ‘scrape’ social media data to create fake online profiles. Consumer confidence has suffered as a result. The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) reports that “the values of honesty and integrity have been eroded when it comes to personal data – leaving [consumers] feeling cynical and increasingly unwilling to share their data at all. Among the key reasons for this is that marketers are falling behind when it comes to legal knowledge, best practice, honesty, transparency and listening to customers...Today’s marketers claim to be honest and authentic. But when it comes to personal data we found that they are letting down their customers with some unethical practices”. In the CIM survey, 41% of marketers reported that they don’t fully understand the laws and best practice around using consumers’ personal data. And yet just 17% felt they would like more training, and only 36% say their organisation is transparent about how it collects data. Business owners and employers are responsible for ensuring that the people involved in deciding how to use data are trained and fully versed in

what you can, and cannot, do with data. So I asked Penningtons Manches lawyer Daff Richardson to shed some light on how the new regulations will impact current marketing practice.

be essential and will require changes in the way in which many businesses operate. Data must always be processed in a manner which is lawful, fair, and transparent.

Q: What are the main aspects of the GDPR legislation that impact my marketing?

Q: What does this mean with regards to my existing database of contacts?

A: Well, marketing is, of course, already regulated by the Data Protection Act 1998. However, when the GDPR comes automatically into force in May 2018, the protections for individuals will be significantly enhanced.

A: You really need to assess what data you have, and for what purpose. We’re recommending that all businesses carry out a data audit well before the changes take effect next May. In terms of consent, you’ll need to ensure that explicit opt-in has been obtained by May 2018.

Things to consider: There are four key pillars of consent: • Are your privacy notices fit for purpose? Being transparent and providing accessible information to individuals about your use of their personal data is key to the GDPR. • Think about the person or organisation you’re dealing with. If you’re dealing with consumers or individuals, in a B2C business, you’ll be processing personal data, and must do so in accordance with the rules. Note that “processing” includes using, storing and deleting data. You must take people off the database if they withdraw consent, and you must only process the data for the purposes for which consent has been given, and for as long as is necessary for that purpose – no longer. The idea of keeping people’s “useful details on file” is no more. Obtaining proper consent from individuals for the processing of their data will

• Control – the individual opts in to you being able to process their data, and can opt out. They will also have enhanced rights to be forgotten, and to data portability. • Transparency - be transparent about the purpose for which you are using their data eg “ we would like to use your email address so we can send you tailored offers based on things we know you have bought previously”. Don’t use personal data for a purpose which has not been authorised – this will be a breach, and will expose your organisation to significant penalties. • Notification: keep the data subject informed about how you are using their data; and

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marketing

What challenges do local marketers see ahead?

“

When developing websites and digital campaigns for our clients, we need to make sure they are fully aware of the GDPR requirements and ensure that they comply – including employing a dedicated data protection officer and keeping a log of all data protection breaches.

”

Anita Williams, OFEC web development specialists

“

Daff Richardson

• Verification: the data has to be accurate, and should be kept up to date. Q: If someone gives their personal data on a pop-up form on my website, does this mean they have opted in? A: The answer really depends on what the form says! If it contains an effective privacy notice, and it’s clear how the individual’s data will be used, then it should be fine: that would be an express opt-in. If the privacy notice is buried away elsewhere on the website, and the intended use of the pop-up form isn’t clear, then no – in my view that would not constitute an opt-in. Q: What are the likely sanctions for misuse of private data? A: Fines can reach €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover, whichever is greater, for organisations found to be in breach of the Regulations. However, at the Data & Marketing Association Conference, Information Commissioner Graham reassured those taking proactive steps to meet existing and future requirements, distinguishing them from “the cowboys” and advising that his preferred approach to legal enforcement is to “keep the big stick in the cupboard for the people who need spanking”, suggesting that there may be some flexibility in the early days for those who are trying to comply with the new regime. Organisations which fall foul of the data protection

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rules are also likely to find that there will be serious adverse publicity: the ICO’s findings are made public and offenders will be named and shamed (as has happened recently to some leading charities). Q: What are the implications for business owners and employers? A: Employers are responsible for the actions of their people so they should ensure that they are fully trained to understand the implications of the legislation on their activities. Compliance should be, and be seen to be, driven from the top down. Key points: • be legal, honest and transparent • seek guidance where it is unclear • employ people who understand the law • continuously train your staff as the law and practice develops For further information, contact Daff Richardson.

 daff.richardson@penningtons.co.uk  +44(0)1865 813 647  www.penningtons.co.uk

We have just started a new telemarketing campaign and the issue of records was key in our discussions with the company we are using - there seems to be a huge amount of uncertainty about the new regulations so in terms of assessing the implications, it’s difficult to say. Looking at the possible positives for B4, being part of the B4 community will enable you to communicate freely (we hope) with the other members, so the legislation might have a positive impact on B4 memberships! Richard Rosser, B4

”

“

How do we incentivise people to respond so that we can clean our database and get the consent needed to enable us to continue to email them… no response means no consent!

”

Marketer in professional services

Introducing a classic case of a business that is a very, very long way from bland Phil Strachan of Strangebrew, who has always had a very keen interest in cars, introduces us to his experienced and very well connected friend Alain Duval, Managing Director of Duval Classic Automobiles Ltd. Written by: Phil Strachan

How it all began It was 2012 and I was on my way into London for a business meeting. I was stopped at the traffic lights onto one of the main roundabouts on one of the main routes into London and I just happened to take the opportunity to glance over my left shoulder into the classic car showroom that I knew to be there. And there it was, staring at me seductively and aggressively in all its lime green glory – what was at first glance a beautiful Lamborghini Miura SV in apparently concours condition. Ever since I first saw a picture of a Lamborghini Miura in the pages of Autocar magazine back in the mid 60’s, I had been in love with this iconic, breathtakingly beautiful and truly mould-breaking car. Often considered, even today, to be one of the most beautiful cars ever designed, it certainly could never be described as bland – as indeed is the case for the then fledgeling Lamborghini brand it almost singlehandedly made famous. I hope that this is not a ‘plot spoiler’ for anyone but it was a Miura that was famously crashed and destroyed in the opening sequence of The Italian Job and which did no harm in propelling it to success.

How the term ‘supercar’ was introduced into our vocabulary The Miura, the first roadgoing mid-engined car and vying at the time with the Ferrari Daytona as the

fastest car in the world, is in fact the car that the term ‘supercar’ was coined for. In the mid to late 60’s and early 70’s it was the car for the cogniscenti, for those who sought the individuality of the upstart Lamborghini marque rather than just following the herd and owning a more commonplace Ferrari like everyone else. Notable Miura owners included the likes of Rod Stewart and Frank Sinatra and supermodel Twiggy was often to be seen gracing the passenger seat of her manager, Justin de Villeneuve’s, lime green Miura on the King’s Road in London in the swinging sixties. Indeed, just a few years ago, I introduced my very good composer/pianist friend, Alina Kozlovskaja, to this very car (BWA 532G) which is currently owned by JHW Classics (see www.jhwclassics.com) as one of around 40 very interesting cars they have for hire for use in Films, on Television, in Advertising etc. When last produced in 1972, the Miura SV (the final and finest gestation of the Miura), cost a then pretty eye watering £10,860 but having become a very collectible and rare classic as well as a thoroughly good investment in the intervening years, I knew that a concours SV could sell at auction for over £1million. Today, a concours SV (only 150 were built in total and only a handful were right hand drive) could fetch possibly £I.3 million or maybe even £1.4 million at the top end. Notable Miura/ Miura SV owners today are Jay Leno and Jay Kay of Jamiroquai.

A friendship was born As you may imagine, on my way back out of London after my business meeting, I could not resist stopping at the showroom to appraise this incredible and iconic car – and that is where and when I met Alain Duval, then Sales Manager at the classic car showroom in question and how we then became good friends. It is also when I discovered that the beautiful lime green Miura (priced at £900,000) was in fact a Miura S that had been very meticulously upgraded to SV specification. With his wealth of knowledge of the classic car business and his extensive global network of contacts, Alain now runs his own business, Duval Classic Automobiles Ltd. Operating from West London, Alain acts as a broker, effectively and efficiently connecting those who want classic cars with those who have classic cars for sale and sourcing would-be buyers for some clients and would-be sellers for others. Connections are what matter in this business and when it comes to connections in the classic car arena, Alain Duval really is a very useful person to be connected with. With the invaluable benefit of his earlier background working in Coys Motor Auctions, Alain is a very well known, immensely well respected and very well loved figure at auction houses across Europe. That he is a very well known and very highly regarded figure in the classic car business is of great importance

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marketing

“

What always impresses me when I meet Alain is his encyclopaedic knowledge of the classic car business combined with his commitment to always doing the very best for his clients.

”

as much of the business in this sector happens quietly and privately (involving collectors/investors with private collections) and often without it generally being known that a vehicle is for sale or available to purchase. Not only has Alain been involved with assisting in the purchase and sale of many very rare and very valuable classic cars for clients worldwide, but the clients and connections he has helped include many well known celebrities – who will of course remain nameless. He has regular clients from all over the globe who consider him to be the go-to person when they are looking for a rare classic to add to their collection or they are looking for a buyer for a car they are looking to sell. Cars that Alain has sourced and helped sell for clients over recent years include million pound 300 SL gull-wing Mercedes, Ferrari 250GT, Lamborghini 400GT, Porsche 911S Touring, Maserati Mistral, Ferrari Dino 246GT, Jaguar XK120, Maserati A6G, Ferrari 275GTB4, Aston Martin DBS V8, Ferrari F40, Jaguar XJS, Aston Martin DB5, Bentley Turbo S and several Jaguar E Types.

Trusted, respected and liked Born in Cognac in South West France, Alain has a very good reputation across Europe and even as I write this article he is in France and is dealing with Clients from Malaysia and Belgium. With his close working relationship with Aston Martin works in Newport Pagnell, Alain is often considered as an

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Aston Martin specialist on the continent and as the go-to man for anything Aston Martin. The truth is however that Alain is a specialist but a specialist on all classic cars and recently he has been commissioned to source and sell such rare classics as a Ferrari 250 Pininfarina and a Mercedes 300SL Roadster.

a classic car, whether as an investment or simply as something to enjoy, could do no better than to contact Alain Duval. Equally, anyone with a classic car to sell would be well advised to contact Alain because he may well know of or be able to find a potential buyer.

What always impresses me when I meet Alain is his encyclopaedic knowledge of the classic car business combined with his commitment to always doing the very best for his clients. That he is so trusted, respected and liked by his Clients is no surprise because he really is a true gentleman as well as being incredibly knowledgeable about the classic car business.

As for myself, I was lucky enough to be invited to visit and spend time at the Lamborghini factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese in 1972 when the Miura was in its final stages of production and its successor, the Countach, was in prototype form. That was a dream come true but I will clearly just have to win the lottery in order for my big dream of owning a right handdrive Miura SV to come to fruition - unless anyone out there would like to help with a donation…….

Debunking the myths – and telling it like it is Each and every time we talk, Alain particularly impresses me with his little nuggets of wisdom, which often fly in the face of what seems to be conventional and accepted wisdom – but turn out in fact to be perpetuated myths. It is this ability to know exactly what to look for and his openness and approachability that enables Alain to help his clients by directing them towards the right cars to buy and steering them away from the wrong ones in order to ensure that any investment they make is a very well judged one. I have absolutely no doubt that anyone looking for

Alain Duval can be contacted on 07535 531320

 phil@strangebrew.co.uk  07770 753 975  www.thinkbrandnotbland.co.uk

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Why we’ve written an open letter to work experience pupils As part of our membership of Oxfordshire’s Reciprocate responsible business group, Blenheim Palace is building on our work experience programme, and sharing what we’ve learnt with the wider business community. Written by: Heather Carter, Operations Director at Blenheim Palace

Special needs pupils from Marlborough School doing work experience at Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace is a founder member of the Reciprocate responsible business group, and we are taking the lead on a CSR activity with which we are very familiar: work experience. Blenheim Palace has a well established work experience programme, arranging around eight placements a year from eight local schools. We believe it is a great way to engage with the local community and to do the right thing by young people; but it’s also crucial in bringing talented and motivated people into our future workforce. This is especially important in the context of the growing skills gap identified by many businesses in Oxfordshire, and we have offered apprenticeships and jobs to several former work experience pupils. According to the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP), 76% of employers think a lack of work experience amongst younger candidates is a problem. Unfortunately, 52% of employers don’t offer work experience to school pupils.

Heather Carter from Blenheim Palace

School pupils on work experience at Beard Construction

specialists Alberon, as well as OxLEP’s Skills Team, to articulate how to get the best out of work experience placements. One thing we have championed is an open letter to students about to embark on a placement, giving them friendly advice from the perspective of their future ‘employers’. The letter gives practical tips on professional standards of behaviour, preparedness,

“

According to the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP), 76% of employers think a lack of work experience amongst younger candidates is a problem. Unfortunately, 52% of employers don’t offer work experience to school pupils.

”

Heather Carter, Operations Director at Blenheim Palace

Businesses are put off offering work experience because they perceive it to be difficult and timeconsuming, and possibly because they are worried about having a bad experience with young people who don’t know how to behave in the workplace. However, when employers and the pupils taking part get it right, we think work experience placements can be incredibly rewarding for both the participants, and the employees of the businesses making the effort to offer them. That’s why Blenheim Palace and a collaboration of other Reciprocate member businesses are promoting best practice to both companies and school students. I have been working with construction company Beard and software and web design www.b4-business.com

and the sorts of things it might be useful to reflect on before and after the placement. It has initially been sent to 19 schools across Oxfordshire, to share with 3,000 pupils due out on work experience in the coming three months. The letter will be sent to all remaining Oxfordshire schools for the next academic year. The open letter can be found on the Reciprocate website, reciprocateox.org, under “News”. So far we’ve had great feedback from young people

and those who work with them. For example, Robin Peake from local youth charity Thrive comments: “I’m delighted that Reciprocate businesses are levelling the playing field by letting every young person know what to do to have a successful work experience placement. These tips will demystify the process and help young people unleash their potential – something that is surely good for local employers and communities.” For companies not sure where to start in planning placements and advertising to pupils (especially those less well off), I urge you to read the bestpractice handbook we have published, with the help of Reciprocate, which gives step-by-step guidance for how to do it – also available on the Reciprocate website. Reciprocate members are very willing to share their experience, and we are now using our networks to go into schools and talk to pupils directly as part of ‘human libraries’. Our latest initiative is to arrange collaborative industry placements, where a cohort of students spends a day with each of five businesses from a particular sector. This should make placements easier for businesses and more diverse for pupils. If you are interested in joining us in letting schools and pupils know about the great opportunities in your business, please do get in touch with Reciprocate.

 reciprocate@oxfordshire.org  01865 798 666  www.ReciprocateOx.org

Celebrating the success of The 40 Club In early 2016 Sobell House launched their first ever business club called The 40 Club. We call it The 40 Club because the launch coincided with the 40th Anniversary of when Sobell House first opened in that hot summer of 1976. The 40 Club is a great way for Oxfordshire businesses to partner with Sobell House and put caring with compassion and dignity at the heart of their Corporate Social Responsibility agenda. So what have we achieved since a committed group of local businesses joined The 40 Club 18 months ago with the number one aim of raising money to support the incredible care taking place here at Sobell House. And the answer is a huge amount. Over this period of time The 40 Club has raised an incredible £50,000!! So, Beard Construction, Jennings, Oxford Bus Company, Bridge House Care Home, D C Response, Solid State Logic, OX Magazine, Darke & Taylor, Bicester Village, Chris Lewis Fire & Security, Polythene UK, Templars Square, Opendoorz and Frasers Budgens please all take a bow! Thanks for your commitment so far, thanks for your enthusiasm and great ideas,

John Cairns Photography

made comfortable and to make the most of the life they have left. This incredible group of wonderful Oxfordshire businesses have helped us do this and we are very grateful. On May 12th The 40 Club got together at the Cotswold Lodge Hotel for Afternoon Tea and to celebrate what has been a remarkable 18 months. Our special guest was local MP Nicola Blackwood who spoke about how important and highly valued Sobell House is in the local community and thanked 40 Club members for making such a positive difference to the lives of others. Nicola was incredible engaged and we were so pleased she could join us. At this event Beard Construction presented us with an amazing £16,000. Beard staff and their families – from the director down to the newest trainee – helped raise the money, which was match-funded by the company, through a series of fund-raising activities this year. The special events included a race night and jail-break sponsored by the company’s subcontractors, a wild river swim, a bacon butty breakfast, and a half marathon.

John Cairns Photography

thanks for so many acts of kindness, thanks for running, walking, cycling, baking, drinking round town (Beard Construction!), swimming and so many other crazy things to help Sobell House care for around 3,000 every year. People don’t come to Sobell House to get better; they come to be

a large audience within the local community and be seen by the 70,000 annual visitors to our website. Forming a partnership we can work together and promote your involvement through social media. When joining we ask members to raise a minimum of £10,000 over a 4 year period. As you have already read there are lots of ways you can do this and we are here to help and support you along the way. If you are interested please phone Tim Wraith Corporate Partnerships Manager at Sobell House on 01865 857066 or 07527 849748 or e-mail Tim.wraith@sobellhospice.com

At the moment we have 15 members of The 40 Club and we would love to increase this to 20 by the end of the year. Would you like to join us? Feedback that we have had from our members shows how much the 40 Club can benefit your business. It helps builds team spirit by incorporating charitable giving into your organisation. It would allow you to access

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news

On The Hoof Food, Unbridled taste Sobell House is delighted to be supported by an exciting new business called On the Hoof Food. For business owner Louise Perrin it started many years ago when she got a job in a popular Oxford City wine bar, the lifestyle was fast paced and the food was ahead of its time. After a few years Louise then moved with the head chef to a popular Oxford Restaurant where she stayed for a few years before embarking on a typical 1980’s yuppy career progression in sales and marketing...

of additions including a full kitchen (no horse). Henrietta is perfectly designed for street food events albeit she prefers flat roads to steep hills! Louise is very generously donating a percentage of her profits to support the care taking place at Sobell House. Louise has a very personal connection with Sobell House as the hospice cared for her father in the final months of his life and provided wonderful support to the whole family.

Fast forward 25 years and the foodie bug has never left, so Louise decided now is the time to get passionate about what she loves and go all out with a funky food offering with quality, health and sustainability at the core.

‘The support and care that my dad and my entire family received from Sobell House staff was amazing. During such a challenging an upsetting time the nursing team were warm caring and thoughtful in everything they did.’ - Louise.

Henrietta the horsebox is a hand built 1978 Rice “Beaufort Double” Horse trailer with a host

So many of us dream about doing something different and making a lifestyle change but do

nothing about it. Louise is different. She is doing something that she has always wanted to do and she is making a huge success of it. At the same time she is also supporting Sobell House and we are incredibly grateful. Thanks Louise! To know more about this exciting new venture visit the website www.onthehooffood.co.uk or contact Louise direct on 07917 044722 or Louise@onthehooffood.co.uk

Oxford Half Marathon Sunday October 8th Sobell House calling all runners!!! Oxford’s glorious city centre route kicks it off on Broad Street, starting you off on the right foot near Trinity College and the Clarendon Building. Once you pass through the charming village of Old Marston, you’ll cross the River Cherwell and whip back around to Oxford University’s impressive Lady Margaret Hall, and then right again onto Norham Gardens.

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Finish strong back into City Centre, through Radcliffe Square and into the final stretch of the stunning Radcliffe Camera. Does this sound like fun? We are looking for 50 runners from the business community of Oxfordshire to run for Sobell House, would you be one of them? If you would like to know more please contact Tim Wraith on 01865 857066 or e-mail Tim. wraith@sobellhospice.org, we would love to hear from you.

10 Magnificent venues in Oxford

REASONS TO CHOOSE OXFORD UNIVERSITY EVENT VENUES FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT Written by: Kay Miles

Oxford University Event Venues is a collection of Estate run venues that provide a whole host of venue and event services. So, why choose our venues for your next event? We take a closer look…

plate so we aim to minimise your stress. We have low staff turnover providing good continuity of service, and we always start by asking how we can make this work for you. We understand the importance of attention to detail and all our venues are Customer Service Excellence rated.

1. Venues for all occasions

3. Beautiful surroundings

Whether you are planning a festival, a large conference for up to 650 guests, a drinks reception, a concert, an awards presentation or just a small day meeting, our five venues can offer an ideally-sized space. We offer a single point of contact and shared caterers and suppliers, making it easy for you to book your event over multiple venues.

Creating and sustaining a buzz around an event is often key to its success. One way to do this is with a memorable venue. Whether you are looking for an historic or modern space, we provide a wonderful cocktail of architecture, from the 17th century through to the 21st. Our historic venues offer grand marble staircases, oak panelled rooms and exquisite painted ceilings, while our modern buildings offer stylish and comfortable space. Many of our venues also offer outdoor spaces where your guests can mingle in a quad or garden.

2. A responsive team who deliver

great onsite support

According to EventPlanner.TV, in 2014 event planning was voted as the fifth most stressful career alongside soldiers, military generals, firemen and airline pilots. Events are stressful because of strict timeframes, multiple tasks on the go at the same time, tight budgets and you are often creating something out of thin air. We understand you have a lot on your

4. Convenient location The Estates agent’s mantra – location, location, location – is often at the forefront of event organisers’ minds. Oxford benefits from being midway between the Midlands and London. While parking at our

venues is limited, they do benefit from excellent public transport links including bus, rail and the park & rides. With 18% of the UK population having a disability, we work hard to accommodate most needs with the minimum of fuss.

Academic venues are “ generally more affordable

than hotels and commercial conference centres. Our rates are cheaper than you might think. Hiring some of our smaller meeting rooms starts from only £30 per hour.

”

5. Multi-Site Events The location of our venues also makes us great for multi-site events as the walking distance between many of them is minimal. Perhaps you want a

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conference in the Examination Schools and a plenary session in the Sheldonian Theatre? Not a problem. Our team can coordinate the whole thing for you with one point of contact and no need for agreements with multiple venues.

6. Excellent facilities and

range of services

The facilities and services a venue offers are key. We provide services that support and enhance your experience, whether you need food served in an unusual way, are livestreaming your event to people around the world, or require help finding a teambuilding activity such as Bushcraft in Wytham woods. Owned by the University, the woods are one of the most researched areas of woodland in the world.

7. A sustainable outlook While price, location and value for money are the top factors for many event organisers, a venue’s contribution to the environment is important. The University is committed to reducing its environmental impact and most of our venues are ISO14001 accredited. We are also working towards the Green Tourism accreditation, the world’s largest sustainable

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certification programme.

8. All year-round availability Our venues host events throughout the year. We hire during the day, evenings and at weekends. Larger events (250 delegates plus) are best suited to run during University holiday times which are early January, March and April, July–September and December.

9. Affordable rates Academic venues are generally more affordable than hotels and commercial conference centres. Our rates are cheaper than you might think. Hiring some of our smaller meeting rooms starts from only £30 per hour. We are transparent with our costs and avoid hidden extras. We also offer flexible payment schedules for larger conferences.

venues

and offer practical support to event organisers through our blogs and a quarterly e-newsletter.

10. Customers who keep

coming back

And finally, we aspire to talk less, listen more and come up with solutions that truly meet our customer’s needs. Our most successful events are those where our customers see us as partners – they share their vision with us, so the whole relationship becomes less transactional and more meaningful, ultimately delivering a better event. We are proud that 98% of customers would use our venues again, and many do!

9. An easy to use website Re-launched last year, www.venues.ox.ac.uk makes it easy for you to understand which room in which venue to choose. Try out our room search function on the website. We offer detailed floorplans, videos

   

venueenquiries@admin.ox.ac.uk 01865 276 905 www.venues.ox.ac.uk @OxUniVenues

Divinity School â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Robert Fairer

A Grand Venue

Presentations & Award Ceremonies | Private Celebrations | Dinners & Drinks receptions Contact our events team Email events @bodleian.ox.ac.uk Call 01865287199 Visit www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson/venue-hire

OXFORD STATION TO LONDON MARYLEBONE TRAINS NOW RUNNING Our trains now run twice an hour, with journey times from just over an hour to the cool, calm and well-connected London Marylebone.

venues

“ Our Oxford meeting

rooms have the capacity to inspire, and the flexibility to cater for a wide variety of meetings and events…

”

MALMAISON

OXFORD CASTLE QUARTER Written & Photography by: The Malmaison Team

Located in a converted prison in a medieval castle, this boutique hotel is in Oxford Castle Quarter, one of the oldest, busiest and trendiest spots in the city. Check in to your cell for the night, and you’ll be surrounded by all the Malmaison luxuries you can imagine - divine dining, crafty cocktails and the softest of bedding - it’s a hard life. Stay in one of our 95 richly appointed rooms and suites that are packed with some of the best creature comforts that come to mind. Enjoy sumptuous dining in our stylish Brasserie, where fresh, local and classic dishes are cooked to perfection. You’ll discover generous portions and our passion for food. Be sure to stop by our neon-lit bar, where the only clink is the sound of glasses as you raise a toast with our cunning cocktails, world-class wines or cold, refreshing beers. Just five minutes from the bars, restaurants and museums in town, this is without a doubt one of the most unique and thrilling hotels in Oxford city centre. So who wants to escape? It would be a crime not to. You’ll certainly make an impression when you hold your meeting in Malmaison Oxford. This may be

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a former prison, but your colleagues won’t feel caged in. Our Oxford meeting rooms have the capacity to inspire, and the flexibility to cater for a wide variety of meetings and events… With high speed Wi-Fi and spaces with real wowfactor, your meeting starts here. Take no prisoners, make sure your meeting packs a punch with this quirky and creative set up. We have a range of meeting rooms of all shapes and sizes, ideal for the more relaxed gathering to the formal affair. Either way you’ll be inspired and will make an impression on your colleagues and clients. If you’d prefer a more intimate experience visit The Private Dining room, a sumptuous and cosy cell, capable of holding up to 10 people in corporate custody for meetings and dining engagements. With natural daylight your guests won’t feel penned in, but will have total privacy. For larger scale events, our visitors room is the ideal space. Featuring high ceilings, comfy lounge style seating, Champagne bar and plasma screen TV, this is a unique location in a

truly unique building. Whether you’re brainstorming or holding a creative conference, we think you’ll be inspired. Couple that with four cell-come meeting rooms that are full of character and history, this is an inspiring place, ideal for getting those creative brains moving and great for casual meetings with an impressive edge. And as if this amazing space isn’t enough, talk to our experienced team, let them know your preferred style, tastes and requirements and we’ll tailor your meeting or event to suit you perfectly. Visit malmaison.com or contact us for more information.

 events.oxford@malmaison.co.uk  01865 689 944  www.malmaison.co.uk

Welcome to The B4 Travel Section. Thankyou to the many B4 readers who have been in contact with me since the launch of the Travel Section in last month’s edition of the magazine. I’m grateful for all the feedback received and suggestions for future articles. Written by: David Gambier B4 Travel Editor

TRAVEL – THE BUSINESS OF ‘DISRUPTORS’ The history of the travel industry is really the history of ‘disruptors’. Thomas Cook started the ball rolling followed by Sir Arthur Lunn, who gave his name to the Lunn Poly travel organization. William Ingham went on to found Inghams Travel who claims to ‘have taught Britain to ski’. Then we had Sir Freddie Laker, the originator of the ‘no-frills’ airline concept, followed in his own flamboyant style by Virgin-founder Sir Richard Branson. Another great industry disruptor was Harry Goodman, who established Intasun, with the determination to become the biggest company in the business through a concerted strategy of offering massive discounts on brochure prices. Dependent on your perspective, he either liberated the consumer from the high cost of holidays, or caused irreparable damage to the whole industry’s reputation by creating the expectation that every traveller should be able to demand – and receive – a substantial discount on their quoted holiday price. Easyjet’s Stelios Haji-Ioannou wanted to break away from the orthodoxy of conventional airline procedures, only to be overtaken himself by arch-rival and self-professed arch-disruptor, Michael O’Leary – the driving force behind Ryan Air.

The latest arrivals on the disruptors’ scene are Uber and AirBnB, and it’s fair to say that, as with their predecessors, they are not being welcomed with open arms. In the case of Uber, when you have a London cabbie who has spent an average of 4 – 5 years and some 8000 hours of study doing ‘The Knowledge’ required to obtain their official Black Cab operating licence, it’s easy to understand why they do not welcome an untrained driver relying on a SatNav to get around, and a smart-phone ap to identify who they should be picking up as their fares. Similarly, AirBnB are not welcomed by conventional accommodation suppliers from giant hotels to the smallest bed & breakfasts. These businesses often pay thousands of pounds to become officiallyregistered and compliant with a raft of health and safety, fire and hygiene regulations, only to see their prices undercut by people offering an unvetted room in their own house, and benefitting from significant tax incentives to do so. As an industry, with its myriad of suppliers, the travel business is amongst the most competitive sectors in the economy, and certainly none of us shy away from that competition. However, what we do want is the ‘fairness’ of all being governed by the same rules, and especially the costs to which we are subject to

operate our businesses. Whilst we are not going to see a disappearance to Uber or AirBnB anytime soon, different authorities are trying to level up the playing field. Copenhagen, for example, is in the process of introducing regulations that will mean that all taxi drivers will be required to have some official qualification to carry on their business which directly rules out 95%+ of Uber drivers. Likewise, especially in the already heavily-regulated EU countries, the ‘owners’ of AirBnB are coming under pressure to accept the same responsibilities and liabilities as other agents and operators are in terms of quality assurance and particularly financial protection that apply to other suppliers of similar products. Time will tell what happens with Uber and AirBnB and how they change their business models to comply with prevailing changes to their operating environment. Needless-to-say, by the time they become ‘part of the establishment’, as they inevitably will in the years ahead, other new disruptors will appear on the scene to upset the proverbial applecart for them and everyone else.

 david-g@greatexperiencetravel.co.uk  01993 627 814  www.greatexperiencetravel.co.uk

What all these disruptors have in common is a desire to innovate in their own particular fashion, to takeon the ‘big guys’ by strength of personality, and the cutting edge use of prevailing technology. What they also have in common is a willingness to ‘play by their own rules’, epitomised by Ryan Air’s approach to service, operations, marketing and especially, customer relations. If you want Ryan Air’s cheap flight prices, then there is a trade-off in what you can expect. As many newspaper reports will attest to – if you don’t like what you get, then in Michael O’Leary’s inimitable fashion, he doesn’t care if you take your business elsewhere – usually expressed with a mixture of expletives. The other thing that the disruptors have in common is a ruthless focus on cost-cutting and squeezing out profit from the places that you never thought profit existed. Who would ever have imagined that in 2017, you can often pay 2 or 3 times what you are paying for yourself simply to take a suitcase on your travels with you ?

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As people have commented on positively, although we do have the sort of articles that you would traditionally expect to find in the ‘Travel Section’ of a magazine with our ‘48 hours in…’ and ‘Member Zone’ contributions, people seem to appreciate that, as a business-to-business magazine, the focus of the news items should be on the issues and challenges that we as business owners and executives can relate to no matter what industry sector we represent…We just hope, however, that especially in the ’48 hours in…’ you’ll be inspired with ideas for those times when you can spare a few days away from your desk for some rest and revival.

corp. lifestyle

decision and the election of Mr Trump. Obviously, I didn’t have a crystal ball, and couldn’t predict that by the time of the June edition of the magazine, we’d be looking at having a new government in place. Although I’ll be writing the next article before the outcome of the election is known, I’ll aim to focus on the challenges that will await the new incumbent of 10 Downing Street whoever he, or she, might be. If there are other topics that readers would like me to write about, or If you want to see more about my background in the travel industry, then take a look at the About Us section of our website, www.greatexperiencetravel.co.uk.

In last month’s edition, I dwelt on some of the issues presented by our Brexit

B4 MEMBER ZONE B4 members tell us about there travel favourites, where, why and what they loved

Jo Willett

Marketing & Business Development Director, Oxford Innovation – Business & Innovation Centres

Favourite childhood holiday memory and why: A narrowboat holiday on the Oxford and Grand Union canals with my family (including grandparents). There was a moment where my

Richard Marsh

grandfather was steering, we hit the side and the roast lamb my mum was cooking fell out of the oven right in front of our dog Oscar – who couldn’t believe his eyes. The ensuing chaos was reminiscent of a slapstick comedy, but thankfully we all enjoyed a lovely dinner that evening!.

Austin, Texas – worth travelling 200 miles for!.

Favourite holiday destination now: The best holidays we have had recently have been visiting Texas (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio & Galveston) – such a range of places, experiences and lovely friendly people, plus literally the biggest & best steaks I have ever seen or eaten!.

Favourite places you’ve still got on your bucket list: I’m ticking one off later this year when I visit India with my sister, but I also haven’t yet made it to Rome or Venice – so both are still on my must do list

Favourite meal you’ve eaten on your travels: The ‘Marry Me’ sushi roll at Piranha Killer Sushi in

Favourite hotel experience: We mostly stay using AirBnB now, however we had a fantastic stay in the Mandarin Oriental in Miami a few years ago, plus in the same trip The Marquesa on Key West.

Favourite item to take with you on your travels: A big suitcase for all my clothes and shoes, with just enough room for a few souvenirs!

CEO - CIS of a small town called Hemsby, arcades, go-karts, no responsibilities, lots of fun! Favourite holiday destination now: Florida Keys, A more laid back way of life, with the beach, the ocean and the sunshine, a great place to relax, have visited many times. Favourite meal you’ve eaten on your travels: I have had many a good steak, but my favourite has to be Tapas in Spain, colourful, tasty food, with a variety, a sharing and social way to enjoy a meal.

Favourite childhood holiday memory and why: As a family living in Cambridge we always went to the Norfolk coast for summer holidays, great memories

Favourite hotel experience: A water cottage in the Maldives, a beautiful island, a hotel room

with a glass floor to see the ocean, a hammock to snooze above the sea and amazing service from very friendly people. Favourite places you’ve still got on your bucket list: I have Australia and East Asia still to see, I want to go but to do it properly and experience it all, China, Japan, Hong Kong, I’d like to see that side of the world. Favourite item to take with you on your travels: I have to say my wife! Of course I always have a small laptop & my mobile, more so for instant information, things to do, audio books, maps and guides than for email and other distractions.

48 HOURS IN... Based on personal experience, we are interested in readers’ advice and suggestions as to what to do in 48 hours in a particular location. For this edition of B4, we check out what to do with 48 hours in… NEW YORK.

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48 Hours in…

New York ‘New York, New York – so good they named it twice’ is one of the great song lyrics. Written and recorded by American singer-song-writer Gerard Kenny in 1978, it reflects the feedback that we get from the many clients that we send there each year. Even if the second line, ‘New York, New York, all the scandal and the vice, I love it!’ is slightly less flattering, the ‘I love it’ sentiment is certainly one that I share. WRITTEN BY: DAVID GAMBIER

I came to New York relatively late – visiting it for the first time only as recently as 2014 – right in the middle of the ‘Big Freeze’ which saw temperatures dropping to -25 and below. I had travelled extensively around the US before that, so I wasn’t unfamiliar with the country, and whether it was from Kojak, Sex in the City or the literally thousands upon thousands of movies that have used New York as a backdrop, I ‘knew’ New York already, long before I got there. However, nothing prepares you for the reality of the city in all its glory when you experience it for the first time in person. The drive in from JFK or Newark Airport takes you past and underneath all the signs that are so familiar from the movies – Brooklyn, the Bronx, New Jersey, and eventually, of course, onto Manhattan, and probably the most iconic city skyline in the world. So, what should you do with 48 hours in New York ? Well, first and foremost, it

all comes down to planning and preparation – and, possibly, dare I say it, talking to a good travel agent before you go ! If you plan your arrangements carefully and cleverly, you can maximise your time by flying first thing in the morning from London – there are lots of flight options, and even after the allowing time for your shuttle transfer into Manhattan, you’ll be in the city in time for a late lunch. Then do the opposite on the way home. Book the latest flight that you can back, so you get a full last day as well. This means that your 2-day break actually spreads into 3 and a half, and you’ll certainly find plenty to fill your time. It doesn’t make a big difference whether you fly into New York JFK Airport, or Newark. Although JFK is probably the more ‘iconic’ arrival point, Newark is actually closer to Manhattan and a marginally shorter transfer. We always recommend our clients book one of the variety of ‘city passes’ that are available. Dependent on the Pass option you select, these give you ‘skip-the-line’

prepares “youNothing for the reality of the city in all its glory when you experience it for the first time in person.

”

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corp. lifestyle

must-do things “toOther do and see include going up the Empire State Building – try to do this mid-late afternoon, so you get the experience of the city in daylight, but also as it changes to night, and everywhere lights up.

”

access to many of New York’s great sites and places of interest. Again, dependent on the Pass, you may get the physical pass before you go, or alternatively, you collect them from a central distribution point. This is usually just off Times Square, so is a great opportunity for you to visit one of this city’s amazing landmarks. It may sound strange, but one of the first thing that strikes you about Times Square, but the same applies to all of New York, is that it really DOES look exactly as you expect to from all the movies, TV coverage etc. Whilst some cities, beaches and landmarks often look a lot less impressive when you get up close, the opposite is true for New York. It’s even better ‘live’ than you could possibly imagine. My travelling companion on my New York trip was my now 25-year old daughter, who, at the time, was studying Music in preparation for a career in Musical Theatre, and she was also writing her dissertation on Barbra Streisand’s early career on Broadway. As a result a lot of our time was taken up waiting in lines to purchase reduced-price show and theatre tickets at the big Box Office on Times Square. Tickets for the evening performances go on sale from 3pm, but you need to get there around 2pm, as the queues start early. Although you can obviously get tickets for the classic shows that everyone knows from the West End, this is a missed opportunity, as you can always go and see these in London anytime – try instead to go to a show that isn’t on the West End, or take in one of the shows ‘off Broadway’. They are less well-known – so the tickets are cheaper -, but is also where many of the shows that end up being ‘classics’ start their lives. If you are a music fan, then complement your visit to

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a Show with a late night drink at one of New York’s many jazz clubs, or music venues, which are often frequented by performers who themselves have just come off stage earlier in the evening. One of the best of these is ‘54Below’, which takes its name from the fact that all the great Broadway shows are in theatres below 54th Street. If your musical interests lie in a more classical direction, then The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts will need to be on your list. This is the home of ‘The Metropolitan Opera’, so is world-famous for concerts, opera and ballet. However, a great tip is to go there on a Saturday afternoon, when you get free performances in some of the smaller theatres. You are also right next door to the Julliard School of Music, which also put on fantastic performances by their students. Other must-do things to do and see include going up the Empire State Building – try to do this midlate afternoon, so you get the experience of the city in daylight, but also as it changes to night, and everywhere lights up. A trip on the Hudson River, either as a cruise taking you to or passed the Statue of Liberty or on the famous Staten Island Ferry gives you an amazing perspective on the city, especially Wall Street and ‘One World TradeCenter’, the building that has replaced the Twin Towers, and is New Yorkers ultimate response to the events of 9/11, which are also commemorated at the Ground Zero Museum. A few other iconic places to visit which can all be fitted in to a 48-hour blast could include ‘The Met’ or the ‘Guggenheim Gallery’, which combine wonderfully with a walk through Central Park. If you are in New York on a Sunday, make your way up to Harlem, and enjoy a traditional Gospel Church Service – but do

check the service times carefully, as some churches have services that are restricted to ‘locals’ because the demand from visitors is so great that they fill the churches many times over. And then there is the shopping ! And wow, is there shopping with Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s topping the list ! However, do be aware that your duty-free allowance for bringing goods back into the UK isn’t quite as large are your propensity to spend money the New York’s great shops. Getting around is easy – the subway is cheap, super-efficient and safe, and of course, you have the City’s famous yellow cabs… and, yes, the cab-drivers are just as you expect them to be ! Obviously, you’ll need to find time for food, and you’ll be spoilt for choice. Try a Jewish deli for a breakfast bagel, a huge sub-sandwich in a diner for lunch and one of a thousand places for dinner. Just turn a blind eye to the fact that Americans actually show the calorie-count for every meal on their menus. They don’t seem to take any notice of them, so why should you ! I can promise that your 48 hours – or a little more in New York – will simply whet the appetite for another visit. Amongst the other famous song lyrics written about it is that it is ‘the city that never sleeps’ – absolutely true, and don’t expect to do too much sleeping yourselves on your whirlwind trip. After all, you’ve always got the flight home.

 david-g@greatexperiencetravel.co.uk  01993 627 814  www.greatexperiencetravel.co.uk

OUT OF TIME?

WH MOBILE VA L E T I N G W W W.W H VA L E T I N G . C O . U K T: 01865 378904 / 07979 480886 E: waynehedgeruk@aol.com

VA L E T

Save precious time with our managed Payroll service & cloud-based HR system Online Payslips HMRC Submissions Timesheets Expenses Leave Processing

Process Automation Document Management Shift Scheduling Projects & Tasks

www.payrollsdirect.com/jm/ Your local Business Manager: Jeremy Mohamed

Small Business Specialist

jeremy@payrollsdirect.com 01295 722854 / 07789 118777

SERVICE • Mini Valet £40 to £60 • Standard Valet £70 to £90 • Full Valet £90 to £150 • Ultimate Valet £140 to £200 • Interior Valet £60 to £80 • Exterior Valet £40 to £70 • Machine Polish £100 to £150 • Deodorise £40 to £70 • Car Protection £80 to £100 • Clay bar Treatment £40 to £60 • Convertible Roof Clean & Protect £30 to £100 • Headlight Restoration £60 to £100

WH MOBILE VA L E T I N G W W W.W H VA L E T I N G . C O . U K T: 01865 378904 / 07979 480886 E: waynehedgeruk@aol.com

OUTDOOR CLEANING • Cleaning Only £3 per m2 • Cleaning & Re-Sanding £3.50 per m2 • Cleaning & Sealing £6 per m2 • Cleaning, Re-Sanding & Sealing £6.50 per m2 Contact us now for all your patio and driveway cleaning solutions. Our vast experience and passion for our job will leave you with a spotless patio or driveway. Our efficient, professional work ethic extends to our car valeting service in Oxford.

SURPRISE YOUR GUESTS Make the most of the sunshine and host a private early morning breakfast meeting or summers evening drinks reception on our Roof Top Terrace. contact e events@ashmolean.org t 01865 610406 w ashmolean.org/venuehire

corp. lifestyle

Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons offers exclusive delegate package to corporate guests Written by: Kristin Fowler Photography by: Paul Wilkinson Photography Ltd

Choose Belmond Le Manoir for your next meeting or corporate getaway. Renowned for outstanding cuisine, faultless attention to detail and offering guests an unsurpassed service, the team at Belmond Le Manoir has created a new corporate package for those wishing to escape to the tranquil Oxfordshire countryside. Corporate delegates can use the private dining area at Belmond Le Manoir, La Belle Époque, consisting of a reception room, perfect for the registration of delegates with coffee, tea or a glass of champagne perhaps. There is also a Conservatory that can have break out tables in or theatre style seating, with doors that open out onto a private, walled garden with a terrace area perfect for the longer evenings. The area can accommodate between 15 and 50 guests and www.b4-business.com

hiring it includes use of the Provençal-style reception room, secluded walled garden, dining room and the La Belle Époque Conservatory. Raymond Blanc’s exemplary cuisine and hospitality will equal the quality of the Michelin-starred restaurant. Belmond Le Manoir is offering an exclusive Day Delegate Rate of £100.00 per person including VAT to the corporate market until December 2017 from Monday - Thursday (subject to availability) with a minimum number of 15. The offer includes: complimentary room hire of our La Belle Epoque for your meeting, tea, coffee and viennoiseries to start the day, seasonal buffet lunch with a selection of soft drinks, afternoon tea & coffee with a healthy snack and Belu still & sparkling water throughout the day.

For more information, please email events.mqs@ belmond.com, call +44 (0) 1844 277 215 or visit belmond.com/lemanoir

     

manoir.mqs@belmond.com +44 (0)1844 278 881 www.belmond.com @lemanoir @lemanoirauxquatsaisons @belmondlemanoir

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Join our Partnership and help shape the future of Bicester â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our Partnership is comitted to working with businesses in Bicester to encourage innovation, develop a skilled workforce and to attract inward investment.? Phil Shadbolt, OBE. Chairman of Bicester Vision

Partner benefits

Bicester Vision can be reached through any of these channels:

01869 324 244 /groups/4147186 @bicestervision info@bicestervision.co.uk

www.bicestervision.co.uk

Audio Visual Services Event and Show Support Presentation Services

Do your events turn into a drama? We believe dramas should be reserved for the stage!

Value delivered

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Delivering outstanding value for money is the hallmark of our service. We ensure that you get the most from our advice. Contact Whitley Stimpson for a FREE consultation. Banbury Office: +44 (0)1295 270200 High Wycombe Office: +44 (0)1494 448122 Bicester Office: + 44 (0)1869 252151 Witney Office: +44 (0)1993 700010

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PARTNERS IN YOUR PROGRESS

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With an arm full of testimonies and proven track record, we can ensure your next event is less drama and more award winning.

Tel: +44 (0) 1865 722522 email: hire@startechproductions.co.uk www.startechproductions.co.uk

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“ From families and

foodies to couples on a date night and big groups, COSMO has something for everyone.

”

COSMO

COSMO Authentic World Kitchen is inspired by the best five-star hotels in the world, which bring a choice of fresh food under the same roof and elevate the buffet concept to new levels. Written by: Angel Andreu Photography by: Cosmo Watch as teppanyaki experts grill steaks and fresh seafood right in front of your eyes and chefs lay on a never-ending array of dishes. This isn’t a buffet as you know it: this is food theatre that creates a sociable and buzzing atmosphere. But don’t forget to leave room for dessert. Enjoy bite-sized morsels of homemade cakes, comforting puddings, creamy profiteroles, fresh fruit and gelato galore. And then there’s the stuff that dreams are made of: the legendary chocolate fountain, featuring cascading Swiss milk chocolate and a selection of fresh fruit and marshmallows waiting to be dunked. Wash all this down with free-flow soft drinks or try our beers, wines, spirits and cocktails. Since opening in 2003, COSMO has expanded throughout the country as Britain embraces global dining and flavours from all corners of the world. From families and foodies to couples on a date night and big groups, COSMO has something for everyone.

and chutneys. TEPPANYAKI: For a sizzling slice of food theatre straight from the streets of Tokyo, make a beeline for our legendary teppanyaki live cooking station. Choose from fresh salmon, scallops, sirloin steak, chicken or juicy tiger prawns and watch as COSMO’s talented chefs cook it in front of you on an iron griddle to lock in the flavour. PATISSERIE: With over 70 choices on offer, there’s a reason why we suggest you leave room for dessert. From strawberry cheesecake to traditional Italian tiramisu, COSMO’s patisserie chefs whip up a tempting array of homemade, bite-sized cakes so you can have a taste of everything. CONTINENTAL: With favourites like spaghetti and meatballs and a huge range of vegetarian options, there’s something for everyone. Don’t leave without trying COSMO’s authentic pizzas either, which are expertly cooked in wood-fired ovens.

make up your own crispy duck rolls by assembling freshly roasted duck, spring onion, cucumber and plum sauce. We think sushi is an art form. Our expert sushi chefs lay on endless trays of ultra-fresh sashimi, maki, nigiri and California rolls, which are handmade daily. FOODIE FACT: China’s cuisine can be broken up into roughly eight regions: Cantonese, Sichuan, Anhui, Shandong, Fujian, Jiangsu, Hunan, Zhejiang. There’s a whole etiquette to sushi eating. To do things the authentic Japanese way, be sure to dip your sushi fish-side down into your soy sauce and treat the pickled ginger as a palate cleanser. CARVERY: There are few things in life more comforting and British than a full roast dinner. Choose between expertly roasted turkey, lamb or beef with lashings of gravy, a choice of vegetables, fluffy Yorkshire puddings and the crowning glory of any roast dinner: roast potatoes. Not just for Sunday.

OUR MENU

DELI: From slivers of charcruterie and fresh salads to juicy olives and an assortment of cheeses, stop by our deli counter to enjoy a taste of the Med. HOUSE OF SPICE: Spice it up with a choice of South-East Asian favourites, from authentic Kashmiri lamb and crispy pakora to creamy chicken tikka masala drizzled with yogurt and an aromatic saag aloo. Mop up the delicious sauces with fluffy naan and load your plate up with a selection of pickles www.b4-business.com

TASTING KITCHEN: The great thing about small plates is that you get to try a little bit of everything without getting too full. Our tasting kitchen is a tour de force of the world’s most popular dishes, from mini burgers and chilli con carne to small portions of Greek moussaka and a comforting shepherd’s pie. Why not pick a few to share or choose one as a starter? WORLD OF ASIA: Tour the Asian continent with our hand-picked tasters of the region’s most authentic dishes. Enjoy Mongolian stir-fried lamb or

 oxford@cosmo-restaurants.co.uk  01865 297 575  www.cosmo-restaurants.co.uk

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I need help with public speaking

In my position I should be upbeat and confident but I’m not a natural extrovert. In fact I feel very nervous and I’m afraid it will show. Do you want to be a confident effective speaker? Contact Alison Haill today, for expert help.

Oxford Professional Consulting E: alison.haill@opcoxford.com T: +44 (0)1865 436 791 W: www.opcoxford.com

The B4 Members Club Welcome to the B4 Memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club. In this section youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find some exclusive content for B4 Members. Contents: 106. Meet The B4 Members 107. B4 Events 108. B4 Members Events 109. B4 Testimonials

Meet the B4 Members B4 is proud to welcome the following new members to the network.

Minuteman Press BUSINESS SECTOR : PRINT SERVICES Offering Printing and Copying Services for Oxford and the Surrounding Areas. High-quality products. Timely service. Competitive prices. You can expect these and more when you partner with Minuteman Press for your design, printing and marketing

Tel: 01865 247 010 www.oxford.minutemanpress.co.uk

Beard Construction BUSINESS SECTOR : PROPERTY

Beard is an award-winning, £137 million turnover construction company which operates across the South of England. With offices in Oxford, Swindon, Bristol and Guildford, the company undertakes design and build, new build, restoration and refurbishment on a range of projects, including complex projects, up to £16 million for public and private sector organisations. Established in 1892, the family-owned company has significant expertise in building for the healthcare, arts and culture, commerce and industry, education, ecclesiastical, elderly care, sports and leisure and defence sectors.

Tel: 01865 860 046 www.beardconstruction.co.uk

Sheldon Grange BUSINESS SECTOR : EVENTS Sheldon Grange is located in Frilford Heath, Oxford and is situated next door to a 54hole championship golf course. This truly unique property boasts an open plan living space stretching over 10 000 sq ft. With over seven acres of gardens, paddocks and woodlands,

Tel: 07949 266 418 www.sheldongrange.com

Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trusts

Chapman, Robinson & Moore

Digital Gold HQ

BUSINESS SECTOR : CHARITIES

BUSINESS SECTOR : ACCOUNTANTS

BUSINESS SECTOR : DIGITAL MARKETING

The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) is the foremost organisation protecting wildlife and enhancing iconic landscapes across our three counties. Every three years BBOWT carries out an audit of the ‘health’ of the wildlife that we are directly responsible for on our nature reserves.

Are you looking for an accountant to support your start-up or seeking an accountant to help you truly develop your business? For over 30 years, we have been the go to trusted advisers for our clients, supporting the start, development and exit of their own business.

Digital Gold HQ is a leading digital strategy and social media marketing agency based in Wembley, West London. We specialize in helping startups and established firms create winning strategies for the digital properties, as well as design, create and implement comprehensive content and social media plans.

Tel: 01865 775 476 www.bbowt.org.uk

Tel: 01865 379 272 www.crmoxford.co.uk

Tel: 02035 988 661 www.digitalgoldhq.com

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B4 Events  Upcoming B4 Classic Events and Masterclasses. WHO

WHEN

WHERE

WHAT

Cowley Road Carnival VIP Event

Jul 1 @ 7:45pm 9:30pm

The Oxford Artisan Distillery, Old Depot, South Park, Cheney Ln, Oxford, OX3 7QJ

Cowley Road Works and B4 would like to invite B4 Members to the official launch of Carnival 2017. Enjoy a drink, marvel at the brand new Artisan Gin Distillery and experience one of Oxford’s biggest outdoor performances!

Speed Networking with B4 at Holiday Inn Oxford

Jul 10 @ 6:00pm 8:00pm

Holiday Inn Oxford, Peartree Roundabout, Woodstock Rd, Oxford, OX2 8JD

Following the great success of Speed Networking at BIO2017, we are delighted to welcome B4 Members and guests to join us for a B4 Classic Event with a twist at Holiday Inn Oxford. Speed Networking is a great way for you to meet new faces and cement existing relationships in a guided format. www.b4-business.com

B4 Classic Event at Bombay Sapphire Distillery

August 30 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

B4 Classic Event at Rhodes House

Sept 7 @ 6:00 pm 8:00 pm

Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Laverstoke Mill, Whitchurch, Hampshire, RG28 7NR

What’s included in this event: Host to guide you through the distillery. Complimentary drink in the Mill Bar and Networking with other B4 members.

Rhodes House, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RG

We are delighted to welcome you back to Rhodes House following the successful events held in the previous 5 years. Join other B4 Ambassadors, Members and their guests at this stunning venue, home of the Rhodes Scholars.

For more information and to book your place here: www.b4-business.com/b4-events/

For more information and to book your place here: www.b4-business.com

B4 Classic Event with The Cocktail Service at The Globe

Sep 20 @ 5:00pm 7:00pm

The Globe, 76 St Clement’s, Oxford, OX4 1AH

This is a fun and relaxed event where you can mingle with other Join B4 and The Cocktail Service for a relaxed evening of cocktail making and networking at The Globe in Oxford. The Cocktail Service was established in 2009 and have quickly expanded to become one of the UK’s leading drinks agencies.

Platinum Dinner at Pembroke College

Sept 27 @ 7:00 pm 11:00 pm

Pembroke College, St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1DW

Event includes: Champagne Reception, Three-course dinner, Sommelier selected wines, Coffee and Petits Fours, Guest speaker To book tickets at £150+VAT per head please call 01865 742211.

Platinum Dinner at Macdonald Randolph Hotel

Oct 12 @ 7:00 pm 11:00 pm

Macdonald Randolph Hotel, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2LN

Event includes: Champagne Reception, Three-course dinner, Sommelier selected wines, Coffee and Petits Fours, Tour of Duke Humfrey’s Library To book tickets at £150+VAT per head please call 01865 742211

Christmas Dinner at The Divinity School

Dec 4 @ 6:00pm 11:00pm

The Divinity School, Bodleian Library, Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BG

The university’s oldest teaching and examination room, dating from the 1500s, a masterpiece of English gothic architecture. Public access is limited so this will be a wonderful opportunity to see inside this fantastic building. To book tickets at £165+VAT per head please call 01865 742211 or visit the website below. www.b4-business.com

To register for any of the above events, please visit www.b4-business.com www.b4-business.com

107

B4 Members Events  Upcoming B4 Members Events and Courses WHO

WHEN

WHERE

WHAT

Sunday Lunch and Afternoon Tea at the Polo, by Oxford Fine Dining

Every Sunday 12:00pm – 4:00pm until Sep 24

Kirtlington Park Polo Club, Gate 1 Akeman Street, Kirtlington, OX5 3JQ

Join Oxford Fine Dining at Kirtlington Park Polo Club every Sunday throughout June, July, August and September for Sunday lunch and/or afternoon tea whilst watching an exhilarating match of polo.

Could You Pay Less Tax?, by Chapman, Robinson & Moore

Jul 6 @ 7:45am – 10:00am

London Oxford Airport, Kidlington, OX5 1RA

Our next Tax Planning event will be delivered by our Technical Director, Alan Sowden, who will share with you ways to minimise your tax liabilities for you and your family and keep more of your hard earned cash. You will also have the opportunity to have your questions answered by Alan.

Digital Marketing Know How – Part Two, by OxfordshireLEP

Jul 19 @ 9:00am – 1:00pm

Bloxham Mill Business Centre, Barford Road, Bloxham, Banbury, OX15 4FF

This workshop focuses on advertising online and explores how PPC (pay per click) can form a key part of your marketing plan. Learning Outcomes: A good knowledge of how pay per click advertising works and which platforms work best for your business; An understanding of how to set budgets and research key words for your advertising campaigns; An understanding of how to design the most impactful adverts.

Making Your Numbers Work, by Chapman, Robinson & Moore

Aug 15 @ 2:00pm – 3:00pm

N/A – Webinar

This webinar will focus on the numbers in your accounts and making those numbers work for the success of your business. We will discuss how to interpret your financial accounts accurately and understand the important information you will want to know in your business from that day onwards.

How to Bring a New Product to Market, by Oxfordshire LEP

Aug 31 @ 9:00am – 1:30pm

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Park End St, Oxford, OX1 1HP

This workshop covers the careful planning and control required when launching a new product or service in your business. Learning Outcomes: A clear understanding of the planning and control techniques for launching new products; A simple action plan for implementing new product control processes.

7 winning strategies to get the best from your people, by Chapman, Robinson & Moore

Sep 14 @ 11:00am – 12:00pm

N/A – Webinar

One of the key challenges faced by all SMEs is a shortage of resources to do what needs doing, as well as to plan for the future. Chris Burton, of Peak 15 Coaching, will talk about a range of easily actionable approaches to engaging and getting the best from your people.

For more information about any of the above events, please visit www.b4-business.com/members-events 108

www.b4-business.com

B4 Testimonials  What our members have to say about the B4 Network

Bodleian Libraries U N I V E R S I T Y O F OX F O R D

"B4 offers unrivalled opportunities to discuss business with representatives you might not otherwise discover in relaxed surroundings." Phil Southall | Managing Director | Oxford Bus Company

“It’s great working with Richard and the B4 team as they have a refreshingly creative approach to business marketing and they make it fun. They have the widest corporate network in Oxfordshire and have helped put our venue on the map.” Alice Ogilvie | Head of Venue Services | Bodleian Libraries

“We have been delighted with the events that B4 host and have found that they have provided us with a great platform for our own business development – so thanks again and looking forward to working with you during the rest of 2017.”

"We have hugely benefitted from our partnership with B4, they have managed to raise our profile in the local area and are a pleasure to work with." Amy Dobson | Sales & Marketing Manager | Bombay Sapphire Distillery

"B4 has helped Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons connect with our local business community very effectively as well as build some excellent new relationships along the way."

"Since working with B4 our presence in Oxfordshire has seen a marked increase. This has helped us to expand our target audience, raising our profile with local businesses in and around Oxfordshire."

Peter Osborne | Marketing | Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

Richard Marsh | CEO | CIS

"Quite simply, without B4 we wouldn’t have met, worked and partnered with some of the people we now act for."

"B4 has provided us with an excellent platform to promote the responsible business agenda to Oxfordshire companies."

Tony Haines | Partner | Wenn Townsend

Frank Nigriello | Director of Corporate Affairs | Unipart Group

“B4 has raised our business profile through excellent editorial and opportunities to showcase our food and services at B4 Classic events.”

"In a very diverse and fast-moving business community, B4 is one of the most important communication channels for sharing the information that builds relationships and drives success for local businesses. I am delighted that my firm is associated with B4."

Sue Staunton | Partner | James Cowper Kreston

"B4 have clearly taken the time to understand what we are trying to do as a business and have given us great support in getting our message across." Derek Rodgers | Managing Partner | Gardner Leader

"The team at B4 seem to know everyone in Oxfordshire! They never fail to put you in contact with someone useful. Their events are interesting and engaging, and the publication is packed full of relevant stories. But it is the individual service that really makes the difference to building our local network. Richard even facilitated the introduction to my rescue cat, Poppy!"

Sue Randall | Managing Director | Oxford Fine Dining

David Birch | People Advisory Services | Partner Ernst & Young LLP

Elaine McKechnie | Head of Marketing | Oxford Innovation

“B4 provides high quality networking events which enable us to engage with the local business community. the calibre of attendees at these events is excellent.” Kay Miles | Senior Event Marketing Manager | University of Oxford

www.b4-business.com

“A great business magazine, super new website, lots of networking and events – all make B4 brilliant for business.” Mark Charter | Partner | Carter Jonas

“We have been working with richard and the team at B4 for the past ten years. B4 has undoubtedly helped us to develop our business beyond our region, a truly trusted partner.” James White | Prospect Conversion Champion | InTouch CRM

"As one of the leading independent schools in Oxford with a strong interest in our role in the community, B4 has provided an important link for us with the business leaders in the area." Peter Talbot | Bursar | d’Overbroeck’s

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contacts directory

PLATINUM

ADVICE.......................................................................................................110 BUSINESS SERVICES............................................................................110 CONFERENCE, EVENTS & VENUES.............................................111 EDUCATION.............................................................................................111 FINANCE....................................................................................................111 HEALTH & LEISURE...........................................................................112

ADVICE ACCOUNTING Wenn Townsend P Tony Haines Partner 01865 559 900 OXON www.wenntownsend.co.uk Grant Thornton UK LLP P Wendy Hart Managing Partner 01865 799 899 OXON www.grant-thornton.co.uk Grant Thornton UK LLP P Jim Rogers Assurance Partner 01189 559 114 BERKS www.grant-thornton.co.uk The MGroup P Richard Clayton Partner 01865 552 925 OXON www.themgroup.co.uk Wellers P Debbie Austin Partner 01865 723 131 OXON www.wellersaccountants.co.uk James Cowper Kreston P Andy Cowie Marketing & Business Development Director 01189 590 261 OXON www.jamescowperkreston.co.uk Whitley Stimpson Ltd G Jonathan Walton Director 01494 448 122 BUCKS www.whitleystimpson.co.uk Whitley Stimpson Ltd G Stuart Haigh Director 01869 252 151 OXON www.whitleystimpson.co.uk Shaw Gibbs G Peter O’Connell Partner 01865 292 200 OXON www.shawgibbs.com Wilson Partners A Allan Ian Wilson Managing Director 01628 770 770 BERKS www.wilson-partners.co.uk

110

Gracechurch Wealth Management LLP A Richard Lawrance Independent Financial Adviser 01908 209 220 BUCKS www.gracechurchwm.com Seymour Taylor A Simon Turner Managing Director 01494 552 125 BUCKS www.stca.co.uk Richardsons Accountants 01844 261 155 OXON www.richardsons-group.co.uk Rees Russell 01993 702 418 OXON www.reesrussell.co.uk Russell Whitlock Accountancy 01865 481 625 OXON www.rw-accountancy.co.uk Clark Howes 0808 271 3099 OXON www.clarkhowes.com Chapman, Robinson & Moore 01865 379 272 OXON www.crmoxford.co.uk

BUSINESS ADVICE Oxford Professional P Consulting Alison Haill Executive Coach 01865 436 791 OXON www.oxfordprofessionalconsulting.com Haiku Consulting G Joy Le Fevre 07885 066163 OXON www.haiku.consulting My Business Backup 07880 355 562 OXON www.mybusinessbackup.co.uk Diane Wilkinson & Associates Ltd. 01865 430 470 OXON www.dianewilkinson.co.uk Strategic Mentors 01993 771 728 OXON www.strategicmentors.co.uk Ernst & Young 01189 281 100 BERKS www.ey.com/UK/en/home

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

AMBASSADOR

HR..................................................................................................................112 IT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS.........................................................112 MANUFACTURING................................................................................112 MARKETING & DESIGN.........................................................................112 PROPERTY & BUILDING....................................................................113 R&R..........................................................................................................114

Hilltop Consultancy 01844 237 450 BUCKS www.hilltopconsultancy.co.uk RTS Breakthrough Solutions 07789 405 079 BERKS www.rts-breakthroughsolutions.co.uk Sandler Training 01608 611 211 OXON www.oxford.sandler.com Active Education and Training Ltd 01865 594 325 OXON www.oxfordactive.co.uk Explosive Learning Solutions 01235 861 805 OXON www.explosivelearningsolutions.com Endeavour Consulting 07711 825 005 OXON www.endeavour-consulting.co.uk Neil Urquhart - Business manager 01295 780 928 OXON Leading Edge Coaching 01488 638 119 OXON www.leadingedgecoaching.co.uk Two One Services 07730 927 888 OXON www.facebook.com/twooneservices

LEGAL Knights P David Beech Chief Executive Officer 01865 811 700 OXON www.knights1759.co.uk Hedges Law P Nicola Poole Managing Director 01491 839 839 OXON www.hedgeslaw.co.uk Freeths LLP G Sarah Foster Managing Partner 01865 781 000 OXON www.freeths.co.uk Gardner Leader LLP G Derek Rogers Managing Partner 01635 508 080 BERKS www.gardner-leader.co.uk

BrookStreet Des Roches LLP Paddy Gregan G Partner 01235 836 655 OXON www.bsdr.com Blake Morgan LLP A Stephen Schneider Senior Associate 01865 248 607 OXON www.blakemorgan.co.uk Brethertons A Marie Parkinson Marketing Executive, Client Services 01295 661 425 OXON www.brethertons.co.uk Turpin & Miller LLP A Emily Boardman Partner 01865 770 111 OXON www.turpinmiller.co.uk Penningtons Manches LLP Richard Smith A Partner 01865 722 106 OXON www.penningtons.co.uk Lewis Silkin 0207 0748 494 OXON www.lewissilkin.com David Parry Employment Law 01993 848 247 OXON www.parryemploymentlaw.com Blandy & Blandy 0118 951 6800 BERKS www.blandy.co.uk

BUSINESS SERVICES ARCHIVE & STORAGE The Oxford Duplication Centre Cheryl-Lee Foulsham A Managing Director 01865 457 000 OXON www.theduplicationcentre.co.uk

BUSINESS SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT Aston & James Office Supplies Ltd P Darren Aston Director 01993 706 900 OXON www.aston-james.co.uk

www.b4-business.com

B4 contacts CHARITIES The Oxford Trust G Jude Eades Head of Communications 01865 810 013 OXON www.theoxfordtrust.co.uk Helen & Douglas House A Hugh Thompson Head of High Value Partnerships 01865 799 150 OXON www.helenanddouglas.org.uk Oxfordshire Community Foundation A Jayne Woodley Chief Executive 01865 798 666 OXON www.oxfordshire.org Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust 01865 775 476 OXON www.bbowt.org.uk Bloodwise 020 7504 2231 OXON www.bloodwise.org.uk Sobell House 01865 857 067 OXON www.sobellhouse.org

CLEANING SERVICES Excel Dry Cleaners G 01865 511 773 OXON www.exceldrycleanersofoxford.co.uk WH Mobile Valeting 07979 480 886 OXON www.whvaleting.com

Security Exchange 01491 683 710 BERKS www.securityexchange24.com

TRANSPORT Chiltern Railways P 020 7333 3113 OXON www.chilternrailways.co.uk Headington Carriers P Peter Barrett Managing Director 01993 811276 OXON www.headingtoncarriers.co.uk Findlay Chauffeurs A Claire Hickson Managing Director 0845 644 7099 OXON www.findlaycs.com London Oxford Airport 01865 290 710 OXON www.londonoxfordairport.com Hilltop Chauffeurs 07825 500 852 OXON www.hilltopchauffeurs.co.uk

TRAVEL City Sightseeing P Jane Marshall Transport Manager 01865 790 522 OXON www.citysightseeingoxford.com

CONFERENCE, EVENTS & VENUES CATERING SERVICES

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OxfordshireLEP P Richard Byard Director of Business Development 01865 261 433 OXON www.oxfordshirelep.com Reciprocate G Tony Stratton Chairman 01865 798666 http://reciprocateox.org

NETWORKING GROUPS B4 Magazine P Richard Rosser Editor 01865 742 211 OXON www.b4-business.com MD2MD 01865 600 800 OXON www.md2md.co.uk

Oxford Fine Dining P Sue Randall Managing Director 01865 728 240 OXON www.oxfordfinedining.co.uk Complete Catering G Jon Kay Managing Director 01235 820 840 OXON www.completecatering.co.uk The Cocktail Service 01865 251 431 OXON www.thecocktailservice.co.uk Elegant Cuisine 01865 391 888 OXON www.elegantcuisine.com

CONFERENCE VENUES

SECURITY

Rhodes House P Isabelle Barber Business Development Manager 01865 282 599 OXON www.rhodeshouseoxford.com

Executive Alarms Ltd A John Keown Director 01865 435 435 OXON www.executive-systems.co.uk

Westwood Country Hotel P Kat Groves General Manager 01865 735408 www.westwoodhotel.co.uk

www.b4-business.com

Bombay Sapphire Distillery G Amy Dobson Sales and Marketing Manager 01256 890 090 BERKS distillery.bombaysapphire.com Oxford Brookes University Conference Services G Becky Rossiter Conference Sales and Marketing Manager 01865 484 612 OXON www.brookes.ac.uk Stoke Park G Nick Downie Head of Communications 01753 717 171 BUCKS www.stokepark.com Pembroke College A Ellen Brady Head of Events 01865 276 484 OXON www.pmb.ox.ac.uk/Conferences Hartwell House Hotel A Matthew Johnson General Manager 01296 747 444 BUCKS www.hartwell-house.com Venue Services, Bodleian Library A Alice Ogilvie Head of Venue Services 01865 277 224 OXON www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk The Examination Schools Kay Hogg A Events Manager 01865 276 905 OXON www.examschools.ox.ac.uk Howbery Business Park A Donna Bowles Estate Manager 01491 822 305 OXON www.howberypark.com Egrove Park A Martin Garside Conference Manager 01865 422 757 OXON www.sbs.oxford.edu/conferencing Ashmolean Museum 01865 288 364 OXON www.ashmus.ox.ac.uk Sheldon Grange 07949 266 418 OXON www.sheldongrange.com Culham Conference Centre 01235 466 494 OXON www.culhamconferencecentre.co.uk Blenheim Palace Hospitality 01993 813 874 OXON www.blenheimpalace.com/hospitality Conference Oxford 01865 287 378 OXON www.conference-oxford.com The Oxford Union 01865 241 353 OXON www.oxford-union.org

Exeter College 01865 279 600 OXON www.exeter.ox.ac.uk/conferences Malmaison 01865 268 400 OXON www.malmaison-oxford.com Oxford Town Hall 01865 252 195 OXON www.oxfordtownhall.co.uk The King’s Centre 01865 297 400 OXON www.kingscentre.co.uk The Tythe Barn 01869 321 442 OXON www.thetythebarn.co.uk

EQUIPMENT HIRE Oxford Event Hire A Kieran Lynch Owner 01865 760 158 OXON www.oxfordeventhire.co.uk Startech Productions A Roy Naraine 01865 722522 OXON www.startechproductions.co.uk That Event Company P James Walton Managing Director 01844 215 857 OXON www.that-event.com

EVENTS Business in Oxford 2017 P 01865 742 211 OXON www.businessinoxford.com Oxfordshire Business Awards OXON www.oxfordshirebusinessawards.co.uk West Oxfordshire Business Awards 01993 220 690 OXON www.woba.org.uk

EDUCATION Abingdon & Witney College 01235 216 394 OXON www.abingdon-witney.ac.uk Corpus Christi College 01865 276 708 OXON www.ccc.ox.ac.uk Oxford International Study Centre 01865 201 009 OXON www.oxintstudycentre.com

FINANCE ADVICE Focus P Phil Casey Partner 01865 813 315 OXON www.focusllp.co.uk

111

Ridgefield Consulting 01865 364 350 OXON www.ridgefieldconsulting.co.uk Oxford Capital Partners 01865 860 760 OXON www.oxcp.com Finance.work 01869 354 041 OXON www.finance.work

INSURANCE Focus P Nick Jones Partner 01865 813 307 OXON www.focusllp.co.uk

BANKING Barclays Corporate Banking Trevor French P Head of Business and Corporate Banking 0800 015 4242 OXON www.barclayscorporate.com

HEALTH & LEISURE HEALTH CARE Clinic95 P Maria Hardman Business Manager 01865 241 661 OXON www.clinic95.com Tara Tripp Hearing Care P Vincent Tripp Practice Manager 01865 910 202 OXON www.tripphearing.co.uk Diamond House Dental Practice 01865 559 521 OXON www.diamondhouse.co.uk Clinic on the Green 01869 351 345 OXON www.cliniconthegreen.com

SPORT

HSBC 0845 850 174 OXON www.hsbc.com

Oxford University Rugby Football Club Tim Stevens Club Administrator 01865 432 000 OXON www.ourfc.org

NatWest 01865 305 175 OXON www.natwest.com

Bike Oxford 07808 161 394 OXON www.bikeoxford.co.uk

MORTGAGE ADVICE

Oxford United Football Club 01865 337 500 OXON www.oufc.co.uk

Focus P Nick Walker Partner 01865 295 295 OXON www.focusllp.co.uk

FITNESS TLA Fitness A Tom Alden Founder 07554 400 401 OXON www.tlafitness.com Prime Energy Fitness Ltd Barry Grinham 01869 352 000 OXON www.primeenergy.org Cherwell Boathouse Punting 01865 552 746 OXON www.cherwellboathouse.co.uk

Oxfordshire Cricket 07790 102 130 OXON www.oxoncb.com Oxford Rowing Club 01865 242 576 OXON www.oxfordrowingclub.org.uk Milton Keynes Festival of Running www.mkrun.co.ukk

WELLBEING Helen Money Nutrition A Helen Money Owner 01865 339 672 OXON www.helenmoneynutrition.com

GOLF

HR CONSULTANTS

Frilford Heath Golf Club P Alistair Booth Director 01865 390 864 OXON www.frilfordheath.co.uk

You HR P Jonna Mundy Owner 07703 719464 www.youhrconsultancy.co.uk

Kirtlington Golf Club A Gary Quainton Golf and Pro Shop Manager 01869 351 133 OXON www.kirtlingtongolfclub.com

You HR 07703 719 464 OXON www.youhrconsultancy.co.uk

112

RECRUITMENT e-volveHR 0800 634 5240 OXON www.e-volvehr.co.uk

Simeio A Ollie McGovern Founder 07795 235 995 OXON www.simeio.co.uk

Gold Star Recruitment 01993 225 075 OXON www.goldstarrecruit.co.uk

JP IT Solutions 01672 552 340 OXON www.jpitsolutions.co.uk

Allen Associates 01865 335 600 OXON www.allen-associates.co.uk

iHub 0203 019 0000 www.ihub.co.uk

Avatar Recruitment 01295 724 570 OXON www.avatarrecruit.co.uk

Security Exchange Ltd. 01491 683 710 BERKS www.securityexchange24.com

Nicola Gardiner Executive Search 07900 912 941 OXON www.nicolagardiner.com

Storm Internet 08447 366171 OXON www.storminternet.co.uk

Thompson & Terry Recruitment 01235 797 177 OXON www.thompsonandterry.co.uk

Bongo IT 01865 988 217 OXON www.bongoit.co.uk

IT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS TELECOMMUNICATIONS Orange Stripe Telecommunications A Nigel Pursall Managing Director 0845 241 7772 OXON www.orangestripe.co.uk STL Communications Ltd A Philip Donigan Sales Director 01993 777 113 OXON www.stlcomms.com

DATABASE MANAGEMENT InTouch CRM P James White Managing Director 0845 310 9973 OXON www.intouchcrm.co.uk

IT SERVICES Computing Information Systems (CIS) Ltd P Richard Marsh Director 01367 700 555 OXON www.cisltd.com The Cabling Company G David Jackson Sales Director 07796 140 348 OXON www.thecablingcompany.com Complete IT S James Gibson Account Manager 01865 593012 www.complete-it.co.uk

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT Alberon P Tim Ault Managing Director 01865 263 220 OXON www.alberon.co.uk Torpedo Group Limited A Iain Lewis Director 01865 733 710 OXON www.torpedogroup.com

MANUFACTURING Unipart P Frank Nigriello Director of Corporate Affairs 01865 383 339 OXON www.unipart.com Owen Mumford G Jarl Severn Director 01993 812 021 OXON www.owenmumford.com WILA G Claire Styles Director 01235 773 500 OXON www.wila.co.uk

MARKETING & DESIGN ADVERTISING B4 Magazine P Richard Rosser Managing Director 01865 742 211 OXON www.b4-business.com Living In Oxford Magazine Colin Rosser P Chairman 01865 742 211 OXON www.inoxford.com

www.b4-business.com

B4 contacts Focal Point Advertising Solutions 01256 767 837 HAMP www.focal.co.uk

Indulge Media 01865 686 093 OXON www.indulgemedia.com

CORPORATE IDENTITY

Epic Media Services 07916 005 942 OXON www.epicmediaservices.co.uk

Recognition Express P Andy Olejnik Managing Director 01295 257 611 OXON www.re-oxfordshire.co.uk Strangebrew P Phil Strachan Director 07770 753 975 BERKS www.thinkbrandnotbland.co.uk Luna Branding 01367 705 055 OXON www.lunabranding.co.uk

DESIGN House on the Hill P Keith Simpson Senior Designer 01865 742 211 OXON www.hothdesign.co.uk

FRAMING Isis Creative Framing 01865 203 420 OXON www.isiscreative.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY Studio8 P Clark Wiseman Managing Director 01865 842 525 OXON www.studio-8.co.uk

PRINTING Henry Stone Ltd P Mark Scurr Production Director 01295 819 390 OXON www.henry-stone.co.uk OxUniPrint A Ian Wilton Managing Director 01865 844 918 OXON www.oxuniprint.co.uk Minuteman Press 01865 247 010 OXON www.oxford.minutemanpress.co.uk MRD Digital Print 01865 715 181 OXON www.mrddigitalprint.com

MARKETING

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Experience Oxfordshire P Hayley Beer-Gamage Chief Executive 01865 252 409 OXON www.experienceoxfordshire.org

Papa Romeo PR A Claire Thompson Managing Director 07811 339 577 OXON www.paparomeopr.com

Marketing Sense A Jo Sensecall Director 01865 883 579 OXON www.marketing-sense.co.uk

HeadOn PR 07920 792 183 GLOU www.headonpr.co.uk

Heart of Business A Jackie Jarvis Director 07801 293 022 OXON Digital Gold HQ 02035 988 661 LDN www.digitalgoldhq.com

Spacecraft Consulting 01295 811 781 OXON www.oconsultancy.com

PROPERTY & BUILDING ARCHITECTURE

ADS 01993 885 125 OXON www.adsoxford.co.uk

John Hallam Associates A John Hallam Director 01608 646 969 OXON www.johnhallamassociates.co.uk

Oxford Digital Marketing 01865 575 955 OXON www.oxforddigitalmarketing.co.uk

Oxford Architects 01865 329 100 OXON www.oxford-architects.com

MEDIA/DIGITAL Imageworks 01865 865656 OXON www.imageworks.co.uk

www.b4-business.com

BUSINESS PARKS Oxford Innovation Ltd P Jo Willett Marketing and Business Development Director 01865 261 400 OXON www.oxin-centres.co.uk The Oxford Science Park G Piers Scrimshaw-Wright Managing Director 01865 784 000 OXON www.oxfordsp.com MEPC B 01235 865 555 OXON www.mepc.com Begbroke Science Park A Caroline Livingstone Managing Director 01865 283 700 OXON www.begbroke.ox.ac.uk Bloxham Mill 01295 722 800 OXON www.bloxhammill.com

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AGENTS VSL and Partners P Richard Venables Director 01865 848 488 OXON www.vslandp.com Carter Jonas P Scott Harkness Partner 01865 511 444 OXON www.carterjonas.co.uk Lambert Smith Hampton (Oxford) A Kevin Wood Director 01865 200 244 OXON www.lsh.co.uk Lambert Smith Hampton (Reading) 01189 606 909 BERKS www.lsh.co.uk

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SERVICES Oxford Innovation Ltd P Jo Willett Marketing and Business Development Director 01865 261 400 OXON www.oxin-centres.co.uk Bracknell Enterprise & Innovation Hub Shelley Furey A Centre Manager 01344 388 000 BERKS www.bracknell-hub.co.uk

ESTATE AGENTS Breckon & Breckon P Keith Stacey Managing Director 01865 244 735 OXON www.breckon.co.uk

Wallers of Oxford 01865 435 175 OXON www.wallersofoxford.co.uk Savills 01865 339 705 OXON www.savills.com

LETTING AGENTS Breckon & Breckon P Greg Barnes Director 01865 201 111 OXON www.breckon.co.uk North Oxford Property Services P Robin Swailes Director 01865 311 745 OXON www.nops.co.uk Finders Keepers P Frank Webster Director 01865 302 308 OXON www.finders.co.uk Lucy Properties A Ian Ashcroft Managing Director 01865 559 973 OXON www.lucyproperties.co.uk College and County A Mark Crampton-Smith Owner 01865 722 722 OXON www.collegeandcounty.biz Premier Letting A Charles Bartlett Partner 01865 792 299 OXON www.premier.uk.com Short Let Space Ltd. 01993 811 711 OXON www.weeklyhome.com

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANTS Kempton Carr Croft G Rob Kerrigan Chartered Surveyor and RICS Registered Valuer 01628 771 221 BERKS www.kemptoncarr.co.uk Ridge and Partners LLP 01993 815 101 OXON www.ridge.co.uk

Beard Construction 01865 860 046 OXON www.beardconstruction.co.uk Solid Structures 01608 690 858 OXON www.solid-structures.com Ian Bridge Consultancy Ltd 07917 881 465 OXON www.ianbridge.com

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B4 contacts Mulholland Landscape Consultants 07734 253 579 OXON www.mulhollandconsultants.co.uk

Eynsham Hall 01993 885 238 OXON www.eynshamhall.com

RED Engineering 01869 355 600 OXON www.red-eng.com

Conifers Guest House 01865 763 055 OXON www.conifersguesthouse.co.uk

PMS Oxford 01865 407 554 OXON www.pmsoxford.co.uk

Spirit Health Club 0207 973 7540 OXON www.langhamhotels.com

Element Studios 07887 407 456 OXON www.elementstudios.co.uk

Bicester Hotel Golf and Spa 01869 241 204 OXON www.bicesterhotelgolfandspa.com

PROPERTY SERVICES

Holiday Inn Oxford 0871 942 9086 OXON www.hioxfordhotel.co.uk

Savvy Maintenance & Renovations P Stephen Dunne Director 01865 920 020 OXON www.savvy-group.co.uk Bicester Roofing G Michael Staniford Managing Director 0870 264 6454 OXON www.bicesterroofing.co.uk Oxford Property Consulting 01865 553 956 OXON www.oxfordpropertyconsulting.co.uk Darke & Taylor Ltd 01865 290 000 OXON www.darkeandtaylor.co.uk The Rooflight Company 01993 833 155 OXON www.therooflightcompany.co.uk A1 Plumbing & Heating 01865 327 732 OXON www.a1ltd.co.uk Oxford Garden Design 01993 813 721 OXON www.oxfordgardendesign.co.uk

R&R ACCOMMODATION Macdonald Randolph Hotel Michael Grange P General Manager 0844 879 9132 OXON www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk The Manor at Weston on the Green G Michael Stevenson General Manager 01869 350 621 OXON www.themanorweston.com The Bear & Ragged Staff A Mark Greenwood Landlord 01865 862 329 OXON www.bearandraggedstaff.com

Royal Oxford Hotel 01865 248 432 OXON www.royaloxfordhotel.co.uk

GALLERIES Aidan Meller Galleries G Aidan Meller Proprietor 01865 727996 OXON www.aidanmeller.com Wiseman Gallery A Sarah Wiseman Owner 01865 515 123 OXON www.wisegal.com

RENTAL ACCOMMODATION Lower Mill Estate A Red Paxton Marketing and Sales Director 01285 869 489 OXON www.lowermillestate.com

RESTAURANTS ARTISTIC & CULTURAL Ashmolean Museum 01865 288 364 OXON www.ashmus.ox.ac.uk Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra 01865 987 222 OXON www.oxfordphil.com

CORPORATE ENTERTAINMENT Newbury Racecourse P Tracy Skinner Head of Sales 01635 40015 www.newburyracecourse.co.uk Sam Strange Magic A Sam Strange Owner 01865 742 211 OXON www.samstrangemagic.co.uk

ENTERTAINMENT Oxford Playhouse 01865 305 305 OXON www.oxfordplayhouse.com New Theatre Oxford 01865 320 756 OXON www.atgtickets.com/oxford

FOOD & DRINK SUPPLIES Laurent Perrier UK P David Green Regional Account Manager 01628 475 404 BUCKS www.laurent-perrier.co.uk

Deliveroo G Sophie Riley Community Manager South East 07494 178 083 OXON www.deliveroo.co.uk Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons 01844 278 881 OXON www.manoir.com Pierre Victoire 01865 316 616 OXON www.pierrevictoire.co.uk Café Aloha 01865 792 696 OXON www.cafealoha.co.uk Marco’s at Mercure Eastgate Hotel 01865 248 332 OXON www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk/restaurants /marcos-oxford Cosmo 01865 297 575 OXON www.cosmo-restaurants.co.uk

SHOPPING OXC 07837 244 826 OXON www.oxcuk.com Blackwell's 01865 333 536 OXON www.blackwell.co.uk Bicester Village 01869 323 200 OXON www.bicestervillage.com

TOAD 01865 767 918 OXON www.spiritoftoad.com

Milton Hill House 07881 008 601 OXON www.miltonoxfordshire.co.uk

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