B4 Magazine Issue 5 by B4 Magazine

B4 ISSUE

AUTUMN

Magazine

2007

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FINANCE • LAW • PR • MARKETING • ACCOUNTING • LIFESTYLE • NEWS C O M M U N I C AT I O N S • N E T W O R K I N G • C A R S • P R O P E R T Y • I N T E R V I E W S • E V E N T S

You Can’t Take It With You Is inheritance tax all bad?

Not Another Bank How Handelsbanken offers a fresh approach to banking

Spotlight: Culham Science Centre A look behind the scenes at one of Oxfordshire’s most established business parks

B U I L D I N G

B R I D G E S

B E T W E E N

B U S I N E S S

PUBLISHING BEYOND PAPER

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PUBLISHING BEYOND PAPER

Benefits: • Instant Delivery • Increase Conversion Rate • Cross platform • Enhance Online Experience • Flash Compatible • Cut Print Costs

• Links to External Sites • Cut Distribution Costs • Always up-to-date • Reuse Existing Content • Environmentally Friendly • Low Cost Production

• Easy to Use • Unlimited Distribution • Online Subscription • Global Exposure • Targeted Marketing • Stream Video and Audio Modules:

Features: • Natural Page Turning Effect • Load Optimizer • Movie and Sound Player • Table of Contents • Quick View Option • Zoom and Pan

• Web and Email Links • Print Function • Offline Viewable • Feedback Form • Stats Tracking • CD/DVD delivery

• Search • Zoom • Rotate • CMS • Colourize • Subscribe

Room to grow. Space to stretch out.

ofﬁces • laboratories • industrial

for current availability contact Emma Jewson or Anthony Howard

EMP & EMP

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01865 240001 kempandkemp.co.uk

www.culham.org.uk

8 Environmentally Aware...

11 15

12 You Can’t Take It With You

Welcome to Issue 5 of B4

Welcome to Issue 5 of B4, which marks the start of a new year for us as we celebrate our first birthday.

Their Space

Property News

We are grateful to all our readers for your support so far. To show our appreciation, we have included a free gift in our mailed versions of B4, courtesy of B4 sponsors Wenn Townsend. For those of you who did not receive your free mouse mat, I am sure Tony Haines would be delighted to assist you with any tax, accountancy and mouse mat queries you may have! When faced with the prospect of writing an article on inheritance tax, I must admit I didn’t relish the thought of getting my teeth stuck in. Luckily, with our willing new editorial contributor, Pauline Siddons, primed and ready to take on anything we had to throw at her, I found the perfect solution. Pauline has managed to make an extremely dull and, let’s face it, potentially terrifying subject extremely readable and, in parts, very funny. So aside from death and taxes, what else have we got in store for you in this issue? We include the first in a series of case studies looking at business customers of B4 sponsors Barclays. We start with PurFlo, a company with an innovative product aimed at eliminating sleepless nights for parents with young children. We also look at Semplice who can help put the wind back in your business’s sails. Martin Keown, ex-Arsenal and England defender, talks to Jim White, sports writer with the Daily Telegraph and a guest writer for B4. We also look behind the scenes at Culham Science Centre and introduce a new property section with expert insights from four of Oxfordshire’s leading property specialists.

Richard Rosser Editor

Highest Standards as Standard

Not Another Bank

Inside 30

Oxford Black Book

The Office of Tomorrow, Today

Nikki Ochtman Nikki has been our copy editor for the past two editions of B4. Meticulous in everything she does, Nikki has been a welcome addition to the team and helped save our blushes more than once!

Jim White An award-winning columnist with the Daily Telegraph, for which he has covered all the world's major sporting events, Jim is well known and highly regarded in all parts of the media.

Pauline Siddons Pauline is Lead Consultant with Oxford Psychologist Press (OPP). She trains business managers to recruit and develop their staff using psychometrics.

42 41 46

Special Mention

Peace of Mind

Our indulgence this issue is a focus on South Africa, an increasingly popular holiday destination. I hope our article will give you the travel bug. Please do make contact with me if you have anything you would like to tell us about B4 – maybe there’s something you would like to see more of, or even something you would like to see less of!

Something Old, Something New...

54 Flooded but not left High and Dry

Unlock the Potential in your Property

The Light Side

Business Contacts

Charity Jump Jumping out of an aeroplane was always the worst nightmare for Phil Beesley, MD of B-Line Office Supplies. Whenever the subject of skydiving arose, he swore it would be the last thing he would ever do! So, However, when approached by Buildbase to join in with their fundraising event for the Oxford Children’s Hospital (CHOX appeal), he lost all sense of reality and memory and agreed to do it.

“It was one of the most incredible and exhilarating experiences I have ever had and I can't wait to do it again!” Is this the same man who shuddered at overhead engines as he walked down the street? “Many thanks to all of my sponsors and B4 for their support with my fundraising.

donation please call me on 08701 633 340. Well done Phil – we’ve got just the thing for you, an all expenses paid trip to South Africa for a bungy jump (see page 48) followed by an hour with Great Whites ... it’s a slippery slope from now on in!

If you feel you would like to make a

MGroup Sage accounting software update Sage Line 50 Accountant has changed its name. It’s now called Sage 50 Accounts 2008. What’s new? Improved VAT return and reconciliation management, the convenience of online submissions and payments, and new manual adjustments making VAT Return adjustments simple. It also offers improved management reporting with new Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet and Budget reports that include month by month, quarter by quarter or year on

year with drill down to see the details behind top level reports. Finally, there is a new card payment feature, involving integration with Sage Payment solutions to manage telephone card payments, and improved online banking, working with more banks. Want to see more? Contact the MGroup on 01865 552925 to discuss your needs.

‘Frabjous’ millennium day for Alice and friends More than 30 different partners collaborated in Alice’s Day, a special event organised on July 7 by the Story Museum as part of Oxfordshire 2007, the county’s millennium celebrations. The day, which included a trail around Oxford City Centre, a live croquet match, a Mad Hatter’s tea party and access to many hidden Alice treasures, attracted more than 5,000 people and wide coverage in the press and on television and radio. Jodie McNamara, customer support

Contacts If you want to contact B4 Magazine T: 01865 742211 E: info@b4-business.com

manager Macquarie Goodman / Oxford Business Park said: "It's really important to us that Oxford Business Park supports the city. Alice's Day is one of the events that helps to put us on the map." Lynne Willoughby, director of Inspired Selection - Publishing Recruitment said: “We were delighted to sponsor Alice’s Day 2007 because we work with publishers in Oxfordshire and Alice in Wonderland is a local children’s classic.”

Art Editor Keith Simpson E: artwork@b4-business.com

Administration Sue Edwardson E: admin@b4-business.com

Publisher B4 Magazine is published by Designs On Ltd, The Firs, Headington Hill, Oxford, OX3 0BT

Editorial Richard Rosser John Kennedy Pauline Siddons Mark Reynolds E: editorial@b4-business.com

Staff Photographer Matthew Freer E: mattfreer@btconnect.com

Chairman Colin Rosser E: colin@designs-on.co.uk

Advertising Sales Manager Gemma Pearson E: sales@b4-business.com

Copy Editor and Proofreader Nikki Ochtman T: 01865 742211 Photography Studio 8 T: 01865 842525 E: info@studio-8.co.uk

Pictured are left to right: Jodie McNamara, customer support manager, Macquarie Goodman / Oxford Business Park; Lynne Willoughby, director of Inspired Selection - Publishing Recruitment; Queen of Hearts, Louise Rennie of Curious Company; Alice, aka Rebecca Clarke of Curious Company; Anda Meimane, assistant manager, Starbucks Cornmarket and Svetlana Pavlova, supervisor, Borders Starbucks.

B4 Partners Barclays Bank B-Line Buildbase Darbys The Focus Group Malmaison Oxford Shortlets Oxford United FC STL Communications Wenn Townsend

Picture credit: Greg Smolonski, Photovibe.

Subscriptions T: 01865 742211 E: info@b4-business.com Subscription costs: £10 per annum (Credit Card / Cheque). © Designs-on Ltd and B4 Magazine. Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure that the content of this publication is accurate and correct in every way, the publishers cannot be held responsible or liable for any inaccuracies or errors within the publication. Information reproduced from this publication is permitted with the express permission of the publisher and the advertiser, where relevant. All information is correct at time of going to press.

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B4 News Economic Outlook 2007 & Beyond Seminar Tuesday 11 September 2007 - 7:30am–9:30am RBS Williams F1 Conference Centre Darbys Solicitors LLP is again jointly hosting the Economic Outlook 2007 & Beyond Seminar with RBS and Critchleys on 11th September 2007 at the Williams F1 Conference Centre, Grove. The Economic Seminar will adopt a new time schedule this year and will take place on Tuesday 11 September 2007 at 7:30am (with breakfast being provided) and will be presented by the Senior Economic Advisor, Stephen

Boyle. The Seminar will be a thought provoking event and will be attended by 150 plus local businesses / professionals, with the opportunity of a Q&A session. To register your interest or, should you wish, to confirm your attendance please email Jane Reeve (jreeve@darbys.co.uk) who will then register your details accordingly. Should you require any further information regarding the Economic Seminar, please do not hesitate to contact Jane Reeve at Darbys Solicitors LLP.

The Heart of Oxford Fun Run Following the success of the very first Heart of Oxford Fun Run which took place last September, Barclays are supporting their Relationship Manager, Ashok Patel, and his team in this year's event, and you are invited to join them in the race. This year’s fun run will take place on Sunday 9 September and is once again being supported by Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons, solicitors. The aim of the run is to raise essential funds for two Oxford-based

charities, Helen & Douglas House and The Art Room. Entrants will have the opportunity to see the sights of Oxford in the quiet of a Sunday morning, as you cover the five-mile course across the heart of Oxford from the Oxford Community School, off Cowley Road, to the offices of Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons at Seacourt Tower, Botley. To make this event as much fun as possible, all entrants are encouraged to run in fancy dress. Fancy dress is not compulsory, but prizes will be

given to the best dressed runner overall and the best costume by an under 16. The entry fee is just £10 for entrants aged 16 or over or £5 for entrants under 16. Only 250 places are available. For more information and to register, please email funrun@bllaw.co.uk or telephone 01865 253268. Ashok hopes that you will be able to join him and the team.

The Wolftrap My first job in the wine trade, back in 1995, was with a small wine importers in Sussex, bringing in mainly champagne and burgundies. However, my new boss had just returned from a trip to Cape Town, and we were about to become one of the first UK wine merchants to take seriously the emergence of South Africa. (See page 48 for feature on South Africa). A year later, I made the trip myself and saw the huge changes happening that have directed the country’s wine industry over the past decade. It is easy to forget quite how remarkable South Africa’s climb into the front of our conscience was at the time – 1995, just a year after the first democratic elections; the whole world (less the most ardent of Kiwi fans) celebrated their victory in the rugby union world cup with an outpouring of genuine happiness. Nelson Mandela was the most popular figure in the world. Sales of South African wine in the UK soared, doubling year-on-year for five years, and at one point actually threatening the popularity of Australia on our shelves. Modern ideas, technology and some of the world’s best winemakers began to arrive from France and California, while South African winemakers were able to travel the world gaining inspiration and knowledge previously out of their reach. The government brought through legislated policies concerning black economic empowerment, encouraging the workers to become the new owners and bosses. It has been an era of huge positive change for the industry. Not all the changes have come smoothly – unemployment in the Cape vineyard regions is still too high for starters – but the new generation of young winemakers are now stabilising South Africa’s place in the wine world. One of the best examples I’ve tried recently is ‘The Wolftrap’ (£6.49) by Marc Kent at Boekenhoutskloof, an unpretentious all-sorts red blend with rhonish leanings, available at Oddbins.

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COMPETITION: To win a bottle of ‘The Wolftrap’, the famous Constantia vineyards sit on the slopes of which South African mountain? Answers to: competition@b4-business.com

ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE AND TECHNOLOGICALLY ASTUTE Being environmentally aware and putting environmentally sound principles into practice isn’t always easy. Lots of hot air and good intent often go out of the window in the cold light of day. One of B4’s key sponsors, B-Line, does put its principles into practice and at the same time demonstrates how it is good for business.

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B4 PR Office supplies company B-Line is committed to

“We are aiming to reduce this through technological

continually improving quality in all areas of its

improvements to our systems, which means we

business and, like any responsible company,

can dedicate more time to customer service and

recognises the importance of protecting the

ensuring customer satisfaction. Systems integration

environment. “We intend to work towards a

is at the core of the drive to eliminate process costs

better environment through the business

and by taking full advantage of integration, costly

practices we encourage and through the

errors are all but eliminated, meaning that

products we offer,” explains Paul Nelson,

transactions are more efficient and cost effective

Director of Business Development at B-Line.

too.

“One important environmentally responsible thing to do is to minimise paper usage as much

“We also have the facility at B-Line to send

as possible. B-Line’s industry-leading on-line

purchase invoices electronically (subject to a

procurement systems enable the paper trail

system survey), thereby reducing the need to

associated with ordering and invoicing to be

re-key all purchase invoices. Invoices can be sent

kept to a minimum. We are also replacing more

on a per order basis or consolidated into a

and more of our paper-based marketing

monthly invoice by branch cost code. Any

communications with e-marketing alternatives

specific requirements can be accommodated as we

using web and e-mail.

continually strive to provide a bespoke solution.”

“B-Line also offer an environmental products

It is no secret that the web is the way forward for

catalogue, The Green Book. We are proud to make

many businesses. With stationery spend online in

available to our customers our environmentally

the UK hitting £1.25 billion (approximately 25% of

friendly ‘green’ catalogue that contains more than

all spend) in 2006, and B-Line’s web sales

3,000 products. Many of the products shown in our

accounting for 45% of its total sales, the company’s

catalogue are helpful to the environment or provide

investment in technology is money well spent.” Paul

benefit to growers and suppliers in third world

concludes, “B-Line is committed to protecting the

countries.” For a list of the criteria which all these

environment and committed to making life easier

products have to meet, see the fact box

for

accompanying this article.

development. It’s a perfect marriage and it is

our

customers

through

B-Line.”

business is complemented by B-Line’s continual investment into the latest IT systems, including the development of its online ordering system, which links directly to their back office business system. The introduction of these systems has helped eliminate many costly errors and also provides for a more efficient overall service. Paul explains, “We also give a lot of thought to minimizing order processing costs. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply says the widely accepted cost of processing an order is, on average, £35. This means lots of paper, leg work and phone time.

CALL TO ACTION

. . . if anyone finds any aspect of this article of interest and would like to find out how B-Line’s products and services can benefit and add value to their business while at the same time supporting local business and the environment, they can call Paul Nelson on 01869 352200 or visit B-Line at www.b-line.co.uk.

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A JOB W

A C T S

Fairtrade Independent consumer label which guarantees a better deal for workers and producers from poor and developing countries, ensuring that workers receive a fair wage to invest in the future. Fairtrade offers an alternative approach to conventional international trade. It supports trading which aims at sustainable development for excluded and disadvantaged producers. It seeks to do this by providing better trading conditions, by raising awareness and by campaigning. Nordic Swan The Nordic Swan eco-labelling criteria are based on evaluation of the environmental impacts during the life cycle of the product. The inks are alcohol-based or water-based and are not hazardous to health or environment. There are no chlorinated plastics or heavy metals in the products.

technological

working effectively for both our customers and This environmentally-conscious approach to doing

GREEN

E L L

DONE

TCO TCO-labelled products must have low emissions, meet ergonomic design criteria and have minimal environmental impact. FSC The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international network promoting responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC brings people together to find solutions to the problems created by bad forestry practices and to reward good forest management. FSC policies and standards aim to make the greatest possible contribution to forest stewardship worldwide. FSC works to be recognised as the global centre of excellence in the development of international standards for forest certification.

“B-Line offers a fantastic service. They promised to add value to my business and they deliver every time. They are more than just a supplier, they are a valued business partner. And with their wealth of experience in business supplies, I value their advice. If you are looking for someone to make a difference, then give B-Line a call today.” Brendon Cross, Managing Director, Communications and fellow B4 sponsor

STL

Other satisfied customers: “The set-up, reliability and service levels from B-Line have impressed us. It has enabled us to control our national network of offices with ease.” “B-Line is our partner in business. We place the orders, and B-Line delivers.” “B-Line’s reliability means my staff get what they want, wherever they are in the UK.”

Contact details on page 66

B4 PR

SWEET DREAMS FOR PARENTS Proactively looking for ways to help his customers promote their own business, Stephen Davison of Barclays Business Banking in Oxford is delighted to share with B4 readers why he is doing everything he can to support PurFlo and why he is excited about their future. “Necessity is the mother of all invention” – that’s according to Gail and Paul Whale, inventors of a revolutionary new baby mattress designed to put parents’ minds at ease. The Halesowen couple, who have worked tirelessly for the last ten years to bring the PurFlo mattress to market, launched the fruit of their labour at the NEC Baby Show in May 2007.

mattress was the source of the problem then why not get rid of it altogether?”

The PurFlo story began in 1994 when doting new parents Gail and Paul became concerned about a Cook report that linked fire retardant chemicals in baby mattresses to cot death. As nationwide panic about the report spread, Gail and Paul began to doubt how safe their baby daughter Heather was as she lay in her cot.

Ten years of development and rigorous testing followed. The PurFlo mattress was subjected to extensive clinical research under the direction of Professor Peter Fleming CBE, Professor of Infant Health and Developmental Physiology at Bristol University and an acknowledged world leader on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

After one too many sleepless nights, however, an exhausted Gail took matters into her own hands. “I thought, ‘There has to be a way for us to have peace of mind and a good night’s sleep!’ If the foam in the

“It’s been a long road bringing PurFlo to market but it was really important to us that parents could have total confidence in the product,” says Paul Whale. “PurFlo is the only baby mattress in the world to

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After Gail’s ‘eureka moment’, the couple set about designing and building a mattress for Heather. Gail and Paul’s concept was a fully permeable, fully washable mesh sheet tightly fitted over a hollow frame.

undergo this type of testing, so parents can be certain that they’re providing the optimum sleeping environment for their infant.” The PurFlo mattress uses an aluminium framework covered by a high tech, permeable cover. With no inner core, it is the only fully washable and foam-free mattress in the world. PurFlo provides a dust-mite free environment which prevents the harmful build-up of allergens, bacteria and fungi which are known to cause eczema and asthma. “It’s pretty nerve-wracking being a parent. You constantly worry about the millions of things that could be affecting your baby’s health and safety without you knowing about it,” says Gail. “We might not be able to allay all of these fears, but we can certainly give parents peace of mind where mattresses are concerned.” Contact details on page 66

YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU Pauline Siddons (self-confessed financial ignoramus) tries to make sense of the intricate subject of inheritance tax. Luckily, she has Nick Morgan of Darbys to hand…

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B4 MONEY If you’ve worked hard all of your life, is it really a good enough excuse to risk your nest egg being omletted (a technical term I just made up) just because it is rather unpleasant to talk about death? The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapter 5 verses 3-12) – bear with me here - states: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Apparently, the current government defines “meek” to mean someone whose parents own an estate worth less than £600,000 (or a single parent worth less than £300,000.) If you fall into this category then your children (or indeed a charity of your choice if you are truly meek) will, indeed, inherit the lot. Given the house prices in Oxford, if you are a home owner, then the chances are that your total estate is already worth more than £300,000. Nick Morgan of Darbys has some critical advice for you that could save you thousands of pounds! If you do not have an expert like Nick to advise you, you may not know about your nil rate tax band and on your death the government will gladly relieve you of £120,000 of this in tax! If you have the benefit of a better half, of course you may be smugly thinking that you can leave everything to your spouse without paying any tax at all. TRUE. But what happens if you die before your spouse? Most people naturally want to leave everything to their spouse if they die first, so that their other half is cared for in their old age and, eventually, when their turn comes to join them in heaven, everything will automatically go to their shared children. WRONG! If you die and your beloved re-marries (after a suitably long period of mourning for your demise!) and your children, remaining forever loyal to you, reject their new step-parent (serves them right - you are irreplaceable right?) Unfortunately, it is possible that the resentment might cause a family rift between your children and your ex-spouse. What if your ex-beloved is put in an impossible position and are forced to choose between your children and their new (possibly younger and more attractive… no, don’t think about that…) spouse? Your ex-spouse has the right to write your children out of his/her will completely and leave it all to their current spouse, and thence their children and not yours! You’d be turning in your grave. Another nasty surprise waiting to trip you up is if you or your spouse is not living in the UK. If they are considered a different nationality, then you cannot leave an unlimited amount to them, you only get the nil rate band plus £55,000 extra and the rest is subject to a whopping 40% tax! With the current UK weather it’s nice to know there’s still one good reason to stay here. If you are cunning, you might try to give some of your assets away to your children before the inevitable takes place. The trouble is, you have to live for 7 years after the gift or it will still be counted as part of your estate on death! That hardly seems fair does it? I for

one am not prepared to give up loose living for a whole 7 years just in case. So why can’t you just give away your house to your children before you die? Those pesky Inland Revenue people have thought of that too. If you remain living in your house after you’ve given away a share or all of it, it still remains part of your estate when you die, even if 7 years has elapsed since you gave it away. Why? Because technically you were still benefiting from it. Although there can be an exception if you are moving in to share a home with a parent, but special rules apply to this upon which you should take advice. If, instead of your house, you give money away to your children or grandchildren, you have to accept that they may use it unwisely, or worse, marry unwisely, get divorced and then the money goes out of your family. Meanwhile, a surviving parent may be in need of a nursing home. The average cost of an Oxfordshire nursing home is around £40,000 per annum, now that’s a lot of money over 5 or 6 years! A Life Interest Trust may give some protection. On the death of the first spouse, instead of leaving everything to the surviving spouse, a Life Interest Trust is set up with the surviving spouse having an entitlement to income but not the capital – then under the present regulations the local authorities don’t usually treat the capital of that fund as part of their assets for the purpose of contributing towards the cost of care. It gets better: if you know about “assignment of a reversionary interest in a trust” (and who doesn’t?) you can save a whopping £240,000! Here’s how: the first spouse to die sets up a £600,000 trust fund. If the surviving spouse dies, then on the surviving spouses death then inheritance tax would be payable, and once again, if it formed part of the survivor’s Estate on their death. If, however, the children sign over their entitlement to their own children before the death of the surviving spouse they can skip another generation of inheritance tax and save up to £240,000! Now aren’t you glad you’re reading this? “Assignment of a reversionary interest in a trust” – hmm no wonder that one doesn’t come up in conversations a lot. So what other advice can Nick give to couples to minimise inheritance tax? On the death of the first spouse you could create a “charge” over the house which is then assigned to trustees. Everything else passes to the surviving spouse. On the death of the surviving spouse, the value of that charge is deducted from their estate, so they effectively save at least £120,000 in inheritance tax, but you have to be careful as there is a trap if the survivor has gifted assets to the first to die (which can happen by one of you having effectively paid for your house) when not all of the charge may be deductible on the second death. You are effectively using the nil rate bands of both individuals. Most people can’t afford to do this unless they use the house. Well, that sounds easy, but Nick warns that there can be complications, so it’s still best to get advice for your own particular circumstances.

are so complicated that we might fill several pages of B4 trying to explain them, so you are relieved of that particular joy. The way that trust funds are taxed for inheritance tax purposes has recently changed in the Finance Act 2006 which has made inheritance tax of all sorts of trusts the same. Nick says you only have until 5th April 2008 to do “certain things” (sounds intriguing!) to ensure that you pay the minimum inheritance tax, so if you have any sort of pre-existing trust get some advice from Darbys well before this deadline! If you are elderly, you can invest in certain types of shares that are exempt from inheritance tax, but that can be a risky business, unless you have proper advice. Some European countries have larger nil rate tax bands and none of these crafty ways to avoid inheritance tax. Nick thinks that the UK may follow this lead within a few years. Maybe then even I will be able to understand the subject! What if your parents die without preparing adequately for inheritance tax? Darbys can give you advice on “deeds of variation” where even up to 2 years after the death of a parent, children over 18 can re-write their parent’s will to make it more tax efficient (if all beneficiaries agree.) In this way you can use your parents’ nil rate tax band (even if they neglected to) by setting up a £300,000 “nil rate band discretionary trust”. The beneficiaries (surviving spouse, children, grandchildren…) can use this if they need to, but on the surviving spouse’s death it doesn’t count as part of the estate (saving £120,000!) and gets distributed to the beneficiaries. Businessmen have even more complicated issues to be aware of (e.g. they have 100% tax relief on their private company shares – except if it’s an investment company.) There are many pitfalls you can easily fall into. If a company is 50% owned by 2 people and 1 dies, what is the value of the remaining 50%? Does that person have control of the company? As a businessman have you got a shareholder’s agreement to decide upon the value of minority shares to cover you in this eventuality? If the remaining shareholders are obliged to buy the deceased’s shares, you immediately lose your business property relief, so it’s best to get advice. Have you thought about, and insured against, the costs arising following your death, ie. paying for somebody to sell the business? Remember goodwill usually only has value when you are alive, so if you are the owner, think about whether you should be selling before you die. The most important thing I learnt from Nick was that it’s really important to plan well in advance to avoid inheritance tax. Nick is amazed at how many people have home-made wills and take no advice on this delicate subject. So, it pays to visit Darbys for some expert advice to put your mind at rest (if not your body!) Or, as the Bible says: “Blessed are those who mourn (but who remembered to take Nick Morgan’s advice), for they shall be comforted.”

Trust funds seem the panacea, but Nick says that they Contact details on page 66

B4 MONEY

WHAT A RELIEF Tony Haines, a Partner with Wenn Townsend Chartered Accountants, looks into the types of inheritance tax relief available for business owners and explains that they don’t come without their catches. For those of you operating in business, it is important to consider the potential problems that might arise when you are looking to transfer ownership of the family company to your chosen beneficiaries. Whilst knowing that various reliefs exist is one thing, it is more important to know about the potential pitfalls that one can encounter. The main relief, whilst sounding very generous, is, nonetheless, not without its conditions. For example, a sole proprietor’s interest in his business qualifies for a 100% deduction, as does a partner’s interest in his firm. In addition, a 50% deduction is available for an asset owned by a partner that is used by the firm. A 100% deduction is given on shares in an unquoted trading company or the unquoted holding company of a trading group. For a quoted company, 50% of the relief is available if (and only if) the deceased had voting control. I would not blame you for thinking, “That’s all right, I have nothing to worry about,” but please read on; as I mentioned earlier, there are conditions that need to be met. Primarily, the company has to be a trading company and this is not always the case. In addition, the company may fall into what is known as a hybrid because it has income or assets from non-trading sources. Secondly, the property must have been owned during the previous two years or have been inherited from a spouse and, when the spouse’s period of ownership is taken into account, the total period of ownership must exceed two years. Thirdly, the shares must not be subject to a binding contract for sale. What should you do if you think you might have a hybrid company? My recommendation would be firstly to take advice in order to establish the likelihood

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that this is the case. The likeliest causes are often attributed to excessive cash balances and the market value of non-commercial properties. It is vitally important to appreciate that there is a difference between capital gains tax (CGT) and inheritance tax (IHT) when determining the availability of reliefs. This stems from the wording in the legislation: CGT - substantial IHT - wholly or mainly This, in turn, translates into a percentage of non-business assets to business assets being: CGT - 20% or more IHT - 50% or more You might ask, “20% or 50% of what?” The percentages could relate to: - asset value - income - time spent on dealing with the non-business assets. So, as I said before, none of this is clear-cut and each case is different. If you feel you may be in this situation, then definitely seek advice. Moving on, the period of ownership is important but should be straightforward to prove. Even though I am not dealing with capital gains tax, there is one thing that needs to be considered concerning deathbed planning, which I must admit is not a particularly pleasant thought, so I apologise. If a couple owns assets jointly – let’s take the example of a second home owned for 25 years – and one spouse is terminally ill, then it would make sense to transfer the property into the sole ownership of the terminally ill spouse, because on death they could

leave the property to the surviving spouse at its current market value, thus wiping out 25 years worth of gain. If the surviving spouse then wished to transfer that property to the next generation, it could be done without having to pay capital gains tax on accumulated gains. Providing the second spouse lives for seven years after having made the transfer, then no inheritance tax would be due either. A common pitfall in inheritance tax planning is the existence of buy and sell clauses in a shareholders’ agreement. If the shares form part of a binding contract, then the business property relief (100%) is lost. That’s right, it is lost, and there will be inheritance tax payable by the estate of 40% on the full value of the shares. Once again, I would urge you to seek advice where you know that a shareholders agreement exists. If there is a clause in the agreement stipulating the treatment on the sale of shares in the event of death, then this needs to be looked at closely. If you find yourself in a situation regarding a potential inheritance tax problem that needs mitigating, there are still steps that can be taken which may include insurance policies and pension vehicles, neither of which I am able to cover in this article but nor should they be dismissed. It is a minefield, like so much tax legislation, but the upside and downside variances are huge. Investment in professional advice is key to making sure you plan wisely and soften the blow of an already unpleasant fact of life. There are two things which are certain, death and taxes, but when they come together, their effect can be devastating.

Contact details on page 66

THEIR SPACE B4 met David and Shirley Popham in their salon in North Oxford to find out how they keep customers coming back. It’s simple really: they keep their staff coming back. Mark Reynolds learns how a different approach and a desire to bring change to their industry is helping them succeed. The very structure of our economy is based on groups of seemingly similar businesses that compete for their share of that “industry”. The success or failure of those businesses is defined by their ability to differentiate themselves, which in turn is defined by their unique take on the industry they are in. How did Apple choose to compete with Microsoft and Dell in the computer industry? They made a personal stereo. They didn’t want to compete like-for-like, so they changed the rules, and the iPod has now helped them build a brand that is the strongest in the computer industry. An industry cannot dictate the type of people who do business in it and the way that those individuals choose to do business. That is the very nature of competition … “For 40 years, hairdressing has been considered a non-professional industry,” says David Popham, who first opened a salon in Oxford in 1981. “The minimum wage is standard for many employers and the prospects of career progression and stability have often been ignored. We are all about a real quality of life for our staff and the quest for higher standards of practice, design and craft. We therefore pay decent wages and offer a good quality of working environment, to try and recruit and keep good people.” Talking to David for just a short time, you understand quickly that his elegant yet comfortable salon is a genuine attempt to prove you can make money at hairdressing by doing things properly and, most importantly (to quote David), “without being a ba*tard to your staff!” Shirley Popham, David’s wife and business partner, expands: “We take very seriously the business of hairdressing. We supply at the top end – and yes, we charge for that – but it allows the people we employ to live comfortably and feel valued. They can now afford their first mortgages or buy their first cars, and, having worked at and visited lots of other hairdressers, we know that this isn’t the case for many young people coming into the profession.” This approach has helped them achieve the Investors In People (IIP) standard, which is very rare in their industry. The comments from the IIP assessor were incredibly positive and he really struggled to make any recommendations about things they could improve. After speaking to 80% of the staff (without the owners there of course), the assessor concluded: “In stark contrast to other salons in the industry, staff at Popham’s are highly valued and well rewarded for their effort. The result is that there is a fantastic culture of teamwork in the salon where people work together, sharing ideas and encouraging and supporting each other to improve.” High praise indeed. David and Shirley make sure that they give each employee one hour per month of one-to-one time to discuss their personal development and target setting. “We take the time and listen to what they say,” says Shirley, “and the pay-off is staff

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retention – which in turn leads to customer loyalty. Most people like having their hair cut by the same person every time, which is impossible if you have a high staff turnover.” ”We don’t do it for altruistic reasons of course,” continues David. “We want to make money – so it’s about making it a point of competitive difference. We have a lot of competitors in the area between Summertown and Oxford, so we have to make sure we provide a better service than they do, and that is achieved by having happy staff.” The final push to start a new venture in North Parade (just off the Banbury Road in Oxford) was born out of one of these bad experiences at other salons. David tells the story: “I would come home and complain about a stylist using the same comb for me that they were using on someone else, or using towels that had not been washed, and one day Shirley said, “If you’re so clever, why don’t you do it?” – and so I did. Now here we are.” It may sound a small thing, but everyone who comes through the door at Popham gets a clean gown and towel, which is very rare. Neither David nor Shirley has ever met anyone running a salon that has done the same thing. For the customers, this type of meticulous approach to quality, combined with the mood of the staff, means that their experience is second to none. “One client drives down here from Yorkshire, after moving from Oxford – because she just can’t find anywhere that can offer the same service.” A few weeks ago, the salon celebrated its fifth birthday and the Pophams are rewarding themselves with a makeover. They will be closing down for the last week in August to have the place redecorated and are also launching a new website at the same time. One of the key changes they are implementing along with the refurbishment is a move to longer opening hours. “This means that people can attend before and after work, which is again different to most other places. It really allows us to increase the utilisation of the asset we have (the building) because they can’t physically expand the space.” “Won’t this undo all their good work, and make the staff more tired and stressed?” I ask. “Not at all,” says David. “It will enable us to take on more people and also offer split shifts. It lets us increase turnover and also give the staff some options and a better work-life balance.” If a business is nothing more than the sum of its parts, then David and Shirley Popham have an approach that should be applauded. They are making money, building a brand and delivering an excellent service – but they are doing these things in the right way and without sacrificing their belief that employers should treat their staff well. Contact details on page 66

Martin Keown can often be found patrolling the touchlines of the local football fields of Oxford, watching his two sons, Niall and Callum, play the game he loves. The former Arsenal and England stalwart is easy to spot, not just because he has one of the most well-known faces in the area, but also because, in among the over-excited parents , he remains quiet, watchful, keeping his counsel, never raising his voice. It is a nice irony that the one person on the touchline who really knows what is going on out there on the pitch, is the least inclined to pass comment. “I am consciously like that because I remember what it was like playing,” he explains. “It is so frantic in the middle that you need relaxed people around you, especially on the touchline. As a player you want clear, concise messages. You don’t want ranting and raving. Most of all, you don’t want destructive criticism. It just won’t go in if a manager, or parent, behaves like that.”

Fondly remembered by Gooners and England fans alike as the most competitive, focused and intense of footballers, the former centre-back now cuts a very different figure. Calm, studious, thoughtful, he goes about life post football with as little show as possible. “I was certainly well placed to witness the football explosion,” he says. “I saw both ends of it. In the early part of my career, things were not much different from most walks of life, but in my last four or five years, it changed my life completely. It wasn’t just the wages, but also the amount of attention you received. Discretion and privacy were hard to come by and that is what you crave now.” Born in Oxford, Keown first gained attention as a swash-buckling, free-scoring centre forward in the local boys league. He was spotted by Arsenal scouts, signed with the north London club as a 14-year-old schoolboy in 1980 and was almost immediately transformed into a defender. He made his debut at the age of 18 in 1984, before walking out on Arsenal

in 1986 to join Aston Villa. He then moved to Everton, before returning to Arsenal in 1993 for £2 million. It was in 1996, however, aged 30, that Martin’s entire approach to his profession changed, when Arsène Wenger arrived at Highbury as manager. They seemed an unlikely combination, the cerebral, professorial Frenchman and the raw-boned, aggressive English defender. The assumption, from a distance, was that the Englishman would soon be on his way to less sophisticated surroundings. Instead, the pair enjoyed a partnership that accrued three league championships and three FA Cup wins in six seasons. This was some swansong, Keown playing on for Arsenal until he was 37, his career extended, he suggests, by the sensible habits and meticulous approach encouraged by Wenger. He flourished under Wenger’s tuition, and the lessons he learned in the Highbury dressing room were valuable ones to take on into business once he had finally hung up his boots in 2004.

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE As one of Oxfordshire’s most successful ever sportsmen, Martin Keown has been at the epicentre of football’s transformation over the past ten years. Jim White, who has covered all the world’s major sporting events for The Daily Telegraph, talks to Martin exclusively for B4.

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B4 INTERVIEW

“The discipline shapes you for the rest of your life,” he says. “It is quite a challenge when you retire because you have been part of a group for so long, sharing the emotional highs and lows, driven by this single, collective aim, every minute of every day, to win the next game. Nothing in life compares with looking around a dressing room and seeing the host of talent that I could. Drawing off those individuals and gaining strength from their presence was incredible.” The racing driver, Jackie Stewart, describes sport as the ideal gymnasium for business. And Keown agrees that the single-mindedness, the determination and the ability to focus on the task in hand are major advantages for the sportsman entering business. He learned the hard way, however, another essential lesson. “As a professional player, the first thing you are told to do is to get yourself a financial adviser. I am not so sure it is critical. When you are playing, obviously you don’t have the time, or the inclination, to get involved in anything other than playing. But if you let some of the responsibility go, you have to identify people, back them and trust them and that is not always easy. In my opinion, a player’s best investment would be in themselves. My advice would be to be very cautious of financial people and don’t let big decisions out of your hands. Try and keep control. It is very easy for an impressionable, young player, to make financial mistakes, and to be taken advantage of. I’d like to

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think now that I am involved with good people.” Several of Keown’s contemporaries seem to have managed the trick of transferring their skill on the pitch into the boardroom: Robbie Fowler in property, Jamie Redknapp in publishing and David James in the media, to name the most prominent. Keown believes they are by no means unusual. “Actually,” he says, “the players who are good businessmen are the ones you don’t hear about. Players are paid very well now and it is particularly important that they keep any business interests private, which, admittedly, is easier said than done.” Although in depth discussions about business are not completely off limits, Martin is visibly more comfortable when discussing his true passion, football. Following a short spell with Reading, Martin spent a year helping Arsène Wenger, who drew upon Martin’s considerable defensive experience to the full , whilst also leaving Martin to act as mentor to the first team players of today. Terry Neil is among those who credit Martin for injecting steel and discipline into the team’s youthful new back line. Martin remains, however, modest about his involvement.

manager. Some of his practical coaching work for this course will, hopefully, be achieved working with Oxford University 1st XI. “Whether I am suited to management is hard to say,” he suggests. “It is very different to coaching: you can be the best coach in the world but not make the grade as a manager. But actually I’m enjoying not having to be so rigid in my life, having the time to recharge my batteries and re-acquaint myself with my family. And I have enjoyed going on the courses with genuine football people. It makes me realise how much the game really means to everyone.” Martin feels strongly that this is the best thing about the sport which has given him so much: the passion it instils. “The game of football is a business now, there’s no denying it,” he says. “But a love of the game has to rule supreme, plus talent, that still is paramount. And so it should be. Let’s face it, these days you can become very wealthy in the game. But if a parent puts their child into the game simply to make their family rich, they will be found out. You cannot succeed in football without loving it. There are a lot of very sucessful people within the game, but they still get something from it. Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes … they are not still playing for financial reasons. It is because they are still in love with the game. That’s how it should be.”

He is now in the midst of taking his A licence, the necessary qualification to become a Premiership

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B4 PROPERTY

PROPERTY NEWS Savills - Sustainability is an Imperative Renting a “green” building may once have been down to conscience but the new drivers for carbon efficient development are the Planning System, Building Regulations and Codes of Practice. Negotiating this maze of legislation can be daunting and the advantages unclear. Expert advice early on pays dividends later.

A broader vision beyond just renewable energy is essential. Use of the natural advantages of the site, the energy embodied in the building materials and their method of transport, as well as passive solar heating and efficient insulation, can all combine to reduce a building’s energy demands.

enhance the new standards, whilst adding value and efficiency to developments. With so many hurdles to clear, it makes sense to have one point of contact: a consultant with your interests at heart and the expertise and skills to deliver sustainability.

Fortunately there is still room for creative design solutions that incorporate and

Contact details on page 66

Greg Owen

Pink & Black Hmm ... lunch with your estate agent? Not exactly something most people would want to consider, and yet this is the question posed in the form of a strap-line for Pink & Black Property Consultants, an agency which launched a year ago and is creating quite a stir in the estate agency fraternity.

Tracey Jefferies & Claire Moloney

“We spent a long time before launching working on our brand; if our brand gets noticed, our properties get noticed. We needed to be sure

that our brand reflected the ethos of Pink & Black: a brand with a fresh approach to a fairly conservative industry. Everyone at Pink & Black genuinely enjoys their work and it shows. We set out to prove that buying and selling property could be fun, and judging by the public’s reaction so far we seem to have struck the right chord. Based on a strong service ethic, the Pink & Black offering is customer focused and results driven.” Contact details on page 66

Oxford Residential Letting Investment Market Oxford continues to outperform most of the country with its strong tenant demand and shortage of new-build property. “Oxford is a well located city,” states Debbie Kelly, property director at North Oxford Property Services, and she is right. Close proximity to London means Oxford benefits from the city’s success without the extreme volatility. Demand outweighs supply in Oxford; unlike Manchester, Leeds or

Bristol you will not see large skyscraper development diluting the letting market in Oxford due to cone height restrictions. North Oxford Property Services has been finding high-yielding property investments for landlords for over 17 years. Contact details on page 66

A Refreshing Approach With the increased regulation in the letting market following the introduction of the government’s tenancy deposit scheme on 6 April 2007, more landlords are looking for the services of reputable agent. Under this legislation, landlords or their agents are required to register the details of all new tenancies, both at their beginning and end.

that you get from them. It is also advisable to make sure that they are members of professional bodies, such as the NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents) or NALS (National Approved Letting Scheme) ensuring that their standards of service are met and that they belong to an approved deposit scheme.

Moreover, the recent floods have driven home the advantage of having a competent agent looking after your property.

We at Breckon & Breckon are able to provide a range of letting services from full management to letting only and also refurbishment, furnishing, search and acquisition.

So how do you choose? Much of it is down to the individuals within the firm you instruct and the comfort factor

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Greg Barnes Contact details on page 66

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B4 PR

ENERGY SAVINGS MADE EASY WITH SEMPLICE As a Barclays customer, Semplice Energy Ltd have been supported by Andrew Davies. B4 finds out why, in Andrew’s opinion, “Semplice really can deliver some positive benefits for other local businesses.” Semplice Energy Ltd, a local firm based in Reading, is an energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions provider, and a leader in the industry. The team at Semplice enables organisations of all sizes to reduce their energy costs as well as their CO2 emissions, in some cases by as much as 40%. Semplice stand out amongst the rest, not only because of their expertise in design and systems integration, which is necessary in order to combine technical energy solutions with new-build and existing utility infrastructure, but also because they offer a full “turnkey” service with every project undertaken. Semplice can make energy savings simple for your business. Whether you have a general requirement to reduce energy consumption or have specific energy or emission reduction targets to meet, Semplice’s low carbon solutions will help you to reduce your energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Furthermore, Semplice Energy products will deliver the following benefits to your business: • Increased life span of equipment

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• • •

Lower operational costs Reduced maintenance costs Quantifiable “green” contribution.

Savings already made in the local area Semplice have recently completed a major project at Thatcham Motor Insurance Repair Centre, where they were able to put together a proposal which will achieve massive savings for the company. The centre wanted to reduce their carbon footprint, generate green energy on-site and still have a reasonable financial payback period. Having qualified for the Carbon Trust’s interest-free loan for SMEs, Semplice enabled the centre to do exactly that. Not only have they provided them with the means to generate green energy, but they have also developed and installed a low voltage management system and lighting for the centre. All in all this energy saving and generating package has equated to: • A saving of 250,000 kW hours per year in electricity • A saving of 110 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year • An overall energy cost saving of £25,000.

With these kinds of figures, Semplice has the ability to boast a payback period for the research centre of less than three years. Semplice Energy has also installed a wind turbine at the McDonald’s restaurant in Reading. Here the installation is part of an assessment of micro wind turbine generation, involving six McDonald's sites throughout the UK and including the company headquarters in Finchley. Your next steps If you would like to take the opportunity to reduce your energy costs simply and efficiently, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Semplice Energy. There is an experienced project team ready to guide you through the process as painlessly and as easily as possible. The team can also talk to you about the Carbon Trust interest-free loan, which you may be eligible for and which would help you on your way to energy savings. The Semplice Energy team look forward to hearing from you to discuss how you can reduce your energy costs today. Contact details on page 66

CLIENT SUPPORT We can offer independent advice in all areas of financial services.

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B4 PR

HIGHEST STANDARDS AS STANDARD Whether you are an art-lover, wish to put your treasured photographic memories on show or have a quirky or valuable possession, framing it is often one of those tasks we just never get around to. But if you are fortunate enough to discover Bayswater Framing in Headington, this is one box you can tick on your "To Do" list. Picture two 1,500 square foot purpose-built pine work rooms, equipment to rival that of any framing business in the country and three people dedicated to their trade and you can start to visualise the sort of business we are dealing with. Throw in doorstep parking, an excellent location and a relaxed working environment where, invariably, you are the focus of attention, and you have the ingredients for a superb framing business. The passion and enthusiasm of Simon Beesley and his partner, Debbie Howe, virtually guarantee a job won’t just be well done, it will be done extraordinarily well. As Debbie points out, “We achieve the highest standards as standard.” And it mustn’t be forgotten that this “standard” was set by Simon’s father, David Beesley, who founded the business in 2005 and whom Debbie affectionately refers to as “the cleaner.” Simon continues, “Everything we do is aimed at creating the perfect job. By its very nature, if a customer wants something framed, it’s going on display, whether it’s a certificate, photograph or painting. The demand for quality is an unwritten rule – we expect our customers to expect perfection and that is what we are aiming at with every job. Our tools, our raw materials, our working environment and the

effort and experience we dedicate to each job make delivering perfection every time much easier. The fact that we could count on one hand the number of returns in the past two years is testament to the Bayswater philosophy.” The team members do not have art backgrounds to reflect the high standard of their work. All self-taught, they are a credit to themselves and their desire to consistently improve is what is driving this business forward. And they are flexible – if they can get a frame around it, they will do it. Wedding dresses, shells from a Barbados beach, a leaf from the oldest tree in the world, fossils, mirrors, football shirts and cricket bats have all been framed. Everything about the business is first-rate. Bayswater is, for example, one of only a handful of companies in the country who can cut board up to 4.2mm thick. As Simon explains, “We are trying to bridge the gap between expensive one-off framing in the high street and lower unit cost (due to high volume) mass-produced framers. And to achieve that we have to be fully equipped.” Having turned around a 4,650 unit mount-board job in just two days, they can certainly get through the volume. Simon openly admits the kit on site is

designed for continual use at this level, even though this sort of job doesn’t happen every week. Bayswater also offers a box cutting service which means that, provided it can be designed and cut, any box or container shape can be created – ideal for packaging and magazine holders. So now you have absolutely no excuse. Arrange an appointment with Simon and Debbie and talk through your ideas with them. They will provide a cost-effective solution to your framing requirements and not only will they do a professional job but it will also be done amazingly quickly. As Debbie concludes: “We don’t pride ourselves on just the quality of our work, but also our turnaround. If there is a job to do, we can’t wait to get stuck in and we will make sure it’s a job well done.” Top Equipment = Top Quality Computerised mount cutter: Zund Plotting System Hot Press: Permanently flattens a curled or rolled document. Computerised underpinner: Joins the frames – 100% precise every time. Double-bladed mitre saw: Like a disc cutter but with two blades – like a circular saw. Contact details on page 66

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10 FACTS 28

1. Founded in 1871 in Stockholm. 2. Bank’s shares listed on Stockholm Stock Exchange since 1873. 3. In 1905, moved to present headquarters in the Kungsträdgårdsgatanarea. 4. Merged with Bankaktiebolaget in 1914 to give it 36 branches in new towns in Sweden. 5. In 1917, acquired Norrlandbanken to help it take advantage of the flourishing northern forest industry.

7. The bank is now represented in 20 countries with over 600 branches worldwide. 8. Today, it is one of the leading banks in the Nordic area with total assets of SEK 1,900 billion (approx £140 billion). 9. A universal bank offering a complete range of financial services. 10. Swedish subsidiaries, which are integrated in the bank's business operations: Handlesbanken Fonder (mutual funds), Handlesbanken Finans (finance company), Handlesbanken Liv (life insurance), SPP (life insurance), Stadshypotek (mortgage company) and Stadshypotek Bank.

6. In the 1980s, opened branch subsidiaries and offices in London, New York and Singapore.

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B4 MONEY

NOT ANOTHER BANK B4 meet David Woodhead of Handelsbanken, one of Oxfordshire’s newest banks who, in the words of their Chairman, Lars O Gronstedt, “always give the advice that is best for the customer, even if in the short run it is not best for the Bank.” On a July afternoon in Oxford, lightning is crashing all around and the rain is pummeling Seacourt Tower. Do I really have to go up seven floors? At least Charlie Bucket had some chocolate as consolation in his elevator. But seemingly on cue, the lift doors ping open and the sun shines, casting a fantastic rainbow in the distance, with David Woodhead’s beaming, welcoming smile a close second. As Branch Manager, David has a lot to smile about. Having opened the branch in August 2006, Handelsbanken took on their first customer in September and have made great strides since. David is at pains to stress that Handelsbanken like to see themselves as offering something completely different to their customers, but is equally adamant to underline that Handelsbanken do offer a complete range of traditional banking services. “Above anything else, Handelsbanken is a traditional bank. We don’t have tiered telephone answering systems, we do everything from the branch and look after our customers’ needs 100% from the branch. Our success is based on offering a higher quality service, delivered through experienced personnel. We start with a blank sheet of paper and build a solution to fit the requirement, whilst all key decisions are made by management in Oxford. “Each proposal is assessed on its own merits and we are able to be flexible in providing customers with a solution. Our managers do not have the restrictions of fixed products and rigid parameters and are therefore able to achieve much more for our customers. As you can see from the branch, we are not surrounded by brochures and leaflets offering packages, deals or special rates.

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“The bank’s ethos is to establish a long-term relationship with its customers and this is facilitated by recruiting staff from the local area who have local knowledge and therefore understand the customers’ needs in their everyday working environment. Local knowledge is key to developing the business and this is a huge foundation upon which all Handelsbanken branches are built. This experience is also imperative when protecting the Aa1 credit rating of the bank (source: Moody’s July 2007) . “We strive to provide a quality service to established businesses and high net worth individuals (the rough guide is deposits or borrowings of circa £500,000 for business customers). Our flexibility enables us to provide banking services for an individual and their business, rather than presenting a company director with the ‘inconvenient’ scenario of dealing with separate bank managers for business and personal affairs. “Our simple and refreshing approach is reaping rewards as customers are coming to us through recommendation and not via cold calling.” The team at the branch is small but effective and offers everything the bank needs to be able to develop its customer base. David was joined by Andrew Dicks as Corporate Manager, Will Organ and Kate Grant as Individual Banking Managers and Louise Bywaters and Karen Leydon who look after all documentation and legal work. Bryan Hunter has recently joined the team to focus on asset finance and leasing. With three Oxford University colleges, two independent schools and a number of partners in local professional firms amongst its first-year

accounts, the Oxford branch can certainly look back on their first year as one in which they have exceeded expectations. But there again, Handelsbanken are different, as David explains. “We don’t have targets, we don’t get bonuses and we are not driven by commission. Our modus operandi is to get the job done for our clients. The team and the branch network, which is growing around us, are here for each and every one of our clients. With a strong spine to back us and encourage us, we can only see Handelsbanken growing in Oxford, as it is around the country.” This claim is borne out by the increase in UK branches from 25 in October 2006 to over 40 by the end of the year. Not only is Handelsbanken growing and developing its customer base but it is also, a good employer, coming 11th in the 2007 Sunday Times "Best 100 Companies to Work for. This stems from the Swedish philosophy of striving to focus on a strong work/life balance and is concisely summed up by one of David Woodhead’s area managers, Derek Burgess, a Handelsbanken veteran of 17 years: “When you work for an organisation such as this you feel confident in your area of responsibility. You don’t have to remind yourself of the bank’s latest approach because everything remains consistent locally.” So, if you are looking for a different type of bank, offering a different approach, and crave the attention of an experienced and attentive manager, Handelsbanken are well worth talking to.

Contact details on page 66

B4 PR

SPOTLIGHT ON: CULHAM SCIENCE CENTRE

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Culham Science Centre is as safe as houses and once inside, the stringent security checks give way to a lively, friendly and incredibly fresh working environment. B4 were invited behind the scenes at one of Oxfordshire’s most established business parks to find out why Culham is so attractive to business.

T W O S AT I S F I E D

CUSTOMERS Culham Science Centre is one of the UK’s most prestigious research centres, with a strong focus upon cutting-edge science and technology businesses. The site is owned and operated by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and is the home of the UK’s fusion research programme and the world’s largest fusion experimental facility, JET (Joint European Torus). Covering some eighty hectares of green belt, the site is in the heart of beautiful rural Oxfordshire, offering a pleasant working environment easily accessible through an excellent road and rail infrastructure. In addition, Culham also plays host to a wide range of tenant organisations who recognise the value of having their business base at Culham. On-site amenities and the growing business community contribute towards a positive but relaxed campus atmosphere. Debbie Walker, Systems & Marketing Manager for the Commercial Property Group, stressed to B4 the importance of this community atmosphere and explained the attractions of starting up a business at Culham: “We are pleased to be able to offer specific packages to small, burgeoning companies who are just starting out in this business sector through the Culham Innovation Centre. There is something on offer for everyone at Culham, whether you are a large organisation or a small one – our community is growing with the brightest of futures ...” With approaching 1,500 people on site working for 25 companies, Culham has had to ensure the infrastructure of the site can accommodate a wide range of businesses and needs. The Innovation Centre at Culham Science Centre is designed to nurture small businesses and start-ups and this approach is reaping rewards for the companies who are taking up space there. Apart from flexible tenancy terms that enable businesses to grow (or downsize) office by office within the building, appropriate start-up technology companies can draw on the skills of the UKAEA scientists and specialists involved in the fusion research programme with a special Technical Support Package. Mike Hurp, Commercial Property Manager at Culham Science Centre, explains: “Because we are

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a leading-edge centre for science technology, Culham Science Centre is in a unique position to offer business people the chance to be amongst like-minded people and to share facilities and skills. We are uniquely placed to help small companies to focus on their own growth. “For companies ready to fly the nest from the Innovation Centre, we can offer tailored space that meets the growing need – be it laboratories or offices. Being so close to the eminent resources at Oxford University and our proximity to excellent road and rail networks are also important factors for most businesses. For the families of people who work here, they are close to some of the UK’s best schools and leisure facilities. “Culham has the added advantage of being a secure site, with access control to provide an extra level of security to businesses.” Mike concludes, “We also have plenty of “feel-good” green space surrounding us and even a nature trail to the north of the site. There is also a considerable amount of interaction on a business and social front. There is a formal and informal networking circle at work within Culham and we all work for each other.” Culham Conference Centre Culham Conference Centre can provide the ideal venue for any type of meeting, whether it is a seminar, lecture, training session or exhibition. The centre offers seven purpose-built conference rooms; six cater for meetings of 6-70 delegates, whilst the notable John Adams lecture theatre accommodates up to 233 “theatre style”. The lecture theatre is fully equipped with an LCD projector, lapel, stand, roving microphones and a sound system. Whilst all meeting rooms are fitted with standard conference equipment including screens and flipcharts, two of the larger conference rooms, Zeta and Phoenix, are fitted with LCD projectors and have sound capabilities. The on-site Foodhouse Restaurant team provide a full catering service to the conference centre and this, combined with ample, secure parking and easy transport links, enables the centre to create the perfect package to meet most requirements. Delegates also benefit from other services including Costa Coffee Shop, Foodhouse Shop, Cashpoint and Just Deli Bar. Contact details on page 66

Scientific Magnetics, based in building E-1, specialises in the design and manufacture of powerful superconducting magnets. One of their major projects is to design, manufacture and test the AMS-02 magnet, which forms part of a powerful cosmic ray detector designed to be launched in the NASA space shuttle and installed on the International Space Station. The AMS experiment is an international collaboration of 56 research institutes from 16 countries. The rigours of space launch qualification and extended zero gravity operation make AMS-02 one of the most challenging superconducting magnet projects ever undertaken. The magnet is currently undergoing testing and is planned for launch in 2009. Kaspersky Lab, a security software vendor, is one company that started in a single office in the Innovation Centre and has recently moved into its own building. When Kaspersky Lab first decided to establish operations in the UK, the business was located in Cambridge. The decision was made to move operations to Oxfordshire and the Culham Science Centre was identified as an ideal centre of excellence featuring all the important elements required to support the growth of this business. Svetlana Ivanova, Managing Director of Kaspersky Lab UK, explained: “We are a rapidly expanding global business headquartered in Moscow, and today have offices in 11 countries. When we selected Culham, central concerns regarding our choice of offices were around the support infrastructure, the site’s ability to sustain our rapid expansion plans, as well as security – and we found that the Culham Science Centre not only immediately understood this need but had an excellent infrastructure already in place. Equally important was the pool of local expertise within a small radius of Culham – we could not grow our business so smoothly without qualified staff, and this area provided a ready supply of experienced and motivated individuals. Ms Ivanova concluded: “We started in a small office in the Innovation Centre at Culham five years ago and soon expanded as our operations grew and we hired more people. We have now outgrown the D5 Culham Innovation Centre and have chosen to remain on site, taking offices within the Culham Science Centre complex, in a space that we can adapt as we continue to grow.” There are a number of commercial property solutions at Culham Science Centre, ranging from the Innovation Centre right through to the state-of-the-art laboratories that can be found on the Kemp and Kemp website www.kempandkemp.co.uk. Alternatively telephone Emma Jewson on 01865 240001 or see www.culham.org.uk.

B4 HEALTH

PEACE OF MIND

In the last edition of B4 we looked at the wide range of private healthcare options available at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital. This time around, we learn more about an area they really specialise in – children’s services. Any parent will know the feelings of worry and uncertainty when their child becomes ill, but why would you choose to go private for their treatment, and can you afford it? Mark Reynolds finds out… The healthcare needs of children are very different to those of adults: children need looking after in a way that takes account of the differences in their physical and emotional maturity. Get it wrong with children's care, and the bad experience may affect their development in more than a physical sense, and the effects on the child can last a lifetime. Get it right in an emotional sense, by creating a truly child-friendly environment and being sensitive to their very specific needs, and all the evidence shows that children recover more quickly from their physical ailment. For that reason, the Oxford Radcliffe employ Play Specialists trained to support (and distract) children and their families during their stay and have also set up a dedicated ward for adolescents. There are also indoor and outdoor play facilities on each floor. Previously, children's services in Oxford were split over three sites in the city and the wards were stretched to full capacity. The new Children's Hospital now integrates children's services in Oxfordshire under one roof, in a set of purpose-built, family-friendly spaces for both inpatient and outpatient care. The Children's Hospital opened in January and has already had a positive impact on thousands of children and their families from across the region and the UK as a whole, and it will treat more than 65,000 children this year. The parents of private patients at the Radcliffe can enjoy their own en-suite accommodation with state-of-the-art facilities, thus ensuring that they can stay well rested and strong when their children need them most. Parents of private patients also enjoy free parking.

In addition to these superb new purpose-built children’s facilities, the arguments for choosing NHS Private Healthcare for your child over independent private hospitals are simple. Firstly, there are specialists at the John Radcliffe that you simply won’t have access to in smaller hospitals. The trust has a large department of paediatrics that deals specifically with medical problems in children, and many of these services are only found in large specialist hospitals. These services include Paediatric Cardiology, Paediatric Immunology and Paediatric Neurology. In addition to the best people, there is also the best equipment. The Radcliffe has many specialist units specifically designed to care for critically ill children, and again, many of these services (such as the Special Care Baby Unit) are only found in large specialist hospitals. Secondly, by using NHS Private Healthcare, you are helping to fund and support other vital NHS services for the wider community rather than contributing to the profits of a privately held business. It is fairly obvious to most of us what needs to be considered in terms of a child’s emotional state when they are in hospital, but what is it that makes caring for children’s physical ailments so different? Paediatric Surgery is the only surgical speciality that is defined by the patient's age rather than by a specific condition, and there are six main categories. The two categories that were easy to understand for a non-medic such as myself were Neonatal Surgery (which involves the surgical correction of congenital abnormalities in the newborn period) and Allergy/Immunology. Allergic diseases affect more than 20 percent of the population and are one of the leading causes of chronic disease in children. For many of these

children and their parents, the opportunity to work with a highly trained allergist or immunologist can assist them in managing their disease more effectively and enable them to lead a relatively normal life. So can you afford it? One of the key worries that people often have when considering private healthcare is that the costs may spiral if the treatment lasts longer than expected – or, worse still, if there are complications. Fixed-price packages are provided now by Oxford Radcliffe Private Healthcare for many operations, and these are available to most people regardless of age. They offer you the advantages of having your operation at a time that suits you and at a price that has been agreed beforehand. The price of the package typically includes all of your nursing care during your stay in hospital, the costs of your private accommodation, operating theatre fees and any drugs or dressings that you need while in hospital. For many packages, the professional fees of the surgeon, anaesthetist, radiologist and pathologist will also be included, but if they are not you will be advised of this when you make your enquiry. The package will also cover the cost of treatment for any complication that occurs within 30 days of the operation, provided the follow-up treatment is also performed at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals. The process starts with a referral to a consultant by your GP and then, after the initial consultation, you'll be given a price for your operation. If you want an estimate for an operation or more information about their fixed-price packages see the contact details on page 66.

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B4 PR

BLACK BOOK:

WHY YOU MUST BE IN IT The Oxford Black Book was launched in 2005 and was intended to be the definitive directory for Oxfordshire businesses. Now with an established reputation as THE directory to appear in, Black Book 3 will be taking on a new and improved look. B4 finds out why your business must be in it. Since B4 was launched last year, we have got to know a multitude of Oxfordshire businesses and assist in introducing businesses to each other. With increasing competition the world over, there is nothing stopping any business buying a product from Indonesia which they can just as easily buy on the doorstep here in Oxfordshire. Maybe that’s stretching the boundaries, but you understand where I am coming from. However, so often we see that just by doing business with one Oxfordshire company, a new door opens to a new customer. The bottom line has to be that if there isn’t a logical reason to place your business locally, don’t think about alternatives. But you have to put yourself in front of those people that matter, that make the decisions. Through Black Book 3, we will be opening up new business contacts for 3,000 carefully selected business decision makers who will receive the directory, free of charge, in December this year. The design of the Black Book will also change to an A5 (and therefore larger page size than Black Book and Black Book 2), perfect bound, 600 page directory, similar to the Relais & Chateaux Hotel Guides many readers will be familiar with. So we are increasing the size three fold. Businesses taking pages will be offered a wide range of sections to appear in, from Office to Professional, Property to Media, and from Networking and Recruitment to Accommodation and our new “Celebrate” section. These sections will also tie in to

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our new Black Book web site, launched later in September, and all Black Book entrants will have their details replicated on the web site, free of charge, for a minimum period of 12 months up to December 2008. The web site and physical guide are promoted in all of In Oxford Group’s other titles, including In Oxford Magazine, www.inoxford.com and, of course, B4. Our In Oxford site receives, on average, 50,000 unique visitors per month and the services section for this site will automatically link through to the Black Book web site. So what’s the catch? There is a charge, but for £250+VAT, businesses receive a fully designed, one page entry and their web presence for the period to December 2008 - and, of course, a copy for themselves. So make sure you put your business details where they should be and book your page today. Why not also take advantage of our Studio 8 offer where you can receive high quality photographs of you and your staff for the directory from just £45+VAT. As a special offer to B4 readers, receive a free web banner in your chosen section for all bookings received for a full page (subject to a maximum number of banners per individual section). See page 66 for contact details

B4 TECHNOLOGY

"People take it for granted now that everything will go according to plan with the telecoms system. They arrive on the first day and it just works, which is exactly how it should be. STL did an excellent job ... We have had no problems whatsoever and we are very happy." Toby Hill - Capital Projects Manager, LIFT Team, Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust.

bodies, as well as from major health providers within the county and elsewhere. In addition, Oxfordshire PCT brings in primary care services from independent contractors, including 82 GP practices, 98 pharmacies, 100 dental practices and 75 optometry practices, as well as providing adult and child nursing and therapy services, health visiting, out of hours care and nine community hospitals.

Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust was formed in October 2006 as part of a national reconfiguration of primary care trusts, and was created by the amalgamation of five PCTs in the area. It now has a single board and management team and a workforce of approximately 2,500 staff, serves a population of 592,329 and controls a budget of £692 million.

A new home for a new PCT

The Trust offers a range of directly provided community-based clinical services which are widely distributed across the county, serving all age groups. It also commissions services from a range of independent organisations and from public sector

Part of the development of this new Primary Care Trust was the requirement for new premises in which to house the community healthcare offices as well as some of the other service providers. The new £15 million building, East Oxford Health Centre, was developed as part of the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) scheme. This new high profile health centre was completed in March 2007 and contains a variety of clinical facilities, including two doctors’ surgeries, Dr Stevens and Partners and Bartlemas Surgeries. Toby Hill, Capital Projects Manager for the

LIFT Team, explains further: "I have been involved in a number of these projects and was already aware of STL Communications as they worked with me on a similar project at Blackbird Leys in January 2006, involving the implementation of a Samsung OfficeServ 7200. Originally they had invited us to one of their VoIP seminars at Honda Racing F1 and I was very impressed with them, as it was a good presentation which was very informative and well put together. As a result I put them on the tender list for Blackbird Leys and they were successful in winning that, as indeed they were for the Oxfordshire PCT project." Making it all happen A number of pre-planning meetings took place, when STL worked with Toby to scope out the Trust’s exact requirements. The GP practices in particular were very specific about their needs, and STL worked closely with the practice managers to ensure that the new system would do everything that they wanted it to do.

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THE OFFICE OF TOMORROW, TODAY B4 takes a look at the prestigious new PCT offices and discovers how they are benefiting from the very latest in communications technology from STL.

This included setting up a dummy environment for the practice managers, enabling them to see exactly how everything would work: something which STL took the time to do as part of the sales process. Oxfordshire PCT now have one Samsung OfficeServ 7400 and one Samsung OfficeServ 7200 in two separate communications rooms, linked via IP, which ensures that the overall implementation is fully resilient and redundant should any issues occur. There are 220 extensions in total, which serve both GP practices plus all of the various other clinical facilities and of course the community healthcare offices. The two systems have a mix of analogue and digital handsets, and are also fully IP configured and equipped to support IP handsets in the future. As such, they provide all of the telecoms functionality which the PCT requires, with incoming DDIs, voicemail, operator services and auto attendant facilities. Another vital requirement of the solution was the

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ability to integrate into the PCT’s out-of-hours service. This has been fully automated by the OfficeServ implementation, switching callers to the appropriate out-of-hours service provider dependent on time of day and day of week. Incoming out-of-hours calls are transferred to the relevant internal or external destination, and the system also provides full flexibility for weekends and public holidays. “STL did an excellent job,” commented Toby. “Their engineers managed all three projects and were faultless. They also had an ex-BT staff member working with them, who was extremely helpful in managing BT for us as well, which made a real difference."

all other Oxford NHS sites, such as the John Radcliffe Hospital. This facility has been very beneficial for the PCT, as Toby concludes: "In effect, our system and Oxford NHS’s operate as a single network, but at the same time we were still able to choose the system and the provider that we really wanted, so it is the best of both worlds. The fact that STL were willing to set up a dummy environment for the practice managers to test also made a huge difference, as people do tend to be nervous of new systems. But the training was fantastic all round and STL made sure that everyone could use the new system before it went live. We have had no problems whatsoever and we are very happy. I would definitely give them a chance to tender again."

Part of a wider network STL Communications have also linked the new Samsung OfficeServ into the Oxford NHS Cisco VoIP system via BT iNet, making Oxfordshire PCT part of the Oxford NHS network and giving them free calls to

Contact details on page 66

THE LOVE OF FOOD Seeking a relaxing yet intriguing venue for a business lunch? Look no further than Malmaison: near the city centre geographically, but a world apart in terms of atmosphere.

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B4 PR

How many of us are lucky enough to get paid for doing something that we love? Talk to Malmaison Head chef Russell Heeley, and you’ll soon get as envious as I did. He is passionate about what he does, and that really shows in the quality of the food, service and attitude of his team as they strive to tantalise your taste buds and elevate your dining experience to new levels. I arrived a little early for my meeting with Russell in this smart restaurant set in Oxford’s former prison. Before I knew it, I was ushered into cell 2 and settled at a table with a frothy cappuccino, two warm, freshly baked pastries and a friendly smile. Everyone I met seemed to know who I was, asked politely if I was OK and reassured me that Russell’s meeting was nearly over. The communication between them seemed almost psychic. If you’ve never been to Malmaison for lunch, you won’t know how relaxing the décor and ambiance are, but I soon felt like I was winding down in my own living room. I was reflecting on how good the communication was between the bar staff, receptionist and kitchen, when, rather ironically, Russell arrived – fresh from a communication meeting. Every morning the whole Malmaison team meet up to discuss what new challenges they face that day, ensuring that everybody knows everything that is going on, from housekeeping to building works, weather reports to new menus. “The mornings are always busy,” said Russell, looking at his watch. “In the kitchen they’ll be preparing for tonight – if they’re not done by noon, we’ll be catching up the rest of the day. With up to 180 covers a night, and 99% of all dishes prepared on the premises, preparation is everything.” This made me wonder how much partly prepared food would have to be thrown away, but Russell assured me that part of the chef’s expertise is knowing what to order and prepare. He explained that different dishes sell better in different areas, and any chef worth his salt (no pun intended) would know the local tastes. So how does the “Oxford palette” compare? I wondered. “People in Oxford are very keen to try new things, but they are also fond of traditional favourites such as Mrs Beeton style puddings (cooked to perfection of course!)” I asked Russell what the most interesting item was on his current menu. He immediately rattled off several mouth-watering dishes which left me wishing I hadn’t eaten the pastries. ”Would you like to try something?” he asked. “OK,” I agreed, and, after a whisper and a nod to the bar staff,

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we resumed our conversation. Minutes later, a dish of strawberries arrived with bright green ice-cream. I looked at it suspiciously. “Strawberries lightly cooked in white balsamic vinegar with black cracked pepper and an accompaniment of rocket ice-cream,” said Russell. “What, lettuce flavoured ice-cream?” I asked, immediately regretting revealing my naïve and rather sheltered upbringing. “Try it,” urged Russell, and I sceptically pushed the strawberries around my plate with my fork, thinking, “Vinegar? Pepper? Lettuce? This could be a very short interview.” Well, I tell you no lie, it was delicious. The combination of flavours just worked incredibly well. It had no right to, but there you have it. Spurred on by my newly acquired adventurous palette, I asked him what was the most outrageous dish he had ever cooked. I will spare you the details about what Russell can do with lambs’ tongues and pigs’ ears ... Talking to Russell, you soon realise that he has crammed more experience into his 31 years than many octogenarians can boast. He was trained in Wakefield, has travelled halfway around the world, and has worked in top restaurants in London, Birmingham and Harrogate as well as further afield in France and Australia. When it comes to getting teams to work together, this guy has something to teach Oxford United. With customers expecting slick service in addition to excellent quality, Russell counts his deadlines in minutes and seconds, so the pace is fast and the atmosphere exciting. Russell shot me a cheeky grin when I asked him if the pressure ever causes him to have a “Gordon Ramsay moment”. “I have been known to blow my top, but I get over it quickly. You can’t keep a grudge with this team – I know them better than my own family,” he says, and you can tell there is mutual respect. He has a track record of dealing with pressure – he helped to open The Establishment in George Street (Sydney’s prestigious hotel/restaurant/night club) just seven days before spectators to the Olympics descended on them in their hordes. “Yes, that was a touch manic,” he remembered with modest understatement.

time to move on. Russell’s advice to would-be chefs is to never spend more than 18 months in the same kitchen. After this, he says, you need to move on and learn something new, because great chefs need repertoire and depth. Russell sees his job as a team co-ordinator rather than as an autocratic boss. “Team-building” takes on a whole new meaning, with any seven members of Russell’s current team of 13 in the kitchen at any one time. With individuals from Spain, France, Italy, Australia, America, Sri Lanka and Scotland, the eclectic mix is rich with diverse influences. All members of Russell’s team have to work together to produce any of the mouth-watering dishes on the menus. While one is cooking the meat or fish, another is preparing the risotto to go with it. Yet a third is preparing the sauce and a fourth is perfecting the vegetables. He has already achieved so much (for example he won the Malmaison top chef at their “corkers” awards) that I felt a bit cheeky asking him what his ambition is now. “Some chefs set themselves targets, but I don’t have a master plan. It would be great for this team to be awarded two AA Rosettes – we’re expecting a visit soon and they’ve deserved it. What else?” He looked whimsically at cell 2’s ceiling and, for just a moment, appeared uncharacteristically serious. Then suddenly, the grin was back as he announced, “I just want to keep cooking ‘cos it’s what I love to do!” If you would like to rise to Russell’s challenge, choose Malmaison for a business lunch and try the “home-grown and local” menu! Enjoy a seafood platter “alfresco” or sample what is definitely the best cheeseboard in Oxfordshire in a converted prison cell. At only £13.50 for two courses or £16.50 for three, you’d have to be locked up for resisting.

Contact details on page 66

He seems to be strangely drawn to restarants with a past – he used to work at The Banc Restaurant (Australia’s top restaurant), which was a converted old bank complete with walk-in safe! Kitchens typically have a high turnover of staff – Russell explained that everybody in the kitchen is learning from each other. When you stop learning, it’s

Our clients tell us we should blow it more often

But it’s not just our clients…The Association of Chartered Certified Acccountants have awarded us with their prestigous Quality Assured Certification, which demonstrates our commitment to high professional standards CONTACT US TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN BE INSTRUMENTAL IN ASSISTING WITH YOUR BUSINESS

Cranbrook House 287 / 291 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7JQ Tel: 01865 552925 Fax: 01865 557732 Email: r.clayton@theMgroup.co.uk Website: www.theMgroup.co.uk

B4 PR

REGULAR COMMUNICATION

Keeping customers reminded that they ought to be buying from you can be as much of a service as anything else you do when presented properly. B4 met with James White, MD of local company Customers Really Matter (CRM) to find out how maintaining contact with the source of your lifeblood can make the ultimate difference. Sending reminder cards or emails when your customers are due for a service, informing them of a new product (similar to one they have purchased previously), or asking their opinion on how you have performed are all simple ways to build stronger relationships with your customer base. Providing that you have gained their permission to communicate with them (a legal requirement of the Data Protection Act). Sending personalised communications showing that you value and understand them as ustomers and that you treat them as individuals is a powerful way to keep them on your side and make them Disciple Customers. If you want to find out what the difference is between a Pirate and Disciple Customer, see: www.customersreallymatter.co.uk /consultancy/loyalty.asp The simple test - be honest with yourself • When was the last time you communicated with your customers? • When did you last send them a message to thank them for their business? • When was the last time that you asked them what you as a company could do better? • Do you actually know who your customers are? • Do you make the effort to store basic information about them, such as their name? It has been shown that sending customers thank-you letters for their business or sending through a survey gives customers a warm "this-company-values-mybusiness" feeling and is twice as likely to help in get-

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ting them to use your product or service in the future. An example of this was the business practice of an IT reseller based in Essex. Faced with a very competitive environment, they used simple (yet highly effective!) marketing communications to thank customers for doing business with them and then keep them informed about opening hours over holiday periods, new product evenings and events and special offers available. They even sent each customer a Christmas card which expressed their best wishes for the season and the following year. What good did these letter and email communications have? you might ask. Well, not only did they build key brand recognition, they ensured that the customer had the business at the forefront of their mind when they were looking for additional IT support services. The company owner explained that as a result of some of their mailings, a customer who had used the company to build a wireless network came back three months later to ask them to build a revised storage system – An additional £1,500 worth of business just from sending out two letters and two emails during the previous year. How can it be done? The example above is common, and there are many other cases where businesses have gained extra revenue or saved money from taking the time to communicate. It is true that delivering regular communication is a difficult task alongside all of the other things that need to be done within your business. However, it is vital, and without it you run

the risk of missing out on other customer business that might be available or losing the customer altogether! The business you do with each of your customers is the lifeblood of your business. Without it, I am sure your company would struggle to survive, and yet why do so many companies take little or no care with this most precious group and set of data? By storing even the most basic customer information (like banks would store money in a safe, so customer data should be held safely and securely), you can ensure that you are in a position to at least start engaging with your customers. Once it is stored, then you can identify each customer or group of similar customers and information that would be of interest or valuable to them. Then, it is about getting that communication delivered (in whatever way the customer prefers) on a regular monthly or even biannual basis. Customers Really Matter can and do help a number of small businesses with the process of storing data and then using this information for effective communication, which helps them grow the relationships and business they have with key customers. Don’t leave your customer business to chance. Nurture them and watch your business grow! Contact details on page 66

B4 TECHNOLOGY

THE NEED FOR SPEED One of the key elements to the success of any business is the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently. Anything that can speed up the rate at which communications take place has to be given serious consideration. Using broadband technology is one way in which data and voice communications can be radically improved. Phil Donigan of STL expands on “the need for speed”. We all know that broadband is now an “always-on” high-speed service. As well as being fast, it can also be highly cost-effective and help boost the productivity of your staff. In addition, it also allows you to build online links with your customers and suppliers, as well as with off-site workers and homeworkers. So how does broadband actually help you to communicate more efficiently and cost-effectively? Let’s take a consultancy firm as a theoretical example. They may have people working from home over a very wide geographical area and would like to cut down on costs such as travel (to and from home and the office) and mobile phone calls, whilst also helping people in the field to communicate with greater ease and more productively. By using broadband technology for people working at home, an office communications set-up can be fully emulated. Nowadays you can use broadband to provide an 01865 or other localised dialing code even if they are a business located in London and would normally need an 0207 or 0208 number. As far as your customers are concerned, it would seem to them that they are calling your office and not somebody who works from home. This can help to give the impression of a centralised office rather than a dispersed group of people working from independent locations. So what benefits does this bring? It would give your

business financial control. Traditionally, an employee working from home would have to go through their telephone bill at the end of the month and highlight business calls which would be submitted for processing by the accounts department. This wouldn’t be necessary with broadband as the employee would have a dedicated business number at home and the bill could be produced and submitted directly to your accounts department on a separate monthly bill. Simultaneously, broadband is being used for telephone calls, which provides dramatically reduced call rates and free calls between your office and remote workers. This also means that your homeworker has access to email and other office applications over the broadband line. If your homeworker is out in the field selling your services, they could also divert their home office number to any other number, such as their mobile or a main office, so that, in effect, they would never miss that important customer call. Once a telephone number has been provided over broadband, it can be diverted to any other broadband-enabled location globally, without costly call diversion charges. These are just a few examples of what can be achieved. With broadband the possibilities seem to be endless, but the question remains: Is broadband right for everyone and for every application? The simple answer is “no”, but there are a host of

solutions available depending on what you are trying to achieve. It is important to weigh up what is available in your given area. With the advent of LLU (Local Loop Unbundling, meaning broadband suppliers can put their own equipment into what was once an exchange dominated by BT), more and more options are becoming available to companies looking to link remote sites, homeworkers, customers and suppliers. This enables a more collaborative and cost-effective approach to working together. Companies can now build vast nationwide inter-site private networks using technology such as MPLS (Multi-protocol Label Switching). MPLS has the ability to integrate all forms of communication into one manageable network, so now you can bring together voice, video, multimedia and data onto one converged private network linking every member of your company, whatever their actual physical location. This again will drive costs down and increase productivity and efficiency. There are a host of voice-ready broadband data products available now. The important thing to remember is what you actually want to achieve and to ascertain the driving force behind that change – whether it is cost reduction, increasing efficiency and productivity, providing a converged platform for easier management or a combination of all three. Contact details on page 66

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SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWEDâ&#x20AC;Ś B4 talks to Sally Charleton, Head of Commercial Operations for the Bodleian Library, about the opening of the new Bodleian gift shop in the Old Schools Quadrangle.

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B4 WOMEN explains: “I think the two elements can work well together and, if we get it right, the income generated will help support the services devoted to making the Bodleian Library the best in the world.” The Commercial Operations team work alongside library staff to offer admission to the Divinity School and a limited number of tours to Convocation House, Chancellor’s Court and Duke Humfrey’s medieval library, as well as audio tours of the Old Schools site. Recent developments, taking these differing demands into account, seek to improve accessibility for all whilst taking a businesslike approach to raising income for the library and offering a first-class visitor experience. The new Lodge in the imposing Great Gate entrance allows us to welcome all visitors to the site on arrival and avoid congesting the Proscholium entrance which is also the readers’ access point to the Old Bodleian reading rooms. “We have become a very popular venue for wedding receptions in the last two years. Couples are bowled over by the beauty of the Divinity School, which provides the perfect backdrop for a wedding celebration.” The Bodleian is also a popular filming location. Many children’s films have been shot here, including scenes in all of the Harry Potter films, and, most recently, Golden Compass. Due to be released later this year,

This wedding rhyme holds some resonance for Sally Charleton as Head of Commercial Operations for the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford. She is very aware of the dichotomy of working within an organisation that is striving to offer its readers the very best that the twenty-first century can offer in terms of electronic access and better buildings and services, whilst catering for the needs of the thousands of visitors who want to see, understand, use and learn more about the Bodleian’s historical roots, buildings and collections. Where would we be without “something old”? Sally sees no conflict in this dichotomy. As she

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Quadrangle, removing the previous shop busy Proscholium. It is now be housed beautiful panelled room, originally one of century teaching schools, with the words ASTRONOMIAE ET RHETORICAE” above the

from the within a the 16th “SCHOLA door.

Sally is enthusiastic about the new shop. “We have taken the theme of a librarian’s study to showcase our remarkable collection of gifts, stationery, jewellery and books inspired by the Library’s outstanding collections and buildings. This extensive range is available not just to Oxford customers but all around the world through our distributors in the USA, France, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Australia as well as here in the United Kingdom. Our full range of products can also be viewed and ordered via our visitor web site www.shop.bodley.ox.ac.uk. Such wonderful designs deserve a wider audience and we are delighted to enhance the Bodleian brand and reputation internationally. “We are very excited about the new shop where old, new, borrowed and occasionally Oxford blue gifts and ideas come together to provide a truly unique shopping and visitor experience: a ‘marriage’ partnership with the Library producing income that will benefit scholars for future generations.”

Contact details on page 66

this film is based on the novel Northern Lights, the first book of the Philip Pullman trilogy. Many visitors, adults and children alike, want to see where these films were shot and to tread in their heroes’ footsteps. In this way, new young audiences are being introduced to the library through the film versions of books they read. Many Inspector Morse dramas were also recorded here and the new Lewis productions carry on the tradition. Documentaries featuring rare documents and manuscripts from the collection have also been filmed in the library to provide informative programming. The latest major development is the opening of the new Bodleian gift shop in the Old Schools

B4 TRAVEL

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE B4 likes to spread its wings far and wide when the opportunity arises, and this was one adventure we just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out on. Our lucky reporter took his wife and two children, on a trip of a lifetime. They benefited from the invaluable help and guidance of Abigail Shaw at Bushbaby Travel, winner of the Sunday Times Travel Magazine Reader Awards 2007, Most Considerate Family Tour Operator.

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A long-haul trip with two young children isn’t

advantage

embodied grace, style and elegance with a large

everyone’s cup of tea. Certainly a trip which

family-friendly hotels in South Africa. This has been

helping of contemporary flair. The hotel’s resident

involves as much travelling as ours requires

prompted in many cases by hoteliers having children

canine Tubie was the star attraction for the kids, but

much consideration.

themselves and therefore what parents are looking

for the adults it was the attentive staff, wonderful

for.

room and amazing hospitality which ticked all the

the

interesting

emergence

boxes.

For those B4 readers who have been to South Africa, I don’t have to harp on about its merits. Suffice it to

The attitude of the staff towards the children was a joy

say that the service, the hospitality and the excellent

throughout the trip. Over-sincerity and cheesy smiles

Winchester Mansions also provided us with an

value for money place it firmly at the top of many

in the hope of an end-of-holiday tip were off the

excellent base from which to discover Cape Town and

readers’ holiday destinations. Sure, South Africa has

agenda. South Africans of all backgrounds were

its environs, with a gentle cable car ride up Table

its problems. The relatively recent end to apartheid

genuinely warm and friendly, simply eager to set the

Mountain top of our list.

will not wash away the divide between colours, still

kids at ease, to the extent that Abi even spent an

very evident. Driving through the townships, having

afternoon in the Safari lodge offices helping out – the

The cableway was first built almost 77 years ago, and

just left the airport in Cape Town, provided an instant

only downside being that she didn’t appear to get on

the trip to the breathtaking summit at 1,085 metres

lesson to the children that although this might be a

the payroll.

takes just four minutes. The view is stunning, with 360-degree

holiday for them, life here was very different from what they were used to.

Stop 1, Cape Town, 11– 15 July

views

Cape

Town

and

the

neighbouring towns and villages.

After an 11-hour flight from Heathrow, we arrived in Our route from Cape Town in the South to Madikwe

Cape Town to be met by a representative of

We then drove down to Simonstown, about one hour

Safari Lodge, five hours north-west of Johannesburg,

Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa). David

away, to meet the busy penguins at Boulders Penguin

was expertly planned for us by Abigail at Bushbaby,

proved to be a mine of information about every

Colony, part of the Table Mountain National Park.

who specialise in bespoke family holidays to South

aspect of life in South Africa.

Almost 3,000 African jackass penguins, so called because their call resembles the bray of a donkey,

Africa and the Indian Ocean. Abi’s promise that Africa is a great place to share with your children did not fall

Our first accommodation was on the seafront at Sea

reign supreme amidst rounded rocks in the fish-filled

flat.

Point. About a ten minute drive from the bustling V&A

False Bay. These endangered, flightless birds are free

Waterfront,

to roam the seas and return to their private haven,

The accommodation chosen for our route took

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Winchester

Mansions

Cape

Dutch-style hotel that has, for more than 80 years,

Foxy Beach at Boulders.

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Winchester Mansions Contact Nils Heckscher, Manager 221 Beach Road Sea Point Cape Town Tel: 021 434 2351 Fax: 021 434 0215 Web site: www.winchester.co.za E-Mail: welcome@winchester.co.za

All rooms feature bathrooms with separate walk-in shower, safe, minibar, satellite TV and air-conditioning and most suites have stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. Surrounded by the gentility of the old world and efficiency of the modern, each room is adorned with artwork to remind you where you are – in total sophistication at the tip of Africa. The hotel’s unique architecture, influenced by Sir Herbert Baker, antique furniture and modern fixtures fulfil five-star expectations in a four-star hotel.

Day two was dominated by a very special birthday in

more than able hostess, Louise, and although we

Right calves can reach up to 20 feet in length, whilst

the house and a trip to Restaurant La Colombe on the

were guaranteed special attention being the only

adults grow to an impressive 70 feet. New-borns

beautiful Constantia Uitsig Estate, where vineyards

guests, the stay was perfect.

weigh in at 1 tonne (and must need the largest nappy

have flourished since the 17th century. Lunch was

ever!), with adults reaching astronomical weights of

followed by a trip to the estate’s own winery and a

But the real reason we had traveled to Hermanus was

gentle drive back to Sea Point for an early night before

to see whales, huge whales at that. The resort town

the first of our drives up the coast.

of Hermanus is known as the “Riviera of the

It’s the sheer size of these things which has to be

Overberg” and is internationally acknowledged by the

seen to be believed. With a small lunch break in

Breakfast, one last walk with Tubie involving a tearful

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as one of the

between,

farewell, a squeeze of bags into our hire car out with

twelve best land-based whale watching sites in the

open-mouthed, for the best part of five hours,

the map and we set off.

world.

moving up and down the coast to get better vantage

Stop 2, Hermanus, 15–17 July

The world’s only whale crier, Wilson Salukazana, is

water as it doesn't look right that something so huge

Hermanus and the Blue Gum Country Estate were a

found in Hermanus, where he blows his kelp horn,

can be in the water in the first place, let alone leap

170 kilometre drive from Winchester Mansions, but

alerting visitors to the whereabouts of the whales. The

out of it and crash back down.

what a drive. Both hairy bends and breathtakingly

Southern Right whales start arriving in Walker Bay (the

beautiful scenery helped stretch what should have

area encompassing Hermanus) from June and stay

Stop 3, Plettenburg, 17– 20 July

been a two-hour trip to almost four, as we stopped to

until early December. But we couldn’t buy a sighting

After two delightful days and nights at Blue Gum, we

admire the coastal scenery and gasp at the

for love nor money – a solitary seal was our only

were off on the N2, heading north to Plettenburg, a

treacherous drops to the rocks. A careless biker who

reward, and he’d probably just escaped from the local

440-kilometre or five-hour trip to the Hog Hollow

had fortunately come a cropper was lucky to have

circus!

Country Estate. This was yet another haven of

up to 80 tonnes.

watched

these

creatures,

points. You almost want to push them back into the

been travelling on the less hazardous side of the road.

tranquility, We befriended a couple on honeymoon, After breakfast on day two, we set off, following a tip

one half of which, bizarrely, was the son of Rolling

We eventually arrived at Blue Gum, some 15 minutes

in the Blue Gum guest information booklet, to De

Stone Magazine founder and Chief Executive Jann

inland, to find that we were the only guests! But what

Kelders, about half an hour away. “More whales than

Wenner. Although I was slightly put out that he hadn’t

a beautiful retreat it proved to be..

whale watchers” was the promise, and we were not

heard of B4 Magazine, we sat down to eat at the

disappointed. Having previously been foiled the day

same table, enjoying some a wonderful line-caught

The food was a wonder to behold – breakfast alone

before by “moving” rocks, as soon as we drew up at

fish brought in fresh that day.

is a feast fit for a king, beautifully presented but

a deserted vantage point, there they were, about

eagerly devoured. The staff were first class, led by our

seven whales of varying sizes. New-born Southern

Hog Hollow was beautiful. “If you can spend a

Blue Gum Country Estate Contact Nic Dupper, Manager & Part Owner Entrance of Klein River Valley Stanford Tel: 028 341 0116 Fax: 028 341 0135 Web site: www.bluegum.co.za E-Mail: reservations@bluegum.co.za The estate comprises of 104 hectares of vineyards, pastures, river frontage and mountain fynbos. The surroundings encourage guests to relax in the tranquil beauty of estate and mountainside or to stroll through the vineyards and pastures. Mountain bikes for exploring tracks along the base of the mountains, the river and

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shady oaks are provided. For the less active, the lawns are ideal for the pleasure of an afternoon picnic, a bottle of wine or for simply dozing in a hammock or pool lounger. Well-placed benches are good vantage points from which to observe many of the 150 bird species, to paint or photograph scenes which delight the eye. The décor is distinctive, with five mountain-facing suites decorated in English country style and five colonial African style suites overlooking the Klein River valley to the mountains beyond. All have their own verandas and are set in grounds including a tennis court, courtyards, rolling lawns and extensive gardens.

Hog Hollow Country Lodge Contact Jo Melton Butler, Sales & Marketing Manager Askop Road The Craggs Nr Plettenberg Bay Tel: 044 534 8879 Fax: 044 534 8879 Web site: www.hog-hollow.com E-Mail: info@hog-hollow.com

Framed by the Tsitsikamma mountains, verdant indigenous forests and lush gardens, Hog Hollow is the perfect place to explore the Garden Route or unwind. Fifteen individual suites are set in the gardens surrounding the main house, with views over forests and mountains. Fireplaces, hammocks, earthy tones and fabrics with locally crafted artifacts create comfortable, stylish accommodation.

perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless

the Madikwe Game Reserve. In line with CC Africa's

We had seen, according to JP, what no more than

manner, you have learned how to live,” is the quote

vision, Madikwe is run as a joint venture between the

maybe 10,000 people would ever have witnessed in

printed in the lodge brochure, apparently from Lin

North West Parks Board, the private sector and the

the world. We were on the good side of the

Yutang. Well Lin, when you have two kids, it’s not as

local communities. No sooner had we arrived and

knife-edge of being in the right place at the right time

easy as that, but I appreciate the sentiment and can

been given our orientation brief, we were off in the

and the wrong place at the wrong time, more than

understand where you are coming from.

open-top truck, seating nine plus driver. “Bang!” as I

could be said for the shredded kudu.

thumped my head on the metal frame of the truck: It is the view on the deck for breakfast that wows you

“Mind your head!" as everyone shouted a warning –

Madikwe Safari Lodge was superb, a ten out of ten for

– quite unbelievable. Overlooking a vast forest and

it’s all in the timing. At least it woke me up.

the staff, the accommodation, the service and the

mountainous landscape, the quiet is eerie, yet

safari. Not even the biting cold of the mornings or

wonderful. As I commented to my new-found friend

We were thoroughly spoilt at Madikwe, both on and

evenings on safari could dampen the spirit. Every base

of publishing royalty, “It’s not bad for breakfast is it?”

off the “pitch”. An Eagle-eyed ranger Johan Harding

had been covered, from hot water bottles in the

(JP) ensured we saw everything we wanted to see on

morning to letters from Nellie the Elephant for the

As our honeymooners went off to enjoy a quite

safari, giving equal preference to rare birds and vege-

kids on arrival. You can’t guarantee animal sightings

ridiculous seven-second bungee jump from Bloukrans

tation as he did to the massive beasts which crossed

anywhere, but if you could see fifty per cent of what

Bridge – the highest single-span arch bridge in the

the trails. And the singing chef, Stephen, fed us until

we were fortunate enough to see, you would bite

world and, at 216 metres, the highest commercially

we could eat no more. All of the staff were a joy to

your right arm off to go tomorrow.

operating bungee in the world - we set off to the more

meet and the team spirit amongst staff and guests

sedate Elephant Park.

was very special to experience first hand.

We also went on a whale-watching expedition by boat

We were fortunate enough to see hippos on our last

awaiting all of us. Sitting on a beach is easy and is

– fantastically frightening. We took in Monkeyland and

morning; in fact, we were treated to two hippos

often all that we need after a busy year. But there are

Birds of Eden on our second full day, but our third

confronting us on dry land, a rare sight apparently.

other ways of relaxing, and I would challenge anyone

night saw us to bed at 8.00 p.m. in preparation for our

These beasts weigh up to two tonnes and can push

to come up with a better 12 days than those we were

3.00 a.m. alarm call and the two-hour trip to George

50 kilometres per hour – they are one of the biggest

lucky enough to experience in South Africa – and we

Airport. We were going on safari and the trip was

killers of man on safari.

only scratched the surface.

But the highlight of the safari was the bird’s-eye view

Thank you to everyone who made it possible

of a leopard devouring its kill – a kudu, a type of

(especially Kim, Mark, Abi, JP, Louise, Xolani, Patrick,

Stop 4, Madikwe Game Reserve, 20–23 July

antelope. With the crunching of bones and tearing of

Shaun and Stephen) and we hope that many B4

The two hour flight to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo

flesh we witnessed Chapter One of the Laws of the

readers will also be lucky enough to enjoy all that

International Airport was followed by our second

Jungle being acted out in front of our very eyes.

South Africa has to offer.

South Africa taught us all one lesson. There’s a big world out there with some fantastic experiences

reaching its wonderful crescendo – we were like kids the night before Christmas!

Contact details on page 66

five-hour-plus car journey to Madikwe Safari Lodge in

Madikwe Safari Lodge Contact Shaun Strydom, General Manager Abaterskop Gate Madikwe Game Reserve Tel: 011 809 4300 Fax: 011 809 4400 Web site: www.ccafrica.com E-Mail: information@ccafrica.com

Madikwe Safari Lodge is a remarkable new destination in the 76,000-hectare Madikwe Game Reserve – malaria-free and one of South Africa’s biggest wildlife sanctuaries. Madikwe is famed for Operation Phoenix which, after completion in 1997, was the world’s largest game translocation exercise, successfully introducing more than 8,000 animals of 28 species. These include lion, rhino (both black and white), elephant and buffalo, making it a Big Five reserve since leopard were already resident. Madikwe, in fact, can boast the Super Seven, with the addition of cheetah and a thriving population of endangered wild dog.

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FLOODED BUT NOT LEFT HIGH AND DRY Serviced accommodation provider OxfordShortlets were kept busy during the days of the flooding of many Oxford streets. Emma Righton and her team were out and about ensuring that the properties under their management were suitably sandbagged and internally protected as well as they could be with the impending rising waters in the Botley and Abingdon Road areas. The Lettings team were manning the phones and offering sympathy and practical advice with regards to moving guests from potentially flooded areas to other properties out of the affected areas. They were also re-assuring absentee landlords that all was well with their property, a major task as many of the pictures shown on news programmes were of the worst hit areas and gave the impression that Oxford was drowning! Ultimately, OxfordShortlets have worked with insurance companies and individuals and managed to assist several of the victims of this exceptional occurrence in temporary accommodation. One such client was actually in the USA on holiday. When they heard the news, they called their insurance company and were advised

to find temporary accommodation for the next 12 weeks as their property was uninhabitable! They were obviously distressed and having to deal with insurance companies, builders and find temporary accommodation from across the Atlantic with time a difference of 8hrs was making a bad situation worse. However, the OxfordShortlets lettings team stepped in and found them a property, dealt with the insurance company for payment all within just over a day which meant that they did not need to cut short their trip and rush home to make these arrangements. Our thanks came in an email with the words – “Thanks for being so efficient I can’t tell you how much it relieves the stress”. Job satisfaction at its best! Contact details on page 66

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UNLOCK THE POTENTIAL IN YOUR PROPERTY As property developers in Oxford, C&S Developments (Oxford) Ltd are always looking for potential sites. As a result, Proptimise has been formed as a new division of the company to find sites and give the owner a painless way of achieving the best sale price for their property, with the expert guidance of a first class team of professionals. Proptimise is ideally placed to take advantage of new government policies which encourage the development of existing “brownfield” sites over new builds on “greenfield” sites.

This would all be carried out at no initial cost to the property owner and the only eventual costs payable by the owner would be the normal legal costs of sale and the 25% enhanced value charge (see Step 5).

the property owner from the outset would be a legally binding contract which would ensure that whatever the outcome, the property owner’s best interests would be safeguarded.

The target for Proptimise is to obtain the best planning option for each individual property. In some cases this may be by extending the property to form two or more flats or maisonettes. Alternatively, by working with neighbours, it could be possible to gain access to develop land at the rear of the property.

Proptimise appreciate that, in some cases, the overall costs may be significantly more than 25% of the enhanced value, as extensive legal and expert planning advice may have to be utilised. If suitable, the project may have to be taken to appeal, a very time-consuming and costly process. However, underpinning the relationship between Proptimise and

To illustrate the procedure, we thought it would be useful to outline a case study of an actual project undertaken by C&S Developments (Oxford) Ltd:

O U R

500. He has developed a client list including many developers, Oxford Colleges and private landlords.

Paul is a graduate of Oxford Brookes University and a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. He is an associate director of the independent firm of surveyors Aitchison Raffety, who are based off the Eynsham Road in West Oxford.

EXPERTS Mark Taylor, Partner, Darbys, Solicitors Mark is a partner in Darbys Property Team and an integral part of Darbys Solicitors LLP, based in New Inn Hall Street, Oxford. Development sites are an important part of Mark’s property practice which sees him featured in Legal

8 EASY

STEPS

Richard Clayton, FCCA, MGroup, Accountants Richard became a partner in the MGroup partnership, who are chartered certified accountants based in Summertown, Oxford, in 1984. One of his special interest areas is property and construction. As a result of acting for many developers, Richard has an in-depth knowledge of taxation and VAT issues associated with property development. Paul Godard, BSc (Hons) MRICS Aitchison Raffety, Chartered Surveyors

Step 1: ARE YOU INTERESTED? Ring 01865 742211 to let Proptimise know where you are and that you are interested in finding out more about maximising the value of your property. Step 2: LET’S MEET Proptimise will visit you at your convenience to give you an initial appraisal of the development potential of your property. Step 3: PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT If you are satisfied with what Proptimise have to say,

11 & 13 Fairfax Road, Oxford C&S agreed to purchase 13 Fairfax Road, Cowley, in March 2004 and applied to convert this two bedroom,

David Williams, Dipl ARCH (Oxford) RIBA Qualified Architect David is a qualified architect with his own practice based in Oxford. They work on projects in Oxford and the surrounding counties and their design work is mainly residential - flats, hotel conversions, individual homes, housing developments.

they will commission an architect to draw up plans of the potential development. Step 4: ENHANCED VALUATION Proptimise will arrange for a surveyor to provide a valuation of your property as it is plus an enhanced second valuation based on the increased value should planning permission be granted. NB: The second valuation is based on the value of having planning permission, not what the property would be worth once it has been developed with this

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B4 PROPERTY semi-detached property, in a very bad state of repair, to two flats and a maisonette. Before planning permission was granted for number 13, C&S were approached by the then owners of 11 Fairfax Road to see if C&S might be interested in purchasing their property. This was agreed after planning permission was granted for 13 Fairfax Road. With two adjacent properties, C&S were able to lodge a fresh application to develop 11 Fairfax Road in line with the development of 13 Fairfax Road. In addition, permission was sought to lay a road between the two properties, leading to six car ports for the apartments and a detached house in the combined grounds of 11 and 13. This is shown in the before and after photographs of the development in this article. Obtaining planning permission for the total development took the best part of nine months, as although the development was recommended for approval by the planning officers, it was refused by the local committee. However, after further applications, this decision was overturned and planning permission was granted. This representative case study demonstrates the potential problems which are encountered in obtaining an enhanced property valuation, and also shows C&S’s and now Proptimise’s commitment to ensuring that the owner is not weighed down by the time and cost associated with this protracted process. Proptimise will basically do the hard work and then only charge the owner if successful.

planning permission. Step 5: FOR EXAMPLE If, for example, your property is valued at £240,000, and with the benefit of planning permission it is valued at £340,000, Proptimise will agree an option to purchase your property for £340,000 less £25,000 (i.e. £315,000), which represents a charge of 25% of the increase in value with the planning permission.

fees, accountancy fees and other expenses incurred in the process of obtaining planning permission will be paid by Proptimise. You will not pay one penny until a satisfactory planning permission is secured and the option exercised (see Step 7), and only then will your legal costs for selling the property be deducted from the sale proceeds of your property. Proptimise cannot pay your own legal costs, as you must be represented separately by law.

Step 6: ALL YOUR COSTS COVERED All valuations, surveys, planning application fees, legal

Step 7: EXERCISING THE OPTION Once planning permission is agreed, Proptimise will

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exercise their option to buy the property and, on completion, you would only pay for your own legal fees. Step 8: TEAM OF EXPERTS Proptimise’s team of experts will be on hand for any advice you may need, for example, accountancy advice relating to capital gains tax.

Contact details on page 66

PROTECTION HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THESE

DAYS TO PROTECT OUR POSITION?

In this highly litigious environment we live in, it has never been more impor-

D&O cover is a must for all established companies, whether management buy-outs

tant to ensure we have the correct liability insurance cover. We hear daily of

or buy-ins, start-ups, companies on the acquisition trail, companies in financial

large national companies under the spotlight for alleged wrongdoings, but

difficulties or undergoing restructuring, to name but a few. The cover is very wide

rarely do we hear of SMEs in the same arena. This isn’t to say it doesn’t occur;

and offers the protection the company needs.

it’s just a case of not being big news. Nick Jones, a Partner with Focus Independent Financial Advisers, reveals more.

A mistake that is often made is to think that the company is not of sufficient size or important enough to need such cover. This is a major misconception and all

As an example of big news, all we have to do is remember the “NatWest Three”:

should consider it a necessity in their protection portfolio.

these were the British bankers extradited to the United States following the collapse of energy giant Enron. Also, the former CEO of BETonSPORTS, David Carruthers,

By way of further explanation, here are a couple of real examples of how the

was detained in July 2006 while changing planes in Texas.

policy would provide protection:

These events have prompted a surge of enquiries from British firms wishing to

1) A complaint by an employee against a director of an IT company alleged

rethink the cover they buy to protect their senior staff and managers against

sexual harassment. This seemed to be prompted by the fact that this employee

lawsuits, known as Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance.

had “blown the whistle” on a specific issue that resulted in a suspension for gross misconduct. The case was settled out of court and costs were met by the D&O

Directors and officers of British firms, both large and small, operate in a tough

policy.

environment. The key principles governing their conduct have come under growing legal and regulatory scrutiny due, in most part, to the visibility of these

2) A director of a property-owning company breached his authority in appointing a

types of corporate scandal.

company belonging to an employee to undertake work on their behalf. Proceedings were issued by the claimant for non-payment of fees of £42,000

D&O insurance was at one time considered necessary only for the large corporate

following cancellation of the contract.

firms, but recent events have made it an important consideration for all responsible businesses. Company directors and officers are now held to be

The time to buy D&O insurance is whilst the company is doing well. Think of D&O

personally liable for their actions and decisions – putting their own assets at risk if

insurance as an essential corporate life assurance. If you’re a director, then

tested in the courts. D&O insurance provides cover to protect against these losses.

consider your position and protect it.

Furthermore, D&O liability insurance protects the company itself, which is no longer left to fund its own defence, and therefore also protects a director’s personal holding in the company.

Contact details on page 66

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B4 LAW

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B4 PROPERTY

K I TC H E N S The impressive kitchen showroom proudly displays approximately 40 fully tiled room settings with an informal relaxation area where customers can choose from a vast range of door panel samples and an equal number of handles. For gizmo-lovers, there is a new feature in the “gadget kitchen” which has the latest in practical and space-saving ideas. Appliances on show include all the leading manufacturers like Neff, AEG, Smeg, Miele and Rangemaster. Units are modern in cool, pale colours with matt or gloss finishes, complemented by simple brushed steel handles and splashbacks. Warmer timber finishes in beautiful cherry or light waxed pine may be more suited to rural properties. Worktops feature solid slabs of marble with shimmering quartz highlights and wall tiles come in rainbow ceramic colours, with practical floor tiles in natural stone shades. For those who love cooking, hobs have been replaced by range-style cookers that have six large burners on top and up to four ovens below. Staff will employ the latest computer-aided design to plan kitchens that are bespoke for each customer. To experience the complete kitchen collection, visit the showroom.

BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME PART 3

THE LIGHT SIDE Over the past two issues, B4 has focused on the heavy side materials needed during the initial construction of your dream home. Now with the help of Craig Tarrant, head of lightside at Johnsons Buildbase in Cowley, we look at kitchens, bathrooms and tiles. Once a pre-requisite for any property, they are now also an expression of your individual interior design. The first time I visited Johnsons Buildbase, well over a year ago, I never expected the Aladdin’s cave of surprises that awaited me. On the first floor I was genuinely surprised to see a wonderful range of kitchens and bathrooms, all of the highest quality. As the Buildbase brochure states, “Johnsons Buildbase is one of Oxfordshire’s leading builders merchants. Its showrooms feature one of the largest selections of kitchens, bathrooms and tiles for miles, making a visit a ‘must’ if you are refurbishing your home.” Johnsons Buildbase has been established for over two centuries. The majority of staff have been with the buisness for many years and understand the needs and requirements of the tradesman and home-owner alike. Customers can relax in the knowledge that they are dealing with experienced staff who receive regular training on the latest ranges and technology.

C ONSERVATORY A new conservatory display and hard landscaping area has recently been opened at the Cowley site. The conservatories are constructed from the Buildbase Tradeframe system, a PVCu range that is designed and installed by a builders merchant, a tradesman or someone experienced in DIY. Tradeframe has a unique “glass in frame” click-fit system. Simply choose from the three available styles and select an internal brickwork size. When the base is ready your conservatory is delivered complete to site with full instructions.

Johnsons Buildbase has over 135 branches across the UK. The group’s strong buying power gives customers keen prices, exclusive deals and great depth of stock.

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BATHROOMS Many of the 60 display settings in the 5,000 square foot showroom have an understated, continental style in white with clean, modern lines from leading manufacturers like Armitage Shanks, Ideal Standard, Sottini, Kohler Mira, Triton, Heritage Bathrooms, Jacuzzi, Roca, Lecico, Aqualisa, Matki, Showerlux, Novellini and Merlyn.

In total there are over 100 bathroom suites available from stock and a further 1,000 available to order. In addition:

The latest working displays in the Select showroom include Whirpool baths, showers and steam enclosures incorporating body jets, stereo systems and luxury fittings and accessories. Attention to detail is superb, imaginative towel rails which double as room heaters.

• Johnsons Buildbase offers a full fitting service and CAD design

Johnsons Buildbase also have a superb range of attractively priced contract bathrooms and the newest in bathroom accessories, including illuminated mirrors and specialist bathroom lighting that is safe, even for showers.

• Johnsons Buildbase offer a full range of accessories including lighting, heated towel warmers and mirrors

With regards to plumbing and heating, Johnsons Buildbase offers vast stocks of all plumbing and heating goods, including boilers, radiators, plumbing fittings, rainwater goods, cylinders and underfloor heating.

• There are fully working Jacuzzi baths, air baths, power showers, chromotherapy baths and steam enclosures

• Fully fitted bathroom furniture is available from leading manufacturers including a hand-made, bespoke service

• Power showers, mixer showers, electric showers, body jet shower systems and shower columns are all supplied • Shower enclosures are available with sliding doors, pivot doors, hinged doors and folding doors or as walk-in showers, with and without shower trays

TILES The company is well known for its beautiful tiles. There is a huge selection and prices are kept low as tiles are imported direct from factories in Spain and Italy. Ceramic wall tiles range from high-gloss tiles in virtually any imaginable colour through to hand-painted European style designs. Another trend is for larger tiles in muted, neutral shades. Floor tiles are available in granite, marble and porcelain. A dedicated timber flooring showroom has recently been installed, featuring Burbidge solid wood floors. This area extends to the new conservatory display and outdoor hard landscaping area.

Here are just a few reasons to visit the tile showroom at Johnsons Buildbase: • A 5,400 sq ft showroom • Over 150,000 tiles in stock • Thousands more tiles available to order • A full range of tiling tools for the tradesman and DIY enthusiast • Full tiling service available • Under floor heating available for tiles and wood flooring • Designer tiles from Versace • Pencil trims and decorative metal trims as tile borders • Award-winning customer service for the trade and home-owner

F IREPLACES & RADIATOR C OVERS The fireplace display shows working examples of contemporary and more traditional style electric fires. There is also a selection of radiator covers that are both practical and attractive.

W HO ’ S W HO Craig Tarrant: Lightside Manager Tel 01865 787784 Dean Ridgway: Kitchen Manager Tel 01865 787703 Shaun Johnson: Bathroom & Tiles Manager Tel 01865 787705 Dave Bryan: Heating and Plumbing Manager Tel 01865 787702 Customer Appointments Please call the relevant manager to arrange an appointment with one of the team of seven in-house designers. Using the latest CAD technology, Johnsons Buildbase can help you create the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams.

B N

E S T

A T I O N A L B U I L D E R S MERCHANT Buildbase has just been named “BEST NATIONAL BUILDERS MERCHANT” in its industry awards. This is the second time in three years that Buildbase has been announced as the UK’s top national builders merchant. Well done to everyone at Buildbase from all of us at B4.

Contact details on page 66

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Golden Cross Court 路 4 Cornmarket Street Oxford 路 OX1 3EX T: 01865 790 345 路 www.davidclulow.com

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Conference at The Lodge……..why not? Full Day, Half Day, Evening and Weekend bookings. New for 2007 are our Breakfast Meetings combining an early start with either a full English or Continental breakfast. The Lodge Conference Centre is ideal for any management meeting or training course that requires top level facilities supported by a superb hotel and restaurant amid idyllic surroundings in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The Lodge Conference Centre, Horton Hill, Horton-cum-Studley, Oxford OX33 1AY Telephone: 01865 351 235 Fax: 01865 351 721 email: info@otmoorlodge.co.uk web: www.otmoorlodge.co.uk

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B4 CONTACTS

Let’s do business... Platinum Sponsors Barclays Business Banking Stephen Davison Relationship Manager Mobile: 07766 360104 E: stephen.davison@barclayscorporate.com W: www.barclays.co.uk/buisness or Andrew Davies Relationship Manager M: 0777 5548803 E: andrew.j.davies@barclayscorporate.com B-Line Contact: David Beesley T: 08701 633340 E: dbeesley@b-line.co.uk phil@b-line.co.uk W: www.b-line.co.uk Darbys Solicitors LLP Contact: Nick Morgan T: 01865 811700 E: nmorgan@darbys.co.uk W: www.darbys.co.uk The Focus Group Contact: Nick Jones T: + 44 (0) 1865 295295 E: n.jones@focus-oxford.co.uk W: www.focus-oxford.co.uk STL Communications Limited DDI: +44 (01993) 777 111 F: +44 (01993) 777 103 W: www.stlcomms.com or Contact: Brendon Cross M: 07973 115452 or Contact: Phil Donigan T: 01993 777113 or Contact: Simon Ryan T: 01993 777121 E: sryan@stlcomms.com PCT Mark Vanner Business Development T: 01993 777129 E: mvanner@stlcomms.com STL Broadband Enquiries T: 0800 316 0123 E: broadband@stlcomms.com. Johnsons Buildbase Contact: David Robertson T: 01865 787763 M: 07831 332696 E: david.robertson@buildbase.co.uk W: www.buildbase.co.uk or Craig Tarrant - Lightside Manager Johnson's Buildbase T: 01865-787784 F: 01865-777947 M: 07836-665541

Malmaison Hotel Contact: Stephen Woodhouse General Manager T: 01865 268400 E: swoodhouse@malmaison.com W: www.malmaison.com Oxford United FC Contact: Kelvin Thomas or Peter Corbett T: 01865 337517 E: kthomas@oufc.co.uk pcorbett@oufc.co.uk W: www.oufc.co.uk Righton Property Contact: Emma Righton T: 01865 311696 E: er@oxfordshortlets.co.uk W: www.oxfordshortlets.co.uk Wenn Townsend Contact: Tony Haines or Ajay Bahl T: 01865 559900 E: aehaines@wenntownsend.co.uk akbahl@wenntownsend.co.uk W: www.wenntownsend.co.uk

Gold Sponsors Oxford Airport Contact: James Dillon-Godfray T: 01865 840444 E: info@oxfordairport.co.uk W: www.oxfordairport.co.uk

Silver Sponsors The Bird in Hand Contact: Gary Jones T: 01993 868321 E: welcome@birdinhandinn.co.uk W:www.birdinhandinn.co.uk The Lodge Contact: Nicky Bennewith T: 01865 351235 The Tally Ho Hotel Contact: Martha Attley T: 01869 247170 E: reception@tallyhotel.com W: www.tallyhotel.com

Feature Articles: Bayswater Framing Simon and Debbie T: 0870 428 6882 F: 0870 428 6884 E: sales@bayswaterframing.co.uk W: www.bayswaterframing.co.uk Bodleian Library T: 01865 277224 E: tours@bodley.ox.ac.uk W: shop.bodley.ox.ac.uk

Breckon & Breckon Contact: Greg Barnes FARLA MNAEA T: 01865 201111 CRM Contact: Matthew Ruddle or David Poole T: 0845 310 9973 E: info@yourcrm.co.uk. Culham Science Contact: Mike Hurp, Commercial Property Manager Debbie Walker, Systems & Marketing Manager for the Commercial Property Group Vicky Malin – Asset and Lease Manager T: 01235 466491 Conference Contact: Joanna England T: 01235 466494 David Popham Salon David Popham T: 01865 517040 W: www.davidpopham.com Handelsbanken Oxford T: 01865 204760 F: 01865 794139 M:07795 225631 E: dawo01@handelsbanken.se W:www.handelsbanken.co.uk/Oxford John Radcliffe Private Healthcare Matthew Chobbah T: 01865 743119 or T: 01865 743121 E: info.privatehealth@orh.nhs.uk. North Oxford Property Services Contact: Debbie Kelly T: 01865 311745 W: www.nops.co.uk Proptimise Contact: Colin Rosser T: 01865 742211 F: 01865 741391 Purflow W: www.purflo.com See also Barclays under Platinum sponsors Pink & Black Property Cconsultants Ltd Tracey Jefferies T: 01865 515919 M: 07766 755622 E: tracey@pinkandblackproperty.com E: info@pinkandblackproperty.com W: www.pinkandblackproperty.com Savills Architectural Design Contact: Greg Owen RIBA FRSA T: 01865 269139

Semplice Energy W: www.semplice.co.uk See also Barclays under Platinum sponsors

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Contact 01865 742211 or e-mail bb3@B4-business.com

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When a Hotel just wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do Do you need to book accommodation for colleagues coming to work in Oxford for short term contracts? Would you like to be able to book a good quality apartment for less than the cost of a hotel room? We have serviced, fully furnished and equipped apartments and houses in our portfolio available for one week or more the modern way to stay away. Call us today and let us know your requirements - we will do the rest!

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Let’s connect Our new approach to banking

• One-to-one banking • Fast, local decision-making • Access to an expert team of financial specialists • Competitive, flexible solutions • Global expertise and backing • Free conference and meeting room facilities throughout the UK

One team, one location, one focus: you. That’s the essence of the fresh approach to banking we’ve developed. We’ve been looking closely and listening carefully. The result is a return to traditional levels of personal attention, combined with the best of today’s facilities and specialist knowledge.

And all delivered through our local Financial Solutions Centres – a place where our customers are treated as members. Find out more about the benefits of being a member of Clydesdale Bank, Oxford. Contact us on 01865 265 400. When it’s important to you, you need a bank with expertise.

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Clydesdale Bank PLC is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered in Scotland (No. SC001111). Registered Office: 30 St. Vincent Place, Glasgow G1 2HL. A member of the National Australia Bank Group of companies.