Borough Business Magazine September 2016

BOROUGH

BUSINESS The voice of Kingston’s business community

Issue 2: Autumn 2016

Brexit

Opportunity beckons in the new economic landscape

Spotlight on New Malden - p8

Inspirational Leader - p 24

Business Excellence Awards 2016 - p 15

Welcome to Kingston Council’s new Chief Executive Charlie Adan - page 7

WELCOME TO

BOROUGH BUSINESS

6

The Kingston Chamber of Commerce magazine for all Businesses in Kingston the University and the Council for their sponsorship and support. The Expo marked the start of a great Summer, all round, for the Chamber. In July, our dragon boat team, with its new name “Chamber Sharks”, achieved its best ever placing of 16th in the Kingston Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge.

My congratulations to them for a great result and I also believe they deserve a big thank you for giving up their own time and effort, not only on the day, but also in raising over £900 for the President’s nominated charity, Global Arts, Kingston.

Borough Business Autumn 2016.

Well, hasn’t it been an eventful and intriguing Summer! Not only did the hot weather arrive, finally, but the 23rd June also brought us Brexit, sparking what can only be described as a fairly chaotic few weeks for British politics. Resignations, stand downs, leaderships contests; even the best political commentators were finding it difficult to keep up. The immediate, and possibly, most obvious question I was asked was whether the business community was pessimistic about the future as we move towards our exit of the European Union. My response was, and is, that the feedback I have received from local businesses is they are uncertain about the effects of Brexit but are certainly not pessimistic about the potential for economic prosperity in the future. “Keep calm and carry on” is a much over used phrase nowadays but one which probably describes best the thoughts of our business communities as the politicians work out our future trading relationships with the EU. The day before the EU referendum Kingston Chamber held its annual Business Expo at the Kingston University Business School.

The feature on Page 6 will tell you it was our most successful yet and my thanks to HSBC,

In July I was delighted to hear that we had been awarded a contract with Jobcentre Plus (See page 5). Kingston Chamber is not unfamiliar with working with JCP, having partnered with them from 2012 to 2014 when unemployment across South London was a much larger issue. It was partly the success of that programme which led us to design New Beginnings; not just a “back to work” programme but a chance for people to reflect on their previous careers and have the opportunity to really think about what they want to do for the rest of their working lives.

We are now turning our attentions to the Autumn and the culmination of this year’s Business Excellence Awards competition.

The feature on pages 15-17 names all of the shortlisted finalists. My best wishes go to all the contestants and I look forward to meeting them at the Gala Dinner on 13th October.

The evening is a great celebration of business success and will be another early sell-out. So book your tickets now and hunt out that best black tie or evening gown.

Finally, I hope you enjoy this edition of Borough Business. We have been extremely pleased with the interest it has gained from businesses right across the borough already.

If you have anything you would like to contribute to the next issue, whether it be advertising or editorial, please do contact us at the Chamber or our publishers, Benham Publishing.

Jerry Irving CEO Kingston Chamber of Commerce

13

30

Welcome to New Members Members News Spotlight on New Malden Members News Chamber Events Skills Update Business Excellence Awards Cover Feature Brexit Festive Forthcoming Events Inspirational Leaders Health & Wellbeing Ask the Expert Charity Focus Focus on Finance A day in the life of .....

Starting Up

4 5-7 8-9 10 11 12-13 15-17 18-19 20-21 22 24-25 26 27 29 30-31 33 34

Editorial and General Enquiries Guildhall, High Street Kingston upon Thames. KT1 1EU. 020 8541 4441 Email: office@kingstonchamber.co.uk Web: www.kingstonchamber.co.uk Chief Executive: Jerry Irving Publisher: Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing 3tc House, 16 Crosby Road North, Crosby, Liverpool L22 0NY Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com Published September 2016 © Benham Publishing and Kingston Chamber of Commerce Advertising and Features Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com Production Manager Mark Etherington Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: mark@benhampublishing.com Media No.1531 Disclaimer Borough Business is published for Kingston Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members.

All correspondence should be addressed to Kingston Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in Borough Business are not necessarily those of Kingston Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission. © 2016. Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content.

Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

3

Welcome to our new members baagloo Dominic O'Meara www.baagloo.com

Creative Colony Limited Matthew Joblin www.creativecolony.co.uk

Elaine Mayson Photography Elaine Mayson www.elainemaysonphotography.co.uk

Fundamentally Fit Andy Strong www.fundamentallyfit.co.uk

Global Arts Kingston Hattie Thomas www.globalartskingston.org

Grosvenor House Trading Limited Bharat Parikh

Italian Wine Buyers Club Ltd Nichola Patchett

KL Business Planning & Marketing Ltd Kate Lemon www.klbusinessplanning.com

Mechanised Talent Ltd James Manthel www.mechanisedtalent.com

Oregano Events William Prosser www.oregano-events.com

Surbitonlaw LLP Deepa Veneik

Trevor Aston Photography Trevor Aston www.trevorastonphotography.co.uk

4

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Chambers Partnership with Jobcentre Plus brings New Beginnings to unemployed Kingston Chamber of Commerce has a successful history of supporting Jobcentre Plus with its own brand of “back to employment” programmes in the past and is delighted to have launched its latest, New Beginnings this August.

Turning wicked problems into profound opportunities Successful people and businesses have clear purpose (Heart), are innovative and analytical (Head), are self-possessed and courageous (Gut). In other words they leverage their Adaptive Intelligence (AQ) to make wiser decisions more often.

The great news is people can learn to use more of their AQ and companies can create high performance cultures based on AQ. All it takes is a willingness to innovate and realise, “What got you here will not get you there”!

New Beginnings has been designed to support, specifically, older workers (aged 50 +) including professionals and executives.

Jerry Irving, Chief Executive of Kingston Chamber said “many of us will have experienced the situation where, after having been employed for many years, sometimes by the same employer, we find ourselves out of work and looking for a new challenge. Many of us may have been with the same employer for so long we are even unfamiliar with the process of applying for a job or preparing for that dreaded interview. But rather than just be a “back to work” support programme I wanted New Beginnings to be something different – a chance for people to be able to reflect on their careers so far and really think about what they want to do for the rest of their working lives.

Who knows, some may even have dreamed of starting a business and just need some advice on how to go about it!”

So, after some consultation with Jobcentre Plus, the Chamber has devised a flexible programme of support for jobseekers from three boroughs, Kingston, Wandsworth and Richmond, ranging from C V writing, self-marketing and interview preparation to skills analysis, evaluating a business idea and understanding business finance. Additional support is also available to help build confidence and make the right contacts including regular job club meetings, networking meetings with local business owners and some work experience opportunities.

Jerry went on to say, “Older workers can be a real asset, particularly to smaller businesses, but sometimes their true value is either unrecognised or overlooked. But I am confident that New Beginnings will help to bring together an inspired pool of workers and prospective local employers and this will benefit local communities across the South London area”.

Using a unique innovative approach to executive coaching and training, allied with validated measurement tools, Adaptive Intelligence Consulting Ltd. and its collaborators have helped thousands of people and 4,000 organisations to achieve outstanding outcomes.

High performance business culture Effective organisations excel in twelve areas of their culture.

Dr Gary Coulton, CEO of Adaptive Intelligence Consulting is an Associate with the Denison Group whose Organisational Cultural Survey has, for more than 25 years, been the go to system for measuring cultural strength and identifying where

organisations should invest.

Critically, results are benchmarked against 2,000 companies and related directly to commercial performance.

Clients include Dominos Pizza, Hertz Rental as well as universities, schools, technology companies, banks, charities, finance houses and insurance companies.

Bob Stevens –CEO of Ridgeview Medical Centre, Waconia, MN, USA "I have experienced first-hand the teachings and the wisdom of Gary Coulton. Gary spent a day with my administrative and medical staff leadership sharing his curriculum on the Agile Adaptive Organization.

His presentation style, and research on the topic was exceptional. We left this experience with relevant and applicable methodologies for dealing with the difficult issues within healthcare. I highly recommend Gary!"

What next?

Want to leverage more of your AQ to create a High Performance Business Culture call, Dr. Gary Coulton on 07884231262 or e-mail at gary@garycoulton.consulting

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

5

members news 2016 Kingston Business EXPO a huge success!

This year’s Kingston Expo held on June 22 was hailed a resounding success – with attendance up 20 per cent on previous years.

With over 40 exhibitors and an attendance of almost 600 people, the event was officially featured as part of London Technology Week 2016.

The Expo was opened by James Berry MP for Kingston and Surbiton and Cllr Rowena Bass as Deputy Mayor of Kingston. The event was held for the 4th year running at Kingston University Business School, organised

by Kingston Chamber of Commerce and sponsored

by HSBC.

Kingston Chamber’s CEO Jerry Irving said: “Now in its 4th year, the Kingston Expo is regarded as the only major business exhibition in the Royal Borough and embodies the single biggest networking opportunity of the year.”

The Chamber also launched the first issue of Borough

Sharks spotted in Kingston this summer

The 'Chamber Sharks' once again took part in the annual Kingston Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge on 17th July 2016, raising money for Global Arts Kingston.

6

Business magazine at the event.

Keynote speaker Mark Wright (winner of BBC’s The Apprentice in 2011) who featured in the first edition, proved very popular, giving an inspirational and very personal presentation to a packed auditorium.

Afterwards he was swamped by attendees for candid advice and photos!

When asked if attendees would recommend the event to a colleague or friend a staggering 90% said they would!

“Now in its 4th year, the Kingston Expo is regarded as the only major business exhibition in the Royal Borough and embodies the single biggest networking opportunity of the year.”

What is Small Business Saturday?

Small Business Saturday UK is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, which highlights small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities.

The event was a huge success with over 60 teams taking part raising tens of thousands of pounds for charity. The Chamber team had a fantastic day and came 16th overall based on fastest race times.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

The day itself takes place on the first Saturday in December each year, but the campaign aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses. In 2016 Small Business Saturday will take place on Saturday, December 3rd.

Be a small business champion and rally your local community to participate in events for Small Business Saturday.

For further information visit www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com

Sweet dreams ahead at the DoubleTree by Hilton London – Kingston upon Thames

Kingston Chamber would like to welcome Kingston Council’s new Chief Executive Charlie Adan

Located in the heart of Kingston upon Thames, this fantastic new DoubleTree by Hilton hotel will be answering to a growing demand for upscale accommodation for Business and Leisure travellers visiting this popular riverside town. type offering more space, a private balcony, premium WiFi and espresso coffee machine. Indulge in 24-hour room service after a long day.

Stay committed to your workout in the 24-hour fitness centre.

Our Hawkers Bar and Brasserie pays homage to Kingston’s extensive contribution to the history of Aviation and is named after the Sopwith Aviation Company’s chief test pilot, Harry Hawker. With its lively atmosphere and modern design, Hawkers Bar and Brasserie will boast a trend-setting menu with a selection of contemporary dishes to complement its vast choice of local craft beers, spirits and wine.

Opening Autumn 2016, this stunning property will be a hotel of choice for the savvy business traveller who understands and values true comfort, business convenience and assurance of quality and efficiency, as well as the leisure traveller who requires the combination of location, style and relaxation.

Unwind in a spacious guest room with complimentary WiFi, a 43-inch Smart TV, a king-sized bed and walk-in shower. Relax in an upgraded room

Our contemporary and alternative town setting makes for a memorable wedding, social event, Christmas party, meeting or seminar for up to 260 theatre style. Combining Industrial-chic elegance with modern business conveniences and impeccable service, this well located hotel offers the perfect venue for all types of events. The Sopwith Suite is ideal for a company conference and our choice of distinguished boardroom and meeting rooms with the latest ClickShare Technology make for successful meetings.

Christmas at The DoubleTree by Hilton is going to be a truly special affair. From lunches and brunches in Hawkers Bar and Brasserie to partying in style with our calendar of Christmas and New Year events in our grand Sopwith Suite.

For more information on our Christmas Party night packages, please visit www.londonkingstonuponthames.doubletreebyhilton.com Our friendly team looks forward to welcoming you with our signature chocolate chip cookie.

Charlie Adan started in her post as the new Chief Executive for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Council in August and has a reputation in the sector as being an innovative leader and putting communities at the heart of local government delivery.

She brings with her a wealth of public service transformation experience having previously been Chief Executive of the Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils. There, she was part of Suffolk’s Public Services senior leadership team, which led whole system public service reform in the county with other CEOs from local government as well as health, police and voluntary and community services.

As Chief Executive of the two councils, she also oversaw the integration of the award winning Smaller, Smarter, Swifter programme, which transformed the Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council workforces into one shared service.

This work won best Shared Service at the 2013 Municipal Journal Achievement Awards.

The Academy for Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs ABLE is delighted to announce the launch of its charitable Peer group model known as ella at Kingston.

Ella at Kingston is specifically aimed at supporting and developing Corporate Social Engagement for local charities, social enterprises and smaller commercial businesses, enabling them to benefit from support and resources usually only enjoyed by the larger commercial sector organisations. Ella offers expert guidance, peerto-peer feedback and oneon-one support.

The introductory package is for 3 months with half day meetings on 14th October and 11th November and a full day on 9th December. A few places remain in each sector so if you are a local Charity, Social Enterprise or Commercial Business and would like to know more please contact Peter Lynagh on info@able-academy.com or www.able-academy.com

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

7

spotlight on...

A New Heart for New Malden New Malden is an area on the up, with exciting plans to breathe new life into its economy through schemes designed to create new businesses, provide extra leisure facilities and build new homes.

Local resident associations, organisations and businesses have all come together and formed the “New Malden Future Group” which is working closely with the borough council to develop a host of new initiatives which will breathe new life into the High Street and attract new investment whilst preserving the village appeal that local residents value so highly.

Working under the banner A New Heart for New Malden, the group have looked at ways of creating attractive pedestrian links between New Malden High Street, Burlington Road and Blagdon Road Open Space and introducing a new community hub around a public square

8

which will deliver a high quality, mixed-use development with shops, offices, housing and community services.

At the heart of much of the work is the need for economic regeneration, which is a top priority for the development of New Malden Town Centre as it

seeks to prove itself competitive and support the area’s shops.

According to the council, the challenges that the area faces are being viewed as an opportunity for everyone to work together to find ways to harness all the local knowledge, skills and strong community spirit that

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

exists, pooling resources to help to regenerate the High Street.

This positive attitude has also encouraged a number of businesses on the High Street to form an association with the aim of taking responsibility for their own destiny.

Close consultation with the community has been crucial in raising the profile of the project and many local people have told the council what matters most to them and have come together to share ideas for the future shape of the town centre. Among the things they have said are that they value strongly New Malden’s ‘village feel’, and want to keep and enhance it.

Future physical development and change in New Malden is defined by the Kingston Local Development Framework Core Strategy which sets out a vision that includes: • New Malden District Centre becoming a thriving and attractive shopping destination • the redevelopment at Cocks Crescent and around New Malden Train Station enhancing the vitality of the District Centre • sustainable methods of travel being promoted to facilitate movement through the neighbourhood, reducing traffic congestion, especially around the High Street • improved pedestrian and cycle networks allowing easy access to the neighbourhood’s key services, especially at the District Centre • supporting public realm improvements in New Malden District Centre • working with Kingston University and other partners, creating economic opportunities to retain the talent it develops The council says that the Town Centre Vision will act as a guide for potential investors and developers and provide local information to inform decisions.

One of the biggest recent initiatives is the work being done at Cocks Crescent, which has seen an extensive recent consultation with local residents carried out by the borough council. The project will deliver high quality new and affordable homes, a leisure centre and improved green spaces, all enshrined in the Draft Supplementary Planning Document, which also includes the expansion of the public realm and improvements to Blagdon Road Open Space. Kingston residents and businesses were given the opportunity to view the plans and express their views in a consultation exercise that ended in August.

Councillor David Cunningham, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Regeneration at Kingston Council, said: “This vision for the future of Cocks Crescent, designed with the help of local residents, businesses and community groups, is a reflection of the

contributions we have so far received from interested parties.

This is an excellent example of the Council working with local people from the very start of an ambitious project to enhance one of the borough’s key district centres. The Cocks Crescent area of New Malden is an important development opportunity - it’s vital that we get it right and that’s why we recognise the importance of involving local people in developing these plans.

After all, they know their area best. Any development of the Cocks Crescent area must meet local needs, add community value and increase the vibrancy of New Malden High Street”.

The work to strengthen the area builds on a history of innovation.

New Malden was established when the railway arrived in December 1846 on the main line from London Waterloo, and became part of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in 1965. It is now one of the borough’s main town centres and, with a population of about 28,500, New Malden also serves as a key district centre for people living in nearby areas such as Old Malden, Kingston Vale, Coombe Hill and Roehampton Vale.

In the 1970s the first Korean families began to settle in the area and set up businesses and New Malden is now home to more than 3,495 Koreans; 2.2 per cent of the borough’s population and the largest Korean community in England and Wales.

The High Street is dotted with a wide range of authentic Korean shops, restaurants and businesses with many of the street signs written in Hangeul as well as English. The area is proud to offer a cultural experience unlike anywhere else in the UK, which is celebrated all year round but particularly at the annual Korean Festival.

“The challenges that the area faces are being viewed as an opportunity for everyone to work together to find ways to harness all the local knowledge, skills and strong community spirit that exists, pooling resources to help to regenerate the High Street.”

“New Malden was established when the railway arrived in December 1846 on the main line from London Waterloo, and became part of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in 1965.”

There is a lot happening in New Malden and the annual Malden Fortnight Festival, which hosts a range of fun and cultural events organised by the local community, is another highlight in the social calendar.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

9

members news Kingston Chamber calls for businesses to support the Kingston Dementia Action Alliance The Dementia Action Alliance brings together organisations across England committed to transforming the lives of people with dementia and their carers.

Love Kingston Changing lives today and tomorrow Love Kingston is an exciting campaign to raise funds for small charities that are changing lives in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

©KarenPowell, The Creative People

There are 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. It costs the UK economy £26.3 billion a year and can ruin the lives of people living with it and those that care for them. The DAA is working towards bringing about a society-wide response to dementia. At a national level the DAA has begun to shape policy and attitudes.

Locally one way that businesses can show their support is by ensuring that they and their staff are well informed and Dementia aware.

Kingston Chamber will be supporting the initiative by offering local businesses the opportunity to hear from the Kingston DAA coordinator for the local charity Staywell at their October breakfast to be held at John Lewis in Kingston on Thursday 6th October. The breakfast will be followed by a free dementia friend’s session for anyone wishing to find out more.

Projects funded so far have tackled issues such as debt, homelessness and helped young people reach their potential.

Our new focus is on isolation, supporting residents to connect to people and place.

It is the only borough-wide giving platform where all money raised stays local for the benefit of generations to come.

Kingston Chamber members have embraced Love Kingston since its launch in 2012.

Many help with fundraising and some kindly give up their time and talents to be Ambassadors for us because they want to make a difference to people’s lives within the local community.

Karen Powell at The Creative People recently designed a new leaflet on a pro-bono basis.

10

Mike Daly videos our events, including our biggest fundraising event, Love Kingston Day, held annually on 14 February.

Databac, Omnilocal Business Networking and CNM Estates were proud to sponsor jerseys for the Love Kingston Prudential Ride London team.

pedals and will make a difference to those in need in Kingston.”

Ambassadors are planning a Grand Fundraising Ball next spring, with live music, dancing and an auction.

If you would like to help in any way please contact us – perhaps your company could hold a fundraising event or donate something for the Love Kingston Auction?

Ed Balcombe said, “On 31 July I was proud to take part in the Prudential Ride London 100 mile event in aid of Love Kingston. I completed the challenge in 5 hours, exceeded my target and raised £1,127.34. Thanks to everyone who donated - your money helped to turn the Keep up-to-date by following us on Twitter @LvKingston Email: sorrel.parsons@londoncf.org.uk www.love-kingston.org.uk

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Chamber Events this Autumn Race Night: Chamber Derby Wednesday 21st September 6.00pm – 9.30pm Kingston Lodge Hotel Kingston Hill Kingston Upon Thames, KT2 7NP

Networking Breakfast Thursday 6th October 8.00am – 9.30am John Lewis Kingston, Wood Street, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1TE

Networking Breakfast Thursday 10th November 8.00am – 9.30am

Social Media Workshop Friday 30th September 9.30am – 12.30pm Maple Works 73 Maple Rd, Surbiton KT6 4AG

Bentalls, Wood Street, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1TX

Networking Lunch

Awards Business Excellence Awards Ceremony & Dinner

Friday 30th September 12.30pm – 2.30pm

Thursday 13th October 6.30pm – 11.00pm

French Table 85 Maple Road, Surbiton KT6 4AW

Holiday Inn Kingston South, Portsmouth Road, Surbiton KT6 5QQ

Business Networking Evening at the Rose Theatre (members only) Wednesday 16th November 6.00pm – 11.00pm Rose Theatre, 24 – 26 High Street, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1HL

Women in Business Lunch Networking Breakfast Friday 21st October 12.30pm – 2.30pm

Jack’s Kitchen Holiday Inn Kingston South, Portsmouth Road, Surbiton KT6 5QQ

Thursday 1st December 8.00am – 9.30am DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 1 Skerne Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 5FJ

Chamber Christmas Party (members only) Thurs 8th December 6.00 – 11.00pm Venue TBC

To find out more or to book for events visit www.kingstonchamber.co.uk/events

Award winning entrepreneurs We are very excited to be joined at our Women In Business network lunch by local awards winning entrepreneurs, writers and film producers Hanan Kattan & Shamim Sarif.

Together they run local business Enlightenment Productions and have also just opened a restaurant in Soho serving Jerusalem street food.

Enlightenment Productions latest feature film; Despite the Falling Snow was written and directed by Shamim and produced by Hannan, the movie that stars Rebecca Ferguson and Charles Dance has had great reviews.

So we are pleased they have found time to join us for our Women in Business lunch on 21st October.

Creative working environments Over recent years we have seen a global rise in new types of creative working environments. These range anywhere between co-working and creative office hub spaces as seen in Wework and Second Home, to large-scale workplaces of media organisations such as Google and Facebook.

Terms like Collaboration, Sharing and Community are commonly found in the branding and mission statements of organisations that provide or facilitate such working spaces. These reflect a certain ethos, generally focused around how they support and incubate individuals to work more efficiently, create more professional content, and ultimately access more lucrative opportunities and financial capital.

The Stanley Picker Gallery is exploring a new concept in creative workspace this autumn. As the result of his Design fellowship research, Onkar Kular transforms the Stanley Picker Gallery into the Stanley Picker Creators Academy (SPCA).

Collaboration, Sharing and Community, are the working values that are reconsidered as part of the SPCA. Through the appropriation of the spatial, programmatic and linguistic features commonly found in creative working environments the SPCA examines how these terms are used by organisations to incubate creativity and suggest possible ways that they can be refocused and repurposed in order to create alternative forms of capital. The SPCA includes different zones for work and the production of media such as fast Internet connection, booths for meeting and conference calling, brainstorming stations together with areas for relaxing and socialising.

Operating an ‘Open Use’ policy the SPCA offers a free working space open daily and available for use over a period of four weeks for Kingston University staff, students, as well as the general public.

Kingston Chamber of Commerce is working with the Stanley Picker Gallery to create a special event for the local business community. The Stanley Picker Creators Academy will run from 17 October - 12 November 2016.

For more information visit www.stanleypickergallery.org

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

11

skills update Develop and expand your business with an Apprenticeship Apprenticeships ensure that your workforce has the practical skills and qualifications your organisation needs now and in the future.

Through the training process you are able to develop and expand your business in the direction most suited to you through a mixture of on and off the job learning.

You can also increase productivity, improve competitiveness, and grow a committed and competent work-force.

Many UK businesses consider skills shortages and recruitment difficulties a bigger threat to performance than soaring oil prices and declining consumer spending. Apprenticeships can help businesses across all sectors by offering a route to harness fresh

Case Studies Bethanie Reeves - Level 2 Apprenticeship in Engineering – Improving Operational Performance “My favourite part of the course is watching a design become a real 3D project. The course is a challenge, you learn to change and adapt as you go along. I have represented Kingston College for Apprenticeships in Engineering which I enjoy as I can showcase my skills and the college’s abilities to help a person grow. I’ve enjoyed meeting other people from different companies and seeing how different people got their jobs and their backgrounds.

new talent - more than a quarter of businesses rate this form of vocational training higher than any other qualification as work based learning becomes increasingly higher on the governments agenda.

Apprenticeships ensure that your workforce has the practical skills and qualifications your organisation needs now and in the future. Through the training process you are able to develop and expand your business in the direction most suited to you through a mixture of on and off the job learning.

At Kingston College we support organisations in obtaining the best apprentices for their individual business requirements through our Apprenticeship Matching Service.

We promote vacancies online and facilitate the screening of applications.

We will also liaise with employers throughout the process and once we feel we have selected the most suitable applicants we will either send through their CVs to the organisation to arrange interviews or alternatively book these for you.

The engineering team are very supportive and help you all the way through. I have full time employment through the Apprenticeship I’m on and will be at Kingston College next year for one day a week.”

Nathan Walton - Level 2 Apprenticeship in Engineering – Improving Operational Performance “I joined on an Engineering Apprenticeship via Heathrow, who choose Kingston College over a number of other potential colleges.

And what a fantastic choice. Great environment with superb facilities for potential engineers to thrive.”

Celebrating inclusive innovation in Kingston J

Use @hao2eu #3DNovations @RRITools to change lives and unlock hidden talent through responsible research and innovation

For further information please contact us at 12 Avenue South, Surbiton, Surrey, KT5 8PJ

Telephone 0208 123 4708 Website: www.hao2.eu

To find out more please email apprenticeships@kingston-college.ac.uk or see kingston-college.ac.uk

12

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

What would you create with your business if you knew you couldn’t fail?

Local businesses unleash hidden talent

Business coaching is becoming the “must have” service, as organisations see the benefits of having a guide and mentor coaching them to flourish and thrive.

Together with its charitable arm Autus and local Community Interest Companies (CICs), social enterprise Hao2.eu is broadening horizons for young people with autism.

Just imagine having a world-class business coach by your side to support, challenge and provoke you to turn hopes, wishes and dreams into realities.

International business coach, trainer and author of Business Coaching & Mentoring for Dummies, Steve Crabb, is the coach best selling self-help author Paul McKenna regards as “one of the most talented coaches in the world”.

Steve says “There has been a lot of glum talk since Brexit; these uncertain times, the country having no plan, the economy slowing down etc.

I’m not suggesting we ignore circumstances, I am saying you can be, do and achieve more then you think you can.

In uncertain times it’s the perfect opportunity to explore new ways to think and act. It gives you the competitive edge over those who buy into the negative mindset.

“My role as a coach is to explore where you are now, where you want to be and coach the thinking and behavioural strategies needed to bridge the gap.

Coaching is about assisting people to thrive despite the circumstances. I call this attitude the Zero Limits Mindset.”

Having coached Formulae 1 world champions and Olympiads, Steve knows about coaching a winning zero limits mindset.

Combined with his extensive coaching and business experience, (director of 2 multi million pound companies) you are guaranteed to have a dedicated coach working with you to create success on your own terms.

All great business relationships begin with a conversation.

Phone 0333 9398693 and arrange a no obligation Zero Limits Conversation or visit www.stevecrabbcoaching.com for more information on coaching and training programmes.

An Autism Innovation Fund project saw Hao2.eu and Balance CIC develop an innovative virtual 'job café' to train young people in employability and life skills. The virtual café, designed by a local person with autism who has gone on to study at Ravensbourne College of Art and Design, will now be used by Hao2.eu's charity, Autus, to create more opportunities for young people with disabilities locally and around south London.

Hao2.eu is also helping Tolworthbased Express CIC link with Momentum World CIC (a youth leadership organisation) to give local young people with autism and the staff supporting them the opportunity to participate in an international project called "virtual town" funded by the EU Erasmus Plus. This project aims to improve digital and multicultural communication and social skills among young people aged 13-17 in the UK, Ireland and Greece with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion. By supporting Express CIC in participating, Hao2.eu aims to show how programmes

like this can be more inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities such as autism.

Meanwhile, Autus is working on the next step in promoting employment with its new ementoring scheme, MentorMe 3D. Many employers in tech recognise that people with autism often possess particular talents valuable to the industry, which is one reason why delivering training digitally has such a positive impact. However, turning these aptitudes into a career often requires the support of a mentor.

Autus is seeking IT professionals to mentor young people with autism interested in tech careers.

Mentoring is carried out online, for approximately 4 hours per month.

Training and resources are provided.

If you are interested in volunteering, please express an interest online at: https://autus.org.uk/mentor.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

13

business excellence awards

In recognition of excellence Firms across Kingston will be popping open the champagne with the announcement of an “outstanding” shortlist for the Kingston Business Excellence Awards 2016 sponsored by NatWest Bank PLC.

More than 50 companies were selected by an independent adjudicator from hundreds of entries for the final of this year’s awards.

These firms will now go forward to be interviewed at the judging day on 14th September.

The winners, including the overall Business of the Year, will be announced at the biggest event on Kingston’s business calendar, a glittering black-tie Gala Awards Dinner at the Holiday Inn, Kingston on Thursday, 13th October.

Commenting on this year’s entries, independent adjudicator and leading businessman Ross

Sturley said the quality of submissions was “outstanding.”

“I was really impressed by the high standard of entries, as well as the wider range of business sectors represented this year.”

Mr Sturley, who also drew up the 2015 shortlist continued, “The quality of the businesses is outstanding and I think it shows that Kingston, as a centre of enterprise, is well positioned to grow and prosper.”

Developed and organised by Kingston Chamber of Commerce and its partners Kingston Council and Kingstonfirst, the awards celebrate the outstanding talent and quality of entrepreneurship in the borough.

Aside from NatWest, the key category sponsors include Antoinette Hotels, CNM Estates, Glenmore House, GSUK, GSL, Kingston College, Kingston University, McDonald’s,

TaxAssist Accountants, and DoubleTree by Hilton.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the Awards Gala dinner and for more information please contact Viv Newbould on 020 8726 7968 or email viv@kingstonawards.co.uk.

To book tickets for the Gala Awards Dinner, email Natasha Miller at nmiller@wlcreative.org.uk *The 2016 entrants were shortlisted by independent adjudicator Ross Sturley who has an impressive CV which spans 20 years working across a range of business sectors.

He is currently principal of Chart Lane.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

15

business excellence awards

The 2016 shortlisted Kingston businesses are: Commitment to the Community – sponsored by DoubleTree by Hilton 1 ABLE (The Academy for Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs) 2 Genuine Solutions Group 3 Kingston Pound Community Association 4 Kingston Race and Equalities Council 5 Kingston Vineyard and Growbaby 6 London Ambulance Service Best Business for Customer Service – sponsored by McDonalds 1 Autotec Workshop 2 Cornucopia Event 3 Genuine Solutions Limited 4 Holiday Inn London-Kingston South 5 IQ in IT Ltd. 6 Ismails Barbers 7 Meeting Point UK 8 The Cheeky Pea 9 The Terrace Eatery 10 Warren Evans Beds

16

Best Start-Up Business (under 2 years) -sponsored by GSUK 1 A and G Hairdressing 2 Community Motors CIC 3 Dickie Wilkinson 4 Greenwoods Residential 5 Pangea | Connecting Everything 6 Prestige Business Solutions 7 Sartorial 8 The Fellowship Barber Shop Entrepreneur of the Year – sponsored by CNM Estates 1 Clare Garner, Prestige Business Solutions 2 Ian Brigden, Meeting Point UK 3 Katerina Damcova, IQ in IT LTD 4 Mini Vohra, Cornucopia Events 5 Sara Osborne, Glutopia Bakery 6 Steven Grant, Figment Agency Best Business for Food and Hospitality 1 Al Forno 2 Glenmore House 3 Jack’s Kitchen at the Holiday Inn London-Kingston South 4 Ravens Ait 5 The Boaters Inn 6 The Cheeky Pea

Independent Retailer of the Year – sponsored by Kingston First 1 Banquet Records 2 Caterpillars Cafe 3 CD Jennings & Sons Family Butchers 4 Food for Thought 5 Glutopia Bakery 6 Natterjacks 7 Serenity 8 The Cheeky Pea Best SME Business (turnover of under £15million) – sponsored

by Antoinette Hotel Group 1 Caterpillars Cafe 2 Cornucopia Event 3 GSUK Ltd 4 IQ in IT LTD 5 Meeting Point UK 6 Speclean Best Business for Staff Training & Development – sponsored by Kingston University 1 Cornicopia Events 2 Genuine Solutions Limited 3 IQ in IT LTD 4 Meeting Point UK 5 Speclean 6 Tax Assist Accountants

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Apprentice Employer of the Year – sponsored by Kingston College 1 Holland, Hahn & Wills 2 IQ in IT LTD 3 Meeting Point UK 4 Speclean 5 Tax Assist Accountants Best Charity or Social Enterprise 1 Community Motors CIC 2 Kingston Rotary Club 3 Milaap Centre 4 Momentum Children’s Charity 5 Story Storks 6 The Community Brain 7 YMCA London South West 8 Young Enterprise Richmond & Kingston Tech Innovation of the Year 1 Hao2.eu 3DNovations 2 IQ in IT LTD 3 Pangea | Connecting Everything 4 Zed One Technology Best Business for Marketing and Social Media – sponsored by GSL 1 Banquet Records 2 Cornucopia Events 3 Figment Agency 4 Ravens Ait 5 YA2C LTD

“Developed and organised by Kingston Chamber of Commerce and its partners Kingston Council and Kingstonfirst, the awards celebrate the outstanding talent and entrepreneurship in the borough.”

“I was really impressed by the high standard of entry, as well as the wider range of business sectors represented this year.”

For more information about the Awards go to www.kingstonawards.co.uk

In for a penny...

Andrew Connolly, Co-Founder of Kingston Pound, describes how the venture is encouraging customers to buy local.

We have been working since October 2012 to develop a way to formalise a buy local habit by using a local currency called Kingston Pound.

The idea is to give the community a way to invest in itself by supporting local independent businesses.

Nearly everyone we speak to would agree that our town needs to have thriving independent butchers, pubs and cafés.

The alternative is to have high streets with no character and an erosion of community spirit.

We all have choices as to where we decide to live and if we don’t like it any more we might move out of the borough altogether.

We know that many residents already buy local but if they were to use Kingston Pounds as part of their spending, it would be possible to challenge our local independent businesses to consider buying some more of their produce (where practical) from other local businesses.

A recent study conducted by Kingston University found that 40% of local businesses do not source any of their produce from local suppliers with a further 40% sourcing less than 25%. Creating a way for the money to stick around could have an effect on local jobs and a more resilient local economy when times get tough.

Kingston Pound is for the whole borough and we have a number of businesses (35 so far) in Surbiton and Kingston already accepting them. We also have a few businesses at the New Malden Farmers Market taking them and we want to expand the system into New Malden which is the largest economic centre outside of the town centre.

The main benefits for New Malden business include: • No upfront cost to a business joining the system.

• A listing, at no cost, on our website and directory with a map location of your business.

• No requirement to install expensive point of sale technology. All you need is an old mobile phone to confirm the trades which are all electronic.

• The transaction fees are 1% which is cheaper than Visa.

• Those businesses paying business rates can use their Kingston Pounds to pay RBK for part payment of their business rates.

• There is a growing population of Kingston Pound users who have converted money since we went live 12 months ago.

Our goal is to have over £100,000 converted and traded both electronically and in printed form.

• Businesses are seeing customers return and they can monitor how much is spent by each customer so they can target them to reward their loyalty.

If we don’t use our local businesses, we will lose them and our local shopping parades around the borough will disappear altogether.

Developing a Kingston Pound is one way that can help but it needs to work at scale hence the invitation to all local businesses in New Malden to get involved.

Kingston Pound is run by a small team of volunteers from business, design and voluntary sectors. It is a non for profit organisation but we are trying to set up the structure so that it can pay for itself. All we need is more businesses and customers to join in.

You can register at https://townpound.communitycurrency.org/cyclos/kingston

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

17

brexit

Opportunity beckons in the new economic landscape after that vote These are uncertain times following the EU Referendum vote in June but that does not mean that business should grind to a halt.

For a start, what has become clear since June 23 is that the departure from the European Union will not happen immediately and that means many business ventures under consideration before the referendum vote will be able to continue in this new climate.

Also, many see new opportunities in the trade deals which the UK will be drawing up with European nations and countries elsewhere in the world.

Export is very much seen as key to helping the economy to thrive. So the message from business leaders is ‘keep calm and carry on’. However, it is

18

difficult not to be concerned in the face of conflicting recent statistics, some of which have suggested that business optimism remains higher than might be expected, others of which raise the spectre of another recession, albeit less severe than 2008. One of the reports which highlighted the confusion came from the CBI

which showed that the UK’s small and medium sized (SME) manufacturers saw a rise in the volume of output in the three months to July, but that business optimism fell sharply amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Brexit vote. According to the CBI Quarterly SME trends survey, the survey of 472 firms reported that new orders and new domestic orders were relatively unchanged, although firms expected these to fall over the next three months, highlighting the need for action to raise confidence.

Whilst the UK’s SME manufacturers reported higher production, more staff hired

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

and now expect to sell more of their world-class goods overseas over the next quarter, with a weaker sterling having a hand in this overall they do feel less optimistic and are scaling back some investment plans in machinery and plant. Naturally, much of the concern is related to uncertainty and business wants to now see the new Government deliver a clear plan and timetable for the EU negotiations ahead, while cracking on with immediate domestic priorities, including a decision on new aviation capacity in the South East, which will help the UK’s SME manufacturers to reach new markets in the future.

Key findings for the three months to July: • 8% of small & medium sized enterprise (SME) manufacturers said they were more optimistic, while 53% said they were less optimistic, giving a rounded balance of -44% - the sharpest fall in optimism since January 2009 (-71%) • 27% said their volume of output was up, and 20% said it was down, giving a rounded balance of +6%.

Companies expect output to be flat in the next quarter (+1%) • 26% said their domestic orders were up, while 24% said they were down, giving a balance of +2%.

Firms domestic orders to fall next quarter (-10%) • 15% said export orders rose over the past three months, 23% said they fell, leaving a balance of -8%, but firms anticipate export orders to grow over the next three months (+9%).

• Firms were a little more optimistic about their exports prospects for the year ahead (+4%) • The proportion of SME manufacturers citing concerns about political and economic conditions abroad as likely to limit export orders were at a survey record high (49%) The Bank of England remains concerned, leading to its recent cut to record levels of interest rates and the announcement of further measures to stimulate growth. Bank experts have forecast UK GDP growth for 2016 at 2.0%, unchanged from May's report, but growth was downgraded from 2.3% to 0.8% for 2017, and from 2.3% to 1.8% for 2018. Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "While the scale of the downgrade mostly reflects the greater political and economic uncertainty in the wake of the Brexit vote, it is significant that this is the fourth successive inflation report in which the

bank's expectations for UK growth have been weakened confirming that the UK's economic outlook was softening long before the outcome of the EU referendum was known.”

Francis Martin, President of the British Chambers of Commerce, sees some cause for optimism.

He said: “We have seen firsthand that the ‘business’ view is not monolithic. Many of our members are taking stock and making the best of the decision to leave the EU, seeking the opportunities on offer as well as considering the challenges. We are supportive of the (Government’s) proposed Industrial Strategy, but it needs to have a broad-based focus that encourages a partnership between business and government, focusing on areas such as the large skills gap in our workforce and infrastructure projects, that benefit every business. The Government must, in particular, address the longstanding underinvestment in the UK's infrastructure. This means action on transport, broadband, and energy generation, which is absolutely vital in driving long-term growth.”

London, that bellwether of economic health for the country has recorded a mixed initial reaction to the Brexit vote but investment and hiring intentions remain relatively robust amongst many of the capital’s firms, according to new analysis by the CBI and CBRE. More than two fifths (41%) of the 186 firms surveyed after the referendum vote said that they planned to maintain their investment plans, with one in ten (9%) planning on actually increasing their plans.

16% said they will freeze investment plans, whilst a fifth (21%) think they will reduce them. Half of businesses (50%) plan to continue to hire after the Referendum, with less than a third (29%) not planning to do so. 12% plan on reducing staff numbers. Adam J. Hetherington, Managing Director – London, CBRE UK, said: “Despite the widespread fear that a leave vote would send shockwaves through London businesses, these results show the capital city is resilient and already planning the best way of ensuring it thrives in the new climate.”

“Bank experts have forecast UK GDP growth for 2016 at 2.0%, unchanged from May's report, but growth was downgraded from 2.3% to 0.8% for 2017, and from 2.3% to 1.8% for 2018.”

“Much of the concern is related to uncertainty and business wants to now see the new Government deliver a clear plan and timetable for the EU negotiations ahead, while cracking on with immediate domestic priorities.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

19

festive

BASIC PACKAGE: £39.50pp

Christmas Packages & Prices

• 3 course meal •••

SILVER PACKAGE: £43pp

• 3 course meal with a glass of house wine or a bottle of beer •••

GOLD PACKAGE: £48pp

• 3 course meal with a glass of Champagne or a Champagne cocktail •••

PLATINUM PACKAGE: £54pp

• 3 course meal with a glass of Champagne or a Champagne cocktail on arrival and a half bottle of house wine or 2 bottles of beer •••

• Complimentary Christmas crackers and table novelties (Above prices include VAT) •••

FESTIVE ESCAPE: £199 +VAT pp

020 8547 1777

FOR BOOKINGS AND INFORMATION PLEASE CALL

email: corporateevents@warrenhouse.com www.warrenhouse.com

Warren House Conference Centre Ltd Warren Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT2 7HY

20

Available from 5pm to 11am the next day • Drinks reception: a glass of Champagne or a Champagne cocktail on arrival • 3 course meal with a half bottle of house wine or 2 bottles of beer • End your night with a glass of house sherry, port or brandy in our Wisteria Lounge • Relax in one of our beautiful unique bedrooms* • Start your next day with a glass of restorative Bloody Mary or Mimosa and our special Christmas breakfast in your bedroom or in one of our dining rooms • Christmas crackers and table novelties *Bedrooms are based on single occupancy. Upgrade to double room for £15+ VAT. Double rooms are subject to availability

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Making the right decisions for that big festive event A good Christmas Party can do wonders for staff morale, which is crucial in these uncertain times, and the chance of finding the best venue for your needs is very high indeed as long as you take care in preparing the groundwork.

The area is blessed with excellent restaurants, hotels and other venues that can stage the best parties possible, taxi companies that can get you home or hotels and guest houses should you decide to spend the night.

So how do you know how to select the best venue? Well, it’s all down to first impressions - do you like the décor, does it look like it can generate a good atmosphere, are the staff friendly?

It is crucial to selecting venues that make everyone feel welcome. Older staff members might not appreciate a busy pub, younger ones might not want a restaurant whose clientele are normally on the older side.

It’s worth putting a bit of thought into making a choice that strikes the right balance.

Choosing the right menu is important as well. People like choice so even though most guests will go for the traditional Christmas meal, it’s a good idea to make sure there is an alternative - and definitely a vegetarian option.

Also, people like to be appreciated. Maybe your staff and suppliers have gone over and beyond what was expected of them to help the business.

A good boss knows to acknowledge that at the Christmas party. Maybe a tribute in a short speech or a thank you note on place settings would be a good idea.

And yes, times have been tough for some, yes, budgets have been tight, but a cheap party looks cheap so if you are a boss who is determined to hold one, loosen the purse-strings a little err on the side of generous and your staff will appreciate the gesture.

However, for some people a straightforward party is not enough and there is a growing trend for something a bit more ambitious to celebrate the festive period.

Themed parties can work really well so consider what will generate the most goodwill and

what kind of event will appeal to most people.

That could mean bringing in specialist companies to dress up venues to mimic everything from Thirties America to space-age celebrations. Anything is possible.

Whatever you fancy venues or specialist events companies can oblige, providing the right décor and costumes and guaranteeing the right ambience.

Such events could happen everywhere from hotels and restaurants to marquees in gardens – it does not really matter where because venues and events companies are adept at making magic happen.

All you need to bring is that initial spark of imagination and they can make the rest happen.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

21

visit kingston events Events this Autumn & Winter The Streets 12 November Amazing performance in unexpected locations!

The Streets returns to Kingston in November to celebrate fantastic musical talent. There will be a host of different acts performing in surprising locations around Kingston.

Old London Road Antiques Market 25 September, 30 October, 27 November

For the full programme listing, visit www.thestreets.london

Christmas Lights Switch On Thursday 17 November 5.30-6.30pm

Come along to our wonderfully retro, vintage and shabby chic Antiques Market on the last Sunday of each month.

Begin the countdown to Christmas and join us for carols around the tree as we get into the festive spirit and switch on Kingston’s Christmas lights.

Browse for bargains, find antiques, retro pieces, vintage items and collectables from jewellery and books to furniture, music and much more! Music and entertainment throughout the day as well as free onsite valuations.

Enjoy traditional carol singers accompanied by a brass band and a host of family-friendly activities happening throughout the town centre.

Kingston Christmas Market 19 November – 31 December Grand Opening Event on 19 November, 6-10pm Kingston’s ever popular Christmas Market returns this November with even more stalls filled with seasonal gifts, traditional mulled wine and warm street food.

Thumbs Up It’s Thursday 27 October The ever-popular day of activities returns for a Halloween special during the October half term break.

Perfect for keeping the kids entertained, there will be a host of free and low cost activities across the town from face painting and storytelling to craft sessions and workshops.

Keep an eye on www.visitkingston.co.uk for the full listing.

22

Stretching across the Ancient Market Place, through Memorial Square and into Clarence Street, there will be more choice than ever before.

Furthermore, there will be a classic Alpine Village area at All Saints Church with live entertainment, licensed bar and a range of street foods serving up delectable treats as well as fun and interactive photo opportunities throughout the town.

Look out for lots of fun activities, events and competitions throughout November and December as we celebrate the holiday season.

Join us on Saturday 19th November for a special night of festive fun with entertainment throughout the evening, as the Mayor officially opens Kingston’s Christmas Market.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

We've got the warmest welcome

What would you create with your business if you knew you couldn't fail?

If you want to change the outer world look inside first and make changes within: • Increased confidence & motivation • No stress, fears or worries

• Better communication skills

• Be more effective and efficient

“Master the Zero-Limits Mindset”

All great business relationships begin with a conversation.

"If you want to be the best then learn from the best and I regard Steve Crabb as one of the most talented coaches in the world"

Best selling self help author Paul McKenna

Phone: 0333 9398693 or Email: info@stevecrabbcoaching.com for a no obligation "Zero Limits Conversation"

www.stevecrabbcoaching.com

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

23

inspirational leaders

Respecting the past as store looks to the future Few sectors experience as much change as retail and department stores, in particular, face a constant challenge to innovate while also respecting what are often long traditions.

Ensuring that the famous old name of Bentalls in Kingston survives and thrives in such a competitive market place is Jenny O’Donoghue, who has spent her career working in department stores.

Having started out as a trainee at Harrods then gone onto work for House of Fraser, Jenny later moved to Fenwicks, which acquired the Bentalls group in 2001.

24

She became Fenwicks-Bentalls Regional Director in 2014 and added Bentalls in Kingston to the stores for which she is responsible in April 2016, taking the number of outlets under her leadership to five.

For Jenny, maintaining a balance between respect for the store’s long history dating back to 1867 and its need to compete in a modern world is crucial.

brands including Ted Baker, Gant, Diesel, DKNY, French Connection, Guess, Hugo Boss, Kurt Geiger, Longchamp, Paul Smith, Ralph Lauren and Coast.

Bentalls offers something for everyone, acting as a one-stop shop for fashion, beauty, homeware, appliances, electronics and food.

If you work up an appetite, you can visit Carluccio's, Caffe Nero, Restaurant on 3, Gelateria Danieli, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts or Satori Sushi & Gyoza Bar.

Shoppers can find fashion, handbags, beauty, menswear, childrenswear and homeware from the most sought-after

In addition, shoppers can treat themselves to an appointment at Clarins Red Room, Dermalogica, Glow Bar

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

or Nails Inc. Other services include Personal Shopping, Bra Fittings and Foreign Exchange

We need to know where people are shopping and why and where they are not shopping.”

Jenny said: “I took over responsibility for a store that was doing things right but stores are always evolving. We are always looking at things we can do, both to retain our core customers but also to attract people who have not been shopping at Bentalls.

That sense of challenge fits in with the man who started Fenwick, who was one of the great retail innovators.

“It is not about major changes but we do have plans for things we wish to do over the next twelve months.

“Department stores have always offered a wide range of goods and services but we are constantly looking at ways to keep attracting customers.

“Retail is changing rapidly, and online shopping is having an impact, but I think that there will always be a demand for the bricks and mortar shop.

“People may see things that they like online but they still like to come into the shop and see and feel the things that they may wish to buy.

“So far we have tended to use our website to attract people to our stores, it is very much about content, but from next year it will have an e-commerce element to it. However, the idea will still be to support the stores.

“It is important that we respond to changes in shopping patterns.

Fenwick was started in 1882 by ambitious young shop assistant John James Fenwick, who began his retail empire when he took over a doctor’s house in a residential area of Newcastle upon Tyne and spent £181 and 4 shillings to convert it into a shop selling mantles, silk goods, dresses, fabrics and trimmings.

Fenwick’s masterstroke was to embrace a new retailing concept emerging in Paris – the department store, particularly inspired by Le Bon Marché, generally regarded as the first ever department store.

“...maintaining a balance between respect for the store’s long history dating back to 1867 and its need to compete in a modern world is crucial.”

Until this point all retail was based on specialist merchants – drapers, ironmongers, butchers and bakers – so the idea of combining different kinds of goods in clearly defined departments under the same roof, was groundbreaking and the business never looked back, opening more stores.

Bentalls in Kingston stays loyal to the idea of offering variety under one roof and when the group was acquired by Fenwick in 2001, Kingston became one of the largest stores in the group, with seven eateries and a variety of in-store services.

Trade remains buoyant and appears to have weathered the shock of the Brexit vote held in June.

Jenny said: “We experienced a period of uncertainty in the run up to the EU Referendum. People were not quite sure what was going to happen and were holding off on spending.

“However, in the months that followed the referendum, I think they realised that it was not a crisis, that things were not going to change immediately and confidence bounced back.”

“It is important that we respond to changes in shopping patterns.

We need to know where people are shopping and why and where they are not shopping.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

25

health & wellbeing How to boost your health at work Taking a few simple steps to improve your health at work can bring about major benefits to employees and employers alike, according to NHS experts.

They contend that taking advice on the likes of dealing with stress, preventing RSI, reducing back pain and adopting healthy eating can make staff feel happier and more productive as well as reducing absenteeism.

So what can you do to improve things? Here are a few tips. things you love. For example you can swap your high calorie coffee drinks like wholemilk lattes and frappe for drinks made with skimmed milk. Swap your high sugar or fat snacks biscuits and crisps for a healthier food like fruit.

At work, you can swap the lift for the stairs and rather than eating at your desk get up and move about.

Be physically active Carry out health checks Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death of working age people in the UK and costs the economy £3.1 billion a year due to days lost to death, illness and the care of people with the disease. Check with your local surgery or hospital about health checks which can be carried out to reduce the risk to your staff.

Lose weight It’s all too easy to put on weight with a hectic modern life but you can change things. By making simple swaps, you can lose weight without giving up the

26

Being active is good for your mind and body.

Employees who are physically active take 27% less days of sick.

You don’t have to join a gym or set up a rigid exercise programme. Walking and cycling to work are good low-cost ways to increase your physical activity and can be fitted into you daily routine.

Many companies encourage their staff to walk and cycle to work.

However, a visit to the gym is a good idea as well and some enlightened companies provide gym membership as part of employment packages for their staff, recognising that healthy workforces benefit everyone.

Eat well Poor nutrition can affect your energy levels, concentration and health and make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

With almost two thirds of adults overweight or obese in England it is important to ensure that you eat a range of food and cut down on foods high in salt, sugar and fat.

Stop smoking If you are a smoker, stopping is probably the single biggest thing you can do to improve your health. Smokers on average take 4.4 more days off in sickness absence than non smokers. Stopping smoking will improve your health and fitness.

The NHS has published advice on workplace health at www.nhs.uk/Livewell/workplacehealth/Pages/Workplacehome.aspx

BOROUGH BUSINESS BUSINESS -- The The voice voice of of Kingston’s Kingston’s business business community community BOROUGH

ask the expert Ask the Expert How important is it to implement ID badges and security systems for access and visitor control into your organisation?

by Charles Balcomb, Managing Director of Databac

No matter what size of organisation, it’s always a good idea to have a system to allow you to identify your staff and visitors.

This could be in the form of a simple adhesive label to a lapel type name badge or even a credit card shaped badge that you can wear with a lanyard or badge clip.

For your Visitors - you can start off with a simple “visitor book”, where you can write down the person’s name, company, the name of who they are visiting, expiry date, time in and out. The information is duplicated on a sheet behind this for your records. This pass can be made of paper and used with a pouch and clip/lanyard or as a removable adhesive label for attaching to the person’s clothing. Our labels can also include an auto-expire tab which shows the word VOID after 24 hours. Computer-based systems are also available where the visitor adds their information via a tablet or PC/Kiosk and prints the label / badge. You can also print to a eco-friendly “re-usable” plastic card that can be erased and reprinted up to 500 times.

Using our system, you can manage and track your visitors easily.

Whatever type of Visitor pass you decide to use, you can include a

barcode that can be “scanned” when the person enters and leaves the building and this allows a complete history of when that person has visited you.

On a legal side, it provides you the opportunity to advise the visitor of the health and safety and confidentiality requirements of the company and explains what to do in case of an emergency. Our software will allow you to print an evacuation list showing any visitor still in the building and you can use this to make sure that all of your guests are accounted for.

For your staff – the ID badge has really become part of the corporate uniform – the badge can include your company logo or catchy design, a photo of the person and their name. It looks very professional and it promotes your company and brand. If you wear the badge with a lanyard and card holder, then this can also be printed with your company logo or strap-line. Everyone feels important and part of one team.

For security purposes – anyone not wearing a badge can be challenged.

There are different formats of ID badges available and you may want to consider using more than one type. For example a name badge and an ID badge/access card. Let’s see what the options are: Name badge – this is a small reusable badge that can be attached to the person's clothing using a pin or magnet. It can include your logo and name. You can also add things like the languages that the person can speak. It’s ideal for shops, banks, hotels, restaurants, boats etc.

We offer kits of 5, 10, 15, 25 and more badges with the software so you can produce them yourself using an inkjet or laser-printer.

Credit card ID badges – this is a credit card sized badge which you can print yourselves in full colour using a card printer (from a small desktop printer for just printing a few badges a day to larger printer systems suitable for printing large numbers of badges (ideal for any company with more than 50 people such as SME’s and large businesses, local authorities, colleges, universities, hospitals, factories, shopping centres, sports clubs.) We offer software to allow you to design and print cards from your own database.

ID badges can be displayed using a card holder, clip, lanyard and yoyo (where it can be attached to your belt like you see in shops)

Other ID products – wristbands and keyfobs. These can also be used to identify your staff or visitors and can be colour coded and printed with the company or event logo. These are big now in sports centres and events where they can include a RFID chip for use with an access control system.

How to use ID badges with security systems Our ID and Visitor products can include a technology (magstripe/barcode or smart chip.)

This will enable them to be read using a range of devices such as hand-held readers for events; wall and door mounted readers and terminals for access control.

For high security areas we can also include biometrics such as fingerprint, vein, face and 3D image recognition.

Databac offers complete software and hardware solutions tailored to your exact needs, including consultancy, installation and support for ID badging and access control, event/visitor management; library and asset control, club membership; and time and attendance and more.

For more information, call us on 0208 546 9826 or visit www.databac.com

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

27

Grease is the Word Pouring fats, oils or grease (FOGs) down the drain can have unpleasant and costly consequences for your business.

Pouring fats, oils or grease (FOGs) down the drain can have unpleasant and costly consequences for your business.

FOGs can not only result in blocked drains but also bad smells, rodent infestation and potential prosecution under existing legislation.

We all remember the ‘fatberg’ that was found under the streets of Kingston in July 2013 which had reached the size of a bus.

The sewer was almost completely clogged with over 15 tonnes of fat and was so big it caused damage to the sewer which resulted in six weeks of repairs reportedly costing £400,000.

time and money in the longterm. There are a number of compliant solutions available; the key to effective grease management is that the chosen solution will be tailored to suit your individual business needs.

Every business in the UK that produces fats, oils or grease as a waste product has a legal requirement to ensure they have effective grease management in place, failure to comply can result in water companies claiming compensation from the offending company who has contributed or caused the blockage or flooding.

Dyno are able to offer a bespoke grease management solution for your business from automatic bio-dosing units to Grease Recovery Units.

Taking measures to prevent FOG related blockages at source can save you valuable

28

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Call to arrange a free site survey and discuss your business needs and offer the right solution to fit your business on 01932 808628

charity focus 30 years of care in the community In this our thirtieth birthday year, Princess Alice Hospice has been seeking new ways of working to meet demand, to enable our funding to stretch further and to make the most of the resources that we have available to us.

We are consulting with our patients and their carers on every area of the support that is provided by the Hospice; focusing on what they need. As a result, we have actually extended our reach and received more than 3,600 referrals for our services over the last 12 months– that’s a 6% increase on the previous year.

As one of the south-east’s regional training centres for the National Gold Standards Framework, we were very proud when our first Hospice-trained care home, Woking-based Princess Christian Care Centre, gained its Quality Hallmark Award. We have also been partnering with Milverton Nursing Home in Surbiton in a six month project called Together2Care, which sees the nursing home providing us with access to two beds to deliver our Hospice at Home service, enabling patients that need round-the-clock nursing and palliative care to be

supported in the comfort of a nursing home bed. In return, we are providing Milverton staff with comprehensive training in end of life care.

By investing in increasing awareness of our services and promoting our need for funds we are having greater success in raising much needed funds.

An example of this in action is our Man Shed Campaign.

Launched in March 2015, with the aim of raising £100,000 to build a supportive DIY space for the bereaved and those affected by terminal illness, our in-house campaign of direct mail, web,

social media and sustained press and radio activity led to our ambitious fundraising target being surpassed within three months; reaching a total of £112,198.

As a result, we have been able to build a larger workshop and break-out space that can accommodate bigger groups and a wider range of activities.

Officially opened by TV presenter John Inverdale in June 2016, our Man Shed will enable us to reach out to more people who would benefit from our help.

Around 1,200 volunteers give their time in more than

70 different roles including our 44 shops. Together they play a vital role in helping us to support our patients and their families each year. Just a few months ago we were delighted to learn that volunteers from our Bereavement Service Team which includes more than 60 people aged 27 to 85 years had won the 2016 Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for their exceptional contribution to the local community. The reality of what this team and our other volunteers bring to the Hospice in terms of skills, experience, compassion and commitment cannot be quantified and we are very grateful for their continuing support.

As we look forward to the next five years, we want to reach even more people in need of our care and support. We look forward to working ever closer with our local community to achieve this.

To find out more

email manshed@pah.org.uk

or phone 01372 468811 extension 230

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

29

focus on finance

Funding announcements show that the UK is open for business Recent weeks have seen a raft of encouraging funding announcements from the Government, all of them designed to create opportunities to boost businesses of all sizes.

In addition to Chancellor Philip Hammond committing to honouring EU spending commitments post-Referendum, the Government also announced £365m for new UK aerospace research and development projects and a major partnership with Boeing to create 2,000 jobs in the UK. 30

The £365m worth of aerospace R&D projects approved are jointly funded by industry and government and are part of the work of the Aerospace Growth Partnership, which sets out to maintain the UK aerospace sector’s leading position in the world.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

In addition to supporting aerospace, £57.5 million was announced for the UK’s energy and infrastructure, biomedical and quantum technology sectors.

The fund will help boost businesses across a range of sectors and the best ideas will compete for funding to develop

“Twenty-four projects have been awarded a share of £16 million funding through the latest round of the Government’s Agri-Tech Catalyst to solve some of the world’s greatest agricultural challenges – from food security and sustainability to weed control and livestock disease.” new sustainable energy and transport solutions, bring new healthcare advancements to market and drive forward commercial advances in quantum technology used in electronic devices such as clocks and computers.

The series of competitions are run by Innovate UK and its partner organisations.

They include: • Two competitions totalling £28 million to develop new solutions to provide affordable, sustainable and secure energy delivery, integration of different modes of transport or tackle the challenges of modern urban living that will help businesses secure future investment for ideas • The joint £10 million Biomedical Catalyst 2016 competition between Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council and Scottish Enterprise to develop innovative healthcare technologies that will help offer potential cures, prevent disease, manage chronic conditions or lead to earlier detection and diagnosis • A £19.5 million joint competition with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to develop commercial applications for quantum technologies.

The competition is particularly looking to support companies developing devices such as clocks, sensors, imaging, communications or computing.

Support has come for AgriTech as well. Twenty-four projects have been awarded a share of £16 million funding through the latest round of the Government’s Agri-Tech Catalyst to solve some of the world’s greatest agricultural challenges – from food security and sustainability to weed control and livestock disease.

The UK is a world leader in the sector, as global challenges such as rising population, shortages of land, water and energy require better and more reliable production of food.

This round of the Government’s Agri-Tech Catalyst – run alongside industry investment – has provided awards between £200,000 and £1.5 million to the most pioneering science and technology projects within the UK’s agricultural sector to help meet the global demand for food with the least environmental impact.

Successful projects in the fifth round of funding announcements include the development of a robot that accurately eliminates and controls weeds, which will significantly reduce the use of herbicides in food production. Another project will look at why potato greening occurs and how to prevent it – helping to reduce the 100,000 tonnes of potatoes thrown away annually.

Support has also been given to develop technology that will help fruit farmers monitor and control the storage of British apples – improving their availability window across the year and reducing the need for imports.

Five projects will target challenges in developing countries, including improving methods to detect carcinogenic mould toxins in food crops.

Each of the announcements makes clear that the UK may be undergoing uncertain times but it is very much still open for business.

Directors and Insolvency Retail giant BHS made news headlines when it entered administration and the consequent public scrutiny of the directors’ conduct in the lead-up has highlighted the importance of the directors’ duties throughout the process.

It is essential that directors take every possible step to negate any possible allegations of wrong-doing when faced with insolvency.

• Speak with your accountant.

• Take advice from an insolvency practitioner.

• Hold regular board meetings and keep minutes detailing any decision making.

• Regularly review management accounts and monitor the company’s financial position.

• Ensure that no assets are sold or transferred for less than market value.

• Ensure that no one creditor is ‘preferred’ to other creditors.

• Ensure that goods or services are not obtained by taking on further credit.

• Do not use an overdrawn bank account.

• Do not supply any goods or services on credit to any party who may have a potential claim against the company.

Based on the complexity of the law in this area and the potential for director conduct to be challenged, it is important that directors seek professional advice at an early stage when faced with potential insolvency.

If you wish to learn more, visit our website www.wsm.co.uk/insolvency.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

31

Your Local Drain Heroes TW & WA Chadwick Ltd are a local Dyno-Rod franchise established in 1988 to provide help to people with blocked drains in Surrey.

Our franchise is a family run business, originally set up by Terry Chadwick.

From the very beginning, his sons Wayne and Glen joined him in the business and the trio set out with two vehicles between them.

Now we have over 13 vans and 21 staff. We believe our high standards of work and passion for customer service have given us the opportunity to expand our business to the size it is today.

In 1997 Wayne became a partner in the business and when Terry retired in 2000, Wayne and his wife Kelly took over the running of it. Their son Scott also joined the firm straight from school – it really is a family business!

We have a broad range of clients, spanning both commercial and domestic markets. Our engineers can find themselves working on anything from local council work to rescuing a chinchilla from behind a wall in Twickenham!

One of our most unusual jobs saw us floating one of our vans on a barge across the Thames to clear out the drains of Ravens Ait – an island in the middle of the river. The job needed the drains jetting so we had no option but to send the whole van over to get the job done!

It’s this ‘can do’ attitude that’s given us such a great reputation

32

ity mun s com sines u b ’s gston of Kin voice The

1: Issue

6 201 Expo

n tes o gy. lega o de technolo l ss Exp ddre l of digita a to ht ntia Wrig pote Mark cing the ra emb Ask

Dan

t on Spotligh

ston King

l irationa ke Insp Coo

rt - p the Expe

21

BORO UGH

2016 mer Sum

BUSI NESS

The vo ice of Kingst on’s b usiness comm unity

locally. We also always try to send the same staff to regular clients so they understand the history behind each job.

For further peace of mind, and especially with vulnerable customers, we ensure each of our staff has a CRB check carried out and provide the names of the engineers when they book, so they know exactly who is coming to help them out.

Autum n 2016

16 O20 EXP

Brexit

Oppo rt econo unity becko mic la n ndsca s in the new pe Welco me to Kin Counc il’s new gston Chief Execut ive Cha rlie Ad - page an 7

p 14 er Lead Spotlight on

-p8

Issue 2:

S SINES N BU STO KING siness in bu logy no tech

New Mald en - p8 Inspirationa l Leade r - p 24

Business Excell ence Awar ds 2016

We’re proud to be known in the area for our customer service. We believe, despite the growth of our business, that the personal touch has been key to solving customers’ problems quickly, efficiently, and at a good price.

Wayne says, ‘We’re proud to have long-serving, highly experienced staff. We believe in training people up, under the guidance of our skilled staff, helping to make sure everyone reaches their potential.’

S S E IN S U B

H OUG BOR

- p 15

Promote your company to over 10,000 business readers To advertise in Borough Business contact Karen Hall email karen@benhampublishing.com Mobile 07801 788880

Ser vicing

-

M O Ts

In addition to customer service another key area of focus is health and safety, we hold many accreditations including, CHAS, Safe Contractor & Exor and are extremely proud to have recently been awarded the Gold Award from ROSPA. Aside from our professional commitments, we’re also heavily involved in helping our local community. We’re always willing to help out good causes in the local community and support local charities.

So If you have a drain emergency or have an opportunity you would like us to get involved in then please give us a call and one of our members of staff will be more than happy to assist on 01932 807547.

•

All makes and Models of cars

•

24/7 Recovery

Light commercial and long • Free Delivery & wheelbase vehicles up to Collection 5 tonnes from Home or Work Our commitment to quality service and value for money has benefited our customers since 1985 when our family business was established. We have clients who have used us for the past 30 years, returning to us for their annual servicing and MOT's.

•

For more information please call us on 020 8336 1365 Or visit www.autotecworkshop.co.uk Unit 1, Apsley House, Apsley Road, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 3NJ

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

a day in the life...

Focus the key for property lawyer The day begins early for commercial property lawyer Claire Campbell and the hours that follow can involve detailed work as she pores over complex legal documents in her role with expanding firm TWM Solicitors.

Claire qualified as a solicitor with TWM Solicitors in 2004 and chose to specialise in commercial property. Since then, she has built up experience including sales, purchases and commercial leases on which she acts for both landlord and tenant clients.

Her clients range from the small investor landlord to high street names and property companies with expansive and varied portfolios. Claire also acts for a number of charities in relation to their property requirements.

She recently transferred to the firm’s Wimbledon office from Epsom. Starting typically at 8am, her first job is to arrange the day ahead for her commercial property team.

She said: “As the commercial property partner in Wimbledon, the first thing I do when I get into the office is go through what the team will be doing in the day ahead.

“Many of my clients have been with me for years and we have evolved a system whereby we

can run the majority of a property transaction via email.

That said, you can’t beat a site visit at the start of a deal to get a physical sense of what you’re dealing with.

“We’ve been operating at full capacity for as long as I can remember and one requirement is excellent organisation. Many of my days are spent drafting and reviewing legal documents in the office. That could mean devoting hours to just one document or, if it is a big deal, it could be a couple of days. The important thing is to keep my focus on the work and give each deal priority as I am working on it.

“With numerous plates spinning, email management I find is key to effective working and

prioritisation. It’s not uncommon to keep on top of emails in the evening on my mobile device from home.

“I spend some time each month keeping up to date with developments in property law.

Because we have a large property team, we are fortunate that lecturers will come in to talk to us.”

Claire’s workload is always busy, underlining the success of a law firm which has a long and proud history.

Established in 1799, TWM Solicitors is a leading law firm with more than 200 people in nine offices across Surrey and London.

TWM is a full service firm, a ‘one stop shop’ for all legal

services, renowned for advising private clients in family law, residential property, tax planning, trusts, wealth management and wills & probate and for businesses in corporate and commercial law, dispute resolution, employment and commercial property.

Claire said: “We always seem to be busy and I am dealing with increasing amounts of commercial property work primarily from the South East and London but also elsewhere in the country. I have one client in Exeter, for example.

“We are expanding more and more into London with new offices in Fulham and Chelsea, both buoyant when it comes to property transactions which is exciting.”

At the end of her working day, she will head home to spend time with her young son but she’ll already be thinking about what the following day will hold.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

33

starting up A unique social enterprise “Our staff really want to pass on their skills and help people. But what people normally notice is our commitment to ‘doing things right’ – including our honest pricing, quality of service and state of the art facilities.”

Justin Cooper Community Motors 0203 177 0070 justin.cooper@communitymotors.org www.communitymotors.org Q1: Tell us a bit about your business?

Community Motors CIC is a unique social enterprise. Alongside quality car services to the public – MOT, servicing, repairs, etc. we offer training for young people and disadvantaged groups. Since we started, we’ve got nothing but 5 star customer reviews.

Q2: What gives your business ‘the x-factor’?

Social benefit is the obvious one; our staff really want to pass on their skills and help people. But what people normally notice is our commitment to ‘doing things right’ – including our honest pricing, quality of service and state of the art facilities.

34

Q3: What motivated you to set up the business?

Q6: What has been your lowest moment?

After many years running IT companies in the UK and USA, I was looking for something different. My Christian faith steered me towards helping people with fewer opportunities. Add a personal affinity for mechanics and fixing things – and Community Motors was born.

Early on, we had a few days with hardly any customers, and staff sitting around, which no-one enjoys. I’m glad to say we’ve had very few quiet days since then!

Q4: What do you like most about working for a start-up?

There is always something to learn!

The mountain of regulations to establish a garage and a training operation was a challenge, but every day I learn something new from our technicians – it’s amazing how complex modern motor vehicles are.

Q5: What has been your greatest business success to date?

There are very few brand new garages starting in the UK. Against that background, our incredible customer growth from zero to almost a thousand customers in just one year is a real testament to our fundamental principles.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Q7: In terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next 5 years?

We need to grow further - customers, staff and infrastructure; we are recruiting a technician and an apprentice right now.

For our training offerings we will be working closely with local schools to offer more options which really work for them.

And we will have multiple sites.

Q8: What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

That your heart is really in it, and you have the support of your family. You will work harder, get more stressed, dream more, spend more time and money - and get more out of it – than you can ever imagine!