Borough Business June 2019

BOROUGH

BUSINESS The voice of Kingston’s business community

Issue 13: Summer 2019

working together for The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

McDonald committed to finding ways to reduce, reuse and recycle p18

McDonald staff out on litter patrol p18

Big Interview with Kew Lighting p24

Professional training and development programmes to meet your business needs.

At Kingston College we are committed to working in partnership to support your organisation’s skills, employment, Apprenticeship and training strategies.

For a FREE skills assessment or for more information please contact: 020 8546 2151. kingston-college.ac.uk

South Thames Colleges Group

WELCOME TO

BOROUGH BUSINESS The Kingston Chamber of Commerce magazine for all Businesses in Kingston The one pattern I see across many areas is that people are doing their best, but working in vacuums.

Not really knowing or recognising what neighbouring organisations can offer or to problem solve. One of the strengths of the Chamber is that we are great connectors. You may be surprised at what is on your doorstep, and how it can help you if you are stuck for inspiration.

They say that time flies by as you get older, in which case I must be almost geriatric as the past two months since I became CEO have gone by in a flash!

This period of transition for me has been energetic, enlightening and informative as I have had the opportunity to meet and listen to many businesses and stakeholders.

It is extremely difficult to ignore the national debates that are pulling on our time and emotions. We are living in a splintered, angry and contentious period, where stability and reasonable voices are hard to hear. It is also hard to ignore that we are in a period of change. Conditions are not easy but while we have the Brexit pause button on, we have in this Borough and nationwide, business people who are determined to be resilient and get on with things. We do not always give ourselves credit for this trait, but we have an ability to be creative to meet challenges, and the ability to reinvent.

The Kingston Chamber provides a great range of events and networking opportunities over the year including our regular monthly networking breakfasts using our Chamber hospitality sector members to host them. There are also Curry nights, Golf days, networking events for freelancers & homebased workers, quarterly Women in Business lunches, Quiz nights, Wine tasting and Pampering evenings, to name but a few.

We also provide sector specific events, such as the new HR Forum, which is in its early days but gaining traction.

By the time you read this, you may have been to the Kingston Business EXPO which I am sure you found interesting.

I hope you came away with some productive business advice from the wealth of advisors and businesses there.

Just one top tip can solve a problem or inspire us. I am delighted to announce the second Chessington Business EXPO will take place on 6th November at Chessington School. Our first year was such a success, we are all looking forward to working with the local Chessington community again.

The Kingston Business Awards formally launched on April 23rd at Kingston University. The Awards acknowledge and profiles the important work the Kingston business community does in providing jobs, skills development and prosperity across the Borough.

I know and see that businesses are working so hard to sustain growth and are committed to a borough we can be proud of. I just ask that we look up beyond our four walls, and check if our neighbours might actually be a partner or a solution to help us grow.

Forbes Low

CEO Kingston Chamber of Commerce We are here to Connect, Support and Influence

Welcome to new members Chamber President Finance Economy Business Expo Legal Skills Patron Membership Environment Chamber Events Ask the Expert Big Interview Business Awards The Person behind the Business A Day in the life of...

Top Tips Health & Wellbeing Starting Up

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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 Publisher: Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing Limited Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com Published Summer 2019 Š Benham Publishing and Kingston Chamber of Commerce Advertising and Features Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com

forbesdesign

Chamber of Commerce

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Chief Executive: Forbes Low

All the best

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Kingston

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Finally, I am delighted to have Summers Inman join the Kingston Chamber as a new Patron.

Summers Inman offer a diverse range of construction consultancy services to clients on a national and international basis.

With Lee Orchard, their Southern Management Director, they have an engaging and determined advocate for all things Kingston.

We are looking forward to their input at Patron lunches and meetings over the coming year.

Patron Members

The Royal Borough of

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The Awards is one important window for businesses to showcase their dedication and celebrate the achievements of their staff. Get involved and sign up - it is a great opportunity to get your business noticed. www.kingstonawards.co.uk

Production Manager Mark Etherington Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: mark@benhampublishing.com Media No. 1697 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. Š 2019. 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

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welcome Welcome

The Royal Borough of

Kingston

to our new members

Chamber of Commerce

Al Forno Kingston

When Alex saw a business opportunity, nothing was going to get in her way

Fabio Fruscianti www.alfornokingston.co.uk •••

Central Moves Ltd Kane Rust www.centralmoves.co.uk •••

Deea Restaurant Kazi Ahmed www.deea.co.uk •••

Dinky Ideas Ltd Kitty Lai www.dinkyideas.com •••

Kingston Shared Enterprise Club Colin Gilfillan www.sharedenterprisekingston.org.uk

“ I am often asked about the Chamber and I tell the story of all the support and collaborative connections I have made. In a short space of time I felt welcomed, included and above all, have made some special friends and met some amazing and talented business owners in and around the Kingston Borough and beyond…So, if anyone is thinking about joining - just do it you will not regret it!”

Alex Hughes

•••

Nikki's Kitchen Nikki Brown www.itsnikkiskitchen.com •••

On Thames Solutions Ltd Kerry Campbell www.onthamessol.co.uk •••

The Canbury Arms Annie Porter www.canburyarmskingston.co.uk •••

Auxilium Admin, March 2019

Wild Monkey Creations For more information or to discuss how we can help you, please contact us at:

Ped Millichamp www.wildmonkeycreations.com

Kingston Chamber of Commerce T: 020 8541 4441 E: natalie@kingstonchamber.co.uk

•••

W: www.kingstonchamber.co.uk

Connect with us on

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@KingstonCOC

Kingston CoC

ZenFi Lizzi Butcher www.zenfi.co.uk

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

hrdept Porter the Sorter Ask our resident HR expert, Sandra Porter of The HR Dept for advice on your workplace worries for some top tips.

“My bookkeeper keeps being late to work. She says that it is because her alarm clock is broken and ‘can’t she just work later?’. Should I buy her a new alarm clock?”

Julia, Owner No, she can buy her own alarm clock. It is your bookkeeper’s responsibility to ensure that she fulfils the hours in her contract.

Make sure that you keep track of how often she is late and by how much.

Explain that it is not acceptable, keep a record of the conversation and then follow your disciplinary procedure to give her sanctions and ultimately dismissal if she doesn’t get to work in time.

“I run a small ecommerce business and have recently employed a new Operations Manager. At the end of the working day he just leaves the site!! He doesn’t come and check that everything is done for the day, he just goes home with everyone else. I shouldn’t have to explain that that is not acceptable. It’s making my blood boil. Can I sack him?”

Geoff, MD Telepathy is not great as a means of communication particularly when outlining your expectations of someone in a new role. Have a 121 with them to understand how they are getting on and discuss how communication would work best between you.

Use the probationary period in your contract to monitor them… but be sure that you have been clear to begin with.

You do have a probationary period clause and job description, right Geoff?

If you have questions for Porter the Sorter, email hrhelp@hrdept.co.uk for consideration for future editions.

The HR Dept are an outsourced HR services provider supporting local SMEs with their people issues and strategy.

For advice on disciplinary policies, probationary periods and anything else people related call 0345 208 1290.

Always seek employment law advice regarding management of your people issues to ensure that you and your business are well protected from potential litigation risks.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

At the Kingston Chamber of Commerce AGM, on 23rd May at Warren House, we were delighted to formally announce Dr Martha Mador, Head of Enterprise Education at Kingston University, as the 2019/2020 Chamber President.

Martha and her team support students and staff across the university who are in the early stages of starting a business, social enterprise, or who are just interested in entrepreneurship. An experienced lecturer and course leader, Martha runs business growth programmes for the university, including the recent Hackathon where students from Kingston University put their entrepreneurial acumen to the test to come up with solutions to challenges faced by the borough's businesses.

She brings to the Chamber considerable business insight, a wealth of experience, and a calmness which will always be welcome.

We also appointed five new Directors. These were Peter Greenwood from Greenwoods Residential, Petti Sibanda from the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Dominic North from RedBlack IT, Amanda Cullen from Business Made Simpler and Rachel Stewart from Russell-Cooke Solicitors. They, or their businesses, have had

strong ties with the Chamber for a number of years and they will bring fresh guidance and ideas from their diverse backgrounds. The Board is made up of 20 Directors and their support, involvement and roles as ambassadors is vital to the success of the Chamber.

As the Chamber President, Martha has chosen Express CIC as her charity of the year.

They are a Kingston-based charity, set up by two parents of children diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. They set up Express CIC to help support young people and to raise autism awareness in the community. They not only want to improve the understanding of autism but also to provide opportunities for young people to gain valuable social skills and work experience opportunities.

We wish Express CIC all the very best for the year and look forward to the opportunity to support them and learn more about their work.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

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finance How to prepare and value your company for sale

An exit strategy is not a Brexit strategy!

By David Cane

A review of all aspects of the business is essential

After selling his accounting practice seven years ago, David has specialised in helping clients on exit strategy and the valuation of their companies for sale.

As advisors on preparing and valuing private companies for sale, we are frequently asked if business is brisk at the moment. Well, it may be, but certainly not by reason of the present political shenanigans. If all business owners wish to sell, who is going to buy those businesses at a fair price? Quite simply, business owners sell for their own reasons, whether it is to realise the value on retirement or reinvest in a new business, or an attractive offer has been made for the company, or their company is no longer viable.

Owner managed companies are normally in their first or second generation. Business methods, that continue to be used, may now be regarded as out of date. So if you intend to sell your company, you need to undertake a thorough review of all aspects of its business to avoid a reduction in the sale price. It is not simply a question of looking at last year’s financials, but reviewing the following areas:• Operations - for efficiency, profitability and relevance • Staff Profile - for appropriate age and experience • Customer and Supplier Profiles - for unresolved disputes and slow payment

• Stock Control - for realisable value • Accounts - ensure filing at Companies House is up to date and accounting records and controls are in order.

• Tax - ensure reporting and payments are up to date.

Delegation to maintain the sale price As owner of the company you may not have sufficient time to do all of this yourself. So consider delegation to staff or contracting with an exit strategy firm to carry out the review and report to you on its conclusions. After all, if you or your staff are distracted by this task from maintaining a control on the business, you may not achieve the forecasts on which the sale price is based!

Valuation For the purpose of valuing the company, the last three years financial statements and the management accounts for the current year are required. As company valuers, we can then proceed to prepare the valuation report and provide you with information on the sale price to accept.

Having done this amount of preparation and having a robust valuation report that can withstand the scrutiny of the buyer, you are well prepared to engage in successful negotiations and obtain the best possible price in the quickest possible time.

Call David Cane of Sundial Tax & Finance Ltd on 07749080806 if you require assistance on preparing or valuing your company for sale.

Or email david@sundialtax.com

Did you know that Kingston has it’s own currency?

You may of heard of the Brixton Pound or the Bristol Pound – well now we have our own Kingston Pound!

Sadly statistics prove that one in eight shops are now boarded up on our high streets, so it is important to support our local independent businesses – some of which have been in the same family for several generations.

Kingston Pound is an attempt to harness some of Kingston’s money and steer it towards local business.

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You can spend Kingston Pound via an app on your mobile phone or you can convert your sterling to Kingston Pound notes at Banquet Records, 52 Eden Street,

Kingston upon Thames or at Tolworth Post Office, 64 Tolworth Broadway. They are also available via the online shop on the Kingston Pound website.

We also publish ‘Salmon’ - an ethical magazine designed to support the Kingston Pound, local independents, local charities and green initiatives.

If you run an independent business and would like to accept payment via Kingston Pounds there are no joining fees, no point of sale technology is required and a 1% transaction fee goes to Love Kingston, a local charity building a fund for vulnerable people in the borough.

Look out for our stall at Kingston Business Expo, pop by and say hello, find out more about our local currency and pick up a copy of ‘Salmon’.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Please visit www.kingstonpound.org for more details and to sign up.

economy Survey prompts concern for UK economy The British Chambers of Commerce’s quarterly economic survey – the largest private sector survey of business sentiment and a leading indicator of UK GDP growth – found that key indicators of UK economic health weakened considerably in the first quarter of 2019.

Against a backdrop of a slowing global economy, escalating Brexit uncertainty and rises in business costs as the UK entered a new tax year, the latest results from the survey of more than 7,000 businesses – employing one million people – reflect a deterioration in many gauges of the UK’s economic strength.

In the services sector, the percentage balance of firms reporting an increase in export sales stood at zero, its weakest level since 2009 and the orders balance turned negative (more firms reporting that orders have decreased than those reporting an increase) for the first time in eight years. The balance of firms reporting improved domestic sales and orders also weakened significantly in the quarter.

Among manufacturers, the percentage of firms reporting an increase in domestic and export sales and orders dropped back to their 2016 levels.

The balance of firms reporting improved cashflow, a key indicator of business health which has been declining over recent years, has now gone into negative territory for the first time since 2012.

The lack of clarity over the UK’s future relationship with the EU is continuing to weigh on investment intentions in both the manufacturing and services sectors. The balance of firms who looked to invest in either plant and machinery or training dropped in both sectors to their lowest level in eight years.

Business confidence in profitability and turnover also deteriorated sharply in the quarter.

Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: “Our latest survey suggests

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

that UK growth nearly ground to a halt in the first quarter of 2019, with increasing anxiety over Brexit and weakening global economic conditions driving a significant deterioration in almost all the key indicators in the quarter.

“The services sector suffered the more substantial loss of momentum in the first quarter with both domestic and international activity slowing sharply in the quarter. The manufacturing sector continues to struggle amid tougher global and domestic trading conditions and rising cost pressures.

The marked decline in the export indicators in both sectors suggests that net trade is likely to have been a drag on UK GDP growth in Q1. The deterioration in cash flow is concerning as it can leave firms more vulnerable to external shocks, including disruptions to supply chains.

“The forward-looking indicators are disappointingly downbeat with weakening orders, confidence and investment intentions pointing to precious little growth over the coming quarters, unless substantial action is taken.”

Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Our findings should serve as a clear warning that the ongoing impasse at Westminster is contributing to a sharp slowdown in the real economy across the UK. Business is hitting the brakes – hard.

“These are some of the weakest figures we’ve seen in nearly a decade, and that’s no coincidence. The prospect of a messy and disorderly exit from the EU is weighing heavily on the UK economy, and must still be avoided. The unwanted prospect of a disorderly ‘no deal’ exit, and the serious damage and dislocation it would bring, is still just days away unless Parliament acts to avoid it.

“At the same time that firms are having to enact costly contingency plans, the cost of doing business in the UK continues to rise. The new tax year with a number of changes is adding to the upfront cost of

doing business in the UK, including the introduction of Making Tax Digital and changes to auto-enrolment, leaving many firms facing more bureaucracy and new expenses.

“For too long, Brexit tunnel-vision has distracted government from fixing the fundamentals to support growth here in the UK. We need to see an increased focus on creating the conditions for business success here at home, including concerted efforts to plug growing labour shortages, delivering an immigration policy that works for business and speeding up physical and digital infrastructure projects.”

“The forward-looking indicators are disappointingly downbeat with weakening orders, confidence and investment intentions pointing to precious little growth over the coming quarters, unless substantial action is taken.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

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business expo 2019

The Kingston Business Expo The Kingston Business Expo returns once again on Tuesday 11th June 2019.

It is held at Kingston University Business School, one of the largest business schools in the UK and a leading provider of management and business education for professionals at all stages of their careers.

Renowned for being at the forefront of current business thinking, it’s modern and vibrant building provides the perfect setting for the annual Business Expo.

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The Expo is also sponsored by Kingston Council and HSBC, who’s continued support each year enables us to deliver a truly valuable opportunity for local businesses to promote, engage and support one another, no matter what stage they are at on their business journey.

The Chamber runs many events throughout the year but it is the popularity of the Wych Networking (aimed at Freelancers, home based workers and start ups) and the Women in Business group that has inspired the choice of key speaker for this year, Joy Foster. She is not only an

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

inspirational female entrepreneur but her organisation, TechPixies, trains and supports women across the UK and beyond in social media skills in order to enable them to take control of their future careers. Read the interview with Joy on page 10 to find out more about her.

business expo 2019

Learn the Secrets to Success on the Silent Stage with Business Clan Following the success of last year’s ‘Silent Stage’ at the Expo, it will return again for 2019.

The concept of the Silent Stage was introduced last year to enable us to offer short seminars right in the middle of the Expo action. Using silent disco technology alongside technical support from AVTeam UK we were able to create a stage where people can simply pick up headphones and tune into seminars throughout the day without leaving the exhibition.

The seminars will be delivered by multi award-winning business consultancy and professional services company, Business Clan. Business Clan offer advice, support and implementation services in strategy, HR, web design & IT, accountancy & bookkeeping, marketing, commercial and training. They are therefore a perfect match for the Silent Stage and will be offering short seminars covering a wide range of topics. Visit the Expo website for the full seminar programme.

Business Clan have just celebrated five years in business; they have worked with over 200 clients and have won six awards – two of which are national including FSB UK Employer of the Year 2018 – and they are expanding from their home in South-West London into North London and Essex.

Visit them at the Expo or visit www.businessclan.com to find out more.

Get free business advice in style at the Kingston Expo in the The Business Hub by BoConcept The Kingston Expo will feature a business advice hub, where visitors can access free, face-toface support from a range of experts from within our local business community.

The Advice Hub provides help on all areas of business, such as: start-up, goal setting, strategy, tech, marketing, SEO, bookkeeping and business law.

Whether you are just starting out or trying to scale up your business they can help answer specific questions or talk through your business ambitions and challenges.

furniture range, this will create a welcoming space for advisors and visitors to have a relaxed one to one meeting.

The team at BoConcept will also be providing complimentary coffee and will be available to talk to visitors about their free bespoke design services.

Drop by on the day if you need advice or have questions you would like to discuss, if you miss the expo but would like to meet the team at BoConcept then you are always welcome to pop into their Kingston store located at The Roundhouse, 20 Eden Street, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1EP.

The ‘Hub’ will be brought together by BoConcept in Kingston who have designed a lounge area using pieces from their inspirational Danish

CHESSINGTON BUSINESS

EXPO201

“Russell Cooke are delighted to sponsor the forthcoming Expo. It is a fantastic event for all local businesses to get involved in. It helps business to have a presence within the area and also to see what other business can offer. It’s also a lot of fun! “

Join us

7EDNESDAY .OVEMBER 7EDNESDAY .OVEMBER 7EDNESDAY .OVEMBER 7EDNESDAY .OVEMBER 7EDNESDAY .OVEMBER 7EDNESDAY .OVEMBER 7EDNESDAY .OVEMBE 7EDNESDAY .OVEMB 7EDNESDAY .OVEM 7EDNESDAY .OV 7EDNESDAY .O 7EDNESDAY .

7EDNESDAY 7EDNESDAY 7EDNESDAY 7EDNESDAY 7EDNESDA 7EDNESD 7EDNES 7EDNE 7EDN 7ED 7EDNESDAY .OVE 7E Chessington School, Garrison Lane, KT9 2JS

Rachel Stewart Partner at Russell-Cooke Solicitors, sponsors of the Kingston Expo Drinks Reception.

David Hamblin, HSBC’s Area Director for South London said.

“We are delighted to be the main sponsor again for this year’s Kingston Business Expo and look forward to engaging with local businesses attending on the day. The Expo is an enjoyable event in our calendar with a great atmosphere and opportunity to network. We are passionate about projects that benefit the local community by supporting ambitious local businesses in London with our £2.1bn SME lending fund.”

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

Promoting businesses in the south of the borough FREE to attend

‘Very frie well orga ndly, useful da nised, y. If it co uld expand to two r on twitte that wou days, Follow us ld po tonEx be great’ @Chessing

Includes: • Exhibitors • Inspirational Speakers • Speed Networking www.kingstonchamber.co.uk/chessington-expo/

SPONSORED BY:

ORGANISED BY:

The Royal Borough of

HSBC UK

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

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expo interview

Empowering women the driver for entrepreneur Joy One of the key speakers at the Expo will be Joy Foster, who will deliver a message that is designed to inspire women to start businesses.

Credit: IoD London and the South Awards

Credit: JSR Agency

Joy is an award- winning serial social entrepreneur and her latest enterprise is TechPixies, which helps women across the UK through teaching them digital skills that they can use in the workplace.

However, the training programmes are not just about learning new technology; they include life skills as well to help women seize, and create, opportunities.

Joy attributes her own entrepreneurial spirit to events during her upbringing, She said: “My parents were Realtors who worked for themselves so I grew up in a home where business was constantly talked about.

“Also, my father died when I was twenty one. I think if you talk to a lot of entrepreneurs you will often find that they had to overcome something serious early in their life and take the view that, whenever they encounter setbacks in their business life, it cannot be as bad as what went before.

“I think another thing that shaped my business career was becoming a mother because it focused my attention on what I wanted out of life.”

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That focus on work-life balance has driven TechPixies, which Joy founded five years ago to equip women with the skills and mindset they needed to develop careers in often male-dominated sectors.

Her work has been recognised by the Institute of Directors, who named her the 2018 Start-up Director of the Year for London and the South. TechPixies also won the Women in Business Start-up of the Year Award in 2018 and the Enterprise Nation Female Start-up of the Year Award in 2017.

“A lot of women are working part-time but it needs men to realise that they can be just as productive even though they are working fewer hours.

“I am also concerned that too many women are doing good work but are not being paid the proper rate because they are working part-time.

“In addition to imparting new tech skills to women, TechPixies gives them the life coaching tools they need to change the situation. We have helped hundreds of women through our programmes but we cannot hold their hands all the time. It is about empowering them and giving them the confidence to achieve the careers they want.

Joy believes that women are starting to enjoy a fairer deal in the workplace but that there is a long way to go.

She said: “I think that we are seeing change and witnessing women able to take opportunities and work more flexibly but there are still issues.

Credit: Women in Business Awards

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

We also need to see more women creating businesses just like I did.

“We encourage our team to work flexibly. They are well paid and we have a weekly meeting where they are encouraged to talk about their own personal goals.”

Men have a big part to play, too.

Joy said: “Change cannot happen without men being involved. Men in senior positions in companies need to understand the value of flexible working and I also think that men have to ask to work flexibly themselves and do things like take paternity leave.”

You can find out more about Joy Foster and TechPixies at www.techpixies.com

legal

WHAT TO CONSIDER when negotiating Heads of Terms for business premises So you’ve found that perfect space for your business in a brilliant location for a rent you’re happy with. Or you have finally found a tenant for that empty unit.

Russell-Cooke’s Robert Lusher reviews the issues to consider when negotiating heads of terms to avoid misunderstandings and save time and costs when agreeing a business lease.

The parties Identifying the contracting parties from the outset can avoid wasted time and effort. The landlord may be expecting the parent company to be the tenant but sometimes, for valid business reasons, it may need to be a subsidiary or a new corporate entity entirely. If the landlord is doubtful that the prospective tenant has the financial strength to pay the rent for the entire term, there are ways around the problem such as rent deposits, bank guarantees and/or third party guarantors.

The property The extent of the property should be described; if possible by reference to a plan. A tenant may expect to have exclusive use of parking spaces, toilets and/or storage areas whereas the landlord may consider them communal spaces. The extent of the demise is also important in determining repairing obligations.

The term The length of the lease has probably been agreed but is the lease ‘inside’ or ‘outside’ the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954? A lease ‘inside’ the 1954 Act gives the tenant an automatic right to renew at the end of the term (subject to certain criteria). In certain circumstances it also entitles the tenant to compensation if the landlord wants the premises back.

Rights to break The parties must agree if either or both have a right to break the lease early and if so when and on what basis. It may be a specified date or a rolling break exercisable at any point after a certain date. The parties also need to agree the notice period and any conditions (or penalties) when exercising the break.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

Rent and rent review The parties have concentrated on agreeing the initial annual rent but should also clarify whether this is inclusive of rates, service charge, utilities, and/or insurance costs.

If there are rent reviews when will they occur and on what basis?

Also, consider rent payment dates.

Traditionally rent is paid quarterly on the usual quarter days but we are increasingly seeing monthly rents being agreed.

Service charge Service charges may be payable in addition to the principal rent.

If so, how will the service charge be calculated, what is included, what are the likely costs, will any significant expenditure be required to the building during the term of the lease and should there be a cap?

Assignments and subletting The parties must agree how the tenant can deal with its premises. An absolute prohibition on all dealings may be appropriate if the lease term is quite short. Alternatively assignments and sublettings of the whole (and sometimes part) are permitted subject to obtaining prior written consent.

A landlord may want the outgoing tenant to act as a guarantor for its immediate assignee under an Authorised Guarantee Agreement (AGA). If the tenant has a surety the landlord may want that surety to guarantee the tenant’s covenants in the AGA. Both parties should agree these issues early on to avoid later complications.

Repair The tenant is usually responsible for maintainance and repair. It is therefore important to clarify what parts of the property are demised to the tenant.

For example, is the air conditioning the tenant’s or the landlord’s responsibility? Is the tenant obliged to keep the property in good and substantial repair and condition or

is the repairing obligation to be limited by a schedule of condition?

Alterations The parties should establish what alterations a tenant can make and whether the landlord’s consent is required. A landlord may want an absolute prohibition on structural and/or external alterations but such alterations may be imperative to the tenant’s brand. The landlord may want to make it clear that any alterations must be removed at the end of the term.

Telecommunications Does the property have sufficient telecommunications infrastructure to enable the tenant to operate effectively? If not, the landlord will need to agree to new cabling being installed. It is wise to check the infrastructure capabilities early on as agreeing necessary works, wayleaves and easements can be time consuming and costly.

Leases are complex documents with legal consequences for both parties.

Consequently obtaining legal advice before entering into such a legally binding document is advisable.

Insurance Normally the landlord insures the building and the tenant pays a proportion (or the whole) of the cost. Again the tenant needs to know the cost and the landlord may have to check with its insurers as to whether its cover will be affected by the tenant’s proposed use.

Permitted use The tenant must ensure the property has planning permission for its intended use. However, the tenant may want the ability to change the use throughout the term of the lease if its business develops or it wants to assign/sublet the lease. Conversely, the landlord may want to control what the tenant uses the premises for to ensure that the tenant mix in the building/estate does not affect its reversionary value.

russell-cooke.co.uk 020 8394 6409 robert.lusher@russell-cooke.co.uk

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

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skills

KINGSTON COLLEGE – not just about qualifications – much more In the spring 2019 edition of the Borough Business Magazine, the article entitled “Kingston College – hiding in plain sight” explained how Kingston College appeared to be a “muchmisunderstood” place by many and by its content aimed to provide an insider’s view of the College and more fully inform.

This article will further bring the College and the learning that takes place within, and outside, its walls, even more to life and highlight that, whilst qualifications are indeed important, there is more to Kingston College than operating as an “exams factory”.

In July and August, undergraduate, GCSE, A level and many other Kingston College students, as with students across the country, will receive expectantly their exam results.

No doubt, those results will open doors, and in some disappointing cases, make things more challenging, but not impossible for students. Achieving a First Class honours degree, an A*, a Distinction * and other well-deserved grades will indeed allow colleges, universities and employers to make decisions about who to select and employ. However, do those grades say all that needs to be known about a student or an applicant for a job?

The answer is, of course, “no”, and the future of those leaving the College (and other education providers) will also be determined by their skills, their behaviours and their attitudes.

At Kingston College, supporting, motivating and guiding students to maximise their grades is an essential part of their study but not everything.

Skills – whether a student is studying on an art, business, computing, engineering, hairdressing, performing arts, public services or sports course, students will alongside the knowledge needed, develop the skills required to be successful on their course and in their future careers. The engineering workshops, computer labs, hairdressing salons, gym and the sports hall will be the places that those skills are learnt, practiced and developed.

Behaviours – the world of work and the world of higher education are different and challenging places.

The College understands its responsibility to prepare students for those future experiences. For our younger learners the College’s ABC policy – Attendance, Behaviour and Commitment – requires them to perform to a high level and fully

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understand the expectations of future employers and higher education institutions. For our more mature learners who may be aspiring to progress to university, often after a gap since their last education experience, it’s all about helping them become familiar with those all-important study skills.

Helping them to manage the challenges of academic life including deadlines, research and referencing alongside the realities of home, family and work life, to say nothing of the odd night out.

Attitudes – the College is a very large institution and a very diverse one.

Respect, positive behaviour, mutual support and aspiration is the lifeblood of the College.

Skills, behaviours and attitudes develop in all sorts of places inside the College and outside.

During May and June our art, media, design, fashion and performing arts students have been displaying their skills, talents and achievements via a whole range of events taking place at the Main College site in Kingston Hall Road and at our Creative Industries Centre in Richmond Road. Our Undergraduate art and design students will display what they have designed, crafted and made at an exhibition called “Made it”. Photography students will display their works inspired by personal experiences, local sites and political demonstrations and in the Illustration Show our art and design students who are preparing for a career in tattooing will exhibit glimpses of their future designs. Acting and performing arts students will perform in The Arthur Cotterell Theatre a modern day take on Shakespeare’s classic “Hamlet” and a version of a more recent classic – Harold Pinter’s “The Birthday Party”.

All of these will help prepare students for the demands of their future real life aspirations and form part of their current learning.

It was only just over a year ago that a team of the College’s engineering apprentices, who called themselves “Tiro Racing”, and who worked for a range of prestigious employers including GlaxoSmithKline, Rolls Royce, Siemens, The National Physical Laboratories and Imperial College London, competed in the F1 Schools

World Finals in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia. Having been earlier crowned England National Champions and won Best Engineered Car in the UK the team went on to win the McLaren sponsored Research and Development Award and the team were ultimately placed an outstanding 7th in the world.

The skills, behaviours and attitudes of the College’s students can be further tested, developed and stretched in the “real world” outside of College. This is a more important part of the learning of College students than ever before.

Work experience is not just a “taste” of working life. For Kingston College it is an essential element of the programme of study that all of our young learners experience and will provide the opportunity for real skill, behaviour and attitude development as they are exposed to workplace managers, fellow employees, customers and the rigours and joys of a working life. Some students will have the opportunity for an industry placement, which is an integral part of their programme of study and will involve during an academic year no less than 45 days of employment in the real life world of work.

Kingston College have collaborated with some large and well-recognised employers, including British Airways, for whom the College is one of the largest providers of work experience students in the country, International Hotel Groups, including the Kingston Holiday Inn, and BUPA Care Homes. Successful collaborations have also taken place in the not for profit sector. More than 25 work experience students have assisted the successful launch of the new British Heart Foundation store in Eden Walk, central Kingston. Over three weekends in May College students acted as stewards, children’s entertainers, guides and general helps at the Surbiton Food Festival and received a glowing tribute from organiser Robin Hutchinson MBE, who described them as “such a lovely group of helpful students”. Later in the Summer other College students will be working with Love Kingston to raise funds to help the continuation of support to communities in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

This is how Kingston College hopes that the businesses of Kingston can further help and benefit. As our world seems to change faster than ever, what better an opportunity is there for a business to

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

benefit from the fresh ideas, energy, and freshly learned knowledge of a College student? In many cases that energy and enthusiasm may well develop into a full time employee who will have grown under the influence of that business and be fully equipped to hit the ground running. Other of our work experience partners having accepted a placement student to help them with their core function have realised additional potential. For example, a children’s nursery recognised that a design student could help them with their promotions, a business/IT student could help them with their database management and an engineering student could help the owner with the general maintenance of the company premises and equipment, all helping the business grow.

Whether you are able to offer a week or a fortnight’s work experience placement, a 45-day industry placement or would be interested in offering a Kingston College student a “live project” to help your business grow or overcome a problem our Head of Employability, Karen Wheatley and her team would be delighted to speak with you.

On the day of writing this article, the College has launched the Employer Advantage (EA) scheme, which offers four levels of employer involvement – Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.

The scheme offers benefits to employers joining including; · access to the College’s talented pool of students, · free advertising opportunities to students via our social media platforms, · advice with funding bids and interpreting latest Government employment policy, · networking opportunities with other employers and stakeholders, · discounts on hiring College facilities including conference and meeting rooms, and at the College’s hair and beauty salons · and a selection of free accredited courses and training.

Please contact our Head of Employability, Karen Wheatley (karen.wheatley@stcg.ac.uk) about how your business and Kingston College can work together to develop your employees of the future.

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New Patron Member Welcome Summers Inman The Chamber is delighted to announce that Summers Inman is our newest Patron Member.

Summers-Inman provides professional consultancy services to the construction and property industry.

They have an enviable client list including Kingston University, City University, The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Islington Council, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Aldi, Walkers, PepsiCo, Tesco, McDonalds, Natwest, Barclays and Philips Healthcare. With a highly skilled team of Quantity Surveyors, Building Surveyors and Project Managers, the firm has 6 UK offices with 100 staff, the Southern Region office is based in Kingston.

With over 90 years’ experience, core services include quantity surveying, project management, building surveying, development monitoring and health and safety advice. Summers Inman have been involved in large scale, high-profile projects across all sectors, including business parks, education, health, heritage and government buildings. Landmark projects include One Nine Elms, Vauxhall, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich and the Department for Work and Pensions Head office in Newcastle.

The Southern Region Managing Director Lee Orchard was educated in the Borough, and lives in Surbiton with his wife and young children.

A Chartered Quantity Surveyor, Lee is passionate about all things local, having acted as a Governor at a local children’s centre and provided mentoring support at Kingston University.

On choosing to support Kingston Chamber as a Patron, Lee says: “The staff in our business and myself personally are all involved in the local area and would like to support people and businesses within the Borough where we can. We are hoping to be more engaged in the Borough through our Patron membership and look forward to working with Kingston Chamber to achieve this. Kingston Chamber is a great organisation and it’s values and aspirations mirror our own which is why we are happy to become Patron members.”

FORBES DESIGN The past two months have been particularly busy for Forbes Design on a range of projects, ranging from identity designs and branding for a series of Award presentations.

We have designed our 9th annual review for the homeless charity in Newham, Caritas Anchor House.

The design of using a tube map theme was specifically conceived to show the journey of a resident and how all the services provided interlink to restore their confidence and skills.

For the Royal Academy of Engineering, another long standing client, they are celebrating a 50th anniversary partnership so they asked for a more classic, elegant design to represent their 2019 Awards.

The evening programme cover shows the MacRobert medal which will be embossed on to beautiful textured paper. It is quite a departure from the more innovative designs in the past but the elegance works very well for this occasion.

BECOMING A PATRON MEMBER Patron membership offers unique opportunities to engage at a higher level - raised brand profile, peer to peer networking and demonstrate a commitment to the Chamber and the wider community.

To find out more please contact natalie@kingstonchamber.co.uk or phone 020 8541 4441.

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BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

SPOTLIGHT ON KINGSTON COLLEGE’S CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

UNIVERSITY’S NURSING SCHOOL WINS AWARDS A project from Kingston University and St George's, University of London's School of Nursing was named Teaching Innovation of the Year at the 2019 Student Nursing Times Awards last month.

The project sees nursing students develop their understanding of the needs of young people with disabilities outside a clinical setting, while also helping the young people increase their self-confidence and build trust in nurses.

University third year nurses buddy up with year 11 pupils from St Phillips in Chessington, in collaboration with StoryAID using writing and performance techniques to act out a story about the life of student nurses in the 1950s.

The faculty won two other awards for Most Inspirational Student Nurse and Nursing Associate Training Programme Provider of the year.

HOLLAND HAHN & WILLS JUDGES YOUNG ENTERPRISE COMPETITION HHW Partner Chris Hirsch was one of three judges for regional heats for the Young enterprise competition. Open to secondary schools, the competition is designed to encourage enterprise, teamwork and an understanding of the working world. Each team has to set up their own company which they run for 1 year. The winning entry was from Kingston’s Tiffin Girls who created a series of books called “Adventures with Amara –

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

Kingston College are show casing their creative industry talent at a series of events until the end of June. End of year shows highlight the successes of students of Art, Media and Design, Fashion and the Performing Arts.

You can see some amazing local talent, which even includes work from their innovative tattoo design course.

Some of their successes this year have included: BA (Hons) Art and Design student Jazmin Sheba Parson has had her work selected for the prestigious Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Prize.

Art & Design students on the Access to HE and Foundation Degree (FdA) courses have produced

new craft beer labels and packaging concepts for Kingston business The Park Brewery. Look out for their designs next time you buy a local beer.

First year Graphic Design student, Kymani N‘TimJohnson, has won a competition to design the official artwork for this year’s International Youth Arts Festival (IYAF) in Kingston.

For further information on the shows visit https://kingston-college.ac.uk/events

Simple stories about not so simple stuff”.

Chris says: “I started out helping with Young Enterprise and other School and University programmes to give something back to the local community.

Nowadays, I think that it is me who learns the most from these interactions. Long may it continue!”

I was so impressed by the dedication, perseverance and maturity of all the students who took part. If this is what they are like at such a young age, their and our future is certainly bright!”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

15

environment

working together for How businesses can think small to achieve big in the Green Revolution The need to tackle climate change has never occupied a higher place on the UK’s political agenda than today.

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BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

environment

The impact of Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg and the school pupils’ strikes she has inspired and the recent activities of Extinction Rebellion, primarily in London, have focused attention like never before on the need to halt Mankind’s contribution to potentially disastrous global warming.

At a time of difficult trading conditions and economic turmoil, saving the planet can come pretty low down the list of priorities for businesses trying to make a living and many managers find themselves wondering if they really can make a difference anyway.

However, a few simple measures can not just benefit the environment, they can also benefit the bottom line.

One recent estimate suggested that businesses spend at least 4% of their turnover generating waste because the cost of waste is not just the cost of its disposal but also includes wasted energy, water, raw materials, consumables and labour.

In addition, a recent United Nations report saw scientists warn that one million species of plants and animals are at risk of going extinct, with species being lost at a rate of tens or hundreds of times faster than in the past, unless governments, companies and individuals take action.

Many business people may still assume that such issues relate primarily to big industry where major changes in processes can bring about major savings.

Just about everyone agrees on the need for action but what can a business in Kingston do faced with what often comes over as a global problem?

However, there is a growing awareness among many owners of businesses of all sizes that changes in the office can have a significant effect as well, that switching off the light at night,

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

turning off that leaking tap and recycling paper is not just a ‘good thing to do’ but it can also save money.

Agencies working in the waste minimisation field say that the largest controllable outgoing in an office is often energy consumption but that a few commonsense measures can cut bills by at least 50 per cent, according to some estimates.

The same is true when it comes to other everyday office functions.

The call does not just relate to the company itself because there is growing pressure on companies to ensure that the businesses in their supply chain are doing the same. Small businesses seeking to carry out work for larger companies are increasingly finding themselves required to demonstrate their green credentials.

Sound scary? Wondering where to start? Here are some simple ideas that businesses of all sizes can adopt. >>>>>

“A few simple measures can not just benefit the environment, they can also benefit the bottom line. One recent estimate suggested that businesses spend at least 4% of their turnover generating waste because the cost of waste is not just the cost of its disposal but also includes wasted energy, water, raw materials, consumables and labour.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

17

environment LIGHTING • Artificial lighting can be automatically controlled through daylight sensors, motion detectors and zoned controls to switch off lighting in unoccupied areas – some estimates suggest that they could cut lighting costs by as much as 15%, possibly more.

• Replace high wattage lamps with low energy versions, which could make energy savings of 65-75%.

RECYCLING • Ensure that all photocopying and publications are produced in double-sided format on recycled paper.

• Consider setting aside one business printer for draft documents only – and load it with scrap paper.

• Use electronic material where possible to reduce printing and faxing.

• Use paper recycling bins, including one next to the photocopier.

• Post reminder notices on the walls to ensure that staff remember to switch off lights, printers and faxes etc when not in use.

ENERGY • A single computer and monitor left on 24 hours a day can cost more than £50 a year, according to some estimates. Switching them off out of hours and enabling standby features could reduce this to £15 a year each and prolong the lifespan of equipment.

• Make the most of natural light - cleaning windows and skylights regularly will allow maximum daylight to enter the building and significantly reduce the need for electric lighting.

HEATING • Temperature control – keep a thermostat set at the minimum comfort level.

Heating costs will go up by 8% each time the temperature goes up by just one degree.

• Keep the thermostat away from draughts or hot and cold spots - these will all affect the thermostat and automatically increase heating costs.

• Don’t put equipment that generates large amounts of heat, like photocopiers, near cooling vents - the cooling system will need to work harder to cool an area that is constantly being heated.

WATER The rate of water use by businesses in the UK is 1.3 billion cubic metres each year – the equivalent of 1,400 Olympic swimming pools every day.

However, businesses that take action to cut the waste typically achieve a 20-50% decrease in the amount of water used, which in turn cuts costs both in water supply and water disposal charges.

Tips include; • Identify areas of wastage, including leaks. Keep water-using equipment well maintained and check it periodically for leaks.

• Make sure staff are fully aware of the importance of water minimisation.

Ensure staff are encouraged to report leaks and that leaks are repaired quickly.

• When purchasing new equipment, take its water efficiency into account.

Fit water minimising controls where possible, eg push taps, flow regulator/restrictors, cistern displacement devices an low flush toilets.

• Maintain equipment properly - poorly maintained heating equipment could be adding as much as 10% to a heating bill.

• Measure how much energy you’re using. Keep track of bills, and how they change after the introduction of energy-saving tips.

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McDonald’s is committed to finding ways to reduce, reuse and recycle in its restaurants and across its whole business.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

For over 35 years in the UK, McDonald’s staff have carried out at least three litter patrols every day in the areas around their restaurants, collecting all the litter they find regardless of its origin.

This year, McDonald’s UK celebrates 11 years of powering its delivery fleet with recycled biodiesel from cooking oil.

Delivery lorries are 100% powered by biodiesel – 40% of which is taken from cooking oil sourced from McDonald’s UK restaurants.

Crew members across the UK cover a total of 3,000 miles each week on litter patrols, which equates to approximately 150,000 miles a year.

McDonald’s is also making changes in-store, with over 1,000 of its UK restaurants having front-of-house recycling facilities in which all packaging, including paper cups, can be separated in order for them to be recycled.

environment

FOOD AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIES URGED TO ACT

measuring and reducing their own food waste and inspiring others to follow their lead.

Businesses in the worlds of food retail and hospitality have been urged to take action to drive down food waste, seen as important as the planet seeks to make more efficient use of land.

Every year, about 100,000 tonnes of readily available and perfectly edible food goes uneaten and the Step up to the Plate campaign aims to stop good food going to waste through a range of measures.

The call came from the Government’s Food Surplus and Waste Champion Ben Elliot ahead of a recently-held symposium called ‘Step up to the Plate’, which he hosted alongside Environment Secretary Michael Gove at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

Attendees were asked to sign up to a number of commitments on

These include setting an ambitious target to halve food waste by 2030 in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 and encouraging others to take the problem seriously and to change their habits to be Food Value Champion at work and at home, buying only what they need and eating what they buy.

Food Surplus and Waste Champion Ben Elliot said: “Wasting food is an environmental, moral and financial scandal. We intend for the symposium and pledge to spark action, not just conversation, and inspire us all to champion change. It’s time to ‘Step up to the Plate’.”

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: “Together, we must end the moral, economic, and environmental scandal of food waste. The UK is showing real leadership in this area, but I urge businesses to join me in signing the pledge so we can bring about real change.”

Susan Barratt, Chief Executive Officer at Institute of Grocery

Distribution, said that 90 food businesses across the UK have already committed to reduce food waste.

She added: “The time is right for change, so it is encouraging to see so many representatives from both industry and government coming together to tackle this growing issue.”

Helen Munday, Chief Scientific Officer, Food and Drink Federation, said the organisation encouraged members of the industry as a whole to do more.

She said: “Food Waste is an important issue to our members and by working across the value chain, we can make a real change happen on this important social and environmental issue.”

“Wasting food is an environmental, moral and financial scandal. We intend for the symposium and pledge to spark action, not just conversation, and inspire us all to champion change. It’s time to ‘Step up to the Plate’.”

You can find out more about the pledge at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/slashing-food-waste-major-players-urged-to-step-up-to-the-plate The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

19

Have your say and shape the future of Kingston Kingston Council is encouraging the business community to share their thoughts and ideas on how we can plan for the future of the borough, following the launch of the Local Plan consultation.

The three-month consultation, which runs until 31 July, asks for views on a range of topics which shape how the borough grows and changes, including housing, transport, businesses and jobs, and on suggestions that have been submitted to the council for the future of 153 sites across the borough*.

Nazeya Hussain, Director of Growth at Kingston Council, said: “We’re lucky enough to have a borough with a fantastic history and an exciting future.

“As our population grows, we also need to champion our local economy and bring new jobs and businesses to the area. This is alongside the homes, transport links, parks, health and education services we need for Kingston to continue to thrive.

“The Local Plan is our blueprint for how we're going to achieve this, while enhancing what we already have in our borough. This consultation is the first step in creating our plan for the future.

I encourage everyone to have their say.”

There will be consultation events happening across the borough to collect ideas and thoughts on the Local Plan. Full details of all the events will be published shortly.

Based on the feedback from the consultation, the council’s planning team will draft the Local Plan for the borough.

The draft document will be taken to Strategic Housing and Planning Committee in late 2019 for approval to go to further public consultation.

The new Local Plan covers 2019 to 2041 and a regular review will be carried out every five years after adoption. *The consultation asks for feedback on possible development sites across the borough. The assessment includes the results of the council’s ‘Call for Sites’ consultation (which ran from September to December 2017), as well as sites submitted to the Mayor of London as part of a Londonwide study of potential housing locations.

To take part in the consultation, visit www.kingston.gov.uk/newlocalplan or pick up a printed copy in any Kingston library or the Information and Advice Centre in Guildhall 2, Kingston, KT1 1EU.

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BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

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chamber events

Save the Date

Join us at one of our networking and business events this summer Prosecco & Gelato Evening Thursday 20th June BoConcept Kingston Come by BoConcept Kingston and enjoy an evening of networking with Prosecco gelato and fresh Italian pastries provided by Canbury Secret.

There will be a short talk by the BoConcept team about their Danish roots and signature collections.

Networking Breakfast Thursday 11th July Chessington Garden Centre Join us for a summer breakfast at Chessington Garden Centre. Enjoy a delicious full English breakfast and networking with a wide variety of local businesses.

The Fire Marshal training courses will improve you with skills and awareness to legally required standards; we will help ensure that you have competent Fire Marshals in place with sufficient knowledge to act appropriately in your environment.

Join us for a two course lunch, glass of wine and social networking at the award winning French Table in Surbiton, always popular and numbers are limited so book early to attend.

Networking for all local freelancers, home-based workers and aspiring start-ups in the Kingston area.

Get out of the house and tell people about your business, swap expertise, experiences, advice and contacts with other local talent.

Step aboard one of Turk Launches iconic boats. What better way to enjoy a breakfast on the river this summer.

Fire Marshal Training Wednesday 11th September Guildhall, Kingston

Networking Lunch Friday 28th June The French Table

Wych Networking Wednesday 3rd July The Wych Elm Kingston

Networking Breakfast Thursday 8th August Turk Launches

Kingston and Merton Chamber Summer Networking Evening Thursday 1st August Cannizaro House Hotel Wimbledon Join us for an exclusive opportunity to connect with our neighbouring Chamber members from Merton Chamber of Commerce in the stunning setting of Cannizaro House Hotel du Vin. Enjoy drinks and canapes whilst growing your local business network.

Chamber Golf Day Friday 13th September Surbiton Golf Club Join us for our second Chamber Golf Day of the year, book as a team or an individual to enjoy one of the best presented courses in Surrey.

Networking Breakfast Thursday 19th September The Canbury Arms

Women in Business Lunch Friday 20th September Venue to be confirmed

New Chamber events and events run by our members are being updated on our website daily.

Please visit www.kingstonchamber.co.uk for full details and to book.

22

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

ask the expert Why is employee coaching an important ingredient for business success?

At every part of your business are those you employ; in fact, they are your business Yes, you can have a great product, good reputation and strong margins, but without employees who love and are engaged in their jobs, feel motivated to go the extra mile and who are equipped with the right skills and mindset, businesses can struggle to grow and perform effectively.

retention and the ease of attracting high calibre talent.

Coaching gives people the confidence and tools to navigate hurdles quickly and effectively. It helps with upskilling, resilience and helps people work better with others no matter how different they are. It helps improve trust, productive dialogue and accountability so that innovation and creativity is bolstered. Coach one person or many and you start the process of driving a coaching culture which boosts the mental wellbeing and productivity of your entire team.

So why is employee coaching an important ingredient for business success? Let’s be honest, we all know first-hand that when we feel happy, respected, supported and able to work to our best ability our performance is boosted.

What are the common misconceptions around coaching?

This state drives energy, enthusiasm and motivation which ripples around a business. If we are having a good day, problems don’t feel so impossible, productivity levels rise, we’re more resourceful and general wellbeing is high.

A common misconception is that the time to bring in a coach is when you have poor performing staff and conflict. However, there is so much power and return on investment when you coach for ‘development’ rather than to ‘fix’ problems.

However, maintaining this state under the pressures of a changing working world and every day business demands is tough. Coaching arms people with the ability to think and behave more effectively and to flex where needed as they and the businesses they work in grow.

It boosts happiness and satisfaction in roles so that businesses reap the financial benefits of both employee

A second misconception is that coaching is just for big businesses.

Whether you have two, five or more than one hundred employees there is a place for coaching in your growth strategy because a lot of the underlying business and employee needs are the same.

Coaches understand different business needs and budgets and

have one to one or group coaching programmes to suit all sizes of business. Most offer tailored solutions so you get exactly what you need for the budget available.

How can you ensure effective coaching in your workplace?

Tailoring your coaching to individuals and teams is key. Set clear goals and be transparent with all involved on the motivation for coaching. Make sure everyone is comfortable with the process so that they don’t seek out a non-existent hidden agenda.

Always check chemistry with any coach you bring into your business to ensure that the fundamental requirements of coaching - trust, openness and honest reflection are possible with your coachees.

Work out what you truly need from your coach, perhaps you want to them to help drive more cohesion in your leadership team, help upskill individuals or perhaps you need a facilitator, an accountability partner or something else. Align your coaching needs with your business and individual performance goals.

What can you expect from working with a coach?

A coach’s role is to empower an individual, to help them determine clear and achievable goals, to support a process of growth and

transformation through self-awareness and personal strategies, and to help with commitment and accountability.

Coaching does not tell people what to do, people find their own answers and solutions. Because of this more people are receptive to coaching and it drives longer sustainable change.

There are many ways a coach can help your team with leadership, confidence, upskilling, career management, resilience, communication, problem solving and decision making as examples.

A certified coach will have a versatile toolbox and a wealth of career experience to bring to a workshop or series of one to one sessions. Powerful questioning, visual aids, visualisation, chair work, creative props such as play doh and individual or team behaviour profiling tools such as Everything DISC® are some of my most effective tools for transformation.

••• Victoria Walsh of Victoria Walsh Coaching is an ICF ACC Executive and Career coach, Certified Belief Change practitioner, Certified Everything DiSC® profiler and a 5 Behaviours of a Cohesive Team® profiler.

She works one to one or delivers group workshops to support individuals, leadership or team growth and transformation.

Executive and Career Coaching One to One programmes or Group Workshops Upskilling • Leadership Development • Team Performance • Career Management • Behaviour Profiling

Get in touch to book a FREE CONSULTATION e: victoria@victoriawalshcoaching.co.uk m: 07538 435878

www.victoriawalshcoaching.co.uk Photo Paula Massey Photography

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Kingston Chamber of Commerce

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

23

big interview

A smart future beckons as lighting innovators celebrate their 20th anniversary The lighting industry has witnessed some dramatic changes over the past decade or two, and the public appetite for more efficient lighting and greater sustainability has never been more in the spotlight.

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BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

big interview The rise in popularity amongst consumers of LED lighting is directly related to the exponential improvement in its efficiency. Energyefficient LED products no longer take an age to ‘warm up’ and the levels of brightness are now more than a match for their traditional equivalents.

Playing his part in the revolution over the past 20 years since his company began trading, Howard Connolly (pictured), founder and Managing Director of New Malden-based Kew Lighting and Electrical, has seen his business increasingly place sustainability at the heart of its operations.

Howard’s wealth of experience in the lighting and electrical industry has enabled him to offer his loyal customer base LED technology which he passionately believes to be more flexible, cost effective and energy efficient.

Kew now supply future-proofed lighting products to homeowners, electrical contractors, retailers, property owners and developers, architects, specifiers, facilities managers and designers amongst many, safe in the knowledge that 95% of new business is achieved as a result of recommendation. No better way.

Over the past five years, the company has also moved from simply operating as a wholesaler supplying equipment and accessories, to a much wider brief, providing a range of services, taking in everything from system design to installation.

Changing times Howard said: “So much has changed, over the past twenty years. When we started out, the internet was in its infancy and the majority of lighting products were ‘conventional’.

“The big thing at the time was halogen lighting but it soon became clear to us that LED lighting was the way ahead.

“The problem with sustainability in the early days was that people associated it with low energy lighting, which was pretty poor.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

It took a minute to get up to full strength (which could feel like an age), and the range of colours was very limited.

“Today, lighting products have changed dramatically for the better and we are finding that a lot of people come into the store already fully aware of the benefits of LED and do not need much convincing.

“We still have to educate some clients about the efficacy of our newer ranges, but once we convince them that they could recoup the cost of their investment inside 12 months they are sold on the idea.

“Thanks to the popularity of LED, we took the decision to expand the business to offer a full range of services which includes working in a subcontractor capacity for building developers and property owners. The potential cost saving we can offer them has proved to be a big attraction for our commercial clients.

“For instance, we have recently been working for a company which owns three warehouses in Maidstone. They have agreed to remove all their existing lighting and to replace it with LED. It is going to cost them around £20,000 but they will recoup that expenditure in 18 months and it will halve their running costs”.

What’s next?

Howard always has an eye for the next great innovation and the story by no means ends with LED. Kew now find themselves playing their part in another technical revolution, one which could define the next twenty years, and the key word is ‘smart’. The drive towards automation in the home and in commercial premises, with remote systems controlling lighting, heating, audio visual products, blinds and numerous other appliances, continues to gather speed.

Providing such systems is something in which the company has become increasingly specialist and Howard’s team now offer inventive design solutions incorporating LED lighting and automated blinds which can be controlled from a central point.

The market for new automation technologies is expected to continue to grow significantly in the next few years.

Howard thinks it will have a transforming effect. He said: “Lighting will have a central role in the development of integrated systems where people can operate almost anything in their home or business premises by pushing one button on their smart phone or tablet.

“Developing bespoke automated lighting and blinds systems in particular is an area that has grown very quickly for us for both residential and commercial clients.

“It involves providing people with simple control over the numerous lighting circuits employed and integrating them with other systems to create the right atmosphere.

With numerous options available we can work with our design team to deliver the optimum solution.”

For Howard, the next 20 years promise to be every bit as exciting as the last two decades.

The future for Kew Lighting and Electrical is most definitely bright.

“Today, lighting products have changed dramatically for the better and we are finding that a lot of people come into the store already fully aware of the benefits of LED and do not need much convincing.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

25

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business awards Top TV presenter Michael Underwood

to host 2019 Gala Awards Dinner TV presenter Michael Underwood has been announced as the compere for the glittering highlight event of Kingston’s business year.

The Gala Dinner awards ceremony of the 2019 Kingston Business Excellence Awards in association with Willmott Dixon will be held at Ravens Ait on Thursday, 10th October.

Entries are currently being invited to the awards from all businesses across the Royal Borough. After the closing date - Friday, 28th June – a shortlist will be drawn up for the next round of judging, with the overall winners being exclusively announced at the Gala Dinner.

Tickets will go on sale shortly.

Rahim Nurmohamed, Managing Director of last year’s Kingston’s Business of the Year winner, White House Nursing Home.

This year’s host, Michael, is a regular on ITV’s ‘Good Morning Britain’ and ‘Eamonn and Ruth’s Do the Right Thing.’ He lives in the Kingston area with his wife, BBC One Show presenter Angelica Bell, who will be a guest at the Gala Dinner.

Organised in partnership with Kingston Chamber of Commerce, the Royal Borough of Kingston, and Kingston First, the awards celebrate the successes and achievements of Kingston’s vibrant business community. It is free and easy-to-enter online at www.kingstonawards.co.uk Independent judges will decide on the winners, although there is a chance this year for the public to vote in the Love Your Local Retailer category.

Rahim Nurmohamed, Managing Director of last year’s Kingston’s Business of the Year winner, White House Nursing Home, urged local businesses to apply in 2019.

He commented: “What I’d say to any business thinking of entering, is that the awards are really fair and are not industry specific.

Winning an award means you can raise your profile, as well as generate more income and generate more turnover.

So it really can benefit your business - you just need to enter.”

The 2019 Kingston Business Excellence Awards in association

by Willmott Dixon, and sponsored

by Kingston Council, Kingston Chamber, Kingston First, CNM, HR Department, Kingston University, Kingston College and McDonalds. They are supported

by DoubleTree by Hilton, Insight6, IQinIT, Kingston Burrowes and Time and Leisure.

To sponsor a category, please contact Vivien Newbould at vnewbould@kingstonawards.co.uk To enter the 2019 programme visit: www.kingstonawards.co.uk

2019 KINGSTON BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS CATEGORIES: • • • • • • •

Commitment to Customer Service Best Medium-Sized Business Best New Business Best Charity or Social Enterprise Business Entrepreneur of the Year Best Business for Tech & Innovation Business Contribution to the Community

• Love Your Local Retailer • Best Small Business • Best Employer • Best Financial & Professional Services Business • Food & Beverage Award • Kingston Business of the Year

To find out more and enter the Awards please visit: www.kingstonawards.co.uk The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

27

news Feel at home when you’re not BoConcept's decades of designing for private use help them deliver an authentic essence of home, one that is essential for contemporary work-life blended workspaces, all whilst upgrading your hospitality and residential projects to memorable experiences and instant sales.

With everything handled immaculately from guiding you through their endless possibilities to installing your furniture, BoConcept’s collection is broad and designed by the best in the business, thus being able to cater to the needs of everyone.

Their Danish roots of purposeful functionality are seen in their designs, all of which are offered in an array of customisation options.

Residential Furniture’s importance cannot be overstated. With a range that covers large-scale to space-saving designs, BoConcept tailor solutions that put your portfolioin its best light.

Office

Hospitality

Meeting rooms and offices are where decisions are made, ideas are formed and strategies are devised.

More than food, drink and good service, the recipe for a memorable stay requires the right atmosphere.

BoConcept's designs give your establishment just that.

BoConcept's furniture and accessories give you work environments designed for creativity and success, so that you and your team reach every goal.

Together with BoConcept, you can create comfort, helping your guests feel right at home. Even when they’re not.

Visit BoConcept Kingston's team of design professionals and interior designers at The Roundhouse, 20 Eden Street, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1EP or call 0208 5466050 now to start your project.

A UNIQUE VENUE ON YOUR DOORSTEP The Lensbury, located just over Kingston Bridge offers you: • Award-winning all-inclusive meeting packages • Private dining • Teambuilding • Four star accommodation

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28

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

the person behind the business

A belief in quality that is providing the taste of success Behind every great restaurant is a committed owner and in the case of Chakra Restaurants it is founder and CEO Arjun Varma The company’s success – and its recently-opened Kingston outlet is going from strength to strength - is based on a belief in quality in all that it does.

Arjun believes that more and more diners share his vision that quality is worth paying for.

A talented tennis player, Arjun made the move into food in 1997 following the end of his professional playing career, creating and developing the brands Vama, an Indian restaurant in Chelsea, and food service company Vama Khana.

The latter worked alongside an airline catering service and meant that it was able to bring iconic Indian food brands to major department stores, such as Selfridges and Harrods.

Following the success of Vama, Chakra was born in 2011, dedicated to adding a new face to the London Indian food scene, a high-end brand that would focus on Indian fine dining, events and catering, and a home delivery service.

Among its outlets is Chakra Riverside in Kingston, which was opened eight months ago and offers spectacular views of the River Thames.

Designed by London’s awardwinning design studio Shalini Misra, Chakra Riverside is just as stylish as the company’s flagship restaurant in Kensington.

The restaurant adopts a unique take on India’s vibrant colour palette of teal green, gold and purple, while grand mirrors and lanterns provide a nod to the country’s colonial heritage. Unique ceiling art and dimpled banquettes add to the sense of occasion.

For Arjun, quality is all. He said: “I have lived in Kingston for twenty one years and always felt that there was scope for a high quality Indian restaurant on the riverside, if the right site became available, which eventually it did.

“The vision for our restaurants is clear - they serve the most authentic Indian dishes in the most tasteful surroundings.

“We want to provide somewhere that means that people do not have to go into London to enjoy high quality Indian food and we employ a team of highly skilled chefs who deliver authentic Indian dishes.”

Chakra presents its dishes with a modern flourish. The cooking styles of Indian royal courts are emphasised on the menu, along with the occasional nod to street food.

The riverside location and the intention to ‘bring the outside inside’ through the generous use of plants aligns with Chakra’s philosophy of creating an uplifting dining experience.

Arjun said: “We are finding that customers are becoming more discerning and are prepared to pay for quality.

“The comments left afterwards by some diners say ‘you are not the cheapest but we are prepared to pay a bit extra for quality’.”

Arjun is ambitious to expand but only when circumstances merit the investment.

He said: “We will consider opening further restaurants – and we are always keeping an eye out for good sites - but we will not open one for the sake of it. There has to be a reason.

“We opened Kingston Riverside because the right site came up and we thought we had seen a gap in the market for a quality Indian restaurant on the riverside.

“You have to have a good reason like that because it is a tough business. We all saw what happened to Jamie Oliver’s business and the effect on a thousand jobs when it collapsed.

“We are pleased with the way our Kingston restaurant is going.

They say that a restaurant needs fourteen to sixteen months to build up the number of customers it needs but after only eight months we are getting a lot of repeat business and have risen up the ranks on TripAdvisor to feature very highly.”

Chakra Riverside Restaurant & Bar is a modern Indian restaurant with fabulous, contemporary flavours and a wonderfully scenic setting by the Thames in Kingston.

Tel: 020 8541 5757 The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

www.chakra.restaurant

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

29

a day in the life of...

In search of perfection…

Tony Hylton’s day is a search for perfection as he oversees a team dedicated to providing the best possible experience for guests at the hotel where he is General Manager.

His working day begins at 7am when he arrives at the historic White Hart Hotel in Hampton Wick, an imposing building on the High Street.

overnight. As you can imagine with a busy hotel like ours, we receive a lot of emails and one of the key tasks is to oversee the repairs and maintenance, which takes quite a bit of planning.

Tony said: “It is full on from the moment I get to the hotel. You have to be ready to work the minute you arrive.

“That is something the guests do not see. With a busy hotel, there are always things that need fixing due to wear and tear but with such a large turnaround of guests – we have an 86 per cent occupancy rate – it can be difficult to get into the rooms to do the work.

“The first job is to have a walk round the public areas to make sure that everything has been set up correctly for the morning and that all the finishing touches are in place.

“Everything needs to be immaculate for when the guests start coming in for breakfast.

Our job is a constant search for perfection.

“The first two and a half hours are a very busy time with guests having their breakfast then checking out and part of my job is to view their experience partly with a General Manager’s eye and partly as a guest might see the hotel.

“Another of my morning jobs is to look after the messages and the emails that have come in

“A key part of my job is liaising with the repair teams to ensure they take advantage of the windows of opportunity when they can get in.

“Once breakfast and check-out have finished, it is a quick turnaround to be ready for lunchtime and then again to prepare for the evening meal.

Again, we are seeking perfection.

Everything musts be immaculate for the guests.”

Clearly, the approach is working.

Tony said: “I have been here nearly three years now and our trade has grown year on year.

Most of the rooms are occupied for most of the time.

“An increasingly important part of my work is to spread the word about The White Hart and I have been making time to go out and tell local offices about what we can offer, whether it be overnight accommodation, good food and drink or somewhere to hold meetings.

“One of the things we have focused on is increasing our

REST, RELAX & REFUEL

bar and restaurant business and I am telling them about our new and refreshed menu.

That includes taking menu tasters.

“All in all, it makes for busy days but we try to be disciplined about the hours we work and, if you start at seven, we like to see people finish at about three thirty or four whenever possible.”

B E AU TI FU L BEDROOMS

BY FULLER’s

The White Hart Hotel 1 High Street Hampton Wick Kingston-Upon-Thames Surrey KT1 4DA

Tel: 020 8977 1786 Email: whiteharthotel@fullers.co.uk

30

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

top tips

Real or Fake?

Bold and extensive decorations create a memorable mood and the feel-good factor

1

By Mike Rowell The Christmas Decorators Too early?

Is it too early to think about and plan for the 2019 Christmas season? Definitely not, getting your Christmas ducks (or elves) in a row in time will stand you in good stead when the festive season kicks off. Last minute décor will always look last minute.

Organise early to create a show stopping display for your staff and customers; this will ensure you have the best choice of quality decorations. The season is short so ensure you maximise the time available.

2

Real... or are you going to fake it?

Real trees simply don’t last for the duration of Christmas. If you are decorating a busy public interior space; we highly recommend you fake it!

The quality of trees and garlands available today look great all the time and there is no maintenance!

3

Be Bold!

It is so tempting to place your Christmas tree or display in a corner; few things are as powerful as professionally installed Christmas décor.

Bold and extensive decorations create a memorable mood and the feel-good factor.

It has been proven people will travel long distances to catch a view of any impressive Christmas display in their area and with social media/selfies the news spreads fast!

4

Decision Time

What style and colours do you want to be evident?

Cosy, opulent, contemporary, traditional?

There is so much choice. The main considerations should be style of building, old or new, clientele, corporate colours, space available and the best way to create the ‘WOW’ factor.

Keep it simple, work with 3 key colours.

The larger the decorations, the bigger the impact. The ‘Golden Rule’ – Keep your display as uncluttered as possible to ensure your chosen theme shines through.

5

Get Inspired

If you are planning to DIY why not have a look through some design magazines for simple ideas and styles?

Take a look at our website (www.thechristmasdecorators.com) which is packed full of images and examples of what we’ve created for other venues.

Should you want to take the stress out of your busy schedule and have a Christmas display to be proud of and use in your marketing contact us today - diary space is limited!

“Seeing is Believing” Come and meet us at the Kingston Business Expo 2019

Seeing is Believing

Tel : 01748 220040 / 07394 455920 www.thechristmasdecorators.com

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

31

Live life to the full From the moment you step into our Moore Place and West Hall care homes, you will feel at home.

Moore Place care home Portsmouth Road, Esher, KT10 9LH Call 0808 102 4832 or visit moore-place.org.uk West Hall care home O Parvis Road, West By eet, KT14 6EY Call 0808 102 4463 or visit WestHall.org.uk Proudly not-for-pro t.

Rated September 2017

Good

Rated October 2016

health & wellbeing

Companies urged to back MENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN Employees are three times more likely to discuss physical ailments over mental health issues at work, according to new research.

The disparity was revealed in research from the ‘Where’s Your Head At?’ campaign, which launched its new Workplace Manifesto ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week in mid-May with the support of some big-name companies.

A OnePoll survey of 2,000 employed adults reveals that, on average, 42% of employees feel comfortable discussing physical conditions, compared to just 14% who feel they can talk about common mental health issues.

Commissioned by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England and Bauer Media UK for the ‘Where’s Your Head At?’ campaign, the research also shows that: • Only one in ten workers would feel comfortable speaking about self-harm, psychosis, eating disorders, postnatal depression or schizophrenia • Almost 40% of employees would be alright talking to their manager about cancer compared to just 12% who feel they could discuss bipolar disorder • People would rather talk about diarrhoea [29%] than depression [26%] with their manager The research shows that there is a mental health gap in the workplace, with first aid skills a clear indicator of this. More than seven in ten employees know basic physical first aid, such as how to bandage a finger or treat a minor burn. However, just over a third [36%] feel confident talking to colleagues about common mental health struggles with stress and depression in the workplace, a basic part of Mental Health First Aid training.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

In response, and to mark the ‘Where’s Your Head At?’ campaign’s first birthday, the new Workplace Manifesto has set out a call for leaders to strive for an understanding and commitment to workplace wellbeing.

Employers up and down the country will be encouraged to sign up as official supporters of the Manifesto and commit to recognising the need to prioritise mental health, build diverse and inclusive workplaces, treat mental and physical health equally and turn mental health awareness into positive action.

Simon Blake OBE, Chief Executive of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England, said: “Despite the increased awareness around mental health in the workplace, employees are telling us that there is still a significant gap in how we think and act about physical and mental health at work.

“To address this gap, employers are being encouraged to translate awareness into action and stamp out the stigma of mental ill health in the workplace. The manifesto gives employers the opportunity to show their commitment to protecting and supporting their people’s mental health.

“This manifesto is a mission statement for a healthier working world, where people’s mental health is supported and protected and where wellbeing is at the heart of all we do. By signing this manifesto organisations from all sectors, and of all sizes, will join us in striving towards healthier working environments for everyone.”

Paul Keenan, President of Audio Bauer Media Group, said: “Our manifesto is a call for change: a call for fellow employers and MPs to join us in striving to do more for mental

health care in the workplace for the benefit of our people and our businesses. The ‘Where’s Your Head At?’ campaign is putting a spotlight on mental health in the workplace and we hope this movement will deliver true cultural impact and create a seismic change in society.”

willing to come forward, talk and seek support at their time of need, with records showing we’ve had five mental health first aid interventions for every physical one over the last year.”

Karl Simons, Chief Health, Safety and Security Officer at Thames Water, and a signatory of the Workplace Manifesto, said: “Our mental health first aiders are a catalyst for engagement and have inspired a cultural revolution at Thames Water. Confidence has grown throughout the company with people now much more

“Despite the increased awareness around mental health in the workplace, employees are telling us that there is still a significant gap in how we think and act about physical and mental health at work.”

You can find out more at

www.wheresyourheadat.org

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

33

starting up No monkeying around... realise your creative potential Ped Millichamp Wild Monkey Creations www.wildmonkeycreations.com Q1 Tell us a bit about your business?

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

Wild Monkey Creations is based in Kingstonupon-Thames and can help your business realise its creative potential and release it into its natural habitat. Whether you’re a new start-up company, a large corporation or an independent trader that needs some help to develop your brand; or guidance with revamping your existing visual communication materials, our cheerful troop of (mac) monkeys are here to help you achieve your goals.

Each day I wake up and have an eclectic array of clients to work with. For example, yesterday started with developing a celebrity chef’s branding for his online projects and ended with designing some marketing materials for a kid’s shoes social enterprise in Singapore!

Q2 What gives your business 'the x-factor'?

If you have an idea in mind and would like our network of award-winning creative experts to help you reshape and define it, we can help. Or perhaps you don't even know where to start – don't fret, we've got your back. No monkeying around...

Q3 What motivated you to set up in business?

Having worked for a wide range of creative agencies and publishers - from the BBC to Associated Newspapers - the time to set up a business locally and achieve that desired work/home life balance we all crave has come. Being able to work with some of our boroughs’ businesses on their creative projects whilst utilising my industry contacts of leading photographers, illustrators, copywriters, marketeers was too compelling.

34

Q5 What has been your greatest business success to date?

Being shortlisted as the PPA Art Director of the Year a few years ago was up there. But then, every time you fulfil a clients brief and the gratitude they give is a daily ‘mini fist pump’ moment!

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

We aim to elevate Wild Monkey as the ‘go to’ design studio in Kingston-upon-Thames and the surrounding areas.

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

Q6 What has been your lowest moment?

Be prepared to listen to your clients needs, hold their hand (metaphorically) and instill them with confidence. Listen to the advice of your peers and those who have been successfully running their own businesses and don’t make the same mistakes.

Thinking that you’re on your own and no one is going to like what you’re offering is a scary thought. But you have to get that monkey (sorry) off your back and have confidence in yourself and your offering.

Don’t be afraid to be a little different that’s what will make you stand out from the crowd. Embrace and enjoy the process… and be prepared to drink lots of coffee!

“Whether you’re a new start-up company, a large corporation or an independent trader that needs some help to develop your brand; or guidance with revamping your existing visual communication materials, our cheerful troop of (mac) monkeys are here to help you achieve your goals.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

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MCDONALD’S IN SOUTH LONDON OFFERS CUSTOMERS EVEN MORE CHOICE ON HOW THEY ORDER AND PAY Customers at the McDonald’s restaurants in Kingston, Bentalls, New Malden and Surbiton can now enjoy a whole range of digital features.

Franchisee Mike Smith, who has been a McDonald's franchisee for over 16 years and today is the owner and operator of 12 McDonald’s restaurants across South London, said: “I’m proud to be able to offer customers more choice as to how they enjoy their McDonald’s experience. McDonald’s is committed to harnessing digital innovation to provide our customers with the food they want, when and how they want it.’

Changes made to the restaurant help customers enjoy their local restaurant in a way that works for them.

Self-service kiosks mean visitors to the restaurant can order at a speed that suits them, while easily accessing nutritional information and making informed food choices.

The digitalisation of the restaurants has also made table service possible, which McDonald’s was the first in its category to offer. The introduction of this service has also provided the crew with more opportunities to interact with customers and build valuable soft skills from working front of house.

Customers in certain areas of the UK are also able to enjoy McDonald’s from the comfort of their own homes, with the introduction of McDelivery to certain locations.

Other digital features in the restaurants include free to use tablets, interactive magic tables for children and mobile phone charging points.