34 minute read
Around the Region
West Orchards appoints Piece of Cake Marketing
Coventry-based marketing agency, Piece of Cake Marketing, has been appointed by West Orchards shopping centre.
Based in the heart of Coventry, West Orchards will be working with Piece of Cake as the company looks to expand its retail and food destination offering.
Piece of Cake Marketing is the agency of choice for West Orchards. It has been appointed to handle all aspects of the shopping centre’s marketing as it looks to announce new concepts and tenants to the centre, as well as supporting the growth of existing retailers and food outlets.
Senior asset manager at the shopping centre, Andy Talbot, said: “We are extremely excited to be working with Piece of Cake Marketing as we work through our exciting growth plans. Piece of Cake Marketing will be leading on all of our marketing activities centred around the growth of our shopping destination. As part of this we will look to showcase our existing and new retail and food outlets to the people of Coventry.”
Piece of Cake Marketing said: “We are over the moon to be working with West Orchards. There is going to be so much exciting news to share over the next six months as the centre expands its offering. We are really looking forward to developing our relationship with the team at West Orchards.”
With some exciting plans in the pipeline, it’s going to be a busy time for this shopping centre. With the help of Piece of Cake Marketing, the centre will be working hard to attract new visitors from both in and out of Coventry to this fabulous food and retail destination.
For more information visit https://pieceofcakemarketing.co.uk and https://www.westorchards.co.uk
Coventry City Council secures occupier for investment asset
In August last year Coventry City Council acquired Oak House on Binley Office Park for refurbishment and investment purposes.
Some nine months on, following extensive strip-out and upgrade of the accommodation, Bellway Homes has been secured for 7,000 sq. ft. of this prestigious office building.
Oak House had been marketed for some time by the previous owners for a new tenant, without success. This gave rise to the opportunity of the city council purchasing the long-leasehold interest at the right price, to merge with the existing freehold ownership. Recognising the potential, Drake Howard Property introduced the office building and entered acquisition negotiations.
Following acquisition, the 9,200 sq. ft. building was placed on the market in January this year, for occupation as a whole or by way of floor plates. Limited strip-out work was undertaken by the new owner, preferring to offer a ‘wish list’ of upgrades to the market, within the scope of capital input envisaged on purchase of the investment.
The marketing strategy produced the desired result with Bellway Homes quickly confirming an interest in half of the ground floor and the whole of the first floor. Detailed negotiation was needed to bottom out the extent of strip of internal divisions and landlord category A fit-out works, to go into an agreement to lease. This was together with plans and a specification for tenant fit-out works, to be included in a Licence for Alterations.
The new five-year term lease will be completed shortly and is drawn on tenant full repair covenant and cost liabilities, including service charge for maintenance of the structure, shared service media and external parking and landscaped areas.
Drake Howard Property has moved to market the remaining ground floor self-contained office suite, measuring 2,200 sq. ft. with exceptional 12 parking spaces, on similar lease and rental terms.
Plasterer calls for apprenticeship support
Stuart Roberts, right, with Curtis Taylor, who took part in a Coventry College traineeship
A Coventry plasterer has called for more support to help small business owners take on apprentices.
Stuart Roberts, of SD Roberts Plastering, says some small businesses are being put off employing trainees due to insurance costs and having to cover wages.
Mr Roberts recently took on a trainee as part of a Coventry College traineeship, which is fully funded by the government.
But he said that if more traineeships such as this were on offer, more young people and traders would be able to benefit.
Curtis Taylor, 17, completed an eightweek Coventry College plastering traineeship with Stuart at SD Roberts Plastering last month. Following a successful traineeship, Curtis will start a two-year apprenticeship from September with the company.
Curtis, from Coventry, said: “I decided to do a traineeship in plastering to see what it was like, and where it might take me.
“I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do, so I thought I would try this to see how it went.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with Stuart on a lot of different jobs and I’m so pleased that I will be able to continue now as an apprentice.”
Stuart said the traineeship has helped the business on a range of plastering and renovation jobs.
He said: “We were looking for an extra pair of hands to help us out as we have been very busy. Curtis took to it like a duck to water and he has been a great help.
“The traineeship has provided a good insight into the plastering trade, and Curtis will now be trained in all aspects of plastering to become a fully qualified plasterer.”
Stuart said he would encourage other small business owners to take part in similar schemes.
“The traineeship provides an opportunity to see if the job will be a good fit and it covers the cost of the wages during the scheme,” he added.
Helen Peters, chief executive of Shakespeare’s England
£5m boost for tourism and hospitality firms
Nearly £5 million of grants have been awarded to tourism and hospitality businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire in the last nine months to help provide support from the ‘perfect storm’ affecting companies in the current economic climate.
Tourism and hospitality is the focus of the latest Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub SmartRegion report, which gathers information from its business engagements as well as statistics and data from Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council, the CWLEP and other organisations.
Coventry and Warwickshire’s business support organisations have provided a wide range of financial support including almost £1.5 million from Warwickshire County Council’s Adapt and Diversify scheme. Almost £200,000 was allocated quickly to businesses in the visitor economy from the European Regional Development Fund Specialist Grants awarded through the CWLEP Growth Hub, with Coventry City Council acting as the accountable body. More than £3 million was lent to businesses in the sector by the Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust.
The government has launched the Tourism Recovery Plan to encourage greener, innovative, and more resilient hospitality and tourism businesses with measures including reducing VAT, business rates relief, introducing a spending voucher scheme, and domestic tourism rail products to increase demand.
Helen Peters, chief executive of Shakespeare’s England, the destination management organisation for South Warwickshire and the surrounding areas, said: “The hospitality industry was the first to be forced to close and has been the last to re-open.
“International visitors had represented roughly 30% of our visitor base. We are unlikely to see many international visitors back until 2022, but VisitBritain anticipate it being 2024 before we realistically return to prepandemic levels.
“Increases in domestic visits via ‘staycations’ and ‘daycations’ will help, but international visitors on average spend three times that of a domestic visitor, so the negative economic impact will still be significant.”
Painting and decorating show returns to Coventry
The National Painting and Decorating Show has been held at the Indoor Arena at the newly-named Coventry Building Society Arena since 2004 – and is set to return for its 17th show on November 23 and 24.
The last time the show was held at the arena it attracted more than 3,500 industry visitors and over 100 exhibitors from across the globe.
It held a virtual event last year but returns to a physical show for 2021, with major international suppliers including Dulux and Crown set to be in attendance.
Terry Dullaway, event organiser for the National Painting and Decorating Show, said he was delighted by the latest ongoing developments at Coventry Building Society Arena, and looks forward to continuing to grow his show at the venue.
He said: “It’s fantastic for us to be back at the Arena this year, after a year away which was out of our control.
“This year will be slightly different, with the need to make alterations to the hall space to allow for social distancing – but we’re very excited about the future and being able to continue to grow our show here.
“The painting and decorating industry has fared extremely well during the pandemic. With people spending more time at home, there has been a greater demand for tradespeople to support home improvements, which has led to the growing demand for decorating materials.
“Contractors have been busy working at commercial and domestic premises, with the increase in business resulting in pressures to satisfy demand.
Paul Michael, commercial director at Coventry Building Society Arena, added: “This is a great example of how we have been able to support the growth of a show over a number of years and how our latest developments will be able to facilitate further growth of that event.”
To find out more about, visit www.paintshow.co.uk
Canal & River Trust celebrates Coventry UK City of Culture 2021
Waterways and wellbeing charity, Canal & River Trust, is celebrating ‘Summer on Coventry Canal’, showcasing the city’s historic waterway spanning from the Canal Basin, along the 5 ½ mile stretch to Hawkesbury Junction, with a wide range of events and activities.
Designed by the great canal engineer James Brindley in 1768, Coventry Canal basin once served as an important industrial hub for the North Warwickshire collieries. Goods were loaded and unloaded and then bound towards the Midlands via the Trent & Mersey Canal or to London via the Oxford Canal.
After it fell into disrepair in the early part of the twentieth century, for 60 years groups such as the Coventry Canal Trust, British Waterways and the Canal & River Trust have worked hard to make this stretch of history a vibrant and important leisure and environmental centre for Coventry.
Working with Coventry UK City of Culture, we are showcasing our canals through a wide range of community and artistic projects including theatrical wonders, magical stories, innovative creations, canal-side activities and heritage events. Activities include Small Bells Rings, which invites you to hop aboard the RV Furor Scribendi, a fully functioning narrowboat which is a floating library crammed full of short stories.
Summer on Coventry Canal is part of the #GreenFutures programme funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with support from Garfield Weston Foundation and Severn Trent Community Fund. We believe that waterways have the power to make a difference to people’s lives and that spending time by water can make us all healthier and happier. By bringing communities together to make a difference to the local waterway, we are creating places and spaces that can be used and enjoyed by everyone, every day.
For more information visit www.canalrivertrust.org.yk
A West Midlands-based business is trialling the future of work across August and September to better understand what a post-COVID return to the office might look like.
Image Plus, a design agency based in Coventry, has been working remotely for most of the last sixteen months – not unlike many other businesses around the world. As the pandemic restrictions have
Coventry business trials post-COVID four-day week
eased in the UK, the company has begun to consider how best to return to “normal” – and what that might look like.
Managing director Alan Hartin said: “We have been wondering how to best create a high-performing work culture which also offers a really good worklife balance. The pandemic forced new patterns of work on us, and part of moving forwards is learning from what we’ve done over the last year or so.”
At Image Plus, that means trialling a four-day week between August 16 and September 24. If successful, the trial is the first step towards adopting a new company policy that promotes flexibility and productivity.
Four-day weeks are a hot topic of conversation in business circles. Between 2015 and 2019, Iceland conducted trials into the new pattern of working which was labelled “an overwhelming success” by the UK think-tank Autonomy. And a recent study by Platform London and the 4 Day Week Campaign found that a four-day week could slash the UK’s carbon footprint by 127 billion tonnes a year.
Alan said: “The idea of a four-day week has been around for some time but there remains debate about how it can work best in practice. In Iceland, for example, many businesses actually trialled shorter working hours, not a four-day week. So, this trial is designed to see how the concept can work for us.”
Charity to unite local firms to help feed vulnerable children
Coventry-based charity Feed The Hungry is launching ‘The BIG Food pack’ in collaboration with local businesses to mark World Food Day on Saturday October 16.
By bringing together 32 teams from local businesses across the region, the international development charity aims to send a shipping container of 285,000 meals to impoverished and orphaned children in Zimbabwe.
The BIG Food Pack event is being held over six days in October and will see businesses coming together in teams of ten people to take up the challenge of packing as much food as they can over a two-hour shift. They will also be encouraged to make a financial contribution to enable the container to reach Zimbabwe.
Gwyn Williams, director of Feed The Hungry, said: “Over the last year, we have seen people from across Coventry and Warwickshire step up and help those most in need locally. As a charity, we are acutely aware of the devastating impact COVID continues to have in communities across the world, and even as our own lockdown ends, we are excited to see the business community engage with Feed The Hungry’s mission to feed vulnerable children across the world.”
Hunger and food insecurity have increased dramatically in Zimbabwe during COVID with 2.4 million people in urban area’s struggling to meet their basic food needs. These needs continue to grow as Zimbabwe remains in a severe lockdown. It is estimated that 38,000 children are currently suffering from acute malnutrition and 4.1 milllion children are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance due to food insecurity and other health and safety concerns.
Feed The Hungry partners with the Zimbabwean charity The Joseph Foundation to ensure that food is provided to the children most in need. Now, with the increased need and the disruption in provision caused by the pandemic, the need has never been greater.
For more information visit www.fth.org.uk/big-food-pack
New street art commissions for In Paint We Trust
Two new commissions have been revealed as part of Coventry City of Culture’s In Paint We Trust series.
In Paint We Trust, led by Street Art Strategy with Coventry City of Culture Trust and Coventry BID, commissions street and multidisciplinary artists to create murals in unique spaces across the city. Inspired by local history and culture, these murals in everyday spaces are designed to spark important conversation by reflecting on Coventry’s history and future.
Internationally-acclaimed Manchester-based duo Nomad Clan have been commissioned to create Coventry & Warwickshire’s largest mural at New Union Street car park. Tasked with creating a tower of tales that represents the city’s past, present and future, Nomad Clan drew inspiration from Coventry’s watchmaking history. The stars and nebulae surrounding the clock face are a nod to Coventry’s first watch and clockmaker Samuel Watson, who created time pieces for Isaac Newton.
The flames were added in reference to the current climate crisis, and the increasing time pressure to take action. The collective, Cbloxx and AYLO, create artwork in public spaces that celebrates local history and comments on social and community issues. Using bold designs on large scales, their murals create impact as stand-out features against the local scenery. Their artwork has been featured in locations across the world, from Sweden to Flint Michigan and Mexico.
Nomad Clan said: “Coventry’s role in helping to shape the world cannot be overlooked, its history is as unique as its vibrancy which serves as a mecca for a thriving multicultural society.”
Adrian Woolford, assistant BID manager at Coventry BID, said: “The City of Culture Trust, In Paint We Trust project is the perfect fit for Coventry BID as it brightens up the walls of the city centre and creates galleries on the streets for all that are visiting.”
Garden village can support economic growth in South Warwickshire
The building of a ‘garden village’ on the former site of Long Marston Airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon and the creation of a ‘super’ district council will help to drive significant economic growth in south Warwickshire.
That was the message to a gathering organised by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce at the airfield to hear about the progress of both.
Work is well underway on the first 400 homes with the first residents expected to move in later this year.
A planning application has been submitted to Stratford-on-Avon District for a further 124 homes and plans are being worked on for a third phase of 500 homes. The site is one of 14 across the country that are being developed under ‘garden village’ principles, which means they will be self-contained with all the facilities required by residents on site. Led by CALA Homes and supported and assisted by Jonathan Thompson who is the lead land agent for LMA, it will be developed over the next 20 years and will deliver 3,500 homes to help meet the expected demand for housing.
There will also be a 15-acre business park that will provide jobs, and a local centre anchored by a food store with a range of shops and facilities such as a community hall, medical centre, and a primary and secondary school.
The Chamber’s gathering also heard about a significant investment in the transport infrastructure in the wider area that would not otherwise be forthcoming without the airfield’s redevelopment.
Jonathan Thompson, who set up his own land and development company in 2017 and represents the Hodges family who have owned the airfield for over 100 years, said: “LMA is a very good current example of how the development of a larger single site can stimulate significant levels of investment, which is what is happening as a result in south Warwickshire and the wider economy. This will benefit not only the local economy and local residents but also the wider region.”
Jonathan Thompson, Doug Squires and Cllr Tony Jefferson
Digital support is a jewel for Coventry business
Keely Hancox (left) with Laura Kelly
An independent jewellery retailer in Coventry has emerged from its COVID-19 chrysalis in style after taking advantage of a project to improve digital retail.
Glitterbugs, which sells gifts, handbags and watches from its stall at Arena Shopping Park, has enjoyed returning to trading after a ten-month absence caused by the pandemic, and has heaped praised on a free digital training scheme delivered by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber, which operates the course on behalf of Coventry City Council, has been working with Stories Marketing to deliver the online sessions, which include two bespoke workshops and an online networking event for local businesses to share their concerns, questions and advice. One-to-one support has also been available to companies that participate in the programme.
The family-run business contacted the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce for support after hearing about the scheme, which is funded by the council’s Additional Restrictions Grant support package for businesses.
Coventry resident Laura Kelly, owner of Glitterbugs, said: “The scheme came at the perfect time for our business because we had endured a tough year because of the pandemic.
“As a business which relies heavily on footfall, we were forced to rethink our strategy when we were unable to do business in person.
“With the help of the Chamber and the Stories Marketing team, we were able to boost our social media presence and open up a new avenue for sales and customer interaction. We now have a website in development that will allow us to reach even more customers.
“The team we worked with was extremely professional and the support we have received has been invaluable to our business. Our Instagram and Facebook pages have grown in popularity since starting the course, and we are now more equipped to take orders, respond to queries and process payments via our online platforms.”
For more information visit www.cw-chamber.co.uk/business-support/ digital-retailer-workshops
Drop in for start-up help
Entrepreneurs in Coventry can put their ideas to a start-up expert at drop-in sessions at a co-working space in the region every Thursday.
Individuals who are on the verge of establishing their own business or who have recently set up their own venture can call in to see Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce enterprise coach, Gavin Barnett, at the Wheelhouse workspace in Coventry between 10am and 4pm each Thursday.
Gavin will be available to give initial advice on the business and can point individuals to a range of support on offer from the Chamber and other partners.
It will also be an opportunity to look at the options available at the Wheelhouse – which is an affordable co-working space in Earl Street, Coventry – that are suitable for new businesses that need access to desk-space, WiFi and meeting rooms.
Gavin said: “It’s great to finally be able to meet people face-to-face again. This is especially important to those individuals who are just starting out who want to meet and talk about their ideas.
“I will be available between 10am and 4pm every Thursday at the Wheelhouse for an initial conversation and I can then advise on the support that’s right for each individual, depending on what stage they are at with their business.
“It can be anything from setting up a business bank account through to marketing and social media and it’s important that people know the support is there for them.
“As well as that, it’s a chance to see the space at the Wheelhouse for those individuals who want to get out of the house, into an office environment and network with like-minded people.”
The start-up support is funded by Coventry City Council through the Additional Restrictions Grant for businesses.
Details of the Wheelhouse are available at https://thewheelhouses.com/sharedoffice-space-coventry/ For more information email gavinb@cw-chamber.co.uk
Help on offer for those looking to start a business
Individuals in Coventry who are dreaming of starting their own business are being offered free help to turn that dream into a reality.
The COVID-19 crisis has seen more and more people considering self-employment – whether it’s turning a side-line into a fullyfledged business, or finally taking the plunge and establishing a completely new venture.
Now individuals can speak to a business expert from the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce as part of a new support package funded by Coventry City Council, through the Additional Restrictions Grant for businesses.
Anyone with a business idea can apply for help, providing the business has not already been registered. Anyone considering starting a business venture in food and drink, hospitality, leisure & tourism, retail or something completely different, should connect with the Chamber immediately.
The Chamber has appointed a new enterprise coach, Gavin Barnett, to run the programme and he will be holding a series of open clinics to assess individual needs. Gavin is available to offer impartial advice and assess business ideas at those online clinics, which run every Tuesday until the end of September, between 9.30am and 1pm.
Anyone interested should email Gavin at Gavinb@cw-chamber.co.uk, with an overview of their business and contact details and quote Coventry Start-Up Clinic. All sessions are delivered online and meeting links will be sent out after the initial phone call.
Those who meet the criteria for the programme can then benefit from six hours of advice and support on everything from how to register the business through to sales and marketing.
Gavin, who joined the Chamber after three years with the CWLEP Growth Hub, said: “This is a great programme for those individuals who have been thinking of starting a business and have decided that now is the time that they want to do it.”
For more information call 024 7665 4321 or email startyourbusiness@cw-chamber.co.uk
MP meets Chamber to discuss business challenges
Nuneaton MP Marcus Jones has welcomed exemptions that are being made to the COVID-19 self-isolation rules after accepting the track and trace ‘pingdemic’ has been creating real challenges for employers.
The Conservative MP was speaking at the latest policy hour meeting organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce for its members in north Warwickshire.
Mr Jones said the pandemic had changed with a significant number of people vaccinated, and the number of people being admitted to hospital and their length of stay being reduced.
But he said that the success of the track and trace system was causing some employers difficulties and he welcomed the change to daily testing in August.
He said: “I am well aware of some of the challenges with the system, which is interesting because some time ago people were complaining that it wasn’t successful, and now in many ways it’s almost too successful and clearly it’s causing a lot of employers a great deal of challenges.
“To reflect that, there are a number of industries that are immediately going to move to a daily testing system. That’s important so we can ensure supply chains into supermarkets, for example, can work.”
Also discussed at the meeting was Mr Jones’ support for a gigafactory at Coventry Airport, the possibility of a Minister for SMEs, and the effect of the pandemic on supply chains and the shortage of staff in some sectors. He was also told how small businesses were particularly fragile with the winding down of the COVID-19 support packages.
There was an update on the Transforming Nuneaton scheme, which has so far secured more than £150 million of funding from the public and private sector.
Chamber welcomes new member
New Chamber member Marco Italian Delicatessen of Stratford Upon Avon, offers a full catering service for both private and corporate events.
With their extensive range of highquality produce, they can supply cold finger buffets daily to: Stratford Upon Avon, Leamington, Warwick and Wellesbourne area. They can also offer an onsite catering operation for up to 400 people.
To discuss your catering requirements email tony@marcositaliandeli.co.uk or visit marcositaliandeli.co.uk
Ambitious apprentice in finals of prestigious awards scheme
An Amazon apprentice studying at the Coventry-based Manufacturing Technology Centre has been shortlisted in the finals of the prestigious Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Apprentice Awards.
Lakan Brown, aged 33, was nominated for his exceptional progress, as well as his commitment to the future of the manufacturing sector as a mentor and ambassador for apprenticeships.
Lakan, who was nominated in the transport and logistics category of this year’s awards, is in the second year of his four-year Mechatronics Apprenticeship at the MTC. He is one of a cohort of apprentices from global online retailing giant Amazon. The company uses the MTC to deliver training as part of its national apprenticeship programme.
Lakan, from Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, started studying for his Amazon apprenticeship at MTC in September 2019. After nine years working in retail, he decided to pursue a career in engineering. He joined Amazon's fulfillment centre in Ridgmont, Milton Keynes and after mentoring operations apprentices in his new role he realised that a mechatronics apprenticeship would give him the range of skills he needed to pursue his ideal career path.
The nomination recognises his exceptional progress and commitment to his own personal and professional development. It also recognises the voluntary support he has given to his peers throughout the pandemic as a mentor and mental health first aider, and his involvement in a collaborative charity project to bring hands-on STEM activities to children at home.
Lakan said: “Anyone can be an apprentice, regardless of background or experience or age. It's never too late to aim higher and fulfill your true potential.”
David Hughes MBE, managing director of MTC Apprenticeships, said: “We're committed to making apprenticeship opportunities more accessible and inclusive, so we're delighted that one of our learners has been shortlisted as a finalist in the BAME Apprenticeship Awards for the second year running.”
MTC apprentice Lakan Brown. (picture taken before COVID requirement for face masks)
Accountant to run London Marathon for charity
Trevor Day (centre) and his client services team at Burgis & Bullock cheering him on.
A Warwickshire accountant will be counting the milestones when he takes on the London Marathon for the first-time and is hoping to raise thousands in aid of a children’s charity.
Trevor Day, a partner at Burgis & Bullock, is challenging the iconic 26.2 mile run in October and is aiming to raise at least £2,500 in support of Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Last year he celebrated 35 years with Burgis & Bullock, which has offices in Leamington, Nuneaton, Rugby and Stratford-upon-Avon, and it is his first London Marathon.
The Spa Striders running club member has been training for two years now after the race was cancelled due to the pandemic, but he is on track now for the Sunday, October 3 date.
He only started running in his early 50s and caught the bug after attending park runs with his wife, progressing to 10k events, and taking on his first half marathon in Kenilworth a year later.
It will be Trevor’s second marathon, after completing the Reykjavik marathon five years ago.
He said: “I’m aiming to complete the marathon in under five hours. Everyone at Burgis & Bullock have been very supportive and generous with their donations so far.
“I’m hoping to fundraise as much as possible in support of Starlight, which is a wonderful charity doing very important work with seriously ill children across the country and locally.”
Sam Butler, head of public fundraising at Starlight, said: “We are so grateful for the support of all of our fundraisers. Many of them, like Trevor, decide to support Starlight by taking on the London Marathon.
“The months of training and the challenge of fitting all those practice runs in to busy schedules does not go unnoticed by all of us.”
Sam Wilson (left) and Simon Hough
A pioneering event management specialist will be heading for the woods next year after landing a major new traffic management contract.
Stadium, which is based in Coventry and provides traffic management, security and event services, has been selected to work on Forest Live, a series of summer concerts organised by Forestry England. The company, which counts a string of top sports organisations among its
Event management firm secures major contract win
clients, will provide traffic management and car parking services at the gigs headlined by acts such as Madness, Rag'n'Bone Man, Keane and Jess Glynne, and staged in Gloucestershire, Staffordshire, Suffolk and Cheshire throughout June 2022.
Sam Wilson of Stadium said: “We provide traffic management services for clients across the country – mostly sporting. That includes concerts held at their venues but this is the first time we have bid for standalone music events so it is a great success. “The Forest Live events have been running since 2001. Next year they will attract in excess of 100,000 concert-goers across 16 nights and we have started planning our operations to ensure they have a great experience when travelling to and from the venue.
“Forestry England has attracted a great line up of acts and some of the events are already sold out, so we are expecting capacity crowds.
“Numbers of vehicles at the venues range from between 1,500 to 4,000 per night depending on the venue so they are large events, and because of the nature and location of the venues there are significant levels of traffic.
“Traffic and parking arrangements are so important to the success of an event and that is just what we specialise in.”
Stadium was formed in 2009 and provides traffic management, event services and training, as well as rental of security barriers, the hiring of stewards and SIA security staff for events. The firm supports events ranging from Premier League football matches to the Commonwealth Games, the Olympic Games, sell-out concerts and high-profile conferences.
Fintech firm signs new lease to remain in Warwickshire
A Leamington financial technology company has resisted the urge to move to London, signing a new long-term lease to keep its operations in Warwickshire.
Wealth Wizards, which has spent the last six years operating out of its double property at Athena Court in Tachbrook Park, has signed a nine-year lease agreement with Warwickshirebased property development company AC Lloyd to remain at the site until 2030.
The company uses artificial intelligence and machine learning guided by a team of financial experts to provide financial health checks and advice on how to maximise investments and performance. It has been based in Leamington since its inception in 2011.
The decision to stay in south Warwickshire follows a refinancing of Wealth Wizards, with the directors agreeing that Leamington is a prime location for financial services companies operating outside of London because of its easy transport links to the capital.
Anthony Jones, chief financial officer at Wealth Wizards, also cited the Warwickshire and West Midlands workforce’s excellent software engineering skills as a key reason for renewing their lease.
He said: “Leamington is an ideal location for businesses like ours given the skilled labour force based in the surrounding area and its links to major cities and markets such as London and Birmingham.
“The site we have been based at for the last six years is absolutely perfect for our needs. The growing status of the region from a business perspective means we have a say about where we are based, as moving to London is now being seen as a choice rather than a must.”
Mark Edwards, managing director at AC Lloyd Commercial, said: “Wealth Wizards is part of an extremely popular site in Tachbrook Park and I have no doubt that seeing this place thrive has played a part in the company’s decision to renew.”
Mark Edwards (left) and Tony Hargreave (right) from AC Lloyd with Anthony Jones from Wealth Wizards
From left to right - Adele Christie, Edwin McConville, Hannah Smith and Shaun Pitt
A talented Leamington fashion design student has been presented with a prestigious bursary award to support her studies at a worldrenowned arts institution.
Hannah Smith, from Lillington, has been recognised as the Most Outstanding Student for the Warwickshire College of Art, which is based at Royal Leamington Spa College.
Outstanding fashion student scoops award
Royal Leamington Spa College is part of college group WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group).
The award is supported by The Arts Society Royal Leamington Spa and decided by tutors at the college who teach on the UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design.
It brings with it a bursary award over three years, which will support Hannah during her studies at the prestigious Central Saint Martins art school in London, where she has been accepted to study womenswear.
Hannah, 18, said: “I feel very grateful to have been selected for this award and very lucky that it has a bursary associated with it too. I really wasn’t expecting it!
“My work this year has been inspired by my brother, who has a physical disability, and seeing how he navigates the world. My fashion focuses on where disabled people fit in fashion, and there is certainly a lack of visibility for disabled people in the industry.”
Shaun Pitt, chairman of The Arts Society Royal Leamington Spa, added: “People like Hannah are the future of fashion. The next Vivienne Westwood has got to come from somewhere, so why not Leamington?”
Adele Christie, course leader, said: “ Hannah is a determined and conscientious student who has a mature ability to turn ordinary materials into exquisite pieces of work. She has been the real standout so we were delighted to choose her for this year’s award.”
To find out more about art and design courses at Royal Leamington Spa College, visit www.wcg.ac.uk/study
Talented artists bring installations to Coventry
Coventry BID and The Show Windows team have revealed that the latest artists bringing world-class art installations to the city are proud Coventrians.
Gary Eite, Matt Chinn, Michala Gyetvai, Sadie Aspinall and Tammy Woodrow are showcasing their artworks within a window at Primark, as well as bringing the old Debenhams window in the city back to life.
Celebrating the best of design, colour, optimism and harmony, The Show Windows programme – co-produced in partnership with Coventry City of Culture Trust, Coventry BID and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) – invites artists, architects, creatives, designers and makers to create portals to other places in shop and business windows throughout Coventry city centre.
Matt Chinn, a visual artist and designer, has created an electric window installation called “Creative Spark”, which can be found within the window at Primark.
At only 16 years of age, Sadie Aspinall is the youngest Spotlight artist who has created a beautiful painting called “Child in Thought”, which is situated within the old Debenhams window.
Gary Eite has created three wood cut prints of fly overs and underpasses in Coventry, which also feature within the installation at the old Debenhams.
During lockdown, Michala Gyetvai, created 306 oil pastel drawings showcasing the changing landscape of her garden throughout the seasons and 40 of these beautiful pieces of art are now proudly on display within the old Debenhams window.
The fifth and final artist is Tammy Woodrow, whose selection of sculptures from her ‘Kokon Series’ stand proudly in the old Debenhams window.
Trish Willetts, Coventry BID director, said: “We are thrilled to welcome such an eclectic and talented array of artists as part of the Show Windows spotlight. It’s wonderful to see such amazing talent being nurtured at a local level.”
Cyber Essential certification success for fifth year running
For the fifth year running, Leamington Spa-based branding Agency, Glued, has worked with the team at Risk Evolves to renew its Cyber Essentials certification.
Cyber-attacks come in many shapes and sizes, but the vast majority are very basic in nature, carried out by relatively unskilled individuals. They’re the digital equivalent of a thief trying your front door to see if it’s unlocked.
David Wilson, creative partner at Glued, said: “We want our clients to be confident that we’re taking practical steps to ensure all our work is secure. We think Cyber Essentials is a great way to ensure our data is protected. We’ve found the team at Risk Evolves makes the process easy and straightforward. I’d recommend this scheme to everyone.”
As a business supporting organisations with brand development and brand reputation, Glued understands how important it is to protect clients’ data and the positive impact something like Cyber Essentials can have on customer confidence.
David continued: “Our clients understand that we take security seriously and review our processes and systems regularly. Cyber Essentials is just one of the tools we use to do that.”
According to Statista.com, only 9% of firms in the UK are aware of the Cyber Essentials scheme.
