The Masthead by Benham Publishing Limited

masthead the

ISSUE 20

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR SOUTH EAST LONDON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ECONOMY Richard Burge, CEO of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), explains how the organisation is forging links between South East London firms and businesses overseas

SKILLS Government and businesses need to develop a longer-term vision that recognises the needs to train the future workforce effectively

HOSPITALITY What a difference a year makes! Businesses are open once more and people can meet others face-to-face again. That has been a real boost to the events and hospitality industries

Croydon College offers learning opportunities for all Caireen Mitchell Principal and CEO

Law firms don’t solve problems, people do.

Bromley 020 8290 0440

London 020 8290 0440

West Wickham 020 8290 0440

Sevenoaks 01732 496 496

www.thackraywilliams.com

CONTENTS

WELCOME

ELCC is busy working with the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We are an affiliate and in turn they are an accredited member of the British Chamber of Commerce; these strong links strengthen the UK’s chamber family. Our affiliation gives our members additional benefits and one of these is Chamber Protect - Free access to legal, tax and HR advice. More information will follow in due course on other benefits. When you read this, our Breakfast Meeting with Gareth Bacon MP for Orpington and Conservative Ambassador for Small Business in Greater London will have taken place along with the AGM. Since March, I have been hosting small virtual roundtable meetings with Gareth and some of our members, particularly those in the hospitality sector. These meetings have proved useful to all concerned and members’ views have been fed back to Government. Another event which will be covered in the next issue of Masthead is the Mayor of Lewisham’s Business Awards. The Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards took place on Friday, 22 October at The InterContinental 02 and full coverage is on page 10. SELCC supported the Awards and for the first time, we sponsored an Award. We have exciting plans for 2022 and I look forward to sharing them with you. Helen McIntosh FCIPR President

Editorial and General Enquiries South East London Chamber of Commerce Unit TW/145, Trinity Wharf, Harrington Way Warspite Road London SE18 5NR Tel: 020 8317 3365 Email: office@selondonchamber.org www.selondonchamber.org

@SELondonChamber

South East London Chamber of Commerce

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Kickstart Scheme Spurgeon’s College Focus on Lewisham Focus on Croydon Royal Greenwich Business Awards – Winners Focus on Greenwich Visit Greenwich Focus on Bromley Focus on Bexley LCCI -Richard Burge Education & Skills Legal

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: November 2021 © Benham Publishing

Advertising and Features Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com Production Manager Mark Etherington Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: mark@benhampublishing.com Media No. 1856 Disclaimer The Masthead is published for South East London Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members.

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Technology The Big Interview Chamber Events Past Forthcoming Chamber Events Hospitality Construction Finance Health & Wellbeing News And finally… New Members

All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at South East London Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in The Masthead are not necessarily those of South East London Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission. © 2021 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 forthe 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.

CHAMBER NEWS

❛❛Employers, crying out for skilled and experienced people in the workplace, will welcome initiatives to help older workers return to the labour market, re-train and reboot their careers.❜❜

KICKSTART

scheme extended A scheme that allows South East London businesses to provide government-funded jobs to young people is being extended until March 2022.

he Kickstart Scheme delivers funding for employers offering new job roles for 16-24-year-olds who currently receive Universal Credit and are at risk of long-term unemployment. Originally created by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), it aims to offer high-quality work placements for young people so they can get the skills needed to progress into sustainable employment. The extension of the scheme was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in his speech at the Conservative Party Conference in October. Employers of all sizes can now apply for funding until December 17 2021. The funding covers: • 100% of the national minimum wage (or the national living wage depending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours per week for a total of six months • associated employer national insurance contributions • minimum automatic enrolment pension contributions

Employers can spread the job start dates up until March 31 2022. Businesses will receive funding for six months once the young person has started his/her job. Responding to the announcement, Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Employers are creating thousands of Kickstart jobs to help young people furthest from the labour market gain skills for work. Therefore, it would make more sense to extend the scheme further, to the end of 2022, and broaden the eligibility criteria to ensure more young people can benefit from the scheme. “Employers, crying out for skilled and experienced people in the workplace, will welcome initiatives to help older workers return to the labour market, re-train and reboot their careers. The government should also extend the Kickstart scheme to include older workers to provide new experience, skills and confidence to re-join the workforce.”

SPURGEON’S COLLEGE

Spurgeon’s College

supports Croydon’s small firms

Spurgeon’s College has been in existence since 1856 but is one of the most forward-thinking education institutions in the country.

ased in south east London, the college has a national focus and a global reach and its mission is to train men and women for Christian mission, ministry and leadership in the contemporary world. As a Christian higher education theological college, its values are directly drawn from and aligned with biblical principles. The college’s values runs throughout its learning programmes, which include courses in areas such as counselling, theology, pastoral supervision, and from September 2022 business management and marketing, international relations and social policy, and media, communication and creative writing. A key aim of Spurgeon’s is to cultivate a creative learning environment that allows every student to develop spiritually, academically, emotionally and socially. Another goal is to develop the college’s position as a researchled, experience-based centre of excellence that delivers positive outcomes for students. Behind these aims is another ambition: to develop students who are well-rounded individuals who can make a positive difference to the fortunes of local businesses. To that end, Spurgeon’s is assisting small firms, through its support of the Croydon Division of the South East London Chamber of Commerce, by offering a space where small firms can network with bright students, trial ideas, develop and grow has sought to assist small firms. Reverend Professor Philip Reverend Professor Philip McCormack MBE, principal of the college, says ‘We want to support the local business community. That’s why, in partnership with the Croydon Division of the South East London Chamber of Commerce, we’re delighted that some of Croydon’s finest entrepreneurs and small business leaders will benefit from this relationship;

we have a great rapport with the South East London Chamber of Commerce and look forward to seeing small businesses flourish in Croydon through the practical support offered to Croydon Division by the College free of charge. “Some of the businesses here are fantastically talented with a great social conscience. To give one example, one lady runs a business for 18-30-year-olds to help them into employment. “We’ll continue to support the local business community in future. One idea is to attract micro businesses to the facility offered to the Croydon Division by the college, which could help businesses that can’t afford office space in Croydon. Spurgeon’s invests in the local community by using its facilities and resources to help local people flourish. It has 77 staff and about 750 students, mainly of adult age, as well as 78 ministers in training. In another forward-thinking move, Spurgeon’s is currently in the process of seeking degreeawarding powers. “Effectively this means we’d have the authority to award our own degrees,” says Philip. Hopefully this will happen next year. Our aspiration is become Croydon’s first home-grown university.” Spurgeon’s has also forged a partnership with Liverpool Hope University. From next year, degrees that are offered at Liverpool Hope will be offered at Spurgeon’s in the following subjects: business and management, creative writing, and social policy and international relations.

Philip, who has been at the college since 2017, says: “We need to think strategically about the future. We’ll still train people for ministry but we’ll also specialise in humanities and social sciences. This is because these subjects are critical to the lives of people in a well-balanced and well-rounded society.’’ “We’re a significant higher education provider south of the Thames. We have quality staff, good aspirations and a Chrisitan ethos and I’d like to think that our offer enriches the lives of people in the community.”

❛❛Some of the businesses here are fantastically talented with a great social conscience. To give one example, one lady runs a business for 18-30 year olds to help them into employment.❜❜

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Navigating the end of Furlough With the furlough scheme having ended on 30 September 2021, it’s inevitable that some employers will face the difficult prospect of having to reduce their workforce to save their business. Michael Pope provides a summary of the key considerations for employers looking to make redundancies in light of the

edundancy is a form of fair dismissal, provided that it satisfies various procedural requirements. An employee can be made redundant when the work they are doing is no longer required, where fewer people are needed to do the work or where the business closes down in a particular location or stops trading altogether. Sadly, this will be the case for businesses hit hardest by the pandemic. Redundancy can also be established where there are changes to what the business does, where the work is done or how it is done – for example, following the introduction of new equipment or technology. These are all called ‘redundancy situations’. Having established that a redundancy situation exists, there are a number of steps required to ensure the process is deemed fair. These steps are required to reduce the risk of claims for unfair dismissal.

The selection process and consultation Firstly, an employer will identify employees who may be affected by the redundancy – ‘the selection pool’. This will usually consist of employees doing the same or very similar roles. While employers are required to use a fair, transparent and objective method to select employees for redundancy, there is some latitude as to how they do this. For example, employers should score employees using a set criteria. In some cases, they may interview employees for the roles remaining available. Employers must not select employees on discriminatory grounds or unreasonably exclude people from ‘the pool’. It’s important that employers consult with employees about the reason or reasons for the redundancies and the extent to which they may be avoided. Consultation should also include consideration of the selection process and the alternatives. Employers should always consider ways to avoid redundancy, such as changes in working hours, reduced pay or benefits, or identifying cost savings

COVID-19 pandemic. elsewhere. When facing redundancy, employees are sometimes willing to be more flexible than employers expect.

If an employee is entitled to receive more than the statutory minimum, notice must be given in line with their employment contract instead.

In normal times, a formal face-to-face meeting would take place between a representative of the employer and the employee. Although it may be that there are occasions where meetings can take place by video with the employee’s consent, face-to-face meetings with both parties present is still the safest approach.

Employees can be required to work all their notice or they may receive a payment in lieu of notice, with termination effective immediately or during the notice period.

For 20 or more redundancies, collective consultation regulations apply. The consultation should last at least 30 days for up to 99 redundancies, and at least 45 days for more than 100 redundancies. Some employers may already have made a start on consultations well before furlough ended. Failure to properly consult or use a fair procedure and the right consultation procedures may result in claims being issued by aggrieved employees in the Employment Tribunal.

Suitable alternative employment Employers can offer suitable alternative employment as a way to avoid redundancy. Employers should consider: • How similar the role is to an employee’s current role (e.g. duties, responsibilities and work) • The terms of the new role (e.g. hours, pay, status, benefits and location) • An employee’s skillset/qualifications to perform the role. Employees can be given a four-week trial period to establish whether an alternative role is suitable.

Notice Employees being made redundant are entitled to notice. The minimum notice requirements are one week for less than two years’ employment, and one week’s notice for each year of employment over two years (capped at 12 years).

Statutory redundancy pay Employees will normally be entitled to statutory redundancy pay if they have been employed continuously for two years or more. For employees on furlough, redundancy pay is based on an employee’s ‘normal’ earnings. If an enhanced contractual redundancy policy applies, redundancy pay should be calculated in line with the policy in place.

Potential claims and compensation If an employee has been selected for redundancy unfairly (for example, no genuine redundancy situation exists, a fair and nondiscriminatory selection process has not been carried out, consultation has not been properly undertaken, alternative employment has not been carefully considered, or the employee was selected for redundancy on unlawful grounds), an employee may issue a claim for unfair dismissal at the Employment Tribunal. If successful, a basic award of up to £16,320 (based on weekly pay, age and length of service) and a compensatory award of up to £89,493 could be made. If a discrimination claim is successful, compensation is awarded at the Tribunal’s discretion and this could be substantial. Failure to comply with the collective consultation regulations may result in an award of up to 90 days’ gross pay to each affected employee – which is also potentially a very substantial sanction for failure to comply with the law. Care needs to be taken to treat employees properly and to ensure the redundancy process is fair from start to finish. Many employers will never have been through it before. Taking timely legal advice could therefore be the difference between a successful outcome and a compensation claim that’s damaging to the business.

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Employment Law Advice We provide comprehensive advice for employers on all aspects of employment law. Our specialism includes: Employment contracts and policies Employee and worker status IR35 and off-payroll working Pay, holiday and sickness Data protection and privacy Grievances Disciplinary Dismissal and termination TUPE

Breach of contract Post-termination issues Redundancy Unfair dismissal Settlement agreements Whistleblowing Discrimination Human Rights Bullying and harassment

For more information, please call us on 020 8858 6971 or email employment@grantsaw.co.uk

020 8858 6971 employment@grantsaw.co.uk www.grantsaw.co.uk

Focus on Lewisham

Lewisham unveils landmark study to support local BAME-owned businesses through COVID recovery Lewisham Council has launched the results of a ground-breaking census of its high streets to tackle inequalities and rebuild the local, post-COVID economy.

ecovery in the retail sector is considered fragile. The Council commissioned this first-of-its-kind study to understand and address the unique challenges local retailers face as they emerge from the pandemic – with an emphasis on identifying any disparities for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic business owners.

Some of the key findings reveal:

The independent survey was conducted by London South Bank University earlier this year across 10 of the busiest high streets in the borough, including Catford, Deptford and New Cross.

• Two thirds of the independent shops and services on the borough’s high streets are owned by Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) entrepreneurs. Mistrust of authorities is a common issue and has led to poor uptake of Council-led business support. We are addressing this through increased face-to-face engagement, developing local peer-led initiatives and partnering with trusted business networks. We will be offering discounts on Federation of Small Businesses memberships for BAME retailers.

❛❛One of the most stark findings is that generally, BAME-owned businesses on the high street are less likely to access things like business networks and council services. This insight will help us to shape our services and our approach to make them more accessible to these important businesses that serve our communities

• 70% of businesses on Lewisham’s high streets are independent. These businesses told us they want to be more self-sufficient. In response, the council will offer a range of practical support to empower them to strengthen their businesses, from free courses in bookkeeping to building local networks.

• Local retailers need an increase in footfall. Our high street business owners have told us they rely on in-person sales to bolster revenues but footfall levels are still perceived to be lower than they were pre-pandemic. We are implementing a series of environmental improvements to make town centres more appealing places to visit, alongside running initiatives such as the ongoing Shop Safe Shop Local campaign to actively encourage residents to support their local businesses. Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham, said: “We are the first borough in the country to run this kind of census, to help us to better understand, champion and support the amazing diversity of our high streets.

We know the pandemic has been seriously tough for our business owners, and even more so for those from ethnic minority backgrounds. “As we plan for recovery, our high street businesses will be crucial in rebuilding the borough’s economy and creating local jobs for local people. “One of the most stark findings is that generally, BAME-owned businesses on the high street are less likely to access things like business networks and council services. This insight will help us to shape our services and our approach to make them more accessible to these important businesses that serve our communities and play such a vital role in Lewisham’s economy.” Cllr Kim Powell, Cabinet Member for Business and Community Wealth Building, said: “The disproportionate deaths due to COVID-19 among Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities shone a spotlight on the systemic inequalities they experience in all areas of their lives. That includes businesses. As a council, we are committed to tackling inequalities to ensure everybody has the opportunity to succeed. “We already offer a robust programme of support for local businesses but the findings of this study mean we can be even more targeted in the types of support we offer. This is about ensuring we are giving all our entrepreneurs the tools to succeed, regardless of their ethnicity or background.” Dr Charles Graham, Associate Professor in Marketing London South Bank University, said: “London South Bank University Business School is delighted to have been involved in this ground-breaking project for Lewisham Council. The study offered our students a valuable opportunity to apply their learning in a critical business setting. In addition, it was a chance for the university to engage with the local community and contribute to the Council’s Covid-19 recovery plan for independent high street businesses.”

and play such a vital role in Lewisham’s economy. 8

❜❜

For the full findings of the report or to read the executive summary, please visit lewisham.gov.uk/HighStreetStudy

Focus on Croydon

Croydon Residents vote for a directed elected Mayor model Croydon residents have voted to change to a directly elected mayor model in a governance referendum to determine how their council will be run.

oters had been offered a choice between the directly elected mayor model or the council’s current system of governance, the leader and cabinet model.

Councillor Hamida Ali, Leader of the Council

❛❛Over the past year we have made major progress transforming the council to get our finances back on track and begin to improve the vital services our residents rely on.❜❜

The referendum was held on 7 October and the following results were announced at 2.30am on 8 October: Leader and cabinet model: 11,519 Directly elected mayor model: 47,165 Voter turnout: 58,897 (21%) Following the result an Extraordinary Council Meeting was held where the change in council’s governance was approved.. The council’s current leader and cabinet system of governance will remain in place until the May 2022

elections. Residents will then be asked to vote for a directly elected mayor who will lead the council, as well as voting for their local councillors. “When I became leader last year, I promised to open up the council and give residents a stronger voice. That’s why I listened to local people and ensured the council held this referendum to give our community the chance to have their say on how the council is run in the future. “Over the past year we have made major progress transforming the council to get our finances back on track and begin to improve the vital services our residents rely on. Today’s result means that in May next year residents will get the chance to elect a mayor to lead our council and continue this important work reforming Croydon Council to provide the best possible services for local people.”

Post-pandemic opportunities highlighted at

Develop Croydon Conference

Leading figures from across the public and private sectors came together at Fairfield Halls on 8 November for the annual Develop Croydon Conference.

his year’s focus of Live/Work Croydon brought together developers, commercial agents and businesses to promote and discuss the exciting opportunities of investing in Croydon. The day was opened by Croydon Council leader Cllr Hamida Ali who welcomed the 200-strong audience of landowners, occupiers, developers, investors and construction professionals, with an overview of the borough’s ambitions, strengths and opportunities.

Panel debates included a focus on Croydon’s workspace offering and how it could support future work life trends, and the role of education and skills in the borough’s future economy. Expert-led panels also discussed Croydon’s vast industrial opportunities – including the demands and challenges as the sector looks to improve sustainability – and the role the borough’s diverse district centres play for those looking to change their lives and move out of central London post-Covid-19.

Full details about the conference can be found at:

www.developcroydonconference.co.uk

The winners are: Innovation Award

Sponsor: Mo-Sys Engineering Hexitime - Winner Make-up Box - Highly commended

Workforce Development Award

Sponsor: London South East Colleges Her Centre - Winner SV Academy - Highly Commended

Made in Greenwich Award

Sponsor: Handelsbanken Borna Foods Limited - Winner

Greener Greenwich Award

Sponsor: IKEA Fast Shield Packaging Limited - Winner

Health and Wellbeing Award Sponsor: GLL Care College - Winner

High Street Retailer of the Year Award Sponsor: Grant Saw Solicitors Made in Greenwich – GCDA - Winner

Food and Hospitality Award Sponsor: Drury Tea & Coffee Kola Butchers – Winner

Tourism and Culture Award

Sponsor: Visit Greenwich and The O2 Greenwich Music School - Winner Maritime Radio - Highly Commended

Young Entrepreneur Award

The Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards 2021, in association with U+I and supported by the South East London Chamber of Commerce, aims to celebrate and recognise what businesses have achieved over the last 18 months despite the challenges of the pandemic. The awards also recognise how businesses have adapted and innovated to sustain their business.

ll the award categories were open to businesses of all sizes and sectors that are located within the borough. The Awards were free to enter and provided an opportunity for micro and small businesses as well as larger organisations that help drive the local economy to shine a spotlight on their successes and achievements.

The award categories sought to showcase businesses from all sectors and industries including retail, hospitality, creative and service industries, tourism and manufacturing. Businesses could nominate themselves for one or more of the individual award categories. The awards took place on 22 October 2021 at the InterContinental O2 Hotel hosted by Meera Syal CBE.

Sponsor: University of Greenwich Joint Winners UNAJI&Co F5 Films Ltd

Leader’s Award

Sponsor: South East London Chamber of Commerce Tribe Urban Entertainment - Winner

Business of the Year Award

Sponsor: Willmott Dixon Fast Shield Packaging Limited - Winner

Focus on Greenwich

It’s all happening

in GREENWICH Funding boost for housing

Greenwich One Card

Greenwich Builds has been given a boost in the form of a £38 million grant from the Mayor of London, as part of the new Affordable Homes Programme.

Royal Greenwich is home to some of the most visited museums in the country, with wonderful markets, cafés, culture and brilliant businesses lining almost every street in the borough.

The additional funding will be used to build hundreds of new council homes across Royal Greenwich, as part of the awardwinning Greenwich Builds programme.

Woolwich Works Our ambitious council-led development, Woolwich Works, opened on 23 September. London’s new landmark creative district is home to a number of world class resident artistic companies such as Punchdrunk and Chineke! Orchestra. As well as enjoying world class performances visitors can feast feast on delicious food and relax after work in the sensational setting next to the Thames. There’s extra reason to celebrate because the careful restoration of the five historic buildings on the Royal Arsenal has saved two buildings from being lost forever. They’ve now been removed from Historic England’s At Risk Register as part of our visionary redevelopment. The venue is host to a number of eateries and a café, plus spaces that can be hired out, making it perfect for business conferences, wedding receptions, parties, meetings, community events or an intimate client meeting. Conveniently located on the Thames, the riverside location is served by Woolwich Arsenal pier, with Woolwich Arsenal station a five-minute walk away, and London City Airport minutes away by DLR.

To celebrate our fantastic borough and businesses reopening, we are launching a new-look Greenwich One Card with exclusive library, leisure centre and local business offers and discounts. Everyone who lives, works or studies in Royal Greenwich can pick up a Card from a library or leisure centre. One Card holders also get a QR code keyring that they can quickly scan to see the latest offers. In the run up to Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas shopping it is the perfect time to offer discounts to residents and draw new customers in. Sign-up now business@royalgreenwich.gov.uk or visit royalgreenwich.gov.uk/One-Card ___________________________________________

COVID-19 autumn and winter plan The Prime Minister recently announced plans for managing COVID-19 over the coming months, with measures to avoid the risk of the NHS becoming overwhelmed if infections surge alongside flu. This includes a UK-wide booster vaccine which is now available for eligible people who had their second dose at least six months ago. Residents will be contacted by their GP about booster jabs, or they can book online. More at: royalgreenwich.gov.uk/ covid19booster

❛❛In the run up to Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas shopping it is the perfect time to offer discounts to residents and draw new customers in.

❜❜

Nathan Way Nathan Way Business Park in the West Thamesmead industrial area is a newly opened business park. Close to the A206, the estate has a number of brand new units to let. Each unit is approximately 186 metres squared (2,000 sq ft) to 930 metres squared (10,000 sq ft). Enquire today to find out more: business@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Find out more: www.woolwich.works

Visit Greenwich

Greenwich visitor economy: People and Skills The UK tourism industry faces significant skills challenges. This has been exacerbated by the pandemic and the labour market impacts of the UK’s exit from the EU, leaving many businesses with critical workforce shortages. “The UK’s tourism industry is a national asset” Tourism Recovery Plan, DCMS, June 2021

n 2019, tourism made a direct economic contribution of £74.5 billion to the UK economy, representing around 4% of the UK’s total gross value added. There were approximately 1.7 million people directly employed in jobs serving tourists, with high numbers of young people and women employed in the sector. 4 million people indirectly employed. The tourism industry has been one of the hardest hit sectors by COVID-19. Inbound flight arrivals have been down 90% for over a year compared to 2019 levels, hotel occupancy far lower than normal, and the sector has been closed completely for at least six months, since March 2020.

The Office for National Statistics shows the largest economic contractions in the services sector over 2020 were all parts of the tourism industry – air, maritime, travel agents, accommodation, rail and entertainment. Tourism has therefore been the sector that has been the most reliant on the government’s package of support measures such as the furlough scheme. Locally, for Greenwich, 2019 was a record year attracting over 20 million visitors, spending £1.55bn in the local economy, and supporting over 16,500 jobs. Tourism in 2021 has been made up of local and UK visitors, mostly London and South East – with 50% of its visitor market still missing until international tourists return. Jobs supported by tourism in 2020 dropped by 59%.

Tourism Alliance employment survey results • Only 18% of businesses have all the employees they need • 35% of businesses are having to increase pay and conditions • 33% of businesses are having to take on workers without the skills they need (Source: Tourism Alliance, Sept 2021) Employment and skills is therefore a top priority for the work of Visit Greenwich and partners.

Visit Greenwich

New ‘Workzone’ jobs portal In quick response to the sector’s urgent need for help, Visit Greenwich has created a new Workzone jobs listings portal to enable employers to promote their current and ongoing vacancies relating to the tourism, leisure and entertainment sector. Employers are invited to submit details of the job opportunities to

workzone@visitgreenwich.org.uk and they are being listed here:

❛❛The Visit Greenwich Skills Partnership (VGSP) has been created to bring employers and education and training providers together. The Partnership works to fill sector-specific gaps and to add value.

❜❜

visitgreenwich.org.uk/corporate/workzone/ jobs-in-greenwich This is an ongoing activity and employers are encouraged to continue to send in their job opportunities whenever new vacancies arise. The ‘Workzone’ portal is being promoted through a campaign to attract local people to benefit from these job opportunities. As well as working with the Royal Borough of Greenwich to target people who are looking for work, our University and College partners have hundreds of students keen to find parttime employment to support their studies.

Kickstart scheme

Visit Greenwich Skills Partnership The local visitor economy relies on the retention of skilled staff as well as attracting a new workforce into the industry. There are poor perceptions of working in the tourism and hospitality, such as perceived low pay and limited opportunities for career progression. The words ‘visitor economy’ are often misunderstood. It includes hospitality, leisure, tourism, culture, heritage, event management, customer service, transport, retail. The diagram below illustrates the wide variety of jobs involved in running businesses related to the visitor economy or ‘experience’ sector - hospitality, catering, transport, attractions, parks and open spaces, entertainment, retail - and also more general roles relating to administration, HR, events management, finance, social media and marketing, as well as specialist technical roles such

as curatorial, conservation, horticulture, IT and engineering. Employers are indicating that there is an urgent need to fill staff vacancies; to train and develop new and existing staff as well as creating an employable and agile pool of people and talent. The Visit Greenwich Skills Partnership (VGSP) has been created to bring employers and education and training providers together. The Partnership works to fill sector-specific gaps and to add value – and does not duplicate existing work for the Skills agenda in the Royal Borough. Visit Greenwich, as a CIC and DMO, works as an honest broker for the industry, working with all education and training providers, and identifying skills gaps and needs for the visitor economy (‘experience’) sector.

The Kickstart Scheme is a £2 billion government-funded campaign that aims to provide support for young people seeking employment across all industries and sectors. The scheme provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment. A considerable proportion are recent graduates. Visit Greenwich and the Skills Partnership is encouraging employers to use the Kickstart scheme to help with providing additional resource to their teams. The scheme has recently been extended to run to 31st March 2022, with all applications for funding needing to be submitted before 18 December. Employers are able to stagger the start dates between now and March – who can then work the 6-month placement further into 2022. Visit Greenwich itself has one placement working at its Tourist Information Centre, with applications submitted to fund two more. A number of employment fairs are running in November to match employers with candidates.

Bromley FOOD FESTIVAL “We have been celebrating our community over recent months in Bromley. It has been a difficult two years and our Thank You Lunch scheme rewarded deserving employees who kept the town going during the pandemic. We are now looking ahead to Christmas and inviting residents, town centre workers and visitors to ‘Unwrap Bromley’ as the season gets underway.” Frances Forrest, BID Manager, Your Bromley BID

Shining a Light on Christmas Christmas is coming to Bromley this month and our advertising around the town centre and on buses throughout the local area will be highlighting the great shopping, eating and drinking and celebratory events our wonderful town has to offer. The festive season gets underway with the Christmas Market arriving on the High Street on 12th November, followed by the 12 Snowmen of Christmas Trail arriving on 17th December. On 21st November we will be hosting a small, COVID secure, Bromley Christmas Lights Switch On event with Bromley’s brand new Christmas lights switched on for the first time. Our Local Hero of 2021 will help with the switch-on. The lights will include lit up trees and beautiful selfie opportunities on the High Street. A Destination Lapland experience is coming to The Glades this December starring Nordic Santa and Mrs Claus and Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas in Bromley without the panto at The Churchill Theatre. This year’s production of Sleeping Beauty, starring Lee Mead, Bonnie Langford, Myra Dubois and Lloyd Hollet opens on 4th December and runs until 2nd January. Each Saturday in December will see Christmas themed performers take to the streets to entertain passers by. They will also be available to visit Bromley businesses to spread some festive cheer so if you’re based in Bromley and would like them to visit your business to create some Christmas content for social media, please email admin@yourbromley.com

Thank You Lunches The Your Bromley Thank You Lunch scheme invited local business owners and managers to nominate the employees they wanted to thank for their hard work. Nominations were received from major retailers such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Next, Lakeland and Robert Dyas to the banking sector with Lloyds, Virgin Money and TSB all recognising their staff’s efforts. Pharmacies including Boots and Scott’s Pharmacy also thanked team members as did Direct Line and local companies Polo Market, Skylark School of Dance and Sage. Those nominated ranged from security guards to shop workers and team managers. An army of unsung heroes were recognised for their helpfulness, flexibility and dedication to both colleagues and customers who enjoyed Thank You lunches at a wide range of Bromley restaurants and even a sweet shop!

Please keep in touch with Your Bromley by subscribing to regular e.shots via yourbromley.com. Follow Your Bromley BID on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @YourBromley

Support for

Focus on Bromley

Businesses in Bromley BUSINESSES IN BROMLEY can now benefit from a new round of grants along with a new business hub website for both start-up and existing businesses that are looking to grow or expand to become more sustainable, following the impact of the COVID pandemic. Over £2.6m in grants announced to further support Bromley businesses Businesses across the borough are encouraged to apply for the latest round of business support grants, with applications being accepted across four schemes for funds ranging up to £50k. These schemes were developed in consultation with business partners and are designed to assist local businesses with growth and COVID-19 recovery. This latest £2.6m grant programme is part of the Government’s Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) funding, which the Council seeks to allocate based on the needs of local businesses and to best support the COVID-19 recovery. Councillor Peter Morgan, Chairman of the Bromley Economic Partnership and Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing said, “Following the successful distribution of over £9m to local businesses in the previous round of ARG funding, we are delighted to be able to continue doing all we can to help Bromley businesses recover from this dreadful pandemic. I have been pleased to see welcome signs recently that the local economy is recovering, which is testament to the strong entrepreneurial spirit in Bromley that should be encouraged.” Councillor Morgan continued “’These additional grant schemes will help to support this entrepreneurship through assisting start-up businesses, as well as promoting growth and expansion during this challenging period, which will stimulate the local economy; demonstrating that Bromley remains open for business. This programme will also support cultural activities across the borough, which is essential for attracting more visitors to our town centres.’’ Four schemes are included in the new round of funding: • Business Growth Grant – Bromley-based businesses can apply for between £5k and £25k if they are looking to grow or expand their business. • Grant for occupying a vacant unit – grants valued between £25k - £50k are available for

businesses looking to set up in a vacant unit within Bromley, including high street units, offices or industrial parks. • Cultural Grants - between £2k and £20k is available to support cultural activities and events in the borough being held by cultural and creative organisations or self-employed performers. Possible examples include: theatrical productions, family art activities, traditional live music, and further activities that attract visitors into Bromley’s town centres. • Business Start-up during COVID Grant – This fourth scheme is anticipated to be launched shortly after the above schemes. Grants up to £10k will be made available to support existing start-up businesses in Bromley established from 1st January 2020 that have been impacted by COVID-19, in order to ensure these businesses thrive as a crucial part of Bromley’s economy The deadline for the grant for occupying a vacant unit is 31st December 2021 and for the other three applications is 31st January 2022. Most schemes require a completed application form along with a proposal of up to 2000 words. For further details about how to apply visit: www.bromley.gov.uk/businessgrants. To find out when other business grant schemes become available please subscribe to the business newsletter at: www.bromley.gov.uk/businessgrants ________________________________________________

Bromley Business Hub – the online one-stop-shop Businesses in Bromley will be able to take advantage of a new online Business Hub launched by the Council which will provide plenty of support, advice, training and businessfocussed events. Launching in October 2021, the Hub’s primary function will be a one-stop-shop for existing and new local businesses for up-to-date information to help them get started and grow. It will also provide a directory service for local residents and potential investors. Businesses may benefit from sign-posting to other key business support services such as Start Up Bromley, for extra

help required; which will assist to better co-ordinate existing wider provision. Among its features, the Hub will include a free recruitment database for local businesses to advertise their recruitment needs including a free Directory for small local businesses, sole traders along with skilled, self-employed residents to advertise their services or skills to local residents as well as to other businesses. An events calendar will provide links to webinars, training or live events relevant to local businesses and there will be links to local business support organisations or local business development (BID) websites, as well as a business blog to update on the latest developments plus news for the business community. Other support content will be available such as training on business topics of interest to the local business community. Potential investors in the local economy will be interested in the page, which includes local information and demographic data, explaining why it makes good business sense to set up in the London Borough of Bromley. Councillor Peter Morgan, Executive Member for Renewal, Recreation and Housing said: “This is an exciting online development that brings together so much information for our local businesses all in one place and builds on the work we have already done in the past as well as during the pandemic. We have been liaising with key partners and interested groups to develop this resource and the training & development section is a key result of this consultation. We want to make sure that this resource offers what our local businesses and potential new businesses require to thrive in Bromley as part of our Economic Development Strategy. We trust that business leaders will find this useful to develop and grow their businesses in the borough, benefiting the local economy in addition to further enhancing our vibrant high street including job opportunities. We are extremely proud of the many businesses that operate throughout the borough and we want them to continue to thrive.” You can find the link to the website at: www.bromleybusinesshub.org

Focus on Bexley

C2E proposals to extend Crossrail and further improve transport links During the summer local people were again invited to give their views on exciting plans for improved, fast public transport services connecting Ebbsfleet, Dartford, Slade Green, Erith and Belvedere with Abbey Wood.

he proposals include three options to promote an extension of Crossrail 1, the Elizabeth line, beyond its current planned terminus at Abbey Wood towards Ebbsfleet. This would provide faster connections into London and to other parts of Kent. Cllr Teresa O’Neill OBE, Leader of the London Borough of Bexley and Chairman of the C2E Partnership formed to promote the Elizabeth line beyond its current planned terminus at Abbey Wood towards Ebbsfleet as originally proposed said: “The views of local people are vital to help develop the plans for much-needed new public transport investment. By giving their views, residents can help make the case to Government on why enhanced public transport is necessary. Continuing to improve and build better transport links is fundamental to our plans for new high-quality homes and jobs.”

Supporting good growth

ouncillor Teresa O’Neill OBE, Leader of the London Borough of Bexley recently visited the Park East development in Erith, to see the progress on site of new apartments, which is transforming a tired and dated high-rise estate in the borough. Park East is the latest joint project by Orbit and Wates Residential and when complete, will include a total of 320 apartments for sale, shared ownership and rent. Other regeneration in Erith which the Council is leading on with partners include revitalising the Riverside Gardens and Erith Pier Square, key public spaces, to improve local facilities for residents and further enhance views to the river.

High Streets for All

ondon Borough of Bexley and key partners including Broadway Shopping Centre, Enjoy Bexleyheath Business Improvement District, New River, Odyssey Trust for Education, Creative Bexley and Transform Bexley Borough Partnership have formed a

working group to look at ways to revitalise Bexleyheath. The aim is to create a more welcoming, vibrant and safe place for everyone both day and night as part of the ‘High Streets for All Challenge’. Bexley was chosen as one of 35 projects across the capital to

receive seed funding from the Mayor of London of £20,000. The funding is being used to engage local people and test ideas to help address the modern high street issues such as changing shopping habits and how people now use the high street.

Learning and Enterprise College Bexley The Learning and Enterprise College Bexley (LECB) run a range of courses aimed at anyone who may want to progress in their chosen career or look for a new one! From short introductory courses to industry recognised qualifications there are many options to help get you or your employees up-skilled. The following courses are due to start from November.

A01LFW-FAWR

First Aid at Work (re-qualification - two days)

A01LFW-FAW

First Aid at Work (three days)

A15LFW-CCBSL2

NCFE Certificate in Creating a Business Start-Up

A15LFW-L1AATAS

AAT Level 1 Access Award in Accounting Software

A01LFW-AFSCL1

Highfield Award in Food Safety for Catering Level 1

A14LFW-L3ETA

NCFE CACHE Level 3 Education and Training Award

A06LFW-EDSE3

Gateway Essential Digital Skills Entry 3

A06LFW-EDSL1

Gateway Essential Digital Skills Level 1

A01LFW-FAWR

First Aid at Work (re-qualification - two days)

A01LFW-FAW

First Aid at Work (three days)

Call 020 3045 5176 and quote the code or email enquiries@lecb.ac.uk

SIDCUP

STORYHOUSE

takes shape

The Sidcup Storyhouse is starting to take shape as construction continues at pace.

The collaborative project comprises a four-storey building, a 3 screen cinema with additional studio, modern library facilities, a café and bar, provision of a changing places WC and residential apartments. The Council is working in partnership with experienced cinema operators, Really Local Group and the building is scheduled to open in 2022. Funded by

Richard Burge LCCI

It has been more than 18 months since Richard Burge assumed his current role as CEO of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). In that time, he has had many challenges to overcome, notably helping businesses to navigate through the worst global health pandemic in living memory.

ow, though, Richard’s focus is on the future – and in particular, on forging new connections with Chambers of Commerce and their members in overseas cities.

LCCI expands international reach

Richard Burge, CEO of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), explains how the organisation is forging links between South East London firms and businesses overseas…

He says: “Since I took on my current role, we’ve worked hard to ensure that there are really good Chambers at a borough level in London, organisations that provide good granular services to local businesses. In many cases this has worked very well. “Now we’re aiming to expand and grow our international operations. LCCI International has been approved by our board and the aim is to build relationships with up to 35 cities across the world. Some of these cities will be in Europe; others will be further afield.

Richard Burge LCCI

❛❛London is not only a gateway to the rest of the UK, it’s a gateway to businesses all over the world. The city is recognised as a global hub for business, particularly in international financial services. It’s also home to a growing number of small, indigenous businesses that are driven by innovative entrepreneurs.

“We’ll focus on networking with the relevant Chamber within these cities and subsequently build links with their members. We’ve already started discussions with Chambers in five cities, including Hamburg and Berlin, and we’ll be launching LCCI International at the Dubai Expo later this year. “The idea is to have a threeyear agreement with each city. Businesses that are members of Chambers in these cities will benefit from the services that we provide at LCCI.” If anyone can make this project work, Richard can. He has a wealth of experience in international trade and global affairs, particularly in relation to social impact investment and the use of innovative technology. An independent advisor on international affairs, he has

❜❜

had a varied career that has seen him lead four multi-millionpound organisations including a famous charity, a UK government agency, a private company and a membership body over a total of 18 years.

The city is recognised as a global hub for business, particularly in international financial services. It’s also home to a growing number of small, indigenous businesses that are driven by innovative entrepreneurs.

Richard has also been on the board and a non-executive director of five multi-millionpound operations and has worked in more than 55 countries, principally in emerging economies, specialising in Africa, the wider Commonwealth and post-conflict situations.

“One of the key strengths of London is the diversity of its people; this is recognised internationally. It’s also benefiting from growth sectors such as biomedical and financial and professional services. In addition, we’re starting to see the entertainment sector adopt disruptive technology-led business models.

He says: “We want to reflect London’s status as a global city. It’s far more than just a subset of the UK. “London is not only a gateway to the rest of the UK, it’s a gateway to businesses all over the world.

“This is a highly competitive world and London has a major role to play in it. We have the power and influence to forge relationships with cities and businesses all over Europe and beyond.” 19

Croydon’s going places That’s why LSBU are here and committed to this area. Our new campus is the latest in a string of exciting developments in one of London’s most ambitious areas. Home to big businesses, start-ups and a uniquely South London buzz: we’re playing our part in its future. Our new home will be in a Grade II listed building, Electric House, in Croydon town centre. With it’s original purpose of empowering local people to explore new technology in mind, we aim to build on this mission by allowing our students to engage with the latest innovation in technology and build digital innovation. LSBU is here to meet the need for an exceptional civic university powering the future workforce, building sustainable and engaged communities and boosting the region’s standing on a national and global stage. We’re providing ambitious, businessminded Londoners with a brand new business hub, brimming with entrepreneurial spirit, where students, staff and our Croydon community alike gather to share knowledge and ideas.

As well as Undergraduate programs in Business Management and Accounting and Finance, LSBU Croydon offers CPD and upskilling short courses, design to help the local community get into careers and improve their job prospects.

Find out more www.lsbu.ac.uk/croydon

Skills

Re-set on skills: How the pandemic has changed our business community

During lockdown, everything changed. The way we dress, the way we communicate, and especially the way we conduct business. Croydon’s first university, London South Bank University, is embracing the change and supporting students and businesses back to business.

hat’s why we opened Croydon’s first university campus in October, where we teach business and health degree courses and train the next generation of business leaders, chiropractors and nurses. Our business students might be undeterred by Covid-19, but are more ambitious than ever. What impact has Covid had on our business student community? • Students are staying local to friends and family. We find that business students are increasingly staying local and this is part of the reason we put down roots in Croydon, to meet both the learning and workforce needs in the community. • Students want to start their careers quicker. Our business students are motivated to begin their careers faster and even change careers to progress further. A great way to do this is through the new Accelerated degrees starting in Croydon in September, where you can earn a professional bachelors’ degree in two years instead of three. You can choose to study Accounting and Finance, or Business Management in less time, and get into your career quicker. • Our business students become our business community. They begin interacting with the business community in year one using our brand new facilities and learning spaces at Electric House, located in the heart of East

Croydon. Students are our future local entrepreneurs and business owners and our alumni go on to successful careers with a wide range of skills and knowledge of sectors.

What is LSBU doing to support small and medium-sized businesses? “The recent re-vitalisation of the Croydon Chamber of Commerce is just one of the important developments in the community to support local businesses”, says LSBU Business School Dean and Professor, Sarah Moore-Williams. Moore-Williams is already involved in Croydon as Chairperson for the Southwark Chamber of Commerce, and draws from numerous contacts and business relationships. The opening of LSBU Croydon comes at an extremely important time. One of the largest changes affecting the local economy in Croydon from the pandemic was the financial loss to the hospitality sector. LSBU is introducing three new specialisations (Hospitality, Events and Travel and Tourism) on the Business Management degree at Southwark, to help students to build a career in the hospitality sector with the advanced skills they need. At LSBU Croydon there are co-working spaces, meeting rooms and community events for start-ups and entrepreneurs, with digital expertise from LSBU academics to support Croydon businesses. During lockdown, collaboration went online, but now we can interact and support in

person. Students will continue to gain work experience with local business and national health trust partners and immerse themselves in industry as part of their course. Our efforts to connect with local communities and networks changed, but remain just as strong. The new Help to Grow scheme, sponsored by the government and delivered by the university, began last week for university experts to support more than 600 London businesses over the next three years. Small businesses can boost their growth and presence with training in finance, leadership, digital skills, business planning and employee engagement.

Did the lockdown affect the way we teach? Our degree courses are still teaching the advanced skills that will benefit graduates and employers. LSBU was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment by the Sunday Times Good University Guide in 2019. In 2020, we were ranked 12th in the UK for graduate starting salaries (Longitudinal Education Outcomes Data) and in 2021, Guardian ranked Accounting and Finance 2nd in London (2021). Our courses are robust, relevant and ready more than ever for students in a new era. Our students and business partners are learning skills that are relevant to Croydon post-lockdown that could have a large impact on careers and the local economy. We are doing our part to help re-unite and re-generate the community.

For information about all the business degree courses we offer at LSBU Croydon, visit www.lsbu.ac.uk/Croydon. Many of our business courses are starting soon in January. Visit www.lsbu.ac.uk and click on ‘January Start Courses’. 21

Education & Skills

Government and businesses need to develop a longer-term vision that recognises the needs to train the future workforce effectively Over the past few weeks, it has been hard to escape the news about job vacancies reaching record highs across many industries and the tirade of policy experts keen to give their opinion on the matter. Dr Sam Parrett CBE CEO and Group Principal London South East Education Group _____________________________________

nterestingly, it appears that no one can make up their mind on what this means. Is it the start of a new high-wage economy with a booming labour market or the start of something much worse – with gaping skills shortages leading to broken supply chains, resulting in empty shelves and sending the cost of living spiralling upwards? We’re all aware of the shortages making the headlines – including HGV drivers, fruit pickers and farm workers – with calls for ‘fast track training’ and ‘visa reform’. But such solutions will only fix part of the problem; we need to remember that these shortages have been plaguing education providers for years. It’s very easy for commentators and politicians to say ‘just train the domestic workforce’ – but it must be recognised that to do this, we need to find the experts to do the training. Colleges, including my own, have struggled for some time to recruit high quality, vocational lecturers. In the current climate of skilled workers being in such short supply, there is little motivation for many of these experts to move into teaching, when the financial rewards of working in their industry are so much greater. Of course, those of us working in education know and understand that the rewards of teaching are wide-ranging, if not economically superior. But with teaching salaries being frozen in real terms and those of FE staff already being considerably lower than their school counterparts – we are reaching a precipice of potential disaster that is becoming critical. Government and businesses need to develop a longer-term vision that recognises the risks of not having enough or indeed, the right, staff to train the future workforce. Employers across most industries are struggling to recruit the staff and skills they need, from hospitality and healthcare to digital and construction. It is inevitable that businesses will struggle to remain profitable if they can’t access the skilled workforce needed to deliver services – and this absolutely includes FE Colleges. The phrase ‘Levelling Up’ has been high on the Party Conference agendas over the last few weeks. Further Education represents this concept completely – giving people of all ages and from all backgrounds the opportunity to

improve their life chances. So, if any Government is genuinely serious about this proposal, surely all FE staff would be top of the list? Without the dual professional, our teachers and mentors to deliver skills and knowledge, the whole concept of social mobility and aspiration will come to a grinding halt. Skills gaps within the education sector is a serious problem as it will inevitably lead to a reduction in our capacity to train people. If we can’t train people, skills gaps across other industries will continue to grow rapidly. There is no possible argument that can hold against the benefits of investing in education. Every political party knows the importance of this when developing a manifesto. Higher levels of education on average lead to lower employment rates along with higher wages. One extensive study from the University of Illinois estimated that the difference in skills levels among OECD countries can fully explain 55% of differences in economic growth since 1960. This is stark, irrefutable evidence that education is crucial to driving a successful and sustainable economy. On top of this, skills gaps cost money; around £6.6bn a year according to the Open University Business Barometer 2020, with 56% of UK organisations experiencing labour shortages. Our own sector (AoC report) has reported that the lack of funding for the skilled Level 3 courses could lead to an additional £3.3bn in lost output between 2019 and 2024. There is no escaping the fact that training, re-skilling and changing the economy’s shape to reach the holy grail of a ‘high skill high wage’ workforce requires a skilled education workforce to deliver the training.

❛❛Skills gaps within the education sector is a serious problem as it will inevitably lead to a reduction in our capacity to train people. If we can’t train people, skills gaps across other industries will continue to grow rapidly.❜❜

For FE, this means the educator who holds a dual identity as a professional with a specialism as well as being a professional teacher. Staff who bring expertise from their former and current employment practice and combine it with their pedagogic expertise within an FE classroom setting is unique to FE. It is also becoming increasingly more important as the vocational qualification reform and introduction of T levels advances. Yet we find ourselves in a position where we have reduced immigration (at least in the short term) and industries are struggling to fill hundreds and thousands of vacancies to keep supply chains moving. This is impacting on wages, with skilled workers finding many more lucrative roles within industry than they ever could in education yet without our dual professionals in FE, the skills gaps will only widen. To tackle this, greater recognition of the vital skills and talents of our vocational teachers is needed. Offering maths and science teachers an additional £3000 for their commitment is undoubtedly well deserved, but where are the incentives for the builders, engineers, plumbers and many other skilled professionals to move into teaching? And it’s not just about quantity. We need inspiring teachers who can ensure their skills remain relevant and at pace with the rapidly changing world of technology. To achieve this high standard and commitment, more focus is needed on the concept of dual professionalism giving genuine status to individuals who are both industry experts and teaching professionals. The ETF’s Taking Teaching Further programme aims to attract industry professionals with expert technical skills and knowledge into FE. However, it is getting much harder to find new recruits who are willing to undertake the teaching and mentoring required - with pay being a significant barrier. Employer partnerships can help, but ultimately we are all facing the same issues. This is an urgent problem that needs to be addressed. The FE and skills sector needs to be recognised as a priority skills shortage area, with greater resource made available to help us attract the talent we need right now. We need employers to work with us and be part of the solution; please do get in touch so we can tackle this huge issue together Groupprincipal@lsec.ac.uk

Legal

Arbitration for Commercial Rent Arrears Claim Resolution Mandated

n the UK government’s policy paper which was released on 4th August 2021, it was confirmed that legislation mandating arbitration for the resolution of disputes around COVID-19 rent arrears should be in place this session i.e prior to the end of March 2022.

The landlords had in any case sought to comply with the Code. These recent cases confirmed that the Courts do not accept that standard wording, never intended to cover a Covid-like situation, could be stretched, reinterpreted or have terms implied to give tenants defences or remedies against their landlords claims for rent arrears.

This is date when the full forfeiture moratorium measures put in place by the Coronavirus Act 2020 and restrictions on the Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery procedure are expected to end.

Landlords are therefore in most instances advised to pursue a court claim for the arrears and not delay to in enforcement. It is expected that an updated Code will be released in early November and further developments are awaited.

(https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/resolving-commercial-rentarrears-accumulated-due-to-covid-19)

Code of Practice (“the Code”) There is currently a Code of Practice for commercial property relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic between landlords and tenants. This was put in place in June 2020, last updated in April 2021. The general principle of the Code is that the parties are expected to communicate and landlords should negotiate supportive measures for tenants. Potentially these measures may include moratoria and rent-free periods, ie landlords are expected to share the financial impact of rent arrears with their tenants. This is being pushed by the Government, but is not binding on either party. (https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/code-of-practice-for-thecommercial-property-sector/codeof-practice-for-commercial-propertyrelationships-during-the-covid-19-pandemic)

Recent cases In good news for landlords, the most recently decided cases of (1) Commerz Real Investmentgesellschaft mbh v TFS Stores Limited [2021] EWHC 863 (Ch), (2) Bank of New York Mellon (International) Ltd v Cine-UK Ltd and others [2021] EWHC 1013 (QB) and (3) London Trocadero (2015) LLP v Picturehouse Cinemas Limited [2021] EWHC 2591 (Ch) underline that whilst the Code is indeed important, it is not law and is only voluntary guidance in nature.

Future legislation The three key aspects of the approach are: 1) ringfencing of arrears, 2) encouragement of negotiated settlement and 3) mandatory arbitration as the last resort. Ringfencing arrears: As soon as legislation is passed, the protective measures in place for commercial tenants are expected to only apply to ringfenced arrears, being those accrued since March 2020 during period of closures caused by the pandemic. Ringfencing will apply until restrictions are eased for the tenant’s sector. This means that the ringfenced period will be different depending on the sector the tenant is operating within. On the face of it, the approach is intended to benefit those sectors which, generally speaking, were hardest hit.

The expectation is that both landlord and tenant will contribute to the cost of the arbitration but where a party is found not to have negotiated in good faith in the “spirit of the legislative principles” the arbitrators may be empowered to grant the costs of the arbitration as part of their decision. Indications are that the burden of proof will be on the tenant to demonstrate why they are seeking a rent concession with the presumption that, where they can afford to, they should pay in full. However until the draft legislation and updated Code are produced there is still uncertainty and it is likely that it will be some time before landlords faced with persistent debt will be able to take advantage of any meaningful remedy to recover COVID-19 arrears.

❛❛Landlords are therefore in most instances advised to pursue a court claim for the arrears and not delay to in enforcement. It is expected that an updated Code will be

Negotiated agreement and/or settlement: Disputes should, where possible, be resolved through negotiations with both landlord and tenant acting in good faith.

released in early November

A non-exhaustive list of options for new arrangements that could be agreed were given in the Code and included full or partial waiver or deferral of all or part of the rent or lease payments.

are awaited.

and further developments

❜❜

Arbitration scheme: The mandatory and binding arbitration scheme, a so called “last resort”, aims to provide an impartial and manageable process where a negotiated settlement cannot be achieved.

For commercial property advice, please get in touch with Omari Elcock on 01689 887875 or email omari.elcock@cwj.co.uk.

Technology

LP Networks’ expert guide:

How much is your business prepared to pay? with Lee Pepper, Owner LP Networks

Imagine that you arrived to work one morning to discover that your whole IT system had been encrypted and that you were being asked for a ransom to gain access again. Quite a worrying and scary scenario and, unfortunately, one that has happened to millions of businesses over the last few years? In mid-2021, the REvil Group (a ransomware collective) announced that their malware had hit over 1 million systems and demanded $70 million in Bitcoin to release a universal decoder key. Unfortunately, their announcement wasn’t something to ignore and some companies, such as COOP in Sweden, had to temporarily shut their doors while they responded to the crisis. This article is far from being about scaremongering; it is reality, and sadly some businesses never recover from a ransomware attack. The reason that some don’t survive isn’t solely based on the cost of the ransom; there are many other factors

involved. You see, once an IT system has been breached, you can’t really trust your infrastructure anymore. To put it differently, if someone broke into your home using your front door key, would you leave your door locks as they are or immediately replace them? Even if the burglar were caught, how could you guarantee that there weren’t other keys floating about? It works the same with IT infrastructures. So, if your system is hacked, how can you be sure that once it’s back up and running, that all the hackers’ code has been removed or that there isn’t something still lurking in the depths of your system waiting to collect data or wipe you back out again? You can’t. A ransomware breach costs far more for a business than the money that’s demanded by cybercriminals. You also have to factor in the cost of closing the doors of your business, damage to your reputation, potential fines from the ICO for a data breach, and the cost to replace your entire IT infrastructure.

Prevention is cheaper than the cure That’s why businesses must think ahead and consider what they can do to prevent an attack from happening. Cyber Essentials certification is an excellent step to take because to be compliant, you have to prove that you meet certain cybersecurity best practice. These include ensuring that your business has good firewalls and anti-viruses in operation and that all of your team are trained in recognising potential cyber security threats. Just like an MOT, you need to re-certify every year. The bonus of this is that maintaining continued compliance means that your business is constantly working with best practices to provide your business with cyber security measures that are working hard to keep your IT infrastructure safe. Things like password hygiene (where you regularly change passwords) can often be overlooked and is akin to leaving your doors wide open to criminals.

Find out more about protecting your business by becoming Cyber Essentials certified 0800 970 8980 24

enquiries@lpnetworks.com

The Big Interview

Croydon College offers learning opportunities for all From a young age, Caireen Mitchell always wanted a career that enabled her to make a positive difference in society. That’s the reason why she jumped at the chance to join Croydon College in 2018 when the role of principal and CEO became available.

❛❛I have a passion for the way in which education improves the lives and life chances of people. I want to ensure the college continues to provide high-quality education for all ages and those from various walks of life. 26

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lot has happened in the last three and a half years – notably, a global pandemic and the fall-out from Brexit – but Caireen Mitchell and her 500-strong team of staff are nonetheless having a positive impact on the Croydon community and its army of employers. Caireen says: “We’ve worked really hard to make sure the curriculum offer meets the needs of the community. We’ve changed the curriculum to grow areas such as engineering, health and social care. We’ve also increased our entry-level learning provision to cater

for those who need extra literacy and numeracy skills, for example. “Part of our job is to ensure the curriculum reflects the local labour market, so we work very closely with employers to find out what’s happening in the market. There are several growth sectors in Croydon, including the health sector which is vitally important to the local economy. To cater for this, we’ve launched a nursing degree so that Croydon University Hospital and other healthcare businesses can get access to the skills they need. The hospital wants to employ local people where possible because it’s generally easier to

The Big Interview retain people who live in the community. There’s also a big rise in demand for higher-level qualifications in engineering and construction so we’ve adapted our learning provision to address this, too.” The Croydon College Group consists of three campuses that cover Croydon College, Coulsdon Sixth Form College and Croydon University Centre. It offers a wide range of learning programmes that cater for just about every type of learner, from those seeking entry-level qualifications to people who want to study for a degree-level apprenticeship. In addition, the college has several exciting initiatives underway to help employers address skills challenges and improve the life chances of people who want a successful career. Caireen says: “We’ve established a World of Work department, which brings together employer-supported courses and training in several areas such as apprenticeships, online learning and work placements. These placements are vital in helping students to get real-world experience of the world of work.” “We also have an employability hub which provides training and support to unemployed people to help them access local jobs in Croydon.” In addition, the college was successful in bidding for one of the governmentbacked skills bootcamps, an initiative created to help unemployed or furloughed people develop the digital and technical skills that are in demand in their local area. “Our bootcamp is in computer aided design (CAD),” says Caireen. “A lot of local employers in Croydon need people with CAD skills.” From next September, Croydon College will also start running two T Levels: Engineering at the Croydon campus and Science at the Coulsdon campus. “These T Levels will provide a fantastic opportunity for students to get in-depth skills in these key disciplines,” says Caireen. “We’ve also secured funding to develop our engineering facilities and build a new science lab, which will enhance learning experiences for students and help them gain practical skills that are valued by employers.”

❛❛We’ve also secured funding to develop our engineering facilities and build a new science lab, which will enhance learning experiences for students and help them gain

❜❜

practical skills that are valued by employers. Originally from Oban in Scotland, Caireen has built a wealth of experience over two decades in education. Before taking on her current role, she held the post of group director of planning and performance at the Capital City Colleges Group and was previously director of strategy and performance at Westminster Kingsway College. Before that she worked in economic development. She says: “I always wanted to do something that was helpful to society and had some social value. When the job came up in Croydon, I was hugely excited about it because I felt I could make a difference. The college has a huge role to play in supporting learners, employers and the local economy. “I have a passion for the way in which education improves the lives and life chances of people. I want to ensure the college continues to provide high-quality education for all ages and those from various walks of life. “We’ve always kept the student at the heart of what we’re doing, even through

the worst of the pandemic. We loaned PCs to those who didn’t have them and kept the college open throughout so students who couldn’t get online could still continue their studies here. There’s still a huge number of people in Croydon who don’t have equitable access to online learning. It’s so important to ensure they’re not disadvantaged because of this. “In future, we’ll continue to support local employers and help people into sustainable careers. Our aim is to become an anchor institution in Croydon. If employers or individuals have a particular skills need, we want them to come to us. “Essentially we’re trying to serve the whole Croydon community for post-16 education. We encourage our students to think about careers rather than courses, and how we can help them on their journey. Our job is to create employer and career-led pathways for all of our students.”

The Inside Story: Caireen Mitchell w Favourite food?

Sadly, probably fruit and veg!

w Favourite tipple? Tea – Yorkshire Gold if possible.

w Favourite holiday? Anything that involves family, sporting activities and a bit of sun.

w Describe your family life? Hectic! I have one child, my partner has three children and jointly we have an adorable dog.

w How do you spend your downtime? With my family or on a bike.

w What are your key strengths as

a manager? Knowing that diversity of thought often leads to the best results.

w And your limitations?

I’m not good with negativity.

w Best thing about doing business

in the borough? The people. Croydon is a fantastic place to work.

w Famous person you’d most like to spend dinner with? Marcus Rashford and his mother; they’re both inspirational.

w Most interesting fact about yourself? I have the best job in the world.

Christmas Party

The Clarendon Hotel

Montpelier Row Blackheath London SE3 0RW

Thursday, 9 December 2021 12.30 - 14.30 Excited to announce we will be hosting our annual South East London Chamber of Commerce Christmas Event this year from The Clarendon Hotel – Blackheath Village, and would like to extend the invitation to members and colleagues, both old and new to join us to celebrate the end of an extraordinary year, while networking and enjoying some delicious food and drinks!

Cost: Member: £39 + VAT Non-Member: £46 + VAT

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Past Chamber Events

Making the right connections Each month the Chamber hosts a variety of events which offer members a superb opportunity to meet and chat to fellow business people. Here, we review a few of our past events.

SELCC Link ‘n Drink

at Snake and Mongoose Grill, Croydon Wednesday, 1 September It was a night of firsts as we were welcomed by new Chamber member, Snake & Mongoose Grill for the very first time at our very first Croydon Link n’ Drink, since the launch of SELCC Croydon Division earlier this year. On the night we welcomed an array of new faces to enjoy a spot of friendly business networking, as well as a few more familiar faces from as far as Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham who headed over to start making the most of new networking opportunities in Croydon!

apparent throughout from the cuisine, the drinks and the décor. Serving delicious rum cocktails while the delicious aromas of a sizzling jerk grill is set among early West Indian memorabilia, harkening to the history of the Windrush generation.

It was a beautiful summer evening on the Thames in London and great fun to spend the evening cruising down the river Thames with a glass of bubbles, building business connections and planting the seeds for new exciting business partnerships.

Thames Boat Party Thursday, 16 September

It was fantastic to get back to networking in the real world when we joined forces with the Southwark and London Southside Chambers of Commerce for a sold-out networking event on board a sunset cruise.

Wednesday, 1 September It was an amazing feeling, to finally return to face to face networking at the stunning Danson Stables. Recently reopened after a £300,000 investment, it is set in the stable block of the Danson Estate built in the 1700s where this Grade-II listed building is surrounded by beautiful parkland. We were delighted to be joined on the night by members Lee Pepper of LP Networks Ltd and Paul Russell of Russell Associates Architects as well as strategic partners, Berkeley Group, impeccably represented by

The Snake and Mongoose Grill is a fabulous new venue for us, and recommend a visit to experience this unique venue, that pays tribute to the owner’s Jamaican and British heritage,

The South London Chambers of Commerce - River

at Danson Stables, Bexley

It was still bright and sunny when we boarded MV Golden Sunrise where we all enjoyed a delicious buffet, prosecco, setting the scene as we departed for four fantastic hours partying against the backdrop of a stunning London sunset. Starting at Festival Pier, we sailed west past the Houses of Parliament, London Eye, Tower Bridge all the way down the river to Greenwich Pier. Make sure you join the fun and get our networks working for you by sign up to our upcoming SELCC events!

Julian Evans and Carolina Correia, with Lucy Bateson and Nick Barthee in attendance from Mo-Sys Engineering Ltd Attendees wasted no time in making connections and conducting business in person in charming surroundings with the option of a refreshing drink, this undoubtedly remains the best way to do business with a personal connection.

What is the future of the high street and property development? An SELCC lunchtime webinar with Thackray Williams

Tuesday, 28 September We were really pleased to have not one but four brilliant presentations from an expert panel at the latest instalment of SELCC - Property Group. To start we heard from Meeta Kaur - Town Legal LLP, who opened the presentations, followed by Gerry Cassidy - Planning Partner at BPTW, then Edward Dent - Head of Land and Residential Development at Hindwoods and finally from Yildiz Betez - Head of Commercial Property and Real Estate Partner at Thackray Williams.

Whether you own a large residential property or are currently faced with the potential of irreparable financial impacts from long term effect to commercial property leasing. We explored genuinely the genuinely unprecedented questions that have emerged following the epic combination of forces unleashed by the shake-up of both the “use classes order” last year, whilst we simultaneously started making our way back to work after 18 months of lockdowns and business interruptions as a result of the global pandemic, at the dawn of a brand-new era in business and trade. If you weren’t able to attend, you can find the recording, alongside many of our other past events, over on our website, on the Business Support Page…

Is it the right time to sell my business? An SELCC webinar with Henry Campbell-Jones of Hornblower Business Brokers and Dr. Saverio Salandra - Thackray Williams Tuesday, 12 October We were delighted to welcome back Hornblower Business Brokers Henry Campbell-Jones of alongside the legal expertise of Dr. Saverio Salandra of Thackray Williams LLP, for the second instalment of a fascinating overview of the potential sale of a business. Whether running an established business,

approaching the point of retirement, or looking to create vital capital needed to expand the business. There are many factors when considering the sale of a business and finding the strengths and opportunities is dependent on understanding the people who are likely to be your buyers when making their assessments of

the day to day operations, the clarity and transparency of daily process and structure of responsibilities to both directors, employees and clients. As well as any assets or cash that exists within the business, a robust valuation depends which kinds of businesses exist in areas of growth and therefore

Henry Campbell-Jones

Dr. Saverio Salandra

the kinds of businesses likely to give the buyer a fast return on investment. If you were unable to attend, you can find the recording, alongside many of our other past events, over on our website, on the Business Support Page.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS Events SELCC Link ‘n Drink In Lewisham, Everest Inn

Forthcoming Events

Date & Time

Additional Information

Wednesday 10 November 17.30 - 19.30

Join us making connections and getting back to business in person in an amazing location with the option of a refreshing drink. The best way to do business, is with a personal connection, so make sure you sign up for the next SELCC Link ‘n Drink in Lewisham, when we’ll be hosted by an SELCC Link ‘n Drink favourite, Everest Inn in Blackheath, Lewisham. Set in the heart of Blackheath, London. You’ll have the chance to taste the finest of Nepalese & Indian Cuisine with a modern twist, while enjoying the beautiful view out over Blackheath. Free to Attend

https://www.selondonchamber.org/events/link-n-drink-lewisham/

Tuesday 16 November 12.30 - 13.30

Legal Advice For Start-Ups Free Lunchtime Webinar with Thackray Williams

You are invited to join a free lunchtime webinar offering you, ins Got a great idea for a business? Want to set up and get selling? Well, there are some things that you might want to know before you start … Starting a new business is thrilling, and nobody wants to dampen your enthusiasm, but getting a few insights from legal professionals can help prevent you making some expensive mistakes. Join Dr Saverio Salandra from Thackray Williams Solicitors LLP for the second Lunchtime Webinar in this series, and we are delighted to welcome back Dr Saverio Salandra to dig a little deeper into this fascinating subject that will appeal to many of you looking to start a new venture as we enter a new era for business after 18 months of interruptions and lockdowns. This is sure to be lively, informative and fun session, so remember to book a free space well in advance and come prepared with your business start-up legal questions for the Q & A that will follow the presentation. Speakers: Dr Saverio Salandra. Free to attend.

https://www.selondonchamber.org/events/selcc-webinar-with-tw-corporate-start-up-plus-two-case-studies-tuesday-16-november-at-12-30-13-30-3/

The Secrets to growing a profitable business Free Coffee Webinar with Mark Roblett of UK Business Mentoring

Thursday 25 November 10.00 – 11.00

Are you an established business that wants to grow? Are you finding it difficult to grow your Business beyond its current level? The SELCC have teamed up with entrepreneur and Director of UK Business mentoring Mark Roblett. Mark will be sharing many of the strategies and systems that successful businesses use that smaller one often don’t. In this hourlong webinar there will be plenty of case studies along with templates for attendees to take away and use on their own businesses. Ending with an insightful Q&A.

Tuesday 30 November 12.30 - 13.30

Join an expert legal panel from Thackray Williams with Tax and Wills Planner, Zahra Kanani and Equity Partner, Elliot Lewis of for a free and fascinating Lunchtime Webinar focusing on the Business Owner’s perspective on the potential issues arising around business ownership and management when Mental Capacity and Lasting Power of Attorney are deployed to ensure the continued smooth day to day running of a business. After an informative presentation from Thackray Williams, there will be a Q & A, so be sure to book early and if you have any questions for our legal team, please do prepare them in advance in order to get the best out of this fantastic introduction to managing business during difficult times. Speakers: Zahra Kanani and Elliot Lewis. Free to attend

Tuesday 7 December 18.30 - 20.30

GreenwichB2B Link ‘n Drink in association with the South East London Chamber of Commerce is informal and free networking event for businesses from Greenwich and bordering boroughs but also businesses from afar. Marco Weinand of Nomon Internet hosts the event, which begins at 6.30pm promptly, and will be hosted at Greenwich Tavern. Drinks will be available at the bar and networking is encouraged! Important note, this event will be free to those who have registered on the Eventbrite Link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/greenwichb2b-linkn-drink-registration-144902749023 Free to attend

Legal Advice for Business Owners on Mental Capacity and Lasting Power of Attorney

Greenwich B2B Link ‘n Drink - at Greenwich Tavern

https://www.selondonchamber.org/events/greenwich-b2b-link-n-drink-at-greenwich-tavern/

Greenwich B2B Link ‘n Drink - at Greenwich Tavern

Tuesday 4 January 2022 18.30 – 20.30

https://www.selondonchamber.org/events/greenwich-b2b-link-n-drink-at-greenwich-tavern/

To BOOK EVENTS please visit www.selondonchamber.org/events 31 31

Hospitality

What a difference a year makes! A year ago, the country was preparing to enter yet another lockdown as coronavirus cases soared. A COVID vaccine had not yet been found and many businesses were closed, with no certainty on when they’d be allowed to open again. 32

Hospitality

ow, however, the picture has changed. Despite rising numbers of cases, a COVID vaccine has proved effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths. Lockdowns, hopefully, are a thing of the past, businesses are open once more and people can meet others face-to-face again. That has been a real boost to the events and hospitality industries, which were hit harder than most during the pandemic. As society starts to reopen again, events that were held online last year are now being hosted in-person. It was encouraging recently to see so many business leaders – many of whom are making a huge positive difference to the economy of south east London – gather to celebrate The Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards 2021. Held in association with U+I and supported by the South East London Chamber of Commerce, the awards celebrated and recognised what businesses have achieved over the last 18 months despite the challenges of the pandemic. They also recognised how businesses adapted and innovated to sustain their business.

❛❛It has been refreshing to meet businesses face-to-face after so long. We’ve all had to adjust to working virtually over the past 18 months but nothing beats an in-person smile

❜❜

and shake of the hand.

All of the award categories were open to businesses of all sizes and sectors as long as they were located within the borough. Free to enter, the awards provided an opportunity for micro and small businesses as well as larger organisations that help drive the local economy to shine a spotlight on their successes and achievements. The award categories sought to showcase businesses from all sectors and industries including retail, hospitality, the creative and service industries, tourism and manufacturing. Businesses could nominate themselves for one or more of the individual award categories. According to Royal Borough of Greenwich, the event was a chance to celebrate all things good about businesses in south east London. Cllr Mariam Lolavar, Lead for Business and Economic Growth at Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: “The team at Royal Greenwich has made events such as The Best of Royal Business Awards possible by carefully managing and briefing guests and working closely with venues to keep on top of COVID-19 safety advice.

All of our staff are encouraged to test at least twice a week and the council provides weekly guidance and test kits to teams.

❛❛Connoisseurs gathered

“By taking smart event decisions, like limiting the number of guests we had at our Best of Business Awards Breakfast earlier this month, our local entrepreneurs could chat over coffee with ease.”

at the magnificent Vintners’

“It has been refreshing to meet businesses face-to-face after so long. We’ve all had to adjust to working virtually over the past 18 months but nothing beats an in-person smile and shake of the hand.” Royal Greenwich’s business community has responded quickly to the pandemic, regularly going above and beyond over the past 18 months. A total of 54 businesses made it to the exclusive awards shortlist from more than 235 applications, with the winners announced at a glitzy ceremony hosted by Meera Syal CBE in October. Other events – such as music concerts, weddings and informal greets in bars and restaurants – have also been held in recent weeks, including the return of folk music to Blackheath Halls in the form of Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening. Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening are masters of their art and between them have worked with several well-known musicians including Seth Lakeman, Sting, Soumik Datta, The Shee, Carthy, Oates and Farrell & Young. Kathryn herself is the world’s foremost exponent of the Northumbrian pipes, a composer, performer and successful recording artist whose wor k is deeply rooted in the landscape and people of Northumbria. Crowds were wowed as the band brought some of the oldest Northumbrian tunes and songs to life, intermingling them with new material and binding it all together with contemporary resonance and attitude. Meanwhile, GCDA is currently running free five-week face-to-face cooking sessions showing budding chefs how to make small changes that can make a big difference to their health and their finances. Tutors are on hand to help people prepare delicious, mouth-watering and healthy meals – allowing them to meet with other people, make new connections and learn new culinary skills. The culinary classes follow a wine tasting evening held on November 3 courtesy of wine merchant Davy’s. Connoisseurs gathered at the magnificent Vintners’ Hall in the City for a special autumn tasting session – one of the highlights of the tasting calendar.

Hall in the City for a special autumn tasting session – one of the highlights of the tasting calendar. Davy’s showcased a superb selection of more than 100 wines from all over the world, ranging from gems for everyday drinking to

❜❜

exceptional fine wines.

Davy’s showcased a superb selection of more than 100 wines from all over the world, ranging from gems for everyday drinking to exceptional fine wines. Experts were on hand to present each wine, including many winemakers who travelled to London especially for the occasion. South East London Chamber of Commerce has strong links with the local hospitality industry and has hosted several events to showcase this important sector. Recently, the Chamber held its latest Link ‘n Drink event at the Snake and Mongoose pub in Croydon. The event enabled business leaders to sample a unique grill bar that takes its influences from Jamaican and British roots, which are evident in the décor and the atmosphere. The décor is based on early West Indian memorabilia, which has historical links to The Windrush generation. The aim at Snake & Mongoose is to promote a healthy lifestyle using products that are sourced locally from within the community. The company has a beautiful roof terrace where fresh herbs are grown and used in a range of delicious foods and beverages. Chicken is grilled/steamed on a jerk grill, which is also situated on the roof terrace, and this charming venue is the perfect place to host a face-to-face event.

❛❛South East London Chamber of Commerce has strong links with the local hospitality industry and has hosted several events to showcase this important sector. Recently, the Chamber held its latest Link ‘n Drink event

❜❜

at the Snake and Mongoose pub in Croydon.

Hospitality

Culinary duo host Judges’ Dinner A restaurant in the heart of Blackheath Village played host to a judges’ dinner as part of this year’s Great Taste Awards.

opper & Ink restaurant is run by locals Tony Rodd and Becky Cummings, who have been judges for the Great Taste Awards for the past five years. This year they were delighted to be asked to host the three-star judges’ dinner – the culmination of the judging year – at the restaurant. Their brief was to showcase some of the threestar winning products – a tricky task considering all of the products are judged blind and they were unable to test recipes as they had only received ingredients the day before the event. On the day, around forty judges descended upon Copper & Ink, including food critics, writers, editors, bloggers, chefs, producers and buyers with experienced palates. Becky created two tantalising cocktails using three-star gin and rum, while Tony created tasty canapes from some of the food items. The culinary duo then took guests into the lower dining room and served a seven-course menu using a selection of ingredients that had been deemed worthy of receiving three stars.

Tony said: “The event was a great success and everyone had a great time trying new dishes and seeing the products used in new ways. “It’s an exciting time for us. We’re due to film for a TV show that will air over the winter and we’re hosting a wine event for our supplier Boutinot, which will involve a wine tasting and food and wine menu. We also have several weddings in the diary. Our Christmas menu will launch at the start of December but between now and then we have our November menu ready to launch.”

❛❛On the day, around forty judges descended upon Copper & Ink, including food critics, writers, editors, bloggers, chefs, producers and buyers with

❜❜

experienced palates.

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Are Are you you a a housing housing provider provider interested in building interested in building homes homes now? now? Do Do you you have have land land which which can can be leased in order to deliver be leased in order to deliver housing? housing? Would Would you you like like to to build build homes homes local people can actually local people can actually afford? afford?

We’re We’re a a proud proud member member of of the the South South East London Chamber of Commerce East London Chamber of Commerce and and are are working working with with landowners, landowners, government and local government and local communities communities to create homes that bring to create homes that bring our our cities cities to life. to life. We’re We’re Modomo. Modomo. We’d We’d love love to to hear hear from from you: you: hello@modomo.co hello@modomo.co 0776 0776 0191 0191 999, 999, John John Baker, Baker, Chief Chief Development Development Officer Officer www.modomo.co www.modomo.co

Construction

Greenwich Builds in running for further awards A housing scheme pioneered by the Royal Borough of Greenwich is in line for more prestigious awards.

reenwich Builds programme, which will see more than 750 sustainable new council homes built across the borough, has already received accolades in the Inside Housing Design Awards, Building Awards and Housing Design Awards.

Now the scheme has been shortlisted in the 2021 RESI Awards and the UK Housing Awards. Schemes at The Brooks, Kidbrooke Park Road and Henry Kenny Drive are in the RESI Awards categories of Climate Crisis Initiative, Best Development and Best Later Living Operator respectively. UK Housing Awards have also recognised The Brooks in their shortlist for Climate Change Project of the Year, a testament to the sustainability credentials of this zero-carbon development. Winners will be announced at awards ceremonies towards the end of the year.

Development partner named on Woolwich Leisure Centre Scheme An affordable homes project in Woolwich has reached a new milestone with the announcement of Hill Group as a development partner on Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Woolwich Leisure Centre Scheme.

he council is investing in a new state-of-the-art leisure centre fronting General Gordon Square in the heart of Woolwich town centre. This will offer a wide range of facilities, including a six-lane 25-metre swimming pool, waterslide and flumes, spa, gym and much more. Along with the leisure centre, there will be shops, places to eat, public spaces and the refurbishment of the Tramshed theatre and arts centre.

Approximately 500 new homes, a combination of private and affordable, are planned to be delivered by Hill Group, which was appointed following a competitive tender process. The homes will be built between Vincent Road and Wilmount Street, adjacent to the new leisure centre. Hill has extensive experience in delivering mixed tenure developments for local authority partners, working in close collaboration to provide high-quality homes and create places that bring greater social value for the community whilst incorporating the highest standards of sustainability. Cllr Denise Scott-McDonald, deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration and good growth, said: “Building a state-of-the-art leisure centre in the heart of Woolwich will bring residents back into the town centre throughout the week. It will have a positive knock-on effect as more people spend their money and time in the area. But it’s not the only big investment we’re making in Woolwich. We’ve also secured funding from the government to rejuvenate Powis Street and Beresford Square, create jobs, attract visitors and boost the local economy.” Cllr Anthony Okereke, cabinet member for housing, said: “Like every other borough in London, we are facing an unprecedented housing crisis and we are doing everything we can to tackle it. Our Woolwich Leisure Centre Scheme will deliver hundreds of much-needed

flats and houses in a range of sizes, including homes for families. Some will be for market sale, as well as affordable housing including 51 social rented homes for local residents, on leases from the council. We selected Hill, a family-run business, as our development partner from a wide range of responses due to their excellent experience delivering high-quality homes for a range of councils and their strong sustainability credentials.” Andy Hill, chief executive at Hill Group, said: “We are proud to be selected to work with Royal Borough of Greenwich and the residents to deliver their vision for the regeneration of the Woolwich Leisure Centre Scheme. We look forward to meeting the community and other stakeholders to learn and discuss proposals that keep their ambitions at the heart of the plans. We take a resident-led approach to regeneration to ensure the developments we create in existing neighbourhoods benefit the entire local community.” In another significant step, the former Wilko store on General Gordon Square has been demolished, following its relocation to new premises in Charlton. The demolition works also included the strip-out of the old Tramshed building as part of a major refurbishment and extension of the theatre and arts centre there – also being funded by the council – which is about to start. The demolition was carried out by Morgan Sindall Construction, the council’s main contractor for the leisure centre. The council expects the new leisure centre to be complete and ready for use in winter 2024. It will replace the old facilities at the Waterfront Leisure Centre with their modern equivalents and will provide new facilities not currently available at the existing building. The town centre location means the new leisure centre will benefit from Woolwich’s excellent transport links. The Waterfront Leisure Centre will stay open while the new centre is being built.

Construction

Construction begins on

community housing scheme Construction work has begun on London’s largest self-build community housing project.

ural-Urban Synthesis Society (RUSS) formally launched the scheme at a breaking ground ceremony in Ladywell, Lewisham, with the Mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan and Cllr Paul Bell, cabinet member for housing and planning, in attendance. The new homes, available to local people who meet the scheme’s affordability criteria, will be highquality, sustainable and permanently affordable to future generations of tenants and buyers, with no developer profit being made and a resale covenant in place to maintain affordability. The building work is due to be completed in 2023. A range of property sizes and tenure types, including six social homes for residents on Lewisham Council’s housing waiting list, will help to create a diverse resident community. The project includes communal food-growing and gardening spaces, a shared laundry and a publicly accessible playground. A community hub, built by nearly 100 volunteers in 2019, stands alongside the new homes and will serve as an affordable, eco-friendly work and events space for the local community.

The scheme was co-designed by a group of future residents working alongside expert architects. Residents will also have the opportunity to build it alongside local apprentices and volunteers. Funding for the scheme has come from a combination of sources including grants from the GLA and loans from Triodos Bank UK, Big Issue Invest and CAF Venturesome. The scheme has also been supported by Lewisham Council, who leased the land to RUSS. Speaking at the event, Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham, said: “At a time when many people in Lewisham are struggling with a broken housing market, it is fantastic to see work begin on this community-led housing project, delivering permanently affordable homes for local residents and new social homes for families on our housing waiting list. “We’re proud to be supporting RUSS with the land for this scheme, as part of our commitment to tackling the housing crisis in Lewisham, and I look forward to seeing residents move into their new homes in 2023.” The land for the scheme has been leased to RUSS by Lewisham Council and six of the homes will be social

homes for families on the council’s housing waiting list. Kareem Dayes, a future resident of the scheme and RUSS founder, celebrated the achievement and said: “My parents built their home as part of a pioneering Lewisham Council project 30 years ago, and this inspired me to set up RUSS to see if the next generation could deliver something similar. It’s taken a long time – more than a decade – to get to this point, and hundreds of local people, volunteers and councillors have been involved and supported us along the way. “It’s been tough going too, with various setbacks along the way. But the passion and perseverance of the people involved has won through, and we are now finally ready to start the building work.” Bernadette Marjoram, chair of RUSS, added: “I want to thank the many people who have helped RUSS reach this tremendous milestone, including the future residents of the scheme, Lewisham Council, the GLA and our 1,000-plus RUSS members. “There have been many hurdles to clear on the way – securing

an affordable site, funding the design team’s work, financing the construction contract, recruiting volunteers, and spreading the message that communities really can deliver affordable, sustainable homes for themselves. We hope this project will inspire other groups to follow the RUSS example.” Tom Copley, deputy mayor for housing and residential development, said: “To tackle the capital’s housing crisis, we need a vibrant and diverse market with developers of all sizes playing their part. Community-led housing puts residents at the heart of the process, giving them a voice and the chance to contribute to designing their community. “This is exactly the type of project the Mayor’s Innovation Fund was created to support, and I’m proud to be here to support RUSS members in delivering much-needed high-quality social and genuinely affordable homes.” The GLA provided pre-development financial support through the Innovation Grant Fund, and gap funding from the GLA’s Community Housing Fund will be used during the development phase.

Greenwich Planning Committee approves new Riverside Park, 1,500 homes and employment space at U+I’s Morden Wharf

orden Wharf will deliver a truly mixed-use scheme including 1,500 homes in 12 high quality, tenure-blind residential buildings (of which 35% will be affordable including a mix of shared ownership and London Affordable Rent with a particular focus on family homes) all set in more than six acres of high-quality public realm including a 4-acre landscaped park opening up more than 275m of Thames riverfront that includes a river beach. A number of the residential buildings will feature vertical green façades that will help to provide natural screening and improve air quality. The scheme’s landscape design is inspired by the site’s history as a

The Royal Borough Greenwich’s Planning Committee resolved to grant planning consent at Morden Wharf, U+I’s major mixed-use scheme on Greenwich Peninsula, designed by acclaimed Dutch architecture firm OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture). marshland and will add a significant new ecological resource to the area. The Park will lead directly off the existing Thames Path and will be fully accessible to the public. The scheme also includes a significant upgrade of the popular Thames Path, increasing its width to 6m for both pedestrians and cyclists. The open spaces at Morden Wharf will include play and recreation space designed for all age groups, amounting roughly to three-anda-half football pitches, helping to address the existing deficit of open space in the area. A new public square that will host seasonal events and markets will be laid out where the Thames Path meets Sea Witch Lane, the main boulevard that runs

east to west through the scheme. Underground car parking facilities means the public space will cater almost exclusively to pedestrians and cyclists. U+I’s proposals will also deliver a mix of commercial, and employment uses that will create around 700 new permanent jobs. This includes commercial, retail and community use, including smaller flexible spaces for SMEs and creative businesses. Echoing its rich history as a place of industry, a series of maker spaces and light industrial units will sit on the part of the site designated as Strategic Industrial Land. Over 2,400 construction jobs will also be generated over the course of the development programme.

U+I has already agreed a lease with south east London brewery, Brew By Numbers, for a new tap room and brewery, (which is now open) is located in an existing warehouse on the site. The warehouse is on the site of an old pub, The Sea Witch, that was destroyed by a bomb during the Second World War. MDM Props, a creative industries business that makes artworks and props for film, television and theatre has renewed its lease to remain in the warehouse, which will be further refurbished. Morden Wharf is expected to contribute £42m per year in socio-economic value to the local economy.

Back to business means back to fun The chink of wine glasses, the seductive smell of gastronomic delights being brought to the table, the hubbub of guests laughing joyously and enjoying events after a year of sitting things out. We’ve missed it all – and we know your teams have too. With our glistening state-of-the-art Arora Ballroom that can accommodate up to 3,000 conference guests to our 19 highly sought-after and stylish meeting rooms with stunning views over the River Thames, Canary Wharf and The O2, the Intercontinental – The O2 has reopened its doors and we’d love to create unforgettable memories with you again. To plan your next event our team would be more than happy to help. For more information contact our Meeting & Events Team at meetings@iclondon-theo2.com.

www.iclondon-theo2.com

+44 (0)20 8463 6868

The InterContinental London - The O2

Sustainability rules at the InterContinental London - The O2 The InterContinental London - The O2 is one of London’s most iconic venues. With direct access to The O2, a hugely popular entertainment venue, this upmarket hotel is situated on the vibrant Greenwich Peninsula on the banks of the River Thames.

art of the Arora Group, the hotel exposes breath-taking views of the River Thames and Canary Wharf and features 453 guest rooms and suites, a luxury spa with indoor pool, destination restaurants and bars – including an all-day dining restaurant, Market Brasserie, an Afternoon Tea Salon and Café, Meridian Lounge, and the glamorous Eighteenth Sky Bar, which offers magnificent 360-degree views of the City of London. For the business customer, the InterContinental London - The O2 has a range of facilities including a dedicated conference centre with an impressive 3,013 sqm pillar-free ballroom, one of the largest in Europe. All of these features help to draw in hundreds of visitors from London and beyond, but what goes on behind the scenes is perhaps even more impressive. The InterContinental London – The O2 is quietly gaining a reputation for its green credentials, which can be seen most clearly in the food and beverage (F&B) side of the business. The F&B business is made up of five outlets, including bars and restaurants, and is overseen by esteemed chef Johan Rox. Originally from the Netherlands, Johan has 20 years’ experience as an executive chef in five-star luxury hotels across Europe and Latin America. He says: “Sustainability is at the heart of what we do here. The concept of our main restaurant is brasserie-style cuisine based on local specialities. We source locally sourced products – we get our fish from Billingsgate, for example – and we change our menus continuously to make sure the dishes are sustainable in terms of the way the products are farmed and distributed. The other advantage of sourcing local produce is that it doesn’t have to be transported too far, which is good for the environment. We’ve invested in solar panels on part of the hotel roof and we use biodegradable packaging where possible to reduce our carbon footprint.” Johan is also keen to stress the importance of educating others on the sustainability agenda. “I started to create a rooftop garden three years ago to grow plants and produce such as tomatoes and broad beans,” he says. “I take our staff up to the rooftop and show them what we’re growing, when we grew it and when the season for a particular product is coming to an end.”

from Europe to the UK more difficult so it makes sense to have ready-made local supply chains that can serve hotels, shops and restaurants nearby. “This is especially important when demand is high. We’re generally very busy and do about 1,000 covers a day. Because we’re near The O2, we benefit from local events; recently there was a wrestling function at The O2 so a lot of people came to our restaurants and bars.” Before he assumed his current role of the InterContinental London – The O2’s executive chef, Johan led a varied career which has seen him work all over the world.

❛❛I started to create a rooftop garden three years ago to grow plants and produce such as tomatoes and broad beans. I take our staff up to the rooftop and show them what we’re growing, when we grew it and when the season for a particular product is coming to an end.

❜❜

Recent food shortages in the UK highlight the importance of adopting a “grow local, buy local” policy. Johan says: “In the first lockdown, there was a shortage of food due to people panic buying. Now, the shortage is due more to a lack of drivers than a genuine lack of supplies. This has made the logistics of getting food

His first experience of the industry came when he started making ice-cream and pancakes at the age of 14. In 1994 he worked at the Hilton Antwerpen in Belgium as a chef de partie before climbing the ranks to become sous chef (second in charge). His next journey took him to another Hilton hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he was instrumental in the reopening of a five-star hotel, before he repeated the feat at Hilton hotels in the Dominican Republic and Madrid. In 2010 he came to the UK to work at the prestigious Hilton Waldorf hotel in London, then opened a ‘floating’ hotel in Gibraltar’s Ocean Village Marina set against a backdrop of the iconic 1,400 ft ‘Rock’. In 2016 he was asked to assist with the opening of InterContinental London – The O2 so he moved back to London and started the next chapter of his career at one of the largest hotel and conferencing facilities in the UK. Since he has been there, the hotel has won several awards including accolades for its green credentials. It’s clear that sustainability will be key to the company’s philosophy and approach as it enters a post-COVID future. Johan says: “We’re investing in a triturator, a food waste segregator which prevents food from going to landfill. We’re also looking to reduce instances of buffet-style dining at the hotel; this will reduce the amount of leftover food. Not only will this be good for the environment, it will also save us money. “Of course, we’ll continue to buy our produce locally wherever possible. People are becoming more educated about the environment and care more about where their food comes from. A lot of people don’t mind paying a little extra for quality produce made here in the UK.”

Finance

BCC welcomes Labour’s business rates pledge

The Labour Party’s proposals to ease the business rates burden on smaller firms and simplify the tax system have been welcomed by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

t the recent Labour Party conference, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves pledged to phase out business rates as part of a dramatic overhaul of the taxes paid by firms. She also promised that an extra £28bn a year would be made available to make the UK economy greener if Labour got into government.

Responding to the shadow chancellor’s speech, Shevaun Haviland, director general at the BCC, said: “Businesses welcome any attempt to blunt the rise in business rates and the prospect of a more fundamental reform of a broken system. Chamber businesses have been calling for reform for years. “The current arrangements are a barrier to investment and cause an unnecessarily large burden to be placed upon businesses regardless of their ability to pay. Wholesale reform of this longstanding drag anchor on business has become only more pressing

due to COVID-19 and the damage done to high streets and town centres. “The shadow chancellor is right to highlight that reforming business rates must also be placed within a wider context of how businesses are taxed and the need to build a tax system fit for the future, including how onlineonly businesses are taxed. However, any changes must be done in close consultation with business and international partners to ensure that the UK can continue to compete effectively on the global stage. “Care should also be taken when reviewing tax reliefs as they can play an important role in incentivising investment that may not happen otherwise. “The promise of extra investment to aid the transition to net zero is a muchneeded step. However, there also needs to be a great focus on supporting smaller firms who remain understandably concerned about perceived extra costs and red tape if they want to change.”

Ms Haviland also responded to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s speech at the conference. She said: “The leader of the opposition is right to focus on business conditions that would help small and medium-sized firms. Businesses will welcome the focus on digital skills, investment in R&D and the need to make Brexit work. However, despite the warm rhetoric, what firms really need are concrete, costed proposals and meaningful detail on delivery.” “Businesses are crying out for business rates reform and a focus on value for money. But they will also want to see the full detail of taxation proposals promised by the Labour party. As they emerge from the recovery, firms need to see the opposition pushing for no more upfront costs to be piled onto their balance sheets and to see a concrete commitment to reversing the damaging national insurance contribution hikes.”

41 41

Mo-Sys Academy

VP uses the latest technology to combine live-action footage and computer graphics in real-time and while it’s not a new concept – it has been used in green screen filming for many years – its importance has increased in recent times. It can now significantly reduce the cost of producing films and make the filmmaking process much slicker and more efficient. VP was once a technology reserved for Hollywood heavyweights with big visual effects (VFX) budgets, but Mo-Sys’ aim is to make VP as accessible as possible to a wider market. That goal, however, is being hindered by a major skills shortage.

MO-SYS ACADEMY

tackles VP skills shortage

A pioneer in technological innovation, Mo-Sys Engineering has been at the forefront of virtual production (VP) for the best part of 25 years. 42

Michael Geissler, CEO of Mo-Sys, explains: “VP is completely restructuring the film industry. It can move large parts of postproduction, which can be time-consuming and costly, into the main production process and is predicted to become the norm for filming in the next five years. “However, there’s currently a shortage of talented individuals who are skilled in the art of VP. In addition, some universities don’t have the capability to offer VP in their learning curriculum. This is a problem as many film students now only enrol at universities that offer VP courses. “We want to do our bit to address this skills shortage because, if left untreated, it will have a damaging effect on the industry’s competitiveness.”

Mo-Sys Academy

To that end, Mo-Sys has opened a new academy in an attempt to bring through a new pipeline of talent who can sustain the industry’s growth. Initially the academy was launched with a VP summer school, a sixweek hands-on pilot scheme for students with an interest in the world of VP. This contained a mix of technical training and practical exercises that led to the creation of a VP project for film and TV. Since then, Mo-Sys has taken the academy to a new level by working with local universities to shape their learning programmes, and to offer their students and tutors invaluable practical and technical experience. Michael says: “It’s important to note that we’re not competing with universities or film schools; we’re complementing what they have to offer. Our Training the Trainers programme helps university tutors build on their VP knowledge and teaches them how to use our technology and equipment. This adds a valuable practical element to their learning, which they can then impart to their students.

“We’re also helping universities by offering practical experience to students at the end of their course. Once they’ve acquired the necessary theoretical knowledge at university, which is important, they may need to hone their technical and practical skills before they try to find employment. That’s where we come in. “It’s a bit like passing your driving test; you can learn all the theory beforehand but you only really become a proficient driver when you throw away the ‘L’ plates and start practising after you’ve obtained your licence.” Local universities seem to appreciate how Mo-Sys is complementing their VP learning provision. Andy Blustin, head of business at Ravensbourne University, says: “We’re working with Mo-Sys to introduce VP to the university. They’re working with us to develop a training course for the academics, who can then take that knowledge and pass it on to our students.” Mostafa Nagy, lecturer at Ravensbourne University, adds: “When we talk about the latest cutting-edge technologies that Mo-Sys provides, it’s amazing that students get access to this. It equips them with the skills and knowledge of VP to go out into the industry and be successful.” Locally, Mo-Sys is also working with Greenwich University but the company’s

ambitions are not limited to south east London. Mo-Sys aims to replicate the model in Hollywood, where it recently launched a similar academy, and the concept could eventually be rolled out in other locations. Michael says: “Our academies are not just for students and university tutors. It’s important that directors of photography, producers, technicians and other filming professionals are equipped with the latest VP skills and knowledge. They can also benefit from our academies.” Mo-Sys is also influencing UK government policy on workplace skills. The company sits on a cross-party steering group that aims to identify and tackle skills gaps across various industry sectors. Mo-Sys advises the group on the skills needs of the filming industry and suggests ways in which skills gaps can be bridged. Michael says: “Ultimately, our aim is to transform Greenwich into a world-class centre for film production – but we need a continual pipeline of skills to achieve this. We want to lead global innovation, develop the finest talent and create new worlds in filmmaking and business.” Mo-Sys is at the forefront of innovation, serving customers in more than 50 countries. The company designs and builds unique, highly sophisticated camera technology products for film and broadcast.

❛❛Our academies are not just for students and university tutors. It’s important that directors of photography, producers, technicians and other filming professionals are equipped with the latest VP skills and knowledge

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DIRECTION LAW

Christmas Events 2021

PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES Residential conveyancing

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Housing For over 45 years our growth has been borne from our relationships with clients, peers, agents and staff

Wills and Probate

Monday 22nd November to Wednesday 22nd December 2021. Adults £25.95, Children £16.00

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Saturday 25th December 2021 12pm - 2.30pm Adults £99.00, Children’s half portions or the Children’s menu £46.00

Boxing Day Carvery Lunch Sunday 26th December 2021 12pm - 2.30pm Adults £47.50, Children’s half portions or the Children’s menu £26.50

www.directionlaw.co.uk

New Year’s Eve Family Celebration

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Thur 25th, Fri 26th, Sat 27th November £51.00 pp Wed 1st, Thur 2nd, Fri 3rd, Sat 4th, Thur 9th, Fri 10th, Sat 11th, Thur 16th, Fri 17, Sat 18th, Mon 20th, Tue 21st & Wed 22nd December £57.00 pp Thur 6th, Fri 7th & Sat 8th January 2022 £35.00 pp

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Christmas Eve Dinner Friday 24th December 2021 Adults £41.00, Children’s half portions or the Children’s menu £18.00

Christmas Day Buffet Dinner Saturday 25th December 2021 7pm - 8.30pm Adults £35.00, Children’s half portions or the Children’s menu £19.00.

New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner & Dance Friday 31st December 2021 Gala dinner only, Adults £115.00

New Year’s Day Carvery Saturday 1st January 2022 Adults £41.50, Children’s half portions or the Children’s menu £19.50

For further information contact us on 020 8461 8608/10 or email christmas@bromleycourthotel.co.uk *Prices are per person and inclusive of VAT at the current rate. Children’s prices apply to under 10’s.

Looking to grow your business in the heart of a thriving creative community? Look no further than Creative Folkestone. Less than an hour from London and with a range of flexible office spaces available, Creative Folkestone could be the perfect place for anyone looking to relocate or expand their business.

Creative Folkestone is investing in and developing exciting, bespoke spaces that can accommodate the growing demand for digital and tech companies seeking to make the move out of London.

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Be part of something special and say hello to Creative Folkestone today.

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Health and Wellbeing

Female workers face online sexual harassment

Almost half of women sexually harassed at work during lockdown were targeted online, a new study has revealed.

report from the Fawcett Society found 45% of women who had experienced harassment encountered it online through sexual messages, cyber harassment and sexual calls. At least 40% of women polled had experienced workplace harassment, and women who are marginalised for other reasons, such as race or disability, faced an increased risk and different forms of sexual harassment, the report found. Almost seven in ten (68%) disabled women reported being sexually harassed at work, compared to 52% of women in general. Ethnic minority workers (women and men) reported higher rates (32%) of sexual harassment than white workers (28%) over the last 12 months. Meanwhile, a poll of LGBT workers found that 68% had experienced some form of harassment in the workplace. In a statement on its website, the Fawcett Society said: “We need to rethink how we approach sexual harassment. In July 2021 the UK government committed to legislation for a duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment, following campaigning by Fawcett and other groups off the back of the MeToo movement. This move recognises that sexual harassment is not just about the aberrant behaviour of a few individuals. It is about a culture within workplaces where every day behaviour which violates the dignity of, predominantly, women, is too often treated as acceptable banter.”

is an individualised response to an institutional problem. It can make things even worse for employees who report sexual harassment, who can face victimisation and retaliation. “Women often recognise this risk, and choose not to report at all, leading to a vicious cycle where managers and leaders do not know what is happening in their organisations, and policies sit on the shelf unused. Despite best intentions, many managers do not feel equipped to handle cases of sexual harassment. Environments like this hold back employers who want to create a diverse, productive and people-focused organisation – and can reduce profits.

“There is now a regulatory need for employers to shift from an approach that seeks to minimise liability to one that seeks to create organisational cultures and norms that prevent sexual harassment. “Our review of the current research identifies five key requirements to create a workplace that does not tolerate sexual harassment: culture, policy, training, reporting mechanisms and the way employers respond to reports. Successful and lasting change requires sustained commitment and we show how in this report.”

To see the report, visit https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/tackling-sexual-harassment-in-the-workplace

❛❛The society said employers were putting too much emphasis on women reporting harassment and needed to focus more on measures that prevented this behaviour from happening in the first place.

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The society said employers were putting too much emphasis on women reporting harassment and needed to focus more on measures that prevented this behaviour from happening in the first place. “This culture is upheld by the way many employers approach sexual harassment, seeking to quietly resolve incidents after they have happened, and to minimize liability. This approach

News

Loan and learn scheme provides lifechanging digital support

Mayor encourages workers leaving furlough to retrain for free

Hundreds of residents who are at high risk of COVID-19 are now able to secure access to the internet, portable devices, and digital skills training for free thanks to the new Greenwich Get Digital Loan and Learn scheme.

find good jobs in sectors with skills shortages.

orking with DG Cities – Greenwich Council’s very own innovation company – the loan and learn scheme forms part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich Community Champions initiative. It supports the COVID-19 effort to improve digital access and skills by giving residents the digital tools and skills they need to get online, be more informed and secure access to the services they need. Several local community centres and organisations are taking part in the pilot.

Cllr Adel Khaireh, cabinet member for culture, communities and equalities, said: “I’m very excited about this pilot scheme, which is helping digitally isolated residents and seldom-heard communities at high risk of COVID-19 to secure accurate, up-to-date information and support. Hopefully we’ll also see a reduction in the amount of misinformation being shared about the virus. “I’m also keen to see the results of this pilot and whether the council can loan devices for longer than four weeks which, from the feedback I’ve received, will help many residents. In addition, we could also look at working with companies in Royal Greenwich that are replacing their IT equipment to donate much-needed kit to community groups.” For more information visit royalgreenwich.gov.uk/ digitalloanandlearn

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is encouraging low-paid Londoners and those facing unemployment when the furlough scheme ends to retrain for free and

ondon has the highest uptake of furlough in the country with around 8% of eligible workers (297,100) still on furlough at the end of July 2021 against a UK average of 5%. Eight of the ten local authorities with the highest furlough rates were in London. Hounslow, Newham, Barnet, Brent and Redbridge all had furlough rates of 10%. As furlough has now come to an end, there is a risk that there will be a rise in unemployment as Londoners are no longer supported by the scheme.

That’s why Sadiq Khan is providing free training to low skilled and unemployed Londoners, regardless of their prior qualifications, to help them get jobs in futureproof sectors of our economy that are vital to London’s recovery. He has announced a total package of £11m to help Londoners to gain qualifications and get jobs in the hospitality, digital, creative, green and health and social care sectors. These fully-funded training opportunities will be delivered through local colleges and adult education providers across the city.

Sadiq Khan said: “The end of furlough may signal the end of a regular income for many Londoners, with hundreds of people in the hospitality and service sector finding themselves out of work. “I’m offering Londoners the chance to retrain or upskill for free and gain qualifications in futureproof industries that are key to London’s recovery from the pandemic. This funding will help many people find their feet after what has been an extraordinarily difficult 18 months.”

Mayor calls for COVID Recovery Visa The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has added his voice to calls for the Government to create a new Covid Recovery Visa to address the alarming labour shortages affecting a wide range of industries in the wake of Brexit and the pandemic.

n a speech at Bloomberg’s ‘The Future of Global Financial Centres – The New London’ forum, the Mayor set out how the Covid Recovery Visa would work. This included: • Calling on the government to change its immigration system so that it meets economic needs and helps businesses. • Requesting devolved powers to fill vacancies  in sectors with serious shortages. • Suggesting extending the Youth Mobility Scheme to EU nationals. While the Mayor believes it is right to encourage employers to invest in the UK workforce and to seek improved conditions in sectors with lower pay, he believes it is unrealistic for the government to expect businesses grappling with the worst economic crisis since the Second World War to train the numbers needed in such a short space of time.  As London continues to reopen and with jobs returning, the mayor hopes that many workers from European countries with status under the EU Settlement Scheme will come back to London. He is using London’s Adult Education Budget

to provide skills support to industries such as construction and hospitality that are experiencing major staffing shortages. However, it will be difficult to replace experienced workers who choose not to come back and it remains incredibly uncertain how many will return. Sadiq Khan said: “Many sectors that are important to our economic recovery, from hospitality to haulage, construction and culture, are now under huge strain due to the lack of EU workers and the government’s immigration rules. We know there are countless struggling businesses across London that are working hard to get back on their feet, but are now simply unable to hire the staff they need. “Given the urgency and the scale of the challenge, I’m calling on the government to change its immigration system so that it meets our economic needs and helps our businesses. This must include introducing a Covid Recovery Visa to help attract international workers into key roles to support our economic recovery. London has unique needs when it comes to attracting workers from around the world – and so a more tailored, dynamic approach is urgently required.”

Advertising Feature

COVID-19 vaccination status - processing pitfalls By Sarah Wilkinson Associate Solicitor Thackray Williams

ublic Health England research suggests that the COVID-19 vaccination programme has prevented over 30,000 deaths and over 11 million infections.

There is further evidence to suggest that the vaccine also prevents those who catch the virus from infecting other people. It is not surprising, therefore, that many employers are now requesting that their employees confirm their vaccination status before entering the workplace with a view to ensuring a healthy and safe working environment. With a plethora of new laws and regulations introduced since the emergence of COVID-19, it is perhaps all too easy for employers to overlook their data protection obligations. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to ‘processing’ personal data. If you are merely conducting a visual check of your employees’ vaccination status and do not retain any personal data, this would not constitute ‘processing’ and would fall outside the scope of the GDPR. However, if you plan to make a record of your employees’ vaccination status, then the GDPR would apply – you must have a lawful basis for processing your employees’ vaccination status and

should be able to identify a ‘condition for processing’ as set out in Article 9 of the GDPR. Firstly, as a lawful basis, most employers should be able to rely on the fact that processing an individual’s vaccination status is necessary for the employer’s legitimate interest or the legitimate interests of a third party, unless there is a good reason to protect the personal data which overrides those legitimate interests. Secondly, given that health data has the more protected status of “special category data” under the GDPR, employers will need to identify an Article 9 condition for processing. There are two main Article 9 conditions which may be relevant: • The employment condition - where processing is necessary for the purposes of carrying out obligations in the field of employment law, such as ensuring health, safety and welfare of employees; or

The Information Commissioner’s Office applies a reasonably narrow approach to the recording of employees’ vaccination status in its guidance which states: “Your reason for recording your employees’ vaccination status must be clear and necessary. If you cannot specify your use for this information and are recording it on a ‘just in case’ basis, or if you achieve your goal without collecting this data, you are unlikely to be able to justify collecting it.” Most data protection policies will need to be reviewed to take account of the above advice. If you have any questions or require our assistance in ensuring compliance with the relevant data protection regulations, please get in touch with a member of our Employment Team on 020 8290 0440.

• The public health condition - where processing is necessary for reasons of public interest in the area of public health. • Finally, to ensure compliance with the relevant data protection legislation, employees should be told why the information relating to their vaccination status is needed, how it will be stored, how long it will be retained and who will be able to access it.

❛❛You must have a lawful basis for processing your employees’ vaccination status and should be able to identify a ‘condition for processing’ as set out in Article 9 of the GDPR.

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49 49

New Members

Welcome

to our new members

As a member of our Chamber, you are joining a unique organisation with a strong campaigning voice for business to local and national government. Amity Youth Development Tel: 0208 676 1544 Email: jacqui@amitygrp.com Contact: Jacqui McCalla

Halo’s Hair Designs Tel: 020 8688 3007 Email: halos252@outlook.com Contact: Joy Bowling

PLATFORM-7 EVENTS Tel: 07808 808704 Email: johnm@platform-7.com Contact: John McKiernan

AM Supported Living Business Academy Ltd Tel: 07985 925682 Email: angiestrategymorris@gmail.com Contact: Angela Morris

Joseph Media Tel: 020 8253 1264 Email: val@josephmedia.com Contact: Valentine Atsu

Prosperity Uncovered Tel: 07988 861851 Email: jenninebailey@croydonsocialp.com Contact: Jennine Bailey

AvantGarde Artiste Tel: 020 8689 9888 Email: m.vs@hotmail.co.uk Contact: Marianne Simons Black Business Working Together Tel: 07984 449920 Email: blackbusinessesworkingtogether@ gmail.com Contact: Patsy Cummings Bluejay Cafe Tel: 020 8656 9050 Email: bluejaycafe1@hotmail.com Contact: Joy Blake

Kimos School of Motoring Tel: 07957 183636 Email: kimossom@hotmail.co.uk Contact: Kimos Agbowu May Day Tel: 020 8654 7265 Email: charlenec.pig@gmail.com Contact: Sulaimon Tezgel Mazi Restaurant Tel: 020 8680 3798 Email: mazirestaurant@btconnect.com Contact: Esder Mazi

Snake and Mongoose Tel: 020 8649 7988 Email: snakeandmongoosegrill@gmail.com Contact: Derek Mullings Spurgeon’s College Tel: 020 8653 0850 Email: h.stokley@spurgeons.ac.uk Contact: Rev. Helen Stokley Timber Gardens Tel: 020 3795 1337 Email: info@crotech.co.uk Contact: Douglas Danso

MetroCharity Tel: 020 8305 5000 Email: markd@metrocharity.org.uk Contact: Mark Delacour

The Write Time Tel: 020 8854 1316 Email: sukbahra@thewritetime.org.uk Contact: Suk Bahra

Mula Cake Clothing Limited Tel: 07983 258305 Email: dexter@mulacake.com Contact: Dexter Simms

The Tramshed Tel: 020 8854 1316 Email: daisy@tramshed.org Contact: Daisy Minto

Essence of Cake Tel: 020 3784 6030 Email: info@essenceofcake.com Contact: Tracey Rashid

Nashat Tel: 020 3795 1337 Email: info@josephmedia.co.uk Contact: Jude Joseph

Woolwich Works Tel: 020 8654 7265 Email: james@woolwich.works Contact: James Heaton

Golden Chefs Cafes Tel: 07768 634062 Email: yemen26@msn.com Contact: Yemen Ozdemir

Pamper Indulge and Give Tel: 020 8654 7265 Email: charlenec.pig@gmail.com Contact: Charlene Charles

Yaema’s Beauty Bar Tel: 07506 748681 Email: yaemabowling22@gmail.com Contact: Yaema Bowling

Copper and Ink Tel: 020 3941 9337 Email: becky@copperandink.com Contact: Becky Cummings Cro Tech Tel: 020 8681 8306 Email: info@essenceofcake.com Contact: Nima Pardakhtchi

Members can access a range of services, networking events and support to help their business do better. Importantly, they can also access other members to find new suppliers, promote your business services, or join forces on new opportunities.

...and finally Neil Coates Chief Operating Officer, Enterprise and Employment London South East Colleges

eil joined London & South East Education Group in December 2018 as Group Director for Business Development, with the remit to drive the Group’s Employer Engagement strategy and develop longer term partnerships with key stakeholders. He has recently been appointed as Chief Operating Officer - Enterprise and Employment. Neil’s role is central to providing pathways into employment, developing professional training opportunities for businesses and to ensure that employers have a central voice in the skills, knowledge and behaviours that our students need to develop. As well as having strategic development and oversight of employer engagement and apprenticeships, Neil oversees the College’s Higher Education provision, curriculum innovation and partnership arrangements. Neil has cross-college responsibility for all commercial and facility hire, leading on the College’s agenda to continue to diversify its revenue streams. And, in addition, Neil leads the College’s Greenwich and Bexley campuses including the adult community learning provision.

• What was your first job and what was the pay packet?

• What would you do with your last pound?

Buy something for my family.

• What is the biggest challenge facing your business?

Find out how to join and learn how others are benefiting from their membership.

For more information telephone: 020 8317 3365 email: office@selondonchamber.org

My first job was with McDonalds on a massive £4 per hour. My first job in education was at the University of Greenwich and then with Thurrock and Basildon college as a sports tutor, which had a salary of £24,000 per year.

Ensuring that we are delivering the skills employers need, now and in the future. Ensuring the talent we develop as a college is directed into the amazing business opportunities available. Ensuring we have the relevant funding available to support the skills we are trying to develop.

❛❛As a member you’re well

• If you were Prime Minister, what would be your first decision?

connected with access to our range of benefits and services, including our directory of local member businesses. ❜❜

Link all government services to ensure systems are simplified and support efficiency.

• If you could do another job what would it be?

A manual handling role, such as a construction worker.

• What book are you currently reading?

James Patterson and Bill Clinton’s- The President is Missing and Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

WELCOME TO WELCOME TO

They join an ever growing list of tenants reaping the benefits They join an ever growing list of tenants reaping the benefits of being in the highest quality space in Bromley. of being in the highest quality space in Bromley. We now have only 26,646 sq ft of space available, We now have only 26,646 sq ft of space available, with suites starting from just 3,863 sq ft. with suites starting from just 3,863 sq ft.

Andrew Willcock Andrew 020 7409Willcock 8866 020 7409 07870 9998866 628 07870 999 628 awillcock@savills.com awillcock@savills.com

Olivia Jones Olivia Jones 020 7409 8708 020 7409 07951 0418708 788 07951 041 788 ojones@savills.com ojones@savills.com

T- B RO MLE Y.CO.U K T- B RO MLE Y.CO.U K

Mike Lewis Mike Lewis 01732 227 902 01732 07889 227 361 902 427 07889 361 427 mike.lewis@michaelrogers.co.uk mike.lewis@michaelrogers.co.uk

Make it Happen London South East Colleges is one of the largest further education colleges in London.

With stunning campuses located across south east London, we offer an extensive range of academic and vocational courses, apprenticeships and degrees. We also work with employers to develop bespoke training programmes to upskill their workforce. Visit LSEC.ac.uk to find out more or email employers@LSEC.ac.uk