The Masthead February 2018

the

masthead

Official Magazine for South East London Chamber of Commerce - Issue 5

• GREENWICH SET FOR TOURISM GROWTH - Winners of the best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards announced • LEWISHAM SME BUSINESS SURVEY • BUSINESSES MATTER IN BROMLEY • BEXLEY'S CULTURE BID • BIG INTERVIEW with Sir Steve Bullock • HEALTH & WELLBEING - Putting health at the top of the business agenda • PROPOSED CHANGES could boost London's construction sector

AYGO x-play

Auris Hybrid Icon Tech

Contract Hire

Contract Hire

Non-Maintained

£129+VAT per month*

£774

Non-Maintained Maintained

£145 +VAT

per month*

initial rental + VAT

£870

initial rental +VAT

£189+VAT per month*

£1,134

Maintained

£205 +VAT

per month*

initial rental + VAT

£1,230

initial rental +VAT

Derek Palmer 07468 861109 derek.palmer@jemca.co.uk

James Derbyshire 07974 136205 james.derbyshire@jemca.co.uk

Jemca Toyota Sidcup Business Centre 146-150 Maidstone Road , Sidcup, Kent DA14 5HS 020 8309 4494 jemcasidcup.toyota.co.uk

Jemca Toyota Bromley Business Centre 146 Burnt Ash Lane, Bromley, Kent BR1 5TD 020 8860 1399 jemcabromley.toyota.co.uk

Models shown are AYGO x-play 5 door 1.0 VVT-i Manual at £10,905 excluding metallic paint at £515 and Auris Hybrid Icon Tech 5 door 1.8 VVT-i Auto at £22,635 excluding metallic paint at £545. Prices correct at time of going to print.*Business users only. Initial rental and VAT applies. Available on new leases of models shown when ordered and proposed for nance between 20th December 2017 and 2nd April 2018, registered and nanced by 30th June 2018 through Toyota Financial Services on Toyota Contract Hire. Advertised rentals are based on a 36 month non-maintained contract at 8,000 miles per annum with an initial rental of £774+VAT (AYGO) and £1,134+VAT (Auris Hybrid) and a 36 month maintained contract at 8,000 miles per annum with an initial rental of £870+VAT (AYGO) and £1,230+VAT (Auris Hybrid).. Excess mileage charges apply. Metallic or pearlescent paint are not included. You will not own the vehicle. Other nance o ers are available but cannot be used in conjunction with this o er. O er may be varied or withdrawn at any time.

Participating Toyota Centres. Toyota Centres are independent of Toyota Financial Services. Indemnities may be required. Finance subject to status to over 18s. Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC. Registered O ce: Great Burgh, Burgh Heath, Epsom, KT18 5UZ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Terms and conditions apply.

AYGO x-play 5 door 1.0 VVT-i Manual. O cial Fuel Consumption Figures in mpg (l/100km): Urban 56.5 (5.0), Extra Urban 74.3 (3.8), Combined 67.3 (4.2).

CO2 Emissions 97g/km. Auris Hybrid Icon 5 door 1.8 VVT-i Auto. O cial Fuel Consumption Figures in mpg (l/100km): Urban 80.7 (3.5), Extra Urban 80.7 (3.5), Combined 78.4 (3.6). CO2 Emissions 82g/km. All mpg and CO2 gures quoted are sourced from o cial EU regulated laboratory test results. These are provided to allow comparisons between vehicles and may not re ect your actual driving experience.

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Economy Royal Borough of Greenwich Business Awards - winners Focus on Greenwich 8-9 10 Focus on Lewisham 11-13 Focus on Bromley 14-15 Focus on Bexley 16 Arts and Culture 17 Business News 18 Interview with Jude Law 20-21 Education & Skills 25 Ask the Expert

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Welcome |

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26-27 Big Interview with Sir Steve Bullock 28-31 Chamber Events 32-35 Tourism - Visit Greenwich 37 Hospitality 38-41 Construction 42 Legal 43 Finance 44 News 45-47 Health & Wellbeing 49 The Person behind the Business 50 New Members 50 and finally....

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Welcome Photo: Warren King

To The Masthead - the South East London Chamber of Commerce magazine.

Since the last issue of Masthead when we concentrated on Bexley, we are delighted to welcome two new directors to the board. Yadav Bhandari, director at Everest Inn Group and Barrie Kelly, CEO Visit Greenwich. Visit Greenwich have become a Chamber Strategic Partner and the Chamber has joined as a Bronze Member.

From this issue, Masthead will continue to feature tourism in its January 2018 marks the first pages as we appreciate how anniversary of the Chamber’s important this sector of the economy is to our four boroughs. partnership with Benham As President of the Chamber, Publishing.

I was honoured to act as a judge on To celebrate the anniversary, the first Royal Borough of Greenwich the magazine pagination Business Awards. There is full has increased to 52 and coverage of the awards in this issue the print run, 2,500; plus electronic and it is a pleasure to confirm the distribution. Masthead magazine and Chamber will again be working in its sister weekly e-Zine, Masthead association with the Royal Borough Light has been incredibly valuable in delivering the 2019 Awards whose in raising the profile of the Chamber. headline sponsor will be U+I plc.

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Editorial and General Enquiries South East London Chamber of Commerce Unit TW/45, Trinity Wharf, Harrington Way Warspite Road London SE18 5NR Tel: 020 8317 3365 Email: office@selondonchamber.org www.selondonchamber.org

Business Development Director: Peter Wilson

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: January 2018 © Benham Publishing

Photography Warren King Tel: 07779 337765 email: warren@wkphotography.co.uk web: www.wkphotography.co.uk

I represent U+I on the Chamber’s Board and we were so inspired by the business community’s support of the event, Richard Upton, Deputy CEO agreed to be next year’s headline sponsor.

For the first time, we feature a restaurant review in this issue.

This was undertaken at the Peninsula Restaurant at InterContinental London - The O2

by Susan Isaacs, a member of Southwark Chamber who regularly reviews on food and the arts for their Chamber magazine. The review was done the evening before the Awards ceremony and everyone who enjoyed the excellent food at this event, will eagerly read and enjoy.

The Big Interview in this issue is with Sir Steve Bullock, the mayor of Lewisham who will be standing down at the local elections in May. There is an interview with Jude Law 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. 1598 Disclaimer The Masthead is published for South East London Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members.

and both celebrities have something in common…..their support of The Albany, Deptford.

Everything has not been as smooth as we had hoped with refreshing the Chamber’s website.

Our move to the cloud via new broadband did not go to plan and unfortunately everything crashed.

Greenwich Bright are working very hard on the new look and payment system. To be GDPR compliant, we will shortly be sending out a short survey to all our members to ascertain their up to date details. We have two events on GDPR coming up and a supper with Professor Neil Spiller at the University of Greenwich.

All details in forthcoming events.

Our mantra in 2018 remains the same: What gets measured, gets done.

Helen McIntosh FCIPR President 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. © 2018 Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content. Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

January 2018

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| Economy

Uncertainty continues to prompt economy concerns The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has downgraded its three-year outlook for the UK economy, cutting growth expectations from 1.6% to 1.5% in 2017, from 1.2% to 1.1% in 2018 and from 1.4% to 1.3% in 2019. he slight downgrade is mainly driven by a slightly weaker contribution from net trade across the forecast period, while household consumption and business investment are expected to remain sluggish.

UK productivity is also forecast to remain subdued.

Inflation is forecast to outpace earnings until 2019, eroding wages and weighing on consumer spending, a key driver of UK economic growth.

As such, the new BCC forecast is that the next increase in UK official interest rates, to 0.75%, will occur in Q4 2019.

With the UK economy expected to continue with sluggish growth, the BCC is urging a far stronger focus on ‘fixing the fundamentals’ of the UK economy, including skills and labour shortages, congested infrastructure, patchy digital connectivity, a slow planning system and high up-front costs that restrict investment and productivity.

Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Despite pockets of resilience

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January 2018

and success, and strong results for some UK firms, the bigger picture is one of slow economic growth amid uncertain trading conditions.

“Following the welcome news that the Prime Minister has reached a deal on the first phase of Brexit negotiations, it is now crucial to deliver a firm transition period and clarity on the nature of the UK’s future trading relationship with the EU. “Despite the deal, Brexit uncertainty still lingers over business communities and is undermining many firms’ investment decisions and confidence. Certainty over the course of Brexit would also help to stabilise markets, and reduce the volatility of sterling, which businesses say is increasing their costs.

“Yet even the best possible Brexit deal won’t be worth the paper it’s written on if the Government fails to address the many long-standing, and well-known, barriers to growth here at home.

“Ever-rising upfront costs, a labour market at capacity, growing pressure on land use, and a physical and digital

infrastructure in need of investment and expansion, all prevent UK firms from reaching their potential.”

Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the BCC, said: “Continued uncertainty over Brexit and the burden of upfront cost pressures facing businesses is likely to stifle business investment, while falling real wage growth is expected to continue to weigh on consumer spending.

Furthermore, with businesses continue to report that the post-EU referendum weakness in sterling is hurting as much as its helping, the significant imbalances currently facing

the UK economy is expected to persist through the forecast period.

“The continued weakness in UK’s productivity is a key concern and reflects the lack of progress in dealing with some of the deep-rooted structural problems in our economy, from skills shortages to creaking physical and digital infrastructure.

“Despite the downgrades to our growth projections, the risks to our forecast remain on the downside. Should the UK face a disorderly exit from the European Union, the UK’s growth rates may be materially lower over the medium term.”

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Ever-rising upfront costs, a labour market at capacity, growing pressure on land use, and a physical and digital infrastructure in need of investment and expansion, all prevent UK firms from reaching their potential.

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Recovery College in Woolwich, a finalist in prestigious awards

We offer a comprehensive range of property related services.

• Commercial & Residential Agency • Building Surveying • Expert Reports • Lease Extensions • Party Wall Matters • Property Management • Rent Reviews & Lease Renewals • Valuations Our experienced teams are based in our offices in Greenwich, Blackheath and Dulwich and can offer advice on property related matters across a wide spectrum.

020 8858 3377 www.hindwoods.co.uk

Bridge Support, the leading mental health and wellbeing charity which hosts the Recovery College, recently won a Digital Leadership Award in the Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards. Our Recovery College, in Woolwich, is breaking new ground and was a finalist in the ‘Social Enterprise’ Category. (http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/businessawards2018)

The College is run by Bridge Support (www.bridgesupport.org), who developed the College, to help people with mental ill-health recover through therapeutic and holistic courses and wellbeing attainment.

When Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group commissioned the service in 2013, they placed the College within the heart of the community, rather than in a NHS setting, which was an innovative way of delivering the service.

It has flourished with over 1,000 students having enrolled on courses to enhance their recovery. Students are not asked for details of their diagnosis on their enrolment and many say that this is the first time someone has focused on their life and what they want to achieve, rather than their diagnosis, reporting the positive impact this has had.

The College runs peer-led courses on how to better manage mental health and wellbeing. In a normal year, delivering 112 workshops and courses engaging 1,344 learner places.

Of these, over 70% are delivered by peer trainers, students who have been trained to deliver courses, and 95 of workshops and courses are co-produced with students.

In 2017, the College moved to 23, Angelsea Road in Woolwich. There, Bridge Support has also launched a wellbeing social enterprise café called Stir Café and students of the College are offered volunteer opportunities, being trained up as baristas in the café for work experience. This new site is developing into a local mental health and wellbeing hub, as the College continues to be a force of change within the community.

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January 2018

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| Royal Greenwich Business Awards

Winners of Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards announced The winners of the first Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards in association with Lovell have been announced.

Councillor Denise Hyland, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich

he Royal Borough of Greenwich teamed up with South East London Chamber of Commerce for the inaugural awards to highlight the vital role businesses play in providing sustainable growth, celebrate our diverse business sector and show how we work together to support our local community.

Countdown’s Nick Hewer hosted the glittering awards ceremony which was held at InterContinental London – The O2 on Friday 19 January.

The Council received 125 nominations across the 10 categories with 50 businesses shortlisted by the judges.

Councillor Denise Hyland, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: “Congratulations to all the winners of the first Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards and thank you to all our sponsors for making it possible. I would also like to thank all those who took time

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January 2018

to enter the awards, and everyone who came along to the ceremony.

“We are proud to be home to over 11,000 businesses and the awards were a fitting celebration of this and build on existing support which the Council provides to businesses of all shapes and sizes. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event which will be even bigger and better!”

Almost 350 ticket holders enjoyed a champagne reception sponsored by Riney, a two course lunch and entertainment from students from Millennium Performing Arts College which is based in Woolwich.

Sponsors, contributions in kind and ticket sales fully funded the awards ceremony and £1,200 was raised for the Mayor’s charities – the Garrison Church of St George and Wide Horizons – through a raffle, with £5 from the sale of

Host Nick Hewer

each ticket being divided between the two.

The awards have inspired regeneration company U+I to set up a junior Entrepreneur Programme in some of the Borough’s schools. More information will be available shortly and the programme will be up and running in the spring. It was also announced that U+I will be the Headline Sponsor for next year’s Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards ceremony.

The winners were: • Business Start Up award Sponsored by Grant Saw Solicitors - J7 Security Limited • Innovation Sponsored by NEC – Inside Out Contracts • Young Entrepreneur Sponsored by McDonald’s – Archery Fit • Sustainability Sponsored by IKEA – Redurchin

• Tourism & Culture Sponsored by MBNA Thames Clippers – Old Royal Naval College • Independent Retailer Sponsored by Handelsbanken – Ottie and the Bea • Digital Leadership Sponsored by Russell King Associates – Bridge Support • Food and Hospitality Aponsored by Drury Tea & Coffee Co – Feast • Social Enterprise Sponsored by London City Airport – First Step Trust • Employer of the Year Sponsored by London South East Colleges – MJ Rooney Construction For more information about the awards and the judging process, visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/ businessawards2018

Royal Greenwich Business Awards |

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Jason Lavelle from J7 Security, winners of the Best Business Start-Up award with Maria Lati from category sponsor Grant Saw Solicitors

Bridge Support, winners of the Digital Leadership award with Kaan Azmi from category sponsor Russell King Associates

Archery Fit, winners of the Young Entrepreneur award with Taimoor Sheikh from category sponsor McDonald’s

Feast, winners of the Food and Hospitality award with Marco Olmi from category sponsor Drury Tea & Coffee Co

Ottie and the Bea, winners of the Independent Retailer award with Raff Gallo from category sponsor Handelsbanken

Inside Out Contracts, winners of the Innovation award with Zsofia Andalics from category sponsor NEC’

First Step Trust, winners of the Social Enterprise award with Anna Boss from category sponsor London City Airport

Redurchin, winners of the Sustainability award with Emma Calow and Christy Barlow from category sponsor IKEA

Old Royal Naval College, winners of the Tourism and Culture award with Scott Eames from category sponsor MBNA Thames Clippers

MJ Rooney Construction, winners of the Employer of the Year award with Sam Parrett from category sponsor London South East Colleges

Photography - Royal Borough of Greenwich courtesy of Brian Aldrich

January 2018

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| Focus on Greenwich

Artists impression of Woolwich Creative District

Ambitious programmes of regeneration across the Royal Borough of Greenwich This year will see the completion of the Elizabeth line (Crossrail) connecting new stations at Woolwich and Abbey Wood to the heart of London in minutes.

Crossrail is helping fuel renewal across the Royal Borough of Greenwich. owever Crossrail's welcome addition is only part of long term ambitious programmes of regeneration right across the borough, including redevelopment ‘masterplans’ for Greenwich Peninsula, Charlton Riverside, Thamesmead and Abbey Wood, Eltham and Woolwich.

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January 2018

Work on planning and design of a new leisure centre for Woolwich begins this year. It will replace the existing Waterfront Leisure Centre and will be another new facility that will benefit the local community.

The redevelopment of what is now known as the Spray Street Quarter will create a

new landmark destination and gateway to Woolwich town centre. When completed it is likely to include a cinema, shops, cafes and restaurants, flexible office space and residential units.

A major landmark investment in arts and culture is transforming a section of the Royal Arsenal riverfront

in Woolwich into a 16,500square-metre creative hub.

The Woolwich Creative District will turn unused Grade II and Grade II* listed buildings into a space that will include large scale performance venues as well as studio and rehearsal spaces and provide a home for national and international theatre companies.

Focus on Greenwich |

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Successful regeneration has been achieved by working in partnership with a wide range of individuals and organisations, whether they are public, private or third sector bodies, to coordinate aims and priorities to deliver the best for local communities.

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Artists impression of Charlton Riverside

The planned urban quarter in Charlton Riverside will mean thousands of new homes, new employment areas and improved transport.

Greenwich Peninsula has launched the Design District, specifically for use by the creative industry in London, spanning 16 buildings across one hectare. Set to open in 2020, the district will provide work spaces for 1,800 people working in the creative industries.

The historic town of Eltham is also undergoing regeneration with major improvements to the area, including the Council’s development of a six-screen cinema complex in the High Street.

In the spring work will begin on the multi-million pounds transformation of the current Plumstead library building into a multi-functional library, leisure, cultural and sports centre.

Plans continue on the development of Enderby Wharf, which will be the first cruise liner terminal in London.

The Royal Borough is investing in sustainable transport modes such as walking and cycling as well as improving public transport around the borough. It is piloting cutting edge solutions to address growth and pollution, including establishing a Low Emission Neighbourhood scheme in Greenwich focusing on improving air quality using ‘smart technology’ and tried and tested techniques to reduce transport emissions.

The Borough is home to the ‘Smart City’ project testing innovative future-tech such as driverless vehicles.

Tourism of course continues to play an important part in the borough’s economy with more than 18 million tourists visiting Royal Greenwich each year, and is worth around

£774 million to the local economy. Visitors are drawn to attractions like the traditional historic favourites of the Old Royal Naval College, Royal Observatory, and Cutty Sark, as well as the O2 Arena.

Successful regeneration has been achieved by working in partnership with a wide range of individuals and organisations, whether they are public, private or third sector bodies, to coordinate aims and priorities to deliver the best for local communities.

It is a policy that is already paying dividends for the borough’s business community.

In 2012 there were 7,600 businesses in the Borough.

By 2017 that figure had increased by 3,835 to 11,435.

In January, the inaugural Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards were held, in association with Lovell Construction and the South East London Chamber of Commerce. The awards acknowledged the achievements of local business and are a way for the Council to celebrate the contribution business is making in the Borough.

Meanwhile the Borough’s own employment support team, GLLaB (Greenwich Local Labour and Business) has helped more than 20,000 residents find jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities. The service plays a key role in ensuring that local people, including residents from the regenerated estates, benefit from the regeneration that is taking place throughout the Borough.

Royal Greenwich has just submitted a £3 million bid from the Greater London Authority’s Good Growth Fund which, if successful, will be used to support existing businesses in Plumstead High Street and transform the underused Plumstead Power Station into a hub of workspaces and studios for new and existing businesses.

For more information go to www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Nick Raynsford on Water Although best known locally as former Member of Parliament for Greenwich and Woolwich, Nick Raynsford has had a long-term interest in photography, dating back to his time as a student at Chelsea School of Art in the late 1960s.

Nick Raynsford on Water can be seen at The Greenwich Gallery, Peyton Place, London SE10 8RS February 1 – 18th 2018

Opening hours Monday – Friday 09.30 – 17.30 Saturday and Sunday 12.00 – 16.00

All proceeds to the housing charity - Crisis.

January 2018

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| Focus on Lewisham

Dek Growth Programme Launched in November 2017, the £2 million Dek Growth Programme aims to deliver practical and innovative support for SMEs in south London.

Dek workspace solutions in Lewisham Whether you’re looking for a space to nourish and grow your small business, or a focused environment where you can work independently within a community, Dek Catford and Dek Ladywell offer varied workspace solutions in Lewisham.

rimarily focussed on creative and digital businesses, experts from Goldsmiths University and London South Bank University will deliver free masterclasses to SMEs to enhance their business skills and knowledge to support their growth and profitability.

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The programme includes: • business diagnostics, support and start-up advice • accounting and finance • marketing and promotion including social media • business mentoring and networking • product and service development • innovation and culture change • creating and managing growth • international trade development.

For more information and for eligible SMEs to register please visit: www.deklondon.com

ek Catford is perfectly positioned to provide entrepreneurs with a space to learn, network and grow. Based in the Old Town Hall, the centre offers two offices for up to 4 team members, 30 coworking stations and a number of

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Hard to stay focused working at home?

Flexible co-working space from just £99 per month

Email dekcatford@nwes.org.uk Call

08454 374465 or 020 8690 2917

Visit

nwes.org.uk/workspace

@Dekworkspace

/Dek Workspace

DeK Ladywell, 261 Lewisham High Street, SE13 6AY Dek Catford, 5th Floor, Old Town Hall, Catford Road, SE6 4RU

January 2018

hot-desks. With a Centre Coordinator onsite for all enquiries and business needs, Dek Catford provides a perfect platform for business growth.

Dek Ladywell invites a new community of businesses and entrepreneurs to come together in a modern environment. Situated on Lewisham High Street, the centre offers eight office units for up to 6 team members and 12 hot-desks for those who work part-time or spend some of their time working elsewhere. Dek Ladywell is an ideal place to start or grow your small business.

Designed with a focus on supporting local entrepreneurs and businesses, a tenancy with a Dek centre is more than just securing workspace for your business. Receive access to free business advice, networking opportunities and workshops on a wide variety of practical business topics.

Alongside online help and

advice through our Start&Grow business resource platform and support to access finance for start-up and growing small enterprises.

Sam Holgate from Filigree Communications joined Dek Catford in November 2016 as a dedicated desk member.

Sam has now welcomed 4 part-time employees to join her at the centre.

“I decided early on that I wanted to put the emphasis on flexible working and Dek’s model supports flexible working with dedicated part-time rental packages.”

“Not only is Dek great value for money on our doorstep, but there’s so many business support services that are thrown into the package.

It’s a great way to start and grow your company.”

Find out more about Dek workspace at www.nwes.org.uk

Lewisham SME business survey Lewisham Council and its partner agencies have established a Business Support Providers (BSP) Forum comprising of high street banks, the South East London Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Business (FSB) and Goldsmiths University, amongst others. his group will coordinate business support services across the borough for startups, micro and small businesses.

The BSP Forum would like to fully understand what the business support needs of small businesses in Lewisham are and are therefore asking local businesses to complete a short online survey to provide the evidence base. The results of the survey will help the Forum put in place a business support service that fully reflects the needs of SME businesses in the borough to assist their ability to grow and develop over the next few years.

There has been significant changes to the local economy over the last few years including: • the pressure on business and workspace accommodation posed by residential developments

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• the increasing use of e-commerce and the required broadband and Wi-Fi infrastructure to facilitate these types of services • the substantial increase in the number of businesses in Lewisham from 6,105 in 2011 to 9,980 in 2017.

To help these businesses grow we need to understand: • the types of marketing support that are needed by businesses • how much support is needed to access finance • whether or not businesses are trying to break into new markets • the suitability of their workspace now and in the future.

The survey should take around 10 minutes to complete.

To take part visit www.lewisham.gov.uk/businesssurvey by 1 February 2018.

Your Bromley |

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Your Bromley leads the way in Bromley Town Centre The Business Partnership Your Bromley is going from strength to strength as business confidence in Bromley Town Centre grows.

Picturehouse, a café and a bar. Plans are afoot to create a new public Churchill Square outside the Churchill Theatre.

The town has a leafy appearance and wide, part pedestrianised High Street currently being landscaped by Bromley Council, a bustling street market Thursdays to Saturdays, numerous independents, restaurants and traditional pubs. It is also home to the much loved Churchill Theatre.

he Town Centre will soon be home to a new development St Marks, opposite Bromley South train station, bringing a vibrant new public square lined with nine restaurants, a hotel, and a nine screen cinema. A new supermarket is coming to the former BHS site on the High Street. The current cinema in Bromley Village North High St is due to be restored to its former Art Deco glory as a six screen

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Your Bromley exists to make Bromley town centre even safer, smarter, more prominent and generally better for all businesses. Welcoming and assisting visitors matter, so an Ambassador service is on hand for that. Your Bromley’s latest business directory, packed with useful contacts of some 400 businesses, is available for downloading on their website yourbromley.com.

Amongst Your Bromley’s planned events for 2018/19 are: • A town wide business awards competition.

• A four day Midsummer Movies open air film festival.

• A Food Forknight celebrating the many eateries and venues.

• Commemorating the centenary of the end of World War One. • Art displays.

• A ‘decorate and plant a wheelbarrow’ competition amongst Bromley schools, with the wheelbarrows being displayed for two weeks in the town centre.

A programme of town events to attract footfall and increase dwell time, delivered by Your Bromley, is now well established in the town. 2017 saw Your Bromley hosting Wimbledon on a big screen, a Food Fest, Bromley’s first Midsummer Movies open air film festival, Christmas lights and parade, and themed family trails through the town centre.

Your Bromley is a Business Improvement District, funded by businesses. In addition to events to attract additional customers into town, Your Bromley provides services such as waste recycling, enhanced cleansing of streets and additional security all of which make Bromley town centre an even better place to do business.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY W I N T E R 2 0 17 / 2 0 18

Your complete guide to the businesses in Bromley town centre

Download yours from yourbromley.com Plus, look out for more information on our 2018 events including Food & Drink, Midsummer Movies and our Trick or Treat Trail.

January 2018

Did you know that Bromley Council is working year round to support local businesses?

Our services include: • Building Control • Business Rates

(including reliefs and exemptions)

• Business Waste service • Commercial Property Database

• Environmental Health and Trading Standards • Food Safety • Libraries

(for business & professional information)

• Markets and Street Trading opportunities

• Parking Services

(including pay by mobile RingGo service)

• Planning

(including pre-application advice service)

• Transport

(including support for workplace travel planning)

To find out more about these and other business-relevant services visit

www.bromley.gov.uk/business

Focus on Bromley |

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Businesses matter in Bromley Traditionally, the focus for many local authorities has perhaps understandably been the residents that live within their Borough boundary. n London’s largest Borough, whilst the Council’s motto maybe Servire populo, which means ‘To Serve the People’, working with businesses is actually part of this too.

Many of the Council’s services are actually for businesses, with some, such as waste collections, competing with private sector providers, whereas others, such as food safety, businesses and consumers alike rely on Food Safety inspections to provide a uniform safety or quality framework that is often underpinned by legislation.

When an individual business owner’s contact with the Council is because of a regulatory requirement, the nature of that interaction will sometimes mean that an individual does not always remember that the Council is interested in the success of their business.

The message from Bromley Council’s Portfolio Holder for Renewal and Recreation is that Bromley is very interested in working with and supporting businesses. Businesses after all both create jobs and wealth and serve customers and residents.

Councillor Peter Morgan, Executive Councillor for Renewal and Recreation said, “We are a pro-business borough and we are looking to work as closely as possible with businesses both large and small where we practically can. Being transparent is vitally important to us and often we will not be able to agree a business deal in the way some private businesses can. Almost always for instance, we must tender our requirements and businesses can respond to this..”

Councillor Morgan continued, “I encourage businesses to contact us when they need to or maybe have an idea. We are increasingly a streamlined organisation, looking to work at maximum efficiency and a good place to start will always

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be the website, www.bromley.gov.uk/business but if it is appropriate to make contact, we would encourage you to do so. One of the ways we’re working with businesses is to work with the BID teams in Bromley and Orpington town centres.

The Council is always keen to empower local people to improve their own situations – and this is no less true in the context of businesses.

One of the mechanisms which has successfully been applied in over 300 locations across the UK since 2004 is that of Business Improvement Districts (or BIDs).

This is where - following an independently administered ballot of business rate payers - a small levy of between 1% and 2% of the Rateable Value of eligible properties is paid into a ringfenced budget controlled by and on behalf of the local businesses for a 5-year term, to improve the trading environment in their locality. The first such BID in the London Borough of Bromley was Orpington town centre – which was established in 2013 but has recently been successful at a second ballot to run for a further 5 years until 2023. The fact that more than 82% of local businesses (on a 45% turn out) backed the BID is testament to the real benefit that they feel the BID has brought to their town centre. In their first 5 years the BID provided approximately £1.1m investment in Orpington, including income raised through the BID levy and other sources.

To follow on the success of Orpington BID, in 2016 a BID was launched for the borough’s largest town centre, Bromley, and this has gone from strengthto-strength since then, delivering additional services such as special events, marketing of the town (including a dedicated website), additional greening projects, safety initiatives and a small team of Street Ambassadors who look after

Artist impression of Churchill Place, a proposed development in Bromley town centre.

visitors to the town centre, spot and report environmental issues, work with the police to keep an eye out for crime or anti-social behaviour and provide a vital communication link between all the businesses in the BID zone.

This successful model of town centre improvement and management has now been taken up in other areas of the borough, with the smaller, but no less vibrant, towns of Beckenham and Penge now building towards a BID ballot which will take place during February. If sufficient business rate payers in these towns vote in favour it is expected that these two new BIDs could start to be operational as soon as April 2018.

Hand-in-hand with the Council’s support for new and existing BIDs, significant investment continues to be poured into improving the public realm in each of our town centres. For example a scheme to upgrade the public square in Orpington Walnuts is reaching its conclusion – with improvements to surfacing, lighting, planting and wayfinding. In Bromley – a much needed upgrade to the pedestrianised zone of the High Street is ongoing, which will result in a relocated and reshaped market, and the introduction of more soft landscaping and undercover areas to make this a more welcoming environment for shoppers and visitors alike.

A multi-million pound scheme is also ongoing in Beckenham along the High Street and around Beckenham Green which will result in significant improvements to the pedestrian experience of the town centre.

A smaller scale upgrade to the public realm is also ongoing in Penge – which will make the town’s two squares more pleasant and usable spaces.

In keeping with the theme of working with private sector the Council is keen to encourage appropriate new developments in the borough’s town centres, for example has enabled the St Mark’s Square mixed scheme at Bromley south to move forward – with the first residential core due to be handed over in February 2018 and final phase of the development due in June 2018. The nine-screen cinema operator is taking occupation in January to start their 18-week fit out; with the restaurants and hotel following in March. Also in the pipeline a high quality mixeduse development in the heart of Bromley town centre, known as Churchill Quarter, which will deliver: • 411 new homes including affordable homes to meet a range of housing needs • High quality landscaping with the historic Library Gardens cedar tree at its heart • New commercial space including space for local small to medium sized companies or start-ups • Enhanced public realm linking Churchill Quarter, the High Street and Church House Gardens • Community space to provide a new home for Bromley Town Church All this will link with our excellent theatre and the Borough’s principal and largest library.

More info on www.churchillgardensbromley.co.uk/index.html

January 2018

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| Focus on Bexley

Growth Top team from Thames Estuary Commission visit Bexley Strategy Growth Just before Christmas, Bexley welcomed a team from the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission, led by its recently approved appointed Chairman, Sir John Armitt CBE. A Bexley’s Cabinet has approved a Growth Strategy for the borough.

It sets out the Council’s long-term vision and principles for good growth, particularly over the 30 years from 2020 to 2050. ubject to significant

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investment in the right

infrastructure in the right

places, the Strategy sets out

how up to 31,500 new homes

and 17,500 new jobs could be secured across the borough by 2050.

“The final strategy sets out

how we plan to ensure that the

borough thrives and grows in a way that works for local people and is sustainable,” said

Council Leader Cllr Teresa

O’Neill OBE. “It’s about much

more than building new homes and workplaces: it’s about

creating sustainable, healthy and high-quality

neighbourhoods of which we can all be proud.”

Once adopted, the Council

will use the Strategy as the

primary source of its high level approach to growth and

associated infrastructure

requirements. It will help to inform future planning

documents, such as the local plan, and responses to the

growth plans of others, such as the emerging London Plan.

January 2018

rriving at the new Abbey Wood Station, the group were taken on a tour of significant locations in the north of the borough, including the Thamesmead Housing Zone and the proposed site of Bexley’s proposed Place and Making Institute. They then moved on to Belvedere and Erith.

At the Civic Offices, Bexleyheath, Council representatives gave the team an update on Bexley’s plans for growth and the work of the C2E Alliance, of which Bexley is a member and that is pressing for the Elizabeth line to be extended from Abbey Wood to Ebbsfleet.

The visit took place on the day that the Commission announced its priorities, which include equipping people with the right skills and providing high quality housing.

Sir John was recently appointed as the Commission’s new Chair and visited Bexley with his team to outline the Commission’s areas of focus for the coming months. These include assessing the case for proposed investments,

including further river crossings and extending the Elizabeth Line.

The Commission’s final report, which will lay out its recommendations to government, will be published in the spring.

Bexley’s culture bid Bexley submitted its bid to become London Borough of Culture at the end of November. he detailed submission was backed up with supporting letters from creative, business and community partners, including Sir Peter Bazalgette and world famous author and illustrator, Sir Quentin Blake.

The London Borough of Culture initiative is an invitation from the Mayor of London to London’s Boroughs to channel the creative energy and imagination of their communities into winning more than £1 million to support cultural activities.

"Culture has the power to change lives and

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improve our Borough,” said Cllr Peter Craske, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Environment and Leisure. “From historic homes and monuments to theatres and arts groups, we are so lucky to have so many cultural sites and activities right on our doorstep.

We want to showcase all we have to the whole of London and beyond by becoming the Borough for Culture.”

The decision as to who becomes the first London Borough of Culture will be announced in February 2018.

Focus on Bexley |

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Growing support for Place and Making Institute An ambitious proposal for an exciting new Place and Making Institute at south Thamesmead, in Bexley, has won the backing of a growing number of influential supporters. n information event about the proposal at City Hall in November attracted strong representation from the worlds of development, education, property and construction. Both Lord Robert Kerslake, former Head of the Civil Service and Chair of Peabody, and Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor of London for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, added their support for the idea.

The idea was developed by the London Borough of Bexley, Peabody and London South East Colleges to tackle the unprecedented skills challenge that will need to be met to deliver the new homes and good growth London needs.

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Bexley’s Chief Executive Gill Steward says: “The skills challenge is becoming increasingly urgent, but the Institute will only become a reality if people are willing to join together and help to make it happen. If we can do that, we can create somewhere that will inspire our young people to be part of shaping the places of the future.”

The proposed location for the Institute is in south Thamesmead, at the centre of one of Europe’s largest regeneration projects. As well as building a possible 20,000 new homes, Peabody will be working with partners to create thousands of new high value jobs alongside a new leisure,

cultural and commercial offer.

Sitting close to the Institute, it would offer students the opportunity to be part of a live regeneration project through directly linked employment opportunities.

Locating the Institute in the Bexley riverside opportunity area would also make it ideally placed to contribute to Bexley’s own ambitious growth plans. Growth is also high on the agenda for neighbouring councils in London and north-west Kent.

The proposed site of the Institute is within a mile of Bexley’s new Elizabeth Line Station at Abbey Wood, which will benefit from a new fast service to Canary Wharf, the

West End and Heathrow from next year. The Mayor of London has also instructed Transport for London to take forward a new extension of the Docklands Light Railway into Thamesmead.

Individuals and organisations can get involved in the project by• being a pioneer education provider • joining the learning confederation • sponsorship and support • business co-location • advisory roles • private investment • research and innovation • workforce development

If you are interested in finding out more and getting involved please email placeandmakinginstitute@bexley.gov.uk or visit http://www.placeandmakinginstitute.co.uk/

Transforming Erith Improvement works have recently begun close to Erith Station and at the town’s iconic Carnegie Library. he works around the station include redesigning the public space to create better pedestrian, cycling and vehicle access and upgrading the station entrance with better signage and planting, to make the area more attractive. Public seating, lighting and cycle stands will also be added.

Not far away, scaffolding has been erected on the Carnegie building and works to clean the building have begun.

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Erith is one of the main locations set to benefit from Bexley’s ambitious growth strategy.

The improvements are being funded by London Borough of Bexley and partners, including the Mayor of London. The aim is to create an active town centre that can make the most of Erith’s unique setting by the River Thames.

For more information visit www.greatererith.com

January 2018

16

| Arts & Culture

What’s On at the Greenwich Theatre Bookings : 020 8858 7755 www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk Trumpageddon Saturday 3 February Mistero Buffo Sunday 4 February King Lear Retold Monday 5 – Tuesday 6 February Lost In Blue Wednesday 7 February Boys Don’t Friday 9 February The Remains of Tom Lehrer (Performed by Adam Kay) Saturday 10 February The Enormous Turnip Saturday 10 February A Necklace Of Raindrops Sunday 11 February Leaf Monday 12 February The Gingerbread Man Tuesday 13 February Pandora’s Box Wednesday 14 February Glisten Wednesday 14 February Hoot Owl: Master of Disguise Friday 16 February

January 2018

Tom Thumb Saturday 17 February

A Spoonful Of Sherman Tuesday 27 – Friday 30 March

Dan Cruickshank Sunday 25 February

Me And My Bee Monday 2 April

Hanna Monday 19 – Wednesday 21 February H.G.Well’s The Time Machine Tuesday 27 February

Adam Kay: This is going to Hurt (Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor) Wednesday 28 February The Little Mochi Man Sunday 4 March

One Last Waltz Friday 9 - Saturday 17 March

The Bold Knights of Britain Tuesday 6 – Saturday 10 March

Lord of the Flies Tuesday 13 – Saturday 24 March Little Red Riding Hood Sunday 18 March

Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs 2: The Magic Cutlass Sunday 25 March

The Snow Beast Saturday 31 March – Sunday 1 April Testosterone Tuesday 3 April

Grandad’s Island Friday 6 – Saturday 7 April You’ve Got Dragons Tuesday 10 April Notflix Thursday 12 April

We Are The Lions Friday 13 April The Selfish Giant Saturday 14 April

There was an old Woman who swallowed a Fly Sunday 15 April

Macbeth: A Tale Of Sound & Fury Tuesday 17 April A Brave Face Thursday 19 – Friday 20 April

Business News |

17

Development work nears completion FREE business Final work is well advanced on the St Mark’s Square development in Bromley. he first residential core is due to be handed over in February and developer U+I are due to complete the final phase of the development in June.

The cinema fit-out is under way and due to take 18 weeks with the restaurants and hotel following in March.

This will give the developers time to complete their fit outs and have soft launches before the scheme completes.

Recent work includes removal of the two large tower cranes from the podium level, scaffolding continues to be removed from the main residential building and hotel bedrooms have had furniture, fixtures and equipment installed.

A Public Private Partnership with London Borough of Bromley, St Mark’s Square will transform the southern end of the town centre.

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Leading business support agency East London Business Place (ELBP) is currently running a FREE business growth and procurement support project called ‘Building Legacies’ across East and South East London, and still has a small number of places available for SMEs to register.

The mixed-use development includes a landscaped public plaza surrounded by a ninescreen multiplex VUE cinema, 25,000 sq ft of cafés and restaurants, a 130-bed Premier Inn hotel, 200 private and affordable apartments

and a 400-space secure underground car park. It is estimated that the development will create more than 200 jobs in Bromley, and provide a total of £220 million GVA (Gross Value Added) to the local economy over ten years.

O’Keefe was a safe bet for the London Pantomime Horse Race Construction group sponsored the London Pantomime Horse Race. team of five, including the CEO, from London-based specialist construction company the O’Keefe group braved the elements on Sunday (December 10th) to support their sponsorship of what is arguably the capital’s most unique race event, The London Pantomime Horse Race.

The race galloped back into the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site to raise money for the charity YOUCAN Youth Cancer Support. This year, its eighth, the theme was rock stars or pop idols.

O’Keefe, whose current head office is in Greenwich with a new one under construction in Kent, agreed to sponsor the race after chief executive Patrick O’Keefe and managing director Lee Horsley heard about the event at a Chamber of Commerce networking lunch.

And Patrick, along with four O’Keefe colleagues, was present in the snow to judge the panto alternative of best turned out horse and to present prizes.

The horse which raised the most money was Lady GG ridden by

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support available from East London Business Place for SMEs in South East London!

Louise Martin and Alison Williams while the race winner was Neigh C/DC ridden by Benjamin Reynolds and Andy Stephenson.

Patrick said: “Despite the weather on the day we could see that everyone was having a great time raising money for such a worthwhile cause and we can’t wait to be involved again next year when hopefully the going will be better.”

The event featured a pre-race ceremony hosted by US comic Lewis Schaffer performances by “Maredonna”, a 70s era Elton John called “Equestrian John”, and the renowned “Rock Choir”.

The streets of Central Greenwich were transformed into a course for the glammed up comical looking pop/rock star lookalike nags.

Entries included Neddie Mercury, Beyonce-Neigh, Elvis Preseniegh, Camel Minogue and an unexpected reunion of sorts from the bickering brothers Noel and Liam Galloper.

There’s simply no other race quite like it in the sporting calendar.

Competitor Sarah Ackland said to O’Keefe: “I wanted to

Photo by Warren King. O’Keefe CEO Patrick O’Keefe (right) with race organiser Mark Biddiss.

say a massive thank you for your sponsorship. It was a great event, so much fun and everyone had a great day for charity and everyone involved loved it. So pleased that you sponsored it as it made it a better day and ensured that all charity donations benefited YouCan. Well done to O’Keefe. You should be very proud of doing this. Everyone in Greenwich loved it.”

See Patrick’s interview with London Live at http://www.londonlive.co.uk/ news/2017-12-11/the-

hey’ve developed an innovative service for SMEs, predominantly (but not exclusively) in the construction, digital/creative and care-related sectors to enable you to become ‘fitter-to-supply’, providing tailored solutions through Workshops, Briefings, Master-classes, Toolkits, Networking, Meet the Buyer and Round Table events and 1-2-1 coaching and mentoring.

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Glen Addis, the Director of East London Business Place, is keen to promote the project still further across South East London, and goes on to say “The purpose of this initiative is to deliver a sustained (and FREE!) support programme tackling gaps for London-based SMEs in innovation, contract-readiness and knowledge of procurement and supply-chain requirements, enabling them to benefit from existing and emerging contract opportunities across many business sectors.

We are therefore delighted to be working closely with the South East London Chamber of Commerce to support the business growth of the undoubted talent-pool of SMEs in the region.”

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* NOTE: To be eligible for registration on the Building Legacies project, businesses must be able to provide evidence that their company is a registered company or sole trader employing less than 250 employees, and trading in a London postcode.

January 2018

18

| Arts & Culture

Cassie Raine talks to Jude Law about his support for the Every Child Campaign Why are you supporting the Every Child Campaign?

I support the Every Child campaign because I know the positive effects of being introduced to the inspiring, magical, demanding and dreamlike world of the theatre at an early age.

Also because this is the part of London I grew up in. It's London at its best: diverse and eclectic; Challenging and rewarding.

Can you give us a snap shot of growing up in Lewisham?

Growing up in Lewisham in the 70s and 80s was pretty tough. You didn't feel like life's riches were directly on offer, you had to go and find them. I grew up open minded and street smart. I am thankful for the full spectrum of characters I encountered from the community.

Why do you think it’s important to improve access to theatre for children, particularly in Lewisham?

It's important that children all over the UK are encouraged to go the theatre because it is an inclusive art form. One's imagination takes a leap to complete the world created by the production. The theatre is a safe place to feel. In the escape of a darkened theatre you can be reminded that you are not alone.

You can go to places you may otherwise only dream of. You can dream of being something you thought impossible to yourself.

What are your hopes for the Every Child Campaign?

I hope the Every Child campaign finds great success here in Lewisham and who knows... goes on to inspire other local theatres to run similar campaigns. A national movement to get our children into the theatre would be a wonderful thing.

What would be your one bit of advice for a young Lewisham child dreaming of a future in the Arts?

I'm often asked to give advice to those hoping for a future in the arts. In this case I have to be more specific and perhaps imagine giving advice to younger me, growing up in SE London...

I would say dream big. Work hard. Put yourself out there.

Write to people showing your enthusiasm and desire to get involved. Get ready to hear no but don't get disheartened easily.

Please contribute to the Every Child campaign.

Help inspire a generation to dream. Help a generation become better through the art of theatre.

To find out more, please contact Cassie Raine, Campaign Manager at everychild@thealbany.org.uk or visit www.thealbany.org.uk/everychild/ January 2018

19

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January 2018

20

| Education and Skills

Goldsmiths joins action on tackling local poverty Goldsmiths, University of London has pledged to support a new ‘Lewisham Deal’ designed to cut poverty across the College’s home borough, one of a number of proposals included in a landmark report by the Lewisham Poverty Commission. he move will see the College explore creating more opportunities for local apprentices and ensuring that even more local businesses are given opportunities to compete for supply contracts.

The Commission was launched in February 2017 to investigate poverty in the Borough of Lewisham and make recommendations to the local Mayor and Cabinet. The Commission brought together Lewisham Councillors, national experts and key figures from the local community to look in detail at the nature of poverty in Lewisham, and develop innovative approaches to reducing poverty.

One of the Commissioners was Dr Simon Griffiths, Senior Lecturer in Politics at Goldsmiths, who contributed his expertise to the report.

The Commission’s final report (which can be found at [https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/inmy area/Documents/LewishamPoverty Commission.pdf]), includes 52

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recommendations to support local people to access decent work and housing and help to tackle child poverty.

The 'Lewisham Deal' is envisaged as a partnership of public sector employers across housing, health and education who would work together to provide more local apprenticeships, promote the Living Wage and create more opportunities for local businesses to trade.

The College has paid its staff and contractors the London Living Wage, which currently stands at £9.75 an hour (and more than 20% above the National Minimum Wage), since 2011 Currently, about 40% of Goldsmiths suppliers are based in London, with over £8m being spent annually by the College with suppliers based locally in south east London. The College will now develop plans for encouraging more local business to join the register of suppliers enabling them to bid for contracts at Goldsmiths and other London universities.

Nationally, figures published recently by Universities UK suggest that universities contribute £21.5 billion to the UK economy annually, greater than that of the whole accountancy sector.

Patrick Loughrey, Warden of Goldsmiths, University of London, said: “Goldsmiths is proud of our deep roots in the Borough of Lewisham and we are determined to play our part alongside other local partners to help alleviate and eradicate poverty in the area. The College has made an important contribution to the academic thinking and research models behind the report, but now the challenge is to turn the words into actions that make a real difference for local people who are struggling to get by.

“As an employer of around 1,500 people, many of whom live locally, Goldsmiths makes a considerable contribution to Lewisham’s economy, but this report encourages us to go further to boost local businesses and create opportunities for young

Course aims to help tackle construction skills shortage A new course has been launched in the area to offer young people and residents a solid grounding for careers in construction he Peri Formwork Project is a partnership between the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Peri Formwork, alongside London South East Colleges and local developers and contractors.

It is designed to give people the chance to move directly onto apprenticeship schemes in using formwork technology, the term used for the process of creating temporary mould into which concrete is poured and made.

Formwork is a key component of the construction industry and PERI Formwork is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of formwork systems.

Councillor Denise Hyland, Leader of Royal Greenwich, attended the launch at the Kidbrooke Construction Skills Centre where she was joined by representatives from major players in construction projects

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in the borough, including Berkeley East & West Thames, Knight Dragon, Morrisroe and Getjar.

A group of prospective candidates took part in a workshop on the construction of formwork as part of the event.

Councillor Hyland said: “We are committed to working with our developer and builder partners in our Borough to ensure residents, in particularly our young people, can get access to training and job opportunities in the construction industry. “This project is particularly exciting as it can launch trainees directly into developing longterm, well paid careers in construction technology.”

Robert Lynch, Head of Construction at Greenwich Campus, London South East Colleges, said: “We have brought together the major players in the industry; the

January 2018

manufacturers, the developers and the contractors, to address skills training for a skills shortage. This is about tailoring the training to what is actually needed by the industry.”

James Connell, Engineering Director at Peri Formwork, said: "There is a real shortage of skills in this industry and we need to address that exactly in ways like this course. We want to support innovation and talent in the UK.” Charlie Duncumb from Plumstead is one of the female potential candidates for the course. Charlie, who already has construction experience and is eager to build a career in the sector, said: “There is no reason why women can't work in construction but I guess lots of women don't like getting their hands dirty. I love doing it and I really want to learn about formwork. It's the future.”

people to learn work skills. It is a challenge I relish as a way of reinforcing our foundations as a place of learning that belongs to local people, and serves to enrich our community.”

Dr Griffiths said: “It's been great working with Lewisham Council to look at what we can all do to help fight poverty in the borough.

At Goldsmiths, we do our best to make sure that theory and practice come together and that our research makes a real difference to improving people's lives. This report shows that through working with the local community, and reflecting on the practical implications of our work, we can do just that.”

The aims set out in the report, including identifying more apprenticeship places within Goldsmiths’ workforce, will feed into the College’s new institutional strategy for 2018-2023, soon to be published.

National Apprenticeship Week to take place The eleventh National Apprenticeship Week will run from 5 to 9 March. uring the week, employers and apprentices from across England will come together to celebrate the success of apprenticeships whilst encouraging even more people to choose apprenticeships as a pathway to a great career.

The theme for the 2018 week is to show how apprenticeships work for individuals, employers, the community and the wider economy Sue Husband, Director, National Apprenticeships Service, said: “The success of National Apprenticeship Week hangs on the fantastic support we receive during each National Apprenticeship Week we’ve run. We want 2018 to eclipse previous triumphs and we would encourage apprentices, employers and our partners to join forces and help celebrate the brilliance of apprenticeships.

“Apprenticeships offer real career opportunities and National Apprenticeship Week 2018 will showcase how apprenticeships work across all industries, sectors and job roles, from school leaving age to older apprentices.

“There’s no better way to mark apprenticeship achievement than by the apprenticeship community coming together and shouting loudly about the difference apprenticeships are making.”

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Education and Skills |

Data Skills: What are they and why should you learn them?

At the end of last year, LinkedIn reported that some of the fastest-growing jobs involve using data. ata is valuable across a breadth of industries – they give retailers the power to predict what consumers want before they know it themselves, they ensure entertainment groups can identify the kind of TV shows that will be successful, and they help healthcare providers improve their methods of diagnosis by comparing similar conditions across humongous datasets.

Consider data, then, as units of currency that institutions acquire to identify consumer expectations, operational problems, and future successes. Therefore, an understanding of how to manipulate data isn’t just critical across industries, but across departments, from marketers gaining insights into customer motivations to administrators identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

These are clear signals that data skills are crucial for the 21st century workplace, meaning that many companies are willing to pay six-figure salaries for these professionals. Yet the supply of personnel who are data literate isn’t meeting demand. Part of the issue is the prevalent cluelessness about what data skills are, as fears that they require mathematical prowess or computer expertise are simply inaccurate. While a knowledge of analysis is desirable, acquiring it is most often a case of playing around with data analytics software. Do you know how to use Excel? PowerPoint?

Many of the relevant programmes require a basic knowledge of computing as that.

The key to succeeding with data actually requires the soft skills frequently asked of sales and management positions.

Take, for example, research and interpersonal skills.

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As entrepreneur Timothy Ferriss says, “life punishes the vague wish and rewards the specific ask”, and a data project’s success impinges on the ability to ask the right questions. When companies have millions of items of data in their archives, we can’t go in emptyhanded – we need to first lay the groundwork so that we can know where to look. This means someone who can understand the cultural and economic contexts surrounding the data will be hugely beneficial to a company looking to start.

Attention to detail makes a frequent appearance in many job specs and it’s crucial when working with data: you will need patience to work through fields of information in datasets that have been previously updated by various staff members, checking for consistency and accuracy through it all. Consider that this initial preparation takes up about 70% of the project, and you’ll understand just how precious this skill is.

But the holy grail of data skills is knowing how to present your information. This means both creating compelling visuals of your results and communicating them clearly.

After all, results are of no use if no one can understand them. In my experience, those with sharp presentation skills often fare much better for information management jobs than even those who have a degree in the field.

Companies are presently looking for interpersonal capabilities and evidence of enterprise from their data job

“

Part of the issue is the prevalent cluelessness about what data skills are, as fears that they require mathematical prowess or computer expertise are simply inaccurate.

”

candidates, rather than of deep technical Know-How. Even if you have the skills highlighted above, still consider attending a short course, or learning one of the simple data programmes, to increase your foundational knowledge – the odds are in your favour that you’ll be invited for interview.

Kirill Eremenko is a data science expert and the author of new book Confident Data Skills, published by Kogan Page.

The book will help you master the fundamentals of working with data and supercharge your career. It is priced at £14.99 and is available on Amazon.

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For example, businesses that want to extend their business intelligence and digital marketing, can use a KTP to design, develop and embed a data driven business model and data analytic capability that will give the company competitive advantage and support the company’s long term strategic expansion.

Greenwich Research and Enterprise Office University of Greenwich Tel: 020 8331 7867 Email: enterprise@gre.ac.uk Web: www.gre.ac.uk/enterprise

A KTP will also enable you to build a strategic partnership with the University of Greenwich, providing access to other skills, expertise and facilities If you want to grow your business but lack the capability and expertise to do so, you can’t afford not to consider a KTP.

Please feel free to contact us to discuss your ideas.

Ask the Expert |

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Why use a professional AV company?

Here with Aubrey Wright, MD of Handy AV, we discuss why using a professional AV company is the best option for any business, small or large.

ased in Sidcup, Handy AV were established in January 2002 and will celebrate its 16th year this month!

Working with some of the world’s largest retailers to local schools, providing a complete range of AV solutions. We have gone from strength to strength building on our great customer service and understanding of the AV market and technology.

We have strong connections to the area and were delighted to achieve a double win with ‘Best Technology Company’ and the accolade of ‘Business of the Year’ at the Bexley Business Excellence Awards 2017.

The AV in your business is important as it can be the first

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impression a prospective new client or customer has of your company. At Handy AV, our business is making your business look good and function better through the use of AV Technology. So, what can a professional AV integrator bring to your business?

The cost of AV Every day we receive emails about price reductions on technology; TVs, Blu-ray players, speaker systems, all at big discounts. At Handy AV, we often get asked if these products would be suitable for a reception area or meeting room. These units are usually domestic products which aren’t rated for commercial use, so there is a

risk that if you use them for more than a few hours a day they will fail, leaving you in the lurch.

A professional AV company, like Handy AV, will ensure the products supplied are fit for purpose so they can be used when you need them.

You can’t beat experience Handy AV have worked with many well-known brands over the years, such as; adidas, Dior, Intu, Louis Vuitton, Motorola and Primark. We have built up a wealth of experience designing and installing AV projects, so know what works well. Handy AV work with a range of businesses from retail, to corporate businesses, fitting out board rooms and sales floors, as well as with charities, local authorities and London boroughs. Our most recent installation projects include The Link in Thamesmead for the Peabody Trust and a Digital Signage network for Hackney Council.

Jargon free technology 4K, 10-bit video with 4:4:4 subsampling is going to be big in the next few years and RGB

LED pixel pitch is heading sub millimetre. We get rid of this jargon and just make sure that the solution delivers exactly what you need. Always with an eye on the future, to give you the best value from the equipment you buy.

Servicing your needs At Handy AV, we know how important it is to respond quickly, be available and have someone who knows what they are talking about at the end of a phone, email, or even text. We’ll keep you up to date with your project, set the equipment up in our warehouse, test it, then bring it to site and install it (then test it again). This minimises disruption to your business.

Going the extra mile At Handy AV, we think it vital that if something goes wrong we will come back and fix it. We also offer maintenance contracts to support the kit in one, or multiple sites. We recently drove 1,500 miles in a week to provide routine servicing for Primark across Germany where we had previously installed their signage and displays.

This is a taste of the value a professional AV provider can add to your business. For a chat about what Handy AV can do for your company please call them on 020 8466 6500, or email Aubrey and his sales team on sales@handyav.com, or visit their website www.handyav.com for more information.

January 2018

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| Big Interview

Supporting business a key priority for Lewisham Mayor Lewisham has undergone many changes over the past sixteen years and overseeing many of them has been elected Mayor Sir Steve Bullock. is time in office has seen him tackle everything from the need to build more homes to the desire to attract more businesses to add to the existing local economy.

Through much of his time as Mayor he has also had to battle with the effects of austerity, balancing urgent need with legal responsibility.

His road to Lewisham began when he moved to London in the mid-1970s from his native Redcar in North East England and his local government career started as a committee clerk at the Greater London Council where he was later associated with a number of high-profile campaigns, including Fare’s Fair, which aimed to give Londoners a better deal on public transport.

After leaving on the abolition of the GLC in 1986 and until he became a full-time politician, most of Steve’s professional life involved work in both the NHS and Local Government as well as running his own business for a time delivering training for local councils.

He was elected on to Lewisham Council in 1982, subsequently taking on responsibilities including chairing education, finance and leisure committees and becoming deputy leader and then, for five years between 1988 and 1993, serving as leader. He later took on health

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January 2018

roles, running a local community health council in Greenwich and becoming non-executive director and then chair of Lewisham Hospital Trust.

A Labour politician, Sir Steve was elected as Lewisham’s first directly-elected mayor in 2002, was elected for a fourth term in May 2014 and stands down in May. He said: “I think there are two major aspects to the role, one is the social side, ensuring that the council reaches out to the community, and the other is about bricks and mortar, the capital programmes, including creating and improving schools, a programme which is nearly finished, and providing enough new homes.

“In the 1980s, the Government was doing everything it could to discourage councils from owning and managing houses.

Lewisham did look at handing the entire housing stock over to a housing association but tenants voted against that and, while we do work closely with housing associations who perform an important role, we also build and manage our own homes.

“I think that the work we do on housing is important because Lewisham is a provider of labour for the employers of London and our job is to ensure that there are enough homes to enable us to meet the demand.”

The importance of catering for the needs of local

businesses is never far from the Mayor’s thoughts and he is keen to strike the right balance between big companies and smaller, more local concerns.

He said: “There is a mix of small and large businesses in the area and we need to create the right conditions for both to do well.

“That means giving local businesses the confidence to trade, something I regard as an important part of my job because local businesses are the lifeblood of our economy.

“For instance, myself and my wife always buy our meat and some of their famous pies, too, from Wellbeloved Butchers in Deptford. It’s our way of helping to support local businesses personally.

“That is not to say that we do not want bigger businesses as well and we have worked hard to help make the area attractive to business.

“Businesses seeking to move into the area need to see that there are thriving shopping centres, coffee shops, clothes shops, an attractive appearance, things to do at night. The area has to offer what people want.

“Getting the infrastructure is important as well and I think one of the things which has helped is the improvements to the transport network, through the Docklands Light Railway and arrival of the Overground.

An area is more attractive to businesses if their people can move around easily.”

The Mayor, whose services to local government were recognised with a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in June 2007, acknowledges that many organisations, ranging from shop owners to businesses, have played their part in improving the area and admits to a frustration at the way the Government’s austerity agenda has impacted on how much the council has been able to do.

He said: “Austerity has had an effect. We had planned for the first phase but after four years it was clear that we were going to have to continue making cutbacks and that has made things more of a challenge.

“We have lost some key people and we are encouraging our mangers to be innovative but for me – and I suspect other mayors and council leaders the social care budget is what keeps us up at night.

“Recent events which showed the NHS under pressure highlighted the fact that it is not just a NHS problem but is integrated with social care in the community.

“The demands on the council’s social care budget means that we cannot do all the non-statutory things that we want do and that has to be a concern.”

“

Businesses seeking to move into the area need to see that there are thriving shopping centres, coffee shops, clothes shops, an attractive appearance, things to do at night. The area has to offer what people want.

”

Big Interview | Close to the Mayor’s heart is the need to give young people the very best start possible in life, which is why he is a huge supporter of the Albany’s initiative to introduce young people to the world of theatre.

Based in the heart of Deptford, the Albany is a performing arts centre with a history stretching back to the nineteenth century.

The Albany has four performance spaces and recently introduced A Theatre Trip for Every Child in Lewisham, a scheme to provide a free theatre ticket for every 5-year-old in the Borough of Lewisham.

Every Child enables businesses and individuals to give a local child the chance to experience the magic of theatre and the campaign was launched in June 2017 thanks to funding from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Arts Council England, and the support of founding sponsors L&Q and patron Jude Law, an awardwinning actor who grew up in Lewisham and went to John Ball school.

A donation of just £10 enables a child to come to the Albany and experience world-class theatre at their local venue and the Mayor said: “I remember as a nine-year-old being taken to the Sunderland Empire and the thought that there are young people in our area who have not experienced the magic of theatre rang a bell for me.

“I am delighted that there is a scheme that gives them the opportunity to enjoy what for some will be a life-changing experience.”

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28

| 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.

Greenwich Lunch & Crowdfunding Presentation

9 November 2017 This November lunch featured a presentation from crowdfunding expert Clive Reffell, who spoke about the opportunities for both start ups and investors in this brave new world of crowdfunding investment.

Clive Reffell – (Comanche Communications and Marketing) Credit: Warren King Photography

Evening Drinks Reception

For this event the Chamber oneminute slots around they appeared to have exploded in popularity.

A wonderful variety of businesses had the chance to promote

themselves – some real business

relationships were seen to be forged and strengthened at this networking lunch.

17 November 2017 The Chamber’s festive gathering took place at the esteemed Award Winning Everest Inn, a regular Chamber haunt.

Wine, nibbles and networking make for a fine alternative to the cold outside.

Alongside business networking, all present enjoyed a presentation from Bradley Hemmings and Michelle Walker of the Greenwich & Docklands International Festival. Regular readers of Masthead Light will have read of the London-wide

January 2018

race between London’s Boroughs for the inaugural London Borough of Culture award. Our speakers from GDIF spoke of how the festival formed the keystone of Royal Greenwich’s bid to win the coveted award. This impassioned presentation, left attendees with an invigorated appreciation of the arts.

Bradley Hemmings (Artistic Director – GDIF), Michelle Walker (Executive Director – GDIF), Helen McIntosh (President – SELCC) Credit: Warren King Photography

Chamber Events |

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Executive Lunch

30 November 2017 With some very kind sponsorship from Barclays Bank, the Chamber hosted an Executive Lunch at Chamber member, DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich.

Barclays also provided a wonderful speaker in the form of William Hobbs, Head of Investment Strategy, Europe.

Mr Hobbs proved his expert credentials, delivering a presentation that was equal parts informative and goodhumoured.

The past year has proven itself tumultuous both economically and politically: it was refreshing to receive a optimistic economic forecast from the proverbial horse’s mouth.

It should go without saying that audience feedback was rather positive.

The DoubleTree by Hilton proved to be the most gracious of hosts; the venue and hospitality was at such a level that many of our guests stayed long after the event’s planned closing time.

William Hobbs (Head of Investment Strategy, Europe – Barclays Bank) Credit: Warren King Photography

Christmas On Top Of The World

14 December 2017 The Chamber’s festive gathering took place at the esteemed Award Winning Everest Inn, a regular Chamber haunt.

All were reached out to all for this celebration attendance came from both within and outside the Chamber’s membership; from companies large and small, members old and new.

The guest of honour was the Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock who praised this successful Lewisham business.

Perhaps it was the season, perhaps the venue, or maybe even the wine; but this all made for a delightfully festive event.

Christmas on Top of the World was a also culinary adventure.

Rupert Chichester, Dr Linda Hyder, Pashupati Bhandari, Terri Johnson, Stella Degazon Credit: Warren King Photography

A unique blend of the Nepalese and the Festive: traditional turkey and brussel sprouts cooked with Nepalese spices was one of the star dishes.

January 2018

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| Forthcoming Events

EVENT NAME

DATE & TIME

VENUE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

Tuesday 6th February 18.30 - 21.00

The Greenwich Tavern, The Treehouse, 1 King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9JH

Greenwich Networking Lunch

Thursday 8th February 12.30 - 14.00

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink in association with the South East London Chamber of Commerce is an informal and free networking event for businesses from Greenwich and bordering boroughs. As per usual we will have intensive informal business networking, introductions and a short presentation. Hosted by Chamber President, Helen McIntosh.

General Data Protection Regulations: Essential Information

Thursday 15th February 18.00 - 20.00

David Sayce, Chamber Board Director will be giving a presentation on the new GDPR coming into force May 2018.

Cost: members & non members £12 includes drinks & nibbles

Bromley Breakfast Meeting

Thursday 22nd February 07.30 - 09.00

Hamilton House, Room 103, 15 Park Vista, London SE10 9LZ

Bromley Link 'n Drink

Wednesday 28th February 17.30 - 19.00

The Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley Hill, Bromley BR1 4JD

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

Tuesday 6th March 18.30 - 21.00

The Greenwich Tavern, The Treehouse, 1 King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9JH

National Apprenticeship Week

Thursday 8th March 12.00 - 14.00

Charlton Athletic, The Valley, Floyd Rd, London SE7 8BL

Lewisham Breakfast Meeting

Friday 9th March 07.30 - 09.00

The Clarendon Hotel, Montpelier Row, Blackheath SE3 ORW

The Future of Architecture

Thursday 15th March 18.00 - 20.00

Council Room, Queen Anne Court, Old Royal Naval College, SE10 9LS

Bexley Link 'n Drink

Wednesday 28th March 17.30 - 19.00

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

Tuesday 3rd April 18.30 - 21.00

Barnehurst Golf Club, Mayplace Rd East, Barnehurst DA7 6JU

The Greenwich Tavern, The Treehouse, 1 King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9JH

Greenwich Networking Lunch

Thursday 12th April 12.30 - 14.30

The Slug and Lettuce, 1-34, Entertainment Avenue, The O2, London SE10 0DY

Bexley Breakfast Meeting

Friday 20th April 07.30 - 09.00

Lewisham Link 'n Drink

Wednesday 25th April 17.30 - 19.00

Bexleyheath Marriott Hotel, 1 Broadway, Bexleyheath DA6 7JZ

*While the chamber website is under construction, please call the Chamber office on 020 8317 3365 for all bookings/enquiries for Chamber events

January 2018

Charlton House, Charlton Road, London SE7 8RE

The Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley Hill, Bromley BR1 4JD

Everest Inn, 41 Montpelier Vale, Lewisham, London SE3 0TJ

Greenwich networking lunch: Tracy Stringfellow, Chief Executive, Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust, will give a short talk on Charlton House and the RGHT. Cost: £20 members £26 non-members.

Included in the price is a buffet lunch with two glasses of wine/soft drinks.

Bromley breakfast meeting with speaker: Bob Neill MP, Bromley & Chislehurst Topic: Brexit, local issues and business matters.

Cost: £16 members £21 non-members.

Free monthly Informal meeting in a relaxed atmosphere, open to businesses from all boroughs.

These meetings happen twice a month, taking turns in Greenwich, Lewisham, Bromley & Bexley.

Don't forget to bring your business cards & enjoy the complimentary canapés.

Hosted by Chamber Vice President, Terri Johnson

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink in association with the South East London Chamber of Commerce is an informal and free networking event for businesses from Greenwich and bordering boroughs.

As per usual, there will be intensive informal business networking, introductions and a short presentation.

Apprenticeships – Fact from Fiction Are you paying an Apprenticeship levy but not sure how to reap the benefits, or are you a non-levy employer wanting to take on an Apprentice but not sure how it works? This event will provide you with support and information. on Apprenticeships, either to upskill existing staff or take on new talent.

Networking & lunch included.

Cost: £20 members £26 non-members.

Lewisham networking breakfast Join this breakfast meeting with Speaker: Heidi Alexander MP, Lewisham East Topic: Local issues, river crossings, life in Parliament, Brexit etc.

Cost: £16 members £21 non-members.

Speaker: Professor Neil Spiller, Hawksmoor Chair of Architecture and Landscape, the University of Greenwich Topic: The Future of Architecture.

Professor Spiller will explore some of the surreal impacts on architecture and landscape, technologies such as augmented reality, nanotechnology and synthetic biology.

Cost: £25 members and £30 non-members.

Drinks, talk, two course supper with wine and soft drinks.

Free monthly Informal meetings in a relaxed atmosphere, open to businesses from all boroughs.

Hosted by Chamber Vice President, Terri Johnson.

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink in association with the South East London Chamber of Commerce is an informal and free networking event for businesses from Greenwich and bordering boroughs.

As per usual we will have intensive informal business networking, introductions and a short presentation.

The Chamber returns to the Slug & Lettuce at The O2 for a networking lunch with one minute slots, member stand space & lots of networking.

If you would like to promote your business this is a lunch you should definitely attend. Price includes a tasty hot buffet with two glasses of wine/soft drinks.

Cost: £20 members £26 non-members.

Bexley networking breakfast. with Speaker: Rt. Hon David Evennett MP Topic: Local issues, Parliament, river crossings and Brexit.

Cost: £16 members £21 non-members.

Free monthly Informal meeting in a relaxed atmosphere, open to businesses from all boroughs.

Don't forget to bring your business cards & enjoy the complimentary canapés. Hosted by Chamber President, Helen McIntosh

Forthcoming Events |

The Future of Architecture Thursday 15th March 2018 18.00 -20.00 Council Room, Queen Anne Court, Old Royal Naval College, SE10 9LS

Speaker: Professor Neil Spiller Topic:

Hawksmoor Chair of Architecture and Landscape, the University of Greenwich

The Future of Architecture

Professor Spiller will explore some of the surreal impacts on architecture and landscape, technologies such as augmented reality, nanotechnology and synthetic biology.

Cost: ÂŁ25 members and ÂŁ30 non-members Drinks, talk, two course supper with wine and soft drinks.

January 2018

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32

| Visit Greenwich

Greenwich set for tourism growth Everybody knows Greenwich is an amazing place to visit.

It’s home to a World Heritage Site, The O2 arena, London’s grandest Royal Park and the Prime Meridian of the World – longitude zero.

January 2018

t’s also a beguiling mix of new and old - Greenwich Park and the Royal Observatory contrast sharply with the 90m-high Emirates Air Line cable car on Greenwich Peninsula.

The designer-maker arts and crafts in Greenwich Market are particularly popular with Londoners visiting at the weekend, as well as with visitors from farther afield and The O2 attracts millions of visitors a year making it the most popular live entertainment venue in the world.

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The strong connections between Greenwich and Britain’s momentous maritime history are exemplified by Cutty Sark, the fastest ship of her age, and the collections of naval artefacts in the National Maritime Museum.

Nineteen million visitors came to the Royal Borough of Greenwich last year and that number of visitors demands an organisation that can have an oversight of the economic and social benefits that tourism can bring to an area; 15,000 jobs are supported by this tourism expenditure.

Visit Greenwich |

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“

Nineteen million visitors came to the Royal Borough of Greenwich last year and that number of visitors demands an organisation that can have an oversight of the economic and social benefits that tourism can bring to an area; 15,000 jobs are supported by this tourism expenditure.

”

The organisation that leads on the management of the visitor economy is Visit Greenwich, the Royal Borough of Greenwich Destination Management Company, a partnership based, not-for-profit Community Interest Company.

It is a private/public partnership led by a board of tourism professionals, representing different sectors of the industry.

The company works with visitor attractions, accommodation providers, transport operators,

meetings and events venues, the hospitality and retail sectors and the travel trade and media. Partners include the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Royal Museums Greenwich, Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich Hospital (Greenwich Market), London City Cruise Port, Anschutz Entertainment Group, University of Greenwich, Docklands Light Railway, City Cruises, MBNA Thames Clippers, Emirates Air Line and London South East Colleges.

Visit Greenwich and South East London Chamber of Commerce struck up a concordat in 2016.

Visit Greenwich Chief Executive, Barrie Kelly, said: “Although we are both membership organisations we work to support one another. Our services for local businesses differ greatly and are complementary to the Chamber offer.

“Visit Greenwich is about working with local businesses to develop the visitor economy, raising the profile of the Borough, increasing visitor

Barrie Kelly Visit Greenwich Chief Executive

spend and wealth, while the Chamber is more about providing business support, networking, and training to ensure businesses across the whole South East London economy are making the most of all the opportunities available to them.

“We support each other in a number of ways – we promote each other’s events and training programmes for instance. In 2018 we are looking to work together even more closely.”

January 2018

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| Visit Greenwich

Visit Greenwich Team

Sector performance 2017

The practice of organisations working together clearly works.

Greenwich attractions figures are up 4% for the first three quarters on the same period in the previous year.

Travel by boat and DLR is up by 4% and 3% respectively and town centre footfall is up 6%. Greenwich hotel occupancy is up by 8% to an average of 74% occupancy.

RevPar is up by 13% to £70.

London & Partners July figures show a 5.6% decline in footfall to attractions across London, but travel agent bookings for arrivals for the remaining months of the year show growth of up to 7 per cent year-on-year.

For Barrie Kelly, the work is only just starting. He said: “When we were created four years ago, tourism was worth £1.1 billion a year, now it is £1.3 billion, a growth of 20 per cent in four years and part of this success has come about from working together.

“Greenwich has become a more cohesive brand, more joined up. Our partners really have upped their game individually and together.

“A lot of our work is challenging the perception that Greenwich is not easy to get to. The tube map

January 2018

tends to make us look further away from the centre of the city than we are.

“If you redrew it based on journey times it would look very different. We are 20 minutes from Big Ben and 8 minutes from London Bridge by rail.

“London tourism is worth £36 billion and 70 per cent goes to Zone 1. We are working to change that, to tell people that they can get to Greenwich easily and quickly.

“The area is vibrant and there are an amazing amount of things to see and do.

Everyone has heard of Greenwich Mean Time few destinations have such a well-known name and we are seeking to build on that.

We are a global brand.”

Barrie sees plenty of cause for optimism in 2018. Strong growth is expected from North America and Asia.

And there’s a lot happening in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in 2018.

Four new permanent galleries open in the National Maritime Museum in Autumn 2018. Pacific Encounters, Polar Worlds, Tudor and Stuart Seafarers and Sea Things will exhibit 1,000 objects and provide access to areas of the Museum previously closed to visitors.

The nation’s love affair with the seaside will be celebrated in the National Maritime Museum’s special exhibition for 2018, The Great British Seaside: photography from 1960 to present. Following a major conservation project, the iconic Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I is now on display in the Queen’s House.

Recently saved for the nation, this beautiful and historic portrait of commemorates the failed invasion of England by the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Greenwich Peninsula continues to transform with new homes and attractions being completed on a regular basis. Knight Dragon Developments has permission for more than 15,720 new homes, of which 1,889 are currently under construction, and a creative district is planned next to the NOW Gallery.

A new designer outlet village is opening at The O2 in autumn 2018. Half of the 205,000 sq ft. village will occupy an upper level space with the other half located in a new purpose-built, double height space.

The O2 will also open a new trampolining park to be run by Oxygen Freejumping and extend the Cineworld multiscreen cinema with 8 new screens and contain the latest 4DX technology as well as the ability to host multiple screenings, premieres and events.

Woolwich is experiencing amazing change with new development and Crossrail at the heart of the transformation; £31million of investment has been promised to transform 16,500m² of landmark historic buildings along the Royal Arsenal riverfront. The development will include a large-scale performance

Visit Greenwich |

venue, a black box theatre, a quadrangle courtyard, ten rehearsal studios, and offices for resident companies. The Royal Borough of Greenwich, Visit Greenwich, Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust and Greenwich + Docklands Festivals have successfully bid for funding for a three year marketing and cultural programme to promote Woolwich as a cultural and creative destination.

The Elizabeth line, part of Crossrail, opens between Paddington, Woolwich and Abbey Wood opens in December 2018. It will slash the journey time between Woolwich and the West End. The route will eventually pass through 40 stations from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km tunnels to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

Barrie Kelly and his team are looking at ways of attracting more people to enjoy the area all year round, not just in high season. He said: “One of the things we are looking at is increasing off-season visitor numbers.

We have capacity in the off season, night time and across the borough in Woolwich, Eltham and Charlton, for example.

“The opening of the Icon shopping village at The O2 later this year will be amazing.

With 90 outlets and seven restaurants, it’s going be a very popular destination.

“The O2 currently attracts nine million visitors a year, but when Icon opens that number is likely to rise to around 13-14 million. We want to take advantage of that by attracting people who do not

just want to do the shopping.

In addition, there is major cultural investment in Woolwich and attractions including Eltham Palace and Gardens are appealing to the growing Chinese visitor market. All in all, it’s looking as if 2018 is going to be a great year “

You can find out more at www.visitgreenwich.org.uk

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Why Greenwich is known the world over

The area offers visitors a unique opportunity to stand on the historic Prime Meridian of the World at Royal Observatory Greenwich, the home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Visitors can grab a selfie on the historic Prime Meridian Line of the world. And discover the remarkable story behind GMT. Since the late 19th Century, the Prime Meridian at Greenwich has divided the eastern and western hemispheres of the earth - just as the equator divides the northern and southern hemispheres.

In 1884 the Prime Meridian was defined by Transit Circle telescope at the Royal Observatory which was built by Sir George Biddell Airy, the 7th Astronomer Royal, in 1850. The cross-hairs in the eyepiece of the telescope precisely defined Longitude 0° for the world.

January 2018

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www.stdunstansenterprises.co.uk January 2018

Hospitality |

A Wall of Water, Sweet and Sour Sauce, and a Singapore Sling 3AA Rosette Peninsula Restaurant at InterContinental London -The O2 in Greenwich Peninsula

By Susan Isaacs Southwark Chamber of Commerce board member and Arts and Culture Correspondent

@Languages2000 t was a windy evening as I slipped through the doors of the vast, InterContinental London - The O2 in Greenwich Peninsula. There was a lavish marble entrance, and a blue lit neon water wall gently cascaded down to the floor.

The intricate wire image of an ageless man’s face stared down at me from a height.

I was meeting my friend Karen Hall, Publisher and Sales Director at Benham Publishing and our destination was Peninsula Restaurant, a few floors up. It is a restaurant that boasts three AA rosettes, and a magnificent view of the towers of Canary Wharf.

We were allocated a table just by the window, and a handsome waiter saw to our almost every need.

The feast began. Brown and cream seafood sat gently perched on a bed of corks, encased in a multilayered wooden box, like an extra large cigar case.

Karen chose the smoked salmon tartare to start, followed by melt in the mouth mash, and beef, kindly cooked at her request, to cremation standards.

The piquant sweet and sour sauce gave it an original

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Chinese feel, so right for an international hotel. I started with seared foie gras, followed by lamb in a juniper sauce, which had a delicate smoky feel to it.

We had a lovely bottle of rich red Italian wine, San Giovese Belial, from Tuscany, which I will hunt down for private consumption at home. But the absolute star of the show, in my opinion, was the dome of freshly baked bread, with a hint of rosemary and carrot.

Our waiter kindly guided us to a private audience in the kitchen, with the genial bearded cook, who has been enthusiastically cooking since the age of fifteen, Tomas Lidakevicius head chef of the Peninsula restaurant.

He, and his team of helpers, quietly sliced, chopped, and stirred an array of ingredients in the steel fortress of a kitchen.

The timing of our food had been immaculate, and he explained that the key was all in the preparation. Dinner was at 7 o’clock, the team had been working since 11 o’clock to have the ingredients ready.

The team effort extends to everyone working in the hotel.

They have by far the best part of the bargain. The cooks prepare new recipes, and everyone else eats them.

The best part of the evening had to be the cocktails in the Eighteen Sky Bar. Boats sped across the blue water as we were served delectable cocktails. What fun it was to be sipping our drinks, as we faced thousands of invisible bankers and brokers, wheeling and dealing in the massive forty floor towers just narrowly across the water from us.

I had a delicious gin and tonic, and Karen’s Singapore Sling, lit up the whole bar with its luminous orange colour. I am definitely having that next time.

I think every guest who has sampled the delights of Peninsula Restaurant at Intercontinental London The O2will definitely be back for a “next time.”

“

What fun it was to be sipping our drinks, as we faced thousands of invisible bankers and brokers, wheeling and dealing in the massive forty floor towers just narrowly across the water from us.

”

January 2018

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38

| Construction

Proposed changes ‘could boost London’s construction sector’ January 2018

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has proposed significant changes to the way houses are built as a way of boosting the Capital’s construction sector.

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Sadiq Khan says that, while he is encouraging homebuilders to make best use of land in the Capital, he expects councils to refuse any applications that do not meet his new standards.

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n his new draft London Plan, the Mayor has removed ‘outdated’ constraints and rigid density guidelines to give a significant boost to the number of new and affordable homes given planning permission.

Sadiq Khan has thrown out the previous Mayor’s policy, which he says was complicated and set meaningless maximum rules for the number of homes on developments, in favour of boosting the number of welldesigned homes that sites can accommodate.

In his draft Plan, the Mayor has set out how he will ask homebuilders to maximise the use of valuable land in the city, developing sites with more homes on them.

Sadiq Khan believes that increased numbers of homes should be built on sites near town centres or good public transport, reducing the need for car parking spaces within developments.

The Mayor’s Plan says that proposed development on sites that do not clearly maximise housing density should be refused.

He believes rather that councils – working with developers and housing associations - should take a case-by-case approach to each site to determine its capacity based on surrounding infrastructure.

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The new policy emphasises the importance of good design and will be applicable to buildings of all types, including low-rise, medium and high-rise.

The new approach is supported by a stronger policy on housing standards which sets out how a home should be designed.

Sadiq Khan says that, while he is encouraging homebuilders to make best use of land in the Capital, he expects councils to refuse any applications that do not meet his new standards.

The draft London Plan also includes the Mayor’s commitment for 50 per cent of all new homes built to be genuinely affordable, to be achieved through planning, investment and building on public land. It offers private developers a fast-track route to planning permission if they reach a minimum of 35 per cent affordable.

New ambitious targets have been set for councils, as part of an overall London Plan figure of 65,000 homes a year, roughly double the current rate of homebuilding.

For the first time, targets in the Plan show how capacity can also be reached on small sites.

Sadiq Khan believes there is capacity for 24,500 homes a year on London’s small sites – typically those between one

and 25 homes – and asks boroughs to approve applications for small developments unless they do not meet his design standards.

It forms part of the Mayor’s commitment to stimulate growth for small and mediumsized house builders in the Capital, which he says has for too long had an over-reliance on London’s large developers.

The Mayor is also using his London Plan to provide greater protections for industrial land while also looking at solutions such as stacking up distribution sheds or encouraging development of industrial workspaces side by side with new homes to knit industry back into the fabric of the city.

In Sadiq Khan’s first London Plan he has also introduced policies on new growth

corridors and areas of higher density have been set out alongside planned new infrastructure including Crossrail 2, Thames Estuary, Bakerloo line extension, Central London, Elizabeth Line East, Heathrow, Elizabeth Line West, Trams Triangle/LondonGatwick-Brighton mainline and HS2 He also reaffirmed his commitment to protect London’s Green Belt and other open spaces and set out plans to help make more than half of London green by 2050.

The Mayor says he is in favour of supports tall buildings but that they must be in the right places and to high design and safety standards.

Sadiq Khan said: “With London’s population expected to increase by 70,000 every year, reaching 10.8 million in

January 2018

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| Construction

2041, it’s vital we properly plan for growth with new affordable homes in every area of the capital.

“I am using all of the powers at my disposal in my first draft London Plan to tackle the housing crisis head on, removing ineffective constraints on homebuilders so that we can make the most of precious land in the capital to build more homes in areas with the best transport links.

“My London Plan sets out how we are planning for the challenges our great city faces, but crucially focuses on my vision of a London that welcomes growth, celebrates its diversity and ensures every Londoner gets the opportunity to fulfil their potential.”

January 2018

The proposals have received a warm welcome although it is one tinged with a sense of pragmatism.

Jasmine Whitbread, chief executive of business group London First, said: “London's success comes from the people who live and work here and we've been failing to build the homes they need for too long. The Mayor's commitment to tackling our housing crisis is hugely welcome but the London Plan must now deliver its part.

"By being smart about how and where we build, making better use of land and setting targets that councils can and must hit, the Mayor will help open a door for the countless people priced out of a place to call home.”

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), said: “Making better use of the many existing small sites that are scattered over the Capital is essential if we are to build the number of new homes Londoners need.

The London Plan’s moves to favour appropriate residential development on small sites is, therefore, a welcome initiative.

It will also boost and strengthen the capacity of small and medium-sized house builders to build more new homes.

“FMB research has consistently shown that a lack of available and viable land is the main factor constraining the ability of small builders to deliver more homes. Indeed, over half of SME house builders believe that the

number of small site opportunities is, if anything, decreasing.

“In order to reach the 66,000 new homes London needs to build each year, this renewed emphasis on small sites is vital.”

Sir Steve Bullock, London Councils’ Executive member for housing, said: “The sheer scale of the housing crisis in London is unparalleled. The Mayor’s work to set out a vision for London’s development and deliver it with London boroughs and other key partners such as TfL and the construction industry demonstrates his understanding of how only sustained and co-ordinated efforts across different sectors can hope to fix the capital’s broken housing market.”

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With London’s population expected to increase by 70,000 every year, reaching 10.8 million in 2041, it’s vital we properly plan for growth with new affordable homes in every area of the capital.

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David Montague, Chief Executive of L&Q, said: “The London Plan that Sadiq Khan launched takes an imaginative approach to tackling the housing crisis. This strategic plan for London will ensure that neighbourhoods across the capital continue to flourish, with the right balance of new housing and much needed

transport infrastructure. With the right support from City Hall, housing associations like L&Q can get on and deliver the homes this city needs.”

Rico Wojtulewicz, senior policy advisor for the House Builder Association, said: “Good intention isn’t necessarily delivered through the planning process and

so we implore the Mayor to do all he can to explain his vision to London’s planners, councillors, communities and businesses. It would be a real tragedy if his ambition was stifled by a lack of buy-in.”

The draft London Plan was launched in late November with a three-month consultation.

Housing market still flat The UK housing market remained flat in the run up to Christmas, according to the November 2017 RICS UK Residential Market Survey. n November, the indicators tracking activity hovered in negative territory, although a little less so than previously.

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Both the current picture and the short-term outlook for prices is broadly flat, with contributors to the survey unconvinced that the market is going to gain any momentum in the coming months.

Respondents to the survey suggest activity will continue to be impacted by the continued shortage of new instructions, alongside general economic uncertainty.

The headline price balance eased to zero in November, indicating flat prices at the national level over the month. Once again however, there were significant variations at a regional level.

London continued to see the most negative sentiment, 54% more contributors seeing a fall in prices rather than a rise. Both the South East and East Anglia also reported negative price trends.

Looking forward, the three-month price expectations are also more or less flat. Sentiment remains particularly cautious in London and the South East but contributors are confident that prices will rise in the North West, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

January 2018

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| Legal

Debt Recovery Actions against individuals and sole traders has changed The Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims came into force on 1 October 2017 which introduced a new regime for parties involved in debt recovery claims prior to the commencement of proceedings. he Protocol applies to any business seeking to bring a claim against a debtor who is either an individual or a sole trader. The significant problem with the Protocol is that it assumes that there is dispute between the parties capable of resolution, it does not take into account the many cases where debtors are buying time or simply ignoring the situation.

The Protocol has four aims: 1. to encourage early communication; 2. to try to settle the case without Court proceedings; 3. to encourage the parties to act in a reasonable and proportionate; and 4. where Court proceedings cannot be avoided, to support the efficient management of those proceedings.

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January 2018

Part 3 of the Protocol requires that a Creditor must send the Debtor a detailed Letter Before Action, prior to issuing a claim, which should include information relating to the debt, as well as what, if any, interest is accruing.

If regular instalments are being made towards the debt, or the debtor has offered to make such payments, why the offer is unacceptable. The letter must further include details of how the debt can be paid.

Additionally, the Letter of Claim should enclose an Information Sheet and Reply Form, Means Form and an up-to-date statement of account.

The Debtor then has 30 days from the date of the Letter of Claim to respond. If the Debtor fails to respond within this time frame, the Creditor can only then issue proceedings.

Part 4 of the Protocol requires that the Debtor should respond using the Reply Form provided with the Letter of Claim.

On receipt of the completed Reply Form, the Creditor must wait at least a further 30 days before commencing Court proceedings.

If the Debtor has indicated that they are seeking legal or debt advice or needs additional time to pay, then the Creditor must allow them reasonable time to do so. If the dispute is not capable of resolution then the parties should consider Alternative Dispute Resolution before litigating.

Even then, the parties are not free to litigate, Part 8 of the Protocol encourages parties to review

their positions again and at least 14 days’ notice of an intention to issue should be given.

Failure to comply with the Protocol will be taken into consideration by the Court when giving case management directions. It is unclear at this stage what sanction might apply for failure to comply with the Protocol but it is anticipated that such failure will be met with a reduction in costs awarded or even payment of the debtor’s costs.

T G Baynes Solicitors can be contacted on 020 8301 7777 or emailed on info@tgbaynes.com / DebtCollection@TGBaynes.com

Focus on Finance |

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Retirement and business planning Nigel Kimber, partner at McBrides Chartered Accountants, looks at some of the considerations ith the start of a new year, many business owners’ thoughts often turn to planning for their eventual exit from their business, but where to begin!

Sometimes conversations around business succession planning can feel overwhelming, but they’re absolutely critical to all business owners or shareholders who find they want to either move on, retire or restructure.

One of the first people you should speak to is your accountant – they should have a good understanding of your business and your aims. Just talking about the history of the business and its current structure can help open up possibilities and ways forward.

However, if your accountant or adviser doesn’t have corporate finance experience,

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it’s important that they introduce you to a firm which has this speciality as succession planning can be complicated. It’s taken you years to establish and grow your business, so it’s important to take the necessary time to make sure you consider all the options to get the best outcome for you.

We recently worked on the private sale of regional coach operator Clarkes of London to National Express.

We had helped the business to grow over the past 20 years and saw the managing director (MD) institute a major business change programme and expansion, introducing a London commuter travel service for the Medway towns and growing the business to become a 56-coach fleet operating from its south-east London base.

We were discussing succession planning options when the opportunity to sell arose. This disposal to a national organisation was timely and attractive to the MD and it also provided an excellent strategic fit for National Express, which was already operating certain services through another Kent-based coach operator.

The process necessitated many late nights and early starts for the corporate finance team at McBrides.

Liaison with all the shareholders and their individual advisers and completing a company

reorganisation to extract property from the trading company were two of several intricacies that were overcome to deliver a fantastic deal for all parties.

This complex piece of work was recognised at the recent Kent Corporate Finance Alliance Awards where we were honoured as the runnerup ‘Deal of the Year’, which helped make the late nights and early starts worthwhile!

It’s never too late to start a conversation about succession planning, but it is important that you work with the right advisers to get the best deal for you.

Please speak to us if you would like further help or advice on this topic.Nigel Kimber is a Corporate Finance Partner at McBrides Chartered Accountants. He can be contacted on 020 8309 0011 or email nigel.kimber@mcbridesllp.com

January 2018

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| News

St Alfege Church heritage for everyone It was announced in December 2017 that St Alfege Church has received a confirmed grant (£1,836,800) from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the Heart of Greenwich, Place and People project.

hanks to National Lottery players, the project aims to reinforce the church’s position as a heritage asset at the heart of Greenwich, reveal and interpret the hidden spaces and heritage for everyone. Planned are vital repairs to the fabric, bring to light the splendid work of Nicholas Hawksmoor, improve access to and facilities in the

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January 2018

church and enhance landscaping, signage and interpretation.

Working with the University of Greenwich, the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Visit Greenwich and schools, the church will give students practical experience, recruit and train volunteer Heritage Ambassadors and provide

a programme of heritage focused activities. Custodian of the emerging story of the place, it holds the remains of significant figures in British history and plays an important role in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.

Explaining the importance of the HLF support, Stuart Hobley, Head of HLF London, said: “The Heart of Greenwich project will see Hawksmoor’s building restored and the heritage of this well-loved church brought to a wider audience. In the season of goodwill it is great that this gift from National Lottery players will support this wellloved historic building, and we can’t wait to see what further exciting discoveries will be made”.

As part of this, the church has also received planning consent from the Royal Borough of Greenwich and faculty approval from the Diocese of Southwark. Work on the project has already started although works on site will not begin until late 2018 or early 2019.

Commenting on the award, Vicar Chris Moody said: “This has been a culmination of years of planning and we are absolutely delighted at this generous award. It is great news and I would like to thank everyone who has made this possible and for all the contributions that have been made to achieve this. We still have £140,000 to raise for our match funding so a little way to go yet.”

Health & Wellbeing |

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Royal Greenwich: supporting local workplaces and employees to Live Well Royal Greenwich has a whole range of initiatives available to local businesses and organisations to help support staff health and wellbeing. hether you're a small business, large corporation or public sector organisation, there are huge benefits to achieving a healthier workplace, for both employees and businesses themselves. Such benefits can include improved job satisfaction for staff, lower sickness absence and improved productivity, as well as financial rewards and a positive reputation for your organisation.

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The London Healthy Workplace Charter

Backed by the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the Mayor of London, this provides clear and easy steps for employers to make their workplaces healthier and happier.

Royal Greenwich offers tailored support to local businesses and organisations to achieve the Charter. This includes guidance in implementing strategies to support staff on issues such as mental health, physical activity and healthy eating.

Royal Greenwich has recently been recognised as the leading London borough for supporting the highest number of local organisations to become accredited under the London Healthy Workplace Charter.

To date, 34 organisations have been awarded accreditation at City Hall, covering over 28,000 employees in the borough.

They include: South East London Chamber of Commerce, Charlton Athletic Community Trust, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, Alcatel, Balfour Beatty (Peninsula Construction Site), Novotel, Visit Greenwich, National Maritime Museum, Wincanton, Powell & Co. Solicitors, Russell King Associates and Fareshare.

Councillor David Gardner, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “There are so many factors that can impact a person's ability to make healthier choices so it is extremely important that we do whatever we can to make these choices easier. Workplace environments that encourage active lifestyles and help staff access healthy food are key to this and support the Council’s efforts to help residents lead healthier lives.”

Wincanton’s successful involvement with the Charter has helped them to develop a healthier workforce, with staff now more involved and engaged with the key issues.

Paul McCulloch, HR Manager at Wincanton said: “We are passionate and believe that better health and wellbeing in employees will lead to improved business outcomes.

“We have organised events to keep focus on health and wellbeing in the workplace, provided staff with resources to encourage healthier lifestyles and even set up an employee working group to consider health and wellbeing issues.

“We are very proud to have been the first Wincanton site to achieve this accreditation and we continue to strive to deliver the Wincanton values of Excellence in the area of wellbeing.”

To find out more and to register interest, visit www.london.gov.uk/ healthyworkplace

Supporting Good Food in Greenwich

Royal Greenwich is also supporting local food businesses to improve health and wellbeing through Good Food Initiatives.

For example, your organisation can sign up and be supported to become ‘Sugar Smart’ or earn the ‘Healthier Catering Commitment’ if you are a local food outlet wanting to offer healthier choices to your customers. Similarly, the ‘Breastfeeding Friendly Greenwich’ Scheme supports local venues to welcome breastfeeding mothers and their babies.

Visit www.goodfoodingreenwich.org for more information on these schemes and more.

Live Well Greenwich

Live Well Greenwich has recently launched as part of the support on offer to local workplaces to help improve health and wellbeing for employees.

Live Well Greenwich offers signposting and support across a whole range of life issues

known to affect health and wellbeing to help your staff live well. This includes healthy lifestyle support, NHS Health Checks and support for living with a long-term condition. In addition, it provides information and signposting for debt and finance issues, work and training and housing issues, as well as local social and community activities.

Visit www.greenwichcommunity directory.org.uk the local one-stop website to find health, wellbeing, social care and community information and services near you.

Alternatively call the Live Well Greenwich line on 0800 470 4831. A free helpline staffed by local, trained health and wellbeing advisors for signposting and support to live well.

Free e-learning training for all staff working in Greenwich

Free, one hour e-learning training has also just been launched, available to anyone working or volunteering in the borough.

The ‘Make Every Opportunity Count’ e-learning training can support staff in knowing when, where and how to best signpost colleagues or local people they work with to Live Well Greenwich to help improve their health and wellbeing.

Visit www.livewellgreenwich.org.uk/ training for more information and to complete the training.

January 2018

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| Health and Wellbeing

Putting health at the top of the business agenda More and more employers are recognising their responsibility to help keep their staff healthy, a trend that has led to the growth of specialist organisations that can offer expert advice. South East London is well placed to meet the need with a number of organisations working in the field. usinesses are recognising good employee health as a core asset,

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Britain’s best businesses are investing in health and wellbeing at work, recognising this is vitally important to sustaining success, says Richard Jones, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

Latest annual figures released on 1 November 2017 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) using Labour Force Statistics make for stark reading. Ill health caused by work takes a heavy toll on our economy and society.

There’s more we should do to encourage health and wellbeing at work.

In 2016/17, an estimated 1.3 million workers suffered a work-related illness (new or longstanding), with around 80% either musculoskeletal disorders or stress, depression or anxiety.

Occupational lung diseases accounted for 90% of the estimated 13,000 deaths linked to past exposures at work – often decades ago – which is why IOSH’s No Time to Lose campaign, supported by over 200 organisations, was set up to beat occupational cancers.

January 2018

Mental ill health is also on the rise, now a primary cause of absence from work in the UK affecting one in six workers in Great Britain. The HSE attributes 49% of all working days lost due to ill health to stress, depression or anxiety.

This may be why Stephen Martin, Director-General of the Institute of Directors (IoD), chose to speak about tackling mental ill health in the workplace on 20 November at the IOSH 2017 conference.

Later that day, Matthew Taylor, who reviewed modern working practices for the government this year, joined us to discuss the safety and health implications of Good Work, and a follow-on investigation

by IOSH indicating nonpermanent workers are less well looked after.

Then Tony Bickerstaff, Chief Financial Officer of Costain Group explained why he dedicates much of his time and attention to promoting and improving the health and wellbeing of company staff as well as over 30,000 workers in the company’s supply chain.

The costs of workplace mental health are now widelydiscussed. The governmentcommissioned Stevenson-Farmer review of mental health and

employers, Thriving at work, on 26 October revealed the full extent of the issue in the UK, estimating poor mental health costs the economy £99 billion.

Stephen Martin of the IoD puts “the scale of mental health problems at work” and the working time lost to this as equivalent to 75,000 people not working for a year.

What else motivates these business leaders and finance chiefs to care how employees feel and to support their wellbeing?

One answer is proven performance improvements.

Another is the “competitive advantage” of attracting and retaining the very best employees and encouraging them to thrive in their jobs.

Former HR senior executive with multinational giant Unilever Geoff McDonald tells the personal story of why he is now advocates, campaigns for and consults full time on workplace mental health.

“If a flower doesn’t bloom, there is nothing wrong with the flower. It is the environment in which it lives,” he says, describing people’s energy as the “most limiting resource” within organisations and something business leaders should look to enhance.

“We can have knowledge, skills and behaviours but if we don’t have energy, we cannot perform.”

Great work has been done here in Britain to improve workplace safety. Now it is time to do the same with health and wellbeing, including gaining further engagement among business owners, upskilling people on spotting the signs of poor mental health and how to treat it, and shifting the narrative.

Organisations can and must do more to enable those affected to return to work, and IOSH has sponsored research on returning to work after suffering from common mental disorders as well as guidance for employers in its occupational health toolkit.

• The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health is the world’s leading chartered professional body for people responsible for safety and health in the workplace. It has more than 47,000 members in more than 130 countries.

Health & Wellbeing |

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Food sector target of healthy workplace campaign Companies and people working in food manufacturing are being told that they must pay closer attention to how they manage workplace health risks or face serious penalties.

Day will turn focus on health in the workplace

he Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced that its programme of inspections will review health and safety standards in food manufacturing businesses across the country.

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Companies are being warned that a programme of unannounced inspections is under way, focusing on two of the main causes of ill-health in the sector, occupational asthma from exposure to flour dust in bakeries, cake and biscuit manufacturers and grain mills and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), mainly lower back pain and upper limb disorders from manual handling activities and repetitive tasks.

The inspection visits come after the HSE released its Manufacturing Sector plan, which prioritises the reduction of occupational lung disease and MSDs.

Exposure to flour dust is the UK’s second most common cited cause of occupational

asthma. MSDs are the most common type of work-related illness in food manufacturing with handling injuries accounting for around 20% of reported employee injuries.

The HSE insists that such ill-health can be prevented when organisations have proper risk control systems in place.

The inspections will ensure measures are being taken by those responsible to protect workers against health risks and HSE says it will not hesitate to use enforcement to bring about improvements.

HSE’s head of Manufacturing Sector John Rowe said that the inspections are designed to raise awareness.

He said: “The food manufacturing sector is made up of over 300,000 workers and its health and safety record needs to improve. This inspection initiative will look to ensure effective management and control of targeted health risks.

“HSE is calling on anyone working in the industry to “take the time to refresh their knowledge of our advice and guidance, available for free on our website.

“Food manufacturing companies should do the right thing by protecting workers’ health; everyone has the right to go home healthy from work.”

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The HSE insists that such ill-health can be prevented when organisations have proper risk control systems in place.

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World Day for Safety and Health at Work will take place on April 28, backed by organisations including the United Nations. he annual day was launched in 2003 by the International Labour Organization to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.

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According to the organisers, 6,300 people die every day as a result of occupational accidents or work-related diseases, more than 2.3 million deaths per year.

They say that the human cost of this daily adversity is ’vast’ and that the economic burden of poor occupational safety and health practices is estimated at 4 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product each year.

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work promotes ‘safe, healthy and decent’ work and reminds governments, employers and workers of the need to play their part.

January 2018

The Person behind the Business |

Taking on new challenges How did you start out in business?

I started my business life training to be a Chartered Accountant with a small firm – lots of jobs where a cardboard box of receipts landed on my desk that I needed to make sense of! I enjoyed working with the owners of businesses and learning about what motivated them and the issues they faced. I qualified as an accountant and decided that tax was an area that challenged and intrigued me so I made the move to a role in tax to study for my Chartered Tax Adviser exams.

Tell us about your past

Since qualifying as a Chartered Tax Adviser, I have specialised in corporation tax. I worked in the corporate tax departments of large accountancy firms such as BDO and Grant Thornton and worked my way up to the position of associate director. I especially enjoyed advising small and medium sized businesses that are mainly owner managed. I dealt with the tax affairs of companies, advising on restructuring, repatriation of profits and all other issues that come under the corporate tax umbrella, including Research and Development claims for companies in various industries.

Tell us about the business

In the summer I was approached by an ex colleague as he had recently set up a Research and Development Tax Credits business that was doing well and wanted to expand geographically throughout the UK. We are the second of two satellite offices that have been set up and I am now responsible for claims covering the South East of England, although mainly Kent based operating out of the Innovation Centre Medway.

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We provide assistance to companies in claiming research and development tax credits. The research and development claims provide a means of reducing a company’s corporation tax bill or receiving cash back from the Government for achieving an advance in scientific or technological uncertainty.

Some of our current clients include those in the food and beverage, manufacturing and scenery industries. If your company is developing new products, technology or processes then the chances are you have a basis for a claim for Research and Development Tax Credits.

Hannah Tilson Technical Director Fiscale been on the other side of the fence and advised business owners how to grow and helped out with their challenges in the past and now it’s time for me to heed my own advice!

What do you hope to achieve with the new office and who will it serve?

I would love the office to become as successful in it’s first few years as our head office based in Haverhill, Suffolk has. The amount of growth experienced is phenomenal. The aim for the South East office is to take on two new members of staff over the coming months. We offer tax training apprenticeships so the office would be two fold, to provide training opportunities for apprentices and to serve the needs of the research and development tax credits market in Kent.

What are you looking forward to in 2018?

The summer; I’m always cold!

In all seriousness I’m looking forward to employing staff and mentoring them to help shape their career. I’m also looking forward to enjoying the challenges that come with starting up a new, rapidly expanding business. I’ve

I would love the office to become as

successful in it’s first few years as our head office based in Haverhill, Suffolk has. The amount of growth experienced is phenomenal.

” January 2018

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| New Members

And Finally…

Karina White M J Rooney Construction HR & Training Manager

Welcome to our new members East London Business Place T: 0207 537 6480 E: glen.addis@elbp.co.uk Contact: Glen Addis

Finsbury Robinson

T: 0208 858 4303 E: Sandra@finsburyrobinson.co.uk Contact: Sandra Evans

Greenwich London Blinds

T: 07795 087 267 E: hello@greenwichlondonblinds.co.uk Contact: Neil Schofield

Linden Tree HR Ltd

T: 0207 846 0116 E: hello@lindentreehr.co.uk Contact: Helen Rutherford

Red Rhino Consultancy

T: 07568 359664 E: admin@redrhinoconsultancy.com Contact: Verma Duncan

SVM Interiors Ltd

T: 07713 951466 E: susan@svminteriors.co.uk Contact: Susan Van Meter

The Good Teacher Consultancy T: 0208 355 6303 E: mrscarolynlong@gmail.com Contact: Carolyn Long

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As a member you're well connected with access to our range of benefits and services, including our directory of local member businesses.

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As a member of our Chamber, you are joining a unique organisation with a strong campaigning voice for business to local and national government.

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

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 January 2018

I began working for MJ Rooney Construction, specialist civil engineers in 2014 as the Office Manager. In 2016, I approached the Directors to gain support in realising a long-term ambition to achieve CIPD (HR) qualification. Hard work and dedication paid off, in 2017 my role became more “people” focused and I’m now HR and Training Manger, supporting the company with employee well-being, recruitment and training. My role recently has involved attending schools local to our projects to encourage more females into construction.

Prior to HR, I delivered recruitment solutions to the NHS and private sector and built a strong team to support my role as Regional Recruitment Manger. The experience I developed over 12 years meant that meeting targets and looking after employees would support my ambition to enter HR.

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

While still at school I joined Belgian Chocolatier, “S’il Vous Plait”. I worked during holidays and at weekends. Being a chocoholic, it was a dream job! I think I earnt £1.80 an hour!

What would you do with your last pound?

Probably buy a piece of luxury chocolate or donate to Nystagmus Network, a charity for people with complex eye conditions, characterised by constant eye movement.

What is the biggest challenge facing your business?

The drive to raise H&S standards and skills training in our industry.

Basement construction’s grown by 183% over recent years which draws inexperienced operatives into challenging environments. The industry needs to work collectively to drive this forward.

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

We need to re-think the NHS and pay our nurses a lot more money. An amazing institution that needs support.

If you could do another job what would it be?

Professional Chocolate Taster……..

FLEXIBLE

OFFICE SPACE TO LET

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• Entry phone system • An on-site centre manager

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Service Charge £386.00 £206.00

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A COLLECTION OF THREE-BEDROOM TOWNHOUSES IN THE HEART OF PENINSULA WEST, GREENWICH SHOW HOME NOW OPEN AVAILABLE TO MOVE IN FROM JANUARY 2018

PRICES FROM £875,000 TO ARRANGE A VIEWING Email signal.townhouses@cbre.com Call 020 7519 5945 signaltownhouses.com

I L L K N O W U S B Y T H E P L A C E S W E C R E AT E : U + I : YO U W I L L K N O W U S B Y T H E P L A C E S W E C R E AT E : U + I : YO U I L L K N O W U S B Y T H E P L A C E S W E C R E AT E : U + I : YO U W I L L K N O W U S B Y T H E P L A C E S W E C R E AT E : U + I : YO U