The Masthead July 2019

the

masthead

Official Magazine for South East London Chamber of Commerce - Issue 11

Pioneering education venture illustrates new way of thinking

Interview with Asfa Sohail, new Principal, Lewisham College

• BROMLEY - Strong local economy is key to key to continuing prosperity • BEXLEY - Celebrating business

excellence • GREENWICH - Latest news from Royal Borough of Greenwich • LEWISHAM - Support the growth of the

creative sector in the borough * EDUCATION & SKILLS • VISIT GREENWICH - New strategy aims to boost Greenwich visitor spend • ASK THE EXPERT - The personal touch • CONSTRUCTION - Cautious optimism in the construction

sector • HEALTH & WELLBEING - Call for more initiatives to encourage cycling to work •

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Anniversary 1889 - 2019

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Model shown is Prius Business Edition + 1.8 Petrol Hybrid FWD Automatic at £27,865 including optional Blue Crush paint at £545. Official fuel consumption figures in mpg: Combined 58.8 – 67.2, CO2 84 g/km. Figures are provided for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results. Fuel consumption and CO2 produced varies significantly depending on a number of factors, including the accessories fitted (post-registration), driving style, conditions, speed and vehicle load. All models and grades are certified according to the World Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), which replaces the New European Driving Cycle test procedure (NEDC). All CO2 figures quoted are NEDC equivalent. This means the CO2 figures are based on the new WLTP test procedure but calculated (using a standard European calculation method) to allow comparison with the NEDC test procedure and will be used to calculate vehicle tax on first registration. All mpg figures quoted are full WLTP figures. More information can be found by visiting: www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/fcb/wltp.asp 5 year/100,000 mile manufacturer warranty, terms and conditions apply.

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Chamber News Economy Focus on Bromley Focus on Bexley Focus on Greenwich Focus on Lewisham Cover Feature Education & Skills Legal News Big Interview with Asfa Sohail Chamber Events

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Welcome |

Visit Greenwich Strategic Member News Ask the Expert Construction News Finance Update Member Benefit Health & Wellbeing The Person behind the Business New Members and finally...

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Welcome to The Masthead the South East London Chamber of Commerce magazine. of Southwark, their VicePresident and we took to the river with them in early July.

lot has been going on within the Chamber since the last issue.

We worked in partnership with Southwark Chamber on two events: A visit to the House of Lords hosted by Lord Kennedy

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

Our great event was the 130th Anniversary Drinks Reception hosted by our Assembly Member for Greenwich & Lewisham, Len Duvall OBE. This was a sold-out event and guests mingled in The Remembrance Gallery of City Hall on a very hot evening. One of our members Nick Coxon who runs Blackheath.village.co.uk,

Publisher Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing Limited Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 @SELondonChamber Email: admin@benhampublishing.com @SELondonChamber Web: www.benhampublishing.com South East London Chamber of Commerce Published: July 2019 © Benham Publishing

Cover: LATC Image

a website using mainly video to promote the village kindly instructed one of his team to video the evening and details of the 130th video can be found on Page 5. It’s great fun with a couple of short speeches and lovely images of excellent networking. A very big thank you goes to Len and Debbie Smith at the GLA who organised the evening.

We will see on the later pages reviews of our other events and the AGM will be held on 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. 1686 Disclaimer The Masthead is published for South East London Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members.

Thursday, 18 September at the recently refurbished Davy’s Wine Vaults. The guest speaker will be The Rt Hon Nick Raynsford, President of the Town and Country Planning Association who will give an update on the Raynsford Review.

Expect to hear some exciting plans for the coming year in the next issue of the Masthead.

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. © 2019 Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content. Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

July 2019

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Chamber News |

Guests enjoying the Chamber's 130th Anniversary Drinks Reception, 23rd May in The Remembrance Gallery of City Hall.

The evening was hosted by Assembly Member for Greenwich & Lewisham, Len Duvall OBE, and sponsored by Handelsbanken.

To watch the event please click on the following links: Intro video link. https://vimeo.com/346962330 Full Speeches link. https://vimeo.com/346963519 Courtesy of blackheathvillage.co.uk

130 Anniversary 1889 - 2019

July 2019

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Handelsbanken bolsters local team to meet growing demand Handelsbanken Blackheath has appointed a new Corporate Banking Manager in response to increasing demand for its local relationship banking services. ichael Allen joins the local relationship bank with over 32 years of banking experience. He will be involved in developing existing customer relationships as well as welcoming new customers to Handelsbanken’s bespoke approach to local banking.

A strong focus on long-term relationships and high levels of personal service has seen the bank rated top for customer satisfaction 10 years running in an independent survey of British banks’ personal and business customers.

Branches are responsible for making all day-today banking decisions based solely on their customers' requirements, free from product and lending targets or bonus incentives.

Michael commented: “What attracted me to Handelsbanken was its pure focus on serving the customer. As experienced local bankers we have the power to make all the decisions that matter to our customers, swiftly and sensibly here in the branch. The bank provides customers with an extremely high level of service, and products structured to meet their individual needs.”

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The branch, established in 2017 and located in Cresswell Park, has developed a reputation for traditional banking, financial strength and high standards within the local business and professional services community.

Originally from Sweden, Handelsbanken now has over 800 branches in more than 20 countries and has been named the joint top-scoring commercial bank in Global Finance's ranking of the World's Safest Banks 2018. In the UK, where it has established its wholly-owned UK subsidiary, the Bank supports customers in over 200 communities across the country.

At a time when strength and stability is of particular importance to customers, the Bank enjoys amongst the highest credit ratings of any international bank. This reflects Handelsbanken's strong financial position, longterm focus and prudent, consistent approach to banking through all economic conditions.

In August 2018, Handelsbanken was named the most recommended provider for SME banking by the Competition and Markets

Authority's Independent Service Quality Survey for business banking. The Bank was ranked top in four of the five categories identified by the survey - with 84% of SME banking customers saying they would be extremely or very likely to recommend Handelsbanken to other SMEs for its overall service quality.

Handelsbanken was also named Best Private Bank 2018 at the FT and Investors Chronicle Investment & Wealth Management Awards.

This is the sixth time it has received the accolade for its customer-led approach to banking and wealth management.

Contact details

Michael Allen Corporate Banking Manager Tel: 020 8318 3097 Email: mial08@handelsbanken.co.uk

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www.stdunstansenterprises.co.uk July 2019

Economy |

he BCC says that its decision to slightly upgrade its growth forecast for 2019 is driven by the exceptionally rapid stock-building early in the year by companies preparing for Brexit.

The organisation says that the immediate boost to UK GDP is forecast to come at the cost of more subdued growth in 2020 and 2021 as the unwinding of historicallyhigh inventory levels, coupled with weaker business investment, weigh on economic activity.

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Brexit continues to create uncertainty for businesses The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has released its latest economic forecast, upgrading its growth expectations for the UK in 2019 to 1.3% (from 1.2%) but warning that Brexit is still having a major impact.

That is reflected in the fact that the leading business group has downgraded its growth forecast for 2020 to 1.0% (from 1.3%) and to 1.2% (from 1.4%) in 2021.

Trade is projected to make a negative contribution over the forecast period as exchange rate volatility, Brexit uncertainty and a subdued global economy weaken trading conditions for UK exporters.

The BCC forecast assumes that the UK avoids a messy and disorderly exit from the EU. Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The revisions to our forecast suggest that the UK economy is likely to remain on a disappointingly subdued growth path for some time to come.

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“It is increasingly likely that the temporary boost from historically high stockpiling in Q1, which has marginally improved the growth outlook for this year, will be surpassed over the medium-term by the negative impact from the running down of these inventories. The downward pressure on business activity and investment intentions from the unwinding of stocks is likely to be exacerbated somewhat by increasing cost pressures and Brexit uncertainty, slowing overall economic growth across the forecast period.

“The deteriorating outlook for business investment is a key concern as it limits the UK’s productivity potential and long-term growth prospects.

On the upside, household spending, a key driver of UK economic output, is expected to be supported by relatively low unemployment and positive real wage growth.”

Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, added: “While politicians are distracted, businesses are left with no choice but to try and prepare for the unwanted possibility of leaving the European Union on 31st October without a deal and transition period. Businesses are putting resources into contingency plans, such as stockpiling, rather than investing in ventures that would positively contribute to long-term economic growth.

This is simply not sustainable.”

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The deteriorating outlook for business investment is a key concern as it limits the UK’s productivity potential and long-term growth prospects.

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July 2019

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| Focus on Bromley

Bromley means business Bromley is London’s largest borough occupying a strategic position in the South East of the capital, with a mix of rural areas, leafy suburbs and urban centres.

July 2019

Focus on Bromley | strong local economy is key to continuing prosperity in Bromley, underpinning the high quality of life which characterises the borough. Business owners and managers appreciate the borough’s excellent transport links, the availability of skilled staff, low crime levels and green surroundings. The borough enjoys all the benefits of being on the outskirts of Kent but is less than 30 minutes away from central London by rail.

Bromley scores highly in comparison with the rest of London in terms of its labour market, with high employment levels and high skills. Bromley has one of the largest borough economies south of the Thames with an economic scale above that of major cities such as Reading, Southampton and Oxford.

In recent years the number of businesses located in the borough has grown steadily and now exceeds 24,000.

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Most businesses operate in real estate, construction, transport, recreation and wholesale and retail trade sectors and are mainly clustered in the three main town centres of Bromley, Orpington and Beckenham. However, there are also a number of industrial and business parks, particularly in the Crystal Palace area, in the Cray Valley – with good connections to the M20 / M25 – and at Biggin Hill.

Bromley has a close proximity to Gatwick airport which is advantageous to businesses with existing international connections. The borough also has its own business airport at Biggin Hill, which is attracting aviation and high tech related enterprises.

St Marks Square

July 2019

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| Focus on Bromley

“

The café and restaurant businesses have particularly embraced the wider pavements with licensed tables and chairs springing up the length of the street. Morning, noon and night there is a new alfresco vibe.

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Regeneration A very attractive aspect of the London Borough of Bromley is the choice of town centres, each with its own individual character.

Larger towns provide the focus for comparison-shopping and leisure opportunities, such as cinema, theatre and sports, whilst smaller centres provide convenient local shopping and specialist goods.

Sustaining vibrant and thriving town centres is a major priority for the Council as a key part of the Building a Better Bromley vision. The Council has invested in a variety of developments and improvements to town centres in the last year: Beckenham High Street The transformation of Beckenham High Street was completed in June 2019. The £4.4m scheme was funded by Bromley Council and Transport for London and designed and implemented in conjunction with the members of the Beckenham Town Centre Working Group.

The 800 metre long High Street has changed from an incoherent, inconsistent, pedestrian unfriendly traffic route into a vibrant traditional High Street.

The scheme has always had a fundamental objective of prioritising pedestrians and encouraging footfall over traffic.

By standardising the

July 2019

Beckenham High Street

carriageway width and ‘wrapping’ paving around on street parking, significant widened pavements have been achieved. The café and restaurant businesses have particularly embraced the wider pavements with licensed tables and chairs springing up the length of the street. Morning, noon and night there is a new alfresco vibe.

Bromley – St Mark’s Square St Mark’s Square now provides an exciting new entertainment destination within Bromley Town Centre.

The new Vue cinema, restaurants, Premier Inn Hotel and public art are all located just a 2 minute walk from Bromley South Station with fast connections to London Victoria in 16 minutes.

Orpington The transformational works at Orpington’s Walnuts Shopping Centre have significantly improved its pedestrian environment to encourage its community to spend time in these shared spaces.

The £875k capital scheme was funded in partnership with the Greater London Authority and has been used to implement a public realm scheme which will be completed in 2019.

The scheme focused on ‘place making’ as its main objective. Improvements were made on paving, street furniture, lighting, landscaping, library signage, leisure centre’s fire escape and a bespoke mural to brighten a blank façade.

Penge Penge Town Centre has been transformed through a series of interventions that has provided the High Street with a much needed facelift and provided support to many local businesses with the aim of attracting inward investment and providing vibrant active spaces for its local community.

In the last 2 years funding from the Council’s New Homes Bonus Topslice Fund of nearly £1m, has been used to implement a programme of regeneration for the town centre.

The Council have to date delivered several eye-catching, innovative improvements to many previously run down or dated shop facades, under the Shop Front Improvement Orpington

Focus on Bromley |

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St Marks Square

Programme, which has been the talking point of many visitors to the High Street. The Council is also looking to implement improvements to certain buildings on the High Street along with a series of Heritage plaques to support the previously delivered Penge Heritage Trail.

Funding from the New Homes Bonus fund was also used to deliver a programme of business support to local businesses which included funding for the Penge SE20 website, retail and marketing advice from consultants Retail Revival and the Penge-Tout Pop Up Shop.

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) The Council has been instrumental in enabling the successful establishment of BIDs in the 4 largest towns and plays an ongoing liaison role to ensure the Council continues to work in partnership with these business-led organisations.For more information on the BIDs and their activities please visit: www.yourbromley.com www.orpington1st.co.uk www.beckenhamtogether.co.uk www.pengese20.co.uk

District Town Centres The Council also offers information, advice and guidance to traders’ groups across the smaller town centres in the borough. A number of these centres and smaller shopping parades have benefitted from a programme of improvements delivered by the Council in recent years – recognising the important part played by these locations in the local economy and in our community.

Business Support The Council continues to provide support to both existing businesses and new startup businesses. There is a range of support available to businesses on the recently refreshed business pages of the Council website. There is also a brand new calendar promoting upcoming networking events.

The Council also continues to host many free workshops and

seminars to support local businesses.

A bi-monthly e newsletter is produced providing information on news and events relating to doing business in Bromley.

To sign up to this e newsletter or for more information on any of the other Council initiatives please visit www.bromley.gov.uk/business or email business@bromley.gov.uk

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There is a range of support available to businesses on the recently refreshed business pages of the Council website. There is also a brand new calendar promoting upcoming networking events.

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July 2019

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| Your Bromley

There’s lots to do this summer in Bromley town Your Bromley, the business partnership for the area, is laying on a free three day film festival in Queens Gardens, Kentish Way 8 – 10 August. ovies to suit toddlers will be shown in the mornings, slightly older children will be treated in the afternoons and grown ups will be catered for in the evenings.

Deck chairs can be hired in advance for £5 via Eventbrite with all proceeds being donated to local charity Bromley Community Fund.

For complete listings, booking arrangements and how to reserve deckchairs, please visit https://yourbromley.com/ midsummermovies. A pop up bar and food stall will be

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available, nearby eateries will also be on hand to serve you, or if you prefer, stop off at nearby supermarkets – Marks and Spencer, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Tesco - and bring your own picnic. Everyone’s welcome to bring their own deck chairs and blankets.

With a brand new Vue cinema in St Mark’s Square and a just opened restored Picturehouse in Bromley North Village, the town centre also has a Premier Inn and a Travelodge hotel, another sign that Bromley town centre is thriving. Following the completion of Bromley Council’s

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landscaping works on the pedestrianised part of the High Street, the town centre looks spick and span, helped

by Your Bromley’s provision of fortnightly jet washing and hanging baskets. Bromley is one of the safest boroughs in London, and Your Bromley funds additional hours of policing at peak periods to make it even safer.

Your Bromley makes Bromley Town Centre a good place to work, by offering free lunch time fitness sessions for employees in conjunction with the Pavilion Leisure Centre, with yoga,

pilates stretch, tone and balance to choose from.

A programme of social events for employees such as inter business quiz nights and bowling competitions is also available, all of which help businesses attract and keep talented employees.

Networking and business socials such as launches to Your Bromley events are also on offer.

Check out yourbromley.com where you can register to receive free monthly e.shots about what’s going on in Bromley town centre.

BROMLEY

MOVIES FOR TIMINGS AND SCREENINGS VISIT OUR WEBSITE:

YOURBROMLEY.COM/MIDSUMMERMOVIES STARRING BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, MAMMA MIA-HERE WE GO AGAIN, A STAR IS BORN, STAR WARS, 101 DALMATIONS, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, MARY POPPINS RETURNS THEN PEOPLE'S CHOICE OUT OF CASABLANCA, DIRTY DANCING, OR MEAN GIRLS BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR BROMLEY BUSINESS IMPROVMENT DISTRICT

July 2019

PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR WEATHER UPDATES, WHICH MAY CAUSE THE EVENT TO CHANGE.

Bromley Court |

The Bromley Court Hotel recognises and Celebrates 397 Years of Service The Bromley Court Hotel hosted a celebration lunch in May in recognition of its long serving members of staff, ranging from 38 years’ service down to 5 years’ service. ach deserved team member received a Certificate, a lapel badge, colour dependent on the length of service achieved and were awarded additional holiday days.

Members of the Board attended the lunch and conducted the presentations to the team members. Stephen Allison, Managing Director has introduced this new initiative to honour the hotel’s long standing team members and thank them for their loyalty and service; “We are very fortunate to have such a loyal team here at the Bromley Court Hotel and I am

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thrilled to be celebrating the fantastic 397 years of service these team members have given us. This new initiative is one of many new plans for the hotel including a new menu launch in our popular Garden Bar and Restaurant along with an introduction of some wonderful new wedding packages.

This is truly an exciting time to be at the Bromley Court Hotel and to be part of an exceptional team as we continue to strive to achieve our AA 4 Star recognition to match our 4 star standards of service and customer care.”

Festive Afternoon Tea

Buffet ‘N’ Boogie Nights

Monday 25th November to Saturday 21st December 2019.

Adults £24.95, Children £12.95

Tues 10th, Wed 11th, Tues 17th and Wed 18th December 2019 £22.50

Festive Party Nights

Christmas Eve Dinner

Fri 6th, Sat 7th, Fri 13th, Sat 14th, Fri 20th and Sat 21st December £53.00 Fri 29th November £47.00 Thurs 5th, 12th & Thurs 19th December £39.95 Fri 10th & Sat 11th January £29.95

Christmas Day Lunch

Christmas 2019 www.bromleycourthotel.co.uk

Tuesday 24th December 2019 Adults £39.00, Children’s half portions or the Children’s menu £14.95

Private Festive Functions

Wednesday 25th December 2019 Adults £95.00, Children’s half portions or the Children’s menu £35.00

Prices from £45.00 Subject to Availability!

Boxing Day Carvery Lunch

New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner & Dance

Thursday 26th December 2019 Adults £39.50, Children’s half portions or the Children’s menu £22.00

Tuesday 31st December 2019 Gala dinner only, Adults £105.00

New Year’s Eve Family Celebration

New Year’s Day Carvery

Tuesday 31st December 2019 Adults £48.00. Children £19.50 under 10

Wednesday 1st January 2020 Adults £29.95, Children’s half portions or the Children’s menu £14.00

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

Children’s prices apply to under 10’s.

July 2019

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| Focus on Bexley

Turn your business idea into reality

Bexley Business Awards Bexley’s biggest business awards broke records for yet another year with more people than ever entering the awards and attending the glittering gala finale.

The Start-ups in London Libraries project is open to aspiring entrepreneurs, early-stage start-ups and those people who have simply always dreamed of being their own boss. he new Business Support Tservice in Bexley Libraries is

working with the Business and IP Centre of the British Library to equip you with the skills, information, confidence and connections you need to turn your ideas into a viable business.

Did you know that people who use the British Library's Business and IP Centre services are up to four times more likely to create a sustainable business, with 90% of businesses successfully trading beyond the three-year mark?

What's on offer?

A quarterly two-day workshop aimed at aspiring entrepreneurs and early stage start-ups and covering topics such as intellectual property, market research and business plans.

One-to-one sessions with our Startups in London Libraries Champion, a business and information specialist, to help you identify your specific support needs.

Walk-in and remote access to a variety of business resources and databases.

A programme of events, including ‘Marketing Masterclass’ sessions and live-screenings from the British Library's Business & IP Centre.

To find out more visit https://www.bl.uk/business-and-ipcentre/start-ups-in-london-libraries

July 2019

ore than 300 guests applauded as the winners from 147 entries – up 43% on 2018 collected awards in 12 categories at the 2019 Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony of Bexley Business Excellence Awards in association with Ocado (Thurs. 27th June 2019).

The 7th annual Bexley Business Excellence Awards in association with Ocado attracted entries from 85 companies across every sector of the business community, from sole traders to start-ups and long established companies.

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The awards ceremony, hosted

by TV presenter Michael Underwood, was held in a glittering marquee in the grounds of historic Hall Place & Gardens.

Guests enjoyed a drinks reception, with instrumental music from Rose Bruford College third year student Aron Dochard, and a three course dinner during the evening, which finished with dancing into the wee small hours.

Councillor Louie French, Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Growth, London Borough of Bexley said: “It was a fantastic evening and great to see so many people attending this year.

The Awards are going from strength to strength - not only did we have a record number of people at the Gala Dinner, we also had a record number entering the awards in 2019. In total we had 147 entries, including many that are new to the business awards, which is a really great effort by our business community. On behalf of all the councillors of Bexley, I would like to thank every business in the borough for the jobs you create and the role you play in the community – you are key to what makes Bexley such a great place to live and work.”

Powering Bexley’s businesses The Engine House, Bexley has workspace for start-ups, entrepreneurs and growing teams, where ideas can be shared, and businesses driven forward. t offers flexible memberships with tailored spaces that fuel creativity, connections and focus.

All the spaces are designed for innovators and growing businesses and works are about to start that will transform the working environment it offers.

The Engine House, Bexley will also be home to a dedicated CAD & 3D Suite that comes with 3D printers for rapid prototyping,

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laser cutters and exciting new CAD courses.

Make the most of its meeting rooms, conference rooms, breakout zones, business2- business community, café, parking and join its growing community of like-minded innovators.

Find out more at www.enginehousebexley.co.uk or call 020 8320 1146.

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| Focus on Greenwich

Latest news from Royal Borough of Greenwich The project will invest in public libraries to transform their current offer. Librarians and newly appointed SME Champions will receive specialist training to work with business experts to deliver a comprehensive programme of free workshops and events, confidential business information sessions and tailored face-to-face advice.

Free cyber security support for businesses

The London Digital Security Centre (LDSC) has teamed up with the Royal Borough of Greenwich to deliver a free cyber security programme for businesses in the borough. Cyber security is a key challenge that all businesses, no matter how big or small, need to address.

However, this doesn't mean you need to spend vast sums of money on technology trying to mitigate the threat. Many basic and often free steps can provide a positive impact on your cyber resilience.

The LDSC is offering a free Cyber Training Seminar consisting of interactive presentations to raise awareness of the most common causes of cybercrime, how criminals operate and what you can do to protect your business from becoming a victim.

To register for the next Cyber Training Seminar on 19 July please visit: www.policedsc.com

Business support for aspiring and early stage entrepreneurs

The Royal Borough of Greenwich, the British Library and GLL are pleased to launch a major new initiative, Start-ups in London Libraries, a three-year project to support entrepreneurs from all walks of life get their business idea off the ground.

Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), The Start-ups in London Libraries (SiLL) project will be delivered across the borough’s library network. Open to aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage start-ups the new services will work with the British Library’s Business and Intellectual Property Centre to provide business support and equip residents with the skills, information, confidence and connections they need to turn their ideas into viable businesses.

July 2019

Further support is available at the British Library’s Business & Intellectual Property Centre which is home to over £5 million worth of market intelligence and is the library of the UK’s Intellectual Property Office.

The Centre has a proven track record of stimulating economic growth: new figures show that it has helped to create over 1,800 new businesses and 3,600 new jobs over the past two years. Of these businesses, 64% are owned by women and 42% are owned by people from a black and Asian minority ethnic background, compared to just 20% and 5% of UK business owners respectively.

The three-year pilot is funded by the ERDF, the British Library, ten participating London boroughs and is supported by J.P. Morgan and Arts Council England.

If successful, the project could be rolled out across all 33 boroughs and across the country, as part of the British Library’s mission to democratise entrepreneurship in the UK.

For more information about the services on offer, please visit www.bl.uk/SiLL or email Greenwich’s Project Coordinator loretta.awuah@gll.org

GCDA to open Made in Greenwich community shop

Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (GCDA) is opening a new shop and community space in Creek Road, Greenwich. Made in Greenwich will sell locally made artisanal food products, as well as arts and crafts work by borough-based artists and makers.

GCDA’s shop will offer an exciting retail opportunity that highlights the quality of local produce, encourages sustainable practices and helps launch entrepreneurial start-ups. It will also offer affordable rentable space at a competitive rate for community workshops, pop-ups, talks and training.

GCDA is looking for beautiful, exciting and innovative locally-made goods to stock in its new shop. If you live within the Royal Borough of Greenwich and are an artist, a maker or a food entrepreneur specialising in products with a long shelf life, they would like to hear from you.

Please send a short description of yourself and your product (with images) to maryjane@gcda.org.uk

What can the Council do for your business?

In Royal Greenwich, professional advice is available on many aspects of running your business from tendering for contracts to recruitment and marketing. We also run an e-business support programme to help businesses reach their potential online which includes free workshops and seminars.

To keep up to date with our latest business news sign up to receive our newsletter directly in your email inbox. royalgreenwich.gov.uk/businessnewsletter

Find out about all the advice and support we can offer your business by visiting our website royalgreenwich.gov.uk/businesssupport

Focus on Lewisham |

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Lewisham Council launches new Creative Enterprise Zone in Deptford and New Cross to support small businesses Lewisham Council has launched SHAPESLewisham, one of the capital’s first-ever Creative Enterprise Zones, in New Cross and Deptford, to support the growth of the creative sector in the borough.

HAPESLewisham is a partnership between Lewisham Council and key artistic, creative and educational institutions including Goldsmiths and Trinity Laban.

Working with these institutions the Council has secured over £500,000 from the Mayor of London to help fund the Creative Enterprise Zone.

SHAPESLewisham will: • Increase access to affordable workspace so creatives can put down roots and stay in our community – including 85 new affordable artists’ studios opening in Deptford at Second Floor Studios

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Huw Lewis

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Provide career pathways for our young people from school into further education, higher education, and to a career in the creative sector

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Support creative businesses to connect and collaborate

•

Link creative enterprises to the skills, expertise and facilities of Lewisham’s education and cultural institutions

The space will mean artists and creative businesses have a secure work place from which their business can grow.

It will build on New Cross and Deptford’s rich artistic heritage, and its thriving creative and digital sector.

A third of the studios have already been filled with local artists and businesses.

The Creative Enterprise Zone is part of over £1.6 million worth of funding from the Mayor of London to create a new Enterprise Hub on New Cross Road that Lewisham Council and Goldsmiths have been successful in winning.

The new Enterprise Hub will support local entrepreneurs and students to develop their business ideas, with a particular focus on supporting residents from black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.

Delivering on a key manifesto commitment, the Enterprise Hub will provide access to affordable workspaces for 100 local businesses, and it will create 80 new jobs.

Cllr Andre Bourne, Lewisham’s Cabinet member for Culture said: “Art and culture has the power to transform communities and bring them together.

Deptford and New Cross have an incredible history of art and culture, and they have been leading the way in this area.

The Creative Enterprise Zone will have an impact in showcasing our creative businesses and provide local people with training and employment.”

Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham said: “I am delighted the Mayor of London chose Deptford and New Cross to be

one of the capital’s first Creative Enterprise Zones. It’s fantastic to be able to celebrate the vibrant and unique identity thanks to the diverse range of artists and creative enterprises that have made their home here, so providing affordable workspace for over 100 of them will mean they can thrive and inspire others. Along with funding from the Good Growth Fund and Strategic Investment Pot to support the new Goldsmiths enterprise hub, it will boost Lewisham’s creative reputation regionally, nationally and internationally.”

Lewisham Council is committed to building an economy that works for the many. This means ensuring that all residents can benefit from all the opportunities available in London and supporting small businesses to thrive.

If you would like more information please go to www.shapeslewisham.co.uk

July 2019

18

| Cover Feature

Up, up and away for venture that illustrates a new way of thinking Education is undergoing dramatic changes as schools, colleges and universities seek to provide employers with the skilled people that they need to keep themselves competitive. hat is why plans for a pioneering £11m Aerospace and Technology College at London Biggin Hill Airport are seen as so important, because they represent an innovative way of preparing students for the world of work.

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London South East Colleges (LSEC) has been working with the airport, the Greater London Authority (GLA), local authority London Borough of Bromley and employers including aviation firm Bombardier over the past few years to develop plans for the much-needed facility.

London South East Colleges has also worked with key employers including Airlines UK, LoCATE and London City Airport to develop the plans for the new training centre.

Louise Wolsey, Group Executive Director Strategy, Communications and Organisational Development London South East Colleges, who also sits on the Chamber’s Board, sees the venture as a good example of the different approach that educational institutions must take to training.

She said: “The new college at Biggin Hill should be seen in the wider context of the changes in education.

“Yes, we must still help students to achieve their academic qualifications but we are also exploring ways in which we can meet employers’ other needs so that their companies can be more competitive.

“Employers are looking for young people – and older ones – who, in addition to having obtained qualifications, have the kind of attributes that companies need.”

“

Employers are looking for young people – and older ones – who, in addition to having obtained qualifications, have the kind of attributes that companies need. They are looking for people who are digitally literate, who are keen to achieve, who have technical skills and who can adapt to the workplace.

”

July 2019

Cover Feature |

“They are looking for people who are digitally literate, who are keen to achieve, who have technical skills and who can adapt to the workplace.”

To ensure that the college meets those needs, it has set out a programme designed to assess the requirements of employers. That includes the creation of a series of advisory boards in which college staff and industry professionals work together in areas ranging from STEM subjects to the creative arts to adapt the curriculum so that it is more in line with companies’ requirements.

The college, which has been recognised by the Department of Education for its work to help teaching staff adapt to the new demands through its ‘Taking Teaching Further’ programme, is also committed to promoting Apprenticeships.

Louise said: “Things have changed when it comes to the kind of Apprenticeships that are on offer.

“The general view of an Apprentice has typically been a young person who is working as something like a plumber.

“They do still exist, of course, but there are so any other Apprenticeships available for people of all ages, in a wide range of sectors, and we are working with employers to explore the opportunities. Our whole approach is about meeting employers’ needs” Which is where the venture at Biggin Hill comes into the equation. The new college will offer 250 places for students when it opens in September 2020, expanding in subsequent years.

Although it will not operate from the airport until September 2020, it has already recruited some students to study from the LSEC’s Bromley campus from September 2019 ahead of the main launch at Biggin Hill a year later.

The staff, who will be a mixture of college teachers and industry professionals, will provide technical training for the next generation of engineers, technicians and ground crew. Among the partners is global aviation company Bombardier, whose staff are helping shape the project.

A range of technical specialities will be covered, including routes into Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering. Training will also be offered leading to progression into a broad range of jobs on the ground, including Cabin Crew and Aviation Operations.

The planning for the venture goes back several years and, in February 2018, it was announced that the GLA would be providing major funding for the project.

At time of the announcement, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe, said: “It’s vital that we tackle the skills gap in the aviation industry and the London Aerospace and Technology College at Biggin Hill Airport will help keep London at the cutting edge of aviation technology.”

Also, at the time of the launch, Chairman of London Biggin Hill Airport Andrew Walters said: “As the fastest growing business aviation airport in the Europe, our focus is on inspiring and training the aerospace industry professionals of tomorrow and we’re delighted that with this investment, our vision can now take flight.”

Louise Wolsey said: “The new college is an example of the new way of thinking that educational establishments must adopt.

“It is an example of how we are working with our partners to meet the needs of industry. The aviation industry is desperate for skilled people, including engineers, and the new college will help to produce them.”

19

Fact file

London Aerospace and Technology College

London Aerospace and Technology College is a partnership between London South East Colleges and London Biggin Hill Airport, which is the hub of the business aviation sector in the UK.

The overall cost of the project is £11.2m and it is being funded by the Greater London Authority, Biggin Hill Airport and London South East Colleges. The Greater London Authority has committed more than £6m in recognition of the urgent need to address the widening skills gap within the sector

Biggin Hill Airport’s own strategy is to create 2,300 new jobs within the next twenty years and, because aviation is a global business, the new college will open up opportunities for local people to work all over the world

London South East Colleges has worked in close partnership with London Biggin Hill Airport and key employers, including Bombardier, Airlines UK, LoCATE and London City Airport, to develop the plans for the new training centre, which will:

• be a pioneering education facility providing specialist further and higher education

• provide new opportunities for the local community and a greater choice of education and career paths for its young people into higher value careers and apprenticeships

• address the chronic shortage of aerospace engineers and the wider skills needs of the aviation and aeronautics industry.

The innovative curriculum offer at the pioneering new college is supported by London South East Colleges’ employer partners, covering the wide range of skills needed for an airport to function, thrive and expand.

Vocational routes on offer at the London Aerospace and Technology College will include Aviation and Aerospace Engineering, Aircraft Maintenance and Avionics.

The high-quality teaching environment of the new college and its facilities will reflect a real life working environment, ensuring that students are exposed to the real world of aviation.

It is estimated that the venture will bring an estimated GVA of £25m over the next 25 years for the aerospace and aviation industry and an intake of 500 new learners by 2023 is forecast.

July 2019

20

| Education and Skills

London South East Colleges rolls out the red carpet for star students Exceptional students were given star treatment at London South East Colleges’ annual awards ceremony.

students were presented with prizes at the glittering event, which took place in the Odeon Cinema, Orpington. Every winner had an inspiring story and had demonstrated outstanding dedication, determination and hard work throughout the academic year.

Over 100 people attended the event. Award winners had been nominated by their tutors and selected from across the Colleg’s Bromley, Bexley, Greenwich and Orpington campuses.

Students of all ages and from many different courses had been nominated - ranging from special educational needs and disability (SEND) students to those studying for degrees.

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The guest speaker was inspirational racing driver, Nicolas Hamilton. Born with cerebral palsy, Nicolas has never let his disability prevent him from achieving his lifelong dream of becoming a successful racing driver.

Addressing guests, Nicolas talked about the challenges he faced growing up and his determination to succeed. He encouraged the students to never give up on their dreams.

A number of awards were sponsored by local employers - Orpington 1st, South East London Chamber of Commerce, Morgan Hunt, News Shopper and Visit Greenwich.

Turner and Townsend was presented with an Employer of the Year award for not only

working with the College’s Level 3 Built Environment students – but mentoring them, offering many site visits and delivering masterclasses.

Principal and CEO of London South East Colleges, Sam Parrett OBE, presented her own ‘Principal’s Award’ to Joshua Tanton - a successful HE student, who is studying for a Science Foundation Degree while working in a busy role at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

Addressing guests, Sam said: “This is always such a wonderful event in our College calendar. Every student who has been nominated for or won an award has worked exceptionally hard this year and achieved some amazing results”.

As John C Maxwell explained: “Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.” All our award winners certainly reflect this and provide inspiration to everyone around them.

“We are also hugely grateful to our employer partners and local authorities for supporting our work and our students – these partnerships are integral to the College’s success. Going forward, we will continue to expand and grow our employer engagement activity, working within our local communities to offer people the highest quality learning experience- while helping to meet industry need.”

Warwick Business School offer a range of postgraduate and executive level courses for London professionals

For the Change Makers Warwick Business School at The Shard, London

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wbs.ac.uk/go/selondon

July 2019

Education and Skills |

21

Call to remove ‘blockers’ in the training system New research by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), in partnership with global job site Indeed, has revealed the increasing time it’s taking businesses to recruit the skill people they need. n their new report, the organisations have emphasised the importance of removing blockers in the training system to develop a pipeline of talent.

Half of UK businesses say that it takes longer to recruit people compared with five years ago, with 21% reporting it now takes up to six months to fill a skilled role, according to a survey of more than 1,100 businesses from across the country.

According to the report authors, the increase in recruitment difficulties reinforces the need for a simple, coherent and stable skills system that gives business the confidence to engage and invest in long-term workforce development.

The new T levels, due to be introduced in 2020, promise to offer young people a new route into employment, providing a quality, technical alternative to A levels that employers have long called for.

However, the results of the survey reveal a communication problem with business ahead of their rollout; three-quarters of firms say they’ve never heard of

I

T levels or know only the name.

Only 3% know a lot of details.

T levels will include a 45-day industry placement with an employer, so extensive engagement with business will be crucial to ensure that young people and employers in every region of the country get the skills they need.

However, 41% of respondents say their business currently has no plans to offer a placement, suggesting that much more needs to be done to inform, incentivise and support firms, particularly SMEs. Similarly, the Apprenticeship reforms, introduced in 2017 with the intention of increasing the quality and quantity of training, are not yet meeting the needs of businesses, according to the survey.

Firms reported barriers including the suitability or availability of apprenticeship standards, a lack of candidates applying for vacancies and difficulty managing off-the-job training requirements.

Employers say that relaxing funding restrictions, reducing complexity and improving

flexibility in the system would help tackle crippling skills gaps.

Claire Walker, Co-executive director at the BCC, said: “For too long, the UK’s approach to training has been characterised by constant chopping and changing of policy.

“The new Apprenticeship Standards and T levels provide the opportunity to ramp up quality and choice in technical and vocational qualifications, but more needs to be done to remove the blockers in the skills system – and communicate the benefits of these reforms – to get it working better for businesses.

Once barriers have been resolved, we need period of stability to allow the changes to imbed.

“To make T levels successful, it’s important to get buy-in from industry from the start.

There is clearly work to do in communicating the benefits and opportunities to companies.

At the same time, more businesses need to recognise their responsibility to invest in young people and the wider workforce. Developing the skills we need now and for the future

relies on close cooperation between business, education and government – and for each to play their part.”

Pawel Adrjan, UK economist at Indeed, said: “Today, more working age people are in employment than ever before and there continues to be strong demand from employers for staff.

While these economic conditions have clear benefits, they also make hiring more difficult.

Combined with uncertainty about future immigration policy, that means employers should consider training a workforce for the future. Yet what this survey shows is that employers are either unaware or apathetic about schemes like T Levels and the related placements.

"Raising awareness of these schemes and ensuring that they work for businesses is important at a time when many of the people who do not already have a job and are available for work may lack the skills or experience that employers need. Training and upskilling the workforce is one way that employers can access the skills they need to be competitive."

The BCC and Indeed have released The Hiring Handbook to help businesses find and recruit the best people.

You can find out more at https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/media/get/Hiring%20Handbook.pdf July 2019

22

Employment Advice for Businesses CWJ’s experienced employment team are able to assist with: • Advising and negotiating employment contracts and directors’ service agreements • Settlement Agreements • Day to day HR support • Tribunal claims and Appeals • Employment implications following sale or transfer of a business(including TUPE)

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July 2019

Call us now on 01689 887887

Legal |

23

Are your Terms Incorporated?

The standard terms and conditions on which your business operates are of fundamental importance. Often forgotten about, these terms should form the basis of your agreement with your customer.

To rely on these, however, you must first ensure that they are incorporated into your contract. n order to do this you must satisfy the following three requirements. First, you must give your customer or client notice of the terms before you enter into a contract with them. Second, the terms must be presented in a document which is intended to be contractual. Finally, you must take reasonable steps to bring the terms to the attention of your customer, especially those provisions which are unusual or onerous.

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How you do this is up to you and there are a number of ways in which a business can ensure this is done. The simplest way is to include them in the contract which both you and your customer sign.

In practice, however, it is not common for terms to be explicitly incorporated in this way. Instead, most businesses choose to establish their terms by supplying them in their pre-contract correspondence.

This can include company

brochures and marketing material, quotations, purchase orders, order forms, websites etc.

For individual customers, as opposed to businesses, different statutory terms and conditions will apply.

Distance selling regulations will apply to any customers whom you do not physically meet, and any cancellation rights will need to be expressly stated in the terms.

Wording used to incorporate the terms on these forms is also important. The language must be clear and unambiguous and should ideally use express language such as “this order is subject to our terms and conditions”.

A question that could arise, is whether terms that were simply referred to on order forms as being “available on request” might be interpreted as incorporating them into the contract between the parties?

The answer came in the case

of Rooney and Another v CSE Bournemouth Limited, where the Court of Appeal held that the use of this very wording was, sufficient in some circumstances. In this case it was found that although the wording did not expressly incorporate the terms, when receiving the order form.

A reasonable person would have construed the phrase to mean that the terms were incorporated.

This case has arguably widened the manner in which businesses may choose to incorporate their terms.

Businesses should however be careful if choosing to take this approach as the Court clearly stated that its finding was based on all the facts of the case, which means that terms included in this way will not always be incorporated.

It is safest to expressly state that your standard terms of business are included, either before or at the time the contract is entered into.

The case highlights the importance of ensuring terms and conditions are incorporated into your contracts properly. The dispute in this case ultimately resulted from the ambiguity in the wording on the forms and demonstrates why it is essential to get it right.

For further information on this or other corporate & commercial matters please contact Dalvinder Dhinsa on 01689 887831 or email her at Dalvinder.Dhinsa@cwj.co.uk For further information on the range of legal services we provide, please visit

www.cwj.co.uk

July 2019

24

| News

What it takes to lead a successful business Chamber member Clive Reffell recently attended a business seminar at Times Newspapers. usiness journalist Hannah Prevett (on the far left) chaired a panel of entrepreneurs including (from second left to right) Jamie Laing of tv show Made In Chelsea and founder of Candy Kittens confectionery; Levi Roots, the musician and chef founder of Reggae Reggae sauces; Cecile Reinaud, founder & CEO of clothing brand Seraphine; and Paul Lindley OBE, founder of Ella's Kitchen, a range of baby food. The focus of the event was building a longlasting brand, and they freely shared their brand stories, insights and advice.

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On brand building, Paul Lindley said be true to your product, "start from the inside and let it seep out," rather than listen to buyers describe what they'd like your product to be.

Have commitment in your superior product.

Cecile Renaud told the startup entrepreneurs in the audience they had to be passionate because that will help get them through the hard work they will have to do, and the rejections they will face. Jaime Laing agreed and added "take it that No only means Not Yet." The successful Dragon's Den contender Levi Roots knew what he was talking about when he said the most important factor in the success of his Reggae Reggae sauces brand - after passion - was having a mentor.

In his case it was Peter Jones who had invested in his business at a time when he was still making just 65 bottles at a

July 2019

time in his kitchen with his kids.

Peter introduced him to Sainsbury's CEO Justin King and their first order was 250,000 bottles! Be careful what you wish for - this created scaleup problems I will return to.

How to impress retail buyers to stock new brands, and how to get journalists like Hannah to give startups some media coverage, were also common themes. The consensus of opinion about early stage PR is that it's better for a startup to do its own PR that to use an agency. No-one will know your brand better than you, certainly not the intern or office junior a PR agency will assign to you, and let your passion for what you're doing show through.

When asked about their biggest mistakes, the panellists were equally illuminating. Jamie Laing's advice is to prepare fully for cashflow issues, and prioritise good support here rather than in over-expensive lawyers.

Levi Roots explained that rapid growth tests everything, including quality control. If other people make your product under licence, don't let them cut any corners.

Cecile Renaud encountered some problems when she started to develop export sales, and her advice is to immediately trademark in other countries as soon as you start, and choose a brand name that will travel well.

Finally, Paul Lindley confessed that after the success of Ella's Kitchen he launched Paddy's Bathrooms thinking he could use the same game plan rather than research this different market properly. He had taken consumers for granted and didn't listen to his early customers in time to prevent it flopping A great question from the audience was that given all four of them started companies that sell products, had they got any advice for service companies?

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Keep your people motivated so they perform better, and also as a result of investing in their continued personal development you'll also be more likely to retain them.

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Please contact me by email to clive@comcomms.com for a call or a meeting. You can also follow me on Twitter, @Cliveref.

The panel's general agreement was that in a service company the products provided to clients are the people they deal with.

So keep your people motivated so they perform better, and also as a result of investing in their continued personal development you'll also be more likely to retain them.

Since you're selling a relationship, match your people well to the clients they will service, and ensure everyone knows the expected standards of performance.

If you're a startup or scaling up your business you might be considering some form of crowdfunding as a way to not only generate money but also build a committed community of supporters. I am an independent crowdfunding advisor and I can provide you with objective and impartial advice, and practical support, to help you make your career and lifestyle dreams come true.

Skills |

Skills for life Proud students from Lewisham College and Southwark College, and readers from local libraries gathered at the Deptford Lounge on Wednesday 19 June to celebrate. challenge, and author of the Vinyl Detectives and Doctor Who scriptwriter, Andrew Cartmel, told a spell-bound audience about the work that goes into writing a book.

he Mayor of Lewisham, Cllr Damian Egan, and the Young Mayor of Lewisham, Adam Abdullah, presented them with certificates for taking part in the Reading Agency’s 'Reading Ahead'

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The Reading Ahead challenge has been in operation for many years and encourages participants to develop their reading skills by reading six books, poems and articles, and then rating and reviewing each one. The challenge takes place every year in colleges, public libraries, and other organisations across the UK, and helps develop more skilled and confident readers.

This year, over 600 students signed up to the challenge at Lewisham College and Southwark College with almost 300 completing it weeks before the end date.

Sadhana Sutar-Smith, Learning Centre Manager at Lewisham College said: "We believe that reading skills are core skills for living, working and learning, and so we are keen to offer the reading challenge to our students every year.

"This year we introduced reading clubs, which encouraged students to focus on the challenge outside of their lessons”. It was wonderful to see so many of our students, as well as readers from local libraries, feeling proud of their achievements and happy to receive their certificates.

Having their achievements acknowledged at the Deptford Lounge by the Mayor, the Young Mayor, and a famous author was really special”.

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Apprentices offer enthusiasm, knowledge and a desire to do well helping you tackle the challenges of the future.

Let us match you with the perfect trainee, taking away the headache of selection. If you’re a levy-payer, we can help you maximise the benefits too.

Contact us today:

LEWISHAM.AC.UK/APPRENTICESHIPS apprenticeships@lewisham.ac.uk 020 3757 3050 July 2019

25

26

| Big Interview

July 2019

Big Interview |

Keeping a focus on the main prize during a time of restructuring

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Chris Payne, Acting Chief Executive of NCG

These are challenging times for the team behind the new Lewisham College but, throughout all the work that is needed to create an educational institution, colleagues never lose sight of their goal of preparing young people and adults for the world of work. or new Principal Asfa Sohail, the key consideration that drives the restructuring work is the knowledge that local organisations are desperate for the college to supply them with young people and adults who can help tackle the skills shortage that so concerns employers.

For Asfa and her team, that means developing young people and adults who not only have the right academic and technical qualifications but who also understand what employers want from their new recruits.

She came into the job in February as part of the changes brought about by the re-creation of the two individual colleges following a period of merger between Lewisham and Southwark Colleges. Both are part of the NCG group of colleges and the decision was made to provide the best educational offer for the communities they serve.

Asfa, who moved to Lewisham from Havering College of Further and Higher Education where she was Vice Principal, said: “When I was appointed, I identified five main areas in which we needed to work, People, Quality, Finance, Curriculum and Property.

“The key one among them was People and colleagues have shown themselves to be resilient at a time when we have been carrying out restructuring and making changes to organisational structures.

“When you embark on something like this, it is vital that you look after your people. There is a lot of work involved in creating two new colleges and for some

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people it has been a challenging journey. My main priority has been to ensure that we look after the people who work for us.

“Another key priority has been to ensure that the curriculum is right and a big part of that has been to make sure that it meets employer’s needs, both locally and nationally.

“To make sure that we are getting it right, we have been talking to many local employers to find out what they want to see. We have also been talking to the local authority and other stakeholders and commissioned research into the areas we should be covering.

“We run a programme of employability projects, including work placements, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship and work experience, all designed to teach our students about the world of work.

“One of the big challenges for educational institutions like ours is that the world of work is changing

dramatically with the impact of things like automation and Artificial Intelligence. Some jobs that exist now may not exist in the future and we are also trying to train young people and adults for some jobs that don’t yet exist.

“My background is in IT and computing and I am big believer in giving young people the kind of transferable skills that will allow them to adapt to the changes that are coming. We have to give them the kind of high-end skills that they are going to need if they want to secure employment.

“I can see a time when we will allow our students to have their mobile phones in lessons. We do not fully allow this as yet but you have to understand the way that young people learn and there are ways in which you can integrate mobile phones into the learning process. They can create a real buzz in the classroom and teach learners useful skills.”

Indeed, the institution has a long history of embracing the

“

One of the big challenges for educational institutions like ours is that the world of work is changing dramatically with the impact of things like automation and Artificial Intelligence. Some jobs that exist now may not exist in the future and we are also trying to train young people and adults for some jobs that don’t yet exist.

”

opportunities presented by the digital revolution, one which goes back long before the recent changes.

Lewisham College recently celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the CISCO Networking Academy. The College was an early adopter of the Academy, setting it up in 1999 in rooms on the IT floor.

Since founding Networking Academy in 1997, Cisco has made $2.6 billion in in-kind contributions of tools, resources and support to students, schools, and instructors worldwide.

Since 2005, more than 1.6 million students who have completed the advanced courses have secured new jobs thanks to the Cisco Networking Academy. At Lewisham, thousands of them have been through the Academy, allowing them access to some of the best Networking Technology jobs available.

For Asfa, the teaching of technical skills is crucially important but so is the work that the College does to introduce students to the practical considerations that will be expected by employers when they start going for interviews.

Asfa said: “We are a big believer in work-based learning and teaching our young people and adults not just academic skills but providing them with exposure to what it is like to be employed.

“We want to show them what employers will expect of them and we do a lot of work to create wellrounded people who are ready to enter the world of work.”

July 2019

28

| Past 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.

Preventing Burnout in the Workplace 10 June 2019

Chamber member The Priory Group

hosted a supper this summer,

presenting on workplace burnout,

occupational stress and mental illness.

Chamber Training: Step 1 Introduction to MBTI

Dr Paul McLaren, Consultant Psychiatrist & Medical Director, Priory Group (Credit: Warren King)

What was planned to be an outdoor event under a marquee fell foul to poor weather; the wettest day of the year so far.

Nonetheless we soldiered on.

Inside, Dr Paul McLaren and psychologist Bhavna Desai gave

26 June 2019

June’s Chamber Training event took

place at The Bromley Court Hotel,

with Verna Duncan of Chamber

member Red Rhino Consultancy

holding a workshop on the Myers-

Briggs Type Indicator.

July 2019

an informative presentation, helping our attendees better understand mental distress in the workplace.

The full PowerPoint presentation from this event can be found on our website on the Resources tab.

Cedit: Stella Degazon

MBTI can be used to identify differences and preferences between people. It can be used by employers to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of their staff.

This was a relaxed yet informative event, allowing for a very engaging session. Despite already being familiar with MBTI,

some attendees were openly discussing how they were planning to apply it to their businesses.

Overall, an enlightening morning for all who attended. The Chamber is looking forward to partnering with Red Rhino to deliver some additional workshops in future.

Forthcoming Event |

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Networking Lunch and AGM Thursday 19 September 2019

Davy’s Wine Vaults in Greenwich was renovated earlier this year.

12.00 for 12.30 – 14.30 (AGM begins at 14.00)

Davy’s Wine Vaults 161 Greenwich High Road London SE10 8JA

September sees us visiting Davy's Wine Vaults in Greenwich for a networking lunch, followed by the Chamber's 2019 AGM.

Guest speaker: The Rt Hon Nick Raynsford - President, TCPA, will be providing his update on the developments arising from the Raynsford Review.

July 2019

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| Forthcoming Events

EVENT NAME

DATE & TIME

VENUE

Bromley Link 'n Drink

Wednesday 24th July 17.30 - 19.00

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

Summer BBQ & Networking Lunch

Thursday 25th July 12.30 - 14.30

The Clarendon Hotel, Montpelier Row, Blackheath SE3 0RW

Join us for our annual Summer BBQ & Networking Lunch Stand space & 1 minutes slots available on a first come first serve basis.

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

Tuesday 6th August 18.30 - 21.00

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

In association with Greenwich B2B, informal networking with a presentation.

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

Tuesday 3rd September 18.30 - 21.00

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

Lewisham Breakfast Meeting

Thursday 12th September 07.30 - 09.30

Lewisham College, Lewisham Way, London SE4 1UT

AGM & Networking Lunch

Thursday 19th September 12.00 - 14.30

Davy's Wine Vaults, 161 Greenwich High Road, Greenwich SE10 8JA

Charity Quiz Night Bridge

Thursday 26th September 18.30 - 22.00

July 2019

The Clarendon Hotel, Montpelier Row, Blackheath SE3 0RW

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Host: Chamber Vice President - Terri Johnson Free informal meeting in a relaxed atmosphere, open to businesses from all boroughs. Canapés served.

Cost: FREE

Cost: £30 Member | £35 Non-Member

Chamber Host: Board Director - Rupert Chichester Cost: FREE

In association with Greenwich B2B, informal networking with a presentation.

Chamber host: Board Director - Rupert Chichester Cost: FREE

Speaker: Catherine Thomas - Senior Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Officer, London Borough of Lewisham

Topic: Emergency Management & Business Continuity Cost: £16 Member | £21 Non Member

Speaker: The Rt Hon Nick Raynsford - President TCPA Topic: Raynsford Review Update, followed by AGM Cost: £30 Member | £40 Non Member

This year's Charity Quiz Night is in support of Bridge Mental health.

Last year's event was a lot of fun and we anticipate this event to be sold out quickly so book your team now.

Cost: £20pp or £200 team of 10

Forthcoming Events |

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Bridge’s winning team at last year’s Charity Quiz Night, November 2018 (Credit: Bill Fitch)

Charity Quiz Night Thursday 26 September 2019 The Chamber is delighted to announce our annual quiz night for 2019 will be in support of Bridge Mental Health.

This year's quiz offers more great fun for a great cause with prizes for the winning team, a raffle & lots of laughs.

We would like you to book in your company team of 10. If you book as an individual, we can put you into teams.

We look forward to seeing you there.

18.30 for 19.00 sharp start – 22.00

The Clarendon Hotel 8-16 Montpelier Road London SE3 0RW

"Bridge provides a clear, proven pathway for people with long term mental health problems, to progress towards living a more fulfilling role within the community. Our aim is simple; we help our clients along a path that leads to them enjoying the same freedom, opportunities and everyday pleasures that most people take for granted.”

July 2019

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| Visit Greenwich

New strategy aims to boost Greenwich visitor spend Visit Greenwich has announced plans to grow the Greenwich visitor economy by 14% over the next four years. he strategy, which has a wide range of backing from other organisations, is driven by the ambition for the Royal Borough of Greenwich to be recognised as the UK’s best destination for heritage, culture and entertainment by 2023.

Tourism already generates £1.44bn of visitor spend into the Royal Borough of Greenwich and supports 16,000 jobs, a significant growth of 31% since 2014 and the new strategy aims to build on those solid foundations. Visit Greenwich launched its new tourism plan at the Dreadnought building at the University of Greenwich, which now has 23,000 students.

Keynote speaker at the event, VisitBritain/VisitEngland CEO Sally Balcombe, said: ”Greenwich has so much to offer inbound and domestic visitors from its globally renowned heritage to its world-class venues and growing reputation as a cultural hot spot.

“It is great to see the wideranging industry support across the borough, and the sector coming together to drive growth from tourism and ensure its economic benefits are felt far and wide.”

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The Greenwich Destination Management Plan 2019-2023 has the backing of the local authority, the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Visit Greenwich’s 140-strong commercial partnership.

The Royal Borough of Greenwich was also in attendance and has recently announced ambitious plans to develop a new Creative District at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich.

Councillor Miranda Williams, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and the Third Sector, said: “The new investment in Woolwich will provide a huge boost to our tourism offer and in particular to our night-time economy. Connecting this new offer to the already successful destination of Greenwich will help to boost the profile of the new venue.

“I’m thrilled that so many internationally renowned artists and companies are making Woolwich their home, cementing its position as a new cultural hub, which will benefit communities across the wider borough too.

We are anticipating a further 250,000 visitors to Woolwich in 2021.”

The plan highlights the ambition to join up Greenwich’s riverside assets stretching eight miles from Maritime Greenwich to Greenwich Peninsula and Woolwich.

Barrie Kelly, CEO of Visit Greenwich, said: “The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site is the global image of Greenwich and is therefore our attack brand.

But on Greenwich Peninsula there is much more room for development.

“Knight Dragon is creating a new city there. Hotels, attractions, conference facilities and housing are now being built and this supports The O2, the world’s most popular entertainment venue. The more we can integrate and join up our offer, the longer visitors will stay and the more they will spend.”

To achieve the 14% growth, the plan includes enhancing the welcome at key travel gateways, creating a new “Greenwich Means _ Time” digital marketing campaign and introducing new “Smart Destination” trials across the Borough.

Set alongside the river Thames, the Royal Borough of Greenwich is already one of London’s most popular visitor destinations, stretching from the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, eastwards to cross the Prime Meridian of the World to Greenwich Peninsula for The O2 and the Emirates Air Line cable car, and onwards to the historic Royal Arsenal at Woolwich and to Eltham, Charlton and Blackheath. Attracting over 19 million visitors per year, Greenwich’s visitor economy is continually growing.

Visitors can wander through Greenwich Park to the Royal Observatory and the Planetarium, or fly 90m high on the Emirates Air Line cable car into a world class show at The O2 arena.

They can also browse through designer-maker arts and crafts in Greenwich Market, and visit Cutty Sark, the fastest ship of her age, and explore Britain’s momentous naval history at the National Maritime Museum and enjoy the views in a riverside pub.

Visitors can also speed down the river in a streamlined catamaran or cruise through London’s landmarks to Greenwich, the mighty Thames Barrier and the historic Royal Arsenal in Woolwich.

Visit Greenwich |

So much to see

Among the many attractions in the area, the Royal Observatory is one of the most popular. Charles II established the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park in 1675 to study the stars and improve navigation at sea.

Visitors can see the clocks John Harrison developed to solve the problem of longitude and stand astride the dividing point between east and west – the Meridian line. There’s lots more to see as well, including a 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite, the Great Equatorial Telescope and Greenwich Time Ball, which drops every day at 1.00pm.

Also popular is The Planetarium. The Peter Harrison Planetarium at the Royal Observatory is London’s only planetarium.Combining real images from spacecraft and telescopes with advanced CGI, the Planetarium can fly you into the heart of the Sun, transport you to distant galaxies, show you the birth of a star or land you on Mars.

Another big attraction for visitors, the National Maritime Museum is one of the largest maritime museums in the world and has nearly two and a half million objects in its collections.

Among other things to see, the Queen’s House was the first classical villa to be built in the UK and was very different from the Tudor and Gothic styles which came before. It was commissioned by Anne of Denmark, James I’s wife, after he gave her the land as an apology for swearing at her

in public. The house, designed

by Inigo Jones, reflects the ancient classical style, especially the Great Hall and the beautiful Tulip Staircase.

Cutty Sark is the last remaining tea clipper and, in her day, was one of the fastest ships in the world. During the 19th Century, clipper ships would compete with each other to see who could get the first crop of fresh tea from China to the UK and Cutty Sark was one of the main contenders. The ship has been in Greenwich since 1954 and was conserved between 2007 and 2012.

The Old Royal Naval College started life as the Royal Hospital for Seamen and it was built to provide a retirement home for veteran sailors. The buildings were laid out by Sir Christopher Wren on the site of the old Tudor Palace where Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were born. The Royal Navy took over the site in 1873 and stayed for the next 124 years. Today, the site is home to the University of Greenwich and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

The Painted Hall re-opened to the public after major conservation in spring 2019.

The ceiling took 18 years to complete and has been brought back to radiant life.

About Visit Greenwich

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It is an epic 18th Century masterpiece, rightly known as the UK’s Sistine Chapel.

Greenwich Park was created when Henry V’s brother, Duke Humphrey of Gloucester, had the area enclosed in 1433.

Henry VIII introduced deer into the park, making the area a cultivated Royal hunting ground.

Nowadays the deer have their own enclosure and there re rose, herb and flower gardens, a bandstand, the longest herbaceous border in London and the most compact Roman remains you’re likely to see.

There’s lots more to see and do. For more information on these and other attractions, please visit www.visitgreenwich.org.uk

Visit Greenwich is a private sector led Destination Management Company, supported by the Royal Borough of Greenwich and more than 140 partners, with the aim of growing the visitor economy and raising the profile of Greenwich for the benefit of businesses, visitors and residents. A public/private partnership led by a board of tourism professionals, representing different sectors of the industry, with an independent chair, Visit Greenwich works with local visitor attractions, accommodation providers, transport operators, meetings and events venues, the hospitality and retail sector and local businesses to promote Greenwich as a visitor destination for leisure and business.

July 2019

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| Strategic Members News

Rethinking our planning system – in conversation with Nick Raynsford Six months on from the Raynsford Review, leading figures from the Town and Country Planning Association came together with regeneration specialists U+I to discuss the state of the planning system. ate last year The Rt Hon Nick Raynsford and the Town and Country Planning Association published a major review of the UK’s planning system.

Six months on the Review’s authors the former Labour housing minister Nick Raynsford and Dr Hugh Ellis joined a panel of experts including Fiona Howie, Chief Executive of the TCPA and U+I’s Chief Development Officer, Richard Upton for an event chaired by Portland Partner, Chris Hogwood. It sparked a lively debate over why our planning system is broken, how it should be reformed and how we should be moving forward.

Speaking to an audience of policymakers, planning and property professionals Richard Upton said that the planning system was devised in a postwar era to secure the health and

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wellbeing of all our communities.

He argued that ensuring wellbeing is what the property industry must strive for if it is ever to regain people’s trust.

U+I’s Town Flats are one example of how we can do this. In 2017 U+I began conceptualising what future living spaces could look like in London. The result was town flats for rental only with high-end design that would allow more people to afford to live in the city centre. Today, the planning framework prohibits U+I from developing these flats because of space regulations. The panel agreed that this regulation was designed for a different world where bulky items such as record players, bookcases and televisions took up space.

The way we live today is entirely different but the planning system has not caught up.

At the same time our policymakers are rushing through quick fixes to plug the gap.

The panel agreed that Permitted Development jeopardises not just the market but the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Housing that fails to meet safety standards or fulfil our most basic needs such as natural light and accessibility is being rushed through to market and passed as acceptable.

These concerns prompted the TCPA to develop the ‘Healthy Homes Act’. Fiona Howie is calling on the Government to introduce new legislation which would ban poor-quality housing.

The Act builds on the Raynsford Review and demands new rules for housing and planning based on the ten principles the TCPA believe constitute a decent home. By introducing these

principles into law the Government could put an end to housing which is bad for people and bad for the environment.

Upton finished by saying that trust is the single most lacking commodity in public life and argued that the planning system is no exception. Nick Raysnford said that the planning system must do what it says it will.

When Local Plans are enacted they should be binding and when housebuilders make commitments to the community they must honour them.

The planning system should have a clear purpose and work in a way which is decipherable and transparent. To achieve this calls for a fundamental rethink. The Raysnford Review has provided some practical solutions but it is down to policymakers to act on it.

Strategic Members News |

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News round-up The Thamesmead Portal is here!

The Thamesmead portal is an online one stop shop for all localised opportunities covering enterprise, employment, education, access to space, art and culture and youth programmes.

The portal can be accessed through the current Thamesmead Now website and will allow residents to create profiles and become aware of opportunities in and around the area.

This free resource will enable businesses to be in front of 45,000 residents.

Your business will be able to create an account to post jobs, training, events and volunteering opportunities. As well as create a listing in our virtual business directory and list any hireable space you may have.

The portal brings together business and people, completely free of charge. www.thamesmeadnow.org.uk/portal/ share-opportunities/register/

Feel Good Co-operative wins the Contribution to the Community category of the Bexley Business Excellence Awards 2019

Feel Good Co-operative https://feelgoodco-op.org.uk/ is a not for profit community project, established in 2005. Founded by Sandy Trott who is a complementary therapist and a Thamesmead resident. Sandy realised that there was a real need for access to complementary therapies at affordable prices. They are staffed entirely by volunteers and therapists give their time free of charge. They are also the only community project to achieve the Mayor of London's Healthy Business Award.

More than 350 guests applauded at the 7th annual Bexley Business Excellence Awards, which were held at Hall Place and Gardens on Thursday 27th June, as Sandy Trott and Kate Turnbull received the Contribution to the Community Award.

Full details of all of the winners, highly commended and commended can be found at www.bexleyawards.co.uk/ 2019-winners/

Peabody invest in the Engine House!

London Borough of Bexley, The Engine House and Peabody are working in partnership to reposition of the Thames Innovation Centre facility. The key aims are to attract a new audience to the facility, start to initiate the place and making philosophy through CAD training linking in with industry, and to act as a catalyst for economic prosperity as part of the growth agenda in both Thamesmead and the wider borough of Bexley.

Offering high-quality modern office, meeting and conference space for hire, and support to help your business grow.

Space is available on flexible terms, providing an excellent opportunity for businesses of all shapes and sizes to grow in an affordable, attractive area of London.

The new facility intents to create a new conducive environment on the ground floor and is aimed at helping local people who are either unemployed or who want to retrain to access new higher-level employment opportunities. www.enginehousebexley.london/

Peabody hosts the South East London Chamber of Commerce for a Lunch and Tour of Thamesmead On 17th June 2019 the Peabody Socio-economic team had the pleasure of hosting our strategic partners from the South East London Chamber of Commerce.

Helen McIntosh and her team were provided with an insight into the work that is taking place in Thamesmead and met award winning business Back-A-Yard-Grill who provided lunch on the day.

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Helen McIntosh and her team were provided with an insight into the work that is taking place in Thamesmead and met award winning business Back-A-Yard-Grill who provided lunch on the day.

Adrianna Baker Back A Yard Grill

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July 2019

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Ask the Expert |

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Why should I consider buying personalised items to promote my company?

By Sinead Gomes, Lady Personalised

n an age of mass production, it can make good business sense to opt for marketing materials that help your venture to stand out from the crowd.

That convey the idea to your would-be customers that that you are different. That you see the individual.

That is why it makes sense to opt for personalised items like mugs, clothing and pens, as provided by Lady Personalised.

Lady Personalised specialises in producing personal gifts, using, for example, family photographs but it is an approach that can also be very effective when it comes to producing items to give to your customers to promote your business.

But why should you consider such a move? Well, we all relish the personal touch, and this is no less the case when it comes to the

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marketing of your business.

Your customers want to feel that you see them as individuals and producing personalised products can communicate the message very effectively.

In short, research shows that taking the personal approach increases customer engagement.

That it makes people take notice and remember the name of your business.

There is also evidence to show that personalisation demonstrably increases conversions. That not only does it get your name known but that it prompts customers to take the next stage and seek you out and buy your products.

And it helps to retain customers as well. This is hardly surprising.

Customer retention is built on relationship and familiarity, two things on which personalisation is based. If your company’s name is familiar to customers, they are more likely to keep using you.

By providing a personalised experience, you have a great chance to stand out from your rivals in a world in which customers are overwhelmed with information. In an age where they are besieged by marketing emails, social media posts and printed

material pushed through the letterbox, a company’s name written on the mug from which they drink every day can be remarkably effective.

At Lady Personalised, you will discover a great selection of products which aim to suit all your needs. You will find that the majority of products are able to be personalised with your own photos and that our team takes a very

personal, highly flexible approach to helping businesses to promote themselves.

In addition to personalised items, we also offer a range of standard products but we are always happy to consider your ideas. However, wild and wacky they may be!

You can find out more at www.ladypersonalised.com

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Email: sales@ladypersonalised.com July 2019

38

| Construction

“

The industry continues to work with central and local Government to ensure local planning departments have the capacity to deal effectively with the increased number of applications. It is also pushing Government for confirmation that it will have ongoing access to skilled labour from abroad post-Brexit, which will be key to its ability to build out these sites.

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July 2019

Construction |

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Cautious optimism in the construction sector Housebuilders have struck a cautiously optimistic note despite the uncertainty being caused for the construction industry by Brexit turmoil. ccording to a new survey for the Home Builders Federation (HBF), which included London, housebuilders are continuing to invest in land and securing approval for new sites despite the political and economic uncertainty.

HBF/Glenigan’s latest Housing Pipeline report shows that builders had a form of planning permission granted for nearly 370,000 new homes in 2018, the second highest annual total on record and well over double the number being granted a decade ago.

Whilst many of the permissions will still take months or years to pass through the remainder of the planning process, the numbers underline the commitment of the industry to deliver further increases in housing supply in the years ahead, according to the HBF. According to the research, housing supply is up 78% in the past five years with 222,000 homes added to the housing stock last year. Whilst the level of increase is unprecedented, the total is still some way short of the number of homes the country needs to be building. To address the shortfall, Government has set the industry a challenging target of building 300,000 a year by the mid-2020s.

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Stewart Baseley, executive chairman at HBF said: “The report shows that, despite the wider political and economic uncertainties, builders are maintaining record levels of investment.

“The industry is investing massively in people and land to ensure it can meet the challenge set by Government to deliver even more, high quality homes.

“The industry continues to work with central and local Government to ensure local planning departments have the capacity to deal effectively with the increased number of applications. It is also pushing Government for confirmation that it will have ongoing access to skilled labour from abroad postBrexit, which will be key to its ability to build out these sites.”

Glenigan’s Economics Director Allan Wilen said: “The development pipeline remains strong, with the number of units securing approval last year close to the record level seen in 2017. The high level of approvals over the last two years is reflect the sustained flow of projects with approval that are already under construction or progressing to site.”

However, these remain challenging times for Construction in places like London, according

to a survey which showed that the industry experienced a mixed quarter for products sales, output and new orders in the opening three months of 2019.

According to the quarterly survey of the supply chain’s product manufacturers, contractors, civil engineers and SME builders by the Construction Products Association (CPA), sales of construction products rose according to 54% of heavy side manufacturers and 29% of light side manufacturers.

In contrast, 20% of main contractors reported a decrease in output during the quarter, whilst workloads were reported lower for 17% of civil engineering contractors and 7% of SME builders.

Only product manufacturers and SME builders reported positive readings in forwardlooking indicators, with a broad-based fall in new orders reported by main contractors and civil engineers.

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According to the quarterly survey of the supply chain’s product manufacturers, contractors, civil engineers and SME builders by the Construction Products Association (CPA), sales of construction products rose according to 54% of heavy side manufacturers and 29% of light side manufacturers.

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July 2019

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| Construction

Rebecca Larkin, Senior Economist at the CPA, said: “The year opened with a mixed quarter of performance for construction. Confidence among consumers and businesses remains low and this has reduced the amount of work coming through to the two largest construction sectors, private housing and commercial, which require greater visibility over the economy’s future growth path to see projects get the go-ahead. By itself this raises concern over the extent to which the political stalemate over Brexit is affecting UK construction, but the risks are intensified when combined with the prevailing narrative of rising costs for labour, raw materials and fuel eroding contractors’ margins.”

Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders, said: “While companies can take steps to prepare their business for exit from the EU, the pace of progress by the Government continues to affect confidence and highlights the need for greater certainty.”

Another piece of research done for the Construction Products Association shows that private house building activity is expected to remain flat, albeit at a high level, in cities including London over the next year.

Researchers say that the trend reflects house builder caution over the slowdown in demand and falling prices in London, as well as parts of the South East and East.

In contrast, public housing starts are forecast to rise 2.0% in 2019 and 5.0% in 2020 supported by an increase in building for the affordable market.

Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association, said: “It’s currently a mixed picture for the construction industry and fortunes will depend highly on the sector and region in which firms are working. Those involved in

major infrastructure projects, warehouses or ports are enjoying considerable growth but firms working on offices, retail and factories will be experiencing falls in construction activity.

“In private house building, activity is falling sharply in London, as well as parts of the South East and East but activity in the North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands is continuing to grow in line with house price inflation.

“The endless Brexit uncertainty hasn’t affected activity on smaller projects, where households have largely switched off from reading about Brexit and continue to spend whilst employment is high and real wages are rising.

However, the Brexit uncertainty has had a large impact on sectors dependent upon high upfront investment for a longterm rate of return, especially where the investment is from international investors. It has so far hindered investment in new offices towers, factories and high-end residential and, given a 12-18-month lag between new orders and activity on the ground, output in these sectors will be adversely affected in 2019 and 2020 at the very least.

“Conversely, the uncertainty has provided a boost to demand in small sub-sectors such as warehouses and ports, which are both expected to enjoy doubledigit growth in 2019 and 2020.

“Overall, construction output is expected to fall marginally this year before 1.4% growth next year but this growth is highly dependent on Government’s delivery of infrastructure.

The lack of project certainty, combined with Brexit uncertainty, means that firms are focused on day-to-day business, risk aversion and constraining costs rather than investment in capacity and skills needed for growth.”

Students gain hands-on experience Lewisham College’s relationship with The Young Vic theatre has resulted in an unexpected opportunity for its construction students. earners from the Deptford campus were invited to carry out building refurbishments in The Platform, a rehearsal room and space for local community groups at the theatre.

The project has been an opportunity for students to experience several stages of the

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construction process from planning resources, design and project management to using their specialist construction skills to create an exciting new workspace. Students on Carpentry, Maintenance and Painting & Decorating courses were called in to work on the project, while Plumbing and Electrician students were tasked with checking the facilities before the rooms were put back in use.

Lewisham and Southwark Colleges have built a strong partnership with The Young Vic – which is located near Southwark

College – over a number of years, but this is the first time that construction students have been involved in a major collaboration.

David Barker, Head of Construction at Lewisham College, said: “This has been an excellent opportunity for our construction students to improve their craft in a real working environment. I’m very proud of the high standards and professionalism they’ve brought to the project, which has transformed the space into a really special place for performers and the community.”

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July 2019

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| News

Mayor to launch Night Time Enterprise Zone and New Music Partnership The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a bold new programme to boost the capital’s high streets at night, alongside an innovative new partnership to support London’s live music scene. new Night Time Enterprise AZone is to be created to help

councils, businesses and residents test new ideas to boost their high streets after 6pm. Councils across the capital can now bid to become the first pilot zone and receive £75,000 to develop ideas that will support town centres at night.

The pilot zone will be an opportunity for a borough to trial a range of approaches for the high street – such as running night-time markets, testing longer opening hours, or helping shops and hotels host cultural events. The results of the pilot will be used to shape future plans across the capital.

The announcement comes after research revealed that 92 per cent of councils in England believe that the night-time economy can be key in preventing the decline of high street retail.

To support and promote the music industry, the Mayor has also announced that he has helped to fund a new Safer Sounds Partnership.

Led by the music industry and part of the Safer Business Network, it will unite venue operators and event organisers with police and council licensing teams, and the Night Czar Amy Lamé.

The partnership is designed to make it easier for organisers to put on live music events and safer for music fans by promoting high standards and offering support and training. It will support venues and help to bring consistent licensing practice across the capital, addressing concerns about unfair treatment of artists. This follows the controversial risk assessment Form 696 which was scrapped by the Metropolitan Police after the Mayor requested a review.

July 2019

Giving pre–loved stuff a second chance Greenwich Council has partnered with Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice to encourage the upcycling of pre-owned belongings that would otherwise have been thrown away. ePurpose – a new shop with all proceeds going directly to the important work that the hospice carries out – was officially opened on the 7th of June and the event was attended by the new Mayor of Greenwich Cllr Mick Hayes, as well as Cabinet Member for Public Realm Cllr David Gardner.

They were treated to a demonstration by colleagues from the Hospice, who showed them how they make items look good as new, ready for resale.

Thanks to the Council providing the Hospice with a rent-free building, they have opened the new shop, behind the Reuse and Recycling Centre in Nathan Way, where they can refurbish, clean and fix items so that they can either be sold on site or at one of the Hospice’s many shops.

Cllr David Gardner, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Public Realm, said: “The Council is committed to working with our residents, businesses and community groups

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to increase the amount of recycling taking place within the borough and reduce the amount of waste we produce too. This is a fantastic scheme to do both – fixing and refurbishing items that would have otherwise been thrown away.

“Too often, household goods are not made to last, but to be thrown away when they break down. With the climate emergency, it is really important that we find new ways to help people save our planet’s resources and to mend, restore, reuse and rePurpose” “I would like to thank everyone from Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice and council officers who have been working incredibly hard to transform the disused space and we’re very pleased with how it looks.”

Chief Executive of Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice, Kate Heaps, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Council on this exciting project and would like to thank them for the very generous offer of providing the facilities rent free, to ensure we can focus on

growing rePurpose and invest the money raised back into supporting the work the Hospice does with our community.

“We are very optimistic for the future of the project and would encourage all residents to donate your pre-loved, but no longer wanted goods so that we can make a real difference to people who rely on our services.” rePurpose is open Monday to Friday, between 9.30am and 4.30pm, and one-hour free parking is available outside.

Mayor sets out plans for London’s Electric Vehicle future The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has set out his plans for a major expansion of London’s electric vehicle-charging network to ensure the capital continues to be one of the world’s leading zero-emission cities. o tackle the twin dangers of London’s toxic air crisis and the climate change emergency, the Mayor has brought together the public and private sector to deliver the electric vehicle infrastructure Londoners need.

This includes commitments by businesses and retailers to transform EV charging provision in London over the coming years.

Sadiq said: “We need to reject the fossil fuels of the past and embrace an electric revolution in London’s transport.”

London’s plan follows the Mayor’s establishment of the world’s first Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Taskforce, bringing together representatives from business, energy, infrastructure, government and the London boroughs. The past year has seen more than 140 organisations contribute to the work of the Taskforce.

London is at the forefront of the zero-emission revolution with more

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than 20,000 electric vehicles, 1,700 electric taxis and Europe’s largest electric bus fleet. This plan builds on TfL’s successful rollout of over 175 rapid charge points across the city (delivering a full charge in | Newsand a growing 20 – 30 minutes) network of over 1,100 lamp post charging points delivered by boroughs in residential areas.

This has been complemented by the roll out of the world’s first ever Ultra Low Emission Zone, enforcing tough new emission standards in central London which is helping drive companies to electrify their fleets.

Making it easier for Londoners to make the switch from diesel to electric cars is a key part of reducing toxic traffic emissions and realising the Mayor’s ambition of becoming a zero-emission city.

The Taskforce and other industry partners will support the Mayor in driving forward a number of initiatives in the plan, including:

• Installing the next generation of ultra-rapid charging points at London petrol stations later this year.

• Delivering five flagship charging hubs, with the ability for multiple cars to quickly be charged in one place. The first of these hubs will be operational in the heart of the Square Mile by the end of the year.

• A new ‘one-stop-shop’ for Londoners to request new charging infrastructure from their local authority in areas of high demand led by London Councils, making it easier for drivers to switch to electric vehicles.

• Expanding electric car clubs and bringing more vehicles to market, offering greater choice to Londoners and businesses.

• New online smart tools to ensure London’s energy grid continues to keep pace with demand and to help unlock private sector investment.

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Honour for Barry Tuckwood Associates Alongside his consultancy roles, Barry Tuckwood supports the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) through their Information Systems Panel and was recently a guest at the President’s Dinner in recognition of his services.

Stir Relaunches as 7 day operation Stir is an award-winning social enterprise café in the heart of Woolwich. It started life as part of the Recovery College, a groundbreaking initiative from Bridge Support, a charity dedicated to outreach in Mental Health. et up to provide real life experience for students of the Recovery College, it also provides an answer to that age old conundrum – how do I get experience in order to get a job if I can’t get a job to get that experience in the first place.

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ontributions have included developing material on Building Information Modelling which provides for data sharing and collaboration, delivering presentations in Amman and London, delivering one day training events, being a judge for the Tierney Clark engineering awards in Hungary and presenting on the history of the Institution at a celebration in Hungary

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marking ICE’s 200th anniversary.

Last September, Barry provided a presentation on The Bridges of Budapest to a meeting for Fellows of the institution, covering their importance to Hungary, beginning with the essential links to British expertise from the first bridge across the Danube in Budapest in 1840-49 to plans for new bridges today.

Barry also continues his long association with Durham University Business School, delivering MBA course material on-line for students worldwide.

As well as Project Management, a subject he began with them more than 20 years ago, he recently completed delivery of Operations and Technology, and is now concluding a module on Strategic Management.

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Contributions have included developing material on Building Information Modelling which provides for data sharing and collaboration ...

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Over 1,000 students have passed through the doors of the Recovery College and although hospitality is just one course on offer, a dozen students in the last year have gone on to get jobs in the hospitality industry.

The Recovery College also has an allotment and every week the students go down to check on their efforts and bring the fruits of that labour back to Stir so that Stir can incorporate them into their dishes.

All dishes on the menu at Stir are cooked from scratch using as much locally sourced produce as possible and at a very reasonable price point.

Our motto is Good | Mood | Food which is at the heart of our project – eating and being well. Stir aims to put on more events that engage the local community, educate and inspire, please sign up here to learn more.

The Stir café also serves as a white space for events – we have had supper clubs, art exhibitions and album launches.

July 2019

44 | Finance Update

Giving finance the elbow

By Hannah Adams, senior manager, and Andrew Fuller, manager, at McBrides Chartered Accountants ou wear so many hats when you start up a business, including management, finance, HR and IT.

Y

But what feels manageable as you start off, can soon become overwhelming as your business grows meaning that you might need to take on expert staff to help you.

These days, managing the financial side of your business and complying with tax and statutory responsibilities comprises so much more than managing the day-to-day bookkeeping entries. Banks, lenders and customers – prospective or existing – also want you to provide them with reliable, real-time and up-todate management information, which is available through cloud accounting.

But did you know that you can get someone else to handle your business’s finance function without having to take on new or specialist staff?

Outsourcing your finance department is a much more viable option than it may have

been in the past and more businesses are deciding to use outsourcing to assist them with the burden of their accounts.

There are several advantages to outsourcing your finance function: • Time saving. Trying to stay on top of the backend office functions can become a large distraction from day-to-day management.

Outsourcing these will free up your time to focus on running the business, enabling you to get back to what you do best without needing to settle in and manage new employees.

• Cost effective. Outsourcing is generally cheaper than employing a full or part-time finance employee once you factor in tax, national insurance contributions and auto-enrolment (pension) responsibilities. Recruiting the right person to run your business finances can be a lengthy process especially if you’re looking for relevant industry knowledge and being a good fit for your business. It also avoids the

headache associated with what happens if you hire the wrong person…

• On tap expertise. By outsourcing, you will have access to a range of expertise from qualified, experienced accountants who can help on a variety of issues and queries and not just accounting issues. An outsourced team will have wide experience across several industries, systems and software and can make recommendations based on your business and needs.

• Scalable and flexible. You can expand or reduce the services you need with ease.

Whether your business is growing, or you are looking to take certain roles in-house further down the line, outsourcing gives you the flexibility to adapt to your needs in a way that an in-house bookkeeper or

financial controller cannot – and you don’t need to worry about the HR side of scaling up or down.

• Knowing your business.

Trusting your accountants with your finance function will mean that they are fully integrated into your company, knowing your business inside out. They’ll be able to notify you when they spot areas of concern and help you resolve these giving you additional peace of mind and the confidence to make better-informed financial decisions.

In short, outsourcing finance works for businesses regardless of where you are in your business’s development.

The trick is to find business advisers that work for you and your business’s financial needs so that you can focus on and better manage its direction and future success.

To find out how you could outsource all or some of your finance function, please call Hannah Adams at McBrides Chartered Accountants on 020 8309 0011 or email hannah.adams@mcbridesllp.com.

fully understand both my business “ they and my aims for myself and my companies.

As such, they are an integral and vital component of our planning strategy

”

MCBRIDES CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS July 2019

Trusted advisers always ready to help mcbridesllp.com

Member Benefits |

45

Saving for Retirement An increasing number of business owners are choosing to not save into a pension. n 2007-08 30% of selfemployed people were saving into a pension, a number which dwindled down to 14% by 2016-17. Some pay into ISAs, whereas others opt to invest in property. When making such important longterm decisions it is important that you have all the necessary information so you can take advantage of the relevant incentives to be as tax efficient as possible, thereby securing the best long-term results.

I

For higher rate tax-payers the benefits of saving into a pension are clear, as for every £60 you take home over this threshold £100 could be going into your pension. Whilst you are taxed when you spend your pension, you will still receive pensions contributions of £100 for every £72 invested, as long

as you don’t trigger higher rate tax when accessing your pension (currently over £50k a year). With the added bonus that nearly all pensions do not count towards your estate for Inheritance Tax, this illustrates why pensions can be a very attractive part of these people’s retirement plan.

With ISAs you receive no tax relief on contributions and ISAs are potentially subject to Inheritance Tax. Any growth in ISAs is tax free, but this is also true for pensions. There is a perception among some that ISAs are a safer vehicle for long term saving than pensions, but the reality is that most investment funds are applicable for both. ISAs are accessible anytime, whereas you can only access your pension when you reach 55, but for saving for

retirement it is generally hard to make an argument for ISAs being a better option (unless you are paying into a Lifetime ISA which can enjoy a 25% government top-up).

Putting money into a buy-to-let property can be enticing when people view the increase in value in houses over the last few decades. However, there is no guarantee that property value will continue to increase in the same vain, and you won’t receive any tax relief on the house purchase. In addition, you may have to pay stamp duty, any increase in value will be subject to capital gains and any rental income received will also be taxed.

In summary, for many a lack of information is having an adverse impact on their retirement planning, and it is essential to get expert advice when making such important decisions.

We are offering free ‘financial health check’ consultations for all South-East London Chamber members, email hello@ambroseclayton today to book yours.

Curating tomorrow’s ideal Wealth management for individuals and small businesses in South East London.

• • •

Pensions & Retirement Estate Planning

Insurance and Protection

• • •

Investments

Tax Planning

SME & Corporate Benefits

For your free, no-obligation consultation, please call us on 0203 841 6881 or email hello@ambroseclayton.com Don’t forget to mention your Chamber status.

Partner of

ambroseclayton.com Ambrose Clayton is a trading style of Wealthmasters Financial Management who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

AC_Landscape_Press_Ad_112x190mm.indd 1

July 2019

29/06/2018 18:21

Become a Mental Health First Aider Mental Health First Aid at Work (MHFAW) is a two day training course which teaches people how to identify, understand and support someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue.

The course is externally accredited by OCNL and has a value of 2 credits at level 2. Course workbooks are assessed, and successful candidates are awarded a pass certificate.

Candidates are provided with a manual to keep and a workbook to complete and submit for assessment.

After verification your workbook will be returned to keep as a reference.

MHFAW won’t teach you to be a therapist anymore than regular first aid would make you a paramedic – but just like physical first aid teaches you how to preserve life and prevent worsening, it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis; and potentially stop a crisis from happening.

There will be assignments to complete in your workbook at the end of each day of learning.

We limit numbers to 12 learners per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn.

For further information or to book, please contact Tel: 0208 298 9677 Email: carol.goss@bridgesupport.org

www.bridgesupport.org

Successful candidates will receive a pass certificate awarded by Open College Network London, accredited at level two with a value of two credits.

CALL US NOW On 0208 298 9677

Health and Wellbeing |

owever, new research suggests that, despite the Government investing £1.2 billion into cycling, the number of people cycling to work remains low with many people citing nervousness about traffic as the reason.

H

A survey of more than 7,600 UK adults, published

by Decathlon in the Decathlon Activity Index 2018, shows that only 7% of the nation is commuting to work with a bike.

Despite a number of cities, including London, having made big changes to accommodate cycling, 26% of those people surveyed still feel it is too dangerous to do so.

Call for more initiatives to encourage cycling to work One of the central elements of the move towards improved health and wellbeing over recent years has been the encouragement offered to those people seeking to cycle to work.

This is despite the Government increasing the spend on cycling, with improvements for cycle to work schemes and even overhauls of roads in cities to accommodate cyclists.

“There are many advantages of cycling to work that people seem to be missing out on commuting to work via a bicycle is a great way to form a healthier lifestyle, it is cheaper and is better than other options.

“Even better, those without a bike can get one via the Government’s bike to work scheme and there are a number of bikes that can be rented in UK cities, too.

Seventeen per cent said that they don’t own a bike, even though cycle-to-work schemes are making this more viable for commuters, with 183,423 employees joining schemes in 2014. A further one in seven confessed that they don’t like cycling.

“It is extremely inexpensive in the long run as you only need a bike, lights and a helmet and you’re off. We want to help the UK fall back in love with sports – we believe that sports should be accessible for all, cycling included.

It, is after all, one of the sports that the UK is best known for competing in thanks to home grown talent like Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins and Laura Kenny.”

Philippe Rebelo, UK marketing director at Decathlon, said: “It is clear to see that not many of us actually choose to commute to our workplace with a bicycle.

The Decathlon Activity Index tracks rates of participation in sport and other physical activities across the year through a monthly national survey.

This was followed by 21% who said that the distance to their place of work is too far to travel via bike.

“

There are many advantages of cycling to work that people seem to be missing out on - commuting to work via a bicycle is a great way to form a healthier lifestyle, it is cheaper and is better than other options.

”

July 2019

47

THE CLARENDON HOTEL THE CLARENDON HOTEL Welcome to our newly refurbished Welcome to to our our newly newly refurbished refurbished Welcome

T H E CMeridian L A R E NRestaurant DON HOTEL Meridian Restaurant Meridian B re akRestaurant f as t £10 Welcome to our newly refurbished Dre ay Me £11 B ak f asnu t £10 B re ak f as t £10 Clare n do n AMe ftenu rno o n Te a £15 D ay Me nu £11 D ay £11 Clare do Afte fte ooonn Tenu £15 3 Co unnrs as orr nnoal Me £26 Clare d oennSe A Te aa £15 B re ak f as t £10 Cou urs rsneeday Seas as al rM M nu £26 £26 Su Car y ee£15 33 Co Se oonnve al nu ay Me SunnDday day Carnu ve£11 £15 Su Car ve rryy £15 Clare n do n A fte r n o o n Te a £15 3 Co u rs e Se as o n al Me nu £26 Su n d ay Car ve r y £15

Meridian Restaurant

The Clarendon Hotel The Clarendon Clarendon Hotel The Hotel Montpelier Row, Blackheath Montpelier Row, Blackheath Montpelier Row, Blackheath

020 8318 4321

www.clarendonhotel.com www.clarendonhotel.com www.clarendonhotel.com

The Person behind the Business |

49

The man behind The Clarendon Hotel The Clarendon Hotel has an enviable location facing Blackheath with commanding views across the grassland to Royal Greenwich Park which since 1981 has become known all over the word as the start of the London Marathon. lackheath has a long history of drawing large numbers to its green space: Wat Tyler assembled peasants for the revolt of 1381.

The Jack Cade Rebellion camped on the open land in 1450 and the Corish Rebels fought with Henry VII in 1497. The Heath has seen great pomp – in 1540 a scene of pageantry was staged when Henry VIII met with Anne on Cleaves who became his queen for a short period. In 1690 the Heath was the gathering place for the exiled monarch Charles II to return to London as King.

Every November one of London’s largest free firework display is hosted by Lewisham Council and since 2015, OnBlackheath the music festival which will take place in mid-July.

B

Blackheath is famous for being the first place in England where golf was played. When James I

and his Court came down from Scotland, they took up residence at the Palace of Placentia in Greenwich and in 1608, the flat ground was found to be perfect for their beloved game of golf.

The Clarendon Hotel we know today is set across three Georgian villas and has been in the ownership of the O’Donnell family for over 50 years. General Manager, Ken Milton has worked at the hotel for many years and is a member of The Réunion des Gastronomes which opened in London in August 1899 with the object of endeavouring to raise the standards of hotel keeping and catering; of promoting stability of employment; and of exchanging ideas and opinions of value on all questions concerning the profession. Made up of many of the senior figures from the industry, the objects are as important today as they were at the end of the 19th century.

Over the last few years, Ken with the hotel family, has led on the refurbishment of the 175 bedrooms which are comfortably appointed and tastefully decorated reflecting the individuality of the hotel.

Ken also realised one of the great features of the hotel, its large enclosed garden should be upgraded. This has become a tranquil place for hotel guests, visitors and hosts many BBQs including the Chamber’s summer celebration at the end of July.

Ken has overseen the refurbishment of the public rooms which reflect the family love of Maritime Greenwich: The Chart Bar is named after charts used by sailors to navigate the world; The Meridian Restaurant named after the Prime Meridian of the World, located at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park and Goffers, home to afternoon

tea and many pictures of the early players of golf. After a threemonth closure earlier this year, The Meridian and Goffers have been refurbished to the pallet of local interior designer, Angela McNeill. The fine dining menu and new wine list reflects the upgrade of the restaurant.

Ken runs a friendly, family business with many UK and non-UK nationals as employees.

Like everyone in the hotel profession, he is worried about the current political situation in the UK and where Brexit will, or will not take us? Ken is coping with the rising costs of food and beverages, plus worrying where he will source his employees. As the man behind the business of The Clarendon Hotel, there is local confidence Ken Milton will continue to run an excellent hotel, at the heart of the community.

“

After a three-month closure earlier this year, The Meridian and Goffers have been refurbished to the pallet of local interior designer, Angela McNeill. The fine dining menu and new wine list reflects the upgrade of the restaurant.

”

July 2019

50

| New Members

And Finally…

Stuart Aldridge Sales Manager Ancaster Group ltd I have been working for Ancaster Group

for 15 years and during that time I have

had the pleasure of working under each

of our franchise brands.

Welcome to our new members

All Things Saucy Tel: 07768 723805 Email: allthingssaucy@yahoo.co.uk Contact: Emma-Jane Slack artFix Tel: 07528 531011 Email: neris@artfixlondon.com Contact: George Neris

Back A Yard Grill Tel: 07702 192287 Email: back-a-yardgrill@outlook.com Contact: Adrianna Baker

Baily Garner Tel: 020 8294 1000 Email: andy.tookey@bailygarner.co.uk Contact: Andy Tookey BeGenio Tel: 020 8310 8966 Email: etogun@yahoo.co.uk Contact: Grace Olugbodi

CC Events UK Tel: 07864 925026 Email: info@cceventsuk.com Contact: Catherine Molnar

Carmina Hair & Beauty Care Tel: 07490 960928 Email: minasanches@outlook.com Contact: Carmina Sanches Do You Vintage Tel: 07764 410052 Email: doyouvintage@gmail.com Contact: Julie Ricketts

Excel Electricians Ltd Tel: 07947 194448 Email: info@excelelectrician.co.uk Contact: Yassin Ben Osman

First Choice Caribbean Hut Lunches Tel: 07960 521991 Email: 2caribhutlunchtimedel@gmail.com Contact: Caron Schersmith-Meikie

Infallible Systems Tel: 020 8836 9610 Email: info@infalliblesystems.co.uk Contact: Claire Louise Crickett Infinite Catering Tel: 07903 930743 Email: shirrelharris@outlook.com Contact: Shirrel Harris

Intrit Facilities Management Ltd Tel: 07958 206913 Email: clyde.kanhemba@intritfm.co.uk Contact: Clyde Kanhemba

Nicole Johnston Communications Tel: 07810 048858 Email: nicole@njcommunications.co.uk Contact: Nicole Johnston

Perfect Facilities Tel: 07882 362687 Email: gabriel.ogunbiyi@perfect facilities.co.uk Contact: Gabriel Ogunbiyi

Precious Foods Tel: 07809 408067 Email: chiamaka30@yahoo.co.uk Contact: Chiamaka Muoneke S Vingo Bespoke Tel: 07950 411906 Email: dingwizat@yahoo.com Contact: Tapiwa Dingwiza

Veronica Prego Tel: 07882 932094 Email: veropregoceccarelli@hotmail.com Contact: Veronica Prego

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 July 2019

Representing each of these brands

throughout my career, has given me the

perfect insight into how the customer

journey works and has enabled me to

develop a strong process to get the deal done whilst keeping the customer at the

heart of everything we do.

Being an upbeat character I relish day to

day interaction with our customers and it

is a privilege to now bring the Hyundai

brand to Welling and introduce our loyal

customers to something new.

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

My first job was in a local butcher. I worked

every Saturday for £20, and spent the day

cleaning and assisting around the shop.

It was hard work, especially at Christmas

time, but was a good first job.

What would you do with your last pound?

Buy a lottery ticket and hope for the best!

What is the biggest challenge facing your business?

Availability of new cars – we offer a good

product that our customers like, the harder

part is getting cars quickly enough

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

To replace the Downing Street cat with a dog.

If you could do another job what would it be?

Property developer

What book are you currently reading?

I’m not at the moment, Love Island is on!

STAND OUT Recruit an Apprentice

Finding people with the right skills is not always easy.

Employing an apprentice can be a great solution as they learn on the job and bring new skills to your business. We can: » » »

Help you understand the apprenticeship levy Find you an apprentice Offer specialist advice regarding your training needs and much more...

Get in touch today apprenticeships@lsec.ac.uk | 020 3954 4965 LSEC.ac.uk

GREENWICH ADULT AND COMMUNITY LEARNING We have a wide range of affordable short courses that will help you progress at work, start your own business or transform your leisure time.

Learning also improves your well-being and helps you to make new friends. It also lets you be creative, discover new interests and keeps you active.

Get in touch today to nd out more.

LSEC.ac.uk/acl-courses | 020 3954 4000