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IT’S IN THE BAG!
GRADUATION DAY
#GETEXPORTING
Illustrator draws on children for inspiration to win title – p3
Meet the web start-ups pitching for investment – p11
Selling overseas is best way to grow your business – p6&7
Business www.
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09
JUL
2014
FOCUS
CHANGING FACES OF HARBOURSIDE The waterside of Bristol is booming once again after a 10-year transformation – p8&9 EPB-E01-S3
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Business centre opens
Hive can be huge help to economy
Growth Deal
‘An important week for people in Bristol’
Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister (below), on the announcement that Bristol has been awarded £86.2 million to invest in robotics, new composite materials, broadband development, and local rail services
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EW businesses in North Somerset now have the right conditions to grow and flourish, according to one of the region’s MPs. John Penrose, MP for Westonsuper-Mare, was speaking at the launch of the Hive, a new business centre in the Junction 21 yesterday. He said: “As someone who’s helped to found two start-ups myself, I know just how difficult it can be. “Initiatives like The Hive are crucial to provide all the advice, encouragement and support which fledgling firms need to grow. “The Hive has the potential to be a huge help to Weston’s economy. We need young businesses to flourish, and The Hive provides great conditions for them to do so.” The purpose-built Hive has room for 40-60 businesses in unfurnished office space, offering easy-in, easy-out terms with a managed reception and secure broadband. It is run by the North Somerset Enterprise Agency, which is now also based at the centre. And that could the key to its success, as it gives businesses on-site access to experienced advisors. Angela Hicks, chief executive of the agency, said: “Now, when an individual in our community has an idea for a new business – a business that over time, if nurtured and grown, will contribute to the economy and perhaps create jobs – they can come here, to The Hive, not only for advice, but for everything that a small business needs in its crucial early months and years. “As a small, local enterprise agency, we are very proud to have delivered this new business development centre
● Above, MP John Penrose addresses the opening ceremony of The Hive business centre at Weston-super-Mare; left, Photographs: Dave Betts Angela Hicks outside The Hive to North Somerset, especially as all surplus funds made from The Hive will be reinvested into local enterprise development and business support.” Agency chairman Charles Walker added: “What we have today, as a result of a great deal of hard work by all involved, is a superb environmentally-sustainable building which delivers first class workspace and on-site support to businesses, within the perfect location – the exciting Junction 21 Enterprise Area.
“It is a building in which the whole of North Somerset can take pride and we hope that the local business community will get involved with The Hive, its events, its tenants and its passionate support of up-and-coming new business enterprises.” The centre has been part-financed from the South West Competitiveness European Regional Development Fund Programme. It came about after the agency surveyed a number of local businesses
and found 65 per cent felt, based on their own experience of setting up a business in North Somerset, a business development centre would be beneficial. It has also allowed the agency to move out of its shabby old HQ into something more fitting on the town’s former airfield site. It has already been joined by first tenants DM Optics, Abersea Engineering, Green Frog Connect and Joyce Oliver Wealth Management.
plans to electrify the railway between Bristol and London and will provide a welcome boost to the local economy here in South Gloucestershire.”
● The ceremony at the Hitachi Rail Europe facility with MP Jack Lopresti and managing director Keith Jordan pictured centre
Transport
Rail depot advance marked WORK to build an £80 million depot to service and clean the electric trains which will run on the mainline from London to Bristol and on to Wales has reached a milestone. The steel superstructure of the Hitachi Rail Europe facility in Stoke Gifford is now up. Managing director Keith Jordan said tremendous progress had been made over the past 12 months. He said: “This new plant will serve as a crucial maintenance facility for Hitachi Rail Europe’s service delivery operations on the Great Western Main Line for at least the next 27 and a half years years and it’s important that we continue to work effectively with our contractors to ensure a state-of-the-art facility is produced.” Because it is such a long-term in-
vestment, the firm is keen to build links in the community. It built a major drainage culvert and has paid for improvements to the local park. There are plans for an apprenticeship scheme on the site. Filton and Bradley Stoke MP Jack Lopresti visited the site for a ceremony to mark the occasion. He said: “I am pleased that Hitachi has reconfirmed to me their commitment to filling as many jobs as possible from the local work force, including apprentices.” Councillor Brian Allinson, chair of South Gloucestershire Council’s Planning, Transportation and Strategic Environment Committee, added: “It’s good to see the new rail maintenance depot taking shape in Stoke Gifford. The project is part of
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THIS is a really important week for people in Bristol. I wanted to see every part of Britain given more freedom than at the start of this parliament so that the people who know most about Bristol will have the money and the support to deliver changes that can benefit everyone. This could be anything from helping young people find work, getting businesses the support they need to thrive, giving commuters better access to road and rail networks or simply giving everyone the chance to get on-line faster. I’m delighted that my vision is truly becoming a reality. This deal is a defining latest chapter in our long-term plan to boost growth around the country. Over the past two years we’ve signed multi-billion pound Regional Growth Funds and 26 City Deals across the country to help revitalise local economies. The Growth Deal with the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership will build on this; meaning more freedom and resources to create jobs, more help to meet housing needs and further support to projects essential to the region’s national competitiveness moving. And for the first time, housing, infrastructure and other funding is being brought together in one pot, and put directly into the hands of local authorities and businesses. Over the lifetime of this deal we’ll be investing a total of around £212.6 million into the West of England. This will pull in up to £70 million in public and private sector investment, help create up to 5,000 jobs, increase the number of learning opportunities and reduce congestion and make it quicker and easier to travel around the region. Businesses will have new opportunities to collaborate with academia to develop new technologies and get the support they need to grow. Local businesses in the West of England will benefit from an improved rail network, reduced congestion and new and improved routes and facilities for walking, cycling and public transport. £31.99 million investment in Further Education will help to develop a local workforce with the skills that businesses need. The selection process has been very competitive and we’ve had to make some tough decisions along the way but we’re confident we’ve made the right choices.
● If you missed full coverage of the Growth Deal, find it online at bristolpost.co.uk/business
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Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Textiles
Data
Award winner Kate has designs on future with colour-in bag Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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WOMAN with a passion for drawing is using her business to help instil that joy in children using her own award-winning designs. Kate Edmunds has created a PE kit bag that children can colour in themselves. She said: “My first passion has always been illustrating. “I try to create products that bring a fresh approach to colouring. The bold designs help challenge the senses and stimulate the imagination, offering a perfect solution to calming the rowdiest of children.” Kate started her Clifton-based company, Eggnogg in 2009 and it has grown to a team of three. They design quirky gifts, party supplies, and colour-in products for all ages, from postcard books, posters, bunting and pocket books to greeting cards, wrap, notebooks and stickers. Kate said: “My adoration for textiles has always been a bit of an obsession. Following a visit to The National Gallery and V&A, I was inspired to unleash Eggnogg onto textiles. I began imagining ways of incorporating children’s colouring creations into practical, functional and fun products.” That led to a range of fabric products that help children be more creative with colour, starting with colour-in tea towel that can be cut out and stitched into a cuddly toy. She said: “The wonderful thing about the new textile range is their versatility; children can create and make something beautiful that can be used for play, to decorate the home, or to store things in – perfectly complementing our range of colour-in card and paper products.”
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Cloud computing service signs deal ● A BRISTOL cloud computing business has signed a deal to work with a large data centre to house its servers. Hub Network Services is taking space for several servers at NGD Europe, just over the Welsh border near Newport. It already uses data centres in London and Manchester. HNS technical director John Volanthen said: “By partnering with NGD and using its facility not only are we adding even further geographical diversity and network redundancy to our highly resilient cloud and co-location services, we are also gaining the benefit of NGD’s unprecedented space and power for future-proofing our rack requirements as we grow.” NGD chairman Simon Taylor said the partnership would benefit both firms. He said: “Together we will develop new, mutually beneficial revenue streams. HNS’ strategic presence in Bristol will help us to service businesses ‘on the doorstep’ throughout the South West.”
“ My adoration for textiles has always been a bit of an obsession ... I began imagining ways of incorporating children’s colouring creations into practical, functional and fun products. Kate Edmunds Now Kate has won the Best Innovation in Print and Design title at the Supreme Innovation and Design Awards, competing with the likes of London Fashion Week, Bombay Sapphire and Debenham’s for her colour-in kit bag. Children can personalise their bag with a rainbow of colours to brighten up PE, swimming lessons or sleepovers. The awards also recognise ethically produced goods. All her bags are fair trade cotton and made in India, with all paper goods made in Britain. Kate said: ‘Sustainability is important to us and is embedded in our ethos. To be recognised by Supreme Creations, a leader in sourcing ethically produced, sustainable products is an honour indeed.” Ruth’s career has drawn inspiration from children, although she can’t blame them for the unusual company name. “After the arrival of my children, I began illustrating books for publishing houses and creating greeting cards for family and friends,” she said. “Eggnogg was a natural progression. The name itself comes from one of my early greeting card designs depicting a nostalgic 1970s party, inspired by the film Abigail’s Party.
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● Kate Edmunds with her PE kit bag that children can colour in themselves Photograph: Michael Lloyd BRML2014 0630A-003_C
Power
Part of the Local World group
Progress on renewable energy ‘just the start’ Capital in 2015, its performance in this area will be in the spotlight. Merlin Hyman, chief executive of Regen SW said progress across the region was encouraging. “However, it should be just the start,” he said. “With 70 per cent of all investment in energy globally predicted to be in renewables, our success in this market is critical. “By meeting our renewables targets we could create 34,000 high-value jobs, become less reliant on uncertain oversees supplied fossil fuels, and use our local renewable energy resources to generate income and fuel security for local communities. “We need to take more responsibility locally for making the most of the excellent renewable energy resources we have: putting local communities at the heart of developments; and supporting local companies to compete for work.”
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THE Bristol area can produce 123 megawatts of electricity from renewable sources, according to a report by energy experts Regen SW. The report found that the South West now generates enough green electricity to power a quarter of homes or 8.3 per cent of all supply, with capacity having grown by 37 per cent in the past 12 months to nearly 1.2 giga watts. Most of that comes from Devon (380MW) and Cornwall (374MW), due in part to the large numbers of wind turbines in those areas. But the region is still short of national targets to reach 15 per cent by 2020. There are wind turbines in the Bristol area, such as those in Avonmouth, but in order for the West of England area to up its output significantly it would a big increase in solar panels and, ultimately, some way of harnessing the tidal range of the Severn Estuary. With Bristol becoming European Green
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Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Aerospace
Sportswear
Rivals looking to air show to hit new heights
Cycling kit designers get into gear
Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
B
RISTOL is preparing to fly into the biggest aerospace showcase in Europe later this month in the hope of landing big deals and bringing new investment to the city. Although it happens about 100 miles away in Hampshire, the Farnborough Airshow will be the focus for Bristol’s aerospace sector. Held every other year, the show is more about business than air displays. It will feature 1,500 exhibitors, more than half from overseas, and will attract 100,000 trade visitors. The US pavilion alone features more than 230 companies. It is usually the scene for a dual between rivals Boeing and Airbus to see who can announce the most orders. For Airbus it will be the first airshow for its newest model, the A350 XWB (extra wide body), which will be seen during the first few days of the show both on the ground and in the air. Mark Stewart, general manager of the firm’s Filton plant, said: “Far nborough is the biggest event in the aerospace calendar for Airbus, and it gives us a great opportunity to showcase our products that our 10,000 employees in the UK including 4,000 here in Filton make happen.” The show is not just about the big firms such as Airbus, or GKN, BAE and Rolls-Royce, but a chance for those in the supply chain to make contacts and hopefully do some business. For the first time, Invest Bristol & Bath will be among the exhibitors. The inward investment body will be working with partner organisations from across the South West to pro-
TWO young businesswomen have officially launched their new range of female cycling kit at an event in the city centre. Lucy Gardner, 22, from St Andrews, and Emily Buzzo, 22, from St Paul’s, have set up their clothing brand Fierlan, named after the Old English word for journey. Cut in Manchester and made near Venice in Italy, the first 75 pieces by Fierlan are available for sale on the company website. Initial stock is comprised of a range of shorts, bib shorts, a jersey, a base layer, a sports bra and a gilet. The pair have self-funded the first phase of the business which is why there is limited availability. But they hope to attract investors
mote the region’s excellence in this sector – and try to bring in more investment. Professor Joe McGeehan, chairman of Invest Bristol & Bath, said: “Our aim is to attract further investment into the region so that cutting-edge technologies continue to be developed in our aerospace sector, jobs are created and the industry continues to set the agenda nationally and beyond.” Barry Warburton is the organisation’s advanced engineering and aerospace sector champion, and a former member of the West of England Aerospace Forum. He said Bristol needed to have a presence at such an event, and that it
“ This is the culmination of everything we have worked on and invested in for the last nine months so it’s a really exciting time.” Lucy Gardner to support the second round of manufacturing in time for this autumn and winter. The launch event took place at the Playground Coffee House on St Nicholas Street in the city centre and was attended by a number of Bristol-based retailers. Lucy, who late last year won the Lycra Future Designers Award at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards, said: “This is the culmination of everything we have worked on and invested in for the last nine months so it’s a really exciting time. “To be able to get into shops we really need more stock but we are hoping that, once investors see the quality of what we are producing, we will be able to produce the clothing in greater quantities later this year.”
● The A350 XWB should promote the importance of the National Composite Centre which isleading the way in making aeroplanes lighter and more fuel efficient. “It is important for us in the Bristol area to stake our claim as the largest aerospace cluster,” he said. But he said the relationships developed at the show would not bear fruit overnight. “Two years ago after the show, a chap said to me ‘I only made two contacts, it was a really disappointing show’,” said Barry. “Six months later he called me back and said ‘those two contacts just secured me a £250,000 order’.” Farnborough Airshow runs from July 14 to 20. We’ll be keeping you up to date with announcements online at bristolpost.co.uk and through SouthWestBusiness.
● Lucy Gardner and Emily Buzzo with one of their creations
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Rentals
Food
Trailer firm seeing signs of recovery
New stores for takeaway chain
● A COMPANY that rents out trailers says its business is getting busier and that’s another sign that the economy is on the up. The Cartwright Group, one of the UK’s biggest body and trailer manufacturers also has a trailer rental arm. The firm has a fleet of 600 trailers shared between its Avonmouth and Newport sites. Chris Bull (below), regional sales manager, said: “We are certainly ahead of schedule for this time of year and are currently enjoying extremely high rate of utilisation with plenty more new build and rental opportunity still out there.”
● FAST growing Chinese takeaway chain Hotcha has announced plans to open up to three new stores in Bristol as part of its national expansion programme. Hotcha, which serves up freshly made Chinese dishes for collection or delivery, was founded two years ago by entrepreneur James Liang. But after opening a number of outlets of its own, the firm is now looking for experienced managers to buy and run new outlets as franchise operations in Bristol. Anyone considering it, however, will need local market knowledge, and around £75,000 in personal funds, with the remaining start-up costs available through bank financing. The chain says its outlets in the South West have typically turned over £500,000 per annum with profits of £150,000.
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Construction skills
Fresh approach Plumbing tutor to tap into growing need for training Rupert Janisch Business@b-nm.co.uk
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PLUMBING and trades tutor from South Gloucestershire has launched a new skills academy to cater for the growing need for trained construction workers. With an emphasis on quality training, small class sizes and one-to-one tuition, Shane McCallum and his wife Nikki have set up the new South West Construction Academy. Based in a 1,600 sq ft converted barn in the prestigious setting of Eastwood Park in Falfield, the South West Construction Academy will begin by offering a range of plumbing courses, providing a mixture of distance learning and on-site learning and intensive training. Mr McCallum’s business plan is aimed at attracting 36 adult students in the first year, before looking to attract school leavers in year two. Eventually the plan is to broaden to other trades such as plastering, electrical and carpentry. Mr McCallum said: “I’m trying to actually do something about the situations that I don’t agree with in the training set-up for this industry. “My concern is that class sizes are too big, adult learners are suffering by being included with school leavers and that the focus is on quantity rather than quality. Trainees deserve as much one-to-one tuition as possible.” And Mr McCallum believes there is huge potential for the academy, given the pressure on colleges to meet overhead costs and hit targets for Government funding. He also believes that, with major construction projects such as the new power station at Hinckley Point planned for the future, the industry will shortly be in need of major numbers of newly trained workers. He said: “I’d also like to deal with local businesses on apprenticeships. I don’t feel local businesses have enough influence in how trainees are taught. So I’d like to be able to teach students the industry standards but also ask businesses if there’s anything else they’d like bolted on so that
● Shane McCallum and his wife Nikki have set up a skills academy in a converted a barn in Eastwood Park, Falfield the graduates come away with exactly the skills that they need. “That flexibility is something that colleges can’t offer. I want to give companies more of a say on where the money is spent and where the training is going to go.” Aged 40, Mr McCallum started his professional life as a landscape gardener and one of his early contracts was mowing the lawns at Eastwood Park, the home of his new business. He was a student among the first year of plumbing trainees at Filton College back in 2005 and has since
“ I don’t feel local businesses have enough influence in how trainees are taught. So I’d like to be able to teach students the industry standards but also ask businesses if there’s anything else they’d like bolted on.” Shane McCallum
worked as a tutor at the college for several years. He said: “It’s great to have the venue finalised and I’m excited to get started. I chose Eastwood Park because I looked at a number of industrial units and I didn’t believe they had the feel for a training facility. I wanted somewhere where people could learn. “They do training at this business venue already, so it’s ideal. The location is fantastically convenient for people from Bristol, Gloucestershire and the rest of the South West – really close to the M5 but quiet too.”
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Engineering
New office opened at aerospace hub ● ENGINEERING firm Altran UK has opened a second office in Bristol. It will enable the firm to expand the support it is already providing to the biggest aerospace and defence organisations in the region, in areas including advanced systems, propulsion, aerodynamics, product lifecycle management and manufacturing engineering. The new office is at the BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre in Filton and is part of the Filton Enterprise Area, recognised as a hub for innovation in aerospace and defence. Altran UK already has offices in Bristol’s Brabazon Office Park and in central Bath, as well as five other locations throughout the UK. Chief executive Mike Simms said: “The South West is a key regional market for Altran, particularly in the aerospace and defence sectors. “We have been building our presence here over the course of many years and established ourselves as a trusted delivery partner of some of the biggest names in UK aerospace and defence, providing them with engineering and technical support on an array of award-winning projects. “The opening of this new Bristol office is our latest step in developing a South West regional centre of excellence for engineering and innovation. “It will enable us to deliver an even greater breadth and depth of support to our clients, and sends out a clear message that we are an employer of note in this important region.” The firm is a member of the West of England Aerospace Forum. The new office comes at a time when Altran is showcasing its work on intelligent systems for the aerospace industry. The technology, which it will be demonstrating at Farnborough Air Show later this month, shows how air traffic controllers could do their jobs using voice commands and gestures in future. Denton Clutterbuck, head of aerospace and defence at Altran UK, added: “We are proud to continue investing in this region, helping our clients succeed, grow and innovate at a time of great challenge and great opportunity.”
Travel
More flying from Bristol with KLM France KLM general manager for the UK and Ireland, said: “Our operations in Bristol are crucial to our extensive regional network. We are delighted to have introduced our new Embraer 190 aircraft on this route following demand from our passengers. “This aircraft capacity increase – an extra 120 seats per day – means more passengers connecting via Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, more easily and to more destinations, and all this from their local airport. “This is a win-win for everyone.” Warner said he would like to see
capacity grow further still over the next three years, either through a fifth daily flight or more likely bigger planes. Shaun Brown, aviation director at the airport, said it showed how many passengers were finding it was easier to get to long-haul destinations connecting through the local airport, rather than travelling to London. He said: “A larger aircraft on the Bristol-Amsterdam route, combined with the convenient transfer process at Schiphol, means that passengers are increasingly choosing to fly long-haul from their local airport.” The most popular long-haul connections for Bristol passengers in the last year have been Nairobi, Cape Town and Osaka, closely followed by
● The larger Embraer 190 aircraft Tokyo and Singapore. The airport hopes that lower air passenger duty on flights of more
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MORE people are flying from Bristol Airport to long-haul destinations after a carrier increased the number of seats it sells. KLM takes business and leisure travellers from Bristol around the world, connecting via the major international hub at Schiphol, Amsterdam. In April, the airline switched to using bigger planes on its four daily return flights between the two cities, adding about 120 seats a day. And the demand was clearly there as seats quickly filled up. Warner Rootliep (above), Air
than 4,000 miles from April 2015 will see the long haul business keep growing.
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Focus on start-ups | Sponsored by THEME SPONSOR’S NAME HERE.
#GetExporting
WHY MORE OF OUR COMPANIES HAVE Today, Business West launches a new campaign in the Bristol Post to increase the number of companies exporting in the region. Called #GetExporting, the business organisation aims to help 2,020 companies in the South West to export more by 2020. Below, Phil Smith, managing director at Business West – which supports companies across the Bristol area – sets out how the campaign can achieve its target.
R
ESEARCH shows that businesses who export have significantly greater growth prospects, more durability and higher profitability than companies who don’t. And if you needed more encouragement than that, consider the fact that exporting businesses generate an average growth of 30 per cent after exporting for just two years – a serious reason to consider trading overseas. To capitalise on this momentum, Business West is launching its new ‘2020 by 2020’ initiative, where the aim is to get 2,020 businesses exporting more by 2020. The campaign, called #GetExporting, will encourage ambitious companies to grow their business through exports and will include lots of exciting exporting initiatives such as competitions, newsletters, export reports, social media campaigns and much more. Statistics show that exporting businesses are 11 per cent more likely to succeed than those which only serve domestic markets. The good news is that at Business West we have noticed a significant increase in export activity among our customers, with April and May being record months for our export documentation department. We really must get behind our
“ Statistics show that exporting businesses are 11 per cent more likely to succeed than those which only serve domestic markets. Phil Smith
exporters if we are to stand a chance of achieving the Prime Minister’s target of increasing exports to £1 trillion by 2020, and help businesses to seize valuable opportunities overseas. This is exactly what our #GetExporting campaign has been designed to do. Take your business to the next level and #GetExporting!
Chris Campbell Business@b-nm.co.uk
M
ORE than 150 businesses from Bristol and across the region have attended the UK’s first Export Fair, in support of the International Festival of Business. Organised by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and Business West, the Export Fair took place at the M shed in Bristol, where a selection of the region’s innovative companies showcased their products and services. The fair was the first of its kind and focused on the future of exporting and the impact of the digital revolution on international trade. Cheesemaker Alvis Brothers is increasing production by nearly a third on the back of strong domestic and global demand. The company, which trades as Lye Cross Farm in Redhill, near Bristol, attended the fair. It sells its Cheddar into 30 countries globally and at the end of last year arranged a seven-figure finance package with HSBC, that has allowed it to expand its milking and packing facilities. Turnover at the company hit £25 million last year, with 25 per cent of sales going to overseas markets, including Korea, the US, Dubai, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and a number of European countries. Managing director Peter Alvis said: “This finance package from HSBC has enabled the business to invest to reach the next stage in its development. The investments we have made will have tangible benefits to the business.” Futurologist and CEO of Global Futures and Foresight (GFF) David A Smith provided an engaging keynote speech at the fair on how
economies are changing, why the digital age is transforming how goods and services are bought and sold and how we communicate with customers. Mr Smith said: “The world’s economy is going to triple in the next four decades as emerging market economies wield increasing power – the UK needs to target these high growth markets now.” Business West’s Head of Innovation in Services John Rubidge highlighted how the world’s population is
changing and how the internet has transformed the way we research, shop, communicate and work. Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol West and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, also spoke about the continuing importance of exports for Bristol and the South West. Following the morning’s presentations, the Export Fair was open for visitors to explore different zones where international trade experts
● 1. Research your market Does your prospective foreign customer need what you are selling at the price that will yield you a profit? What is the competition and how will they react?
● 3. Construct an export plan Define how you will enter the foreign market. Finalise human resources and marketing strategy and allocate an adequate budget to cover export start-up costs.
How will you manage your overseas sales presence?
● 2. Implement an export strategy and review your capabilities Ask yourself: what would my business gain from exporting?
● 4. Choose your sales presence Establish whether you need a direct sales operation. Or is an agent or distributor more effective?
TOP TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL EXPORTING
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Business West's Head of Innovation in Services John Rubidge shares his top tips for successfully exporting.
#GetExporting www.businesswest.co.uk
● 5. Promote your product How are you going to market and sell your product? Customise marketing to the target country. ● 6. Get the customs side right Contact your local Chamber of Commerce or HM Revenue &
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
7
E TO START LOOKING TO THE WORLD
● Left, futurologist David A Smith speaks at the Business West Export Event at M shed. Above, Lye Cross Farm cheeses from Bristol on sale in Korea
“ The world’s economy is going to triple in the next four decades as emerging market economies wield increasing power - the UK needs to target these high growth markets now. Futurologist David A Smith were on hand to offer advice for both novice and experienced exporters. South West businesses also showcased their innovative products and services. Russell Jones, UKTI regional director for the South West said: “Exporting is crucial to the growth of our regional economy. “Our role at UKTI is to ensure South West companies continue to export and make the most of any opportunities available.” Phil Smith, managing director of
Customs to clarify customs requirements for destination markets. Make sure your reporting practices are watertight. ● 7. Get paid on time Ensure your cashflow will remain at a safe level. Guarantee sufficient credit for your future sales. Take out insurance cover if
Business West added: “We’re delighted that over 150 businesses have come along today which shows the real appetite there is for exporting. “No matter what size your business is, if you are successfully selling in this country, you can sell abroad. “You just need to make sure you take advantage of all the help available to you, which is what today has been all about. Feedback from attendees has been extremely positive. “Having everything they needed to
know about exporting all in one place, all on one day has been a real success. “I would encourage all businesses to #GetExporting, the opportunities are endless.” For more information about UKTI’s export support services and events in the South West visit www.ukti.gov.uk or call 0845 60 60 969. For information on Business West’s range of support services, visit www.businesswest.co.uk or call 01275 373 373.
necessary. Investigate the use of a Letter of Credit to help ensure you get paid.
effective transport method and make sure the goods are insured by you or the importer.
● 8. Choose your distribution methods Consider the implications of selling over long distances and across national frontiers.
● 10. After-sales policy Regularly liaise with customers, export agents and banks. Monitor political unrest or other adverse conditions in the country of destination. Manage regular servicing and warranty claims.
● 9. Transport goods effectively Assess and choose the most
● Pictured from left, Steve Smith, President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Mexico; Baroness Bonham-Carter, the PM's Trade Envoy to Mexico; and Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen, who designed the centre interior
Helping hand for exporters BUSINESS West is part of an extensive new roll-out of activity with overseas partners to ease the path for prospective exporters. It is a cornerstone of the UK Government and British Chambers of Commerce partnership to strengthen the role of the private sector in growing British trade overseas. By 2018, the UK will have a global network of British Chambers of Commerce and business groups in over 40 high growth markets overseas. These partners are already providing practical business support, giving companies a seamless end-to-end jour ney. British Business Centres have recently opened in Mexico, Vietnam, Dubai, Turkey, Singapore, Malaysia and elsewhere. Teams are working in partnership with UKTI in these high growth markets, where it was recognised by UK Ministers a couple of years ago, that UK business is not seeing the levels of trade that its competitors were securing. British Chambers in these markets are fully geared up to offer a platform of support, with experienced companies already active in the market – they can tap into their contacts, expertise and use their offices as a base to launch their business. Business West recently hosted experts from these networks from
“ Local firms can join a unique network with a strong campaigning voice for the interests of business in Westminster, Whitehall, town halls and in Brussels Business West Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia and on June 12, we showcased the huge opportunities that exist in the Middle East – the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain featured in that high-profile event. Business West said: “As a member of Business West, local firms can join a unique network with a strong campaigning voice for the interests of business in Westminster, Whitehall, town halls and in Brussels, where we promote pro-growth policies and defend business priorities. “Firms can also access a range of services, networking and support, to help them do business every day, whether at home or internationally.” To find out more, contact Sarah Hildersley at Business West – sarah.hildersley@businesswest.co.uk.
www.exportbritain.org.uk
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Focus: Harbourside
HARBOURSIDE REGENERATION – The waterside area in Bristol had become a wasteland, but since the Millennium has gradually been transformed into a place where business can thrive once again. Gavin Thompson reports.
● George Cardale, the Bristol-based national head of new homes for Savills, outside the Old General Hospital Photograph: Michael Lloyd BRML2014 0630C-002_C
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O back 200 years and Bristol’s waterfront was the beating heart of the city’s economy, thanks to great invention and some serious investment. The River Avon, which runs through the city, has a tidal range of about 30 feet. In the late 1700s that meant ships could become stranded in mud for hours until the tide came back in. That’s clearly bad for business. The solution was the Floating Harbour. Built between 1804 and 1809 it maintained a more-or-less constant water level along this stretch. It helped the city become one of the most influential ports in the world. Over time, the world changed. Trade ships become too big to use the harbour and now dock in Avonmouth or Portbury instead. The city’s waterfront became run down and largely derelict. But now after a major regeneration taking more than a decade, it has become a place where businesses can thrive once again. The regeneration has been led by house builders. George Cardale, the Bristol-based national head of new homes for Savills, said when he came to the city in the 1990s, no one wanted to live on the waterfront. “There was no development, no housing, no retail, no leisure,” he said. “There were just empty spaces.” Now you would hardly recognise the place. It is residential development that has been key to reviving the waterside areas of the city. The has been driven by two factors, said George – legislation and lifestyle. He said: “Building on green field became harder so in order for Bristol to meet its housing targets it had to look carefully at brownfield sites.” He explained that brownfield sites were usually more challenging to develop because of issues such as contaminated land, existing buildings in poor condition and difficult site access. So developers would opt for new build on greenfield sites, until the Government made that harder. Second was a change in demand due to our lifestyles. “About half the people we sell these kinds of properties to are in their 50s and downsizing from larger houses,” said George. He said couples were selling up with a big chunk of equity, using some of the money to help their children get on the property ladder and the rest to buy a smaller home. For this market, as well as the young professionals, city centre, waterside living suits them, thanks to the easy access to bars, restaurants and public spaces.
‘It’s all about heritage and history’ ● A FORMER hospital is being given a second life as new homes and shops. The Bristol General Hospital closed two years ago but since then work has been under way restoring and converting the grade-two listed building. The building was opened in 1858, with the ground floor used initially as a warehouse for goods from ships using Bathurst Basin. It suffered bad bomb damage in the Second World War, and the roof and top floor including part of the octagonal tower was removed and replaced with a flat roof. Developer City and County,
The trend for residential to lead the way continues with the conversion of the former General Hospital into homes and Wapping Wharf, on opposite sides of the Bathurst Basin. The basin, named after 19th century MP Charles Bathurst, is a boot-shaped part of the docks, below the Floating Harbour and above the River Avon, that used to link them through two sets of locks, enabling smaller vessels to bypass the main entrance to Cumberland Basin.
which has worked on similar projects elsewhere but is making its first foray into the South West, is turning it into 181 one, two, three and four-bedroom flats. Of those 98 will be part in the old building and 74 in new builds, with six commercial units too. George Cardale from Savills, which is selling the homes, said restoration projects such as this were now sought after. “It’s all about heritage and history which people want to be a part of,” he said. The homes will go on sale from September with show homes available to view from February next year.
These two schemes mark the final piece of the jigsaw in the regeneration of the docks but the transformation started downstream back in 2005 when Crest Nicholson began building flats on the Harbourside. Crest Nicholson sales and marketing director Susan Young hailed the area as Bristol’s most important residential development. She said: “Harbourside re-defined what people think of as the heart of Bristol, shifting the emphasis west
● The former Bristol General Hospital
from the old city centre and opening up an entire new quarter. “Canons Marsh had been abandoned and left semi derelict since the last war – criss-crossed with old railtracks, scarred by derelict gas works and mainly used as a coach and car park. “We are immensely proud of what has been achieved transforming an old coach park into a thriving area for people to live, let alone work, rest and play.”
The final part of the project, for Crest Nicholson at least, is nearing completion, called Invicta, aimed at the posher end of the market. A threebedroom home with waterside views starts at £550,000. Prior to the Crest Nicholson scheme, waterside living had taken off in other parts of the UK but Bristol had been slow on the uptake. The plus side of that caution is that we avoided the oversupply of flats
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Wednesday, July 9, 2014
FROM DESOLATION TO DES RES
● The changing face of the Harbourside - after years of neglect, the city’s waterfront has gone from being run down and largely derelict to an area where businesses can thrive once again
‘Part of a vibrant community’ ● HALF of the first new homes released in the Wapping Wharf development have been bought in just 10 days. More than 900 people have registered an interest in the development at the site of the former ship building centre on the Bathurst Basin. The project will eventually include 600 homes with the first ones due to be ready next year. David Caught, sales and marketing residential director for Muse Developments, a joint venture partner along with Umberslade, said: “The launch to market has been a great success and we’re delighted to see the enthusiasm for the development, particularly from
restaurants and leisure businesses. Ian Wills, director at commercial property specialist JLL, said: “There’s about half a million square feet of office space at Harbourside, which is a significant amount of employment. That’s people spending their money at lunch times and after work. “We have now got the critical mass of people living and working there to support the restaurants and retail in a more sustainable way.
“ We have now got the
● An artist’s impression of the Wapping Wharf development
“On top of that there are all the great events which are held. The other day I was I was watching Paulo Nutini with 5,000 people. Then there’s the Harbour Festival (which takes place on July 18-20). It is an absolutely fantastic mixed-use environment.” That mixture of uses is vital to success when developing an area, and one that needs to be applied as the regeneration bandwagon moves up river to Temple Quarter, site of the
proposed concert arena. Ian said: “The key is that it is a blend of uses. Until recently there was no residential use at Temple Quay, although that is changing (with the Zones development and the Eye). It was 99 per cent office use, while the Harbourside is about 60 per cent residential and 40 per cent commercial and leisure which creates a more 24-hour community.” The Temple Quarter area is more industrial and perhaps harder to
critical mass of people living and working there ... It is an absolutely fantastic mixed-use environment.
Ian Wills
picture as a vibrant hub. “We need the imagination to picture what it will become,” said Ian. “Look at Finzel’s Reach (the former Courage brewery across from Castle Park being turning into flats and commercial space) to see what can be done. “We have made a really good fist of developing our waterside in Bristol in the last five to 10 years. It’s very important to Bristol that we continue.”
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seen in other British cities in the recession such as Leeds and Manchester. In turn, that has given planners more time to find the right balance between residential and commercial. There are lots of jobs in the Harbourside. Lloyds employs around 3,000 staff in its two buildings around the Amphitheatre. Hargreaves Lansdown’s national HQ is the base of 600 workers in Anchor Road. Plus of course the growing number of shops,
the local community.” The easy reach of leisure and restaurants such as the Watershed, Bordeaux Quay, Severn Shed and more is one of the key selling points. David added: “Wapping Wharf offers residents the opportunity to be part of a vibrant community, with access to all that Bristol has to offer. “We hope to stand out from the competition by reflecting the proudly independent nature of Bristol’s retail environment, as the development is expected to include restaurants, cafes, shops and boutiques carefully selected to enhance the experience of living here.” The first phase includes 168 flats, stating at £181,950, as well as 865 sq ft of retail and leisure space.
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Business diary Solar Seminar: Renewable experts from Michelmores solicitors and Francis Clark accountants team up with PV panel supplier SunGift Solar to explain the business case for solar installation, including a Feed-in-Tariff update, funding, tax implications, property law and planning. At the M shed from 5.30pm today, July 9. Inquiries by email to sarah. laughton@michelmores.com. RCIS South West Commercial Property Question Time: Join the body for land property and construction professionals in a lively summit-style debate to discuss how the profession can seize opportunities and help address the major challenges facing the commercial property sector today, both nationally and in the South West region. From 2pm-5pm on July 10. Compliance Within the Staffing Industry: Outsource UK’s Thought Leadership Series starts with a free breakfast event featuring two employment experts considering how impending changes to employment law will affect compliance within organisations. Held at Hotel Du Vin on Tuesday July 15 from 8.45am. To register, email events@outsource-uk.co.uk.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Out and about with Bristol’s business community
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Email your business events to gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk. Events are sometimes cancelled without us being notified so please check with organisers before travelling.
bristolpost.co.uk/business
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RISTOL’S first dedicated PA network, a professional forum with a focus on development, sharing best practice and building relationships has been launched. Held at the Radisson Blu, the event attracted 50 PAs from companies such as Grant Thorton, PwC, Michelmores, DAC Beachcroft and Devon County Council. Founded by Debs Eden, a former winner of Executive PA magazine’s PA of the Year award, the Bristol PA Network is specifically designed to bring together those in the profession with a view to showcasing the importance and value of the PA role. The evening opened with a welcome speech from Debs, followed by a session on “developing your confident core” delivered by Rhian Sherrington of Choose2Flourish. The final speaker was Christine Henshall-Hill, founder of the Plymouth PA Network, who outlined the benefits of networking for both her-
● Madeleine Wride, Hays Pictures: Michael Lloyd BRML20140701H-010 self and for her employer. The event ended with drinks and canapes and the atmosphere was buzzing, with many delegates commenting on how inspired they felt
● Caroline Clinkenberg, Deloitte LLP, and Venetia Coolen, BRML20140701H-008_C The Executive Assistant
about having a dedicated network, and after hearing great speakers. With a greater focus on personal development and building client relationships, the Bristol PA Network is
set to grow and grow.
● To join, visit www.bristol panetwork.co.uk and click on the “become a member” tab.
● Kathryn King, Kathryn King Designs, Samuel Smith, Cake Smiths, and Karen Chelton, Burton BRML20140701H-009 Sweet
Neighbourly launch: Social network for businesses with a social conscience Neighbourly will hold a launch event at the Engine Shed on Thursday, July 24, 5pm-7.30pm.
Bristol Connected: The Bristol Post’s popular business networking event takes place a the Hilton Garden Inn, Temple Way, from 6pm-8pm on Thursday, August 14. A chance for SMEs to network as well as meet the Post team. John Hirst from Destination Bristol will be among the speakers. To sign up go to eventbrite or scan the QR code below.
FOR MORE PICTURES Check out our website at
PA Network launch - Radisson Blu
Boost! your business: Boost! Is a new series of events that aims to provide owner-managers of growing local businesses with fresh, practical know-how that will help them to get the most out of their business. The first one takes place at the Unilit Club, Bristol from 5:30-7:30pm on July 15 and will look at how to access funds for growth. Register to attend for free at boost-bristol.eventbrite.co.uk.
Summer party: Moon Consulting holds its summer party at the Old Fire Station, Pill, on Thursday, July 31 from 6-8.30pm. The evening will feature display of elite Aston Martin and Bentley cars courtesy of local luxury car dealers HR Owen Cheltenham and two classic Austin Healey race cars. Fundraising for the Fire Fighters Charity.
GALLERIES GALORE
● Zoe O’Neill, Skills on Toast, and Amanda Kerin, AJK Events BRML20140701H-007
● Marcell Phillips, Grant Thornton, Claire Annetts, KPMG, and Sarah Taylor, BRML20140701H-005 KPMG
● Rebecca Slade, Arts Council England, and Isabelle Mills, St BRML201407 John's Chambers 01H-003
Gromit Unleashed - Bristol Zoo Pavilion
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HE success of last year’s Gromit Unleashed trail, where giant Gromit sculptures appeared around the city, was celebrated at an event hosted by Veale Wasbrough Vizards. The law firm was one of the sponsors of the trail and partner Doug Locke talked of the company’s involvement. Bristol Mayor George Ferguson spoke about how the event had brought in an estimated £123 million for the city’s economy. And Nicola Masters, appeal director at Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children's Hospital Charity, told how it raised £2.3 million for the charity. Doug said afterwards: “It was inspiring to hear about the positive difference that Gromit Unleashed has made to people's lives and to our city.” He added: “The future looks fantastic. Having advised the charity on Gromit Unleashed, we are keen to get cracking with the forthcoming Shaun the Sheep project.” He joked: “We have no plans to abandon sheep.”
● Top left, Sarah Wright (Savills Estate Agents), Sue Ramlugon (Motaman Bristol), Omar Ramlugon (Motaman Bristol); Above, Marcus Parkinson (DPS Bristol), Yu Parkinson, Ruth Foreman (Baker Tilly); and left, Mayor George Ferguson and Richard Brown (Veale Wasbrough Vizards)
GALLERIES GALORE
FOR MORE PICTURES Check out our website at bristolpost.co.uk/business
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Wednesday, July 9, 2014
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● Kirsty Ranger of Idea Squares
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Start-ups gather for ‘graduation day’ Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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HEN the team behind it decided to stage Silicon Gorge 1.1, they didn’t know that Bristol and Bath would be named as the UK’s leading tech cluster on the day of the event. But the timing couldn’t have been better. In the morning the Centre for Cities report praised the tech cluster made up of the neighbouring cities and in the afternoon some of the next generation of tech entrepreneurs were pitching their ideas to potential investors. Staged at the Engine Shed, the event saw the 10 start-ups that form the current cohort at the WebStart Bristol accelerator give short presentations asking for investment. Then the slightly later stage businesses from TechSpark Bristol and Bath had their turn. For the WebStart companies, this also marked their graduation, the end of their official 10-week programme, although they will be staying on at the Engine Shed over the summer developing their ideas and business models. WebStart boss Mike Jackson said the day had been about more than just asking for money. “I don’t expect to see a lot of investment directly from this event,” he said. “But it is great to have this focus for getting their concepts and products ready to demonstrate. You need an end date.”
● Businesses who took part in the first Silicon Gorge returned to share their stories at Silicon Gorge 1.1, an event to showcase businesses to potential investors held at the Engine Shed. BRDR20140702A-005 These are the second cohort to graduate WebStart. There’ll be a third starting in October. They each get a £10,000 investment coupled with mentoring and support in return for a stake in the business. Some – perhaps most – will eventually fail. That’s business. But even those that do will, hopefully, gain from the experience. And the signs are positive. From the first cohort,
three have been accepted into SetSquared, also based in the Engine Shed and recently ranked the second best business incubator in the world. SETsquared businesses are a little further on their journey, and several were on hand to showcase their wares at the Silicon Gorge Event, including Neighbourly, Wriggle (itself a WebsStart graduate) and Idea
Squares. The ideas presented by the latest crop at the event were broad, from apps to help you train for a race to location-based messaging services that help you find someone to take to the pub. Rebecca Wasley is CEO of TalentBlok, one of the current WebStart companies the only woman in the current cohort.
The 22-year-old admits she’s not a tech person. Her business is a platform for people to build interactive portfolios to show off their skills. She says: “WebStart is a great environment and a great experience.” On being the sole woman, she says: “I don’t really think of it as male and female. It would be nice to get more females in the tech sector, but for me it is more of a business thing.” Indeed. Soon, every business will be a tech business. Her business partner Christos Constantinou is very much a tech person. The 31-year-old says he is “very happy” to see Silicon Gorge 1.1 happening in Bristol. “It’s creating an eco-system for investment to happen,” he said. Glenn Smith, entrepreneur and the CEO of Bath-based MapleBird was at the event as a potential investor and has just returned from a robotics trip to Silicon Valley organised by the Technology Strategy Board. He says: “There is some genuinely good talent in the region and having come back recently from San Francisco and Silicon Valley, the quality of ideas here is every bit as good as the States. “The big difference is the investing community which is so much bigger and more established which really gives the US and advantage – tech entrepreneurs have to works so much harder here to get investment.” But the work is paying off. Nick Struge, director of the Engine Shed, revealed that the businesses which took part in the first Silicon Gorge event earlier this year have collectively raised £850,000 in investment. So watch this space.
The WebStart Bristol and TechSpark businesses pitching for investment All ethically sourced. Wants £45,000 for development and £95,000 for marketing. ● Habu A web app that helps people to manage buildings which are used to host events. ● Huskr A platform offered group deals from “awesome independent traders”, initially aimed at students. Seeking £110,00 for development, marketing and recruitment. ● In Your Stride A running app that offers adaptive plans tailored to a running goal,
such as running the Bristol 10K. Seeking £120,000 to recruit and grow sales. ● Missionly An online platform to help businesses and students connect. Recruitment for undergraduates for placements, internships etc. Wants £130,000 to launch in more locations. ● Senta Cloud software to help accountants run their practices, so they can spend their time accounting not on admin. Self-financed so far but will be
seeking growth funding later. ● Storelens Provides affordable analytics for games developers and publishers. Seeking £30,000 to fund software launch now and more later. ● Talent Blok An online platform where jobseekers can create a dynamic and interactive professional profile. ● CiteAB, the world’s biggest antibody search engine for researchers. Seeking £250,000 ● Gleem, a cleaning business, wants £125,000 ● Green Running, wants
£500,000 ● Horseology, equestrian advertising platform that also supports related charities. Seeking £150,000 investment and £100,000 to match other funding. ● Media Lounge Group helps emerging musicians. Wants £510,000 ● Opposable Game makes free-to-pay revenue-generating sci-fi games. Wants £150,000 ● Spuddy, a platform to help people meet others who share sporting interests and abilities. Seeking £148,000
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● Binoley Dracey Beau’s web app will help students identify what they need to do to reach their goals, so if they want to be a games designer, what subjects should they take. He’s looking for £10,000 investment. ● Blast App A location-based messaging platform that allows you to reach people you don’t know by sending messages to people nearby. ● Call of the Brave A crowd-funding platform for T-shirt designs that allows designers to get ideas to market.
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Wednesday, July 9, 2014
The back page
Your digest of the week in business
People
continued success.”
Awards
● Depending on where you work, Friday July 4 was either Independents’ Day – celebrating independent traders – or employee ownership day. While lots of local stores ran offers and discounts to mark the former, staff at perhaps our best known employee-owned business John Lewis celebrated the latter, right. The store at Cribbs Causeway employs more than 900 people, who are all partners. As well as getting a say in how the chain runs, they also share in its profits through their annual bonus. Branch boss Liz Mihell said: “As a business, we have embraced co-ownership for a great many years, so there is a great belief in the long term success and stability of this business model.” ● It’s all change in accountancy this week. There’s a new face at the top at one of the city’s leading firms. Grant Thornton UK has appointed Tim Lincoln, below, as practice leader for the South West region. He succeeds John Golding, who will continue to lead Grant Thornton’s South West public sector assurance practice. Meanwhile Allister Weir, a director in the firm’s regional tax team, becomes a partner. The changes mark the beginning of a new period of investment in Grant Thornton’s Bristol office in Victoria Street and its regional hubs in Tewkesbury, Dorchester, Exeter and Truro, which together employ more than 200 people. Tim, 44, previously led the firm’s Belfast office, having also worked in Leeds, the Thames Valley, London and Paris. He said: “My absolute focus is on extending Grant Thornton’s reach into the South West market place. We are in a strong position but we are investing in our team to go even further. That means bringing in new people at all levels of the firm, and developing our existing staff. It goes without saying that both John and Allister have a crucial role to play in this process.” ● Another leading accountancy firm Smith & Williamson has made three senior promotions at its Bristol
● Keynsham-based Andrews estate agents scored a hat trick – winning three national awards across two ceremonies held on the same day. At the Legal and General Mortgage Club Awards, Andrews won the Top Appointed Representative for Business Quality for the second year running. It recognises the emphasis the firm puts on its customers and the professionalism of its brokers. The company also took two awards at the Letting Agency of the Year Awards 2014, silver in the Best Social Media category and bronze for Best Website.
office. Partner Jerry Barnes, below, has been appointed as the new chairman of the firm’s landed estates team. He takes over from partner Andrew Lockwood who remains an active member of the team. Private client tax specialist Imogen Hilton-Brown and investment manager James Eggels have been promoted to partner. Imogen will take over Jerry’s previous role as head of private client services in Bristol, while James will continue play a key role in the firm’s investment management team. Mike Lea, managing partner of the Bristol office, said: “These promotions reflect our investment in our people which is part of our
ongoing commitment to delivering the highest quality service to our clients.” ● Meanwhile built environment practice Nash Partnership, based in Wine Street, has appointed Mike Fox as a planning director. He will work alongside director of planning and regeneration Mel Clinton to develop the national and regional spread of the practice’s planning consultancy work. He brings 11 years of experience in handling complex planning, urban design and regeneration projects in the public sector in the London boroughs of Greenwich, Camden and Brent, as well as abroad. He said: “I look forward to bringing a fresh perspective to the team’s work and contributing to its
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Director CBI South West
to be unable to deliver. Over half of British firms are concerned about the resilience and self-management skills of school leavers and a third with their attitude towards work. Just under half of all firms are worried that young people making the jump from the classroom to the meeting room do not possess enough knowledge of their chosen careers or have relevant work experience. This reflects business opinion that the careers advice system is in a
perilous state, with four out of five firms saying it’s simply not up to the task. By contrast, almost all firms are more than happy with the IT skills of our young people as they enter work. Incentivising our schools, colleges and university to produce students with the grit, ambition and emotional intelligence needed to build successful careers would help. We also need to clearly set out what we want our schools to deliver and then hold them to account. The Government redesigns exams and expects them to change the system, rather than changing the system and using exams to accredit it. We need to take a step back to see the big
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● It’s been a good week for us here at the Bristol Post too. Assistant editor (business) Gavin Thompson was named Specialist Journalist of the Year at the EDF South West Media Awards. Judges praised his “stories that prove business can be written to appeal to all”.
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● Anyone in the construction industry can put themselves in for an award. The Construction Industry Training Board is looking for entries for its Pride of Construction Awards. Find out more at www.citb.co.uk.
Places ● An e-commerce specialist has taken one of the last available units at the Paintworks has been secured on a long-term lease. TVG Media Ltd has bought the 999-year lease on Unit 5.19, a 1,584 sq ft office where it will move subsidiary The Pixel in. The firm works with brands including Calor Gas. It comes just before work starts on phase three of the Paintworks development, with 85 homes, 11 live and work units and 75,000 sq ft of offices planned.
We all want young people to fulfil their potential Deborah Waddell
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● Local home improvement agency West of England Care & Repair, which has been supporting older and disabled people to live independently in the Bristol area for 28 years, has won the National Agency of the Year Award 2014. Andy Chaplin, director of Foundations, the national body for home improvement agencies, said: “People tell us they want to remain living independently for longer – so adapting homes alongside other community based interventions can help them achieve this.”
The op-ed column
HETHER you have a son or daughter just finishing their summer exams or you’re a hi-tech manufacturer hoping to add to your pool of skilled technicians, we all want young people to have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. There is no bigger issue facing our economy today than getting the education and skills system in the right shape to meet rising demand for a highly motivated, highly skilled workforce to underpin our future economic success. This year’s CBI/Pearson education and skills survey spells out exactly why we can no longer afford to tolerate a system that seems
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picture and create a system that better reflects how well a school’s culture nurtures the behaviours and attitudes young people need. This cannot be judged by exam results alone. We’ve got to make sure that every young person receives an education that will enable him or her to fulfil their true potential – in every school and college across the UK, whatever the area and whoever is in charge. We’re hearing the right noises from politicians across the board these days, and seeing some progress, but the need for genuine reform of the system remains.
● Deborah is speaking at the West of England LEP Schools Conference today.
% % %
%
Ave mortgage rate % Corporation tax % Main rate Small profits rate – below £300,000
20
%
Business current accounts
1.01% State Bank £10,000 deposit of India 0.25% £1 deposit
Business savings accounts Secure Trust Bank
1.85% £1,000 deposit
Cambridge & 1.6% Counties Bank £10,000 deposit Source:
Petrol prices .70p
131 136 140 70
Unleaded
.37p Diesel
.15p Super unleaded
.49p LPG
Source: PetrolPrices.com