Business 19 March 2014 by BGSD-cs

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Cricket club boss tells how he’ll deliver success for the balance sheet – pages 10&11

Karren stars in starting line-up for new business showcase – page 12

Business bristolpost.co.uk

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19 MAR 2014

BUDGET PREVIEW SPECIAL

GEORGE DRAWS UP BUDGET BLUEPRINT EPB-E01-S3

Today the Chancellor reveals his grand designs to keep the economy growing, with house building and incentives for business to invest the foundation of his plans... pages 8&9

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Legal

Former lawyer to Thatcher will advise solicitors ● SOLICITORS’ firm Gregg Latchams has appointed Dr Hartley Booth, formerly lawyer to Margaret Thatcher, as a strategic adviser. Dr Booth’s first commission will be to help the Queen Square firm develop its business in China, where he will be presenting a series of seminars this month as part of the Red Dragon Advisors initiative. He flew to China on Saturday with Gregg Latchams partners Paul Hardman and Ken McEwan. Red Dragon Advisors is a China investment services consortium, of which Gregg Latchams are founder members. In addition to this role, Dr Booth will also help develop the services the firm is beginning to offer from its London base in Berkeley Square. Dr Booth was a policy adviser on law and the environment to Mrs Thatcher when she was Prime Minister, and he held ministerial posts in the Foreign Office and Department of Education when an MP from 1992 to 1997. He was a Government trade envoy in central Asia from 1998 to 2012, for which the Queen awarded him an OBE. He is a barrister at law, having studied law at Bristol University and Cambridge University, where he was given a doctorate. Richard Hill, managing partner at Gregg Latchams, said: “We see the appointment of Dr Booth as an excellent opportunity for Gregg Latchams to raise its profile, particularly in London and the South East, and to help develop our new services.” Dr Booth said: “I am delighted to be joining Gregg Latchams. I hope to play a part in promoting AngloChinese and other international business, which is so important.”

Charity

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Olympic heroes urge firms to do their bit ● GOLD medal-winners from the London Olympics are working with a Bristol-based initiative to encourage businesses to help raise money for good causes. Legacy 300, a project created by Team GB Olympians and Paralympians, organises individual and team experiences. A pilot scheme in London raised £110,000 selling these experiences at auctions. A reserve price provides direct funding to the athletes and anything above that figure goes to the nominated good cause. Winscombe-born rower and Beijing Olympic medallist, Steve Rowbotham, said: “If your company or members of staff receive requests to donate auction items to help with the fundraising of good causes, please can you consider maximising the impact of this donation and help GB athletes raise £200,000 for good causes in 2014.” Bristol will be hosting several experience days in June as part of The Harbourside Games. They include rowing with GB Olympians, meet-and-greets with gold medallists such as Gloucestershire’s Pete Reed and Alex Gregory, and track cycling with GB cyclists.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Recruitment

Mothers’ pride Flexible firm on awards shortlist Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

ECRUITMENT firm 2S was set up because its founders wanted to use their skills and experience without having to be based in an office. Now the business is made of 11 professionals scattered around the country – all mothers who work from home because it suits their lifestyle needs. For founder Helen Sanders, 38, the change in her life was when her son Leo survived a brain tumour. “After that I realised I couldn’t go

and get a traditional job,” she said. “My business partner didn’t want to work in an office while someone else raised her kids.” So the business model developed of hiring experienced recruiters who had the same wish – to have flexibility to work from home, do the school run and earn well using skills they had developed over years in the industry. It’s the flexible approach that has made the firm a finalist in the Bristol and Bath Women in Business Awards in the Women in the Workplace category. Helen, from Southville, said: “What we have found is that people who are brilliant recruiters love what they do with a real passion and what they are doing, but want that flexibility of being a parent as well as being a really great recruiter. “When we visit customers we meet

● Helen Sanders set up 2S recruitment so she could work from home in a coffee shop, a Regus office or to go their place of work.” She said managing remote workers provoked challenges. “As a manager, you need to be able to engage with people and know when they are maybe going off track or are not happy,”

But she added: “There’s no reason why, if your systems are right, people can’t work at home.” The Bristol and Bath Women in Business Awards take place on April 2 at the Bristol City Centre Marriott. Book your tickets at www.bristol post.co.uk/wiba.

PR, Bath

Rudgeway, South Gloucestershire

● Business of the Year, sponsored by City of Bristol College. Finalists: 1pm, Bath; Fabulous trading as Pandora, Bath; Mitie, Emersons Green

● Innovation Award, sponsored by Ashfords. Finalists: YourStreet Ltd, Ashley Down; LiteTile Ltd, Rooksbridge; In Touch Studios, Bedminster

● Young Entrepreneur of the Year, sponsored by bclear Communications. Finalists: Rebecca Kench, of PropertECO, Bath; Amy McCormack, ETM Recycling, Ashton Vale; Grazziella Pinto, Fashion Bloodhound, Longwell Green

● Contribution to the Community Award, sponsored by Southgate Shopping Centre. Finalists: Low Carbon South West CIC, Queen Square, Bristol; Jenny Foster, of Bristol Fairtrade; Geometry PR, Bath ● Women in the Workplace, sponsored by Crest Nicholson. Finalists: 2S Recruitment, Bedminster; Brunelcare, Whitehall; The HR Dept, Henfield, South Gloucestershire

● New Business of the Year, sponsored by HSBC Commercial Banking. Finalists: YourStreet Ltd; Granny’s Secret, Chipping Sodbury

● Mentor of the Year, sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group. Finalists: Debs Eden, of Debs Eden & Associates, Southville; Joni Farthing, Women Outside The Box, Bristol; Emma Sparks, Geometry

● Female Apprentice, sponsored by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership. Finalists: Emma Sparks, of Geometry PR, Bath; Jessica Docherty, PES Consulting,

The finalists ● Woman of the Year, sponsored by PPC. Finalists: Romy Gill, of Romy’s Kitchen, Thornbury; Susie Hewson, managing director of Natracare, Kingswood; Michelle Michael, of Weston’s Grand Pier; Rachel Demuth, of Demuth’s Cookery School, Bath; Suzanne Baxter, group finance director of Mitie, Emersons Green

● Marketing Campaign of the Year Finalists: Hancock Communications, Bath; Merlin Housing Society, Chipping Sodbury; Rapport Digital, Brislington ● Outstanding Contribution to Business in Bristol or Bath, sponsored by UWE Bristol. Will be announced on the night. ● Overall awards sponsors: UWE Bristol

Sponsor profile

Thousands benefit from college offering ● AT City of Bristol College we’re committed to creating lifetime opportunities through outstanding education and training. We’re one of the largest further and higher education colleges in the UK, offering the widest range of academic and vocational qualifications in the area, with more than 2,000 courses available, from entry to degree level. Nearly 30,000 adults choose to study with us each year at one of our five main centres across Bristol and South Gloucestershire at Ashley Down, College Green, AEC at Parkway, Soundwell and South Bristol Skills Academy. Each centre offers excellent facilities, including purpose-built, well-equipped classrooms and workshops. Students can also study at one of our local community partner venues or in their own workplace. We also provide apprenticeships to around 3,000 of our students aged 16-plus. We are the main provider of post-16 education in Bristol with around 7,000 16-18-year-olds attending the college. In addition to supporting our 30,000 learners, we also work with a wide range of employers, large and small, through Partners in Business. As well as providing education and training, Partners in Business also offers employers a range of high value and easy-to-access business support services. For more information visit www.cityofbristol.ac.uk.

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Construction

Damage limitation Device checks the impact of weather battering Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

BRISTOL company believes it can help the country overcome the devastation caused by flooding in future. The recent onslaught of wind and rain has caused millions of pounds of damage in the South West and beyond, such as the collapse of the railway line at Dawlish, Devon, after a battering from the sea. The team at Imetrum, a high-tech spin-off from the University of Bristol, has been developing a device to measure how much damage has been caused to buildings, bridges and embankments using a simple video camera. The technique involves setting up a camera, then the firm’s computer programme looks at movement between each frame – with around 400 frames taken per second. Engineers can then use the information to judge whether the movement is more than it should be and if something needs to be done. Managing director, John Brewster, said the equipment was very precise. “We could be a mile away from the Severn Bridge focused on a 100-metre section in the middle and measure movement down to 0.25mm,” he said. “Being able to quickly ascertain the degradation in performance of a structure after flood damage could potentially have huge knock-on benefits to both the economy and the community at large.” The technology could also be used to highlight weaknesses in advance – for example, that a particular bridge could be at risk and needs strengthening to prevent future problems. Engineers can use it when load testing – for example, measuring how much a bridge moves when a lorryload of sand is driven over it and comparing that with information about how much the bridge should move based on the design. Mr Brewster said: “With the Imetrum technology we are easily able to understand the real time dy-

● Imetrum has developed a video gauge that measures movement of structures to a tiny level. They are using it to assess flood damage to bridges and embankments. Above, the team in Flax Bourton; below left, MD John Brewster

namic performance of any type of civil engineering structure under load without typically getting direct access to the structure. “We can therefore quickly understand the performance of the structure over its operational life or after a

Cambridge & 1.70% Counties £10,000 deposit Bank

State Bank 1.49% of India £10,000 deposit

0.10% Unity Trust £25,000 deposit Bank

Cambridge 1.45% & Counties £10,000 deposit Bank

0.05% 1.36% National £1 deposit Counties BS £1,000 deposit

particular event that puts a question mark over its performance.” The company, based in Flax Bourton, was founded in 2003 and specialises in precision measurement using cameras, without needing to touch whatever is being measured.

Bank of 1.25% Cyprus UK £1,000 deposit

1.9 1.6 0.5 3.99

Weekly earnings

It was founded as a spin-off from Bristol University, which still has a 30 per cent stake, and has grown rapidly, breaking the £1m mark for turnover last year. It employs 17 people and plans to hire three more this year, predicting 50 per cent growth in 2014.

Corporation tax % %

23 20 13 10

Main rate

Small profits rate – below £300,000

Base interest rate Employer NI rates .8% % Standard rate on Ave mortgage rate %

earnings above £148 per week

.4%

Employees in salary-related pension scheme earning up £770 p/w

Petrol prices .36p

129 136 138 70

Unleaded

.47p

Assistant Editor (Business) Gavin Thompson Call 0117 934 3336 Email gavin.thompson @b-nm.co.uk Twitter @gavin_thompson1

Writer Rupert Janisch Email business@ b-nm.co.uk Advertising Robert Rodgerson Call07828 941469 Email robert.rodgerson @b-nm.co.uk Advertising Jane Chapman Call 01179 343025 Email jane.chapman @b-nm.co.uk

Diesel

.11p Super unleaded

.10p LPG

Source: PetrolPrices.com

Advertising Simon Coy, Media Sales Executive - Business Call 07736 900 705. Email simon.coy @b-nm.co.uk Advertising Shama Abokor, Regional Business Account Executive Call 0117 934 3426 Emailshama.abokor@ b-nm.co.uk

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Source: Business Moneyfacts moneyfacts.co.uk

● AN ISREALI firm that treats knee osteoarthritis is planning to invest in Bristol after a recent trade visit to the country. Apos Therapy intends to open a branch in the city as part of a £10 million investment in the UK. The plan was announced among a raft of Israeli investments after the 17-company delegation went to the Middle East, led by Prime Minister David Cameron and Trade Minister Lord Livingston.

Get in touch

0.12% £1 deposit

0.05% £500 deposit

● TWO Bristol businesses have been named among the best 100 small companies to work for. Business Environment, a serviced office operator with offices in Bristol, is in the Sunday Times poll for the seventh year running, at 77. Stacey McCarthy, Temple Meads centre manager with Business Environment, said: “We are thrilled.” And The Gym, in Quakers Friars, was one stop higher, at 76th. Chief executive, John Treharne, said: “It’s a great achievement for the company to receive this accolade for the second year running and reflects the continued commitment and dedication from employees.”

Israeli firm to invest

1.53% Hanley Economic BS £1,000 deposit

Allied Irish Bank (GB)

Firms among the best in Britain to work for

Medical

0.25% £1 deposit Co-operative Bank

Ratings

Best deals - How the numbers stack up Inflation (CPI) Business current Business savings accounts accounts 1.01% State Bank £10,000 deposit of India

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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

MIPIM - Bristol business leaders report back from international property conference

Work starts here Winning Green Capital status ‘only the beginning’ Elizabeth Dunn Partner at Burges Salmon

HIS year was my first at MIPIM. Our real estate team has attended the event in Cannes for many years, using it to meet with agents, clients, investors and other European law firms with whom we work closely. MIPIM 2014 was buzzing, with a tangible sense of confidence returning to the property market. Unlike in previous years, when the worst effects of the recession were biting, businesses were fielding large teams of senior people. All the major European cities were represented and Stockholm (the first European Green Capital) was one of the main sponsors. We were delighted to be the main sponsors of Invest in Bristol and Bath for the second year running. The South West local authorities (Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire) came together with the support of the Local Enterprise Partnership to present a clear and cohesive case for investment in our region as the smart London alternative. While comparisons will inevitably be drawn with other regions, the authorities’ focus on key areas like Junction 21 and the Temple Quay Enterprise Zone, with a vision for those areas and support from South West businesses like ourselves, generated genuine interest. One of IBB’s key events was a forum on the European Green Capital that I hosted on the Thursday morning. Attendees included Sir Peter Sousby, from Leicester, the first Environment City; Staffan Ingvarsson, the vice CEO of Stockholm; Bristol mayor George Ferguson; architects from the UK and Sweden; BRE and Andreas Lindeloff, from Swedish

Movers & shake-ups

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The latest appointments news. Send your news to business@b-nm.co.uk

● SANTANDER Corporate & Commercial has appointed Julian Stevens as international director for the South West, a new role created to increase its support for businesses looking to grow overseas. Julian, below, joins Santander from Barclays and will lead a multilingual team of trade specialists. He will be responsible for developing stronger relationships with new and existing customers wanting to trade internationally. Julian lives in Bristol and has 25 years’ experience in the banking sector, with more than 15 years of experience in trade and international finance roles at HSBC and Barclays. Julian said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead a great team of people as we continue to build on our reputation in the sector and

● The Invest in Bristol & Bath stand at the MIPIM property conference in Cannes property developer Skanska. The key theme was the city’s challenge to business for European Green Capital and business’s challenge to the city. The debate provided an exciting opportunity for us to share the experiences from Stockholm and Leicester. It was recognised that the award of green capital was just the beginning. Creating a sense of place from the award was vital and Bristol’s brand should be enhanced alongside its strong green credentials. The benefits of a successful capital will be widespread – promoting existing businesses, creating jobs and raising standards for new buildings and development.

expand on our ambitions in the international market.” ● LAW firm Foot Anstey has increased the number of partners in its rapidly growing Bristol office to 15 after appointing a new specialist to its Bristol-based real estate team. Paul Clark, right, joins the firm from Burges Salmon, where he has spent the past 10 years advising clients in the finance, investment and energy sectors. Paul has particular experience in advising on complex developments involving biomass, hydro power and wind energy projects – both onshore and offshore. Managing partner, John Westwell, said: “Paul has both the specialist skills and proactive approach that our clients demand.” Since opening in Bristol in 2011, the office has grown to more than 60 staff. ● SARAH Daly has joined independent environmental firm SLR

MIPIM FACTS ✔ MIPIM is an international real estate conference held in Cannes in the south of France. It brings together investors from across the globe. ✔ Bristol and Bath sent a joint delegation for the city region, including Bristol mayor George Ferguson, to promote the area to potential investors. The cost was paid for from grants and sponsorship from Burges Salmon. ✔ The delegation met with more than 700 investors and property

Consulting as communications manager. Based in the firm’s Bristol office, Sarah will oversee the development of internal and external communications, marketing and bid development across the company’s 24 UK and Irish offices. Sarah, below, is a chartered marketer and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, with 28 years’ experience in senior roles, including 21 years as managing director of her own consultancy. Director Alban Forster said: “Sarah brings a great deal of wisdom, experience and creativity to this position and will have a key role to play as we shape and grow the business.” ● COMMERCIAL property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton has appointed Matthew Armstrong as a surveyor in its Bristol office. Matthew, who has joined the valuations team, will be working with key clients across the region.

professionals over four days. ✔ Hundreds visited the Invest in Bristol & Bath exhibition stand, which was modelled on the Engine Shed business centre in the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone. ✔ More than 80 delegates attended the team’s Developing the Region event. ✔ At the conference, the region was ranked seventh in the top 25 European Cities of the Future by FDi magazine.

He said: “I’m excited to have joined such a dynamic company and look forward to playing my part in providing high quality valuation services to clients.” Darren Sheward, head of office at LSH in Bristol, said: “As we look to strengthen our operations and expand the team, Matthew, right, will play an important role in delivering our services across the South West.” ● TWO staff at the Holiday Inn Bristol Filton are celebrating winning customer service prizes at the Bristol Tourism and Hospitality Awards. Peeradej Swetnant, sous chef at the hotel’s Sampans restaurant, was crowned winner of the Individual Customer Service Award for Hospitality, and the hotel’s academy host, Lynn Cadwallander, came runner-up. Lara Beechey, general manager at Holiday Inn Bristol Filton, said: “We are very proud of Peeradej and Lynn and delighted they were both

It was great to see our councils leading the way ● THE mood at MIPIM 2014 was genuinely buoyant and it was great to see local authorities from the West |Country leading the way by attending the event to make those vitally important connections with property investors. MIPIM is the world’s largest property fair and The Midas Group was proud to once again be a part of this globally important event, but it was especially heartening to see such great representation from UK councils this year. Some criticisms may have been levied at local authorities for sending delegations, but Midas applauds them for being proactive about attracting investment into their towns and cities. It is essential for councils to take an active role in key events like MIPIM to meet with investors and developers who have the funds, contacts and the desire to build in the UK – and as a construction company based in Bristol, Midas was delighted to see delegations from Bath, Bristol City Council and North Somerset in attendance. This year’s MIPIM had an especially upbeat atmosphere, and was the busiest event I have experienced for some time after six years of attending. Bristol was the subject of talks given by mayor George Ferguson about the city being recognised as the European Green Capital for 2015 – the same year that the city’s new £11.6m Filwood Green Business Park will be completed by Midas Construction – and we look forward to many more future collaborations with the forward-looking local authority. ● By Andy Smith, above, director of business development, Midas Group

recognised for their dedication and hard work over the last 12 months. This award means a lot to the hotel as it demonstrates our commitment to customer service by ensuring our guests receive a level of service they cannot find elsewhere in the area.” ● LAW firm Clarke Willmott LLP has appointed a new partner in its social housing finance team. Vicky Kells, below, who specialises in charging affordable housing portfolios to lenders and security trustees, brings seven years’ experience of working with the social housing sector. She joins from Eversheds in Cardiff. Chief executive, Stephen Rosser, said: “Vicky brings extensive industry experience that will be of great benefit to our team and clients.”

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Technology

Market for 3D printers could be worth £2.9bn ● A PORTISHEAD firm hoping to develop a 3D printer for the domestic market says the industry is potentially worth more than £2.9 billion. Research carried out for Robox found that one in 10 people would be prepared to spend £500 or more on a 3D home printer. Chief executive, Chris Elsworthy, said: “3D printing has already made its mark in the technology community, but where the general homeowner is concerned there is still a long way to go. But we’re finding more and more people would love to have a printer if it looked great, was relatively cheap and they had a clear idea of how to use it.” The study quizzed 1,000 adults.

Get the bigger picture. Business news from Bristol, Bath, Gloucestershire and Somerset. Scan to sign up for news direct to your inbox

● Alec Cole, account director at Venture Insurance in Clifton

In the picture Lorry cameras could mean the end for insurance fraud Rupert Janisch Business@b-nm.co.uk

ORWARD-facing camera technology could put a stop to fraudulent haulage insurance claims, according to a Bristol-based broker. Alec Cole, account director at Venture Insurance in Clifton, is now lending the cameras to haulage firms so they can see for themselves the effect the technology can have in resolving disputed claims. He said the technology, which has been around since 2008 but has only recently gained a foothold in the haulage industry, could make fraud-

ulent claims a thing of the past. And he said it had the added effect of driving down premiums, with some of Venture Insurance’s partner firms offering discounts of up to 10 per cent to hauliers installing the technology. The premium savings far outweigh the costs of installing the cameras and Mr Cole believes it is only a matter of time before the technology is used as standard throughout the industry. Mr Cole, who has more than a decade specialising in haulage insurance, working with hauliers across the South West and further afield, said a significant bank of management information was beginning to be built up to support the viability of the cameras.

Where appropriate, Venture Insurance is urging clients to install the cameras because they can provide incontrovertible evidence in disputed claims, in turn reducing risk. Mr Cole said: “There’s no question that this is going to be a game-changer in our industry. We expect that in a few years every haulage company will install these cameras on their vehicles as standard. “At the moment, because the technology is still to become mainstream, there’s a lack of management information to support its feasibility. “But we’ve been working with manufacturers for a couple of years now and there’s no doubt that, slowly but surely, hauliers are starting to recognise the benefits.”

Forward-facing cameras are proven to improve driver behaviour, reducing the likelihood of accidents in the first place. And in terms of the cost of claims, they can have a massive impact, even when the policy-holder is at fault. Mr Cole said: “These cameras can effectively make fraudulent claims a thing of the past. “These claims can also be settled more quickly and efficiently and can shorten the period that our insurers will hold outstanding claim estimates. “Even when the impact is not picked by forward-facing cameras, the video evidence shows the vehicle’s movement and lane discipline that can substantiate the driver’s version of events.”

Automotive

State-of-the-art base for repair firm showcase to our guests a client experience which is second to none. The premises house the latest diagnostic and specialist repair equipment with a separate 6,000sq ft. aluminium repair facility, while at the same time introducing an eco-friendly environment aimed at driving down energy costs. “We’re delighted that Barclays has backed our ambitious plans to create an energy-efficient body shop fit for purpose in the 21st century.” The firm deals directly with major insurance companies, including Aviva, Allianz Cornhill, Churchill

and Catlin and is one of only five AMG Mercedes accredited structural aluminium approved body shops in the UK. Local MP Chris Skidmore was among guests at the opening, with representatives from across the motor industry. He said: I’ve been impressed by the facilities and workmanship I’ve seen and hope this will encourage like-minded businesses to invest in the area, which has to be good news for creating local jobs and for the local economy.” The firm recently hired 10 more staff, taking the tally to 50.

Integral secures £5m leisure centre contract ● REFURBISHMENT and building firm Integral has won a contract to do up a leisure centre in London. The Aztec West-based firm won the £5 million job in Tottenham on the back of a successful refurbishment of another centre for the same client, Fusion Lifestyle. Tim Stringer, divisional director of Integral Build, said “The project at Tottenham Green really puts Integral Build into the major projects division for leisure and health club refurbishment projects. We’re delighted to be working with Fusion again. We’ve proved ourselves to be able to deliver complex refurbishment projects within these fast-track, live environments.”

Public relations

Plum prize awarded to treatment centre

● Staff outside WBC Automotive’s new premises in Warmley

● A PR firm from Weston-superMare has given away its services to a local charity. Plum Communications & PR invited charities to nominate themselves for free PR for a year. The winner was Broadway Lodge, a Weston addiction treatment centre. Centre chief executive, Brian Dudley, said: “This has come at the perfect time as Broadway Lodge is celebrating 40 years of delivering successful treatment programmes.”

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A CAR repair firm that works for insurers has opened a new bespoke premises in Warmley. WBC Automotive Ltd was established in 2002 following a management and staff buy-out from Nationwide Accident Repair Service. Now the firm has moved into premises on Caxton Business Park, which have been built and refurbished to WBC Automotive’s specifications to incorporate a state-of-the-art body shop. Director David Turner said: “This was a great opportunity for us to

Renovation

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Bristol Food Connections launch at the Watershed

● Peter Snowman from Bristol Cider Shop

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● Zaheer Shabir, Ileana Constantinescu and Dr Razvan Constantinescu, Pictures: Jon Kent BRJK20140312D-007 Honorary Consulate of Romania

● THE Bristol business community got stuck into a celebration of food and drink. Business West, together with the Watershed, Bristol Food Network and Destination Bristol, hosted the business launch of Bristol Food Connections. The ambitious festival will take place over 11 days in May to celebrate the outstanding and innovative food culture in Bristol. The launch event gave businesses an insight into the opportunities around the festival. Speakers including Lorna Knapman, the curator of Bristol Food Connections, and Tristan Hogg, from Pieminister, enthused attendees with their vision. The festival will reach communities and schools across the city from Southmead, Lockleaze, Barton Hill and Easton to Knowle West. It aims to bring people together to get them talking to each other and share their stories about good food. James Durie, executive director at Business West, said: “We are delighted to be playing a part in this exciting event for Bristol and our wider region. Local food and good food is something valued and celebrated in Bristol and it can play such an amazing role in bringing people together from all our communities.” With almost 150 business people, it looks like the business community is keen to get behind this initiative. Business can get involved by visiting the Bristol Food Connections website at www. bristolfoodconnections.com.

Get in the picture Send us photos from your event, with names please, to business @b-nm.co.uk

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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

The Education Agenda: Whose Business Is It? at the Engine Shed

Business diary Advice clinics: One-hour clinics with Business West for managing directors who want to focus on challenges of growth. Leigh Court, Abbots Leigh, today. Email info@growth southwest.co.uk. Wednesday@6: Institute of Directors informal networking at the Radisson Blu Hotel, 6-8pm, today. Non-members welcome. Free, but to register call 0117 3707785 or email iod.southwest@iod.com.

● Guests listen to the debate ● BUSINESSES were urged to take up the gauntlet of education at a lively debate. The Education Agenda: Whose Business Is It? brought together people from business and education to talk about the skills gap, whether schools are turning out work-ready students and what can be done better. The panel included Lisa Middle

Pictures: Michael Lloyd BRML20140314A-003 form Bristol NUT; Councillor Alistair Watson, who is leading a mayoral commission on education and skills in Bristol; and Rebecca Tregarthen, chairman of the Bristol Institute of Directors. Among the speakers was 17-year-old St Mary Redcliffe pupil Joanna Dombek, who impressed the audience telling them how she had worked with business and

● Rebecca Tregarthen, chairman of the Bristol IoD education charity Envision to create a project giving backpacks to homeless people. Afterwards, Joanna said the project had been great training for the world of work. “We were managing budgets, organising, working in teams and working to deadlines,” she said. Debate chairman Dave Harvey, the BBC business editor in the

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West, summed up the event by saying: “There’s a lot of energy in this room. Don’t let that evaporate. Go and make that connection and take that idea forward.” Rebecca said: “There seems to be a huge diversity over business involvement in schools.” The debate was run by the Institute of Directors and hosted at the Engine Shed, Temple Meads.

The Bristol Distinguished Executive Address Series: Networking event and opportunity to hear from a leading business voice. The speaker is Air Vice Marshal Julian Young OBE, UWE Frenchay Campus, 6pm, today. The Bristol Distinguished Executive Address Series: Networking event and opportunity to hear from a leading business voice. Simon Collins, chairman and senior partner at KPMG, City Hall, tomorrow, 6pm. IoD Bristol & Bath Young Business Forum Dinner: A place for ambitious directors to interact, learn and engage with peers and mentors. Waterhouse, Monkton Combe, Bath, 6pm to 8.30pm, tomorrow. Email roger.plahay@sandler.com. TasteTech: Institute of Directors hosts an interactive evening at Explore@Bristol with award-winning taste technology experts TasteTech. Tuesday, March 25, 6-8pm. For tickets call 0117 370 7785 or email iod.southwest@iod.com.

● Speaker 17-year-old Joanna Dombek BRML20140314A-020

● David Walters, Provident Personal Credit BRML20140314A-018

● Simon Quinn, Moon Consulting BRML20140314A-015

FSB South Gloucestershire seminar: Wednesday, March 26, 6.45pm-9.45pm, Aztec West Hotel, Almondsbury BS32 4TS. Register at www.fsb.org.uk. Silicon Gorge 1.0: Showcasing 25 tech and digital firms from Bristol and Bath to potential investors. Joint event with Webstart Bristol and SetSquared at the Engine Shed, Temple Meads, on March 26. Ticket only. The Bristol Distinguished Executive Address Series: Networking event and opportunity to hear from a leading business voice. Sir Win Bischoff, of Lloyds Banking Group, at City Hall, 6pm, on March 26.

● Richard Lowe, HR & Training Solutions, with BRML20140314A-009 Karen Yates, ACCA

● Peter France, Rotork plc, and Colin Cattanach, BRML20140314A-006 The Bath Studio School

● Sarah Dickens, Provident Personal Credit BRML20140314A-016

GALLERIES GALORE

FOR MORE PICTURES Check out our website at bristolpost.co.uk/business

● Debate chairman Dave Harvey, the BBC business editor in the West BRML20140314A-002

Bristol & Bath Women in Business Awards: A celebration of women’s achievements in business. At the Bristol City Centre Marriott, Wednesday, April 2. See www.bristolpost. co.uk/wiba to book tickets. 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.

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● David Pinchard, of the IoD, and Matt Butler, principal of Oasis Academy BRML20140314A-014 Brightstowe

Ready for business workshop: Introductory workshops for anyone who is exploring the concept of self-employment or starting a business at Brave, The Coach House, Upper York Street, Bristol, 10am-4pm, Thursday, March 27. Free. Contact readyforbusiness@ businesswest.co.uk.

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Focus on start-ups | Sponsored by THEME SPONSOR’S NAME HERE.

The Budget preview Expert eye Josephine Bush EY’s Tax Partner in Bristol (0)1179 812 050 www.ey.com

A Budget of moving parts

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ITH an election just 414 days away, the Chancellor will be considering whether he can introduce measures that are able to have a positive effect in time, or wait until his last Budget to announce any eye-catching initiatives. Whatever his choice, it looks like he’ll have little spare cash available in the Treasury’s coffers and so it will need to be a Budget of moving parts, with revenue-raisers required to fund any spending giveaways. However, any changes to the tax system would need to be carefully targeted and designed to support the re-balancing of the economy. Consumers have been responsible for driving the recovery so far, but long-ter m growth will be dependent on businesses stepping up to the plate and growth broadening out beyond the high street. The Chancellor won’t want to risk choking off the UK’s fragile recovery. He has stuck to his ‘Britain Open for Business’ agenda, which seems to have served the country well, with signs of greater investment by multinationals in the UK and the realisation of the UK being a country of choice for regional and global headquarters. Next year will finally see the arrival of the 20 per cent corporation tax rate, which delivers on the aspiration of the UK having the lowest (equal) tax rate in the G20, alongside Russia and Saudi Arabia. The Chancellor may look to increase the seven per cent top rate of stamp duty on high-value properties (or even add a new ‘super-band’) to help keep a lid on prices. The personal allowance is already set to increase to £10,000 in 2014/15, but he may go even further or address the widening gap between the National Insurance contribution lower limit and personal allowance.

GEORGE, WE’D LIKE A STABLE As the Chancellor prepares to deliver his key Budget speech, Gavin Thompson assesses what businesses in Bristol want and can expect

AX relief to encourage investment in enterprise zones could be a big win for Bristol in today’s Budget, but on the whole businesses want stability, not surprises, from the Chancellor. George Osborne, below, will deliver his key speech this afternoon and with many announcements already trailed, such as raising the personal allowance for income tax and a new childcare tax relief, there’s little room to play with. Whatever is new is likely to focus on encouraging firms to invest, according to EY partner Josephine Bush. “We would like to see increased incentives and allowances within the energy sector,” she said, adding that political stability in this area was also vital. “Everyone wants a more consistent policy to provide a stable platform for investment.” That clarity would be welcome in Bristol, which has the potential to develop a reputation for expertise in nuclear, with the possibility of new plants at both Hinkley and Oldbury in the next 20 years, and has a strong renewables sector, too. Josephine believes a tax regime to encourage businesses to relocate here, through low corporation tax and other incentives, needs time to bed in and so is unlikely to change drastically, but there could be more regional incentives. She said: “We are hoping for the maintenance of the annual investment allowance of 100 per cent tax relief for the first £250,000 of capital expenditure. “We may see that extended with a more generous allowance within enterprise zones in order to encourage investment in the regions.” Any boost for enterprise zones, which include the area around Temple Meads station in Bristol, would be welcomed by James Durie, executive director of Bristol Cham-

What would make brewer toast the Chancellor Case study ● IT’S no surprise Warmley-based brewer Bath Ales would like beer duty frozen at worst. Ideally, the maker of Gem, Wild Hare and other beers would like to see it at the same level as the cider, which remains lower from days when apple growing landowners held sway in Westminster. But there’s plenty more director Roger Jones would like from the Chancellor this afternoon. The firm has become an exporter, selling its beers in South America, Russia and other countries. “We have employed an export manager,” said Roger. “I’d like to see travel subsidies when he goes abroad to fill the order book.” As the owner of several pubs around the region, the business employs lots of casual staff and would like a softening of the language around zero-hours contracts, as well as help hiring new people. “Relief from employer national insurance contributions for the first three months to cover the probation period would be useful,” said Roger. He was also supportive of the idea of raising the exemption from employer national insurance contributions from under 21s to under 25s, which would help the pub trade which employs a lot of people in their early 20s. “We would also like more grants and tax breaks around capital investment.” And he said VAT on food sales in the pubs made it hard to compete against supermarkets offering meal-for-two dinner deals encouraging people to eat in. Bath Ales employs about 240 people, 100 full time and rest part time workers.

ber & Initiative at Business West, who believes in local decision-making and tax powers. “We are best equipped to drive growth of our economy,” he said. James believes the needs of Bristol should be at the top of the Chancellor’s mind today. He said: “Bristol is the capital engine of the South West and the strongest performing economy outside of London, therefore measures in the Budget must spur the economic

● Bath Ales director Roger Jones

growth of the city. Businesses in Bristol must be given the confidence by central government to enable them to expand via access to finance and awareness of export opportunities. Firms of all sizes must have the tools available to enable them to grow and increase future job opportunities in the city. “Youth unemployment remains too high, therefore measures must be in place to address the skills gap and ensure that business demands are

met through education and vocational training.” The Chancellor may give something on youth employment. A scheme introduced in the Autumn Statement last year exempted firms from paying employers’ national insurance contributions for workers under 21. But the small print made it easier for that to be extended to those under 25 and the Chancellor could announce a step towards that today.

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

PLATFORM FOR INVESTMENT ‘Bring back the incentives for green projects’

Another area of concern is housing, with rising prices making it nigh on impossible to get on the property ladder. James said: “House prices in Bristol have increased 39 per cent over the last 10 years and are predicted to continue to increase until the housing shortage in the city is addressed. “Local authorities must be given the power and incentives to fully address housing shortages locally to ensure that demand is met and prices do not escalate further.” The housing sector will feature prominently today, perhaps not surprising as many believe we are experiencing a property-fuelled recovery. Already heavily trailed has been the extension of Help to Buy for new homes until 2020, which had been due to end in 2016. Julia Smart, a partner at law firm Metcalfes, based in Queen Square, where she heads up the property

PREDICTIONS & WISHLISTS EXPERTS have been giving their Budget forecasts. Below are some of them, tick them off to see who got it right... Peter Brunt, hotels director, Colliers International ● Relief on VAT for hospitality businesses. Food is not VATed on input to the pub/hotel but is when sold on. Take 20 per cent off your selling price as the tax collected with no offsetting on the input side and you can see why it is hard to make money on food.

Case study ● THE boss of a mail delivery business has attacked the Government’s green energy record and called for the Chancellor to reverse the trend in today’s Budget. Dave Broadway, managing director of CFH Docmail, said the Government was taking the wrong road in cutting support for green projects. “The Government is putting more and more emphasis on cutting costs for consumers and business by cutting the support for green energy. They are talking about reducing various tariffs and lowering or freezing the carbon floor price. All of that takes away the support for green initiatives.” He said his own firm had plans to install a low-carbon heating system before the last election but the Coalition changed the subsidy meaning it would have taken 10 years to pay for itself instead of three. “We can’t afford for it take that long,” he said. He said energy problems were of the Government’s own making because it was no longer encouraging firms to find an alternative. “We used to have a fast growing renewable energy sector,” said Dave. “For £50 off annually for the consumer, they have thrown away

Jeremy Blackburn, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors head of UK policy ● Reform stamp duty. A more intelligent, modern way of taxing property sales is needed for a market which is changing at a rate of knots. Helen Demuth, tax partner, Smith & Williamson ● If the Chancellor really wants to lift people out of tax, he needs to bring national insurance and income tax thresholds into line. David Ford, regional director CVS ● Business rates need reform but we don’t need a quick-fix, pre-election smoke and mirrors. We need considered and comprehensive reform.

● Dave Broadway, managing director of CFH Docmail the future for this industry.” He said encouraging businesses to use low energy or renewable

team, said that was a welcome move. “We need more houses, the decline in the number of new homes during the recession was massive,” she said. “With more and more people living in smaller units, we need more properties to house them, so it makes sense to encourage house-building.” She said the scheme should also be extended for all homes to help make them more affordable. “It’s very tough for young people and many are relying on the Bank of Mum and Dad, but for those people who haven’t got that it is hopeless, even at the bottom end of the market.” The scheme sees the Government loan buyers up to 20 per cent of the value of the home to allow them to get a mortgage with just a five per cent deposit. Some have blamed it for causing a property bubble, although largely in the South East.

sources helped everyone because it ensured stability of supply. Docmail, which employs 200

“ Bristol is the capital engine of the South West and the strongest performing economy outside of London, therefore measures must spur the economic Phil Bommer

However Julia called on the Chancellor to make it simpler. “It’s hard work and the most unpleasant bit of conveyancing. There’s a lot of duplication,” she said. “You have the builder doing their bit, the Homes and Communities Agency doing its bit, the estate agent or developer… a lot of it is duplicated. Simplification would be helpful.”

people at its Radstock site, delivers mail which people upload to its website.

There is always speculation around stamp duty and pressure is growing for a change in the way it works. At the moment, if a house sells for £249,000, you pay one per cent stamp duty (£2,490), but if it sells for £250,000 you pay three per cent (£7,500). Many want the higher rate only to apply on the amount over the threshold, so you would pay one per cent on the first £249,000 and three per cent on anything above it, similar to income tax rates. Julia believes that would mean a “smoother” market and get rid of the problem of sellers being trapped in their homes or forced to slash their prices below the value to squeeze under one of the stamp duty thresholds. Whatever happens today, the Chancellor has limited scope for big gestures, with the deficit still standing at around £90 billion a year. But for many in business, little change will be welcome.

Allister Weir, director of tax at Grant Thornton ● A national insurance contributions exemption for employers and employees for the duration of an apprenticeship to further encourage businesses to invest in equipping people with the right skills for today’s market. James Durie, director, Business West ● Fix the broken business finance system which has led to constrained access to finance for SMEs and start-ups. Robert Brown, tax director at BDO ● A temporary reduction in employers’ NI contributions for the manufacturing sector would help bolster employment and support the government’s rhetoric of doubling exports by 2020.

Bringing crystal-clear insights to your business issues. Go to ey.com/issues EPB-E01-S3

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Know how John Bonney Online marketing specialist

Online reviews are so crucial

MALL businesses are incredibly important to any economy. However, in tough trading times, it is the small business owner who saves the day – innovating, adapting and continuing to employ people in their communities. Small and local businesses are the lifeblood of any country and they pride themselves on building a solid reputation through great service, quality products and word-of-mouth marketing . For decades, small business owners have known the importance of recommendations, referrals and positive reviews. But when it comes to online marketing they seem to think the rules are different. Online marketing is no different to offline marketing, there are just different delivery mechanisms. Search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing are just the same as Yellow Pages and directories. Referral marketing and word of mouth have been replaced with social media and blogs, and content marketing is similar to local newspapers. However, as an online marketing specialist, I all too often find that small business owners either seem frightened of the online arena or bewildered by techno-babble. We recently visited a brilliant local business. It was clear the owners were passionate about what they did, were experts in their field and were incredibly proud of their customer service. To support this, they had a wall almost covered with notes, postcards, cards and letters from clients thanking them for their service, help and support and recommending them to clients. This immediately built trust in them and what they had to offer. However, when you looked at their website and online presence (social media etc) there was hardly a mention of these happy customers, testimonials and well-wishers. We have said time and again that the currency in this new economy is trust and nowhere more so than online. It is essential that small business owners build up positive reviews and recommendations online. Latest statistics show: ■ 73 per cent of customers say positive reviews make them trust a business more, up from 58 per cent last year ■ The number of customers influenced by positive reviews has grown significantly year-on-year for the past three years ■ 79 per cent of consumers trust online reviews as much as word-of-mouth recommendations. It is vital any business builds up positive reviews, but particularly the small, local business owner. Top sites to add positive reviews include Google Plus/local pages, Yelp, Yellow Pages and local newspaper online directories.

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For more details, contact Craig Sheppard on c.sheppard @bathchron.co.uk or 07818 517296.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

The Big Interview

CRICKET CLUB ON A STICKY Gloucestershire Cricket Club has taken a gamble on appointing a young chief executive from the betting industry to drive the club forward commercially. Gavin Thompson meets Will Brown to find out if the club has backed a winner

HEN Shakespeare wrote: “That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet” he may have come close to the fact that names can be a very thorny issue indeed. But it’s an issue new Gloucestershire Cricket Club chief executive Will Brown may be willing to grasp. Will, who joined from Betfair in September, can see where the club has the potential to grow – in its home city of Bristol. “We’ve been playing in Bristol for 125 years, yet we are Gloucestershire Cricket Club,” he said. “We have suffered from a lack of awareness of us within the city. We are the sixth biggest city in England and we are the only international sporting venue in the South West of England, from

Vital statistics Name: Will Brown Age: 38 Born: Upton-upon-Severn School: King Edward VI (Bath) First job: Paperboy; first post-uni was as a typist for the forensic science service drugs unit Hero or inspiration: My grandfathers – it’s an inspiration knowing that I’m a hugely fortunate person to have the life I have.

Birmingham to Southampton. “We need to engage with Bristol a bit more. A lot of the T20 (20 overs-a-side cricket) fixtures are now on Friday nights, so we want to attract the groups of girls and guys to come up here, have a pint on the way up Gloucester Road, have a burger in the ground, watch the cricket and then head off into town.” The 38-year-old believes the club might have a better chance of engaging with the city if it was more obviously a Bristol club. “The name is an issue,” he said. “Should we be Bristol and Gloucestershire? There is a growing groundswell of opinion that maybe we should be looking to have Bristol in the name somewhere. “Should we follow Warwickshire’s example, where they have renamed the T20 team the Birmingham Bears? Should we be the Bristol Badgers, or something?” He said he did not want to alienate fans in Cheltenham, Gloucester, or elsewhere, adding that the Cheltenham Festival, where the club decamps for a fortnight in July, is “truly sensational”. But he said: “If we did put Bristol somewhere in our name, would people wake up to the fact we are here

in the heart of Bristol and have been for 125 years?” He added that including Bristol in the name would be more appealing to potential sponsors in the city, too. It’s certainly a difficult subject and Will admits that if the management team at the club decided to go for it, they would have to make a strong case. He added: “Ultimately, we are a membership society and members have the final say.” The name is not the only bouncer Will may face in the coming years. His drive to win over Bristolians to support the club stems from challenges within the business that can only be addressed by swelling crowds. Like many sports clubs, Gloucestershire has been struggling to live within its means, although Will says the decision to invest millions in the ground has been made in a businesslike way. Ideally, he says, the club should trade a surplus or balanced budget in a year when it has no international matches, then in years when it hosts games, such as England versus India this summer, it could put money

aside for the next capital development. “Very few clubs manage to do that,” he said. And Gloucestershire is not among them yet. Compared with nearest neighbours Somerset, the clubs have taken very different approaches. The latter has built its membership and a strong team to attract fans, and is now looking to bid to host money-spinning international cricket matches. Gloucestershire has invested heavily in its ground to chase international games, but borrowed to do so and now needs to build its following to give it a sounder financial footing. The ongoing redevelopment of the ground is costing £6 million. About 80 per cent of that is funded by the 147 flats Linden Homes is close to finishing within the ground. That still leaves about £1.2 million borrowed from the bank. “We’ll be paying for the stand for 10, 12 or 15 years to come,” said Will. “If we lose international cricket come 2019, there’ll still be lots of zeros on the debt with no meaningful way to pay them back.”

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

WICKET AS IT DRIVES FOR GROWTH “We would probably have to think about whether the future lay elsewhere,” said Will. “But I hope it doesn’t come to that.” Indeed, Will revealed the club seriously considered moving out of Bristol after its plans to redevelop the ground were initially refused, although that was before his time there. “There was a very real proposal to move away from here to South Gloucestershire,” he said. “Some of our advisers on the ground redevelopment were saying, ‘Don’t go for a second round of planning permission, just move’. It was a viable option and a site was being considered.” It didn’t happen and amendments to the plans, including reducing the height of the new flats, saw permission granted. Will joined the club in September but has been a fan since he was a boy, despite growing up in Bath. “By rights, I should have followed Somerset,” he admits. “I have watched them play at the Rec in Bath, but this is where I came first. It’s one of those things that sticks in your mind. I remember my first day here with my dad, aged six or seven.” Perhaps that’s why he’s keen to increase junior membership, with the season ticket cost reduced to just £20 and the junior limit raised from under 16 to under 19. He said: “Matchday experience is crucial, giving people a great experience. Cricket is fun, people want to see competitive cricket on the pitch and we want to provide that, but it’s about enjoying the day, not just the cricket.” Cricket isn’t the only part of the business, either. The BS7 gym has around 1,400 members and makes a profit for the club. The new facilities have made the ground a more attractive venue for conferences and events. It even has a wedding licence. But the game will always be the reason for the club’s existence, and therefore at the heart of the business. The club hasn’t spent big on players in recent years, but Will is hopeful performances will improve. He said: “Membership has been on a downward slide for the last eight

My working day Wake up: When our two boys (aged one and two) wake up! Breakfast? Bowl of muesli and fruit, plus the odd Danish pastry. Start work? The minute I switch my phone on. Typical working day? Lots of meetings (internal and external), mild swearing, phone calls and emails galore, and the opportunity to work with some deeply passionate and motivated people. Go home? Not late – about 5.30-5.45pm. Take work home/attend evening functions? Yes, both. Not as many as I should, but more than I would like.

My downtime

What’s the best piece of advice I’ve ever received? Watch the video to find out

bristolpost.co.uk/business years. This year we have already beaten the last three years and seen it grow in numbers of people, not just revenue. “We have about 2,000 members, but 14 years ago about 6,000. Admittedly, we were winning a lot then.” Will says the key performance indicators include the club making the final stages of one or both short forms of the game and being in the top three of the championship. “We need to be competitive on the pitch,” he said. “We have got the biggest squad we have had for a few years. We have been called a young side for a while, but they are not so young anymore and we are asking those players to step up this year.” Don’t worry, though. While Will is in his office running the business, he has a glorious position from which to keep a sharp eye on events on the pitch.

GETTING IT RIGHT ● In last week’s Big Interview we wrote that Yankee Candle had been bought by Yardley Plc when it was actually Jarden Corporation. We are happy to put this right.

FOR SALE TYTHERINGTON Castle Quarry, Tytherington GL12 8QU

IN PLOTS OR POSSIBLY WHOLE Approx 11.88 acres (4.81 ha) Office Building – 5,046 sq.ft. Industrial Building – Ref: N. Clark 3,636 sq.ft. Suitable for variety of uses, subject to planning

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My perfect weekend Lots of time with my wife and the boys, nice wine and food, shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops, good weather and Bath Rugby and Glos CCC both winning! Favourite book or film or TV show? Book: A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth; film: Little White Lies/Les Petits Mouchoirs Hobbies: Watching and participating in sport and just being with my family.

And international cricket is no certainty. The club will host an England game this summer and another in 2016, but after that, who knows? It’s always a race against other grounds to land the big games. “The next thing is floodlights,” said Will. “We have been told in no uncertain terms by the England and Wales Cricket Board that if we want to host World Cup games in 2019 we have to have permanent floodlights, and it’s likely to be same for all internationals in future. “That’s a real challenge for us. Our neighbours and local residents have put up with a lot with the development we have done. We are going to have to go and ask them for their support again. “The biggest challenge of floodlights is that they have to go in very specific positions to light the right areas.” He is hopeful locals will support them. Lights would only be used a handful of times a year and modern lights are very targeted, without the backwash you get from old-style football floodlights. But if they cannot get planning permission, what then?

WILL BROWN

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Showcase 2014

Commercial feature

Events

Star billing Karren among the big names at major business showcase

Jamie Breese, Director Business Showcase South West

Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

OME of the biggest names in business will be speaking at a free showcase taking place at Colston Hall on April 8. The Business Showcase South West 2014, sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, is a major business event that celebrates innovation, business, creativity and sustainability in the region. Speaking on stage is Karren Brady, who is perhaps now best known for her role alongside Lord Sugar in BBC1 show The Apprentice. But her business experience goes much deeper. A former director of Sport Newspapers, she came to the public’s attention as the first woman at the top of football, as managing director of Birmingham City FC, from 1993 to 2009.

● Karren Brady, left, will be speaking at the Business Showcase South West 2014, as will EE boss Olaf Swantee, above. The event takes place at the Colston Hall in Bristol